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Ruben Amorim reveals reaction to Rasmus Hojlund and Amad's bust-up after Viktoria Plzen winWill Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirlingWestern civilization and American culture are “backwards,” Christianity is a “dying” religion, and Christians are “jealous” foes of Islam, according to a popular Islamist influencer who was seen lecturing Muslim teens in Dearborn, Michigan, on their duty to “civilize” the morally corrupt West. At a lecture delivered to Muslim teens at the Dearborn Community Center last month, popular Islamist influencer “Way of Life SQ,” who has nearly two million subscribers on YouTube, denounced Western civilization while warning his young audience to resist its influence. Portraying Christians and the broader Western culture as morally bankrupt, he is seen accusing them of being jealous of Islam’s success. “The Shaitan [devil] tricks you with all this advancement in technology,” he declared, urging his listeners to see through what he described as superficial progress. “They’re trying to go to Mars, they’re trying to take over Saturn... yet when they go to [the bathroom], they’re still wiping themselves and cleaning themselves with paper.” “They’re uncivilized,” he added. “Do not be tricked and deceived by the technology. Do not be tricked and deceived by their philosophies and their Westernizations and their ideas. At the end of the day, they are still backwards.” The influencer argued that such contradictions highlight the hollowness of Western achievements and stressed that Muslims should not be deceived by Western philosophies or ideals. “Allah has sent us to these nations to civilize them,” he proclaimed, claiming that Muslims have a divine mandate to enlighten Western societies. “Yet the media makes us look like the barbaric ones.” Addressing religion, “Way of Life SQ” accused Christians of being envious of Islam, saying, “The reason they don’t want you to be successful is because they’re jealous of what you have.” He also described Christianity as a dying religion, pointing to churches displaying pride flags as evidence of desperation. “Imagine your business, your religion is dying so much that the only thing you can do is go and get help from the LGBT. That’s the condition they’ve become,” he told the crowd. “Because their religion is dying,” he added, “Allah, the praised and exalted, has sent us into the nations to guide these people from the darkness into the light.” Dearborn, with its large Muslim population, has long been a focal point for anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rhetoric, drawing attention to growing radicalism within the country. A local rally early last month featured late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s infamous hand gesture and threat to American troops, echoing an infamous speech where he mocked U.S. forces and warned they would return home “horizontally” in coffins. In April, a viral video showed protests in Dearborn where demonstrators were captured chanting, “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” during an International Al-Quds Day rally. The video stirred national controversy and intensified scrutiny of pro-Hezbollah activities in the U.S. The clip showed activists condemning both Israel and America in the harshest of terms, with teacher and activist Tarek Bazzi insisting the chants were only logical. In response, Steven Stalinsky, director of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), told Fox News that the Dearborn rallies have been happening for over 20 years and have become a “hotbed of hate,” where rallies and sermons can be seen “in support for Hamas, Hezbollah, [and] Iran.” The previous month, a memorial service for Nasrallah in Dearborn featured praise for prominent terror figures as well as denunciations of the United States’ “terrorism.” . Dearborn, Michigan,Hassan Salamey addresses recent events in Lebanon: Posted by DEARBORN AREA COMMUNITY MEMBERS on Sunday, September 22, 2024 In a sharp denunciation of U.S. policy, one passionate speech accused American institutions — specifically the White House, Congress, and the Pentagon — of projecting their own “terrorism” onto “the soldiers and saints of the Lord of the universe.” Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein .

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TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Churchill Resources Inc. (“Churchill” or the “Company”) (TSXV: CRI) is pleased to announce that it has completed the second and final tranche of its $2,000,000 non-brokered private placement consisting of the sale today of 2,500,000 common shares which were issued on a “flow-through” basis at a price of $0.08 per share (each an “ FT Share ”) for gross proceeds of $200,000 (and together with the sale of $1,800,000 FT Shares completed on November 22, 2024, the “ Offering ”). The Company intends to use the gross proceeds of the Offering for the exploration of the Company’s key projects in Newfoundland and Labrador. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Shares will be used for “Canadian Exploration Expenses” (within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) (the “ Qualifying Expenditures ”), and that qualify for the federal 30% Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit, which will be renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2024 to the purchasers of the FT Shares in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the FT Shares. The FT Shares are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day, and remain subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the " TSXV "). In connection with the Offering, the Company paid eligible finders a cash fee equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds raised by the Company from the sale of FT Shares to subscribers directly introduced to the Company by such finders. About Churchill Resources Inc. Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high grade, magmatic nickel sulphides in Canada, principally at its prospective Taylor Brook and Florence Lake properties in Newfoundland & Labrador. The Churchill management team, board and its advisors have decades of combined management experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchill’s Taylor Brook and Florence Lake projects have the potential to benefit from the province’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class nickel mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise. Further Information For further information regarding Churchill, please contact: Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", “proposed”, "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals for the Offering; the Company’s objectives, goals and exploration activities conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Company’s properties; future growth potential of the Company, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of the Company’s properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs and financing availability. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: the expected benefits to the Company relating to the exploration conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Company’s properties; failure to identify any mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Company’s properties; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; title to properties; and those factors described in the most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis of the Company. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.Why Composite Fillings Are the Preferred Choice for a Natural-Looking Smile

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. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. 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. 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. 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. "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. 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. 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, , 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. —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 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. 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 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. 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. Photo Credit: - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the 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 , 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. to settle the charges. In 2022, 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. 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. 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 The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates 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 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, 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. 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 . For complete results, see on . 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 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 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. 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. 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 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 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 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 . 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 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. High rents make it difficult to save up, even when applying for a VA loan—a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that typically has more favorable terms. While the VA does not require a downpayment, some lenders, who ultimately provide the loan, do. They're not entirely risk-free either, and veterans can still lose their homes if they are unable to keep up with their mortgages. In November 2023, the VA put a when an NPR investigation found thousands of veterans were in danger of losing their homes after a COVID forbearance program ended. Biden officials pointed to high rents and the end of COVID-era housing restrictions like eviction moratoriums to explain the spike in Americans experiencing homelessness. In the last year, homelessness rose 12%—to more than 650,000 people—the highest level since data began being collected in 2007. Overall, more than half of people experiencing homelessness in 2023 live in states with high living costs. Most were in California, followed by New York and Florida. Western states, including Montana and Utah, experienced massive population growth during the pandemic, becoming who drove home prices and rents even further. 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 , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are , 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 . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the 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 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 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.'" Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Published 4:51 pm Monday, November 25, 2024 By Data Skrive Ranked teams are on the Tuesday college basketball schedule for four games, including the Arizona State Sun Devils playing the Kentucky Wildcats. Watch women’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. Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.

