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Pakistan won't accept Trump admin pressure to release Imran Khan: SanaullahPune: The accident involving a BEST e-bus in Kurla, which claimed seven lives until now, has come up as an eye-opener for the city-based PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited). Senior officials of the transport body on Wednesday called an urgent meeting of all the private contractors providing buses to PMPML, asking them to furnish details of the drivers. "We want to check whether these drivers possess a valid licence and other documents or not. The driver involved in the Kurla incident was driving an e-bus and claimed that he was not comfortable with the vehicle's automatic transmission system. Keeping this in mind, we will also check the training module these private contractors are offering their drivers before handing them the steering wheel," Nitin Narvekar, joint managing director of PMPML, told TOI. PMPML has a fleet of 490 e-buses, which are provided by three private contractors. These buses are equipped with an automatic transmission system, which can automatically change gears without having to use the clutch. Narvekar said while instructions to them (contractors) to ensure that their drivers are disciplined and follow traffic rules and regulations were given, based on checks on their drivers' training module, the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) would be contacted. "We are going to have a word with them (CIRT) on providing the best possible training to these drivers so that they learn the latest available technology in buses." A former official, who recently retired from PMPML, however, said the private contractors were not following many regulations. "There is no proper monitoring until such an incident occurs. Contractors tend to change their drivers constantly, and their details are not provided to the transport body. How can one expect then that the drivers will know everything about the automatic transmission system and other upcoming things?" Many of these contractors don't pay the drivers well, resulting in them having to do extra shifts after their eight-hour duty with PMPML ends, he pointed out. "They are tired and, without rest, are bound to make mistakes. The new buses have power steering, electronic transmission system, etc., but if drivers are getting changed rapidly, how will they learn? Last year, there was an accident involving two PMPML buses, including an e-bus on Nagar Road, in which more than 20 passengers were injured. The reason behind the accident was a culmination of the above factors." An official, who requested anonymity, seconded the retired man's opinion. "We should know about their drivers, what kind of training they have had, and how long the training went on. There are instances when we don't know who the driver is. Anyone can learn driving and become a driver, but proper information about the system and the dashboard is very important. In connection with e-buses, we frequently get complaints from commuters that they zip past other vehicles, and the buses being soundless, commuters get startled. E-buses have also been suffering a large number of breakdowns," the official said. Narvekar said he would check the agreement between PMPML and the private contractors on the training requirements of the drivers and would find out if it was being diligently followed or not. "It always takes a tragic incident for agencies to wake up and act like a knee-jerk reaction before everything is back to its previous position. The need of the hour is to follow and act continuously," PMP Pravasi Manch's Sanjay Shitole said. In total, PMPML operates around 935 buses from eight private contractors. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

AP News Summary at 1:43 p.m. ESTPakistan won't accept Trump admin pressure to release Imran: Sana

