security

The announced 100% tariff on pharmaceuticals, 25% on trucks, and 30% on furniture, due to come into effect on October 1, reopen the US president’s trade war.

United States President Donald Trump has announced steep new tariffs on pharmaceutical products, big-rig trucks, and home renovation fixtures and furniture.

The announcement late on Thursday signalled the harshest trade plans from Trump since last April’s shock unveiling of reciprocal tariffs on virtually every US trading partner across the globe, marking a revival of the Republican president’s trade war.

Starting on October 1, “we will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product, unless a Company IS BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Shares of pharmaceutical companies across Asia with big exposure to the US market fell on Friday, including South Korea’s Samsung Biologics.

Trump’s move was criticised by Australia, which exported pharmaceutical products worth an estimated $1.3bn to the US in 2024, according to the United Nations Comtrade Database.

In a separate post, Trump wrote of a 25 percent tariff on “all ‘Heavy (Big) Trucks’ made in other parts of the world” to support US manufacturers such as “Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks and others”.

Foreign companies that compete with these manufacturers in the US market include Sweden’s Volvo and Germany’s Daimler. Shares in both companies were sharply lower in after-hours trading in Europe.

Trump said the truck tariffs were “for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!”

Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched a so-called Section 232 probe into imports of trucks to “determine the effects of national security”, setting the stage for Thursday’s announcement.

Section 232 is a trade law provision that gives the president broad authority to impose tariffs or other restrictions on imports when they are deemed a threat to national security.

Trump also said a 50 percent tariff on home renovation materials and a 30 percent tariff on upholstered furniture would be imposed, as he claimed that such products were swamping the US market from abroad.

According to the US International Trade Commission, in 2022, imports, mainly from Asia, represented 60 percent of all furniture sold, including 86 percent of all wood furniture and 42 percent of all upholstered furniture.

Shares in home furniture retailers Wayfair and Williams Sonoma, which depend on these imported goods, tumbled in after-hours trading.

Trump’s administration has already imposed a baseline 10 percent tariff on all countries, with higher individualised rates on nations where exports to the US far exceed imports.

Trump has also used emergency powers to impose extra tariffs on trade deal partners Canada and Mexico, as well as on China, citing concerns over fentanyl trafficking and undocumented migration.

It was not yet clear how these new tariffs would factor into the existing measures.

A 12-foot statue depicting President Trump holding hands with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Tuesday morning and was removed by the National Park Service less than 24 hours later.

The saga, which made the rounds on late-night TV this week, did not stop there.

On Thursday, the group responsible for creating the statue — an anonymous collective of “satirical activists” called the Secret Handshake — said the National Park Service denied a second permit to reinstall the controversial statue, which featured a plaque reading, “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.”

“The statue was removed because it was not compliant with the permit issued,” Interior Department spokesperson Elizabeth Peace told CNN, citing a height discrepancy.

The statue, spray-painted bronze and titled “Best Friends Forever,” was removed on Wednesday at 5:30 a.m., said Carol Flaisher, a D.C.-based location manager who had been contracted by Secret Handshake to obtain the appropriate permit for the statue.

It’s a job Flaisher says she’s been doing for film and television throughout her 40-year career, and she has never seen a permitted display on the National Mall removed, she says. If there are issues with the permit, the NPS is required to give the applicant 24-hour notice to fix the error before taking action. That notice was not given, Flaisher says.

“We’ve been doing this for so long. I’ve never had one rejected, ever, ever, ever,” said Flaisher. “I’ve never been thrown off of the property. I’ve never heard of such a thing. And they did it at 5:30 in the morning. … I wonder why they did that.”

On Wednesday around noon, Flaisher says she put in an application for a second permit — this time for a “demonstration” one. That type of permit usually has a 24-hour turnaround, and Flaisher says an employee at NPS told her she would have the new permit in about that time frame.

While Flaisher was trying to obtain a second permit, members of Secret Handshake were working to retrieve their art.

The statue “Best Friends Forever,” featuring President Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, was damaged when it was removed Wednesday morning by the National Park Service.

(Secret Handshake)

The statue was not treated kindly upon its removal, said the rep from Secret Handshake, who requested not to be named in keeping with the anonymous nature of the group’s activism. The statue was in several pieces, with heads and knees broken in half. They then spent several hours repairing, rebuilding and “gluing it together” the rep said. “It looks pretty cool, to be honest. It got kind of messed up, but in an interesting way.”

The Times reviewed a video taken by the group’s security that shows workers toppling the statue in the dark and removing it.

“Free speech. There goes Trump, there goes Epstein,” a passerby can be heard saying. “Taxpayers’ dollars.”

The damaged statue was taped back together.

(Secret Handshake)

Throughout Thursday, the Secret Handshake rep said, “we were told [of the permit], it’s approved, it’s approved, it’s approved.”

Flaisher called a little after noon and was told that the permit had not been issued, but the person she spoke with did not know why. An hour later she tried again and this time she was told, “‘No, you will not be issued a permit,’” she says. She pushed back and asked who she could talk to, but nobody would speak with her she says.

“Absolute silence. No one’s called me back with anything. No answer. You don’t have a permit. There is no reason,” said Flaisher. “It must have come from a very high place because nobody’s talking.”

The NPS has not yet responded to a request for comment about why a second permit was denied or why Secret Handshake was not given 24-hour notice before the statue was initially removed.

The rep for Secret Handshake, which has been responsible for four other political satirical statues on the National Mall, including “Poop Desk,” a bronze art installation featuring a pile of feces on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk, says the group is currently considering what to do next with its repaired “Best Friends” statue.

The rep said the group hires security to protect its work at the mall, as mandated by the permit, and that their security was in place Thursday afternoon, getting ready for the statue to be installed for the second time.

“They took video … and the amount of unmarked cars, Park Service cars, city police and giant trucks ready to haul it away if we decided to place it down anyway. … Wow. They were ready,” the rep said. “There were at least 10 vehicles, I would say.”

The question of whether the statue will be allowed to be replaced comes in the midst of a fierce debate about free speech in America that was kicked off by ABC’s suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the comedian weighed in on the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Kenyan President William Ruto told the UN General Assembly that Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership on the Security Council is unfair and undermines the UN’s credibility, arguing the continent bears the “heaviest cost of instability”.

Sept. 23 (UPI) — U.S. defense, space and security will benefit from Boeing’s use of Palantir’s artificial intelligence-based Foundry platform to streamline its major production lines, officials said Tuesday.

Boeing and Palantir announced the collaborative effort on Tuesday and said it will improve the production of military aircraft, helicopters, satellites, spacecraft, missiles and weapons systems.

