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‘The worst of human nature’: UK staycationers’ trail of destruction

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'The worst of human nature': UK staycationers' trail of destruction Countryside and coastal custodians lament ‘different demographic’ of visitors leaving litter and endangering wildlifeFires caused by portable barbecues, wild flowers being dug up, the disturbance of shorebirds, and an avalanche of rubbish. These are just some of the threats to Britain’s wild places as record numbers enjoy coastal and countryside “staycations”.Beleaguered rangers complain that a new generation of holidaymakers are treating the countryside like a festival site, leaving behind tents, chairs and excrement, as well as endangering rare habitats and wildlife. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK weather: storms to continue as England hit by flash floods

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UK weather: storms to continue as England hit by flash floods Met Office warns of further disruption after heavy rain closes roads and railways The Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings until Monday, advising of the potential for flooding and damage to buildings from lightning and hail.Storm warnings for Friday cover all parts of England south of York and the entirety of Wales. The Met Office said lightning and flooding posed a risk of delays or cancellations to train and bus services, and of road closures and power cuts. Continue reading... Go to Source

Government quietly drops 1.3m Covid tests from England tally

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Government quietly drops 1.3m Covid tests from England tally Exclusive: Double counting raises fresh questions about accuracy of testing figuresCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government has quietly removed 1.3m coronavirus tests from its data because of double counting, raising fresh questions about the accuracy of the testing figures.In the government’s daily coronavirus update on Wednesday, it announced it had lowered the figure for “tests made available” by about 10% and discontinued the metric. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK adds France to Covid-19 14-day quarantine list

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UK adds France to Covid-19 14-day quarantine list Holidaymakers arriving from France after 4am on Saturday will need to quarantine for 14 daysCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageHundreds of thousands of holidaymakers’ plans have been plunged into chaos after the government confirmed that France would be removed from the UK’s travel corridor list following a surge in Covid-19 cases.The move, which will mean arrivals into UK from France will have to quarantine for 14 days on their return or face a fine, will come into effect at 4am on Saturday leaving a window of little more than 30 hours for travellers to get home if they want to escape the measures. Continue reading... Go to Source

‘Do you regret all your lying?’ White House reporter’s question startles Trump

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'Do you regret all your lying?' White House reporter's question startles Trump S.V. Dáte takes the president to task for repeated untruths but is quickly cut off S.V. Dáte had waited five long years to ask Donald Trump one question: “Mr President, after three and a half years [of Trump’s presidency], do you regret at all, all the lying you’ve done to the American people?”Confronted with Dáte’s question at Thursday’s White House briefing, Trump responded with a question of his own. “All the what?,” he said. Continue reading... Go to Source

Equalities body warns it may step in after A-level downgrades in England

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Equalities body warns it may step in after A-level downgrades in England EHRC chief says Ofqual must ensure results of disadvantaged pupils are free from biasBritain’s equalities watchdog has warned it will intervene in the controversy over the handling of A-level results in England after students from disadvantaged backgrounds were worst hit while private school pupils benefited the most.The release of A-level results on Thursday revealed that the largest share of rises in A* and A grades in England had gone to independent schools, with two privately educated pupils receiving an extra A* for every one at a state secondary. Continue reading... Go to Source

Israel signs historic ‘peace’ deal with UAE that suspends annexation

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Israel signs historic 'peace' deal with UAE that suspends annexation Countries to form diplomatic ties in US-brokered deal that will halt seizure of parts of Palestinian territoriesIsrael and the United Arab Emirates have established full diplomatic ties in a historic Washington-brokered deal that will mean Israel “suspending” its plans to annex parts of the Palestinian territories.After Jordan and Egypt, the UAE is only the third Arab country to announce formal diplomatic relations with Israel, and Thursday’s announcement will reverberate across the Middle East, which has a turbulent history with the Jewish state. Continue reading... Go to Source

Nearly 300 workers test positive at M&S sandwich supplier in Northampton

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Nearly 300 workers test positive at M&S sandwich supplier in Northampton Greencore started testing staff after local rise in coronavirus casesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAlmost 300 workers have tested positive for coronavirus following an outbreak at a factory in Northampton that makes M&S sandwiches.Greencore said some of its staff are self-isolating after a significant number tested positive for coronavirus. The company took the decision to proactively test workers as a result of a rise in cases in the town. Continue reading... Go to Source

