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The display, being held in Edinburgh from 21 April, has been selected to cover the Queen's life and reign, and includes evening and day wear.
The Queen has her actual birthday on 21 April and her official one in June.
It is one of three separate exhibitions entitled Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen's Wardrobe.
The three exhibitions are being held at the monarch's official residences during 2016, each displaying a different selection of outfits.
Exhibitions at Buckingham Palace from 23 July and at Windsor Castle from 17 September will follow.
In total, more than 150 outfits worn by the Queen will be presented across the three sites, many chosen because of their close association with the location.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse has been the setting for many significant official occasions during her reign, including in 1962 when she wore a Hartnell evening gown of pale-blue silk faille for a gala performance of Rob Roy at the Royal Lyceum during the state visit to Scotland of King Olav of Norway.
Sir Norman Hartnell, who first worked for the then Princess Elizabeth in the 1940s, produced many evening dresses in her wardrobe.
The exhibition at Buckingham Palace will present outfits worn from the 1920s to the 2010s from ceremonial and military attire to ensembles worn at family celebrations, such as weddings and christenings.
The Windsor Castle event will bring together outfits from evening gowns and elegant day wear to fancy-dress costumes worn by the young Princess Elizabeth for wartime family pantomimes. | The largest exhibition of the Queen's clothes and accessories ever shown in Scotland will open at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for her 90th birthday. | 1.429943 | 1 |
Mr Ross, who is currently a junior minister in the Executive, has been an MLA for East Antrim since 2007.
He said it had been "an enormous privilege to represent the people of East Antrim at the NI Assembly for the past ten years".
Mr Ross said he had taken a decision "when elected in May 2016 that it would be my final election". | The DUP's Alastair Ross has announced that he will not stand for re-election at the forthcoming Assembly election. | 0.518948 | 1 |
Amina Ali Nkeki was one of 276 schoolgirls taken from a school in Chibok in Nigeria in April 2014.
Some managed to escape but 219 were still missing.
Boko Haram took the girls because they are against children getting an education, like in the UK.
The 19-year-old is now back with her mum.
Some people came together and formed the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, including US First Lady Michelle Obama, the Prime Minister David Cameron and education campaigner Malala Yousafzai.
The Bring Back Our Girls campaigners and relatives of the girls marched in Nigeria to demand more be done to rescue them.
The search for the other girls is continuing but the families still waiting for news say Amina's rescue has given them fresh hope.
Amina was flown to the country's capital, Abuja, for a meeting with the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari.
The Nigerian military's senior spokesman says he's optimistic that all the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram from Chibok school will be rescued.
Advice if you're upset by the news | A girl who was kidnapped by extreme Islamist group Boko Haram in West Africa two years ago has been found. | 1.571109 | 2 |
The decision was approved by 10-0 with one abstention.
The ruling will give gay couples in "stable" partnerships the same financial and social rights enjoyed by those in heterosexual relationships.
Brazil is the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation and has an estimated 60,000 gay couples.
The ruling makes Brazil one of very few South American nations, after Argentina and Uruguay, to allow gay unions with benefits similar to those afforded a heterosexual married couple.
"The freedom to pursue one's own sexuality is part of an individual's freedom of expression," said Justice Carlos Ayres Britto, the author of the ruling.
Gay activists welcomed the decision, saying it marked an "historic day" for the country.
"The degree of civilisation of a country can be measured by the way people in a nation treat their homosexual community," Claudio Nascimento, head of Rio de Janeiro state's Gay, Lesbian and Transsexuals Committee said, according to O Globo.
From now on same sex couples will be able to register their civil partnerships with solicitors and public bodies, giving them proper inheritance and pension rights.
However, the landmark ruling stops short of recognising gay marriage, which could involve public or religious ceremonies.
Brazil's Roman Catholic Church had argued against the decision to allow civil unions, saying the only union referred to within Brazil's constitution was that between a man and a woman.
But the country's recently elected President Dilma Rousseff has made the issue one of her big social policy reforms. | Brazil's Supreme Court has voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing same-sex couples the same legal rights as married heterosexuals. | 2.196061 | 2 |
L/Cpl Edward Maher was discovered sitting in the Brecon Beacons "like he was just having a rest", an Army medic said.
The medic then spent 45 minutes trying to unsuccessfully revive the soldier.
The coroner heard L/Cpl Maher and two other reservists died during or after a 16-mile march on 13 July, 2013.
Describing how L/Cpl Maher was found near a checkpoint, the medic, referred to in the inquest as 1N, said: "He was sitting in a completely natural position, almost like he was just having a rest.
"He had a half-eaten chocolate bar in one hand and his water bottle in the other."
The team medic then began CPR and requested an immediate "casualty evacuation".
Timings generated from L/Cpl Maher's emergency beacon suggest that 1N found the Hampshire-born reservist at around 4.45pm.
He estimated he battled single-handedly to revive the 31-year-old for around 45 minutes.
He said: "Two medics were despatched from checkpoint four in a Land Rover, however they got 'bogged in' trying to access my location."
An air ambulance which attended L/Cpl Craig Roberts, who also died, arrived at the site where L/Cpl Maher was found at about 5.30pm and he was pronounced dead.
Earlier, the inquest heard that a passer-by was asked to fan down Cpl James Dunsby, who died in hospital from multi-organ failure.
Cpl Dunsby, 31, died at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital on 30 July, 2013.
In a statement, a senior paramedic with 23 years of experience said Cpl Dunsby's temperature was the highest he had ever encountered.
A Welsh Ambulance Service worker told the hearing that Cpl Dunsby's temperature was recorded at 40.4C (104.7F) and his pulse rate at 138.
The hearing in Solihull, West Midlands is continuing on Wednesday. | An Army reservist who died amid "heatwave" conditions on an SAS test march was found still clutching a bottle of water, an inquest has heard. | 1.225569 | 1 |
Kenneth Roth, director of Human Rights Watch, tweeted a picture of her, saying President Trump "chose [a] woman who ran CIA black site for torture".
Mr Roth had meant to tweet a picture of Gina Haspel, named as CIA deputy director by Mr Trump on Thursday.
Maitlis replied: "Erm. This is me." Mr Roth then deleted the tweet.
Mr Trump's appointment of Ms Haspel was met with claims from human rights groups that she played a role in secret "black site" prisons run by CIA officers and contractors.
Ms Haspel, who joined the CIA in 1985, ran a prison in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded.
So-called black sites were secret overseas locations where the CIA carried out interrogation techniques. They were closed by the former US President Barack Obama.
Christopher Anders, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington office, told the New York Times he was "gravely concerned" about Ms Haspel's appointment.
Announcing the decision, CIA director Mike Pompeo said Ms Haspel was "an exemplary intelligence officer" with an "uncanny ability to get things done and to inspire those around her".
But the BBC's Maitlis said she was "pretty sure" she herself had never run a CIA black site for torture.
A spokesman for Human Rights Watch, Andrew Stroehlein, said he had "no idea" how the mix-up had occurred.
He added: "BBC interviews can be tough but not to that level. Seriously: Very sorry. Ken will pick this up in US time."
Mr Roth tweeted that he was "sorry" for posting the wrong picture.
But this was not enough for some critics, with one tweeting: "Are you going to apologise to her?" and another posting: "'Sorry'? That's all you got? Try little harder Ken!" | A US-based human rights campaigner has apologised for mistakenly accusing BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis of running an alleged CIA torture site. | 1.227676 | 1 |
Ashraf Gharabli, of the jihadist Sinai Province group, died in a shootout in Cairo after security forces tried to arrest him, it added.
Gharabli led several attacks, including the kidnapping and killing of a Croatian in August, it said.
Authorities are investigating the group's claim that it brought down a Russian airbus in Sinai recently.
All 224 people on board were killed.
Western officials say there is a strong possibility that a bomb exploded on the plane, though there has been no indication that Gharabli himself was involved.
Gharabli was one of the most wanted militants in the country. His death was announced on the interior ministry's official Facebook page.
Egyptian officials say he had been behind the death of Croatian Tomislav Salopek, and a deadly explosion in the Italian consulate in Cairo in July.
Sinai Province - formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Supporters of Jerusalem) - has been active in the Sinai peninsula since 2011. It changed its name after pledging allegiance to so-called Islamic State in 2014. | A leader of so-called Islamic State's affiliate in northern Sinai has been killed, Egypt's interior ministry says. | 1.055291 | 1 |
The head of the canal authority, Manuel Coronel Kautz, says more time is needed to carry out feasibility studies and choose a route.
The estimated cost of the projected waterway is $40bn (£25bn).
Environmentalists says Nicaragua's alternative to the Panama Canal will bring permanent risk to the region.
President Daniel Ortega had said Nicaragua planned to begin construction in May 2014.
He says the project will give the Central American nation - one of the poorest in the region - its "economic independence".
But Mr Coronel Kautz said construction would now "probably" begin next year.
He told La Prensa newspaper in Nicaragua that only when the feasibility studies were concluded would it be possible to choose a "definite route".
Several routes were proposed, all of them about three times longer than the Panama Canal, which took 10 years to build and was finished in 1914.
The waterway connects the Caribbean with the Pacific via Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca, Central America's largest freshwater lake. Its length is estimated at just under 300km (190 miles).
Hong Kong-based HKND Group was given a 50-year concession by Nicaragua's Congress in June 2013.
The Nicaraguan government will get a minority share of the profits generated by the canal.
Critics of the project in Nicaragua challenged the company's credentials and said it did not have the necessary experience to undertake on such a big project.
But HKND's owner, Wang Jing, said he had attracted global investors and it was ready to build the canal in less than six years.
Nicaraguan leaders have dreamt of building the canal for over a century.
Environmentalists have warned that cargo ships will damage Lake Nicaragua.
Nicaragua's announcement comes after a European-led consortium expanding the Panama Canal threatened to halt work unless the Panama Canal Authority met more than $1.6bn (£1bn) in cost overruns. | The construction of a canal in Nicaragua linking the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean has been delayed by a year and will not begin until 2015. | 2.708324 | 3 |
Kamal C Chavara was detained by the police in Kerala state on Sunday after the youth wing of the Hindu nationalist BJP lodged a complaint against him.
Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that the anthem must be played in every cinema before a film is screened.
Some 20 people have been held in Kerala and Tamil Nadu since then for remaining seated during the anthem.
Also, India's colonial-era sedition law has been often used against students, journalists, writers and social activists and those critical of the government.
Reports said that the BJP's youth wing lodged a complaint against a Facebook post by Mr Chavara which allegedly insulted the anthem. The post was apparently an excerpt from one of his books.
Senior police official Sateesh Bino told the NDTV news channel that the writer-activist "is being questioned for his controversial post on the national anthem on Facebook" and had been charged with sedition.
Earlier this month, 12 people were arrested at a cinema in Kerala, after they remained seated while the national anthem played.
The cinemagoers, who were attending an international film festival, were later freed but they face charges of "failure to obey an order issued by a public servant, thereby causing obstruction or annoyance to others".
And at a cinema in Chennai, eight people who did not stand for the anthem were assaulted and abused, police said. The eight were later charged with showing disrespect to the anthem. | A writer in India has been charged with sedition for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem. | 2.042246 | 2 |
The dramatic incident was caught on CCTV near Krizma, in Bradford, in the early hours of Christmas Day.
Officers had been called to a disturbance outside the venue in Sackville Street at 04:20 GMT, and the shots were fired as an officer interviewed a victim in the car.
A 21-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody for questioning.
He was held on Friday morning after armed officers carried out a series of operations in the Bradford area.
West Yorkshire Police said the shots were fired from a car, believed to be a black Seat Leon that was later found burnt out in Low Green Terrace in the Great Horton area of the city.
The force wants to trace two more men in connection with the incident.
A 19-year-old man from Bradford has been charged with assault in relation to the disturbance outside the club.
Det Supt Pat Twiggs said: "This was clearly a targeted, highly dangerous act which could have easily resulted in fatal consequences and we are determined to bring those responsible to justice.
"Firearms incidents will not be tolerated and I am appealing to anyone who might have any information."
He said he was especially looking for anyone who had seen the vehicle or the occupants, or anyone who may have seen the disturbance outside the nightclub. | Shots were fired at a police car in a drive-by shooting outside a nightclub. | 0.60201 | 1 |
Leaders of six of the county's existing nine councils have written to the government to support the creation of new unitary authorities for the east and west of Dorset.
The plan was rejected by Christchurch, Purbeck and East Dorset councils.
The new structure would be expected to save about £108m over six years.
Dorset County Council leader Robert Gould said: "Whatever happens we will continue to work with our other partner councils and I hope that we will establish some consensus on how we progress."
An eight-week public consultation on the proposal was held last year after it was revealed the existing authorities had to make £200m of savings by 2019.
It would see one unitary authority covering Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and a second authority for East Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland.
If approved, the changes would result in the loss of an estimated 450 existing council jobs and a reduction in the number of councillors in Dorset from 331 to about 180. | A bid to merge all council services in Dorset under the control of two new authorities has moved a step closer. | 1.110934 | 1 |
HMP Grampian in Peterhead opened in March 2014, as a replacement for HMP Peterhead and Craiginches in Aberdeen.
The inspector's report is the first since 40 inmates rioted two years ago, causing damage put at £150,000.
It said some healthcare staff were worried about their safety when treating prisoners.
The prison inspection was carried out between November and December last year.
The new jail was said to be good at preparing prisoners for returning to the community, but overall health and wellbeing was rated as poor.
It said that some NHS nurses had been verbally abused by prisoners and were understandably sometimes nervous.
A total of 506 prisoners can be held at the new prison. At the time of the inspection there were 431, with no male young offenders, and three female young offenders.
The report found the prison was well-maintained and clean, with inmates feeling safe within the prison.
It also noted "considerable efforts" being made to help prisoners maintain good contact with relatives.
