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34682034 | A Syrian nurse, Nancy Ahmed, recounts the conversation she had with Turkish smugglers in Izmir, as she chose to risk setting off on a rubber boat to Greece.
"They offered a discount because the seas were rough and it was raining. It's riskier, but we were told we'd be okay," she says.
Nancy, her 11-year-old twin boys and her 70-year-old mother travelled along with 40 others in one of seven boats that set out early in the morning last Friday.
She says the dinghy nearly overturned three times, and survived "out of luck and the skill of the Iraqi driver".
The driver was another migrant, designated to steer by the smuggling gang. He had spent an hour being taught basic seacraft.
The boat was picked up by the Greek coastguard and taken to the island of Samos.
Another boat that set off an hour after Nancy's faced even worse conditions. Thunderstorms and rain in the Aegean Sea caused the boat to capsize - 13 people drowned.
In Samos last week, I met a grief-stricken Syrian man. He had been rescued by another migrant boat, but his wife and sons were missing, presumed drowned.
He told aid workers he had taken advantage of a "discount" being offered by smugglers.
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, says it has received many migrant reports of smugglers offering to charge less for people willing to travel in turbulent conditions.
The UNHCR spokesman in Greece, Ron Redmond, believes the discount has contributed to the sharp rise in drownings in recent days.
"In Lesbos at the moment we're hearing from migrants that they're being offered up to 50% discounts to travel when it's windy or raining."
He says a false sense of security is being given by smugglers, who are offering wooden boats to transport people across the Aegean, rather than rubber dinghies.
"This is the other thing - people may think the wooden boat is safer. But I've seen these boats, they look very old and unseaworthy, mechanically not in good condition.
"And they're packed with 300 to 400 people. If it sinks, the coastguard can't get to everybody. That's what we're now seeing."
On Wednesday night, close to the Lesbos coast, an old tourist boat with three decks full of 400 migrants capsized. Greek patrols rescued 274 people, 16 died. The others remain unfound.
A sense of the conditions migrants are travelling in was confirmed when it later emerged that one of the boat's decks had collapsed.
The figures speak for themselves.
So far this year, around 202 people have died in Greek waters, with many more missing, presumed drowned. Half of those deaths happened this October.
As the weather worsens, aid agencies are calling on EU leaders to once again provide more search and rescue boats, to help support the Greek coastguard, now clearly overwhelmed. | "Go now and it's 850 dollars, and your kids can go for free, wait until tomorrow and it's double." |
35249585 | In a BBC interview, Mr Johnson was asked about Londoner Siddhartha Dhar, who is thought to have fronted a so-called Islamic State propaganda video after fleeing the UK while on bail.
He said laws governing bail were "pretty ineffective" and police work was hampered by "very uppity lawyers".
The UK needed a more "robust" approach.
The UK's security authorities have faced mounting questions over how Mr Dhar was able to leave the UK in 2014 while on police bail, one of the conditions of which was handing over his passport.
Muslim convert Mr Dhar, also known as Abu Rumaysah, had been arrested on suspicion of encouraging terrorism, but later travelled to Syria.
"Police bail's a pretty ineffective system," Mr Johnson told BBC Radio London.
"Under the law, they have various restrictions under human rights as to what they can actually do.
"And the police are constantly monitored by very, very uppity lawyers... who are drawn to vindicate the rights of their clients."
He pointed out that 750 British nationals had gone to Syrian territories of Islamic State - which the government refers to as Daesh.
"When you've got somebody like this who's a member of... whatever organisation, and we've seen what's happening in the Daesh territories in Syria, let's not monkey around, let's make sure we follow them," he added.
"I'm not saying 'stuff their human rights' because that's not the way we do things in this country. But let's be pretty robust in our approach."
Former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald said he believed terror suspects should not be granted police bail unless the decision was signed off by a prosecutor.
"Given the sensitivity of these cases, and their obvious national security implications, any consideration of bail requires special care," he said.
"The Siddharta Dhar case shows that it is not sufficient or safe for the police to decide this question for themselves."
Nazir Afzal, who was chief crown prosecutor in north-west England from 2011 until last year, said there was a "strong case" for prosecutors to have the final say.
A CPS spokesman said it worked "very closely" with the police on all terrorism cases, including pre-arrest, but any decision on bail conditions before a charging decision was a matter for the police.
Earlier this week, official sources told the BBC that Mr Dhar, from Walthamstow in east London, was the focus of investigations into the video, which purported to show the killing of five men.
IS has said the men had been spying for the UK.
IS seized large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq in 2014, when it formally declared the establishment of a "caliphate" - a state governed in accordance with Islamic law, or Sharia.
The group has previously released propaganda videos of killings, including footage showing the apparent beheading of two US journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and two British aid workers, David Haines and Alan Henning. | It is time to "blow away" all the "nonsense" that prevents police from properly pursuing extremist suspects, London Mayor Boris Johnson has said. |
33272417 | The game trained participants' brains to cut out calories by telling them to avoid pressing on pictures of certain images, such as biscuits and chocolate.
They lost a small amount of weight and appeared to eat fewer calories for up to six months afterwards.
The 10-minute game was played four times in one week.
Forty-one adults took part in the study, published in the journal Appetite.
The majority were overweight, and all said they ate calorie-dense snacks, such as crisps, biscuits, cake and chocolate, at least three times a week.
The online game, developed by psychologists at the University of Exeter and Cardiff University, used "brain training" techniques to change behaviour - in this case, to resist unhealthy snack foods.
It required people to avoid pressing a key when an unhealthy food appeared on the screen.
This type of training helps people associate this unhealthy food with "stopping", the researchers said.
The results were compared with another group of 41 adults who completed the same training, but involving non-food pictures.
The results showed that participants lost an average of 1.5lb (0.7kg) and consumed around 220 fewer calories a day during the week of training.
Food diaries in the following six months suggested that the participants maintained their improved habits.
Dr Natalia Lawrence, from the University of Exeter, who led the research, said the game had the ability to change some people's eating behaviour, but it was still early days.
"This research is still in its infancy and the effects are modest. Larger, registered trials with longer-term measures need to be conducted.
"However, our findings suggest that this cognitive training approach is worth pursuing: it is free, easy to do and 88% of our participants said they would be happy to keep doing it."
She said this type of training could be used as one element of a weight loss programme or for improving eating behaviour. | A computer game may help some people control their unhealthy snacking habits, suggests a small study from the University of Exeter. |
32550245 | Nepal says 6,204 people are known to have died in the 7.8-magnitude quake on Saturday and 13,932 were injured.
Kamal Aryal, from the James Paget Hospital, Gorleston, Norfolk, and a team of three other surgeons believe their skills could prove vital.
Mr Aryal will travel to Kathmandu on Sunday.
He plans to spend 12 days treating a wide range of injuries.
The team hopes to save the lives of men, women and children who risk death from infected or untreated injuries.
They also expect to prevent others from becoming permanently disabled.
Many of Mr Aryal's family still live in Kathmandu and his home village of Arubas in the Dhading district.
They have now been accounted for.
Mr Aryal, who moved to Britain 15 years ago, said: "I am confident we will be able to save lives."
He will be joined by colleagues Andreas Brodbeck, an anaesthetist, Emeka Nnene, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, and Mike Flores, also an orthopaedic surgeon with an interest in trauma.
The team's costs are being funded by Nepal In Need, a Norfolk-based charity which is organising consignments of donated tents to go to Nepal.
The total mission will cost about £4,000. | A British hospital surgeon, who was born in Nepal, is returning to his homeland to help communities devastated by the earthquake. |
38799306 | Masaya Nakamura established Nakamura Manufacturing, which went on to become the Nakamura Amusement Machine Manufacturing Company (Namco) in 1956.
He started out installing two electric horses on the roof of a department store in Japan as amusement rides.
He was known as the "father" of Pac-Man because it was a Namco release in 1980.
The game was developed by Toru Iwatani and in 2016 was named the highest-grossing arcade game of all time by the website US Gamer.
Mr Nakamura was an honorary advisor at Bandai Namco until his death on 22 January.
He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, a Japanese government honour, in 2007 and was inducted into the International Video Game Hall of Fame in 2010. | The founder of video game company Bandai Namco, which released cult game Pac-Man, has died at the age of 91, the firm has announced. |
18184079 | The Silicon Valley giants had fought over whether Google used Oracle's Java programming language in its Android mobile operating system.
Two weeks ago the same jury ruled that Google infringed Oracle's copyright, but could not agree whether Google's actions constituted "fair use".
The internet search giant maintains Android was built "from scratch".
Oracle sued Google in August 2010, saying Android infringed its intellectual property rights.
Google said it does not violate Oracle's patents and that Oracle cannot copyright certain parts of Java, which is an "open-source", or publicly available, software language.
Without a finding against Google on the "fair use" issue, Oracle cannot recover the up to $1bn (£637m) in damages it was seeking.
The case focused not on using the Java programming language itself, but rather the use of 37 application programming interfaces (APIs) which help developers create software on the platform.
With internet innovation moving fast, it is common for software writers to adapt APIs that mini-programs use to "talk" to one another.
The jury concluded that Google infringed on 37 copyrighted APIs but it also agreed that Google demonstrated that it was led to believe it did not need a license for using Java. | Google did not infringe patents owned by software developer Oracle, a jury in a California court found on Wednesday. |
40030562 | Sweating, huffing and puffing with aching legs and sore feet, but determined to cross that magical finish line; it must feel incredible when you do.
Well you no longer need to imagine! Thanks to one intrepid participant, we are giving you a chance to watch a first-time 10k runner take on the Great Manchester Run, from start to finish, via Facebook Live.
Meet Dawn Nisbet. You may remember her heroic park run last year which, despite finishing last, didn't stop her joyous smile and celebrations making waves on social media.
Dawn, 41, has well and truly caught the running bug. And now she's taking on her biggest challenge yet.
To prove that, with sheer determination and motivation, anyone can run their first 10k, Dawn wants to transmit her run live through the streets of Manchester.
"You'll be able to see the support along the way, the crowds, the sights of Manchester and just the great atmosphere," explains Dawn.
You can follow Dawn live on Sunday, 28 May from 13:20 BST on the BBC Sport Facebook page.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Dawn is one of over 24,000 people taking to the streets of Manchester on Sunday taking part in both the 10k and half marathon. Each runner has a story, a reason they have decided to take part. We want to share the stories of four inspiring individuals who, despite challenges in their lives, are taking part in the race on Sunday.
Manchester Metropolitan University student, Jess, recently passed a five-year anniversary since the last time she attempted suicide.
After a long battle with depression, Jess found happiness and success through joining the rugby team at university, and says she has gained new skills, confidence and friends for life.
"I've come such a long way in the last five years and I'm achieving new things each and every day!"
Jess now wants to help and inspire other young people struggling with depression.
The Great Manchester run will be her first 10k, and she's hoping to raise £500 for mental health charity, Mind- that's £100 to represent each years of her new-found happiness.
Azeem, an 18-year-old, was born with no sight in his right eye and slight light perception in his left eye.
