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• Tide turns for English pier as cash-strapped Britons stay home

  - 2008-07-28

  BRIGHTON, England AFP — With colourful arcades, dizzing rides and rich-smelling food stalls, the English pier has long been a key part of a British seaside holiday -- but this summer could be its busiest for years. Piers like those in Weston-Super-Mare -- which largely burnt down Monday --...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, England, HARDWARE, Manufacturing, NETWORKING, pier, resort, Semiconductors

• Whey to go: British cheese rollers defy weather

  - 2008-05-26

  GLOUCESTER, England AFP — Fearless thrill-seekers on Monday flipped, slipped, somersaulted and tumbled down a suicidally steep slope in western England to try to catch a giant runaway circle of cheese. The cheese rolling event at Coopers Hill is one of Britain's more unusual annual events and is not...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, cheese, England

• Parliament or bust for Miss Great Britain

  - 2008-05-05

  LONDON AFP — Miss Great Britain vowed to "put the beauty back into politics" Monday as she launched a bid to get elected to parliament that could get Prime Minister Gordon Brown sweating. Gemma Garrett, 26, is standing for the newly-formed Beauties for Britain party. And the busty Belfast...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, England, FINANCE, London, Miss, Taxes

• Princes Charles, William welcome back Harry after Afghan tour

  - 2008-03-01

  RAF BRIZE NORTON, England, March 1, 2008 AFP — Prince Harry returned to Britain from Afghanistan Saturday after a 10-week tour fighting the Taliban, and was reunited with his father Prince Charles and elder brother William. An unmarked military plane carrying the 23-year-old touched down at Royal Air Force...

  Tags: Afghanistan, Agence France-Presse, Britain, England, ministry, SECURITY

• Anglican leader hits back in Sharia law row

  - 2008-02-09

  LONDON AFP — The leader of the world's Anglicans, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, has hit back at his critics amid a furore about his comments on Islamic law that have led to calls for him to quit. The Church of England's highest-ranking cleric has drawn heavy criticism since...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, Church, England, leader, Leadership, lecture, MARKETING

• British-Indian women aborting girls: BBC documentary

  - 2007-12-03

  LONDON AFP — Pressure to have sons is prompting some Indian-born women to return from Britain to India to abort unwanted unborn daughters, according to a BBC investigation to be broadcast Monday. BBC Asian Network radio, which is aimed at British Asians, said "selective sex abortion" is still widespread...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, British Broadcasting Corp., England, India, women

• Elvis Costello turns his back on Britain

  - 2007-11-08

  LONDON AFP — British songwriter Elvis Costello launched a vitriolic attack on his homeland in comments published Thursday, declaring: "I don't care if I ever play England again". Costello, who lives in New York and is known for edgy 1980s New Wave hits including "Oliver's Army", said that one...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, England, SECURITY

• Death of Samaritans' founder draws tributes

  - 2007-11-08

  LONDON AFP — Tributes flowed in, led by the Prince of Wales and the world's most senior Anglican, for Reverend Chad Varah, founder of the Samaritans suicide prevention charity, who died on Thursday. Varah died in hospital in Basingstoke, southern England, aged 95, a spokesman for the charity he...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, England, founder, HEALTHCARE, Ireland

• Flood fears recede in eastern England but warnings in place across Europe

  - 2007-11-08

  LONDON AFP — The threat of serious flooding along England's east coast receded Friday after officials said the main tidal peak had passed, although storms were still causing problems elsewhere in Europe. "The risk of flooding has diminished and the outlook is for tide levels to fall," said a...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Belgium, Britain, England, environment, Government, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden

• All conkering: England in second cracking win over French

  - 2007-10-15

  LONDON AFP — After beating the French on their home turf at rugby union, England is celebrating another cracking victory over its Gallic neighbours: smashing them in the final of the World conker championships. Britain's tabloid press, rarely known for its francophilia, highlighted the weekend victory of train-driver Ady...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Britain, England, France, Games, PRODUCTIVITY