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AP News Summary at 2:33 p.m. ESTNone
THE recent earthquakes in Ranau, Sabah, have underscored the urgent need for rigorous planning and design standards for major buildings and infrastructure projects. As seismic activities continue to pose a risk in Sabah, it is crucial for engineers, developers and policymakers to adopt stringent measures that enhance the resilience and safety of structures. Understanding the Seismic Risk in Sabah Tan Sabah, located in a seismically active zone, has experienced significant earthquakes, particularly in areas like Ranau and Kundasang areas. The 2015 magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Ranau caused considerable damage, bringing attention to the vulnerabilities in existing buildings and infrastructure. In addition, these recent occurrences highlight the necessity of integrating seismic considerations into all stages of planning and design. Ir. Ts. KJ Tan JP, the past chairman of ACEM Sabah and as a local consulting engineer who possesses master engineering degree from Imperial College London (ICL) and also has the vast experience and knowledge in the field of seismic engineering, highlights the following key requirements for planning and designing in earthquake-prone areas 1. Compliance with Modern Building Codes Adherence to the Malaysian National Annex to Eurocode 8 (MS EN 1998) is essential for earthquake-resistant structures. The Eurocode 8 standard outlines specific requirements for seismic analysis, structural behavior, and material strength to ensure safety under earthquake forces. Developers and engineers must update their design practices to comply with this standard. 2. Seismic Hazard Assessments Before initiating any project, a detailed seismic hazard assessment must be conducted. This involves evaluating the site’s geological conditions, fault line proximity, and soil characteristics to determine the ground motion parameters and earthquake risks. Such assessments provide crucial data for structural design. 3. Earthquake-Resilient Structural Designs • Ductility and Energy Dissipation: Structures should be designed to absorb and dissipate seismic energy without collapsing. This can be achieved through reinforced concrete frames, shear walls, and flexible foundations. • Base Isolation Technology: For major projects, such as hospitals, bridges and high-rise buildings, base isolation systems can be employed to reduce earthquake vibrations. • Redundancy and Symmetry: Structural designs must avoid irregularities to ensure an even distribution of seismic forces. 4. Geotechnical Considerations Ground conditions play a critical role in seismic performance. Engineers must conduct thorough soil testing to mitigate risks such as liquefaction, landslides and ground settlement. Foundation systems, such as deep pile foundations or raft foundations, may be required to stabilize structures in areas with poor soil conditions. 5. Retrofitting Existing Structures Older buildings and infrastructures that were not designed to withstand seismic forces should undergo structural retrofitting. Techniques such as installing steel braces, adding shear walls, and strengthening joints can enhance their earthquake resistance. 6. Incorporating Monitoring and Early Warning Systems For critical infrastructure like dams, power plants and highways, integrating earthquake monitoring and early warning systems is vital. Real-time monitoring enables swift action to mitigate risks during seismic events. 7. Training and Awareness Programs Collaboration between the government, industry stakeholders and professional bodies such as IEM and PAM, and local universities such as UMS and UiTM is essential to build earthquake preparedness. Professional engineers, professional architects, town planners, contractors, and local authorities must undergo regular training on seismic design practices and earthquake response. Conclusion The recent earthquakes in Ranau serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders involved in construction and infrastructure development in Sabah. By implementing modern seismic design standards, conducting rigorous assessments, and prioritizing safety, Sabah can build resilient structures capable of withstanding earthquakes. Ensuring structural integrity is not just an engineering necessity but a critical step toward protecting lives, investments, and the future of Sabah’s development.
Mission Produce: Appetizing Risk/RewardAP Business SummaryBrief at 1:27 p.m. EST
Rise of child influencers in Chandigarh: Fun hobby or cause for concern?
