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The latest news stories from around the world

Mental health spending worry

HEALTH: Screen star Stephen Fry warned of a “worrying” lack of support for people with mental health problems after charity Mind found councils spend just 1.36 per cent of their health budgets on prevention.

Their freedom of information requests found the national spend is around £40 million — compared to £108m on anti-obesity campaigns, £160m on stop-smoking services and £671m on sexual health initiatives.

11,000 in seven year asylum wait

ASYLUM: There are still 11,000 asylum-seekers in Britain who have been waiting for at least seven years to be told if they can stay in the country, a group of MPs said yesterday.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the Home Office has still not resolved some 29,000 asylum applications dating back to at least 2007 — including 11,000 waiting for an initial decision.

Huhne fails to dodge costs

FINED: Disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne yesterday lost his challenge against an order that he must pay £77,750 costs from his prosecution for passing speeding points to his ex-wife.

Mr Huhne had hoped to pay £25,000 towards legal costs but three judges at the Court of Appeal rejected his case at a hearing in London yesterday.

And the ex-MP was ordered to pay an extra £1,279 in prosecution costs relating to the appeal.

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