NHS consultants to go on two-day strike in England in November, says BMA

Industrial action by senior doctors to begin on 25 November, with only emergency cover provided, union says

Senior doctors in England plan to go on strike for two days in November, the British Medical Association has said.

The industrial action by consultants is to begin at 6.59am on 25 November, with only emergency cover to be provided.

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Sudan paramilitary drone strikes cause mass power cuts in eastern states

Rapid Support Forces strike five power stations in three states controlled by Sudanese army

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have launched a coordinated drone attack against five power stations, causing mass power outages across the country’s east, a government official said.

The drones hit two power stations each in the states of Al-Jazira and Gedaref and one in White Nile state, “resulting in power outages across large parts of these three states”, the official said on condition of anonymity.

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‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’

Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks.

Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media.

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Brexit deal is not good enough for British public, says Andy Burnham

EU exit has damaged economy and failed to bring promised benefits, says PM, but he rules out big pre-election changes

Brexit has not “played out” like it was promised to the public, has weakened the economy and the current deal is not good enough, Andy Burnham has said, while ruling out any major changes in the current parliament.

The prime minister said Britain had ended up with a “harder Brexit than was proposed in the referendum campaign” and it had not helped to control the small boats crisis. Backing the home secretary’s tougher immigration rules, he said Brexit had weakened the UK’s ability to control its borders as it could no longer send people back to Europe.

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