Political news

• Theresa May to pledge £75m for fight against prostate cancer

  09-04-2018 23:56 via ft.com
  Research will target higher-risk groups such as older and black men
  
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• Gateshead Council Forced To Dismiss Online Theory That Streetlights Are Being Used For 'Secret Government Trials'

  09-04-2018 23:38
  Gateshead Council has been forced to clarify it is not conducting “secret government trials” using 5G technology in streetlights after a bizarre conspiracy theory took hold. The local authority said it had to “set the record straight” in a Facebook post on Monday night after rumours about old 3G antennae on top of the borough’s streetlights began to circulate. The device allows staff to control the light’s brightness, but rumours had apparently began
  
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• Gateshead Council Forced To Deny Streetlights Used For ‘Secret Government Trials’

  09-04-2018 23:38
  Gateshead Council has been forced to deny that it is conducting “secret government trials” using streetlights, after a bizarre conspiracy theory gripped local residents. The authority said it would “set the record straight” in a Facebook post on Monday night, after rumours began to circulate that the council was using the lights to conduct clandestine operations on behalf of MI5. Old 3G antennae on top of the borough’s streetlights, which control the
  
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• Bill Clinton urges Northern Ireland to restore government

  09-04-2018 23:05 via ft.com
  Ahern, Blair and Mitchell also speak out on 20th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement
  
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• Trump Brands FBI's Raid On His Personal Lawyer’s Office For Stormy Daniels Documents A 'Disgrace'

  09-04-2018 22:32
  Donald Trump has called an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raid of the offices of his personal lawyer Michael Cohen “a disgrace”.Cohen has been at the centre of a controversy surrounding the payment of porn star Stormy Daniels, who has alleged that she had sex with Trump and was paid money shortly before the 2016 election to keep quiet about it.Stephen Ryan, Cohen’s lawyer, confirmed to the New York Times that a raid had taken place and that certain “communicat
  
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• Trump Brands FBI Raid On His Personal Lawyer’s Office 'A Disgrace'

  09-04-2018 22:32
  Donald Trump has called an Federal Bureau of Investigation raid of the offices of his personal lawyer “a disgrace”, and has complained that “attorney-client privilege is dead”.Michael Cohen has been at the centre of a controversy surrounding the payment of adult star Stormy Daniels, who has alleged that she had sex with Trump and was paid money to keep quiet about it shortly before the 2016 election.Stephen Ryan, Cohen’s lawyer, confirmed to the New York Times
  
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• FBI Raids Trump’s Personal Lawyer Michael Cohen’s Office For Stormy Daniels Documents - Report

  09-04-2018 22:32
  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided the offices of US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen, the New York Times reported.Cohen has been at the centre of a controversy surrounding the payment of porn star Stormy Daniels, who has alleged that she had sex with Trump and was paid money shortly before the 2016 election to keep quiet about it.Stephen Ryan, Cohen’s lawyer, confirmed to the New York Times that a raid had taken place and that certain “commu
  
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• Amber Rudd: Target child drug runners to tackle violence

  09-04-2018 21:47 via bbc.co.uk
  The home secretary says a new strategy will also target social media and supporting young people.
  
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• May's post-Brexit trade plan with EU dealt blow by key ally

  09-04-2018 20:37
  More bureaucracy will be part of price tag for UK leaving single market, says Danish PMTheresa May’s plans for a Brexit deal that delivers frictionless trade with the EU have been dealt a blow by a key European ally who has said there will be more bureaucracy after leaving the bloc.
  The Danish prime minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said after talks with his UK counterpart in Copenhagen that there would be an inevitable price to pay for Britain leaving the single market. Continue read
  
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• Good Friday brokers urge Northern Ireland to restore government

  09-04-2018 20:16 via ft.com
  Ahern, Blair and Mitchell speak out on 20th anniversary of peace pact
  
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• Theresa May condemns 'barbaric attack' in Syria

  09-04-2018 19:59 via bbc.co.uk
  Theresa May says those behind the alleged chemical weapons attack "must be held to account".
  
