Latest news with #independence
The Herald
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Ramaphosa to make judiciary fully independent of justice department
Ramaphosa said the dependence of the judiciary on the government has been odd. 'A joint committee is now in action to finalise this whole process of the independence of the judiciary. It has been an anomaly of our constitutional architecture that we've had parliament as an independent institution in our constitution fully and properly recognised, and the executive — but the judiciary has on an unfair basis had to depend on government on a variety of matters from getting approval on the appointment of people and not even being in complete control of their own budget,' said Ramaphosa. 'This comes to an end now. The judiciary will be independent. We will ensure the judiciary is rightly constituted as an equal branch of the state, same level as the executive and the legislature.' At the meeting with the senior leaders of the judiciary led by the chief justice earlier this month, Ramaphosa and minister of justice Mmamoloko Kubayi committed to ensuring the independence of the state. 'Within the principle of the separation of powers, each arm of the state has a responsibility to co-operate with, and provide support to, the other arms of the state in giving full effect to our constitution. It requires, in particular, that we create conditions in which each arm of the state can fulfil their respective mandates without hindrance,' said Ramaphosa at the time. 'It is an opportunity to develop common approaches on issues that are critical to the effective functioning of the judiciary. At the core of our deliberations is our shared commitment to safeguarding and entrenching the independence of the judiciary and ensuring that it has the space and means to administer justice.' Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said as much as the judiciary has always been independent, some aspects including its finances have been under the department. 'It's always been independent but on some administrative aspects they were dependent on the department. So those administrative areas will now be fully managed by the judiciary as they should be,' he said. TimesLIVE
CTV News
7 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
N.B. seniors initiative expanding across Canada
A program that offers services to seniors who want to stay in their own homes is coming to a 20-bed nursing home in Dieppe and is expanding across Canada. The province announced Friday morning that Foyer Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur is joining the Nursing Home Without Walls (NHWW) program. The program, started by Université de Moncton professor Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, involves activities like in-person social visits, accessing government programs and services, and activities designed to reduce isolation through building social connections. Lyne Chantal Boudreau, minister responsible for seniors, said in a news release giving seniors the independence to stay living at home is the main goal of NHWW. 'I'm so pleased and grateful that these essential services will be offered to the Dieppe community through our continued partnership with Foyer Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur,' said Boudreau. Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur Foyer Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur is joining the Nursing Home Without Walls program. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic) There are currently 27 Nursing Home Without Walls sites across New Brunswick and the initiative is attracting nationwide attention. 'We have secured funding to pilot, or test the model in other provinces,' said Dupuis-Blanchard. 'That's actually happening right now. We already have letters of interest from several groups in different provinces across Canada that are ready to test Nursing Home Without Walls and we're moving forward in the next while.' Services that will be available at Foyer Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur in Dieppe include: educational sessions access to information and support services wellness check-ins support for caregivers transportation 'This program is wonderful here in New Brunswick and more than that, there's so many provinces across Canada,' said Boudreau. 'They want to do the same thing in their area.' Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard Université de Moncton professor Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard started the Nursing Home Without Walls program. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
SNP loses its shine with Fergus Ewing exit