However, concern was raised that some prisoners held separately for their own protection could spend 23 hours a day in their cells.
Health and wellbeing was rated as poor, due to issues including infection control.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, David Strang, said: "I look forward to seeing these improvements introduced through the prison's future plans."
Prison officers wearing protective body armour were needed to break up trouble several weeks after it opened.
And considerable damage was caused two weeks later in a disturbance involving more than 40 inmates. | Scotland's newest prison, which was shaken by a riot just months after opening, is performing well but can improve its health care, a report said. | 1.391125 | 1 |
The administration on the council had been made up of Conservative, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independent councillors.
But the Conservative-led administration lost its majority after the resignation of four coalition councillors.
The leadership will be shared between independent Martin Kitts-Hayes and the SNP's Richard Thomson.
Mr Kitts-Hayes said: "I think it's going to work very well. We have to be able to compromise."
Mr Thomson said: "Job sharing arrangements are becoming more and more commonplace in society."
The meeting saw the SNP's Hamish Vernal and Allison Grant become the new provost and deputy provost respectively.
Ousted former provost Jill Webster said: "I am undoubtedly very sad, because I have put my heart and soul into the role. It feels like a stab in the back."
But Green councillor Martin Ford said after the vote: "Provost Webster has worked very hard, there's no personal criticism, she was just part of an administration which has lost its majority." | An SNP-led partnership has taken control of Aberdeenshire Council after a special meeting of the authority. | 0.982951 | 1 |
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital said it will cease providing paediatric surgery by 1 January 2018.
It said the decision followed advice from experts after reviews recommended improvements to paediatric care.
Bosses say the decision has been made "to ensure children received the best possible services".
See more stories from across Birmingham and the Black Country here
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said the decision was made after reviews last year by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Heath (RCPCH), in which a series of recommendations were made around continuing to improve paediatric care in line with national guidelines.
The trust said it had undertaken a "significant amount of work and investment to meet these recommendations".
It added: "However, recent external reviews over the last few weeks have reiterated that paediatric inpatient surgery would be better delivered in a hospital setting with access to extensive centralised care facilities at all times."
Bosses are now working on a plan to move the services to another hospital - or hospitals - which are better placed to provide the specialist care.
Organisations are working on a Birmingham-based solution, the trust said.
The hospital, in Northfield, provides a range of paediatric services from general orthopaedic services to complex spinal surgery.
It carried out 1,506 paediatric day cases and inpatient stays in 2016/17. | Children's surgery will be moved out of a Birmingham hospital to others "better placed" to provide the specialist care, bosses have said. | 1.487079 | 1 |
The Dow Jones closed up 293 points, or 1.8%, at 16,351.
The Nasdaq jumped 114 points, or 2.5%, to 4,750 while the S&P 500 was up 35 points, or 1.8% at 1,949.
Earlier Chinese stock markets recovered from sharp falls, with analysts suggesting Beijing had intervened to prop up the market.
The Federal Reserve's Beige Book suggested steady economic growth for the US economy.
Technology firms led the day's gains, with Apple up 4.6%, Microsoft up 3.7% and Intel gaining 2.8%. | (Close): Wall Street shares rallied on Wednesday, recovering some of their losses from the previous trading session. | 1.262997 | 1 |
Bombardier's shares rose nearly 7% while Siemens' shares hit a record high before easing back.
Talks between Bombardier, a major supplier of London Underground trains, and Siemens started earlier this year, according to media reports.
Analysts said a deal would help tackle growing competition from China.
The proposed merger would firmly establish the world's second biggest train maker, Reuters and Bloomberg reported.
It would also help Siemens and Bombardier compete with market leader, China's state-backed CRRC, they said.
The merged company would have joint sales of $16bn (£13bn), but the tie-up would face close scrutiny from competition regulators, Reuters reported.
The impact from a deal would be felt beyond the Bombardier and Siemens' home markets of Canada and Germany respectively.
Bombardier's rail unit employs 3,500 staff in the UK and has built trains for operators including Greater Anglia, Scotrail and in London.
Siemens employs 700 train workers in the UK and its contracts include supplying Eurostar trains.
RBC analyst Walter Spracklin said that although details were lacking, he viewed a combination of the two positively.
He pointed to shared expertise of industry leaders, potential cost savings and better competition against lower-cost Chinese companies that are "beginning to reach beyond their own borders".
Siemens and Bombardier have discussed a merger before, but are under pressure after consolidation elsewhere in the rail industry.
CRRC was created by combining China's two biggest players in 2015.
Bombardier shares rose 6.8% in Toronto on Tuesday, while Siemens shares rose 2.4% at one point before slipping back to finish 0.4% higher.
The BBC is yet to receive a comment from Siemens or Bombardier, but both firms declined to comment when contacted by news agencies. | Shares in manufacturers Bombardier and Siemens have jumped on reports they are in talks about merging their train-making businesses. | 1.583984 | 2 |
Jordan Abdull keeps his place after being a late call-up to the squad for the win at Widnes, with Mark Sneyd also included having recovered from injury.
Injuries force Catalans to make three changes to the squad which suffered defeat at St Helens.
Todd Carney, Jodie Broughton and Justin Horo are replaced by Romain Navarette, Jordan Sigismeau and Antoni Maria.
Hull FC (from): Shaul, Fonua, Tuimavave, Talanoa, Sneyd, Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Minichiello, Abdull, Green, Thompson, Hadley, Michaels, Manu, Bowden, Pritchard, Yeaman, Washbrook.
Catalans (from): Gigot, Duport, Anderson, Aiton, Casty, Stewart, Baitieri, Taylor, Bousquet, Pelissier, Mounis, Elima, Yaha, Escare, Maria, Sigismeau, Albert, Navarette, Garcia.
Referee: Phil Bentham. | Super League leaders Hull FC rest captain Gareth Ellis for the visit of Catalans Dragons. | 0.835122 | 1 |
The attack, in December 1971, was carried out by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). One man was convicted of all 15 murders in 1978.
Police are treating the attack on the memorial as a hate crime.
Sinn Féin councillor JJ Magee said it was "disgusting" and "an insult to all those who were killed and injured" in the bombing.
SDLP North Belfast assembly member Alban Maginness described it as "deplorable".
"I am disgusted and appalled at this deplorable attack on the McGurk's Bar memorial," he said.
Ulster Unionist Andy Allen said: "Those responsible for this attack really need to consider their actions, their impact on north Belfast and to desist from such activities immediately." | Paint has been thrown over a memorial to the 15 people murdered in the McGurk's Bar bomb. | 1.225022 | 1 |
International recognition and protection of such areas is urgently needed to halt their continued loss, say scientists.
Roads may introduce many problems to nature, including deforestation, pollution and risks to wildlife.
Areas untouched by roads do not have adequate protection in most countries, researchers report in Science journal.
"We have produced a global map of road less areas," said lead researcher Pierre Ibisch, of Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, in Germany.
"And this map shows that Earth's landscapes are shattered into more than 600 thousand fragments.
"We used a huge dataset of 36 million km of roads for producing this map."
Roads are important for economic development, but they have a number of potential environmental impacts, including deforestation, chemical pollution, and noise disturbance.
To gain a better understanding of the impact of road systems, scientists analysed two global datasets, OpenStreetMap and gRoads. They also reviewed 282 publications.
The map found that about 80% of the Earth's land surface remains without roads.
However, more than half of the 600,000 fragments created by roads are less than 1 sq km.
Only 7% are larger than 100 sq km (400 sq miles) - that's about the size of the island of Montserrat.
As roads continue to expand there is an urgent need for a global strategy for the conservation, restoration and monitoring of areas without roads and the ecosystems they represent, say scientists from 12 institutions in six countries.
Few countries have legislation that protects areas that are not fragmented by roads.
And in much of Europe and North America these areas have already been lost.
However, in Australia, for example, untouched landscapes such as the Blue Mountains only hours from Sydney still exist.
Dr Ibisch told BBC News: ''We see these road less areas as areas with an inherent value; something that merits being seen as a conservation target in its own right.''
Co-researcher Monika Hoffmann added: "Road less areas are still overestimated and many of them are reduced in size."
The research is published in the journal Science.
Follow Helen on Twitter. | A global map of areas without roads shows large tracts of wilderness remain unprotected. | 3.883316 | 4 |
Black pupils at the private Pretoria Girls High say they have often been told to straighten their hair.
"Schools should not be used as a platform to discourage students from embracing their African identity," Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa tweeted in support.
The school has not yet commented.
The school's code of conduct has a detailed list of rules about hair, but does not specifically mention the afro hairstyle, which some pupils say they are banned from having.
The minister also criticised the school over student complaints that they had been warned not to speak to each other in their own languages.
"It is unacceptable to ban students from speaking their African languages at school", he wrote on Twitter.
"This is about our identity as black people. We're tired of being told to be less than what we are so we can fit in," one of the protesters told me.
The reports of alleged racism at the school have resonated across the country.
South Africans, particularly young black South Africans, have been using social media in recent months to raise questions about beauty, cultural tolerance and racism here.
They have been challenging what they describe as colonial standards that should have been dismantled years ago.
At the heart of these protests are the high school's black students who feel like their identity, which is wrapped up in the curly strands of their hair, is deemed as inferior.
They have had enough.
White minority rule and legalised racism, known as apartheid, ended in South Africa in 1994.
Pretoria Girls High was founded in 1902 as a multi-racial school, according to its website, but was a whites-only institution during the apartheid era.
A petition calling for an end to racism at Pretoria High has gathered almost 15,000 signatures in 24 hours.
Photos of students protesting were widely shared on social media over the weekend, including several of girls proudly sporting afros.
The hashtag #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh has been trending across the region on social media.
South Africa has been hit by a spate of racism rows in 2016, often triggered by comments on social media.
The government has responded by saying that it intends to toughen anti-racism laws. | A South African minister has thrown his support behind protesting female students, who accuse their high school of operating a racist hair policy. | 2.234055 | 2 |
Dr Raied Al Wazzan complained to the police after a sermon by the pastor in which he called Islam "satanic" and said he did not trust Muslims.
The evidence was used in the trial against the 78-year-old preacher which ended earlier this week.
He was found not guilty of using grossly offensive remarks.
This was in a prosecution brought under the Communications Act.
Dr Al Wazzan was until recently the treasurer of the Belfast Islamic Centre. A small number of other people also complained about the sermon in May 2014.
Asked if he had any regrets about his involvement in the case, Dr Al Wazzan said: "Absolutely not. I would do it again if somebody was stereotyping the Muslim community or even another community, I would definitely protect them."
Dr Al Wazzan insisted he would have withdrawn his complaint if Pastor McConnell had agreed to withdraw what he said about not trusting Muslims.
"To say that you don't trust all Muslims, that was what was unacceptable for us," said Dr Al Wazzan.
"We have lots of doctors, teachers working in this country and if you don't trust them, that's going to create discrimination against them."
The Iraqi-born engineer said he hoped soon to talk to Pastor McConnell.
"Yes, I am willing to meet him and discuss some of these issues in private... away from the media."
Would he shake his hand?
"If he trusts me, I will shake his hand," he said.
Earlier this week, after being cleared on all charges, Pastor McConnell said: "There was no way I was out to hurt them (the Muslim community) - I wouldn't hurt a hair on their head.
"But what I am against is their theology and what they believe in."
Delivering judgement after the three-day trial, district judge Liam McNally said: "The courts need to be very careful not to criminalise speech which, however contemptible, is no more than offensive.
"It is not the task of the criminal law to censor offensive utterances." | A leading Belfast Muslim who was at the centre of the court case against Pastor James McConnell has said he would like to meet the veteran preacher. | 1.133135 | 1 |
The Commission said Poland would be stripped of its EU voting rights if it went ahead with proposals to force all Supreme Court judges into retirement.
Warsaw hit out at EU "blackmail".
Poland's president has vetoed two of the most controversial bills, but the government wants to press on with them, despite mass street protests.
The European Commission's Vice-President, Frans Timmermans, said the reforms would have a "very significant negative impact on the independence of the Polish judiciary".
He welcomed a decision by Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday to veto some of the laws, including the one that would have overhauled the Supreme Court.
But he said the Commission would launch immediate action to strip Poland of its voting rights if Warsaw went ahead with it anyway.
Such a penalty, known as Article 7, requires the agreement of all EU member states, and Hungary says it will back Poland.
A more realistic sanction at this stage is the threat of hefty fines imposed by the European Court of Justice, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw.
Mr Timmermans said the Commission would sue Poland for breaking EU rules on judicial independence and on gender discrimination - because the legislation sets different retirement ages for male and female judges.
But a government spokesman said he did not have enough knowledge of the draft bills to criticise them.
"We will not tolerate any blackmail from EU officials, especially blackmails that are not based on facts."
Earlier this week Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo vowed to press on with the reforms, saying the government would not "yield to pressure from the street and from abroad".
It came after President Duda vetoed two laws and called for them to be amended, but approved a third.
"I'm absolutely a supporter of this reform, but a wise reform," said President Duda, an ally of the ruling Law and Justice party.
In theory, the Polish parliament could now challenge the president's veto if the Law and Justice party can get enough support for the legislation in parliament.
A more likely step would be to spend the next weeks redrafting the two bills that the president has turned down and seek his approval.
Poland will have one month to respond to the Commission's legal action. | The European Commission says it is launching legal action against Poland over plans to give politicians more power to sack and appoint judges. | 1.80426 | 2 |
The world number five missed a couple of short putts in his round as he played his first competitive outing following a change of putter.
After starting on 10, bogeys on the 15th and 16th dropped him to two over before he battled back to one under.
However, a missed short putt at the eighth brought him back to level par.
Graeme McDowell is sharing 51st place, one behind McIlroy, after carding three birdies and four bogeys in his round.
The 2010 US Open champion finished his round on a high as he birdied the short 18th.
Scotland's Martin Laird and American Patrick Reed lead the field after rounds of 66.
