Legal aid is being slashed "at random" by the Ministry of Justice, leaving a system where the wrongly accused can be represented by a "pig in a poke" desperate for clients to plead guilty, a leading human rights barrister has said.

Writing for the...

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has claimed that "spies" at one of the UK's intelligence agencies openly discussed his predicament over instant messenger, with one suggesting allegations against him were a "fit-up".

The revelations, sure to embarrass authorities at GCHQ, were revealed by Assange on...

Politicians are scared of fixing education, says Professor Sugata Mitra. When things go wrong, they think it can be fixed by doing things like "in the good old days", rote-learning dates and grammar.

"It's like trying to solve the traffic problem in London, there's...

Israeli soldiers have clashed with strictly Orthodox Jews demonstrating in Jerusalem against a new plan to compel them to join the Israeli army.

The protest on Thursday turned violent with water cannons fired on the protesters who threw rocks and glass bottles in response.

The Jerusalem...

David Beckham has announced his retirement from football.

The former England captain, currently at Paris Saint Germain, will retire at the end of the season despite being offered an extension to his contract with the club.

"I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the...

Dilemmas over wearing the hijab, pressures to marry, abuse from BNP family members and trans-sexuality are just some of the experiences of female Muslim converts in Britain explored in a groundbreaking new study.

Women interviewed for the project co-ordinated by Cambridge University and

He has at times struggle to exert influence even within his own party, but Ed Miliband can take heart he is the 20th most influential Jew in the world - but still behind 'Girls' creator Lena Durnham.

Miliband has often described himself as an atheist, telling the BBC...

Disgraced Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who admitted that his sexual conduct had "fallen beneath the standards" expected of him, "will be leaving Scotland for several months for the purpose of spiritual renewal, prayer and penance", the Vatican said.

His future will be decided by senior colleagues at the Vatican,...

The government is refusing to back plans for couples to be able to hold "non-religious" wedding ceremonies, despite previously pledging support, according to the British Humanist Association.

Outdoor ceremonies in parks and beaches could become an option for non-religious British couples, who otherwise must register with civic officials.

Currently,...

It has all the hallmarks of a Cold War thriller, an all-American spy, complete with blonde wig, wads of cash, chiselled cheekbones and files of information for a potential Russian turncoat.

Apart from the obvious anachronism that the alleged "spy" was handing out his email address to contacts, it could...

David Cameron has visited the Boston Marathon bombings memorial, stopping to glance at the t-shirts, bunting, running shoes, flags and tributes left to the three who died in April explosions.

The Prime Minister walked around the site on Boylston Street, accompanied by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, early on Tuesday morning.

Bangladeshi rescue workers have said no more victims of the deadly factory collapse remain buried under the rubble, and have called off their search, as companies and the country's government pledged to do more to prevent further tragedy.

After 20 days of constant searching of the ruins of Rana Plaza...

David Cameron's dramatic decision to play his last hand with a bill promising a EU referendum in 2017 appears to have done little to quell disturbance in the Tory ranks, as rebel Tories reiterated plans to push ahead with a vote on...

Prison reform campaigners have called for urgent action at Britain's news private jail, which has been put into "lock-down" in response to the violent gang warfare behind its bars.

In an inspection report, Serco-run Thameside prison in London was found to keep some prisoners in their cells 23 hours a...

They may not quite be clad in black leather, astride a motorbike, but when it comes to MPs, the British public love a rebel.

Even the most rogue MPs vote roughly 90% of the time along their party lines - but phrase it differently to voters and there's...

Right-to-die campaigners, spurred by fight of locked-in syndrome sufferer Tony Nicklinson, are to bring the issue yet again to the courts, as his widow vows to continue the battle "as part of Tony's legacy.

Mr Nicklinson died aged 58, a week after losing his High Court...

Kim Jong Un has sacked his hardline chief of defence, replacing him with an unknown army general, another purge in the young North Korean leader's inner circle as he makes firm his intent to stamp his own mark on government.

The continued cabinet job-swapping, and the...

For the world’s last remaining Nazi hunters, the next few years could be very busy indeed. After a thirty-year career, Dr Efraim Zuroff should be thinking about his pension plan and golf club membership, but he’s gearing up for some of the busiest years in his...

"Where they burn books, eventually they will burn people."

Today marks 80 years since the mass burnings of books written by Jewish, communist and pacifist authors across university towns in Germany.

Heinrich Heine could have written those words to describe the Nazi ascent to power. In...

Stephen Hawking has been subject to vile abuse targeting his disability after it was announced he is planning to boycott a conference in Israel, hosted by the country's president Shimon Peres.

The move has outraged organisers of the conference and Israeli academics, but delighted Palestinian human rights campaigners.