Thursday, November 25, 2010

The Independent - UK RSS Feed

The Independent - UK RSS Feed

Big chill begins as snow blows in

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 11:01 PM PST

The earliest widespread snowfall for 17 years looked to be taking hold today after parts of the country were blanketed in white.

Worst violence contained on national day of protest

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

Thousands of students took part in demonstrations, sit-ins and walk-outs on campuses and in city centres across Britain yesterday as a largely peaceful day of action against rises in university fees flared into violence.

Church relaxes wedding rules

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

Draft legislation that further relaxes the law on where couples may get married received approval yesterday from the Church of England's national assembly.

Coalition 'tried to force BBC to run government adverts'

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

The director general of the BBC claimed yesterday he had been placed under pressure to broadcast government advertising, threatening the independence of the BBC. Defending his role in the recent negotiation of the licence fee, Mark Thompson said the Coalition Government had proposed the BBC should carry state advertising and confirmed that it was asked to fund the free licence fees of the over-75s.

Tougher numeracy and literacy tests – and that's just for the teachers

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

Tough new powers to stop pupils repeatedly re-sitting GCSEs and A-levels. New moves to make it harder for potential recruits to enter teaching, and easier to get rid of those who do. Fines for schools who wrongly exclude pupils, plus a responsibility to ensure any expelled pupils continue to get a full-time education.

New powers to tackle domestic violence

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

a scheme to remove brutal partners from the family home has been saved following protests that scrapping it would worsen the plight of women already suffering serious abuse.

Tribunal awards maid £7,500 in 'real-life Downton Abbey' case

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

This autumn the nation was gripped by the Machiavellian scheming at the heart of ITV period drama Downton Abbey. We collectively railed against the duplicity of lady's maid O'Brien and her partner in crime, footman Thomas, breathing a sigh of relief when their employer the Earl of Grantham closed his ears to their malicious rumour-mongering.

Coalition shelves plans to ensure restaurants pay staff their tips

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

Restaurants were accused yesterday of exploiting a loophole in a new law designed to ensure that staff receive the tips left by customers. In 2008, the Labour government bowed to The Independent's "fair tips" campaign by banning employers from counting tips towards the national minimum wage.

London protests: This time the anger did not spiral out of control

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

They weren't as numerous this time nor were they as successful; the minority of students who wanted to bring violence to central London became locked in battle of wills against a strengthened police presence they had little hope of defeating.

A fugitive in Yemen, the billionaire's son wanted for murder

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

The grieving father of a student who was raped and murdered pleaded with her suspected killer to give himself up yesterday, berating the absurd situation that allowed the man to live in luxury beyond the reach of the law.

Cameron asked to apologise for 'dwarf' jibe at Bercow

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

The Prime Minister was urged to apologise last night after making a joke about the height of the Speaker of the House of Commons and comparing him to a dwarf.

Sheffield protests: Petitioners try to trigger election in Clegg's city

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

The last time they gathered in the name of Nick Clegg in the centre of Sheffield it was to praise him. Then the hundreds who welcomed him home at the end of an extraordinary election campaign – many of them students – were shouting out "I agree with Nick." They believed the Liberal Democrat leader would be their champion in the next Parliament. Six months later, and the mood was one of betrayal.

RAC speeds to defence of safety cameras

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

Speed cameras save 800 people a year from being killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads, ministers were warned yesterday, following their decision to scrap road safety grants to councils. Cash specifically intended for road cameras is being heavily cut and will end in 2011. Senior police officers have said they were disappointed by the language of Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, who has promised to "end the war on the motorist".

Foreign Office warns skiers: check insurance or it could cost you

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:00 PM PST

British holidaymakers are risking sky-high medical bills by failing to insure themselves when they go skiing, the Foreign Office warned last night.

Students bring chaos to capital

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 10:16 AM PST

Protesters angered by proposals to increase university tuition fees brought violence and chaos to the streets once again tonight.

