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39234079 | Ms Monroe sued the writer over two war memorial tweets she said caused "serious harm" to her reputation.
Ms Hopkins posted tweets in May 2015 asking her if she had "scrawled on any memorials recently".
Ms Monroe said that meant she had either vandalised a war memorial or "condoned or approved" of it.
Mr Justice Warby also ordered Ms Hopkins - a columnist for the Mail Online - to pay an initial £107,000 towards the campaigner's legal costs within 28 days.
He ruled that the tweets had caused "Ms Monroe real and substantial distress" and she was entitled to "fair and reasonable compensation".
The final costs figure has yet to be assessed.
Cheeky interruption for BBC guest
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After the ruling, Ms Monroe, who also campaigns over poverty issues, said: "It's taken 21 months but today the High Court ruled that Hopkins statements to/about me were defamatory.
"I sued her for libel, and I won."
The case arose after some Twitter users highlighted an anti-Conservative profanity daubed on a memorial to the women of World War Two during an anti-austerity demonstration.
In May 2015 Ms Hopkins tweeted: "@MsJackMonroe scrawled on any memorials recently? Vandalised the memory of those who fought for your freedom. Grandma got any more medals?"
The judge ruled that the tweet "meant that Ms Monroe condoned and approved of scrawling on war memorials, vandalising monuments commemorating those who fought for her freedom".
He found that a second tweet from Ms Hopkins "meant that Ms Monroe condoned and approved of the fact that in the course of an anti-government protest there had been vandalisation by obscene graffiti of the women's war memorial in Whitehall, a monument to those who fought for her freedom"
The judge added: "These are meanings with a defamatory tendency, which were published to thousands."
Jonathan Price, for Ms Hopkins, who is well known for airing controversial views, told the judge that "this relatively trivial dispute arose and was resolved on Twitter in a period of several hours".
He argued that "no lasting harm, and certainly no serious harm" had been caused to Ms Monroe's reputation.
Ms Hopkins had "mistakenly" used Ms Monroe's Twitter handle instead of that of another columnist who had written about the war memorial incident, he said.
Ms Monroe comes from a family with military connections - her father was in the British Army for seven years, while one of her brothers is a flying officer in the RAF.
The judge said he accepted Ms Monroe's unchallenged evidence that "as a proud member of a military family and a feminist" she was "sickened" by the graffiti.
He ruled that "whilst the claimant may not have proved that her reputation suffered gravely, I am satisfied that she has established that the publications complained of caused serious harm to her reputation".
He said their publication "not only caused Ms Monroe real and substantial distress, but also harm to her reputation which was serious".
Media lawyer Mark Stephens, of law firm Howard Kennedy, said Mr Justice Warby had set a "tariff" at £24,000 for Twitter libel cases, which would "undoubtedly encourage more claims".
He said: "The courts will allow robust debate and will consider posts and comments to see if they were meant as fact or a joke.
"But the fact remains that if comments cause serious harm, legal action is likely to follow." | Food blogger Jack Monroe has won £24,000 damages, plus legal costs, in a libel action against columnist Katie Hopkins after a row over two tweets. |
40936023 | BBC World Service Director Francesca Unsworth said it deplored the apparent "targeted attack" on BBC Persian staff, former staff and some contributors.
She said the order was preventing staff from selling or buying property, cars and other goods.
BBC Persian, which broadcasts on TV, on radio and online, is banned in Iran.
In recent years staff and their family members have been routinely subjected to harassment and intimidation by the Iranian authorities.
BBC Persian has obtained a court order that lists the names of 152 staff, former staff and contributors whose non-liquid assets have been frozen by Iran's judiciary.
It was issued by the Shahid Moghadas Courthouse, which is based at Tehran's Evin prison.
The BBC was not notified of the court order and only learnt about the asset freeze when a relative of a BBC Persian employee tried to sell a property on their behalf.
The Iranian judiciary has given no explanation for the court order.
"We deplore what appears to be a targeted attack on BBC Persian staff, former staff, and some contributors," said Ms Unsworth in a statement on Tuesday.
"It is appalling that anyone should suffer legal or financial consequences because of their association with the BBC."
"We call upon the Iranian authorities to reverse this order urgently and allow BBC staff and former staff to enjoy the same financial rights as their fellow citizens."
The management of BBC Persian described the court order as another attempt by Iran's judiciary to silence impartial journalists.
Amir Azimi, acting head of BBC Persian, said journalists working for the Persian service would continue to bring independent, impartial and trusted news to Persian speakers around the world.
Despite the ban in Iran, the latest figures show the BBC World Service has an audience of 13 million in the country, making it the seventh biggest market worldwide for BBC News. | The BBC has called on the Iranian authorities to reverse a new order that appears to effectively freeze the assets of its staff in Iran. |
39381704 | The pensioner's Honda Jazz left the road and hit a stone wall in the town's Davies Row, near to the junction with Stirling Street.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened at about 14:30 on Thursday.
The man, who has not been named, died later in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert.
Sgt Michael Montague, from Stirling's road policing unit, said: "At this time we are still trying to establish why the car left the road and we are keen to hear from any motorists who were on Davies Row at the time of the incident on Thursday afternoon." | An 82-year-old man has died after his car crashed into a wall in Denny, near Falkirk. |
35004230 | The ex-Welsh national champion beat Stuart Hardy in the singles final before also winning the doubles.
Le Tocq, 33, has not been beaten at the Senior Closed championships since 2002.
"I've got a decision to make as to whether it's good for me to play until someone beats me or if it's someone else's turn," he told BBC Guernsey.
Despite his long winning record, Le Tocq said he was still nervous when it came to the final.
"For the last four years I've really been working towards 10, and I almost don't know what to do now, it's everything I've wanted," he said.
"I was more nervous than I have been for half of them, it almost felt like the first one again, where I was really worried about getting over the line." | Paul Le Tocq says he is unsure whether he will continue to defend his Guernsey badminton title after winning the men's singles for a 10th time. |
36538690 | He led the Tykes to victory in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final and League One play-off final after being appointed as caretaker in January.
"At the end of an unforgettable few months I am absolutely delighted to have signed as head coach," the 38-year-old told the club website.
"We have a clear vision of how we want to continue to improve the club."
The former Oakwell youth coach took over on a short-term basis after previous boss Lee Johnson left for Bristol City.
Heckingbottom won 13 of his 21 games in charge, culminating in a 3-1 win over Millwall at Wembley as Barnsley returned to the Championship after a two-season absence.
"We've enjoyed one of the most unforgettable and remarkable seasons ever here at Barnsley Football Club and it goes without saying that Paul has been instrumental in the success we have achieved," chief executive Ben Mansford said of the Barnsley-born coach.
"He's one of the brightest and hard-working young coaches in the country and we're absolutely delighted that he's agreed to become our permanent head coach."
Meanwhile, full-backs George Williams and George Smith are to leave Oakwell after the club withdrew contract offers to the pair.
Williams, 23, made 27 appearances last season, including both Wembley finals, while Smith, 19, played 29 games and had a spell on loan at Crawley. | Barnsley have appointed Paul Heckingbottom as their head coach on a 12-month rolling contract. |
38130507 | Nottingham University Hospitals Trust said it was in talks with Carillion about a "managed exit" from the £200m agreement almost three years early.
The firm was accused of having a "poor record of cleanliness" and an urgent review was ordered when the rodent was allegedly spotted.
Carillion said it had nothing to add to the trust's statement.
More on this and other Nottinghamshire stories
The company faced complaints of overflowing bins, dirty dishes from the previous night, understaffing, and a rat seen at Nottingham City Hospital.
There were calls for the trust to sack the firm, and it promised to review the arrangement.
The five-year contract began in 2014 and covers cleaning, catering, laundry and linen, car parking and security.
In a statement released earlier, chief executive Peter Homa said: "The NUH Trust Board continues to be concerned about the performance of the Carillion contract.
"The board has therefore decided that significant changes to the arrangements with Carillion are required. NUH and Carillion are jointly exploring a managed exit from the Carillion contract."
He added that an agreement was expected to be reached by January and that the 1,500 staff would remain employed by the firm until that time. | A hospital trust plans to end a private cleaning contract after complaints of a rat on a ward kitchen. |
40791216 | Researchers at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that, on average, women aged between 60 and 62 were now £32 a week worse off.
As a result poverty rates among that group have risen sharply, it said.
But the IFS also said the savings, and extra tax from working women, meant the state was £5.1bn a year better off.
Public sector debt is £1.75 trillion and the government borrowed £46.2bn in the past financial year.
The government said its pensions policy was "fair and sustainable" and matched continuing rises in life expectancy.
However, the campaign group WASPI (Women Against State Pension Age Inequality) said the research was shocking.
"Once again, this shows that the government has implemented state pension age (SPA) reforms without adequately considering the full impact of these changes on the women affected," said WASPI director, Jane Cowley.
"Whether it is the 3.5 million WASPI women who were not given sufficient warning of rises to their state pension age, or the sharp rise in income poverty among 60 to 62-year-old women, the government needs to sit up and start realising that its changes have devastating consequences on the women affected."
The IFS study showed that many women in the age group already affected by the pension change have continued working.
But the effect of waiting longer for their state pension has, on average, outweighed the gains made by those who have continued to earn a salary.
Thus the female 60-62 age group as a whole was earning an extra £2.5bn a year, an average of £44 per week.
But the same group has also lost £4.2bn in pension and other benefits per year, or £74 per week.
Jonathan Cribb, of the IFS, said the new policy was clearly putting pressure on the budgets of some households.
"The increased state pension age is boosting employment - and therefore earnings - of affected women but this is only partially offsetting reduced incomes from state pensions and other benefits," he said.
"Since both rich and poor women are losing out by, on average, roughly similar amounts the reform increases income poverty rates among households containing a woman who has reached age 60 but has not yet reached her state pension age."
Looking at the worst affected individuals, the IFS calculated that absolute poverty rates - measured after housing costs - had increased from 15% of women aged between 60 and 62 to 21% of them.
It said there was no evidence that any of the women were in fact experiencing "material deprivation" -that is, people saying they cannot afford a range of important items.
Such families may have "smoothed" their spending over time, the researchers suggested.
Caroline Abrahams, at the charity Age UK, said the IFS figures were "extremely worrying".
"While it may have encouraged a number to work longer, many women in their sixties were simply not aware of the rise in SPA and, as was predicted by experts, they have either had too little time to make adequate preparations or have been unable to continue working due to ill health, caring responsibilities or unemployment," she said.
But the changes have boosted the government finances.
The IFS said that the savings to the public purse had been boosted by the extra income tax and national insurance payments from those women continuing to work, which meant the government's total saving was now running at £5.1bn per year.
The study said there was also an effect on single men in their early 60s, who used to be able to claim pension credit.
Under the rules, eligibility for pension credit is also being pushed back.
As a result, single men aged 60 to 62 are on average £21 a week worse off, the study suggests.
The long-standing policy of equalising women's state pension age with that of men, and then raising it for both groups, has become increasingly controversial.
The decision to equalise the SPA was first made back in 1995.
Many women who are being affected say they were never made aware of the changes, which have now come as a shock to them.
The process kicked off in 2010, with the plan to raise the SPA steadily from age 60 to 65 by the year 2020.
But then in 2011 the government decided to accelerate the policy.
The SPA will thus be equalised at 65 two years earlier in 2018, and then rise by another year to 66, by 2020.
Further increases to 67 and even 68 are in the pipeline.
With the process still under way, women currently qualify for their state pension at nearly 64.
A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said: "More people are in work than ever before, including a record 9.9 million older workers.
"Women retiring today can still expect to receive the state pension for over 24.5 years on average - which is more than any generation before them and several years longer than men." | More than a million women in their early 60s have become poorer as a result of delays to their state pensions, according to a new study. |
37425368 | The hosts were earlier dismissed for 411, taking maximum batting points after resuming on 370-6 at Southampton.
Durham looked in trouble at 186-7, but recovered with an unbroken eight-wicket partnership of 56 between Michael Richardson (50) and Brydon Carse (30).
However, a win will now keep Hampshire up - whatever happens elsewhere.
Victory over Durham would ensure safety at the expense of the losers of Warwickshire's game with Lancashire at Edgbaston - while if that game is drawn or tied, a Hampshire win would send the Bears down.
Seventh-placed Warwickshire lead sixth-placed Lancashire by 79 runs with 10 second-innings wickets in hand after two days - but while both took maximum bowling points, the two sides only collected one batting point between them,
Hampshire currently trail Warwickshire by five points and Lancashire by 10.
If Hampshire take two more Durham wickets in the next 27 overs, they would earn a third and final batting point - which would mean a draw would keep them up at Warwickshire's expense if Lancashire win.
The hosts lost their last four wickets for just 41 runs on the second morning at the Ageas Bowl as Durham claimed a final bowling point with 11 balls to spare.
Graham Onions took three wickets in three overs to finish with figures of 3-41.
Durham's reply started poorly when Keaton Jennings fell leg before without scoring to Gareth Berg's first ball and Scott Borthwick (15) edged Brad Wheal to keeper Lewis McManus.
Spinners Liam Dawson and Mason Crane reduced the visitors to 152-5 in the afternoon session, including captain Paul Collingwood for nought and Graham Clark for 58.
Wheal accounted for Ben Stokes (50) and Ryan Pringle in quick succession after tea as the follow-on looked possible.
But Hampshire failed to make a further breakthrough in the final 25 overs of the day and will look to finish off Durham's first innings with the second new ball on the third morning.
Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson told BBC Radio Solent:
"A decent day today for us and it's the sort of wicket where something can happen very quickly.
"You can get a partnership going, but you can also go bang, bang with a couple of wickets really quickly and a new batsman is in.
"We're still ahead of the game, but we're obviously going to have to take those three quick wickets in the morning and bat quickly and set a score.
"There's going to be a result at Edgbaston, but we're in a good position as well. They know that too and we can still win this game." | Hampshire retained their hopes of Division One survival as they restricted Durham to 242-7 in their first innings, a lead of 169 runs. |
40239674 | Elite names, such as world number one and defending champion Dustin Johnson, are guaranteed their place, indeed the top 60 in the world are all automatically eligible.
But this is an event that does what it says on the tin. It is "open" to the lower echelons who have earned their chance to rub shoulders with the big boys at Erin Hills this week.
From the 8,979 professional and amateur golfers who teed it up in local qualifying, 525 progressed to be part of the 902 who competed at the sectional stage, which in turn yielded 72 with a golden ticket to the second major of the year.
These include 22-year-old Aaron Rai from Wolverhampton, who won the European sectional tournament at Walton Heath. It was this qualifier that produced the eventual champion, Michael Campbell, in 2005.
Scotland's Richie Ramsay, Bradley Dredge of Wales and Englishmen Andrew 'Beef' Johnston, Matt Wallace and Eddie Pepperell were also among the 15 who progressed from the 36-hole tournament.
Of those British qualifiers, Pepperell's is perhaps the most heart-warming story.
The 26-year-old, who was prominent on the 2015 Open leaderboard at St Andrews, is emerging from a torrid spell in which he was forced to return to Tour School to retain his European Tour card.
"The last year has been a bit of a struggle and I lost a lot of confidence," Pepperell told BBC Sport.
After finishing eighth in last year's Irish Open, he missed 16 cuts in 21 tournaments, tumbling from a career-high of 80th in the world to outside the top 500.
"There have been times where I've gone home quite stressed and, yeah, feeling a bit low," said Pepperell.
"And you have some alcohol or whatever just to get away from it, and I've experienced what it's like to live under a bit of stress.
"It's all part and parcel of life and makes the good times all the more enjoyable."
At Walton Heath, Pepperell carded rounds of 67 and 66 to book his place in Wisconsin, before continuing his fine form with a top-10 finish at the Nordea Masters later that week.
"Qualifying for the US Open, having my dad and family there and seeing them smiling, knowing they'll come over to America and have a great time, it was really nice. We are going to enjoy it," he said.
The Oxfordshire pro credits a change of clubs and ball as the main reasons for his return to form.
"Modern equipment is just designed to go further, through a higher launch angle with less spin off the tee and that's never really been my game," Pepperell said.
"I'm a natural, feely kind of player and I've learned that I actually need some backspin on my driver so I know when I'm on the tee and not feeling very comfortable I can tee it down low and squeeze one out there and get it in play."
Anyone who reads Pepperell's regular and honest blogs knows the former British amateur international sees more to life than bashing balls and holing putts.
But coping with the demands of the toughest of the majors will be uppermost in his mind this week in what will be his second US Open, having qualified for Merion in 2013.
Erin Hills is a monster that can play anything up to 7,800 yards. It is the first par-72 course to stage America's national championship since Pebble Beach in 1992.
"The way I see it, every tee shot is hard, every approach shot is hard, the whole week is hard," Pepperell said.
"There's just constant pressure, a constant need to hit really good golf shots. In many ways I think it brings the best out of you because you know what you have to do.
"The way you react is the key. You either become afraid or think 'you know what? I've got nothing to lose here'.
"I'm just going to try and make great swings for four days and let's see what happens.
"In my two American majors so far I have putted really poorly, so most of my preparation will be around long-range and short-range putting. You are going to have to hole those six-footers."
This will be the mantra for much of the field, regardless of their background.
Johnson's length off the tee and outstanding form since breaking his major duck 12 months ago make him a justifiable favourite.
But defending champions rarely fare well. Tiger Woods (tied sixth in 2009) is the only one to make the top 10 since Curtis Strange retained his title in 1989.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy has played only 72 competitive holes since the Masters following the recurrence of his rib problems and will do well not to be undercooked.
Having said that, he has had plenty of opportunity to work on his short game, which will be such a vital component.
With four par-fives at Erin Hills, the other key areas are driving distance, and approach play from 100 yards and in.
Looking at statistics covering these areas, a shortlist of leading exponents includes Americans Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Brendan Steele, and Spain's Masters winner Sergio Garcia.
McIlroy and Johnson also show up well statistically, and if Jason Day can find his touch on the greens, this looks an ideal test for the Australian, who has yet to fire this season.
But the penal nature of the US Open makes patience an important virtue and this is an undoubted strength of 2013 winner Justin Rose.
As he prepares for his fourth major, Pepperell insists he will not be daunted by the strength in depth at the top of the game.
"I don't really care whether I'm chipping next to Rory McIlroy or my dad to be honest," he said, laughing.
"It's just one of them is better at golf than the other.
"For me it's not the players, it's the crowds, the atmosphere, the hum, the whole environment. It's completely different to what we are used to.
"In Europe I played an event and I was third and there were two people watching and I was thinking, 'well this isn't very inspiring', and this week I could have 2,000 people watching me on the first tee."
The same applies to all those who have earned their crack at a week of genuinely big-time golf - no matter how tortuous their route to get there. | They call the US Open the most democratic event in sport, with almost 9,000 entrants and only 156 spots in the starting field. |
34881498 | A 27-year-old man was set upon near the Scotmid Co-op on Mayfield Place, Mayfield, between 17:00 and 18:30 on Friday 30 October.
An 18-year-old man was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
The 12-year-old has been referred to the Children's Reporter. Police are still trying to trace others involved. | A 12-year-old boy and a teenager have been charged in connection with an unprovoked attack on a man by a gang outside a Midlothian shop. |
39670884 | Constanta is the oldest continually inhabited city in Romania. The sun will soon be beating down on the thousands of holidaymakers who flock here every summer, although these early British tourists have been treated to rain, strong winds, single digit temperatures - and even the occasional flurry of snow.
The outdoor clay court looked very sorry for itself on Thursday and Friday, as the players were forced under cover.
For the third time in six years, Britain are a play-off win away from the World Group. They were well beaten in Sweden in 2012, and then again in Argentina in 2013, and have once again travelled as underdogs.
But they have at least earned themselves the opportunity after successfully negotiating a week of Euro Africa Zone qualifying matches in the Estonian capital Tallinn in February. It is a week which does little for the exposure of the Fed Cup and ends most countries' involvement for the year before the daffodils have come into bloom.
"I think it's damaged the competition if I'm perfectly honest," GB's captain Anne Keothavong said told BBC Sport in Constanta.
"There's no momentum if you look at where we have been in recent years. We've been in a group where there have been 15 other nations and only two of those nations go through for a chance to even play for a World Group position.
"It's been notoriously tough and one we have struggled with, and even this year - with a top-10 player - we only just managed to do that in a deciding doubles match."
Johanna Konta, partnered by Heather Watson, lost the first set and twice had to recover from a break of serve down in the decider to win that match with Croatia and set up this play-off tie.
Romania boast a strong line-up. Simona Halep, who will open the tie against Watson at 10:00 BST on Saturday, can be horribly inconsistent but she is the world number five, the French Open runner-up of 2014, and a major star in her home city of Constanta.
Every other member of their team is a top-100 singles player, while Britain - after Watson's recent fall in the rankings - has just the one.
But that 'one' is some player.
Konta is the world number seven and third in the annual points race after her victory in the Miami Open earlier this month. Halep finds herself at 44th in the same list and has lost both her matches to Konta, although this will be a first meeting on clay, which is very much the Romanian's favourite surface.
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Having a player of that ability - who could well play two singles as well as the doubles this weekend - opens up exciting possibilities for the team. The eleven points Andy Murray contributed as Britain won the Davis Cup in 2015 may never be matched by another British player, but Keothavong recognises the contribution made by her number one.
"She brings a lot to the team," the captain agrees.
"Just the way she is, the way she operates and the level she demands from everyone is great, and hopefully it filters down to the other players and inspires the others to really step up."
And Fed Cup can be a two way process. Konta described the week in Estonia as "one of the most adrenalin driven weeks I've experienced in a while."
"I felt I took away a lot of really positive emotion, and a lot of new experiences," she continued.
"The adrenalin and the nerves you get during Fed Cup are unlike others you experience during the season, and I really really enjoyed that."
But will Konta - who plays world number 33 Irina-Camelia Begu in Saturday's singles - get to feel that on a regular basis, and will the competition become as relevant to British audiences as the Davis Cup has been in recent years?
If Britain lose this weekend, they will return to the 16-team Euro Africa Zone shoot-out in February 2018, but if they win they could start next year as one of the 16 teams which will contest the trophy.
As things stand, the winners will be promoted to World Group 2, but the International Tennis Federation wants to merge the two existing World Groups to form an elite 16 team top tier to mirror the Davis Cup.
The semi-finals and final would be played in one city, in one week, at the end of the season - but all of this is subject to the approval of the ITF's member nations at August's AGM in Ho Chi Minh City.
One other incentive this weekend is the possibility of a home tie next February. Since Monique Javer, Clare Wood and Amanda Grunfeld dispatched Turkey in Nottingham in May 1993, Britain have played every single Fed Cup tie on the road.
Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Malta, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Turkey have many charms. But next year, there really would be no place like home. | It's 24 years since Great Britain's women last contested a Fed Cup World Group tie, although that is very recent history to the residents of the Black Sea resort they find themselves in this weekend. |
32535949 | Christopher Oxford tweeted: "Mr Cameron has repeatedly claimed that Labour 'bankrupted the country'. Is this in any way true?"
Well, the first problem with this question is what do the Conservatives mean by this allegation?
Unlike with individuals, there is no clear definition of when a country might be declared bankrupt.
The standard definition of being bankrupt is when you cannot pay your debts.
The UK never defaulted on its debts so, by that definition, the country was never bankrupt.
On the other hand, under Labour public sector net debt rose significantly (for a variety of reasons) and it is certainly arguable the economy as a whole was in a very precarious situation.
But, technically at least, not bankrupt.
Mike Harvey tweeted: "The polls say we're going to have a hung parliament but, historically speaking, how accurate are they?"
Well, we do like a poll here at BBC Reality Check - but should we put so much faith in them?
How have they performed in the past when it comes to predicting the results of previous elections?
There are certainly more polls during the course of the campaign these days, but traditionally it is the last poll from each company before the actual vote that is used to judge their performance.
Aside from 1992, Major v Kinnock, all the major companies have called the correct party share of the vote in the last few elections.
Interestingly, while pollsters seem to do well at predicting the Conservative and Liberal Democrat share of the vote they do tend to overestimate the share of the vote Labour will get.
Except in 2010, when it was understated.
This slight fuzziness around predictions for Labour could mean this election has some surprises in store.
One final note - this is all about correctly predicting the share of the vote.
That then has to be transferred into actual seats and that adds another layer of complexity and confusion.
So the polls are usually pretty accurate, but, as the cliché goes, there is really only one poll that matters.
