Birth rate 30 year low

On 4 August 2022, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, amidst the increasing tension between the United States and China, following Nancy Pelosi’s visit to China. This year marks India’s 30 years of engagement with the ASEAN, a group of ten South-East Asian countries. India’s first engagement with them started in 1992 and 30 years down the line, Delhi has increased its influence in the ASEAN by engaging on the concerns of not just connectivity but also security. India has elevated its status from Sectoral Partner to Dialogue Partner to Summit Level Partner. Currently, India has more than 30 mechanisms to engage with the ASEAN. The ASEAN attracts a vital part of the energy and funding invested through the Act East policy. At the 12th Delhi Dialogue, held in June and serving as the primary Track 1.5 platform for India-ASEAN engagement, all agreed that India’s attempts to acquire a significant stake in the area through … [Read more...] about OPINION | 30 Years of India-ASEAN Ties: From Just Friends to Strategic Partners

Interest rate rises may be good for savers, but for borrowers and mortgage holders, not so much. And even then, banks are often much quicker about applying interest rate hikes to mortgage repayments than rewarding savers by doing the same on their saving accounts. There could be more bad news for mortgage payers as the Bank of England (BoE) announced it has increased interest rates to their highest level in nearly three decades on Thursday. Decisionmakers on the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) have increased the base interest rate from 1.25% to 1.75% . Given there were three members of the MPC who wanted a faster rise in June when the decision was taken to take interest rates to 1.25%, it seemed a dead cert they would go up again. It is now the biggest single interest rate hike since 1995. What are interest rates? Interest rates have reached an almost 30-year high ( Image: Corbis via Getty Images) Interest on a loan or mortgage is what a borrower … [Read more...] about Why are interest rates rising and when will they fall again?

Japan’s population dropped in 2021 by 726,342, which was the greatest decline margin documented since Tokyo began recording relevant data nearly a decade ago, Kyodo News reported on Tuesday. “Japan’s population declined to 125.93 million as of Jan. 1, down by 726,342 in its biggest drop since comparable data became available in 2013, as deaths again outnumbered births and COVID-19 [Chinese coronavirus] border restrictions kept foreign resident numbers low,” the Tokyo-based news agency reported on August 9 citing government figures. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released data on Tuesday that tallied Japan’s population at 125,927,902. The figure included resident foreigners, a demographic which saw its own numbers dip by 0.57 percent from 2020. Nearly all of Japan’s 47 prefectures recorded drops in their local populations last year, with the exception of Okinawa. Tokyo and its three surrounding prefectures (Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa) documented … [Read more...] about Japan Population Drops by Highest Margin in Nearly 10 Years

The Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation's Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, which had almost come to a standstill following a High Court order in November last year, is set to be revived with the appointment of more veterinary doctors and dog-catchers and the reopening of a revamped stray dog sterilisation facility at Vandithadam. There has been an increase in the stray dog population and cases of dog bites in the city after the programme hit a roadblock. According to officials of the ABC programme, the civic body has this week conducted interviews to appoint more veterinary doctors, dog-catchers and attenders. Three more veterinarians, four dog-catchers and four attenders are proposed to be appointed immediately, ahead of the reopening of the Vandithadam facility next month. Currently, the programme is being managed by two veterinary doctors, two dog-catchers and three attenders. In nearby panchayats "Currently, we are functioning out of the facility attached to the … [Read more...] about Shot in the arm for Thiruvananthapuram’s Animal Birth Control programme

Interest rates have been hiked again - but who are the winners and losers when rates go up? The Bank of England (BoE) this afternoon confirmed its base rate will rise from 1.25% to 1.75% - its biggest increase in 27 years. The base rate influences how much banks, building societies and lenders charge for mortgages , loans and other types of credit. When interest rates go up, you may find your mortgage and debts become more expensive. But one good thing is that saving rates should rise - although rates are still painfully low compared to inflation. The BoE is raising interest rates to try and lower inflation, which is currently at a 40-year-high of 9.4%. Are you worried about rising interest rates? Let us know: [email protected] Inflation is expected to keep rising, with the Resolution Foundation think tank this week warning that it could hit 15% early next year. It means interest rates might have to keep rising as well, to try and keep … [Read more...] about Winners and losers of biggest interest rate hike in 27 years – from homeowners to savers

