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Mohammed Kozbar said the mosque had experienced "a rise of hate letters, threatening letters... and something needs to be done about it".
It comes four weeks after worshipers were attacked as they left Finsbury Park Mosque.
The Metropolitan Police's own figures show a 13% rise in Islamaphobic crimes in the past year.
Mr Kozbar told BBC London the past month had been the "most difficult and challenging month since we came here 12 years ago".
He added: "After the all terror attacks... we've seen a rise of hate letters, threatening letters. They are very nasty letters and we reported them to the police.
"It is worrying for us and for the community and something needs to be done about it.
Mr Kozbar said some letters the mosque had received suggested last month's attack was "just the beginning" and warned of a "river of blood". He added that others threatened to bomb the local Muslim community.
"They are nasty, and some of them are life threatening," he added.
"All these sort of things, which is very nasty and very worrying, something that makes us feel like we need protection and this is why we are in contact with the police and the authorities to make sure how we can protect our community... we need to make sure that all are protected and safe and this is what we are trying to do with the police."
Local resident Merium Bhuiyan told BBC London women in the local community were frightened to wear their headscarves for fear of attack.
"It's a really frightening time for all of us... With a headscarf I do feel slightly more exposed. You do feel more vulnerable," she said.
"I have many Muslim women friends and they're afraid to wear their headscarves. Some have even taken them off. I have women friends who are fully covered and they really feel frightened at the moment. It's definitely a scary time."
She said women were "having their headscarves taken off" or were being shouted at in the street.
"It would be good to have a stronger and more visible police presence and possibly stronger deterrents to stop people from ruining people's lives," she added.
Mr Kozbar said he would like to see tougher penalties for the perpetrators of hate crimes and more vigorous investigations by the police.
He added: "We are not asking to catch every perpetrator who sends a letter or something like that because we know it is impossible but we expect something to be done about some of these letters and to get to the bottom of it and find out who is behind it."
Ch Supt Dave Stringer, head of community engagement for the Metropolitan Police, said the force took "Islamaphobic hate crime and all kinds of hate crime very seriously".
"We allocate cases to experienced detectives and they do whatever they can in terms of their investigative abilities to support the victims, to chase the suspect and to bring that suspect to justice."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "All forms of hate crime are unacceptable and those who commit these awful crimes should be prosecuted.
"We have some of the strongest laws in the world to tackle hate crime." | The chairman of Finsbury Park Mosque has warned Islamophobia has risen since the recent terror attacks in the UK. | 40632161 |
Neha Ramu, 13, of Surbiton, scored 162 in the high IQ society's test, which puts her in the top 1% of the UK's brightest people. A score above 140 is considered to be that of a genius.
"When I found out I got such a high score it was so amazing and unexpected," she said.
The teenager, who also enjoys chess and reading, hopes to study neurology at Harvard University.
"Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, they've achieved so much," she said. "It's not right to compare me to them just because of my IQ.
"If I don't put in my effort and make use of my IQ then there's no point in having it."
The teenager moved to the UK from Bangalore when she was seven.
She said the Indian education system helped give her the best start but she prefers school life in the UK.
Her parents, both eye doctors, knew their daughter was clever but had no idea exactly how intelligent she was until she scored the maximum marks in her entrance exams for school.
Her mother Jayashree said: "From our side she definitely doesn't have any pressure, we just make opportunities for her.
"She does all this without much effort.
"She makes sure she has enough time for TV, swimming, fun times with her friends."
On her ambition to study neurology, Neha says: "I'm really quite passionate about the subject so I think it'll be good for me as a career.
"I don't think I'm ever going to stop learning. I'll always be curious and I'll always be thinking 'I wonder how that works'".
According to Mensa, the average adult IQ score is 100.
You can hear more about the teenager on BBC Asian Network on Friday at 13:00 BST and 17:00 BST. | A south-west London schoolgirl has joined Mensa with a perfect score. | 22804204 |
If you wanted to start a modern art museum, these paintings would be high on your list of acquisitions as between them they tell the story of modern art's emergence, as the BBC arts editor Will Gompertz explains here.
Henri Matisse's Pastoral has the hallmarks of the Impressionists - painted outside or "en plein air", with loose brush strokes and an everyday, realistic subject.
What marks it out from the work of the early Impressionists is the bright, unnatural colours, which he has used to express the scene as he sees and feels it.
This was called Fauvism.
Georges Braque was inspired by the work of Matisse and developed his own Fauvist style which can be seen in the painting Olive Tree Near L'Estaque.
What is of particular interest about this work is the date Braque painted it - 1906.
That is the year Paul Cezanne died, and it was his later paintings that inspired Braque to develop one of modern art's most famous movements.
By 1907, Braque was painting similar scenes but his style had changed.
Together with Picasso they had started to define Cubism.
Picasso's Dove with Peas makes sense as the next painting to have, as it is a classic example of Cubism in its pomp.
By this stage Braque and Picasso had been joined by Fernand Leger as the other great exponent of Cubist art and techniques.
But Leger became disillusioned with the increasingly abstract nature of the Cubists' work.
During World War I, he chose to renounce abstraction and instead focus on painting common objects in bold colours.
As you can see in the next painting that was stolen - Still Life with Candlestick - Leger has retained the influence of Cubism while incorporating the saturated colours of the Fauves.
But by combining the two and adding his artistic developments the work moves towards modernism.
Amedeo Modigliani was the fifth artist to be targeted by the thieves.
They chose a work he painted in 1919, Woman with Fan.
He died a year later at the age of 35, having contracted tuberculosis.
Modigliani's portrait of his friend shows him using restrained colours out of respect for her and using "S" shapes to accentuate her graceful pose.
As Matisse used colour to express his feelings for his subject, so Modigliani used distortion.
Both fit within the expressionist movement inspired by the work of Vincent Van Gogh. | Five well-known masterpieces, by Picasso, Matisse and other great artists, have been stolen from the Museum of Modern Art in Paris. | 10137286 |
Eurasian beavers taken from Norway were released at Knapdale in Argyll in 2009. An illegally-released population has also been discovered in Tayside.
Both groups will be allowed to expand naturally but will be managed to protect farmers and land owners.
Native Scottish beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century.
Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham explained the Scottish government's decision to grant beavers protected status.
"Beavers promote biodiversity by creating new ponds and wetlands, which in turn provide valuable habitats for a wide range of other species," she said.
"We want to realise these biodiversity benefits while limiting adverse impacts on farmers and other land users. This will require careful management."
Ms Cunningham said she wanted to "be absolutely clear" that while the beaver populations in Argyll and Tayside would be allowed to extend their range naturally, "further unauthorised releases of beavers" would be treated as "a criminal act".
"Swift action will be taken in such circumstances to prevent a repeat of the experience on Tayside," she said.
The two lead partners in the 2009 Scottish Beaver Trial - the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust - have both welcomed the Scottish government's decision.
Zoological Society chief executive, Barbara Smith, said it was "a truly historic day for Scottish conservation".
"Returning a keystone species to the wild for the first time in 400 years is a tremendous achievement... and we welcome the government's commitment to the species both in Knapdale and further afield," she said.
"Establishing a clear and comprehensive management plan for the species should now be our top priority."
Jonathan Hughes, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, described the development as "a major milestone for Scotland's wildlife and the wider conservation movement".
He said: "Beavers are one of the world's best natural engineers. Their ability to create new wetlands and restore native woodland is remarkable and improves conditions for a wide range of species including dragonflies, otters and fish.
"The return of beavers also has great potential for education and wildlife tourism."
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP, Murdo Fraser, said the issue of beavers in Tayside had been "a long running issue...with strong opinions on both sides".
"For some time, I have been arguing for a compromise approach whereby the existing beaver population would be tolerated, but farmers and land managers would have the right to control numbers where agricultural interests were threatened.
"What we need to fully understand is what the government mean by 'active management' and what measures farmers and land managers will be able to take."
The Scottish Greens environment spokesman, Mark Ruskell, said he was "delighted" that beavers had been given legal protection.
He said: "Bringing this species back from extinction will make a huge contribution to restoring wetland habitat, boosting biodiversity while helping natural flood management.
"Farmers and land managers will need support from the Scottish government to understand how to work positively with wild beaver populations." | Beavers reintroduced to Scotland will be allowed to remain and will be given protected status, the Scottish government has announced. | 38096751 |
Google had paid $12.5bn for the company less than two years ago.
Lenovo plans to build up its smartphone unit through the Motorola purchase, which may help offset its slowing personal computer business.
However, Google will keep the majority of Motorola's lucrative patents, which include one for Android software.
In a statement, Google said the smartphone market was "super competitive" and that Motorola would "be better served by Lenovo".
By Leo KelionTechnology reporter
Google always said the motivation behind buying Motorola's mobile phone business was its patents. This deal sees it keep most of them. That will help it fight future legal battles to protect its Android operating system.
The search giant had always kept the division at arm's length, in part to tackle any perception that it would give its own hardware an unfair advantage against other phone sellers. The outcome was that third-party made Google Nexus-branded phones often stole the limelight.
Even when Google did invest in a reported $500m marketing blitz to promote Motorola's flagship - the Moto X - in the US, the brand only made slight gains in market share.
A sale to Lenovo means Google can stop worrying about Motorola clocking up further losses. It will now be interesting to see if owning the brand can help Lenovo to do what other Chinese smart device makers have struggled at: cracking western markets.
Can Lenovo do an IBM with Motorola?
The purchase is set to make Lenovo the world's third-largest smartphone maker behind Samsung and Apple.
Market research firm Strategy Analytics said in a blog post that Lenovo had made "a good move" and would benefit from economies of scale.
"The Chinese vendor gets access to the valuable US smartphone market and the fast-growing Latin America region. This complements its existing global PC business.
"For Motorola, it gains access to an ambitious sugar daddy that has a strong presence in the huge China market. For Google, it divests a loss-making hardware division," it said.
This is the second major acquisition for Lenovo in the same number of weeks.
Last Thursday, the Thinkpad-maker announced it had acquired IBM's low-end server business for $2.3bn, in what was then China's biggest technology deal.
Shares of Lenovo being traded in Hong Kong fell by more than 8% following the announcement, which came after the US market had closed.
"Whether Lenovo can turn around the long-struggling Motorola business, and what happens to the Motorola brand long-term, remain key questions that will need to be answered in the coming months," Strategy Analytics said.
On a conference call following the deal's announcement, Lenovo chief financial officer Wong Waiming said they were not concerned that they may have overpaid for Motorola.
"Market prices go up and down and I would not take a one-day or half-day performance as a reflection of the market viewing it negatively," he said.
Mr Wong also said there was "no urgent need" for the company to tap the capital markets for money to fund the Motorola purchase given it had more than $3bn in cash available.
The purchase of Motorola was Google's largest acquisition and it signalled a growing effort by the search giant to enter the hardware business.
Motorola Mobility created the Moto X and Moto G phones.
Despite the sale, Google chief executive Larry Page insisted in a blog post: "This does not signal a larger shift for our other hardware efforts."
The deal with Lenovo comes on the heels of an acquisition spree for Google.
In January, it snapped up DeepMind, a UK firm focused on artificial intelligence, and bought military robot-maker Boston Dynamics in December.
In announcing Wednesday's purchase, Lenovo cited the strength of Motorola's brand, which has been revived in recent years with Google's help.
"The acquisition of such an iconic brand, innovative product portfolio and incredibly talented global team will immediately make Lenovo a strong global competitor in smartphones," said Yang Yuanqing, chief executive of Lenovo, in a statement.
"We will immediately have the opportunity to become a strong global player in the fast-growing mobile space," he added.
He also noted the acquisition gives Lenovo an entry into the North American and Latin American markets, as well as a toehold in Western Europe.
The transaction must still be approved by US and Chinese regulators. | Google has sold struggling US mobile phone company Motorola Mobility to Chinese computer maker Lenovo for $2.91bn (£1.8bn), in a surprise move. | 25956284 |
Steven Wood, 27, had been chatting to road workers after delivering a load of tarmac before the incident happened in Largs, Ayrshire, in September 2013.
John Woods, 86, died after the lorry rolled down Waterside Street and collided with a car, which struck a house and garage before hitting him.
A jury found Mr Wood not guilty of causing death by careless driving.
Giving evidence at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, Gary McRoberts, who had been driving a road roller when the lorry started to move, said: "Steven tried to run after it but it was going too fast by that time. Everything happened quite quick.
"By the time I turned around Steven was chasing it but it was going too fast and getting away from him. It was picking up speed all the time."
Mr Woods suffered fatal injuries in the incident.
Prosecutors had claimed Mr Wood, from Hurlford in Ayrshire, left his engine running and failed to properly apply the handbrake or turn the wheels to the kerb when he stopped. | A lorry driver whose runaway vehicle caused the death of a pensioner has been cleared of blame. | 33159211 |
About 200 people attended the service in Douglas which included a montage of childhood photographs set to his favourite Backstreet Boys song.
All those who attended the service at St Ninian's Church followed his family's wishes to wear blue.
The entrepreneur, from Plymouth, died following an asthma attack last month.
His mother Rosemary Baggs said: "We didn't want people to wear black - Stuart wouldn't have wanted that.
"His favourite colour was blue so it seemed fitting."
Baggs launched his company Bluewave Communications in 2007 and, days before his death at the age of 27, held a press conference to launch his latest product.
When he was aged 21 in 2010, he became the youngest ever candidate to appear on the BBC One show The Apprentice.
Baggs, who was fired in the semi-final, became famous for his one-liners, which included "Everything I touch turns to sold" and "I'm Stuart Baggs the brand".
Following his death, Lord Sugar was one of the first to pay tribute to the charismatic contestant, tweeting that Baggs was "one of the stand out characters".
Mrs Baggs told Manx Radio: "The Stuart we knew was so different to the Stuart in the public eye.
"He was a very loyal, caring and funny person, who was the life and soul of any party.
"Stuart was always the person someone would want as their plus one because you would be guaranteed a good night."
Friend Shelly Rourke said he never judged anyone because he felt so acutely aware that everyone judged him. "He didn't want anyone else to feel like that," she said.
"Stuart would do anything for you. Seeing everyone wearing blue today will be a testament to how much people loved him."
Another friend Jo Cutsforth said: "The guy was exceptionally hard-working and very, very passionate.
"He was a boy with a dream and for almost 10 years he made that dream come true."
Paul Moulton, who spoke at the funeral, said: "Everyone wore blue as it was his favourite colour and his company name.
"Anyone who knew Stuart would know that he would have laughed his socks off at the idea." | The mother of The Apprentice star Stuart Baggs said his funeral was a celebration of her son's life and achievements. | 33958450 |
The 23-year-old midfielder, who joined the U's from Everton in 2015, has signed a three-year contract with last season's League One champions.
Liverpool-born Lundstram made 82 league appearances for the Kassam Stadium side.
He has also spent time on loan with Doncaster, Yeovil, Leyton Orient, Blackpool, and Scunthorpe.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Sheffield United have signed Oxford United captain John Lundstram for an undisclosed fee. | 40722540 |
Ben Ashworth, 35, from Preston, finished his last race in Berlin.
He started his charity runs in April in Blackpool before running marathons in Windermere, Wakefield, Northampton and the Isle of Man while undergoing chemotherapy.
Mr Ashworth said he was "tremendously happy" to complete the feat and raise more than £15,000 for charity.
He finished the Berlin race in four hours 56 minutes, three minutes over his personal best in Ramsey, Isle of Man.
He said: "I really wanted to beat my [personal best] in my last marathon but I'm tremendously happy to have run six and raised so much money."
The former librarian who has three daughters, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012.
Before he became ill he had run the Great North Run, a half-marathon, but said it was his dream to conquer a full marathon.
Earlier this year he decided to set himself the "massive challenge" of running six.
Mr Ashworth said his treatment has made it "very hard at times".
"My preparations for most of the marathons have been less than ideal, but I've not been able to wipe the smile off my face when I've lined up at the start line," he said.
"When I signed up to run the Berlin marathon I didn't know if I would be well enough. I'm so lucky to be able to say I've [done it]." | A man diagnosed with untreatable bowel cancer has completed six marathons in six months. | 29400417 |
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Iceland became the smallest nation to qualify for a major finals before famously beating England.
"We are disappointed but incredibly proud. It's been an amazing experience," said Gunnarsson.
Coach Lars Lagerback added: "Iceland's future looks really positive."
Iceland were 4-0 down at half-time in Paris as France scored goals from Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann.
But Iceland rallied to score second-half goals through Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Birkir Bjarnason.
They will now focus on qualifying for their first World Cup in Russia in 2018 from a group containing Croatia, Ukraine, Finland, Turkey and Kosovo.
"Ten or 15 players are a really good age, and we're already looking forward to the World Cup starting. Hopefully the future will be bright for Iceland," said Swansea midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.
"We're very proud. It's been a fantastic tournament, something special for a small team like us, we probably achieved something no one expected us to.
"It gives the kids back home hope that something like this is possible, and hopefully we'll be back in another finals."
It is estimated that 10% of Iceland's 330,000 population were in France to watch their team play during the tournament, and the fans have become one of the symbols of the competition.
Players and supporters were once again united in celebration after the defeat, leaving Cardiff midfielder Gunnarsson emotional after the final whistle.
"A lot of hard work has gone into this and the fans have been fantastic," he said. "They are still singing, it's unbelievable.
"The French have all left. Our fans are still here. It just shows what we put into this. The first half was terrible, we managed to play better after the break. We decided we could not leave like that.
"We will learn from this. We are just starting."
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Create leagues and play against your friends in BBC Sport's new Euro 2016 Predictor game | Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson said that his side "are just starting" on the international stage after their 5-2 Euro 2016 quarter-final defeat by hosts France at the Stade de France. | 36698790 |
The actress, who played Peggy Mitchell for 16 years, left the soap in 2010.
She will return for a "very special episode" in which she comes to the aid of her eldest son Phil, played by Steve McFadden.
The actress said in a statement: "It may only be a short visit, but it's a family matter and as Peggy always said 'it's all about family'."
"It is no secret how much I have always loved EastEnders and Peggy Mitchell - and by the number of times I'm constantly stopped by the great British public and asked either 'when are you coming back' or 'please say get out of my pub', it seems they have too," she said.
Windsor's character left Albert Square after Phil, who had become a drug addict, set fire to the Queen Vic.
Her storyline saw her character leave Walford for Portugal, after deciding it was the best way for Phil to turn his life around.
Since leaving EastEnders Windsor has appeared in pantomime and presented a Radio 2 series on female comics
Her return to the soap will coincide with Samantha Womack reprising her role as Ronnie Mitchell.
The storyline will see Phil in trouble once again as Roxy Mitchell plans her wedding to Alfie Moon.
Lorraine Newman, executive producer of EastEnders, said she was "delighted" Windsor would return to the soap.
"Peggy's surprise visit is a wonderful treat for our fans, as well as the cast and crew here on EastEnders. It's great to welcome her home," she said. | Barbara Windsor is to return to EastEnders for a one-off appearance in the autumn. | 23229356 |
He faces a vote of no confidence on Thursday after controversial budget cuts which threaten 600 jobs.
Business leader Nigel Roberts said Mr Bale was an "embarrassment" and an email from fellow Labour councillor Ralph Cook called for him to step down.
Mr Bale dismissed much of the criticism as being of a "deeply personal" nature.
He told BBC Radio Wales on Tuesday: "I have got the confidence of colleagues - I feel very comfortable in going into that meeting [on Thursday].
"I think we have to recognise with the general election coming up we will see some politics around this issue but the most important thing for me now is that we focus back on the city."
A leaked email from Mr Cook called for Mr Bale to step down to avoid putting the Labour Party "through any more trauma", claiming he and 12 rebels would disobey an order to vote against the motion of no confidence.
Mr Bale was elected leader by the ruling Labour group in May 2014 after Heather Joyce stepped down for family reasons. | Cardiff council leader Phil Bale has rejected calls to resign, saying he is "absolutely committed" to doing the job of running the city. | 31708174 |
The new contestants will be battling it out to be crowned Britain's top baker.
The competition is really tough.
The bakers will have to create spectacular show-stoppers, and take on tricky technical challenges every week to impress the judges.
Nancy Birtwhistle was crowned the winner in 2014 with a spectacular baked windmill.
The giant cake was made out of ginger and orange biscuit, with red caramel sails.
This chat page is now closed. | The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens on Wednesday. | 33788816 |
They said it was the "last chance" for self-regulation of charity fundraising.
The new regulator is being set up following scandals last summer, when unscrupulous fundraisers were accused of targeting old and vulnerable givers.
MPs said most charities did not engage in such practices.
But the behaviour of some had damaged the reputation of all, they said.
MPs on the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) heard that some charities, including Great Ormond Street Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support, made it impossible for donors to block further communication from them or other charities.
Vulnerable and elderly people were seen as "fair targets" by some organisations, and information sold by some charities ended up in the hands of scammers, MPs were told.
Fundraising practices came under scrutiny in 2015 after the death of 92-year-old Olive Cooke, one of Britain's longest-serving poppy sellers.
She killed herself after complaining she had been plagued by requests for donations from charity fundraisers - more than 200 letters in one month alone.
While her family said that did not contribute to her death, it did highlight the plight of vulnerable people at the mercy of unscrupulous fundraisers.
Samuel Rae, 88 - a former army colonel with dementia - was another victim.
Charity fundraising companies sold his details on to other companies, including fraudsters who targeted him for £35,000.
Nick Booth, from London, told the BBC News website he was targeted with cold calls from a charity.
"I was phoned out the blue by what sounded like a double-glazing cold caller," he said. "She expected my bank details for a standing order. Age Concern was mentioned, but only in the monotone of someone reading out terms and conditions.
"When I said I wasn't sure about giving complete access to my bank account to a complete stranger, she said, 'Oh, so you don't like helping old people, eh?' I'm never giving my details out again."
Peter Anscombe, from Somerset, said: "As a charity trustee, a deputy chair of a charity, and as a regular donor I am dismayed at some of the heavy selling techniques across the sector.
"I have personally stopped giving to some charities as a result of their aggressive approach. The intensity of people chasing you for money just grows and grows."
The MPs said charity trustees who had permitted scandalous fundraising methods were either "incompetent or wilfully blind".
Chairman Bernard Jenkin said: "This is the last chance for the trustees of charities, who allowed this to happen, to put their house in order.
"Ultimately, the responsibility rests with them. No system of regulation can substitute for effective governance by trustees."
He told the BBC that charities were "apologetic", but there was not yet a "proper understanding... that it is fundamentally trustees who are responsible for setting the tone of their organisation".
"Their values should extend to everything they do, not just the charitable objectives," he added.
Rob Wilson, minister for civil society, said: "I have made it clear that the sector has one last chance to prove that self-regulation can work, but I am willing to step in and impose statutory regulation if necessary."
