General news

• Woman Breaks Pelvis In Starbucks Lift Plunge

  31-03-2016 23:38
  
  A Starbucks worker has broken her pelvis and one of her legs after falling 25ft down a lift shaft.
  
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• Man charged with double murder following altercation at property

  31-03-2016 23:03
  A man has been charged with double murder following the deaths of two people in a bust-up at a property in Kent.
  
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• VIDEO: What could Brexit mean for UK football?

  31-03-2016 22:54 via bbc.co.uk
  
  So far the arguments about the EU referendum have tended to concentrate on issues like the economy or migration, but what about football?
  
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• Business Secretary Flies Back Into Steel Storm

  31-03-2016 22:30
  
  Sajid Javid, once seen as a Tory rising star and potential future party leader, has had plenty of time to reflect that being in the wrong place at the wrong time can be the kiss of death for a political career. After all, it is estimated that after spending just 34 hours in Sydney while the British steel industry went into meltdown he has now spent 45 hours on aeroplanes flying to and from Australia. Whatever possessed the Business Secretary to go to Australia - on what looks like at best a gent
  
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• Briton James Alexander McLintock added to US list of 'global terrorists'

  31-03-2016 22:29
  A British man suspected of raising funds for al Qaida has been added to a US Treasury list of global terrorists.
  
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• BMA launches judicial review challenging junior doctors contracts imposition

  31-03-2016 22:29
  The British Medical Association (BMA) has launched a judicial review to challenge Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's imposition of junior doctor contracts.
  
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• Kuwait arrests U.K.-based national for sarcastic online postings

  31-03-2016 22:23
  
  (Reuters) - Kuwait's Interior Ministry has arrested a Kuwaiti man who had lived in Britain and charged him with publishing "offensive videos and sarcastic comments" about Gulf leaders on social media, the state news agency KUNA said on Thursday.
  
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• Tributes pour in for architect 'who pushed the boundaries' Dame Zaha Hadid

  31-03-2016 21:58
  Architect Dame Zaha Hadid, known for designs such as the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games, has died from a heart attack aged 65.
  
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• VIDEO: Greater Manchester: Ditching the lanyards

  31-03-2016 21:35 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Greater Manchester will become the first English region to gain control of its health spending on Friday.
  
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• EE has fastest download speeds in test conducted by regulator Ofcom

  31-03-2016 20:44
  Mobile phone operator EE has the fastest download speeds when compared to its three rivals, a test conducted by telecoms regulator Ofcom found.
  
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• British Architect Dame Zaha Hadid Dies Aged 65

  31-03-2016 20:10
  
  Architect Dame Zaha Hadid, who was known for her designs for the London Aquatics Centre at the 2012 Olympics, has died. Dame Zaha's company said she had died in Florida. It issued a statement saying: "It is with great sadness that Zaha Hadid Architects have confirmed that Dame Zaha Hadid, DBE died suddenly in Miami in the early hours of this morning.
  
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• Exposed: UK School Promoting Extreme Islam

  31-03-2016 20:06
  
  A private Muslim school in Yorkshire is promoting an extreme form of Islam, claiming that Jews are engaged in a global conspiracy to take over the world and that adopting British customs is forbidden. The Islamic Tarbiyah Academy in Dewsbury teaches 140 primary school children in an after-school madrasa and runs full-time classes for over-16s and adults. Mufti Zubair Dudha, the centre's founder and head, is a respected cleric from the orthodox Deobandi sect which is thought to control half
  
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• Scientists may have found chink in Zika virus's armour

  31-03-2016 20:00
  Scientists have mapped the structure of the Zika virus and found a possible chink in its armour.
  
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• Scientists create 'programming language for bacteria'

  31-03-2016 20:00
  A method of programming DNA like computer software to create bacterial cells with specific functions has been demonstrated by scientists.
  
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• Brain's natural 'pruning' system could be targeted to combat Alzheimer's

  31-03-2016 20:00
  A major discovery linking Alzheimer's to a natural process that "prunes" nerve connections in the brain has raised hopes of stopping the disease in its tracks.
  
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• Birds expected to adapt well to climate change show 'substantial' advantage

  31-03-2016 20:00
  Birds that were expected to do well due to climate change have outperformed other species in the past 30 years, a study of wildlife in Europe and the US has found.
  
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• Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid dies suddenly at 65

  31-03-2016 19:07
  Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, whose fluid, futuristic designs were used in buildings across the world to widespread acclaim, has died of a heart attack at the age of 65, her company said on Thursday. Hadid, whose projects included the MAXXI museum in Rome, the London Aquatics Centre used in the 2012 summer Olympics and the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan, died suddenly in Miami, Zaha Hadid Architects said in a statement. "She had contracted bronchitis earlier this week and suffere
  
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• UK finance body says end of staff register puts consumers at risk

  31-03-2016 18:53
  On March 7, a new system for authorising staff at banks was introduced, known as the senior managers regime or SMR. Under this system, the Financial Conduct Authority and Bank of England vet only senior officials at banks, such as chief executives, non-executive directors who chair key committees, and heads of business units. It replaces a system where regulators authorised a far wider range of employees, such as analysts and financial advisors, all of whom appeared on the FCA's public register.
  