The two leaders are a stroke ahead of Americans Rickie Fowler, Kevin Chappell and JB Holmes plus Argentina's Emiliano Grillo.
World number one Jason Day is among a group two off the pace.
The Barclays tournament is the first event in the PGA Tour's play-offs series. | Rory McIlroy is five off the pace at The Barclays event in the US after an opening level-par 71 at Bethpage Black in New York. | 0.964324 | 1 |
The Chiefs vice-captain becomes the fourth All Black to win the prize.
Retallick, 23, beat team-mate Julian Savea, Ireland's Jonathan Sexton, and South Africa pair Willie le Roux and Duane Vermeulen to the award.
It seals a hat-trick of honours for New Zealand, who were named team of the year, with Steve Hansen named coach of the year.
The second row follows in the footsteps of team mates Kieran Read, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw in receiving the honour.
World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Brodie Retallick has been at the heart of another hugely successful year for the All Blacks with his superb line-out skills, ball carrying ability and work at the breakdown playing a huge role in a June series win against England, the Rugby Championship title and a strong November series." | New Zealand second row Brodie Retallick has been named World Rugby player of the year for 2014. | 0.925046 | 1 |
A 9-8 victory on penalties on Sunday night gave the Ivorians their second title, in a repeat of the 1992 final.
The game was followed by joyous celebrations on the streets the country's biggest city, Abidjan.
Ivory Coast's win brings to an end a 22-year drought during which they lost twice on penalties.
President Alassane Ouattara announced the paid holiday on public radio and television after the game.
Celebrations in Abidjan went on late into the night on Sunday.
Gozo Maxime Blessing, a 27-year old student, told the BBC that fans had been waiting 23 years for this moment.
"I'm great. I don't know how to express my joy. But this is a very good performance by the Elephants.
"I am happy. I am voiceless. For 23 years, we were waiting for this trophy and by the grace of God we've got it."
The team are due to arrive back home on Monday afternoon, with a celebration planned at the city's Felix Houphouet-Boigny football stadium.
Announcements on local radio requested that fans stay away from the stadium as its 35,000 capacity had already been reached.
Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry scored the decisive spot-kick to seal the victory against Ghana.
Captain Yaya Toure, who won the Premier League with Manchester City last season, described winning the cup as "unbelievable".
"When you win with your club, it's quite amazing," he said. "With your country, it's unbelievable."
The competition was organised by Equatorial Guinea in just two months after Morocco pulled out over fears of the spread of Ebola.
Morocco was subsequently banned from the 2017 and 2019 tournaments. Its football federation was fined $1m (£650,000) and ordered to pay $9.1m in damages to the Confederation of African Football (Caf). | Ivory Coast announced a public holiday on Monday to celebrate its dramatic win over Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations final. | 1.184271 | 1 |
Lisanne Froon, 22, and Kris Kremers, 21, disappeared from the town of Boquete in Panama's western highlands.
The had travelled to Boquete to do social work with children after completing a two-week Spanish course.
They were last seen on 2 April as they went walking along a mountain path in the densely wooded area along the border with Costa Rica.
A Dutch team of 18 people and 12 dogs arrived on Sunday to join the search.
"The dogs, of different breeds, are specially trained to find people whether alive or dead," team co-ordinator Louise Smits-Jansen explained.
Ms Kremers' father thanked the Panamanian authorities for their help in launching renewed efforts on Monday to find the two women.
Residents of Boquete say they are shocked by the disappearances.
The parents of the women at first thought they had got lost on a trek, but say that as time passes, they "are increasingly under the assumption there's a possibility of criminal intent" behind their daughters' disappearance.
They have offered a $30,000 (??18,000) reward for anyone providing "concrete information" about their whereabouts.
Boquete is a popular destination for hikers exploring the nearby cloud forest, waterfalls and coffee plantations.
In 2009, a 29-year-old British man disappeared from the town. He left all his belongings and only had with him his passport, credit card and a few dollars.
While visitors are warned against travelling to Panama's eastern border with Colombia because of the presence of Colombian rebels in the area, its western border region is generally considered to be safe. | A Dutch search team has arrived in Panama to help find two young Dutchwomen who went missing in April. | 1.681734 | 2 |
The Europa League winners top KPMG's analysis of top sides' "enterprise value", putting it ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The study analysed broadcasting rights, profitability, popularity, sporting potential and stadium ownership.
In the study of 32 teams, English clubs dominate, filling six top 10 places.
Andrea Sartori, KPMG's global head of sports and the report's author, said the overall value of the football industry had grown over the past year.
"While this is partially explained by football's broadcasting boom, the internationalisation of the clubs' commercial operations, their investment into privately-owned and modern facilities, and overall more sustainable management practices, are also key reasons for this growth," he said.
"In terms of media rights value, the English Premier League sits comfortably at the top of European leagues, although other major leagues have outlined well-defined strategies to compete for the attention of global fans."
Source: KPMG
But Mr Sartori said clubs were unable to influence their broadcasting income individually, given the collective nature of most deals.
This year, 10 clubs were valued in excess of 1bn euros (£867m), two more than in 2016.
Tottenham Hotspur and Italy's Juventus were the new entrants to this elite group, with Tottenham ousting French club Paris Saint-Germain from 10th position.
Despite Premier League dominance, Spain was the only country with two clubs reporting an "enterprise value" above 2bn euros, namely Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The report is based on financial and non-financial information from the 2014-15 and 2015-16 football seasons. | Manchester United is the most valuable football club in Europe, being worth about 3bn euros (£2.6bn), according to business services group KPMG. | 1.187205 | 1 |
The Brimmon Oak in Newtown - around which a new bypass will be built after a petition attracted 5,000 signatures - finished runner up to an even older oak from Poland.
It was named the UK's Tree of the Year in December.
Ancient tree campaigner Rob McBride, who attended the award ceremony in Brussels, said it was "amazing news".
The Brimmon Oak received about 16,200 votes, some 1,400 fewer than Poland's Josef Oak, in the results announced on Tuesday. The Lime Tree at Lipka, Czech Republic, came third with about 14,800 votes. | A 500-year-old oak in Powys has finished second in the European Tree of the Year award for 2017. | 1.223223 | 1 |
He refused to speak to reporters after his first-round win over David Gilbert.
World Snooker says any further breaches by the five-time champion will result in a fine and possible further action by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
He faces fellow Englishman Barry Hawkins or China's Zhang Anda next. | Ronnie O'Sullivan has received a formal warning from World Snooker after failing to fulfil media obligations at the World Championship in Sheffield. | 0.180864 | 0 |
Private ownership of broadcast media is prohibited, and the government owns all mainstream media outlets.
Cuba is the only country in the Americas not to allow a non-state independent press, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Official media "serve first and foremost to transmit propaganda for the regime".
The state maintains a tight hold on the media
Cuban blogger denied travel visa
The US tries hard to reach Cuban audiences. Washington-backed Radio-TV Marti says it provides "balanced, uncensored" news for Cubans.
Internetlivestats.com says there were 3.1 million internet users by 2014.
US-based NGO Freedom House says access to the internet is tightly controlled, and it is difficult for most Cubans to connect from their homes. Bloggers have faced harassment and detention for supporting dissidents, it adds.
Cuba is one of RSF's "Enemies of the Internet". The authorities have been unable to blame connection problems on the US embargo since a submarine cable linking Cuba to Venezuela became operational, says the press freedom group. | The Cuban media are tightly controlled by the government and journalists must operate within the confines of laws against anti-government propaganda and the insulting of officials which carry penalties of up to three years in prison. | 1.663616 | 2 |
Fans of Adams have commemorated his life and work by carrying towels with them every year.
Why a towel? Towels featured in chapter three of the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
In the book, there's an electronic travel guide which offers a piece of advice for would-be hitchhikers. It says that a towel is the "most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have", providing warmth and warding off the galaxy's "noxious fumes".
The commemorative day was first held in 2001, two weeks after Adams' death.
The hashtag #TowelDay is trending on Twitter with fans from around the world tweeting references from Adams' book and showing off their towels.
The actor Stephen Mangan has led the online tributes by tweeting a Hitchhiker's quote.
Even astronaut Tim Peake has joined in the fun.
Dr Adam Rutherford, the host of BBC Radio 4's Inside Science, is another fan of Adams' books.
Someone at Manchester City Football Club is a fan of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. | Towel Day is celebrated every year on 25 May as a tribute to Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. | 2.077703 | 2 |
Police, fire crews and the Scottish Ambulance Service attended the Municipal Buildings in Castle Street.
Police Scotland said there was "no immediate danger" and that "appropriate actions" were being taken.
Cordons were put in place for a time, before being removed when the emergency services left the area. | Angus Council's offices in Forfar were evacuated after reports of a suspicious package. | 0.844229 | 1 |
It says the planned £500m development next to the Madejski Stadium, has not adequately assessed the impact to wildlife in the adjacent Foudry Brook.
Plans for the 20,000 sq m site, which could include an ice rink and a park, were released in February.
The developer said it would respond to concerns in the coming weeks.
Objections to the proposed Reading FC development - called Royal Elm Park - have been raised over how shade from the high-rise tower blocks - some of which will be 270ft (82 metres) in height - will affect habitation in Foudry Brook.
Reading Green Party councillor Rob White said: "If you put high-rise buildings on top of the river bank, that's going to shade the sensitive river environment.
"It could fundamentally change the habitat and change what is there."
Environment Agency planning advisor Michelle Kidd said: "We object to the proposed development as submitted because the assessment and mitigation of the risks to nature conservation are inadequate.
"We will maintain our objection until the applicant has supplied information to demonstrate that the risks posed by the development can be satisfactorily addressed."
Reading FC has said it is working with Reading Borough Council to resolve the issues raised by the Environment Agency.
A spokesperson added: "For a project of this scale it is normal part of the planning application process for [bodies that are consulted] to request clarification and additional information as discussions continue. | The Environment Agency has objected to a proposed 600-home development due to fears that high rise buildings will put a nearby river in the shade. | 1.386927 | 1 |
Songbird, unbeaten in 11 starts, was pipped at the post by Beholder, ridden in her final race by 53-year-old Gary Stevens for trainer Richard Mandella.
Lancaster Bomber, for Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, was second behind Oscar Performance in the Juvenile Turf.
But there were no wins for the British and Irish contingent on day one.
O'Brien's Roly Poly and Hydrangea, along with Intricately - trained by his son Joseph - finished down the field in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, won by New Money Honey.
Beholder was clocking up a third career Breeders' Cup win.
"I've had some good feelings in racing but this is tops here," said Stevens. "It was a heck of a horse race, and a hell of a way to go out." | Beholder inflicted the first defeat on Songbird in a thrilling photo finish to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff by a nose at Santa Anita Park on Friday. | 0.875894 | 1 |
The 21-year-old will join the Sky Blues until at least January, subject to international clearance.
Former Sky Blues manager Tommy Wright, who is now in charge at St Johnstone, helped to facilitate the move.
"I'd like to thank Tommy for his help and I look forward to seeing Gareth in action," said Ferguson.
Rodger joined St Johnstone in 2010 and has also had loan spells with Montrose and Brechin City.
United have suffered a nightmare start to the Premiership season, sitting bottom after losing all three games and conceding 13 goals.
Their latest defeat came on Saturday, losing out 2-0 at home to derby rivals Coleraine. | Ballymena United boss Glenn Ferguson has bolstered his struggling defence by signing Gareth Rodger from Scottish side St Johnstone on loan. | 0.681377 | 1 |
Shukri Mabkhout's The Italian was the eighth winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF).
Judges said the novel was "astonishing", "a work of art" and "an important contribution to Tunisian, and Arab, literary fiction".
Mabkhout receives $50,000 (£32,000) and a guaranteed translation into English.
The Italian chronicles a seminal period in Tunisian political history while telling the story of Abdel Nasser, nicknamed 'The Italian' due to his good looks.
Yasir Suleiman, chairman of IPAF's board, called its author a "master of suspense".
Mabkhout's book, he said, "never lets go of the reader, who willingly follows its intriguing characters on their converging and diverging journeys".
He added that Mabkhout defies the "unfair criticism that the Arabic language is a bookish and fossilised mode of expression at odds with the modern world".
A total of 180 titles from 15 countries were in contention for the award, which is unofficially known as the Arabic Booker prize.
The five other shortlisted finalists will each receive $10,000 (£6,543).
Since 2008, the winning and shortlisted IPAF books have been translated into more than 20 languages. | A Tunisian author who was inspired to write his first novel after the Arab Spring has won the Arab world's top prize for fiction. | 1.534736 | 2 |
Roedd Jason Cooper wedi bod o flaen llys o'r blaen ar gyhuddiad o geisio llofruddio Laura Jayne Stuart, ond clywodd y llys ddydd Gwener bod Ms Stuart wedi marw.
Ymddangosodd Mr Cooper, 27 oed o Ddinbych, ar gyswllt fideo o garchar Altcourse yn Lerpwl.
Mae'n wynebu cyhuddiadau o lofruddio Ms Stuart yn Ninbych ar 12 Awst, ac o glwyfo David Roberts gyda'r bwriad o achosi niwed corfforol difrifol iddo.
Doedd dim cais am fechnïaeth ac fe gafodd y diffynnydd ei gadw yn y ddalfa nes i'r achos yn ei erbyn ddechrau ym mis Chwefror, 2018.
Er bod dyn wedi ei gyhuddo, mae Heddlu Gogledd Cymru yn pwysleisio fod eu hymchwiliad yn parhau, a bod swyddogion yn dal i chwilio am y gyllell gafodd ei defnyddio i drywanu Ms Stuart.