Martin McElroy tweeted: "Does weather affect turnout and which party does it benefit?"
This question has lead me to my favourite scientific paper ever: "The rain in Spain: Turnout and partisan voting in Spanish elections"
The conclusions are remarkably similar to what American research into this issue has discovered.
According to the Spanish paper, "rainfall on election day decreases turnout... second stage results show that conservatives are greatly hurt by higher turnout".
Academics at Stanford came to broadly the same conclusion.
But they also go on to point out that while politicians can't control the weather, they can try and control voter turnout: "Democrats should act to increase voter turnout while Republicans should act to suppress turnout."
Seasoned watchers of the American political system might argue both sides employ various ways to try and do just that.
Finally, that Spanish paper notes there was one major difference to the experience of the American two party system.
In Spain, as the turnout went up it seemed to benefit a raft of smaller parties rather than the main left-wing opposition.
So where does that leave us?
Well, according to Stephen Fisher from Oxford University, the weather does not seem to have an impact on our elections.
But it does give you something to talk about when you visit the polling station. | We hope you have found our BBC Reality Check service useful over the course of the campaign, and before we go, here are some final questions you have sent in via social media. |
38759957 | James Farrelly, 52, denies murdering Martin Hamilton, 53, in Mossside Drive, Blackburn, between 16 April and 17 December 2015.
It is alleged that, while acting with others, Mr Farrelly shot Hamilton in the head and inflicted blunt and sharp force injuries to his head.
He is also charged with hiding the body in woodland near the B7015.
It is also alleged that he removed kitchen units, appliances and flooring from the house in Mosside Drive, and cleaned and attempted to remove blood-staining from the house and from a van.
Farrelly, who is represented by Derek Ogg QC, is also accused of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin between January 2001 and February 2016.
He denies all the charges against him and trial has been set for May.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said: "The Crown position is that this is a fairly complicated case."
Hamilton, from Glasgow, was previously one of Scotland's most wanted men and was nicknamed the Blackhill Butcher, after the housing estate from which he operated..
He was released from prison in September 2014 but went missing in April last year.
He had been on the police's most-wanted list before he was jailed in 2000 over a string of charges including drug dealing, torture, abduction and sodomy.
The trial is expected to last between four and five weeks. | A man has appeared in court charged with shooting dead a notorious gangland figure in West Lothian. |
35830322 | Cheltenham Town are two points ahead of rivals Forest Green Rovers at the top of the National League, with only one automatic promotion spot available.
Third-placed Grimsby are a further 12 points in arrears, too far back it seems to figure in the final sprint for the finishing line.
With only 20 miles between them, BBC Sport takes a look at the two West Country promotion hopefuls.
Manchester United v Liverpool, El Clasico, the Old Firm derby - while 'El Glosico' might not have the profile of football's most famous rivalries, it has been one of the closest this season.
The two sides have been inseparable in the league, drawing 2-2 at the New Lawn in September and 1-1 at Cheltenham two months later.
With so much at stake, there might perhaps be some bad blood between the clubs - not so, according to Cheltenham manager Gary Johnson.
"I think both teams have been respectful towards each other because we're trying to achieve the same thing," he told BBC Sport.
"For me, the best scenario would be that both teams would go up, that'd be good."
His view is echoed by Rovers' former Birmingham City and West Brom midfielder Darren Carter, who spent the 2012-13 campaign at Cheltenham.
"It's been great this year for Gloucestershire football that we both have been battling to get into the Football League," he said.
"We want to go up automatically and it'd be nice to see Cheltenham go up through the play-offs."
Cheltenham received some gentle mockery when they renamed their Whaddon Road home as the World of Smile Stadium in July, but Johnson's side have given fans plenty to grin about.
Having suffered relegation after a 16-year stay in the Football League last season, the Robins went 22 games unbeaten between September and March, beating a club record set in the 1994-95 season.
The team has been completely rebuilt for the new campaign, with 23 players signed on loan or on permanent deals.
"Myself and my brother Pete, our chief scout, made sure that we started very early, and we were writing names in the sand on holiday in the summer and thinking about who we could bring in," Johnson said.
"They all knew that what we had to do was win the league.
"I think people that didn't feel they could take that pressure probably turned us down.
"So we had that group that had confidence in me, in themselves and in our club to produce what we were saying - that was a big thing."
Despite being unable to stave off relegation after being appointed on an interim basis in March 2015, former Bristol City and Yeovil boss Johnson was given a two-year contract.
"I've known a few of our managers by being involved with the club over the years, but Gary is probably the best or one of the best we've ever had," fan-elected director Clive Gowing said.
"He's not a man who panics, he's very level-headed and he's certainly bought into the whole ethos of the club.
"If we do end the season the way we want to end it, massive credit must go to Gary."
Owned by Dale Vince, a multi-millionaire environmentalist and former new-age traveller, Forest Green are not your average football club.
They have taken pies and burgers off the menu as the world's first vegan football club, and plans are in place for a £100m 'Eco Park' to house a new 5,000-seater ground.
"It's a different experience, but it's a very friendly club as well and the chairman does a good job of making everyone feel welcome," Carter, who joined Forest Green after being released by Northampton, told BBC Sport.
"The ambition at the club isn't any different, it's just there's things that go on around the club and off the field that are a lot different."
Ady Pennock's side made the Conference play-offs for the first time last year and set a fifth-tier record by winning nine games to start this season.
It has been quite a turnaround by a club which was relegated in 2010, but reprieved when Salisbury were demoted for a breach of financial rules.
"We've already eclipsed the most points the club's ever got at this level," Carter added.
"I think 79 was the previous total and we're on 81 now. We're going to hopefully finish the season the highest that the club has ever finished, and hopefully do something that's never been done and get the club into the Football League.
"It's a big incentive for us as players that we can take the club somewhere it's never been and have a little bit of folklore of our own for the club."
With eight games to go, the final charge for the line has begun - and there can be no dead-heat. | As the Cheltenham Festival draws to a close, two Gloucestershire football teams are involved in a two-horse race of their own. |
40409351 | Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health board said a section of the cladding on Singleton Hospital in Swansea will be removed and inspected as a precaution.
But it stressed the cladding was not combustible and not the same product used on the Kensington tower.
It said it would take "immediate action" if experts raise any concerns.
The health board confirmed Reynobond PE, the cladding material that was in Grenfell Tower, had not been used in any of its buildings.
It added: "All our buildings conform to fire and safety regulations and have been signed off by building control and the fire authority."
Singleton Hospital underwent a £3m facelift between 2010 and 2012, which included cladding the building with external insulated panels.
The cladding was aimed at saving energy and cutting annual heating bills by about £10,000.
Meanwhile, Hywel Dda health board said it had "undertaken an urgent review of all our buildings with cladding as part of our estates fire risk assessment".
Joe Teape, the health board's director of operations, added: "In line with those findings, we are reviewing our fire safety procedures and reporting fully to Welsh Government."
BBC Wales has also asked the other five health boards if any of their buildings have exterior cladding and insulation, and if they have carried out tests, or plan to do so.
They are yet to respond. | Cladding at one of Wales' major hospitals is to be checked in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in north London. |
28225043 | Elizabeth Butler-Sloss was chosen by the home secretary to head the inquiry into allegations of historical abuse.
But Labour's Simon Danczuk said her position was tainted because her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was Attorney General in the 1980s.
Downing Street said the peer "commands widespread respect and confidence".
Baroness Butler-Sloss was announced on Tuesday as head of a wide-ranging probe into how allegations of abuse by politicians and other powerful figures in public institutions such as the NHS, the church and the BBC in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s were handled.
MPs and victims claim she is too close to the establishment, particularly as Sir Michael was Attorney General at the time of the alleged paedophile scandal.
But Alison Millar, the lawyer who represents alleged victims of child abuse, said she doubted her clients would think Lady Butler-Sloss was the right person for the job, especially given the connection with her brother.
Sir Michael faced criticism after he sought to stop Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens from naming in Parliament a top diplomat - Sir Peter Hayman - as a paedophile in the early 1980s.
But Lady Butler-Sloss said she was unaware of her brother having any role, as attorney general, in the paedophile controversy in the 1980s.
"I know absolutely nothing about it," she told the BBC. "If people think I am not suitable then that's up to them."
Asked if she would consider her position or make further comment if calls continued for her to stand down, she added: "I am certainly not going to be talking to the BBC or anyone else about this any further."
Her nephew, the actor Nigel Havers, told BBC Radio 4's The World at One, that he knew his aunt well and he was sure that if she felt there was any chance of bias, she would not have taken on the job.
The former Chariots of Fire and Coronation Street actor, added that she had "had no political ties" to his father and knew nothing about the alleged events in the 1980s in Parliament.
A Number 10 spokesman rebuffed suggestions the peer would be unable to investigate all areas of the abuse inquiry because of her brother's involvement in the controversy as Attorney General in the early 1980s.
The spokesman declined to say whether the PM was aware of her brother's position prior to her appointment, adding: "His view is she commands widespread respect and confidence."
The suitability of Lady Butler-Sloss did not come up at Prime Minister's Questions, although the remit of her planned inquiry did.
In response to a question from Labour leader Ed Miliband at Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron said it "may well be time" to back calls by the NSPCC's Peter Wanless - in charge of a separate review into how the Home Office responded to child sex abuse allegations in the 1980s - to make covering up abuse a criminal offence.
Earlier Mr Danczuk, who has investigated child sex abuse allegations against former Liberal MP Cyril Smith, said the revelations of a family connection with Sir Michael meant Lady Butler-Sloss' position was compromised.
"I think the government should think again in terms of who they have appointed for this position," he said.
"I think she should consider her position. I find it quite surprising that neither she nor the government realised her relationship with her brother was connected to Geoffrey Dickens.
"It beggars belief that that wasn't considered in the first place."
Why has this come up now?
Labour MP Simon Danczuk last week called on Leon Brittan to say what the then home secretary did with documents he was passed in the 1980s containing allegations about powerful figures and paedophilia.
What happened to the files?
Lord Brittan passed them to Home Office officials. A 2013 review found 114 documents were unaccounted for. The review found the minister had acted appropriately.
What did the papers allege?
The allegations, compiled by Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens, were set to "blow the lids off" the lives of powerful child abusers, the MP's son has said. The late Mr Dickens said he planned to expose eight such figures.
Read more: 1980s child abuse claims explained
Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, chairman of the Commons health select committee, has also cast doubt on whether Lady Butler-Sloss can continue. She wrote on Twitter: "Not doubting her integrity but hard to see why Baroness Butler-Sloss would want to accept a role so many regard as conflicted at the outset."
Keith Vaz, Labour chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee said he was surprised at the selection, pointing out that while Lady Butler-Sloss was "distinguished" she was also a member of the House of Lords.
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said the peer was "categorically not the right person to lead child abuse inquiry," because of the involvement of her brother, adding: "No one should be expected to investigate a close member of their own family as part of an official enquiry. "
And Ms Millar, head of the abuse law team at Leigh Day Solicitors, urged the peer to step down.
"There needs to be not a shred of doubt that this inquiry is not an establishment cover up - and the concern really is that she is just too close to the establishment, particularly with this connection to Sir Michael Havers," she told the BBC.
Ms Millar represents some of the alleged victims of the Elm Guest House in London - the location where a number of sex abuse cases were alleged to have taken place.
But former Tory children's minister Tim Loughton stressed the inquiry was "not a one woman show" and Lady Butler-Sloss would have a panel of independently-minded people working with her.
"Frankly, I despair," he told the BBC. "We're getting to the stage where even if the Queen were asked to chair this inquiry, there would be those saying there's a conflict of interest. If I'd been the home secretary, I would've appointed Elizabeth Butler-Sloss as well.
"We need somebody who has huge integrity, who has respect, who has great independence and has the expertise and knowledge to focus this inquiry... there are few people able to do it and Elizabeth Butler-Sloss is the obvious choice."
Labour MP John Mann said "multiple copies" of Geoffrey Dickens' abuse dossier, which he passed to then Home Secretary Leon Brittan in the 1980s, had been circulated.
He claimed the only reason why people were not coming forward to say anything about them was because they were bound by the Official Secrets' Act.
"They need the gagging clause removed... they fear being prosecuted," he told the BBC.
Lady Butler-Sloss was coroner for the inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Al Fayed until she stepped down in 2007.
She is also a former president of the Family Division of the High Court and was chair of the Cleveland Child Abuse Inquiry,
Despite her experience, BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Norman Smith said MPs had also raised question marks over her age - she will be 81 next month.
A Home Office spokesman, however, defended the appointment of Lady Butler-Sloss despite her family link to the controversy.
"Baroness Butler-Sloss has had a long and distinguished career at the highest levels of this country's legal system," he said. "Her work leading the Cleveland child abuse inquiry and as president of the High Court Family Division make her the perfect person to lead this important piece of work.
"As the Permanent Secretary told the Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday, the integrity of Baroness Butler-Sloss is beyond reproach and we stand by her appointment unreservedly."
A source added: "She is a person of impeccable credentials and experience. Her record stands for itself regardless of her brother." | The retired judge appointed to chair a child abuse review has insisted she will not quit - as the PM claimed she was the right person for the job. |
37873212 | Almost half of children deemed to be in need of council support by the end of March this year were victims of domestic violence.
And poor mental health was an issue in more than a third of cases, according to Department for Education statistics.
The NSPCC said the figures were "troubling".
The overall number of children deemed to be "in need" by social services across England stood at 394,000 - a slight rise of 0.9% on the 2015 figure of 391,000 and "relatively stable", according to the government.
Of these, 50,310 were the subject of a child protection plan - up 1.2% on 2015's 49,700 and a figure which continues to rise, having been less than 40,000 in 2010.
The children on the books of social services in March faced an array of problems, the figures suggest.
These include:
The largest age group was 10-to-15-year-olds, accounting for 30.6% of the children, while just under a quarter were below five years old and 52.7% of the total group were boys.
An NSPCC spokeswoman said the fact that mental health was identified as a factor in more than a third of cases "highlights why more than ever we need swift and appropriate help for those who are suffering with mental health issues".
She added: "We also know that nine in 10 children who have been abused go on to suffer mental health problems before they reach the age of 18."
The NSPCC is calling on the government to provide improved mental health support for children who have suffered abuse.
The Local Government Association said councils had faced significant funding cuts while the number of children needing help had risen.
"We cannot allow such an unsustainable pressure to build up on a service that protects our most vulnerable children," said Richard Watts, chairman of the LGA's Children and Young People Board.
"Our analysis... warns children's services face a £1.9bn funding gap by 2020. It is vital that local authorities have the resources they need to keep children and young people safe."
Mr Watts said the LGA backed urgent improvements and more investment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, particularly for children in care.
A Department for Education spokesman said keeping children safe from harm was of "paramount importance" and added: "We want to make sure that social workers are supported to make the right decisions for the families they look after.
"That's why in July this year we published plans to improve children's social care, including strengthening protection for the most vulnerable, identifying children at risk as soon as possible and transforming the support available." | Domestic violence and poor mental health are the biggest issues facing children on the books of social services in England, new figures show. |
39541999 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The 34-year-old was vastly superior in the flyweight contest, which was held over four, two-minute rounds.
"I was a bit too eager to get the stoppage as I wanted to entertain the crowd, " said Leeds-born Adams.
As an amateur, Adams won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
She also won Commonwealth, European and World titles before switching to the professional ranks in January and signing with promoter Frank Warren.
Her next fight is scheduled for 13 May in Leeds.
Adams was aggressive against 32-year-old Carcamo and looked quicker and faster than her opponent in a comfortable victory.
"I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it," Adams told BT Sport. "You can see a lot more without the headguard. I loved it. I'm here to stay."
Speaking to BBC Sport, she added: "I was absolutely buzzing when I went out there and with experience I will learn to settle down and get into my flow faster.
"I am happy with how my training camp is going, it is a steady learning curve and I am learning new things. As my fights progress I will get better and better in the ring."
Adams became the first woman to box for England in 2001 and joined the Great Britain squad in 2010. In beating China's Ren Cancan to win flyweight gold at London 2012, she became the first Olympic women's boxing champion.
She also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2015 European Games and 2016 World Championships, before retaining her Olympic title by beating France's Sarah Ourahmoune in Rio.
The second Olympic title made her the first British boxer to retain gold in 92 years. | Great Britain's double Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams marked her professional debut with a 40-36 points victory over Argentina's Virginia Carcamo in Manchester. |
34311423 | In three weeks, Roy Barreto will reopen the restaurant he had boarded up during the monsoon, in anticipation of a new season of business.
He is hoping the October sun, and the charter flights that come with it, will bring in more customers to his seafood restaurant Betty's Place, on the banks of the Sal river in south Goa.
This year, he is also hoping his favourite customers - the British holidaymakers - will return to the state.
"The British are adventurous. They go out every day, and want to try different activities. They were the main takers for our day-long dolphin, birdwatching and backwater cruises," says Mr Barreto. He remembers a time when the winter sunseekers from the UK were the largest group of foreign visitors to Goa.
That was, of course, before recession hit Europe, the holiday market graph went south and Mr Barreto's business took a direct hit.
The highpoint was the 1990s when some 190,000 Britons headed to Goa for 14-night seaside getaways before security issues post-9/11 threw the global travel sector out of whack.
By 2014 though, Russian tour operators had managed to sell Goa holidays to 189,000 Russians, outnumbering the 129,000 British arrivals - both still the largest chunk of Goa's 513,000 foreign visitors, according to the Economic Survey of Goa.
This year, though, Goa is waking up to the fact that the Russian market has also almost gone bust. Sanctions, low oil prices and the falling rouble have hit the Russian economy.
As a result, charter flights have dropped to 895 in 2014-15 from 1,128 in 2013-14.
Goa's tourism trade body (TTAG) and a state-level marketing committee went into a huddle and decided to step up efforts to bring back British and West European travellers.
The issue figured in the state legislative assembly in August, when a legislator from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party, Michael Lobo, said Britons were avoiding Goa due to rising incidents of bag snatching, the murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling and Goa's inability to solve its garbage management problems.
Another reason behind the drastic drop in visitors was India tightening its visa regime in 2008 after the Mumbai attacks. Single-entry visas replaced multiple-entry ones and long visa queues became the norm. Those exiting the country could only return after two months - now reduced to two weeks - and tourist visa holders still have to leave the country after 180 days.
The TTAG concentrated on fixing the things it could.
It lobbied the government in Delhi to extend e-visa and visa-on-arrival facilities to visitors from the UK, Scandinavia, and Western Europe.
It petitioned the authorities to reduce visa fees for British visitors to £40 ($62) for a one-month tourist visa from £105 ($163), sidestepping the reciprocity principle that normally underpins visa fees.
TTAG also pushed for a rollback of proposed increases in aircraft landing fees and managed to secure three extra landing slots per week for Thomas Cook aircraft bringing British tourists from Gatwick, according to spokesman Ralph de Souza.
"It was only after we did an in-depth study and presented the economic spin-offs to the ministry, were we able to have the system eased," he said.
Former construction professional Robert Drury, 62, who, since 2007, has been spending most of his year in Goa's Arpora, says the two-month rule has been particularly expensive.
"Now we just go back to the UK or maybe Thailand for two weeks after our 180 days are up. I don't think there's any place else I'd rather be. The cost of living is cheap, the sunny weather is perfect for my health, and there's a terrific selection of restaurants my wife and I can frequent."
A former risk manager in London and Nigeria, Paul Gatward says that though Sri Lanka and Malaysia are also wooing long-term visitors, and Thailand and Vietnam may be marginally cheaper, "Goa is perceived as a far easier place to come and spend time. English is widely spoken, it is peaceful, touristy, coastal, and the locals can be very helpful".
But the big question is whether Goa will be able to woo back the two-week holidaymaker who once headed there for a quiet soak in the sun.
Britain's Monarch Holidays is already marketing the reduced visa fees.
Guitry Velho, manager of the Heritage Village Club hotel in south Goa's Arrosim, is upbeat. "We have always had a majority of British tourists. They appreciate us and what we provide for them, and tend to stay for a minimum of 14 nights just enjoying South Goa."
Hotelier and TTAG head Francisco de Braganca said: "The feedback is that they are the most preferred guests, the kind every hotelier and restaurant owner is most comfortable with." | Pamela D'Mello explains why India's western state of Goa is making a concerted effort to woo back tourists from Britain. |
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West Indies, whose senior team are struggling, beat India by five wickets in Bangladesh to seal the title.
Pacemen Ryan John and Alzarri Joseph each took three wickets as West Indies bowled out India for 145 in Dhaka.
Keacy Carty made an unbeaten 52 and Keemo Paul 40 as Windies chased down the total with three balls to spare.
It is the first major title for the West Indies at any level since Darren Sammy's senior team won the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012.
And it raises hopes that they have a crop of young players who could make their mark in senior cricket.
Test and one-day captain Jason Holder and former skipper Chris Gayle were among the senior players to praise the "future stars" on their maiden title.
Under-19 skipper Shimron Hetmyer said: "We were not supposed to be the champions, but we did it. Words can't explain how good I feel."
The Twenty20 side are currently in dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over player payments for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in India.
The WICB has set the players a deadline of 14 February to accept the terms on offer, and any players who refuse the remuneration package will not be considered for selection for the tournament, which starts its Super 10 stage on 15 March.
In addition, the one-day side has dropped below Bangladesh and Pakistan in the ICC rankings to miss out on qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy.
And the Test side, who once went unbeaten for 15 years and 29 series between 1980 and 1995, now sit eighth in the ICC rankings. | West Indies winning the ICC Under-19 World Cup was described as the "best cricket news in years" by former England captain Michael Vaughan. |
39477846 | But there's no time for viewers to recover - as showrunner Scott Gimple is already teasing the next season.
"The first four episodes will melt people's minds and break their televisions," he told fan show Talking Dead.
The eighth season begins in October, with the series premiere also marking the show's 100th episode.
"It's gonna be bigger, it's gonna be more intense. I always mean that, but this year it's the same thing - more intense," Gimple said.
Unfortunately, there's one character who won't be progressing to season eight.
US viewers watching the season seven finale on Sunday evening will have seen Sasha fail to make it out of the episode alive.
Her death had been predicted by some fans after it was announced in December that actress Sonequa Martin-Green would be joining Star Trek: Discovery.
There was speculation she wouldn't be able to juggle major roles in both shows, but her character's fate was only confirmed on Sunday.
Sasha joined the show in the third season as Tyreese's sister, but her character was never in the comic book series.
UK viewers will be able to watch the season seven finale on Monday evening, when it airs on Fox UK.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Fans of The Walking Dead are still picking their jaws up off the floor after Sunday evening's season finale. |
36924943 | Kathryn and Gregg Brain have been trying to comply with visa requirements so they and their son Lachlan, seven, can remain in Britain.
The family moved to Scotland in 2011 on Mrs Brain's student visa.
They had expected to be able to move on to a post-study work visa but that scheme was scrapped in 2012.
The Brain family had until midnight on Monday to secure the extension to their visa.
Earlier they had said they remained "hopeful" of avoiding deportation.
For months, Mrs Brain has been seeking a job that meets current visa rules.
She had been offered a temporary administrative post at distillery business GlenWyvis in May, but the offer was subsequently withdrawn as it did not meet the requirements of a UK Tier Two visa.
The Home Office has previously granted temporary extensions to their stay. A spokesman said: "All visa applications are considered on their individual merits, and applicants must provide evidence to show they meet the requirements of the immigration rules."
Asked on the BBC's Reporting Scotland programme at 18:30 if there was anything happening to give the family hope of a reprieve, Mr Brain said: "We have heard nothing from the Home Office.
"Ian Blackford, our MP, spoke to us about an hour ago and told us of the efforts he is still continuing to make on our behalf.
"We are still hopeful that the UK government will see that the honourable solution is to give us what they promised us when they encouraged us to come here six years ago."
He added: "We've been in communication with our immigration lawyer talking through options about our best path forward from here.
"We're still hopeful that either the UK government will honour the deal that they put to us or an employer will come forward.
"If that happens, even at this late stage, Robert Goodwill, the immigration minister, has said if it is just a matter of getting paperwork together then he would certainly consider granting us an extension for that purpose."
Speaking earlier Mr Brain said the family has racked up a five-figure debt in their fight with the Home Office and the prospect of deportation has made him physically sick.
The family has had to move four times in recent months after their landlord accused them of "criminal activity" despite being legally entitled to live in the UK until their visa expires, he said.
