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The news comes three months before the first film, starring Eddie Redmayne, is due in cinemas.
JK Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on Fantastic Beasts, will also script the sequel.
Warner Bros said the second film "moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world".
David Yates - who directed the final four Harry Potter films - will return at the helm, having also directed Fantastic Beasts.
Rowling previously said the Fantastic Beasts films - based on her book of the same name - would be a trilogy, but this is the first time Warner Bros has confirmed the plan.
The first instalment will be released in the UK and US on 18 November.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email [email protected]. | Warner Bros has announced a sequel to upcoming Harry Potter spin-off film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. | 36964532 |
France remembered that lesson on Tuesday as it celebrated Bastille Day - the anniversary of the storming of that notorious Paris prison 226 years ago, marking the start of a revolution against the elite.
And alongside celebration of France's historic past is a widespread sense of pride that its president, Francois Hollande, helped secure a Greek deal with its eurozone creditors.
Greece has a fondness for its own revolutionary history: its struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th Century lasted more than a decade.
It was a sentiment that former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt played on when he address his Greek counterpart in the European Parliament last week.
"Do you want to be remembered as an electoral accident?" he asked Alexis Tsipras, "Or a revolutionary reformer?"
President Hollande probably can't remember the last time he was called a revolutionary.
But his role at the heart of those dark and stormy crisis talks was clear. Photographs from the discussions show Mr Hollande and Germany's Angela Merkel huddled with Mr Tsipras, their faces a barometer of the tense triangular deadlock they were grappling with.
With the German chancellor beholden to rising anger at home over Greek debt, and with a German plan for a "Grexit" - or Greek departure from the eurozone - already circulating among representatives, it was the French president who seemingly smoothed the waters and found a compromise.
And after living through the worst opinion poll ratings of any modern French leader, he'll probably be content with the labels currently being bestowed on him by members of his Socialist Party.
There have been hymns of praise for his "political skill" and "tenacity". Many credit him with single-handedly keeping Greece in the eurozone.
"There are times when very few people hold in their hands a piece of history. Today Francois Hollande is one of them," the former Housing Minister, Cecile Duflot, was quoted as saying on Sunday night.
But then, as French journal Le Point points out, perhaps Mr Hollande's own party had forgotten just how good a negotiator he is.
His role in the Socialist Party, until he won the presidency, had been one of diplomat and technocrat - a skilled bringer-together of the fractious Socialist factions.
These are skills he was derided for as leader, but which allow him to shine in tight corners like the one the European Union found itself in last weekend.
That there was political mileage for Mr Hollande in refusing to give up on Greece is clear, as his critics on both the far left and the right point out.
His party is ideologically sympathetic to Greece's left-wing Syriza, brought to power on a protest vote against budget cuts.
And, of course, France has itself sometimes played fast and loose with EU rules on fiscal discipline itself.
But just as important in this battle may have been the display of France's weight in Europe.
German power - both economic and political - is a reality, but Berlin's vision is frequently different to the view here in Paris, and keeping the balance at the heart of the EU has not always been easy for the French leadership.
The leader of France's far-left bloc, Jean-Luc Melenchon, spoke of his sadness at the result of Sunday's talks, with a reference to the "brutality and omnipotence of the German government".
For now the critical voices ranged against Mr Hollande are relatively few, but will that change if France is forced to help bankroll Greece in the coming weeks?
Athens needs immediate help to avoid a banking collapse, while negotiations begin on a third bailout agreement.
And EU finance ministers have been looking at where a bridging loan might come from.
The European Commission wants to use joint EU money, although the UK has ruled that out and other non-eurozone governments also have concerns.
Talk of bilateral loans from individual eurozone countries is resurfacing again, although French sources have denied that is an option.
However, President Hollande should enjoy the celebrations now, because the price of keeping Greece in the euro may still prove higher than anyone wants to imagine. | If there's one thing the French Revolution taught Europe, it is that a heavy-handed approach to an impoverished nation can be dangerous. | 33527292 |
Joseph McCloskey, who operated the page, is also to appeal the decision.
In February, a judge found him and Facebook Ireland Limited liable for misuse of private information.
The plaintiff, CG, was convicted in 2007 of a number of sex offences. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and released on licence in 2012.
In 2014, he brought an action seeking damages and an injunction on the basis that Facebook and Mr McCloskey had misused private information, in breach of Articles 2, 3 and 8 of the European Court of Human Rights, and were guilty of actionable negligence.
A judge awarded £15,000 against Facebook and Mr McCloskey in respect of the postings on the page.
The judge also awarded £5,000 against Facebook over the postings by the father of one of CG's victims, who operated a separate page.
He also ordered Facebook to close the page Keeping our Kids Safe from Predators 2.
Since the verdict, two of CG's victims have gone to court to sue him.
An injunction was granted to freeze any payouts until those cases are dealt with.
On Wednesday, lawyers for Facebook and Mr McCloskey lodged papers at the Court of Appeal.
The appeals are expected to be mentioned in June. | Facebook is to appeal a High Court ruling that ordered it to pay £20,000 in damages to a convicted sex offender who featured on its site. | 32339184 |
Bristol City Council granted Gloucestershire County Cricket Club (GCCC) planning permission for six floodlights at a meeting on Wednesday.
The 147ft-high (45m) pylons will be built at the stadium at a cost of £1.1m but used only 15 times a year.
Gloucestershire's chief executive said it put Bristol "on a par with all the big sporting cities in the country".
Four Cricket World Cup matches are due to be played at the ground in 2019 but to meet the cricket board's requirements, floodlights were needed.
"If we'd lost the Cricket World Cup and hadn't attracted future internal matches here, we'd have had to have a very close look at our finances," said chief executive Will Brown.
"Luckily that hasn't happened and it's a bright future ahead."
The club has been given a £700,000 grant towards the cost of the lighting by the England and Wales Cricket Board. | Plans to floodlight cricket matches at the County Ground in Bristol have been given the go-ahead. | 32528372 |
A business unit is to be set up in the city hall promotional agency, London and Partners, and its French counterpart Paris&Co.
A joint tourism scheme is due to be launched next year, City Hall said.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said "two of the world's greatest cities" had "so much to gain from joining forces".
Prime Minister Theresa May is to trigger Article 50 on Wednesday - beginning formal negotiations on Brexit.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo said: "Paris and London share common values and willpower."
The "Paris-London Business Welcome Program" will be run by a "small dedicated team" aiming to "encourage and facilitate the flow of trade and investment between the two cities", a spokesman said.
London receives more inward investment from Paris than any other global city, having attracted £2.6bn that has generated almost 10,000 jobs in the last 10 years, according to City Hall.
Paris, in comparison, is the largest European destination for foreign direct investment from London, with more than 160 London-based companies set up in the city since 2006, creating 7,500 jobs.
And, according to figures released by the partnership, tourists spend in excess of £30bn and support up to 1.2m jobs in both London and Paris.
A London and Partners spokesman told the BBC it was hoped similar schemes would be rolled out "to other European and world cities". | The mayors of London and Paris have announced joint tourism and business schemes, a day before the UK's formal exit from the EU is triggered. | 39420136 |
The World Judo Masters in Mexico is the final qualification event before Rio.
Only one of the -78kg judoka can be selected, with Powell leading the qualifying race by 492 points.
"Off the mat we get on as well as anybody in the team but I think it will be difficult in Mexico because we'll be sharing a room," Powell, from Beulah in Powys, told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"We're the only two [British] people competing on the last day and the rest of the team leave before we compete. So that's not ideal.
"So they've put all the pressure on us in the last tournament.
"We've shared a room plenty of times before so I'm sure it will be fine, but it's an odd situation to be in at the last qualification competition."
Powell beat Gibbons to win gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, and beat her this year to claim bronze at the European Championships in Russia.
The Masters, starting on 27 May, carries 700 qualifying points so Gibbons could overtake Powell - although the pair might not meet on the mat.
"It comes down to this competition basically," added Powell.
"This event carries the most points of the whole cycle. If she wins it and I didn't get a result then she would go, and basically I've just got to medal and do better than her then I'll be going." | British judo rivals Natalie Powell and Gemma Gibbons will have to share a room before competing for Olympic selection. | 36375272 |
The capital's museums make up the top three most googled museums in the world, with the Science Museum leading the results.
The research was carried out to launch London's Autumn Season of Culture.
It also stated that the Natural History Museum was the second most searched-for and the British Museum was third.
The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, followed in the findings.
The research was carried out by London & Partners, the London mayor's official promotional company.
The director of the Science Museum, Ian Blatchford, said: "It's fantastic that so many people across world are seeking out the Science Museum, and this new data provides yet more evidence of the world class status of British museums."
London Mayor Boris Johnson added that "London is without a doubt the cultural capital of the world".
London's theatres also generate more searches than those in any other city, and the capital is the most searched for city in the world to visit, figures show. | London has been named the most googled city in the world for its art galleries, performing arts and innovative design. | 33770969 |
Marcus Berg put Panathinaikos ahead in the third minute, but former Leicester midfielder Esteban Cambiasso equalised seven minutes before half-time.
Manuel da Costa put the hosts in front on 87 minutes and ex-West Brom striker Brown Ideye made it 3-1 on 89.
Olympiakos had sealed their 43rd title last month with six games to spare. | Olympiakos extended their lead at the top of the Greek Superleague to 20 points as they beat Panathinaikos in the Athens derby with two late goals. | 35749253 |
Fire broke out at the Funky Funhouse in Mercers Row, Cambridge, at about 22:40 BST on Friday, destroying the soft play area, cafe and day nursery.
No-one was inside at the time, but the company estimates damage caused by the blaze to cost about £750,000 to repair.
About 2,500 people were expected to use the centre over the long weekend, they added. The fire was started deliberately, an investigation found.
Aaron Othman, one of the company's directors, said it was "hugely distressing as everything inside is gone".
He said he believed the building had been broken into, and the safe and tills emptied, but was still waiting to see if the structure was safe to enter.
"It's the worst possible time," he said.
"We had eight birthday parties booked today [Saturday] and were expecting about 700 people.
"We're working hard to make arrangements with other venues so we don't disappoint the children."
The company had just completed work on a new day nursery within the complex, and was awaiting the "OK from Ofsted" before opening, Mr Othman added.
Fire crews were called in from neighbouring Suffolk to assist Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service tackle the blaze at the centre, which is situated on an industrial estate close to a recycling depot. | About 40 firefighters tackled a blaze which gutted a children's play centre. | 39608383 |
Shahzad Shah, 56, died following an incident at Mirchi Indian takeaway in Mintlaw on Monday 11 April.
Hidayet Ozden, 52, of Falkirk, appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court charged with murder and assault.
He made no plea or declaration, was fully committed, and was released on bail. | A man has appeared in court for a second time charged with murder after the death of a man at a takeaway in Aberdeenshire. | 36113560 |
Thirteen people died and dozens were injured when a van ploughed into crowds in the city's Las Ramblas area in the afternoon.
The Belfast Telegraph speaks to a newlywed couple from west Belfast who were caught up in the horror.
Martin and Sharon Kane were on honeymoon in the city and described the scene as "chaos".
"People were screaming and crying. It was a stampede," Mr Kane told the paper. "We just ran into the nearest hotel. We were all panicked and Sharon was crying her eyes out."
The Irish News also reports on a County Armagh woman who was near the area at the time. Alana Fearon describes how "up to 13 police vans with riot police came past us".
"A police car came up and policeman shouted 'indoors, indoors' on a megaphone".
Ms Fearon, from Camlough, said she hopes to fly back to Dublin soon.
The News Letter speaks to Lurgan man Peter Nesbitt who teaches in the city.
Mr Nesbitt was not caught up in the attack, but has heard constant sirens since.
"The attack on Barcelona is something I did imagine happening," he said, citing the number of "western tourists" in the city.
Elsewhere in the papers, there's a stark warning about the dangers of drugs on the front page of the Irish News.
The "heartbroken" family of a west Belfast man who died of a drugs overdose, has made an "emotional appeal" to young people to stay away from drugs.
Darren McCann was found dead in October, after a lethal prescription drugs overdose.
His dad, Damien, said: "I loved him with all my heart. A part of me has died.
"We lost our son and I hope you can open your eyes and see what it does and what it has done to our lives."
James Brown once sang that it was a "man's world".
But women and girls in Northern Ireland have once again trounced their male counterparts in A-level results, report the papers.
One third of entries (33.3%) from girls achieved A* or A grades, compared to 26.8% of entries from boys getting those grades.
However, the Irish News reports that reasons behind the gender disparity are to be investigated.
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) chief Justin Edwards said: "Whilst we must recognise and celebrate the achievements of female students, a widening of the gender gap is a concern."
The News Letter reports that while girls may be achieving better overall, there are still concerns when it comes to the number of female pupils doing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
More girls have studied STEM subjects over the last four years but growth has not been the same this year.
The Lisburn Road may be one of the most salubrious places to shop in Belfast but, according to the Belfast Telegraph, it's also where to go if you want a parking ticket.
The paper reports that more tickets were issued on the BT9 road in six months than in four towns, Coleraine, Strabane, Portrush and Dungannon, put together.
Figures obtained from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) show 1,761 penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued on the Lisburn Road in the time period.
After Belfast, the second most ticketed place is Newry.
Incidentally, there are some perks if you live in one of the following 12 towns, where no parking tickets were issued at all:
The DfI said illegal parking has "knock-on impacts" for those trying to get around towns and cities. | The papers all lead with local angles on Thursday's horrific attack in Barcelona. | 40972027 |
The 29-year-old tore ligaments during training before Belgium's Euro 2016 quarter-final against Wales in Lille on Friday.
Belgium manager Marc Wilmots said: "It happened all alone this morning in the last minute of training."
Vertonghen looks set to miss the early part of the Premier League season, which starts on 13 August.
He played in Belgium's three group games at Euro 2016 as well as Sunday's 4-0 win over last 16- opponents Hungary.
Wilmots added: "I was about to whistle for the end of training, he received a ball in front of me and fell to the ground clutching his left ankle."
Vertonghen said: "Gutted to say that my Euros is over. Good luck to my team-mates for the rest of the competition."
Wales manager Chris Coleman said: "He is a good player, an outstanding performer. But they have so much talent."
Vertonghen played at left-back for Belgium at Euro 2016 but was an option to move to centre-back against Wales to cover for Thomas Vermaelen's suspension.
Jason Denayer may partner Toby Alderweireld in central defence, with fellow 21-year-old Jordan Lukaku at left-back.
"I still have a few alternatives to replace Jan," said Wilmots. "I will think it through and we will decide tomorrow."
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Belgium and Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has been ruled out for up to eight weeks with an ankle injury. | 36676354 |
Controversial plans to add a further 16 turbines at Scout Moor, on land between Rochdale and Rossendale, were approved earlier this year.
But now the government has "called in" the decision by Rossendale Borough Council to approve 14 of the turbines.
It means a public inquiry will be held before further progress is made.
Scout Moor wind farm opened in 2008 with the 26 existing wind turbines generating enough electricity for 40,000 homes.
Rochdale Borough Council approved plans for the final two turbines to be added.
Opponents are concerned the expansion of the wind farm will impact negatively on the natural beauty of the area.
But energy companies Peel Energy and United Utilities said consultations have shown opposition to the plans is low.
MW = Megawatts
Source: RenewableUK | The government will make the final decision on plans to create what is believed to be England's largest onshore wind farm. | 34977768 |
Finbarr O'Connell, from Smith & Williamson, said Caterham F1 operator 1MRT had made an "inadequate" offer to continue using the Leafield site.
Administrators have taken control of the building, where F1 cars were made.
Mr O'Connell said he was trying to resolve the situation with 1MRT but until then had locked staff out.
Employees from Caterham Sports Limited - which manufactures cars for the F1 team and is run as a separate company - were transferred to 1MRT when the company was placed into administration on Friday.
Mr O'Connell said 200 jobs were at risk and up to £20m was owed to external suppliers.
One employee at the site said: "We've just been given a letter saying we're not allowed in today - it seems to be a very confused situation.
"People are confused and disillusioned by it all.
"It's a shame that it's ended so abruptly. It's not looking good - I think it could be the end."
Tony Fernandes, who owns the Air Asia airline and Queens Park Rangers football club, sold the team to a Swiss and Middle eastern consortium, Engavest SA, in July.
The consortium has insisted Caterham Sports Ltd is not related to them, as they had transferred operations to the team's holding company, 1MRT.
Developments at Caterham have brought into question the team's participation in the forthcoming US Grand Prix, which takes place in Austin, Texas, on 2 November, and the race in Brazil the following weekend.
In a statement, Caterham F1 said: "The administrators' appointment has had devastating effects on the F1 team's activities." | Staff working at the Caterham F1 team site in Oxfordshire have been locked out of the firm's premises, the administrator has told the BBC. | 29738116 |
The £780,000 project also includes four new exhibitions detailing the history of the landmark, the town and former monarchs.
The work, funded by the EU Regional Development Fund, is part of the wider regeneration of the town's waterfront.
The castle is one of Wales' top visitor attractions.
The new features include: | Life-size chess and a new entrance are among the improvements at the newly refurbished Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd. | 33372632 |
There was an 8% rise in the number of people attending emergency departments from 24 December to 3 January compared to the same period last year.
More than a third of patients were not seen within the four-hour target.
That means they were not triaged, treated and either admitted or discharged within four hours.
The pressure was most acute in Antrim Area Hospital, where 198 people waited for 12 hours while 128 patients had to wait the same period of time at the Ulster.
In Craigavon Hospital, 71 people faced a 12-hour wait, while in at The Royal Victoria Hospital it was 53.
According to figures released by the Health and Social Care Board (HSC), the percentage of patients seen within the target four-hour period was:
While Emergency Departments remain busy, the commitment and professionalism of staff across the health and social care system had led to an improving situation, said an HSC Board spokesperson.
"The public can also assist us by only attending an Emergency Department if their condition is urgent, so helping to ensure that the sickest patients get the care they need," said the spokesperson.
"We would urge people to consider other care options available to them such as their GP, nearest Minor Injury Unit or local pharmacy if their symptoms are not urgent.
"Patients who present at Emergency Departments will always be dealt with in order of clinical priority, so more acutely ill patients will be seen first.
"It is regrettable that some people are having to wait longer to be treated in Emergency Departments or to be admitted to hospital at this time." | Nearly 650 people had to wait at least 12 hours to be admitted, discharged or transferred from emergency departments over the Christmas period. | 38523600 |
Third-placed Pompey made light work of Grimsby in Tuesday's 4-0 win at Fratton Park with midfielder Baker scoring.
"We just feel like we're right at it at the moment," he told BBC Radio Solent. "In the dressing room, the lads are so confident over the last few weeks."
Victory opened up a six-point gap for Paul Cook's side to fourth-placed Carlisle with nine games remaining.
Three successive victories for Portsmouth have seen them keep three clean sheets and net 14 goals.
"We needed a reaction after losing at home to Crewe earlier this month and the past three games we've been tremendous," Baker, 34, added.
"It's obviously about the wins at this stage of the season, but deep down we know we've been bang at it.
"But, there's still a lot of points to play for so we need to keep taking each game at a time and we won't look at the table too much and get carried away." | Portsmouth's Carl Baker believes they will take some stopping in the race for automatic promotion from League Two. | 39278461 |
During his visit to the US, he enveloped Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg in a massive hug and reprised the embrace with President Barack Obama in New York. In August, he hugged the crown prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, inspiring some droll memes.
Mr Modi has also hugged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The mother of all hugs came in January with a humongous embrace of President Obama. Delirious Indian news channels ran tickers screaming 'Modi/Obama hug' because, as The New York Times reported, "this was not expected". The newspaper dubbed the development as a "quadrilateral security hug".
Whatever the case, Mr Modi has learned to stop worrying about public displays of affection when he meets the rich and the powerful: Google "Modi hugging", and it spits out more than 300,000 results in under a second.
