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Pension saving age-gap ‘widens’

UK finance Some people are relying on the state to fund their retirement

Those aged between 30 and 50 are falling behind older people in saving for retirement, a pensions report says.

Some 59% of those aged over 50 are preparing financially for their retirement compared with 47% of those aged 30 to 50, the Scottish Widows survey found.

A fifth of the 5,200 people asked in the poll are failing to save anything for retirement.

Savings in the UK are at a lower level than in France, Germany and Spain.

The survey, conducted for Scottish Widows which is itself a pensions provider, suggested that on average people would like £24,300 a year to live comfortably at the age of 70.

Pensions experts say it would require a large pension pot to be saved by each individual to achieve this level of retirement income, and the report suggested that people were falling some way short.

Some 49% of those surveyed were not making adequate provision for their retirement – defined as saving at least 12% of earnings a year, Scottish Widows concluded.

This figure has never been below 46% or above 52% in the equivalent surveys from the past five years.

Compound interest means that starting to save early leads to a greater pension pot than saving more at a later date.

“We appreciate the difficulty in setting aside extra money,” said Ian Naismith, from Scottish Widows.

“The message is that everyone should be putting aside as much as they can afford for their retirement.”

This year’s report found that women were catching up with men – with 53% of men preparing adequately for retirement compared with 50% of women.

From October 2012, a system of automatic enrolment into a workplace pension scheme will be phased in by the government.

The Scottish Widows report suggested that support for automatic enrolment appeared to be “reasonably strong”, but the amount people were preparing to contribute to their pensions would still be too small for a comfortable retirement.

It called for a change to the terminology used by the government that would make people aware of how much support they would receive from the state.

This could include expressing the proposed flat-rate state pension as £7,300 a year, rather than £140 a week.

“The successful implementation of automatic enrolment, combined with state pension reform, could help galvanise consumers into action to think more about how much they are saving and when they start to make provisions,” said Mr Naismith.

“However, these measures need to be accompanied by a clear message that most people need to see these as the foundation for their retirement savings rather than the full solution.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said the reforms of the pension system were designed to encourage more people to save for their retirement.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

US lawmaker admits lewd picture

Anthony WeinerAnthony Weiner is a prominent Democratic member of Congress

Married New York congressman Anthony Weiner has admitted sending a close-up picture of his underpants to a young woman, but says he will not resign.

The Democratic representative also acknowledged a series of “inappropriate conversations” with women online.

Mr Weiner had initially said his Twitter account had been hacked when a photo of a man’s crotch was sent from it last week.

On Monday he admitted that was not true, saying that he had “panicked”.

A tearful Mr Weiner told a news conference he was “deeply ashamed of my terrible judgement”.

“I’m deeply regretting what I have done and I’m not resigning,” he said.

“The picture was of me and I sent it.”

He said his online exchanges with six women had occurred before and after he married Huma Abedin, a top aide to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, last year.

But he said he had not had physical relationships with the women and had never had sex outside his marriage.

His admission came on the same day a conservative blogger posted what purported to be photos of Mr Weiner without his shirt on.

Conservative provocateur Andrew Brightbart said he had obtained the photos from a woman with whom Mr Weiner had flirted online.

Mr Weiner, a native New Yorker and former New York City Council member, is known for his outspoken liberal views and his fiery speeches on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

He was widely expected to run for New York mayor in 2013.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Syrian troops ‘killed in clashes’

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Twenty-eight Syrian policemen have died in attacks in the north-western town of Jisr al-Shughour, state TV reports.

Most of the dead were said to have been killed in an ambush “by armed gangs”, said the report.

The news follows a weekend of unrest in the town, as troops crack down on anti-government protests that have swept the country.

At least 35 people, including police, were killed there on Sunday, unconfirmed reports say.

Foreign media are greatly restricted in Syria and the details cannot be independently verified.

Protests calling for President Bashar al-Assad to resign – inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt – have rocked Syria for several months.

They began in mid-March in the southern town of Deraa and have spread to other towns and cities.

State TV said 20 police were killed on Monday in an ambush by gangs armed with light weapons and grenades.

The police had been “on their way to rescue citizens being terrorised” by the gangs in Jisr al-Shughour, it said.

Eight other officers were reported to have been killed in a bomb attack on a post office.

Mr Assad, whose family has been in power for four decades, has promised to introduce reforms, but his opponents and are demanding he stand down.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Half did not get Olympics tickets

Usain Bolt winning the 100 metres at the 2008 OlympicsFive separate ballots were run for the 100m final
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More than half of people who applied for London 2012 Olympic Games tickets did not receive any in the ballot, BBC London has learnt.

