Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
MPs are to question expenses officials in private, following an explosive public evidence session last week. A second committee hearing had been due to be held in public, but a "round-table discussion" will now take place behind closed doors instead. Some MPs are upset that the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) will cost £6.5m this year, up from £2m for its predecessor. But Ipsa claims the annual bill will fall after an its start-up period ends.
MPs are to question expenses officials in private, following an explosive public evidence session last week.
A second committee hearing had been due to be held in public, but a "round-table discussion" will now take place behind closed doors instead.
Some MPs are upset that the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) will cost £6.5m this year, up from £2m for its predecessor.
But Ipsa claims the annual bill will fall after an its start-up period ends.
Council job adverts should be published online to save money, increase transparency and help reduce pointless posts, says Eric Pickles, the local government secretary.In a speech this afternoon, Pickles will explain the commercial logic behind the strategy, one that could well lead to a further decrease in ad revenue for national, regional and local newspapers.Pickles will point out in his speech to the Local Government Association conference in Bournemouth that it can cost £5,000 to £10,000 to place an advert in some national newspapers. Though he will say that his plan will not end advertising in the media, it is bound - over time, if not sooner - to depress newspaper revenues.
Council job adverts should be published online to save money, increase transparency and help reduce pointless posts, says Eric Pickles, the local government secretary.
In a speech this afternoon, Pickles will explain the commercial logic behind the strategy, one that could well lead to a further decrease in ad revenue for national, regional and local newspapers.
Pickles will point out in his speech to the Local Government Association conference in Bournemouth that it can cost £5,000 to £10,000 to place an advert in some national newspapers.
Though he will say that his plan will not end advertising in the media, it is bound - over time, if not sooner - to depress newspaper revenues.
This doesn't just hurt local papers. Given the lack of access most low paid workers have to the internet, this undermines their opportunities to hear about these jobs to give them a chance of fair competition. Just another entitled slob having a pop at the poor. keep to the Fen Causeway
(newspaper) + (ad agency) + (case workers)
!!!eleventyone! DEAD, as AT might crow. Ficiency WINS!
Long live Greenslade AND Pickles Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
You're right, I was unfair to impugn Greenslade. After all, he's just a reporter whose salary is paid out of subscription and ad revenue. He does his best with the information he has to illustrate real economic implications along the "migration path" to a brave, new world of remote social intercourse.
What I really ought to have pointed out is the phantasmagoric elephant, as it were, that migrates from story to story about broadband access ("transparency" of market information) and self-service HR apps ("mash up without charge").
That is, broadband access does not "save or create" jobs. People do. Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
Clashes between Kurdish separatist fighters and Turkish soldiers in the country's southeast have left at least 13 people dead, local security officials said. Violence erupted overnight as fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fired at a military post in Hakkari province, near the Iraqi border. Three soldiers and 10 fighters were killed in the battle that followed, while another three soldiers were wounded. Turkish military helicopters have flown in to search for the remaining fighters, security sources said.
Clashes between Kurdish separatist fighters and Turkish soldiers in the country's southeast have left at least 13 people dead, local security officials said.
Violence erupted overnight as fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fired at a military post in Hakkari province, near the Iraqi border.
Three soldiers and 10 fighters were killed in the battle that followed, while another three soldiers were wounded.
Turkish military helicopters have flown in to search for the remaining fighters, security sources said.
The government announces a judge-led inquiry into allegations British security services were complicit in torture, but the release of new torture guidelines is not terribly revealing without the old ones, writes Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Israel. The prime minister said he hoped the independent inquiry, led by former appeal court judge Sir Peter Gibson, would start by the end of the year and report within a year. David Cameron told the Commons that the reputation of our security services is being over-shadowed by allegations about the treatement of detainees overseas.
The government announces a judge-led inquiry into allegations British security services were complicit in torture, but the release of new torture guidelines is not terribly revealing without the old ones, writes Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Israel.
The prime minister said he hoped the independent inquiry, led by former appeal court judge Sir Peter Gibson, would start by the end of the year and report within a year.
David Cameron told the Commons that the reputation of our security services is being over-shadowed by allegations about the treatement of detainees overseas.
