U.K. Lawmakers Approve Key Measure of N. Ireland Trade Deal
LONDON British lawmakers on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a key component of a long-awaited deal on Northern Ireland trade rules, an emphatic victory for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he tries to resolve one of the most vexing legacies of Britain's exit from the European Union.Despite the strong backing of the agreement, the leading unionist party in the North, which seeks to remain part of the United Kingdom, said that it did not accept the deal and would refuse to form a local government, signaling more political turmoil ahead.
Sens. Klobuchar, Kaine reintroduce bill to create housing policy plans, boost supply
Senators Klobuchar and Kaine reintroduce the Housing Supply and Affordability Act in the US Senate to establish a grant program for local government housing policy plans.
The proposed bill aims to increase housing supply, improve affordability, and reduce barriers to new housing development while avoiding resident displacement.
Shaw: Don't reallocate affordable housing funds for homeless services - San Jose Spotlight
Like so many others, I am against San Jose's current Measure E budget proposal to reallocate affordable housing funds for homeless services.The reasons being: 1. Tiny homes do not offer permanent housing and are not a solution to homelessness.They are tiny shelters in a communal environment, with gates and security guards.
[Welcome to our "Say Nice Things About Portland" guide to the city!Did you know that this feature package is also in PRINT?? That's right, this is our first print product since the start of the pandemic, and we're psyched to produce a lot more.Find the Say Nice Things guide in over 500 locations around the city, and if you'd like to see more guides you can hold, please consider making a small contribution to the Mercury, please and thank you!-eds] Sure, let's chat about Portland.
San Jose leads nation in hiring new college grads - San Jose Spotlight
San Jose ranked No. 1 on a national list for hiring the most new college graduates.But students shouldn't toss their caps in the air just yet.The San Jose metro area, which includes the cities of San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, hired the highest number of new graduates last year, outpacing other major U.S. metro areas, according to a May report by Gusto, a payroll and HR software company.
Grenfell anniversary: Our broken system will not bring those responsible to justice
A s each anniversary comes round, the reality of what happened and what's not changed as a result consumes my headspace.The night we lost our family, friends and neighbours.Eighteen children's lives cut short.The violence of the night will never be forgotten.Wednesday's anniversary feels significant, it marks 72 months since the fire.
The Tories starved councils, thinking no one cared. Now they're bust and we care very much | Will Hutton
Funding cuts to local authorities have had baleful consequences, including closures of public toilets and stretched support for vulnerable populations.
The financial crisis in local government is now out of control, with several councils effectively going bust and more at risk in the near future.
Welsh councillor resigns after saying all Tories should be shot'
The deputy leader of a Welsh council has stepped down after saying during a meeting that all Tories should be shot.Ieuan Williams, an independent councillor in Anglesey, north Wales, has apologised since making the comment on Monday morning and referred himself to the council's standards committee.Conservative politicians have reacted angrily to his remark, including Anglesey MP Virginia Crosbie, who called it appalling and said she already wears a stab vest to surgeries.
Unionism is in crisis in Northern Ireland - and Sinn Fein is becoming an election-winning machine | Sarah Creighton
Northern Ireland was created to secure an in-built Protestant and unionist majority.When, in the early 1930s, the Ulster Unionist MP Basil Brooke told his constituents not to employ Catholics, Northern Ireland's prime minister, James Craig, commented: I would not ask him to withdraw one word he said.
One of our great residents': San Jose community leader Frank Fiscalini dies at 101
Frank Fiscalini, a longtime San Jose school superintendent and civic leader, passed away at 101.
Fiscalini was known for his political influence and integrity, and his work in local government and education had a significant impact on the city of San Jose.
Renter outcry in Alameda: Who should pay for landlord improvements?
A dispute over rent increases at an apartment complex in Alameda has brought renewed scrutiny to an obscure housing law used by landlords to pass on millions in costs onto tenants and left the City Council scrambling to find solutions.The controversy began last week when tenants responded in outrage to a potential rent spike ranging from $100 to $500 a month at a 400-unit apartment complex on the southern edge of Alameda.
