Paper tags disappear under HB 718 as state cracks down on fraud. Starting July 1, 2025, the familiar paper temporary tag becomes history in Texas. House Bill 718 demands that all vehicles—whether newly purchased, in transit, or on a test drive—carry metal license plates that can’t be faked with a home printer. Motorists, dealers, and county offices all … Read more
Starting with iOS 26, U.S. travelers will be able to flash a passport stored in Apple Wallet and skip digging out paper documents at select domestic checkpoints. Apple’s next iPhone update will bring a feature many fliers have been waiting for: the option to create a secure digital version of a U.S. passport that the Transportation Security … Read more
Roughly 600,000 residents stand to collect a Permanent Fund Dividend that is 30 percent higher than last year. Alaska’s 43‑year‑old Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) is about to drop another round of cash. If your online status shows “Eligible‑Not Paid,” a $1,702 transfer—$1,403 in regular earnings plus a $298 energy‑relief bonus—could hit your bank account in a … Read more
New 3.4‑ounce enforcement targets creamy cheeses, hummus, and other spreadables that travelers often pack for flights. The Transportation Security Administration has quietly tightened its liquid‑and‑gel rules, singling out seven everyday snacks that many passengers toss into a backpack without a second thought. Anyone caught with more than 3.4 ounces of these foods in a carry‑on risks … Read more
Discovery of a 1,000‑ton deposit could redraw the global gold map and hand Beijing a powerful economic lever. China has confirmed the largest gold find ever recorded—an extraordinary ore body beneath Pingjiang County, Hunan, holding an estimated 1,000 metric tons worth more than $80 billion. If commercial mining hits its stride, the country’s influence over bullion markets may … Read more
Retailer says the move affects about 2 percent of its U.S. footprint and will free up cash for store upgrades. Kroger stunned shoppers Friday, June 20, by announcing that 60 of its 2,731 supermarkets will close in waves through late 2026. The Cincinnati‑based chain has not yet released a location list, leaving many communities to wonder whether … Read more
The Social Security Administration has green‑lit several underused strategies that could add real dollars to the wallets of pensioners living on modest benefits. Choosing when to claim Social Security is tough, but living on a fixed check that no longer stretches as far can be tougher. Thousands of low‑pension retirees now have a fresh chance … Read more
Federal trustees warn that the nation’s two cornerstone safety‑net programs are on a faster collision course with insolvency than anyone hoped. Their June 18, 2025 report says Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be emptied in 2033—three years earlier than last year’s outlook—while the combined Social Security retirement and disability funds reach zero in 2034. Millions of retirees, workers, and … Read more
New rule bars Social Security retirement benefits for Americans lacking 40 work credits, potentially cutting off thousands this year. In a swift policy shift, the federal government announced that any future pension application will be rejected unless the claimant proves at least a decade of covered employment — equal to 40 Social Security work credits. The move … Read more
Millions of two‑dollar bills remain in circulation, but savvy collectors will pay five figures for the rarest—sometimes as much as $20,000 for a single pristine note. Anyone with an old wallet, a forgotten lockbox, or a parent’s dresser drawer could hit the mini‑lottery. Why? Because the small details on a humble $2 bill can turn … Read more
Lawmakers weigh a $6,000 bonus deduction and a disputed SALT cap as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Senate is fine‑tuning its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and millions of retirees are watching closely. The chamber’s draft would boost the temporary senior deduction to $6,000—up from the House’s $4,000—while freezing the state‑and‑local tax (SALT) cap at $10,000. If … Read more
The sudden fall‑out raises privacy alarms and clouds the future of 73 million monthly payments. A surprise resignation at the Social Security Administration (SSA) lays bare a dispute over granting Elon Musk’s advisers access to confidential beneficiary files, raising fresh questions about who controls America’s most sensitive retirement data. The abrupt exit of acting commissioner Michelle … Read more
A looming shortfall threatens the checks of 70 million recipients; Congress holds the keys to a fix. Social Security’s latest trustees report warns that, absent action, the program’s main trust fund will run dry in 2035, forcing automatic cuts that would trim monthly benefits to roughly 80 percent of today’s promised amounts. That prospect matters to everyone … Read more
California’s July 1, 2025 rulebook ushers in big shifts for schools, apps, housing and healthFrom drug‑tested bus drivers to one‑click subscription cancellation, dozens of statutes hit the Golden State this summer. On July 1, California activates laws passed during the 2023‑24 session that touch classrooms, delivery platforms, short‑term rentals and more. Miss the fine print and you could … Read more
The Senate has green‑lit the biggest divestiture of federal land in modern U.S. history, ordering the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to auction up to 104.4 million hectares across 11 western states. Lawmakers say the revenue—an estimated $29 billion between 2025 and 2034—will help fund promised tax cuts and speed new housing construction. … Read more
Apple confirms its overhauled voice assistant needs a new architecture, leaving iPhone owners waiting longer than expected. Apple fans counting on a smarter Siri will have to wait. The company has admitted that the “Apple Intelligence” refresh, first teased at WWDC 2024 and penciled in for late 2025, will not be ready until sometime in … Read more
Millions who thought 65 was the magic number now face a new timetable for claiming their full benefit. Turning 65 is no longer the golden ticket to a 100 percent Social Security check. Starting July 2025, the year you were born—not just your age—sets the pace for full benefits and could even affect the size of the … Read more
Motorists now face up to $10,000 in fines and potentially a decade behind bars if caught driving while intoxicated. Texas has raised the stakes for anyone who chooses to drive after drinking or using drugs. The new rules take aim at repeat offenders, under‑21 motorists, and anyone endangering children on Lone Star roads—all while promising … Read more
Beginning this week, international students and exchange visitors face a new hurdle: every F, M, and J applicant must set social media accounts to “public” and list every handle from the last five years. Foreign students eyeing American campuses will find the visa interview a lot more personal. Consular officers will still review passports, transcripts, and bank … Read more
Disney confirms the permanent closure of three Magic Kingdom touchstones, clearing space for a Pixar‑themed Piston Peak National Park and a rumored Villains Land. Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is about to lose three of its calmest corners. On July 7, the legendary Liberty Square Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, and the surrounding Rivers of America waterway will sail, raft, and ripple for … Read more