The Kings headed into Saturday’s rubber match of their three-game homestand with serious concerns about their power play as well as some individual offensive performers that they hoped to get back afloat against the surging Seattle Kraken. They disposed of the dead-tired Detroit Red Wings to kick off the homestand – which is part of nine straight games to be played in California – but were shut out for the first time this season by the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday. The black and silver became the not-so-proud owners of the NHL’s worst power play since Nov. 10 – they’ve scored no power-play goals since Nov. 9 and that one was an empty-netter – and have the fourth-worst conversion rate over all of 2024-25. Their 0-for-5 performance as they were bageled 1-0 by Buffalo was their third such display this season, including an 0-for-6 showing in a loss to lowly San Jose . They’ve gone 0 for 4 on four other occasions, and went without a power-play goal in 13 of their 20 games so far. Their newly assembled top unit of five forwards has had the vibe of Dean Smith’s four-corner offense at times and, at its best, has produced nothing but near misses. The second unit’s struggles have been season-long, with the ineffectual play of both groups rendering meaningless the Kings’ numerous bromides about “looks” and “movement.” Their struggles haven’t been limited to the power play either. Overall, they’ve lost four of their past six games, and in those defeats they’ve managed a meager 1.25 goals per game. Forward Quinton Byfield signed a lucrative extension this summer with the expectation that he’d push upward into the top tier of the Kings’ scoring leaderboard. But instead of chasing captain Anže Kopitar, Byfield’s production has more closely mirrored that of checker Trevor Lewis. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft surmounted several setbacks: a broken ankle and not one but two viral illnesses, one of which robbed him of about 25 pounds. Last season, he appeared poised for a breakout, but mixed form, tentativeness and tough luck have inhibited him in the first quarter of this campaign. “He’s had tough stretches before that he’s come out of,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “If anybody’s faced adversity, it’s been him through the first run of his career here. So, he’s been through that, he’ll get through it.” Hiller remarked that Byfield “wasn’t alone” among players who could not convert Wednesday. He also wasn’t unaccompanied in a crowd of slumping Kings. Winger Kevin Fiala has gone pointless in six straight games and defenseman Jordan Spence has spent much of the season turning the puck over as if he were cooking it on a grill. Meanwhile, Brock Faber, whom the Kings dealt along with a first-round pick for Fiala, has been the No. 1 defenseman for the West’s second-best team to date, the Minnesota Wild. Even the Kings’ early-season scorchers have cooled significantly. Brandt Clarke has been held scoreless in four straight games and six of his past seven. In his last two games, he and the top power-play unit have clearly missed each other. Alex Laferriere remained in that grouping, but his production continued to sag. After a torrid stretch of eight goals in 10 games, he has one goal in his last eight appearances and no points in his four most recent outings. Slumping totals and shoulders alike will have to straighten up against leading scorer Jared McCann and Seattle, which rebounded from a four-game winless skid to capture five of its past six decisions. The Kraken have killed 90% of its penalties during their ascent, good for sixth in the NHL, and allowed a miserly 1.67 goals per game, the fourth-best mark in the league during that span. When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNWIndia’s IT sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the country, contributing over 7% to India’s GDP, so much so that the sub-Saharan African countries look to follow its lessons to replicate India’s success in software exports. The performance-driven and high-paying nature of jobs in the IT sector make it a preferred career destination for millions of Indian youth. The job market in this industry is often touted as the epitome of skill-based meritocracy and inclusivity, with the social backgrounds of candidates playing no role in their hiring. What NSSO data show However, an empirical test of the inclusivity-promoting image of IT reveals a different reality. Analysis by the writers of this article based on household surveys by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) unravels stark caste-based disparities in employment probabilities and wage earnings in the IT industry, indicating that social inequalities are significantly alive in the job market. The study utilises two rounds of NSSO surveys: NSS 78th (2020-21) and NSS 68th rounds (2011-12), which are representative at the national level. The study’s sample comprises 29,289 individuals, with 20,437 drawn from the NSS 78th round and 8,852 from the 68th round for India. The variation in the selected sample size from the two periods is due to the variation in the overall sample covered under these surveys. The employment probabilities were estimated after controlling for observable factors that could influence the outcome variable. Industries that are dominated by the public sector were used as the benchmark in the probability estimation. The study finds that the probability of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) to be engaged in the IT sector is only 10% in comparison to upper castes (27%). The finding remains robust even after accounting for differences in educational attainment and other individual characteristics such as gender and regional background (rural and urban). Surprisingly, this disparity in employment probabilities has increased over time from 2011-12 to 2020-21, though both caste groups were at a relatively disadvantaged position in the first time period than the later period. In 2011-12, lower caste groups faced only 6% probability of being engaged in the IT sector as compared to 17% for upper castes. Thus, while the overall employment probabilities for engagement in the IT sector increased for both caste groups, the deficit of lower castes went up from 11% in 2011-12 to 17% in 2020-21. This suggests that as the IT sector grows, it fails to address or even acknowledge the social barriers that exclude marginalised groups. The study also reveals that even when lower caste groups manage to enter the IT job market, they face labour segmentation as reflected in caste-based disparities in wage earnings. SC and Other Backward Classes workers in the IT sector face negative wage differentials of 24.9% and 22.5%, respectively, as compared to upper caste workers, even after accounting for differences in educational attainment and type of employment (regular verus temporary). These findings align with the labour market segmentation theory, which predicts a division of the labour market into dualistic segments (lower and upper labour segments), with workers in the lower segment facing structural barriers in upward mobility. The findings indicate that lower castes are relegated to the lower segments of the job market, facing limited returns to private investments in education and skills. Gender inequality The labour market disparities in IT also affect other vulnerable sections, especially women. Female workers in IT earn 26.2% lower than males, irrespective of their caste, though their employment probabilities are closer to that of men. Labour market segmentation, particularly in a high-growth and high-paying sector such as IT, has far-reaching socio-economic implications. By systematically excluding a significant portion of the population, the industry not only sacrifices economic efficiency but also undermines social justice. Diversity in the workplace is widely seen as an important source of comparative advantage. According to a report by the International Labour Organization in 2022, higher levels of diversity at the workplace are associated with greater productivity and innovations. The Network for Business Sustainability (in Canada) reported that each 1% increase in racial diversity in upper and lower management is associated with a yearly firm productivity gain between $729 and $1,590 per worker. Yet, the Indian IT sector’s reluctance to embrace true diversity risks stifling its potential for sustainable growth. Further, it discourages the marginalised sections from investing in skill development, trapping them in a vicious circle of poverty. The policy steps needed Several policy steps are needed to address these inequalities. First, all companies should be required to publicly disclose their workforce diversity matrix, and make it public on their website. Such transparency can encourage accountability and motivate employers to prioritise diversity, without imposing specific quotas. Second, lower-caste entrepreneurs should be provided with greater incentives and training for entrepreneurship in high productivity sectors to boost their economic participation. Finally, bridging the skill gap among the marginalised sections can pave the way for a more equitable and inclusive job market. Irfan Ahmad Sofi is Assistant Professor, Economics, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Kashmir. Santosh Mehrotra is Visiting Professor, University of Bath, U.K. Arun Kumar Bairwa is Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Management Amritsar Published - December 25, 2024 12:08 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit IT/computer sciences / India / computing and information technology / software / exports / African Union / employment / social conditions / survey / Caste / gender / labour / poverty / economy (general)