As the youngest blind runner in the world to complete a Tough Mudder last year and a budding star in blind football, Azeem has never seen his disability as a barrier to taking part in sporting activities.
Azeem loves to compete and aspires to be selected in the Great Britain squad for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
He will be running this weekend in aid of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital with his old PE teacher as his guide runner.
Helen was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in April 2016 and since then has had chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.
Throughout this time she has continued to swim, cycle and run; which has been very important to her mental health and in reducing some of the side-effects of her ongoing treatment.
Taking part in the Great Manchester Run, Helen aims to raise money for Riding for the Disabled, a charity that provides horse-riding opportunities to disabled people.
As a dedicated volunteer and children's coach for the charity she inspires to see some of her students achieving Paralympic success in the future.
In 2003, Victoria fell down the stairs at work. Following what was first considered a minor accident, she never expected her life to change so dramatically.
She was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a rare chronic condition where the body reacts abnormally to an injury. This results in persistent severe and debilitating pain.
After her diagnosis, she had to give up her career as a qualified barrister - and learn to live her life as a double amputee.
But Victoria has not let her disability rule her life.
On Sunday she will take on the Great Manchester Run for the second year running as a double above-knee amputee, without the use of prosthetics.
In addition to experiencing the buzzing atmosphere of the Manchester crowd and taking in famous sights around the city, these four inspiring runners will raise money for a charity that means a lot to them, and fulfil a huge personal challenge.
You can see live coverage of the race on Sunday, 28 May on BBC One from 12:30 BST and the best of the day's action from 17:00 BST on BBC Two.
Want to take part in a running event near you? Find out how to get started with the Get Inspired guide. | Ever wondered what it feels like to compete in your first 10k race in front of a crowd of thousands? |
32159946 | More than 50 years ago, Che Guevara became a global icon after he fought alongside Fidel and Raul Castro to overthrow a United States-backed government and put into practice their socialist ideals.
Now Raul Castro has made a deal with the US and the lifting of the long-standing economic embargo of Cuba is a realistic prospect.
Four expert witnesses offer their insights to the the BBC World Service's The Inquiry about what Che Guevara might make of these changes .
Lucia Alvarez de Toledo is a biographer of Che Guevara.
"Che is the soul of Cuba. He is the spirit of a nation, it's incredible, he's everywhere.
"He articulated what I thought. I was surrounded by all these horrible Americans, and we were like a colony, for God's sake.
"And then suddenly we produced this man who looks like us, talks like us and thinks for us, of course we love him.
"He had an absolute phobia against imperialism. The Americans owned all the banana trade. If you owned the banana company and your workers are working terribly long hours, they're not allowed to be unionised and their children are dying of malnutrition, how do you lay that at America's feet? Very easily.
"He felt total detestation [for America], because he saw how a continent that need not be poor was very poor.
"When the revolution triumphed, anybody who had been involved with the Americans quickly exited.
"There's a famous story of the Coca Cola plant: it shut down of course, and he said: 'Now you have to start it again, because you need the employment,' and they said 'Well, the formula's gone with them. He said: 'Well, try mixtures and things until you find the Coca Cola formula, and we can make Cuba Cola'. Every day somebody would bring him a sample, and he would always say 'cat's piss, go and try again'.
"[Today] Che would say that the Cuban revolution is so firmly entrenched that nobody can take that away from them, nobody can take their National Health Service, nobody can take their education. I feel very good about it because the revolution is solid.
"He would say: 'About time, they've woken up, they've realised the error of their ways.' Because it's the Americans who have realised that their behaviour didn't yield them anything, and they're now going to change."
Professor Louis Perez is director of Latin American studies at the University of North Carolina.
"There was this historically-determined and culturally-conditioned belief in the United States that Cuba's destiny belongs to them. It was a place that developed during prohibition as one where one could drink freely, gamble. Basically Cuba was a tropical island that was there to serve American pleasure.
"The revolution's claim to moral legitimacy and political power was precisely its ability to make good on the claim of national sovereignty and self determination.
"In a period of 24 months, the new leadership of Cuba turned the purpose of the Cuban government into the service of Cuban interests: Cuba for Cubans.
"The overthrow of the Cuban government was the overriding purpose of US policy between 1960 and December 2014. That is, to produce economic hardship, to make life as difficult as possible for the Cuban people, in the hope that they would rise up in despair, overthrow the government and thereby provide the United States with the outcome it desired.
"The new approach seeks to empower the Cuban people, to wean them off dependence on the Cuban government so that they can serve as an internal agent for political change.
"Cuba would be overrun with American capital, American tourists and American-manufactured goods. Now what remains to be seen is the relationship the Cuban people have with that new social-economic environment.
"To get a sense of Che's response, take a look at the letter that Fidel Castro wrote [published in Cuba's state newspaper in January] in which he grudgingly supports the transition. He recognises something of an inevitable need for reconciliation with the US, but continues to be very, very wary."
Carmelo Mesa-Lago is professor of economics at the University of Pittsburgh.
"It was said that 98% of Cubans were in favour of the revolution. But eventually, gradually, many became disenchanted, and either left, or stayed and tried to oppose the regime, without success.
"When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba went into a very severe economic crisis, the worst since the Great Depression. Fidel didn't have another alternative, so had to introduce reforms: he legalised the circulation of the dollar and significantly expanded foreign tourism.
"They allowed self-employment, and an agricultural free market. All this had positive effects on the economy. Fidel never liked the market-oriented reforms, he simply didn't have another alternative.
"Cuba is privatising. They announced in 2010 that they had to dismiss 1.8m workers in the state sector. That's about 36% of the labour force.
"Now it is possible to buy or sell a house, and Cubans can have a second house in the countryside, or at the beach. The state maintains ownership of the land, but gives ten-year contracts to farmers and they can invest in the land. That Che would object to.
"Raul realised a long time ago that the system couldn't continue, but Fidel was in charge, and he couldn't go against Fidel. When he took over, gradually he began to implement the reforms.
"Che Guevara was an idealist, and he may say that Raul is betraying the revolution.
"[But] in Cuba no one is thinking about what Che Guevara may think. People simply don't want dreams. They have been supporting this system for 54 years. And they want to buy things, travel, buy a house.
"You can see portraits of Che Guevara everywhere across Latin America. Of course there is a big portrait of Che Guevara about ten stories high in the Plaza de La Revolucion, where Fidel used to address the people. But it's like a joke. This is simply a myth of the past."
Rafael Hernandez is chief editor of Temas, a state-funded political magazine in Havana.
"Che Guevara's views are misunderstood. We wanted not to impose the Soviet socialist model but to create a new different kind of socialist system and in that socialist system there was a legitimate presence of the private sector.
"Only in 1968 did the Cuban Revolution nationalise their remaining small business in Cuba. In other words, the Cuban Revolution lived with the private sector for nine years.
The Inquiry is broadcast on the BBC World Service on Tuesdays from 13:05 GMT
Listen to the programme
Download the programme
"The Cuban Revolution in 1968 had a drive towards a more radical ideological movement. In those years the question of moving towards a Communist society became part of the Cuban agenda in terms of 'we have to build socialism and communism at the same time.' That idea became predominant and made Cuba eliminate the 60,000 private businesses that remained there.
"Raul Castro is promoting a more decentralised system, and I think this is in the spirit of what Che Guevara wanted: to have a public sector that could be more efficient.
"[In a meeting with the US in 1961] Che Guevara was basically saying we won't make any changes in our system, but we are ready to discuss everything else. In the middle of the Cold War, the message Che Guevara was delivering to the Kennedy administration was 'we want peace, we want dialogue and we want to negotiate.'
"If socialism can only survive within a glass urn that then it is impossible to sustain. This morning, I was attending a panel with a crowd of youngsters and there were people there quoting Che Guevara, using him to talk about our problems. That means that his thinking is alive."
The Inquiry is broadcast on the BBC World Service on Tuesdays from 13:05 GMT. Listen online or download the podcast. | Ahead of what would be an historic meeting between Cuba's President Castro and American President Obama at the Summit of the Americas in Panama, some critics ask whether warmer US-relations are a betrayal of the island's revolutionary past. |
36457821 | The body of a man in his 40s was found in the Ballydavey Cottages area on Sunday night.
Police are treating the death as suspicious. | A 53-year-old man has been arrested following the death of another man in Holywood, County Down. |
36854413 | It estimated there were two million computer misuse offences and 3.8 million fraud offences in the 12 months to the end of March - suggesting fraud is the most common type of crime.
Most related to bank account fraud.
It is the first time fraud questions have been added to the official Crime Survey for England and Wales.
The figures are separate from the ONS headline estimate that a total of 6.3 million crimes were perpetrated against adults in the year to March - a 6% fall in the number of crimes compared to the previous year.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales asks people about crime they have experienced and includes offences not reported to police.
John Flatley, of the ONS, said: "This is the first time we have published official estimates of fraud and computer misuse from our victimisation survey.
"Together, these offences are similar in magnitude to the existing headline figures covering all other crime survey offences.
"However, it would be wrong to conclude that actual crime levels have doubled, since the survey previously did not cover these offences."
The most common types of fraud experienced were bank and credit account fraud, with 2.5 million incidents, followed by "non-investment" fraud, such as scams related to online shopping, the ONS said.
By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent
For years fraud was thought of as a "victimless" crime which mainly affected businesses and banks.
It wasn't part of the official crime survey and wasn't seen as a priority by police and politicians.
But the widespread use of computers, laptops and smart-phones to facilitate fraud has changed all that - and the survey is finally catching up.
Its findings are startling: we are more likely to be a victim of fraud than any other type of crime, with one in 10 adults defrauded in the past 12 months.
Unlike other crime types, such as robbery, people in rural parts were more vulnerable to fraud than city-dwellers; middle-aged adults were more likely to be victims than those in other age groups; and people in managerial and professional jobs were at greater risk than manual workers, students and the unemployed.
Fraud is one of the oldest crimes - but these figures have put the problem firmly on the map.
Of the two million computer misuse incidents, 1.4 million involved a computer or internet-enabled device being infected with a virus.
The remaining 0.6 million crimes related to "unauthorised access to personal information" - such as hacking.
In October, the ONS estimated there were more five million incidents of fraud in England and Wales in a year, but these figures were based on a "large-scale field trial" carried out between May and August 2015 to develop the questions added to the survey.
The ONS said that the fraud questions were only added to the crime survey from October 2015 and the data was based on interviews conducted during the second half of the survey year.
The data had then been "grossed up" to provide an estimate covering the entire survey year, it said.
The College of Policing's head of research, Nerys Thomas, said: "There are dozens of ways the internet can be used to exploit and defraud people, and officers need to be equipped with the skills to tackle these crimes.
"Last year, we launched the second stage of our cybercrime training, which focuses on developing the awareness and skills of frontline officers, as well as more specialised investigators."
Policing minister Brandon Lewis said: "Fraud and cyber offences are not a new threat and the government has been working to get ahead of the game, committing to spend £1.9bn on cybersecurity and cybercrime over the next five years."
