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• The Coventry blitz: slaughter by moonlight
• The new politics: Student riot marks end of Coalition's era of consensus
• Haider seeks UK asylum after contract suspended
• Train crash firms face prosecution
• Hamleys cleaners held in dawn raid
• Pilot 'may have died before crash'
• D.J. Taylor: Still we remember
• Make-up artist to the stars in 'car-rage attack'
• Still in the duck house? Life after the expenses row
• Iraqi pair jailed for life for 'honour killing' of woman
• Ex-MPs face criminal trials over expenses
• Jobless who refuse work will lose benefits for up to three years
• Former BBC1 controller: I don't hate women
• Doctor may be sued for criticism of breast enhancement cream
• Soldiers struggle to cope with post-Afghanistan life
• Internet piracy Act put on hold
• Policeman not guilty of rape
• Victim's family welcomes Potters Bar prosecutions
• Cargo bomb timed to detonate over US
• 'Heroic' 7/7 commuter tried to save passenger's life
• Sacked lap dancer loses case
• Aristocrats own third of land in England and Wales
• 'Honour killing' pair jailed for life
• 7/7 survivor tells of agonising wait for ambulance
• Queen's Facebook page attracts nearly 200,000 visits
• Boxing champion Dereck Chisora spared jail for assaulting woman
• Father describes seeing two sons shot in head
• UK tops cocaine use table
• Jail for paedophile who killed wife with hammer
• Nick Clegg dismisses law change after 'hundreds denied vote'
• Policemen could be charged over doctored rape statement claims
• Man arrested over blog list of pro-war MPs
• Falkland Islands 'feel safe' amid defence cuts
• Prison dentist behind bars for theft
• Union warns of 'devastating' impact of spending cuts
• Murder probe after two men shot dead
• MPs to face criminal trials over expenses claims
• Tube drivers in strike vote over Boxing Day pay
• Man quizzed over attack on Phones4U chief

The Coventry blitz: slaughter by moonlight Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:01 PM PST Imagine this: every day you walk the same two miles to work. Then one night your city is bombed and, emerging from your shelter after a terrifying night-long bombardment and the 6.15am all-clear, you head off as normal. Yet this day the landmarks have disappeared, the rubble obscures reference points, and there's no way through for traffic. Quite literally you are lost, standing in a smoke-drifting scene of devastation just a short walk from home. This nightmare was reality for Miss Jackson, the old lady who lived next door to us in Coventry when I was young. It was the astounding story she told me of the Coventry blitz when Operation Mondscheinsonate (Moonlight Sonata) was launched 70 years ago this weekend - as the full moon shone relentlessly on 14 November 1940. An initial fleet of German planes used the latest guidance technology to drop parachute flares on city targets. The consequent fires summoned more than 500 German bombers to carpet-bomb what was the manufacturing heart of England. As well as causing up to 1,000 deaths and wreckiing the factories, the meticulously planned and executed attack also destroyed what was till then a medieval city said to rival the beauties and historical richness of York and Bath. Water supplies were disrupted as bombs hit the pipes, thwarting firefighters. The firestorm that swept the city centre was so ferocious it could be seen clearly more than 20 miles away in Leicester. There were even reports that German bombers could see the glow as they crossed the Channel more than 100 miles away. The British Pathé newsreel issued just one week later was particularly shocking for a population becoming accustomed to the restricted news of a country where the Government sought desperately to manage morale. The commentary pulls no punches from the start: "The symbol of her one-time beautiful 14th century cathedral looks down on a scene of indescribable destruction." Then any pretence of journalistic impartiality was put aside; there was no attempt to minimise the extent of the death and devastation - instead the message relies on the starkest language to maximise propaganda: "A thousand citizens of Coventry were killed or maimed by the Nazi disciples of slaughter who kill mostly for the joy of killing and destroy mostly for the joy of destroying." The massive co-ordinated attack led to the introduction into German propaganda of the verb coventrieren (to coventrate) meaning to devastate through bombardment. It has to be said though that the massive morale collapse feared by the Government never happened. But the final sentence of the newsreel is the most chilling: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." In other words, the Coventry bombing further enabled the Allies to put aside qualms about what would now be called collateral damage, recognising that the chaos of damaged infrastructure hampered manufacturing as much as bombing factories. What happened to Coventry was even used partly to justify the February 1945 Allied raids that destroyed the historic city of Dresden... with up to 25,000 fatalities. The world healed as far as it could with extraordinary rapidity and Coventry and Dresden entered a twinning relationship in 1956. Miss Jackson and her German counterparts may have have been bewildered and lost in the war, but their cities found the road to reconciliation just over a decade later. Hopefully that is the enduring message to be remembered this weekend. * Coming soon: Our new series using British Pathé film showing 'Days That Shook The World'.

