General news

• Charles fears his Duchy beer is a knockout

  25-02-2016 23:34
  The Prince of Wales questioned if his Duchy Originals beer had caused an 83-year-old to faint when the man collapsed as Charles made a speech at Brewers' Hall.
  
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• Eight arrested in former boarding school abuse probe

  25-02-2016 23:33
  Seven men and one woman have been arrested in an investigation into historical abuse at a former boarding school.
  
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• Savile Producer Regrets Not Raising Alarm

  25-02-2016 22:55
  
  One of paedophile Jimmy Savile's producers has told Sky News he is sorry he did not raise the alarm after having suspicions about the star.
  
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• MP 'Held After Recording Bombs On Phone'

  25-02-2016 22:50
  
  A MP who used her mobile phone to "record the sound of bombs" in Turkey has been questioned by security forces, her lawyer has said. Scottish politician Natalie McGarry is said to have been briefly detained near a checkpoint as she visited the country with the GMB union. The Independent MP for Glasgow East, who was later released, said she was "safe" and "absolutely fine".
  
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• Bubbly, Kippers, Steam - And 30 Minutes Late

  25-02-2016 21:54
  
  The 0740 from Kings Cross to York station was unlike any that had been seen for decades.
  
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• Apple go to court over locked iPhone order

  25-02-2016 21:21
  
  Apple has asked a federal magistrate in Washington to vacate her order that it help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone.
  
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• BBC culture allowed Savile to commit sex crimes, but top staff unaware - report

  25-02-2016 20:36
  By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's globally respected broadcaster, the BBC, was told on Thursday it was guilty of serious failings in its handling of Jimmy Savile, a celebrated TV and radio showman revealed after death to have been one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders. Warnings about Savile's conduct went unheeded for decades, a damning report by a former judge said on Thursday. The report said there had been - and still was - a prevailing, macho culture at the publicly-funde
  
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• RBS Boss Gives Away Half Of £1m Allowance

  25-02-2016 20:35
  
  The chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to give half of a £1m 'allowance' to charity in an attempt to defuse what has become an annual pay row at the taxpayer-backed lender. Sky News has learnt that Ross McEwan will announce his decision on Friday, despite support from boardroom colleagues and City investors for him to be paid competitively as he attempts to return RBS to profitability. In addition to his basic salary of £1m, Mr McEwan received a pension contribut
  
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• Bill Turnbull hailed by BBC Breakfast colleagues on eve of final show

  25-02-2016 20:06
  BBC Breakfast's Louise Minchin and Sally Nugent have hailed departing presenter Bill Turnbull ahead of his final show on Friday morning.
  
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• Zika virus 'may be linked to effects other than in central nervous system'

  25-02-2016 20:00
  Zika infection may have life-threatening effects on unborn babies that are not just confined to the brain, a study has found.
  
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• Labour could swing Brexit battle for Cameron

  25-02-2016 19:02
  By William James WOLVERHAMPTON (Reuters) - The prime minister's battle to keep his country in the European Union - and save his political future - may depend on the campaigning power of his fiercest rivals: the opposition Labour Party. On June 23 Britain will vote on whether to withdraw from the EU in a referendum that has scrambled the traditional left-right battle lines of British politics. Cameron has staked his political legacy on being able to persuade Britons to stay inside the 28-member b
  
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• Bank Shares Lead Strong Rally For FTSE 100

  25-02-2016 19:00
  
  Surging bank shares have helped the FTSE 100 rally by more than 100 points in the latest session as markets turned strongly higher following recent volatility. London's leading share index closed 2.5% up as it scrambled back above the 6,000-mark, led by a 14% rise from state-backed Lloyds Banking Group. The increase of 145.6 points added nearly £38bn to the value of the FTSE 100's constituent companies and comes after recent turbulence on the stock market - sparked by the oil price slide a
  
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• Net migration to UK falls but stays close to record levels

  25-02-2016 18:18
  
  Net migration to the UK has dipped - but remains close to record levels, official figures indicate.
  