The government's response to the scandals was to set up a review which recommended a new regulator of fundraising.
Former Big Lottery Fund chief executive Stephen Dunmore was appointed in December as interim chief executive of the new regulator, responsible for setting up the organisation.
It will replace the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB), which has welcomed the call for trustees to take more responsibility for fundraising activities.
Like the FRSB, the new body will be based on self-regulation - meaning charities themselves develop and enforce standards and rules of behaviour.
Sir Stuart Etherington, who chaired the review, said it was important not to "lose sight of the principle of self-regulation in fundraising on which everyone is agreed".
"I am not persuaded for this reason that it is appropriate for the fundraising regulator to report to a government body," he added.
Paul Farmer, chairman of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, which represents charity leaders, said the new regulator had the "full support" of charities and should "make sure that the poor practices of a tiny number of charities don't happen again".
He also said charities had "looked really carefully" in recent months at their procedures on using donors' data. | UK charities' fundraising activities could be controlled by law unless a new voluntary regulator succeeds in cleaning up the sector, a committee of MPs has warned in a report. | 35395456 |
The Artemesia tune was chosen by Scotland fans as the music to accompany goals during the World Cup campaign.
"I tell you what - there'll be some amount of carnage going on," the Hull City midfielder said about the prospect in the build-up to the home game with Lithuania. "I'm a fan of it.
"I'll be dancing as well."
More than 20,000 people voted in the Scottish FA survey, with the dance tune from 1995, which was more recently re-mixed by Scottish DJ George Bowie, winning.
It beat The Proclaimers' "(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles", which has most recently been played over the PA when Scotland score.
Having scored a hat-trick in Scotland's opening Group F victory away to Malta, Snodgrass is eager to trigger the music against Lithuania and make a statement about Scotland's prospect of qualifying.
"At club level, we've just got beat three on the bounce," he said of Hull's Premier League form. "So I'm desperate to get a win and I can't wait for the game to start.
"Because of how well we did in the last game, we want to build on that and it's at home and you want the home fans to see you mean business."
After entertaining Lithuania, Scotland travel to face Slovakia on Tuesday and Snodgrass agreed that four points from the two games would be the minimum target for his side.
"Focusing on two games, we obviously need to get off to a good start on Saturday," said the midfielder.
"They will be no mugs. It will be like the Malta game. They will be hard to break down, but we have to be ruthless, especially at home, because the fans have an expectation when you go away from home and win your first game convincingly.
"But I am not one for feeling pressure. I just enjoy playing football and enjoy being with the lads every day."
Snodgrass has shown excellent form after being sidelined for 15 months following an injury picked up when making his Hull debut in August 2014.
He missed much of Scotland's failed Euro 2016 qualification campaign and national assistant boss Mark McGhee again emphasised how highly the 29-year-old is regarded by head coach Gordon Strachan.
"I was there the day he got injured at Queens Park Rangers and I remember saying that, had he not got injured, I don't think his team would have got relegated that season," he said.
"That's how important he was to them and then he went out and scored a hat-trick in Malta and qualified that by showing how important he is to us.
"He is a brilliant player. He is such an important asset in and around the camp in the sense of taking the pressure off people.
"He will make a little joke in the dressing room. On the training ground, he's got a lovely rapport with the coaches. He is a great asset to the squad." | Robert Snodgrass hopes rave hit "Bits and Pieces" will ring out around Hampden on Saturday so he can dance away the blues of poor club results. | 37553826 |
The Derry club have already secured the Ulster hurling and camogie crowns and they were deserved winners in Armagh.
Slaughtneil led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break and they hit 1-3 without reply on the restart with Meehaul McGrath netting.
Paul Bradley fired over five points for 2014 champions, who will face Kilcoo in the decider in a fortnight.
Down team Kilcoo were also convincing winners on Sunday, scoring four goals in a one-side encounter against Maghery in Newry.
Mark Bradley's point gave Killyclogher an early lead but they failed to capitalise on a first-half wind advantage at the Athletic Grounds.
Paul Bradley slotted over four points while Shane McGuigan and Chris McGuigan were also on target as Slaughtneil went in with a two-point advantage at the interval.
The decisive period of the game came early in the second half, starting with McGrath firing in the only goal after good work from Se McGuigan.
Padraig Cassidy, Christopher Bradley and Paul Bradley pointed to leave Slaughtneil 1-9 to 0-4 ahead and effectively end Killyclogher's hopes of a comeback.
"We had a very specific gameplan and it paid dividends - it was all about getting the result," said Slaughtneil defender Chrissy McKaigue.
"Killyclogher were very difficult to break down in the first half but composure is a trait of our game and we waited for pockets of space to open up in the second half.
"Kilcoo are a well set-up team but we will focus on ourselves for the final.
"The Slaughtneil people are a very united community and have always supported us so it would be special to add the football title to the hurling and camogie successes." | Slaughtneil remain on course for a provincial treble after easing to an Ulster club football semi-final victory over Tyrone side Killyclogher. | 37968693 |
The pair will meet on Centre Court at around 16:30 BST, with the match shown live on BBC One.
Following Novak Djokovic's shock exit, British number one Murray is the favourite to win his second SW19 title, while Kyrgios, 21, is looking to reach only his third Grand Slam quarter-final.
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash and ex-British number one John Lloyd analyse where this mouth-watering tie will be won and lost.
Kyrgios' biggest weapon is no secret - it is his thumping serve.
The Australian has crashed down 79 aces so far in this year's tournament, a tally only bettered by American John Isner.
His serve speeds have regularly clocked over 130mph, while his first-serve percentage of 72% is only topped by five other men.
But, against Murray, he is facing one of the best returners in the game.
"If Nick hits a lot of aces then there is very little you can do about it," said BBC Radio 5 live analyst Cash.
"But he is also very big from the back of the court, his forehand is extremely strong and you need those sort of shots to get through Murray.
"He also has a great variety, that's what is unsettling to a lot of players. If he can play consistently well and keep up his focus he gives any player a real threat.
"We know Kyrgios has plenty of power, but Murray's defence is as good as anybody in the game.
"You do have to defend well against a guy like Kyrgios and Murray is moving really well. But he is also attacking, you can't just be defending all the time."
Kyrgios reckoned ahead of the tournament he was ready to "go deep" into the latter stages, reiterating after beating Feliciano Lopez - and following Novak Djokovic's exit - his belief he could become the first Australian man to win a Grand Slam since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002.
However, he has shown the two wildly different sides to his game over the past week.
On the resumption of his match against Lopez on Sunday, Kyrgios produced what Lloyd said the 21-year-old's camp would describe as "a 10 out of a 10 performance".
"If he plays like that, with concentration and focus, then Andy Murray is in for a tough match," added the 1977 Australian Open finalist.
"He showed controlled aggression, had excellent shot selection and played the percentages when he needed to."
But he showed his petulant side against second-round opponent Dustin Brown, losing focus in the third set as he continually vented his frustrations at his box, the umpire and the crowd.
As Kyrgios lost focus in the third set, his serve took a beating by Brown. He won only 53% of first-serve points and 45% of second-serve points.
"Kyrgios' big weakness is his mental capacity," said Cash. "His focus can come and go, he can lose his temper. He blows hot and cold.
"Often he goes into a phase where he is upset and can start spraying balls. Murray will look to exploit that simply by playing well and putting him into awkward positions."
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Murray has won all four of their previous top-level meetings, including a straight-sets win at the 2015 Australian Open and four-set thriller at the US Open later that same year.
Kyrgios does have experience of beating Murray, though, albeit in a Hopman Cup competition not officially recognised as an ATP rankings event.
This will be their first meeting on grass, a surface on which Kyrgios himself believes gives him the best opportunity of beating the Scot.
"In theory it would seem that grass would be his best chance of beating Murray," said Cash.
"With a serve like Nick's it is harder to return on the grass and so he will get a few extra points with that serve. The slower the court the more rallies he has to hit."
Murray has breezed through his opening three matches, spending little over five hours on court after seeing off Liam Broady, Yen-Hsun Lu and John Millman without dropping a set.
Kyrgios, however, has spent over two hours more on court than the Scot, having needed four sets to beat Radek Stepanek and Feliciano Lopez, as well as five sets to see off Dustin Brown.
"Murray will be trying to pin him to the baseline and wear him down over a few hours," said Cash. "That's what Andy does to players. He gets every ball back.
"Nick is still not as physically fit as Andy and he will suffer. That means he has to go for more shots. If they come off he can be unbeatable.
"If he has to work hard and struggle over five sets then he is likely to fade away against Andy. Andy is one of the fittest there is."
Kyrgios has only played on Centre Court once before, when he caused a massive upset by beating Rafael Nadal.
Kyrgios, then a 19-year-old wildcard ranked 144th, became the first man outside the top 100 to beat a world number one at a Grand Slam since 1992.
"He is a showman who loves playing in the type of atmosphere that there will be on Centre Court," said Lloyd.
"He will embrace that he is playing the second best player in the world, on Centre Court and with a place in the quarter-finals at stake."
Murray is the overwhelming favourite to earn a fifth successive win against Kyrgios and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the ninth successive year.
And both Lloyd and Cash cannot see the Briton being at the receiving end of a shock.
"Andy will win," said Lloyd. "He might drop a set, possibly two, but he will come through."
Cash added: "I think Nick will definitely get a set, but it will be a Murray victory."
Media playback is not supported on this device | Andy Murray faces his first serious test at Wimbledon 2016 when he meets unpredictable Australian Nick Kyrgios in the last 16 on Monday. | 36691489 |
The robot will be modelled on Nasa's Robonaut 5 (R5), a bipedal humanoid robot designed to complete tasks in planetary surfaces.
The aim is to program it to successfully fix equipment damaged by a dust storm in a virtual environment.
Nasa is offering the winning team a prize of $1m (£759,000).
The organisation currently has two types of Robonauts to support astronauts during spaceflight and ground missions to Mars by completing dangerous or complicated tasks - the R2 and the R5, or Valkyrie.
Both machines resemble humans as this makes them more adept at completing the same tasks as a human, according to Nasa, and they can hold and use tools in the same way humans would.
"Humanoid robots are being used in these kind of missions because for people with limited experience dealing with robots, humanoid robots are easier to interact with than with mechanical, featureless units," said Dr Kevin Curran, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Reader in Computer Science at Ulster University.
"The ability for astronauts to naturally communicate with such humanoids is important. Research to date has shown the benefits of utilising anthropomorphic robots which engage people in natural and expressive face-to-face interaction."
More mechanical robots need to be adapted and changed for their environments, whereas humanoid units can operate alongside humans without special modification, he added
Aligning a communications dish, repairing a solar array (multiple solar panels) and fixing a habitat leak are the three specific tasks the Space Robotics Competition teams will undertake.
Nasa hopes the challenge will produce software to help robots travel to planets independently and set up habitats and life support systems well ahead of astronauts arriving.
The first manned missions to Mars are expected in the 2030s.
The R5 robot operates using elastics technology instead of more traditional hydraulics systems, in order for it to work in difficult planetary surface conditions, and the sub-zero temperatures of space, Nasa said.
This allows it to rotate its arms and pelvis as a human would.
It measures 6ft 2in high (1.88m) and weighs 21 stone 4lb (136kg).
An R2 robot, which was designed to maintain spacecraft when its human counterparts are not there, is currently on the International Space Station.
Registration for the competition is now open, and a qualifying round will be held from mid-September. The winners are due to be announced in June 2017. | Nasa has opened a competition inviting teams of people to program a robot capable of helping with missions to Mars. | 37115695 |
Last year NHS Kernow, in Cornwall, was put under special measures because of a £14m deficit.
Health Initiative Cornwall said it was a "shame" that NHS England had "forced" the new turnaround director Keith Pringle on NHS Kernow.
NHS England said it was "encouraged to see the early progress being made".
Graham Webster, vice chair of Health Initiative Cornwall, said: "The governing body of NHS Kernow already has quite a number of senior executives and all these people are being paid huge amounts of money."
One of the conditions of the special measures imposed by NHS England was that NHS Kernow had to appoint a turnaround director.
NHS England said Mr Pringle's appointment was a "crucial element in strengthening" NHS Kernow's "capacity to recover its position while safeguarding standards of care".
NHS Kernow said in a statement: "The actual cost to be incurred will depend how long the legal direction requiring a turnaround director remains in force."
Mr Pringle, a former chief restructuring officer with Sherwood Forest NHS, declined to comment. | Campaigners have criticised the appointment of a new £400,000-a-year director to a cash-strapped health commissioning body. | 36919628 |
Wales and the other UK countries have some of the worst cancer survival rates in the developed world.
A new pilot in the Cynon Valley will focus on patients who GPs suspect may have cancer but do not show obvious or urgent symptoms.
It comes a year after medics visited Denmark to see its diagnostics system.
Officials from Cwm Taf health board were among those who saw how the Danish health service had improved its cancer survival rates.
There are concerns that patients with unclear symptoms wait too long for diagnosis because they do not "fit easily" into any particular treatment route - what is known as a pathway.
It means GPs have to refer them back and forth for a series of tests and scans; each can take several weeks to complete.
As a result it is feared too many patients start treatment at a late stage when their cancer is well advanced or has become incurable.
Now 40 GPs in the Cynon Valley who might have a gut instinct that something is wrong will be able to refer those patients directly to a new "one-stop" diagnostic centre at the Royal Glamorgan hospital in Llantrisant within seven days.
It is estimated this might involve about six patients each week - and they will receive an examination and different tests, hopefully all on the same day.
At the moment, only 35% of all cancers diagnosed in the Cwm Taf area are with patients showing urgent "alarm" symptoms.
So doctors want to get to the majority of patients whose cancers are less obvious, sooner.
A similar clinic will be established at Neath Port Talbot Hospital as part of a second trial run by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health board.
In the new "one-stop" clinics, a team of experts will "take ownership" of a patients diagnosis.
They will conduct as many tests or scans as necessary - ideally on the same day - to try to get to a definitive answer.
The trials have been developed in the 12 months since experts from Wales returned from fact-finding visit to Aarhus, Denmark's second city.
Denmark has established a number of diagnostic centres as part of efforts to transform cancer care following concerns that the country was lagging behind the best in the world on survival rates.
Its poor performance - at one point it ranked alongside the UK in the international league tables - was considered a "disaster" by Danish politicians and the medical profession.
Dr Gareth Davies, associate director of the Wales Cancer Network, said as well as bringing reassurance for patients it would also speed up the system.
"If the GP sees a patient and is not exactly sure what's going on and has a sixth sense something is wrong, it will allow the GP to refer the patient straight into that clinic."
Aberdare GP Dr Gareth Jordan said the Cwm Taf area had some of the worst cancer mortality rates in Wales and doctors were "extremely keen" on the pilot and making improvements.
If successful over the next six months, it will be rolled out across the rest of the health board area. | Cancer experts hope a new initiative to be trialled in south Wales will significantly cut the time it takes to diagnose the disease. | 39553971 |
The victim was found with stab wounds in Davenport Street, Bolton, on Saturday night and died at the scene.
Police said a group of attackers, wearing dark clothing, ran off when witnesses tried to help the man being attacked.
A 29-year-old man has been released from custody pending further inquiries.
A post-mortem examination has confirmed the man died from multiple stab wounds.
Detectives said they were following "a number of lines of inquiry" but urged people to contact them with information, "no matter how big or small". | A man who was arrested on suspicion of murder following the stabbing of a 39-year-old man in a street attack has been released on bail. | 35523215 |
"This is a federal offence and then you and your wife will be in jail and your kids will be in foster care," a crew member can be heard telling the family.
A YouTube video of the incident has clocked up more than two million views.
Delta said it was "sorry for the unfortunate experience" and would compensate the family.
The incident follows the case of passenger Dr David Dao, who grabbed global headlines when he was injured while being physically removed from a United Airlines flight last month.
He settled in court last month for an undisclosed sum.
The latest incident happened on a flight from Maui in Hawaii to Los Angeles on 23 April, but only came to light when the video was posted online.
The eight-minute video shows Brian Schear arguing that he has paid for the seat, while crew members try to convince him to give up the seat, on a flight Mr Schear claims was overbooked.
Mr Schear said he had originally booked the seat for his older son, who had taken an earlier flight to make sure one of his other children would have a seat.
One crew member initially told him that his other son owned the seat so the toddler could not sit there.
His two-year-old was sitting in a child safety seat, which crew members then claimed was banned under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and said the child would have to sit in an adult's lap.
That is at odds with Delta's published advice, which says that for children under two years "we recommend you purchase a seat on the aircraft and use an approved child safety seat". The company's advice says an infant under two may be held in a parent's lap if they choose.
The FAA's website also "strongly urges" parents to put young children in a safety device in their own seat.
An airline employee then told Mr Schear "the plane is not going to move... we can all sit here all night if that's what you guys want to do".
Despite Mr Schear later relenting and agreeing to hold the child, the crew member tells him the family was being removed from the plane because "it's come too far".
When he responds that there is nowhere for his family, including two infants, to go and no more flights, the crew member can be heard saying: "You guys are on your own."
The family eventually left the flight, and Mr Schear said their seats were filled by four other passengers waiting with tickets.
Later, he told CBS News: "The bottom line is, they oversold the flight."
His wife, Brittany, who recorded the video, told NBC News that she was upset they were threatened with prison.
"When you're a mother and you have your one-year-old and your two-year-old and they threaten to take your kids away from you, I mean whether that's possible or whether that's, you know against the law, it just, it made my heart drop," she said.
On Thursday evening, a day after the video was posted, Delta released a statement about the incident.
"We are sorry for the unfortunate experience our customers had with Delta, and we've reached out to them to refund their travel and provide additional compensation," the company said.
"Delta's goal is to always work with customers in an attempt to find solutions to their travel issues. That did not happen in this case and we apologise." | US airline Delta is facing a public-relations problem after a family claimed they were kicked off a flight for refusing to give up a child's seat. | 39814586 |
The supermarket giant said it has decided not to renew the lease, which it has held for 38 years.
The store will close on 15 August. All 225 members of staff have been told they are at risk of redundancy.
"Our priority is to do everything we can to find alternative roles within Tesco for as many affected colleagues as possible," a spokesman said.
The company said it has several Express and Metro stores in the area.
In January, Tesco announced it was shutting 43 stores across the country following successive years of falling sales and profits. | Tesco is to close its store at Five Ways in Birmingham, putting more than 200 jobs at risk. | 33315469 |
Getachew Reda said the foreign elements are arming and financing opposition groups, but not necessarily with the formal backing of their governments.
Under the state of emergency troops will be deployed to quell protests.
It follows months of anti-government demonstrations by members of the country's two largest ethnic groups.
Violence has intensified since the beginning of the month when at least 55 people were killed during a protests at an Oromo religious festival.
The state of emergency, which was announced on Sunday, will last for six months.
Mr Getachew told journalists in the Ethiopian, capital, Addis Ababa, that "all kinds of elements in the Egyptian political establishment" are involved but they were "not necessarily directly linked with the Egyptian government", the AP news agency quotes him as saying.
The minister also pointed the finger at Eritrea, with which Ethiopia has a long-standing border dispute.
There has also been a long-running row with Egypt over Ethiopia's decision to build a dam on the Nile, one of the river's sources of which flows from Ethiopia to Egypt.
Mr Getachew earlier told the BBC that the state of emergency could involve banning protests.
"For the sake of maintaining public order the government believes that [the] temporary suspension of certain expression rights is warranted," he explained.
"Armed violence that has been perpetrated by those organised gangs has been targeting civilians, has been targeting government installations, critical infrastructure.
"We have ample evidence that it is orchestrated by people who are in the business of not [just] dismantling the Ethiopian government but also dismantling the Ethiopian state in its entirety," he said.
Mr Getachew also promised that the Ethiopian authorities would investigate claims that "off-grid" police officers had killed civilians.
BBC World Service Africa editor Mary Harper says the violent protests are the most serious threat to Ethiopian stability in a quarter of a century.
The protests in recent months have been over a series of frustrations including attempts by the governments to reallocate land in the Oromo region.
Rights groups say that more than 500 people have died following clashes between police and protesters.
Activists among the Oromo and Amhara communities complain that they are being politically excluded.
The Oromo and the Amhara make up about 60% of the population. They complain power is held by a small Tigrayan elite. | Ethiopia's information minister says groups in Eritrea and Egypt are contributing to the unrest, which has led to a six-month state of emergency. | 37607751 |
Their study suggests that the taste of a compound called guaiacol is stronger when the spirit is diluted prior to bottling.
This taste may be more pronounced when additional water is added in the glass.
The findings of Björn Karlsson and Ran Friedman are based on computer simulations and are published in the latest edition of Scientific Reports.
Before it is bottled, whisky is diluted to around 40% alcohol by volume, with the addition of water.
Whisky drinkers often add a few drops of water to the spirit in order to further enhance the taste.
The scientists findings' focus on guaiacol - a compound more commonly found in Scottish whiskies than those from Ireland or the US.
They discovered that where concentrations of ethanol were less than 45%, guaiacol was found near the surface of the liquid, where it contributes to its taste and smell.
Where alcohol concentrations are above 59%, the molecule is driven into the solution, away from the surface.
The report states: "This indicates that the taste of guaiacol in the whisky would be enhanced upon dilution prior to bottling.
"Our findings ...could contribute to optimising the production of spirits for desired tastes."
But Vic Cameron, a independent whisky consultant who teaches at the Edinburgh Whisky Academy, asked why the research needed to be done.
"Some whiskies taste better with a little bit of water - some don't," he said.
"It's such a subjective thing - it's personal taste, down to the individual."
He added: "They've over-scienced it, if that's a word. To me, it's almost irrelevant." | Scientists claim to have discovered why diluting whisky with water can enhance its taste. | 40960983 |
The 25-year-old Iceland international was substituted in the 2-0 win over Leicester and missed the 2-1 Capital Cup defeat at Liverpool.
Manager Garry Monk praised the player who has scored once and has seven assists in eight Premier League appearance this season.
"He's been brilliant, his contribution is there for everyone to see," he said.
Sigurdsson was signed from Tottenham in the summer having previously played 18 times for the Swans on loan from German side Hoffenheim in 2012.
He has been a key player in Swansea's rise to sixth place in the Premier League, and had a hand in both goals against Leicester.
He suffered a groin injury in that match, with the Swans hoping his early substitution will help him make the starting line-up at Goodison Park on Saturday.
"Gylfi's done very well for us," added Monk.
"He's come in and started very well from the first game - like all the squad.
"I think they're growing in confidence and hopefully they can only get better. I think he can only get better."
Swansea are also hopeful that South Korea international Ki Sung-Yueng will shrug off the shoulder injury he suffered at Anfield.
Monk concedes that Everton will be a stern test after making a poor start to the season.
