4 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Red tape torn up to make it easier for soldiers’ families to keep dogs and cats
MINISTERS are tearing up red tape to make it easier for soldiers’ families to keep dogs and decorate their homes.
Defence Secretary John Healey said it was part of their promise to “stop the rot” for our heroes living in military accommodation.
Family based at SFA Whittington play with their dogSgt Chris Walton with his Labrador GooseThe TimesDefence Secretary John Healey has vowed to “stop the rot”[/caption]
“For too long military families have lived in substandard housing without basic consumer rights,” he said.
“By introducing greater freedoms, including pet ownership, we are ensuring forces families up and down the UK can live and work in homes fit for modern life.”
Previously military families faced a long and bureaucratic approval process to own pets.
But from this week, they can keep up to two dogs, cats or smaller pets without needing formal written permission.
Veterans Minister Al Carns added: “As a dog owner and Royal Marine who served for 24 years, much of it in Service accommodation, I’m delighted to be making it easier for our dedicated personnel to own family pets.”
Family members will also find it easier to run businesses from their military homes under the changes.
And they will have more freedom to decorate their house with things like wireless wall lamps and designs.
It is all part of a new Consumer Charter to enhance basic rights for service personnel.
And follows a deal to return 36,000 military homes to public ownership and an investment of £7 billion in accommodation this parliament.
Minister for Veterans Al Carns with his dog Maverick
4 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on New plans for ‘rebate’ checks that will give Americans at least $600 – but could rise to $2,400 for families
LAWMAKERS are floating plans for new “rebate” checks that could see American families receive thousands of dollars.
The bill would see recipients sent the cash in a bid to soften the blow of the Trump administration’s tariffs.
GettyThese checks have been compared to the stimulus packages offered during the pandemic[/caption]
GettyThe bill would have to be approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives[/caption]
These checks have been compared to the stimulus packages offered during the pandemic.
Currently working its way through Congress, the bill would see “at least” $600 dealt out for every adult and dependent child.
So a family of four could be in line to receive as much as $2,400.
However, these sums would be phased out for families earning more than $150,000 a year.
The American Worker Rebate Act was introduced by Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri in late July 2025.
However, it faces a large number of hurdles if it were to become law.
The bill would have to be approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives.
But NBC reports that the odds of the bill passing are fairly slim.
Many of the Senator’s fellow Republicans have voiced concerns around the bill.
And several economists have indicated the measures may not be as effective as intented.
Nevertheless, many American families will no doubt be thinking about what they might do if such cash were available.
It comes as new stimulus checks are set to hit bank accounts in three different US states.
The states are working to relieve some of the pressures of cost of living and inflation on Americans.
Residents of New York, Georgia and Alaska can expect the financial relief.
Guaranteed Income and Universal Basic Income programs have taken off in popularity recently.
After the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan of 2021 sent stimulus money to local governments, dozens began testing guaranteed income (GI) systems.
The specifics vary, but GI typically involves payouts to people with low incomes. Unlike traditional welfare, there are no job requirements, drug tests, or other strings attached.
Some have pushed for a Universal Basic Income (UBI), which would go to everyone regardless of how much money they make at work. Alaska has used a similar system since the 1970s.
Proponents say this alleviates poverty while incentivizing work, unlike classic welfare, which cuts benefits from people who begin earning “too much” money to qualify.
Opponents argue such a system is too expensive to function on a large scale and suggest Americans should avoid becoming reliant on government money.
With some cities heralding the success of GI programs, some Republican-led states have moved to ban them. States like Texas and Iowa, for example, have undermined major spending plans by pushing against GI.
4 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on New ‘camera’ law will see drivers hit with $300 ‘automatic’ fines – but some say penalty is ‘not enough’
DRIVERS will be at risk of being hit with hefty fines if they are caught violating a new law that is set to come into force.
But, some believe the authorities should crack down further, claiming the penalty isn’t enough.
GettyDrivers risk being hit with penalties if they pass a particular vehicle illegally[/caption]
GettyBuses now use cameras with AI software to detect violations, which in turn passes them over to police for review[/caption]
GettyIf the vehicle owner is found guilty, the driver is fined $300[/caption]
And, it won’t be cops that will be stopping drivers by the roadside when the measure comes into force in September.
Cameras are being installed on school buses to stop drivers illegally passing them.
The technology, provided by BusPatrol, involves cameras and AI software to detect violations, which in turn passes them over to police for review.
The cameras work by taking a 360-degree view of the area around the bus, and if a driver passes illegally, then the offense is captured on video.
Drivers that are caught are slapped with a $300 penalty.
But, fines will be distributed among different agencies.
While the system has proven effective in reducing violations, concerns have been raised around the allocation of funds, as well as the cost of enforcement and the fairness of tickets issued.
Chief Joseph Bartorilla said: “We all know how dangerous it is when a driver passes a stopped school bus while its red lights are flashing and the stop arm is deployed.
“This isn’t just illegal, it puts the lives of children at serious risk.
“Unfortunately, despite ongoing public awareness efforts these violations continue.”
Drivers can appeal their tickets if they believe the penalty was wrongly issued.
Offenders will not have any points added to their licenses.
According to its statistics, Bensalem Township has around 5,000 school bus stop-arm violations each year.
Warrington reports 400 a month, with Falls boasting between 200 and 300 a month.
Laws on Passing a School Bus
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), it’s illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus when it is stopped, the red strobe lights are flashing, and the stop sign is deployed.
“All States require the traffic in both directions to stop on undivided highways when students are getting on or off a school bus,” the agency’s website reads.
Florida launched a program in May 2024 that will cite drivers illegally passing stopped school buses with the help of AI-powered cameras to capture footage of violators, citing an important law.
In Florida, Chapter 316 Title 19 reads:
Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle on or over the roads or highways of this state shall, upon approaching any school bus which displays a stop signal, bring such vehicle to a full stop while the bus is stopped, and the vehicle shall not pass the school bus until the signal has been withdrawn. A person who violates this section commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318.
Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle that passes a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in Chapter 318, and is subject to a mandatory hearing under the provisions of s. 318.19
To this end, the police departments in Bucks County with BusPatrol say that most violations happen on multi-lane highways without physical barriers dividing the lanes.
While the law itself has been largely praised, board members Dana Kane and Amy Strouse of the Middletown Township Board of Supervisors have grown concerned over how each $300 fine is divided.
Specifically, the breakdown sees $150 goes to BusPatrol, $100 to the Neshaminy School District, $25 goes to PennDOT and $25 goes to the police department.
Kane has questioned whether $25 per violation is enough to cover the costs of a cop spending a few hours several days a week looking at BusPatrol videos.
On social media, many locals feel the fines and punishment should be more severe.
“$300? How about $3,000?,” said one Facebook user.
Another added: “That’s not enough. That’s like a littering fine. Passing a school bus on the right side will result in dead children.”
And a third commented: “It’s supposed to be higher according to the law and six-month suspension of your license.”
4 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Mahira Sharma Looks Dreamy in Breezy Grey Bodycon
Mahira Sharma's latest look is a mix of dreamy vibes and soft glam, all set against a breezy backdrop. Dressed in a chic grey bodycon, she proves that subtle style can still make a bold impact. Here's a closer look at her effortless fashion moment.