China condemns EU Parliament's resolution on Hong Kong's shrinking freedoms
China's Foreign Ministry condemned a resolution passed by the European Parliament concerning Hong Kong's shrinking rights to free speech, even as Beijing seeks to restore economic links with the EU.The EU body overwhelmingly adopted a resolution Thursday citing the deterioration of the city's freedoms since the imposition by Beijing of a sweeping national security law in 2020.
Thurrock council hid losses as it gambled millions on risky investments
Bankrupt Thurrock council recklessly gambled hundreds of millions of pounds on risky commercial investments while covering up evidence of its losses and attempting to silence critics, a devastating official review has concluded.The government-commissioned report published on Thursday said the Tory-run council's financial collapse in 2022 was the culmination of years of dysfunctional leadership characterised by complacency, denial, and what the review called unconscious incompetence.
Eye-watering': how Woking council's glittering dream turned to dust
In the autumn of 2020, the Tory leader of Woking council announced he was stepping down.In his valedictory speech, David Bittleston insisted Woking was not merely the best council in the country but was going places.Ahead of us, this borough has an exciting future, he declared.Bittleston's self-congratulatory boosterism was par for the course.
Targets to boost walking and cycling in England almost certain to be missed
Ministers are very unlikely to meet their own targets to boost walking and cycling in England despite spending more than 2bn on active travel infrastructure, a damning report has found.While most walking and cycling projects are delivered by local councils, until recently there were few guidelines for how these should be built, the government's official spending watchdog said, and thus minimal oversight of their quality.
Sinn Fein hail momentous' result as party set to become largest in NI councils
Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill has hailed a momentous result as the party remains on course to become the largest in councils in Northern Ireland.As the count stretched into Saturday evening, the republican party had 134 elected councillors by 5pm, with gains achieved across the region.The DUP has 115 council seats, the Alliance party 61, the Ulster Unionists 49 and the SDLP 37, with 30 others.
Keir Starmer urged to unite with new generation of Labour's leftwing
Keir Starmer has been urged to thaw relations with the new generation of Labour's leftwing to maximise the party's vote share and avoid a hung parliament at the next election.Senior Labour MPs fear the party is at risk of alienating its core vote as it seeks to entice more of the anti-Tory vote and continue to bridge the Brexit gap.
I was denied my right': voter ID rules prove barrier for some in England
The introduction of voter ID in England has left a number of people, often from more marginalised groups, unable to cast ballots in local elections although some officials' fears of widespread chaos did not materialise.However, opposition MPs and some administrators said a lack of conclusive data collection for the numbers who were unable to vote could mean the problem was notably worse than it appeared.
Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More
What is PITI and How Does it Affect Your Mortgage?
The mortgage industry has its own language, and in order to understand it, homebuyers need to learn different acronyms and jargon when shopping for a home loan.A typical home loan payment or mortgage payment involves a single payment, which is the sum of four different line items: the loan principal, interest, taxes, and insurance - also referred to as PITI.
Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More
What Is Mortgage Insurance and When Do You Need It?
When buying a home with a mortgage loan , it's essential to understand the costs you'll be responsible for.One of those expenses may be mortgage insurance.Let's take a look at what mortgage insurance is and how it works so you can make an informed decision during the homebuying process.What is mortgage insurance?
CFPB proposes rule to bolster PACE loan borrower protections
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced on Monday a proposed rule that seeks to bolster consumer protections for borrowers seeking Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing for home renovations.These loans, which are often used to finance environmentally-minded renovations, like the addition of solar panels, have led to financial instability for some borrowers.
Patchy' delivery of low-traffic schemes may have ended up discouraging cycling
The rollout of schemes like low-traffic neighbourhoods may have actually discouraged cyclists and walkers in some neighbourhoods because of their "patchy" delivery, a new has report found.The public spending watchdog told The Independent that too often it found local authorities had not followed national guidance in their active travel interventions and only implemented cosmetic changes, which could have discouraged cycling and walking.
Tory MPs defeat bid to release Government correspondence on Teesworks inquiry
Conservative MPs faced claims of a cover up after they blocked the release of documents showing the Government's decision-making over an inquiry into the UK's largest freeport.Labour questioned why the National Audit Office (NAO) was not tasked with leading the probe into allegations of wrongdoing linked to Teesworks in the north east of England, as the region's Conservative mayor Ben Houchen originally requested.
