Vietnamnet news

The Social Security Trustees just released their annual report on the system’s finances. The news is awful. Most people know that the system’s future benefit promises are greater than its future payroll tax (FICA) revenues. But how big is the difference — its fiscal gap, also called its unfunded liability? The answer – a terrifying $59.8 trillion – is buried deep in Appendix table VIF1 . That’s over 2.5 times the size of the U.S. economy. Even more disturbing is the change since last year’s report. The system's debt grew by $6.8 trillion. In other words, Social Security ran a deficit equal to 30 percent of GDP. This is more than twice last year's $3.1 trillion official deficit. But unlike the change in official debt, Social Security's deficits are carefully kept off the books — for political, not economic reasons. Consequently, not a single media outlet we know of has reported these numbers. The cause of Social Security’s massive increase in red ink? It’s not policy. Nothing’s …

Continue Reading about The really scary news in the Social Security Trustees Report →

See the article in its original context from September 18, 1998 Section Page Buy Reprints View on timesmachine TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Prosecutors took the extraordinary step today of charging a fraternity at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with manslaughter in the case of a student who drank himself to death at a party a year ago. The case against the M.I.T. chapter of Phi Gamma Delta is believed to be the first in the nation in which a fraternity -- the organization, not its members -- has been charged with homicide, District Attorney Ralph Martin said. The fraternity was indicted on charges of manslaughter and hazing in the death of Scott Krueger, an 18-year-old student who fell into a coma last September after a drinking binge at fraternity he was pledging in Boston's Fenway neighborhood. Because there is no way to put an organization behind bars, the most the fraternity faces is a fine, up …

Continue Reading about National News Briefs; Fraternity Charged In M.I.T. Drinking Death →

Molly-Mae Hague has revealed she's had a lump removed from her breast, as she shared a photo from her hospital bed. The Love Island star found the lump earlier this year, and after requesting a biopsy discovered it had grown in size. Posting to social media today, Molly gave a smile of relief as she explained she'd undergone an operation to have it removed. "I spoke about a lump I found in my boob on a recent vlog of mine. Well I had it removed today," she told her followers. The influencer then used her huge platform to urge fans to 'check their bodes.' In her next post Molly-Mae revealed her treatments were not over as she shared a snap of her bandaged up hand. Molly-Mae Hague posted from her hospital bed as she spoke about having a lump removed from her breast ( Image: mollymae/Instagram) The Love Island star also revealed she'd a lump removed from her hand ( Image: mollymae/Instagram) …

Continue Reading about Molly-Mae Hague has lump removed from her breast as she posts from hospital bed →

Former Eastenders star Nina Wadia is one of the contestants taking part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing . The 52-year-old actress may be best known for her role as Zainab Masood in the BBC soap, but she's definitely no stranger to the limelight. Nina previously starred in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me and one half of The Competitive Mothers, as well as The Vicar of Dibley, Thin Ice Chambers, Holby City, Murder in Mind, Doctors and New Tricks - and now, she's ready to take on Strictly. But Nina has no concerns about the infamous "Strictly curse", as she credits her and her husband's love of role play in the bedroom for keeping their sex life fresh. Nina is best known for her role in Eastenders ( Image: BBC) Nina isn't concerned about the "Strictly curse" ( Image: BBC) For more of the news you care about, straight to your inbox, sign up for one of our daily newsletters here. …

Continue Reading about Strictly star Nina Wadia’s talented husband, role play and bedroom secrets →

Peep Show favourite Robert Webb is heading to the Strictly dance floor, just one year after undergoing major surgery. The 48-year-old actor and comedian, who shot to fame with his role as Jeremy "Jez" Usborne in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, also took part in - and won - the first series of Let's Dance For Comic Relief in 2009 with a routine based on Hollywood film Flashdance. Speaking about asked what motivated him to take part, he said: "It’s partly my age and it’s partly, nearly two years ago I had quite a big deal health thing. "I had open-heart surgery, so since then, I think my attitude is basically, ‘This is no time to be cool and sitting at the edges watching other people doing the dancing’. "If you have got something to offer, it might be time to offer it." He added: "I have spent the last few years doing a lot of writing with How To Be A Boy and Come Again and I have felt quite itchy and just a need to reconnect with the audience as a performer. "It looks like a …

Continue Reading about Strictly star Robert Webb’s famous wife, their ‘fights’ and parenting advice →

