Americans will remain in jail ‘a bit longer’, despite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s claim they would be freed within days Two US nationals arrested while hiking in Iran and convicted of spying will not be released imminently as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had announced, a judiciary official has said. “The two Americans are going to stay in prison for a bit longer. Reports of their imminent release are wrong,” Iran’s English-language Press TV quoted the official as saying. Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were sentenced in Iran last month to eight years in prison. Ahmadinejad told US media that they would be freed “in a couple of days” in what he called a humanitarian gesture shortly before he travels to a UN meeting in New York. Iran Middle East United States guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Survey shows that funeral costs have risen by 61% over the past seven years, as bereaved families struggle to cover the expense The average cost of dying has risen to £7,248, according to a survey which warns that many bereaved families will struggle to cover all the expenses. The analysis of death-related costs from insurance company Sun Life Direct , which include funerals, probate costs and memorials such as headstones, shows that next of kin and other key relatives are often ill-prepared to cover the final bills. More than a quarter (26%) of participants in the survey admitted they had made no plans for the practicalities of later life, while 87% had made no arrangements regarding where they will live and how they will be cared for if they are unable to look after themselves in old age. The research shows that in the UK today, end-of-life costs have increased to an average of £7,248 – a rise of 20% since 2007 and more than £400 since 2010. Specifically, funeral costs have increased by 61% over the past seven years, which Sun Life Direct believes will continue for the foreseeable future. The report also reveals that this increase in costs has been met with surprise and concern from those who have responsibility for such arrangements. Simon Cox, head of life planning at Sun Life Direct, said: “Many people are sleepwalking into a financial nightmare, leaving end-of-life plans to their families, the state or no one at all. “As a nation we need a wake-up call. Our research indicates that although there is indeed openness to talking about death, action is still greatly lacking. Steps need to be taken to avert the sort of distress and concern experienced by the nearly one-in-five (100,000) people who struggle with funeral costs.” Dr Kate Woodthorpe, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Bath , said the number of deaths in England and Wales was at an all-time low, but was set to rise significantly. While 491,348 deaths were registered in 2009, she said that by 2030 an additional 80,000 people would die each year. “As a society, we have to ask ourselves whether the current infrastructure for end-of-life support is fit for purpose,” she said. Meanwhile, separate research revealed that families are holding on to their loved ones’ ashes after death because of restrictions and confusion on scattering cremated remains. The study by the Co-operative Funeralcare , which has 880 funeral homes nationwide, revealed that three in five people would like to scatter a relative’s ashes at a special place or bury them under a memorial, but were prevented from doing so because of rules or environmental concerns. It said three out of four people were keeping ashes for up to a year. The most popular place to keep them was on the mantelpiece, but more than a fifth would choose the bedroom while one in 17 would store them in the attic, bathroom or garage. Family finances Consumer affairs Rebecca Smithers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Survey shows that funeral costs have risen by 61% over the past seven years, as bereaved families struggle to cover the expense The average cost of dying has risen to £7,248, according to a survey which warns that many bereaved families will struggle to cover all the expenses. The analysis of death-related costs from insurance company Sun Life Direct , which include funerals, probate costs and memorials such as headstones, shows that next of kin and other key relatives are often ill-prepared to cover the final bills. More than a quarter (26%) of participants in the survey admitted they had made no plans for the practicalities of later life, while 87% had made no arrangements regarding where they will live and how they will be cared for if they are unable to look after themselves in old age. The research shows that in the UK today, end-of-life costs have increased to an average of £7,248 – a rise of 20% since 2007 and more than £400 since 2010. Specifically, funeral costs have increased by 61% over the past seven years, which Sun Life Direct believes will continue for the foreseeable future. The report also reveals that this increase in costs has been met with surprise and concern from those who have responsibility for such arrangements. Simon Cox, head of life planning at Sun Life Direct, said: “Many people are sleepwalking into a financial nightmare, leaving end-of-life plans to their families, the state or no one at all. “As a nation we need a wake-up call. Our research indicates that although there is indeed openness to talking about death, action is still greatly lacking. Steps need to be taken to avert the sort of distress and concern experienced by the nearly one-in-five (100,000) people who struggle with funeral costs.” Dr Kate Woodthorpe, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Bath , said the number of deaths in England and Wales was at an all-time low, but was set to rise significantly. While 491,348 deaths were registered in 2009, she said that by 2030 an additional 80,000 people would die each year. “As a society, we have to ask ourselves whether the current infrastructure for end-of-life support is fit for purpose,” she said. Meanwhile, separate research revealed that families are holding on to their loved ones’ ashes after death because of restrictions and confusion on scattering cremated remains. The study by the Co-operative Funeralcare , which has 880 funeral homes nationwide, revealed that three in five people would like to scatter a relative’s ashes at a special place or bury them under a memorial, but were prevented from doing so because of rules or environmental concerns. It said three out of four people were keeping ashes for up to a year. The most popular place to keep them was on the mantelpiece, but more than a fifth would choose the bedroom while one in 17 would store them in the attic, bathroom or garage. Family finances Consumer affairs Rebecca Smithers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Survey shows that funeral costs have risen by 61% over the past seven years, as bereaved families struggle to cover the expense The average cost of dying has risen to £7,248, according to a survey which warns that many bereaved families will struggle to cover all the expenses. The analysis of death-related costs from insurance company Sun Life Direct , which include funerals, probate costs and memorials such as headstones, shows that next of kin and other key relatives are often ill-prepared to cover the final bills. More than a quarter (26%) of participants in the survey admitted they had made no plans for the practicalities of later life, while 87% had made no arrangements regarding where they will live and how they will be cared for if they are unable to look after themselves in old age. The research shows that in the UK today, end-of-life costs have increased to an average of £7,248 – a rise of 20% since 2007 and more than £400 since 2010. Specifically, funeral costs have increased by 61% over the past seven years, which Sun Life Direct believes will continue for the foreseeable future. The report also reveals that this increase in costs has been met with surprise and concern from those who have responsibility for such arrangements. Simon Cox, head of life planning at Sun Life Direct, said: “Many people are sleepwalking into a financial nightmare, leaving end-of-life plans to their families, the state or no one at all. “As a nation we need a wake-up call. Our research indicates that although there is indeed openness to talking about death, action is still greatly lacking. Steps need to be taken to avert the sort of distress and concern experienced by the nearly one-in-five (100,000) people who struggle with funeral costs.” Dr Kate Woodthorpe, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Bath , said the number of deaths in England and Wales was at an all-time low, but was set to rise significantly. While 491,348 deaths were registered in 2009, she said that by 2030 an additional 80,000 people would die each year. “As a society, we have to ask ourselves whether the current infrastructure for end-of-life support is fit for purpose,” she said. Meanwhile, separate research revealed that families are holding on to their loved ones’ ashes after death because of restrictions and confusion on scattering cremated remains. The study by the Co-operative Funeralcare , which has 880 funeral homes nationwide, revealed that three in five people would like to scatter a relative’s ashes at a special place or bury them under a memorial, but were prevented from doing so because of rules or environmental concerns. It said three out of four people were keeping ashes for up to a year. The most popular place to keep them was on the mantelpiece, but more than a fifth would choose the bedroom while one in 17 would store them in the attic, bathroom or garage. Family finances Consumer affairs Rebecca Smithers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• Jobless total rises to 2.51m • Unemployment rate at 7.9% • Public sector employment falls by 111,000 • Claimant count rises by 20,300 in August Public sector job cuts imposed as part of the government’s austerity drive have sent unemployment back through the 2.5m barrier, according to official figures released on Wednesday. The Office for National Statistics said the number of people out of work rose by 80,000 in the three months to July, reaching 2.51m. Despite ministerial hopes that the private sector will be able to compensate for the squeeze on the public sector, the ONS said the May to July period had seen the sharpest rise in unemployment in two years. The unemployment rate using the internationally agreed yardstick for calculating joblessness rose to 7.9% for May to July, from 7.7% in February to April. Officials said that employment in the public sector had fallen by 111,000 in the second quarter of 2011, the biggest drop since recent records began in 1999. The government’s alternative measure for unemployment – the claimant count – indicated that an additional 20,300 people were out of work and claiming benefits in August, a smaller increase than the City had feared following an increase of more than 30,000 in July. The claimant count total now stands at 1,580,900. Unemployment on both measures has been rising in recent months as the UK’s recovery from the deep recession of 2008-09 has stalled. Economic output has increased by just 0.2% in the nine months to June. The ONS data showed that employment in the three months to July fell by 69,000, the weakest performance since spring 2010. Employment minister Chris Grayling, said: “Today’s figures underline the scale of the challenge that we face particularly given slower growth across Europe and North America. Unemployment remains lower than it was six months ago but clearly we must continue to focus our efforts on supporting business growth and ensure that people who do lose their jobs have the best possible support to get back into employment.” Unemployment and employment statistics Economics Public sector cuts Economic policy Larry Elliott guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …• Jobless total rises to 2.51m • Unemployment rate at 7.9% • Public sector employment falls by 111,000 • Claimant count rises by 20,300 in August Public sector job cuts imposed as part of the government’s austerity drive have sent unemployment back through the 2.5m barrier, according to official figures released on Wednesday. The Office for National Statistics said the number of people out of work rose by 80,000 in the three months to July, reaching 2.51m. Despite ministerial hopes that the private sector will be able to compensate for the squeeze on the public sector, the ONS said the May to July period had seen the sharpest rise in unemployment in two years. The unemployment rate using the internationally agreed yardstick for calculating joblessness rose to 7.9% for May to July, from 7.7% in February to April. Officials said that employment in the public sector had fallen by 111,000 in the second quarter of 2011, the biggest drop since recent records began in 1999. The government’s alternative measure for unemployment – the claimant count – indicated that an additional 20,300 people were out of work and claiming benefits in August, a smaller increase than the City had feared following an increase of more than 30,000 in July. The claimant count total now stands at 1,580,900. Unemployment on both measures has been rising in recent months as the UK’s recovery from the deep recession of 2008-09 has stalled. Economic output has increased by just 0.2% in the nine months to June. The ONS data showed that employment in the three months to July fell by 69,000, the weakest performance since spring 2010. Employment minister Chris Grayling, said: “Today’s figures underline the scale of the challenge that we face particularly given slower growth across Europe and North America. Unemployment remains lower than it was six months ago but clearly we must continue to focus our efforts on supporting business growth and ensure that people who do lose their jobs have the best possible support to get back into employment.” Unemployment and employment statistics Economics Public sector cuts Economic policy Larry Elliott guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …• Jobless total rises to 2.51m • Unemployment rate at 7.9% • Public sector employment falls by 111,000 • Claimant count rises by 20,300 in August Public sector job cuts imposed as part of the government’s austerity drive have sent unemployment back through the 2.5m barrier, according to official figures released on Wednesday. The Office for National Statistics said the number of people out of work rose by 80,000 in the three months to July, reaching 2.51m. Despite ministerial hopes that the private sector will be able to compensate for the squeeze on the public sector, the ONS said the May to July period had seen the sharpest rise in unemployment in two years. The unemployment rate using the internationally agreed yardstick for calculating joblessness rose to 7.9% for May to July, from 7.7% in February to April. Officials said that employment in the public sector had fallen by 111,000 in the second quarter of 2011, the biggest drop since recent records began in 1999. The government’s alternative measure for unemployment – the claimant count – indicated that an additional 20,300 people were out of work and claiming benefits in August, a smaller increase than the City had feared following an increase of more than 30,000 in July. The claimant count total now stands at 1,580,900. Unemployment on both measures has been rising in recent months as the UK’s recovery from the deep recession of 2008-09 has stalled. Economic output has increased by just 0.2% in the nine months to June. The ONS data showed that employment in the three months to July fell by 69,000, the weakest performance since spring 2010. Employment minister Chris Grayling, said: “Today’s figures underline the scale of the challenge that we face particularly given slower growth across Europe and North America. Unemployment remains lower than it was six months ago but clearly we must continue to focus our efforts on supporting business growth and ensure that people who do lose their jobs have the best possible support to get back into employment.” Unemployment and employment statistics Economics Public sector cuts Economic policy Larry Elliott guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Care Quality Commission had to cut inspections to divert resources to registering dental practices The health and social care watchdog was set an impossible working brief but failed to raise the alarm before an inevitable collapse in the number of inspections it carried out, an inquiry by MPs has concluded. Inspection activity by the Care Quality Commission plunged 70% in the second half of 2010-11 compared with the year before, after it was forced to divert resources to registering dental practices, according to the Commons health select committee. Finding that the commission was set up with unclear and unrealistic objectives, that timescales and resource demands were not thought through and that the process of registering care providers was untested, the committee said: “The CQC failed to draw the implications of these failures adequately to the attention of ministers, parliament and the public.” The report caps a torrid summer for the commission, which was established in 2008 to provide a single regulatory body for health and social care services in England. The organisation has faced criticism for failing to raise an alert over the plight of Southern Cross, the leading care home chain that is now being wound up, and for failing to act on a whistleblower’s concerns about the regime of abuse subsequently exposed at Winterbourne View, the private learning disability hospital near Bristol that has since been closed by its operator, Castlebeck. Plans put forward by the commission for an excellence kitemark, for which social care providers would have to pay extra, have been roundly rejected and are expected to be ditched. The select committee says a “significant proportion” of evidence given to the inquiry expressed concerns about the commission’s work. “The overall impression is one of frustration with the CQC and a lack of confidence in its ability to execute its main functions efficiently.” Stephen Dorrell, who chairs the committee, said the decision to shift resources into registering 8,000 dental practices, in order to meet a statutory deadline of April this year, had distracted the commission from its core function and distorted its priorities. Ministers have now agreed to defer for 12 months the registration of GP practices, which had been due for completion by next spring. The commission has asked for a 10% increase in its budget, which was £161m last year, to cope with the workload, but the select committee is “noting” rather than backing the request. Asked if he was surprised that the CQC’s leadership remained in place, Dorrell said: “I welcome the fact that the leadership in place has now made clear that it is doing some things that, in the view of the committee, should have happened some time before.” The CQC, which has undertaken to visit all care providers annually, said inspection figures were now rising rapidly. Between April and June, it had published 2,527 inspection reports on NHS and social care providers, compared with 886 between October and December last year. An additional 100 inspectors were being recruited. Social care Health Health policy David Brindle guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Unison, GMB and Unite, who together represent 1.5 million public sector workers, are expected to announce intention to hold strike ballots over planned changes to pensions The leader of the country’s largest public sector union has given notice of an industrial action ballot that could result in more than 1 million members taking part in a national day of co-ordinated action. Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, opened a debate on a motion calling for the TUC to co-ordinate strike action by public sector unions over the government’s proposed reforms to public sector pension schemes. Prentis told delegates that striking was the “last thing” his members wanted to do, but after “eight long months” of looking for an agreement, the union had decided “enough is enough”. He accused ministers of trying to get a “pound of flesh” from ordinary workers by planning measures that would reduce the pensions members had saved for “every week of their working lives”. As David Cameron’s envoy for trade unions, Richard Balfe, looked on, Prentis said that if members did not take a stand now, the government would come back for “more and more”. “Make no mistake congress, this is it. We will take the fight to them.” The GMB and Unite are expected to follow with similar announcements during the course of the debate. A statement is due later on Wednesday after public sector unions meet to discuss tactics. A number of other unions have already announced their intention to ballot. The GMB and Unite unions are expected to tell the TUC of their decision to hold strike ballots as they use the conference stage to attack the planned reforms of public sector pension schemes and condemn “misleading statements” put out by ministers on the case for change. The TUC will hear calls for balloted unions to co-ordinate strike action to make the maximum impact over planned changes to pensions, which will see contributions increase by 3.2%. Unions have held talks about co-ordinating action, with many eyeing the 29 November – the day that the chancellor, George Osborne, to expected to deliver his pre-budget report – as a possible date. An announcement on the plan is expected on Wednesday afternoon, when public sector unions meet the TUC leader, Brendan Barber, after the close of the conference at lunchtime to discuss the way forward. It is understood the GMB will declare a ballot, and that Unison is close to announcing a poll of more than 1 million members. A senior trade union source said strike plans had been developed for “several months” and will include “sustained action.” The source said: “One-day strikes on their own will not be enough. We need to be innovative. Some of these disputes could be indefinite.” The civil service workers’ organisation, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), already has a mandate from its members, and the PCS leader, Mark Serwotka, has already signalled his intention to co-ordinate a national strike alongside other unions. Serwotka has already said that unions have been in talks about following a national day of action with rolling “smart” strikes targeted in specific service areas. The decision of the biggest unions in the country to go ahead with ballots comes just a day after Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, told delegates that strikes over pensions would be a “mistake”. Anger over pension schemes has seen some unlikely suspects propelled into discussing ballot plans. Two civil service unions, Prospect and the FDA, announced last week their respective executives had given the go-ahead for a ballot unless the government amends its proposal to impose a pensions levy on civil servants from April 2012. Opposition to key proposed reforms could also see a union representing school leaders go on strike for the first time in its 114-year history. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) – a union outside the TUC umbrella – is expected to announce details of its ballot later this week and subject to the ballot result, intends to co-ordinate with other unions. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “Unless negotiations produce real results, the NAHT will ballot its members in late September on industrial action over pension cuts. “If our members vote yes, and they appear definite on the matter, we could see school leaders on strike for first time since the union was established in 1897. It is a desperate time for our members who instinctively do not want to leave their posts even for a day. “They believe they are not only defending existing pension rights but trying to protect the future of education in this country. If we do not value teachers, we cannot hope to signal to the best graduates that this is the right career for them.” Unions who took part in the action on 30 June – including three education unions – are still covered by their ballot should they wish to take further action. The NASUWT – one of seven education unions taking part in a lobby of parliament over pensions on 26 October, announced on Friday it was planning to ballot members over pensions, pay and job cuts. Trade unions Public sector careers Public sector cuts Public sector pay Public sector pensions Conferences Hélène Mulholland Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• More stats for this game than you can shake a stick at • Hit F5 or turn or autorefresh for updates • Email barry.glendenning@guardian.co.uk 14 min: “Squeeze ball position,” says referee George Clancy, awarding Scotland a penalty after Georgia winger Alexander Todua had sprinted down right wing and tried and failed to squeeze the ball between his legs upon being tackled. Scotland clear their lines courtesy of Dan Parks. 13 min: Georgia win a penalty just inside their own half and the camera immediately cuts to a guilty looking Scotland flanker Ross Rennie. I have no idea what he did there, but he’s allowed Merab Kvirikashvili the opportunity to kick for touch again. 10 min: Scotland win a line-out about five yards from the Georgia try-line. After a busy period of rucking, Scottish scrum-half Rory Lawson plays the ball out the left, where centre Nick De Luca knocks on. Georgia get to clear their lines. 8 min: “It’s all about the intensity of the game … the level of intensity and the level of contact,” expounds ITV match analyst Scott Hastings, as a pair of Scots double up to put a stop to the gallop of Georgian centre Tedo Zibzibadze. It’s been a bruising encounter so far, but not as attritional and forward-driven as the pundits suggested it would be before the game. 5 min: Excellent carrying by Georgia’s talismanic flanker Mamuka Gorgodze, who sets up a Georgia scrum inside the Scotland 22. Scrum-half Irakli Abuseridze pings the ball back to fly-half Kvirikashvili, who slices a left-footed drop goal attempt wide of the left upright. That’s a poor effort – he was under the posts and should have put his team ahead. 2 min: Just inside his own half, Georgian second-row Vakhtang Maisuradze charges into a wall of Scottish opposition and Nathan Hines is penalised for being offside Scotland get penalised for offside. Merab Kvirikashvili kicks for touch. Kick-off: It’s a very pleasant evening in Invercargill, types minute-by-minute reporter from London bunker, with the wind and rain of the weekend having dissipated. Georgia kick off, courtesy of fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili, but concede a penalty for handling on the ground in the ensuing ruck, allowing Dan Parks a free kick for touch. Not long now: Out on the pitch, a topless man in a grass skirt summons the teams from the dressing room by blowing into a giant conch. Meanwhile back in Blighty, ITV1 pundit Gareth Thomas claims “it’s going to be a really interesting physical encounter, like an arm-wrestle for the first 10 minutes”. He adds that Scotland fly-half Dan Parks is likely to “kick the leather off the ball” in his efforts to get Scotland into good positions, but both he and his fellow pundit Thom Evans concede that Scotland are vulnerable today. With matches against England and Argentina to come, this encounter with Georgia is decidedly “must-win”. Good morning and welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of the Pool B match between Scotland and Georgia at Invercargill, commercial centre of New Zealand’s southland region, one of the southernmost cities in the world and a place where many of the main thoroughfares are named after Scottish rivers: Dee Street and Tay Street take a bow. The Scots have a nervy win over Romania under their sporrans and today face equally hardy east European opposition whose main strengths can be found from numbers one to eight. In the buildup to the game, Georgia’s manager Richie Dixon, a Scot, spoke of his side’s hopes of taking the game to Scotland in the scrum but conceded that Georgia are at a disadvantage because their opposition have played a game already. “I think Georgia has built a reputation on the fact that their forwards are good at scrummaging and our aim is to maintain that,” said Dixon. “Our problem is that Scotland now have a game under their belt and we are coming in cold. It’s really up to us to make sure that when we hit the ground, we hit the ground running.” Thirteen of Georgia’s starting line-up ply their trade in France and the star turn is undoubtedly openside flanker Mamuka ‘Gorgodzilla’ Gorgodze, who plays for Montpellier and was named by L’Equipe as the Top 14′s leading overseas player in the 2010-11 season. Agen’s Dimitri Basilaia will play at No8, while Toulon prop David Kubriashvili is on the bench, emphasising the strength in depth of the Georgian pack. “We have versatility in our back row and we feel for this particular game Mamuka at No7 and Dimitri at No8 is how we will start this game,” said Dixon. “It’s not a new formation for us. He [Gorgodze] plays very frequently at No7 for Montpellier and has played for us a number of times there. We feel, for this particular game, this particular combination is the way we want to go.” Scotland coach Andy Robinson has made 11 changes in personnel to the team that struggled to beat Romania, although he insists this is not a damning indictment of the players who struggled to assert their dominance in their opening game. “It’s a cracking side that we’ve selected,” said Robinson, who has kept Max Evans and Allan Jacobsen as winger and prop respectively, moved Sean Lamont from centre to wing and switched Kelly Brown from flanker to No8. “It’s very difficult for the players to play two matches in four days. We need to be very physical and be able to smash the Georgians to the floor.” Teams Scotland: 15-Rory Lamont, 14-Max Evans, 13-Nick De Luca, 12-Graeme Morrison, 11-Sean Lamont, 10-Dan Parks, 9-Rory Lawson (captain); 8-Kelly Brown, 7-Ross Rennie, 6-Ally Strokosch, 5-Jim Hamilton, 4-Nathan Hines, 3-Euan Murray, 2-Scott Lawson, 1-Allan Jacobsen. Replacements: 16-Ross Ford, 17-Geoff Cross, 18-Alasdair Dickinson, 19-Richie Gray, 20-Richie Vernon, 21-Chris Cusiter, 22-Chris Paterson. Georgia: 15-Revaz Gigauri, 14-Irakli Machkhaneli, 13-David Kacharava, 12-Tedo Zibzibadze, 11-Alexander Todua, 10-Merab Kvirikashvili, 9-Irakli Abuseridze (captain), 8-Dimitri Basilaia, 7-Mamuka Gorgodze, 6-Shalva Sutiashvili, 5-Vakhtang Maisuradze, 4-Levan Datunashvili, 3-David Zirakashvili, 2-Jaba Bregvadze, 1-David Khinchagishvili. Replacements: 16-Akvsenti Giorgadze, 17-David Kubriashvili, 18-Giorgi Chkhaidze, 19-Viktor Kolelishvili, 20-Bidzina Samkharadze, 21-Lasha Khmaladze, 22-Malkhaz Urjukashvili. Referee: George Clancy (Ireland) Touch judge: Tim Hayes (Wales) Touch judge: Simon McDowell (Ireland) Video referee: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa) Rugby World Cup 2011 Scotland rugby union team Georgia rugby union team Rugby union Barry Glendenning guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …