Britain

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Buckingham Palace Guards 'Ran Porn, Poker Rings'

Accused palace Ponzi mastermind denounces colleagues' lax lifestyle

(Newser) - A royal bodyguard accused of running a multimillon dollar scam opened his defense yesterday by accusing his palace colleagues of running poker and porn enterprises, the Telegraph reports. Paul Page told the court that his fellow royal protection officers had an "easy life" and ran gambling operations and sold...

S. African Wines Aim to Put Brakes on 'Burnt Rubber' Rap

Exporters try to cast off a critic's harsh judgment

(Newser) - South African is the ninth-largest producer of wine, with several distinctive varietals that should be poised to break into the global marketplace, the New York Times reports. But the country’s wines have been dogged by comments made in 2007 by an influential British wine critic, who said after a...

Iran Detains British Embassy Staff

Says 8 local employees had taken part in election protests

(Newser) - Iranian authorities have detained several local employees of the British Embassy in Tehran, a move that Britain's foreign secretary today called "harassment and intimidation" and reflected a hardening of the regime's stance toward the West. Iranian media said eight local embassy staff were detained for an alleged role in...

No Sex (After 9), Please—We're the BBC

Survey prompts British channel to cut back on racy content, swearing

(Newser) - Responding to viewers’ concerns, the BBC will no longer give free rein to potentially offensive material after 9pm, the Telegraph reports. A network survey of 2,700 people age 11 and up found that its audience, especially older viewers, is unhappy with the content. Now, foul language may be subject...

Charles, Camilla Cut Personal Spending by $1M

(Newser) - It's belt-tightening, royal style. Prince Charles and Camilla slashed their personal spending by about $1 million (American) last year because of the recession, reports the Guardian. Among the draconian cutbacks: Charles skipped his usual ski holiday to Switzerland, and Camilla scrapped her annual sailing trip to Greece. Both are said...

UK Kicks Out Iranian Diplomats
 UK Kicks Out Iranian Diplomats 

UK Kicks Out Iranian Diplomats

(Newser) - The UK will expel two Iranian diplomats, in retaliation for Tehran’s own banishment of two British diplomats yesterday, the BBC reports. Gordon Brown said that he was “disappointed that Iran has placed us in this position.” He defended the UK diplomats, saying the accusation that they were...

Eat Our Steeds? Horsefeathers!
Eat Our Steeds? Horsefeathers!

Eat Our Steeds? Horsefeathers!

Brits scoff at having to sign EU pledge not to eat their horses

(Newser) - British horse owners are sputtering at a European Union directive requiring them to sign a pledge stating they won't eat their animals, the Telegraph reports. The Brits say the order—aimed at preventing veterinary drugs from entering the food supply in countries where horses are commonly eaten—has left them ...

Cowell: I Goofed With Boyle
 Cowell: I Goofed 
 With Boyle 

Cowell: I Goofed With Boyle

(Newser) - Simon Cowell admitted that he overestimated the strength of startling songbird Susan Boyle during her trials in Britain's Got Talent. The fragile overnight-superstar has been emotionally overwhelmed, canceling another concert last week. "She seemed fine with all the attention. I thought perhaps naively that she was in control,"...

Bruised Brown Talks of Fleeing Downing Street

British PM 'hurt' by personal attacks lobbed by fellow Labourites

(Newser) - After surviving a coup by members of his own party earlier this month, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown admitted he was “hurt” by their personal attacks and said he could “walk away from all this tomorrow.” “I’m not interested in what accompanies being in power,...

World's Oldest Man Thanks 'Cigs, Whisky, Wild Women'

British WWI vet, 113, becomes oldest man with death of Japanese elder

(Newser) - British WWI veteran Henry Allingham learned yesterday that he is now the world's oldest man following the death of 113-year-old Tomoji Tanabe, the Independent reports. Tanabe eschewed alcohol and tobacco but Allingham, also 113, once quipped that his longevity was due to "cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women."...

London 'Night Stalker' Strikes Again

(Newser) - Police fear London's "Night Stalker" is on the prowl again after a recent series of burglaries that included at least one sexual assault of an elderly woman, reports the Telegraph. The mystery man is believed to be responsible for some 100 break-ins that have involved sexual assaults of both...

UK Women More Prone to Boozing, Brawling

Drinking fines skyrocket among women

(Newser) - In a sign of a growing “binge-drinking ladette culture,” fines for being drunk and disorderly have soared 30% over two years among British women, the Daily Telegraph reports—faster than among men. Fines to underage girls have risen by half, and a report says a quarter of violent...

Queen's Poet Savages Politicians in First Poem

(Newser) - Britain's poet laureates have been criticized for writing about humdrum events on the royal calendar. If her first effort is any indication, the new laureate—the first woman—has no such intentions. Carol Ann Duffy is ticked off about the nation's scandal over lawmakers' expense accounts, and she lets everyone...

Britain Bashes Bermuda for Taking Gitmo Inmates

Overseas territory told it's getting too big for its britches with resettlement deal

(Newser) - Britain has berated its oldest remaining colony for taking in former Guantanamo detainees without asking London's permission first, the BBC reports. American officials say they dealt directly with Bermuda on the issue, through its British-appointed governor, as they arranged to release four Chinese Muslim Uighurs to Bermuda.

Boys Stomp Newborn Fawn to Death
Boys Stomp
Newborn Fawn to Death

Boys Stomp Newborn Fawn to Death

(Newser) - British police are on the hunt for three boys who stomped a newborn fawn to death, reports the BBC. A dogwalker, too frightened to confront the violent gang, witnessed the attack in a park in Dorset. "In 23 years I have never seen anything quite as barbaric and horrendous...

Music Gang Busted in iTunes Royalties Scam

Group boostsrankings, bank accounts by buying their own music with stolen cards

(Newser) - A group of ten British DJs have been arrested for allegedly using stolen credit cards to download their own music from iTunes and Amazon, the Times of London reports. The gang is believed to have made $300,000 in royalties from the $750,000 they spent buying 19 compilations they...

Brit Nursery Teacher Busted in Pedophile Internet Ring

Cops found photos of naked kids in her home

(Newser) - A British daycare teacher has been busted for suspected involvement in an Internet pedophile ring after photos of naked children were found in her home, reports the Telegraph. A police spokesman said the pictures were "at the top end of the scale." Officials are attempting to identify the...

Obama Keeps Snubbing Sarko
 Obama Keeps 
 Snubbing Sarko 
OPINION

Obama Keeps Snubbing Sarko

European leaders feel burned after visit by popular president

(Newser) - President Obama’s dizzying, 2-day jaunt through Europe left two people smarting in his dust: Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel. France’s president and Germany’s chancellor learned that Obama, not one to pal around with European leaders, keeps his distance. “Obama is not out to play buddy-buddy with...

Madoff Yanked $165M from London Branch Just Before Bust

Cash transferred to scammer vanished

(Newser) - A month before he came clean on his Ponzi scheme, Bernie Madoff sold $165 million in UK bonds from his London office and the money disappeared, the Independent reports. Madoff ordered a director of the London arm to transfer the money to his New York office so Madoff could use...

Brown: 'I Won't Walk Away'
 Brown: 'I Won't Walk Away' 

Brown: 'I Won't Walk Away'

Embattled prime minister refuses to quit as Labour rebellion gathers strength

(Newser) - A defiant Gordon Brown said last night he will not "waver or walk away" from leadership despite a growing mutiny within the Labour Party, the Guardian reports. The British prime minister rejected calls for his resignation and managed to restore a semblance of authority after a day of surprise...

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