Latest news and comment from the British Isles | UK news

Northern children top happiness league

Friendship ratings published by Ofsted reveal Liverpool suburb is home to cheeriest young people
- Down south: 'The media is too extreme'
- Up north: 'I'm basically always happy'
Race still a bar to boardroom, report says

Boardrooms across all sectors remain stubbornly white despite years of government initiatives
Pietersen quit before he was sacked

Cricket captain Kevin Pietersen steps down as ECB announces removal of England coach, Peter Moores

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Newsbytes

8 Jan 2009:
Crime watch | Child tracker | Parental chatbots wanted | Finger substitute | Skype going Boingo | Snap up a flashy Legria | Xbox 360 update | Cheaper net radio
What's in it for the third sector?

8 Jan 2009:
Jenny Harrow examines the dilemmas for voluntary organisations as they deliver even more public services
Counting the animals two by two

Video (2min 00sec), 8 Jan 2009:
Patrick Barkham visits London Zoo during their annual stocktake
Record levels of unpaid overtime

8 Jan 2009: Employers benefited from £26.9bn in unpaid overtime provided by their workers last year in a further extension of the long-hours culture that is characterising the British workplace, the TUC says
An unacceptable occupational hazard

8 Jan 2009:
Abusive behaviour against public sector staff is rising and action is still piecemeal
Parts of UK see 20-year lows

8 Jan 2009:
Polar explorer who is testing thickness of Arctic ice cap arrives to take similar measurements in Trafalgar Square
In the midst of a cold snap - a hot weather warning

8 Jan 2009:
Met Office warns summer may be so hot that poor and elderly people may need state help to keep homes cool
Shoppers advised to take ethical line when choosing fish species

8 Jan 2009:
Britons to be officially advised to turn to species not at risk from overfishing as well as to oily fish

River rescue: project launched to breathe life into waterways buried under London concrete and brick

8 Jan 2009:
Environment Agency plans to restore 14 waterways, including the Effra, the Ravensbourne and the Wandle
Fry and Evans to mark the return of Ross

8 Jan 2009:
Jonathan Ross's Friday night chatshow returns after presenter's three-month suspension
Charity accounts chief stole nearly £300,000

8 Jan 2009:
Finance manager spent money on fast cars, flying lessons and renting an apartment in a millionaire's playground
Former prisoners 'used IRA link to try to blackmail businessmen'

8 Jan 2009:
Court hears how pair threatened violence in attempt to extort £300,000 from republican sympathisers
News in brief

8 Jan 2009:
More news from around the UK
Fifth day of rail disruption on west coast line

8 Jan 2009:
Power failure brings services to a halt on revamped rail route in and out of London Euston
Who's counting?

8 Jan 2009:
Editorial: Public trust depends on reliable information. Putting out partial numbers and unsubstantiated boasts is a terrible way to win it back