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23088204 | The ruling came after Switzerland informed the court that Mr Barcenas had transferred money from Swiss accounts to banks in the US and Uruguay.
In light of the revelations, prosecutors argued that the politician was a flight risk.
Mr Barcenas and his wife deny charges of tax evasion.
The couple are suspected of falsifying documents on their tax statements between 2002 and 2006.
Mr Barcenas is also accused of keeping up to 48m euros (£41m) in secret Swiss bank accounts. Prosecutors allege that some of the funds stem from illegal party donations or kickbacks.
But the ex-treasurer has denied this, saying that all of the money was made through overseas investments, real estate and art dealings.
High Court Judge Pablo Ruz handed down his decision after Mr Barcenas and his wife had been called in to testify on Thursday.
Dozens of people heckled the couple outside the court, the Spanish newspaper El Pais reports.
In March, prosecutors discovered what they described as unusual transactions of more than 600,000 euros over a five-year period relating to bank accounts held by Mr Barcena's wife, Rosalia Iglesias.
She has admitted that she was neither working nor receiving a steady income during that period.
The case is part of a broader investigation into claims of alleged illegal financing of the PP. The party, which is led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, has rejected the allegations.
Mr Barcenas resigned as party treasurer in 2009 after being implicated in the slush fund case, which has become known as the Gurtel scandal. | A judge has ordered that Luis Barcenas, the ex-treasurer of Spain's governing Popular Party (PP), be held without bail until his corruption trial starts. |
24166109 | Collingwood, 37, lifted Durham's third title in six years after their eight-wicket win against Nottinghamshire, with fit-again Cook in attendance.
Cook handed responsibilities to coaches Jon Lewis and Neil Killeen while undergoing recovery.
"All the players wanted to do it for Geoff," Collingwood told BBC Sport.
"When you lose someone people have got to put their hand up and everyone around the club did and kept fighting.
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"We won the title for a third year in 21, it's a great record for a coach who has been around Durham so long."
Collingwood's return to county cricket after an illustrious England career last term led to his appointment as captain toward the back end of the campaign - and a run of five wins from the last six matches.
That form was continued into the current season, with victory against Notts their fifth in succession and 10th in the championship, and adds club honours to the World Twenty20 title he collected as England skipper in 2010.
"It's very, very satisfying," Collingwood said.
"The county season is very gruelling, there's a lot of travel for which you need a lot of fitness."
Following the departure of senior professionals such as Liam Plunkett, Ian Blackwell and Michael Di Venuto last term, Durham were not expected to trouble the title contenders in 2013.
However, a youthful squad, peppered with senior professionals such as Collingwood and Graham Onions, has been potent with bat and ball and sealed the Championship with a game to spare.
The campaign began with the club going cap in hand to the county council for financial help. I don't have enough fingers to count how many national newspaper and website writers wrote them off.
In early August they were easily beaten at Lord's by Middlesex and captain Paul Collingwood had to issue a 'don't panic' warning.
The team pressed on and, with the dressing room galvanised, Durham have been simply breathtaking over the last five weeks.
They have now won a club-record five games in a row and could become the first side to win 11 in a season since the two-division split in 2000.
You can single out many players for praise, but ultimately it has been a team effort and every one of them deserves to celebrate this one to the full.
"For such a young group of lads to win the Championship it really does put us in good stead for the future.
"A lot of decisions that are made here at the club are made for the next five to 10 years, and for the guys to respond and take responsibility on like they have over the whole season really does put us in good stead."
This season's success is likely to bring an end to the Durham careers of several players from the 2013 squad, with Mitch Claydon already confirmed to leave, and uncertainty regarding the future of Steve Harmison and Will Smith.
"In many ways that's probably the real regret of the season. The financial situation at the club means we have to lose a lot of players and players we don't want to lose, players who have put their hands up at the right times and put in big performances for us," Collingwood continued.
"They've been absolutely magnificent for this club and they've been driven by their own personal pride in many ways.
"I do take my hats off to the guys who keep fighting for Durham and knowing that its probably going to be their last year for them.
"We've still got a strong core of good young players that are going to drive us on for the next 10 years.
"As long as we keep hold of them and as long as they have the ambition, which I am sure they will, this club will be safe and well." | Durham captain Paul Collingwood says Geoff Cook's absence from first-team affairs after a heart attack in June galvanised their Championship success. |
25739820 | West Ham complained to the Premier League after Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen said midfielder Morrison wanted to sign for them.
The 20-year-old has responded to the "frustrating" reports.
"I always try to keep my focus on the next game and show people with my performances that I want to do well for West Ham United," he said.
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Morrison, who has 18 months left on his contract, worked with Meulensteen when the Dutchman was a coach at Manchester United.
It had also been suggested that he had threatened to go on strike but West Ham denied those claims, insisting the player has trained this week following his recent groin injury.
Morrison told West Ham's website: "I've been working really hard over the past few weeks to get back to full fitness after missing a couple of recent games with a groin injury.
"I'm feeling fine now and I'm hoping to be involved in Saturday's important game with Newcastle and then the Capital One Cup semi-final with Manchester City on Tuesday."
West Ham are unhappy after Meulensteen said: "Yes, I think he does want to come [to Craven Cottage]."
The Premier League has not confirmed receipt of any official complaint.
After watching Fulham beat Norwich 3-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay on Tuesday, Meulensteen - who took over from sacked compatriot Martin Jol in December - confirmed his interest in signing England Under-21 international Morrison.
"We have put in a bid that has been knocked back," he said. "He would add pace, power, unpredictability and a real attacking threat."
Meulensteen said it was too early to tell whether any deal can be struck before the transfer window closes at the end of January.
"We got knocked back, it got rejected, and so we need to review it and move on," he said.
"I've explained how I think about the situation [to the Fulham board], so we'll have to wait and see what happens."
Meulensteen said in his press conference on Thursday that he would not speak further about potential targets.
"I am not going to make any comments on (transfers) because it is going to get me into trouble," he added.
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"It is wiser at this moment in time that we are not going to comment on anything that is happening in regards to any transfer news or speculation.
"Things are in hand with the club, with (chief executive) Alistair Mackintosh."
West Ham's complaint is likely to surround Premier League ruling T.8 concerning "statements made publicly by or on behalf of a club expressing interest in acquiring the registration of a contract player".
If the Premier League deems Fulham to be in breach of the rules, the club could face a reprimand or fine.
It is also possible the case could be referred to the Football Association.
Morrison has scored five times in 20 appearances since moving to Upton Park from Old Trafford in January 2012. | Ravel Morrison has insisted he is fully committed to West Ham despite claims that he wants to move to Fulham. |
22614522 | The surprise discovery may point to a new way of tackling this increasingly hard-to-treat infection, the US study authors from Yeshiva University say in Nature Communications.
An estimated 650,000 people worldwide have multidrug-resistant TB.
Studies are now needed to see if a treatment that works using the same action as vitamin C would be useful as a TB drug in humans.
In the laboratory studies, vitamin C appeared to be acting as a "reducing agent" - something that triggers the production of of reactive oxygen species called free radicals. These free radicals killed off the TB, even drug resistant forms that are untreatable with conventional antibiotics such as isoniazid.
Lead investigator Dr William Jacobs, professor of microbiology and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, said: "We have only been able to demonstrate this in a test tube, and we don't know if it will work in humans and in animals.
"This would be a great study to consider because we have strains of tuberculosis that we don't have drugs for, and I know that in the laboratory we can kill those strains with vitamin C.
"It also helps that we know vitamin C is inexpensive, widely available and very safe to use. At the very least, this work shows us a new mechanism that we can exploit to attack TB."
It might be that vitamin C could be used alongside TB drugs. Alternatively, scientists could create new TB drugs that work by generating a big burst of free radicals.
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, has many important functions in the body, including protecting cells and keeping them healthy.
Good natural sources of the vitamin include oranges, blackcurrants and broccoli and most people get all they need from their diet.
Dr Ibrahim Abubakar, head of TB at Public Health England, said: "We welcome any new research which will widen our understanding of how to treat TB. While the findings of this study appear promising, further research to confirm the observations would be essential before Vitamin C can be used to supplement TB treatment." | Vitamin C can kill multidrug-resistant TB in the lab, scientists have found. |
37440818 | The funding for Welsh higher education was being top-sliced to pay for the grant.
Many of those grant payments were eventually ending up in Welsh universities' coffers anyway, via Welsh students studying here.
But their main concern was the cash going over the border to pay fees at English universities.
The latest figures indicate that the Welsh Government contributes nearly £90m to fees at universities in other parts of the UK.
From the universities' perspective that is money lost to Welsh higher education.
MONEY LEAVING WALES
From September 2012, the money has followed the student. To cushion Welsh students from rises in fees at colleges across the country, the Welsh Government agreed to give every student a grant of £5,100 to help them - wherever they chose to study.
But to the universities here, it has meant a brain drain and money crossing the border - nearly £90m is estimated for this new academic year to be leaving Wales with the student.
University of West of England in Bristol received the most outside Wales - worth £6.7m in tuition fee grants in 2014-15.
The education secretary has said recently she still wants student support to be "portable for Welsh students anywhere in the UK".
The government argues that universities' income overall has increased - boosted by a significant number of English students and their fees at Welsh universities.
There is still a net inflow of students coming into Wales - it meant at the start of September, 2,410 more students had chosen to study in Wales from England than those from Wales who travelled in the other direction.
This boosts the coffers of Welsh universities. In total for 2014-15 the Welsh higher education sector had an income of £1.43bn.
More than half of this came from tuition fees and education contracts.
Research income brought another 15%.
The Welsh Government has given the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) nearly £132.5m to fund universities for this year.
From this, £21.1m might need to be re-allocated if the tuition fee grant demands are bigger than expected.
Which leaves about £112m from HEFCW to fund universities for the core of their work.
So where is the money going? We know of the £1.38bn spent in 2014-15, about 58% went on academic and other staff costs.
Welsh universities have said the tuition fee grants - set to cost £258m in 2016/17 - could be better spent helping poor students.
Prof Gareth Rees, of the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data & Methods (Wiserd) said the cost of higher education would increase over time - with fees in England likely to follow suit.
"If it's the case that the amount of money coming in from English students coming to Welsh universities remains sufficiently large that the subsidy - what would be an increasing subsidy to a Welsh student - offsets it then it may well be that the policy would be sustainable," he said.
"My personal view is that the policy of the Welsh Government is not sustainable in the longer term and those inflationary pressures would be one aspect, but obviously there are other aspects too that I think make it a very difficult policy to sustain."
Widening access
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams also wants to make sure students from poorer backgrounds are not put off going to university.
"We want to make sure that those who wish to go on to university are able to," she said on Tuesday.
For students from families with household incomes of less than £20,000 a year, it should mean under the proposals they would qualify for the maximum grant of more than £9,000 - an equivalent of earning the National Living Wage.
Fewer pupils from poorer parts of Wales get to university.
Entry rates are broken down across the UK into constituencies and analysis shows they are lower in more disadvantaged areas.
In Wales, the entry rate range is from just under 18% of 18-year-olds in Aberavon, to just over 48% in Cardiff North.
The organisation representing universities has called for a means-tested grant up to post-graduate level as the way forward, with tuition fee grants targeted to help those that need them most.
Prof Colin Riordan, chairman of Universities Wales, said it was "fair to students and their families," giving the help with living costs now.
He said it would also provide support for part-time and post-graduate students.
At times, the Welsh Government has been impatient with academics' complaints about funding.
Earlier this month, Ms Williams suggested that universities should not focus as much on financial issues and should be more active in their communities and in driving forward national economic and social priorities.
Some of her predecessors were more blunt in expressing their view of the return Wales gets for millions invested in its higher education institutions.
But since the Diamond review started its work in 2014, politicians and university bosses, some of whom have been on the Diamond panel, have looked to the report for answers.
Prof Riordan said it would take time for the recommendations to be brought in but despite financial challenges, universities would find ways to manage in the mean time.
"If the recommendations are implemented, then I feel it will be sustainable future for universities," he added. | Soon after the Welsh Government started paying out grants towards Welsh students' university fees, vice chancellors raised concerns. |
38426674 | A 16-year-old was shot in both legs on 18 December and was taken to hospital.
It happened in Aitnamona Crescent at 20:50 GMT.
Police continue to appeal for information from anyone who knows anything about the attack. | A 42-year-old arrested over a paramilitary-style attack in west Belfast has been released unconditionally. |
30143605 | The five-year-old's parents fled with their ill son after disagreeing with doctors in Southampton and he has since been granted NHS treatment in Prague.
John Hemming MP said he had written to Portsmouth City Council and the NHS trust asking about their intentions.
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust told the BBC it was no longer responsible for his care.
Mr Hemming said he wanted a promise that the family would not be gagged if legal action was taken.
A trust spokesman said: "Ashya King is no longer under the care of clinicians in Southampton and UHS is no longer responsible for his care, so the trust would have no involvement with any decisions made about the family in the event of a return to the UK."
He said Ashya became a patient of Motol University Hospital when he arrived in Prague on 8 September and added he was now under the care of a Spanish consultant.
"The only body with oversight of the safeguarding and welfare of Ashya is Portsmouth City Council and its safeguarding children board," he added.
The council has yet to comment.
NHS England, which is funding his treatment, said it has no plans to take legal action.
Mr Hemming, Liberal Democrat for Birmingham Yardley, was contacted by the Kings' own MP Mike Hancock, independent for Portsmouth South, due to his experience in dealing with cases of this type.
He said Ashya's parents Brett and Naghemeh were concerned the authorities could take legal action if they believed brain tumour patient Ashya was not receiving the appropriate treatment back in the UK and could seek an injunction stopping them from speaking out.
Mr Hemming added: "The family has been protected by publicity. This would stop everything happening in secret.
"It is the family's decision when they would return, but we are looking for some reassurances."
He said he sent the letter last week but had yet to receive a reply from the council or the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
Speaking earlier from their holiday home in Spain, Mr King told ITV: "If they ever try to take Ashya away that would kill us.
"Till things are established with what's going to happen with Ashya, we feel too scared to return."
They said Ashya was "improving each day" and was able to walk with support, whereas previously "it was almost like we were carrying him". | An MP has sought assurances on what action UK authorities may take if cancer patient Ashya King returns home. |
21733665 | The 66-year-old, who was voted into power in 1988, has already said this seventh term will be his final period as head of the organisation.
Hayatou, who was applauded by delegates at the Caf congress in Marrakech, also received a special certificate from Fifa to commemorate his silver jubilee on its executive committee.
Ivorian Jacques Anouma wanted to oppose Hayatou at the elections, but a rule change prevented him from doing so. His attempt to overturn the decision to disqualify non-executive members from the election was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
Hayatou used his re-election to make reference to Anouma's challenge.
"The presidents of the federations approved an amendment preventing a few of them from participating in the race for the Caf presidency, which now permits only those who have held positions of responsibility within the institution to run for presidency," Hayatou told delegates.
"The conduct of the Executive Committee along with the members of national associations during this case was exemplary. The principle of sovereignty of the General Assembly was recognised by the Court of Arbitration for Sport."
Hayatou, the son of a sultan from the northern city of Garoua, represented Cameroon at basketball and middle-distance running.
He is the fifth Caf president and by far the longest serving. | Cameroonian Issa Hayatou has been re-elected unopposed as Confederation of African Football (Caf) president for a final four-year term in office. |
39551731 | The world number 16 won 6-4 2-6 6-1 to secure the ninth title of her career.
Pavlyuchenkova, 25, took the opening set with the only break and, after Kerber levelled, raced into a 5-0 lead in the deciding set before winning in one hour and 55 minutes.
Germany's Kerber is yet to win a title in 2017.
Meanwhile, two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka has announced she will return to the WTA Tour in July, seven months after giving birth to her first child.
The 27-year-old former world number one, who has not played since retiring from the French Open in May last year, announced her pregnancy in July.
The Belarusian has used the hashtag "don't call it a comeback" on social media. | Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova shocked world number one Angelique Kerber to win her fourth Monterrey Open title in Mexico. |
37735645 | Hamilton was 0.291 seconds slower than Rosberg, with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo splitting the Mercedes.
Rosberg heads Hamilton by 33 points in the championship with 100 still available in the remaining four races.
Hamilton badly needs to win in Austin in Sunday to revive his rapidly faltering hopes of retaining his title.
Final practice is at 16:00 BST on Saturday, with qualifying at 19:00.
The world champion was fastest in first practice, in which he was impressive in setting a rapid initial pace and maintaining an advantage throughout as Rosberg closed in.
Hamilton looked quick in the first stages of second practice, lapping within 0.3secs of Rosberg on the first runs, despite using the slower medium tyre while the German was on the soft.
But his qualifying simulation run on the super-soft tyre did not go as well.
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However, Hamilton was evenly matched with Rosberg on the race-simulation runs in the second part of the session, when Ricciardo was marginally faster than both Mercedes drivers on the super-soft tyres.
"Ricciardo has had a great day," said team principal Christian Horner. "His short-run pace has been very strong, his long-run pace has been strong.
"Mercedes are favourites going into the grand prix but if we can get within 0.1secs or so we can put a bit of pressure on in the race."
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was fourth fastest, ahead of Ricciardo's team-mate Max Verstappen and the Force Indias of Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez.
McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso were eighth and ninth, ahead of Vettel's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who made a mistake on his flying lap.
The Finn incurred the wrath of both Alonso and Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat, who both felt he was obstructive on track at various points of the session.
Renault's Jolyon Palmer, fighting for his future in F1, had a spin and managed 17th fastest time, five places and 0.2secs behind team-mate Kevin Magnussen.
US Grand Prix Second practice
US Grand Prix coverage details | Lewis Hamilton was only third fastest in second practice at the US Grand Prix as Mercedes team-mate and title rival Nico Rosberg set the pace. |
35697476 | The card allows passengers to make bookings from home and avoid queuing at stations.
At present it can only be used on four routes in the central belt.
ScotRail is also in discussion with other operators to pave the way for the smartcard to be used on other transport systems including buses and ferries.
By the end of the summer the smartcard system will be available on on all of ScotRail's 28 routes.
The company is hoping that by 2019, 60% of rail journeys in Scotland will be ticketless.
A ScotRail spokeswoman said: "Our customers tell us that one of the biggest hassles they face when travelling is having to queue up for a ticket either before or after they get on the train.
"By the end of the summer, season ticket holders the length and breadth of Scotland will be able to buy their season tickets at home or at one of our at-station ticket machines, load them up onto their smartcard and then just tap and go." | Train operator ScotRail has announced plans to to expand its smartcard system for all season ticket holders across every route in Scotland. |
37269025 | The 30-year-old Briton's lap of two minutes 19.265 seconds was 0.998secs quicker than Italy's seven-time champion Valentino Rossi.
"I took the risk at the right time," said Crutchlow.
He became Britain's first MotoGP winner since Barry Sheene in 1981 with victory in the Czech Republic last month.
"I think tomorrow in a dry race we can be competitive and I'll do my best to battle at the front," added Crutchlow, who clinched top spot for the third time in his career in wet conditions with seven minutes remaining in the qualifying session.
"I really appreciate the reception I've had, and it's so nice to see so many people here to watch what we consider to be the best sport in the world."
Maverick Vinales was third, while Crutchlow's compatriot Scott Redding qualified seventh, as championship leader Marc Marquez came in fifth, 1.514 seconds off the pace.
1. Cal Crutchlow (GB) Honda 2 minutes 19.265 seconds
2. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha +0.998
3. Maverick Vinales (Spa) Suzuki +1.249
4. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda +1.447
5. Marc Marquez (Spa) Honda +1.514
6. Eugene Laverty (Irl) Ducati +1.556
7. Scott Redding (GB) +1.809
8. Andrea Iannone (Ita) Ducati +2.181
9. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha +2.422
10. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati +3.155
Click here for full list of qualifying results
1. Marc Marquez (Spa) Honda 197 points
2. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 144
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 138
4. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 109
5. Maverick Vinales (Spa) Suzuki 100
6. Andrea Iannone (Ita) Ducati 96
7. Pol Espargaro (Spa) Yamaha 81
8. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati 79
9. Hector Barbera (Spa) Ducati 76
10. Cal Crutchlow (GB) Honda 66 | Cal Crutchlow took pole position for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone less than two weeks after his maiden MotoGP win. |
39202754 | But we're not quite there yet. It should become clearer in the coming weeks if the Scottish government are going to push for another vote on independence.
If they do, it's widely accepted they will need to obtain permission from Westminster - under Section 30 of the Scotland Act.
That's what happened in 2014 when David Cameron and Alex Salmond signed the Edinburgh Agreement.
It's clear the UK government doesn't want another referendum. It argues the question has already been asked; Scotland has already answered.
But what happens if the Scottish Parliament disagrees? (The SNP may be a minority government at Holyrood, but they will almost certainly get the backing of the Greens to pass legislation backing another referendum).
Sources say the UK government hasn't decided exactly what it will do if Nicola Sturgeon does call for a Section 30 order.
It will depend on what the request is.
Ministers in London are least likely to agree to an unconditional request to permanently transfer the power to hold a referendum. As one member of the government pointed out to me, that wasn't agreed by the Smith Commission on powers, which followed the 2014 vote.
What could be more palatable - emphasis on could - is a conditional transfer of the power.
Sources say there could be a negotiation process to iron out details, like the question voters will be asked and when. It could be lengthy.
But even then, Mrs May will have a lot to weigh up.
Some in the SNP - among them Mr Salmond - believe indyref2 would take place in Autumn 2018.
But that could well be a crunch period in the Brexit process, as UK ministers are focussed on trying to get a trade deal with Europe.
"It's the dominant issue for the UK government for the foreseeable future in a sense," says Professor Nicola McEwan from the Centre of Constitutional Change.
"We don't know how long the process of Brexit will take.
"Of course there is the triggering of Article 50, kick-starting a two-year negotiation process, but then there is a transition and there is an implementation. All of that will be huge."
In other words, ministers in London will have a lot of their plate already.
That pressure has led some to speculate permission for Holyrood to hold another independence vote could be conditional.
For example, the PM could grant the power to Holyrood as long as the referendum is held after Brexit talks are complete.
It could be argued that waiting until after Brexit would allow the Scottish people to decide their future knowing the details of any deal with the EU.
"The system is pretty overstretched [dealing with Brexit]", says the Conservative MP Bernard Jenkins. "The idea of agreeing to another referendum of independence in Scotland on top of all this just seems to me completely inconceivable. I don't think the prime minister would agree to that."
And there's the argument Scotland has already had its say on independence.
The Scottish Conservatives argue there's no appetite to reopen the debate - and they question whether the mandate for another vote exists. The SNP is adamant its does - pointing to their manifesto which says Scotland being taken out of the EU against its will is grounds for Holyrood to have the right to hold another referendum. But if the Conservatives think there's no mandate or public desire - could they just say no?
One of the considerations in answering that will be how rejecting Holyrood's request would be perceived in Scotland. What would the reaction be to the UK government - which of course has just one MP from a Scottish seat - rejecting a formal request from the Scottish Parliament?
"I think if the Scottish Parliament has voted for a referendum then it should get one," says the SNP MP Stephen Gethins, the party's Europe spokesman. "Don't forget, the Tories got their worst election result in Scotland since 1865 - it would be a very difficult basis for them to reject any approach."
The question in the headline won't be answered until when - or if - the UK government receives a request from ministers in Edinburgh.
The answer is unlikely to be straightforward. | Theresa May's speech to the Scottish Conservative conference last week - on the benefits of being part of the UK - sounded in part like a referendum campaign pitch. |
40301464 | The 20-year-old, who has featured four times for City's first team, spent last season on loan at Dutch club FC Twente.
The Kosovo international scored five times in 27 appearances for the top-flight side and becomes Ipswich's fourth new arrival of the summer.
He follows the signings of Joe Garner, Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi, while Jordan Spence extended his stay at the club.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Championship side Ipswich Town have signed Manchester City winger Bersant Celina on a season-long loan deal. |
30521673 | Sir Stephen House said that his personal view was that the police should be examining the potential for using body cameras.
But he said the public would need to be consulted before any changes.
Sir Stephen was speaking at the launch of a campaign to highlight the increase in domestic abuse at Christmas.
He said that the evidence in domestic abuse cases had to be strong.
In north east Scotland, officers already routinely wear body cameras, as they were used under the former Grampian Police service.
However, Sir Stephen emphasised that there would have to be a debate led by the Scottish Police Authority before they were introduced elsewhere, to ensure that the Scottish public were "comfortable" with officers wearing them as a matter of routine.
He added: "What we want to see is more use of the evidence that they produce."
He added that Police Scotland wanted to work towards using digital evidence, "so we can actually just play the tape - what did the police see at the scene, what actually happened, what can we see, what can we hear".
The festive period is a peak time for incidents of domestic abuse and Sir Stephen said children were particularly vulnerable.
Police Scotland was called to more than 42,000 domestic incidents between 1 April and 16 December this year and children were at home in one third of those cases.
Sir Stephen believes that hundreds of children across Scotland would witness domestic abuse in the home this Christmas.
"The biggest victims of domestic abuse are often the smallest", he said.
"Children are often the unacknowledged victims of domestic abuse, yet for them the effects can be lifelong and devastating."
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson was also at the campaign launch.
He emphasised the government's commitment to tackling domestic violence and supporting victims.
"All aspects of our criminal justice system now see this as a priority, and that's why the message is a very clear one - domestic violence will not be tolerated in Scottish society", he said. | Scotland's Chief Constable has said officers wearing body cameras could help improve the quality of evidence when cases are brought to court. |
24129442 | Former US Navy reservist Aaron Alexis, 34, had been treated for paranoia, hearing voices and sleeplessness, the Associated Press reported.
The military contractor had a valid pass for Washington Navy Yard, where the attack unfolded, authorities said.
Alexis was shot and killed by police during Monday's assault.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel acknowledged "there were a lot of red flags" in Alexis's background that had been missed in the security clearance process which ultimately resulted in his having access to the secure building where he undertook the attack.
"Why they didn't get picked up, why they didn't get incorporated into the clearance process, what he was doing, those are all legitimate questions that we're going to be dealing with," he told reporters.
He said he had ordered the Pentagon to conduct a wide-ranging review of the physical security at all US defence installations across the world and of the security clearance process.
"Where there are gaps, we will close them," he said. "Where there are inadequacies, we will address them. And where there are failures, we will correct them."
Alexis reportedly approached the US Department of Veterans Affairs in August to seek psychological help.
It has also emerged that last month he called police from a hotel in the US state of Rhode Island to say he kept hearing voices.
By Mark MardellNorth America editor
According to a Newport police report, he told officers he believed people were following him and "sending vibrations into his body".
Alexis said he had twice moved hotels to evade his pursuers, who he believed were using "some sort of microwave machine" to stop him from sleeping.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has ordered a physical security review of all Navy and Marine Corps installations, a Navy official told the BBC.
On Tuesday, the US capital remained in a state of shock and mourning.
Defence Secretary Hagel laid a wreath at US Navy Memorial Plaza in honour of the Navy Yard victims.
The attack took place on Monday morning at Building 197, headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command, which builds and maintains ships and submarines for the Navy.
Profile: Aaron Alexis
Witnesses said the gunman sprayed bullets in a hallway and fired from a balcony down on to workers in an atrium at the heavily secured installation in the US capital.
The attack only ended when police stormed the building and shot him dead.
Alexis was armed with a shotgun legally purchased in Virginia, as well as a handgun authorities say he may have taken from a guard inside the naval complex.
Previous reports suggested he had used an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. But officials said on Tuesday that although the weapon had been found at the scene, it was neither carried nor used by the gunman.
In addition to the 12 shot and killed, three people - a police officer and two female civilians - received gunshot wounds, but all were expected to survive. Five others were treated for minor injuries.
On Tuesday, authorities said they believed Alexis had acted alone and that all victims - ranging in age from 46 to 73 - had been identified.
As an employee of an IT contractor, Alexis apparently had a card granting him access to the building - even though he had had several run-ins with the law and had been discharged from the Navy under a cloud, authorities said.
"It really is hard to believe that someone with a record as chequered as this man could conceivably get, you know, clearance... to be able to get on the base," Washington DC Mayor Vincent Gray told CNN.
Alexis left the Navy as a petty officer 3rd class, after serving full-time in the naval reserve from 2007-11, under a general discharge, a status that suggests misconduct.
Profiles of the victims
He had been cited for insubordination, disorderly behaviour and excessive absences from work at least eight times during his Navy career, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
According to media reports, Alexis was a Buddhist convert who had had previous gun-related brushes with the law.
On Tuesday, his employer, an IT contractor called The Experts, said the military should have made his record known.
"Anything that suggests criminal problems or mental health issues, that would be a flag. We would not have hired him," Thomas Hoshko, chief executive officer of firm, told the Washington Post.
The company confirmed Alexis had worked since July at six different military installations and had only been at the Navy Yard for a few days before the shooting. | The man who killed 12 people at a Washington DC Navy installation had received treatment for mental health issues, US media report. |
34581945 | The announcement by India's Tata Steel that it plans to sell its UK steel business, putting thousands of jobs at risk, is the latest blow to an industry which has seen a succession of job cuts.
At the start of this year, Tata, which currently employs 15,000 in the UK, announced plans for 1,050 job cuts, on top of the 1,200 it axed in October 2015 and the 720 it cut last summer.
Other firms have played their part in what amounts to an industry-wide cull. In October, Thailand's SSI announced it was closing down its Redcar works with the loss of 2,200 jobs, then parts of Caparo Industries' steel operations went into administration putting 1,700 jobs potentially at risk.
The steel industry says it has been hit by a combination of factors: high UK energy prices, the extra cost of climate change policies, and competition from China - there have been allegations that Chinese steel is being sold in the UK at unrealistically low prices.
So what's the truth of it all - just why are significant parts of Britain's steel industry in such trouble?
Demand for steel worldwide has not returned to the levels seen before the financial crisis. As many countries, and particularly China, are seeing weak growth, global demand will remain sluggish - falling 1.7% in 2015 and up by just 0.7% this year.
Global steel prices have fallen sharply. Meanwhile, China's own economic slowdown has led its producers to look for export markets as their home demand stalls.
As a result, UK imports of Chinese steel have increased dramatically. In 2014 the UK imported 687,000 tonnes of steel from China, up from 303,000 tonnes in 2013.
It is true that the UK's steel imports from the rest of the EU are much higher than this, they were 4.7 million tonnes in 2014, but crucially China is selling its steel at much lower prices.
Steel imports into the UK from the rest of the EU cost on average 897 euros a tonne in 2014, while Chinese steel imports were just 583 euros a tonne, says the EU's statistics agency, Eurostat. This has led to accusations that China is selling at unfairly low prices.
High UK energy costs for energy-intensive businesses like steel production are also a factor, says the industry, added to by the extra cost of climate change policies. And government policies to compensate producers for these extra costs have been too slow, says the industry body UK Steel.
EU rules also restrict how much support governments can give to particular industries. Member states may not use public funds to rescue failing steelmakers. However, EU countries are allowed to boost steel firms' global competitiveness - for instance by funding research and development or helping with high energy bills.
Almost 18,000 people are employed in the steel sector, and some experts say that up to one in four of these jobs could be at risk over the next few years.
The confirmation earlier this year by Tata of 1,050 job losses comes on top of the 1,200 jobs it axed last October and the 720 jobs it cut in July.
Also in October, the country's second-largest steel producer, Thai firm SSI, said its Redcar works on Teesside, would go into liquidation with the loss of 2,200 jobs.
At the same time, Caparo Industries went into partial administration, putting 1,700 jobs at potential risk.
The industry blames cheap Chinese imports for a collapse in steel prices.
It is certainly true that China's dramatic economic growth since liberalisation started in 1979 has been one of the key drivers in the global steel market.
It is now the world's biggest steel producer, accounting for around 822 million tonnes a year. The UK, which produces almost 12 million tonnes a year, is a minor player in terms of absolute output, but has sought to specialise in high-quality, high-value steel products.
With China's market slowing, their producers have been looking for export markets, such as the EU.
This has led to accusations of unfair competition, that Chinese producers are "dumping" steel products on overseas markets - that is not just selling them cheaply, taking advantage of their lower production costs, but actually selling them at a loss.
In 2015, the EU imposed anti-dumping duties for six months on some steel imports from China and Taiwan. The EU and China have already clashed over the alleged dumping of products such as wine, solar panel and steel pipes.
Steel itself is vital for just about everything we use. Whether it is buildings, clothes, chemical, cars, lamps or drinks cans - all depend on it at some point.
The industry has seen significant automation and computerisation and is not as labour-intensive as it used to be.
About 18,000 people are directly employed in the steel industry. With a total UK workforce of 31 million this is just one in 1,700 jobs.
However, if the industry was to shrink further there will be an impact in other allied sectors - steel processors, distributors, scrap metal dealers, metal traders and other metal product manufacturers.
Many argue that this is not just a crisis for the steel sector, but one affecting UK manufacturing in general, which accounts for roughly 10% of UK economic output.
The industry is clear what it needs: lower business rates, a relaxation of carbon emissions targets for heavy manufacturers, more compensation for high energy prices, and a commitment that British steel is used in major construction projects.
The government held a steel summit in Rotherham last October to discuss what could be done.
It says it has already taken "clear action" to help the industry, "through cutting energy costs, taking action on imports, government procurement and EU emissions regulations, meeting key steel industry asks."
But UK Steel says it still needs to do more.
"We need much further action taking place to tackle the imports, the flood of Chinese steel into the UK and the European economy. We need to see government and the European Commission tackling that head on and quickly," says Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel.
"Ministers can also do more by reforming business rates to exclude some of the penalties steel companies and others face if they invest in plant and machinery," says Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, the manufacturers' organisation.
"Alongside this, the UK has one of the highest electricity costs for the energy intensive industries in Europe because of hindering domestic policy. We need to see a level playing field with our European competitors to ensure a positive future for the steel sector," he says.
Business Minister, Anna Soubry, said on Radio 4's Today programme that the government was determined to ensure that Port Talbot continues to make steel.
Despite this, some gloomily predict that steel production itself - as opposed to specialised rolling and milling of already-manufactured steel - faces a bleak future in the UK, and that the number employed in the industry will continue to fall, possibly to as low as 13,000 within a few years.
The world faces a huge oversupply of steel - currently only two-thirds of the steel being produced is actually being used.
Tata itself says that "trading conditions in the UK and Europe have rapidly deteriorated" recently, due to the global oversupply of steel, a "significant" increase exports into Europe, high manufacturing costs, continued weakness in UK demand for steel and a volatile currency.
Energy intensive businesses, like steelmakers, also face higher electricity prices in the UK than they do in many of the Britain's European neighbours - and the industry has been calling for urgent action on this. | Over the past few months, one part of the UK economy, the steel industry, has been grabbing the news headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. |
36166459 | Jalal Uddin, 64, died in hospital after being found with a serious head injury in Rochdale in February.
On Thursday, a 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and a 24-year-old man was held over alleged terrorism funding.
A third man, 21, was also bailed after being re-arrested.
He had previously been questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.
Mr Uddin was found in South Street in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, a few streets away from the Jalalia Jaamé Mosque, where it is understood he was a qari, or Koran reader.
A 31-year-old man arrested in February on suspicion of murder has been released without charge and eliminated from inquiries and a 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murder has been bailed until 1 June.
Mohammed Syeedy, 26, of Ramsey Street, Rochdale, has been charged with murder and is due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on 22 August. | Three men who were being questioned in connection with the death of a prominent Koran reader have been bailed pending further police inquiries. |
40475257 | Isgrove, 24, spent time on loan with the Tykes in 2015-16 and scored in the play-off final as they won promotion to the Championship.
Boss Paul Heckingbottom told the club website: "Lloyd is a great lad and we are all glad to see him back here.
"Once we knew there was a possibility of this deal happening, it was a no brainer."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Barnsley have signed winger Lloyd Isgrove on a three-year deal after he was released by Southampton. |
38206920 | Men who took up running and stuck with it had more "healthy swimmers", according to the research in the journal Reproduction.
The boost was only temporary, and began to wane within a month if the men stopped their treadmill training.
Experts say it is important to strike the right balance because too much exercise can harm sperm production.
Studies have shown that participation in competitive sports, like cycling, can lower sperm quality.
Keep your testicles cool - avoid tight underwear and hot baths
Avoid sexually transmitted infections
Stop smoking
Cut down on alcohol
Stay slim
Get some exercise, but not too much!
All of the 261 men enrolled in the recent trial were healthy and did not have any fertility problems as far as they could tell. They had normal sperm counts and healthy-looking sperm and led fairly sedentary lives.
The men were allocated to one of four programmes:
Exercise training appeared to boost sperm quantity and quality, with moderate exercise coming top.
Men in all three exercise groups lost weight and saw improvements in their sperm test results compared with the men who did no exercise over the 24-week trial period.
The researchers say at least part of the benefit may come from shedding excess weight - all three exercise groups lost some body fat.
Experts already know obesity can lower a man's fertility. A third of the men in each study group were overweight.
What is not clear is whether the boost from exercise translates to better fertility. That is something the researchers plan to explore in the lab by checking if training-induced changes affect the fertilising potential of sperm.
Lead researcher Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki said: "Our results show that doing exercise can be a simple, cheap and effective strategy for improving sperm quality in sedentary men.
"However, it's important to acknowledge that the reason some men can't have children isn't just based on their sperm count. Male infertility problems can be complex and changing lifestyles might not solve these cases easily."
Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield and spokesman for the British Fertility Society, said: "We have a very poor understanding of how physical exercise affects male fertility and sperm quality, but it is a question commonly asked by men wishing to improve their chances of having a child."
He said there probably was a level of exercise that is optimum for male fertility, but recommended that men check with their GP before embarking on anything too strenuous.
UK guidelines recommend that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as cycling or fast walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, such as running, every week. | Doing at least half an hour of exercise three times a week may boost men's sperm count, say scientists. |
38773084 | Ali Hassan, 22, Abdul Hussain, 25, and Bader Nokhas, 25, were said to be driving "stupidly" on London's North Circular in Enfield in December 2013.
Hassan's Vauxhall Astra crashed into a Subaru Impreza, which careered out of control into a lorry.
Jawad Qureshi, 28, and his passengers Toheed Rubani, 34, and Haider Qureshi, 28, died in the crash.
Hassan, of Stonebridge, London; Hussain, of Edgware, London; and Nokhas, of Stanmore, Middlesex, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last year to careless driving.
On Friday, they were each jailed for nine months and disqualified from driving for 19 months.
The court heard the convicted men were, on average, all speeding up to 18mph over the limit.
Witness Ben Sheybany described the way they were "chasing each other" as "stupid".
Judge Noel Lucas said: "Playing games on a public highway is simply not to be tolerated."
He said the crash could only be described as "horrific" and had a "dramatic" ripple effect on the lives of the grieving families. | Three men involved in the deaths of another three people after a "cat and mouse" car chase have been jailed. |
32166814 | Under the deal, Iran will reduce its uranium enrichment capacity in exchange for phased sanctions relief.
US President Barack Obama said a "historic understanding" had been reached with Iran.
The world powers and Iran now aim to draft a comprehensive nuclear accord by 30 June.
The framework agreement was announced by the European Union and Iran after eight days of negotiations in Lausanne.
The talks between the so-called P5+1 - the US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany - and Iran at Lausanne's Beau-Rivage Palace hotel continued beyond the original self-imposed deadline of 31 March.
After a missed deadline and two exhausting nights of negotiations Iran and the six world powers presented their framework as a major achievement.
The EU's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, read out a joint statement outlining the main points, including a reduction in the number of Iran's operating centrifuges, changes to its nuclear facilities, and a promise to lift sanctions if these steps are verified.
This is an unwritten understanding, not a formal agreement, and it lays the foundation for very tough negotiations on the details.
But for now its architects are celebrating a hard won, potentially historic, achievement.
Iran denies Western claims it is trying to build a nuclear weapon. It entered negotiations in order to see sanctions lifted.
According to a US factsheet issued after the talks, the outline deal includes the following conditions:
Mr Obama said the deal's implementation would be closely watched. "If Iran cheats, the world will know it," he said, adding that the deal was based not on trust but on "unprecedented verification".
He said the framework agreement had come after "months of tough, principled diplomacy", and that it was "a good deal".
Mr Obama's statement was broadcast live by Iranian broadcaster IRINN - a very rare move in Iran, where TV channels are controlled by the state - and there were celebrations in the streets of the capital, Tehran, over the breakthrough.
Some Iranians took "selfies" with their TV sets to mark the occasion.
In a BBC interview, US Secretary of State John Kerry said there was a point he was tempted to walk away from negotiations but added "the bottom line is we worked through it".
The draft deal was hailed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said he believed it would "contribute to peace and stability in the region".
"It will respect Iran's needs and rights while providing assurances to the international community that its nuclear activities will remain exclusively peaceful."
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini announced the deal at a news conference alongside the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif , saying that a "decisive step" had been achieved.
Negotiators would now start "drafting the text" of the plan "guided by the solutions", she added.
Mr Zarif, meanwhile, said the full nuclear deal would be "something actually very innovative" as Iran would be able to sell enriched uranium in the international fuel market.
Russia welcomed the deal as recognition of "Iran's unconditional right to a peaceful nuclear programme", while French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters: "It's a positive step, but at the same time there are still questions and details that need to be resolved."
But Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu told President Obama in a phone call that a deal based on the agreed framework would threaten the survival of Israel.
For his part, President Obama told Mr Netanyahu the deal "in no way diminishes our concerns with respect to Iran's sponsorship of terrorism and threats towards Israel," the White House said.
The deal has also been criticised by members of the US Congress who want US lawmakers to have the right to review any final agreement.
US House Speaker John Boehner said the deal represented an "alarming departure" from Mr Obama's original goals and that Congress should review the deal before sanctions on Iran were lifted. | An outline agreement on the future shape of Iran's nuclear programme has been reached after marathon talks with six major powers in Switzerland. |
39865860 | Reports in Italy say the Chinese-backed Serie A club are prepared to offer Conte £250,000 a week if he leaves Chelsea after one season.
Pioli was sacked on Tuesday after six months as head coach.
The 51-year-old replaced Frank de Boer in November, signing a contract until the end of June 2018.
Former Italy boss Conte, 47, also managed Inter's rivals Juventus from 2011 to 2014.
With three matches remaining, Inter are seventh in Serie A, three points adrift of AC Milan and the final qualifying spot for the Europa League, and are winless in seven league games.
Youth team coach Stefano Vecchi will take charge of the first team for the rest of the season.
Pioli was Inter's ninth manager since Jose Mourinho left in 2010.
A club statement read: "Inter thanks Stefano and his team for the dedication and hard work carried out at the club over the last six months in what has proven to be a difficult season.
"The club will begin planning now for the next season." | Inter Milan have refused to comment on reports they are planning to offer Chelsea boss Antonio Conte a deal to replace the sacked Stefano Pioli. |
37430455 | The Scottish government plans to scrap some "unit assessments" which are marked by teachers before pupils sit their exams.
Instead final exams will be strengthened and externally marked coursework in some subjects will also contribute to students' grades.
National 5 courses will be altered next year and Higher courses in 2018.
Under the government's plans, some exams may now form 100% of the final mark. In other cases, the externally marked coursework may make up a significant proportion.
The move comes after Education Secretary John Swinney told teachers he was "absolutely committed" to reducing their workload earlier this year.
Announcing the planned changes to the qualifications, he said the proposals would significantly reduce teacher workload, bureaucracy and over-assessment.
He added: "They will ensure that teachers in Scotland have more time to teach in the classroom and make the significant contribution they can to reducing the attainment gap, delivering excellence and equity in Scotland's schools and maintaining the credibility and integrity of our qualifications."