Indians and their politicians are not known for being so touchy-feely. Cuban leader Fidel Castro scandalised many Indians when he gave former prime minister Indira Gandhi a huge hug during a summit in Delhi in 1983. Mrs Gandhi, wrote a biographer Pranay Gupte, "never an emotionally demonstrative person, visibly recoiled from the hug, managing only a faintly polite smile in the interest of diplomatic niceties".
Even Mr Modi was different in his early days as a party functionary in Delhi. Biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay remembers him as a "warm and affectionate man and his overall body language touched a chord". Much later, as the chief minister of Gujarat, he could be a "bit cold and remote" with his peers at meetings, "shaking hands and maybe touching somebody on his shoulders if he knew somebody particularly well".
"But this is different, this hugging spree. He was never so overt and aggressive in his public display of affection," says Mr Mukhopadhyay. "His bear hugs are to convey the message that he's the representative of more than a billion Indians. He's saying 'I have demographic clout'.
"And he's sending the message back home that 'I am being respected around the world, so respect me at home and give me your votes'. It's a powerful piece of imagery."
People see before they hear, and a leader's body language is a vital asset. The ritual of shaking hands is all about restraint and respect. Hugs go beyond the formal protocol - they show affection, comradeship and spontaneity. Mr Modi, clearly, believes that hugs fetch more dividends; they are not about cuddly politics alone.
The body language is also tweaked to cater to different audiences. Sociologist Shiv Visvanathan says Mr Modi has three core audiences: the diaspora, foreign leaders and the Indian people.
"To the Indian masses, he speaks from a great distance. To the diaspora, he speaks with a sense of conviviality. To the world leaders, he changes his body language, gives them big hugs," says Dr Visvanathan.
"The effort is too obvious. He's trying to tell the world that he's an equal, a friend and he's very affectionate. Mr Modi is a performer. At the same time, he has become a caricature of himself. This worries me. I would like my leader to have more confidence." | Narendra Modi is the most physically demonstrative Indian leader in years. | 34389044 |
The party's shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, said powers transferred back from Brussels should go straight to the relevant devolved body.
This would include Holyrood, he said.
The UK government has already said the Scottish Parliament will have "significant new powers" after Brexit.
The Great Repeal Bill will see thousands of EU laws on everything from workers' rights to the environment scrapped or replaced with UK equivalents.
But the UK government has not yet said which of these new powers will be kept at Westminster, and which will devolved to other parts of the UK - including Scotland - after the UK leaves the EU.
The Scottish government has repeatedly accused the prime minister of planning a "power grab" because she has not confirmed that all of the powers associated with devolved areas, such as fishing and agriculture, will be handed to Holyrood once they return from Brussels.
In a speech setting out Labour's vision for a post-Brexit Britain, Sir Keir said the party's manifesto would commit to "a presumption that any new powers that are transferred back from Brussels should go straight to the relevant devolved body".
He added: "This will apply to regional government across England, as well as to the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"This was a proposal included by the Mayor of London in his Brexit White Paper and it is one a Labour government will take forward.
"A Labour approach to Brexit will be part of a radical extension of devolution, and will help bring the country together."
Sir Keir also said Labour would scrap the prime minister's Brexit plans and unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU residents before talks start.
And he said Labour wanted a deal which prioritises jobs and workers' rights, that migration rules had to change and that the EU single market should be kept "on the table".
When the UK leaves the EU, significant powers will come back from Brussels.
There's been a row for months about where they go.
The Scottish government believes those covering devolved areas - like agriculture and fisheries - must come to Edinburgh. Nicola Sturgeon has suggested anything else would be an attack on devolution.
Labour has suggested it will do that today. Presuming powers come back doesn't mean they automatically will - but Keir Starmer says his party will oversee a "radical extension of devolution" if it's in government.
This pledge goes further than the Conservatives have so far. The current government says more powers will come to Holyrood - but hasn't specified what they'll be.
That's because they think there may be a need for UK-wide frameworks in some areas.
Speaking in the House of Commons in March, Scottish Secretary David Mundell gave an "absolute guarantee" that the Scottish Parliament would get more powers as a result of Brexit.
And Prime Minister Theresa May said the UK government was discussing with the devolved administrations "the whole question of the UK framework and devolution of issues as they come back from Brussels".
She added: "The overriding aim for everything that we do when we make those decisions is making sure that we don't damage the very important single market of the UK - a market that is more important to Scotland than the EU is."
But Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood on 30 March that the Scotland Act meant the powers should "automatically come to this chamber".
She said nobody in the UK government, including during her talks with the prime minister, had given her that guarantee.
The first minister said this "leads me to suspect that what the Tories are actually planning is a power grab on this parliament, and that will be absolutely unacceptable".
Responding to Sir Keir's speech, SNP MP Stephen Gethins said Labour had handed the Conservatives a "blank cheque" on Brexit.
He added: "'Labour are weak and divided, and the mixed messages from them on Europe is clearly one of the reasons the Tories have been allowed to get away with their disastrous Hard Brexit."
The UK government's Brexit secretary, David Davis, said that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was "too weak and floundering to get a good deal in the Brexit negotiations".
He added: "A divided Labour Party, propped up by a Liberal Democrat/SNP coalition of chaos, can't even agree amongst themselves on Brexit. Putting this chaotic team in charge of negotiating with the EU would be a dangerous risk to Britain's future."
The Liberal Democrats said Labour was "failing the people" by not supporting another EU referendum, saying its Brexit plan had "more holes than a colander". | Labour has pledged to introduce a "radical extension of devolution" after Brexit if it wins the forthcoming general election. | 39707538 |
Health officials have suggested withdrawing consultant-led care at one of the region's three district hospitals due to a staffing shortage.
A protest was held in Rhyl this week to defend the unit at nearby Glan Clwyd Hospital with support now growing for the service at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
The health board said it looked forward to hearing feedback from the meeting.
Bosses, who are still consulting on a range of proposals, including retaining all services, said the quality and safety of maternity services was hugely important.
The other service at risk is at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
Prestatyn GP Dr Eamonn Jessup, chairman of the North Wales Local Medical Committee, said: "We have to have three fully staffed maternity and obstetric units in north Wales.
"Any change to that particular system is going to increase risk for mothers and babies."
The meeting is being held at the Catrin Finch Centre at Glyndwr University from 19:00 BST. | About 40 people against downgrading hospital maternity services in Wrexham have met to discuss the issue. | 34149402 |
Organisers have also written to ticket holders for the live performance to warn them in advance about the scene, which is not in the original opera.
The Opera House has since apologised for distress caused by the first night.
The 5 July performance is being screened in cinemas around the world.
The production, which is directed by the Italian director Damiano Michieletto, was heavily criticised by audience members and critics.
The Stage gave the production one star. George Hall called it a "dire evening" in which the "gratuitous gang-rape" scene provoked "the noisiest and most sustained booing I can ever recall during any performance at this address".
After the first night, Director of Opera Kasper Holten defended the controversial scene saying it "puts the spotlight on the brutal reality of women being abused during war time, and sexual violence being a tragic fact of war."
Now Holten has been joined by Alex Beard, chief executive of the Royal Opera House and Antonio Pappano, music director of The Royal Opera, in issuing a joint response in which they say they want to "assure that the public reaction to this scene has been of great concern to us and we take it very seriously.
"For this reason, we want to make sure that ticket holders are warned in advance of watching the show, that they will be seeing a scene depicting momentary nudity and violence of a threatening sexual nature."
The response which is posted on the Royal Opera House website again defends the scene saying that they "feel that the scene in question is not gratuitous but is founded in the libretto of the opera and in the context of the overall action of the piece".
But the post admits the "reactions have made a deep impact on us".
"It has never been our intention to offend members of our audience, but for the scene to prompt reflection on the consequences of such terrible crimes on their victims." | The Royal Opera House's production of William Tell, which was booed on its opening night because of a nude rape scene, has been given a 15 certificate for a cinema screening. | 33370456 |
Delivery of the S-300s was cancelled in 2010 after the UN imposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
But the Russian president gave the go-ahead after Tehran struck an interim deal with world powers to curb nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
The US and Israel have criticised the news.
The $800m (£545m) contract to deliver the system was heavily criticised at the time by Israel and the US, who feared it could be used to protect Iranian nuclear sites from air strikes.
When it was cancelled, Iran filed a lawsuit seeking billions of dollars in damages.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a statement that the sale was put on hold "entirely voluntarily" to aid the talks on Iran's nuclear programme.
The Russian defence ministry said it was now ready to supply the S-300 equipment "promptly", an official there said, quoted by Interfax.
Iran hailed the decision as a step towards "establishing stability and security in the region," the country's defence minister, Hossein Dehghan, was quoted as saying by state media.
Israel, a vocal opponent of the nuclear deal, condemned the news.
"This is a direct result of the legitimacy that Iran obtained from the emerging nuclear deal,'' said Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz.
He said it was "proof" Iran planned to use relief from sanctions for arms, rather than the welfare of the Iranian people.
But Mr Lavrov said the missiles were "entirely defensive", and were of no security threat to any country, including Israel.
US Secretary of State John Kerry had raised concerns with Mr Lavrov about the announcement, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, without elaborating.
The S-300 is a surface-to-air missile system that can be used against multiple targets including jets, or to shoot down other missiles.
It is not clear when the system would be delivered. Russia has stopped producing the model specified under the original contract and has instead offered an upgrade.
Russia was one of six major world powers to reach an outline agreement with Iran over its nuclear programme.
The sides have set a 30 June deadline to reach a comprehensive deal.
Tough negotiations lie ahead, in particular on how and when to lift sanctions.
Meanwhile, Mr Kerry is due to brief Congress, as the Obama administration attempts to persuade opponents not to block the deal's implementation.
He said they should "hold their fire" until they see a final agreement.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has cautioned against seeing the interim agreement as a guarantee of a final deal. | Russia has lifted a ban on supplying Iran with a sophisticated air defence missile system, the Kremlin has said. | 32290335 |
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is already putting together a plan for tackling the most aggressive tax schemes.
CBI boss John Cridland said action by the UK outside that process would "be a concern for global businesses".
Mr Osborne claims his crackdown will raise £1bn from multinationals.
Tax campaigners say tax reform to prevent international companies from paying low tax is hard, but possible.
John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said: "International tax rules are in urgent need of updating, but the decision for the UK to go it alone, outside the OECD process, will be a concern for global businesses, and moving the goalposts on offsetting losses risks creating a worrying precedent."
Mr Osborne's proposal has been called the "Google tax", but Google is certainly not the only large company accused of using the magic of international accounting to shift profits around the globe. The allegation is that the bulk of those profits often end up in low-tax regimes, even if an unsophisticated observer can't see how they were earned there.
Apple, Amazon, Starbucks and several others could have the UK tax collector's hounds on their trail - if the chancellor's plans work.
These companies are doing nothing that is illegal.
It was avoiding tax, not evading it, that Mr Osborne tackled in the Autumn Statement.
A recent Financial Times analysis of seven US technology giants found they paid just £54m in UK corporate tax in 2012, even though their overall sales to British customers totalled $15bn.
The problem is no-one really knows what Mr Osborne's solution is.
One thing is for sure - he did little on Wednesday to explain how a Diverted Profits Tax worked.
This is what he did say: "Today I am introducing a 25% tax on profits generated by multinationals from economic activity here in the UK which they then artificially shift out of the country."
"This new Diverted Profits Tax will raise over £1bn over the next five years."
And that was about it.
So, what could the government do to bring in the £1bn that it is looking for?
The UK is already no slouch when it comes to talking tough on tax avoiders.
The OECD is developing an Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting or BEPS (what you and I would call aggressive tax avoidance) and the chancellor never wastes an opportunity to voice his support for it.
But the action plan still has a way to go and won't be completed for another year. Mr Osborne is ahead of the curve.
That's not necessarily a good thing, say some observers.
Kevin Hindley, managing director at professional services group Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, said: "We thought the government would do something like this, as part of implementing the OECD proposals, but not so soon.
"It really is superseding what is happening internationally and it is a bit of a surprise that it's happening without consultation or discussion with business."
Then again, Mr Osborne has an election to fight in May 2015, so he may not want to wait for all the other members of the OECD to catch up.
One thing that is likely to be crucial to his new tax is another OECD initiative: "country by country" reporting.
When you read most multinationals' reports you will find profits pulled together into global or regional areas. "Country by country" reporting would force them to break down their results for each country.
The UK was the first of the 44 countries involved in the proposals to formally commit to this new regime.
So tax jurisdictions will now get a chance to see exactly where profits are coming from.
That raises great opportunities to claw back tax - but problems too.
One of the opportunities is outlined by economist and tax campaigner Richard Murphy. He calls it Unitary Apportionment Taxation. In effect it would mean using "country by country" reporting to work out where sales were made and then dividing the taxable profits accordingly.
So if 10% of sales from a multinational came from the UK, HMRC would be entitled to tax 10% of the profits.
But even Mr Murphy concedes that he would be "amazed" if it happened: "The OECD has already ruled this out as an option. But it would be a revolution in taxation - and in global taxation - if George Osborne goes down this route.
"If he did it, it would also mean an enormous row with the US. American companies would go ballistic over it."
Mr Hindley explains that sales are not necessarily a good way to apportion tax. He said: "If one company had large sales of low-margin, low-profit, goods to one jurisdiction, they could end up being taxed more than a company that say, had low sales but high-margin profits coming from the same country."
This is the argument used by Starbucks who claim that, despite its large sales to the UK, "we have found making a profit in the UK difficult and therefore have not been in a position to pay much corporation tax".
Mr Hindley said there were other methods to impose a Diverted Profits Tax, such as through withholding taxes - a tax deducted from an internal payment - or by denying companies the ability to deduct tax when paying royalties to other parts of their organisations.
But he added that it was impossible to know how such rules would interact with existing double taxation agreements and regulations over transfer pricing (that is the pricing of goods between different parts of a company) and he said that "speculation will be rife over the coming weeks". | The Confederation of British Industry has warned over Chancellor George Osborne's plans for the UK to "go it alone" on corporate tax reform. | 30319845 |
The 44-year-old Nottingham-born cueman has slipped outside of the top 64 and is in danger of losing his tour status.
Hamilton reached the third round of the Welsh Open this week and has shown glimpes of his best form after several years of struggle with a neck injury.
"Mathematically I'm against it now, but I am playing well," he told BBC Sport.
Hamilton is ranked number 68 in the world and his provisional ranking is in the 70s. He also seems unlikely to earn a place on tour through one of the eight places on offer through the Order of Merit on the European Tour events.
But if does miss out on a tour place, Hamilton, who has been as high as number 10 in the world, has no intention of giving up.
"I would try to get back on because I am playing well again and and I have been feeling fit body-wise since October," he said.
"Before October it was almost pointless, but now I can practise a bit. I am too good to be off the tour, in my opinion.
"It will be tough to get back on and I don't know what I would do next if it does happen." | Anthony Hamilton says he will fight to get back on the main snooker tour if he loses his place at the end of the current season in May. | 35604726 |
One large Georgian building was destroyed in Sunday's blaze, which is thought to have begun in a nail bar.
Three people were taken to hospital with minor burns and smoke inhalation.
South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge said: "It does look like those images from the war, when a bomb has landed on a building."
About 100 firefighters tackled the blaze on Market Hill after being called at about 18:25 BST.
Station commander John Illingworth said the fire had spread quickly and the area was still "very dangerous" for firefighters and any members of the public.
"We've got areas of the timber building that are still burning," he said.
A mansion which was built in 1776 and housed the nail boutique and a charity shop was destroyed.
"Quite often in buildings of this age you've got common timber joists that run from one building to another," Mr Illingworth said. "To try and prevent further fire spread we're having to take parts down.
"An uncontrolled collapse could cause the whole lot to come down - the buildings either side."
Christina Deke, who lives on the second floor of the building, climbed out of her window to be rescued by a firefighter.
"That was the only way out," she said. "I was prepared to jump if I had to, I could see it was getting bad. I was thinking anything could happen - it might even collapse and I will go down into the fire.
"I could feel the heat coming up from the floor as well."
Babergh district councillor Simon Barrett said a helpdesk had been opened at the town hall for those left homeless. | About 20 people have been made homeless by a fire which affected 11 properties and five businesses in Sudbury, Suffolk. | 34173892 |
Called Together Stronger (C'mon Wales), the song celebrates the team qualifying for a major football championships for the first time in more than 50 years.
The band met up with the squad on Monday to film an accompanying video.
It will be released on 20 May and raise money for the Princes Gate Trust and Tenovus Cancer Care.
Wales manager Chris Coleman said: "It was fantastic to be involved with such an iconic Welsh band.
"Manic Street Preachers have been passionate Welsh football supporters and all the lads enjoyed the experience and joined in." | Manic Street Preachers are set to release the official anthem for Wales' appearance at Euro 2016. | 35869188 |
The venison will be distributed to staff on the island‚ as well as to prison services in Cape Town.
The culling of the island's animals will happen at night and be done by a professional hunter.
Nelson Mandela's former prison on Robben Island is now a popular tourist attraction. The island is home to a variety of plant and animal species.
South Africa's first democratically elected president was imprisoned for 27 years, 18 of which were spent on Robben Island, a harsh environment off the Cape Town coast.
The cull is intended to ensure a balance of the ecosystem on the island.
Three fallow deer were brought to the island in 1963, the same year Mr Mandela was sent there but the population has since grown to 450.
"In the past‚ culling was rarely necessary‚ because residents hunted the deer for meat and thereby maintained optimal numbers," South Africa's Times newspaper quote Robben Island Museum marketing manager Bongiwe Nzeku as saying.
"However‚ hunting practices were halted in 1990, when the island was declared a museum‚" she said.
Hunters culled about 220 fallow deer in 2009‚ and the following year an animal welfare group took another 52 to a sanctuary in the Free State.
Ms Nzeku said they had sought advice from the Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals‚ the Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Correctional Services and Cape Nature "to ensure that the cull was completed humanely".
"We treasure all of the island's natural resources and protecting them is our greatest priority. We look forward to them thriving once more," she said.
The skins of the deer will be used on a craft project on the island.
The island has also been overrun by rabbits, leading to a mass cull. The meat was donated to poor families. | South Africa's Robben Island will cull 400 fallow deer which have overrun the island, officials have told the BBC. | 40366696 |
Exeter had led 10-6 at half-time at the Liberty Stadium thanks to James Short's try and the kicking of Gareth Steenson.
Dan Biggar missed more kicks at goal than he converted in the first half, but after the break the Ospreys fly-half was simply superb.
But Exeter matched them blow for blow until Matavesi's piece of opportunism.
Ospreys have had a poor start to their Pro12 league campaign, winning only twice, while Exeter arrived full of confidence as currently the second best side in the English Premiership.
But the form book seemed to be no early indicator as Ospreys edged it on the scoreboard, with Biggar kicking two penalties to Steenson's one.
The Ospreys pack, with the likes of returning Wales stars Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate and Justin Tipuric to the fore, piled into their opponents.
But Exeter countered with an adventurous back line, although a little over-eagerness spoilt some promising positions.
Exeter should have been ahead but Luke Cowan-Dickie knocked on as he dived for the line under pressure from Paul James.
The visitors did capitalise on one of their opportunities though, when Will Chudley fielded Biggar's clearance and dummied Eli Walker to go through the gaping hole his sleight of hand had created.
The scrum-half fed Short at pace and the winger ran past two poor attempted tackles by James King and Biggar to score.
Biggar's form then dipped as the fly-half, usually so accurate, missed two late penalty kicks to leave Ospreys trailing 10-6 at half-time.
The Wales star came out for the second half determined to make amends and the high kick and gather - his trademark during the World Cup - set Ospreys on the front foot, leading to a penalty that Biggar this time converted.
Although his next attempt hit the post, Ospreys continued to pile on the pressure to earn Biggar another pot at goal and the fly-half this time kicked the home side into the lead.
That lasted 10 minutes as Exeter worked their way back into the game, with Steenson kicking his second penalty when Lydiate and Tipuric were caught going off their feet at a ruck.
The lead continued to exchange hands as Biggar struck a drop-goal - having missed two earlier attempts - after his forwards rumbled him into position.
The Ospreys fly-half seemed to have overcome his blip in the nick of time for the home side, providing proof when he kicked a 40m penalty after Exeter collapsed a scrum.