Mae'r heddlu yn gofyn i unrhyw un sydd â gwybodaeth i gysylltu drwy ffonio 101 neu 0800 555 111 gan ddefnyddio'r cyfeirnod RC 1712 2068. | Mae dyn wedi ymddangos o flaen Llys y Goron Yr Wyddgrug i wynebu cyhuddiad o lofruddiaeth. | 0.385539 | 0 |
The animal rescue centre took in the rabbit, named Atlas, when his original owner could no longer look after him.
But Atlas is no ordinary rabbit - even though he's still young, he's already the size of a small dog, and could grow even bigger.
Hundreds of people applied to look after the giant bunny. There were even offers from America, Canada and France.
Anna O'Donnell, manager of the Scottish SPCA's rescue centre in Glasgow, said:
"It was great there was so much interest in Atlas but we decided to find him a home here in Scotland to avoid a long journey as rabbits are very susceptible to stress."
Atlas's new owner, from North Ayrshire in Scotland, has lots of experience looking after rabbits.
She said: "Animals are just pets to some people but my rabbits are family members." | A giant rabbit who became famous after an appeal by the Scottish SPCA has found a new home. | 1.7874 | 2 |
Nearly 200 of the plane's 298 victims came from the Netherlands.
Ukraine and Western countries accuse pro-Russian rebels of shooting the plane down with a Russian-made missile, an accusation which Russia denies.
The exact cause of the crash in eastern Ukraine has not been established.
President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that allegations that the rebels were hampering efforts to find out what happened to the plane were "totally unfounded".
He said that Russia supported a full and impartial investigation into the crash.
Friends and relatives of the victims read out the names and ages of those who died in a ceremony attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and other dignitaries.
There were poignant moments when the names of entire families were read out, often in Dutch but also in English, reflecting the 10 nationalities of the victims.
Footage from the scene showed schoolchildren placing flowers next to 298 candles, one for every victim.
Dutch PM Mark Rutte spoke of his feelings of helplessness and despair in the aftermath of the disaster.
"[The passengers'] lives will forever be unfinished," he said. "Their voices will never again be heard. Their presence, their talents, their friendship and their love - it has all been taken from you. Just like that."
298 victims from 10 countries
MH17 Dutch memorial day: Air disaster that touched a nation
Mr Rutte said that the commemoration would provide "a chance for the Netherlands to show the next-of-kin that they are not standing alone".
However, the BBC's Anna Holligan in the Netherlands says that Mr Rutte still cannot answer the most pressing questions asked by bereaved families - who was responsible for shooting down the plane and when will all of the remains of the victims be repatriated?
Such was the impact of the MH17 crash in the Netherlands that 17 July 2014 is often referred to as the country's 9/11. | Hundreds of bereaved family members and friends of passengers who died in the Malaysia Airlines MH17 disaster have gathered in the Dutch capital Amsterdam to commemorate the dead. | 1.718964 | 2 |
The 24-year-old said the gift, which will pay for three pieces of medical equipment, was her way "giving back to Barbados".
"I believe that this will have a huge impact on the people of Barbados. This was all done to save lives or at least extend them."
The singer's grandmother, Clara "Dolly" Braithwaite, died in June.
She had fought a long battle with cancer.
The hospital's radiotherapy unit has been renamed the Clara Braithwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine.
Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, made the announcement at a visit to the hospital over the weekend, where she was accompanied by her mother, Monica, and grandfather, Lionel Braithwaite.
She was particularly close to her grandmother, and took a last-minute break from her European festival tour in June to spend some time with her in hospital.
When she died on 30 June, the pop star took to Twitter and posted several photographs of the two together, writing, "my heart smiled and cried all at once".
Born and raised in Barbados, Rihanna is one of the most successful female musicians in the world.
Since her debut in 2005, she has released an album a year, with the exception of 2008.
Her most recent, Unapologetic, became her first US number one, and gave her a global hit with the lead single, Diamonds.
Forbes magazine last week named her the third-highest-earning woman in the music industry, after she made $53m in 2012. | Pop star Rihanna has donated $1.75m (£1.08m) to a hospital in Barbados in memory of her grandmother. | 1.331079 | 1 |
Notices of intended prosecution claimed 991 drivers had broken a 40mph (64km/h) speed limit in Conwy tunnel last October.
But the limit had been imposed for night maintenance only and not lifted in the morning as it should have been.
Within days the drivers got an apology in the post.
North Wales Police released the figures in a Freedom of Information reply.
The force said: "The issue was caused by an administration error surrounding the enforcement period.
"North Wales police do not record the cost of cancelling notices." | Nearly 1,000 drivers were wrongly sent speeding notices after a temporary limit on a north Wales road was not lifted, figures have shown. | 0.916265 | 1 |
The new week-long round-robin competition aims to give more T20 tournament experience to the eight associate countries involved.
Ireland's second game will be against Namibia in Abu Dhabi on 17 January before they face hosts the United Arab Emirates a day later in Dubai.
The tournament's semi-finals and final will take place in Dubai on 20 January.
Experienced internationals Boyd Rankin, Stuart Thompson and Andrew Balbirnie return to the Ireland squad for the tournament.
Rankin (broken leg), Balbirnie (hip) and Thompson (performance anxiety) missed most of Ireland's 2016 campaign.
Niall O'Brien has been left out of the squad with the Ireland selectors opting to take Gary Wilson as the only wicket-keeper while Middlesex seamer Tim Murtagh is also omitted.
Jacob Mulder and Little retain their places in the T20 squad following their debuts in the format against Hong Kong, and Greg Thompson's impressive return in that game after an eight-year absence also sees him make the tour.
Ireland squad: W Porterfield (capt), A Balbirnie, G Dockrell, J Little, J Mulder, A McBrine, B McCarthy, K O'Brien, B Rankin, P Stirling, G Thompson, S Thompson, G Wilson, C Young. | Ireland will open their Desert T20 tournament campaign against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on 14 January. | 0.798446 | 1 |
The young girl was walking to school on her own when the incident happened at about 08:40 on Friday in the Craigour area of the capital.
Police Scotland are appealing for witnesses.
The girl was unharmed and police said they are following various lines of inquiry. | A man driving a black 4x4 car who stopped and spoke to a primary school girl in an Edinburgh street is being sought by police. | 0.588048 | 1 |
Lambert, from Gateshead, sustained multiple injuries after coming off his 1,000cc Kawasaki machine at Greeba Castle.
He crashed on lap three of the six-lap race on the Mountain Course.
The 48-year-old was airlifted to Nobles Hospital, before being transferred to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.
Lambert was making his TT debut, but had previously competed at the Manx Grand Prix over the same course.
Race organisers ACU Events Ltd said in a statement they wished to "pass on their deepest sympathy to his partner Tracey, his family and friends". | English rider Davey Lambert has died in hospital following a crash in the opening Superbike race at the Isle of Man TT event on Sunday. | 0.512497 | 1 |
Why? It is all down to health and safety, or should we say 'elf and safety?
At previous events in Enniskillen, Santa and his little helpers have thrown sweets into the crowd.
But the Impartial Reporter said it had been contacted by candy-loving parents who noticed that this year there were "no flying sweets".
However, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said the practice had been discontinued for the past number of years.
In a statement the council said: "The practice of throwing sweets into the crowd at the Enniskillen Christmas lights switch on event has not taken place over the last number of years in the interest of health and safety.
"More than £300 worth of sweets were distributed to children, as is customary, by Santa and his helpers at this year's Enniskillen Christmas lights switch on event.
"The barrier at this year's event was also extended to enable Santa to meet as many children as possible."
Looks like there will be no danger of anyone ending up in hospital after being wounded by an errant flying bonbon. | Santa no longer throws sweets for children when he switches on the Christmas lights in County Fermanagh. | 1.430711 | 1 |
Plans for the cross-border project were announced at Belfast's Tall Ships maritime festival earlier this month.
The Atlantic Youth Trust has been planning the £12m ship for three years.
It has taken a step closer to being realised with the unveiling of concept drawings of the vessel.
The ship is planned as a youth development legacy project to the Tall Ships festival, and would take 40 young people at a time on 10-day sail training voyages.
Neil O'Hagan, the Atlantic Youth Trust's executive director, described the proposed ship as "considerable" at 48m long.
"[The project] is primarily trying to develop teamwork, leadership, communication and life skills among the young people that come onboard," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.
"Over the 10 days they will have to do everything from steer the ship, to clean the toilets, to chop potatoes, to climb to the top of the mast, to do the navigation onboard."
The trust has said about £12m is needed to build a modern, low-maintenance steel vessel that would have an expected life-span of 30 years.
After that point, the ship would be refitted or rebuilt.
Mr O'Hagan said it was "vitally important" that both governments supported the project as it would offer a "cross-border, cross-community, cultural integration" for 1,000 young people a year.
About 30%, or £4.8m, is expected to come from what the trusts calls "Northern Ireland Inc" - that could be a combination of government and corporate funding.
The Irish government has been asked provide the same total, while the remaining 40% will be made up of European peace funding and philanthropic donations.
"Until both governments come out publicly and say: 'We're going to support this provided you guys come up the rest of the funding,' we can't really push the button to move on," Mr O'Hagan said.
He added that the trust expects to know within a year whether the project can go ahead. | A proposed new tall ship for Ireland is dependent on governments on either side of the Irish border paying 60% of cost, the organisation behind the project has said. | 1.883821 | 2 |
Roy Campbell-Moore's decision comes after he was suspended following a complaint about his behaviour by members of staff.
The issue was being investigated by a third party.
Mr Campbell-Moore said he had decided to embark on a freelance career as a photographer.
Founded in 1983 under the name Diversions, the company based at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff is currently on a spring tour.
He had been an artistic associate, having previously founded the company and then leading it as artistic director.
Announcing his decision to step down, he said: "In the last few years I have had the opportunity to develop my interest in photography alongside my dance work and I have decided to embark on a freelance career as a photographer."
News of Mr Campbell-Moore's suspension last month came just weeks after he and his wife Ann Sholem, who founded the company with him, were presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Theatre Critics of Wales Awards for their contribution to the arts in Wales.
After Mr Campbell-Moore announced his decision to stand down, Prof Andrew Davies, chair of National Dance Company Wales (NDCWales), wished him well in his future career.
"He and Ann Sholem have made a huge contribution to the dance and arts scene in Wales through the establishment of NDCWales," he added.
NDCWales said it would make no comment about the progress of the investigation into Mr Campbell-Moore. | A co-founder of National Dance Company Wales has stepped down from his post as artistic associate. | 0.915133 | 1 |
The operation, involving the Department of the Environment, the coastguard and the National Trust, began just after 16:00 BST on Monday.
The initial suggestion was that it was a Sei whale which had died of old age, but the DoE later said tests had confirmed it was a juvenile fin whale.
Next to the blue whale, the fin whale is the world's second largest mammal.
Joe Breen of the DoE said the past summer had been "extraordinary" for sightings of both whales and dolphins off the north coast.
"We followed about 70 or 80 dolphins up and down the coast this summer," he said.
"We had reports of humpbacked whales off Rathlin and there was an unusual sighting of a Beluga whale off Dunseverick. We know things are happening within the sea."
Contractors for the National Trust worked to remove the whale from Portstewart strand.
They were helped by contractors who had been working on the nearby A26, when it became clear that they would need a much larger digger to lift the whale.
In the end, three diggers worked together to haul the whale off the beach.
"I have never seen a sight like it, three diggers in harmony pulled it up on to the trailer. It was incredible to watch," Mr Breen said. | A 43ft (13m) whale has been removed from a beach in Portstewart, County Londonderry, after it washed up there. | 2.783621 | 3 |
Some 2,000 girls in the city are thought to be at risk of FGM, which can cause fatal blood infections, urinary incontinence and chronic pain.
It is illegal for British nationals or permanent residents to be taken to another country for the procedure.
However, girls are regularly taken abroad to undergo FGM during the summer.
FGM is carried out in more than 28 countries, including those in Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, including Somalia and Sudan.
According to the city council, Bristol is thought to have the UK's third largest Somali population, outside London and Birmingham.
Aiding and abetting the crime can lead to 14 years in prison, but there is yet to be a prosecution in the UK.
Dave McCallum used to lead the public protection unit of Avon and Somerset Police and is a trustee of Integrate Bristol, a charity that helps young people from other countries integrate and adapt.
He said: "The whole process needs to work for the police to get the information they need to act upon.
"Members of the community have not been passing this on as they really ought to."
Nimco Ali, co-founder of campaign group Daughters of Eve, agreed communities were not reporting FGM.
She said the organisation worked to try and make senior figures in the public sector take the problem seriously.
"The onus falls on the public sector as opposed to waiting for those who are perpetuating the crime to report the crime themselves," she said.
"The community haven't changed their position on FGM, they say it's something they're going to carry on doing." | The latest campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Bristol has been launched by the city's safeguarding children's board. | 2.212733 | 2 |
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The Birmingham City captain has scored 23 times since making her international debut against Italy in 2005.
"Karen is a great person and incredible football talent; in my eyes one of the best in the world," said Sampson.
A record attendance of 55,000 is expected for the national team's first match at Wembley.
Eight of the Team GB side that beat Brazil at Wembley in the 2012 Olympics are in the squad to face the European champions.
Casey Stoney, whose partner Megan Harris gave birth to twins last week, is excluded on fitness grounds.
The game marks the beginning of preparations for the FIFA Women's World Cup, which takes place in Canada next summer. England qualified with 10 wins out of 10.
Karen Bardsley (Manchester City), Siobhan Chamberlain (Arsenal), Carly Telford (Notts County); Laura Bassett (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Liverpool), Alex Greenwood (Everton), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Claire Rafferty (Chelsea), Alex Scott (Arsenal), Demi Stokes (University of South Florida); Karen Carney (Birmingham City), Jade Moore (Birmingham City), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Jo Potter (Birmingham City), Jill Scott (Manchester City), Fara Williams (Liverpool); Eniola Aluko (Chelsea), Jess Clarke (Notts County), Toni Duggan (Manchester City), Fran Kirby (Reading), Lianne Sanderson (Boston Breakers), Kelly Smith (Arsenal), Jodie Taylor (Washington Spirit). | Karen Carney could earn her 100th England cap in the friendly against Germany next week after being named in Mark Sampson's 23-player squad. | 1.080606 | 1 |
Operation Promotion was launched by the National League side's supporters trust in June to provide cash to sign new players for the 2015/2016 season.
