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From today, parents who force their children to marry can be punished by up to seven years in prison.
Previously, courts have only been able to issue civil orders to prevent victims being forced into marriage.
Ministers say the law will give victims the confidence to come forward and protect thousands of people each year.
It will apply if people are forced into marriage in England and Wales, as well as to UK nationals at risk of being forced into marriage abroad.
Last year, the government's Forced Marriage Unit dealt with 1,302 cases.
Some 82% of victims were female and 18% male while 15% were under the age of 15.
The cases involved 74 different countries with 43% relating to Pakistan, 11% to India and 10% to Bangladesh.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the practice was "a tragedy for each and every victim".
She said the criminalisation - under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 - was "a further move by the government to ensure victims are protected by the law and that they have the confidence, safety and the freedom to choose".
Aneeta Prem, founder of Freedom Charity, which educates young people about forced marriage, said the law sent out a "powerful message that this indefensible abuse of human rights will not be tolerated".
Jasvinder Sanghera of the Karma Nirvana charity said it was a "historical day and the right move" and that it was important for victims to report any abuse.
"Nobody is going to be forcing you to prosecute or criminalise your parents. Reporting is the first thing you have to do and it will be your choice to pursue a criminal justice process."
Under the new law, breaching a forced marriage protection order - which can be issued by courts to prevent people being married against their will - has also been criminalised.
It now carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Mak Chishty, from the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the new law would make the police's job easier.
"It's a very important step because for the first time it gives us a definition of what forced marriage is and gives us the ability to take people to court and get a criminal conviction and that is a very powerful message to deter people in the future," he said.
The Home Office says a forced marriage "is one in which one or both spouses do not consent to the marriage but are coerced into it" by means including "physical, psychological, financial, sexual and emotional pressure".
It says that "in the cases of vulnerable adults who lack the capacity to consent to marriage, coercion is not required for a marriage to be forced".
One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the BBC she was duped into travelling to Pakistan to marry her first cousin. She escaped and her family have now disowned her.
"I was 17 years old. I was told we were going on a family holiday abroad. Two weeks into the holiday my family informed me that I wasn't going back to London and I was going to remain away to be forced into a marriage.
"I hadn't met him before. Didn't know him, didn't know his name or anything about him. I demanded that I come back and finish off my studies.
"I begged them and I begged them but they said no, I had to stay and be married off. Their view of it all was that they felt I was going to become far too Westernised and bring shame onto the family and therefore they felt, in their eyes, it was the best thing to do.
"The marriage was absolutely horrendous. All the types of abuse you can think of - sexual, verbal, physical. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy; it was quite vile.
"I wasn't allowed out at all, I was more or less a prisoner in their house. I was treated like a slave. I wasn't allowed to do anything, my ex-husband's mum used to say to me the only reason I was there was to cook and clean and be a slave for her son at night."
In another case, Alexander Khan said he was sent to get married by his step family who had received several thousands pounds and some land.
"When I was 13 they sent me to north-west Pakistan, and what they told me to do was sit beside this girl who was nine years old. Unbeknown to me, that was an arranged marriage and I didn't know what was happening.
"A lot of it is cultural and - in my case - money. It was definitely to do with greed and money."
The new law will be introduced in Scotland at a later date after MSPs voted for legislation in January.
Forced Marriage Protection Orders, which can be issued to prevent people being married against their will, were brought into Scottish law three years ago.
However, there have been no prosecutions over forced marriage since then, the BBC has learned.
Aisha Gill of the University of Roehampton, who helped draft the new legislation, said there would be "challenges" implementing it.
"As with any law introduced, it may have unintended consequences. What we have to do is make sure victims are supported from the moment they report such an abuse, right the way through the court process, and post-court process, in terms of the outcome of a criminal prosecution," she said.
"The challenges are in terms of giving evidence, particularly where the perpetrators may be those who are close to them i.e. family members, and the coercion and pressure that they may be subjected to in terms of withdrawing [the complaint]."
The new law will not apply to Northern Ireland but ministers there will be able to introduce their own legislation, the Home Office said. | A new law in England and Wales making it a criminal offence to force people into marriage sends "a powerful message", campaigners have said. | 27830815 |
Nicola Edgington attacked Sally Hodkin, 58, with a butcher's knife in Bexleyheath, south London, in 2011.
The attack happened six years after Edgington had killed her own mother.
On the day of the murder, Edgington repeatedly called police and told A&E staff she needed to be sectioned because she felt like killing someone.
Edgington was taken to Oxleas House mental health unit in Greenwich to be admitted, but was allowed to walk out of the unit on 10 October 2011 to commit the crime.
She got a bus to Bexleyheath, bought a large knife from Asda and stole a steak knife from a butcher's shop.
She then stabbed grandmother Mrs Hodkin and another woman in the street.
She was convicted of murder and attempted murder for those two attacks.
Edgington had previously been convicted in 2006 of the manslaughter of her mother Marion at her home in Forest Row, East Sussex, and ordered to be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
The damning report commissioned by NHS England and released on Friday found staff at the Bracton Centre, run by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, deemed Edgington fit for discharge after three years.
It said Bracton Centre staff were too willing to accept Edgington's version of events and said documents failed to detail all concerns about her behaviour before discharge.
She was released in 2009 and allowed to live in the community.
After she was freed, Edgington was moved to accommodation with low levels of supervision and was also allowed to visit her husband in Jamaica.
Oxleas staff also failed to take seriously warnings made by her brother and sister that Edgington was still unwell and potentially dangerous, the report said.
The report found correspondence from the trust to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which approved the discharge, "did not fully reflect" concerns that had been raised about her disruptive, abusive and rude behaviour on the ward.
It also did not document her denial of any memory of killing her mother and her "fixation on making fast progress to discharge".
Overall, "reports... did not accurately reflect disruptive and aggressive behaviours described in the clinical notes", NHS England concluded.
The MoJ also asked for details of any concerns during the Jamaica trip, which could have led to Edgington being readmitted to a mental health unit, but these where never handed over by the trust.
When Edgington was discharged, Greenwich Police should have been informed of her release but the trust failed to forward on the paperwork, the report added.
On the day of the murder, when Edgington was taken to Oxleas House following several hours in A&E asking to be sectioned, a member of Oxleas staff missed an opportunity to give her the highest risk rating.
She was put down for 15-minute observations - a level deemed "inadequate" by investigators, who believed she should have had one-to-one monitoring while waiting to be admitted to the unit.
The report also pointed to missed opportunities by the police to section Edgington under the Mental Health Act on the day of the murder. Police staff also did not carry out a Police National Computer (PNC) check during their repeated interactions with her which would have alerted them to her conviction for manslaughter.
Mrs Hodkin's son Len, 40, a solicitor from Eltham, said Edgington should "never have been released in the first place" after killing her own mother and should have been "recalled to hospital when her behaviour deteriorated" after she was discharged.
He added his mother's death was "entirely preventable". | A series of NHS and police failings led to the brutal murder of a woman by a psychiatric patient, a report has found. | 40378509 |
The 30-year-old skippered England to a 3-2 Ashes win over Australia this summer, but has not played since the final Test at The Oval in mid-August.
England will soon travel to the UAE for a three-match Test series against Pakistan, starting on 13 October.
Ian Bell is in Warwickshire's squad but Joe Root will not play for Yorkshire.
Root, England's leading run-scorer during their Ashes win, was rested for the limited-overs series against Australia and will not play for Yorkshire against Sussex.
But Jonny Bairstow and Adil Rashid, who both appeared in the shorter-form series, are included in the champions' squad.
Fast bowler Stuart Broad, meanwhile, is set to make his first Championship appearance for Notts since June in their game against Hampshire.
And new-ball partner James Anderson will continue his comeback from a side strain in Lancashire's game at Essex.
However, Worcestershire's Moeen Ali and Middlesex's Steven Finn will not play in the Division One match between their respective sides at New Road.
The final County Championship fixtures start on Tuesday. | England captain Alastair Cook has been named in Essex's 14-man squad for their final County Championship game of 2015 against already-promoted Lancashire. | 34313629 |
Exercise is known to release proteins that can boost the part of the brain related to memory, and this study suggests the timing of it is crucial.
The study, in Current Biology, tested 72 people on their memory recall.
And it found exercising a few hours after learning was more effective than immediately afterwards.
After spending 40 minutes on a learning task, the 72 people were split into groups:
The activity consisted of 35 minutes' vigorous exercise on an exercise bike.
When they were all tested on how much they had remembered two days later, the second group performed best.
Brain images using MRI showed this group's activity patters in the hippocampus - which is connected to learning and memory - were sharper.
It is thought the chemical compounds produced in the body by physical exercise, including dopamine and norepinephrine, can help to improve memory.
Guillen Fernandez, lead researcher, from the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, in the Netherlands, said: "Our results suggest that appropriately timed physical exercise can improve long-term memory and highlight the potential of exercise as an intervention in education and clinical settings."
He added that exercise was particularly effective for consolidating weak memories.
But it was not clear why delayed exercise had a positive effect on long-term memory.
And the research team will now study the timing of exercise and its influence on learning and memory. | Intensive physical exercise four hours after learning is the key to remembering information learnt, say Dutch researchers. | 36549897 |
The top 10 most-visited attractions in the country were all in the capital, according to figures.
UK visitor attractions saw a 3.2% rise in in 2015, with the biggest increase in Scotland which had a 5.48% rise.
Edinburgh Castle was the most visited attraction in Scotland - ahead of the National Museum of Scotland for the first time in five years.
More than 65 million people visited attractions in London in 2015.
Some 6.82 million people visited the British Museum last year, up from 6.7 million the year before.
The National Gallery remained in second place with 5.9 million visitors - although it suffered an 8% drop in visitor numbers - and in third place was The Natural History Museum with 5.3 million visitors.
The Southbank Centre and Tate Modern both suffered sizable falls in their visitor numbers with 18% and 19% drops respectively.
Tate Modern's 4.7 million visitors was the lowest for 10 years, but figures are expected to improve this year following a high profile Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition and the opening of the venue's extension this summer.
"Tate Modern continues to be the world's most popular gallery of modern and contemporary art," a spokeswoman said.
"We annually attract around 4.5 to five million visitors. We achieved our highest, record-breaking year in 2014 with 5.8 million visitors, due in part to the success of Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs."
The Southbank Centre said its fall in visitor numbers was "due to the closure for refurbishment of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery from September onwards".
Temporary exhibitions were credited with giving a boost in visitors to a number of attractions including London's Somerset House, which saw the largest increase in visitor numbers in the top 10.
It had an increase of 31% and came in eighth place with 3.2 million visitors.
The Royal Academy credited its 33% increase in visitors to its Ai Weiwei and summer exhibitions.
Meanwhile, the Victoria and Albert Museum's visitor figures was boosted by its most visited exhibition ever, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.
Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon was also a huge draw at the National Portrait Gallery.
Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, said it was a record year for visitors from overseas and the UK.
"More people visited the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, combined, than visited Venice," he claimed.
"More people visited the British Museum and the National Gallery, combined, than visited Barcelona and more people visited the Southbank Centre, Tate Modern and Tate Britain, combined, than visited Hong Kong."
The Library of Birmingham remained the most visited free attraction outside London.
It came in 11th place with 1.8 million visitors.
Chester Zoo, was the most visited paid for attraction in England outside London with 1.7 million visitors.
It had an 18% increase in visitors due to the opening of its Islands development, which recreates six tropical South East Asian Islands - the biggest new zoo development in Europe.
The National Museum of Scotland was the most visited museum outside of London with 1.6 million visitors.
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two had a 35% increase in visitors after hosting The Amazing World of MC Escher, while the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One had a 47% increase in visitors thanks to Artist Rooms: Roy Lichtenstein.
Source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions | The British Museum was the most popular visitor attraction in Britain in 2015 for the ninth year running. | 35730578 |
The investment and innovation centre is similar to one opened in Dublin, with others planned for Brussels and Berlin.
Scotland House is located at Victoria Embankment, near the Houses of Parliament at Westminster.
It is intended as a centre for business membership to showcase products and meet customers and investors from the UK market and beyond.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon performed the official opening on Tuesday evening, saying 450 companies have expressed an interest in becoming members.
The hub will also be a base for Scottish government officials, and for staff of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland.
The first minister said: "London is a very important trading market and a meeting place for the world's business leaders, but for Scottish businesses it can be challenging and costly to try and break into these markets.
"The new hub will play a critical role in attracting investment to Scotland, helping businesses trade internationally and raising Scotland's international profile.
"Scotland House will provide Scottish companies with a base to build new partnerships and a low-cost place to trade. I am pleased that more than 450 businesses are interested in becoming members of the hub."
Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: "London remains our most important trading partner.
"However, if Scottish tourism is to continue punching above its weight on the world stage, we need to keep attracting new investment, events, airlines and ultimately, visitors.
"Scotland House is a platform on which we can do that - utilising our business strengths in a city renowned for its global business links - to show the world that Scotland is the perfect place to visit and invest in."
Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said the opening of Scotland House "marks the start of an exciting new phase of growth and collaboration between Scotland and London".
She added: "Together, Scotland and the city are a formidable force for tourism, trade, investment and collaboration and this new facility will provide the ideal platform to help take our partnership to the next level.
"We've had a phenomenal initial response to the launch with hundreds of ambitious businesses looking to maximise what Scotland House has to offer." | A new business hub for the Scottish government and development agencies has been opened in London. | 39634357 |
3 February 2013 Last updated at 12:10 GMT
The Super Bowl is the biggest game in American football and is as famous for its half-time show as much as the game itself.
This year Beyonce will be performing and tens of millions of people are expected to tune in to watch the action.
Leah's been finding out more about one of the most famous sporting events in the world. | America is preparing for the event known as the 'greatest show on earth'. | 21313191 |
Just 5% of African cereal imports come from other African countries, it said.
Removing cross-border barriers would free up trade, reduce prices and generate billions of dollars for African governments, it added.
The bank estimates there are almost 20 million people affected by hunger in the Sahel region of West Africa.
"Too often borders get in the way of getting food to homes and communities which are struggling with too little to eat," said Makhtar Diop, World Bank vice-president for Africa.
Trade restrictions also raise the price of food to consumers and reduce the incentive for farmers to produce, as they receive only a small proportion of the end price.
High transport costs, including roadblocks and bribes at border posts, as well as strict rules restricting the use of high yielding seeds and more effective fertilisers, exacerbated the problem, the bank said.
"The challenge is how to create a competitive environment in which governments embrace credible and stable policies that encourage private investors and businesses to boost food production across the region," said the bank's Paul Brenton.
Food prices are rising across the world following severe droughts in many countries and are approaching record levels seen last year and in 2008, a year which saw food price riots in many African nations.
The bank does not believe, however, that the situation is as dire as in previous years, because inventories of crops are higher and major producers have not introduced export bans. | Africa could feed itself if trade restrictions were reduced and fertile land was put to good use, according to the World Bank. | 20081759 |
County rejected an offer for the 23-year-old from English Championship newcomers Burton Albion last week.
"We're not looking to sell Jackson," County manager Jim McIntyre told BBC Scotland.
"He's one of our best players. He's getting game time under his belt and is developing."
Irvine, who joined County permanently from Celtic last summer after a season on loan, helped the Dingwall club finish sixth in the Scottish Premiership and beat Hibernian in the League Cup final.
It was their first national trophy and there was more joy in recent weeks for the midfielder as he won his 10th cap as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Greece.
"When he plays the way he has, like in the League Cup final, people sit up and take note," said McIntyre of the Brewers' failed bid.
McIntyre has signed three defenders - Christopher Routis, formerly of Bradford City, Kenny van der Weg, previously of Breda, and Erik Cikos, who was with Slovan Bratislava - and former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Aaron McCarey already this summer.
However, he confirmed that he is still looking to make one or two changes to his squad in preparation for the new season. | Ross County are not interested in cashing in on Jackson Irvine, despite interest growing in the midfielder who is establishing himself with Australia. | 36561972 |
Bolasie, 27, spent four seasons with Palace after joining the London side from Bristol City in 2012.
He played 143 times for Palace scoring 13 goals, and came on as a substitute in Saturday's 1-0 defeat by West Brom.
Palace manager Alan Pardew said after the 1-0 defeat: "We know his heart and soul may be elsewhere."
Bolasie said the move to Merseyside was a "no-brainer", adding: "Now that I've come to Everton, the job is not done. I've got to work hard and feel my way in. I'm ready and up for the challenge.
"It's not about the money for me. It's about looking at the ambition of the club and where they are trying to get to. I just like to play football."
Everton manager Ronald Koeman said: "Yannick is a player who has been a long time on my radar because he's the type of winger I like - fast, strong and he can play different positions in the forward line."
Bolasie is Everton's fourth major signing of the summer.
Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg came from Fulham, Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa, while Wales captain Ashley Williams joined on 10 August from Swansea for an undisclosed fee, thought to be £12m.
Everton, who drew 1-1 with Tottenham on Saturday, are in discussions to sign Sunderland defender Lamine Kone but are keen to keep striker Romelu Lukaku.
Iranian businessman Farhad Moshiri bought a 49.9% stake in Everton in February, ending the club's decade-long search for new investment. | Everton have signed DR Congo international midfielder Yannick Bolasie from Crystal Palace on a five-year deal for £25m. | 37083859 |
The Attenborough Wildlife Reserve near Nottingham, run by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, is home to one of the UK's largest heronries.
Conservationists have worked to restore reed beds in the hope of providing bitterns and herons with a safer place to breed.
The reserve was opened by Sir David Attenborough in 1966.
Wildlife ranger Tim Sexton took on a challenge in 2015 to identify more than 1,000 different organisms at the reserve within one year.
Mr Sexton said although there were many successes over the past years, the reserve was still in danger of losing some species, such as cuckoos, skylark, meadow pipits and common blue butterflies.
Nottinghamshire wildlife artist Michael Warren will be exhibiting artwork at the nature centre during the anniversary, including 14 commissioned pieces featuring Attenborough and other Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust reserves.
A dawn chorus walk is planned for the anniversary weekend along with a nature walk. | A nature reserve famous for its herons and bitterns is celebrating its 50th anniversary. | 36164127 |
The Lib Dems' John Leech won the Didsbury West, ending Labour's 100% control of the authority.
Labour had held all 96 seats since 2014. Its candidate Barnaby Lane was beaten by 702 votes.
Mr Leech, who was an MP for Manchester Withington before he lost his seat in the 2015 General Election, took 53% of the vote.
"I couldn't be happier to be back on the council and back in a position to help local residents," he said.
"Thank you so much to everyone who voted, supported and campaigned. This is a dream." | Labour has lost full control of Manchester City Council after the Liberal Democrats won one seat. | 36229047 |
Two controlled explosions were carried out on Wednesday night and a further one on Thursday morning.
Officers searched a property in Jamaica Mews in The New Town area and recovered a number of items.
Residents were evacuated as a precaution while the search was taking place.
Police said there was never any danger to the public. | A 38-year-old man has been charged with firearms offences following a police operation in Edinburgh. | 27064117 |
The Dubliner was a writer, poet, barrister, soldier and politician.
From a staunchly nationalist background, he was a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party and served as MP for East Tyrone from 1906 to 1910.
Born in 1880 he was well-known for being a gifted speaker and a passionate advocate of Irish independence.
Known as Tom or Thomas, in 1914 he was in Belgium purchasing weapons for the Irish Volunteers and witnessed the German invasion of the country.
He returned home and helped to recruit thousands of young Irish nationalists into the British Army in defence of Catholic Belgium.
At the outbreak of the Great War he enlisted for service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and, serving as a lieutenant, he was killed at Ginchy on 9 September 1916.
To mark the centenary of his death, an act of remembrance was held at Westminster that was attended by MPs and representatives of the Irish government.
Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson laid a wreath at the memorial which commemorates the life of the Dublin-born politician.
The DUP MP said he was "honoured " to help host the event in London.
"Tom joined in common cause with the Ulster Volunteers at the Somme and his death symbolises the heavy loses suffered by the 16th Irish Division," he said.
"He is surely deserving of full recognition and remembrance by all of us."
Irish Ambassador to the UK Dan Mulhall also laid a wreath to mark Mr Kettle's life.
"In this decade of commemorations, Kettle's story gives an invaluable insight into the difficult choices that confronted the Irish men and women of that era," Mr Mulhall said.
"Reflecting on his hopes for reconciliation in Ireland and Europe, 100 years on from his death, resonates strongly."
The event in Westminster was also attended by Labour MP Vernon Coaker, the former Northern Ireland shadow secretary, and peers Lord Rogan and Lord Kilclooney.
Foyle MP Mark Durkan also took part in the commemoration at the Palace of Westminster.
