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News headlines at 08:29

Three children dead in flats blaze
Six people, including three children, have died in a fire that swept through a block of flats in south London.

Visa checks 'inadequate' - Tories
Officials are spending an average of just 11 minutes checking visa applications from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Tories have claimed.

N Korea 'conducts missile tests'
North Korea has fired three missiles off its eastern coast, according to South Korean reports, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday.

Miliband defends Iran embassy staff
The Foreign Office has defended British Embassy staff in Iran against threats to put them on trial for alleged involvement in anti-government protests.

BT staff get free time for pay cuts
BT employees have been offered the chance of long-term holidays if they agree to huge pay cuts, the company said.

Britons join queue for Jackson show
Organisers of Michael Jackson's public memorial have announced that British fans will be able to apply for tickets.

Thatcher rebate deal 'was a defeat'
Margaret Thatcher's famous budget rebate "victory" in Europe 25 years ago was actually a defeat which left her broken and in tears, it has been claimed.

Seaside homes 'cheapest in north'
The 10 most affordable seaside towns in England and Wales are all in the north of the country, research has shown.

Coal plant 'will hit African poor'
Creating a new coal plant in Kent could lead to 100,000 more people in the developing world losing their water supply during dry seasons, it has been claimed.

UN chief dismayed over visit ban
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is "deeply disappointed" after the Burma junta rejected his second and final request to meet jailed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.