A second member of the Commons standards committee has come under fire over his expenses claims. The Daily Telegraph reports Labour MP Andrew Dismore claimed £65,000 for two properties in London. The paper alleges Mr Dismore claimed £34,000 in second home expenses for a west London flat while designating a property a few miles away in his north London constituency as his main home.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:16:07

Secret government reports leaked on the eve of public hearings into the UK's involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq have revealed a rushed operation "lacking coherence and resources". Documents obtained by the Sunday Telegraph allegedly reveal the then prime minister Tony Blair misled parliament and the public by claiming British involvement in Iraq was motivated by disarmament, rather than regime change. The reports also contain transcripts of interviews with Army commanders who bemoaned a "constrained" planning process and a "significant risk" to troops caused by a lack of preparation and resources.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:12:12

US president Barack Obama's healthcare reform bill reached a significant stage on Saturday when Democrats secured the necessary amount of votes to allow a debate to begin this month. The vote was passed 60-39 after 58 Democrats and two independent senators approved a full Senate debate. Thirty-nine Republicans voted in opposition with one Republican senator abstaining. A White House spokesman said President Obama was "gratified that the Senate has acted to begin consideration of health insurance reform legislation".

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:32:12

The prime minister and Conservative leader David Cameron have apologised after criticism that they exploited the Armistice Day service as a photo opportunity. Westminster Abbey staff had expressed their unhappiness at the party leaders being pictured in the Field of Remembrance following the service to honour the passing of Britain's last veterans of the first world war. Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah were filmed in the garden while Mr Cameron, who had hired a photographer, was pictured inspecting remembrance crosses in the garden.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:16:37

An 18-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a mother-of-two who was found in a west London street with one of her hands cut off. Geeta Aulakh, a radio station receptionist, was discovered laying in the street in Greenford by a passer-by on November 16th. Police believe the 28-year-old was attacked shortly after leaving work at Sunrise Radio to pick up her eight- and nine-year-old sons on Monday evening. Sher Singh, of Southall, west London, has been charged with the murder and will appear at Ealing magistrates' court on Monday. Eleven other men were arrested in connection with the inquiry, including Mrs Aulakh's husband.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:12:12

The Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Benedict XVI have pledged to seek an improvement in relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches after a meeting in Rome. The meeting on Saturday was arranged after the Vatican's contentious decision to invite disenchanted Anglicans into the Catholic Church. The third discussion between the pair since the pontiff's election in 2005 came after the Pope's proposed Apostolic Constitution raised the prospect of allowing Anglican ministers, including married ones, to join the Catholic fold while retaining some Anglican traditions.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:32:12

Murder suspect Amanda Knox has claimed the accusation that she killed British student Meredith Kercher is "pure fantasy". The American student was speaking in court in Perugia on Saturday after prosecutors asked that she and co-accused Raffaele Sollecito be given a life sentence if convicted. Giuliano Mignini also called for Sollecito to receive two months in isolation and Knox nine as he and colleague Manuela Comodi asked the jury to convict the pair on charges of murder and sexual violence.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:32:12

A man has died and another was treated for gunshot wounds after a shooting at a nightclub in the West Midlands. The incident occurred at the Tropical Harmony club in Bilston, near Wolverhampton, at around 04:30 GMT on Saturday morning. "Two men were found with gunshot wounds and were taken to hospital. One of the men later died," said a spokesman for West Midlands police.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:12:12

Local authorities are monitoring the security of some 1,800 bridges after "unprecedented" rainfall in Cumbria forced people from their homes and claimed the life of a policeman. A collapsing bridge claimed the live of Pc Bill Barker on Friday, who was swept to his death while directing motorists off a bridge in Workington. Cumbria county council has said all of the region's river crossings after being monitored "as a direct result of the severe weather conditions".

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:11:12

A body found in the search for a missing policeman has been confirmed as that of PC Bill Barker. Police confirmed that the body of a man had been found on a beach in west Cumbria. It was reported that the man was wearing a police uniform, and local police have now confirmed it is the body of the missing policeman. PC Bill Barker, 44, went missing when a bridge he was believed to be on collapsed during severe flooding in north-west England.

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:58:22