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Swimming Coach’s Daily Workout #1040

Sport

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10 June 2025
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SwimSwam’s daily swimming workout series is a collection of workouts written by coaches from a variety of backgrounds. All daily swimming workouts have been written using Commit Swimming. The workouts themselves are not indicative of SwimSwam’s or Commit’s views on training. They strictly reflect the opinions of the author swim coach.

Workout Context

Purpose: Technique Work

Target age group: 15-18 years old, 13-14 years old

Target level: Age Group (Intermediate)

Weeks until target meet: 27 weeks

Team Location: undefined

Course: 50 Meters

Shared workout link: Click here to view this workout on commitswimming.com

The Workout

Coach Notes

The swim coach was asked to define any shorthand he or she used in this workout. Their notes should provide some additional context to this swimming workout.

nob: no breathe
orange: 80% effort
red: 90% effort

SwimSwam’s daily swimming workout is powered by Commit Swimming.

Swimming news for swim coaches and swim teams, courtesy of Commit Swimming. Click here to view all daily swimming workouts on SwimSwam.

Exploring Further: 5 Tunnel Boring Machines Revolutionizing Worldwide Infrastructure

Innovation

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10 June 2025
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From the Hades of Greek mythology to Jules Verne’s hollow earth, the subterranean world has always fascinated humanity. It has been a source of valuable minerals and the scene of powerful volcanic eruptions. Today, the underground also hosts an intricate network of transport routes that alleviate urban traffic congestion and enable rail systems to function without disrupting surface landscapes. Many of these tunnels owe their existence to tunnel boring machines (TBMs)—massive mechanical worms that harness cutting-edge technology to navigate the hostile environments of the subterranean realm.

In this article, you will learn about the following topics:

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What are tunnel boring machines

A tunnel boring machine (TBM) is a specialised machine designed for excavating tunnels. Resembling giant metal worms, they feature a cutting head at the front capable of excavating at speeds exceeding one metre per hour. TBMs enable the efficient excavation of large volumes of material with exceptional precision, minimising surface disruptions and reducing the risks associated with underground construction.

These machines are enormous and complex to operate. For context, the largest TBM measures 120 metres in length, with a cutting head 17 metres in diameter and a weight of approximately 5,000 tonnes.

Main components of a tunnel boring machine

TBMs are intricate and massive, pushing the boundaries of industrial vehicle engineering. Beyond the control systems and the operator’s cabin, these are their key components:

Cutting head. The rotating front section equipped with cutting discs or specialised tools for excavating the ground.

Shield. A metallic structure that protects the machine and its operators while ensuring tunnel stability during excavation.

Propulsion system. Hydraulic jacks that propel the TBM forward as it progresses.

Segmentation frame. Places precast concrete segments (known as linings) to reinforce the tunnel walls as excavation continues.

Debris support and evacuation system. Extracts and transports excavated material, such as rock and soil, out of the tunnel.

5 types of tunnel boring machines (and their game-changing projects)

Since the late 20th century, tunnel boring machines have played a critical role in major underground infrastructure projects worldwide. Over time, various TBM models have been developed to tackle specific challenges. Here are five key types and the iconic projects where they proved their worth.

Earth pressure balance (EPB)

EPBs are ideal for soft, mixed, and sandy soils where maintaining constant pressure is essential to prevent ground collapse. These widely used machines enable precise excavation and stabilise the working face, minimising surface disruption.

Line 6 of the São Paulo subway, Brazil (2021-2025). Two TBMs, each 10.6 metres in diameter and weighing 2,000 tonnes, were equipped with advanced technologies to navigate São Paulo’s challenging urban geology.

Double shield TBMs

Designed for heterogeneous and rocky terrains, double shield TBMs feature two protective shields to ensure safety and precision during excavation.

Follo Line, Norway (2016-2022). The construction of Scandinavia’s longest railway tunnel (20 km) required TBMs tailored to Norway’s geology and equipped with automated geotechnical monitoring systems.

Slurry TBMs (hydroshield TBMs)

Slurry TBMs use a mixture of water and bentonite to stabilise the working face in areas with high water pressure or unstable soils. They are particularly effective for excavating beneath bodies of water.

Port of Miami underwater tunnel, USA (2010–2014). A 12.86-metre-diameter slurry TBM was used to excavate a 1.2 km underwater tunnel.

Single shield TBMs

These TBMs use a single protective shield and are best suited for stable soils. Although less common today, they were indispensable for many historic projects.

M-30 Tunnel, Madrid, Spain (2005-2007). . A TBM with a diameter exceeding 15 metres, a world record at the time, was used to underground a major section of Madrid’s M-30 ring road.

Main Beam TBMs (open type)

Lacking a protective shield, these TBMs are designed for hard, stable rock. They are typically used in projects where additional ground support is unnecessary.

Hallandsås Tunnel, Sweden (1992-2015). Excavation of an 8.7 km railway tunnel through the Hallandsås massif involved a TBM optimised for hard rock.