Mr Brain added: "It's not that there is anything that we don't like about Australia, we certainly love the place, but we would be going back homeless, jobless and significantly in debt having racked up a five-figure sum in our dealings with the Home Office to date."
He also claimed that a "post-study work visa has been reintroduced for a few prestigious English universities", which he said meant that "the visa we're being told we can't have is now being offered again".
But the Home Office dismissed any suggestion that the post-study work visa had been reintroduced at Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and University College London.
It said it had launched a "carefully targeted pilot scheme" on 25 July for universities to attract top international students and remain competitive.
The two-year pilot will simplify the visa application process for Masters students, and grant them an additional six months leave to remain after the end of the course to find a graduate job under Tier Two visa rules, the Home Office said.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, along with SNP MPs Angus Robertson and Ian Blackford and MSP Kate Forbes, have been among those calling on the Home Office to allow the family to remain in the UK.
And actor Tom Conti said he would provide money to the Brain family to ensure they maintain a minimum balance in their bank account in order to meet visa requirements, as he compared the Home Office's actions to the Soviet Union.
He told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "If you're not allowed to work, how do you maintain a minimum balance? If that would help - I remember the figure £3,000 was mentioned, they have to have that - I would happily give them that if it would help.
"But the Home Office has to really behave properly and not do things that we'd expect of the Soviet Union or Iran and move the goalposts when people have moved their families in good faith." | The deadline for an Australian family living in the Highlands to secure an extension to their stay in the UK has passed. |
38725324 | The news was confirmed by Glenavon on Monday night as they revealed Mitchell would move to the club he supported as a boy on a three-year deal.
Dungannon boss Rodney McAree has been resigned to losing the striker.
"Joining the team I supported as a kid is an absolute dream," Mitchell told Glenavon's website.
"I'm really looking forward to getting back to Mourneview and playing from the start of next season."
Mitchell has scored 19 goals for Dungannon this season and he has vowed to give his all for the Tyrone club during the remainder of this season.
"Rodney (McAree) has been absolutely fantastic and everybody at Dungannon Swifts has been very supportive.
"It's been a very difficult decision to make over the last wee while."
Glenavon manager Gary Hamilton expressed "delight" at convincing the striker to move to Mourneview Park. | Dungannon Swifts striker Andrew Mitchell will join Glenavon next season after signing a pre-contract agreement with the Lurgan Blues. |
36159534 | The world number 11 came back from 9-1 down against Hong Kong's Fu, only to lose 13-11.
"I shouldn't use that match against Ronnie as an excuse but it just seems to have happened every time I've won a big match here," Hawkins said.
"In the next session I have come out and been terrible."
Hawkins had to face Fu less than 15 hours after his epic victory over pre-tournament favourite O'Sullivan, which he completed late on Monday.
"It must have some sort of effect on me because you're buzzing all night and can't sleep," Hawkins, 37, added.
"I felt really good at the end. I thought if I could just get going I wouldn't lose a decider.
"It was a battle to get back into that match but that first session cost me and it was too much of a mountain to climb after that."
But Hawkins, who had reached at least the last four at the Crucible in his previous three visits, felt upbeat about next season after a much-improved 2016.
The London-born left hander was a beaten finalist in the Masters at the start of the year and also made the semi-finals of the Players Championship.
"I have to draw the positives because I almost pulled off an amazing comeback," the 2013 World Championship runner-up said. "And since Christmas I've been good - I was a bit ropey before Christmas and my form wasn't good.
"I've had some good tournaments in 2016 and a great result here beating Ronnie - it is something I will look back on in years to come.
"Not many people have done that here over the years and it was all positive after Christmas so I've got to take that into next season now." | Barry Hawkins said his draining final-frame win over Ronnie O'Sullivan was the reason for his "terrible" start in his quarter-final defeat by Marco Fu. |
38974767 | Plaid Cymru said it wanted an "alternative vision" of banking that "does not abandon its customers".
The party said a further 36 branches were expected to close in 2017.
The Welsh Government said banking regulation was not devolved "but we expect banks to offer services to customers across Wales and to not disadvantage rural communities".
AM Adam Price, Plaid's party economy spokesman, said a people's bank would be a "network of locally owned" banks similar to that seen in other European countries.
"I think it's time for us to think of an alternative model... which actually uses the money which you and I put into our bank accounts," he said.
"That's there then to flow out into lending to other local citizens and businesses so we can drive the future of our economy."
Mr Price said there would be a role for the Welsh Government potentially through the planned Development Bank for Wales, "to act as a hub".
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "As part of our work to improve financial services for businesses we are establishing a new Development Bank of Wales with a dedicated intelligence unit to better target financial services and advice for micro, small and medium sized businesses in Wales."
In a debate on Wednesday, Plaid Cymru will call on Welsh ministers to examine the steps needed in regulations and new laws to set up alternative models of banking.
The past few months have seen a steady stream of branch closures announcements.
In January, HSBC announced nine branches were to close in Wales, while the previous month NatWest revealed it was shutting nine north Wales banks.
In November, Lloyds Bank said it was shutting 10 branches. | Calls have been made for a people's bank after a series of branch closure announcements across Wales. |
39354627 | Red blood cells can already be made in the lab, but the problem is scale.
A team at the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant have developed a method to produce an unlimited supply.
The artificial blood will be far more expensive than conventional donation. So it is likely to be used for people with very rare blood types.
The old technique involved taking a type of stem cell that manufactures red blood cells in the body and coaxing it to do so in the lab.
However, each cell eventually burns out and produces no more than 50,000 red blood cells.
The trick developed by the Bristol team was to trap the stem cells at an early stage where they grow in number indefinitely.
It is known as making them immortal.
Once the researchers have this group of cells, they can just trigger them to become red blood cells.
Dr Jan Frayne, one of the researchers, said: "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical use.
"We've grown litres of it."
The work is far from over.
The researchers now have the biological resource to mass produce red blood cells, but they still need the manufacturing technology for mass production.
It is like the difference between home-brewing beer and a large brewery.
A bag of blood contains about a trillion red blood cells.
Prof David Anstee, another of the researchers, told the BBC: "There is a bioengineering challenge.
"To produce that much at scale is quite a challenge, and really the next phase of our work is to look at methods of expanding the yield."
The cost will be a massive barrier to wide-scale use of manufactured blood.
NHS Blood and Transplant says it has no plans "in any way at all" to move away from traditionally donated blood.
However, it can be almost impossible to match some people's blood - often from minority ethnicities - with a donor.
Prof Anstee added: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare blood groups, because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to source."
Safety trials of lab-made blood are already planned for later this year.
The study was published in Nature Communications.
Follow James on Twitter. | Scientists say they have made a significant leap towards mass-producing red blood cells suitable for donation. |
39498426 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Moyes has apologised for what he said to Vicki Sparks after an interview following a draw with Burnley in March.
Sunderland are standing by the Scot, who has been asked to give his observations on the incident by the FA.
"It's really good to have the support and I'm really grateful to them," Moyes told BBC Radio 5 live.
When asked if he had thought his position was under threat following the comments, he said: "No. I felt I had made my apology, there had been no complaint from Vicki Sparks, and because of that, everything was fine."
He also said it was his idea to offer an apology, adding: "As I said at the time, I regret my words."
In his post-match news conference following Tuesday's 2-0 loss at Leicester, he admitted that he had been "surprised, in many ways" by the reaction to his comments.
"The world of football is a great business now," he added. "It employs an incredible amount of people now, be it through the media or on the training grounds, and for that reason it is a big talking point."
In the interview in question, Moyes was asked by Sparks if the presence of owner Ellis Short had put extra pressure on him.
He said it had not but, after the interview, added Sparks "might get a slap even though you're a woman" and told her to be "careful" next time she visited.
Both Moyes and Sparks were laughing during the exchange and the former Everton and Manchester United manager later apologised to the reporter, who did not make a complaint.
Moyes revealed on Monday that the club knew about the incident soon after it occurred.
In a statement on Tuesday, the club said: "The exchange between the manager and a BBC reporter was wholly unacceptable and such actions are not condoned or excused in any way.
"David recognised this immediately, proactively bringing the matter to the attention of the CEO and apologising to the reporter.
"The club also spoke with both a senior figure at the BBC and the reporter personally, expressing its profound regret over what had occurred.
"The matter was treated with the utmost seriousness from the outset and the swift and decisive action taken by the club and the manager at the time ensured that it was resolved to the satisfaction of the reporter and the BBC, which was the priority.
"With both the BBC and the reporter agreeing that appropriate action had been taken at the time, the club continues to fully support David in his role as manager of Sunderland AFC."
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His comments have been criticised by shadow sports minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan and Women in Football, with the latter saying it was "deeply disappointed and concerned" but "pleased that David Moyes has apologised".
Football Association chairman Greg Clarke said: "It was regrettable, it was distasteful and I think it showed a complete lack of respect. And we in the game stand for respect.
"But I don't think it undermines football's desire to be inclusive and respectful. Every now and again, we will have to remind people of the high standards we need to observe in football."
When asked if it was sexist, Clarke said: "It could have been interpreted as such.
"I think it's doubly bad to use such a term to a woman because there is a lot of violence against women in society and terms like that aren't just disrespectful, I think they are bad examples.
"I regret that it happened and I'm sure that David Moyes regrets that it happened."
The chief executive of Domestic violence charity Women's Aid, Polly Neate, said: "We cannot be complacent about remarks like these from influential men.
"We urge the FA to act swiftly and take this opportunity to send out a clear and strong message to the footballing community that there is no place for sexism and misogyny in modern football."
Speaking in a news conference on Monday, Moyes said: "I deeply regret the comments I made.
"That's certainly not the person I am. I've accepted the mistake. I spoke to the BBC reporter, who accepted my apology."
The BBC confirmed that Moyes and Sparks had spoken about the exchange and the issue had been resolved.
A spokesman said: "Mr Moyes has apologised to our reporter and she has accepted his apology."
Sunderland are bottom of the Premier League on 20 points, eight points from safety. | Sunderland boss David Moyes says that he never felt his job was in danger following his comments to a BBC reporter that she might "get a slap". |
22501385 | Media playback is not supported on this device
He took his second victory of the year and moved into third place in the championship with a four-stop strategy while Raikkonen did three.
Ferrari's Felipe Massa was third and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel fourth.
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton faded to sixth and 12th after starting from the front row.
The Mercedes cars struggled with high tyre usage, their bugbear for several years, and were unable to hold onto their positions at the head of the field.
Rosberg, who did three stops, managed his tyres better than Hamilton, who made four, but was unable to sustain a competitive pace.
"You feel the support from everyone and it helped," said Alonso. "We want to do well here in front of our fans. We did it and we are happy for that but we don't want to stop here obviously."
Alonso laid the foundations for his victory by moving up from his fifth place on the grid to third with a superlative passing move on the first lap, overtaking both Raikkonen and Hamilton around the outside of the fast Turn Three.
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Alonso trailed Rosberg and Vettel until the first pit stops, during which he leapfrogged Vettel, and took the lead from Rosberg again around the outside into Turn One at the start of lap 13.
From then on, the question was whether Alonso could build enough of a lead to enable him to make an extra pit stop and still beat Raikkonen.
He did so comfortably, rejoining from his third stop on lap 36 just five seconds behind Raikkonen, both with one stop remaining and Alonso on much fresher tyres.
It took Alonso only two laps to catch and pass Raikkonen, from where the Spaniard cruised to the 32nd victory of his career, moving him ahead of Nigel Mansell into fourth place in the all-time winners' list behind Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
It also significantly boosted his championship hopes, closing his deficit to leader Vettel from 30 to 17 points. Raikkonen stays second, just four points behind the German.
Hamilton slipped from third to fourth place in the championship, but is 22 points behind Alonso and only five ahead of Massa.
After losing the lead to Alonso, Raikkonen was left comfortably ahead of Massa, who made a bid to close in on the Finn before Raikkonen responded with six laps to go to show he was in control.
"Obviously we want to win and it is disappointing to finish second but sometimes you have to take what you can get," said Raikkonen. "Hopefully we can achieve the big goal in the end."
Vettel appeared for a while to be trying the same three-stop strategy as Raikkonen, stopping at similar times to the Finn in the early part of the race.
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But without the race pace to challenge for the lead, he made a fourth stop only three laps after Alonso's and had to settle for fourth.
"We just didn't have the tyres to fight with the guys in front," Vettel said. "The start was good and the beginning of the race didn't look too bad, but then we tried to hold on to the three-stop a little bit too much and had to admit towards the end that we wouldn't make it. We can be happy with fourth."
Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber took fifth place on a four-stop strategy that had him in last place on lap eight following an early stop, the Australian moving back through the field with a measured drive as the race progressed.
Scot Paul di Resta and Force India continued to impress with a typically smooth, understated drive to seventh place.
Di Resta closed right in on Rosberg in the final laps, but failed to pass the Mercedes, despite getting alongside him on the run to Turn One with three laps to go.
Jenson Button, meanwhile, moved up from his poor 14th place on the grid on a three-stop strategy to finish eighth, just ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez, who did four from eighth on the grid, while Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo took the final point in 10th.
Result:
1. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 1hr 39mins 16.596secs
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Lotus +00:09.338
3. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 00:26.049
4. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 00:38.273
5. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 00:47.963
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes 01:08.020
7. Paul di Resta (GB) Force India 01:08.988
8. Jenson Button (GB) McLaren 01:19.506
9. Sergio Perez (Mex) McLaren 01:21.738
10. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Toro Rosso 1 lap
11. Esteban Gutierrez (Mex) Sauber 1 lap
12. Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1 lap
13. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 1 lap
14. Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams 1 lap
15. Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Sauber 1 lap
16. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Williams 1 lap
17. Charles Pic (Fra) Caterham 1 lap
18. Jules Bianchi (Fra) Marussia 2 laps
19. Max Chilton (GB) Marussia 2 laps
ret. Jean-Eric Vergne (Fra) Toro Rosso 14 laps
ret. Giedo van der Garde (Ned) Caterham 45 laps
ret. Romain Grosjean (Fra) Lotus 58 laps | Ferrari's Fernando Alonso sent his home crowd into raptures by beating Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen to win the Spanish Grand Prix. |
30972439 | Sylvia, a Japanese Shiba Inu, was discovered in the sea by a dog walker at the western entrance of the Menai Strait near Caernarfon on Saturday.
She had vanished on Newborough beach on the island's west coast a week ago.
Her owner Janice Bannister had spent £750 hiring a helicopter to search the area.
People from all over the UK joined her on Saturday to help look for Sylvia after her story attracted huge support, while a facebook campaign was started to help find her.
"We were all out looking for her when the news came though that she had been found," said Mrs Bannister, of Telford, Shropshire.
"We were all devastated. The coastguards were out searching with us at the time but they went to the point where she was found - a very treacherous place - and they carried her back to me in a blanket.
"She's at home with us now and we're going to bury her."
Mrs Bannister said she had been comforted by the "thousands" of messages she had received on social media and now wants to raise money for the coastguards in the area.
She also hopes to have a memorial bench for Sylvia on Newborough beach, if she is given permission.
"I really want to put something back into the local community because they have been so good and without the coastguards I wouldn't have had any closure.," she added.
"We're determined to make sure she didn't die in vain." | A missing dog whose owner hired a helicopter to look for her has been found drowned a few miles from where she disappeared on Anglesey. |
37860501 | The annual welfare payment limit drops from £26,000 to £20,000 everywhere in Britain, outside London, on 7 November.
The Children's Society said saving cash by taking help from the "poorest children" was "unnecessary and unfair".
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the cap provided a "clear incentive to move into a job".
The Children's Society figures are based on DWP statistics on the number of households the lower cap will apply to, and the charity's estimate of the likely number of children in the homes involved.
The welfare cap cut was announced by former Chancellor George Osborne in July 2015, saying it was "not fair" that people out of work could earn more than those in work.
The cap applies to a range of benefits, including child benefit, income support and housing benefit.
Children's Society chief executive Matthew Reed said: "We fully support efforts to make work pay, but it is not right to achieve this by putting more children on the breadline.
"Even at this late stage we would urge ministers to exclude children's benefits from the cap so that children and their already struggling families do not suffer even more hardship."
He added: "The policy is targeted at workless adults, but the reality is that children are considerably more likely than adults to lose out and there is nothing fair about trying to balance the books on the backs of poor children."
A DWP spokesman said work was the "best route out of poverty" and that there were now "record numbers of people in work".
"The benefit cap provides a clear incentive to move into a job, even if it is part time, as anyone eligible for working tax credits is exempt," he said.
"People on carers allowance and most disability benefits are also exempt from the cap.
"Even with the new cap, families can still receive benefits up to the equivalent salary of £25,000, or £29,000 in London." | The homes of about 11,000 children in Wales will lose hundreds of pounds a month under a new lower cap on benefit payments, a charity has warned. |
36992010 | The athlete's A sample tested positive for a banned substance in early July.
Reports suggest that neither the athlete's name nor the sport they compete in will be revealed until their B sample has been analysed.
The athlete left the Olympic village hours before the opening ceremony and is the second to be sent home after an Irish boxer failed a test on Thursday. | An unnamed Greek athlete has been expelled from the Rio Olympic Games after failing a drugs test. |
31760946 | It happened on the seam of East and West Jerusalem, on the same junction as a previous attack last year.
Police say the driver tried to stab people before he was shot and seriously wounded by a security guard.
The incident came shortly after Palestinian officials voted to halt security co-operation with Israel.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld described it as a "terrorist attack", adding that the injured officers are in a "light, moderate condition" in hospital.
Local media have identified the attacker as Mohammed Salaymeh and there are reports of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces around his home in East Jerusalem.
The attack took place as the streets were busy with people celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim.
The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) voted to suspend co-operation, part of 1993 peace accords with Israel, at a meeting on Thursday night. The move requires the stamp of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in order to be put into effect.
It follows Israel's decision to suspend the transfer of taxes to the Palestinians after they applied to join the International Criminal Court to pursue war crimes allegations against Israel.
Last year, Palestinian militants killed three Israelis and an Ecuadorian woman in attacks using vehicles in Jerusalem as tensions soared between Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move not recognised internationally.
It regards the whole of Jerusalem as its "eternal and indivisible" capital, while the Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Correction 13 March 2015: The article has been amended to make clear that a suspension of security co-operation with Israel is not automatic. | A Palestinian has rammed his car into a group of Israeli pedestrians in Jerusalem, injuring six policewomen, police say. |
37538915 | After the Welsh were held at home by Georgia, Shane Long's early goal gave the Irish the perfect start but Igor Bugaev levelled just before the break.
The Republic were rattled by the equaliser after Wes Hoolahan's artistry had helped them boss the first half.
But McClean's goals in the 69th and 75th minutes eased Irish nerves.
The visitors had appeared in complete control in Chisinau after Hoolahan's perfectly weighted pass was followed by a superb Long finish in the second minute as he ended an 18-game scoring drought for club and country.
But after not being threatened in the opening 44 minutes, Republic keeper Darren Randolph had to pick the ball out of his own net seconds before the interval as Bugaev produced a composed finish after outpacing a badly caught out Shane Duffy.
Relive all the action from Moldova v Rep of Ireland
The Republic endured a few nervous moments after the break but McClean stabbed home from close range before another clever piece of play from Hoolahan released captain Seamus Coleman to tee up the West Brom winger for another close-range finish.
The win moves the Republic two points ahead of Wales in Group D, although Serbia lead the table on goal difference after beating Austria 3-2 on Sunday.
Hoolahan's invention was key to the Republic's win, the 34-year-old Norwich midfielder totally justifying his recall as he and Glenn Whelan replaced the concussed Robbie Brady and suspended Jeff Hendrick from Thursday's win over Georgia.
Hoolahan's gorgeous first-time pass which set up Long's early goal was his stand-out contribution but there were numerous occasions when his speed of thought created openings for Martin O'Neill's side.
While his attacking instincts did result in him taking a few wrong options, Hoolahan's impressive evening was summed up by his delightful nutmeg on Alexandru Dedov which allowed Coleman to square for McClean's clinching third goal.
Once again, Hoolahan's display will leave many Republic fans wondering why he has only accumulated 36 caps in a career which saw him make his first competitive start at the age of 31.
Anything other than a victory over a Moldovan side that lost at home to Liechtenstein in the Euro 2016 qualifiers would have been a big setback for O'Neill's side.
Wales' surprise home draw against Georgia earlier on Sunday suddenly made the Republic's laboured home victory over the same opposition on Thursday look a good result but failing to get the job done in Chisinau would have undone that good work.
Blackburn defender Duffy's poor positioning for Bugaev's sucker punch equaliser as he was caught out by Alexandru Gatcan's harmless looking ball out of defence will be a concern for O'Neill.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Moldova looked dangerous in the 10 minutes following the break before the rattled Irish regrouped as McClean stabbed them back into the lead after James McCarthy's scuffed shot had rebounded into his path off Jonathan Walters.
By that stage, Long was off the field because of injury which led O'Neill to hand a first competitive appearance to Bristol City forward Callum O'Dowda.
After McClean's clinching goal, tempers flared in the closing stages with Walters claiming that he had received a studs-up challenge to his midriff and manager O'Neill raced on to the field to calm the Stoke forward and the fiery McClean.
Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill: "We played excellently in the first half. We should have maybe been two or three in front. Then the goal knocked us back for a while.
"But we came around in the second half. We defended strongly. We created some chances and won the game and it was a big win for us.
"It's great to win away from home. I thought we played with a bit of panache."
The Republic's next Group D qualifier is away to Austria on Saturday, 12 November.
Match ends, Moldova 1, Republic of Ireland 3.
Second Half ends, Moldova 1, Republic of Ireland 3.
Foul by Aleksandru Gatcan (Moldova).
Callum O'Dowda (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Moldova. Conceded by Glenn Whelan.
Corner, Moldova. Conceded by Seamus Coleman.
Attempt blocked. Eugeniu Cebotaru (Moldova) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Veaceslav Posmac with a headed pass.
Foul by David Meyler (Republic of Ireland).
Andrei Cojocari (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by David Meyler (Republic of Ireland).
Eugeniu Cebotaru (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Aleksandru Gatcan (Moldova) is shown the yellow card.
Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland) is shown the yellow card.
Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Alexandru Dedov (Moldova).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Shane Duffy (Republic of Ireland) because of an injury.
Igor Bugaev (Moldova) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Seamus Coleman (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Igor Bugaev (Moldova).
Attempt blocked. James McClean (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Republic of Ireland. Eunan O'Kane replaces Wes Hoolahan.
David Meyler (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Eugeniu Sidorenco (Moldova).
Substitution, Moldova. Eugeniu Sidorenco replaces Gheorghe Andronic.
Foul by Vadim Bolohan (Moldova).
James McClean (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland).
Victor Golovatenco (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Republic of Ireland. David Meyler replaces James McCarthy.
Andrei Cojocari (Moldova) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Andrei Cojocari (Moldova).
James McClean (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Gheorghe Andronic (Moldova) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Wes Hoolahan (Republic of Ireland).
Foul by Aleksandru Gatcan (Moldova).
Callum O'Dowda (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal! Moldova 1, Republic of Ireland 3. James McClean (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Seamus Coleman.
Foul by Victor Golovatenco (Moldova).
Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. | The Republic of Ireland took advantage of Wales' slip-up earlier in the day as two James McClean goals helped them see off Moldova in the World Cup qualifier. |
33152714 | BBC Wales understands ministers want a structure modelled on pre-1996 arrangements, when Wales had eight county councils.
It is understood Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews will set out the case for eight councils.
Mr Andrews is also expected to leave open the option of a nine-council map.
But with elections to the assembly next May, and opposition parties sceptical of the Welsh government's plans, a question mark hangs over whether the reforms will be enacted.
The eight-council model would see the return of historic counties such as Dyfed - re-merging Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion - and West Glamorgan, joining Swansea once more with Neath Port Talbot.
A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "As expected, the Welsh government is focusing solely on a simplistic rearrangement of boundaries.
"Plaid Cymru believes that such an approach will not improve the delivery of public services and runs the risk of destabilising and demotivating local government at this crucial time."
The plans have already proved controversial, with Labour leaders of local authorities calling for the idea to be put to one side until after next year's election.
The announcement comes 18 months after an independent cross-party commission suggested cutting the number of councils to either 10, 11 or 12.
The Welsh government offered councils the chance to merge voluntarily, but three sets of proposed mergers were rejected by Mr Andrews in January.
Welsh Conservative shadow minster for local government, Janet Finch-Saunders, described the process as "a shambles from start to finish".
