General news

• Duke of York ‘appalled’ over Epstein sex scandal claims

  18-08-2019 23:54
  Andrew has been dogged by accusations of a lack of judgment about his links with Epstein.
  
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• PM orders urgent action to boost vaccination rates after measles rise

  18-08-2019 23:30
  Boris Johnson will visit a hospital in the South West on Monday.
  
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• Johnson urges social media firms to block anti-vaccine messages

  18-08-2019 23:30
  Prime minister seeks to halt rise of measles after more than 230 cases in three months. Boris Johnson will call on social media companies to do more to stop anti-vaccination messages spreading online as he visits a hospital in the south-west of England. The prime minister will lay out his plans to halt the resurgence of measles in the UK after more than 230 cases were diagnosed in the first quarter of the year. He will not go so far as to give his backing to mandatory vaccination, which is not b
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn Says Brexit General Election Could Mean Generational Change In Politics

  18-08-2019 23:30
  Jeremy Corbyn will say a snap election could lead to a generational shift inpolitics similar to 1945 or 1979 as speculation mounts over a vote to breakthe Brexit dreadlock
  
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• 'A phoney outsider': Corbyn attacks Johnson as he sets out election pitch

  18-08-2019 23:30
  Labour leader likens ‘hard right’ PM to Trump and says he wants a no-deal Brexit ‘to create a tax haven for the super rich’. Jeremy Corbyn will accuse Boris Johnson of being a “fake populist and phoney outsider” in the mould of Donald Trump as he sets out his election pitch to transform the country as radically as Labour did in 1945 with the creation of the welfare state. The Labour leader will give a flagship speech in the key marginal seat of Corby in the ea
  
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• Full extent of injuries of boy, 6, who fell from Tate Modern still unknown

  18-08-2019 23:25
  Police, ambulance crews and fire crews are seen outside the Tate Modern gallery in London on August 4. Photograph: Daniel Sorabji/AFP/GettyThe parents of a six-year-old boy who was allegedly thrown from a viewing platform at Tate Modern have said his condition is stable, but they still do not know the full extent of his injuries.In a statement thanking those who have donated to a crowdfunding appeal, they said: “Our son has already undergone two long and difficult operations … But h
  
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• Canada slams UK decision to 'off-load' Islamist fighter

  18-08-2019 23:19
  Canada said on Sunday that Britain's decision to strip Jack Letts - dubbed "Jihadi Jack" by the media - of his British citizenship was an attempt to shift responsibility for what to do with him onto Canada, where he also has citizenship.A statement from Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale's office confirmed a British media report from Saturday, which said that Letts' UK passport had been torn up.Letts travelled from Britain to Syria to fight with Islamic State in 2014, according to med
  
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• £100,000 raised for Pc Andrew Harper’s family as 10 quizzed in murder probe

  18-08-2019 22:25
  Grieving officers have laid floral tributes at the scene in Berkshire where their colleague was killed.
  
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• UK In Diplomatic Row With Canada After Stripping 'Jihadi Jack' Of British Citizenship

  18-08-2019 22:19
  Canada has accused the UK of "offloading" its responsibilities over the Muslimconvert dubbed Jihadi Jack after he was stripped of his British citizenship
  
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• Owen Jones Assault: Police Appeal For Witnesses After 'Senseless Attack' On Guardian Journalist

  18-08-2019 22:01
  Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after the "senselessattack" on journalist Owen Jones
  
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• Ashes 2019: Australia repel England to draw second Test at Lord's

  18-08-2019 21:45 via bbc.co.uk
  England fall four wickets short of a remarkable victory in the second Ashes Test as Australia survive a tense final hour at Lord's.
  
