General news

• Nigel Farage used his British passport as a prop to make a point and Twitter didn't understand why

  07-06-2016 23:52
  
  It was hard to call a winner as Farage and David Cameron fielded questions from a studio audience at ITV.
  
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• Three Migrants Intercepted In English Channel

  07-06-2016 23:20
  
  Border Force officials have intercepted three suspected migrants trying to reach the UK in a small boat, amid warnings the situation is getting worse. The Home Office says the the three people on board are believed to be Iranians. "They have since been transported to Dover where processing of the group is underway," the Home Office said.
  
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• Rutherford Freezes Sperm Over Rio's Zika Risk

  07-06-2016 22:47
  
  Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford has frozen samples of his sperm amid fears about the Zika virus at the Rio Games. The long jumper's girlfriend Susie Verrill, who will not be travelling to Brazil, revealed the couple's decision in an article for Standard Issue magazine. "We've also made the decision to have Greg's sperm frozen.
  
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• Cannabis users 'have more knowledge' of drug than experts

  07-06-2016 21:00
  
  There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people seeking treatment.
  
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• British MPs pass new digital surveillance law

  07-06-2016 20:55
  British MPs passed on Tuesday a new surveillance law to give security agencies more extensive monitoring capabilities in the digital age after several amendments were added to better protect privacy. MPs voted 444-69 in favour of the Investigatory Powers Bill, which interior minister Theresa May said would help "keep us safe in an uncertain world". Several lawmakers, including the opposition Scottish National Party, voted against the bill, saying that the protections for privacy were not strong
  
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• Dad And Two Children Hurt In Lightning Strike

  07-06-2016 20:27
  
  A man and his young son and daughter have been badly injured after they were hit by lightning reportedly at a school sports event in Northern Ireland. Staff at Killowen Primary provided emergency medical assistance, with the vice principal using a defibrillator on the father. Northern Ireland has been basking in sunshine for the past week, but there were warnings of heavy rain and thunderstorms for parts of the region on Tuesday.
  
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• Pensioner Hit By 'Bricks' Thrown At Taxi

  07-06-2016 20:06
  
  The inside of the taxi was left showered with glass and pictures posted by the taxi driver, who calls himself Birmingham Cabby, show blood on the inside of the cab. The driver said: "I'd picked the pair up from the Birmingham Hippodrome at 10.17pm ... they'd had a lovely evening as they informed (me) they (do) not go out much and it was a treat for the one's birthday from a family member.
  
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• Drivers Rescued After Floods Submerge Cars

  07-06-2016 20:03
  
  Two people have been rescued from their cars after they became trapped as torrential rain and thunderstorms swept across the UK this afternoon. Lightning strikes set fire to trees and telegraph poles, the London Fire Brigade received 100 flood-related calls from across the capital, and yellow rain warnings have been issued by the Met Office. In Kenley, south London, 39.6mm of rain fell in just one hour while in nearby Wallington two people were helped from their cars and another was rescued
  
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• CCTV Of Murdered Peter Stuart And Missing Wife

  07-06-2016 19:31
  
  Police investigating the murder of a pensioner and the disappearance of his wife have released CCTV footage of the last time they were seen. Peter, 75, and 69-year-old Sylvia Stuart were reported missing on Friday and police found Mr Stuart's body in woodland near their Suffolk home that evening. The pair were seen on CCTV at Goodies Farm Shop on Wood Lane, Pulham Market, on the morning of Sunday 29 May and officers are appealing for anyone with relevant information to come forward.
  
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• Brexit or Bremain? Readers share the one argument that made up their mind | Guardian readers and Sarah Marsh

  07-06-2016 18:29
  
  To stay or not to stay, that is the question. Here, people talk about the big issue that has swayed them on which way to vote in the EU referendum later this monthThere’s now less than a month to go before the EU referendum, but have you made up your mind on how to vote?
  It’s understandable if you’re still struggling to decide, given all the spurious facts and political in-fighting. But for many of us, one overriding fact or issue will have emerged that might ultimately determi
  
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• How do you cope with insomnia? Tell us your story | Sarah Marsh

  07-06-2016 17:35
  
  The former Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall has spoken out about her chronic insomnia. How do you cope with being unable to nod off?If you have found yourself lying awake at 3am, unable to sleep, then you will empathise with the actor Kim Cattrall, who has spoken of her struggle with chronic insomnia. The former Sex and the City star told the new issue of Radio Times that her sleep difficulties became so bad that she was forced out of a starring role on the London stage, after spending 48 hour
  
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• 'Shocked' Sports Direct founder says to act on failings