David Cameron, the British prime minister, has appointed a retired judge to lead an inquiry into allegations that UK spies were complicit in the torture of terrorism suspects held overseas. The inquiry follows civil cases brought against the government by 12 ex-detainees who claim Britain colluded in their mistreatment in Pakistan, Morocco and elsewhere. Peter Gibson, currently the intelligence services commissioner, a watchdog for Britain's security services, will lead a three-member panel investigating the claims. British authorities say they would never use, or encourage others to use, torture to gain information.
David Cameron, the British prime minister, has appointed a retired judge to lead an inquiry into allegations that UK spies were complicit in the torture of terrorism suspects held overseas.
The inquiry follows civil cases brought against the government by 12 ex-detainees who claim Britain colluded in their mistreatment in Pakistan, Morocco and elsewhere.
Peter Gibson, currently the intelligence services commissioner, a watchdog for Britain's security services, will lead a three-member panel investigating the claims.
British authorities say they would never use, or encourage others to use, torture to gain information.
As Northumbria Police continues to hunt for alleged gunman Raoul Thomas Moat in Rothbury, Channel 4 News looks at the possible lines of inquiry the Independent Police Complaints Commission may investigate to establish if there are any police failings.
Liberal Democrats running local councils across England have warned that the spending cuts agreed by their party in government may be impossible to deliver and put crucial public services at risk.
British forces are to be pulled out of the Sangin district of Afghanistan, the scene of heavy UK casualties since the deployment of soldiers to Helmand province in 2006.The government will announce tomorrow that British troops are to be replaced by US soldiers as part of a reconfiguration of coalition forces in the area.Out of the 311 British service personnel to have died in Afghanistan, more than 100 were killed in Sangin.Political sources said the news would be presented as part of a reorganisation of coalition forces in Helmand. Britain will concentrate on the centre of the province, leaving the north and south to the US.
British forces are to be pulled out of the Sangin district of Afghanistan, the scene of heavy UK casualties since the deployment of soldiers to Helmand province in 2006.
The government will announce tomorrow that British troops are to be replaced by US soldiers as part of a reconfiguration of coalition forces in the area.
Out of the 311 British service personnel to have died in Afghanistan, more than 100 were killed in Sangin.
Political sources said the news would be presented as part of a reorganisation of coalition forces in Helmand. Britain will concentrate on the centre of the province, leaving the north and south to the US.
Spain wants to double its subsidies for domestic coal-fired power; and it's having a bit of trouble doing so, thanks to European Union competition rules. That's right, Spain -- the country that is the world's biggest per-capita producer of wind energy, home to the world's biggest wind power operator, not to mention being a rather significant player in the world solar market, too. From the FT: The Spanish plan centres on giving preferential access to the wholesale electricity market for power plants that run on domestic coal, and was announced by the government in February, after months of behind-the-scenes tussling with Brussels.
Spain wants to double its subsidies for domestic coal-fired power; and it's having a bit of trouble doing so, thanks to European Union competition rules.
That's right, Spain -- the country that is the world's biggest per-capita producer of wind energy, home to the world's biggest wind power operator, not to mention being a rather significant player in the world solar market, too. From the FT:
The Spanish plan centres on giving preferential access to the wholesale electricity market for power plants that run on domestic coal, and was announced by the government in February, after months of behind-the-scenes tussling with Brussels.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has dismissed claims that his presidential campaign received 150,000 euros (£124,000) in illegal party financing. He was responding to allegations reportedly made by a former accountant of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. The accountant, who prosecutors have questioned, told the website Mediapart the cash had been channelled through Eric Woerth, now budget minister. Mr Woerth, under growing pressure over the case, has also rejected the claims.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has dismissed claims that his presidential campaign received 150,000 euros (£124,000) in illegal party financing.
He was responding to allegations reportedly made by a former accountant of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt.
The accountant, who prosecutors have questioned, told the website Mediapart the cash had been channelled through Eric Woerth, now budget minister.
Mr Woerth, under growing pressure over the case, has also rejected the claims.