The Toffees - under former Swans boss Roberto Martinez - picked up only one point from their opening three matches in the Premier League, but have won their last two outings against Aston Villa and Burnley, scoring six goals in the process.
And that recovery does not surprise Monk,
"I know they had a difficult start adjusting to playing in Europe, having to cope with the demands of that like we did last season and I think they were adjusting to that really," said Monk.
"The bottom line is they've got a very good squad, people they've bought for a lot of money and those people are showing what they can do right now, so we have to be right on our game." | Swansea City are hoping midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson will be fit to face Everton in the Premier League. | 29854346 |
The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has gone through several changes since it was first introduced in April 2013. It is slowly replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Nearly 700,000 people currently claim PIP, with another 1.5 million still to be reassessed.
The latest change applies to the formula the government uses to calculate the daily living component of PIP, which will come into effect in January 2017.
The government says that it's likely 640,000 people will be affected.
But for many disabled people, the chancellor's speech was baffling. He said that the government would be spending an extra £1bn on disability. However, only a few days earlier it was announced that there would be cuts to a major disability benefit.
The Treasury's own figures show a saving of £4.4bn by 2020-21 - so how can they be spending more?
Those who use aids and appliances, like specialist toilet seats or grab rails are the ones who could lose out. Instead of receiving two points during the eligibility assessment - if you use a grab rail to go to the bathroom for example, you'll now only receive one point.
This single point difference could mean losing the benefit altogether or getting less, which is where the saving of just under £4.4bn comes from.
Who will it impact? Sarah Stewart developed a neurological condition in 2013. It affects her balance, which means on some days she struggles to walk. She uses a catheter and her bed to help her get dressed and under the new criteria, she is set to lose more than £200 a month.
Jack (not his real name) has the muscle-wasting condition Pompe Disease. His condition has progressed rapidly over the last couple of years, and he has been awarded the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP.
Highly dependent on aids and appliances, he scored in the sections for using aids in preparing food, washing and bathing, using the toilet and moving around. Jack could lose £120 a month, putting his ability to live independently at risk.
Disability rights campaigners argue that some of the most vulnerable people are feeling the cumulative impact of welfare reform and that any cut would be felt acutely.
However, the government says it reviewed a sample of cases where claimants scored all or most of their points from aids and appliances. This review showed that in 96% of cases, claimants were likely to have low, minimal or no extra cost.
But with these changes going ahead how can the Chancellor, George Osborne, boast the Treasury is spending £1bn more, when to many he seems to be making swingeing cuts? It's all down to forecasts in spending.
In November last year it had underestimated how much disability benefits were going to cost. At that time it forecast spending of £16.2bn in 2015-16, rising to £16.7bn in 2020-21. Now, it still expects spending of £16.2bn in 2015-16 but forecasts it rising to £17.2bn over the same period.
So, in a nutshell (a rather large one at that), disability benefits are going up despite cuts. But take that as you will, I feel I might be back here explaining more revised forecasts in the very near future. | Behind the frantic number-crunching and political fallout from Wednesday's Budget lies a large group of disabled people who will be affected by the latest benefit reform. | 35830270 |
Households will pay an average of £388 from April 2013 to March 2014.
Ofwat chief executive Regina Finn said that she understood that households were facing financial pressures.
But she said that the increase, half a percentage point higher than the rate of inflation, was not as high as the water companies had wanted.
"Back in 2009, companies wanted bills rises of 10% above inflation. That didn't chime with what customers told us they wanted, so we said they could only increase bills in line with inflation," Ms Finn said.
"We understand that there is huge pressure on household incomes, and any rise is unwelcome. Inflation is driving these increases."
"We will make sure customers get value for money and if companies fall short in delivering their investment promises, we will take action."
The new charges will vary for households depending on their supplier and whether they have a water meter.
On average, households will see their water bill rise by about £13 for the year from April.
Thames Water will see the biggest percentage rise in water and sewerage bills with an increase of 5.5%, leaving households with an average bill of £354, according to Ofwat.
Other customers to see larger than average rises include those of Southern Water, with bills rising by 5.3% with an average payment of £449. Households supplied by Wessex Water will face an average bill of £478 - an increase of 4.9%.
The increased bills will contribute to investment programme worth about £25bn between 2010 and 2015, the regulator added.
Those supplied by South West Water will see bills fall by 7.3% after the government pledged contributions to reduce each household's bill by £50. However, water and sewerage bills in the region remain the highest in the country, with households paying an average of £499.
Last year, prices rose by 5.7%, owing to the higher level of inflation.
However, the Consumer Council for Water, a watchdog which represents customers, suggested that this inflation link had allowed companies to make excessive returns.
"Water companies are making higher profits than expected and they need to give some of this back to their customers," said Dame Yve Buckland, who chairs the watchdog.
"They can limit their own prices or invest more money into services. They should not keep it all for shareholders and investors." | The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is to rise by 3.5% over the next year, regulator Ofwat has said. | 21334044 |
A report, in the British Medical Journal, highlights an "extremely rapid" rise in pre-diabetes since 2003.
The authors predict a surge in type-2 diabetes in the coming years, with consequences for life expectancy and disability.
The charity Diabetes UK said the NHS was already spending one-tenth of its budget on the condition.
People with pre-diabetes have no symptoms of ill health, but their blood sugar levels are at the very high end of the normal range - on the cusp of diabetes.
Between 5% and 10% of people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type-2 diabetes each year, the researchers said.
Their study looked at Health Survey for England data between 2003 and 2011.
In 2003, 11.6% of adults surveyed had pre-diabetes, but the figures trebled to 35.3% by 2011.
Three years ago, 39-year-old Helen Barker from Snaith in East Yorkshire was told she was following her brother and her dad on the path to type-2 diabetes.
"It was through a routine check-up at the doctors, I was told my glucose tolerance was not at the right levels."
She was advised to change her lifestyle and went on to improve her diet, exercise more and initially dropped five stone.
"It worked, to be completely honest I put some weight back on, but I'm in a lot different place now, I was retested and I'm back to normal.
"I don't want to be back in that category, my dad's got so many health problems because of diabetes."
He cannot drive due to damage to his eyes and is about to start kidney dialysis.
Helen said: "There are simple steps to turn things around, if only he'd known 10 years sooner that he could have prevented some of these things."
Prof Richard Baker, one of the report's authors from the University of Leicester, told the BBC: "The level of increased diabetes risk has gone up quite steeply, it has been rising in other countries, but it has leapt up faster in England than in the US - it's a big jump really.
"A lot of people with type-2 diabetes manage their condition very well, but some are unlucky and get severe consequences quickly, it's not a nice disease to have."
Fellow researcher Dr Arch Mainous, from the University of Florida, added: "I think the huge rise was surprising, it was substantial.
"People are going to transition from these high-risk states to diabetes and there will be a lot of implications for people being sick and healthcare costs."
NHS: Type-2 diabetes
BBC Science: Diabetes
Check your risk of Type 2 diabetes - Diabetes UK
Prof Baker said the health service had some good things in place, such as health checks for people over the age of 40.
But he argued a broader approach "either more regulation or getting the food industry to compete more on the healthiness of their products" was needed.
Around 3.2 million people in the UK have type-2 diabetes and the charity Diabetes UK estimates that figure will rise to 5 million by 2025.
The condition is linked to risk factors which include being overweight.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body are unable to produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly.
The charity's chief executive Barbara Young said: "Unless we make people aware of their risk of type-2 diabetes and support them in changing their lifestyles, we could see an even greater increase in the number of people with the condition than we are already expecting.
"A tenth of the NHS budget is already being spent on diabetes and unless we get much better at preventing type-2 diabetes this spending will soon rise to unsustainable levels."
"Up to 80% of cases of type-2 diabetes could be avoided or delayed.
"Programmes such as the NHS Health Check are already doing an important job in assessing people's risk, by measuring weight and waist, as well as looking at family history and ethnicity.
"But at the moment not everyone who is eligible for this check is getting one and we need this to change." | More than a third of adults are on the cusp of developing type-2 diabetes, figures for England show. | 27712381 |
Opposing Wolves and Birmingham City fans clashed near Wolverhampton railway station after the home side's 2-1 defeat, West Midlands Police said.
It said officers were "forced to quell" disorder and used "appropriate" force.
But Nick Glynn, who trained police in the use of force, said he filmed "potentially unlawful violence" by officers on Friday night.
Wolves supporters threw bottles, seats and coins following Birmingham City's second goal, according to West Midlands Police.
The force said an investigation into the two incidents had been launched.
Thirteen arrests were made on the night - eight men were believed to be Blues supporters and five were believed to be Wolves fans.
Birmingham fan Mr Glynn, who served with Leicestershire Police for 30 years, said Blues fans were singing outside the railway station but he was not aware of Wolves fans being present.
He also said it "didn't sound" like public disorder.
Police were trying to force fans into the station, shouting commands to move and "shouted a show of strength command, which means that they raise their batons in the air," he said.
He stated: "[An officer] just bashed down with his baton on somebody, the head or their shoulder, that's what it's going to hit, and that was then followed by a load of other officers appearing to do the same."
Mr Glynn said: "The threat level that you would need to justify hitting somebody over the head with a baton is really high.
"Somebody could've died from getting struck on the head with a baton and, my question would be, for what? For maybe not walking quite quickly enough to a railway station?'"
Match commander Ch Insp Nick Rowe said his officers issued several warnings "to no avail" and used "proportionate force".
He said: "My officers were faced with a very challenging, yet isolated incident, and officers had to take action to prevent further clashes and other fans getting hurt.
"If we receive any complaints then this will be reviewed by the West Midlands Police professional standards department in consultation with the IPCC [Independent Police Complaints Commission]."
Ch Insp Rowe said police would look to identify those responsible for throwing missiles inside the stadium and those involved in trouble near to the station. | A retired chief inspector says someone "could've died" when police used batons on football fans after a derby game. | 39095756 |
GlenWyvis Distillery Community Benefit Society has proposed building Scotland's first community-owned craft whisky distillery near Dingwall.
One of the 2,600 people who invested in the distillery's crowdfunding appeal suggested that the public access the site by a funicular-style railway.
The ride would take three minutes, the society said.
It has been proposed that the electric-powered inclined elevator, also known as a hillside tram, would form part of a park-and-ride scheme serving the distillery's visitor hub.
An electric bus would take visitors from Dingwall to the elevator's base station.
GlenWyvis Distillery Community Benefit Society said the elevator would only be built if the distillery site is also chosen for the location of its visitor centre.
If the funicular does go ahead it would be the first of its kind in the UK and, at 400m (1,312ft), the longest in Europe, the organisation said.
John Mckenzie, the founder of GlenWyvis and site landowner, said: "We are now exploring this funicular-style solution as a positive response to local concerns about access to the distillery.
"We think this has great potential to attract many more people to Dingwall and the distillery itself.
"It is all aimed at rejuvenating Dingwall as the craft distilling town for Scotland."
The Highlands are already home to Scotland's only funicular railway. CairnGorm Mountain, near Aviemore, runs the railway to the UK's highest restaurant.
Opened in 2001, the funicular connects a base station with the ski centre's restaurant 1,097m (3,599ft) up Cairn Gorm mountain. | Visitors to a planned new Highlands distillery could ride to and from the site on an "electric elevator". | 37825355 |
Is the best way to guard against radicalisation to make sure Muslim pupils are in religious state schools that are robustly regulated?
When the government unveiled its plans for schools in England, the headlines were taken by the controversy over grammars.
But there was another shift in policy which would make it easier for an increase in faith-based free schools.
This was presented in the context of allowing more Catholic schools, with Prime Minister Theresa May commending them for high achievement often in areas of deprivation.
And, she said, "there is growing demand for them".
But expanding faith schools will not be limited to one religion or denomination.
And in terms of "growing demand", one of the biggest gaps must be for Muslim faith schools.
There are more than 6,800 faith schools in the state school system - but only 28 of them are Muslim, with two more in the pipeline.
In terms of the Muslim population, estimated at 2.7 million and with a third aged 15 or under, the number of Muslim state schools is disproportionately small.
But the absence of Muslim schools in the state sector does not mean that there are not Muslim schools - it means most of them are low-cost private schools.
Even further away from public scrutiny are an unknown number of entirely unregulated, unregistered schools.
There have been repeated warnings from Ofsted over the past year about the risks posed by such illegal schools.
Would such places exist if there were more Muslim schools in the state sector?
Farhan Adam is head of the Madani schools in Leicester, one for girls and one for boys, and he says that for every pupil getting a place, another four have to be turned away.
These are part of the state system and he is applying to open another two Muslim free schools, to meet unmet parental demand.
He is worried about where some Muslim pupils end up being taught, saying they could be in places "where there are safeguarding issues and questions about radicalisation and extremism".
There are also seem to be pupils entirely "missing from the system".
Mr Adam says Muslim state schools are able to provide a bridge between parents who want a religious ethos and the need for a good quality education in a place that is safe.
Within a state school, he says teachers can make sure that young people have a proper understanding of their religion and how it is compatible with living in a diverse, modern society.
The threat of radicalisation comes from young people going online by themselves and getting a "warped version", he says.
Ghulam Abbas, an education consultant and former Department for Education official, says there is a need for more Muslim state schools - but the quality is more important than the quantity.
He says that in the past, applications for Muslim free schools have been turned down because too much attention was paid to the religious aspect and not enough to the quality of education.
The lack of Muslim schools so far has been about a lack of expertise in the community in running successful schools, he says.
But he says a new generation of outstanding and outward looking Muslim state schools could be a positive answer to the problem of Muslim youngsters with a "poor understanding of their faith" and who are vulnerable to radicalisation.
The east London schoolgirls who headed off to Syria were not in faith schools and the schools caught up in the Trojan Horse claims did not have a religious affiliation.
But if ministers want to have more Muslim schools inside the fold of the state system, there will be accusations of segregation and cultural isolation.
"Opening up more Muslim faith schools will be divisive - risking further harm to integration by fuelling religious and ethnic segregation," says Stephen Evans of the National Secular Society.
"Schools paid for out of public money should be inclusive schools where all children are educated together, irrespective of their faith backgrounds."
If there are problems with independent Muslim schools, he says the answer is "to better regulate the independent sector, not to open up more Muslim faith schools in the state sector".
Mr Evans also says that even if Muslim parents had an option of a faith school, many would still prefer to send their children to a non-religious school.
It's also the case that some Muslim families choose to send their children to other types of faith school. There are Catholic schools where changing demographics mean that a majority of pupils are Muslim.
There is a big philosophical dividing point here. England's education system has traditionally had strong links with religious groups and been open to incorporating the religions of new arrivals. This is very unlike a system such as France, which has remained staunchly secular.
But which works for integration?
By international standards, measured by the OECD, England's schools are successful. In fact, they're very unusual in that the children of migrants are more likely to go to university than children of native parents.
The OECD has also measured how much the children of migrants feel as though they belong in the host country.
And the country with the lowest sense of "belonging" in their schools is among migrant families in France. | Will there be a new wave of Muslim state schools opening? | 37484358 |
Linda Eshun scored the winner on 49 minutes when she headed the ball home from close range following a corner.
In the first half South Africa had the best chances but Refiloe Jane headed over and another header was well saved by Ghana keeper Patricia Mantey.
Banyana Banayana also failed to equalise when Andisiwe Mcgoyi put a simple chance over the bar.
Unlike in 2014, this match did not offer the prize of a Women's World Cup place.
And in the end South Africa had to settle for fourth place - just as they did two years ago - while Ghana claimed a first bronze medal since 2004. | Ghana edged out South Africa 1-0 to win the third-place play-off at the women's Africa Cup of Nations. | 38184881 |
7 March 2017 Last updated at 13:16 GMT
The author has been answering questions from his fans.
What was David's favourite story when he was growing up? And why does he prefer evil teachers to nice teachers?
Watch the video to find out! | Whether it's gangsta grannies, awful aunties, or demon dentists, David Walliams is famous for writing stories that make us laugh. | 39193075 |
Barry McNamee's superb pass set up Rory Patterson to strike Derry into the lead in the 10th minute but Keith Treacy levelled 13 minutes minutes.
Lukas Schubert also hit the Pat's woodwork but Derry keeper Gerard Doherty made a series of great saves.
Derry stay third, a point behind Cork City, who have four games in hand.
Fourth-placed Shamrock Rovers are now only three points behind the Candystripes after they defeated Longford Town 2-1 on Friday night.
Despite losing ground to their nearest rivals, Derry boss Kenny Shiels is unlikely to have been overly perturbed by Friday's result.
The manager was forced to start without injured centre-backs Ryan McBride and Aaron Barry which led to call-ups for Harry Monaghan and Conor McDermott.
Monaghan's lack of experience in the centre-back role was clear in the first half as was caught out on a couple of occasions but McDermott produced an impressive full-back display to win his individual battle with former Derry player Mark Timlin.
Patterson's goal came after a brilliant build-up with Schubert, Aaron McEneff and McDermott all involved before McNamee's incisive pass was followed by an accomplished finish.
After Billy Dennehy almost levelled within a minute, Schubert headed against the Pat's woodwork two minutes later in probably the game's turning point.
Pat's were on terms by the 23rd minute as Republic of Ireland international Treacy finished to the net after McEneff conceded possession near halfway.
As Derry lost their way in the remainder of the opening period, goalkeeper Doherty had to make three brilliant saves before half-time to deny two Christy Fagan efforts and a Sean Hoare chance.
The second half was more subdued with the superb Doherty saving a Dennehy effort and Niclas Vemmelund spurning a late headed chance for Derry. | Under-strength Derry City missed the chance to move into second place in the League of Ireland table as they were held at home by Patrick's Athletic. | 36979705 |
They said Mr Trump's "divisiveness" and "incompetence" risked drowning the party in November's election.
The letter said that the party should instead focus on protecting vulnerable candidates in elections to the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Former members of Congress are among the signatories of the letter.
"We believe that Donald Trump's divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence, and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide," said a draft of the letter obtained by Politico.
"Only the immediate shift of all available RNC (Republican National Convention) resources to vulnerable Senate and House races will prevent the GOP from drowning with a Trump-emblazoned anchor around its neck."
The letter added: "This should not be a difficult decision, as Donald Trump's chances of being elected president are evaporating by the day."
Reacting to the move, Mr Trump said he was not concerned that the party could cut him off.
"All I have to do is stop funding the Republican Party," the billionaire said.
Time Magazine on Thursday reported that RNC Chairman Reince Priebus had threatened to withdraw funding from the Trump campaign, and instead direct it to Congressional campaigns.
Mr Trump denies that this conversation ever took place.
The Republican presidential nominee has endured 10 days of negative headlines after a string of controversial comments.
In recent weeks, several leading Republicans have deserted Mr Trump over his outspoken attacks.
Polls suggest support for the embattled candidate has been falling in key battleground states in recent weeks. | More than 70 Republicans have signed a letter to the party's National Committee head urging him to stop helping Donald Trump's campaign. | 37055398 |
James will swap with Scott Mills, who has been presenting the slot since 2004. Mills will now front the lunchtime show from 13:00-16:00.
T4 host Jameela Jamil and 1Xtra's Gemma Cairney will also join the station.
Radio 1 boss Ben Cooper said the changes were aimed at attracting younger listeners.
In recent years the BBC Trust has called for the station to refocus towards a younger audience.
Radio 1's target audience, as set by the trust'sservice licence, is aged between 15 and 29. But the official average age of a Radio 1 listener has risen from 29 to 32 in the past three years.
It is thought James' new role will put the 26-year-old in line to eventually replace Chris Moyles, 38, as the station's flagship breakfast DJ when his contract ends in 2013.
New signing Jamil will host the Radio 1 Request Show which will be now broadcast on Sundays from 19:00-21:00.
Cairney will move from Radio 1's digital sister station 1Xtra, taking over Edith Bowman's weekend breakfast show.
Bowman will move to a midweek slot, fronting Radio 1's Review Show on Tuesdays from 21:00-22:00, resulting in her on-air time being cut from six hours to one.
"These are exciting times at Radio 1 & 1Xtra," Cooper said.
"The latest changes are about attracting even more young listeners by bringing in new and fresh talent to the stations."
The moves come nearly three months after Radio 1 announced changes to its dance music schedule, which will also see long-time presenters Judge Jules and Gilles Peterson leave the station in favour of younger, new talent.
Last year, meanwhile, long-serving presenter Jo Whiley moved to Radio 2, with new music champion Huw Stephens claiming her slot in the weekend schedule.
The new schedule will begin from Monday, 2 April. | BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James is to host the station's weekday 16:00-19:00 drivetime show from April, as part of a shake-up of presenters. | 17203702 |
Toomua was shown a yellow card for a tip-tackle in the early stages of Friday's European Champions Cup defeat.
The officials ruled Glasgow's Finn Russell landed on his upper back rather than his head or neck, hence a yellow.
"I thought there was a chance [of being sent off]," Toomua, 26, told BBC Radio 5 live. "To be fair I was lucky he landed on his shoulder."
The Australia international added: "I was pretty embarrassed about it to be honest, and it's not something I am proud of.
"I apologised to the other team, and hopefully it won't happen again."
Toomua avoided further sanction for the incident, and is determined to make amends this weekend against French champions Racing 92.
"I will try to do what I can this weekend to rectify it," he said.
Leicester's 42-13 defeat by the Warriors was the club's record loss in Europe, and the Wallaby says their performance "let quite a few people down".
"It wasn't the start I was hoping for or we were hoping for," added Toomua.
Toomua has relocated to the East Midlands from the Brumbies in Canberra, and says the history and support at Welford Road was a big factor in making the move.
"One of the reasons I came over here was the history of club, the almost fanaticism about it," he said. "People really care about it, and with that comes responsibility."
Toomua has won 33 caps for Australia but is prepared to put his international career on hold in order to focus on life in England.
"I want to have both feet in one camp, and that is Leicester. As far as I'm concerned my Wallaby career is over for the time being," he said.
"Rugby-wise I want to grow, and I want to experience something different, and immerse myself in the English culture."
Meanwhile, Leicester boss Richard Cockerill says he accepts the pressure and criticism that comes with being at one of the biggest clubs in the country.
The Tigers' heavy defeat by Glasgow has led to "a volatile reaction", but after almost 25 years at Welford Road as a player and coach, the former hooker is aware of what comes with the territory.
"I accept it, it was the same in 1992 when I joined as an amateur - we were expected to win," he said.
"I know when we play poorly there is going to be a more volatile reaction. But that's life, I understand that, and you have to take it.
"This is my club, because I played for it. That adds a little bit of responsibility, and a little bit of embarrassment when it doesn't go right.
"It's my fault when the team play like that. I take full responsibility."
Leicester are fourth in the Premiership, having won four of their six league matches so far this season, but after the loss in Scotstoun, Cockerill believes the Tigers "have to win" against Racing.