She added: "Councils should not be forced to merge. It won't work and it's a one-way ticket to disaster.
"This lame excuse for reform will see us jump back in time to a structure long confined to the history books. All this does is serve their own narrow political self-interest."
* There could be further consultation on merging Conwy and Denbighshire to create an additional council in north Wales.
THE CHANGING FACE OF WALES | Plans to cut the number of Welsh councils from 22 to single figures will be published on Wednesday. |
39492217 | She said her daughter had 17 placements in four years and had not attended school regularly for two years.
She also had to wait five months for counselling after being identified as at "risk of sexual exploitation".
The council said the girl is now in a therapeutic residential unit with access to education and a psychologist.
The family and the council cannot be named for legal reasons.
The teenager was taken into care when she was in primary school because her mother could not cope with her challenging behaviour.
Her mother was never accused of neglecting or abusing her.
However, she said instead of being better protected in care, her daughter was at serious risk of harm because of the number of different foster placements she has had.
The girl is now drinking, using cannabis, has been caught shoplifting and is at risk of sexual exploitation online and in the community, her mother added.
She told BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme: "It should never have got to this stage, she's had so many moves, how is that OK?
"My daughter hasn't got a future unless we can get the right help for her now.
"Who is going to help and save her? That's my worry."
The council involved said it was a particularly challenging case because of the child's non-engagement and it said it was continuing to address the issue.
Staff were unaware the girl had taken drugs but believed her risk-taking behaviour had reduced, it added.
It admitted there was a delay in providing specialist counselling but said the risk of sexual exploitation had reduced now she was in a more secure setting.
A spokesman said: "We are satisfied that all procedures and protocols have been followed correctly."
Children's Commissioner for Wales, Dr Sally Holland, would not comment on this particular case but said there was a lack of therapeutic placements for children in care who needed specialist support.
She said she had raised it twice with the Welsh Government.
"I was talking to a social services head last week, who said to me they were particularly concerned about one child, they really needed to find a safe place for her to live as she was coming out of hospital and they approached 100 different providers before they found somewhere safe for her.
"That's the kind of situation that the local authorities are in."
Dr Holland said there were not enough services to help children recover from sexual exploitation - support for victims is funded by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) through police and crime commissioners.
An MoJ spokesman said: "We are committed to making sure that victims of crime get the support they need to cope with and, where possible, recover from crime.
"That is why we are allocating funding of £95m in 2017-18 for crucial support services."
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said improving the life chances for looked-after children was a key priority.
She added that councils had a legal duty to ensure there were enough placements to meet the needs of children in care and they must minimise disruption to the child's education.
"We recognise, however, there are particular challenges to finding an appropriate placement for a child who has complex needs or who needs a particular type of therapeutic support."
She said the Welsh Government was working with councils and other agencies on a national fostering framework to be implemented over the next year. | A woman has called for an investigation into the treatment of her daughter by the council that took her into care. |
39052213 | A major part of the Craigavon-based business is making products for big drugs firms.
It told a Commons committee its customers need it to have a presence in the EU for regulatory reasons.
It said it could face dual processes such as having to certify a product both in NI and Ireland so it can be sold in the EU.
Almac has also warned it may have to move some work to the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland, depending on post-Brexit arrangements.
Company director Colin Hayburn described the Irish facility, in Dundalk, as "a safety net".
He said it would have "minimal" operational requirements in the short term, but could be ramped up when needed.
Mr Hayburn added that if EU-UK regulatory equivalence was achieved as part of Brexit, Almac "should be fine".
But if that equivalence is not achieved it would be a "difficult situation", he added. | NI firm Almac says its decision to buy a factory in the Republic of Ireland was as a direct result of Brexit. |
11462232 | Ken Robinson has told his constituency association in East Antrim that he would not be putting his name forward for next years assembly elections.
On 20 September UUP MLA Robert Coulter announced his retirement from the Assembly.
Mr Coulter is currently the second oldest member of the Assembly after Ian Paisley. | Another Ulster Unionist MLA is leaving the Northern Ireland Assembly. |
36564163 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The match, which ended 2-2, was halted in the 86th minute when flares from the Croatia end rained down on the Saint-Etienne pitch.
Uefa has confirmed it will investigate the incident.
"They are not really Croatia supporters. These people are scary and I call them hooligans," said Cacic.
Croatia have already been charged by Uefa after crowd trouble in their opening Group D game against Turkey.
Uefa said disciplinary proceedings would be opened on Saturday once they had received the official reports about the trouble from the match delegate and English referee Mark Clattenburg.
Cacic also hopes the Croatian FA will take action, adding: "The 95% of Croatian supporters are ashamed in front of Europe.
"These are sports terrorists. This is maybe just a question about six to 10 individuals. I hope they can be identified and punished. I hope the Croatia FA is doing everything to prevent this, but it is impossible to avoid."
Uefa is also expected to open disciplinary proceedings against the Turkish FA after some of the country's fans set off flares at the end of their 3-0 defeat by Spain in Nice.
Before that game, three Spanish "ultras" fans were arrested for trying to bring flares into the stadium, while another three were arrested for carrying neo-Nazi banners.
Croatia were winning 2-1 when trouble broke out, with a number of flares thrown onto the corner of the pitch, while some Croatia fans began fighting among themselves.
Journalist Andy Mitten, who was at the game, told BBC Radio 5 live: "I was in a section full of Croatia fans. The team was playing really well, everything was good, the people around me were happy but then I noticed a big line of police and soldiers building up in front of the Croatia end.
"It became clear they knew something was going to happen and it did happen. I saw fighting. It was horrible to watch."
The Croatian players appealed to their fans to calm down, and after several minutes, play was finally able to resume.
However, with Cacic's side seemingly affected by the events, the Czech Republic equalised in the 93rd minute through Tomas Necid's penalty after a handball.
"We have to say sorry to Uefa, sorry to the Czech Republic and to everyone around the world who loves football," said Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"Most supporters support this team and are real supporters. But 10 individuals can make all these problems. It is clear that the Croatian FA and [Croatian FA president] Davor Suker are fighting against this.
"I hope Uefa can understand this."
Croatia were sanctioned by Fifa last month because of "discriminatory chants by fans" during friendlies with Israel and Hungary in March, meaning they will play their next two 2018 World Cup qualifiers behind closed doors.
Former Croatia boss Slaven Bilic condemned the scenes, but warned there will be more crowd trouble.
The West Ham manager suggested some fans had only travelled to the tournament from Croatia to cause trouble.
"It's unbelievable what those people are doing," Bilic told ITV. "Some of them are there on a mission. It's probably not the last time they'll do it," he said.
"Back home it's not the greatest league, but it's competitive. When there's a big derby between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split people are not taking their kids because they know it'll be dangerous." | Croatia boss Ante Cacic has called the supporters who threw flares on to the pitch in their Euro 2016 draw with the Czech Republic "sports terrorists". |
33664415 | Alexander Monson, 28, son of the 12th Baron Monson and heir to the family estate in Lincolnshire, died in police custody in Mombasa in 2012.
He had been arrested near a resort in the Kenyan coastal town of Diani.
Police said he died of an overdose, but Dr Jason James said he died of brain injuries caused by blunt objects.
Dr James told the inquest in Mobasa that preliminary findings by two pathologists who carried out autopsies independently showed the 28-year-old had injuries to his genitals and the back of his head.
"There was an ill-defined swelling in the … side of the brain ... not attended by laceration," Dr James said.
He said the injuries to the genitals and the head would have caused "substantial pain, discomfort and probably vomiting".
Dr James said he could not say when the injuries had happened.
Mr Monson, a former Marlborough College pupil, was arrested during a night out with friends in a small resort town on the Kenyan south coast.
He was booked into police custody on suspicion of possessing cannabis.
Senior magistrate Richard Odenyo adjourned the inquiry until 6 October. | A British forensic expert has told an inquest in Kenya that the son of a British lord died of brain injuries and not a drug overdose. |
34603576 | In a video shown to jurors at Bristol Crown Court, Nathan Matthews asked officers not to read the prepared statement, in which he admitted killing his 16-year-old stepsister.
He then burst into tears during the interview.
Mr Matthews, 28, and his girlfriend Shauna Hoare, 21, deny murder.
In the written statement, Mr Matthews admitted he had killed Becky after panicking during a plan to kidnap her and scare her.
In the interview, conducted on 3 March, the day after he had handed the confession to police, he said: "Are you going to read that statement? Because obviously I don't want that to be read."
In a further prepared statement given to police on 4 March, Mr Matthews said that although Ms Hoare had been shopping with him in the days after Becky's death, he did not tell her why he was buying various items.
Previously, the jury was told the pair bought items including rubble sacks, cling film, tape and cleaning products.
He also told police he did not believe she could have heard any of the struggle between him and Becky at her home in Crown Hill.
Becky's dismembered body was found in a shed in Bristol in March.
Shauna Hoare told police, in an interview on 2 March, after she was arrested on suspicion of murder, Nathan Matthews had attacked her during their relationship.
She said that on one occasion he had put his hands around her throat, which she found "terrifying".
Miss Hoare also told police she had been unable to use the bathroom at her home in Cotton Mill Lane over the weekend following Becky's disappearance.
In a further interview on 3 March, she told police when they had returned from Becky's family home in Crown Hill on 20 February - the day after Becky's disappearance - she smelled bleach as she was going upstairs.
Mr Matthews told her the toilet was blocked and she said she was unable to use the bathroom for two or three days.
Mr Matthews, 28, of Hazelbury Drive, Warmley, South Gloucestershire, admits killing his stepsister but denies murder and conspiring to kidnap her.
He also admits perverting the course of justice, preventing Becky's burial and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Miss Hoare, 21, of Cotton Mill Lane, Bristol, denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap, the weapons charge, perverting the course of justice and preventing a burial.
Two other men, Donovan Demetrius, 29, and James Ireland, 23, deny assisting an offender.
The trial continues. | The man accused of murdering teenager Becky Watts cried when police read his confession to killing her, a court has heard. |
38252810 | Austin Stack said Mr Adams should give police the name of a senior republican who met the Sinn Fein leader, Mr Stack and his brother Oliver.
Mr Stack told Mr Adams it would be an absolute disgrace if he didn't do so.
Brian Stack was shot in the back of the neck as he left a boxing match in 1983.
Mr Stack, who was the chief prison officer at the high-security Portlaoise Prison, was left paralysed and died 18 months later.
In a statement to the Dail (parliament) on Wednesday, Mr Adams said that during Ireland's general election campaign in February, he had emailed Irish police commissioner Noírín O'Sullivan a list of four republicans who may have been involved.
The Sinn Féin leader said he had been given the names by Austin Stack, who is a senior prison officer himself.
Mr Adams said Austin Stack told him the names were given to him (Mr Stack) by journalists and police sources.
But Mr Stack, who with his brother, Oliver, and Mr Adams met a senior republican with knowledge of his father's murder in 2013 in Northern Ireland, denies handing over any names.
He confronted Mr Adams during a press conference on Thursday and accused him of lying about who provided the names.
He also urged him to give police the name of the senior republican whom he had met with Mr Adams.
In response, Mr Adams said: "I just want to reject absolutely Austin's assertion that I've told lies or untruths. I haven't.
"And of course, as I said in answer to another question, I am quite content to co-operate with the guards [police] in all of these matters."
Meanwhile, the SDLP's Alex Attwood described Mr Adams' statement to the Dail on Wednesday as "bizarre and grotesque".
"In a typically self-serving way, he portrays himself as on the side of angels. Everybody else sees through this," Mr Attwood said. | The son of a senior Irish prison officer murdered by the IRA has confronted Gerry Adams and accused him of lying in the Dail. |
39711928 | It is Signature Living's second purchase in recent weeks, after buying Crumlin Road Courthouse last month.
The listed building, which has been sold by the Ballymena-based Hill family, already has planning permission for hotel use.
Signature has plans for up to five Belfast hotels over the next two years, including a George Best-themed hotel.
The Scottish Mutual building, in Bedford Street in the city centre, will not be the Best hotel.
Signature owns four hotels in Liverpool, including one themed around footballer Bill Shankly, best known for his time as manager of Liverpool FC.
Belfast is undergoing a hotel-building boom with six under construction and planning granted for a further 13 projects.
Signature's owner Lawrence Kenwright said: "The building is currently in a state of disrepair and we will be focusing on sympathetically restoring this stunning, Scottish baronial-style landmark building back to its former glory and architectural beauty.
"By committing £15m to the project, we see this as an investment in Belfast and Northern Ireland's flourishing tourism industry." | A Liverpool-based developer is planning to invest £15m in a new hotel at the Scottish Mutual building in Belfast. |
27753534 | The Spaniard, 28, coped better in hot conditions as he won 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4 in three hours and 31 minutes.
Nadal is the first man ever to win a major title nine times, taking his Grand Slam total to 14.
The victory also means he will remain world number one ahead of Djokovic.
"In matches like this every moment is crucial. Playing against Novak is always a big challenge, I had lost against him the last four times," Nadal said on court.
"I feel sorry for him today, he deserves to win this tournament."
It is the third year in a row that Nadal has ended Djokovic's hopes of winning the one Grand Slam title he lacks, with the Serb in particular struggling on a stifling Parisian afternoon and ending with a double fault on match point.
"Congratulations to Rafa and his team, it is incredible to win this tournament nine times," Djokovic said.
"It was an emotional day. I have tried with all my power, my strength, my capacities but Rafa was the strongest on court."
Nadal extended his incredible run at Roland Garros to 66 wins and just one defeat in the last 10 years.
That record looked under threat when he dropped the first set as his usually fearsome forehand let him down, five errors handing Djokovic the initiative.
"Never mind the back problems he had in Australia and the error-strewn performances of the early clay court season - Rafael Nadal once again timed his run to perfection at Roland Garros. It was a brutal scrap at times, but Nadal looked like he would be very hard to beat after wrestling the momentum away from Djokovic midway through the second set.
"The Spaniard is just 67 days older than Roger Federer was when he won his 14th Grand Slam title: his claim last week that a generation is walking away now looks exceedingly premature."
Both men were having to work hard in temperatures of around 27C, and Djokovic was the first to ask for iced towels to wrap around his neck at the changeovers.
Nadal finally made his move when he broke for 4-2, only to lose his advantage straight away as the nervous errors returned in the following game.
Djokovic had won their last four matches but taking on Nadal in a five-set contest on Court Philippe Chatrier is a very different kind of test.
The 27-year-old Serb faltered badly with a tie-break in sight, offering up a double fault and a forehand error before Nadal smacked a forehand winner to level the score.
It was a huge blow to Djokovic's hopes and he faded further in the third set.
After dumping a straightforward volley in the net to lose serve in game two, the second seed took some tablets at a changeover in an attempt to improve his condition.
Nadal scented victory once again, breaking twice on his way to the set and leaving Djokovic to stare in disbelief at coach Boris Becker in the stands after one error.
Another poor volley and a wild backhand into the tramlines saw Djokovic fall 4-2 down in the fourth, but Nadal was now having his own issues, bending over apparently in some discomfort and badly mistiming a smash to give the break straight back.
With cloud cover giving Djokovic some respite from the sun, he was showing signs of launching a renewed assault only to falter with his opponent under pressure.
A terrific backhand pass helped Nadal to match point and Djokovic, disrupted by a call from the crowd, fired his second serve long to leave the Spaniard on his knees in his familiar celebratory pose. | Rafael Nadal saw off the threat of Novak Djokovic for another year to win his ninth French Open title and a record fifth in succession. |
37214528 | "I will walk you down a block, Mr Trump, and I guarantee you won't get shot," he said on CNN.
The rapper made headlines after he said he was mistreated by police officers while reporting an armed robbery.
The invitation comes after Mr Trump said he had the solution to combat Chicago's soaring murder rate.
He did not specify how he would solve the problem but he promised to improve African American lives across the US.
"Look, it is a disaster the way African Americans are living… We'll get rid of the crime. You'll be able to walk down the street without getting shot. Right now, you walk down the street, you get shot."
Then he sparked controversy on Saturday after he apparently used the murder of NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin to court African-American voters.
The professional basketball star's cousin, Nykea Aldridge, was fatally shot while pushing her baby in a pram on the South Side.
The 32-year-old woman was not the intended target, police said.
Mr Trump weighed in on the high-profile murder, tweeting: "Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!"
Critics lashed out against the New York billionaire for trying to leverage the murder as a reason African-Americans should vote for him and for spelling the Chicago Bull's name wrong in his initial tweet. He later corrected it.
Senator Tim Kaine, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's running mate, called out Mr Trump for politicising the murder.
"We ought to be extending our sympathy to the family - that's the only reaction that is appropriate right now, and maybe a sadness about this gun violence issue, which we know is complicated," Mr Kaine said.
Hours later, Mr Trump tweeted his condolences for the basketball star's family.
An uptick in shootings in Chicago culminated with the death of Wade's cousin last week, drawing national attention to the city's soaring murder rate.
The city of 2.7 million has more shootings and murders than any other US city, according to FBI and Chicago police data.
On Saturday, Rhymefest, whose real name is Che Smith, tweeted his disgust with Chicago police after he tried to report a robbery in which he was held at gunpoint.
The Grammy award-winning artist posted a video of himself arguing with officers at the front desk.
The Chicago native told CNN on Monday he did receive an apology from the police, but that law enforcement needed to work with its communities to quell the rise in violence.
Rhymefest also addressed Mr Trump's controversial tweets, challenging the Republican nominee to come to Chicago to see that it is not just a city known for its gun violence. | US rapper and activist Che "Rhymefest" Smith has invited Donald Trump to Chicago to counter the Republican nominee's bleak picture of the city. |
23166053 | The notes are understood to have been accidentally left in a House of Commons toilet by a junior aide.
They suggest the Labour leader was braced for attacks on Labour's relationship with the unions.
A row about the alleged influence of the Unite union on candidate selection dominated this week's session.
Labour sources have accepted the notes - left near the division lobby in the House of Commons - are genuine. It is understood they were left in the toilet by Jonathan Reynolds, who is Mr Miliband's parliamentary private secretary.
The notes include pre-prepared lines on Tom Watson, campaign organiser for the Labour party, one of whose assistants was a candidate in a controversial candidate selection process in Falkirk.
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The notes, which cover two and half sides of A4 paper, are divided into different headings.
They include the lines: "I'll take Tom Watson over Andy Coulson any day and I'd far rather have Tom Watson working for me who led the campaign on the phone hacking scandal than have brought Andy Coulson into the heart of Downing Street."
Mr Miliband went on to raise Mr Coulson, the PM's former director of communications who is facing charges of phone hacking and bribing public officials during his former career as a journalist, in Wednesday's clash.
But he did not mention Mr Watson - a former close ally of Gordon Brown who is Labour's deputy chairman - and also omitted the line in the notes saying the party was "taking action" over the Falkirk affair.
Unite, the UK's largest union, is at the centre of a row over the selection of a new Labour candidate to fight the next election in the Scottish constituency.
Labour's National Executive Committee has taken control of the process from the local party after allegations of interference by Unite and an as yet unpublished Labour report has found evidence of unions packing local membership lists.
Labour insist Mr Miliband has moved swiftly and decisively to order an inquiry into Falkirk within hours of allegations being raised, but senior figures have called for the report into the affair to be published and warned it risks damaging the party.
Mr Cameron seized on the issue at the weekly session of PM's questions, challenging Mr Miliband on his links with the trade unions and claiming "we have a situation in this country where we have got one of our political parties where it has become apparent votes are being bought, people are being signed up without consent".
Mr Cameron said Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey, who backed Ed Miliband in the 2010 Labour leadership contest, "wrote the questions" for the opposition leader and dictated policy on issues like education and health.
"He is taking his script from the trade unions, who don't like choice, don't like new schools, don't like free schools," he said.
"They want to control everything. What we know is that one organisation they have got control of. We see it in black and white - they have taken control of the Labour Party."
In response, Mr Miliband said he was happy to debate the issue of ethics, claiming Mr Cameron had had "dinners for donors in Downing Street, given a tax cut to his Christmas card list and brought Andy Coulson into the heart of Downing Street".
"The idea that he is lecturing us on ethics takes double standards to a whole new level."
Unite has threatened legal action against Labour, saying it has been a victim of a "smear campaign" and an attempt by the party to impose a candidate from Westminster.
Mr McCluskey, who was elected to a second term as Unite leader earlier this year, said Mr Cameron appeared to have an "obsession" with him but had "nothing to say" on the real issues facing people.
"He also reminded the millions of trade unionists in this country that they are not welcome in the Conservative party, and indeed that they hold trade union members in contempt."
He added: "There can be absolutely no question about who runs the Labour Party. It is Ed Miliband and he has my full support.
"Yes, there may be issues we disagree on - that is allowed in a democratic party - but Unite is fully behind Ed Miliband."
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said unions were an important part of an industrial democracy but "they can't bully and get their way within the Labour Party".
"It seems what has happened in Falkirk is that Unite have overstepped the mark and they should remember Ed Miliband runs the Labour Party, not Unite," he added. | Ed Miliband's briefing notes for Prime Minister's Questions - revealing his planned lines of attack against David Cameron - have been revealed. |
39830087 | Their wealth rose by 14% over the past year to a record £658bn, it shows.
Brothers Sri and Gopi Hinduja, who invest in property, healthcare and oil and gas, top this year's list with £16.2bn - up £3.2bn on 2016.
The list includes a record number of British billionaires - 134 - with 14 new ones emerging over the last year.
List compiler Robert Watts said: "While many of us worried about the outcome of the EU referendum, many of Britain's richest people just kept calm and carried on making billions."
He said a revived stock market had been behind the surge in wealth for the super-rich.
"We expected to see a chilling effect in the run-up to the EU referendum, but that simply did not materialise," Mr Watts said.
"A buoyant stock market usually drives the wealth of rich-listers higher, and since last June equities have soared."
Of those in the top 20, only the Weston family - Guy, George and Galen Jr - lost money in the last year.
They saw their fortune drop by £500m to £10.5bn because of a fall in the share price of Associated British Foods, in which they have a 20.8% stake.
The largest increase in wealth went to steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who added more than £6bn to his £13.23bn valuation.
However, he remains a long way from his 2008 peak of £27.7bn - a Rich List record.
Others on the list include:
Mr Watts said: "We're seeing more and more diversity in the composition of the Rich List.
"More women, more people from ethnic backgrounds, and more from surprising walks of life, with egg farmers and pet food makers lining up with hedge fund managers and private equity barons."
Among those who lost money in this year's list were controversial businessmen Mike Ashley, the founder of Sports Direct, and Sir Philip Green, chairman of the Arcadia Group and the former owner of the collapsed chain store BHS.
Ashley's wealth dropped by £270m to £2.16bn after shares in Sports Direct fell, while Sir Philip and Lady Green's wealth dropped by £433m to £2.78bn after he agreed to pay £363m to fund the pensions of former staff at BHS and the value of his stake in Arcadia lowered.
It now takes assets of £110m to break into the ranks of the richest 1,000 people in the UK. The figure in 2016 was £103m.
The top 20 in the list alone are worth a total of £191.77bn, increasing their wealth by £35.18bn over the past 12 months. | The UK's richest 1,000 people "kept calm and carried on making billions" amid the Brexit vote of 2016, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. |
37922959 | And few people personify the political establishment more than Hillary Clinton. During this campaign, for millions of angry voters, she became the face of America's broken politics.
Donald Trump managed to persuade enough voters in enough states that he offered a fix. The billionaire cast himself successfully as the ultimate outsider against the ultimate insider. He was the protest candidate. She represented the status quo.
Constantly, Hillary Clinton claimed that she was the most qualified candidate. Constantly, she recited her curriculum vitae - her experience as first lady, a US senator for New York, a secretary of state.
But in this mad-as-hell election, where there was so much rage and discontent, Donald Trump's supporters saw experience and qualifications as huge negatives. So many people I spoke to during this campaign - especially in the old steel towns of the Rust Belt - wanted a businessman in the White House rather than a career politician. Their hatred of Washington was palpable.
So, too, was their hatred of her. It was visceral. I vividly remember talking to a middle-aged woman in Tennessee, who oozed southern charm, who could not have been more polite. But when the subject of Hillary Clinton came up her whole demeanour changed.
Hillary Clinton has long had a trust problem, which is why the email scandal loomed so large. She had an authenticity problem. She was seen as the high priestess of an east coast elite that looked down, sneeringly, on working people.
