The Independent
Deputy head 'had sex with pupil in library'
A female deputy head of a special school had sex with one of her pupils four times in the toilets of the British Library, a court heard today.


Roy Chubby Brown 'punched woman in car park dispute'
Blue comic Roy "Chubby" Brown hit a 21-year-old woman in the face during a foul-mouthed dispute in a supermarket car park, a court heard today.


Kidnap ordeal father returns to England
The father of a five-year-old British boy held captive in Pakistan has returned to the UK, sources said today.


Gordon Brown stands firm in defence spending row
The Prime Minister insisted again today that all urgent operational requests for equipment for troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq had been met.


Andrew Grice: First skirmish in election battle
A bout of election fever at Westminster today, after confirmation that the Budget will be on March 24, making May 6 even more of a certainty as the general election date.


Police dig up patio in body hunt
Police were digging up a patio in the garden of a cancer sufferer today after receiving information that a body could be buried beneath.


Brown moves towards 6 May election
A 6 May general election is "practically inevitable" and a "no-brainer", political commentators said today as Gordon Brown confirmed 24 March as Budget day.


Ruling confirms London as divorce payout capital
London's reputation as the divorce payout capital of the world was reinforced by the Supreme Court today.


Pay freeze for senior civil servants announced
The Prime Minister today announced a pay freeze for thousands of senior civil servants, NHS managers, judiciary and military top brass under moves aimed at saving £3 billion over the next three years.


Plane spotters back home after Indian arrest
Two British plane spotters were back home today after avoiding a 10-year sentence in an Indian jail on spying charges.


Roy Chubby Brown faces court over 'assault'
Blue comedian Roy Chubby Brown will go on trial today over an alleged assault on a woman in a car park.


Details of 250mph rail line to be published
Details of a possible multibillion-pound high-speed rail line, featuring 250mph trains, will be announced tomorrow by the Government.


Call for level crossing driving test questions
The driving test should include compulsory questions about level crossings, a rail chief said today.


Johnson threat over tube funds ruling
London Mayor Boris Johnson said today he is considering legal action over a key funding ruling that threatens to derail Underground improvement plans.


Brown moves towards May 6th election
Gordon Brown today used a speech to a City audience to set the stage for a May 6 general election, announcing that the Budget would be held in "two weeks' time" - taking it to March 24.

Brown moves closer to 6 May election
Gordon Brown today used a speech to a City audience to set the stage for a May 6 general election, announcing that the Budget would be held in "two weeks' time" - taking it to March 24.

Brown: Budget to take place in fortnight
Gordon Brown declared today that he had the "character" to lead Britain through to economic recovery as he warned that "ideologically-driven" Tory plans for cuts risked tipping it back into recession.

Brown says budget will be held in two weeks
The Budget will take place in two weeks, Gordon Brown confirmed today as he made a key speech pledging to pull the economy through the "storm" of recession.

PM to urge 'resolve' against economic storm
Gordon Brown will warn today that there are still "substantial risks" facing the economic recovery as he urges the country to hold its nerve.



