A new study by think tank MigrationwatchUK has revealed that there are in excess of 1.1 million illegal immigrants in Britain and that the figure could easily be as high as 2.2 million or more.
According to the report, titled “The Illegal Migrant Population in the UK,” previous estimates of illegal immigrants have seriously underestimated the scale of illegal entry and those who overstay their visas.
“A more plausible estimate for illegal immigrants in the UK would be 1.1 million. If they were granted an amnesty their relatives and dependants would have the right to enter Britain, approximately doubling the numbers concerned,” the report said.
Read more...
Thanks to the endless barrage of feel-good propaganda that daily assaults the American mind, best epitomized a few months ago by the “green shoots,” everything’s-coming-up-roses propaganda touted by Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, the citizens have no idea how disastrous the country’s fiscal, monetary and economic problems truly are. Nor do they perceive the rapidly increasing risk of a totalitarian nightmare descending upon the American Republic.
One stark and sobering way to frame the crisis is this: if the United States government were to nationalize (in other words, steal) every penny of private wealth accumulated by America’s citizens since the nation’s founding 235 years ago, the government would remain totally bankrupt.
Read more...
Health trusts are planning to cut thousands of staff "by stealth" to deliver £20bn of "NHS efficiencies", according to a survey by the Royal College of Nursing. Labour reacted by promising that there would be more jobs in the health service at the end of the next Brown administration if it wins the election.
The move comes as Gordon Brown addresses the RCN's four-day annual conference today. More than 4,000 nurses have gathered in Bournemouth for the event, which is expected to be dominated by NHS finances.
The nurses' union has been riled by a warning from Sir David Nicholson, the chief executive of the health service, that up to £20bn of savings will have to be found by 2014.
Read more...
On the night of the televised foreign affairs debate, Labour published as the main image on its official website a photomontage of the Tory leader pushing a wheelchair in which William Hague was seated.
Their faces were pasted on the bodies of two characters from the popular BBC comedy series Little Britain. “They’ll turn Great Britain into Little Britain,” says the caption. “Under the Tories, Britain would have less influence on the world stage.”
Mandrake understands that party officials removed the image from the website after
they received complaints about its tastelessness.
Read more...
The supply of the world's most essential energy source is going off a cliff. Not in the distant future, but in a year and a half. Production of all liquid fuels, including oil, will drop within 20 years to half what it is today. And the difference needs to be made up with "unidentified projects," which one of the world's leading petroleum geologists says is just a "euphemism for rank shortage," and the world's foremost oil industry banker says is "faith based."
Read more...
Britain is being pressured by the Council of Europe to introduce a total ban on smacking children.
The UK is one of the few countries in the world not to have completely banned smacking, the Council of Europe has said.
It blamed the delay on a traditional British parent-child relationship based on 'authority', and on British resistance to the state meddling in family affairs.
Now the human rights body is turning up the heat with a demand for a complete ban on all smacking and corporal punishment of children
Read more...
GERMANY, France and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must act quickly to bail out Greece to prevent a slide in confidence in financial markets, Alistair Darling said yesterday.
“It’s absolutely imperative that the IMF, the euro group and Greece sort this out,” said the chancellor, attending the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington.
Read more...
Here's the first attempt at the weekly news video. A bit of a rush job but you'll get the idea I'll do a proper one at the end of the week.
It only takes an hour and I spent most of the time trying to find a suitably haunting audio accompaniment and eventually settled on Barber's Di Aggio for Strings as it's copyright free.( anyone know of a better tune?)
I'm going to do 2 a week -one will be a UK news video(can anyone think of better title than the bland one I came up with?) and a weekly 'New World Order News' video which will deal with global news.
I'm hoping that people that view the video will check out this site, which will hopefully be a gateway to the excellent sites run by my esteemed friends in the blogroll. That's the (new) plan anyway.
let me know what you think
ukws
Blogs changed again-alas. It's for specific reasons. I've given up on trying to create a uk news website as there isn't enough interest, never mind. So instead I'm going to start making a weekly uk news video for youtube, which will be a montage/collection of the important headlines of the week and I'm going to embed the blogs site address on it.
Hence the blogs changes. It need's to be more visually interesting and the blogroll needs to be more interesting too.
Postings are going to change also- I'm going to put the headline in the headline box so they show up on a google search and include a picture too(like this one). I'm also starting to contribute on the DotConnectors blog and it will mean I can simply copy over the entire html entry for each post, this will mean there will be fewer posts as I'm going to go for quality over quantity. The site will still be UK orientated and the general theme and type of posts won't change.
Everybody and anybody are still welcome to post on the site.
ukws
Toddler flu vaccine death to be investigated
The Queensland Coroner plans to investigate the death of a two year-old-girl who died earlier this month, after receiving the flu vaccine.
On Friday the Australia's chief medical officer Professor Jim Bishop issued a nationwide ban on flu shots for children under five. His announcement came came after more than 20 children suffered severe side effects from the vaccine in Western Australia.
Do you know where your internet freedom is?
Here's a sobering repost from Above Top Secret that I fully endorse and wholeheartedly agree with. The question is, what do we do now.
Greek domino topples; Rest of the “PIIGS” next!
In the bond market, it’s been anything BUT quiet. In fact, the first major sovereign debt domino toppled this past week — in Greece.
The Mediterranean nation is buried under a massive load of debts and deficits, and the numbers are shocking
Nurses 'to bear the brunt of NHS cuts' as thousands face the sack after the election
Thousands of doctors and nurses face the sack after the election under devastating cuts being planned by NHS bureaucrats, according to two studies.
Despite repeated promises from Labour ministers to safeguard patient care, front-line staff look set to bear the brunt of a Whitehall diktat that the NHS slash its budgets by billions of pounds
Kevin Rudd’s e-Health bill paves the way for PositiveID human implantable RFID microchips
From July 1st every single Australian will be branded with a unique, 1.16 digit identification number courtesy of Medicare Australia in accordance with Kevin Rudd’s new e-health revolution.
Maastricht madhouse fuels EMU-wide contagion from Greece
If the chief purpose behind the EU-IMF bail-out for Greece – or for banks exposed to Greece – is to prevent a "full-blown and contagious sovereign debt crisis", the market verdict must be a sobering surprise
Failed German Bond Auction: An Evil Portent?