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• 'A Quiet Place' Is The Silent Horror Film Shaming Noisy Cinema Eaters

  09-04-2018 18:53
  Cinema-goers usually fall into one of two camps - those who love nothing more than munching through a bottomless tub of popcorn, and those who get enraged by even the tiniest noise during a film. So it’s no surprise then that silent horror film ‘A Quiet Place’ is really proving divisive among the two groups. The film, starring real-life couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, tells the story of a family who have to live mutely as they hide from monsters who hunt by sou
  
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• Britons seeking EU citizenship more than doubles

  09-04-2018 18:38 via ft.com
  Germany and Sweden most popular targets for passport applications from UK
  
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• Rise in numbers of Britons becoming EU citizens in 2016

  09-04-2018 18:32 via bbc.co.uk
  The number granted citizenship of another EU country went from 2,478 in 2015 to 6,555 in 2016.
  
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• Donald Trump To Make Swift Decision On Response To 'Heinous' Syrian Chemical Attack

  09-04-2018 18:30
  Donald Trump has said he’ll make a decision on the US response to the “heinous attack” in Syria in the next 24 to 48 hours as a US ambassador warned the UN that America would respond with or without the support of the rest of the world.The timeline emerged as Theresa May said the UK was “working with our allies on any action that is necessary”, indicating Britain was four-square behind the US. On Monday, the US President condemned a suspected chemical weapons a
  
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• Donald Trump To Make A Decision On Response To Suspected Syrian Chemical Attack 'In Next 24 To 48 hours'

  09-04-2018 18:30
  Donald Trump has said he’ll make a decision on the US response to the “heinous attack” in Syria in the next 24 to 48 hours.On Monday, the US President condemned a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in Syria that at least 42 people.Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Trump said he was talking to military leaders and would decide who was responsible for the attack, listing Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government or Iran as possible perpetra
  
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• Donald Trump Pledges Swift Decision On Response To 'Heinous' Syrian Chemical Attack

  09-04-2018 18:30
  Donald Trump has said he’ll make a decision on the US response to the “heinous attack” in Syria in the next 24 to 48 hours as Russia’s UN ambassador warned American military action could lead to “grave repercussions”.Trump’s timeline emerged as Theresa May said the UK was “working with our allies on any action that is necessary”, indicating Britain was four-square behind the US.On Monday, the US President condemned a suspected chemical weapon
  
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• Amber Rudd: Drugs the 'biggest driver' of violence spate

  09-04-2018 18:25 via bbc.co.uk
  Home Secretary Amber Rudd says illegal drugs are the "biggest driver" of an increase in violent crime.
  
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• 16 Lady Gaga Moments You'd Forgotten During Her 10 Year Career

  09-04-2018 18:09
  Prepare to feel old, as it has been 10 whole years since Lady Gaga burst onto the then indie-heavy music scene and made us all fall in love with pop again. Her debut track ‘Just Dance’ was first released in her native America a decade ago this week, and in the years that have followed, she has cemented herself as one of the biggest stars in the world. As a result, her every move has been photographed, committed to YouTube or splashed across the front pages, but as we celebr
  
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• #MoreThanAParent: Nothing Can Be Gained From Comparing Foster Carers And Parents

  09-04-2018 17:47
  There’s a new campaign to promote fostering. It is called #morethanaparent. Launched by the charity Fostering Network, it aims to raise awareness of the complexity of the role of foster carers in looking after vulnerable children and young people. So far, so good. Foster carers fulfil a vital role in society, and their work is not widely understood. And we need more foster carers, so anything that encourages more families to step forward is generally to be welcomed. But this latest campaig
  
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• Amber Rudd’s new crime strategy overshadowed by UK funding row

  09-04-2018 17:32 via ft.com
  Leaked document suggests fall in police numbers is to blame for surge in violent crime
  
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• Six Wildlife Rangers Killed In Virunga National Park – Reports

