General news

• ‘I regularly see rickets’: diseases of Victorian-era poverty return to UK

  23-12-2017 23:00
  Poorer children are more likely to end up in hospital as parents struggle to get time off and illnesses escalate.It may be Christmas, but it is business as usual at Leicester Royal Infirmary children’s emergency department.Anxious families sit in the waiting room, receptionists deal with the stream of admissions and doctors continue on their never-ending rounds.
  
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• Damian Green’s allies plotted to discredit me – Kate Maltby

  23-12-2017 22:01
  Kate Maltby believes Damian Green’s allies tried to discredit her in the press.Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negativ
  
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• Guy Verhofstadt Shoots Down Nigel Farage's Blue Passport Joy In One Tweet

  23-12-2017 21:38
  The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator has rained all over the blue passport parade by pointing out the colour of the UK’s travel documentation was our own choice all along.
  
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• Thatcher aide dismisses blue passports as a ‘nostalgic’ Brexit stunt

  23-12-2017 21:00
  The current red and proposed blue UK passport.Margaret Thatcher’s key foreign policy adviser has mocked commentators rejoicing over the decision to change the colour of the British passport, describing it as nostalgia driven by ageing Eurosceptics.Confirming it was Thatcher’s government who “chose” to ditch the blue passport in the 1980s – under no pressure from the European Union – Charles Powell said the clamour for the old-style travel document was “p
  
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• £500m passport claim 'fake news', says May aide Robbie Gibb

  23-12-2017 20:39 via bbc.co.uk
  The PM's communications chief hits out over misleading claims about post-Brexit blue passports.
  
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• Scottish health bosses enjoy a LUXURY junket in Florida while NHS hospitals struggle

  23-12-2017 20:03 via feedproxy.google.com
  SCOTTISH Government health bosses enjoyed a luxury junket to Florida while overstretched NHS hospitals at home were enduring their worst week in years.
  
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• Gogglebox star Leon Bernicoff dies

  23-12-2017 19:56
  Gogglebox star Leon Bernicoff has died aged 83 after a short illness.The retired teacher died in hospital on Saturday, Channel 4 said.Leon and wife June were among the first couples to join Gogglebox, in which couples across Britain are filmed watching TV, upon its launch.
  
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• The Year's Most Difficult Donald Trump Quiz - Only Die-Hard News Junkies Will Get 100%

  23-12-2017 19:23
  This time last year we were all marvelling at how completely bonkers 2016 was.
  
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• Channel 4 Gogglebox star Leon Bernicoff dies aged 83

  23-12-2017 18:45 via bbc.co.uk
  Leon Bernicoff, from the TV show Gogglebox, has died aged 83 after a short illness, Channel 4 say.
  
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• Troops keeping UK safe, PM says in Christmas message

  23-12-2017 18:43 via bbc.co.uk
  PM recalls navy's hurricane relief efforts and fight against IS in Christmas message to troops.
  
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• The blockchain that wouldn't die

  23-12-2017 18:35
  Ethereum classic was the result of things going wrong.In 2014, a network called ethereum was developed as an alternative to bitcoin's blockchain.Ethereum's distinguishing factor was that it could be used to build computer applications that could, for example, automate record-keeping for businesses.
  
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• 'Feels like we've lost him again' Couple's heartache as sick burglars steal baby's ashes

  23-12-2017 18:23 via feedproxy.google.com
  A HEARTBROKEN woman whose baby’s ashes were stolen by callous burglars days before Christmas feels like she has lost her son all over again.
  
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• Grenfell survivors deceived by rehousing promises, charity boss says

  23-12-2017 18:03
  Simms said promises to rehouse survivors within three weeks had been ‘ill-judged’.Survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire were deceived by promises to rehouse them quickly, a charity boss has said.Mark Simms, the director of the Rugby Portobello Trust, which has been distributing grants to the community in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said a lack of honesty throughout the process had added to survivors’ stress.
  
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• The Observer Oscar movie picture quiz

  23-12-2017 18:00 via theguardian.com
  Can you spot the 20 hidden Oscar-winning film titles in the picture below? Some are more cryptic than others… • Click here for the answers Continue reading...
  
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• London Zoo to reopen after blaze kills five animals

  23-12-2017 17:59
  Five animals have died in a blaze that had to be tackled by 70 firefighters at London Zoo.London Ambulance said paramedics treated eight people at the scene - six for smoke inhalation and two for minor injuries, with one of those treated taken to hospital.Firefighters were also seen climbing ladders with hoses to douse the roof.
  
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• London Zoo fire kills aardvark 'and meerkats'

  23-12-2017 17:38 via bbc.co.uk
  Staff from the zoo were treated for injuries and one person taken to hospital in the blaze.
  
