Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG

Irish Cabinet to discuss debt collection

  

THE DISCUSSION WILL BE BASED ON A REPORT BY THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION

The Cabinet is to discuss a proposal tomorrow to deal with the general area of debt and debt collection.

It is understood the discussion will be based on a report by the Law Reform Commission on debt management and reinforcement in 2010.

The Cabinet will discuss proposals to change the procedures around the collection of debt.

In particular it will recommend that imprisonment as last resort in certain cases should end as proposed by the Law Reform Commission.

Instead the proposal going to Cabinet will recommend that attachment orders should apply to wages and social welfare payments.

This would be a last resort.

It is understood that a minimum threshold would apply to social welfare payments so that large amounts could not be taken out.

The proposals, it is understood, would apply to water.

10,000 new jobs in Ireland’s burgeoning marine economy by 2020

   

10,000 new jobs in Ireland’s burgeoning marine economy by 2020

We’re due an explosion in jobs in the marine sector in Ireland over the next few years, with the skills needed already abundant in the Irish labour pool, according to a new report

The current marine economy employs more than 16,000 people in Ireland, and that number actually has the potential to double by 2020, owing to growth in the industry as a whole.

The vast nature of the maritime industry means that professionals from right across the labour spectrum are represented already – for example engineers, biologists, scientists, researchers, lawyers, management, architects, technicians, crane operators, sailors and food handlers.

The roles that will be required, should this major expansion in the industry happen, will be so general that people will merely need some side-stepping training.

The skills identified by the report – written up by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) – include engineers, people with boat-handling skills and hydrographic surveyors.

Careers can be ‘marinised’

Many roles are not exclusive to a marine environment, for example, electrical and mechanical engineers, lawyers, technicians and welders are all land -based occupations, but with a top-up qualification or training an individual’s skills can be ‘marinised’ to enable them to work in a marine or offshore environment.

“With our position on the western periphery of Europe facing the Atlantic Ocean and its energy resources, our deep water ports and our 7,500 km coastline. Ireland is well placed to capitalise on the growing potential of the global marine economy and create sustainable jobs in the coastal regions,” said chairperson of the EGFSN, Una Halligan.

“However, an important aspect will be the co-ordinated effort on the part of all the marine sectors to raise awareness of the excellent and rewarding careers in the sector and attracting people to the opportunities available.”

Cluster of companies in Cork

The industry is pretty exciting at the moment. Last December, three companies in the Cork cluster of marine industry – Resolute Marine, an ocean energy company; Exceedence, a spin-out from UCC’s Beaufort Research Centre, and Royal Marine, a global salvage company – expanded significantly.

US company Resolute Marine is setting up a European HQ in Cork, with 80 jobs to be filled over the next five years. Exceedence is creating five new jobs in marine renewable energy financial consultancy in 2015, while Resolve Marine is hiring six people at its European HQ in Cork harbour this year.

The whole area of fishing and general marine research is massive already, but the marine energy is a cool niche, with Irish interests throughout.

Waterford leads the way

Waterford Institute of Technology’s Telecommunications Software & Systems Group (TSSG) is coordinating an aquaculture research project, for example, that will pool knowledge and tech to improve the global fish farm industry.

With an ultimate aim of boosting both production and jobs in the aquaculture arena, AquaSmart is being led by Dr Steven Davy in Waterford, with the €3.1m project funded through the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme.

Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel will also take part in the two-year programme, with the pooling of resources the prime tool in this project’s aim of improving knowledge in the whole area of fish farming.

Prostate cancer rates higher in the west of Ireland

    

There were more cases of prostate cancer registered in the west of Ireland than in the rest of the country between 1994 and 2012, a report has found.

A recent study by the National Cancer Registry, which tracked cancer rates during that time, has found higher numbers of men in western counties with the disease than in other parts of the country.

The map also reveals that lung cancer was significantly higher in Louth, Carlow, Kildare and Dublin.

Acting director of the Irish Cancer Directory, Dr Harry Comber, says men in the west are not necessarily more prone to prostate cancer.

Instead, he says, that a test to detect the disease was first rolled out in the east and has spread to other parts of the country in recent years, boosting detection rates.

“If you look at it closely, the test was initially used mostly in more affluent areas, more prosperous areas where people went to doctors privately and said :’I want a get a PSA test’,” he said.