WHAT IF THEY GAVE a bond auction and nobody came?
That is the ultimate doomsday scenario with the unprecedented fiscal deficits around the world -- that governments' credit lines could run out and they couldn't raise the cash they needed in the bond markets. At that point, after bailing out banks that had faced the same dilemma, who's there to bail out the governments?
Is the Bank Tax a Major Step Toward World Government?
Finance ministers and central bank governors are in Washington D.C. this weekend for a G-20 meeting, in preparation for the G-20 Summit to held in November in South Korea.
We've got to find £100bn in cuts or tax - give thanks we're not in the euro The third and final debate between the party leaders this Thursday focuses on the economy. On the latest evidence, how do things stack up? Last week's GDP figures were undoubtedly a disappointment. The reported increase of 0.2pc in the first quarter was only half what the market expected and it was well below the increase of 0.4pc recorded in the previous quarter. The economy is struggling
Labour's 'secret weapon' Blair makes £350,000 for four hours' work (to top up his £25m fortune)
Nice work if you can get it: Former PM Tony Blair was paid £350,000 for two short speeches in Asia
Tony Blair had just romped through a feelgood lecture to 3,000 would-be millionaires in a vast convention centre near Kuala Lumpur (sample sound-bite: 'Power is shifting east! You guys are at the cutting edge of things here in Malaysia!').
More than 7,000 parents hit by truancy convictions as courts punish soaring levels of school absenteeism
More than 7,000 parents a year are being convicted over their children’s truancy, figures show.
Future Police: Meet the UK's Armed Robot Drones
Police forces all over the UK will soon be able to draw on unmanned aircraft from a national fleet, according to Home Office plans. Last month it was revealed that modified military aircraft drones will carry out surveillance on everyone from protesters and antisocial motorists to fly-tippers, and will be in place in time for the 2012 Olympics.
Surveillance is only the start, however. Military drones quickly moved from reconnaissance to strike, and if the British police follow suit, their drones could be armed – but with non-lethal weapons rather than Hellfire missiles.
FURY OVER 1M ILLEGAL MIGRANTS
MORE than a million people have breached Britain’s chaotic border controls and are living here illegally, according to a shocking study.
Iran slams silence on US nuke threat
Iranian Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani has condemned international human rights groups for remaining tight-lipped on the recent nuclear threat made by the US against the Islamic Republic of Iran
‘LABOUR IS PLANNING TO HIT FAMILY HOMES WITH BIN TAX
LABOUR is planning to hit families with a pay-as-you-throw “bin tax” while cutting refuse collections to just one a month, Government documents reveal.
Millions of householders already suffer fortnightly collections as half the councils in England have cut their services.
They also face fines of up to £70 for leaving sacks beside bins, putting out refuse too early or in the wrong place, or leaving bin lids open a fraction
What would happen if Greece went bankrupt?
If Greece defaults, 7 percent of the entire European Union financial institution liquidity disappears. Likewise, you cannot get paid in drachmas (Greece’s original currency) that are worth next to zero, and the Greek economy would likely still operate on Euros with or without EU approval. In fact, they’d be a constant 6% pain to the system through arbitrage.
The coming $600 trillion debt bubble
“As interest rates begin to rise worldwide, losses in derivatives may end up bankrupting a wide range of institutions, including municipalities, state governments, major insurance companies, top investment houses, commercial banks and universities.”
China To Sterilise 10,000 To Curb Births
Health authorities are planning to sterilise nearly 10,000 people in southern China over the next four days as part of a population control programme
JIM ROGERS: THE NEXT CRISIS IS ALREADY UNFOLDING
Kirby Daley, senior strategist at Newedge Group Jim Rogers claim the next crisis has already started to unfold as sovereign debt worries increase and global central banks only exacerbate the issues:
Millennials Are The Brokest Generation Ever
No group in America has been hit harder during the current recession than young adults. Millions of Americans are graduating from college with virtually no money, lots of debt and with very dim employment prospects
China opens missile plant in Iran
China inaugurated a missile plan in Iran last month, even as the United States and its allies were pressing Beijing to support a new round of tough economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program, Jane's Defense Weekly reports.
New speed cameras trap motorists from space
A new type of speed cameras which can use satellites to measure average speed over long distances are being tested in Britain
U.S. Police may use trash to get a suspect's DNA
Police may sift through a suspect's trash, collect a genetic sample and send it off for DNA testing without a warrant, the state's highest court ruled last week in upholding a 2007 county rape conviction.
Hyperfast missile to hit anywhere in an hour
HAUNTED by the memory of a lost opportunity to kill Osama Bin Laden before he attacked the World Trade Center in New York, US military planners have won President Barack Obama’s support for a new generation of high-speed weapons that are intended to strike anywhere on Earth within an hour.
The ash cloud that never was: How volcanic plume over UK was only a twentieth of safe-flying limit and blunders led to ban
BBC lectures us incessantly on climate change. So why did their bosses make 68,000 domestic flights in two years?
Its viewers are frequently subjected to warnings about climate change. Yet the BBC has spent nearly £5million on tens of thousands of short-haul flights across Britain for its executives, staff and guests.
At a time when programmes regularly highlight the environmental impact of air travel, licence-fee payers have funded more than 68,000 internal trips over the past two years – an average of nearly 100 flights a day.
Ex-minister wants young jobless starved into work
THE former government minister Lord Jones has suggested that unemployed young people who refuse to look for a job should be “starved back to work” rather than continue to claim thousands of pounds in benefits.
Iran devises retaliation 'scenarios'
Amid threats of a nuclear attack against Iran, a top official with Iran's Armed Forces says the country has "retaliation scenarios" against any aggressor.
Climate change bill collapses in Senate
A long-awaited climate change bill that would put a price on excessive carbon emissions and generate billions of dollars has been postponed indefinitely.
Opinion: If there is a hung Parliament
If there is a hung Parliament with the Tories with the largest number of seats:-
1 The Queen MUST ask Cameron as leader of the largest Party to try to form a government.
2. Cameron should do so. He should follow the lead of Alex Salmond and form a minority government with NO FORMAL COALITION with the LibDems.
