General news

• Tim Farron quits as Liberal Democrat leader over Christian faith

  14-06-2017 23:24
  
  Tim Farron has resigned as head of the Liberal Democrats, explaining he felt it "impossible" to be a committed Christian and lead the party.In a speech to staff at the party's London headquarters, Mr Farron said: "The consequences of the focus on my faith is that I have found myself torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader.The shock announcement came just hours after the party's openly gay home affairs spokesman Lord Paddick announced he was quitting, citing
  
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• Tim Farron quits as Lib Dem leader - The Guardian

  14-06-2017 23:02 via theguardian.com
  
  The Guardian
  Tim Farron quits as Lib Dem leader
  The Guardian
  Tim Farron has announced his resignation as Liberal Democrat leader after he was repeatedly pressed during the general election over his personal beliefs on issues including homosexuality. Farron issued a statement on Wednesday night saying he felt ...
  The Lib Dems' failures can't be blamed on Tim Farron aloneNew Statesman
  The illiberal persecution of Tim FarronPolitics.co.uk (blog)
  It's not Tim Farron who is illiberal: it's soci
  
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• Leviathan II whale-watching tragedy caused by breaking wave

  14-06-2017 22:54 via bbc.co.uk
  
  An official report into why the vessel capsized, killing six, says life jackets were not worn.
  
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• Casualties in tank incident at Castlemartin firing range

  14-06-2017 22:51 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A number of people are believed to have been injured in a tank incident at a military training base in Pembrokeshire.
  
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• Champions Trophy 2017: Pakistan shock England to reach final

  14-06-2017 22:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  England's Champions Trophy hopes are ended by an eight-wicket semi-final thrashing at the hands of Pakistan in Cardiff.
  
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• Corbyn reshuffle: Owen Smith joins shadow cabinet

  14-06-2017 22:42 via theguardian.com
  
  Former Labour leadership rival becomes shadow Northern Ireland secretary in one of four new appointments as most frontbenchers retain jobsJeremy Corbyn has appointed Owen Smith, his rival in last summer’s bitter leadership contest, to be the shadow Northern Ireland secretary in a light-touch Labour reshuffle that left key loyalists in place.Smith, who was an adviser to the Northern Ireland secretary, Paul Murphy, in the last Labour government, challenged Corbyn after the mass walkout from
  
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• Woman films panic inside the tower

  14-06-2017 22:40
  
  Warning: Video shows people trapped inside burning building.
  
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• Grenfell Tower fire: What we know so far as the death toll rises

  14-06-2017 22:24
  
  The huge fire engulfed the block of flats in west London.
  
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• London fire: Twelve dead in Grenfell Tower blaze

  14-06-2017 22:16 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Police warn the death toll will rise, after a huge fire destroyed the housing block in west London.
  
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• Fire horror at Grenfell Tower: 12 dead and 18 critically ill

  14-06-2017 22:15
  
  At least 12 people have died in a huge fire on a west London estate, and officials expect the death toll will continue to rise with residents still missing and 18 people in critical care.Firefighters were called to the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in north Kensington at 12.54am on Wednesday after the blaze broke out.Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police said: "Whilst we may have accessed every floor, that is not the same as a full search of the whole building.
  
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• Graphic: UGC from inside burning Grenfell Tower

  14-06-2017 22:10
  
  Warning: Video shows people trapped inside burning building.
  
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• Locals’ anger and frustration spills out after Grenfell Tower fire

  14-06-2017 22:09
  
  Locals look at Grenfell Tower as fire engulfs the building.A long wait for news of loved ones or somewhere to stay has left those caught up in the Grenfell Tower disaster in a state of grief and frustration, amid claims that relief efforts were falling short.Charity workers and volunteers providing aid for those affected by the fire said that they were coordinating with each other on Wednesday evening, with little central coordination from the council or other authorities.
  
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• Woman trapped in Grenfell Tower films panic as fire engulfs block

  14-06-2017 22:08
  A woman can be heard screaming for help in shocking footage she broadcast while trapped on one of Grenfell Tower's top floors.The disturbing footage, obtained by Sky News after the woman aired it on Facebook Live around 1.40am on Wednesday, reveals the horror those stuck inside the 24-storey tower faced.The video shows how only her front door was protecting her flat from being overwhelmed by the billowing smoke.
  
