id
stringlengths 7
11
| dialogue
stringlengths 15
174k
⌀ | summary
stringlengths 1
399
|
|---|---|---|
28706335 | The man doused an ants' nest in petrol before setting it alight, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said.
Flames quickly spread along a garden hedge before the man's house caught fire, melting plastic guttering, a plastic window frame and a garden chair.
A fire service spokesman said: "Using petrol to eliminate an ants' nest has to be a first for us."
The fire started at about 20:00 BST on Thursday.
The spokesman added: "We always tell people never to use petrol or other accelerants to get a fire going.
"The incident is a classic example of how even a small fire can so quickly develop into a much more serious incident." | A man set fire to his house trying to get rid of some ants in Rotherham. |
34148936 | Hash tags like "Greatfallofchina" started to fill my Twitter feed, and as each day brought more falls on the mainland Chinese stock markets (both the Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen CSI 300 saw major falls), each day also brought more panic for investors.
Research houses put out daily reports trying to make sense of the fear and anxiety amongst investors as billions of dollars evaporated in front of their eyes.
But where do Asian economies stand in all of this? And was all the fear and anxiety overblown and misplaced?
After all, as one economist told me, "sometimes markets move so much faster than economists can update their data".
There's no denying that Asian investors were rightly concerned by the stock market falls and recent yuan devaluation in China - there was a knock-on effect on commodity prices and some Asian currencies touched multi-year lows.
Adding to concerns was what appeared to be incompetence on the part of the Chinese government after they failed to halt the market slide despite pumping in an estimated $200bn.
Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) came out and acknowledged that global growth would be affected by what happens in China - because it makes up such a large part of the global economy.
And then there are low commodity and oil prices - a boon for Asian countries like India which import raw materials and oil, but not so great for countries like Malaysia which is a net exporter of oil.
Well, many economists feel that Asia will ride it out.
To find out why, we need to cast our eyes back to 2008 and the last financial crisis.
According to Standard & Poor's (S&P), Asia's economic growth before the crisis was 5.5% - a fifth of which was driven by external demand from the US and Europe.
During the global financial crisis of 2008, S&P says global trade collapsed and has never fully recovered.
But all of this happened against a backdrop of increased growth rates for Asian countries such as India and Indonesia. Even China - although no longer at double digit growth - still posted a respectable 7% during this period.
Well, one theory is that countries in Asia were buying and selling a lot more from each other than they were elsewhere.
So regional trade between the ASEAN region and China grew at a steady clip over the last few years, buffering them from the slowdown in the US and Europe.
Asian economies have piggy-backed on the success of China's two-decade long economic boom. Selling to China helped the fortunes of businesses in Jakarta, Hanoi and Singapore.
Then there's also domestic demand - something that China is trying to transition its economy towards and which now accounts for 45% of China's gross domestic product (GDP).
Increasingly, economists are seeing the trend of a domestic demand-led story in some of Asia's most populous economies such as Indonesia and India.
But what policy makers didn't do during the good times was fix some inherent structural problems in their own countries.
Investment in infrastructure, for example, didn't keep up with the pace of growth, and red tape and corruption were also left unaddressed.
Some economists believe that China's stock market volatility and the subsequent panic across global (not just Asia) markets was not necessarily grounded in economic fundamentals but driven more by investor sentiment. However, there are some very real concerns that Asian countries need to address as China's economy slows.
There are bright spots for Asia - namely the improving US economy.
America looks like it's getting stronger, and crucially the labour market is recovering. It is the biggest trading partner for most of Asia - so when US consumer demand recovers, so does Asian trade.
But that could be scuppered by a potential increase in interest rates this month by the Federal Reserve. And China's economic health remains a question mark at the moment.
But economists say China needs to slow down as it changes and rebalances its economy - and the government needs to manage growth expectations to keep this transition orderly. It is the "new normal" that China and the world needs to get used to.
As the proverb says, a high tide lifts all boats.
So when China and America's economies were doing well, Asia's was too.
But when the tide goes out, those left standing better be ready to start picking up the pieces.
For more on China's economic outlook, tune in to a special edition of Talking Business at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, China on 11 September. | You know that a stock market story has crossed into the mainstream once internet memes about it begin. |
38117603 | A rally held in Endcliffe Park follows the removal of eight trees on Rustlings Road in the early hours of 17 November.
The council claimed the trees were damaging pavements and would cost £50,000 to repair, but an independent report found no "arboricultural reason" to remove all but one of the eight.
On Friday, the authority apologised for the dawn felling.
At the protest, held close to Rustlings Road, people listened to speeches and banners with messages including 'Save the trees' and 'What happened to democracy' were waved.
Nicky Bea, one of the protest organisers, said people were "upset and shocked" at recent actions by the council.
"When residents are being woken up in the middle of the night, assisted by riot vans, with trees chopped down in the dark with no warning or legal procedures followed at all with regards to notice, it's really not on," she said.
Three people were arrested after confrontations with workers during the felling of the eight trees, but were later released without charge.
Councillor Bryan Lodge, cabinet member for environment at Sheffield City Council, said he would not be resigning despite criticism of how the tree felling programme was being run.
He said: "We've got to look at the whole network across the city ensuring our duties under the Highways Act - that we have safe passage on the highways, which includes footpaths as well as the road surface.
"The process is to rebalance the age profile of the trees going forward and make sure we have street trees we can protect in the long-term." | Hundreds of people have attended a protest against Sheffield City Council's tree felling programme. |
35952644 | Gerard Pique headed the hosts in front but Real quickly equalised through Karim Benzema's spectacular volley.
Cristiano Ronaldo netted the winner only two minutes after the visitors had defender Sergio Ramos sent off for two bookable offences.
But which players impressed and who disappointed? These are the player ratings for both sides.
Had little chance with either of Real's goals, and punched out a drive from Cristiano Ronaldo in the first half. Solid enough when dealing with crosses and blameless in defeat.
Mindful of the threat posed by Ronaldo down his flank, the Brazilian was more restrained than usual in coming forward, and Barca perhaps suffered from his reduced service to Lionel Messi. Fired a long-range blaster over the bar.
Scored Barca's goal with a good header from a corner and generally defended well, making one excellent block to deny Benzema. Will have been frustrated to see Toni Kroos' deflected cross skim over his head and drop for Benzema to equalise.
A typical battling display from the Argentine, who was rightly shown a yellow card for a crude challenge on Gareth Bale. Generally contained Benzema but looked occasionally vulnerable against Ronaldo and Bale's inside bursts.
A match-up of two speedsters with Bale and he came off second best. Offered little coming forward and was fortunate to see Bale have a header disallowed for a supposed push after being beaten in the air. Also beaten by Bale's cross for the winner.
Forced a good save from Keylor Navas with a left-footed shot in the first half, and delivered the corner for Pique's goal. A classy performance and the team deteriorated when he was replaced by Arda Turan.
An unflappably calm presence in the centre of midfield when Barca were on top, with his precise and unfussy passing keeping his team's rhythm. But found himself overrun in the latter stages as Madrid grew in strength.
Some typically wispy runs from the dribbling wizard, who also had a powerful shot blocked by Ramos in the first half. But he was rarely able to penetrate the visiting defence and declined in influence as the game went on.
Played a little deeper and more centrally than usual but, as always, the Argentine was at the heart of his team's attacking efforts. Came close with two free-kicks, had a penalty appeal waved away and forced a good save with a deftly clipped shot.
A night to forget for the Uruguayan, who missed an absolute sitter in the early stages, was shown a yellow card for throwing his arm in Pepe's face and struggled to get much change out of Pepe and Ramos.
Made a very strong start, setting up early chances for Suarez and Iniesta, also curling a tough chance well over the bar. But he faded badly after the break and was regularly caught in possession in a weak second half showing.
Introduced for Rakitic but made little impact, with Barca losing control of the contest after he appeared. Had a late half-chance to level but saw his shot blocked.
The Costa Rica international has been outstanding this season after his club's botched attempt to sign David de Gea in the summer, and he delivered again here with two outstanding diving saves to deny Rakitic and Messi.
Was booked early for a lunge on Iniesta and initially struggled badly against Neymar. But he responded well to finish the game strongly, playing a role in the winner by feeding Bale.
Sent off in the latter stages after being booked for dissent and a foul on Suarez, but still played a full part with a committed and physically fearless performance. Made one great last-ditch challenge on Messi, prompting calls for a penalty that were rightly turned down.
The Portuguese powerhouse largely performed with resilience and determination to frustrate Suarez, but he was lucky to get away with a poor hashed clearance in the first half which resulted in Rakitic forcing a good save from Navas.
Was overworked in defence initially but slowly became more of an attacking force as the game went on, acting as the catalyst for the equaliser with a driving run to find Kroos. Appears to be blessed with never-ending supplies of energy.
Maybe lucky to escape an early booking for a foul on Busquets as his frustration at Barca's dominance became evident. But he never stopped working for his team and performed tidily in the second half.
Looked like a rabbit in the headlights during the early stages, when his technical deficiencies were laid bare as a number of passes went astray. But he is in the team for his defensive abilities and he played a key role in that respect, protecting his back four well.
Like Modric, he looked overwhelmed in the opening stages and couldn't get near the ball. But, reflecting his team's overall performance, he gradually gained strength and delivered the cross for Benzema's equaliser.
Man-of-the-match performance from the Welshman, who was his team's most dangerous player all night, regularly troubling Barca with his powerful running. Unlucky to see a header disallowed for a supposed push and picked out Ronaldo with a deep cross for the winner. Maybe his best game for the club.
Couldn't get involved at all in the first half, barely touching the ball before slicing a glorious chance over the top. Continued to contribute little but rescued another otherwise poor performance with an excellent finish for the equaliser. Substituted soon after.
Virtually nothing went right for the Portuguese star, whose frequent attempts to run at the home team defence generally led him down cul-de-sacs. But his frustrating night took a drastic turn for the better when he pounced for the winner, crisply finishing Bale's cross.
Came on at a perfect time as Barca were starting to tire, and took full advantage with his fast and direct running contributing to his team's late dominance.
A late time-wasting sub, with no chance to make an impact. | Barcelona's 39-match unbeaten run ended as they were beaten 2-1 at home by 10-man Real Madrid at the Nou Camp. |
37313092 | The eight plaques mark key locations in the life of the entertainer, who was believed to be the highest paid actress in the world in the 1930s.
Her travelling performances for troops during World War Two led her to become known as "the forces' sweetheart".
A statue in her honour is due to be unveiled on 18 September.
The locations of the plaques include St Chad's Church where she was christened and Rochdale Town Hall, where she received the Freedom of the Borough in 1937.
Richard Farnell, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: "Gracie Fields rose from humble beginnings to become an international superstar on the back of sheer talent and hard work.
"It's hard to underestimate the impact she had and it's about time she was properly recognised in her home town."
He added: "This is our chance to show the world how proud we are of her."
The statue of the star, designed by sculptor Sean Hedges Quinn, will be unveiled outside Rochdale Town Hall at 13:00 on 18 September. | The final plaque of the Gracie Fields heritage trail has been unveiled in her home town of Rochdale. |
19389094 | Tory MP Tim Yeo has said it should go ahead, two days after Housing Minister Grant Shapps hinted a future Tory government could consider the option.
The coalition agreement rules out any expansion before the next election and Labour also currently opposes it.
Mr Shapps told the Daily Telegraph that "all options should be considered".
He told the newspaper on Saturday: "I back the Chancellor's position to the hilt when he said in the Budget we clearly need to review the airport capacity in the South East. All the options need to be considered while being mindful of our election manifesto."
Asked by the BBC whether he believed the Heathrow expansion could take place after the next general election, in 2015, Mr Shapps said: "These things need to be considered in due course."
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday, Mr Yeo said the issue "was a race in which Britain is now falling behind and we need to get back into it".
"Airlines are among the people who're pushing for this now very badly-needed expansion, so that we don't continue to lose out against airports like Frankfurt and Charles de Gaulle, both of whom have twice as many destinations in China, twice as many flights going to China," he said.
The former Labour chancellor, Alastair Darling, also told the programme the expansion at Heathrow needed to go ahead.
"The whole point about Heathrow is that it has more destinations than most other airports in the world. And the reason that it works is that if you fly into Heathrow you can go to most parts of the world.
"You can't have two hubs with one half of the world in one place, and one half in the other place. It simply doesn't work like that. Now, the advantage of Heathrow is it is there now, we can't go on putting this decision off," he said.
Transport Secretary Justine Greening - whose Putney constituency is on the Heathrow flightpath - has been a vehement campaigner against a third runway at the airport.
Some residents, who live under the flight path and are opposing the new runway plan, say better use could be made of existing airport capacity.
John Stewart, chairman of the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise, told BBC Radio 5 live's Stephen Nolan: "At the moment, the Department for Transport's own figures show that we have sufficient capacity, even in London and the South East, until almost 2030.
"So we have got time to look and see what we need. Justine Greening is quite right to say 'let's not rush into this'."
Jane Thomas, a campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said the business case for expansion had also not been made.
She said the government needed to take a "strong and clear leadership over aviation", which meant including aviation and shipping in the UK carbon budget.
"The Tories were emphatic that there would be no Heathrow expansion in 2010, and we still expect that commitment," she said.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who also opposes expansion at Heathrow, has campaigned for a new airport in the Thames Estuary.
A £50bn project to build an airport east of London has been put forward by architect Lord Foster.
A consultation on the future of air capacity in south-east England has twice been delayed by the government. | More calls have been made within the Conservative party for its leadership to rethink the policy opposing a third runway at Heathrow Airport. |
40014896 | A BBC investigation found thousands of Kettering General Hospital patients had waited a year or more for operations.
David Phelan, a hospital trust governor, claims patients were removed from lists because national targets were being missed.
The hospital admitted there had been "anomalies" and that a thorough review of data had been carried out.
A hospital review has found that 138 patients were harmed - including one who had substantial sight loss - as a result of the long waits.
Mr Phelan, who raised concerns under whistleblowing procedures, was working as associate general manager in the trauma and orthopaedics department when he discovered discrepancies in the referral to treatment time (RTT) data in October 2015.
He warned managers that the daily RTT report was understating the true position by half when checked against patient records.
He told the BBC he discovered managers at Kettering General Hospital had used six exclusion categories to remove patients from their official waiting list data.
"It became apparent to me that a systematic fiddling of the waiting list figures was taking place," he said.
"I made a whistle-blowing submission about this. I have been stonewalled about this for two years."
He says the trust manipulated the figures to avoid being fined for patients waiting longer than 52 weeks.
The NHS regulator fines for breaches of waiting times are per patient.
House sale consultant Andy Hames is one of the forgotten patients.
The 45-year-old from Corby had been suffering from a painful prostate complaint.
"I went for my pre-operation at Kettering General Hospital. I was told then the operation would be performed within two weeks. Two weeks passed and no notice of the operation.
"I waited and waited and still no joy. By that time a year had passed. I went to my GP who made a complaint. They chased it up for me and the operation was carried out a couple of weeks after.
"During that year I was suffering discomfort. It was hard to urinate."
Mr Hames, who has since made a recovery, said he was never told he had been dropped from the list but is now angry that he was forced to suffer so long.
An inspection report by the Care Quality Commission said when these data problems were identified, the number of patients found to be waiting more than 52 weeks leapt from just eight to 25,000.
The hospital, which has a deficit of £25m, has spent more than £3m trawling a million records to try to find the true number of people waiting for treatment.
The hospital trust was put into special measures last month by the regulator as it tries to clear the backlog.
Waiting times for hospitals are heavily regulated - and for good reason.
The sooner a patient is seen by a consultant, the easier it is to nip a problem in the bud.
At one time hospital trusts were fined for every patient who waited too long. In Kettering's case this would have added up to many millions of pounds, money they could not afford to lose at a time when deficits were starting to fall into the red.
Accurate computer data is vital not just for the regulators, but for the trusts themselves who need to monitor their own progress and spending.
Many of the patients left waiting were elderly and many didn't complain.
It is a feature of our investigations that, in the cases we found, the patients only got their operations after complaining on social media, or to their GPs or MPs.
Whatever the reason, it is astonishing that so many were apparently lost in the system.
A hospital spokesman said: "We suspended reporting of our waiting list data to the Department of Health in December 2015 when we became aware of some anomalies which suggested there could be some issues with our systems.
"In March 2017 we returned to reporting our waiting list data.
"This means we are confident we have now addressed our data quality and system issues and that our waiting list data is reliable."
Kettering General Hospital's chief operating officer Rebecca Brown said: "I want to reassure our patients that throughout this period - in the vast majority of cases - patients' treatment pathways have progressed as normal.
"However the intensive review of our waiting list data and systems has found, as of May 21st 2017, 282 patients who have waited more than a year (52 weeks) to be seen.
"This is unacceptable and we profoundly regret that these cases were not seen appropriately much earlier." | Thousands of patients were removed from a hospital's waiting lists in a bid to "fiddle" the system, it is claimed. |
38249208 | The first is a clear signal from the incoming Trump administration that environmental regulations, especially as they apply to the production of energy, are set for fundamental reform.
The second implication of Mr Pruitt's nomination is that the Trump camp is not willing to accept that many aspects of the science of climate change are now settled.
In his official biography Mr Pruitt revels in his role as a "leading advocate against the EPA's activist agenda".
Elected as attorney general of Oklahoma in 2010, Mr Pruitt has engaged in a legal fight with the Federal government on a number of issues including Obamacare. But it is in fighting the EPA and President Obama's climate regulations that he has really made an impact.
As the chief law officer of a major energy producing state, Mr Pruitt has taken a lead role in the 28-state challenge to the President's Clean Power Plan.
He has also secured an injunction blocking EPA's "Waters of the US" rule, which expands the scope of the Clean Water Act.
"He understands the regulatory stranglehold that the EPA has had on industry during the Obama administration," Harold Hamm, a top energy adviser to Mr Trump, told the Wall Street Journal.
"I believe that he will work to unleash prosperity in America through the proper use of regulations and adhering to the rule of law," said Mr Hamm, who is an ally of Mr Pruitt, and also CEO of Continental Resources, a major independent oil producer.
Republican politicians also welcomed the move.
"Pruitt is excellent choice for EPA," said Texas governor Greg Abbott via Twitter.
"He & I teamed up on many lawsuits against the EPA. He'll bring needed change."
The appointment though has sent shivers through the environmental community, many of whom believe it is akin to putting the fox in charge of the hen house.
Sam Adams from the World Resources Institute said it raised "some deeply troubling questions".
"Americans depend on EPA to promote human health and protect families and future generations. Its ability to protect air, water, and the climate for all people must continue," he said in a statement.
Mr Pruitt is sure to face a tricky nomination process. Much will be made of his links to oil and gas companies. He has had funding from the political-action committee of Charles and David Koch and from Devon Energy, another Oklahoma based oil and gas company.
The relationship with Devon Energy backfired somewhat when the New York Times revealed in 2014 that Mr Pruitt had sent letters of complaint to the EPA that were actually written by Devon's lawyers.
What gives environmentalists greater concern, though, are Mr Pruitt's views on climate change.
Writing in the National Review earlier this year, Mr Pruitt made it clear that he does not accept the widely held scientific views about the scale of temperature rises that are being caused by human emissions of carbon dioxide and that the impacts of this warming will be devastating for many parts of the world.
"That debate is far from settled. Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind," he wrote.
"That debate should be encouraged - in classrooms, public forums, and the halls of Congress. It should not be silenced with threats of prosecution. Dissent is not a crime."
Senior scientists say the evidence on the causes of climate change and the human role in them is very clear.
"Can we detect and attribute a signal in the warming that we observe that is connected to CO2 emissions and concentrations, then yes the science is settled to a very high extent," said Prof Arthur Petersen, from UCL, and a former chief scientist with the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.
"If the question is the global average temperature and its causes - yes, it is settled beyond any reasonable doubt."
But researchers do acknowledge that there are several outstanding questions on the amount of carbon that can be emitted in the future and the likely response of the climate system to those emissions.
"Aspects of the debate are far from settled - if you ask me how much carbon can we afford to dump in the atmosphere and keep temperatures well below two degrees, I would say there is an uncertainty in that number of a factor of three," Prof Myles Allen from the University of Oxford, told BBC News.
He says that he believes the Trump administration is being "smart", and cautions researchers against engaging in a battle over fundamental issues. The legitimate argument, he says, is about how much climate change we as a world are prepared to accept and what we do to limit it.
"Part of that is how much do we care about small island states versus the interests of American industry? These are ethical and political questions," he said.
"If the Trump administration wants to come out and say we are good with four degrees (of warming), they should open that argument.
"If on the the other hand they agree with the Paris goal of stabilising temps well below two degrees, and nothing they've said suggests they disagree with that goal, they just think it will be easier than many people fear - then we can have very different conversations, which are about how we achieve that."