"We have not played well this season but we are still fourth, and have lost one game in Europe," said the 45-year old.
"It's not as if we are bottom of the league and the club has fallen to bits. It's probably the manner of the defeats that has been a slight issue, and we need to rectify that." | Leicester Tigers centre Matt Toomua says he was lucky not to be sent off on his debut for the club against Glasgow. | 37703135 |
Charlene Downes, 14, was last seen near to the North Pier in Blackpool in 2003. Her body has never been found.
A man, 34, was arrested on suspicion of rape and two men, aged 29 and 44, were held for aiding and abetting rape.
Officers have been looking at links between Charlene's case and the "wider issue of child sexual exploitation"
Police said there was no suggestion the arrests were directly connected to Charlene's disappearance.
The offences over which the three men were arrested were committed between 2009 and 2010 against a 23-year-old woman. | Three men have been arrested on suspicion of historical sex offences by police investigating the murder of a teenager who went missing 13 years ago. | 38259796 |
Having been at the heart of government in Buenos Aires during the slow, inexorable slide to financial collapse, Mr Cavallo is attuned to the magnitude of the perils now facing the Greeks.
"Defaulting not only on the foreign debts but also on the domestic debts and all foreign contracts at the beginning of 2002 was really a tragedy for Argentina," he told the BBC's Newshour Extra programme.
For many Argentines, the period following the default was ruinous: unemployment nearly doubled to more than 20%. Inflation, which had been vanquished in the 1990s, came back into the economy with a vengeance.
In the year after default, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 11%. And the poor economic performance had real consequences. The proportion of Argentines living in poverty rose above 50%.
As it tried to balance the books, the government decreed that bank deposits be converted into pesos. In effect, the government had confiscated people's savings. Many people found themselves unable to pay bills such as their mortgage payments because they were denominated in dollars.
Powerful financial players also lost out. Private companies that had purchased utility companies on the basis that customers would pay their bills in dollar values found themselves out of pocket. Some took legal action that remains unresolved to this today.
The turmoil on the markets spilt out onto the streets. Lost savings and fears for the future led to violent riots in which lives were lost. The consequent political instability led a whole series of senior politicians to resign.
But in some ways it could have been worse for Argentina. The country's traditionally vibrant agricultural sector was able to take advantage of the devalued currency.
And, by good fortune, the period after 2001 saw global agricultural prices shoot up, spurred on by Chinese demand. Argentine exports more than doubled between 2002 and 2006.
"Argentina recovered because of the huge improvement in the terms of trade that came from mid-2002 on," Mr Cavallo says. "The price of soya went up from $120 [£76] per tonne to $600 per tonne."
Argentina is one of South America's largest economies. But it has also fallen prey to a boom-and-bust cycle.
A deep recession foreshadowed economic collapse in 2001, which left more than half the population living in poverty and triggered unrest. The country struggled with record debt defaults and currency devaluation.
By 2003 a recovery was under way and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to a vital new loan. Since then, Argentina has restructured its massive debt, offering creditors new bonds for the defaulted ones, and has repaid its debt to the IMF.
But although the economy has been on the mend since 2001, Argentina again defaulted on its international debt in July 2014.
Argentina profile
While some suggest Greece could experience a similar post-default recovery, there are reasons for believing that, in fact, it would not manage to emulate Argentina's export-led growth performance. Greece lacks a strong export sector that could take advantage of a devalued currency.
"Greece does not have a very strong or competitive manufacturing sector," says Dr Jill Hedges, of the research group Oxford Analytica. "Greece is not a trading nation."
While a return to a weakened drachma might encourage more foreign holidaymakers to go to Greece, it is far from clear that an improved and more vibrant tourism sector would be enough to produce a general economic recovery.
Furthermore, without pressure from Brussels and the IMF, Greece might be tempted to dodge some of the structural reforms that its creditors maintain are necessary for long-term growth. A lack of such reforms could reintroduce inflation into the Greek economy.
"How many years before they would see the light at the end of the tunnel?" asks financial expert Paul Blustein.
Mr Blustein, who wrote a book on the Argentine default, is now writing one on the crisis in Athens. "Greece would go through a horribly wretched period," he says.
For more on this story, listen to Newshour Extra on the BBC iPlayer or download the podcast. | A Greek exit from the eurozone could have far more negative consequences than many analysts realise, warns Domingo Cavallo, Argentina's Minister of the Economy at the time of that country's default in 2001. | 33324363 |
But just how much do you know about the world's "greenest" football club?
BBC Sport looks at five things you may not be aware of about the non-league outfit, founded in 1889.
They have not kicked a ball yet and Forest Green have already broken an EFL record.
The Gloucestershire town of Nailsworth, where Rovers are based, has become the smallest settlement to ever host a Football League club.
With a population of just 5,800, Nailsworth is home to about 2,000 more people than attended the second leg of Rovers' 3-1 aggregate play-off semi-final win over Dagenham & Redbridge at The New Lawn.
In July 2015, Forest Green unveiled plans for a new stadium within an 'Eco Park', to be ready later this decade.
Owner Dale Vince, who believes the club can "easily win promotion to League One", ambitiously and confidently declared that Forest Green "will be" a Football League club by the time they eventually move in.
The plans for an all-seater stadium and a 100-acre sports and green technology centre - all next to junction 13 of the M5 - have impressed supporters.
Similarities can certainly be drawn with Gloucestershire's newest 'environmentally-friendly' service station, nearby on the same stretch of motorway, serving locally-sourced food, and this new stadium is part of Vince's vision for a green club.
But their existing ground is hardly a menace to the environment...
For example, in December 2012, the club won an award for growing a pitch without using chemicals.
The 'organic' playing surface, spread using Scottish seaweed, is thought to be the first in the world.
The surface was criticised by former manager Ady Pennock last season, perhaps accelerating him being replaced by current boss Mark Cooper.
But with solar panels powering the electricity at The New Lawn and the club even using a solar-powered lawn mower to trim the grass, Vince has gone all-out in his aim to be the greenest club on the planet.
Fans of League Two clubs visiting the Gloucestershire side next season will not be seeing beef burgers and steak pies on the menu at The New Lawn.
That is because owner Vince has introduced vegan-only food for supporters.
But the players themselves are banned from eating red meat and dietary habits have been known to be a factor during recruitment.
The National League side take bringing players in very seriously.
The club use the 'Moneyball' philosophy, using statistics to determine which players to sign.
However, they now have a vacancy in that department after performance analyst Charlie Reeves left to take up a role with Premier League side Everton.
The economics graduate joined the club in October 2015 and said: "I'm extremely grateful to Forest Green for supporting my work - they have always given me all the tools I needed to push the analytics as far as I could.
"At Everton, I hope to have a meaningful effect on the way the club works, utilise the power of data analysis and ultimately the performance of the team on the pitch."
The original version of this story appeared on the BBC Sport website on 13 May 2016. | Forest Green Rovers have been promoted to the English Football League for the first time in their history after a 3-1 win over Tranmere Rovers in the National League promotion final at Wembley on Sunday. | 36277085 |
St John's Primary, in Sussex, is holding a non-school uniform day but instead of donating to charity, pupils were asked to bring in essential items.
The chair of the Crowborough school's governors, said it wanted to highlight the "massive financial crisis" all schools face under budget cuts.
The Department for Education (DoE) has admitted funding models are "unfair".
At a meeting later, parents will be told how cuts would affect the school.
Live: More news from Sussex
Head teacher Laura Cooper said it was important parents were aware of "the real financial pressures facing the school".
In a letter on the non-uniform day, she said "we would like the children to bring in various 'essential' items such as stationery (e.g. glue sticks, pencils, Blu Tack, boxes of tissues, sellotape, etc) and of course loo rolls".
The Parents' Forum meeting later would focus on "safeguarding the future of our school", she added.
Rosie Wegeland, who has four children at the school, said the letter had "really surprised" her.
"This is the first time in seven years that they are asking for something else to be given to the school," she said.
In a separate letter earlier this month, head teachers from across East Sussex urged parents to lobby their local MPs and the education secretary "to protest about the effects of funding cuts in schools".
"The government claims that funding for schools has remained the same, but they do not mention that all schools face rising costs due to inflation and other extra charges recently introduced by the government," they said.
"According to the National Audit Office, this will equate to £3 billion less between 2019 and 2020."
In a statement, the DoE agreed the current system for distributing funding across the country was "unfair, opaque and outdated".
It had been consulting schools, governors, local authorities and parents "on the need for a fairer funding formula", it added. | A cash-strapped primary school has felt forced to ask pupils' parents to donate toilet rolls and stationery. | 39440717 |
The
Living Planet Report
combines data on more than 9,000 populations of animals across the world.
Rio+20
is billed as a chance for world leaders to put global society on a sustainable path.
But the report's main authors, WWF, say progress on nature protection and climate change is "glacial".
"The Rio+20 conference is an opportunity for the world to get serious about the need for development to be made sustainable," said David Nussbaum, CEO of WWF-UK.
"We need to elevate the sense of urgency, and I think this is ultimately not only about our lives but the legacy we leave for future generations."
The Living Planet Report uses data on trends seen in various species across the world, compiled by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
Further analysis from the Global Footprint Network aims to calculate how sustainable our global society is in terms of its overall ecological footprint - a composite measure of issues such as fossil fuel burning, use of cropland to grow food, and consumption of wood and wild-caught fish.
For this edition of the report, ZSL has examined more species (2,600) and more populations of those species (9,014) than ever before.
Overall, these populations show a decline of about 30% since 1970 - the same figure as in the last edition, published two years ago.
Tropical species show a decline of more than 60%, while in temperate regions there has been an average recovery of about 30%.
The worst affected species are those in tropical lakes rivers, whose numbers have fallen by 70% since 1970.
The director of the ZSL's Institute of Zoology, Professor Tim Blackburn, likened the figures to a stock market of the natural world.
"There would be panic of the FTSE index showed a decline like this," he said.
"Nature is more important than money. Humanity can live without money, but we can't live without nature and the essential services it provides."
One of the draft recommendations for Rio+20 is that governments should develop and use economic indicators that include valuation of "natural capital".
The global footprint analysis, meanwhile, concludes that humanity is using one-and-a-half times more natural resources than the Earth can sustainably supply.
The Persian Gulf emerges as the region with the highest per-capita ecological footprint, with Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates topping the list of the least sustainable nations.
The US makes the top 10, which also includes Denmark, Belgium, Australia and Ireland. The UK ranks 27th.
A new measure that WWF has developed allows tracking of water scarcity in 405 river systems across the world on a monthly basis.
It reveals that 2.7 billion people experience a lack of water for at least one month each year.
The report highlights some examples of progress on sustainability, such as a programme in Pakistan that has helped cotton farmers slash water, pesticide and fertiliser use while generating the same yield.
It also highlights areas that could be tackled urgently, such as the 30% wastage of food caused by profligate behaviour in the West and by lack of storage infrastructure in developing countries.
Mr Nussbaum said it was not too late to turn existing trends around, but "we need to address this with the same urgency and determination with which we tackled the systemic financial crisis globally".
Follow Richard
on Twitter | Environmentalists say leaders at June's Rio+20 summit must urgently step up nature protection, as a report confirms a 30% decline in wildlife since 1970. | 18060323 |
The former world number one golfer was found at the wheel of his Mercedes, in the right lane, and had to be woken by a police officer early on Monday.
Charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Mr Woods blamed "an unexpected reaction to prescribed medication".
He maintains that alcohol was "not involved" in the incident.
"Woods had extremely slow and slurred speech," a copy of the police report published by US outlets said. He was "co-operative" but "confused".
The results sheet from his breathalyser test noted he was "unable to walk alone", but results showed he "blew zeroes" - indicating a lack of alcohol in his breath.
Mr Woods initially told the arresting officer he was coming back from Los Angeles, having been golfing, and said he did not know where he was. He then changed his story about where he was coming from and going to, the police report says.
Officers also recorded that Mr Woods had failed all but one of the roadside tests - including standing on one leg and the "walk and turn" test.
The police document also revealed some of the golfer's medical details, including a history of multiple knee and Achilles tendon surgeries.
Mr Woods also told police he was taking several prescription medications. The athlete has been recovering from back surgery - his fourth such operation - and is expected to be out of action until October.
In his most recent comment about his health, he wrote that the surgery had relieved terrible pain and that he had not "felt this good in years".
The mugshot shows a dishevelled Tiger Woods, bleary-eyed and unshaven - just the sort of image he would not want associated with himself in public.
The picture will haunt him throughout these proceedings and beyond. This is someone who has put back together his public life after that epic fall from grace with all the news of the extramarital affairs that broke in 2009.
What we gather from someone who has a jealously guarded lifestyle in terms of his privacy is he spends most of his time playing computer games. We know he speaks glowingly about being a father and looking after his children.
Read more: Can Woods repair damage of new low?
"I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions," Mr Woods said in a statement earlier.
"I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn't realise the mix of medications had affected me so strongly."
Police records show the 41-year-old golfer was pulled over at about 03:00 local time (07:00 GMT) near his home in Jupiter and later taken into custody.
He was released from Palm Beach County jail at 10:30 local time.
Mr Woods is due in court for a mandatory appearance in early July. | Golfer Tiger Woods was found "asleep at the wheel" with the engine running when he was arrested, US media reports say. | 40096818 |
Dubbed the Frisco Five, they accuse Greg Suhr of heading a racist force following the shootings by officers of three men from ethnic minority groups.
They said their cause would be better served by "staying and fighting" than by "starving and dying".
They remain in hospital where they were admitted on Friday to be monitored.
The five hunger strikers stopped eating in April to protest about the deaths of Mario Woods, Alex Nieto and Amilcar Lopez - all of whom had been shot dead by police.
A statement on the Hunger For Justice #Frisco5 Facebook page said that "the whole community" had asked for Sellassie Blackwell, Ilyich Sato, Edwin Lindo, Maria Cristina Gutierrez and Ike Pinkston to end their hunger strike on Saturday so they could "return to the front lines and help shape this movement and the pursuit of justice for the black and brown citizens of San Francisco".
"They have been told in no uncertain terms by the community that they are needed here to help fight a corrupt administration and a racist and violent police department," it said.
More on US police and race relations:
On Tuesday, the Frisco Five, in wheelchairs, along with hundreds of supporters took part in a march to the City Hall demanding to speak to the mayor.
Ed Lee was not in his office, but spoke to the hunger strikers by phone on Thursday, saying he had no plans to fire Mr Suhr.
More than 30 people were arrested and then released when supporters stormed City Hall on Friday, causing thousands of dollars' worth of damage.
There are more than 1,000 fatal shootings by police in the US each year, and those killed are disproportionately African-American. | Five people in the US city of San Francisco have ended a 17-day hunger strike calling for a police chief to be sacked from his job. | 36240628 |
England under-21 international Abraham, signed on a season's loan from Chelsea, headed home in the 80th minute.
Paul Clement's side - without injured Fernando Llorente and transfer-target Gylfi Sigurdsson - took a first half lead through Oliver McBurnie.
But substitute Franck Tayou equalised on 69 minutes for the Kickers before Abraham had the last word.
Manager Paul Clement told BBC Radio Wales: "I was satisfied with the way we played, lots of players got minutes under their belts.
"Half the team played 60 minutes, the other half played 30. Lots of things to work on, but with three and a half weeks to go to the start of the season, we are moving in the right direction."
Swansea drew 2-2 with Philadelphia Union in the first game of their tour, having previously lost a friendly 1-0 at Barnet.
They complete their American training trip against North Carolina, on Saturday. | Tammy Abraham scored a winning goal on his debut as Swansea City beat Richmond Kickers in the second USA tour game. | 40665449 |
The project has been headed by Gordon Brown, former UK prime minister and UN special envoy for global education.
The aim is to raise $3.85bn (£2.66bn) over the next five years which could support the education of more than 13 million young people.
Mr Brown said it would help restore the sense of hope for refugee families.
Speaking at the summit in Istanbul in Turkey, Mr Brown said: "For the first time, we have a humanitarian fund targeting education.
"A fund that plans - not just for weeks or months - but for years in support of a child's development. And a fund with a contingency reserve allowing us to act when a crisis hits ensuring no begging bowl has to be circulated."
Mr Brown said that education was a way to protect young people from exploitation.
"Without school, young children caught up in emergencies are at risk of becoming the youngest labourers in the field, the youngest brides at the altar, the youngest soldiers in the trench and, in some cases, the youngest recruits vulnerable to extremism and radicalisation," he said.
The emergency fund, called Education Cannot Wait, would be aimed at providing a rapid response to the need for schools for young people caught up in conflict.
The fund, launched with an initial $100m (£69m) in donations, has been backed by Unesco head, Irina Bokova, who said: "Exceptional measures are urgently required to meet the educational needs of millions of children and youth whose future is jeopardised by conflicts, displacement and natural disasters."
Unesco says education in emergencies has been "grossly underfunded" - and at present only receives 2% of humanitarian aid.
Ms Bokova is calling for a fivefold increase in this allocation for education.
Ahead of the summit, Unesco published figures with the UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) showing that only 50% of refugee children are in primary school and 25% of refugee adolescents are in secondary school.
A report warned that there could be even worse problems about which little is known.
Information on refugee education is mostly gathered by agencies working in camps, but many refugees are outside these official camps - living in cities or other informal settlements.
There are also unknown numbers of young people who are displaced within their countries, such as those missing school in Nigeria because of attacks by Boko Haram.
The threat of violence against places of education was highlighted by Unicef, in a report published ahead of the summit.
It warned that there were on average four schools or hospitals attacked or occupied by armed forces every day.
"Attacks against schools and hospitals during conflict are an alarming, and disgraceful, trend. Intentional and direct strikes on these facilities, and on health workers and teachers, can be war crimes," said Afshan Khan, Unicef's director of emergency programmes.
It warned of attacks in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and the Palestinian Authority.
Unicef is calling for international support for a Safe Schools Declaration, with more than 50 countries having signed an agreement for protected status to be given to places of education during war and violent conflict. | An emergency fund to provide education during conflicts and natural disasters has been launched at the World Humanitarian Summit. | 36361630 |
Carol-Ann Kelly struck up an friendship with the East End villain while visiting her then husband in Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight in 1983.
The pair became close after Kray, who died of cancer in 2000, said she reminded him of his late wife.
The lot could fetch £2,000 when auctioned at Lewes, East Sussex.
The previously unseen letters were written in the 1980s when Kray was part-way through a life term for the murder of Jack "The Hat" McVitie.
Ms Kelly, of north-west London, maintained contact with Kray through prison visits, letters and phone calls from 1983 to 1989 but insisted it was strictly platonic.
One letter revealed his battle with the Parole Board to secure a move to Maidstone prison.
He wrote: "I feel my reputation is stopping them from accepting.
"I am not a nutcase. I'm quite stable in myself.
"I'm going to point out that I would even forgo visits to Ron. Then they have no reason not to release me."
The villain was so fond of Ms Kelly that she said he even paid for the rent on a flat on the Isle of Wight so she could visit him in prison with her then eight-year-old son David.
To some, Kray's claim to have become a born-again Christian was seen as a cynical attempt by him to help secure his release from jail.
But in the collection, he shows apparent sincerity in his actions, according to Ms Kelly.
Writing to her after the breakdown of her marriage, he told her: "Get your head together. Don't contemplate suicide.
"I became a born-again Christian on behalf of you."
Ms Kelly, now in her 50s, said she never saw Reggie Kray as the man considered, along with his twin Ronnie, to be one of the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in the East End in the 1950s and 1960s.
"He didn't look like the monster he had been made out to be," she said.
"He said he had done some horrible, wicked things and he said he knew he'd probably die in prison.
"He really wanted to get out and speak to the media because he didn't want the next generation to be going round with guns, which is what's happening now."
As well as letters, Kray also sent a signed oil painting of a boxer to her son and a coloured pencil sketch of himself as a cowboy.
The lot is set to go under the hammer at Gorringes Auctioneers on 9 February, with proceeds being donated to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead.
Gorringes auctioneer and valuer Aaron Dean said there was an unending fascination with the Kray twins.
"They have an everlasting legacy, it seems, because they are in the living memory of a large part of the British public," he said.
"This sale represents yet another side to the Krays' saga and how they came to regret the actions of their youthful past." | Letters and artwork by killer Reggie Kray are being auctioned by the woman credited with helping him become a born-again Christian. | 12219612 |
The EU aims to bring 20,000 refugees to Europe in the next two years, as part of the plan, at a cost of €50m (£36m).
The Commission is urging EU states to share the burden of processing asylum claims. Italy and Greece, facing a migrant surge, are struggling to cope.
Under EU law the UK, Ireland and Denmark are exempt from the quota plan.
There is pressure for tougher EU action to send economic migrants back home.
The EU is considering naval action in the Mediterranean to intercept boats used to traffic migrants from North Africa, with Libya a particular hotspot.
But EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said concrete military measures would have to be decided on Monday by EU foreign and defence ministers.
Any military strike against human traffickers would require UN Security Council authorisation, the EU says.
At a news conference in Brussels, Ms Mogherini called the migration problem in the Mediterranean "unprecedented" and "dramatic".
More than 1,800 migrants have died at sea this year trying to reach Italy - a sharp rise on last year's corresponding figures.
The EU will step up co-operation with officials in war-torn Libya, she said, to curb the flow of migrant boats. More EU experts will also be sent to Agadez in northern Niger, West Africa, which has become a hub for the trafficking of Africans to Europe.
Failed migrant: 'Trip to Europe too dangerous'
Will EU Commission's quota plan for migrants work?
Is military force the solution?
The UK says the EU should focus more on fighting the traffickers who exploit migrants, put their lives at risk, and fuel the influx into southern Europe.
If the UK decides to opt in to the refugee resettlement plan, it would accept 2,309 - 11.5% of the 20,000 total, the Commission says.
The Commission's "European Agenda on Migration" consists of policy guidelines that would have to get approval from a majority of EU governments to become law.
The proposed quota system for distributing migrants already in European countries - separate from refugee resettlement - is based on key data such as GDP, unemployment figures and national population.
The Commission calculates that Germany would take the largest number - 18.4% - followed by France (14%), Italy (11.8%) and Spain (9%).
The new mechanism is called a "distribution key". It is to be launched on a temporary basis by the end of this month, with a permanent plan to follow by the end of this year.
France, Germany, Italy and some other countries back the Commission's quota proposal.
Ms Mogherini rebutted a suggestion by UK Home Secretary Theresa May that EU policy would encourage more would-be migrants to make the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean.
Writing in the Times newspaper, Ms May said she disagreed with Ms Mogherini's recent comments - in a speech at the UN - that no migrants intercepted at sea should be sent back against their will.
