The school day will be in disarray in Queensland, with teachers going on strike at state schools over pay, safety and staff shortages.
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Queensland teachers to go on strike over pay, safety
Social Security makes huge u-turn on August 18 policy change after mass fury – and online obstacle is now ‘optional’
THE Social Security Administration has made a u-turn decision on a policy change set to take effect later this month.
It comes after mass backlash from recipients, many of whom would’ve been inconvenienced if the policy was left unadjusted.
Originally, the SSA confirmed in a regulatory filing that, starting August 18, millions of Social Security recipients would either have to go online or travel to their nearest field office to get a personal identification number (PIN) for security purposes.
Whether it’s to make address changes, checking claim statuses, or obtaining tax forms, the PIN would then be a required step moving forward, according to the filing.
The SSA even estimated about 3.4 million additional visits to SSA field offices annually to manage and create PINs.
Concerns were immediately noted last month by experts like Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
“This will create a significant burden, particularly for those who live in rural areas or have transportation or mobility difficulties,” Romig argued in a blog post.
“The Trump administration is rushing these changes with almost no public notice or feedback.”
CBPP findings also showed that most Social Security recipients live at least an hour’s drive round-trip from a SSA field office.
On Tuesday, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) sent a formal letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, making a similar argument.
AARP noted in the letter that seniors and those with disabilities would have a challenging time, and that many lack access to a computer or internet, making an in-person visit required.
Now, the SSA has said that Social Security recipients are not required to visit a field office and can choose not to use a PIN.
“The intention of the expanded SAP feature in the filing was always to be optional,” an SSA spokesperson told Axios.
“The purpose of the feature is to improve the customer experience by providing a convenient and secure method for callers to verify their identity.”
“If a caller does not have a ‘my Social Security account’ or chooses not to use the SAP feature, the customer experience will be no different than it is today, and they will continue to use the existing authentication methods to verify their identity,” they added.
Still, the regulatory filing has not yet been amended to note this, but the SSA spokesperson confirmed to the publication that it would be making that action so the “optional” aspect is clear.
HOW TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
Here's how to supplement your Social Security:
Given the uncertainty surrounding Social Security’s long-term future, it’s essential for workers to consider ways to supplement their retirement income.
Senior Citizens League executive director, Shannon Benton recommends starting early with savings and investing in retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs.
- 401(k) Plans
- A 401(k) is a retirement account offered through employers, where contributions are tax-deferred.
- Many employers also match employee contributions, typically between 2% and 4% of salary, making it a valuable tool for building retirement savings.
- Maxing out your 401(k) contributions, especially if your employer offers a match, should be a priority.
- IRAs
- An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) offers another avenue for retirement savings.
- Unlike a 401(k), an IRA isn’t tied to your employer, giving you more flexibility in your investment choices.
- Contributions to traditional IRAs are tax-deductible, and the funds grow tax-free until they are withdrawn, at which point they are taxed as income.
FRAUD FOCUS
With the PIN, the SSA is attempting to crack down on fraud, even though organizations like the CBPP argue the federal agency has yet to provide substantial evidence of the fraud it seeks to combat.
This spring, the SSA also rolled out anti-fraud software to help flag potential cases over the phone, per CBS News.
About 4.5 million phone-based claims come in yearly to the SSA, with about only about 70,000 cited for possible fraudulent activity.
Should an original proposed policy taking away identity verification over the phone that the federal agency also u-turned on in April have been put in place, about six million seniors would’ve had to go into field offices.
MONEY MOVE
The theme of fraud prevention also continues through the direct deposit change taking effect starting September 30.
It comes out of an executive order from The White House this summer that confirmed the US Department of the Treasury would no longer be sending out paper checks to Social Security recipients.
The White House said the mandate was not only a way to prevent fraud but also save money, as about $750 million is spent on paper checks each year.
Social Security recipients must sign up for direct deposit or another form of electronic payment by the deadline or they risk delaying distributions.
About 1.9 million additional SSA field office visits are expected with the direct deposit change.
The SSA commissioner also fired back at Democratic senators who recently criticized the federal agency over alleged “mismanagement” and “record backlogs.”
Americans are also at risk of having Social Security checks cut by more than $18,000.
Fugitive dad Travis Decker’s ‘murder of three young daughters’ could change the law after outrage over lack of warnings
THE murder of three Washington sisters has spurred a push for new laws after outraged citizens insisted the tragedy was preventable.