Follow Matt on Twitter and on Facebook | The nomination of Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt to be the next head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has two important ramifications. |
38942589 | The Victoria player, 20, needed medical treatment after he was caught by the follow-through of a shot from South Australia batsman Jake Lehmann.
Harper, who was wearing a helmet, later had a brain scan in hospital.
"Scans have not identified any bleeding or bone damage," a Cricket Victoria statement read.
"However, he will remain in hospital overnight for observation."
Harper will take no further part in the match at the Adelaide Oval, with Seb Gotch set to deputise as a substitute fielder.
In January, Melbourne Renegades wicketkeeper Peter Nevill was ruled out of the Big Bash tournament after he suffered a burst blood vessel when he was hit by a flying bat during his side's win over Adelaide Strikers.
Concussion in cricket, and the use of the bouncer, have been under increased scrutiny since November 2014 when Australia Test batsman Phillip Hughes died after being struck on the top of the neck by a ball while batting for South Australia during a Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales.
While manufacturers have added extra protection to the back of helmets following Hughes' death, Cricket Australia ruled that helmets should be compulsory for batsmen facing fast and medium-paced bowling. while the England and Wales Cricket Board made a similar ruling in 2015.
Cricket Australia has gone further by allowing "concussion substitutes" in its domestic limited-overs tournaments - replacements who are able to bat and bowl in place of the concussed player, rather than just field.
However, the rule does not apply to the Sheffield Shield as it would require the International Cricket Council to alter the playing conditions for first-class cricket, because a match would lose first-class status if a substitute were permitted to bat or bowl. | Australian wicketkeeper Sam Harper was taken to hospital overnight after being struck on the head by a bat during a Sheffield Shield match. |
25174418 | Lostprophets said they would forever be "haunted" by what Watkins, 36, of Pontypridd, had done but were unaware of his actions.
In a statement they said they "never imagined him capable" of such offences.
Police called for victims to come forward after Watkins dramatically changed his pleas in court on Tuesday.
He pleaded guilty to a series of offences - described as "depraved" in court - including attempted rape of a baby.
South Wales Police officers are now investigating new leads after receiving around a dozen calls.
The police chief who led the inquiry said they would "work tirelessly to identify any other victims".
Det Ch Insp Peter Doyle described it as "the most shocking case I have ever seen".
Watkins will be sentenced on 18 December.
The other members of Lostprophets announced in October the band would disband amid the sex offence charges against Watkins.
Now, in a statement on Facebook over the weekend, Jamie Oliver, Lee Gaze, Luke Johnson, Mike Lewis and Stuart Richardson said they had "hoped it was all a mistake".
"Sadly, the true extend of his appalling behaviour is now impossible to deny," said the statement.
"Many of you understandably want to know if we knew what Ian was doing. To be clear: we did not," they added.
They urged any other victims to "contact the authorities".
The band described Watkins as a "difficult character" and said personal relationships with him had deteriorated in recent years "to a point that working together was a constant, miserable challenge".
Despite this, the band members said they "never imagined him capable of behaviour of the type he has now admitted".
"We are heartbroken, angry, and disgusted at what has been revealed.
"This is something that will haunt us for the rest of our lives."
Watkins admitted two counts of attempted rape and 12 other offences - including sexual assault and taking, making and distributing indecent images of children - as his trial was due to start at Cardiff Crown Court alongside two women.
The court was told the two women sexually abused their own children and made them available to Watkins for him to abuse.
Woman A admitted the attempted rape of a baby after denying rape and two charges of sexual assault, as well as taking and distributing an indecent photograph of a child.
Woman B pleaded guilty to conspiring to rape a child, three sexual assault charges and four charges of taking, possessing or distributing indecent images.
The evidence against Watkins came from computers, laptops and mobile phones with some recovered from "cloud" storage.
The court heard that he had filmed and kept the episodes of abuse which took place in various hotels in London and south Wales.
His former band mates said they hoped that Watkins would "truly take responsibility for what he's done".
The band was founded in Pontypridd in 1997 and has sold about 3.5 million albums worldwide.
Their music received heavy airplay on mainstream radio stations and they were a staple festival act at the likes of Reading and Leeds.
Meanwhile, a watchdog is investigating South Yorkshire Police's handling of complaints about Watkins.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the force's handling of a complaint made against Watkins in 2012.
The watchdog has already opened an investigation into whether South Wales Police failed to act quickly enough. | Former band mates of paedophile Ian Watkins, who has admitted a string of child sex offences, have appealed for other victims to come forward. |
27369169 | Four-and-a-half million British army members are already included in the Lives of the First World War project.
But for many entries there is little more information than their names.
Organiser Imperial War Museums (IWM) wants families to add their own photographs, stories and memories to build a "permanent digital memorial".
The records of more than 4.5 million men and 40,000 women who served with the British army overseas are currently listed.
Millions of others will be added to the website in the coming months including the names of members of the Royal Flying Corp/Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, the Canadian Expeditionary Force and the Australian and New Zealand Imperial Forces.
The records of almost 17,000 conscientious objectors will be included, and IWM is also hoping to list the Indian Army, home front workers, and others who made a contribution from across the empire.
By the end of the WW1 centenary commemorations in 2018, the Lives of the First World War project could contain the stories of more than eight million men and women.
Among the stories already archived are that of Sister Martha Aitken, who served in the Territorial Force Nursing Service in casualty clearing stations and military hospitals in Scotland and France; Private William Cecil Tickle of the Essex Regiment, who died in the Somme in July 1916, three days before his 18th birthday; and Thomas William Stratford, who served in China and Gallipoli before being wounded in France and discharged.
Documents such as medal and grave records, census information, family photographs and battalion diary entries record their lives, but the IWM says it is still seeking more details about them.
The project, which is free to use, is being supported by DC Thomson Family History, which runs several online ancestry websites.
Each person in the archive will have their own web page, where the public can upload photographs, write stories and recollections or add links to other records.
The IWM says the centenary of WW1 will see many families showing a renewed interest in documents, diaries, letters or photographs handed down by relatives or picked up from museums, libraries and archives.
It is encouraging people to keep original material in family collections for future generations, while uploading and sharing images of the documents on its website.
Luke Smith, IWM's digital lead for the war's centenary, said: "We need the public to help us piece together over eight million life stories, so that we can remember these people now and in the future.
"Everybody can contribute... whether they choose to simply remember someone online, upload a picture from their family album, share a story passed down through generations, or connect official records to build a full and factual picture of what happened to that person throughout the war."
World War One Centenary | An online archive remembering the millions of people from Britain and the Commonwealth who served in World War One has gone live. |
18912902 | The 21-year-old South African, who qualified fastest for the final, made a late charge for silver but appeared to be running within herself.
Semenya's form has been mixed since returning from an 11-month suspension that followed her 2009 World Championships win. She was sidelined while athletics bosses carried out gender tests.
The body was not really on fire today, and I had to fight to the end
Defending champion Pamela Jelimo of Kenya finished fourth as Russia's Ekaterina Poistogova took bronze.
Jelimo triumphed at the 2008 Games in Beijing as an 18-year-old, but the subsequent three years were disrupted by injuries and a loss of form.
The Kenyan managed to win gold at the World Indoor Championships in March and was in possession of the two fastest times of the year until Saturday's race.
She broke clear of the field with 300m to go, only for Savinova to reel her in and cross the line in 1:56.19 - the fastest 800m in 2012.
"It was a race you expect to see at the Olympic Games - 1:56 - Savinova looked very strong but Caster, I don't know if she gave it her all. I don't think she did. She didn't look like she went up a gear, she wasn't grimacing at all. I don't know if her head was in it. When she crossed the line, she didn't look affected."
Dame Kelly Holmes
Semenya sat at the back of the pack for the first 400m and waited until the final bend to make a significant move.
Despite cruising past most of her rivals, she could not catch Savinova, although it did appear she had more left in the tank.
Semenya said she would target gold at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
"I've had some good training," she said. "I've been waiting all year for this. The last four years have not been easy. I'm already thinking about Rio and I hope I'll be there.
"The body was not really on fire today and I had to fight to the end.
"The race was very fast. It doesn't matter if you are at the back or the front, it matters how you finish the race."
Despite her disappointment, Semenya's silver was South Africa's first Olympic medal in a women's track event since Elana Meyer's silver in the 10,000m at the 1992 Games in Barcelona. | Caster Semenya missed out on 800m gold at London 2012 as Russia's Mariya Savinova added the Olympic title to her World Championships crown. |
40571702 | Cody-Anne Jackson, 20, changed her plea to guilty after Stafford Crown Court heard evidence about how her daughter, Macey Hogan, may have died.
Macey was smothered to death in 2016, shortly before Jackson called 999 and then tried to kill herself.
The jury heard Jackson told paramedics she had been stabbed.
Jackson resented Macey's father following the breakdown of their relationship and sent him a photo of the toddler along with the message "Sorry, just thought you deserved one last picture and memory of her", the trial heard.
The 20-year-old, of Packett Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, claimed she had woken up on 10 October 2016 to find her daughter lifeless next to her between two pillows, police said.
Jurors heard she called paramedics to report that her daughter was not breathing.
More updates on this and other stories in Staffordshire
Forensic pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar said the exact cause of Macey's death had not been defined.
It was impossible to give an exact time of death, he said, but evidence pointed to it being at least 30 minutes before the emergency services arrived.
Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said a suicide note written by Jackson, who had a history of self harm, was found at the house.
She was seen by a doctor who confirmed she had three superficial stab wounds but no significant injuries.
"The prosecution case is the defendant deliberately smothered Macey," he said,
"The defendant acted on her stated intention to kill Macey but failed to follow through with her suicide. It is that simple."
Det Insp Dan Ison, of Staffordshire Police, said: "We welcome this guilty plea, albeit during the trial, but nothing can ever replace Macey.
"This incident resulted in the dreadful loss of a two-year-old girl who is dearly missed."
Jackson will be sentenced on 27 July. | A mother who sent a "last photo" of her two-year-old daughter to her ex-partner shortly before she killed her has admitted murder. |
20911094 | The empty Quebec Barracks in Whitehill Bordon were released early by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and bought by the Homes and Communities Agency.
It is part of a wider programme to build environmentally sustainable homes and create jobs.
Remaining Army personnel are set to leave the site by the end of 2015.
The land is currently used for training by the Bordon Garrison and about 1,500 jobs will be lost when the MoD relocates to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire.
But East Hampshire District Council hopes 100 new jobs will be created in this initial step towards building a large "eco-business park", with further employment to follow.
Building work is expected to start in 2014 and be completed by the end of 2015.
Whitehill Bordon was one of six areas selected in 2009 for the government's zero-carbon project intended to meet housing needs and tackle climate change.
Up to three new primary schools, early years centres and a modern public transport system are also among the proposals for the "eco-town".
Col David Ansell said: "These barracks have been empty for several years and it is really exciting that the site is about to be given a new lease of life and be regenerated to provide homes and jobs.
"We feel that it is important to start releasing sites as they become available because it means that the local economy will be more buoyant when we completely leave the town by the end of 2015." | An army site in Hampshire has been sold to provide 100 homes and employment space, marking a first step in the creation of a so-called "eco-town". |
34973166 | The Prince of Wales told a meeting at the Paris climate summit that attitudes were beginning to change, with forest protection initiatives being introduced.
But he said too many companies still turned a blind eye to their commercial activities destroying forests.
We are testing the world to destruction, he said.
"It's very simple. We must save our forests," he added. "There is no Plan B to tackle climate change without them."
He said the best way for governments to save forests is to grant legal title to the indigenous people who inhabit them.
"We must do all that we can to support the communities that live within forests. For indigenous peoples, this is a question of the proper safeguarding of their reserves, traditions and cultures."
Prince Charles commended a declaration by 17 government leaders at the Paris summit on the essential role of forests for climate and development.
He said forests play a vital role in stabilising the climate by sucking carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere and fixing it into soils.
Forests are estimated to hold more CO2 than the atmosphere - yet every year around 12 million hectares are destroyed.
The loss of forests accounts for around 12% of carbon emissions caused by human activity, the second biggest source after burning fossil fuels, according to scientific evidence.
For some developing nations, deforestation is the largest source of emissions.
Tuesday's meeting heard that governments must now shift from talk to action.
Forest nations have set up schemes to monitor and protect forests under an internationally negotiated agreement known as REDD+.
But finance is now needed under that scheme to compensate developing nations for foregoing the profit from cutting their forests.
Andrew Mitchell from the Oxford-based Global Canopy Programme told BBC News that aid flows to countries for forest conservation now total $1bn. That compares with the $135bn value of the industries causing forest destruction, including timber, pulp, beef, soy and palm oil.
He said forests would not be protected by transfer of aid from rich countries to poor countries for preserving trees.
The financial sums needed could only be achieved by ensuring that the cost of forest destruction is factored into the price of goods and food produced from forest regions, he explained.
Other speakers talked about the need to put pressure on major companies to take notice of the impact of their business on forests.
Prince Charles held up Unilever as an example of a business that had committed to end any involvement with deforestation.
The Prince also said forest protection was not enough - the world needed to re-forest deforested lands.
"Given that we have managed to reduce the world's tropical forests so significantly over recent decades (with over 500 million hectares lost since 1950), the restoration of forest landscapes should not be an afterthought - but an equal priority to halting deforestation and degradation."
Prince Charles' causes receive a mixed reception in the UK media.
But in the Paris meeting he was commended for using his "convening power" to bring together governments, businesses, pressure groups and indigenous people to find solutions together.
At the Paris summit, negotiators from 195 nations seek to reach a deal within two weeks to reduce global carbon emissions.
The agreement is aimed at limiting global warming to 2C (3.6F).
Follow Roger on Twitter.
Major points of contention include:
COP 21 - the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties - will see more than 190 nations gather in Paris to discuss a possible new global agreement on climate change, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the threat of dangerous warming due to human activities.
COP21 live: The latest updates from Paris
Explained: What is climate change?
In video: Why does the Paris conference matter?
Analysis: From BBC environment correspondent Matt McGrath
More: BBC News special report
The ultimate aim is to limit warming to 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels, widely seen as a dangerous threshold. Since 1880, the average global temperature has already risen by almost 1C. About 0.6C of this has occurred in the past three decades.
When the Earth warms about 2C above pre-industrial times, scientists say there will be dangerous and unpredictable impacts on our climate system. And we're already half-way to that danger point. | Prince Charles has expressed hope that politicians and businesses are starting to act on the need to protect forests. |
32318521 | Google said it "strongly disagreed" with the commission's findings.
The "statement of objections" issued by the commission comes after a five-year investigation into Google and how it operates.
BBC News looks at how the investigation and settlement might play out.
The initial complaints from rivals were lodged with the commission in 2009.
However, many of the companies that complained said they had been adversely affected by Google's search algorithms for years beforehand. A formal investigation began in 2010.
The initial complaints were all about comparison shopping - ie looking for the best price for goods across different websites.
The commission alleges that when people do a shopping search, the results they get back are weighted towards Google's services even if those results are not the most relevant.
Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said the matter could set a precedent for the way it judged other complaints about Google.
The watchdog said she was also considering investigating Google's conduct when people searched for hotels and flights, and got maps in their results.
The commission has also received complaints about how Google scrapes websites and uses the content it finds and on how it works with its advertising partners.
Ms Vestager also announced her team had launched a separate investigation into Google's mobile operating system Android.
She said the commission was concerned that Google was abusing its dominance in the smartphone and tablet market to give its own services, such as search, more prominence.
The commission has tried three times to settle the investigation since it began.
The first two attempts at settlement collapsed after complainants said the sanctions and changes they required did not go far enough.
The third time round, Google proposed giving prominence to rivals in its results. But this too was rejected late in 2014 following a very negative response from its rivals.
This rejection led the commission to reopen its investigation and formally accuse Google of anti-trust breaches.
Google has got 10 weeks to respond to the accusations levelled at it.
During this time it can inspect the records the commission compiled to reach its conclusions and seek clarification about what exactly it is being accused of.
Once Google has responded, the commission will consider how to react.
Ms Vestager was keen to say that the outcome of the investigation had not been decided.
However, she did also not rule out fining Google if the commission was not convinced by its explanations.
European laws allow fines up to 10% of a company's annual revenue to be levied.
In Google's case this would amount to a fine of about $6bn (£4bn), based on last year's earnings.
However, it is unlikely that such a huge payment would be required.
The largest single fine levied on a company was against Intel in 2009 when it was asked to pay €1.06bn ($1.1bn; £700m).
Some companies have paid more.
For instance, during the long-running anti-trust investigation against Microsoft, fines totalling more than €2.2bn were imposed.
Any fine is likely to be accompanied by demands for sweeping changes to the way Google presents search results. Officials will be appointed to ensure that Google complies, and further fines could be imposed if it strays from the agreements.
The commission certainly thinks so. There is no doubt that Google is still dominant in Europe when it comes to search.
Ms Vestager said about 90% of all searches done in Europe were handled by Google. That statistic has remained largely static over the past five years.
This makes it different to the investigation the commission carried out into how Microsoft favoured its Internet Explorer browser.
Over the many years of that investigation, IE lost market share and, by the time a settlement was reached, it was no longer dominant.
It is unlikely that Google's market share will shrink to the same extent over the next few years.
However, its share might shrink thanks to deals that put the search engines of rivals in key places. Yahoo has signed a deal with Mozilla, and Microsoft is moving to use Bing across desktops laptops, phones and consoles.
In addition, Google's deal to put its search engine into Apple's Safari is due to expire this year. Rivals are keen to replace it.
No. The commission has received complaints about many different parts of Google's sprawling empire.
Ms Vestager said the investigation into Android was aimed at finding out if it too favoured Google's other services.
In addition, she said she wanted to look at whether Google was doing enough to encourage others to make their own versions of Android.
Meanwhile, Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service recently announced it too was looking into complaints about the terms Google insists Android device makers follow. | The European Commission has formally accused Google of abusing its dominance in search and favouring some of its own services at the expense of rivals. |
39985479 | From Monday, only buses and cyclists will be allowed at Bank Junction from 07:00 to 19:00.
City of London Corporation say the scheme will see a 50-60% reduction in casualties and improved air quality.
The changes were voted through by the Corporation after 34 cyclists and 31 pedestrians were injured there between 2011 and 2015.
In 2015, Ying Tao, a 26-year-old female cyclist, was killed when she was hit by a lorry turning at the junction.
Following her death a protest was held at the junction, and months later more than 13,000 people signed a petition calling for lorries to be banned during rush-hour.
During the 18-month trial, vehicles will be rerouted around the junction and it will be enforced with automatic number plate recognition cameras.
New taxi ranks have been added and existing ones extended. | Traffic is set to be banned from a busy road junction in the City as part of safety measures. |
33752843 | You have been contacting us to tell us about your encounters with the popular personality, who was famous for changing people's lives when she hosted the shows Surprise Surprise and Blind Date.
Thank you for your pictures.
Email your pictures to [email protected], upload them here, tweet them to @BBC_HaveYourSay or text 61124. If you are outside the UK, send them to the international number +44 7624 800 100.
You could also send us pictures on WhatsApp. Our number is: +44 7525 900 971.
Read our terms and conditions. | Singer and TV star Cilla Black has died aged 72, her agent has said. |
35658791 | Lancashire Thunder, Loughborough Lightning, Southern Vipers, Surrey Stars, Western Storm and Yorkshire Diamonds will compete in a Twenty20 competition starting on 30 July.
Diamonds will host Lightning in the opening match at Headingley.
Following a round-robin competition, Chelmsford will host the final on 21 August.
The tournament will see seven first-class venues used:
Southampton - Southern Vipers
Bristol and Taunton - Western Storm
Old Trafford - Lancashire Thunder
Headingley - Yorkshire Diamonds
The Oval - Surrey Stars
Chelmsford - Finals Day
England & Wales Cricket Board director of England women's cricket Clare Connor said: "Today represents another huge step towards delivering our vision of creating a dynamic, inspirational and high quality domestic women's game in England."
"This time last year the Women's Cricket Super League was simply a concept, and now we have six exciting new teams, some innovative partnerships and a fixture list that includes at least 11 matches being played at seven different first-class grounds across the country."
A full fixture list can be found here. (External link) | The team names and schedule for this summer's first ever Women's Cricket Super League have been announced. |
39065695 | The family of Ella Tomlinson, 14, of Leominster, Herefordshire, who has curvature of the spine, are spending £140,000 on the trip and operation.
St George's hospitals trust, in Tooting, which previously performed vertebral body tethering (VBT), said it was on hold until health advisory group NICE had looked into it more.
The trust apologised for any distress.
Read more news for Herefordshire and Worcestershire
Ella has scoliosis, an abnormal twisting of the spine which is usually noticed by a change in appearance of the back, or one shoulder or hip being more prominent than the other.
Her father Steve said: "[We've been] resigned to the fact that we've had to cash pensions and remortgage in order to raise the money.
"But there's no option... She has to have it [this operation] before April or May when her spine stiffens up with age and she's no longer... able to have it."