But a representative for Ms Mogherini said those comments referred specifically to those seeking asylum - and not to economic migrants.
Presenting the new EU blueprint to journalists, Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said Ms May "can rest assured" that there would be no open-door policy for migrants.
"If people don't have a right to asylum they should be sent back as swiftly as possible - we do agree... Return is an integral part of our plan, a cornerstone," he said.
But he admitted that many failed asylum seekers had managed to remain in the EU.
"We have been very limited in our success to actually take people back who don't have the right to asylum," he said. | The European Commission has unveiled a new blueprint for dealing with the EU's migration crisis, including a controversial plan for national quotas. | 32719014 |
But that is what happened as London Underground marked 150 years since the first underground train journey by taking a restored steam locomotive, which had hauled passenger carriages in the 19th Century, on a commemorative journey to retrace its original roots.
To the passengers on board and the spectators who caught a glimpse of it rushing past, it was history in action.
It evoked a by-gone era and hinted at what the underground was like in 1863 when it was run with steam engines.
The journey, along part of the original Metropolitan Line, was three years in the planning as the locomotive and carriages had to be restored to their former glory.
The train began its commemorative journey in Kensington Olympia station in west London.
Steam train takes to London Tube In pictures: Steam train on Tube
The platform was packed - not only with the fortunate passengers who had their Willy Wonka-esque burgundy and gold tickets, but also with steam enthusiasts who had braved the bitter cold to catch a glimpse of this majestic train.
Jack Fitzsimmons, 27, got up at 05:30 GMT to leave his home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in order to see Met Locomotive No 1.
"I come up to London and see steam trains all the time but because this is a one off, it will be even more special then any others I've been to because it's such a rarity," he said.
"This is an extra special day even though it's absolutely freezing, it's totally worth it."
As the train pulled into the station, passengers and onlookers bounded towards the top of the platform to take photos.
Today, Met Locomotive No 1 was the star.
Once all the photos had been taken and passengers were aboard the train, the familiar sounds of its horn signalled that we were on our way.
As the train breezed through 12 stations, it was greeted by thousands of onlookers.
Some stood with their mouths wide open in surprise while others clapped and cheered as they all took in the bizarre sight of a steam train emerging from a tunnel only to quickly disappear again.
Chugging along at a speed of 25mph - modern day Tube trains can reach 50mph - it headed through central London via the Circle line; taking in stations including Edgware Road, Baker Street, King's Cross and the Barbican before arriving into Moorgate on time at 10:30 GMT.
Tony Lyster, chairman of trustees for Buckinghamshire Railway Centre which owns the locomotive, reminisced afterwards.
"It was wonderful - the smell of the steam coming through the windows - we weren't allowed to open them but we opened it just a crack; the sound of the locomotive chuffing away through the tunnel, particularly on the run up of the hill towards Notting Hill Gate.
"It was magical - and to be in the old carriages as well."
Built in 1898, the steam engine was restored specially for the anniversary.
"It goes beyond expectations and it's so lovely to see her back in steam again.
"She's only been out for a couple of years (to be restored) but it's been tremendous," said Mr Lyster.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "This was really incredible because it was exactly as the Victorian underground traveller would have experienced it."
He added: "When it was built, it was an utterly revolutionary piece of technology and the idea of sending a train through a tunnel under the city - no one had thought of that before."
The person who had the daunting task of ensuring there was enough steam to drive the train was Oliver Furnell from the Forest of Dean.
The fireman, who ordinarily drives trains through heritage lines in the countryside, said there was no real difference in how to drive it, but the "environment that it's happening in, that's the unusual bit".
"It's quite surreal to be rolling through a modern Tube station and people seem to be pleased that you're there," he added.
"The steam and smoke has got nowhere to go to other than around the train and in the tunnel, so yes I suppose you get a better quantity of smell. It's a heightened experience."
Met Locomotive No 1 was due to make several further trips through the Underground on Sunday evening and again in a week's time.
However Sam Mullins, director of the London Transport Museum, hinted that this could happen more often.
"We will do more events like this this year and more into the future, here and on other railways," he said.
Two boys who would be eager to experience the train again are Henry Thomas, 12, and 13-year-old Sam Wild, who had travelled to Moorgate station from Bath just to catch a glimpse of the train in action.
"I really like the atmosphere around the steam train as everyone is really excited to see it," said Sam.
Henry added: "It was definitely worth it, it's been absolutely fantastic.
"It's always hard to explain whenever people ask me why I like steam trains. The smell, just being around it, it's just absolutely fantastic.
"It's a thing you can't explain." | The sight of a steam train emerging from the tunnels of the Tube in a swirl of smoke makes for a slightly surreal experience. | 21004315 |
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Slimani had already been taken off but referee Wayne Barnes allowed him to return after France's team doctor said Atonio needed a head injury assessment.
Slimani's return coincided with a series of scrums on the Wales line, and France finally won in the 100th minute.
The tournament's Untoward Incident Review Group is to review the matter.
Feature: Was this match the day rugby lost its head?
Organisers said: "Six Nations Rugby will send the file to the UIRG [review group] later this week and it is anticipated that the review process will begin shortly thereafter."
After the defeat, Wales interim head coach Rob Howley said: "There is evidence to suggest the integrity of the game has been brought into disrepute."
Following a chaotic and controversial finish to the game, Wales wing George North claimed he was bitten by an opponent, but citing commissioner John Montgomery said available video footage was inconclusive and no action was taken.
France forward Yoann Maestri was also fined 30,000 euros (£26,000) after accepting a misconduct charge for critical comments he made to the media about Barnes after the game. | France's 81st-minute replacement of prop Uini Atonio by Rabah Slimani in their 20-18 Six Nations win against Wales is to be investigated further. | 39488240 |
Chay Roberts-Jones, of Preston Street, Exeter, was accused of three counts of sexual assault, which he denied at Exeter Crown Court.
The 29-year-old was cleared of sexually assaulting two other girls and will be sentenced in March.
He was suspended from Blundells School, in Devon, over the allegations.
A police inquiry was launched after an 18-year-old girl reported he had run his hands over her thighs, lifted her top and tried to pull down her jeans.
The girl said Roberts-Jones had kissed her neck and tried to kiss her on the lips.
Two other girls, aged 16 and 18, came forward and alleged he groped them, but the jury cleared him of these offences.
He had been a teacher at Blundells for five years and taught physics as well as coaching a number of sports.
Roberts-Jones married his fiancée shortly after he was suspended and now lives in France where he teaches adults.
Recorder Mr Philip Mott ordered him to sign on the sex offenders' register and surrender his passport pending sentencing in March. | A public school teacher has been found guilty of groping an 18-year-old girl under the guise of giving her a sports massage. | 35616195 |
The 14-time major winner, who first moved into the top 100 in 1996 and then spent a cumulative record 683 weeks as world number one, has dropped to 104.
The 39-year-old American has not played since withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open on 6 February.
Woods has said he is "hopeful" of a return for the first major of the year, the Masters, starting on 9 April.
After withdrawing from February's event at Torrey Pines with back problems, Woods announced he would be taking an indefinite break from the sport, describing his performances this year as "unacceptable for tournament play".
Woods, who carded an 82 at the Phoenix Open in January - his worst round as a professional - added that he won't return until he can "compete at the highest level".
The last time Woods was outside the top 100 in the world was in September 1996 when he was ranked equal 221 and on his climb to the top.
The following week, he jumped to 75th by winning the Las Vegas Invitational as a 20-year-old for the first of his 79 PGA Tour victories.
Woods first become world number one after finishing 19th at the 1997 US Open. | Tiger Woods has dropped out of the world's top 100 golfers for the first time in his career. | 32112282 |
Jack Wallace, Tom Varndell, Billy Searle and Luke Arscott scores sealed Bristol's first try-scoring bonus point of the season, putting them 22-7 up at half-time of the Challenge Cup game.
Chris Booker's brace and a Thretton Palamo try sealed Bristol's second win in all competitions this season.
In response Watisoni Votu and Thibault Daubagna crossed for Pau.
Acting head coach Mark Tainton guided the West County side to their first win since Connacht's Pat Lam was confirmed as the club's new boss for next season.
Before overcoming Pau, Bristol's last triumph in European competition came against Montpellier in the Challenge Cup in January 2009 - the same season that Bristol were relegated to the Championship, where they stayed for seven season.
Victory, just their second of 2016-17 after overcoming Sale Sharks in the Anglo Welsh Cup in November, moves Bristol off the bottom of Pool Four of the European Rugby Challenge Cup, above Top 14 club Pau and to within three points of near neighbours Bath in second.
Bristol: Wallace, Varndell, Palamo, Arscott, Lemi, Searle, Uren, Tonga'uiha, Crumpton, Perenise, Nemsadze, Evans, Koster, Fenton-Wells, J Phillips.
Replacements: Brooker, O'Connell, Ford-Robinson, Glynn, Joyce, Roberts, Jarvis, Tovey.
Pau: Malie, Votu, Fumat, Dupouy, Lestremau, Fajardo, Moa, Moise, L Rey, Hamadache, Tutaia, Boutaty, Dougall, Kueffner, Butler.
Replacements: Lespiaucq-Brettes, Jacquot, Tierney, Pesenti, Bernad, Tomas, Daubagna, Boundjema.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter. | Bristol won in Europe for the first time in almost eight years, thrashing French side Pau at Ashton Gate. | 38225745 |
Guidolin's side came from two goals down to secure a point at Stoke City and are 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
The Swans have six games remaining and Italian Guidolin does not believe his team are not yet safe from relegation.
"No. I think we need three points," Guidolin said.
"The season is not finished, for us or any of the teams.
"It is important to play in the future, like next week for example, with this character and courage."
Swansea, who have lost one of their last five games, remain in 15th position, still 10 points clear of 18th-placed Sunderland, who drew 0-0 with West Brom and have seven games to go.
The Welsh side host Chelsea at the Liberty Stadium next Saturday having edged closer to safety with a 2-2 draw at the Britannia Stadium.
Ibrahim Afellay and Bojan Krkic had put Stoke in control but goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and substitute Alberto Paloschi saw Swansea rescue a point.
"Stoke were the best team in the first half, but overall I think we had more situations to go forward than they did at the conclusion," Guidolin added.
"It was a good transformation in the second half, but I saw my team play well in the first half as well.
"I'm happy because I saw my team play to win and attack.
"My team played with personality, and I am happy." | Swansea City head coach Francesco Guidolin says one more win will secure the club's Premier League status for another season. | 35952523 |
Antoine Maury, 21, was last seen more than a month ago. He disappeared after leaving a group of friends suddenly on Monday 24 October.
A man matching his description was later seen at the loch wearing no top.
On Facebook, his mother Laura Maury thanked people for their help and support over the last few weeks.
She said: "For all of you out there and particularly to all of Antoine's, older and more previous friends.
"My beloved sons body was recovered in the Dudingston Loch earlier this morning. Antoine would had turned 22 on the 31st of December this year. Thank you all for your help and support during the last 5 and 1/2 weeks. God bless you all."
Divers and sonar equipment were used in the search for Mr Maury whose family travelled to Edinburgh to appeal for information.
Earlier, a Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Police in Edinburgh can confirm that a body has been recovered from Duddingston Loch.
"The discovery was reported to police around 10:30 on Friday, 2 December.
"Inquiries are ongoing to establish the man's identity.
"The family of Antoine Maury have been informed of this development." | The mother of a missing French student has confirmed that his body has been found in Duddingston Loch in Edinburgh. | 38183861 |
The circumstances of their moves could not be more contrasting and reflect careers that are travelling in opposite directions.
Both have moved down a division. But, while Fletcher has been picked from the list of summer free agents by Sheffield Wednesday, Ritchie will no doubt argue that his £12m switch from Bournemouth to Newcastle United is indicative of a step up in club stature if not in league position.
Ritchie, having been schooled in the lower leagues with Dagenham & Redbridge, Notts County and Swindon Town, has come a long way since being plucked from relative Championship obscurity to make his debut for a country he admits he had never visited until being called up by Gordon Strachan two years ago.
The Gosport-born 26-year-old helped the unfashionable south coast club win promotion to the Premier League, where they - and perhaps he - held their own against the odds.
Scotland missed out on another major finals as the likes of Northern Ireland, Wales, Albania and Iceland have done themselves proud at Euro 2016.
And the bottom has fallen out of the domestic transfer scene since the heady, some would say crazy, days of Tore Andre Flo's £12.5m move from Chelsea to Rangers in 2000.
But, while the inflated prices in the English market - and inflation itself - must be taken into account, Scottish players still manage to command sizeable fees.
After Ritchie, who are the top five most valuable Scotland internationals?
It is eight years since Craig Gordon, already a Scotland regular, moved from Hearts to Sunderland for the highest fee ever paid by a British club for a goalkeeper. Early praise was followed by injury woes interspersed with loss of form and he spent two years out of the game and contemplating retiring before resurrecting his career with Celtic on his return to fitness.
The fee paid was surpassed in 2011, when Manchester United paid £17m for David de Gea, while Fraser Forster took over from the 33-year-old as the most expensive goalkeeper to move from Scotland when Southampton paid £10m for the Englishman in 2014.
Great things were expected of Alan Hutton as he starred for Rangers in the Champions League. It led to a determined pursuit of the right-back by Tottenham Hotspur, but amid competition from Croatia's Vedran Corluka and England's Kyle Walker, he fell out of favour under manager Harry Redknapp and eventually moved to Aston Villa.
Signed by Alex McLeish, he also fell out of favour under Paul Lambert and spent time on loan to Nottingham Forest, Mallorca and Bolton Wanderers, but the 31-year-old was back as regular starter as Villa were relegated last season.
Until now, Steven Fletcher's career has been one of steadily increasing big-money moves. First from Hibernian to Burnley for £3m, then to Wolves for £6.5m and ultimately to Sunderland for that record £12m figure.
However, still only 29, he finds himself freed for the first time having first fallen out of favour under Sam Allardyce then loaned out to Marseille for the second half of last season. His time in the French top flight was again a long way short of a goal-fest and it will be Championship football with Sheffield Wednesday for the Shrewsbury-born striker this season.
Ross McCormack has emerged as a much-wanted man since playing in the Champions League for Rangers as a teenager. He never became a regular at Ibrox and a loan move to Doncaster Rovers then permanent move to Motherwell followed. A modest transfer to Cardiff City then Leeds United, and a reasonable scoring record in England's second tier, led to an £8.9m switch to Championship rivals Fulham.
Now there is talk of yet another summer move, with reports of Sheffield Wednesday launching a £11.5m bid that would team up the 29-year-old with Scotland team-mate Fletcher. All that money changing hands and he still cannot get a regular game for Scotland.
The Oldham-born son of former goalkeeper Andy is another Scot to have clubs reaching for the cheque book yet leaving his national manager unconvinced. Having started his career with Ipswich Town, it was with Huddersfield Town that he started to hit the net regularly and it led Blackburn Rovers to pay £7.6m for his services in 2012.
In February, Middlesbrough paid out £8.9m to bolster their eventually successful bid for promotion to the English top flight. There has been much speculation about whether Rhodes has the quality to make the step up to the Premier League and now the 26-year-old has a chance to prove his doubters wrong - unless Boro decide to bring in an even more high-profile striker. | Matt Ritchie has joined Steven Fletcher in becoming the joint most expensive Scotland international on a day when both found new employers in the English Championship. | 36684796 |
The submarine, which was designed by a Manchester clergyman in 1879, sank in the Irish Sea off the coast of Wales.
Divers from the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) in Chester have placed metal corrosion inhibitors on the wreck.
Club member Chris Holden said the submarine was in "remarkable condition" after being underwater for 132 years.
The Chester divers were assisted in the dive by members from the BSAC's Flintshire branch.
A BSAC spokesman said the 30 ton (27 tonne) Resurgam II was "hailed by many as the world's first full-sized, powered working submarine", though admitted there were disputes over whether it could have worked.
Mr Holden said it was a fascinating wreck which divers can "see right down into".
However, he said it would be "almost impossible to go inside [as] it is so narrow, it would have to be a slim person and without an aqualung".
"In any case, there would be no point because it would probably wreck what was inside. There is loads of silt in it and at one time the only resident was a conger eel," he said.
He said the "sacrificial" zinc anodes placed on the wreck would encourage the natural corrosion caused by the water to take the zinc first before the iron, therefore giving some protection to the submarine.
He added that underwater conservation had been undertaken because "raising the Resurgam would not be an insurmountable problem, but preserving it once it was on shore would be a major financial problem".
The 45 ft (13 m) vessel, designed by Manchester's Reverend George William Garrett, was built in Birkenhead in 1879 and cost about £1,500.
It was steam powered and could accommodate three sailors.
After a successful trial off Wallasey, it set off for a demonstration to the Royal Navy in Portsmouth in 1880.
However, after leaving Rhyl following a stop for modifications, it shipped water and sank around five miles off the coast of north Wales.
It was found in 1995 by Chester diver Keith Hurley who was investigating what a fishing trawler had snagged its nets on.
A replica of the submarine can be seen close to the Woodside terminal of the Mersey Ferry in Birkenhead. | A group of Cheshire divers have taken part in a conservation project to save the wreck of the "world's first powered working submarine", the Resurgam II. | 19146040 |
The wartime leader's image is planned to feature on the reverse of the new £5 note, together with one of his most celebrated quotations.
Churchill was chosen owing to his place as "a hero of the entire free world", said Bank governor Sir Mervyn King.
The current face of the £5 note is social reformer Elizabeth Fry.
A wide range of historical characters appears on the reverse of Bank of England banknotes, with Elizabeth Fry the only woman among the current crop.
The Bank of England governor has the final say about who appears on a banknote, although the public can make suggestions. The latest addition has been announced by Sir Mervyn at Churchill's former home of Chartwell, in Westerham, Kent.
Who is that on my banknote?
What was Sir Winston Churchill's legacy?
"Our banknotes acknowledge the life and work of great Britons. Sir Winston Churchill was a truly great British leader, orator and writer," Sir Mervyn said.
"Above that, he remains a hero of the entire free world. His energy, courage, eloquence, wit and public service are an inspiration to us all."
Current plans, which the Bank said might be reviewed, are for Churchill to appear on the new £5 note to be issued in 2016.
The design includes a portrait of the former prime minister, adapted from a photograph taken by Yousuf Karsh on 30 December 1941. He is the only politician from the modern era to feature on a banknote.
The artwork will also include:
Sir Mervyn said that this was an appropriate choice given the country's economic difficulties.
"We do not face the challenges faced by Churchill's generation. But we have our own," he said.
"The spirit of those words remains as relevant today as it was to my parents' generation who fought for the survival of our country and freedom under Churchill's leadership."
The Bank of England issues nearly a billion banknotes each year, and withdraws almost as many from circulation.
Notes are redesigned on a relatively frequent basis, in order to maintain security and prevent forgeries. Other security features include threads woven into the paper and microlettering.
The most recent new design from the Bank of England was the £50 note, which entered circulation in November. This features Matthew Boulton and James Watt who were most celebrated for bringing the steam engine into the textile manufacturing process.
While Bank of England notes are generally accepted throughout the UK, three banks in Scotland and four in Northern Ireland are authorised to issue banknotes.
Pharmacologist Sir Alexander Fleming, poet Robert Burns, and tyre inventor John Boyd Dunlop are among those who appear on these notes. One commemorative £5 note featuring football great George Best proved so popular that the limited edition of one million sold out in 10 days.
In May, a new five-euro note will be put into circulation by the European Central Bank.
It features an image of the Greek goddess Europa, which comes from a vase in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The image of Churchill has featured on currency before.
He was the first commoner to be shown on a British coin when he appeared on the 1965 crown, or five shilling piece.
Churchill, elected as a Conservative MP in 1900, served as chancellor in Stanley Baldwin's government.
He replaced Neville Chamberlain to become the wartime British prime minister in May 1940 until 1945. He returned to office in 1951, and retired in 1955, aged 80.
"The Bank is privileged to be able to celebrate the significant and enduring contribution Sir Winston Churchill made to the UK, and beyond," said Chris Salmon, chief cashier of the Bank of England, whose signature will also appear on the banknote.
Sir Nicholas Soames, Churchill's grandson and MP for Mid Sussex, said: "I think it is a wonderful tribute to him and an appropriate time. I can't think of any more marvellous thing that would have pleased him more."
He described the move as a great honour for the family. | Sir Winston Churchill will feature on the new design of a banknote which will enter circulation in 2016, the Bank of England has announced. | 22306707 |
BBC Hindi's Ravinder Singh Robin explains why the Sikhs are angry.
The spark for the current bout of protests came after a torn-up copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib - Sikhism's holy book - was found in the village of Bargari, near Kot Kapura in Faridkot district.
The alleged desecration of the holy book angered many who came out to protest in Behbal Kalan, a nearby village, last Wednesday.
As tempers soared, police opened fire. They say they shot in the air, but two protesters were killed and dozens of others wounded.
The killings have further angered Sikh community members who have taken to blocking highways and bridges, demanding action against those who they say desecrated the holy book.
The protesters have said they will continue the blockade for three hours every day for another week.
No, in the past week there have been at least five reports of copies of the Guru Granth Sahib being desecrated.
Torn-up copies of the holy book have been found in different areas of the state - at Jandiala village in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Tarn Taran near Amritsar, Kot Kapura and Gurusar Jalal village in Bathinda district in the south of the state.
Police say they are investigating all the cases and claim to have some leads.
Dozens of people have been questioned and at least two people have been arrested in connection with the desecrations. Police said on 19 October that another 52 had been arrested "as a precaution".
The protests have disrupted life in large parts of Punjab in the past week.
The protesters, numbering in their hundreds, are mostly from unorganised groups although some radical Sikh organisations like the Damdami Taksal and Ajnala faction have also been seen at demonstrations.
The protesters are demanding that those they accuse of desecrating the holy book are arrested and compensation be paid to the families of the two men who were killed in police firing.
In some places, there have also been spontaneous protests by ordinary Sikhs who say they are fed up of eight-and-a-half years of misrule by the state government - a coalition of the regional Shiromani Akali Dal and India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party.
In some districts, farmers - who had protested earlier this month accusing the government of being anti-farmer - have also joined the protests.
Although some Sikh lobby groups and protesters have accused "a religious faction" of desecrating their holy book, the authorities say they are not sure who is to blame.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said there was a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to target religious places in the state by "some anti-social elements".
He has promised that anyone found guilty in "this unpardonable offence would not be spared at any cost and exemplary action would be taken against them so that it acts as a deterrent for others to indulge in such a dastardly act in future".
India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh has promised Chief Minister Badal "all possible help" to restore peace in the state.
The Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, the opposition Congress party and the Sikh clergy have all appealed for peace.
With the protests showing no sign of dissipating, many are warning that order must be restored quickly in a state which has a troubled past.
