General news

• Officials want to ban swimming with dolphins in Hawaii

  23-08-2016 23:50
  
  It’s one of Hawaii’s most popular tourist delights – and it might have to come to an end.
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn: NHS Money For Patients Not Contractors

  23-08-2016 23:49
  
  Jeremy Corbyn is to pledge cash for "patients not contractors" as he sets out plans to "renationalise" the NHS and end "privatisation" on Wednesday. The Labour leader will commit to stopping private finance initiative (PFI) contracts which he claims "leak money away from front line services". Mr Corbyn's proposals will aim to counter those of Labour leadership opponent Owen Smith, who has already insisted a "100% publicly-funded NHS" is an "absolute red line".
  
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• Promoting London's nightlife as Sadiq Khan's night czar - could this be your dream job?

  23-08-2016 22:31
  
  Sadiq Khan is hiring a Night Czar, which is probably the coolest job title ever.
  
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• #Traingate: The essential minute-by-minute timeline of Corbyn's dramatic day

  23-08-2016 21:50
  
  We’re not comparing it to the Watergate scandal, but…
  
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• Corbyn Defiant As Virgin Casts Doubt On Leader's Packed Train Claim

  23-08-2016 19:14
  
  Jeremy Corbyn's team has insisted the Labour leader could not find an unreserved seat when he got on a train - amid a row with Virgin Trains. The rail company took issue with Mr Corbyn after he complained in a video he was forced to sit on the floor because of "completely ram-packed" carriages on a service between London and Newcastle. The politician was travelling on the three-hour Virgin Trains service on 11 August for a leadership hustings in Gateshead.
  
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• Midweek Sizzler: Heatwave Alerts For Parts Of UK

  23-08-2016 18:33
  Britons have been warned to take extra care in the warm weather as heatwave alerts are issued for parts of the UK. The Met Office has issued a level three heatwave alert for eastern England, as warm air is pushed up from the continent. Forecasters say the temperatures are expected to be highest in East Anglia, with sizzling conditions also in London and the South East.
  
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• Top SABMiller shareholder Aberdeen backs court ruling on AB InBev deal

  23-08-2016 17:58
  Aberdeen Asset Management said on Tuesday it was pleased a court had ruled SABMiller shareholders can be treated as two separate groups when they vote on a takeover by Anheuser Busch InBev, and still plans to reject the deal. The 79 billion pound ($103 billion) deal headed to the courts as SABMiller sought to make sure the deal treated investors fairly, given its two largest shareholders were offered different terms to help them trim their tax bill. "As we have already indicated, we intend to vo
  
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• Scottish economy to see 2-11 billion pounds Brexit hit, government says

  23-08-2016 17:05
  Leaving the European Union will sap Scotland's economy by between 1.7 and 11.2 billion pounds ($14.76 billion) by 2030, depending on which new trade relationship Britain chooses, the Scottish government said on Tuesday. Presenting the figures, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was seeking "in good faith" to negotiate the Scottish chapter of the terms under which Britain leaves the EU, but would keep Scottish independence from the UK as an option. "The old argument that the UK so
  
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• Southern Rail Staff To Stage 48-Hour Strike In September

  23-08-2016 17:04
  
  Workers at Southern Railway are going to stage a 48-hour walkout next month in the long-running row over train guards. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union has announced its members will walk out on 7 and 8 September, causing travel chaos for passengers. Southern Rail argues it will result in faster and more punctual services and will not threaten any jobs or pay.
  
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• Virgin Casts Doubt On Jeremy Corbyn's Packed Train Claim

  23-08-2016 16:50
  CCTV has been released appearing to show Jeremy Corbyn walking past empty train seats before he was filmed sitting on the floor complaining about the "completely ram-packed" carriages. The Labour leader was travelling on the three-hour Virgin Trains service from London to Newcastle on 11 August for a leadership hustings in Gateshead. A video then emerged which showed Mr Corbyn sitting on the floor, reading a newspaper, and saying "this is a problem that many passengers face every day", befo
  
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• Remember when Corbyn sat on the floor of a train? Well, Virgin CCTV 'shows him walking past empty seats' beforehand

  23-08-2016 16:47
  
  The Labour leader was travelling on the three-hour Virgin Trains service from London to Newcastle on August 11.
  
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• WATCH: Corbyn OUTED after sitting on floor of 'jam packed train' - full of EMPTY seats

  23-08-2016 16:20 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  CCTV footage has emerged which appears to show Jeremy Corbyn DID have a seat on the train he suggested was so "ram-packed" he was forced to sit on the floor.
  