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• Mad Friday savagery: Stabbing outside Walsall nightclub after huge brawl

  23-12-2017 17:30 via feedproxy.google.com
  A MAN was stabbed in a massive fight outside a nightclub in Walsall at the height of the ‘Mad Friday’ mayhem.
  
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• ‘Not what we come to work for’ Fury as police beaten black and blue in Mad Friday violence

  23-12-2017 17:23 via feedproxy.google.com
  YOBS assaulted three police officers during a ‘Mad Friday’ brawl which shamed Britain just three days before Christmas.
  
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• Animal rights campaigners REVEL in London Zoo fire saying zoo creatures will ALWAYS suffer

  23-12-2017 17:17 via feedproxy.google.com
  THE London Zoo fire which killed Misha the aardvark and four meerkats has been used by animal rights charities to stop people visiting zoos.
  
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• Smug remainers who downplayed Britain PROVED WRONG: UK top of world in economy figures

  23-12-2017 17:16 via feedproxy.google.com
  A LAST minute revision to official growth figures as seen Britain tied with Germany to top the list of the world’s fastest growing advanced economies.
  
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• Ahmadi Muslims Group Brings Festive Cheer To Elderly And Isolated

  23-12-2017 16:54
  A minority Muslim group has launched a nationwide initiative this Christmas to bring some festive cheer to the elderly and isolated.
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn in power to spark ‘widespread nationalism’ with hardline socialist policies

  23-12-2017 16:47 via feedproxy.google.com
  A JEREMY Corbyn government would be “nightmarish” according to the former head of the Engineering Employers’ Federation.
  
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• Facebook post sees WW2 veteran inundated with Christmas cards

  23-12-2017 16:22 via bbc.co.uk
  Former Royal Marine Ted Owens gets dozens of cards after a friend's Facebook plea.
  
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• Train travel update: What trains are running on Christmas Eve

  23-12-2017 16:20 via feedproxy.google.com
  MILLIONS of Britons are travelling home for Christmas this weekend. But what trains are running on Christmas Eve this year? Here is the latest National Rail service information.
  
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• UK to deport Afghan torture survivor on Christmas Day

  23-12-2017 15:59
  The man has been detained at Brook House immigration removal centre since October, but has been in the UK for almost 11 years.A 39-year-old Afghan survivor of torture is to be forcibly removed from the UK and returned to his home country on Christmas Day, in what is thought to be the first case of its kind.Lawyers for the man, an asylum seeker accepted by the Home Office to be a torture survivor, have mounted a last-minute legal challenge to try to prevent him from being deported.
  
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• Southend women 'try to steal family Christmas dinner'

  23-12-2017 15:49 via bbc.co.uk
  Two women are arrested by Essex police at a Waitrose store in Southend.
  
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• Simon Cowell offers £10,000 for return of boy's puppy

  23-12-2017 15:29 via bbc.co.uk
  Simon Cowell steps in after hearing a three-year-old is upset about the family's stolen pet.
  
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• 11 Pro-Blue Passport Comments That Should Be Made Up But Aren't

  23-12-2017 15:27
  Yesterday, according to Nigel Farage, the UK took a step towards “becoming a proper country again”.
  
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• London Zoo 'devastated' by aardvark fire death

  23-12-2017 15:25 via bbc.co.uk
  A nine-year-old aardvark has died after a fire at London Zoo, with four meerkats unaccounted for.
  
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• David Davis posted fish pie by MSP to make customs seafood point

  23-12-2017 14:59
  Brexit Secretary David Davis has been posted a fish pie by a rival politician hoping to stink out his office over the Christmas break.The parcel was sent by Stewart Stevenson, an SNP MSP, who wanted to make a point about Brexit.Mr Stevenson ordered the Cullen Skink pie's delivery to Whitehall in a bid to catch Mr Davis' attention about potential customs queues after the UK leaves the EU.
  
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• Aldi Stabbing: Man Appears In Court Charged With Murder Of Jodie Willsher

  23-12-2017 14:53
  A 44-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murder after a “doting mother and a loving wife” was stabbed to death at the supermarket where she worked.
  
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• Aardvark dies in blaze at London Zoo, meerkats missing

  23-12-2017 14:44
  An aardvark was killed and four meerkats are missing after a blaze tore through part of London Zoo early on Saturday, shutting the British capital's popular tourist attraction until further notice as staff assess the damage.The fire broke out shortly after 0600 GMT at the zoo's Animal Adventure section before spreading to an adjacent gift shop and cafe, near to an area where visitors can handle and feed animals, the zoo and London Fire Brigade said.More than 70 firefighters took three hours to b
  
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• Big Ben chimes once again

  23-12-2017 14:35
  Big Ben has sounded for the first time since Remembrance Sunday, with the hourly chimes back for the festive season.
  