The vast riches that the Clintons accumulated since leaving the White House did not help. The former first couple were seen not just as limousine liberals but Lear Jet liberals. Again, their wealth exacerbated her problems with working class voters, even though they happily voted for a property tycoon.
In a country where millions more women vote than men, it was thought that her gender would give her a major advantage. But what became clear in the primaries against her rival Bernie Sanders was how hard she found it to enthuse young women voters especially about electing the country's first female president, and shattering the most resilient glass ceiling in global politics.
Many women never warmed to her. Some remembered what were interpreted as disparaging remarks made when she was first lady about not wanting to stay at home making cookies. When Donald Trump accused her of enabling her husband's affairs, and of attacking the women who accused Bill Clinton of molesting them, many women nodded in agreement.
Doubtless, old-fashioned, unreconstructed sexism played a part too: the refusal of many male voters to countenance a female president.
In a year when so many Americans wanted change, she appeared to offer more of the same. It's always hard for a party to win three successive terms in the White House. The Democrats have not done it since the 1940s. But that problem was exacerbated by the fact that so many voters were bored with the Clintons.
Hillary Clinton is not a natural campaigner. Her speeches are often flat and somewhat robotic. Her sound-bites sound like sound-bites - prefabricated and, to some ears, insincere. The re-emergence of the email scandal was a huge distraction, and meant that she ended her campaign on a negative message.
She struggled always to neatly encapsulate her vision of America again. "Stronger together" was never as snappy as "Make America great again." Indeed, the Clinton campaign went through dozens of possible slogans, which spoke of her difficulties in crafting a message.
Her campaign also made tactical errors. It focused resources and time on states she didn't need to win, such as North Carolina and Ohio, rather than spending time shoring up the famed blue wall, those 18 states that have voted Democrat for the past six elections.
Mr Trump, with the help of white working class voters, partly demolished that wall by taking Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, a state that hasn't gone Republican since 1984.
This was not just a rejection of Hillary Clinton but also a rejection by half of the country of Barack Obama's America, but that is a piece for another day. | This election, surely the most extraordinary in American history, was a revolt against the political establishment. |
34802263 | Rates of obesity had been climbing dramatically since the 1980s but started levelling off in about 2004.
This latest study means they are rising again - to nearly 38% in 2013-14, up from about 32% a decade ago.
The numbers come from a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using a national survey of about 5,000 people.
National campaigns have been aimed at lowering obesity rates in the US, such as First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign, which offers programming for exercise and healthy eating among youths.
Stacey Snelling, a nutritionist teaching at American University, told the BBC that the rise in obesity rates could be due to the healthy eating campaigns losing their effectiveness.
Over the past 10 years, much of the focus has been on food and nutrition for keeping obesity at bay, but now people were "losing attention" to that message, she said, so perhaps now it was time to focus on exercise.
"Our initial reaction to the obesity epidemic - limited sugary beverages and fried food - that only works to a point," said Ms Snelling.
The consumption of fizzy drinks has fallen in recent years and fast-food chains now offer healthier menus, but these kinds of public health problems are complex, she adds.
Many companies have introduced things like treadmill desks and incentives to exercise with pedometers and staff-wide contests - but not all have taken a stake in employees' health.
"With adults, the corporate environment has not changed as dramatically as schools have," she said.
Obesity prevalence was found to be much higher for adult women than adult men - 38% compared to 34.3%.
Study author Cynthia Ogden told the BBC that this study marked the first time in many years that higher women's obesity rates were statistically significant.
"That's kind of a new finding," said Ms Ogden. "Now, what's happened is prevalence in women has gone above what it was in men again."
Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic adults and youth are experiencing higher rates of obesity than their white counterparts, the study found.
Between black men and women, there is a significant difference for rates of obesity - women's rates soar above men's at 57% compared to 38%.
Socio-economic forces determine the health status of any group of people, said Ms Snelling.
Reporting by Ashley Gold | Obesity rates are rising again among American adults, despite national efforts to promote healthy lifestyles. |
23806596 | Chinese paper 21st Century Business Herald cited a former staff, identified by a pseudonym, as saying the firm paid out 30m yuan ($4.9m; £3.1m).
The claims come at a time when China is investigating some drugs firms over similar bribery allegations.
Lilly said it had launched an internal probe last year after a former manager made similar allegations against it.
"At the time of the allegations, we did an exhaustive investigation to search for any evidence of kickbacks," the firm said in a statement.
"Although we have not been able to verify these allegations, we take them seriously and we are continuing our investigation."
The company said it interviewed employees, monitored emails and audited expense reports as part of its internal probe.
However, it said it had not employed any sales managers by the name of Wang Wei, who was mentioned in the 21st Century Business Herald report.
Eli Lilly is the latest foreign drugmaker to be engulfed by such claims in China.
Earlier this week, a British risk consultant, Peter Humphrey, was formally arrested by Chinese authorities amid a continuing probe into pharmaceutical firms.
One of the firms being probed, UK drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), is reportedly a former client of Mr Humphrey's firm, ChinaWhys.
Chinese authorities have accused GSK of directing up to £320m through travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials.
GSK has said that some senior executives in its China office appeared to have broken the law and several GSK employees have also been detained over the last few weeks.
In July, Chinese police had visited the Shanghai office of UK firm AstraZeneca and took an employee in for questioning. | US drugmaker Eli Lilly has said it is "deeply concerned" by claims that it bribed doctors to prescribe its drugs. |
30891895 | Ivanovic headed home three minutes into extra time to settle an enthralling encounter in which Liverpool made a full contribution but paid the price for missed opportunities.
Chelsea were favourites after a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first leg - but Liverpool were true to the word of manager Brendan Rodgers and played without fear, seeking their first trophy since winning this competition in 2012.
And Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who missed Ivanovic's decisive goal as he was in a heated debate with fourth official Phil Dowd, showed how much another trip to Wembley meant to him by celebrating wildly with his staff at the final whistle.
It was a result that helped banish Chelsea's embarrassment of losing 4-2 at home to League One Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round in their previous outing.
Liverpool will leave Stamford Bridge with regrets, especially after a horrendous headed miss by Jordan Henderson in front of an open goal that could have taken the game to penalties.
There may also be a price to pay for Chelsea as striker Diego Costa may face retrospective punishment for two stamps on Emre Can and Martin Skrtel that were not seen by referee Michael Oliver.
Costa, as usual, was involved in all of the action and should have been awarded a penalty when he was brought down by Skrtel in the first half, while the Spain international's head-to-head clash with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard earned both players yellow cards.
Mourinho will set that aside for now as he remains on course for his first piece of silverware since returning to Chelsea at the start of last season.
As expected, Liverpool did not risk striker Daniel Sturridge even though he is approaching full fitness after a series of injuries that have sidelined him since August, but Rodgers adopted a bold approach that should have brought dividends in the first half.
Keeper Thibaut Courtois was Chelsea's hero at Anfield and he twice came to the rescue here as Liverpool twice opened up Chelsea for the two best opportunities of the half, first when Gerrard picked out Alberto Moreno and then when Philippe Coutinho broke through after wrong-footing Kurt Zouma.
Chelsea, however, had a major grievance of their own as they seemed to be refused a clear penalty when Costa was brought down by Skrtel as he attempted to guide the ball into touch.
Mourinho was forced into a change early in the second half when Cesc Fabregas came off second best in a shuddering tackle with his own captain John Terry and was replaced by Ramires.
It then needed the outstretched leg of Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet to turn away Costa's deflected shot before he dived at the feet of the striker as he tried to go around him.
Liverpool made their first change with 20 minutes left, sending on Mario Balotelli for Lazar Markovic, who had been quiet and ineffective.
It was three minutes into extra time when the deadlock was finally broken and Liverpool were undone by moments of sloppiness that led to their downfall. Lucas conceded a cheap free-kick with a foul on Eden Hazard and when Willian delivered the set piece, Ivanovic arrived unmarked to head in.
Liverpool should have responded immediately, only for Henderson to somehow head wide when Raheem Sterling's cross found him only six yards out.
It was to be their final opportunity. | Branislav Ivanovic's extra-time winner sent Chelsea into the Capital One Cup final at Wembley after a thrilling semi-final second leg against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. |
39977675 | All three players have been with the Gloucestershire side since July 2015.
Former Wrexham forward Wright, 32, has netted 31 league goals for the Robins.
Midfielder Storer, 30, has - like Wright - also played for Wrexham and Kidderminster, while defender Downes, 32, previously spent eight years at Chesterfield and three at Torquay. | Cheltenham Town trio Danny Wright, Kyle Storer and Aaron Downes have all agreed extended deals to stay at the League Two club for a further season. |
27460598 | The 12ft-high (3.6m) gorilla was unveiled by Prince Michael of Kent on Saturday at the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry.
It is due to be transported to Mr Geller's home in Berkshire on 28 May.
The centre said the next project would not just be art, but could save lives.
Clive Knowles, Managing Director of the British Ironworks Centre, said: "We want to do an enormous angel that would represent love and hope and people that are lost."
He said the team were going to launch their Save a life, Surrender a Knife appeal and admitted finding a large number of weapons would be the biggest challenge.
He added that it could help to "re-energise" a number of knife surrenders and amnesties organised by police forces across the country.
Mr Knowles said building the gorilla had been a "rollercoaster ride" and had given them "a huge appetite" to take on an other challenge.
Alfie Bradley, who welded the 40,000 spoons to the sculpture, said he was also looking forward to the next big project, although he had become "sick" of the sight of spoons.
Mr Knowles said the team could also invite current and former gang members to the British Ironworks Centre to help build the angel.
The gorilla project saw spoons donated from across the world, including China, Armenia, Uganda and Tahiti - many sent in by school children.
Spoon banks were also placed in schools across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire.
After spending time at Mr Geller's home, Mr Knowles said the team were hoping to find a permanent home at a site where it could be seen by children.
Mr Knowles said the project had cost the firm about £120,000 in staff hours to find the spoons, but that social media had played a large part in the appeal. | A team responsible for creating a huge statue of a gorilla made out of spoons for Uri Geller have said they could next build a angel made of knives donated by gang members. |
35763872 | The Trotters scored in the 97th minute to secure a 2-2 draw at Ipswich.
Darren Pratley, Mark Davies, Zack Clough, Derik Osede, Liam Feeney, Dean Moxey, Rob Holding and Liam Trotter all missed chances in the first half.
"You can talk about tactics and team selection but when you miss glaring opportunities like we are, it's very hard to take," Lennon said.
"It shouldn't have been a fightback."
With 10 matches remaining, Bolton are 10 points adrift of safety, having lost four of their last six Championship matches.
However, Lennon believes recent results do not reflect the on-field performances from his side.
"We should be winning games," he told BBC Radio Manchester. "I don't know if there is a mental fragility at times, we just seemed to get punished.
"I can't fault the players, the performance again was excellent, but we have had so many chances to win games over the last four or five weeks but haven't taken our chances.
"We don't look like a team at the bottom of the league but the table doesn't lie. We keep getting punished for basic mistakes.
"They didn't look like scoring. They get a set-piece and didn't defend it properly - and we find ourselves remarkably 2-0 down in a game we have dominated." | Manager Neil Lennon believes Bolton may have a "mental fragility" after their winless run stretched to six matches. |
24727693 | It has been announced by the Varkey Gems Foundation and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates vice-president and ruler of Dubai.
The foundation is the charitable arm of an international chain of private schools, which recently published a report into teacher status.
Teachers are the "real agents of change" said Sheikh Al Maktoum.
Details of the competition are expected to be announced early next year - with nominations to be opened at the Global Education and Skills Forum to be held in Dubai in March.
There will be nominations from individual countries and then an international judging process.
The panel of judges will include "former leaders from around the world and prominent members of the community" along with education experts and students.
Former US president Bill Clinton is honorary chairman of the foundation.
The prize, funded by the Varkey Gems Foundation, is intended to recognise the importance of the teaching profession in the same way as the Nobel prize recognises achievement in other fields.
A research project commissioned by the foundation found wide variations in the amount of respect accorded to teachers in different countries.
This index of teacher status found that China held teachers in the highest esteem.
The prize will be intended to raise the profile and public appreciation of teaching.
"We want to promote teachers as stars and to support the quality of education to highlight the enormous impact teachers have on our lives," said Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey GEMS Foundation.
"To support education is to support human progress and valuing teachers is to value the real agents of change in society," said Sheikh Al Maktoum. | A competition to find the world's best teacher is to be launched next year, with a prize of $1m (£620,000). |
30613207 | No trains have been operating between Paddington in west London and Reading for most of the day, affecting routes to the west country and Wales.
And at Kings Cross in London, which serves northern and eastern England and Scotland, all services were cancelled. There were long queues at Finsbury Park station as passengers waited for trains to Peterborough and further north.
The 12:15 train from Peterborough to Edinburgh left Peterborough at 13:05 and was packed.
An elderly German couple could not believe it. No chance of getting to the buffet car and when we finally could it has been closed since Newcastle.
Only started getting seats from Doncaster and York although people are still standing in the doorways.
We could have been on alternative less crowded trains from Peterborough but these came and went with no information from staff who seemed to be leaderless.
Appears there was no management involvement today. Perhaps still on their hols.
It was freezing waiting an hour on the Peterborough station platform. There are not enough waiting rooms. Soon be home but no Christmas spirit on Network Rail. Train almost an hour late at Edinburgh.
People were standing in the aisles and vestibules between carriages. Although it was really busy, people were generally just relieved to be on a train.
The atmosphere was very friendly with passengers chatting and helping each other with bags and giving up seats to others who needed them more.
I'd boarded the train at Finsbury Park but passengers who joined at Peterborough said they'd been told the train was empty so there would be plenty of seats. Clearly not the case.
Most of us had been waiting on platforms for more than an hour without adequate information. The other thing to add is that there were not enough staff to provide information.
I got to Finsbury Park at 09.50 and was told there would be no train until 11:00 and there were no East Coast staff available to tell us where trains were going. Website not up to date so more people kept arriving. Eventually left without knowing where it was going at about 11.20.
I was planning to visit my friend in Bradford and her family for the first time before travelling on to Liverpool to see friends I hadn't seen for over a year.
Finsbury Park was very busy and passengers were having to carry luggage and small children up a steep spiral staircase to get from the Tube platform and up towards the train platforms.
Once you got to the top of the spiral staircase you were greeted with a tunnel full wall-to-wall of passengers - elderly passengers, young children and babies crying, prams, luggage and you were not able to reach any of the platforms.
There was no one on hand to tell you what to do or where to go. We were all stuck in this tunnel and it was getting busier and busier as passengers were still arriving and I started to get slightly anxious as I could see a real crowd management problem starting to occur.
Several rail staff pushed their way through the tunnel of passengers but they were all pretty rude and unhelpful when asked any questions. Some of the staff members were really acting in an unprofessional way and they didn't seem to know how to handle the situation.
I was standing in the bitter cold trying to work out if any of the destination options would get me close to Leeds or Bradford. I overheard I could get a train to Peterborough and change there and there was a Peterborough train on the screen but then that never materialised.
By this point I was very tired and cold... I decided then that I'd had enough and would make my way back to Reading. I had to leave the platform and go back down into the tunnel full of people.
On exit from Finsbury Park there were a huge crowd of several hundred people standing outside. I had to make my way through and round to the tube entrance and make my way back across the city to Waterloo so I could go back to Reading.
I cannot believe I've had to totally give up on my plans that I had been looking forward to. I'm totally exhausted and too worried to chance travelling again tomorrow. | Rail passengers have been speaking of their frustration after overrunning engineering works saw services thrown into chaos. |
18086852 | The
Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (Spice) project
would have pumped water droplets into the atmosphere from a tethered balloon.
The kit could then have been used to disperse tiny dust particles to cool the Earth, as volcanic eruptions do.
The Spice chiefs cite problems with regulations, intellectual property and public engagement.
Core to the decision was
a patent application
filed by two Cambridge University researchers, Hugh Hunt and Chris Burgoyne, and Isle of Man-based businessman Peter Davidson, that covered much of the project's technology.
"The details of this application were only reported to the project team a year into the project lifetime and caused many members, including me, significant discomfort," said Spice project leader Matt Watson from Bristol University.
Dr Watson and some of the other academics believe as a matter of principle that experimentation into geoengineering, the nascent field of "technical fixes" for climate change, should be patent-free.
However, Dr Burgoyne said the application was made to protect the technology, not to turn a profit.
"I've never taken the view that this is something anybody will make money on - it's just saying 'we thought of this', so that if a company comes along and tries to patent it later, they can't," he told BBC News.
The project funders, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), had earlier mandated a six-month delay in order to allow more engagement with concerned stakeholders.
The body is understood to feel that this process has not yet been taken far enough.
Another reason for the new postponement is that despite discussion in several international fora, including the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, there is still no comprehensive framework for governance on this sort of project.
"We have decided not to do this until the governance process is complete," said Dr Hunt.
"And given that we're running out of time, we're getting on with doing tests with kites instead - no water - just looking at how wind affects the kite string."
The balloon was originally due to go up last October from the disused Sculthorpe airfield in Norfolk.
It would have ascended to about 1km. Water would have been pumped up a pipe from the ground and out of a fine nozzle, with scientists monitoring how the droplets spread and how the balloon and tether responded to changing winds.
A total of about two bathloads of water would have been dispersed.
The team could have used the information gained to develop a much larger package that would go much higher up into the atmosphere and disperse fine sulphate aerosol particles that would reflect sunight back into space, cooling the Earth, just as happens with the dust released by major volcanic eruptions.
Reducing the amount of solar energy reaching the ground - solar radiation management (SRM) - is one of the two main geo-engineering approaches.
As well as sulphate aerosols, proposed methods include painting roofs white, planting crops with more reflective leaves and putting giant sunshields in space.
The other geoengineering approach seeks to remove carbon dioxide from the air.
Opponents, including several environment groups, point out that these technologies may carry unintended consequences, and say it is a distraction from the real task of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition, SRM techniques do nothing to tackle the gradual acidification of the oceans resulting from absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
But proponents say research into these technologies is needed in case climate change progresses at such a rate that urgent action becomes necessary.
In this context, Dr Watson said the delay was regrettable.
"Any postponement of the 1km test would be a
de facto cancellation as the experiment's value, to elucidate balloon and tether dynamics, diminishes over the project lifetime," he said.
"The Spice team sincerely hopes that this decision will facilitate rational, unrushed discussion on issues that include both governance and intellectual property but span broader issues surrounding solar radiation management (SRM)."
But the rest of the project is unaffected.
"It is regrettable that the field-trial aspect of Spice has now been cancelled; but it is vitally important that the remainder of the project, which is desk and lab based, should continue," commented Prof Peter Cox from Exeter University.
Follow Richard
on Twitter | A pioneering UK project to test technology for a climate "tech fix" has been postponed for at least a year. |
40132126 | The 22-year-old joined the Glovers from Leicester City on a one-year contract last summer and made 11 appearances in all competitions in 2016-17.
"Jonny is a good young keeper with huge potential," boss Darren Way told the club website.
"He was thrown in and had to play a major contribution. He's a fantastic character, works extremely hard and I'm sure he has a bright future." | Yeovil Town goalkeeper Jonny Maddison has signed a new two-year deal. |
36108385 | The owner of the Mercedes-Benz brand said it was conducting the probe at the request of the US Justice Department.
"Daimler is co-operating fully with the authorities," the German company said.
Separately, on Friday, Daimler posted a 31% fall in first-quarter profits as costs of new car launches weighed on the bottom line.
News of Daimler's investigation comes after Volkswagen agreed a deal with the US over its emissions scandal, in which it will offer compensation and buy back some cars.
Last year, US regulators discovered that VW cars were fitted with software that could distort emissions tests.
And just this week Japan's Mitsubishi Motors admitted rigging data on some of its models' fuel efficiency, while France's Peugeot has been raided by anti-fraud officials as part of ongoing investigations on pollutants in the car industry. But Peugeot says the pollutant emissions are compliant.
Daimler said it would "investigate possible indications of irregularities and of course take all necessary action".
Six months ago the US Environmental Protection Agency said it would review diesel vehicle emissions in light of the VW revelations.
In addition, US owners of Daimler's Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesels filed a class-action lawsuit claiming the cars are programmed in a way that lets them emit illegal levels of emissions, similar to diesels made by fellow German carmaker Volkswagen.
Daimler says the lawsuit's claims are without merit and that the Justice Department investigation is unrelated.
Joe Rundle, head of trading at ETX Capital, said: "Daimler is the next in the firing line as it opens an investigation at the request of the DoJ - the fall in its share price today reflects investors' nervousness about a problem that could easily escalate, even if the company says the class actions against it are baseless."
The company also reported a 31% fall in net profit in the first quarter to €1.3bn ($1.5bn; £1.1bn) in a separate statement later. Revenue rose 2% to €35bn on vehicle sales of 683,885, a 7% increase.
Higher costs outweighed record sales in China.
On the earnings conference call, chief finance officer Bodo Uebber refused to comment further on the emissions investigation. | Daimler shares were down almost 7% at midday after the carmaker said it had begun an internal investigation into its diesel emissions testing. |
34660517 | Dyson said last week that it had issued proceedings against its competitor, alleging that they had misled consumers in "behaviour akin to the Volkswagen scandal".
BSH Home Appliances, owned by Bosch, denied the allegations and on Wednesday announced it was initiating its own legal steps.
It called Dyson's claims "unfounded and untrue".
BSH chief executive Karsten Ottenberg said: "We have long since been aware that James Dyson has a history of taking a very aggressive approach against his competitors and has a desire to be in the public eye."
The company said all its vacuum cleaners were tested in accordance with the EU Energy Label and Ecodesign Directive for vacuum cleaners and met the standards in full.
Dyson has said independent testing had shown that machines made by Bosch and marketed under the Bosch and Siemens brands, could draw more than 1600 watts of power when used in the home despite having a rating of 750 watts.
Dyson said the machines work at a lower power setting when there is no dust, as is the case in testing situations.
Sir James Dyson's firm claimed the Siemens Q8.0 and Bosch GL80/In'Genius ProPerform models use a sensor which sends signals to the motor to increase its power as the machine sucks up dust. | Dyson is facing legal action from rival Bosch over energy test allegations. |
32991494 | And a large majority do not think they have been given enough information about how tuition fees are spent.
The survey suggests students average 12 hours per week "contact" time, when they are taught by staff.
The findings are part of a survey of 15,000 students in the UK, carried out by higher education think tanks.
The Student Academic Experience Survey, carried out by the Higher Education Policy Institute and the Higher Education Academy, examines levels of consumer satisfaction among undergraduate students.
The survey suggests 59% of students are "fairly satisfied" with their course - and a further 28% are "very satisfied".
But, with "the benefit of hindsight", more than a third said they would have chosen a different course. That represents about half a million students with regrets about their choice, say the researchers.
Less than half of the students believed they had had good or very good value for money from their courses - but there were big differences between the students in England and Scotland.
Only 7% of the students in England, where tuition fees are up to £9,000 per year, said they had received "very good" value, compared with 35% in Scotland, where there no tuition fees.
The survey found a widespread view the students were not being told enough about how tuition fees were being spent - with three-quarters saying the information was insufficient.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said this information gap was one of the most striking findings of the survey and that universities would have to respond.
"If it doesn't happen soon, it could be forced on universities by policymakers," he said.
The survey examined students' hours when they were taught by staff. There was an average of 12 hours "contact time" across all subjects, but some arts and humanities courses had eight hours per week.
Across all subjects, an average of three hours per week were spent in classes of 15 students or less, with the rest of students' classes being taught in larger groups.
"Course quality depends on more than contact hours and class size, but students do care deeply about these issues. They are notably less satisfied when they have fewer than 10 contact hours and classes of over 50 students," said Mr Hillman.
For many subjects, a majority of students' course time is "independent study", where students are expected to work on projects alone.
Stephanie Marshall, chief executive at the Higher Education Academy, said the study showed "high levels of overall student satisfaction".
But she also highlighted that it showed "the relatively high numbers who do not feel supported in independent study".
She said that "providing guidance and structure outside timetabled sessions is key here".
Students were also asked where any cuts in spending should fall.
The most popular options for cuts were to spend less on sports facilities and new buildings, while the areas where students wanted the least cuts were hours of teaching and learning facilities.
