Author: rpnadmin

How to compare pet insurance policiesWhile the cost of pet insurance is one of the most important factors you’ll consider when comparing pet insurance policies, there are features to consider:1. Look at the annual coverage limit options Some plans limit the dollar amount you can receive in benefits, while others are unlimited. If you want a safety net for a substantial emergency vet bill, look into unlimited plans. For example, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association reports that the most expensive dog insurance claim paid in 2024 (the most recent data available) was $65,889 for a dog in Washington with…

Determining how much term life insurance you needBefore you buy term life insurance, calculate how much life insurance you need. Consider why you’re buying the coverage—are you buying life insurance so your family can continue to pay the bills and reach financial goals if you die and your income stops? In that case, start by looking at your family’s expenses, assets, income sources and financial goals. Also consider how long you’ll need insurance. That is an important factor for determining whether it is best to get term vs. whole life insurance, or another type of permanent policy.If term life insurance is…

Usage-based insurance (UBI) programs use telematic devices or apps to track driving habits, including miles driven, speed and acceleration patterns, and handheld-device usage. Good drivers might become eligible for a discount through some UBI programs, but it’s important to note that poor driving habits, such as speeding or driving while using your smartphone, can result in increased rates with some programs. Before you enroll in a UBI plan, ask the insurer if your driving habits can lead to a premium increase. Some insurers, like Nationwide and USAA, offer UBI programs that don’t increase rates if your driving scores poorly, so there’s less risk…

Vermont had a problem. Child care was too expensive. “We would be paying $3,500 a month, more than twice our mortgage.” Some parents were giving up their careers to stay home — “After daycare, you come home with maybe $60 extra a week. It’s just not even worth it at that point.” making it harder for local businesses to hire workers. Some businesses wanted the state to pay for childcare, but they faced a big obstacle. “The word tax. It’s a very volatile word.” Ultimately, Vermont did manage to make child care more affordable. So we’re here to find out…

On January 21, ICE agents in Portland, Maine, arrested Emanuel Landila, an asylum seeker from Angola, legally working as a corrections officer recruit. “Good afternoon.” Hours later, Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce publicly defended the officer in training, whom he’d vetted and hired a year ago. “In fact, he was squeaky clean. Squeaky clean.” Sheriff Joyce then delivered one of the most scathing critiques of ICE tactics by local police. “In the three minutes, they got out, they pulled a guy from the car, handcuffed him, put him in the car. They all took off, leaving his car with the…

The leaders of three federal immigration agencies are set to testify at a Senate hearing on Thursday, while senators are locked in a dispute over new restrictions that would curb their operations.The heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are expected to appear before the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee. The hearing comes two days after the officials repeatedly declined to answer questions from members of the House about the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis last month.Thursday’s hearing will also take place as…

“Have you noticed that I kept looking back, and I have been looking and seeing if there are any cars following us?” We’re in Minnesota, where Fernanda is trying to reach pregnant women hiding from ICE. “Because the last thing that I heard is that ICE is targeting people that are dropping off food.” Fernanda works as a midwife, but on her days off, she volunteers to bring food and baby supplies to expecting moms like Ana, an undocumented single mother of two from Mexico. Out of fear of being targeted, Ana asked not to be identified. Health providers across…

A sign in front of the entrance of the Social Security Administration’s main campus on March 19, 2025, in Woodlawn, Md. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images For much of the last year, staffers who were initially part of the Department of Government Efficiency effort improperly accessed and shared sensitive personal data on millions of Americans. The Trump administration hasn’t been able to answer how much data is at risk, what it was used for or why its unprecedented efforts to consolidate data are needed. Those questions deepened last week, when the Social Security Administration said…

Vice President Vance gives remarks while standing in front of ICE agents following a roundtable discussion with local leaders and community members amid a surge of federal immigration authorities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pool/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Pool/Getty Images Minneapolis has quickly become the center of massive political unrest after Renee Macklin Good was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer more than two weeks ago. Legal battles and protests have sprung up around a surge in federal law enforcement on the streets. Good’s death may have ignited the crisis in the city, but…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at Mar-a-Lago, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP WASHINGTON — The Pentagon released a priority-shifting National Defense Strategy late Friday that chastised U.S. allies to take control of their own security and reasserted the Trump administration’s focus on dominance in the Western Hemisphere above a longtime goal of countering China. The 34-page document, the first since 2022, was highly political for a military blueprint, criticizing partners from Europe to Asia for relying on previous U.S. administrations to subsidize their defense. It called for “a sharp…