Hezbollah fires about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel in heaviest barrage in weeks BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah has fired about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding seven people in one of the militant group’s heaviest barrages in months. Sunday's attacks in northern and central Israel came in response to deadly Israeli strikes in central Beirut on Saturday. Israel struck southern Beirut on Sunday. Meanwhile, negotiators press on with cease-fire efforts to halt the all-out war. And Lebanon's military says an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center in the southwest killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. Israel's military has expressed regret and said its operations are directed solely against the militants. Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Somalia says 24 people have died after 2 boats capsized in the Indian Ocean MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia's government says 24 people died after two boats capsized off the Madagascar coast in the Indian Ocean. Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said 46 people were rescued. Most of the passengers were young Somalis, and their intended destination remains unclear. Many young Somalis embark every year on dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities abroad. A delegation led by the Somali ambassador to Ethiopia is scheduled to travel to Madagascar on Monday to investigate the incident and coordinate efforts to help survivors. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Sunday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast last week, killing two people. Republicans lash out at Democrats' claims that Trump intelligence pick Gabbard is 'compromised' FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Republican lawmakers are pushing back against criticism from some Democrats that President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead U.S. intelligence services is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and a meeting with an ally of that country. The accusation came from Sen. Tammy Duckworth. The Illinois Democrat says she has concerns about the pro-Russian views expressed by Tulsi Gabbard, who was tapped for the post of director of national intelligence. Duckworth’s comments on Sunday drew immediate backlash from Republicans. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. Moscow offers debt forgiveness to new recruits and AP sees wreckage of a new Russian missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to fight in Ukraine. The measure, whose final version appeared on a government website Saturday, underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly 3-year-old war, even as it fired last week a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. Russia has ramped up military recruitment by offering increasing financial incentives to those willing to fight in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Security Service on Sunday showed The Associated Press wreckage of the new intermediate-range ballistic missile that struck a factory in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday. After Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizers ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump's victory has dismayed many politically engaged Black women, and they're reassessing their enthusiasm for politics and organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote, and they had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Kamala Harris. AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. Pakistani police arrest thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of rally in the capital ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani security officer says police have arrested thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of a rally in Islamabad to demand the ex-premier’s release from prison. Khan has been behind bars for more than a year. But he remains popular and his party says the cases against him are politically motivated. Police Sunday arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters in eastern Punjab province, a Khan stronghold. They include five parliamentarians. Pakistan has sealed off the capital with shipping containers. It also suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns.” 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theater debuts NEW YORK (AP) — “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” have debuted in theaters with a combined $270 million in ticket sales. Their worldwide performance breathed fresh life into global box office results that have struggled lately. Together the films turned the moviegoing weekend into one of the busiest of the year. Jon M. Chu’s lavish big-budget musical “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is a sequel to his 2000 best picture-winning original and launched with $55.5 million in ticket sales. “Moana 2” is being released Wednesday, so it looks like Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Women leaders and activists, who actively participated in the July uprising, yesterday said despite their contributions at every level, they have been systematically sidelined in the post-movement period. They pointed out that equal representation of women was not ensured in the reform commissions or other state institutions. They added that the longstanding culture