Articles written by Patrick Hinton
Showing 80 Articles
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Peter Moore is Released by Kidnappers
Peter Moore, a British hostage held in Iraq, has been released. He is the sole survivor of a group of five men who were kidnapped in May 2007.
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Biography of Lord Peter Mandelson
Lord Mandelson is the Secretary of State for Business and is also the Lord President of the Council. This is a biography.
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A Biography of Bob Ainsworth
Bob Ainsworth is the British Secretary of State for Defence and is the Member of Parliament for Coventry North East.
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MoD to Cut Jobs to Fund War in Afghanistan
Bob Ainsworth, the defence secretary is to announce job cuts and at least one military base closure in an effort to save £1.5 billion.
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A Guide to the British Cabinet
In the UK, the Cabinet is the principle decision-making body of the government. It is comprised of the Prime Minister and 22 other Cabinet Ministers.
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December 2009 Britsh Pre-Budget Report
Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced the final Pre-Budget Report before next year's general election. What did it contain?
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Biography of Alistair Darling
Alistair Darling is the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, a position he has held since 2007. He is also the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West.
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A Biography of David Miliband
David Miliband is the British Foreign Secretary. He is also the Member of Parliament for South Shields. This is a short profile.
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Forces Chiefs Warn Obama Over Troop Withdrawal
Following Barack Obama's announcement of a withdrawal date for US forces in Afghanistan, British military chiefs stated that forces should remain for another five years.
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Biography of Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond is the leader of the Scottish National Party, and is the First Minister of Scotland. He is also the Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan.
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Extradition of Gary McKinnon to Go Ahead
Gary McKinnon, the man accused of hacking into US government computers in 2001 and 2002, is to be extradited to the US in order to be tried.
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A Biography of Baroness Catherine Ashton
On Nov. 19, 2009, Catherine Ashton was named as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU. This is a profile.
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A Biography of Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg is the leader of the Liberal Democrat political party and is the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam.
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A Biography of Nick Griffin
Nick Griffin is the leader of the politically far-right British National Party and a very controversial figure in British politics.
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State Opening of the British Parliament
The British head of state formally opens each session of parliament in a ceremony which dates back centuries.
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Miliband: Afghanistan is "Not a War Without End"
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has revealed Britain's plans regarding the war in Afghanistan in a speech to NATO in Scotland.
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Is Voting Behaviour Determined by Social Class?
In Britain, the Labour Party used to be seen as the party of the working class, with the Conservative Party representing the Middle and Upper Classes. Are they still?
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Democratic Deficit in the EU
It is argued that the EU does not properly fulfil the expectations of a democratic entity. The newly ratified Treaty of Lisbon helps to rectify this problem.
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Row Over Misspelling of Dead Soldier's Name
Gordon Brown has been accused of disrespect after spelling the name of a soldier who died in Afghanistan incorrectly, in a letter of condolence to his family.
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Repatriation of Troops Shot by Afghan Policeman
The bodies of six soldiers have been repatriated, five of whom were shot by an Afghan policeman. The coffins were flown into the UK, with the body of Sgt Phillip Scott.
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Reasons for the War in Afghanistan
With allied troop deaths on the rise, reports of corrupt elections and the news that British commanders are rethinking their strategy, what are the reasons for the war?
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British Army to Retreat in Afghanistan
Following the results of a new poll showing public backing for the war in Afghanistan is falling, the British Army's commanders want to abandon a number of outlying bases
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BA Announces Huge Losses, and Job Cuts
British Airways, having reported losses of over £290 million, has stated that it plans to cut a further 1,200 jobs.
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Royal Mail Strikes Called Off
Postal union leaders have agreed to call off any postal strikes until the New Year, in order to allow negotiations with Royal Mail to take place.
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Conservative Party's New EU Pledge (2009)
David Cameron has promised that no British powers would be handed over to the EU without a referendum. The announcement comes following criticism of his EU policies.
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MP's Expenses Scandal
The releasing of British MPs expense reports caused outrage amongst the general public and led to resignations and an official investigation by Sir Thomas Legg.
