Latest news with #Home
RTHK
a day ago
- Climate
- RTHK
T8 signal may be issued early on Sunday
T8 signal may be issued early on Sunday Saturday will see winds pick up speed, showers as well as squally thunderstorms. File Photo: RTHK The Hong Kong Observatory said it will consider issuing the Gale or Storm signal No 8 in the wee hours of Sunday. Severe tropical storm Wipha is forecast to move across the northeastern part of the South China sea and edge closer to the coast of Guangdong. At a press briefing on Saturday, acting senior scientific officer Shum Chi-tai said strong winds will start picking up later on Saturday. "According to the present forecast, Wipha will continue to intensify and move towards the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary today, with its outer rain bands and associated strong winds affecting the coastal areas of Guangdong gradually," he said. "Local winds will strengthen later today." There will also be more showers gradually with squally thunderstorms, according to the observatory. Flooding may occur in low-lying coastal areas tomorrow morning due to the influence of storm surges. Shum was speaking as Secretary for Home Affairs Alice Mak said her bureau had already started preparatory and prevention works ahead of the typhoon to minimise the impact of Wipha on the public. Speaking on Saturday, she said the 18 district offices, district councillors, village representatives and care team members had started on the work, particularly in outlying and low-lying areas. "Village representatives have contacted villagers in outlying areas and helped them prepare ahead of the storm," Mak said. "In some of the areas that are more easily flooded, sandbags have been put in place to prevent flooding," Mak said. "As for low-lying areas, we have closed flood gates at locations where the Drainage Services Departments have installed them," she added. Mak also said community centres and halls will be open when the No 8 is in force for use as temporary shelters. Staff will also be deployed to assist people in need, she said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Cutest Shark Week Craft That Actually Teaches!
Turn a paper tube into a chomping shark and recycled milk cartons into fish for a fun, educational Shark Week game! Get ready to make learning jawsome this Shark Week with our easy and eco-friendly Paper Tube Learning Shark! This fun hands-on craft uses simple supplies like a paper tube and a recycled milk carton to create a playful shark that 'chomps' on colorful letter or number fish. It's the perfect mix of crafting, recycling, and educational play for kids. Have your child point out letters, attach to the string, and have the shark catch the fish! Inspired by the classic ball and cup game, this learning shark craft will educate and entertain your kids. We love how he's made of simple recycled materials like a paper tube. The fish are made of recycled milk jugs so this is a low-cost activity you can make with materials you likely have around the house. Paper Tube Shark Materials: How to make this fun shark craft Why Your Kids Will Love This: This Shark Week craft isn't just adorable. It's educational and earth-friendly. Kids will love making their own shark while you sneak in learning moments, all while giving plastic a second life.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
The debt burden stalking Aussies in retirement
More and more Australians are delaying retirement as the dream of home ownership becomes a nightmare at the end of their working life. The number owning their home outright has halved in the past 20 years, census data shows, while the proportion of over-65 households with a mortgage has more than tripled. Home price increases have outstripped wage growth for decades, delaying the average age of home ownership and leaving some with mortgage debt greater than their superannuation nest egg at retirement. "We're going to see this continued pressure on people working for longer because the next generation, their mortgages are even bigger than the last generation," Digital Finance Analytics founder Martin North tells AAP. "There is an increasingly large cohort of people who are still sitting on very large mortgages in retirement and that has been building." Housing costs were by far the leading reason over-60s contacted the National Debt Helpline's chat service last financial year, with one in three users feeling the pain from mortgage payments, council rates, rent or strata costs. The number of households delaying retirement because of their mortgage liability tripled to 51,000 in the past five years, according to Mr North's data. Australians are also borrowing against their home to pay for renovations, trips or giving their children a boost into the housing market via the 'bank of mum and dad'. Debt restructuring, reverse mortgages and unplanned factors like sudden illness, death or divorce also leave retirees in tough positions. Some people are working later in life because as a whole they're fitter but the correlation between retirement delay and increased debt stress can't be ignored, Mr North says. "People are postponing retirement because they've still got this mortgage debt overhanging and they're concerned about how they're going to actually service it." Using superannuation to pay down debt and hang onto equity has become increasingly popular but this ultimately counteracts one of super's core intentions - to take pressure off the taxpayer-funded Age Pension. A co-ordinated, multi-level government approach would be required to reverse the trend, which, for now, is hamstrung by a circle of blame, Mr North says. "Federal government blames the states for lack of housing supply, everybody blames the Reserve Bank for putting interest rates up and interest rates are high because the inflation surged after the government handed out lots of money," he explains. "Nobody really wants to take responsibility and this is another classic example where there are unintended consequences of a generation or two of bad policy, which included negative gearing, which included extended low interest rates, first time buyer grants, Home Builder, all the other stuff that was