The club narrowly missed promotion to the Football League in May and The Mariners Trust had initially hoped to raise £20,000.
The trust said more than 3,500 individual donations had been received.
Dave Roberts, from the trust, said: "It is an incredible achievement and we are very grateful to every supporter for all of their donations over the past eight weeks.
"It goes to prove Grimsby Town supporters really are the best around and we can't wait to get the season under way." | Fans of Grimsby Town have raised £100,000 for the club in eight weeks. | 0.909715 | 1 |
Rock, whose goal was scored by Paudie Ward, led early in the second half but Glenbeigh-Glencar won 1-14 to 1-11 after a close tussle at Croke Park.
Rock's Enda McWilliams was dismissed for two yellows in the first half.
The Tyrone men ended with just 12 men as Niall Mullan and Diarmuid Carroll got second bookings late in the game.
Glenbeigh's Daniel Griffin had been shown a straight red before the break.
It was the second the small rural club from Tyrone had lost an All-Ireland Club JFC final at GAA headquarters.
They lost in the 2008 decider and had high hopes of winning the trophy this time.
However, it was Kerry side Glenbeigh-Glencar who finished strongly to take the title at the end of a drama-packed decider.
The Munster champions got off to a flying start when Kerry star Darran O'Sullivan fired in a goal, but the Red Hand men fought back with points from Aidan McGarruty, Conor McCreesh and Ciaran Gourley.
Glenbeigh had attacker Griffin sent off, and Rock finished strongly with scores from Aidan Girvan and McGarrity to draw level at 0-9 to 1-6 at the break.
McGarrity gave Rock the lead for the first time, and Ward's 48th minute goal gave them genuine hope.
But the late dismissals of Mullan and Carroll, both on second bookings, and Enda McWilliams (yellow/black) was a major blow.
The Kerry men finished with points from O'Sullivan and Jason McKenna to take the title. | Tyrone team Rock St Patrick's had three players sent off as they lost Sunday's All-Ireland Junior Club final to Glenbeigh-Glencar of Kerry. | 0.73126 | 1 |
The multi-million pound project has been beset with problems and delays.
Planning permission for the sports stadium was overturned in 2014 after objections by local residents.
Last month, the association said it was working on a new design for the stadium. Ulster GAA has now embarked on a 20-week consultation process.
In its first submission, the GAA proposed to build a 38,000-capacity stadium at the existing site.
A whistleblower, safety expert Paul Scott, claimed he was bullied when he raised concerns that under the initial plans the stadium could not be evacuated safely in emergencies.
Tom Daly, chairman of the Casement Park Project Board, told the BBC that safety was a priority for the GAA.
"We will arrive at a point where we put a capacity in for our new stadium going forward. We will have a debate about that again through a consultative process," he said.
"At this point in time we're not going there because we need to get the wide range of views from everybody who has an interest in this project."
He added: "This will be a facility everyone in west Belfast, County Antrim, Ulster and throughout Ireland will be immensely proud of, and a stadium that the next generation of young people can aspire to play in."
Stephen McGeehan, the Casement Park project sponsor for Ulster GAA, said that there was no pre-determined capacity for the stadium.
"Our planning consent was quashed the last time around following the claim taken against the DOE (Department of Environment) minister's decision," he said.
"We're genuinely starting today in a 20-week consultation period, that's well beyond the minimum statutory period of 12 weeks.
"We're doing that because we recognise the time that's required to listen to people's views, have those voices heard both positive and negative and to decide at a later stage what the actual capacity of Casement Park will be."
Mr McGeehan added that the aim was for "a provincial stadium" and there is a requirement for a capacity beyond 18,000 so that it can hold major events.
The GAA will hold a series of consultation events in west Belfast to hear the views of people in the area.
They will take place at Conway Mill, Andersonstown Leisure Centre and Glen Community Complex on 24, 25 and 26 May. | The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has said it is preparing to submit new plans for the redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast. | 1.288677 | 1 |
Children's Commissioner Tam Baillie said children could not be expected to thrive unless they were well-nourished.
The Scottish government is consulting on the new social security powers devolved under the Scotland Act 2016.
Mr Baillie said research suggested that almost one in five children in Scotland was living in relative poverty.
And foodbank provider Trussell Trust has estimated that about a third of its food parcels go to children.
Mr Baillie said: "This can only harm children's physical and mental well-being; unless their basic need to be well nourished is met, we cannot expect children to concentrate at school or on other activities."
In June, the government's Independent Working Group on Child Poverty urged ministers to use new social security powers coming to Holyrood to fund an increase in child benefit.
The group said an increase of £5 per child per week would lift 30,000 children out of poverty at a cost of £256m a year.
Publishing a report on the issue - entitled Living is more important than just surviving - the commissioner highlighted the lack of accurate data about the numbers of children experiencing food insecurity.
Food insecurity means children not having enough food to eat or not being certain that there will be enough food for them and their families.
Mr Baillie said the report was prompted by the "rapid" increase of food insecurity in Scotland and the absence of children's input in discussions on the causes and solutions to poverty.
According to the research, conducted with 32 children in four local authority areas in Scotland, young children have well developed ideas around solutions to food insecurity including:
The commissioner said: "The greatest insight of this research is of young children's desire and ability to solve the challenges they see in the world around them, which raises a number of questions about the inclusion of children in public policy and decision making more generally."
Pete Ritchie, executive director of the Nourish Scotland campaign group, said there was currently no population wide monitoring of food insecurity in Scotland or the rest of the UK.
He added: "The Scottish government could include a child-specific measure of food insecurity in the Child Poverty Bill." | The Scottish government has been urged to top up child benefit payments to the poorest families to ensure children have enough food. | 2.328518 | 2 |
It is seen as a new Vatican attempt to distance itself from centuries of Christian-Jewish tension and prejudice.
The document released on Thursday is not a doctrinal text, but a "stimulus for the future", the Vatican says.
It builds on the "Nostra aetate" (In Our Time) document which, 50 years ago, redefined Vatican ties with Judaism.
Nostra aetate rejected the concept of collective Jewish guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The new document is called "The Gifts and Calling of God are Irrevocable" and was written by the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with Jews.
It says "the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews".
Judaism, it points out, "is not to be considered simply as another religion; the Jews are instead our elder brothers".
It says that, in the presence of Jews, Catholics should express their faith "in a humble and sensitive manner, acknowledging that Jews are bearers of God's Word, and particularly in view of the great tragedy of the Shoah [Holocaust]".
Turning to the vexed question of salvation, the document says: "that the Jews are participants in God's salvation is theologically unquestionable, but how that can be possible without confessing Christ explicitly, is and remains an unfathomable divine mystery".
Jews and Catholics should jointly combat all forms of anti-Semitism, the document says, condemning the Nazi slaughter of Jews in World War Two.
"History teaches us where even the slightest perceptible forms of anti-Semitism can lead: the human tragedy of the Shoah in which two-thirds of European Jewry were annihilated."
It made no direct reference to the medieval Inquisition, when the Catholic Church persecuted Jews and forced them to convert to Christianity.
Cardinal Kurt Koch and Fr Norbert Hofmann of the Vatican Commission presented the document on Thursday, and were joined by two Jewish representatives - Rabbi David Rosen and Dr Ed Kessler. | The Vatican has told Catholics that they should not seek to convert Jews and stressed that the two faiths have a "unique" relationship. | 2.296522 | 2 |
William Marren, 25, of Stramshall, was discovered on Sunday at 09:35 GMT by two cyclists in Crakemarsh near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.
The little girl, who had minor injuries, had been there "for some time", a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said.
Police have appealed for witnesses.
Updates on this story and more from Staffordshire
Staffordshire Police said Mr Marren sustained fatal injuries when his Ford Fiesta hit a tree on the B5030 Ashbourne Road.
A family tribute said: "William was a young man with his whole life ahead of him.
"He worked really hard to support his family and adored his two little girls, Jessica and Freya.
"He was the partner of Lucie and also the loving son of Carl and Julie and brother of Kieran and Alex.
"William had a kind-hearted, positive and fun personality.
"He was an experienced driver, having passed his driving test seven years ago and a keen sportsman.
"If he had been able to, he would have worked seven days a week.
"His loss leaves a huge gap in all our lives and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
"We want to thank everyone for their kind messages, flowers and support at this very difficult time.
"We would particularly like to extend a special thank you to the two cyclists who discovered the car on Sunday morning and hope that we will be able to meet them to thank them personally." | A man found dead in a crashed car with his five-year-old daughter in the back was an "adoring father", his family have said. | 0.809692 | 1 |
The royal couple were among the guests invited to attend the global financial firm ICAP's 23rd annual charity day.
Traders in London taught them how to close deals at the Central European interest rates desk.
ICAP gives away one day's revenue and commissions every year, which enables them to fund philanthropic projects and research around the world.
The event raises millions each year for charities that the duke and duchess are patrons of such as SkillForce, Place2Be and Sports Aid.
Since ICAP's fundraising day was started in 1993, nearly £120m has been raised for charity.
The duchess danced in celebration after the couple closed deals worth millions of euros over the phone.
The duke later joked about the "dodgy" outfits worn by some of the staff, which ranged from gangsters and molls to belly dancers and comic book characters such as Batman and Iron Man.
He was guided through the trade by broker Dan Lebeau, who was wearing three-inch heels.
Mr Lebeau said: "He was saying to me, basically 'where did you get them from?'
"It was very difficult to find size 10 high heels in a normal shop."
Also at the event were the prime minister's wife, Samantha Cameron, actor Jeremy Irons and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman. | The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have joined City brokers in fancy dress on the trading floor at a charity event. | 1.099568 | 1 |
The site at Little Patrick Street received planning permission in October 2016, following an application by UniCiti LLP.
It has now been sold to Lacuna Developments and the Watkin Jones Group.
The joint venture partners have developed other student schemes in the city.
The Little Patrick Street project currently has permission for 354 student studios in an 11-storey building.
A revised planning application proposes to reconfigure the scheme and increase the number of beds from 354 to 430.
Watkin Jones and Lacuna have also secured an institutional investor to "forward fund" the scheme.
That means the investor pays now and gets control of the building on completion.
Watkin Jones/ Lacuna developed Belfast's first major purpose-built student scheme at John Bell House in the city centre.
They are currently working on two other schemes at the Athletic Stores building and on the Dublin Road.
They have forward sold all their schemes to institutional investors, including a fund managed by the Swiss bank UBS. | A planned student housing scheme in Belfast has been sold to a new developer. | 0.990546 | 1 |
The county council wants to introduce dog control orders in Llanelli, Burry Port, Cefn Sidan, Ferryside, Llansteffan and Pendine.
If successful the scheme could be extended to children's play areas, sports pitches, bowling greens and skateboard parks.
Public consultation will be carried out before any decisions are made.
The new dog control orders are planned to replace existing by-laws in Llansteffan and Cefn Sidan.
Jim Jones, the council executive board member for environmental and public protection, said: "We know there is a lot of public support for these orders in specific areas.
"However, it is important we try to balance the interests of dog owners who need to exercise their dogs, with the need for people - particularly children - to have access to safe dog-free areas.
"We are looking at carrying out a phased, common sense approach and we will soon be consulting with residents to get their views."
Failure to comply with the dog control orders could result in a fixed penalty notice for £75 or court prosecution where the maximum fine is £1,000. | Dogs are facing a summer beach ban in Carmarthenshire. | 1.272305 | 1 |
Ponies, donkeys, pigs and cattle have roamed the national park for centuries but were hit by vehicles 138 times in 2014.
The map comes after reflective collars were fitted on ponies and a speed enforcement officer was employed.
Accident numbers have fallen from 182 in 2013 but the park authority does not want motorists to become complacent.
Out of the 138 accidents in 2014, more than a third took place on three roads in the Hampshire national park:
• B3078 from Cadnam to Godshill - 24 accidents
• B3054 from Hatchet Pond to Portmore - 16 accidents
• B3056 from Hatchet Pond to Lyndhurst - 13 accidents
The map also shows a cluster of accidents from Picket Post to Burley Street and by Bolton's Bench in Lyndhurst.
Forest organisations teamed up to set up traffic-calming measures, including a mobile speed camera that clocked 495 speed offences in March alone, on unfenced roads where animals can wander into the road.
Out of 9319 roaming animals in 2014, 68 were killed and 23 were injured. The rest of the 138 escaped uninjured.
Nigel Matthews, of the New Forest National Park Authority, said: "Local motorists should never assume that it won't happen to them.
"One day, that animal beside the road will step out at the last minute, so go slowly and give it a wide berth.
"Animals are on the road day and night, and unfortunately have no fear of cars." | A map has been published to show the worst roads for collisions involving wild animals in the New Forest. | 2.174566 | 2 |
Keep Wales Tidy gave an extra 22 sites the award - the national benchmark for publicly accessible parks - up from last year's total of 161.
The new additions include Aberfan Cemetery, Swansea University and The Kymin, in Penarth.
Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths said green spaces were "fundamental to the wellbeing and quality of life".
Winners of the Green Flag Community Award, for sites that rely on volunteers for their maintenance, include The Dye Garden, at the National Wool Museum in Carmarthen, Cae Bryn Coed in Llan Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, and Llanfyllin Wetland in Powys.
The Green Flag scheme, which is run by environmental charity, Keep Wales Tidy, with support from the Welsh Government, is judged by green space experts.
They assess sites using eight criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, environmental management and community involvement.
Ms Griffiths said: "I am delighted to see so many green spaces achieving the standards of the Green Flag Award.