Ella, who is to fly out at the weekend, said: "I just want it done, out the way, so I can get back to having a normal life."
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in south London, said until recently it had offered certain patients the option of VBT surgery, but after discussions with NHS England and the British Scoliosis Society it was putting the procedure on hold.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is looking into it more, the trust said.
It added: "We are very sorry for any distress this decision has caused to the patients on our waiting list for this treatment." | A teenager is to fly to the US for life-changing spinal surgery after an NHS trust stopped offering it. |
25088271 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Cavendish had a terrific year on the bike, winning five stages of the Tour de France to take the green jersey, which is worn by the leader in the points competition.
He followed that by being crowned world road race champion after a dominant performance in Copenhagen.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2015 is broadcast live from Belfast on Sunday, 20 December from 19:00 GMT on BBC One. Further coverage on BBC Sport's online platforms and Radio 5 live. | In 2011, cyclist Mark Cavendish was crowned Sports Personality of the Year. |
23303998 | The one-tonne cow was grazing on a hill behind the small house, in the town of Caratinga, when it stepped onto the asbestos roof, which collapsed under its weight.
Joao Maria de Souza, 45, was lying in bed when the animal fell on him.
He was taken to hospital and died the day after, reportedly of internal bleeding.
Mr Souza was conscious and appeared to be in a good condition, but he had to wait too long to be seen by a doctor, relatives said.
Local media says this is the third such incident in the region in the past three years.
There were no casualties in the two previous incidents.
In the first occasion, there was no one inside the house when the cow fell through the roof.
In the second incident, a baby and a small child were sleeping next to the spot where the animal fell, in what was described at time as a miraculous escape.
Caratinga is in a hilly area of Minas Gerais, a Brazilian state traditionally known as a cattle raising and dairy producing region. | A cow has fallen through the roof of a house in south-eastern Brazil killing a man and narrowly missing his wife. |
32312008 | The move comes amid a normalisation of relations between the US and Cuba.
The Caribbean country's presence on the list was a sticking point for Cuba negotiators during talks to reopen embassies.
Mr Obama announced the historic US thaw with Cuba in December but the US trade embargo against the country remains, and may only be ended by Congress.
In a message to Congress, Mr Obama said the government of Cuba "has not provided any support for international terrorism" over the last six months and had "provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future". | President Barack Obama will remove Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House says. |
35111443 | Ovarian tumours are often deadly as they are caught too late.
A 14-year study on 200,000 women, published in the Lancet, has been welcomed as a potentially landmark moment in cancer screening.
But the researchers and independent experts say it is still too soon to call for mass screening because of concerns about the analysis.
Ovarian cancer is difficult to pick up as symptoms, including abdominal pain, persistent bloating and difficulty eating, are common in other conditions.
The UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening is one of the biggest clinical trials ever conducted and is supposed to give the definitive verdict on screening.
It monitored levels of a chemical called CA125 in women's blood.
Doctors tracked changes in the levels of CA125, which is produced by ovarian tissue, over time and if levels became elevated then the women were sent for further tests and ultimately surgery.
The results are now in, but the interpretation is a bit messy and the researchers admit it is "controversial".
Their initial statistical analysis of the data showed no benefit to screening. But there was a benefit when they removed the data from any women who may have already started to develop ovarian tumours.
The researchers then performed a more forgiving statistical analysis, which also showed a benefit.
Trial leader Prof Usha Menon, from UCL, told the BBC News website: "Is there clear evidence? I would say no.
"We don't have clear evidence to go ahead with screening, but what we have are really encouraging estimates of around a 20% reduction, which we need to confirm."
Any benefit to screening seems to be delayed - kicking in towards the end of the trial.
The researchers are continuing to follow the patients for what is expected to be another three years to confirm whether there is a benefit.
Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said: "Doing these extra analyses can be seen as an appropriate response to how the data turned out to look, which in some respects weren't as they originally expected.
"But equally it is also the case that the more analyses done, the more likely it is that one of the results will come out as positive.
"The results are promising, but perhaps not all that promising."
There is also the risk that screening can do harm and the test led to some women having unnecessary surgery to remove benign growths.
Dr Adam Shaw, the clinical lead for cancer genetics at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said the findings were "very encouraging" but there was still more work to do.
"Nonetheless, this study is a landmark step in devising effective screening for ovarian cancer, which is often portrayed as the silent killer."
Dr Fiona Reddington, from Cancer Research UK, said: "It's uncertain whether or not screening can reduce ovarian cancer deaths overall.
"While this is an important step in ovarian cancer research, we would not recommend a national screening programme at this point."
The UK's National Screening Committee, which decides what diseases should be screened for, says it will have to make a "scientifically sound decision" and will review the findings.
Follow James on Twitter. | Doctors say there is now "encouraging" evidence that an annual blood test may cut ovarian cancer deaths by a fifth. |
33237391 | The veterinarian, on the run for 10 years, is wanted by US authorities for extradition on drugs charges.
He had been in charge of a veterinary clinic in the Colombian city of Medellin in which police found a number of puppies with bags of liquid heroin implanted into their stomachs.
He was detained in north-western Spain.
Colombian police found the Labrador and Rottweiler puppies with the drug implants in 2005 in a Medellin veterinary clinic.
They said the puppies had been due to be shipped to the United States "as pets" to avoid arousing the suspicion of the customs authorities.
The Venezuelan man was arrested by the Spanish authorities once before, in 2013, but disappeared while awaiting extradition to the United States.
Before his 2013 arrest he had been on the run from police for eight years.
Spanish police said this time he had hidden in the town of Santa Comba in La Coruna province and broken off all communication with his wife and children in order not to be located by the authorities. | Spanish police have arrested a Venezuelan vet who allegedly tried to smuggle drugs from Colombia to the US by implanting them into puppies. |
38000619 | She is referring to the humans but magic is at the heart of the play and at the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre in the bard's birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, technology is playing a big role in bringing that to life.
Hovering above the stage is a blue figure - nicknamed Mushy by the crew - a virtual version of Ariel, Shakespeare's shape-changing sprite.
Lurking in the shadows is cyber-thespian Mark Quartley, speaking the words of Ariel and also controlling the movements of Mushy.
He is wearing a motion-capture suit that allows him to dictate the movements of the avatar in real time.
"I'm thinking of it as one character. For me it is just a character with superpowers. He gets to divide into many different forms, fly around the stage, burst into flames. I suppose it feels quite powerful in hopefully a non-egotistical way."
It wasn't just his ego he had to curb; he refers to rehearsals as feeling somewhat "schizophrenic".
"I was spending a lot of time in the main rehearsal room, working on it like any other play, developing relationships with Prospero and other characters in the play, getting to grips with the text.
"Then at the other side of the scale, I'd be rigging myself into the sensor suit working with the avatars finding the best ways to make them perform and do exciting things."
Technical rehearsals have been taking place for three weeks at the theatre with technical partners Intel and Imaginarium Studios, which has created motion-capture effects for a range of Hollywood movies,
Imaginarium's Bren Jordan admitted that bringing the technology to the stage had involved a "great deal of blood and sweat".
"We've been through about five or six previews now and each one we've fixed another problem. The very first preview, basically everything went wrong from our point of view," said Mr Jordan.
The suit that Mark wears is highly sensitive to magnetic fields and is normally used in a fairly sterile environment - ideally an empty room.
"We've brought it into this theatre, surrounded by 27 projectors, hundreds of lights, hundreds of speakers, big metal girders under the stage and pretty much putting it through its paces in terms of what it can cope with," said Mr Jordan.
As a result, it was discovered that some positions Mark adopted meant the sensors on the suit failed to connect to the system.
"We've had to pull back a little bit of the performance so that it is isolated in just the areas that we know it is going to work well. We need to make sure it works consistently every night so we have had to say, 'OK, we can do the performance here but we can't do it here.'
"Little things like that that we've had to find the solution for."
The studio has been working for over a year on pre-production with the RSC and been through many iterations of Ariel. But the partnership with Intel actually began three years ago at the most unlikely of places - the CES technology show in Las Vegas.
"We flew a giant virtual whale over the consumer electronics show and Sarah Ellis from the Royal Shakespeare Company saw the flying whale and showed it to Greg Doran, the creative director, and his answer was, 'I want that'," said Intel's director of client research, Tawny Schlieski.
Some would say that director Doran was the bravest man in theatre for taking on such a challenge but he said that it was a "wonderful opportunity" to marry digital and analogue.
He is convinced the final result is both in keeping with the play and with how Shakespeare would have liked to show it off.
At the end of Shakespeare's career, an entirely new form of theatre was emerging - the Jacobean masque tradition, which was the multimedia theatre of its day.
Productions put on at court could cost the equivalent of near to £1m to stage and utilised a range of effects.
"They involved stage machinery, lighting effects and all sorts of extravagant ways of clouds opening and chariots descending from the gods, scenery turning round," said Mr Doran.
"What Shakespeare is tapping into is some of the latest cutting-edge technology in 1610 and referencing that in his work. I am absolutely sure that if Shakespeare was alive today he'd be going, 'Give me some more of that.'"
Theatre has traditionally embraced technology. In Victorian times, John Henry Pepper showed off a technique that became known as Pepper's Ghost at a theatrical production of Charles Dickens's The Haunted Man and theatregoers were suitably impressed.
Reaction from a digitally cynical 21st Century audience was, according to Mr Doran, equally good.
'There were some pretty astonished faces. It is quite mind-blowing when you see it for the first time. It is amazing technology when you can harness it. It takes quite a while to harness it but I think it is a brave new world."
Analysis by Jane Wakefield
I haven't seen the whole play but did sit in on rehearsals for a couple of scenes.
There is a magical quality to seeing an other-worldly sprite flying above the stage but there was also a mismatch - the audience can hear Mark in the shadows and can see him moving to make the avatar perform and it is hard to know whether to watch him or the projected version of himself.
The avatar itself feels strangely separate from the play - like an add-on rather than an integral part of the action. And, given that it is intended to give Ariel superpowers, it felt rather limited in what it could do.
Many hardened theatregoers will disapprove of the use of technology, believing that the theatre is a place for actors and the imagination of the audience.
This backlash was most apparent when Emma Rice announced that she would step down as artistic director of The Globe theatre earlier than planned, after criticism of her use of contemporary sound and lighting technology.
Oddly, the most impressive part of the RSC's The Tempest, in technical terms at least, is the altogether more old-fashioned projection work that conjures up ghostly ships and other amazing backdrops. | "Oh brave new world that has such people in it," says Miranda at the end of Shakespeare's The Tempest. |
36467321 | The collection includes the infamous Black Album - a dark, funky follow-up to Sign O' The Times, which Prince scrapped a week before release in 1987.
It also features The Gold Experience, which includes his only UK number one, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World.
Prince was a vocal supporter of Jay Z's streaming service before his death.
He pulled most of his back catalogue from services like Spotify and Apple Music last year, and released his final albums Hitnrun Phase One and Hitnrun Phase Two as Tidal exclusives.
Prince said in a statement in August 2015: "After one meeting, it was obvious that Jay Z and the team he has assembled at Tidal recognise and applaud the effort that real musicians put in2 their craft 2 achieve the very best they can at this pivotal time in the music industry.
"Tidal have honoured Us with a non-restrictive arrangement that once again allows Us to continue making art in the fashion We've grown accustomed 2 and We're Extremely grateful 4 their generous support."
The new releases mostly comprise material the star recorded after he ended his contract with Warner Bros in 1996.
As a result, most of the material is far from his best - although some highlights include the jazz-inflected The Rainbow Children and Indigo Nights - which documents the legendary aftershows the star gave during his 21-night residency at London's O2 Arena in 2007.
Triple disc Crystal Ball is also worth investigating, as it features outtakes and "lost" songs from the star's mid-80s heyday, including the expansive, 10-minute title track and the jittering funk of Sexual Suicide.
Prince died on 21 April from an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl, an opioid many times more powerful than heroin.
He was thought to be suffering knee and hip pain, caused by performing in high heels for much of his career.
The star left no will, leaving the court to decide how to divide his estate, which is estimated to be worth more than $27m (£18.5m), plus future royalties and licensing deals.
On Monday, a Minnesota judge fast-tracked the hearing, giving claimants until the end of the week to file sworn statements detailing their claims to have a genetic relationship with Prince that would make them heirs.
The validity of their claims will be determined by a special administrator, who could order DNA testing.
The claimants so far include Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, several half-siblings, and a Colorado prison inmate who says Prince was his father and others.
The next hearing is scheduled for 27 June. | Streaming service Tidal has made 15 rare Prince albums available for streaming on what would have been the star's 58th birthday. |
35796581 | The Giants are now seven points behind leaders Sheffield, with Belfast only having four remaining games.
Mathematically, Belfast still have eight points to play for but their title chances appear to have gone.
Two Joey Martin strikes put Cardiff in control and despite Belfast goals from James Desmarais and Mike Forney, the Devils eased to victory.
After a goalless first period, Martin's goals gave Cardiff a 2-0 lead before Desmarais replied before the end of the second period.
Guillaume Doucet restored Cardiff's two-goal advantage and while Forney cut the margin to 3-2, further goals from Andrew Hotham and Tomas Kurka secured the win which keeps the Devils' league title ambitions very much alive.
Sheffield lead the table on 66 points, two ahead of Cardiff, but the Devils have a game in hand.
Braehead are five points off the pace with the Giants a further two points adrift after their second successive defeat.
Sheffield maintained their place at the top of the table as they earned a 4-2 away win over Nottingham Panthers on Saturday night.
A Sheffield home victory over Coventry on Saturday night will end any remote Belfast title hopes, no matter what happens in the Giants' second game of the weekend in the Welsh capital. | Belfast Giants' Elite League title hopes are almost certainly over after Saturday night's 5-2 defeat by Cardiff. |
36688836 | Taylor, 30, who has a further 12 month option with the Seasiders, played 160 games for Walsall following his move from Sheffield United in August 2012.
He started his career as a trainee with hometown club Blackburn and previously had a loan spell at Blackpool in 2006.
"It's nice to be back in the north west where all my friends and family are," Taylor told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"That was one of the main factors in the move, but it is also about the challenge ahead - it's a big club." | Blackpool have signed full-back Andy Taylor on a one-year deal after he rejected an offer to stay with Walsall. |
34378058 | The sequel breaks a record held by its predecessor Hotel Transylvania, which opened to $42.5m in 2012, according to figures from Rentrak.
The story of a hotel for monsters, it features the voices of Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Mel Brooks.
The Intern, with Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, was second with $18.2m.
Written and directed by Father Of The Bride's Nancy Meyers, the office-based comedy stars De Niro as an intern at a fashion website run by Hathaway's character.
Hotel Transylvania 2's success was attributed to early excitement for Halloween and the film's broad family appeal, with relatively little competition in the kids' market until The Peanuts Movie is released in November.
Its $47.5m takings also far exceeded the studio's expectations and industry projections, which were between $32-37m, according to the LA Times.
Jeff Goldstein, executive vice president at Warner Bros, called The Intern "a real hit", appealing to fans of Meyers' previous films such as The Holiday and Something's Gotta Give.
The audience was 62% female - with 55% of them over the age of 50, not an audience which typically sees films on opening weekend.
"Nancy Meyers is her own brand and I think that automatically accesses an audience who looks at it and thinks 'this is a movie I want to see'," said Goldstein.
Teen sci-fi adventure Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials - last week's top film in the US and Canada - was in third place with $14m.
Mountaineering disaster film Everest, which was only available at IMAX and premium 3D screens last weekend, was in fourth with $13.1 million after expanding to cinemas nationwide.
Eli Roth's low budget horror Green Inferno opened at nine with $3.5m. Drug war thriller Sicario - starring Emily Blunt - managed to make it into the top 10 with $1.8m from just 59 cinemas, a week ahead of its full US release. | Animation Hotel Transylvania 2 has topped the US box office, taking $47.5m (£31.3m) in its debut weekend - the biggest September opening of all time. |
35441074 | The decision by Oxford University's Oriel College to keep its statue of Cecil Rhodes was meant to draw a line under an angry dispute over emblems, cultural identity and how universities should deal with their own long histories.
Since the BBC website revealed in December that the college was consulting about whether to pull down the statue, there has been a constant bombardment of opinion, much of it aghast at the idea of "rewriting history" by getting rid of Rhodes and any uncomfortable links to a colonial past.
But don't expect the protest to disappear.
The Rhodes Must Fall campaigners attacked the college's announcement as "outrageous, dishonest and cynical" and promised to "redouble" their efforts.
Their indignation has been further inflamed by the college's promised six-month "listening exercise" over the fate of the statue not even making it to six weeks before it was prematurely ended with a statement put up on the college website on Thursday evening.
There is another reason that such disputes will continue - and that's because they are part of a much bigger international student movement, fighting over symbols, statues and language.
And through social media many of these ideas are being enthusiastically shared between campaigners.
The Rhodes Must Fall campaign at Oxford follows the Rhodes Must Fall student campaign in South Africa, which saw a Rhodes statue in the University of Cape Town being dragged off its plinth as a symbol of the imperial past.
Why is Cecil Rhodes such a controversial figure?
But the biggest outbreak of culture wars has been in the US, where dozens of universities have been gripped by battles over symbols, race and identity.
And the student protesters are often winning.
In Harvard, the term "house master" for those running college houses has been ditched, because of connotations with slavery and "human subjugation".
The university's law school is still weighing up a Royall Must Fall campaign, which wants to change the college's crest, which uses the coat of arms of the 18th Century Royall family who were notoriously brutal slave owners.
This week, Amherst College in Massachusetts accepted student demands and agreed to stop any links with Jeffery Amherst, an 18th Century general, accused of advocating deliberately infecting native Americans with smallpox.
Students had campaigned against the use of Lord Amherst as a symbol and unofficial mascot - and the college now says the campus hotel, the Lord Jeffery Inn, will also have to be renamed.
Earlier in this academic year, the president of the University of Missouri resigned amid student protests over the handling of racist incidents on campus.
These battles about race and identity - present and historic - have raged across campuses.
In Princeton, a school named after Woodrow Wilson has been the focus of protests and sit-ins, because of claims the former US president held entrenched racist views.
In Yale, there has been a campaign to rename Calhoun College, to remove links with John Calhoun, a 19th Century defender of slavery.
Fuelling the fire on these protests have been arguments over concepts such as "safe space" and "no platforming", where students have sought to prevent views or opinions that they deem offensive.
This has triggered furious arguments over free speech and the need for universities to be open to controversial views, even if they are uncomfortable, unpopular or even hateful.
The president of a university in Oklahoma thundered back: "This is not a day care, this is a university." And he accused students of becoming "self-absorbed and narcissistic" in their attitude towards any views they didn't share.
But these rows are showing no signs of stopping. They are a potent mix of identity politics, social media lobbying and consumer power.
In the UK, another dimension has been added by the government's drive against campus radicalisation, with bans on hate speech and extremist speakers - raising arguments about what is provocative and challenging and what is offensive and illegal.
Oxford is part of this global jigsaw. The university saw its new vice-chancellor, Louise Richardson, installed this month.
She argued in her inaugural speech that university needed to be intellectually stretching and meant students "engaging with ideas they find objectionable".
And statues too? | How did a statue of a 19th Century politician on the front of a 14th Century college become such a 21st Century argument? |
27082499 | Goals from Yemi Odubade and Ben Wright were enough to seal a 2-1 victory for the Spitfires, despite Liam Enver-Marum setting up a tense finale.
The Hampshire club will play in the top tier of non-league football for the first time in their 68-year history.
"It has been hard work and a lot of emotion," boss Richard Hill said.
He told BBC Radio Solent: "We have been under pressure for a lot of the season.
"At the start of the season we were made favourites and were then 11 points behind Bromley, who won games when we haven't been playing.
"We had to play catch-up. The character of the players gets you through at times." | Eastleigh have won promotion to Conference Premier after clinching the Conference South title with victory over Basingstoke on Good Friday. |
36478843 | The Wales international, who is currently on loan at the Tigers, will join the club on a permanent basis when his Huddersfield deal runs out at the end of the season.
Patrick, 27, has made three appearances for Daryl Powell's side.
"He has fitted in well while on loan and we feel he still has a lot of improvement in him," Powell said. | Huddersfield Giants forward Larne Patrick has agreed a three-year deal with Castleford Tigers. |
22401877 | With most of the council results in the elections, Labour has gained 211 county councillors, with the Conservatives losing 247.
But Mr Miliband said he recognised that turnout was low and UKIP had done well.
"There are still lots of people saying: 'Can anyone turn this country around?'" he said. "I believe Labour can."
"We're carrying on that work to convince people we can," he told the BBC.
Labour frontbencher Chuka Umunna added: "The big issue today for the Conservative Party - this is a party that hasn't won a general election since 1992 - is do they look closer to the goal of winning a general election after today, or do they look further away from it?