The Detroit Lions picked up a nice 34-17 divisional victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 16, as Dan Campbell's squad bounced back after a Week 15 defeat to the Buffalo Bills and improved their road record to 7-0. Though the Lions got back in the win column on Sunday, the team has yet to secure the NFC North title or the No.1 seed in the conference. That's because the Minnesota Vikings continue to win games, as the Vikings notched a 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16. Entering Week 17, the Lions and Vikings boast the same record at 13-2, and there's a chance Detroit and Minnesota's Week 18 matchup will be for the division crown and the No.1 seed in the NFC. The Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday in Week 17, and if Kevin O'Connell's squad wins that game, the Lions won't be able to clinch the division or the No.1 seed and will have to wait until they play Minnesota in Week 18. The Lions don't play until Monday Night in Week 17, as the team will travel to Levi's Stadium to face off against the San Francisco 49ers. Campbell and his group will know the results of the Packers vs. Vikings game before their Monday Night contest versus the 49ers, but Dan Campbell had an emphatic answer about the possibility of the Lions resting starters versus San Francisco if Minnesota defeats Green Bay on Sunday. "I'll make this easy for everybody that way all the critics can jump out and start attacking, but that way you don't have to debate them anymore," Campbell said. "We're bringing everything we got to this game and we are playing, I don't care what it looks like and where it's at and who's this, who's that. We're going out to play and win this game, out on the West Coast. So there you go." If the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 17 — before Detroit’s MNF game vs. the 49ers — the Lions can’t clinch the division or the No. 1 seed until they play Minnesota in Week 18. Don’t expect Dan Campbell to rest his starters. “We’re bringing everything we’ve got to this game.” pic.twitter.com/VgJo9otoDz Though some will urge the Lions to rest their starters if they can't clinch the division and the No.1 seed versus the 49ers in Week 17 due to a potential Vikings win over the Packers, Dan Campbell has made up his mind. The former NFL tight end has built a culture centered around grit and perseverance in Detroit, and resting starters, even if the game doesn't mean much, isn't in his DNA. The Lions and Vikings are the top two contenders to land the NFC's No.1 seed, but the Philadelphia Eagles are also still mathematically in the race despite losing to the Washington Commanders in Week 16. Below is a tweet from Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports that shows Philadelphia's path to the No.1 seed in the NFC. The #Eagles are still in race for the No. 1 seed even with #Vikings and #Lions winning. Here's how: -- Eagles win out -- Lions lose to 49ers, Vikings lose to Packers -- Vikings beat Lions Eagles get No. 1 seed via common opponents tiebreaker over Vikings. MORE DETROIT LIONS NEWS Lions rookie Christian Mahogany looks like a gem after impressive debut NFL power rankings Week 17: Where Lions sit after convincing win over Bears Alex Anzalone injury update: Latest news on Lions LB's possible return
Big Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's riseBy Tony Leys | KFF Health News GLENWOOD, Iowa — Hundreds of people who were separated from society because they had disabilities are buried in a nondescript field at the former state institution here. Disability rights advocates hope Iowa will honor them by preventing the kind of neglect that has plagued similar cemeteries at other shuttered facilities around the U.S. The southwest Iowa institution, called the Glenwood Resource Center, was closed this summer in the wake of allegations of poor care . The last of its living residents were moved elsewhere in June. But the remains of about 1,300 people will stay where they were buried on the grounds. The graveyard, which dates to the 1800s, covers several acres of sloping ground near the campus’s brick buildings. A 6-foot-tall, weathered-concrete cross stands on the hillside, providing the most visible clue to the field’s purpose. On a recent afternoon, dried grass clippings obscured row after row of small stone grave markers set flat in the ground. Most of the stones are engraved with only a first initial, a last name, and a number. “If somebody who’s never been to Glenwood drove by, they wouldn’t even know there was a cemetery there,” said Brady Werger, a former resident of the facility. During more than a century of operation, the institution housed thousands of people with intellectual disabilities. Its population declined as society turned away from the practice of sequestering people with disabilities and mental illness in large facilities for decades at a time. The cemetery is filled with residents who died and weren’t returned to their hometowns for burial with their families. State and local leaders are working out arrangements to maintain the cemetery and the rest of the 380-acre campus. Local officials, who are expected to take control of the grounds next June, say they’ll need extensive state support for upkeep and redevelopment, especially with the town of about 5,000 people reeling from the loss of jobs at the institution. Hundreds of such places were constructed throughout the U.S. starting in the 1800s. Some, like the one in Glenwood, served people with disabilities, such as those caused by autism or seizure disorders. Others housed people with mental illness. Most of the facilities were built in rural areas, which were seen as providing a wholesome environment. States began shrinking or closing these institutions more than 50 years ago. The shifts were a response to complaints about people being removed from their communities and subjected to inhumane conditions, including the use of isolation and restraints. In the past decade, Iowa has closed two of its four mental hospitals and one of its two state institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. After