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RBS may sue after accused of 'undermining small firms'
The Royal Bank of Scotland is considering legal action against the businessman behind a damning report that accused the taxpayer-backed lender of deliberately putting customers out of business for profit.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that the bank could have grounds to pursue a libel action against Lawrence Tomlinson after an inquiry into his allegations reportedly found no evidence to support claims that the lender’s turnaround unit had systematically engineered the collapse of small businesses.
Jon Pain, the head of regulatory affairs at RBS, said: “The damage of the report has already been done and whether Mr Tomlinson offers any retraction or apology is a matter for him.
"These were the most serious allegations RBS has faced since the crisis and damaged RBS’s brand and undoubtedly harmed the value of the taxpayer’s interest.”
The law firm Clifford Chance on Thursday published the results of its investigation into the Tomlinson report which said it found "no evidence" to back up the most serious accusation.
London Marathon runner denies cheat claims
A man who ran the second half of the London Marathon in less than half the time it took him to complete the first has denied claims he cheated.
Jason Scotland-Williams, 34, was accused of jumping over a barrier midway through the world famous race in order to achieve the impressive time, which fell just three minutes short of the world record for a half marathon.
He told the Sunday Telegraph: "I have done nothing wrong. Nobody thinks maybe I just trained hard. No one thinks 'maybe he paced himself through the first half and when the second half came he just let himself go'.
"All along the route there are stewards and people watching. There's no way you can cheat." Mr Scotland-Williams completed the second half of the route in one hour, one minute and 42 seconds, more than three minutes faster than double Olympic running champion Mo Farah.
Read: Mo Farah reveals 'disappointment' over London Marathon
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Families attempt to march to Seoul demanding answers
With 260 passengers still unaccounted for from the South Korean ferry, families scuffled with police as they tried to make their way to the Presidential Blue House in Seoul to complain about the slow rescue operation.
"Take out my child, take out my child please. I've heard they are all dead. Bring me the body so that I can see the face and hug my child. What am I going to do? They are likely dead already," said the mother of missing student Bae Sun-ok.
Pictures: Anger as families clash with police over S. Korea ferry
Anger as families clash with police over S. Korea ferry
Angry relatives of hundreds of missing inside a sunken South Korean ferry clashed with police as coastguard divers retrieved 10 more bodies from the ship and the official number of dead rose to 46 people.
Up to 100 people gathered on the island of Jindo in the southwest of the country, the centre of the rescue effort, and tried to march across a bridge to the mainland to take their protest to the capital of Seoul.
Police formed two lines to prevent them reaching the bridge and relatives pushed and shoved the lines.
Christian worker claims unfair dismissal after 'gay jibe'
A Christian nursery nurse is claiming unfair dismissal after losing her job because she said she told a gay colleague that the Bible regards the practice of homosexuality as a sin.
Sarah Mbuyi says she only made the comments after being pressed on her beliefs by a colleague who initiated the conversation at Newpark Childcare in Highbury, north London, in January.
She is being supported in her case by the Christian Legal Centre, whose chief executive, Andrea Williams, said the Government has "seriously let down" the Christian community and criticised Prime Minister David Cameron for attempting to "mould Christianity to his political agenda".
Mr Cameron said earlier this week that Britain should be ''more confident about our status as a Christian country" and "more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people's lives".
Read: PM calls on UK to be 'more confident' about Christianity
Charity watchdog chief warns over 'aiding extremism'
The Charity Commission has warned that Islamist extremism is the "most deadly" problem it faces, urging the government to introduce laws to prevent convicted terrorists from setting up charitable organisations.
The watchdog's chairman William Shawcross told The Sunday Times (£): “The problem of Islamist extremism and charities . . . is not the most widespread problem we face in terms of abuse of charities, but is potentially the most deadly. And it is, alas, growing.”
He said the commission was taking tough measures against any charity that was “sending cash to extremist groups in Syria” or “dispatching young Britons for training in Syria by al-Qaeda or other extremist groups”.
The regulator is investigating three charities raising funds for Syria and monitoring seven others.
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Couple married for seven decades die 15 hours apart
Kenneth and Helen Felumlee, married for 70 years, met in their late teens and died just over 15 hours apart.
Read the full storyQuango chief steps down after bankruptcy revealed
A businessman appointed by David Cameron to head a multibillion-pound quango has been forced to step down after it was disclosed that he was bankrupt.
A Government spokesman said Tony Caplin - a former Conservative Party chief operating officer - had resigned as chairman of the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) which is responsible for £60 billion of loans in infrastructure projects.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Number 10 had been forced to act after an investigation it carried out revealed he had been made bankrupt in 2012.
A Government spokesman said: "He should have declared he was bankrupt. This has been pointed out to him and as a result he has resigned."
Senior Labour MP Margaret Hodge, who chairs the Commons Public Accounts Committee, told The Mail on Sunday: "This raises serious questions which should be investigated."
Death toll from South Korea sunken ferry 'rises to 46'
NBC News Chief Global Correspondent Bill Neely, who is in South Korea, wrote on Twitter:
Divers recover 10 more bodies from inside sunken S. Korean ferry #Sewol say maritime police; death toll now 46. At least 255 still missing.
More than 100 relatives of missing children on S Korean ferry #Sewol have begun a long march to capital Seoul to protest at rescue effort
Children's relatives set off in dark from port in S. whr they waited for bodies & will walk mr than 200 miles. Police & ambulances with them
Read: South Korea ferry salvage operation 'could take months'
Archbishop to highlight suffering from conflicts
The Archbishop of Canterbury will use his Easter sermon to highlight the hardship of people suffering from conflict around the world and in Britain.
Speaking later today from Canterbury Cathedral, Archbishop Justin Welby will say: "In Syria mothers cry for their children and husbands. In the Ukraine neighbours cry because the future is precarious and dangerous. In Rwanda tears are still shed each day as the horror of genocide is remembered.
"In this country, even as the economy improves there is weeping in broken families, in people ashamed to seek help from food banks, or frightened by debt. Asylum seekers weep with loneliness and missing far away families. Mary continues to weep across the world", he will say.
Delivering only his second Easter message since becoming head of the Church of England, the Most Rev Justin Welby will also praise the resilience of persecuted Christian minorities around the globe.
