POLICE had to escort Catholic children from a primary school at the heart of the latest upsurge in Northern Ireland's sectarian violence yesterday, as bombs and gunfire returned to the streets of Belfast. Long summer of Ulster violence feared >Daily Telegraph: Blair and Ulster riots  Ancram emerges as 'stop Portillo' choice THE battle for the Conservative leadership was thrown wide open last night after Michael Ancram, the former party chairman, emerged as the strongest "stop Portillo" candidate. We need the courage to change, says Portillo Ancram offers healing hands to Tories I am a socialist, says marchioness Electoral system invites MPs to vote tactically >Alice Thomson: Who should lead the Tory party? All of them, of course >Daily Telegraph: Question time  Railtrack head's £1m pay-off angers unions GERALD CORBETT, chief executive of Railtrack at the time of the Paddington and Hatfield crashes, received a pay-off of more than £1 million when he left the company last November, it emerged yesterday.  Cocaine traces found in Ascot Royal Enclosure ROYAL Ascot, one of the highlights of the English sporting calendar, was rocked by claims yesterday that racegoers had used cocaine at four locations on the course, including the Royal Enclosure. Ascot's ladies have a flutter in feathers  Brown's caution on euro is party line, says Blair TONY BLAIR gave his backing yesterday to Gordon Brown's decision to rule out an early referendum on joining the European single currency. Miliband appointed to join EU 'wise men'  Smoking drinkers '50 times more at risk from cancer' PEOPLE who drink more than a bottle of wine a day as well as smoking more than 20 cigarettes increase their risk of getting throat cancers by more than 50 times, specialists said yesterday.  Dando suspect 'told lie after lie to police' THE man accused of murdering Jill Dando "told lie after lie" when interviewed by police after his arrest, an Old Bailey jury was told yesterday.  Union anger over drive to specialist schools LABOUR announced the creation of a new wave of specialist schools yesterday, leading to accusations from teacher unions that it was creating a two-tier system of secondary education. Internet for Schools  Union votes to review Labour cash THE country's biggest trade union decided yesterday to review its £1.3 million-a-year contribution to the Labour Party because of growing opposition to plans to extend the private sector's role in public services.  Judge saves life of movie pig Grunty A CELEBRITY pig has been saved from a foot and mouth cull by a High Court judge. Cancer toxins are found in hen eggs Foot and mouth factfile  Freud designs poster to save his Bacon IT is a happy marriage of conceptual and figurative art. They would even have got the point in the Wild West. Artist 'mourns' missing work in photographs  10,000 mark solstice at Stonehenge MORE than 10,000 assorted druids, spiritualists and New Age travellers gathered at Stonehenge yesterday to witness the summer solstice.  Families unveil memorial to deserters RELATIVES of soldiers executed for desertion during the First World War renewed calls for the Government to pardon the men yesterday as they gathered for the unveiling of the Shot at Dawn memorial.  30p increase in minimum wage 'insults the young' THE Government was accused yesterday of insulting the young when it announced that the legal minimum wage for 140,000 workers aged between 18 and 22 will rise by 30p an hour to £3.50 in October.  Smuggled migrant's lips sealed with glue A TEENAGE illegal immigrant has been found with his lips glued together to prevent him from informing on his smugglers.  Doctor dies of cancer missed by eight smears A DOCTOR who was treated for two years for a "hormone imbalance" has died of cervical cancer which went undetected despite eight smears.  Cheap drinks to lure tramps off the streets TRAMPS and alcoholics are being offered cheap drink in a controversial scheme to lure them off the streets, it was disclosed yesterday.  Royal air and rail costs cut by 69pc THE Royal Family's travel costs have been cut by more than two-thirds, after responsibility for organising their air and rail journeys passed from the government to the Royal Household three years ago.  Police promotions for two involved in fatal shooting TWO police inspectors have been promoted less than a month after charges against them were dropped over their role in the fatal shooting of an unarmed, naked suspect in his bedroom.  Accident verdict on Balaclava Boy A YOUNG offender whose repeated criminal exploits earned him the nickname Balaclava Boy died accidentally while in police custody, an inquest jury has decided.  Puzzle inventor sells £1m home to Chanel model THE inventor of a £1 million prize puzzle has sold his 67-room mansion to a Chanel model and her husband after his brainteaser was solved sooner than expected.  Oxford's ideas create 30 millionaire dons OXFORD has been named as Britain's most innovative university after creating 30 millionaires, 4,000 jobs and 35 companies with a value of around £2 billion in the past decade or so.  Funfair ride student dies A STUDENT died in hospital yesterday after a crash on a theme park roller coaster.  Neighbour hid woman's body in wardrobe A MAN killed his 78-year-old neighbour and hid the body in his flat, a court was told yesterday.  Toddlers hit by E.coli outbreaks FOUR children were in hospital last night after two outbreaks of E.coli poisoning in Suffolk hit 12 youngsters.  Reconciliation rises from bomb church ruins THE rebuilding of St Ethelburga's church, one of the last fragments of the medieval City of London, begins today, more than eight years after it was destroyed by an IRA bomb.  Painting wrapped in rug was a £.25m Poussin A PAINTING taken to Christie's wrapped in a rug in the back of a van has been identified as a previously unknown work by Nicolas Poussin worth up to £250,000.  You'd better sit down - I've won £11m on lottery DEREK WILSON thought somebody had died when he arrived home to find his wife sitting, ashen-faced, hand-in-hand with her sister.  Rogue vulture who hitched a lift for trip to the seaside A TEAM of handlers yesterday began the task of trying to recapture a rogue African vulture with an 8ft wingspan which has taken up residence in a sleepy seaside village.  Sparrow's cigarette butt nest started fire A COMMON sparrow that feathered its nest with discarded cigarette ends is being blamed for a house fire that caused thousands of pounds of damage.  Curse of the profane parrot A FOUL-MOUTHED Royal Navy parrot was locked up when a defence chief visited a warship because officers feared its language would offend him.  Yesterday in Parliament Counties may be forced to open tourist footpaths Labour urged to drop spin and help teachers Discarded whip attacks NHS Frank Johnson: Parliamentary Sketch  News in brief Royal aide who killed complains about press Death crash mother escapes jail Briefcase sentence excessive Prince enjoys quiet 19th Cure for impotence launched £62,000 for Hendrix's guitar Catherine Zeta Jones mourns grandmother  Law reports LAW reports from Westlaw UK, Sweet & Maxwell's internet service for lawyers. Reports are upated each Tuesday and are available for one week only.
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