News
Study finds British students take up HPV vaccine
Up to 70 percent of British schoolgirls are likely to take up the offer of a vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer, despite doubts about other vaccines, researchers reported on Thursday.
Forty years on, abortion battle rages
Pro-choice campaigners mark 40 years of legal abortion in Britain next week, but say their hard-won right is under pressure from pro-life activists trying to lower the 24-week limit for the termination of pregnancy.
OFT alleges unlawful tobacco market practices
The consumer affairs watchdog said on Friday it suspected cigarette price-fixing involving tobacco companies and retailers, including all big four supermarket chains, between 2000 and 2003.
Biodiversity seen to be in deep trouble
Biodiversity is under dire threat from global warming, habitat loss, pollution and over-exploitation, all largely the fault of humans, the head of world-renowned Kew Gardens said on Thursday.
McCann friend calls Portuguese police 'outrageous'
A friend of Madeleine McCann's parents attacked the "outrageous" conduct of Portuguese police on Thursday over their investigation into the missing girl.
Economy slows but consumers resilient
Manufacturers and housebuilders delivered further evidence on Thursday of a sharp economic downturn, although official figures suggested consumers are showing surprising resilience.
Anglican leader pleads for prayers ahead of Lambeth
Dr Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, has made a plea to bishops to strengthen relationships at an upcoming decennial conference rather than focus on solving problems that have conflicted the body toward the brink of schism.
Teachers in fighting mood at London rally
The thousands of teachers who rallied in central London on Thursday were in fighting mood. Blowing whistles and chanting slogans, they marched on Westminster waving placards saying "No to pay cuts" and "No extra unpaid hours." "We're tired of inflation going up and our salaries not meeting that rise," said Leanne Hahn, a primary school teacher from north London.
Refinery strike may halve UK NSea oil output
A strike planned this weekend at a major Scottish refinery would force the closure of the key Forties North Sea pipeline, its owner BP said on Thursday, halving Britain's crude oil output.
Hamas offers Gaza truce with Israel
Hamas leaders handed over on Thursday proposals for a truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip, with a timetable for extending it to the West Bank, at a meeting of the Palestinian Islamist group with Egyptian mediators.
Syria denies U.S. accusation over nuclear reactor
Syria on Thursday dismissed U.S. accusations that North Korea was helping it build a nuclear reactor that could produce plutonium.
US says doubts accuracy of Zimbabwe poll results
The United States would question the accuracy of any results from Zimbabwe's presidential election, now more than three weeks overdue, the top U.S. diplomat for Africa said on Thursday.
Britain hit by strikes across public sector
Britain was hit on Thursday by the most wide-ranging wave of work stoppages since the Labour government came to power 11 years ago, with up to 400,000 public sector employees on strike.
Thousands flock to exhumed body of saint Padre Pio
The exhumed body of Padre Pio, a saint considered a miracle worker by his devotees, attracted thousands of pilgrims on Thursday when it went on display 40 years after his death.
China recalls Zimbabwe arms amid election crisis
A shipment of Chinese arms bound for Zimbabwe will be recalled after South African workers refused to unload the vessel and other neighbouring countries barred it from their ports, China said on Thursday.
Hopes of finding ballooning Brazilian priest fade
Rescue workers were losing hope on Thursday of finding a priest who disappeared off the southern coast of Brazil after drifting out to sea four days ago suspended from hundreds of helium-filled party balloons.