News

Ex-Blur member to highlight climate change impact on developing world farmers

Alex James, farmer, writer, broadcaster and former Blur band member, is joining forces with international development agency Christian Aid to help highlight the plight of farmers on the frontline of climate change in developing countries at the Royal Show.

Sickness costs economy 100 billion pounds

Ill-health costs the economy over 100 billion pounds a year, more than the entire annual budget of the NHS, according to a report.

Over half of Britons believe Jesus rose from the dead

Over half of Britons believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, according to new research published over the weekend by Theos, the public theology think tank.

Muslim leaders urge dialogue with Christian world

World Muslim leaders on Friday condemned extremism and terrorism as incompatible with Islam and proposed a high-level international meeting to promote a dialogue with the Christian world.

China says used restraint on Tibet riots

China said on Monday it had shown massive restraint in the face of violent protests by Tibetans, which it said were orchestrated by followers of the Dalai Lama to wreck the Beijing Olympics in August.

Pakistani parliament hostile to Musharraf to meet

Pakistan's National Assembly was due to hold its inaugural session on Monday, setting the scene for a showdown with President Pervez Musharraf a month after his opponents swept a general election.

Red Cross says millions of Iraqis lack water and healthcare

Five years after the United States led an invasion of Iraq, millions of people there are still deprived of clean water and medical care, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Monday.

Serbs attack U.N. convoy in Kosovo flare-up

Serbs attacked a U.N. convoy carrying Serb detainees from a raid in Kosovo on Monday, enabling several detainees to escape, witnesses said.

Iran conservatives win parliament majority

Conservatives won a majority in Iran's parliamentary vote, state television said on Sunday, but the new assembly may still give President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a tougher time ahead of next year's presidential election.

New-style Sarkozy likely after voter romance ends

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is widely expected to change his style of leadership after a municipal election trouncing, but aides ruled out any change to economic reform plans or a major cabinet shake-up.

U.S. Vice President Cheney visits Iraq

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, an architect of the U.S-led invasion of Iraq, made an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Monday, just days before the fifth anniversary of the war.

Half UK adults think buying Easter eggs is a waste of money

New research from international relief and development agency, World Vision, reveals that 52 per cent of the UK population, that's 25 million people, admit that buying Easter eggs is a waste of money - yet we will spend a massive Â£431 million on Easter presents this year.