Homeless Tour Guides Offer New Peek at London

Royal seeks better understanding of homeless issue

(NEWSER) - Prince William has spent a night sleeping under a bridge in London in freezing temperatures as part of his work supporting a charity for the homeless. The prince, his private secretary and the head of the Centerpoint charity for young homeless people bedded down in sleeping bags on top of cardboard, the BBC r eports. The prince answered a challenge to sleep on the streets, saying he would do so if the charity would double its efforts to help the homeless. More»

Speech Debelle is first woman to win Mercury in 7 years

(NEWSER) - Years of living in hostels and on the streets of London proved, at long last, a winning combination for rapper Speech Debelle, who today was awarded Britain’s prestigious Mercury music prize, the Guardian reports. Speech Therapy, the debut album by the 26-year-old (real name Corynne Elliot), represents a “remarkable new voice in British hip-hop, tough, warm and reflective,” the judges said. More»

Negative reaction to posters could hurt tourism industry

(NEWSER) - "South Carolina is so gay," announce posters in the London Underground. Part of an advertising campaign targeting visitors to London's gay pride events, the posters have set off a backlash in South Carolina, drawing sharp criticism from senator David Thomas and resulting in the resignation of a state staffer involved in the ad campaign, reports the Greenville News. More»

Stretch your vacation dollar with these tips

(NEWSER) - With airline and entertainment prices rising, “free stuff isn’t just a bonus, it can be a vacation-saver,” writes Jeryl Brunner in Travel + Leisure, which offers 11 ways to beef up your trip on a budget.

1. House-swapping: Cancel the hotel, and vacation in someone else’s home for free while they reside in yours.

A fire ravaged the historic Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London this morning

(NEWSER) - A fire ripped through London's historic Cutty Sark early this morning, nearly destroying the 138-year-old tea clipper. But an ongoing £25 million restoration saved the ship, which has drawn 15 million tourists to its south-east London dock since it opened in 1957. Much of its structural foundation, including its original masts and half its planks, had been removed before the blaze broke out. More»