Although Punjab has been peaceful for nearly two decades, the state was the scene of a violent insurgency for an independent Sikh homeland in the 1980s and the 1990s.
In 1984 Indian security forces killed many Sikh militants after they seized the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Sikh religion's most important site.
In revenge, Indira Gandhi, the then-prime minister, was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards. | Sikhs in the northern Indian state of Punjab have staged protests, enforced strikes and blocked roads in several towns and cities in the past week. | 34578463 |
Born in 1931 in what is now St Petersburg, Korchnoi survived the siege of Leningrad during World War Two and is seen as one of the best players never to be World Champion.
He was a four-time USSR champion and ranked number one in the world in 1965.
However, he became convinced he had to leave the Soviet Union after being banned from playing internationally.
He played three matches against Soviet rival Anatoly Karpov, losing the 1974 final of the Candidates Tournament - which determines the challenger to play the world champion.
Mr Karpov became world champion in 1975 after the American Bobby Fischer refused to defend his title.
Korchnoi was then allowed by the Soviet authorities to compete internationally again the following year and sought political asylum in the Netherlands after a tournament there.
He later progressed to the World Championship final in 1978 and 1981, but lost to Mr Karpov on both occasions.
Korchnoi continued playing chess well into old age.
He was the oldest active chess grandmaster on the international tournament circuit for many years and won the World Senior Chess Championship in 2006. | Chess grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi, who defected from Russia to the West in 1976, has died in Switzerland aged 85. | 36464406 |
The Yorkshire Building Society, the UK's second largest mutual, has launched a mortgage at a rate of 0.89%.
Experts point to the relatively large fee, a big deposit, and potential changes to the rate - saying the deal would not suit many homeowners.
Lenders are seeking custom as property sales remain static.
The latest figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) show that, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, property transactions have generally been close to the 100,000 mark each month for the last three years.
The exception was a surge to 173,860 in March last year, ahead of the introduction of a 3% stamp duty surcharge on the purchase of any additional buy-to-let properties or second homes.
Since that surcharge came in, the buy-to-let market has become more subdued, as has the market for home movers. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said this fall had been cancelled out by a pick-up in lending to first-time buyers but, overall, the UK's housing market was in "neutral gear".
This climate, in part, has resulted in lenders launching new products to try to attract new borrowers. At times these deals have been fully subscribed and pulled within days.
"We are seeing newer lenders competing to top the best buy tables. The banks and building societies are battling to attract new borrowers and they are tempting customers in with their cheapest ever mortgages," said Aaron Strutt, of mortgage broker Trinity Financial.
"Most experts thought that rates could not get any better, although they are still coming down."
Launching its 0.89% mortgage, the Yorkshire Building Society said it had been able to offer the record low rate owing to the cost of funding having fallen in recent weeks.
However, there are significant additional costs that would make the deal less suitable for many borrowers, including those with small loans and first-time buyers, experts say.
There are a number of relatively cheap fixed mortgage deals on the market at the moment, but the Yorkshire deal is variable, so the rate could change.
There is a comparatively high product fee of £1,495 that would have to be paid on completion and new customers would have to pay for a property valuation and legal fees.
The loan also requires a deposit of at least 35% of the property's value which, for the average home, amounts to about £76,000.
After two years any customer who does not move to another mortgage would pay the lender's standard variable rate of 4.74%.
Rachel Springall, of financial information service Moneyfacts, said that conditions meant the deal would be most attractive to homeowners with access to a large deposit or equity, and who are applying for a large loan.
Meanwhile, the CML has called on the Bank of England to relax the requirements of affordability tests for those applying for a mortgage owing to less activity in the UK housing market than previously predicted. In other words, there is less risk of a housing bubble than had been anticipated.
"We continue to believe that macro-prudential policy could be re-calibrated, especially around affordability tests, in a manner that would deliver a modestly stronger and broader mix of activity, without undermining financial stability," the CML said.
Where can I afford to live? | A record low mortgage rate is the latest sign of lenders battling for new custom, but experts say the small print of deals requires careful examination. | 39665533 |
Chris Cadden finished Marvin Johnson's cross to hand Motherwell an early lead, but Paul McGowan's first goal of the season soon cancelled it out.
Stephen Pearson again nudged the visitors ahead with a brilliant solo effort before half-time.
But Hemmings' spot kick with less than five minutes of normal time remaining rescued Paul Hartley's side.
The result moves the hosts back above Inverness Caledonian Thistle into the Premiership's top six, while Motherwell slip to ninth.
The strengths and weaknesses of Dundee were neatly summed up in a the space of just a couple of minutes at the start of this game.
Cadden scored a terrific first-ever goal for Motherwell when the unmarked teenager controlled Johnson's cross on his chest before guiding the ball into the top corner of the net.
That makes it just one clean sheet in 18 games now for Hartley's team but they quickly reiterated how impressive they are going forward.
Great play by Greg Stewart released McGowan in the inside right channel and he controlled the pass before hooking the ball home.
Both strikes came in the first seven minutes and the only surprise was that it took until midway through the half for another to arrive in an open and entertaining match.
Keith Lasley forced Scott Bain into a fine save to keep out the Motherwell captain's 35-yard free kick while at the other end Stewart and Gary Harkins tormented the visitors defence.
It was Pearson who put the Steelmen back in front with another excellent goal in 23 minutes as the veteran midfielder burst through the Dundee defence before angling in his seventh goal of the campaign.
Both Conor Ripley and Bain continued to make crucial saves as the sides created plenty of chances despite the fierce wind and snow flurries that contributed to the pitch cutting up badly.
Dundee did dominate possession in the second half but Motherwell defended doggedly to limit their clear cut chances while trying to hit on the counterattack.
Harkins did go close to snatching an equaliser with a couple of typical flashes of skill, chipping over from right of the goal then volleying wide from the other side.
The visitors did have the ball in the net on a quick break out but Louis Moult drifted offside before netting Pearson's through ball.
But it was Cadden's challenge on Kevin Holt that led to Hemmings netting his 16th of the season from the spot - no more than Dundee deserved for their second-half supremacy - with substitute Arturo, the on-loan Spanish striker, almost snatching a winner. | Kane Hemmings' late penalty pegged back Motherwell and salvaged a point for Dundee at Dens Park. | 35389624 |
Mageean's time cut six seconds off her previous mile best and Northern Ireland record set indoors last year.
Sonia O'Sullivan set her Irish mile record of 4:17.25 in Oslo in 1994.
Mageean finished seventh in Sunday's race at the London Anniversary Games where Kenya's Helen Obiri defeated Britain's Laura Muir.
Obiri won in 4:16.56 as Muir (4:18.03) missed out on breaking Zola Budd's 32-year-old British record of 4:17.57.
Kenya's Winny Chebet, Poland's European 1500m champion Angelika Cichocka, American Jenny Simpson and Britain's Laura Weightman also finished ahead of Mageean although the athletes behind her included British pair Steph Twell and world championship qualifier Jessica Judd.
Meanwhile, Leon Reid and paralympic star Jason Smyth helped a Northern Ireland relay quartet set a new Northern Ireland record at the London meeting.
With Dean Adams and Christian Robinson also in the team, the Northern Irish men clocked a time of 40.35 which was 0.35 seconds inside the previous record set by John McAdorey, Ian Craig, Mark Allen and Paul Brizzel at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
But while Sunday's quartet set a new Northern Ireland record, their time was still 0.65 seconds outside Athletics Northern Ireland's Commonwealth Games consideration standard.
Meanwhile, Letterkenny athlete Mark English finished 11th in the 800m in London in 1:47.04 in a race won by Botswana's Nijel Amos in 1:43.18.
Britons Jake Wightman, Kyle Langford and Andrew Osagie all clocked under 1:46 as they finished in seventh to ninth positions in the race. | Ciara Mageean moved to second on the Irish all-time list for the women's mile after improving her personal best to 4:22.40 in London on Sunday. | 40551597 |
The Ezadeen was towed into the Italian port of Corigliano Calabro after being found by coast guards on Friday.
Most of those aboard appear to be Syrians, in the second such case involving a freighter this week.
The ships reportedly started in Turkey and Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus, in a change from the Libyan route usually favoured by gangs.
The police chief of Cosenza province, Luigi Liguori, said each migrant had paid between $4,000 and $8,000 to board the ship.
Officers say that the smugglers wore hoods and locked the migrants in the ship's hold before apparently abandoning ship on a lifeboat.
In the earlier case, Italian coastguards boarded a ship, the Blue Sky M, carrying 796 migrants on Tuesday. Finding it without a crew, they steered it into the south Italian port of Gallipoli.
The smugglers' new tactic appears to be simple and effective: point a cargo ship towards Italy and let the coastguard pick it up, the BBC's James Reynolds reports from Corigliano Calabro.
Illegal migration to the EU has been fuelled by the civil war in Syria, which has driven people to seek asylum in Europe, along with economic migrants.
Last year it is estimated that nearly 3,500 refugees died trying to cross the Mediterranean while another 200,000 were rescued.
The Ezadeen, an ageing Sierra Leone-flagged ship originally used to transport cattle, was spotted on Thursday evening and arrived in port in Italy on Friday night.
Passengers are said to be in good condition and are being transferred to immigration centres and foster homes across Italy, according to coastguard and police officials.
Mr Liguori says the new tactic used by the criminal gangs is attracting better-off migrants.
"We've noticed a change in the make-up of the Syrian refugees on board," he said. "They are socially well off. They wear better clothes and are also better organised and, if you allow me to, they are less desperate than the migrants we normally see."
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU's commissioner for migration, called for "decisive and coordinated EU-wide action" against the people traffickers.
"Smugglers are finding new routes to Europe and are employing new methods in order to exploit desperate people," he said, promising to present a "comprehensive approach on migration".
Illegal migrants arriving in the EU are assessed to see if they have a valid claim for asylum. They must satisfy the authorities they are fleeing persecution and would face harm or even death if sent back to their country of origin.
Passengers from the Blue Sky M have also reportedly been dispersed to reception centres around Italy.
Tommaso Tomaiuolo, a local resident in the Gallipoli area, saw the ship when it docked in the early hours of New Year's Eve and later talked to some of the migrants through the gate of a local school where they were taken.
Mr Tomaiuolo told BBC News that one Syrian migrant, who asked for his name not to be given, told him he had paid "Turkish mafia" 7,000 euros for himself and 7,000 euros for his pregnant wife to make the journey.
The 35-year-old said he was scared to reveal his identity in case he was returned to Turkey, where he had been living for about a year.
He spoke fluent English and said he had lived previously several times in the UK. He and his wife, he told Mr Tomaiulo, left Turkey on 21 or 22 December, apparently starting the journey in the port of Mersin in a smaller boat.
He gave Mr Tomaiuolo a photo from his mobile phone which shows the hold of a ship packed with people during the crossing on the Blue Sky M. | Police in Italy believe traffickers made some $3m (£1.9m; €2.5m) from 359 illegal migrants found abandoned on a cargo ship in the Mediterranean. | 30669136 |
Coleman, 46, led Wales to their first major tournament in 58 years when they reached Euro 2016 in France.
During the competition, they made it to their first semi-final before losing to eventual winners Portugal.
Coleman played for Swansea City, Crystal Palace, Blackburn and Fulham but his career was cut short following a car accident.
He later had spells as manager of Fulham, Coventry and Spanish side Real Sociedad.
He was appointed Wales manager following the death of his good friend Gary Speed in 2012 and after a difficult start, turned things around on the pitch to reach Euro 2016.
Swansea lord mayor, councillor David Hopkins, said: "Freedom of the city is the highest honour the people of Swansea can confer on one of its own.
"And after the amazing, incredible exploits of the last month in France, I think I can safely say everyone in Swansea believes it's richly-deserved." | Wales manager Chris Coleman is to be offered the freedom of his home city, Swansea. | 36827669 |
Researchers who identified the king using DNA from his distant family used the same techniques to find descendants of those who fought in the battle.
They met family members directly related to the last Plantagenet king at a reception in Leicester.
Some have flown from Australia, South Africa and Canada for the occasion.
Richard, the last English king to die in battle, was killed at Bosworth Field in 1485, at the end of the Wars of the Roses.
The pro-vice chancellor at the University of Leicester, Prof Kevin Sch??rer, who conducted the research, said it was "challenging" but had "thrown up some interesting stories".
Among those identified by Prof Sch??rer are relatives whose ancestors include:
Prof Sch??rer said: "The stories are a mixture of continuity and change, with a fair measure of fame and glory thrown in.
"The inter-relation between some of the families from Bosworth is another interesting feature - in some regards it truly was a battle of cousins.
"Bringing together these families for the first time in over 500 years will be a remarkable event."
King Richard's reburial ceremony will be held at Leicester Cathedral on Thursday, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. | Descendants of some 20 families who fought at the Battle of Bosworth, that ended the reign of Richard III, have met for the first time. | 32038621 |
Yes, we know she didn't properly tweet and instead just pressed "tweet" without writing her own text. It was someone called Chi who gave Her Majesty the iPad - we tried to get hold of him but he wasn't available to talk to us because he's probably too busy tweeting.
The Queen signed off her first tweet with Elizabeth R. The "R" stands for Regina which is Latin for Queen.
Just over a week ago Prince Andrew, the Queen's son, told Newsbeat: "The palace has been tweeting for a lot longer than I have but I'm the only member of the family that is tweeting separately, apart from both of my daughters."
She's not the first head of state to tweet and we were wondering what's next for Her Majesty? Is she going to start Snapchatting while walking the corgis?
We decided to take a look at some of the other royals around the world and see what they're up to online:
Imagine if the Duchess of Cambridge took selfies in Kensington Palace. The Norwegian equivalent of Kate Middleton does just that and we like her for it.
The Queen of Jordan uses Instagram as well as Twitter. Queen Elizabeth has a lot of catching up to do.
The Greek royals aren't proper royals anymore because Greece is now a republic but they still get to call themselves Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses.
Prince Andrew isn't the only member of the royal family on Twitter, his daughter is there too. We have a sneaky suspicion Harry is as well but Princess Beatrice didn't tag him...
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | The Queen has tweeted. | 29762578 |
Defender Roman Torres scored the winning spot-kick after his side failed to register a shot on target as the match finished goalless in 120 minutes.
Sounders keeper Stefan Frei made several good saves before stopping one of two penalties the Canadians missed.
Frei, a former Toronto player, made his best save when tipping away Jozy Altidore's header in the 108th minute.
"It looked like it was going to go in and then all of a sudden here comes this paw," said Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer.
"It was a tremendous save but there were a couple of other times I thought the ball might have gone in."
Both sides were making their first appearance in the deciding match of the MLS season, held at Toronto's ground, BMO Field.
"That was one of the great saves that I have seen in a big moment because that goal to me ends the game," Toronto boss Greg Vanney said of Frei's full-stretch stop.
"We win if we score that. He saved the game for them." | Seattle Sounders won the MLS Cup for the first time after beating Toronto FC 5-4 on penalties. | 38280039 |
Toulon led 15-12 with five minutes to go, but after prop Longbottom's yellow card, they scored two late tries for a 27-12 bonus-point win.
Longbottom's tackle on hooker Guilhem Guirado was deemed dangerous.
"It was an outrageous decision by the referee and the TMO [TV match official]," Diamond told BBC Sport.
"If anything it should've been a penalty the other way for jumping into the tackle."
The loss was Sale's 10th in a row in all competitions and they have yet to take a point in the Champions Cup this season, but produced a much-improved performance against their Top 14 opponents.
"The referees have got to be absolutely clinical in these decisions which sway games," Diamond added.
"It is coming at the moment where games are decided by referee decisions, not by player errors or acts of brilliance.
"Coaches in Europe and the world now are expected to adapt to the changes in the tackle regulation where you've got to keep it below the shoulder completely, and we're attempting to do that - and then we're unfairly treated by the referees." | Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond has criticised the officiating which saw Kieran Longbottom sin-binned in their Champions Cup defeat at Toulon. | 38641529 |
Those from poorer backgrounds are 67% more likely to score below average in vocabulary at five than their peers, the Ready to Read Wales report said.
The Read On. Get On. campaign group has called for more investment in Wales' early years workforce and extra support for parents.
The Welsh government said raising literacy is a "major" priority.
Save the Children Wales - which is part of the campaign group - published the report on Tuesday.
Mary Powell-Chandler, head of the charity, said: "We know early language is a crucial stepping stone to literacy and that children with good language ability at age five are more likely to have both higher qualifications and to be in employment in adulthood compared to their peers."
The campaign group - made up of charities, libraries, teaching unions and publishing agencies - said one in four children growing up in poverty in Wales leave primary school unable to read well, with the gap beginning in early years.
The report features new analysis by University College London of a Welsh sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, a project following the lives of thousands of UK children.
It shows more than three quarters of children who experience intermittent or persistent poverty who score below average in vocabulary at five, also do so at the age of seven and again at 11.
Read On. Get On. welcomed recent initiatives but called on the Welsh government to invest further in language experts in early years departments, to strengthen support for parents and to appoint a Children's Minister.
Prof Chris Taylor, Cardiff co-director of the Wales Institute for Social and Economic Research, said: "When parents are struggling to find work, or take on additional work just to pay their rent, the attention that children need in the first few years of their lives can often be overlooked."
The UK-wide campaign group, which includes Book Trust Cymru, Teach First Cymru and Literature Wales, has set the goal of getting every child reading well by the age of 11 in 2025.
Welsh Children's Poet Laureate, Anni LlÅ·n, added: "If we do not encourage our children to strive to understand and interpret the world around them from a young age, then we are limiting their future."
The Welsh government welcomed the campaign and said it was working closely with those involved.
It said the report complemented its own Make Time to Read campaign, launched in 2010, and its Education Begins at Home scheme.
A spokeswoman said: "Raising literacy is a major Welsh Government priority and we have introduced a range of policies, including our Literacy and Numeracy Framework and annual reading tests to help achieve this.
"We also recognise that increasing the skills of the early years workforce is key to improving outcomes for children, particularly those living in poverty.
"That is why we are developing a multi-million pound programme with European Structural Funds to provide qualifications to the early years workforce up to degree level." | Wales' poorest children already struggle with language when they start primary school, a new report has said. | 34318580 |
The BBC has defended high salaries which were revealed in its annual report on Wednesday.
The corporation has pledged to achieve equality between men and women on air by 2020.
BBC director of radio and education James Purnell said pay cuts were part of the solution.
He told the BBC's Newsnight programme: "Quite a lot of men have been taking pay cuts; John Humphrys said that today on air."
Asked if he expected more male, on-air talent to take a pay cut, he responded: "I'm not going to start negotiating live on air, but that's clearly one of the levers we can pull, and we have been doing that."
Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said stars should be conscious "how this looks in public", while Labour MP Harriet Harman said there was "clearly discrimination" at the BBC.
BBC director general Tony Hall has said there is "more to do" on the gender pay gap.
The top seven earners, in the list of the BBC's 96 best-paid stars, were all male.
It is the first time the pay of stars earning more than £150,000 has been made public.
The BBC was compelled to make public the information under the terms of its new Royal Charter.
Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans was the top-paid star on between £2.2m and £2.25m, the BBC's 2016-17 annual report revealed.
Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman was the highest-paid female, earning between £450,000 and £500,000.
The One Show's Alex Jones was second, earning between £400,000 and £450,000.
Trade union Equity said in a statement: "The apparent pay gaps in gender and for those from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background are troubling."
George Alagiah, Jason Mohammad and Trevor Nelson are the highest paid BAME presenters, each receiving between £250,000 and £300,000.
The highest-paid female star with a BAME background is news presenter Mishal Husain, who earned between £200,000 and £250,000.
The figures quoted only refer to the amount of licence fee money each person receives and do not include their earnings from other broadcasters or commercial activities.
The annual report does not include stars who receive their pay through BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm.
The figures also exclude stars paid through independent production companies. | The BBC's most highly paid male presenters could be asked to accept lower wages as the corporation tries to close the gender pay gap. | 40663781 |
Muhyadin Mire, currently being held in Belmarsh Prison, appeared via video link at a hearing at the Old Bailey.
He has been held since the incident on the 5 December which saw a 56-year-old man suffer serious stab wounds at Leytonstone tube station.
Mr Mire will next appear before the court on 7 March.
A provisional trial date has been set for the 31 May. | A 29-year-old man accused of attempted murder after a stabbing at a London Underground station has been further remanded in custody. | 35072645 |
Jean Claude Manseau, 25, known as Jo, and Jake Heaton, 19, were on the tram on 1 November when they say a man started shouting homophobic abuse.
The pair had been singing songs from the musical Wicked. After leaving the tram around 1am they went towards Canal Street, famed for its gay bars.
At that point they say a group of around 15 men attacked them.
Jean-Claude told the Manchester Evening News it has "destroyed every bit of confidence I have."
He said it would be a while before he felt safe enough to go back into the city centre.
He added: "They split my forehead, my lip, broke my nose. My eyes are black and swollen. My ribs are painful, I can't move much."
Now the Manchester Gay and Lesbian Chorus have planned a Safe to Sing event to help bolster the confidence of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people in the city.
They plan to sing songs from Wicked on Monday 17 November, and will be joined by Manchester's Halle choir.
The choir posted on Facebook: "It's difficult to express the impact of this attack on the LGBT community because so many of us have fought so long to make Manchester a safe place for people like Jo and Jake."
The group will be singing on the Metro at 8pm on Monday and will post song sheets on their website so everyone can join in.
They've even created a poster in green Wicked colours.
Rachel Fox, a member of the choir, told BBC Newsbeat: "This is about the LGBT community getting together and saying we won't stand for this. We want to reclaim the areas in which the men were attacked, on the metro and in Piccadilly gardens.
"We want to reach out to the LGBT community to encourage them to come out, join us and be proud. Our straight allies are absolutely welcome. If you love someone, if you have a family member or friend in the LGBT community then you are part of this community as well. Hopefully this will be a mass sing off."
Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus Musical Director Loz Kaye said: "As it says in the lyrics of the musical Wicked 'you can't pull me down'. Nobody is going to pull us down."
Police are investigating the original attack and are looking for a white man in his early 20s with short hair, and a group of black or mixed race men.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | A gay and lesbian choir will stage a musical takeover of the Manchester Metrolink after two young gay men were attacked. | 29956161 |
Scientists suggest chokeberries could work in combination with conventional drugs to kill more cancer cells.
But the UK research is at an early stage, with experiments carried out only on cancer cells in laboratories.
Cancer Research UK says much more work is needed to test the effectiveness of berries, particularly in human trials.
Researchers from the University of Southampton and King's College Hospital, London, tested a berry extract on pancreatic cancer samples.
Pancreatic cancer is particularly hard to treat and has an average survival period of just six months after diagnosis.