He said they were "offences which we have always known were happening but were previously unable to quantify".
"Having an accurate national picture will be crucial to inform future action," he said. | Almost six million fraud and cyber crimes were committed last year in England and Wales, the Office for National Statistics has said. |
34435100 | A member of the public found the device on grassland in Aughrim, close to a walking path, on Saturday afternoon.
An army bomb disposal team carried out a controlled explosion on the "badly corroded" Mills 36-type grenade.
A Defence Forces spokesperson said the grenades were typically used during both World Wars, the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.
The bomb disposal team arrived at the site at 04:50 local time and declare the scene safe within 40 minutes. | The Irish Army has defused a hand grenade dating back to the early 20th Century in County Galway. |
36340185 | It comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to bring hardliner Avigdor Lieberman into the coalition, possibly as defence minister.
The deal would shore up Mr Netanyahu's one-seat majority in parliament.
Mr Lieberman has a reputation for inflammatory comments and takes a hawkish stand towards the Palestinians.
If his six-seat Yisrael Beiteinu party joins the coalition, it will become the most right-wing in Israel's history.
Announcing his decision on Twitter, Mr Yaalon said: "I informed the PM that after his conduct and recent developments, and given the lack of faith in him, I am resigning from the government and parliament and taking a break from political life."
The two men had publicly disagreed after Mr Yaalon backed a senior military figure who had made controversial remarks about perceived extremist trends in Israeli society on Holocaust Day earlier this month.
Right-wing political figures have also criticised Mr Yaalon for backing a decision to charge an Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in March, in a case which split opinion in Israel.
At a news conference on Friday, Mr Yaalon said: "I fought with all my might against manifestations of extremism, violence and racism in Israeli society, which are threatening its sturdiness and also trickling into the IDF [Israel Defence Forces], hurting it already," Haaretz newspaper reports.
If Mr Lieberman's appointment is confirmed, it will mark a return to government for the controversial politician who stepped down in 2012 when he was investigated for breach of trust. He was charged and later acquitted.
Moldovan-born Mr Lieberman, who lives in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, advocates a tough line towards dealing with the Palestinians, including the overthrow of Gaza's Hamas rulers.
France recently announced it would host an international conference on 3 June to try to revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks, which collapsed amid acrimony in 2014. | Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon has resigned, warning that Israel has been taken over by "dangerous and extreme elements". |
37881326 | Mandeville replaced Niall Mason after 69 minute and levelled for Doncaster three minutes later after Exeter had taken the lead through Reuben Reid's penalty.
Reid smashed the ball home after David Wheeler had been brought down by goalkeeper Marko Mariso inside the penalty box.
The lead lasted until the 72nd minute when Mandeville met a James Coppinger cross to head in off the underside of the crossbar as Exeter seemingly froze after going in front.
Reid then had a shot well saved by Mariso, but Doncaster went in front on 78 minutes when a low cross from Mandeville was turned in by John Marquis from six yards.
And Mandeville turned provider again in the 90th minute when he slipped the ball to Marquis, who again beat Exeter goalkeeper James Hamon.
The win sees Darren Ferguson's side go third in the table, while Exeter are yet to win at home this season as the pressure on manager Paul Tisdale continues to grow.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Exeter City 1, Doncaster Rovers 3.
Second Half ends, Exeter City 1, Doncaster Rovers 3.
Attempt saved. Ollie Watkins (Exeter City) header from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner.
Liam Mandeville (Doncaster Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Lee Holmes (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James Coppinger (Doncaster Rovers).
Goal! Exeter City 1, Doncaster Rovers 3. John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Pierce Sweeney (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers).
Foul by Matt Oakley (Exeter City).
John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Lloyd James (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers).
Substitution, Exeter City. Matt Jay replaces Reuben Reid.
Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Craig Woodman.
Foul by Craig Woodman (Exeter City).
John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Marko Marosi.
Attempt saved. Ollie Watkins (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Cedric Evina.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Jordan Houghton.
Substitution, Exeter City. Robbie Simpson replaces David Wheeler.
Goal! Exeter City 1, Doncaster Rovers 2. John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Liam Mandeville.
Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Exeter City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is just a bit too high.
Attempt saved. Reuben Reid (Exeter City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Tommy Rowe (Doncaster Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Reuben Reid (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Riccardo Calder (Doncaster Rovers).
Goal! Exeter City 1, Doncaster Rovers 1. Liam Mandeville (Doncaster Rovers) header from the left side of the six yard box to the top right corner. Assisted by James Coppinger.
Foul by Pierce Sweeney (Exeter City).
John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Liam Mandeville replaces Niall Mason.
Foul by Pierce Sweeney (Exeter City).
John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Matt Oakley (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers).
Foul by Matt Oakley (Exeter City).
John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Lee Holmes.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Craig Alcock. | Liam Mandeville came off the bench in the second half to to score one goal and create two for John Marquis as Doncaster Rovers fought back to beat Exeter City. |
20941026 | Wambach, 32, who was named as player of the tournament as USA won London 2012 Olympic gold, beat Brazil star Marta and team-mate Alex Morgan to the award.
"Winning any individual award is a product of the team you play for," she said. "I've never scored a goal without receiving a pass from my team-mates."
Sweden's ex-USA coach Pia Sundhage was named women's coach of the year.
The award capped a fantastic year for Wambach, who scored five goals to help the USA defend their Olympic title and won the Golden Ball, given to the tournament's best player.
Wambach, who has scored 152 goals in 198 appearances for her country, collected 20.67% of the women's world player of the year votes.
Five-time winner Marta was runner-up with 13.5% as Morgan [10.87%] finished third.
"I really didn't expect this," said Wambach, who is currently without a club side following the Women's Professional Soccer league in the United States folding in 2012.
"Thanks to Fifa and President [Sepp] Blatter for having us. Pia, coaching staff and the medical staff as well, thank you.
"Thanks to all the fans out there who continue to inspire me and the rest of the team to win as many games as we can."
Sundhage, 52, was recognised for leading the USA to their second successive Olympic gold medal after a 2-1 win against final opponents Japan at Wembley.
But the Swede stepped down from the role less than a month later, before announcing she was taking charge of her home nation.
Sundhage earned 28.59% of the votes, ahead of Japan coach Norio Sasaki (23.83%) and France team coach Bruno Bini (9.02%). | USA striker Abby Wambach has been voted the Fifa women's world player of the year at the Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich. |
38098966 | The 24-year-old has scored four goals in two games since joining the Gulls from National League rivals Forest Green Rovers for a four-week spell.
"We'll struggle to keep him for too long," Nicholson told BBC Radio Devon.
"I'm working very hard to free up some money and to speak to (Forest Green manager) Mark Cooper to see if we can keep him for longer."
Moore's goals have seen the Gulls take four points from two games and end an eight-game losing streak.
"I tried to sign him about a year ago when he first came back from Norway and it didn't quite work out," added Nicholson.
"We finally got him and he's had a great impact on the team, he's raised everyone's standard and has had his own rewards with his goals." | Torquay United manager Kevin Nicholson says it will be difficult to extend the loan spell of striker Kieffer Moore. |
29616021 | It comes after sitting Conservative MP Mark Reckless defected to UKIP. He will be standing for UKIP in the by-election. Local councillor Kelly Tolhurst will stand for the Tories.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Britain First have also chosen candidates to contest the seat.
The Conservatives held an open primary to select their candidate.
The full list of candidates, in alphabetical order by surname, is: | A by-election is being held in the constituency of Rochester and Strood, Kent, on 20 November. |
38531339 | Ministry of Cake employs 400 people at its Taunton and Torquay factories. It evolved from Maynards Sweets in Yeovil which was established in 1865.
Managing director Chris Ormrod, said: "This deal secures jobs and investment in a company which is firmly rooted in the West Country."
The buyer, Mademoiselle Desserts, has other sites in Maidenhead and Corby.
"We ultimately were owned by a private equity house - we borrowed £11m two years ago and wrote a four-year plan.
"We've achieved that plan in two years and pretty much all of last year we had people knocking on our door asking if we would be up for sale," said Mr Ormrod.
'Brexit uncertainty'
Ministry of Cake had a turnover of £30m last year. It supplies desserts to major pub and restaurant chains including JD Wetherspoon and TGI Friday.
Mademoiselle Desserts employs more than 1,400 in eight production sites in France, the UK and the Netherlands.
Its customers in the UK include Marks and Spencer Food.
Mr Ormrod said management and staff jobs were safe and having a new owner would open up new career opportunities in France for staff.
"We've had a really good year this year and we've grown ourselves by 10%. We've won some big contracts. This is more about looking to the future.
"We're in that perfect storm of not knowing quite where Brexit is going to take us and what it means to tariff barriers, so this was about securing the business as it is and giving ourselves some real room to grow with a very supportive parent," he said. | A Somerset-based dessert-making firm has been sold to a French food company for an undisclosed sum. |
40262541 | The cast-iron lamp-posts - which originally housed gas-powered lamps - were set to be switched for modern versions by Reading Borough Council.
But locals said the antique street furniture, produced in local foundries in the 19th Century, gave the town its spirit.
A consultation will be held before any work commences, the council said.
The number of iron street lights in Reading has fallen from 700 to 400 since 2016.
Only lamp-posts which have structural faults or were a risk to public safety would be replaced, the council said.
Residents of the Bell Tower area of the town, where 21 of the lights are clustered in four terraced streets, were among those to complain about the plans.
"There are very few of them left in the country, and they reflect the original Victorian character of the area", said David Neale from the Bell Tower Community Association.
"They have already been satisfactorily retro-fitted for electric lighting, so believe that it should be possible for them to be fitted with modern lighting".
Deputy council leader Tony Page said: "We fully appreciate the heritage value of cast iron columns, and our preference is of course to keep these columns in place wherever possible."
He also said the council will not remove any of the cast-iron columns while it consults with local residents about their future. | Plans to replace a town's 200-year-old street lights have been put on hold amid an outcry from campaigners. |
35532602 | Paul Heckingbottom and Tommy Wright are currently sharing managerial duties after Johnson joined Bristol City.
Heckingbottom has been with the Tykes since 2015, while Wright was Johnson's assistant at Oldham and Barnsley.
"There's two people at the club who are very competent and we're not in any rush to appoint a new manager," Mansford told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"In Paul, we have someone who is Barnsley through and through. His focus is to do what's best for Barnsley as a club.
"He's supported by Tommy, who is committed, and we're very confident they will continue to succeed."
Barnsley have won seven consecutive league matches to move them up to 10th place in League One.
Recently sacked Rotherham manager Neil Redfearn, who made 292 appearances for Barnsley as a player, has been linked with a return to Oakwell.
"If Paul and Tommy can continue this run they give themselves every opportunity to knock on our doors and see if they can secure it permanently," Mansford added.
"The players showed on Sunday they won't let Lee's departure adversely affect them. We've stayed strong as a team and that's the most exciting thing." | Barnsley chief executive Ben Mansford has confirmed the club are in no hurry to replace ex-head coach Lee Johnson. |
31092670 | Bus and Vermijl have signed three-and-a-half-year deals, while McGugan will stay until the end of the season.