“Palantir is on the cutting edge when it comes to leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate getting critical products, services and capabilities in the hands of military operators,” said Steve Parker, Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security chief executive officer, in a news release on Tuesday.

“This collaboration is a natural fit that brings together two great companies with a common mission: supporting uniformed personnel in protecting freedom around the world.”

Denver-based Palantir also will provide Boeing with AI expertise and capabilities on several classified efforts that support the needs of its military clients during their most sensitive missions.

The collaborative effort will enable Boeing and Palantir to deliver dominant military capabilities that enable the United States to more effectively deter conflicts and defend the nation, Palantir’s head of defense, Mike Gallagher said.

“This partnership will turbocharge production and innovation, allowing Boeing and Palantir to bring cutting-edge technology to current and next-generation defense programs,” Gallagher added.

“America’s enemies aren’t slowing down,” he said. “Neither can we.”

Palantir in August received an up-to $10 billion, 10-year contract to improve the U.S. Army’s military readiness with AI.

Federal home mortgage firm Fannie Mae in May also contracted with Palantir to create an AI-powered unit to prevent and stop mortgage fraud.

The firm specializes in software development to better use AI to make rapid decisions in real time.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS 5.26%), a leading manufacturer of drones for the U.S. military, gained 4.6% through 12:20 p.m. ET after announcing a new five-year strategic manufacturing agreement with Elroy Air.

Image source: Getty Images.

Elroy who?

Elroy Air is hardly a household name, so it may not be immediately apparent why this is good news. Based out of San Francisco, Elroy Air is a 10-year-old start-up building “autonomous aerial cargo systems for middle-mile logistics and military resupply.”

In other words, it builds remotely operated aircraft that deliver supplies to military units in the field.

To further this effort, Elroy picked Kratos to serve as its “exclusive U.S. manufacturing partner for the Chaparral,” described as a hybrid-electric autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) cargo drone that can carry 300-lb. payloads up to 300 miles.

Is Kratos stock a buy?

Kratos notes that manufacturing of the Chaparral will begin in 2026, and says Elroy plans to build the aircraft at high volume. This suggests that revenue from the contract could be substantial. However, Kratos did not provide any specific figures for estimated revenue from the contract — nor even define precisely how many units “high volume” might entail.

What we do know is this: Kratos is a $13.6 billion company that earned less than $15 million last year. (That’s right, its price-to-earnings ratio is verging on quadruple digits, getting awfully close to a P/E of 1,000.) Kratos is also burning cash (negative $61 million in annual free cash flow).

Although Kratos does have nearly $500 million in the bank, and can afford to burn some cash for a while, longer-term these are not great numbers. Unless profits grow spectacularly over the next few years, Kratos stock will be a sell for me.

Sept. 22 (UPI) — The United Nations Security Council is to convene Monday to address Russia’s breach last week of Estonia airspace, according to the European union and NATO member.

Kremlin MiG-31 fighter jets flew through Estonian airspace for 12 minutes on Friday, the latest transgression of a foreign national’s airspace in recent weeks during Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Estonia announced the U.N. Security Council meeting on Sunday, describing its mission as to address Russia’s breach of Tallinn’s “territorial integrity” and its violation of a prohibition on the threat or use of force.

“This incursion into Estonian airspace is yet another dangerous act aimed at escalating regional and global tensions, as Russia — a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council — continues its war of aggression against Ukraine,” Tallinn’s foreign ministry said in a statement on X.

“Russia’s reckless and aggressive actions, and its repeated violations of international law and the principles of the U.N. Charter, require a strong and united international response.”

The Friday breach saw three MiG-31s travel within 12 1/2 miles of downtown Tallinn, where there are government buildings of NATO allies and EU member states, according to Jonatan Vseviov, secretary general of Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He called the breach a “pattern of unacceptable behavior” observed in recent weeks with repeated air and drone incidents in the region.

Last week, Romania summoned the Russian ambassador to Bucharest after Moscow’s drone incursion into its airspace on Sept. 13. It flew within Romanian airspace for 50 minutes.

Before that, Poland shot down at least three of 19 Russian drones that had breached its airspace overnight Sept. 9.

Vseviov chastised Russia over the Friday incursion, saying “it brought aircraft dangerously close to our capital.”

Estonian Defense Forces said NATO F-35s were scrambled in response.

It was Russia’s fourth violation of Estonia’s airspace this year, it said.

“By openly violating Estonian airspace, Russia undermines principles vital to the security of all U.N. member states. When such actions are committed by a permanent member of the Security Council, they must be addressed by that very body” Estonia Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement.

“Tomorrow’s U.N. Security Council meeting is essential.”

If you’ve been on Social Security for a while, changes to the program may not seem all that unusual to you. Each year, the government makes updates to benefits and the formula used to calculate them. But 2025 hasn’t been an ordinary year. Several unusual changes have already taken place, and a few more are set to go into effect by the end of December.

They may not all affect you, but chances are, at least one will have a pretty significant impact on your budget as we move into 2026.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. The Social Security Fairness Act’s passage

Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) in January. This law eliminated two longstanding Social Security provisions — the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) — that had previously reduced the amount of benefits that would be paid to people who received pensions from employers that didn’t pay into Social Security on their behalf.

As a result of this change, many former teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other government workers saw their benefits jump this spring, with some getting an additional $1,000 or more each month.

The Social Security Administration finished making these benefit adjustments back in July. If you were affected, you should have been notified of the change, and you’ve likely already begun receiving your new, larger benefit checks.

2. Overpayment recovery rate increase

In March 2024, the Biden administration made a change to how Social Security dealt with overpayments: If, for some reason, an individual was found to have received more than they were due, the agency would withhold at most 10% of each of their future checks until all of the overpayment was recovered. The goal of spreading out the repayment period this way was to avoid putting unnecessary financial hardship on retirees.

Early in 2025, President Donald Trump reversed that move, reverting the Social Security overpayment recovery rate from 10% per check back to 100%. This gave the government permission to withhold the entirety of your checks until it recouped its money. However, a few weeks later, he cut the recovery rate to 50%.

Overpayments are uncommon, but if this happens to you, losing half your checks for any period could still be devastating. However, if it will be a hardship, you can file a request for a lower repayment recovery rate.

3. The end of paper check delivery

The Social Security Administration announced in July that on Sept. 30, it would stop sending paper checks to beneficiaries. This change will save the government about $0.35 per payment while also improving the speed and security with which funds are distributed.

If you’re currently receiving paper Social Security checks, you can switch to direct deposit into a bank account or request a Direct Express Card. This is a prepaid debit card that the government will automatically load your Social Security benefit onto each month. You can change the method by which you receive your payments by logging into your my Social Security account or by contacting the Social Security Administration.

