US Troops Overseas Face Cuts to Cost-of-Living Allowances
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:30s - Published
US Troops Overseas Face Cuts to Cost-of-Living Allowances
US Troops Overseas Face, Cuts to Cost-of-Living Allowances.
Fox News reports that United States service members
are about to see another cut to their monthly allowances
designed to reflect the rising cost of living in the U.S.
In May, the Defense Department
announced the first OCOLA cut.
.
According to the Defense Department, a second
round of cuts to overseas troops' cost-of-living
allowances (OCOLA) is on the way in November.
.
According to the Defense Department, a second
round of cuts to overseas troops' cost-of-living
allowances (OCOLA) is on the way in November.
.
Military.com reports that the November 15
cut will impact service members' December 1
paychecks ahead of the holiday season.
In 2022's National Defense Authorization Act,
lawmakers passed restrictions limiting decreases in
service members' allowances to once every six months.
In 2022's National Defense Authorization Act,
lawmakers passed restrictions limiting decreases in
service members' allowances to once every six months.
Fox News reports that more than , 230,000 troops , receive OCOLA allowances.
According to senior defense officials, a 4.6%
basic pay raise for troops will help to offset
the impact of reductions in OCOLA allowances.
Even [for] those locations where
OCOLA rates will start to decline, pay in
2023 is still higher than it was in 2022, Senior defense official, via Military.com.
Even [for] those locations where
OCOLA rates will start to decline, pay in
2023 is still higher than it was in 2022, Senior defense official, via Military.com.
So, most service members will
still have a higher take-home pay
even with OCOLA reductions
than what they had in 2022, Senior defense official, via Military.com
White House Issues New Rules , on How Government Can Use AI.
White House Issues New Rules , on How Government Can Use AI.
The policy was released by the White House on March 28, 'The Hill' reports. .
It is intended to reduce AI risks
within the government.
According to a White House memo, federal agencies must now appoint a chief AI officer, add safeguards and issue reports about how AI is being used. .
Those reports will also be made public, according to 'The Hill.'.
However, some AI uses, such as those
employed by the Department of Defense, do not require reports because they would be "inconsistent with applicable law and government policy.".
Agencies will have 60 days
to appoint a chief AI officer.
Safeguards to protect Americans' rights and safety must be implemented by December.
Vice President Kamala Harris
weighed in on the development.
I believe that all leaders
from governments, civil society
and the private sector have a
moral, ethical and societal duty... , Vice President Kamala Harris, via call with reporters.
... to make sure that artificial
intelligence is adopted and advanced
in a way that protects the public from
potential harm, while ensuring everyone
is able to enjoy its full benefits, Vice President Kamala Harris, via call with reporters
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
This Day in History:, US Withdraws From Vietnam.
March 29, 1973.
After eight years of an extremely
unpopular war with North Vietnam,
the last U.S. combat troops left South Vietnam.
Peace talks between the U.S. and communist
North Vietnam had begun in 1968, culminating with
a peace agreement signed in January of 1973.
Provision of the agreement included a
ceasefire throughout Vietnam, the withdrawal
of American troops and the release of POWs.
7,000 U.S. Defense Department civilians
remained in Saigon to assist the South in their
continued efforts against the North.
The remaining U.S. civilians would be airlifted out
of Saigon a year later when the city fell to the North.
58,000 American and an estimated
2 million Vietnamese lives
were lost in the war
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:00Published
Credit Card Delinquencies , Are on the Rise.
New York Federal Reserve data that was published on May 15 shows that credit card delinquencies kept rising from January to March, Fox Business reports. .
In Q1 2024, delinquencies reached
8.9% at an annualized rate.
America hasn't seen this high of a
percentage of serious credit card
delinquencies since 2012, Fox News reports. .
In the first quarter of 2024, credit
card and auto loan transition rates
into serious delinquency continued
to rise across all age groups, Joelle Scally, regional economic principal within the Household and
Public Policy Research Division at the New York Fed, via Fox Business.
An increasing number of borrowers
missed credit card payments,
revealing worsening financial
distress among some households, Joelle Scally, regional economic principal within the Household and
Public Policy Research Division at the New York Fed, via Fox Business.
Researchers aren't sure why delinquencies
are so high since the unemployment rate
is low, but they have a few theories.
One of those theories is that consumers drained savings throughout the pandemic
but continue to spend at high levels.
Another theory is that some Americans switched to jobs with lower salaries.
Additionally, credit card eligibility may have been expanded for many whose student debt wasn't being reported to credit bureaus amid the pandemic.
These are all kinds of complex issues.
We don't exactly know what's behind the
increase of these delinquency rates. But it's
definitely something that we're tracking, New York Fed researchers, via Fox Business.
The average annual percentage rate for
credit cards hit a record of 20.72% recently.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
US Military Looks to , Recruit Tech Experts While , Cutting Overall Troop Numbers.
United States special operations commanders have
been tasked with cutting overall forces by 5,000
troops, while also adding more high-tech experts. .
United States special operations commanders have
been tasked with cutting overall forces by 5,000
troops, while also adding more high-tech experts. .
