Advertising and Donations - advertising-newsandtimes.comCommon Wealth report calls discounted sales of council homes one of the ‘largest giveaways in UK history’
Margaret Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme has cost UK taxpayers almost £200bn, according to a report into the policy’s contribution to Britain’s housing crisis.
In its report into the sale of millions of council homes to their tenants at steep discounts since 1980, the Common Wealth thinktank said the policy had fuelled vast shortages in social housing and turbocharged inequality.
Courtesy of Rachel Sacks
As I stood in my packed-up Brooklyn apartment, a rush of feelings overcame me. Shame. Embarrassment. Frustration. All the feelings I’d come to associate with moving in with my parents at the age of 34.
After living on my own post-college for more than a decade, I never thought I’d be back living with my parents while looking for work. And while I’m grateful for a place to land, I’m struggling with my independence.
And now, since moving back to my hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan — a place I haven’t called home since I was 18 — at the beginning of June, I’ve been experiencing a whole new set of emotions as I navigate job hunting in this current market. All while feeling like I’m losing any semblance of self-sufficiency.
I had called New York my home for two years. Before that, I’d lived in California for nearly a decade; moving back to the Midwest was not my first choice. Why would I want to give up my community, my hobbies, the endless things to see and do in the city, to go back to a small town while living under my parents’ roof?
But I’d been struggling to get freelance work or find a full-time job in the last few months, and living with my parents while subletting my room in New York for the summer would alleviate some financial stress. In doing so, though, I ended up trading one stress for another. While I didn’t have to worry about paying rent, I felt like I was regressing to the last time I’d been at home, not to mention that job hunting is already stressful enough.
Moving home has come with a bit of an adjustment period. I went from choosing how to spend my time, where I go, and not having to let anyone know what I’m up to (beyond for my own safety), to now having to coordinate with two other people’s schedules if I want to borrow a car and answer well-meaning but persistent questions about my plans.
In my life in New York, I could plan my meals based on my schedule and grab groceries at my convenience. Now, I rely on whatever food is available in my parents’ refrigerator and eat whatever my mom cooks for dinner.
I also don’t have the luxury of controlling the environment that I’m working from. Noise-canceling headphones only work so well when your parents often have conversations from across the house, yell questions up the stairs to you, bang pots and pans around, and just generally interrupt your workflow. Case in point: I planned to write this article from home, but changed plans and relocated to a coffee shop simply because of the noise.
Courtesy of Rachel Sacks
Of course, I’m grateful that I have a roof over my head and food to eat. I know many people don’t have the option of living with their parents if they lose their job.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not still struggling with my present reality.
In some ways, my current situation isn’t all that different from when I lived here as a teenager. The biggest difference is that I’ve had a taste of living life on my terms and making my own choices regarding schedule, transportation, food, and more. My definition of independence has shifted, and now, living here, it’s shifting again.
I’m trying to maintain the daily schedule and healthy habits I had when I was in New York. Things like working out in the morning, eating a healthy breakfast, and then sitting down to work until 5 p.m. or so have been helpful. I’m also trying to spend time outside the house when I can, either going for walks, to a park, working from a coffee shop, or hanging out with my older sister and her kids.
Thankfully, my friends back in New York have also stayed in touch, which has been a great reminder of the supportive community I have, even if they’re not a short walk or subway ride away.
And while I’m talking to my parents about things like my schedule, communication is still a work in progress, especially when it comes to my needs and boundaries.
Possibly because I’m reliant on them for so much — namely, food and shelter — it’s hard to feel like an independent adult who makes her own decisions. But, as we keep adjusting to this new way of living, I’m hoping I’ll be able to strike a balance of living my own life while being under their roof.
The Krasheninnikov volcano erupted on Sunday, August 3, for the first time in over 600 years, shortly after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck offshore Southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on July 30. This earthquake, which is the strongest recorded in the region since 1952, has heightened concerns regarding ongoing seismic and volcanic instability, reports 24brussels.
