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Russian Uranium Stake In Kazakhstan Sold To China Amid Western Sanctions Riskbunhill Investment Thesis I am bearish on FuelCell Energy, Inc. ( NASDAQ: FCEL ) due to its weak financial health and momentum. The stock has slumped more than 77% over the last year underperforming the S&P 500 by a margin of about 107%. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

College football fans aren't very happy with Saturday's guest pickers on College GameDay. The ESPN college football pregame show is airing live from College Station, Texas on Saturday morning. Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Lee Corso will be live from Texas A&M ahead of Saturday's big showdown against Texas. It's the first time the two in-state rivals have played since they were in the Big 12 Conference, in 2011. ESPN's College GameDay announced on Saturday that the crew from YouTube's Dude Perfect will serve as the guest pickers. The five members - Tyler "The Beard" Toney, "The Twins" Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett "The Purple Hoser" Hilbert, and Cody "The Tall Guy" Jones - met while at Texas A&M in College Station, more than a decade ago. The college football pregame show announced the decision on Wednesday evening. "This one is gonna be fun! Can't wait to have @DudePerfect as our guest pickers in College Station this weekend 🙌," ESPN announced. This one is gonna be fun! Can't wait to have @DudePerfect as our guest pickers in College Station this weekend 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4DWSUjSfco College football fans are wishing for someone else, though. "Def should’ve got a former player from both A&M and Texas who played in the rivalry. Only answer," one fan wrote. "Dude Perfect are the guest pickers for A&M vs Texas. How big is the desk going to be?" one fan added. "great I will watch till 11:40," one fan added. "Like the musical guest for this week, I have no freaking clue who or what "Dude Perfect" is. Judging from the hairdos on a few of them and the backward baseball caps, looking ultra (expletive). ESPN Game Day just striking out with these guests this season..." one fan added. "This is incredible, y’all. We’re going to have 11 (!!!) people at the GameDay desk on Saturday!" one fan added. Was this the right or wrong choice from ESPN? The college football pregame show will be airing live on ESPN from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. E.T.Kimberly Guilfoyle: Latest Trump nominee accused of sexual misconductChennai: Residents, activists and NGOs, including Arappor Iyakkam and Poovulagin Nanbargal, petitioned Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to shelve its proposed waste-to-energy incineration facility at Kodungaiyur, citing health and pollution risks. In their plea to GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran on Tuesday, the group criticised the corporation for prioritising incineration of 2,100 tonnes of waste daily over other strategies such as source-segregation, recycling and waste processing. GCC floated tenders months ago to establish the 1,263-crore plant, expected to generate 31MW of power daily. However, petitioners pointed to environmental violations at New Delhi's Okhla incineration plant, warning that burning plastics could emit carcinogens such as dioxins and furans, posing severe health threats. The group highlighted GCC's underutilisation of its waste-processing plants, which operate at just 26% capacity. "Against a capacity of 2,460 tonnes a day, GCC processes only 636 tonnes. Maximising this capacity could divert 1,800 tonnes from landfills," the petition noted. Activists accused GCC of flouting its 2019 solid waste management by-laws mandating 100% source segregation and decentralised waste management. They also cited Tamil Nadu's Chennai climate action plan, which opposed the incineration plant due to environmental, social, climate and livelihood impacts. They called the project an expensive method to generate power, comparing it to solar power projects costing 5 crore per MW and thermal plants at 8 crore per MW, against the incineration plant's 33 crore per MW. Geo Damin, a former member of Tamil Nadu's solid waste management committee and one of the signees, pointed out the lack of carbon capture technology in the project. "We should prioritise natural waste processing methods and send only non-recyclable waste to landfills," he said, adding that Chennai's 60% biodegradable waste renders the waste-to-energy model unviable. However, Kumaragurubaran said contractors would receive work orders soon. "We are adhering to environmental approvals and safety precautions. With limited options for processing, this is necessary," he told TOI. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