closures in some other states, institutions’ cemeteries were abandoned and became overgrown with weeds and brush. The neglect drew protests and sparked efforts to respectfully memorialize people who lived and died at the facilities. “At some level, the restoration of institutions’ cemeteries is about the restoration of humanity,” said Pat Deegan, a Massachusetts mental health advocate who works on the issue nationally . Deegan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, sees the neglected graveyards as symbolic of how people with disabilities or mental illness can feel as if their individual identities are buried beneath the labels of their conditions. Deegan, 70, helped lead efforts to rehabilitate a pair of overgrown cemeteries at the Danvers State Hospital near Boston, which housed people with mental illness before it closed in 1992. More than 700 former residents were buried there, with many graves originally marked only with a number. The Massachusetts hospital’s grounds were redeveloped into a condominium complex. The rehabilitated cemeteries now have individual gravestones and a large historical marker, explaining what the facility was and who lived there. The sign notes that some past methods of caring for psychiatric patients seem “barbarous” by today’s standards, but the text portrays the staff as well-meaning. It says the institution “attempted to alleviate the problems of many of its members with care and empathy that, although not always successful, was nobly attempted.” Deegan has helped other groups across the country organize renovations of similar cemeteries. She urges communities to include former residents of the facilities in their efforts. Iowa’s Glenwood Resource Center started as a home for orphans of Civil War soldiers. It grew into a large institution for people with disabilities, many of whom lived there for decades. Its population peaked at more than 1,900 in the 1950s, then dwindled to about 150 before state officials decided to close it. Werger, 32, said some criticisms of the institution were valid, but he remains grateful for the support the staff gave him until he was stable enough to move into community housing in 2018. “They helped change my life incredibly,” he said. He thinks the state should have fixed problems at the facility instead of shutting it. He said he hopes officials preserve historical parts of the campus, including stately brick buildings and the cemetery. He wishes the graves had more extensive headstones, with information about the residents buried there. He would also like to see signs installed explaining the place’s history. Two former employees of the Glenwood facility recently raised concerns that some of the graves may be mismarked . But officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, which ran the institution, said they have extensive, accurate records and recently placed stones on three graves that were unmarked. Department leaders declined to be interviewed about the cemetery’s future. Spokesperson Alex Murphy wrote in an email that while no decisions have been made about the campus, the agency “remains committed to ensuring the cemetery is protected and treated with dignity and respect for those who have been laid to rest there.” Glenwood civic leaders have formed a nonprofit corporation that is negotiating with the state over development plans for the former institution. “We’re trying to make the best of a tough situation,” said Larry Winum, a local banker who serves on the new organization’s board. Tentative plans include tearing down some of the existing buildings and creating up to 900 houses and apartments. Winum said redevelopment should include some kind of memorial sign about the institution and the people buried in the cemetery. “It will be important to us that those folks be remembered,” he said. Activists in other states said properly honoring such places takes sustained commitment and money. Jennifer Walton helped lead efforts in the 1990s to properly mark graves and improve cemetery upkeep at state institutions in Minnesota . Some of the cemeteries are deteriorating again, she said. Activists plan to ask Minnesota legislators to designate permanent funding to maintain them and to place explanatory markers at the sites. “I think it’s important, because it’s a way to demonstrate that these spaces represent human beings who at the time were very much hidden away,” Walton said. “No human being should be pushed aside and ignored.” Related Articles A stroke changed a teacher’s life. How a new electrical device is helping her move Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changes New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans On a recent day, just one of the Glenwood graves had flowers on it. Retired managers of the institution said few people visit the cemetery, but amateur genealogists sometimes show up after learning that a long-forgotten ancestor was institutionalized at Glenwood and buried there. Former grounds supervisor Max Cupp said burials had become relatively rare over the years, with more families arranging to have deceased residents’ remains transported to their hometown cemeteries. One of the last people buried in the Glenwood cemetery was Kenneth Rummells, who died in 2022 at age 71 after living many years at the institution and then at a nearby group home overseen by the state. His guardian was Kenny Jacobsen, a retired employee of the facility who had known him for decades. Rummells couldn’t speak, but he could communicate by grunting, Jacobsen said. He enjoyed sitting outside. “He was kind of quiet, kind of a touch-me-not guy.” Jacobsen helped arrange for a gravestone that is more detailed than most others in the cemetery. The marker includes Rummells’ full name, the dates of his birth and death, a drawing of a porch swing, and the inscription “Forever swinging in the breeze.” Jacobsen hopes officials figure out how to maintain the cemetery. He would like to see a permanent sign erected, explaining who is buried there and how they came to live in Glenwood. “They were people too,” he said.