Filipe Joaquim Melo Silva has joined from Moreirenses for an undisclosed fee, subject to clearance.
The 25-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Hillsborough.
Bus, 22, has played six games for Romania's Under-21 team and scored 10 goals in 19 games this season.
The transfer of Bus, who has also had loan spells at four other Romanian sides, is also subject to international clearance.
Vermijl, 23, made one appearance for Manchester United this season.
The Belgium Under-21 international played the full 90 minutes of the Old Trafford side's 4-0 defeat by MK Dons in the League Cup.
McGugan, 26, made seven appearances during a loan at Hillsborough earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, Wednesday's Slovenian defender Dejan Kelhar has signed a deal to stay at Hillsborough until the end of the season.
The 30-year-old joined arrived on a short-term contract in August after leaving Red Star Belgrade in the summer.
He ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament soon after joining Wednesday and has yet to play for the club.
Kelhar has six international caps and has also played for Turkish side Samsunspor and Cercle Bruges in Belgium. | Sheffield Wednesday have signed CSKA Sofia striker Sergiu Bus and Manchester United defender Marnick Vermijl for undisclosed fees and re-signed Watford midfielder Lewis McGugan on loan. |
36270857 | 12 May 2016 Last updated at 07:18 BST
Poaching is a massive problem in South Africa and the conservationists running the school-trips hope to help stop it by teaching kids to love and respect the animals of their country.
But before they can start their adventure, first comes a bit of group chanting.
Chanting a message of: respect for each other, their environment and the animals around them.
Check out this video! | These inner city kids from South Africa have been take into the bush to connect with animals. |
35271920 | Luke Miller, from the Isle of Wight, was reportedly found dead at a hotel on the island of Koh Tao.
An online appeal to help repatriate Mr Miller's body has so far raised more than £5,000.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman confirmed it was providing assistance the family of a Briton who died on the island.
"Local authorities are investigating the death and we will remain in contact with them," it said in a statement.
Among the messages on the fundraising page, Maria Mimi Miller posted: "I just want my baby brother home, where he belongs. This is so devastating and heartbreaking."
Another message described him as "one of the nicest people we ever got to know".
Mr Miller had left the UK on 22 December to spend Christmas and the New Year on the Thai holiday island.
In September 2014 two British backpackers, Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were murdered on a beach on the island.
Miss Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, had been raped before she was killed, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, was hit over the head before drowning in the sea.
Two migrant workers were later found guilty of their murders and sentenced to death last month. | Family and friends of a British backpacker who died on holiday in Thailand have paid tribute to him. |
15349118 | The comments were made by Labour MP Steve Rotheram after the Home Secretary agreed to the disclosure during a Commons debate on Monday.
He said it remained to be seen whether it was a victory for the families, who had been let down so many times before.
Ninety-six Liverpool fans died in the tragedy in April 1989.
Ninety-five supporters were killed in a crush of fans at Sheffield Wednesday's ground, where the club was playing an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
The 96th victim was in a coma for three years and died in 1992.
Trevor Hicks, the president of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, who lost two daughters at the match, said on Tuesday he welcomed the vote.
"I think for the first time I am very positive, I think that the house today has done itself proud," he said.
"For many years I have watched the house and some of the silly antics of party politics, but I do think for once I have seen a very positive will across the house in trying to bottom this once and for all.
"We saw some very emotional scenes which show that MPs have a heart as well as a mouth."
He admitted it could be some time before the findings were released.
"The report from the independent panel will be published probably in May or June of next year but again, our position on that is we want them to do a full and proper job, and we would rather them take a few more months and do the job properly than rush it and meet an artificial timeline."
The debate was triggered by 140,000 people signing an e-petition, set up by Liverpool fan Brian Irvine.
He said: "I hope in the end the family get the answers that they are looking for from this.
"They are the most important people at the end of the day. I hope Theresa May will be good to her word and all the relevant documents will be released to the relevant panel and they can get closure on this after 22 years."
Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman, who took part in the Commons debate, said it was a significant step forward.
"Lost lives cannot be regained but bereaved families have just waited too long to find out just what happened," she said.
"This means that all the papers the government holds will be released so I think that is a very significant change."
Mr Rotheram, whose Walton constituency includes Anfield, opened the debate on Monday.
He said there had been a campaign to blame Liverpool fans for the tragedy and has called on the prime minister to issue a formal apology.
The MP is also making a fresh demand for an apology from The Sun newspaper over its infamous "The Truth" headline and story which alleged drunken and criminal behaviour by Liverpool fans.
Labour frontbencher Andy Burnham has also welcomed the disclosure, saying it was one of the "biggest injustices of the 20th Century".
"The home secretary has made an unequivocal commitment to full disclosure, echoing the words of the Prime Minister in his letter to me," he said.
"We thank her for it. And the fact that there is now agreement across this house between all parties shows the watching world that this is not about party politics but the fundamental rights of victims and their families."
He has joined Mr Rotheram in calling for an apology from the government.
Speaking to Radio Merseyside on Tuesday, he said: "Some people are confused as to why a prime minister who obviously wasn't there 22 years ago would be forced to make an apology but he apologised after the Saville Report for the atrocities on Bloody Sunday.
"I think it is appropriate that if, as we all believe, the government was complicit in any of this cover up, then the prime minister now should apologise for the government's mishandling of what happened at Hillsborough."
West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper added to calls for a government apology.
She said: "I also support Steve Rotheram in his calls for the prime minister to make a public apology to the families of the 96 and everyone associated with Liverpool Football Club.
"The record needs to be set straight and the lies told about events on that day recognised as the lies they were. Lies the government of the day were part of pedalling.
"After 22 years perhaps now we can finally begin to get justice for the 96." | The decision to release all government documents relating to the Hillsborough disaster has been called a "victory for democracy and people power". |
38130054 | The health secretary said it shows a "better service with a better outcome for patients".
It follows controversial changes in the way 999 calls are prioritised.
But like other UK colleagues, Welsh ambulance crews are facing worsening delays in handing over patients when they get to hospital.
The statistics from the BBC's freedom of information request revealed that average response times for calls, where a life is judged to be immediately at risk, have improved since a new "clinical model" came into force in October last year.
In contrast, the trend in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland appears to be in the opposite direction.
The changes in Wales saw response-time targets scrapped for all except the most serious cases.
Before then, an eight minute target applied to about 40% of calls received by the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Now the eight minute target applies to just 4 to 5% of the calls received designated red under the new system.
Opposition parties at the time criticised the change as "moving the goal-posts" and the Conservatives believe the current categorisation is still too narrow for the most urgent cases.
But Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: "It's meant we're going after people where that fast response makes a difference.
"And that was the whole point for the change - it's not because it's easier for a politician to do but because there's evidence and advice from leading clinicians that this is the right thing to do for patients."
The latest performance figures, out on Wednesday, show 77.1% of responses to red calls arrived within eight minutes. The target is 65%.
BUT HANDOVER DELAYS ARE INCREASING
Despite improvements in response times, the figures showed that ambulance crews face worsening delays outside A&E departments.
These are caused when emergency units become full, meaning patients have to wait in an ambulance for beds to become available.
When this happens the ambulance and crew cannot respond to other calls.
The figures for 2016 are worse for every month compared to the same month last year - despite commitments by health boards to try to tackle the problem.
The worst period was in March at the peak of the winter pressures.
In total, ambulances have spent more than 40,500 unnecessary hours waiting outside A&E between January and August - nearly as much as for the whole of 2015 already.
Sonia Thompson, head of operations for the Welsh Ambulance Service in north Wales, said it was a complicated issue and they were working closely with hospitals and health boards to tackle handover issues.
"We need to understand demand and ensure if someone doesn't need to go to hospital there are alternatives to use," she added.
Since the new system came into force there has been a significant reduction in Wales in the length of longest waits for an ambulance response and the proportion of the most critical calls taking longer than 12 minutes.
Even in the busiest month this year - March - the proportion of red calls taking more than 12 minutes was 16.6%, down from 19% for the same month in 2015.
A day in the life of the ambulance service
Ambulances in the UK - five ways services are innovating
FATHER AND SON ON THE FRONTLINE
Osian Roberts is a paramedic with 25 years experience and a team leader at the Welsh Ambulance Service, working out of Llandudno Junction, Conwy county. Driving the ambulance is his son Aron, an emergency medical technician.
We spent the day with them - a 12 hour shift, which involved in two cases waits of 20 minutes outside Glan Clwyd waiting to transfer patients.
Aron Roberts said: "The hospitals are starting to fill up slowly now and we're starting to wait a bit longer outside. It's quite frustrating when you have a poorly patient on board and they need hospital treatment - it's difficult just to wait outside and wait for a bed to become available."
The day before, their ambulance was waiting outside the hospital for up to four hours before patients could be taken in.
The other day I went to a lady with swollen knees - she didn't think of seeing a doctor but thought an ambulance would be appropriate
"We can take patients to get scans and X-Rays but it's not our role to do that, it should be the hospital's," he said.
"We're sat here thinking someone needs our help and can't do anything, we want to go but we just can't. When I first started I thought I'd be going to road accidents and cardiac arrests but I'm seeing more of the older generation."
Osian Roberts said the job had changed a great deal.
"When I started more than 25 years ago, it was life or limb emergencies. Now we're going to more calls for chronic illnesses, the work is so much more diverse now," he said.
But he said there were still too many calls coming in when using a GP or pharmacist might be a better alternative.
"The public need to be educated to choose well before they call the ambulance. Think wisely before you call - there are other options - unless it's a real emergency of course, then call 999," he added.
"It's possibly the non-emergency calls which tie us up the most. We still have to turn up, we don't just leave them there, it might be making a call to their GP or getting referred to a specialised unit. It still takes time and takes resources away from the proper emergencies."
Aron Roberts added: "The other day I went to a lady with swollen knees - she didn't think of seeing a doctor but thought an ambulance would be appropriate. We're supposed to be for life and death emergencies.
"But since the transition, I've noticed the red calls are genuine red calls - and those who don't need so much of a fast response, we are still getting to them and they are getting the help they need but it's the right resource at the right time for that patient."
But the Conservatives claimed some patients with potentially serious problems - such as chest pains - might not be getting a quick enough response because the red category was now too narrow.
Clwyd West AM Darren Millar said a constituent in Llandudno had to wait 35 minutes for an ambulance after collapsing with a suspected heart attack but he found it was not classified as critical because the patient was not unconscious.
Conservative health spokeswoman Angela Burns said: "The real scandal here is that the Welsh Government only time-targets 4% of ambulance calls, which betrays an incredible lack of accountability, particularly where conditions such as heart attack and stroke depend on the speed of treatment."
Dr Brendan Lloyd, the Welsh Ambulance Service medical director, said: "Calls in our amber category are those where the patient requires a blue light response and urgent specialist medical attention - this includes chest pain and stroke.