Some 1.8 million people applied for the 6.6 million public tickets available. About 55% of applicants missed out.

There is a second ballot for the million who were unsuccessful but no tickets remain for the opening and closing ceremonies or athletics finals.

London 2012 said those who missed out will have priority in the next ballot.

BBC London’s Olympics correspondent Adrian Warner said the big events had sold out but added that cheaper events like BMX and archery had also all gone.

He said: “Even though people will be entered into a second ballot, the cheaper tickets have gone.

“So, for example, if you do want to watch track and field it will be the preliminaries and it will cost between £40, which is double the cheapest available, and £150.”

London 2012 – Begin your journey here

London view

Sport, news and more 2012 informationBBC London 2012 Olympic tickets Q&A

A London 2012 spokesman said: “Those who were unsuccessful in the initial process will have priority in the next round of sales which start later this month and they will be contacted soon to inform them about the next steps.

“There are still plenty of tickets available to see great Olympic sport across all price points.”

Chris Townsend, London 2012’s director responsible for tickets, said last week: “The ballot was run on a session basis, a separate ballot was run for each price point that was oversubscribed in the session.

“For example, for the 100m final, five separate ballots were run, one for each price point.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Two dead after shooting incident

A double murder inquiry has begun after the bodies of a woman and a child were found following a shooting incident in Essex.

Officers were called to reports of a firearms incident in Bartram Avenue, Braintree, shortly before 0300 BST.

A man is currently in hospital under police guard and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, Essex Police said.

Police have not released details of how the woman and child died.

Essex Police said in a statement: “Officers were called to an address at Bartram Avenue, Braintree, in the early hours of today where they found the bodies of a woman and a child.

“Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are at the scene and inquiries are continuing into the circumstances leading up to this incident.”

The East of England Ambulance Service said they were called to Bartram Avenue to treat two people with “very serious injuries”.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Strauss-Kahn pleads not guilty

Dominique Strauss-Kahn with his wife and a security guard in New York Dominique Strauss-Kahn denies all charges

The former head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Khan, has entered a plea of not guilty in a New York court to charges of attempted rape and sexual assault.

He stands accused of assaulting a maid at the Manhattan hotel where he was staying on 14 May.

The claims led to his arrest on a plane that was about to take off for Paris.

His next court date is set for 18 July. If found guilty, the 62-year-old faces up to 25 years in prison.

Mr Strauss-Kahn arrived at the New York Supreme Court on Monday with his wife, the French television journalist Anne Sinclair.

A group of hotel workers shouted, “Shame on you!” in a show of solidarity with the maid who accuses him of attacking her.

His formal plea before Judge Michael Obus sets the stage for a lengthy trial process. The full trial is likely to start in the autumn.

Police charged him on 15 May on seven counts, including attempted rape, criminal sexual assault, sex abuse, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.

Mr Strauss-Kahn spent four days behind bars in Rikers Island prison, before being bailed.

Charges against Dominique Strauss-KahnCriminal sexual act in the first degree, two counts (maximum sentence 25 years)Attempted rape in the first degree, one count (up to 15 years)Sexual abuse in the first degree, one count (up to seven years)Unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, one count (up to one year)Forcible touching, one count (up to one year)Sexual abuse in the third degree, one count (up to three months)

Source: New York County District Attorney’s Office

New York DA’s news release on charges

He has since been under house arrest and an armed guard, first in a Manhattan apartment and now in a deluxe townhouse.

The arrest made headline news around the world. It rocked the political establishment in France, where Mr Strauss-Kahn was considered a potential contender in next year’s presidential elections.

Many in France believe that the Socialist party figure has been mistreated, but the case has also sparked a national debate about sexual harassment.

Mr Strauss-Kahn resigned his post at the IMF after his arrest. The organisation has yet to name a permanent replacement.

The prosecution says it is confident it has DNA samples which prove the woman’s allegations against Mr Strauss-Kahn.

Mr Brafman has previously defended a string of high-profile clients, including Michael Jackson.

On 16 May, he insisted any forensic evidence “will not be consistent with a forcible encounter”, indicating the defence will admit a sexual encounter took place, but argue that it was consensual.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Independence ‘needs two ballots’

Scottish Secretary, Michael MooreScottish Secretary Michael Moore said a second referendum would be required
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A second referendum would need to be held by the UK government if the SNP won its referendum on Scottish independence, according to Scottish Secretary Michael Moore.

Mr Moore, a Lib Dem MP, said he thought the Scottish government would hold an “advisory referendum”.

This would be followed by a second referendum on what had been sorted out between the governments, Mr Moore said.