AFP – “I’m holding an illustrated book of cheeses,” said a delighted customer, Tomoyo Ozumi, at a growing kind of bookshop in Japan where anyone wanting to sell their tomes can rent a shelf. The concept brings back the joy of browsing real books to communities where many bookstores have shut, and gives readers more eclectic choices than those suggested by algorithms on online sellers, its proponents said. “Here, you find books which make you wonder who on earth would buy them,” said Shogo Imamura, 40, who opened one such store in Tokyo’s bookstore district of Kanda Jimbocho in April. “Regular bookstores sell books that are popular based on sales statistics while excluding books that don’t sell well,” Imamura, who also writes novels about warring samurai in Japan’s feudal era, told AFP . “We ignore such principles. Or capitalism in other words,” he said. “I want to reconstruct bookstores.” President of book review site All Reviews and president of three shelf-sharing bookstore Rokurou Yui in Tokyo’s Kanda Jimbocho district, Japan. PHOTO: AFP ABOVE & BELOW: Rokurou Yui working at his bookstore; and the shelf-sharing bookstore Passage. PHOTO: AFP PHOTO: AFP ABOVE & BELOW: Bookshop owner and novelist Shogo Imamura and creative director Kashiwa Sato; and a bookshelf at bookstore Honmaru Jimbocho in Tokyo. PHOTO: AFP PHOTO: AFP His shop, measuring just 53 square metres, houses 364 shelves, selling books – some new, some used – on everything from business strategy and manga comics to martial arts. The hundreds of different shelf renters, who pay JPY4,850-JPY9,350 (USD32-USD61) per month, vary from individuals to an information technology company to a construction firm to small publishers. “Each one of these shelves is like a real version of a social media account, where you express yourself like in Instagram or Facebook,” said the store’s creative director Kashiwa Sato, 59. For now his store Honmaru – meaning the core of a Japanese castle – is only in Tokyo, but Imamura hopes to expand to other regions hit hard by bookstore closures. A quarter of Japan’s municipalities have no physical bookstores, with more than 600 shutting in the 18 months to March, according to the Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture. Imamura in 2022 visited dozens of bookstores that have managed to survive the tough competition with e-commerce giants like Amazon, some by adding cafes or even gyms. “But that is like putting the cart before the horse. Because if a gym is more profitable, 90 per cent of the shop may become a gym, with 10 per cent for bookselling,” Imamura said. Rokurou Yui, 42, said his three shelf-sharing bookstores in the same Tokyo area are filled with “enormous love” for shelf owners’ favourite books. “It is as if you’re hearing voices of recommendations,” Yui told AFP . Owners of regular bookstores put books on their shelves that they have to sell to stay in business, regardless of their personal tastes, he said. “But here, there is no single book that we have to sell, but just books that someone recommends with strong passion and love for,” he said. Yui and his father Shigeru Kashima, 74, who was a professor of French literature, opened their first shelf-sharing bookstore, called Passage, in 2022. They expanded with two others and the fourth opened inside a French language school in Tokyo in October. Passage has 362 shelves and the sellers help attract customers with their own marketing efforts, often online. That is in contrast to conventional bookstores that often rely on owners’ sole sales efforts, he said. On weekends, Yui’s store sometimes “looks as if it were a crowded nightclub with young customers in their 10s, 20s, 30s” with edgy background music playing, he said. Customers and shelf-owners visit the bookstore not only to sell and buy books, but to enjoy “chatting about books”, he said.Jordanian Foreign Minister urges inclusive Syrian government in Damascus talks
Luke Littler has had a stellar year after reaching the final of the World Darts Championship 2024 plus being awarded the BBC's Youngs Sports Personality of the Year . So it's quite right that the 17-year-old is revelling in his success. Luke has reportedly splashed out on a £6,000 per month to rent a mansion in Cheshire. According to The Mirror, Luke is now living in the fancy property located on what is known locally as 'Millionaire's Road'. This year, the sportsman is said to have made almost £600,000 so far from his darts career. Luke bagged a £200,000 prize for reaching the final of the World Darts Championship and a further £275,000 for winning his first Premier League title. Luke and his family have left their humble two-bedroom semi-detached house behind in favour of a sprawling home that features