Latest news with #Mills'
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Update on BBC Radio 2's fortunes following Zoe Ball's breakfast show departure
Listeners to the Radio 2 breakfast show have fallen since Zoe Ball stood down as presenter, it has emerged. Several stand-in DJs have covered for Ball following her departure in late December, with Scott Mills only taking over the role full-time on January 27. The breakfast show attracted an estimated weekly audience of 6.45 million across January to March of this year, down from 6.83 million in the previous three months. But the slot continues to enjoy the largest audience on national radio at that time of the day, ahead of Radio 4's Today programme. Research body Rajar has published the data around three-and-a-half months into Mills' tenure, having previously presented an afternoon show on the same station. Gaby Roslin and Mark Goodier filled in throughout January before Mills, 52, started the role. It is worth noting Rajar's listernship figures, which includes this spell, does also show the estimated weekly audience was greater than the 6.28 million recorded in July-September 2024. Ball, 54, has since started presenting a Saturday lunchtime programme on BBC Radio 2. She also continues to do TV work, having hosted a segment of VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember coverage on the BBC earlier this month. But the mum of two was overwhelmed with emotion during her final breakfast show. Addressing her audience, the host said: "Thank you for tuning in, whether as a lone listener, as family, as a work gang on your morning jogs, dog walks, truck drives, train commutes, or hiding in bed, it's been a real privilege to keep you company through your morning manoeuvres. You're just there and I'm just here having a chat with a mate. It's such a special, intimate relationship." In addition to Mills' new role, BBC Radio 2 made a number of changes to its daytime lineup at the start of the year. Trevor Nelson now hosts a new afternoon show and DJ Spoony presents a late evening slot on Mondays to Thursdays. Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said she was "thrilled" that Radio 2 remains the UK's most popular radio station, adding: "Congratulations to Vernon Kay who remains the most listened to show in the country with a weekly audience of 6.73 million to his mid-morning show, and to the Radio 2 breakfast show, which maintains its position as the UK's biggest early morning programme." Elsewhere, the commercial network Greatest Hits saw a slight fall in listeners for the fourth quarter in a row, though its average audience of 7.14 million is still nearly two million higher than it was two years ago, when it stood at 5.12 million. Among the smaller news-based stations, Times Radio recorded its best numbers since launching in 2020, with an average audience of 622,000 listeners across the three months to March, up 3% on the previous quarter and a jump of 24% on the year.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DOGE's Social Security changes are confusing – and put benefits at risk
Just as Americans turn 65 in record levels, DOGE unleashes service cuts that could cause delays in benefit payments. With so much confusion resulting from changes to the Social Security Administration's (SSA) operations, people need help in sorting myth from fact on the potential impact to their benefits. The short answer is that it is highly unlikely benefits will be reduced for current recipients because of operational changes at SSA. However, there could be delays for those yet to apply for benefits depending on how new SSA staffing and service reductions play out. The announced operational changes are causing a sharp increase in calls to SSA's 800 number and field office visits by people worried about their benefits. And the growing level of confusion is compounded by the fact the United States is experiencing the peak of Peak 65 – the largest surge of Americans turning 65 this year than at any time in our country's history. This new uncertainty about our retirement assistance system began when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) put in motion plans to reduce Social Security staff by 7,000 workers or 12 percent of the workforce, while also closing or shrinking dozens of SSA offices around the country. Exodus of Social Security office employees troubling Many SSA employees have already left, taking an offer for early retirement or deferred resignation, and there have been a series of service disruptions, with long waiting times for people trying to get help from SSA in person at field offices, on the phone, and with the SSA website experiencing periodic outages and other problems. As an example, the SSA recently acknowledged it incorrectly posted on its website that disabled Americans and low-income senior citizens were no longer receiving benefits. Thankfully, that posting has since been corrected and those benefits are continuing. Protesters gather outside the Port Orange district office of Congressman Cory Mills on April 30, 2025. Demonstrators expressed outrage about a range of issues, including Mills' support of President Donald Trump and their perceived threats of cuts to Social Security, Medicare and veterans' services. As a former chief economist and deputy commissioner for SSA, I believe in its mission and the vital safety-net of retirement security it has provided to millions of Americans over the past 90 years. With Social Security benefits, pensions and annuities being the only form of protected retirement income for people, any doubts about those benefits being paid out in full and on time can cause great stress especially to those older Americans who rely on Social Security as their only income in retirement. Setting aside the propriety of recent policy changes, I believe what is happening is further proof that Congress should be taking steps to stabilize SSA and the vital programs it administers. What you should know until Congress acts ∎ Those who are not yet receiving benefits could experience a delay in approval and the start of benefits if there is a lag in getting approval for receiving them. Let's say you apply for benefits and request SSA to start paying benefits this month, but the first payment isn't made for 60 days because of processing delays. That means you have lost two months of benefits, and those front-end benefits are not reimbursable. However, those already getting benefits can be reimbursed for any payment delays caused by service delivery interruptions. With delays in SSA services resulting from the workforce reductions, anyone who wants to begin receiving