Myth of meritocracy, caste-based disparities in IT sectorThe live tour of The Repair Shop has had to cancel three dates next year, according to reports. The alleged cancellations come as an insider claims the show's brand has been "damaged" by Jay Blades ' charges. The host was recently charged with controlling and coercive behaviour. Blades pleaded not guilty to the offence in court. Amid the allegations, the BBC dropped Blades from The Repair Shop lineup after seven years of fronting the show. He was also cut from the live tou r. But despite distancing themselves from Blades, ticket sales are said to have been low, leading to the apparent cancellation of three tour dates. To date, the shows in Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh have been axed. According to the Sun , a show spokesman said there had been “unforeseen scheduling issues” meaning the show's needed cancelling. They claimed they were “looking forward to visiting those areas later in 2025”. However, a source told the publication that tickets "haven't exactly been selling out". And on Newcastle's O2 City Hall website, where the event was initially scheduled to take place, there's a message now in its place that reads: "The Repair Shop Live: Secrets From The Barn. Sorry, this show has been cancelled and there aren't any plans to reschedule." The note adds that those who had already bought tickets should contact their initial place of purchase for a full refund and further information. Blades appeared in court in October and was charged with engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour towards his estranged wife, Lisa Zbozen. Blades made bail in September prior to his court appearance. Lisa announced the end of their relationship in May this year, after the couple had exchanged their vows at a lavish beachfront villa in Barbados in November 2022. She claimed that when she walked out on Jay, their 18-month marriage had "just got worse and worse". In an emotional social media post on May 2, she penned: "I have been quiet until now, but the papers seem to be picking up this story, but some parts have been definitely missed, so it's forced my hand... this was the whole post on a private forum: I don't know how to say this because it's still really raw. "I probably should be really angry but I'm just incredibly sad about the whole thing right now. I don't think I've ever cried so much. I wanted my husband to love me and keep me safe, and I would love him right back, but it just got worse and worse, until I grabbed a bag of a few things and I just left. Anyway, That's why there's been no new workouts." Get all your showbiz news with Mirror Celebs WHATSAPP GROUP: Be first to get the juiciest celebrity news to your phone by joining our Celebs WhatsApp here . We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . NEWSLETTER: Or sign up to the Mirror's Celebs newsletter here for all the biggest showbiz scandals, tell-all interviews and exclusive pictures straight to your inbox. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .Juan Soto gets free luxury suite and up to 4 premium tickets for home games in $765M Mets deal

Addressing the text scam scourge

Strictly star Shirley Ballas’ six figure salary revealed – and it’s WAY more than former head judge Len Goodman’s payMiddle East latest: Israeli raid and airstrikes in West Bank kill at least 8 PalestiniansWASHINGTON — 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. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Associated Press 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 PentagonUnder 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 / ShutterstockThe 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 / ShutterstockAlthough 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 / ShutterstockIn 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 / ShutterstockOn 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 / ShutterstockSeasonality 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 MembersFrom 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 RatesFrom 3.08% in Q4 2021 to 3.82% in Q1 2022From 6.66% in Q4 2022 to 6.37% in Q1 2023From 7.30% in Q1 2023 to 6.75% in Q4 2024Pandemic 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!