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Jade Goody has Died
Jade Goody, who shot to fame on the TV show Big Brother, has died at the age of 27 after a battle with cervical cancer.
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Plan For Minimum Alcohol Price in UK
The government's top medical advisor, Sir Liam Donaldson, has suggested a minimum price for alcohol in the UK.
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Soldiers Shot Dead in Northern Ireland
On 7 March 2009, two British soldiers were shot dead in Northern Ireland, at an army base in Country Antrim. The RIRA gorup have claimed responsibility.
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Bank of England Cuts Interest Rates to 0.5%
The Bank of England cut interest rates on 5 March 2009 to 0.5%, down from 1%. Plans were also unveiled to buy £75bn worth of assets to help revive the economy.
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A Biography of David Cameron
David Cameron is the current leader of the British Conservative Party and has been since 2005. Here is a biography of the British MP.
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Issues for Northern Rock
Northern Rock was nationalized in September 2008 after problems on the credit markets. Now, the bank has posted losses of over £1 billion for 2008.
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House Prices in UK Drop 15%
The Land Registry has announced a decrease of 15.1% in house prices compared to a year ago. This is the 17th consecutive month of price drops on the UK housing market.
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A Biography of Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson, a conservative politician, became the Mayor of London in May 2008. He was also editor of The Spectator, a comment and current affairs magazine.
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A Guide to Wales
Wales is one of the countries that make up the United Kingdom. It borders with England to the East. The capital city of Wales is Cardiff.
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A Profile of Scotland
Scotland is one of the countries that forms the United Kingdom. It borders with England to the South. The capital city of Scotland is Edinburgh.
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A Profile of England
England is one of the countries that form the United Kingdom, sharing borders with Wales and Scotland. The capital city of England is London.
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Biography of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was a British politician and is best known for being the Prime Minister of Britain during World War Two.
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The Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament created in 1999, is comprised of 129 elected members and has power to pass legislation on certain matters and issues in Scotland.
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Biography of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to be either the Prime Minister of the UK, or lead the Conservative Party. She was the British Prime Minister for 11 years.
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Tour de France
Each year, riders from around the world compete over a 3500 km course around France, in just 3 weeks. They get only 2 rest days in the entire period.
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Guide to Track Cycling
Track cycling is a bike racing sport held on banked tracks called velodromes, on specially designed bikes known as track bikes. It is an Olympic event.
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The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are a group of classical buildings, outlined by a list written by Philo in 225 BC. Only one of the seven remains standing today
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A Biography of Tony Blair
Tony Blair was one of Britain's most famous leaders. He came to power in 1997 and won three consecutive general elections. He stepped down in June 2007.
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Did Douglas Haig Fail in World War One?
Field Marshall Douglas Haig is often seen to be the reason for the BEF's failings during WW1. But is he actually to blame, or are there other factors?
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A Guide to the European Union
The EU was formally created in 1992 through the Maastricht Treaty. It is a economic and military coaltion of nations on the European continent.
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The Special Forces
Around the world, groups of highly trained, anonymous soldiers train for years to carry out dangerous missions that others are not deemed able to do. But who are they?
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Ministry of Defence Faces Nuclear Bomb Claim
Nearly 1000 military veterans are seeking compensation from the MoD after being exposed to dangerous amounts of radiation in the 1950's during nuclear testing.
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The Iraq War
On 20 March 2003, a coalition force containing over 300,000 soldiers invaded the Middle Eastern country of Iraq searching for weapons of mass destruction.
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A Guide to the Hudson Plane Crash
On 15 January 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 was forced to crash land in the Hudson River just after take off. This is a guide to the incident.
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The Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is one of the two main political party in the United Kingdom along with the Conservative Party. Here is a profile of the party.
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A Biography of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States and he was the first Catholic president. His first term was suddenly cut short by his assassination in 1963.
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A Guide to The West Wing
The Serial Drama "The West Wing" ran for 7 seasons from 1999 and won a total of 26 Emmy awards. It was written and created by acclaimed Hollywood writer Aaron Sorkin.
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London 2012 Summer Olympic Games
On 6 July 2005, London, the capital of the UK, won the right to host the Olympic Games in 2012. But what does this mean for the city and the UK?
