UK news

Pope Francis made a triumphant entrance for a mass with millions in the Philippines on Sunday aboard a "popemobile" styled after the nation's iconic, flamboyant and much-loved "jeepney" minibus.

The pontiff, standing in the elevated open body of the uniquely Filipino version of his popemobile, travelled through the streets of the capital Manila for the main event of his five-day visit.

Wearing a thick plastic yellow poncho over his vestments, the 78-year-old pontiff smiled and waved to hundreds of thousands who had lined the route to the venue for the mass.

The rectangular vehicle with a distinctive giant grille repeatedly stopped so he could reach into the cheering masses and pick up babies to kiss and bless them.

The pope rode the jeepney popemobile to Rizal Park where millions had gathered to hear him celebrate mass, in one of the world's biggest papal gatherings.

The jeepneys are regarded by many Filipinos as a symbol of national ingenuity. Locals created them from surplus US military jeeps after American forces left at the end of World War II.

The bodies of the jeeps were extended, seats were added and a fixed roof put in place. The vehicles were then painted with colourful and Catholic designs.

They proved to be strong vehicles with decades-long lifespans, and can be seen ferrying people through city streets and animals on mountain roads.

Published: 19 January 2015

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A giant prehistoric reptile that patrolled the waters off Scotland 170 million years ago has been identified by scientists, they said Monday.

The creatures, which resembled a menacing dolphin and grew up to 14 foot (four metres) long, were identified by fossils from the Isle of Skye in northwest Scotland.

A team led by Edinburgh University scientists have named the new species Dearcmhara shawcrossi in honour of Brian Shawcross, an amateur fossil collector who gathered many of the fossils in 1959.

These were later donated to a museum, allowing scientists to study them and identify the new species.

Published: 13 January 2015

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Blanket news coverage around the world of the Charlie Hebdo massacre, culminating in Sunday's huge march in Paris, is increasingly laced with debate among opinion-makers about the limits of free expression and the right to offend.

The immediate aftermath of the attack, which saw Islamist gunmen storm the offices of the satirical French weekly and leave 12 dead overall, saw countless posts on social media in which Twitter and Facebook users voiced solidarity with the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie, or "I am Charlie".

Publications in Russia, China, Malaysia and elsewhere -- countries that have been criticised for suppressing free speech to varying degrees -- have said the magazine was wrong to publish cartoons lampooning Islam.

But others in the West have voiced their own unease with unequivocal support for the publication's often controversial stances.

"The message was clear... that what is at stake is not merely the right of people to draw what they wish but that, in the wake of the murders, what they drew should be celebrated and disseminated," Teju Cole wrote of the victims of last week's assault.

But, he added in the New Yorker, "just because one condemns their brutal murders doesn't mean one must condone their ideology".

In an editorial shortly after the attack, The Guardian chimed in: "The key point is this: support for a magazine's inalienable right to make its own editorial judgments does not commit you to echo or amplify those judgments."

"Put another way, defending the right of someone to say whatever they like does not oblige you to repeat their words," it said, after many Western newspapers were condemned by free-speech campaigners for refusing to reprint Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

The assault, the deadliest attack on France in half a century, has sparked a massive show of support, with more than 1.5 million people mourning the victims in the Paris march, including several world leaders.

In all, nearly four million people took to the streets of France nationwide, while thousands marched in European, US and Canadian cities.

- 'Staunch defenders' -

Many were unconvinced by the world leaders' attendance in Paris, with London School of Economics student Daniel Wickham publishing a series of widely cited tweets listing the various moves against media rights made by high-profile attendees.

Published: 13 January 2015

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Points of interest in London were lit up with the colors of the Tricolore in a hitting show of solidarity with France taking after the fear emergency.

The red, white and blue of the French banner lit up the National Gallery and the wellspring in Trafalgar Square.

The colors were likewise shot onto Tower Bridge while the London Eye went dull to permit a comparable scene at County Hall.

Published: 11 January 2015

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London equities were stable at the start of trading on Wednesday, following encouraging gains in Asia and as traders nervously eyed plunging oil prices and Greek woes.

The benchmark FTSE 100 index edged up just 0.03 percent, or 1.72 points, to 6,368.23 points after more losses on Wall Street and in Europe on Tuesday.

Investors remained nervous as oil prices hit new five-and-a-half-year lows and fears of a Greek exit from the eurozone sent the euro skidding.

Sainsbury's was the biggest climber in early trade, gaining 3.70 percent to 243.50 pence, despite posting its first fall in Christmas sales for a decade and warning that its outlook remained "challenging".