  09-04-2018 17:19
  Six wildlife rangers have been killed in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a haven for endangered gorillas that has been under threat from poachers and rebel fighters for years. The cause of the deaths are not yet known but it comes just days another another ranger was shot dead by armed men.“We have sadly lost six rangers,” park spokesman Joel Malembe told AFP, adding that the ambush occurred between the sectors of Lulimba and Ishasha.Loca
  
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• Five Wildlife Rangers Killed In Virunga National Park – Reports

  09-04-2018 17:19
  Five wildlife rangers and their driver have been killed in the Virunga National Park, a haven for endangered gorillas that has been under threat from poachers and rebel fighters for years. The team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) came under gunfire around 6 am local time (0400 GMT) while travelling to a base near the Ishasha border crossing with neighbouring Uganda, Reuters reported.Speaking to the AFP news agency, park spokesman Joel Malembe confirmed: “We hav
  
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• Brexit brokers should embrace Belfast-style messiness

  09-04-2018 17:18 via ft.com
  Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement was built on guile, evasion and ideals
  
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• ‘Coronation Street’ Heroin Scene Cleared By Ofcom

  09-04-2018 17:01
  ‘Coronation Street’ did not breach Ofcom guidelines with a scene that showed character Billy Mayhew taking heroin in a church, the broadcasting watchdog has ruled. Ofcom received over 200 complaints when the pre-watershed scene aired back in February but following an investigation, the soap is in the clear.  At the time, a ‘Coronation Street’ spokesperson said: “‘Coronation Street’ has a strong tradition of tackling serious contemporary issues in a
  
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• Why The Case Of Albert Thompson Really Matters

  09-04-2018 16:59
  Almost a month ago I read about Albert Thompson, a UK resident for 44 years who has paid taxes for over three decades, being refused treatment for prostate cancer. After major surgery and just before his first radiotherapy session, he was taken aside and told that he would need a British passport - or else he would have to cough up £54,000.  Albert doesn’t have £54,000. In fact, he has no money at all.Albert (this isn’t his real name) arrived in the UK at the age of
  
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• Desmond O’Beirne Murder Appeal: Footage Shows Moment Man, 51, Was Attacked In Trafalgar Square, London

  09-04-2018 16:58
  Detectives have released disturbing CCTV footage of the moment two men attacked a man during a night out in central London, resulting in his death six months later.Desmond O’Beirne, 51, was approached from behind as he walked through Trafalgar Square in central London at 12.25am on Saturday, June 3 last year - less than 24 hours before the London Bridge terror attack.Police are offering a reward of £20,000 to anyone who can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction
  
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• Brexit And May's Embattled Government Leave The Good Friday Agreement Hanging In The Balance

  09-04-2018 16:58
  ‘Ireland is a little land in which the great questions of politics, morality and humanity are thrashed out.’Not the words of an eloquent Brexit watcher, but Gustave de Beaumont, friend and collaborator of Alexis de Tocqueville, in 1839. Touring the island, de Beaumont found a troubled country stunted by religious quarrels, a corrupt aristocracy and gross inequality. These themes he thought made Ireland a model of the paramount struggle of the time: democratisation.In 2018, the questi
  
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• Amber Rudd: I don't agree young people have nowhere to go

  09-04-2018 16:54 via bbc.co.uk
  Amber Rudd tells Newsbeat there's no "one silver bullet" to answer the surge in violent crime.
  
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• What's Missing From Amber Rudd's New Violent Crime Strategy?

  09-04-2018 16:48
  Home secretary Amber Rudd has been accused of “ignoring the elephant in the room” after a new strategy to tackle violent crime failed to mention police cuts.Calum Macleod, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said it was “astonishing” that the government had failed to address dwindling officer numbers in the 111-page document unveiled on Monday. Rudd has denied having seen Home Office documents, leaked to the media, which suggested an increase in murd
  
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• Amber Rudd commits a serious crime – of gross incompetence | John Crace

  09-04-2018 16:41
  The home secretary’s launch of her violent crime strategy was devoid of feeling and substanceAmber Rudd could clearly picture the briefing document that had been left on her desk in February. Perhaps she ought to have taken a quick peek at it after all. But back then the home secretary hadn’t been entirely sure she had the necessary clearance to read something stamped “official – sensitive” and she had been awfully busy working on other things. So she had just left
  
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• Loyalist paramilitary groups 'to support rule of law'

  09-04-2018 15:53 via bbc.co.uk
  NI's three loyalist paramilitary organisations suggest members involved in crime will be expelled.
  