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Published 4:20 pm Sunday, November 24, 2024 By Data Skrive The Memphis Tigers versus the UConn Huskies is one of many solid options on Monday in college basketball action — suggested picks against the spread for two games are available below. Watch men’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

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SC to hear matter of HC judge’s public remarks. Judges must be held to higher standards The Supreme Court has sought details from Allahabad HC following complaints against HC judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav speaking allegedly in favour of majoritarian rule and making pejorative remarks against Muslims at a VHP event on HC premises, organised by VHP’s ‘high court unit’. The judge in question is no stranger to controversy. Several of his orders made news. To cite one, he denied bail in a cow slaughter case, speaking not so much on the case’s merits as the cow’s special status, that it was the only animal to “exhale oxygen”. SC correctly calls out judges over regressive remarks, misogynistic takes and expressions of religious prejudice. Recent incidents include the Gujarat HC judge who cited Manusmriti in a minor’s rape pregnancy case (normal to give birth at age 17), the Karnataka HC judge who called a part of Bengaluru “Pakistan”, and the Calcutta HC judge who told teen girls to “control their sexual urges”. What is damaging is not only that such unwarranted ‘free speech’ seems to be increasingly normalised. Judiciary’s problem is as much in the fact that judges who openly breach constitutional principles were selected in the first place. Some argue constitutional positions do not entail a curb on rights to freedom of expression, belief, association or assembly. But to establish tenets of impartiality, judges’ conduct in office and in public events has to be above reproach. It is what grants them immunity. Unbecoming conduct is effectively an abuse of that immunity. When anyone listens to Justice Yadav, what they may well ask is whether he can draw a line between his personal politics and his duty to hold court without prejudice. The same way justice must be seen to be done, optics of what judges speak where, is just as important to uphold expectations of the independence of judiciary. Justice Yadav’s remarks at a VHP event would have remained unnoticed had he not been an HC judge. But it’s impossible in some jobs to be in a public event and say this is a purely personal view. Being an HC judge is such a job. However SC proceeds, it must give a strong and clear reminder on this to judges.Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan are discussing a possible merger, in a bid to share costs and help themselves compete in a fast-changing and increasingly competitive industry. But a merger, even of two companies from the same country, is no guarantee of success, and the history of automotive deals is littered with failures and disappointments. ET Year-end Special Reads Top 10 equity mutual funds of the year. Do you have any? How India flexed its global power muscles in 2024 2024 was the year India became the talk of America Combining two large, global manufacturing operations is an incredibly difficult feat that involves reconciling different technologies, models and approaches to doing business. A merger's success rests on getting ambitious managers and engineers who have spent decades competing with each other to cooperate. Teams and projects have to be scrapped or changed, and executives must cede power to others. In some cases, the merging firms are hamstrung by elected leaders who force them to keep operating money-losing plants. Thomas Stallkamp, an automotive consultant based in Michigan, was involved in the struggles of one of the biggest auto mergers: the 1998 merger of Chrysler and German company Daimler. Stallkamp spent years in senior roles at Chrysler and DaimlerChrysler. "Car companies are big, complicated organisations, with large engineering staffs, manufacturing plants all over the world, hundreds of thousands of employees, in a capital-intensive business," Stallkamp said. "You try to put two of them together and you run into a lot of egos and infighting, so it's very, very difficult to make it work." Honda and Nissan announced plans this year to work together on electric vehicles, and on Monday, they formally began talks about extending that cooperation to a merger that could also include Mitsubishi Motors, a smaller manufacturer that works closely with Nissan. A pairing would unite Japan's second- and third-biggest automakers, after Toyota, and create a company that would be the third largest in the world by number of cars produced, after Toyota and Volkswagen. 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View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Maximizing Developer Productivity: The Pomodoro Technique in Practice By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program The merger discussions were prompted by difficulties the companies are facing around the world. Chief among those problems is that sales have plummeted in China, the world's largest auto market. Chinese car buyers are moving much more quickly to electric and plug-in hybrid cars and trucks than most industry experts had expected. Honda and Nissan offer few such models, which now account for more than half of all cars sold in China. Companies that are doing the best in the shift away from gasoline cars are domestic manufacturers such as BYD and SAIC, as well as Tesla. A merger could help Honda and Nissan develop electric cars faster and at lower cost - in theory. But other companies have struggled to achieve such gains in practice, often because the priorities of companies working together often shift and diverge. Ford Motor and Volkswagen teamed up a few years ago to work on EVs and autonomous driving technology. But the companies shut down their self-driving car business and reaped few benefits from collaborating on EVs. Honda had a partnership with General Motors, and currently sells two electric SUVs - the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX - that are manufactured by GM. But the companies have decided not to extend the partnership beyond those models, and GM is now exploring ways to work with Hyundai. Still, analysts said a merger of Honda and Nissan had the potential to help both companies. In the United States, the two companies have similar product lines focused on small- and medium-size cars and SUVs such as Nissan's Sentra, Altima and Rogue and Honda's Civic, Accord and CRV. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

Unai Emery knows Champions League top-eight spot is possible for Aston VillaMatt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.