News

Olympics-Most Americans say China wrong choice for Games-poll

Seventy percent of U.S. voters think it was wrong to let China host the Olympics, but equal numbers say a Beijing Games boycott would fail to change China's human rights policies, a Zogby poll showed on Tuesday.

UK rocker Pete Doherty jailed for 14 weeks

British rock star Pete Doherty was jailed on Tuesday for 14 weeks for breaching terms of his probation, his record label said.

Iraq's Sadr threatens to scrap ceasefire

Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr threatened on Tuesday to end a truce he imposed on his militia last year, raising the prospect of worsening violence just hours before top U.S. officials testified on Iraq in Washington.

UK house prices drop, Brown says rates can be cut

UK house prices fell sharply in March, hardening expectations of an interest rate cut this week and prompting unusually blunt remarks on rate policy from Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose popularity has slumped.

Council bans would-be foster carers over smacking

A Taunton couple is being prevented from fostering children because they, along with the vast majority of parents in the UK, believe in occasionally smacking their 'birth-child' as a last resort, if judged in the best interest of the child.

Baptists need passion for revival, says new Vice President

The soon-to-be Vice President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) has told Baptists to be consumed with a passion for God's revival.

Archbishop, charity discuss urgent need to rethink childhood

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, yesterday welcomed the members of the Good Childhood Inquiry panel to Lambeth Palace for a discussion about the emerging themes of the inquiry's work.

Scripture Union fishing for volunteers among 'Silver Servers'

In addition to young people, Scripture Union is hoping to boost the number of volunteers serving the organisation's holidays and missions by recruiting among the nation's 'Silver Servers' - those over the age of 50.

CAFOD supporters press for stronger Climate Change Bill

Supporters of CAFOD, the Catholic Aid Agency, have been busy calling on MPs to make the current Climate Change Bill stronger. During the Stop Climate Chaos Week of Action - 30 March to 5 April, nearly 20,000 pledge cards were ordered from CAFOD for MPs and individuals to commit to act to tackle climate change.

Church leaders hope new law brings justice for black people

Human rights group Black Mental Health UK and church leaders joined in welcoming the introduction of the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act, which became law on Monday.

Listen to God's voice for careers advice, Church tells young people

The Church of England, is encouraging groups of 13 to 18-year-olds to listen to God's voice for careers advice, before deciding what to do with their lives.

Kay Warren stresses forgiveness for Rwanda genocide

Kay Warren, co-founder of Saddleback Church, encouraged Rwandan women to forgive and reconcile this past weekend ahead of the 14th National Week of Mourning for the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.

Inquest rules Diana unlawfully killed

Princess Diana and her lover Dodi al-Fayed were unlawfully killed by the grossly negligent driving of their chauffeur and paparazzi photographers pursuing them into a Paris road tunnel 10 years ago, an inquest ruled.

Mother arrested in Shannon kidnap inquiry

Detectives investigating the disappearance of Yorkshire schoolgirl Shannon Matthews have arrested her mother, police sources said.

Airline plot accused posed as newlywed

One of eight men accused of plotting to blow up transatlantic airliners was a "shadowy figure" with links to Pakistan who arrived in Britain on a false passport pretending to be a newlywed, a court heard on Monday.

London to give Tower Bridge a paint job

Tower Bridge is to get a facelift, a 4 million pound project that will take four years to complete.