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• This plus-size model suffered a tirade of racist abuse after taking control of Ireland's national Twitter account

  23-08-2016 16:15
  
  Twitter has some unpleasant users.
  
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• Stressed pension funds urge UK to sell more inflation-proof debt

  23-08-2016 16:03
  By Abhinav Ramnarayan LONDON (Reuters) - Pension funds are pushing the British government to issue more index-linked bonds to insulate them from inflation and help cope with worrisome accounting deficits that have intensified since Britain voted in June to leave the European Union. The UK's Debt Management Office said on Tuesday that its latest consultations with the investors meant it would sell at least one index-linked bond through syndication and two in regular auctions during the third quar
  
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• Tesco criticised over removal of Scottish flag from packaging after complaints

  23-08-2016 16:00
  
  The supermarket giant removed the Saltire after complaints that similar products grown in England did not carry St George’s cross on packaging.
  
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• Soldier shot dead during live-firing exercise in Northumberland

  23-08-2016 15:51
  
  The soldier, whose identity has not yet been released, was from the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
  
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• Team GB Bask In Heroes' Welcome As They Arrive Home From Rio

  23-08-2016 15:36
  
  Team GB's ecstatic athletes have arrived back home to a heroes' welcome following their best Olympics in more than a century. A gold-nosed Boeing 747 with "victoRIOus" emblazoned on the side and 320 athletes and support staff on board landed at Heathrow airport just before 10am. Rowing gold medallist Helen Glover tweeted pictures from the "flight of a lifetime", including one of gymnast Max Whitlock holding a pose and balancing on two chairs.
  
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• Soldier Dies During Live Fire Exercise In Northumberland

  23-08-2016 15:26
  A soldier has died while taking part in a night-time live firing exercise at a training facility in Northumberland. The man had suffered a serious head wound after being shot during the exercise at the Otterburn training area. Armed Forces minister Mike Penning said the soldier was from The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and expressed his condolences to the man's family, friends and colleagues.
  
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• Aids charity accuses NHS England after 'homophobic response' to HIV drug ruling

  23-08-2016 15:24
  
  The drug pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce the chances of HIV infection in people who are at high risk by more than 90%.
  
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• Factbox - UK economy suffers little immediate Brexit hit, tests to come

  23-08-2016 15:23
  By Ana Nicolaci da Costa LONDON(Reuters) - Two months after Britain decided to leave the European Union, consumers seem to have taken the result in their stride but there are some signs that the challenge for the economy has barely begun. Below is a summary of various measures of the economy's performance since the country voted to leave the EU on June 23: CONSUMPTION Shoppers shrugged off the Brexit shock in July, according to official data. Retailers Tesco, Next and John Lewis say they have no
  
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• Penguin promoted to brigadier at Edinburgh Zoo

  23-08-2016 15:14
  Standing in line for a special ceremony, uniformed soldiers of His Majesty the King of Norway's Guard are carefully inspected -- by a penguin. Sir Nils Olav, a resident king penguin at Edinburgh Zoo, was honoured with the title of brigadier on Monday during a parade in the Scottish park. The bird is the mascot of His Majesty the King of Norway's Guard and was made a knight in 2008.
  
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• British Murder Suspect Admits Hitting Bali Policeman With Beer Bottle

  23-08-2016 15:14
  David Taylor admits he got into a "confrontation" with the officer, but denies killing him, according to his lawyer. Wayan Sudarsa's body was discovered with head and neck wounds on Kuta beach last Wednesday. Mr Taylor, 33, and his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor, 45, were arrested on Friday after going to the Australian consulate.
  
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• British Army soldier shot dead during training exercise in Northumberland

  23-08-2016 14:59 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  A SOLDIER has been shot dead during a training exercise in Northumberland.
  
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• Slump In Sterling Boosts UK Export Orders

  23-08-2016 14:41
  
  UK export orders reached a two-year high in August after goods became cheaper for overseas buyers thanks to the slump in the value of the pound, new figures show. The survey from the CBI will add to optimism about the resilience of the economy after the vote to leave the European Union, following better than expected retail sales and jobs figures last week. A poll of 505 firms by the CBI found 21% said total export orders were above normal compared to 27% saying they were below normal - giving a
  
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• Former BHS Boss Dominic Chappell Banned From Driving For Speeding

  23-08-2016 14:21
  
  Dominic Chappell was speaking outside Aldershot Magistrates Court after being given a six-month driving ban for speeding. The former racing car driver, who purchased British Home Stores for £1 last year, admitted to driving over 60mph in a 40mph zone in April.
  
