General news

• It’s so cold in Florida iguanas are falling from trees

  05-01-2018 23:26
  It was chilly enough to immobilise green iguanas that are a common sight in Miami’s suburbs.
  
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• Female Labour MPs accuse Toby Young of 'virulent misogyny'

  05-01-2018 23:14
  Senior Labour figures have written to the Prime Minister urging her to remove Toby Young from the board of the new higher education watchdog, accusing him of "virulent misogyny".Shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler and Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, expressed concerns about Mr Young's "history of homophobia, misogyny and indifference to the rights of people with disabilities".Mr Young, a free school pioneer, was named as a board member on the new Office for Students (
  
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• This US television show wants to be considered for Donald Trump’s dishonest media awards

  05-01-2018 21:48
  The Daily Show with Trevor Noah has launched a hilarious ad campaign.
  
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• CPS defends decisions on black cab rapist John Worboys

  05-01-2018 21:12
  The Crown Prosecution Service has defended its decision not to pursue dozens of complaints against black cab rapist John Worboys.Many of the complaints against the serial sex attacker "did not pass the evidential test", the CPS said.It added that Sir Keir Starmer, who was director of public prosecutions at the time of Worboys' trial, did not have "any involvement in the decision making behind this case".
  
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• John Worboys: CPS Defends Decision Not To Pursue Scores Of Complaints Against The 'Black Cab Rapist'

  05-01-2018 20:42
  The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has defended its decision not to pursue scores of complaints against ‘black cab rapist’ John Worboys.
  
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• House of Fraser seeks to slash rent bill amid high street jitters

  05-01-2018 20:42
  House of Fraser (HoF), one of the UK's biggest department store chains, is seeking to slash its rent bill, stoking fears of further casualties on an increasingly embattled high street.Sky News has learnt that HoF has contacted an undisclosed number of the owners of its 59 UK outlets to ask for substantial rent reductions.The chain, which is privately owned by Sanpower, a Chinese conglomerate, is understood to have made the "informal" request in recent weeks, although it was unclear on Friday whe
  
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• How the establishment failed victims of 'black cab rapist' John Worboys

  05-01-2018 20:30
  The chairman of the parole board, Nick Hardwick, has apologised “unreservedly” after it emerged that some victims were not told about Worboys’ release.Numerous organisations – the police, the courts, the parole board – have been involved in the case of “black cab rapist” John Worboys, 60, due to be released within days after being jailed indefinitely in April 2009 for serious sexual offences against at least 12 women.As outrage from politicians and the p
  
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• Essex woman dies after waiting nearly four hours for ambulance

  05-01-2018 20:08
  Ambulance services, like hospitals, have struggled to cope in the midst of the NHS winter crisis.The pensioner, who lived in Clacton, Essex, called 999 on Tuesday complaining of chest pains, according to the GMB union.East of England (EEAST) ambulance service said a crew arrived three hours and 45 minutes after the initial call.
  
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• 'Worboys decision made 9 years ago'

  05-01-2018 20:00
  Ex-director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer says the CPS decided if serial rapist John Worboys should face further charges.
  
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• The man who sees the world through his phone

  05-01-2018 19:55 via bbc.co.uk
  Rob Long's viral tweet about blind Twitter users is making people think about how they post photos on social media.
  
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• More than 1,000 pupils penalised for phones in GCSE and A-level exams

  05-01-2018 19:54
  The number of pupils penalised for cheating during GCSE and A-level exams rose sharply last year, mostly as a result of mobile phones being smuggled into exam halls.“In most cases, this was a mobile phone or other electronic communications device,” it said.The 2,715 penalties issued to 2,585 students represent just 0.015% out of more than 18m exam entries.
  
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• Worboys' Release Is A Stark Reminder Of Why We Have No Right To Pressure Rape Victims Into Reporting

  05-01-2018 19:53
  Late last year, a new campaign from Leicestershire Police entitled ‘All is Not Lost’ implored of rape victims, “Please, help us to help you, get justice.”
  
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• Will 2018 be the beginning of the end for disposable coffee cups?

  05-01-2018 19:30
  Can we get into the habit of taking reusable cups instead of throwaway ones?
  