Published: 07 January 2015

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A great many revelers lined the Thames for an amazing firecracker presentation to introduce 2015.

Anyway numbers were down to simply a fifth of a year ago's swarm, with 100,000 purchasing tickets for the occasion after charges were presented surprisingly.

The shocking showcase focused on the London Eye and was joined by an electronic soundtrack and emulated by Auld Lang Syne.

The presentation was tallied in by a 10-moment advanced commencement on The Shard's western veneer, took after by lighting included searchlights, strobes, and a 2015 numeric realistic.

Police said that by 6am there were 90 captures by officers chipping away at the New Year's Eve festivals. They incorporated 27 for being tanked and tumultuous, 22 for strike, seven for sexual offenses, six for medications and two for ownership of a hostile weapon.

Published: 01 January 2015

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· Customers can recycle their cards and wrapping paper until 13^th January

· Initiative has grown and is part of the retailer’s partnership with Forest Stewardship Council^®

· Recycling drive helps FSC^® protect world’s forests

· 50% of Brits recycle Christmas cards or wrapping paper after the holidays

A local supermarket is encouraging residents to recycle their old Christmas cards and wrapping paper at Sainsbury’s Nine Elms Temp Store, and make a positive impact to the environment.

Customers have until Tuesday January 13^th to bring in any of their old Christmas cards and wrapping paper to the collection box situated at the front of the store. The recycling drive is part of the retailer’s partnership with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) UK.

The collected cards will be recycled by Sainsbury’s and it will make a donation to FSC UK in the New Year based on the volume of cards collected in its stores.  Last year it donated over £9,000 to help the FSC with its work to promote responsible management of the world’s forests.

Collection boxes are available in now in over 880 supermarkets and convenience stores throughout the country.

Sainsbury’s Nine Elms Temp Store Manager Andy Robins said: “We had a really good response from our customers last year and with their help, we’re hoping to make an even bigger contribution this time. It’s a great way to continue that goodwill feeling and ensure your cards are put to positive use, which is all part of our No Waste to Landfill commitment”.

Published: 30 December 2014

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A 24-hour strike by transport drivers in London over pay and conditions has started.

Unite union parts working for the transport organization Tower Transit exited at 00:01 GMT.

Drivers are making a move on 13 courses in east and focal London, with 40% of administrations on those courses influenced.

Unite said its parts were left with minimal decision however to strike, however Tower Transit said they had made the union a "flawlessly sensible offer".

'Moderate interruption'

Transport for London (Tfl) said the activity was bringing on moderate interruption on the influenced transport benefits and urged workers to check before they travel.

Mike Weston, Tfl's chief of transports, said: "Transport drivers' pay and conditions are a matter for Tower Transit and Unite to examine, as it has been throughout the previous 20 years, and we would urge them to look for a quick and reasonable determination for the purpose of our travelers."

Tfl included that Tower Transit work short of what 2% of London's transport administrations from their Lea Interchange carport, where the strike is occurring.

An Unite representative said: "Confronted with an undeniably unfriendly administration which is recklessly determined to driving down the pay, terms and conditions, our parts have been left with little alternative however to make the bizarre stride of striking.

"Tower Transit need to get once again around the arranging table and begin approaching its workforce with deference."

Published: 29 December 2014

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Using by travelers going by the UK is required to achieve record levels one year from now, the administration has said.

Using via abroad guests will beat £22bn shockingly, as per estimates by tourism body Visitbritain.

Voyagers used £21bn in 2013, while the current year's aggregate is estimate to be about £21.3bn.

There has likewise been a surge in the quantity of Chinese voyagers and the sum they are using. They used £492m in 2013, up from £184m in 2010.

Published: 28 December 2014

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Disregard chilly lang syne... it will be a wet New Year for a significant part of the nation as snow and ice offer approach to wind and downpour.

Forecasters anticipate that gives will clear in by Wednesday.

A Met Office representative said: "Lamentably, right now Wednesday night and Thursday morning will be wet, with the most noticeably bad, noteworthy precipitation during the evening."

Anyhow climbing temperatures will bring a defrost after the overwhelming snow and dark ice that has brought disorder the nation over.

Driver Graham Maloney, 75, from Bradford, was killed on Boxing Day when he was hit by an auto as he attempted to push his vehicle out of snow.

A lady of 22 and man of 32 kicked the bucket in discrete mishaps in Oxfordshire when their autos hit trees.

Published: 28 December 2014

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