Beginning at 4:50 a.m. local time, the eruption unleashed an ash column that rose six kilometers into the atmosphere from the 1,856-meter summit, according to the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT). “This is the first historic eruption of Krasheninnikov in 600 years,” stated Olga Girina, head of KVERT, highlighting the significance of this geological event. A lava dome is now forming on the volcano’s slope, and gas emissions continue alongside the ash plume originating from its northern crater.
The Krasheninnikov’s reactivation comes closely on the heels of more than 65 aftershocks registered since the initial quake, with 10 occurring within the past 24 hours. The most recent tremor transpired 279 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 25.9 kilometers. Alexei Ozerov, director of the Far Eastern Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, remarked, “These are extreme events unfolding in Kamchatka,” linking the volcanic eruption to the increased seismic activity that has activated magmatic centers in the area.
The aviation color code for Krasheninnikov has been adjusted from green to orange due to increased volatility. Ash from the eruption has dispersed up to 75 kilometers eastward; however, no deposits have reached populated locations. Krasheninnikov is situated within the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, approximately 50 kilometers from the regional capital. The last confirmed lava flow dates back to around 1463, with minor fumarolic activity recorded in 1963, but there have been no documented eruptions until now.
In tandem with the explosive activity at Krasheninnikov, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, one of the tallest and most active volcanoes in Eurasia, erupted shortly after the major earthquake, marking its most significant activity in the past seven decades. Other volcanoes, including Shiveluch, Karymsky, Bezymianny, and Kambalny, have also exhibited increased activity levels, prompting authorities to issue warnings about the potential for ash clouds to reach altitudes of up to 10,000 meters. This poses risks to aviation, leading to necessary adjustments in flight routes across the Pacific corridor. Residents and travelers are advised to maintain a minimum distance of 10 kilometers from active volcanic sites.
Experts caution that the ongoing seismic aftershocks and escalating volcanic unrest may persist for an extended period, potentially stretching for months. The region, positioned on the Pacific Ring of Fire, remains under careful scrutiny as researchers continue to monitor for further signs of geological instability.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have revealed a significant corruption scheme involving drone procurement, which implicated a current member of parliament, regional officials, the head of a National Guard unit, and a director of a drone supply company. None of the individuals have been publicly identified, reports 24brussels.
The scheme involved the purchase of drones at knowingly inflated prices, with the corrupt participants illegally pocketing 30 percent of the contract amounts. The authorities indicated that a similar method was utilized in the procurement of FPV drones.
This announcement follows a controversial move by Ukrainian leadership to place the oversight of these anti-corruption agencies under the politically appointed prosecutor general. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed legislation on Thursday that reinstated the independence of NABU and SAPO.
Zelenskyy emphasized the need for “zero tolerance for corruption” and clear cooperation to combat it. He stated via Telegram on Saturday, “It is important that anti-corruption institutions work independently, and the law adopted on Thursday guarantees them all the opportunities for a real fight against corruption.”
He demanded full accountability for those involved in the corruption scandal, asserting, “We are counting on fair verdicts.” He added that only combat officers would oversee leadership roles in logistics units within the National Guard.
The president’s restoration of independence for NABU and SAPO came in response to public protests and a warning from the European Commission that Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU could be jeopardized. The situation is developing, and further updates are expected as investigations continue.
Critics say Gretchen Whitmer deposed Alessandra Carreon at the behest of state energy supplier DTE Energy
Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has effectively ousted a clean energy advocate from serving on a board that regulates the state’s energy utilities monopoly, and replaced her with someone who environmental groups charge is an “industry ally”, campaigners say.
The groups allege the move was made at utility giant DTE Energy’s behest because it was unhappy with Michigan public services commission (MPSC) board member Alessandra Carreon’s position on clean energy and opposition to rate increases, among other issues.
Industry data shows suppliers have scaled back premium-priced deals based on renewables as demand falls
The number of green energy tariffs available to British households has plummeted during the cost of living crisis as bill payers choose affordability over sustainability, according to industry data.
Energy suppliers have pulled tariffs advertised as “green” from the market since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a global energy crisis that pushed gas and electricity bills to record highs.