School absence fines for parents to rise by £20

35 minutes ago About sharing By Branwen Jeffreys Education editor Fines for parents taking children out of school without permission will rise across England from September. The minimum fine will increase from £60 to £80 per parent as part of a government drive to return attendance to pre-pandemic levels. One school told BBC News one…

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Assisted dying ‘does not worsen end-of-life care’

49 minutes ago About sharing By Nick Triggle Health correspondent End-of-life care has not become worse in countries which have allowed assisted dying, MPs say. The House of Commons’ Health and Social Care Select Committee said there is even evidence it has led to better support with more money being invested. But the cross-party group…

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McConnell to step down as Senate Republican leader

14 minutes ago About sharing Watch: ‘It’s time to move on’ – McConnell announces he’ll step down By Phil McCausland & Anthony Zurcher BBC News, Mitch McConnell, the US Senate’s longest-serving Republican leader, has announced he is stepping down from his leadership position in November. The Kentucky politician said it was “time to move on”…

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Journalists call for foreign media access to Gaza

42 minutes ago About sharing The BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen is among the 55 journalists who signed the letter By Yasmin Rufo & David Gritten BBC News More than 50 journalists have sent an open letter calling on Israel and Egypt to provide “free and unfettered access to Gaza for all foreign media”. The…

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UK descending into mob rule, PM warns police

20 minutes ago About sharing There is a “growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule”, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned. Speaking to a round-table of police leaders, he said we “cannot allow a pattern of increasingly violent and intimidatory behaviour” to stop elected representatives doing their job. Mr Sunak did not spell…

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