Other UK News In Brief

Balls Seeks Leadership

A former Cabinet minister Ed Balls is hoping to succeed Gordon Brown as Labour leader. Formerly a close ally of Mr Brown and former Schools Secretary he is expected to announce his candidacy on a visit to the East Midlands. It is already known that brothers David and Ed Miliband are also standing for the leadership of the party.

Service Families Recognised

The families of men killed in conflicts since WWII - including Korea, the Falklands and Afghanistan - have been honoured in Wales. The relatives of the 18 servicemen who all died while on duty got the Queen's medal at a commemorative ceremony. The Elizabeth Cross was instigated in July last year, to acknowledge the loss suffered by families. The ceremony was held at City Hall in Cardiff and included four Lord Lieutenants and Cardiff's Lord Mayor as well as the head of the Army in Wales.

Infant Measles Protection Queried

Young infants appear to have a 'gap' in their protection against measles, from around two to three months old until they are vaccinated at 12 months of age, finds new research published on bmj.com. This is because the level of antibodies infants get from their mother drops over time, leaving them susceptible until they are vaccinated. These findings underline the importance of measles vaccination at around 12 months of age and support ongoing research into earlier vaccination.

Maze Project Costs Over £12M

Close to £12.5m has been spent on redeveloping the site of a former internment camp and prison, it has emerged. Since final closure of HMP The Maze, a planned development corporation was supposed to consider options regarding the future of the Co Antrim site, but that hasn't happened even though it was decided not to build a multi-sports stadium there. Many unionists remain unhappy formal 'listing' of the Maze structures, suggesting that the site may become a shrine to the republican hunger strikers that died in the jail in 1981. Republicans, however, have argued that the jail represents an important part of Irish history and suggested that the site become a conflict transformation centre.

(BMcC/GK)