4. Reduced Social Security benefit taxes for some

Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” made several major changes to the tax code, including adding a new deduction for seniors worth up to $6,000 for single adults and up to $12,000 for married couples. This is on top of the standard deductions for those filing statuses and the existing senior tax deduction.

Contrary to what some sources claimed, this change did not eliminate or modify the existing taxes on Social Security benefits. However, a tax deduction will reduce your taxable income for the year, so you could pay taxes on a little less of your Social Security benefits than you would have before.

5. Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)

The Social Security Administration will announce the size of its next cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on Oct. 15. This will take effect with the December 2025 payment, which will go out to beneficiaries in January 2026.

Based on current estimates for U.S. inflation during the third quarter, the COLA will come in at around 2.7%. That would increase the average monthly benefit of $2,008 (as of August) by $54. 

Once the COLA is official, you will be able to calculate how much it will add to your 2026 benefits. But you should also get a personalized COLA notice in December. You can use that information to begin planning your budgets for 2026.

In 1991, Social Security’s full retirement age (FRA) was 65, yet the average retirement age in the U.S. was 57. Today, FRA hovers around 67 with the average American retiring at 62.

According to North American Community Hub Statistics (NCHstats), a source of health data, there’s a gap between the expected age of retirement (67) and the actual age (62), often due to health issues, caregiving needs, and layoffs. In other words, despite the desire a person may have to maximize their Social Security benefits, life can get in the way.

Image source: Getty Images.

What is the perfect age to begin collecting Social Security?

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The best time for you to retire may differ significantly from the ideal time for a friend, coworker, or family member. What matters is when you’re ready to retire.

For example, suppose you’re the primary earner in your family, and you have a spouse and children who depend on you for financial support. If that’s the case, you may want to maximize the amount they’re eligible to collect in survivors benefits by waiting to retire at FRA or later. Survivors benefits entitle your dependents to continue receiving a percentage of the benefit you were collecting (or would have qualified for) at the time of your death. By retiring earlier, you reduce the amount your family will collect after your passing.

Meanwhile, someone with health complications may decide they want to file for Social Security much sooner. With a shorter life expectancy, they’re more likely to maximize what they get from the program with an early claim.

Discovering the right retirement age for you

The ideal age for you depends mainly on factors like your financial needs, health, and overall retirement goals. Here are a few more scenarios to consider.

• Early retirement: You can begin collecting benefits as early as 62, but the sooner you file, the smaller your benefit will be. However, if you need the income to actually retire, 62 may be right for you.
• Full retirement age (between 66 and 67): Waiting until this age allows you to receive your full benefit. If you retire before this point, you’ll need to rely exclusively on your retirement savings to cover your expenses for a few years. For many people, waiting until FRA may be just right.
• Delayed retirement: If you can put off claiming benefits until age 70, you’ll receive the maximum amount possible based on your work history. This could be the right move if you had a late start saving for retirement, live in a high-cost-of-living area, or want to hold onto more of your savings in order to pass it down to your heirs.

Questions to ask yourself

If you’re not quite sure when you would like to retire, here are five questions that can help you get a sense of your best move.

1. When am I eligible for Medicare coverage? Medicare eligibility begins at age 65. If you’re considering retirement before that, make sure you have another dependable source of health insurance.
2. What do I enjoy most in life? Let’s say you love to travel or treat the grandchildren to special activities. Those things cost money, so you must ensure your post-retirement income is adequate.
3. Do I have a plan for life after retirement? If your job is what you love and you don’t have a clear idea of what you would do as a retiree, it’s a good sign that you can wait.
4. Would a trial retirement work for me? If you’re still unsure of when (or if) you want to retire, find out if your employer will allow you to transition to a part-time schedule or go on sabbatical to try it out.
5. Do I simply want to leave my current job? If so, you may want to “semi-retire” by leaving your current job and taking on a new one. Depending on your age, the Social Security Administration may hold back a portion of your monthly benefits (although you’ll get them back after reaching FRA), but you’ll still have the chance to try something new.

Some people live for the day they can retire, while others can’t imagine what they would do with themselves. Whichever camp you fall into, it’s essential to have a plan and understand when retirement is a realistic option.

BONNIE Blue’s security has revealed they often deal with aggressive attacks aimed at her after she was “slapped” in a club.

Bonnie arrived at Onyx Nightclub in Sheffield, South Yorkshire at 1am on Friday as part of her “Bang Bus” tour before chaos ensued.

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The notorious adult film star was appearing at an event dubbed “the wildest freshers experience in Sheffield”.

But carnage soon followed 40 minutes later as footage showed cops tackling suspects at the venue after an attendee reportedly punched her in the jaw.

However, Bonnie’s head of security told The Sun that she wasn’t punched but was “slapped” by a fan.

“Bonnie takes risks every time she poses for thousands of pictures with fans — and that’s always the main challenge for us, as we keep constant eyes on her safety,” he said.

“In this case, a fan took a split-second opportunity to slap her. Our team immediately stepped in with reasonable and necessary actions to de-escalate the situation, and Bonnie carried on with her night’s work.

“For the sake of content and socials, Bonnie often allows fans within arm’s reach, but our team has successfully managed numerous situations to stop anything aggressive — whether verbal or physical.

“This was an opportunistic attack, and it will not be tolerated.”

Bonnie also downplayed the altercation and said she was “totally fine” and thanked her security.

“She said: “There was a tiny incident last night but I’m totally fine — big thanks to my A+ security for keeping everything smooth.

“No scratches, no stress, and definitely no slowing me down. Can’t wait for my Nottingham homecoming for the next two days.”

A separate video from that night showed Bonnie ordering her security to get rid of a woman who said she was “setting feminism back”.

A woman with bright pink hair had approached Bonnie who told the woman: “Your hair looks so cool.”

She replied: “Thank you – but do you know how many years you’ve set back feminism?”

Bonnie is heard to say: “Oh get out. I haven’t.”

She appears to tell security to “get those fat f**** out”.

Her “Bang Bus” tour across the country promised “high energy DJ sets” but “no sexual behaviour”.

The event site, Skiddle, said in the build-up to the event: “This is a night built for making new friends, laughing until your cheeks hurt, and throwing yourself into the wildest Freshers experience in Sheffield.

“Important Notice: This event is a safe space for all. No sexual behaviour is permitted inside the venue – respect others and enjoy the party the right way.”

The adult film star has previously insisted that there were no plans to film herself having sex with students after she appeared at Glasgow University.

She told The Scottish Sun in an exclusive chat that she just wanted to “have a good time and meet more people that would never be able to come to London to see me normally.”

