UK News: Navy fleet scrapped in spending review

DEEP cuts to the defence budget will see the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal, and its fleet of Harrier jets scrapped "with immediate effect", government sources said.

The move is among measures to be unveiled as part of the military's share of the coalition's severe public spending squeeze.

A 50 grand old gesture

GRANDPARENTS typically spend more than 50,000 on their first grandchild, a survey indicated today.

Three-quarters said they made a financial contribution towards raising their grandchildren, with the average person spending 50,352 on their first grandchild in its first 18 years.

Bosses expect increase in employee strikes

MOST employers are expecting an increase in industrial action in the coming months, according to a new report today.

A survey of 500 bosses by law firm DLA Piper showed two-thirds believed industrial disputes were in danger of stifling Britain's economic recovery, but the business leaders were split on whether industrial relations law should be changed, with 41 per cent wanting to wait while 39 per cent thought it would be a good idea.

Alzheimer's vitamin link

PEOPLE lacking sufficient levels of vitamin B12 may be more prone to Alzheimer's in later life, a study suggests.

The vitamin may protect against Alzheimer's by reducing homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that has been linked to the disease.

The elderly often have low levels of B12. Since B vitamins are found in fish, meat and milk they can be missing from the diets of non-dairy vegetarians.

Prince has a Will to serve

PRINCE William has expressed his "real determination" to serve on the front line in Afghanistan.

The royal professed his desire to follow in the footsteps of his brother, who served in Helmand in 2008, during a documentary about the second-in-line to the throne.

Birmingham: Human rights campaigners are to take legal action in a bid to force police to remove CCTV cameras placed in Birmingham as part of a controversial scheme.

West Midlands Police has already apologised over the initiative which saw more than 200 surveillance cameras installed in two largely Muslim neighbourhoods.

Bradford: A postmortem examination was to be carried out today on a man who died trapped in a trench despite the efforts of emergency services to rescue him. He became trapped by rubble while working in Heaton, Bradford, at around 11am yesterday.