The Ewings, all three of them – Winnie, her daughter Annabelle and, last but not least, her son Fergus – have always added lustre to the SNP and the cause of independence. The late Winnie, Madam Ecosse, all but invented it, at least in the modern era, by winning the Hamilton by-election in 1967 and then becoming the first presiding officer of the reformed Scottish Parliament in 1999. Her daughter has been a minister in several departments, and became a deputy presiding officer of the Holyrood Parliament, and Fergus became – well, just Fergus. He was always his own man, the epitome of the bloke who goes his own way, no matter what. He has now announced that he's had it with the nit-picking, daft policy-loving comrades who even tried to have him chucked out of the party he's spent all of his adult life supporting. And he's going his own way. I'll admit I've never agreed with his continued support for independence, a policy that would have beggared his country. But he was a man of principle who accepted that politicians of different stripes had principles, too. And while they could be challenged, they should not be insulted. Above all, he saw his first duty was to his Highland constituents. He put their need for decent, safe roads at the top of his agenda – especially the dualling of the A9, widely known as Britain's 'killer road' because of crashes. And he didn't want to see fishing communities devastated by supposed green policies aimed at protecting the environment, no matter the human cost. If there was one issue that alienated Fergus Ewing more than most from the SNP, it was Nicola Sturgeon's ill-fated coalition with the ultra-left Scottish Greens. He fought their policies tooth and nail, and rightly declared that most of them were opposed by a majority of the electorate. Nowhere was this more evident than in the Sturgeon/Scottish Greens plan to rewrite society's views on gender. It was a battle in which Ewing was ultimately on the winning side. I'm certain that he has not taken this decision to stand as an independent in next May's Scottish Parliament election lightly. After all, he will almost certainly be standing against an SNP candidate and even at this distance, the arithmetic looks like being very tight. His long-time party will throw everything at him to keep 'his' Inverness and Nairn seat, which they've always held. I'll probably be wrong – I usually am with predictions – but my tenner is on Fergus Ewing holding on against the odds.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dear Abby: Every man I meet online wants to marry me
DEAR ABBY: I am twice divorced and recently celebrated my 61st birthday. I look pretty fantastic, and I'm in great health. My husbands were really great guys, and I have maintained positive relationships with both. My first marriage lasted 20 years; the second lasted 10. I have been flying solo for the last five years. I love my life and lifestyle and have no desire to marry again. I like having my own space and the freedom to do as I please. My dilemma is, while I'm open to dating and having companionship, the men I connect with online all want to be married! As soon as I tell them I'm not looking for marriage, they disappear. Recently, I was literally hung up on in mid-conversation because of my response to the marriage question. How can I get to the 'let's meet in person' part if the first or second phone conversation ends things because I'm being honest? I don't want to lie. It's challenging trying to explain that I no longer believe I must be married in order to feel fulfilled. I have family and wonderful friends in my life, plus I'm very outgoing. I admit that I do miss some aspects of being in an exclusive relationship. It's just that I'm not trying to be a Mrs. anymore. Third time's the charm … NOT! Please advise. — STOPPING AT TWICE IN TEXAS DEAR STOPPING: I hear from so many women who have the opposite problem that you are having. As soon as they indicate that they ARE interested in marriage, the men head for the hills. You either haven't met the right men yet, or you may be delivering your disinterest in marriage message too strongly. You might have better luck if you specify what you DO want — which appears to be companionship and a monogamous relationship. DEAR ABBY: I need advice about my daughter. She is in an abusive marriage. Her four boys, aged 3 to 12, have been affected by what is going on. They are not properly disciplined and are being abused as well. Her husband is on drugs and abuses my daughter mentally and physically in front of the children. Should I keep letting her take my grandsons back to a bad situation, or should I call child protective services? This is tearing me up inside. We are not young enough to handle caring for the kids full time because they're so messed up. They'd end up in foster care. What should I do? My daughter would probably lose her mind if she lost them, but I can't stand to see them suffer. — ALARMED IN MISSOURI DEAR ALARMED: There may be a less drastic solution than calling child protective services. The next time the husband acts out, call the police. Once he's out of the house, help your daughter find a battered women's shelter that will accept her and her children until she can become independent. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-7233; may be able to help you locate one. This would be better than turning your grandchildren over to strangers. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I was ridiculed for buying a London flat, but it's already gained £100k'