"For some conditions, like stroke, there is strong evidence to support a specialist treatment within a few hours of the onset of symptoms, rather than minutes."
Plaid Cymru said the Welsh Government "could not hide" behind the statistics which were only recently set and were not comparable as all nations measure urgent calls in different ways.
The party's heath spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth AM said paramedics had told him of the stresses of dealing with the 96% of other calls.
He added: "Figures for how many hours ambulances have to wait outside hospitals before patients can be admitted to A&E are alarming.
"The figures published today for 2016 only go up to August and already they're nearly as high as for the whole of 2015."
Stephen Harrhy, chief ambulance services commissioner for NHS Wales, is responsible for reviewing performance.
"Not only have we seen significant improvement but we've seen that achieved gradually over a period of time," he said.
"It has been sustained and that's really important because patients with immediate life-threatening conditions need to get an ambulance as quickly as they can."
He said the service was working with hospitals to tackle "complicated" handover problems.
This included a more coordinated winter pressures plan and introducing an immediate vehicle release policy, so ambulances waiting outside hospitals could be back on the road when the service was short of vehicles. | Wales is the only UK nation to see an improvement in the time it takes ambulances to reach the most critical 999 calls, new BBC research has found. |
32522998 | In 2003 in Scotland, there were nearly 7,000 phone boxes. Today there are fewer than 5,000 boxes - and just over 1,000 of them are the iconic red phone boxes.
As more and more of us use mobile phones, the number of call boxes will continue to decline.
But some communities across the country are turning to them for new and very different uses.
An old phone box in Comrie has a new lease of life... as a life saver.
Alan Moffat is the manager of the first response team in Comrie.
"It's a community access defibrillator site; we have converted it and put a defibrillator in for the use in the local community. I know it can save lives, it's probably one of the best chances people have of recovering from a cardiac arrest."
And that's the hope of the community who raised money in memory of a local woman, Irene McCartney, who died in 2012.
Her widower Gordon hopes it will make a real difference to someone in the future.
And art is in the spotlight in another phone box in Portobello.
Steven Wheatley had the vision to turn a disused phone box into a vibrant art exhibition space, the Porty Light Box, albeit on a small scale.
"I'm a bit nostalgic and I appreciate what they add to the street scene so I was keen to retain it," he explained.
Actually making a phone call from a phone box is becoming a thing of the past so will they eventually disappear altogether?
BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: "Clearly as people adopt mobile technology, as those networks expand there is less demand for them in some areas.
"Yet in some urban parts some of them are used very extensively, so there is a future for pay phones in the broader sense."
Today BT operates 4,864 kiosks in Scotland - it had 5,251 in 2012, 5,896 in 2007 and 6,962 in 2003. It currently has 1,129 red kiosks in Scotland.
During the last 12 months, no paid for call has been made from 1,723 of Scottish payphones, including 684 of the red boxes.
And in Alyth in Perthshire another transformation is planned.
Marian Bruce is the project coordinator of the Story Box.
"The idea was that it would be a time machine, a bit like Dr Who's Tardis," she said.
"You would go into the box and you would be able to move forwards and backwards in time to hear about the stories from Alyth.
"We're recording oral histories from people and stories about the town now from people who live and work in the town and we're also working with young people to think about the future of Alyth and what the town will be like when they're grown up." | When was the last time you made a call from a phone box? |
34439003 | The restrictions are for two days and will stop Palestinians from entering the area unless they live there.
On Saturday, a Palestinian stabbed two Israelis to death. Another stabbed and wounded an Israeli teenager. Police shot dead both attackers.
There are reports of renewed unrest in parts of the occupied West Bank.
Disturbances are also reported in parts of East Jerusalem.
More than 70 Palestinians have been wounded in clashes with Israeli security forces and Jewish settlers in the past 24 hours, says the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The latest violence comes days after an Israeli couple were shot dead by Palestinians in the West Bank on Thursday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to hold emergency talks with security officials on Sunday.
The following restrictions will be in place for two days:
Violence has increased recently, with rising tensions over the flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque compound and violent confrontations between Israeli security forces and Palestinian youths, says the BBC's Yolande Knell in Jerusalem.
The mosque is built in a compound in East Jerusalem known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as Temple Mount, in a compound and which is revered by both faiths.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned of a dangerous escalation in Jerusalem and the West Bank following the attacks.
"Recalling the recent deadly attack on another Israeli family in the occupied West Bank, and in light of the wave of extremism and violence sweeping the region, the secretary-general is deeply concerned that these latest incidents signal a dangerous slide toward escalation," his offices said in a statement.
Mr Ban said he was "deeply troubled" by statements from Palestinian militants, including Hamas, praising such attacks.
The first stabbing incident took place on Saturday evening in the Old City.
A Palestinian man attacked Aharon Bennett, 21, his wife, their two-year-old son and baby daughter who were on their way to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.
The attacker was named as Mohammad Halabi, a 19-year-old law student from a village near Ramallah in the West Bank.
Rabbi Nehemia Lavi, a reserve officer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was killed as he tried to defend the family, the ministry said.
Mr Bennett's wife was seriously wounded, while their young son suffered minor injuries and their baby was unharmed, it added.​
In the second incident, a Palestinian teenager stabbed an Israeli teenager on a street in West Jerusalem in the early hours of Sunday. The attacker was also shot dead by police. | Israel is barring some Palestinians from entering the Old City of Jerusalem after two knife attacks, one fatal, on Israelis. |
36229566 | The forward has decided to move on after the Giants were unable to make promises of increased ice time for Peacock in the new Elite League season.
Peacock lies second in all time goals and points scored for the Giants.
He helped Belfast win the play-off title in 2010 and league titles in the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons. | Braehead Clan have revealed that long-serving Belfast Giants player Craig Peacock will be joining the Glasgow based franchise for next season. |
36196142 | The 62-year-old has most recently been academy director at Leeds United, a position he left last month.
Hatters boss Nathan Jones has previously described Hart as a "mentor" during the Welshman's time as Charlton Athletic under-21 manager.
"I've been looking forward to this and I feel very lucky," ex-Leeds and Nottingham Forest defender Hart said.
"I've had 45 years in football and to come to a prestigious club like Luton, especially in this position as assistant manager is great, I'm very lucky."
Hart watched from the stands as the Hatters lost 2-0 at League Two champions Northampton on Saturday, a result which left Jones' side 14th in the table. | Former Portsmouth, QPR and Crystal Palace boss Paul Hart has been named as Luton Town's new assistant manager. |
38709399 | Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Sunday Programme after being stripped of the title reverend last week, Mr Flowers, 66, said his problems were "largely" in the past.
But he said it would be a "lie" to suggest they were completely over.
In 2014 he was fined for having cocaine, crystal meth and ketamine.
Mr Flowers, who became a Methodist minister in Bradford in 1976, has now also lost the authority to lead services for "seriously impairing the mission, witness or integrity of the Church".
He had initially been suspended in November 2013 following allegations in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that he bought and used the illegal drugs.
Along with claims of inappropriate expenses payments, the allegations led to him stepping down from his roles as deputy chairman of the the Co-op Group and chairman of its banking arm.
Mr Flowers told Radio 4: "The truth is that I think all of us struggle with issues of addiction and we have different addictions that affect millions of us in this country,
"I'm not going to tell you a lie that it's behind me totally, because it isn't, but I believe it's now largely behind me, but we still struggle with addiction of different sorts."
Mr Flowers added that his departure from the bank and suspension from the church ultimately made his faith stronger.
He said his mother's death was behind his drug use, adding that a "disaster" of a performance in front of a parliamentary select committee over his banking role could have been influenced by substance misuse.
But while accepting the Church disciplinary proceedings, he said he lacked "the same respect for the Church as an institution".
He said the "Church generally - and the Methodist church is part of that" lagged behind on issues affecting LGBT people such as himself.
Addressing further newspaper claims about his use of male escorts, Mr Flowers told Radio 4 that being at the top of an organisation was "sometimes lonely".
Listen to the full interview with Paul Flowers on the Sunday Programme, BBC Radio 4 at 07:10 GMT, or catch up on iPlayer | Former Co-op Bank chairman Paul Flowers says he still struggles with addiction, three years after a drugs sting led to his suspension as a Methodist minister. |
35753549 | Lane one westbound will be shut between 07:00 GMT on Monday, 14 March and 17:00 BST on Friday, 2 September.
Lane one eastbound will be closed from 09:30 GMT from Monday, 16 May until 09:30 BST on Monday 17 October.
The inspections will be carried out by Highways England to ensure the bridge's continuing safety.
Chris Pope, Project Manager for Highways England, said: "During the period of lane closures, vehicles over 2.9 metres wide will be prohibited from using the M48 Severn Bridge, and the bridge will also be closed totally over four weekends to enable the lifting of an inspection gantry to a high level on the suspension cable."
The first full closure is planned for the weekend of 16-17 April and diversion routes across the M4 Second Severn Crossing will be in place. | The original Severn Bridge is to be reduced to single lanes for seven months while its cables are inspected for corrosion. |
39955385 | 18 May 2017 Last updated at 07:10 BST
Most of you probably watch vloggers online and you might even have done some vlogging yourself.
Well now there's an academy for wannabe vloggers in Exeter, south-west England.
It teaches things like filming and presenting, but do you really need a fancy school to learn how to vlog?
Whitney's been along to ask and to get some tips. Check out the video. | Vlogging - or video blogging, in case you didn't already know - is massive! |
34391353 | 29 September 2015 Last updated at 16:17 BST
Ultimate Frisbee is now a global sport, with the Great Britain team recently taking gold at the 2015 European Championships in Denmark.
BBC Look North's Olivia Richwald went along to a Sheffield Steal training session to learn the basics. | A trip to the beach or the park can often involve a casual game of frisbee, but an increasing number of people are taking it a bit more seriously. |
33526580 | The 40-year-old, the second highest Test run-scorer of all time, was speaking after a meeting of the MCC World Cricket committee at Lord's.
"The Olympics is the pinnacle of global sport and to be able to get cricket into something like that would be an awesome spectacle," said Ponting.
"It would be great for the growth and development of cricket."
Ponting is one of 14 members on the MCC World Cricket committee, an independent body made up of current and former international cricketers and umpires from the men's and women's games.
The Australian, who made 41 Test centuries and scored 13,378 Test runs during his career, has suggested games would be played in a T20 format with sides made up of under-23 players, similar to the way football is staged at the Olympics.
"The discussions were very positive," added Ponting. "We should look to grow the game and open it to different markets and introduce cricket to a new audience - I think that's something the game needs."
However, cricket's governing body, the International Cricket Council, has not stated a desire to push cricket towards becoming an Olympic sport.
A statement from the MCC World Cricket committee added: "The committee urges the ICC board to reconsider its position and take a decision that it believes is in the best interests of the global game.
"This would need to be done in the next 12 months for cricket to have a chance of being included in the 2024 Olympics."
The committee also urged the ICC to "look again" at its decision to reduce the number of teams for the 2019 and 2023 World Cups to only 10 teams.