Happy Mondays' Bez fined for order breach

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 09:57 AM PST

Former Happy Mondays star Bez has been fined £140 after he admitted breaching a restraining order preventing him contacting his ex-girlfriend.

Union offers to suspend Tube strikes

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 09:55 AM PST

Union leaders today offered to suspend further strikes on London Underground if a safety evaluation takes place into planned job cuts.

Policeman convicted of sex attacks

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 09:28 AM PST

A police constable who preyed on vulnerable women he met while on duty was facing jail today after he was convicted of rape and indecent assault.

Police 'kettling' tactic angers protesters

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 09:18 AM PST

Police risked controversy today as they "kettled" several hundred protesters after clashes during student tuition fee protests.

Gang guilty of abusing vulnerable girls

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 08:20 AM PST

A gang of men were convicted today of a catalogue of offences against vulnerable girls who were preyed on and abused.

Climate negotiators must push for global deal says Huhne

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 08:19 AM PST

The international climate talks in Mexico next week need to get the world "within shouting distance" of a deal to tackle global warming, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne urged today.

Freezing temperatures trigger first payments

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 08:13 AM PST

The cold snap hitting parts of the UK have triggered the first Cold Weather Payments of the winter, the Government announced today.

New union leader attacks 'culture of fear' at BA

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 08:00 AM PST

The new leader of Britain's biggest trade union attacked the "culture of fear" at British Airways today as he launched a drive to discover the level of "bullying and harassment" against cabin crew.

Laws set for return to government

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 07:51 AM PST

Former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister David Laws is set for a swift return to government, Prime Minister David Cameron indicated today.

Remaining British troops 'to leave Iraq in spring'

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 07:42 AM PST

Most of the 150 British troops still serving in Iraq are set to be brought home next spring, the military said today.

Police deploy reserves to handle protest

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 07:26 AM PST

Police deployed extra reserves today in a bid to prevent a repeat of ugly scenes that marred the student march two weeks ago.

Clegg 'massively regrets' tuition fees increase

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 07:01 AM PST

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today said he "massively regrets" being unable to deliver on his pledge to prevent university tuition fee increases.

7/7 bodies retrieval delayed by problems

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 05:53 AM PST

A policeman in charge of the 7/7 blast site at Edgware Road today outlined a series of problems that delayed the retrieval of bodies.

Police doctor faces manslaughter charge

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:31 AM PST

A doctor faces a manslaughter charge after a man he ruled was fit to be detained died in police custody, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said today.

Inquest rules student was unlawfully killed

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:16 AM PST

A Norwegian student whose semi-naked body was found buried under a pile of rubble was unlawfully killed, an inquest ruled today.

Last Harrier jet leaves Ark Royal

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 04:07 AM PST

A Harrier jump jet took off today for the last time from a British aircraft carrier, bringing an end to a proud history of naval and aviation endeavour.

Police force borrows £1.5m for a gadget

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 03:49 AM PST

A police force was criticised today for borrowing £1.5 million to fund a new gadget giving officers access to their computers while on the move.

Protester admits throwing fire extinguisher from Millbank tower roof

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 03:36 AM PST

An 18-year-old student admitted today that he threw an empty fire extinguisher off the roof of Millbank tower during tuition fee riots outside Conservative Party headquarters.

Export recovery drives 0.8% growth rate

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 02:16 AM PST

An export-led recovery between July and September drove the country's overall growth rate of 0.8% in the quarter, official figures showed today.

First fines issued over data protection breaches

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 12:32 AM PST

A council was fined £100,000 by the privacy watchdog today for accidentally faxing highly sensitive information about cases involving child sex abuse and care proceedings to the wrong recipients on two occasions in the space of two weeks.

Two men shot dead at petrol station in Ireland

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 12:22 AM PST

Two men have been shot dead in an overnight attack, gardai said today

posted by Greg Shaw at Thursday, November 25, 2010