"The award helps to ensure that communities have top quality green space to enjoy and experience the outdoors, which are fundamental to the wellbeing and quality of life of our communities in Wales."
Lucy Prisk, Green Flag coordinator, said it was about "connecting people with the very best parks and green spaces". | More than 180 parks and green spaces in Wales have now been given the Green Flag award. | 1.850948 | 2 |
Powers would include an all-Wales policing plan to be drawn up with the home secretary.
Mr Miliband said control over assembly elections - including the voting age - would also be handed to Cardiff Bay.
He also promised "fair funding" for Wales, accusing the Tories of cutting the Welsh budget by £1.5bn.
"Standing up for devolution, standing up for people to have the power to shape their lives and communities does not mean standing still," he told the conference on Saturday.
"It means extending the power the people of Wales have over their own lives," referring to what he called "the Welsh Parliament".
Praising the Labour Welsh government's policies on job creation and vocational training for young people, Mr Miliband said "we see already the difference that our values make here in Wales".
The Labour leader also launched an attack on tax avoidance for damaging the "fabric of society", pledging a "root and branch" review of how the UK's tax authorities treat rich people. | Wales will be offered more powers over policing, energy and ports if Labour wins the general election, Ed Miliband has told the party's Welsh conference. | 1.276073 | 1 |
The inquiry into the death of Freddie Gray, confirmed to the BBC, will determine whether any civil rights violations occurred.
Gray, 25, died in hospital on Sunday, a week after being arrested in Baltimore.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in the city on Tuesday evening to express their anger over the tragedy.
A national debate over the use of police force has been going on since last summer, when a black teenager was killed in Ferguson, Missouri.
It is not clear why police stopped Gray, but they said they found an illegal switchblade in his pocket.
In a video, Gray can be heard screaming repeatedly as police hold him down.
After his arrest, Gray was placed in a police van for transport to a police station.
At one point during the ride, which lasted about 30 minutes, the van stopped and Gray's legs were cuffed when an officer said he became "irate".
He was later rushed to a local hospital where he lapsed into a coma and died a week later.
A court document filed by one of the police officers involved in Gray's arrest said no excessive force was used in his arrest.
A lawyer for the Gray family said he does not believe the police had a reason to stop him.
Civil rights investigations by the US Justice Department are rare.
Recent examples include the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson and the inquiry into the choking death of Eric Garner in New York.
A separate investigation conducted by local authorities is trying to determine how Gray was injured and what happened in the van.
Six police officers have been suspended with pay while this investigation carried out.
What we know about Gray's death | The US Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the death of a black man who died from spinal injuries suffered while in police custody. | 1.927323 | 2 |
The popstar's likeness was painted in a famous graffiti-covered laneway alongside the name "Taylor Smith".
It appeared earlier this week amid the Bad Blood singer's escalating feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
The mock memorial now has a cartoon face scrawled over it and the words "In loving memory of Harambe", the gorilla shot dead by zookeepers in the US.
Swift's row with Kardashian - largely over whether she gave the latter's husband permission to reference her in a song - is seen by many as having hurt her career by damaging her "nice girl" image.
The artist of the original work, Lushsux, had originally posted a photo of the mural on Instagram with a caption: "The recent passing of @taylorswift is heart wrenching. Come and leave some flowers and light some candles at her memorial in Hosier Lane in honour of her memory."
The "Smith" was an intentional typo designed to ward off "the pending defamation lawsuit".
He later said "Taylor Smith's" lawyers had contacted him threatening legal action if the mural was not removed.
Then on Wednesday, it was defaced, though it was not clear who did it.
Lushsux does not have plans to restore the artwork to its former glory.
"Hosier Lane is notorious for this kind of thing," he told the Herald Sun newspaper. "Got to just laugh about that I guess."
Earlier this year, Lushsux attracted headlines for installing an enormous nude portrait of Kim Kardashian that was then partially painted over by council workers.
"The workers who did it got a laugh out of it by painting a bra on the work or the shape of panties," he told the BBC. "I think it just added to it in a fun way. Bless them."
Taylor Swift is currently on holiday in Australia with British actor Tom Hiddleston. The couple have been branded Hiddleswift by fans.
Lushsux said that he was not trying to make a statement about Swift or her music but just having fun.
"I thought that song Born This Way was by her," he said. "Turns out I was wrong, so maybe that's an indication on how deep my knowledge of her life and music is." | A mural in Melbourne apparently proclaiming "the death" of Taylor Swift has been painted over. | 1.081699 | 1 |
French rail operators say modernisation work on the French Riviera network is desperately necessary.
But in an open letter, the luxury brand said it would be a disaster for its "artisanal activities" in Grasse.
The company says it takes about 1,000 jasmine flowers to make a 30ml bottle of its famous No 5 perfume.
The iconic perfume was created by Coco Chanel when she met local perfumer Ernest Beaux in Grasse during a summer holiday on the Cote d'Azur in 1920.
Part of Chanel's perfume production has been located in the region for decades and the town near the Cote d'Azure is often considered the world capital of perfume.
But French state-owned railway company SNCF has said its whole network in the region is in dire need of investment and wants to route a TGV line through the area.
According to the rail operator, the route from Marseilles to Nice is the most congested in the country outside of Paris.
The 6.7bn euro ($7bn; £5.5bn) investment is expected to cut an entire hour off the trip between the two towns.
But Chanel said "the construction of a viaduct and the regular passage of high-speed trains over these fields of flowers" would force the company "to cease supporting its artisanal activities in the region".
The firm describes the quality of the flowers in the region as "unique and exceptional" and "indispensable for the creation of Chanel perfumes." | Chanel has said it will leave a historic perfume site in France if plans for a high-speed train line affecting its jasmine fields go ahead. | 1.697693 | 2 |
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it has received a complaint over Mr Crompton's conduct at the hearings.
Inquests concluded 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed and found police failures contributed to the deaths.
Mr Crompton was suspended after the inquests over "an erosion of trust".
The complaint, from a legal representative of a number of Hillsborough families, was forwarded to the office of South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings for a recording decision before being referred to the IPCC.
The IPCC said it is now "conducting an assessment of all available information to decide how the matter should be progressed".
Mr Crompton was due to retire in November after leading South Yorkshire Police for four years.
He was suspended following the conclusion of the inquests in April, with Dr Billings saying he had "no choice" but to act following an "erosion of trust". | A police watchdog is examining the actions of South Yorkshire Chief Constable David Crompton and his force during the Hillsborough inquests. | 1.410977 | 1 |
Cleveland Pools in Bath, claimed to be Britain's only surviving Georgian lido, has been redundant since 1984.
A community trust is now working to bring the crescent-shaped lido back into public use and wants to raise a total of £3m to make that a reality.
Former Olympian Sharron Davies has given her backing to a fundraising appeal which was launched earlier.
The restoration plans include a heated pool, children's pool, cafe and access by boat via the River Avon which runs alongside the lido.
They have been drawn up by the Cleveland Pools Trust (CPT) which is working in partnership with the Prince's Regeneration Trust (PRT), English Heritage and Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The CPT will need to raise at least 10% of the £3m to show potential funders, such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, that it is serious about the project.
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of the PRT, said: "If you love the idea of having this reopened and having it for families, tourism and sport, you need to actively support it.
"This is the opportunity for people to step forward and say 'yes I will buy into that', because they [the CPT] won't get there without it."
An English Heritage conservation newsletter from last year described the pools as "a Georgian gem" but said they had "suffered a great deal from decay and neglect". | A campaign to restore a 200-year-old lido in Bath to its former glory has stepped up a gear. | 1.879962 | 2 |
Hogg, 24, has scored 11 tries in 45 Tests for his country and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2013.
Retaining this year's Six Nations Player of the Tournament is a coup for Scottish Rugby given the financial clout of French and English clubs.
"Glasgow Warriors is such a big part of my life - I love this club," Hogg said.
"I've played for the Warriors for five years and it was an easy decision to sign for another two seasons.
"My wife enjoys living in Glasgow and with a young boy and another baby on the way there is nowhere else I'd rather be.
"There is still a lot of rugby to be played this season and then next season I'm looking forward to working with [new Warriors head coach] Dave Rennie when he takes over.
"It means a lot to me that the club and Scottish Rugby want me to stay and I'm very happy that I'm going to be continuing my career in Scotland."
Hogg has helped Glasgow reach the Pro12 play-offs for each of the last five seasons since his debut in 2011, including lifting the title in 2015.
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The youngest member of the Lions squad in Australia in 2013, he is a strong contender for a place on next year's tour to New Zealand.
"Stuart works extremely hard in training every day to improve himself and he gets real joy from playing the game," said Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend, who will succeed Vern Cotter in the Scotland job next summer.
"He is entering the best years of his career, as he is in great physical shape and he has become one of our most experienced players.
"The fact he wants to continue to play his rugby in Scotland is a massive boost for the development of the club and it's exciting for our supporters.
"I firmly believe that we can compete with the best teams in Europe and having Stuart on board for another two seasons will certainly help."
Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson hailed retaining Hogg as "a really important signing for Glasgow Warriors and Scottish Rugby".
"It is our intention to keep as many of our best players in Scotland as we can and despite the sharply increased costs of professional rugby we are delighted to have secured Stuart for the next two seasons," he said. | Glasgow and Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg has signed a new two-year deal with the Warriors which will keep him in Scotland until at least May 2019. | 0.868052 | 1 |
Bikes account for 17% of all theft claims dealt with by Direct Line.
These are followed by mobile phones (11%), which was the biggest riser in the top 10, power tools (10%) and laptops (10%).
Televisions account for just 3% of claims, 10th on the list, as their increasing size have made them more difficult to steal, the insurer said.
"With the nights drawing in, it is perhaps unsurprising that thefts increase, as there are more opportunities for burglars to strike without being seen," said Kate Lomas, head of Direct Line home insurance.
"Items such as bicycles, gardening tools and golf equipment are amongst the most sought-after items, so if items must be stowed away outside the home, homeowners should make sure they are safe and secure."
Aviva, one of the UK's largest insurers, recently said that customers taking out additional cycle insurance rose by 75% from 2009 to 2015.
The sharpest rise was seen in 2012, when cycling was prominent in the London 2012 Olympics.
1. Bicycles
2. Mobile phones
3. Power tools
4. Laptops
5. Tablet computers
6. Cameras
7. Golf equipment
8. Gardening tools
9. Audio equipment
10. TVs
Source: Direct Line
A total of £77m is paid out in insurance claims overall every day in the UK, according to industry data.
The highest proportion is the £27m paid out to motorists to repair vehicles and cover injury claims, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) figures show.
This is followed by £13m in property claims, of which £8.2m was paid to homeowners, and £4.7m to business owners, it said.
Huw Evans, ABI director general, said the UK insurance market was the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world.
"There is some work to be done to build confidence in products, tackle underinsurance and help more people understand the value of protecting themselves," he said. | More insurance claims are made for stolen bicycles than any other item taken by burglars, an insurer has said. | 1.53985 | 2 |
The woman was attacked by a man at St Denys station in Southampton just after 00:00 BST.
Hampshire Constabulary said her attacker fled the scene in a vehicle and have appealed for witnesses.
The arrested 18-year-old is being held on suspicion of rape and attempted murder and remains in custody. | A man has been arrested over the "violent assault" and rape of a woman in a railway station car park, police have said. | 0.364047 | 0 |
Police said the crash happened at 01:45 GMT at Hatfield Peverel, near Chelmsford.
Paramedics were called but the male victim, aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 47-year-old man from Surrey is being questioned on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
Essex Police said it received calls about a man walking in the road and shortly afterwards another call came in saying he had been struck.
The force has appealed for witnesses. | A man has been arrested after a pedestrian was hit by a car and killed while walking on the A12 in Essex. | 0.779968 | 1 |
The film, starring Carey Mulligan, Helen Bonham Carter and Meryl Streep, tells the story of the British women who demanded the right to vote at the turn of the 20th Century.
The film premiere will be simultaneously screened at cinemas across the UK on 7 October.
Suffragette was written by Abi Morgan and has been directed by Sarah Gavron.
Told through the eyes of the character of Maud, played by Carey Mulligan, the film tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement as they fought for the right to vote.
BFI London Film Festival Director Clare Stewart called it "an urgent and compelling film - made by British women, about British women who changed the course of history and it is, quite simply, a film that everyone must see",
Suffragette producers Faye Ward and Alison Owen added: "The Suffragettes would have felt very much at home here, surrounded by the energy, determination, hard work and inspiration that goes into both the Festival and the films that screen here."
The full programme for the festival will be announced on 1 September. | This year's London Film Festival will open with the period drama Suffragette, it has been announced. | 1.859147 | 2 |
Both Matthews, 24, and fellow lock Twomey, 23, came through the south-west London club's youth academy.
Matthews has made 102 appearances for Quins since his debut in 2009, while Twomey has played 37 times after first featuring in 2011.
"The club is fortunate to have two players of Charlie and Sam's ability," director of rugby Conor O'Shea said.
"I am sure they will learn and thrive from the presence of (Australia lock) James Horwill and these two young men will be the cornerstone of this club for years to come."
Harlequins have not disclosed the length of the pair's new deals at the Twickenham Stoop. | Harlequins forwards Charlie Matthews and Sam Twomey have signed new contracts with the Premiership club. | 0.801481 | 1 |
Lara McGlade, 15, was attacked while she was waiting for a train at Dunmurry station at 22:00 BST on Saturday.
Police said the brick was thrown from the far side of the platform and have appealed for witnesses.
The teenager's eye socket has been fractured and she is waiting to find out if she needs surgery.
It is understood that she has a suspected detached retina.
Lara's grandmother, Betty McAvoy, told BBC News NI the family may have to cancel a holiday booked for later this month.
"She is in a lot of pain and worried sick about the possibility of the surgery," she said.
