Almost 16,000 more animals were abandoned last year than in 2007, according to the RSPCA, who warned that pet owners are struggling to make ends meet in times of economic hardship.
The banks Barclays and Coutts have threatened to withdraw sponsorship of the gay rights charity Stonewall's annual awards after complaints about its bigot category.
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A fear of falling is making many elderly people prisoners in their own homes, a survey by the charity WRVS has suggested.
Twenty-two religious groups and charities, including Christian Aid, have called on the European Union to ban products made by Israeli settlers in the occupied territories.