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• No 10 furious at leak of paper predicting shortages after no-deal Brexit

  18-08-2019 21:30
  Government figures seek to play down predictions of food, medicine and fuel shortages in leaked document. Downing Street has reacted with fury to the leak of an official document predicting that a no-deal Brexit would lead to food, medicine and petrol shortages, with No 10 sources blaming the disclosure on a hostile former minister intent on ruining Boris Johnson’s trip to see EU leaders this week. The leaked document, detailing preparations under Operation Yellowhammer, argues that the mo
  
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• No-deal Brexit: key points of Operation Yellowhammer report

  18-08-2019 21:27
  From cross-Channel transport disruption to public disorder – the predictions in the leaked document. A government report on Operation Yellowhammer was leaked on Sunday, revealing the probable consequences of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement, which is due to happen on 31 October. Here are the key points: Transport disruption . 50%-85% of lorries travelling across the Channel may not be ready for French customs. . The worst disruption to the short Channel crossings might
  
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• Owen Jones assaulted: Police appeal after 'senseless attack'

  18-08-2019 21:21 via bbc.co.uk
  Investigators say they are considering whether the attack in north London was a hate crime.
  
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• Didcot power station demolition caused mass power outage, SSEN says

  18-08-2019 21:04
  At least 40,000 homes in Oxfordshire affected after cooling towers brought down. The demolition of a disused power station’s cooling towers caused a power outage that affected 40,000 homes in Oxfordshire on Sunday, an energy company has confirmed. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) had said that initial information suggested the demolition was not linked to the outage, but later admitted it was the cause. Explosive charges were used to bring down the 375ft (114.3m) towers of
  
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• Fundraiser for PC killed in Berkshire raises £90,000 within hours

  18-08-2019 21:00
  Money will go to relatives of Andrew Harper as police continue to question suspects. More than £90,000 has been raised in just 24 hours to support the family and widow of PC Andrew Harper as detectives continue to question 10 suspects including a 13-year-old boy. The 28-year-old officer, who got married four weeks ago, died from multiple injuries after being dragged by a van while investigating a reported burglary in the village of Bradfield Southend, Berkshire, on Thursday night. Thames V
  
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• Jack Letts stripped of British citizenship

  18-08-2019 20:52
  Canada accuses UK of ‘offloading responsibilities’ over dual-national Isis recruit. Jack Letts, who left his home in Oxfordshire to join Isis five years ago, has been stripped of his British citizenship while being held in a Syrian prison. The move sparked a diplomatic row as Canada – where Letts qualifies for a passport through his father – accused the UK government of “offloading its responsibilities”. The decision was one of the last made under Theresa May
  
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• £90,000 raised for Pc Andrew Harper’s family as 10 quizzed in murder probe

  18-08-2019 20:37
  Grieving officers have laid floral tributes at the scene in Berkshire where their colleague was killed.
  
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• Jihadi Jack's parents brand Sajid Javid a 'coward' over revoked citizenship

  18-08-2019 20:29 via bbc.co.uk
  The parents of Jack Letts, dubbed Jihadi Jack, say the UK government is "shirking responsibility".
  
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• A Box Full Of Live Snakes Was Dumped Outside A Vet’s Surgery

  18-08-2019 20:24
  A box of nine live snakes was dumped outside a vet's surgery with the RSPCAwarning the reptiles were put at risk of dehydration
  
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• Didcot power station: Power cut as cooling towers demolished

  18-08-2019 20:17 via bbc.co.uk
  An electricity pole catches fire moments after a controlled explosion at the Didcot A plant.
  
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• Archie Bruce: Batley Bulldogs player was a 'young fella with the world at his feet'

  18-08-2019 20:11 via bbc.co.uk
  Batley Bulldogs scrumhalf Archie Bruce is described as a "young fella with the world at his feet", after his death on Sunday morning.
  
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• Emails reveal Boris Johnson laying groundwork for election campaign

  18-08-2019 20:05
  Signs indicate No 10 on election footing as PM plans meetings to come up with manifesto ideas. Boris Johnson’s No 10 operation is increasingly on an election footing, with leaked internal emails revealing he was due to meet the political strategist Sir Lynton Crosby. As Conservative advisers come under intense pressure to produce manifesto ideas quickly, a well placed source said Johnson had a meeting set up in the next few days with Crosby, the election guru who worked on the campaigns of
  
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• Power cut and reports of ‘minor injuries’ after power station demolished

  18-08-2019 19:46
  Energy company SSEN said 40,000 customers were affected by damage to its network.
  
