Britain Today: Equitable payout set to be more generous

Victims of the near-collapse of insurers Equitable Life look set for a more generous payout than expected, it has emerged.Chancellor George Osborne will use Wednesday's Comprehensive Spending Review to announce compensation amounting to around £1.5 billion.

Pickles in tax break plea

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has urged councils not to give special tax breaks running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Church of Scientology.

Mr Pickles said he did not believe the majority of voters would want their councils to give favoured tax treatment to the organisation.

Stab victim's mum takes part in knife crime event

The mother of a teenager who died after a street brawl is taking part in a knife crime awareness event in her son's memory today.

Jennifer Williams, whose 18-year-old son Isschan Nicholls died from stab wounds in January, said knife crime was "decimating our society".

Ms Williams will be joined by Barry Mizen, whose 16-year-old son Jimmy was murdered in May 2008, at a London variety show today to raise funds for Victim Support.

Warning over debt firms

Consumers were warned today not to be taken in by firms which claim they can use a legal loophole to get their debts written off.

The Office of Fair Trading warned people against using companies, saying the firms offer to "buy" consumers' debts from them, claiming they can get them written off, but charge people an "administration fee", often of several hundred pounds.

Star's cancer fight praised

Actor Simon MacCorkindale, left, was praised for his "stoic" cancer battle after he died in the arms of his wife, actress Susan George.

The 58-year-old film and TV star died at about 10.30pm on Thursday in the London Clinic, Harley Street, said publicist Max Clifford.

Hatfield: Survivors of the rail crash will join those bereaved by the tragedy to mark the 10th anniversary of the disaster tomorrow.

The four passengers killed when an express train derailed on October 17 2000 will be remembered in a service in the town's St Etheldreda's Church.

Bradford: Detectives investigating the death of a young woman found on fire behind a house are expecting the results of a post-mortem examination today.

The 23 year old, thought to have been pregnant, was found with serious burns at 7.15pm on Thursday and was pronounced dead at the scene.