Reuters: UK

Cheap goods see burglars move to muggings

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:29:31 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - An influx of cheap electronic goods from China and the Far East has prompted burglars to turn to other crimes such as robberies and muggings, according to research published on Wednesday.

Low intelligence among top heart health risks

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:02:57 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Intelligence comes second only to smoking as a predictor of heart disease, scientists said on Wednesday, suggesting public health campaigns may need to be designed for people with lower IQs if they are to work.

Brown faces bumpy ride with vote reform plan

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:36:58 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Gordon Brown won a parliamentary vote on Tuesday on a proposal to change the electoral system, but the plan will do little to boost his Labour Party's chances of staying in power.

Man City close on top four with 2-0 Bolton win

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:31:01 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City made ground in the battle for fourth place in the Premier League on Tuesday but looked a long way from Champions League material as they struggled to an forgettable 2-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers.

Developing nations asked to join tax exchange

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:53:24 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - The government said on Tuesday it had asked developing nations to swap information to crack down on tax avoidance, ahead of a financial crime conference on Wednesday.

UK sees no sign Taliban leaders are ready to talk peace

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:15:21 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Most Taliban leaders have no wish yet to reach any peace deal with the Afghan government, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said on Tuesday.

Archbishop warns over restriction of freedoms

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:17:55 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - The spiritual head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Rowan Williams, warned the authorities on Tuesday against restricting freedoms in relation to the Equality Bill assisted suicide.

Man arrested over 1985 killing of PC Blakelock

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:19:01 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Detectives have arrested a man over the murder of a policeman hacked to death almost 25 years ago during one of Britain's worst race riots, police said on Tuesday.

Sexual assault arrest at nursery in Wales

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:24:42 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - A person has been arrested and released on bail in connection with an allegation of sexual assault at a nursery in Wales, police said on Tuesday.

Labour, Tories clash over funding care for elderly

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:53:12 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Labour denied on Tuesday that it favoured a levy of 20,000 pounds per person to cover the cost of care in old age, but the Conservatives said the idea had not been clearly ruled out and amounted to a stealth "death tax."

Government calls summit on medicine supply gaps

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:41:15 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - The government will host a summit next month to try to sort out shortages in supplies of medicines caused by speculators exporting drugs to overseas markets where they make more profit.

UK plant starts Spyker production

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:45:25 GMT

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch luxury carmaker Spyker Cars, which is buying Swedish carmaker Saab from General Motors, started production at a plant in central England on Tuesday.

Race to revive UK's sole Roman chariot circuit

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:07:54 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's only known Roman chariot-racing circuit, described as one of the most important sites in the country, risks being lost under a housing project unless campaigners can raise the cash to preserve it in time.

BBC paid top stars £229 million last year

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:51:11 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC revealed on Tuesday that it paid its top presenters 229 million pounds last year, in a move widely seen as an attempt to quell growing disquiet over the pay packets of its biggest stars.

Avatar makes it seven weeks at top

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:45:28 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - "Avatar," the biggest-grossing movie ever, extended its run at the top of the domestic box office over the weekend, taking another 4.3 million pounds, Screen International said on Tuesday.

Brown to testify at Iraq inquiry in March

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:35:45 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Gordon Brown will give evidence to a public inquiry into the Iraq War in early March, officials for the probe said on Tuesday.

Retail sales drop in January

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:16:03 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Retail sales recorded their worst January performance for at least 15 years and the goods trade gap widened unexpectedly in December, in data that highlights the uncertain shape of the recovery.

Brown faces bumpy ride with vote reform plan

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:29:52 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Gordon Brown hopes a parliamentary vote on Tuesday on changing Britain's electoral system will improve Labour's chances of staying in power, but the complex tactic risks backfiring.

Court quashes student's terrorism conviction

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:27:06 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - A British student, described by prosecutors as a "wannabe suicide bomber," had his main conviction for possessing terrorism-related materials quashed on Tuesday after spending nearly four years in custody.

"Unrecognised" ice fault caused BA airport crash

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:28:08 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - An ice-related technical fault which caused a Boeing 777 to crash-land on the perimeter of Heathrow Airport two years ago was "unrecognised" by aircraft safety procedures at the time, an accident report said on Tuesday.

Labour suspends MPs facing expenses trial

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:18:00 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - The Labour party on Monday suspended three MPs facing criminal charges over their expenses to try to limit the damage from the case before an election to be held by June.

Mothercare, Boots in children's clothing deal

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:52:29 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Mothercare and Alliance Boots have agreed to design, source and supply a new children's clothing and accessories brand to be sold in Boots stores in the UK and Ireland.

Election race tightens to hung parliament: poll

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:52:15 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - A hung parliament looks increasingly likely as the Conservative's lead over the Labour Party slips, an opinion poll published on Tuesday showed.

House price growth picks up pace

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:28:01 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Property price rises picked up pace in January, even as unusually heavy snowfall led to a sharp drop in new buyer enquiries, a survey indicated on Tuesday.

Watchdog says Novartis, Bristol cancer drugs too costly

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:17:54 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's cost-effectiveness watchdog recommended against two expensive cancer drugs from Novartis AG and one from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co being used within the state-run health service.