UK News: Call to scrap 'white elephant' rail project

THE multi-billion pound high-speed rail link project is an "expensive white elephant" and should be scrapped, business leaders, politicians and economists said today.

In an open letter, the 21 signatories dismissed the scheme as an unaffordable "vanity project" that will cost each family more than 1000.

Billionaires strike it rich

THE number of billionaires in the UK has increased to 32, with the Duke of Westminster Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor again named the country's richest man.

Despite the property slump, the landowner, 59, increased his worth to $13 billion, but still only managed 57th on the Forbes global rich list.

Children's charity to offer asylum support

CHILDREN of failed asylum seekers will be able to turn to Barnardo's for support while they are being held in new centres for up to a week before being removed from the UK, the government said.

The children's charity will provide help and support to families in the centres while they prepare for their return.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who has condemned child detention as a "moral outrage", was accused of "rebranding detention" by some child groups last year.

Pension reform warning

A REVIEW into public sector pensions being published today will bring the threat of industrial action by millions of workers closer, unions have warned.

The review, conducted by former Labour cabinet minister Lord Hutton, was expected to recommend NHS staff, teachers and council workers pay more in contributions towards retirement.

Curtis film role is a tweet

A WALK-ON part in the next Richard Curtis film is among the lots being offered in a Twitter auction for Comic Relief.

The Twitrelief auction, which begins today, will see more than 100 prolific Tweeters and celebrities taking part.

Cambridge: Cambridge is the most highly regarded UK university in the world, according to new research. The institution came third in a table ranking universities exclusively on their reputation among academics worldwide. Oxford was sixth while Edinburgh came in 45th.

London: Squatters occupying a house thought to be owned by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of the Libyan dictator, have said the 10 million property "belongs to the Libyan people". A group calling themselves Topple the Tyrants entered the home in Hampstead Garden Suburb, north London, yesterday.