A game that had been so tight then turned on a mistake, as Steenson hurled a long pass on the edge of Ospreys' 22 that was read by Matavesi.
The centre raced away and had just enough pace and presence of mind to hold off Jack Nowell and slide over the line for a converted try.
With the game between French clubs Bordeaux-Begles and Clermont Auvergne postponed due to the terrorist attacks in Paris, Ospreys hold the early advantage in Pool 2.
Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy: "It's making sure you win your home games, and see what you can pick up on the road.
"Hopefully, we can go out to Clermont, try to score some points and see where that takes us."
Exeter head coach Rob Baxter: "We didn't really look comfortable and happy out there and bursting with energy and enjoyment to really get stuck into the game.
"We were nervy and edgy early on, and then that became ragged with some ill-disciplined play later."
Ospreys: Dan Evans; Dafydd Howells, Jonathan Spratt, Josh Matavesi, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Brendon Leonard; Paul James, Scott Baldwin, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, James King.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Ryan Bevington, Aaron Jarvis, Rory Thornton, Dan Baker, Tom Habberfield, Sam Davies, Ben John.
Exeter: Jack Nowell; Matt Jess, Henry Slade, Sam Hill, James Short; Gareth Steenson (capt), Will Chudley; A Hepburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tomas Francis, Mitch Lees, Damian Welch, Dave Ewers, Julian Salvi, Don Armand.
Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Carl Rimmer, Moray Low, Ollie Atkins, Tom Johnson, Dave Lewis, Ian Whitten, Michele Campagnaro.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy).
Touch judges: Giuseppe Vivarini (Italy), Touch Judge 2 Stefano Roscini (Italy).
Fourth official: Richard Brace (England).
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy).
Citing commissioner: John Montgomery (Scotland). | Josh Matavesi's late interception try ensured Ospreys started their European Champions Cup campaign with a win against Exeter Chiefs in Swansea. | 34810757 |
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10 June 2015 Last updated at 08:22 BST
Mr Cruz said that the tornado was turning clockwise, also known as an anti-cyclonic motion.
Most tornadoes in the northern half of the globe rotate anti-clockwise.
Footage: Storm Cruzzer | Storm chaser Travis Cruz has captured this amazing footage of a large tornado swirling over fields in Colorado, USA. | 33076216 |
Matthew Jarvis' three penalties to Ben Davies' try gave Merthyr the half-time lead.
James Garland's two penalties put Aberavon in front, but Merthyr's Richard Carter and Kyle Evans crossed.
Sam Williams replied while Merthyr's Rhys Williams and Craig Locke were in the sin-bin, but Jarvis added a last minute penalty to seal victory.
Hosts Aberavon had never won the competition, but beat Bedwas 31-24 in their semi-final and had home advantage after winning the coin toss.
Merthyr reached the final in their first season in the Premiership, seeing off RGC 1404 35-7 in their semi-final.
Division 1 Play-off - 1st Leg
Trebanos 25-18 Kidwelly
National League 3 West C Plate Final
Bynea 20-9 Newcastle Emlyn II
National League 3 West C Cup Final
Aberaeron 8-20 Llandybie
Premiership Tier 2 Play-off Final
Neath 14-32 Newport
Silver Ball Final
Rhydyfelin 17-10 Tondu | Merthyr edged a pulsating Welsh Premiership Tier 1 final by holding out while down to 13 men late on. | 39963912 |
Critchley, 19, played six first-class matches last season, averaging 41, and he became the youngest Derbyshire player to score a century in May when he made 137 not out against Northants.
"I'm delighted to sign my first professional contract," Critchley said.
"It's been a special summer, making my debut and hitting my maiden century."
Elite performance director Graeme Welch said: "He has displayed the right character and skill to succeed at this level."
Lancashire-born Critchley was also part of the Derbyshire team that won the Second XI One-Day Trophy, taking nine wickets during the competition and averaging 48.50 with the bat. | Derbyshire all-rounder Matt Critchley has signed a two-year contract with Derbyshire to keep him at the club until the end of the 2017 season. | 34427886 |
The Easter Road club are searching for a new boss follow Stubbs' move to Rotherham and have spoken to former Celtic and Bolton manager Lennon, 44.
"He's got great experience, he's obviously a good man manager," Stubbs told BBC Scotland.
"It tells you about the ambitions of the club and I'm sure Hibs will be talking to other high-profile people."
Stubbs, also 44 and a team-mate of Lennon's at Celtic in season 2000-01, chose to leave Hibs less than two weeks after guiding them to a first Scottish Cup win in 114 years.
And he thinks the Edinburgh club will move swiftly to fill the vacancy.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we hear about a new appointment this week," said the former Everton and Celtic defender.
Stubbs failed to gain promotion for Hibs during his two seasons at Easter Road, twice losing out at the play-off semi-final stage.
However, he is backing his successor to lead the club back to the top-flight next season.
"I'm leaving behind a great bunch of players," said Stubbs. "It was a privilege working with them.
"I fully believe they will go on and win promotion."
Stubbs will now begin assembling his Rotherham squad and admits he will consider recruiting from Scotland, but he has pledged not to raid his former employers.
"I'd like to, but I wouldn't," he said when asked about the possibility of signing anyone from Hibs.
"There are players there I would take, but out of respect I won't be returning.
"There are certainly players in Scotland who would embrace the Championship, but I won't give you any names."
Stubbs is happy he could deliver the Scottish Cup for Hibs after such a long wait and 10 lost finals since 1902.
"It probably didn't sink in for five or six days," he said of the 3-2 success over Rangers at Hampden. "I'm glad to be leaving on the back of such an amazing win.
"That Saturday and Sunday [the cup parade through Edinburgh] will stay with me forever.
"It's such a fantastic club and I thoroughly enjoyed my two years." | Alan Stubbs believes Neil Lennon would be "a good choice" to replace him as the manager at Hibernian. | 36455238 |
Staff at Blair Castle are trying to track down the wartime pen pals after discovering the 70-year-old letter.
Keepsakes including cigarette cards and dominoes were also found during the castle's annual winter clean-up.
The two boys, named Archie and Bill, could be aged in their 80s today.
The short letter found behind a radiator in the grand ballroom was penned from Archie, who was staying at Boturich Castle in Dunbartonshire, to Bill, at Blair Castle, in November 1945.
The letter begins by asking after Bill, comments on how quiet it is without him, and goes on to tell of another friend, Jackie, who is "going away for good".
Many children were sent from their city homes to stay in the countryside for safety from wartime bombing raids.
Stuart Letford, marketing and communications officer at Blair Castle, said: "It is incredible to think that Archie's letter to Bill has been lying hidden for such a long, long time in one of the castle's 30 rooms and it would be fascinating to hear more about their story and their memories of being evacuated during the war.
"Who were Bill and Archie? Where were they from? Do they even still know each other? Are they both still alive?
"It must have been a frightening time for them during the war, but we hope Bill enjoyed his time exploring Blair Castle and the surrounding area during his stay."
The castle's archive team also found a photograph of the 8th Duke of Atholl with the evacuees who stayed in the area during the war, one of whom may be Bill. | Correspondence between two young boys evacuated to the Scottish countryside during World War Two has been found stuffed down the back of a radiator at a Perthshire castle. | 31797599 |
It said the map illustrates the "post code lottery" of sanctions - when claimants have their payments stopped.
And it warned that homeless people are being affected disproportionately.
However the government said that the number of people being sanctioned had actually fallen over the last year.
It said there were 170,000 fewer sanctions in the year to September 2014 than in the year before.
But in its report, Crisis claims the system is still deeply unfair.
It said sanctions rates varied between 15.4 per hundred claimants per month in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, and 1.8 per hundred in the Western Isles.
"Evidence is mounting of a punitive and deeply flawed regime," said Jon Sparkes, the chief executive of Crisis.
"Sanctions are cruel, and can leave people at severe risk of homelessness - cold, hungry and utterly destitute," he said.
Since April 2000, more than six million people have had benefits payments stopped, usually for failing to keep appointments, or demonstrating that they are otherwise not available for work.
The rules were tightened in October 2012, following the Welfare Reform Act.
Payments can be stopped for four weeks, or as much as three years, depending on how many times the rules are broken.
The sanctions also affect people claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
The report - written for Crisis by Dr Kesia Reeve of Sheffield Hallam University - says that when sanction decisions are reviewed, half of them are overturned.
"The evidence at present is limited, but points clearly to a system that is more punitive than it is supportive," she said.
But the government has always argued that benefit sanctions act as an incentive to help people find work.
"The truth is that every day Jobcentre Plus advisers are helping people into work, with a record number of people now in jobs," said a spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions.
"Sanctions are only used as a last resort for the tiny minority who refuse to take up the support which is on offer."
However earlier this month, Nick Bowles, a Conservative minister in both the Department of Business and the Department for Education, was reported to have called for a re-think on the way benefits sanctions are applied.
He told his local newspaper, the Grantham Journal, that sanctions should be looked at after the election, although he later withdrew the remarks.
Crisis said that there was no correlation between the figures and bad behaviour by claimants.
However it did say that different policies by private sector companies delivering the Work Programme for the long-term unemployed might be a factor.
For example, sanctions rates in east London were much higher than in west London, reflecting different approaches by the service providers.
It said the overall picture was of a "chaotic system". | A benefits sanction map of the UK shows how claimants are being treated with cruelty, according to the homeless charity Crisis. | 31800500 |
Separate funerals for cousins, Barney McGinley, 29, and Dermot Boyle, 19, took place on Saturday afternoon in Letterkenny.
They died after their car struck a van head-on on the dual carriageway at 04:45 BST on Wednesday.
Meanwhile the three young people who died in another head on-collision on Thursday will be buried on Sunday.
Steven McCafferty and Kaylem Murphy, both 19 years old, and Teresa Robinson, 20, will be buried following separate funerals.
They were killed in a head-on collision with another vehicle in the Drumkeen area, near Letterkenny at 01:00 local time.
Gardai are trying to determine the cause of that crash. | The funerals of five young people who died in two separate crashes in County Donegal are to take place this weekend | 36932521 |
They will join the 450 British troops already in the country - and will aid counter-terrorism efforts and provide leadership training.
Officials have said the additional troops will not be taking part in combat operations against the Taliban.
UK troops had been due to leave Afghanistan this year but will now have their mission extended into 2017.
Announcing the deployment at a Nato summit in Warsaw, Mr Cameron said it was essential that Nato continued "to work with the Afghan government and the Afghan security forces to help keep terrorists out of that country".
He said the "UK would do more to train Afghan officers" while deploying "a further 50 personnel to provide additional mentoring, particularly to the Afghan air force".
He also announced MPs will vote on replacing the ageing submarines carrying the Trident nuclear missile system on 18 July.
It comes after US President Barack Obama this week announced a slowdown in the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Of the additional UK troops to be deployed, 21 will join the counter-terrorism mission, 15 will be involved in a leadership development at the Afghan army's officer training academy, and 13 will join Nato's Resolute Support Mission.
In addition, Britain is to extend its £70m a year funding for the Afghan security forces to 2020, committing an extra £178m to the Afghan government of president Ashraf Ghani.
Mr Cameron said the deployment underlined his determination that Britain should continue to play a leading role on the world stage despite the referendum vote to leave the European Union.
"Britain is not going to be playing a lesser role in the world. We will make sure that we use our strength, including through Nato, to spread British values and the things that we believe in," Mr Cameron added.
The prime minister also emphasised that President Obama had told him Britain would continue to be a reliable, strong ally outside the European Union.
It comes after it was announced that a 500-strong battalion of UK troops will be deployed to Estonia and 150 troops will go to Poland as part of the Nato response to concerns over Russia.
Earlier this week, Mr Obama told reporters that the security situation in Afghanistan remained "precarious", with the Taliban still mounting suicide attacks in the capital Kabul and other cities.
"Instead of going down to 5,500 troops by the end of this year, the United States will maintain approximately 8,400 troops in Afghanistan into next year through the end of my administration," Mr Obama said.
"It is in our national security interest, especially after all the blood and treasure we've invested over the years, that we give our partners in Afghanistan the best chance to succeed," he added. | The UK is to send up to 50 additional military personnel to Afghanistan to train and advise security forces there. | 36753390 |
Something called the dissolution of Parliament is going to take place at midnight on Wednesday, 3 May. But what does that mean?
You may know that there is going to be a general election in the UK on 8 June.
MP stands for member of Parliament
This is when adult voters in the country will vote for who they want to represent their local area in the House of Commons in Parliament. This person is called an MP.
So before every general election, the current Parliament must come to an end - a bit like the end of term! - when all the MPs leave their jobs, ready for the public to choose who will get the job next.
This is called the dissolution of Parliament, as Parliament is dissolved.
By law, Parliament is dissolved 25 working days before a general election takes place.
Given that the next general election is going to be on Thursday, 8 June 2017, this means Parliament is being dissolved at midnight - well, 00:01 to be precise! - on Wednesday, 3 May 2017.
The House of Commons is where MPs come together to discuss and vote on important issues to do with how the country is run
From the moment Parliament is dissolved, MPs are no longer MPs. They become members of the public again.
All the official business that usually takes place in the House of Commons comes to an end.
Everyone now looks ahead to the general election, when the people who will make up the new Parliament will be chosen.
Of course, the country still needs someone to be in charge and run the country right up until the election happens.
So the current prime minister - Theresa May - and her team of government ministers stay in their jobs until then.
The difference is that the ministers can no longer use the letters "MP" at the end of their name, because nobody is an MP any more.
Once Parliament is dissolved, Theresa May is expected to go to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to meet with the Queen to mark the dissolution of Parliament and to inform her that a general election campaign is beginning.
Even though the people who were MPs in Parliament will no longer have their jobs as MPs, they will have another very important job to do. They're certainly not having a rest until the general election!
If they want to be an MP again, they have between now and the general election to convince the public to let them have the job again! They will need adults to vote for them so they can represent them again in Parliament.
Candidates will be busy campaigning in the area of the country that they want to represent to persuade people that they are the best person for the job!
We will have to wait until the results of the election to know who will be in the next Parliament. | It's all change at the Houses of Parliament at the moment. | 39780374 |
Clandon Park House's gardens will be open to the public for the next six Saturdays - with visitors able to view the building's "haunting" shell.
Exhibitions about the house, April's fire and subsequent salvage work will be displayed in marquees.
It will be the last chance to see the exterior before scaffolding completely covers the mansion for several years.
General manager Alex Bush said the Grade I-listed house, near Guildford, Surrey, remained inaccessible.
But she said: "We know, from the messages of support we have received, that Clandon is a special place for many people.
"We wanted to offer them the chance to spend some quiet time in the gardens near the house, and to share their memories with us."
She said it was a unique opportunity to see Clandon as it is.
"Now largely clear of high level debris, the view of the house from the gardens is a haunting and breath-taking sight," she added.
The first open day is free to visitors as part of the national Heritage Open Days scheme, with an entry charge on the following Saturdays. | The grounds of an 18th Century stately home destroyed by fire are to be opened for the first time since the blaze. | 34195960 |
The event was held in Belfast's Titanic Centre, which is situated near the spot where the ship was built.
The Titanic sunk on 15 April 1912 during its maiden voyage. More than 1,500 people died.
The event was organised by the great-grandson of the man who was at the helm when the ship struck an iceberg.
Simon Medhurst, a long-time collector of Titanic memorabilia, said he only found out that he was related to Robert Hichens, one of the ship's quartermasters, after meeting his birth father in 2012.
"It was a complete turnaround for my life, really, from collecting to suddenly being somebody who is connected to the Titanic," he said.
Simon explained that Friday's event had taken two years to organise.
"I wasn't sure if it would just be our family that turned up, but actually it's been phenomenal to see relatives and enthusiasts. People just love the story of the Titanic.
"I think the importance of this type of gathering is in that it is easy to forget that there were those who lost their lives."
He added: "It affected families right the way through so even though there are those here who have stories about survivors, there are others who lost relatives.
"But they are able to tell their story and they're not forgotten, that's the important thing."
The event also allowed items to emerge that illuminated more of Titanic's history.
Beverly Roberts brought a purse handed down through generations of her family that her great-grandmother carried on the voyage.
She said the event allowed relatives to explore surprising connections.
"Every time I meet somebody new, I find out something new," she added. "I've got a relative here today that I've never met before."
Robert Shields, whose grandmother's brother was the ship's lift operator, said he had met his third cousin, Jan Jarvis, for the first time.
"It's amazing, all the stories coming together," he said. "I think events like these are very important and I hope they continue for a long while." | More than 100 relatives of passengers who were on board the Titanic gathered in Belfast on Friday to mark the 105th anniversary of its sinking. | 39603682 |
People could face up to five years in prison if found guilty.
The bill was drafted in part as a response to the phrase "Polish death camps" which often appears in the foreign media as a shortcut term.
In such cases, the state could pursue civil action and claim compensation.
The bill would make it illegal to say that Poland "took part, organised or was co-responsible for the crimes of the Third Reich".
Millions of people, mostly Jews, from across Europe were killed in six German-run extermination camps on Polish soil.
Further Holocaust atrocities were committed in concentration camps and ghettos in Poland.
The country was occupied by the Nazis between 1939 and 1945. Ninety percent of Poland's pre-war Jewish population were murdered.
The Holocaust year by year
Seventy years on from Auschwitz liberation
Jewish life slowly returns to Poland
When the current Polish governing party, Law and Justice, was still in opposition it introduced a similar bill to parliament in 2013. However, that bill was rejected on the first reading.
In 2012, the White House said US president Barack Obama "misspoke" at a public event when he referred to "Polish death camps".
A spokesperson for Poland's Ministry of Justice told journalists that Mr Obama would not be prosecuted under the law as it would cause a diplomatic scandal.
However, he said, the ministry wanted to make sure this did not happen again. | The government of Poland plans to introduce a law making it a crime to imply the country bears any responsibility for atrocities carried out on Polish soil by Nazi Germany. | 35581708 |
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said subsidies would have to be earned rather than handed out under his vision for a "green Brexit".
Plaid's farming spokesman Ben Lake said it was an "economically toxic" threat to the livelihoods of food producers.
The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) wants a "realistic" transition period to avoid "devastation" for rural families.
Under the EU's current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), farmers are paid based on the amount of land they farm.
In a speech on Friday, Mr Gove stressed the UK government would continue to pay the £3bn a year currently granted to British farmers until 2022.
But he pledged to change the rules after that, claiming the CAP rewarded rich landowners, encouraged waste and failed to recognise "good environmental practice".
Mr Lake, Plaid's newly-elected MP for Ceredigion, welcomed the plan to cut payments to rich landowners, but was worried about the other conditions.
"We know that for any business, whether on the high street or the family farm, uncertainty is economically toxic," he said.
"When food security is at stake, the British government should know better than to make broad-brush statements when there is no plan.
"Farmers in Wales rely on payments for 80% of their income. It's these people who need clear assurances."
£3.2bn
total payments to UK farmers
£2.56bn
direct aid excluding rural development and other schemes
39 recipients of £1m or more
50 recipients of £800,000 or more
108 recipients of £500,000 or more
Simon Thomas, Plaid's agriculture spokesman in the assembly, called for post-Brexit rules to be agreed by all four UK nations.
He called Mr Gove's speech "a shot across the bows of the Welsh national interest and the powers of the Welsh Government".
FUW president Glyn Roberts voiced concern about Mr Gove's "strong focus on environmental schemes, which neglect the need for food production".
"His vision also does not recognise the role our farmers are already playing in maintaining the countryside," he said.
"It is not only farming families which are at stake here; there are countless other businesses and jobs which rely on agriculture, so we need to be as sure as we can that well-meaning policies will not result in devastation."
Wales' Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths said it had been "inappropriate" for Mr Gove to mention Welsh farming in his speech, given the responsibility had been devolved.
She said she had been working to develop "a way forward which supports our farmers to continue to produce high quality food and manage the land in a way that delivers wider economic and social benefits".