The proposals have been given a cautious welcome by unions which have called for changes to deal with what they say is the excessive workload and bureaucracy associated with the qualifications.
Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) have been on a partial work-to-rule over the issue.
Its general secretary, Larry Flanagan, said news of the government's plans would be welcomed by teachers, pupils and parents.
"Since the introduction of new national qualifications, pupils and teachers have been placed under an excessive and unnecessary assessment burden during the senior phase of secondary, leading finally to EIS industrial action," he said.
"The agreement to remove mandatory unit assessments as a requirement from all National 5 and Higher courses is a victory both for common sense and for that campaign of action, carried out by EIS members in secondary schools across Scotland."
However Seamus Searson, the general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA), said the changes should happened during this academic year.
The "direction of travel" was welcome, he added, but the government should also consider making changes to the National 4 qualification.
"At the moment National 4 is wholly managed and assessed, to the bureaucratic SQA specifications, by the teacher in the classroom.
"The SSTA view is the workload should be reduced and the inclusion of a externally assessment or exam."
The National 5 qualification was introduced in the 2013-14 school year and is broadly equivalent to a credit in a Standard Grade or a good pass in an old O Grade.
Changes to Highers started to be phased in the following year.
Mr Swinney said the changes were in line with the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence.
He added: "I now intend to take the proposals to the Curriculum for Excellence management board as the appropriate body to discuss the details and agree their implementation."
Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "It has taken far too long for this to happen but I warmly welcome the announcement to remove unit assessments.
"It was perfectly clear that they provided very little educational benefit yet, at the same time, added significantly to teacher workload.
"Their removal should allow teachers to concentrate more on coursework and on preparation for SQA examinations. That has to be a good thing and will be welcomed by teachers, pupils and parents."
Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: "Any move to reduce workloads on our teachers is a welcome one, but this is a big climbdown by John Swinney who had previously said this could not be done without compromising the integrity of the National exams.
"It is a pity the teaching unions have had to threaten industrial action to get the government to listen to them. The truth, though, is that teachers will continue to be burdened by heavy workloads as long as the SNP continue to cut education budgets." | Major changes are to be made to new school qualifications in a bid to cut teachers' workload. |
32124251 | The US Department of Justice (DoJ) alleges that Shaun Bridges stole more than $800,000 (£540,000) in Bitcoin.
His colleague, Carl Force, has also been charged with money laundering and wire fraud.
Best known for selling illegal drugs, Silk Road was closed in 2013 following raids by the FBI and other agencies.
The man accused of running the site, Ross Ulbricht, was convicted in February, and prosecutors argued that he had earned about $18m in Bitcoin from the operation.
Mr Force, who worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), served as an undercover agent during the investigation into the Silk Road.
One of his tasks involved communicating with Ulbricht, known online as "Dread Pirate Roberts."
The DoJ alleges that "without authority", Mr Force "developed additional online personas and engaged in a broad range of illegal activities calculated to bring him personal financial gain".
"In doing so, the complaint alleges, Force used fake online personas, and engaged in complex Bitcoin transactions to steal from the government and the targets of the investigation.
"In one such transaction, Force allegedly sold information about the government's investigation to the target of the investigation."
The 46-year-old is charged with wire fraud, theft of government property, money laundering and conflict of interest.
Shaun Bridges, who worked for the US Secret Service, is charged with wire fraud and money laundering.
The DoJ alleges that he transferred more than $800,000 in Bitcoin into an account at MtGox, a Japanese digital currency exchange that filed for bankruptcy in February.
"He then allegedly wired funds into one of his personal investment accounts in the United States mere days before he sought a $2.1m seizure warrant for Mt. Gox's accounts," the DoJ says.
Both men appeared in a San Francisco court on Monday. | Two former US special agents have been charged with stealing large amounts of digital currency while investigating the notorious Silk Road marketplace. |
32232012 | Hassan Munshi and Talha Asmal, both 17 and from Dewsbury, are thought to be trying to join Islamic State after flying from Manchester to Turkey on 31 March.
A statement released on behalf of their families said they were "devastated".
Farooq Yunus, from the Zakaria Mosque in Savile Town, Dewsbury, said the "whole system" had failed the boys.
West Yorkshire Police is investigating their disappearance.
Mr Yunus told Radio BBC 5 live: "I think we have failed. Not just the people in here... the council, the police, the community."
In a statement the boys' families said: "Our number one priority is to get Hassan and Talha back home with their families and we implore anyone who may have any information whatsoever to get in contact with the police.
"Naturally, we are in a state of profound shock and are trying to come to terms with the predicament we find ourselves in and we hope and pray that no other family finds itself in our situation.
"These were just two ordinary Yorkshire lads who enjoyed the things that all young people enjoy at their age - both Hassan and Talha had a promising future, as an apprentice and an A-level student respectively, and we are praying they will be back with us soon and are able to realise that future."
Hassan's brother, Hammaad Munshi, was arrested in 2006 at the age of 16 after police found a guide to making napalm on his computer.
He became the youngest person to be convicted under the Terrorism Act. | Photographs of two "ordinary Yorkshire lads" feared to have travelled to Syria have been issued by their families. |
39964644 | Mae llawer o sylw wedi cael ei roi i'r ffeinal rhwng Juventus a Real Madrid tra bod proffil y tîm cenedlaethol wedi cynyddu wedi pencampwriaeth Euro 2016.
Un digwyddiad pwysig arall yn y byd pêl-droed yng Nghymru eleni yw pen-blwydd Uwch Gynghrair Cymru yn 25 oed.
Yn 1992, daeth Cynghrair Cymru fel yr oedd hi i fodolaeth dan arweiniad cyn-ysgrifennydd Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru (CBDC), y diweddar Alun Evans.
Ar y pryd roedd statws Cymru fel gwlad annibynnol dan oruchwyliaeth FIFA dan fygythiad, gan fod y prif glybiau yng Nghymru yn chwarae pêl-droed yn Lloegr.
Felly beth sydd wedi newid dros y chwarter canrif?
Un peth amlwg sydd wedi aros yn debyg yw maint y torfeydd sy'n dod i wylio'r gemau. Yn 1992 roedd cyfartaledd torf mewn gêm yn 236 i gymharu gyda 306 y tymor diwethaf.
Mae ysgrifennydd presennol Uwch Gynghrair Cymru yn teimlo bod "safon y gemau ddim yn denu'r dorf maen nhw yn ei haeddu".
"Heb os, mae safon y chwarae a chyflwr y meysydd wedi gwella yn y 25 mlynedd," meddai Gwyn Derfel.
"Mae'r gynghrair yn llawer mwy proffesiynol ac mae 'na werth masnachol i'r gynghrair bellach".
Dywedodd bod hyn yn rhannol oherwydd cyflwyno trwydded ddomestig CBDC yn 2005-06, sy'n rhestru meini prawf llym sy'n rhaid i glwb eu cyrraedd os ydyn nhw am gystadlu yn yr Uwch Gynghrair.
Dim ond pedwar o'r timau wnaeth sefydlu'r gynghrair sy'n dal i gystadlu ynddi heddiw - Bangor, Y Drenewydd, Cei Connah ac Aberystwyth.
Mae'r gweddill naill ai wedi diflannu neu'n chwarae yng nghynghreiriau is y pyramid pêl-droed - yn eu plith mae Cwmbrân, enillwyr cyntaf y gynghrair, sydd bellach yng nghynghrair lleol Sir Fynwy.
Cafodd nifer y timau yn y gynghrair ei gwtogi o 20 i 12 yn 2010, gyda'r bwriad o geisio gwella safon y gystadleuaeth.
Yn ôl Mr Derfel mae'r newid wedi gweithio, ond ychwanegodd bod "63% o bobl a holwyd mewn holiadur yn dweud bod elfen o fod yn or-gyfarwydd â'r timau".
Un sydd wedi bod ynghlwm â'r gynghrair fel rheolwr a gwyliwr yw Glyn Griffiths.
Roedd yn rheolwr ar Dreffynnon rhwng 1992 a 1997, ac fe lwyddodd i gadw'r clwb yn yr Uwch Gynghrair tan 1996.
"Dwi ddim yn credu bod gwell chwaraewyr yn chwarae yn y gynghrair heddiw ond bod perfformiadau'r timau yn well i beth oedd 'na nôl yn y 90au," meddai.
Dywedodd bod yr honiad bod torfeydd yn fach gan fod dim digon o chwaraewyr lleol yn chwarae yn y timau yn ei "wylltio".
"Mi ddweda' i hyn, os ydy chwaraewr lleol ddigon da i chwarae i'w dîm yna digon teg", meddai.
"Mae hon yn gynghrair genedlaethol a phrif gynghrair Cymru. Dim cynghrair leol ydy hi. Mae rhaid denu'r chwaraewyr gorau i gystadlu yn y gynghrair."
Ychwanegodd mai'r ffordd i glybiau ddenu mwy o sylw ydy drwy "wneud mwy o ymdrech yn lleol i farchnata ac i werthu syniad eu clwb".
"Mae ddigon hawdd sefydlu academies i'r chwaraewyr gorau, ond beth am y chwaraewyr ifanc lleol hynny sydd ddim digon da i chwarae i'r academies?
"Mae rhaid cofio am y rheiny a pheidio eu 'sgubo i'r ochr... Mewn degawdau i ddod mi fydd presenoldeb y bobl ifanc hynny yn y dorf yn cefnogi'r tîm yn llawn mor bwysig", meddai.
Ers ei sefydlu mae 39 o glybiau wedi cystadlu yn y gynghrair.
Un clwb fydd nôl yn Uwch Gynghrair Cymru tymor nesaf fydd Y Barri, wnaeth ennill y gystadleuaeth ar saith achlysur hyd at 2003, cyn iddyn nhw wynebu problemau ariannol.
Mae eu cadeirydd, Eric Thomas, wedi bod yn cadw llygaid ar y gynghrair o'r tu allan.
"Mae nifer o glybiau'r de yn hapus i chwarae un safon o dan yr Uwch Gynghrair, ond nid y Barri," meddai.
"Dwi wedi bod yn cadw llygaid ar y gynghrair ers blynyddoedd ac wedi gweld ei datblygiad hi yn y blynyddoedd diweddar.
"Mae'n deimlad anhygoel bod 'nôl... Roedden ni fel pwyllgor wedi gosod cynllun pum mlynedd i sicrhau dyrchafiad, mi oedden ni'n agos y llynedd ac wedi llwyddo eleni, blwyddyn ynghynt na'r disgwyl".
Uchelgais Y Barri yw cystadlu unwaith eto ar lefel Ewropeaidd, a chyn hir fe fydd y clybiau sydd wedi cyrraedd yn lefel honno yn darganfod pwy fydd eu gwrthwynebwyr ar y cyfandir.
Ond fe fydd rhaid i'r Seintiau Newydd chwarae yng Nghynghrair y Pencampwyr heb eu rheolwr Craig Harrison, sydd wedi gadael i gymryd yr awenau yn Hartlepool. Y Bala, Cei Connah a Bangor fydd yn cynrychioli Cymru yng Nghynghrair Europa.
Mae Gwyn Derfel yn ffyddiog bydd un o'r clybiau yn mynd gam ymhellach eleni yn Ewrop.
"Mae perfformiadau clybiau Cymru ar y llwyfan Ewropeaidd yn gwella.
"Ein prif her fel cynghrair at y dyfodol yw cael mwy o sylw drwyddi draw yn y cyfryngau torfol, wnaiff gynorthwyo i gynyddu'r torfeydd.
"Dwi'n falch o ddweud hefyd bod ein cytundeb gyda S4C i ddarlledu 29 o gemau byw drwy'r tymor yn parhau, sydd eto yn hwb i'r clybiau gan eu bod nhw'n gallu manteisio o'r arian darlledu er mwyn datblygu.
"Er bod un tymor wedi dod i ben gyda rownd derfynol yng Nghaerdydd, dydy gwaith ysgrifennydd cynghrair debyg i hon byth yn stopio, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen at y tymor nesa' yn barod". | Nos Sadwrn bydd Caerdydd yn llwyfannu un o'r gemau mwyaf yng nghalendr pêl-droed y byd i goroni blwyddyn fythgofiadwy i'r gamp yng Nghymru. |
35132277 | He will next play Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, who beat him last month.
Anderson's compatriot Peter Wright also progressed to the second round, defeating Keegan Brown 3-0.
Huntly's John Henderson plays Norwich's Darren Webster in Friday afternoon's session and Scot Robert Thornton takes on Alan Norris on Monday night.
Anderson won his first world title in January in a dramatic final against Phil Taylor and he will compete with 71 other players for the £1.5m in prize money. | Gary Anderson began the defence of his PDC World Championship title with a 3-0 win over Englishman Andy Boulton at London's Alexandra Palace on Thursday. |
40763096 | The Brazilian was passed fit to take part in final practice despite going to hospital after feeling dizzy and unwell in Friday's second practice session.
He was released from hospital and spent the night at his hotel, but suffered more problems in final practice.
Di Resta, 31, has not driven the 2017 car and not raced in F1 since 2013.
A statement from Williams said: "The team supports Felipe's decision and the team will work with him to ensure he makes a full recovery, with a view to a return to the race track for the Belgian Grand Prix."
The team did not give any further details on Massa's illness.
In final practice, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was comfortably fastest as Mercedes driver and title rival Lewis Hamilton struggled.
Vettel was 0.475 seconds quicker than team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and 0.897secs clear of the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, with Hamilton down in fourth.
Hamilton has won in Hungary five times in 10 years but the car lacked balance and grip on Friday and the drivers appeared to be struggling with the same problems on Saturday.
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Hamilton was locking wheels and running wide and his fastest lap was a massive 1.417 seconds slower than Vettel, who leads the Briton by one point.
The margin from Vettel back to Bottas of nearly a second is a lifetime in F1 and augurs badly for Mercedes' hopes this weekend.
And as so often when Mercedes struggle in this way, Bottas was making better of it than Hamilton - just as he did in Russia and Monaco earlier this season.
All are low-grip tracks with slow corners. Hamilton tends to overcommit the front end, causing problems with the tyres, while Bottas drives within the limit of grip.
In fact, the race appears to be falling into Ferrari's lap, after Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull, which was fastest in both sessions on Friday, stopped out on track early on with an engine hydraulics system failure.
Ricciardo ended up eighth quickest, his team-mate Max Verstappen who was not on his pace on Friday fourth and 1.177secs off Vettel's pace.
McLaren are showing encouraging form - Stoffel Vandoorne was an excellent sixth and Fernando Alonso ninth.
On this track that exposes their Honda engine's lack of power less than many others, they appear to be competing for the honour of best of the rest outside the top three with Renault, for whom Nico Hulkenberg was seventh fastest. Hulkenberg has been hit with a five-place grid penalty for an unauthorised gearbox change.
The German's team-mate Jolyon Palmer, who had a torrid day on Friday crashing twice, was 10th, less than 0.3secs behind. | Felipe Massa has been forced to withdraw from the Hungarian Grand Prix because of illness and will be replaced by Scot Paul di Resta. |
39936440 | The A484 Llanelli link road will be closed overnight between the Berwick and Trostre roundabouts for a month.
Work will start for on Wednesday and will take place between 20:00 BST and 06:00 on week nights only.
It will be carried out in phases, allowing access to business premises either direct or via diversion routes. | Night-time road closures are due to begin as contractors prepare to carry out resurfacing works in Carmarthenshire. |
39545840 | The teenager was walking in Brodick Street, near Glenconner Park in Royston, at about 21:25 on Saturday when he was assaulted by an unknown suspect or suspects.
He was taken by ambulance to Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he was treated before being released.
Detectives said the attack appeared to be "totally unprovoked".
Det Con Martin Smith, of Maryhill CID, said: "We believe that there was a large-scale disturbance in Royston Road prior to the assault taking place and that the area would have been busy with pedestrians and passing motorists.
"As such, I'd like to speak to anyone who witnessed either the assault or disturbance."
He said door-to-door inquiries were being carried out and CCTV footage was being checked to establish the full circumstances of the incident. | A 17-year-old was taken to hospital with a head injury after being attacked in Glasgow. |
35004894 | HMP North Wales, which is due to open in February 2017, will house 2,000 inmates, making it the UK's largest.
The initial salary, which is dependant on the weekly number of hours worked, ranges from £20,545 to £22,823.
Newly appointed prison officers will initially be given work at a nearby jail to gain experience.
More officers and support staff will be taken on in the coming year.
The National Offender Management Service application form says: "Working in a prison isn't for everyone.
"But if you're one of the few with the right blend of qualities, it's a secure and very rewarding career." | People who want to work as a prison officer in Wrexham's new £212m super-prison are being invited to apply for one of 80 roles. |
35467103 | The 25-year-old has 13 goals in 23 appearances for Lokomotiv this season and has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Goodison Park club.
"We're delighted as Oumar is a player we've been following for a long time," Toffees boss Roberto Martinez said.
"He brings a real hunger and desire to be successful into what is already a strong squad."
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Everton's top target was Dynamo Kiev's Andriy Yarmolenko but their move for the Ukraine forward was unsuccessful.
Niasse joins after forward Steven Naismith left Everton for Norwich and winger Aiden McGeady departed the club in a loan deal to Sheffield Wednesday.
"I started to watch Everton more since the beginning of October because I had heard about their interest," said Niasse.
"I was interested to see how they play. If you see players who are aged 20 or 21 and see them perform like that, you know you have a good coach."
Listen:How former Reading striker Ibrahima Sonko kick-started Niasse's career by paying for his plane ticket to Europe.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Everton have signed Senegal forward Oumar Niasse from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow in a £13.5m deal. |
30523505 | Ashley Talbot, 15, was struck by the bus driven by PE teacher Chris Brooks at Maesteg School, Bridgend county, on 10 December.
The hearing at Aberdare Coroner's Court was told that a police and health and safety investigation surrounding the incident is continuing.
The hearing was adjourned until a review on 9 April 2015.
A second pupil, 13, was also injured in the incident but did not need hospital treatment.
In a tribute released after his death, Ashley's family said he was taken from them in a "tragic accident".
They described him as a "typical teenager, a practical joker with a wicked infectious laugh".
Pupils at the school also paid tribute to a "good friend" and said the gap he had left could never be filled.
The school said it was co-operating with the police investigation and counselling had been offered to students.
PE teacher Chris Brooks, who was driving the minibus, said after the incident: "All my thoughts, wishes and prayers are with Ashley's family." | A coroner's hearing into the death of a teenager who was hit by a school minibus has been opened and adjourned. |
33212949 | Mr Modi did stretches, bends and breathing exercises with 35,000 school children, bureaucrats and soldiers.
Security was tight in the city with thousands of police and paramilitary deployed for Sunday morning's event.
Millions of others are expected to do yoga at similar events planned in hundreds of Indian cities and towns.
Mr Modi, a yoga enthusiast who says he practises the ancient Indian art daily, lobbied the United Nations to declare 21 June International Yoga Day.
Thousands of colourful mats were laid out on Rajpath - King's Avenue - where the main event was held.
Officials had earlier said the prime minister will attend the event and address the gathering, but not do yoga.
But Mr Modi surprised participants by joining in with the exercises.
Modi enlists yoga for 'brand India'
Authorities said 35,000 people attended the 35-minute yoga session on Rajpath, aimed at setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest yoga class at a single venue.
Guinness officials said they would announce the results in a few hours.
Yoga was also being performed on the Siachen glacier and the high seas, the defence ministry said.
The day is also being celebrated around the world and Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj says "tens of millions" will do yoga on Sunday.
Ms Swaraj herself will be in New York where she will attend the celebrations with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In Times Square, 30,000 people are expected to do yoga.
But the day, being billed as one to promote "harmony and peace", has hit a controversial note with some Muslim organisations saying yoga is essentially a Hindu religious practice and is against Islam.
Many others say Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist government has an agenda in promoting the ancient Indian discipline.
However, the authorities deny the charge - they say participation in the yoga day is not mandatory and reports that Muslims are opposed to yoga are exaggerated.
Are you taking part in the first ever International Yoga Day? We would like to see your pictures from one of the many events taking place around the world. You can send your photos and videos to [email protected] or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international) number. Alternatively you can send pictures via our WhatsApp number +44 (0)7525 900971. Or you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions. | India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led thousands in a mass yoga programme in the capital, Delhi, on the first ever International Yoga Day. |
36938284 | Some spent more than three hours trapped in the ride's cages on Sunday.
Clive Robinson, from London Fire Brigade, said: "It was slow work as we needed to access each cage on the ride individually."
London Wonderground, where the ride is based, said it was being investigated for a "technical fault".
Twitter user Dannorthover, who had to be rescued from the ride, tweeted: "Finally back to earth. Thank you london fire brigade for the #cherrypicker".
Two fire engines and two "cherry picker" ladders were sent to the scene, where engineers worked on the ride, which has capsules that swing around a central pillar.
Mr Robinson said: "While everyone was very relieved to be back on the ground, everyone had been very calm."
The brigade, which had been called shortly before 18:00 GMT, said there were no injuries.
The Starflyer fairground ride, part of the Southbank's Centre's London Wonderground playground, stands 60 metres high.
London Wonderground tweeted on Sunday: "This evening the Starflyer which shares our site experienced a technical fault.
"Everyone on the ride has been evacuated safely and the company who manage the ride for Southbank Centre are investigating the fault."
The Southbank Centre said it was grateful to firefighters for assisting those trapped, adding: "We will work with the owners of the ride to investigate the cause of the fault".
The ride will remain closed while investigations continue into why the ride got stuck, the centre said.
The Starflyer ride has featured at London Wonderground in previous years and has also appeared at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. | Fire crews have rescued 19 people - six of them children - who were suspended in a fairground ride 20 metres (65ft) above London's South Bank. |
23099881 | Prime Minister David Cameron made the announcement as he visited UK troops in Camp Bastion on Armed Forces Day.
The memorial will be paid for from fines imposed on banks that rigged inter-bank interest rates, he said.
Hundreds of celebrations are planned across the UK to celebrate the fifth national Armed Forces Day.
