Magic mushroom traders are facing a £1m tax bill after a Customs and Excise ruling that the hallucinogenic fungus is to be treated as a drug and not a food. Independent

Text is best for a small, but important and growing, group of Internet users, most obviously the blind. Other users who may benefit are users of small form factor devices such as PDAs, users connected by slow lines, or users who need voice response because they are using their eyes for other activities. Theregister

British military police have opened investigations into the deaths of 48 Iraqis - a jump of nearly a third in the previously disclosed official figure, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. Independent

A crackdown on counterfeiting and piracy is planned under government moves to protect intellectual property. Fake goods, such as DVDs and clothing, cost the UK economy billions of pounds, industry estimates suggest. bbc

Professor David Southall, the now disgraced paediatrician who wrongly accused a father of murdering his two baby sons, should be struck off, said a woman whose daughter was placed in foster care because of false accusations of abuse. Independent

Computer forensics played an important role in Westminster City Council's fight to recover the £36m surcharge imposed on Dame Shirley Porter for her role in the 1980s ‘homes for votes' scandal, it emerged this week. The Register

Scotland Yard has been granted two more days to question nine of the 13 men arrested in co-ordinated anti-terrorism raids across the country last Tuesday. Independent

A survey of local authorities in the UK has revealed that more than half have yet to install any kind of customer relationship management (CRM) system as part of their efforts to meet the 2005 deadline for offering their services electronically. Theregister

Working women think mobile phones and email make their lives even more hectic, putting them under greater pressure to juggle work and home commitments, according to a report published today. DailyMail

The body of missing British backpacker Sean Kennedy was found in Australia today, local police said. Mr Kennedy was last seen 12 days ago outside the Metro Theatre in Sydney having an argument with people from the club. thisislondon

With Saddam gone, Iraq is re-establishing a fair and independent legal system, says Akbar Khan. Independent

A BRITISH soldier was killed and at least five injured in clashes in Iraq yesterday. Militiamen loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr opened fire on Army vehicles after setting up their own checkpoints in Basra. The Mirror

The body of a missing British backpacker has been found in a Sydney bay, Australian police say. Reuters

Proposed new rules governing the treatment of children in prisons will fail to protect them from routine stripping and painful physical restraint, a charity says. Reuters

Local councils in England will have greater powers to demand that new buildings use a certain amount of green energy, according to new planning policies set out by the government. Reuters

Firefighters will begin voting on industrial action today over a pay dispute after talks with employers broke down. Reuters

PARENTS were yesterday urged not to wait to vaccinate their children against killer diseases even though the whooping cough jab that contains traces of mercury is being scrapped this autumn. The Herald

WELSH Conservatives yesterday launched a scathing attack on the Assembly Government as it emerged the new National Assembly building is expected to run up a £1,000 window cleaning bill every week it is used. ic Wales

The erratic weather that has been battering the UK this summer is set to continue into the week, forecasters have warned. BBC News

It was just after 5pm on November 12 1976 that a smart blue BMW joined the rush hour traffic leaving Inverness and headed south. In the car were Renee MacRae, a 36-year-old mother, and her three-year-old son Andrew. Guardian

Bernard Levin, one of the best-known and most provocative journalists of his day, has died at the age of 75. The polemical writer and broadcaster, who contributed a regular column for The Times for 26 years. Independent

LAWYERS for the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs yesterday launched a High Court bid to win the 75-year-old's release on compassionate grounds. The Scotsman

The pass rate for Higher English has jumped by 5%, according to figures released as pupils across Scotland prepared to receive their exam results. BBC News

ONE in 20 motorists stopped in one of Britain's first random roadside drugs tests was found to have taken substances that could have affected their driving. The Scotsman

A TEENAGE driver who caused a fatal car crash which claimed the lives of his friend and a married couple is prepared to take the punishment he deserves, the High Court in Stonehaven heard yesterday. The Scotsman

The family of a champion skater who died after colliding with a concrete lamppost have donated his heart and other organs for transplant. Telegraph.co.uk

Where this month can you find the following odd crowd: Pelleas, Louis de Bernieres, the voice of Bart Simpson and one troubadour? Try Edinburgh, at the world's largest arts festival. Bloomberg

MG Rover reportedly is holding talks with its Indian partner Tata Motors about slashing the price of its latest model after sales in the first half of the year were a fraction of targeted levels. just-auto.com

An 11-year-old boy was fighting for his life yesterday after his younger brother drowned during a family trip to the seaside. Telegraph.co.uk

A team of rowers who were pulled to safety after their boat was shattered by a hurricane, yesterday defended the cost of the £120,000 rescue operation but said that it would not hold them back from making a second attempt.Independent