As a single woman in her 20s, owning my flat gives me a level of independence and security that would be impossible otherwise. Dodgy landlords are no longer a concern of mine and I don't have a looming eviction date. I don't even have to worry about finding a suitable partner with the means to escape the pressured rental market, as the cost of renting a room in the capital continues to surge. Before I bought my flat last year, I'd been a student, sleeping on sofas for weeks at a time while taking on summer jobs. After that I became a renter, living for two years with university friends. But once the keys were in my hand, I suddenly had something I'd not had since I'd left my family home for university – a permanent base. My colleague, Josh Kirby, writes that he does not 'believe a flat in London is a good investment for me at this moment in time'. But I decided to buy because I wanted a proper home. And while some like Josh have cast doubt on the wisdom of buying a flat in the capital, I think it is still a sensible option. And if it is located in the right area and well looked after, there is little concern about it holding its value. Some worry about the uncertainty around the current housing market, but I took a gamble on a nice flat in a popular location. I now live near the Thames, a 30-minute commute from work, and near a number of friends. And so far, I've had no reason to worry about it. In fact, Zoopla has estimated that in the year since I bought it my flat has increased in value by £100,000 – which, frankly, does seem ridiculous. But I don't place much weight on the value growth: I have no plans to sell my flat in the near or even mid-term and, without sounding too much like an estate agent, looking at your home as only an investment is a mistake. That's not to say that money was not on my mind. I have been up front with friends, and in my previous column, that my parents gave me a very sizeable deposit to help me buy. But I am far from the only one. My mortgage is entirely my responsibility, as are the ground rent, service charges, utilities and upkeep. I was paying over £1,080 a month in rent; now, my mortgage payments are £650. Even when service charges (mine went down this year) and ground rent (peppercorn) are taken into account, I am still better off. And I've got a fixed rate of 3.99pc for the next four years, so I don't have to endlessly stress about the latest inflation figures. Currently, I overpay by roughly half, because if I spent the full 40 years paying off my mortgage, I'd pay close to £500,000 in interest. That's more than £3 for every £1 I borrowed. And because I bought last year, I benefited from lower stamp duty – saving me £4,000. I also have lodgers. They get a good deal, with below-market rent, and I get help saving towards some of the renovations I want to do. Being a landlord – even in a relatively informal way – has been eye-opening. I feel confident I haven't lost any future opportunities by being tied down: if I wanted to move away for a period, it would be pretty easy. Flats in my postcode are currently being let for as much as £2,700 a month, and charging a monthly rent of £2,000 would more than cover my costs. Even with the upcoming changes in the Renters' Rights Bill, I'd still be able to regain the flat within four months if I wanted to move back in (assuming tenants moved out as asked). Making my flat my own One of the joys of being a homeowner is that you get to decide what the place you live in looks like. No more 'landlord specials' for me – I can decorate to my heart's content. Considered renovations can also add significant value to a home. I increased the size of the second bedroom by moving a wall, and have replaced some flooring. I also plan to have a new bathroom – all of which should help to keep the value of my flat level. While these are not insignificant investments, increasing the value of the flat isn't my only driver. Improvements make the flat a nicer place to live. It's a different priority, but one that is just as important. It should also make it easier to sell. Before I bought it, the flat had been let to social housing tenants and had not been that well looked after. I made the decision to buy it based on its good bones. Now it's being looked after – and with no stars in my eyes as to what I could sell it for – I am confident it would go quickly if I wanted it to. Now is a good time to buy a flat There are a lot of numbers floating around which make the London market look less than healthy. The price of flats has not significantly increased since 2016, with buyers put off by concerns around high service charges, cladding issues and incomplete leasehold reform. But one thing this meant for me was I could negotiate a significant discount. My flat was initially listed for tens of thousands of pounds more than I paid for it. The sellers, who the estate agent told me were living abroad, had already been almost the whole way through the sale process once before, but the buyers had dropped out. With weakened interest in flats generally, even my two-bed, within walking distance of Canary Wharf, was struggling to sell at its original price. The average home sale at the moment is being agreed at 3pc – £16,000 – lower than the average asking price, Zoopla has found. I used this knowledge, and my position as a chain-free buyer with a mortgage already approved, to promise a swift and easy sale, and secured a larger discount as a result. Obviously, not every flat on the market will turn out to be a bargain. But as sellers move away, buyers who can be flexible and move quickly will reap the rewards. Mortgage lenders are rapidly relaxing affordability rules and stress tests in order to lend more to first-time buyers, and are lobbying hard for regulators to go further. This means that homes which could have been out of budget may now be within reach. Maybe I only strongly support buying because, for now, it has worked very well for me. But the fact remains that it works very well for most, providing a level of housing and financial security you can't get through renting. That's why people want it so badly.
