General news

• Matthew Hedges: PhD student held in Dubai on spying charge 'suffering significant health issues'

  19-10-2018 23:31
  A British student accused of spying in the United Arab Emirates is said to be suffering from "significant health issues" after being in solitary confinement for five months.Matthew Hedges says he flew to the UAE on 5 May to interview sources for research about the country's security strategy and foreign policy.The 31-year-old Durham University PhD student was detained at Dubai Airport and his family say he has been in solitary confinement ever since.
  
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• Small earthquakes detected near Lancashire fracking zone

  19-10-2018 23:06
  The British Geological Survey (BGS) has detected tremors in the vicinity of a controversial fracking operation in Lancashire.Energy firm Cuadrilla started hydraulic fracturing at the site in Little Plumpton, near Blackpool, earlier this week after an unsuccessful High Court appeal to block it.In a statement, the BSG said that the seismic activity recorded on Friday evening was "not unexpected", as hydraulic fracturing is "generally accompanied by microseismicity".
  
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• Ex-Commons Staffer Claims Speaker John Bercow Called Her A 'Little Girl'

  19-10-2018 22:59
  A former Commons staffer has revealed how the Speaker of the House of Commons
  
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• Online sellers 'pay for positive reviews'

  19-10-2018 22:58 via bbc.co.uk
  A Which? investigator was hired to write high-rated reviews online in return for free goods.
  
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• 'How could I find £3,000 to pay for my mum's funeral?'

  19-10-2018 22:58 via bbc.co.uk
  With the average cost of a funeral on the rise, a growing number of people are looking for cheaper alternatives.
  
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• Worries among tenants over deposit return

  19-10-2018 22:57 via bbc.co.uk
  A survey says nearly a fifth of private tenants have waited more than three months to get a deposit back.
  
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• Loose sheep rescued by police officers on M4 motorway

  19-10-2018 22:35 via bbc.co.uk
  The animal was found running between J32-J33 just outside Cardiff by officers.
  
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• Scotland Yard denies losing control after death of man in brawl

  19-10-2018 22:09
  Ian Tomlin would regularly confront suspected drug dealers, his father said.Scotland Yard has not lost control of London’s streets, a senior officer has insisted, as he announced that two people had been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man during a reported mass brawl in south London.Ian Tomlin, 46, died after a fight in the area of a block of flats in Battersea on Wednesday.
  
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• People's Vote March: More Than 100,000 People Expected To Attend Protest

  19-10-2018 22:05
  More than 100,000 people are expected to descend on central London to march in
  
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• PM May tells businesses EU is committed to autumn Brexit deal

  19-10-2018 21:43
  British Prime Minister Theresa May told business leaders during a teleconference on Friday that EU politicians are committed to reaching a Brexit agreement this autumn, striking what one source told Reuters was an upbeat tone.May briefed around 120 business leaders to update them on the progress of the talks after discussions in Brussels earlier this week."The Prime Minister spoke for about 10 minutes and the tone of her message was quite optimistic," a source familiar with the content of the ca
  
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• Police ban hoodies and drill videos to disrupt gang activity in Essex town

  19-10-2018 21:06
  Essex Police has introduced an innovative technique to disrupt gang activity in one of its town centres where it says residents are becoming too afraid to go shopping.The alleged gang members of a group called C17 are suspected of being involved in violence and the sale of drugs in the town but, in several cases, police do not have enough evidence to prosecute.Instead, the Essex Police Raptor anti-gangs unit has targeted nine members of the gang and served them with civil court injunctions, bann
  
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• One-in-a-billion DNA match shows Russell Bishop murdered girls in 1986, jurors told

  19-10-2018 21:06
  A one-in-a-billion DNA match and a "wealth of evidence" shows convicted paedophile Russell Bishop murdered two nine-year-old girls 32 years ago, a court has heard.The 52-year-old is on trial for the second time accused of sexually assaulting and strangling Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows in 1986.The girls, from Brighton, went missing and were found dead in a woodland den in Wild Park on the South Downs a day later.
  
