Latest news with #Sophia
ABC News
17 hours ago
- Health
- ABC News
NDIS travel allowance cuts could leave regional kids without care
Outback physiotherapist Keegan Simpson can drive thousands of kilometres just to see one patient. "We cover an area from Quilpie up to Cloncurry, which is about a quarter of the Queensland state," he said. The Longreach resident said cuts to the National Disablity Insurance Scheme (NDIS) set to come in from July 1 would make it harder to see patients living with disability on properties in remote parts of the state. The agency in charge of the NDIS released a pricing review earlier this month, which indicated travel subsidies for allied health professionals would be cut in half and there would be fee reductions for hourly rates. Mr Simpson fears the cuts will affect care for people in the bush because many cannot get to town for services, relying on home visits. Mr Simpson said many patients were already worried about the cuts. "They need to increase their independence so they can function in their day-to-day life." In the Rutledge family home in Gympie in south-east Queensland, Alannah and her husband Zakkary spend their mornings helping their children, Sophia and Theo, get ready for school, while managing feeding tubes, mobility equipment and constant supervision. Six-year-old Sophia has Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare and degenerative condition that gradually affects her movement, speech and ability to eat. Ms Rutledge says she has been told therapists may soon stop travelling to see Sophia due to the cuts. Sophia's physiotherapist is based nearby, but her occupational therapist and speech pathologist travel to the home. Ms Rutledge said it had taken years to find clinicians with the expertise to support her daughter's high and complex care needs. "We are beyond stressed that we will lose really good therapists … it would really impact her and our family," she said. On the Gold Coast, nine-year-old Nina Miska-McDonald took her first steps with the help of a physiotherapist. "Before the NDIS, I thought that the only option was to send her to a special school … but she was so social, I wanted her to be able to go to a mainstream school like her brother and sister," her mum Renata Miska said. "The fact that we could get her walking and holding someone's hand to walk into school, that has really helped." Ms Miska takes Nina to a physio clinic in Robina for some appointments, but workers come to her home for other support. Nina's physio Luke Newland said planned cuts to the hourly rate for allied services comes at a time when the fees are already stagnant. Lauren Newland, who runs Physio4Kids in Robina with her husband Luke, said the support they provided to children was not just about movement but "inclusion". "When we're cut, kids miss out, they can't go to the sports, they're left behind in the playground, they struggle with stairs at school," Mrs Newland said. She said she felt allied health services were being "singled out" by the cuts. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) said the changes would bring NDIS prices more in line with broader industry benchmarks. "In some cases, NDIS price limits exceeded the market rate by up to 68 per cent," a spokesperson said. The agency said the new rules aimed to encourage efficient scheduling, reduce the risk of plans running out too quickly, and deliver better value for participants. Therapists working in remote and very remote areas will still be eligible for higher price loadings of 40 to 50 per cent.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Katseye on the Timely Meaning Behind New ‘Beautiful Chaos' EP: ‘A Big Transitional Part of Us'
Katseye is ready to cause some chaos. The global girl group comprised of members Sophia, Daniela, Megan, Lara, Manon and Yoonchae were strangers only four years ago, climbing up the ranks as K pop trainees in the reality competition series 'The Debut: Dream Academy.' In the wake of the show's finale, and the release of Netflix's accompanying 'Pop Star Academy' docuseries, Katseye became breakout performers with the pastel-painted visuals and sugary sweet pop in their debut EP 'SIS (Soft is Strong),' and era-defining single 'Touch.' But while Katseye may have started out soft, the group's loud and unapologetic personalities quickly overtook the carefully-manicured aesthetic that had been preselected for them on 'Dream Academy.' Frequently going viral in K pop spheres for their foul-mouthed, high-energy WeVerse live streams, Katseye's honest intensity has helped shape the sound of their sophomore EP, 'Beautiful Chaos.' ''Beautiful Chaos' is the season we're all in,' Sophia tells Variety. 'It's very much us, but it's also us constantly evolving and finding ourselves. It's a big transitional part of Katseye, in discovering who we are and the different sides of us.' Described by the group as a 'celebration of confusion' the five-track EP has no shortage of earworms, including lead single 'Gnarly,' a hyperpop track penned by Alice Longyu Gao and Madison Love (Lady Gaga, Katy Perry) and produced by Pink Slip. Other tracks include the Latin pop-inspired 'Gabriela,' and the bass-heavy 'M.I.A,' an electronic track that Manon is eager to perform live. Katseye leader Sophia agrees that 'M.I.A' will be a crowd-pleaser, especially at gigs like their upcoming Lollapalooza set on Aug. 3. '[M.I.A] is meant to be performed in a stadium… to be performed at Lolla,' says Sophia. 'I blast 'M.I.A' in my car all the time, literally all the time,' emphasizes Lara. 