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• Nissan disables Leaf electric cars' companion app in hacking scare

  25-02-2016 18:16
  Nissan has disabled a companion app for its line of Leaf electric cars after it was discovered it could be hacked and used to control features on the car.
  
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• Scientists claim stem cell technique may lead to 'exciting' fertility treatments

  25-02-2016 18:00
  Scientists have created immature sperm cells in a laboratory dish and injected them into eggs to produce mouse offspring.
  
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• Army sergeant jailed for raping and spanking women at recruitment office

  25-02-2016 17:57
  An army recruitment sergeant who served in Iraq and Afghanistan has been jailed for 11 and a half years for a string of sexual assaults on female recruits.
  
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• New scan can help prevent heart attacks and strokes

  25-02-2016 17:50
  A new type of scan offers a way to prevent heart attacks and strokes by spotting the early formation of deadly blood clots.
  
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• MP Natalie McGarry quizzed in Turkey after 'using phone to record bomb sounds'

  25-02-2016 17:43
  
  Scottish MP Natalie McGarry was questioned by Turkish security forces after using her phone to "record the sound of bombs" falling in a Kurdish area of the country.
  
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• BBC 'missed string of opportunities to stop Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall'

  25-02-2016 17:30
  
  The BBC missed a string of opportunities over five decades to uncover and stop "monstrous" child sex abuse by shamed broadcasters Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall, a long-awaited inquiry has found.
  
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• French court gives go-ahead to Jungle camp evictions

  25-02-2016 17:09
  A French court has ruled that mass evictions will go ahead at part of the Jungle camp in Calais of migrants and refugees intent on reaching Britain.
  
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• Apple dispute 'hardest question I've seen in government' - FBI director

  25-02-2016 16:54
  
  The policy issues raised in the US Justice Department's dispute with Apple over a locked iPhone represent the "hardest question I've seen in government," FBI director James Comey has said.
  
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• MP Natalie McGarry questioned by security forces in Turkey

  25-02-2016 16:48
  
  Scottish MP Natalie McGarry was detained and questioned by Turkish security forces on a visit to the country, her lawyer has confirmed.
  
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• 'Evil' care home workers jailed for assaulting elderly resident

  25-02-2016 16:48
  
  Three "evil and ruthless" care home workers who admitted assaulting an elderly resident following an investigation by the BBC's Panorama programme have been jailed.
  
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• University wins honour with technology using lip movements to identify people

  25-02-2016 16:34
  
  Technology that can identify a person from their lip movements was one of the stand-out innovations recognised by a national award honouring universities and colleges.
  
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• SNP MP Angus MacNeil slams watchdog's stance on £250-a-night hotel bills

  25-02-2016 16:30
  An SNP MP has lashed out at the expenses watchdog after it refused to fund £250-a-night hotel bills.
  
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• Senior Tories reject David Cameron's EU reform deal immigration claims

  25-02-2016 16:30
  Senior Conservatives have rejected David Cameron's claim that the EU reform deal he secured in Brussels will cut immigration, as new figures showed 172,000 migrants arrived from Europe last year.
  
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• Immigration Rises But PM Says He Can Hit Target

  25-02-2016 16:30
  
  Net migration has increased by 31,000 to 323,000 in a year, official figures show as EU "outers" say David Cameron's new deal will do nothing to stem the flow of immigrants. The figure from the Office for National Statistics, is more than 200,000 higher than the Prime Minister's promised "tens of thousands". EU net migration alone, the difference between the number of people arriving in the UK and the number leaving, reached 172,000 in the year to September - an increase from 158,000 the previou
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn condemns 'reckless' Tory policing cuts at campaign launch

  25-02-2016 16:27
  
  Jeremy Corbyn is putting frontline community policing at the heart of Labour's police and crime commissioner (PCC) election campaign, saying "reckless" Tory cuts are threatening people's safety.
  
