General news

• May seeks to reassure EU leaders on Brexit deal

  17-10-2018 23:56
  British Prime Minister Theresa May assured EU leaders in Brussels on Wednesday that she can still reach a Brexit deal, avoiding a showdown over stalled talks as Brussels stepped up planning for a failure of negotiations.May was given a 15-minute slot to speak to the bloc's other 27 leaders before they sat down to dinner without her and discussed preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit under which Britain leaves the European Union without a treaty to cushion the disruption to businesses across
  
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• Theresa May to call on EU leaders to do more to combat threat of cyber attacks

  17-10-2018 23:30
  The Prime Minister is set to call on EU leaders to introduce "a robust sanctions regime" to deter cyber attacks.Following the adoption of a new sanctions regime on chemical weapons at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, which was tabled by the UK and France in the wake ofthe SyriaandSalisbury attacks , Theresa May will make the case for similar measures to be introduced for cyber attacks.During a session on internal security at the European Council on Thursday, the prime minister will wel
  
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• On Brexit, May urges EU to do "difficult deal" once again

  17-10-2018 23:02
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May urged the other leaders of the European Union on Wednesday to help secure a Brexit agreement, saying they had done "difficult deals" before and could again.
  
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• Theresa May signals willingness to extend transition period

  17-10-2018 23:00
  Theresa May has hinted that the UK could extend the Brexit transition period to allow more time for trade talks, but dismayed leaders at a crunch Brussels summit by failing to offer any new ideas to break the impasse over the Irish border.In a development that immediately drew the wrath of Brexit supporters, EU officials said that the prime minister had suggested she was “ready to consider” a longer transition period in the hope of breaking open the deadlocked talks.
  
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• Young sailors from Tenby 'ecstatic' at dolphin encounter

  17-10-2018 22:54 via bbc.co.uk
  Members of Tenby sailing club enjoy a rare up-close look at a pod of bottlenose dolphins.
  
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• Weatherwatch: rare atmospheric river caused UK flooding

  17-10-2018 22:30
  Fields covered in flood water after Storm Callum passed through Carmarthen, west Wales.The eastern side of the UK woke on Saturday to a stiff southerly wind and temperatures more akin to what can be expected in mid-August.Meanwhile, a rare type of frontal system further west brought severe flooding to parts of Wales as a river of tropical moisture fed heavy rains across the hills.
  
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• Danny Dyer: EastEnders star lives like king for new history series

  17-10-2018 22:28 via bbc.co.uk
  The actor - who's related to William the Conqueror - will be seen hunting and eating sheep's tongue.
  
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• Harry and Meghan's visit to Dubbo marked by torrential rain

  17-10-2018 22:10
  Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's visit to Dubbo in New South Wales was marked by hugs and torrential rain.
  
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• Heavens open on Harry and Meghan as royal couple visit drought-hit New South Wales

  17-10-2018 22:01
  The Duke and Duchess of Sussex brought the British weather, and some cake and tea, to a drought-hit area of Australia.The couple wanted to get out into rural communities as part of their 16-day royal tour, and arrived in Dubbo in New South Wales, to hear about the problems faced by farmers after months without rain.The heavens opened as Harry stepped out to deliver a speech at a community barbecue, but Meghan stepped in to hold an umbrella over him.
  
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• UK's May had nothing new on Brexit for summit, but tone calm - Tajani

  17-10-2018 21:34
  British Prime Minister Theresa May offered her fellow EU leaders no new Brexit proposals on Wednesday, though she appeared keen to reach an agreement, the head of the European Parliament said.Antonio Tajani spoke after listening to her address in Brussels, where she is meeting the other 27 EU leaders on the talks, stalled over how to ensure a continued open Irish border after Britain leaves.Tajani said the European Parliament, which must endorse any Brexit deal sealed between London and the EU f
  
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• Brexit withdrawal deal will not be subject to amendments, says May

  17-10-2018 21:17
  Theresa May arrives for an EU summit in Brussels.The Brexit withdrawal agreement must either be accepted or rejected by MPs and should not automatically be subjected to amendments, according to a letter and a memorandum released by the government.Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary, sent a letter to fellow MPs on 10 October implying that the government wanted to restrict the parliamentary process.
  
