General news

• What we know so far about the Borussia Dortmund bus explosions

  11-04-2017 23:49
  
  Dortmund had been preparing to play Monaco but the game was called off after the blasts, which injured player Marc Bartra.
  
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• Sean Spicer said Hitler didn't use chemical weapons - here's what you need to know

  11-04-2017 22:54
  
  The White House press secretary was attempting to discuss the horror of the chemical weapons attack last week in Syria.
  
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• This remote Scottish island needs a new nurse, if you fancy escaping

  11-04-2017 22:37
  
  Beautiful Fair Isle has a population of just 60. Now that’s what you call a tight-knit community…
  
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• Honing Brexit campaign, EU takes aim at UK residence red tape

  11-04-2017 21:54
  
  By Alastair MacdonaldBRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union should tell London to cut red tape that makes it hard for EU expats to confirm their residence in Britain, senior EU officials said after a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday to prepare for Brexit talks.Advisers to the 27 other EU government leaders broadly endorsed draft guidelines for negotiations with Britain on its withdrawal.In a mark of fireworks to come when talks get under way in early June, some pressed for clearer, tougher wordin
  
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• Boris Johnson has PM's 'full support' despite failure to secure sanctions

  11-04-2017 21:51
  
  UK foreign secretary failed to convince his G7 peers to push forward sanctions against Russia and Syria.Downing Street has insisted that Boris Johnson has the full support of Theresa May, despite the foreign secretary failing to secure the backing of his fellow G7 foreign ministers for plans to penalise Russia and Syria over last week’s chemical weapons attack.
  
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• Epidemic of Spice drug use was 'utterly predictable' following ban, says ex-drugs tsar

  11-04-2017 21:15
  
  Use of the drug in Manchester city centre has left scores of users rendered like “zombies” and passing out.
  
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• Corbyn embarks on an Easter policy blitz – but is it too little, too late? | Heather Stewart

  11-04-2017 20:29
  
  Corbyn speaking at the Federation of Small Businesses, where he promised to tackle the culture of late payments.The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is on an Easter policy blitz.One of the longstanding gripes of centrist Labour MPs sceptical about Corbyn has been that having won the leadership handsomely, twice over, promising a new, more radical politics, there have been few detailed policy announcements.
  
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• McClusky has set the new agenda for Unite | Letters

  11-04-2017 19:52
  
  Gerard Coyne ‘has failed to provide any policy detail about some of the issues and challenges raised in the letter, including Brexit and the rise of zero-hours contracts’ writes Mohammad Taj.Three former union general secretaries give their support to Gerard Coyne in the current Unite election.Margaret Prosser, Bill Morris and Roger Lyons claim Gerard Coyne is best placed to lead Unite (Letters, 6 April).
  
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• McCluskey has set the new agenda for Unite | Letters

  11-04-2017 19:52
  
  Gerard Coyne ‘has failed to provide any policy detail about some of the issues and challenges raised in the letter, including Brexit and the rise of zero-hours contracts’ writes Mohammad Taj.Three former union general secretaries give their support to Gerard Coyne in the current Unite election.Margaret Prosser, Bill Morris and Roger Lyons claim Gerard Coyne is best placed to lead Unite (Letters, 6 April).
  
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• Asylum seekers and the poorest parts of the UK are being let down | Letters

  11-04-2017 19:52
  
  Glasgow is the local authority with the highest number of asylum seekers in the UK. Picture taken 8 March 2010. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
  
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• 'Game-changing' stroke treatment rolled out

  11-04-2017 18:55
  
  A 'mechanical' brain operation that deploys a wire mesh to retrieve blood clots in stroke patients is to be extended across England, potentially treating 1,000 people in the next year.Up to 24 specialist neuroscience centres will be able to carry out mechanical thrombectomies after NHS England agreed to commission the operation nationwide.It is currently only practised at a handful of specialist centres including St George's Hospital in London.
  
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• Watchdog investigates claims of McCluskey robocalls in Unite race

  11-04-2017 18:53
  
  Len McCluskey, who is standing for re-election as Unite leader.The information watchdog has been asked to investigate the alleged use of robocalls by Len McCluskey’s campaign team in the increasingly fractious contest to head the union Unite.Union members say they have received calls in which a recording of McCluskey claims Unite is being subjected to a takeover by a rightwing faction and asks for their support.
  
