General news

• The Hague says claims of war crimes by UK troops have 'reasonable basis'

  04-12-2017 23:17
  Fatou Bensouda delivered a 74-page report in New York on Monday.The chief prosecutor at the international criminal court in The Hague, Fatou Bensouda, has declared there is a “reasonable basis” to believe that UK soldiers committed war crimes against detainees during the Iraq conflict.The announcement on Monday means the ICC will press ahead with its investigation into claims that British troops abused and unlawfully killed prisoners after the US-led invasion.
  
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• Hague says claims of war crimes by UK troops have 'reasonable basis'

  04-12-2017 23:17
  Fatou Bensouda delivered a 74-page report in New York on Monday. Photograph: Michael Kooren/Reuters
  
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• Whole lotta cash: Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant collars peer over winter fuel payment

  04-12-2017 23:12
  Rock star Robert Plant collared a peer in the street and quizzed her on why he should get a winter fuel payment from the Government.Broadcaster Baroness Bakewell revealed the encounter with the multimillionaire Led Zeppelin frontman during a debate in the House of Lords.The Labour peer said she was of the view that the benefit should be means-tested and revealed that when she first received it, she tried to send the cash back but found there was no mechanism for doing so.
  
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• Supreme Court Allows Full Enforcement Of Donald Trump's Travel Ban

  04-12-2017 22:41
  The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to fully enforce a ban on travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries.
  
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• Donald Trump's 'Muslim Travel Ban' Condemned By Jeremy Corbyn As Supreme Court Gives Go-Ahead

  04-12-2017 22:41
  The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to fully enforce a ban on travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries.
  
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• Reggie Yates leaves Top of the Pops after 'offensive' Jewish slur

  04-12-2017 22:23 via bbc.co.uk
  The presenter says he will not take part in this year's holiday specials after offensive remarks.
  
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• Brexiter Tories back DUP position on Irish border issue

  04-12-2017 22:06
  Theresa May had to take a break from negotiations in Brussels to discuss the issue of the Irish border with Arlene Foster, the leader of the DUP.Brexit-backing Conservative MPs have lined up to echo the warning of Democratic Unionist party leader, Arlene Foster, that “any form of regulatory divergence” between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would be an unacceptable concession in Brexit negotiations.Several Tory politicians were quick to swing behind their Northern Irish alli
  
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• No Brexit deal yet as Theresa May accused of Northern Ireland border backtrack

  04-12-2017 21:54
  Theresa May has been accused of reneging on a deal over the Northern Ireland border that would have helped push Brexit talks on to trade.Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was "disappointed and surprised" to hear the UK had backed down from a draft agreement on the crucial subject reached earlier in the day.
  
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• 'I was just doing my job', says PC who saved van from bridge fall on to main road

  04-12-2017 21:43
  A police officer who clung on to a crashed van to stop it falling from a bridge on to a main road below has said he was "just doing my job".PC Martin Willis - known as Motorway Martin - revealed how he found the vehicle upside down and precariously hanging off the edge of a bridge on the A1 over the A64 near Leeds.PC Willis said he had been "overwhelmed" by the public's response after his tweet about the incident was shared thousands of times.
  
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• Tortured by Syrian extremists 'who received UK aid'

  04-12-2017 21:41 via bbc.co.uk
  The Nour al-Din al-Zinki group in Syria took funds through a UK-backed project, BBC Panorama finds.
  
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• What Is Going On With Brexit After 'No Deal' On The EU 'Divorce'?

  04-12-2017 21:30
  Theresa May went to Brussels on Wednesday in order to seal a deal to take the UK a big step closer to quitting the European Union.
  
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• No Brexit deal as Theresa May accused of Northern Ireland border backtrack

  04-12-2017 21:19
  Theresa May has been accused of reneging on a deal over the Northern Ireland border that would have helped push Brexit talks on to trade.Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was "disappointed and surprised" to hear the UK had backed down from a draft agreement on the crucial subject reached earlier in the day.
  