retirement benefits is advised to start working with SSA four months in advance of when you want the payments to begin. And regardless of when you want to claim retirement benefits, you should sign up for Medicare through SSA when you turn 65. ∎ The only way benefits can change is through legislation approved by Congress and signed by the President. Neither Congress or the President can act unilaterally to change benefits or how SSA's Trust Fund assets are invested. ∎ The SSA Trust Fund is currently projected to be depleted by 2033 and if nothing is done to avoid that, benefits for current recipients could be reduced by approximately 20 percent. ∎ While Congress will have to address Social Security's financial shortfall before the trust fund is depleted in the early 2030's by either raising payroll taxes, borrowing from general revenues, reducing benefits, or some combination of those three actions, it is politically unlikely that anyone at least 50 years old will experience a benefit reduction. The concern is they would not have sufficient time to make up for the savings shortfall. ∎ One policy change that could affect current beneficiaries is a reduction in the cost-of-living allowance, which would limit the upward adjustment in benefits to counter inflation in future years. Benefits would still increase with inflation, not be reduced, but grow at a slower rate. ∎ If you can afford to wait until you are 70 years old to claim Social Security at its maximum monthly benefit level, you should. There is roughly an 8 percent annual increase in monthly benefit amounts for each year delayed in claiming between 62 and 70. Even if benefits are cut, people will still have a higher benefit base by delaying claiming. While Congress can technically direct the SSA on how to spend some of its administrative budget, including staffing levels, to counteract what has happened because of DOGE's decisions, that is unlikely to occur. With SSA staff being reduced while the agency was already operating at insufficient support levels, and computer systems in need of modernization, continued service delays and breakdowns are likely. When the time comes to apply for benefits, it is important to plan ahead and apply up to four months before you want to start receiving benefits. And everyone should be pressing Congress and the President to take action to strengthen the Social Security system and eliminate unnecessary doubt and confusion at a time when more people than ever are approaching retirement. Jason Fichtner Jason Fichtner is Executive Director of the Retirement Income Institute at the Alliance for Lifetime Income, and served in several positions at the Social Security Administration, including Deputy Commissioner and Chief Economist. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Will I get my Social Security benefit? Here's what to know | Opinion
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Republican accused of lying about combat action that earned him the Bronze Star: 'He didn't save my life'
A Florida Republican is facing claims about his military service record. Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., is a veteran of the war in Iraq and was awarded a Bronze Star in 2021 for his actions on the battlefield in 2003. After the war, he worked as a military contractor and helped evacuate a family from Afghanistan in 2021 when the U.S. withdrew its military forces. The decorated veteran turned a blue seat red after winning in 2022. His heroics for taking 'great risk to his own life' whilst saving the lives of multiple men under 'intense enemy fire,' according to the submission document for his Bronze Star, earned him the award. But now, multiple men who served on the mission say they don't remember him. 'He didn't save my life,' Private First Class Joe Heit, one of the men listed on the award submission form, told NOTUS. 'I don't recall him being there either,' Heit added. He also claimed that contrary to what the submission form says his injuries were not life threatening. The completed military award form states that Mills saved Heit and Corporal Alan Babin after he 'applied emergency life-saving medical care to both soldiers and assisted in their evacuation back to US Forces, saving the lives of both soldiers.' Though Babin has no recollection of the incident, the pilot who flew him off of the battlefield that day, Henry 'Hank' Barbe, told NOTUS he has no memory of Mills' saving anyone that day. 'From what I understand about Mills is he might have been in the unit. I don't remember him being involved in the medevac,' Barbe shared. 'To be fair, I was worried about the patients. I don't remember him, and from what I understand, other people don't remember him.' Sergeant First Class Chris Painter, a platoon leader for the 2003 operation told NOTUS that he also does not recall Mills' saving anyone after Heit and Babin were injured. 'I can pretty much confirm 100 percent Cory Mills was not up at the bridges at the location of the everything,' Painter told the outlet. Another soldier who was also there but requested to stay anonymous, also told NOTUS that he did not see Mills helping downed soldiers that day. The man who signed off on the Bronze Star recommendation, Retired Brigadier General Arnold Gordon-Bray, told NOTUS that he didn't 'care about' Mills' achievements before approving the award. Awards were reportedly approved en masse batches, and Gordon-Bray was not involved directly in Mills' service. In a statement provided to NOTUS, Mills said the frenetic nature of the combat could be to blame for the discrepancies. 'I was on the ground,' he told the outlet. 'It was a chaotic day and understandable that others may have different recollections of events.' Mills' office did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Mills as a soldier in the Army The claims are further controversy for Mills, 44. Other claims have circulated against Mills since he first ran for Congress, including from his political opponents and detractors online who blog about his combat record. According to NOTUS, a complaint regarding Mills' service record has been sent to the Congressional Ethics Office for review. In March, the House Ethics Committee announced it was extending an investigation into allegations that Mills may have improperly completed financial disclosure reports and kept contracts with the federal government. The former U.S. Army sniper also drew headlines earlier this year for an alleged assault that took place near his D.C. residence. Mills denied all wrongdoing in the matter and it is still being investigated by Washington's Metropolitan Police Department.
