Political news

• East London Acid Attack: Woman Left With 'Life-Changing' Burns After Noxious Substance Thrown In Face

  28-12-2017 21:39
  A woman has suffered “life-changing burns” after an attacker threw acid in her face as she walked along a street in east London.The 26-year-old victim was taken to hospital with injuries to her leg and face after a strong noxious substance was hurled at her in Isle of Dogs.The substance thrown has been tested and confirmed as a strong acid solution.Detectives from the Metropolitan Police are appealing for information about the attack along Westferry Road, which happened near South Qu
  
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• Drugs are a health and social issue. Why do we make it a law enforcement battle? | Alex Wodak

  28-12-2017 21:00
  We know that drug prohibition doesn’t work. And yet Australia has continued its drug policy - because bad policy has been good politicsDrug policy has been debated fiercely in Australia for decades because of the growing recognition that our policy has failed and cannot succeed.Australia adopted drug prohibition slowly over decades but implementation intensified after the commonwealth government approved three international drug treaties (1961, 1971, 1988). Governments have relied heavily
  
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• Tory MP condemns universal basic income 'on moral grounds'

  28-12-2017 20:19
  Stumping up for workers made redundant by robots is ‘dangerous nonsense’, says former minister Nick Boles in new bookInfluential Tory former minister Nick Boles has condemned the idea of a universal basic income to cushion workers against the rise of robots as “dangerous nonsense”. Continue reading...
  
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• Facebook and Twitter threatened with sanctions in UK 'fake news' inquiry

  28-12-2017 20:00
  Chair of parliamentary committee gives firms a deadline to hand over information about Russian misinformation campaignsFacebook and Twitter could face sanctions if they continue to stonewall parliament over Russian interference in the EU referendum, the chair of a Commons inquiry has said.Damian Collins, chair of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee, which is looking into so-called “fake news”, has given the companies until 18 January to correct their failure t
  
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• Peter Schrank on prospects for Middle East peace in 2018 – cartoon

  28-12-2017 18:50
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• Date for fresh political talks 'to be set in next few days'

  28-12-2017 18:28 via bbc.co.uk
  DUP MP Gregory Campbell said talks with Sinn Féin will restart within 10 days.
  
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• The Guardian view on social mobility: lost in Brexitland | Editorial

  28-12-2017 18:05
  Inequality will only rise as the government loses focus on ways to tackle the disadvantages of being born into poorer familiesIn the wake of two more reports predicting growing inequality in Britain, it is worth looking back to the start of the month and the abrupt resignation of Alan Milburn from the Social Mobility Commission, along with all its commissioners. “The growing sense that we have become an ‘us and them’ society is deeply corrosive of our cohesion as a nation,&rdqu
  
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• How To Get The 'No-Makeup' Look On Dark Skin: Beauty Products To Try

  28-12-2017 18:04
  The beauty industry has only recently begun to become more inclusive of women of colour. There’s still a disparity in the amount of products catering to those on the fairer end of the spectrum, while those of darker complexions still find themselves having to go to extreme lengths to find suitable makeup. This can be especially taxing when trying to achieve that ‘natural’ look - you know, the famed ‘no-makeup makeup’ look.Well, some brands have f
  
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• New UKIP AM after Nathan Gill resignation

  28-12-2017 17:59 via bbc.co.uk
  Mandy Jones will take the vacant UKIP North Wales regional seat in the assembly.
  
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• Editor's Notes On Milo Yiannopoulos Book Don't Hold Back

  28-12-2017 17:35
  ‘Alt-right’ poster child Milo Yiannopoulos is suing publishing house Simon & Schuster for $10 million after breaching the contract to publish his book, Dangerous.In newly-released court documents in the US outlining why the firm cancelled the “unacceptable” tome, Simon & Schuster provides details of brutal comments attached to the original manuscript.They reveal how senior editor Mitchell Ivers was clearly unimpressed with what he was supposed
  
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• 'Good Morning Britain' Tops List Of Ofcom's Most Complained About TV Shows Of 2017

  28-12-2017 17:28
  ‘Good Morning Britain’ has topped broadcasting watchdog Ofcom’s list of most complained about shows in 2017. The ITV breakfast show attracted 1,142 for its 5 September episode, according to figures released by the regulator. The episode in question featured a controversial interview with gay conversion therapist, Dr Michael Davidson. During the segment, Davidson branded homosexuality as “an aberration”, “a sin” and “in some
  
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• Brexit: Corbyn is playing a clever long game that could benefit us all