“But then gradually it just spread across the country and more men right across the country started to hear about this test, and they started to go to their GP and say: ‘I want to have this test done’.”.

How to build and maintain strong bones

  

How to build and maintain strong bones

Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become weakened and brittle over time, affects millions of people across the globe. The International Osteoporosis Foundation says an osteoporosis-related fracture occurs roughly once every 3 seconds, accounting for more than 8.9 million fractures a year.

Younger individuals typically heal from fractures more quickly than older adults, who often discover that fractures greatly impede their mobility and quality of life.

Bone health is important at any age, but it is particularly crucial as a person gets older. Without a strong framework of bones, the body collapses on itself and rates of fracture increase. Fortunately, there are several ways to keep and maintain strong bones.

Bones are largely made up of a protein called collagen, which is bound together by calcium and other trace minerals. Vitamin D and calcium work in concert, with vitamin D helping the body to absorb calcium so it can find its way into bones. Experts advise getting the right ratio of calcium, protein and vitamin D to safeguard against osteoporosis.

The Institute of Medicine suggests that adults get between 600 and 800 international units (IUs) of vitamin D every day, and between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium daily. Dairy products, such as low- and nonfat milk, yogurt and cheese, are high in calcium. Dark green vegetables and almonds contain calcium in smaller amounts. Obtaining calcium and vitamin D through natural sources is always preferable, but doctors may suggest supplementation if foods are not providing what a person needs to meet the minimum recommended levels.

Exercise is another important component of building strong bones. The National Osteoporosis Foundation says 30 minutes of exercise each day can help. Higher-intensity exercises should be mixed with lower-intensity workouts for the best results. Weight-bearing exercises, such as hiking, dancing and stair-climbing, can build between 1 and 3 percent of bone. An exercise regimen also should include lifting weights or using resistance bands.

Activities that promote good posture and flexibility can help improve balance and alignment of the body. Perform stretches smoothly and slowly after exercising to maintain your range of motion.

Quitting smoking also can promote strong bones. Smoking has been linked to poor skeletal health in both men and women, and the longer one smokes, the greater one’s risk for fracture.

UK researchers develop new, improved ovarian cancer test

    

A new screening method that looks at changes in the level of CA125 in the blood can detect twice as many women with ovarian cancer as conventional strategies, suggest results from a giant trial led by researchers at University College London and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Using a statistical calculation to interpret changing levels in the protein gave a more accurate prediction of individual risk of developing the disease, compared to the conventional screening method which uses a fixed ‘cut-off’ point for CA125, according to data from one arm of the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS), the world’s largest ovarian cancer screening study involving more than 202,000 women.

Researchers detected cancer in 86% of women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, whereas the traditional test used in previous trials or in clinical practice would have identified fewer than half of these women (41% or 48%, respectively).

The findings indicate that CA125 “can be an accurate and sensitive screening tool, when used in the context of a woman’s pattern of CA125 over time,” said Ian Jacobs, President of The University of New South Wales, Australia, chief investigator of the trial, and co-inventor of the statistical approach. “What’s normal for one woman may not be so for another. It is the change in levels of this protein that’s important,” he stressed.

The researchers are hoping that the approach will prove able to pick up ovarian cancer early enough to boost survival rates. Full data from the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS), which should provide some definite evidence on whether the new CA125 method can save lives, are expected later this year.

Irish killer whales in danger of dying out from pollution

  

Killer orcas whales off the coast of Ireland.

A group of killer whales that have become a familiar sight in Irish waters are at risk of dying out from pollution.

The pod of orcas – believed to have dwindled to approximately seven in number – migrate between the coastal areas of Scotland and Ireland.

They are believed to be the only resident population of the species in the region, according to local scientists.

Despite their threatening name, the killer whales have become quite a popular attraction in our waters.

However, latest studies indicate that contamination through pollution in their food may be making the mammals infertile.

“It’s been long established that stranded whales have measured high levels of pollution and that this contamination is known to affect reproduction,” marine biologist Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group told independent.ie.

“However, we have followed this particular pod for almost 30 years and it has not calved once. The theory is that live animals are suffering from the same contamination.”

Dr Berrow said that some analysis in live killer whales has already been done, with some early test work already published.

