Category: news

A group representing 270 disability charities is launching legal action to obtain a judicial review of the government’s plans for welfare changes.

Ministers want to replace Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payment, saving £2bn.

But Disability Alliance said ministers had not properly assessed the negative impact of the changes and that they did not comply with the Equality Act.

The government said the plans were fair and would protect those needing help.

Under the proposals, benefits such as mobility allowances for people in care homes would be stopped.

The care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the lowest rate of just under £20 a week, which is paid to 650,000 people, would also go.

Disability Alliance said despite providing the government with overwhelming evidence of the negative impact it said the measures would have there has been no significant alteration to the Welfare Reform Bill.

Neil Coyle, from Disability Alliance, said: “We feel forced into taking action now. We have asked the DWP [Department for Work and Pensions] to answer our queries and concerns that we have been raising over the course of the past year.

“Disabled people are telling us what the potential impact of government cuts might be. The DWP has not answered.

“We feel we have no other option but to take action at this stage, which may end up with a judicial review of the government’s DLA cuts.

Ministers said they were listening to the concerns of the disability sector and the process was still ongoing.

Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller said: “We are still only part the way through this process.

“I think some of the concerns that have been expressed are second guessing what the outcome will be and probably creating a great deal of concern where perhaps there is no necessity to have that concern.”

Disability Living Allowance is paid to 3.2 million people, including 1.8 million of working age.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will continue their official tour of Canada with a visit to the province of Quebec.

There the royal couple are expected to face protests from a small group of separatists.

They will first go to Montreal and visit both a world-renowned children’s hospital and a cookery school.

On Friday, the duke and duchess were guests of honour as they celebrated Canada Day with about 100,000 people in the capital Ottawa.

Events in Ottawa climaxed with a lavish fireworks display.

The duke and duchess were at the heart of this year’s celebrations marking the birth of Canada.

The duchess will later experience yet another aspect of her new life when she helps her husband plant a tree in the grounds of Government House in Ottawa.

The couple will then fly to the French-speaking province of Quebec where a small, radical separatist group has vowed to make their brief stay as disagreeable as possible.

With the cookery students the future king and queen will, in the words of one of their officials, put on aprons and roll their sleeves up.

On Friday, the duke and duchess attended events marking Canada Day on their second day in the country.

At a citizenship ceremony near Ottawa the royal couple presented national flags to 25 new Canadians who had come from 12 different countries.

The duchess wore a white dress and red hat – the colours of Canada’s flag – and the Queen’s maple leaf brooch.

Friday was a national holiday in Canada and marked the country’s 144th birthday.

In what is their first official overseas tour, the couple are visiting seven Canadian cities in nine days.

The cost of the visit to the Canadian government, not including security, is estimated to be 1.4 million Canadian dollars (£958,580).

The duke and duchess will travel to the US state of California for two days from 8 July, attending a black-tie Bafta reception and dinner in Los Angeles on 9 July. Prince William is Bafta’s president.

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This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Allies of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn have said he could make a political comeback in France now he has been freed from house arrest in the US.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will continue their official tour of Canada with a visit to the province of Quebec.

There the royal couple are expected to face protests from a small group of separatists.

They will first go to Montreal and visit both a world-renowned children’s hospital and a cookery school.

On Friday, the duke and duchess were guests of honour as they celebrated Canada Day with about 100,000 people in the capital Ottawa.

Events in Ottawa climaxed with a lavish fireworks display.

The duke and duchess were at the heart of this year’s celebrations marking the birth of Canada.

The duchess will later experience yet another aspect of her new life when she helps her husband plant a tree in the grounds of Government House in Ottawa.

The couple will then fly to the French-speaking province of Quebec where a small, radical separatist group has vowed to make their brief stay as disagreeable as possible.

With the cookery students the future king and queen will, in the words of one of their officials, put on aprons and roll their sleeves up.

On Friday, the duke and duchess attended events marking Canada Day on their second day in the country.

At a citizenship ceremony near Ottawa the royal couple presented national flags to 25 new Canadians who had come from 12 different countries.

The duchess wore a white dress and red hat – the colours of Canada’s flag – and the Queen’s maple leaf brooch.

Friday was a national holiday in Canada and marked the country’s 144th birthday.

In what is their first official overseas tour, the couple are visiting seven Canadian cities in nine days.

The cost of the visit to the Canadian government, not including security, is estimated to be 1.4 million Canadian dollars (£958,580).

The duke and duchess will travel to the US state of California for two days from 8 July, attending a black-tie Bafta reception and dinner in Los Angeles on 9 July. Prince William is Bafta’s president.

Send your pictures and videos to [email protected] or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

Read the terms and conditions

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Allies of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn have said he could make a political comeback in France now he has been freed from house arrest in the US.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Allies of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn have said he could make a political comeback in France now he has been freed from house arrest in the US.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Police say there has been “significant disorder” in east Belfast following a “mini Twelfth” parade on Friday night.

Missiles were thrown at police and police vehicles damaged. Officers fired plastic bullets and used a water cannon to disperse the crowd.

Police say they are working with the community to try to restore order.

However, the trouble was not as serious as rioting which broke out in the same area nearly two weeks ago during which a photographer was shot in the leg.

Friday night’s trouble erupted in Castlereagh Street and Albertbridge Road.

Police moved in to prevent skirmishes between small groups of nationalists and loyalists on the Albertbridge Road, close to the Catholic enclave of Short Strand.

Larger crowds then gathered and the PSNI used Land Rovers as a barrier.

Loyalists threw stones and bottles at police in riot gear and at one stage water cannons were deployed as officers pushed the troublemakers back.

Two weeks ago petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown at police over two nights.

Three shots were fired during the second night of disturbances. A photographer was shot in the leg.

It was some of the worst rioting in the area for a decade.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson said he was prepared to get “directly involved” in attempts to resolve the trouble in his east Belfast constituency.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Police say there has been “significant disorder” in east Belfast following a “mini Twelfth” parade on Friday night.

Missiles were thrown at police and police vehicles damaged. Officers fired plastic bullets and used a water cannon to disperse the crowd.

Police say they are working with the community to try to restore order.

However, the trouble was not as serious as rioting which broke out in the same area nearly two weeks ago during which a photographer was shot in the leg.

Friday night’s trouble erupted in Castlereagh Street and Albertbridge Road.

Police moved in to prevent skirmishes between small groups of nationalists and loyalists on the Albertbridge Road, close to the Catholic enclave of Short Strand.

Larger crowds then gathered and the PSNI used Land Rovers as a barrier.

Loyalists threw stones and bottles at police in riot gear and at one stage water cannons were deployed as officers pushed the troublemakers back.

Two weeks ago petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown at police over two nights.

Three shots were fired during the second night of disturbances. A photographer was shot in the leg.

It was some of the worst rioting in the area for a decade.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson said he was prepared to get “directly involved” in attempts to resolve the trouble in his east Belfast constituency.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Roads have been closed in the Cotswolds for the wedding of supermodel Kate Moss and guitarist Jamie Hince.

Guests and residents must use permits to enter Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire and Southrop, Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council confirmed it had closed the road outside St Peter’s Church, Southrop.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said: “The bride and groom have agreed to pay towards additional policing in order to reduce the impact on the taxpayer.”

The spokesman added: “Our priority is to ensure there is minimal disruption to the village due to this event.

“This is due to the potential for a large increase in numbers of people and vehicles in the village.”

Kate Moss met The Kills front man Jamie Hince in 2007.

Their Glastonbury-themed reception will take place over three days behind the supermodel’s mansion in Little Faringdon.

The Civil Aviation Authority has denied press reports of a no-fly zone in effect around the property.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Police say there has been “significant disorder” in east Belfast following a “mini Twelfth” parade on Friday night.

Missiles were thrown at police and police vehicles damaged. Officers fired plastic bullets and used a water cannon to disperse the crowd.

Police say they are working with the community to try to restore order.

However, the trouble was not as serious as rioting which broke out in the same area nearly two weeks ago during which a photographer was shot in the leg.

Friday night’s trouble erupted in Castlereagh Street and Albertbridge Road.

Police moved in to prevent skirmishes between small groups of nationalists and loyalists on the Albertbridge Road, close to the Catholic enclave of Short Strand.

Larger crowds then gathered and the PSNI used Land Rovers as a barrier.

Loyalists threw stones and bottles at police in riot gear and at one stage water cannons were deployed as officers pushed the troublemakers back.

Two weeks ago petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown at police over two nights.

Three shots were fired during the second night of disturbances. A photographer was shot in the leg.

It was some of the worst rioting in the area for a decade.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson said he was prepared to get “directly involved” in attempts to resolve the trouble in his east Belfast constituency.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Roads have been closed in the Cotswolds for the wedding of supermodel Kate Moss and guitarist Jamie Hince.

Guests and residents must use permits to enter Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire and Southrop, Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council confirmed it had closed the road outside St Peter’s Church, Southrop.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said: “The bride and groom have agreed to pay towards additional policing in order to reduce the impact on the taxpayer.”

The spokesman added: “Our priority is to ensure there is minimal disruption to the village due to this event.

“This is due to the potential for a large increase in numbers of people and vehicles in the village.”

Kate Moss met The Kills front man Jamie Hince in 2007.

Their Glastonbury-themed reception will take place over three days behind the supermodel’s mansion in Little Faringdon.

The Civil Aviation Authority has denied press reports of a no-fly zone in effect around the property.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Papers focus on release of ex-IMF head

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Roads have been closed in the Cotswolds for the wedding of supermodel Kate Moss and guitarist Jamie Hince.

Guests and residents must use permits to enter Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire and Southrop, Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council confirmed it had closed the road outside St Peter’s Church, Southrop.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said: “The bride and groom have agreed to pay towards additional policing in order to reduce the impact on the taxpayer.”

The spokesman added: “Our priority is to ensure there is minimal disruption to the village due to this event.

“This is due to the potential for a large increase in numbers of people and vehicles in the village.”

Kate Moss met The Kills front man Jamie Hince in 2007.

Their Glastonbury-themed reception will take place over three days behind the supermodel’s mansion in Little Faringdon.

The Civil Aviation Authority has denied press reports of a no-fly zone in effect around the property.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Papers focus on release of ex-IMF head

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Papers focus on release of ex-IMF head

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.