of denying women their rightful roles and excluding them from various sectors continues unabated. They made these remarks at a discussion titled "Dialogue on Women of the Mass Uprising: Where Did the Women Go?" held at the Jatiya Press Club, where injured participants and female activists shared their experiences. The event was jointly organised by two volunteer organisations, Loraku 24 and Empowering Our Fighters. Umama Fatema, spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said it has become evident that there was a deliberate and successful attempt to sideline women in the aftermath of the uprising. "When male leaders were arrested, women stepped up to lead and continued until August 5. But after that, I was completely sidelined. Attempts were made to portray men as the heroes of the movement, and I began experiencing an identity crisis," she said. "Women leaders were harassed on social media, and those in power took no action. This further marginalised the women who participated in the movement," she added. Nazifa Jannat, a student of East West University and coordinator during the movement, said, "It is deeply unfortunate that we are now compelled to assert that we, too, were part of the movement." "People are asking, 'Where are the women now?' This question should be directed at the political parties that, despite their capacity, failed to include women," she said, calling on the media to raise such questions. She emphasised the importance of increasing women's representation in positions of power. "Women should not have to demand recognition for their roles; it is the state's responsibility to acknowledge them. We protested against discrimination in the past, and we did so to eradicate all forms of inequity," she said. Dr Worthy Jukhrif, who provided medical aid alongside Dr Hritisha Aktar Mitheen to over 100 injured persons during the uprising, said, "We believe women should be equally represented in every sector of the state, including the Reform Commission, to eliminate all forms of discrimination." Jannatul Ferdous Nitu, a second-year student at Barisal Government College, said, "No female students were included in the advisory council. Even though one woman was named spokesperson for the main committee, she has been noticeably absent in press releases and other activities," she said. Samia Akhter Jannat, a tenth-grade student who was injured multiple times during the movement, said not only are women's contributions unacknowledged, but they are also being deliberately excluded. Sabina Yasmin, a protester and female labourer from Ashulia, observed, "Many labelled the uprising as a student movement. In reality, labourers, including female workers, participated spontaneously. Many women were injured or killed, yet their sacrifices remain unrecognised." Sumaiya Nishu, a student from Noakhali, pointed out, "While women in Dhaka have some visibility in state affairs, women from outside Dhaka are completely overlooked." Sabrina Akhter, a student from Begum Rokeya University, said, "Despite our active participation, the media continues to focus primarily on men, perpetuating past inequalities against women." Shamima Sultana Lavu, a senior journalist from Channel 24 who was injured during the movement, explained, "During the movement, press secretaries monitored media houses, and we were even temporarily taken off-air. Yet, we persisted. The footage we couldn't air domestically, we shared with international media." She added that while a small number of media personnel were compromised, the entire journalist community often bears the brunt of public anger. The event was inaugurated by Ainun Nahar, the mother of Naima Sultana, a student killed during the uprising. Recalling her daughter's aspirations to become a doctor, Ainun said, "We moved to the city for her education, but her death shattered all our dreams. My daughter even argued with me when I discouraged her participation in the movement." She urged the inclusion of the uprising and its martyrs in textbooks and demanded punishment for those responsible for the killings. The event also featured speeches from women who played significant roles in rehabilitating injured and bereaved families from abroad.Greenhouse Heating and Cooling Systems Global Market Report Predicts Successive Growth to $26.65 Billion by 2028

Motorhome caught driving at 153km/hI lost my job as a chiropractor and started selling dead bodies to make ends meet... including to the US military READ MORE: Scheme that trafficked over 400 body parts from Harvard's morgue By CASSIDY MORRISON SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 14:20 EST, 12 December 2024 | Updated: 14:34 EST, 12 December 2024 e-mail 19 shares 12 View comments For around $5,000, Obteen Nassiri could get you a body. Having built a nearly $2million business dealing in the buying and selling of dead bodies, the former chiropractor turned to the industry after his career dissolved due to fraud allegations. In search of a new job after losing his license in 2010, Mr Nassiri built Med Ed Labs, a company that bought bodies and sold them to organizations for medical training. Within just a few years of launching his business, located in a Las Vegas strip mall sandwiched between a tattoo parlor and a psychic, Mr Nassiri had constructed a broad network of suppliers, including a prestigious Texas medical school and clients, including the US military. But, like his former chiropractic career, Mr