“We are awaiting results and further collaborative testing. We should have more definitive answers within the next few months.”       

Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG Wednesday

An Irish construction Plan by Enda Kenny promises a world class sector for Ireland

  

Enda Kenny, the taoiseach and Eamon Gilmore, tánaiste, this afternoon announced a package of measures to stimulate activity in the construction industry and boost local and European election prospects, just with over a week to polling day on Friday May the 23rd.

The taoiseach promised “a world-class, competitive and dynamic sector operating to the highest standards and in line with best practice.

The term “world-class” is the most overused and laughable bullshit term in the lexicon of Irish politicians and policy makers when “bog-standard” would often be acceptable if that could be even attained.

Kenny today launched  a report called a “strategy” almost 5 months after what was to be a medium strategy for 2014-2020, at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown and he said the central aim of the latest strategy is “to provide homes for our people by tripling housing output by 2020 and adding 60,000 jobs to the construction sector over the same period.”

He announced spending of €200m that will be “a huge boost for tourism, sports, local communities, jobs and for the construction industry itself.”

It includes the allocation of €20m to the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and a €30m gift for the GAA’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh Stadium in Cork – - money can always be found at election time.

Some 75 actions span across many related areas including housing, planning, financing, the commercial sector, infrastructure and public investment, standards and regulation, and skills and competitiveness.

Kenny says the strategy addresses many important issues and obstacles for the improvement of the sector and indeed for the country as a whole.

SUCH ISSUES INCLUDE:

• - a strategic and measured approach to the provision of housing, nationally and in Dublin, with mechanisms in place to detect and act when things are going wrong;
• - continuing improvement of the planning process, striking the right balance between current and future requirements;
• - the availability of sustainable bank and non-bank financing for viable projects;
• - appropriate access to mortgage finance on sustainable terms;
• - effective enforcement of proper building standards and appropriate regulation;
• - the identification and removal of blockages to necessary commercial development, and
• - facilitating the strengthening of capacity in the sector, especially in terms of international expansion and technology advancements.

“One project I’m excited to see progress on is the development of an interlinked, national greenway network and the commitment of €10m to start the Dublin-Athlone-Galway route will help create an internationally recognised tourism attraction,” Kenny said and concluded: “The Government has a plan for Ireland, a plan for jobs and stability…We now have a plan for the construction sector. To get it back up off its knees and contribute again to Ireland’s recovery.

A sustainable construction sector based on the highest standards of quality is essential to make recovery local and to get Ireland working again.”

James Reilly denies a plan to shut maternity units in the West & North West of Ireland

  

An HSE study mooted closure of up to four obstetric units in the west and north-west of the country. The Minister for Health James Reilly: said the HSE report had ‘no standing on its own’.

Minister for Health James Reilly has said he has no plans to close any of the State’s 19 maternity units.

Dr Reilly said a study commissioned by the HSE, which moots the closure of up to four obstetric units in the west and north-west, has “no standing on its own”.

The study, which was revealed in this morning’s Irish Times, has to feed into a national review of maternity services, the Minister told the Dáil today.

The study proposes a number of options for the future of maternity services in the west and north-west, from no change to current arrangement to the closure of up to four units at Ballinasloe, Castlebar, Sligo and/or Letterkenny. The closure of the maternity unit at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe features in four of the six options outlined in the report.

Dr Reilly said staff-patient ratios in maternity units were far too high but there had to be an examination of the roles of those working in hospitals so as to determine how better use can be made of staff. “We must find ways to support staff using other staff so that we can provide the safest possible care for patients.”

Bill Maher, chief executive of the West/North-West Hospitals Group, said no reconfiguration of services has been recommended to or approved by the groups or its senior management. “Feasibility studies have not even been carried out and speculation at this early stage in the process is unhelpful and upsetting for patients and staff.”

He said a review of existing models of maternity care was being conducted across the group, and the board had accepted recommendation to develop consistency in these care models.

Staff and the public would be engaged in the consultation process and the review of maternity services in the west and north-west would be considered as part of the broader national review of services, he said.

New baby giraffe makes Dublin Zoo debut

  

The giraffe calf made his first outside appearance at the African Savanna yesterday in Dublin Zoo.