Michael Gove and Keir Starmer criticise Roger Waters amid antisemitism claims
Michael Gove and Sir Keir Starmer have criticised Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters amid claims the musician is sharing antisemitic views at his concerts.The Levelling Up Secretary said the rocker was falling short of an expectation that those with a significant public profile behave responsibly and do not abuse their platform.
UK struggling to convince more people to cycle and unlikely' to hit key 2025 target
The government targets to increase levels of cycling and walking in England are set to be missed, according to a new report.Delivery of active travel schemes has been patchy and the Department for Transport (DfT) does not yet know if local authority projects have been of good enough quality, public spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) said.
Treasury package for Stormont return dependent on proper' plan for government
Any Treasury package to accompany the return of Stormont devolution would be dependent on the local parties agreeing a proper plan for government, Chris Heaton Harris has said.The Northern Ireland Secretary said previous commitments by Stormont leaders to reform public services in exchange for past UK government funding packages had not been followed through into action.
NI parties set to ask Treasury for 1bn ahead of any Stormont return
Stormont parties appear set to ask the Treasury for a 1 billion-plus package to accompany any return of devolution in Northern Ireland.The size of the potential pitch for extra Government funding was discussed at a meeting of the four largest parties and the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, in Belfast on Thursday.
Council declares effective bankruptcy over 1.2 billion hole in budget
A Surrey council has declared effective bankruptcy over a 1.2 billion hole in its budget caused by extreme high levels of borrowing as part of its investment strategy.Liberal Democrat-run Woking Borough Council on Wednesday issued a section 114 notice formally declaring it is unable to deliver a balanced budget with the 16 million it has available for 2023-24.
Labour confident but not complacent' of general election majority
Labour is confident but not complacent it will win a majority at next general election, the shadow health secretary said.Wes Streeting said the party has made enormous progress since Sir Keir Starmer became leader in 2020, with the Ilford North MP saying that voters who turned their backs on Labour were turning to Labour again.
Narrow path to victory' for Sunak but Labour is on course for quite a big majority'
Rishi Sunak has a narrow path to victory in next year's general election but faces a race against time, according to a polling expert.The prime minister has brought the Conservatives out of the deepest part of the valley but has a lot of mountain to climb, the boss of a political forecasting company has said.
Senior Tories looking nervously over shoulders' after heavy local election losses
Cabinet ministers will be looking nervously over their shoulders after Labour and the Liberal Democrats made huge gains in the local elections.The Liberal Democrats won big in levelling up secretary Michael Gove's Surrey Heath constituency, taking control of the council from the Conservatives.The party declared it a Michael Portillo moment - referencing the former cabinet minister who lost his Enfield Southgate seat during the 1997 general election.
Labour will not need to forge coalition after general election, senior MP says
A senior Labour MP has predicted the party will not need to go into coalition after the next general election, despite results from this week's local elections showing they could be short of an overall majority.Labour gained 536 seats and took control of another 22 councils as it became the largest party in local government for the first time since 2002.
Local Elections 2023: Is there an election in my area?
This May sees the biggest round of local council elections in England and Northern Ireland since 2019, with 40 million people able to choose new councillors.In England, 230 councils will be electing some or all of their councillors on Thursday 4 May.About 8,000 councillors are being elected in all.Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough will also elect mayors.
Bodies Remain Unidentified as Relatives Struggle to Reach the Crash Site
Families of the victims of India's worst rail disaster in two decades were on Sunday still struggling to reach the town where the disaster happened.The delays meant that many bodies remain unidentified and unclaimed, local officials and doctors said.Survivors of the crash said their train had been packed with hundreds of migrant laborers, students and daily wage workers.
Overcrowded India? This State Is Desperate for More Babies.
Sikkim, nestled in the Himalayas and surrounded on three sides by Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, stands out in the teeming diversity of India's states.It has the country's tallest peak.It is the world's largest producer of smoky black cardamom.It also has India's smallest population, not even three-quarters of a million people, and its lowest birthrate.
