George Osborne's advice from the International Monetary Fund is like the curate's egg - good in parts.
The government wants to ramp up Western involvement in the Syrian conflict but the cost will be more violence and instability in the region
PCS general secretary urges the trade union movement to step up the fight against the Tory cuts
ANGRY unions threatened strike action at Birmingham Council yesterday over plans to privatise the city's essential highways services.
HUMAN rights campaigners and lawyers urged the Law Lords yesterday to overturn a "dangerous" ruling that allows the court to use evidence extracted under torture.
GAY rights campaign Outrage! warned yesterday that the "queer-bashing" assailants who carried out a savage attack which left a man dead could easily strike again.
PARENTS living in deprived areas need extra help to get their children into good schools, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly said yesterday.
PRISON Officers Association national chairman Colin Moses was re-elected, unopposed, for another five-year term yesterday.
THE Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents urged people yesterday to begin planning bonfire celebrations now to avoid another increase in the number of people hurt.
A TEAM from the Medical Research Council set off for China, Vietnam and Hong Kong yesterday to investigate how a deadly bird flu pandemic could be tackled.
LOCAL arts development agency Hi-Arts announced plans yesterday to appoint a poet to reduce the number of people taking their own lives in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
PEACE campaigners warned yesterday that the US has shifted up a gear in preparations for war on Iran, despite sinking further into "terrible crisis" in Iraq by the day.
ACTIVISTS told the CND annual conference at the weekend that fighting government plans to replace Britain's ageing Trident arsenal must be at the heart of this year's campaigning.