UK News: Plea for help slashing 'ridiculous' red tape

THE government has invited businesses and community groups to help "rip up" some of the UK's 21,000 rules and regulations in a fresh drive to tackle red tape and get rid of "ridiculous" burdens.

A "red tape website challenge" will give firms as well as members of the public a chance to have their say.

Man held over Pc death

DETECTIVES investigating the murder of police constable Ronan Kerr were questioning a man in Northern Ireland today.

The 26-year-old was detained in Scotland yesterday after the Police Service of Northern Ireland made one of its most significant arms discoveries for years.

Changing voting system 'damaging' to elections

ADOPTING the Alternative Vote (AV) for Westminster elections is likely to lead to more spoilt ballot papers and lower turnout, campaigners against reform claimed today.

No to AV published research highlighting the "damaging" effects of the relative complexity of AV compared with the existing first-past-the-post system.

It suggested that elections in which AV was used had higher rates of accidentally spoilt papers and fewer people taking part.

Patients face surgery risk

PATIENTS' lives are being put at risk following emergency operations, surgeons claim.

Emergency patients account for up to half the NHS surgical workload, but the country's top surgeons say mortality and complication rates vary widely.

A report by the Royal College of Surgeons released today claimed the outcome of hospital operations was not being monitored properly.

Johnny and Denise 'split'

ACTRESS Denise Van Outen has disclosed that she and her former Big Breakfast co-host Johnny Vaughan are no longer on speaking terms.

She said they have had no contact for more than two-and-a-half years, since they last hosted a show together on radio.

Lancashire: Teachers are staging a strike today in protest at violence, threats and "poor management" at a troubled secondary school. Staff at Darwen Vale High School in Darwen say they are angry at what they see as a lack of backing from bosses at the school when they confront bad behaviour from pupils.

London: Rio Ferdinand has made a plea to the public for information that will lead to the conviction of the killers of a young footballer. Family friend Rio McFarlane, 18, was murdered in a drive-by style shooting in the same area where the Manchester United star grew up.