There were 14 sides competing in the 2015 competition held in Australia and New Zealand, with Ireland, a non-Test-playing nation, beating the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
However, Ireland and the other ICC Associate members face a tough task to qualify for future events.
"A 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup is a retrograde step that damages the potential for growth in cricket's developing nations," said a committee statement.
"To limit future tournaments to 10 teams is a handbrake for the development of the sport."
Suggestions of four-day Test matches, to replace the current five-day format, have been dismissed by the committee, who expressed their concern at the "extra strain" it would put on the players' bodies.
Although the committee said four-day Tests - which would have started on Thursday and finished on Sunday - "may encourage the playing of positive, attacking cricket", they decided it was "not the answer".
Nevertheless, plans to hold the first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand under floodlights in November have been welcomed.
A "World Test League" to find a top cricketing nation across all forms of the game was also something that the committee said should be debated for inclusion in the schedule after 2019.
After record-breaking individual and team scores during the 2015 Cricket World Cup, critics said the game was weighted too much in favour of the batsmen.
The committee felt that "today's cricketers are generally stronger athletes than previous generations of players". However, the committee has "no appetite for turning back the clock" in reducing the size of cricket bats.
But it was mentioned that the MCC would work with the ICC on a research project to look at the size of the seam on cricket balls, with the hope of making the ball swing more after 15 overs of use than it does currently.
This research will be discussed at a future meeting of the committee. | Cricket should be included in the 2024 Olympic Games, says former Australia captain Ricky Ponting. |
27881290 | Shell will sell around 156.5 million shares, which represents 19% of Woodside's issued share capital.
Upon completion, the European firm's stake in Woodside will be reduced from its current 23.1% to 4.5%.
Shell has said in a statement it wants to focus its "Australian growth in directly owned assets."
The company's chief executive Ben van Buerden added: "It doesn't change our view of Australia as an important player on the global energy stage, or Shell's central role in the country's energy industry.
We continue to see Australia as an important place for us to invest and grow our business."
Earlier this year Shell reported a 44% drop in first-quarter profits after it wrote down the value of refineries in Asia and Europe.
The cutting of its Woodside stake will take place over two stages.
Shell will offload a 9.5% stake or 78.3 million Woodside shares to institutional investors, at a price of $41.35 Australian dollars per share, by Wednesday.
It will also be selling another 78.3 million shares to Woodside in a buyback programme, at $36.49 Australian dollars per share.
The buyback is subjected to approval by Woodside's shareholders, as well as independent expert opinion that the transaction is "fair and reasonable" to all Woodside shareholders.
Chief executive of the Australian gas and oil firm, Peter Coleman, said in a statement submitted to the Australian stock exchange: "This combined transaction is an efficient and disciplined use of capital and creates value for all our shareholders.
"The combined transaction will also increase our liquidity in the market and resolve the uncertainty in relation to Shell's shareholding that has existed for several years."
The firm had originally sold one-third of its Woodside stake in November 2010, for $3.3bn. | Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell is cutting its stake in Australia's Woodside in a share sale that will net it some $5bn (£3bn). |
34464580 | Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar were named as the winners on Wednesday morning at a news conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
Their work uncovered the mechanisms used by cells to repair damaged DNA - a fundamental process in living cells and important in cancer.
Prof Lindahl is Swedish, but has worked in the UK for more than three decades.
The prize money of eight million Swedish kronor (£634,000; $970,000) will be shared among the winners.
"It was a surprise. I know that over the years I've occasionally been considered for a prize, but so have hundreds of other people. I feel lucky and proud to be selected today," Tomas Lindahl, from the UK's Francis Crick Institute, told journalists.
Claes Gustafsson, from the Nobel Committee, said the recipients had "explained the processes at the molecular level that guard the integrity of our genomes".
DNA is open to an onslaught of different phenomena that can generate defects in our genomes.
UV radiation and molecules known as free radicals can cause damage. Furthermore, defects can arise when DNA is copied during cell division - a process that occurs millions of times each day in our bodies.
"Cigarette smoke contains small reactive chemicals, which bind to the DNA and prevent it from being replicated properly - so they are mutagens. And once there is damage in the DNA this can cause diseases including cancer," said Prof Lindahl, who for 20 years ran the Clare Hall laboratories in Hertfordshire - now part of Cancer Research UK.
To address those defects, a host of molecular systems continuously monitor and de-bug our genetic information. The three new laureates mapped in detail how some of these mechanisms worked.
In the 1970s, scientists had thought that DNA was a stable molecule, but Prof Lindahl demonstrated that it decays at a surprisingly fast rate.
This led him to discover a mechanism called base excision repair, which perpetually counteracts the degradation of DNA.
Sir Martyn Poliakoff, vice president of the UK's Royal Society, said: "Understanding the ways in which DNA repairs itself is fundamental to our understanding of inherited genetic disorders and of diseases like cancer.
"The important work that Royal Society Fellow Tomas Lindahl has done has helped us gain greater insight into these essential processes."
Turkish-born biochemist Aziz Sancar, professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, US, uncovered a different DNA mending process called nucleotide excision repair. This is the mechanism cells use to repair damage to DNA from UV light - but it can also undo genetic defects caused in other ways.
People born with defects in this repair system are extremely sensitive to sunlight, and at risk of developing skin cancer.
The American Paul Modrich, professor of biochemistry at Duke University in North Carolina, demonstrated how cells correct flaws that occur as DNA is copied when cells divide. This mechanism, called mismatch repair, results in a 1,000-fold reduction in the error frequency when DNA is replicated.
The president of the American Chemical Society, Dr Diane Grob Schmidt, was up early to hear the announcement. She told BBC News that the winners were "three outstanding individuals".
Dr Schmidt was also quick to dispel any suggestion that the winning research was more biology than chemistry: "The making and breaking of these bonds is chemistry - in a biological context.
"I think, because of the implications and potential impact of unravelling these mechanisms, that it's a great choice."
The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded on Tuesday to Takaaki Kajita and Arthur McDonald for their work on neutrinos.
The first of the 2015 Nobel Prizes, for physiology or medicine, was awarded on Monday by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet. It was shared by researchers who developed pioneering drugs against parasitic diseases.
Follow Paul on Twitter. | The 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded for discoveries in DNA repair. |
34583055 | 21 October 2015 Last updated at 01:44 BST
Rich and famous, she has lived a glamorous life travelling the world, modelling clothes for top designers.
But off the catwalk, she has also become a heroine to many women for speaking up about a debilitating gynaecological condition, endometriosis, which can cause severe pain and infertility.
To get the message across, she established a foundation and begun an awareness campaign via social media.
Women of Africa is a BBC season recognising inspiring women across the continent. The first series, Africa's Unsung Heroes, introduces eight women who are making a difference in their country - and beyond.
Read more here | When Millen Magese won the Miss Tanzania competition in 2001 and became an international fashion model, she became an idol to many African women. |
39081853 | Dr Huw Williams, who is also a member of the party, has made the claim in an article on the Open Democracy website.
He has highlighted issues surrounding the creation of a new Welsh primary for children in Grangetown and Butetown.
But several local Labour politicians have hit back at his comments.
Dr Williams, a Cardiff University lecturer, had a campaign for improved Welsh language primary provision, which saw Ysgol Hamadryad open last September, although it has yet to move to a permanent location.
"After three draining and miserable years of campaigning, we now have a school (although not yet a new building)," he said.
"As a result, I personally have a fairly intricate knowledge of all of the failings of the system - and, it has to be said, the prejudices of elements of the Labour Party - that I feel obliged to draw attention to.
"For, if the Labour Party are serious about their strategy, and the commitment to a million Welsh speakers, these failings must be addressed."
The drive to almost double the number of Welsh speakers to one million by 2050 was unveiled at last year's National Eisteddfod.
In his essay, Dr Williams claimed local MP Stephen Doughty "did nothing more than wash his hands of the issue...pleading the case that this was a devolved matter" for a Welsh medium school and he said AM Vaughan Gething "drifted into the shadows".
In response, Mr Gething said he had "always been keen to see the expansion of Welsh medium education" in the area and Mr Doughty said he had been "totally supportive".
Other local Labour politicians have also hit back.
Cardiff council Labour leader Phil Bale said: "I think we've been very supportive of the Welsh language here.
"We've seen a huge increase in demand, and there's been about 7,000 pupils coming through the Welsh medium school system in the city, which has increased by something like 50% since 2004."
Grangetown Labour councillor Ashley Govier said: "The challenge is land availability. We always wanted to build, and there were practicalities. But it's not a language battle."
Mr Gething said: "There is a clear need that has to be addressed. I made my support for expansion clear to the Cardiff council cabinet member for education at the time.
"I have subsequently met the current cabinet member to discuss taking the school forward.
"I look forward to working with parents, the school and the wider community to help make Ysgol Hamadryad a success."
Mr Doughty said: "I have met with Mr Williams and other campaigners and told him that I was in favour of expanding provision.
"I believe that children in Wales have the right to receive an education in their own language.
"Of course, education is a devolved area and so I referred him to our local assembly member and to councillors who were very supportive." | The Labour-run Welsh Government's goal of having one million Welsh speakers by 2050 is being undermined by the party at a local level in Cardiff, a campaigner has said. |
35717096 | 3 March 2016 Last updated at 12:05 GMT
The attack on Carter's Country gun store happened at around 04:30 local time and lasted just two minutes, police said.
The CCTV footage shows the gang pull off the metal security doors using a chain attached to a pick-up truck.
The robbers then dash in, grabbing weapons from glass cases and racks and stuffing them into bags. | Dramatic CCTV footage shows at least 10 masked robbers break into a gun store in Houston, Texas, and steal more than 50 weapons. |
38301253 | The hour-long programme, entitled Nuqanchik (We), airs on weekdays at 05:30 on radio and TV.
All journalists and producers working on the programme are native speakers.
Quechua was spoken by the indigenous people of Peru before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th Century.
It was declared a national language alongside Spanish in the 1970s but Peruvians say there is still a strong social stigma attached to speaking it.
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has backed the new programme and sent its producers and presenters a message in Quechua: "Allinta munay, allinta yachay, allinta ruway," (Wish well, learn well, do well.)
Mr Kuczynski, both of whose parents emigrated to Peru from Europe, said he hoped the programme would help end discrimination.
Presenter Marisol Mena said it would contribute to creating an awareness that Quechua was not a language of the poor or disadvantaged.
"There's resistance, but [Peruvians] have to understand that there are business executives and university professors who speak Quechua as a mother tongue," she told the Agence France Press news agency.
TV Peru said it was planning to launch similar programmes in other indigenous languages. | Peru's public broadcaster, TV Peru, has begun broadcasting its first ever news programme in Quechua, the ancient indigenous language spoken by some eight million people in the Andes. |
30671300 | Adrian Lubecki, 19, from Ipswich, is charged with being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
Police believe the deaths of three men in Suffolk and a fourth man in Telford, Shropshire, could be linked to a dangerous batch of ecstasy.