An admirer of Mr Kettle, he said the poet and politician was "ahead of his time in seeing our issues in a wider European context".
Mr Durkan said Mr Kettle was "held in great esteem " and said had the 36-year-old survived World War One he would have "made a major mark on Irish society".
In Dublin, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan attended an event to mark Mr Kettle's life and death.
The ceremony was also attended by many members of the extended Kettle family.
Paying tribute to him, Mr Flanagan said: "His loss is a reminder of the tragedy of a generation from across Europe who were caught up in the slaughter of World War One."
Shortly before his death in September 1916, Kettle wrote about Irish men who volunteered for military service in the British Army.
The poem entitled "To My Daughter Betty, the Gift of God" contained the poignant lines that Irish men "Died not for flag, nor king, nor emperor. But for a dream, born in a herdsman's shed, And for the secret scripture of the poor".
Today those lines adorn the bottom of his memorial which sits at St Stephen's Green in tribute to a gifted politician, soldier and poet who many believe was ahead of his time. | Tributes have been paid in London and Dublin to mark the centenary of the death of East Tyrone MP Tom Kettle who died at the Somme in 1916. | 37319451 |
The bid, made late on Sunday, was £25m plus add-ons but United maintain the 27-year-old is not for sale.
Age: 27
Club: Manchester United
Previous club: Everton
Debut: Everton 2-2 Tottenham - 17/08/02
United appearances: 402
United goals: 197
England caps: 83
England goals: 36
Honours: Premier League (x5); League Cup (x2); Champions League; Fifa World Club Cup; PFA Player of the Year 2010
Rooney, who remains intent on leaving United, has been left out of their squad for Tuesday's pre-season friendly in Stockholm with a shoulder injury.
It is understood the striker picked up the knock during a behind-closed-doors match against Real Betis on Saturday.
Chelsea had an initial bid for Rooney, of about £20m, turned down by United in July and have again been knocked back, despite upping their offer.
United manager David Moyes has continually stressed that Rooney will stay with the Premier League champions but Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho remains determined to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
Rooney has been left angered and confused by recent messages coming out of Old Trafford, most noticeably the suggestion from Moyes that Robin van Persie is the preferred option up front.
The situation could come to a head later this week with Rooney giving serious thought to handing in a transfer request in order to force a move away from Old Trafford.
In October 2010, Rooney said he wanted to leave the club because of concerns over the strength of their squad, but signed a new five-year contract just days later.
He flew home from Thailand in July with a hamstring injury and has not played for the club since a substitute appearance in the 1-0 defeat by Chelsea on 5 May. | Manchester United have rejected an improved offer from Chelsea for England striker Wayne Rooney. | 23574624 |
After the deal closed, a renamed Yahoo will mainly hold a stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which had a blockbuster day on Wall Street.
Yahoo's gains helped lift the Nasdaq 0.4% to 6,321.76 points.
The Dow Jones was almost flat at 21,182.53 points, while the broader S&P 500 fell very slightly to 2,433.79.
Verizon investors appeared more sceptical of the $4.5bn deal, which was delayed after Yahoo disclosed data breaches, falling 0.7%.
Verizon expects to cut about 2,000 jobs after its purchase of Yahoo's internet business goes through next week, according to reports.
Consumer-focused firms also closed down despite a 10% bounce for Nordstrom, which said it was considering going private.
But financial stocks outperformed, as Republicans pressed ahead with a bid to roll back financial rules imposed after the 2008 crisis.
Although the measures are unlikely to become law, the bill's success in the House signals commitment to some type of reform.
Ocwen Financial rose 2.7% after the loan servicer came under pressure from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which would be seriously weakened under Thursday's measure.
Goldman Sachs closed up 1.4%, JP Morgan Chase added 1.25% and Bank of America climbed 1.6%.
The markets generally were overshadowed by political news, as UK voters headed to the polls and former FBI Director James Comey answered questions in Washington about his dealings with President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump fired Mr Comey earlier this year amid an FBI investigation into Russian ties to the Trump campaign. The move has generated political backlash and hurt the president's standing in Washington. | Yahoo stock soared 10% after shareholders approved sale of its core internet business to Verizon amid a muted day on Wall Street. | 40205638 |
It appears to be the latest example of the Republican candidate digging a hole for himself from which it may be difficult to emerge with much dignity.
That said, previous attacks on women and foreigners have done little to derail his campaign to become US president.
Here are some of the stranger fights Mr Trump has picked, and how they turned out.
Megyn Kelly moderated a TV debate last August, when Mr Trump was just one of many contenders for the Republican nomination.
She challenged him on his views about women, saying: "You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals." He responded by saying: "I don't have time for total political correctness."
That was the beginning of a nine-month battle.
Afterwards he told reporters Ms Kelly had been "unfair" before launching a broadside on Twitter, saying she was a "bimbo" and had "really bombed".
Mr Trump then took things to a whole new level. Calling in to CNN, he suggested Ms Kelly had been tough on him because she was menstruating.
"You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her - wherever," he said.
Mr Trump's top political adviser Roger Stone left the campaign as a result, tweeting that the Republican "didn't fire me - I fired Trump". Mr Trump was also disinvited from a major conservative conference - and Ms Kelly was invited in his place.
In September, Mr Trump launched a short-lived boycott of Fox News and in January refused to appear on a TV debate Ms Kelly was hosting. He told media outlets he "didn't like" Ms Kelly and thought she was a "third-rate reporter".
During the January debate, Ms Kelly called him the "elephant not in the room".
In May, Mr Trump was interviewed by Ms Kelly and apologised - "Did I say that? Excuse me" - for calling her a bimbo.
But he also insisted that he would not have been in pole position for the Republican nomination had he behaved in a "soft" and "presidential" manner.
Draw. Ms Kelly won the battle but Mr Trump stayed on course for the Republican nomination.
The role of gender in the debate
Lay off a woman's size, Trump
In July, Khizr Khan, father of a US Muslim soldier killed in action in Iraq, told the Democratic convention that Mr Trump was "smearing the character of Muslims", questioned whether he had read the US Constitution and said he had "sacrificed nothing" for his country.
Mr Trump had earlier pledged to ban Muslims from entering the US.
The Republican hit back by saying Mr Khan had "no right" to criticise him and suggesting that Mr Khan's wife Ghazala had been forbidden to speak because of her religion - "She had nothing to say, maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say, you tell me," he told ABC.
The attack on "Gold Star parents" - those who have lost a child in war - sparked outrage across the political spectrum.
Mr Trump's former rival for the nomination, Ohio Governor John Kasich, tweeted that there was "only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honour and respect"; Senator John McCain said Mr Trump did not have an "unfettered licence to defame those who are the best among us".
Mr Trump attempted to calm the situation, saying Captain Khan had been a "hero" killed by "radical Islamic terror".
Twitter users also weighed in, mocking Mr Trump's claim that creating jobs equated to making a sacrifice for the country under the hashtag #TrumpSacrifices, listing such hardships as flying commercial class and playing on a municipal golf course.
As the feud continued, the Khans and Mr Trump carried on bashing each other in media interviews - despite the best efforts of Mr Trump's staff to rein him in, according to the New York Times.
Mrs Khan said she had not addressed the Democratic Convention because she was still overwhelmed with grief, while her husband said Mr Trump's "ignorance" had amazed him.
For his part, Mr Trump said he had no regrets about clashing with the Khans and moved into open conflict with those Republicans who had criticised him.
Draw. Mocking the Gold Star parents was a taboo too far, but powerful Republicans were unable to use the row to bring the Trump campaign down.
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In June, Mr Trump suggested that Gonzalo Curiel, a US-born judge born to Mexican migrants who was presiding over a fraud case against the now defunct Trump University, would be biased against him because of his ethnicity.
"We're building a wall," Mr Trump said. "He's a Mexican."
He called for the judge to withdraw from the case
The comments caught members of the Republican establishment flat-footed.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had just endorsed Mr Trump, accused him of "textbook racism" and said he should take the comments back.
Mr Trump said his comments had been "misconstrued" as a broad attack on people of Mexican heritage.
He also said it was possible a Muslim judge might be similarly biased against him because of his call for a ban on Muslims entering the country.
Draw. Judge Curiel continued to preside over the Trump University case, but Republicans continued to back Mr Trump as their candidate.
Donald Trump's Hispanic voter 'doomsday' | Donald Trump's renewed attack on Venezuelan-born former beauty pageant queen Alicia Machado is prompting many to ask - why is he doing it? | 37521652 |
Michael O'Neill's men take on the world champions in Paris on Tuesday, unsure of what they require to secure a place in Euro 2016's knockout stages.
Ward, who plays for Nottingham Forest, says Germany will expect a routine win.
"They are the best team in the world and probably will not worry about us too much," said the 30-year-old.
"I am sure they will have watched our games and see we have a lot of energy. We are going to run around a lot.
"We just have to try to cause them problems, but they have quality players whoever they pick for their team."
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Ward was recalled to the Northern Ireland team in one of five changes made by manager Michael O'Neill for Thursday's crucial 2-0 win over Ukraine.
The three points from that game could be enough for a place in the last 16.
However, defeat by Germany at the Parc des Princes would leave O'Neill's men depending on results in other groups going in their favour.
"Hopefully things go our way, but we have to concentrate on playing Germany," added Ward, who hopes to win his 25th cap.
"We will focus on our own game as we usually do. We cannot afford to let the occasion get to us."
Ward accepts Germany will go into Tuesday's game as strong favourites but insists O'Neill's side do not fear the world champions.
"We know what Germany are all about, and they have some of the best players in the world," he said.
"We respect them, but do not fear them.
"Our game is all about working hard and not giving people time on the ball. That might be different to what Germany have experienced before.
"We know we will not dominate possession - our strength is pressing and making life difficult for our opponents." | Northern Ireland's high-energy approach could help them spring a major upset if complacency creeps into Germany's team, says attacking midfielder Jamie Ward. | 36571138 |
Terrie Alafat said the government's Housing Bill was too focused on home ownership.
She told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme it would do little to address the lack of social housing for rent.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said the government was putting "£8bn directly into delivering affordable homes".
He added: "We have seen over the last five or six years increases in council-built social-rent homes, so much so that we built more in the last five years than Labour did in 13."
Ms Alafat told the BBC there "has been a huge decrease over a period of time in the number of homes for rent at sub-market levels.
"In 1980, we had about 30% of all homes being rented by councils and housing associations at affordable levels of rent. That is now at about 17% of all housing, and that is actually less than the private rented sector."
The Chartered Institute of Housing - which represents housing professionals - has calculated that by the end of this Parliament, 370,000 socially rented, affordable homes could be lost.
The figure takes into account "right to buy", the rate of house-building and other government policies. The figure, she said, equated to 9% of such homes currently available.
Tam Avery lives with her teenage son in Kent. Last year she had a fall and lost her job, and will have to move from her privately rented accommodation within a few weeks.
Tam has been on a social housing waiting list for about 15 weeks, alongside 2,500 other families in the area. There are about 5,200 council properties in the region.
Private renting has so far not been an option, as landlords are turning her down on account of her receiving housing benefits.
"What do I do? The council can't just say, 'We don't have enough properties to help.' There has to be an answer to that. If there are not enough council properties then they have to build more, or they have got to stop selling them."
Tam may be left with few options. If she stays in her home she will eventually be evicted and can register as homeless; then the council may have to put the family in temporary accommodation. The other option is to move back into her parents' home in their small spare bedroom with her 16-year-old son.
"I'm 46 years of age. I shouldn't be doing this. It's wrong."
Ms Alafat said the Housing Bill - which is to be scrutinised by the House of Lords in April - was "very focused on delivering the [housing] supply that we need through home ownership".
"If you look across the developed world, historically there's always about 20-25% of the population who cannot afford to own their own home or to rent on the market.
"What are we going to do about those groups going into the future if we allow social housing to continue to decline?"
Under the government's planned extension of "right to buy", an extra 800,000 people renting from housing associations will be given the same rights as council tenants to buy their own homes at a discount.
The government is planning to compensate housing associations in part by requiring local authorities to sell off "high-value" council homes when they become vacant and give them the profits.
But a number of housing associations in the north of England in particular believe the money raised will not be enough to replace the social houses lost.
Tony Stacey, chief executive of the South Yorkshire Housing Association, said: "The average value of a house we will be selling is about £80,000. To replace them costs on average £120,000.
"We don't want to be seeing the stock that we're managing declining. It's not what the region needs."
The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:15 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. | By 2020, 370,000 council and housing association homes could be lost in England, the head of the Chartered Institute of Housing has said. | 35881448 |
Phil Cook, of the Association of UK Course Measurers, re-measured it after runners questioned the distance.
Mr Cook said he could not pinpoint a specific location where an error was made by organisers.
He said: "This obviously doesn't affect people who ran for charity. But if it was for an official time, unfortunately you haven't got it."
The event, held on Sunday 1 March, was criticised by some runners after they found their personal best times were faster than expected.
After concerns were raised, St David's Hospice, which organised the race, said it believed the distance was correct.
Chief executive Emma Saysell said: "As far as we're concerned the course was measured by an accredited professional.
"The course length was accurate based on what they told us." | Newport's half marathon course was 636 metres short of the required 13.1 miles, it has been confirmed. | 32031105 |
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced an unprecedented corporate tax cut, in the government's first full budget.
But he also proposed major benefits for the poor, introducing a universal social security scheme.
India will grow at a rate of more than 8% during 2015-16, a key economic report said ahead of the budget.
The growth forecast follows the country's new way of calculating GDP which has caused some confusion.
Presenting the budget in parliament Mr Jaitley said the country was growing at a strong rate, inflation was down and foreign exchange reserves were high.
"We inherited a sentiment of doom and gloom. The investment community had almost written us off. We have come a long way since then," he said.
"We have turned around the economy, dramatically restoring macroeconomic stability and creating the conditions for sustainable poverty elimination, job creation, durable double digit economic growth."
Among the major announcements made by Mr Jaitley are:
Radhika Rao, an economist with DBS in Singapore told Reuters news agency that Saturday's budget was "pragmatic, wide-ranging and inclusive given the emphasis on social safety nets".
Analysts say the government's challenge will be to balance its spending with the need for fiscal restraint.
Mr Jaitley said the government would achieve its goal of cutting the fiscal deficit to 4.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) for 2014-15 from 4.5% the year before.
Some had billed this budget as being the most significant since 1991 - which effectively liberalised India's economy.
But Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's closing lines were basically admitting this was a budget lacking "Big Bang" reforms.
The devil will be in the detail as we plough through the small print.
A firm start date for a much-needed goods and services tax, billions of dollars for infrastructure and a "no surprises" lower corporate tax, strike me as the big business announcements.
Not using the low oil price as a chance to make more sweeping cuts to the vast subsidy bill could well prove to be a missed opportunity.
But if the proposals for a universal social security system ever reach fruition - offering a safety net for the hundreds of millions of India's poorest - history will surely judge that as the stand-out announcement of this much-hyped budget. | Indian PM Narendra Modi's government has unveiled a business-friendly budget aimed at attracting greater investment for the economy. | 31654789 |
Patience, 29, won silver three years ago with Stuart Bithell, and this time teams up with two-time world champion Elliot Willis in the men's 470.
"It's such an exciting phone call to get and it just gets the wee butterflies going," said Patience.
"I'm always proud to don the Team GB shirt and here we go again. Round two, let's fight."
Patience and Willis won the European Championships just six months after getting together, and in January won gold at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami.
Patience said: "You dream about a single thing for so many years of your life, certainly all of my adult life in my case, so to get the call saying you're selected for the Olympics is just so good, such an honour.
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"I'm just so pleased to be in a team with Elliot and be able to experience his first excitement to it all. He is a very grounded guy and he is very unaffected by the occasion, but let's be honest it's the Olympic Games, and it is going to be a good one.
"I'm so pleased to be in a boat with him, we get on really well. We raced each other hard, to the bone, in our younger years and here we are in the team together.
"Stuart and I had a fantastic experience last time round and I'm sure me and Elliot and I are on the same path to have a fantastic experience to go and race hard. He has got to be one of the most talented and successful sailors that has yet to go to the Olympic Games so I'm so pleased that he has that opportunity."
Asked about how he expects Rio to compare to London, Patience told BBC Scotland: "It'll be a new challenge, totally different.
"We're overseas, it's trickier out there - the culture, the climate - and trying to make somewhere over the other side of the world feel like home."
"I do this sport to win, I don't do it for any other reason.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't going there next year to try and bring home a gold medal. That is the goal, it's what drives us every day, it's what gets me out of bed in the morning and it's what driven me for all these years."
Giles Scott, Saskia Clark, Hannah Mills, Bryony Shaw, Nick Thompson and Alison Young are the others who were named on Wednesday morning. | Scottish sailor Luke Patience is among eight British sailors selected for the Rio Olympic Team GB squad. | 34195333 |
Its research into the ONS Labour Force Survey suggested that the number had increased 200,000 since 2007 to just under 3.2 million people.
That is a rise of 6.9% over a period when the workforce grew by about 4.6%.
The report was released ahead of a strike by Tube workers who are unhappy about London Underground's plans to introduce all-night services.
The increase in the number of people saying it is normal for them to work at night does not necessarily mean there is more work being done at night, because no account is taken of how much night work is done by each respondent.
Men are still considerably more likely to work at night, with about 15% of male workers doing night work compared with about 10% of female workers.
The largest numbers of night workers were employed as care workers, nurses and midwives.
The TUC warned about the impact of working at night on both workers' health and their family life.
"We all value night workers, whether they are cleaning our office, caring for a sick relative or driving all night so that there are fresh goods in our local shop," said TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady.
"But night work is hard and it disrupts family life, so we must show our appreciation for the sacrifices night workers make by ensuring they have sensible rights and protections."
The Tube strike will begin at 1830 on Wednesday. | The number of UK workers who routinely work nights is on the rise, according to the TUC. | 33774762 |
Cameroon, who qualify automatically as hosts, are in Group B alongside 1976 champions Morocco, Malawi and either Comoros or Mauritius.
Record seven-time winners Egypt will meet North African rivals Tunisia, who won in 2004, in Group J.
Meanwhile, two-time winners Nigeria will face 1996 Nations Cup winners South Africa in Group E.
Group G also features a clash between Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with both sides having previously lifted the trophy.
In addition to hosts Cameroon, the 12 group winners will qualify alongside the the three best runners-up.
Should the Indomitable Lions top their group, the second-placed side in Group B will contest the finals.
The group stage of qualifying starts in June and concludes in November 2018.
Draw in full:
A: Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Sao Tome/Madagascar
B: Cameroon, Morocco, Malawi, Comoros/Mauritius
C: Mali, Gabon, Burundi, Djibouti/South Sudan
D: Algeria, Togo, Benin, The Gambia
E: Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Seychelles
F: Ghana, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya
G: DR Congo, Congo, Zimbabwe, Liberia
H: Ivory Coast, Guinea, Central African Republic, Rwanda
I: Burkina Faso, Angola, Botswana, Mauritania
J: Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Swaziland
K: Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia
L: Cape Verde, Uganda, Tanzania, Lesotho | The qualifying draw for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations has pitted several former champions against one another. | 38604270 |
The 22-year-old was attacked in St Peters Street at about 20:30 GMT on Tuesday.
Four men, aged 15, 16, 17 and 22, have since been arrested in connection with his death and remain in police custody.
Derbyshire Police set up a large cordon which included East Street and St Peters Street and told the public to expect "disruption to businesses".
Live updates and more from Derbyshire
Det Ch Insp Dave Cox who is leading the investigation said: "We do have a number of people in custody, however, this does not mean this is the end of the investigation.
"We are still appealing for people who have any information that may help our enquiries to come forward."
Officers handed notices to pedestrians thanking them for their co-operation while forensic teams worked.
The leaflet said it was "imperative" that a "sterile" area was protected so evidence can be preserved.
Some of the cordons have now been lifted but officers have said some will remain in place for most of the day. | A man who was found with stab wounds in Derby city centre and who later died in hospital was murdered, police say. | 35359636 |
The results, published in Cell Regeneration Journal, showed that urine could be used as a source of stem cells that in turn could be grown into tiny tooth-like structures.
The team from China hopes the technique could be developed into a way of replacing lost teeth.
Other stem cell researchers caution that that goal faces many challenges.
Teams of researchers around the world are looking for ways of growing new teeth to replace those lost with age and poor dental hygiene.
Stem cells - the master cells which can grow into any type of tissue - are a popular area of research.
The group at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health used urine as the starting point.
Cells which are normally passed from the body, such as those from the lining of the body's waterworks, are harvested in the laboratory. These collected cells are then coaxed into becoming stem cells.
A mix of these cells and other material from a mouse was implanted into the animals.
