Space Tackled From Swindon

The UK Space Agency, which has aspirations to become a major player in space exploration during the next two decades, was launched today as captains of industry and children clapped in time to a countdown that ended with the unveiling of a shiny red, white and blue logo. The countdown began with the push of a button from Major Tim Peake, a former army helicopter pilot, who was selected as Britain's first official astronaut last year. The new agency, which will operate out of temporary offices in Swindon, will take official control of Britain's space policy and budget on 1 April and will represent the country's strategy on all space matters in negotiations with other nations and their space agencies.

Telegraph Comes Tops

While Guardian journalists have won the reporter and feature writer of the year award, the Daily Telegraph dominated this week's British Press Awards, winning six prizes for its exposé on MPs' expenses. It claimed newspaper of the year, while editor-in-chief Will Lewis was awarded journalist of the year for the forensic investigation into expenses claimed by politicians that led to an unprecedented number of MPs quitting parliament.

Exams Queried

Teachers and parents launched 13% more appeals against marks this year compared with last, the exams watchdog revealed today. There were more appeals against A-level and GCSE marks this year compared with last and Ofqual said there had been 504 appeals on re-marked papers, compared with 445 last year. However, just 48 resulted in a grade change, compared with 42 last year.

Travellers Plan Shunned

Plans for a £1.4m gypsy site have been rejected for a second time in six months by a local authority. Powys Council's Planning Committee voted against the proposal to transform farmland at Llanfilo, near Brecon, into a camp for a family of Romany gypsies. The plans were initially turned down last September, but the applicants threatened a judicial review. But the council has now confirmed that the application had been rejected for the second time.

McAleese Honours British War Graves

Irish President Mary McAleese is visiting Gallipoli in Turkey to mark the deaths of thousands of Irish soldiers who fought in the British Army during the First World War. She attended wreath-laying ceremonies in the Gallipoli region where nearly 4,000 Irish troops died in a bloody five-month campaign in 1915. Thousands died, but tragically, many surviving soldiers from across Ireland who fought in the Turkish campaign later served at the infamous Battle of the Somme in 1916 - having first gone into action on the Gallipoli beachhead. The Irish dead included those serving in the 10th (Irish) Division as well as many thousands in the Anzac forces from Australia and New Zealand. Soldiers who later served in the 36th (Ulster) Division in the killing fields of France also took part in the campaign. See, full story: McAleese Honours British War Graves

(BMcC/GK)