General news

• Senior Doctors Condemn Strikes By Junior Colleagues

  01-09-2016 23:55
  
  Britain's most senior doctors have dramatically condemned plans by their junior colleagues for a series of five-day strikes. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges - led by 22 of the country's most senior doctors - said it was "disappointed" at the plans. In a surprising development, a spokesman for the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said the action was not proportionate.
  
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• Cheeky Cornish Builder Snaps A Selfie With Duke And Duchess

  01-09-2016 22:51
  A Cornish builder has snapped a cheeky selfie with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they toured a housing development in Newquay. Sam Wayne edged into position and flashed a grin when the royal couple approached - as the Duke was overheard to say "That's got to be a bad selfie". Mr Wayne uploaded the snap to his Facebook page and bragged it was the second time he had photographed himself with a member of the Royal Family.
  
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• Builder grabs cheeky selfie with William and Kate

  01-09-2016 22:47
  
  Not something that happens every day at work, is it?
  
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• Part Of M20 To Shut At Weekend To Remove Damaged Bridge

  01-09-2016 21:37
  
  The coast-bound carriageway will be off-limits between junctions one and four, while the London-bound carriageway will close between junctions four and two. Highways England chief engineer Catherine Brookes said: "We worked hard last weekend to reopen the M20 as soon as it was safe to do so and I would like to thank drivers for their patience while we did this. Video footage from Saturday's collision showed the top of a lorry's trailer sheared off, and debris littering t
  
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• UK government condemns 'irresponsible' English five-day doctor strike

  01-09-2016 19:47
  British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Thursday condemned as "totally irresponsible" a plan by junior doctors in England to hold a five-day strike after the industry's trade union escalated a long-running dispute with the government. The British Medical Association (BMA) trade union on Wednesday backed plans for a full walkout of junior doctors from 0700 GMT to 1600 GMT for five days from Sept. 12, the longest in the near 70-year history of the National Health Service. The union later said juni
  
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• Junior Doctors Announce 15 More Days Of Strikes

  01-09-2016 19:25
  
  Junior doctors have announced 15 more days of strikes spanning October, November and December in their ongoing contract dispute. In a statement, the British Medical Association, which represents the doctors, said that the decision was made during a special meeting of its council today.
  
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• Smiler Ride Re-Opens After Passengers Stranded For An Hour

  01-09-2016 19:15
  
  Thrill-seekers at Alton Towers were left stranded on The Smiler rollercoaster for an hour some 15 months after a crash on the ride seriously injured five people. The passengers were safely removed and the ride was closed for the fault to be investigated, an Alton Towers spokesperson said. Liam Dennett, 33, from Cheltenham, was in the queue for the ride when an announcement was made about a "technical fault".
  
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• Kate and Wills have definitely had a better day than you

  01-09-2016 19:02
  
  During their tour of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Healey’s cyder farm in the sunshine. Alright for some…
  
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• Uber granted legal review of new English test for London drivers

  01-09-2016 18:45
  Car ride service Uber [UBER.UL] said on Thursday it had been granted permission for a legal review of a proposed new English language test for its drivers in London that it said was tougher than the level needed to obtain British citizenship. The company said a new requirement for all licensed private hire drivers from a non-English speaking country to pass a two-hour written English exam was disproportionate and contravened the Equality Act. Public body Transport for London (TfL) proposed new r
  
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• 'Attempted Kidnap' Of Girl, 9, Sparks Police Probe In Hereford

  01-09-2016 17:27
  A possible attempt to kidnap a nine-year-old girl is being investigated by police in Hereford. The girl was walking along Staddlestone Circle, Saxon Gate, at 8pm on Wednesday when she was approached from behind by a man. Detective Inspector Martin Taylor, of West Mercia Police, said such incidents "are, thankfully, extremely rare and a robust investigation has been launched".
  
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• Gourmet Burger Kitchen Swallowed By Wimpy Owner Famous Brands

  01-09-2016 17:21
  The high-end UK burger chain Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) is to change hands in a £120m deal. The company is to be bought by the owner of Wimpy, Famous Brands, which said it viewed the purchase as an opportunity to go upmarket. GBK has grown to 75 restaurants since it was bought from its founders in 2010 by South African private equity vehicle Yellowwoods.
  