She announced Scotland was the first stop on her tour and said: “I wanted to go on tour through the UK, from the top to the bottom and Glasgow gave me the warmest welcome when I mentioned I would be going to Scotland.”

But all three of the city’s universities distanced themselves from her with Glasgow, Strathclyde and Caledonian, all saying they “have no links with Bonnie Blue”.

Bonnie infamously claimed a record in January 2024 after she was filmed having sex with 1,057 men in 12 hours.

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CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN has said that his defibrillator implant is “just part of me now” as he admitted that he only remembers it is there during airport security checks.

Eriksen, 33, collapsed on the pitch during Denmark‘s opening game against Finland at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament in 2021.

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The former Manchester United midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest and needed life-saving resuscitation on the pitch.

He was later fitted with a defibrillator implant (ICD) before returning to football with Brentford and then United in 2022.

Now Eriksen has signed for Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, having been let go by Man Utd at the end of the season, and has opened up on how he rarely thinks about his heart condition these days.

Speaking at his official presentation for Wolfsburg on Friday, the Dane discussed how setting off alarms when going through airport security body scanners is his only reminder of the incident.

He said: “I only have to go past the scanner and undergo a separate check. That’s all. There are no restrictions. Nothing.

“I have never felt anything since then. It is just a part of me now – nothing strange or sad.”

Eriksen went on to explain that he won’t delve into the details of what happened until after his career is over.

He added: “[I’m happy to] be seen as a footballer again, and not as the guy who had this moment at Parken [Stadium].

“I will only talk in detail about it after my career – it is something very personal.”

Eriksen, who was approached to join Wrexham this summer, could make his debut for Wolfsburg this weekend in a league clash with Borussia Dortmund.

He leaves Man Utd having made over 100 appearances in which he helped the club win both the FA Cup and the League Cup.

And despite the turbulent few years at Old Trafford, Eriksen had nothing but positive things to say about his time in Manchester.

He said: “Personally, I had a great time being at United. When I came back to football with Brentford, getting the chance to play against United was a massive thing.

“I also think I proved myself as a footballer at United. I had a really great time, and my family loved it there, and I’m sure we still have a lot of friends from our time there.

“I had a good time at the club, but it was a strange time because there was a lot of stuff going on at United.

“The focus and the perception of the club from the outside world is a bit different sometimes to how it really is.

“There are some lovely people at the club who are really working hard and trying their best, but it does not always go your way.”

The United States has blocked yet another United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to lift all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid.

Under the UN charter, the Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

It’s made up of 15 members – 10 elected and five permanent, which have the power to veto resolutions.

This time, the 10 elected members plus the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China supported the resolution.

But Israel’s biggest ally – the US – refused, saying it did not condemn Hamas or recognise Israel’s right to defend itself.

Does it mean the UN Security Council is unable to carry out its mandate?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

William Lawrence – Professor of political science and international affairs at American University

Ardi Imseis – Associate professor of law at Queen’s University and a former UN legal officer

Xavier Abu Eid – Political scientist and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization

Four countries vote to stop sanctions from being reintroduced, while nine vote against sanctions relief.

The United Nations Security Council has voted not to permanently lift economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, delivering a major economic blow that Tehran claims is “politically biased”.

A resolution on Friday to block the sanctions fell in the Security Council by a vote of four to nine, meaning European sanctions will return by September 28 if no significant deal is reached beforehand.

Russia, China, Pakistan and Algeria voted to stop the sanctions from being reintroduced, while nine UNSC members voted against sanctions relief. Two countries abstained.

The vote follows a 30-day process launched in late August by Britain, France and Germany – known as the E3 – to reinstate sanctions unless Tehran meets their demands.

Iran says Europeans ‘misusing JCPOA mechanism’

Iranian officials have accused the European trio of abusing the dispute mechanism contained in the 2015 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which allows for the application of sanctions under a “snapback mechanism”.

“What Europeans are doing is politically biased and politically motivated … They are wrong on different levels by trying to misuse the mechanism embedded in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

The Europeans offered to delay the snapback for up to six months if Iran restored access for UN nuclear inspectors and engaged in talks with the US.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that Tehran had presented a “reasonable and actionable plan” and insisted Iran remains committed to the NPT.

But the E3 accuse Tehran of breaching their nuclear commitments, including by building up a uranium stockpile of more than 40 times the level permitted under the JCPOA. The UN’s nuclear watchdog board also ruled back in June that Iran was not respecting international nuclear safeguards.

‘Clock is ticking for high-level diplomacy’

The UNSC vote allowing sanctions to snap back is not the complete “end of negotiations,” as the parties have just over a week to come up with a last-ditch deal, said Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from the UN.

“It’s the week where world leaders are all here in New York for the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly, so it sets the stage for high-level diplomacy between Iran and particularly the three European countries,” said Bays. But “we’re reaching the end of this high-stakes diplomacy, and the clock really is ticking.”

Under the JCPOA – signed by Iran, the United States, China, Russia and the EU – Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. But the agreement unravelled in 2018 after then-US President Donald Trump pulled out and reimposed unilateral sanctions.

Tensions escalated further earlier this summer, when Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran, with Israeli and US forces striking several nuclear facilities.

Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear weapons but affirmed its right to peacefully pursue nuclear energy.

As a major storm rushed toward Florida last October, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the time faced a different kind of threat. Police had shown up in force to a rental property she owned as a result of a prank call, in a potentially dangerous attack known as “swatting.”

Back-to-back Hurricanes Helene and Milton had sparked a torrent of online conspiracies, with FEMA officials facing harassment and death threats, according to hundreds of pages of agency emails and other documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request by Bloomberg News. The records shed new light on how disaster-related misinformation affects the government’s emergency response, sucks up internal resources, and puts staff at risk.

Deanne Criswell, who ran FEMA under President Joe Biden, learned about the swatting situation as she was about to brief TV viewers on Milton, one of the most powerful storms on record to develop in the Gulf of Mexico. “It was a very unsettling feeling,” she said in a recent interview, thinking back on how she juggled her concern for her renters along with preparing Floridians for the storm.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, November 20, 2024.

(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Many of the attacks outlined in the documents have not previously been reported, including the doxxing of at least seven senior FEMA staffers. In those incidents sensitive personal information, such as home addresses, was published online for the purpose of harassment. The records also reveal challenges the agency faced as it tried to control the situation.

The incidents followed an online wave of disinformation suggesting FEMA was mishandling the response to the hurricanes that pummeled Florida and North Carolina in the lead up to the presidential election. Among the debunked claims swirling at the time were reports that agency workers had seized property from survivors and confiscated donations.

