Free Republic

Rebekah Brooks, the former News of the World editor who resigned as chief executive of News International at the height of the phone-hacking scandal, received £1.7m in cash, the use of a London office and a chauffeur-driven limousine as part of her severance package from the newspaper group. Brooks, a favourite of Rupert Murdoch who rose from being a secretary on the features desk of the Sunday newspaper to the very top of the mogul's UK operation, quit in July amid claims over the alleged illegal activities carried out by her executives and reporters. Days after she resigned, she was...

The first ever Miss Germany with ginger hair says she's delighted at proving her doubters wrong. Critics had argued Babett Konau's hair colour would stop the 24-year-old from winning the title. She said her victory, ironically in the German town of Rust, proved being ginger was not an obstacle to becoming a beauty queen. The dental assistant, from Schleswig Holstein, said: "It's a really nice feeling to know you can win - even with red hair." Ms Konau has yet to decide whether she will continue working as a dental assistant, but added: "I hope I stay exactly how I...