National news, latest UK news headlines & stories

Women's prison 'difficult to run'

The UK's largest and most high profile women's prison is "extremely difficult to run safely and effectively", with almost six out of 10 inmates feeling unsafe at some point, inspectors have said.Read

BBC 'had massive bias to the left'

The BBC was guilty of a "massive bias to the left" in the past, director general Mark Thompson has said.Read

Grieve requests Kelly death files

Attorney General Dominic Grieve has requested files relating to the death of weapons inspector David Kelly, it was reported.Read

Girl savaged in new dog attack

A 10-year-old girl was taken to hospital after she was bitten by a dog in the second attack of its kind this week in Scotland.Read

Hostages taken at Discovery Channel

US police have shot an armed man who took three hostages at the Discovery Channel network's headquarters. All of hostages escaped safely, officials said.Read

Hostages held at Discovery Channel

A man upset with the Discovery Channel's environmental programming has taken several people hostage at the company's US headquarters, officials have said.Read

Hague speaks out as adviser quits

Foreign Secretary William Hague's special adviser has resigned as a result of pressures placed on his family by "untrue and malicious allegations".Read

Shoesmith can appeal sacking ruling

Sharon Shoesmith has been granted leave to appeal against a High Court ruling that upheld her sacking after the Baby P tragedy.Read

Pakistan cricketers head for talks

Three Pakistani cricketers embroiled in match-fixing allegations have set off for crucial talks with officials from their country.Read

Britain 'failing' to help troops

The country is "failing miserably" to help injured and traumatised troops recover from combat, the parents of the 200th member of the British forces to die in Afghanistan have said.Read

Hague's adviser quits over rumours

Foreign Secretary William Hague's special adviser has resigned as a result of pressures placed on his family by "untrue and malicious allegations".Read

Daughter leads elderly care protest

The daughter of a woman who died in a hospital investigated over the deaths of elderly patients led a protest march to Downing Street.Read

BBC strike threat over pension plan

The BBC is facing the threat of strikes after thousands of journalists, technicians and other staff voted massively in favour of industrial action in a row over pensions, it has been announced.Read

Jury slams scientist's blast death

A Ministry of Defence scientist died following a blast during top secret explosives tests which were inappropriately planned and appeared to be inadequately organised, an inquest jury has ruled.Read

Bloodgate doctor happy saga is over

The matchday doctor at the centre of the "Bloodgate" fake injury rugby scandal has said she was pleased that she could return to medicine and hoped to put an 18-month nightmare behind her.Read