General news

• Nothing wasted

  24-11-2017 22:48 via bbc.co.uk
  A growing number of businesses are finding creative uses for surplus food - but will the trend ever go mainstream?
  
  Read more

• EU Gives Theresa May 10-Day Deadline Over Brexit Concessions

  24-11-2017 22:24
  Theresa May has been given 10 days to offer further concessions on issues including the Brexit divorce bill and the complex matter of the Northern Irish border if she wants European Union leaders to agree to trade talks.
  
  Read more

• 'Monster' Mark Dixie who killed Sally Anne Bowman jailed for more sex attacks

  24-11-2017 22:00
  The former pub chef jailed for murdering and raping model Sally Anne Bowman may have confessed to two further sex attacks to maintain "a degree of notoriety".Mark Dixie, 47, was handed two more life sentences after being jailed for a minimum of 34 years in 2008 for repeatedly stabbing the 18-year-old before raping her while she was either dead or dying in 2005 in south London.During his trial he denied murdering the teenager and claimed he had sex with her after finding her already dead or dying
  
  Read more

• William and Kate arrive for Royal Variety

  24-11-2017 21:56 via bbc.co.uk
  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had been delayed by a security alert at nearby Oxford Circus Tube.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Armed police lock down Oxford Street amid panic

  24-11-2017 21:37
  Thousands of shoppers fled in panic as armed police swooped on London's Oxford Street and Oxford Circus Tube station after receiving reports that shots had been fired.Crowds of people poured out of Selfridges department store, all Underground trains were stopped in the area, traffic was blocked and officers locked people inside shops.It was an hour-and-a-half before Met Police gave the all-clear.
  
  Read more

• 'Screaming and pandemonium' amid Oxford Circus alert

  24-11-2017 21:21
  Witnesses described screaming and confusion as armed police descended on Oxford Circus in central London after reports gunshots had been fired.Bruce Malcomson, who works in Soho, told Sky News he was at the Tube station when the alert happened late on Friday afternoon.Mr Malcomson said armed police arrived after a couple of minutes.
  
  Read more

• Oxford Street panic subsides after central London alert

  24-11-2017 20:35
  An outbreak of mass panic led to people fleeing in fear, armed police being deployed and a section of central London being evacuated on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.The reaction was a sign of just how jittery many have become at the end of a year in which the capital and Manchester have been targeted by five terrorist attacks.The panic began just after 4.30pm and centred on Oxford Circus tube station, where a number of passengers on the westbound Central Line platform believed th
  
  Read more

• Donald Trump needs to research the apocalypse, says Christian conspiracy theorist

  24-11-2017 20:31
  And what does David Meade think the public need to do? Buy his book…
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Gary Oldman on what it was like playing Winston Churchill

  24-11-2017 20:28 via bbc.co.uk
  The actor's been tipped for an Oscar for his portrayal of the wartime leader in a new film, Darkest Hour.
  
  Read more

• Oxford Circus Incident Sees Mail Online Slammed For Using 10-Day-Old Tweet

  24-11-2017 20:13
  The Mail Online has been slammed for “spreading panic” after circulating a 10-day-old tweet while an incident unfolded near Oxford Circus.
  
  Read more

• Oxford Circus incident: share your eyewitness accounts

  24-11-2017 20:12
  There was confusion in central London on Friday evening as armed police responded to an incident on Oxford Street.
  
  Read more

• Damian Green inquiry report into allegations may not be published

  24-11-2017 19:48
  Damian Green, the first secretary of state, has described the claims as ‘untrue and deeply hurtful’.Downing Street has said it may not publish any report into allegations against the first secretary of state, Damian Green, who is currently under investigation by the Cabinet Office.The inquiry by its head of propriety and ethics, Sue Gray, was launched in early November after journalists and the Conservative activist Kate Maltby wrote a piece claiming Green had touched her knee in 201
  
  Read more

• Britain has 10-day 'absolute deadline' to deliver on key Brexit issues - Tusk

  24-11-2017 19:47
  Britain has only 10 days left to deliver on all three areas of its divorce terms with the European Union if London wants to start talks on a transition period after Brexit and a future relationship, the chairman of EU leaders Donald Tusk said."We need to see progress from UK within 10 days on all issues, including on Ireland," Tusk tweeted on Friday after a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Brussels."Sufficient progress in Brexit talks at December council is possible but still a
  