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• Apple Product Red iPhone 8 And iPhone 8 Plus Unveiled

  09-04-2018 15:47
  Apple has, rather quietly, unveiled the new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.Both iPhones are as incredibly red as you would expect but unlike last year Apple has clearly taken on some feedback and opted for a black screen on the front instead of the white screen found on the red iPhone 7.The boldly-coloured phones are in essence exactly the same handsets that were first unveiled late last year so you’ll get the same features including water-resistance, wireless charging and if you&
  
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• Sturgeon aims to boost Scots-China trade with visit

  09-04-2018 15:15 via bbc.co.uk
  Nicola Sturgeon met the Chinese vice premier at the start of a five-day visit to "showcase Scottish business and companies".
  
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• ‘The Simpsons’ Jabs Back At Apu Stereotype Claims In New Episode

  09-04-2018 15:03
  ‘The Simpsons’, in an episode that aired Sunday (8 April), appears to push back at a recent documentary that claims the character Apu generates negative stereotypes of South Asian people.The film ‘The Problem With Apu’ suggests that the show’s portrayal of the convenience store-owner character (voiced by white actor Hank Azaria) prompts some viewers to imitate his thick Indian accent and catchphrases, spreading a casual racism.But Sunday’s insta
  
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• Lorry driver sentenced for peer's mobility scooter death

  09-04-2018 15:00 via bbc.co.uk
  The 87-year-old died after being knocked off his mobility scooter outside the House of Lords.
  
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• Carol Vorderman Reveals She Felt ‘Suicidal’ Following The Death Of Her Mother And Onset Of The Menopause

  09-04-2018 15:00
  Carol Vorderman says the death of her mum last year and the onset of the menopause led to her having suicidal thoughts.The former ‘Countdown’ star and ‘Loose Women’ presenter says she “didn’t want to wake up” as she coped with the death of her mum, Jean, from cancer last June.The TV star, who has two children, Katie, 26, and Cameron, 21, states that she wouldn’t have done anything because she’s a single mum.“I wouldn’t have d
  
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• UK crime problem shows how Tories have lost the reform debate

  09-04-2018 14:52 via ft.com
  Opposition Labour party highlights fall in police numbers and cuts to public services
  
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• EpiPen Shortage In UK Risks 'Life And Death' Situation - Advice For Allergy Sufferers

  09-04-2018 14:49
  Allergysufferers are being advised to take extra precautions around their health, due to an EpiPen shortage in the UK.The adrenaline jab’s manufacturer Mylan announced it is experiencing supply problems and, as a result, the life-saving products are being restricted at UK pharmacies. The EpiPen 0.3mg (Senior) Adrenaline Auto-Injector is now available on a prescription-only basis and patients can place orders for a maximum of two at a time. EpiPens for children, which contain 0.15mg of
  
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• Tory Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins Admits She Does Not Know How Many Police Officers There Are

  09-04-2018 14:36
  Home Office minister Victoria Atkins has admitted she does not know the number of police officers in the country.Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari on Monday morning, Atkins said the government was injecting £45m into policing.But asked the number of police officers there were, the minister, who has responsibility for crime prevention, gangs and knife crime, stumbled.Nick Ferrari: “You’ll be aware of the number of police officers we have in the country at this time won&r
  
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• UK 'stepping into difficult world,' says Hogan

  09-04-2018 14:31 via bbc.co.uk
  Ireland's European Commissioner warns the UK it will be "stepping into a difficult world" after Brexit.
  
