<BULLETIN>
<TITLE>nova 6 8/03</TITLE>
<STORY>
<Slug>046 AFGHAN TAYLOR</Slug>
<TEXT>Comrades and friends have been paying tribute to the six British soldiers
killed in Afghanistan

The commanding officer of the unit that was home to five of the six men made a
moving statement - saying "six of our brothers have fallen - it has been a sad
day".

They'd only been in the country for a few weeks when their vehicle was hit by
a blast.

Parents Mark and Natalie Taylor lost their son Jake in the explosion, it would
have been his 21st birthday this Saturday.

[Take AUDIO
NUMBER: 046
OUT WORDS: yeah massively
Duration: 9"]


[Total 00:36]
</TEXT>
<AUDIO="p:\news\IRN\./400270.mp2">
</STORY>
<STORY>
<Slug>hostage 6</Slug>
<TEXT>A British and Italian hostage have died in Nigeria, during a failed attempt to free them from their captors.

The Italian government says it happened in a town in the north of the country..
</TEXT>
</STORY>
<STORY>
<Slug>PH RAIL 1</Slug>
<TEXT>The re-opening of the Portishead rail line to Bristol has moved a step closer.

North Somerset Council's reached agreement with neighbouring authorities that it should be a priority in the bid for funding from the Department for Transport for improvements to services.

If successful it would operate half-hourly at peak times.
</TEXT>
</STORY>
<STORY>
<Slug>homeless 6</Slug>
<TEXT>The number of households classed as homeless increased by 14 percent last year.

Government figures reveal that 48 and a half thousand applications for assistance were approved by councils.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps says an extra 70 million pounds has been made available to councils to help them - in the past year.
</TEXT>
</STORY>
<STORY>
<Slug>BACKWELL 2</Slug>
<TEXT>A North Somerset school's had their money back for GCSE exams students didn't get entered for - because the wrong module codes were put in to the application.

Backwell School wrote to AQA complaining that the codes were unclear, and the exam board's given them a refund as 'a gesture of good will'.

The students will sit the Biology and Chemistry tests in the summer instead..
</TEXT>
</STORY>
<STORY>
<Slug>BULLETIN ENDS</Slug>
<TEXT>Nova news - now you're up to date
</TEXT>
</STORY>
</BULLETIN>
