The Birmingham Post (England) back issues from September 2008:
Millionaire's wife killed by gunshot head wound.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Press Association reporters A murder investigation was launched after one of two bodies found at the burned-out Shropshire home of missing millionaire businessman Christopher Foster was identified yesterday as his wife. A post-mortem examination revealed ...
PM Brown and Chancellor Darling both agree - things are dire, says Straw.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Gordon Brown fully agrees with the Chancellor's dire assessment of the UK economic outlook, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday. Justice Secretary Jack Straw dismissed claims of tensions after Alistair Darling warned global conditions were the worst since the 1940s, and no one ...
New Orleans fears worst as 'storm of the century' looms.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Hundreds of thousands of people were fleeing New Orleans yesterday after the city's mayor warned "the storm of the century" was coming and it was "time to be scared". Roads out of the port, which has still not recovered after being devastated three years ago by Hurricane ...
New Orleans residents urged to flee; HURRICANE GUSTAV.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Residents were ordered to flee an only partially rebuilt New Orleans yesterday as another monster storm bore down on Louisiana nearly three years to the day after Hurricane Katrina wiped out entire swathes of the city. Hurricane Gustav, which has already killed more than 80 ...
Bush to miss Republican convention as storm hits; HURRICANE GUSTAV.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... US President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney will skip the Republican National Convention because of mounting concerns about Hurricane Gustav, the White House said. His Homeland Security chief warned that Gustav could prove more challenging than Katrina and the ...
Evacuate? No thanks, I'm staying put, says one British publican; HURRICANE GUSTAV.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... British holidaymakers in Cuba were urged to follow the advice of local authorities as Hurricane Gustav battered the country and at least 300,000 people were evacuated. Forecasters said Gustav was just short of becoming a topscale Category 5 hurricane when it hit Cuba's mainland ...
Bullring going strong five years on, but regeneration needed elsewhere.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: Fionnuala Bourke It was built to bring Brummies back into Birmingham. Now the rejuvenated Bullring, featuring Selfridges and the iconic bronze bull, will be celebrating its fifth birthday on Thursday, writes Fionnuala Bourke. And since it opened its doors on ...
City hoping to regain top business area outside capital; Birmingham City Council's lovehate relationship with global property experts Cushman and Wakefield will be put to the test again later this month when the annual league table of the best UK business cities is published, explains Public Affairs Editor Paul Dale.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: Paul Dale A decision in 2006 to rank Birmingham as the best place outside of London in which to locate a business and the 19th best European destination was greeted in triumphal tones by city council leader Mike Whitby, who described the announcement as a clear vote of ...
Do's and don'ts for modern copper.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A police force has issued a "modern" behaviour guide and appearance code to its officers. Norfolk Police told officers to "be polite and courteous", to dress "appropriately", to be tidy, not to use personal mobile phones in public view and not keep their hands in their pockets ....
House prices fall again, but is there light at the end of the tunnel?(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... House prices in England and Wales fell for the 11th month in a row during August as the propertymarket downturn continued, figures showed today. The average home lost 0.9 per cent of its value during the month, a slight moderation from the fall of 1.2 per cent recorded during ...
Falling petrol costs and the Olympics spur on shoppers.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Consumers returned to the shops during August as the cost of petrol fell and Olympic success boosted people's interest in sports and fitness, figures showed today. Experian said its national retail footfall index recorded a 3.9 per cent rise compared with July, ending three ...
Airline Zoom collapsed with as much as pounds 25 million in debt.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Bosses at a collapsed transatlantic budget airline yesterday said its debts are likely to total pounds 20-pounds 25million. But claims that Zoom Airlines could owe three times this were rejected. The UK and Canada-based firm grounded all flights last week as it ...
Workers are too stressed, says TUC.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Workers are facing "real problems" such as bullying, discrimination, stress and poor pay, according to a new study today. Research for the TUC showed a series of complaints, including long hours, increasing workloads, lack of training and unfair pay structures. A ...
Ministers must kick start the house market, say surveyors.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Government needs to kick start the housing market with a package of rescue measures and reforms, property professionals said today. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said the Government's attempts so far to drag the the market out of the doldrums have been ...
Government to lift lid on plans to help buyers and homeowners.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Government will try to put its recent problems behind it this week when it unveils a package of measures to help struggling homeowners and first-time buyers. It is expected to launch a number of initiatives tomorrow ranging from improved support for people facing ...