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• BBC culture allowed star to commit sex crimes, but top staff unaware - report

  25-02-2016 15:59
  By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's globally respected broadcaster, the BBC, was told on Thursday it was guilty of serious failings in its handling of Jimmy Savile, a celebrated TV and radio showman revealed after death to have been one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders. Warnings about Savile's conduct went unheeded for decades, a damning report by a former judge said on Thursday. The report said there had been - and still was - a prevailing, macho culture at the publicly-funde
  
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• UK finance ministry says no contingency plans for Brexit

  25-02-2016 15:55
  Britain's finance ministry is not putting together plans on how it would deal with fallout on markets if Britain voted to leave the European Union, a senior government official said on Thursday. "The government policy is not to do contingency planning," Charles Roxburgh, director general for financial services at the finance ministry.
  
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• Bug Causes Rush-Hour Confusion On Underground

  25-02-2016 15:51
  
  A bug caused travel apps to say that all London Underground lines were closed this morning. Confused commuters bombarded Transport for London (TfL) Twitter accounts with messages asking why the capital's transport system had ground to a halt - when the service was actually running relatively smoothly. TfL said a bug had been detected and its web teams were working to fix it.
  
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• Tony Blackburn claims the BBC has 'hung me out to dry'

  25-02-2016 15:38
  
  Tony Blackburn said the BBC has "hung me out to dry" and is taking legal action after he was sacked by the corporation.
  
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• Flying Scotsman steam train puffs again, thrilling enthusiasts

  25-02-2016 15:23
  Legendary British steam train The Flying Scotsman returned to the tracks on Thursday after a 10-year, 4.2-million-pound ($5.9-million) refit, billowing smoke over train enthusiasts as it thundered from London to the northern city of York. "I've always loved steam trains, my dad worked on the railways, but I wasn't quite old enough to see them. With its distinctive green livery and round clock face, it was named The Flying Scotsman after the London to Edinburgh service it covered, and made famous
  
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• MPs: Bookies Must Pay For Retired Greyhounds

  25-02-2016 15:21
  
  Bookmakers who profit from greyhound racing must pay towards the welfare of retired dogs, MPs have said, amid fears a large number are being killed. Chairman of the cross-party committee, Neil Parish, said: "All racing greyhounds should enjoy high welfare standards both during their racing career and retirement. "Bookmakers who profit from greyhound racing should contribute to welfare standards regardless of whether the profits are from high-street stores, online or overseas betting.
  
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• Road rage attack man forced ambulance to stop and punched driver

  25-02-2016 15:17
  
  A man who forced an ambulance to stop before punching the driver in a road rage attack has avoided an immediate jail sentence.
  
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• Net migration to UK falls from record levels, sparking row among EU rival camps

  25-02-2016 15:17
  
  Net migration to the UK has fallen from record levels, official figures have revealed.
  
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• Flying Scotsman journey disrupted by photographers on track

  25-02-2016 15:11
  
  Dozens of steam enthusiasts disrupted the inaugural run of Flying Scotsman after its decade-long, £4.2 million refit by standing on the track to take photographs.
  
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• 'Horrific' Attack On Clay Pigeon Champion

  25-02-2016 15:07
  
  A clay pigeon shooting world champion has revealed how he and his wife were attacked by masked men who broke into their home at the weekend. George Digweed explained on his website how four men in balaclavas had broken into the property in Northiam, East Sussex, as the couple were downstairs in their sitting room. The multi-British, European and World champion wrote: "Unfortunately, Kate and I were the victims of a horrific attack on Sunday night when masked men broke into the house.
  
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• Girlfriend split with footballer Adam Johnson after he cheated with other women

  25-02-2016 14:49
  
  The girlfriend of England footballer Adam Johnson has told a jury that they have now split up and said he had admitted cheating on her with "quite a few" women.
  
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• Eating carrots can cut risk of some types of breast cancer, research finds

  25-02-2016 14:48
  Eating carrots can cut the risk of hard-to-treat types of breast cancer by up to 60%, research has shown.
  