A Swedish feminist party has publicly burned 100,000 Swedish kronor ($13,000; £8,500) in a protest against unequal pay. The Feminist Initiative party said the money represented the sum Sweden's women miss out on every minute in comparison to men. The party hopes to win its first seat in parliament in elections on 19 September. The notes, thrown on to a barbecue, had been donated by an advertising agency.
A Swedish feminist party has publicly burned 100,000 Swedish kronor ($13,000; £8,500) in a protest against unequal pay.
The Feminist Initiative party said the money represented the sum Sweden's women miss out on every minute in comparison to men.
The party hopes to win its first seat in parliament in elections on 19 September.
The notes, thrown on to a barbecue, had been donated by an advertising agency.
Passengers travelling by sea are expected to win new compensation rights if their journey is delayed or cancelled. Currently, ferry passengers generally have the right to a refund or a space on a later sailing if their journey is disrupted. Airline customers get more protection, such as compensation if a flight from a European airport is affected. Similar EU rules for sea passengers are likely to come into force in two years.
Passengers travelling by sea are expected to win new compensation rights if their journey is delayed or cancelled.
Currently, ferry passengers generally have the right to a refund or a space on a later sailing if their journey is disrupted.
Airline customers get more protection, such as compensation if a flight from a European airport is affected.
Similar EU rules for sea passengers are likely to come into force in two years.
The German government is to raise charges for state healthcare, bringing in an extra 6bn euros (£5bn; $7.6bn). The total contributions levied on workers' gross pay will rise from 14.9% to 15.5%, with the burden split equally between employers and employees. Annual spending will also be cut by 3.5bn euros, as Berlin seeks to close an 11bn-euro gap in the health budget. The measures are part of an 80bn-euro austerity programme agreed in June by Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition.
The German government is to raise charges for state healthcare, bringing in an extra 6bn euros (£5bn; $7.6bn).
The total contributions levied on workers' gross pay will rise from 14.9% to 15.5%, with the burden split equally between employers and employees.
Annual spending will also be cut by 3.5bn euros, as Berlin seeks to close an 11bn-euro gap in the health budget.
The measures are part of an 80bn-euro austerity programme agreed in June by Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition.
Civil service unions are threatening strike action after the government announced a "non-negotiable" new redundancy deal that will reduce pay-outs for compulsory redundancies from a maximum of more than six years to just one year.A new bill will cap compensation payments for compulsory redundancies at 12 months' salary and voluntary redundancies at 15 months and will also amend a 1972 law which dictated that changes in conditions could only be implemented with union approval in order to force it through.
Civil service unions are threatening strike action after the government announced a "non-negotiable" new redundancy deal that will reduce pay-outs for compulsory redundancies from a maximum of more than six years to just one year.
A new bill will cap compensation payments for compulsory redundancies at 12 months' salary and voluntary redundancies at 15 months and will also amend a 1972 law which dictated that changes in conditions could only be implemented with union approval in order to force it through.
More precisely : he, among others, resigned (abdicated?) his seat in the House of Lords, at the expiration of a deadline for all UK members of Parliament to renounce "non-dom" tax status.
It was a pretty weird situation, having non-resident members of the legislature. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
(30 June 2010)A Green Paper, due to be published on 7 July, will start a public consultation on pension reform across Europe that will last until mid-November. The Commission will then follow up with a policy paper setting out its ideas more clearly. But the Green Paper already reveals a lot about EU plans to achieve "adequate and sustainable" pensions in the long run. "A key to supporting adequacy and sustainability is ensuring that the time spent in retirement does not continue to increase compared to time spent working," reads a draft of the Green Paper, to be finalised in coming days.
A Green Paper, due to be published on 7 July, will start a public consultation on pension reform across Europe that will last until mid-November. The Commission will then follow up with a policy paper setting out its ideas more clearly.
But the Green Paper already reveals a lot about EU plans to achieve "adequate and sustainable" pensions in the long run.
"A key to supporting adequacy and sustainability is ensuring that the time spent in retirement does not continue to increase compared to time spent working," reads a draft of the Green Paper, to be finalised in coming days.
