Councils are recruiting residents to report anyone who drops litter, fails to recycle their rubbish properly, or who allows their dog to foul the streets. for more click here
This summer’s misery for energy consumers reached a climax yesterday when the last two of the big six suppliers raised prices for millions of household customers.
ScottishPower, which has just over 5 million customers, said gas bills would rise by 34% from the beginning of next month, and electricity by 9%. Npower said it was putting up gas prices by 26% and electricity by 14% for its 6.6 million customers with immediate effect. for more click here
Britain is facing “arguably the worst” economic downturn in 60 years which will be “more profound and long-lasting” than people had expected, Alistair Darling, the chancellor, tells the Guardian today. for more click here
Maariv’s front-page weekend headline: Israel’s top leadership resolved, 3 months ago, that Iran must not have nuclear bombs, no matter what. for more click here
Gordon Brown is set to usher in a new era of council housing by helping local authorities to buy repossessed and unsold properties. Cash and powers will be made available so that town halls can intervene in the housing market, for more click here
Councillors have been ordered not to eat during town hall meetings while Muslim colleagues fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
All elected members at Left-wing Tower Hamlets Council in East London have been sent an email asking them to follow strict Islamic fasting during September no matter what their faith. for more click here
The late great Sir John Templeton warned that the four most expensive words in the English language are “it’s different this time.”
He was absolutely right. You usually hear those words at the frenzy stage of an investment bubble, when there’s no conceivable sensible reason for prices to go any higher, and vested interests have to clutch at straws to promote their arguments. Just ask anyone who bought property stocks a year ago, or tech stocks in 2000.
But in the wake of a bubble popping, you often hear another phrase, which may well qualify as the second-most expensive four words in the English language. And we’re hearing it more and more from the property pundits, politicians and City hotshots who stand to lose most from the looming recession.
It’s that whiney little mantra, “something must be done!”
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The original programme used hidden cameras to expose the shocking extent of hate-mongering going on in mosques throughout Britain. After the broadcast of the original programme, Channel Four gave its evidence to the West Midlands Police (most of the worst examples of extremism had been filmed on its patch) on the assumption that they would want to prosecute the miscreants. for more click here
Fears are mounting that Russia may restrict oil deliveries to Western Europe over coming days, in response to the threat of EU sanctions and Nato naval actions in the Black Sea.
Any such move would be a dramatic escalation of the Georgia crisis and play havoc with the oil markets.
Reports have begun to circulate in Moscow that Russian oil companies are under orders from the Kremlin to prepare for a supply cut to Germany and Poland through the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline. It is believed that executives from lead-producer LUKoil have been put on weekend alert. for more click here
Russia tests stealth missile that could penetrate US shield
Russia has successfully tested a stealth missile able to penetrate the US defence system being built in Poland. for more click here