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• School bus driver suspended after Wadhurst pupils hurt

  19-10-2018 21:05 via bbc.co.uk
  The driver allegedly braked so forcefully that a boy was thrown against the windscreen and cracked it.
  
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• Huddersfield snowboarder David Ewart suffocated in crevasse

  19-10-2018 21:00 via bbc.co.uk
  David Ewart, from West Yorkshire, became stuck head first in deep snow, an inquest is told.
  
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• Chelsea truck crash driver admits killing pregnant cyclist

  19-10-2018 20:40 via bbc.co.uk
  Charlotte Landi died after she was crushed by the tipper truck while on her way to work in London.
  
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• Jasmine Rook: Falmouth student and transgender campaigner took own life

  19-10-2018 20:33 via bbc.co.uk
  Jasmine Rook rang a help line that failed to return her call and a week later she took her own life.
  
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• UK ready to drop Brexit demand on Irish border - Bloomberg

  19-10-2018 20:17
  British Prime Minister Theresa May is ready to agree to a fallback arrangement for the border between the United Kingdom and Ireland which does not have a time limit, to speed Brexit talks, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources.Arrangements for the United Kingdom's only land border with a European Union state have proven the biggest sticking point as London and Brussels seek to hammer out a transitional deal before Britain leaves the European Union in March next year.Britain's Bre
  
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• Lorry driver admits crushing pregnant cyclist with truck

  19-10-2018 20:15 via bbc.co.uk
  Charlotte Landi died after she was crushed by the tipper truck while on her way to work in London.
  
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• Canadian pension giant CPPIB swoops for £3bn Gatwick stake

  19-10-2018 20:15
  Canada's biggest pension fund is preparing to swoop for part of a stake in London's Gatwick Airport that could be worth more than £3bn, days after it unveiled a plan to use its emergency runway to boost capacity.Sky News has learnt that the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is part of a group of investors which are proposing to buy out Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Gatwick's biggest shareholder since 2009.A deal is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks, with CPPIB
  
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• UK PM May reassures business of EU commitment to autumn Brexit deal - source

  19-10-2018 19:58
  British Prime Minister Theresa May struck an upbeat tone on the Brexit talks and told business leaders during a teleconference on Friday that EU politicians are committed to reaching an agreement this autumn, a source told Reuters.May briefed around 120 business leaders to update them on the progress of the talks after discussions in Brussels earlier this week."The Prime Minister spoke for about 10 minutes and the tone of her message was quite optimistic," a source familiar with the content of t
  
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• Special effects experts say young people needed in the industry

  19-10-2018 19:55 via bbc.co.uk
  Into Film organised an event in Belfast encouraging young people to think about a job in the special effects industry.
  
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• Britain's biggest warship HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives for New York visit

  19-10-2018 19:55
  HMS Queen Elizabeth - the biggest warship in the British naval fleet - has sailed into New York for a week-long visit.The £3.1bn behemoth, which has 1,500 personnel on board, anchored in the Hudson River about two miles from Manhattan on Friday ahead of it hosting several major national and international events in the city.Commuters aboard the Staten Island ferry could catch a fine view of the Portsmouth-based ship upon its arrival, as could tourists taking in the sights and sounds of Elli
  
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• Stonehenge tunnel plans submitted to Planning Inspectorate

  19-10-2018 19:35 via bbc.co.uk
  Inspectors have 28 days to decide whether to accept the plans for the 1.9-mile (3km) road tunnel.
  
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• Facebook hires former UK deputy prime minister as head of global affairs

  19-10-2018 19:33
  Facebook Inchas hired former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead its global affairs and communications team, as the social network deals with a number of scandals related to privacy, fake news and election meddling.The appointment makes Clegg, former leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats and deputy to David Cameron in the 2010-2015 coalition government, the most senior European politician ever in a leadership role in Silicon Valley.Facebook said Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerbe
  
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• Benny the beluga: Fireworks postponed over concerns for Thames whale's safety

  19-10-2018 19:29
  A council in Kent has postponed its annual fireworks display over fears it could harm a beluga whale spotted in the River Thames.Gravesham Borough Council said it had taken the step after consulting over the welfare of the arctic mammal, dubbed Benny, which was seen off Shorne Marshes in Gravesend last month.Council leader David Turner said the authority wanted to "ensure our special visitor is kept safe and well".
  