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• Amendments on Brexit deal should be restricted – government

  17-10-2018 21:17
  Brexit secretary Dominic Raab’s ‘take it or leave it’ approach has been rejected by Labour.The Brexit withdrawal agreement must either be accepted or rejected by MPs and should not automatically be subjected to amendments, according to a letter and a memorandum released by the government.Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary, sent a letter to fellow MPs on 10 October implying that the government wanted to restrict the parliamentary process.
  
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• Coventry double murder: Suspects Ben Whyley and Ryan Hobday 'may also have been killed'

  17-10-2018 20:03
  Detectives believe two men wanted in connection with a double murder investigation may also have been killed.Ben Whyley and Ryan Hobday are wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Daniel Shaw and the suspected murder of father-of-three Johnny Robbins.Mr Shaw, 28, was found dead in Tile Hill, Coventry, on 25 March and Mr Robbins, 33, vanished from the same area just four days later.
  
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• The statue of 'Victory over Blindness'

  17-10-2018 19:52 via bbc.co.uk
  A new statue portraying blind veterans from the First World War has been unveiled.
  
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• Theresa May: 'Brexit Deal Is Achievable'

  17-10-2018 19:51
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• UK 'one of worst offenders' for giving foreign aid contracts to own firms - report

  17-10-2018 19:37
  Britain is one of the worst offenders for giving foreign aid contracts to its own firms rather than boosting the economies of developing nations, a new report warns.Some 90% of UK spending on foreign aid contracts goes to British companies - ranking behind only Australia and the United States, which awarded 93% and 95% of contracts to their own firms respectively.The European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad), which wrote the report, said the practice makes aid spending more expensive an
  
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• Brexit deal will need clear approval by UK parliament - Raab

  17-10-2018 19:35
  Britain's parliament must provide unequivocal approval for any Brexit deal the government reaches with the European Union, or risk creating uncertainty for businesses and citizens, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said."Once the deal is presented to parliament, the procedure through which it is voted upon must allow for an unequivocal decision, and one which is clear to the British public," Raab said in a letter on Wednesday to the parliamentary Procedure Committee that will advise on how to carry o
  
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• Man on retrial for murder of Brighton schoolgirls play-acted grief, court told

  17-10-2018 19:30
  Nicola Fellows (right) and Karen Hadaway were murdered in October 1986.A convicted sex offender on trial for the second time for the murders of two nine-year-old girls in the 1980s was play-acting when he appeared grief-stricken following the discovery of their bodies, a court has heard.Russell Bishop, who joined a search party with his dog Misty after Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went missing, described details of the position of their bodies that he could only have known as their killer, j
  
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• We need "much more time" to reach Brexit deal - EU's Barnier

  17-10-2018 19:18
  The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said on Wednesday much more time was needed to secure an exit deal for Britain, but that officials would work calmly and patiently in the coming weeks.
  
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• Queen's handbag features in new portrait

  17-10-2018 19:18
  The latest picture of the Queen includes a detail usually left out of official portraits - her handbag.The Queen is rarely seen without her bag, and the new painting shows it beside her on the floor as she sits in Windsor Castle's white drawing room.It was painted by award-winning artist Ben Sullivan to mark the RAF Club's centenary.
  
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• Murdoch children may get up to $2bn each in 21st Century Fox sale

  17-10-2018 19:06
  Rupert Murdoch with his sons Lachlan (left) and James.Rupert Murdoch’s six children could each receive as much as $2bn (£1.5bn) from the sale of his 21st Century Fox global entertainment empire to Disney.Murdoch is in the final stages of completing the $71.3bn sale of 21st Century Fox, which includes the Hollywood studio behind hits from Deadpool to X-Men and a 39% stake in Sky.
  
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• Just Eat: How clean is your takeaway?

  17-10-2018 19:04 via bbc.co.uk
  A BBC investigation finds numerous zero rated takeaways on Just Eat, the UK's biggest online platform.
  
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• Man falls from top floor of Westfield Stratford on to another shopper

  17-10-2018 18:57
  A man has fallen from the top floor of Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, east London, on to another shopper, according to reports.The Metropolitan police confirmed that emergency services were called to the shopping centre at about 4pm to reports of a man falling from a height and an injured woman.Photos of the incident posted on social media showed emergency services personnel treating two people on the floor of the shopping centre.
  
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• Merkel says not there yet on Brexit deal

  17-10-2018 18:54
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised on Wednesday to do what she could to help the European Union clinch a Brexit deal with Britain but said that the two sides were not there yet.
  