The new politics: Student riot marks end of Coalition's era of consensus Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Student demonstrators brought violence to London's streets yesterday on a scale not seen since the poll tax riots of 20 years ago. The ferocity of the protest ended the high hopes of a new era of consensus politics, promised by David Cameron when he took office exactly six months ago.

Haider seeks UK asylum after contract suspended Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Zulqarnain Haider, the Pakistan wicketkeeper who fled to Britain after receiving alleged threats over his refusal to take part in match-fixing, is believed to have officially asked for asylum because he feels his life would be in danger back home.

Train crash firms face prosecution Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Network Rail and the maintenance company Jarvis Rail are to be prosecuted over the 2002 Potters Bar rail crash in which seven people died.

Hamleys cleaners held in dawn raid Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Four suspected illegal immigrants were arrested yesterday during a dawn raid on the flagship Hamleys store in Regent Street, central London.

Pilot 'may have died before crash' Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST A Ryanair pilot flying a private light aircraft that crashed may have died before the aircraft went down.

D.J. Taylor: Still we remember Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Almost the last photograph I have of my father, who died four years ago this week, was taken on Remembrance Day 2005. He is standing outside the back door of my parents' old house in the western suburbs of Norwich, wearing the overcoat that in his boisterous 70s had looked two sizes too small, but now, in his 80s, looks two sizes too large. He is wearing a scarlet poppy and the five medals he brought back from the Second World War, when, as Leading Aircraftsman Taylor, JRG, he spent five years successively guarding the Irish border, decoding Morse for the allied advance as it swept east after D-Day, and then hanging about in Palestine as the British Mandate limped towards dissolution. Usually when photographed dad looked cheery, urbane or satirical by turns. Here he seems dangerously subdued.

Make-up artist to the stars in 'car-rage attack' Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST A make-up artist whose clients range from royalty to pop stars hit a television producer with her car for daring to criticise her, a court was told.

Still in the duck house? Life after the expenses row Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Derek Conway

Iraqi pair jailed for life for 'honour killing' of woman Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Two men who were extradited to Britain after fleeing to Iraq when they executed a young woman in a so-called "honour killing" were jailed for life yesterday.

Ex-MPs face criminal trials over expenses Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Three former MPs have been told they must stand trial in a criminal court after failing in their final bid to be judged by their parliamentary peers.

Jobless who refuse work will lose benefits for up to three years Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Unemployed people who refuse to take up offers of work will lose their jobless benefits for three years under tough new sanctions to be announced today.

Former BBC1 controller: I don't hate women Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST One of the most senior female television executives in Britain yesterday launched an emotional rebuttal of "utterly offensive" claims that she "hates" women.

Doctor may be sued for criticism of breast enhancement cream Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST A doctor has been threatened with a libel action after claiming that a £125 breast enhancement cream did not work.

Soldiers struggle to cope with post-Afghanistan life Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Greater numbers of soldiers are returning from Afghanistan with mental health problems.

Internet piracy Act put on hold Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST Plans to crack down on illegal file sharing and internet piracy have been thrown into doubt after the High Court agreed yesterday to review the Digital Economy Act.

Policeman not guilty of rape Posted: 10 Nov 2010 10:06 AM PST Pc Terry Price, who serves as a Sussex Police officer based at Horsham, was accused of attacking a woman in October last year.

Victim's family welcomes Potters Bar prosecutions Posted: 10 Nov 2010 10:00 AM PST The prosecution of Network Rail and maintenance company Jarvis Rail over the 2002 Potters Bar rail crash was welcomed tonight by the family of one of the seven victims.

