Author: TECH

Retirement planning is often measured in birthdays. When you turn 62, you qualify for Social Security. At 65, Medicare begins. Once you hit full retirement age, benefits change. While these ages are relevant, hitting practical milestones is far more important. Several financial turning points are independent of your age. Paying off debt, building an income strategy, or creating an estate plan not only helps you get ahead financially but also shapes how well you live your golden years. Let’s look more in-depth at these 11 retirement milestones. Will you be able to retire comfortably? Take this quiz and find out.1.…

HomeHealthcare spotlightVr trial aims to make engineering more disability inclusivePublished on: 25 July 2026 5:13 pmThe University of Canterbury is using AI and VR to let engineering students experience tetraplegia, building empathy and helping them design more accessible, inclusive products for people with disabilities.Published on: 25 July 2026 5:13 pmVR Trial Aims To Make Engineering More Disability-InclusiveCan artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) help future engineers design more accessible products for people with disabilities (PwDs)? Researchers at the University of Canterbury are seeking to answer this question through an innovative experiment. As part of the project, mechanical engineering students…

Millions of Americans who receive Social Security retirement, disability and survivor benefits are preparing for their August 2026 payments.While the Social Security Administration (SSA) will continue using its standard payment schedule, some recipients may notice an unusual twist because of the calendar.An unexpected gift for guests visiting San Antonio during the NBA FinalsThe biggest difference affects Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Since Aug. 1, 2026, falls on a Saturday, the SSA will send August SSI payments one day early, meaning eligible recipients will receive their benefits on Friday, July 31.As a result, SSI beneficiaries will receive two deposits during July,…

The municipality of San Vicente in the Philippines’ Palawan is a vital nesting ground for Olive Ridley sea turtles.Nesting turtles and their eggs face an array of challenges. Predation by dogs is the most immediate threat, but rising sea levels, more severe storms and tourism development plans also loom large.To try to protect the turtles, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, a Philippine-based NGO, runs a research project and works with paid patrollers to monitor and protect turtles and their nests.Community involvement is key to the group’s conservation efforts.When Jerald Mahusay was a kid, he and his friends saw turtle…

If you work in education, you’ve probably had that moment where you wonder, “What’s next for me?” Maybe you want a bigger role, better pay, or just a fresh spark in your work. The good news is that career growth doesn’t have to mean turning your whole life upside down. With the right plan, you can build new skills, stay grounded, and move forward one step at a time. Think of it as upgrading your toolkit, not rewriting your whole story. Why growth matters Growing your career in education isn’t only about chasing a fancier title. It’s also about making…

In less than a decade, your Social Security benefit could plunge by 22%. That alarming truth is the result of the shaky financial ground that the program currently rests upon. Find out more about why you might lose nearly one-quarter of your benefit and how likely it is that such an event could undermine your retirement plan. Why benefits might face cuts soon The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund that finances retirees’ Social Security benefits is scheduled to be depleted during the fourth quarter of 2032, according to the most recent report by the Social…

Saving for retirement is something you shouldn’t leave until the last minute: the longer you wait to begin, the more income you’ll need to put away. Using the power of time, smaller amounts tucked away now will add up to big amounts in the future. But there is one retirement savings plan that all Americans typically have access to: Social Security.In the U.S., workers have a portion of every pay check deducted to contribute Social Security taxes, which earn them retirement-benefit credits. Once they’ve reached 40 credits (earning a maximum of four per year), they will qualify to receive benefits…

Laya RajanLast Updated: 25 July 2026, 07:49 AM ISTChildren often do not know how to express the pressures they are experiencing, and many lack awareness about the importance of protecting their mental health. Representational image.| Photo: AI generated.Kasaragod, Kerala: The suicide rate among young people aged 10 to 25 years in Kerala is rising at an alarming rate, with experts pointing to a range of factors, from academic pressure to strained personal relationships. The anxiety following the cancellation of the NEET examination has also been linked to a suicide in the state. According to official data, 86 people in the…

Practising mindfulness, which includes paying close attention to what you eat, can help improve mental wellbeing. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA: For many Malaysians, life is a constant balancing act. Between work deadlines, school runs, family commitments and endless notifications, taking time for yourself often feels like the first thing to fall off the to-do list. According to clinical psychologist and lecturer Akif Farhan, that’s exactly why self-care deserves more attention, especially on International Self-Care Day. “I think in this day and age, we prioritise a lot of things other than ourselves – our work, our children, our family,” he…

Goué André Clotaire Gbagou is a fisherman who lives in the Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d’Ivoire. Recently, he was out fishing on the Sassandra Riverbed when he accidentally caught something much larger than a fish: a young West African manatee.After realizing that the baby manatee was far too young to fend for itself, Gbagou decided to care for the calf. It now lives at a local wildlife enclosure, where Gbagou bottle-feeds it by hand. This week, Born Free USA, the Department of Wildlife and Hunting Resources, and the Ministry of Water and Forests detailed the rescue and recovery effort in…