  28-12-2017 17:23
  
  Labour could uncover a political space that carries with it electoral spoils
  
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• Suicidal Depression And Anxiety: The First Few Days In A 'Mental Home'

  28-12-2017 17:22
  So here’s a funny thing, they don’t teach you much about suicide at school.In fact I don’t remember any point in my life that I’d ever had a serious conversation with anyone about the subject.Suicide, as a concept, had been floating around in my mind since I was about 10. But even with my morbid interest, I certainly wouldn’t say I was an expert. I suppose anyone who would claim to be such a thing is no longer with us to make that boast.So after I found myself still
  
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• Suicidal Depression And Anxiety: The Day I Checked My Husband Into A 'Mental Home'

  28-12-2017 17:21
  If you ask my husband what he remembers about the day he was admitted to the hospital, he will probably tell you, “sweet F.A”.That’s the incredible thing about the human brain – when it’s going through that amount of trauma, it kind of refuses to commit anything to memory. It seems to focus purely on doing just enough to keep you functioning, making sure you can do only the things you absolutely need to do; no more, no less.I, on the other hand, remember it all clea
  
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• Why Black Male Voices Are Essential In The Natural Hair Conversation

  28-12-2017 17:19
  If you know the difference between a braid and a twist out, traction alopecia and sleek edges, or the pros and cons of palm rolling, you probably love a black woman with natural hair. Growing up in the 80’s in the French Caribbean, all of the women around me had what people called “good hair”. Being within beauty cannons of the era, they did not experiment much with their hair; it was either cut short or worn in a ponytail. I definitely have been influenced by them as I am cert
  
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• Homeless Man Lands Job As A Barber After Being Given Free Haircut And Beard-Trim

  28-12-2017 17:18
  A homeless man got an incredible Christmas present when he was given a free styling session by a men’s grooming brand, which helped him secure a job. James McKinnon’s life was derailed when his father was murdered three years ago.The 22-year-old moved from Norfolk to Leicester for a fresh start and to look for work, as he thought there would be more opportunities in a bigger city. But he struggled to find employment and soon became homeless. ″There’s a
  
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• An Optimistic View Of 2018

  28-12-2017 17:17
  I have to make a confession – I’m an optimist. In spite of the fact that I believe we have gone way past any tipping point of environmental recovery, I still believe that 2018 will see the world become a better place. A lot of the changes won’t register as mainstream news, but they will impact on the life of our planet in big, positive ways.  Climate scientists have been telling us to expect heatwaves, hurricanes and wildfires, and in 2017, we got them. Scientists said to
  
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• Robots Will Create Inequality In The Workplace Unless The Government Acts, Warns Think Tank

  28-12-2017 17:16
  The government is being asked to intervene in the use of robots within the workplace amid fears that it could only increase the rising levels of inequality.A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank warned that increasing automation would be a double-edged sword. On the one hand it had the potential to deliver a powerful boost to the productivity of UK businesses, bringing a future of “economic plenty”.On the other hand of course it warned that unless the
  
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• In A Year Marked By Crisis, Let’s Not Forget Those Terrorised By Boko Haram

  28-12-2017 17:15
  It has felt at times that 2017 been a year punctuated by severe humanitarian crises – from the Rohingya people fleeing persecution, to violent conflicts in Yemen and Syria, to desperate food shortages in East Africa.  The need for humanitarian assistance has increased exponentially - and the charities seeking to help those in need are more stretched than ever.And yet, what strikes me is that, amid the harrowing headlines and photographs, we are all at risk of forgetting one of the wor
  
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• Met Office Forecasts Snow For The Coldest Night Of The Year

  28-12-2017 17:02
  Sub-zero temperatures could bring the coldest night of the year to Britain as weather warnings are issued that more disruption-causing snow is on its way.Arctic air hovering across the UK will cause the mercury to plummet on Thursday night, with temperatures below minus 13C expected in parts of Scotland.Heavy snow is also predicted to fall on Friday, with the Met Office issuing an amber warning in anticipation of the white stuff covering the east Midlands, North West and Yorkshire.Some of us wil
  
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• Nathan Gill's assembly departure will 'strengthen UKIP'

  28-12-2017 16:59 via bbc.co.uk
  UKIP will be stronger following the departure of Nathan Gill from the Welsh Assembly, says David Rowlands AM.
  