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The Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty
The issue of capital punishment in the United States has caused controversy around the world for a long time. But what are the two arguments on the death penalty?
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Third Runway at Heathrow
There is much debate at the moment over whether a third runway at Heathrow Airport is a good idea or not. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of the plan?
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The Manhattan Project
In 1945, America dropped two atomic bombs on Japan killing as many as 220,000 people. But how did the US come to have such destructive weapons before anyone else?
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Responses to the Global Financial Crisis
In September 2008, the financial world fell in chaos. Banks were closed and businesses lost billions on the stock markets. But how did the world react to the downturn?
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A Biography of Rahm Emanuel
On November 6 2008, Rahm Emanuel accepted an offer to be Barack Obama's Chief of Staff. He will start his new role of 20 January 2009. But who is Rahm Emanuel?
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A Profile of the Special Air Service
The Special Air Service is a regiment within the British Army, which has served as a model for the special forces of other nations. Roles include counter-terrorism.
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Israel-Gaza Conflict 2008-09
On 27 December 2008, Israeli airbourne forces entered Gaza airspace. The offensive to date has killed nearly 1000 people and injured more than 3000 others.
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A Guide to the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
The RIRA is a designated terrorist group in both the US and the UK. It was responsible for the single biggest bomb attack of the troubles in Ireland.
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The Akosombo Dam
The Akosombo Dam in Ghana was built during the 1960's to provide power to the poor nation of Ghana. This is a short profile.
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A Biography of Barack Obama
Barack Obama was elected to be the next President of the United States on November 4 2008. But who is Barack Obama?
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A Biography of Charles Ponzi and his Scheme
Charles Ponzi has been made famous due to Bernard Madoff's similiar investment scam, but who was he and how did he come up with such an idea?
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A Biography of Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown has been the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since June 2007, having come to power after Tony Blair stood down as leader of the Labour Party.
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Global Recession in the Late 2000s
In 2008, a number of factors led to an economic recession in many countries all over the world including the US, Britain, Mexico, Iceland and Russia.
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A Biography of Bernard L. Madoff and His Scam
Bernard L. Madoff has been accused by federal officials of running a $50 billion investment fraud known as a Ponzi scheme in the largest investor fraud ever.
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A Guide to Diabetes
Diabetes effects millions of people everywhere. Many people do not know that they have it, and many more have to live with many concessions to deal with the condition.
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What if There Was a Ban on Violent Media?
What if, when Barack Obama takes office, he initiated a ban of violent media? A ban on such a tentative subject would have huge political and economic issues.
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British Troops Leave Basra Airport
On 1st January, UK troops handed control of Basra Airport, a major UK military base, back to the Iraqis in a ceremony at the airport.
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A Guide to Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay is a high security detention facility run by the United States at a naval base in Southern Cuba. The camp is surrounded by much controversy.
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The Boat Race: A Profile
Every year, two rowing crews from the infamous Oxford and Cambridge Universities meet to compete in one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the world.
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The Start of the Global Financial Crisis (2008)
The global financial crisis is an ongoing issue which put a number of countries into a recession and the major stock indexes into a downward spiral.
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Andrew Triggs-Hodge: Olympic Champion
Andrew Triggs-Hodge won an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Summer games and has twice won the rowing World Championships.
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British VAT Cut Branded a Faliure by Opposition
In late November, Gordon Brown unveiled his economic rescue package to fight the recession. This included a 2% cut in VAT. Now, it is being hailed as a failure.
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A Biography of Elizabeth II
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor is the current Queen of 16 independent states including the United Kingdom, as well as the supreme Governor of the Church of England .
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Concise Guide To British Government
The United Kingdom is a Parliamentary Democracy, with the Prime Minsiter acting as Head of the Government. The Parliament is organised into two 'Houses'.
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Sale of Nuclear Programme Stake Causes Anger
The British Government has sold its share the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent Programme to an American engineering firm based in California.
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All UK Troops to Leave Iraq in 2009
On Wednesday 17 December 2008, Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, announced that the United Kingdom would remove all British soldiers from Iraq by July 2009.
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