The day started with a volley of gun blasts at Nottingham Castle.
Armed Forces Day recognises the contribution made by service personnel past and present. Members of all three services take part.
Speaking from Britain's main base in Afghanistan, Mr Cameron said: "I think Armed Forces Day is an opportunity for the whole nation to say a very big thank you, but also to say how proud we are of our armed forces and everything they do for us.
"I can announce today we will be taking more money off the Libor fines and putting it into the military charities - including building a permanent memorial at the Staffordshire arboretum, so that we can always remember, and future generations can remember, those that fell and died here in Afghanistan."
The prime minister later flew to the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, for talks with President Asif Ali Zardari.
The number of UK service personnel to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001 is 444.
The existing memorial in Camp Bastion, which Mr Cameron visited during his time at the base, will be dismantled as troops leave next year and as much of it as possible will be used in the arboretum.
The memorial, which will receive funding of £300,000, will be built over the next 18 months and dedicated once combat operations in Afghanistan have ended.
The National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, hosts more than 250 different memorials, including a number to the armed forces.
Mr Cameron also announced how an additional £2.5m from fines levied on banks for attempting to manipulate the Libor interest rate would be spent on helping the armed forces community.
The Warrior Programme for Veterans and Families will receive just over £930,000 to further their efforts to support veterans moving into civilian life. The Veterans Council Headquarters will get £500,000 to create a one-stop shop for the military community to access mental health, health and social care services. Veterans Aid has been awarded £160,000 to expand its substance abuse and mental health treatment programmes.
10:47 A Feu de joie (gun salute) from Nottingham Castle opened the day, followed by a parade through the city and a fly-past by the Red Arrows
11:00 A Typhoon fly-past took place across the city centre
13:00 The Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display team made a landing on the Victoria Embankment
13.50 The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial flights featuring a Dakota, Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane begins at the Embankment
17:40 The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery perform a Musical Drive on the Embankment
During his visit Mr Cameron ate breakfast with British troops and was briefed about recent operations in Helmand, using a tactical map laid out in a sandpit.
He also took the controls of a bomb disposal robot, steering a Wheelbarrow robot using a remote control, and mimicked the action of launching a Desert Hawk 3 drone as he held the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Asked about efforts by the US to start talking to the Taliban, the prime minister said it was important to pursue a political solution - as well as a security solution - in Afghanistan.
At a joint press conference with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai later Mr Cameron said the two nations had a "shared commitment to a strong partnership beyond 2014".
The prime minister said the British contribution in Afghanistan after 2014 would be an officer training academy. Combat troops, he said, would continue to leave the country, with none by the end of 2014.
Mr Cameron then flew on to Pakistan, but spoke of the relationship between the neighbouring countries while still in Afghanistan: "We have a very clear view which is that it's in Pakistan's short, medium and long-term interest to have a secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan with which they have a good and strong relationship."
In the UK, this year's main Armed Forces Day event kicked off with a tri-service parade from Nottingham's castle to the Old Market Square, where a drumhead service will be attended by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, will fly over and, at the service's conclusion, current and historic craft from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will also fly past - including the RAF's latest multi-role fast jet, the Typhoon.
There will be Royal Navy and Royal Marines displays on the River Trent, and members of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team will land on Victoria Embankment.
The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will close the day in Nottingham.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Miliband said the party would give military veterans guaranteed "special provision" in the health service and change the NHS constitution to enshrine those rights.
He tweeted: "Armed Forces Day is a day when we rightly commemorate the sacrifices, past & present, that our servicemen & women make to protect us." | A permanent memorial to British service personnel who died in Afghanistan is to be built at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. |
38611601 | With the SNP a minority government, Mr Mackay needs support for his plans from at least one opposition party.
He said talks with the Lib Dems and the Greens had shown there was "room for manoeuvre" to strike a deal.
Both of those parties have warned that the government will have to make concessions to win them over.
Detailed discussions have been ongoing since Mr Mackay outlined his budget proposals in December.
With a deal with the Conservatives or Labour unlikely, the Lib Dems and Greens have emerged as the favourites to reach an agreement, and the finance secretary said there were "constructive" and "positive" talks ongoing.
Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie told BBC Radio Scotland on Thursday that the SNP needs to "give some ground" and "move some way towards some other party" if it is to win backing for the budget.
He highlighted "astonishing cuts to local government services", and has also been critical of Mr Mackay's "standstill income tax policy".
And after the pair clashed over tax during a meeting of the finance committee on Wednesday, Mr Harvie said it would be "a huge missed opportunity" if the government were to "dig in their heels and insist on a no-change tax policy now that they have the power, and the political support, for real change".
Meanwhile Mr Rennie underlined during first minister's questions that "the Scottish government has no majority for its budget".
He highlighted a £90m cut to college funding, while claiming that the government's plans for a schools attainment fund were "£70m short of what is required".
Nicola Sturgeon responded: "We will continue to discuss with Willie Rennie and others their suggestions for amendments to the draft budget."
Mr Mackay told BBC Scotland that he was "engaging constructively and positively with other parties".
He said he would "not necessarily" find common ground with the Conservatives or Labour, but noted that "particular discussions with the Liberal Democrats and the Greens are showing there is room for manoeuvre".
He said: "I'm positive about getting a budget through the Scottish Parliament.
"I've made it clear the government wants to deliver our tax position as was set out in the manifesto, that commanded the support of the people.
"But the budget isn't settled until the very end of the process, so I'll continue to engage on all matters in relation to the budget."
Asked about how the positions of opposition parties, Mr Mackay said: "The Lib Dems have set out a position around education and mental health, and those are the kind of areas you would expect me to discuss with them to ensure we can reach a position they can support.
"The Greens are looking for a number of things, and they've made their public position clear around taxation. But they also recognise that the government has a mandate and a manifesto which we want to fulfil, and they're looking for a different position."
Mr Mackay noted that the government "want to adhere as close to the manifesto as possible" on tax, but added: "None of these matters are absolutely closed."
He will give evidence to the finance committee on his spending plans on Monday, after which the committee will consider its report on the draft budget.
A series of votes will then follow through February, with a separate vote on the tax proposals prior to the final budget vote at the end of the month.
The Lib Dems have pulled into pole position to be the party which strikes a budget deal with Derek Mackay.
Patrick Harvie, with one eye on the tax vote which will precede the final budget vote, has set his stall out very firmly on that front. When launching the Green manifesto last year, he outlined "progressive taxation" as the number one policy he would look to have implemented.
But Mr Mackay doesn't want to compromise on tax. He sees his position as well-balanced, and moreover endorsed by the public in last May's election.
It's possible there may also be an element of distrust in the Greens - SNP members are unlikely to have forgotten that they scuppered the 2009 budget after a last-minute change of heart.
Tax is also a big issue for Willie Rennie - but it is not necessarily top of his shopping list.
During first minister's questions, he more or less named his price - cash for education, with some funding for mental health thrown in, could win those crucial Lib Dem votes (or, at the very least, abstentions).
The looming council elections have a role to play too, with neither party wanting to look like they are giving in too easily to the government, particularly in terms of funding for local services,
There's a long way to go in the talks yet - but a deal is looking more and more likely. | Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay says he is "positive" about winning support for his budget from opposition MSPs. |
35690884 | The 29-year-old, who moved to Pompey on a free transfer from Crawley in June 2014, initially rejoined the Red Devils on a 28-day deal in February.
Former Exeter and Peterborough keeper Jones has made four appearances and kept one clean sheet since returning to the Checkatrade.com Stadium.
Crawley sit 17th in the table after 33 games and host Newport on Tuesday. | Portsmouth goalkeeper Paul Jones has extended his loan stay with League Two rivals Crawley until 27 March. |
37335544 | Her speech has been widely criticised by the prime minister, the opposition and Muslim community leaders.
It echoed her controversial 1996 speech in which she warned that Australia was in danger of being "swamped by Asians".
Ms Hanson said she would not apologise for trying to "preserve our way of life".
According the latest government statistics, 2.2% of Australians list their religion as Islam, compared to 61.1% Christian.
The two fastest growing descriptions are atheist and agnostic - officially described as "no religion" - and Hinduism.
But Ms Hanson, who leads the anti-immigration One Nation party, said Australians would eventually be forced to live under Islamic religious law, or Sharia, unless changes were made.
"Islam cannot have a significant presence in Australia if we are to live in an open, secular and cohesive society," she said.
"We have seen the destruction it is causing around the world."
She also said she wanted a ban on the burqa and to stop the construction of new mosques.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who will be relying on the support of the four One Nation senators to pass legislation, distanced himself from the highly controversial speech.
"Senator Hanson knows I do not agree with her views on migration," he told The Australian newspaper.
"Australia is the world's most successful multicultural society and the foundation of that success is mutual respect."
Greens Leader Richard Di Natale, who led his party's senators out of the chamber in protest of Ms Hanson's speech, said racism "has no place in parliament but that is what we have just heard from Senator Hanson," he said on Twitter.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon, whose parents are European migrants, told Sky News Australia he found the speech "heartbreaking".
"We're an open and inclusive country and Pauline Hanson is wrong when she says Islam and democracy aren't compatible," he said.
Former prime minister John Howard argued Ms Hanson's supporters were not racists or bigots and did not vote for her because of their views on immigration
"They voted for her because they're unhappy with the mainstream political parties," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Ali Kadri, the Islamic Council of Queensland's spokesman, drew a parallel between Senator Hanson and al-Qaeda.
"Before it became a terrorist organisation, it preached an ideology of hatred," he said.
"Unfortunately Pauline Hanson and people like Donald Trump and others are taking the West towards that path as well, and that path only leads towards the destruction of nations and people and we've seen that in the Middle East."
Ms Hanson was unapologetic when she returned to parliament on Thursday.
"Why do you stand here and criticise me for standing up to preserve our way of life that we have peace and cohesion on our streets?" she asked reporters.
"I will not apologise to you, I will not apologise to anyone. I do believe that a lot of other politicians do support what I say." | Pauline Hanson has refused to apologise for her maiden speech to the Australian senate, in which she said the country was being "swamped by Muslims". |
40886169 | The US is thought to have dropped the 89cm-long (3ft) device during WW2.
It was found by workers building a car park at the site where a four-decade-long decommissioning process is under way.
Tens of thousands of residents had to evacuate the area after a reactor meltdown in 2011 following an earthquake and tsunami.
The incident at the Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) site was the world's most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
No-one died directly in the meltdown but three former Tepco executives are facing trial on charges of negligence because of deaths related to the area's evacuation.
Tepco said construction work was immediately suspended after the object was found and a temporary exclusion zone put in place while bomb disposal experts were deployed.
It is not uncommon for unexploded WW2 devices to be found in Japan over 70 years on from the end of the war.
The Fukushima area was previously home to a Japanese military base. | A suspected unexploded bomb has been found at the site of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. |
37508235 | Some boxes or "TV sticks" support software add-ons that can stream subscription movies, sport and TV channels over the internet for free.
The Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) said about half of its current investigations concerned the devices.
It said boxes configured to receive premium content for free were illegal.
The statements were made in the annual crime report of the government's intellectual property office (IPO).
Kodi is free software, built by volunteers, that is designed to bring videos, music, games and photographs together in one easy-to-use application.
Some shops sell set-top boxes and TV sticks known as Kodi boxes, preloaded with the software.
The developers behind Kodi say their software does not contain any content of its own and is designed to play legally owned media or content "freely available" on the internet.
However, the software can be modified with third-party add-ons that provide access to pirated copies of films and TV series, or provide free access to subscription television channels.
"Streaming boxes have steadily increased in popularity in recent years," said Ernesto van der Sar, from the news site Torrent Freak.
"Most use the entirely legal Kodi software, but some are augmented with illegal third-party add-ons.
"They are seen as convenient, as the set-top box format is ideal for the living room.
"Nowadays people often prefer to stream pirated content instead of using traditional torrent sites.
"They see streaming as more convenient and less cumbersome than downloading."
Fact said set-top boxes configured to receive premium content for free were "an emerging threat to the audiovisual industry".
"This is becoming an epidemic," Kieron Sharp, director general of Fact, told the BBC.
"If you are not paying for Sky, BT or one of the pay-TV providers for your subscription channels, you are clearly in possession of an illegal box."
The IPO said the increased availability of such devices presented a "significant challenge".
"We are aware that set-top boxes, while perfectly legal in their own right, are frequently adapted by criminals to illegally receive TV channels protected by intellectual property rights," a spokesman told the BBC.
"The government is working with its partners in industry and with police forces across the country to target criminals looking to profit from this activity.
"We are also working closely with our international partners to target the cross-border infrastructure that underpins illegal streaming."
In August, an investigation by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (Pipcu) led to the arrest of three men who are accused of retransmitting subscription television channels online.
Some traders sell so-called "fully-loaded Kodi boxes", which are preloaded with third-party add-ons that can access pirated content. These are currently the subject of a legal case.
The developers behind Kodi have said they do not support "piracy add-ons" and have criticised those who advertise "fully-loaded" set-top boxes for sale.
The group said it would maintain a "neutral stance on what users do with their own software", but would battle those using the Kodi trademark to sell a "fully-loaded Kodi box".
Discussions about "pirated content" and add-ons that provide access are removed from its message board. | Tackling the use of Kodi and other set-top box software to stream pirated videos is now the top priority for rights-holders, a report says. |
38385797 | Tyler Perkins, 18, attacked the hedgehog, which later died, in his garden in Croft Street, Ipswich, on 9 September.
Magistrates in the town found Perkins, who did not attend the hearing, guilty of inflicting "unnecessary suffering" to the animal.
He is due to be sentenced on 3 January.
The court heard a statement from RSPCA investigating officer Jason Finch, who said Perkins told him he "wasn't really thinking" during the attack.
He said Perkins had a drink problem, felt remorse and wished the incident never happened.
The attack was in a town which has been identified as a hot spot for hedgehogs and where work is ongoing by Suffolk Wildlife Trust to protect the species.
Speaking outside the court, RSPCA inspector Natalie Bartle said: "It was an act of senseless cruelty towards this hedgehog.
"We all know that the hedgehog population is currently on the decline, seriously on the decline in fact.
"Hedgehogs need to be looked after, not treated with cruelty." | A teenager hit a hedgehog with a brick, stabbed it with a knife and then threw it over a neighbour's fence, a court has heard. |
32883299 | There had been 27 attacks so far this year, compared with 26 for the whole of last year, Unicef said in a statement.
Three-quarters of the attacks were carried out by female bombers, some as young as seven, it added.
Militant Islamist group Boko Haram is waging an insurgency in Nigeria.
BBC Nigeria analyst Naziru Mikailu says Boko Haram may be increasingly resorting to suicide attacks, following its loss of territory to regional forces.
Nigeria's army said in March that it had recaptured all cities and towns from the group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants fighting for a global caliphate.
Unicef said it did not believe that the girls carried out the bombings willingly.
"Children are not instigating these suicide attacks; they are used intentionally by adults in the most horrific way," it said. "They are first and foremost victims - not perpetrators."
Some of the girls had been abducted and were being exploited by militants who knew that they were less likely to be checked when entering target areas such as busy markets or bus stations, the statement added.
Our correspondent says there is suspicion that some girls are duped into being bombers, thinking they are carrying parcels when they are, in fact, explosives.
More than 15,500 people have been killed during the six-year insurgency.
About 1.5 million people have been displaced and hundreds more abducted by Boko Haram.
Earlier this month, the military rescued nearly 300 women and children who were being held by the group in its forest hideout in north-eastern Nigeria.
Among those still being held captive are 219 girls who were taken from their boarding school in Chibok town in April 2014, sparking global outrage. | The UN children's agency says there has been an "alarming" increase in the number of suicide attacks in northern Nigeria, with many of them involving women and children. |
38488399 | The 22-year-old had a spell on loan in the National League at Southport last term, making four appearances.
"I'm glad I had that experience with Southport, so I know what to expect," he told the club website.
Giles is the second player signed by Aldershot under the Boost The Budget scheme which allows fans to contribute to the first-team budget.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Aldershot Town have signed winger Jonny Giles on loan from Oxford United for the rest of the season. |
39105783 | Fe wnaeth AS Arfon, Hywel Williams gyhoeddi nos Lun y bydd Shiromini Satkunarajah, 20, yn cael ei rhyddhau o ganolfan gadw Yarls Wood.
Roedd Mr Williams wedi codi'r mater yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin ddydd Llun.
Roedd Is-Ganghellor Prifysgol Bangor, yr Athro John Hughes, hefyd wedi galw ar y Swyddfa Gartref i ailystyried alltudio Ms Satkunarajah cyn iddi gwblhau ei hastudiaethau.
Cafodd Ms Satkunarajah, ei harestio ddydd Iau diwethaf ar ôl i'r awdurdodau wrthod ei chais am loches.
Mae dros 86,000 o bobl arwyddo deiseb i geisio ei hatal rhag cael ei hanfon yn ôl i'w mamwlad.
Ond dywedodd Mr Williams ar wefan Twitter nos Lun: "Falch o gyhoeddi heno fod fy etholwraig Shiromini Satkunarajah wedi ei rhyddhau ac ni fydd yn cael ei halltudio yfory. Diolch bawb am y gefnogaeth."
Yn gynharach, dywedodd Mr Williams ar lawr Tŷ'r Cyffredin: "Mae hi wedi dilyn y rheolau mewnfudo i'r llythyren, ond pan alwodd i orsaf heddlu Caernarfon yr wythnos ddiwethaf fe gafodd ei harestio, ei chadw yn y celloedd am dridiau a'i throsglwyddo i Yarls Wood.
"Rwyf wedi cysylltu â'r Gweinidog Mewnfudo sawl tro i ofyn iddo ddefnyddio doethineb yn yr achos yma, sydd â chefnogaeth eang gan gynnwys gan rai o aelodau'r Tŷ.
"Hyd yma nid yw wedi fy ateb. Mae hi i fod i adael yfory."
Cafodd Ms Satkunarajah, ei geni yn Sri Lanka ond mae wedi byw ym Mhrydain ers wyth mlynedd ac ar fin gorffen ei chwrs mewn peirianneg electroneg.
Cyn y datblygiadau diweddaraf, roedd disgwyl iddi adael Prydain fore Mawrth.
Daeth Miss Satkunarajah i Brydain yn 2009 fel rhywun oedd yn dibynnu ar ei thad oedd wedi dod yma gyda fisa.
Fe wnaeth ei thad farw yn 2011 ond fe gafodd hi a'i mam aros tra ei bod yn cwblhau ei haddysg yn yr ysgol ac yn dechrau ei chwrs yn y brifysgol.
Cafodd ceisiadau pellach i aros eu gwrthod ond roedd ganddi hawl i aros tra roedd hi'n apelio.
Dydd Iau cafodd wybod bod ei chais am loches wedi ei wrthod.
Yn ôl Iestyn Pierce, pennaeth adran beirianneg Electronig a Thrydanol Prifysgol Bangor mae'n fyfyrwraig "abl iawn a diwyd" fyddai yn debygol o gael gradd dosbarth cyntaf.
"Pe byddai yn cael graddio byddai yn aelod gwerthfawr o'r gweithlu mewn pwnc lle mae prinder byd eang." | Mae myfyrwraig ym Mhrifysgol Bangor oedd yn wynebu cael ei halltudio i Sri Lanka wedi cael gwybod gan y Swyddfa Gartref y bydd yn cael aros yn y DU, yn ôl ei Haelod Seneddol. |
34787176 | The 30-year-old came through the south-west London club's academy and has made 248 appearances for Quins since his debut in 2005, scoring 79 tries.
Brown first featured for England in 2007 and has won a total of 43 caps.
"I feel fit and strong. Over the coming years I will be playing at my peak," he told the club website.
Harlequins have not disclosed the length of Brown's new deal but say he will have been at the club for "well over 15 years" by the time it expires, having joined their academy set-up in 2002.
Brown won the Amlin Challenge Cup with Quins in 2011 and the Premiership title in 2012 - and hopes to bring further silverware to the Twickenham Stoop.
"With the experience I have gained by playing international rugby it will give me every opportunity to achieve the personal goals I have set for myself - to win trophies for Quins, continue to play for England and hopefully be part of the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour," he said.
Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea described Brown as "the epitome" of what the club stands for.
"I have watched him become one of the great full-backs of world rugby," said the Irishman.
"He maintains the highest of standards off the pitch and will play at the highest level for many years. We are all delighted he wants to commit to his only club for what will be, in all likelihood, the remainder of his career."
Brown played in all of England's matches at the 2015 World Cup, which they exited at the pool stage, but said this week that the "trust has gone" from the squad following leaks from the dressing room. | England full-back Mike Brown has committed his future to Harlequins after signing a new contract with the Premiership club. |
32551028 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Table tennis proved his calling. After being pipped to Paralympic gold at London 2012 he won the world title last year and is committed to going down in history not as a disabled person, just a "great athlete".
To find out how to get into table tennis, take a look at our dedicated page.
Alternatively try the British Table Tennis Association for the Disabled to find out what they have to offer. | Despite being born with arthrogryposis - a condition that limits movement in all four of his limbs - Will Bayley was "brought up on all sports". |
38178137 | Football's world governing body Fifa also requested that all players wear black armbands in remembrance.
Nineteen players and coaching staff were among the 71 who died when the Brazilian's team plane crashed.
The team was heading to Colombia for the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the biggest game in the club's history.
Periods of silence will also be held before next week's Champions League and Europa League matches.
Similar tributes were held before all four of the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Three players - defender Alan Luciano Ruschel, reserve goalkeeper Jackson Ragnar Follmann and centre-back Helio Hermito Zampier Neto - were among the six survivors
Of the survivors, Ruschel and Neto were said to be in critical but stable conditions, with the former having had spinal surgery. Follmann has had his leg amputated and could lose his other foot.
Colombian authorities say evidence is growing that the plane crashed because it ran out of fuel as it tried to land.
Club director Cecilio Hans said the club would "rebuild from scratch" in memory of those who had died.
Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel paid tribute to his late friend Caio Junior, the Chapecoense coach, after his team's quarter-final defeat by Southampton in the EFL Cup.
The 26-year-old said he was "very close friends" with the coach, the backroom staff and two of the players.
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"This is really hard to take. It is something we never imagine will happen with us or a close friend," he said.
"The minimum I can do is send my condolences to all their families and wish that they can carry on.
"I ask for strength for this team that enchanted Brazilian football, a group that five years ago was in the fourth division and surprised everybody.
"We only have good memories to keep in our hearts from this team and the friends I made through football."
Chapecoense were in the Brazilian fourth tier in 2009, but had recently made themselves a national force before their run in South American football's secondary continental competition - the equivalent of the Europa League.
Three of Brazil's leading clubs have said they will offer players to Chapecoense. | A minute's silence will be held before every football match this weekend in memory of the Chapecoense players and staff who died on Monday. |
36822836 | The emergency services were called to the scene on the A494 at Bethel, between Bala and Corwen, at around 12.20 BST.
A North Wales Police spokesman said: "Sadly the motorcyclist involved in the collision has passed away."
Police are appealing for witnesses. | A motorcyclist has died following a collision with two vehicles in Gwynedd on Sunday. |
34565831 | North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said its former patient records setup was labour intensive and in need of replacement.
The new £7m computerised system means patient details will be accessible on screen to all health professionals.
It has been two years in the planning, and comes into effect on Monday.
Lynne Hodgson, from the trust, said "a massive amount of training has taken place" but they were "still expecting some teething problems".
"We're just asking at this time that patients and relatives bear with us while the new system is bedding in," she added. | Patients on Teesside are being asked to bear with the health trust while a new electronic records system comes online. |
34071065 | Video technology trials in matches were put back at least 12 months by the game's lawmakers in February.
But Wenger, whose side had a goal controversially ruled out for offside in Monday's 0-0 draw with Liverpool, said: "I'm convinced that video technology will come into football.
"The next step will be to help the offside rule."
The Frenchman, who takes his team to Newcastle for a 12:45 BST kick-off on Saturday, added: "You want justice and the right decisions to be made. The sooner it comes in the better. If it was tomorrow morning you would have my signature."
Replays showed that Wales international Aaron Ramsey was onside when he struck against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.
The 24-year-old has suggested football should follow rugby's lead on video technology, saying: "You see on the screens, they go up there for 20 seconds and they get the decision right in the end and football can learn something from that."
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Centre-backs Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny missed the Liverpool game, through illness and a back injury respectively, with Calum Chambers and Gabriel starting against Liverpool.
Wenger admitted that he may once again be without his first-choice pairing, with Mertesacker still suffering from his illness and Koscielny set for a fitness test on Wednesday.
"The less likely to be fit is Mertesacker," said Wenger. "I would like them to be available but that is part of the season and you cannot complain about it.
In more positive news on the injury front for Arsenal, striker Danny Welbeck is nearing a return following a knee injury and midfielder Jack Wilshere, who suffered a hairline fracture to his right ankle in training on 1 August, is not far behind
"Danny Welbeck is progressing well," revealed Wenger. "He should be available after the international break if all goes well.
"Jack Wilshere is maybe one week behind Welbeck. After the international break he can certainly come back into full training."
The transfer window closes at 18:00 BST on Tuesday, 1 September but Wenger admitted that the club are not currently close to making any signings.
"I am always confident that a last-minute solution is available because of the way the transfer market has been moving in the last four or five days," he said. "But at the moment I can't promise that.
"We work hard and I have a team around me who work day and night to find solutions but at the moment we are not close to signing anybody."
Arsenal have failed to score in both of their home games this season, with Monday's stalemate coming after an opening-weekend 2-0 defeat by West Ham.
They did score twice in their only victory so far - at Crystal Palace - but Wenger feels his side are not yet at peak fitness.
"Maybe we are not firing on all cylinders at the moment and not everybody is ready physically," he added.
"By definition, the finishing is cyclical - finishing qualities come and go and you do not always know why.
"At home at the moment, we want it so much that we try to force it. But teams come and defend very deep when we are at home and it is more difficult to open the defence." | Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes video technology will be used in games to assist the offside rule. |
36539650 | Paul Mansfield, 28, of no fixed address, denied the charges but was found guilty at Preston Crown Court and sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Police said he befriended the "clearly intoxicated and vulnerable" victims, promising to help them.
The two attacks took place in 2014, the second while he was on bail for rape.
Police said Mansfield befriended a 20-year-old homeless woman and promised to give her somewhere safe to stay in the early hours of 17 June.
He took her to a flat on Charnley Road in the resort but when the victim tried to go to sleep, Mansfield raped her, biting her neck and striking her face during the attack.
She managed to escape and ran to Blackpool police station to report the attack.
Mansfield struck a second time on 9 September when he befriended a woman, 21, from Glasgow on a night out in the resort, said police.
She had become separated from her boyfriend after an argument, said police, and Mansfield offered to take her back to her hotel in a taxi.
Police said they ended up on Loftus Avenue where he dragged her down an alley and attempted to rape her.
She managed to push him off and run away, said police.
Lancashire Constabulary's Det Con Lisa Wainwright said Mansfield was a "dangerous sexual predator" who targeted his victims when they were intoxicated.
She said it was disturbing that he used the guise of befriending them when he had "clear intentions of assaulting them to satisfy his own sexual urges".
Mansfield was also found guilty of two sexual assaults and supplying Class A drugs, for which he was sentenced to two years to run concurrently. | A "dangerous sexual predator" who raped a woman and attempted to rape another in separate attacks in Blackpool has been jailed. |
30298375 | The spaces will be delivered at five sites over two phases between 2017 and 2027.
A report to councillors said there are currently seven pitches for travellers in the region.
The approval comes after an independent planning inspector concluded in October the council's draft plan was suitable, subject to a few changes.
Land at Old Damson Lane, Solihull, which was originally down for 11 pitches, will now receive 13 over both phases.
The 31 new travellers' pitches:
Six pitches will be created at The Warren, Bickenhill Lane, Marston Green, and four at The Uplands, Dickens Heath Road, Shirley, during phase one.
In phase two, six pitches will be created at The Haven, Catherine-de-Barnes Lane, Bickenhill and two at Canal View in Salter Street, Earlswood.
The report said: "As in most other areas of the country, there is a shortage of authorised Gypsy and traveller sites in Solihull to meet identified need.
"This leads to unauthorised developments and encampments and results in uncertainty for both the settled population and the Gypsy and traveller community.
"It is also well recognised that Gypsies and travellers are amongst the most socially excluded groups in society and research has consistently confirmed the link between the lack of good quality sites and poor health and education outcomes."
There were 11 objections to the original plans and three objections to the modified scheme, Solihull Council said. | Plans for 31 new travellers' pitches in Solihull have been approved by council leaders. |
38072135 | The unnamed heir discovered the glittering hoard in a variety of inventive locations, including under piles of linen and in the bathroom.
"There were 5,000 gold pieces, two bars of 12kg and 37 ingots of 1kg," auctioneer Nicolas Fierfort told AFP.
The treasure is worth an estimated €3.5m ($3.7m; £3m).
Mr Fierfort said he had visited the house in Evreux, Normandy, to value furniture the new owner was selling.
He said he totally overlooked the gold, which was "extremely well hidden".
The coins and gold bars only came to light when the house's new owner started moving things around.
'Lost Caravaggio' found in French loft
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Joan of Arc ring returns to France
First, he found a tin box of coins screwed to the underside of some furniture.
Then came more, carefully concealed in a box meant for a bottle of whisky.
Finally, the man unearthed a staggering pile of gold bars and ingots.
"At that point he called his solicitor to make an inventory," Mr Fierfort said.
According to certificates found in the deceased's estate, the gold was legally purchased in the 1950s and 1960s.
It has already been sold on to buyers in France and overseas.
However, local newspaper La Depeche, which first reported the story, said the golden hello may come with a sting.
The finder will be liable for 45% inheritance tax and, if the original owner did not declare his or her assets, a further three years of back taxes. | A Frenchman who inherited a large house from a relative has found an astonishing 100kg (220lb) haul of gold hidden under the furniture. |
36369326 | Three-year-old Missouri and six-week-old son Jefferson are being cared for at the charity's centre in Drumoak.
Centre manger Graeme Innes said: "Missouri had a rather round tummy when she arrived in our care and gave birth to the adorable Jefferson in April.
"We're surprised we haven't had any interest yet and we're hoping we can find this sweet pair a loving home."
Missouri's owner could no longer care for her.
Anyone who can offer Missouri and Jefferson a new home is asked to contact the Scottish SPCA's Aberdeenshire centre on 03000 999 999. | The Scottish SPCA is seeking a new home for a Shetland pony and her foal in Aberdeenshire. |
40679563 | National Grid wants to bury overhead power lines along a five-mile (8km) stretch of the county near the villages of Martinstown and Winterbourne Abbas.
The proposals include removing about 20 pylons, the firm said.
The preferred route of the underground cables was designed to avoid properties and known archaeology, it added.
Removing the overhead lines, constructed between 1965 and 1969, would reduce their visual impact on the AONB, National Grid said.
Previous options to screen or camouflage pylons were dropped following a public consultation as it was deemed they "would not have sufficient impact", the firm added.
People have been invited to have their say on the proposals at Winterbourne Valley CE VA First School in Dorchester on Saturday.
Subject to planning approval, work would start next year and take up to three years to complete - including the removal of the existing line.
Dorset's AONB was designated in 1959 covers just over 40% of the county, from Lyme Regis to Poole Harbour and inland as far as Blandford Forum. | Plans to remove a section of overhead pylons in Dorset's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) have opened to public consultation. |
34570844 | Eclipsed is a hard-hitting drama about women captured and raped by a Liberian rebel officer.
The sell-out play marked the 12 Years a Slave and Star Wars star's stage debut when opening earlier this year.
Gurira, who plays Michonne in huge TV hit The Walking Dead, is the award-winning writer of four plays.
BBC Entertainment Live: News updates
Eclipsed is considered notable as a rare production written by a woman to get a spot on Broadway.
There has been only one other this current season, an adaptation of Emile Zola's horror story Therese Raquin, written by the British playwright Helen Edmundson.
Eclipsed also stands out for dealing with the difficult subject matter of rape in Africa.
The last play to cover the issue was Ruined in 2009, although it was controversially not granted a Broadway run despite its success.
Oskar Eustis, the artistic director of the off-Broadway Public Theatre, where Eclipsed is currently running, told the New York Times he hoped its main stage run would "break a barrier that will stay broken".
"It's an incredibly emotional play and by the end very deeply touching and harrowing, and yet Danai has written it so beautifully it ultimately feels life-affirming, about how women in horrible circumstances are able to find their own agency."
Zimbabwean-American Gurira's other plays are In the Continuum, The Convert and Familiar, which also deal with female identity and race.
Nyong'o, who was born in Mexico and raised in Kenya, became an overnight star with her performance in 12 Years a Slave, winning last year's best supporting actress Academy Award.
They are part of an ethnically diverse production team which African-American producer Stephen Byrd says is also rare.
"There's a market out there that has not really been addressed with plays that can draw a cross-section of people to theatre," Byrd said.
"It's going to be an interesting season, and it's very healthy for Broadway."
Eclipsed finishes at the Public Theatre on 29 November and begins previews at Broadway's John Golden Theatre on 23 February, Hollywood Reporter said.
Its official opening will be on 6 March. | Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o is to star on Broadway in Eclipsed, a play written by Walking Dead actress Danai Gurira, according to reports. |
19454562 | Writing in the UK's Observer newspaper, he accused the former leaders of lying about weapons of mass destruction.
The Iraq military campaign had made the world more unstable "than any other conflict in history", he said.
Mr Blair responded by saying "this is the same argument we have had many times with nothing new to say".
Earlier this week, Archbishop Tutu, a veteran peace campaigner who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 in recognition of his campaign against apartheid, pulled out of a leadership summit in Johannesburg because he refused to share a platform with Mr Blair.
The former Archbishop of Cape Town said the US- and UK-led action launched against Saddam's regime in 2003 had brought about conditions for the civil war in Syria and a possible Middle East conflict involving Iran.
"The then leaders of the United States [Mr Bush] and Great Britain [Mr Blair] fabricated the grounds to behave like playground bullies and drive us further apart. They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand - with the spectre of Syria and Iran before us," he said.
He added: "The question is not whether Saddam Hussein was good or bad or how many of his people he massacred. The point is that Mr Bush and Mr Blair should not have allowed themselves to stoop to his immoral level."
Archbishop Tutu said the death toll as a result of military action in Iraq since 2003 was grounds for Mr Blair and Mr Bush to be tried in The Hague.
But he said different standards appeared to be applied to Western leaders.
He said: "On these grounds, alone, in a consistent world, those responsible should be treading the same path as some of their African and Asian peers who have been made to answer for their actions in The Hague."
In response to Sunday's article, Mr Blair issued a strongly worded defence of his decisions.
He said: "To repeat the old canard that we lied about the intelligence [on weapons of mass destruction] is completely wrong as every single independent analysis of the evidence has shown.
"And to say that the fact that Saddam massacred hundreds of thousands of his citizens is irrelevant to the morality of removing him is bizarre.
"We have just had the memorials both of the Halabja massacre, where thousands of people were murdered in one day by Saddam's use of chemical weapons, and that of the Iran-Iraq war where casualties numbered up to a million, including many killed by chemical weapons.
"In addition, his slaughter of his political opponents, the treatment of the Marsh Arabs and the systematic torture of his people make the case for removing him morally strong. But the basis of action was as stated at the time."
He added: "In short this is the same argument we have had many times with nothing new to say. But surely in a healthy democracy people can agree to disagree.
"I would also point out that despite the problems, Iraq today has an economy three times or more in size, with child mortality rate cut by a third of what it was. And with investment hugely increased in places like Basra."
Human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman told BBC Radio 4 the Iraq war was an illegal aggressive war.
He said a war crimes trial "should be and could be held on the basis a crime of aggression has been committed and the crime of aggression was starting the war.
"It's now almost certain that the war was illegal because it breached the UN Charter provisions which say that all member of the United Nations must refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."
Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said he disagreed with Desmond Tutu and Sir Geoffrey.
"The use of force is allowed among other reasons when the United Nations authorises it, and the United Nations authorised it by resolution 1441.
"The dispute between Geoffrey and myself would be whether or not resolution 1441 did or did not authorise war and we say that it did.
"Even that disagreement doesn't give rise to the possibility of war crimes, the world has very impressively over the last two decades come together and identified what they mean by war crimes; genocide, ethnic cleansing, torture and in a variety of ways brought people to trial for that" | Tony Blair and George W Bush should be taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague over the Iraq war, Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said. |
37187571 | Patrick Kabele, 32, is accused of attempting to travel to Syria, contrary to the Terrorism Act, Scotland Yard said.
Mr Kabele, of Willesden, north-west London, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
He was arrested on Wednesday in Brent, north London, by officers from the Met's counter-terrorism command. | A man has been charged with preparing terrorist acts linked to Syria, the Metropolitan Police Force has said. |
31615218 | Chancellor George Osborne said the £6bn health and social care budget would be taken over by the region's councils and health groups.
Mr Osborne said it was a "really exciting development".
A Labour spokesman said NHS workers would "want to be persuaded of the case for a new layer of management".
The plan will come into force from April 2016.
Mr Osborne added: "This is what the NHS wants to see as part of its own future.
"And it's also about giving people in Manchester greater control over their own affairs in that city, which is central to our vision of the 'northern powerhouse'- so it's a very exciting development."
The plan would see local leaders, and ultimately Greater Manchester's new directly elected mayor, control how budgets are allocated.
The government hopes integrating health and social care services will ease pressure on hospitals and help to improve home care services for patients who need it.
A shadow Greater Manchester Health and Wellbeing board will be appointed, which will work closely with existing clinical commissioning groups of GPs.
The board is expected to run from April, before control of the budget is handed over a year later.
Manchester City Council confirmed 10 local authorities, 12 clinical commissioning groups, 14 NHS partners, NHS England and the government are in discussions on a "groundbreaking agreement for health and social care".
Reacting to the proposals, Andy Burnham, Labour's shadow health secretary, said: "This has to be a solution that works everywhere or that could be offered to everywhere.
"If you're going to stick to the idea of a national health service you can't have a Swiss cheese NHS where some bits of the system are operating to different rules or have different powers and freedoms.
"I am a bit worried what I'm hearing because it does point to further break-up of the idea of the National Health Service."
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester's Labour-controlled council said: "I had a long conversation with Andy Burnham today and I think he raises a number of legitimate questions. But I have to say that they are questions that we, as local authorities and the clinical commissioning groups, are asking as well."
Nick Triggle, BBC health correspondent
Ever since the NHS was created in 1948, it has remained separate from the council-run care system that oversees help in the home with tasks such as washing and dressing and care home places.
But as the decades have gone by and health care has shifted from curing illnesses to helping people manage long-term conditions such as dementia and heart disease, there has been an increasing sense that the two systems need to become more joined up.
All three main political parties have their own ideas of how this should be done - and NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens signalled his support for greater integration with the publication of his Five-Year Forward View last autumn.
But Greater Manchester has taken the bull by the horns and proposed a pooling of budgets.
At this stage (and it must be said the details are still emerging) it seems to mirror what is being rolled out in Scotland and what has happened in Northern Ireland since the 1970s. So will this catch on across the rest of England?
It could be argued it already has. From April there will be small pooled budgets in all 151 local authority areas - including the 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester - as part of the government's Better Care Fund initiative. They will be worth £5.3bn in total.
That represents less than 5% of the combined spending on health and care nationally, but is clearly a step towards full integration.
More from Nick: The start of something big?
Richard Humphries, assistant director of the King's Fund think tank, said a full transfer of responsibility would be a reform "on a breathtaking scale" but could pose serious risks.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "Depending on the detail - and the detail is really crucial and we don't have that yet - you could either see this as a triumph for local democracy or creating real risks of yet another reorganisation of the NHS when it's barely recovered from the last one."
Councillor Mike Connolly, Labour leader of Bury Council, said: "Those decisions need to be made in Greater Manchester and not Westminster, and I welcome any form of devolution to the city region.
"We are all agreed, certainly in the Labour Party, that health and social care must be integrated because it's about providing that primary care - and it can only be good for healthcare across Greater Manchester."
In November, Mr Osborne announced plans for an elected mayor for Greater Manchester to preside over regional issues.
The move, agreed with leaders of the region's councils, will give local politicians greater control over billions of pounds of public money.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, BBC Radio Manchester
If the initial devolution deal for Greater Manchester was ground breaking, then this development changes the shape of local government in a way that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago.
By taking control of the entire NHS budget, the area's 10 councils and the 12 Clinical Commissioning Groups, and then ultimately the elected mayor, will be able to join up health and social care in a way that's never been possible before.
In addition to control of the £2bn of budgets agreed last year for skills and training, transport and planning, the £6bn that comes with this deal means local politicians will decide how more than a quarter of government money is spent in their area.
Local politicians describe the move as an incredible opportunity, but it also comes with risks with just over a year to plan before the money and a huge amount of new responsibility is handed over.
Greater Manchester must ready itself to break more new ground as devolution picks up pace. | Greater Manchester is to become the first English region to get full control of its health spending, as part of an extension of devolved powers. |
34781360 | John Conway, who ran Meteor Electrical in Cookstown, recorded the footage.
He provided the material to BBC NI's Spotlight programme.
The employee, Kelley Toner, who subsequently left the bank, was filmed saying: "All I am going to say, you will be visiting me in prison."
After Meteor collapsed, Bank of Ireland sent officials to its offices to chase up money that the business and bank were owed.
Some of it was claimed back using bad debt insurance.
Mr Conway secretly filmed the bank staff after his company went under in 2009, including Ms Toner divulging that she gave false information on claims.
"I have been telling lies, making things up," she is recorded as saying.
In some of the footage, she asks for records to be tampered with in order to make it look like a company owed 12,000 euros to Meteor.
A criminal lawyer, Neil Swift, told Spotlight he believed there was a basis for a prosecution.
"There is evidence of dishonesty from the mouths of the people concerned," he said.
Bank of Ireland has not said whether there was an internal investigation after Mr Conway alerted it to the recordings.
It questioned the "truthfulness" of the footage.
A lawyer for Ms Toner said she "categorically denies any fraud" and that she "did not personally submit any claims to Meteor's insurers".
However, she accepted she made comments that were "ill-judged and inappropriate".
Mr Conway and Bank of Ireland are involved in a dispute.
The bank has pursued a fraud investigation against Mr Conway, reporting him to the PSNI in 2014.
Mr Conway said: "This is a nonsense and it is the bank throwing whatever dirt they can to try to get the attention away from themselves."
Spotlight: At War with the Bank will be available to watch on the BBC iPlayer. | A Bank of Ireland employee was secretly filmed discussing a fraudulent insurance claim as a way to recoup losses surrounding a collapsed business. |
34679496 | Neil Thomas Douglas boarded a flight on Thursday night and came face-to-face with his lookalike.
Mr Douglas, a photographer from Glasgow, said: "Everyone around us had a laugh, we took a selfie and that was it."
The selfie was posted on Twitter and has been retweeted thousands of times.
The photographer explained that when he boarded the Ryanair flight to Galway via London Stansted there was already someone sitting in his seat.
He said: "There was a dude already on my seat. When the guy looked up, I thought: 'He looks like me'."
But the pair were later to encounter a further coincidence when they checked into the same hotel in Galway.
Mr Douglas added: "Later that night, I went to the pub and again, there was my twin. Total weirdness. We had a laugh and a pint."
The selfie was posted on Twitter by Lee Beattie, director of Wire Media, who wrote: "Guy on right is the husband of my friend. Guy on left is a STRANGER he met on a flight last night!" | A man has spoken of the "total weirdness" of encountering his doppelganger on a flight. |
35768569 | The group pleaded guilty or were convicted of conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons at Birmingham Crown Court in November and January.