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• EU to mull on Sept. 16 its future after Brexit, not negotiation strategy - Tusk

  01-09-2016 16:09
  By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will talk on Sept. 16 about how to breathe new life into the bloc after Britain leaves, but they will not discuss the divorce terms until London officially declares its will to quit, the chairman of the meeting said. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she would not send such a formal notification until next year so that she has time to come up with a negotiating stance. Diplomats say Britain would prefer to have an idea of the term
  
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• Brexit minister says UK ideally seeking tariff-free access to EU single market

  01-09-2016 15:46
  By Amanda Ferguson BELFAST (Reuters) - Britain is ideally seeking tariff-free access to the European Union's single market combined with curbs on immigration, the minister in charge of negotiating the country's exit from the bloc said on Thursday. Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday she was seeking a unique relationship with the European Union, in an apparent rejection of suggestions from other EU states that Britain must choose between free trade and migration limits. "With respect to
  
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• Passengers Stranded On Alton Towers' Smiler Ride 'For An Hour'

  01-09-2016 15:10
  Thrill-seekers at Alton Towers were reportedly stranded on The Smiler rollercoaster for an hour - just over a year after a crash that seriously injured five people. Guests were removed and the ride was closed for the fault to be investigated, an Alton Towers spokesperson said.
  
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• PM Accuses Junior Doctors Of 'Playing Politics' Over Strike

  01-09-2016 14:57
  
  Theresa May has accused the British Medical Association of "playing politics" instead of putting patients first after it approved a "full withdrawal of labour" over five days later this month. The Prime Minister said the deal offered to junior doctors was "safe for patients", and added that the NHS had "record levels of funding". Chief executive Niall Dickson said: "The decision of the British Medical Association's leadership to call on doctors in training in England to take rolling, all-out ind
  
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• Barclays Accused Of Making $3bn ‎Loan To Fund Qatar Share Deal

  01-09-2016 14:56
  Barclays loaned $3bn (£2.26bn) to Qatar to fund the purchase of the bank's shares as it sought emergency funding during the 2008 financial crisis, according to a ‎lawsuit brought by a prominent backer of the same deal. Documents filed by PCP Capital Partners at the High Court, and seen by Sky News, allege that Barclays arranged loans to Qatari investors almost exactly matching the sum paid for its shares in October 2008, as executives scrambled to keep the bank independent of the Gover
  
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• French government confirms support for Hinkley Point

  01-09-2016 14:54
  French Finance Minister Michel Sapin, who has also taken on the economy portfolio following the resignation of Emmanuel Macron, confirmed the government's support for state-owned utility EDF's plan to build nuclear reactors in Hinkley Point, Britain. Macron, who was one of the strongest supporters of the Hinkley Point project in the Socialist government, resigned on Tuesday. Sapin aid that EDF's board had given its green light for the UK project with the support of the French government.
  
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• UK ideally seeking tariff-free access to EU single market - minister

  01-09-2016 14:50
  Britain is ideally seeking tariff-free access to the European Union's single market, the minister in charge of negotiating the country's exit from the bloc said on Thursday. "With respect to access to the single market, what we will seek to do is ideally have a tariff-free access but this is a matter of negotiation," David Davis told reporters in Northern Ireland.
  
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• Premier League's Summer Transfer Spending Breaks Record

  01-09-2016 14:40
  
  Premier League transfer window spending reached a record £1.165bn this summer, 34% up on last year. The figures were published by accountants Deloitte hours after the transfer deadline late on Wednesday night.
  
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• Man Held Over Murder Of Banker Oliver Dearlove In Blackheath

  01-09-2016 14:25
  A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 30-year-old man who was attacked in southeast London. Oliver Dearlove, who lived in Eltham and worked in banking, died in hospital after he was assaulted in Tranquil Vale, Blackheath, in the early hours of Sunday. A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and actual bodily harm after he attended a south London police station by appointment.
  
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• Alton Towers visitors stuck on Smiler ride, dangling in mid-air 15 months after crash

  01-09-2016 14:23
  
  The previous crash left two women needing leg amputations.
  
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• Post-Brexit bounce in UK factories sparks BoE rate cut doubts

  01-09-2016 14:09
  By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) - British manufacturing staged one of its sharpest rebounds on record in August, a post-Brexit surprise that could prompt the Bank of England to rethink the need to cut interest rates again if other surveys confirm the trend. The recovery far outstripped all economists' forecasts, delivering the strongest signal yet that Britain's economy is performing better than initially feared after the June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union. "We would expect m
  
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• Studio 338 team launch new London club The Bridge

  01-09-2016 14:04
  
  It comes after a fire at 338 on August 8.
  
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• Southern Rail Given £20m Fund To 'Get To Grips' With Disruption

  01-09-2016 13:58
  A new £20m fund has been unveiled to improve Southern rail services and "get to grips" with problems on the beleaguered network. The Government announced a series of measures including the appointment of a "project board" after months of disruption to Southern services following a bitter dispute over the role of guards and staff shortages. Chris Gibb, former chief operating officer for Virgin Rail, will head the new board as it looks to achieve a "rapid" improvement in services.
  
