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Ryanair slashes UK flight schedule

Budget airline Ryanair announced plans Tuesday to slash its winter flights schedule from its main UK hub, blaming a collapse in the British tourism industry, rising airport costs and "insane" aviation taxes. The Irish carrier currently operates 40 aircraft out of Stansted Airport, near London, but it plans to cut capacity by 40 percent to 24 aircraft by October 2009. That will mean a 30 percent drop in the number of weekly flights and a loss of 2.5 million passengers between October and March 2010, Ryanair said in a statement

UK school group leaves swine flu quarantine in China

A group of British children and teachers quarantined for nearly a week in China because of swine flu fears were allowed to leave their hotel Tuesday, Britain’s Foreign Office said.

Britain downgrades terror threat level

Britain on Monday downgraded its international terror threat level from "severe" to "substantial." The notice was issued by The Joint Terrorism Analysis Center (JTAC), which operates independently of ministers. According to the British Home Office Web site, the change means that a terrorist threat remains a strong possibility and an attack might occur without further warning. JTAC assesses the threat from international terrorism by considering all relevant intelligence and information.

Watson proves golf is a game for old men …

Many saw the renaissance of American golfer Tom Watson at the recent British Open in Turnberry, as clear evidence that romance is alive and kicking in one of the world’s most ancient of games. Little over a month shy of his 60th birthday, the winner of eight career majors defied the odds and the skeptics, to not only lead the championship for much of the duration, but to obdurately defy his advancing years and effects of a hip-replacement to come within a whisker of winning the Claret Jug for a sixth time.

Tiger in trouble as Watson shares lead

Tiger Woods was heading out of the British Open as 59-year-old Tom Watson shared the joint lead after a dream finish to his second round at Turnberry. World number one Woods endured a nightmare back nine on the Ailsa Course and stood seven-over par as Watson drained a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th to join fellow American Steve Marino in the clubhouse on five under.

Football: Man United cancel Jakarta match

English Premier League champions Manchester United have cancelled the Jakarta leg of their 2009 pre-season tour of Asia as a result of the bomb attacks in the Indonesian capital.

Second person dies after Madonna stage collapse

A second person has died during construction for Madonna’s upcoming concerts in Marseilles, France, authorities said Friday.

Wife of ex British PM Tony Blair in swine flu mystery

The office of the wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair refused to comment Thursday on UK media reports that she has swine flu. A spokeswoman for Cherie Blair told CNN: “This is a private matter and we will not be making a comment.” Blair was reported to have contracted the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, on Tuesday, according to the British Press Association and various media reports.

U.S.-Iran Relations: Is Diplomacy in Closer Reach?

Since the earliest days of his Administration, President Barack Obama has sought to engage Iran’s leaders in the search for diplomatic solutions to the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program and other points of conflict. But in the days since protests exploded in the streets following the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, many U.S

Brown defends Afghanistan strategy in face of British losses

Britain’s prime minister on Saturday grieved over the losses of 15 British troops over 10 days in Afghanistan, but underscored that preventing terror from reaching the UK streets was the top goal. “The last 10 days have been extraordinarily difficult