General news

• Mischa Barton criticised over this insensitive Instagram post

  07-07-2016 23:31
  It’s since been taken down.
  
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• Iraq inquiry finds UK, U.S. failed to curb destabilising purge of Iraqi Ba'athists

  07-07-2016 23:30
  By Mark Hosenball LONDON (Reuters) - A British inquiry into the Iraq War found that an aggressive purge of members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party led by the late, American-backed politician Ahmed Chalabi "had a significant and lasting negative impact on Iraq" that laid the groundwork for the deadly sectarian conflict ravaging the country today. The British investigation, led by Sir John Chilcot, found that UK and American officials sought, but largely failed, to limit post-war purges led by Ch
  
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• Queen pictured in Order of the Thistle robes in new portrait

  07-07-2016 22:09
  
  The portrait will hang in the dining room at Archers’ Hall, Edinburgh.
  
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• Once red-hot, UK real estate investments run into trouble

  07-07-2016 21:28
  By Sujata Rao LONDON (Reuters) - Commercial real estate has hit the headlines this week, a victim of the recent Brexit vote which has left over $20 billion (£15.5 billion) trapped in funds that not long ago promised investors a slice of London's red-hot property market Money placed in real estate vehicles managed by big asset management firms such as Standard Life and Henderson may have yielded strong returns during the boom years, but with the pound in freefall and Britain headed towards
  
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• Calling all Remainers: Here's a sneak peek at The New European's first front page

  07-07-2016 21:06
  
  The new paper will take a positive look at the EU.
  
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• Brexit claims its latest victim - pork pies

  07-07-2016 20:46
  
  We must save the pork pie.
  
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• Sorry stories

  07-07-2016 20:24 via bbc.co.uk
  
  How does the Chilcot report assess the flawed intelligence gathering process used by Tony Blair and his inner circle to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003?
  
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• May and Leadsom in all-women race to be new PM

  07-07-2016 20:23
  By Kylie MacLellan, William James and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Home Secretary Theresa May and eurosceptic rival Andrea Leadsom emerged on Thursday as the two candidates who will battle to become Britain's next prime minister and lead the country out of the European Union. May won 199 votes and Leadsom 84 in a second ballot of MPs of the governing Conservative party. Justice Secretary Michael Gove took just 46 votes and was eliminated from the race.
  
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• Poland wants emigrants in Britain to return, just not yet

  07-07-2016 19:55
  By Justyna Pawlak and Pawel Sobczak WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's eurosceptic government has long said it would like Poles living in Britain to return home, but it is now promising to fight for their right to stay after the British vote to leave the European Union. The roughly 800,000 Poles resident in Britain helped stimulate an emotive debate over record high immigration that helped the "Leave" side win the June 23 referendum on EU membership, and the conditions under which Poles may be able to
  
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• Britain's cash-strapped councils decline to take in Syrian refugees - report

  07-07-2016 19:17
  By Tom Esslemont LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - One third of local authorities in England, reeling from years of austerity cuts, are not prepared to house any Syrian refugees, a media report said on Thursday, following a UK government pledge to resettle 20,000 Syrians by 2020. Official data shows that more than 1,800 Syrian refugees have been housed in Britain since last September under a government scheme to resettle some of the most vulnerable refugees living in camps in countries neigh
  
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• Five U.S. investment banks offer support for London after Brexit vote

  07-07-2016 19:12
  By David Milliken and Lawrence White LONDON (Reuters) - Five U.S. investment banks promised British finance minister George Osborne on Thursday that they would try to help London keep its top spot as a financial centre, but gave no commitment on jobs following Britain's vote to leave the European Union. One banker at the meeting with Osborne told Reuters the banks wanted to see concrete moves to ensure firms based in London would retain access to EU markets, however, because "no one in their rig
  
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• May and Leadsom in all-women race for PM

  07-07-2016 19:08
  By Kylie MacLellan, William James and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Interior minister Theresa May and eurosceptic rival Andrea Leadsom emerged on Thursday as the two candidates who will battle to become Britain's next prime minister and lead the country out of the European Union. May won 199 votes and Leadsom 84 in a second ballot of lawmakers of the governing Conservative party. Justice Secretary Michael Gove took just 46 votes and was eliminated from the race.
  
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• Government to make it easier for transgender people to legally change their gender

  07-07-2016 19:06
  
  Reforms include a cross-Government drive to remove unnecessary requests for gender information on official documents.
  