These examples illustrate how each type of tunnel boring machine is carefully matched to the geological conditions and specific demands of the project, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.

If you are interested in learning about more innovative construction technologies—like robots that can build houses in a single day or sustainable materials such as green concrete—subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page

Doctors are “concerned” about Queen Elizabeth’s health as she is placed under medical supervision.

Politics

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10 June 2025
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Doctors are “concerned” for the health of Queen Elizabeth II and have placed her under medical supervision, Buckingham Palace announced Thursday.

“Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the Palace said in a statement. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

The Queen’s eldest son and heir Prince Charles is with her, while other family including Princes William and Harry have also journeyed to Scotland.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said in a statement, “The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime.”

“My thoughts — and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom — are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time,” Truss said.

The Queen was last seen publicly on Tuesday at her Scotland residence, where she formally invited Truss to become prime minister. In photos of the meeting, the 96-year-old monarch used her cane and smiled at cameras.

Sunnova declares bankruptcy due to challenges in the residential solar market

Business

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10 June 2025
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Sunnova files for bankruptcy on residential solar woes

Trump to mobilize Marines in response to escalating protests in LA | Latest updates from President Donald Trump

Politics

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10 June 2025
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The Pentagon will send a Marine battalion to Los Angeles in a major escalation of US President Donald Trump’s response to anti-immigration enforcement protests, the United States military has said.

The statement on Monday confirmed the “activation” of 700 Marines to help protect federal personnel and property in the California city, where Trump had deployed the US National Guard a day earlier.

The update came despite opposition from state officials, including California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, who had earlier mounted a legal challenge to the deployment of the National Guard troops.

In a statement, the military said the “activation of the Marines” was meant to help “provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency”.

Speaking to the Reuters news agency, an unnamed Trump administration official said the soldiers would be acting only in support of the National Guard and other law enforcement.

The official said that Trump was not yet invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would suspend legal limitations that block the military from taking part in domestic law enforcement.

Speaking shortly before the reports emerged, Trump said he was open to deploying Marines to Los Angeles, but said protests in the city were “heading in the right direction”.

“We’ll see what happens,” he said.

Reporting from Los Angeles, Al Jazeera’s Rob Reynolds said protests on Monday organised in the city centre by union groups were peaceful.

He noted that the National Guard which Trump had deployed to the city on Sunday played a minimal role in responding to the protests, only guarding federal buildings. That raised questions over why the Trump administration would feel a Marine deployment was needed.

“[The National Guard] didn’t engage with the protesters. They didn’t do much of anything other than stand there in their military uniforms,” Reynolds said.

He added that there is an important distinction between the National Guard, a state-based military force usually composed of part-time reserves, and the more combat-forward Marines, which are the land force of the US Navy.

“Now the Marines, this is a whole different thing. The United States sends Marines overseas where US imperialist interests are at stake, but not to cities in the United States,” he said.

California Governor Newsom’s office, meanwhile, said that according to the information it had received, the Marines were only being transferred to a base closer to Los Angeles, and not technically being deployed onto the streets.

Still, it said the “level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented – mobilising the best in class branch of the US military against its own citizens”.

California mounts challenge

The updates on Monday came shortly after Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the state had filed a lawsuit challenging Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles.

Newsom has maintained that local law enforcement had the capacity to respond to protests over US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles and the nearby city of Paramount that first broke out on Friday.

The Democratic state leader accused Trump of escalating the situation, saying in a statement that the president was “creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the US Constitution and overstepping his authority”.

“This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic,” Newsom said.

The California lawsuit argues that the legal authority Trump invoked to deploy the National Guard requires the consent of the state’s governor, which Newsom did not provide.

For his part, Trump indicated he would support Newsom being arrested for impeding immigration enforcement, responding to an earlier threat from the president’s border czar, Tom Homan.

Trump’s response to the protests represented the first time since 1965 that a president deployed the National Guard against the will of a state governor. At the time, President Lyndon B Johnson did so to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama.

Protests continue

Protests against Trump’s crackdown – as well as his overall immigration policy – continued on Monday.

Standing in front of Ambiance Apparel in Los Angeles, one of the sites raided by ICE agents last week, Indigenous community leader Perla Rios spoke alongside family members of individuals detained by immigration agents.

Rios called for due process and legal representation for those taken into detention.

“What our families are experiencing is simply a nightmare,” Rios said.

Meanwhile, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) called for protests in cities across the country over the Trump administration’s response to demonstrations, which included the arrest of the union’s California president David Huerta.

Huerta was detained on Friday during immigration raids and charged with conspiracy to impede an officer during immigration enforcement operations.

“From Massachusetts to California, we call for his immediate release and for an end to ICE raids that are tearing our communities apart,” the SEIU said in a statement.

Protesters also gathered in New York and Los Angeles in response to Trump’s latest ban on travellers from 12 countries, a policy critics have decried as racist.