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• Jihadi Jack parents condemn ‘coward’ Javid over ‘legal black hole’

  18-08-2019 19:38
  Jack Letts was 18 when he left his Oxfordshire home to join the Islamic State group in Syria in 2014.
  
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• Brexit: Sinn Féin criticise PM after no-deal dossier leak

  18-08-2019 19:34 via bbc.co.uk
  DUP leader Arlene Foster says she believes the dossier is "outdated" and leaked to undermine the PM.
  
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• Misunderstanding life expectancy

  18-08-2019 18:44
  Mary Reid points out that average life expectancy is skewed by infant mortality. There is a common misunderstanding about life expectancy, as though it is the age at which most adults could expect to die. In fact, the mean length of life can be heavily skewed by infant mortality. For example, in 1850 in England and Wales life expectancy at birth was 42, but over 25% of children died before the age of five. For those who survived, life expectancy rose to 57. Moreover, 10% of people born in 1850 l
  
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• Not your typical Tory groupthink

  18-08-2019 18:43
  Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt, AKA Status Quo, play Knebworth in 1990.Photograph: Productions Ltd/Rex/ShutterstockGrace Dent should resist the current trend for putting down GPs (I’m angry, sore, and bloated. Is this the menopause?, Weekend, 17 August) Yes, you may wait two weeks for an appointment, but your issues have been going on for months. Once in the consultation (15 minutes is the norm in my surgery), describe your symptoms and you will receive a well-informed and helpful assessme
  
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• Andrew Harper death: More than £100k raised for officer's family

  18-08-2019 18:37 via bbc.co.uk
  Thousands of pounds are donated to a crowdfunding page set up to support Andrew Harper's family.
  
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• Lucas Dobson: River fall boy 'unlikely to be found alive'

  18-08-2019 18:27 via bbc.co.uk
  A police chief says she would like to find Lucas Dobson alive but is growing increasingly concerned.
  
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• Brexit: No-deal dossier shows worst-case scenario - Gove

  18-08-2019 18:19 via bbc.co.uk
  A no-deal Brexit will bring "bumps in the road", Michael Gove admits, as a leaked government document warns of food and drug shortages.
  
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• Fundraising page for murdered PC raises £70,000 within hours

  18-08-2019 18:04
  A tribute to PC Andrew Harper close to where he died in the village of Bradfield Southend in Berkshire. Photograph: Thomas Hornall/PAMore than £70,000 has been raised in less than 24 hours to support the family and widow of PC Andrew Harper as murder detectives continue to question 10 suspects, including a 13-year-old boy.The 28-year-old officer, who was married only four weeks ago, died of multiple injuries after being dragged by a van while investigating a reported burglary in the villag
  
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• Fundraiser for PC killed in Berkshire raises £70,000 within hours

  18-08-2019 18:04
  A tribute to PC Andrew Harper close to where he died in the village of Bradfield Southend in Berkshire. Photograph: Thomas Hornall/PAMore than £70,000 has been raised in less than 24 hours to support the family and widow of PC Andrew Harper as detectives continue to question 10 suspects including a 13-year-old boy.The 28-year-old officer, who got married four weeks ago, died from multiple injuries after being dragged by a van while investigating a reported burglary in the village of Bradfi
  
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• Lidl lines up suppliers to cover no-deal costs

  18-08-2019 18:03 via bbc.co.uk
  The supermarket's Irish business reminds British suppliers they are expected to pay EU import tariffs.
  
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• The city in the eye of an HIV 'perfect storm'

  18-08-2019 18:00 via bbc.co.uk
  An outbreak of HIV among homeless people and drug users in Glasgow is the worst in the UK for 30 years.
  
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• Sheffield's brick-tastic Lego tribute to moon landing

  18-08-2019 18:00 via bbc.co.uk
  Sixteen models hand built with thousands of Lego bricks feature in a space-themed display.
  