3. Cameron must immediately launch into the fastest possible drive to introduce localism (all the aspects of The Plan), electoral reform (to remove the Labour bias and fraud) and reform of the scandal of Broadcast News actively promoting Labour. Dare the LibDems to vote against that agenda, and shame them if they don't.
Iceland volcano: eruption 'could just be rehearsal' for worse ash chaos if Katla blows
Iceland's powerful Katla volcano is a brooding reminder that Britain and Europe face even worse chaos unless they learn lessons from the ash eruption at Eyjafjallajökull
New figures underline the fragility of economic revival
The economy grew by only 0.2% in the first quarter of the year, a slower pace than expected by City analysts, as the harshest winter weather in 30 years hit output hard.
Final economic "test" paints bleak picture for UK
GORDON Brown has been dealt another blow after the fragility of the UK economy was exposed in new figures showing slower than expected economic growth
Your account now pays minus 2.82%
Savers have been dealt another blow as inflation jumped to 3.4% in March. The annual Consumer Prices Index was 3% the previous month. As savings rates lie in the doldrums --with the best-paying 90-day notice accounts struggling to pay three% interest - savers are effectively losing money by holding it on deposit.
MIGRANT ARREST TEAM AXED AS NEW GORDON BROWN LIE EXPOSED
GORDON Brown’s lies on immigration were exposed again yesterday after it emerged that frontline officers who have arrested 1,000 illegal immigrants in a year are to be axed.
Violent crimes are up by 750 a week... and Labour's preferred figures prove it
Violent crime rose sharply in the past year, according to Labour's preferred recording method.
Ministers consistently cite the British Crime Survey as they look to trumpet their record.
But figures released yesterday showed there were 750 more violent attacks leading to injury every week last year compared with the year before.
Clegg flew economy but took business-class fares from EU
Nick Clegg has admitted taking expenses for business-class air travel while actually flying economy as a member of the European Parliament.
The Liberal Democrat leader used the budget airline BMI Baby to fly between Brussels and the UK, but was paid what he admits was 'whopping' expenses based on the price of a business-class seat on a major airline.
Britain's borrowing doubles over a year: Debt now adds up to £15,000 for every Briton
Britain's public borrowing has soared to record levels, according to official figures that underline Labour’s legacy of deficits and debt.
The Government borrowed £163.4billion in the last financial year ending in March, to fund unprecedented public spending amid tumbling tax receipts.
The nation’s borrowing almost doubled from £96.5billion in the previous year – and now stands at 11.5 per cent of national output, the Office for National Statistics said
AN energy crisis will plunge Britain into darkness in just SIX years' time, warn Government experts.
They predict that power cuts will start by 2016 - THREE years earlier than previously thought
First Annual Everybody Draw Mohammad Day
Via Dan Savage's blog at The Stranger, some clever chappie (I don't know who) has declared May 20, 2010 "Everybody Draw Mohammad Day," in support of Matt Stone and Trey Parker and in opposition to religious thuggery. Why May 20? I haven't a clue, though it could have something to do with Otto ascending the throne of Greece. Or, more likely, King Sancho IV of Castile's founding of the Study of General Schools of Alcalá.
An Act Of War: The US Congress is Actively Pushing for War on Iran
Statement on Motion to Instruct Conferees on HR 2194, Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act
April 23, 2010 "United States House of Representatives" -- Mr. Speaker I rise in opposition to this motion to instruct House conferees on HR 2194, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act, and I rise in strong opposition again to the underlying bill and to its Senate version as well. I object to this entire push for war on Iran, however it is disguised. Listening to the debate on the Floor on this motion and the underlying bill it feels as if we are back in 2002 all over again: the same falsehoods and distortions used to push the United States into a disastrous and unnecessary one trillion dollar war on Iraq are being trotted out again to lead us to what will likely be an even more disastrous and costly war on Iran. The parallels are astonishing.
The Swine Flu Panic of 2009: Reconstruction of a Mass Hysteria
We bring to the attention of our readers a report by the German Magazine Der Spiegel which suggests in no uncertain terms that the World Health Organization was serving the interests of Big Pharma in blatant violation of its mandate. We are dealing with the outright criminalization of a UN specialized agency, whose ranking officials are serving private corporate interests to the detriment of the broad objectives of global public health and social development
Halt Flu Vaccines to Children
AUSTRALIA'S chief medical officer has told doctors to stop giving the seasonal flu vaccine to children.
Tony Blair, Very Close to being Indicted for War Crimes
While on a speaking engagement in Malaysia organized by "Success Resources Company", former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was the object of an articulate protest movement demanding his indictment for war crimes.
This was no ordinary protest. Tony Blair has been accused of war crimes in a legal initiative led by the country's former Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Thousands Of Slippers To 'Greet' Tony Blair In Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA, April 21 (Bernama) -- Thousands of slippers are expected to 'greet' former British prime minister Tony Blair if he were to set foot in this country this week.
No Where to Hide: Fears of Arrest and Prosecution by Tony Blair on Charges of War Crimes
War criminal Blair, the keynote speaker at the National Achievers Conference organised by Success Resources, a sycophant Singapore outfit at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, hid in fear at the threat that members of the Malaysian anti-war NGOs would throw slippers at him and that members of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission would serve an indictment for war crimes.
Greece hit by new riots as pressure grows to quit euro
Support for the bail-out of debt-ridden Greece was in doubt last night, leaving the country on the brink of financial meltdown as top German politicians said it should be forced to quit the euro.
Riots erupting during workers’ protests over planned public spending cuts, just hours after Greek Premier George Papandreou sought emergency £35billion of loans from eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund
Miliband wastes £80,000 changing official font on Foreign Office logo
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money on a new logo – which is almost identical to the previous design.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband ordered the £80,000 makeover at the same time as the department was being forced to draw up a hit list of embassies and consulates around the globe it will close to save money.
Superspy in the sky could soon be patrolling over British cities to search for hidden terror cells
A Top-secret US unmanned drone used to locate Al Qaeda and Taliban hideouts in Pakistan and Afghanistan could soon be patrolling over British cities to search for hidden terror cells.