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• Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Ask Public To Channel Kindness Instead Of Buying Wedding Gifts

  09-04-2018 14:28
  Ahead of the royal wedding on 19 May, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have asked the public to make a donation to charity rather than buy them a wedding gift.Kensington Palace said the couple are “incredibly grateful” for the goodwill shown to them since the announcement of their engagement and “are keen that as many people as possible benefit from this generosity of spirit”.They have therefore chosen seven organisations which they’d like the British public to s
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn: Tories have failed on policing

  09-04-2018 14:12 via bbc.co.uk
  Jeremy Corbyn launches Labour's London election campaign with an attack on police cuts.
  
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• How Social Media Has Empowered Women To Rewrite The Rules

  09-04-2018 14:01
  In October 2017, Alyssa Milano asked the women of Twitter to write ‘#MeToo’ if they had ever been sexually harassed or assaulted. Within days, tens of thousands of women had responded. Within weeks, one of the most powerful men on the planet was toppled and industries from entertainment to politics were given a shake-up. One lone voice became a shared voice, which became a rally cry. “Time’s up,” called Oprah from her Golden Globes podium and across the world, there
  
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• Sir Nick Clegg: Breakaway party 'highly likely'

  09-04-2018 13:59 via bbc.co.uk
  The ex-Lib Dem leader claims a Labour split could trigger a "meaningful realignment" in politics.
  
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• UK Warns Russia Not To Obstruct Investigation Into Syrian Chemical Weapons Attack

  09-04-2018 13:34
  Russia must not “yet again” obstruct an urgent investigation into the chemical attack on a rebel-held town in Syria, Downing Street warned today as the UK called for those responsible to be held to account.A spokesperson for the Prime Minister urged Moscow not to thwart the international community as it tries to establish who was culpable for Saturday’s attack, which left at least 60 people dead and 1,000 more injured, according to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisat
  
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• Theresa May Suggests UK Considering Military Response To 'Brutal' Syria Chemical Attack

  09-04-2018 13:34
  Theresa May has hinted the UK would be prepared to take part in military action against the regime of Bashar al-Assad following the apparent use of chemical weapons in Syria.The prime minister said “initial reports” suggested the attack, in which at least 42 people were killed, was another example of the “brutality” of the Syrian regime.Asked if she was considering direct British military action in response, May told a press conference in Copenhagen the UK and its allies
  
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• Linda Robson Calls For ‘Zero Tolerance’ On Knife Crime, A Decade After Her Son Watched His Friend Die

  09-04-2018 13:15
  Linda Robson has added her voice to ongoing conversation about knife crime, calling for “more policing and zero tolerance”. While the 60-year-old is best known to the public for her various TV roles, she has campaigned for tougher knife crime laws on numerous occasions. Her latest comments come 10 years after her son held his friend, Ben Kinsella, in his arms as he died after  being stabbed. A post shared by Linda Robson (@lindarobson58) on Jul 1, 2017 at 1:49pm PDTLinda&rs
  
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• Facebook Starts Notifying Millions Of Users Affected By Data Scandal - Here’s What To Do Next

  09-04-2018 13:14
  Facebook has started notifying every user whose private data may have been compromised by the Cambridge Analytica scandal.All 87 million of those affected (1m of whom are located in the UK) will get a message appear at the top of their News Feed notifying them and then giving them some next steps on how to protect their data in future.In addition, all 2.2bn Facebook users will receive a notice titled “Protecting Your Information” with a link to see what apps they use and what informa
  
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• Ex-Gang Members Demand MPs 'Listen To People Who Know' As Amber Rudd Unveils New Violent Crime Strategy

  09-04-2018 13:07
  Frontline experts in the fight against street violence say it’s time for the government to hand over the reins to “people who know what they are talking about”, as the number of serious incidents skyrockets. On Monday the Home Secretary Amber Rudd unveiled the government’s new £40m strategy for tackling violent crime, after denying having seen a leaked Home Office document linking the increase with police cuts made under the Conservative government.The hom
  
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