News

Gaza truce shaken by rocket fire and killings in West Bank

Militants in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip fired at least two rockets into southern Israel on Tuesday, breaching a five-day-old ceasefire after Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Local government staff to strike in July

Around 600,000 local government workers will strike on July 16 and 17 in protest over pay, public sector union Unison said on Tuesday.

MPs say Attorney General's role needs to be split

A committee of MPs called on Tuesday for the political and legal roles performed by the Attorney General to be split, saying the government's reform proposals did not go far enough in restoring public confidence.

Tibet reopens to foreign tourists

Tibet will be reopened to foreign tourists from Wednesday, China's official Xinhua news agency said, after the region was shut off to foreign visitors following riots there in March.

Brown down in polls but challenge unlikely

A year after succeeding Tony Blair as prime minister, Gordon Brown's poll ratings have sunk and talk of a challenge to his leadership is rife.

Prison phone calls 'too expensive'

Consumer groups said on Tuesday they have made a "super-complaint" to the communications watchdog Ofcom about excessively high costs of making calls from prisons.

Simple doctor's exam may predict stroke risk: study

A simple doctor's examination for subtle problems such as reduced reflexes or unstable posture could help predict which healthy elderly people are at the highest risk of death or stroke, researchers said on Monday.

Pregnancy pounds may affect kids' weight

Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy might raise their child's future risk of becoming overweight, a new study suggests.

Quarter of Ethiopia Aids patients have stopped drugs

Over a quarter of Ethiopia's HIV/Aids patients on drugs are not taking their medicine because of logistical problems but also due to religious beliefs, the head of a treatment body said on Tuesday.

Archbishop Tutu urges US Senate to pass Aids Bill

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa on Wednesday urged the US Senate to pass a Bill that would more than triple spending to fight Aids, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa and other parts of the world.

Digital broadcasting needs quality content, say bishops

Broadcasting after the digital switchover could struggle without good quality public service content, bishops warn.

Mixed response to draft guidance on public benefit and religions

The Church of England has expressed a number of concerns about the Charity Commission's latest draft guidance on public benefit and the advancement of religion but still believes it has made progress in recognising the contribution of religious bodies to the public benefit.