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• Boy From Birmingham Killed By Hand Grenade Blast In Sweden

  23-08-2016 14:11
  
  A Birmingham schoolboy who was killed by a grenade thrown into an apartment had just celebrated his eighth birthday. Yuusuf Warsame was killed in the blast in a third-floor flat in a suburb of Gothenburg, Sweden, in the early hours of Monday morning. Yuusuf's father, Abdiwahid Warsame, said his mother had cradled him in her arms as he died.
  
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• Corrie's David Platt set for a beating at thugs' boozer

  23-08-2016 14:00
  
  The street’s former bad boy is about to head back into troubled territory.
  
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• Oxfam Hits Out At UK Government Over Saudi Arabia Arms Sales

  23-08-2016 13:46
  
  Oxfam will today accuse the Government of being in "denial and disarray" over weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. There are concerns the weapons are being used in the country's intervention in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is supporting the Yemeni government in its war with Shia Houthi rebels. The UK Government has faced repeated calls to ban the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia amid concerns that international humanitarian law (IHL) is being broken in the conflict.
  
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• When will she stop? Sturgeon now to fight to save 'DANGEROUS' Human Rights Act

  23-08-2016 13:44 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  NICOLA STURGEON is getting set to do battle with Westminster AGAIN - with a promise to oppose the scrapping of the Human Rights Act.
  
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• Leaked documents reveal doubts over viability of seven-day NHS service

  23-08-2016 13:35
  A “workforce overload” could mean it’s not possible to find enough skilled staff.
  
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• Devolved govt sees 2 billion to 11 billion pound Brexit hit to Scottish economy

  23-08-2016 13:35
  Leaving the European Union will sap Scotland's economy by between 1.7 billion and 11.2 billion pounds ($14.76 billion) by 2030, depending on which new trade relationship Britain chooses, the Scottish government said on Tuesday. Its estimate was based on studies by economic think tanks and Britain's finance ministry looking at the different trade agreements potentially selected by Britain after its vote to leave the EU, as well as the uncertainty facing the economy until its choice is clear. "Pur
  
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• Musicians Warned After Mouldy Bagpipes Death

  23-08-2016 13:00
  Musicians who play wind instruments are being warned to clean their equipment thoroughly, following the death of a bagpipe player. It was then doctors realised the bagpipes might be to blame. Writing in the journal Thorax, experts warned that such instruments should be cleaned regularly to reduce the chance of a similar tragedy.
  
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• Ofsted Chair David Hoare Quits In Wake Of 'Ghetto' Comments

  23-08-2016 12:56
  The chairman of education watchdog Ofsted has resigned after calling the Isle of Wight a "ghetto" where there was "inbreeding". David Hoare said he had told Education Secretary Justine Greening that he was leaving with immediate effect. Ms Greening said in a statement: "I have accepted David Hoare's resignation from the post of Chair of the Board of Ofsted.
  
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• UK court says SABMiller shareholders can be split into two classes

  23-08-2016 12:53
  By Martinne Geller LONDON (Reuters) - SABMiller shareholders can be treated as two separate groups when they vote on the company's takeover by Anheuser Busch InBev, a court in London ruled on Tuesday, granting a request from SAB for a split. The 79 billion pound ($103 billion) deal requires 75 percent approval by SAB shareholders. SAB requested that those two shareholders -- cigarette maker Altria Group and Bevco, a vehicle of Colombia's Santo Domingo family -- be treated as a separate class.
  
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• UK manufacturing export orders highest in two years after Brexit vote

  23-08-2016 12:51
  Orders for British manufacturing exports rose to their highest level in two years in August helped by the Brexit-induced fall in sterling but the weaker pound also pushed up price expectations to their highest in over a year, a survey showed. An index measuring overall factory orders dipped slightly in August to -5 from -4 in July but export orders improved to -6 from -22, their highest since August 2014, the survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed. "It's good to see manufacturing
  
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• Team GB: Where The Medals Were Won

  23-08-2016 12:28
  
  Rio 2016 was Team GB's most successful Olympics for a century. On-target if out of the medals in the Sambadrome, with a quarter-final appearance for Naomi Folkard. The last Olympic medal in a sport dominated by Asia and South Korea was Alison Williamson's Athens bronze. Mo Farah's historic double-double was the best of a Games which could not repeat the lustre of London.
  
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• Pair Bailed Over Suspected Bid To Go To Syria

  23-08-2016 12:15
  A woman and a teenage girl arrested on suspicion of trying to join a banned group in Syria have been released on bail. The pair, aged 16 and 20, were detained in central London at around 9pm on Sunday. A Scotland Yard spokesman said both were arrested "on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts, namely travelling to Syria to join a proscribed organisation".
  