"Her and her mum have an appointment with a specialist to find out if there is further damage."
Detective Inspector Richard Thornton said: "This was a completely unprovoked attack on an innocent teenager and we are appealing for witnesses.
"We are especially keen to speak to anyone who may have seen a large group of male teenagers in the vicinity of the railway halt on Saturday night." | The family of a teenage girl who was hit in the face by a brick in west Belfast have said they may have to cancel their holiday. | 1.374628 | 1 |
Daria Gavrilova had earlier defeated Elina Svitolina 6-4 7-6 (8-6) in the women's rubber of the mixed event.
Svitolina had six set points at 6-1 in the second-set tie-break but lost the last seven points of the match.
Kyrgios, ranked 30th in the world, beat Britain's world number two Andy Murray in the group stage on Wednesday.
The tournament hosts, who had two squads competing in the eight-team event, last won the competition in 1999. | Nick Kyrgios secured the Hopman Cup for Australia Green by beating Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 6-4 to give his team a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in Perth. | 0.535967 | 1 |
27 May 2016 Last updated at 09:26 BST
The wrestler sued Gawker after it published a private video of the star on its website.
David Folkenflik, a media correspondent for US National Public Radio, told the BBC's Today programme how a long-standing animosity might have motivated Mr Thiel.
The lawsuit, he said, appeared designed to take the company down. "This is an existential threat for Gawker," he told Sarah Montague. | The billionaire co-founder of Paypal Peter Thiel has admitted that he funded the wrestler Hulk Hogan's successful lawsuit against the online news site Gawker. | 0.848798 | 1 |
1 April 2016 Last updated at 13:11 BST
The group said it was because Jesy was unwell and unable to sing.
Radio 1 Newsbeat music reporter Sinead Garvan tells Newsround there are no rumours of fallouts among the band members.
She also says Little Mix's tough tour schedule may have had an impact. | Little Mix fans in Belfast have been left disappointed after the band cancelled two gigs there at the last minute. | 0.402942 | 0 |
On Wednesday, the Department of Work and Pensions announced the closures as part of a review of its estate.
Scottish government Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn has written to the department to ask for clarity.
The DWP said there would be public consultation on closures resulting in travel of more than three miles.
Denise Horsfall, DWP work services director for Scotland, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that three of the proposed closures would result in travel increasing to up to four miles.
She said these job centres - in Maryhill, Castlemilk and Bridgton - could remain open depending on the outcome of the consultation.
Jobcentre Plus offices in Govan, Drumchapel and Laurieston will be unaffected.
Mr Hepburn said there should have been discussion with the Scottish Government, particularly as it had been working closely with the DWP to transfer new employability support powers.
"My first concern is to understand how DWP have assessed the impact of these proposed changes on their customers at a time when they are increasing the level of Jobcentre Plus-based support in favour of reducing funding for devolved employment provision," he said.
"The UK Government must also explain its plans for other Jobcentre Plus networks and whether we should expect further planned closures."
A final decision on the plans is expected to be made within six months, with a view to completion by 31 March 2018. | The Scottish government has said it was "completely unacceptable" that it was not consulted on plans to close half of Glasgow's job centres. | 0.970561 | 1 |
Shaun Murphy, 38, died in hospital after was he was found injured in Greenbrow Road, Wythenshawe, on 17 June.
Lee Junior Walker, 33, of Patchcroft Road, Wythenshawe, is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court on Saturday.
A man, 23, previously held on suspicion of murder was released without charge. | A man has been charged with murder following the death of a father in Manchester. | 0.18655 | 0 |
Queen's University wanted to create 102 student rooms at Lennoxvale through a mixture of new building and renovation.
Residents in the adjacent Sans Souci Park had campaigned against the plan.
The planning report said it would harm the character of Malone Conservation Area through inappropriate scale, massing and layout.
A second ground for refusal was that the development failed to respect the landscape features of the site and would harm protected trees.
A spokesperson for Queen's University said the development would have represented an investment of £7m and would mainly have been aimed at international students.
The planners said that while the proposal was "noteworthy" in terms of capital investment, it was not considered that outweighed the damage that would be caused if it was permitted.
The application is due to be decided by Belfast City Council planning committee next week. | Planners have recommended that a controversial student housing plan for the Malone Road area of south Belfast should not go ahead. | 1.198254 | 1 |
Professor Angus Wallace developed the brace position after researching injuries in 1989's Kegworth air crash.
He hit the headlines when he treated a woman on a flight with a coat hanger and when he operated on Rooney in 2006.
At his retirement party in Nottingham, the Scot said he had learned to live with the English.
Mr Wallace was working at Queen's Medical Centre the night a plane crashed on the M1 near the Leicestershire village of Kegworth in 1989.
His research on the injuries sustained by the passengers, 47 of whom died, lead to the adoption of his brace position for passengers in the UK.
"We did five years of research to establish the best position and in 1995 the Civil Aviation Authority issued instructions to airlines to use the brace position as the standard in the UK," he said.
He said it was "probably responsible for some lives being saved - even now".
He hit international headlines when he saved a woman's life on a Hong Kong-London flight in 1995 using a coat hanger to treat a collapsed lung and five-star brandy to sterilise his improvised equipment.
He was congratulated for the mid-air operation by the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but was told by his wife when he returned home that "the garden needs digging".
And in 2006, he brought hope to millions of English football fans when he declared Rooney fit to play in the World Cup after he broke his foot.
Mr Wallace, who moved from Dundee to Nottingham in 1973, said he now had many English friends.
"The English are ok, I've learned to live with them. In fact they have become very good friends," he joked. | A surgeon who developed the UK's brace position, passed Wayne Rooney fit to play in a World Cup and saved a woman's life with a coat hanger is retiring. | 2.117157 | 2 |
Prosecutors said surgeon Ian Paterson is accused of carrying out the "quite unnecessary" measure on Rosemary Platt.
Nottingham Crown Court has previously heard Dr Platt was "anxious" about her health and under the impression she already had cancer.
Mr Paterson, 59, denies 20 counts of wounding with intent against nine women and one man relating to procedures he carried out between 1997 and 2011.
Read more news for Birmingham and the Black Country
The breast surgeon, of Castle Mill Lane, Ashley, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, was employed by Heart of England NHS Trust and also practised at Spire Healthcare.
He said the mastectomy on Dr Platt "was carried out to prevent cancer, not to treat it".
Mr Paterson said he knew from a psychiatrist's report, that the GP had "a cancer phobia" and the "way to protect herself" was "she would do everything she could to maximise her protection".
The breast surgeon said he would be prepared to "over-treat" her as if her problems were "at the black end of the spectrum" owing to her fears.
"If I had been desperate to play on this lady's anxiety, I'm sure I could have persuaded her to have another operation but I did not," he said.
Dr Platt previously told the jury she "left her GP hat at the door" and trusted the advice given to her by the consultant to go under the knife after discovering the growths in her right breast.
Four months later, she had another operation on her left breast which the prosecution claim was unlawful.
The trial continues. | A female GP who underwent a mastectomy was "cancer-phobic", a court has heard. | 1.271418 | 1 |
Borthwick-Jackson, 19, started his career as a trainee at United and has made 14 senior appearances.
Netherlands international John, 24, has been with the Portuguese side since leaving Dutch club FC Twente in 2012 and was on loan at Reading last season.
He previously played for German Bundesliga side Hamburg in 2014.
Former England Under-19 international Borthwick-Jackson made his Premier League debut last season.
"My aim is to play as many games as I can, gain experience and go back and challenge for a place in the team because Jose Mourinho has told me I've got a future there," Borthwick-Jackson told BBC WM.
"I had interest from Premier League clubs and other Championship clubs but I wanted to come here and help the club get back to where they belong, which is the Premier League."
Both players could make their Wolves debuts in Tuesday's EFL Cup second-round tie against Cambridge United.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Benfica forward Ola John on season-long loan deals. | 1.027932 | 1 |
The much-loved comedy drama ended in 2003 after five series.
The new eight-part series will reunite stars James Nesbitt, Robert Bathurst, Hermione Norris, John Thomson, Fay Ripley and creator Mike Bullen.
The transmission date has not yet been announced.
Starting in 1997, the show followed the ups and downs of three 30-something couples.
It won numerous awards and made household names of the cast.
More than 10 million people tuned into the final episode, which featured the funeral of one of the central characters, Rachel, played by Helen Baxendale.
The new series will rejoin characters Pete and Jenny, David and Karen and widower Adam.
Creator and writer Mike Bullen, said it felt like "the right time to revisit these characters, as they tip-toe through the minefield of middle age".
"They're 50, but still feel 30, apart from on the morning after the night before, when they really feel their age.
"They've still got lots of life to look forward to, though they're not necessarily the years one looks forward to."
ITV has also announced the commissioning of two other series.
The Good Karma Hospital, set in Goa in India, will follow the lives of a team of British and Indian medics and is described as "a feel-good drama".
Filming on the six hour-long episodes will begin next year and casting has yet to be announced.
Also commissioned is Him, by award-winning screenwriter Paula Milne.
The three-part drama is described as a "domestic horror" about a teenage boy, caught between his parents' two new families, who discovers he has supernatural powers.
Described as "bold, surprising and emotional", filming will start in January in suburban London. | After months of speculation ITV has confirmed that Cold Feet will return, with filming due to start in Manchester in February. | 0.879785 | 1 |
Abidal, 34, who now plays for Monaco, was diagnosed with a liver tumour and underwent an operation in March 2011.
He had a transplant in April 2012 with part of an organ donated by his cousin.
The story with Dani goes beyond the jersey. He knows it. Me too. We are friends and we talk about everything. He wanted to support me
"When I had to undergo surgery, Dani wanted to donate his liver," said Abidal in an interview with Spanish radio station Catalunya.
"Logically, he couldn't because he is a professional footballer."
Abidal made a playing comeback in April 2013 after his liver transplant, but was released by Spanish champions Barcelona in the summer.
Brazil right-back Alves, who was Abidal's team-mate at the Nou Camp for five seasons, decided to wear the France international's old number 22 shirt following his return to Monaco.
Abidal added: "The story with Dani goes beyond the jersey. He knows it. Me too. We are friends and we talk about everything. He wanted to support me.
"And besides, he's a very good person. He was my neighbour and his ex-wife and my wife are friends."
Abidal also tweeted: "Thanks brother" alongside a picture of himself and Alves playing for Barcelona. | Ex-Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has revealed former team-mate Dani Alves offered him part of his liver when the Frenchman needed a transplant. | 0.930958 | 1 |
The companies had sought to overturn city council regulations which meant drivers had to pass fingerprint-based background checks before they could operate.
However, when put to a public vote, the regulations, introduced in December 2015, were upheld.
Both firms expressed regret.
The rules were part of a package of regulations which put Lyft and Uber in line with traditional taxi operators.
According to US broadcaster NPR, Uber spent a reported $8m (£5.5m) on a campaign proposing self-regulation instead - known as Proposition One.
However 55% of the 87,212 votes received were against it.
"Disappointment does not begin to describe how we feel about shutting down operations in Austin," said Chris Nakutis, General Manager of Uber Austin.
"We hope the city council will reconsider their ordinance so we can work together to make the streets of Austin a safer place for everyone."
At the time of writing, Uber is still displaying fare estimates for rides in the city.
Lyft said the rules "don't allow true ride-sharing to operate".
The company added: "Instead, they make it harder for part-time drivers, the heart of Lyft's peer-to-peer model, to get on the road and harder for passengers to get a ride."
"Ultimately our goal is to not keep any particular company here or not here," said Austin Mayor Steve Adler during initial discussions about the new regulations, reported the Texas Tribune.
However, many people took to social media to point out that it was the firms' decision to leave.
"Not happy that Prop 1 in Austin failed, but less happy that Uber & Lyft put so many drivers out of work with less than 48 hours notice," tweeted Burnie Burns, founder of comedy and gaming community Rooster Teeth.
Ben Wear, transport reporter at the American-Statesman, agreed.
"Prop 1's defeat wouldn't mandate that Uber or Lyft stop operating in Austin. That is entirely up to the companies," he tweeted. | Ride-sharing firms Uber and Lyft have stopped operating in Austin, Texas after proposals to let them self-regulate their drivers were rejected. | 1.843267 | 2 |
Harvey, 21, scored five goals in 50 league appearances for the Pilgrims but rejected the offer a new contract.
Manager Gary Mills is also considering signing ex-Burton Albion striker Shaun Harrad, who has been training with the Dragons.
Harrad is a free agent after finishing the 2015-16 season at Torquay, who are keen to re-sign the 31-year-old.
"He's experienced, knows the leagues and has scored an abundance of goals in his career," Mills told BBC Wales Sport.
"I managed him at Notts County when he was a younger player so he could well be part of us as well."
Full-back Jordan Evans has also been on trial with the National League side following his release from Championship club Fulham.
Evans is a product of Wrexham's academy and Mills said the 20-year-old could sign for the club ahead of their opening league game against Dover Athletic on 6 August. | Wrexham have signed Plymouth Argyle forward Tyler Harvey on a one-year deal. | 0.860059 | 1 |
The Tories took 31 seats, followed by Labour with 14, the Lib Dems with 13, independents four and Henley Residents Group one.
All 63 seats were up for re-election.
The most high-profile loss was Conservative and deputy leader Rodney Rose, whose Charlbury and Wychwood seat went to Lib Dem Liz Leffman.
Ms Leffman is the Lib Dem's candidate in the General Election for Witney, which she also fought in 2005 and 2015.
Election 2017: Full results from across England
Another notable defeat was the Conservatives losing Henley to the Henley Residents Group.
Turnout was 33%, up from 30% in 2013.
Conservative council leader Ian Hudspeth held onto his Woodstock seat but said he was "disappointed" his party had not gained overall control.
He said: "There will be lots of conversations to be had with everybody over the weekend, to see how we can provide a strong and stable administration for Oxfordshire."