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• Ex-Policeman Who Lost Both Legs In Sepsis Ordeal Set To Be A Dad

  01-09-2016 13:57
  A former police officer who was horrifically disfigured after contracting septicaemia and being misdiagnosed by hospital staff is set to become a father. Dean Smahon lost both legs, eight fingers and parts of his nose after hospital staff failed to treat him effectively when he became ill in October 2010. The 54-year-old was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary with flu-like symptoms of pain in his hip, fever, and the "shakes" - then placed in an induced coma after his condition worsened.
  
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• UK to provide 20 million pounds for struggling Southern rail service

  01-09-2016 13:54
  The British government said it would provide 20 million pounds ($26 million) to help improve services on the privately run Southern rail network, after passengers suffered months of strikes, cancellations and delays. The funding would be used to increase the number of teams used to fix problems on the line, accelerate the replacement of old track and ensure more staff at busy stations, the Department for Transport (DfT) said on Thursday. Southern, which connects London to Brighton and Gatwick Ai
  
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• British Airways resumes direct flights to Tehran as sanctions ease

  01-09-2016 13:48
  The airline, owned by IAG, will become the second European carrier to resume flights to Iran after Air France. The first BA flight is due to leave Heathrow on Thursday evening. "British Airways has a long history of flying to Iran so we are very excited to be launching our new six times a week service, direct from Heathrow to Tehran”, said a spokesman.
  
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• Safety Fears As Junior Doctors Announce 'Worst Ever NHS Strike'

  01-09-2016 13:37
  
  Safety fears have been raised for patients after junior doctors announced a "full withdrawal of labour" over five days later this month as the dispute over working contracts rumbles on. Figures have suggested up to 5,000 operations a day could be cancelled during the strike action, with five-day walkouts planned every month until the end of the year. Chief executive Niall Dickson said: "The decision of the British Medical Association's leadership to call on doctors in training in England to
  
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• 'Incredible Boy' Killed In Police Chase Crash In Penge

  01-09-2016 13:27
  
  Tributes have been paid to an "incredible" 10-year-old boy who died after being hit by a stolen car being chased by police. Witnesses described seeing the pursued car losing control before ploughing into pedestrians in Lennard Road in Penge, southeast London. Youngster Makayah McDermott and his aunt Rosie Cooper, 34, were killed in the crash on Wednesday afternoon.
  
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• Public felt ill-informed in EU referendum campaign, says reform society

  01-09-2016 12:58
  By Laura Gardner Cuesta LONDON (Reuters) - The conduct of Britain's EU referendum showed "glaring democratic deficiencies," according to a report on Thursday by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), which called for a review into how referendums are run. "This report shows without a shadow of a doubt just how dire the EU referendum debate really was," said Katie Ghose, Chief Executive of the society. "There were glaring democratic deficiencies in the run-up to the vote, with the public feeling tot
  
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• Manufacturing Bounces Back After Brexit Shock

  01-09-2016 12:58
  
  The UK manufacturing sector bounced back strongly in August according to better-than-expected figures that add to hopes the economy will avoid a recession. Monthly purchasing managers' index (PMI) data from Markit showed growth in Britain's factories climbed to a 10-month high - after it had gone into reverse gear following the referendum.
  
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• EU Referendum Debate Contained 'Glaring Democratic Deficiencies'

  01-09-2016 12:57
  Voters were left feeling "ill-informed" and disengaged by the EU referendum debate because of "glaring democratic deficiencies", a new report has found. The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) said it found a "root and branch review" is needed on how future referendums are carried out. It found voters thought both the Leave and Remain campaigns became increasingly negative and that high-profile political figures, including David Cameron, turned people off the process.
  
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• BBC Closes iPlayer Licence Fee Loophole

  01-09-2016 12:17
  Users of the BBC's iPlayer service risk prosecution and a £1,000 fine if they watch programmes without a TV licence from today. Previously, a loophole meant only live TV was covered by the £145.50-a-year licence fee - allowing people who had missed BBC shows to watch for free on a mobile, tablet or catch-up service. Now viewers are asked to confirm they have a TV licence before watching any content on iPlayer, although they are not asked to provide details.
  
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• UK will be outward-facing post-Brexit, continue to attract investment - Hammond

  01-09-2016 12:02
  Britain will continue to attract companies to invest in the UK following its vote to leave the European Union, finance minister Philip Hammond said on Thursday. "As an outward-looking country, we will continue to attract companies to invest and grow in the UK, while supporting British businesses," Hammond said in statement released to mark a visit to Jaguar Land Rover, the British luxury carmaker unit of India's Tata Motors.
  