swanky interiors, an indoor pool and a cinema room. Let's take a look... Christmas celebrity door displays that will blow your mind David Beckham has fans swooning in cheeky 'home' video - but all is not as it seems Jamie Oliver's three wildly different Christmas trees at £6m mansion 1 / 4 The listing on Rightmove states that the home comes with pool and garden maintenance including the flat rent. It also says that the five-bedroom house is "finished to an uncompromising standard, with intelligent design, impressive technology, top of the range fixtures and fittings and superb leisure facilities"." It's been "carefully and cleverly redesigned to optimise and enhance space, creating a perfect balance of luxury finish and ease of living". This photo shows how stunning the kitchen is. The fully fitted, state of the art cooking area comes with a dark, modern interior with a light oak parquet flooring. There are multiple ovens, a huge American-style fridge and a breakfast bar topped with monochrome quartz marble. There are also four chairs resting underneath the breakfast bar in a gorgeous teal and gold design. To the right of one stool, we can also spot a wine fridge. 2 / 4 The living room is also impressive in size. While it's not known if the property came furnished or whether the family has decided to place their own furniture inside to make it their own – the photo offers an idea of how the room can be utilised. A large five-person sofa sits in the middle of the room facing the TV which has been placed into the wall. The lounge also has a gorgeous cream carpet and two skylights so plenty of daylight can flood the room. 3 / 4 Perhaps the biggest draw of the home, however, is the wow-worthy indoor pool. The full-size swimming pool is nestled in a large room facing out into the huge garden. The room also has plenty of seating and loungers around the pool plus a workout area just off to the side, making the entire pool house resemble a luxury gym. 4 / 4 Meanwhile, Luke recently celebrated when his wish was granted by former Manchester United player David Beckham. Man-U mad Luke was chuffed when Becks "texted him" to say good luck ahead of the SPOTY ceremony which took place this week. Luke then made a cheeky comment that David hadn't yet followed him on Instagram, but then shared a screenshot of David after he followed the darts pro alongside a love-heart emoji. Of his Young SPOTY award, Luke said: "It just goes to show how well I've done this year. "But not only for myself changed the sport of darts [with] all the other professionals. But I have played a big part in it."A major European nation and member of NATO is drawing up plans to use some of nearly 580 bunkers which litter the country as a legacy of the Cold War and the Second World War. Germany , which itself was occupied by the Soviets after 1945, has reportedly begun planning for Russian aggression in modern times spilling over from the war in Ukraine . Berlin has been among the military and financial supporters of Kyiv since Putin's invasion began in 2022, alongside the United States and Britain, and now political leaders are worried the nation may have fallen under Moscow's sights. The German interior ministry has gone so far as to officially announce it is looking at a list of bunkers the country could use to house civilians in the event of a full-scale war breaking out with Russia . Possible suitable sites include dormant bunkers, as well as car parks, train stations and private and state buildings. According to the Guardian, officials are also planning a phone app which could be used to help people convert existing basements and garages into protective shelters. The newspaper said Germany has 579 bunkers left down from around 2,000 which had been operational during previous conflicts in history. It's said around 480,000 people, out of a population of 84 million, could use the existing facilities. Germany's tabloid newspaper BILD first reported the plans on Monday, saying it was a response to a worsening international threat, particularly from Russia . Russia has also been increasingly hostile towards Britain, with Kremlin propaganda pundits on nightly TV news shows often threatening the UK with Russia 's nuclear arsenal. And this week, it was announced Russia has barred Angela Rayner and other Cabinet ministers from entering the country after expelling a diplomat for alleged spying. The Deputy Prime Minister, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper were among 30 UK citizens put on a "stop list" published by Russia 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which also included journalists and business leaders. The ministry said the sanctions were in response to the UK's "hostile actions".