"On all the evidence we've seen so far, they look even further away from it than they did back in 2010."
The shadow business secretary argued that Labour, on the other hand, was making "excellent progress" in key marginal seats in areas like Nottinghamshire.
"Do we still have a way to go? Of course! We've got lots more works to do," he added.
Labour's target was to gain 200 councillors, although this was lower than the 300 needed to get back to the number of councillors it had in these areas in 2005. | Opposition leader Ed Miliband has said he is "pleased" with Labour's local election results, arguing that his party can revive the nation's fortunes. |
34606505 | More than 960 asylum-seeker children are being cared for by the authority, up from 629 at the end of July. The year before there were just 238.
It said children's services were currently facing "enormous pressure".
Peter Oakford, cabinet member for specialist children's services, said the council had run out of foster beds.
The government has pledged to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020 and to extend funding for councils to "assist" with the costs of helping Syrian refugees.
Kent's response to the Syrian refugee crisis was discussed at a council meeting, where councillors heard the county was facing "a unique situation" because of the spiralling number of lone asylum-seeker children.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Oakford said he hoped that help to "alleviate the problem" in Kent would be forthcoming.
It would be "unfair" for the authority to take any more lone children through the Syrian refugee scheme "because we would have great problems trying to find them accommodation, schooling etc", he said.
"We can't find any foster beds at this moment within Kent.
"We're having to place young people outside of Kent, whilst still retaining responsibility and having to support these young people," he added.
Council leader Paul Carter earlier told council members that he expected a government announcement within the next 10 days on "a dispersal system and a funding package that will stimulate and encourage that dispersal system around the country". | Kent County Council has warned it will not be able to accept any unaccompanied children under the government's plans to resettle 20,000 refugees from Syria. |
38506564 | Shaun Woodburn, 30, from Edinburgh, died after a disturbance in Great Junction Street at 02:00 on Sunday.
A 16-year-old male appeared in court on Monday charged with murder. He made no plea and was remanded in custody.
Mohammed Zakariyah, 18, from Edinburgh, also appeared at the petition hearing to face a charge of assault to injury.
Mr Zakariyah made no plea or declaration and was released on bail.
Mr Woodburn's family said: "Shaun was first and foremost a fantastic and loving dad, he was a great and caring son, brother, partner and friend.
"He was a hard working young man loved by all of his colleagues, and had an honours degree in architectural engineering from Heriot Watt University.
"Shaun also had a passion for playing football, latterly with Bonnyrigg Rose, only to give up to spend more time with his family.
"That was Shaun, a selfless, kind and loving young man who has had his life cut short in the most tragic of circumstances.
"We would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and support at this time."
Det Insp Stuart Alexander, of Police Scotland, said he wanted to speak to anyone who was in the area of Great Junction Street or Mill Lane between 01:30 and 02:00 on New Year's morning.
He added: "I want to know why the disturbance started in Great Junction Street and continued into Mill Lane, near to Gladstones Public House.
"I would appeal to everybody that was present to contact us so that my enquiry team can interview them and assess whether they have any relevant information.
"For the sake of Shaun's family it is important that we find out exactly what happened and why Shaun had his life so tragically taken from him." | The family of a former junior footballer who was killed in Leith on New Year's Day has paid tribute to the "fantastic and loving dad". |
25137423 | Francis Collomp, 63, said he had studied the daily routine of his captors, and locked one in a bathroom as he was preparing to pray.
He said he then flagged down a motorcycle taxi and asked the driver to take him to a police station.
Mr Collomp was seized by the Ansaru group while working on a power project.
He was kidnapped on 19 December last year by armed men who attacked the residence of his employer, the French wind turbine manufacturer Vergnet, in the north Nigerian state of Katsina.
Ansaru, a militant group linked to the Islamist Boko Haram movement, said it had carried out the abduction.
Speaking to the BBC World Service Newsday programme, Mr Collomp said his chance to escape came when he was transferred to Zaria city in Kaduna state.
"The big difference is that in this new villa there was not only myself but also a small bathroom. One of my captors was also using the same bathroom every day for his prayers. So he would come and after a while I was just taking record, taking notice of all his moves, his times, his routines. And I decided the best opportunity would be at the evening prayers. And one night he just forgot to close the door. He started washing in preparation for his prayers. I managed to grab the keys there.
"I took my bag, I locked my captor inside as he was washing. And just to cover the noise of the keys I coughed two times while I was locking him in this small bathroom. And then, because there's this other door leading to the rest of the villa and then to the terrace, I escaped that way. I went to the streets, I ran for 400, 500 metres, got to the road, and then on the road I tried to calm down and to walk slowly, not to attract attention. And finally, because I spoke a few words in Hausa, I grabbed a motor taxi. And I said 'baraawoo, baraawoo' (which) in Hausa means thief, and I asked this guy to take me to the police.
"I said to them: 'Look, I was kept by Ansaru people. They could come any time to this place and kill us all so you'd better take some steps.' And then higher commanders came. They brought in reinforcements. Then I was taken away, eventually to Kaduna. And for the first time I could sleep on a proper mattress and have a proper shower."
Mr Collomp said he was seized in a "very violent attack".
"The attackers used heavy weapons. I heard four shots of a Kalashnikov, probably the four shots that killed the policeman and my security guard. I shut down the electricity, I tried to hide. They were wearing military uniforms. For some time I thought it might have been the army. Then I realised it was not... They let me guide them out of the villa but then they took me in a car. I was sandwiched between two men and they covered my face with a big, supermarket plastic bag. And I estimate they took me for about 60km. They took me to Kano."
He said he had learned the identity of his captors when he was asked to record a video message, using a script in which the name of Ansaru was stated.
Mr Collomp was watched in turn by up to 25 men, and only allowed to go to the toilet once a day, using a plastic bucket. But he said he was not treated violently, and that the pain was more psychological than physical.
"But I have to say I had a serious health problem, intestinal problems. I asked my captors to bring me medication, which they did, which of course makes me think that they wanted me to stay alive."
During his time in captivity, Mr Collomp was allowed to listen to radio services such as Radio France Internationale, which were broadcast in French and Hausa, allowing him to pick up a knowledge of the language spoken by his many of captors.
"I managed to communicate and write a few words of Hausa now and then, which was a big surprise to my captors when they realised that."
He used various methods to keep up his fitness and morale.
"I wanted to stay fit, so I used to walk inside the cell, and to run inside the cell, about 15 kilometres a day. And also I had to keep my mind afloat. And to do that, I was thinking about my engineering projects. I was working on how to improve electric batteries for electric cars."
Mr Collomp said he was left distressed by a message broadcast on Radio France Internationale by his wife on the occasion of their wedding anniversary.
He determined to escape after being told by his kidnappers that negotiations involving his possible release had failed. But, half in jest, he said that one of the other sparks that encouraged him to seek a way out was the food he had to endure during nearly a year in captivity.
"The food was so appalling in that place, because it was either rice or pasta. Sometimes they would mix the two together so it was so awful that I convinced myself I had to run away." | A French engineer kidnapped by Islamist militants in northern Nigeria has told the BBC how he managed to escape two weeks ago. |
32780674 | The beak, made of medical-grade titanium, replaces the loggerhead turtle's jaws, half of which were sheared off in the accident.
Detailed scans of the injured creature's head were used to generate the design of the prosthetic beak.
If the prosthetic is not rejected by the turtle, the animal will be returned to the sea shortly.
The 45kg (99lb) creature was taken to the sea turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation centre at Pamukkale University in Denizli, Turkey soon after being found badly injured at sea.
Initially staff at the centre nursed it back to health by feeding it by hand but realised another solution was needed if the turtle was ever going to be able to fend for itself.
The rehabilitation centre contacted Turkish company BTech Innovation, known for custom-making medical prosthetics and implants for humans, to see if it could help.
BTech used CT scans taken by vets to produce a design that fitted perfectly to the injury site and restored the turtle's ability to feed.
The turtle, named Akut-3, is currently convalescing at the recovery centre to ensure that it has adapted to its metal jaw.
The animal is not the only reptile to have benefitted from 3D printing recently.
In March, a tortoise in Denver was made a customised prosthetic plastic shell by a student at Colorado Technical University, after her original one had deteriorated due to a poor diet. | A 3D-printed beak has been fitted to a sea turtle injured by a collision with a boat's propeller. |
33327540 | The reading marks the second month of a return to inflation after five months of flat or falling prices.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has been taking steps to reflate the economies of the 19 countries that use to euro.
Other figures showed that unemployment throughout the bloc remained at 11.1% in May, the same level as in April.
Unemployment in Germany was the lowest of the 19, at 4.7%, while crisis-struck Greece was the highest at 25.6%.
In March, the ECB began a €1 trillion stimulus programme to boost economic activity in the eurozone.
The rise in prices was due in part to an increase in food and beverage costs, which were 1.2% higher. | The eurozone's inflation rate dipped slightly from 0.3% in May to 0.2% in June, according to official figures. |
37509503 | The Scots had stated that several players had suffered from "an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis".
But they have been deemed to have lost the European Championship qualifying tie, which was due to be played on 19 September in Albania, 3-0.
It follows a ruling by Uefa's control, ethics and disciplinary body.
Having already defeated Cyprus 8-0 and hosts Albania 11-0, Gareth Evans' side pulled out of the final group game in Durres saying that nine players and eight members of the backroom staff had fallen ill.
The Scottish FA was angered by reports in the Serbian media that the Scots had got drunk the night before and were too hungover to play.
Scotland's governing body was also unhappy with the poor hotel conditions to which their players were subjected, with the walls affected by damp.
It stressed that the illness outbreak had been reported to Uefa's match delegate on the day of the match and that a local doctor had verified the problem. | European football's governing body has ruled that Scotland's women's Under-19s team must forfeit their match against Serbia after their "refusal to play". |
40262451 | The Durham and Lancashire openers have been named in a 13-man squad for the game at Canterbury from 21 June.
Surrey opener Mark Stoneman gets a first Lions call-up along with Somerset teenage off-spinner Dominic Bess.
Bess, 19, is joined in the squad by Somerset team-mates Jamie Overton and fellow spinner Jack Leach.
Stoneman, 29, moved from Durham to Surrey in the winter and struck 197 in his side's recent County Championship defeat by Essex at Guilford.
The left-hander was tipped as a potential opening partner for Alastair Cook during England's tours to Bangladesh and India last winter, but found himself behind Hameed and Jennings.
"The lads in the winter who played did quite well," Stoneman told BBC Radio London last week.
"I imagine they're still at the front of the selectors' thoughts. But I've got to be scoring as many runs as I can to be there in the background if they don't play well or the selectors' decide they want to go in a different direction.
"I've just got to make sure my game is in good order and push for an opportunity."
Both Hameed and Jennings, who captains the Lions side, will hope to make significant runs ahead of England's Test series against South Africa next month. The pair average 19 and 39 in the County Championship respectively this season.
England Lions squad to face South Africa A at Canterbury (21-24 June): Keaton Jennings (Durham, capt), Mark Stoneman (Surrey), Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire), Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Ben Foakes (Surrey, wk), Sam Curran (Surrey), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Tom Helm (Middlesex), Jamie Porter (Essex), George Garton (Sussex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dominic Bess (Somerset). | England Test pair Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed are set to feature for England Lions in a four-day tour fixture against South Africa A. |
33746283 | Cy Cooper, 44, was pulled from the blaze at the property on Bluebell Close at about 00:25 BST on Wednesday, but was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination revealed he died from multiple injuries, none of which was related to the fire.
Paul Anthony Noel Cain, 23, of no fixed abode, is to appear before Sheffield Magistrates' Court later.
Three men and a woman, who were all initially arrested on suspicion of murder, have been released without charge.
Detectives said the fire was being treated as arson and a joint investigation with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue was under way to confirm the cause. | A man has been charged with murder after a suspected arson attack at a house in Sheffield. |
39870546 | Most I spoke to seemed more concerned by the NHS, even though responsibility for it has been devolved to the assembly since 1999.
Labour wants to focus on domestic policies, so is happy to blur the boundaries of what is and isn't devolved.
References to the Welsh Government's handling of schools and hospitals featured heavily in the launch of the Welsh Labour election campaign. It even reheated promises made at last year's assembly election.
Jeremy Corbyn, however, wasn't mentioned at all in Carwyn Jones's launch speech.
What a contrast with the Conservatives who seize on every opportunity to claim that Theresa May needs to be returned to Downing Street so she can lead the UK out of the EU.
For the Tories, this is the Brexit election.
And the polls suggest a lot of voters agree.
YouGov, on behalf of ITV Wales, has been asking people to rank the political issues that matter to them.
Its survey of more than 1,000 people is a much better guide to public opinion than the half-dozen willing to talk to me in Ponty.
The EU - or rather leaving it - has shot up the list of priorities.
For years, Europe ranked way behind the health service and the economy.
But the referendum has changed that.
Polling expert Prof Roger Scully, of Cardiff University, said: "You would normally expect maybe the economy to come top, the health service to be second.
"This time it's Brexit - and clearly Brexit.
"And that's unprecedented. We've never had a general election before where Brexit or the EU or relations with Europe have been the most important issue."
So if this is the Brexit election, is Mrs May right to say voting for her will improve Brexit by strengthening her hand in the negotiations?
A report in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said those negotiations began badly at a dinner with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.
The journalist who broke the story, Thomas Gutschker, has been asking his contacts in Brussels and Berlin whether they care about the size of Mrs May's majority in the House of Commons.
He said: "They don't care about the size in the sense that she implies it - that she might have a stronger hand in the negotiations with a stronger majority.
"They do care however about this majority because they think the bigger it is the easier it will be for her to sideline Brexit hardliners in her own party, and then really to strike the difficult compromise that needs to be struck."
The EU has already set out its negotiating position, Mr Gutschker added.
"It won't make any difference neither for politicians in Brussels nor in Berlin whether this government has a 50-seat majority or a 100-seat majority in the House of Commons."
It's worth reflecting on how the topics that dominated the 2015 election seem to have vanished.
The Tories have got rid of a target to generate a surplus by 2020.
David Cameron and George Osborne aren't even standing.
And who would have thought two years ago that Jeremy Corbyn would be Labour's candidate for the job of prime minister?
The referendum changed the political landscape and the personnel. | Do shoppers at Pontypridd market buy Theresa May's line that this is a Brexit election? |
40966880 | Cook batted through the day for his unbeaten 153, sharing 248 with skipper Root, who made 136, as England racked up 348-3 at Edgbaston.
Opener Mark Stoneman managed eight on his debut and Tom Westley fell for the same score, but Dawid Malan is 28 not out.
Kemar Roach took two wickets for West Indies, who were poor with the ball and in the field.
Much had been made about how the pink ball would behave, but the tourists did not bowl with enough accuracy to exploit any movement that might have been on offer.
On a true surface, the efforts of England's former and current captain reinforced the fear that this three-match series will be one-sided.
For some time, England's top-order batting has been reliant on Cook and Root, even though both have had problems converting their good scores into centuries.
This match is the 11th in succession in which Root has made a half-century, an England record and one short of AB de Villiers' best for any nation. However, he has made only two centuries in the previous 10.
For Cook, his past 98 Test innings had produced 31 scores in excess of 50, yet just five centuries.
Here, both were untroubled, at times engaging in glorified batting practice against some of the friendliest bowling they will face in Test cricket.
Each man was strong square of the wicket - Root's off-side play typical of the busy right-hander, Cook's cover-driving more unusual and a sign that he is in good touch.
Only when Root played a loose drive at Roach was he bowled, with Cook remaining to see off the second new ball for an entire day - and night - at the crease.
West Indies have not won a series away from home since 2012 and are without a Test victory in England for 17 years.
Bowling is the supposedly their strong suit but, without the pace of the injured Shannon Gabriel, they were impotent and wayward.
Roach did produce a beauty that nipped off the seam to bowl Stoneman, a rare bright spot as the tourists gave England too many opportunities to score - the hosts helped themselves to 53 fours.
The most shambolic passage came under the floodlights and with the second new ball available, theoretically the hardest time to bat in day-night Tests.
Captain Jason Holder opted to delay taking the new ball, bowled three deliveries of the 81st over himself and left the field injured while coach Stuart Law held his head in his hands.
The Windies followed with nine deliveries from off-spinners Roston Chase and Kraigg Brathwaite before a message from the 12th man instructed them to finally take the new ball and employ the pace bowlers.
This content will not work on your device, please check Javascript and cookies are enabled or update your browser
Stoneman, Westley and Malan are all looking to cement places in the Test side and, with it, solve England's long-standing batting problems.
This West Indies side provide the ideal opportunity to secure a place on the Ashes tour this winter but, for Stoneman and Westley, one chance has been missed.
Stoneman, the 12th man to partner Cook at the top of the order in five years, hit the second and fourth balls he faced for four.
He was then arguably unlucky with dismissal, Roach moving the ball away from the left-hander to clip the top of off stump.
Westley, though, was culpable for his downfall, playing across the line to Miguel Cummins to be plumb lbw on review.
Malan waited for almost 67 overs as Cook and Root piled on the runs and arrived just as the natural light completely faded with the new ball due.
He offered a chance on two - a cut at Brathwaite was not held at slip - but grew in authority for what is his highest score in three Tests to date.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan on BBC Test Match Special: "I'm all for innovation - Test match cricket needs to do things to regenerate the crowd - but the product today was poor.
"England played nicely, especially Root and Cook - but it was a poor contest. West Indies bowled so badly. We didn't find anything out about the pink ball today because of the way West Indies bowled."
England captain Joe Root: "It's been a great day. It gives us a great position going into tomorrow.
"We've done a lot of hard work and it's all about making it count tomorrow."
Former England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent on TMS: "It was fascinating to see the amount of hype and excitement about the ball, but there's been hardly any movement or seaming around."
West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick on Sky Sports: "We discussed that after 80 overs we would need to take the new ball as quickly as possible, but we didn't take it so we had to send a quiet reminder to the captain. It was disappointing." | Alastair Cook and Joe Root hit centuries as England dominated West Indies on the first day of the inaugural day-night Test in the UK. |
40485617 | The 20-year-old American scored 16 goals in 33 appearances for Reading's Under-23 side last season.
He made his first-team debut for the Royals against Watford in March 2015 and has had a spell on loan at Cheltenham Town.
Telstar finished 16th in the Dutch second tier last season.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Striker Andrija Novakovich has signed a new two-year contract at Reading and joined Dutch club Telstar on a season-long loan. |
29799733 | Natacha Bouchart added that the fences placed around UK border controls set up in the city "make everybody laugh".
"These people are ready and prepared to die to come to England," she told the Home Affairs Committee.
Calais has struggled in recent months with increasing numbers of migrants arriving and trying to get to the UK.
Prime Minister David Cameron has urged "action right across the board" and "full-hearted cooperation between the British and French authorities to make sure we can stop people getting on to trains, getting on to container lorries or other vehicles and coming across the Channel".
His official spokeswoman said the government's focus was to study "pull factors and address them."
Hours after Ms Bouchart appeared in front of MPs, a Conservative minister appeared to imply that Parliament did not have control over immigration and would never be able to stem the free movement of people within the European Union.
Nick Boles told Total Politics magazine that the government had taken "some pretty draconian steps" to limit immigration from outside the EU but "all that has done is reveal to people that there's another big chunk of it that we can't control, and that troubles them".
French police used tear gas this week as hundreds of migrants tried to climb on to trucks bound for the UK.
Ms Bouchart estimated that 2,500 illegal immigrants were now living in Calais and that most were Eritrean, Ethiopian, Sudanese, Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese, Iranian and Iraqi.
Calais was suffering problems from "a lot of mafia and traffickers in this population", Ms Bouchart said.
She added: "There hasn't been a message from the British government or anywhere else that it's not El Dorado."
Asked by the committee's chairman, Labour MP Keith Vaz whether the UK was seen as "a soft touch for those that want to come here", she replied: "Oui."
Ms Bouchart, speaking via an interpreter, added: "You have a much more favourable regime in Britain than other countries. The second thing is the entitlement to benefits of £36 which are given to asylum seekers or migrants, which is a huge amount for people who have nothing in their lives."
Ms Bouchart said the "real magnet is the benefits that are perceived in Great Britain".
The official UK border was moved to France in 2003 in an effort to stop illegal immigrants reaching British soil to claim asylum.
This was recently reinforced with fencing previously used for security at a Nato conference. But Ms Bouchart said: "The fence makes everybody laugh."
Some 7,500 migrants have been arrested in Calais this year. The UK has agreed to contribute £12m (15m euros; $19m) to help manage the situation.
UKIP said it had sympathy with Ms Bouchart at having to deal with the disturbances in Calais but the UK needed to send a message that "its streets are not paved with gold".
"From her experience it is evident that even though Britain has not signed the Schengen Agreement, this country is adversely affected by the lack of European and French action on migration," said the party's immigration spokesman MEP Steven Woolfe.