The researchers said that after three weeks the bundle of cells started to resemble a tooth: "The tooth-like structure contained dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ."
However, the "teeth" were not as hard as natural teeth.
This piece of research is not immediately going to lead to new options for the dentist, but the researchers say it could lead to further studies towards "the final dream of total regeneration of human teeth for clinical therapy".
Prof Chris Mason, a stem cell scientist at University College London, said urine was a poor starting point.
"It is probably one of the worst sources, there are very few cells in the first place and the efficiency of turning them into stem cells is very low.
"You just wouldn't do it in this way."
He also warned that the risk of contamination, such as through bacteria, was much higher than with other sources of cells.
Prof Mason added: "The big challenge here is the teeth have got a pulp with nerve and blood vessels which have to make sure they integrate to get permanent teeth." | Scientists have grown rudimentary teeth out of the most unlikely of sources, human urine. | 23492425 |
The Scottish SPCA believe the animals may have been the victims of the puppy farming industry.
An undercover officer with the animal charity said they believed the pups were aged between six and 12 weeks and they were possibly a Spaniel breed.
They were discovered by in a field next to a layby on the A77 between Cairnryan and Ballantrae on 18 November.
Warning: there is a photo of the dead puppies further down this story. Some people may find it disturbing.
The Scottish SPCA officer said: "The A77 is the main link between Scotland and Northern Ireland, which is where the majority of puppy farm suppliers are based.
"The central belt of Scotland is also where the majority of potential customers are."
Earlier this year a BBC Scotland investigation exposed the illegal trade.
The officer added: "We suspect they were part of a shipment from Northern Ireland and tragically died during the ferry journey before being callously dumped.
"We are currently awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to establish the cause of death.
"Anyone with information is being urged to contact our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999."
The Scottish SPCA has urged people to be vigilant if they buy a puppy this Christmas.
The officer said: "Trading puppies from puppy farms is an abhorrent practice and those involved have no regard for the welfare of the animals involved.
"We are very concerned that many people will be unwittingly supporting the puppy farming industry this Christmas by buying from unscrupulous breeders and sellers.
"The pups are often bred and kept in poor conditions, resulting in disease and infection.
"While the puppy may appear fine when purchased, problems usually begin to show shortly afterwards, by which point money has already exchanged hands and the seller is long gone."
The charity issued the following advice on buying a new dog: | Four dead puppies have been found dumped in a field in Dumfries and Galloway. | 35007366 |
It should be a strangely relaxing holiday period for Labour without a summer leadership contest for the first time in three years.
When I mentioned that to the shadow chancellor John McDonnell on a recent visit to Pembrokeshire, he gently suggested that someone needed to have a word to remind Jeremy Corbyn.
The sense was that the Labour leader had no such intention of taking his foot off the gas in the wake of the general election result, even if many in his party probably felt like a long break.
Mr McDonnell was actually in the constituency of Preseli Pembrokeshire as part of a summer tour of marginals.
The fact that it is now even considered a marginal, after the former Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb clung on in what was considered a safe Tory seat with a majority of just 314 votes, tells you all you need to know about how the party surprised so many in June.
The overall result may not have put Mr Corbyn into Downing Street but it gave the party rocket boosters, although the celebrations were muted among many Labour MPs who, ironically, saw their majorities increase off the back of the popularity of a leader they had previously criticised.
In truth, there were Labour politicians and party members as surprised as anyone in the way the campaign turned out.
Be that as it may, Labour now feels emboldened in the way it approaches certain issues like austerity and the state of the public finances.
On paper at least, the same should apply to Brexit but there is a sense that, like the Conservatives, divisions are never far from breaking out.
The latest strategy from the party is to focus on the one thing they can all agree on - the need for tariff-free access to the single market.
John McDonnell said everything else is secondary. As a strategy, this has the benefit of potentially closing down the significance of any different nuances on the approach to Brexit among senior figures.
The downside is that it says so little that Labour loses impact and credibility whenever it wants to launch into a criticism of the UK government's approach to the negotiations.
There are some, including the former shadow Europe minister Wayne David, who believe the party should be using the summer to come up with a cohesive approach to EU withdrawal before the autumn conference.
In the meantime, the hope will be that splits among Conservative ranks outweigh any divisions within Labour.
First Minister Carwyn Jones has also looked to cash in on the unexpected strength of Labour and comparative weakness of the UK government since the June result.
He has been particularly prominent in his criticism of the way that EU powers covering devolved areas are due to be temporarily held at Westminster immediately after Brexit.
Mr Jones believes barriers to trade will hit the Welsh economy disproportionately, and he clearly feels the election result has given him a stronger mandate to push those views aggressively on a UK government that at times has looked at sixes and sevens.
In all of this, the performance of the Labour government in Cardiff in the delivery of public services has faced far less attention than would otherwise have been the case.
Waiting times still lag behind England in most areas but the performance appears to have broadly stabilised.
Much of the scrutiny has been on economic development with the decision not to support the Circuit of Wales racetrack in Blaenau Gwent.
There will now be pressure on Labour ministers to deliver alternative proposals with the possibility of creating other jobs in the Heads of the Valleys.
And there are some big decisions on the horizon as the public inquiry into the M4 relief road at Newport nears its end, and a decision is made on who operates the new Wales and borders franchise.
And as the recess gets under way, Welsh Labour will have time to reflect on its relationship with a man who help provide it with much improvement at the ballot box, and yet is a man who it has very much tried to keep at arms length: Jeremy Corbyn. | In the first of several features on where Wales' parties stand two months on from the general election, BBC Wales political editor Nick Servini looks at Welsh Labour. | 40775140 |
Lt Gen Zaid al-Saleh, head of the government's local security committee, said rebel fighters did not "have much time" and needed to "surrender or die".
Tens of thousands of civilians are also believed to be in the rebel enclave.
Syrian state TV showed footage of people in Aleppo celebrating, amid reports the army was close to victory.
The director of the UK-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, warned of "real massacres" being carried out in Aleppo.
Rami Abdel Rahman called on the international community to find a safe haven for civilians.
Rebels have now lost more than 90% of the territory they once held in eastern Aleppo since government forces stepped up their offensive to regain full control of the city a month ago.
Russia, which backs the government, says more than 100,000 civilians have been displaced by the fighting and that 2,200 rebel fighters have surrendered.
Aleppo was once Syria's largest city, and its commercial and industrial hub before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011.
For much of the past four years it has been divided roughly in two, with the government controlling the western half and rebels the east.
Troops finally broke the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes, reinstating a siege on the east in early September and launching an all-out assault weeks later.
On Monday morning, the official Sana news agency cited a military source as saying that the army had taken full control of the key southern district of Sheikh Saeed, as well as the neighbouring areas of Karam al-Daadaa and Saliheen.
Hours later, nearby Bustan al-Qasr, Kallasa, Fardous, Jaloun and Jisr al-Haj had also fallen after rebel fighters withdrew in the face of an intense government bombardment, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
Late on Monday the monitoring group said that clashes were continuing in Salah al-Din neighbourhood and other areas remaining under rebel control.
In an interview with the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, an English teacher who is still inside a rebel-held area described the conditions as terrible.
"The situation inside the eastern part of Aleppo is literally doomsday," Abdul Kafi Alhamado said. "Bombs are everywhere, people are running, people are injured in the streets, no-one can dare go to help them, some people are under the rubble."
The Syrian Observatory says that at least 415 civilians and 364 rebel fighters have been killed in rebel-held areas since 15 November. Another 130 civilians have died in rebel rocket and mortar attacks on the government-controlled west.
Russia and the United States, which backs the rebels, held talks in Geneva over the weekend to discuss a deal for civilians and rebel fighters to leave Aleppo.
But on Monday, US officials said their Russian counterparts had rejected a proposal for an immediate cessation of hostilities to allow for safe departures.
Analysts say the fall of Aleppo would be a big blow to the opposition, as it would leave the government in control of Syria's four largest cities.
However, the head of the umbrella group that represented political and armed opposition factions at failed peace talks at the start of this year insisted that their determination to overthrow the president would not be diminished.
"If Assad and his allies think that a military advance in certain quarters of Aleppo will signify that we will make concessions, then [I say] that will not happen," Riyad Hijab, general co-ordinator of the High Negotiations Committee, told reporters.
As fighting intensified for the last rebel-held neighbourhoods, there have been frantic efforts to secure guarantees to evacuate the most vulnerable - the very ill, gravely injured and innocent children. All efforts have been in vain.
"It's a far dream," one frustrated aid official told me on Monday, about a long-standing request for a UN-organised medical mission for about 500 patients and their families.
Two efforts, which seemed close to agreement, collapsed last week when Russia asserted there was no need for a ceasefire since tens of thousands were escaping without one. Sources say Russia then shifted its stance. But rebel groups demanded a ceasefire and a delivery of aid first.
In desperation, aid agencies reduced their request from 72 hours to just three. A group known as "Doctors Under Fire" has also been pleading for the evacuation of hundreds of children.
British surgeon Dr David Nott says "we only need a temporary cessation of 60 minutes to save them all." Even that seems to have been too much. | Syria's army says the battle for Aleppo is in its final phase, after major gains by troops in the city's south left rebels on the brink of defeat. | 38288018 |
Ryan Lannon, Jake Bibby and Josh Griffin went over inside the first 10 minutes for the Super League club.
Griffin, Josh Wood and Robert Lui crossed to stretch the lead before half-time, despite tries from Hunslet's Jack Lee and George Flanagan.
Lui and Bibby added their second tries, and Griffin completed his hat-trick after James Duckworth's try for Hawks.
Widnes also advanced to Round Six by beating League One leaders Rochdale, while Halifax thrashed Lock Lane 80-4 in their fifth-round tie.
Hunslet: Watson; Duckworth, Faal, Mvududu, Barnett; Thomas, Ansell; Haley, Lee, Reed, Crane, Normington, MacKay.
Replacements: Flanagan, Bell, Robinson, Williams.
Salford: O'Brien; Evalds, Sau, Griffin, Bibby; Lui, Dobson; A Walne, Wood, Joseph, J Walne, Sarsfield, Lannon.
Replacements: Krasniqi, Hauraki, Jones, Haggarty.
Referee: James Child | Salford reached the sixth round of the Challenge Cup with a comfortable victory at League One side Hunslet. | 36027805 |
The train station was evacuated after claims that a bomb was left in the area, while Quarry Steps in the Spencer Road area was also cordoned off in a separate alert.
The railway line between Coleraine and Derry was closed while searches were carried out.
The station and all roads that were closed have now reopened.
Ch Insp Tony Callaghan said: "Our priority throughout this operation was to keep people safe.
"We appreciate the support of local people as we worked to establish the substance of the claims and I would like to thank members of the public for their patience and co-operation during this operation.
"Whilst we have conducted a detailed search of the area I would ask local people to remain vigilant and, If you see any suspicious objects, please do not touch them but inform police immediately by dialling 999."
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the bomb alerts, along an Apprentice Boys parade route, were an attempt to raise tension and "diminish our peace".
"Those who seek to disrupt that respect or diminish the process of reconciliation in this city with bombs or bullets have betrayed the people of Derry," he said.
"This is not about a divide between Catholics and Protestants, unionism and nationalism or loyalists and republicans. The only divide in this city is between those who want to blow our peace apart and those of us who will stand together to protect it."
Sinn Féin assembly member Raymond McCartney said the alerts "do nothing for the image of the Derry as a forward looking city".
"They have also caused disruption to city centre traders who were already experiencing a slower than usual day in the run up to Christmas as a result of the Apprentice Boys parade," he said.
"Great strides have been made in recent years by the local community, the Apprentice Boys and the PSNI to ensure a respectful atmosphere and minimise disruption, and those efforts have been widely supported."
DUP assembly member Gary Middleton said the alerts "will have inconvenienced many local people and visitors to our city today, but they have achieved nothing".
"Londonderry has suffered enough at the hands of those who want to drag Northern Ireland back," he said.
"The contrast between the positive work done by the Apprentice Boys and those who want to create disruption and fear could not be greater." | Two bomb alerts in Londonderry have now ended, with police saying "nothing untoward" was found. | 35016901 |
Williams was a first-team coach at Forest but replaced Dougie Freedman as boss when the Scot was sacked in March.
The 45-year-old was out of contract this summer and BBC Radio Nottingham understands he has failed to agree terms on a return to a coaching job.
Williams, who won two of his 10 games said: "Although we struggled with results, performances were strong."
The Reds finished 16th in the table, 19 points adrift of the play-off places and 15 points clear of the relegation zone.
"The lads gave me everything they had," Williams added.
"They, along with the staff, are a good honest group and I will always appreciate the commitment and desire shown during my time here.
"This club has so much potential and, when you see the backing the club receives from the supporters both home and away, I truly hope they are rewarded for their loyalty with success on the pitch." | Nottingham Forest temporary manager Paul Williams has left the Championship club. | 36279823 |
Speaking during a visit to Ankara, Mr Johnson added that the UK and Turkey had similar positions on Syria.
He called for a "new partnership" between the two countries.
And he told journalists a lewd poem he wrote about Turkey's president had "not come up at all" during first official visit to the country.
Turkey is not a member of the European Union, but has a longstanding ambition to join and its candidacy was a key part of the UK's referendum debate, in which Mr Johnson campaigned for Leave.
Having voted for Brexit, the UK will be able to negotiate its own trade deals with other countries once it leaves the EU.
During a joint press conference with Turkish EU affairs minister Omer Celik, Mr Johnson said: "We are lucky in the United Kingdom to be one of the biggest recipients of Turkish goods. I am certainly the proud possessor of a beautiful, very well-functioning Turkish washing machine, like so many other people in my country."
At another press conference alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, he said: "What I hope for is a jumbo free trade deal between the United Kingdom and Turkey," adding: "We are leaving the EU, but we are not leaving Europe."
During his visit, the foreign secretary also visited a refugee camp and said the international community must continue to pressure Russia to "stop the carnage" in Syria.
After the EU referendum, Turkish Prime Minister prime minister Binali Yildirim said Mr Johnson needed to "make it up" with the Turks for comments made during the campaign.
"May God help him and reform him," he told the BBC in July.
The foreign secretary, who has Turkish ancestry, has also faced criticism for penning the winning entry in a Spectator magazine competition for offensive poems about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May. | Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says he hopes for a new "jumbo" free trade deal with Turkey after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. | 37483088 |
The Warriors emerged from a testing clash with Zebre in Parma with a bonus-point win to move fourth in the Pro12.
Many frontline players missed the trip, leaving them fresh for Friday's match.
"The pleasing thing is we have played four away games in our first six Pro12 matches and we are a point off the top of the league," Townsend said.
"We probably haven't played our best in all those games so we know there is a lot more to come from this group."
The likes of Scotland lock Jonny Gray and wing Tommy Seymour - who had both played five games in a row - were rested this weekend, while half-backs Finn Russell and Henry Pyrgos are among others likely to return on Friday.
Townsend will alter Glasgow's normal preparations this week, taking his squad away to a hotel on Monday.
"We are going to spend some time looking at Leicester, a team the players don't know that well," he told BBC Sportsound.
"As coaches we have had a good look at them over the last week and this will be a real step up in terms of preparation.
"It is a new team we are facing, a higher level of rugby than we have faced week in, week out, and it will get us in a really good frame of mind and help with preparations over the next few days."
Glasgow have reached the Pro12 play-offs in each of Townsend's four previous seasons in charge, but they are yet to progress beyond the group stages of Europe's elite club competition.
They will renew acquaintances with Parisian giants Racing 92, who topped their pool last year, and Munster are familiar Pro12 foes, but they have not faced two-time European Cup winners Leicester for 16 years.
"It is a step up in competition - the best teams in England, France and the Pro12," Townsend noted. "Leicester and Munster have both won the competition more than once, and Racing were French champions last year.
"We know it will be the best team Leicester can pick on Friday. It will be a higher level than we have had to deal with over the last few weeks but it should bring the best out of our players." | Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend believes his players will relish a "step up" in competition as they prepare for their Champions Cup opener against Leicester. | 37602977 |
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Montgomerie tore ligaments in his ankle in February, but is fit to compete at Royal Porthcawl from 27-30 July.
The Scot finished second behind Bernhard Langer at Porthcawl in the 2014 Senior Open and was also second in the 2005 Open at St Andrews.
"I would love to go one better," he said. "It is right on my radar, the most important event on my calendar."
Since turning 50 in June 2013, Montgomerie has claimed three Senior majors but the Senior Open remains elusive.
As well as his second-place finish in Wales three years ago, he had an opportunity to win at Sunningdale in 2015 but had to settle for third behind American Marco Dawson.
Find out how to get into golf with our special guide.
"I went there with a very open mind," said Montgomerie, referring to the 2014 Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl. "I was taken aback at how undulating it was for a links course and how good it was. I was very, very impressed.
"It is a very solid golf course and one you have to be extremely careful of. You can get the odd lucky bounce, but you can't be lucky for four days.
"I enjoyed playing it. It was a course full of character and I put it in the same category as Turnberry and Royal Birkdale. Let's also hope the weather plays its part again."
Montgomerie is joined by a host of major winners from the past 40 years in the field, including Tom Watson, Ian Woosnam, John Daly, Jose Maria Olazabal and Fred Couples.
Defending champion Paul Broadhurst, Welshman Phillip Price and Ireland's Paul McGinley will also tee up. | Colin Montgomerie says success in the Senior Open Championship is his "number one target" after a long-term injury. | 39948062 |
Stefano Brizzi, 51, was sentenced to life in prison in 2016 for murdering PC Gordon Semple and was ordered to serve at least 24 years in jail.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed Brizzi, an HMP Belmarsh prisoner, died in custody on Sunday.
His trial was told he had tried to eat his victim's flesh.
Brizzi denied trying to cannibalise parts of PC Semple, from Greenhithe in Kent, by cooking and then biting into a rib.
But at his sentencing, the prosecution said an expert odontologist had since confirmed that even though Brizzi claimed not to remember it, he had in fact tried to eat flesh.
He was caught when neighbours reported a foul smell coming from his flat in south London.
The pair met on the dating app Grindr and at his trial Brizzi claimed PC Semple, 59, had died during a "sex game gone wrong".
Jurors did not believe him and found Brizzi guilty of murder by a majority of 10-2 after five days of deliberation.
The court was told Brizzi was a fan of the US TV show Breaking Bad in which the protagonists dissolve a rival drug dealer in a bath filled with acid.
When investigators visited Brizzi's flat in south London they found "globules" of flesh floating in the bath, plus bags containing bones and pools of human fat in the oven.
In a statement the MoJ said: "HMP Belmarsh prisoner Stefano Brizzi died in custody on Sunday.
"As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman."
The MoJ has not indicated a cause of death and said that would be determined by a coroner. No date has been given for an inquest. | A murderer who was jailed for killing a Metropolitan Police officer and trying to dissolve his body in acid has died in prison. | 38880277 |
Gross mortgage lending hit £25.7bn last month, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said. This was 59% higher than in the previous March.
A 3% stamp duty surcharge was introduced on 1 April for purchases of homes that are not the buyer's main residence.
The CML said it now expected sales to drop off after the extra tax came in.
The stamp duty surcharge, announced in Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement, relates to second homes and buy-to-let properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, the equivalent tax - the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) - has also been up-rated.
The result of the 1 April start date was a surge in purchases from landlords in March, according to the CML. This potentially had a knock-on to other buyers who might have found mortgage brokers and solicitors were busier than usual, slowing the buying process.
Gross mortgage lending was 43% higher than February, the CML said.
"The distortion caused by this stamp duty change appears to be larger than any previous stamp duty change we have seen," said CML economist Mohammad Jamei.
"As a result, we expect there will be about 10,000 fewer mortgaged transactions each month in the second quarter of 2016 than would otherwise have been the case, offsetting the increase in activity seen in March."
The surge was also recorded in property sales data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
There were 161,990 properties sold in the UK during the month, the highest monthly number since June 2006, and up from 92,690 sales in February.
A Treasury spokesman said: "The new higher rate of stamp duty on additional properties will help double the affordable housing budget and support even more first-time buyers fulfil their ambition of owning their own home.
"House purchases vary widely across the seasons and we always expected some buyers to bring forward their purchases - indeed this was factored into our costing when the policy was announced. We expect this to level out in the coming months."
The Bank of England has announced plans to subject landlords to a series of new affordability tests.
Their personal income and expenditure could be scrutinised by lenders before they decide to give them a mortgage.
Landlords may also have to prove that they can afford a rise in borrowing costs. | A "late surge" among landlords aiming to beat a stamp duty rise led to a big jump in mortgage lending in March. | 36100104 |
Office for National Statistics data showed an unemployment rate of 6%, compared with 5.5% for the whole of the UK.
