City News

Anti-capitalist activists have occupied an empty office block in London owned by Swiss banking giant UBS, their third protest site in the British capital, the movement said on Friday. More >

The contract to build the new bus for London Transport was awarded to Ballymena company Wrightbus in January last year.

Twenty five engineers and a production team of 40 are employed on the project.

An initial order was placed for eight prototype buses, with the company hoping many more will follow.

Global equality campaigners are staying at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London after their camp site prompted the closure of Christopher Wren’s 17th century masterpiece because of safety fears. More >

A British couple have died in Spain after being swept away in a flash flood, a government official has said.

The pair, believed to be in their 70s, were hit by a torrent of water at a street market in the town of Finestrat on the Costa Blanca, said Interior Ministry official Jose Perez Grau. More >

A Brazilian director, an international cast and three made-in-Britain Hollywood stars — the London Film Festival opened Wednesday with “360,” a tale of intertwined romances on several continents.

It was a fittingly globe-circling beginning to a cinema showcase that includes more than 300 features and shorts from 55 countries.

“It is very international, and therefore it feels entirely apt,” said festival artistic director Sandra Hebron.

The Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGXL.SI) is tying up with London’s main bourse to make a joint bid for the London Metal Exchange, a source told Reuters on Friday, as the world’s largest metal market seeks a suitor in a deal that could be worth 1 billion pounds ($1.57 billion).

The consortium has appointed a bank to advise it on the bid, said the source, who had direct knowledge of the deal, with the auction expected to attract rival offers.

A father whose five children died in a house fire with their mum screamed, “My wife, my wife!” as he tried to get back into the blazing home.

Bassan Kua, 51, and his daughter Nur, 16, managed to escape the ­inferno but his wife Muna, 41, and their five other children, aged two to 14, were killed.

Police said they believed the fire, which broke out at the four-bedroom semi at about 1am ­yesterday, was caused by an electrical fault in a fridge in the hallway.

The Guardian newspaper says London police are demanding it reveal its sources for the story that reignited Britain’s phone-hacking scandal.

The paper says police are seeking an order forcing it to unveil sources behind stories that exposed how the now-defunct tabloid News of the World hacked the phone of missing schoolgirl, Milly Dowler. The girl was later found murdered.

Police arrested a 30-year-old man on Friday in connection with the probe into phone hacking at the now-defunct Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid the News of the World.

The suspect was questioned on suspicions of phone hacking and perverting the course of justice after he reported to a London police station.

Police did not identify the man, who is the 15th suspect detained on suspicion of phone hacking.

Plans by the English Defence League (EDL) to march through five London boroughs have been blocked by Home Secretary Theresa May.

The EDL wanted to demonstrate in Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington and Hackney on 3 September.

The Metropolitan (Met) Police feared there could be violence and disorder if the marches went ahead.

Mrs May said such rallies would be banned for 30 days to reflect the need to protect “communities and property”.