  Read more

• Hammond backtracked on funding after 'fury' at NHS boss's demands

  24-11-2017 19:36
  Philip Hammond backtracked on plans to give the NHS more money than it eventually got in the budget after reacting with “fury” to its boss Simon Stevens’s public demand for an extra £4bn next year.The chancellor viewed Stevens’s plea, in which he urged ministers to deliver on leave campaigners’ promise of £350m a week more for the NHS, as “very, very unhelpful” when he was facing so many pleas from other services for cash.At the time of Steve
  
  Read more

• Oxford Street alert: Police stand down after reports of shots fired

  24-11-2017 19:33
  Armed police have been stood down following reports of shots fired on London's Oxford Street and at Oxford Circus Tube station.Cordons have been lifted on Oxford Street, where shoppers were earlier warned to "go into a building" amid fears over a possible terror-related incident.Oxford Circus and Bond Street stations have also now been reopened.
  
  Read more

• Panic on London's Oxford Street after reports of shooting

  24-11-2017 19:28
  Panic erupted among Christmas shopping crowds on London's Oxford Street on Friday evening as armed officers raced to respond to reports of shots being fired in the area but police said later they had found no evidence of gunfire or casualties.Oxford Street, with its festive window displays and hundreds of overhead lights, was crammed with shoppers taking advantage of the Black Friday sales when the incident happened shortly after dusk.London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement they had fou
  
  Read more

• London police say have stood down after Oxford Street incident

  24-11-2017 19:27
  London's police force said on Friday that they had stood down after an incident in the heart of London's shopping district that they initially responded to as if it could have been terrorist-related."Our response on #OxfordStreet has now been stood down," the Metropolitan Police said on its official Twitter account."Given the nature of the info received we responded as if the incident was terrorism, including the deployment of armed officers," police added.
  
  Read more

• Brexit: May still has 'huge challenge' to move talks to trade, says Tusk

  24-11-2017 19:25
  Theresa May with Donald Tusk in Brussels, just weeks before EU leaders decide if sufficient progress has been made to allow Brexit talks to move on from the opening issues.Theresa May still faces a “huge challenge” in persuading the EU to move the Brexit negotiations on to discussions about trade and a transition period in December, the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, has said.Following a face-to-face meeting with the British prime minister in Brussels on Friday, Tusk
  
  Read more

• Hedge fund talks with shadow chancellor signal new interest in Labour

  24-11-2017 19:11
  The shadow chancellor is to hold talks with a hedge fund that has previously warned that the UK may need an International Monetary Fund bailout, in a sign that the financial elite are taking a new interest in Labour.John McDonnell is due to meet BlueBay Asset Management LLP, which manages £41.4bn in funds, according to Bloomberg.
  
  Read more

• Ten days to crack Brexit deal, EU tells May

  24-11-2017 19:10
  The European Union handed Prime Minister Theresa May a 10-day deadline to improve her Brexit divorce offer or face failure in persuading EU leaders to open trade talks with Britain at a December summit.Without a deal next month, time will be very tight to agree arrangements before Britain leaves the EU in March 2019, adding to pressure on businesses to avoid potential losses and move investments."We need to see progress from UK within 10 days on all issues, including on Ireland," European Counci
  
  Read more

• London police stand down after incident in Oxford Street

  24-11-2017 19:09
  Police say officers have been stood down after responding to reports of shots being fired on Oxford Street in central London.The Metropolitan police said they could find no evidence of gunfire, there were no reports of serious casualties and they had not located any suspects.Oxford Circus and Bond Street Underground stations were reopening after being closed during the incident.
  
  Read more

• London underground stations reopen after Oxford Circus incident

  24-11-2017 19:00
  LONDON (Reuters) - Two London underground stations on Oxford Street have reopened after an incident that police initially treated as if it might be terrorist-related, the city's transport authority said on Friday.
  
  Read more

• London police say no evidence shots fired on Oxford Street

  24-11-2017 18:51
  London police said there was no evidence of shots having been fired nor of any casualties in an incident that sparked panic in the city's Oxford Circus shopping district early on Friday evening.Police had earlier said they were responding to reports of shots fired as if they could be terrorist-related."To date police have not located any trace of any suspects, evidence of shots fired or casualties," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
  
  Read more

• Theresa May failing to foot full bill of Manchester attack, says Andy Burnham

  24-11-2017 18:50
  Andy Burnham said the government had committed to pay just £12m of the £28m cost of dealing with the attacks.The government has committed to reimbursing Greater Manchester just £12m of the full £28m cost of dealing with the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bomb, leaving the NHS and other services “significantly short”, the region’s mayor, Andy Burnham, has said.On Friday, six months on from the attack on a concert by American singer Ariana Grande which
  
  Read more

• UK transport police say one minor injury at Oxford Circus, no other casualties

  24-11-2017 18:40
  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's transport police said they had received a report of one woman suffering a minor injury and no other casualties following a reported incident at London's Oxford Circus underground station.
  