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• Farron quits as Lib Dem leader over clash between faith and politics

  14-06-2017 22:07 via bbc.co.uk
  
  He says he became "torn" between his Christian faith and his duties as leader of a political party.
  
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• Checks on other flat blocks in wake of deadly Grenfell Tower fire

  14-06-2017 22:07
  
  Emergency checks will be carried out on tower blocks going through similar refurbishment to Grenfell Tower, the Government has said.Policing and fire minister Nick Hurd said the Government wants to provide reassurance to people living in other buildings as soon as possible in the wake of the deadly blaze at the west London tower block.
  
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• Tim Farron resigns: fresh-faced Lib Dem hampered by his faith

  14-06-2017 22:05
  
  Farron has resigned as Liberal Democrat leader.Tim Farron’s leadership signalled a change of direction for the party after the Liberal Democrats were almost annihilated in the 2015 general election, but his reputation never surmounted questions over his conservative Christian beliefs.An enthusiastic orator who came from the party’s left, Farron was popular with the membership for his gag-filled rallying speeches and came into the job as a fresh face untarnished by any role in the coa
  
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• Former N-Dubz rapper Dappy pleads guilty to knife charge

  14-06-2017 21:58 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Neighbours were threatened by Dappy, whose real name is Costas Contoslavios, after a row at home.
  
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• Grenfell Tower: The unfolding horror of high-rise fire

  14-06-2017 21:49
  It was still dark when I arrived at west London's Grenfell Tower in the early hours, huge flames still ripping into the night sky.
  
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• Boy admits taking loaded shotgun to Nuneaton school

  14-06-2017 21:34 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The teenager told a 999 call handler he had entered a classroom and was thinking of harming others.
  
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• Tory MPs will 'pull the pin' on hand grenade if they feel Theresa May betrays Brexit

  14-06-2017 21:30 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  UP TO 80 Conservative MPs are willing to “pull the pin” on a “hand grenade” if Theresa May wavers on a ‘hard’ Brexit, a professor has said.
  
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• Corbyn showed he could talk to the people. Now the party must talk to him | Letters

  14-06-2017 21:14
  
  After the general election, only the most bigoted of Labour MPs will not regard Jeremy Corbyn as a great campaigner.This continued until the election was called and they all suddenly went quiet – quite unconnected, I’m sure, to their desire to hang on to their own seats.
  
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• Have no pity for May. Don’t forgive, and never forget why she must go | Owen Jones

  14-06-2017 21:09 via theguardian.com
  
  Remember her whipping up of bigotry, and political incompetence – that’s the status quo Theresa May wants back. It’s time for a nonstop election campaignHaving averted the most immediate threat, Theresa May is back in No 10. And after her contrition before the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, some within the commentariat would like us to feel some pity for her. But there will be no pity from me – and not just because a few weeks ago she was hoping to obliterate the party I lov
  
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• Grenfell Tower fire and cladding dangers | Letters

  14-06-2017 21:09
  
  What a tragedy the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London is (Twelve confirmed dead but police expect further fatalities after tower block blaze, theguardian.com, 14 June).For many years the German government has been subsidising the external insulation of buildings, with a great number having been reclad with blocks of synthetic insulation.In theory this is all very good, but reduced ventilation creates problems of dampness and mould – and, of course, the fire risk is increased, with even
  
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• Brexit means… today’s Schleswig-Holstein? | Letters

  14-06-2017 21:07
  
  This expressed my feelings in 1945 as I listened alone to the radio, throughout the day, to the totally unexpected election results.Is it today’s version of the 19th-century Schleswig-Holstein question?
  
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• Tim Farron has resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats over the focus on his faith

  14-06-2017 20:56
  
  He said he had been “the subject of suspicion” because of his faith.
  
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• Alan Shearer sues advisers for £9m damages

  14-06-2017 20:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The ex-England star's legal fight is motivated by greed and ego, the High Court hears.
  