Cargo bomb timed to detonate over US Posted: 10 Nov 2010 09:48 AM PST The bomb found on the cargo plane at East Midlands Airport last month was timed to detonate over the eastern seaboard of the United States, Scotland Yard said today.

'Heroic' 7/7 commuter tried to save passenger's life Posted: 10 Nov 2010 09:36 AM PST A "heroic" commuter described today how he tried in vain to save the life of a female passenger left gravely injured in the July 7 bombings.

Sacked lap dancer loses case Posted: 10 Nov 2010 09:34 AM PST A lap dancer who attempted to bring an unfair dismissal case against Stringfellows has lost her case, a lawyer for the club said today.

Aristocrats own third of land in England and Wales Posted: 10 Nov 2010 09:15 AM PST Nearly a third of land in England and Wales is still owned by a small group of aristocrats, research indicated today.

'Honour killing' pair jailed for life Posted: 10 Nov 2010 09:13 AM PST Two cousins who became the first suspects ever extradited to Britain from Iraq were jailed for life today for the "honour killing" of a 20-year-old woman.

7/7 survivor tells of agonising wait for ambulance Posted: 10 Nov 2010 07:35 AM PST A survivor of the July 7 terror attacks had to wait so long for an ambulance that paramedics doubted she would live, an inquest heard today.

Queen's Facebook page attracts nearly 200,000 visits Posted: 10 Nov 2010 07:13 AM PST Within days of its launch, the Queen's Facebook page has attracted nearly 200,000 visitors.

Boxing champion Dereck Chisora spared jail for assaulting woman Posted: 10 Nov 2010 07:11 AM PST British and Commonwealth boxing champion Dereck Chisora was today spared jail despite being found guilty of submitting his former girlfriend to a "humiliating" assault.

Father describes seeing two sons shot in head Posted: 10 Nov 2010 07:08 AM PST A father spoke today of his horror at seeing his two sons shot in the head in front of him.

UK tops cocaine use table Posted: 10 Nov 2010 07:04 AM PST The UK tops the European league table of cocaine use, a report showed today.

Jail for paedophile who killed wife with hammer Posted: 10 Nov 2010 06:41 AM PST A former blacksmith who bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer to spare her the shame of his child sex offending was today jailed for a minimum of 19 years.

Nick Clegg dismisses law change after 'hundreds denied vote' Posted: 10 Nov 2010 06:39 AM PST Nick Clegg today dismissed calls for a change in the law to ensure that people in polling station queues can cast their vote.

Policemen could be charged over doctored rape statement claims Posted: 10 Nov 2010 06:23 AM PST Three Scotland Yard officers could be prosecuted over claims they doctored an alleged rape victim's statement to halt an inquiry.

Man arrested over blog list of pro-war MPs Posted: 10 Nov 2010 06:12 AM PST A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of encouraging an act of terrorism in connection with a website that listed MPs who voted for the Iraq War, police said today.

Falkland Islands 'feel safe' amid defence cuts Posted: 10 Nov 2010 05:09 AM PST The government of the Falkland Islands said it was "satisfied" that defence cuts were not leaving it vulnerable to an invasion by Argentina.

Prison dentist behind bars for theft Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:16 AM PST A prison dentist who stole more than £300,000 of tax-payer cash was jailed for 30 months, the NHS Counter Fraud Service (CFS) said today.

Union warns of 'devastating' impact of spending cuts Posted: 10 Nov 2010 03:48 AM PST Fresh fears over council job losses were raised today because local authorities were having to make huge savings under the Government's public spending cuts.

Murder probe after two men shot dead Posted: 10 Nov 2010 02:08 AM PST A murder inquiry is under way after two men were killed in a shooting, police said today.

MPs to face criminal trials over expenses claims Posted: 10 Nov 2010 01:47 AM PST Three former Labour MPs facing accusations over their expenses claims today lost their final bid to avoid criminal trials.

Tube drivers in strike vote over Boxing Day pay Posted: 10 Nov 2010 01:45 AM PST Drivers on London Underground are to vote on industrial action in a row over Boxing Day pay, threatening fresh disruption on the Tube, it was learned today.

Man quizzed over attack on Phones4U chief Posted: 09 Nov 2010 11:48 PM PST A man was being questioned by detectives today over an aggravated burglary at the home of former Phones4U chief John Caudwell, police said.

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