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• Osborne says rallying support to tackle cheap steel imports

  31-03-2016 18:42
  Chancellor George Osborne said he was talking to other governments about taking action to prevent the dumping of cheap steel after Britain's biggest producer Tata Steel put its operations up for sale. The British government has come in for criticism for its handling of a crisis in Britain's steel sector after Tata Steel announced it planned to exit the country in the face of cheap Chinese imports as well as high costs. Speaking from Paris where he was attending talks with other Group of 20 offic
  
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• 'You may never be released', judge tells fugitive who escaped from dock

  31-03-2016 18:30
  One of Britain's most wanted criminals who went on the run for four years after vaulting over a court room dock midway through his armed robbery trial has been told he may never be released from prison.
  
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• Woman Plunges 25ft Down Starbucks Lift Shaft

  31-03-2016 18:27
  
  A woman has broken her pelvis and one of her legs after falling 25ft down a lift shaft at a Starbucks coffee shop.
  
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• Ronnie Corbett's friends and fans say 'goodnight' to British comedy great

  31-03-2016 18:14
  
  Friends and fans of Ronnie Corbett, the diminutive titan of British comedy, have said "goodnight" to the star for the last time after his death at the age of 85.
  
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• Council tax bills rise across England

  31-03-2016 18:10 via bbc.co.uk
  
  More than nine in ten households in England face rising council tax bills, with an average annual hike of £46.
  
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• Solihull High Street Starbucks lift shaft plunge woman was staff member

  31-03-2016 18:01
  
  A woman who was taken to hospital with "serious injuries" after falling down a lift shaft at a Starbucks was an employee, the company has confirmed.
  
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• Smoking during pregnancy found to alter DNA in unborn babies

  31-03-2016 18:00
  Pregnant mothers who smoke chemically alter the DNA in their unborn babies, mirroring patterns seen in adult tobacco users, scientists have discovered.
  
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• Calls for Business Secretary Sajid Javid to quit over handling of steel crisis

  31-03-2016 17:53
  
  Business Secretary Sajid Javid faced calls to quit after it emerged he took his daughter with him on a trip to Australia while the UK's steel industry faced a crisis.
  
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• Eating too soon before going to bed 'could raise breast cancer recurrence risk'

  31-03-2016 17:48
  Going to bed too soon after eating may increase the risk of breast cancer recurrence, a study suggests.
  
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• Burst pipe causes 70ft water fountain in Liverpool

  31-03-2016 17:45
  
  Thousands of homes in Merseyside could be without water after a pipe burst on a construction site, sending a plume of water 70ft into the air.
  
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• London Aquatics Centre architect Dame Zaha Hadid dies from heart attack

  31-03-2016 17:22
  Architect Dame Zaha Hadid, known for designs such as the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games, has died from a heart attack aged 65.
  
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• TV comedian Ronnie Corbett dies at 85

  31-03-2016 17:02
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Ronnie Corbett, the bespectacled British comedian best known as the small half of the hit television double act "The Two Ronnies", has died surrounded by his family, his publicist said on Thursday. He was 85.
  
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• Police Chief Recruits Cat On Girl's Advice

  31-03-2016 16:30
  
  A five-year-old girl may have just persuaded Durham's top police officer to recruit a crime-fighting cat. Eliza Adamson wrote to Chief Constable Mike Barton setting out her reasons why it could be as good as having a police dog. "A police cat would be good as they have good ears and can listen out for danger," she wrote.
  
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• Engie looking for partners in Nugen UK nuclear project

  31-03-2016 16:07
  French gas and power group Engie is looking for other partners to invest in the Nugen project to build nuclear reactors in Britain, Engie director Philippe Pradel said. Japan's Toshiba Corp and Engie are in the 60-40 percent Nugen joint venture to build three AP1000 reactors - designed by Toshiba unit Westinghouse in Britain - for the Moorside project, near the Sellafield nuclear site in west Cumbria. "Before taking the final investment decision on Nugen around the end of 2018 we hope to find a
  
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• UK Growth Higher But Deficit Hits New Record

  31-03-2016 16:06
  
  The UK economy grew more strongly than previously thought at the end of last year but the current account deficit with the rest of the world ballooned to record levels, official figures showed. This deficit reflects a widening gap between imports and exports and imbalance between income from UK overseas investments and foreign investments in the UK. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the fourth quarter was revised up from 0.5% to 0.6% and annual growth from 2.2% to 2.3%, the Office for Nati
  
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• Woman suffers 'serious injuries' in lift shaft plunge at Starbucks outlet

  31-03-2016 15:55
  
  A woman has been taken to hospital with "serious injuries" after falling down a lift shaft at a Starbucks.
  
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• Corbett: Top Gags From A Life In Comedy

  31-03-2016 15:51
  
  Ronnie Corbett was a master of the quick-fire gag - here's a chance to enjoy again some of his best jokes.
  