"This survey confirms that there is a clear link between higher education funding systems and student perceptions about value for money," said Pam Tatlow, chief executive of the Million+ group of universities. | Many students are unconvinced they have received value for money from their university courses, according to an annual survey. |
32488520 | Ujjal Singh, 63, who was visiting from Ipswich, died from a knife wound to the neck after he was found in Lidiard Street, Crumpsall, on 1 December.
He had argued with Naunihal Singh, 54, who was visiting from India, about their respective son and daughter's ability to conceive, police said.
At Manchester Crown Court Naunihal Singh was jailed for 21 years.
He was told he must serve at least 17 years.
Police said on 30 November the pair had a "heated discussion, which was fuelled by alcohol" and Ujjal Singh accused Naunihal Singh's son of "firing blanks".
During a series of arguments, Naunihal's son punched a glass photo frame, injuring his hand.
Ujjal Singh was put to bed while the remaining family members, with the exception of Naunihal Singh, went to hospital to get the hand treated.
While Ujjal Singh was sleeping, Naunihal Singh went into his room and stabbed him in the neck.
Police said he then fled, leaving the family to discover the "horrific scene" when they returned.
He handed himself into police two days later.
Senior investigating officer Bob Tonge, said it was a "heinous crime" that "ended in absolute tragedy".
"The one saving grace is that he has not subjected them to further torment by making them endure a trial and has faced up to his crime and subsequent, inevitable punishment." | A man has been jailed for life after pleading guilty to stabbing his son's father-in-law to death as he slept. |
17212376 | 1908 - Bosnia-Herzegovina annexed to Austria-Hungary.
1914 - A Bosnian Serb student, Gavrilo Princip, assassinates the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. This precipitates World War I.
1918 - Austria-Hungary collapses at the end of the war. Bosnia-Herzegovina becomes part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
1941 - Bosnia-Herzegovina annexed by pro-Hitler Croatian puppet state. Thousands of Serbs, Jews and Gypsies are sent to the death camps.
1945 - Bosnia-Herzegovina liberated following campaign by partisans under Tito.
1945-1991- Bosnia is part of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
1991 - Following collapse of communism, nationalists win first multi-party elections and form coalition government despite having conflicting goals: Muslim nationalists want centralised independent Bosnia, Serb nationalists want to stay in Belgrade-dominated rump Yugoslavia, Croats want to join independent Croatian state.
1992 - Croat and Muslim nationalists form tactical alliance and outvote Serbs at independence referendum. Serb nationalists are incensed as constitution stipulates that all major decisions must be reached through consensus.
War breaks out and Serbs quickly assume control of over half the republic. Ethnic cleansing is rampant in the newly proclaimed Serb Republic but also widespread in Muslim and Croat-controlled areas.
The Bosnian Serbs, under Radovan Karadzic, lay siege to Sarajevo. The city is controlled by Muslims but they are unable to break out through lines set up to defend surrounding Serb villages. There is bitter fighting as well as many atrocities.
1993 - As tensions rise, conflict breaks out between Muslims and Croats, culminating in the destruction of much of Mostar, including its Old Bridge. The bridge had graced the city since it was built by the Ottomans in the 16th century and was a symbol of Bosnia's cultural diversity.
The conflict is extremely complex. Muslims and Serbs form an alliance against Croats in Herzegovina, rival Muslim forces fight each other in north-west Bosnia, Croats and Serbs fight against Muslims in central Bosnia.
UN safe havens for Bosnian Muslim civilians are created, to include Sarajevo, Gorazde and Srebrenica.
1995 - Safe haven of Srebrenica is overrun by Bosnian Serb forces under General Ratko Mladic. Thousands of Bosnian Muslim men and boys are separated from their families and massacred, despite the presence of Dutch UN troops. Nato air strikes against Serb positions help Muslim and Croat forces make big territorial gains, expelling thousands of Serb civilians on the way.
Dayton peace accord signed in Paris. It creates two entities of roughly equal size, one for Bosnian Muslims and Croats, the other for Serbs. An international peacekeeping force is deployed.
1996 - The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia begins work in the Hague. Drazen Erdemovic, a Croat who fought for the Serbs and took part in the Srebrenica massacres, is the first person to be convicted. He is sentenced to five years in prison.
1997 - International conference in Bonn extends powers of High Representative.
Mostar's 16th century bridge was damaged in the 1990's war but reopened in 2004
1998 - Elections see nationalist politicians do well. The first Bosnian Muslims and Croats are convicted of war crimes in the Hague.
2000 - Moderate parties do well in elections in the Muslim-Croat entity but nationalists gain the upper hand in the Serb entity. Results force main Serb nationalist party to form a coalition headed by moderate Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic.
2001 March - The Croat representative in the collective presidency, Ante Jelavic, is dismissed as his party threatens to declare independent Croat republic.
2001 May - Bosnian Serbs in Banja Luka and Trebinje use force to break up ceremonies marking the reconstruction of mosques destroyed during the Bosnian war. Several Muslim refugees are injured, cars are set on fire and international delegates are forced to shelter in local buildings.
2001 August - Hague war crimes tribunal finds Bosnian Serb Gen Radislav Krstic guilty of genocide for his role in the massacre of thousands of men and boys in Srebrenica. Krstic sentenced to 46 years.
Three senior Muslim generals indicted to face war crimes charges.
2001 December - Amid growing international pressure, the main Bosnian Serb nationalist party, the SDS, votes to expel all war crimes suspects, including wartime leader Radovan Karadzic.
2002 May - UK politician Paddy Ashdown becomes UN High Representative.
2002 October - Nationalists win back power in federation presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
Former Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic changes her plea at the UN tribunal in The Hague to one of guilty of crimes against humanity. The remaining seven charges are dropped. She is subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison.
2003 January - Three months after elections, parliament approves new government led by Adnan Terzic.
EU officially embarks on its first foreign security operation by taking over policing duties from UN.
2003 March - A mass grave is discovered near Zvornik in eastern Bosnia, close to the Serbian border. More than 600 bodies thought to be those of victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre are eventually excavated from the grave.
2003 April - Mirko Sarovic, Serb member of presidency, resigns following report by Western intelligence services on affair involving illegal military exports to Iraq and allegations of spying on international officials.
High Representative Paddy Ashdown abolishes Supreme Defence Council of Bosnian Serb republic. He also alters constitutions of Bosnian Muslim/Croat federation and Bosnian Serb republic removing all reference to statehood from both.
Borislav Paravac of Serb Democratic Party replaces Sarovic as Serb member of presidency.
2004 July - Celebrations mark the reopening of the rebuilt 16th century bridge at Mostar.
2004 December - Nato hands over peacekeeping duties to a European Union-led force, Eufor.
2005 March - High Representative Paddy Ashdown sacks Croat member of presidency Dragan Covic, who faces corruption charges.
2005 May - Ivo Miro Jovic appointed Croat member of presidency.
2005 June - Bosnian unit with members from all three main ethnic groups heads for Iraq to support forces of US-led coalition.
2005 October - Entity and central parliaments back establishment of unified police force.
2005 November - EU foreign ministers give go-ahead for Stabilisation and Association Agreement talks.
2006 January - Christian Schwarz-Schilling takes over from Paddy Ashdown as UN High Representative.
2006 February - International Court of Justice in The Hague begins hearings in genocide case brought by Bosnia-Herzegovina against Serbia and Montenegro.
2006 July - Largest war crimes trial to date over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre opens at the UN tribunal in The Hague.
2006 October - General elections reflect ethnic divisions, with Serb entity voting to maintain split from Muslim-Croat entity. In run-up to vote, Bosnian Serb leadership threatens to seek complete secession in event of moves to end autonomy of Serb entity.
2006 December - Bosnia joins Nato's Partnership for Peace pre-membership programme after the organisation overturns a decision to exclude it because of its failure to catch Radovan Karadzic.
2007 January - Nikola Spiric, a Bosnian Serb, is asked to form a government after party leaders agree on a coalition.
2007 February - The International Court of Justice rules that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre constituted genocide, but clears Serbia of direct responsibility.
2007 May - Zdravko Tolimir, one of the top fugitives sought by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague for his alleged role in the Srebrenica massacre, is arrested.
2007 July - Miroslav Lajcak, a Slovak diplomat, takes over as High Representative.
2007 November - Nikola Spiric resigns as prime minister in protest at EU-backed reforms the High Representative wanted to introduce.
2008 June - Former Bosnian Serb police chief Stojan Zupljanin is arrested near Belgrade and transferred to The Hague to stand trial for war crimes.
Bosnia signs Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with EU.
2008 July - Celebrations on the streets of Sarajevo at news that former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, wanted on war crimes charges, has been arrested in Belgrade after nearly 13 years on the run.
2008 October - Nationalist parties do well among all three ethnic groups in local elections, leaving Bosnian politics divided firmly along ethnic lines.
2009 March - Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko takes over as High Representative.
2009 May - US Vice-President Joe Biden visits Bosnia and tells local leaders to work together ahead of the expected closure of the Office of the High Representative.
2009 July - Report by High Representative Inzko on progress towards full sovereignty says Bosnian leaders are undermining state institutions despite international condemnation.
2009 October - EU- and US-brokered talks aimed at breaking deadlock on constitutional reform end in failure.
Trial of former Bosnia Serb leader Radovan Karadzic begins at UN tribunal in The Hague. He faces 11 counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocities.
2010 February - Bosnian Serb Republic passes law making it easier to hold referendums on national issues, in a move seen as a challenge to the international High Representative's authority and potentially paving the way for a referendum on independence.
2010 March - Bosnian wartime leader Ejup Ganic is arrested in London at the request of Serbia, which accuses him of war crimes. A court later blocks a bid to extradite him.
2010 October - Serb nationalist party led by Bosnian Serb Republic premier Milorad Dodik and multi-ethnic party led by Zlatko Lagumdzija emerge as main winners in general election.
2011 May - Serbian authorities arrest former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic, one of the world's most wanted war crimes suspects.
2011 December - Bosnia's Muslim, Croat and Serb political leaders reach agreement on formation of new central government, bringing to an end 14 months of deadlock since 2010 general election.
2012 January - Parliament elects Croat Vjekoslav Bevanda as prime minister under the December agreement.
2012 May - War crimes trial of Ratko Mladic opens at The Hague. He faces charges including genocide and the massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.
2012 July - Large crowds attend the mass funeral of some 500 newly-identified victims of the Srebrenica massacre.
2012 December - Bosnian Serb ex-general Zdravko Tolimir is sentenced to life in prison by Hague UN war crimes tribunal for genocide over the Srebrenica massacre. A close aide to then Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic, he was arrested in Serbia in 2007 after two years on the run.
2013 April - The president of the Muslim-Croat entity, Zivko Budimir, is arrested on corruption charges. Mr Budimir and four other officials are accused of taking bribes to arrange pardons for convicts. Mr Budimir had refused to step down from office in the wake of a political crisis that blew up in 2012, splitting the ruling coalition.
2013 May - A UN tribunal finds six former Bosnian Croat leaders guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1990s Balkan wars. The men are convicted of persecuting and murdering Bosnian Muslims and other non-Croats as part of a plan to create an ethnic Croat state in Bosnia.
2013 September - About 140 miners barricade themselves inside a pit near the northern town of Tuzla for two days in a dispute over pay.
2013 October - A huge mass grave - thought to be even larger than the one discovered near Zvornik in eastern Bosnia in 2003 - is located in the village of Tomasica in north-western Bosnia.
2014 January - Ratko Mladic refuses to testify at the war crimes trial of Radovan Karadzic at The Hague, denouncing the UN tribunal as a "satanic court" and saying that testifying could prejudice his own case.
2014 February - Hundreds of people are injured in protests in Sarajevo and Tuzla over high unemployment, which is perceived as a symptom of official corruption and inertia.
2014 May - The worst flooding in modern times leaves quarter of the population without clean drinking water as half-a-million people are evacuated from their homes.
Defence in trial of former Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic on genocide and crimes against humanity charges opens in The Hague. He denies the charges.
2014 October - Party of Democratic Action emerges as largest party in general election. Proposes Denis Zvizdic as prime minister. He takes office in February.
2015 March - European Union foreign ministers and Bosnia sign Stabilisation and Association Agreement that has been on hold since 2008, raising possibility of Bosnia's joining Union if it carries out key political and economic reforms.
2016 February - Bosnia submits formal application to join EU.
2016 March - UN tribunal in The Hague finds former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic guilty of genocide and war crimes - including genocide over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre - and sentences him to 40 years in jail.
2016 September - Bosnian Serbs vote overwhelmingly to keep 9 January as a national holiday, despite the opposition of Bosnia's constitutional court. Bosnian Muslim leader Bakir Izetbegovic denounces the vote as a breach of the Dayton peace accord which ended the country's war. | A chronology of key events: |
40143201 | Former Wales head coach Mike Ruddock took charge of the Wales A team the last time they played, a 30-23 win over Scotland in 2002.
The WRU failed in a bid to resurrect the second string in 2017-18, but Phillips is confident for next term.
"That will happen next year and we're just trying to finalise a fixture now," he said.
Phillips made his comment as an experimental Wales team warmed up for their forthcoming tour Tests against Tonga and Samoa with an 88-19 win over Welsh Premiership team RGC 1404. on Friday, 2 June.
He added: "It's probably only one [game] a year but exactly for the sort of players we're seeing tonight.
"This is probably the World Cup squad for 2023 so it's all about depth and building for the future."
Wales Under-20s have been the nations' second string, with certain games designated as "capture" matches for players' international eligibility.
But World Rugby has declared that after 1 January, 2018, nations can no longer use U20 age grade teams to claim rights over players' future loyalties.
In May, the global governing body's Test eligibility revamp stated: "Unions may no longer nominate their U20s team as their next senior national representative team (effective 1 January, 2018)."
The return of a Wales second string has been possible since August, 2014 when the WRU and the nation's four professional regions signed a six-year, £60m deal to end a bitter, long-running dispute. | Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martyn Phillips expects Wales A to return during the 2017-18 season. |
39598471 | Morgan was eight under under par - and four under for the round - with two holes remaining in Hawaii when organisers called a halt for the day.
South Korea's Kim In-kyung and Jang Su-yeon were tied for the lead on nine under with Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn.
England's Bronte Law is three shots off the lead after a three-under-par 69.
Morgan was one of 15 players still on the course when play was suspended, and the 42-year-old from Abergavenny will complete her second round on Friday.
American Stacy Lewis, Canada's Alena Sharp and Lee Mi-hyang of South Korea were all in the clubhouse on eight under par, with Morgan on course to match them thanks to four birdies in her 16 holes played.
Kim made nine birdies in a stunning eight-under-par 64, with Jutanugarn posting a 66 to join her on nine under.
"I had a great putting day," said Kim, 28. "Yesterday I hit the ball pretty well but just didn't make as many putts.
"Today, the putts were dropping. I had some good shots but I kind of scrambled very well." | Becky Morgan of Wales was within one shot of the lead when play was suspended because of darkness in round two at the Lotte Championship. |
31126313 | The 276-year-old New Room, in Bristol, is set to be "transformed" with grants of £2.5m from the lottery and £1.4m from the Bristol Methodist District.
It is said to be the oldest Methodist chapel in the world - used by Wesley for those responding to his message of Christian faith and social justice.
A library, new lecture rooms and a cafe are all planned for the site.
These will sit inside a brand new, three-storey building in the Horsefair Courtyard, which will be linked to the New Room building by a glass roof.
The interior of the chapel itself will not be changed.
The Reverend Ward Jones, chair of the New Room Trustees and the Bristol Methodist District, said the "significant" grants gave the opportunity to "look to the future in a very exciting way".
"We will be able to upgrade our current facilities, so that we can properly welcome and inform visitors from the local area, from schools and colleges, and from all over the world," he said.
Building work is subject to meeting planning conditions but is expected to begin in the autumn.
The head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the South West, Nerys Watts, said: "Thousands of shoppers pass the entrance to the New Room every day without realising that it is one of the most important buildings in the history of Methodism.
"This grant...will transform the museum's offering to visitors, ensuring its internationally important collections and archives are better maintained and displayed." | The first meeting room used by preacher John Wesley, founder of Methodism, has been given £3.9m to make improvements. |
30936286 | The 19-year-old is eligible to face Manchester United in Friday's FA Cup fourth-round tie.
Ball, who is yet to make his Spurs debut, had appeared at youth level for Northern Ireland before switching his allegiance to England last year.
This is his first loan spell away from the club, after playing 16 times for Tottenham's Under-21 side last term. | Cambridge United have signed Tottenham Hotspur defender Dominic Ball on loan until the end of the season. |
32298696 | So he has nicked and reworked her totemic policy of flogging council houses to their working-class tenants - some of whom redefined themselves as a new generation of aspirant Tories.
He, therefore, hopes that he will win a few supporters among the 1.3 million tenants of housing associations who would be given the right to buy their properties on the same generous terms available to council house tenants - namely maximum discounts of 70% based on length of occupancy.
But although the electoral politics are about whether it makes sense to turn renters into owners, the economics and social policy are largely about something different - they are all about what impact the policy would have on a nation chronically short of housing, especially affordable housing.
Therefore, the more interesting aspect of the manifesto pledge is that local authorities will be forced to sell their most expensive housing stock - properties judged as the third most pricey of all properties in an area - as and when those properties become vacant, to raise an estimated £4.5bn a year.
The £4.5bn putative proceeds would be used for four purposes: to pay for the housing association sale discounts (of course); to clean up poisoned brownfield land for housing development; and to provide the funds for housing associations and local authorities to replace sold housing on a one-for-one basis.
It is that very last point, the replacement of the sold stock, which matters most - in that if the sold housing were replaced precisely by new building, this policy would have a significant positive impact on the supply of new affordable housing, in a country desperate for such construction.
Now the Tories admit that they can't force the housing associations - who hate being forced to sell their properties - to replace the sold homes. But they insist that if the associations chose to shrink and shrivel, the funds will be directed to the construction of starter homes in other ways.
In other words, there is a risk that - for a few years at least - the policy would lead to a contraction in the supply of affordable rented housing.
As for local authorities, the Tories say they will legislate to force them to replace the expensive properties being sold with cheaper ones. So in that sense they would address the concern raised by Shelter that local authorities' record of replacing sold housing is truly lamentable.
Campaigners for affordable housing, like Shelter, will, therefore, judge this policy on whether local authorities can really be forced in a timely way to build new social housing to replace what would be sold. | As the election looms, David Cameron - who in his early leadership days seemed to present himself as more the heir to Blair than Thatcher - wants a bit of Margaret Thatcher's election-winning magic dust. |
35366917 | With 300,000 bricks required to complete the project, the 200,000th piece was added by South Korean student Chang Soo Lee.
In honour of the occasion, he was awarded a commemorative medal.
The project was launched in July 2013, with people invited to donate £1 for each brick
Chang Soo Lee, who was visiting the cathedral with fellow classmates as part of a international collaborative venture organised by Northumbria University, said he was really surprised to discover his brick was so significant.
"I think the Lego cathedral is awesome," he said.
"It's great to be involved in such a great project, and I can't wait to see the finished model."
All donations will go towards Open Treasure, a project to improve public access to some of the collections the cathedral has acquired over the centuries.
Durham Cathedral's head of development, Gaye Kirby, said: "With only 100,000 bricks left to build, we invite everyone to help us complete the model and celebrate the opening of the cathedral's new exhibition spaces later this year."
The competed model will be 12ft 6in (3.84m) long, 5ft (1.53m) wide and 5ft 6in (1.7m) high. | A fundraising project to create a Lego model of Durham Cathedral has passed what organisers described as a significant milestone. |
25378936 | Johnson has claimed 17 scalps, but is wicketless in 15 overs in the third Test and 38 in total if we stretch back to the second innings of the second Test in Adelaide.
But, even without Johnson finding success, the home side were magnificent on the second day in Perth to reduce England to 180-4, 205 runs behind.
Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle bowled out of their skins on an unresponsive pitch in stifling, 40 degree heat. They dried up the runs, were aggressive without resorting to silly sledging and produced tough, uncompromising Test cricket.
"They bowled brilliantly. They bowled aggressively to a disciplined line, denying us runs. They have all parts of their armoury functioning well. They are decent bowlers who dry up the runs and squeeze the pressure and it looks so much hard work for England to bat."
Supported by Nathan Lyon and Shane Watson, they put England under real pressure in a spell of absorbing play that, for some time, it looked like the tourists would come through.
Before this match, England had spoken of their need to fight, and that is exactly what they did - very hard indeed.
Eventually, though, both Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen played poor shots, meaning the lower order will be exposed to a new ball, which is due 12 overs into the third day. Because of that, and the way that Johnson has terrorised the England tail in first two Tests, you can't help but feel that Michael Clarke's men have the advantage.
People will talk about Pietersen, because his pull to mid on off Siddle was an awful shot, but, in his defence, he did knuckle down before that.
This was the slowest start he has ever made to a Test innings - he was focused, concentrating. Then, suddenly, he plays a stroke which wouldn't have looked out of place in a one-day game and you're left scratching your head as to why he would do that.
We have been here before with Pietersen, and there seems little point in lambasting him once more. It is just the way he plays. That is not said as a compliment, but what else are we seriously expecting from him?
The England management will have rammed home time and time again the importance of working hard, playing for the team and that is what he was doing.
Media playback is not supported on this device
But, it is a weakness that he is unable to bat defensively for long periods of time. That failure is a great shame, because Pietersen can be as good as any other batsman in the world.
While Pietersen was responsible for his own dismissal, Joe Root will look upon his with some disappointment at the Decision Review System that condemned him.
I have seen no evidence to support on-field umpire Marais Erasmus's decision to give Root out caught behind off Watson. There was no deflection, nothing on Hot Spot and my TV colleagues told me there was no sound.
Yet, we have this questionable protocol that you have to prove, off the field, that the man in the middle has got it wrong. How do you prove that someone hasn't nicked it?
Root did not think it was out and the body language of the Australians suggested they didn't think it was either. Maybe he got a bad one, but you have to respect the umpire's decision. We expect technology to be right all the time, but we keep seeing that it isn't.
While people are satisfied with a system that is not perfect, we have to use it. Personally, I would prefer to wait until it improves. At the moment it is being rushed, which results it decisions like Root's.
The upshot of all of this is that England, first in the shape of Ian Bell and Ben Stokes, then through the lower order, must do all they can to get them up to Australia's total of 385.
England have to muster another 150 runs, not give Australia a lead of any more than about 80 runs. If they manage that, then they have the chance to win the game, if not, then they are struggling.
In that situation, and with Johnson unlikely to remain wicketless for long, you would prefer to be in Australia's situation.
Jonathan Agnew was talking to BBC Sport's Sam Sheringham.
Listen to Jonathan Agnew and Geoff Boycott's review of the day on the TMS podcast page.
Catch up with a two-minute summary of Test Match Special commentary with Pint-sized Ashes. | While Australia were cruising to huge victories in the opening two Tests of this Ashes series, much of the talk has been about the brilliance of Mitchell Johnson. |
17908875 | The academy will offer apprenticeships, bespoke training and new skills to those working in or considering a career in the textile industry.
Located at the firm's South Shields factory, the academy offers training from Barbour and Hartlepool College staff as well as Sora Group personnel.
Barbour has guaranteed all students an interview at the end of their studies.
The 50 students taking part in academy courses will have the opportunity to learn a diverse range of practical skills, including pattern cutting, sampling and tailoring.
Study facilities at the academy include two IT suites, a teaching area and a practical machine area. In addition to hands-on practice, students, who receive no wages or expenses for participating in the scheme, will learn communication and management skills.
Students wishing to pursue their studies at the end of their courses will have the option of moving onto the next NVQ or apprenticeship level, while the company has guaranteed everyone an interview when their course concludes.
Barbour says that jobs will only be offered to candidates if there are positions available. The company has complained in the past that a lack of relevant expertise in the region had been a factor when deciding to establish manufacturing facilities overseas.
Dame Margaret Barbour, chair of J Barbour and Sons, said that the opening of the academy underlines the company's commitment to delivering quality.
She said: "With the decline of manufacturing in the North East, we have struggled in the past to attract staff to positions at the factory.
"We hope that the Barbour Academy will help to revive and sustain these skills in the region and offer employment opportunities to people in the North East who may not previously have considered a career in manufacturing."
Andrew Steel, assistant principal at Hartlepool College of Further Education said he was "delighted" to be working with Barbour.
He said: "Barbour has a great reputation for quality and we believe the Barbour Academy has great potential to engage with people in the local area, offering new employment opportunities and reinvigorating the textiles sector in the region."