A petition demanding changes to the Amber Alert system is gaining traction as the manhunt persists for fugitive Travis Decker.
Decker, 32, is accused of killing his three young daughters and leaving their bodies at a campsite in Washington state after what was supposed to be a three-hour custody visit on May 30.
An Amber Alert wasn’t issued for the girls, although their mom, Whitney Decker, reported them missing when Decker didn’t drop them off at home in Wenatchee, 150 miles east of Seattle.
Police said the case didn’t meet the Amber Alert criteria because Decker had custody rights to his daughters, and he had never been violent to them before.
Instead, cops issued a lesser notice called an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory.
If an Amber Alert had been issued, a message would have been pushed out to millions of cellphone users across the state, asking for anyone to keep an eye out for the missing girls.
Now, an online petition addressed to the Washington State police is asking for changes to the alert requirements.
“Right now, the AMBER Alert criteria exclude too many high-risk situations, especially involving non-stranger parental abductions, even when a history of abuse or red flags are present,” the petition says.
“If the rules remain unchanged, we risk allowing more children to fall through the cracks—children who could be saved if only their cases were treated with the urgency they deserve.
“We must not let another parent feel Whitney’s unimaginable pain. The system failed her family—and it can fail others too if we don’t act.”
Whitney’s Law, named for the girls’ mom, has over 6,000 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.
The new legislation would mean the alert system includes all at-risk children, whether or not the parent is the abductor.
Activist Tamara Emerson led a rally for change to the system at Seattle’s City Hall in June, according to radio show KIRO-FM.
“Sometimes we wait until harm occurs to put protections in place,” Emerson said.
“But if there are risk factors, children should be protected.”
Timeline of the missing Decker girls
Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead at a campground after they were last seen on a custody visit to their dad.
Below is a timeline of events:
May 29: Cell phone activity shows that the girls’ dad, Travis Decker, drove to the Rock Island Campground and left.
May 30: 5 pm – Travis Decker picks the three girls up from their mom, Whitney Decker.
8 pm – Travis Decker is supposed to return the girls but doesn’t. Whitney Decker calls him and it goes to voicemail.
9:45 pm – Whitney Decker calls the Wenatchee Police Department to report her daughters missing.
Travis Decker’s truck is seen driving westbound on Highway 2.
Washington State Patrol is contacted for an Amber Alert but said the situation didn’t match their criteria.
May 31 : WPD issues an Endangered Missing Persons Alert.
June 2: 3:45 pm – Travis Decker’s truck is found empty at Rock Island Campground with two bloody handprints and items inside.
5 pm – Cops search the area and find the bodies of the three girls.
June 3: 9:30 am – Cops notify the public that they are still searching for Decker.
2 pm – WPD tells the public that the three girls were found dead and that Travis Decker is still on the loose.
June 8: Federal authorities take over search efforts.
June 9: Autopsy results confirm three girls were murdered by suffocation.
June 13: An affidavit revealed Whitney described Travis as having “recent mental health concerns.”
“She provided the examples of randomly leaving or waking her up by screaming at her in the middle of the night,” it read.
“She also said near the end of the marriage he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder that she believes he currently does not take medications for.”
June 17: New audio of Travis in court fighting for custody of his daughters is released.
“I understand that my current position when I’m by myself isn’t ideal, but my daughters aren’t a part of that,” he said in September 2024.
“I only get to see them over the weekends and camping is something that the four of us have done since the three of them were in diapers.”
June 20: Memorial is held where Whitney speaks publicly about girls for first time.
July 5: A family spotted a man believed to be Travis Decker in the Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho.
July 9: US Marshals call off the search in Sawtooth National Forest after locating and questioning the man believed to be Travis Decker and confirming it isn’t him.
Shortly after the girls were found suffocated to death at Rock Island Campground, Whitney called for reforms for the state’s Amber Alert system and said her veteran ex-husband was a “broken” man.
Arianna Cozart, Whitney’s attorney, who she allowed to speak on her behalf, told NBC affiliate KING at the time that text alerts would have put the community on the lookout for Decker’s white pickup truck and the girls, which might have made a difference.
MOM’S PRIORITY
The Endangered Missing Persons Advisory doesn’t immediately send out a text to all cell phones in the area, which an Amber Alert would have done.