There was the giraffe equivalent of “wetting the baby’s head” at the African Savannah at Dublin Zoo this week when the entire herd welcomed a new-born calf into its fold.

Weighing in at a healthy 70kg and 1.7 metres tall, the male Rothschild giraffe was quite a handful. He was an instant hit with the herd of seven giraffes when he made his debut at the savannah enclosure on Monday.

Dublin Zoo operations manager Gerry Creighton explained: “It’s part of the acceptance ritual.”

Female members of the herd had a sneak preview when the calf – who has yet to be named – was born in front of them last Wednesday.

THE BIRTH WAS CAPTURED ON CCTV, TO THE DELIGHT OF ZOO STAFF.

The successful birth was also a happy ending for the mother Maeve, whose last calf, Tamu, born at the zoo in June 2012, died last December.

Meanwhile, the proud father, Robin, who has sired several other giraffes at the zoo, including Tamu, was introduced to his newborn for the first time this week and he immediately took to him, Mr Creighton said.

The calf will remain at the zoo until he matures in about five or seven years’ time and then will likely be loaned out to other zoos as part of the international zoo breeding programme, he added.

But in the meantime, he’s sure to be a hit with the crowds.

Children worst affected by recession in Ireland

   

One in every 3 young Irish people have been deprived of food, heating or clothes over the past 5 years. 

Children have been disproportionately affected by the collapse of the Irish economy. 

Almost one in every three children has been deprived of food, heating or clothing during the recession.

The ESRI has released new research on the impact of the downturn on different age groups, genders and family types over the past five years.

The ESRI report, From Boom to Recession, finds that younger people have been the worst affected, with unemployment rates hitting 25% in the under 25s category, compared to 12% for those aged 45 and over.

Meanwhile, 130,000 children have suffered deprivation, that is defined as not being able to afford basic food, clothes or heating. Almost 33% of the under 14s are classed in this category, compared to 11% for the over 65s.

Income poverty by gender and age group, 2007 and 2011

Cohabiting couples with children experienced the most acute rise in job cuts, while childless couples were far less likely to be deprived.

GENDER GAP

A separate study by the think-tank looked at the impact of job-losses on both sexes, with men suffering the most dramatic impact.

The gender gap between men and women in work fell from 16% in 2007 to 8% in 2012 – while one in 10 women are now the main breadwinners in their household.

Estimated employment rates by gender, 2007 and 2012 (model-estimated controlling for other factors)

The sharp increase in the number of unemployed men is thought to be down to the collapse of the male-dominated construction industry.

As much as 30% of water lost by faulty pipes in Ireland

  

NEW INVESTMENT PLAN NEEDED FOR WATER SUPPLY IN CAPITAL.

Areas of Dublin are losing around 30% of their total water supply through damaged infrastructure.

The capital’s water loss, due to damaged infrastructure, is less than the national average of 41%, but the figure still represents a major headache for Irish Water.

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FoI) showed that in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, water distribution losses were over 29pc in 2013.

Leak analysis last February, July and December revealed around 18,000 cubic metres of water were lost each day.

Each cubic metre is equal to 1,000 litres of water. A toilet flush uses around nine litres.

The Commission for Energy Regulation is yet to set the domestic rate for water but the commercial rate in Dublin is €1.99 per cubic metre.

Spacemen trio returns to Earth in a Russian capsule

 

A Russian and an American returned to Earth on Wednesday with their Japanese commander aboard a Soyuz capsule in the first such landing since Moscow’s ties with the West imploded over Ukraine.

Koichi Wakata the first Japanese leader of an International Space Station mission NASA’s Rick Mastracchio and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin completed a 188-day stay that began months before Europe was thrown into its worst security crisis since the Cold War.

Ex-Soviet Ukraine has since seen a part of its territory seized by Kremlin forces and the West retaliate with sanctions that have prompted Russia — provider of the sole manned link to the orbiting laboratory — to question the wisdom of future cooperation in space.

A top Russian minister stepped up the rhetoric on Tuesday by warning that Moscow may reject Washington’s request to extend the station’s lifespan by four years until 2024.

The trio was all smiles on Wednesday as they clambered out of the conic capsule in their bulky space suits after touching down without mishap in the sand-swept steppe of Kazakhstan.

But Tyurin hinted of the overriding tensions by singing the praises of Russian space equipment that may one day slip out of Western hands.

