Slight Improvement On The Mortgage Situation…
April 15, 2009
Though market activity remains low, mortgages given out increased slightly in February. The number of loans given in February rose by 4% from January.
First time buyers have to raise 25% deposits to get a mortgage though at least now there is some movement.
Council of Mortgage Lenders Director General Michael Coogan said:
“We are not convinced that underlying trends have shifted sufficiently to change our forecasts for mortgage market activity in 2009, but there are some positive signs for later in the year, some large banks are making more funding available through enhanced lending commitments, which is helpful but will not satisfy consumer borrowing demand on its own.”
Though there does seem to be a lift, the number of mortgages given has significantly decreased on passed years.
Trouble In North Korea
April 14, 2009
International talks with North Korea seem to be drawing to an end with no result in them abandoning their nuclear programme. North Korean leaders are now looking to restore their disabled nuclear reactor; this comes after the international community came down hard on the country when they launched a missile recently.
North Korea says that the launch was a peaceful space programme test, attempting to put a satellite into orbit. Russia and China have asked North Korea to return to the negotiations following their walk out.
Pyongyang’s closest ally, China, asked for “calm and restraint” from all sides.
A Beijing Foreign Ministry statement said:
“all sides will… continue to advance and push forward the six-party talks and the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula”.
The six-party, who encompasses North and South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and the US began 6 years ago and has already seen many setbacks since then. North Korea have deemed the UN action as an “unbearable insult” and that they would “strengthen its nuclear deterrent for its defence by all means”.
More MP Scandle and Smear!
April 14, 2009
As if there isn’t enough for parliament to deal with at the moment, close advisor to Gordon Brown had time to start a smear campaign against leading Tory MP’s.
Damian McBride made claims about David Cameron and a number of other Tory MPs. McBride has now resigned however; this has done much damage to number 10. According to Gordon Browns spokesman McBride will receive no severance pay.
Labour MP’s think that Gordon Brown has “taken action” by writing to those affected, though as yet no apology has been made.
I think if the government spent less time fighting each other and more time sealing with the UK’s trouble in the country would be in a much better state.
Italy Left In Shock After Quake
April 8, 2009
In current times, it is thought that major death tolls from natural disasters only really occur in less economically developed countries. The recent earth quake in the region of Abruzzo, Italy has proved this is not the case, which currently has killed at least 179 people.
More than 24 hours after the first quake, emergency rescue workers are searching in the collapsed buildings, trying to find survivors. So far around 100 people have been alive in the rubble however, as time ticks on hopes of finding more are starting to fade.
The quake measures between 5.8 and 6.3 on the Richter scale and occurred around 3:30am on Monday. Residents were caught unawares when they were sleeping. The quake affected 26 cities and towns in the Abruzzo province with figures showing around 1,500 injured 34 missing and 17,000 left homeless.
World’s Oldest Living Person
April 7, 2009
The Guinness Book of World Records has officially recognised Gertrude Baines as the oldest living person in the world. She celebrated her 115th birthday with a big cake.
Gertrude from Georgia received a letter from US President Barack Obama wishing her a happy birthday.
Ms Baines father was the son of slaves and saw the invention of the car and first flight. She was 18 when the Titanic sank.
Ms Baines never smoked, drank or fooled around and says she owes her “longevity to the Lord”. She has said that she never thought that she’d see a black man become president and was in the news in November when she voted. Controversially saying in these times, that she backed Obama “because he’s for the coloured”.
Baines title as oldest woman came as a Portuguese died at the age of 11.