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Business leaders take aim at Eurosceptics in open letter
Some of the country's most prominent business leaders have accused Eurosceptic MPs of "putting politics before economics" by calling for Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.
The group, who include the chairmen of BT, Deloitte and Lloyds along with Sir Martin Sorrell and Sir Richard Branson, said Britain's business interests and economy can only benefit from playing a central role in the EU.
In a letter to The Independent, they called for David Cameron to "strengthen and deepen" the European single market, adding: "The economic case to stay in the EU is overwhelming."
N Korea and China's relationship enters choppier waters
Relations between North Korea and China seem to be tense after the crew of a Chinese fishing boat were taken hostage in North Korea.
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Prince Harry & Prince William to visit Help for Heroes
The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry will visit Tedworth House in Tidworth later as they offically open the new Help for Heroes Recovery Centre.
The Princes will meet injured service personnel, veterans and their families.
Neighbour felt 'sheer terror' hearing gas explosion
Neighbour Simon Hunter told ITV's Daybreak that he felt "sheer terror" when a gas explosion destroyed a house in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
He said: "There was a massive explosion, the house shook. I looked at my wife and it was just sheer terror, we just didn't know what was going on. My initial reaction was that, we've got a train line behind the property, a train had de-railed."
Youngsters 'need to know how to avoid' internet porn
– Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head TeachersThere is no place for explicit materials in the classroom or school, even in the course of teaching about their dangers, but many young people are exposed to such materials on the internet and phones.
In the face of this young people need to know how to cope with and avoid these distorted views of relationships.
British astronaut Tim Peake to confirm mission date
UK astronaut Tim Peake has been given a date to fly to the International Space Station (ISS).
The date of the mission is yet to be made public but it will not be before 2015.
The European Space Agency (Esa) is to release the details and the date of his mission to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) later today.
Peake has been in training for an expedition to the ISS since 2009, and will fly aboard a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
He was a major and a helicopter pilot in the British Army Air Corps.
Once in orbit Peake will help to maintain the 27,000km/h platform and carry out science experiments in Esa's Columbus laboratory module
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Call for porn warnings for primary school pupils
42% of parents believe schools should teach children about the dangers of pornography as soon as they are old enough to use the internet, a survey suggests.
It reveals that the majority of parents do not want it to be left to them alone to educate their youngsters about the controversial issue, and a large proportion think that pupils as young as five or six should be given lessons on the subject.
The survey, which questioned around 1,000 parents, found that six in ten parents are worried or very worried about their sons and daughters seeing violent or sexual material on the web.
But the poll also reveals that the majority (80%) of parents feel confident in protecting their children online.
While just over half (51%) said that pupils should not be taught about the dangers of pornography until they are teenagers, 42% said that they should be educated as soon as they are old enough to access the internet, even if they are as young as five or six.
More than eight in ten (83%) said issues around pornography should form part of sex education lessons.
Tech firms chase startup edge as Yahoo 'buys Tumblr'
The purchase of Tumblr by Yahoo would add to established Internet companies like Google and Facebook that have spent $1 billion or more each buying startup companies in the battle for competitive edge in the technology business market.
Facebook last year paid cash and stock initially valued at about $1 billion to buy popular photo-sharing service Instagram, according to figures quoted in The Wall Street Journal.
Google paid $1.65 billion in stock seven years ago for YouTube, the online-video giant.
In a smaller deal, AOL bought Huffington Post for $315 million in 2011.
Search for survivor suspended at gas blast house
The search for a man trapped in rubble has been suspended while the terraced house that was demolished in a suspected gas explosion is made safe.
Fire crews found another man's body at around 5.15pm during a search of the collapsed house on Sunday in Wright Street, Newark, in Nottinghamshire.
A number of roads were closed off in the immediate vicinity and diversions were in place.
Church of Scotland to debate subject of gay clergy
The governing body of the Church of Scotland is to debate the controversial subject of gay ministers today.
The institution's General Assembly will consider whether to allow people in same-sex relationships to be ordained as ministers.
A theological commission was appointed two years ago to produce a report on the issue for the Kirk's annual gathering in Edinburgh.
– Kirk spokesmanOn one hand the report offers the Church a way of allowing the ordination of ministers in same-sex relationships who have entered into a civil partnership, while protecting both individuals and congregations who in conscience do not agree with the theological principles which underpin that choice.
On the other hand the report, while reaffirming its belief that homophobia is sinful, invites the Church to reaffirm its traditional stance that the only appropriate expression of sexual activity should be within marriage between one man and one woman.
The report does not make any recommendation and leaves the issue open for the members of the General Assembly to decide.
The ordaining of ministers in same-sex relationships has divided the Kirk since traditionalist members attempted to block the appointment of gay Reverend Scott Rennie in 2009.
