Morning news headlines for October 26, 2012

Oct 26 2012 By Cheryl Mullin

Eleven sentenced for abusing patients

ELEVEN members of staff caught on camera abusing patients at a scandal-hit private hospital will be sentenced today.

The staff – nine support workers and two nurses – will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.

Two support workers, Wayne Rogers, 32, and Alison Dove, 25, have accepted they will be jailed while barristers representing many of the other defendants asked for the “inevitable” prison sentences to be suspended.

‘Housing revolution’ proposed

THE UK needs a threefold increase in the number of new homes to help end the “blight” of poor housing, a report has concluded.

The study by the Future Homes Commission, a body instigated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba), called for 300,000 extra homes to be built every year on brownfield land and sections close to virtually every city, town and village in a “housing revolution”.

The proposals would not cost “an extra penny” of Government spending or debt providing “the dysfunctional way we build homes is radically overhauled”, while creating tens of thousands of new jobs and encouraging investment, the report said.

Admiralty Arch to be luxury hotel

HISTORIC landmark Admiralty Arch is to be turned into a luxury hotel after the government agreed to lease it out for £60 million.

The ceremonial gateway between The Mall and Trafalgar Square, which was built as a memorial to Queen Victoria, has been leased for 99 years to development company Prime Investors Capital (PIC).

It wants to transform the building into a five star 100-bedroom hotel complete with royal and presidential suites, a ballroom, spa and fine dining restaurant.

Shot Malala’s family ‘arrive in UK’

RELATIVES of teenager Malala Yousufzai, who was shot and wounded by a Taliban gunman, are reported to have arrived in the UK to be with her as she recovers.

Ziauddin Yousufzai, her father, is believed to be among those who have arrived in Birmingham, where the 15-year-old is being treated for wounds received in the October 9 shooting.

He had previously told Pakistani state television she will return to the country after she recovers in Britain.

Teachers don’t inspire pupils: Laws

TEACHERS have been blamed by a government minister for holding back children, leaving them with “depressingly low expectations” of what they could expect to achieve in life.

Liberal Democrat Education Minister David Laws said too many children were led to believe that top exam grades, places at elite universities and professional careers were beyond them.

Instead of being encouraged to “reach for the stars”, he said that even in relatively affluent areas, many young people saw a job with one of the big local employers in their town as the limit of their ambition.