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• How much? What your treatment costs the NHS

  14-06-2017 20:20
  
  When healthcare is free, it can be easy to lose sight of how much NHS treatments cost. And as this video explains, even a trip to hospital in an ambulance is more expensive than you might think.
  
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• Farron bows out as party chief

  14-06-2017 20:20
  
  Tim Farron has resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats, citing conflict with his Christian faith.
  
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• NHS Trusts ran up £791m deficit last year despite making savings

  14-06-2017 20:10
  NHS hospital and ambulance trusts ran up a combined deficit of £791m in the last financial year, more than £200m above the original budget target.The figure was confirmed by the NHS three weeks after Sky News revealed that the final figure would be at least £700m for 2016-17.The year-end financial position was due to be confirmed at the end of May, but publication was delayed until after the election by the Department of Health, citing concerns that the information was politica
  
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• Farron quits as Liberal Democrat leader over his Christian faith

  14-06-2017 20:08
  
  Tim Farron has resigned as the leader of the Lib Dems, saying he can't continue in the face of continuing questions over his faith.Mr Farron said he had been torn between his Christian faith and serving as a political leader and had now decided to step aside.
  
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• Checks on tower blocks in wake of deadly Grenfell Tower fire

  14-06-2017 19:59
  Emergency checks will be carried out on tower blocks going through similar refurbishment to Grenfell Tower, a minister has said.Nick Hurd said the Government wants to provide reassurance to people living in other buildings as soon as possible in the wake of the blaze at the west London tower block, in which 12 people are so far confirmed to have died.
  
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• Tim Farron quits as Lib Dem leader

  14-06-2017 19:55
  
  Tim Farron said he was torn between his religion and the leadership.Tim Farron has announced his resignation as Liberal Democrat leader after he was repeatedly pressed during the general election over his personal beliefs on issues including homosexuality.Farron issued a statement on Wednesday night saying he felt “remaining faithful to Christ” was incompatible with being his party’s leader.
  
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• Model, actress and Rolling Stones muse Anita Pallenberg dies at 73

  14-06-2017 19:52
  Model and actress Anita Pallenberg, who had relationships with Brian Jones and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, has died aged 73.In a statement, Richards paid tribute to Pallenberg saying she was "a most remarkable woman.Pallenberg was born to German and Italian parents in Rome in 1944 and worked as a model in Italy and New York during the 1960s, spending time at Andy Warhol's famous Factory.
  
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• Luke Miller Thai pool death: 'No evidence' of murder

  14-06-2017 19:52 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Luke Miller's body was found at the bottom of a pool on the island of Koh Tao in January 2016.
  
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• Grenfell Tower fire: Why is blaze 'unprecedented'?

  14-06-2017 19:48
  
  Fire safety experts say Grenfell Tower's exterior will be the main focus for investigators examining the rapid spread of the blaze, called "unprecedented" by London's fire commissioner.While no cause of the blaze has officially been determined, witnesses have described how flames lapped up and around the 24-storey tower block at alarming speed in the early hours.One told Sky News it took just 15 minutes for the fire to climb 17 floors.
  
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• Emergency services update media on tower block fire

  14-06-2017 19:40
  
  Representatives from the police, fire brigade and ambulance service tell the gathered press what they know about a fire which has caused multiple fatalities.
  
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• Anita Pallenberg paid a high price for being a rock-star girlfriend | Suzanne Moore

  14-06-2017 19:32 via theguardian.com
  
  The actress and model was so much more than a style icon or Rolling Stones muse. But she had to live with being constantly compared to her 20-year-old self and found wantingSitting on a park bench overlooking Ocho Rios in Jamaica a few years back, Rupert Everett spots two women on the hill. One is like “a baby sparrow that has fallen from its nest”, he writes in his memoir. She appears a bit disorientated, wearing Uggs and a tracksuit. Everett describes her as “slightly chavvy&
  
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• Harlow traveller ban extended for three years

  14-06-2017 19:25 via bbc.co.uk
  
  An injunction banning travellers from setting up unauthorised camps in Harlow is extended by three years.
  