Authored by Jonathan Turley via jonathanturley.org , The recent election produced an outpouring of anger and angst on the left, from pledging to leave the country to not having sex with men for four years . For others, the response was to retreat deeper into the echo chamber of the left. Many liberals are leaving X for a Bluesky , which promises the censorship and monitoring that was reduced after Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter. Despite having most of the media and social media as allies, the opposing views of X have become intolerable for many after the election. One such aggrieved user appears to be New York Times tech reporter Kevin Roose , who wrote a column heralding the site as a deliverance for liberals left confused and afraid by the popular vote.Roose writes “After an hour or so of scrolling through Bluesky the other night, I felt something I haven’t felt on social media in a long time: free. Free from Elon Musk and his tedious quest to turn X into a right-wing echo chamber where he and his friends are the permanent, inescapable main characters.” Because Musk dismantled the censorship system, the New York Times reporter now considers it a “right-wing echo chamber.” So, what does that make Bluesky? Over at X, there is no shortage of trolls from the left and the right. However, it is hardly an echo chamber. Many liberals are among the most influential and criticize the right and others, including Musk and X. It also has its share of far-left trolls. However, it is the fact that it also allows such voices from the right that seems to produce the gasping, hypoxic response of liberals. Back in the day of Twitter, it was just like the Allman Brothers song: “BluebirdsSinging a songNothing but bluebirdsAll day long” Many have shared their own “I can breathe now” take on Bluesky and how it is great to be again among friends — and watched over by social media guardians. Just like the old days. Notably, Roose admits that the site is no X and is unlikely to replace it. Roose admitted when he first joined Bluesky, it was more annoying than liberating: “It was also, frankly, kind of annoying. The most active posters on my feed were all left-wing Twitter discontents, united in their hatred of Mr. Musk yet unable to stop talking about him. My account went dormant, and I moved on to other platforms.” To his credit, Roose appeared to miss the diversity of thought in less “moderated” spaces. Nevertheless, it is now a godsend for those seeking greater insulation from opposing views. Ironically, one lesson from this election is the danger of both the press and pundits in becoming increasingly out of touch with most of the country. The shock expressed by many is due to a lack of exposure to opposing views — not the need for further ideological isolation. That cathartic effort is evident in many subscribers who are now boycotting the Washington Post and MSNBC. MSNBC contributor and Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin appears to support such efforts. Rubin is an avowed Marxist. Groucho Marxist, that is. Marx famously said, “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.” Before supporting resignations at her newspaper (for not endorsing a presidential candidate) or the boycott of Morning Joe (for the hosts speaking to Donald Trump), Rubin was the self-identified Republican columnist of the Post before she called for the party to be burned down. Liberals would prefer to leave the Post if it is going to introduce opposing views . For the Post owner and publisher, the newspaper is facing an utter disaster after alienating over half of the country by becoming an echo chamber. Publisher and CEO William Lewis put it bluntly by telling the staff , “Let’s not sugarcoat it...We are losing large amounts of money. Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff. Right? I can’t sugarcoat it anymore.” The response from the Post staff was calls for Lewis to be fired. These reporters and columnists would prefer to lose their jobs than their bias. Obviously, Roose and others have every right to shelter in place within hardened liberal silos. However, it will do little to bring back readers to the media or voters to the Democrats by creating safe spaces for liberals to avoid being triggered by opposing views. Now, it is different: “Never saw the sun shining so brightNever saw things going so rightNoticing the days hurrying byWhen you’re in love, my how they fly” Different except that things are not “going so right” on Bluesky.“You have a governor that doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing,” Trump said. “We’re going to change it because your border is a disaster.” Though he did not specify which aspects of Hobbs’ policy he opposed, Trump has repeatedly highlighted his intention to halt what he calls an “invasion” of migrants, accusing local and federal leaders of lax enforcement and inadequate deterrence. Hobbs has insisted she is willing to collaborate with the incoming Trump administration to secure additional federal resources for the state’s border region while cautioning against “misguided policies” that harm residents. “Border security was a core issue of the Trump campaign. I look forward to having conversations with the incoming president about Arizona’s needs ... but I won’t tolerate attacks on Arizona families,” she said in November at a Nogales port of entry. Hobbs sent about 40 National Guard members to Nogales to assist CBP with traffic direction at secondary search lanes, dismantling vehicles with contraband at the Mariposa border crossing, and supporting rail operations