Solicitor General Robert Buckland referred their case on the basis that the prison terms were unduly lenient.
The men sold antique firearms and specially-made bullets to criminals, West Midlands Police said.
Mr Buckland said: "These were professional criminals running a sophisticated operation which involved a high degree of planning.
"The offences had a terrible impact on those who were caught up in violence further down the line."
The bullet type supplied by the gang was the same used in a fatal shooting in the city last year, the court heard.
Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, who considered the case, said: "There can be only one purpose of acquiring a gun and ammunition - to kill or injure - and those supplying guns plainly knew this."
Eight guns, including a pump action shotgun and a Mac 10 Machine pistol and ammunition, were recovered by police in a sting operation in 2014.
The sentence passed on the gang leader, Nosakhere Stephenson, was increased from 16 and a half years to 22 years and on chief armourer Sundish Nazran from 13 years to 17 years and three months. | Sixteen members of a Birmingham gun gang have had their sentences increased at the Court of Appeal. |
17268137 | A former wrestler, the election results prove that he can still pin his opponents down.
His drive - combined with the skill to bounce back from seemingly hopeless political setbacks - has made him a formidable political adversary in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state with more than 200 million people.
In his long political career he has been the state's chief minister three times and also served as India's defence minister.
He is now set to become chief minister for the fourth time since 1989.
Although Mr Yadav, 72, has not been in good health for the last few years and has been grooming his eldest son Akhilesh as his heir, nothing seems to deter this dogged political campaigner from returning to the electoral podium in a career that has been characterised by extreme highs and lows.
Trained as a teacher in his home village in central Uttar Pradesh, Mr Yadav took the plunge into politics at the age of 15. He was influenced by the writing of well-known socialist Ram Manohar Lohia and took part in various socialist movements led by this ideologue.
In his early career, Mr Yadav championed the cause of the lower castes and minorities. They still provide him with bedrock support.
He has been able to exploit a growing perception among many voters in Uttar Pradesh - regardless of which party he represented - that the Congress party was the home only of high caste Brahmins or the elite.
Mr Yadav emerged as the youngest member of the state assembly when he contested elections in 1967 for a socialist party. He was elected in 1974 and again in 1977, when he romped home, still as a fervent socialist, but representing a different party.
Typical of the mercurial nature of Mr Yadav's career were the elections of 1980. For the first time he lost amid a surge of support for Congress.
But he still managed to be inducted in the upper house of the state legislature where he promptly rose to become leader of the opposition.
A few years later he took the unusual step of getting elected to the lower house of the state legislature as well - thereby achieving the distinction of being the only leader to have held the position of leader of the opposition in both houses.
His first stint as chief minister in Uttar Pradesh - from 1989 to 1991 - was shortlived but not uneventful. It culminated with his party formally separating from Congress, whose support it depended upon.
What cost him dear in the vote was his decision to order security forces at the Ayodhya mosque to fire upon mostly Hindu protesters who had seized it from a group of Muslims. The protesters argued that the mosque had been built on top of a Hindu temple.
His actions during the Ayodhya stand-off were condemned by Hindus and Muslims alike. The former accused him of being excessively heavy-handed while the latter said he did not do enough to stop Hindu mobs going on the rampage.
It was only when the mosque was pulled down in December 1992 that Mr Yadav emerged as a hero among Muslims, who then credited him for saving the shrine in 1990.
In the elections of 1994, following a prolonged period of presidential rule in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Yadav found himself back in power - this time with the support of a new ally, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
But it was a relationship that did not last long. In June 1995 BSP leader Mayawati pulled the rug from under his feet and upstaged him to become chief minister herself with the support of the right wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The two leaders have alternated in power for much of the time between then and now.
Mr Yadav's humiliation at the hands of Mayawati was hard for him to swallow, but his time in the political wilderness was short-lived.
In the summer of 1996, he won his first break in central politics when he was appointed defence minister of India in a United Front coalition led by HD Dewe Gowda.
Ambitious as ever, at one point Mr Yadav even tried to become prime minister, but he always lacked a strong support base despite being at the centre of ceaseless political intrigue.
Evidence of this was clearly seen when he took the decision to oppose Sonia Gandhi's candidature for prime minister after the fall of the 13-day Atal Behari Vajpayee government in 1996.
Mr Yadav described her as a "videshi" (foreigner) - a mistake that came back to haunt him when Mrs Gandhi and Congress refused to support him when he needed it - while trying to form a government in Uttar Pradesh as the single largest party following elections in February 2002.
Their refusal meant his arch-rival Mayawati was able to seize the moment instead.
As on previous occasions he did not allow this setback to linger - he won back the position of chief minister for the third time in 2003 and held it until state assembly elections of May 2007 when he again lost to Mayawati.
For this year's elections, Mr Yadav again cultivated political alliances - this time with a breakaway leader of the BJP.
The move was dangerous because it could have damaged his Muslim vote bank - the BJP is loathed by many Muslims in Uttar Pradesh for its role in the Ayodhya dispute.
It is another interesting phase in the career of this most unpredictable politician who, at different stages of his career, has been politically in bed - and at loggerheads - with a wide spectrum of Indian parties. | Mulayam Singh Yadav has bounced back with his Samajwadi Party winning the assembly elections in the politically-crucial Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. |
35599773 | The X Prize was set up to push the boundaries of technology to solve issues such as climate change.
The winner, which will be announced at TED in 2020, will win $5m (£3.4m).
It will be awarded to the team that is deemed to have used artificial intelligence to solve one of the world's biggest problems.
Other X Prizes include one to put a robot on the moon, which was launched in collaboration with Google and one that aims to design a real-life health tricorder - a digital device that can scan the body and diagnose illness.
AI is often associated with dystopian visions of machines working against humanity and the new prize is partly to re-establish it as a technology capable of doing good.
Peter Diamandis, head of the XPrize Foundation, said that the rules and structure of the competition would be loose because it was such a fast-moving technology. What AI is used to improve will be left up to individual teams.
Every year leading up to 2020, teams will go head-to-head at World of Watson, IBM's annual conference, competing for interim prizes and the opportunity to advance to the next year's competition. IBM is jointly running the prize.
The three finalist teams will take the TED stage in 2020 to deliver talks demonstrating what they have achieved.
Ideas will be evaluated by a panel of expert judges for technical accuracy with the TED and X Prize communities choosing the winner.
More details about the competition will be made available in May.
Interested parties can pre-register at the X Prize website. | A new X prize designed to advance artificial intelligence has been announced at the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference. |
34993447 | His comments came in an email to members after a fresh row erupted over alleged bullying of MPs who voted to bomb so-called Islamic State in Syria.
Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham, who opposed air strikes, has called for a new code of conduct to curb abuse.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was assessing a number of online threats relating to MPs.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The assessment of these threats is ongoing."
Labour MP Neil Coyle told MailOnline he had reported a threatening tweet to the police.
At the end of a joint email to Labour members on Thursday evening, Mr Corbyn and his deputy, Tom Watson, said they backed the right to "protest and lobby" and said MPs had to be "open to hearing the views of their constituents and others".
They added: "But, as we have both said many times, abuse and intimidation have no place in politics. And the party as a whole will not accept such behaviour, from whatever quarter it comes."
He called on Mr Corbyn to take a "firm line" with the alleged perpetrators, saying: "There cannot be abuse by members of the Labour Party or supporters of the Labour Party. That isn't the kind of party I want to be in."
He told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme social media was "in danger of poisoning our politics".
"I think it's because if you are just sitting with a keyboard you can be more offensive than if you are speaking to somebody face-to-face. It's a bad culture and we need to draw a line under it," he added. He said talks were under way in the party about a code of conduct.
Some MPs were sent pictures of dead children by anti-war protesters and faced foul-mouthed abuse - others allegedly had pictures of severed heads pushed through their home letterboxes or had their offices barricaded by protesters.
Here are some of the messages and the MPs' replies.
Former minister Ben Bradshaw, who voted for air strikes, said the party leadership needed to do more to combat online abuse, which "wouldn't be tolerated in any other walk of life" and which seemed to be "worse" for women in the party. He said he dealt with it by not reading the messages.
He added: "Jeremy Corbyn has made it clear he doesn't want this retribution... We can't start having threats of retribution based on what someone has done on a free vote."
Hull North MP Diana Johnson, who voted against air strikes, said she had received an email before the vote warning she would face a no-confidence vote in her local party followed by a move to de-select her "if I didn't vote the right way".
Anti-bombing Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, son of former leader Lord Kinnock, who fought the hard left group Militant in the 1980s, called for Momentum to be "disbanded" if found to be co-ordinating attacks, describing the group as a "sort of organised mob".
Another Labour MP, Ann Coffey, says she was sent messages from an email account previously used by Momentum, before Wednesday's vote, branding her a "warmonger" and saying she would have "blood on her hands" if she supported bombing.
The MP, who backed air strikes, told BBC News the language used by Momentum "creates a threatening atmosphere and other people come behind that with physical threats of assaults".
Momentum, a successor organisation to Mr Corbyn's Labour leadership campaign, said it was "proud" to have helped 30,000 people email their MP asking them not to vote for bombing.
A spokesman said: "It can never be a threat to express your views to your elected representative.
"Momentum strongly disapproves of anyone who engages in abusive behaviour towards MPs or anyone else, and threatening or bullying, whether they are outside the Labour Party (as most are) or inside it.
"We specifically asked our supporters to emulate Jeremy Corbyn, and to keep their messages about the issues and to refrain from any personal attacks."
Campaign group Stop the War, which until recently was chaired by Mr Corbyn, said: "Stop the War condemns the whining complaints from those MPs who apparently do not like being lobbied.
"If an MP is not robust enough to withstand emails and tweets, they should really not be voting for bombing other people - those who wish to be alone with their consciences would do better to consider a life of religious contemplation.
"Stop the War will continue to hold to democratic account all those MPs who vote for war."
A number of groups, including Left Unity, have called for MPs who voted for military action to be sacked by their local Labour parties.
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, pictured above, whose office was targeted by anti-war protesters, is facing an attempt to de-select her by a member of the Socialist Party over her pro-air strikes vote.
Nancy Taaffe, who stood unsuccessfully against Ms Creasy in May's general election for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, told the BBC's Daily Politics she wanted to see "a conference to make mandatory re-selection the heart of the new Labour project, if you like, the Corbyn project".
She said Labour was "essentially two parties in one" and "peaceful co-existence is impossible" between the Corbyn-supporting membership and "right wing" MPs and councillors.
Momentum said candidate selection was "entirely a matter for local party members and rightly so" but Ken Livingstone said party members had a right to get rid of MPs and candidates that did not back the party leader.
The former left-wing London mayor, who has come back under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership to be co-chair of the party's defence review, told BBC News: "Nobody should be doing abusive tweets or anything else like that, but people expressing their genuine belief that they would rather have an MP who supports the Labour leader rather than undermines them should be free to say that."
Andy Burnham said Mr Livingstone's comments were "disgraceful" as Labour MPs had been given a free vote on Syria and "to then say they should be subject to a witch-hunt or a campaign against them is wrong".
Mandatory reselection of Labour MPs as candidates by their local parties was introduced by supporters of the late Tony Benn in the 1980s. They were frustrated by the leadership ignoring the views of party members and also wanted a chance to get rid of MPs seen as lazy or complacent.
But opponents saw it as an attempt by the hard left to tighten its grip on Labour by getting rid of those on the right of the party.
The system was abolished by then leader Neil Kinnock, pictured above, as part of his war on the "party within a party" Militant.
Labour now uses a "trigger-ballot" system to decide before each election whether it wishes to carry out the full selection procedure - very few MPs are thrown out in this way.
Mr Corbyn has assured MPs mandatory reselection will not be brought back - but MPs out of step with his brand of politics could be ousted anyway, without an official "purge" from the top, as left wing campaigners increase their influence.
There will be recriminations and, possibly, attempts at constituency level to deselect the recusants (there does not have to be a return to the '80s era of mandatory reselection; the coming Commons boundary changes will ensure most sitting MPs will not face a simple rubber-stamping to become their party's candidate again).
If they succeed, some MPs may quit immediately, forcing uncomfortable by-elections, or simply go rogue in the Commons and vote as they please.
Read more from Mark | Labour will not accept abuse and intimidation "from whatever quarter it comes", Jeremy Corbyn has warned. |
38586151 | The game had to be postponed on 25 November only 90 minutes before the scheduled kick-off because the Kingspan Stadium pitch was frozen.
Ulster will face Zebre in Italy on Sunday, 26 February and then take on the Pro12's other Italian club Treviso on 3 March at Kingspan Stadium.
Zebre were hammered 70-6 by Leinster at the RDS last weekend.
The bottom club have lost 10 of their 11 games this season, with their sole victory coming away to Edinburgh in late October.
Ulster, after leading the table following five opening wins, have dropped to sixth spot after suffering five defeats in their last seven games.
Overall. Ulster have lost seven of their last 11 games in all competitions. | Ulster's Pro12 home game against bottom club Zebre has been re-arranged for Saturday, 11 March. |
36457637 | In a blue plastic bucket is a macabre sight - the head of a small gazelle stares straight ahead, as a woman chops meat from its limp body to the the strains of a popular song on radio.
Angola is not for the squeamish.
Bushmeat is everyday fare here. They call it "Carne de Zaza" in Portuguese.
Scientists like Steve Boyes of the Okavango Wilderness Project and the leader of a National Geographical Society expeditionary team, monitor the trade.
"This is not about judgement, it is about conservation," he says, as he reveals that $6 (£4) will buy you a monkey and $60 a fine cut of snake.
The consumption of bushmeat is a lingering legacy of survival and tradition, not a sign of bloodlust, among a population still badly bruised by an ugly civil war.
But old habits die hard.
During the war which stubbornly persisted from 1975-2002, communities had little choice but to eat bushmeat, and a man I stumble across in the market speaks bluntly of his distaste for change.
"I had to eat bushmeat during the war years so I intend to continue eating it now… I'd even eat elephant," he boasts.
Another woman told me that she prefers the taste of bushmeat to chicken, or commonly eaten animals.
Now Angola has become a flourishing hub for contraband from across the region, with billions of dollars netted globally from what has been dubbed "environmental crime."
Syndicates are operating on an industrial scale, and the UN and Interpol warn that this illegal activity has now eclipsed arms smuggling in scale.
So long as there is a market and laws are not enforced, it seems, stamping out this lucrative business will be hard.
The latest report on Environmental Crime - a joint initiative from the UN Environment programme (UNEP) and Interpol - comes with a stark warning.
Failure to address wildlife crime now means sustainable development goals may not be reached.
So Angola is trying to ramp up efforts to outwit the poachers, recruit hundreds of former soldiers to re-train as wildlife rangers, and promise strategies to promote conservation.
"We have a big push to manage protected areas and create others for the benefit of our people," said Abias Huongo, director of Angola's National Institute of Biodiversity.
"For us to survive, other species need to survive," he says.
But the sale of the global problem is staggering.
The UN estimates that the value of environmental crime has risen by 26% in two years and now stands at $258bn, only behind drugs, counterfeited goods and human trafficking in terms of criminal enterprises.
Angola hosts Africa's biggest ivory and bushmeat market.
It is a transit point for much of the trade, with ivory smuggled from across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A recent seizure of elephant tusks were displayed incongruously in the airport lounge - testimony to at least 11 elephants which fell prey to this spiralling crime.
Ivory traders face the threat of three years in jail or a hefty fine under Angolan law but insiders admit not enough is being done to enforce the rules.
The government here has threatened to close down Benfica market in the capital, Luanda, to coincide with the launch of the report and UN Environment Day.
Yet it's a mammoth task.
The fact that we were able to find illegal bushmeat at a market just a few miles away from where UN dignitaries met their Angolan counterparts in the province of Cuando-Cubango, is testimony to the vast scale of this illicit global trade.
Just over a decade since the end of the civil war, in a part of the planet which has been locked away from much of the outside world, new territories are now been opened up for exploration.
But it's a race against time, pitting conservationists against poachers.
A carpet of thick African bush fed by waters from four rivers make up the Okovango river system. It is a breathtaking sight when viewed from the air, full of promise but also foreboding.
It is one of the last remaining pristine parts of the planet which offers the prospect of becoming a new front for criminal gangs - or a gift to science and conservation.
That is why the pressure is on Angola to take a lead in law enforcement, roll out education campaigns and provide new job opportunities which divert communities away from wildlife crime.
The Okovango Wilderness Project has proposed a 178,000 sq km protected area which would enable elephants and other wildlife to roam freely without fear of being hunted.
It opens up the prospect of creating jobs in the eco-tourism sector. It is an attractive prospect for a country like Angola that is trying to diversify away from oil.
But conservation is labour intensive and without a major scaling up of global effort and funding, the poachers are likely to continue to have the upper hand.
And the funding may need to be raised "to the tune of $800 per sq km per year", says Paul Funston of the conservation group .
It seems that the world now faces a critical choice - share the burden and costs of African conservation effort, or look the other way. | Angola is home to Africa's biggest bushmeat market but is now ramping up efforts to stop the illegal trade, reports the BBC's Karen Allen from Luanda. |
28936383 | Wales and West Utilities said 755 homes were affected when a water leak flooded pipes in Nantyglo, Blaenau Gwent, and gas has been restored to over 600.
A spokesperson said staff were continuing door-to-door visits to re-connect those still without gas.
More than 150,000 litres of water has so far been pumped from about 10km (approximately six miles) of gas pipes.
A spokesperson for Wales and West (WWU), said at 18:00 BST on Tuesday: "We have now restored gas to over 600 properties and continue to visit door to door to reconnect gas supplies.
"All WWU staff will be carrying identification and we are asking people to please give them access to their gas meters to turn their gas supply back on.
"This continues to be a complex operation and we will continue to work around the clock to resolve this issue as safely and as quickly as we can."
Leisure centres in Abertillery and Ebbw Vale have been offering washing and showering facilities but Abertillery's centre was shut on Monday.
About 150 fan heaters and hot plates were given to vulnerable customers.
Tai Calon Community Housing also distributed heaters and microwave ovens for affected tenants to use. | Engineers are trying to restore gas to nearly 150 houses which have been disconnected since last Thursday. |
37056624 | She was the favourite to win gold and didn't disappoint with her routine showing off her power and agility.
Biles went ahead straight away, scoring 15.866 on vault, but she dropped back to second place with 14.966 on the uneven bars.
She then wowed the crowd with an acrobatic beam routine to score 15.433 before a floor routine to samba music, including the famous "Biles" move.
She scored 15.933 and burst into tears when the gold medal was confirmed.
It's Simone's second gold medal of the games, with teammate Alexandra Raisman getting silver and Russia's Aliya Mustafina taking the bronze.
The United States have now won the event four times in a row: Carly Patterson in 2004, Nastia Liukin in 2008 and Gabrielle Douglas in 2012.
Great Britain's Ellie Downie came 13th, just missing out on becoming the best performing female British gymnast in an Olympic all-around final.
Video only available to UK users. | USA superstar Simone Biles has won all-around gymnastics gold in the Rio Olympics. |
37879954 | The Unite and GMB unions said members had "overwhelmingly" rejected proposals by the Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) following a consultative ballot.
They added they were seeking a meeting with OCA to try to reach a negotiated settlement.
OCA said it remained "committed to doing everything we can to reach an agreement".
In a statement, the unions said: "Unite and GMB members have overwhelmingly rejected the OCA employers' pay and conditions proposals.
"In light of a significant mandate from trade union-organised offshore workers to oppose any further cuts in pay, or changes to other terms and conditions, we now are seeking a meeting with the OCA to try and secure a negotiated settlement to unions' pay and conditions claim."
Responding to the news, OCA chief executive Paul Atkinson said: "We are seeking to reach an agreement that continues to protect employees' earnings by guaranteeing pay and standards while at the same time ensuring that investors have the confidence they need to do business in the UK Continental shelf.
"Throughout the current negotiations, the OCA has been in constant dialogue with the relevant trade unions in an attempt to reach a mutually acceptable position.
"These negotiations are ongoing and we are committed to doing everything we can to reach an agreement."
In July, hundreds of North Sea workers went on strike over plans to cut their pay and allowances.
The action was taken by members of the RMT and Unite unions employed by the Wood Group on Shell platforms.
It was the first industrial action of its kind in the offshore oil and gas industry in almost 30 years. | Two unions have rejected a pay and conditions offer by oil industry contractors. |
39740931 | Sgt Alexander Blackman received a life term in 2013 for murder, but his conviction was reduced to manslaughter.
The 42-year-old from Taunton, Somerset, has served more than three years of a seven-year sentence.
Judges at the Court Martial Appeal Court were told he had a recognised mental illness at the time of the killing in September 2011.
Blackman - who was known as Marine A during the original trial process and fully identified when he was convicted - was serving his sentence at Erlestoke Prison, near Devizes, Wiltshire.
His original murder conviction was quashed in March, after the hearing was told he had a recognised mental illness when he committed the offence.
Blackman's appeal hearing came after his wife Claire led a campaign alongside author Frederick Forsyth and the Daily Mail newspaper. | The Royal Marine jailed for shooting dead a wounded Taliban fighter has been released from prison. |
31019034 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Mourinho made his comments after his side were denied a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Southampton on 28 December.
The Football Association ruled Mourinho's quotes were "improper and brought the game into disrepute".
But the Chelsea boss, who was warned about his future conduct, was cleared of implying bias by referees.
During the game at St Mary's, referee Anthony Taylor booked Cesc Fabregas for diving after going down in the box under Matt Targett's challenge.
After the draw, the Stamford Bridge manager told BBC Sport: "The media, commentators, other managers are all doing it [putting pressure on referees]."
In his news conference later, he added: "There is a campaign against Chelsea. I don't know why there is this campaign and I do not care.
"Everybody knows it was a penalty."
Mourinho was also issued with a formal warning for comments ahead of Chelsea's 2-0 win at Stoke on 22 December.