UK unemployment fell by 35,000 between January and March to 1.83 million.
Employment in Scotland went down by 3,000 over the three months, and now stands at 2,622,000.
The number of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance fell by 1,100 to 77,500 between March and April - 25,300 lower than a year ago.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: "Today's figures are a stark reminder of the difficult economic situation we have come through and the work which remains to ensure our economic recovery works for everybody and every part of our country."
The Scottish government said the latest data showed the lowest youth unemployment level in Scotland for seven years.
Fair Work Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "While there has been a slight increase in unemployment this quarter, this will be accounted for in part by falling levels of economic inactivity, which is at an all-time low, as people join the labour market and start looking for work."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said the job numbers were "going in the wrong direction".
"My fear is that Scottish ministers are spending their time playing power games at Westminster rather than focussing on their own day jobs," he added.
Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie claimed the latest figures proved that the economy was "still not working for most people".
He added: "We continue to see problems in our economy with an insecure jobs market, coupled with the threat of further cuts to public services and the stripping of workers' rights."
Responding to the figures, Scottish Chambers of Commerce chief executive Liz Cameron said: "These latest unemployment figures for Scotland are disappointing but are consistent with the weak employment trends we have been picking up from Scottish businesses in the early part of this year.
"Nevertheless, despite a fall in employment levels over the quarter, Scotland's employment rate remains high and there are reasons to be optimistic for the future."
The Scottish policy convener for the Federation of Small Businesses, Andy Willox, said: "Scotland's small and medium-sized businesses already sustain more than a million jobs.
"If we're to dent these stubborn unemployment figures, Scotland's decision makers will need to further tap the potential of this vital resource.
"These lukewarm national figures also mask a story of uneven recovery. While the future looks bright in some localities, others aren't so fortunate.
"We need new strategies to turn around these communities, and their local enterprises need to be at the centre of these plans." | The number of people out of work in Scotland climbed by 19,000 to 168,000 in the first quarter of the year, according to official figures. | 32719678 |
It means his main rival - reformist PM Nguyen Tan Dung - has little chance of taking the leadership role, they say.
But complicated voting procedures mean another candidate could still be named before the congress ends on Wednesday.
Conservatives, led by Mr Trong, are concerned that Vietnam is abandoning its socialist past under Mr Dung.
During his 10 years in office Mr Dung has driven the reforms which have seen Vietnam grow quickly as it has been integrated into the global trading economy, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head from the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.
However, he adds, the speed of the reforms and rising corruption have been criticised by the conservative camp.
The Communist Party congress - which is held every five year in the one-party state - is meeting in Hanoi.
Behind closed doors, the 1,510 members will nominate the party's general secretary and the next president and prime minister.
Mr Dung is seen as modern, and friendly towards the US. He has also gained popularity domestically with strong anti-China rhetoric when it comes to disputed territory in the South China Sea.
Mr Trong is seen to be more friendly towards China - Vietnam's largest trading partner. | The General Secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, will be the only candidate for the post at a party congress, state media report. | 35394333 |
Bale, 28, joined the Spanish giants for a world record fee of £85m from Premier League side Tottenham in 2013.
Europa League holders United meet Madrid, who won the Champions League, in the Uefa Super Cup on Tuesday.
"If he plays, it is the clearest signal that he is staying there," said the former Real manager.
Mourinho said Bale featuring in Skopje would mean "he is in the plans of the coach and the club, and it is in his own plans and ambitions to stay there".
"Then I won't even think about it. If he is not in the club's plans and it is true that a player like Bale is at the departure gate, I will try to be there waiting for him at the other side."
Bale committed his future to Madrid at the end of last season, saying he was happy to stay with the 12-time European champions.
Last October, he signed a new deal to stay at the Bernabeu until 2022.
The former Tottenham player has won the Champions League in three of his four seasons at the club, also helping them win the Spanish La Liga title - their first since 2012 - last season.
Bale was only a substitute in the Cardiff final after missing large parts of the season with ankle and calf injuries.
He made just 17 league starts for Zinedine Zidane's side and has been linked with a move back to the Premier League.
Madrid are also reportedly keen on signing teenage Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe in a £160m deal.
Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright says Manchester United would win the Premier League title if they did sign Bale.
"If they get Bale, that's it - that's the league sewn up," he told BBC Radio 5 live's Monday Night Club.
And he suggested Bale's former club should do everything they can to sign him and stop that happening. "If I'm [Tottenham chairman] Daniel Levy I'm doing everything I can to get him back to Spurs.
"He's got three Champions League medals. What's he going to United for, to win another Champions League? Spurs could be saying: 'Why don't you come here and take us to the next level?'.
"You could sell that to Gareth Bale.
"It's a move that takes them to the next level - but they have to find the money for that if he becomes available."
And addressing doubts that it was a move that could happen, Wright added: "Could you see Neymar leaving Barcelona for PSG?"
BBC Sport's Simon Stone
Jose Mourinho has previously said that signing Bale is "mission impossible". But if he's available - and if Mbappe for instance comes into Madrid it may create a bit of uncertainty - Mourinho is pointing out to Real Madrid he's interested.
But just as much, he is also telling Manchester United that if someone like Gareth Bale is on the market, he expects to be in there pitching for him.
Follow Match of the Day on Instagram for the best photos from the world of football. | Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he will "fight with other coaches" to sign Gareth Bale if Real Madrid are willing to sell the Wales forward. | 40854616 |
Daniel Innes, 20, and Jordan McIsaac, 18, put one of the lizards in a kitchen blender and the other fell to its death.
The pair filmed the act on a mobile phone during a house party in Aberchirder in March last year.
The sheriff said it was one of the most "difficult" cases he has faced.
Banff Sheriff Court heard Innes and McIsaac used the householder's teenage son's phone to film the crime as he slept.
His mother Amanda Bibby, 33, returned home early from a weekend break to find her pets dead, with Innes also causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to her home.
Sheriff Philip Mann told Innes and McIsaac that their crime was "chillingly evil" and a "matter of great concern".
"You've given me one of the most difficult cases I've yet to deal with on the bench and I've been on the bench for about 11 years," he said.
He deferred the sentence for three months for good behaviour and for the men to show they are "truly remorseful."
The sheriff also suggested the men contact the Scottish SPCA to ask if there was anything they could do to make amends for their behaviour.
He told the men that if they returned with a positive letter from the charity they would be spared jail.
However, responding to the case Scottish SPCA Ch Supt Mike Flynn said: "Due to the horrific nature of their crime it would not be appropriate for them to volunteer with the society."
Mr Flynn added that the organisation was pleased to see that the pair had been dealt with by the court. | Two men who killed an Aberdeenshire family's pet geckos in a "chillingly evil" act have been told they will avoid jail if they show true remorse. | 40567885 |
The woman received burns and severe smoke inhalation in a fire at her home in Robertson Place, in the St Ninians area of Stirling.
The fire, which is not being treated as suspicious, broke out at about 19:40 on Thursday.
A total of 15 firefighters battled the blaze which was extinguished in just over half an hour.
The woman was treated by paramedics before being taken by ambulance to Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert. | A 72-year-old woman is in a critical condition after being rescued from her burning flat by neighbours. | 35840037 |
"It just never stopped. It was going really fast, and the terminal was basically the brake for the train," passenger Nancy Bido said.
Officials have not yet said how fast the train was moving when it collided with the station.
"It simply did not stop," radio host John Minko, who witnessed the crash, told local media. "It went right through the barriers and into the reception area."
"It was a mass scramble to get away from the scene," Mr Minko added.
Linda Albelli, 62, said she was seated in one of the rear cars when the train approached the station. "I noticed, 'he's not slowing up, we're going too fast,' and with that there was this tremendous crash," she told ABC News.
Rich Scardaville said the train approached the station normally, but it suddenly "lurched forward at the last minute.'' Then, he said, there was an "ungodly loud bang, like an explosion" before the lights went off and "everyone went flying".
Jamie Weatherhead-Saul said the train was "extremely packed, more packed than it has been in weeks. There were people whose faces were sliced open, eyes swollen, gashes to their face".
"My biggest fear was that someone was dead," she continued. "In that moment, that was life or death. There was no indication whether the train was actually going to stop."
Passenger Bhagyesh Shah, who boarded in nearby Secaucus, said that the first two cars of the train were particularly crowded because that makes for an easy exit upon arrival at the Hoboken station.
Passengers in the second car broke the emergency windows to get out, he said.
"The next thing I know, we are ploughing through the platform," Mr Shah told NBC New York. "It was for a couple seconds, but it felt like an eternity."
"I saw a woman pinned under concrete," Shah added. "A lot of people were bleeding. One guy was crying." | Witnesses aboard the New Jersey commuter train that crashed into the Hoboken station have said that the train didn't slow, and that the terminal "was the brake". | 37502791 |
Gross domestic product grew by 0.5% between July and September, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, down from 0.7% in the second quarter.
The rate was also lower than the 0.6% growth predicted by many analysts.
Part of the slowdown was due to the biggest fall in construction output in three years, a drop of 2.2%.
The service sector, the biggest part of the economy, grew by 0.7%.
However, output in the manufacturing sector declined by 0.3%.
"The slowdown is being led by the manufacturing sector, which is seeing a renewed recession as output has now fallen for three consecutive quarters, suffering a 0.3% decline in the three months to September," said Chris Williamson, chief economist at research firm Markit.
"Manufacturing output has so far fallen 0.9% this year. Producers are struggling as weak demand in many overseas markets, notably China and other emerging nations, is being exacerbated by the appreciation of sterling."
We're not immune to the Chinese-led worldwide deceleration. And all the signs are that growth in the fourth quarter of the year will soften again.
This doesn't mean a painful recession is about to rear up and bite us. Annual growth for 2015 is heading for a healthy, if slightly below trend, 2.3%.
But it does mean the ride into 2016 may get slower and bumpier.
Read Robert's blog in full
The drop in construction output could have been influenced by particularly wet weather in August, the ONS said.
"Overall, the picture of a steady recovery in the UK economy continues and we would now expect GDP growth of around 2.4% for the year as a whole," said John Hawksworth, chief economist at accountants PwC.
According to a poll by news agency Reuters on Monday, economists have pushed back their average forecast of when the Bank of England will start to raise interest rates to the second quarter of 2016 from the first quarter.
This is the first estimate of economic growth for the July-to-September period and makes use of only half the data which will be used for the final estimate.
Chancellor George Osborne said there were more "tough decisions" to come and that his Autumn Statement, due on 25 November, would include "long-term investments for the future".
Sterling fell to $1.5309 after the data, before rebounding to $1.5325, which is 0.2% lower than on Monday.
"The market has pushed the first rate hike way out into the future, so I don't think today's GDP figures are going to have much impact in terms of that timing," said Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi currency economist Lee Hardman. | The UK economy's growth slowed in the third quarter of the year, weighed down by the performance of the construction and manufacturing sectors. | 34646496 |
The annual show at RAF Waddington ran from 1995 and attracted more than 150,000 people a year.
But it was abandoned last year after protests at the base, which is the home of the RAF's Reaper drones.
The RAF Charitable Trust (RAFCT) has said the event could return next year at nearby RAF Scampton.
Andy Armstrong, the chief executive of the RAFCT, said there was "still an awful lot of detail to be ironed out".
"This will be a completely new, unique event and will have all of its own style to it," he said.
"It will be what you would expect and I would hope that the RAF display assets would all be available.
"We would invite foreign air force participation and also planes in private hands as well."
RAF Scampton is located five miles (8km) north of Lincoln and is the home to the Red Arrows aerobatic team.
During World War Two, Lancaster bombers flew from the base on the 1943 Dambusters raid to destroy the German dams in the Ruhr valley with "bouncing bombs". Out of 133 crew, only 77 returned. | There are hopes that an RAF air show in Lincolnshire that was axed amid security concerns could return to another airbase in the county. | 35612784 |
The website for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said the shoes had "passed the test of revolutionary years" - but the new black ones cause less odour.
The old canvas shoes have been replaced by combat boots for training but soldiers still wear them off duty.
They came in after the communists won the country's civil war in 1949.
About 180,000 soldiers and officers of the paramilitary branch of the PLA and the Public Security Bureau were asked their views on the new black trainer.
Man Xiangdong, the armed police officer in charge of shoe design, said they were "anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and odour-resistant", according to state-run news agency Xinhua.
Li Zhixiang, a member of the armed police remarked on the army website that the new shoes were light.
"I feel like stepping on spongy cushion while running," he said.
"Our dorm is no longer full of the smell of feet since we got the new shoes last year," he added.
The traditional shoes, in dark green or camouflage, have seen improvements over the years and are still widely used by most PLA units.
The shoes are lightweight and easy to carry, Xinhua reported.
But their disadvantages include not being water-resistant and being so low they allow sand in and leave the ankle unprotected.
In March, China said it would increase its military budget by about 10% in 2015 to help modernise its defence. | The armed police division of China's army has tested a new style of shoe which will replace the green canvas "liberation shoe" worn since the 1950s. | 33626391 |
Police recovered the car during an incident in Ballinteer at about 06:00 local time on Sunday.
An officer sustained injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening, as he chased and tried to arrest one of two men.
He and another officer, who was not injured, were attacked by a gang who came to the aid of the men.
Two men, aged 18 and 20, have been arrested for road traffic and public order offences. | An Irish police officer has been injured trying to arrest a man fleeing from a stolen car near Dublin. | 35682459 |
Two building foundations and dozens of pieces of pottery and weapons were unearthed in the excavation, which started in September.
The dig at the old factory site, near Great Central Street and Highcross Street, is open until Sunday afternoon.
One of the mosaics is considered to be the "finest" ever found in more than 150 years in the city.
The rooms in the houses contain mosaics with elaborate patterns and designs.
The mosaic in one reception room is considered "the largest and finest-quality mosaic found in over 150 years in Leicester", the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) said.
The dig also located pottery, coins, brooches, beads, hair pins, gaming pieces and manicure objects along with a decorated knife handle cast in copper alloy, which depicts a scene showing victims thrown to the lions in an amphitheatre.
Richard Buckley, co-director of ULAS, said: "The excavation has revealed evidence for the homes of some of [Roman Leicester's] wealthier citizens who lived just a short walk away from both the town's baths, now at Jewry Wall, and forum, beneath what is now Jubilee Square.
"Despite huge disturbance from modern buildings, evidence for Roman streets has survived together with fragments of some spectacular coloured mosaic pavements which the public will be able to see from a specially constructed platform." | A Roman street complete with "spectacular" mosaic floors has opened to the public in Leicester. | 39738436 |
That is because the singer will play two concerts on the tree-lined Belfast street that gave its name to one of his songs to mark his 70th birthday.
People from around the world have descended on Morrison's home city for the shows taking place a short distance from where he spent his childhood.
Among them is one Vanatic who has travelled more than 10,000 miles for what will be his "dream come true".
For Andrew Robertson, from Adelaide in Australia, Morrison's lyrics on the song Saint Dominic's Preview that "it's a long way to Belfast city, too" ring truer than they do to most people who will be at the show.
He has had a near life-long obsession with Morrison's music, and along with his wife Gayle has secured tickets to both gigs.
"Some people think we're mad, others are amused," he said.
He has already seen Morrison in concert twice since he arrived in Northern Ireland, at two intimate gigs at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, County Down.
Mr Robertson first heard Morrison's songs when he was a teenager and was immediately hooked.
"In the '60s, music was so exciting - the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc. But of everyone, the voice that stood out for me was Van.
"He has an amazing voice. He's often been called the best blues singer.
"His musical style, how he has embraced rock, soul, jazz, traditional celtic and other forms to create virtually his own version.
"He can write in a unique and simple way. "
Mr Robertson said he was aware of people from 18 different countries, including the United States, India and South Africa, that have journeyed to Belfast for the gigs.
It is the first time the Australian native has visited Ireland.
On Sunday, he will join about 200 others at a gathering of international fans who have arrived in Belfast for the sold-out Cyprus Avenue shows.
"We're so lucky to get tickets to both concerts," he said.
"His music has enriched my life."
BBC Radio Ulster will exclusively broadcast Van Morrison's full 70th birthday concert live from Cyprus Avenue on Monday from 14:45 BST, while BBC One Northern Ireland will screen it on Friday 4 September at 22:35 BST. | Down on Cyprus Avenue is the only place to be on Monday for Van Morrison fans. | 34101708 |
Iranian media quoted Adm Afshin Rezayee Haddad as saying the deployment was a response to US vessels in the Gulf.
The fleet consists of a destroyer and a helicopter-carrying supply ship.
It began its voyage last month and entered the Atlantic though South African waters, the IRNA news agency quoted the admiral as saying.
The Iranian ships are reported to be carrying about 30 navy academy cadets for training along with their regular crews. They are on a three-month mission.
Correspondents say that the voyage comes amid continuing efforts by Iran to to project its power across the Middle East and beyond.
The semi-official Fars news agency said the move was a response to an increased US naval presence in the Gulf.
"Iran's military fleet is approaching the United States' maritime borders, and this move has a message," it quoted Adm Rezayee Haddad as saying.
A defence official in Washington was quoted by the Reuters news agency as casting doubt on Iranian claims that their ships were approaching US maritime borders. But the official added that "ships are free to operate in international waters".
The US and its allies regularly hold naval exercises in the Gulf in order to preserve what it says is freedom of navigation in the waterway, through which 40% of the world's seaborne oil exports passes.
The US Fifth Fleet - with about 5,000 personnel - is based in Bahrain, across the Gulf from Iran. | Iranian warships in the Atlantic Ocean are to sail close to US maritime borders for the first time, a senior naval commander has said. | 26105749 |
In a trading update ahead of its annual results, the Currys and PC World owner said total sales including those at newly opened stores jumped 9%.
It enjoyed strong growth in southern Europe, particularly at its Kotsovolos chain in Greece.
Dixons now expected annual pre-tax profits to be between £485m to £490m.
Chief executive Seb James said Brexit had not changed consumer behaviour.
"We're very vigilant because there's lots of chatter about how the UK consumer is gloomy or isn't gloomy ... so far it seems that customers continue to shop in our stores," he said on a conference call.
In the last three months of its financial year, UK sales were hit by the five-week delay for Samsung's new S8 smartphone. Revenues for that period fell 1%.
Mr James said: "We anticipate no let-up in [consumers'] very rational view that price and service are critical factors in deciding where to shop."
Shares in Dixons Carphone rose 3.6% in morning trading in London but have fallen by a quarter over the past 12 months.
Analysts at Liberum described the trading update as "solid" and that Dixons Carphone remained their top pick in the UK retail sector with a "buy" rating. | Sales at mobile phone retailer Dixons Carphone rose 4% for the year to April despite what it calls "a lively political backdrop". | 40025274 |
2 October 2016 Last updated at 09:13 BST
However, this holiday hotspot now finds itself at the centre of a debate about how the country should use the Nile River to fuel its economy.
The government is building a dam to increase a much-needed energy supply. But in turn the dam will submerge the rapids, damaging the tourism industry. | The rapids at the Kalagala Falls in Uganda are considered some of the best in the world, attracting both tourists and professional kayakers. | 37520161 |
Jonathan Gollings, from Wimborne Minster, Dorset, described "miserable" conditions in which about eight people a day arrived with abscesses.
Working with the charity Dentaid, he said he saw patients "back-to-back" during a day-long visit.
He is now helping to supply the camps with dental equipment and arrange for other dentists to travel there.
Some of the people, who are living in camps known as "the Jungle" on the edge of the French town, have attempted to cross the Channel into England.
Mr Gollings said his team carried out treatment, such as removing teeth and providing fillings, out in the open.
"We didn't stop all day, there were back-to-back people with really horrific dental needs.
"The conditions out there are really horrific. It's cold, it's wet and very miserable," he said.
He said many of the people in the camps had other ailments, such as injuries and chest infections, and asked him and a colleague for help.
"These are normal people escaping conflicts from various areas," he said.
"It's just a case of being able to go over there and express the fact that we do care for them and love them and want to help."
Mr Gollings said now they have equipment in Calais he and other dentists can take it in turns to visit for weekends to provide treatment. | "Horrific" dental problems have been identified by a dentist visiting Calais migrant camps. | 34898205 |
The East of England Energy Group (EEEG) told an oil and gas skills conference at Great Yarmouth engineers were coming from the EU and eastern Europe.
County business leaders said it was a short-term solution and companies needed to improve the industry's image.
Last week a Northamptonshire sandwich firm said it was recruiting workers in Hungary instead of Britain.
The hosts of the energy industry conference, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, said firms had to work with schools to attract young women and men into the industry.
Caroline Williams said recruiting from abroad was a short-term answer.
