http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/uk-news/ en-us Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:55:27 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385347/posts 'Three Parent Babies' Take A Step Closer To Reality Scientists are a step closer to producing a controversial "three parent baby" after they successfully fertilised an egg with two biological mothers. By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent 12 Nov 2009 Researchers used eggs from young donors to repair damaged eggs of older women in order to increase their chances of fertilisation. They have not yet used the eggs to produce babies, but they have injected them with sperm to produce an early stage embryo in the laboratory. While the move breathes new life into "old eggs" and could also remove genetic... Telegraph(UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385347/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:55:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385292/posts A former soldier who handed a discarded shotgun in to police faces at least five years imprisonment for "doing his duty". Paul Clarke, 27, was found guilty of possessing a firearm at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday – after finding the gun and handing it personally to police officers on March 20 this year. The jury took 20 minutes to make its conviction, and Mr Clarke now faces a minimum of five year's imprisonment for handing in the weapon. In a statement read out in court, Mr Clarke said: "I didn't think for one moment I would be arrested. "I... This Is Surrey Today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385292/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:13:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385273/posts A plumber whose arm was left twisted grotesquely out of shape in an accident ten months ago has had an operation to correct it 'cancelled four times'. Torron Eeles, 50, has been left unable to work since falling down the stairs and now fears he may lose his home after being denied incapacity benefit. The father-of-three today hit out at the NHS for the 'unacceptable delays', but East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust said Mr Eeles had his operation cancelled on 'only' two occasions on clinical safety grounds. His left arm has hung limply by his side since he fractured... Daily Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385273/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:48:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385262/posts A former soldier who handed a discarded shotgun in to police faces at least five years imprisonment for "doing his duty". Paul Clarke, 27, was found guilty of possessing a firearm at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday – after finding the gun and handing it personally to police officers on March 20 this year. The jury took 20 minutes to make its conviction, and Mr Clarke now faces a minimum of five year's imprisonment for handing in the weapon. In a statement read out in court, Mr Clarke said: "I didn't think for one moment I would be arrested. "I... surrytoday http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385262/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:38:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385193/posts Ex-soldier faces jail for handing in gun Thursday, November 12, 2009, 10:30 A former soldier who handed a discarded shotgun in to police faces at least five years imprisonment for "doing his duty".Paul Clarke, 27, was found guilty of possessing a firearm at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday – after finding the gun and handing it personally to police officers on March 20 this year. The jury took 20 minutes to make its conviction, and Mr Clarke now faces a minimum of five year's imprisonment for handing in the weapon. In a statement read out in court, Mr Clarke said:... This Is Surrey Today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385193/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:26:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385189/posts Gordon Brown's Bold New Immigration Policy – An Aspirin To Cure A Pandemic By Gerald Warner UK Last updated: November 12th, 2009 “If people ask me, do I get it? Yes, I get it.” Thus Gordon Brown, unveiling his robust new immigration policy. Suddenly, Gordon is on the case, reclaiming Britain. (Diary entry: “Saw off BNP threat am…”) Most of you will still be reeling from the sheer scope and comprehensiveness of Gordon’s Draconian reforms. He is proposing to conduct a review of student visas and bogus colleges, to reduce the number of occupations fully open to foreign workers and…... Telegraph(UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385189/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:22:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385107/posts Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry and Trooper Mark Donaldson, holders of the Victoria Cross, attend a service to honour the First World War generation After the two minutes’ silence, the prayers and the sermon remembering lives sacrificed and innocence lost, two soldiers whose bravery entitles them to wear the Victoria Cross walked along the nave of Westminster Abbey. Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry and Trooper Mark Donaldson, two of the nine living servicemen to have been decorated with the highest award for valour, carried a wreath the size of a lorry wheel from the High Altar to the Tomb of the Unknown... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385107/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:33:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385006/posts A brief message about a dead cat caused fur to fly in Canada this week, sparking rumours about the demise of the Iron Lady, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. "Thatcher has died," read the short text message that kicked off a brief diplomatic flurry among members of Canada's parliament and their advisors at a black tie dinner. Upon learning the "news" via mobile or Blackberry at a soiree honouring Canadian military families on Tuesday, some 2,000 shocked Conservatives, said to revere the Iron Lady of British politics, and their advisors reportedly huddled to discuss a reaction. The prime minister's... ABC Newsau http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385006/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:24:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385003/posts Ex-soldier faces jail for handing in gun Thursday, November 12, 2009, 10:30 A former soldier who handed a discarded shotgun in to police faces at least five years imprisonment for "doing his duty".Paul Clarke, 27, was found guilty of possessing a firearm at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday – after finding the gun and handing it personally to police officers on March 20 this year.The jury took 20 minutes to make its conviction, and Mr Clarke now faces a minimum of five year's imprisonment for handing in the weapon. In a statement read out in court, Mr Clarke said: "I... This Is Surrey Today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385003/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:21:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384985/posts LONDON: With nearly half of teenaged pregnant girls in Britain going for termination, the country has surpassed France to become the abortion capital of Europe, a new survey said. According to the survey by a European pressure group, around 48,150 abortions were carried out among girls under 20 in 2007 in Britain, against 31,779 in France, which has a larger population. While a total of 2,19,336 abortions were conducted in England, Wales and Scotland in the said year, the figure for France was 2,09,699, The Daily Mail reported. Both countries remain far ahead of the other European nations where abortion... Times of India http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384985/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:05:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384818/posts Politically correct Scotland Yard chiefs have stopped using the term 'gang rape' because it is too 'emotive', the Mail can reveal. Instead officers have been advised to use the long-winded phrase 'multi-perpetrator rape' when describing sex attacks involving three or more culprits. Critics branded the move by the Metropolitan Police an 'affront' to the victims of appalling sex crimes and are preparing to launch a campaign on the issue. Six years ago the Met was at the centre of a similar row over its choice of language to describe 'gang rapes' after a senior officer referred to them as 'group... Daily Mail (UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384818/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:41:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384810/posts Women are undergoing surgery to create perfect genitalia amid a "shocking" lack of information on the potential risks of the procedure, a report says. Research published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology also questions the very notion of aesthetically pleasing genitals. Operations to improve the appearance of the sex organs for both psychological and physical reasons are on the rise. But surgeons said the report overplayed the risks of an established procedure. Researchers from University College London reviewed all the existing studies on cosmetic labial surgery - which generally involves reducing the amount of tissue that protrudes from... BBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384810/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:35:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384773/posts While Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species has been described as “a grand narrative—a story of origins that would change the world”,1 ironically his book very pointedly avoided the question of the origin of life itself. This ought not be surprising. Darwin’s theory of the origin of species “by means of natural selection”2 presupposes self-reproduction, so can’t explain the origin of self-reproduction. Unfortunately, many proponents of evolution seem unaware of that. They don’t acknowledge that natural selection requires pre-existing life. As leading 20th century evolutionist Theodosius Dobzhansky lamented: ... CMI http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384773/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:53:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384750/posts A radical Muslim cleric alleged to have inspired the Fort Hood gunman has been praised in the past as “a preacher of peace” by a prominent SNP candidate with close links to Alex Salmond. The FBI is investigating communications between Major Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at the US Army base in Texas, and Imam Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born Muslim cleric now based in Yemen. Mr Awlaki has a large following in Britain and counts prominent mainstream Muslims among his supporters. In 2006 Osama Saeed, who has been selected as the SNP candidate for Glasgow Central for the next... The Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384750/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:25:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384569/posts Anyone who wishes to become a nurse will need to have a degree within four years, in one of the biggest shake-ups of medical education in the history of the NHS. The Government will announce today that all new nurses will need to be educated to degree level in an attempt to improve the quality of patient care. The move, which will be enforced from 2013, is designed to raise the status of nursing and to end the stigma of the “doctor’s handmaiden”. Critics claim that the changes, to be outlined by Ann Keen, the Health Minister, will create an... The Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384569/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:08:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384561/posts Around half of all health care trusts are running incentive schemes to reduce the number of the drugs prescribed, with many of them set up in the last 12 months. The figures were released just days after GPs were told to stop handing out so many antibiotics for coughs and colds, for which they are useless. But doctors questioned whether they should receive a bonus for good practice, which many consider an essential part of their jobs. Others warned that the incentive could skew medical priorities and leave some patients without the drugs they