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• Watch the Queen feed an elephant a banana at Whipsnade Zoo

  11-04-2017 18:26
  
  Donna the elephant went bananas for the treats from the Royals.
  
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• 'Mechanical' brain op could help stroke patients

  11-04-2017 18:25
  
  Thousands of critically ill stroke patients in England could benefit from a "mechanical" brain operation over the next year.
  
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• Merriam-Webster trolls United Airlines by sharing the definition of 'volunteer'

  11-04-2017 17:55
  
  The airline said they were looking for volunteers – so the dictionary has pointed out what that exactly means.
  
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• Here's a sneak peek at the new rollercoaster coming to Blackpool Pleasure Beach

  11-04-2017 17:51
  
  Icon will be a first double-launch rollercoaster in the country.
  
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• Don't wait to apply for EU licence, ECB tells Brexit banks

  11-04-2017 17:50
  
  Frankfurt has the biggest financial centre in the Eurozone
  
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• Corbyn: We'll stand up for smaller firms against 'cheating' giants

  11-04-2017 17:28
  
  Jeremy Corbyn has pledged to stand up for small businesses against "cheating" corporate titans who delay payments to suppliers and gain from sweetheart tax deals.The Labour leader said late payments were forcing more than 50,000 small firms out of business every year in what he described as a "national scandal".Mr Corbyn said people running small firms were "fed up with there being one rule for them and another for big business".
  
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• Charlie Gard: Doctors can withdraw life support from sick baby

  11-04-2017 17:26
  Doctors can withdraw life support from sick baby Charlie Gard against his parents' wishes, a High Court judge has ruled.The eight-month-old's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, from west London, were seeking permission to take him to a hospital in the US for a trial treatment."I find it is in Charlie's best interests that I accede to these applications and rule that Great Ormond Street may lawfully withdraw all treatment save for palliative care to permit Charlie to die with dignity," he said
  
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• John Cleese teams up with Alison Steadman for BBC sitcom return

  11-04-2017 16:36
  
  John has not played the lead role in a BBC sitcom since Fawlty Towers ended in 1979.
  
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• Parents fighting to keep baby alive lose high court battle

  11-04-2017 15:28
  
  Doctors can withdraw life-support treatment from a sick baby boy against his parents’ wishes, a high court judge has ruled.Specialists at Great Ormond Street hospital (GOSH) in central London had told the court they believed it was time to stop providing life support for eight-month-old Charlie Gard, who has a rare genetic condition.Doctors treating the infant say he has brain damage and should be moved on to a palliative care regime.
  
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• House prices set record high but market slows - official figures

  11-04-2017 14:17
  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that while the rate of growth picked up to 5.8% - up 0.6% on January - market commentary had since suggested that activity was slowing amid economic uncertainty and continued tight supply in the market.It was supported by data from the Bank of England which highlighted a fall of more than 5% in mortgage approvals during the month.The annual growth figure, while higher, also represents a slowdown on the 7.3% growth achieved by the UK market in 2016.
  
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• TV Bafta awards nominations in full

  11-04-2017 14:16
  
  The Crown has been nominated for five awards.
  
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• Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law Chris Hutcheson admits hacking chef's computer

  11-04-2017 14:13
  The father-in-law of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has admitted computer hacking.Chris Hutcheson, 68, was charged under Operation Tuleta with conspiring to cause a computer to access programs and data without authority.Three of his children - Adam Hutcheson, 46, Orlanda Butland, 45, and Chris Hutcheson Jr, 37 - also faced the same charge.
  
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• Ryan Giggs to argue 'special contribution' in divorce fight

  11-04-2017 13:53
  Former Manchester United and Wales footballer Ryan Giggs will argue he made a "special contribution" to the creation of wealth during his marriage, a divorce court judge has been told.A judge overseeing the dispute in the Family Division of the High Court in London has been told Mr Giggs will call witnesses to support his claim at any trial.Lawyers told Mr Justice Cobb that Mrs Giggs would call witnesses in "reply".
  
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• The viral image of Saffiyah Khan standing up to the EDL has inspired some amazing art

  11-04-2017 13:33
  
  The powerful image has proved inspirational for many artists.
  
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• United Airlines is being mercilessly mocked after a passenger was dragged from his seat

  11-04-2017 12:46
  
  Think lots of films with fighting and some creative new mottos.
  