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• Peter Capaldi Writes Reassuring Letter To 9-Year-Old Who Was Dreading Doctor Who's Regeneration

  28-12-2017 16:56
  A dad has praised Peter Capaldi for his kindness after the actor wrote to his son to reassure him about Doctor Who’s future.Brian McGilloway’s nine-year-old son David had been dreading the ‘Twice Upon a Time’ episode of ‘Doctor Who’, which aired on Christmas Day, as he knew it was time for his favourite incarnation of the Doctor to regenerate.What David didn’t realise was that his father had been in touch with Capaldi, and the twelfth Doctor had taken th
  
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• Hunt: 'I would like to have long-term NHS plans'

  28-12-2017 16:35 via bbc.co.uk
  The health secretary says he would like the NHS to have a "longer time horizon".
  
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• Bono's Comments That 'Music Has Gotten Very Girly' Really Haven't Gone Down Well

  28-12-2017 16:23
  If you thought an unsolicited U2 album getting dumped on your phone was the most unwanted thing Bono could gift you, think again. That’s because he’s now offered up his opinion on the “very girly” state of music at the moment. The U2 rocker has sparked somewhat of a backlash after lamenting the lack of music that allows young males to express their anger. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he was asked if he believed a rock and roll revolution was round th
  
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• Government to tell rogue landlords: 'shape up or ship out'

  28-12-2017 16:20
  Councils to be given powers to clamp down on unscrupulous landlords, including tougher rules on bedroom sizes A package of measures to crack down on rogue landlords, including a tougher licensing regime for house shares and a minimum size for bedrooms, has been announced by the government.Alok Sharma, the housing minister, said “far too many” tenants were being exploited by unscrupulous landlords, who would now have to “shape up or ship out”.Continue reading...
  
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• My advice to Jeremy Corbyn: create a Labour of all the talents | Martin Kettle

  28-12-2017 16:00
  The Tory party’s travails represent a great opportunity, but only if the opposition presents itself as strong and unitedIn a distinctively Conservative context, Michael Heseltine has posed an important question for all those who reject the doctrinaire extremes. The most important liberal Tory of the Thatcher era asked this week whether the national interest of preventing or softening Brexit should override any partisan anxiety about what a Jeremy Corbyn government might mean. You do not ha
  
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• The Hype And The Hope For AI

  28-12-2017 15:50
  As 2017 draws to a close it seems we are reaching a paradoxical time where many are placing AI front and centre in their 2018 trends list whilst others are finding AI to be over-hyped.  The sad reality is that many companies are trying to make their newest product sound cutting edge by using the term artificial intelligence to mean just about anything a computer can do, take for example this child’s toy for Christmas. Newspapers and magazines love to put out sensationalist stories on
  
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• Sir Edward Heath abuse claims inquiry detective retires

  28-12-2017 15:27 via bbc.co.uk
  Sean Memory, who led investigations into the late prime minister, was subject to a misconduct inquiry.
  
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• Brexit: SNP calls on Labour to keep UK in single market

  28-12-2017 15:26 via bbc.co.uk
  The Scottish party wants to co-operate with Labour to prevent the "catastrophic damage" of hard Brexit.
  
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• Polish Worker Reunited With Lost Pay Packet After Dogged Pub Campaign

  28-12-2017 15:12
  A social media campaign has reunited a worker with the bulging pay packet he lost in a pub just two days before Christmas.The story began when a brown old-style pay envelope inscribed with just the word “Mariusz” was handed in at the Alexandra pub in Wimbledon.Pub manager Mick said: “So last night in the Alex we found a pay packet. It’s obviously some poor bugger’s Christmas money, so we’d really like to get it back to them. I’ve a hunch it was a bunch o
  
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• The Left's Fear Of Criticising Russia Is Cowardice

  28-12-2017 15:06
  The world of Middle Earth in which the epic Lord of the Rings took place is full of wondrous things, different lands and races but also caricatured simplicity. The clichés of the fair-skinned elves and the deformed dark-skinned orcs have become tired tropes recycled endlessly for much of fantasy before the breakthrough of the grim-dark era of more gritty, grounded and morally grey stories.Lord of the Rings is either beautiful or boring depending on your preference. I suspect if I had watc
  
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• Mr. Fake News Or: How We Learned To Stop Fact-checking And Love Propaganda

  28-12-2017 15:03
  Ever since the US presidential elections last year, fake news has been hotly debated in Western media. At best these stories offer some creative interpretation of the truth – what some people will describe as “alternative facts”.At worst they offer outrageous and discriminative claims, which can only be described as lies, manipulation and outright propaganda.Especially Facebook and Google have become a nutritious feeding ground for the stories to exponentially grow. The tech-gi
  