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• Ding Bong Merrily on High: Big Ben returns over festive period

  23-12-2017 14:26
  Big Ben has sounded for the first time since Remembrance Sunday, with the hourly chimes back for the festive season.In August they were silenced - except for special occasions - to allow for crucial four-year repairs to the Elizabeth Tower, which houses the bell.In early 2018 the Great Clock will be dismantled piece by piece, with each cog examined and restored.
  
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• Guardian and Observer charity appeal passes £1m

  23-12-2017 14:04
  The Guardian and Observer charity appeal in support of homeless youngsters and destitute refugees and asylum seekers has passed the £1m mark.The milestone was reached at midday on Saturday, 15 days after the appeal was launched.The appeal is raising money for three charities: Centrepoint, Depaul UK and the No Accommodation Network (Naccom), all of whom deliver and support vital work on the frontline of homelessness and destitution in the UK.
  
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• Daphne du Maurier's Cornish home listed

  23-12-2017 13:59 via bbc.co.uk
  The riverside home that inspired Daphne du Maurier's first novel is given Grade II listed status.
  
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• Tanni Grey-Thompson told there was 'no room' on train for her

  23-12-2017 13:58 via bbc.co.uk
  Tanni Grey-Thompson says she could not board a train after a passenger said there was "no room".
  
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• Aardvark killed in London Zoo fire

  23-12-2017 13:42 via bbc.co.uk
  Staff from the zoo were treated for injuries and one person taken to hospital in the blaze.
  
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• Tesco: No edible food will go to waste by February 2018

  23-12-2017 13:41 via bbc.co.uk
  The supermarket giant says its 2,654 stores will no longer throw away food that is fit to be eaten.
  
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• Man appears in court after woman killed in Aldi stabbing

  23-12-2017 13:38
  Neville Hord, 44, appeared at York magistrates court on Saturday, where he was remanded in custody after a hearing lasting three minutes.There were no family members in court.Jodie Willsher, 30, was attacked at the Aldi branch in Skipton, North Yorkshire, on Thursday.
  
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• Things got seriously awkward for this ambassador when his ‘fake news’ claim was debunked by his own words

  23-12-2017 13:34
  This will make you cringe.
  
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• 'Pay-per-mile' scheme for HGVs considered

  23-12-2017 13:16 via bbc.co.uk
  The transport secretary says it would help ensure UK and international drivers pay for road upkeep.
  
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• GP warns Santa to 'give sherry a miss'

  23-12-2017 13:08 via bbc.co.uk
  The head of the Royal College of GPs said we can all help Father Christmas get fitter this year.
  
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• Aldi supermarket killing: Man accused of murdering worker Jodie Willsher in court

  23-12-2017 12:53
  A man has appeared in court accused of murder after a "doting mother and a loving wife" was stabbed at the supermarket where she worked.Jodie Willsher, 30, died at the Aldi store in Keighley Road, Skipton on Thursday afternoon after suffering multiple serious injuries.Neville Hord, 44, from Bradford, was remanded in custody after a three-minute hearing at York Magistrates' Court.
  
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• London Zoo closed after 70 firefighters sent to battle blaze

  23-12-2017 12:46
  London Zoo has been shut until further notice following a blaze tackled by more than 70 firefighters.Flames ripped through the zoo's Animal Adventure section just after 6am on Saturday, spreading to a cafe that included a petting zoo, and a gift shop near a penguin pool at the back of the site.A zoo spokesperson told Sky News staff had been treated for smoke inhalation and shock.
  
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• Church allowed to remove pews to allow Muslim events - after court challenge over plans

  23-12-2017 12:46 via feedproxy.google.com
  A CHURCH has been given the go ahead to remove its pews so they can welcome local Muslim community events.
  
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• London Zoo: Firefighters have been battling flames

  23-12-2017 12:43 via bbc.co.uk
  Staff were treated for smoke inhalation and shock after the fire spread to the zoo's cafe and shop.
  
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• Aldi stabbing: Jodie Willsher murder-accused Neville Hord in court

  23-12-2017 12:43 via bbc.co.uk
  Neville Hord, 44, has been charged with stabbing supermarket worker Jodie Willsher, 30, to death.
  
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• Firefighters douse blaze at London Zoo, aardvark missing

  23-12-2017 11:49
  More than 70 firefighters tackled a blaze at London Zoo on Saturday and although no animals were immediately reported to have been injured, one aardvark was missing.The fire broke out shortly after 0600 GMT at the Animal Adventure section before spreading to an adjacent gift shop and cafe, near an area where visitors can handle and feed animals, the zoo and London Fire Brigade said."A number of zoo staff have been treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and shock," the zoo said in a statement.
  
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• All We Want For Christmas Is For Separated Families To Be Reunited

  23-12-2017 11:45
  Satbir Singh, Laura Clarke and Nichola Leon Pastrana are three campaigners with the #BringThemHome campaign, which aims to reunite families separated due to their immigration status.
  
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