There had been errors on both sides, she said, as the industry has not invested in skills and education had not funded science and maths subjects.
Simon Gray, chief executive of EEEG said: "The growing oil, gas and renewables sector is screaming out for engineers and is having to fly in recruits from across Europe."
He told the conference that the industry, schools and families needed to focus on training for the skills needed.
"Engineering is looked on as nasty, greasy and horrible but we need to work on that perception with our children for the next generation."
John Moore of international energy group Gardline said he would prefer to recruit locally as a commitment to the community where the firm is based.
But the interests of the business must come first and that has meant recruiting from abroad.
Sacha Persiyanov, a trainee electronics technician from Ukraine, said young people in Britain appeared to be "too laid back and had no sense of urgency".
"People come to Britain and expect to work hard to pursue their personal goals," he said. | A shortage of skilled engineers is forcing growing energy companies in Norfolk to look abroad for employees. | 30085241 |
Mr Borisov had backed the centre-right speaker of parliament, Tsetska Tsacheva, who got only 35% in Sunday's run-off vote, according to exit polls.
A political outsider, the former commander of the country's Air Force Rumen Radev, won with more than 58%.
He was backed by the opposition Socialist Party.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Borisov had said: "We will not participate in any way in the government if we lose today."
After the exit polls gave the opposition's candidate an overwhelming lead, he said he would fulfil his promise in the coming days.
"The results clearly show that the ruling coalition no longer holds the majority," he said.
"We accept the will of the people and we congratulate those who have the support of the majority of the voters."
The coalition that Mr Borisov formed upon re-election in 2014 is dependent on the support of centre-left and nationalist parties.
President-elect Radev has said he will keep Bulgaria in Nato but has affirmed that "being pro-European does not mean being anti-Russian".
His opponent, Mrs Tsacheva, was seen as more pro-Europe than him, and had referred to Bulgaria's past as a Soviet satellite as the country's "dark past".
About 6% of voters ticked a "none of the above" option on their ballot paper. | Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said he will resign after his party's candidate was defeated in presidential elections. | 37969756 |
Two windows of the house in Tarragon Park were smashed at 02:20 BST.
The one-year-old baby was not in the cot at the time because of illness, and the parents had taken the child into their own bed, said Sgt John Hamilton.
"These reckless actions could have caused serious injury had this not been the case," he said.
The family are originally from Poland.
Police said they were treating the attack as a hate crime. | A brick thrown through the window of a family home in Antrim, which landed in a baby's cot, could have caused "serious injury", police have said. | 39575264 |
Paul Dadge, from Cannock, helped survivors outside Edgware Road Tube Station in 2005.
Detectives looking into claims against the News of the World have contacted the families of some victims.
The relatives have been told their details had been found at the home of a private detective.
Mr Dadge said the e-mail from Metropolitan Police said officers were going through "copious amounts of records" and may be back in touch.
He gave his reaction to the latest developments to BBC WM on Wednesday.
He said: "It's not a great surprise.
"We started off with the allegations that celebrities had had their phones hacked and when we started talking about Milly Dowler's family having their phones hacked, in the back of my head I did start to think if they're looking at Milly Dowler's phone they could be looking at people who were involved in 7/7.
"I know the kind of media pressure that was around making stories about 7/7 and the difficulties of getting hold of relatives of people who were classed as missing at that point.
"The girl in the photo, Davinia Turrell, because she wasn't talking to the press, they tried to get at her through me."
He said he thought the revelation that families' phones could have been hacked would be distressing to those involved.
"I wouldn't say I'm worried as there weren't any emotional messages for me on my phone," he said.
He added that on the day of the terrorist attacks his phone had been off because his battery had run out, but he had had between 30 and 40 voice messages stored on his phone which could have been accessed by the press.
He said the thought of someone listening to his messages had left him "a little paranoid". | A man famously pictured helping a woman at the scene of one of the 7/7 bombings says he has received an e-mail from police over the phone hacking scandal. | 14043959 |
The advisors, who served both Republican and Democratic presidents, say it could threaten London's pre-eminence as a financial capital.
In a Times article ahead of President Obama's UK visit, they say it would be "difficult" to negotiate trade deals.
But Leave campaigners accused the men of double standards and "belittling Britain's place in the world".
"Not content with doing down Britain's economy, No 10 are now soliciting help from across the pond," a Vote Leave spokesman said.
But Downing Street denied co-ordinating the letter, saying the former Treasury secretaries initiated the letter themselves.
It was hailed by Chancellor George Osborne and Prime Minister David Cameron, who tweeted that the "important" letter showed the UK's influence was stronger as part of the EU.
Prominent Leave campaigners such as Boris Johnson have urged Mr Obama not to comment publicly on the question of Britain's future in the EU - on which the public will decide in a referendum on 23 June.
George Shultz, who served in the Nixon administration
Michael Blumenthal, who served under President Carter
Robert Rubin, Bill Clinton's former Treasury Secretary
Lawrence Summers, who also served in the Clinton administration
Paul O'Neill, who served in the first administration of George W. Bush
John Snow, also formerly of the Bush administration
Henry Paulson, Jr. of George W. Bush's administration
Timothy Geithner, Treasury Secretary under President Obama
The London Mayor has said he welcomes debate but believes it would be "extraordinarily hypocritical" for a US president to advocate the UK ceding its sovereignty when the US so zealously guards its own freedoms and self-determination.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has gone further, describing Mr Obama as "the most anti-British president" of the modern era.
In a speech on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Michael Gove insisted the UK would still be able to trade freely within Europe even if it left the EU and would be better placed to negotiate individual trade deals with the US and other economic powers.
But in their letter, the eight former bankers, economists and diplomats - who include George Schultz, Robert Rubin, Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner - warn that this would not be straightforward and trade flows would be affected if the UK left the EU.
"Over time, Britain would no doubt be able to re-establish trade ties through negotiation of new trade agreements," they write.
"But as our own experience in the United States with trade negotiations shows, it is a difficult environment to negotiate and approve agreements and the risk of accidents is real."
The eight, who served presidents ranging from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton, say that it is the UK's decision alone where its future lay but that the US has a "critical interest" in the outcome.
Shared economic views and interests had been at the heart of the special relationship between the two countries, they argue, while in recent times the UK had taken the lead in Europe in rescuing the banking industry and confronting Russian aggression.
Setting out the direct economic risks to the UK of a Leave vote, they said foreign banks and other multinational institutions may no longer automatically see the UK as a "financial springboard" into Europe.
They conclude by urging the UK not to "turn inward" at a critical juncture for the European and global economies, warning that to do so could open up a "Pandora's Box" of problems for the continent.
Although current US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has not signed the letter, he voiced his support for the UK to retain a strong voice in Europe at last week's meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Summers said the rest of the world would see Britain as less relevant and less significant when it was on its own.
But former UK defence secretary Liam Fox told the programme leaving the EU would not mean mean isolation but Britain setting itself free from a "sclerotic and inward looking Europe".
US politicians had failed to take account of the decline and failure of the EU economy, he said.
Leave campaigners have insisted the UK could be a member of the European free trade zone while being outside the single market and not being subject to punitive tariffs on its exports and imports.
But speaking on BBC Two's Newsnight, former World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy said the "notion that you exit the EU trade-wise at no price is simply a lie" and departing the single market would have consequences for trade beyond as well as inside Europe
"You lose privileged access to Canada, Mexico and a series of other countries which is probably 15% more of UK trade, so you lose privileged access you have for 65% of your exports. You export less, you produce less. You have less trade, less exports and less jobs."
But former Labour foreign secretary Lord Owen, who backs EU exit, told the same programme the "balance (of trade) was in the UK's favour".
As temperatures rise ahead of President Obama's visit to London - expected to be the last of his presidency - former defence secretary Liam Fox has said it would be wrong for the US president to pronounce on the issue while in the UK.
"The president, is of course, welcome to his view when the US has an open border with Mexico, a supreme court in Toronto and the US budget set by a pan-American committee," he told the Guardian.
"Then his views might hold greater weight when he urges the European equivalent on the British people."
No 10 has said the visit - in which President Obama will also have lunch with the Queen at Windsor Castle - is an opportunity for the UK and US to discuss common security and economic challenges.
In other referendum developments on Tuesday, the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Brussels meddled too much in the private lives of Europe's citizens and this had damaged the "attractiveness" of the European project.
Meanwhile, over 200 entrepreneurs signed a letter backing the Remain campaign. | Leaving the European Union would be a "risky bet" for the UK, eight former US Treasury secretaries have said. | 36087583 |
Action on Hearing Loss Scotland (AHLS) made spot checks on 21 venues. Only three had working hearing loops at their main ticket or information point.
The charity said working loops were needed to amplify speech over background noise for people who wear hearing aids.
It said it is "absolutely essential" for the equipment to be maintained.
The three attractions with working hearing loops were Stirling Castle, McManus Museum in Dundee and St Mungo's Museum in Glasgow.
Venues were also checked by "mystery visitors" on whether staff demonstrated that they were deaf aware, and the overall accessibility of the attraction for people with hearing loss.
The three highest-ranked attractions were Stirling Castle, the National Museum of Scotland and Holyrood Palace.
AHLS director Delia Henry said: "As Scotland prepares for major high profile events in 2014, it is crucial that tourist attractions are fully accessible for the one in six people in Scotland who have hearing loss as well as those coming from overseas.
"People who are deaf or hard of hearing have the legal right to enjoy the same level of service as other customers so it is absolutely essential that tourist attractions ensure that equipment such as loops at main information points are installed, maintained and switched on and that staff are trained in deaf awareness."
The five attractions with the lowest rating were:
A spokesman for Historic Scotland said: "We take our obligations to provide reasonable access very seriously and for some years have ensured hearing loops are in place at our properties including Melrose Abbey.
"However we are disappointed that on this occasion the visitor felt the trip to the Abbey was below what was expected."
Head of marketing at the Scotch Whisky Experience Julie Trevisan Hunter said: "I feel disappointed that we have been criticised without discussing this with us - if there was an individual training issue or if there is additional equipment we can install, we would always be happy to consider it.
"As we are refurbishing the welcome desk in January 2014, we will be updating all communications equipment at that time."
Eilidh Massie, marketing manager at Our Dynamic Earth, said: "We have measures in place to help those who have hearing difficulties and we are planning, as part of a major refurbishment next year, to install additional facilities to increase accessibility."
A spokeswoman for the National Trust for Scotland, which runs the Robert Burns Museum, said: "We have worked hard to try to make the museum accessible to all.
"We would be happy to meet with Action on Hearing Loss to talk about ways to improve."
Chris McCoy, of VisitScotland's Accessible Tourism Project, said: "While many of Scotland's attractions have gone to great lengths to ensure that visitors with accessible needs are catered for, we know that the industry, as a whole, can still improve.
"We will continue to work with the relevant groups and organisations, together with the industry, to help ensure that all needs are catered for during what will be a major year for Scottish tourism." | Major tourist attractions in Scotland are failing to cater for people with a hearing loss, a charity has said. | 25408253 |
Rhwng 1997 a 2005, bu'n portreadu cymeriad Beryl Nicholas, mam Casi, yn yr opera sebon Pobol y Cwm.
Yn wreiddiol o Ben Llŷn, aeth ymlaen i Goleg Cerdd a Drama Caerdydd, cyn ymuno ag adran gyflwyno TWW.
Un fu'n cydweithio â hi ar fwy nag un achlysur yw'r actor Huw Garmon: "Cefais weithio gydag Iris Jones yn fy swydd broffesiynol cyntaf fel actor yn 1988. Roedd hi a Stewart Jones yn ofalus ohona i - cyw bach yng nghwmni dau gawr, dwy graig.
"Sawl blwyddyn yn ddiweddarach cefais y fraint o weithio efo hi ar Pobol y Cwm. Daethom yn ffrindiau da - rhannu sgyrsiau, straeon, atgofion, rhoi'r byd yn ei le, d'eud ein cwyn wrth ein gilydd a rhannu jôc.
"Mi fum i'n cyd gerdded ag Iris yn ôl a blaen i Ganolfan y BBC yn Llandaf mewn mwy nag un ffordd am flynyddoedd.
"Roedd clywed ei hatgofion am ei chyfnod fel 'Continuity Announcer' i TWW a Teledu Harlech yn ddifyr tu hwnt, rhai pethau'n newid a phethau eraill yn newid dim yn y busnes.
"Roedd colli Meurig ei hannwyl briod yn golled fawr i Iris ond mi ddangosodd wroldeb a dewrder a doeddach chi byth yn dod o'i chartref heb fod wedi chwerthin llond bol a chael sgwrs ddifyr, ddeifiol.
"Un o genod balch Pwllheli oedd hi ar hyd ei bywyd ac mae nghydymdeimlad dwysaf i efo'r teulu, y ffrindiau agos fu'n gofalu amdani yn ei llesgedd diweddar ac yn arbennig gyda Gwyndaf, ei brawd, fu mor ofalus ohoni."
Un arall fu'n perfformio gydag Iris Jones yw'r actor John Ogwen.
O'i gyfnod ar gyfres ddrama Minafon ar S4C, mae'n cofio actores drwyadl: "Roedd hi'n dysgu - nid jest ei llinellau ei hun - ond llinellau pawb arall hefyd.
"Roeddach chi'n medru d'eud wrth ei llygaid hi ei bod hi'n gwybod eich geiriau chitha' hefyd.
"Roedden ni'n tynnu 'mlaen yn dda. Roedd hi'n hwyliog iawn ac roedd hi'n hoff iawn o chwerthin."
Ar raglen y Post Cyntaf ar BBC Radio Cymru fore Gwener, bu'r actores Rhian Morgan yn rhoi teyrnged iddi: "Un oedd yn torri cwys oedd Iris - yn torri ei chwys ei hun.
"Fuodd hi'n un o'r rhai cyntaf i fynd i Goleg y Castell yng Nghaerdydd - gadael Pwllheli'n 16 oed.
"Un o'r Redcoats cyntaf ym Mhwllheli.
"Roedd hi'n un o'r continuity girls cynta - roedd hi'n dipyn o pin-up yn y cyfnod hynny, ac wrth gwrs yn cyflwyno ar deledu byw, ac roedd y straeon ganddi am hynny'n ddirifedi.
"Roedd hi'n berson dewr a direidus hefyd. Dyna beth fydd pawb yn meddwl amdani." | Bu farw'r actores Iris Jones yn 82 mlwydd oed. | 40449152 |
"A very nice letter from Vladimir Putin; his thoughts are so correct," Mr Trump said about the note, which is dated 15 December 2016.
On Thursday the two leaders called for their respective nations to boost their nuclear arsenals.
Earlier, Mr Trump seemed to welcome the notion of a nuclear arms race.
"Let it be an arms race because we will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all," MSNBC journalist Mika Brzezinski says the President-elect told her in a statement over the phone, in response to a question about his tweet from the day earlier.
On Thursday Mr Trump tweeted that the US "must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability", only after hours after President Putin had called for his own military to "strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces".
In the letter released by the Trump transition team, Mr Putin says he hopes that "we will be able - by acting in a constructive and pragmatic manner - to take real steps to restore the framework of bilateral cooperation in different areas as well as bring our level of collaboration to the international scene to a qualitatively new level".
Experts believe that Mr Putin hopes that the next US president will remove economic sanctions by the US Department of Treasury which have been placed on Russian officials following the invasion and annexation of Crimea.
At an annual media briefing on Friday in Moscow, the Russian president said he saw nothing remarkable in Mr Trump's tweet, making it clear that he does not view the US as a potential aggressor.
Donald Trump has been seen as close to Mr Putin and the Russian government, and drew condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats when he announced his selection of Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state, the top US diplomat.
The CEO of ExxonMobil has worked closely with Russian state oil company Rosneft, spoken out against international sanctions imposed on Moscow, and in 2013 was awarded an Order of Friendship by the Kremlin.
In response to the note from Mr Putin, the Republican president-elect praised the Russian president's words, calling them "so correct".
"I hope both sides are able to live up to these thoughts, and we do not have to travel an alternate path," the New York billionaire concluded. | US President-elect Donald Trump's transition team have released a letter that they say was sent to him by Russian President Vladimir Putin. | 38409842 |
It initiated court proceedings to defend the Special K trademark which it has owned in Australia for 59 years.
Kokkinakis, 21, wants to use the brand on clothing and other merchandise, according to The Advertiser newspaper.
A hearing in Adelaide at the Federal Court of Australia sent the case to a mediation conference in August.
A spokesperson for Kellogg's told the BBC: "The Kokkinakis Company has applied to register Special K as a trademark and we are defending our trademark."
Tennis players including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have made multimillion dollar businesses from merchandise using their names.
Kokkinakis has been plagued by injuries over the past two years and last week made his grand slam return at Roland Garros using a protected ranking.
He was defeated in round one of the French Open by Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishikori 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-4. | Cereal company Kellogg's has taken legal action to stop Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis from using his nickname Special K commercially. | 40197133 |
The claim: The weak pound is good news for hotels in the UK.
Reality Check verdict: The weaker pound makes visiting the UK from overseas cheaper, but hotels will also find that the weak pound increases some of their other costs.
It cites increases in bookings from the US and China at four of its hotels: in Edinburgh, Cambridge, York and the Lake District.
A hotel in Edinburgh reported a 10-fold increase in bookings from the US compared with the same week the previous year.
Clearly, these are figures for a single week at only a handful of the chain's 260 properties in the UK. Potential travellers may have been reminded to make a booking by the UK being in the news around the world and the spike may be balanced out over the rest of the year and the rest of the chain.
Nonetheless, it is interesting that its chief executive Rob Payne is quoted as saying: "We know it is early days but we are seeing a double bounce to business as a result of Brexit."
The other part of the double bounce is that there has apparently been an increase in the number of hotel owners inquiring about joining the group because "they are worried about what the impact of Brexit will mean longer term".
A weaker pound makes it cheaper for tourists with other currencies to visit the UK. US tourists, for example, would have had to pay more than $1.50 for each pound they bought on the day of the referendum, while it would now cost them closer to $1.30.
Richard Solomons, chief executive of rival hotel group IHG, said: "It is clearly very early days, but the low pound means that we're likely to see an increase in inbound travel, as international travellers take advantage of the favourable exchange rate, as well more residents choosing to stay put for a staycation to save money and enjoy all that the UK has to offer.
"Either way, it is a good thing for the sector."
It's not all good news for the sector, of course. In the longer term, if the UK eventually abandons freedom of movement it may be harder for hotels to recruit staff.
The weaker pound will also mean that things that hotels buy from overseas - such as wine - will get more expensive.
And it is concerns such as this about the wider economy that have led to the increase in inquiries to Best Western from owners of independent hotels.
Read more: The facts behind claims about our relationship with the EU | A press release arrives from Best Western Hotels in the UK talking about how well the chain has been doing since the UK voted to leave the European Union two weeks ago. | 36749310 |
It gets under way with a world premiere of Tommy's Honour, a film based on a true story about Scottish golfing pioneer Old Tom Morris.
A remake of the classic Scottish comedy Whisky Galore will close the festival, which runs until 26 June.
Hollywood's Meg Ryan will be in the city with her directorial debut Ithaca.
Tom Riley will attend the world premiere of Starfish, and Robert Sheehan will return to the city with the cast of Goa-set thriller Jet Trash.
Actor Brian Cox appears in two of the festival's films, a comedy, The Carer, and a western, Forsaken, which also stars Donald and Kiefer Sutherland.
Braveheart actor Angus Macfadyean will bring his first film as a director, Macbeth Unhinged, to the festival.
The film is a modern, black and white retelling of the Shakespearean tragedy.
Scot Dougray Scott will be starring in the apocalyptic thriller The Rezort.
Jason Connery's drama Tommy's Honour stars Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden.
It is based on a true story and focuses on Morris's turbulent relationship with his son, Tommy.
Gillies Mackinnon's Whisky Galore, features Gregor Fisher, James Cosmo, Kevin Guthrie, Sean Biggerstaff and Eddie Izzard.
Diane Henderson, EIFF deputy artistic director said: "In this special year we're proud to welcome so many exciting and talented guests from all over the world.
"Some we're lucky enough to welcome back and others are here for the very first time.
"If you'd like the chance to rub shoulders with your favourite actor, director, animator or producer, or the opportunity to meet the stars of tomorrow, then EIFF has it all."
The festival will also have a special screening to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting and a world premiere screening of the newly 4K restored Highlander, attended by the film's star Clancy Brown. | Film-goers from around the world are due to descend on the capital for the Edinburgh International Film Festival as it opens for its 70th year later. | 36530672 |
Three Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper S cars feature among the most memorable scenes of the movie starring Michael Caine, Benny Hill and Margaret Blye.