Wet August creates nightmare for wheat farmers left with soggy crop.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Weathermen yesterday predicted more bad news for farmers fretting over fields of soggy wheat. The National Farmers' Union said three-quarters of Britain's wheat had yet to be cut after a rainy summer and crops were "vulnerable". Rising fuel prices have pushed up the ...
Darling tones down his dire warning.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: By James Tapsfield Alistair Darling insisted it was his duty to be straight with the public, after delivering a dire assessment of the UK's economic prospects. The Chancellor was forced to take to the airwaves in a bid to clarify his views after starkly ...
Chancellor takes misery to a whole new level.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: James Tapsfield There hasn't exactly been a shortage of gloom coming out of the Government recently, writes James Tapsfield. But by warning that the economic outlook is the worst for six decades and that voters are "pissed off" with Labour, Alistair Darling ...
Few takers for new registration.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The new 58 car number plates are available from today, but vehicle-buying plans seem to have stalled. The number of people planning to buy a car over the next six months is at a three-year low, according to a survey by Sainsbury's Finance. About 6.85 million people ...
Motoring costs above inflation.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The cost of keeping a car on the road has far outstripped the rate of inflation over the last decade. . It now costs an average of pounds 2,395 a year for motorists to insure, service tax and fuel a vehicle, according to price comparison company uSwitch.com. It added ...
Fuel bill help threatened.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Foreign energy companies are threatening to derail a pounds 1 billion Government package to help poorer families pay their fuel bills, it was claimed yesterday. The Government had hoped to unveil a package of measures this week aimed at helping those on low incomes heat their ...
Number of ex-service members in jail soars.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The number of ex-servicemen in British prisons, many jailed for violent offences, has soared in the last four years according to new figures released today. A report by probation officers' trade union Napo found more than nine per cent of the country's prisoners were former ...
Armed Forces Memorial voted top Lottery project.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A memorial to 16,000 fallen service personnel was named among the nation's top National Lottery projects. The Armed Forces Memorial, in Staffordshire, is dedicated to those who have died during active service since 1948. It was created because many veterans and their ...
Huge motorway ad will 'save lives'.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Rhona Ganguly An 85 metre-tall artwork commissioned to raise the profile of Sandwell could help prevent motorway drivers falling asleep at the wheel, it has been claimed. If planning permission is granted, the Sandwell Gateway, a combination of a massive ...
Seventh city shooting in a month.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A man is recovering in hospital after being wounded in the seventh shooting in Birmingham in a month. The victim was named as Mohammed Arfan, aged 25, by his family, who said he hammered on the door of his sister's home with blood pouring from his arm. Samina Kaiser, ...
Rally tribute to champion McRae.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Hundreds of motor racing fans staged their own rally to celebrate the life of world champion driver Colin McRae. A convoy of cars travelled 300 miles on Saturday in memory of the rally star who died when the helicopter he was flying crashed last year. Flag-waving ...
15-year-old arrested over teen's stabbing; CRIME.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murder continued to be questioned yesterday by detectives investigating the stabbing of teenager Luke Howard. Police were called to a house in Ashcombe Road, Old Swan, Liverpool, just after 7am on Saturday where they discovered the ...
Man questioned as two die in collision; DEATHS.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A man questioned over a crash in which the driver of an pounds 84,000 BMW fled leaving two people dead has been bailed, police said. The 23-year-old was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following a collision in Perivale, west London. ...
New album for Jason; CELEBRITY.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Jason Donovan has announced his first new album in 15 years. The ex-Neighbours star's last album, All Around the World, languished at number 27 in the UK charts in 1993. Since then, Donovan, 40, has enjoyed something of a public comeback after securing third place on ...
Tesco signs check out; LANGUAGE.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Tesco is to change the wording of signs on checkouts for shoppers with baskets to sidestep a linguistic debate. English enthusiasts argue about whether signs on check-outs should say "10 items or less" or "10 items or fewer". So Tesco bosses have decided to replace "10 items or less" signs ...
Bikini record falls short; RECORD.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... An attempt to set a record for the number of bikini-clad women gathered together on a beach failed yesterday. Two hundred and fifty sun lovers donned two-piece swim suits under an overcast sky in Southend, Essex. But the attempt was 70 short of the British record and ...
Call to stop faith school discrimination; EDUCATION.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Government has been urged to reform faith schools to ensure they cannot discriminate against pupils and teachers on religious grounds. A coalition of academics, clergy, teaching unions and other leading public figures are calling for fairer admissions policies in faith ...
Creative writing produces more empathetic pupils - Weldon; EDUCATION.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Teaching creative writing at all school levels is a way of addressing moral issues and encouraging empathy, top author Fay Weldon said. She said creative writing can teach valuable skills which would benefit every child later in life. The novelist is a professor of ...