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• EU says no cliff-edge risk from Brexit for derivatives (Oct. 18)

  19-10-2018 19:27
  A report on risks to the stability of derivatives markets posed by Brexit could lead to regulatory intervention, European Commission officials said on Thursday, dismissing warnings they could tumble off a cliff if Britain leaves the EU with no deal.EU financial services chief Valdis Dombrovskis said initial findings into potential stability risks to markets around Brexit Day next March will be finalised in coming days.The study is being led by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank wi
  
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• M40 Caravan Crash: Father Pays Tribute To ‘Caring’ Former Soldier Killed In Collision

  19-10-2018 19:12
  The father of a former soldier who died in a crash with a caravan says his
  
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• UK Brexit negotiators desperate for November summit

  19-10-2018 18:57
  Theresa May will test the tolerance of her cabinet for fresh Brexit compromises on Tuesday, with Britain’s negotiators desperate for a breakthrough in time to convince EU leaders to convene a crunch summit next month.With no European council formally scheduled until December, ministers are becoming increasingly anxious about the growing risk of no deal, and the impact of continued uncertainty on the economy.The foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, told the BBC that the government was “fou
  
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• Several cows in herd of BSE case to be destroyed in Scotland

  19-10-2018 18:28
  The offspring of a cow that was identified to have BSE - or mad cow disease - will be killed as a precaution.Several other cows in the herd will also be destroyed after the infected beef bovine was identified during routine testing in Scotland.The disease did not enter the human food chain, according to a statement issued through the National Farmers Union of Scotland.
  
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• Police rule out 'black panther' theory in big cat mystery

  19-10-2018 18:13 via bbc.co.uk
  The identity of the animal spotted in fields between Drongan and Coalhall remains a mystery.
  
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• Benny the beluga: Fireworks display on hold for whale's safety

  19-10-2018 18:11 via bbc.co.uk
  The whale has been swimming in the River Thames off Gravesend since 25 September.
  
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• Scottish farmer tells of feeling devastated after BSE case found in herd

  19-10-2018 17:59
  ‘We have built up our closed herd over many years and have always taken great pride in doing all the correct things,’ said Thomas Jackson.A farmer in Scotland has spoken about the devastating effect of learning that a case of BSE had been found among his herd.Thomas Jackson’s farm in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, has been put under quarantine after a five-year-old cow that died was found to have bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
  
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• Chris Pine kept up Scottish accent after filming

  19-10-2018 17:48 via bbc.co.uk
  Hollywood actor Chris Pine plays Robert The Bruce in a new Netflix biopic which has premiered in Edinburgh.
  
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• Huddersfield grooming victims 'delivered to hell' - BBC News

  19-10-2018 17:41 via bbc.co.uk
  BBC News
  Huddersfield grooming victims 'delivered to hell'
  BBC News
  Twenty men sexually abused girls as young as 11 as part of a grooming ring that targeted more than a dozen girls in Huddersfield. Intoxicated with drink and drugs, the children were raped repeatedly and often driven to isolated areas and left to fend ...
  Huddersfield grooming gang jailed for 200 yearsThe Timesall 225 news articles »
  
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• Training for the slopes: six of the best Eurostar snow breaks

  19-10-2018 17:39 via theguardian.com
  Foodie favourites, hushed hideaways and family-friendly Alpine hotspots can all be reached direct from London by railTravelling with skiing or snowboarding equipment can be a bit of an effort, particularly if you’re swapping between buses, trains and planes. Take a simpler, more direct route to the Alps by hopping on the Eurostar at London St Pancras International or Ashford. Leave on a Friday and you can even take advantage of a quiet Saturday on the slopes, when the package deals have th
  
