Fuel Bills on the Rise
Outrage was caused earlier this week when leading company British Gas announced an average 9.2% increase in energy prices which equates to an extra £107 per annum added to typical energy bills. The company stand by their decision, however, even after a failed PR exercise brought on an onslaught of violent and sarcastic tweets, with some people even asking which pieces of their furniture they should burn first, or whether the energy giants were intentionally trying to raise the number of elderly fatalities from excessive cold each year. Other major energy companies are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks, prompting national scepticism towards energy companies and the stance of David Cameron’s coalition government.
Fire Fighters Strike Again
The recent disputes between Fire Fighters and the Government over pension plans have lead to multiple strikes up and down the country. The Fire Brigades Union has released that 32,000 out of 41,000 members have taken part in the recent strikes. However, disputes over the new retiring age (now 60 years old) are still occurring with yet another strike planned for Saturday the 19th October. The FBU states that very few people will be able to continue this job at the age of 60 provoking many to retire early and causing the FBU to loose thousands.Â
Australian Bush Fires
A huge bush fire has broken out in the New South Wales state of Australia and while these are no new thing down under, concern is being expressed at both, the cause of the blaze and how abnormally early in the year it has happened. Officials are suspicious that a military training exercise may have caused the fire after explosives were used. It is reported that around 200 homes have been destroyed with fire fighters still struggling to control the inferno.Â
Saudi Arabia snubs UN
Global apathy towards the UN was underlined this week when Saudi Arabia outright rejected the offer of a temporary seat on the global union’s security council. The Security council is a section of the UN set up to engage with and solve global conflicts, and consists of the five permanent members of the UK, the US, China, France and Russia, as well as ten temporary members who serve a two year term. Already critiqued for the unequal power in the hands of the five permanent nations, Saudi Arabia voiced its discontent with the way the UN has handled such global conflicts as the Isreali-Palestinian war, and more recently the fighting in Syria, and the failure to successfully help Syrian rebel groups. The rejection just further highlights the failing power of the organisation and the global discontent with its international action.
Picture credits; www.bbc.co.ukÂ