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• Michael Gove Says No-Deal Brexit Will Mean 'Some Bumps In The Road'

  18-08-2019 17:54
  Published by the Sunday Times, the documents warn that Britain will be hitwith a three-month "meltdown" at its ports, a hard Irish border and shortagesof food and medicine if it leaves without a deal
  
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• Strictly Come Dancing's Neil and Katya Jones announce split

  18-08-2019 17:42 via bbc.co.uk
  Neil and Katya Jones were the focus of a media storm after she and Strictly partner Seann Walsh kissed.
  
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• Unlikely that six-year-old boy missing in river will be found alive, police say

  18-08-2019 17:22
  Superintendent Amanda Tillotson from Kent Police said more than 300 people have been scouring the banks of the Stour in Sandwich, Kent.
  
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• Sajid Javid denies floating idea of stamp duty for sellers

  18-08-2019 15:45
  Sajid Javid: ‘I never said to the Times I was planning to put it on sellers ...’ Photograph: Yui Mok/PASajid Javid has quashed speculation that he could shift stamp duty on to sellers rather than buyers, just two days after suggesting he could look at the idea.The chancellor had appeared to float the idea in an interview with the Times, as he prepares for his first spending review.When asked about changing who pays stamp duty to save first-time buyers paying any tax, he said: “
  
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• Immigration staff report rising discrimination at Home Office

  18-08-2019 15:28
  The UK Border Force agency received the worst score of any government department for ‘respecting individual differences’ Photograph: Steve Parsons/PAHome Office agencies embroiled in the Windrush scandal have reported rising levels of discrimination in the workplace, an official survey has revealed.Employees at the Border Force and Immigration Enforcement, which played a key role in the wrongful detention and prosecution of people who rightfully came to the UK from the Caribbean, tol
  
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• British rider ‘breaks world record for fastest headstand on a motorbike’

  18-08-2019 15:16
  Marco George clocked up a speed of 76.1764mph during the unusual record attempt on Saturday.
  
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• NHS says sepsis monitoring system has saved hundreds of lives

  18-08-2019 15:01
  After hospital trials of the sepsis monitoring system, it is being rolled out across England.Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesTrials of new digital alert technology to monitor hospital patients with sepsis have saved hundreds of lives, the NHS has said.Plans to roll out the “action and alert” technology across England as part of the NHS Long Term Plan are under way after trials at three hospitals.The results showed the system helped doctors better spot the deadly condition
  
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• Queen attends church service in Aberdeenshire

  18-08-2019 14:56
  She is spending the summer at Balmoral Castle as usual.
  
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• Minister dismisses Whitehall dossier on no-deal Brexit as ‘scaremongering’

  18-08-2019 14:38
  Kwasi Kwarteng said a 'lot of people' were playing into 'Project Fear' following the leak of documents.
  
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• Thames vigil to be held on 30th anniversary of Marchioness disaster

  18-08-2019 14:37
  Port of London Authority says action on outstanding safety issue ‘long overdue’. A vigil will be held on the banks of the Thames to mark the 30th anniversary of the Marchioness pleasure boat disaster in which 51 people died. Relatives and friends of the victims – whose average age was 22 – have been invited to carry candles and throw flower petals into the water on Monday evening. Police launches, along with those of the fire and rescue services, the Royal National Lifebo
  
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• Box of snakes left outside vet’s in Somerset

  18-08-2019 14:22
  The RSPCA is appealing for information about the nine corn snakes.
  
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• ‘No surprise’ at reports of Brexit food shortages and hard border

  18-08-2019 14:19
  Leaked documents warn that the UK will be hit by a three-month 'meltdown' at ports and a hard Irish border.
  
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• In Pictures: Traction engines geared up for steam spectacular

  18-08-2019 14:19
  The Dorset event takes place from August 22-26.
  
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• £60,000 raised for Pc Andrew Harper’s family as 10 quizzed in murder probe

  18-08-2019 14:17
  Grieving officers have laid floral tributes at the scene in Berkshire where their colleague was killed.
  
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