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Mystery deepens over infamous UK shipwreck that holidaymaker DROWNED trying to explore as probe is suddenly called off
The SS Vina washed up on shore in 1944 WRECK RIDDLE Mystery deepens over infamous UK shipwreck that holidaymaker DROWNED trying to explore as probe is suddenly called off MYSTERY is swirling over an infamous UK shipwreck where a holidaymaker drowned he tried to explore it. Raymond Mills died on August 17 last year while wading out to see wreckage of the SS Vina, which ran aground off the coast of Norfolk in 1944. 2 Raymond Mills died after getting caught out by the tide when he walked out to explore a shipwreck 2 The SS Vina once carried cargo between the east coast and the Baltic in the 1800s Credit: SWNS Mr Mills got into difficulties in the strong currents near the ship and vanished beneath the water. His granddaughter - who he was with at the time - managed to get back to safety. But Mr Mills' body was later recovered from the water by a rescue helicopter. During an inquest into his death earlier this year, his family called for additional safety measures to be made at the National Trust-owned beach. But the probe has been paused due to an ongoing mystery over the who owns the wreckage. The SS Vina lies 800 metres off Brancaster Beach in Norfolk and is exposed during low tides. It was built in 1894 and carried cargo between the east coast and the Baltic for decades. After being requisitioned by the military and later used as target practice by the RAF, the SS Vina ran ashore in her current resting place on Brancaster Beach. The vessel has become something of a notorious landmark in an area known as Wreck Sands, which can quickly become cut off by fast-moving tides. Mr Mills' family told the inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court earlier this year, the signage about the dangers of the wreck were inadequate. Watch wreck of 'most advanced ship before Titanic' emerge as it's found 132yrs after sinking with owner's family onboard Samantha Goward, an area coroner, too agreed that action needed to be taken to avoid a repeat of the tragedy. She said she would write to the National Trust to establish what signs there were. However, her investigations have exposed the mystery over who owns the wreck itself and raised questions over what can be done to improve safety. In her report, Mrs Goward said: 'During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern. 'In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.' The National Trust said it was not responsible for the wreck. Instead, Ms Goward's investigations indicated the Vina was owned and managed by Trinity House, the organisation responsible for lighthouses and other navigational aids around the coast. She contacted the organisation, as well as Natural England, which was understood to be responsible for the coastal area on which the wreck lies. However, it advised that because the wreck was submerged at high tide, a sign would be impractical. It also said that Trinity House may consider putting a sign on the mast. But Trinity House then told Ms Goward that it was not the legal owner of the wreck and had previously told the National Trust this. Upon further enquiry with HM Coastguard, Ms Goward was told the wreck was privately owned when it was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Ministry of Defence, but records do not show who currently owns it. It was suggested that the Department for Transport may be able to assist with ownership, and the report has been sent to them. Mrs Goward's report continues: 'I have therefore reached a point where I am unable to establish who may be the owner of this wreck and responsible for considering concerns over the lack of signage warning of risks. 'I am concerned that, in light of the above, there is no safe system in place to ensure that an organisation is responsible for the management and safety of such shipwrecks which are accessible by members of the public. 'With no clear system to ensure that the owners can be identified, there is no system to ensure that concerns can be raised with them when safety concerns arise. 'That that wreckage does not have sufficient warnings at the location to alert members of the public, particularly those who are not familiar with the tidal waters.' Mr Mills' widow welcomed the report, calling for the wreck's complete removal. She said: "I wonder how many more people need to lose their life before something is done." "Ideally the wreck should be removed. It's of no significant historical interest. "At the very least, clear signage should appear on the wreck and along the various access routes." Prior to his death, Mr Mills had planned his trip down to the last detail. However, he got into difficulties in the strong currents near the ship and vanished beneath the water. His granddaughter, who he was with at the time, managed to get back to safety. But sadly, Mr Mills' body was later recovered from the water by a rescue helicopter. He was then flown to Norwich Airport but was pronounced dead shortly after the aircraft landed.