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• Fuel price dip helps keep inflation steady at 2.3% in March

  11-04-2017 12:17
  The annual rate of inflation remained steady at 2.3% last month as lower fuel and flight costs helped offset rises in food and alcohol prices.Amid growing fears of a spending squeeze as a result of price rises matching wage growth in February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported no change on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure of inflation last month.It said the later Easter this year had distorted the figures as airfare costs were down, while lower fuel prices - a consequence o
  
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• Veterans share their most uplifting memories from their time in the military

  11-04-2017 12:16
  
  The former members of the armed forces revealed their fondest memories on Reddit.
  
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• View from summit of Snowdon voted UK's prettiest sight

  11-04-2017 11:35
  If you want to enjoy the UK's best view, it looks like you should head to Wales.The view from the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales, has been voted as the nation's prettiest sight in a poll of 2,500 people.The Three Sisters mountains, found in Scotland's Glencoe Valley, came second - and the prehistoric monument Stonehenge was third.
  
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• VW's Seat brand reports highest first quarter sales since 2001

  11-04-2017 11:31
  
  Volkswagen'sSpanish division Seat on Tuesday reported its highest first-quarter sales since 2001 on double-digit growth in Spain, Germany and Britain.Seat, bought by Volkswagen (VW) in 1986, is the first of VW's five main passenger-car brands to report March sales figures.
  
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• Everything we know so far about the San Bernardino school shooting

  11-04-2017 11:16
  
  Cedric Anderson shot and killed his estranged wife and one of her special needs pupils.
  
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• Tim Hortons has announced where its first UK store will open

  11-04-2017 11:15
  
  Watch out Glasgow, doughnuts are coming!
  
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• BAFTA TV Awards: Netflix's The Crown leads the way with five nominations

  11-04-2017 11:05
  Critically acclaimed royal drama The Crown has picked up five nominations for the BAFTA TV Awards.It leads the way for May's ceremony, picking up nods including best drama and best supporting actors for Jared Harris, Vanessa Kirby and John Lithgow.Claire Foy is also nominated for leading actress for her portrayal of a young Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix show.
  
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• Theresa May on Easter break in Snowdonia as row over Syria heats up

  11-04-2017 10:13
  
  Theresa May is on a five-day walking holiday in Snowdonia but is “making calls and being constantly updated” on the meeting of G7 foreign ministers and events in Russia and Syria, her spokesman has said.The prime minister, who spoke to Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau while on a short Easter break in Wales, attended a Palm Sunday service in St Mary’s church in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, with her husband, Philip.
  
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• JD Sports hits back at warehouse 'prison' claim as profits soar 81%

  11-04-2017 10:05
  JD Sports says a TV report on working practices at its Kingsway warehouse, in which workers complained about "prison" conditions, did not represent a "balanced characterisation" of life there.JD later denied allegations it operated a 'strike' system covering things such as lateness and using a mobile phone.The company said on Tuesday: "As the wellbeing of all staff is a key priority for the group and it is an area where we strive continually to improve performance, the board appointed Deloitte t
  
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• BAFTA TV Awards: The Crown leads nominations

  11-04-2017 10:05
  Royal drama The Crown leads the nominations for the British Academy Television Awards to be awarded in May.
  
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• France's gig economy creates hope and tension as election looms

  11-04-2017 09:24
  
  By Michel RosePARIS (Reuters) - It's lunchtime and Parisians are queuing for baguettes at a bakery on the Rue Montmartre, a sight long typical of life in the French capital.On the Rue Montmartre, the Deliveroo riders leant towards the view of Macron - a former banker who tried to push through liberal reforms as economy minister from 2014-16 - even though they work as self-employed contractors without protections such as accident insurance that salaried staff automatically enjoy.
  
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• A quarter of UK bird species risk extinction

  11-04-2017 08:15
  
  A quarter of the UK's bird population has been added to a "red list" of species that are struggling to survive.
  
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• Saffiyah Khan meets woman she defended at EDL demo

  11-04-2017 08:00
  
  It was the photograph that went viral, an image of a young woman smiling serenely in the face of an irate member of the far-right English Defence League at a demonstration in Birmingham’s city centre.It later emerged that Saffiyah Khan had intervened to defend another woman who was being shouted at by EDL demonstrators.On Monday, Khan and the woman she defended, Saira Zafar, met properly for the first time and the two proud Brummies hugged.
  