The Portuguese called on referee Neil Swarbrick to produce a strong performance at the Britannia Stadium. | Jose Mourinho has been fined £25,000 for comments claiming there is a "campaign" to influence referees' decisions against his Chelsea side. |
37614797 | The Divergent star was arrested at a construction site as she was broadcasting the protest, which involved about 200 people, on Facebook.
Police say she was one of 27 people arrested on charges of criminal trespass and engaging in a riot.
The Dakota Access pipeline project has drawn huge protests.
Native Americans have halted its construction in North Dakota, saying it will desecrate sacred land and damage the environment.
In the Facebook Live footage, Ms Woodley, 24, said she had been walking peacefully back to her vehicle when "they grabbed me by my jacket and said that I wasn't allowed to continue... and they have giant guns and batons and zip ties and they are not letting me go".
As she was led away with her hands cuffed, she said she had been singled out from hundreds of other protesters "because I'm well known, because I have 40,000 people watching".
The video spread quickly on social media and by early evening had been viewed more than 2.4 million times.
Ms Woodley, a star of The Divergent Series and the movie Snowden, has previously joined members of North Dakota's Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to protest against the $3.7bn (£2.8bn) pipeline.
The protest on Monday took place at a construction site about two miles (3.2 km) south of the town of St Anthony.
More BBC coverage of the North Dakota pipeline protests:
Life in the Native American oil protest camps
Ms Woodley, a star of The Divergent Series and the movie Snowden, has previously joined members of North Dakota's Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to protest against the $3.7bn (£2.8bn) pipeline.
The protest on Monday took place at a construction site about two miles (3.2 km) south of the town of St Anthony.
The pipeline will run 1,168 miles through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois.
Energy Transport Partners, the company behind the project, has said it will boost local economies and is safer than transporting oil by rail or road.
But environmental protesters believe the transporting of up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil a day will imperil local waterways.
Native American tribes believe the pipeline would also damage historic sites. | US actress Shailene Woodley has been arrested during a protest in North Dakota against a huge oil pipeline project that will cross four states. |
30408424 | The double amputee was jailed for five years in October for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said prosecutors could appeal against the acquittal, but not the five-year sentence given for the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
Pistorius' lawyers had opposed the appeal request.
The case will now go before South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal.
Why Pistorius and Dewani cases are not failures
The athlete's father Henke Pistorius said it "should not have gone this far", AFP news agency reports.
"Oscar is strong, he has to be strong, he grew up like that. There's lots of things in life, especially for a man like him that is... not fair," he is quoted as saying.
Prosecutors argued that Judge Masipa misinterpreted the law when she cleared Pistorius of murder on the basis that he did not intentionally shoot Ms Steenkamp. Judge Masipa granted the appeal in the ruling in a Pretoria court on Wednesday.
"I cannot say... that the prospect of success at the Supreme Court of Appeal is remote," she said.
However, Judge Masipa dismissed the prosecution's argument that the sentence should be reviewed because Ms Steenkamp's parents had been extremely dissatisfied with it.
She also said the public interest in the case was "irrelevant" and she had ruled only on the basis of the prosecutors' case.
In court - By Pumza Fihlani, BBC News, Pretoria
Today was a big win for the state prosecutors. Although they lost their bid on the sentence, Judge Thokozile Masipa gave the go-ahead for them to appeal the conviction. This was always Gerrie Nel's main intention.
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) will now decide if the principles of law were applied correctly.
A panel of up to five judges has the power to not only overturn Judge Masipa's conviction but can also rule on a minimum sentence - which in the case of murder would be 15 years in prison.
Although the sentence appeal was denied, veteran advocate Mannie Witz told me that before the SCA this would make little difference. The appeal judges' power is such that they can also consider the sentence and find that the appeal should have been granted.
For Pistorius, this means the case is far from over and if the state has its way, the worst is yet to come.
Outlining his case on Tuesday, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the sentence was "shockingly inappropriate and does not fit the crime and the accused".
Pistorius could be eligible for parole and house arrest after serving 10 months of his five-year sentence.
He will remain in prison while the appeal process takes place.
Prosecution spokesman Nathi Mncube welcome the judge's ruling on Wednesday but said prosecutors would still attempt to challenge the sentence.
The prosecution had called for the maximum 15-year sentence for culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
Ms Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, was shot dead at Pistorius' home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. He said he feared there was an intruder.
Pistorius was acquitted by Judge Masipa of both premeditated murder and the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis, also known as common-law murder.
In South African law, this charge applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.
Pistorius is serving the sentence in the hospital wing of Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru II prison.
The appeal is likely to be heard next year. | A South African judge has ruled that prosecutors can appeal against the acquittal on murder charges of Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius. |
27884437 | The Women in IT scorecard looked at gender trends from secondary education through to the work place.
It indicates women account for just 16% of the UK IT workforce.
And the problem starts early - despite consistently out-performing boys in computing A-level results, girls account for just 6.5% of those taking the exam.
The study was compiled by BCS, the chartered institute for IT, and E-skills UK.
Other highlights from the report include:
Gillian Arnold, chairwoman of BCS Women, said: "The continuing decline in women entering the IT profession is a real threat for the UK and an issue that clearly we need to address."
Karen Price, chief executive of E-skills UK, said: "Women have a significant contribution to make to the IT sector, and it is vital for the economy that we ensure they have the opportunity.
"This joint report provides the evidence we need to face the problem head-on, and to develop hard hitting and effective interventions to solve it."
There has been a glut of charities and groups set up to fight gender imbalance, determined to offer good role models to young girls and dispel the myths of an industry run by geeks.
For example, Stemettes is a group of volunteers set up to help combat the lack of girls studying so-called Stem subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths. | The UK faces a worsening gender gap in its flourishing IT industry, according to a new study. |
36921841 | The 48-hour stoppage, which follows a 24-hour strike on Tuesday, will begin at 06:30 on Thursday 4 August.
Members of the Unite and RMT union are in dispute with their employer Wood Group over pay and conditions.
Wood Group said it was "hugely disappointed" that "significant movements" made to reach resolution had "not been acknowledged by the unions".
Wood Group has denied claims it is imposing cuts of up to 30% in payments.
The 24-hour strike on Tuesday was the first industrial action of its kind in the North Sea in nearly 30 years.
The industrial action, which affects the Shearwater, Gannet, Nelson, Curlew, Brent Alpha, Brent Bravo and Brent Charlie platforms, has also included an overtime ban and a series of shorter stoppages.
Production on the installations involved, all owned by Shell, has so far not been affected.
In February, Wood Group announced it was cutting rates paid to about a third of its UK contractor workforce.
It blamed the "continuing cost and efficiency challenges affecting the UK North Sea oil and gas sector".
Workers are also disgruntled that a two-week working cycle has been changed to a three-week cycle. leaving many away from their families for a longer time.
Unite regional officer John Boland said: "Industrial action is always a last resort and throughout this dispute the trade unions have sought to find a resolution in direct talks with Wood Group and at the conciliation service, Acas.
"However, the solid actions this week and the support that the workers received is a clear demonstration of the strength of feeling and their resolve to resist these attacks on pay and allowances.
"The workforce is clearly of the view that enough is enough.
"Wood Group needs to drop the cuts and get back round the table with us if it genuinely wants to avoid further industrial action."
Dave Stewart, chief executive officer for Wood Group's eastern region business unit, said: "We are hugely disappointed that the significant movements we have made to reach a resolution have clearly not been acknowledged by the unions.
"I must stress, none of our employees are being offered terms and conditions below the Offshore Partnership Agreement, agreed by the unions only this year; nor will they be.
"The majority of our employees will still be paid significantly above these terms and conditions.
"Safeguarding these jobs in the North Sea now and in the future against the backdrop of an extremely challenging economic climate, remains our firm commitment.
"Wood Group's focus does not change. We remain committed to continuing to engage openly with our employees and the unions to reach a resolution."
The Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) has urged both sides to return to the negotiating table. | Workers on seven Shell installations in the North Sea are to stage a second strike next week. |
36898880 | This guy that they'd known for his fearsome reputation as one of national hunt racing's hardest, and most difficult opponents to beat, was now motionless from the neck down, and struggling at times to breathe let alone speak.
But, remarkably, McNamara and his wife Caroline refused to be downcast, preferring to confront their plight head-on, politely asking visitors to take any tears they might care to shed outside the room.
It was that attitude of bloody-minded determination not to give in - AP McCoy had a tone of awe in his voice, I thought, when describing his friend on BBC radio as "very mentally strong" - that made him such an inspiration to so many.
And, my goodness, strength of extraordinary quantities was needed after the winner of Cheltenham Festival trophies and holder of point-to-pointing records was so cruelly propelled from saddle to 24-hour care that March afternoon in 2013.
Miraculously, when you consider the gloomy prognosis as the air ambulance took him away from the racecourse, he eventually got home to County Limerick, the area of his birth, to a specially-designed bungalow, and started working with a small number of horses and even making occasional trips to the races.
His changing room colleagues have, of course, felt it all most keenly, in the knowledge that this fate could so easily have befallen them; horses fall in jump races every day of every week, and an inch here or an inch there can make all the difference in terms of walking away or not.
But in addition, McNamara's story resonated across the racing world and on to the wider public probably to a large extent because of its poignancy.
When Galaxy Rock fell, at the first fence, in the Festival's Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase, the then 37-year-old was considered to still be very much at the top of his game, and memories of great days and celebrations with Cheltenham winners like the prolific Spotthedifference and Teaforthree were fresh in the memory.
Although he'd never turned professional, the principal reason had nothing to do with ability, but, crucially, that amateur status allowed him to remain a big riding fish on Ireland's renowned point-to-pointing circuit, something of a show window for potential buyers.
So, he was, as they say, going well, but he'd also spoken to friends about the possibility of retiring in the not too distant future; heartbreakingly, the decision was never his to make.
And then last year, in a barely believable twist, his first cousin Robbie McNamara was confined to a wheelchair by a fall, in Ireland, on the eve of the Grand National at Aintree in which he was due to take part.
Happily, Robbie has recovered enough to be training and, to considerable all-round pleasure, saddled his first winners in July to create some rays of light in what has otherwise been a desperately sad series of events.
The story of JT McNamara will, however, never be forgotten: memories of his rampant success in the saddle won't allow that, nor will his extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.
He leaves behind three young children and their loving mother, all of whom have much to treasure. | Former colleagues and one-time rivals who visited John Thomas - JT - McNamara when he was lying in hospital, terribly injured, in the days and weeks after his paralysing Cheltenham Festival fall, understandably found it difficult to contain their emotions. |
21458437 | Figures obtained by the BBC show that there have been more than 300 disciplinary incidents in the past three years on the navy's 13 submarines, including 42 cases of misconduct or unfitness through alcohol or drugs.
The list of disciplinary offences, provided following a freedom of information request, itemises 13 instances of misconduct or unfitness due to alcohol or drugs on the four Trident submarines, which carry nuclear weapons as the nation's nuclear deterrent.
It also details eight drink or drug related incidents on HMS Astute, the submarine on which a junior rating shot dead an officer in April 2011 after binge drinking while on shore leave. All eight cases occurred after this shooting.
An inquest last month into the death of Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux focused attention on what was described as a culture of excessive drinking among the submarine's personnel.
The inquest was told that Able Seaman Ryan Donovan had drunk more than 20 pints of cider and lager over two days before the attack, in which he also shot and injured another officer while the submarine was docked in Southampton.
Police investigating the murder were so alarmed about heavy drinking by the crew while ashore that the senior officer wrote to Hampshire's Chief Constable to highlight the issue and the warning was passed to military authorities.
The coroner Keith Wiseman said a culture of drinking to excess had to stop, and recommended that a system of random alcohol testing for crew should be introduced.
The Royal Navy has tightened its rules on alcohol consumption before duty. "We take all disciplinary offences seriously," a navy spokesman said.
"Although alcohol is available on board Royal Navy ships and submarines, its consumption is extremely limited and the RN's promotion of healthy living, coupled with the professionalism of modern sailors, means that fewer sailors drink at sea than ever before," he added.
"This is particularly true of the submarine service due to the demands of operating the boat and the restrictions of working a continuous six-hour watch routine."
The most common form of misconduct within the submarine service is going absent without leave, which accounts for about half the incidents.
Alcohol and drug related misbehaviour is the next most frequent issue. According to the Ministry of Defence, these cases mainly involve alcohol rather than drugs.
Those involved are generally punished by a mixture of fines, restriction of privileges and stopping of shore leave.
The navy provided the BBC with details of 311 disciplinary incidents since January 2010 involving service personnel serving on submarines. This covers the 13 submarines in the service, but it can be difficult to contrast the disciplinary records of the various vessels without knowing their schedules and extent of times at sea.
The four Trident submarines are the V-class ones, Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance. | How serious is the problem of drunkenness and indiscipline within the Royal Navy's submarine service? |
37491989 | It was just bought by Chinese buyers for A$88,888,888.88.
The number eight is considered lucky in Chinese as it sounds like the word for "prosperity".
That luck might come in handy - the deal comes just as Sydney was awarded the fourth spot on UBS's global housing bubble index.
Sydney follows Vancouver, London and Stockholm in the ranking which seeks to identify the world's most risky real estate markets.
The lucky price of A$88,88m (US$68.2m; £52.5m) bought 333 Kent Street in Sydney's central business district.
Fortunately it's not a triple four address, as four is pronounced similarly to the word "death" and so considered unlucky.
The offer was made by Chinese firm Bridge Capital and Australian iProsperity Group, who plan to turn the property into a residential building and hotel with a view of the Darling Harbour.
"This is not the first time that Chinese buyers have chosen to offer a price that includes numbers that are considered lucky," Vince Kernahan of Colliers International, the real estate company handling the sale, told the BBC.
In this particular case, "the buyer's offer was very close to several other offers. They just chose these numbers for luck and as it turned out their luck was with them".
According to Swiss bank UBS, the housing market in Sydney "has been overheating since the city became a target for Chinese investors several years ago".
The bank's annual housing bubble index looks at real estate markets around the world to spot the ones where the price rise is "out of touch with fundamentals" and "out of proportion to differences in local economic growth and inflation rates".
The report said housing prices peaked in the second half of 2015 and since then been slightly corrected. But the growing demand from foreign investors has led to the residential market "tripling in value over the last three years."
"Increasing supply and further tax measures to reduce foreign housing investments may end the price boom rather abruptly."
According to the UBS index, Sydney is followed by Munich, Hong Kong and San Francisco. | Business sense suggests you try to buy property at the lowest possible price, but that was not the case for one property in Sydney, Australia. |
21839884 | Iraqis previously "rose up in large numbers and were killed in very large numbers", the former UK PM said.
Mr Blair also warned the West could pay a high price if it decided not to intervene in Syria.
He spoke to the BBC ahead of the 10th anniversary of the invasion, led by the US in coalition with the UK and others.
The invasion, which started the Iraq War, began on 20 March 2003.
The UK lost 179 servicemen and women, of which 136 were killed in action, before the last British troops were withdrawn in April 2009.
Conservative estimates put the number of Iraqis killed in the invasion and ensuing sectarian violence at about 100,000.
Mr Blair told the BBC's Norman Smith that, had troops not invaded Iraq, "without any doubt at all there would have been a move to topple him".
"I certainly think that if Saddam had still been in power, it's true there would have been, probably, an uprising amongst his people," he said.
"But I think it would look a lot more like Syria and probably a lot worse than Syria."
Thousands of Syrians have lost their lives in the battle between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule.
Mr Blair said he regretted how difficult Iraq had been and the loss of life, but he did not regret the decision to oust Saddam.
Mr Blair said Saddam Hussein had used chemical weapons on his own people "and that's why, when people say to me, 'do you regret removing him', my answer is 'no - how can you regret removing somebody who was a monster, who created enormous carnage - not just amongst his own people but amongst the people of the region'".
Mr Blair said he believed "very sincerely and deeply" that the former Iraqi leader was "a security threat" who had to be dealt with.
"And if you look at what's happening in the Arab Spring today and you examine what's happening in Syria - just reflect on what Bashar al-Assad, who is a 20th as bad as Saddam, is doing to his people today and the number of lives already lost.
"Just ask yourself the question: 'What would be happening now in Iraq if he had been left in power?'"
Speaking about the Syrian conflict, the former prime minister warned there was "no end in sight" and the cost of not intervening would be "very high".
"If things continue as they are in Syria today, within a few months, proportionate to the size of the population, more people will have died in Syria than in the whole of the conflict since 2003 in Iraq," he added.
In 2010, at the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War, Mr Blair was questioned about the controversial claim in a September 2002 dossier that Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction at 45 minutes' notice.
He told the inquiry that it "assumed a vastly greater significance" afterwards than it did at the time.
He has insisted that, on the basis of the intelligence available at the time, it was "beyond doubt" Iraq was continuing to develop its weapons capability.
Last month, Mr Blair's deputy prime minister at the time of the 2003 invasion, Lord Prescott, said it "cannot be justified as an intervention".
He said he could not "just disown it" but he now thought the war was wrong. | Iraqis would have rebelled against Saddam Hussein if there had been no invasion and it would have been "a lot worse than Syria", Tony Blair has said. |
36573082 | It estimates that 65.3m people were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced at the end of 2015, an increase of 5m in a year.
This represents one in every 113 people on the planet, the UN agency says.
Meanwhile, the UN refugee chief says a worrying "climate of xenophobia" has taken hold in Europe as it struggles to cope with the migrant crisis.
The influx of people, the biggest since World War Two, has led to greater support for far-right groups and controversial anti-immigration policies.
In its annual report marking World Refugee Day, the UN said it was the first time the number of refugees worldwide had passed the 60m mark.
Over half of the total comes from just three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.
Are more people on the move?
Migrant crises through history
65.3m
people are refugees, asylum seekers or displaced, that's
1 in 113
of all people on the planet
12.4m were newly displaced by conflict or persecution in 2015
24 people a minute were forced to flee in 2015
54% of refugees came from just 3 countries: Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia
Half of all refugees are children under 18
Despite the huge focus on Europe's migrant crisis, the UN said 86% of the world's refugees were being sheltered in low and middle income countries.
Turkey is the biggest host country for refugees worldwide, with 2.5m people, followed by Pakistan and Lebanon.
More than 1,011,700 migrants arrived in Europe by sea last year, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), although other agencies put that number much higher.
Some 35,000 arrived by land, the IOM said.
The preferred destinations for most of them were richer northern countries like Germany and Sweden.
This is reflected in the UN's figures for new asylum applications in 2015, which show that Germany was the largest single recipient, followed by the United States and Sweden.
Most Syrian refugees in Turkey are covered by the Turkish government's temporary protection scheme so do not count as asylum claimants.
The European migration crisis has caused significant political rifts within the EU, with some states inside the border-free Schengen area putting up fences and re-imposing frontier controls.
The European bloc reached an agreement with Turkey in an attempt to limit the mass movement of people into the EU, a deal that has been heavily criticised by human rights groups.
In separate remarks, the UN refugee chief said European leaders needed to do more to coordinate policies and to combat negative stereotypes about refugees.
"Those who do the opposite, who stir up public opinion against refugees and migrants, have a responsibility in creating a climate of xenophobia that is very worrying in today's Europe," Filippo Grandi told AFP news agency.
He said it was unfortunate that some decisions taken by the EU to handle the crisis "were not implemented", calling it "a missed opportunity".
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants. | The number of people displaced by conflict is at the highest level ever recorded, the UN refugee agency says. |
33199040 | Currently economy and transport minister, Mrs Hart's previous posts included local government and health.
Mrs Thomas has been deputy social services minister, chaired committees and led a safeguarding children review.
The announcements follow news that Labour Llanelli AM Keith Davies is also leaving Cardiff Bay next year.
All three AMs are expected to tell their constituency Labour parties of their decision to stand down on Friday evening.
Mrs Hart said it had been an "honour and a privilege" to serve her constituency for 16 years.
"I am very grateful for the support they have given me during this time, and I will continue to represent their views vigorously until the end of the assembly term next year," she added.
Mrs Thomas said: "It has been a privilege to be part of Wales' political journey, but most of all, I am happy to have had the chance to work for communities I love and call home."
First Minister Carwyn Jones paid tribute to the women, and added: "I know that for both Gwenda and Edwina, representing their 'home' areas was incredibly important to them - and both Neath and Gower are losing very talented and passionate advocates."
A major figure on the Welsh political scene, Mrs Hart showed leadership when she took the decision to dramatically shrink the number of health boards in 2008, just five years after a previous reorganisation under a predecessor.
But she lost out to Carwyn Jones in the battle for Welsh Labour's top job a year later.
More recently, she has been at the centre of a major row over plans for an M4 relief road, the decision on which will now be taken by another minister after the election.
The announcement by Mrs Hart that she is leaving the Senedd follows a shock general election result in her Gower constituency.
Labour lost a seat it had held for more than a century to the Conservatives.
Also an AM since the assembly's creation in 1999, Mrs Thomas has been regarded as a strong voice for her Neath constituency, offering support to the local community at the time of the Gleision mine disaster.
As a deputy minister, she steered a major piece of legislation overhauling social services through the assembly and also chaired the housing and equal opportunities committees.
The departure of Mrs Hart and Mrs Thomas from Cardiff Bay, in addition to Mr Davies, means the Labour benches in the Senedd will look rather different in 2016, regardless of the outcome of the assembly poll. | Gower AM Edwina Hart and Neath AM Gwenda Thomas are to stand down at the 2016 assembly election. |
35283439 | Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) analysis suggested the rate of recovery was constrained by companies in the north east.
New business levels eased during the three months to the end of November with an overall balance of just 3%, compared with 18% a year ago.
FAI said it was likely this slowdown would end and recovery improve.
In the three months ending November 2015, 34% of the firms surveyed in the Scottish Business Monitor reported an increased turnover, 33% experienced static turnover and 33% a decrease. This latest result indicates a slowing in the pace of the improving trend identified last spring.
Grant Allan, FAI deputy director, said: "Growth in the Scottish economy slowed in the final quarter of 2015, while expectations of growth have remained broadly positive.