Officers urged anyone in possession of the red triangular pills marked with the Superman "S" logo not to take them.
Mr Lubecki, of St Matthews Street, also faces a charge of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.
He is due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Two other men arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs have been released on bail while police inquiries continue.
Two men from Ipswich who died have been named locally as Justas Ropas, 22, and Gediminas Kulokas, 24.
They died on Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.
The deaths of John Hocking, 20, from Rendlesham in Suffolk, and a 27-year-old from Telford, who both died on New Year's Day, have also been linked to the drug.
Mr Hocking's friend Jack Harrison, of Martlesham Heath, urged people to learn from his death as it had "hurt a lot of people".
He described how their group of friends had released lanterns into the sky in his memory on Friday.
"He had the biggest heart. He was a truly one-of-a-kind type of bloke - he carried an energy with him.
"It's a horrible situation which people have to deal with."
A fifth man, from Provan Court estate in Ipswich, who was reported as being unwell along with Mr Kulokas, was taken to hospital by air ambulance in a serious condition but is now recovering, police said.
Suffolk Police said a 37-year-old man was taken to Ipswich Hospital when he became "unwell" in the early hours of Sunday and told officers he had taken a "S" marked tablet.
The man, who lives in the town, has since been discharged from hospital.
He had initially been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly. | A man has been charged in connection with three suspected drugs-related deaths in Suffolk. |
36400804 | Harding, who quit Shamrock Park along with manager Ronnie McFall in March, takes over from Gary Haveron following his resignation on Monday.
"I've a lot of respect and time for him and he wanted an opportunity in management," Rangers owner Michael Hughes told the Carrick Times.
"He's prepared to come and help develop the football club and our brand."
"Kieran is a guy who has been around Irish League football as a coach and he delivers the coaching licences for the IFA," added Hughes.
"For me it's a really positive appointment and I'm really looking forward to working with him and to the challenges ahead."
Harding and McFall stepped down at Portadown following a shock defeat by Lurgan Celtic in the Irish Cup.
Meanwhile, Carrick said Haveron departed as they were "unable to establish a mutual agreement on the best way forward for the club".
Rangers avoided relegation by finishing 10th but the club was later charged for failing to implement Haveron's touchline ban against Dungannnon.
It could have resulted in Carrick losing three points and being relegated but the Irish FA decided not to apply any sanction following a hearing.
Warrenpoint Town, who finished bottom but just a point behind Carrick, have appealed the IFA ruling. | Carrick Rangers have appointed former Portadown assistant boss Kieran Harding as their new manager. |
37344268 | Fidencio Sanchez, 89, was forced out of retirement in the summer after his only daughter died and he took custody of her children.
The GoFundMe page was set up by a stranger who was moved to see the paleta seller hunched over his trolley.
Despite the windfall, Mr Sanchez says he has no plans to stop working.
He has been selling ice pops in the Little Village neighbourhood of the Illinois city for 23 years.
Mr Sanchez had been retired just two months when his daughter passed away in July.
His wife, who also used to sell the ice pops, was forced to quit in the summer because of failing health.
"We thought, what are we going to do? We have to pay the bills," the Spanish-speaking vendor told ABC News through a translator.
Mr Sanchez decided to dust off his cart of frozen treats once again to help support his wife and grandchildren.
"I wake up early and (work) all day until eight at night," he said.
The online fundraiser was set up last Friday by a passer-by who was inspired by the ageing paleta seller's work ethic.
"It broke my heart seeing this man who should be enjoying retirement," Joel Cervantes Macias wrote on GoFundMe.
Mr Macias, who runs a Mexican restaurant, said he bought 20 paletas from Mr Sanchez for $50.
He drove away and posted the photo on Facebook, with the comment: "I respect this man to the fullest! #workflow #dyingbreed #mexicano #migente."
The image garnered a huge response.
Mr Macias said he decided to set up the online fundraiser, "Relief for Fidencio the paleta man", in the hope of collecting $3,000 dollars (£2,250) for him.
That target was surpassed in less than an hour.
By Monday evening, the page had raised more than $201,000. | More than $200,000 (£150,000) has been raised online in days for an elderly Chicago ice popsicle vendor who was pictured struggling to push his cart. |
17381607 | Dog is considered a delicacy in parts of Vietnam and China, and strays and domestic pets are being snatched in increasing numbers from Thailand's streets before they are transported abroad.
Sompong Lertjitcharoenboon's dog, Tao Tao, was stolen before Christmas. It was a month before Chinese New Year, when demand for dog meat rises sharply.
"We lost him after a fireworks display," Mr Sompong said. "I thought he was just scared and would come back. We would get up in the middle of the night whenever we heard dogs barking."
As the weeks passed, Mr Sompong and his wife came to accept that Tao Tao was not coming back.
Then Thai television broadcast pictures of a lorry laden with 800 dogs crammed into cages. The vehicle had been stopped as it attempted to cross the border into Laos.
The bust took place in Nakhon Phanom, where Capt Teerakiet Thong-aram from the Thai navy conducts patrols to try to prevent the smuggling of both dogs and drugs across the Mekong River.
"Dog meat is not popular in Laos. It's just a passageway. This is the easiest way for smuggling," he said, explaining that the planned destination for the animals was almost certainly Vietnam or China.
"People around here pay 300-400 baht ($9-13/£5.70-8.30) for a dog. The price goes up to 1,000 baht ($32/£20) or more in the third or fourth countries."
Dogs with dark fur are more highly prized, both for their skins and apparently a more distinct taste.
The seized lorry was 600km (373 miles) away from where Tao Tao had disappeared. But for Mr Sompong, it represented a glimmer of hope. He quickly made plans to head to the town of Buriram, where a shelter was recently set up to deal with the rise in rescued dogs.
There are already more than 2,000 animals at Buriram, ranging from once-pristine poodles to a motley collection of strays. Many of those taken for the food trade are soi (street) dogs, but at least a quarter are stolen domestic pets.
Paisarn Pattanadejkul, the head vet at the shelter, clearly remembers Mr Sompong's emotionally-charged visit.
"He (Sompong) came back carrying his dog in his arms," he said. "His wife said, 'Is that Tao Tao?', and he couldn't answer her because he was crying so much."
According to Mr Paisarn, hundreds of people have come to Buriram in the hope of finding their lost dogs, but Tao Tao is the only one who has been reunited with his owner so far.
"I felt very glad, but also very sad, when I saw his poor condition." Sompong said, with a tear in his eye. "It shouldn't have been like that."
Iinadequatelaws
But stopping what Capt Teerakiet calls a "billion-baht industry" is close to impossible under existing Thai law. It is illegal to steal domestic pets but not to round up stray dogs and pack them into cages. Animal cruelty is not banned, so a law is only actually broken when an attempt is made to smuggle the dogs out of Thailand.
"On the scale of one to 10, I would say it's a minus-one as far as the government's concern for animal welfare goes," said Roger Lohanan from the Thai Animal Guardians Association.
"Animal welfare poses a lot of burden on business, and that's why animal welfare laws have been postponed for the last 15 years."
At the shelter in Buriram, the rescued dogs are well-kept in fields, with thatched huts for shade. Despite their growing numbers and the strain on the Thai Department of Livestock Development, putting them down is not an option.
"I'm afraid that if we get many more dogs, we won't have the money to keep them in food and medication," Mr Paisarn said. "But we are a Buddhist country that believes in reincarnation, so to kill the dogs is a sin."
There is very little Buddhist calm in Somporn Kansuwan. His dog, Goh-dum, was rescued from the smugglers, but infected with a disease that eventually killed him.
"I hate those people who stole my dog," he said. "I hate it that those people make money from these little lives. If the police would let me, I'd kill those who took my dog." | Authorities in Thailand have warned that kennels are fit to bursting after more than 2,000 dogs bound for dinner tables in South East Asia were seized in the last six months. |
33380465 | Angela Konarzewski said places of pupils taking term-time holidays from Fleetdown Primary School could be offered to others on the waiting list.
She said parents might have to "renegotiate" their child's spot at the Dartford school upon their return.
But Kent County Council said it believed such action was unlawful.
Mrs Konarzewski said the school, rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2014, was in high demand, with two children vying for each place.
And in a newsletter, she warned parents who fell foul of term-time holiday rules that they might have to sign a written agreement promising not to repeat the offence.
She said even a small amount of absence had an impact on achievement.
"I think their education is more important than having a holiday with the family. It's not a human right to have a holiday," she said.
"It's a form of child abuse, in my opinion."
But the council's education director Patrick Leeson said there was "no legal provision" for a school to remove a pupil for non-attendance.
"Unauthorised absence from school to attend a holiday cannot be seen as persistent or serious breaches of a school's behaviour policy," he said.
"In addition... it would be unlawful to exclude a child for the behaviour of their parents."
"As it is a local authority school, Kent County Council will be instructing the governors to amend their relevant behavioural and absence policy to reflect current legislation."
Mrs Konarzewsky earlier acknowledged that current legislation meant pupils could not enforce an exclusion but said an "absent" child's place could be offered to a pupil on the waiting list. | A head teacher who warned pupils could lose their school places if they took family holidays during term time has been ordered to drop the threat. |
35683120 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Teams competed across nine categories, at eight venues, with the top sides moving a step closer to Wembley glory.
The weekend was given the full FA Cup treatment with both Saturday and Sunday covered by live text commentaries.
The winners progress to the Grand Final in Sheffield on 20 March with the hope of winning FA Cup final tickets.
There was a number of special moments over the weekend including a spectacular goal from Pompey Amputees, penalty shootout tension and a long-range thunderbolt.
You will be able to watch a special highlights programme featuring the best of the semi-final action and stories on the red button on Saturday, 5 March at 18:40 GMT.
Here are just a few images from the hundreds that were taken at the weekend. You can find more by searching #PeoplesCup on social media. | More than 400 teams took part in the FA People's Cup regional semi-finals, but we now know the sides who have reached next month's Grand Final. |
26683721 | The Grade II listed Opera House in Tunbridge Wells town centre, which still has its stage, balconies and audience boxes, became a pub in 1996.
It is hosting two performances of opera favourites from the last 400 years by The Merry Opera Company.
"I love the fact that we are using the building as an opera house," said landlady Melanie De freitas.
"We are closed to the public all day and it is a massive change to the usual clientele."
The Merry Opera Company, based in Edenbridge, Kent, is performing its show Kiss me, Figaro!
Manager Matthew Quirk said Sunday would be the fifth time he had been involved with a performance in the pub.
"We love it because it was built as an opera house," he said.
"It has the most marvellous acoustics and it is just great fun to go there."
The Opera House opened in 1902, but became a cinema in the 1930s and a bingo hall in the 1960s.
Wetherspoons took it over 18 years ago but about twice a year it invites performers in and reverts to its original use.
The venue usually sells about 40 tickets, but makes only about half its normal £3,000 pub takings.
"Not as many people as we would like in Tunbridge Wells appreciate opera," said Ms De freitas.