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• Homeless deserve a royal wedding invite | Letters

  05-01-2018 19:27
  In response to the Conservative leader of Windsor council’s demand that the police clear Windsor of homeless people for the royal wedding (Report, 4 January), could I just add that as a frequent visitor over many years, from childhood to my pension days, I have never been subjected to aggressive and intimidating begging.In Windsor I see more and more women out in all weathers selling the Big Issue and responding to the support and interest of passersby with warmth and appreciation.Windsor
  
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• Delving deeper into the Peterloo massacre | Letters

  05-01-2018 19:27
  It was most welcome to see your Long read on the Peterloo massacre (4 January), a timely call to prepare due commemoration for the 200th anniversary next year of this crucial event in British history.Seemingly oblivious of academic research on Henry Hunt, Stephen Bates portrays the “Orator” as egotistical and vain, insincere and hypocritical, snobbish towards workers and lubricious towards women.The self-proclaimed champion of the people, it was Hunt who ensured that the radicals gat
  
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• Dogs, cats, robins and ducking the question | Brief letters

  05-01-2018 19:25
  Dry, but not necessarily safe, as Jan Hopkins explains.Polly Toynbee’s article (The Tories knew there would be an NHS winter crisis but did nothing, theguardian.com, 3 January) notes that Jeremy Hunt “sent out a civil servant, Prof Keith Willett, director of acute care [to be interviewed on the radio], because he couldn’t be asked the crucial political question”.Is “couldn’t be asked” another of the Guardian’s famous spelling mistakes?
  
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• A blind man’s plea to Twitter users to change settings so he can ‘see’ pictures has gone viral

  05-01-2018 19:17
  And people are pledging to change how they post images.
  
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• Will A 'Latte Levy' Cut Cup Waste?

  05-01-2018 19:05
  MPs have called for a ‘latte levy’ of 25p to be introduced in an attempt to cut coffee cup waste.
  
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• This video lists all the disrespectful things Logan Paul did in Japan

  05-01-2018 19:04
  That was before the YouTube star posted a video featuring the body of a suicide victim.
  
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• Car Lobby Should Listen To Clear Message Behind Falling Diesel Sales

  05-01-2018 18:39
  It was a rough start of the year for the UK’s car industry.
  
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• Briton, 61, held in Dubai 'not getting cancer care'

  05-01-2018 18:34
  A British man being held in Dubai is being denied access to prostate cancer treatment and his anti-anxiety medication, his children say.Perry Coppins was arrested on 1 November in Dubai, despite his anti-anxiety medication being legal in the United Arab Emirates.The 61-year-old man was jailed for five weeks, and has since been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
  
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• Seat Leon Cupra R sells out in UK

  05-01-2018 18:25
  The entire UK allocation – all 24 examples – of the hardcore Seat Leon Cupra R have been sold, ahead of first deliveries later in January.
  
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• Working As A Plastic Surgeon In Today's NHS

  05-01-2018 18:13
  Recently, a TV film production company came to our hospital to record a series about surgeons and the operations we do.
  
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• California's marijuana muddle – video explainer

  05-01-2018 18:04 via theguardian.com
  On 1 January, California became the latest state to permit the sale of recreational marijuana in licensed stores. But three days later, the attorney general issued new guidance calling on states to enforce federal drug laws prohibiting the substance. Despite the confusion, the new shops have been doing brisk business Continue reading...
  
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• BBC Food Website To Remain Open, Preserving Thousands Of Recipes Online

  05-01-2018 17:51
  The BBC will no longer remove thousands of recipes from its popular BBC Food website after the corporation announced it had made £15 million savings elsewhere.
  
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• Donald Trump’s press conference video has become an accidental internet sensation

  05-01-2018 17:45
  The appearance has become a meme and drawn comparisons the president probably didn’t want.
  
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• Triple killer Theodore Johnson jailed for 'merciless' attack on ex-girlfriend

  05-01-2018 17:38
  A killer with a history of violence towards women has been jailed for 26 years after admitting the murder of his ex-girlfriend.Theodore Johnson murdered mother-of-four Angela Best, on 15 December 2016 at his flat in north London.Ms Best, 51, was found dead in his living room, having been hit over the head with a claw hammer and throttled with her dressing gown belt.
  