Inverness Mini Owners Group organised a group of 13 classic Minis from as far as Keith and Wick for the screening at Inverness' Eden Court on Sunday.
They travelled in convoy through the city before arriving at the venue. | A group of car enthusiasts arrived at a cinema for a screening of 1969's The Italian Job in 13 classic Minis. | 40703716 |
Police Scotland said the driver was stopped near Tore on the Black Isle, north of Inverness, and has been charged with dangerous driving.
The driver was stopped by police on Thursday night.
The alleged speeding was detected as part of a wider police operation against motoring offences. | A driver has been clocked driving his car at speeds of up to 130mph on the A9 in the Highlands, police have said. | 40137031 |
The ruling came after Switzerland informed the court that Mr Barcenas had transferred money from Swiss accounts to banks in the US and Uruguay.
In light of the revelations, prosecutors argued that the politician was a flight risk.
Mr Barcenas and his wife deny charges of tax evasion.
The couple are suspected of falsifying documents on their tax statements between 2002 and 2006.
Mr Barcenas is also accused of keeping up to 48m euros (£41m) in secret Swiss bank accounts. Prosecutors allege that some of the funds stem from illegal party donations or kickbacks.
But the ex-treasurer has denied this, saying that all of the money was made through overseas investments, real estate and art dealings.
High Court Judge Pablo Ruz handed down his decision after Mr Barcenas and his wife had been called in to testify on Thursday.
Dozens of people heckled the couple outside the court, the Spanish newspaper El Pais reports.
In March, prosecutors discovered what they described as unusual transactions of more than 600,000 euros over a five-year period relating to bank accounts held by Mr Barcena's wife, Rosalia Iglesias.
She has admitted that she was neither working nor receiving a steady income during that period.
The case is part of a broader investigation into claims of alleged illegal financing of the PP. The party, which is led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, has rejected the allegations.
Mr Barcenas resigned as party treasurer in 2009 after being implicated in the slush fund case, which has become known as the Gurtel scandal. | A judge has ordered that Luis Barcenas, the ex-treasurer of Spain's governing Popular Party (PP), be held without bail until his corruption trial starts. | 23088204 |
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Amid all the noise, which are the bargains, bloopers and just plain bonkers signings of a roller-coaster transfer window?
Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam, ex-England winger Trevor Sinclair, former Everton winger Kevin Kilbane and Andy Townsend, once of Aston Villa, Chelsea and Republic of Ireland's midfields, were in the BBC Sport centre for transfer deadline day.
Amid all the breaking late news, they gave their perspectives on a topsy-turvy transfer window.
Andy Townsend: I was really surprised at Chelsea's decision to sell Nemanja Matic - such a key part of their title-winning squad - to Manchester United - such a key rival. That seemed peculiar and I bet that Jose [Mourinho] could not believe it when he was told it was possible.
That brought in £40m which was pretty much what Chelsea had spent on Monaco's Tiemoue Bakayoko. But then they were reportedly after Danny Drinkwater at Leicester as well. All very strange.
Trevor Sinclair: One of the biggest surprises for me was the lack of planning at Arsenal. They were not able to react to Manchester City's interest in Alexis Sanchez. There was no contingency plan in place.
I thought they would have [Paris St-Germain winger] Julian Draxler lined up given the French side have brought in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at such expense.
Draxler is 24 years old still, a player that Arsene Wenger is believed to have been interested in in the past and has a ton of experience.
The rush for [Monaco midfielder] Thomas Lemar - after Wenger had said any deal for him was dead - was just too late.
Charlie Adam: That Manchester City could not get a deal done for Jonny Evans was surprising to me.
He has got the experience of playing at a big club in the same city having been at Manchester United, he has won trophies and he plays the game the way that Pep Guardiola likes.
That would have been a great bit of business for both the player and City.
Kevin Kilbane: The sheer size of Neymar's £198m deal to go from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain has got to be the biggest surprise.
When Paul Pogba joined Manchester United for a world record £89m last year, it felt like we were already seeing the record shift dramatically. Now, it has more than doubled. It really is remarkable.
Trevor Sinclair: The deal to sign Neymar got people talking, but he is already established as a star of the club and international game.
But, the deal that has been set up to take Kylian Mbappe from Monaco to Paris St-Germain is extraordinary.
He obviously looks like an exceptional prospect, but he is still only 18 and his value is based on one outstanding season.
He scored 24 goals in 41 appearances for Monaco last season and he looks the real deal, but £165.7m is a huge amount for someone who is still a little bit of an unknown quantity.
Andy Townsend: I think that £45m is a lot for Everton to have spent bringing in Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea. He has the ability to score goals and create, but he is nearly 28. I don't think he would have improved any of the clubs above Everton.
I can understand why Everton wanted him and how well he fits into Ronald Koeman's plans, but at £45m it seemed like a lot of money.
Trevor Sinclair: I think if Liverpool can keep Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fit I think they have got a matchwinner on their hands. He has explosive power, balance, the agility and trickery to go past people and, at his best, takes games by the scruff of the neck.
At 24, he is at a good stage of his career, he has a heap of experience and I think Liverpool's narrower shape will suit him.
If they can get him on the pitch 80% of the time, I think that £35m is a bargain.
Charlie Adam: Swansea's loan deal to take Renato Sanches from Bayern Munich for the season is not cheap - there is talk of a £4m loan fee and the Welsh club having to pick up most of his wages.
But if they stay in the league it is going to be small change and he will be committed to the cause. Paul Clement will put an arm round him, tell him to express himself and get the best from him. I think that is a good move for Swansea.
Andy Townsend: I think that Tottenham have done very good business in bringing in right-back Serge Aurier from Paris St-Germain for £23m.
I have seen a lot of him and he is an incredible athlete, very quick, a real beast of a player. He has actually got more facets to his game than Kyle Walker I think.
He has had issues off the pitch, but if he knuckles down, he is a proper player.
Trevor Sinclair: When Ray Wilkins first came in at QPR in 1994 he put a £10m pricetag on my head, which would have been a British record at the time.
There were a few inquiries about me around that time. It was only a few years later that I found out that when Bobby Robson became manager of Barcelona in 1996, he asked about me.
That was the time that they had Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Hristo Stoichkov. If I had known about that at the time, I would have swum there!
Andy Townsend: I went to Chelsea for just over £1m in 1990, when some of the really top deals were around £1.5m to £2m. Dennis Wise joined the same summer for £1.6m.
When I left for Aston Villa in 1993, I cost around £2.5m and there were deals around the £3m mark.
I don't know what that equates to in today's money, but I'm very happy to have played in the era that I did.
There are a lot of obvious reasons why being a young footballer nowadays is tempting but there are a lot of downsides as well.
Their privacy is seriously invaded, everywhere they go they are scrutinised and any mistakes are pounced on. | After two months of mind-boggling spending, miles of social media speculation, smoke, mirrors and silly signing announcements, the transfer window has finally closed. | 41108842 |
Speaking during a panel on independent film at CinemaCon, Moore said: "A movie never looks the same on television."
The actress said she was "disappointed" when a film was released that way, adding: "We work very hard as creators in creating a theatrical experience."
Moore also said making independent films had boosted her career.
"Working in the indie space has helped my career longevity. All of my successes - including my Oscar - sprung from these teeny tiny movies," she said, according to Variety.
Moore won the best actress Oscar this year for her portrayal of a professor with early-onset Alzheimer's in Still Alice.
It cost just $5m (£3.3m) to make, but the actress - who was also at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to promote the next Hunger Games film - said it was not possible to survive on independent cinema alone.
"The great parts are not going to come to you on a silver platter. You need a commercial profile so that investors will invest in something smaller that I'm in.
"You can't make a living doing just indie films."
She added that independent cinema was "highly highly personal - that's why people support it", compared to major studios who create "a product".
"Hollywood isn't in the business of creating parts for actors. They're in the business of creating product. It's about making a package," she said.
Moore said the long awards season could be a huge help to indie films: "I always say it's a great way to celebrate terrific work."
She was joined on the panel of The Independent Game: Based on a True Story by Sony Pictures Classics co-president Tom Bernard, who said there were more cinemas playing indie films "than ever before".
Several indie studios have used video-on-demand (VOD) services to release their films on the same day it is released on DVD and in cinemas.
Sony recently used VOD to release The Interview, after a group of hackers with links to North Korea threatened terrorism against cinemas that showed it.
The film company said in January it had managed to make more than $40m (£26.4m) through offering the film via on-demand services, according to Fortune. | Oscar winning-actress Julianne Moore has criticised the trend for releasing films simultaneously in cinemas and to on demand services to watch at home. | 32448758 |
Lawro's opponents for this weekend's Premier League fixtures are Sting and his son Joe Sumner, who are both Newcastle fans.
"Football played a big part in my life growing up in Wallsend," Sting told BBC Sport. "The last trophy we won was the Fairs Cup in 1969 and I went to a lot of our home games during that run.
"Bobby Moncur was the captain and he was my hero - he still is.
"My favourite players are from that era - people like Jim Iley, all those old people. Footballers always seemed much older than me, but now they seem like my children. It's strange, it is just an age thing.
"Winning the Fairs Cup is still the best moment I've had as a Newcastle fan - it was fantastic, but we need to win another trophy."
Joe also grew up as a Toon fanatic, although is not a Geordie like his dad.
"I grew up in north London, so it was a strange kind of cultural mix where all my friends were either Tottenham or Arsenal supporters," he said.
"Most of them were Spurs fans so despite supporting Newcastle, who nobody else I knew cared about, I have sort of developed that Tottenham-style dislike of Arsenal - it is them I cannot stand losing to."
You can make your Premier League predictions now and compare them with those of Lawro and other fans by playing the BBC Sport Predictor game.
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless otherwise stated.
Tottenham v Bournemouth (12:30 BST)
Tottenham just swatted Watford away last week to make it six league wins in a row and I cannot see Bournemouth stopping them from making it seven.
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The Cherries stayed unbeaten in March to climb away from the relegation zone and posed Chelsea a few problems in their last match, but I still watched that thinking that a Blues win was inevitable.
It will be the same story against Spurs this time. Bournemouth are lively coming forward, but under sustained pressure they do not look like they have enough defensively to hold out.
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Sting & Joe's prediction: 3-1
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Crystal Palace have won five of their past six league games, which has given them a bit of breathing space to the bottom three.
This is a good time for them to play Leicester, who are in between both legs of their Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid.
I thought the Foxes' 1-0 defeat in Spain in the first leg was an OK result, but I would just be wary about them not having scored an away goal - if they concede next week, they are in trouble.
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Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare made lots of changes for their last league game, at Everton, with that match in Madrid in mind.
They lost 4-2 at Goodison Park, and were so open. If they play the same way against Palace, they will get punished.
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Sting & Joe's prediction: 1-2
Everton v Burnley
Burnley beat Everton at Turf Moor in October thanks to a last-minute goal but it is going to be extremely tough for them to repeat that on Saturday.
Since suffering their only home league defeat of the season, against Liverpool in December, the Toffees have won seven league games in a row at Goodison Park, scoring 26 goals and conceding five.
I think Everton's excellent run will continue - and maybe Ross Barkley will deliver the knockout blow.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Sting & Joe's prediction: 2-1
Stoke City v Hull City
Stoke are having a shocking time, with four straight defeats.
I see them bouncing back with a win here, though, because Hull are just not the same force on the road.
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Only Burnley have a worse away record in the Premier League this season and the Tigers' biggest problem is it doesn't seem too difficult for teams to beat them once they leave the KCOM Stadium.
People are asking what is wrong with Stoke, but a couple of wins and they will be back in the fight for ninth place.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Sting & Joe's prediction: 1-1
Sunderland v West Ham
West Ham got the win they needed against Swansea last week and they are one of several sides who have got 36 points, and look like they are safe.
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Sunderland are obviously in a completely different situation at the bottom of the table, 10 points from safety.
I actually think the Black Cats will win this game, because they are at home and it is basically the last throw of the dice.
It is like a cup final for Sunderland because they have to win it. Like I have said before, though, they don't just need one victory to save themselves now, they need three or four.
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Sting & Joe's prediction: 1-1
Watford v Swansea City
Watford were torn apart by Spurs last time out, but they are another team that look like they already have enough points to be safe.
The Hornets have won three and drawn one of their past five league games at Vicarage Road, and it is their home form that has kept them out of trouble.
Swansea, in contrast, have lost their past five games on the road. It seems a long time since they were on the up, although if Fernando Llorente is fit enough to start that would be a massive boost.
It is hard to see Sunderland and Middlesbrough getting out of trouble so the final relegation spot is between Swansea and Hull.
On current form, I'd back the Tigers to survive but there is time for that to change as well.
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Sting & Joe's prediction: 2-1
Southampton v Man City (17:30 BST)
Southampton picked up a decent point when they went to Etihad Stadium in October. They deserved it too.
I predicted a 3-0 win for Manchester City over Hull last week, and would have been right if Claudio Bravo hadn't let me down with his late mistake that allowed the Tigers to score.
I am going for a City clean sheet again this time, though, and another victory.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Sting & Joe's prediction: 1-2
West Brom v Liverpool (13:30 BST)
Jurgen Klopp made a late change against Bournemouth that I thought actually helped the Cherries fight back for a point.
Then he essentially left his front six out against Stoke, but at half-time of that game thought 'woah, this isn't right.' He sent the cavalry on with the Potters ahead and it worked - the Reds won 2-1 and could have scored more in the end.
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Klopp will have to get his selection right this time but I fancy Liverpool to get a win here.
West Brom have just started to struggle for goals again and, with no wins in four, there is a danger their season could peter out.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Sting & Joe's prediction: 1-3
Man Utd v Chelsea (16:00 BST)
Manchester United were in action on Thursday in the Europa League and are struggling for numbers a little bit.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have had the week off after their win at Bournemouth last weekend - this is where not being in European competition makes a massive difference.
With United boss Jose Mourinho saying his side's best chance of making the Champions League is by winning the Europa League, you would expect him to play his strongest side against Anderlecht, who they play either side of this game.
I was tempted to go for a draw but, because of United's schedule, I am going to back Chelsea to take another step towards the title.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Sting & Joe's prediction: 1-2
Sting was impressed to hear United fans have used one of his songs for their chant about Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
United fans sing "Whoa Mkhitaryan, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, he's our midfield Armenian" to the tune of Englishman in New York.
"I am very happy about that," Sting said. "I like to see songs repossessed and refitted for different purposes. It is pretty good too.
"As a songwriter I think it is extraordinary the way those chants go around a massive group of people, and suddenly they are all singing the same thing."
Middlesbrough v Arsenal (20:00 BST)
Arsenal were all over the place against Crystal Palace last time out, but Middlesbrough will not cause them anywhere near the same sort of problems.
Palace and Boro are poles apart, and quite a few points apart now too.
Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech could be back from injury, which will help the Gunners at the back, but I would expect them to win this game anyway.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Sting & Joe's prediction: 2-2
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
*Does not include scores from postponed games.
Lawro's best score: 140 points (week 22 v James McAvoy)
Lawro's worst score: 20 points (week 28, but only five games played so far) or 30 points (week four v Dave Bautista)
From last week's Premier League games, Lawro got five correct results, with no perfect scores, from 10 matches for a total of 50 points.
He was beaten by singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald, who got seven correct results with no perfect scores, for a tally of 70 points. | BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season. | 39582678 |
A review in last Friday's New York Times of How to Get Away With Murder was criticised on social media.
In it Rhimes was labelled "an angry black woman".
The paper has since issued an apology, with the paper's public editor calling the piece "astonishingly tone-deaf and out of touch".
The description of the show's producer wasn't the only thing to anger readers though.
Viola Davis, who plays the show's main character, is labelled "darker-skinned and less classically beautiful" than other actors.
Rhimes herself took to Twitter after reading the review tweeting: "Confused why @nytimes critic doesn't know identity of CREATOR of show she's reviewing. @petenowa did u know u were "an angry black woman"?
She later wrote: "Wait. I'm "angry" AND a ROMANCE WRITER?!! I'm going to need to put down the internet and go dance this one out. Because ish is getting real."
The paper admitted the piece had been seen by at least three editors before it was published online, but none of them had raised any objections over its content.
Danielle Mattoon, the paper's culture editor, said: "This is a signal to me that we have to constantly remind ourselves as editors of our blind spots, what we don't know, and of how readers may react."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | She's the writer behind some of the biggest shows on TV, but a critique of Shona Rhimes' latest series has been called "racist" and "offensive". | 29324076 |
The ambassador's convoy was moving at high speed when the seven-year-old was fatally hit in April.
The US provided the family with 1m Central African francs (£1,257).
The boy's family also received two cows, flour, onions, rice, salt, sugar, soap and oil, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The US said it would also build a well to provide fresh drinking water for the boy's community, located near the northern city of Mokolo, according to state department officials.
Department spokesman Jeffrey Loree described the contribution as a "compensation package commensurate with local custom, as well as the needs of the family and village".
"US diplomats have visited the family on several occasions following the accident and will continue to provide all support possible," he added.
Ms Power was on a week-long trip to show US support in the battle against militant Islamist group Boko Haram when the accident occurred.
The boy, Birwe Toussem, was among villagers lined up along a two-way highway to greet the ambassador.
He ran onto the street as the motorcade drove by at about 60mph (100km/h).
An armoured jeep struck the boy, initially stopping, before US security ordered it to continue travelling through the unsecured area, the AP reports.
An ambulance in the caravan immediately responded to the scene, but the boy died shortly thereafter.
Cameroon's government, local aid organisations and the UN also donated 5m francs to the family, bringing the pay-out to more than $10,000 (£7,393).
Feeding the children of Boko Haram's victims
Why Boko Haram remains a threat | The US has compensated the family of a Cameroon boy who was struck and killed by a vehicle in UN Ambassador Samantha Power's motorcade. | 36664623 |
Stephen Harper said it was unclear which ship had been found, but photo evidence confirmed it was one of them.
Sir John Franklin led the two ships and 129 men in 1845 to chart the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic.
The expedition's disappearance shortly after became one of the great mysteries of the age of Victorian exploration.
The Canadian government began searching for Franklin's ships in 2008 as part of a strategy to assert Canada's sovereignty over the Northwest Passage, which has recently become accessible to shipping because of melting Arctic ice.
Expedition sonar images from the waters of Victoria Strait, just off King William Island, clearly show the wreckage of a ship on the ocean floor.
"I am delighted to announce that this year's Victoria Strait expedition has solved one of Canada's greatest mysteries, with the discovery of one of the two ships belonging to the Franklin Expedition," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement.
"Finding the first vessel will no doubt provide the momentum - or wind in our sails - necessary to locate its sister ship and find out even more about what happened to the Franklin Expedition's crew."
The find has been described as "the biggest archaeological discovery the world has seen since the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb almost 100 years ago" by a British archaeologist, William Battersby, who has written extensively about the Lincolnshire explorer's expedition.
"From the images it is clear that a huge amount of evidence will be preserved from the expedition, possibly even including the remains of the men and maybe, just possibly, some of their photographs," he said.
The loss of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, which was built in Topsham, Devon, prompted one of largest searches in history, running from 1848 to 1859.
The mystery has gripped people for generations, in part because no one knows for sure exactly what happened to the crew.
Experts believe the ships were lost when they became locked in the ice near King William Island and that the crews abandoned them in a hopeless bid to reach safety.
Reports at the time from local Inuits say the men, desperate for food, resorted to cannibalism before they died.
Sir John Franklin's wife spearheaded an attempt to find him, launching five ships in search of her husband and even leaving cans of food on the ice in the desperate hope he would find them.
In total more than 50 expeditions joined the search.
Three bodies discovered over a century later in the 1980s were found to have a high lead content and to this day, many people believe the 129 crew members were poisoned by leaking lead in their poorly soldered tin cans.
More recent research suggests the canned food supplied to Franklin was not acidic enough for that to happen and the lead was more likely to have come from the internal pipe system on the ships.
The search resulted in the discovery of the Northwest Passage, which runs from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Arctic archipelago.
The discovery of Franklin's vessels is considered one of the most sought-after prizes in marine archaeology.
A team of Canadian divers and archaeologists has been trying to find the ships since 2008. | One of two British explorer ships that vanished in the Arctic more than 160 years ago has been found, Canada's prime minister says. | 29131757 |
Mr Barrrow, 64, called the election in September, more than a year ahead of schedule.
Belize is heavily dependent on aid from Venezuela, which also offers it oil at discounted prices.
Critics of Mr Barrow said he brought the polls forward in case Venezuela cuts its funding.
Venezuela is holding legislative elections on 6 December and some polls predict the governing socialist party will lose control of the National Assembly.
