We need more troops, equipment and helicopters

Britain’s most senior general went public today with a plea for more troops, equipment and helicopters to fight the war in Afghanistan.In a revelation that will deeply embarrass Treasury ministers, General Sir Richard Dannatt said he was having to borrow a Black Hawk helicopter from US forces because there were not enough British machines.Making his final tour of the battlefields before standing down as Chief of the General Staff, he said: “Self evidently, if I move in an American helicopter it is because I have not got a British helicopter.”He said that the Army needed more “boots on the ground” to secure areas and win the confidence of the Afghan population.

Tony Blair wants to be Europe’s first president

Europe minister Glenys Kinnock today reinforced speculation that Tony Blair wants to be Europe’s first president.She said the entire Government fully supported Mr Blair’s “candidature” although the former prime minister has refused to confirm that he is bidding for the post.There is no official list of contenders for a new Euro-job which will only exist if the Lisbon treaty is fully approved and ratified by all EU countries.But Mrs Kinnock, visiting the European Parliament in Strasbourg, made clear the Government would be pushing him as the man to run Europe for up to five years under new treaty arrangements.

Cycle hire plan rejected by councils

The Mayor wants to introduce 6,000 bikes on to the streets of London by May next year in a move modelled on the Vélib scheme in Paris.Londoners are expected to make 40,000 cycle journeys every day as a result of the scheme, which will see 400 “docking stations” in Zone 1.But Westminster is dragging its heels amid claims it will lose £420,000 in car parking money, while Camden would lose £126,500.Mr Johnson has refused to offer the councils compensation but Transport for London will pay for the installation of the bicycle stations.

London backpacker found alive

Jamie Neale, 19, from Muswell Hill, who had been given up for dead, is being treated for exposure and dehydration.The gap-year student said his father Richard Cass “had a go at him” during a tearful reunion in hospital.An overjoyed but exasperated Mr Cass, a supply teacher, said: “I can’t say I’d kill him because it would just spoil the point of him being back. But I’m going to kick his arse.”Mr Cass paid tribute to the hundreds of searchers who had looked for Jamie, adding: “All because he’s the only teenager in the world who goes out without his mobile phone.” In a call to his mother, Jamie told her: “The only thing that kept me going was the thought of seeing you again.”

Paramedic charged with murdering baby son

The 40-year-old man, from Erith, south east London, was due to appear at Bexley Magistrates’ Court.Scotland Yard, who did not release the man’s name, said he was also charged with grievous bodily harm over attacks on the baby girl.The 40-year-old was arrested after the three-month-old boy was taken to a south London hospital with a serious head injury on October 24 last year.The infant, from Bexley, south east London, died the next day at King’s College Hospital.Police inquiries found that the baby’s twin sister was recovering from injuries believed to be the result of physical abuse.

BA is set to slash business class

The news came as the airline admitted it is looking to tap the City for new funds, likely to be hundreds of millions of pounds, as it further conceded its pension-scheme deficits are running out of control.Chief executive Willie Walsh, who has continually told staff and shareholders that the flag carrier is in a “fight for survival”, admitted today at the company’s annual meeting in London that the aviation industry recession is likely to last until 2012, and that many of its lost business-class passengers will never return.At a briefing after the meeting, Walsh said the airline, which has been losing more than £3 million a day, is implementing plans to cut one in four business-class seats on some its long-haul services, traditionally the cash cow of the airline.

Faulkner’s debut album, topped the British charts

The gritty ballad I’m Not Giving Up Yet, the epic If This Is It and the jaunty Badman eclipsed fey favourites Dream Catch Me and U.F.O, while his traditional cover version, Massive Attack’s Teardrop, was likewise trumped by a ramshackle tilt at Blackstreet’s No Diggity.Alone but for a succession of guitars, his effects pedals, what he claimed was a “foot piano” and, accompanying him on Won’t Let Go, a string section he’d recorded onto a cassette, Faulkner was more than a glorified busker.

Andrew Flintoff to prove fitness

Before practice, Flintoff was “hopeful” he would be able to take his place in the England XI but Flower said he would not bowl until tomorrow and would only bat and have a light fielding session today.“He saw a specialist yesterday, who was very positive about the knee,” said Flower. “He thinks he might be able to play in this Test.“He will not bowl until tomorrow and after that, we will see how the knee is. We cannot say for certain whether he will be fit.“We would like an answer on his availability sooner than the first morning of the Test, for the good of the team, but we would not consider playing him solely as a batsman.”

Thousands of Jackson fans gathered at the 02

The venue was turned into a shrine as people paid tribute to their idol by singing his songs and celebrating his life.Ellie Howlett, 24, a student from Portsmouth, who made the trip with her sister, said the event was a chance for a “final goodbye” and in contrast to the sombre memorial service in Los Angeles last week.She said: “I had tickets to see the concert this week and I had to come down just to be with other fans. It’s a way of getting closure.

News stories we will focus on…!

On our blog “London Daily News ” we will post news stories that mean most to Londoners.Business coverage will now focus on the City of London, whilst sport’s stories will be dominated by inside news from London’s major sporting teams and events.Travel/Flights news coverage will focus on British airlines & London airports.