8 Killed in Pakistan Shootings, Including 6 Teachers
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Eight people, including six teachers, were killed in two separate shootings in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, the authorities said.There were no initial claims of responsibility for the attacks, which took place within a four-mile radius of Kurram, the only Shia-majority town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, near the Afghan border.
Secretary of State slammed by Police Federation NI as out of touch'
The Northern Ireland Secretary has been slammed by a rank and file police officers' representative organisation as being out of touch.Liam Kelly, chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), said Chris Heaton-Harris has declined two invitations to discuss policing with them in the ongoing absence of locally elected ministers amid the collapse of the Assembly.
People in NI sent clear message' they want return to powersharing Taoiseach
The people of Northern Ireland have sent a clear message that they want powersharing back up and running, the Taoiseach has said.Commenting after last week's local elections in the region, Leo Varadkar told the Dail that he and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would do all they could to help restore the devolved institutions in Belfast.
Sinn Fein emerges as largest party at end of marathon council elections count
Sinn Fein has emerged as the largest party in local government in Northern Ireland for the first time after making large gains in the council elections.Vice president Michelle O'Neill described her party's victory as momentous and said the result sent a message that Stormont should return.However, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said that his party had polled strongly but conceded unionism needed to learn lessons from the election.
O'Neill hails momentous' result as party set to become largest in councils
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill has hailed a momentous election result with the party set to become the largest in councils in Northern Ireland.As the Northern Ireland local government elections count neared its conclusion on Saturday evening, the republican party had 138 elected councillors by 7pm, with gains achieved across the region.
Sinn Fein remains on course to be largest party in Northern Ireland councils
Sinn Fein remains on course to become the largest party in councils in Northern Ireland as counting continues in the local government elections.As the count stretched into a second day, the republican party had 122 elected councillors at lunchtime, with gains achieved across the region.The DUP has 104 council seats, the Alliance Party 46, the Ulster Unionists 44 and the SDLP 29, with 22 others.
Council election results send message that Stormont must return Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said her party's success in Northern Ireland's local government elections is a message from the people that Stormont must return.However, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has insisted his party's vote is holding up as counting continues to fill 462 seats across 11 council areas.
Polls to open for local government elections in Northern Ireland
Polling stations will open later as voting begins in Northern Ireland's local government elections.Voters will be electing 462 councillors across the 11 councils in Northern Ireland.Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday.It is the first electoral test for the parties since last year's Assembly elections and takes place against the backdrop of the continued Stormont stalemate with the powersharing institutions not operating as part of a DUP protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Desperate need' to get Stormont Assembly back up and running Heaton-Harris
There is a desperate need for the return of the Stormont Assembly, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has said.More than a year after the latest effective collapse of the Assembly, Chris Heaton-Harris was left to set a budget for the region in the absence of locally elected ministers.He said a lot was being asked of the civil service, which was running departments without ministers in a challenging financial environment.
Public Safety Commission, APD reach a detente - Austin Monitor
Photo by ATXN.APD Chief Joseph Chacon previously addressing members of the city's Public Safety Commission.Tuesday, May 23, 2023 by Emma Freer The Public Safety Commission and the Austin Police Department are recovering from a tense meeting earlier this month, at which APD leadership threatened to no longer attend commission meetings and commissioners lamented APD's unresponsiveness, revealing a widening chasm.
Council and school support staff begin voting on strike action over pay
More than a third of a million council and school support staff across England and Wales will start voting on Tuesday on whether to strike over pay.Unison said an offer of a flat rate 1,925 was nowhere near enough to meet rising prices during the cost-of-living crisis.The union, which had called for an increase of 2% above inflation, said that since 2010, the value of local government pay has fallen by 25%.
Good Morning, News: City Budget Drama, Week Three for Oregon's Runaway Republicans, and Yet Another Great Reason NOT to Visit Florida
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day-but your help is essential.If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us.Thanks for your support!GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND!Here's your reminder to pick up our new "SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT PORTLAND" guide which contains tons of great stories about all the fantastic things Portland has to offer, and how YOU can be the ambassador the city needs right now! (It also contains one of my famous "Wm.
