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
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A NY Democrat faces an unusually tight race against his GOP opponent in a special election in the state’s heavily Democratic 9th Congressional District. Former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner recently resigned the seat in a texting scandal. (Sept. 12)
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Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced in Havana on Tuesday that he was leaving Cuba after exhausting all possible avenues to try to win the release of American government sub-contractor Alan Gross. (Sept. 13)
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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
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• 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
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Highlights of this day in history: America mourns victims of Sept. 11th attacks; Theodore Roosevelt becomes President; ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ written; Monaco’s Princess Grace dies; Baseball season cancelled due to players’ strike. (Sept. 14)
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