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• Russell Bishop Trial: One-In-A-Billion DNA Match ‘Proves Sex Predator Murdered Schoolgirls In 1986’, Jury Told

  19-10-2018 17:27
  A one-in-a-billion DNA match and other "overwhelmingly compelling" evidence
  
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• Corey Junior Davis: Shot boy 'treated like criminal'

  19-10-2018 17:26 via bbc.co.uk
  Corey Junior Davis told authorities he feared for his safety before he was gunned down in a playground.
  
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• Thomas Orchard: Devon and Cornwall Police admits restraining offence

  19-10-2018 17:18 via bbc.co.uk
  Force admits failings over officer training on an emergency restraint belt after Mr Orchard's death.
  
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• Julian Assange: Wikileaks co-founder to take legal action against Ecuador

  19-10-2018 17:18 via bbc.co.uk
  The Wikileaks co-founder has been living in the country's UK embassy in London since 2012.
  
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• Huddersfield grooming gang jailed for 221 years for abusing girls

  19-10-2018 17:17
  Sixteen men have been jailed for more than 200 years as part of a grooming gang who abused 15 girls in and around Huddersfield between 2004 and 2011.
  
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• Murder arrests after man dies in mass brawl in Battersea

  19-10-2018 17:14
  Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 46-year-old man died in a mass brawl in southwest London.The men - both in their 40s - have been held after Ian Tomlin died in Battersea on Wednesday.Wandsworth Police superintendent head of CID, Peter Gardner, said information had been passed on by the public prior to the arrests.
  
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• Huddersfield grooming: Twenty guilty of campaign of rape and abuse

  19-10-2018 17:14 via bbc.co.uk
  The men committed more than 120 offences against 15 girls in the Huddersfield area.
  
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• Thomas Orchard: Devon and Cornwall Police admits failings after custody death

  19-10-2018 17:12
  Devon and Cornwall Police has pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches following Thomas Orchard's death in custody in 2012.Mr Orchard, 32, who had paranoid schizophrenia, died in hospital seven days after being arrested and taken to Heavitree Road police station in Exeter, Devon, in October 2012.During his detention, Mr Orchard was restrained and an emergency response belt (ERB) was placed across his face.
  
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• Ian Tomlin: Murder arrests over Battersea father's death

  19-10-2018 16:59 via bbc.co.uk
  Two men are held on suspicion of killing Ian Tomlin who was beaten to death outside his London home.
  
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• Briton faces jail for spraying 'Scouser Lee' on Thai gate

  19-10-2018 16:58 via bbc.co.uk
  Lee Furlong, from Liverpool, is accused of spray painting "Scouser Lee" on the 13th Century landmark.
  
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• Julian Assange Is Taking Legal Action Against Ecuador For Violating His Rights

  19-10-2018 16:43
  Julian Assange is to launch legal action against the government of Ecuador,
  
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• Facebook hires former deputy PM Sir Nick Clegg

  19-10-2018 16:39 via bbc.co.uk
  The former Liberal Democrat leader will head Facebook's global affairs and communications team.
  
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• Huddersfield Grooming Gang: 20 Men Jailed For Rape And Sexual Abuse Of Vulnerable Teenage Girls

  19-10-2018 16:36
  A gang of men who embarked on a "campaign of rape and other sexual abuse"
  
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• Scottish farmer left 'heartbroken' by mad cow disease outbreak among his herd

  19-10-2018 16:30
  The Scottish farmer whose herd was found to have been compromised by a case of BSE - or mad cow disease - has spoken of his "heartbreak".In a statement issued through the National Farmers Union of Scotland, Thomas Jackson said he and his wife had found the discovery at their farm in Aberdeenshire "personally devastating".
  
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• Two Men Arrested On Suspicion Of Murdering Ian Tomlin In Battersea

  19-10-2018 16:12
  Two men in their 40s have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Ian
  
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