Sharps technology CEO Robert Hayes acquires $10,072 in stock

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 5, 2024 / Kingfisher Metals Corp. (TSXV:KFR)(FSE:970)(OTCQB:KGFMF) ("Kingfisher" or the "Company") is pleased to report the voting results for the Company's annual general meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held on December 4, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Shareholders fixed the number of directors at six (6), and all five (5) of the nominees, as set forth in the Company's Management Information Circular dated November 4, 2024 (the "Circular"), were elected as directors of Kingfisher at the Meeting. At the Meeting, shareholders also approved: (1) the appointment of De Visser Gray LLP as auditor of the Company for the ensuing year and authorizing the board of directors to fix the remuneration of the auditor, and (2) the approval of the Company's stock option plan, as more particularly described in the Circular. For further information regarding the matters considered at the Meeting readers are encouraged to review the Circular, a copy of which is available under the profile for the Company on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca ). About Kingfisher Metals Corp. Kingfisher Metals Corp. ( https://kingfishermetals.com/ ) is a Canadian based exploration company focused on underexplored district-scale projects in British Columbia, including the Golden Triangle region. Kingfisher has two 100% owned district-scale projects and an option to earn 100% of the HWY 37 Project, that offer potential exposure to gold, copper, silver, and zinc. The Company currently has 43,201,553 shares outstanding. For further information, please contact: Dustin Perry, P.Geo. CEO and Director Phone: +1 778 606 2507 E-Mail: info@kingfishermetals.com Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, considering the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Kingfisher Metals Corp. View the original on accesswire.comDecade Announces Non-Brokered Private Placement

Luke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $40,000 Win After Disney Disaster

NoneAdvanced DNA technology has identified the skeletal remains of a teen found in October 1973.Litigators seeking to change the law often talk about the “perfect test case.” They want an undisputed, often extreme set of facts to help clarify or test the limits of a legal principle. Test cases allow parties to avoid fighting over facts and focus on arguing about pure legal doctrine, with the outcome having impacts that go far beyond that specific case. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) probably doesn’t know any of this, because he has barely practiced law. But Gaetz was the perfect test case for President-elect Donald Trump to clarify and test the limits of the two issues most important to him: power and loyalty. In this sense, Gaetz’s doomed nomination for U.S. attorney general was never about his suitability for the role. As with most things Trump, it was 100% about Donald Trump. Gaetz was the perfect test case, because no one disputed the facts. He was, without question, the least qualified nominee for attorney general in American history. He spent two unremarkable years practicing for a small civil litigation firm before launching a political career that would prove to be long on performance art but short on actual lawmaking. To serve effectively as the top law enforcement official in the country, U.S. attorneys general normally have decades of high-profile practice experience, often in criminal prosecution, and at least some experience running legal agencies, governmental or otherwise. Gaetz was so patently unqualified for the job that not even Trump’s most loyal supporters in Congress ever really claimed otherwise. Gaetz was also uniquely unqualified for the nation’s “top cop” role, because he was one of Congress’ most notorious alleged criminals. He has been the subject of federal criminal sex trafficking investigations . Multiple witnesses have accused him of having sex with an underage girl, as has the girl herself . (Gaetz has denied the allegations.) Federal investigators say they have tied him to thousands of dollars’ worth of payments for sex, allegedly pointing to a trail of Venmo transactions and other documentary evidence (which Gaetz also disputes). Allegations of illegal drug use abound, and both the Justice Department and the House of Representatives have investigated Gaetz for criminal bribery and corruption . His own alleged braggadocio on the House floor about orgies fueled by crushed Viagra in Red Bull raised, if not criminal, then at least serious temperament questions about his suitability. (Gaetz has denied that he said such things.) Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that ― with apologies to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) ― no one on Capitol Hill was more unpopular or more unlikable than one Matthew L. Gaetz II. Why would Trump nominate someone so unqualified, unsuitable and unlikable? Precisely because he is so unqualified, unsuitable and unlikable. In Gaetz, Trump had his own perfect test case to assess the loyalty of Republicans in Congress and the limits of his own power. By attempting to ram through an indisputably awful choice, Trump had the chance to see just how much he can get away with, and who is going to roll over to let him get away with it. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) passed this loyalty litmus test when he instructed the House Ethics panel to bury what is widely speculated to be a damning report about Gaetz after Gaetz resigned from Congress. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) failed the test when she claimed Gaetz was not a “serious nomination.” Thus, the first major test of Trump’s long-desired unchecked absolute power did not involve Democrats, judges or civil rights lawyers. Rather, it was aimed at members of his own party. If Trump could get Republicans, who hold majorities in the Senate and House, to fall in line with this abominably reckless pick, he would know he is virtually unstoppable. This nomination was about loyalty in another important way: rewarding loyalty. The timing of Gaetz’s nomination was no coincidence. Trump named him just days before the House Ethics report was set to be released, a report thought to carry serious reputational and legal risks for the Florida politician. By nominating Gaetz early and giving him a plausible reason to resign from the House immediately ― a curious move given his unlikely path to confirmation ― Trump ensured the report would likely never be released. Why? As a reward to Gaetz, who has been one of Trump’s earliest, most vocal and most consistent supporters. Gaetz was the first sitting member of Congress to publicly back Trump’s election bid in 2016; he forcefully backed the effort to overturn the 2020 election; and he has unequivocally defended Trump hundreds of times on Fox News. So what do we make of Gaetz’s withdrawal? Is it a loss for Trump at the hands of the adults in the Senate disinclined to confirm such a childish pick? Far from it. By floating Gaetz as an early trial balloon, Trump has gotten some clarity about who is with him no matter what, and who will hedge when his truly reckless impulses take over. He now has better information about whom to lean on when he wants a blank check for mass deportations and political cover for using the military against American citizens, and whom to threaten with MAGA-backed primary challenges in the 2026 midterms. Since Gaetz was such an abysmal pick to head the Justice Department, Trump now seems positively restrained in nominating former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to the post, despite Bondi’s own history of election denial and her promises to weaponize the DOJ to seek personal retribution for Trump. And Gaetz’s early, unilateral withdrawal serves as just one more loyal favor to Trump by preventing a messy and uncertain confirmation fight in the coming weeks. Whether that favor will be rewarded with a presidential pardon, if and when prosecutors finally do come after Gaetz, remains to be seen. Shawn Fields is a professor of law at California Western School of Law in San Diego.