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• Irish border row thwarts May bid to clinch Brexit trade deal

  04-12-2017 21:12
  Prime Minister Theresa May failed to clinch a deal on Monday to open talks on post-Brexit free trade with the European Union after a tentative deal with Dublin to keep EU rules in Northern Ireland angered her allies in Belfast.The British leader had sat down to lunch with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker hoping that a last-minute offer to the Irish government of "regulatory alignment" on both sides of a new UK-EU land border would remove a last obstacle to the EU open talks next
  
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• Theresa May's weakness exposed as DUP derails Brexit progress

  04-12-2017 21:05
  Theresa May’s political weakness was brutally exposed to Brussels on Monday as an agreement struck between Britain and the EU to solve the problem of the Irish border and move to the next phase of Brexit talks was torpedoed by a last-minute telephone call with the leader of the Democratic Unionist party.Confidence early on Monday that an agreement was within reach came to nothing when, during a working lunch with the European commission president, Jean Claude Juncker, May was forced to pau
  
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• The key sticking points holding up UK's divorce deal with EU

  04-12-2017 20:53
  The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland remains the main roadblock in the path to progress to phase two of the Brexit talks this month.Ireland insists a hard border would not just create trade barriers, it would also impact on social cohesion in border communities.Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has been much more sceptical than the UK about the potential for avoiding border posts via virtual checks on importers.
  
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• Brexit: the key sticking points holding up UK's divorce deal with EU

  04-12-2017 20:53
  The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland remains the main roadblock in the path to progress to phase two of the Brexit talks this month.Ireland insists a hard border would not just create trade barriers, it would also impact on social cohesion in border communities.Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has been much more sceptical than the UK about the potential for avoiding border posts via virtual checks on importers.
  
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• Van Driver Marek Zakrocki Told Police He Would 'Kill A Muslim' Before Ploughing Into Curry House

  04-12-2017 20:50
  A van driver who told police he was going to “kill a Muslim” before ploughing into a curry house on the anniversary of the Brexit vote has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and assault.
  
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• Rampant optimism over Irish border deal proves entirely misplaced | Dan Roberts

  04-12-2017 20:46
  At the headquarters of the European commission, the famous yellow stars were confidently aligned.Theresa May had flown over for a quick, but historic, lunch.The commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, was wearing his special Burberry tie to celebrate.
  
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• Rampant optimism over Irish border deal proves entirely misplaced

  04-12-2017 20:46
  At the headquarters of the European commission, the famous yellow stars were confidently aligned.Theresa May had flown over for a quick, but historic, lunch.The commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, was wearing his special Burberry tie to celebrate.
  
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• Career highlights

  04-12-2017 20:42 via bbc.co.uk
  Fewer children are taking up part-time jobs. We spoke to people who found their careers through Saturday work.
  
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• Deal or no deal? Confused May in alignment only with herself over Irish issue

  04-12-2017 20:33
  Shortly after 4pm, Jean-Claude Juncker and Theresa May appeared for a hastily convened press conference in Brussels.The president of the EU commission went first and was at pains to be complimentary to the British prime minister.Theresa was a tough negotiator, he said.
  
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• 'A sudden rush of adrenaline could kill me'

  04-12-2017 20:33 via bbc.co.uk
  Frank has a heart condition that means a sudden rush of adrenaline could kill him.
  
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• Irish PM says won't change substance of border deal with UK

  04-12-2017 20:31
  Ireland's prime minister said he was disappointed that Britain and the EU had failed to close a deal on Northern Ireland's border on Monday, and warned he would not accept any change to the substance of the agreement.Leo Varadkar said negotiators from both sides had told him earlier on Monday they had reached an agreement on the nature of the border after Britain leaves the European Union.The agreement, diplomats told Reuters, was to keep Northern Ireland "aligned" to EU regulations to prevent a
  
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• Factbox - Countdown to Brexit breakthrough?

  04-12-2017 20:26
  British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to secure a breakthrough in Brexit talks on Monday with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.May wants the EU to open the second phase of Brexit negotiations concerning relations after Britain's withdrawal on March 30, 2019.
  
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• Llandysul: The 'ghost town' with no banks

  04-12-2017 20:02 via bbc.co.uk
  A town has gone from four banks to none but how do its residents cope?
  
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• Brexit Ireland deal could leave PM at odds with three demanding groups

  04-12-2017 20:00
  Theresa May and DUP leader Arlene Foster at No 10 after the Northern Irish party agreed to prop up the Conservatives earlier this year.Theresa May’s decision to concede the need to maintain “regulatory alignment” with the Republic of Ireland after Brexit leaves her with several powerful interest groups to placate.
  
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• How old is too old?

  04-12-2017 19:55 via bbc.co.uk
  We find out what consumers think of buying and eating foods past the "best before" date
  
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• Scottish lawmakers to pressure RBS to stop branch closures

  04-12-2017 19:44
  Scottish lawmakers will debate a motion calling for Royal Bank of Scotlandto halt planned cuts to its branch network, which opponents say will damage the remote communities they are meant to serve.The Edinburgh-based bank, which has been owned by the British government since being rescued during the 2008 global financial crisis, plans to close a quarter, or 259, of its branches in the United Kingdom.The Scottish parliamentary motion, which looks likely to garner wide support, aims to acknowledge
  
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• Reprieve for hero military dogs facing death

  04-12-2017 19:42
  Two military dogs facing euthanasia have been saved, according to Sky sources.Belgian malinois Kevin and Dazz were reportedly due to be put down this week because they couldn't be re-homed.Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson called the dogs' handlers into the MOD for a meeting on Monday morning, after reports appeared in various media outlets over the weekend.
  