The offensive diverted agency time and resources to set the record straight and protect personnel. “It made my staff nervous,” said Criswell. “It made people in the community nervous. They didn’t know who to believe. They didn’t know who to trust.”The threat of misinformation continues to loom over the agency at a time when President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have made steep cuts to its staffing and funding, including pulling back on some of the resources FEMA used last fall to combat threats. In the aftermath of deadly Texas floods in July, for example, conspiracy theories online blamed cloud seeding.

“The profit-driven platform model, where sensational falsehoods outperform factual updates in emergencies, ensures this problem persists across political cycles and it can put lives at risk,” said Callum Hood, head of research at the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate.

A FEMA spokesperson said in an email the agency “uses internal DHS resources to identify and mitigate any personal threats to employees.”

A trail of disinformation

Workers, community members, and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina, Sept. 30, 2024.

(Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Im)

Hurricane Helene made landfall in the middle of the night on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm, causing historic flooding far inland and killing at least 250 people. Western North Carolina was particularly hard hit. Flood waters swept away small towns and cut off others, while Asheville lost water for more than a month. Almost immediately, FEMA staff had to confront false rumors circulating online, including that it had stopped accepting housing assistance applications from survivors and didn’t have enough funds to help them.

FEMA officials and experts attribute the quick spread of disinformation to historic government mistrust in the area, as well as social media platforms ratcheting back moderation. High-profile figures including X owner Elon Musk and Trump, then in the late stages of his bid to retake the White House, repeated some of the false claims. Trump, for example, said multiple times during his campaign rallies FEMA was directing disaster funds to immigrants.

For example, the agency shared a screenshot taken from a TruthSocial post from Oct. 5 that stated: “Deanne Criswell needs to be executed for crimes against humanity and treason!” An Oct. 6 post on Gab, a social media site favored by the far right, called for the “Mussolini treatment” of various officials. “The only question: Is there enough rope?” read one of the responses.

Jacyln Rothenberg, the agency’s spokesperson at the time, was among the most heavily targeted, leading Homeland Security to loan Customs and Border Protection agents to provide security at her home. “Because the doxxing was so severe and my safety was at risk, I had to stop tweeting,” she said. “I had to stop doing interviews. I had to stop putting myself on the record.”

FEMA staff also found what it called “far-right” users posting possible personal information for numerous officials, including Criswell, Coen and Rothenberg, internal documents show.

Attacks on FEMA Offline

As a second powerful hurricane — Milton — developed off the coast of Florida, the attacks on staffers’ started migrating from the internet to their homes. After Criswell’s rental property was swatted, among other “serious threats,” then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas signed off on a government vehicle and extra security to protect the embattled FEMA chief.

Then it happened to someone else. “My deputy Jenna Peters’ home was swatted,” Coen told FEMA’s security team in an email on Oct. 11. Peters did not respond to a request for comment.

The most high-profile incident involved a man allegedly “hunting” FEMA staff in North Carolina’s disaster zone. On Criswell’s orders, she said in an email to other top Biden officials: “All FEMA staff and contractors working to interact with survivors and conducting housing inspections, as well as search and rescue teams stood down following the initial reports.”

Elena Gonzalez, 37, looks at their burned-out home after Hurricane Milton’s landfall on October 14, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida.

(Eva Marie Uzcategui/The Washington Post via Getty Im)

Afterwards, FEMA put together a Workplace Protection Task Force involving security, intelligence and communications professionals to manage incoming threats. Protective measures included using specialized software to flag personnel previously targeted online as at risk of more harassment. But there were limits to how far the government could influence content moderation. At the time, outspoken Republicans led by House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan were investigating tech companies, alleging that the platforms were censoring conservative viewpoints under federal government pressure.

After initially approving ZeroFox to assist with facilitating takedowns, FEMA later asked that the company end all social media content removal requests. Per internal documents, the move came after staff discussions that it wasn’t advisable for the agency to contract for services that took any action beyond passive threat monitoring. ZeroFox declined to comment.

Supporters of 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attend a boat parade near a house damaged in Hurricane Milton, Siesta Key, Florida, October 26, 2024.

(Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump’s team has already overseen a massive scale back of FEMA’s staffing, funding and programming. As part of a review of contracts, FEMA ended its agreement with ZeroFox, according to a former official familiar with the situation. A FEMA spokesperson confirmed that it ended the ZeroFox contract in April. For Melissa Ryan, founder of Card Strategies, a consulting firm that researches disinformation, the current political climate — in which public officials who attempt to provide transparency are often politicized and attacked — is a bigger obstacle than budget cuts in the fight against false claims. “So many of the new government appointees are Trump loyalists, and attempting to actually respond effectively to disinformation would make whoever made the attempt a target for MAGA and the administration,” she said.

Hirji, Alba and Leopold write for Bloomberg.

Syria, Jordan and the United States have announced plans to restore security in Suwayda, where sectarian violence in July claimed the lives of more than 250 people.

“The roadmap for a solution in Suwayda includes holding accountable those who attacked civilians, continuing humanitarian and medical aid, compensating those affected, ensuring the return of displaced persons, restoring basic services, deploying local Interior Ministry forces to protect roads, uncovering the fate of missing persons and returning abductees,” Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said in a news release on Tuesday after meeting with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and US Syria’s envoy Tom Barrack in Damascus.

Al-Shibani also said the government was working on a plan for the return of those displaced by the violence, who number more than 160,000, according to UN figures. He did not give details on how these steps would be achieved.

The new plan includes proposals to launch an internal reconciliation process. Violence erupted on July 13 between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions in the southern Syrian province.

Safadi, for his part, said the parties agreed on a Syrian-Jordanian-American plan “to overcome the events in Suwayda under the framework of Syria’s unity and stability.”

“We want Syria to stabilise, recover and rebuild after years of destruction and suffering, and to start practical steps toward a brighter future for all Syrians,” he added.

Jordan borders Suwayda province and has spent years fighting drug and weapons smuggling from its northern neighbour.

Sectarian violence

The fighting broke out in July following the abduction of a Druze truck driver on a public highway, and later drew in Bedouin tribal fighters from other parts of the country. A ceasefire was established after a week of violence in the Druze-majority province.

The government forces were deployed to restore order, but were accused of siding with the Bedouins.

Israel launched dozens of air attacks on convoys of government forces in Suwayda and even struck the Syrian Ministry of Defence headquarters in the capital Damascus. Israel has pledged to protect Syria’s Druze minority, which it sees as potential allies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in August that his country was engaged in talks to establish a demilitarised zone in southern Syria.

Syria said it held Israel “fully responsible” for the unrest.

After opposition fighters toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel deployed troops to the buffer zone on the Golan Heights. Israel still occupies the Golan Heights, recognised as Syrian territory.