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Johnson has 25, FGCU downs CSU Bakersfield 74-54Wheel of Fortune contestants whiffing their bonus puzzles is nothing new, but on December 4’s episode, a player came up short on a $40,000 puzzle that left fans joking that she may never want to visit a Disney theme park again. The game show’s latest big miss involved Vandana Patel, an Indian fusion food expert from Chicago. She won the episode and proceeded to the coveted bonus round with $20,600, a trip to Florida, and the selection of “What Are You Wearing?” as her category. Joined by host Ryan Seacrest and the off-side support of her waving mom, daughter, and husband, she faced the two-word puzzle. Choosing a “DMH” and “A,” Vanna White added a mere “H” to the first word. “We want more!” Seacrest chanted. With that tough break, the 10-second timer began. The puzzle read as, “‘_ H _ T E’ ‘_ L _ _ E S.'” A stern Patel did her very best to concentrate on cracking it, successfully saying “White” was the first word. But she couldn’t figure out the second word, and the timer ran out. The full puzzle was unveiled, “WHITE GLOVES.” Seacrest revealed the gold envelope contained the $40,000 amount and put a consoling arm around Patel’s shoulder. “This was on your bucket list!” he told her. “It was,” she replied. The game show shared the big miss on Youtube, where fans reacted to the loss with the top comment being about how the contestant will likely never want to see Mickey Mouse, or Mario of the Nintendo games, again given their white gloves. “Now she never wants to see mickey or mario again,” the fan wrote scoring 20 likes. “Or the keeper of the Stanley Cup,” replied another. A third fan wrote, “I knew it said WHITE GLOVES and I even solved it before the timer was displayed.” A fourth penned, “Don’t worry, Vandana, I was stumped too. I got the first word, but not the second. That’s alright, you’re a winner regardless. $20K is nothing to sneeze at. Great job! A fifth said, “I knew gloves from the initial and her h got me white. Tough puzzle “Wow. At least it wasn’t the hundred thousand dollar wedge,” wrote one more. Meanwhile , Seacrest, of course, had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage) . That said, there have been some questionable hosting moments. In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper” , involving a prolonged reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. Most controversially, last month, fans called out the host for not reminding a player to pick a letter , leading to him losing the game in a misunderstanding and by a mere $147. This past two weeks, a more puzzling issue has come to light, which is that there has been a mere one bonus puzzle win out of the last eight episodes , many fans blaming the players and not the host. Wheel of Fortune , Weeknights, Check your local listings More Headlines:Bogong High Plains Road reopens after truck trailer tips over the edge