at the Dennis DeConcini crossing a few miles east. Though he lives in Montana, 45-year-old AmericaFest attendee Jeremy Payne said Trump and Homan’s comments about the border resonated with him. “I believe in having a strong and honorable border,” Payne said. “Immigrants should honor their host country by abiding by our rules and laws. We love immigrants but we want them to be legal. We don’t want them to break laws.” Payne said he wishes the mainstream media would be more precise about characterizing Trump’s stance on the border, which is similar to a homeowner who wants visitors to respect their rules. Similarly, 23-year-old Jimmie Guy, a Glendale resident who works in industrial irrigation, said he works with a lot of people from Mexico who went through legal routes to be able to work in the U.S. Guy, who attended the event with his two brothers, said he doesn’t think it’s fair that people try to flout the law. Dallas resident Roxanne Bellows, 60, said “it’s despicable” what is happening on the border. “We are in danger,” said Bellows, who works in the construction industry and is currently working in San Diego. Marc Mahler, a 54-year-old Phoenix resident, said he agrees with Trump on the border, too. And he doesn’t believe Hobbs has been effective on border issues. “Other than the National Guard, she hasn’t been very vocal,” said Mahler, who works in the health industry. “She hasn’t said anything substantive.” Mahler is a U.S. citizen now but he is originally from Canada. “I did all the things you are supposed to do,” he said. “I am offended people are trying to jump the line. I have patriotism for this country and you should be vetted if you want to move here.”Love them or hate them, it’s hard to see health savings accounts losing traction anytime soon. Used with high-deductible health care plans, the accounts are touted as a way to put downward pressure on health care costs. Though HSAs are the only triple tax-advantaged vehicle in the tax code — allowing for pretax contributions, tax-free compounding and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses — few HSA owners fund the accounts to the maximum. Critics say the high-deductible health care plan/HSA combination is a good fit for the “healthy and wealthy” but is apt to be less advantageous for lower-income workers. Even wealthy consumers may avoid taking full advantage of their HSAs because the one their employer chose simply isn’t very compelling. Here’s a closer look at how to know if an HSA is subpar, and ways to get around it if it is. HSAs appear to have it all over other tax-advantaged savings vehicles, especially for investors who know they will have some out-of-pocket health care expenses. Yet HSA expenses and shortcomings on the investment front can erode the accounts’ prodigious tax benefits. That’s particularly true for smaller HSA investors: Not only do flat dollar-based account-maintenance fees — say, $45 per year — hit smaller HSA investors harder than ones with larger balances, but interest rates for smaller investors’ health savings accounts may also be lower. Thus, it’s valuable to conduct due diligence. Assess the following: Setup fees: A one-time fee imposed at the time of the health savings account setup; it may be covered by your employer. Account-maintenance fees: These fees are for maintaining your account at a bank or credit union; they can be levied on a monthly or annual basis. They may be covered by the employer, and HSA investors with larger balances may be able to circumvent them. Transaction fees: These fees may be levied each time an individual pays for services using the health savings account. Interest rate on savings accounts: Many HSAs offer lower interest rates on smaller balances than they do for larger ones; that, combined with the fact that account-maintenance fees are apt to hit smaller HSA savers harder than larger ones, argues for building and maintaining critical mass in your HSA. Investment choices: Assess the investment lineup on offer to make sure it aligns with your investment philosophy. Many HSA investment lineups tilt heavily toward low-cost index funds, but others feature primarily actively managed funds, often with higher expenses. If you’ve found your employer-provided HSA lacking, you have three options. Contribute to an HSA on your own. As long as you’re enrolled in a high-deductible health care plan, you are technically free to pick another HSA rather than steering contributions into an employer-selected one. You could then deduct your HSA contributions on your tax return. However, that’s more cumbersome and requires more discipline than steering a portion of your paycheck directly into the “captive” HSA. Additionally, HSA contributions made under a salary reduction arrangement in a section 125 cafeteria plan are not subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes, whereas those taxes will come out of your paycheck even if you ultimately divert those dollars to your own HSA. For those reasons, forgoing payroll deductions for an HSA is usually not the best option. Transfer the money from your employer-provided HSA into another one. After your HSA contribution is deducted from your paycheck and sent to your employer-provided HSA, you can periodically transfer all or a portion of that balance to an external HSA of your choosing. There are no tax consequences on HSA transfers, and you can conduct multiple transfers per year. The employee can contribute enough to the savings account to cover anticipated out-of-pocket health care costs but steer any excess funds into an HSA with better investment