“The landing was outstanding,” Tyurin said in comments broadcast on Russian state television.

“It was simply ideal. We do have some wonderful technology!”

THE US ‘HOPEFUL’ ABOUT COOPERATION:-

Moscow is fiercely proud of its rockets and still fetes its ability to trump the United States during the Soviet-era space race by putting the first man in orbit in 1961.

And a top minister in charge of the military-industrial complex warned that Moscow may strike back at new high-technology export restrictions that Washington imposed in retaliation at the Kremlin’s Ukrainian land grab by limiting US access to Russian space equipment.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia was “planning to only need the ISS until 2020″ and then spend funding “on other promising space projects.”

NASA had said in January it would like the orbiter’s lifespan extended in order to improve its marketability and chances of getting commercial investment in space.

The US government agency said only that it had “not received any official notification from the government of Russia on any changes in our space cooperation at this point.”

But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki suggested that the United States might not be as reliant on Russia’s space technology as some in Moscow might like to think.

“We do have a number of materials of the same kind that we can use in the future,” she said.

Rogozin added on Tuesday that Moscow could also prohibit the United States from using a Russian engine crucial to some Pentagon launches of its military satellites.

Space expert Vadim Lukashevich of Moscow’s state-funded Skolkovo Foundation said the absence of Russia’s RD-180 engines could ground the US Defence Department Atlas V rocket for “two to three years”.

Yet Lukashevich noted that the RD-180 deal requires Russia to also disclose to the United States all the details of the engine’s design.

“So in three years, they will be able to develop their own engine and we will lose that market for good,” Lukashevich said in a telephone interview.

NASA hopes to keep the ISS spinning 400 kilometres (250 miles) above Earth a bit longer to help private US firms such as SpaceX upgrade rockets it now uses to ferry up cargo to also be able to accomodate astronauts.

The United States has relied on the Soyuz for all manned missions since retiring its Shuttle Programme in 2011.                   

Donie's Ireland news BLOG Friday

First electricity cable links the UK and Irish power grids

   

The first inter-connector link between the Republic and Britain was opened yesterday, connecting the power grids of the two countries.

Britain and Ireland turned on the first electricity interconnector be­tween the countries on Thursday, opening the way for surplus Irish wind power to help the UK meet its green energy targets.

The €600m connection, running beneath the Irish Sea and carrying enough power for 300,000 homes, marks a step forward in efforts to build a high-voltage network joining Britain and its neighbours.

Such links would allow the UK to import green energy in support of its carbon reduction goals and export electricity when there is a surplus.

The new undersea cable between Deeside, north Wales, and Woodland, County Meath, in Ireland, can transport 500 megawatts of power either way.

It was built by the Irish operator EirGrid, with support from EU funds, investments from BNP Paribas and Barclays, and loans from the European Investment Bank.

Combined with an existing interconnector between Scotland and Northern Ireland, it brings the total capacity for electricity imports to Britain from across the Irish Sea to 1,000mw.

“Ireland has some fantastic renewable energy re­sources and this interconnector will provide access to the massive UK customer base,” said Ed Davey, UK energy secretary.

The UK government says it can achieve an EU target to secure 15 per cent of electricity from renew­able sources by 2020 by building domestic capacity, such as offshore wind farms.

But with green energy currently accounting for only 3 per cent of the UK total, the government is exploring whether it can use flexibility in the EU directive to import Irish wind power to help meet its targets at lower cost.

Mr Davey said Ireland was one of the few countries in the EU likely to generate more renewable energy than it needed to meet its targets, presenting opportunities for trading.

Anlgo-Irish talks on agreeing a framework for renewables trading began this year. Both sides hope to sign a memorandum of understanding soon.

The UK is struggling to find the estimated £110bn of investment needed to build enough green energy infrastructure to meet its targets, with the threat of legal action and fines from the European Commission if it fails.

The UK also has electricity interconnectors with France and the Netherlands. Further links are planned with Norway, Spain and with Iceland, which has geothermal and hydroelectric surpluses.

Ireland also has more interconnector projects in the planning phase as it seeks to take advantage of its ocean winds by building more turbines.