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• Squawkbox Accused Of 'Deeply Sinister Bullying' Of Stella Creasy Over Shed Seven Gig

  28-12-2017 15:00
  A popular pro-Corbyn blog has been accused of the “deeply sinister bullying” of a female Labour MP after it criticised her for attending a gig with a Conservative counterpart.Stella Creasy watched indie band Shed Seven at Brixton Academy earlier this month alongside Tory MP, Therese Coffey, and former-Labour MP turned music rep, Michael Dugher, who tweeted his excitement at the prospect.I’ve been looking forward to today for SO long...off to see the mighty @shedseven tonight wi
  
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• Skwawkbox Accused Of 'Deeply Sinister Bullying' Of Stella Creasy Over Shed Seven Gig

  28-12-2017 15:00
  A popular pro-Corbyn blog has been accused of the “deeply sinister bullying” of a female Labour MP after it criticised her for attending a gig with a Conservative counterpart.Stella Creasy watched indie band Shed Seven at Brixton Academy earlier this month alongside Tory MP, Therese Coffey, and former-Labour MP turned music rep, Michael Dugher, who tweeted his excitement at the prospect.I’ve been looking forward to today for SO long...off to see the mighty @shedseven tonight wi
  
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• Why We Do Still Need To 'Humanise' Muslims?

  28-12-2017 14:57
  There was an interesting article published by Shaista Aziz yesterday in the Guardian posing the question: Why as a society do we need to humanise Muslims? She asks what specific purpose this is intended to serve and suggests (with much eloquence) that the attempts to humanise Muslims create divisions within the Islamic community.Aziz explains that allowing the state to pick and choose which Muslims it bestows endorsement upon becomes a flawed and dangerous political exercise. The implication bei
  
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• SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford Calls For New Year Summit To Halt Hard Brexit

  28-12-2017 14:54
  SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has written to his fellow opposition party leaders to ask for a New Year summit on fighting hard Brexit. Nicola Sturgeon wants Jeremy Corbyn and other party leaders to back efforts to retain UK membership of the single market and customs union.The SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, and Green Party are all committed to the policy, but Blackford is calling on all parties, including Labour and pro-soft Brexit Tories, to co-ordinate a plan to stop hard Bre
  
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• 'Black Mirror' Season 4: Episode Guide, Release Date And Trailers, Plus What Charlie Brooker Is Saying About New Series

  28-12-2017 14:53
  It’s been over a year in the making, but the wait for new ‘Black Mirror’ is almost over. Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones’s hit series is back for its fourth run, as six new episodes are primed and ready for release on Netflix. After the first two series aired on Channel 4, the streaming service picked up the rights to make 12 brand new episodes, with the first half of those being released in October 2016. Nearly 14 months on, fans are finally getting anot
  
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• Finsbury Park Murder Investigation: Young Woman Named As Iuliana Tudos

  28-12-2017 14:44
  The young woman found dead in a north London park has been named by police.Iuliana Tudos, 22, was found on Wednesday inside an outbuilding near a sports pitch in Finsbury Park. Detectives believe she may have been attacked on Sunday, Christmas Eve. A murder investigation has been launched.No arrests have been made and a crime scene remains in place. Pictures from the scene on Thursday showed a forensic tent and markers next to clothes on a playing field.Officers and London Ambulance Service
  
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• Finsbury Park Murder Investigation Launched After Woman's Body Found

  28-12-2017 14:44
  A murder investigation has been launched after the body of a young woman was found in Finsbury Park.Detectives said they believe the woman, believed to be in her mid 20s, may have been attacked on Christmas Eve.The woman’s body was found near the sports area in the centre of the park at about 4.25pm on Wednesday by a member of the public.Officers and London Ambulance Service attended, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.Police said the woman’s body still needs to be formal
  
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• Toddler's Life Was Saved Because A Mum Shared This Photo Of Her Daughter's Eye Cancer

  28-12-2017 14:38
  A mum helped save a child’s life simply by sharing details of her daughter’s rare eye cancer on Facebook. Charlotte Salisbury, 33, from Lancaster, shared a photo of her daughter Felicity’s eyes, which showed an unusual white reflection in one pupil, which was caused by Retinoblastoma, a condition that affects 50-60 children in the UK per year.Salisbury’s post was seen by Taomi Sharlotte, 20, who recognised the “cat’s eye” symptom in her own daughter
  
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• Britain’s insurers find a sympathetic ear in Downing Street

  28-12-2017 14:11
  Aims dovetail with policy priorities but worries about Brexit delays persist
  
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