"We await the GDP figures for the third quarter of 2015, and following only slight growth of 0.1% in the second quarter, we will then learn whether growth through last year will be at the moderate levels forecast earlier in the year."
He added: "Internationally, the US Federal Reserve's decision to increase interest rates during December 2015 suggests their confidence in recovery. However, it remains to be seen how the US economy - a vital trading partner for Scottish non-UK exports - responds to this decision.
"Concerns about a slowdown in Chinese growth as we begin 2016 suggests ongoing weakness in the global economy. This feeds back to Scottish activity both through lower exports and a low price of oil affecting activity across the country, and particularly in the north east of Scotland."
A brief summary of some of the other findings in the survey suggested volumes of repeat business were showing a slight decline in the latest quarter; export activity was continuing to fall; firms' assessments of their immediate prospects in the next six months were on a rising trend throughout 2013 and reached highs in the first two quarters of 2014.
This is the 12th successive Scottish Business Monitor showing a positive net balance for turnover expectations.
These expectation levels suggest the private sector of the Scottish economy will show growth close to, but below, the trend level in the fourth quarter of 2015, and slower growth in the three months to February 2016 compared with the period to November 2015. | The Scottish economy slowed down towards the end of 2015, according to new figures. |
40188414 | It is not really the weather for it but you might have one of these in a drawer somewhere.
A hand-warmer. A small plastic pouch filled with a gel.
Click the little piece of metal inside and you set off a chemical reaction.
The gel begins to turn into a waxy solid. As it does it gives off heat.
You can reverse the process by immersing the hand-warmer in hot water. The energy you are adding turns it back into a gel, ready to go again.
There's a name for the stuff in the pouch: a phase change material.
It's a bit like water when it freezes and changes from liquid to solid ice.
Except that gel is "freezing" at more than twice the temperature of boiling water.
So you get toasty hands (or feet - one of my colleagues has been known to stuff them into her socks when camping) and a wee bit of science theatre.
It took a creative leap to take the idea further: could you scale up the phase change process so a hand-warmer became a house-warmer?
Several big corporations - over several decades - tried to make it happen but each time the research petered out.
Now an East Lothian company with fewer than 30 employees has succeeded.
The equipment Sunamp have developed at their base in Macmerry has already been installed in 650 Scottish homes, providing heat and hot water for about half the cost of gas.
Joan and Alexander Maclean's house is just a few miles from Macmerry.
The solar panels on the roof are a clue to how cosy it is inside.
The secret lies in a discreet white metal box in the airing cupboard. A box that Joan says "makes a lovely difference".
She says: "It saves a lot of money, put it that way. You're getting your hot water for free.
"Before that, this house was a really cold, cold house."
With copper pipes coming and going from it, the box could be mistaken for a gas boiler.
But it's more sophisticated than that. It's a battery that stores heat instead of electricity.
At the heart of it a heat exchanger is immersed in a phase change material.
Like a handwarmer, the material melts when heat is put in from the solar panels.
Then when you turn on the tap in the kitchen or bathroom cold water flows into the heat exchanger, prompting the gel to solidify. Hot water flows out instantly.
It does it again and again. Each box is capable of thousands of cycles.
It is the result of eight years of work by Sunamp's CEO Andrew Bissell. The former Edinburgh University academic wanted a better way of storing renewable energy until it was needed.
"It occurred to me that if you actually look at the pie chart of energy usage, far more of it is heat than electricity," he says.
"And yet far more of the effort goes into electricity compared with heat.
"So I said, 'I want to make a heat battery'."
There is a heat battery on the table in front of us. A red plastic cell containing the heat exchanger and the gel. (They also do blue cells - cold batteries.)
The red cells can be stacked together inside units like the one in Joan Maclean's cupboard. Other units are the size of small fridges, some even bigger than that.
Sunamp have a particularly imposing black one that rises from floor to ceiling of their kitchen and is reminiscent of the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The principle may seem straightforward enough but there's been more to it than filling plastic boxes with gallons of handwarmer gel.
Sunamp had to find just the right formulation to ensure maximum heat transfer and battery life.
A huge number of possible formulations were screened using the Diamond Light Source - the UK's massive synchrotron in Oxfordshire.
It is not the sort of thing the average small to medium business could afford but Sunamp had entered into a partnership with Edinburgh University.
The company got the science and the head of the university's school of chemistry Prof Colin Pulham says he and his colleagues benefited in return.
He says: "The governments are very keen that basic research leads to socioeconomic impact.
"This is a classic example of where something has been taken from the bench all the way into a product and has the potential to have a major impact economically, but also improving people's quality of life - and also of course reducing CO2 emissions."
The matchmaker between Sunamp and the university was a publicly funded organisation called Interface.
In its 12 years of operation it has introduced well over 2,500 Scottish businesses to academic partners.
"We've worked with a range of companies," says its director Dr Siobhan Jordan.
"From food and drink companies that want to use hyperspectral imaging, a fantastic technology developed for the defence sector, to enable them to see inside cakes.
"We've worked with chocolate producers in looking at how the chocolate has flavinoids that are really healthy.
"But we've also worked with crofters, with farmers, with other energy companies - a whole range of different ideas."
Sunamp's heat batteries have given them a shot at success. Growing demand has attracted investors and the company is looking for bigger premises.
There's another success story. Sunamp's third employee came to Macmerry from Edinburgh university.
Then David Oliver was a postgraduate student. Now he's the company's materials scientist - and Dr Oliver, having completed his PhD on phase change materials.
He helped arrive at the final formula for the gel/solid in the heat batteries. The correct chemical description, he explains, is an alkali-soluble polymer.
He says: "A lot of people think of polymers as being plastics, hard materials.
"But some polymers also exist in a solution.
"So you can dissolve these plastics in other materials and you get some quite dramatic changes in properties."
Sunamp's formula contains several tweaks and additives.
But it's not too far removed from the stuff used to flavour some brands of salt and vinegar crisps.
We do not advise you to crack open a heat battery and having a taste.
No, definitely don't try that at home. | A tech firm has taken the principle behind hand-warmers and turned them into big batteries that can heat a house using solar power. |
37646293 | The musician has won the Nobel Prize for Literature for creating "new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition".
Here is just a small selection of lyrics that have helped make his reputation as one of the world's greatest singer-songwriters.
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
BLOWIN' IN THE WIND, 1962
Copyright 1962 by Warner Bros. Inc. Renewed 1990 by Special Rider Music
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside and it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'
THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'
Copyright 1963, 1964 Warner Bros. Inc. Renewed 1991, 1992 Special Rider Music
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin'
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin'
I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL
Copyright 1963 Warner Bros. Inc. Renewed 1991 Special Rider Music
Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
An' for each an' ev'ry underdog soldier in the night
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
CHIMES OF FREEDOM
Copyright 1964 Warner Bros. Inc. Renewed 1992 Special Rider Music
Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin' that the heat put
Plants in the bed but
The phone's tapped anyway
Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early May
Orders from the DA
Look out kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't try "No Doz"
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows
SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES
Copyright 1965 Warner Bros. Inc. Renewed 1993 Special Rider Music
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
LIKE A ROLLING STONE
Copyright 1965 Warner Bros. Inc. Renewed 1993 Special Rider Music
She lit a burner on the stove
And offered me a pipe
"I thought you'd never say hello," she said
"You look like the silent type"
Then she opened up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the 13th Century
And every one of them words rang true
And glowed like burnin' coal
Pourin' off of every page
Like it was written in my soul from me to you
Tangled up in blue
TANGLED UP IN BLUE
Copyright 1974 by Ram's Horn Music. Renewed 2002 by Ram's Horn Music
Oh, the gentlemen are talking and the midnight moon is on the riverside
They're drinking up and walking and it is time for me to slide
I live in another world where life and death are memorised
Where the earth is strung with lovers' pearls and all I see are dark eyes
DARK EYES
Copyright 1985 Special Rider Music
And, finally, one that may not have contributed to the Nobel panel's decision...
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
WIGGLE WIGGLE
Copyright 1990 Special Rider Music
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Over a career lasting more than five decades, Bob Dylan has written hundreds of songs - ranging from elegant ballads to anthemic protests. |
40271835 | The world number two will play at Dundonald Links the week before The Open at Royal Birkdale in July.
McIlroy, 28, has been troubled by a rib problem this year but insists he is "totally fine" to play in this week's US Open at Erin Hills, Wisconsin.
The four-time major winner will be making his first Scottish Open appearance since 2014.
He withdrew from the 2015 event at Gullane after picking up an injury playing football.
"I'm going to play (the) Scottish, so I'm going to play Irish (Portstewart), Scottish and The Open, which is a great links run," said the Northern Irishman.
"I don't know much about Dundonald. I know it's close to Troon. That's really about it. I know I can drive there. Having to get the boat from Larne to Troon will be fine." | Rory McIlroy has added the Scottish Open to his schedule as he works his way back from injury. |
35779133 | The three-part documentary series, produced by independent company Top Hat, will be aired later this year.
Filming will take place over several months, in a format similar to the Inside the Commons documentary which was broadcast on BBC Two last year.
It aims to "see how public perception stacks up to reality", the BBC says.
The House of Lords has been under renewed scrutiny since it acted to delay tax credit cuts in October 2015.
The controversial move prompted the government to launch a review of the Lords' powers, which recommended they should lose their absolute veto over secondary legislation.
The BBC says the documentary will show the "characters" who populate the upper chamber and "their aims, dilemmas and frustrations".
The programme will take in the current arguments about whether, and how, to pursue reform of the House of Lords.
Fiona Campbell, head of BBC Current Affairs, hailed it as a chance "to shed some light for our viewers on the inner workings of this long-standing pillar of politics in this country".
Lord Speaker Baroness D'Souza said: "The House of Lords is often misunderstood because there are few opportunities for the public to find out about its role and work."
She described the series as an "opportunity to see the important work that is done by the House".
Peers held a debate in January on their public image in which a number of members complained about the lack of understanding of their role and the way they are portrayed in the press.
Lord Hodgson of Astley-Abbots, who tabled the debate, expressed his concern about "the rising number of snide, unfounded and unhelpful articles about your Lordships' House that are quite unconnected with our legislative activities". | BBC Two has commissioned a series filmed inside the House of Lords which it says will give "unprecedented" insight into peers' work. |
40198347 | Two men, aged 34 and 37, were detained in Newham, while a third man aged 33 was arrested at an address in Waltham Forest.
All three have been taken to a south London police station.
The arrests are not connected to the attacks on London Bridge and in Borough Market, Scotland Yard said.
In a separate investigation, counter-terror police made a series of arrests in Ilford, east London, on Wednesday night in connection with the London Bridge atrocity.
They came five days after eight people were killed and dozens injured when three men launched a van and knife rampage on Saturday night.
All the attackers were shot dead by police. | Three men have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences following a series of raids involving armed police, in east London. |
33936769 | James Young rode the Raptor rollercoaster at Cedar Point amusement park and then jumped over a fence to get his phone when he was hit.
A coroner confirmed he was looking to retrieve his mobile phone. The park confirmed Young's death in a statement.
"At 5pm, a guest entered a restricted, fenced area of Raptor and was struck by the ride," Cedar Point tweeted.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family."
Young was 45 years old, said Phil Frost of the Sandusky Police Department.
"He jumped over a fence into a restricted area under the Raptor and was looking for his items," Mr Frost said during a press conference.
Cedar Point is located near Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, and considers itself one of the best theme parks in the world. | A man trying to retrieve his mobile phone has been struck and killed by a rollercoaster at a theme park in Ohio. |
39640470 | The US firm reported profits up 74% to $1.84bn (£1.4bn) for the three months against the same quarter last year.
The gain came as investment banking and bond trading revenues jumped, and the bank was able to set aside less money for credit losses.
The growth also reflected a rebound from 2016's rocky start.
"We reported one of our strongest quarters in recent years," chief executive James Gorman said.
"All our businesses performed well in improved market conditions. We are confident in our business model and the opportunities ahead, while recognizing that the environment remains uncertain."
Morgan Stanley's profits and revenue growth beat analysts' forecasts. On Tuesday, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America also reported quarterly growth, although there was some disappointment that the figures were not higher.
Total revenue at Morgan Stanley increased 25% from the same period in 2016, reaching $9.7bn.
Trading revenue rose 57% to $3.2bn, amid a surge in the fixed-income unit.
The $1.7bn in fixed income trading revenue marked the best quarter in two years and the fourth quarter in a row that Morgan Stanley hit its $1 billion target for bond trading revenue.
"This is quite a number for a company that just two years ago was setting a billion dollars a quarter as an aspirational goal, and it stands in sharp relief to Goldman's air ball yesterday," Oppenheimer analyst Chris Kotowski said in a note to clients. | Morgan Stanley profits rose sharply in the first quarter as the Wall Street giant became the latest bank to see growth in the period. |
35825616 | The artwork, titled DHEAD, was originally donated for the fundraising ARTAID 98 exhibition in the city in 1998.
His portrait was auctioned during Lyon & Turnbull's contemporary paintings sale, making £22,500. It had been valued at between £3,000 and £5,000.
Bowie died on 10 January this year after a battle with liver cancer.
A one-time art school student, Bowie's paintings focus on abstract head studies influenced by the bizarreness and esotericism of 1930s era German Expressionist art.
Charlotte Riordan, picture specialist at Lyon & Turnbull, said: "Best known of course as a singer/songwriter, Bowie's entire career was spent actively blurring the lines between the art forms of music, performance and design; the visual playing as big a part as the aural." | A self-portrait by David Bowie has gone under the hammer in Edinburgh, making four-times its valuation. |
38930689 | Alan Pearmain added a comment to a post of an ape wearing lipstick saying: "Forget the London look, get the Diane Abbott look" in December.
The deputy chairman of the South Ribble Conservative Association tweeted: "Nice lips kid. But a shade too much rouge".
But Mr Pearmain asked the BBC: "Why is it particularly offensive?
"People will take offence about everything, won't they?"
A Conservative spokesman said: "His comments are completely unacceptable and he has been suspended from the party, pending an investigation."
Asked in an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire whether his comments were appropriate, the parish councillor in Farington, Lancashire, said: "I suppose in retrospect, no".
But he added: "To me this stinks of false news but you know, you have to live with these things."
He said he was "disappointed" at being suspended by the party but said: "I also feel a bit annoyed at myself for letting them down.
"In retrospect it's going to reflect on them for three or four months and that I should apologise for".
Asked if he would say sorry to Ms Abbott, he said: "I would love to apologise to her but I would also ask her to explain some of the comments I've read that she's made - but I suppose you can because she's important and I'm not, people can pick and choose what they want to publish and how they do it.
Mr Permain describes himself in his Twitter profile as "positioned slightly to the right of Attila the Hun".
Labour councillor for Middleforth, Keith Martin, said he noticed the tweet and reported it to the Labour Party, describing it as "racist, degrading and offensive."
Lancashire police said they have not received a complaint.
The Labour Party and Ms Abbott's office have been contacted for comment. | A Conservative politician suspended over an offensive tweet aimed at Labour MP Diane Abbott has admitted his actions were inappropriate. |
36387714 | Dennehy, 33, from Peterborough, is serving life for murdering three men whose bodies were found in ditches in Cambridgeshire in 2013.
She also attempted to murder two men in Hereford.
Dennehy had claimed continued isolation left her "tearful and upset".
More on this and other stories from Cambridgeshire
She was refused permission to appeal the decision herself but Dennehy's legal team has been given 35 days to ask the Court of Appeal to hear her case.
The killer, who was given a whole-life sentence at her Old Bailey trial and jailed in February 2014, challenged Justice Secretary Michael Gove over HMP Bronzefield's decision to continue to keep her separated from other prisoners, which entailed long periods of isolation.
The High Court heard Dennehy was initially segregated while on remand after a "credible escape plan" involving her and two other prisoners had been uncovered.
One aspect of the alleged plan was that "the finger of an officer would be cut off in an attempt to deceive the biometric security system at the prison".
Government lawyers conceded the segregation period between 19 September 2013 and 4 September 2015 was technically unlawful because it was not properly authorised by former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling but said it was fair, justified and lawful due to the nature of Dennehy's offending and the escape risk she posed.
In her High Court challenge, she claimed she had been "unfairly and unlawfully" held, with barrister Hugh Southey QC arguing continued isolation left her "tearful and upset" and she had at times resumed her practice of self-harming.
The woman who murdered men for fun
My sister, the multiple murderer
He said the escape allegations were never properly put to her and no further action was taken.
She insisted that the alleged plot was nothing more than a "doodle" found in her diary, Mr Southey said.
Jenni Richards QC, for the prison, had said she was "arguably the most dangerous female prisoner in custody".
At today's hearing, Mr Justice Singh ruled her segregation since September 2015 had been "in accordance with law" and "at all material times it has been necessary and proportionate".
Dennehy murdered Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, Kevin Lee, 48, and John Chapman, 56, in March 2013 before dumping their bodies in ditches in and around Peterborough.
She went on the run and subsequently stabbed dog walkers Robin Bereza, 64, and 56-year-old John Rogers.
Dennehy is only the third woman to be given a whole-life prison term.
Moors murderer Myra Hindley and serial killer Rose West are the other two. | Triple killer Joanne Dennehy has failed in a bid to get compensation for solitary confinement in jail after claiming it was a violation of her human rights. |
33754901 | Pre-tax profit was $13.6bn (£8.7bn) in the first six months, compared with $12.3bn a year ago - higher than forecasts which were for $12.5bn.
The lender also announced the sale of its Brazil unit to banking giant Banco Brandesco for $5.2bn.
The move comes as it tries to reduce costs with plans to cut 50,000 jobs.
"We are executing the actions that we announced at our investor update in June and our focus is on making significant progress during the remainder of the year," the London-based bank said in a statement on Monday.
The sale of its Brazilian operations marks the bank's retreat from the second-largest emerging market, where it has about 21,000 employees.
The bank has been looking to withdraw from underperforming markets and also wants to sell its business in Turkey. It operates in 70 countries worldwide.
HSBC has also been considering moving its global headquarters from London, and confirmed a decision by its board would be made by the end of this year.
Its revenues rose by 4% to $30.8bn in the same period, with its Asian operations helping to drive earnings.
Asia accounted for nearly 70% of the bank's pre-tax profit as the firm considers moving its headquarters to Hong Kong.
HSBC's Hong Kong listed shares were up 1.4% after the results, outperforming the benchmark Hang Seng index, which is down almost 1%. | Profit at Europe's largest bank, HSBC, was up 10% in the first half of this year compared with a year ago on strong earnings in Hong Kong. |
35822082 | James Purdie was caught with 115 images on his computer after police raided his home in Ardrossan.
The 32-year-old, who had file-shared with other paedophiles, told officers: "Everything you have found is mine."
Purdie admitted downloading and possessing the images at two addresses in Irvine between November 2014 and November 2015. Sentence was deferred.
Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard that several of the pictures were at the highest level of depravity, featuring girls as young as two being abused.
Purdie's name was also added to the sex offenders' register. | A man from North Ayrshire caught with images of children being tortured and sexually abused is facing jail. |
29723819 | Roger Marshall testified on 2 and 8 October that he policed 27,500 fans at a rugby league match at the ground on 26 December 1989 with 12 officers.
The court was told he was not at the tie and it was not held in Sheffield.
In a statement read to the jury, Mr Marshall offered "an unreserved apology for misleading the court".
Ninety-six fans died following a crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield ground on 15 April 1989.
Giving evidence on 2 October, the jury heard Mr Marshall explain he was match commander for a rugby league match between Wigan and St Helens on Boxing Day 1989, which he said was held at Hillsborough.
Mr Marshall compared that match with the FA Cup semi-final, in which 801 police officer were on duty - 38% of the force's manpower at the time.
"It might interest you to know that on Boxing Day the same year Wigan and St Helens played at Hillsborough [and] 27,500 people came to that game," he said.
"Do you know, I policed that game, I policed it with 12 policemen."
On 8 October, he was asked how he had policed that game with only 12 officers with "no public order problems".
The former superintendent said: "It is a family game, family people, no problem."
He also remarked how "it can't be said of rugby league that it is some upper middle-class dilettante sport" and that "just as with some football supporters" those who go to watch rugby league "like a beer as well".
The 1989 Boxing Day game between Wigan and St Helens actually took place in Greater Manchester - at Wigan's then home ground, Central Park.
In a statement read to the court on Tuesday, Mr Marshall said: "It has been brought to my attention that... I gave erroneous evidence in that: 1. I did not police the Wigan-St Helens game on 26 December 1989 and 2. That game was not played at Hillsborough.
"I offer my unreserved apology for misleading the court. I am embarrassed and distressed that I made this mistake."
The inquests, being held in Warrington, have now adjourned until 3 November.
BBC News: Profiles of all those who died | A former superintendent who served at Hillsborough has apologised after discovering part of the evidence he gave to the inquests was incorrect. |
34946294 | The four men were arrested on Wednesday in connection with suspected tax evasion.
The Irish News reports HMRC has asked to see files held by C&H Jefferson. The firm says it is "complying with this request".
C&H Jefferson is not accused of any wrongdoing.
The four men arrested are Jon D'Arcy, Eamonn Donaghy, Arthur O'Brien and Paul Hollway, KPMG's most senior staff in Northern Ireland.
They have been placed on "administrative leave".
KPMG said it did not have "any indication" that the investigation related to the business of KPMG or its clients.
Aside from their KPMG roles, the four men are directors in a property investment company called JEAP Ltd. | HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has made a request to access client files held by a Belfast law firm as part of its investigation into four KPMG partners. |
37970124 | The 26-year-old clocked 42.335 seconds - beating Fan Kexin's 42.504 - in her quarter-final, but then fell in the closing stages of the final.
The Scot took 500m gold in the opening event of World Cup series in Calgary.
The Livingston-born skater won a silver medal and three bronzes at this year's World Championships in March.
She had previously competed at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
Meet Elise Christie and fellow GB speed skaters | British speed skater Elise Christie broke the 500m world record at the second World Cup event of the season in Salt Lake City. |
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