England A-level downgrades hit pupils from disadvantaged areas hardest

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England A-level downgrades hit pupils from disadvantaged areas hardest Analysis also shows pupils at private schools benefited most from algorithmA-level results - live updatesPupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have been worst hit by the controversial standardisation process used to award A-level grades in England this year, while pupils at private schools benefited the most.Private schools increased the proportion of students achieving top grades – A* and A – twice as much as pupils at comprehensives, official data showed. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump admits he is undermining USPS to make it harder to vote by mail

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Trump admits he is undermining USPS to make it harder to vote by mail The president says he opposes providing additional money to the postal service to help it deliver mail-in ballotsDonald Trump admitted on Thursday he opposed additional funding for the United States Postal Service (USPS) in order to make it more difficult to deliver mail-in ballots.Trump’s comments lend evidence for critics who say the president is deliberately trying to hamstring the USPS in advance of the November elections to help his re-election bid. Continue reading... Go to Source

Scotland’s education secretary John Swinney survives no-confidence vote

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Scotland's education secretary John Swinney survives no-confidence vote Motion tabled in light of the Scottish exam results row was defeated by 67 votes to 58John Swinney, Scotland’s education secretary, has survived a no-confidence vote despite repeated accusations from opposition parties he is guilty of recklessly undermining trust in the education system.Swinney, who is also deputy first minister in Nicola Sturgeon’s minority government, survived after the Scottish Green party MSPs threw their six votes behind the Scottish National party, defeating the no confidence motion by 67 votes to 58. Continue reading... Go to Source

A-level results: almost 40% of teacher assessments in England downgraded

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A-level results: almost 40% of teacher assessments in England downgraded Ofqual figures show 39.1% of 700,000 teacher assessments were lowered by at least one grade A-level results - live updatesTeachers in England had nearly 40% of their A-level assessments downgraded by the exam regulator’s algorithm, according to official figures published on Thursday morning as sixth-formers around the UK received their results.A-level entries awarded A or A* increased to an all-time high in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with 27.9% securing the top grades this year. Continue reading... Go to Source

‘Hierarchy of racism’ fears threaten Starmer’s hopes of Labour unity

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'Hierarchy of racism' fears threaten Starmer's hopes of Labour unity After the antisemitism rows of the Corbyn era, there are concerns that black voters are now being pushed awayWhen Keir Starmer approved apologies and six-figure damages last month for former Labour officials accusing the party of antisemitism, he probably hoped to draw a line under a damaging issue that had dogged the party under its former leader, Jeremy Corbyn.But rather than solving Labour’s problems, the settlements – regarded by some on the party’s left as principally about repudiating Corbyn’s leadership – could transform one racism row into another. Continue reading... Go to Source

Study of Covid deaths in England is latest to find air pollution link

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Study of Covid deaths in England is latest to find air pollution link Single-unit rise in exposure to small-particle pollution over previous decade may increase death rate by up to 6%Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageLong-term exposure to air pollution may increase the risk of death from Covid-19, according to a large study by the Office for National Statistics.It analysed more than 46,000 coronavirus deaths in England and showed that a small, single-unit increase in people’s exposure to small-particle pollution over the previous decade may increase the death rate by up to 6%. A single-unit increase in nitrogen dioxide, which is at illegal levels in most urban areas, was linked to a 2% increase in death rates. Continue reading... Go to Source

Supertrawlers ramp up activity in UK protected waters during lockdown

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Supertrawlers ramp up activity in UK protected waters during lockdown Fishing time in first half of 2020 almost double that in whole of last year, Greenpeace saysSupertrawlers vastly stepped up their fishing in the UK’s protected waters during the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, while most of the UK’s smaller vessels were confined to port.The amount of time supertrawlers spent fishing in marine protected areas in the first half of this year was nearly double that spent in the waters in the whole of last year, according to a Greenpeace investigation. There were 23 supertrawlers catching fish in UK protected areas in the period, none of them UK-owned. Continue reading... Go to Source