  07-06-2016 17:19
  
  By James Davey and Sarah Young LONDON (Reuters) - Mike Ashley, the billionaire founder of British retailer Sports Direct, defended the business he built from scratch but told MPs he would work to fix some shocking failings during heated exchanges in parliament. Ashley, who is executive deputy chairman of Sports Direct and owns 55 percent of its equity, conceded on Tuesday that the firm had effectively paid some warehouse staff below the statutory minimum wage by requiring them to queue for secur
  
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• School 'Hypocritical' Over Euro 2016 Half-Day

  07-06-2016 17:14
  
  A school has been accused of hypocrisy for allowing pupils to go home early to watch England play Wales in Euro 2016. School principal Ian Golding also said provision would be made for pupils whose parents want them to stay at school. His letter states: "As you are probably aware, on Thursday 16th June England are playing Wales in their second Group B match in the European Championship.
  
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• Sports Direct 'Better Than Unions For Workers'

  07-06-2016 16:43
  
  The boss of Sports Direct has admitted to MPs that there are "issues" with working practices at the retailer, but added that the firm was better at looking after staff than trade unions. Mike Ashley was questioned at a Parliamentary hearing after criticism of the conditions at the sports retailer's Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire.
  
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• Doctor Settles Claim With Chelsea And Mourinho

  07-06-2016 16:41
  
  Chelsea and Jose Mourinho have reached a settlement with the team's former doctor over claims she was constructively dismissed. Chelsea said in a statement that it "regretted the circumstances" which led to Eva Carneiro leaving the club and "apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused". It added that Mourinho thanked Dr Carneiro for the "excellent and dedicated support" she provided and wished her a "successful career".
  
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• 'Brexit' debate divides neighbouring English cities

  07-06-2016 16:38
  By Georgina Cooper and Alex Fraser CAMBRIDGE/PETERBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Cambridge and Peterborough may be less than 40 miles (60 km) apart but the two English cities could hardly be more different when it comes to Britain's looming referendum on whether to remain in the European Union or to leave. Cambridge, famed for its 800-year-old university and booming high-tech sector, strongly supports EU membership, opinion polls show, while Peterborough has turned very eurosceptic under the press
  
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• Brexit Could Cost UK Exporters £5.6bn A Year

  07-06-2016 16:23
  
  British exporters are at risk of paying up to £5.6bn in duties if the UK votes Out, the head of the World Trade Organisation says. The WTO chief also said "it is impossible to tell how long it may take" for the UK to re-establish terms of trade within the EU - and said negotiations in the past had been known to take 10 years or more. Mr Azevedo further warned that any additional export duties would damage the competitiveness of UK companies.
  
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• Edmonds: 'Negative Attitude' Caused Man's Cancer

  07-06-2016 15:33
  
  Noel Edmonds has become involved in a Twitter row with a man who he suggested had cancer because of his "negative attitude". He claims the EMPpad, which uses pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF), "slows ageing, reduces pain, lifts depression" among other benefits. But @VaunEarl, whose Twitter biography says he has kidney cancer, lymph node metastases and psoriatic arthritis, called the machine "quackery".
  
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• Cameron accuses rivals in EU referendum campaign of lying

  07-06-2016 15:26
  By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron accused those campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union of lying, saying on Tuesday he had been struck while watching the news on TV by their incorrect claims. A recent spate of polls has suggested that the "Leave" campaign may be gaining momentum. Cameron, who is leading the "Remain" campaign, convened an unexpected news conference at short notice during which he tried to move the focus away from immigration, his opponen
  
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• Sports Direct's Ashley says firm paid staff below minimum wage

  07-06-2016 14:12
  
  By James Davey and Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - Mike Ashley, the billionaire founder of British retailer Sports Direct, said on Tuesday the company effectively paid warehouse staff below the statutory minimum wage by requiring them to queue for security checks on their own time. After a four-month standoff over whether he would appear before MPs to answer criticisms of working practices at his firm's main warehouse, Ashley told a parliamentary committee he had conducted a review that had ident
  
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• London art gallery showcases Calais migrant stories

  07-06-2016 14:04
  By Lin Taylor LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When British art curator Sue McAlpine first visited makeshift migrant camps in Calais on Frances's northern coast, the sight of families living in muddy tents and children wearing flip-flops in the middle of winter saddened and horrified her. McAlpine visited the camps in February to see if she could commission art and collect stories from migrants living in Calais for an exhibition in London – an idea she had while watching and reading m
  
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• Third Of Middle Class Can't Pay Surprise Bills

  07-06-2016 13:56
  
  A third of middle-class people ‘would need to borrow money to pay off a shock £500 bill’ according to a poll. Research by YouGov for The Times has found that 31% of middle class workers, including professionals, junior managers and those in administrative jobs would struggle to pay a surprise large bill.
  