Barbour has been present in the North East since its founding in 1894, and still manufactures its famous wax jacket at its South Shields facility.
More than 150 people work at the factory, while the company employs more than 400 people in the North East in total.
While Barbour's wax jackets are still made in the UK, the firm manufactures other garments at facilities in Bulgaria, Portugal and Turkey. | South Shields-based clothing brand Barbour has opened an academy in partnership with Hartlepool College. |
34413153 | The 21-time Grand Slam champion has withdrawn from the China Open, which starts on Saturday, and the season-ending Women's Tennis Association finals in Singapore.
Williams, 34, missed the chance to seal a calendar Grand Slam when she lost in the US Open semi-finals in September.
"It's no secret I've played injured most of the year," said the American.
"Whether it was my elbow, my knee, or, in the final moments after a certain match in Flushing (Meadows), my heart."
She added: "I am taking a proactive step and withdrawing from tournaments in Beijing and Singapore to properly address my health and take the time to heal."
The WTA confirmed it has been told of Williams' decision.
She won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon in 2015 but has not played since her US Open defeat by Italian Roberta Vinci.
Her coach Patrick Mouratoglou questioned whether Williams would play again this year due to a "lack of motivation" after the US Open. | World number one Serena Williams will take the rest of the year off to recover from injuries. |
40154108 | UKIP leader Paul Nuttall called for 20,000 more police officers on UK streets, and for a review of funding of mosques in Britain.
Green co-leader Jonathan Bartley said the Prevent counter-radicalisation strategy should be scrapped.
The Bristol Q&A was the latest in a series of special shows ahead of Thursday's general election.
It took place the day after the London Bridge terror attack, which killed seven people and injured 48.
Mr Nuttall, who has previously stated that detention without trial should not be ruled out for terror suspects, said a return of control orders and tagging should also be considered.
He said the UK needs to "fight fire with fire" when it comes to Islamic extremism, adding that he agreed with the prime minister that the country had been "tolerant" of extremism.
"We've got to get real now - these people are a clear and present danger to our own people in this country... I wouldn't take anything off the table in dealing with these people," he said.
"There are a small number of people in this country who quite clearly hate who we are - hate the way we live - and want to destroy our democracy. They are cancer and they need to be cut out."
He urged the prime minister to reverse cuts to the "police force, border force and prison service".
"Politician after politician" had refused to acknowledge the problem of radical Islam, he said.
"It's not about Muslims," he said, "Islamism is a political ideology".
But a woman in the audience said he was actually "grouping" all Muslims together with policies like UKIP's proposed burka ban, and another audience member suggested his comments were fuelling radicalisation.
"We've got to say to these people Islamism is not welcome in this country," Mr Nuttall replied.
Mr Nuttall, who is seeking to gain his party a foothold in Westminster after its sole MP quit the party, also called for the Muslim community to sign up to the Prevent strategy and for an investigation into the Saudi funding of UK mosques.
Appearing separately on stage, Green Party of England and Wales co-leader Jonathan Bartley called for a UK arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, but did not support Prevent.
"It is clearly toxic to some communities," he said.
"It is alienating some communities and therefore we are not getting to the root of radicalisation, not building bridges we need. We are not getting the intelligence that we need."
Mr Bartley, whose party had one MP in the previous Parliament, echoed attacks on cuts to police numbers, saying they threatened the British tradition of community policing and "policing by consent".
Pressed on whether he would authorise a drone strike on a jihadist overseas, he said he would look at it on a case-by-case basis, but warned: "Those incidents have consequences for radicalisation".
The two politicians were also quizzed on their wider policies.
These included the Greens' pledge for a four-day week - Mr Bartley jokingly told the audience it would help them avoid the "Sunday night feeling" and said it would help deal with the effects of "automation" in certain sectors.
Mr Nuttall was asked whether his proposed post-Brexit migration crackdown was a "danger" to the NHS.
He dismissed this, saying the government should assure all EU migrants working in the NHS that they can stay in the UK and calling for the foreign aid budget to be "slashed" to increase funding for the health service. | Security and terrorism policy featured strongly as the Green Party and UKIP leaders faced a Question Time audience. |
36516201 | Poppi Worthington, from Cumbria, was likely to have been sexually abused by her father before she died.
The Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board said her family had a "complex history", and if that had been noted more support could have been offered.
The board (LSCB) queried Poppi's mother's ability to protect her family.
Read more about this story on BBC Local Live Cumbria.
In January, a judge concluded that "on the balance of probabilities the child was sexually assaulted by her father before the girl's death, in December 2012.
Paul Worthington has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
Cumbria Police have been criticised about their investigation into Poppi's death, after it emerged officers failed to preserve vital items for forensic analysis, either at the house in Barrow or at the hospital, and not leaving the scene properly secured.
Analysis: Colin George, BBC online
The process of learning the full circumstances of Poppi Worthington's death has been long and complex.
Today's Serious Case Review covers the events leading up to the 13 month old's death in 2012 and how agencies responded to her needs and those of her family before then.
But it is just one piece of the jigsaw and there are many more to come.
They include a second inquest into Poppi's death, which will be held later this year, after senior coroner David Roberts said there was "substantial public interest". The first inquest in 2014 lasted just seven minutes.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is reviewing how Cumbria Police conducted its investigation into Poppi's death and will publish its report following the conclusion of the second inquest.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had originally decided there was insufficient evidence "to provide a realistic prospect of conviction" and as a result no-one has ever been charged in connection with her death.
However, in January the CPS said it was reviewing the case.
Poppi's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and is referred to as MCN in the report, was 27 when she became pregnant with the 13-month-old, a twin, having had four other children previously.
Despite the situation, the LSCB report described Poppi as a "happy, healthy and thriving baby who was being appropriately cared for" in the months before she died.
However, her household and family background was complex, and the "capacity to parent" of MCN could "have been compromised by her own childhood experiences" - she was the daughter of a woman who had been in the care system as a child, and had herself been placed on the Child Protection Register on more than one occasion.
These "were indicators that at the very least, MCN's... ability to protect herself and her children from harm could be compromised", the LSCB said, noting that her "relationship with any male could be a source of potential risk".
"There is no information that any practitioner considered MCN's repeat pregnancies as what may have been a symptom of unresolved loss or considered an offer of more targeted help and support," it added.
It said that in future all professionals and authorities needed to show more "professional curiosity" and share information about family histories which could lead to earlier interventions.
Gill Rigg, chair of Cumbria LSCB, said: "While the review has identified important learning regarding working with families with complex histories, there is nothing to suggest that her death could have been predicted or prevented.
"If there is further learning from how agencies worked together post [Poppi's death], the LSCB will ensure this is acted upon.
"I am however, confident that much has already changed in all of the agencies involved."
Dr Amanda Boardman, lead GP for Safeguarding Children for NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Although [Poppi] and her siblings regularly attended medical appointments and didn't present any obvious concerns, more should have been done to recognise the vulnerability of the family, in view of her mum's history and the size of the family."
The findings of an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) review into the police investigation will be published after the second inquest into Poppi's death, which is due to be heard in the autumn. | Authorities showed "very little professional curiosity" about the family situation of a toddler who suddenly died, a report said. |
33691553 | More than 350 workers and their families from south Wales, south Yorkshire and north Derbyshire claim dust and fumes led to ill health.
A judge at the High Court in London ruled on Tuesday that a group compensation case can go ahead.
The coking ovens were used to purify coal for iron and steel makers.
At its height, the coking industry in Wales extended to 13 plants, mostly in south Wales, and one in Shotton in Flintshire.
The ex-NCB workers are taking their case against the UK government, Coal Products Ltd and National Smokeless Fuels Ltd.
A separate compensation claim is also being lodged by workers who say they developed similar illnesses while working at British Steel coking ovens.
The High Court heard claimants have suffered from asthma, as well as skin and lung cancer.
The hearing was told that one of the issues for the judge who hears the case will be to decide whether their conditions were caused in the workplace or from cigarette smoking and whether the defendants had taken all reasonable steps to reduce exposure.
The next stage of the process will be to appoint a judge to hear the claims, with a case management hearing in November. | Hundreds of former National Coal Board (NCB) coke workers have been told they can launch a legal challenge for compensation over illnesses. |
38735358 | Lawrence Ripple robbed a Kansas City bank, last September, and then waited in the lobby until police came.
He told investigators he would rather go to jail than live at home, and now faces up to 20 years.
His wife accompanied him to court, but has not commented, reported the Kansas City Star.
Mr Ripple handed the bank clerk a note, demanding cash and warning he had a gun, according to court documents.
He was passed nearly $3,000 (£2,400), but he did not get far.
In the lobby, he stopped, took a seat and told the guard he was the "guy he was looking for".
Mr Ripple had also picked a bank with a police station on the same block.
A police statement said that Mr Ripple had an argument with his wife earlier in the day. | A 70-year-old man from Kansas has pleaded guilty to a bank robbery on Tuesday, saying he did it to escape from his wife. |
27185418 | Australian-born Tandy represented Ireland at the 2008 World Cup, when Andy Kelly's men won their group before being knocked out by Fiji.
He played for Hull KR during the 2007 Super League season and also had spells with Widnes and Whitehaven.
Tandy was banned for life after being convicted of match-fixing while playing for Canterbury Bulldogs against North Queensland in 2010.
In a statement, Rugby League Ireland said: "We pass on condolences to the family and friends of Ryan Tandy who sadly passed away today in Saratoga, Australia.
"Ryan was a larger than life character and we would like to express our thanks for his commitment during the World Cup." | Former Hull KR and Ireland prop forward Ryan Tandy has died at the age of 32. |
24444515 | The boson explains why other elementary particles - the basic building blocks of the Universe - have mass.
Higgs was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1929, the son of a BBC sound engineer.
His family later moved to Bristol, and the young Peter Higgs proved a brilliant student, winning many prizes at Cotham Grammar School - though not any in physics.
But it was here that he was first inspired by the work of Paul Dirac, one of the physicists who helped lay the foundations for quantum mechanics.
This led him to study for his PhD at King's College London. After finishing, he applied for a lectureship at the London university, but lost out to a friend. He headed for Scotland instead.
It was here that Higgs proposed his famous mechanism.
Other researchers were working independently on the same idea, publishing papers at the same time as Peter Higgs.
Q&A: The Higgs boson
Higgs: In his own words
These other theorists included the Belgians Francois Englert, who shared the 2013 physics Nobel with Higgs, and Robert Brout (now deceased); and later the Americans Gerald Guralnik and Carl Hagen, and Briton Tom Kibble.
Yet by the early 1970s, it was Higgs who was being associated most in academic papers and conferences with the theory. This led to the particle acquiring his name - informally at first, but it soon stuck.
However, whilst well known in academic circles, Higgs was not yet a household name. He continued to write and teach; he married, but split from his wife a few years after his two children were born.
Friends feel he did not have the impact in his career expected of a scientist of his calibre.
"I wouldn't say he was shy. I might say that he was a little too retiring perhaps for the good of his own career," said Prof Michael Fisher, now at the University of Maryland, US.
Attention on the Higgs boson increased in recent decades, especially after scientists behind the $10bn Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern in Geneva made discovering the particle a key priority.
Failure to detect the Higgs at the LHC's predecessor - the LEP - had elevated it to one of the most sought-after prizes in science.
Higgs had never been completely comfortable with the attention it brought - or the association of his name with it. But he came to be more accepting as the years rolled on.
In July 2012, physicists at Cern announced the discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson. He was in Geneva to hear the news, and wiped a tear from his eye as scientists made their announcement.
The news immediately led to calls for Prof Higgs to be knighted and for him to be awarded a Nobel Prize - perhaps along with others who had come up with the theory in the early 60s.
Reacting to the discovery, Peter Higgs told reporters: "It's very nice to be right sometimes." | Peter Higgs is best known as the theoretical physicist who gave his name to the Higgs boson. |
35636728 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The haunted look that followed the Premier League defeat at Sunderland and the humiliating Europa League loss at Danish minnows FC Midtjylland was temporarily replaced by the satisfaction of an easy 3-0 win at the League One strugglers in the FA Cup fifth round.
The respite only lasts until Thursday when they must beat Midtjylland at Old Trafford to keep those European aspirations afloat - but is it already too late for Van Gaal to salvage his Manchester United career?
Media playback is not supported on this device
Manchester United's win at Liverpool on 17 January appeared to release the pressure valve on the 64-year-old Dutchman - only for it to be turned up several notches by the home defeat by Southampton a week later.
This was the match that sealed the statistic that may yet be Van Gaal's Old Trafford epitaph: 11 successive home games without a first-half goal.
Since then there has been a rising tide of speculation - none of it refuted by anyone at the club, about Van Gaal's position as manager - particularly regarding conversations with the representatives of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
Now even a Van Gaal win is not regarded as a win. It is regarded as a stay of execution, a delay of the inevitable. They are not victories - they are small acts of crisis aversion.
Van Gaal rightly pointed out that the trip to Shrewsbury Town could have been difficult. The FA Cup's history is littered with these sorts of shocks - but United went about their business professionally, efficiently and with commitment.
The environment surrounding Van Gaal and Old Trafford, the sense of inevitability that he will be gone at the season's end - perhaps before if they suffer any more serious losses - means that any sort of win is met with the reaction: "Until the next time."
It was exactly the same at Shrewsbury. Van Gaal is the man who cannot win…even when he wins.
The scenery now shifts to Old Trafford on Thursday.
Van Gaal emerged unscathed from this FA Cup tie and was in the sort of positive mood that has deserted him recently.
He insisted they have a good chance of beating Midtjylland to progress in the Europa League, with the prize for its winner a place in next season's Champions League, have a home FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham and - for all the trauma - remain in fifth place in the Premier League, just six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
This was very much a "glass half full" Van Gaal - but it will drain at an alarming rate should they not overcome the Danes.
It will be crisis time again before Sunday's Old Trafford meeting with Arsenal in the league. Defeat there, should that come on the back of a Europa League loss, might make the pressure unbearable and force a reluctant hierarchy, or more specifically executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, to act.
The other side of the coin is that if United win on Thursday and beat Arsenal, with that last-eight tie against the Hammers in their locker, things might just look a little rosier - at least in the short-term.
Barring something remarkable, the general acceptance is that Van Gaal will be gone at the end of the season. He is now almost reduced to managing on a match-to-match basis.
A win may keep the wolf from the door but a loss could unleash the whole pack. It is an unhealthy life of management uncertainty.
It is clear the preferred option of Woodward is that Van Gaal can muddle through until the end of the season when the big decision can be taken with some time, not a rush job brought on before the end of this campaign by a rash of poor results.
It seems United will only look in two directions: Ryan Giggs or Mourinho.
Some reports suggest the traditionalists inside Old Trafford, such as Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson, are supporters of the continuity candidate in Welshman Giggs, who has always been seen as a future United manager.
In the opposite corner is the proven winner Mourinho, waiting for his coronation, the Portuguese's camp already sounded out by United but with no promise of future employment.
Giggs certainly emerges as a key figure from the intrigue.
As the man who has sat as the silent sidekick through the misery of the Van Gaal and David Moyes years, could he seriously do the same again under Mourinho, who famously always brings his own entourage with him?
Unlikely - which would mean him moving away from his beloved Old Trafford after making a club record 963 appearances, winning 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two Champions Leagues.
And will this factor be a consideration? Would Giggs really want to succeed Van Gaal right now with the club's playing resources so average and such a rebuilding job to be done? He is unlikely to turn it down but it is quite a task for a rookie with no full-time management experience.
And could it be that Woodward simply does not know what to do? Is the perceived loyalty to Van Gaal merely masking indecision with various factions inside Old Trafford split between Giggs and Mourinho?
At least the win over Shrewsbury buys Woodward time to deliberate further on the questions that will shape Manchester United's future- even if only for a few days.
Media playback is not supported on this device | Louis van Gaal allowed himself a rare smile as he conducted his post-match media briefing by the side of the pitch at Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow. |
33112000 | Denis O'Brien obtained the injunction to stop RTÉ from reporting details of his personal finances and relationship with the former Anglo Irish Bank.
Last week, a judge granted permission for the media to report details about Mr O'Brien's finances made under privilege in the Dáil (parliament).
RTÉ lawyers said as a result there was no need for the injunction to remain.
The injunction was granted to Mr O'Brien last month in connection with a planned broadcast by RTÉ regarding certain information relating to Mr O'Brien's relationship with the nationalised Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), which was formerly Anglo Irish Bank.
The media mogul's fortune is estimated to be around £5bn.
Following the granting of the injunction, the purchase of one of Mr O'Brien's companies was discussed in the Dáil.
The comments were made by TD Catherine Murphy under privilege.
In response to her comments, lawyers for RTÉ and the Irish Times returned to the high court to seek clarity over whether her remarks could be reported in light of the injunction.
A judge told the media organisations that he never intended nor could he order any interference with what a TD may say under privilege in the Dáil.
Lawyers for RTÉ had returned to court on Wednesday to get the injunction lifted, arguing that information Mr O'Brien had tried to restrain was now in the public domain.
However, on Friday, the judge ruled it would remain in place but said he would amend the order to take into account developments since it was originally made.
Mr Justice Donald Binchy said it was necessary the injunction remained in place to prevent the broadcast of anything not already in the public domain or material relating to IBRC's legal advice.
He added that it was not unreasonable to infer that RTÉ wished to leave open the possibility that it may publish information or documents concerning Mr O'Brien between now and a full hearing of the matter, unless restrained by a court from doing so.
The court will hear submissions next week on how the order should be amended. | Irish state broadcaster RTÉ has failed to get an injunction granted to Ireland's richest man lifted. |
39743470 | The Under-20 World Cup finals, where the winger could be part of England's squad, clashes with Celtic's 27 May match against Aberdeen at Hampden Park.
"England will announce their squad in May and I am sure there will be a discussion," said Rodgers.
"We want him to be here, so we will see how that goes over the coming weeks."
Roberts is near the end of an 18-month loan spell at Celtic Park from Manchester City and has made 41 appearances this season, scoring seven goals.
World governing body Fifa states that England do not have the final say over the 20-year-old's participation in the tournament that starts in South Korea on 20 May.
Celtic are looking to complete a domestic treble having already won the Scottish Premiership and League Cup.
And Rodgers seems likely to be without star striker Moussa Dembele after the Frenchman picked up a hamstring injury in Sunday's semi-final win over Rangers.
"Pat knows there is a World Cup opportunity there for him," said the Celtic manager. "He has worked hard to be there.
"He is here on loan, but we respect the people at England, I know them well and we will have a conversation about it and hopefully it will fulfil the needs of both parties."
Roberts had already expressed his desire to end his spell with Celtic with a win in the cup final.
"It is unfair to put the boy in that situation really. He has played a big part in what we have been doing," added Rodgers.
"We will come together and hopefully he will be here.
"I am sure between Manchester City, England and ourselves we will come up with the best solution and that is ultimately what it is about, the best interests of Pat." | Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hopes to find a compromise with England Under-20 bosses to ensure Patrick Roberts can play in the Scottish Cup final. |
36301530 | The building recently housed a sports arena and Glasgow's Transport Museum.
It will now house 1.5 million pieces from Glasgow's civic collection and Glasgow University's Hunterian Museum.
The venue will also house the National Library of Scotland's Moving Image Archive and have a new role as a cultural, research and training centre.
The project is a joint partnership between Glasgow University, the Hunterian, Glasgow Museums, the National Library of Scotland and Glasgow Club.
Professor Murray Pittock, pro vice-principal of Glasgow University, said: "Kelvin Hall is a hugely exciting and unique project which brings together for the first time anywhere in the world civic organisations, higher education and national organisations under one roof.
"Kelvin Hall will help students wanting to study at the University of Glasgow to engage through the many objects housed at Kelvin Hall, it will enable postgraduate students to train using direct access to collections and the new digital portal, with more than 200,000 images, which can be utilised for research purposes.
"It will be a world-leading facility and is excellence available to all."
Kelvin Hall opened as an exhibition centre in 1927 and was used for musical performances before becoming a sports arena and home to Glasgow's Museum of Transport.
Over the years it has hosted major sports events including the 1990 European Indoor Athletics Championships.
A planned second phase of redevelopment will turn a 16,000sq m hall, once occupied by the Transport Museum, into a new home for the Hunterian museum by 2020.
The September intake of students at Glasgow University will be among the first to benefit from the redevelopment, which will offer teaching and research rooms.
Professor David Gaimster, director of the Hunterian, said: "The Kelvin Hall phase-one project is going to enable us to bring together all of our collections, 1.5 million objects and specimens, that are now in nine different storage facilities which are very inaccessible, and bring back this incredible asset dating back to The Enlightenment and not only create new access for educational audiences including the University of Glasgow but also connect collections which have been entirely fragmented for more than 200 years."
The phase-one development will also see a health and fitness centre at the site, incorporating an eight-court, multi-purpose sports hall, a gymnastics and martial arts hall and the city's largest fitness gym.
Glasgow University principal, Professor Anton Muscatelli, has previously suggested that when complete, the Kelvin Hall area will be the "best museum district outside of London".
Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery sits opposite the Kelvin Hall building, while the Riverside Museum, home to the transport collection, is nearby.
The redevelopment is being funded by Glasgow City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Scottish government, Glasgow University and Historic Scotland. | Glasgow's historic Kelvin Hall is set to re-open in the autumn as one of the UK's biggest museums and research centres following a £35m refurbishment. |
35803492 | Police captain Anyelo Palacios hit the headlines when he alleged he was the victim of a male prostitution ring within the police.
His stepfather said he was seized by armed men in Norte de Santander province late on Saturday.
Colombia's police chief Gen Jorge Nieto refused to speculate about the possible motives for the kidnapping.
Kidnappings have become a lot less frequent in Colombia since the government started peace talks with the country's largest rebel group, but abductions in remote rural areas where a smaller rebel group is active do still occur.
However, speculation is rife in Capt Palacios' case over whether he was taken for the incriminating information he is believed to have.
Gen Nieto told Colombian radio that Capt Palacios "escaped from his captors" who had held him in the village of Caliche in Norte de Santander.
He had been seized by four armed men as he was driving from the city of Cucuta to the town of Pamplona in north-eastern Colombia.
His 76-year-old stepfather, Arcilio Ortiz Valero, was in the car with Capt Palacios when they got stopped by the gunmen.
They ordered Mr Ortiz out of the car and told him they would return his stepson within the hour.
When the gunmen did not return, he alerted the authorities.
Capt Palacios has been at the centre of a scandal involving Colombia's national police since he told reporters he had been abused as a young cadet by a male prostitution ring operating within the force.
Colombia's Prosecutor General Alejandro Ordonez said that Capt Palacios' allegation was backed up by a separate complaint by a now retired police captain.
According to the complaint, young male police cadets were cajoled and threatened into having sex with higher-ranking officers and influential politicians.
A day after Mr Ordonez opened an investigation into the case, police chief Gen Rodolfo Palomino, who said he was "absolutely innocent", resigned.
To back up his allegations, Capt Palacios handed Colombian radio station La FM a video he says he took of himself and Senator Carlos Ferro in 2008.
The video shows the then-senator in a car talking to the man recording the video.
The man making the recording cannot be seen but can be heard clearly and his voice seems to match that of Capt Palacios.
The two discuss their sexual preferences and engage in talk of an explicit sexual nature.
However, there is no mention of a prostitution ring or any signs of coercion or cajoling.
The airing of the video by La FM Radio led to the resignation of Mr Ferro in February, who at the time was deputy interior minister.
But it also caused a backlash among Colombians who said it offered no proof of anything illegal and should therefore not have been made public.
The journalist who aired it, Vicky Davila, came under heavy criticism and was asked to resign by her bosses.
The investigation into the alleged prostitution ring is still under way and Capt Palacios is a key witness. | A Colombian whistleblower who was kidnapped on Saturday has escaped his captors, police have announced. |
39946704 | The incident is alleged to have happened on 31 October 2012.
Police said a 47-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The man is expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal's office. | A man has been arrested after an 18-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a bus from London Victoria to Glasgow more than four years ago. |
37306918 | Dame Maureen Brennan said parents were warned about short skirts, tight trousers and trainers in a letter sent from Barr Beacon School last term.
"We will buy shoes and trousers for those parents that cannot afford to replace the 'wrong ones'," she said.
Students not complying stayed in the hall at the school in Aldridge, West Midlands, while parents were contacted.
It follows problems at a school in Kent where police had to intervene in a disturbance as rows over uniforms intensified.