'I roll my windows down, and I envision what our Lolla performance will look like.' Though Katseye is no stranger to intensive choreography in their performances, Megan says mastering the steps for 'Gabriela,' was a particular challenge. Featuring acoustic guitar and a Spanish-language bridge from Daniela, 'Gabriela' has the members singing — more like pleading with — the titular temptress not to take their lover(s): ('You could have anyone else you wanted to/I'm begging you/Back off of my fella, Gabriela'). The music video for 'Gabriela' is equally as drama-infused, observing a telenovela-inspired affair that includes a wedding, a finger amputation, and a 'Succession' style clash as the members vie to succeed Jessica Alba as CEO of Gabriela Enterprises. Megan and the other Katseye members turned to Daniela for pointers on mastering the ballroom-inspired choreography in the video. 'My mom taught me how to dance, she's a ballroom dancer,' says Daniela. 'The choreography for this song ['Gabriella'] is definitely more ballroom-y, a little flamenco inspired. There's a lot of hip movements in there, so I was able to help the girls out a little bit with the moves.' ''Gabriela' was the hardest for me,' adds Megan. 'It's a little different than what we've done before, a little bit sexier, which I love. But we practiced a lot in heels for 'Gabriela.' For Katseye, discovering different sides of themselves also means supporting each other. In May, Lara was honored with The Los Angeles LGBT Center's Blooming Impact award, which acknowledges her advocacy for the community as a queer public figure. Few K-pop idols are out and proud members of the LGBTQ+ community but Lara says the support of her fellow Katseye members – who presented Lara with the award – has been invaluable. Megan also recently came out as bisexual. 'It was so unexpected and such an honor to have my girls there for me,' says Lara. 'They gave a speech before, and having them hand the ward to be, and be on stage with me, that was so beautiful. I could not have traded that experience for the world. I touched on it in my speech, but growing up there were a lot of troublesome experiences trying to understand who I am and my sexuality.' 'To think that now I'm 19,' she continues, 'And getting an award for it, with my parents in the audience? And I'm talking about it in front of them? My whole family was there, my family in India saw it. So much stuff that little Lara was so deeply afraid of… I overcame that fear. So many people came up to me that night — or have DM'd me since — saying they came out because I did. Or that they came out as trans, and saying I inspired them to do that, which is… unreal.' Though queer visibility in K-pop remains at a minimum, Lara says she's determined to continue to use her newfound platform as an idol. 'It was such a moment of 'Wow. There is a genuine influence and impact that we can make,'' she says. 'Our voice can actually inspire and help people do things, and feel more comfortable within themselves, which is a big responsibility, but I'm honored.' While Katseye's fans — affectionately known as Eyekons — flocked to show Lara their support, wider reactions to Lara's coming out were mixed, with the Korea Herald describing her announcement as 'shocking.' As an international group whose place in K-pop has been challenged since their debut, Katseye are no strangers to being anomalies in the industry, and Sophia says the group continues to lean on each other for support. 'I'm somebody who grew up in a house with a lot of people in it – my whole family, even my grandparents. I got used to having people at home, so coming here all the way from the Philippines, and not going home the entire time I was training and for the first half of Katseye…if I didn't have this [the group], I don't know how far I would've made it,' says Sophia. 'Being in this group and all living together, It's forced us to learn to truly work with each other in different parts of our lives,' she admits. 'This career is not just something we can clock in and clock out of. This is a lifestyle, this is something we have to learn how to implement into every single part of our lives. It's really built our dynamic, and that bleeds into our work — when we make music, when we're in rehearsals and when we're performing.' 'We never have to cry in a room alone, ever. We always are going to have somebody there to support us, and that's what's really keeping us going.' 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GMA Network
a day ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Katseye drops 'Beautiful Chaos' EP, disco-inspired music video for 'Gameboy'
Katseye is here with some new bangers! The girl group dropped their new 'Beautiful Chaos' EP on Friday, which includes the previously released tracks 'Gnarly' and 'Gabriela.' More tracks include 'Gameboy,' 'Mean Girls,' and 'MIA.' Following the release, Katseye took to Instagram to thank their fans 'for all of the love and support you've shown us." "Thank you for being here from the beginning. these songs are extremely meaningful to us and it's been SO hard to keep them from you," they added. 'Welcome to the world of 'Beautiful Chaos,' we can't wait for you to be a part of it.' On Friday, Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae also released the music video for 'Gameboy,' where the ladies danced the choreography on top of a lit-up disco dancefloor. The Katseye craze took over Manila in 2024 when the girl group visited the country for a fan showcase, various appearances including 'It's Showtime,' and collaborations with Filipino content creators like Niana Guerrero. Filipina member Sophia was also able to reunite with her family, and Lara and Megan were able to try balut. The girls are best known for their viral song, 'Touch.' — Nika Roque/LA, GMA Integrated News
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Science
- Scotsman
Scottish Pupil's engineering invention bridges the gap for those with learning difficulties