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• Qatar supports terrorism - Britain must rethink its relationship

  14-06-2017 19:13
  
  The decision by major Arab allies of Britain against Qatar is a wake-up call for the country to reconsider its foreign policy.Britain's largest trading partners in the Middle East – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain – were joined by other regional states in cutting diplomatic relations with the tiny Gulf city-state of Qatar.The Arab states were later joined by Jordan, which downgraded its relationship with Qatar.
  
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• Tories wrong to focus on May in election campaign - Nick Timothy

  14-06-2017 19:08
  Theresa May's former chief of staff has hit out at the Conservatives' election strategist for advising the Prime Minister to run a presidential-style campaign against her own instincts.Nick Timothy, who quit Downing Street in the wake of the Tories' poor election campaign, said the party was "wrong" to take advice to put all their efforts into promoting Mrs May as an individual, rather than running a traditional campaign with regular press conferences featuring a range of senior figures.Mr Timot
  
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• Grenfell Tower: 12 dead in fire that destroyed 24-storey tower block

  14-06-2017 19:00
  
  Twelve people have been confirmed dead in the inferno which engulfed a west London tower block and the death toll is likely to increase further, according to police.Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan police said the operation to recover casualties was going to be long and complex.Steve Apter from the London fire brigade said firefighters had managed to make it to the top, 24th floor of the building in difficult conditions.
  
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• Derbyshire pub takes foie gras off menu after 'bullying'

  14-06-2017 18:51 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Animal activists have been "bombarding" the pub's owners, and their relatives, with abuse.
  
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• Jonny Brownlee: International Triathlon Union congratulates wrong brother

  14-06-2017 18:40 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Jonny Brownlee is congratulated on winning the World Series event in Leeds by the ITU, despite coming second to brother Alistair.
  
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• Fire chief describes 'unprecedented' blaze

  14-06-2017 18:40
  
  London's fire commissioner has confirmed there are fatalities in Grenfell Tower in what she has called an "unprecedented" blaze.
  
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• Mother of man killed by police attacks decision not to charge officer

  14-06-2017 18:39 via theguardian.com
  
  Family of Jermaine Baker from Tottenham, London, say CPS is scared of prosecuting Met police for fatal shootingsThe family of a man shot dead during a police operation in 2015 have expressed shock that the officer who killed him is not going to face criminal charges.Jermaine Baker’s family have written to the Crown Prosecution Service demanding an urgent review of the decision. Continue reading...
  
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• Grenfell Tower fire: Appeals to find missing residents

  14-06-2017 18:18
  Firefighters are still at the scene of the "catastrophic" blaze which ripped through Grenfell Tower in west London in the early hours of Wednesday.
  
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• London fire: Grenfell Tower blaze puts emergency service cuts in sharp focus

  14-06-2017 18:17
  
  Firefighters who tackled the Grenfell Tower inferno say they have never experienced a blaze like it in decades of service.As funding pressures on emergency services remain sharply in focus – particularly in light of the Metropolitan police commissioner, Cressida Dick, saying she would be seeking more resources for her force following the London Bridge attacks – the fire service has risen to the challenge against a background of cuts.A total of 200 firefighters and officers fought the
  
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• Death toll doubles after fire engulfs Grenfell Tower in London

  14-06-2017 18:16
  
  At least 12 people have died in a huge fire on a west London estate, but officials expect the death toll to continue to rise with residents missing and 18 people in critical care.Firefighters were called to the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in north Kensington at 12.54am on Wednesday after the blaze broke out.Grenfell Tower, built in 1974, contains 120 flats and is thought to have been home to between 400 and 600 people.
  
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• Princess Diana's shoes auctioned for £1,800

  14-06-2017 18:15 via bbc.co.uk
  
  They are thought to have been worn by the late princess when she was working at a kindergarten.
  
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• Children’s ball pits – soft play haven or ‘hive of germs’?

  14-06-2017 18:13 via theguardian.com
  
  It’s the stuff of parental nightmares – a survey claims that 99.9% of public play areas are contaminated. But is the science a load of balls?Most parents will have long suspected the ball pit at the local soft play centre of being a fetid swamp of disease and destruction, and now, according to a not entirely scientific study, it turns out 99.9% of play areas, ball pits and toys in shared public spaces are “a hive of germs”. The claim was made by Mark Hall, the managing di
  
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