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• Four firms cut value of UK property funds, Aberdeen fund extends suspension

  07-07-2016 19:01
  By Carolyn Cohn and Simon Jessop LONDON (Reuters) - Four fund managers cut the value of their UK property funds and a fifth extended a 24-hour trading suspension on Thursday, as the industry seeks to stem a tide of redemption requests since Britain's vote to leave the European Union. A slump in the value of the pound and volatile stock markets since the referendum on June 23 have unnerved investors who are worried that the uncertainty will slow down business investment in Britain and hit demand
  
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• Microsoft will continue to push out preview builds after Anniversary Update

  07-07-2016 18:32
  
  The Windows Insider programme is not going anywhere.
  
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• London underground station reopens after security alert

  07-07-2016 18:31
  A London underground station reopened on Thursday after it was evacuated in a security alert over a suspect package, travel authority Transport for London said. Baker Street station, close to a number of tourist attractions such as a Madame Tussauds museum, was closed for about an hour while police were called and no trains were stopping, leading to delays on the subway system. "The station was closed as a precaution whilst specialist officers attended and assessed the scene," British Transport
  
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• Serena Williams + Kate Middleton + Snapchat = too much awesome to handle

  07-07-2016 18:22
  
  Oh, and the Countess of Wessex was there too.
  
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• Here's where Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom stand on the key issues

  07-07-2016 18:18
  
  Our next prime minister will be a woman.
  
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• Children take charge of family holiday choices, study reveals

  07-07-2016 17:51
  
  It’s better than pointing at a globe with your eyes closed, anyway.
  
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• Britain's next Prime Minister will be a woman as Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom battle for number 10

  07-07-2016 17:40
  
  Theresa May had the most support among Tory MPs.
  
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• May and Leadsom to fight all-women contest for British prime minister

  07-07-2016 17:37
  By Kylie MacLellan, William James and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Interior minister Theresa May and eurosceptic rival Andrea Leadsom emerged on Thursday as the two candidates who will battle to become Britain's next prime minister and lead the country out of the European Union. May won 199 votes and Leadsom 84 in a second ballot of lawmakers of the governing Conservative party. Justice Secretary Michael Gove took just 46 votes and was eliminated from the race.
  
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• Liberty to bid for Tata Steel units, Port Talbot sale on ice - source

  07-07-2016 17:30
  By Maytaal Angel LONDON (Reuters) - Liberty House Group plans to bid for two units of Tata Steel's British business - specialty steels and pipeline tubes - which operate independently of its Port Talbot plant and related assets that were put up for sale earlier this year, an industry source told Reuters. "Liberty will be bidding but that's not the solution to the lack of competitiveness of the UK steel industry. If Tata don't want to continue here but are forced to hold on (to Port Talbot), ther
  
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• UK Conservatives to chose either May or Leadsom to succeed PM Cameron - committee

  07-07-2016 17:29
  British lawmakers Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom will go through to a vote of Conservative Party members to decide who succeeds Prime Minister David Cameron, the party said on Thursday. Interior minister May topped the second round of voting by lawmakers, winning the support of 199 of her colleagues, while junior energy minister Leadsom came second on 84. Brexit campaigner and justice minister Michael Gove was eliminated from the race after coming third with 46 votes.
  
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• Three firms cut value of UK property funds, Aberdeen fund extends suspension

  07-07-2016 16:43
  By Carolyn Cohn and Simon Jessop LONDON (Reuters) - Three fund managers said on Thursday they had cut the value of their UK property funds and a fourth extended a 24-hour trading suspension, as the industry seeks to stem a tide of redemption requests since Britain's vote to leave the European Union. A slump in the value of the pound and volatile stock markets since the referendum last month have unnerved investors who are worried that the uncertainty will slow down business investment in Britain
  
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• Britain pays respects on 7/7 bombings anniversary

  07-07-2016 16:32
  Britain marked the anniversary on Thursday of the devastating Islamist suicide bombings on London's transport network on July 7, 2005, often called the 7/7 attacks. Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Sadiq Khan laid wreaths at a memorial to the victims in Hyde Park in central London. Khan, London's first Muslim mayor who was elected in May, said security in the British capital was his number one priority and pledged to do more to fight extremism and radicalisation.
  