Belarus protests: 25-year-old man dies in police custody

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Belarus protests: 25-year-old man dies in police custody Alexander Vikhor left in van for hours after being detained in Gomel, mother tells local newsBelarus has confirmed that a young man has died in police custody, the second death since mass protests began on Sunday against the country’s leader, Alexander Lukashenko.Alexander Vikhor, 25, died after being detained on Sunday in the city of Gomel in south-east Belarus during countrywide protests over accusations of mass vote-rigging in presidential elections. Protests continued for a fourth night on Wednesday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ministers braced for backlash as England’s teachers despair at A-levels fiasco

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Ministers braced for backlash as England's teachers despair at A-levels fiasco Students prepare for results day amid growing revolt, with some schools seeing 50% or more of grades revised downHeadteachers across England last night expressed shock and despair at the human cost of the A-level grades being published today, with pressure mounting on the government to institute a fairer system or face a backlash.As teachers braced to deliver the news to their students, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned of “major turbulence” once grades were revealed. Continue reading... Go to Source

MPs ask No 10 to clarify Dominic Cummings role in defence review

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MPs ask No 10 to clarify Dominic Cummings role in defence review Committee complains of lack of transparency amid claims PM’s aide is driving the exerciseA group of MPs has demanded Downing Street clarify Dominic Cummings’ role in the defence and foreign policy review, saying it is unclear who is in charge of the exercise.The defence select committee complained of a lack of “clarity and transparency” and called on No 10 to set out what role special advisers led by Cummings, the prime minister’s chief aide, will play in the review, which is designed to set national security priorities for the next five years. Continue reading... Go to Source

Stonehaven train crash: three dead after derailment in Aberdeenshire

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Stonehaven train crash: three dead after derailment in Aberdeenshire Driver and conductor among those killed after four carriages leave track in flood-hit areaThree people have died after a passenger train derailed near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire following a night of thunderstorms and torrential rainfall.The train’s driver and conductor were among the dead and six other people were taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries are not believed to be serious. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK coronavirus live: death toll lowered by more than 5,000 after change in how Covid fatalities are counted

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UK coronavirus live: death toll lowered by more than 5,000 after change in how Covid fatalities are counted Methodology change brings England in line with rest of UK; pupils caught up in Glasgow coronavirus clusterSchool exams and Covid: what could the UK have learned from EU?A-level appeals in England will benefit only ‘small group’, says ministerCould England and Wales follow Scotland’s exam grades U-turn?UK economy plunges into deepest recession since records beganGlobal coronavirus updates – live 6.39pm BST Responding to the chief executive of NHS Providers Chris Hopson’s remarks about the need for a “fit for purpose” test and trace system to be put in place within weeks, the shadow health secretary, Justin Madders, has said:We have been war...

Decision on A-level and GCSE appeals a ‘rolling disaster’, say teachers

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Decision on A-level and GCSE appeals a ‘rolling disaster’, say teachers School leaders say plan to allow pupils in England to use mock results fails to address issuesTeachers and school leaders in England have reacted with anger to the government’s 11th-hour decision to allow mock exams as a route of appealing against A-level and GCSE grades, describing developments as “a rolling disaster” and “a national outrage”.The fudged announcement was made just hours before this year’s A-level results were delivered to schools. They will be published on Thursday and 250,000 students will find out the grades they have been awarded, based on an algorithm conceived by the regulator Ofqual in the absence of exams. Continue reading... Go to Source

Last decade was Earth’s hottest on record as climate crisis accelerates

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Last decade was Earth's hottest on record as climate crisis accelerates 2019 was second or third hottest year ever recordedAverage global temperature up 0.39C in 10 yearsThe past decade was the hottest ever recorded globally, with 2019 either the second or third warmest year on record, as the climate crisis accelerated temperatures upwards worldwide, scientists have confirmed.Every decade since 1980 has been warmer than the preceding decade, with the period between 2010 and 2019 the hottest yet since worldwide temperature records began in the 19th century. The increase in average global temperature is rapidly gathering pace, with the last decade up to 0.39C warmer than the long-term average, compared with a 0.07C average increase per decade stretching back to 1880. Continue reading... ...