Israel has also repeatedly bombed Syria since al-Assad’s fall.

Meanwhile, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Damascus and Washington were working to reach security understandings with Israel as part of a plan for stability announced earlier in the day with US and Jordanian support for violence-hit Suwayda province.

“The United States, in consultation with the Syrian government, will work to reach security understandings with Israel concerning southern Syria that address the legitimate security concerns of both Syria and Israel while emphasising Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement outlining the roadmap.

Confidence-building

No concrete steps were released Tuesday for how the goals discussed between Jordan, Syria and the US would be accomplished.

“Suwayda belongs to all its components, and it is the state’s duty to restore trust among them, return the displaced, and there is a determination to restore normal life to the governorate,” al-Shibani said in the news release on Tuesday.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Safadi said Syria’s security is an extension of Jordan’s security, adding that “all Syrians are equal citizens in rights and duties within their state”.

He stressed the need to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable and deliver humanitarian assistance.

The US envoy Barrack said he came to Syria “as a representative of the president of the United States and the secretary of state in a difficult moment in the region and the world.”

Barrack said confidence-building “takes inches, centimetres and decades to build and can be lost in an instant.”

“We are going to hit speed bumps or we are going to have bus stops along the way,” he added.

Tuesday’s discussions build on earlier rounds hosted by Amman in July and August that focused on consolidating a ceasefire in Suwayda and finding a resolution to the conflict there. Suwayda has observed a ceasefire since July 19.

Rebecca Legon was born with a rare condition called PFFD, which stopped her leg from forming correctly during early fetal development. She has spoken about the issues she has encountered while travelling

A star of Britain’s Missing Next Top Model is ‘treated like a security risk’ at airports because she has a limb difference.

Rebecca Legon was born with a rare condition called PFFD, which stopped her leg from forming correctly during early foetal development. She had it partly amputated at the age of six, so she could wear a prosthesis and lead a more active life.

The East Sussex woman can’t run, but is pretty mobile with a walking stick and leads a full, happy life. “Because I was born like that, I grew up and adapted. In daily life, I kind of do pretty well,” she told the Mirror.

As is the case for many people with disabilities, travelling can be a huge source of anxiety and problems for Rebecca. Issues that may seem small to some people, such as a broken escalator, can become serious obstacles for her.

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“It’s the invisible barriers that make life extra tough. A few weeks back, I was coming home from my family holiday. The flight was delayed. I had my 10 and 7-year-olds with me. I had to make it to the connecting flight, with the kids in tow and hand luggage. I was worried we weren’t going to make it.

“As we exited the aircraft, an escalator was out of order. I made it up, but it was really difficult in an already challenging moment. As I sat on the flight, I thought, ‘It’s crazy this keeps happening.'”

Over the years, Rebecca has encountered many hurdles while travelling, including hotel bathrooms without accessible showers. “You have to crawl in,” the mum-of-two, who starred on the BBC Three show Britain’s Missing Top Model, explained.

Airport security is also a problem. “During the security checks, you get yourself worked up and anxious. It makes you feel like you’re guilty. You’re extra manhandled. The problem is that the laws vary. There is no one rule that fits all,” Rebecca said.

“On two occasions, I have had to take my prosthesis off completely. You have crazy thoughts at that point. You are quite vulnerable. Is anyone going to mess with it? They’re taking part of your body and putting it through a security scanner. Sometimes they make you take your trousers down. It is very invasive and not very comfortable.”

Most of the issues arise in countries where airport technology is less advanced. Rebecca believes if all airports had full-body scanners, then she would encounter far fewer difficulties when travelling.

“The second incident, which really shocked me, was at Dubai airport in 2023. Despite Dubai being known for such fantastic accessibility, I was pulled aside by the head of security who demanded a search in a private room and insisted I remove my prosthesis to be put through the security scanner,” she said.

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“It was a frightening experience, and I felt extremely vulnerable and disrespected. Thankfully, I was travelling with close friends, so I felt safer that I wasn’t alone. There seemed to be no legitimate reason for her request – it has left me a little anxious about returning to visit my best friend who lives there.”

Rebecca proudly represented England’s Lionesses amputee football team at the inaugural Women’s World Cup in Colombia in 2024 and is passionate about supporting the global rise of inclusive sport.

She is also a keen hiker and lover of physical challenges. She believes the mind is often stronger than the body. Through her advocacy, she inspires others to embrace resilience. With determination and a positive mindset, she believes that almost anything is possible.

Sadly, her experience is not unusual; recent research from MMGY, of more than 3,473 adults, revealed that 84% of individuals with accessibility needs have had a negative experience while travelling.

The top five issues included:

• Challenges with accessible transportation
• Difficulty boarding or disembarking
• Inaccessible or unclear travel information
• Costs associated with accessible travel
• Lack of staff training on how to assist passengers with mobility needs

Rebecca is a supporter of Ottobock’s Invisible Class campaign, which aims to raise awareness of issues and demonstrate the potential that arises from sharing knowledge, challenging established structures and making experiences visible. Ottobock has created a A Guide To Accessible Travel for individuals seeking to support the community and join the journey to make every journey possible.

Social Security may be the most valuable retirement asset most Americans have. The pension for retired workers accounted for 20% of families’ total wealth in 2022, according to a study by the Congressional Budget Office. That’s based on a calculation valuing all future payments at present value.

Those future payments get a boost every year, which could make them even more valuable to Americans. The annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) helps benefits keep up with inflation. And while we won’t have the official 2026 COLA number until mid-October, it looks like it’ll come in higher than what analysts anticipated at the start of the year.

But a bigger COLA isn’t necessarily reason for Social Security recipients to celebrate. Here’s what retirees need to know.

Image source: Getty Images.

What’s pushing the 2026 COLA higher?

The annual COLA is based on a standard measure of inflation published every month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics called the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W.

The CPI-W is one of several Consumer Price Index measurements the government publishes. The BLS surveys thousands of businesses and households across the country to collect pricing data on over 200 line items. Those prices are then indexed to a standard price from when the BLS first started collecting data, and weighted according to typical spending patterns of the group the index is supposed to follow. In the case of the CPI-W, the basket of goods represents the spending of working-age adults living in cities.

The Social Security Administration calculates the COLA by taking the average year-over-year increase in the CPI-W during the third quarter, i.e. July, August, and September. The BLS just published August’s CPI numbers on Sept. 11, with the CPI-W climbing 2.8% year over year. That follows a 2.5% increase in July. The final reading to determine the 2026 COLA will come out on Oct. 15.

Based on expectations for that reading, both The Senior Citizen’s League and independent analyst Mary Johnson have published their expectations for next year’s COLA. The former expects it to come in at 2.7% while the latter expects retirees to receive a 2.8% bump. Both estimates are higher than the 2.5% initial estimate The Senior Citizen’s League published before the start of the year.