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• Fury as shoppers and staff 'opening' Creme Eggs to find white £2,000 prize

  05-01-2018 17:34
  ​​​​​​​Supermarket staff and shoppers have been accused of opening Creme Egg wrappers to find limited edition white chocolate treats worth up to £2,000.Lovers of the sugary delights have been scrambling to find the prized white chocolate eggs which have the same iconic purple, yellow and red foil wrapping as their milk chocolate counterparts.Cadbury's has made only 350-400 of the chocolates, with each one worth at least £100.
  
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• Killer on conditional release who murdered partner given life sentence

  05-01-2018 17:33
  Theodore Johnson pleaded guilty to the murder of Best, 51, a mother of four who lived in Tottenham.Theodore Johnson, 64, bludgeoned Angela Best with a claw hammer and strangled her with a dressing gown cord a couple of months after the couple ended their 20-year relationship.Johnson had two previous convictions for manslaughter for killing two other former partners, in 1981 and 1993.
  
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• Brides offered £100 to arrive on time

  05-01-2018 17:31 via bbc.co.uk
  Canon John Corbyn said brides arriving late for their wedding have disrupted the church schedule.
  
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• John Worboys: Parole Board chair to face MPs over rapist's 'disturbing' release

  05-01-2018 17:30
  Britain's most senior parole official is to face questions from MPs over the "disturbing" release of rapist John Worboys.Professor Nick Hardwick, chairman of the Parole Board, will be asked why victims were not told the serial sex offender would soon be let out of jail.Worboys was jailed indefinitely in 2009, with a minimum term of eight years, for drugging and sexually assaulting female passengers.
  
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• Essex pensioner found dead after waiting almost four hours for ambulance to arrive

  05-01-2018 17:30
  A 81-year-old OAP pensioner was found dead in her house after waiting almost four hours for an ambulance to arrive, according to unions
  
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• Son Searches For War Heroes In His Father's Sketches

  05-01-2018 17:26
  The son of a US military veteran is trying to track down the identities of a number of US soldiers featured in portraits sketched by his father during World War II.
  
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• Corrie Mckeague video shared 'to make people smile'

  05-01-2018 17:24 via bbc.co.uk
  Footage of the missing airman ice-skating with friends is released to "make people smile".
  
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• James Bulger killer Jon Venables charged over indecent images of children

  05-01-2018 17:13
  One of James Bulger's killers, Jon Venables, has been charged over indecent images of children.Venables was returned to prison in November after allegedly being caught with child abuse images.The CPS said: "The man formerly known as Jon Venables has been charged with offences relating to indecent images of children and will appear in the crown court.
  
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• Where Would You Be Without Your Family?

  05-01-2018 17:03
  If someone asked you to imagine a scenario in which you were apart from your family and couldn’t be sure that you would ever be near them again, what would that feel like to you?
  
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• Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall announces pregnancy

  05-01-2018 16:46
  The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall has announced she is expecting her second child with her husband Mike.A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said the Queen and the Royal Family are "very pleased" to hear the news.The couple's announcement came as the 36-year-old, an equestrian champion, enjoyed a working holiday in Australia with her husband, a former England rugby player.
  
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• Big designers step off London men's catwalk amid digital disruption

  05-01-2018 16:33
  Models will strut their stuff on catwalks when London's menswear fashion week gets under way on Saturday, but absent will be some big industry names who have chosen to skip the event, or make digital presentations in place of runway shows.The event will see around 50 traditional catwalk shows over three days, with the remainder of the 80 designers on the bill showcasing their wares through a variety of other events, including digitally.The transition to new methods of connecting with buyers has
  
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• Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara expecting second baby

  05-01-2018 15:58
  Zara Tindall, the granddaughter of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, is pregnant with her second child, her spokeswoman said on Friday."The queen and members of the royal family were very pleased to hear this news," a spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said.Zara, who is married to former England rugby union captain Mike Tindall, gave birth to the couple's first child, Mia Grace in January 2014, but lost a previous baby in 2016.
  
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• Toby (Young) or not Toby, plus Theresa May's desperate measures

  05-01-2018 15:55
  Transport secretary Chris Grayling made himself scarce in Qatar the same day rail fare increases came into force.Another new year comes and goes without me getting a gong in the honours list. Not even a place on the board of the Office for Students for my troubles.While most people were fixated on whether Nick Clegg did or did not deserve a knighthood and why Ringo Starr only got his two decades after Paul McCartney, my attention was drawn to the honours given to three of the six board members o
  
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• Toby (Young) or not Toby as May enters some desperate measures

  05-01-2018 15:55
  Transport secretary Chris Grayling made himself scarce in Qatar the same day rail fare increases came into force.Another new year comes and goes without me getting a gong in the honours list. Not even a place on the board of the Office for Students for my troubles.While most people were fixated on whether Nick Clegg did or did not deserve a knighthood and why Ringo Starr only got his two decades after Paul McCartney, my attention was drawn to the honours given to three of the six board members o
  
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• Triple Killer Theodore Johnson Jailed For 26 Years For Murdering Ex-Girlfriend Angela Best

  05-01-2018 15:51
  A man convicted of killing two previous partners has been jailed for a minimum of 26 years for murdering his ex-girlfriend after she met another man.
  
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• Triple Killer Theodore Johnson 'Played The System' To Avoid Murder Conviction, Victim's Sister Says

  05-01-2018 15:51
  A man convicted of killing two previous partners has been jailed for a minimum of 26 years for murdering his ex-girlfriend after she met another man.
  
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• Parole chair: Women 'were failed'

  05-01-2018 15:45
  Parole Board chair Nick Hardwick has apologised to victims of serial rapist John Worboys for not informing them of his release.
  
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• Jon Venables Charged Over Indecent Images Of Children As It's Announced Trial To Be Held In Private

  05-01-2018 15:32
  Jon Venables, one of the killers of toddler James Bulger, has been charged over indecent images of children.
  
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• John Worboys: alleged victims ready to bring fresh prosecutions, lawyer says

  05-01-2018 15:21
  John Worboys pictured in the 1980s.Alleged victims of the serial sex offender John Worboys are ready to bring fresh prosecutions against him and send him back to jail, their lawyer has said.The victims, all women, are “devastated” by the imminent release of Worboys, who “denied his heinous crimes and then forced them to endure the torment of a criminal trial,” said Richard Scorer of Slater Gordon.
  
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• Graphic - Slow speed ahead for UK economy as Brexit nears

  05-01-2018 15:13
  Britain's economy looks set for a subdued run-up to Brexit, according to a range of indicators that paint a mixed picture at the start of the country's last full year in the European Union.Predictions vary widely, due to uncertainties about the outcome of the Brexit negotiations and the future of Prime Minister Theresa May's weakened government.Business surveys suggest it is likely to have matched the quarterly 0.4 percent economic growth it managed between July and September in the final three
  
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• New harassment rules for MPs 'not a deterrent', says Fallon accuser

  05-01-2018 15:12
  A woman whose story of sexual harassment caused a Cabinet minister to resign has warned leaked proposals to safeguard people working in Westminster are not a "deterrent".Jane Merrick said the measures were "very concerning" because MPs would not face tough enough punishments for inappropriate behaviour.The journalist's claim that Sir Michael Fallon lunged at her and tried to kiss her on the lips led to the former Defence Secretary being forced to step down in November.
  
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• Hedge funds have British motor dealer vulnerability in their sights

  05-01-2018 15:11
  Hedge funds are circling British car dealers, betting on their increasing vulnerability as a five-year sales boom hits the skids in the face of waning consumer confidence and an accompanying drop in resale values.Fallout from Volkswagen's2015 diesel scandal has taken a heavy toll, with UK demand for diesel cars tumbling by 17 percent last year on consumer fears over potential new charges, while post-Brexit uncertainties and lower resale values pose a risk to sales of both petrol and diesel cars.
  
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• Why was sex attacker John Worboys freed now?

  05-01-2018 15:04 via bbc.co.uk
  The decision to free the sex attacker has been condemned by victims' groups and charities.
  
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