End of family reunion rule would mean more Channel crossings, say charities

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End of family reunion rule would mean more Channel crossings, say charities UK urged to agree deal to replace EU’s Dublin regulation before Brexit transition period endsPeople will continue to risk their lives crossing the Channel in small boats if the UK government does not strike an adequate family reunion deal before the Brexit transition period ends, humanitarian charities and leaders have warned.EU legislation known as the Dublin regulation determines the member state responsible for handling an asylum application, with family unity being a primary consideration. Continue reading... Go to Source

Covid-19: UK economy plunges into deepest recession since records began

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Covid-19: UK economy plunges into deepest recession since records began GDP falls 20.4% – the worst of any G7 nation in the three months to JuneUK falls into recession – live business updateAnalysis: a full recovery from the Covid slump will be slowHow does UK’s Covid recession compare with previous ones?Britain has entered the deepest recession since records began as official figures on Wednesday showed the economy shrank by more than any other major nation during the coronavirus outbreak in the three months to June.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP), the broadest measure of economic prosperity, fell in the second quarter by 20.4% compared with the previous three months – the biggest quarterly decline since comparable reco...

Serious injuries reported after train derails near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

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Serious injuries reported after train derails near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Smoke seen billowing from track near Stonehaven amid reports of an engine fireEmergency services have been called to a major train derailment near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, where smoke can be seen billowing from the track amid reports of an engine fire and serious injuries.About 30 emergency vehicles, including an air ambulance, are reported to be at the scene already, with more continuing to arrive. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK coronavirus live: teachers push back on minister’s claim there is ‘no confusion’ over A-level grades

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UK coronavirus live: teachers push back on minister's claim there is 'no confusion' over A-level grades Last-minute inclusion of mock exam results in England follows U-turn over Scotland gradesA-level appeals in England will benefit only ‘small group’, says ministerCould England and Wales follow Scotland’s exam grades U-turn?Parents and young people: how are you feeling about exam results?UK economy plunges into deepest recession since records beganGlobal coronavirus updates – live 12.45pm BST Speaking in Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, where he has been meeting teachers to discuss school reopening plans, Starmer added:The idea of using mock results is deeply flawed. Talking to teachers today, it’s obvious that they expect, across the piece, that young people...

Asylum seeker removal flight to go ahead despite last-minute court action

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Asylum seeker removal flight to go ahead despite last-minute court action Home Office says up to 20 people who came to UK on small boats will be sent to mainland EuropeA charter flight to remove asylum seekers who recently arrived in the UK on small boats is due to take off despite last-minute high court actions in the early hours of Wednesday morning and other interventions which have led to at least 19 people not boarding the plane.The Home Office said up to 20 people would be placed on the charter flight destined for France and Germany. The Guardian knows of 19 who either had their removal directions deferred by the Home Office or stayed by the high court a few hours ago, or who believed they would be on the flight but then found out that the Home Office had never set removal directi...

‘Good day for our country’: Democrats hail Kamala Harris as VP pick

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'Good day for our country': Democrats hail Kamala Harris as VP pick Party leaders and progressive groups appear largely united behind Joe Biden’s choice of running mateDemocrats from all corners of the party appeared largely united behind Joe Biden’s selection of the California senator Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday.The responses came almost immediately after Biden unveiled Harris as his choice for the vice presidential nominee, less than a week before the Democratic national convention, where Biden will be formally nominated as the presidential candidate for his party. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ministers bid to quell revolt over England A-levels by allowing mock exam results

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Ministers bid to quell revolt over England A-levels by allowing mock exam results Gavin Williamson announces that pupils may use mock results if unhappy with gradesMinisters made an 11th-hour bid to stave off a revolt over the handling of exam results on Tuesday night, granting pupils in England the right to use mock exam results if they are unhappy with their grades.The intervention, on the eve of the release of 730,000 A-level results decided by an algorithm on Thursday, follows growing alarm in Downing Street. Continue reading... Go to Source
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