options. Roll over money from your employer-provided HSA into another one. You contribute to your employer-provided HSA via payroll deduction, then roll over the money to an HSA provider of your choice. This strategy is similar to Option 2 but there are two key differences. The first is that in contrast to a transfer, where the two trustees handle the funds and leave you out of it, a rollover means you get a check for your balance. You must deposit that money into another HSA within 60 days or it counts as an early withdrawal and a 20% penalty will apply if you’re not yet 65 or if you don’t have receipts to support medical expenses equal to the amount of your withdrawal. Another key difference is that multiple transfers are permitted between HSAs, but you’re only allowed one HSA rollover per 12-month period. For more personal finance content, visit morningstar.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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Big Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's riseFour in five men want to take action against domestic violence but almost half think they can't do anything to change it. A poll by not-for-profit organisation Our Watch reports 43 per cent of men believe they personally are unable to change the rate of violence against women. That is despite almost 80 per cent wanting to take action. Our Watch is a national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. The organisation says men and boys require a greater focus in combating domestic, family and sexual violence. "Men don't wake up one day and just decide to kill their partner," said violence prevention advocate Tarang Chawla. "It starts off in ways that might seem harmless – locker-room talk, sexist jokes, making fun of violence, objectifying women or asserting dominance over their partner. "I would love to see more men questioning controlling behaviour towards women. If we all play our role, we can help prevent harmful attitudes and behaviours potentially escalating to violence." The data comes from an online survey of 1001 Australians aged 18 and over, commissioned by Our Watch in September. It showed that 45 per cent of men said they feel pressure to act "stereotypically manly", mostly in the workplace and within a sporting club. "To stop violence before it starts, we must work with young men and boys at school, in workplaces and online to help them navigate the complexities of what healthy masculinities look like for them," Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly said. Our Watch has launched resources for youth workers to better engage men and boys. They are also running a social media campaign during the 16 days of activism campaign against gender-based violence. Thousands of Victorians took a stand against gendered violence last week marking the beginning of the worldwide campaign. In South Australia, a Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence is ongoing with the state's hotline receiving a record number of calls on the day the commission started its work in July. While the Northern Territory government is considering ways of removing Aboriginal children at risk of domestic and family violence following a coronial inquest into the deaths of nine Aboriginal women killed in the NT since June. So far in 2024, 85 women have allegedly been murdered by a man in Australia, according to Australian Femicide Watch. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14
Inside Conor McGregor’s 15-year relationship with Dee Devlin, from sharing four kids to UFC star’s civil rape caseArsenal delivered the statement Champions League win Mikel Arteta had demanded as they swept aside Sporting Lisbon 5-1. Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials following some underwhelming displays away from home, and the Gunners manager got exactly what he asked for. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners had failed to win or score in their two away games in the competition so far this season, but they made a blistering start in the Portuguese capital and took the lead after only seven minutes. Declan Rice fed overlapping full-back Jurrien Timber, who curled a low cross in behind the home defence for Martinelli to finish at the far post. Arsenal doubled their lead in the 20th minute thanks to a glorious ball over the top from Thomas Partey. Saka escaped the clutches of his marker Maximiliano Araujo to beat the offside trap and poke the ball past advancing goalkeeper Franco Israel for Havertz to tap home. It was a scintillating first-half display which completely overshadowed the presence of Viktor Gyokeres in Sporting’s attack. The prolific Sweden striker, formerly of Coventry, has been turning the heads of Europe’s top clubs with his 24 goals in 17 games this season – including a hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this month. But the only time he got a sniff of a run at goal after an optimistic long ball, he was marshalled out of harm’s way by Gabriel. David Raya was forced into one save, tipping a fierce Geovany Quenda drive over the crossbar. But Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. Former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards fired over, as did Gyokeres, with Arsenal temporarily on the back foot. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved, and Gyokeres’ miserable night was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.This is Carson City: Talents builds its own community
Hill scores 26 as Arkansas State knocks off Coastal Carolina 97-67Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga