Former general makes trip to cemetery to pay respects to daughter Ana, who killed herself in 1994 with her father’s gun Ratko Mladic has been allowed to visit the grave of his daughter who committed suicide during the Bosnia war of the 1990s. Mladic, who is is awaiting extradition to a UN tribunal, made the visit early on Tuesday morning under tight security, said Serbia’s deputy war crimes prosecutor, Bruno Vekaric. Mladic is expected to be extradited to the tribunal in The Haguelate Tuesday or early Wednesday. “We didn’t announce his visit to the grave because it is his private thing and because it represented a security risk,” Vekaric said. “The operation lasted for 20 minutes and passed without a glitch.” Europe’s most wanted war crimes fugitive was arrested on Thursday in a village north of Belgrade after 16 years on the run. Mladic is charged by the tribunal for atrocities committed by his Serb troops during Bosnia’s 1992-95 war. His 23-year-old daughter Ana killed herself in 1994 with her father’s pistol. Media reports at the time said she did it because of depression caused by her father’s role in the war. Mladic has always claimed she was killed by his wartime enemies. Mladic visited the red marble grave with a cross at a graveyard on a hill in a Belgrade suburb. There, he left a lit candle and a small white bouquet of flowers with a red rose in the middle. Mladic’s lawyer said on Monday that he has formally filed an appeal against the former general’s extradition – a move that will likely delay his handover to The Hague until Tuesday night or early Wednesday. Milos Saljic also has asked for several doctors to examine the 69-year-old Mladic, who is said to have suffered at least two strokes. Saljic said he mailed his appeal from an unidentified post office in Belgrade on Monday. Court officials will now need to wait for it to arrive and review it before ruling on the appeal. Vekaric accused Mladic of using delaying tactics and said nothing should prevent his extradition to the tribunal. The prosecutor said no one will be informed when Mladic will be transported from his prison and flown to the Netherlands “because of security risks”. On Monday, the Serbian president, Boris Tadic, rejected speculation that authorities had known of Mladic’s hiding place and delayed his arrest to coincide with a visit by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. The rumours have persisted because Mladic was found living not far from the capital, Belgrade, with relatives who share his last name. “Any such comment makes no sense,” Tadic said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The truth is that we arrested Ratko Mladic the moment we discovered him.” The president also said it’s time for the European Union to do its part by boosting his nation’s efforts to join the bloc, arguing the arrest of Mladic proves it is serious about rejoining the international fold. “I simply ask the EU to fulfill its part,” he said. “We fulfilled our part and we will continue to do so.” The EU had repeatedly said that Serbia could begin pre-membership talks only after it arrested the wartime Bosnian Serb commander. Some EU nations have already said Serbia needs to do more, including arresting its last fugitive, Goran Hadzic, who led Croatian Serb rebels during the 1991-1995 war. Tadic said Hadzic will be arrested as soon as possible. Ratko Mladic War crimes Serbia Bosnia and Herzegovina European Union United Nations guardian.co.uk
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Visitors will be able to listen to Stephen Fry, Miranda Hart and John Sergeant while touring historic homes and gardens A beautiful day out, a tramp round a stately home, a walk in the gardens, and then relax to take in the view from a handy bench. But what’s this? The sound of Stephen Fry coming from the woodwork? The National Trust is ambushing visitors to its tranquil properties with “talking benches”, which are meant to widen the appeal of its historic gardens and homes. Gambling on the lure of celebrity status, the trust has commissioned Fry, Strictly Come Dancing’s John Sergeant and other luminaries to temporarily add to the punter’s “visitor experience”. Flopping on to one of the benches will activate either Fry’s languid drawl or a range of other reminiscences through speakers hidden in the woodwork. The five-minute recordings will “keep the listener entertained”, says the trust. Those who prefer to eat their sandwiches undisturbed can wander off to an ordinary seat instead. The idea draws on variable experience overseas including eroding concrete benches in the Estonian resort of Haapsalu, where Tchaikovsky composed his Pathétique symphony. Gazing out over forlorn reedbeds and marsh, the visitor is briefly serenaded by mournful passages from the work. The trust is aiming at a more cheerful effect, with cricketer David Gower chatting about Calke Abbey in Derbyshire and the TV comedian Miranda Hart extolling the grandeur of Northumberland’s Cragside. Hart said the notion of “being someone’s benchmate and chatting to them while they admire Lord Armstrong’s mighty pile is a lovely, nay tremendous idea”. Piles of a different sort were evoked by Fry, who said he hoped that his bench at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk would provide “comfort, balm and solace for many a weary bottom”. The trust hopes that the famous voices will make inroads into the half of the UK’s population that doesn’t currently visit, without being a pain in the bottom for its established clientele. The benches have been individually carved to reflect their voice’s career and personality and will be joined by others, in the manner of celebrity TV shows, if the first eight catch on. Other stars in the trial run are TV presenter Claudia Winkleman at Quarry Bank mill in Styal, Cheshire, and naturalist Nick Baker at Cotehele in Cornwall. A second naturalist and broadcaster, Iolo Williams, takes on Dinefwr park in Carmarthenshire while philosopher Alain de Botton meditates at Castle Ward in Northern Ireland. The curious mansion in County Down symbolises the trust’s hope of being all things to all men: Viscount Bangor and his wife could not agree on architectural styles, so the front facade is classical Georgian and the rear Strawberry Hill Gothic. Heritage Homes Gardens Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
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President furious after recent attack killed civilians, though questions arise about his authority over coalition tactics Angered by civilian casualties, the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has said he will no longer allow Nato air strikes on houses, issuing his strongest statement yet against methods that the military alliance says are key to its war on Taliban insurgents. The president’s remarks follow a recent strike that mistakenly killed a group of children and women in southern Helmand province. He said it would be the last. “From this moment, air strikes on the houses of people are not allowed,” Karzai told reporters in Kabul. Nato says it never conducts such strikes without Afghan government coordination and approval. A spokesman for Nato forces in Afghanistan said they will review their procedures for air strikes given Karzai’s statement but did not say that it would force any immediate change in tactics. “In the days and weeks ahead we will co-ordinate very closely with President Karzai to ensure that his intent is met,” spokeswoman Major Sunset Belinsky said. If Karzai holds to what sounds like an order to international troops to abandon strikes, it could bring the Afghan government in direct conflict with its international allies. “Coalition forces constantly strive to reduce the chance of civilian casualties and damage to structures, but when the insurgents use civilians as a shield and put our forces in a position where their only option is to use air strikes, then they will take that option,” Belinsky said. It is unclear if Karzai has the power to order an end to such strikes. Nato and US forces are in Afghanistan under a United Nations mandate that expires in October. The US is negotiating an agreement with the Afghan government on the presence of its forces in the country going forward, but this has already become contentious, with Karzai declaring that he will put strict controls on how US troops conduct themselves in his country. “The Afghan people can no longer tolerate these attacks,” Karzai told reporters at the presidential palace. He issued a veiled threat: “The Afghan people will be forced to take action.” He did not, however, say what this action would be. “We want it to be clear that they are working in a sovereign nation,” Karzai said. Afghanistan Nato Hamid Karzai guardian.co.uk
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Oxfam says era of permanent food crisis will hit poorest people hardest and spark social unrest The average price of staple foods will more than double in the next 20 years, leading to an unprecedented reversal in human development, Oxfam has warned. The world’s poorest people, who spend up to 80% of their income of food, will be hit hardest according to the charity. It said the world is entering an era of permanent food crisis, which is likely to be accompanied by political unrest and will require radical reform of the international food system. Research to be published on Wednesday forecasts international prices of staples such as maize could rise by as much as 180% by 2030, with half of that rise due to the impacts of climate change. After decades of steady decline in the number of hungry people around the world, the numbers are rapidly increasing as demand outpaces food production. The average growth rate in agricultural yields has almost halved since 1990 and is set to decline to a fraction of 1% in the next decade. A devastating combination of factors – climate change, depleting natural resources, a global scramble for land and water, the rush to turn food into biofuels, a growing global population, and changing diets – have created the conditions for an increase in deep poverty. “We are sleepwalking towards an age of avoidable crisis,” Oxfam’s chief executive, Barbara Stocking, said. “One in seven people on the planet go hungry every day despite the fact that the world is capable of feeding everyone. The food system must be overhauled.” Oxfam called on the prime minister, David Cameron, and other G20 leaders to agree new rules to govern food markets. It wants greater regulation of commodities markets to contain volatility in prices. It said global food reserves must be urgently increased and western governments must end biofuels policies that divert food to fuel for cars. It attacked excessive corporate concentration in the food sector, particularly in grain trading and in seed and agrochemicals. The Oxfam report followed warnings from the UN last week that food prices are likely to hit new highs in the next few weeks, triggering unrest in developing countries. The average global price of cereals jumped by 71% to a new record in the year to April last month. Drought in the major crop-growing areas of Europe and intense rain and tornadoes in the US have led to fears of shortfalls in this year’s crops. The World Bank warned last month that rising food prices have pushed 44 million people into poverty since last June. Food Food security Charities Poverty Biofuels Energy Renewable energy Voluntary sector G20 Felicity Lawrence guardian.co.uk
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Survey shows high prices and hefty deposits means two-thirds of would-be first-time buyers are unlikely to buy a home in the next five years Two-thirds of potential first-time buyers have no realistic prospect of owning their own home in the next five years and lack the long-term saving mentality they need to get onto the housing ladder, according to a report on home ownership by one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. Owning a home has been a priority for most Britons since the 1950s when living standards began to rise, but the Halifax says that the high cost of property, strict lending rules and unwillingness of non-homeowners to save a deposit have fundamentally changed the attitudes of younger people towards home ownership. In a survey of 8,000 people aged between 20 and 45, only 5% of those described by the Halifax as “Generation Rent” (those with no realistic prospect of getting on the housing ladder) are making spending sacrifices to save towards their first home. The remaining 95% have no spare cash, no interest in saving or are trying but failing to save. Almost half the people questioned predicted that Britain would become a nation of renters within the next generation. The report says that such a development would have far reaching consequences for the economy and living standards in Britain. As much of Britain’s wealth is tied up in housing, an increase in the rental sector could widen the wealth gap between homeowners and non-owners. It would also have an impact on retirement living standards, as less people would have the money in their homes to support their retirement and long-term care. A rise in renters would also lead to a more transient population – although good in terms of labour mobility, the phenomenon would not encourage the building of strong communities. However, the most immediate impact would inevitably be on the housing market. The report says: “In order for the market to remain sustainable, homeowners need to be able to move up the housing ladder. Without first-time buyers, there could be a standstill in the market as many people living in their first homes would not be able to move up the ladder without a first-time buyer purchasing their home.” London is the most difficult area for aspiring homeowners to buy in, thanks to the combination of the highest property prices in Britain and increasing rental costs, reducing the amount that can be saved towards a deposit. According to recent analysis by Findaproperty.com, first-time buyers who have no financial assistance from their parents will rent in the capital for an average of 31 years (from the age of 21, based on figures from the National Housing Federation) before buying their own home, spending £308,558 on rent. The average price of a home in London for first-time buyers is £257,249. The average time spent renting in England is 16 years, taking the average age of the financially unassisted first-time buyer to 37. The National Housing Federation predicts this could soon rise to 43 as more people struggle to raise deposits. Sarrah Laspa, a 29-year-old who has lived in London for seven years, regards rent as “wasted money” and would love to buy her own home, but has no disposable income left at the end of every month with which to save a deposit. She lives in Borough, a central area of south London, which is within walking distance of her legal publishing job and spends half her monthly income on rent. “I could live further out, but then I would have to pay for public transport which would negate the benefits of cheaper housing,” she said. “And being single, it would be pointless living in the middle of nowhere.” While the main barriers to home ownership are financial, the study found that many non-homeowners are deterred by fear of the mortgage application process, with 84% believing that banks do not want to lend to first-time buyers. Many worry that if their application for a mortgage is rejected by one bank, this would stay on their credit record and hinder further attempts to borrow. Stephen Noakes, commercial director of mortgages at the Halifax, says the bank will publish more information about the criteria used to assess applications and explain that failed applications do not have a long-term negative impact. Home ownership rates have remained virtually static at 70% since the 1990′s, but the number of first-time buyers has slumped in the last few years as property prices increased and lenders began to demand much bigger deposits. According to figures produced by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, 36,200 first-time buyers bought a home in the first quarter of this year compared to 43,600 in the first three months of 2010. But both figures are dwarfed by the 167,400 people who became homeowners at the peak of the market in the third quarter of 2001. The size of deposit required to buy a first home has soared. In 2000, a first-time buyer needed an average deposit of £9,865 or 14% of the property price, but this grew to an average of £28,770 or 21% of the property price by last year. Property Renting property Housing Housing market London Banks and building societies Banking Mortgage lending figures Mortgages First-time buyers House prices Jill Insley guardian.co.uk
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Survey shows high prices and hefty deposits means two-thirds of would-be first-time buyers are unlikely to buy a home in the next five years Two-thirds of potential first-time buyers have no realistic prospect of owning their own home in the next five years and lack the long-term saving mentality they need to get onto the housing ladder, according to a report on home ownership by one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. Owning a home has been a priority for most Britons since the 1950s when living standards began to rise, but the Halifax says that the high cost of property, strict lending rules and unwillingness of non-homeowners to save a deposit have fundamentally changed the attitudes of younger people towards home ownership. In a survey of 8,000 people aged between 20 and 45, only 5% of those described by the Halifax as “Generation Rent” (those with no realistic prospect of getting on the housing ladder) are making spending sacrifices to save towards their first home. The remaining 95% have no spare cash, no interest in saving or are trying but failing to save. Almost half the people questioned predicted that Britain would become a nation of renters within the next generation. The report says that such a development would have far reaching consequences for the economy and living standards in Britain. As much of Britain’s wealth is tied up in housing, an increase in the rental sector could widen the wealth gap between homeowners and non-owners. It would also have an impact on retirement living standards, as less people would have the money in their homes to support their retirement and long-term care. A rise in renters would also lead to a more transient population – although good in terms of labour mobility, the phenomenon would not encourage the building of strong communities. However, the most immediate impact would inevitably be on the housing market. The report says: “In order for the market to remain sustainable, homeowners need to be able to move up the housing ladder. Without first-time buyers, there could be a standstill in the market as many people living in their first homes would not be able to move up the ladder without a first-time buyer purchasing their home.” London is the most difficult area for aspiring homeowners to buy in, thanks to the combination of the highest property prices in Britain and increasing rental costs, reducing the amount that can be saved towards a deposit. According to recent analysis by Findaproperty.com, first-time buyers who have no financial assistance from their parents will rent in the capital for an average of 31 years (from the age of 21, based on figures from the National Housing Federation) before buying their own home, spending £308,558 on rent. The average price of a home in London for first-time buyers is £257,249. The average time spent renting in England is 16 years, taking the average age of the financially unassisted first-time buyer to 37. The National Housing Federation predicts this could soon rise to 43 as more people struggle to raise deposits. Sarrah Laspa, a 29-year-old who has lived in London for seven years, regards rent as “wasted money” and would love to buy her own home, but has no disposable income left at the end of every month with which to save a deposit. She lives in Borough, a central area of south London, which is within walking distance of her legal publishing job and spends half her monthly income on rent. “I could live further out, but then I would have to pay for public transport which would negate the benefits of cheaper housing,” she said. “And being single, it would be pointless living in the middle of nowhere.” While the main barriers to home ownership are financial, the study found that many non-homeowners are deterred by fear of the mortgage application process, with 84% believing that banks do not want to lend to first-time buyers. Many worry that if their application for a mortgage is rejected by one bank, this would stay on their credit record and hinder further attempts to borrow. Stephen Noakes, commercial director of mortgages at the Halifax, says the bank will publish more information about the criteria used to assess applications and explain that failed applications do not have a long-term negative impact. Home ownership rates have remained virtually static at 70% since the 1990′s, but the number of first-time buyers has slumped in the last few years as property prices increased and lenders began to demand much bigger deposits. According to figures produced by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, 36,200 first-time buyers bought a home in the first quarter of this year compared to 43,600 in the first three months of 2010. But both figures are dwarfed by the 167,400 people who became homeowners at the peak of the market in the third quarter of 2001. The size of deposit required to buy a first home has soared. In 2000, a first-time buyer needed an average deposit of £9,865 or 14% of the property price, but this grew to an average of £28,770 or 21% of the property price by last year. Property Renting property Housing Housing market London Banks and building societies Banking Mortgage lending figures Mortgages First-time buyers House prices Jill Insley guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Survey shows high prices and hefty deposits means two-thirds of would-be first-time buyers are unlikely to buy a home in the next five years Two-thirds of potential first-time buyers have no realistic prospect of owning their own home in the next five years and lack the long-term saving mentality they need to get onto the housing ladder, according to a report on home ownership by one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. Owning a home has been a priority for most Britons since the 1950s when living standards began to rise, but the Halifax says that the high cost of property, strict lending rules and unwillingness of non-homeowners to save a deposit have fundamentally changed the attitudes of younger people towards home ownership. In a survey of 8,000 people aged between 20 and 45, only 5% of those described by the Halifax as “Generation Rent” (those with no realistic prospect of getting on the housing ladder) are making spending sacrifices to save towards their first home. The remaining 95% have no spare cash, no interest in saving or are trying but failing to save. Almost half the people questioned predicted that Britain would become a nation of renters within the next generation. The report says that such a development would have far reaching consequences for the economy and living standards in Britain. As much of Britain’s wealth is tied up in housing, an increase in the rental sector could widen the wealth gap between homeowners and non-owners. It would also have an impact on retirement living standards, as less people would have the money in their homes to support their retirement and long-term care. A rise in renters would also lead to a more transient population – although good in terms of labour mobility, the phenomenon would not encourage the building of strong communities. However, the most immediate impact would inevitably be on the housing market. The report says: “In order for the market to remain sustainable, homeowners need to be able to move up the housing ladder. Without first-time buyers, there could be a standstill in the market as many people living in their first homes would not be able to move up the ladder without a first-time buyer purchasing their home.” London is the most difficult area for aspiring homeowners to buy in, thanks to the combination of the highest property prices in Britain and increasing rental costs, reducing the amount that can be saved towards a deposit. According to recent analysis by Findaproperty.com, first-time buyers who have no financial assistance from their parents will rent in the capital for an average of 31 years (from the age of 21, based on figures from the National Housing Federation) before buying their own home, spending £308,558 on rent. The average price of a home in London for first-time buyers is £257,249. The average time spent renting in England is 16 years, taking the average age of the financially unassisted first-time buyer to 37. The National Housing Federation predicts this could soon rise to 43 as more people struggle to raise deposits. Sarrah Laspa, a 29-year-old who has lived in London for seven years, regards rent as “wasted money” and would love to buy her own home, but has no disposable income left at the end of every month with which to save a deposit. She lives in Borough, a central area of south London, which is within walking distance of her legal publishing job and spends half her monthly income on rent. “I could live further out, but then I would have to pay for public transport which would negate the benefits of cheaper housing,” she said. “And being single, it would be pointless living in the middle of nowhere.” While the main barriers to home ownership are financial, the study found that many non-homeowners are deterred by fear of the mortgage application process, with 84% believing that banks do not want to lend to first-time buyers. Many worry that if their application for a mortgage is rejected by one bank, this would stay on their credit record and hinder further attempts to borrow. Stephen Noakes, commercial director of mortgages at the Halifax, says the bank will publish more information about the criteria used to assess applications and explain that failed applications do not have a long-term negative impact. Home ownership rates have remained virtually static at 70% since the 1990′s, but the number of first-time buyers has slumped in the last few years as property prices increased and lenders began to demand much bigger deposits. According to figures produced by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, 36,200 first-time buyers bought a home in the first quarter of this year compared to 43,600 in the first three months of 2010. But both figures are dwarfed by the 167,400 people who became homeowners at the peak of the market in the third quarter of 2001. The size of deposit required to buy a first home has soared. In 2000, a first-time buyer needed an average deposit of £9,865 or 14% of the property price, but this grew to an average of £28,770 or 21% of the property price by last year. Property Renting property Housing Housing market London Banks and building societies Banking Mortgage lending figures Mortgages First-time buyers House prices Jill Insley guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The brain is much mythologized in mainstream culture—so much so that many believed “facts” are actually fiction, reports the Smithsonian: We use just 10% of our brains . Nope, brains scans show that even basic tasks use a large portion of the brain—and even a small brain injury can…
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Specialist CEOP unit arrests more than 500 suspects in most successful year since its creation in 2006 A record number of children have been rescued from immediate danger by a specialist police unit that targets online paedophile rings, it has emerged. More than 1,000 children have been safeguarded or protected, including 414 in the last 12 months, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP) said as it published its annual review. In the latest case this month, 130 children in the UK were rescued after police smashed an international paedophile ring that distributed millions of indecent images and films to 46 countries. Peter Davies, CEOP’s chief executive, said the unit was making progress but warned the battle was far from over. “Crimes against children are for me the most horrendous crimes and too often the victim suffers in silence,” he said. “We need to encourage ever more reporting and understanding, we need to work to prevent the crime happening in the first place and we need to pursue the offender no matter how complex the methods they use to hide their activity.” Figures released on Monday show CEOP has dismantled more than 394 high-risk sex offender networks since it was set up in 2006 tasked with tracking online paedophiles and bringing them to court. Of these, a record 132 networks have been dismantled in the past year as the unit’s actions led to a record 513 arrests, taking the total number of suspected paedophiles it has helped arrest in the last five years to 1,644. In the latest case four men pleaded guilty at Nottingham crown court to various charges of making, distributing and possessing indecent images of children.The Lincolnshire police force, which led the operation, said it was the biggest paedophile ring of its kind in the UK and that 132 children had been “safeguarded” and a number of paedophiles had been removed from positions of trust, including jobs as teachers, doctors and youth workers. CEOP, which is currently affiliated to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), will be merged with the new National Crime Agency when it is formed in 2013. The move prompted its former head Jim Gamble to resign over concerns the shakeup was driven not by child protection but by a desire to cut the number of quangos. But, as well as retaining its own budget, Davies said the unit will keep “its own brand, its own approach and its own dedication to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first”. “I think today’s figures show that we are shining light into those dark places, we are bringing this crime more into the open and are working collectively with many others to break down the taboos and obstacles that stop children getting the help and support they need,” he said. “We can do that with confidence.” In her foreword to the report, the home secretary, Theresa May, added that the move will enable CEOP to “draw on wider resources and support to help keep even more children safe from harm in the future”. The unit’s annual review also sets out plans to “address the self-generated risk that children place themselves in, understanding and working in partnership to safeguard technological advances and focusing on specialist areas such as the trafficking of children and young people”, a CEOP spokesman said. Crime Child protection Police Children Theresa May Matthew Taylor guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The 32-year-old Saudi woman who was detained last Monday after boldly posting a YouTube video that featured her in the driver’s seat has been released today, according to a Saudi activist. He credited “pressure from inside and outside” Saudi Arabia as the reason for Manal al-Sharif’s release—she had originally…
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