Introducing the Portland Mercury's Newest Staffer, Courtney Vaughn
Hello, readers!I'm Courtney Vaughn and I'm a recent addition to the Mercury 's news team.I'll be keeping an eye on environmental issues, transportation, and the many ways city government impacts Portlanders.The Mercury is a new home to me, but I've been working in journalism for more than a decade.You may have previously seen my bylines in the Portland Tribune.
Glasgow to host international police body's annual meeting in 2024
More than 1,000 officials from governments and police forces across the world will come to Scotland next year as Glasgow hosts the Interpol general assembly.The 92nd annual event will come to the Scottish Events Campus in November of next year, and will see votes for 10 leadership positions within the organisation, including secretary general.
DUP urged to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland after Sinn Fein poll triumph
The Democratic Unionist party (DUP) is facing renewed calls to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland after a Sinn Fein electoral tsunami reshaped local government.Chris Heaton-Harris, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, on Sunday joined a chorus urging the DUP to end a boycott that has paralysed the executive and assembly at Stormont.
Counting continues in Northern Ireland local government elections
Counting is continuing in the Northern Ireland local government elections with more than half the council seats now filled.As the count stretched into a second day Sinn Fein remained on course to become the largest party in local government with 93 councillors elected.The DUP currently has 79 council seats, the Alliance Party 39, the Ulster Unionists 30, and the SDLP 20, with 16 others.
Sinn Fein makes strong start as local government election votes counted
Sinn Fein appears to have made a strong start as the first results of Northern Ireland local government elections emerge.By 3pm on Friday, the party was leading the way with 29 councillors elected ahead of the DUP with 18 seats, the Alliance Party with eight seats, UUP with four and the SDLP with one seat.
The Guardian view on Northern Ireland's elections: a pivotal moment | Editorial
All politics is local, or so it used to be said.But there was not much sign of that supposed neighbourhood granularity in England's local elections on 4 May.Instead, a majority of English voters appear to have gone to the polls determined to register a national protest against Rishi Sunak's Conservative government at Westminster.
NI local elections could influence Stormont stalemate
Voters in Northern Ireland are to cast ballots in a local election after a low-key campaign that became a proxy referendum on the region's political stalemate.Thursday's election will fill 462 seats in all of Northern Ireland's 11 councils and shape battle lines between and within parties over the fate of the Stormont assembly and executive, which have been paralysed for a year.
DUP not weakening its stance on Stormont', vows Sir Jeffrey Donaldson
The DUP is not weakening its stance on Stormont and will not re-enter devolved government until concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol are addressed, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.The Northern Ireland Assembly has been effectively collapsed for more than a year as the DUP presses the UK Government to act on the concerns it has raised, including around the region's place in the UK internal market.
Pakistan: army deployed across country as unrest triggered by Imran Khan arrest continues
Violence continued to erupt in Pakistan after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, with the death toll rising to eight and the military deployed across the country.Overnight, two more leaders from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested.PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry was arrested late on Wednesday night, despite having obtained protective bail from the courts, and early on Thursday Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who served as foreign minister in Khan's cabinet, was picked up by police.
UKIP on brink of wipeout after losing all seats in local elections
In 2014, David Cameron was still British prime minister and "Brexit" was an obscure word.In that year's elections to the European Parliament, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) triggered what its then-leader Nigel Farage called "an earthquake in British politics".UKIP clinched 24 seats and 27% of the popular vote, marking the first time a party other than the Conservatives or Labour had won a UK national election for a century.
Scottish first minister Yousaf calls cost of coronation uncomfortable'
Some people will be rightly uncomfortable over the amount spent on the coronation during a cost-of-living crisis, Scotland's first minister has said.Ahead of the event on Saturday, Humza Yousaf said publicly he hoped costs could be limited while families across the UK are struggling with high prices and inflation.
Father-Son Duo in Alabama Wins Pulitzer, Bucking Headwinds in Local News
One of the best moments in John Archibald's life came in 2018, when he won a Pulitzer Prize for columns published by Alabama Media Group, the largest news publisher in the state.He topped that on Monday.Mr. Archibald won a second prize, for local reporting, as part of a team of journalists that included his son, Ramsey Archibald, investigating a municipal police force.
Alabama Discriminated Against Black Residents Over Sewage, Justice Dept. Says
The Justice Department said it had reached an interim agreement with the health departments of Alabama and one of its rural counties over practices found to discriminate against generations of Black residents.Under the agreement announced Thursday, the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Lowndes County Health Department said they would improve wastewater infrastructure, measure the health risks associated with raw sewage exposure, and stop penalizing residents who cannot afford adequate treatment systems.
Labour MPs attack party rule changes curbing links with anti-monarchy group
Labour MPs have spoken out in the run-up to the coronation against party rule changes that prevent constituency branches from affiliating with an anti-monarchy group.Republic, a pressure group which campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy, was named on a list of 12 organisations sent in February by a party official and seen by the Guardian.
Welsh government to press ahead with visitor levy plan
The Welsh government is to press ahead with plans for a visitor levy on tourists who stay in the country overnight.Legislation allowing local authorities to introduce a levy will be put to the Senedd, the Welsh parliament, within this government's term.Some tourism organisations have criticised the plan, calling it a misguided bed tax that risks discouraging people from visiting.
Labour's Sadiq Khan and Tory Chris Skidmore team up to fight climate delayers'
The mayor of London and a Tory MP have teamed up to fight climate delayers who are trying to thwart green policies.Chris Skidmore, the Tory net zero tsar, and Labour mayor Sadiq Khan today write in the Guardian that they are putting party politics aside to defeat those politicians who are trying to delay climate action.
Since the days of the gold rush, dreamers hoping to strike it rich have been staking their claim to a dusty 80-acre town in the Mojave Desert called Nipton.For nearly all of them, those dreams have been fool's gold.A buyer who envisioned turning the California ghost town into a testing ground for solar power died before getting his green energy idea off the ground.
Judge approves 150 million settlement of Grenfell compensation claims
A judge has approved a global settlement of compensation claims made by people affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.Lawyers representing bereaved relatives, survivors and local residents on Tuesday told a High Court hearing in London that there had been a global settlement of about 900 cases and a global sum of about 150 million compensation agreed.
Broken social care system cannot be tweaked', warns Archbishop of Canterbury
The country's social care system is broken and cannot be tweaked, the Archbishop of Canterbury has told Parliament as he stressed the need for a fundamental rethink.While funding mattered, using it as a starting point would mean failure, the Most Rev Justin Welby warned.The senior church leader made his comments as the Government is expected to publish an adult social care reform plan.
The World's largest spokeless ferris wheel is coming up in Seoul - Yanko Design
Large ferris wheels seem to now be a landmark and tourist spot for a lot of large cities like London, Vienna, Budapest, Singapore, Dubai, etc.They provide a gorgeous view of the city to the people who fall in line (sometimes for hours) and also serve as part of the landscape for those viewing it from the ground.
Shona Robison takes on biggest role yet after almost 25 years at Holyrood
After almost a quarter of a century in the Scottish Parliament, Shona Robison is taking on her biggest role yet, having been appointed as Scotland's new Deputy First Minister.Humza Yousaf announced her appointment almost immediately after winning the vote in Holyrood to become Scotland's sixth First Minister.
Ignore the detractors Keir Starmer is a radical who can transform the country | Will Hutton
The Labour party's 125-year anniversary is two years away.By then, it will have held power for just 33 of those years.The ambition to build a socialist commonwealth a new Jerusalem has not been realised, nor is there any prospect of such an outcome in the next 125 years.Tory England its riches, its schools, its social influence, its press, the inequalities over which it presides, its stranglehold over what is considered political common sense remains as powerful as it was under prime minister Lord Salisbury in 1900.
Council tax average bills will top 2,000 for first time see how much you'll pay
The average council tax bill is set to top 2,000 for the first time next month as local authorities buckle under growing financial pressures.Government figures released on Thursday show the average bill for band D properties will be 2,065 in 2023-24 up by 99.Households in metropolitan areas outside London will see bills rise by 5.1 per cent to an average of 2,059, while rural parts of the country will see an increase of 5 per cent to just below 2,140.
Council tax average bills will top 2,000 from April see how much you'll pay
The average council tax bill is set to top 2,000 next month as local authorities buckle under growing financial pressures.Government figures released on Thursday show the average bill for band D properties will be 2,065 in 2023-24 up by 99.Households in metropolitan areas outside London will see bills rise by 5.1 per cent to an average of 2,059, while rural parts of the country will see an increase of 5 per cent to just below 2,140.
Warning of service cuts despite 5% increase in average council tax bills
Annual council tax bills in England will rise by an average of 5.1% in April, as England's local authorities warn of cuts to key services due to unprecedented financial pressures.Government figures released on Thursday show the average bill will be 2,065 in 2023-24, an increase of 99 on the previous year, with 151 of the 153 top-tier councils applying some or all of the maximum 2% precept for social care.
Cost of living creates second health emergency' after Covid, health chiefs warn
The increasing cost of essential food and energy has created a second health emergency after Covid, local health chiefs have warned.The rising cost of living is having significant health consequences, particularly in communities with existing higher levels of deprivation, the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) said.
Croydon and Thurrock councils put into special measures
Two local authorities have been put into special measures after struggling to recover from the bad investments and governance failings that pushed them into effective bankruptcy.The London borough of Croydon and Thurrock borough council in Essex have been told that government-appointed managers will take over the day-to-day running of operations, including overseeing all major financial and senior staffing decisions.
Legislation Aims to Take the Measure of Traffic Impacts From App-Based Delivery Services
The chicken sandwich double-parking lanes on Boylston Street, pictured on the evening of March 9, 2023.Boston's regional planning agency is sounding alarms that app-based delivery services like DoorDash have emerged as a major source of traffic for the region, with estimates that gig-economy drivers are making twice as many trips to deliver take-out food orders than they do to transport human passengers.
Forbes: Cabinet will be refreshed if I become first minister
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SNP leadership contender Kate Forbes has said the Scottish cabinet will undergo a refresh if she is elected first minister.The MSP for Skye, Badenoch and Lochaber is competing against Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf to replace Nicola Sturgeon in the top job.
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
A New Podcast Examines How the 1968 Riots Turned DC Into Chocolate City - Washingtonian
The riots that followed Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination in 1968 reverberated for decades in many US cities. "It's the most widespread unrest in America between the Civil War and 2020," says Vann R. Newkirk II, a senior editor at the Atlantic."Strangely, there's not a whole lot of media about that time."
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
Is Richmond Turning Into the New Bedroom Community for DC Workers? - Washingtonian
The newest affordable neighborhood for DC-area workers is...Richmond?Looks like it.As remote and hybrid work appear here to stay and people grow more frustrated with the Washington area's high housing prices, some are deciding they'd rather report to their DC office from further down I-95.Richmond saw a huge rise in the number of Northern Virginia residents who relocated during Covid: There was a 36 percent increase in the average number of NoVA transplants to Richmond during 2020 and 2021 compared to the time between 2012 to 2019, Axios reports.
Virus outbreak in West Bengal leaves 19 children dead and thousands in hospital
Nineteen children have died of acute respiratory infections in West Bengal this year, and thousands more are in hospital as India grapples with an adenovirus outbreak.More than 12,000 cases of adenovirus have been recorded in the state since January.More than 3,000 children have been admitted to hospital with severe flu-like symptoms.
Parents in Indonesia outraged by 5.30am school start trial
Early every morning in a city in Indonesia's far east, sleepy teenagers can be seen trudging through the streets on their way to school.The students are taking part in a controversial experiment to get the day off to a much earlier start.The pilot project in Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, has twelfth-graders at 10 high schools starting classes at 5:30am.
Walters: How California can help at-risk students close achievement gaps
When Jerry Brown returned to the governorship of California in 2011, after a 28-year absence, he proposed a major overhaul in financing public schools.For many decades, school finance was quite simple.Local school boards would decide how much money they needed each year and adjust property tax rates to generate the revenue.
UK families on universal credit to get childcare costs paid upfront
Poorer working parents are to be given more help with the costs of childcare as part of this week's budget, after warnings that support for them has been severely eroded, and that claiming it is too complicated.Parents eligible for help through universal credit will now be given childcare funding upfront, while it is understood that the amount they can claim will increase by hundreds of pounds.
SNP candidates set out key plans on energy, poverty and local government
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Candidates running to be Scotland's next first minister have revealed more details of the policies they hope to pursue if elected to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.