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  1. Blackleaf

    State funeral of former Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds takes place

    The state funeral of the Republic of Ireland's former Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Albert Reynolds has been taking place in Dublin. The Fianna Fáil politician, who was born in Rooskey, County Roscommon, served as Taoiseach from February 1992 to December 1994. Mr Reynolds, who played a key role...
  2. Blackleaf

    'Unusual' Anglo-Saxon buckle found

    An unusual Anglo-Saxon belt buckle, found by metal detecting near Mildenhall in Suffolk, has been declared treasure. Dr Helen Geake, from the Portable Antiquities Scheme and a member of Tony Robinson's Time Team, said: "It really is quite unusual. "The costumes worn at this time don't...
  3. Blackleaf

    Doctor Who: Fans around the world eagerly await start of new series later

    The new series of Doctor Who starts tonight, the first series of the world's longest-running and most successful sci-fi show since it celebrated its 50th birthday in November. It is the first series with the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. The new series's first episode, "Deep...
  4. Blackleaf

    From Hastings to Helmand: How the British soldier's kit has changed over 1,000 years

    From Helmand to Hastings, the brutality of battle can be seen in these poignant images of war kits given to British soldiers over the course of 1,000 years. Back in the 13th Century, an axe was the weapon of choice to grind down opponents. But today, soldiers carry iPads in their battle kits...
  5. Blackleaf

    England beat Canada to win Women's Rugby World Cup

    I'm not normally interested in women's sport apart from its comedy value, but I thought this was worth a mention. England have won the Women's Rugby (Union) World Cup for the second time after thrashing Canada 21-9 in the Final last night. Emily Scarratts’s brilliant solo try, which she then...
  6. Blackleaf

    Church of England attacks Cameron's "incoherent" Mid East policy

    The Church of England has delivered a withering critique of David Cameron's Middle East policy, describing the government's approach as incoherent, ill-thought-out and determined by "the loudest media voice at any particular time". The criticisms are made in an extraordinary letter to the...
  7. Blackleaf

    One illegal immigrant dead and more taken to hospital after being found in container

    Basildon Hospital in Essex has said that it is 'responding to a major incident' after an illegal immigrant was found dead and others, including children, were found with 'significant health problems' at a shipping container at Tilbury Docks on the Thames early today, 25 miles east of London...
  8. Blackleaf

    British economy is best in the world, outstripping US, Japan and EU

    New figures show that the British economy is now the best in the world, with growth outstripping all other major economies, including the US, Japan and, far less surprising, the rest of the EU. Britain’s economy grew even more this year than previously thought. The Office for National...
  9. Blackleaf

    After four year hiatus, Most Haunted returns with new series

    After a four year hiatus, UK ghost hunting show Most Haunted is returning with a brand new series. The show, presented by former children's TV presenter Yvette Fielding and directed by her husband Karl Beattie (who are both karate black belts), originally ran from 2002 to 2010 and appeared to...
  10. Blackleaf

    Historical sex abuse: Sir Cliff Richard's home searched by police

    Outing white, middle-aged, male celebrities as "historical paedophiles" has become a national sport in recent years, with the Met's "Operation Yewtree" going into full swing. Whilst it has outed a few white, middle-aged, male celebrities as people who committed sexual abuse decades ago without...
  11. Blackleaf

    On 50th anniversary of death penalty abolition, Ukip call for its return

    Today is the 50th anniversary of the last executions ever to take place in Britain On 13th August 1964, Peter Anthony Allen was hanged at Walton Prison in Liverpool and Gwynne Owen Evans was hanged at Strangeways Prison in Manchester for the murder of John Alan West. West was a 53-year-old...
  12. Blackleaf

    Royal Mail's eight great PMs (but no Blair or Cameron)

    The Royal Mail has released a set of 97p and first class stamps featuring Britain's greatest-ever Prime Ministers. And it may not surprise you to know that political pygmies Blair and Cameron are NOT included in the set, and neither is Lloyd George, who served as PM in the second half of WWI...
  13. Blackleaf

    Ricky Gervais to make David Brent movie

    Ricky Gervais is to make a big screen outing centred around his comedy creation from The Office - David Brent, the egotistical, self-promoting general manager of the Slough branch of the Wernham–Hogg paper merchants. The film, Life On The Road, will chart Brent's progress in the 15 years since...
  14. Blackleaf

    Schoolboys unearth 4,000-year-old gold hair tress

    A group of schoolboys from Alston Primary School in Cumbria has unearthed a rare 4,000-year-old ornament during a dig at Kirkhaugh in Northumberland. The boys were taking part in an excavation of a burial mound when they saw a glint of gold in the soil. The object is believed to be a...
  15. Blackleaf

    RAF Typhoon escorts Qatar Airways flight into Manchester Airport

    An RAF Typhoon was scrambled to escort a Qatar Airways plane into Manchester Airport earlier today. Residents of the city said that the fighter plane "came out of nowhere" to escort QR23, which was flying to Britain from Qatari capital Doha, to the airport, Britain's third busiest after...
  16. Blackleaf

    The Commonwealth marks centenary of entry into WWI

    Just the day after the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games have finished, the Commonwealth family has come together again in the same city to mark the 100th anniversary of Britain's entry into WWI, exactly a week after the conflict started. 1,100 people, including Commonwealth royals, politicians...
  17. Blackleaf

    Lindow Man: Gruesome discovery who became 'international celebrity'

    Northern Europe - especially Denmark, Ireland and Britain - are renowned for their abundance of bog bodies. Over 2,000 of them have been found over the years, lying in the boggy peat which helped preserve them. The oldest known bog body is the skeleton of Koelbjerg Woman from Denmark, who...
  18. Blackleaf

    What our leaders would say if they really cared about defending Britain's Jews

    Melanie Phillips attacks the appalling silence from Britain's political leaders at a time of rising anti-Semitic racism.... What our leaders would say if they really cared about defending Britain's Jews This lynch-mob mentality has been building for years By Melanie Phillips Melanie...
  19. Blackleaf

    British Tommies brought back to life with colour

    Photos taken 100 years ago of British Tommies preparing for the First World War have been brought to life after they were digitally coloured. The vivid snaps are in stark contrast to the grainy black and white photographs depicting the Great War that we are used to seeing. Most of them...
  20. Blackleaf

    England cricketer Moeen Ali banned from wearing "Save Gaza" wristbands

    England and Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali has been banned from wearing wristbands saying "Save Gaza" and "Free Palestine". The 27-year-old Muslim Brummie - who has been noticeably silent whilst his fellow Muslims are being killed by Muslims in Syria and Egypt and by Muslim terrorist...