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• 'Most Wanted' Man's Shooting Trial Collapses

  25-02-2016 14:29
  
  Robert Mortby, 28, spent more than three years on the run after acquaintance Richard Walsh was blasted in the stomach at the Rose and Crown pub, Bermondsey, in July 2012. But his attempted murder trial collapsed after Mr Walsh, who is still undergoing treatment for his wounds, told jurors the man in the dock was not the one who shot him. Prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC had told the court Mortby had a "trivial" dispute with Mr Walsh over a cannabis joint a couple of weeks before the shooting.
  
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• Software bug blamed as travel apps wrongly reported all Tube lines were closed

  25-02-2016 14:18
  Transport for London (TfL) has blamed a software bug for causing several travel apps to report that all London Underground lines were closed during the morning rush hour.
  
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• Sterling fall a 'foretaste' of leaving EU - Foreign Secretary

  25-02-2016 14:01
  Weakness in the sterling currency is a "foretaste" of what the impact would be if Britain voted to leave the European Union at an upcoming membership referendum, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday. Sterling hovered near seven-year lows against the dollar on Thursday and was on course for its worst weekly performance since 2009 as investors fret about a possible British exit from the bloc at a June 23 vote. "A vote to leave is a vote for an uncertain future, that's a simple fact, a
  
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• Tories get £5m in significant donations in quarter - nearly double Labour sum

  25-02-2016 13:31
  The Tories raked in over £5 million from significant donations in the final quarter of last year - nearly double the sum received by Labour.
  
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• 'Steady growth' for economy as services sector boosts figures

  25-02-2016 13:31
  Britain's economy grew by 0.5% in the final quarter of last year, official figures confirmed, as they revealed a solid performance from the powerhouse services sector.
  
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• As EU vote looms, immigration rise piles pressure on Cameron

  25-02-2016 13:22
  By Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - Net migration to Britain from the European Union rose nearly 9 percent in the year to September 2015, official data showed on Thursday, putting pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron in the run-up to a vote on membership of the European Union. EU rules on freedom of movement mean citizens are free to live and work anywhere in the 28-nation bloc, so eurosceptic opponents of Cameron argue Britain is powerless to control immigration unless it votes to leave t
  
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• ‘No Evidence’ BBC Bosses Aware Of Savile Abuse

  25-02-2016 13:16
  
  The report into abuse by Jimmy Savile says there is "no evidence" any senior member of the BBC was aware of his sexual abuse.
  
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• Alton Towers Faces Smiler Crash Prosecution

  25-02-2016 13:16
  
  The owner of Alton Towers is to be prosecuted over last year's rollercoaster crash that left five people seriously hurt, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said. The announcement was made hours after the Staffordshire park's parent firm, Merlin Entertainments, announced a slight increase in annual profits despite a substantial fall in visitor numbers to Alton Towers. The crash was the subject of an immediate HSE probe and was blamed on human error.
  
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• Footballer's Partner Says They Have Split

  25-02-2016 13:10
  
  The girlfriend of former England footballer Adam Johnson has told a jury they are no longer in a relationship. Stacey Flounders took the witness box in the player's child sex trial and was asked whether she sees any future between them. Miss Flounders, the mother of Johnson's one-year-old daughter, was also asked by Orlando Pownall QC, defending Johnson, why she decided to remain with the player after his arrest.
  
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• UK Net Migration Up By 31,000: ONS Figures

  25-02-2016 13:06
  
  Net migration has increased by 31,000 to 323,000 in a year, official figures show as EU "outers" say David Cameron's new deal will do nothing to stem the flow of immigrants. EU net migration alone, the difference between the number of people arriving in the UK and the number leaving, reached 172,000 in the year to September - an increase from 158,000 the previous year. It has been driven by a "statistically significant" increase in the number of people coming to the UK from Bulgaria and Romania
  
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