"However, the problem she highlights is not one of the British welfare system, but of the way in which it can be misused.
"Welfare in the UK should be there for our own citizens, who have paid in, or whose family have paid in. It is not something for anybody turning up at our borders to be able to access."
The benefits that EU migrants can claim in another EU country vary across the 28-nation bloc but certain basic rules are enshrined in EU law.
The UK does not rank highest in terms of total spending on social security per inhabitant.
According to the EU statistics agency Eurostat, the UK spent nearly £6,660 (8,000 euros) in 2010, with France, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands all spending more than 9,000 euros.
At the other end of the scale, spending in Bulgaria and Romania was below 2,000 euros.
In the UK, a bigger portion of welfare is funded by the state than is the case in Poland, France, Germany or the Netherlands. In those countries, more is funded from individual and employer contributions with benefits more closely linked to previous earnings.
On the other hand, in several countries, including the Republic of Ireland, Sweden and Denmark, the share of state funding is higher than in the UK. | Illegal migrants see the UK as a "soft touch" and its benefits system acts as a "magnet" to them, the mayor of the French city of Calais has told MPs. |
35458658 | While the pro-EU campaign - Britain Stronger In - has set up a Scottish operation, the UK-wide leave campaigns have yet to do so.
Mr Farage said he was trying to broker a merger between the Leave.EU and Vote Leave campaigns.
He added: "There is a bit more coming together to do before we're properly ready."
Meanwhile, Stronger In has confirmed that John Edward, a former head of the European Parliament office in Scotland, will be their chief campaign spokesman in Scotland.
Mr Edward said: "We're keen to get our team in place, so that if the referendum is called we're ready to go."
The campaign has already appointed former Labour MP Frank Roy as their director in Scotland, with former SNP media chief, Kevin Pringle, providing communications advice.
Stronger In will not be an umbrella organisation for the political parties that support the UK remaining in the EU.
Mr Edward said: "For us the aim is to be a non-party campaign, people based, talking up the benefits of EU membership for Scotland and the broader UK."
Of the six political parties with elected parliamentarians in Scotland, only one - UKIP - is formally backing UK withdrawal from the EU.
UKIP's sole parliamentarian in Scotland is David Coburn, who won a seat in the European Parliament in the 2014 election.
With most politicians in Scotland favouring the EU, Mr Farage conceded that the leave campaign would be "more difficult" here.
He was speaking before it emerged that the acting chairman of UKIP in Scotland had resigned following a court appearance.
Mr Farage said: "At the moment, the leave campaign in Scotland is a bit embryonic.
"But let's not forget this great myth that somehow Scotland's wonderfully in love with the European Union.
"There's been precious little debate on this issue in Scotland".
The leaders of the other parties in Scotland - the SNP, Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens - have all said they will campaign for an "in" vote.
It is possible that some Labour and Conservative MSPs could back Brexit, but none have so far declared.
The Scottish Labour leader, Kezia Dugdale, said the "overwhelming majority" of her group at Holyrood want the UK to stay in.
There is a Scottish Labour Leave campaign fronted by the former MP and government minister, Nigel Griffiths.
He spoke at the launch of the Labour Left Leave campaign in Glasgow over the weekend.
The Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson, said "many" Tory MSPs, like her, back continued EU membership.
The former Conservative MSP, Brian Monteith, has been appointed head of press by the Leave.EU campaign.
The first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said "no SNP parliamentarian has expressed a desire to campaign for the out campaign".
There are Brexit supporters in the wider party, with its former deputy leader, Jim Sillars, saying will campaign for the UK to leave the EU.
The former SNP leader Gordon Wilson thinks some party members would vote leave in the hope of hastening Scottish independence.
Those who wish to spend more than £10,000 campaigning in the EU referendum must register with the Electoral Commission from today.
The commission has yet to designate the lead campaigns for the referendum.
The prime minister David Cameron has promised to hold the vote by the end of 2017.
It could take place as early as June if Mr Cameron gets a deal on revised terms of UK membership when EU leaders meet on 18 and 19 February. | The leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage, has described the Scottish campaign to leave the EU as "a bit embryonic". |
34291815 | UK inflation may not pick up in the second half of the year, and there are risks of fallout from emerging economies, he said in a speech.
Should those risks materialise, a rate cut would be a viable option, he said.
UK interest rates have been held at a record low of 0.5% for more than six years.
Softening employment figures and weakening surveys on manufacturing and construction output suggested growth in the UK could slow in the second half of the year and inflation might not pick up as expected.
Furthermore, problems in emerging markets could be a drag on UK growth and the headwinds from those economies were unlikely to abate any time soon, Mr Haldane added.
He described recent events in Greece and China as "the latest leg of what might be called a three-part crisis trilogy."
"The balance of risks to UK growth, and to UK inflation at the two-year horizon, is skewed squarely and significantly to the downside," Mr Haldane said.
The case for raising interest rates was "some way from being made", he added.
"Were the downside risks I have discussed to materialise, there could be a need to loosen rather than tighten the monetary reins as a next step to support UK growth and return inflation to target," he said.
However, former Monetary Policy Committee member Andrew Sentance was scathing about Mr Haldane's analysis.
"Sorry to say but Andy Haldane's spouting rubbish here," he tweeted. "Cutting interest rates from all-time low is unnecessary. Doing so when economy in 7th year of recovery totally foolish."
"Andy Haldane seems to have no concept of longer-term need for interest rates to strike balance between savers and investors," he added.
According to Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight, Mr Haldane has "cemented his place as the arch-dove" on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
"While there is currently considerable uncertainty as to when the Bank of England is likely to start raising interest rates, Andy Haldane's stance looks isolated within the MPC," said Mr Archer.
His views seem to be at odds with fellow MPC member Ian McCafferty, "who has voted for an interest rate hike from 0.50% to 0.75% at both the August and September MPC meetings".
"Furthermore, Martin Weale and Kristin Forbes have both indicated their belief that interest rates will need to rise sooner rather than later," he added. | The Bank of England may have to cut rates to combat low inflation, rather than raise them as its next move, its chief economist Andy Haldane has said. |
39889025 | Ms Monroe was to stand for the National Health Action (NHA) Party but tweeted a letter announcing her withdrawal.
She said she took the decision after receiving two letters "along the lines of 'die you bitch'" and after being bedridden by arthritis twice.
She also cited "my own sanity" and the "safety of my seven-year-old son".
She said: "Throwing all of my energy into a personal campaign is the fastest way to burnout I can possibly imagine."
As well as publishing several budget cook books, Leigh-on-Sea-based Ms Monroe is a campaigner on health and poverty issues.
In March, she successfully sued columnist Katie Hopkins over two tweets published in 2015. | The food blogger Jack Monroe will not contest the Southend West parliamentary seat after she said she received hate mail and had deteriorating health. |
40338886 | Jo Rand, 47, from Marlow, Buckinghamshire, died from her injuries on Wednesday.
Family friend Owen Livett has set up an online fundraising page to help Ms Rand's two children who also lost their sister five years ago.
Mr Livett was involved in a car accident which killed Ms Rand's eldest daughter Charlotte, who was 19.
Thames Valley Police has launched a murder inquiry in connection with Ms Rand's death.
An 18-year-old man from London has been arrested.
Police believe Ms Rand was sprayed with an alkaline substance after a fight broke out between a group of men, close to where Ms Rand was sitting on a bench.
Mr Livett said he wants to help Ms Rand's 21-year-old son Ryan and 17-year-old daughter Katie raise £5,000 towards her funeral.
The 25-year-old from Marlow was the driver of a car which was hit by another vehicle which was being driven the wrong way down a dual carriageway by an undiagnosed dementia sufferer.
He said: "Jo was such a bubbly, lovely person, very caring, a great mother and a great friend.
"When the time is right, I want the money to be there so the children can afford to send their mum off in an appropriate way.
"They've already lost their big sister and now they've lost their mum, it's just so sad."
Almost half of the fundraising target has already been raised.
Donations have come from friends, family and colleagues of care worker Ms Rand plus a number of anonymous pledges.
Mr Livett said the "outpouring has been amazing". | A campaign has been launched to help fund the funeral of a woman who died following a chemical attack. |
33213145 | She beat off competition from 19 other finalists from across the world to take the title.
The week-long competition was whittled down to five for Sunday's final at Cardiff's St David's Hall.
Ms Koutcher will take home the coveted trophy, £15,000 prize money, and will perform a new piece by composer John Lunn at the BBC Proms 2016.
Meanwhile, Amartuvshin Enkhbat from Mongolia won the Audience prize.
The finalists who missed out on Sunday evening included Lauren Michelle from the United States, Oleksiy Palchykov from the Ukraine, and Jongmin Park from South Korea.
Devised in 1983, the competition is designed to find the talented classical singers of the future. | Nadine Koutcher from Belarus has been crowned BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. |
38518719 | Rothera Research Station will be home to the exploration ship RRS Sir David Attenborough. An online public vote had favoured the name Boaty McBoatface.
Cambridge-based British Antarctic Survey will use the money to build a new wharf, storage and living quarters.
Its director of operations Tim Stockings said it was "an exciting moment for polar science".
Rothera is a centre for biological research and a hub for supporting deep-field and air operations.
It supports a range of British university and international science programmes, including the Dirck Gerritsz laboratory operated by the Netherlands.
The Department for Business and Science said the upgrade would allow teams to conduct more ambitious expeditions to untapped areas of the Antarctic and the Arctic.
Science minister Jo Johnson said the investment would help ensure "our world-class research sector has the tools it needs to thrive on a global stage".
Construction company BAM has been appointed to build the facilities, which can only be done during the four month-long Antarctic summers.
The money will also fund the modernisation of buildings and facilities at British Antarctic Survey stations in Signy in the South Orkney Islands and at Bird Island and King Edward Point, both in South Georgia.
The whole project is expected to take between seven and 10 years. | The UK's largest Antarctic research station is to receive a £100m upgrade funded by the government. |
39742676 | The 48 year old was found fatally wounded on the 189 bus in Gloucester Place, near Dorset Square, at about 00:10 BST.
Detectives believe the man boarded the vehicle at Brent Cross bus station at 23:13 but are investigating when and where the stabbing took place.
The man was treated by paramedics but pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made.
Scotland Yard said they believe they know the man's identity but are awaiting confirmation that his next of kin have been informed.
Det Ch Insp Noel McHugh said he wanted to "hear from anyone who was at Brent Cross bus station or who travelled on the 189 bus from Brent Cross towards the Marylebone area".
"It is crucial that we speak with any potential witnesses," he said. | A man has been found stabbed to death on a bus in central London. |
40700530 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The world number four was five over after six holes in the first round, but battled back to end on five under, seven behind winner Jordan Spieth.
McIlroy, 28, had an outside chance of making a title challenge before a lost ball on the 15th led to his only bogey.
He said: "It's a lost opportunity - I had a chance to get in a few shots better than Saturday and I didn't."
McIlroy birdied the ninth and 11th, with the highlight of his final round at Royal Birkdale an eagle at the 17th.
"I was within four [of the lead] at one point, playing 13 or 14, and I thought with the two par fives coming up I had the chance to post a number and at least scare them a little bit.
"But that's how it goes. It's tough out there, it really is. It is tough coming in."
McIlroy won the last of his four major titles at the US PGA Championship almost three years ago.
He admits that feels "too long" for a player of his ambition although he realises he arrived at Royal Birkdale this week in poor form after missing three of his previous four cuts.
"You look at Jack Nicklaus, he went through a stretch where he didn't win a major in three years," said McIlroy.
"I'm not comparing myself to Jack but it's hard to win them, very hard. It's the reason why in this generation - excluding Tiger [Woods] - no-one's got above five.
"I feel like three years has been too long, but at the same time I'm not going to rush it. I'm not going to stay impatient.
"It is a step in the right direction. Looking at what happened in the last few weeks, this is a lot better."
Media playback is not supported on this device | Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy shot a closing three-under-par 67 to finish in a tie for fourth at The Open on Sunday. |
19034356 | The Hammers agreed a fee with the Spanish club for the 27-year-old at the weekend but he has instead joined their Premier League rivals Wigan on a three-year deal.
Ramis was wanted by Celtic in 2010 but a deal was never completed.
He becomes the Latics' second summer signing after the arrival of Aberdeen midfielder Fraser Fyvie. | Wigan have beaten West Ham to the signing of Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis for an undisclosed fee. |
32777639 | Those portrayals fail to offer much of a clue as to why the number of nuns joining convents in England and Wales is on the rise.
Recently, the Catholic Church said the number of women becoming nuns here had reached a 25-year high, with the number of women taking holy orders rising to 45 last year. Many are aged 30 or under.
That may not seem like many, but it stands in stark contrast to the global decline in women entering religious orders.
Figures in 2013 showed the number of nuns fell from a million worldwide in 1973 to just 710,000.
So what has been happening in Britain, and what makes women in the modern world choose to take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience?
One reason may be the concerted effort by the Catholic Church here in recent years to demystify what nuns do, and to explain what life in monastic orders actually means.
Outreach and communication clearly help, but the Church believes there is something more profound going on.
Father Christopher Jamison, the former Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey at Worth, is the Catholic Church's national vocations director, and has overseen the revitalisation of its appeal to young people.
"There is a gap in the market for meaning in our culture," he says.
"Increasingly, young people find Christian faith filling that meaning gap, and for a smaller number of those, 'religious life' has a tremendous appeal because it leads them to the heart of human life today: to the heart of working for the poor, leading a balanced life and a great conviction that there is more to life."
The figures show a rise for enclosed or contemplative orders, as well as for active or apostolic ministry, and the work can vary immensely within both.
Some nuns in London can find themselves at the sharp end of social need in the modern world.
Some even accompany police on raids of brothels to help women who have been trafficked, while others work with the poor and the marginalised, or with elderly people.
0530: Vigils
0830: Lauds
0900: Mass with Terce
1220: Midday Prayer
1800: Vespers
1950: Compline (followed by Adoration Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)
Those in enclosed orders are not completely cut off from the world, but they do devote themselves to contemplation and prayer, rising at 05:00 to start the day with vigils or matins at 05:30.
Sister Walburga, 35, became a Benedictine nun at St Mildred's Priory at Minster Abbey in Kent, where she leads a simple life as part of a small community.
She was a social worker who felt her calling to religious life grow stronger.
While she was thinking about her vocation, the Catholic Church offered her the chance to stay with the sisters there to see if it would be the right life for her.
"When my vocation really became strong, my boyfriend and I split up so I could explore it.
"My family thought I'd be locked away and miserable, but when they saw I was here and I was happy, they've come round," she says.
"Some of my friends were slightly bemused. One friend said to me that she didn't realise that nuns existed any more."
The rhythm of life is rather different for Roisin McGrogan, a novice with the Faithful Companions of Jesus in a convent in London.
Roisin is among the 27 women who joined active orders last year, working outside the convent, helping homeless and vulnerable people in the UK or abroad.
Roisin, a 27-year old Irishwoman with an infectious smile, came to this ancient calling in a very modern way, using an internet web app to explore her options.
"Vision Vocation Match" allows would-be nuns to answer an internet questionnaire, to narrow down which religious order would suit them best.
Roisin agrees that it's a little like using an online dating site to find the perfect partner.
"I tried that too, but I found it less effective," she says, laughing.
"When you're looking for a life partner, or one love, it's to sustain you and to enable you to become the best person you can be ideally.
"And this is another way of falling in love: with great hope and great promise."
That is a feeling echoed by Theodora Hawksley, an equally engaging novice who was a theologian and academic, and is now writing a book on peace-building.
At the age of 29, she has become a novice with the Congregation of Jesus in north London.
Her work also involves helping homeless people, as well as taking part in the daily life of the convent, cooking and gardening.
I ask how she deals with the knowledge that she will no longer have the chance to marry or have children.
Her answer is direct and unhesitating.
"Yes, of course, that is going to hurt at various times. But in the same way as when you prune a plant, it encourages it to grow and flourish in different ways, that's ideally what should happen when you cut off one possibility of love.
"When you are chaste, other parts grow, and may be more flourishing, more welcoming to others.
"If our society is obsessed with money, sex and power and the games people play with them, then vows of poverty chastity and obedience represent a profound freedom.
"That's what has drawn me to religious life.
"It's not a fleeing from the world - it's a finding your place in it."
Whether a life of religious contemplation or participation in good works, both traditions of monasticism for Catholic women are clearly enjoying a fresh flourishing in Britain today. | Ask most people what they know about nuns, and many will have formed their impressions from the cinema: from The Sound of Music, to Philomena or The Magdalene Sisters, and Sister Act. |
35092277 | From dodgy refereeing decisions to too many games in a week, every reason under the sun has been given for why their team lost.
But have you ever heard the one about too much algae on the pitch?
That was the excuse Plymouth boss Derek Adams gave after a late slip by defender Peter Hartley gifted Cambridge United a 2-1 victory at Home Park on Saturday.
"It has an algae on the pitch, it has to be treated and hopefully that will be sorted in the week," said Adams. "That is the reason (for Hartley's slip)."
The problem stems from the wet and unusually warm weather in Plymouth over the past couple of months, according to Argyle chief executive Martyn Starnes.
The club have had soil samples taken and are bringing in experts later this week.
"We've got to get some equipment on there to try to break the algae up and put some winter seed in to try to take over the growth of the grass," Starnes told BBC Sport.
"It really is astonishing how scientific these pitches are nowadays.
"It'll be ready for the next game - whether we'll see a tangible improvement by then is doubtful as it takes some time, but the pitch will be playable by the time Yeovil come on Boxing Day.
"Over the next few weeks we expect a demonstrable improvement in the pitch."
Algae is definitely a strange one, but what other bizarre excuses have been rolled out following below-par performances?
Sir Alex Ferguson was certainly up there with the greatest when it came to making excuses, but one of his best surely had to be in April 1996 when Manchester United were 3-0 down to Southampton at half-time.
Fergie complained his players could not see each other while sporting their grey away kit and made them change the strip at half-time. They still lost the game 3-1 - and were then thumped 6-3 at the Dell a few months later despite wearing different colours.
The grey kit was so unpopular the players wore it just twice.
In 1998, Newcastle United manager Kenny Dalglish saw his Premier League side struggle to a 1-1 draw against then Conference club Stevenage in the FA Cup fourth round.
Despite the Magpies boasting a wealth of international talent including Alan Shearer, Stuart Pearce and John Barnes, Dalglish did not think his players were simply having an off day.
Instead, he blamed it on the balls being too bouncy.
Newcastle went on to win the replay 2-1 at St James' Park thanks to two Shearer goals.
After a 4-0 defeat by Spain at the 2006 World Cup, Ukraine defender Vladyslav Vashchuk said it was down to the players being tired.
Not because of their busy schedule - but because frogs croaking outside their hotel in the east German town of Potsdam had kept them awake all night.
"Because of the frogs' croaking we hardly got a wink of sleep," Vashchuk said at the time.
"We all agreed that we would take some sticks and go and hunt them."
The team must have had a better night's sleep before their next group game - they beat Saudi Arabia 4-0, before losing to eventual champions Italy in the quarter-finals.
Despite holding the joint record for Premier League clean sheets, things were not always rosy for Liverpool goalkeeper David James in the 1990s.
The former England stopper made three glaring errors in Liverpool's classic 4-3 victory over Newcastle in 1997 and blamed it on playing too many computer games.
"I was getting carried away playing Tekken II and Tomb Raider for hours on end," James said. | Excuses from managers and players after a defeat have been part of football for generations. |
35848461 | Fourth seed Nadal, the champion in 2007, 2009 and 2013, won 6-4 6-3 against Japan's world number seven.
The Spaniard will face world number one Novak Djokovic, who beat seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-2).
"I beat a top-10 player and that is something that is important for my confidence," said Nadal, 29.
"I feel I am strong mentally and I have the right energy. I am able to fight for every ball and I now believe in myself the whole match."
Four-time champion Djokovic was pushed hard by Tsonga but the Serb proved stronger in the tie-breaks, taking his record for 2016 to 20 wins and one defeat.
Nadal and Djokovic have played each other 47 times, with the world number one 24-23 ahead.
Canada's Milos Raonic will take on Belgian David Goffin in the other semi-final. | Rafael Nadal beat a top-10 player for the first time this year as he saw off Kei Nishikori to reach the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals in Indian Wells. |
37926858 | Levi Bellfield, now known as Yusuf Rahim, murdered 13-year-old Milly, 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange, 22, between 2002 and 2004.
The Met police had been co-ordinating an inquiry across 10 forces after receiving information in early 2015.
The serial killer had been told of the decision, a police spokesman said.
In a statement, the force said: "All lines of inquiry have now been exhausted and the decision has been taken to close this investigation as there is no evidence to link the individual to any case for which he has not already been convicted."
Milly Dowler was kidnapped while on her way from school to her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.
Nine years later, Bellfield was found guilty of abducting and murdering the teenager and given a whole-life prison sentence following an Old Bailey trial, in which the judge described him as a "cruel and pitiless killer".