Cozart said Wenatchee police recognized Decker’s mental instability and noticed the red flags in him not returning the girls or answering his phone, but cops still couldn’t convince Washington State Patrol to issue an Amber Alert.
“It’s very important to Whitney to get that fixed,” Cozart said.
Each state has its own Amber Alert plan.
Recommended criteria for Amber Alert
While each state has its own Amber Alert plan, the US Department of Justice recommends the following criteria for sending out the emergency alerts:
Each state has its own AMBER Alert plan, but the U.S. Department of Justice recommends:
- Reasonable belief by police that an abduction occurred
- Police believe the child is in imminent danger of injury or death
- Enough descriptive information about the victim and abduction for police to issue an alert to help recover the child
- The abducted child is 17 or younger
- The child’s name is entered into the National Crime Information Center system
Source: DOJ
In June, State Representative Brian Burnett showed his support for the idea of Whitney’s Law. Burnett didn’t immediately return The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
The hunt for Travis Decker has lasted over nine weeks.
Police recently they were scaling back their search efforts due to the decreasing number of tips and resources.
However, a former FBI agent told The U.S. Sun the announcement might be a ploy to flush Decker out of his wilderness hiding.
‘Worst thing I’ve ever seen’ – NFL fans blast ESPN fantasy football app update with 2025 season set to return in month
NFL fans are furious with an update to a popular fantasy football service.
ESPN has totally overhauled its fantasy football app ahead of the 2025 season, and fans aren’t thrilled with the change.
The NFL season is set to begin in just a few weeks, which means fantasy football fans are already drafting their teams.
However, team managers were surprised when they opened the app this week to find major changes made across the platform.
The changes included a new logo, different font sizes, and many changes to player analysis.
Player pages are now completely different and there is a trending players bar which has caused players outrage.
They were quick to vent these concerns on social media.
“I know everyone on this platform that cares already complained, but this ESPN fantasy app update is absolutely disgusting,” one fan said.
“ESPN Fantasy app update is the worst thing I’ve ever seen. Font is atrocious and it is so zoomed in, can barely see any of the roster,” another fan said.
“Whoever made this decision needs to be fired!” a third fan said.
“I hate change & espn fantasy completely changed the look of their app,” a fourth fan said.
“The @espnfantasy app update is horrendous,” a fifth fan said.
Now, it isn’t all negatives for the new version of the fantasy app.
ESPN made some quality of life changes that are positive for fans.
It is now much easier for a team manager to change their photo on the app.
There is also now an updated practice feature for fans trying to perfect their draft strategies.
NFL important dates 2025 season
March 12 - Free Agency begins
April 24-26 – NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin
September 4 – 2025 season opener (TBC vs Eagles)
November 27 – Thanksgiving Day triple header
January 4, 2026 – End of regular-season
February 8, 2026 – Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
Some fans acknowledged this on social media.
“I don’t think the ESPN fantasy app update is that bad,” one fan said.
“This new ESPN fantasy layout is actually so much better,” another fan said.
“I like the ESPN Fantasy App update,” a third fan said.
Drivers warned of ‘flying’ parts after urgent recall of 300,000 cars from one of the most affordable brands in US market
THOUSANDS of cars are being recalled after a major malfunction was discovered.
The popular models were found to have some of its parts quite literally flying off of them.
Kia’s Telluride and K5 models were found to have severe safety hazards, as some owners reported that trim pieces were ripping off during mid-drive, the Daily Mail reported.
The South Korean car manufacturer is recalling over 300,000 vehicles made between 2023 and 2025.
The Telluride SUV has a door piece that may detach while driving.
Should the door detach, it could cause a deadly accident.
Around 201,000 Tellurides are being called due to the threat of dangerous debris.
Kia is also recalling its K5 model due to similar issues.
Approximately 100,000 K5 sedans are being recalled due to the risk of a piece of trim near the windshield flying off.
The manufacturer attributed both recalls to “supplier quality issues,” and said that there were no reported injuries.
To remedy the situation, drivers will need to bring their vehicles into a Kia dealership so they can be fixed.
Kia noted that the replacement parts are not available yet, and dealers will receive notice in mid-September.
Kia did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for more information.
The recall comes as Kia sales continue to boom in the US.
The company’s K5 sedan starts at $30,000, making it one of the more affordable sedans.