"It is not about trading off the environment and the economy, it's about both," she added. | The UK government has been accused of casting doubt on the future of post-Brexit farm payments by Plaid Cymru. | 40685552 |
Funeral director, Geraint Peate, of Llanfair Caereinion, warned the increased rates could lead to more people needing a so-called paupers' funeral.
The cost of a standard adult burial will rise from about £1,054 to £1,740.
Powys said it had "no option" as it must find savings of £27m over the next three years.
Increases will apply to charges for services including plot excavation, burial rights and headstone erection at Powys's 19 cemeteries.
An additional £400 will be incurred for a Saturday burial.
Mr Peate said the increases could backfire, forcing the local authority to pay out more for public health funerals, which must be arranged at a council's expense when no other means for disposal of someone's remains can be found.
He said: "I do feel very cross about it and concerned at the extra costs for families. How on earth can you warrant such a large increase?"
Conservative AM for Montgomeryshire, Russell George, said he "fully appreciated" the financial pressures facing the council, which is run by an independent coalition.
He added: "I contend that the way in which fees are revised must accurately reflect the true cost of the bereavement service provided rather than an implementation of a 65% increase across the board."
John Powell, cabinet member for environmental protection, said: "There are significant costs associated with managing our 19 cemeteries, including grave digging and regular maintenance. The increases enable the council to fully recover the cost of the service.
"Taking the decision to increase fees is never easy but with the financial pressures that we are faced with, we have no other options but to increase these fees."
The Welsh Local Government Association said the "stark" economic reality for many councils was that unprotected or discretionary services were under "severe pressure". | The cost of a typical burial in Powys will increase by 65% in the new year, the county council has announced. | 35159709 |
The 25-year-old left the field in the second half after prolonged treatment.
Scarlets were more hopeful about full-back Liam Williams who came off after 13 minutes, having rolled his ankle.
He left Allianz Park in a surgical support boot but Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac was hopeful he would be able to join up with the Wales camp this week.
Williams' injury was not connected to the ankle problems he has suffered previously.
Speaking to BBC Wales Sport about the pair, Pivac said, "Hopefully they won't be too serious. We'll know more tomorrow.
"Hopefully Liam will be alright, he feels good himself. He's in a moon boot at the moment just to give himself the best opportunity to recover and get into that Welsh camp.
"Jake's a bit sore at the moment, he's got a rib injury and we'll get that checked out."
Centre Scott Williams should also be fit for Wales duty despite being a late withdrawal from the Scarlets side with an ankle injury suffered against Sale.
"There's a bit of swelling there and it didn't quite recover in time. Another couple of days and he would have made it but it wasn't to be but he'll be fine for the Wales camp next week," he added. | Wales lock Jake Ball could be a doubt for their autumn internationals after sustaining a rib injury in Scarlets' 44-26 Champions Cup defeat at Saracens. | 37742215 |
Mangersta's grazings committee and one in Upper Coll, also in Lewis, were dismissed by the Crofting Commission.
The commission, crofting's regulatory body, said finances related to the lands shared by crofters were not being managed according to the rules.
Crofters in Mangersta have now been told they can appoint a new committee.
The previous committee was dismissed and a complaint from a shareholder in the grazings was investigated.
The Crofting Commission said a grazings constable, an official it appointed, had concluded his investigation and stepped down.
In a letter to shareholders at Mangersta the commission said it "regrets the conflicting advice" given to the previous committee.
Following an evaluation of the case the commission said it was drafting revised guidance and had reviewed its processes.
Crofting Commission chief executive Catriona Maclean said: "The commission acknowledges that Mangersta is an active crofting community and this matter has caused prolonged uncertainty and anxiety under which a line can now be drawn.
"We look forward to working constructively with the new committee, once appointed, and other stakeholders in the future."
Crofters in Mangersta and Upper Coll want to continue an arrangement which sees money generated from the grazings going into a joint fund.
The commission had said the joint funds did not fit with crofting regulations.
It asked that money instead be distributed among crofters, who would then contribute to any improvements, such as to fences and drainage, when needed. | Crofters in a part of Lewis can appoint a new committee "of their choice" to run one of two common grazings at the centre of a public row. | 36675765 |
Luke Rutter, of Birkenhead, Merseyside, was killed on 6 July in a neighbourhood south of Raqqa, they said.
In a statement, the Kurdish YPG fighters said he had been killed "during the big campaign to liberate Raqqa from the terrorism of IS".
Mr Rutter's family said they did not wish to comment.
He is the fourth British man to be killed while fighting against IS in Syria.
BBC News correspondent Emma Vardy said an eyewitness who had been close by told her Mr Rutter had not been killed during a planned operation, but had died in what he described as an ambush.
While Mr Rutter and a group of other soldiers were some distance back from the front line, one fighter stepped on a landmine which exploded, and then IS fighters attacked, the eyewitness said.
They were quickly overpowered and the incident lasted only minutes, he added.
YPG representatives told our correspondent that while IS is slowly being defeated in Raqqa, this ambush is proof that the jihadists are very much active within the city and are using snipers, tunnels, booby traps and hidden explosive devices.
In a video posted online by the general command of the YPG, Mr Rutter said he had joined the group because it "stands for the best opportunity for peace that this region might have".
"I lied to people I care about to come here," he said.
"I said I was going somewhere else - I didn't. I apologise massively for that.
"Apart from that I don't regret my decision and I hope that you respect it."
The statement from the YPG said Mr Rutter was also known by the name "Soro Zinar" and he had arrived in Rojava, a Kurdish region in northern Syria, at the beginning of March 2017.
It said Mr Rutter had had military training at the YPG academy in Rojava and that "despite lacking professional military background, he was among the best in training."
"We send our thoughts and prayers to Martyr Soro, his family, and his comrades who fought courageously on behalf of all humanity," the statement said.
"Soro will always be remembered by our people and all peace-loving people around the world as a hero who sacrificed his life for the sake of protecting the value of the free world."
The British Foreign Office advises people not to travel to Syria to fight.
Luke Rutter is one of a number of volunteers who have been willing to go to the front line and fight against the jihadists.
It is a seen as a fight of good versus evil, a vision of hope against a fascist mindset.
Despite warnings from authorities, many volunteers from the UK and other countries have felt a strong draw to go and to take part.
The Kurdish YPG is a non-religious force fighting for a libertarian, socialist ideology. They say their struggle is a revolution, and many westerners have come to play a role.
But Mr Rutter's death is a reminder of the risks they take. | A 22-year-old British man has been killed fighting against so-called Islamic State in northern Syria, Kurdish fighters have said. | 40572844 |
Tim Newton, 27, and Rachel Slater, 24, from Bradford, had been climbing on the mountain over the weekend.
The alarm was raised when they were reported overdue from their expedition on Monday.
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said 36 people were involved in searches on Tuesday, with two of the team caught up in an avalanche.
It is believed the couple had been camping in a green tent behind the Charles Inglis Clark (CIC) memorial hut on the north side of the mountain.
A car belonging to Ms Slater has also been recovered.
Rescuers described the conditions as "challenging", with winds gusting up to 80/90mph.
A statement on the Lochaber MRT Facebook page said: "After five hours of searching, it was decided that conditions were too dangerous to continue search which was focused on Coire na Ciste and South Trident Buttress area following a possible sighting of two people fitting their description climbing in this area early Sunday afternoon."
It added: "Two of the rescue team men avalanched traversing below No 3 Gully Buttress."
Anyone with information about the missing couple has been asked to contact the police in Fort William.
Police Scotland released a picture of the couple and said they would have been wearing climbing gear similar to that seen in the photograph.
Ms Slater is an experienced, well-travelled climber.
In an online blog, she wrote: "I've been around rocks my whole life as my parents are very keen climbers - most of my childhood was spent scrambling around at the bottom of the cliff with the occasional easy top rope."
She is currently employed as a mineral, waste and environmental consultant near Bradford.
Mr Newton, originally from Leicester, also lives in Bradford and has studied physics at the universities of Manchester and Leeds, according to his Facebook profile.
Logbook entries for Ms Slater on UKClimbing.com suggest she has conducted a number of climbs with Mr Newton.
Numerous messages have been posted on social media from people sharing information and voicing hope that the couple will be found safe.
On the Lochaber MRT Facebook page, Tony Walker wrote: "The missing persons are Rachel Slater (my niece) and her partner Tim Newton.
"Both very experienced climbers. Most likely they are wearing the same clothing as in the photo. Any info greatly appreciated."
On a climbing forum, Patrick Roman said he saw the pair at the weekend.
He said: "I was outside the CIC on Saturday morning.
"There were two people matching the image in the photo. He was wearing a red jacket and she a green and turquoise jacket." | The search for two climbers missing on Ben Nevis has been suspended because conditions were "too dangerous". | 35585901 |
Daniel Kaluuya, who was born in London, leads the cast of Get Out - a searing racial satire about contemporary America.
Released in the UK this week, Jordan Peele's horror film has already been a massive hit at the US box office, making more than $100m (£82.5m).
But the film hit the headlines last week after actor Samuel L Jackson criticised Hollywood for casting black British actors in films about US race relations.
Speaking to the BBC, Skins star Kaluuya said he was proud to be in the first lead role of his career.
"You do stuff, people make decisions and it goes out there and people have opinions. And everyone's entitled to their opinion," he said.
"I love all my black brothers and sisters worldwide, and that's my position.
"All I know is this my first ever lead role in a film and I've lost out on a lot of roles because I'm black."
He added: "It's my one shot. I'm going to come through it and do my thing and go home."
He went on to describe Jackson as a "legend on and off screen".
In his original radio interview a week ago, Jackson said he wondered what Get Out would have been like with a US actor in the lead role.
"Daniel grew up in a country where they've been interracial dating for 100 years," he said.
Clarifying his remarks later in the week, he said his criticism was not of other actors, but of the Hollywood system.
Other actors have joined the debate, with Star Wars actor John Boyega tweeting that it was a "conflict we don't have time for".
In an article for The Guardian, Homeland actor David Harewood argued that Britons may be better suited to some parts because they are not burdened by "what's in the history books".
In Get Out, Kaluuya plays Chris, an African-American photographer who goes with his white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) to visit her parents at their country home.
Chris is worried because Rose has not told her family she has a black boyfriend.
He initially receives a warm welcome - if a bit odd at times - but as the weekend progresses, Chris discovers Rose's parents have a very different agenda.
"Jordan wrote this as a response to the idea that racism was 'solved' because Obama was president," Kaluuya said.
Peele has admitted he had not wanted to cast a British actor, but that Kaluuya had won him over during an initial audition.
"We spoke on Skype," Kaluuya confirmed. "He was very wary because it's an African-American specific experience, but then we had a chat about what it's like being black worldwide and being black in London."
The film's success has made Peele the first African-American writer-director to earn $100m with his debut movie, according to The Wrap.
How much did Kaluuya identify with the film's themes?
"There are an uncountable amount of instances when I've been paranoid," he said.
"I did a shoot in Lithuania when I was 17. Everywhere I went people were pointing and staring.
"Or when I go to Lidl and I get followed by security guards. Is that because it's me, I'm black or what I'm wearing?
"It's every day, navigating your life, getting stopped by police, I've had it all."
Kaluuya is currently filming Ryan Coogler's superhero film Black Panther in Atlanta, US.
"It's a life-changing experience for me," he said. "I can't wait to finish filming so I can watch it."
Get Out is out in the UK on 17 March.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | The actor at the centre of a debate about the casting of British black actors in the US has spoken about how being black has lost him roles. | 39256074 |
The first time Hawke worked with Niccol, they made 1997 sci-fi film Gattaca. The second occasion, they made 2005's Lord of War, about an arms dealer with a conscience. Now they've made it a hat-trick, reuniting once again to tackle the timely issue of using drones in modern warfare.
Set in 2010, Good Kill sees Hawke play Air Force pilot Tom Egan, who spends eight hours a day fighting the Taliban. But instead of being out on the front line, he's in a Las Vegas bunker remotely dropping bombs in the Middle East as part of the US's War on Terror.
Distanced from close combat from the safety of his joystick control half a world away, when the civilian casualties start mounting up, Egan begins to question his orders - and his job.
Hawke and Niccol spoke to the BBC News website about the inspiration behind the film and the moral questions it raises.
Andrew Niccol: Now is almost a few years too late. I could have made this film a few years ago because this war has been going on in Afghanistan for 13 years. It's stunning to me it's America's longest war and still counting - it beats Vietnam, the first Iraq war and World War Two.
It was all in response to 9/11 and I completely understand why we began it because that's where Bin Laden was. But it gets to a point where it's overkill. Are we ever going to leave that part of the planet? Are we really going to stay over the top of the Middle East forever?
Ethan Hawke: The troops are going to come out of Afghanistan, but the drones will still be there. It's not a question of right or wrong, or how I feel about it - it's the truth. This is the nature of warfare right now.
Do we want drones to be the international police? Is it a good idea? Is it creating more terror than stopping? They're valuable questions.
For me as an actor and a fan of storytelling, I get to play a character I've never seen on screen before. He's spending the bulk of the day fighting the Taliban; leaves work, picks up some eggs and orange juice, helps his son with his homework and fights with his wife about what TV show to watch. And then the next day does the same thing again.
This is a new situation we've never been in: Soldiers who take people's lives whose own life isn't in danger. A lot of these people go into the military because they have the mentality of a warrior. They want to put their life on the line for their beliefs to make people safe, but what does it mean when your life isn't on the line? It seems like the stuff of sci-fi but it's arrived.
Ethan Hawke: No, I'm allergic to that. We can't have a serious conversation about a drones strike unless people have more information. Most people don't know what a drone looks like, or how it's operated.
I learned a lot - I had no idea [the US] would strike a funeral or rescuers. There's a certain logic to doing it - you could say perhaps it is proportionate. Perhaps we're stopping more death than we're creating, but we are killing innocent people. Am I sure I want our soldiers doing that?
An interesting example is on Obama's third day in office he ordered a drone strike - it was surgical, but they had the wrong information and they murdered a family that had nothing to do with anything. When these tools are available accidents happen. It's ripe for dialogue.
I'm not in politics, I don't have an agenda for the audience, but I think it's a really interesting conversation. I don't think we should let our governments run willy-nilly and kill whoever and spy on whoever they want to without asking any questions.
Andrew Niccol: I'm not anti or pro, I'm just saying this is what is, and now you have that information perhaps it can provoke thought and conversation.
Andrew Niccol: Every strike Tom does in the movie there is a precedent for, but his character is fictitious.
There were some things I didn't put in the movie because I thought they were too outrageous. I was told about drone pilots who were younger than Ethan's character - they would work with a joystick for 12 hours over Afghanistan, take out a target and go home to their apartment and play video games.
The military modelled the workstation on computer games because it's the joystick that's the easiest to use. They want gamers to join the Air Force because they're good and can manoeuvre a drone perfectly.
But how can they possibly separate playing one joystick game one moment, and then playing real war the next?
Good Kill is released in UK cinemas on 10 April. | Actor Ethan Hawke and director Andrew Niccol discuss their latest film, Good Kill, about an Air Force drone pilot who begins to question the ethics of his job. | 32222793 |
Mr Cairns said armed police potentially saved many lives by shooting dead three men at the scene of Saturday's terrorist attacks in London.
The Tory minister said Mr Corbyn had previously opposed such a policy.
However, Labour's Stephen Kinnock immediately rebuked the comment, saying Mr Corbyn said on Sunday police should use "whatever force is necessary".
During a debate on BBC Radio 5 live from Gower on Monday, Mr Cairns pointed out that Mr Corbyn had previously "opposed the shoot-to-kill policy".
"On Saturday night that shoot-to-kill policy saved tens, if not hundreds of people's lives," he said.
Mr Kinnock, when asked in the radio debate if Mr Corbyn supported shoot-to-kill now, said: "Yes."
"He made it clear in his speech yesterday that he would authorise the police and security services to take all necessary measures," Mr Kinnock said.
Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones was critical of the prime minister's claims that there was too much tolerance of extremism.
Campaigning on Anglesey on Monday, he said that after six years of being home secretary Theresa May was responsible as it was "on her watch".
He added: "I don't think it is wise to rush into a response in the aftermath of a horrible attack - we have to be clever than that to look for a response which is far more effective."
Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has called on politicians to be careful of the language they use when referring to minority communities in the aftermath of the attacks in Manchester and London.
"What the terrorists want is for us to be divided as communities," she said, also while campaigning on Anglesey.
"They want us to turn on each other and, as politicians, we have to be very, very careful to make sure that we talk about this in a way that doesn't help people to turn upon their neighbour."
Opposition parties in Wales have also called for UK government cuts to police budgets to be reversed to boost the fight against terrorism during a campaign debate on BBC Radio Wales.
Labour's Stephen Doughty said community officers were "often the first line in providing community intelligence which is so crucial to the security services" which could potentially prevent terrorist attacks.
Plaid Cymru assembly member Steffan Lewis said such officers could build "a level of trust" and could spot people "who may be susceptible to radicalisation".
UKIP's leader in the assembly, Neil Hamilton, said his party would reverse police cuts and give them more powers to stop and search suspects.
Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Randerson said her party would also reverse cuts and warned of the risk of losing international co-operation to combat terrorism after Brexit.
Conservative candidate David Davies insisted that anti-terrorism and intelligence budgets had been protected while the UK government tackled a budget deficit "inherited from Labour".
He said there was also a need to have "some embarrassing and difficult conversations" with the Muslim community to root out extremists.
A vigil was held, following the London attack, in Swansea's Castle Gardens at 18:00 BST on Monday evening. | Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has sparked a row over whether Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn opposed a shoot-to-kill policy. | 40158309 |
Gareth Bennett claimed the findings of a yet-to-be published inquiry into refugee services risked "encouraging more spontaneous arrivals" in the UK.
Labour AM Jenny Rathbone said she was disappointed he did not engage with evidence gathered by the committee.
Mr Bennett declined to comment on the criticism.
He is a member of the assembly equality, local government and communities committee, which has been investigating provision for refugees and asylum seekers in Wales, especially those from Syria.
It is understood that, during March, the South Wales Central AM told the committee he did not agree with the report's findings.
Mr Bennett has since produced a UKIP-branded report entitled "Wales' Refugee Problem" where he compiled material about refugees, mostly from the Times newspaper.
He wrote: "The committee's report, by seeking to extend provision in Wales not only to Syrian refugees but to refugees arriving spontaneously, is not recognising the difficulties of establishing who are the genuine political migrants.
"The danger is that Wales will be complicit in encouraging more spontaneous arrivals in the UK, which the UK taxpayer will then have to pay for. This cannot be right."
Colleagues of Mr Bennett on the committee claimed the AM did not raise any objections during the progress of the inquiry.
Cardiff Central AM Ms Rathbone said she "completely disagreed" with the suggestion that the committee could be encouraging spontaneous arrivals.
"I really don't think asylum seekers would be reading our report and thinking Wales is the place we should head for," she said.
"In any case they have no control over where they go."
Ms Rathbone said that although the views Mr Bennett held were not surprising, she said it was disappointing "that he didn't engage with the evidence that we gathered and instead came out with a diatribe based on [Times columnist] Matthew Parris".
The findings of the inquiry are not yet known publicly.
Committee chairman, Labour AM John Griffiths, said: "The committee conducted its inquiry over several months taking a wide range of evidence, much of it emphasising the positive role that refugees and asylum seekers can have in Wales.
"Our focus was not the question of whether we should accept more refugees and asylum seekers, or on the level of refugees and asylum seekers entering Wales, but on the support available to them in Wales when they arrive, taking into account what lies within the assembly's devolved competence.
"Our conclusions and recommendations are set out in the report to be published later this week." | A UKIP AM has produced a report accusing an assembly committee of encouraging asylum seekers and refugees to come to Wales. | 39479016 |
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was ordered to improve in 2013 and 2015 over higher than expected death rates.
A Care Quality Commission (CQC) report said while the trust still requires improvement it is now rated as good for safety.
The trust's chief executive said he was "immensely proud" of his staff.
More on this story and other news in Nottinghamshire
Peter Herring said while there was much to celebrate in the report there was "more to be done" before the trust could be rated outstanding.
