Britain today: Fall in confidence to hit economic recovery

The economic recovery looks set to slow down during the second half of the year following a fall in confidence among businesses.

Nearly a fifth of firms now feel less confident about the coming year than they did during the second quarter, say accountancy body ICAEW and accountants Grant Thornton.

Blair sets up funds firm

Tony Blair has set up a company that can provide investment services to funds and individuals.

The firm has recruited senior financiers and been authorised by the Financial Services Authority. Mr Blair's spokesman dismissed the idea he was to create a bank or finance house as "fatuous".

Irish republican groups 'target Tory conference'

DISSIDENT Irish republicans behind a string of bomb attacks in Northern Ireland are targeting the Conservative Party conference this autumn, an MP has warned.

Ex-soldier Patrick Mercer said ex-colleagues had told him several groups wanted to "catapult themselves into the headlines before the party conference season" by attacking targets on the mainland, adding: "They wish to kill by the end of the month."

Eaten well this summer?

The average Briton ate 56 sausages, 54 burgers and 36 ice creams over the summer, research showed today.

Eighty-one cans of beer and 57 glasses of wine also formed part of the diet, alongside 59 bar snacks, such as pork pies and Scotch eggs, and 73 bags of crisps.

The survey of 3000 people was released to mark Gut Week and highlight the dangers of being overweight.

Clegg welcomes FIFA team

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was welcoming a six-man FIFA team to Downing Street today to emphasise the Government's commitment to England's 2018 World Cup bid. The team was then meeting Fabio Capello at Wembley, where they will tour the stadium.

Liverpool: John Lennon's toilet and one of his rarest albums will be among the highlights of an auction of Beatles memorabilia next week.

A mono-sound copy Two Virgins, which he recorded with Yoko Ono, is expected to fetch at least 2500.

West Yorkshire: Police were scanning CCTV footage today to identify two drivers involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash.

Stephen Wood, 39, died in the early hours of yesterday after being hit by three cars near Ilkley. Two of the vehicles failed to stop at the scene, on the A65 Skipton Road.