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• Reprieve for hero military dogs facing death - Sky News

  04-12-2017 19:40
  Sky News
  Reprieve for hero military dogs facing death
  Sky News
  Almost 400,000 people had signed a petition calling for the Defence Secretary to grant Kevin and Dazz a reprieve. 22:44, UK, Monday 04 December 2017. Kevin with Lance Corporal Kelly Wolstencroft. Pic British Army. Image: Kevin with Lance Corporal Kelly ...
  Two hero Army dogs due to be put down 'have been saved'Metro
  400000 Signatures Got These Two Military Dogs Off Death RowThe Daily Callerall 14 news articles »
  
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• Irish furore thwarts May bid to clinch Brexit trade deal

  04-12-2017 19:29
  Theresa May failed to clinch a deal on Monday to open talks on post-Brexit free trade with the European Union after a tentative deal with Dublin to keep EU rules in Northern Ireland angered her allies in Belfast.The prime minister had sat down to lunch with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker hoping that a last-minute offer to the Irish government of "regulatory alignment" on both sides of a new UK-EU land border would remove a last obstacle to the EU open talks next week on future
  
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• Brexit: Irish PM Leo Varadka 'surprised and disappointed'

  04-12-2017 19:28 via bbc.co.uk
  He says Brexit negotiations could have moved on to trade but the UK changed its mind on the border.
  
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• India asks UK court to extradite tycoon on fraud charges

  04-12-2017 19:06
  India asked a London court on Monday to extradite tycoon Vijay Mallya to face fraud charges of palming off losses from his failing Kingfisher Airlines onto a state-owned bank.Mallya denies any wrongdoing, and a court document showed his lawyers planned to argue that the case against him was politically motivated and aimed at quelling public anger in India over the accumulation of bad debts by state lenders.The case against Mallya centres on a series of loans Kingfisher obtained from Indian banks
  
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• Irish PM 'surprised' that agreed Brexit border deal could not be concluded

  04-12-2017 18:55
  Ireland is "surprised and disappointed" that the British government was unable to conclude a deal Dublin believed had been agreed on the future of the Northern Ireland border after Brexit, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday.
  
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• ABC radio programs PM and The World Today to be halved in length

  04-12-2017 18:00
  PM and The World Today will both be cut from hour-long programs to 30 minutes, ABC staff have been told.The flagship ABC radio current affairs programs PM and The World Today will be halved in length next year and Business PM will be axed, staff have been told.PM and The World Today will both be reduced from hour-long programs to 30 minutes, radio current affairs employees were told at a meeting on Monday by Tanya Nolan, the managing editor of audio current affairs.
  
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• 'A beautiful thing': Tyler Wright on the surf family who raised a champion

  04-12-2017 18:00 via theguardian.com
  When talking about the recipe for success, the 23-year-old Australian is forever drawn to her coach, team and the hometown figures who helped raise her Related: Tyler Wright holds nerve to claim back-to-back world surfing titles A surfer bobbing in the ocean can often cut a solitary figure but the sport at the professional level is far from the solo show it may sometimes seem. As Australian Tyler Wright returned to dry land at Honolua Bay with a second world title under her belt on Friday, she r
  
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• Juncker and May fail to reach Brexit deal amid DUP doubts over Irish border

  04-12-2017 17:53 via theguardian.com
  EU commission president and British PM say differences remain on a ‘couple of issues’ but both are confident on getting dealTheresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker were forced to admit it was not possible to strike a Brexit deal on Monday after a frantic day of negotiations came to a halt because Northern Ireland’s DUP had not yet been signed up. Related: DUP expresses doubts about UK-EU post-Brexit Irish border deal - Politics liveContinue reading...
  
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• Police have killed dozens of children in Philippines war on drugs, Amnesty says

  04-12-2017 17:52 via theguardian.com
  Rights group urges International Criminal Court to open investigation into crimes against humanity committed over past 18 months in brutal state crackdownPolice have killed dozens of children in the “war on drugs” in the Philippines in the last 18 months, Amnesty International said.The rights group urged the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into crimes against humanity in the violent crackdown, including the deaths of an estimated 60 young people by police and vi
  
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• Why Is The Government Still Failing To Protect Assistance Dog Owners From Frequent Taxi And Minicab Refusals?