In 2015, the CQC said the trust, which runs Kings Mill Hospital, Newark Hospital and Mansfield Community Hospital, had almost double the national average rate of deaths from the bloodstream infection sepsis.
However, the latest report said it was now among the best performing in the country for sepsis management and improving mortality rates.
In 2014, it was revealed the trust was spending £3.56m a month - 16% of its budget - on a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project.
The agreement was signed in 2005 to build King's Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
The announcement led to MP Chris Leslie, former Labour shadow chancellor, calling for the government to "wipe out" the trust's deficit.
Fresh scrutiny of the country's hospitals followed the scandal at Stafford hospital when data showed there were between 400 and 1,200 more deaths than expected.
Those trusts with unusually high death rates, including Sherwood Forest Hospitals, were put into "special measures".
It has been a long three years of extra scrutiny and uncertainty over the future to change that ranking.
Death rates at the trust are now below the England average. Sepsis care is seen as outstanding and A&E waiting times are now among the best in the country.
But there are still challenges. There's a heavy reliance on agency nurses and there are unfilled doctor posts.
Whatever the future holds, one thing is for sure - hospital staff have been through the mill. | An NHS trust that was warned over its high mortality rates and finances has been taken out of special measures. | 37909062 |
"Sexual harassment is commonplace, girls' appearance is intensively scrutinised and their abilities are undermined," says the report.
The report Equality for Girls is based on a survey of more than 1,200 girls and young women aged seven to 21.
Girlguiding chief executive Julie Bentley called it a "wake-up call".
She said: "This cannot be dismissed as something that girls and young women just have to deal with as they grow up."
Girls needed to live in an equal society if they were to flourish and fulfil their potential to be leaders in all walks of life, added Ms Bentley.
The survey of a representative sample of girls and young women, both Guides and non-Guides, gives "a disturbing insight into the state of equality for girls in the UK", says Girlguiding, which has more than half a million members.
"Girls identified sexism as a priority issue for their generation", with three-quarters saying sexism affected "most areas of their lives", says the report.
Of the 11 to 21-year-olds questioned, some 87% thought women were judged more on their appearance than their ability.
More than a third (36%) of all those surveyed had felt "patronised or made to feel stupid" because of their gender, rising to 60% of the 16 to 21-year-olds.
Most of the 13-year-olds questioned said they had experienced sexual harassment, rising to 80% of 19 to 21-year-olds.
This included being shouted and whistled at, sexual graffiti and pornography, sexual jokes and taunts as well as unwanted sexual attention, unwanted touching and stalking.
More than three-quarters (78%) said they found this behaviour threatening if they were alone.
The girls said there were "clear double standards" for girls and boys when it came to relationships and sex.
Three-quarters (76%) of the 11 to 21-year-olds said girls were judged harshly for sexual behaviour seen as acceptable in boys, with just 3% feeling the opposite.
Most of the 16 to 21-year-olds questioned said they thought too much responsibility was placed on girls for their sexual safety.
The report also talks of bias in the way women are portrayed in the media, with girls and women facing "unprecedented levels of personal and public scrutiny" over body shape".
Of the 11 to 21-year-olds questioned, 75% agreed boys expected girls to look like images they saw in the media, while 71% said they would like to lose weight.
Other challenges are similar to those faced by previous generations, such as overcoming stereotypes and constraints in work and family life, say the authors.
Some 46% of the 11 to 21-year-olds said they feared having children would damage their careers. Most of the 16 to 21-year-olds worried some employers may to some extent prefer to hire men.
The report concludes that despite awareness of the difficulties they face, most girls remain positive, with 55% hoping to get to the top of their chosen profession, 70% wanting to combine a career and motherhood and 11% preferring a career over children.
Lucy Lawrenson, 18, of Girlguiding, said she was "depressed" by the findings.
"Issues that should only be read about in our history books are still common.
"I know because they happen to me, and this can't continue. Something has to change."
Emma Gees, 22, also of Girlguiding, said cultural misconceptions and media stereotypes "deeply ingrained in our culture" were major barriers to equality.
"Equality requires a change in perception and attitudes, not just laws, which is currently the case," she said.
Kelley Temple, National Union of Students women's officer, said the report echoed new NUS research into lad culture at universities.
"It's time decision-makers across the spectrum woke up to the realities of gender inequality," she said.
"We need to take action to tackle this culture within our communities that cuts women out whenever it rears its ugly head."
Girlguiding plans to meet the leaders of the main political parties in the run-up to the general election in 2015 to discuss the findings. | Sexism is so widespread in the UK that it affects "most aspects" of the lives of girls and young women, a report from Girlguiding says. | 25138455 |
A thin flexible telescope, called an endobronchial ultrasound, is inserted through the patient's mouth and provides camera pictures and ultrasound images.
Samples can also be taken which can lead to faster diagnosis.
Dr Terence McManus uses the device in the South West Acute Hospital.
The 30-minute procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic and patients can normally return home the same day.
Dr McManus, a respiratory consultant, said: "It's a new technique that allows us to biopsy and diagnose conditions at an earlier stage.
"It can, in some cases, avoid the need for more invasive surgery techniques.
"Using this technique we can diagnose conditions such as cancer, inflammatory conditions, and sometimes infections as well."
He said it allowed doctors to "establish a diagnosis and then determine what is the most appropriate treatment for a patient as quickly as possible".
Approximately 900 people in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with lung cancer each year.
It is the second most common cancer among men and the third most common among women.
Stephen Hogan from Florencecourt, County Fermanagh, has lung disease and has undergone the procedure.
He described it as very simple and added it had no unpleasant side effects.
"The big difference for me is knowing where I'm at with the diagnosis and the referral on to the oncologist and then I know what my treatment options are. So, it actually gives you a sense of relief and it saves a lot of time.
"I'm dependent on some degree of oxygen so travelling between A and B is a bit of an issue and we're very lucky to have this brand new facility, so it's brilliant."
The South West Acute Hospital, which opened its doors six months ago, is the first in Northern Ireland to offer this service.
Joe Lusby, deputy chief executive of the Western Health Trust, said it demonstrated how the latest technology is benefiting patients in the new state-of-the-art hospital.
"Anything that provides a faster and more accurate diagnosis of lung disease is bound to be good for the patient," he said.
"This hospital is built for the next 60 years at least so what we were doing is not just transferring services across from the former Erne Hospital.
"We were determined to add services that were appropriate to provide locally so that people don't have to travel great distances to access these services."
About 90% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking cigarettes and Dr McManus has also seen patients getting the disease at a younger age.
He said: "It can affect any age. Smoking is certainly the biggest risk factor so we would always emphasise the importance of stopping smoking as soon as possible, it's never too late to stop smoking." | A new technique for detecting lung cancer without the need for surgery is helping patients in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. | 21037755 |
David Cameron said transparency would force top universities like Oxford to work harder to broaden their intake.
He warned the police, the courts and the armed forces they also had to act.
He has launched a review of apparent racial bias in the English and Welsh justice systems to be headed by Labour MP David Lammy.
Mr Cameron said black people were "more likely to be in a prison cell than studying at a top university".
Writing in the Sunday Times, he said discrimination should "shame our country and jolt us to action".
"I don't care whether it's overt, unconscious or institutional - we've got to stamp it out," he wrote.
The PM rejected what he called "politically correct, contrived and unfair solutions" like quotas, but said forcing English universities to disclose what proportion of black and minority ethnic applicants achieved places should prompt them to broaden their intake.
Mr Cameron said it was "striking" that Oxford University's 2014 intake of more than 2,500 people included only 27 black students.
"I know the reasons are complex, including poor schooling, but I worry that the university I was so proud to attend is not doing enough to attract talent from across our country," he added.
"It's disgraceful that if you're black, it seems you're more likely to be sentenced to custody for a crime than if you're white," Mr Cameron said.
"We should investigate why this is and how we can end this possible discrimination."
He also noted that there are no black generals in the UK armed forces, and "just 4% of chief executives in the FTSE 100 are from ethnic minorities".
"What does this say about modern Britain? Are these just the symptoms of class divisions or a lack of equal opportunity? Or is it something worse - something more ingrained, institutional and insidious?"
He said under-representation in the police and armed forces was a "stubborn problem", and organisations should go the "extra mile" to show they are open to all.
Education chiefs are to hold talks with Business Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday.
He told the BBC's Andrew Marr show "transparency always helps but I think more measures will be required and I want to sit down with universities and discuss what more can be done and then help them achieve that".
He said he was concerned about "unconscious" bias in the education system, adding: "As a young man I remember being called 'Paki' in the playground and being punched because of my colour.
"We have moved on since then but we still need to do more work."
The Russell Group, which represents 24 leading UK universities, said "real progress" had been made in the last five years to increase the number of black and minority ethnic students.
But director general Wendy Piatt said universities "cannot solve this problem alone".
"There are still far too many children from disadvantaged backgrounds underachieving at school and receiving poor advice and guidance," she said.
David Lammy's review of the courts in England and Wales will look at the "over-representation" of black and minority ethnic defendants.
"With over a quarter of the prison population coming from a BAME background, the urgency here is clear," said the Labour MP, whose report will be published in spring 2017.
Downing Street said 61% of black and minority ethnic defendants found guilty in crown courts were given custodial sentences, compared with 56% of white offenders.
Government data published in 2013 suggested that, in each year from 2008 to 2012, black offenders were more likely to have been jailed than white offenders by courts in England and Wales.
Government figures suggest BAME people make up 14% of the population of England and Wales. | English universities will be forced to disclose the proportion of ethnic minority applicants that get places as part of a drive against discrimination. | 35452975 |
Retailers were unable to get hold of the product on Thursday afternoon, but packaging began again on Friday morning.
The low fat is the most popular type of milk, with it making up 70% of all milk sold.
Dairy manager Andrew Tabel blamed the installation of new technology for part of the problem.
He said milk sales had risen by 12% over the last few days with people panic buying because of the cold weather.
The supplies of raw milk were always lower at this time of year, he added. | Guernsey blue milk, or low fat, cartons have returned to island shops and milk rounds after a shortage of supplies. | 11911624 |
The 26-year-old has not played since injuring himself in a pre-season match against Wasps in October.
Clark underwent an operation in November and has had more surgery to try to rectify the problem.
His sole appearance for England came in a World Cup warm-up against France last August after making 22 Premiership appearances for Saints last term. | Northampton flanker Calum Clark looks set to miss the rest of the term after undergoing further shoulder surgery. | 35710405 |
Lots of schools have now broken up for the summer holidays - so that means a few weeks of fun!
We want to know what you've got planned for the holidays - will you be seeing a film at the cinema or trying to read as many funny story books as you can?
Perhaps you're going on a holiday or plan to build a den in your garden with your friends or family?
This chat is now closed, here is a selection of your comments.
Comments
I am going to Aldeburgh for 7 weeks
Sasha
I'm going to loads of camps then to Los Angeles! I'm so excited!!!!!
Eliza, London
I am going to London zoo and also going to the London tower to see the crown jewels.
Thomas
I'm going to Deerpark Forest in Cornwall. It is very fun! I went there last summer. There's even a duck race.
Nikita
Over the summer I am going to travel all over the country competing in canoe slalom!
Isobel, Staffordshire
I'm going to see Despicable Me 3 on Sunday with my mates.
Joseph, 14, Northamptonshire
In the summer holidays I am going to Tenerife. I am going with all my family. I am most looking forward to going on the beach because then I can play cricket.
Harry, 7, Wokingham | The summer has arrived! | 40665874 |
Emergency services were called to Sunderland Hall late on Tuesday afternoon following reports of a man being badly injured.
The victim has been named locally as Kenny Scott, 58, originally from Jedburgh, but latterly living at Minto.
Despite efforts from paramedics and the call-out of an air ambulance, he was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Members of the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team were also called out due to the difficult terrain.
A spokesman said: "All involved are deeply saddened by this tragic outcome and our thoughts are with the family of the deceased."
The Health and Safety Executive has been made aware of the accident and a full investigation into the circumstances will be launched.
A spokesman said: "We have been made aware of an incident at Sunderland Hall and we are liaising with Police Scotland to determine the circumstances." | A forestry worker has been killed in an accident near Selkirk. | 38826274 |
Sanchez capitalised on a mistake by Gunners team-mate Shkodran Mustafi to open the scoring.
Lars Stindl stabbed in an equaliser for Germany just before the break.
The result means Chile remain top of Group B, ahead of Germany on goal difference.
"I'm very happy to be Chile's top scorer. Our dream is to win this tournament and we feel we have a chance," said Sanchez, who has been linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer.
"We played well in the first half, but Germany adapted very well to how we were playing."
Chile and Germany need just one point from their remaining Group B games against Australia and Cameroon respectively to progress to the semi-finals.
Earlier on Thursday, a Mark Milligan penalty cancelled out an Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa goal as Australia and Cameroon drew 1-1.
Match ends, Germany 1, Chile 1.
Second Half ends, Germany 1, Chile 1.
Offside, Chile. Alexis Sánchez tries a through ball, but Mauricio Isla is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Emre Can (Germany) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Julian Draxler.
Substitution, Chile. Francisco Silva replaces Charles Aránguiz.
Foul by Sebastian Rudy (Germany).
Alexis Sánchez (Chile) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Emre Can (Germany).
Charles Aránguiz (Chile) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Martín Rodríguez (Chile) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Arturo Vidal with a through ball.
Substitution, Chile. Martín Rodríguez replaces Eduardo Vargas.
Attempt missed. Matthias Ginter (Germany) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Julian Draxler following a set piece situation.
Jean Beausejour (Chile) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Joshua Kimmich (Germany) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jean Beausejour (Chile).
Attempt blocked. Julian Draxler (Germany) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joshua Kimmich.
Foul by Julian Draxler (Germany).
Pablo Hernández (Chile) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Lars Stindl (Germany) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sebastian Rudy.
Lars Stindl (Germany) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Marcelo Díaz (Chile).
Substitution, Chile. Paulo Díaz replaces Gary Medel because of an injury.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Gary Medel (Chile) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Lars Stindl (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Sebastian Rudy with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner, Germany. Conceded by Gonzalo Jara.
Attempt missed. Matthias Ginter (Germany) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Niklas Süle following a set piece situation.
Sebastian Rudy (Germany) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Marcelo Díaz (Chile).
Alexis Sánchez (Chile) is shown the yellow card.
Offside, Chile. Arturo Vidal tries a through ball, but Alexis Sánchez is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Eduardo Vargas (Chile) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Arturo Vidal.
Sebastian Rudy (Germany) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Arturo Vidal (Chile).
Attempt missed. Arturo Vidal (Chile) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Charles Aránguiz with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Chile. Conceded by Shkodran Mustafi.
Foul by Julian Draxler (Germany).
Mauricio Isla (Chile) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sebastian Rudy (Germany) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Sebastian Rudy (Germany). | Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez became Chile's all-time top scorer with his 38th international goal in Thursday's draw with Germany at the Confederations Cup. | 40265293 |
What is rabies?
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system.
It is a zoonotic disease - one passed on to humans from animals. It is transmitted via saliva from infected animals - most commonly dogs.
Bats can also be a source of a rabies-like infection. But deaths after exposure to foxes, racoons, jackals and other wild carnivores are rare.
Rabies is sometimes also known as hydrophobia - because of a symptom which can occur where patients have great difficulty swallowing and are unable to quench their thirst.
How does it develop?
The incubation period is usually between two and eight weeks - though it can be longer. It affects the central nervous system and initial symptoms include anxiety, headaches and fever.
As it spreads through the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.
There are two forms of the disease.
The "furious" form develops rapidly. Patients display signs such as hyperactivity and death occurs within days due to respiratory arrest.
"Paralytic" rabies accounts for around 30% of cases. It develops less rapidly. Muscles gradually become paralysed, a coma slowly develops eventually leading to death.
Rabies can only be diagnosed once symptoms have developed.
Can it be passed between people?
There are no documented cases - but those close to someone who is infected will sometimes be offered immunisation as a precaution.
How common is rabies?
There are over 59,000 a year worldwide, with most cases in developing countries, most in south and south-east Asia.
India sees more cases of rabies than any other country in the world.
Around 40% of people bitten are children aged under 15 and the majority of those are boys.
Rabies occurs in more than 150 countries and territories, according to the World Health Organization.
It is extremely rare in the UK. There have only been four deaths since 2000 - all in people who were bitten by dogs abroad.
The last case where someone was infected in the UK occurred in 1922, the last death from indigenous rabies was in 1902.
In 2003, it was recognised UK bats may carry a rabies-like virus. A man who worked as a bat-handler died from the infection, which was probably acquired in Scotland.
Why is there no rabies in the UK?
Rabies was eliminated from domestic animals in the US and UK during the middle of the last century.
Dogs, cats, ferrets and other susceptible animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies are required to remain in quarantine for six months before they can enter the UK, in order to keep the UK rabies-free.
An awareness campaign in the 1980s also warned the public to steer clear of animals when they were abroad - and not to bring them back to the UK.
What is the advice if someone is going to a country where rabies is present?
Talk to your doctor or nurse about whether or not you need to be vaccinated.
Avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible.
If you are bitten, scratched or licked by a warm-blooded animal was the affected area immediately with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay.
You may be given the rabies vaccine as it is still effective even if given some time after exposure.
Can it be controlled?
The WHO and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control says the best way of preventing human infection is to eliminate rabies infections in animals through vaccination. This is the best and most cost-effective way of reducing deaths from rabies. | How common is the disease worldwide - and how is it being tackled? | 18188682 |
Addressed to Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, it expresses Scott's concern for his family in England.
The letter will be conserved and put on display at Cambridge University's Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI).
Parts of it have been published before but the full version is being made public to mark 101 years since Scott's final diary entry on 29 March 1912.
Scott and his team, Dr Edward Wilson, Lt Henry Bowers, Capt Lawrence Oates and Petty Officer Edgar "Taff" Evans, reached the pole on 17 January 1912, to discover they had been beaten to it by Norwegian Roald Amundsen.
My Dear Sir Francis
I fear we have shipped up - a close shave. I am writing a few letters which I hope will be delivered some day. I want to thank you for the friendship you gave me of late years, and to tell you how extraordinarily pleasant I found it to serve under you.
I want to tell you that I was not too old for this job. It was the younger men that went under first.
Finally I want you to secure a competence for my widow and boy. I leave them very ill provided for, but feel that the country ought not to neglect them.
After all we are setting a good example to our countrymen, if not by getting into a tight place, by facing it like men when we were there.
We could have come through had we neglected the sick.
Good-bye and good-bye to dear Lady Bridgeman
Yours ever
R. Scott
Excuse writing - it is -40, and has been for nigh a month
Capt Oates and PO Evans died on the return journey. The remaining three set up their final camp on about 19 March where they wrote letters to their families and friends.
The majority of these are held in a collection at the SPRI's museum in Cambridge.
It is thought only two other "final" letters written by Scott, remain.
The whereabouts of one to his friend, the author JM Barrie, is unknown.
A second, to Edgar Speyer, the expedition's treasurer, was sold to a private collector last year at auction for £165,000.
The letter to Sir Francis Bridgeman was purchased for almost £80,000, with the help of grants from the V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the John R Murray Trust, Friends of the National Libraries and Dr Richard Dehmel.
It was sold by Lord and Lady Graham, descendants of Sir Francis.
Scott's letter to his former commanding officer speaks of his concern for his family's welfare and his hopes that they will be looked after.
"After all we are setting a good example to our countrymen, if not by getting into a tight place, by facing it like men when we were there.
"We could have come through had we neglected the sick."
Once conserved, the letter will be displayed at the SPRI museum alongside other letters written while Scott and his companions lay dying, including a letter to his widow Kathleen.
A search party found the bodies of Scott and his team in their tent on 12 November, 1912. | One of the last letters written by Capt Robert Falcon Scott during his south pole expedition has been made public. | 21963722 |
The 26-year-old France international was sent home on Tuesday after being late on three separate occasions.
"We have some rules and we have to respect them," said Klopp.
"After eight days, when we come back, we can talk. But it's not that serious. We had no argument. You cannot argue when only one person is speaking."