Many of the recipients of Venezuelan aid fear that with continuing low oil prices Venezuela will soon significantly reduce its contributions to its allies.
Mr Barrow has invested much of the $150m (£98m) Belize received from Venezuela in the past years in an ambitious infrastructure programme and road building.
With results announced in all but two of the constituencies, Mr Barrow's party won in 19 and the opposition People's United Party in 10.
Mr Barrow called it "a magnificent victory".
His main rival, Francis Fonseca, had run on a promise of creating 25,000 jobs and cutting living costs.
Mr Barrow will now have to grapple with its much larger neighbour, Guatemala.
Guatemala's newly elected president, comedian-turned-politician Jimmy Morales, in his campaign said he would pursue with renewed vigour his country's claims over more than half of Belize. | Belize's Prime Minister Dean Barrow has won an unprecedented third consecutive term in office in snap elections in the small Central American nation. | 34731810 |
Liberation Group was bought by Caledonia Investments, controlled by the Cayzer family shipping dynasty.
Liberation owns 94 pubs in the Channel Islands and the UK and employs 900 people.
The firm's chief executive Mark Crowther, who led a management buyout eight years ago, said it was "positive news for employees and customers". | The Channel Islands' biggest pub group and brewer has been taken over in a £118m deal. | 36733065 |
Ben Woollacott, 19, died after falling off a ferry on 3 August and is thought to have been hit by the propellers.
The free two-boat service between Woolwich and North Woolwich will resume from 06:10 BST on Tuesday.
Sightseeing river tours by Thames River Services and Crown River Cruises were also suspended for the day.
The funeral of the teenager took place at All Hallows Church near the Tower of London.
The family of Mr Woollacott, of Swanley, Kent, had worked as Thames boatmen for five generations.
It is believed he fell while mooring ropes were being untied, London Coastguard said.
Andrew White, chief executive for Serco's Marine business - which runs the ferry service, described the fatal incident as a "tragic accident".
"Ben was a valued colleague and friend and, having completed his apprenticeship at the Woolwich Ferry, was looking forward to continuing the family tradition of working on the River Thames.
"His presence at Woolwich Ferry will be missed by all, not only because of his natural ability but also his colourful and friendly nature."
James Buckingham, an apprentice, who was a close friend of Mr Woollacott, said: "He loved a laugh and a joke with everyone.
"If you went to work down in the dumps you could guarantee after working with him you would go home with a smile on your face." | Services on the Woolwich ferry have been suspended to allow staff to attend the funeral of a teenage colleague who died after falling off a boat. | 14525629 |
The Scio device was backed by about 13,000 people in a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2014.
However, some have complained they are still waiting for their device to be delivered.
Co-founder Dror Sharon told the BBC that 5,000 devices had been shipped.
Mr Sharon has previously described Scio as the first cheap, accessible molecular spectrometer.
It takes an electro-magnetic reading of objects, then compares the result with an online database. It can be used, for example, to distinguish between medicines, or summarise the fat content of a slice of cheese.
During the crowdfunding campaign, backers paid between $150 (£115) and $300 for the device, with developer kits costing up to $1,000.
Consumer Physics, the company behind the product, raised $2.7m in the campaign and estimated that devices would be delivered by February 2015.
However, Mr Sharon admitted the firm had experienced delays.
"It has taken more time than we expected," he told the BBC.
"We had to design the technology from the ground up, we had to do some redesigns, and we had some issues with suppliers.
"Each bump in the road took weeks to rectify."
Some backers have expressed concern about the delay on the company's Facebook page, after its crowdfunding page was taken offline.
Visitors are now told the company is facing an "intellectual property dispute", but Mr Sharon said the issue was solely concerning the Scio name.
"It has nothing to do with the intellectual property in the sensor or the optics, it's purely a trademark dispute," he said.
"But Kickstarter has a very careful policy, they took down the page and put up the note - we tried to reason with them, but they have their policy and we respect that."
He said the company was continuing to produce the devices, but had chosen to prioritise deliveries to app developers, to speed up the creation of its app ecosystem.
"We've shipped thousands of these little scanners all over the world," Mr Sharon told the BBC.
"We decided to start shipping to developers first, which has added some delay for Kickstarter backers who were expecting to get the device very early.
"We realise it's late, but we're doing our best to ship as fast as we can. Between a third to a half of our backers have their device." | The maker of a pocket spectrometer, which can scan and identify a variety of objects, says his company is working hard to fulfil outstanding orders. | 37385556 |
More than 60 have been rescued from the sea near the Turkish resort of Ayvacik.
Local officials say they expect the death toll to rise when the capsized boat is searched.
Thousands of refugees and migrants continue to make the dangerous sea journey from Turkey to Greece to seek asylum in northern Europe.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday that 244 migrants had drowned in the Mediterranean so far this year, out of 55,568 arrivals.
"The daily average (of arrivals) is nearly equivalent to the total numbers for the month of January as recently as two years ago," the IOM said.
The latest tragedy comes just days after 26 migrants drowned when their boat sank off the coast of the Greek island of Samos.
Katya Adler: Germans struggle to cope with influx
Teaching migrants how to behave
Migrants feel chill of tighter borders
Europe's migrant crisis
The Turkish coastguard said that in Saturday's incident the migrants had been trying to reach the Greek island of Lesbos when their boat capsized.
Lesbos is one of the most popular European arrival points for asylum seekers.
The deputy governor of Turkey's Canakkale province, Saim Eskioglu, said the 17m (56ft) boat "hit rocks soon after it left the coast".
"We believe there are more dead bodies inside the boat,'' he told CNN-Turk TV.
Many of those rescued are being treated in hospital for hypothermia.
A Turkish man suspected of being the people smuggler who organised the trip has been arrested, according to Turkey's Dogan news agency.
However, the BBC's Mark Lowen in Turkey says those caught are typically middle-men rather than the main criminals behind the people smuggling.
Those on board were from Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar, Turkey's Anadolu news agency said.
Last year more than one million migrants, many fleeing war, poverty and oppression, arrived in Europe, causing a political crisis among EU states.
The mass movement of refugees is largely fuelled by the war in Syria and talks have opened in Geneva to try to find a solution to the violence.
Last week, a draft European Commission report said Greece had "seriously neglected" its obligations to control the external frontier of Europe's passport-free Schengen zone.
The Greek government accused the commission of playing "blame games".
Late last year, the Turkish government signed a deal with the EU to receive about €3bn (£2.2bn; $3.3bn) in return for stemming the flow of asylum seekers. But the proposals have reportedly stalled amid objections from Italy.
Turkey is home to nearly three million refugees, most of them from Syria.
Many of them pay smugglers thousands of dollars to make the crossing to Greece. They then head north, with most trying to reach Germany, Austria and Scandinavia.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants. | At least 39 migrants, including several children, have drowned trying to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece, coastguards say. | 35450290 |
Land.
How much is there to build on, and what should be built on it?
It's been apparent from the start of the 2016 campaign that all the leading mayoral candidates appreciate that - for the first time in five contests for City Hall - housing could be a major determinant of how people end up voting.
More on this story and other news from London
So - what are the early signals?
The housing issue is dense, and the policy questions complex. It's hard to see many voters getting beyond the bold-type pledges made with nice round numbers.
But genuine credibility established over the next few weeks - based around detailed solutions - could achieve cut-through.
Mainly so far the turf for this particular war has been publicly owned "brownfield" land.
It's difficult to say yet how much there might be to play with. But it was reported this week that the London Land Commission set up last year has so far identified enough for 130,000 homes.
There's a fairly big caveat attached. Much of this land is owned by agencies like the NHS, the Ministry of Defence or local government. And they have to weigh up the pressure for immediate disposal against predicting future operational needs.
Cross-department land assembly won't be easy. But the mayor does have a direct say over land owned by Transport for London.
It claims it has now identified about 300 acres, across 75 sites, which could deliver 10,000 homes over the next decade. Two thirds of them would be in Zones 1 and 2.
There are already plans for developments at Parsons Green, Northwood and above the proposed new Tube link at Battersea power station, where affordable housing is badly needed.
Most sites are what TfL describes as "operationally constrained", adjoining or above stations or track, making development more tricky.
It means the new mayor could have, optimistically as things stand, around 1,000 new homes a year to shape directly.
We've learned so far that Labour candidate Sadiq Khan will apportion an unstipulated amount of this new housing to shared ownership where you typically start by buying 25% of a property's value and pay rent on the remaining 75%.
He says he will give priority to people who've been renting privately for more than five years, and claims he will be able to cut the typical rent element because TfL will retain the freehold.
Conservative Zac Goldsmith has said that he would ensure the land is used for a mixture of affordable rented, shared ownership and market housing which would go to people who had lived in the capital for three years.
The Liberal Democrats' Caroline Pidgeon has called for a new mayoral building company, the Greens' Sian Berry for a "community" homes agency, and UKIP's Peter Whittle for a social housing building programme alongside a debate on the pressure of migration on the current housing stock.
And what of previous experience? Over the last few years, the Greater London Authority (GLA) under Boris Johnson has sold off - rather than retaining a stake in - around 1,500 acres of land.
According to the latest GLA figures 27,300 homes have received planning consent, of which 7,590 were deemed affordable, either to rent or buy.
Mr Khan has described this as a "fire-sale" and said public assets need to be "sweated more".
In recent years, too, more than a hundred Metropolitan Police buildings have been sold, raising around £1bn.
Mr Goldsmith says that the limited physical and monetary resources available in the future means regeneration needs to combines transport and housing, and new ways of raising money for infrastructure like the mayor taking a slice of stamp duty will be necessary. | It's a four letter word at the heart of the London mayoral election campaign. | 35490774 |
The 13th edition is being staged at the Harmony Gardens in Melrose until Sunday.
More than 100 events include the likes of thriller writer Frederick Forsyth, comedian Sara Pascoe and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Director Alistair Moffat said it promised to be a "truly memorable book festival" as well as a "great day out".
"Festivals need to be festive and festive means fun - and fascinating," he said.
"The Borders Book Festival aims to be like a wonderful four-day party where you meet people who make you laugh and also make you think."
Among the highlights being flagged up by organisers are:
The winner of the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction will also be announced during the festival on Saturday.
Nearly 2,000 children and teachers from primary schools across the Borders are expected to attend a special gala day on Thursday. | A "four-day party" celebrating the world of literature is under way with the annual Borders Book Festival. | 36539156 |
The five-year deal with Yokohama Rubber Company eclipses the £18m-per-year-deal the club signed with Samsung in 2006.
Manchester United's seven-year deal with US car brand Chevrolet remains the biggest, worth around £50m per year.
Chelsea are top of the Premier League and are in the last 16 of the Champions League.
The West London club are now one of the world's most recognised sporting brands with an estimated 500m fans and were the most watched English side worldwide last season with 31,000 broadcast hours.
"Chelsea and Yokohama are a perfect fit. Both are global organisations with a focus on performance and innovation, as well as having huge ambition and an unwavering culture of success," Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said on the club's website.
The Yokohama Rubber Company Ltd is a Tokyo Stock Exchange listed public company and deals in industrial, construction, marine and aerospace products, as well as golf equipment.
Its global business employs more than 20,000 people in over 120 countries, working across manufacturing, sales and servicing. | Chelsea have signed English football's second biggest shirt sponsorship deal - worth a reported £40m per year - with a Japanese tyre manufacturer. | 31653343 |
George Ferguson said he would arrange to take somebody in himself and hoped those with "space in their homes" and "generous hearts" would follow.
Bob Geldof is among other people who have offered to take in refugees.
The prime minister has said the UK will accept thousands more Syrian refugees in response to the humanitarian crisis.
Campaigner Geldof said he would take in four families at his homes in Kent and London, telling Ireland's RTE Radio: "It's a failure of that new politics that's led to this... absolute sickening disgrace."
Elsewhere, the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, has offered to take 100 refugees into the city.
And the Dean of York Minster, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, said the cathedral would offer one of its vacant properties to a family.
It has not been decided how many refugees Bristol could take. The city has 13,000 households on the waiting list for social housing.
Mr Ferguson said: "I have a small room that I could offer and I shall do so... I will make arrangements to be able to take somebody in."
The mayor, whose family took in a Ugandan family fleeing Idi Amin's regime in the 1970s, said he wanted to "lead by example".
He said he was not asking people living in crowded housing to take more people. But was looking for those "who do have space in their homes and a huge generous heart" to take people in and help them get back on their feet.
Bristol, a city of sanctuary, is also in talks with charities and landlords about finding space.
Councillor Brenda Massey said she had been contacted by Syrians in Bristol who were offering help, as well as some of the city's mosques. But she said it was important Bristol had a long-term solution for refugees - with housing, education and health facilities in place.
Calls for Britain to offer refuge to more of the thousands of people fleeing Syria and other countries intensified after a photo was published of a drowned three-year-old Syrian boy.
Labour leadership contender Yvette Cooper said on Tuesday every city should be asked to accept 10 refugee families.
The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, said any help offered by councils must be voluntary and Whitehall must cover the costs.
A spokesman for Cosla, which represents most Scottish councils, said a number of them were "in discussions with the Home Office about accepting more" Syrian refugees - if they get support from Holyrood and Westminster.
25,771
people applied for asylum in the UK in the year ending June 2015
41%
(11,600) were granted asylum
14% of applicants were from Eritrea
9% were from Pakistan
8.5% were from Syria
2,168 applications were from unaccompanied children | Bristol's mayor is urging people to find a spare room in their homes for refugees, as the council says it hopes to take some of the "desperate". | 34150371 |
The former Bayern Munich assistant boss lost his first game in charge, a third-round FA Cup tie at Hull on Saturday.
With the Swans second from bottom in the Premier League, Clement wants to make signings, but not too many.
"I would not say an influx because there are good players in this team and this squad," he said.
"We've just got to make sure the players we bring in are better than what we've got, and in the key areas I think we need. We're looking to do something."
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Clement was appointed on Tuesday, following the sacking of Bob Bradley.
As well as looking to sign new players, the 44-year-old says he may have to sell some players as well.
Clement would not comment on speculation linking striker Fernando Llorente with a move to Chelsea, but he did admit he may have to trim his squad.
"I think so because you want a manageable size of squad, so I think that will be the case," he added.
"We're working very hard on the training field to get my ideas across as quick as possible.
"That's the thing when you change midway through a season."
Although the FA Cup was not a priority for the relegation-threatened Swans, Clement was disappointed with his much-changed side's result at Hull.
"I wanted to win the game and so did the players," he said.
"Most important, I wanted a performance and for long periods I got one. I thought it was quite even - that scoreline flatters Hull a little bit.
"I learned a lot. I learned a lot in the game against Crystal Palace, I learned a lot in the last three days of training and I learned a lot today." | New Swansea City head coach Paul Clement is planning for a busy January transfer window, with players coming and going at the Liberty Stadium. | 38544777 |
Campaigners say faster, more frequent trains would bring 70,000 new jobs to the region in the next 20 years.
Ashley Rogers, chairman of north Wales' business council, said improvements would play a "key role" in boosting the economy.
The campaign calls for electrification, better rolling-stock and the doubling of services on some lines.
Businesses representing 300,000 people from Cheshire, Mersey Dee and north Wales have backed the Growth Track 360 campaign.
Many hope rail improvements will reduce traffic on the A55 and create better connections to the rest of the UK.
Employers such as Siemens, based in Llanberis and Moneypenny in Wrexham, are among the backers.
Mr Rogers said: "Improved infrastructure has a key role to play in ensuring this vision becomes reality - opening up opportunities, attracting talented, skilled people from across the UK and helping the region to capitalise on its intrinsic strengths and grow and develop."
About 75% of large businesses, who responded to the campaign, hope the improvements will deliver time savings, while 64% of small businesses want to see better access to customers.
Martin Gray, finance director at Siemens, said high quality transport links were essential to ensure access to key talent across the region.
Rachel Clacher, director of Moneypenny, who want to grow their workforce from 500 to 1,000 over the next three years, said better connectivity was crucial.
The Growth Track 360 campaign was launched by the north Wales and Mersey Dee rail taskforce, which represents enterprise zones, local authorities and businesses across Cheshire, north Wales and Merseyside.
Earlier this year the Welsh Government, backed by north Wales' businesses, submitted a business case to the Department for Transport (Dft) for cash to electrify the line between Crewe and Holyhead.
They hope to secure £800m from the DfT to upgrade the 105 miles of track within the 2019-2024 funding period. | More than 400 companies have backed calls for improvements to rail services in north Wales. | 38156231 |
The 20 cattle escaped from their nearby paddock and decided to feast on front lawns and flowers in Peacehaven.
Residents are used to straying sheep but say the rogue cattle have become a nuisance.
Blaenau Gwent council says it is monitoring the situation.
Resident Sonya Gould, 70, said: "We are used to having pints of milk delivered to our doorstep but not the whole cow.
"They were everywhere. We are all treading cow muck into our carpets because it's all over our garden paths.
"We held a fund-raising event to plant flowers around the communal gardens but the cows have eaten them all."
The cows also caused consternation by leaving cowpats on garden paths and trampling over lawns in the incident at the end of last week.
Ann Ingram, who was woken up by the cows mooing, said: "It used to be sheep, and that's bad enough, but cows are a whole different kettle of fish.
"It's frightening for many of the older people here to have cows walking down the street, peering in their windows, it's ridiculous.
"They're obviously big animals, and an elderly person can't just shoo them off - there's no telling what an animal might do."
People living in Peacehaven have brought in the council in a bid to get the herd to move back to their paddock.
A spokesperson for Blaenau Gwent Council said: "We've done our utmost to tackle this problem, and have responded to all call-outs.
"We continue to monitor the situation at least once a week and any roaming animals will be impounded."
The council added that they may take legal action against the farmer if he is unable to keep his cows under control. | A quiet street in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, was invaded by a herd of cows which trampled on gardens and peered into windows, say residents. | 13949070 |
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The former England international, 36, was dismissed by referee Kevin Friend for a professional foul on Lee Angol in the second half of the 4-1 win.
Terry will now be unavailable for Saturday's trip to champions Leicester.
The Blues' FA Cup win was Terry's first start since October and only his eighth appearance of the season. | Chelsea captain John Terry will serve a one-match ban after the club's appeal against his red card in Sunday's FA Cup win over Peterborough was rejected. | 38564299 |
Mr Villarreal acknowledged he had attended a party with other senior politicians.
In the video, they are seen dancing and embracing younger women apparently hired as escorts.
The party has not yet announced who will replace him as whip.
"I have taken the decision to renew the leadership and deputy leadership of the parliamentary group of the PAN in the Chamber of Deputies," the party's president, Gustavo Madero, said.
"I contacted Congressman Luis Alberto Villarreal whom I appreciated for his leadership."
Mr Madero said Jorge Villalobos, the deputy leader of the PAN in the lower house, would also be replaced.
The two will keep their seats in the lower house.
The two men attended the private party in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta earlier this year during a PAN conference.
The party dominated Mexican national politics from 2000 to 2012, before the rival PRI party returned to power with President Enrique Pena Nieto. | Mexico's conservative National Action Party (PAN) party has replaced Luis Alberto Villareal as its congressional leader after a video emerged showing him allegedly dancing with escorts. | 28781684 |
They can have a curious impact upon the unwary politician. Recycled air competes with reheated clichés to dull the senses. Bouts of ennui are followed by spells of frenzied enthusiasm, occasionally genuine.
Ruth Davidson is just back from the Conservative gathering in Birmingham. There she was feted as a star. Her opinions were sought, her views cited - even if - especially when she deviated a tad from the UK party line.
At Birmingham, she was if not quite the top banana then certainly pretty high up the tree. She even expressed a keen interest in appearing upon Strictly Come Dancing. The nation awaits her paso doble with a mixture of mute astonishment and mischievous anticipation.
Anyway, she returned, stimulated by the light, invigorating breeze from Birmingham's canals. (The city has, as every Brummie will tell you, more miles of canal than Venice. Without, of course, the Doge's Palace, St Mark's Square, the Bridge of Sighs and the quattrocento masterpieces - but these, no doubt, are pending in what the PM billed the Midlands Engine.)
One would scarcely be human if such star billing did not have an impact. Certainly, it would appear to have emboldened Ms Davidson - not that she needed much encouragement, her chutzpah count being already fairly high.
And so, her courage suitably stiffened, she challenged the First Minister to say what she intended to do about Brexit. Come on, FM, sort it out, would you?
Ms Sturgeon rose slowly to her feet. "Oh look out!", as John Lennon yells towards the end of Abbey Road. (The album, that is, not the London street.) You could just see the FM thinking "up with this I will not put".
And so it proved. According to the FM, her Conservative counterpart had something of a cheek demanding action on Brexit. Which, she reminded the chamber, had resulted from a decision taken by Ms Davidson's own party.