Speaking at a protest in New York City on Monday, Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, said the policy was “a continuation of the Muslim and travel ban under the first Trump administration, which separated families and harmed our communities”.

The policy, he said, was creating “an immense amount of fear”.

Trump proposes $1,000 investment accounts for newborn Americans to provide a head start in life, while critics argue that low-income families have more pressing needs

Business

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10 June 2025
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When children of wealthy families reach adulthood, they often benefit from the largesse of parents in the form of a trust fund. It’s another way they get a leg up on less affluent peers, who may receive nothing at all — or even be expected to support their families.

But what if all children — regardless of their family’s circumstances — could get a financial boost when they turn 18?

That’s the idea behind a House GOP proposal backed by President Donald Trump. It would create tax-deferred investment accounts — coined “Trump Accounts” — for babies born in the U.S. over the next four years, starting them each with $1,000. At age 18, they could withdraw the money to put toward a down payment for a home, education or to start a small business. If the money is used for other purposes, it’ll be taxed at a higher rate.

“This is a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up the next generation,” Trump said at a White House event Monday for the proposal. “They’ll really be getting a big jump on life, especially if we get a little bit lucky with some of the numbers and the economy.”

While the investment would be symbolically meaningful, it’s a relatively small financial commitment to addressing child poverty in the wider $7 trillion federal budget. Assuming a 7% return, the $1,000 would grow to roughly $3,570 over 18 years.

It builds on the concept of “ baby bonds,” which two states — California and Connecticut — and the District of Columbia have introduced as a way to reduce gaps between wealthy people and poor people.

At at time when wealth inequality has soured some young people on capitalism, giving them a stake in Wall Street could be the antidote, said Utah Republican Rep. Blake Moore, who led the effort to get the initiative into a massive House spending bill.

“We know that America’s economic engine is working, but not everyone feels connected to its value and the ways it can benefit them,” Moore wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Examiner. “If we can demonstrate to our next generation the benefits of investing and financial health, we can put them on a path toward prosperity.”

Families of all income levels could receive ‘Trump Accounts’

The bill would require at least one parent to produce a Social Security number with work authorizations, meaning the U.S. citizen children born to some categories of immigrants would be excluded from the benefit. But unlike other baby bond programs, which generally target disadvantaged groups, this one would be available to families of all incomes.

Economist Darrick Hamilton of The New School, who first pitched the idea of baby bonds a quarter-century ago, said the GOP proposal would exacerbate rather than reduce wealth gaps. When he dreamed up baby bonds, he envisioned a program that would be universal but would give children from poor families a larger endowment than their wealthier peers, in an attempt to level the playing field. The money would be handled by the government, not by private firms on Wall Street.

“It is upside down,” Hamilton said. “It’s going to enhance inequality.”

Hamilton added that $1,000 — even with interest — would not be enough to make a significant difference for a child living in poverty.

A Silicon Valley investor who created the blueprint for the proposal, Brad Gerstner, said in an interview with CNBC last year that the accounts could help address the wealth gap and the loss of faith in capitalism that represent an existential crisis for the U.S.

“The rise and fall of nations occurs when you have a wealth gap that grows, when you have people who lose faith in the system,” Gerstner said. “We’re not agentless. We can do something.”

Critics say poor families have more immediate needs

The proposal comes as Congressional Republicans and Trump face backlash for proposed cuts to programs that poor families with children rely on, including food assistance and Medicaid.

Even some who back the idea of baby bonds are skeptical, noting Trump wants to cut higher education grants and programs that aid young people on the cusp of adulthood — the same age group Trump Accounts are supposed to help. Pending federal legislation would slash Medicaid and food and housing assistance that many families with children rely on.

Young adults who grew up in poverty often struggle with covering basics like rent and transportation — expenses that Trump Accounts could not be tapped to cover, said Eve Valdez, an advocate for youth in foster care in southern California. Valdez, a former foster youth, said she was homeless when she turned 18.

Accounts for newborn children that cannot be accessed for 18 years mean little to families struggling to meet basic needs today, said Shimica Gaskins of End Child Poverty California.

“Having children have health care, having their families have access to SNAP and food are what we really need … the country focused on,” Gaskins said.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Israeli Forces Board Aid Boat Bound for Gaza

Politics

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9 June 2025
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Security camera footage shows the moment Israeli forces boarded a yacht that was carrying activists towards Gaza, to deliver humanitarian aid.

The 12 activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, were detained and their boat, the Madleen, was towed to the Israeli port city of Ashdod.

The Madleen’s journey was organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a campaign group that has been trying to breach a blockade on Gaza that was imposed by Israel in 2007 when Hamas took control of the territory.

The activists who set sail on 1 June, said the goal of the mission, which carried a small amount of supplies including rice and baby formula, was to raise awareness of the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by Israel’s restrictions on the delivery of aid.

Israel dismissed it as a “selfie yacht”, saying it would deport the activists to their home countries.

Read more on this story.

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