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• Foreign Office Issues Euro 2016 Terror Warning

  07-06-2016 13:49
  
  Football fans travelling to Euro 2016 in France have been warned to be on their guard against terrorists at all times.
  
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• Britain warns fans French Euro 2016 venues are potential targets

  07-06-2016 13:46
  Britain's Foreign Office has warned fans travelling to France for the Euro 2016 football tournament that its venues are "potential targets for terrorist attacks". The month-long competition starts on Friday and will be held in stadiums across France, which has been repeatedly targeted by Islamist militants including in a series of attacks on November 13 that killed 130 people in Paris. The Foreign Office website, updated on Tuesday, advised fans travelling to support them to be vigilant at all t
  
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• Blood Test Hope For Depression Treatment

  07-06-2016 13:46
  
  A new blood test is being introduced which doctors hope will help them to improve treatment for people who have depression. The test, say scientists at King's College, London, can accurately predict whether or not ordinary antidepressant drugs will help patients. Around 50% of people with depression do not respond to "first-line" antidepressants and a third are resistant to all currently available drug treatments.
  
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• PM: Worried About EU Fight Loss? Not Me

  07-06-2016 13:40
  
  David Cameron has denied calling a press conference to denounce his senior colleagues for "untruths" because he is worried he is losing his fight to keep the UK in the EU. The Prime Minister said he called the unexpected and hastily arranged conference on top of a hotel in central London because he wanted to draw attention to the "nonsense" being pedalled by Brexiteers. Mr Cameron said he had been watching the news and was struck by the contrast between the evidence of respectable independent or
  
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• Trapped Teenagers Rescued From Rising Tide

  07-06-2016 13:18
  
  Lifeboats, a helicopter and the emergency services were scrambled after members of the group raised the alarm with Kent Police around 9pm on Monday evening. "The group also faced the dangers of cliff falls along this iconic stretch of coastline.
  
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• Teens Admit Kidnapping Toddler From Primark

  07-06-2016 13:16
  
  Two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14, have admitted kidnapping a toddler from a Primark store in Newcastle. Appearing at a youth court in North Shields, the pair admitted taking the girl from the budget fashion store on 13 April. An an earlier hearing in April, it was disclosed that a tablet computer had been found containing searches for "rape", "people getting raped", "young people getting raped" and "poor little thing getting kidnapped and raped".
  
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• Cameron dismisses suggestion he might be losing EU referendum debate

  07-06-2016 13:06
  Prime Minister David Cameron dismissed a suggestion on Tuesday that he was worried his campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union was losing ahead of a June 23 referendum. After several recent polls suggested the "Leave" camp was gaining momentum, Cameron unexpectedly convened a news conference during which he attacked some of his opponents' arguments as "untruths". Asked by a reporter whether he was worried he was losing, Cameron said: "Not at all.
  
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• ‘My shoes were not sexy enough’ – your dress code discrimination stories

  07-06-2016 12:50
  
  Readers share their experiences of sexist dress codes at work. Read more of their stories on GuardianWitnessEvery morning employees are inspected and people are told off for not wearing enough makeup or having messy hair. I’m a toy salesperson but at my workplace women are expected to wear heels, skirt, shirt, full makeup, and have tidy hair and nails. Our shift is typically eight hours long, entertaining children, on your feet, having to smile and be energetic. Of course, everyone changes
  
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• Manhunt case couple had 'zest for life'

  07-06-2016 12:22 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The friend of a couple at the centre of an international manhunt has told how the pair shared a "zest for life" through line dancing.
  
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• Start talking up immigration in EU debate, Scottish minister says

  07-06-2016 12:20
  By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Those campaigning for Britain to stay in the European Union need to start talking about the benefits of immigration instead of dodging the issue, says the leader of the Scottish National Party's "In" campaign who is a son of immigrants. "Immigration is a two-way street, and the Brits benefit from it," Humza Yousaf, also Scottish transport minister, told Reuters in an interview. Yousaf's parents are from Pakistan.
  
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• Primark pair admit toddler kidnap

  07-06-2016 12:20 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Two teenage girls plead guilty to kidnapping a two-year-old child from a Primark store in Newcastle.
  
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• Youth is a strength, says Sturridge

  07-06-2016 12:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says age is no barrier to England success at Euro 2016.
  
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• Lafferty injury worry for N Ireland

  07-06-2016 12:03 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Key forward Kyle Lafferty hobbles out of Northern Ireland's training session in France with an apparent groin injury.
  
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• Waterfall theory in Vietnam fall Briton

  07-06-2016 12:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Rescuers searching for a Briton missing while climbing alone on a mountain in Vietnam believe he may have fallen near a large waterfall.
  