Team GB swimming champion Adam Peaty is taking a break from the pool to try his chances on the Strictly dancefloor. The 26-year-old made UK Olympics history when he became the first British swimmer to win back-to-back Olympic golds, winning the Men's 100m Breaststroke at Rio in 2016 as well as in Tokyo this summer. But now Adam's trading his gruelling 40-hours-a-week gym routine and strict diet to embark on a new challenge, Strictly. In his most intense training programmes ahead of Tokyo 2020, Adam consumed between 7,500 to 8,000 calories per day - more than three times the recommended amount an average man eats. He would also eat several times a day to keep his metabolism in check. Adam would eat between 7,500 and 8,000 calories per day when preparing for a race ( Image: AFP via Getty Images) For more of the news you care about, straight to your inbox, sign up for one of our daily newsletters here. On a training day, he will have …

Continue Reading about Strictly’s Adam Peaty’s diet – 8,000 calories, two breakfasts and gruelling gym routine →

Tom Fletcher is hanging up his guitar in exchange for dancing shoes as he prepares to take part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing. The 36-year-old is most famously known for being one of the lead vocalists and guitarists of boyband McFly, along with bandmates Dougie Poynter, Danny Jones and Harry Judd. Tom is "incredibly excited" yet "totally terrified" to be taking on the new challenge, despite having previous dance experience from his time at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School where he met his now-wife Giovanna 'Gi' Falcone, at just age 13. In a chat with HELLO !, Giovanna admitted their relationship had gone through different phases since their teen love story began. "When we met we only went out for two days, then we had the whole teen drama stuff, 'I love you, no I don't', then he snogged all of my mates in the way that teenagers do!" But that wasn't enough to keep them apart, as she added: "The feeling of knowing what's important and not getting lost in …

Continue Reading about Strictly Tom Fletcher’s ‘laughably rare’ sex life with famous wife Giovanna →

KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville has again been removed from the air, according to reporting from The Mercury News. Somerville, 63, has reportedly been “suspended indefinitely” by Channel 2 management, following a disagreement over ongoing coverage of the Gabby Petito missing person and homicide case. The conflict reportedly came to a head after the body of Petito had been discovered in Wyoming earlier this week, after she had been reported missing while on a cross country camping trip with her boyfriend. The search for Petito has sparked a nationwide media frenzy, though some in the journalism industry, most prominently MSNBC’s Joy Reid, have argued the attention it has received as undue. Reid is among those who believe coverage of Petito’s disappearance is an example of the media phenomenon late journalist and broadcaster Gwen Ifill described as “missing White woman syndrome,” during which the media provides a lopsided focus on missing white women and girls without …

Continue Reading about Bay Area anchor Frank Somerville reportedly ‘suspended indefinitely’ by KTVU →

The chief of the United States Capitol Police (USCP), Steven Sund, said that the officer responsible for fatally shooting a woman during Wednesday's riot at the Capitol has been placed on administrative leave. In a statement Thursday, the police chief noted the officer's policing powers have been suspended . "The USCP had a robust plan established to address anticipated First Amendment activities. But make no mistake–these mass riots were not First Amendment activities; they were criminal riotous behavior," said Sund. "The actions of the USCP officers were heroic given the situation they faced, and I continue to have tremendous respect in the professionalism and dedication of the women and men of the United States Capitol Police," he added. The victim was identified as Ashli Babbitt, one of four people who died in connection with the violent rioting at the Capitol on Wednesday. A 14-year Air Force veteran and resident of Ocean Beach in San Diego, Babbitt, 35, was shot by a …

Continue Reading about Capitol police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt during riot placed on administrative leave →

GEORGE TOWN: Replacing the controversial undersea tunnel with an elevated bridge as the third link for Penang has not gone down well with Malaysians and this has led to an outcry. When The Star broke the news yesterday about a proposal for a RM3bil 5km bridge to replace the undersea tunnel, many took to social media to express their concern. Netizens questioned whether Penang was in need of a third link when the state already has two bridges. Some also asked about the feasibility report for the undersea tunnel which, until today, has not been released. “Even the second bridge is void of cars during the pandemic. Why do we need a third link now? Money should be spent on other important things like medical equipment to fight Covid-19,” said Ben. Facebook user Phan Gaik Cher said the state government must get its priority right. “The funds should instead be earmarked for flood mitigation projects, (the resurfacing of) horrible potholed patchwork roads in the state and keeping …

Continue Reading about Outcry over third bridge →