It had emerged in a club video that Sakho arrived late for the flight to the US and Klopp revealed that the former Paris St-Germain player also missed a training session and was late for a team meal.
In the video, filmed during Liverpool's visit to the old prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, Sakho interrupts manager Klopp during an interview and asks: "How long do you think you can live here?"
The 49-year-old German replies: "I don't have to think about that - you should. Only one of us turned up late for departure from Liverpool. It was you."
Klopp also jokes that "we are here because we want to leave Mama here".
France international Sakho, 26, this month had a doping case against him dismissed by Uefa.
He had been eligible for France's Euro 2016 squad after serving a provisional 30-day suspension for testing positive for a type of fat burner in March, but was left out by manager Didier Deschamps.
Sakho joined Liverpool for £18m from Paris St-Germain in 2013 and has made 55 appearances for the Premier League side. | Defender Mamadou Sakho's banishment from Liverpool's pre-season tour is "not that serious" according to manager Jurgen Klopp. | 36891959 |
The Care Quality Commission's (CQC) previous criticism over poor response times led to management changes.
In its latest report it said the impact on patients waiting for transport to hospital remained a "moderate concern".
The service said improvements to highlighted problems were under way.
The trust's five non-executive directors resigned in June after a critical report said the board's leadership "just isn't strong enough" to take the service forward.
Its interim chairman Geoff Harris also stepped down from his post on Tuesday, four months early, but a reason for the departure has yet to be announced.
The latest CQC report, which follows an inspection in December, said patient experience with crews overall was "very good" and staff absenteeism rates and complaints about ambulance delays had fallen.
It said the trust consistently met targets related to less urgent calls, and there was evidence to show that long waits for back-up vehicles to take people to hospital in life-threatening instances were decreasing in some areas.
But the report said response times to life-threatening 999 calls had not seen the required improvements and some senior fire officers said crews often waited "excessive times" for an ambulance to arrive following road traffic accidents.
All NHS ambulance services must respond to at least 75% of Category A life-threatening calls within eight minutes.
The CQC said that because the trust was taking "reasonable steps" to address its breaches, no further enforcement action would be taken.
But because the impact on people waiting to be taken to hospital remained a "moderate concern", those concerns would be escalated to the Trust Development Authority to take action.
The service's chief executive, Dr Anthony Marsh, said the trust had already started recruiting 400 student paramedics to tackle long term staffing issues, which had been noted as key to many of the trust's problems, and he said extra training was being provided for existing staff. | The East of England Ambulance Service is still failing to meet response times to life-threatening 999 calls, despite "significant improvements" in a number of areas, a report has said. | 25941910 |
They say the filthy room at the back of Edgardo Oviedo's home in the coastal city of Mar del Plata had an iron door, locked from the outside.
It had plates of dog food they believe was given to the woman and her son.
Mr Oviedo, 66, put up no resistance when police raided the house on Friday. He denies the charges.
The authorities say the woman has psychiatric problems and her son, who is 32, can barely speak.
Mr Oviedo, a construction worker and a former union leader, was arrested after a tip-off from two other sons, who live in the same neighbourhood.
They said they had initially been too scared of their father to report him.
Prosecutor Alejandro Pellegrini said the house had "a room in the worst of human conditions".
He said he was shocked by what he found: "You read the report but we can't believe it until you get there." | Police in Argentina have charged a man they say kept his wife and adult son locked up in a dungeon for several years with unlawful imprisonment. | 34166668 |
"I want you to go on a charisma master class," said my editor one morning, out of the blue.
Immediately sensing my awkward bewilderment, he quickly explained that he didn't think I needed help.
Instead he had a job for me - he wanted me to explore whether it is possible to be taught to become more charismatic.
That's how I found myself trotting down to Mayfair in central London to see a psychologist called Richard Reid.
Nicknamed "Mr Charisma", he runs regular sessions teaching people how to be more charismatic.
Increasingly in demand, his clients range from businessmen and women who want to be better leaders, to grooms preparing for their wedding speeches, and people who simply want to be more successful with the opposite sex.
While I'm naturally chatty, enjoy public speaking and smile quite a bit, I wouldn't describe myself as charismatic. But as I walked into his office, what would Mr Reid think of me? And what exactly is charisma?
"First impressions are that you have lots of positive attributes," he says. "You have a likeable energy, and I feel energetic being around you."
Better than I was expecting, but then came the inevitable "but".
"That energy needs to be tempered slightly, slowing down and pausing..."
Sensing that I was about to interrupt, Mr Reid adds: "And allow the other person to engage in the conversation.
"When people express themselves they feel good about themselves, and they're more likely to feel well disposed towards you."
Mr Reid goes on to talk about the importance of making eye contact, and asking people questions.
"By using open-ended questions you're showing far more interest in that person and you'll engender trust and enthusiasm."
He adds: "Charisma is about the [positive] feeling you engender in other people. A true sign of charisma is being able to connect with someone on a deeper level."
After spending an hour with Mr Reid I'm interested to hear what successful business leaders think about charisma, and whether they believe it can be taught.
So back at the office I start by calling Lord Digby Jones, a former UK minister for trade and investment.
"I'd say charisma is the confidence to constantly communicate and articulate a positive message," he says.
"People are kind enough to say I'm a good communicator, that I speak in a language they understand.
"And I have a reputation for always answering a question, not ducking it. If you do that and articulate with consistency and fluidity, people listen."
But does Lord Jones think you can learn to be more charismatic?
"You can become better [at it]," he says. "People who make things look easy work harder, prepare more, and take nothing for granted.
"I can make a speech and people think I just stood up and did it, because I never use notes. They don't know that for an hour sometime that day I've quietly sat on my own thinking, 'How am I going to structure this, what does my audience look like?'"
Across town I meet Lady Barbara Judge, chairman of the Institute of Directors business organisation. A formidable woman, her unique style seems to be an amalgam of Tudor monarch and steely grande dame of commerce.
I'm rather taken aback when she says: "For me, charisma is about smiling, you need to smile a lot."
"Charisma is about body language, making people feel included. It's not about you, it's about the people you're talking to and leading.
"If you can make people feel important, you can carry them with you."
More stories from the BBC's Business Brain series looking at quirky or unusual business topics from around the world:
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'I turned my dad's erotic novel into a hit podcast'
Would you carry something abroad for a stranger?
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Lady Judge adds that you have to believe in what you are saying. "If you want people to think you're strong, you have to look strong.
"I'm very thin-skinned, my feelings get hurt easily, and I'm kind of a marshmallow," she says. "You have to get over that: look strong, sound strong, act strong."
So does she believe you can teach charisma?
"I would like to think you can," she says, adding that as a younger women she received training in public speaking.
"If I can go from being terrible to reasonable by being taught, I'd like to think you can teach charisma."
However, not everyone agrees. One such naysayer is psychologist Prof Richard Wiseman, who like Mr Reid is an expert on charisma.
"I have never tried to train it [charisma], but my guess is that it would be very tricky," says Prof Wiseman.
"Charisma depends on a unique mix of passion, an ability to transmit that passion to others, the ability to convey a message in a simple way that people get, etc.
"My guess is that it is very tricky to teach charisma without it sounding terrible."
While there are other such sceptics, Mr Reid continues to run charisma classes for a host of businesses including accountancy group Ernst & Young, and IT firms Sophos and Cap Gemini. He has also worked with the City of London Police and the UK Ministry of Defence.
"Generally it's people who are looking for a promotion, or looking to get to grips having stepped up in role. Or people who are running businesses and organisations, who are looking to influence and steer the people who work under them," he says.
When it comes to who Mr Reid thinks are some of the world's most charismatic people, he is quick to cite Oprah Winfrey and the Dalai Lama.
He says that Oprah has "the whole package", while the Dalai Lama is "humble, approachable and warm". | Whether or not I am charismatic was not a question I had ever asked myself until very recently. | 40161953 |
Clearwater Seafoods will pay £98.4m for the wild shellfish processor, which is owned by the Beaton family and private equity fund Change Capital Partners.
Macduff, which is based near Peterhead, specialises in scallops, langoustine, whelk and crab.
It operates factories in Mintlaw, Stornoway and Exeter.
It also owns and operates 14 scallop harvesting vessels from its Dumfries facility and employs about 400 people at seasonal peaks.
Under the deal, Macduff will retain its name and operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearwater.
Macduff was founded in 1987 by the fifth generation of the Beaton family, who have been involved in the seafood industry for more than 120 years.
Nova Scotia-based Clearwater is one of North America's largest seafood companies, employing about 1,400 people.
Macduff said the deal would bring the company access to new markets, investment and opportunities for growth.
Macduff chairman Euan Beaton said: "Having reached our goal of building a £52m business, we had one suitor in mind which shares our vision and values to enable us to accelerate our growth on a global scale.
"This deal is great news for our operations in the UK, bringing investment and access to new markets within an extremely successful and respected business.
"It provides learning and development opportunities for our staff as we share best practice with Clearwater and it gives fishermen access to more markets." | Macduff Shellfish Group is being snapped up by a Canadian seafood firm in a deal worth nearly £100m. | 34489074 |
The Science and Technology Select Committee, chaired by Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood, conducted proceedings in the Divinity School at the Bodleian Library.
It is the first time that the committee has met outside London, and is part of the commemorations to mark 750 years since the birth of Parliament.
Parliament last met in Oxford in 1681.
Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire
The committee continued its inquiry into the lessons the UK can learn from the Ebola epidemic.
It was joined by about 80 sixth form students, taking part in Oxfordshire County Council's Find Your Voice project, which gives young people the chance to debate with politicians.
The Commons met in the University of Oxford's Divinity School in 1625 to avoid the plague in London.
Parliament met in the Divinity School in 1644, when Charles I brought his Court to Oxford during the Civil War.
The Lords and the Commons met in Oxford in 1665 in the Geometry School and Convocation House respectively.
Parliament met in the Divinity School in 1681, the last Parliament of King Charles II's reign.
Source: University of Oxford
Nick Rawlins, the pro-vice-chancellor of the university, called the sitting an "exceptional occasion".
Miss Blackwood said it was important for the committee to "get out of the bounds of Parliament".
She added: "I'm pleased to be in my home city of Oxford to chair this special session... and it is inspiring to be in the Divinity School which has an historic link with Parliament."
Lorraine Lindsay Gale, the council's cabinet member for cultural and community services, called the sitting "very significant".
"It will encourage young people to understand how Parliament and democracy works," she added. | The first Parliamentary sitting in Oxford for more than 300 years has taken place. | 34867439 |
Running next year, the exhibition will also feature actor Sir Lenny Henry, journalist Sir Trevor McDonald, singer Laura Mvula and actress Thandie Newton.
It is the gallery's biggest acquisition of Afro-Caribbean sitters.
Others will include Dizzee Rascal and Vogue's new editor Edward Enninful.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna and sports stars Denise Lewis and Les Ferdinand will also be featured, along with Homeland actor David Harewood, former children's laureate Malorie Blackman, Lord Bill Morris, the first black leader of a major trade union, and John Sentamu, Britain's first black Archbishop.
They were photographed by Simon Frederick, who originally took the shots for BBC Two documentary Black Is The New Black. He has donated the entire portfolio to the gallery.
The images will be part of the gallery's primary collection and will be the subject of a major display in November 2018.
Gallery director Nicholas Cullinan said: "These striking portraits of black British sitters powerfully reflect the diversity and variety of contemporary British achievement in public life."
The gallery's head of photographs Phillip Prodger added: "We are proud to welcome these works into our collection, where they will be seen, enjoyed, and celebrated for generations to come."
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected] | Naomi Campbell and Tinie Tempah are among 37 black British musicians, actors, politicians, models and sports stars who will feature in a major new National Portrait Gallery exhibition. | 40973249 |
The competition commissioner said she had issued a "statement of objections", stating that the firm's promotion of its own shopping links amounted to an abuse of its dominance in search.
Margrethe Vestager said Google now had 10 weeks to respond.
The firm said it "strongly disagreed" with the allegations and looked forward to making its case.
Ms Vestager also revealed that she had launched an investigation into whether the way Google bundled apps and services for its Android operating system was unfair.
And the commissioner said the EU would continue to monitor other activities by Google that its rivals had complained about.
It follows a five-year investigation into the company and marks the start of a formal legal process that could ultimately lead to billions of euros of fines.
Google accounts for more than a 90% of EU-based web searches.
The European Commission has investigated the antitrust allegations - made by Microsoft, Tripadvisor, Streetmap and others - since 2010.
Among their complaints was an objection to Google placing adverts from its Shopping service ahead of others' links in relevant searches.
Ms Vestager said the Commission's preliminary findings supported the claim that Google "systematically" gave prominence to its own ads, which amounted to an abuse of its dominant position in search.
"I'm concerned that Google has artificially boosted its presence in the comparison shopping market with the result that consumers may not necessarily see what's most relevant for them, or that competitors may not get the the commercial opportunity that their innovative services deserve," she told a press conference in Brussels.
Ms Vestager said that she was not seeking a wider redesign of Google's search results or asking it to change its algorithms.
But she added that the case could set a precedent that would determine how the EU handled other complaints about Google favouring its own mapping, hotels and flights services.
Google has rejected the idea its Shopping service distorts the market.
"While Google may be the most used search engine, people can now find and access information in numerous different ways - and allegations of harm, for consumers and competitors, have proved to be wide of the mark," wrote its search chief Amit Singhal on the firm's blog.
"It's clear that: (a) there's a ton of competition - including from Amazon and eBay, two of the biggest shopping sites in the world and (b) Google's shopping results have not the harmed the competition.
"Any economist would say that you typically do not see a ton of innovation, new entrants or investment in sectors where competition is stagnating - or dominated by one player. Yet that is exactly what's happening in our world."
Many of Google's rivals welcomed the EU's action.
"Google's abuse of dominance distorts European markets, harms consumers, and makes it impossible for Google's rivals to compete on a level playing field," said lobbying group Icomp.
"We see this statement of objection as a crucial first step towards ensuring that European consumers have access to vibrant and competitive online markets."
The EU has also launched a separate investigation into Google's Android operating system, used by smartphones and tablets, which will focus on three topics:
"These issues are distinct from the Google comparison shopping case and the investigations will of course be different," Ms Vestager said.
In response, Google stressed that Android devices could be offered without its services.
"It's important to remember that [our partner agreements] are voluntary - you can use Android without Google - but provide real benefits to Android users, developers and the broader ecosystem," said lead engineer Hiroshi Lockheimer.
"Our app distribution agreements make sure that people get a great 'out of the box' experience with useful apps right there on the home screen. This also helps manufacturers of Android devices compete with Apple, Microsoft and other mobile ecosystems that come preloaded with similar baseline apps."
Google could ultimately face huge fines and be ordered to reshape its business in Europe because of the shopping complaint.
In recent years, the Commission has imposed antitrust penalties on other tech giants, ordering Intel to pay €1.1bn (£793m; $1.2bn) in 2009, and Microsoft €516m in 2013.
However, Ms Vestager said she was "open" to Google's response, and would listen to its case before deciding how to proceed.
One independent expert said that the matter could take years to resolve.
"I can't see that this will be a fast process given the complexity of the subject matter, what's at stake and the likely level of the fine," said Paul Henty, a lawyer at Charles Russell Speechlys who has previously worked for the European Commission.
The EU's investigation is not the only one Google is facing.
Investigators at India's Competition Commission delivered a report last week after carrying out a three-year probe into claims of unfair business practices.
Their counterparts in Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Taiwan and Canada have also opened investigations.
However, the US Federal Trade Commission dropped its own probe at the start of 2013 after Google made several non-binding commitments. | The European Union has filed a complaint against Google over its alleged anti-competitive behaviour. | 32315649 |
The incident happened near Talgarth on 30 July as the glider soared at 1,600ft (488m) in an area known as Gospel Pass.
The US Air Force F-15 was flying at 517mph (832km/h) at an altitude of 500ft (152m).
The glider pilot told experts the risk of collision was "high". Neither was fitted with warning equipment.
At the time of the incident, the aircrafts were outside controlled airspace, flying on Visual Flight Rules (VFR) where pilots are required to "see and avoid" each other.
The F-15 pilot, who is based in the UK, said he was aware of a gliding club in the area but had not seen the other aircraft and did not believe there was a risk of a collision.
The Black Mountains Gliding Club told officials there had been informal agreements with RAF Harrier pilots in the 1990s to keep the fast jets and gliders apart.
The gliding club suggested that the arrangement with military pilots should be reinstated but Airprox board officials said there should be more formal restrictions on flying in the area.
Experts concluded neither pilot had seen the other aircraft in time to take evasive action and the risk was category B - a medium risk. | An official report has described how an American fighter jet flew directly below a glider over the Black Mountains in Powys. | 34875417 |
Sir Michael Fallon said the sale of the sites - part of a review of Ministry of Defence land - was in addition to the sale of 35 MoD sites that had previously been announced.
Unions called the plans "brutal" and promised to fight the closures.
But Sir Michael said it would deliver better value for money and release enough land to build 55,000 homes.
It is estimated that about £140m will be saved over the next decade by selling off the sites, which Sir Michael said would be reinvested in creating "areas of military expertise" in locations across the country.
More than 32,000 acres of defence land will be released, including 10 surplus airfields and five golf courses.
"By putting money where it is needed, we will provide better facilities to train our armed forces and deliver more stability for military families," he said, adding that the moves are part of a package of more than £4bn of investment in the services.
The majority of sites will be in England, including parts of Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire - the Army's largest garrison - the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, near Grantham, and Imphal Barracks in York.
A further eight sites in Scotland will close, including the Redford Calvary and Infantry Baracks in Edinburgh, and Fort George, near Ardersier.
Then Wales and Northern Ireland will each have three bases closed, including Brecon Barracks.
New sites and bases will be moved to locations which are selected based on employment opportunities in the community, enabling military families to buy their own homes and reducing disruption to children's education, Sir Michael said.
These include new regional hubs for light infantry battalions in London, Edinburgh, Lisburn, St Athan, Blackpool and Cottesmore, as well as air assault forces in Colchester and a specialised infantry group in Aldershot.
Nia Griffith, shadow defence secretary, said Labour recognised there was "a need to modernise" the defence estate, but wanted reassurance families would be taken care of.
She said: "The government is right to seek to restructure the estate to ensure that we optimise our military capability and deliver value for money for the British taxpayer.
"The changes proposed in this report are very considerable in scale and there is a real need to ensure they are delivered in a way that does not cause undue challenges to our forces and their families."
Ms Griffith also asked Sir Michael to confirm that all of the money raised would go back into defence and not into the Treasury.
In reply, he said: "All of the receipts, not some of them but all of the receipts, will come back in to the defence budget."
But unions have said the cuts will severely hit the support for armed forces and damage morale.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary for the Public and Commercial Services union, said: "We are opposed to these closure plans that throw the future into doubt for thousands of staff.
"The MoD has a poor track record on selling off land for homes and this again exposes how the Tories are simply paying lip service to the urgent need to address the housing crisis."
Mike McCartney, national officer for Unite, echoed the criticism, calling the closures "brutal".
"In many instances the bases earmarked for closure are at the heart of their local communities providing a source of decent and secure employment," he said.
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MoD sites to be sold
£4bn
to be spent refurbishing bases
32,500 acres of defence land to be released
£140m savings in reduced running costs over 10 years
55,000 new homes will be built on the land | The UK government will sell off 56 more defence sites by 2040, the defence secretary has told MPs. | 37902141 |
A choir of women in floral shirts and grass skirts welcomed the couple, who are on a tour to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year, to Boera.
The pair were shown crafts, canoe building and an aid project before a state dinner in capital Port Moresby.
Prince Charles, colonel-in-chief of the local Royal Pacific Islands Regiment, earlier inspected a military parade.
Dressed in the forest green uniform of the regiment, he presented infantrymen with new colours at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.
In a speech, he introduced himself in the local Tok Pisin language as the "first child of Mrs Queen", which brought cheers and applause from the crowd of about 5,000 people.
His words translated as: "I bring you greetings from Her Majesty the Queen of Papua New Guinea and from all my family members during this celebration of the Diamond Jubilee."