The study found that when the berry extract was used, together with a conventional chemotherapy drug called gemcitabine, more cancer cells died than when the drug was used alone.
But the scientists say the chokeberry had no effect on normal body cells tested in this way.
They believe compounds known as polyphenols in the berries may reduce the number of harmful cells.
And the team previously carried out similar early work on brain cancer cells.
Henry Scowcroft, at the charity Cancer Research UK, said: "It's far too early to say from this small laboratory study whether chemicals extracted from chokeberries have any effect on pancreatic cancer in patients.
"And the findings certainly don't suggest that the berries themselves should be taken alongside conventional chemotherapy.
"But innovative approaches are urgently needed to improve treatment for people with pancreatic cancer - a disease for which there has been precious little progress over recent decades."
Chokeberries grow on the eastern side of North America in wetlands and swamp areas.
Bashir Lwaleed, a senior lecturer at Southampton University, who carried out the study, said: "We need to do more research to understand how the chemotherapy and berry work together.
"At the moment we cannot suggest people go out and buy supplements - we are still at the experimental level."
The study was funded by the Malaysian ministry of higher education and health charity Have a Chance Inc in the USA. | Wild berries native to North America may have a role in boosting cancer therapy, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Pathology. | 29237733 |
The prime minister called on them not to "sit on their hands" and side with Jeremy Corbyn and others he labelled "a bunch of terrorist sympathisers".
Labour's leader has said bombing is not a sensible way to bring peace to Syria.
The BBC's Carole Walker said the PM wanted to win the Commons' backing without having to rely on Labour MPs.
Opposition leader Mr Corbyn was forced to offer a free vote to his MPs after a shadow cabinet rebellion.
As many as 50 Labour MPs could support David Cameron although party sources have suggested this number is falling as Mr Corbyn seeks to persuade them to listen to his arguments against intervention.
Meanwhile, thousands of protesters, led by the Stop the War coalition, have taken to the streets of London for the second time in four days to protest against bombing.
The government motion to be voted on would authorise air strikes "exclusively" against so-called Islamic State - also known as Isil or Daesh - in Syria, and says the UK government will not deploy troops in "ground combat operations".
It says military action is "only one component of a broader strategy" to tackle IS.
According to the BBC's latest research, of the 640 MPs likely to vote, 360 MPs are in favour of the motion while 170 are against. Of the remainder, 20 are "leaning to" supporting the government, three are "leaning against" while 87 are undecided.
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed her party's 54 MPs will be opposing air strikes, saying bombing on its own will not rid the threat of terrorism or bring peace to Syria.
The Liberal Democrats have confirmed that their eight MPs will support the government, with the Democratic Unionist Party saying its eight MPs will also back airstrikes.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has written to party members, saying he is aware many in the party will disagree with the "difficult" decision he has made, but he has done so because "the threat to Britain and our allies is clear".
He wrote: "I believe it is right to support what is a measured, legal and broad-based international effort to tackle the evil regime that has contributed to the hundreds of thousands of desperate refugees fleeing for their lives."
Addressing a meeting of the 1922 Conservative backbench committee, Mr Cameron warned that if Tory MPs voted against airstrikes they risked undermining a strong message that the UK was standing alongside its allies, including France and the US - already engaged in military action.
The PM's attack on Mr Corbyn - which mirrors comments he first made in his party conference speech in October - was criticised by one Labour MP likely to back airstrikes. Wes Streeting said it was "not the sort of thing" he expected to hear from the prime minister.
While in recent days the government has been trying to court Labour MPs, the BBC's Carole Walker said it was now apparent Downing Street was keen to carry the vote through a combination of its own MPs and their "natural allies", such as the DUP.
Mr Corbyn has urged Labour frontbenchers who support airstrikes to "think again", saying they are "not a sensible or rational way forward" and would "takes us yet again into another conflict".
In an interview with BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, he said MPs "must bear in mind what the public think and what the implications are for this country".
More than 75% of Labour members polled by the party had indicated they were opposed to air strikes, he said.
Asked about his failure to convince his shadow cabinet to back his position, he said: "Some people are more difficult to persuade than others, and I look forward to them being persuaded."
Rather than air strikes, Mr Corbyn said efforts should focus on a political settlement and achieving a "credible line of government" across Syria.
Asked whether, if he was prime minister, he would urge France and the United States - which are already bombing IS in Syria - to stop, he said: "I would ask them to put their efforts into a peace process."
He added: "I would ask them to join in looking for the way in which we can achieve a political solution to the Syria civil war as the best way forward of solving that problem."
MPs rejected air strikes against Syrian government targets in 2013, but have since backed strikes against IS in Iraq. Ministers say it is "illogical" to carry out strikes in Iraq but not Syria as IS does not recognise the border between the countries.
One of the key debating points has been Mr Cameron's claim there are 70,000 moderate ground forces able to fight IS in Syria.
The prime minister's spokeswoman said a claim by Labour MP Louise Haigh that the national security adviser had briefed MPs that 30,000 of the 70,000 were "much more radical Islamists" was a misrepresentation of what he had said.
Ms Haigh made the comment on Twitter, and was challenged by other MPs who had been at the briefing. She later insisted the government must "be clearer about the make-up" of the 70,000 figure. | David Cameron has urged Tory MPs to take a stand on fighting terror on the eve of a vote in Parliament on authorising UK airstrikes in Syria. | 34980061 |
The media was not allowed to report where they were staying initially.
Fears over their safety were taken seriously because of the increase in racist attacks the previous year.
On Saturday night some of that was relaxed when a party was held in south Belfast to celebrate their arrival and welcome them to Northern Ireland.
Louia is 18 and spent two years in Beirut after fleeing his home in Syria with his mum, sister and younger brother.
He told me their father died in August from injuries inflicted when he was tortured in prison.
Speaking in English, he said: "I want to thank the people of Belfast and the government for looking after us.
"I want to thank you a million times."
Then, through a translator, he told me the welcoming party was very important: "When I met all the other Syrians I feel like I'm at home. We discussed all the issues going on in Syria and we felt as if we were at home. We enjoyed all of it."
'We want them to integrate'
Dr Raied Al-Wazzan, an Iraqi who has lived in Northern Ireland for 26 years, helped to organise the event.
"We want them to integrate, we want them to meet local people from the Arab community and local Irish and British people and we also invited potential employers and social clubs to meet them because we want to integrate them as quickly as possible into the community," he said.
MLAs Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Emma Pengelly were also there along with the principals of two schools who had several newcomer families join their student population.
Mr Ó Muilleoir said: "The people of Belfast showed an overwhelming amount of generosity when they arrived before Christmas but for all sorts of reasons there wasn't the opportunity to express that.
"We need to make sure that when people come here from other lands having survived the civil war in Syria, coming through the hardships of the refugee camps that when they come here we make them as welcome as the Irish have been made all over the world." | When Syrian families came to Belfast before Christmas secrecy surrounded their arrival. | 35862232 |
It accuses the government of failing to keep records of information that should be available.
And it claims that FoI requests are often screened by special advisers for any potential political damage.
The government said Scotland has the most open FoI laws in the UK.
But it said the "increasing volume and complexity" of some requests can prove time consuming, and has the potential to "seriously impact on the work of government".
The open letter has been sent to the panel of MSPs that will be responsible for selecting Scotland's new information commissioner.
The commissioner is responsible for promoting and enforcing the right of journalists and the public to ask for information held by Scottish public authorities.
The letter has been signed by journalists from the BBC and STV, as well as several national newspapers and the Ferret and CommonSpace websites.
The journalists say that the freedom of information laws which came into force in Scotland through the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 had led to a "major improvement in government transparency, setting strong standards for openness and accountability".
But they warn that they have become "increasingly concerned about the way in which the legislation is being interpreted and implemented" in the past few years.
The letter highlights a series of issues, including long delays in responding to requests, legal deadlines not being met, and requests being blocked or refused for "tenuous" reasons.
The signatories also say they have evidence of "requests being screened for potential political damage by special advisers and of responses to individual journalists being routinely handled by special advisers".
They say that Scottish government officials sometimes take control of requests to other government agencies without the consent of the applicant.
And they cast doubt on the government's commitment to making itself more "open, accountable and responsive", as it has pledged to do.
The letter states: "We are increasingly told the information we are seeking is not held where ministerial meetings with other bodies or individuals to discuss government policy are said to be informal, minutes are not taken, and records are not kept.
"Correspondence and reports that should be available seem not to exist.
"This raises the question of whether Scottish ministers and civil servants now have a practice of not recording information that would previously have been recorded."
It goes on to call for a review of the Scottish government's policies for dealing with FoI requests.
The letter concludes: "We believe that review should also look closely at the question of whether the legislation should include a duty to record on government officials, advisers and ministers, particularly when meeting with outside bodies, individuals or lobbyists to discuss government policy."
The previous information commissioner, Rosemary Agnew, stood down in April after being appointed as the country's Public Services Ombudsman.
A panel of five MSPs, including presiding officer Ken MacIntosh, will interview candidates to succeed Ms Agnew - who had been highly critical of the handling of FoI by some public bodies - next week.
The acting commissioner, Margaret Keyse, welcomed the journalists' letter.
She said: "The journalists' experience points to potentially serious breaches of a statutory duty. The commissioner can investigate these breaches, but only if they are appealed to us."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said its records were kept in accordance with all relevant legislation and practice.
She added: "Scotland has the most open and far-reaching freedom of information laws in the UK.
"We take our responsibility for FoI seriously and in the large majority of cases we respond on time and in full.
"At the same time, the increasing volume and complexity of some requests can prove time consuming, and has the potential to seriously impact on the work of government."
The spokeswoman said more than 2,000 requests for information were made last year, and that more had been received in the first three months of this year than in the whole of 2007.
She added: "We are working with the commissioner to ensure we continue to provide information in as timely a way as possible, while continuing to look for opportunities to proactively release information." | Journalists from across Scotland's media have signed an open letter raising concerns about the way the Scottish government handles freedom of information (FoI) requests. | 40120002 |
The move is part of a $1.1 trillion (£738bn) spending bill approved by the Senate on Friday that will fund the US government until 2016.
Oil prices rose on Friday following several weeks of falls, as the markets cope with a glut of crude.
US West Texas Crude gained 1.1% to $36.38 a barrel, while Brent rose 0.7% to $37.32 a barrel.
US oil producers will now be able to sell crude to the already saturated international market.
The bulk of US oil comes from shale producers. Production and exploration companies argued the ban - imposed during the Arab oil embargo in the mid-1970s - was outdated and unnecessary.
Opponents claimed that lifting the ban would lead to the loss of oil refining jobs and would be bad for the environment.
As a trade-off for lifting the ban, the spending bill includes tax breaks for solar and wind power and a pledge by Republicans not to block a $500m payment to the UN Green Climate Fund.
President Obama signed the bill into law on Friday.
The global glut meant that lifting the ban was not expected to lead to significant US exports for months or even years, but could give producers extra flexibility.
George Baker, head of Producers for American Crude Oil Exports, said: "Now that we have levelled the playing field, the United States finally has an opportunity to compete and realise our nation's full potential as a global energy superpower."
Tom O'Malley, executive chairman of refiner PBF Energy, claimed that lifting the ban would lead at least one oil refinery on the US east coast to close.
"This is a crazy thing to do. Once you lift it, it's hard to reverse it," he said. | US politicians have approved a measure to lift the 40-year ban on crude oil exports. | 35136831 |
The industry's body said there was some skiing and snowboarding in November last year, but suitable conditions had been "stop-start" since then.
Ski-Scotland said all five of Scotland's outdoor snowsports centres were operational.
They are the Lecht, Glenshee, Nevis Range, Glencoe and CairnGorm Mountain.
Heather Negus, of Ski-Scotland, said this week marked the "true start" to the new season.
She said: "The season actually started really early, back in November, but it has been rather stop-start since then.
"Four of the five ski areas have operated at various times, but the snow has proved to be fickle through December and January.
"This most recent snow dump is finally giving us the chance to offer skiing and snowboarding for all abilities on a wide variety of pistes - there are a total of 143 runs across all five mountain areas, served by 67 lifts."
Updates on the conditions for snowsports are uploaded to the websites of the five centres. | The Scottish snowsports season has now properly started following heavy falls of snow and calm weather conditions, Ski-Scotland has said. | 38917845 |
The driverless trains will run 24 hours a day connecting the airport to Luton Airport Parkway station.
The 2.3km (1.4 mile) rail link is due to be completed by the end of 2020.
Airport bosses hope it will encourage more passengers to use public transport rather than drive.
More on this story and others from Bedfordshire
The link would means transfers will take less than five minutes compared to the current system where passengers have to wait for an airport shuttle bus, which takes about 15 minutes.
Cllr Andy Malcolm, Chair of London Luton Airport Ltd, said: "A total journey time of less than 30 minutes from St Pancras to the airport will beat the time from Liverpool Street to Stansted by 20 minutes and better the time from Victoria to Gatwick too."
Three stations plus tunnels and bridges will have to be built over a dual carriageway.
A planning application is expected to be submitted in the Autumn, with construction starting next year.
More than one million passengers used the airport last month, which bosses said was a new record. It is the fastest growing airport in the UK and is forecasting a 50% increase in passengers, to 18 million, by 2020. | Luton Airport has announced plans for a £200m tube-style link that will cut journey times to London to less than 30 minutes. | 36054196 |
Victoria Cherry, 44, of Fulwood, Lancashire, has not been seen since October 2015.
A 43-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the search of a property in Toronto Street, Bolton, said Greater Manchester Police.
A spokesman said the investigation was being treated as a "non-body murder" and appealed for information.
Det Ch Insp Terry Crompton said: "The focus of our investigation has now changed and we remain keen to speak to anyone who may have any information about what has happened to Victoria.
"I am urging anyone who has any knowledge of Victoria's movements since her disappearance, or any information - no matter how insignificant you feel it may be - to please get in touch." | The disappearance of a woman more than a year ago is now being treated by police as murder. | 38636389 |
Tesco was given planning permission to build in Lowfield Street in November 2011, but the site remained derelict.
Jeremy Kite, leader of Dartford Borough Council, said, "few will be sorry to see an end to Tesco's involvement".
He had previously branded the supermarket's reputation in Dartford as "toxic".
Tesco is selling off more than a dozen sites across the country that it no longer wants to a property company in a £250m deal.
They are part of nearly 50 projects which Tesco said earlier this year it was abandoning.
Tesco is selling the sites to Meyer Bergman.
Mr Kite said the sale was a "fresh start with the new owners".
He said: "The important thing now, is to ensure that Meyer Bergman bring forward plans that meet our town's aspirations, respect the quality parkland environment it borders and make a positive contribution to the growth and resurgence of our town centre."
Dave Lewis, who is Tesco's chief executive, said: "We are very pleased to have agreed a deal with Meyer Bergman that will bring forward significant investment for these local communities, including opportunities for residential development.
"We will be working with Meyer Bergman and local councils in the coming weeks to complete a formal handover and look forward to the delivery of investment on these sites." | The sale of the mothballed Tesco site in Dartford has been welcomed following a bitter dispute between the borough council and supermarket. | 34541620 |
Kompany came on in stoppage time at the end of City's dramatic 2-1 Champions League win over Sevilla on Wednesday.
Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala were picked ahead of Kompany to start in central defence.
"They are both playing very well. On Thursday we will start thinking about the derby," said Pellegrini.
"We have a lot of different things to think about for the next game."
Kompany was an unused substitute against Bournemouth on Saturday. This time his brief cameo lasted just over two minutes - his first appearance for his club since he suffered a calf injury against Juventus on 15 September.
He had returned to action for Belgium on 13 October, starting their Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel and playing for 58 minutes, despite Pellegrini saying he was not fit enough to represent his country.
When asked whether he had left Kompany out against Sevilla as a punishment for playing for Belgium, Pellegrini said: "Vincent is coming back from a long injury - he has been out for one month.
"There was a risk to give him the responsibility to play this important game. I try to pick the team every week that at this moment are ready or better to play."
City went behind to Yevhen Konoplyanka's effort for Sevilla before an Adil Rami own goal and late Kevin de Bruyne strike gave them a victory that puts them second in Group D at the halfway stage.
Pellegrini's side only conceded one goal in the 525 minutes that Kompany played at the start of the season before his injury; without him they have not kept a clean sheet and have conceded 12 goals in 645 minutes.
Kompany has skippered City to both their Premier League title triumphs but this is not the first time he has lost his place in their starting XI - in March he was left out after struggling for form after returning from a longer spell out with his problematic calf injury.
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Pellegrini admitted after the win over Sevilla that he had taken off Wilfried Bony, his only recognised striker, because City were struggling to find a way through the Sevilla defence.
Instead he pushed De Bruyne further up with Yaya Toure, and used the Belgian's pace on the break.
"We tried to make some change because we were not getting in their box and not creating chances, which is why we put Kevin up front with Yaya," said Pellegrini.
"Bony is very important to us because he scores goals, but as a manager you have to see what is happening in the game and in the second half we had at least 15 or 20 minutes where we did not create one chance.
"I made the change and fortunately Yaya and Kevin made two or three chances and scored with one of them.
"We bought Kevin because we thought he is a very creative player, who can score goals. Our style of play allows those players to demonstrate their technique and that in every sense he was the perfect player to join our team."
Pellegrini also remarked on the fight his team had shown in Europe this season.
"After our win at Borussia Monchengladbach, we have now won our last two Champions League games in the last minute, and in both games we were 1-0 down," he said.
"The character of the team has been criticised in Europe but these last two games reflect that we had the character not to concede a goal and to try to win." | Vincent Kompany is not certain to start Sunday's derby at Manchester United despite his return to fitness, says Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. | 34600058 |
Labour councillor and former train driver Alistair Watson died suddenly at his home on Wednesday evening.
It follows the death of the council's former Depute Lord Provost, Gerry Leonard, earlier this week.
The Labour group leader on Glasgow City Council, Frank McAveety, said Mr Watson was a "champion for the people" and a "loyal friend".
Mr Watson had been the councillor for Cardonald for 22 years, working most recently as the former Labour administration's business manager.
He also served as convener of the council's Land and Environmental Services Committee and was a former chair of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said his death was a "shock to the Labour family".
"Alistair Watson worked for his community and the Labour Party tirelessly," she said.
"Glasgow Labour has lost a giant and the city of Glasgow has lost a passionate advocate."
Mr McAveety said: "The city has lost a major political figure. He was a shrewd politician and a champion for the people of Cardonald.
"On a personal level, I have lost a loyal friend. The Labour Party and family has lost a crusader who was always fizzing with ideas."
He added that Mr Watson had been an "approachable, decent and compassionate man who made a real difference".
The council said Mr Watson had been a life-long Aslef member and trade unionist whose background in transport had "fuelled his passion" for projects like Glasgow Crossrail and the city's airport rail link.
Lord Provost Eva Bolander said: "Alistair was a towering figure, physically and politically. An astute and seasoned politician.
"He had a significant and hugely influential role in local politics. My condolences go to his family." | Tributes have been paid to a Glasgow councillor and "towering figure" in local politics who has died aged 59. | 40446153 |
Europe has been shocked by migrant tragedies in the Mediterranean and the misery of refugees - many from war-torn Syria - exploited by people traffickers.
So can Europe's governments, instead of accusing each other, take joint action to end the crisis?
Here are five key areas where EU agreement could at least ease the crisis.
Agreeing on asylum rules
Hungary has joined Greece and Italy as a migrant hotspot, overwhelmed by the numbers hoping to settle in the EU.
Reception centres in the "frontline" countries are overcrowded. In many cases officials are struggling with a flood of asylum claims.
Effective common rules would mean sharing data on migrants, such as fingerprints and other key ID, so that their movements could be tracked.
More EU specialist teams have been promised to help national authorities to filter migrants when they arrive and process claims speedily.
There also needs to be a complete revamp of the Dublin Regulation, under which the EU country where a migrant first arrives is supposed to process the migrant's asylum claim.
The system was not designed for a crisis like the current one.
In its European Agenda on Migration the European Commission says Dublin is not working. In 2014, just five EU states handled 72% of all asylum applications.
Hungary is arguing with its neighbours Austria and Germany over who should register thousands of asylum seekers.
The "frontline" countries, and some of their eastern European partners in the EU, say most migrants want to reach richer countries like Germany, Sweden and the UK. So they ask: why register and house migrants in a country they plan to leave anyway?
But the counter-argument is that governments should not shirk their humanitarian responsibilities. Under international law, genuine refugees - people fleeing war or persecution - have a right to asylum. And doing little or nothing to help them just prolongs their misery.
National asylum quotas
There is fierce argument over an EU proposal for national quotas, to share out the burden of asylum claims fairly. And there are growing calls to increase the number of people taken in.
The European Commission tried unsuccessfully to persuade member states to accept a mandatory quota system for taking in 40,000 Syrians and Eritreans over the next two years. They agreed in July to accept 32,500 on a voluntary basis.
The UK opted out of any quota, exercising a right it had negotiated. Ireland could have opted out too, but chose not to.
The UK now plans to take in up to 20,000 more Syrian refugees over the next five years, from camps in the Middle East.
Eastern European governments mostly object to quotas, saying migrants would not want to settle in their countries.
In a joint statement on 4 September, the leaders of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia said "any proposal leading to [the] introduction of [a] mandatory and permanent quota for solidarity measures would be unacceptable".
The leaders of Slovakia and Hungary also question the policy of "Christian" Europe taking in many Muslims. Many asylum seekers have fled from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan - all Muslim-majority countries.
But the quota plan has not gone away. France, Germany and Italy are pushing for it.
The Commission is set to unveil a permanent EU mechanism for distributing asylum seekers across the 28-nation bloc.
Quotas would only apply to Syrian and Eritrean refugees, however, so the mechanism would not solve the crisis.
European Council President Donald Tusk wants a bigger target, calling for "fair distribution of at least 100,000 refugees".
Tackling migration at source
The EU has stepped up naval patrols off war-torn Libya - the source of many migrant tragedies at sea. There are plans to destroy the people smugglers' boats.
The UK government is among those emphasising the need to stem the flow of migrants at source, to stop their perilous journeys to Europe.
But the drivers of the current migration are complex and require long-term aid efforts by the EU.
Ending the war in Syria would make a huge difference - but that still looks a long way off. Syrians are the biggest group of migrants flocking to Europe.
More than four million refugees have poured into Turkey, Lebanon and other neighbouring countries from Syria. The UK is the biggest EU aid donor for those refugees and argues that most prefer to stay in the Middle East.
The rich Gulf Arab countries have taken in very few Syrian refugees - and critics are urging them to do more to help.
There is also massive emigration from Eritrea, where human rights abuses are rife. Ending its frozen conflict with Ethiopia would help reduce the numbers. But, again, the EU is divided over how to tackle that problem.