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• Patient Safety Fears Over 'Worst Strike In NHS History'

  01-09-2016 11:33
  
  Safety fears have been raised for patients after junior doctors announced a "full withdrawal of labour" over five days later this month as the dispute over working contracts rumbles on. Figures have suggested up to 5,000 operations a day could be cancelled during the strike action, with five day walkouts planned every month until the end of the year. The General Medical Council (GMC) said on Thursday that the proposed strikes were "unprecedented" and warned about the impact on patients.
  
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• UK factory activity rebounds in August, helped by slump in sterling - PMI survey

  01-09-2016 11:19
  By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) - British manufacturing staged one of its sharpest rebounds on record in August as factories recovered from the initial shock of June's vote to leave the European Union, helped by a boost to exports from sterling's post-Brexit slump. The weak PMI surveys of July suggested the economy had begun to contract at the fastest rate since the 2008-09 financial crisis and were a big factor behind the BoE's decision on Aug. 4 to cut rates to a record low and restart bond
  
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• Junior Doctors' Strike: Key Questions Answered

  01-09-2016 10:48
  Junior doctors are proposing to stage five days of industrial action between 8am and 5pm on 12-16 September with a "full withdrawal of labour". The strikes will be followed by further dates which are yet to be confirmed, said the British Medical Association (BMA), the union representing the doctors.
  
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• Government condemns "irresponsible" English five-day doctor strike

  01-09-2016 10:33
  British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Thursday condemned as "totally irresponsible" a plan by English junior doctors to hold a five-day strike after the industry's trade union escalated a long-running dispute with the government. The British Medical Association (BMA) trade union on Wednesday backed plans for a full walkout of junior doctors from 0700 GMT (8.00 a.m. BST) to 1600 GMT for five days from Sept. 12, the longest in the near 70-year history of the National Health Service. Junior docto
  
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• Recruitment Business Hays Weakened 'Significantly' After Brexit Vote

  01-09-2016 10:32
  
  Recruitment firm Hays said its UK and Ireland business weakened "significantly" after the Brexit vote. Temporary jobs hiring remained "broadly at pre-referendum levels", it said. The jobs group, seen as a bellwether for the wider economy, said the UK private sector was hit by economic uncertainty.
  
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• Crime victims should have legal right to contact offenders - MPs

  01-09-2016 09:03 via bbc.co.uk
  
  All victims of crime in England and Wales should have a legal right to have contact with offenders, MPs say.
  
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• Poldark star Aidan Turner says he 'sexed up' scything

  01-09-2016 09:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Poldark leading man Aidan Turner spoke to BBC Breakfast's Louise Minchin about scything, surfing and spying.
  
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• Woman and boy dead after car chased by police mows down family

  01-09-2016 08:55
  
  A 23-year-old man was arrested at the scene.
  
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• Contactless Card Use Overtakes Cheque Books

  01-09-2016 08:53
  Contactless cards have overtaken cheque books as a payment method for the first time. Figures from analysts Mintel showed cheques had been used by 31% of Britons in the three months to April. Use of each of these has risen since last year while the use of cheque books has fallen.
  
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• Gatwick Express train death man 'next to warning notice'

  01-09-2016 08:52 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A man who died when he leaned out of a train window and hit his head was standing near a warning notice, a report says.
  
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• Lifetime ban finally lifted on gay men donating blood in Northern Ireland

  01-09-2016 08:47
  
  Now, gay men across the whole of the UK will be able to donate blood 12 months after their last sexual encounter.
  
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• Mexico is going to pay for the wall that keeps its citizens out of the US, says Trump

  01-09-2016 08:26
  
  We aren’t sure how that will work either…
  
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• Police Investigated By IPCC Watchdog Over Chase Crash Deaths

  01-09-2016 08:06
  
  The Independent Police Complaints Commission has begun an investigation after a woman and a boy were killed when they were hit by a stolen car being chased by police. Witnesses described seeing the pursued car losing control before ploughing into pedestrians in Lennard Road. Venissa Vassell, 18, heard sirens and a car screeching as she walked from a nearby train station and immediately ran to help.
  
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• Asylum seeker posing 'serious risk' to the public released as deportation bid fails

  01-09-2016 07:40 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  AN ASYLUM seeker branded a "serial offender" by a judge has been released from immigration detention after Home Office deportation attempts failed.
  
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• Had its chips? The traditional British fish van in France

  01-09-2016 07:07 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A British couple have been providing authentic fish and chips across France's Dordogne region for four years. Has Brexit affected their business?
  
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• HANDS OFF OUR BUSINESSES: Calais mayor told GO HOME as she arrives in Kent to woo traders

  01-09-2016 07:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  KENT traders and leaders are preparing to give the Mayor of Calais a piece of their minds as she arrives in the country to try and steal businesses in a post-Brexit fallout.
  
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