United Kingdom

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RBS Posts $34B Loss, Biggest in UK History, Gets 2nd Bailout

British taxpayer may soon own 95% of bank

(Newser) - The Royal Bank of Scotland today announced an annual loss of $34.3 billion, the largest in British corporate history, and the Treasury said it would inject another $36 billion into the troubled bank. The UK government already owns 70% of RBS, a figure that could now rise to 95%,...

UK Conservative Leader's Son Dies at Age 6

Cameron's eldest child suffered from rare neurological condition

(Newser) - The eldest son of David Cameron, leader of Britain's Conservative Party and the country's possible next prime minister, died early this morning at age 6. Ivan Cameron suffered from severe epilepsy and cerebral palsy and required constant care, reports the Times of London. He was born with Ohtohara syndrome, a...

Gitmo Prisoner in Rendition Dispute Arrives in UK

British AG may press charges in torture case

(Newser) - The Guantanamo Bay prisoner at the heart of a diplomatic dispute between Britain and the United States has been released and landed in the UK today. Binyam Mohamed alleges he was tortured when the CIA rendered him to Morocco, but a British court decided not to release relevant documents after...

UK Minister Rips Starbucks Over Economy Jibe

'How the hell are they doing?' exclaims furious politician

(Newser) - One of Britain's leading politicians laid into an unlikely adversary yesterday: the head of Starbucks. Company chief Howard Schultz said on CNBC that "the UK is in a spiral" and was causing Starbucks considerable grief, prompting business secretary Peter Mandelson to fire back: "Why should I have this...

Long Dormant, Scarlet Fever Returns to UK

Brits had 3K cases last year; disease seems more virulent

(Newser) - Scarlet fever may seem like a disease of bygone times—it's what took Beth away from the Little Women and sealed the fate of the Velveteen Rabbit—but for many Britons it has become all too current. England and Wales have seen a spike in cases, with 3,000 last...

Iranian Lesbian Wins Asylum in Britain

Refugee fled after girlfriend sentenced to death by stoning

(Newser) - A woman who fled Iran for Britain after her girlfriend was arrested has won her battle for asylum in the UK. In 2007 Pegah Emambakhsh was refused asylum, but gay rights groups claimed that she would be executed if she was forced to return to Iran and led a campaign...

British, French Nuclear Subs Collide

Investigators probing possible nuclear contamination

(Newser) - A probe into possible nuclear contamination has been launched after British and French  submarines carrying nuke warheads collided in rough seas in the Atlantic, reports the Telegraph. Both subs were seriously damaged in the collision earlier this month that occurred despite state-of-the-art technology on both vessels dedicated to protect against...

1 of 4 UK Liver Transplants Go to Alcoholics

Situation sparks fury among families of victims who died waiting for transplant

(Newser) - Nearly one quarter of those receiving liver transplants in the UK are heavy drinkers, prompting a fiery debate over the allocation of organs to alcoholics, the Guardian reports. In the past decade, as waiting lists have lengthened, transplants for heavy drinkers have spiked 60%—a trend the mother of one...

Hard-Right Dutch Pol Barred From UK
Hard-Right Dutch Pol Barred From UK
Feb 13, 2009 5:11 AM CST

Hard-Right Dutch Pol Barred From UK

He's turned back at Heathrow on trip to show anti-Koran film

(Newser) - Ultra-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, whose short film attacking the Koran caused an uproar last year, was refused entry to Britain yesterday, reports the Guardian. The member of Parliament was flying to London to show his controversial film when the home secretary sent him a letter saying his presence in...

Downturn 'Worst for 100 Years': UK Minister

Brown ally says current crisis surpasses Great Depression

(Newser) - The current economic crisis will be the worst in a century, surpassing even the Great Depression, according to Gordon Brown's closest political ally. Ed Balls, a minister sometimes tipped as a future British leader, said that the downturn would be "more extreme and more serious than that of the...

UK Forking Over $60M to Bail Out Charities

Nonprofits fear reduced services for homeless, unemployed, families

(Newser) - The British government will bail out the nation's charities with a $60 million lifeline, as experts warned that one in three nonprofits may have to lay off staff, reports the Guardian. While the charities welcomed the bailout, it is far less than the $150 million they requested to maintain vital...

Baby Killed by Grandma's Dogs
Baby Killed by
Grandma's Dogs
Feb 8, 2009 4:00 AM CST

Baby Killed by Grandma's Dogs

Infant's death renews calls for tougher laws

(Newser) - A sleeping infant was killed by his grandmother’s two dogs yesterday, the Times of London reports. “The grandmother was screaming, ‘The baby is dead!’” said one neighbor, who witnessed a "severe injury" to the baby's neck. Another speculated the dogs were jealous of the...

Get a Tan Via Computer? 30K Believed It

Website vowed to deliver tanning rays through computer screen

(Newser) - Tired of dawdling in front of a computer screen all day while your skin retains that dried-out winter look? Well now you can get a tan right from your computer screen—or so thousands of Britons thought. A UK charity developed the ComputerTan website hoax to raise awareness about skin...

Queen Sorry for Golliwog Dolls in Gift Shop

Uproar over blackface character prompts rare royal apology

(Newser) - Queen Elizabeth issued a rare apology after the revelation that a shop at one of her estates was selling "golliwogs"—a kind of blackface minstrel doll. The dolls, made in China, have frizzy black hair and beady eyes, and are prominently displayed at the gift shop at Sandringham,...

Record Blizzard Cripples Britain
Record Blizzard
Cripples
Britain
Feb 2, 2009 1:59 AM CST

Record Blizzard Cripples Britain

Chaos on highways, at airports amid White Nightmare

(Newser) - One of the heaviest snowstorms in 20 years has covered much of England with a thick blanket of white, wreaking havoc with transportation. London is at a virtual standstill with all city buses withdrawn from service because of driving conditions, schools shut down and several flights canceled at  Heathrow and...

Pakistan Arrests Suspect in '05 London Attacks

Al-Qaeda commander nabbed after tip from US intelligence

(Newser) - Pakistani police have arrested an al-Qaeda suspect believed to have links to the 2005 London transit bombings, acting on a tip from the US. Zabi ul Taifi, a Saudi national, was among seven al-Qaeda suspects caught in a raid near Peshawar, reports the AP. An unmanned spy plane and three...

Stocks Fall as Bank Woes Trump Obama Hope
 Stocks Fall as Bank Woes 
 Trump Obama Hope 
MARKET Open
Jan 20, 2009 9:03 AM CST

Stocks Fall as Bank Woes Trump Obama Hope

Royal Bank of Scotland's troubles ripple across Atlantic

(Newser) - Any excitement on Wall Street about Barack Obama’s inauguration was drowned out this morning by worries over Europe’s banking sector, the Journal reports. The Dow dropped more than 110 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P dropped 2% and 2.2% respectively. Those tumbles track drops in Europe...

Nationalization Looms for Royal Bank of Scotland

Lack of faith in government's bank bailout plans sparks investor stampede

(Newser) - One of Britain's biggest banks is on the verge of nationalization, reports the Daily Telegraph. The Royal Bank of Scotland's shares plummeted more than 65% yesterday after it revealed massive losses of $56 billion for 2008—the highest in British history. The government has upped its stake in the bank...

EU Expects Deep, Lengthy Recession

Government spending will be only thing keeping European economies afloat

(Newser) - The European Union said today it is facing a "deep and protracted recession" with government spending the only source of growth. The 16 nations that use the euro will shrink 1.9% in 2009, with the entire EU contracting 1.8%, the European Commission forecasts. The EU will lose...

London City Hall Will Fly US Flag Tomorrow

Mayor tips hat to Obama inauguration with Old Glory

(Newser) - Tomorrow morning, while Washington sleeps, the mayor of London will celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama by hoisting the American flag at city hall. Boris Johnson, a Conservative born in New York who publicly supported Obama during the campaign, will raise the flag himself, reports the Guardian. A rep...

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