Sophia from Gargieston Primary School in Kilmarnock submitted her engineering idea to Primary Engineer's annual UK STEM competition which asks pupils aged 3 –19 the question 'If you were an engineer, what would you do?'. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... She was recognised as one of the winners in her year group at the Scotland South West award ceremony, one of 25 regional UK events, in 2024. Her creation is a headband which makes it a little easier to focus on school work with features such as noise cancelling, a smart camera, a desk projection plus a customisable look. Her idea was inspired by someone at her school who struggles in class, her idea would help eliminate noise within the classroom that might distract them and maximise their engagement and learning at times. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Each year Industry and University partners of Primary Engineer choose a pupil's idea to build into a Prototype and to be revealed a year later at the regional awards ceremony. Her original idea submitted to Primary Engineer's competition Thales selected Sophia's idea to bring to life during the 2024-2025 academic year. The Thales ProtoTeam said: 'The Focus band is a unique prototype that is capable of enriching the learning experience. Whilst it focuses on bridging the gap for those with learning difficulties, this design idea is beneficial for all learners. "Sophia was able to recognise the challenges others face in their learning experience and through collaboration we were able to create something that we feel is truly special! The experience we've had working with Primary Engineer and being able to finally unveil our design was unforgettable, we can't wait to bring more amazing ideas to life.' The finished prototype was officially unveiled on June 13 at the Scotland South West regional award ceremony hosted at Glasgow International Airport in Prestwick. Sophia's family attended the event saying. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nicolle, Sophia's Mum, commented: 'It was amazing to see the spark in Sophia's eye when she created the idea then when she found out it would be built, she was super excited. The whole journey has been brilliant, the engineers really listened to everything she said and took time to understand why she had the idea. Sophia has loved every minute of it.' The ProtoTeam from Thales with Sophia the ProtoPupil Sophia said: 'I was really excited when I was told it would be built, the best bit was seeing it in real life. I loved having the engineers in the school talking about it and doing fun activities'. 'If you were an Engineer, what would you do' is an annual, national competition free to enter for all 3-19 school pupils. Entries are open now for 2025-2026 and schools can register now at
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
GOP-Led Campaign Spotlights How Donald Trump Is Wrecking Lives
A new $15 million campaign launched Tuesday morning is spotlighting how President Donald Trump's policies are harming ordinary Americans during his second term. The nonprofit 'Home Of The Brave' initiative will share video testimonials from people across the country 'who have been harmed by Donald Trump's disastrous policies,' according to a press release sent to HuffPost. It will also post stories on Substack. In one of the launch videos, a Virginia mother named Kirsten tells of the 'real fear' she now has for the future of her daughter, who has Down syndrome, following the Trump administration's cuts to National Institutes of Health research funding, in particular with regards to how people with Down syndrome have a higher chance of developing Alzheimer's disease. Indiana-based e-commerce business owner Devon, who has her products manufactured in China, explained in another video how 'our business planning and trajectory changed overnight' when Trump decided to slap massive tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. from overseas. Devon said the company was set to enjoy its best year yet and was due to scale up even further, but now she was just 'sad and heartbroken,' particularly as her products would prove super difficult to be made in the U.S. And former federal contractor Sophia, meanwhile, explained how her now-nixed role seeking to improve air quality was 'work that's super important' and impacts everyone. 'Not just me, not just my loss of a job,' she said. 'If the air isn't clean, there are so many devastating impacts.' Sarah Longwell, a founding member of the initiative's advisory board, said the project aims to 'give regular Americans a place to tell their story about how the Trump administration is harming them, their communities and their country.' 'We call America the Home of the Brave. But in the face of President Trump's threats of retribution, many of our elite institutions are caving rather than pushing back when Trump attacks them,' said Longwell, publisher of the center-right Bulwark website and founder of Republican Voters Against Trump. 'It's been depressing to watch so many media companies, universities, law firms and tech companies bow down to this petty dictator,' she added. Other advisory board members include conservative former Federal Judge J. Michael Luttig, conservative Attorney George Conway, former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), former Trump White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews, and Michael Fanone, the ex-Metropolitan Police officer who was attacked by Trump supporters during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Kayleigh McEnany's 'Every Dictator' Take On Trump Iran Strike Draws Online Fire Critics Point Out Glaring Contradiction In Trump's Iran 'Regime Change' Post JD Vance Roasted For Line That Inadvertently Seemed To Insult Trump AOC Brutally Bursts Trump World Bubble On Hegseth's 'No Leak' Praise
