President Bush is to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq to help secure Baghdad's streets as part of a new strategy to tackle the conflict. The troop announcement brought immediate criticism from Democrats. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett welcomed US plans, but said the UK has no plans to do the same. She said reports that 3,000 British troops would leave Iraq by May were "speculation".
News today (Thursday 11th January) that NCR has announced 650 job cuts in Dundee has been called a "terrible blow" for the City by City Council Finance Convener Cllr Fraser Macpherson.
Disabled children who do not live at home should have the right to an advocate who can speak on their behalf, according to the Children's Society. The organisation says that more than 13,000 children placed away from home are at greater risk of abuse.
The court of appeal is being asked to decide if people in privately-run care homes should have stronger protection for their human rights.
League tables published today show that Leicester's secondary schools have continued to improve.
The Conservatives have been attacked by the Liberal Democrats for voting against measures designed to end unfair discrimination based on sexual orientation. In Tuesday night's vote on the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland), 41 Tory Peers, including 10 front-bench spokespeople, voted against the key legislation. No Liberal Democrat Peers voted against the Act.