For sub-Saharan Africa, more targeted EU aid could create local jobs and reduce the flow of economic migrants.
But many also flee the deep-rooted conflicts in Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo, which require political as well as economic solutions. That demands a co-ordinated, ambitious EU foreign policy.
322,914
migrants arrived in EU
2,432
people died
209,457 arrived in Greece
111,197 arrived in Italy
2,166 arrived in Spain
Legal migration paths
A big challenge for the EU is to set up reception centres in Africa and the Middle East to handle asylum claims. That would help prevent the ordeals and tragedies suffered by migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
Mr Tusk, who chairs EU summits, has called for reception centres "closer to conflict areas outside Europe, where refugee camps already exist".
"These centres should be a way to get to the European Union for all asylum seekers," he said.
In an effort to curb people-trafficking from West Africa the EU will set up a pilot centre in Niger to spread information about Europe's immigration rules and the options for would-be migrants.
The EU has a Blue Card scheme for highly-skilled foreign professionals to get jobs in Europe, but take-up has been low because it competes with national schemes and is not used by the UK, Ireland and Denmark.
There are calls to set up a European scheme like the US Green Card Lottery for economic migrants, which issues 50,000 work visas to foreigners annually.
Jan Semmelroggen, an academic at Nottingham Trent University, argues that such a scheme could help ease the burden on the EU asylum system.
Much of Europe has high unemployment, but there is strong demand for certain skills in the EU labour market. Germany, for example, wants many more engineers and computer specialists.
With ageing populations, there is a growing need for skilled migrants.
Sending migrants back
EU countries deport fewer than half of failed asylum seekers. People traffickers know that and exploit it, often taking thousands of pounds from each migrant for passage to the EU.
In 2014 EU countries ordered 470,080 to leave. In total 192,445 were deported. The UK topped the list for deportations - 48,890, Eurostat reports.
In 2014 only 45% of asylum claims were successful. For some nationalities almost all asylum requests were rejected.
There is pressure now for the EU to agree on a list of "safe countries of origin", which would give a legal basis for sending more migrants home.
Many migrants arriving in Germany have fled poverty in the Western Balkans - they are not refugees. There are calls for the EU to declare Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia all "safe".
That is problematic, however, as those countries want to join the EU - where freedom of movement is a core value. | The EU admits that its asylum procedures are inadequate, faced with the biggest influx of migrants since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. | 34139348 |
A spokeswoman for the Assembly Commission, which runs Stormont, said its guidelines stated the building cannot be used for election purposes.
The guidelines were issued to all political parties and individual MLAs.
UKIP's David McNarry told journalist the party had sought and been granted permission to use Parliament Buildings.
"We're only following in the footsteps of others. We made an application to do what we're doing," Mr McNarry said at the launch.
In a statement to the BBC, the Assembly Commission spokeswoman said: "The use of Parliament Buildings as a venue for election purposes is not permitted under the Use of Assembly Resources During the 2015 General Election guidelines which were issued to all political parties and individual MLAs on 2 April 2015.
"The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission is aware that the guidelines may have been breached and is currently reviewing the matter." | UKIP is believed to have broken Northern Ireland Assembly rules by using Stormont's Parliament Buildings for its election manifesto launch. | 32299148 |
In the South West region, 23,000 votes went to a new Eurosceptic party called An Independence From Europe.
The group was formed earlier this year by former UKIP members including ex-MEP Mike Nattrass.
UKIP protested to the Electoral Commission at the time and has not ruled out seeking a judicial review.
Mr Nattrass, who was deselected by UKIP in 2013, previously defended his choice of name for the party, arguing: "UKIP does not have sole right to the word independence."
The new party, whose name appeared first on the alphabetical-order ballot paper, put up a full slate of candidates and came seventh with 235,124 votes, or 1.5% of the total cast.
That put it ahead of more established parties including the BNP and the English Democrats, although it got no MEPs elected,
A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said in April the watchdog did not believe that either the name of Mr Nattrass's party, or its description, were confusing or offensive - which are the key legal tests political parties have been made to pass before they can compete in elections since a change to the law in 1998.
At least two other UKIP defectors failed to get elected - Marta Andreasen in the South East region, standing as a Conservative and Nikki Sinclaire in the West Midlands, standing for the We Demand A Referendum party. | UKIP has claimed they missed out on an extra seat in the European Parliament because of votes going to a party with a similar name. | 27572233 |
An Airbus A320 pilot reported seeing a helicopter-style drone as the jet was 700 feet off the ground on its approach to the runway at 1416 GMT on 22 July.
The CAA has not identified the airline or how close the drone came to the plane, which can carry 180 people.
It gave the incident an "A" rating, meaning a "serious risk of collision".
This is the highest incident rating the CAA can give.
Investigators were unable to identify the drone, which did not appear on air traffic control radar and disappeared after the encounter.
In May the pilot of an ATR 72 turbo-prop plane reported seeing a helicopter drone only 80 feet away as he approached Southend airport at a height of 1,500 feet.
The incidents have prompted a warning from the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) that the rapid increase in the number of drones operated by amateur enthusiasts now poses "a real risk" to commercial aircraft.
The association's general secretary, Jim McAuslan said drones could cause a repeat of the "Hudson River experience", when a plane was forced to land in water in New York in 2009 after birds were sucked into its engines.
"The risk of a 10 kilogram object hitting a plane is a real one that pilots are very concerned about" he said.
"A small drone could be a risky distraction for a pilot coming into land and cause serious damage if they hit one."
Sales of drones have increased rapidly, with UK sales running at a rate of between 1,000 and 2,000 every month.
They are expected to be very popular as Christmas presents.
They cost as little as £35 for a smaller model - more advanced drones capable of carrying a high definition camera and travelling at 45 miles per hour cost almost £3,000.
Only a very small minority of people operating drones have attended training courses in how to fly them.
A spokesman for the CAA said it had to depend on people using their common sense when they operated drones.
He said the current level of risk should be "kept in perspective" but warned that breaking laws governing the use of drones could potentially threaten commercial aircraft.
"People using unmanned aircraft need to think, use common sense and take responsibility for them", he said.
"There are rules which have the force of law and have to be followed."
Drones may not be flown higher than 400 feet or further than 500 metres from the operator, and they must not go within 50 metres of people, vehicles or buildings.
There are exclusion zones around airports and the approaches to them for drones weighing more than seven kilograms.
Mr McAuslan said there was an urgent need for rules to be tightened before much larger unmanned cargo planes - potentially the size of a Boeing 737 - took to the skies. | An unidentified drone came close to hitting a plane as it landed at Heathrow, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has confirmed. | 30369701 |
Ellen Higginbottom was found with multiple stab wounds at Orrell Water Park, Wigan early on Saturday.
She had been reported missing by her family at 19:20 BST on Friday after failing to return home from college.
Mark Steven Buckley, 51, of New Hall Lane, Preston has been remanded in custody and will appear at Wigan Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
Three other people have been arrested in connection with her death.
A 47-year-old Wigan man is being held on suspicion of murder and a man and a woman, both 30 and from Wigan, are being questioned on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Friends said Ellen was last seen at the water park. Police found her body at about 02:30 BST on Saturday during a search.
Her family have released a tribute to her telling people not to label her killers as "animals".
They stated: "Ellen loved animals and the psychology student in her would tell you it takes the complexity of a human mind to conjure such exquisite evil.
"People have also called for them to be strung up but we've thrown enough stones in rivers while camping for her to tell you that ripples reach the shore.
"Innocent people love, or at least loved, these monsters too, and I promise you, she'd also tell you that nobody deserves the pain we feel right now. What's the world coming to?
"Well, if a legacy is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see, then thanks to people like our remarkable Ellen it's coming to beauty and love and kindness."
Her boyfriend Ryan Warren said in a tribute on Facebook she was his "rock" who he and his family "will miss dearly but will hold forever in our hearts".
"Her bubbly, happy, flamboyant personality and witty humour made her precious to so many," he said. | A man has been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old student whose body was found at a beauty spot. | 40345133 |
In the urgent search for answers, relations between London and Cairo have taken a hit.
"We touched some raw nerves," admits a senior British government source present during tense talks this week which followed the UK's announcement that the plane "may well have been brought down by an explosive device".
That evoked a worst-case scenario that it may have been the work of the local jihadist group Sinai Province, which pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State a year ago.
Its claims to have downed the Airbus were initially treated with scepticism.
"They're jumping to conclusions," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry angrily declared when I reached him by telephone shortly after the UK prime minister's office announced a suspension of all flights in and out of the popular tourist enclave on the southern edge of the Sinai which is meant to be highly protected.
But since then a number of other countries have followed suit in suspending flights or adjusting travel advice, as some new intelligence is shared and scrutinised.
Even Russia, which initially sprung to the defence of its close ally, soon took the decision to suspend all flights not just to Sinai, but across Egypt.
So far, US officials have been more cautious in their assessments of what is said to be still insufficient intelligence.
On Saturday, the Egyptian official leading the five-country investigation panel confirmed that a loud noise was heard in the last second of the cockpit voice recording.
But Ayman al-Muqqadam refused to be drawn into whether this suggested a technical fault or an act of terrorism.
For Egypt, what Mr Maqqadam obliquely referred to as "a certain scenario" has calamitous consequences: its tourism sector is vital to any hope of reviving a struggling economy and the reputation of its much vaunted security forces in the battle against an Islamist insurgency is at stake.
Earlier in the week, I had asked Egypt's President Abdul Fattah el- Sisi whether his forces were in complete control in Sinai.
The former army chief reacted immediately: "It is under our full control, of course."
"We will never accept," he insisted, "that we do not have full control over our country."
In extraordinarily awkward timing, the president had just landed in London for his first official visit when news broke about Britain's judgment about safety in Sinai.
British officials had hoped President Sisi and Prime Minister Cameron would emerge from their talks on Thursday with a "shoulder-to-shoulder" moment to send a very public symbol of their resolve.
But their proposal to announce a detailed "joint plan" was scuppered by Egypt.
"They tried to put us on the spot," one Egyptian official told me. "Our own teams need time to study the details."
Egyptian officials also said they wished their British counterparts would have done more to publicly acknowledge the catastrophic impact their move had on a sector which provides millions of jobs and is a key source of foreign currency at a time when reserves are running perilously low.
"It's wholly understandable Cairo was aggravated by London's decision to abruptly suspend flights," remarked Dr H A Hellyer, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the Royal United Services Institute.
But he added: "If the Egyptian government doesn't learn from this episode, in terms of crisis management and showing that security really is being taken care of, there may be other uncomfortable situations in future."
Over the past week, co-operation has been stepped up on many levels.
A senior Egyptian official told me his government had responded to "every single British request", including an extra battalion of troops in and around the airport.
A British source acknowledged it had been a "very big ask" and their concern about continuing gaps had led to the decision to halt UK flights.
The focus now is on getting 20,000 stranded British tourists home on return flights which are gradually being resumed.
Egypt's airport security is now under a global microscope as the world's media converge on the Red Sea resort area.
Egypt must also confront growing disquiet that this local Islamic State affiliate may be growing in its resources and ambition.
A number of militant groups, drawn from Bedouin tribes resentful of years of official neglect, operate in the hardscrabble desert of northern Sinai.
Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed in attacks. In recent weeks, Egyptian forces stepped up operations in what is a closed military zone after an assault in July killed, according to official figures, 21 soldiers.
Other accounts of the worst attack on the military since the 1973 war put that figure even higher.
Two major attacks in Cairo this summer - including the assassination in broad daylight of the public prosecutor, and a powerful bomb that ripped through the Italian consulate - raised more questions.
Egyptian officials blame the attacks on radicalised elements of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, while others posit it could have been the work of IS fighters who travelled from Syria, via Libya, to Egypt.
Western officials express concern that Egypt's harsh security laws and punitive strikes in Sinai are driving more Egyptians into the ranks of extremists.
There's also the threat posed by the 1,200 km (745-mile) long border with volatile Libya, where IS also has a stronghold. It was one of the main issues on President Sisi's agenda for his British visit before this crisis erupted.
"I warned two-and-a-half years ago that the fighters in Syria will pose a threat to all of us - but it took them a whole year to study the issue," he replied when I asked about the effectiveness of Western air strikes against IS in Iraq and Syria.
"We now say there is a threat in Libya, and I hope they will not take a long time to respond."
The issues are urgent. But they will take time and resources.
"We've got to get on with it," is how one senior British government official put it, with some characteristic understatement.
For Egypt, it is impossible to understate how serious this moment is. | One week after a Russian airliner broke up in the skies over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, there is still no official conclusion or consensus on what shattered the plane, killing all 224 passengers and crew on board. | 34758441 |
The highly-rated 19-year-old is a product of the club's academy and has been a regular for the Warriors during the 2014 campaign.
"He is a very talented young player who shows great desire to be the best," coach Shaun Wane told the club website.
"Make no mistake, we are the envy of many Super League clubs in getting George's signature."
Williams added: "I thoroughly enjoy the environment here and intend to repay the trust in me by working hard, continuing to improve and play my role in helping this team to achieve great things." | Wigan half-back George Williams has agreed a new four-year contract with the reigning Super League champions. | 27423326 |
Midfielder Joel Byrom, 30, has joined on an undisclosed length contract after being released by Northampton Town
Goalkeeper Jake Kean has joined on loan from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, with the 25-year-old staying at Field Mill until the summer.
Twenty-year-old Sheffield United midfielder Ben Whiteman has also joined on loan until the end of the season.
"When we came in it was important for all of us that we increased competition in all areas of the pitch," Evans told the club website.
"We have to be ruthless in our recruitment and are making sure we're doing that."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans has made three additions to his side as the January transfer window opens. | 38480111 |
The 27-year-old has agreed a three year deal at Craven Cottage, with the option of a further 12 months.
Former Tottenham trainee Button moves across west London after playing 141 times during three years with the Bees.
"I understand if there are some fans who will be disappointed we have sold a player to our local rivals," Bees co-director of football Phil Giles said.
"However, I'm confident that we've made a decision that is in the best long term interests of the club."
Button becomes Fulham's seventh signing of the summer transfer window.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Fulham have signed goalkeeper David Button from Championship rivals Brentford for an undisclosed fee. | 36840486 |
The South African, 37, awarded a controversial penalty that gave Australia a 35-34 win over Scotland in the World Cup quarter-final.
At full-time he ran from the field without shaking hands with the players.
He will then be assistant referee for Scotland's final Six Nations match against Ireland in Dublin on 19 March.
The game's governing body, World Rugby, said Joubert was wrong to award the 78th-minute penalty, which sent the Wallabies into the semi-finals.
World Rugby said that because Australia's Nick Phipps touched the ball before Scotland's Jon Welsh was penalised for a deliberate offside, "the appropriate decision should have been a scrum to Australia for the original knock-on".
England - who lost to Wales and went out in the pool stage of the World Cup - host Warren Gatland's side at Twickenham in the penultimate round of matches in the 2016 Championship.
Wales' World Cup final referee Nigel Owens will referee the final game of the 2016 Six Nations between France and England in Paris on 19 March. | Referee Craig Joubert will return to Twickenham to take charge of England against Wales in the 2016 Six Nations on Saturday, 12 March. | 34793395 |
The 36-year-old Lazio striker helped his country win the World Cup in the summer, becoming the record scorer in the tournament's history with 16.
Klose, who totalled 71 goals in 137 internationals, became the third player to score at four World Cup finals.
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"I am happy and proud to have contributed to this big success for German football," said Klose.
Poland-born Klose, who scored twice in the tournament in Brazil to surpass Brazilian Ronaldo's competition record of 15 goals, said the time was right to end a 13-year career with the German national team.
He is the second member of the German team to quit after the tournament following captain Philipp Lahm last month.
"Winning the title in Brazil was a childhood dream come true," added Klose in a statement released by the German Football Association.
Klose made the first of his 137 international appearances in 2001 and broke Gerd Muller's 40-year-old record of 68 goals in June.
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Germany manager Joachim Low said he was proud to have worked with former Bayern Munich forward Klose.
"When I met up with Miro last week he told he me he had thought long about it and talked to his family," said Low.
"I immediately sensed that his decision was irreversible and that I cannot convince him otherwise.
"You can always count on Miro to keep his word and that was the case in Brazil as well.
"I have a lot of respect for Miro's decision as well as for his unbelievable national team career that is all but impossible to trump." | Germany's all-time leading goalscorer Miroslav Klose has announced his retirement from international football. | 28741921 |
Police in Nashville tweeted that the violence arose after an apparent row over a dice game on Thursday night.
A 19-year-old man was killed in the argument, and three female students who were passing by were wounded.
The latest incident comes a week after three people were wounded by gunfire at an off-campus party near the college.
The suspect fled the scene on foot.
A university spokeswoman said the two men involved in the argument were not students and were believed to have been gambling. | One person has been shot dead and three others wounded in a shooting incident at Tennessee State University in Nashville, US police say. | 34613033 |
Jordan Kenvyn, 26, from Dumfries, was driving on the wrong side of the road when his Renault Clio hit Barbara D'Amato's Fiat hire car.
The crash happened on the A702 near Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire, on 16 January 2014.
Mrs D'Amato, who hoped to buy a house in Scotland, died after suffering serious facial injuries.
Judge Lady Scott told Kenvyn: "You are facing the possibility, if not likelihood, of receiving a prison term."
He will be sentenced next month.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Kenvyn had not been paying attention at the time of the crash.
Mrs D'Amato's friend, Colette Ralph, age 48, who was travelling with her, suffered abdominal injuries in the crash.
She told the trial that Kenvyn had been travelling at "very high speed" at the time.
Mrs Ralph said: "It all happened so quickly. It was over in seconds.
"There was a loud bang and a violent jolt and the airbag was in my face. It took me a few seconds to register what happened.
"I couldn't get out of the front door. I climbed out of the back seat and tried to get out the back door. "
Mrs Ralph, a British ex-pat living in Switzerland, was taken to hospital where doctors informed her that her friend had died.
Kenvyn admitted that he was on the wrong side of the road but could offer no explanation as to why.
Mrs D'Amato, age 61, who lived in France, was visiting Scotland with a view to buying a property for her retirement.
Mrs Ralph said: "She had been planning to retire in Scotland. It was always her plan. Her intention was to come and live here."
The jury took 90 minutes to find Kenvyn guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.
Lady Scott banned him from driving and ordered reports.
He will return to the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing on 19 August. | A dangerous driver is facing a jail term after being convicted of causing the death of an American tourist. | 36857928 |
She beat fellow Scot Neah Evans in the scratch race before losing out to Sophie Capewell in the keirin.
Rio reserve Ryan Owens claimed the men's sprint title with Joe Truman taking silver and Lewis Oliva bronze.
Paralympic champions Sophie Thornhill and pilot Corrine Hall also won their second gold as well as silver, in the pursuit and flying 200 respectively.
"I'm a bit shattered but my dad owns a bed shop so I'm obliged to have a good night's sleep," said Archibald, who will return for a third day of racing at the National Cycling Centre on Sunday.
The 22-year-old also beat her GB pursuit team-mate, Wales' Elinor Barker, who finished third behind Evans in the scratch event.
In the C1-5 category, Megan Giglia won individual pursuit while 15 year-old Lauren Booth won her second gold of the championships in the flying 200.
Paralympic triathlon silver medallist Alison Patrick completed a track debut bronze medal hat-trick in the tandem alongside experienced pilot Helen Scott.
Patrick, who will continue to race triathlon, now hopes to compete for Great Britain at the Para-cycling Track World Championships in Los Angeles in March.
Find out how to get into disability sport with our special guide.
However, Britain's most decorated female Paralypian, Sarah Storey, will not compete in LA, deciding against competing internationally in 2017.
In Manchester, her Boot Out Breast Cancer team took bronze in the team pursuit - which was won by British Cycling Academy riders under Team Breeze.
Elsewhere, Dan Bigham added the men's kilometre time trial gold to his individual pursuit title, Joe Nally won the points race and Aileen McGlynn and pilot Louise Haston came out on top in the tandem flying 200. | Olympic champion Katie Archibald added another gold and a silver on day two of the UK National Track Championships. | 38785809 |
This led to questions about the control of information online and highlighted the declining trust in China's healthcare system.
Baidu is an internet juggernaut that owns search engine and social media services. Its forums are hugely popular, with 1 billion participants taking part in 19 million discussions which allow many Chinese people to converse about the issues that matter to them.
This scandal first came to light when a whistleblower posted about irregularities within a popular forum for people with haemophilia, an inherited and rare condition that affects the blood's ability to clot.
He alleged that the original volunteer moderator had been replaced with another one who paid for the position, and that this new individual was unqualified and posting information about dubious healthcare providers, as well as censoring criticism on the forum.
Baidu later said it would "stop all partnerships with commercial enterprises" when it came to its health forums, and only allow non-profit groups to moderate.
But it left many netizens outraged and condemning the practice as unethical.
With more than 7,000 participants, the forum was seen as an important independent information resource particularly given concerns about China's healthcare system.
Prof Jin Lei, a medical sociologist with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says there is a general lack of trust in China's healthcare system.
This mistrust has been building since the 1980s when market reforms saw a slash in government funding for hospitals. Most hospitals are state-run, but state financing can now account for as little as 10% of costs.
This has led to the issue of hospitals aggressively pushing marked-up drugs and high cost services to patients, as well as more serious problems such as accepting and demanding bribes, taking kickbacks from medical suppliers, and selling counterfeit drugs, says Prof Jin.
Many Chinese patients also prefer going to the top public hospitals for treatment, rather than seeking help at lower-tier providers.
"So the doctors and hospitals now are very stretched, spend less time with patients, and that again also leads to mistrust," says Prof Jin.
Though China is known for its heavy state control of the flow of information, this usually tends to apply to politically sensitive topics in the mainstream media and social media networks like Weibo.
Many still turn to online forums for free and crowdsourced information which is seen to be more independent, particularly when media outlets are suspected of accepting bribes from businesses for more favourable coverage - a practice highlighted in recent months as authorities moved to crack down on it.
The Baidu scandal, therefore, came as a shock to many who did not expect commercial interests to intrude so pervasively online, especially in the important and personal forum of health.
This "is a very interesting example of how we are now seeing newer online services — aside from Weibo and [messaging app] WeChat — drive agendas in China," according to researchers Han Xiao and David Bandurski writing for Hong Kong University's China Media Project.
"In a sense, what Baidu seems to have been doing is not at all different from the state-sponsored project of 'public opinion channelling', or from the way 'online commentators' are routinely deployed to trumpet the Party-state agendas."
Either way, the monetisation of health forums has now become a major focus of concern for Chinese citizens online. | Last week one of China's biggest community sites, Baidu, sparked an outcry when it admitted it allowed healthcare companies to moderate online health forums. | 35340394 |
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