Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Independent - UK RSS Feed

The Independent - UK RSS Feed

MI6 chief to deliver public speech

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 11:01 PM PDT

The chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, will step out of the shadows today to make an unprecedented public intervention.

Afghanistan soldier's body returned home

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 11:00 PM PDT

The body of a serviceman killed while clearing explosives in southern Afghanistan will be returned to Britain today.

Power failure: UK's wind farm plans in disarray

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

Hundreds of local revolts against wind farms have jeopardised the plan to use them to generate more than a quarter of Britain's electricity, figures seen by The Independent reveal.

Oliver, meet Olivia: poll shows favourite names

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

The Olivers Army is on its way, with back-up from battalions of Olivias. After 14 years of reigning supreme as the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales, Jack has tumbled down to second place after no fewer than 7,364 Olivers were named in 2009. Olivia was at the top of the girls' chart for the second year in a row after 5,201 mothers chose it for their newborn, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Rise in urban beekeepers

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

Rising numbers of people in cities are keeping bees, the British Beekeepers' Association (BBKA) has revealed in its first nationwide survey.

'Apprentice' star on bail over fraud

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

A contestant in Lord Sugar's hit show The Apprentice will find out in December whether he is to be charged with fraud, police said.

Rebellion against 'redundant' airline security rules grows

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

The chairman of British Airways won support in the aviation industry last night for attacking "redundant" anti-terror checks imposed by the US, as calls grew for easier passage through British airports.

Exmoor still baffled by the case of the missing Emperor

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

In a wooded copse strewn with fallen leaves, the Emperor's harem sit and wait. Once, there were around 60, but the numbers have dwindled over the past weeks. Perhaps those abandoning this idyllic spot have decided there is no point in waiting. Their stag will not be coming back.

Return of the gun on wish list for Santa

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

In these recession-hit times, parents may be relieved to hear that the "Dream Dozen" Christmas toys all cost less than £100 this year. However, eyebrows in some households may shoot skywards at the news that one of the toys bears more than a passing resemblance to an AK-47 assault rifle.

Vince Cable cancels talk in face of student protests

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

Vince Cable last night cancelled a talk at Oxford University after being warned students were preparing to stage a major demonstration.

Not his finest hour: As a young man, Churchill's views on race and democracy beggared belief

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

Winston Churchill is rightly remembered for leading Britain through her finest hour – but what if he also led the country through her most shameful hour? What if, in addition to rousing a nation to save the world from the Nazis, he fought for a raw white supremacism and a concentration camp network of his own? This question burns through Richard Toye's new history, Churchill's Empire, and is even seeping into the Oval Office.

British company link to drug used in execution

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

The suspected source of the drug used in the execution of death-row prisoners in the US has been identified as a British company in Berkshire.

Housing benefit reform strains Coalition unity

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

The unity of the Coalition Government was under strain last night over moves to cut housing benefit as opposition to the measures grew among Tory and Liberal Democrat MPs. David Cameron yesterday stood by the moves in heated Commons exchanges as Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, claimed ministers were in disarray over the issue.

Cameron made to pay more for EU membership

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

David Cameron will be forced to accept a sizeable increase in Britain's contribution to European Union spending just days after calling for it to be frozen or even cut.

Wind energy? No thanks – we want to keep our nuclear option

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT

As soon as residents living near Hinkley Point, on the west Somerset coast, were told that a 12-pylon wind farm was planned for their rural idyll, opposition was quick to grow.

Man jailed for one million euro cocaine deal bid

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 10:13 AM PDT

A middle-aged drug trafficker was jailed for 18 years today for masterminding an attempted one million euro (£873,700) cocaine deal.

7/7 officer tells of frustration over firefighters

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 10:06 AM PDT

A senior policeman spoke today of his frustration at firefighters who refused to enter a Tube tunnel to rescue survivors of the July 7 bombings despite being shown it was safe.

Millionaire faces life behind bars for ex-wife murder bid

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 10:03 AM PDT

A millionaire pensioner was today facing the rest of his life behind bars for attempting to kill his ex-wife after she tried to get a share of his fortune.

Tube services suffer further problems

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 09:28 AM PDT

London Underground services suffered fresh delays today after passengers' bags were caught in the doors of new trains.

Man cleared of murdering his wife

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 09:22 AM PDT

A man was today cleared of murdering his wife after a drunken night out.

Crew use life rafts to escape from blazing ship

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 07:37 AM PDT

Nearly 100 people were saved from a blazing ship today in a dramatic rescue operation.

Lover 'found lottery winner's body'

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 06:49 AM PDT

A lottery winner who hanged himself in his home was found by a live-in lover his family had no idea existed, an inquest heard today.

Bonfire night strike talks break down

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 06:39 AM PDT

Talks aimed at averting a Bonfire Night strike by firefighters in London broke down without agreement today.

David Cameron stands by 'fair' housing benefit cap

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 06:37 AM PDT

David Cameron dismissed talk of a climbdown over capping housing benefit today despite claims that the policy could drive 200,000 poor people out of major cities.

Ex-socialist MSP asked Tommy Sheridan to step down as leader

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 05:41 AM PDT

A former Scottish Socialist Party MSP today told of the moment she asked Tommy Sheridan to step down as leader of the party.

Asylum seeker 'fled hospital after killing lover'

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 05:20 AM PDT

An asylum seeker arrested for killing his older lover fled a hospital during a fire drill before being found in Spain 14 years later, a court heard today.

Every UK company to offer pensions under new rules

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 05:18 AM PDT

All UK companies will have to offer their staff a pension from 2012, the Government announced today.

BA chair and aviation chiefs call for check-in changes

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 05:16 AM PDT

The UK aviation industry today backed the views of British Airways chairman Martin Broughton that airport security checks needed overhauling.

Tycoon wins £1m cut to £8m divorce award

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 05:01 AM PDT

City tycoon Maurice Robson won a £1 million cut to the £8 million he was ordered to pay his ex-wife today in a divorce settlement described by a judge as "half of the carcass of the golden goose".

Boy remanded over schoolgirl's murder

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:42 AM PDT

A 16-year-old boy appeared in court today charged with the murder of schoolgirl Rebecca Aylward.

Student badly injured during 'play fight'

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:14 AM PDT

An undergraduate suffered severe head injuries after a student prank went wrong, it emerged today.

Government says housing benefit cap will go ahead

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 02:54 AM PDT

The Government today dismissed talk of a climbdown over capping housing benefit today despite warnings that the policy will "cleanse" poor people from major cities.

Teenager killed in collision with police car

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 02:21 AM PDT

A teenager died today after he was in collision with a patrol car, a police force said.

11 arrested after teenager stabbed to death

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 02:16 AM PDT

Eleven people were arrested today after a 17-year-old was stabbed to death, police said.

Councils conned out of £135m last year

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 01:01 AM PDT

Councils were fleeced of £135 million through nearly 120,000 frauds last year, spending watchdogs said today.

Police question woman over man's Tube death

Posted: 26 Oct 2010 11:01 PM PDT

A woman faced more police questioning today over the death of a man allegedly pushed under a Tube train while wearing women's clothes.

posted by Greg Shaw at Thursday, October 28, 2010