Labour group leader Liz Brighouse said her party's losses in Banbury showed "how tenuous sometimes your hold on seats is".
But she added that local issues had probably played a larger role in how people voted than the party's national position.
In the Barton and Sandhills Oxford City Council by-election Labour's Mark Ladbrooke was elected following the death of councillor Van Coulter.
A total of 4,851 council seats were up for grabs in 88 councils in Scotland and Wales and England - five weeks before the general election. | The Conservatives have missed securing a majority on Oxfordshire County Council by one seat in the 2017 local election. | 1.408576 | 1 |
A case has been lodged against members of the Anti-Smuggling Task Force.
Police say the shooting happened when they were attacked by loggers near the holy town of Tirupati.
But they are accused of using excessive force against the suspects, who were from neighbouring Tamil Nadu state.
It is not clear how many police officers are being charged with carrying out the attack.
The city of Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu was shut down by protests over the killings on Wednesday.
Two witnesses to the killings have told India's National Human Rights Commission that the men were pulled off a bus and shot while in custody.
Police however insist that they were forced to open fire after they were attacked by men "with axes and other sharp-edged weapons", who were cutting down trees in the remote forests near Tirupati on 7 April.
The Andhra Pradesh government informed the state's high court on Wednesday that a First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against the police task force. Initial charges drawn up against suspects are usually done through the issue of FIRs in India.
Sandalwood smuggling is rampant throughout the south of the country, with a ton selling for tens of thousands of dollars on the international black market.
Red sandalwood, or red sanders, is a species of tree endemic to the Western Ghats of India.
The tree is prized for its rich red wood, mainly for making furniture, and is not to be confused with the highly aromatic sandalwood trees that are native to southern India.
Correspondents say the loggers are often tribes people or other poor migrant workers from Tamil Nadu.
India banned the sale of red sandalwood in 2000.
In 2004, police in Tamil Nadu shot dead one of India's most notorious sandalwood smugglers, known as Veerappan. | Preliminary murder and kidnapping charges have been filed against police in India's Andhra Pradesh state after the killing of at least 20 suspected red sandalwood smugglers last week. | 1.675452 | 2 |
The 38-year-old former Barcelona and Netherlands striker was named boss of the Caribbean island, where his mother is from, earlier this year.
They drew 1-1 with Cuba following a goalless first leg to progress on away goals in the North, Central America and Caribbean region.
Kluivert led his side past Montserrat in the first qualifying round.
Jamaica and Canada are potential third-round opponents for Curacao, who are ranked 144th in the world.
After that two-legged round, teams have to negotiate two group stages to qualify for Russia 2018.
In the other second qualifying round matches, St Vincent and Grenadines drew 4-4 with Guyana to progress on away goals after a 6-6 aggregate scoreline.
Antigua and Barbuda overturned a 3-1 deficit against St Lucia to progress 5-4 on aggregate.
Barbados added to their 2-0 first leg victory over Aruba by beating them 1-0 in the return tie to make it through.
Belize also eased into the next round with a 3-0 win over Dominican Republic, giving them a 5-1 aggregate score. | Patrick Kluivert has led Curacao through the second round of Concacaf qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. | 1.082376 | 1 |
Schools and colleges in the city and neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu were ordered shut on 12 November.
At least 280 people died in the floods, which brought normal life to a standstill and closed Chennai's international airport for six days.
The rains, the heaviest in 100 years, were blamed on climate change.
With the rains stopping last week and water levels receding, the city has been limping back to normal. A major clean-up operation is under way.
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"Normal life was restored in a week but we decided to open schools and colleges only today because we wanted all the institutions to be cleaned and washed before the students came in," Vikram Kapur, chief of the city's municipality told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi.
School examinations were postponed because of the floods, and even the city's university, one of the oldest in the country, had to put off semester examinations. | Schools have reopened in the southern Indian city of Chennai (Madras) after a month of heavy rains and deadly floods. | 2.439686 | 2 |
The ban covers all outlets including restaurants and hotels.
The poisonings have been blamed on bootleg vodka and rum tainted with the industrial chemical methanol and sold cheaply at markets and outdoor kiosks.
Czech police have arrested 10 people and seized 5,000 litres of spirits, as well as counterfeit labels.
Health Minister Leos Heger said the unprecedented ban was effective immediately and applied nationwide.
"Operators of food and beverage businesses... are banned from offering for sale (and) selling... liquor containing alcohol of 20% and more," he announced on national television.
The deaths - which began to emerge earlier this month - have been described as the Czech Republic's worst case of fatal alcohol poisoning in 30 years.
The BBC's Rob Cameron in Prague says that with the number of reported deaths slowing, attention is focusing on saving those who survived drinking the tainted alcohol and finding those who bottled it in the first place.
Detectives have suggested they are dealing with well-organised bootleggers, although the people at the very top of the organisation have so far eluded capture.
Meanwhile, about 30 people are being treated in hospital for methanol poisoning.
Some of those taken to hospital have gone blind and others have been put into artificial comas by doctors.
Norway has donated an antidote called fomepizole and several cases of the solution were taken to Prague by Dr Knut Erik Hovda, a toxins expert from the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Centre in Oslo.
He told the BBC that if victims are admitted early enough to hospital their chances of survival are good. | The Czech government has banned the sale of all spirits containing more than 20% alcohol following a spate of poisoning that has left 19 people dead. | 2.040238 | 2 |
The arrests were part of a joint operation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Dutch Customs (FIOD) officers on Thursday.
The men are aged 36 and 42. A Dutch national was also arrested in the operation.
They remain in custody.
HMRC officers, supported by the PSNI, searched three residential properties and a commercial premises in County Armagh as part of the operation.
A property in County Tyrone was also searched.
Officers seized 30kgs of tobacco, 50,000 cigarettes, believed to be illicit, and 30,000 euros (£25,100) in the County Armagh raids. Two vans and computers were also seized.
Steve Tracey, from HMRC, said: "Money laundering facilitates organised crime, and it's something HMRC takes very seriously.
"We use a wide range of tough sanctions and will not hesitate to investigate where money laundering is suspected." | Two men from County Armagh have been arrested in the Netherlands as part of an international investigation into suspected money laundering and tobacco smuggling. | 0.879889 | 1 |
Newbury MP Richard Benyon posted a picture of protesters blocking Westminster Bridge earlier.
He said the group was causing disruption by "sitting down" on the bridge next to Parliament.
Some of the protesters were wheelchair users. Two people were arrested for obstructing a public highway.
Linda Burnip, founder of the group Disabled People Against Cuts which was behind the protest, said: "I think he needs to ask himself why we need to protest and block roads rather than be rude to us."
Mr Benyon's tweet, which has since been deleted, sparked responses from a number of social media users.
One user, Caroline Taleb wrote: ".@RichardBenyonMP imagine the disruption in yr life if u are disabled and have to lie in your own urine all nite because of social care cuts"
While Samuellification tweeted: "Maybe that's 'cause some bunch of charmers destroyed millions of Brits' lives with huge, degrading cuts."
Mr Benyon has been approached for comment by the BBC. | An MP's tweet claiming a disability protest was "disrupting millions of Londoners" has caused a backlash online. | 1.182469 | 1 |
Padraig McShane, 45, of Beechwood Avenue, Ballycastle, was arrested on 12 July last year.
Mr McShane, a member of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, was also found guilty of resisting police, disorderly behaviour and taking part in an un-notified parade.
He will sentenced on 14 June.
The main confrontation took place in Ballycastle's Diamond area, where McShane traded insults with members of Dervock Young Defenders band.
When police intervened, McShane assaulted an officer, pushing him to the ground.
He then kicked out as police arrested him.
Two other protesters were fined £200, while a band supporter was fined £150 for making an offensive gesture. | An independent councillor who was arrested during an Orange Order parade in Ballycastle, County Antrim has been found guilty of an assault on police. | 0.907907 | 1 |
An inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has again identified numerous failings in patient care.
The CQC carried out an inspection in June 2016 and again in March 2017 after it received an increased number of complaints from patients.
In 2014, CQC inspectors also found the trust "requires improvement". The trust said it had improved since March.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust serves a population of half a million people across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Bexley and Greenwich.
Following the latest inspection of Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich in March, the CQC again said the trust required improvement.
"We have noted that the pace of, and extent of change since our inspection of 2014 has been slower than anticipated," the report stated.
In the most recent report, inspectors raised concerns over:
CQC's chief inspector of hospitals, Professor Ted Baker, said: "The trust has not made sufficient progress since our last comprehensive inspection.
"There remain areas of unresolved risks and areas for significant improvement."
Dr Elizabeth Aitken, medical director for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, apologised to individual patients and their families for failures.
But she added the trust had launched "a major safety and quality improvement plan immediately after the CQC inspection in March" and "had made significant improvements for patients".
"The CQC report also acknowledged several areas of good and outstanding practice and highlights many areas where Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust has improved since the last Trust-wide inspection in 2014.
"We are extremely proud of our staff who work so hard, often under significant pressures," she said.
The CQC report also showed 17% of jobs available at the trust - a total of 1,159 roles, including 346 nursing and midwifery roles - were vacant.
The average vacancy rate in south London hospital trusts was 15% at the end of 2015, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
In north, central and east London, 18% of jobs available at NHS trusts were vacant in May. | Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust has been told it needs to improve patient care for the third time in three years. | 1.198493 | 1 |
Police said the attackers - three white men and one Asian man - were racially motivated. The victims were black.
Protesters have been gathered since 25-year-old Jamar Clark was shot during a struggle with police on 15 November.
People who claimed to witness the incident said that Clark was handcuffed, though police dispute this.
Around two dozen tents and canopy shelters have been erected around the 4th Precinct police station. Demonstrators have also barricaded the roads with wood and pallets and lit campfires.
According to criminal complaints, the four men went to the camp on 23 November. After a group of protesters attempted to escort them away, eight shots were heard.
The city's mayor, Betsy Hodges, said the camp has become unsafe and has asked people to disband their week-long protest.
These request have been rejected by protesters, who have vowed to continue camping out despite cold weather and attacks. One of the shooting victims, Wesley Martin, said they refuse to leave.
"They can have the street. We can take the sidewalk," said Martin. "To be honest, we're not going nowhere." | Four men have been charged in a shooting at outside a Minneapolis police station that left five protesters wounded. | 1.568978 | 2 |
Suzanne Goodall, from Beddau, Pontypridd, launched the hospice in Sully, near Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, in 1999, after 11 years of fund raising.
She was awarded an MBE in 2004 and officially retired in 2011, although remained in contact with the charity.
A spokesperson for Ty Hafan said Ms Goodall was a "true inspiration to staff and families".
"Her dedication and commitment meant that hundreds of families across Wales have been given a light in the dark while facing the realities of caring for a child with a life-limiting condition."
Ty Hafan provides specialist one-to-one care and outreach services to life-limited children and their families.
Ms Goodall came up with the idea for the charity after hearing about a friend's experiences volunteering in a children's hospice in Yorkshire and discovering that there were no such facilities in Wales.
The spokesperson added: "Suzanne's endless motivation to continue providing the best possible care and support to these families never wavered and she has remained a much-loved and highly respected figure throughout the charity.
"We are all deeply saddened by today's news and will greatly miss Suzanne's warmth and determination.
"Every one of us at the charity will honour her legacy by continuing to do all we can to support families who need us." | The founder of Wales' first children's hospice, Ty Hafan, has died, aged 95. | 0.972107 | 1 |
The voluntary ban at Little Haven, which also applies to e-cigarettes, came into effect on Wednesday to coincide with National No Smoking Day.
Pembrokeshire council said it took public health very seriously.
But smokers' lobby group Forest accused the council of imposing a policy to "denormalise a legitimate habit".
Thirty-five pupils from Broad Haven Primary School launched the 12-month trial, to highlight children taking up smoking in Wales.
Criticising the scheme, Simon Clark said: "There is no evidence that the sight of a complete stranger smoking encourages children to start smoking.
"The ban on the use of e-cigarettes demonstrates that this is not about health, it's about control."
Huw George, environment cabinet member, said: "We know children are at particular risk from second-hand smoke and that they are more likely to start smoking themselves if they see adults doing it in a family-friendly environment.
"It is vital to denormalise smoking to reduce the rates of young people taking it up and also to reduce their exposure to smoke and e-cigarette vapour in areas where they gather." | A Pembrokeshire beach has become the first in the UK to be declared smoke-free. | 2.38651 | 2 |
Spokesperson Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said Brown should talk to Maori youth about his reform since his conviction.
Brown is barred from visiting New Zealand because of his 2009 conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna.
His visa application to perform in Australia is also expected to be denied.
New Zealand National MP Judith Collins has spoken out against him, saying he is not welcome in New Zealand.
"We've got enough wife-beaters in this country," she said.
Brown would need to apply for a special visa to perform his planned concerts in New Zealand in December.
Ms Raukawa-Tait said in a press release on Thursday: "No-one supports Chris Brown's past domestic violence history but it's about going forward and sadly we still have major problems with Maori in this area."
"We believe having done the crime and done the time he should be able to enter the country," she was quoted as saying by the Stuff.co.nz news portal.
Another woman in the group, Dame Tariana Turia, former co-leader of the Maori Party, said she would support Brown's visa application as young people in the community were more likely to listen to him than their elders, Stuff said.
The issue of race was also mentioned during the press conference in Auckland - something other commentators have also written about.
The women asked why white musicians with similar violent histories were permitted to perform in New Zealand, citing Eminem and Ozzy Osbourne, according to Stuff.
Brown later posted on Twitter: "Nothing more amazing than strong women. Thank you to Dame Tariana Turia and everyone who showed their support in NZ."
Britain and Canada have previously refused to give Chris Brown visas. | Maori women leaders have said they support a bid by US singer Chris Brown to perform in New Zealand. | 1.351348 | 1 |
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