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• Sweet Jeremy rides to Brexit-broken Theresa's rescue

  17-10-2018 18:52
  The words came. Just not in the right order. Photograph: François Lenoir/Reuters
  
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• Violence Erupts Over Menstruating Women In Temple

  17-10-2018 18:50
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• NHS urged to improve response to Grenfell toxicity concerns

  17-10-2018 18:45
  Stec’s research has found ‘huge concentrations’ of potential carcinogens in the soil around the tower.The NHS is falling short in its response to the Grenfell fire and needs to undertake more comprehensive health screening for survivors, local residents and firefighters, according to an expert studying potential contamination around the tower.Prof Anna Stec said saliva, urine and blood samples should be collected from all three groups to ensure people do not develop health prob
  
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• Suspect package sparks brief security alert near UK parliament

  17-10-2018 18:31
  LONDON (Reuters) - Police cordoned off roads near parliament on Wednesday after a suspect package sparked a brief security alert.
  
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• Paddington station: Frustrated passengers amid rail chaos

  17-10-2018 18:29 via bbc.co.uk
  Passengers face travel chaos after a test train severely damaged overhead power cables near Paddington Station.
  
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• May says Brexit deal is achievable

  17-10-2018 18:04
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday she believed a Brexit deal was achievable if both sides worked "intensively" in the coming days and weeks.
  
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• Food additives and their impact on our health

  17-10-2018 18:02
  Fortifying flour with folic acid may reduce the number of neural tube defect pregnancies – but, say Prof AD Smith and Prof P Saravanan, mandatory fortification also has its dangers.With the happy news of the impending royal birth (Harry and Meghan expecting baby in the spring, 16 October) and finally the decision to fortify flour with folate 27 years after the evidence in favour of this (All UK flour to be given folic acid additive, 15 October), surely now is the time for the government to
  
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• London Paddington rail services resume after major disruption

  17-10-2018 17:54
  Closed gates at Paddington Station following the loss of power supplies.Trains have started running in and out of London Paddington after an incident during the testing of a new intercity train led to the closure of tracks into one of Britain’s busiest rail stations for almost 14 hours.Train operators warned passengers they still faced significant disruption because only limited services would be running west from the capital through the rest of Wednesday, while the knock-on effects could
  
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• Government could pay out more than £1bn due to benefits 'shambles'

  17-10-2018 17:53
  The government could pay out more than £1bn in back payments after finding out that tens of thousands of people claiming sickness and disability benefits have been underpaid.Due to a "historic error" at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 180,000 people claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) have been underpaid and may be owed an average of £5,000 each.The blunders date back to between 2011 and 2014, when claimants were switched over from incapacity benefit.
  
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• Police called to suspect package near British parliament

  17-10-2018 17:44
  British police said they were investigating a suspicious package near the defence ministry on Wednesday, and had closed roads while they dealt with the incident.A Reuters photographer saw a bomb disposal robot at the scene after police said they were investigating the package at Embankment Gardens, near the Ministry of Defence, to the north of the Houses of Parliament."Police were called ... to reports of a suspicious package at Embankment Gardens," a police spokesman said in a statement, adding
  
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• Labour’s John McDonnell ‘Longs For’ A United Ireland But Says It Would Need Popular Support

  17-10-2018 17:34
  Labour's John McDonnell has declared he "longs for" a united Ireland, while
  
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• Mystery donor gives thousands to ill Shropshire boy

  17-10-2018 17:26 via bbc.co.uk
  Zac Oliver will now head to the United State for cancer treatment.
  
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• UK seeking to do Brexit deal as quickly as possible - May's spokeswoman

  17-10-2018 17:24
  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is working to make progress in Brexit negotiations as quickly as possible, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokeswoman said on Wednesday when asked whether a deal with the European Union could slip into December.
  
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• The Government Owes More Than £1.5bn To Sick And Disabled Benefits Claimants Due To Blunder

  17-10-2018 17:23
  Tens of thousands of sick or disabled people will receive back dated payments
  
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• No retrial for teacher accused of having sex with pupil on plane

  17-10-2018 17:11
  Eleanor Wilson denied four charges of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.Jurors at Bristol crown court failed to agree a verdict last week in the trial of Eleanor Wilson, 29, who had been accused of beckoning the boy into the cubicle during the night flight and having sexual intercourse with him.The foreman of the jury said there was no “realistic prospect” it could reach majority verdicts on any of the four charges against Wilson.
  