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• A wingsuit diver dies while jumping in the French Alps

  23-08-2016 12:08
  
  Alexander Polli collided with a tree at an altitude of 1500m, near the Mont Blanc area.
  
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• Man arrested after 'snorting cocaine' outside country's biggest police station

  23-08-2016 11:55
  
  Lewisham police didn’t even have to work hard to catch the man, he was right on their doorstep.
  
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• Heroes' Welcome For Team GB Stars After Historic Rio Olympics

  23-08-2016 11:46
  
  Team GB's ecstatic athletes have arrived back home to a heroes' welcome following their best Olympics in more than a century. Rowing gold medallist Helen Glover tweeted pictures from the "flight of a lifetime", including one of another Team GB star Max Whitlock performing gymnastic tricks on the plane. The jet - which also carried back pole vaults, javelins, bicycles and a 6.7m sail back from Rio - was loaded with 77 extra champagne bottles and treats for team
  
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• MPs To Question Chancellor Philip Hammond Over Help To Buy ISAs

  23-08-2016 11:38
  Philip Hammond will be asked to justify the terms of the Government's controversial Help to Buy ISAs, the chairman of the Treasury Select Committee has said. Andrew Tyrie told the Daily Telegraph the committee would be asking the Chancellor about the savings scheme in the autumn. Mr Tyrie, who is a Conservative MP, said: "The detailed terms of the Help to Buy ISA take some justifying.
  
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• National Grid to recoup 95 million pounds of power contract costs

  23-08-2016 10:38
  Britain's National Grid will be able to recoup 95 million pounds of the 113 million it has awarded to two companies to provide back-up emergency power for winter 2016/17, regulator Ofgem said on Tuesday. The so-called "black start" contracts pay power companies to keep plants ready to come back online without start-up power from the grid if there is a national power outage. National Grid has a range of measures to incentive plants to be available during times of high demand and regulator Ofgem s
  
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• Man Stabbed In Car Park 'Sword Attack' In Liverpool

  23-08-2016 10:12
  A person reportedly armed with a sword has stabbed a man in a Liverpool shopping centre car park. Merseyside Police said the attacker was reported to have been carrying a sword and to have fled the scene on foot and then by vehicle. Soon after, a 38-year-old man from Wavertree, Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
  
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• Pension Pot Raiders Fail To Plan For Future

  23-08-2016 09:03
  
  More than half of those who have raided their retirement savings under pension freedoms have no plan for how to pay for their future care, according to new figures. A survey by Citizens Advice found just 16% had budgeted for care costs as they grow older while 60% had no plan and a further 23% had given some thought to meeting these expenses - for example by remortgaging or selling their homes. Citizens Advice called for local authorities to help make future costs clearer for people, possibly by
  
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• Prince William is going to meet Angela Merkel for the first time ever

  23-08-2016 08:43
  
  The royal will also watch a British Forces Germany military parade.
  
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• Heart Donation Gag Takes Edinburgh Festival Fringe Award

  23-08-2016 06:36
  A joke about heart donation has been voted the funniest at the the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - an award previously won by Tim Vine, Zoe Lyons and Rob Auton. Comedian Masai Graham's gag impressed the 10 comedy critics that drew up a shortlist that was then voted on by 2,000 members of the public. Graham said: "It's an incredible honour to land Joke of the Fringe.
  
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• Gender Pay Gap Hits Women With Children Hardest

  23-08-2016 06:08
  Women with children face a widening gender pay gap - leaving them 33% worse off than men by the time their first child is 12, a report has found. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found the overall wage gap had narrowed over the last 20 years, but mothers have been getting left behind. The report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggested the shortfall was linked to some women working fewer hours after having children - meaning they miss out on pay rises and promotions.
  
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• Yemen crisis: Oxfam critical of UK-Saudi arms deals

  23-08-2016 04:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Oxfam is to accuse UK ministers of "denial and disarray" over their agreement to sell arms to Saudi Arabia for potential use in Yemen's civil war.
  
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• Boy, 8, killed in grenade attack on apartment in Sweden

  23-08-2016 03:55 via bbc.co.uk
  
  An eight-year-old boy dies after a grenade was thrown into a flat in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, police say.
  
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• Leaked Reports Cite Fears Over Seven-Day NHS Plan

  23-08-2016 03:53
  The Guardian and Channel 4 News have obtained leaked Department of Health documents, which they say show senior officials have voiced a number of concerns about implementing policy. Reports cite fears over the lack of detailed costings, risk assessment, and limited data supporting the policy. Channel 4 News claimed a "risk register" for the seven-day services programme, dated July 25, refers to the possibility that there will not be enough resources to meet the deadline for the "complete roll-ou
  
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