A binding referendum would be for the UK government to determine, he added.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

First farm E. coli tests negative

Farm in Uelzen, northern Germany identified by officials as source for E. coli outbreak (5 June 2011)The farm supplies sprouts to Hamburg and a wide area of northern Germany

The first tests from a north German farm suspected of being the source of an E. coli outbreak are negative, officials say.

Of 40 samples from the farm being examined, they said 23 tested negative.

Officials had said earlier that bean sprouts produced at the farm in Uelzen, south of Hamburg, were the most likely cause of the outbreak.

The outbreak, which began three weeks ago and is concentrated in Hamburg, has left 22 people dead.

Initially, German officials had pointed to Spanish cucumbers as the probable cause of the illness.

The farm in Uelzen is about 100km (62m) south of Hamburg and supplies restaurants and markets in the city and neighbouring German states.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Spare rooms on benefits ‘must go’

Spare bedrooms for people in social housing are a luxury the country can no longer afford, welfare reform minister Lord Freud tells BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

IMF supports UK economic policies

John Lipsky

John Lipsky from the IMF: ‘We expect the economic recovery to resume in 2011’

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has concluded that no changes are needed to UK economic policy.

It said weak economic growth and rising inflation had been “unexpected”, but said they were “largely temporary”.

It pointed to rising commodity prices and the increase in VAT as temporary problems for inflation.

But its annual report warned that “there are significant risks to inflation, growth and unemployment”, which may need a policy response.

Policies suggested included expanding the Bank of England’s programme of asset purchases or having a temporary tax cut.

The IMF predicted that the UK economy would grow by 1.5% in 2011, down from its forecast of 1.7% in April and 2% in November 2010.

But it maintained its medium term forecast at 2.5%.

It predicted that inflation would remain above 4% for most of the year, but would return to its target rate of 2% by the end of 2012 as oil and food prices settle down.

“On the face of it, George Osborne comes out of the IMF’s annual health check better than the UK economy does. But there are some politically resonant caveats.”

Read Stephanie’s blog in full

At a news conference, IMF deputy director John Lipsky warned that, “uncertainty around the central forecasts remains high”, as it does in many other economies.

He added that “the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high but it seems to have stabilised”.

Chancellor George Osborne has made much of the support of organisations such as the IMF for his economic policies in the face of criticism of the pace of his deficit-cutting plans.

He will have been cheered by the IMF’s conclusion that his programme of spending cuts and tax rises remains “essential”.

The organisation also said that continuing low interest rates from the Bank of England would help companies and individuals pay off their debts as well as boosting investment and exports.

But there were some politically resonant caveats, according to the BBC’s economics editor Stephanie Flanders.

She said that last autumn, IMF staff thought the UK was “on the mend”. This latest, more sober assessment, was that the “post-crisis repair of the UK economy is underway”, she pointed out.

She added that in private there had been considerable concern at the IMF last year about the pace of the government’s deficit-reduction plans, but that in public the organisation had continued to endorse them.

The IMF also reported on the state of the UK’s financial services sector on the grounds that its health was important to the global economy.

“The financial sector definitely remains in the recovery phase,” Mr Lipsky said, adding that “further improvements in the quality of supervision will be required”.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Hair we go

How do you break the news of a hair transplant operation?

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Bellfield friend ‘moved mattress’

Levi BellfieldThe court heard that Bellfield was ‘quieter than normal’ the day after Milly went missing
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The friend of a man charged with murdering Milly Dowler said he helped the accused clear a mattress and clothes from his Surrey flat.

Malcolm Ward, who was 20 at the time, told the Old Bailey he helped Levi Bellfield load the items into a van the day after the 13-year-old went missing.

Bellfield, 42, denies abducting and murdering Milly in March 2002.

Her remains were found six months later in woods 25 miles away from the Walton-on-Thames flat.

Mr Ward told the court he had been working with Bellfield at a club in Uxbridge and had been asked by him to help decorate the kitchen of a property in Little Benty, West Drayton, because he was moving there.

On the day he had gone to help decorate, Bellfield drove him to Collingwood Place in Walton to move items from his flat.

Mr Ward said when they arrived “he was grabbing stuff, clothes, tracksuit bottoms and hoodies, and putting them in two black bags in the bedroom”.

They also loaded a mattress into the van. He told the court: “When I left, the mattress was still in the van.”

Mr Ward also told the court that Bellfield was not “his usual jolly self” and was “quieter than normal” that day.

He said: “He was sad, not happy. He may have had something on his mind.”

Bellfield also denies attempting to kidnap 11-year-old Rachel Cowles in March 2002.

The former wheelclamper and bouncer was convicted in 2008 of the murders of Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.