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• 'Comic Genius' And 'Master' Ronnie Corbett Dies

  31-03-2016 15:51
  
  Entertainer Ronnie Corbett has died aged 85 surrounded by his family. A statement from his publicist said: “Ronnie Corbett CBE, one of the nation’s best-loved entertainers, passed away this morning, surrounded by his loving family. Born Ronald Balfour Corbett in Edinburgh, Corbett was perhaps best known for his long association with fellow comedian Ronnie Barker in the television series The Two Ronnies.
  
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• Rival Brexit Groups Pitch For Campaign Cash

  31-03-2016 15:29
  
  Vote Leave and Grassroots Out (GO) are submitting formal pitches to the Electoral Commission, which will decide which group gets official designation - and with it valuable campaign cash, broadcasts and mail shots. Vote Leave is notable for the backing of Conservative heavyweights such as London mayor Boris Johnson and Cabinet ministers Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, John Whittingdale and Theresa Villiers as well as employment minister Priti Patel and the recently resigned Iain Duncan Smith.
  
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• British current account deficit balloons, EU campaigners clash

  31-03-2016 15:21
  By William Schomberg and Ana Nicolaci da Costa LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's current account deficit has surged to a record high, underscoring a weak spot in an economy that is coming under sharper focus before a vote on whether to remain in the European Union. While official data also showed the economy grew slightly faster than previously thought, campaigners on both sides of the EU debate seized on the much bigger than expected gap in the balance of payments to push their views. Finance minist
  
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• VIDEO: The best of Ronnie Corbett's sketches

  31-03-2016 15:12 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Ronnie Corbett took part in some of the most played sketches on British television - we look back at some of the best.
  
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• Trump 'irresponsible' to not rule out nuclear attack on Europe if president

  31-03-2016 15:10
  Donald Trump has been branded "ignorant and irresponsible" by a former UK defence minister after refusing to rule out using nuclear weapons to attack Europe.
  
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• Nigel Farage calls on Leave campaign rival groups to work together

  31-03-2016 15:10
  
  Rival groups battling to lead the Leave campaign at the European Union (EU) referendum will have to work together to achieve their ultimate goal, Nigel Farage has said as he suggested the "antagonism" between them is reducing.
  
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• Highest average council tax in England nears £2,000

  31-03-2016 15:10
  The average council tax bill for some parts of England has reached almost £2,000.
  
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• Cyclist's family 'devastated' as lorry driver cleared over death

  31-03-2016 15:10
  The widower of a young cyclist knocked down and killed by a lorry at a notorious junction collapsed in tears as the driver walked free from court.
  
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• UK current account gap widens, fuelling fears of exposure from Brexit

  31-03-2016 15:06
  Britain's current account gap has surged to a record high, fuelling f ears the economy could be left exposed if the UK leaves the European Union.
  
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• Osborne - Economic data shows now is not the time to leave EU

  31-03-2016 14:41
  British finance minister George Osborne said Thursday's economic data, which showed the current account deficit ballooned to a record new high, demonstrated that now is not the time for Britain to leave the European Union. While lauding the resilience of Britain's economy after its growth picked up slightly at the end of 2015, Osborne said a slowing global economy weighed on the outlook. "Today's figures expose the real danger of economic uncertainty and shows that now is precisely not the time
  
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• Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 3.3 percent in 2015 - government

  31-03-2016 14:18
  By Susanna Twidale LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell by 3.3 percent in 2015, largely due to a decline in coal-fired power generation and marking the third straight yearly drop, preliminary government data showed on Thursday. Output of the heat-trapping gases in Europe's second-largest emitter behind Germany fell to 497.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), from 514.4 million tonnes in 2014, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said. Emissions
  
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• Sir Michael Parkinson pays tribute to 'perfect companion' Ronnie Corbett

  31-03-2016 14:15
  Sir Michael Parkinson has described Ronnie Corbett as a "genuinely good soul" and said he will miss him terribly.
  
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• Steel Nationalisation 'Not The Answer' - PM

  31-03-2016 14:06
  
  David Cameron has said the Government is "doing everything it can" to resolve the steel crisis but that nationalisation is not the solution. The Government has been criticised for its response to Indian conglomerate Tata's announcement that it is preparing to sell its UK assets, including the country's biggest steel plant at Port Talbot in South Wales. Around 40,000 jobs could be lost if no buyer is found, according to an analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research.
  
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• 'Comedy great' Ronnie Corbett dies at 85

  31-03-2016 14:03
  Two Ronnies star and "true great of British comedy" Ronnie Corbett has died aged 85.
  
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• Finance Chiefs Weigh Stance On Brexit Poll

  31-03-2016 13:49
  
  Britain's top beancounters are weighing whether to take a public position on the forthcoming referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union. Sky News understands that The Hundred Group, whose members are the finance directors of Britain's biggest listed and private companies, are being polled on whether to speak out ahead of the vote in June. The survey comes in the wake of difficult experiences for a number of other membership-based business organisations ahead of the referendum.
  
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