The event also included an open-air church service, in which prayers were said for the Queen, while the local culture was showcased in dance and music.
Tribes from across Papua New Guinea were present, including Huli men with their yellow painted faces and Asaro mudmen, with large false heads and bodies covered in grey clay.
The royal couple arrived on the island on Saturday on the first leg of a two-week tour of Commonwealth countries, which will also see them visit Australia and New Zealand.
It is the fourth time Prince Charles has visited Papua New Guinea but the first time for Camilla.
During a visit to the National Bird of Paradise and Orchid Garden, the Duchess of Cornwall was presented with a rare hybrid orchid named in her honour, the Dendrobium Camilla.
At Boera village, hundreds of residents turned out to greet Prince Charles and the duchess.
Jenny Lohia, 24, topless and dressed traditionally in a leaf skirt and body paintings, gave Camilla a peck on the cheek as she placed a necklace of shells around her neck as a welcoming present.
They royal couple were shown local painting, weaving and pottery and toured the aid project concerned with the replanting of coastal mangroves.
The couple were guests of honour at the state dinner later, which was hosted by governor general Sir Michael Ogio and his wife. | The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have been given a glimpse of village life in Papua New Guinea. | 20196252 |
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), funded by the US Congress, is the first organisation to be labelled "undesirable" under a new Russian law.
Russia's Foreign Ministry warned that "we will never tolerate mentoring and open interference in our affairs by foreign structures".
US officials condemned Russia's move.
The US Department of State called the blacklisting "a further example of the Russian government's growing crackdown on independent voices and another intentional step to isolate the Russian people from the world".
Russia's Foreign Ministry hit back by saying the NED's name was "deceptive" because "it is only non-governmental on paper, while in reality it has, from the moment it was set up, received funding from the US budget, including funding via the channels of intelligence bodies".
The ministry said that analysis of NED projects "shows that they are aimed at destabilising the internal situation in countries which pursue independent policies in line with their own national interests, rather than following instructions from Washington".
According to Russian official data, the NED gave financial assistance worth about $5.2m (£3.3m) to various Russian organisations in 2013-2014.
Russians can now face fines or up to six years in prison if they work for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) branded "undesirable".
Critics say it is a Kremlin move aimed at stifling dissent.
NGOs linked to politics in Russia already face restrictions under a 2012 law requiring them to register as "foreign agents".
President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party accuses some foreign governments of using NGOs in Russia as cover to engineer political change. | Russia has said it will not tolerate "interference" by foreign organisations after it put a US pro-democracy foundation on a blacklist. | 33715236 |
The findings of a serious case review from the city council's safeguarding board will be revealed next week.
But Labour MP for Coventry North West Geoffrey Robinson told the commons that was not enough.
Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek were jailed for life for the boy's murder last month.
Mr Robinson said outsiders needed to investigate what went wrong.
Daniel died from a head injury in March 2012. He weighed just over a stone-and-a-half at the time.
Luczak and Krezolek were convicted of murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 30 years. | The government is being urged to order an independent inquiry into the case of four-year-old Daniel Pelka, who was killed by his mother and her partner. | 24071292 |
Loujain al-Hathloul was picked up at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on 4 June, the human rights group Amnesty International says.
It says Ms Hathloul has been denied access to a lawyer or her family.
Ms Hathloul was arrested in 2014 when she tried to drive into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that forbids women from driving.
Authorities have not disclosed the reason for Ms Hathloul's latest arrest.
She is expected to be taken to Riyadh later on Tuesday, to be interrogated by prosecutors.
Amnesty International's Samah Hadid called for her immediate release, saying her "continuous harassment" was "absurd and unjustifiable".
"It appears she is being targeted once again because of her peaceful work as a human rights defender speaking out for women's rights, which are consistently trammelled in the kingdom."
While it is not technically illegal for women to drive, only men are given driving licences - and women who drive in public risk being arrested and fined by police.
Ms Hathloul was arrested in December 2014, when she tried to drive into Saudi Arabia from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In November 2015, Ms Hathloul stood for election in Saudi Arabia - the first time the conservative kingdom had let women vote, or stand as candidates.
However, her name was never added to the ballot paper. | A Saudi rights activist who was detained for 73 days for flouting the country's ban on female drivers has been arrested again. | 40171306 |
Maj Nidal Hasan faces the death penalty after being found guilty of 13 counts of pre-meditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.
Maj Hasan, 42, said he opened fire on the unarmed US soldiers to protect Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.
The jury, which reached a unanimous verdict in seven hours, begins the penalty phase of the trial on Monday.
The 13-member panel must come to a unanimous agreement in order to recommend that the judge sentence Maj Hasan to death. If they do not agree, he will face a life prison sentence.
The US military has not executed a service member since 1961. There are five inmates on the US military's death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, all at various stages of the appeals process.
Among the last barriers to military execution is authorisation from the president.
Maj Hasan, a Virginia-born Muslim, had no visible reaction as the verdict was read.
After the hearing, relatives of the dead and wounded fought back tears.
He admitted to being the gunman at the start of his court martial this month. Acting as his own lawyer, he questioned only three of 90 prosecution witnesses and declined to call witnesses of his own or make closing arguments.
His court-appointed legal advisers, who were little involved in his defence, have told the judge they believed he sought execution in a bid for martyrdom.
Maj Hasan has said he carried out the attack on unarmed soldiers at a medical building in Fort Hood in order to protect Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
When the military judge, Col Tara Osborn, suggested shortly before jurors began deliberating on Thursday that the shootings happened because Maj Hasan had lost his temper, he challenged her.
"It wasn't done under the heat of sudden passion," he said.
"There was adequate provocation that these were deploying soldiers that were going to engage in an illegal war."
The Army psychiatrist opened fire on 5 November 2009 at a medical facility on the base where soldiers were being evaluated before deploying overseas.
Prosecutors said he had prepared carefully for the attack for weeks, visiting a target practice range, buying a gun, and stuffing paper towels into his trouser pockets to muffle noise from the extra ammunition before he opened fire.
Soldiers and civilians testified that they heard a man wearing Army camouflage scream an Islamic benediction before opening fire with two handguns.
Witnesses also said Maj Hasan's rapid reloading prevented the unarmed soldiers from halting the attack. Three separate people who attempted to charge him were stopped by gunfire.
Maj Hasan fired 146 bullets, prosecutors said. The attack ended when he was shot by a civilian police officer. He was paralysed from the waist down from the wound.
He uses a wheelchair after being left paralysed from the waist down when he was shot by one of the police officers who responded to the attack. | The US Army psychiatrist who shot dead 13 comrades at a Texas Army base in 2009 has been convicted of all charges. | 23818930 |
Hadiza Bawa-Garba, 40, was convicted of Jack Adcock's manslaughter at Nottingham Crown Court last November.
Jack, who had a heart condition, died at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2011 hours after being admitted with sickness and vomiting.
She was seeking the right to appeal against her conviction.
Updates on this story and more from Leicestershire
The doctor was given a two-year sentence, suspended for two years.
Counsel for Bawa-Garba argued before three senior judges in London that her trial was unfair because the judge misdirected the jury.
But Sir Brian Leveson ruled: "We have come to clear conclusion that none of the grounds of appeal are, in fact, arguable".
He ruled the trial judge's directions to the jury could not be faulted and refused permission for a full appeal.
Jack's parents, Nicky and Vic, who live in Glen Parva, Leicester, were not in court to hear the decision. | A doctor who was convicted of the manslaughter by gross negligence of a six-year-old boy has failed in her bid for an appeal. | 38248785 |
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13 July 2015 Last updated at 09:23 BST
The ball finds its way into the crowd after bouncing off a line judge's chair during Jamie Murray and John Peers' doubles semi-final win over Jonathan Erlich and Philipp Petzschner. | Former England football captain David Beckham shows he's equally skilled with his hands after a tennis ball flies into the royal box, much to the delight of the Court One crowd. | 33505984 |
The former MSP won a defamation case against the now defunct News of The World in 2006.
The paper's owner, News Group, wanted that ruling "struck down" following Mr Sheridan's 2010 conviction for perjury.
However, the Supreme Court said they had failed to "raise an arguable point of law of general public importance".
It follows a case heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh last year, where News Group attempted to seek permission to have the original trial rerun. That was rejected in November.
The company then appealed to the Supreme Court, which has also declined to hear the case, meaning the Edinburgh judgement stands.
In a statement, the court said: "The Court ordered that permission to appeal be refused because the application does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance, which ought to be considered at this time, bearing in mind that the case has already been the subject of judicial decision and reviewed on appeal".
The judgement finally brings to an end an 11-year legal process, which began when the newspaper published articles about Mr Sheridan's private life.
Mr Sheridan, a former leader of the Scottish Socialist Party and Glasgow MSP, was awarded compensation after winning the defamation trial in 2006.
It is understood that Mr Sheridan was not paid the money at the time of the original defamation judgement.
In 2010, he was found guilty of perjury while giving evidence during the earlier case and jailed for three years.
He was freed from prison after serving just over a year of his sentence. | The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from a newspaper group trying to overturn the verdict that saw Tommy Sheridan awarded £200,000 in damages. | 39305500 |
Meryl and Jerry Butler bought the stone at an auction in Ruabon in the 1990s.
Academics say the inscribed carving could be an image of a 13th Century Cistercian abbot from the Valle Crucis Abbey in Llangollen, Denbighshire.
Archaeology Prof Howard Williams, from the University of Chester, said it was a "unique monument".
Mr and Mrs Butler were restoring a medieval and Tudor house when they spotted the stone fragment for sale.
"We just loved the smile on his face, so we bought it for the garden," said Mr Butler.
"It was on its side and we think it had been face down before that - had it been left face up you wouldn't have the detail now."
The monument spent 20 years alongside the fireplace of the couple's home until they decided to share it with the public.
They approached Llangollen Museum, whose manager Gill Smith quickly realised its significance.
Ms Smith in turn contacted Prof Williams, who spoke of his "awe and surprise" on seeing the stone.
"I realised we were looking at a unique monument," he said. "We couldn't think of anything like it from north Wales.
"Inscribed effigies are rare indeed. There is only one other comparable example, from Rhuddlan, and while there are a large collection of medieval grave slabs from Valle Crucis Abbey, none have an inscribed effigy.
"What is amazing is that he is smiling. In this monument, we have an individual depicted fully aware and awake, awaiting salvation."
Prof Williams believes the original Lombardic inscription - of which only the final fragment remains - is likely to refer to Hwyel, who was recorded as Abbot of Valle Crucis around 1295.
"It's wonderful that he has survived and we are thrilled to see him appreciated at last," added Mr Butler.
"I'm sure one day he will go back home to Valle Crucis and perhaps more will be discovered about his life and times." | A gravestone used as an ornament by a couple from Glyn Ceiriog, Wrexham, is thought to be a rare effigy of a medieval monk. | 38228588 |
The Northern Irishman carded four bogeys and a solitary birdie in a second successive three-over-par 73.
Padraig Harrington's dismal form this season continued as he added a 73 to his opening 77 to finish on 10 over.
Three-time major winner Harrington has not qualified for next week's big event at Oakmont.
McDowell won the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2010 but he has struggled for consistency over the past three seasons and he is currently 75th in the world rankings.
American Daniel Berger has a three-shot lead at the halfway stage after a six-under-par 64 left him on nine under.
Another American Tom Hoge is on six under with Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka all four shots off the pace. | Graeme McDowell's build-up to next week's US Open endured a setback as he missed the cut by five shots at the St Jude Classic in Memphis. | 36507091 |
The girl is not aware that she has given birth. During her pregnancy she was told her bulge was because she had a big stone in her stomach.
The baby weighing 2.5kg (5.5lb) was delivered by Caesarean section in Chandigarh at 09:22 (03:52 GMT).
Both the mother and the newborn are doing fine, an official told the BBC.
The girl alleges she was raped several times in the past seven months by her uncle, who has been arrested.
Her pregnancy was discovered in mid-July when she complained of stomach ache and her parents took her to hospital.
A local court in Chandigarh turned down the abortion plea on the grounds that she was too far into her pregnancy after a doctors' panel said that termination of the pregnancy would be "too risky". Later, the Supreme Court also refused to allow an abortion for her on similar grounds.
As the baby was born prematurely at 35 weeks, she has been placed in the neo-natal intensive care unit of the hospital where she will remain for the next few days, the BBC's Geeta Pandey reports from Delhi.
The parents of the 10-year-old girl, who said from the beginning that they did not want to have anything to do with the baby, did not even look at the newborn, our correspondent adds.
The infant will be looked after by the child welfare committee until she is put up for adoption, an official said.
The girl who gave birth is expected to remain in hospital for up to 10 days.
Her case has dominated headlines in India for the past several weeks, with officials saying it is the first-ever case of a child so young giving birth.
Indian law does not allow terminations after 20 weeks unless doctors certify that the mother's life is in danger.
But in recent years, the courts have received several petitions, many from child rape survivors, seeking to terminate pregnancies after 20 weeks. In most cases, these pregnancies are discovered late because the children themselves are not aware of their condition.
Child welfare activists who interact with the 10-year-old on a regular basis say that is precisely what happened with her - the girl is very innocent and had no idea what had happened to her.
Her parents also missed the telltale signs of her pregnancy perhaps because she's "a healthy, chubby child". Besides, they couldn't imagine that their daughter could be pregnant at 10.
Sources: Indian government, Unicef | A 10-year-old rape victim who was denied permission for an abortion by the Indian Supreme Court last month has given birth to a baby girl. | 40961137 |
Neil Fingleton, from Durham, was 7ft 7in tall, and was a basketball player in the US before moving into acting.
He played Mag The Mighty in the TV fantasy series, and also worked on X-Men and Dr Who, in which he played the Fisher King monster.
His title as Britain's tallest man was confirmed in 2007.
Speaking on his decision to become an actor, which followed his retirement from basketball due to injury, Mr Fingleton said: "There are tens of millions of people in this country, and I'm the tallest, which is a very special thing.
"So why not use it to my advantage and be recognised, not just for being tall but for being a talented actor."
There have been a number of tributes on social media.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine tweeted: "How early, how sad: "Game of Thrones star and UK's tallest man Neil Fingleton dies aged 36."
Middlesbrough MP Tom Blenkinsop tweeted: "Really sad news about Neil Fingleton. Played, amongst many things, Mag the Mighty in #GoT. Also a Huge Boro fan!! Only 36!! So, so sad."
A statement posted on the Tall Persons Club group Facebook page read: "Sadly it has come to our attention that Neil Fingleton Britain's Tallest man passed away on Saturday.
"Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family." | Britain's tallest man, who played a giant in Game of Thrones, has died, reportedly of a heart attack, at the age of 36. | 39095305 |
Mr Chavez said some leading banks were failing to comply with a legal requirement that at least 10% of their lending should support development.
"If you can't do it, give me the banks," he said.
The government has taken over several private banks in recent years over alleged irregularities.
Mr Chavez was speaking during his weekly radio and television programme, which was broadcast from Barinas state in Venezuela's central plains, an important farming and cattle-ranching region.
He named three banks in particular - Banesco, Banco Mercantil and Banco Provincial - and accused them of favouring loans to large landowners and businesses rather than small farmers.
"Banks of Venezuela, private and public, either you finance agricultural production or we will take measures. There is no alternative," he said.
"We will pay the owners what the banks cost and in two years we will recover the investment," he added.
Mr Chavez also said he would step up the expropriation of large estates to give land to small farmers.
The process of agricultural reform has given many of Venezuela's rural poor the chance to farm for themselves for the first time.
But critics - including large ranchers and farmers who have lost their land - say production has suffered as a result, putting pressure on food supplies and prices.
Mr Chavez - who has governed Venezuela for 13 years - is seeking re-election in October in order to deepen the socialist "revolution" in Venezuela. | Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has warned that he could nationalise banks that refuse to finance agricultural projects backed by his government. | 16783993 |
A total of 87.7% of patients were seen within a four-hour target time compared with 84.3% the year before.
However, the 95% target was not reached once over the 15 months to March.
The Welsh government said the vast majority of patients receive intervention or assessment within two hours of arrival at A&E units.
A&E units see between 70,000 and 90,000 people a month depending on the time of year, the figures show.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We are working closely with NHS Wales to develop intelligent measures which better describe the care provided to patients in A&E to complement the existing four-hour target."
On Wednesday, Health Minister Mark Drakeford announced a pilot project to monitor cancer treatment times to give a better picture of whether patients receive timely care.
And in March he outlined a major overhaul of the way ambulance service and A&E department performance in Wales is monitored and measured.
Political opponents have questioned the motives.
The Welsh government set health boards a target to admit, transfer or discharge 95% of A&E patients within four hours. It also monitors waiting times up to eight hours and more than 12.
A Welsh government spokesman said that figure was "disappointing".
But he said he was "encouraged" to note separate monthly figures for diagnostic services waiting times of more than 14 weeks fell in March as "health boards work on reducing all waits".
"While it is disappointing that the total number of patients waiting more than eight weeks has not decreased this month, the standard wait remains between five-six weeks," he added. | Hospital A&E department waiting time targets to see and treat patients have improved on the previous year, latest figures show. | 27333018 |
The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) says Pacquiao did not declare he had a problem on a pre-fight questionnaire.
But he says he was up front about his injury and had agreed a treatment plan.
Two people in Nevada have alleged the boxer defrauded ticket buyers, television viewers and gamblers.
They have opened lawsuits just hours after the NAC accused Pacquiao of being dishonest.
If the Filipino, 36, is found guilty of that charge, the penalty for perjury could be a jail sentence of between one and four years, and a fine of up to $5,000 (£3,305).
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Pacquiao blamed his points defeat to Mayweather on the injury, claiming it stopped him using his right hand properly.
But a joint statement released by Team Pacquiao and his promoters, Top Rank, said the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) had been notified about it during the fighter's training camp and on the night of the bout.
They added that a Usada doctor sanctioned the use of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory on fight night only for the NAC to refuse it because they were "unaware" of the shoulder injury.
The statement added: "This was disappointing since Team Pacquiao had disclosed the injury and treatment to Usada, who approved the treatments and Manny had listed the medication on his pre-fight medical form."
The NAC says the Pacquiao camp were not "obligated" to disclose the injury, but their executive director Bob Bennett said: "It's not just the fact he didn't fill out the question completely, it's that he wasn't honest.
"Two hours before the fight, they wanted a shot that's a painkiller, in essence. That put us in a very precarious position."
The form Pacquiao signed asked if he had "any injuries to his shoulders, elbows, or hands that needed evaluation or examination".
The legal disclaimer states that the signatory "swears, under penalty of perjury, that the above information is true and correct".
Surgeon Neal ElAttrache told ESPN the fighter has a "significant tear" in his rotator cuff and added the injury was likely to sideline him for between nine and 12 months.
Mayweather, 38, scored a unanimous points victory in the four-belt unification bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the win extending the American's unbeaten record as a professional to 48 fights.
Pacquiao's surgery means any rematch is unlikely, with Mayweather insisting he will retire in September after one more fight. | Manny Pacquiao is the subject of a lawsuit in Nevada after being accused of lying over a shoulder injury sustained before his fight against Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. | 32594782 |
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21 March 2015 Last updated at 09:03 GMT
Miss Minnie is an eight year old border collie and works in the school, encouraging the children to read and learn new skills.
She listens to stories with them and even lets them practice their teeth brushing skills on her.
Leah's been looking into why Miss Minnie is such a hit with the kids. | A primary school in the West Midlands has hired a new teacher with a difference. | 31985205 |
Ms MacDonald, who died aged 70 in 2014, served as an MP and MSP and was deputy leader of the SNP between 1974 and 1979.
Her husband, Jim Sillars, has donated the painting by Scottish artist Gerard M Burns to Holyrood.
The portrait shows Ms MacDonald inside the parliament's debating chamber.
It has gone on display in the members' room of the parliament.
Speaking at the unveiling, Ms Sillars said his wife had "left a legacy of ideas which have inspired a generation".