Nassiri’s job as a body broker was similarly mired by ethical violations and legal malpractice, including losing body parts and going against the wishes of a deceased's loved ones. Selling organs for transplants – hearts, kidneys, lungs – is illegal. But, there is no federal law that governs the sale of cadavers and body parts for educational or research purposes. While working on a real human body is a crucial educational tool for an aspiring doctor, the general lack of regulation creates a prime breeding ground for bad actors. And for the tens of thousands of Americans who choose to donate their body to science, they could be unknowingly entering the shadowy commercial body trade, where their body could end up as a crash test dummy or the subject of a public dissection. Obteen Nassiri built a broad network of corpse suppliers and clients like the U.S. military, while his body broker career was marred by ethical violations, legal malpractice, and incidents like failing to return body parts and shipping remains in dirty boxes The strip mall pictured is where Mr Nassiri's embattled body broker business Med Ed Labs was located. While the business went under last year, a new one has cropped up in its place under Mr Nassiri's brother's name Mr Nassiri, originally from Iran, aspired to be a doctor like his father and began his career as a chiropractor in Las Vegas. But his career began to unravel in 2008. Allstate Insurance sued him for running a fraud scheme in which allegedly he submitted fake medical records and billed the company for the unnecessary treatments for over 150 people. Read More Inside the body farm: Gruesome images show Texas institute where corpses are left to rot in cages as part of scientific research to help solve crimes He lost his chiropractic license when the state board found him guilty of 'fraud, misrepresentation, and deception as part of their regular business practices.' Despite this, he continued to practice without a license, leading to threats of criminal charges unless he stopped. In 2015, a federal appeals panel upheld an $8.6million fraud judgment against him. Despite losing federal contracts, being sued by Allstate for insurance fraud, and receiving several warnings from regulators over his ethics breaches, Mr Nassiri maintains his innocence, according to an NBC News investigation . Searching for a new career, he and his brother filed paperwork to start Med Ed Labs, registering it as a nonprofit (a designation it later lost from the IRS). Many of the bodies Mr Nassiri used at Med Ed Labs, some of which had been unclaimed, came from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, where thousands of unclaimed bodies were used for scientific research, medical education, and profit through its Willed Body Program. The school charged Med Ed standard rates – $600 for a head; $300 for a pair of feet; $500 for a set of arms; and $1,000 for an entire body. In 2023, the Department of Justice charged Nassiri and Med Ed Labs with fraud following an investigation into their sale of unclaimed bodies, misrepresentation of the bodies' condition and origin, and deceptive profit-driven practices NBC found the school’s program made at least $82,000 from leasing bodies to Med Ed Labs over two years. Once Mr Nassiri received the bodies, he would prepare them for resale at a massive markup. He did not disclose how much he would charge for each specimen, but a corpse can go for $3,000 to $5,000, though some can go for as much as $10,000. He entered into a lucrative contract with the US Army and Defense Health Agency, which manages military hospitals and clinics, from 2019 to 2021. Med Ed Labs was given more than $570,000 to supply bodies for medical training, and it landed deals with medical tech companies to help train doctors. Eventually, Mr Nassiri built a thriving business with annual revenue exceeding $2million. In 2021, Mr Nassiri’s lab acquired the body of 98-year-old World War II veteran David Saunders from a Baton Rouge mortuary service. In 2021, Med Ed Labs acquired 98-year-old WWII veteran David Saunders' body from a Baton Rouge funeral home after LSU declined his donation due to an infectious disease. The body was sold to DeathScience.org, which held a public autopsy at a Portland Marriott [shown] Tickets for the cadaver class that Nassiri facilitated ran for up to $530 per ticket Mr Saunders’ wife had wanted to donate her husband’s body to the Louisiana State University’s medical school, but the school declined because Mr Saunders had died of an infectious disease. Then, the funeral home, referred her to Med Ed Labs. Med Ed Labs then sold Mr Saunders to DeathScience.org, which staged a public autopsy of his body at a Portland, Oregon Marriott hotel ballroom for paid ticket-holders. Mrs Saunders told the New York Times : ‘At no time did they tell me they were going to resell his body. ‘Under no circumstances would I have my husband’s body put on display.’ After the national scandal that ensued, the University of North Texas Health Science Center asked Mr Nassiri and his staff for a full accounting of any bodies still in the company's care and to 'coordinate the return of all specimens and ashes.' A few years later the medical school conducted an internal audit and noticed it was missing nine pairs of ankles and feet that had been sent to Med Ed over two years prior. That same medical school would also charge that Nassiri shipped remains back in dirty, disintegrating containers likened to 'scrap cardboard.' Nassiri sourced many of the bodies at Med Ed Labs [pictured], including unclaimed ones, from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, which has been accused of using thousands of unclaimed bodies for research, medical education, and profit Despite multiple warnings from Texas health regulators from 2019 to 2021 regarding the lab’s failure to treat bodies ethically, Mr Nassiri kept working. In 2023, Mr Nassiri and Med Ed labs were charged with fraud by the Department of Justice as a result of an investigation into their sales of unclaimed bodies, misrepresenting the condition and origins of the bodies, violating consent agreements, and engaging in deceptive practices for profit. Officials from the Army and Defense Health Agency stated they were unaware of Mr Nassiri’s shady dealings when they made the contracts official. Some federal contracts were subsequently terminated, including one that was canceled after Med Ed Labs failed to fulfill its delivery promises. Your browser does not support iframes. Unfortunately, Mr Nassiri’s story of callous treatment toward human bodies is not unique. In Arizona, a man who died of cirrhosis of the liver had wanted to be an organ donor but was not eligible due to his condition, so his wife approved his body to be used for research purposes. Instead of going to a university medical school as she expected, the body was sent to the Biological Resource Center in Phoenix, Arizona, where it was sold to the Department of Defense without his wife’s knowledge or consent, and she later discovered it had been used in a simulated Humvee explosion as a crash test dummy. And at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, some bodies were used to train healthcare providers in anatomy labs, others were dismembered and leased to organizations such as medical schools, the US Army, and for-profit medical technology companies. Social media links on the Surgical & Medical Training Services website lead to Nassiri’s personal pages, where he now promotes his "Seven Fs"—faith, family, friends, fitness, fun, financial security, and fortitude—along with inspirational quotes Mr Nassiri told a reporter in October that Med Ed Labs had filed for bankruptcy in March and was no longer in business, mere days before Allstate’s lawsuit against him was set to go to trial. Discussing the legal battle on his YouTube page , Mr Nassiri blamed his lawyers for his later legal loss: ‘As things went to trial, [Allstate’s] team had everything they needed: excellent attorneys, plenty of money backed them up... and they built a magnificent suit against me. ‘The attorney I had did absolutely nothing; didn't have one witness, not one expert, not in one exhibit during the entire two-week trial in federal court. As a result of that lawsuit, a judgment came our way... that was way too big for us to handle and that led to a massive destruction in my life.’ But NBC News found that he may still be in the body business. In January, a new body broker business called Surgical & Medical Training Services was registered at the former Las Vegas address of Med Ed Labs. While Mr Nassiri himself isn’t listed in the documents filed with Nevada’s secretary of state, his brother’s name is. The company’s website looks very similar to that of Med Ed Labs and Mr Nassiri paid an application fee to open a cremation and body donation service last year at the same address. Mr Nassiri appears to have shifted his career aspirations slightly from cadaver salesman to self-help guru. Social media links on the Surgical & Medical Training Services website lead to his personal pages on Instagram and Facebook, where his posts no longer mention his body brokering work but promote what he calls the ‘Seven Fs’ — faith, family, friends, fitness, fun, financial security, and fortitude — along with inspirational quotes, including one attributed to Thomas Edison. Arizona Las Vegas Share or comment on this article: I lost my job as a chiropractor and started selling dead bodies to make ends meet... including to the US military e-mail 19 shares Add commentBrooks just released its big Black Friday deals and we’re shocked to see beloved sneakers for under $100 during this offer. Brooks Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale is marketed as up to 35% off top-loved products, but a number of items are actually up to 41% off during this sale. We’re seeing huge markdowns on running shoes including the Adrenaline GTS 23 , the Catamount 3 , and the Launch 10 – all of which are under $100 and anywhere between 9% to 41% off. Apparel is also included in this big Cyber Week sale, and we’re seeing 35% off the 3 Pocket Sports Bra , 35% off the Shield Hybrid Vest 2.0 (though very low in stock), and the Distance Short Sleeve 3.0 for 25% off. A few styles have already sold out, like Hyperion Elite running shoes , so if you see something you like on sale, you’ll want to snag it fast. We’re hoping Brooks continues to add new sale styles during Cyber Week. Currently, the Ghost 16 and Glycerin GTS 23 styles are not on sale – yet – but we’re holding out hope! Brooks Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals Shop these Brooks Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals and more now. The Best Black Friday Deals in 2024 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Dawn Magyar can be reached at dmagyar@njadvancemedia.com . Have a tip? 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