He was already in jail for the murders of Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18, when he went on trial accused of killing Milly.
Bellfield lived 50 yards from where Milly vanished but did not become a suspect until he was arrested by police in London for the other crimes in 2004.
At the time of his conviction, detectives said they believed he was behind 20 other attacks on women - none of which had been solved.
These included Judith Gold, who was hit over the head in Hampstead, north London, in 1990, and Bellfield's school friend Patsy Morris, who was strangled on Hounslow Heath, west London, in 1980.
On Wednesday, a Met spokesman said police had "remained in close liaison with a number of families" throughout the inquiry and had told them of the outcome.
"This has understandably been a very difficult time for them and we would ask that the privacy of individuals is respected," he added. | An investigation into allegations surrounding more crimes that may have been committed by the killer of Milly Dowler has been closed. |
32099155 | Stewart Hosie told the BBC it would be "high-handed and arrogant" if talks did not take place.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said earlier this month there would not be a Labour/SNP coalition in the event of a hung parliament.
Voters throughout the UK will go to the polls on 7 May to choose their MPs.
Polls are suggesting no one party will win enough constituencies to form a government outright.
They are also suggesting that the SNP could win the majority of Scotland's 59 seats.
Currently Labour has 41, the Liberal Democrats have 11, the SNP holds six and the Conservatives have one.
What deal might be done after the result is known has been the subject of continued speculation.
After being pressed on the coalition question, Mr Miliband has now made it clear there would not be one with the SNP, but he has been less clear on other more informal options.
In the webcast, BBC Scotland's political editor Brian Taylor asked Mr Hosie if his party believed there should be talks ahead of a minority government's Queen's Speech.
Mr Hosie, speaking ahead of his party's spring conference in Glasgow, said: "If Ed Miliband is seriously saying he could run a minority government without speaking to the SNP, if the polls are to be believed, that is a very dangerous tactic for him to take."
He added: "It would be high handed and arrogant for there not to be negotiations [between Labour and the SNP].
"We are talking about the will of the Scottish people - if they vote in a way perhaps the polls are suggesting where the SNP has had a substantial lead over Labour for six months, where UK polls are suggesting a hung parliament, with the SNP in a pivotal position.
"If Ed Miliband is seriously saying he would discount the wishes of the Scottish people, he would discount the wishes of the 70% in Scotland who think an SNP/Labour deal is the most favourable outcome - I think that is a very, very high risk strategy for the British Labour Party."
In a speech earlier in the month, Mr Miliband said there were "big differences" between Labour the SNP.
He added that there would be no SNP ministers in "any government I lead", claiming such talk was "scare-mongering" by his Conservative opponents.
Prime Minister David Cameron said it was "despicable" that Mr Miliband had not ruled out a post-election deal with the SNP and has goaded the opposition leader about being former nationalist leader Alex Salmond's "poodle".
During his BBC webcast - which is based on reader questions - Mr Hosie was asked about who leads the SNP - Nicola Sturgeon or Mr Salmond.
He replied: "Nicola Sturgeon is leader of the Scottish National Party, I am the deputy leader of the Scottish National Party and Angus Robertson is leader of the Westminster group.
"While we all very much hope and expect Alex Salmond to be returned to Westminster, Nicola Sturgeon leads the party." | The deputy leader of the SNP believes a minority Labour government would have to negotiate with the nationalists ahead of its first Queen's speech. |
38824008 | Mr Mattis is expected to use the visit to reassure Seoul of continuing US commitment to security deals in the face of threats from North Korea.
While campaigning, Donald Trump accused South Korea and Japan of not paying enough for US military support.
He also suggested they could be allowed to arm themselves with nuclear weapons.
Both Japan and South Korea rejected this idea.
On the campaign trail, Mr Trump also said he was willing to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, contradicting longstanding US, South Korean and Japanese policy.
Mr Mattis will be in South Korea until Friday, and will hold talks with his Korean counterpart, Han Min-koo, among other officials.
The Pentagon said the visit would "underscore the commitment of the United States to our enduring alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and further strengthen US-Japan-Republic of Korea security cooperation".
Mr Mattis told reporters he would discuss the planned deployment of a US missile defence system in South Korea, and North Korea's nuclear programme.
Secretary Mattis has indicated he will emphasise that US alliances in East Asia will remain strong. But what the Trump administration will do about the North Korean nuclear arsenal remains unclear.
There is a view in South Korea that Mr Obama's policy of "strategic patience" (squeeze Pyongyang and wait for it to buckle) has not worked, and that a deal may have to be done with Kim Jong-un.
Nobody thinks, though, that the North Korean leader is going to give up on his plans to have effective nuclear weapons.
Any deal would probably have to accept that it gets the bomb but then agrees to limit its development and that of missiles to fire them. Would Mr Trump buy that?
The visit comes amid increasing threats from North Korea that it is ready to test-fire a new intercontinental ballistic missile at any time.
Under the Obama administration, the US and South Korea agreed to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defence system to defend the South from North Korean missiles.
But the move has angered China, which says it threatens its own security and goes "far beyond the defence needs of the Korean peninsula".
There are just under 28,500 US military personnel based in South Korea, as part of a post-war arrangement. South Korea pays about $900m (£710m) annually towards the deployment.
On Friday, Mr Mattis will travel to Japan, for talks with Defence Minister Tomomi Inada.
There are a further 50,000 soldiers plus their dependents and support staff in Japan. The US pays about $5.5bn for its Japanese bases in 2016, with Japan paying a further $4bn. | US defence secretary James Mattis is in South Korea on the first foreign trip by a senior official in the Trump administration. |
36029793 | United are eight points adrift at the foot of the Scottish Premiership with five games remaining.
"I have a contract and we have spoken about the budgets for next season and I plan accordingly," Paatelainen said.
"There are quite a few issues that need to be sorted, but I won't go public about these things."
Former Finland coach Paatelainen took over at Tannadice in October after the sacking of Jackie McNamara and his side have remained at the foot of the table.
He insists that his players remain "fighting and hopeful" that they can escape relegation and that he has not turned his thoughts to what he would do if United were in the Championship next season.
But the United boss said: "It gives us a chance to maybe make a few changes and have a clean table and build an even stronger base.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"That's how I would - and will - think about it.
"We've had discussions about these things already. There are a few issues we need to correct and touch.
"Whether changes need to be made, that's not always entirely my decision. We want to make sure we are better off no matter if we stay in the Premiership or go down."
United face Hibs in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Saturday at Hampden and Paatelainen insists that he does not view it as an unwelcome distraction.
"Obviously last weekend was a disappointment because we didn't perform," he said of the home defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
"A couple of results didn't go our way, but they have a chance now to play in a semi-final and get to the final - a glorious opportunity to bounce back and play well.
"We know we have plenty of boys in the dressing-room who will think like that.
"It would give us a boost to look forward to a cup final."
Hibs will themselves head for Hampden having suffered a slump in form during their bid for promotion from the Championship, but Paatelainen stressed that his former club, who beat United 3-0 in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final in November, "have the quality to hurt us".
"They have very good players," he added. "Their squad is fit for the Premiership - and to do well in the top flight.
"That's how good their players are - and they have a good management team." | Mixu Paatelainen says he is planning to be Dundee United manager next season - and to help the club rebuild - no matter if they are relegated or not. |
40523166 | US employers added 158,000 jobs, according to payrolls processor ADP, below the more than 180,000 analysts had predicted.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 1% or 61.4 points to 6,089.46.
The Dow Jones dropped 0.7% to 21,320.304, while the S&P 500 fell 0.9% to 2,409.75.
General Electric shares showed some of the greatest losses.
The firm's stock fell 3.8% after European regulators said the firm had provided misleading information while seeking approval of the acquisition of a Danish firm earlier this year.
The charges could lead to fines.
Thursday's losses follow months in which US stocks have by and large been heading higher.
Analysts attribute the climb to a mix of strong corporate earnings and optimism about the chances for business-friendly policies under the Donald Trump administration.
Thursday's declines do little to alter that general trend but suggest uncertainty about where the economy is heading.
The ADP National Employment Report added to the unease. The report offers a preview of official job creation figures, which are scheduled for release on Friday. | US markets lost ground on Thursday, amid continuing tension on the Korean peninsula and weaker-than-expected US jobs data. |
40493192 | The building offered Dumfries a significant upgrade on the town's previous ageing facilities.
Anybody who remembered the old swimming pool on the Greensands which it replaced could not have failed to have been impressed.
Gym facilities, catering and a large multi-use entertainment space provided something the area desperately needed.
But there were warning signs of the issues to come even during the construction process.
There were repeated delays to the opening schedule as it slipped months behind its original timetable.
And yet, to the untrained eye, the £17m building looked impressive when it finally opened in 2008.
However, that hid a chronicle of underlying issues which quickly started to emerge as soon as the centre came into use.
Just two weeks after it opened to the public, a leisure pool was forced to close due to tiles coming loose.
Within 18 months a training pool had to shut to allow its moving floor and tiles to be replaced.
It left the centre looking more like a building site at times than a showpiece facility.
By 2011, surveyors were called in to try to establish the cause of persistent faults experienced during its short life.
A year later it emerged that at least one of its main facilities had been shut on more than 200 days since it opened.
That translated to about one day a week when it could not offer the full provision of services.
Finally, in 2013, Dumfries and Galloway Council started court proceedings against Kier Northern who built DG One.
A year later, the centre was shut completely and temporary gym and swimming facilities installed at other sites in the town.
However, repairs work could not get under way until the legal wrangle with constructors had been resolved.
It looked like that had finally reached a solution in 2016 when a settlement to allow remedial work to begin was agreed.
A £10m price tag was attached and it initially appeared that the work was progressing well.
But further issues emerged, which it has now been estimated will cost at least an extra £3m to address.
That has prompted outrage at the council at the scale of the problems with what was meant to be a boon for the town.
Its leader has even contacted police and the Health and Safety Executive to see if a criminal investigation might be required.
In the meantime, the local authority has taken the difficult decision to continue with the repairs programme despite the rising costs.
It decided demolition and replacement, or simply knocking the building down, were not credible options.
Instead, it wants a final figure delivered within two months on what it will actually cost to bring the centre back into use.
In the meantime, £500,000 has been drawn down to allow the repair work to continue.
An "independent, comprehensive and unfettered" inquiry into how the situation reached this stage has also been ordered.
The council has pointed the finger at constructors Kier, but it may have a few questions to answer itself during the process.
Indeed, in its hopes to re-establish public faith in its major building projects it has accepted that it will have to be the case.
In the meantime, the scaffolding stays around the DG One centre as work continues to try to bring it back into use.
And everyone passing by can only shake their head and wonder at how everything could go so badly wrong? | There was perceptible pride during the tour around the DG One leisure centre ahead of its public opening in 2008. |
40288117 | Rodney Parade, the Exiles' home that they share with rugby sides Dragons and Newport RFC, is having a new Desso pitch installed after the Welsh Rugby Union takeover of the Dragons.
The Football League [EFL] has agreed to postpone home games until 26 August.
The schedule will be announced on 21 June. Clubs can reverse fixtures to face Newport, or opt for postponements.
The EFL seasons begins on the weekend of 4-6 August.
Newport will also play away from home in the first round of the Carabao Cup. In the event of Newport being drawn at home, the EFL has agreed to reverse the fixture.
The playing surface at Rodney Parade has been a long-discussed issue and is widely considered to be one of the worst in the Football League.
Three Exiles fixtures were abandoned or postponed at Rodney Parade during the 2016/17 season.
"Last season we had our issues with the pitch. So the fact that the FL have agreed to work with us and support us in what we have asked of them with the fixtures, is great," Newport chairman Gavin Foxall told BBC Wales Sport.
"We'll go from having what was I think termed as the worst pitch in League Two to probably one of the best playing surfaces in League Two.
"It's for everybody. We look like we are going to go from having a parks pitch of last year to one of the best playing surfaces which is great for the players and the fans." | Newport County will only play away games in the first three weeks of the new football season. |
34630380 | The former prime minister told US news channel CNN it was "hard to apologise" for removing Saddam Hussein, and Iraq might have become like Syria otherwise.
His comments came just before Sir John Chilcot announces a timetable for completion of his inquiry into the war.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the interview as the start of the "Blair spin operation".
Mr Blair said even if his policy in Iraq did not work subsequent policies had worked no better.
He believed it was better that Saddam Hussein was no longer in power and suggested that if the Iraq invasion had not taken place there was the danger the country would have degenerated into civil war, as Syria did.
The former Labour leader apologised for the inaccuracy of intelligence reports in the run-up to war and for poor post-conflict planning.
However, he has made both of these points before, to Parliament and to the Iraq Inquiry.
He said: "I apologise for the fact that the intelligence we received was wrong.
"I also apologise for some of the mistakes in planning and, certainly, our mistake in our understanding of what would happen once you removed the regime."
Asked if the war was the "principle cause" of the rise of the Islamic State militant group, he replied: "I think there are elements of truth in that.
"Of course you can't say those of us who removed Saddam in 2003 bear no responsibility for the situation in 2015."
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said any apologies from Mr Blair were strictly limited.
Sir John Chilcot's long-awaited report into the Iraq War is now reaching a conclusion, although no date has yet been given for its release - more than six years after the inquiry was set up by then prime minister Gordon Brown with an assurance it would take a year.
Our correspondent said it was clear that while Mr Blair will not attempt to defend every aspect of the invasion there will be no apology for going to war itself.
Ms Sturgeon tweeted: "The Blair spin operation begins but the country still awaits the truth. The delay to Chilcot report is a scandal."
Mr Blair's office denied the interview was an attempt to set out his version of events before facing probable criticism.
Mr Blair's spokesman said: "Tony Blair has always apologised for the intelligence being wrong and for mistakes in planning. He has always also said and says again here that he does not however think it was wrong to remove Saddam.
"He did not say the decision to remove Saddam in 2003 'caused Isis' and pointed out that Isis was barely heard of at the end of 2008, when al Qaeda was basically beaten.
"He went on to say in 2009, Iraq was relatively more stable. What then happened was a combination of two things: there was a sectarian policy pursued by the government of Iraq, which were mistaken policies.
"But also when the Arab Spring began, Isis moved from Iraq into Syria, built themselves from Syria and then came back into Iraq. All of this he has said before." | Tony Blair has defied critics of the 2003 invasion of Iraq by launching an emphatic defence of the war. |
34895076 | Fast bowler Amir, 23, was jailed for his part in a spot-fixing scam during the 2010 Test series in England and banned from cricket for five years.
He returned in September and is playing for Chittagong Vikings in Bangladesh.
Hafeez refused to play with Amir in the Twenty20 competition, saying: "I can't share the dressing room with someone who hurt my country's integrity."
The all-rounder, 35, said he had no "personal issues" with the bowler, who would be eligible for selection for Pakistan's squad to tour England next summer.
He added: "If any other team makes me an offer then I will play the league and I have no problems facing Amir as I have played against him in the domestic matches, but I can't be in the same team."
Asked what his stance would be if Amir was recalled by Pakistan, Hafeez said: "We will look at it when it happens. It's premature to say anything now."
Amir, then 18, pleaded guilty to bowling no-balls at pre-arranged times during Pakistan's fourth Test against England at Lord's in 2010.
He served half of a six-month jail term, while team-mates Mohammad Asif and captain Salman Butt served six and seven months respectively.
Hafeez said: "They were just banned and went away from the fields. It was us who had to bear the brunt.
"We had to restore Pakistan team's integrity, restore the confidence of the world.
"We had to suffer the taunts of the fans and after 2010 every act, every defeat and every mistake of ours was seen as suspicious, so we overcame that tough time and will not allow it to happen again."
Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq said he supported Amir's inclusion in the Bangladesh league.
"He has been playing domestic cricket in Pakistan so it's a tournament where he can share the experience of some of the international players and see where he is at the moment," said Misbah.
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott said Amir, Asif and Butt should be "given a second chance".
Speaking to pakpassion.net, the 75-year-old said: "Give them a proper chance, get fit, play well and if they are still good enough then give them a chance in the Pakistan team.
"Nobody should hold anything against, or favour, any of the three in any way."
Amir claimed 4-30 for Vikings in Dhaka on Sunday in his first match outside Pakistan in five years.
The Pakistan Cricket Board told Butt and Asif they must complete a "rehabilitation process" before they will be considered for selection. | Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez has said he will not play in the same team as disgraced ex-team-mate Mohammad Amir. |
40933674 | The trend upwards is reflected in the year on year figures, which recorded a 4.4% increase since this time last year.
According to official figures, the average cost of a home in Northern Ireland is £128,650.
There is a variation across different council areas - prices can range from £109,939 in Derry city and Strabane, to £154,704 in Lisburn and Castlereagh.
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency said the biggest jump in price was seen in Mid Ulster, where average house prices rose 9% over the last 12 months.
The slowest price growth was in Belfast, with prices just 1% higher than this time last year.
Apartments saw the biggest increase with a 4.1% rise, while terrace houses increased by 3.5%.
Both detached and semi-detached increased by 2.8% over the same quarter.
Commenting on the figures Richard Ramsey, chief economist at Ulster Bank said they reflect a two-speed market.
He said that while prices for new build houses have increased significantly, the rise in cost of existing properties had not increased as fast.
"New builds are at an eight-year high, one third below their peak in 2007. Meanwhile the average price of existing properties is still 45% below its peak." He said.
According to the Northern Ireland Statistics Agency 5,106 residential properties were sold between April and June 2017. | House prices are up 3.1% on figures from the first quarter of this year. |
33945263 | Greece will receive up to €86bn (£61bn) in loans over the next three years, in return for tax rises and spending cuts.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde welcomed the agreement, but warned Greek debt had become unsustainable.
She said the country needed significant relief "well beyond what has been considered so far".
"Greece cannot restore debt sustainability solely through actions on its own," she added.
The BBC's Adam Fleming in Brussels says finance ministers will consider possibly writing off some of the country's debts in the autumn.
The first tranche of loans will be for €26bn.
This will include €10bn to recapitalise Greek banks and €16bn in several instalments - the first of which will be for €13bn and will be delivered in time for Greece to repay about €3.2bn to the European Central Bank (ECB) by 20 August.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal sent a message "loud and clear" that Greece will stay in the eurozone.
It comes at a political cost for Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has faced a rebellion in his left-wing Syriza party.
More than 40 MPs voted against him when parliament decided on the bailout agreement on Friday, after all-night talks. He managed to push it through with the help of members of the opposition.
Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chaired the Eurogoup meeting where the deal was hammered out, said he was confident it would "address the main challenges facing the Greek economy".
He acknowledged that dealing with debt was an important issue, especially for the IMF, but Germany has so far been vehemently against any debt "haircut" that would cost creditors billions of euros.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told Deutsche Welle radio: "Outright debt forgiveness doesn't work at all under European law."
Mr Schaeuble added that there was "a certain amount of room to extend maturities further", but cautioned: "His room is not very big."
Germany's parliament is to hold a special session on Wednesday to decide on whether to approve the Greek bailout.
Third Greece bailout: What are eurozone conditions? | The International Monetary Fund has called on eurozone ministers to offer Greece debt relief, following the approval of a new bailout deal. |
39480638 | The Taff Vale Shopping Centre was removed as part of plans to build three office buildings.
The site, now owned by Rhondda Cynon Taf council, will house offices for Transport for Wales and Pontypridd library.
The centre was partially torn-down in 2011, but plans halted in 2012 after the developer went into receivership.
Demolition works restarted in January, after the council took ownership of the site in 2015.
Plans for the site include office buildings to house the One4All centre and fitness hub, with a walkway linking Taff Street to the river.
Construction will begin in November, with the redevelopment scheduled to finish in May 2019. | The demolition of a Pontypridd shopping centre has now been completed as part of a £1.5m site redevelopment. |
40408576 | At 48%, it is the highest proportion to support such measures since 2004, according to the British Social Attitudes survey.
The survey also found the public were becoming more sceptical of the EU.
And social liberalism was rising on issues such as same-sex relationships, pre-marital sex and abortion.
There was a more traditional attitude to national security, however, with more than half wanting strong powers on terror.
Roger Harding, head of public attitudes at the National Centre for Social Research, which carries out the survey, said: "People's tolerance for austerity is drying up, even if that means higher taxes.
"This leftwards tilt on tax and spend is matched by a long-running conservatism on national security and law and order. In all, people want a more active state that's firm but fairer."
Here are the key findings of the survey:
The survey found that Britain holds "traditionally conservative views" on national security, and the public favoured stronger state powers to tackle terrorism, even before the terror attacks in Manchester and London.
The research - carried out in the months after last year's EU referendum - suggested that views on immigration had become more polarised, with the young and highly educated more likely to believe that immigration was good for the economy, while older people and non-graduates were more likely to say it was bad.
The survey has been carried out every year since 1983, with questions repeated periodically to assess how opinions change over time.