Labour 'cannot meet its pledge of 400,000 new green jobs'
Government forecast of slower growth in eco sector belies manifesto promise, say critics
Millions drink toxic water in the USA, but it's EPA-approved!
It has been so long since the federal law regulating tap water has been updated that since 2004, more than one-fifth of the U.S. population has consumed tap water that the government classifies as toxic, but still approves for human consumption
Genetically Modified Soy Linked to Sterility, Infant Mortality in Hamsters
“This study was just routine,” said Russian biologist Alexey V. Surov, in what could end up as the understatement of this century. Surov and his colleagues set out to discover if Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) soy, grown on 91% of US soybean fields, leads to problems in growth or reproduction. What he discovered may uproot a multi-billion dollar industry.
After feeding hamsters for two years over three generations, those on the GM diet, and especially the group on the maximum GM soy diet, showed devastating results. By the third generation, most GM soy-fed hamsters lost the ability to have babies. They also suffered slower growth, and a high mortality rate among the pups.
Obama administration spending billions on new global strike weapons
The Obama administration is spending billions of dollars to develop new weapons systems, including powerful conventional warhead missiles capable of striking any target in the world within less than an hour.
HOUSE PRICES SOAR BY 10%
HOUSE prices have leapt nearly 10 per cent in a year, figures will show this week.
LABOUR PLAN TO EMPTY BINS JUST ONCE A MONTH
RUBBISH collections just once a month are “inevitable”, the Government’s bin quango has announced.
LABOUR SPENT ALMOST £5BN ON BENEFITS FOR DRUNKS AND DRUG ADDICTS
LABOUR has spent almost £5billion on benefits for drug addicts and drunks, figures show.
Nick Clegg: I will not prop up Gordon Brown
NICK CLEGG has declared that he will refuse to prop up an “irrelevant” Gordon Brown even if Labour secures the largest number of seats in a hung parliament.
UK home to 1million illegal immigrants
THE government is allowing illegal immigrants and asylum seekers to stay in the country because it fails to send staff to one in five appeal hearings.
Years of austerity for bailed-out Greece
FOR Mike Sirakoulis, an unemployed graduate, enough is enough.
“I’ve got three degrees, including a master’s from a leading Australian university, and my prospects are bleak,” he said. “I send out about four or five CVs a week, with minimal response. I was even delayed going to a job interview because of disruption from a civil servants’ strike. It’s not just me. I’m now looking to go back abroad to find a decent job, as are many of my Greek friends.”
Americans Dont Give A **** About Global Warming, Survey Says
Retail investors from cities other than in the U.S. feel that climate change is the biggest issue facing the world, according to the HSBC Bank Global Pulse survey.
Representing 11 cities around the world, the 2,044 respondents answered questions about their preferences and behaviors regarding economic outlook, financial concerns and other topics. Responses came from Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, Paris, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Toronto/Vancouver.
When asked what the three main issues facing the world are, the respondents from the U.S. put the economy and terrorism (40 percent and 39 percent, respectively) in the number one and number two spots. Twenty-six percent said climate change was the biggest issue.
CARRYING A SWISS ARMY KNIFE COULD LAND IN COURT
MAKERS of the Swiss Army knife have warned owners that they risk prosecution if they are found carrying one.
Labour civil war as support slumps in new poll
Labour's general election campaign is in crisis amid damaging rows between senior cabinet ministers and a new poll showing support for the party dropping to a six-month low
British Taxpayers to Fund Greece up to £1 Billion per Year
Though Britain is buried in debt due to decades of Tory and Labour mismanagement, British taxpayers could be forced to pay an additional £1 billion per year to bail out the Greek economy, and if the Lib Dems have their way, that figure will be much higher.
UK home to 1million illegal immigrants
THE government is allowing illegal immigrants and asylum seekers to stay in the country because it fails to send staff to one in five appeal hearings.
Secret NHS cuts axe thousands of medics
Hospitals across England are planning to shed at least 650 doctors and 2,000 nurses under new cost-cutting plans
SNP launches legal bid against third TV debate
Welfare state could be the real loser from Britain's debt crisis
Good news from the deficit front. It's not as bad as we thought, chaps. It's just the £163.4bn for 2009-10, rather than the £167bn we feared
Alex Jones: Global Bank Conspiracy
The IMF has proposed levying two global taxes on the worlds banks to make sure the banks dont get us into trouble again. If that sounds dubious that’s because it is, in reality what is being proposed, and has been falling into place for some time, is the framework for an unelected global authority with powers above and beyond those of sovereign governments
'Fabricating Terrorism' - Victims Of UK Injustice
Launched in October 2003, Cageprisoners is a human rights organization dedicated to raising the "awareness of the plight of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay" and other War on Terror victims. As a "comprehensive resource," six words explain its mission: "education, campaign, support, motivation, co-operation (and) prevention" for its efforts to educate the public, campaign for Guantanamo and other detainee repatriations or their asylum, and have prisoner rights guaranteed under international law, including humane treatment not to be:
7/7 families call for victim inquests to examine intelligence services
Bereaved families of the 7/7 bombing victims are calling for their inquests to examine whether the intelligence services could have prevented the tragedy.
Town that scrapped 'motorist tax' speed cameras sees no increase in accidents
The first town in Britain to scrap fixed speed cameras has seen no increase in accidents, it was revealed yesterday.
But the number of motorists prosecuted for speeding there dropped by more than 40 per cent.
Swindon switched off its cameras over claims they were a ' blatant tax on the motorist' which did nothing to improve safety.
Labour slumps to six month low in latest ICM poll
Labour's election campaign suffers a fresh blow with support for the party slumping to its lowest level for six months, a new ICM poll for The Sunday Telegraph has found
How a hung parliament could hit you in the pocket
Many people attracted by the prospect of a hung parliament may be shocked to see how much it could cost them
VP Stresses Iran's Preparedness to Repel Enemy Attacks
TEHRAN (FNA)- The massive wargames conducted by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in the Persian Gulf showed that any enemy threats against the country will be reciprocated by Iran's powerful response, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday
Large cloud over the UK economy
Despite the fact that the UK economy is finally showing signs of growth there is still a large cloud looming over UK with growth in first-quarter of 2010 confirmed at just 0.2% against expectations of 0.4%. After the return to growth in the final quarter of 2009 there were hopes that 2010 would start much stronger and give the UK economy a springboard for the future. Unfortunately it looks as though the UK is set for a further period of disappointing growth with the budget deficit needing to be slashed, national debt spiralling out of control and a potential change of government all on the cards.