Ms MacDonald, who was a key figure within the Scottish independence movement, had Parkinson's Disease and campaigned for assisted suicide to be legalised ahead of her death.
She had been an SNP MP and MSP until being formally expelled by the party in 2003 following her announcement that she intended to stand as an independent candidate in that year's Scottish Parliament election, in which she was subsequently elected to represent the Lothians region.
Mr Burns has previously painted portraits of well-known Scots including Nicola Sturgeon, Billy Connolly and Ewan McGregor.
But he had never before painted a subject after their death. | A painting commemorating Margo MacDonald's 40-year contribution to politics has been unveiled at the Scottish Parliament. | 37285761 |
That is below the £90.2bn figure estimated in March by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, and £11.1bn lower than last year's total.
March's borrowing figure was down £400m from a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics figures showed.
Finances in the month were helped by increased revenues from income tax and national insurance.
The ONS said taxpayers paid a record £15.5bn in income tax last month.
In the aftermath of the financial crisis, borrowing peaked at £153bn in 2009-10, the year before the Coalition government took power.
As a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), the deficit has more than halved since then from 10% to 4.8%.
Total Public Sector Net Debt (PSNB), which excludes help for state-controlled banks, stood at £1.484 trillion in March, equivalent to 80.4% of GDP.
The figure is £500bn higher than it was the year before the Coalition government took charge. | Government borrowing fell to £7.4bn in March, figures show, taking the total for the financial year to £87.3bn. | 32427155 |
A police chase led to a tense standoff in a car park for several hours, until police shot the suspect through the front windshield of the van.
Police say the suspect is dead, but have not confirmed the man's identity.
Two bombs left outside the Dallas police HQ in Texas, and two more bombs found inside the van, have detonated.
The motive for the attack is not clear. No officers have been hurt.
Police say the suspect's van caught fire as officers detonated two pipe bombs in the vehicle.
The gun attack on the police headquarters began at about 00:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on Saturday.
Initially, police quoted witnesses as saying that as many as four suspects were involved - however, Dallas Police Chief David Brown subsequently said it appeared that only one gunman was involved.
He said that following the shooting, the suspect fled in the van, ramming a police car.
A police chase ended in a car park in Hutchins, about nine miles (14km) from central Dallas.
The van, which was disabled using a police rifle, appeared to have gun ports built into its sides.
Police say the suspect was a white male, but his identity has not been confirmed.
Mr Brown said the suspect had given his name as James Boulware, and officers had attended three incidents of domestic violence involving a man with that name in the past.
"The suspect has told our negotiators that we took his child and we accused him of being a terrorist, and that he's going to blow us up. And then cut off negotiations."
At 05:07, police snipers shot through the front windshield of the van, Mr Brown said.
Police then sent in a robot equipped with a camera to confirm that the suspect had died, and detonated explosives found in the van.
Residents near the police headquarters had been evacuated as a precaution while specialist teams dealt with other explosives left nearby.
One of the bags exploded as a robot tried to move it.
Dallas police said they successfully detonated another device found under a police truck outside the headquarters, while a third package found in a rubbish container had been cleared and was not an explosive.
Maj Max Geron from Dallas police said one officer searching for explosives had almost tripped over one of the bags that exploded.
"Some officers say we are very lucky. I believe we are blessed that our officers survived this ordeal," Mr Brown said.
Joshua Guilbuad, who lives near the police headquarters, told the BBC he was woken by the gunshots.
"It sounded like approximately 200 gunshots going off across the street."
He said police told him and his flatmates to evacuate the building and shortly afterwards there was "a huge explosion which shook the glass in the windows". | A gunman has opened fire on the police headquarters in the US city of Dallas, before fleeing the scene in what appeared to be an armoured vehicle. | 33121180 |
Saeed Karimian, 45, was shot dead in the Maslak neighbourhood, along with his Kuwaiti business partner.
The vehicle used in the apparent assassination was later found burnt out. Turkish police are investigating.
Mr Karimian had previously been tried in absentia by a Tehran court and sentenced to six years in prison for spreading propaganda against Iran.
It is understood he died immediately after the gunmen - who were reportedly masked - opened fire on the vehicle on Saturday evening, while his business partner died later in hospital.
Gem TV, which dubs foreign and Western shows into Persian and broadcasts them into Iran, has been criticised by Iran for showing programmes that go against Islamic values and has been accused of spreading Western culture.
Family members told the BBC's Jiyar Gol that Mr Karimian had been threatened by the regime the past three months, and as a result was planning to leave Istanbul and move back to London.
However, sources within the Turkish government have suggested the killing may be related to business and gangs, our correspondent says.
Gem Group was initially established in London, but later expanded to Dubai. According to the group's website, it has 17 Persian-language channels, plus one each in Kurdish, Azeri and Arabic. | The founder and chairman of the Persian-language Gem TV company has been killed in Istanbul. | 39761451 |
Alan Couper, 62, from Southampton, died at the scene on Stockbridge Road, at the entrance to the golf club in Leckford, on Wednesday.
In a statement his family called him a "loving, gorgeous husband, fantastic supportive father and grandad".
They added: "We will miss him so much. We loved him with all our hearts."
"Life will never be the same without him," the statement concluded.
The collision involved a lorry and two motorbikes, with another motorcyclist being taken to Southampton General Hospital with minor injuries.
Hampshire Constabulary said the lorry driver, a 57-year-old man from Tidworth, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following the crash.
He was bailed pending further inquiries.
Officers have appealed for witnesses to come forward. | A motorcyclist killed in a crash with a lorry in Hampshire died while enjoying "one of his favourite pastimes", his family have said. | 36058273 |
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) says it will no longer seek the consent of families formally, to make such "overrides" more exceptional.
Instead, they will be given a leaflet explaining consent - or authorisation in Scotland - rests with the deceased.
Families can still veto that consent but must provide reasons in writing.
NHSBT expects the change to lead to a 9% rise in donors.
It said the 547 blocked donors would have provided organs for 1,200 patients.
There are currently 6,578 people waiting for transplants in the UK.
Last month, the system in Wales changed to "presumed consent", under which people are deemed to be potential donors unless they have specifically opted out.
NHSBT head Sally Johnson, said: "We are taking a tougher approach - but also a more honest approach.
"My nurses are speaking for the person who has died. People who join the register want and expect to become organ donors.
"We do not want to let them down."
She added: "We have every sympathy for families - and of course we do not want to make their grief worse.
"We think this will make what is a hugely distressing day easier for them, by reducing the burden on them.
"The principle that the individual affected is the one who consents applies throughout medicine, and it is not different because someone has died."
Specialist nurse James Hardie, from St Mary's Hospital in London, said: "Families sometimes override their relative's wishes because they perhaps did not know that person was on the register.
"They find it distressing that they did not know their loved one as well as they thought."
But he added: "The consequence of refusal is that people die as a result - that is the unfortunate reality of the situation.
"If somebody refuses the opportunity for their loved one to become an organ donor, somebody potentially goes without a transplant."
The British Medical Association said families should be strongly encouraged to respect the views of the deceased.
But it said that in the small number of cases where they had such strong and sustained opposition it was likely to cause them severe distress, donation might be inappropriate. | Bereaved families have blocked the donation of organs from 547 UK registered donors since 2010 - about one in seven cases, figures show. | 35304105 |
The spider - which is not generally harmful to humans - was spotted at the Garth Park ball court and reported to Bridgend County Borough Council.
After it had been collected, the council called in wildlife expert Dr Rhys Jones, from Cardiff University, for advice.
The council is now appealing for the spider's owner to come forward.
Dr Jones - best known as the star of the BBC One Wales series Rhys Jones's Wildlife Patrol - said: "It is unlikely that the spider would have travelled from distance, given the cold spring temperatures and the proximity of local houses.
"The surrounding habitat offered little interest or cover for that species of spider, given that it mainly consists of large open fields which are patrolled by many aerial predators, including gulls and crows.
"These birds would have easily spotted this tropical spider and - given half a chance - would have eaten her.
"All things considered, the spider had a very lucky escape before a bird or cat killed it."
The spider is not aggressive, and is currently being looked after by Dr Jones at Cardiff University. | A Mexican red rump tarantula has been found wandering around in grass in Maesteg. | 32121990 |
The government accepted recommendations by the Senior Salaries Review Body, saying pay restraint was one of the "difficult choices" it faced.
The award comes amid a row over the 1% cap on public sector rises.
After the general election, some ministers suggested a rethink, putting pressure on Chancellor Philip Hammond.
The government says its policy has not changed, and last week teachers were told they faced another year of 1% rises.
Most public sector pay is set by ministers after receiving recommendations from different pay review bodies.
These bodies have to take into account government policy, which since 2013 has been for a 1% increase across the public sector, although in theory they are able to recommend higher increases.
The Senior Salaries Review Board covers the senior civil service, senior military officers, the judiciary and senior managers working for arm's length bodies of the Department of Health.
For each group, the board recommended a 1% rise, which has been accepted by ministers.
In a written statement, Cabinet Office Minister Damian Green said the government "greatly values" public servants' work and understands the need to recruit, retain and motivate staff.
He added: "However, there is a trade-off between pay and jobs in many public services, and pay restraint is one of the many difficult choices the government has had to make to help put the UK's public finances back on track.
"Senior public sector workers, like everyone else, will have to continue to play their part to ensure we deliver job security for working people across the country."
Naomi Cooke, of senior civil servants' union the FDA, welcomed a government promise of a review of senior salaries, but added: "What should be abundantly clear is that this cannot be achieved within a 1% straitjacket.
"Reform of senior civil service pay needs to be fully funded and it needs to happen soon - the current government pay policy is failing and is doing so in a way that costs civil servants and costs the public dear." | Senior civil servants, military officers and judges are to receive 1% pay rises this year, ministers have announced. | 40644571 |
The meeting comes after a public outcry over the murder of a former beauty queen and actress, Monica Spear, who was shot dead on Monday.
Mr Maduro urged all politicians to put their differences aside and work together to end rising violence.
Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Ms Spear, 29, was murdered along with her British-born ex-husband Thomas Berry, 39, in their car.
Their five-year-old daughter, who was shot in the leg, is reportedly in a stable condition.
The attack, thought to have been a botched robbery, has highlighted Venezuela's skyrocketing murder rate.
Ahead of the meeting, the president announced he would act "with an iron fist," saying that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on the perpetrators of the crime.
"The event has undoubtedly touched us all," Mr Maduro said at the presidential palace in the capital, Caracas.
He called on all politicians to find a joint solution to the "key problems of our society".
The Venezuelan opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, who is the governor of Miranda state, also met and shook hands with the president.
It is the first time the two men have met since last year's disputed presidential election. Mr Capriles has never conceded victory to Mr Maduro.
The president's meeting with governors and mayors was announced on Tuesday by Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez.
"The fight against violence has to involve all the authorities so the criminals know they'll face the full rigour of the law, because we've had enough already," he told a news conference.
He said five people had been arrested on suspicion of committing the "vile killing" of Ms Spear, and promised to "use everything we have, the police, the army, against those who will not go down the path of peace".
Armed robberies and kidnappings are not unusual in Venezuela, but the death of the former beauty queen, who was a popular actress after being crowned Miss Venezuela in 2004, has been condemned across the country.
Fans of Ms Spear, actors and others in the entertainment, rallied in Caracas on Wednesday to demand more be done to fight crime.
Mr Capriles posted a message on Twitter addressed to the president calling for a nationwide drive against violence.
"Nicolas Maduro, I suggest we put aside our deep differences and get together to fight the lack of security, as one bloc," he wrote. | Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has met the governors of all 23 states and mayors from the most violent cities to co-ordinate action against crime. | 25662606 |
There has been a rise of nearly 7.5% in sales of furniture overseas, with the USA proving the biggest buyer, according to latest statistics from the Welsh Government.
Exports of Welsh furniture, as well as bedding and mattresses, added up to £298m - up from £277m in 2015.
The overall value of Welsh exports totalled £12.3bn.
Prof David Blackaby, from Swansea University's School of Management, said: "The Welsh economy in total has seen a big increase in exports.
"The furniture increase is slightly bigger. This has come about partly because of the fall in the exchange rate which has helped companies that are exporting.
"The companies that are benefitting are the ones offering products you can't get elsewhere.
"It's predicted the domestic market isn't going to be growing quickly in the next couple of years, so if you want to grow your company the export market is the one to target and it is, potentially, an enormous market."
Abaca, a mattress and bedding manufacturer in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, has been making products from Welsh wool for more than a decade.
Managing director Rhiannon Rowley said it was getting more orders from overseas.
"We have picked up new customers in America but also the United Arab Emirates," she said.
"Two percent of our sales are in Wales, the rest is other parts of the UK and a growing overseas market.
"The weak pound has helped. It's encouraged people to look and once they have looked they've discovered that Wales offers the sort of products they can't buy at home." | Welsh furniture manufacturers are benefitting from the weak pound with a growth in exports, figures have shown. | 39761348 |
The UN, though not present in Palmyra, cited "credible sources".
It said it was "deeply concerned" about the plight of civilians remaining in Palmyra, amid reports of summary executions.
IS has also overrun the World Heritage site adjacent to the modern city, raising concerns about its future.
The militants have previously demolished ancient sites that pre-date Islam.
UN cultural organisation Unesco says its destruction would be "an enormous loss to humanity", but no damage has been reported there yet.
IS has also taken control of a military airbase and a notorious prison near to Palmyra.
Meanwhile, IS has seized the last border crossing between Syria and Iraq after Syrian government forces withdrew, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The loss of the al-Tanf crossing in Homs province means the Syrian government does not control any of the country's border posts with Iraq.
The fall of Palmyra comes just days after IS captured the major Iraqi city of Ramadi.
The US has acknowledged the militants' gains are a "setback" for coalition forces targeting IS, but President Barack Obama insisted the US was not losing the war with the group.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the problem of IS was "not going to be solved overnight".
"Until we're able to build up local forces on the ground in Syria who can take the fight to Isil [IS] in their own country," he said, "this is going to continue to be a difficult challenge."
Many questions will now be asked in Damascus and Baghdad - and above all in Washington - about how the militants have managed to score major advances in both Iraq and Syria this week despite all the efforts to stop them.
IS was supposed to be on the defensive in Iraq, where the prime minister announced weeks ago the launching of a campaign to drive the militants out of Anbar province. Now he's lost its capital, Ramadi, just days before they took Palmyra in Syria.
The Western coalition's bombing campaign has clearly hurt IS where it could. But it could never compensate for ground forces which are not competent, equipped or motivated enough to stand firm and hit back.
Only the Kurds in the north of both countries, most recently in north-eastern Syria, have proven able to do that.
Saving history from the jihadists
IS threat to 'Venice of the Sands'
Your memories of Palmyra
Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the UN in Geneva, told the BBC that the organisation believed the population of Tadmur, the modern settlement next to Palmyra, was about 200,000 - of whom about a third had fled.
Many civilians were only able to flee on Wednesday and Thursday, once Syrian government forces themselves had fled and IS took over the city, she said.
Electricity has been cut off since Wednesday after retreating government forces apparently destroyed power plants, she added.
Syrian state media said pro-government forces had pulled out after "assuring the evacuation" of "most" of the inhabitants of Tadmur.
An activist who has family members in Palmyra told the BBC that his relatives wanted to flee but there was no way out.
IS fighters were searching the city for Syrian army soldiers, he said, and residents were being warned via mosque loudspeakers not to hide them.
He also said the inhabitants were angry that Western media were focusing on the ancient ruins, and not the population.
"People think the West cares more about the civilisation than about the people who created or initiated this civilisation," he said.
The UN also believes that IS has been carrying out door-to-door searches in the city, Ms Shamdasani said.
Unesco's director-general, Irina Bokova, appealed to all sides to preserve the ruins.
"We have to protect such incredible vestiges of human history," she said.
Ms Bokova told the BBC that protecting sites like Palmyra had become a security imperative, as well as a cultural concern, because, she said, the militias were using trafficked artefacts to get funds.
"This is part of the financing of extremism and it is absolutely imperative that we stop these channels of illicit trafficking."
Elsewhere in Syria, 40 rebels from Islamist factions were killed in Aleppo when a rebel headquarters was bombed by an explosive barrel, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The dead include three commanders, the group claimed. | The United Nations says it has received reports that Syrian forces in Palmyra prevented civilians from leaving, ahead of its fall to Islamic State militants. | 32837336 |
Mike Rose, 54, lost the gold band when it slipped from his finger into waves while surfing as Caswell Bay, Swansea.
Despite trawling the coastline with a metal detector, he gave up on finding the heirloom given to him by his dad.
But after he offered a £100 reward, Mr Rose received an email from a beach-walker who found it buried in the sand.
"I honestly never thought I would see it again," said the father-of-two from Killay, Swansea.
But almost five months after losing it, he received the email from fire fighter David Gates, who had seen a poster Mr Rose put up.
He had found it near where Mr Rose had been surfing, buried one foot in the sand.
After giving Mr Gates the £100 and £10 for each of his children, he had the ring re-shaped so it would not slip off again. | A treasured ring that was lost in the sea was returned to its owner five months later after being washed up on a beach. | 35744476 |
In the summer, many take place each week, big and small.
You - the taxpayer - are paying for them, whether you buy a ticket or not, but that money brings important returns.
Very few could take place without some form of public subsidy, often from several sources.
"Most festival directors have to use a broad portfolio of funders," says Carolyn Mathers, director of Snow Water, a festival and events consultancy firm.
"It could be anything from Tourism Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Invest Northern Ireland, the Arts Council or local councils, plus a lot of them rely heavily on sponsorship."
She has worked with several local and UK festivals, and says UK-wide research shows they bring important economic returns.
"For every £1 spent it generates £8 into the economy, it's contributing to the vibrancy of the area. People are supporting hotels, restaurants, bars, they're using taxi services. So it's all providing cultural regeneration."
The Arts Council currently funds nine festival organisations, including the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival which got £126,100 in 2015-16.
It also gave £189,150 to the Belfast International Arts Festival, and £142,590 to Féile an Phobail, a community arts festival in west Belfast, although there may be some cuts to that money.
The Arts Council also provided funding to a number of other arts organisations that hold festivals as part of their work.
Meanwhile, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has allocated £400,000 to a community festivals fund this year, although that is down £50,000 on previous years.
That helps local councils to pay for community festivals in their area.
The EastSide Arts Festival begins in east Belfast later this month, ending with two concerts by Van Morrison.
It is one of three festivals run by EastSide Arts, and its arts manager Anthony Toner says the £94,000 from the Arts Council, plus a grant from Belfast City Council, is crucial.
"We culminate in the two big shows by Van Morrison on Cyprus Avenue, but for the week and a half prior to that there's 77 events taking place right across the east of the city," he says.
"The festival raises the profile of the area, and gives the community a sense of something happening culturally in their part of the city. It also sets up the idea of this being a part of the city where cultural things happen all year round."
Meanwhile, the Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival has just drawn to a close in County Fermanagh.
Its director Sean Doran says that it pays its way and attracts tourists.
"We're on an operating budget of around £400,000, but we deliver around the £1m mark," he says.
"Also, 70% of our attendance comes from outside Fermanagh, 40% comes from the Republic of Ireland and people are flying in from Japan and Australia and America."
However, arts and community funding is being squeezed and even long-established festivals like the Belfast Mela have suffered cuts.
The Mela's founder Nisha Tandon says it is more vital than ever.
"Belfast has been the European city of hate, so it is very important that we embrace this to have social inclusion and community cohesion through the arts," she says.
She adds that it is time for the corporate world to step up and provide money.
"I put a plea to businesses to adopt an arts organisation and nurture them all through the year, and see what returns they get. They'll get a lot of enjoyment, but also fulfil their corporate social responsibility," she says.
There is little sign of festival fatigue among audiences.
The Arts Council says that in Belfast alone last year, a total of more than 250,000 people attended the Belfast Festival, West Belfast Festival and Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival.
But whether there will be enough private and public investment in future to maintain all our festivals remains to be seen. | Whether it is music, literature, film, science, sailing, children or food, there are now hundreds of festivals in Northern Ireland each year. | 33790344 |
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