  Read more

• Armed police inside Selfridges

  24-11-2017 18:40
  Armed police officers have been seen entering Selfridges, the London department store, in response to reports of shots fired.
  
  Read more

• Brexit talks progressing, but issues remain - May

  24-11-2017 18:37
  British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday that Brexit talks were making progress but that there were outstanding issues on the divorce settlement and the border with EU member Ireland.After meeting European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, May described their discussion as positive and painted a picture where the two sides were edging towards agreement to move Brexit talks onto a discussion of future trade.
  
  Read more

• London police say responding to reports shots fired on Oxford Street

  24-11-2017 18:34
  London's police force said they had received reports that shots had been fired on Oxford Street and in the nearby underground station, which they were responding to as if it might be terrorist-related."Police were called at 16:38 hrs ... to a number of reports of shots fired on Oxford Street and underground at Oxford Circus tube station," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.Armed and unarmed officers are on scene" the police added.
  
  Read more

• Animal feelings vote and fake news

  24-11-2017 18:27 via bbc.co.uk
  Conservatives say the party has been a victim of fake news and some social media reports did not reflect reality.
  
  Read more

• Paddy Power enlivens FTSE, housebuilders fall

  24-11-2017 18:25
  LONDON (Reuters) - British shares on Friday ended Black Friday just slightly lower, with Paddy Power leading winners against a strong pound, which was poised to rise for a third consecutive week amid growing hopes that Brexit talks could bear fruits next month.
  
  Read more

• Oxford Circus Incident: Tube Station Evacuated Amid Scenes Of Panic

  24-11-2017 18:05
  Oxford Circus Tube station has been evacuated and armed police are on the scene during Friday evening rush hour, witnesses have reported.
  
  Read more

• Oxford Circus Incident: Police Stand Down Terror-Style Response After Reports Of Shooting Spark Mass Panic

  24-11-2017 18:05
  Oxford Circus Tube station has been evacuated and armed police are on the scene during Friday evening rush hour, witnesses have reported.
  
  Read more

• Struggle of those affected by Manchester bombing

  24-11-2017 17:50
  Those whose lives were touched by the Manchester bombing are continuing to struggle with the memory of that fatal night.
  
  Read more

• Animal Sentience Debate: What Is Really Going On With The Amendment To The EU Withdrawal Bill?

  24-11-2017 17:50
  Following a vote in the House of Commons last week, MPs were accused of failing to recognise animals as sentient beings.
  
  Read more

• A way to solve the Irish border question?

  24-11-2017 17:50
  As the issue of a border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland threatens to hold-up the progress of Brexit talks, Sky's Lewis Goodall has been to Scandinavia to see how they manage things there.
  
  Read more

• Hard stares for strong cider and Prince Philip's heavy metal | John Crace

  24-11-2017 17:43
  From this week, Eurotunnel has been renamed Getlink to “mark the group’s passage into an exciting new era for mobility infrastructures” post-Brexit.This isn’t, as you might think, a piece of jingoism to expunge the word Euro from as many words in the English language as possible before March 2019, since the company that owns Eurotunnel is French.Eurotunnel – or Getlink as we should now call it – was worried people might think it only shuttled cars between Fran
  
  Read more

• Black skin and freckles – a lesser-seen face of diversity

  24-11-2017 17:39 via theguardian.com
  The British model Adwoa Aboah’s signature freckles have helped launch a celebration of black skin in all its variety
  Last week my very fashionable friend turned up to a party with a dark spray of freckles across her nose, paired with thick eyeliner wings and vibrant eyeshadow in a heavy yellow pigment. Staring at her bemused, I realised, for the first time in my community of people of colour, freckles had become an accessory. My friend is not naturally freckled. She had painted each one on
  
  Read more

• Theresa May's Irish border stance 'not solely based' on DUP deal, says Arlene Foster

  24-11-2017 17:19
  DUP leader Arlene Foster has insisted her party is not dictating the UK Government's position on the Irish border in Brexit negotiations.In an interview with Sky News, Mrs Foster rejected any suggestion she is holding the Prime Minister to ransom in Brussels talks, as a result of the DUP's deal with the Tories at Westminster.Speaking in her rural Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency, which overlooks part of the Irish border, Mrs Foster criticised the Irish government for demanding commitments
  
  Read more

• Anger over PM's 'failure' to commit to Manchester Arena attack costs

  24-11-2017 17:12
  Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has reacted with anger after the Government suggested it may not pay the full costs of the Manchester Arena bombing.Mr Burnham revealed he has now received a letter from Theresa May stating that "reasonable costs" will be paid, causing him to angrily demand the full costs be met.Speaking at a meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on Friday, Mr Burnham interrupted planned proceedings to reveal the news.
  