Parents spend pounds 16,000 on state sector schooling; EDUCATION.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Parents now spend almost pounds 16,000 putting their child through school, a new study suggests. A "Schools Sums Index" compiled by the Norwich Union found the total bill for sending a child to state school between the ages of five to 16 has risen by more than pounds 1,500 in ...
'Weak teachers are too difficult to sack' EDUCATION.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Weak teachers can put children off learning and are too difficult to sack, the chief inspector of schools warned. Christine Gilbert, the head of the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), claimed pupils were being let down by inadequate teachers. She said ...
New guide to help children settle in; EDUCATION.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Secondary schools have been given a series of tips to help new pupils settle in. The suggestions, from the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT), are designed to ease the transition between primary and secondary school. The list includes giving pupils the ...
Politicians can't have it both ways - so push off; AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: SARAH EVANS Education minister, Andrew Adonis' remarks about pushy parents are timely. It is exactly the season when parents regroup and plan strategies for the year ahead. Now is the time to re-read the summer term's reports, set a few targets, give a medium ...
Brother of traitor Lord Haw Haw worked for Air Ministry; AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The brother of the most infamous Nazi propaganda broadcaster worked inside the UK Air Ministry in the run-up to the Second World War. Quentin Joyce, younger brother of William Joyce, who became known as Lord Haw Haw, was interned after it was discovered he was in contact with ...
How amateur diplomat tried to strike a deal with the Nazis; Previously secret files released under the Freedom of Information Act at the National Archives in Kew, south west London, reveal a new raft of wartime secrets including how a British amateur diplomat planned to give Germany rule over Europe and plans to use pigeons to trick the Nazis. AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: Liam Creedon reports An amateur diplomat tried to secure peace during the Second World War by offering Germany rule over Europe in exchange for British rule over the rest of the world. Old Etonian and fascist sympathiser James Lonsdale-Bryans, travelled to ...
False pigeon messages could have meant wild goose chase; AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... British Intelligence considered using carrier pigeons to help defeat the Germans during the Second World War, the newly released files reveal. The Secret Service planned to drop pigeons carrying misleading information behind enemy lines in France during the run-up to the D-Day ...
Self-confessed murderer who threw body from plane walked free; AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A former RAF private who boasted of throwing the dismembered body of his business partner from a plane, was dismissed from the Air Force after a medical examiner described him as a "very dangerous fellow". Stanley Setty's headless corpse was thrown from a light aircraft into ...
Quiet determination is the key to true success; AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: BRENDA BULLOCK The trouble with raising awareness of educational problems by doing television programmes about them is that, generally, the guinea pigs chosen to be taught by the resident expert tend to be chosen chiefly for their attributes that make "good television". ...
Don't let 2012 investment be mere window dressing; FROM THE BLOG AGENDA.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Beijing Olympics proved a golden Games for Britain with 19 gold medals, the best haul for a century. But while congratulating the winners, Rob Tanner put the spotlight on grass roots spot by asking, on August 25, Olympic glory is great but what about the rest of us? ...
Letter: Payment changes add to burden of citizens.(Letters)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: JOHN TYRRELL Dear Editor, The Post reports that Birmingham citizens will no longer be able to pay for their council services through a paying-in book. Coun Paul Tilsley says "society and the way transactions are made have changed." What's the ...
Letter: New Labour MPs haven't a clue how to govern.(Letters)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: DOUGLAS J WATHEN Dear Editor, New Labour Members of Parliament, as we all know to our cost, have formed the Central Government in Westminster since 1997. One of Tony Blair's electoral "war cries" was "education, education, education", and this apparently has ...
Letter: Common Sense - RIP.(Letters)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: TOM WAREING Dear Editor, A Mr Neville Hackett of Bideford, Devon, wrote the following: "Obituary - common sense. Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No-one knows for sure how old he was since his birth ...
Letter: Target funding where it counts.(Letters)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: R POUNTAIN Dear Editor, following the phenomenal success of the British team in the Beijing Olympics, it would be unthinkable not to provide our athletes with the best possible support in terms of training, finance, accommodation, transport and security to achieve even ...
Letter: Lord Mayor? Oh no he isn't.(Letters)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: MOLLIE MARTINEAU Dear Editor, I am surprised that your columnist Robin Fletcher on the letters page (Post, August 27) states that Boris Johnson is Lord Mayor of London. He is not. Mr Johnson is the ...