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• Four U.S. investment banks offer support for London after Brexit vote

  07-07-2016 15:54
  By David Milliken and Lawrence White LONDON (Reuters) - Four U.S. investment banks promised British finance minister George Osborne on Thursday that they would try to help London keep its top spot as a financial centre, but gave no commitment on jobs following Britain's vote to leave the European Union. One banker at the meeting with Osborne told Reuters the banks wanted to see concrete moves to ensure firms based in London would retain access to EU markets, however, because "no one in their rig
  
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• Five men killed after a wall collapsed at a recycling plant in Birmingham

  07-07-2016 15:54
  
  A sixth man was taken to hospital with serious leg injuries.
  
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• Police investigating suspect package at British parliament

  07-07-2016 15:12
  A suspect package triggered a security alert at the British parliament on Thursday but there were no reports of illness or injury, police said. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said a suspect package had been received in parliament at around 12.30 p.m. local time and was being examined. A reporter for the Times said on Twitter that a letter to a member of the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, was being analysed by police after white powder was found in the envelope.
  
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• Brexit trade challenge in focus as MPs vote again for leader

  07-07-2016 14:58
  By Kylie MacLellan, William James and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will have to ask "friendly governments" to provide some of the trade negotiators it lacks as it starts the process of extricating itself from the European Union, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday. The acknowledgement underlined the extent to which the government was wrongfooted by last month's referendum to sever ties with the EU, a process fraught with uncertainty for businesses and investors. Hammo
  
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• Germany's Europa-Park named Europe's best amusement park

  07-07-2016 14:21
  Two of the top 10 amusement parks in Europe are in the UK.
  
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• Andrea Leadsom tells ITV News her views on gay marriage, fox hunting, HS2, Heathrow and going to war - ITV News

  07-07-2016 14:17 via itv.com
  
  ITV News
  Andrea Leadsom tells ITV News her views on gay marriage, fox hunting, HS2, Heathrow and going to war
  ITV News
  Andrea Leadsom could be our Prime Minister by the autumn. I must admit I don't know her very well, so today I asked Mrs Leadsom a few questions on where she stands on key issues. Her answers will please many Conservative Party members, others may ...and more »
  
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• In UK property turmoil, some wealthy Asians seek bargains

  07-07-2016 14:13
  By Denny Thomas HONG KONG (Reuters) - Some Asian institutions and wealthy investors are eyeing London property despite turmoil in the market following Britain's decision to leave the EU, with the subsequent plunge in sterling among the factors making prized assets more attractive. Panicking retail investors concerned about a possible meltdown in British commercial real estate prices tried to pull money out of property funds, triggering the suspension of 18 billion pounds of such funds this week,
  
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• Look out! A Lynx has escaped from its enclosure at Dartmoor Zoo

  07-07-2016 14:09
  
  There’s a lynx on the loose in Dartmoor.
  
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• More than 1kg of legal highs and phones seized at UK prison in a month

  07-07-2016 13:16
  
  A report by the prisons watchdog on HMP Lindholme also found “horrific” stories of the possible effects of the drugs.
  
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• Britain needs to boost trade negotiating resources, says Hammond

  07-07-2016 13:16
  By Kylie MacLellan and William James LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will need to boost its trade negotiating resources following its decision to leave the European Union but it is unrealistic to believe the government will have a huge budget to do so, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday. "The government will have to acquire additional trade negotiation resources ... We will look to friendly governments to assist us, as well as seeking to hire the best resources available on the open ma
  
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• Hammond says Article 50 a decision for government, not parliament

  07-07-2016 13:02
  British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said it was up to government, not parliament, to trigger the formal Article 50 process for leaving the EU, and that the will of the British public is clear after voting to leave the bloc. "The legal position of course is that it's a decision for the government to trigger Article 50," Hammond told a committee of lawmakers on Thursday.
  
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• Hammond says UK not yet in position to begin substantive Brexit talks

  07-07-2016 12:22
  The British government is not yet in a position to begin substantive negotiations on leaving the European Union, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Thursday. "For the moment we are not in a position to begin substantive negotiations immediately and therefore it would be unwise to start the process ticking by triggering Article 50," he told a committee of lawmakers.
  