  Read more

• Raped: My Story – The Response

  24-11-2017 17:03
  On the build up to a ground breaking documentary such as Raped: My Story you never quite know how the general public will feel and react to a taboo subject as this.
  
  Read more

• Gladstone’s legacy is murky – my university shouldn't glorify it

  24-11-2017 16:49
  My friend Alisha Raithatha and I both used to live in Liverpool’s Roscoe and Gladstone student halls of residence.The building is of course named after former prime minister William Gladstone, who used parliament to defend his father’s treatment of slaves, to secure some of the biggest pay-outs in slavery reparations, and to sanction forced labour post-abolition.In a world where contemporary slavery continues to affect some 3 million people and where racism continues to blight societ
  
  Read more

• Grenfell Campaigners Erupt With Anger After Council Handed 'Regeneration' Cash In Budget

  24-11-2017 16:48
  Grenfell campaigners launched an attack on the Chancellor for handing Kensington and Chelsea Council “regeneration” cash in his Budget.
  
  Read more

• UK's huge current account deficit set to stay larger for longer

  24-11-2017 16:46
  Britain's current account deficit, the largest of the world's major economies, is no longer on course to narrow significantly over the next five years, putting sterling at risk of a further big fall, according to government experts.Bank of England Governor Mark Carney warned last year that Britain's dependence on around 100 billion pounds a year of foreign financing left it reliant "on the kindness of strangers".While the decision to leave the European Union raised big questions about Britain's
  
  Read more

• Arctic blast to bring snow and ice to UK this weekend as temperatures plummet

  24-11-2017 16:36
  Britain is braced for an Arctic blast that will bring the risk of snow and ice to large parts of the country this weekend.Severe weather warnings for ice have been issued for Northern Ireland, Wales, parts of Scotland, northern England and the West Midlands from 5pm on Friday until 10am on Saturday.The Met Office said icy patches are likely to form on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths and there is "potential for slippery surfaces and difficult driving conditions".
  
  Read more

• Nigel Farage 'Plays Race Fear Card' With Inaccurate Story About Swedish Joggers

  24-11-2017 16:35
  Nigel Farage has regurgitated an inaccurate story propagated by Breitbart and Infowars as an example of just how perilous Sweden has become because of immigration.
  
  Read more

• Football star Michael Owen finishes second as he turns jockey for fundraising race

  24-11-2017 16:33
  Former professional footballer Michael Owen finished second in his jockey debut as he raced at Ascot in front of Prince Charles and Camilla.The ex-England striker was taking part in the Prince's Countryside Fund's Racing Weekend, to raise funds for a charity set up by Charles to help British farmers and the countryside.Owen owns and breeds racehorses, but has only got in the saddle himself this year.
  
  Read more

• Festive treats

  24-11-2017 16:21 via bbc.co.uk
  A woman was asked for ID over a mince pie - so how much alcohol is in the festive treats and are they OK for kids?
  
  Read more

• Girl, 16, gets life sentence for killing Katie Rough, 7

  24-11-2017 15:47
  A teenage girl has been given a life sentence for manslaughter for killing seven-year-old Katie Rough in a park in York.Katie died after she was smothered by the teen and then slashed with a Stanley knife in a park in York on 9 January.The teenager - who was 15 at the time of the attack - admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility at a previous hearing, and appeared by video link at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing as Katie's family looked on.
  
  Read more

• Is It Time To Replace Religious Studies With Politics In Our Schools?

  24-11-2017 15:34
  Currently, we assume that once we hit 18 years of age we suddenly become enlightened with all the political knowledge one needs to vote and engage.
  
  Read more

• Churchill challenge

  24-11-2017 15:30 via bbc.co.uk
  The actor discusses his new film Darkest Hour (and his own chances of Oscars success).
  
  Read more

Follow @GeneralnewsUK on Twitter!