Nothing daunted, the Tory leader argued, in essence, that we are where we are. The choice now was to whinge or to act. She opted for action, disowning the course of mumping.
In response, Ms Sturgeon said that she too would seek to mitigate the impact of Brexit - as outlined in a report from the Fraser of Allander Institute - but would be considerably assisted in that endeavour if the UK government would drop a couple of hints as to how they intended to proceed.
Later still, Ms Sturgeon returned to the topic of the Conservative conference when invited to do so by Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats. Mr Rennie spoke with evident disapproval of the idea floated in Birmingham that there might be an audit of foreign workers in the UK.
Ms Sturgeon described this notion as, among other things, "disgusting" - and urged its withdrawal. Foreign workers here, she said, should be welcomed, not deployed as potential bargaining chips in any negotiation with the EU.
But, of course, the Brexit train has yet to leave the station. Which brings us to the topic raised by Labour's Kezia Dugdale.
She was exercised by delays and overcrowding on Scotland's rail network. This was a deftly populist issue advanced by the Labour leader. Commuters, she knows, are decidedly open to suggestions that their service could benefit from improvement.
Ms Sturgeon knows that and so she tiptoed towards the topic. Yes, things could be better but ministers were acting. It was better, she said, than "carping from the sidelines". Or perhaps, in this case, the branch line.
Ms Dugdale looked ever so slightly hurt. As far as she was aware, she was doing her job of holding the First Minister to account.
Still, onwards and upwards. Ms Dugdale and Mr Rennie left to hone their carping skills. Ms Sturgeon departed for Iceland where she is to speak about environmental conditions in the Arctic Circle. Or Fraserburgh, as it is known in the North-east.
And Ms Davidson pirouetted out of the chamber before executing a deft Palais glide, all the while humming one of the lighter airs from HMS Pinafore. | Having attended party conferences since the Middle Ages, I can attest that they offer an environment every bit as surreal as anything summoned up by Miró or Magritte. | 37575091 |
Public Prosecutions Director Marianne Ny said there was "reason to believe a crime has been committed" and that the crime was classified as rape.
Last week prosecutors cancelled an arrest warrant for Mr Assange on accusations of rape and molestation, saying he was no longer suspected.
Mr Assange denies any wrongdoing saying the accusations are "without basis".
The decision to re-open the case follows an appeal by a Swedish woman who has accused Mr Assange of raping her.
In a statement about her decision to review the case, Ms Ny said of the rape allegation that "more investigations are necessary before a final decision can be made".
She also said that an accusation of molestation - which is not a sex offence under Swedish law - against Mr Assange should be reclassified and investigated as a case of sexual coercion and sexual molestation.
The statement said Ms Ny would lead the new inquiries.
Sensitive timing
It is the second time a Swedish prosecutor has been overruled by a prosecutor of higher rank in relation to the claims against Mr Assange.
Last week the chief prosecutor for Stockholm quashed an arrest warrant which another prosecutor had pursued against Mr Assange, saying that there was no reason to suspect he had carried out the assault.
Mr Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, has suggested that the allegations are part of a smear campaign by opponents of his whistle-blowing website.
When the rape allegations first emerged, he said their appearance at a time when Wikileaks had been criticised for leaking Afghan war documents was "deeply disturbing".
In July, Wikileaks published more than 75,000 secret US military documents on the war in Afghanistan.
US authorities attacked the leak, saying it could put the lives of coalition soldiers and Afghans, especially informers, at risk. | A senior Swedish prosecutor has ordered the reopening of a rape investigation into Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. | 11151277 |
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Butt, 41, came through the junior ranks at Old Trafford and played 387 games between 1992 and 2004.
He worked as a reserve team coach and coach of the under-19s since returning to the club in 2012.
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "Nicky has the club's heritage and traditions in his blood. He is the natural choice."
Butt said: "As someone who learned his trade in the United youth set-up, it's a huge honour to be given the chance to lead the academy and instil its values and attitudes to create future generations of Manchester United players."
The move follows the "root and branch" review of United's youth teams outlined by Woodward after the departure of director of youth academy Brian McClair in June 2015.
Paul McGuinness left his role as under-18s coach last week.
United say Butt's role cannot be compared to McClair's former job because United's academy has been restructured.
Woodward said Butt will bring "passion, energy and experience" to the position.
He added: "In the last four years, some 15 academy graduates have played for the first team, playing a total of 173 appearances - a record of which the club is very proud."
Butt won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford, and won 39 caps for England.
He was appointed assistant to caretaker manager Ryan Giggs for the final four games of the 2013-14 season following David Moyes' sacking. | Manchester United have named former midfielder Nicky Butt as their head of academy. | 35583927 |
Two local men aged 56 and 59 have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a search by armed police.
The 18-year-old victim was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries after the assault in Old Christchurch Road, said police.
He was left with "a serious cut to the neck" by a man who fled the scene toward Wootton Gardens early on Friday.
Dorset Police issued CCTV images of a suspect, who was described as white and was wearing grey jogging bottoms, blue trainers with white soles, and a black jacket with a white top underneath.
Det Con Matt Cooke said: "This was a serious and unprovoked assault." | A man had his neck slashed with a blade from behind in an "unprovoked" attack in Bournemouth town centre. | 40985736 |
Mr Anwar, 67, once belonged to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN, National Front) coalition, but a falling out with top leaders resulted in him being beaten, jailed and disgraced.
Then came a political comeback, with him leading the opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance into general elections in 2013.
This three-party alliance posed the strongest-ever challenge to the coalition, which has governed Malaysia for more than half a century.
But it could not defeat BN - which won 133 of the 222 seats in parliament, its worst-ever election performance. The opposition won 89 seats, up from 82 - and protested that the polls were hit by fraud.
In March 2014, Mr Anwar's legal troubles returned. A court overturned an earlier acquittal for sodomy - illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia - in response to a government appeal.
The move happened days before Mr Anwar was due to contest a by-election in a key state.
Mr Anwar launched a final appeal but the court upheld the original five-year sentence and he has been jailed for five years.
Mr Anwar first made his name as a student leader of a youth Islamic organisation, founding Malaysia's Islamic youth movement, ABIM.
His joining Malaysia's dominant party, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), in 1982 came as a surprise to many but proved to be a good political move - he enjoyed a quick ascent up the political ladder and held multiple ministerial posts.
In 1993 he became Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's deputy and was widely expected to succeed him, but tensions grew between the two men, particularly over issues like graft and the economy.
In September 1998, Mr Anwar found himself sacked and eventually charged with sodomy and corruption.
The trial which followed led to a six-year jail term for corruption and also sparked huge street protests.
In 2000 he was then found guilty of sodomy with his wife's driver and jailed for a further nine years, to be served concurrently with his other sentence.
While homosexual acts are illegal in Malaysia, very few people are ever prosecuted. Mr Anwar has always maintained the charges were part of a political smear campaign.
In late 2004 Malaysia's Supreme Court overturned the sodomy conviction, freeing him from jail.
Upon his release, he emerged as the de facto head of a newly-invigorated opposition that registered a strong showing in the 2008 elections.
The opposition gained more than a third of parliamentary seats and control of five states, partly due to public discontent over corruption and discrimination issues.
But claims of sodomy were again made against Mr Anwar in 2008, in what he said was another attempt by the government to sideline him.
A High Court eventually cleared Mr Anwar of the charges in January 2012, citing a lack of evidence.
In the 2013 general election, Mr Anwar led the opposition into what was seen as the country's most hotly-contested polls to date.
The three-party opposition comprised Mr Anwar's multi-racial party, a secular Chinese-majority party and a conservative party of Muslim Malays.
The Pakatan Rakyat promised bold changes, including doing away with race-based policies that it says breed corruption and hamper economic growth. It instead pushed for a more competitive system based on merit.
The alliance also said it was seeking to end monopolies in certain sectors and free up civil liberties.
This played well with young voters, in cities and with Chinese voters - but in the end was not enough to unseat the ruling coalition, who Mr Anwar accused of electoral fraud.
Mr Anwar says that his latest jailing will not stop his supporters.
"They will continue with or without Anwar. No-one is indispensable," he said.
"Authoritarian leaders always believe the best way to deal with dissidents is to jail them, but throughout history, it has always backfired." | Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is well aware of the perils and pitfalls of political life. | 16440290 |
Spurs have agreed an undisclosed fee, thought to be about £7m, for the 23-year-old, who has won 14 caps.
Chadli is with Spurs in Hong Kong for the Asia Cup, and having agreed terms and passed a medical, could make his debut against Monaco on 3 August.
FC Twente won 65% of their Eredivisie matches last season when Nacer Chadli played. Without him, they only won 25%.
Source: Opta Sports
He joined FC Twente from AGOVV Apeldoorn in 2010 and played 106 times for the club, scoring 31 goals.
Two of those strikes came in Champions League matches against Spurs in the 2010-11 season.
Chadli becomes the third Belgian player at White Hart Lane, alongside Mousa Dembele and
The London club have also sealed the £17m capture of Brazilian international midfielder Paulinho during the close season. | Tottenham have completed the signing of Belgium international winger Nacer Chadli from Dutch club FC Twente. | 23397482 |
In total, 23 candidates were nominated for recognition in seven categories, including business and art, culture and sports, as well as young achievers.
Winners were announced at a ceremony in City Hall on Saturday night.
Women of ethnic backgrounds who had been victims of violence were also recognised.
The Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association awards, held every two years, aim to identify female role models.
Fatma Alan, who was recognised for her work after suffering domestic abuse, said it was important people "go out and speak about it - so people act faster".
"People are stuck in that situation for so long because they don't know what it's like out of the relationship - they're scared that the outside could be worse. I didn't know there was support out there - I didn't know organisations existed to help and support."
Science, technology medicine: Prof Kamila Hawthorne, vice chair (professional development) at the Royal College of General Practitioners and associate dean for medicine at the University of Surrey.
Management and leadership: Uzo Iwobi, chief executive officer of Race Council Cymru, who was also named ambassador for the awards.
Arts, culture and sports: Leanne Rahman (joint winner), arts and education project administrator for the Arts Council of Wales, who co-ordinates Black History Month Wales.
Arts, culture and sports: Angeline Tshiyane (joint winner), who set up a support group for Zimbabwean women in Wales called Madzimai Pamwe and works promoting sports development with people of ethnic backgrounds.
Social and humanitarian: Martha Holman, founder of the Love Zimbabwe charity and Love Zimbabwe Fair Trade Company that imports and sells crafts from Zimbabwe.
Self development: Versha Sood (joint winner) a registered nurse who leads Hafod dementia care in Wales and helps organise cultural events across Indian British and other community associations in Cardiff.
Self development: Fateha Ahmed (joint winner) who works fulltime with Race Equality First in conjnction with doing volunteer community work.
Business: Derin Omole, who combines her work as a sexual health professional with her business Twale Cuisine Limited.
Young achiever: Queena Lee, who is studying in Cardiff while also heading a team of 80 volunteers with the ACE Cardiff charity, which promotes the importance of equal educational opportunity.
Fatma Alan: Suffered domestic abuse and has gone on to complete a BSc (Hons) in Dental Technology.
Omonigho Idegun: After being trafficked to the UK from Nigeria, she is now an event organiser for vulnerable people.
Gaynor Legall: Described as "a formidable champion of ethnic minority women in Wales" Ms Legall has served on the city council before going on to work in the voluntary sector and then the Welsh Assembly.
Dr Layla Jader: After leaving her home country of Iran, Dr Jader worked for 37 years in the NHS and was a consultant in public health genomics.
Norma Glass: The Welsh representative on the UK Board of Deputies of British Jews, she was recognised for her "lifetime commitment to community cohesion, integration and racial equality".
Chantal Patel: Came to the UK from Mauritius to train as a nurse before going on to qualify as a solicitor. Now lectures throughout the UK on mental capacity and medical documentation. | Women and girls from from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds have been celebrated for the significant contributions they make to Welsh life. | 39831057 |
The Clevedon sea swimmers - come rain, shine or even snow - are continuing to keep a tradition alive that has been going on since the 1930s.
On an almost daily basis they don bright coloured swimming hats and battle the elements to swim in the sea at the Somerset resort before drying off and warming up with a cup of hot chocolate.
Sometimes they are only in the water for a matter of minutes, other days they will swim around the pier, depending on the tides and weather.
Now their morning outings have been captured by news and feature photographer Brad Wakefield, from Burnham-on-Sea.
Mr Wakefield, 26, said: "I have grown to love their attitude and sheer embrace of their surroundings.
"I have witnessed their pure dedication first hand, swimming through all weather as the seasons have changed from beautiful blue skies to painfully cold, snowy days."
The group of swimmers - aged 30 to 80 years old - swells in size from nine or ten in the winter to 20 or 30 in the summer.
Self-confessed as "totally mad", the "all year rounders", say the cold makes it all the more fun.
"I don't like swimming in swimming pools now, it's just too warm," former primary school teacher Dee Hamilton-Jones said.
"It all started with a conversation about swimming hats.
"I asked one of the members 'where did you get your swim hat?' and she said 'you must come down', but this was winter time and she said, 'don't start now, start in May', that's the best time to start."
Dee, 71, swims alongside her husband, 66-year-old Richard.
"The theory is, if you can cope with going in the British sea in the summer, the next day it only gets a little bit colder than the previous day," Mr Hamilton-Jones said.
"And if you keep going and keep going, you think, 'ok, it's December 31, but it can't be much colder than the day before'.
"It is absolutely wonderful. Somebody once said it's like having a high on oxygen."
The Clevedon Sea Swimming Photographic Exhibition will run from 9 March to 24 March at the Toll House Gallery on Clevedon Pier. | "Wet suits are frowned upon... you're not allowed a wet suit." | 21684786 |
Nurettin Canikli told the BBC that the number of arrests could grow.
At least 60,000 state employees have been detained or suspended in an internationally criticised purge.
But Mr Canikli criticised Turkey's allies for "only half-heartedly" condemning the "coup-makers".
The government accuses those loyal to the US-based exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the coup. Mr Gulen has denied any involvement.
"For 40 years this terror organisation has infiltrated the furthest corners of the country - ministries, all institutions and the private sector," Mr Canikli said.
"It's not just the judiciary, courts, the police, the military. It includes education. And in fact, education is the field that they have entered best," he said.
Education ministry officials, private school teachers and university heads of faculty together account for more than half the people targeted in the crackdown.
On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency for three months following the coup.
The state of emergency allows the president and cabinet to bypass parliament when drafting new laws and to restrict or suspend rights and freedoms.
The move has drawn criticism from leaders in France and Germany, as well as from top EU officials. Turkey has applied to join the bloc, but talks over its membership have been making very slow progress.
Mr Canikli defended the post-coup measures, saying they were only targeting people who had been "100% identified".
He described the "terrorist" group behind the coup as a greater threat to Turkey than the so-called Islamic State militants or the Kurdish militant group, PKK.
Members of the group, he said, had "practically had their brains removed".
"They've been hypnotised. They're like robots. Each one of them is a potential threat. They could commit all sorts of attacks, including suicide bombs."
Critics of Mr Erdogan have accused him of consolidating power on a scale largely unprecedented since Turkey's first democratic elections in 1946 and of using the state of emergency to acquire more power for the presidency. | Turkey's deputy prime minister has described as "the tip of the iceberg" the infiltration of state institutions by the group the government blames for last Friday's failed coup. | 36868230 |
The UK version of the website sold more than 7.4m items while other retailers had problems with web sales due to huge demand.
Retail analysts said online sales were estimated to have passed £1bn on a single day for the first time.
The discount day originated in the US, traditionally kick-starting the Christmas shopping period.
Argos confirmed it had experienced delays on its site after "extremely high levels of visits". John Lewis said its site had been down for a short time in the afternoon.
Last year's Black Friday saw shoppers in the UK fighting over bargains in some stores, leading some retailers to hire extra security staff over the weekend to prevent a repeat.
But analysts said this year many shoppers had chosen the internet over the high street.
Justin Opie, director of the UK's online retail association IMRG said: "The big difference is the industry was much more prepared because it was chaos last year. That was bad for customers and bad for the retailers so everything was much smoother this time."
The BBC's Adam Kirtley, who was at Debenhams' flagship store on Oxford Street in London, said: "The doors opened at 8am and there was a very orderly trickle of people coming in to bargain hunt. No queues, no hassle."
Many big stores have opted for a week long sales period this year and IMRG predict figures will reach over £3bn by Monday - which retailers refer to as Cyber Monday.
The first two Mondays of December tend to be the busiest online shopping days, after browsing over the weekend.
Retail analyst Nick Bubb added: "It looks as if Black Friday spending has been more spread out this year and more weighted to online, but every indication is that the combined event will be bigger than last year overall."
Some retailers in the UK decided not to take part in the event this year. Supermarket chain Asda said it was pulling out due to "shopper fatigue around flash sales". | Online retailer Amazon says it had its biggest sales day in the UK as shoppers rushed to buy bargains on Black Friday. | 34952739 |
Llwyn Celyn, near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, has been covered in scaffolding since the 1990s with its fate "hanging in the balance".
Historic building charity the Landmark Trust has already raised £1.3m for the restoration project.
But a further £385,000 is needed so work can begin next year.
The HLF grant will help the group to restore the main house, a medieval hall, for self-catering holiday accommodation which could be available by 2018.
Outbuildings will be converted into education and interpretation centres for the local community.
And it has changed little since a floor was put into its open hall in the 17th Century.
Features include decorated door heads and a fixed bench in the central hall.
Today, the building's floors have been braced with metal props and there are concerns about damp and decay in its timber structure as well as the leaking roof.
"Such remarkable historic buildings are irreplaceable," said Dr Anna Keay from the Landmark Trust.
"If no one intervenes then these rare buildings not only disappear forever from our landscape, but so do the stories that these sites tell us about the lives of our ancestors."
Landmark Trust acquired the site from its private owners in 2012 with grants from Cadw, the Welsh government's historic environment service, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. | A group hoping to restore a 15th Century manor house has received a £2.5m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help fund the £4m work. | 33693834 |
Playing down concerns about the city's transport network, he also insisted the Games would make money.
"We are going to be selling London," he told the BBC, adding that the Games had already brought "fantastic investment".
Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has called a planned strike by UK border staff on the eve of the Games "an absolute disgrace".
It comes after International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge told reporters he was satisfied with security arrangements for London 2012.
Mr Johnson told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "If you look at what Jacques Rogge had to say last night, he's been in London for a few days, he thinks that our city is as well-prepared as any city in the history of the Games."
And he said that so far the capital's traffic and transport systems were "holding up well, touch wood".
In other developments:
Mr Johnson said that as the heads of most of the world's biggest businesses were visiting, "we are going to be selling London".
"The Olympic Games have already been responsible for fantastic investment in this city," he said.
"Pension funds from across the world are investing in the Olympic sites right now... to say nothing of all the transport investment, which is transforming London.
The BBC's home of 2012: Latest Olympic news, sport, culture, torch relay, video and audio
"I defy the critics of the Olympics to say that this is not producing economic benefits for the city."
He said 512,000 people were understood to have turned out to see the torch relay on Saturday, and that most people in London were looking forward to the opening ceremony.
Meanwhile, Mr Hunt criticised members of the PCS union who have voted to go on strike on Thursday, the eve of the opening ceremony.
The action will involve staff across the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau.
Mr Hunt told the BBC: "It's an absolute disgrace. It's totally out of sync with the way everybody else is behaving."
He denied the strike would impact on preparations for the Games, adding: "We have a contingency plan in place and I am absolutely confident that we will get everyone into the country."
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka told Sky News the strike was a "last resort" and he hoped it could be avoided.
He said: "We've still got a few days to avoid the dispute, I've written to Theresa May, we've written to the management of the Home Office."
Mr Serwotka said that 8,500 jobs were being cut, and 22% of staff at the border were to lose their jobs "even though we routinely have queues and passenger anger is rising all the time".
He added: "These are not demands about personal gain, they are about defending important services, the security of the country and ensuring that people still have the chance to work all the year round."
A Home Office spokesman urged the union to call off the strike, branding it "irresponsible".
"Staff from across government including from the Home Office, MoD police and seconded police officers have been trained to work at the border," he said.
"Those who have not already volunteered specifically for the Olympics are being asked to offer their support on 26 July." | London is as well-prepared as any city in Olympic history to host the Games, Mayor Boris Johnson has said. | 18944191 |
To celebrate its century, we test your knowledge of some of the most famous players and moments the ground has seen.
This content will not work on your device, please check Javascript and cookies are enabled or update your browser | The Oval this week stages its 100th Test when England face South Africa. | 40720980 |
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