THE BIRMINGHAM POST: Why the truth hurts for the Labour Party.(Leaders)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Perhaps it says something about today's political world that telling the truth can be so damaging to a politician. In a candid interview, Chancellor Alistair Darling "let slip" what everyone already knows - the economy is in trouble and people are angry at the Government. ...
THE BIRMINGHAM POST: Ups and downs.(Leaders)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Two reports, two very different pictures of the West Midlands economy. On the one hand today, we have an organisation at the very heart of manufacturing, the EEF, saying the economic slowdown is hitting the region harder than almost anywhere else in the country. To ...
THE BIRMINGHAM POST: A polite word.(Leaders)
Sep 01, 2008 ... To coincide with the launch of a new uniform for its officers, Norfolk Police has issued a "modern" behaviour guide and appearance code for them. It contains such gems as being polite and courteous, dressing "appropriately" and not keeping their hands in their pockets. And for ...
EU would suffer over sanctions, says Russia; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The EU will suffer more than Russia if it chooses to impose sanctions over the South Ossetia crisis, Moscow's ambassador to the UK warned yesterday. Yuri Fedotov delivered the stark message after Gordon Brown threatened a "root and branch" review of relations with the Kremlin. ...
Floods spark wave of hijacking and looting; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Authorities took control of all private boats in the five flood-hit districts of Bihar state yesterday as desperate villagers hijacked rescue vessels and looted food and other essentials while flooding spread to new areas of northern India along the Nepal border, officials said. ...
27 dead in earthquake; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Chinese rescue teams carrying tents, quilts and sacks of rice rushed yesterday to reach survivors of an earthquake that killed at least 27 people, turned tens of thousands of homes into rubble and cracked reservoirs. The 6.1-magnitude quake struck Sichuan province on Saturday ...
Leader vows to stay on; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Thailand's prime minister called an emergency session of parliament yesterday after vowing not to resign, as pressure mounted with anti-government protesters occupying his headquarters for a sixth day. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej convened the session so both houses of ...
Culture: It's a long long road to success for Avenue; Music Avenue thought they'd reached the end of the road when they were booted out of X Factor. Andy Welch finds out why that wasn't the case.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: Andy Welch Whether you love or loathe X Factor, it's hard to escape the annual TV talent contest and its parade of cringeworthy auditions from delusional eccentrics, not to mention the occasional angelic voice. There are normally many memorable moments ...
Culture: Kennedy brings his quintet for Symphony Hall date; Music PETER BACON'S JAZZ DIARY.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Byline: PETER BACON It's great to have those brochures pop through the letterbox that tell you what you have to look forward to in the coming months. Now, in the calm before Arts Fest and the autumn storm of gigs that follow, is the time to peruse them, but those ...
Not-so-New Kids on the Block turn back the clock; CD REVIEWS.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... New Kids On The Block - The Block *** They're back! The boyband who spawned 100s more, release their first album in 14 years. On first listen, it's easy to feel slightly disappointed. Where's the Hanging Tough style songs? Faced with the realisation though that the ...
Quiz of the Day.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... 1. Which major store chain was founded in 1869 by a grocer who owned a dairy shop in Drury Lane, London? 2. Who was the first professional player to win a Wimbledon singles title? 3. What is the common name of the bird Gallinago gallinago, a word which also means to ...
Word Wizard.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Here is an unusual word with three definitions, only one of which is correct. Can you identify the right definition? DOBRO 1) A type of acoustic guitar particularly associated with country music; ...
DID YOU KNOW?(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Gaius Maecenas of Rome built the first heated swimming pool in the first century BC During the Middle Ages, people feared water because they thought it contained diseases The preserved remains of an alien proudly displayed by a US museum for 55 years has been ...
ON THIS DAY; dateline.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... 1931: Tory politician Cecil Parkinson, who resigned following a sex scandal, is 77 today 1939: Germany invaded Poland, starting World War II 1958: The first skirmish took place in the Cod War, when a British trawler was seized by Icelandic gun boats 1978: The ...
WEB LIFE.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... froggybank.co.uk is a generous new shopping portal that aims to reward consumers, charities and the environment in one fell swoop. Simply sign up with the site and then click through to the one of the 1,500-plus partner stores ...
Pick of the day; The Children 9pm ITV1.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Kevin Whately heads the cast as Cameron, a divorced father of a teenage boy who starts a new life with Sue. She has an ...
POST PEOPLE: Office Agents Society Summer Ball.(Features)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Summer may have been a bit of a hit and miss so far this year, but it was sunshine all the way for local property agents at their annual get together. More than 200 guests attended the Office Agents Society's Summer Ball, held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and put a ray ...