  04-12-2017 17:51
  It will soon be Christmas again, and many of us are gearing up for the hectic weeks of shopping, Christmas parties, the anticipation and planning, and then, finally, the quality time spent with friends and families.
  
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• Poor bear brunt of Beijing coal cleanup with no heating at -6C

  04-12-2017 17:48 via theguardian.com
  Switch from coal to gas has left residents of towns around Beijing without heating after gas supply falters, reports Climate Home NewsWhile middle class Beijingers breathe the cleanest air in recent winters, in Zhuozhou, a small city 20 minutes by train from Beijing’s downtown, residents are shivering through cold nights without heating. The reason: a five-year anti-pollution drive has forced rural areas in northern China to switch from dirty coal to the cleaner alternative. The massive re
  
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• 'Tough' May holds off Brexit deal after Irish furore

  04-12-2017 17:44
  British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to strike a Brexit divorce deal with EU negotiators in Brussels on Monday despite earlier reports of a breakthrough agreement that would have kept British-ruled Northern Ireland aligned with EU regulations.Both sides said they should unlock talks on future trade relations in the coming days."We will reconvene before the end of the week and I am also confident that we will conclude this positively," May said after a lunch with European Commission Presiden
  
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• How to dispose of a dead pet: is taxidermy the very best option?

  04-12-2017 17:42 via theguardian.com
  Have you considered having your dead dog stuffed? Or perhaps turning it into a rug? Or a drone? With no established way to mourn the loss of a loved animal, pet owners have turned to any number of curious methodsThis year, a woman from Dundee posted an unusual ad for her dog, Snoopy, on Facebook’s Marketplace. The unusual thing about it was that the dog was dead. “Had our dog turned into a rug when he died,” the ad read. “Treasured family pet. Has to be sold as new dog ke
  
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• Abandoned son of police spy sues Met for compensation

  04-12-2017 17:41 via theguardian.com
  Complainant alleges he has suffered psychiatric damage after discovering at age 26 that his father was an undercover officerA man whose father abandoned him as a child while working as an undercover police officer is suing the Metropolitan police for compensation.The man, who has been granted anonymity, alleges in the lawsuit that he has suffered psychiatric damage after discovering at the age of 26 that his father was a police spy, and not the radical protester he had been led to believe. Conti
  
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• I'm Working To Prevent Drownings So My Son's Death Will Not Be In Vain

  04-12-2017 17:38
  It was about 2pm on Christmas Eve when I noticed a police car about 50 yards up our street.
  
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• Children’s reading on screen: in the beginning was the word, not a hotspot

  04-12-2017 17:30 via theguardian.com
  Research shows gaps in children’s digital books, but their potential is still untappedChildren’s story apps and digital books face an international content crisis. In the US, an in-depth evaluation of best-selling apps showed that the majority do little to extend children’s learning beyond rote academic skills. An analysis of Greek digital books available on the Android app store concluded that they ‘in no way justify their title as educational, as they do not meet the de
  
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• Sebastian Schwarz steps down as general director of Glyndebourne

  04-12-2017 17:29 via theguardian.com
  Schwarz leaves his role after less than two years, but remains at Glyndebourne to chair the festival’s inaugural Opera Cup juryGlyndebourne have announced that their general director, Sebastian F Schwarz, is to step down from the role with immediate effect. Schwarz’s appointment was announced two years ago, and has been in the role since May 2016. He succeeded David Pickard, who left the festival after a decade to be director of the Proms.Schwarz, who was previously deputy artistic d
  
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• Scotland, Wales and London want special Brexit deal if Northern Ireland gets one

  04-12-2017 17:20
  Most Scots and Londoners voted to stay in the EU in June 2016's referendum, unlike their compatriots in the rest of the United Kingdom.Politicians in Scotland, Wales and the British capital have campaigned for Britain as a whole to stay in the EU's single market to smooth trade relations.
  
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• Why A DNR Tattoo Shouldn't Ever Be Used For Lifesaving Healthcare Decisions

  04-12-2017 17:12
  Recently, medical professionals were stumped when an elderly gent presented to America’s Miami University Hospital drunk and in a bit of a state.
  
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• EU's Juncker says Brexit no deal is not a failure

  04-12-2017 17:12
  British Prime Minister Theresa May is a tough counterpart in Brexit talks, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said, adding that the lack of an agreement on Monday "is not a failure".Despite significant progress during May's visit to Brussels, Juncker said that two or three open issues remained.
  
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• Cuts To Women's Refuges Are A Measure Of Our Country

  04-12-2017 17:11
  I was a police officer for over 20 years and I have seen the terrible consequences of domestic violence particularly where women have lost their lives.
  
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