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• My partner was mauled to death by a dog not classed as dangerous

  17-10-2018 17:08
  Dangerous dog laws are inconsistent, according to a new report by parliament's environment, food and rural affairs committee.The types of dog that are currently illegal are the pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo argentino and the fila brasileiro.Here, Claire Josling talks to Sky News about how her partner David Ellam, 52, was killed in 2016 by a dog not classed as dangerous.
  
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• Lives On Hold: The Reality For Millions Living In Limbo As Brexit Uncertainty Rolls On

  17-10-2018 16:52
  As politicians try to thrash out a deal on Brexit, the lives of millions of
  
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• Labour eye government collapse, new elections and then swift Brexit deal

  17-10-2018 16:48
  Britain's opposition Labour Party could win power from Theresa May's ruling Conservatives in the coming months and quickly tie up a new and different Brexit deal with the European Union, the party's finance policy chief John McDonnell said on Wednesday.With less than six months to go until Britain leaves the EU, May is locked in difficult negotiations, trying to find an exitdeal that is acceptable to Brussels and that will please enough lawmakers at home to pass through a deeply divided parliame
  
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• Varadkar says all 27 EU states against hard border in Ireland

  17-10-2018 16:44
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Wednesday that he had the support of all remaining 27 European Union states on ensuring a Brexit deal delivers legally-binding guarantees there will be no hard border between Ireland and northern Ireland.
  
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• May faces EU leaders as Brexit talks stall

  17-10-2018 16:42
  British Prime Minister Theresa May will address European Union counterparts in Brussels on Wednesday but there is little hope on either side of a quick breakthrough after Brexit talks stalled at the weekend.German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed a hardening tone among the 27 other governments, whose leaders will gather over dinner after a presentation by May to discuss stepping up preparations for Britain dropping out of the EU with no deal in March.
  
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• Wembley Stadium sale off after billionaire Shahid Khan withdraws offer, FA says

  17-10-2018 16:40
  The sale of Wembley Stadium has been called off after billionaire Shahid Khan withdrew his £600m offer to the Football Association (FA).Mr Khan, who owns Fulham FC and the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, cited a lack of support for the proposal within English football.It was due to go to a vote at the FA Council next week but the tycoon said he was expecting only a slim majority in favour.
  
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• Theresa May says UK talking to UAE over spying charge for Matthew Hedges

  17-10-2018 16:39
  The case of a British student charged with spying in the United Arab Emirates has been raised with officials there "at the highest levels", Theresa May has said.Speaking in the House of Commons, the prime minister said the government was supporting Matthew Hedges and his family following an announcement by the UAE that the 31-year-old had been charged with spying "for a foreign state".Mr Hedges was arrested in May as he tried to leave Dubai airport following a study trip for his PHD at Durham Un
  
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• Gatwick mulls using its emergency runway to boost capacity

  17-10-2018 16:32
  Gatwick airport, the second-busiest in Britain, will publish draft expansion proposals on Thursday which will include using its second, emergency runway.The airport is hoping to add new flights to overcome a Summer capacity crunch, despite local opposition over safety, noise and environmental concerns.Gatwick, 30 miles (50 km) south of London, competes with Britain and Europe's busiest airport Heathrow, 20 miles west of London.
  
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• Meghan's maternity and the fashion brands hoping to strike gold

  17-10-2018 16:28 via bbc.co.uk
  How will designers tap into the Duchess of Sussex's global influence as the signs of pregnancy show?
  
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• Chinese Woman Kills Herself And Her 2 Children After Husband 'Fakes Death'

  17-10-2018 16:07
  A woman in China is reported to have killed herself and her two young children
  
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• Anti-fracking activists jailed after protest at Cuadrilla site freed by Court of Appeal judges

  17-10-2018 16:02
  Three anti-fracking activists jailed for a protest at a site in Lancashire have been freed by the Court of Appeal.Soil scientist Simon Blevins, teacher Richard Roberts and piano restorer Rich Loizou were the first environmental protesters to be imprisoned since 1932.The three men had climbed on to lorries outside energy firm Cuadrilla's fracking site in Little Plumpton in a protest which lasted almost 100 hours in July.
  
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