Dire clear-up rates for burglary, theft and robbery are "unacceptable and unsustainable", says a damning report by the police watchdog. It revealed that barely a quarter of police call handlers told victims how to preserve evidence and less than a third of investigators offered crime prevention advice that could stop them being targeted again. Inexperienced and poorly supervised detectives were also contributing to the escalating problem, said the report. And police failure to solve the vast majority of such high-volume crimes made the public feel unsafe, said HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke. Less than 7% of domestic burglaries end in the offender being charged, while for theft it's 4% and only one percent for car theft, according to Home Office figures. Advertisement Mr Cooke said: "Burglary, robbery and theft are not minor crimes. They are crimes that strike at the heart of how safe people feel in their own homes or communities. "The … [Read more...] about ‘Unacceptable and unsustainable’: Police watchdog condemns low burglary and theft clear-up rates

Household costs could rise by £6,000 by the end of the year, as the cost of living crisis continues to deepen. The main reasons for bills going up are increases in energy bills , food and mortgage costs . The average household will pay £6,219 more this December compared to the same month of 2021, according to the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR). CEBR said bills will go up by £4,610 between now and December, the Daily Mail reports . The main culprit is rising energy bills. Worrying new analysis shows the financial pain facing the UK ( Image: Getty Images/Maskot) Cost of Living Our Cost of Living team of experts are here to help YOU through a very difficult year. They'll be bringing you the latest money news stories and also providing specialist advice. Whether it's rocketing energy bills, the cost of the weekly shop or increased taxes, our team will be with you all the way. Every Thursday at 1pm they will take part in a … [Read more...] about Household bills could rise by £6,000 this year as price of energy, housing and food soars

Thursday was a grim day for millions of people worried about the cost-of-living crisis. There was confirmation that energy bills are going to be rising dramatically and the Bank of England raised the interest rate to 1.75% - the biggest hike in 27 years. For most people, knowing how this will impact on them personally is hard to figure out. Understanding the news in practical terms can be challenging. And while some rates – like mortgages and credit cards – will increase soon, other debts might simply become unaffordable by default. So what if you are worried you won’t be able to pay? Here’s my advice. Bills are getting more expensive as the cost of living crisis deepens Cost of Living Our Cost of Living team of experts are here to help YOU through a very difficult year. They'll be bringing you the latest money news stories and also providing specialist advice. Whether it's rocketing energy bills, the cost of the weekly shop or increased taxes, … [Read more...] about Your rights if you can’t afford your bills after Bank of England interest rate hike

The cost of living crisis could leave the poorest Brits £1,600-a-year worse off - even AFTER government payments are taken into account. A new report found support for low-income households has fallen short of offsetting the losses they face as prices soar. Yet Boris Johnson has rejected pleas to hold an emergency budget now, or hold regular meetings of COBRA to deal with the crisis, or recall Parliament. Downing Street said it will be for the next Prime Minister - who only takes office in a month - to decide any new help for Brits to pay energy bills . The new report, carried out by Professor Donald Hirsch at Loughborough University, said up to £1,200 offered to the poorest in society this year will fail to compensate for three major blows to their income from October 2021 to October 2022. The loss of the £20-a-week Universal Credit uplift last year; April’s annual rise which was less than inflation, and a huge jump in the energy bills price cap will mean the … [Read more...] about Poorest Brits could be £1,600 a year worse off – even after cost-of-living payments

I was raised in a small town in Pennsylvania, called Dover. My mom gave birth to me when she was 19 years old, and raised me on her own. This meant that managing the pressures of working, alongside having a child was difficult for her. Due to my mom's long work hours, I spent some time with my grandparents, and a lot of time alone, as I was growing up. Because I felt that I had to do a lot to raise myself, I began developing perfectionist tendencies. I'd come home, have a snack, do my homework, and call my mom, asking her if I could go outside to play—at the time, my routine became rigid as it allowed me to gain a sense of control. My mom worked long hours and I did not want to add any more stress to her day-to-day life, as she would arrive home exhausted. My grandparents also had their own children, so I didn't want to be a burden—something else that somebody had to worry about. So I learned from an early age to be silent. This soon developed into people pleasing, as I felt that … [Read more...] about “I transformed my life after years of crippling anxiety”