UK far-right leader excoriated in TV debut, but experts fear his move toward mainstream

LONDON — The leader of Britain’s far-right party outlined his vision in a controversial television debut that critics fear could help his whites-only party ease into the political mainstream.

Protesters breach security at BBC ahead of far-right leader appearance on TV politics show

LONDON — Anti-fascist protesters broke into the BBC’s west London headquarters on Thursday ahead of a far-right party leader’s appearance on a leading political debate show.

Protesters breach security at BBC’s Television Center during rally against far-right leader

LONDON — Police say that about 25 protesters have breached security around the BBC’s Television Center during a rally against a far-right leader’s appearance on the broadcaster’s leading political debate show.

Protesters rally against far-right leader appearing on TV politics show; BBC defends invite

LONDON — Anti-fascist protesters broke into the BBC’s west London headquarters on Thursday ahead of a white-supremacist party leader’s appearance on a leading political debate show.

BBC under fire for rewriting nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty

LONDON - The BBC has come under fire after rewriting nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty and giving it a happy ending.

British generals accuse far right of ‘hijacking’ military symbols for ‘dubious ends’

LONDON — Retired senior British military commanders have accused the far right of hijacking military symbols for “their own dubious ends,” amid a debate over whether an increasingly high-profile anti-immigration party should be given a prime-time platform on national television.

Scientists develop new technique for detecting liquids that could be used as explosives

LONDON - Scientists say they have developed a quick technique for detecting liquids that could be used as explosives, which if commercialized, could potentially end restrictions on liquids carried onto commercial airlines.

Cosmic version of ‘Peter Pan’ discovered by astronomers

LONDON - Astronomers have identified the cosmic version of ‘Peter Pan’, namely a 600 km-wide asteroid that started out on the process of becoming a planet but never grew up into the real thing.

Wife and son bare secrets of terror kingpin Osama bin Laden

NEW YORK - After years of hiding and social oztracisation, the wife and son of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden have come out with a no-holes barred book that reveals quite candidly the harsh life the family led under the gaze and zealous Islamic authority of the terror kingpin.

Scientists warn of increase in species extinctions

LONDON - Scientists have warned of an alarming increase in the extinction of animal species, because of threats to biodiversity and ecosystems, like pollution, climate change and urban spread.

Facing a looming election defeat, Britain’s governing Labour Party meets for key rally

BRIGHTON, England — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted Sunday that he won’t quit his post, as his governing Labour Party met for a final annual convention before a national election in which the party will almost certainly lose power.

Archbishop of Canterbury says bankers should repent over financial crisis

LONDON — The archbishop of Canterbury says that bankers should repent over their mistakes which led to a global financial crisis, but he fears that the financial industry is returning to business as usual.

Musharraf’s ‘foolish’ comment would dent Pak’s international image: Hassan

LONDON - Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shams-ul- Hassan has termed former President General Pervez Musharraf’s statement regarding misuse of US military aid as a ‘foolish’ comment, and has said that it could have a damaging effect on the country’s image.

Here’s why smokers ‘itch’ to kick the butt

LONDON - Scientists claim to have pointed the reason why people who are actively trying to stop smoking often itch uncontrollably.

Spacecraft that would assess state of world’s ice cover to launch in February 2010

LONDON - The European space agency’s (ESA’s) mission, the Cryosat spacecraft, which would assess the state of the world’s ice cover, is likely to launch in February 2010.

Genes, not absent fathers, influence whether kids have first sex early

LONDON - Some children have their first sexual intercourse at an early age not because they were raised without a father at home, but because it is in their genes, according to US researchers.

Sincere about 26/11 probe: Pakistan Foreign Office

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI - Pakistan Monday reiterated its sincerity in bringing the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to justice, saying India should assist in the process instead of making allegations on Islamabad’s intentions.

Rocket attack kills three in Kabul

KABUL - Three civilians were reportedly killed in a rocket attack on the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday.

Report: ‘Overwhelming’ British interests considered in Libyan prisoner agreement

LONDON — The British government allowed the Lockerbie bomber to be covered by a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya because that was in the “overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom” as a major oil deal was being negotiated, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Copenhagen’s goal is to be world’s best city for cyclists

LONDON - Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has announced that it has a vision to become the world’s best city for cyclists.

Brits drinking more ‘by stealth’ - thanks to stronger booze

LONDON - People are taking in more booze “by stealth”, thanks to stronger drinks that are on sale, according to an analysis of consumption in the UK.

Scientists make meteorite mineral in lab

LONDON - In a “shock” experiment, scientists slammed materials together to make a mineral that is found naturally only in meteorites and the deep layers of Earth’s mantle, which could reveal new clues about the formation of our early Solar System.

US rejects Taliban claims of Mehsud being alive

WASHINGTON - The United States has rejected theTaliban’s claim of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud being alive.

New site helps Internet users track online censorship reports in China, Iran, elsewhere

BOSTON — When Shanghai blogger Isaac Mao tried to watch a YouTube clip of Chinese police beating Tibetans, all he got was an error message.

Simple saliva test can spot women at premature labour risk

LONDON - Researchers at University College London and King’s College London have developed a simple saliva test that may help detect which expectant women are likely to go into premature labour.

Tamil newspaper staff get death threats

LONDON - The managing director of a Sri Lankan Tamil newspaper has alleged that a “shadowy group” has ordered his employees to quit their jobs or get killed, BBC reported Thursday.

27 BBC top bosses earn more than the British Prime Minister!

LONDON - The salaries of the BBC’s 50 top-earning managers showed that 27 of them earn more than the British Prime Minister’s 195,000 pounds salary.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatens to crush any further opposition protests

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is threatening to crush any further opposition protests over the disputed presidential election and warns demonstrators to prepare for a “revolutionary confrontation” if they take to the streets again.

Eerie calm settles over Tehran as death toll jumps to 17, Rafsanjani relatives arrested

TEHRAN, Iran — An eerie calm settled over the streets of Tehran Sunday as state media reported at least 10 more deaths in post-election unrest and said authorities arrested the daughter and four other relatives of ex-President Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of Iran’s most powerful men.

Oil company Total fires British workers after unofficial strike, protests continue

LONDON — British contract workers walked off their jobs at British energy facilities Friday, part of an escalating dispute triggered by the employment of foreign workers.