thrown into the system. "None of this actually helps." Around one in five Australians are still paying off mortgages in retirement, National Seniors Australia estimates. The organisation's chief executive Chris Grice also notes the trend of tapping into superannuation to pay down debt, which often leaves retirees in a poorer position to fund services like private health insurance. "It's not unusual to have someone paying $4000 or $5000 a year for private health and as you get older you want to maintain that," he says. "Let alone insurance costs for home insurance and car insurance and the rest." Downsizing is a common goal but a lack of suitable housing stock and transaction costs like stamp duty mean many retirees are wary of selling. "If you're going to downsize, you're going to go into something that actually is fit for purpose to allow you to age in place," Mr Grice says. With 710,000 Australians expected to retire in the next four years, public policy settings which don't lock retirees in the big family home are essential, Retirement Living Council executive director Daniel Gannon says. "Retirement villages are part of the solution to accommodate this silver tsunami of ageing Australians," he tells AAP. "On average, the cost of a retirement village home is 41 per cent cheaper than the median house price in the same suburb - easing the financial burden and freeing up equity to support a secure retirement that older Australians deserve." The Council is calling for an increase to the Age Pension Assets threshold, an end to roadblocks for retirees who "rightsize" into retirement villages and for the housing type to be included in the Home Equity Access Scheme. According to Solace Financial principal and adviser Scott Quinlan, carrying mortgage debt into retirement puts pressure on retirees' ability to pay for essentials but also impacts quality of life, lifestyle flexibility and long-term financial security. "If they have superannuation, they could withdraw some of their superannuation to pay off the debt," he says. "The other way to go is keep your money in superannuation and then keep your debt, hoping the superannuation will earn a better rate of return than what your mortgage is but that is more of a risky strategy." Prioritising debt repayment is crucial to financial stability in retirement and while reverse mortgages could help provide income for living and healthcare costs, retirees have to consider risks such as high fees and potentially having less inheritance to leave behind.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat Confidential: The Natural Way
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat is well known for his efforts to promote natural farming across the country. In one such initiative, the Governor addressed a special programme, Ek Kadam Prakrutik Krushi ki Ore (A Step Towards Natural Farming), at Tihar Jail in New Delhi Thursday. In his address, the Governor narrated his experiences with natural farming and its importance while pointing out the harmful effects of chemical-laced farming. As per an official release, the programme was organised following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion to use the cultivable land of Tihar Jail for natural farming and to train the jail inmates in such methods so that they can be self-reliant in agriculture after coming out of the jail and lead a respectable life. During the programme, the Governor was also joined by Home, Energy and Education Minister of Delhi Ashish Sood and Director General of Jails Satish Golcha, among others.
Eater
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
Scallops and Vodka Flights Are On Board at Kachka's Stunning New Bar
is the associate editor for the Northern California and Pacific Northwest region writing about restaurant and bar trends, coffee and cafes, and pop-ups. Northeast Portland's newest spot for seafood towers and inventive vodka just hit the scene. That'd be Kachka Fabrika, the new seafood-driven cocktail bar that Kachka's owners Israel and Bonnie Morales announced back in March. The new project debuted the second week of July. This eight-seat bar (with additional seating throughout the space) takes over the former Aimsir Distilling tasting room at 2117 NE Oregon Street. The menu here is all brand new, though. Imagine tinned fish but on full blast: steelhead jerky, imported and domestic caviar, scallops on the half shell with corn milk foam and buckwheat furikake. The drinks are meant to highlight Kachka's own spirits, six original martinis and vodka flights amongst nonalcoholic options and wine. The new bar is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Sunday, and Monday, and 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Limited reservations are available on OpenTable. Happy Valley fest brings chefs to the woods Pendarvis Farms's Pickathon is back for its 25th anniversary Thursday, July 31, through Sunday, August 3. The outdoorsy arts festival is loved for its Curation series, a garden dining series with live music inside the grounds. This year's Oregon talent includes Kachka (once again), No Sabo, Bauman's on Oak, Nostrana, and Grounded Table. Getting a seat at the table requires a weekend pass or that day's pass plus a Curation ticket on top of that. Seafood and wine hits Clinton Street Merrow, a new residency inside all-day cafe Fair Weather, kicks off Thursday, July 31. The pop-up will take over Thursdays through Saturdays for evening dinner and drink service. Formerly known as Pulp, Merrow's menu highlights include grilled dry-aged mackerel, kombu-cured Fluke crudo, and legume salads. The brunch restaurant is the sister location of Jacqueline, which moved and left this space vacant. Decade-old sports bar calls it quits SE Portland's Home, A Bar will shutter at the end of July. The Oregonian spotted the news on the business's Instagram. Business owners Brett Burmeister and Scott Smith wrote the increasing cost of doing business in the area made it impossible to continue. Home, A Bar was loved for its homey menu and as the area's go-to sports spot, inheriting the mantle from the Morrison Hotel. Eater Portland All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
