Author: TECH

As of January 2026, at least half of U.S. states have laws barring transgender student-athletes from participating in school sports under the guise of competitive fairness. Advocates of sports equity show that there are no competitive advantages — especially among pre-pubescent children and teens — for athletes who identify as trans. Yet discriminatory laws have led to lower sports participation among young trans athletes — and have become a catalyst for harassment and intimidation of trans youth, who make up 1.4% of young people ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. And these negative consequences can impact even the most “junior” of leagues.Portland…

Falling on January 14 this year, Makar Sankranti is a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings. As Surya Dev (the Sun God) moves into Capricorn, it marks the end of winter and beginning of longer days and the start of the harvest season in India. However, this transition is not just external. As the seasons shift, our bodies must also adjust to the changing environment. To help you align your health with this new solar cycle, let’s explore the common seasonal health challenges, time-tested Ayurvedic methods for wellness, and Patanjali products to support your well-being during this change. Health Issues…

SINGAPORE – Caregivers of more than 14,600 seniors, along with caregivers of over 3,600 children with developmental needs and persons with disabilities, benefited from subsidised respite care in 2025.To ensure that the needs of these beneficiaries and their caregivers are met, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to review respite care services, said Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon in Parliament on Jan 14. For instance, the Home Personal Care service – which is under MOH’s Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) – will be enhanced later in 2026 to offer longer service hours and after-hours care,…

The average Social Security check hit $2,071 monthly in January 2026 with a 2.8% COLA. Medicare Part B premiums rose to $202.90 per month from $185. This consumes nearly one-third of the average COLA increase. Claiming Social Security at 62 permanently reduces benefits by approximately 30% compared to full retirement age. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Social Security benefits crossed a symbolic milestone in January 2026, with the average monthly check reaching $2,071. The 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment represents the mechanism designed to protect…

Gander residents and volunteer drivers Dean Small, Samantha Barnes, Barbara Tibbo and Eddie Freake – credit, submitted by Eddie Freake. When an Air Canada flight from Montreal to St. Johns was forced down on the tarmac in a small city during bad weather last week, the passengers were probably cursing their luck. But that’s only because they didn’t know at the time where they had landed. Gander, Newfoundland, has a history of showing up to stranded passengers in need, although it’s been 25 years since it was last called into action. Following the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World…

Editor Tom Pattinson introduces the new issue of Positive News magazine, which is out now What makes a city linger in the mind? Perhaps the glimmering skyline that comes into view through a train window. Maybe the smells and sounds of an unfamiliar street at dusk, or the reassuring walk home through a familiar neighbourhood. Cities are shaped as much by culture and community as by bricks and buildings. They are places where ideas collide, traditions take root and millions of lives overlap, day after day. In the Jan-Mar issue of Positive News magazine, we take a close look at…

image: Nicolas Sommet, a social psychologist and research manager at the LIVES Centre at the University of Lausanne Nicolas Sommet, Research Manager – LIVES Centre – University of Lausanne | nicolas.sommet@unil.ch  view more  Credit: KA / Centre LIVES A scientific certainty put to the test For decades, a consensus seemed established in the scientific literature: economic inequality harms the well-being and mental health of populations. Nicolas Sommet and his international team sought to rigorously verify this certainty — with results that challenge conventional wisdom. Research of unprecedented scale The team reviewed over 10,000 abstracts from ten international databases covering psychology, sociology, economics,…

The average retired worker received $2,012 in monthly Social Security benefits in 2025. Retirees in Connecticut have the highest monthly Social Security checks, averaging $2,196, while those in Mississippi have the lowest at $1,814. About 74 million Americans collect Social Security, averaging just over $2,000 each in benefits. The bulk of these Americans are retirees. The amount you get is largely based on your work history and age when you first claimed benefits. This year, recipients received a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, which should bump up these average figures. Your location doesn’t directly affect your benefit amount, but average payments vary…

Estonia’s child helpline has seen a steady rise in calls, with one in ten now involving a child’s mental health. The Social Insurance Board (SKA) hopes a new tool will help. Last month, SKA’s Children’s Welfare Department put together 60 safe boxes to raise awareness and provide practical mental health support for kids.Safe boxes are personal kits children, teens and even adults can use when facing especially difficult thoughts or feelings. While they do not replace professional care, they can help ground someone and guide them step by step through their safety plan.  Also known variously as self-soothing, grounding, emergency…

57 years ago today, Led Zeppelin‘s debut album was released. It was recorded over just 36 hours at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London, costing the band just £1,782. Most of the tracks were performed ‘live’ in the studio, with very few overdubs added. The groundbreaking heavy rock LP spent more than a year—71 weeks—on the UK album chart, and the blues-based quartet became one the most influential bands in rock history. WATCH the video of Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, a TV segment that was recorded before a small audience on Danmark Radio / Danish TV in Copenhagen. (1969)    …