This year, Kia has already sold 40,000 units of the K5.
How to handle product recall
FOOD Safety experts insist that shoppers shouldn't panic if they're affected by a recall, as many are harmless.
However, consumers should take each warning seriously and follow the necessary steps to protect themselves.
Oftentimes, food manufacturers issue recalls as a precautionary measure, so there likely isn’t a foodborne illness hiding in your pantry.
However, even if the recall is merely a precaution, shoppers should always stay safe and not consume the affected items.
Experts advise people to keep a product closed if it hasn’t been opened, and never feed it to a pet or donate it to food banks.
Anyone who has handled or opened an affected item should wash their hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for 20 seconds.
Read the recall closely for specific instructions on how to get rid of the food item.
Typically, the brand will ask consumers to return the recalled product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund.
Sometimes shoppers will also be asked to throw it away so that no one else can eat it.
Source: FoodSafety.gov
While other car companies are struggling with sales, Kia’s K5 sales have been up 42 percent year-over-year.
Kia’s smaller sedans are also on the rise as other companies see their sales dipping; Kia’s are rising.
The Kia K4, launched earlier this year, has already sold 61,000 units.
The K4 is the third-cheapest car in the US, with a price tag of just over $23,000.
“In the face of uncertain market conditions, Kia delivered a record-breaking first-half sales performance,” Sean Yoon, the president and CEO of Kia North America, said once the sales were reported.
“We expect this positive sales trajectory to continue.”
While Kia’s sedans are selling well, the Telluride sales haven’t been as positive.
In 2025, the Telluride sales saw a 12 percent drop from the same period in 2024.
Teen Mom Kailyn Lowry reveals her jaw-dropping weight loss in a tiny bikini at the beach after breakup from Elijah Scott
TEEN Mom star Kailyn Lowry revealed her jaw-dropping weight loss in a tiny bikini at the beach after her breakup from Elijah Scott.
Kailyn, 33, is showing her ex Elijah, 26, what he is missing, as she revealed her slimmed down figure.
The former couple share three young children together, but split in April after he was accused of cheating on the Teen Mom 2 alum.
Now Kailyn is enjoying a fun-filled summer with her kids on vacation in Myrtle Beach.
Sharing a slew of snaps online, the busy mom could be seen showing off her slender figure in a black bikini.
In the photo the reality star is beaming as she reveals her weight loss transformation.
Just last month, Kailyn impressed fans with another photo dump, where her followers were stunned over how slender and healthy she looked.
One fan penned: “QUEEN!! You look amazing mama!!!”
“You are glowing,” gushed a second.
“You look so healthy and happy,” penned a third.
“Kail you look amazing!!!! Please tell me how you’ve done it?” begged a fourth.
Kailyn has been very honest about her body transformation.
In December, the TV personality choked back tears as she talked about the struggles of having multiple ops.
Kailyn revealed she’d had a breast reduction surgery and later admitted to getting a tummy tuck and Lipo 360 in order to achieve her ideal figure.
Speaking on Instagram at the time, she said: “This is the first time I’m doing makeup since I had surgery, and I’m finally able to shower without help. I’m able to walk around without help, standing mostly up straight.
“I feel good most of the day, but I still get really, really tired about halfway through the day.”
“I had a very, very emotional morning, mainly just when I was taking a shower,” she added.
“I pray that my kids never struggle with their body images enough to mutilate their bodies to be skinny.
“You know, I think a little nip and tuck in terms of, you know, a nose job or like a boob job is okay, but to go through this to be skinny is mental illness, truly, and I say that with the most respect to anyone going through it.”
“I’m struggling this time around,” Kailyn continued.
“And I don’t know if it’s because I have a daughter now. Not just my daughter, like my sons too, right? Like, I don’t ever want them to experience this level of his body dysmorphia. “
Admitting to just how extensive her surgeries were, Kailyn revealed: “I don’t think that’s something that people talk about, right? Like I was going for a breast reduction, and then I was like, ‘oh, you know what, I should just be.. add some lipo360, add some tummy tuck in.
“You know, my scars were fine, my old tummy tuck scar and my C-section scar were fine.”
“I realised, like, I shouldn’t have put Elijah through all of this, you know, because he couldn’t be there the whole time with me, and it was crazy. Truly, it is rough,” she concluded.
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