need. The Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384561/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:51:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384560/posts The country has for the first time overtaken France as the abortion capital of Europe - even though France has a population of 65m compared to Britain's approximate 59m - and now ranks fifth in the world behind Russia, the US, India and Japan. Teenage pregnancy rates in Britain have increased by almost a third over the past decade with half of all pregnancies among girls who are under 18 now ending in a termination. The Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384560/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:45:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384474/posts Troops in Afghanistan will be angry to discover that Ministry of Defence civil servants earned bonuses totalling more than £47m this year, Conservatives say. Defence minister Kevan Jones revealed the figure in a written reply to a Tory parliamentary question. Some relatives of soldiers, who claim troops are poorly equipped, branded the performance-related bonuses "obscene". The MoD says 50,000 staff got bonuses under previously arranged pay deals, averaging less than £1,000 each. A spokesman said: "These pay awards are met from within salary budget and have no impact on the operational or equipment budget." The spokesman added that the sum,... BBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384474/posts#comment Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:40:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384213/posts Civil servants at the Ministry of Defence have been paid £47 million in performance bonuses this year, it can be disclosed. The figure, which covers just the first seven months of the current financial year, has been revealed as the Government faces charges of failing to provide British troops with adequate support and equipment on the front line in Afghanistan. Additional bonus payments for the rest of year could take the total above the £53 million paid out to MoD officials in 2008/09. UK Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384213/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:43:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384196/posts Libel tourism isn’t just a matter for the media elite. Freedom of speech for everyone is in danger Britain is a pariah state, shunned by its allies and exploited by the unsavoury. The state of English libel laws (Scotland’s provisions are a little better) is so embarrassing that a number of US states have enacted legislation to protect their citizens from our courts. London is the global centre of libel tourism. From Middle Eastern potentates to Russian oligarchs, the rich and powerful use our legal system to bully people who try to hold them to account. Sometimes cases make the... Times Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384196/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:29:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384171/posts When history imitates game show . . . Those old enough to remember TV in the late 1950s through the 60s will recall a delightful game show, “To Tell the Truth.” As a kid I fondly recall trying to figure out along with the celebrity panelists which of the three contestants was the “real” person to be identified. It was a challenging game; the three contestants would all introduce themselves as “I am Mr./Miss /Mrs. [the generic Ms. hadn't come along yet] X” and, after the announcer read a brief description of the featured guest, the panelists would begin... Uncommon Descent http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384171/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:02:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384141/posts Days ago she was on the verge of death after losing half the blood in her body during a furious shootout with the Fort Hood gunman. But as she sits smiling in her hospital bed, Sergeant Kimberley Munley looks as if she has made a miraculous recovery. The slightly built policewoman was the first on the scene after army psychiatrist Major Nidal Malik Hasan went on a murderous rampage, killing 13 of his fellow soldiers. Fort Hood Hasan was finally brought down by four shots, fired by Sgt Munley despite being wounded in both legs. One of the shots cut... Daily Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2384141/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:21:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2383975/posts A salamander allegedly “18 million years old” is the latest fossil to produce astonishingly well preserved soft tissue. This time, it’s muscle tissue, and it is supposedly the most pristine example yet. Background—the “dinosaur connection”... CMI http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2383975/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2383703/posts Policies can make Britain's financial and social problems worse - or better, argues Irwin Stelzer. The good news is that a series of mistaken policies has brought Britain to a sorry pass. The nation's finances are a mess, with public expenditure out of control and taxes headed up from levels that already threaten to drive entrepreneurs to more tax-benign jurisdictions; the education system is producing graduates unlikely to be able to compete in a globalised economy; the financial sector is in disarray, and banker-hostility seems to dominate the policies of all political parties; immigration policy, designed by Blair & Co... Telegraph (UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2383703/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:08:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2383646/posts In the end the young father could fight no longer. For more than a year he had made daily visits to the hospital bedside of his chronically-disabled son. For six emotional days in the High Court he had battled against the hospital - and the baby's mother - who were reluctantly seeking the right to withdraw life support. Finally, faced with overwhelming evidence, he made the 'agonising' decision to let his beloved son go. Both parents wept as the court was told he no longer opposed the hospital's application. They said later they wanted to spend 'what little time remains... Mail Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2383646/posts#comment Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:52:34 GMT