The looming global food crisis
Food prices have been rising. As reported here , world food prices started rising in 2007 and climbed to a record in June 2008 with rising prices of wheat, rice and corn sparking riots from Haiti to Ivory Coast. Around the world, food security is the big issue now. In the United States, food prices are spiraling ever upwards , with the price of fresh and dry vegetables up 56.1% and eggs up 33.6%,
Tipping Point for European Debt?
For nations living the good life, the party's over, IMF says
To keep the global economy on track, people in the United States and the rest of the developed world need to work longer before retiring, pay higher taxes and expect less from government. And the cheap imports lining the shelves of mega-chains such as Wal-Mart and Target? They need to be more expensive
18 veterans kill themselves every day: report
The suicide rate among war veterans is extraordinary, new data reveals.
Thirty try to commit suicide each day, on average, reports the Army Times. Eighteen succeed, roughly five of whom receive medical care from Veterans Affairs, rated one of the best health programs in the country.
EU wants united airspace after ash cloud
European authorities have seized on this week's airline crisis to fast-track their control of airspace, but they appear to have less interest in helping airlines pay the bills left by the volcanic ash cloud.
Scientist says Arctic getting colder
A Russian scientist says the Arctic may be getting colder, not warmer, which would hamper the international race to discover new mineral fields
The nine-bin nightmare: Families forced to follow green zealots' new recycling diktats
Families are facing a nightmare future of recycling confusion.
In a regime set to spread across the country, residents are being forced to juggle an astonishing nine separate bins.
There has already been a storm of protest with warnings that the scheme is too complex and homes simply don't have the space to deal with the myriad bins, bags and boxes
The World Is Running Out of Stuff
There are numerous investors, companies, and even countries speculating in “Peak Oil”, but there could be an even bigger shortage looming. What could possibly be as important as the world’s energy supply? A very interesting article in Foreign Policy magazine presents the case for “Peak Phosphorous”, an element on which the global food supply could depend
US Food Inflation Spiraling Out of Control
Things are going to get ugly in the US this summer
BRITAIN TO HELP BAIL OUT GREECE
BRITISH taxpayers’ money is poised to join a multi-billion pound bail-out of Greece after the debt-ridden nation formally asked for an international loan deal to be activated.
BLOW AS THE RECOVERY FALTERS
BRITAIN’S battered economy suffered another setback yesterday after official figures showed the recovery slowed during the winter.
Oceans die, while humans trivialize
When I look at the news, I am often struck by the trivial matters with which people seem to be obsessed, while the world around them is going to hell in the proverbial handbasket. For example, So-and-So's ugly dress at the latest Hollywood party gets 5,000 retweets, while nobody seems to care much about the fact that our oceans, seas, rivers and waterways in general are becoming cluttered with junk and toxic chemicals.
Stunted growth leaves Bank facing interest-rate dilemma
The economic recovery lost momentum in the first three months of the year as January’s snowy weather held back businesses, official data indicated yesterday
‘Pakistan may let Taliban use its nuclear weapons against India’
Conservatives plan for a coalition
Kenneth Clarke has become the first senior Conservative to suggest how the party might negotiate with the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition government in the event of a hung parliament.
Alistair Darling favours bank 'super tax'
Alistair Darling has thrown his weight behind a new "super-tax" to be levied on banks' profits and signalled that the G20 could agree on the international tax later this year.
Another Drug Record for Afghanistan
In addition to being the world’s leading producer of opium, Afghanistan has now become the largest producer of hashish, according to the first ever cannabis survey released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) earlier this month. Again, the US invasion is behind the new record.
Peak oil predictions
The peak oil debate has always been about reserves and costs. But it's clean, green technologies that now spell oil's demise
Flu shots suspended after kids hospitalised
The Health Minister, Kim Hames, says 45 children have been taken to hospital suffering high temperatures and febrile convulsions after receiving the vaccination.
German troops in Afghanistan call on Angela Merkel to explain why they're at war
German soldiers are wearing their hearts on their sleeves - in the form of a badge that protests their country's involvement in the war in Afghanistan.
Some troops have taken to wearing the cloth accessory that states - ironically - 'I fight for Merkel' in a bid to persuade the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to explain exactly what they are fighting and dying for.
Fitch warns of debt 'shock' for Japan
Fitch Ratings has warned that Japan's sovereign debt is rising to ominously high levels as the workforce shrinks and deflation grinds deeper, while the government's reserve assets may prove unusable for defence in a funding crisis.
Leicestershire to dim street lights
A county council is planning to switch off or dim thousands of street lights next month in a bid to cut costs
Tony Blair Stands Accused
Malaysia must not allow this mass murderer to be immune from justice.
Dangerous Crossroads: US Deploys Patriot Missiles in Poland directed against Russia
MOSCOW -- Moscow is deeply concerned with the plans of the United States to deploy Patriot missiles in Poland near the Russian border, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
Bias of Weather Models: Britain's Met Office Computer Accused of 'Warm Bias'
A BBC weather forecaster has suggested that the Met Office's super-computer has a 'warm bias' which has stopped it predicting bitterly cold spells like the one we have just endured.
British grandmother returns home after 23 years in Spain... and is branded an asylum seeker
A British grandmother who returned home destitute after living in Spain for 23 years has complained after being barred from claiming benefits.
Lorraine Marsland, 52, says officials are classing her alongside asylum seekers even though she was born here and holds a British passport.
Since arriving in Britain in January with her grandson Dylan, she has been denied housing benefit, child benefit, and Jobseeker's Allowance.
In hiding, the mother accused of abuse for cuddling her child
A mother alleged to have 'emotionally abused' her daughter by telling her she was born by caesarean has fled to Ireland with the child.
Fearing that social workers would take her daughter away, Shahnaz Malik smuggled five-year-old Amaani out of the country.
After allegations that included Mrs Malik cuddling Amaani for too long while dropping her off at nursery, social services placed the little girl on a 'child protection plan' and scheduled a child mental health assessment
Mother's fury as children as young as EIGHT are being offered free condoms
Charity youth workers have been criticised after offering free condoms to children as young as eight who were playing in a park.
Angry mother Samantha Fuller says her 13-year-old daughter was given the contraceptives - but she also claims her eight-year-old nephew was asked if he wanted some.
Governments Will 'Bankrupt Us': Marc Faber
"They will all bankrupt us and expropriate us, but it may not happen tomorrow. They'll give us something to play with, until the whole system breaks down...they'll just print money and print more money," he said on CNBC Thursday
Demonizing Iran: US Media Continue Beating War Drums
Just yesterday, the New York Times, had a lead story about Israeli planning to possibly “go it alone” in an attack on Iran if the US were not to “succeed” in its diplomatic efforts to get Iran to “stop” it’s alleged attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capability.
Aside from the fact that there is no hard evidence that Iran is trying to make a nuclear bomb or even to refine uranium to obtain nuclear-grade material, the paper ignored one crucial point: Israel cannot “go it alone” in any strike on Iran, since its key weapons – F15 and F-16 fighter-bombers – are supplied to it, and kept flying, thanks to the equipment and spare parts provided by the United States. Indeed the entire Israeli military machine is largely financed and armed by the US.
Wikileaks and the Internalized National-Security-Virtual-State
The magnetism of US censorship is that people 'think' they are free and knowledgeable, but they do not 'know' they have internalized and have been imprisoned by a national-security-virtual-state. It purports fear, ignorance, confusion, and misinformation, notes Dallas Darling.
And we would've gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for that damned Internet
There are now a whole lot of newly-minted, well-informed skeptics out there
Fly me to Dunoon... Scottish bid for de Niro's film festival
The new blog format is essentially finished and we will carry on posting news links on a daily basis.
We do however want to go much further and a blog simply cannot achieve what we want to do. We want to create a new UK online daily ‘newspaper’ and we will purposely design it so it has a similar format and look to some of the other UK newspapers, perhaps a cross between the Telegraph and the Guardian. We want it to look professional and polished.
We want to not only link to other news sites but eventually create our own news as we believe there must be many ‘would be’ journalists and writers seeking a platform- all we have to do is find them.
Our chief aim will be, while providing news and informing people, is without a doubt, getting more people into the ‘Libertarian’ blogosphere but to do that we are going to have to be ‘crafty’ . Hence the need for a balanced, ‘not in your face’, MSM type news site.
We will work out how to give exposure to the blogs without it being overt or obvious and once we have set it up we’ll link the site here so that everyone can see it and comment on it till we get it right. Once we have done that we will advertise it as a new and truly independent UK online newspaper not tied to any group or organisation, where you’ll get all the important news on a daily basis.
On the subject of being crafty does anyone out there plan on subscribing to the Times when it starts charging in June? If you are do us a favour and copy the best articles and email them to us and we’ll research the source material ourselves, quoting sources, and then publish our own news piece on the site.
If anyone wants to get involved in anyway please email theuknewsnetwork@googlemail.com and of course any donations, however small, will help us set up the site and hopefully create a fund for advertised links on other sites. We want to stress again that this project is voluntary and not for profit and we will publish regular account details so that anyone who donates can see what we are doing.
This all might seem a bit ambitious but there’s an old Scottish saying:
“Aim for the stars and you’ll hit higher than a haystack”
And we think now’s the time to start doing a bit of aiming.
Best Wishes
The Network
Parade boosts patriotism on St George's day
St George has been back on horseback for a new quest - to boost flagging patriotism in the nation's capital.
As part of a weekend of nationwide festivities marking St George's Day, campaigners bidding to "reclaim Englishness" revived a traditional pageant last staged in 1585.
IMF cuts UK forecast in blow to Gordon Brown
The International Monetary Fund has delivered a pre-election blow to Gordon Brown, cutting its 2011 UK growth forecasts.
There is literally excrement in your salad: Fecal bacteria contamination widespread
A recent Consumer Reports investigation has revealed that bagged salads labeled "pre-washed" or "triple-washed" may not be as clean as they appear. Of the 208 samples taken from 16 different brands of bagged salad, researchers found that nearly 40 percent of them were tainted with bacteria often found in fecal material.
GLOBAL WARMING FANATICS BECOMING DESPERATE
The latest volcano eruption in Iceland is now being used as an example by the Global Warming fanatics of how thinning ice caps can actually cause volcanoes to erupt. The latest is how thinning ice caps in Iceland are releasing pressure on the ground and creating liquid magma. Freysteinn Sigmundsson, a vulcanologist at the University of Iceland, goes on to say that melting ice caused by Global Warming can influence magmatic systems as seen from the increasing volcano activity at the end of the Ice Age 10,000 years ago apparently because as the ice caps melted, the land rose
Greek strikes, debt crisis intensify fears of economic collapse
Major banks and investors continued to bid up interest rates on Greek government debt in the run-up to tomorrow’s strikes in Greece, prompting renewed fears that joint European-IMF bailout plans might fail. It is widely assumed in financial circles that bailouts will not resolve the underlying economic problems that provoked the debt crisis, and European officials and media are increasingly discussing state bankruptcy or the end of the common European currency, the euro.
Britain: What will a 20 percent cut in public spending mean for workers?
With the international financial institutions demanding that Britain rein in its ballooning debt, all the main political parties are committed to deep-going cuts in public expenditure to pay for the bank bailout and further enrich their corporate backers.
Studies reveal Americans’ declining living standards and increasing anger
A series of recent studies conducted by the Pew Research Center shed new light on the scope of the economic crisis in the US and the level of hostility the majority of the American population holds for the US government
BANKERS' BONUSES SOAR TO ‘SICKENING' £7BN
FAT Cat bankers will this year pick up bonuses worth nearly a staggering £7billion, research will reveal today.
City workers will receive an average payout of about £70,000 – almost triple the average salary of workers in other sectors.
GORDON BROWN ACCUSED OF LIES TO PENSIONERS
THE Tories last night produced a new election poster featuring Gordon Brown’s head superimposed on the body of Little Britain’s Vicky Pollard.
The move came after David Cameron accused Gordon Brown of peddling “lies” to scare pensioners in a series of controversial Labour election leaflets sent to millions of homes.
Gordon Brown warns of 'double-dip recession' as economy falters
Gordon Brown warned of the dangers of a double-dip recession today after official figures showed the economic recovery almost stalling in the first three months of the year
Quieter activity on Sun may push Britain into a modern-day Little Ice Age
Horse racing on frozen rivers? Ice bowling? Activities last seen during Britain's Little Ice Age could once more be seen, researchers believe.
Having just emerged from a bitterly cold winter the experts are warning that Britain could return to the mini ice-age at the end of the 17th century. This is despite claims that global warming is causing Arctic ice to melt and temperatures to rise
Newborn babies to get bar codes instead of handwritten name tags
An NHS hospital has become the first in the country to issue all new born babies with bar codes instead of traditional handwritten tags.
US death toll doubles in Afghanistan
New data from the US government shows that the number of American contractors killed in Afghanistan has increased by more than 100 percent
Public sector job losses 'inevitable', says Alistair Darling
Public sector job losses are ''inevitable'' as measures to halve the deficit take effect, Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, has said
US warms to strike on Iran
With sufficient foreign assistance, Iran could probably develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile [ICBM] capable of reaching the United States by 2015," claimed a Pentagon report that was declassified on Monday. The almost simultaneous timing of two key recent revelations - this and Israeli accusations that Syria had transferred Scud missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon - has contributed to a fresh escalation of tensions in the Middle East and to speculation that the stage is being set for a military show-down.
NHS computers hit by voracious, data-stealing worm
The UK's National Health Service has been hit by a voracious, data-stealing worm that's easily detected by off-the-shelf security software, according to researchers who directly observed the mass compromise.
68 percent support English Parliament
According to a new ICM poll for POWER2010, 68 percent of English voters believe that England should have its own Parliament, with similar powers to the Scottish one. An even larger number (70 percent) supported the idea of ‘English votes for English laws’, whereby laws that only affected England could only be voted on by MPs representing English constituencies. Plainly the West Lothian Question, first posed by Labour MP Tim Dalyell in 1977, is long overdue an answer:
CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR CLIMATE COURT
Participants in a conference on climate change are demanding 300 billion US dollars in annual compensation from wealthy countries and transnational companies to deal with the effects of global warming.
Nationalists lose fight over participation in TV debate
Cameron accuses Brown of 'lies and scare tactics' over election leaflet campaign
Gordon Brown was forced to disown Labour’s election campaign after his party was accused of publishing ‘lies and scare’ tactics about their policy on elderly people.
David Cameron angrily told the Prime Minister that he should be ‘ashamed’ of claims that the Tories would axe benefits such as free bus passes, TV licences and the winter fuel allowance.
Lib Dem’s UK immigration plan to direct migrants to Scotland
Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats immigration policy proposal for “earned citizenship” for those who have been living illegally in Britain for more than 10 years has earned support from London's mayor, Boris Johnson.
Yet, ANOTHER global warming oops moment .
At the rate the blunders and errors of global warming “science” have been revealed, you have to sooner or later wonder if these folks may be more than just dishonest. They may be just plain stupid
Hung parliament – The dangers to UK plc
Recent opinion polls, driven forward by the Clegg phenomenon, indicate that a hung Parliament is a real possibility. As such, two critical priorities for the incoming Government – cutting the UK’s horrendous public sector net borrowing (PSNB) figure and tackling the UK’s lack of base-load electricity generating capacity – will be downgraded.
Budget deficit at record £163bn
The UK has registered its biggest annual budget deficit since records began in the 1940s, as the political row over the Government finances grows more intense.
Escalating Greek default fears rock Europe's debt markets
Greece's debt crisis has reached a dramatic crescendo after the EU revealed that the country's debt and deficit figures are even worse than feared and leading banks began to talk openly of debt-restructuring.
DANGER ON THE STREETS AS VIOLENT ATTACK RATE SOARS
LABOUR’S failure to crack down on crime is exposed today by figures which show violence soaring on Britain’s streets.
Google had 1,200 requests for data from British authorities
Google was asked by British authorities almost 1,200 times for information about the internet activites of individuals and companies in just six months, the search engine has disclosed.
Iran's military begins large-scale war games
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard has begun three days of major military manoeuvres in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz
Public Sector Debt Reaches Historic High of 62% of GDP
The latest economic statistics reveal that not only has Government borrowing soared to unprecedented levels, but also that Britain’s public sector net debt has now reached an incredible 62 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
According to figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), Britain slumped even further into the red by another £23.5 billion in March, despite Government claims that we are in “recovery.”
Identity parade: What do flags say about nations – and human nature?
So out it pops today, as always in the last week of April, waving in the wind like some great blowsy red-and-white spring blossom which has suddenly emerged: the Cross of St George. But while blossom is universally welcome, the red cross on white of England, hoisted in its homeland on this St George's Day, 23 April, arouses contradictory and dangerous emotions: enthusiasm on the one hand, contempt and distrust on the other. Can there be a national flag anywhere which is so potentially divisive in the very country it symbolises?
Can you name this man? The many changing faces of St George
England never celebrates St George’s day. Well, not really anyway, as the deafening silence which greeted Boris Johnson’s attempt to drum up enthusiasm for the saint “who had been ignored for too long” showed last year. Despite his “St George’s week” efforts, Londoners barely noticed the 23rd April, except to wonder why their local pubs were full of complimentary red and white party hats.
Five interesting things that happened on today’s date
There are some dates in history that are repeated time and again, producing an odd synergy. For example, the 23rd November is the date on which John F. Kennedy was assasinated in 1963; it was the date British prime minister Margaret Thatcher ended her premiership in 1990; and it was the date on which Angela Merkel became the first ever female Chancellor of Germany in 2005.
Today's date, 21st April, is another such date. It has seen a host of interesting historical events, births and deaths. Here we look at five of the most significant things to happen on this day.
How Dangerous Is the Volcanic Ash?
A flight by the German Aerospace Center on Monday measured the ash plume over Germany and found that the particle concentration was no higher than that of sand clouds from the Sahara desert that sometimes reach Europe. But it is still unclear what kind of effect Eyjafjalljökull's ash particles could have on jet engines.