“Ireland has the space and the planning system to build out wind energy capacity quickly, whereas there have been lots of objections in the UK,” said Eddie O’Connor, chief executive of Mainstream Renewable Power, which is conducting a feasibility study with REN of Portugal and the UK’s National Grid on another link beneath the Irish Sea.

“We plan to bypass the Irish grid and build an energy bridge direct to the UK, which will help it meet its renewable energy targets,” he said.

An interconnector between north Wales and Arklow in Ireland has also been proposed by a company called East West Cable One.

Dermot Byrne, chief executive of EirGrid, said increased connectivity with Britain would help promote investment in Irish wind farms by providing an export route at times when the wind was blowing strongly.

Mr Davey said the EU renewables target would be met. “The UK does not renege on its international commitments,” he said.

The Renewable Energy Association, a UK industry body, said that while a limited amount of trading may be appropriate, Britain should aim to meet its green energy targets under its own steam.

Tricia Wiley, senior policy analyst with the association, said mixed political messages and seemingly endless policy adjustments risked scaring away investors.

Ireland out-performs its European partners and peers

  

Ireland outperformed its peers in Europe yesterday to close up 1.26 per cent. The UK’s FTSE, France’s CAC and Germany’s DAX all slid, while the Stoxx Europe Index also ended up in the negative.

Global and European markets were affected by weak manufacturing data from China and crisis worries.

Ireland, meanwhile, received a boost after government nine-year bond yields fell below 5 per cent for the first time since before the EU-IMF bailout.

DUBLIN

Ireland was the shining light on the markets yesterday, “massively overperforming”, according to one Dublin stockbroker.

He said the equity markets were most likely helped by the Irish bond market, which performed very well.

The Dublin market was also boosted by index heavyweights CRH, Paddy Power and Kerry all ending up positive, rising 1.74 per cent, 2.63 per cent and 4.42 per cent respectively.

Dragon Oil also closed up, jumping 3.09 per cent to €7.62, while Ryanair rose 2.28 per cent to €4.48. The Irish Aviation Authority yesterday found that three Ryanair planes which had to make emergency landings due to low fuel had sufficient fuel for their flight plan.

Kingspan was the big loser of the day, falling 3.58 per cent to €7.81. However, trading volumes were light.

Smurfit Kappa finished up 2.6 per cent to €7.80 at close of markets yesterday. The global packaging group climbed more than 13 per cent on the Dublin market last Friday on the back of a large order from a single buyer. It closed down more or less flat in recent days, but yesterday started climbing again.

LONDON

BRITAIN’S TOP share index wilted yesterday after economic data painted a bleak picture of prospects for a rebound in activity in the US, Europe and China, heightening concerns over company earnings and valuations.

Miners took most points off Britain’s leading share index, falling 2.4 per cent, in tandem with metal prices, after the weak data, in particular from resource hungry China, heaped pressure on the sector’s earnings outlook.

Anglo American and Lonmin dropped more than 4 per cent as a gauge of basic resources producers tumbled the most in three weeks.

Ocado sank 4.2 per cent after the online retailer’s sales missed analyst estimates.

Imperial Tobacco rallied the most in four months after raising its revenue forecast.

The FTSE 100 index lost 33.84 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 5,854.64 at the close of trading in London. The broader FTSE All-Share Index retreated 0.5 per cent yesterday.

“Equities are trading lower today as economic data highlighted that recent gains are not a true reflection of the state of the global economy,” said Craig Erlam, a market analyst at Alpari UK in London.

EUROPE

EUROPEAN STOCKS declined for the third time in four days after a report signalled that Chinese manufacturing will contract for an 11th month, adding to concern the global economic slowdown is deepening.

A gauge of mining companies posted the biggest drop of the 19 industry groups in the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index.

Daimler lost 2 per cent after saying earnings would fall at its Mercedes Benz cars business.

Telenet surged 13 per cent after Liberty Global made a $2.5 billion offer to buy the rest of the communications company.

The Stoxx 600 slipped 0.2 per cent to 274.5 at the close, while the Euro Stoxx 50 gauge of the biggest companies in the euro area dropped 0.6 per cent.

The Stoxx 600 has still climbed 17 per cent from this year’s low on June 4th as European Central Bank policy-makers agreed to implement an unlimited bond-buying programme and the Federal Reserve unveiled its third round of asset purchases.

NEW YORK

US STOCKS declined, but were off session lows, as investors weighed sluggish economic figures from around the world against efforts by central banks to prop up their respective economies with strong stimulus measures.

Transportation stocks, sensitive to the nation’s economic fortunes, were among the worst performers, with the Dow Jones Transportation average down 2.7 per cent.

Railroad company Norfolk Southern said smaller shipments of coal and merchandise and lower fuel-surcharge revenue would crimp its third-quarter earnings compared with a year earlier. Its shares fell 8.8 per cent to $66.28.

Bed, Bath Beyond tumbled 8 per cent to $63.27 after the company posted quarterly results that narrowly missed Wall Street estimates on account of higher costs.

Fellow retailer JC Penney slumped 9.4 per cent to $26.36 after chief executive Ron Johnson said new shops within stores are doing much better than other parts of its department stores

Divorce rate in Ireland rises by more than 150% since 2002

   

While marriage has become more popular in the Republic in recent years, much greater growth has been seen in divorce rates, the latest census figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have revealed.

The number of married people in the State increased by nearly 10 per cent in just five years, between 2006 and 2011.

The number of divorced people increased by more than 150 per cent in the 10 years from 2002, reflecting both a higher incidence of marital breakdown and the greater number of couples availing of divorce following a mandatory period of separation.

The CSO statistics, which focus on living arrangements in the Republic, show the number of married people last year was 1,708,604, compared with 1,565,016 five years earlier.

Between 1996 and the middle of last year, the proportion of the population who were divorced grew from 0.4 per cent or just 9,787 people to 2.4 per cent, or 87,770 – an increase of almost 800 per cent.

In 2002, the first census conducted since the legalisation of divorce in Ireland in 1995 showed there were 35,059 recorded divorces.

A growth in remarriage mirrors the rise in divorce and there was an increase of nearly 550 per cent in those who had remarried following divorce or annulment over the same period, from 6,641 people in 1996 to 42,960 in 2011.

Overall, men are much more likely to remarry, with 39 per cent of divorced men having remarried, compared with 28 per cent of women.

Divorced men are also more likely to be in childless households, with some 78 per cent of separated and divorced men living in households with no children when the census was taken – in contrast to 44.5 per cent of their female counterparts.

The percentage of the population aged over 15 who were single fell from 43.1 per cent in 2006 to 41.7 per cent, or 1,505,035 people, in 2011.

The average number of children in each family last year was 1.5 in rural areas and 1.3 in cities. Cohabiting couples with children had an average of 1.74 children, while the figure for married couples was 2.09 children.

The CSO reports that 32 was the age at which married women outnumbered their single counterparts, while for men it was two years higher at 34.

The marital family still accounts for the majority – 70 per cent – of all family units, or just over 870,000 families.

Some of the biggest increases in family units were among husbands and wives who have children, who made up almost half of all families last year, or just under 560,000 family units.

The number of cohabiting couples has been rising rapidly in recent years.

While cohabiting couples are still one of the fastest-growing family units – up 18 per cent – the pace of growth has slowed. They now account for 143,600 family units.

The fall in the average number of children per family in recent years – from 2.0 children in 1991 to 1.8 in 1996, to 1.6 in 2002 and 1.4 in 2006 – has levelled off to remain at just below 1.4 in 2011.

A high number of births between 2006 and 2011 (363,500) was a contributing factor in this slowdown.

There were 344,944 couples without children, of whom 261,652 were married and 83,292 were cohabiting.

Irish Life profits soar for the first half of 2012

  

The state owned company Irish Life is unlikely to be put on the market until there is a significant improvement in the European economy.

Chief executive Kevin Murphy revealed pre-tax profits of €96m for the first half of 2012, a six-fold increase from €16m a year earlier.

Plans to sell Irish Life were abandoned last year due to the economic crisis, but Canadian insurer Canada Life is now believed to be lining up a bid to buy the company.

Mr Murphy said a €1.3bn price tag — what the State paid to buy it — would be “quite achievable as a target today” given that it was more than 70pc of the group’s €1.8bn embedded value.

Light versions of popular food brands can contain high levels of fat

  

Healthy versions of popular food brands contain almost twice as much sugar as standard versions, while ‘light’ alternatives can still be high in fat, an investigation has found.