A total of 2,942 people in England, Scotland and Wales were questioned between July and November last year by social research organisation NatCen.
Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning | Nearly half of Britons think the government should raise taxes and increase spending, an annual survey of public opinion suggests. |
37952040 | The firm cited the "changing ways" customers do their banking, saying more now use internet or telephone services.
Branches are at Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, Crickhowell, Powys, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Canton, Cardiff, Pontarddulais, Swansea and Tregaron in Ceredigion.
Newport, Milford Haven and Fishguard banks in Pembrokeshire and Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff, are also hit.
Lloyds announced in July that it planned to close 200 branches UK-wide by the end of next year.
The latest move follows anger from residents in Hawarden, Flintshire, when their branch was shut in July.
Closures will take place between March and April 2017, with a mobile service being launched to help users in eight of the areas pay bills, deposit money and withdraw cash.
However, this will not be available in Mountain Ash and Canton as the nearest alternative bank is less than four miles (6.4km) away. | Ten Lloyds Bank branches in Wales will close, it has been announced. |
35585961 | Around 200 people, including David Cameron's aunt, had gathered outside County Hall to protest Oxfordshire County Council budget for 2016-17.
Elderly day centres and children's centres had been in line for £2m cuts under the plans.
Members voted in favour of an amended budget.
The decision came after a private meeting between the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups.
Councillors voted 60 in favour and two against the new budget.
Political reporter Bethan Philips said: "In the previous budget they said they had £11m still to find, but now they are saying they have £15m to find.
"They may have just kicked the decision down the road."
Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire
At the protest before the meeting Clare Currie, the prime minister's aunt, called the services, including children's centres, "really vital for people's wellbeing".
She said she had written to the prime minister about her opposition to the cuts.
She added: "I think if they're cut an awful lot of families and old people and homeless… their lives will be diminished.
"[David Cameron] is against the children's centres cutting... it's central government who are cutting the money and I think they're making a great error."
The county council has said it has been forced to find £361m in savings between 2010 and 2020.
Members of the Unite union employed in early intervention at the council are currently staging a 24-hour strike in protest at the plans.
Dave Ricketts, who works at the Abingdon early intervention hub, said: "It's going to be pretty depressing for people to go out there every day committed to working with our families and young people, and feeling that energy to do a good job knowing the cloud of redundancy is hanging over them, so it's pretty dire." | Controversial cuts to elderly and children's services in Oxford have been abandoned after opposing councillors reached a last-minute deal. |
29781758 | Murray saved five match points as he overcame Robredo 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (10-8) in three hours and 19 minutes.
The win moved him to fifth in the race to the ATP World Tour Finals in London, with ninth enough to qualify.
"I kept fighting and it stands me in good stead for the end of this year and the beginning of next," Murray said.
The British number one had also saved five match points against Robredo when he won the Shenzhen Open title in southern China in September to end a 14-month trophy drought.
Murray's third title in five weeks followed a rollercoaster match that lasted longer than any other ATP tour final this year.
"I know it was an incredible match," said the Scot. "The tennis at the end and in the second set was high level. I played well at the right moments.
"I don't know how I managed to come through it - I was very tired, Tommy was very tired as well.
"When you have to work hard for something it means more, you get more satisfaction from it."
Cheered on by a partisan home crowd, Robredo squandered chances to put Murray away in the second and third set tie-breaks.
The 32-year-old has now lost his last five meetings with Murray after winning their first two in 2006 and 2007.
"It was an amazing match, and you have to enjoy it," said the Spaniard. "Unfortunately someone has to win and it was decided by a few balls.
"Now I will be a bit out for a couple of hours but I guess that when I finish the season next week, and I watch today's match against one of the best players we have right now, I will be very happy." | Andy Murray said his "incredible" victory over Tommy Robredo in the Valencia Open final filled him with confidence for the challenges ahead. |
33003782 | It said in a letter to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority that the planned rise was "not appropriate".
Ipsa has said unless there is "new and compelling evidence," MPs' pay will rise by 10%, from £67,060 to £74,000.
BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said PM David Cameron was under pressure after many opposition MPs said they would give the money to charity.
Labour's leadership hopefuls Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall have said they will reject the extra money and Labour leader Harriet Harman is thought likely to do so, our correspondent said.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, SNP leader Angus Robertson and Lib Dem leadership hopeful Tim Farron have all said they will give the money to charity.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said MPs needed to "sort out what is happening" with Ipsa, saying the body is not working.
The letter sent to Ipsa chairman Sir Ian Kennedy by Commons Leader Chris Grayling pointed out that the government had provided a "comprehensive response" to the watchdog's initial consultation on the issue two years ago.
"The government opposed the suggestion that there should be a pay rise of this nature at that time, and the view of the government remains that a pay rise of this nature at this time is not appropriate," it said.
Downing Street had previously indicated that although the prime minister was opposed to the rise, he would accept it.
Appearing on the BBC's Question Time, Ms Greening said the proposed pay rise could not be justified and that she was "incredibly frustrated" and "fed up" with Ipsa.
"Personally I think that we do need to sort out what is happening with Ipsa because how anyone can think that this kind of proposal is acceptable is utterly beyond me."
Education Secretary Mrs Morgan told the BBC is was not the "right time" for a pay rise and said: "I think MPs are going to make it very clear that they don't think this is the right thing to do."
Labour frontbencher Gloria De Piero said the rise proposed by Ipsa was "immoral" and called for the body to give MPs the opportunity not to take the cash.
She said she would give it to charity.
Ipsa's chief executive Marcial Boo said: "Clearly everybody is entitled to their view, but overall MPs are not going to be benefiting any more than they were before because the adjustment to their salary is compensated for by the cuts to their pension and the allowances."
He told the BBC: "MPs, like all of us, are very welcome to choose to give their money to charity when they receive their salary."
Singer Charlotte Church waded in to the debate over MPs' pay, saying the planned 10% rise is "ridiculous".
She questioned in what other industry would salaries be hiked by so much and suggested MPs should "put it back in guys, you'll be alright".
Ipsa was handed control of decisions over MPs' pay and expenses in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal. It does not need to get the agreement of Parliament to bring in the changes.
Mr Cameron has previously urged Ipsa to scrap the above-inflation increase, which was initially proposed to address complaints that pay had fallen behind the rest of the public sector.
But as it launched its final review of the proposals, Ipsa restated its intention to press ahead with the increase, and said there appeared to be no "material" reason to change the recommendations. | Downing Street has made a fresh appeal to the body that sets MPs' pay to abandon plans for a £7,000 rise. |
30590100 | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said most of the dead were foreign fighters who had joined the IS cause.
The group also said that 52 civilians - including women and children - had been killed in the strikes.
Large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq fell to IS earlier this year.
A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against IS in Syria since the end of September.
Earlier this week the US commander in charge of the mission, Lt Gen James Terry, said it would "at least take a minimum of three years" to defeat IS. | Three months of US-led air strikes have killed at least 1,171 people, mostly Islamic State (IS) militants, in Syria, a UK-based monitoring group has said. |
34795059 | Footage of the incident at Melbourne's Highpoint shopping centre emerged on Tuesday sparking a social media outcry.
A staff member can be heard saying security are concerned that the boys will shoplift.
Apple said the store manager apologised to the boys, who are all black, and their school principal.
In a statement the firm said: "Inclusion and diversity are among Apple's core values. We believe in equality for everyone, regardless of race, age, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
That applies throughout our company, around the world with no exceptions. We've looked into the details of the situation and we apologise to the customers involved. We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure all our customers are treated the way they should be."
The student who filmed the video, Francis Ose, said on Facebook: "Simply racism - made them apologise tho (sic)."
Another of the boys involved, Mohamed Semra, later said on Facebook that they were satisfied with the response from Apple.
"They apologised, so we're chilling, no need to take it further," he wrote.
The video of the incident has been viewed more than 62,000 times on Facebook and sparked debate across social media.
In it, a staff member can be heard saying: "These guys are … just a bit worried you might steal something".
When the boys protest, the staff member tells them: "End of discussion - I need to ask you to leave our store."
All of the students in the video are in Year 10 and attend Maribyrnong College in Melbourne. | Apple has apologised to six schoolboys asked to leave one of their shops in Australia, in what the students described as a racist incident. |
33668823 | Theo Walcott's second-half goal ensured Arsene Wenger's side added to last week's Barclays Asia Trophy triumph.
Walcott stabbed home with the outside of his boot after a delightful pass by 17-year-old Jeff Reine-Adelaide.
Wolfsburg's Josuha Guilavogui had a 25-yard drive pushed away by Cech, a £10m signing from Chelsea.
Cech has now helped Arsenal win two pre-season trophies in two games, and Arsene Wenger's side can make it a hat-trick of success ahead of the Premier League campaign if they defeat Chelsea next weekend.
Wenger made 10 changes to the side that started the 6-0 victory over Lyon, Mesut Ozil the only survivor from Saturday's match.
Cech, 33, was making his home debut and looked comfortable throughout against the German Cup winners.
Yet it was 17-year-old winger Reine-Adelaide who caught the eye, just as he did against Lyon.
Wenger had said the teenager is "something special" after he had made his senior debut the previous day.
Reine-Adelaide produced a quality slide-rule pass for Walcott to finish coolly to put Arsenal ahead in the 50th minute.
Wolfsburg, who finished second in the Bundesliga last season, had several former Premier League players on show, including ex-Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner.
Former Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, after his side had fallen behind, fired high and wide when he should have done better, with Ricardo Rodriguez stinging the palms of Cech on the hour mark.
De Bruyne has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City this summer but failed to impress.
Wenger introduced a number of substitutes including Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but it was 19-year-old forward Chuba Akpom who forced a save as Arsenal looked to kill the game off.
FA Cup winners Arsenal now face Premier League champions Chelsea in the traditional season-opener at Wembley next Sunday.
Arsenal: Cech, Chambers, Bellerin, Monreal, Gabriel, Ozil (Akpom, 46), Cazorla, Wilshere (Hayden, 76), Reine-Adelaide (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 64), Arteta (Ramsey, 63), Walcott (Giroud, 75). Substitutes not used: Martinez, Koscielny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Iwobi.
Wolfsburg: Benaglio, Naldo, Trasch (Arnold, 71 mins), Jung, Klose, Rodriguez, Vieirinha (Caligiuri, 46), Guilavogui (Seguin, 80 mins), De Bruyne (Kruse, 61), Schurrle, Bendtner (Rodriguez, 79). Substitutes not used: Schafer, Grun, Knoche, Ziegele.
Attendance: 59,815 | Arsenal warmed up for next week's Community Shield with Chelsea at Wembley with a 1-0 victory over Wolfsburg to win the Emirates Cup. |
36066589 | The Bluebirds are five points behind Sheffield Wednesday in the race for sixth spot after their blank with QPR.
"We've said we have to match their (Wednesday's) result and we've done that," Slade said.
"We go to Brentford next and need a positive result and we probably need to win all four of our remaining games."
He continued: "In one way, we may see that as an opportunity where we lost two points. But we're still in there and fighting.
"It's a big ask but it's not impossible."
Slade was left fuming after Cardiff were denied a late penalty in their goalless draw with QPR.
Cardiff were denied what Slade claimed was an "obvious" penalty in the 86th minute when Anthony Pilkington went down under the challenge of Grant Hall.
Referee Stephen Martin waved away furious protests from the Cardiff players and afterwards Slade said: "I thought we thoroughly deserved to win.
"There was one great save, a couple of near-misses and an unbelievable penalty shout when he [Pilkington] was wrestled to the ground. It was incredible that we didn't get that.
"I don't usually moan because these decisions even themselves out over the season, but I get upset when you don't get such an obvious decision."
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink ended his playing career at Cardiff and has now steadied the ship at QPR who have lost just twice in their last 11 games.
But the former Netherlands international striker admitted his team lacked ambition in attack, despite the multi-million signing of former Newport County striker and Northern Ireland international Conor Washington.
He said: "We controlled the game in the first half and had a lot of possession but I would have liked to see far more penetration. We should have gone for it more and ended our attacks with a shot or a cross instead of keeping the ball for the sake of it.
"Cardiff didn't have a lot to say or couldn't get near to us but I'm not someone who just wants possession. We need to have a purpose and that could have been better.
"But we were dominant with the ball which is refreshing at such a tough place given Cardiff have only lost once at home." | Cardiff need to win all their remaining games in the Championship to reach the play-offs, according to manager Russell Slade. |
40581263 | The businesses fear that even the proposed M4 relief road might not be wide enough to deal with extra traffic.
Denise Lovering, director of Glenside Commercials in Bedwas, Caerphilly, said that could risk damaging the image of Wales as a business destination.
Details about lifting the tolls after 2018 are expected "in due course".
Ms Lovering, an influential force in the Freight Transport Association (FTA), wants the tolls scrapped and backs the M4 relief road around Newport.
Figures from the UK government's Department for Transport (DfT) earlier this year suggested reducing the Severn Bridge tolls to £10 for lorries and £3 for cars could increase traffic by up to 17% by 2028.
BBC Wales has asked DfT if there is a projection for traffic if the tolls were scrapped completely.
It said it was "working on how it will implement its commitments and there will be announcement in due course".
The Welsh Government supports getting rid of the tolls and says it accounted for extra traffic from scrapping the tolls when it put forward its preferred route for the M4 relief road.
But Ms Lovering fears the planned expansion of the motorway, whichever route is decided as the best option, might not be big enough to cope with the increase in traffic once tolls are abolished.
The proposed £1.1bn plans for an M4 relief road around Newport are currently being analysed by a public inquiry, which started at the end of February..
The 14.23-mile (23km) highway - three lanes in each direction - would be between the current M4 junction 23a at Magor to junction 29 near Castleton, around the Brynglas tunnels bottleneck.
Ms Lovering said: "When you look at motorways throughout the country, most new ones being built are with four lanes, not three lanes any more. So it could very well be that a decision to put a three-lane motorway now is not the right thing to do.
"We need something that's fit for purpose, future-proofed so that we're not standing here in 10 years' time saying we made the wrong decision."
Congestion is frustrating for drivers but also costs hauliers money.
Ian Jarman, manager at Llanelli-based Owens Group, said it costs £1 a minute if a 44-tonne truck is caught in congestion and added it is commonplace for his vehicles to lose 25 minutes queuing at the Severn Crossing tolls.
Mr Jarman, vice chairman of the Freight Council in Wales, also fears that any easing of congestion from the building of the M4 relief road would be made worse again by the increase in traffic once tolls are lifted.
It was during this year's general election campaign that the Conservatives said they would scrap the tolls. Prime Minister Theresa May said it would boost the economy by £100m.
The Severn crossings transfer into public ownership in 2018. But the details of when the tolls will be lifted are not clear.
Already there are 25 million vehicle crossings a year, with revenue of about £98m a year.
There is an estimated annual maintenance and operational cost of about £15m for both Severn crossings - and £63m debt carried over from old Severn Bridge.
The Wales Office said the government was "working on how it will implement its commitments and there will be an announcement in due course".
Jenny Rathbone, the Cardiff Central AM, backs the end of the tolls but is an opponent of the relief road.
"Building new roads doesn't ease congestion it makes it worse and we shouldn't use roads as a solution," she said. | Two leading road haulage figures and an assembly member have warned that a welcome lifting of the Severn Bridge tolls could increase M4 congestion. |
35863962 | Hart and winger Raheem Sterling were taken off during Manchester City's 1-0 derby defeat by United on Sunday.
Heaton, 29, will join the squad for the friendlies against Germany in Berlin on Saturday and the Dutch at Wembley on 29 March.
England boss Roy Hodgson will not be adding to his outfield players.
"Tom has been with us on several occasions and I am welcoming him back into the fold," said Hodgson.
"Obviously it's very disappointing for Joe and Raheem to suffer injuries which will rule them out of our games against Germany and Holland.
"They are important players in our squad and I wish them a speedy recovery."
The Burnley captain joins fellow goalkeepers Jack Butland and Fraser Forster in the squad at St George's Park, with England due to travel to Berlin on Friday.
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Tom Heaton (Burnley).
Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Ross Barkley (Everton), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal). | Uncapped Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton has been called up to replace injured Joe Hart in the England squad for games against Germany and the Netherlands. |
39306439 | Kyran Peet was targeted after the 23-year-old befriended him on Facebook and claimed he was also a teenager.
The man was welcomed into Kyran's family home in Chorley, Lancashire, before the abuse began and the teenager eventually reported him to police.
His abuser was jailed indefinitely in 2012 before the sentence was reduced to six years and three months on appeal.
Kyran, now aged 19, has waived his legal right to anonymity to talk about his experience in a bid to support other victims.
He said: "It was obviously a horrific ordeal. Being that young it was not something my brain could comprehend. It moved very quickly, and when you're young you obviously think you're older than you are.
"I had just come out as gay so I was like, I'm ready. Thinking I was more mature.
"Everyone thought we were just friends but I thought I was in love with this guy.
"But there were suspicions. [My family] found it suspicious. There were rumours going around about him."
Kyran said the "turning point" was when he found a message from the abuser's father, revealing his true age.
"I thought if he's lying about his age he must've lied about everything."
Police became involved and his abuser eventually admitted sexual activity with a child at Preston Crown Court.
Kyran said: "It wasn't just sexual abuse but psychological abuse too, because he would make me feel like I was crazy when I raised any doubts.
"But I had family and friends around me. That hurt that I'm feeling now, I want to make sure that doesn't happen to anyone else."
Kyran was supported by The Children's Society and has since become an ambassador for the charity,
He is currently trying to raise £2,800 via a charity trek through South America to "give something back".
"The abuse had a big impact on me mentally and emotionally and I was lucky I had a project worker who was there to listen to me and support me," he said.
"It affected me for a while, negatively, but when I started wondering what I wanted to do with my life, one of those things was trying to change other people's lives and trying to provide them with information.
"You don't have to let it destroy your life. You don't have to be scared or ashamed of what's happened to you. You can share your story, you can fundraise." | A teenager who was groomed online and abused by an older man at the age of 13 has described his "horrific ordeal". |
38638400 | The animal had successfully evaded council dog wardens in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, since its owner died.
But following the accident 11 days ago, the dog was rescued by RSPCA staff and Dyfed-Powys Police.
The animal is now recovering well from its injuries and will be handed over to the local council while they try to find it a new home.
RSPCA inspector Keith Hogben said: "We were amazed to discover that this wily dog is believed to have been straying for two years, after his owner sadly passed away.
"Fortunately, despite a road traffic collision, the dog is recovering well from the injuries he sustained, and this matter will now be taken forward by the council."
Jim Jones, Carmarthenshire council's executive board member for public protection, said: "Our dog wardens have chased the tail of this dog on a few occasions, but never with any success.
"He is recovering well after a big operation and getting plenty of TLC.
"We are now working with our rescue centre to ensure he goes to a loving home with new owners who can care for his needs." | A stray dog which avoided capture for two years has been rescued after being hit by a car. |
36749786 | The bus was taken from outside Watford Junction station at about 22:00 BST on Thursday.
Hertfordshire Police received a number of calls from the public as it was driven through the town.
A 35-year-old man from London was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking without consent.
The bus travelled along roads including Clarendon Road, the Watford ring road and Radlett Road.
It caused damage to a number of vehicles before coming to a stop in St Albans Road following a further crash.
Sgt Steve Alison said: "The bus is believed to have travelled some distance, colliding with parked vehicles, barriers and other objects along the route.
"Fortunately, no passengers were believed to have been on the bus at the time it was taken and no one was hurt as a result of the incident.
"We would like to speak to anyone who believes they saw the incident taking place." | A stolen double-decker left a trail of damage to cars, barriers and walls, police said. |
33203039 | Persistent rain at the the County Tyrone venue led to the decision to call off the match.
The game has been rearranged for Saturday at 15:30 BST with the third and final T20 at Bready on Sunday.
Scotland won Thursday's opener by six wickets with Ireland making 146-5 before a quickfire 60 from Matt Cross helped the visitors to victory. | The second T20 game between Ireland and Scotland on Friday was abandoned without a ball being bowled at Bready. |
31624118 | It was the only Scottish newspaper that backed independence in the run-up to the referendum in September.
It saw its print sales rise by 35% in the July to December period, compared with figures for the end of 2013.
The Glasgow-based newspaper reached 32,200 average weekly sales and pulled ahead of its rival, Scotland on Sunday.
The Edinburgh-based title reported print sales fall by 16% to 27,500.
That is the first time the Sunday Herald has been ahead in the 16 years since it launched.
The sales figures were released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).
The Sunday Herald's stablemate, The Herald, which recommended a No vote to its readers in the September referendum, saw average sales down 5% to 37,000.
Herald and Times Group managing director Tim Blott said: "Our news brand reach is growing overall with an increasing digital audience across our main titles and improving print circulation figures for The Sunday Herald.
"We're outperforming the market and our rivals because we understand our readers and provide news and content which is relevant, informative, insightful and entertaining".