Playing for time
If North Korea did deliberately destroy a South Korean warship, what next?
Woman firefighter 'slept with her boss to stop him sexually harassing her', tribunal hears
A female firefighter slept with her 'sexist' boss in a desperate bid to end harassment by colleagues, a tribunal heard.
Tory candidate in John Prescott mask arrested for assault on female Labour party helpers after lunge at former deputy PM
A Tory council candidate wearing a John Prescott mask has been arrested after allegedly knocking down two women while trying to disrupt a campaign visit by the former deputy prime minister.
Doctors in Spain claim to have performed world's first full face transplant
A team of 30 Spanish doctors claim to have successfully performed the world’s first full face transplant.
The man who threw away the £100,000 winner
A mail driver today described how he threw away a £100,000 winning scratchcard because he misunderstood the rules of the game.
As foreign affairs enter the debate, so the anti-war protesters make their voice heard
Six people were arrested last night after police clashed with protesters in fractious scenes in Bristol hours ahead of the second leaders' debate.
'Sun' censored poll that showed support for Lib Dems
The Sun newspaper failed to publish a YouGov poll showing that voters fear a Liberal Democrat government less than a Conservative or Labour one.
Burglars break into prison to rob absent inmates
It would make a good gag for a comedy if it weren't actually true: thieves have broken into a Dutch prison to steal the inmates' televisions.
Virgin Atlantic Accused In Price Fixing Probe
Sir Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic will be grilled over alleged passenger fare price fixing with rival carrier Cathay Pacific Airways.
Police Figures Show 7% Drop In Crime
The number of violent attacks, robberies and burglaries have fallen sharply across England and Wales, according to the latest figures.
RAF Hopes To Resume Flights After Ash Scare
The RAF hopes to resume Typhoon training flights today after deposits of volcanic ash in engines sparked a fresh scare over British air safety.
Owners of Marmite seek injunction against BNP after jar appears in video
The owners of Marmite sought an injunction against the British National Party yesterday after it included images of the brand in a political broadcast.
Failed job hunt ends in overdose at 21
A young woman who had left school with ten GCSEs and three A levels apparently killed herself because she felt “humiliated” when she could not get a job.
Newborn babies to get bar codes instead of handwritten name tags
An NHS hospital has become the first in the country to issue all new born babies with bar codes instead of traditional handwritten tags.
British family ‘asked not to be served by hotel’s black waiters’
A family of British holidaymakers were accused yesterday of telling the management of a five-star Florida hotel that they did not want to be waited on by black staff.
'Boastful' killer, 17, detained for four years
A teenager who killed a man and boasted about it on the social networking site Facebook has been detained for four years.
Diabetic boy died after swine flu misdiagnosis
An eight-year-old boy died from diabetes after being misdiagnosed with swine flu by an out-of-hours doctor service, an inquest has been told.
Man jailed for sex with autistic teenager
A man who had sex with a "vulnerable" autistic girl after meeting her mother via the internet has been jailed for more than three years.
Somerset village stands up against 'greedy MPs'
Driving across the Somerset levels, through the village of Burtle, I cannot fail to notice one thing.
Nearly every other house has a black and white poster up saying Vote Against Greed.
It was started by Robin Howell, who said he wanted to send a message to all politicians and parties about greed and corruption in parliament.
Poor 'get less prostate surgery'
Men living in deprived areas are less likely to receive radiotherapy or surgery for prostate cancer than their richer counterparts, a study suggests.
Britain's first-quarter growth eases fears of double-dip recession
Labour relieved as official figures today are tipped to show growth at high end of economists' forecast
Car bomb blast outside police station on Irish border
Police face rise in threat of activity by dissident republicans
Davd Cameron attacks Gordon Brown over 'scaremongering' leaflets
Conservative leader scores big hit during leaders' debate with accusation of 'lies' about policy on pensioners
Stranded BA passengers sent to back of queue
British Airways faced an angry backlash from long-haul customers stranded in India and China today after the airline admitted it is giving them no priority over new paying customers for empty seats.
IMF’s Global Taxes Can Only Be Enforced Through Global Government
Latest proposals part of ongoing centralisation into new economic world order
Ten U.S. Cities In Free Fall
Economic indicators in these metros have gone from bad to worse, with no sign of recovery.
YouTube Hitler Downfall parody videos removed over copyright
YouTube has removed a large number of Hitler parodies featuring a clip from Der Untergang, or Downfall, after copyright complaints from producers Constantin films.
Climate scientist sues newspaper for 'poisoning' global warming debate
Climate modeller Andrew Weaver launches libel action in Canada for publishing 'grossly irresponsible falsehoods'
Hidden In The PPI Data Was The Largest Food Price Spike In 26 Years
Food prices are volatile, but this move can't be ignored given its historical significance
MOODY'S DOWNGRADES GREECE, Euro Going Berzerk
Moody's downgrades Greece from A3 to A2. It's almost over
Britain has biggest annual deficit since World War II
The UK has recorded its largest annual budget deficit since the Second World War as the election battle over how to repair the public finances intensifies
Scandals Signal The Demise of Our Financial System
The line up goes down the block and around the corner for prosecutions against Goldman Sachs, Sovereign debt looms large, 8 more banks close, scandals in the financial sector continue to erupt everywhere, the public picks up the bills, we face a staggering depression, anger grows against wall street, a plan for permanent bailouts only favors the rich and corrupt.
ACTA treaty aims to deputize ISPs on copyrights
Internet service providers could become copyright cops encouraged to block access to suspected pirate Web sites, according to a previously secret draft treaty made public on Wednesday.
One section of the proposed digital copyright treaty says that immunity from lawsuits would be granted to Internet providers "disabling access" to pirated material and adopting a policy dealing with unauthorized "transmission of materials protected by copyright." If the ISPs choose not to do so, they could face legal liability.
WikiLeaks claims Facebook deleted its page, 30,000 fans
WHISTLEBLOWER website Wikileaks claims it has had its Facebook page deleted.
According to the WikiLeaks Twitter account, the website had more than 30,000 fans at the time it was deleted.
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