The reasons for a higher COLA are bad news for 70 million beneficiaries

A bigger-than-expected raise is usually great news for those receiving it, but in the case of Social Security’s 70 million beneficiaries, it signals a challenging economic environment.

The biggest challenge is that the CPI-W doesn’t perfectly match the spending of most seniors. Most people don’t spend their money in retirement the same way they did when they were working age. They probably commute less and spend less on new clothing. They probably have different dining habits. And it’s almost certain that their medical bills have climbed higher as they grow older.

To that end, some of the biggest expenses seniors face are climbing faster than the overall CPI-W numbers. Medical care services were notably 4.2% higher this August than the year before. While gasoline prices were down, utilities were way up. Shelter expenses climbed 3.6%. Despite a 2.7% or 2.8% raise coming in January, most seniors have seen their real cost of living climb much more over the past year.

Rising medical costs are most prominently seen in the Medicare Trustees’ estimate for next year’s Medicare Part B premium. They expect the program will have to charge a standard monthly premium of $206.20 next year, an 11.5% increase from 2025. For those keeping track, that far outpaces the expectations for Social Security’s COLA. Beneficiaries age 65 and older enrolled in Medicare will see that amount come right out of their new monthly payments.

The Senior Citizens League contends this situation isn’t unique to this year’s COLA. It ran a study that estimates the buying power of someone’s benefits who started Social Security in 2010 has decreased 20% through 2024.

The best economic environment for Social Security has historically been slow, steady, and predictable inflation. Under the current administration, which has gone back and forth on trade policies numerous times since the start of the year, prices have become anything but predictable. While many businesses have taken preemptive steps to curb and delay the impact of tariffs, the costs will eventually get passed through to consumers. That could result in even more pain for those on a fixed income next year.

While a 2.7% or 2.8% raise might be bigger than anticipated, many seniors may find that it doesn’t go far enough next year.

You’re ready for a change of pace — not just leaving the workforce, but moving to another state or country in order to start fresh. While exciting, you’re probably also prepared for some challenges, like learning your way around your new neighborhood and coming up with a new retirement budget.

Though you might not expect it, you could also face Social Security challenges that affect your benefit delivery or how far your checks go. Fortunately, you can minimize the difficulty these issues pose by planning for them well in advance.

Image source: Getty Images.

Moving to another state

Moving to another state won’t change the monthly Social Security check you’re entitled to, whether you’re receiving a retirement or spousal benefit. But it could affect how far your checks go. For example, if you move from a city with a high cost of living to a rural area where living expenses are cheaper, you might find that your checks go further than they would in your current city. On the other hand, if you move to a pricier area, you may have to pay for more of your expenses out of your own pocket.

Moving could also put you at risk of or help you avoid state Social Security benefit taxes. Only nine states still have these, and each has its own rules that determine who owes these taxes. It’s possible to live in a state with a Social Security benefit tax and not pay any state taxes on your checks. But it’s worth reaching out to your new state’s department of taxation or an accountant in that state to learn how it could affect your tax bill.

You could also find yourself owing federal Social Security benefit taxes wherever you go. These depend on your provisional income — your adjusted gross income (AGI), plus any nontaxable interest you have from municipal bonds and half your annual Social Security benefit. If you’re forced to spend more due to a higher cost of living in your new home, this could increase your AGI and your provisional income, potentially forcing you to pay more in federal income taxes.

Moving to another country

If you decide to move to another country, you sidestep the issue of state Social Security benefit taxes. Depending on where you go, you might also be able to secure a lower cost of living to help your benefits go further.

You will still be responsible for paying federal Social Security benefit taxes if your provisional income is high enough. And you could also run into an accessibility issue if you retire in certain countries.

The Social Security Administration can pay you via direct deposit or a prepaid debit card in most parts of the world. However, if you retire in the following countries, you may not be able to receive your benefit payments:

• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan

You may be able to petition the Social Security Administration to make an exception for you if you agree to certain restricted payment terms.

This isn’t an option for those who choose to retire in Cuba or North Korea, however. There, you cannot get Social Security benefits at all.

If you retire in a country where the U.S. government won’t send Social Security checks, you may still be able to receive all your back payments if you later move from that country to a place where the Social Security Administration can send benefits again.

It’s best to contact the Social Security Administration directly if you have any questions about how your move could affect your Social Security checks. This way, you’ll be able to get a personalized answer and then you can adjust your budget accordingly.

Not to brag, but I’ve always suspected that my love of financial planning may be unrivaled. While my husband believes it’s a sickness, I’ve always enjoyed putting together a household budget (even when the money was not flowing). And, as I recently confessed to a friend, I’m really into retirement planning.

That’s probably why mySocialSecurity has become one of my most visited sites. It didn’t feel like my birthday or anything. Still, I did feel a little jolt of excitement upon learning the Social Security Administration (SSA) just added new features to its mySocialSecurity site.

Decades ago, when I first started planning for a retirement that felt a millennium away, I’d search the house for our latest Social Security statements, grab a notebook, pen, and calculator, and find a comfortable place to calculate. I probably could have learned two foreign languages and how to play the cello in the time I spent grappling with all the “what ifs.”

That was pre-internet, and I didn’t have the information needed to create a long-term retirement plan that approached reality. But then, a bunch of geniuses contributed to the invention of the internet, and by 2012, the SSA had launched mySocialSecurity. While it was helpful back then, it’s become a masterful tool for anyone serious about retirement planning.

Image source: Getty Images.

Latest additions

The mySocialSecurity site has always offered helpful tools, but the SSA is upping its game with these new additions:

Retirement calculator

The retirement calculator lets you compare month-by-month benefit estimates for ages 62 through 70. If you’re thinking about retiring at age 63 years and 6 months, it will take mere seconds for the calculator to indicate your monthly benefit at 63 years and 6 months. The best thing about the retirement calculator is how it takes the fantasy out of retirement planning by helping you decide when you can realistically afford to retire.

Age-based fact sheet

The age-based fact sheet explains the relationship between your birth year and full retirement age. It spells out when you’ll reach full retirement age (FRA), the age at which you’re entitled to 100% of your Social Security benefits. It also shows what happens if you claim benefits at age 62 instead and how much your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced. Finally, the age-based fact sheet allows you to see how much your monthly benefit amount will increase if you delay claiming benefits past your FRA, up to age 70.

Earnings-based fact sheet

This fact sheet addresses how working while receiving Social Security benefits will impact your payments. While there’s no impact if you collect Social Security after FRA, this is where you’d visit to learn how much the SSA will deduct from your benefits if you continue to work before FRA kicks in.