The Scotsman, partner to Scotland on Sunday, was down 11% to 26,000.
However, both these daily titles reported daily online users were strongly up: the Herald by 39% to 96,400 and the Scotsman by 34% to 182,500.
In September, the month of the referendum, the Scotsman's online figure rose to 240,000. Few other Scottish publishers report online readership.
The new entrant to the daily market, The National, was launched by the Herald stable in November. It takes a campaigning approach in favour of independence, and enjoyed an initial surge in sales.
Although not audited, managers say that sales figures have fallen below 20,000, but remain ahead of expectations.
DC Thomson-owned regional daily titles The Press and Journal and The Courier both saw print sales fall, by 5% and 7% respectively, between July and December. | The Sunday Herald was the only Scottish-based newspaper to see a boost to its print sales last year, according to new figures. |
34986337 | Ayan Mohamud, 18, who was visiting family in Leicester, said she felt she was being "judged" in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.
Leicester MP Keith Vaz raised Ms Mohamud's case at a Home Affairs select committee meeting on Tuesday.
Sir Charles Montgomery said there was no "racist dimension" to the checks.
The Border Force director general told Mr Vaz, who chairs the committee, that he had already investigated the case before the meeting.
"I am absolutely satisfied there was no ethnic or racist dimension to this intervention," he said.
"It was initially a straightforward case of immigration status and it became an issue of my officers' concern for her well-being.
"What I would like to do, if you can engineer the permission of the individual, is to write to you with a more fulsome background to the case."
Mr Montgomery dismissed the idea that women coming into the UK wearing headscarves are routinely stopped.
Ms Mohamud, who spoke to the BBC about her ordeal, claimed she was was being judged based on what she was wearing.
She said: "After the Paris incident happened, [Border Force] feel that everyone wearing a scarf needs to be checked thoroughly." | A senior immigration officer has said staff did not act in a racist way when an American Muslim woman was detained for 13 hours at Heathrow airport. |
36198469 | The pensioners, from the Wirral in north-west England, had hit the road in aid of Medecins Sans Frontieres.
On Tuesday morning, the group found they had been fined for parking on a pavement in the Titanic Quarter.
However, the group are now back in the saddle after the fines were rescinded.
In a statement, the Parking and Enforcement Agency, who issued the fines, said: "Unfortunately our patrol operatives were not made aware of the charity event being held.
"As soon as we were informed of it, we cancelled all the fines issued."
The group, known as the Wirral Wobblers, had parked outside the hotel they were staying in on Monday night.
"When we woke up and went down to breakfast we found that every single moped had got a parking ticket on it," said Pat Keeling, one of the group.
"It's a sad day when you realise you've been fined more than you've collected," she added.
The pensioners said that they believed they could park outside the hotel.
Signs in the area indicated that no parking was allowed at any time.
Overall, however, the group said that the week has been a two-wheeled success.
"Our average age is 70 and if you combine them it comes to 1,241 years," said Ted Bemand, the organiser of the trip.
"So we're cracking on a bit. Typically, our mopeds are 30 to 40 years old.
"We've driven through the snow, on the first day it snowed. It was no problem.
"We've had breakdowns, a few little crashes, punctures, engines seized up - and now the fines." | A charity moped trip by a group of pensioners has hit the skids after 17 of the group were given parking fines in Belfast. |
40141512 | Griffiths sat out training on Monday, but assistant manager Mark McGhee said he has since returned and that Gordon Strachan has a fully-fit squad.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy pulled out of the England squad with a "minor injury" picked up in training.
Tottenham forward Harry Kane will captain England for the first time.
Scotland, fourth in the six-team Group F, are six points behind unbeaten leaders England with five games remaining.
McGhee said earlier this week that they have not given up hope of topping the group, but to do so they must end a run of three defeats against England.
Strachan's side, who have won two of their opening five games, are more realistically hoping to be one of the runners-up who will go into the qualification play-offs.
However, the head coach believes his side are capable of ending the Three Lions' long run without losing a qualification fixture.
Strachan is almost certain to continue with one striker, with the choice likely to be between Griffiths, who started November's 3-0 defeat at Wembley, or Derby County's Chris Martin, who scored in the 1-0 win over Slovenia in March.
"People say he's only playing one striker, but sometimes you play with three and two of them are wide," stressed Strachan.
"Playing with Steven Naismith and Shaun Maloney, they were strikers rather than midfielders playing wide."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney is likely to again be asked to switch to the right, as he did against Slovenia, despite Derby's Ikechi Anya being praised for his performance at Wembley.
Should he play, Tierney, who turned 20 on Monday, will play with a protective gum shield because a facial injury that forced him to be substituted in the Scottish Cup final win over Aberdeen.
"He just gets on with life and I think he's relishing every game," said Strachan. "At this moment, life is fantastic for him.
"When you see him off the training ground, he has a wonderful smile. But that smile has to be looked after during the training sessions, that's for sure."
England boss Gareth Southgate described the fixture with Scotland as "special" and believes Strachan's team will seriously test his players.
"Everybody is fit and available. I'm really pleased with the level of training and we'll have to transfer that into the game," added Southgate.
"The players have embraced some new ideas this week around how we want to work and we're looking forward to the game, it's a great one to be involved with.
"It's a special fixture, but the key objective is to qualify for the World Cup, so we've got to keep that in our mind.
"But it's a game that will test us in every way and that's what we should be looking forward to."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Celtic), Jack Hamilton (Hearts), David Marshall (Hull City)
Defenders: Ikechi Anya (Derby County), Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town), Stephen Kingsley (Swansea City), Russell Martin (Norwich City), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Mark Reynolds (Aberdeen), Andrew Robertson (Hull City), Kieran Tierney (Celtic)
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday), Scott Brown (Celtic), Tom Cairney (Fulham), Darren Fletcher (West Bromwich Albion), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), James Forrest (Celtic), James McArthur (Crystal Palace), James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion), Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United)
Forwards: Leigh Griffiths (Celtic), Chris Martin (Derby County), Steven Naismith (Norwich City)
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley)
Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United), Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Jake Livermore (West Bromwich Albion), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Forwards: Jermain Defoe (Sunderland), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) | Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths is fit to face England as Scotland host the Group F leaders in Saturday's World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park. |
38624277 | The body of the 45-year-old was found inside a house in Kyle Court at about 02:00.
A police spokeswoman said: "A post mortem examination will take place in due course to establish the exact cause of death, however, police are treating the death as suspicious meantime.
"A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal." | Police are treating the death of a man in Cambuslang as suspicious. |
36999824 | The Leith club rejected a bid of £1.2m plus add-ons for the 21-year-old.
"I'm completely focused on Hibs this season and my main aim is to get Hibs up," Cummings told BBC Scotland.
"I said the day we went down that I want to get us back in the Premiership and I'm sticking with my word."
Cummings scored both goals in Hibs' 2-1 win at Falkirk on the opening day of the Championship league season to give manager Neil Lennon three points at the beginning of his domestic tenure at the club.
"I'm flattered with the offer," said Cummings. "If anything it makes me more confident.
"I came out here today as confident as ever and you do thrive on someone coming in and saying you're worth over a million. It doesn't put pressure on me at all.
"But I'm focused on Hibs and I'm going to do all I can to get Hibs up.
"I'm only 21 and I'm still young. Down south probably would appeal to me later in my career, but just now I'm happy up here in Edinburgh with my family with my mum who does everything for me - I'd be lost without her.
"If I went down there I would kind of lose my way a wee bit."
Hibs boss Lennon confirmed pre-match that the club had no plans at the moment to accept any further bids that come their way from the League One side.
"Everyone has their price but I would doubt a lot of clubs could match what we think of Jason at the minute," Lennon told BBC Scotland.
"He's a great kid and he's worked really, really hard pre-season on his fitness and you could see that today.
"He showed a nice turn of pace and could've had three or four goals, without being disrespectful to Falkirk.
"A bid came in on Thursday and I spoke to Leeann Dempster and the board and we're quite comfortable with the situation of not selling him.
"We don't need to sell him and we did a lot of work in the summer to get Jason on a long-term contract. He seems happy and I think he's far better off with us at the minute to keep developing." | Hibernian striker Jason Cummings maintains he is committed to helping the Easter Road side to promotion despite serious transfer interest from Peterborough United. |
23628559 | Conservationists say there are only two nesting pairs left in Britain and they have failed to breed.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says it's the first time the birds have not produced a chick in about 50 years.
The charity said they think the fact that the birds prey on grouse has affected their numbers, because landowners protect the grouse on their land - making it difficult for the hen harriers to feed.
A study by government scientists suggests illegal shooting, trapping and disturbing nests was also keeping numbers low.
The RSPB support a plan to bring in different food sources for the hen harriers, so they don't rely on grouse for food. | One of the UK's birds of prey - the hen harrier - is at risk of extinction. |
11989590 | He felt this was a better reflection of his character because Njoya Diawara means "strong in spirit".
It was a quality his family said he had in abundance.
The 28-year-old's drive and determination had ensured his hurdling talent never went to waste, and in May he won gold in the Middlesex County Championship.
How much further his dedication would have taken him will never be known.
On 7 July, he left his flat in Walthamstow, east London, at 0800 BST on his way to work in Holborn, in advertising sales, but never arrived.
His route would have involved changing to the Piccadilly Line either at Finsbury Park or King's Cross.
Later that day, when he could not be contacted by phone, fears for his safety grew and Christian's sister Tameka, 21, was joined by his friends and his parents in pinning up posters around London.
But the news they had been dreading came when his death was confirmed.
His mother Sheila said any anger felt over the loss of her son should not detract from his aspirations, such as educating young people about Africa or campaigning for fair trade and debt relief.
The tribute to him read out at the inquest into the deaths of all those who died in the bombings spoke of a "respectful, diplomatic, caring and loving" young man who from childhood wanted to look after those younger than himself.
His family said it came as no surprise when he opted to travel to the United States, where as a Camp America summer scheme camp leader, he was mentor and teacher to disadvantaged children from inner city backgrounds.
The statement said: "As a gifted soul, Christian was able to successfully balance sports, academia, a search for identity and strong friendships.
"This gift enabled him to gain a BA (Honours), achieve a personal best in the high hurdles and develop a network of friends from diverse backgrounds."
In the year before he died, Mr Small joined Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club and progressed very quickly.
His coach, Eric Brees, paid tribute to a "popular" member of the team.
His last competition was the London Inter-Club Challenge on 2 July 2005 at the New River Stadium in Haringey, where he finished second in the 110-metre hurdles.
He also loved football - choosing as a child to follow Luton Town Football Club because he could identify with their large selection of high profile black players and he liked the kit colours.
Some of the strong friends that his family spoke of paid tribute to Mr Small in the days after his death.
One, flatmate Vanessa Walters, paid tribute in the Guardian newspaper, writing: "We grew up together. Always slightly too serious for his years, he was thoughtful and earnest - initiating house debates on anything."
But it was Mr Small's trip to west Africa, in which he researched his family origins, that was a journey of self-discovery, of body, heart and mind and prompted his name change.
There, he worked in a small village, and wrote regular emails home, which he later began to turn into a book
In her tributes, his mother said: "Christian, you return now to that Great Source from which we have all come.
"Though you will live forever in our hearts and minds and be with us in spirit, your body now returns to the earth, you voice becomes one with the wind, your tears one with the rain, your laughter one with the waves.
"Christian, we celebrate your life, a flame that lighted the way and touched many with its warmth, so short-lived and yet brilliant.
"Njoya, man of great spirit and determination, we will always love and remember you." | A trip to Africa before he died had inspired Christian Small to change his name to Christian Njoya Diawara Small. |
31836268 | The new trains are said to be quieter, faster and longer than current services.
They will operate on Scotland's busiest route - the Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High line - by 2017.
They will also be used on the Stirling-Alloa-Dunblane line and south Glasgow suburban routes.
Dutch rail operator Abellio begins its 10-year ScotRail contract on 1 April, when it will take over from current franchisee FirstGroup, which has run most Scottish rail services for the past 10 years.
Abellio has signed a contract with Hitachi Rail Europe to build the trains.
The deal for the new electric trains gives the Scottish government the option to buy up the full fleet of the trains after 25 years for £1, securing the carriages for use in Scotland well beyond Abellio's contract, in what Transport Scotland has said is an industry-first.
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: "With the new ScotRail franchise, a number of impressive infrastructure projects and these slick new trains, we are giving Scotland a railway to be proud of.
"Abellio's winning bid for the ScotRail franchise included several exciting proposals and I look forward to seeing it all take shape from their takeover of the service in just a few weeks."
Once delivered in the summer of 2017, the new trains will operate on the main Edinburgh to Glasgow line following the Scottish government's Edinburgh-Glasgow Rail Improvement Programme.
Transport Scotland said the work will enable eight-carriage electric trains to run between both cities, providing about 50% more seats in peak times than current services.
However, Mr Mackay admitted it will cause some disruption for commuters.
He told BBC Scotland: "Passengers will face some disruption as a consequence of these massive construction works, but they are necessary if we want an improved railway.
"If we want a top class service then we have to carry out these works. We will keep disruption to a minimum, we will share information about alternative routes and we try and ensure that routes are maintained throughout.
"We are carrying out the works at the points of time where it will have the least impact on people. But it will be well worth the wait."
The deal between Abellio and Hitachi will see 46 three-car and 24 four-car AT200 EMU units built.
The first seven trains are scheduled to be built in Hitachi's Kasado factory in Japan, with the remaining 63 constructed in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.
Jeff Hoogesteger, chief executive of Abellio, said: "This is an important deal for passengers and for Scotland. New trains for Scotland were a key feature in Abellio's bid for the franchise and we are excited to be pressing the button on the delivery programme.
"The arrival of 24 Hitachi AT200s by December 2017 and a further 46 by December 2018 will ensure that the full benefits of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme are realised for passengers."
In the north of Scotland, Abellio has announced plans to implement a £2.5m improvement programme at Aberdeen train station, and an upgrade of between £2m and £3m for Inverness.
There are also plans for refurbished high speed trains, which will serve Aberdeen and Inverness by the end of 2018. | Designs for the 70 new trains being built for the ScotRail fleet have been unveiled by the transport minister and new franchise holder Abellio. |
30474269 | The 33-year-old says his career could be over after his latest injury, which he suffered in a win over India in the first Test of their series.
Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said Clarke had "substantial damage to a key part of the hamstring tendon".
Steve Smith will captain Australia for the rest of the Test series against India, Cricket Australia has announced.
The length of Clarke's absence is unclear ahead of February's World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
"His recovery and the timing of his return to play will be dependent on the surgeon's advice and how well he recovers in the coming weeks," added Brukner.
Smith will become Australia's 45th and third-youngest Test captain when the second Test starts in Brisbane on Wednesday.
"It's something that I've always dreamt of doing," said the 25-year-old all-rounder. "It's an amazing thrill."
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who was expected to get the captaincy, has been named as vice-captain.
Chairman of selectors Rod Marsh said Smith was highly regarded not just for his batting but also his "maturity and clear leadership potential".
Smith, who has played just 23 Tests and has previously captained New South Wales, scored 162 not out and 52 not out in the recent first-Test victory over India in Adelaide. | Australia captain Michael Clarke will undergo surgery on Tuesday in his bid to overcome a hamstring injury. |
39284697 | The Lions head coach says it will be a much tougher selection meeting than the one he had before guiding the Lions to a 2-1 series win against Australia in 2013.
The tour party and captain will be named on 19 April.
"It's much harder in a positive way," Gatland told BBC Wales Sport.
"There are going to be some real quality players that are going to miss out.
"It's a nice position to be in. It's not always the way you want it with good players missing out on going on tour. But I am excited about the potential we have at the moment."
Gatland hinted that the final round of Six Nations matches would be an important factor in his selection.
Champions England are looking for a second successive Grand Slam against Ireland in Dublin, while Wales travel to face France in Paris, and Scotland host Italy.
"It's about people fronting up under pressure to perform when it really matters," added Gatland.
"There are a lot of English players who have done well.
"There is an expectation on England, and Ireland are going to make it extremely difficult. I would not be surprised if Ireland won this weekend.
"Wales needed to front up last weekend against Ireland. Now the Irish are in the same boat this weekend.
"Scotland will have two home wins but would have been very disappointed with their performance against England. It will be interesting to see how they back that up with a performance under pressure against Italy."
Gatland is currently on a season-long sabbatical from his job as Wales head coach but knows the game against France could be crucial for the 2019 World Cup draw, which will be made in Kyoto, Japan on 10 May.
Wales will replace Ireland in fourth place in the world rankings and secure a spot in the top pot of seeds in Japan if they defeat France in Paris and England win in Dublin.
"Wales go to Paris with a massive incentive with the World Cup draw looming," added Gatland. "I will be very interested to see how the draw pans out for the next couple of years." | Warren Gatland has warned that top-class players will miss out on touring New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions this summer. |
34164350 | It happened at about 07:35 on Friday on Croftfood Road at its junction with Bowhouse Drive.
The 46-year-old biker was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he was being treated for chest and arm injuries.
The driver of the Vauxhall van was uninjured. Police appealed for witnesses to come forward. | A man has been seriously injured after his motorbike was involved in a crash with a van in Glasgow. |
38169238 | The 36-year-old batter helped the team to a domestic double in 2016, and won a total of 10 trophies with the county.
Kent chief executive Jamie Clifford described Edwards as "the cornerstone of the game" for women and girls.
"Her playing record is of course extraordinary, but it will be captaincy - leading Kent to so much success - that will never be forgotten," he said.
Huntingdon-born Edwards retired from international cricket in May, having captained England in over 200 internationals.
She joined Kent in 2000 from East Anglia Women and led the Canterbury-based club to seven women's County Championship titles and five second-placed finishes.
Edwards, made a CBE in 2014, scored 6,164 runs at an average of 61.64 for the county, and took 124 wickets at an average of 17.51.
Edwards, who has played in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia and captained the Southern Vipers to the inaugural Women's Super League title this summer, said winning the double was a "fitting end" to her time with Kent.
"I'm immensely proud to have played for the county and what the team has achieved within that time," she said.
"It's been a really tough decision to leave Kent but ultimately I feel it's the right decision for me and more importantly the current team."
Edwards has agreed a deal to play for Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL this winter. | Former England captain Charlotte Edwards is to leave Kent after 16 seasons with the women's side. |
40716026 | Noah Serra-Morrison, 13 months, died at the hands of Hardeep Hunjan in Luton, in November 2015.
A serious case review said the family was known to children's services in London but its details were not fully considered when they moved to Luton.
Luton Borough Council says it has now changed its procedures.
Baby Noah died as a result of a skull fracture at his home in Crawley Road.
At the time medical experts concluded the child had been slammed against a hard surface. He also had multiple limb fractures consistent with being twisted or swung.
A serious case review (SCR), commissioned by Luton Safeguarding Children Board, described how Noah, referred to as 'Child J', moved to Luton with his mother Ronnie Tayler-Morrison weeks before his death.
Read more Beds, Herts, Bucks stories here
The boy's parents had separated and his mother became involved with Hunjan in July 2015.
Hunjan had been bailed to an address in Hull after assaulting a "vulnerable" neighbour in London.
He was able to move in with Tayler-Morrison without children's services' knowledge because the terms of his bail only specified addresses within the M25, the report said.
The review concluded that the safeguarding team in Luton "was experiencing heavy workloads, a disproportionate number of contacts, large turnovers of staff and poor management of resources" at the time of Noah's death.
Workloads were high and "staff did not feel they had sufficient time to read and understand all the information provided by an Ealing social worker," it said.
A spokesman for Luton Council said the review highlighted the inconsistency across all local authorities on the transfer of so-called child in need cases.
"Following the death of Child J, we immediately carried out a review and changed our procedures so that when we are informed by another local authority that they are transferring a child in need case to our area we automatically carry out an independent assessment of the child's needs," he added.
Sheila Lock, independent chair of the Ealing Safeguarding Board, said the authority would be writing to the new children's minister to push for change in the way agencies handle information on families that move between boroughs.
Hunjan, 27, was jailed for life for baby Noah's murder at Luton Crown Court last July. Tayler-Morrison, 22, was jailed for six-and-a-half years for causing or allowing his death.
A spokesman for the NSPCC described the case as "tragic".
"A vulnerable baby boy was subjected to horrific abuse and neglect by the very people who should have been protecting him," he said. | Local authorities did not have time to assess the risk posed by a mother's violent partner in the weeks before he murdered her baby, a report has found. |
34696973 | The body of Gediminas Stauskas, who was 32 and originally from Lithuania, was found in a garage near Coalisland on 15 October.
A 27-year-old man was arrested in Dungannon and a 41-year-old in Coalisland on Monday morning.
Last week, a 34-year-old man was remanded in custody charged with the murder of Mr Stauskas. | Two men have been arrested over the murder of a man in County Tyrone last month. |
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.