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• Brexit weekly briefing: time to dig in and explore our 'shared values' with Duterte

  11-04-2017 08:00
  
  Welcome to the Guardian’s weekly Brexit briefing, a summary of developments as the UK heads towards the EU door marked “exit”.After the drama of last week’s delivery of the article 50 letter, followed almost immediately by mutterings about war over Gibraltar, there was a sense of consolidation, and of all sides digging in for what will be a long political haul.Theresa May hosted Donald Tusk, the European council president, at Downing Street, their first meeting since pres
  
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• Retail sales slump extends to three months for first time since 2008

  11-04-2017 07:37
  Retail sales have fallen for three months in a row for the first time since the financial crisis, industry figures show.Like-for-like sales slipped by 1% in March compared to the same month last year, according to data compiled by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG.BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said the latest monthly performance was "underwhelming" but pointed to the effect of the timing of Easter in April this year, making comparisons difficult.
  
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• Stakeknife: double agent in IRA 'was given alibi by senior British officials'

  11-04-2017 07:02
  
  Freddie Scappaticci is believed to be Stakeknife’s name in real life.One of Britain’s most important agents inside the IRA has been linked to 18 murders and was provided with an alibi by a senior police officer to avoid getting him arrested during the Troubles, it has emerged.The Guardian can also reveal that the informer codenamed “Stakeknife” reported directly to the late Martin McGuinness in the 1980s and 90s when the man who would become Northern Ireland’s deput
  
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• Appeal for volunteers as Scouts waiting list reaches record high

  11-04-2017 05:19
  More than 50,000 young people are on a waiting list to join the Scouts, new figures show.The Scout Association says this is the highest figure in its history, with only 7,000 youngsters able to join the organisation in the 21 months to the end of January.More than 154,000 adults currently volunteer for the Scouts - but the group estimates that a further 17,000 helpers are needed to give every young person a place.
  
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• A quarter of Britain’s birds at serious risk of extinction

  11-04-2017 04:44
  A quarter of all bird species in the UK are endangered, with some facing extinction according to the latest survey.The annual State of the UK Birds report lists 67 species in urgent need of help, with curlews and puffins among 15 species moved up to the so-called 'red list'.Dr Mark Eaton, principal conservation scientist at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said the report also highlights significant improvements in some breeding stocks, with 22 species moving to the lowest category
  
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• BOJ Kuroda says aiming for inflation backed by wage growth

  11-04-2017 03:29
  
  TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Tuesday the central bank is aiming for a moderate acceleration of inflation driven by increases in wages and corporate earnings. "We won't be satisfied just because consumer inflation hits our 2 percent target. What's important is for a positive economic cycle ... to drive up inflation moderately to 2 percent," Kuroda told parliament. He said wages have not increased as much as hoped for despite a tightening job market. (Reporting
  
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• Anger as 539 council bosses paid more than PM Theresa May

  11-04-2017 03:16
  At least 2,300 council employees in England and Wales are earning six-figure salaries, according to research from the TaxPayers' Alliance.The group, which campaigns for smaller government and lower taxes, claims the number of public sector workers being paid in excess of £100,000 a year is increasing.It said 539 of these employees received packages worth more than £150,000 in 2015/16 - more than Prime Minister Theresa May.
  
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• ABC says Natasha Exelby won't be fired over TV blooper, but is off air

  11-04-2017 03:10
  
  A casual journalist at the ABC, Natasha Exelby, has been taken off air after she missed her cue on live TV and video of her dramatic reaction went viral.The ABC director of news, Gaven Morris, has denied Exelby is being punished and said reports she had been fired or banned were untrue.“Live television is a demanding art and slip-ups will happen – our presenters are humans, not robots,” Morris said.
  
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• Royal Marines set to be CUT by 200 so the Navy can operate new hi-tech aircraft carriers

  11-04-2017 03:09 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  THE Royal Navy is set to cut 200 Royal Marine positions, so they can operate new aircraft carriers.
  
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• Blaze devastates Grand-Synthe migrant camp outside Dunkirk

  11-04-2017 02:40 via theguardian.com
  
  At least 10 people injured as prefect of French region says fire has left ‘nothing but a heap of ashes’A large fire has devastated the Grande-Synthe migrant camp outside the northern French city of Dunkirk, reducing it to “a heap of ashes”, according to the region’s prefect.
  Firefighters said at least 10 people had been injured on Monday night in the blaze at the camp, which was home to between 1,000 and 1,500 people, humanitarian groups said, living in closely pack
  
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