UK News: MPs face pressure over failing to limit bonuses

MINISTERS were braced for more pressure over bankers' bonuses today amid speculation that efforts to limit pay-outs have failed.

Downing Street stressed it could not "micromanage" financial institutions, indicating that efforts to reduce the multi-billion pound bonus round had failed.

Jab ban call for 'healthy'

HEALTHY people not considered "at-risk" from the flu virus should be banned from private vaccinations, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs has said.

Dr Clare Gerada said healthy individuals buying the flu jab have contributed to NHS shortages and left those at risk vulnerable to infection.

Probe of activist group is referred to watchdog

A CRIMINAL investigation involving a group of environmental activists infiltrated by an undercover officer has been referred to the police watchdog.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been asked to look at why the trial of six protesters accused of conspiring to shut down Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire collapsed.

Nottinghamshire Police is also considering reviewing the conduct of the operation.

Asylum seekers 'to be lost'

At least 60,000 asylum seekers will be lost without trace as the UK Border Agency (UKBA) struggles to clear its backlog of claims, the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee said today.

Of the backlog of up to 450,000 claims identified in 2006, at least one in seven "will be concluded on the basis that the UKBA has been unable to trace what has happened to the applicant", an MPs said.

Grohl given Godlike award

FOO Fighters and former Nirvana star Dave Grohl have been awarded the Godlike Genius Award by music paper NME.

Grohl will pick up the award, previously won by DJ John Peel, at the Shockwaves NME Awards at the Brixton Academy next month.

Cambridgeshire: An investigation was under way today after two prison officers were injured in a disturbance at a young offenders unit. Yesterday's incident at Littlehey Prison, near Huntingdon saw a female officer assaulted and a male officer scalded with hot water.

Birmingham: EasyJet has apologised after 30 passengers were ordered off a plane which had been loaded with too much fuel to take off. The no-frills carrier said it was compensating a total of 37 passengers who were unable to fly from Birmingham to Geneva on Boxing Day because of the error.