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• UK banks, regulators need to do more on transparency, MP says

  07-06-2016 11:38
  British banks and regulators should disclose more of their communications to prevent a repeat of the financial crisis, a senior UK lawmaker said on Tuesday. Andrew Tyrie, chairman of parliament's treasury committee, has written to Andrew Bailey, a deputy governor of the Bank of England, saying he wants a detailed explanation of how the regulator balances secrecy and public disclosures. Tyrie said at a time of increased regulatory oversight too much of the information banks provide to supervisors
  
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• Sports Direct's Ashley faces showdown with MPs

  07-06-2016 11:18
  By James Davey LONDON (Reuters) - Mike Ashley, the billionaire founder of British retailer Sports Direct, will face tough questions in parliament on Tuesday over his workers' conditions after he backed down in a four-month standoff with MPs. Ashley, who rarely speaks in public, will appear before the lower house of parliament's business select committee to defend his company against reports of poor treatment of staff, including that some effectively earned below the legal minimum. The 51-year-ol
  
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• EU Rules Let 50 Violent Criminals Stay In UK

  07-06-2016 11:18
  
  Violent foreign criminals have exploited EU rules to stay in the UK, Vote Leave has disclosed in a dossier of 50 offenders including murderers and rapists. The details have been disclosed by Justice Minister and Brexit campaigner Dominic Raab, who says it is evidence the UK’s membership of the EU makes Britons less safe. He says UK attempts to deport violent criminals have been frustrated by the EU’s freedom of movement rules, which allow European citizens to live and work freely in
  
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• Mike Ashley admits warehouse problems

  07-06-2016 10:54 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has admitted to problems with some practices at the company's Derbyshire warehouse, ahead of his appearance before MPs.
  
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• 'Last chance' to register for EU vote

  07-06-2016 10:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  People have until 23:59 BST on Tuesday 7 June to register to be able to vote in the referendum on whether the UK stays in the European Union or leaves.
  
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• Sea bird in record-breaking migration

  07-06-2016 10:50 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A tiny sea bird makes the longest known annual migration by flying from the Farne Islands to Antarctica and back.
  
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• UK house prices rise faster than expected in May - Halifax

  07-06-2016 10:23
  British house prices rose faster than forecast last month, rebounding from a dip in April caused by a new tax on rental property, figures from mortgage lender Halifax showed on Tuesday. Halifax said house prices rose by 0.6 percent in May, twice the rate forecast in a Reuters poll of economists and largely reversing April's 0.8 percent dip. "The strength of demand, combined with very low supply, is causing house prices to rise at a brisk pace," Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis said.
  
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• Smallest nations, most kidneys - 24 Euro 2016 facts

  07-06-2016 09:18 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Who have the youngest and oldest squads? Which player has four kidneys? Twenty-four things you didn't know about the teams competing at Euro 2016.
  
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• Legal Move To Force NHS To Provide HIV Drug

  07-06-2016 08:55
  
  Campaigners say a medicine that provides 90% protection from HIV is taking too long to be made available on the NHS. The National Aids Trust says the "revolutionary" pill has been shown to dramatically reduce the chances of HIV infection. The charity says it is now taking the matter to judicial review in an effort to push the health service into commissioning the drugs.
  
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• Sunshine Breathes New Life Into Retail Sales

  07-06-2016 08:45
  
  Buoyed by brighter weather and the bank holiday, shoppers looking to update their wardrobes ahead of summer helped revive sales in May, following two months of stagnation. A strong performance from fashion chains, garden centres, DIY stores and pubs and restaurants drove sales as shoppers took full advantage of the sunnier weather. The up-turn follows two flat months for March and April, with clothing retailers driving high street sales on the back of brighter weather.
  
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• Ex-champion Lewis to be Ali pallbearer

  07-06-2016 08:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Britain's former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and actor Will Smith are to be pallbearers at Muhammad Ali's funeral.
  
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• The truth about Tehran, by artist Nazgol Ansarinia: 'It's building a fantasy future' – video

  07-06-2016 08:30
  
  The Tehran municipality’s ‘bureau of beautification’ has painted hundreds of murals across the city, showing blue skies and idealised countryside images – even as the capital bulldozes its traditional buildings. Award-winning artist Nazgol Ansarinia takes us into modern Tehran to show how her work responds to this irony, and to the layers of memory at risk Continue reading...
  
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• Bed-blocking delays 'up to five years'

  07-06-2016 06:12 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Delays in releasing elderly patients from hospital could continue for up to five years, the head of NHS England warns.
  
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• Sea rescue aided by mobile phone lights

  07-06-2016 05:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  More than 30 teenagers trapped by rising coastal tides are rescued after using their mobile phones as distress beacons.
  
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