Take a look at some of the events coming up this weekend, including pantomimes and Christmas parties. It's Christmas party night at Barry Island Sports and Social Club on Saturday, December 14, from 7.30pm. There will be tributes to Michael Bublé and The Ratpack with Paul Brown, as well as a Mr Motown and Soul show. South Wales comedian Lenny Dee will also be performing, supported by DJ Mike Briscombe. Tickets cost £10 each. A Christmas disco for children will be held at Highlight Park Community Centre on Saturday, December 14, from 4pm to 6pm. Tickets cost £4 per child, including a hot dog and unlimited squash. Memo Arts Centre will be hosting BillBoard Ensemble presents Cinderella the pantomime from Thursday, December 12, to Sunday, December 15. Tickets cost £18, or £14 for concessions. On Saturday, December 14, at 11am, a relaxed performance will be held. This showing will have no loud bangs, strobes, or flashing lights, making it the perfect choice for anyone who prefers a quieter, more relaxed experience. Ideal for families and guests who may be more sensitive to sensory effects but still want to enjoy the magic of pantomime. The pantomime will be performed at 7.30pm on Thursday, December 12 and Friday, December 13, 11am (relaxed) and 3pm on Saturday, December 14 and 11am and 3pm on Sunday, December 15. Barry Male Voice Choir will be holding its annual charity Christmas concert on Saturday, December 14, at St Helen's Church, Barry. The Vale of Glamorgan Brass Band will also be performing. All profits will be donated to the charity LATCH, which supports children receiving treatment for cancer and leukaemia at the Children's Hospital for Wales, and their families. The last Barry train play event of the year will be held on Sunday, December 15, at Highlight Park Community Centre from 11am. There will be huge tracks, lots of trains, a mini Thomas roller coaster and large red car tracks. For children under five years old, there will be an electric ride on train. There is no upper age limit and everyone is welcome. Each session lasts for one hour and costs £6 per child. Refreshments and pre-loved trains will be available for sale.

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. People are also reading... Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., speaks with reporters Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Jon Bilous Most Menacing Loan Messengers Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Olena Yakobchuk Loan Harassment Hotspots Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Bumble Dee Billionaire Bets on Bad Credit Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Lenders Try to Shutter CFPB Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Cynthia Shirk Holidays, Interest Rates Not to Blame Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members From Q1 2021 to Q4 2022 Up 4% From Q4 2022 to Q1 2023 Up 6% From Q4 2023 to Q1 2024 Up 24% The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates From 3.08% in Q4 2021 to 3.82% in Q1 2022 From 6.66% in Q4 2022 to 6.37% in Q1 2023 From 7.30% in Q1 2023 to 6.75% in Q4 2024 Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. Shutterstock Methodology The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Jon Bilous Veteran homelessness is on the rise despite government efforts—here's how it happens Veteran homelessness is on the rise despite government efforts—here's how it happens Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. Photo illustration by Michael Flocker // Stacker // Canva Veterans struggle to find a path forward The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. Stacker Vets with mental health issues most at risk for homelessness For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Stacker Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!

From DNA to AI: How Evolution Inspires Smarter AlgorithmsThe Federal Trade Commission has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft , including of its software licensing and cloud computing businesses, a source familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The probe was approved by FTC chair Lina Khan before her likely departure in January, following the presidential election victory of Donald Trump and the expectation he will appoint a fellow Republican with a softer approach towards business. The agency is examining allegations that the software giant is potentially abusing its market power in productivity software by imposing punitive licensing terms to prevent customers from moving their data from its Azure cloud service to other competitive platforms. Microsoft declined to comment. The FTC did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment. FTC antitrust lawyers are set to meet with Microsoft competitors next week to gather more information about the technology company’s business practices, Bloomberg reported earlier on Wednesday. Microsoft shares were down more than 1% in after-hours trading.

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