Dame Maureen said "skirts started to creep up, trousers started to fall down" last term, adding that staff "asked for black belts to be worn to keep up boys' trousers avoiding the need to see underwear."
The letter to parents said trainers advertised as school shoes were not acceptable footwear, she said.
"We also reminded parents that skirts should be knee length and not belts, figure hugging, tight or short, that trousers should not be leggings, jeggings or roll-on tight trousers, that false and gel nails were not permitted, that no extreme hairstyles were permitted and that correct black, leather school shoes must be worn and trainers, canvas pumps and work boots were unacceptable."
After speaking to parents on Tuesday, most children returned the next day in correct uniform and "looked a delight", said Dame Maureen.
"We are realistic and we do know parents buy items from shops in good faith and cannot always afford to replace incorrect purchases," she said. | A head teacher has offered to pay to replace "wrong uniforms" - after dozens of children ended up in isolation. |
36971996 | The Australian Electoral Commission announced the final Senate results for all states and territories on Thursday.
To secure the 39 votes it needs to pass laws, the ruling conservative coalition needs support from the crossbench.
This includes four far-right One Nation senators and three from the anti-gambling, pro-protectionist Nick Xenophon Team.
The upper house also includes independents Jacqui Lambie and Derryn Hinch, conservative Family First Senator Bob Day and libertarian David Leyonhjelm.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared victory in the lower house on 10 July after the opposition Labor Party conceded defeat.
A strong swing against the government at the closely fought election left doubts about its agenda and Mr Turnbull's leadership.
Senate votes typically take several weeks to count - especially where the results are extremely close - because postal votes can take up to 13 days to arrive.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten attributed the election of Ms Hanson and her colleagues to voting reforms and the prime minister's decision to call a double dissolution.
"The presence in such numbers of One Nation in the Senate is a direct result of Mr Turnbull and Mr Di Natale's action in terms of their so-called electoral reform," Mr Shorten said. | Australia's prime minister must negotiate with 11 crossbenchers to pass laws through the country's upper house. |
37897215 | Only 45% of the 3,507 facilities contacted in 16 out of Yemen's 22 provinces reported that they were fully functioning and accessible.
There were only two doctors or fewer in 42% of the 276 surveyed districts.
The WHO warned the lack of adequate health services meant people were being deprived of life-saving interventions.
Yemen has been devastated by an 18-month conflict between forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi's government, backed by a Saudi-led multinational coalition, and those allied to the Houthi rebel movement.
As of 25 October, at least 7,070 people have been killed and 36,818 others injured, according to data submitted by health facilities to the UN. The death toll does not provide a breakdown between civilians and combatants.
More than three million people have also been displaced, and 21 million are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance.
Two million people are malnourished nationwide, including 370,000 children who are severely malnourished.
The WHO said the critical shortages in health services meant mothers and newborn babies were not receiving essential antenatal care, while people suffering from acute or chronic conditions were being forced to spend more on treatment or forgo treatment altogether.
The absence of communicable diseases management had also increased the risk of outbreaks of cholera, measles, malaria and other endemic diseases, the UN agency warned.
In early October, Yemen's health ministry announced that there was a cholera outbreak. By the end of the month, there were 61 confirmed cases and 1,700 suspected cases in 10 provinces.
Four cholera-related deaths were also confirmed, along with 42 deaths associated with acute watery diarrhoea. | More than half of the health facilities in war-torn Yemen are closed or partially functioning, a survey by the World Health Organisation has found. |
40675094 | The seamer had James Franklin and John Simpson both caught at long-on, and then bowled Tim Southee in the final over of Middlesex's 179-8.
Brendon McCullum smashed six sixes in his 51-ball 88 for Middlesex before Kent stumbled to 163-8.
Elsewhere, Leicestershire won at Durham while Sussex beat Hampshire.
Former New Zealand captain McCullum had only scored 36 in his previous four innings for Middlesex this summer and made the most of being dropped by Kent captain Sam Northeast on 19.
He brought up his half-century in 30 balls and also struck nine fours before he was bowled by Calum Haggett.
McCullum's innings overshadowed that of Dawid Malan, who celebrated his call-up to England's squad for next week's third Test against South Africa by making 33 before becoming the first of Coles' four victims.
His final-over heroics saw him become the third Kent bowler to take a T20 hat-trick, following on from Ryan McLaren in 2007 and Wahab Riaz in 2011, as he finished with 4-32.
Kent's reply got off to the worst possible start as they lost the in-form Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly to slump to 2-2.
Northeast hit 59 and Jimmy Neesham 52 to give Kent hope but they fell short in front of Middlesex's record outground crowd of 4,107 at Richmond.
Leicestershire made it four wins from four to stay top of the North Group with an impressive 27-run victory over Durham.
After Luke Ronchi (32), Cameron Deport (29) and Mark Cosgrove (33) laid a strong foundation, the Foxes lost their way as they collapsed from 100-2 to 144-8, Paul Collingwood taking 4-24.
But their attack defended a score of less than 150 for the third successive game as they reduced Durham to 39-5 before the hosts mustered only 117-8 from their 20 overs, with 20-year-old slow left-armer Callum Parkinson taking 3-20.
Jofra Archer starred for Sussex as they picked up their first win of the competition by ending South Group leaders Hampshire's 100% record.
The 22-year-old paceman, from Barbados, ripped through Hampshire's top order to finish with 4-18 as the home side could only post 126-9.
Reece Topley trapped Luke Wright leg before with the third ball of Sussex's reply but they cruised to their target with 16 balls to spare to win by six wickets. | Matt Coles took the first hat-trick of this summer's T20 Blast but ended up on the losing side as Middlesex beat Kent by 16 runs. |
39996928 | It happened at Castlerock in County Londonderry at about 18:10 BST on Sunday.
Paramedics were called to the scene before Coastguard rescue teams from Coleraine and Ballycastle were able to lift the boy to safety from the rocks.
The boy was treated at the Causeway Hospital before being discharged.
John McPoland of the Ambulance Service said: "We received reports that a 12-year-old male had fallen on to the rocks at the beach. We dispatched a rapid response paramedic and an accident and emergency crew.
"When they arrived and assessed the scene, we required the assistance of the coastguard also," Mr McPoland said.
"They attended the scene, took the young fella from the rocks and handed him over to the care of the paramedics." | A 12-year-old boy has sustained head and leg injuries after falling up to 20ft (6m) off a cliff along Northern Ireland's north coast. |
29462260 | The 19th Century villa in Manchester had fallen into disrepair after being used as a student hall of residence.
Gaskell lived there from 1850 until her death in 1865 and wrote works including Cranford, Ruth, North and South and Wives and Daughters in the house.
It will be fully open to the public for the first time from Sunday.
The grand, grade II* listed house has been furnished with period items and replicas.
Gaskell's own passport, sewing boxes, silver teapot, ivory brooch and wedding veil are among her items on show.
The writer lived in the house with her husband William, a Unitarian minister, and their four daughters.
Janet Allan, chair of Manchester Historic Buildings Trust, which owns the house, said it was in a poor state of repair before the restoration.
"It was in a bad state structurally," she said. "It had been student accommodation for 30 years, so it didn't look like it does now.
"We had dry rot and wet rot and we re-roofed it and then the roof was stolen. We had trouble with the drains. She [Gaskell] talked about the 'pestilential smell' from the drains. They don't smell at all now."
As well as writing, Gaskell was also involved with social and charitable organisations in the city, which had grown rapidly during the industrial revolution.
Her depiction of slums in her first novel Mary Barton made a big impact among the reading public at the time.
Sarah Prince, Gaskell's great-great-great-granddaughter, said the refurbishment was "fabulous".
"She was a notable writer of the Victorian era, she was a reformist, she was very keen on addressing the needs of the poor, so the fact that she is still remembered and understood for what she tried to do, which was sometimes groundbreaking, is good," she said.
Visitors to the house included her friend Charlotte Bronte plus Charles Dickens and John Ruskin.
Bronte once described it in a letter as "a large, cheerful, airy house, quite out of Manchester smoke - a garden surrounds it, and as in this hot weather, the windows were kept open - a whispering of leaves and perfume of flowers always pervaded the rooms". | The house of Cranford author Elizabeth Gaskell is opening its doors after a £2.5m refurbishment that has returned it to the style of the writer's era. |
39528941 | Specialists say eight-month-old Charlie Gard is largely unable to move and has significant irreversible brain damage.
His parents want to take him abroad for treatment but doctors say he should be moved to having palliative care.
His mother Connie Yates said without the treatment "Charlie's only alternative is death".
A decision over whether to turn off Charlie's life support machines is being considered by the Family Division of the High Court.
Judge Mr Justice Francis said he aimed to announce his decision on Tuesday.
He has been told Charlie, who was born on 4 August 2016, has a disorder called mitochondrial depletion syndrome which causes progressive muscle weakness.
A lawyer representing Great Ormond Street Hospital said a number of "world-renowned" experts agreed life support treatment should be halted.
Debra Powell QC said Charlie's father Chris Gard and Ms Yates had given their son "complete and unwavering" love and support.
However, she said Charlie should not get long-term life support treatment because his quality of life was so poor.
A guardian appointed to independently represent the baby boy's interests said he should not travel to the US for treatment.
Barrister Victoria Butler-Cole, instructed by Charlie's guardian, said continuing life-support treatment would not benefit Charlie but "prolong the process of dying".
She said: "This is not pioneering or life-sustaining treatment, but a purely experimental process with no real prospect of improving Charlie's condition or quality of life."
Baby Charlie suffers from an incredibly rare and devastating disease affecting the genetic building blocks which give energy to cells.
The Family Division of the High Court has heard how this mutation in the RRM2B gene generally proves fatal in the first year of life, although children can survive for longer on ventilators.
The American doctor who proposes treating Charlie for up to six months has stressed that an experimental drug called nucleoside therapy is not a cure.
Such a treatment plan would also require detailed conversations with intensive care specialists about ensuring the baby was medically stable for the long trip to the United States.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London say Charlie could theoretically have been given the treatment here - but they do not believe this is appropriate because he is so ill.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital said the baby received 24-hour care and should be allowed to die with dignity.
But Ms Yates said: "All I ask now is for you to give him that chance for the treatment proposed.
"Charlie's best interests have always been at the forefront of our mind."
A crowdfunding campaign for the trip is about £50,000 short of its £1.3m target. | Doctors treating a sick baby have said his life support should be stopped as his mother urged a High Court judge to give him "one chance of life". |
30515892 | Robert Douglas, 57, was found guilty of offences dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.
He was jailed for seven years at the High Court in Edinburgh, where judge Edward Bowen QC told him: "The fact of the matter is justice has now caught up with you."
As Douglas was led away, a woman sitting in the public benches said: "I hope you rot in hell."
Defence counsel Neil Murray QC had told the court: "He is under no illusions about the gravity of the offences."
Douglas was placed on the sex offenders register. | An Aberdeen man who abused children and raped a woman has been jailed. |
36703065 | Fer made nine appearances on loan with the Swans last season and joins the on a three-year contract after a fee was agreed with Queens Park Rangers for the midfielder.
The Netherlands international, 26, had a year to run on his QPR contract but had stated his desire to remain with Francesco Guidolin's team.
Swansea are also expected to conclude a deal for Ajax's Mike van der Hoorn.
Defender Hoorn, a Netherlands U21 international, is understood to have agreed personal terms.
Fer joined QPR on a three-year deal from Norwich City in August 2014 for a reported £8m.
He earned the first of his 11 Holland caps in 2010 and was part of the squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Fer was part of the Rangers side relegated from the Premier League in 2014-15 and suffered the same fate with Norwich in the previous season.
Swansea will go into the 2016-17 season under new ownership after an American consortium bought a controlling stake in the club.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Swansea City have made Leroy Fer their first summer signing. |
40796362 | Wayne Brookes joined 45 other paedophiles online to watch the abuse being streamed live from America.
Bristol Crown Court heard he also used the site to watch a recording of a six-month-old baby being abused.
Brookes, 43, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, admitted four charges of making indecent images of children and was jailed for 20 months.
The court heard the former teacher accessed the online chat room after being given a 10-digit code by another paedophile.
The rapist who broadcast the attack was arrested in the US in February and jailed for up to 30 years.
Brookes, who had worked as a teacher for 10 years, was identified by officers after using a profile named Bear to access the chat room.
He was found to have downloaded more than 200 indecent images of children, including dozens in the highest category.
Judge Martin Picton said he had kept his interest in young children a secret from his partner, viewing the indecent material "late at night".
"One of the pieces of footage depicted the live streaming of a rape of a little boy," he added.
"I do give you the benefit of doubt with the issue of whether you understood that you were watching a live event."
The judge said although there was "no suggestion" that Brookes accessed indecent images at work or "offended against any of the children" in his care, his offences would have caused "alarm and distress" at the school where he worked.
Defence barrister Virginia Cornwall said Brookes had "demonstrated remorse and understanding for his criminality" and was "a broken man".
Brookes is the second of four men to be sentenced following an investigation into the chat room by the National Crime Agency.
Last month, youth worker Darren Williams, 44, was jailed for 11 years for his part in the live stream of the rape.
Philip Crabtree, 35, of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and Christian Johnson Lueking, 36, of Raynes Park, London, are currently awaiting sentencing. | A primary school teacher who watched a live stream of a six-year-old boy being raped has been jailed. |
34711126 | Sinoti, 30, was named in the 2014-15 Team of the Season after scoring nine tries in 20 league games but is yet to feature this term because of injury.
He had spells at Toulon, Castres and Aironi before moving to Kingston Park.
"He is understandably a player we wanted to secure for the foreseeable future," said boss Dean Richards.
"Sinoti is a quality player and brings a lot of power, aggression and go-forward to the table."
His club form led to an international recall for the Pacific Nations Cup over the summer, but he suffered a leg injury which put him out for up to four months.
"I'm really pleased that I'm staying at Newcastle," Sinoti said.
"I've been made to feel so welcome by everyone, fans, the rest of the boys and I am just really comfortable here.
"It is a great club with great people and I can't wait to be back." | Samoan winger Sinoti Sinoti has signed a long-term deal at Premiership side Newcastle Falcons, although the exact terms are undisclosed. |
40607449 | The Scotland international, 32, picked up the injury during the club's training camp in Portugal on Wednesday.
Hull, relegated from the Premier League least season, open their Championship campaign with games against Aston Villa, Burton, Wolves, QPR and Bolton.
"It was a very unfortunate injury," new head coach Leonid Slutsky told Hull's website.
"We expect to be without him for a maximum time of about six weeks."
Hull's other senior goalkeepers are Eldin Jakupovic, 32, and Allan McGregor, 35. | Hull City goalkeeper David Marshall will miss the start of the new season after suffering ankle ligament damage. |
35949220 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Miles Storey tapped in Ross Draper's cut-back as the United defence was opened up.
Then Iain Vigurs made it two after the break with a long drive past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.
The result leaves Mixu Paatelainen's side eight points adrift of second-bottom Kilmarnock.
It means they have to win a minimum of three of their remaining five games, having won just six from 33 so far, to avoid automatic relegation.
On the evidence of this match, that is an entirely improbable sequence of results, with United on a run of only one win in their last six matches.
A Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibernian next weekend may be a welcome distraction in a season that, otherwise, threatens to be utterly grim.
Caley Thistle may not have been able to hit the heights of last season - they will finish in the bottom six despite this victory - but they were markedly superior to United.
Storey's opening goal came seconds after he was allowed a clear run on goal by a fragile United defence and though Kawashima denied him then, United failed to learn a lesson and allowed Draper in behind them to set up Storey for a tap-in.
Kawashima kept the deficit down, saving from Greg Tansey and Gary Warren before the break, but he was beaten again early in the second half.
A corner kick was cleared as far as Vigurs who, 25 yards from goal, powered the ball past the Japanese keeper, who pushed over a similar effort from the midfielder later in the match.
United only seriously threatened Owain Fon Williams' goal on a couple of occasions and both times the visiting keeper saved well, firstly from Guy Demel and then Kyle Knoyle.
The full-time whistle was greeted by boos from the bulk of the United fans who had remained to the bitter end, but it appears there is an even more bitter end to follow.
For Inverness it was just the Highlanders' second win in eight Premiership matches, but not enough to make the top six. | Dundee United lurched closer to the drop as a toothless display ensured they fell to defeat by an improved Inverness Caledonian Thistle side. |
34942733 | The team from Bangor used geophysical surveys to outline the site at Cemlyn, which it says is the first early Roman military site to be found on the island.
The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust was first alerted to it by an aerial photographer.
It described the discovery as "exciting".
Mary Aris, an aerial photographer and historian, spotted a circular mark in crops on a low hill overlooking the Anglesey coast.
The trust secured funding from Cadw, the Welsh government's historic environment service, for further inquiry.
It used surveys which detect minute changes in the magnetic properties of soil to build-up a map of the buried remains, without even breaking ground.
David Hopewell, of Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, said the results were "unusually clear", showing the "unmistakable outline" of a Roman fortlet - a smaller version of a Roman fort.
It is thought the structure dates back to the 1st Century.
"The discovery is particularly exciting because it is the first early Roman military site to be found on the island," the trust said.
"The conquest of Anglesey was famously described two thousand years ago in lurid detail by the Roman senator and historian, Tacitus, but historians have, up until now, searched in vain for any sign of forts and roads on the island."
Mr Hopewell said fortlets are usually linked by roads, 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) apart, and it is hoped, therefore, the latest find will lead to other discoveries. | Archaeologists have discovered a Roman fortlet on Anglesey - without even putting a spade into the ground. |
38918631 | Fe wnaeth ei sylwadau ar ôl teithio i Langennech i gwrdd â rhieni sy'n gwrthwynebu'r cam i droi'r ysgol yn un cyfrwng Gymraeg.
Ym mis Ionawr, pleidleisiodd mwyafrif cynghorwyr Sir Gâr o blaid y newid.
Dywedodd llefarydd ar ran y cyngor bod y camau statudol wedi'u dilyn a'u bod wedi ymgynghori'n eang cyn dod i'r penderfyniad.
Dywedodd Mr Hamilton ei fod yn cefnogi bwriad Llywodraeth Cymru i gael miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050, ond bod y penderfyniad ar Ysgol Llangennech yn mynd yn erbyn "dymuniadau rhieni".
"Y bobl anoddefgar yn fan hyn yw'r aelodau Plaid Cymru sy'n gorfodi hyn ar bentref sydd ddim am ei weld," meddai Mr Hamilton.
"Fel arweinydd UKIP yn y Senedd dwi wedi bod yn flaenllaw wrth gefnogi camau i hyrwyddo diddordebau'r iaith Gymraeg."
Mynnodd hefyd ei fod yn amddiffyn diddordebau rhieni oedd wedi gweld polisi addysg yn cael ei "osod" arnyn nhw gan gynghorwyr, er bod ymgynghoriad wedi derbyn tua'r un nifer o sylwadau o blaid ac yn erbyn y syniad.
"Os ydyn ni'n ceisio gorfodi'r iaith Gymraeg lawr cyrn gwddf pobl fyddai fel arall am ei gwarchod, ond dydyn nhw ddim ei eisiau ar gyfer eu plant, fyddwn ni ddim yn ennill y frwydr dros feddyliau pobl er mwyn sicrhau bod Cymru'n dod yn wlad ddwyieithog o fewn fy mywyd i," meddai.
Wrth ymateb i sylwadau Mr Hamilton, dywedodd Aelod Cynulliad Plaid Cymru Simon Thomas fod y penderfyniad wedi bod yn un democrataidd.
"Dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n anffodus iawn bod UKIP yn trio achosi cynnen rhwng pobl sy'n siarad Cymraeg a Saesneg - mae'r penderfyniad yn Llangennech yn un i'r gymuned leol, yr ysgol, y llywodraethwyr, ac yn y pen draw, i'r cyngor sir," meddai.
"Mae'r broses sydd wedi bod yn digwydd dros y tair blynedd diwethaf wedi bod yn glir a thryloyw i bawb, ac mewn ffordd ddemocrataidd."
Dywedodd y cynghorydd Gareth Jones, aelod cabinet Cyngor Sir Gâr ar addysg: "Mae'r penderfyniad ar y cynnig i newid darpariaeth ysgol gynradd yn Llangennech wedi dilyn proses hir, ac rydyn ni'n fodlon bod y camau statudol wedi eu dilyn a'n bod ni wedi ymgynghori'n eang."
Dywedodd cadeirydd rhanbarth Caerfyrddin Cymdeithas yr Iaith, Sioned Elin: "Mae newid ysgol Llangennech i fod yn ysgol Gymraeg yn bwysig i'r sir gyfan yn ogystal â Llangennech.
"Dim ond addysg Gymraeg fydd yn sicrhau bod plant yn rhugl yn y Gymraeg a'r Saesneg ac yn sicrhau cyfleoedd gwaith a chymdeithasol iddynt yn y dyfodol.
"Roedd yn rhagweladwy y byddai Neil Hamilton yn achub ar y cyfle i wneud safiad gwrth-Gymraeg fel hyn, fyddai'n amddifadu cenhedlaeth arall o blant o'r gallu i fyw a gweithio yn Gymraeg.
"Beth sydd i'w ddisgwyl gan rywun nad yw'n trafferthu byw yn yr etholaeth na'r wlad y mae'n gwasanaethu?" | Mae arweinydd UKIP yn y Cynulliad, Neil Hamilton yn mynnu na fydd "gorfodi'r iaith Gymraeg i lawr cyrn gwddf plant" yn help i sicrhau Cymru ddwyieithog. |
40278268 | They said the convenience made them spend more or lose track of money, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) survey suggested.
Two-thirds said apps made it easier to spend, particularly from bed at the start or the end of the day.
A separate report suggested that voice and gesture technology will transform the way we pay.
The Nationwide said that its survey suggested people were increasing comfortable with biometrics when paying. The building society said that futurologist Ian Pearson has said the next stage of convenience was within reach.
"Gesturing towards someone and saying: 'Here is £13.46' is quite enough to combine the voice and gesture recognition with the presence of your smartphone as electronic identification," Dr Pearson said.
The FSCS survey found the women asked said they typically spent £131 via apps during a month, while men spent £115.
Men were more likely to spend via apps on gambling, travel, socialising, entertainment and music, while women favoured food and shopping apps.
Mark Oakes, head of communications at the FSCS, said: "Being able to make purchases at the touch of a button removes the thinking time you would usually have if you were in a shop.
"It requires discipline to stay in control of your money, not only spending but also saving, but it's worth doing. Setting aside just a little a month can add up to a big sum." | A third of people surveyed about their smartphones said apps made them spend at all hours and hit their finances. |
31750644 | Stephen Lorimer was asked if there was anything he had observed or been told that gave him cause for concern.
Mr Lorimer said: "There was no mental health diagnosis and no indication he was going to be violent to anyone."
Dawn McKenzie, 34, was stabbed by the 13-year-old in her home in Hamilton in 2011.
The boy had been in the care of Mrs McKenzie and her husband for about seven months at the time of the attack.
Mr Lorimer told the inquiry that he had been delighted at the boy being placed with the McKenzies.
He said he would have liked to be more involved in the process of sourcing the placement, but told the inquiry that the couple were an ideal placement for the boy.
Mr Lorimer was also questioned about a previous comment made by Dawn McKenzie's husband Bryan to the inquiry that Mr Lorimer's attitude to the placement was lackadaisical.
The social worker replied: "My response is that I am a conscientious worker. I take my role very seriously. All I ever wanted was the best outcome [for the boy]."
He broke down in tears as he told the inquiry that he could not have done anything differently.
In his evidence, Mr Lorimer also said a recommendation that foster carers should have a lockable knife drawer or cabinet was something you would not normally see in family life.
He told the inquiry that if carers needed to lock away knives to keep themselves safe, then there would be concerns about the safety of that placement. Mr Lorimer said a child with that sort of issue should not be in a foster placement.
The inquiry also heard from the social worker's team leader, Magdalene Sewell.
She told the inquiry that Mr Lorimer was a very unassuming but reliable and competent worker.
Ms Sewell said she and Mr Lorimer took on the boy's case after a previous social worker had to give it up after being threatened by the partner of the boy's mother.
She told the inquiry how the boy's mother and her partner had shown aggression in front of their children. She described how on one occasion the boy's mother kicked a door so hard she broke the locks on it and on another hit her head against a fence.
The inquiry continues. | The social worker of a boy who stabbed his foster mother to death has told a fatal accident inquiry there was "no indication" the child was violent. |
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