United States special operations commanders have
been tasked with cutting overall forces by 5,000
troops, while also adding more high-tech experts. .
Fox News reports that the conflicting goals, which have
forced a broader restructuring of commando teams,
have been influenced by Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command plans to
increase the size of Green Beret teams by adding
members with specialized technical abilities.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command plans to
increase the size of Green Beret teams by adding
members with specialized technical abilities.
Additional team members could include
computer software experts capable of
reprograming drones and other tech gear on the fly. .
Additional team members could include
computer software experts capable of
reprograming drones and other tech gear on the fly. .
Additional team members could include
computer software experts capable of
reprograming drones and other tech gear on the fly. .
Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of U.S. Special
Operations Command, says the U.S. is "taking a lot
of lessons learned out of the experience in Ukraine.".
Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of U.S. Special
Operations Command, says the U.S. is "taking a lot
of lessons learned out of the experience in Ukraine.".
According to Fenton, special operations
were ordered to cut about 2,000 personnel,
including 750 from the army. .
According to Fenton, special operations
were ordered to cut about 2,000 personnel,
including 750 from the army. .
In 2024, the department was
ordered to cut an additional 3,000
personnel over the next five years. .
So the real Army reduction in totality is
almost 4,000, and the remaining 1,000
will come from the joint force, SEALs,
Marine raiders, other Army units, Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.
So the real Army reduction in totality is
almost 4,000, and the remaining 1,000
will come from the joint force, SEALs,
Marine raiders, other Army units, Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.
Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson, deputy commander of the
command at Fort Liberty in North Carolina, estimates
that at least 30% of those cuts will be in open jobs. .
According to Roberson, other cuts will be aimed at
redundancies among trainers and instructors, as
well as civil affairs and psychological operations. .
According to Roberson, other cuts will be aimed at
redundancies among trainers and instructors, as
well as civil affairs and psychological operations.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Iranian President Vows to Destroy Israel , if It Launches the ‘Tiniest Invasion’.
On April 13, Iran attacked Israel with
hundreds of drones and missiles.
It was the first time that Iran has ever launched a direct military attack on Israel, Fox News reports. .
Although Israel was able to fend off
about 99% of the projectiles, the
country is considering retaliation.
On April 17, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel that if it does decide to
attack with even the "tiniest invasion," .
Iran's response would be "massive and harsh.".
Nothing would remain
from the Zionist regime, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, via Fox News.
Raisi delivered his remarks during
a military parade north of Tehran.
Prior to Raisi's threats, Israel vowed
to respond to the attacks.
The country did not provide details,
but its military council met on April 16
to decide how to proceed.
Leaders around the world have
urged Israel to stand down. .
While Israel and Iran have been at odds
for decades, their conflict came to a
head recently since Iran supports Hamas, .
which attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and
prompted Israel's current offensive in Gaza.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Samsung Knocks Apple , From Top Phonemaker Spot.
Samsung Knocks Apple , From Top Phonemaker Spot.
Fox News reports that Apple's phone shipments have dropped by about 10%.
During Q1 2024, Apple had a 17.3% market share, while Samsung had 20.8%.
During Q1 2024, Apple had a 17.3% market share, while Samsung had 20.8%.
Xiaomi came in third with 14.1%.
Samsung shipped over
60 million phones during Q1 2024.
Samsung shipped over
60 million phones during Q1 2024.
Apple only shipped 50.1 million. .
Last year during the same time period,
Apple shipped 55.4 million. .
Overall, smartphone shipments rose 7.8% worldwide to 289.4 million units during Q1 2024.
The increase in Samsung shipments
could be attributed to the company's
release of Galaxy S24 series phones.
During a launch event at the beginning
of the year, Galaxy AI, which is incorporated
into the company's new smartphones,
was touted as "a new era of mobile AI.".
News of Samsung's triumph comes as
Apple is cutting over 600 jobs in California
following reports that the company
is abandoning its electric car efforts. .
News of Samsung's triumph comes as
Apple is cutting over 600 jobs in California
following reports that the company
is abandoning its electric car efforts.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Drug Shortages Reach , All-Time High in US, , Pharmacists Say.
According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and
the Utah Drug Information Service.
the first quarter of 2024 saw
323 active drug shortages, Fox News reports.
The previous record of
320 shortages was set in 2014.
ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz said,
"some of the most worrying shortages involve generic sterile injectable medications," .
... "including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas." .
... "including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas." .
Abramowitz went on to say that the
"ongoing national shortages of therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder also remain
a serious challenge for clinicians and patients.".
A separate ASHP report said that "the most severe and persistent shortages are driven by economic factors that undermine investment in manufacturing capacity, manufacturing quality and supply chain reliability.".
These economic challenges are
driven by extreme price competition
among generic manufacturers, ASHP, via report.
ASHP will continue to engage
with policymakers regularly as we guide
efforts to draft and pass new legislation
to address drug shortages and continue
to strongly advocate on behalf of our
members for solutions that work, ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz, via statement.
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a white paper recommending tactics for Congress to help.
With today’s white paper,
HHS offers solutions and stands
ready to work with Congress to
ensure no patient faces the devastating
consequences of drug shortages or
goes without needed medicines, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, via press release
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
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