Food brands such as McVitie’s biscuits, Cathedral City cheddar and Philadelphia soft cheese all have ‘light’ versions that are as high in sugar or salt as the normal versions of the product, even though they have fewer calories, the research by Which? found.

Meanwhile Special K, the breakfast cereal that is marketed as a way of losing weight, was found to contain more calories per bowl than Bran Flakes.

And a ‘light’ version of Pizza Express House dressing – used to dress salads – was found to have almost twice as much sugar in it as the standard version of the product.

‘Light’ versions of other foodstuffs were found to contain more than 20g of fat per 100g, meaning that they are still “high in fat” under Government definitions.

Around six in ten Britons eat low-fat food every day or a few times a week as they believe that they are healthier than standard versions of the product, Which? found.

The group urged shoppers to check labels when they shop.

In another example, Which? said that low-fat yoghurt from Tesco has more calories and sugar – but less fat – per pot than standard yoghurt from Activia.

Its research also found widespread confusion among consumers over the meaning of certain words used on packaging.

While shoppers believe that words such as “light” and “low fat” are interchangeable, Which? said that they have significantly different meanings.

Under nutrition guidelines, products labeled as being “light”, “lite” and “reduced fat” have to contain only 30 per cent less fat or saturated fat than standards products. Meanwhile “low fat” means that a product has to contain less than 3 per cent fat.

However only one on six people know this, Which? found in a survey of 1,000 people.

Richard Lloyd, executive director at the consumer group, warned consumers to read the labels carefully before they buy ‘healthy’ food.

“Consumers are choosing ‘low-fat’ and ‘light options’ believing them to be a healthier choice, but our research has found that in many cases they’re just not living up to their healthy image. Our advice to consumers is to read the nutritional labels carefully,” said Mr Lloyd.

Consumer groups have been campaigning for supermarkets to add clearer labeling to packaging so consumers can make an informed choice about what they eat.

Food manufacturers said that they make the nutritional content of their food clear on the side of the packets.

United Biscuits, which makes McVitie’s chocolate digestives, claimed that Which’s report was misleading.

A spokesman said: “While it focused on the fact that the Lights variant of the McVitie’s chocolate digestive had only eight fewer calories per biscuit than the standard product, it ignored the fact that the Lights version had 30 per cent less fat.

“It also wrongly suggested that the fat reduction was achieved by reducing the amount of chocolate on the Light variant – this is not the case. The fat reduction has been achieved due to changes to the biscuit dough recipe.”

The spokesman added that its various varieties of biscuits “clearly” show nutritional information on the packs.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We take seriously our responsibility to help our customers make healthy choices. Our products display clear nutritional information on the front of the packaging, and we always act in accordance with the strict rules around the use of words such as Reduced or Light.”

Special K said that the cereal had been developed to include the vitamins and minerals women might miss out on if they are following a calorie controlled diet.

Scientists solve the mystery behind the flight of the bumblebee

   

Scientists have solved the mystery of the ‘flight of the bumblebee’ by attaching tiny little antennae to the insects and tracking them as they visit thousands of flowers each day.

Bumblebees will buzz around flowers throughout the day in a seemingly random manner.

But a study by British universities have discovered that in fact bees are constantly working out the quickest route to collect the most amount of food.

Despite having brains the “size of grass seeds”, bumblebees are able to calculate the most efficient route from flowers back to the nest.

The team from Queen Mary’s University and Royal Holloway University in London in London attached tiny antennae to tens of bees that pinged back the location of the insects as they foraged for pollen and nectar.

The results showed that the bees would try a number of different routes to a flower and between plants in order to work out the quickest way to and from a food source. Within hours or even minutes, the apparently random ‘flight of the bumblebee’ is an efficient and learned route.

The study, published in PLOS Biology, could help farmers work out the best way to grow crops so bees can pollinate them more easily. It could also help computer programmes to develop more efficient travel routes for humans.

Dr Nigel Raine, one of the authors of the study from RHU, said bees are performing quite a complicated ‘computational task’ for such as small creature with a tiny brain.

“Without the benefit of sat nav or GPS they can work out quickest way to do their job,” he said.

Meanwhile, new research in the journal Science claimed pesticides are not as bad for bees as previously claimed.