The Sun
29-04-2025
- General
- The Sun
Mystery deepens over infamous UK shipwreck that holidaymaker DROWNED trying to explore as probe is suddenly called off
MYSTERY is swirling over an infamous UK shipwreck where a holidaymaker drowned he tried to explore it. Raymond Mills died on August 17 last year while wading out to see wreckage of the SS Vina, which ran aground off the coast of Norfolk in 1944. 2 2 Mr Mills got into difficulties in the strong currents near the ship and vanished beneath the water. His granddaughter - who he was with at the time - managed to get back to safety. But Mr Mills' body was later recovered from the water by a rescue helicopter. During an inquest into his death earlier this year, his family called for additional safety measures to be made at the National Trust-owned beach. But the probe has been paused due to an ongoing mystery over the who owns the wreckage. The SS Vina lies 800 metres off Brancaster Beach in Norfolk and is exposed during low tides. It was built in 1894 and carried cargo between the east coast and the Baltic for decades. After being requisitioned by the military and later used as target practice by the RAF, the SS Vina ran ashore in her current resting place on Brancaster Beach. The vessel has become something of a notorious landmark in an area known as Wreck Sands, which can quickly become cut off by fast-moving tides. Mr Mills' family told the inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court earlier this year, the signage about the dangers of the wreck were inadequate. Watch wreck of 'most advanced ship before Titanic' emerge as it's found 132yrs after sinking with owner's family onboard Samantha Goward, an area coroner, too agreed that action needed to be taken to avoid a repeat of the tragedy. She said she would write to the National Trust to establish what signs there were. However, her investigations have exposed the mystery over who owns the wreck itself and raised questions over what can be done to improve safety. In her report, Mrs Goward said: 'During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern. 'In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.' The National Trust said it was not responsible for the wreck. Instead, Ms Goward's investigations indicated the Vina was owned and managed by Trinity House, the organisation responsible for lighthouses and other navigational aids around the coast. She contacted the organisation, as well as Natural England, which was understood to be responsible for the coastal area on which the wreck lies. However, it advised that because the wreck was submerged at high tide, a sign would be impractical. It also said that Trinity House may consider putting a sign on the mast. But Trinity House then told Ms Goward that it was not the legal owner of the wreck and had previously told the National Trust this. Upon further enquiry with HM Coastguard, Ms Goward was told the wreck was privately owned when it was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Ministry of Defence, but records do not show who currently owns it. It was suggested that the Department for Transport may be able to assist with ownership, and the report has been sent to them. Mrs Goward's report continues: 'I have therefore reached a point where I am unable to establish who may be the owner of this wreck and responsible for considering concerns over the lack of signage warning of risks. 'I am concerned that, in light of the above, there is no safe system in place to ensure that an organisation is responsible for the management and safety of such shipwrecks which are accessible by members of the public. 'With no clear system to ensure that the owners can be identified, there is no system to ensure that concerns can be raised with them when safety concerns arise. 'That that wreckage does not have sufficient warnings at the location to alert members of the public, particularly those who are not familiar with the tidal waters.' Mr Mills' widow welcomed the report, calling for the wreck's complete removal. She said: "I wonder how many more people need to lose their life before something is done." "Ideally the wreck should be removed. It's of no significant historical interest. "At the very least, clear signage should appear on the wreck and along the various access routes." Prior to his death, Mr Mills had planned his trip down to the last detail. However, he got into difficulties in the strong currents near the ship and vanished beneath the water. His granddaughter, who he was with at the time, managed to get back to safety. He was then flown to Norwich Airport but was pronounced dead shortly after the aircraft landed.