Benefit verification letter

The benefit verification letter spells out which benefits you currently receive. Whether you want it for your records or to provide proof of benefits to a third party, you can access the letter simply by logging into the site.

Form SSA-1099

So you’ll never lose track of how much you’ve received in Social Security benefits, the SSA provides easy access to your SSA-1099, a tax form that reports your annual benefits. This information helps determine if your benefits are taxable and how much to report on your federal tax return.

Check your claim status

Whether you’ve filed for Medicare for the first time or you’re ready to collect Social Security, your claim status provides up-to-date information regarding where your claim stands.

Request a replacement card

If you’ve ever lost your Social Security card, you may have experienced a moment of panic, wondering what to do. I’ve never actually misplaced mine, mostly because I’m afraid my parents will rise from the grave to remind me how important it is to protect it. Mom and Dad might have taken it a little easier on me if they knew how easy the SSA would make it to replace a card.

Planning for retirement

Here’s how mySocialSecurity makes retirement planning less labor-intensive for me. I suspect you’ll find even more interesting ways to use it.

• Budget coordination: The personalized retirement benefit estimate clarifies how much I expect to receive at each age. I use that information to coordinate with other savings and investments to develop a retirement plan that will fit our budget.
• Earnings history: There’s a feature showing how much income I’ve claimed since my first job. I use it to double-check that SSA got my income right after I file taxes. Given that my Social Security benefits are calculated based on that earnings history, it’s important to know they got it right.
• Connect with the SSA: I can use the site to contact the SSA and update my personal information. One day, when I’m collecting Social Security, I’ll be able to use it to view direct deposit information, check out special notices, and ensure the appointed representative payee is who I want it to be (the person who will manage my benefits if I’m incapable of doing so).

I understand that retirement planning may not be everyone’s cup of tea. However, I compare it to taking a moment to stop midway through a cross-country trip, just to see where I am and how much farther I have to go.

Many retired Americans rely heavily on Social Security checks for their income, but often, those payments don’t stretch far enough to cover all of their expenses. According to government data, in 2025, the average Social Security benefit is just $1,976 per month.

If that doesn’t sound like much, that’s because it isn’t. A recent study projected that by 2040, 32.6 million U.S. households with retirement-age individuals could have an average cash shortfall of more than $7,000 annually. That gap between retirement income and retirees’ needs is a big reason why many Americans will need to do more to build their own portfolios of investments, rather than trying to rely on Social Security benefits alone.

If you’re on the hunt for stocks that could help you build wealth over the long haul that you can eventually tap in retirement, there are a few compelling reasons to make Nvidia (NVDA 0.43%) one of your picks.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Nvidia could continue to be a good long-term investment

Nvidia has become a common go-to investment among both tech enthusiasts and average investors over the past few years, as the company is benefiting from a steep increase in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure. Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs) dominate the artificial intelligence (AI) data center market — it sells an estimated 70% to 95% of all AI chips for infrastructure.

In Q2, the company’s data center revenue jumped 56% year over year to $41 billion, and its non-GAAP earnings per share jumped 54% to $1.05. Eventually, Nvidia’s customers could slow their spending on its hardware — particularly if AI doesn’t deliver the results those companies are hoping for — but that day hasn’t come yet. Nvidia CFO Colette Kress estimates that tech companies will invest up to $4 trillion into AI data centers over the next five years.

And it’s not just AI data centers that could fuel Nvidia’s future growth. The company’s tech is already being used in autonomous vehicles, and advances in the robotics industry could create another expanding new market for it in the coming years. Some estimates forecast that the global autonomous vehicle market will grow to more than $2 trillion over the next five years, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said recently that robotics (including autonomous vehicles) and AI represent a “multitrillion-dollar growth opportunity” for his company.

Though Nvidia stock has already soared by more than 1,100% over the past three years, the combination of its dominance in AI data center processors and its emerging opportunities in robotics and autonomous vehicles suggests it will remain a good long-term investment.

More growth could be ahead for Nvidia, but keep this in mind

While no single stock should make up the majority of your portfolio, investing in Nvidia could give future retirees a way to benefit from the massive transition toward AI systems that’s currently underway. While the chipmaker doesn’t currently pay a meaningful dividend, investors can eventually sell their holdings in retirement to supplement their incomes.

Planning for retirement can be challenging, and as you approach retirement age, it’s generally a good idea to reduce your exposure to stocks and other higher-risk investments. While Nvidia’s share price may continue to climb in the years ahead, it’s important to remember that it’s still a tech company, and tech stocks often go through periods of unusual volatility.

This shouldn’t be too much of a concern if you’ve got a long way to go before retirement, but remember that as you age, you’ll want to shift the balance of the allocations in your well-diversified portfolio toward less risky holdings.

The Emmy Awards bring together the best and brightest in television each year, and as such, it’s always a tightly secured event. This year will be no exception.

The security measures for Sunday’s awards ceremony, which will be held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in the heart of downtown, was reviewed with close eyes this week in light of Wednesday’s fatal shooting of political commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah.

With any large event, law enforcement officials and organizers take caution with security measures, but the recent spate recent of political violence targeting elected officials and those in the public eye have brought increased attention to how these large and highly publicized events are secured.

Though LAPD did not offer specifics about the security measures it was taking, an official for the department said they are ready for the event. “For security reasons, the Department does not discuss protective measures for special events or any public gatherings. What I can assure you is that we are appropriately staffed and fully prepared,” said Jennifer Forkish, LAPD communications director.

For several years, the LAPD has had a SWAT team at the scene, and numerous Metro officers and counter snipers have been visibly stationed on rooftops. Law enforcement officials also design a vehicle approach with barriers that prevents car bombings and vehicle attacks.

Since the attacks on 9/11, the 24th anniversary of which were recognized this week, the department has applied an extensive layer of security to the biggest awards ceremonies with large red carpets. The Peacock Theater also has security personnel who use metal-detector screening, visual inspection and bag inspection to keep guests safe.

The Television Academy revisited its security system for the weekend in light of Kirk’s shooting death at a speaking event on a college campus.

“We’re absolutely relooking at all of our security plans, but we always have a very robust security plan in place,” Television Academy president and chief executive Maury McIntyre told Variety on Thursday. “I know that basically once things happened yesterday, our security personnel all gathered together to just recheck things like that. Sitting with the LA Police Department, sitting with our department of transportation, just to make sure that we felt buttoned up. We are confident in the plans we’ve got in place.”

Stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze is hosting the 77th Emmy Awards, which begin at 5 p.m. PDT Sunday and will be broadcast live on CBS and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.

Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.