News
Construction group Kier to cut 350 jobs
Kier Group said on Friday it would axe around 350 staff, or 60 percent of workers in its residential division, the latest construction firm to announce job cuts due to a housing market slump.
Black church leaders concerned over criminal DNA database
Black church leaders are to join a symposium at Parliament next week to raise their concerns over the high proportion of African and Caribbean people without a criminal record who are listed in the national criminal DNA database.
Christian Vietnamese asylum seekers protest in Cambodian capital
Ethnic minority asylum seekers protested in the Cambodian capital on Friday against the forced return of their friends and relatives to neighbouring Vietnam.
Global church at 'critical' juncture, denominational leaders hear
Pope Benedict, speaking as the Anglican Church is facing one of the deepest crises in its history, said on Friday that relations between Christian religions were at a critical crossroad.
China says heed worries about Bashir genocide charges
World powers should heed the concerns of African and Arab states in responding to genocide charges against Sudan's president, China's envoy on Darfur said, warning that judicial steps could imperil peace efforts.
Clemency appeal Bali bombers' only legal option
A presidential pardon is the only legal option left for three Islamic militants on death row for the 2002 Bali bombings after the top court rejected their final appeal, a district court official said on Friday.
Foreign ministers may meet next week on N.Korea
Foreign ministers of the six countries in talks on ending North Korea's nuclear arms programme were expected to hold their first meeting next week at a regional forum in Singapore, a diplomatic source in Seoul said on Friday.
S.African to replace U.N. rights chief
The U.N. secretary-general plans to name South African judge Navanethem Pillay as the world body's next human rights chief, succeeding the outspoken Louise Arbour, diplomats said on Thursday.
Senior U.S. deal-maker is new Iran envoy
He helped steer talks with Libya that led to a resumption of U.S. ties with Tripoli after nearly a quarter century and now senior diplomat William Burns is Washington's main interlocutor with Iran.
U.S. plans peace talks with Israelis and Palestinians
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to host peace talks in Washington with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators on July 30, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Thursday.
Home gas bills to soar as oil link strengthens
Gas prices are going to be more strongly influenced by global oil markets for the foreseeable future and householders will have to get used to spending much more on energy unless the surge in oil costs is reversed, Eclipse Energy Group said.
Treasury to set rules for next cycle
The Treasury said it would set out fiscal rules for the next economic cycle when the current cycle ends, dismissing a report that it was about to relax its framework to allow more borrowing.
Online retail spending up 38 percent
Online retail sales in Britain leapt 38 percent in the first half of the year to account for 17 pence in every pound spent, and this figure could rise to as high as 50 pence in five years, a report said on Friday.
Overall crime figures down
Official figures released on Thursday revealed there were more than 22,000 serious offences in England and Wales involving knives in 2007-8 but overall crime fell significantly.
Government admits it will miss 2010 CO2 target
The government admitted on Thursday what experts have been saying for some time - that it will miss by a large margin its own target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2010.
British drugs girls free after year in Ghana jail
Two British teenaged girls left a jail in Ghana on Thursday after a year in detention for trying to smuggle cocaine to Britain, prison officers said.