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• PM candidate Leadsom's City credentials under scrutiny

  07-07-2016 12:16
  By Anjuli Davies and Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) - Andrea Leadsom, a candidate to be Britain's next prime minister, has put her 25 years' experience working in financial services at the centre of her campaign to become leader. Before entering parliament in 2010 she spent a decade working at Barclays Bank and Invesco Perpetual, one of the country's biggest retail fund managers. Reuters spoke to five former Invesco colleagues, including four in senior management positions, who said Leadsom d
  
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• L&G cuts UK property fund value by further 10 percent

  07-07-2016 12:11
  Legal & General Investment Management, the fund arm of insurer Legal & General said on Thursday it cut the value of its 2.3 billion sterling UK property fund by a further 10 percent, following a previous 5 percent valuation cut. Several UK property funds have suspended trading or cut valuations following Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
  
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• PM candidate Leadsom - priority is tariff-free trade with EU

  07-07-2016 12:03
  By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Andrea Leadsom, one of three candidates vying to be Britain's next prime minister, said her top priority would be to guarantee tariff-free trade with the European Union after Britons voted to quit the bloc. Speaking as lawmakers in her Conservative Party prepare to choose which two candidates will make the final run-off to replace Prime Minister David Cameron, Leadsom also said that predictions of economic chaos had been disproved. "Trade must be our top prior
  
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• May ahead as lawmakers vote for last two PM hopefuls

  07-07-2016 11:36
  By Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Interior minister Theresa May led the field on Thursday before a vote to narrow the race to become Britain's prime minister to two candidates, a decision that will help determine the course of divorce talks with the European Union. May, who has appealed to lawmakers to vote for her wide experience in government as a safe pair of hands, had the support of more than half of the parliamentary party, leading Andrea Leadsom, a junior energy minister, and justice
  
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• Leadsom says priority is tariff-free trade with EU

  07-07-2016 11:07
  LONDON (Reuters) - Andrea Leadsom, one of three candidates vying to be Britain's next prime minister, said her top priority would be to guarantee tariff-free trade with the European Union after Britons voted to quit the bloc. "Trade must be our top priority: Continued free trade with the EU. Continued free trade with those countries we have agreements with as a current member of the EU," she told supporters in a speech on Thursday. ...
  
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• UK house price growth slowed in run-up to EU vote - Halifax

  07-07-2016 10:12
  British house prices rose at their slowest annual pace in nearly a year in June, before the country voted to leave the European Union, mortgage lender Halifax said on Thursday. In June alone, prices were up 1.3 percent from May, Halifax said. "House prices continue to increase, albeit at a slower rate, but this precedes the EU referendum result, therefore it is far too early to determine any impact since," Martin Ellis, Halifax's housing economist, said.
  
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• Sadiq Khan in bid to 'strengthen bonds between Londoners' to prevent extremism

  07-07-2016 09:59
  
  Thursday marks 11 years since the July 7 London bombings.
  
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• UK house prices beat forecasts in run-up to EU vote - Halifax

  07-07-2016 09:45
  British house prices rose more strongly than expected in June although the increase took place before the country voted to leave the European Union, a report from mortgage lender Halifax showed on Thursday. "House prices continue to increase, albeit at a slower rate, but this precedes the EU referendum result, therefore it is far too early to determine any impact since," Martin Ellis, Halifax's housing economist, said.
  
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• A hotel used a guest's personal details to post a fake review on Booking.com

  07-07-2016 09:24
  
  They wrote: “All in all a very good hotel. Lovely staff … that is keen on fulfilling even special requests.”
  
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• A false agent fooled MI6 with reports based on action movie The Rock

  07-07-2016 09:07
  
  They believed the claims from the false agent that Saddam Hussein was continuing to produce weapons of mass destruction.
  
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• Tata Steel to further delay decision over UK Port Talbot plant - BBC

  07-07-2016 08:55
  LONDON (Reuters) - Tata Steel will announce the sale of some of its speciality businesses in Britain but further delay a decision on the future of its Port Talbot plant, which it put up for sale earlier this year, the BBC reported. Britain's Business Secretary Sajid Javid is due in Mumbai on Thursday to meet Tata Chairman Cyrus Mistry and the BBC said that the Brexit vote had partly caused the delay in selling the Port Talbot facility in southern Wales. ...
  
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• British man pleads not guilty in Donald Trump shooting plot case

  07-07-2016 08:54
  
  Michael Sandford, 20, allegedly tried to snatch a weapon during a Trump rally at Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas on June 18.
  
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• Tony Blair faces calls for Iraq war legal action after Chilcot report

  07-07-2016 08:22
  
  Blair said he felt “more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know” for the grief of those whose loved ones died.
  
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