"It's not something I am that fond of myself but it is great to have it here." | A Kent pub is closing to drinkers for the day to return to its origins - as an opera house. |
28294640 | Users complained they could neither send nor receive messages from Friday 11 July, with "thousands" still affected on Monday afternoon.
BT said there was a problem with the transfer of customers from Yahoo to its own mail service.
Some users complained that there had been insufficient communication from the company.
BT also admitted that some emails had been lost as a result of the problem.
In a statement, the company apologised and said it was told of the problem by Openwave Messaging, which is handling the migration of around seven million BT customers, on Saturday night.
That meant that a "minority of BT's customers would have seen an error when trying to log in and were unable to access their email", the statement read.
A spokesman told the BBC that the total number of people affected was "in the tens of thousands". While the majority of those have had their service restored, the number still without remained in the thousands, the spokesman said on Monday.
Some customers complained that they had been given little information by BT as the problem persisted over the weekend.
"For the size of the service provider, one would have expected some sort of statement on their website," David Hunt, from Nottingham, told BBC News.
He said that he has filed a complaint with BT. He said that people who needed to access their emails over the weekend, such as those who were using e-tickets they had not downloaded, would be stuck. "I can see how that causes problems," he said.
Other customers wrote to the BBC to complain. Alan Ratcliffe, from Weybridge, Surrey, said he was forced to use a rival service and suggested that, if the problem persisted, others might do the same more permanently.
It is the second time BT has been forced to apologise in a matter of weeks. Late last month, it did so after admitting that "many" of its UK users experienced problems connecting to the internet.
In March, it emerged that BT was being investigated by the Information Commissioner amid claims that the company "exposed user credentials en masse".
A whistleblower came forward with concerns about BT's security as it handled the migration of its customers' email accounts. | Tens of thousands of BT customers were left without email over the weekend, the company has said. |
38531386 | Former England Under-21 international Morrison is training with the Latics.
It is the latest attempt to kick-start the troubled career of a player rated as one of the best to emerge at Manchester United since Paul Scholes.
Joyce said: "If you asked Paul Pogba to name the best he has played with, Ravel Morrison would be up there with them."
The 23-year-old has left Italian side Lazio after making just eight appearances in 18 months.
It is the latest chapter in a career that has failed to ignite in the same way as that of Pogba and Jesse Lingard, who were part of the same 2011 FA Youth Cup-winning team.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Morrison's ability has never been in question.
Lee Clark, who managed Morrison at Birmingham - one of his six clubs and where he made most appearances, 30 - described him as the best English player since Paul Gascoigne.
His attitude has been questioned though.
His boss at United, Sir Alex Ferguson, excused a number of misdemeanours before eventually losing patience and releasing him in January 2012
Sam Allardyce, who worked with the player at West Ham, suggested Morrison was not prepared to play through pain.
But the major issues have been away from the pitch.
When he was 16, Morrison was a passenger in a car that was stopped by police and found to contain drugs and guns in the boot.
In 2008, he was cautioned for common assault.
He pleaded guilty to witness intimidation in February 2011 and was fined £600 three months later for throwing his girlfriend's phone through an open window during an argument.
Wigan manager Joyce was Morrison's manager for Manchester United's reserve team from 2010 until the player left for West Ham in 2012.
Latics coach Paul McGuinness was in charge of the Under-18 side including Pogba that beat Sheffield United 6-3 on aggregate to win the Youth Cup, with Morrison scoring two crucial goals in the second leg.
Between them, the pair hope to get Morrison back to the player his early promise suggested he would become.
"It is a long shot on his fitness but we have nothing to lose," said Joyce.
"He was one of the stars of a team that included Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Will Keane. Talent-wise he is an X-million pound player, among the very best I have worked with.
"Some of the things he can do with a ball are phenomenal really. His balance and the way he glides around players is something a coach would be deluded if they claimed to have helped.
"Unfortunately, outside influences gave him guidance for their own ends.
"I am trying to help him get his career back on track.
"But it has to be on a timescale that is going to help us now, not in four months' time." | Wigan manager Warren Joyce hopes midfielder Ravel Morrison can rediscover the 'X factor' to help the Latics' Championship relegation fight. |
32691147 | They've won more than 100 big awards over the last 20 years for their shows and their presenting.
But what's the story of their success?
It all began when Ant and Dec met on the set of CBBC show, Byker Grove, when they were just 13 years old.
Their characters, PJ and Duncan, were mates in the show and Ant and Dec soon became friends in real life.
From acting to singing - in 1993 the series led to the guys signing a record contract and over the course of four years they had 14 top 20 hits.
And from singing to presenting - in 1996 they got a taste of Bafta glory when the Ant and Dec Show, which used to be on the BBC, won an award.
In 1998 they launched SM:TV Live and CD:UK, mixing music, comedy and cartoons. The show was co-hosted with Cat Deeley - a British presenter who now hosts So You Think You Can Dance in America.
The pair have hosted lots of other programmes and game shows over the years and among the many awards they've won, they've picked up 14 at the National Television Awards in the category of most popular entertainment presenter. They won it for the first time in 2001 and have kept winning every year since!
Among the well-known shows they present are I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, which they've hosted since it started in 2002, and Britain's Got Talent, which launched in 2007. | Ant and Dec have picked up another two Baftas, but awards are nothing new for the presenting duo. |
36101237 | The Cumbrians lie seven points off the last play-off spot with two of their final three matches away from home.
"Sometimes you think it might be a slight advantage playing away from home," Curle told BBC Radio Cumbria.
"Supporters get nervous which affects the players. Anxiousness can creep on and players go into their shell."
Carlisle travel to Crawley on 23 April, face Oxford at home on 30 April and play their final League Two game of the season away at Notts County.
"We will do what we have done all season and take each game as it comes," Curle continued. "The opposition will be given the respect they deserve but ultimately we can be competitive in every single game.
"The important thing is we keep our own house in order and what the others do is down to them. We've got a full squad and I've got to pick the right team and the players have got to perform."
Despite being forced to play home matches at Preston, Blackburn and Blackpool after their Brunton Park home was flooded in the aftermath of Storm Desmond, Carlisle's fortunes have fared better on the pitch this term.
He added: "As a football club we've come a very long way in a short space of time. It's a massive turnaround, not just from the players and coaching staff, but everybody associated with the football club.
"There's been a lot of distractions this season but we're on an upward spiral." | Carlisle United boss Keith Curle has said playing away could benefit his side as they bid to maintain their slim chances of a League Two play-off place. |
35408936 | Other countries in Europe are already using similar measures as they struggle to cope with the number of migrants and refugees arriving.
The new law gives the Danish authorities "the power to search clothes and luggage of asylum seekers... with a view to finding assets" to cover expenses such as food and accommodation, according to a government statement (in Danish).
Police can seize cash over 10,000 kroner (€1,340, $1,450) as well as any individual items valued at more than that amount, such as watches, mobile phones and computers.
Wedding rings and any other items of sentimental value are exempt.
Savings and money in bank accounts will not be seized, a spokeswoman for the immigration ministry told the BBC.
As a main rule, money and valuables will be confiscated on arrival, she said. Assets discovered at a later stage during the asylum seeker's stay may also be taken.
However some experts have questioned how this will enforced.
While the seizing of assets has dominated international headlines, legal experts and human rights groups have voiced more alarm over measures making it harder to obtain family reunions and residency permits.
Amnesty International has said refugees fleeing war would face "an impossible choice" if the waiting period to apply to bring over their family was increased from one year to three.
Migrants feel chill of tighter borders
Europe's migrant crisis
Switzerland has had a law enabling the authorities to confiscate assets belonging to asylum seekers for 20 years.
Migrants are required to declare their assets on arrival, and anything over 1,000 Swiss francs ($1,000; €900, £700) can be taken. Objects of emotional value are never seized, the government says.
In 2015, the Swiss authorities collected a total of 210,000 Swiss francs from 112 people. Most of this was cash.
As the vast majority of asylum seekers are destitute, assets are confiscated from only a small number, the government says.
It was forced to defend the policy last week following criticism of the Danish proposals.
In the Netherlands, asylum seekers are supposed to declare their assets, and deductions can be made if this exceeds €5,895 for an individual or €11,790 for a family.
They also have to pay levies on their income towards their stay, once they are allowed to work.
A report in the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad found asylum seekers had paid nearly €500,000 towards their living costs since the start of 2013.
Meanwhile in Germany, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has reportedly said cash and valuables worth more than €750 can legally be seized in his state - one of the main entry points for migrants arriving in the country.
"The practice in Bavaria and the federal rules set out in law correspond in substance with the process in Switzerland," German newspaper Bild quoted him as saying.
In the neighbouring German region of Baden-Wuerttemberg, asylum seekers can only keep money and valuables worth €350 (£265), the report said.
The new law has been compared by some commentators to the confiscation of valuables from Jews during World War Two.
But Denmark's right-wing government has defended the move, saying it brings migrants in line with Danes who have to sell valuables to qualify for social benefits.
Denmark expects to receive around 20,000 asylum seekers in 2016, compared with 15,000 last year, the integration ministry told BBC News.
However, some politicians have said the move is "purely symbolic" in order to deter migrants from travelling to Denmark in the first place.
It comes amid heightened tensions over the migration crisis in Europe, with recent opinion polls suggesting 70% of Danes rank immigration as their top political concern.
Prime Minister Rasmussen's Venstre (Liberal) party won the June 2015 election after promising an "immediate slowdown" of refugees.
Despite being a member of the EU, Denmark has opted out of most of the bloc's asylum rules.
The country's immigration minister has repeatedly insisted that "Denmark's immigration policy is decided in Denmark, not in Brussels".
However, Denmark is bound by the UN Refugee Convention, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned that the latest plans risk violating these standards.
In a letter to Ms Stojberg, the Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights, Nils Muiznieks, also said the issue of delaying family reunions raised "issues of compatibility with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which protects the right to respect for one's family life".
The bill "could also infringe on the rights of children to live within their family environment, as prescribed by the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child".
But the concerns were dismissed by government ministers.
"Those are his personal views," AFP news agency quoted Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen as saying. She said the Council of Europe had not started a legal case against the move. | Plans in Denmark for border police to seize cash and valuables from asylum seekers to help pay for their stay have drawn international criticism. |
37057216 | The 36-year-old, who co-presents Kiss's breakfast show, said he was "honoured" to be part of the BBC One programme.
"I'm looking forward to learning some new moves of course, but basically it's the sequins that clinched it for me," he said.
"I need sparkle in my life and there's nothing more sparkly than Strictly."
The DJ, who is 5ft 5in (1.65m), added: "I just hope that my dance partner isn't too tall!"
As well as his radio duties, Melvin presented The Xtra Factor alongside Rochelle Humes last year and fronted ITV's recent Saturday night primetime show Bang on the Money with his Kiss co-host Rickie Haywood-Williams.
BBC Three viewers will also know him as one of the team leaders on its comedy panel show Sweat the Small Stuff.
Melvin is the fifth contestant announced to be taking part in the new series of Strictly, which starts next month.
He joins former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, singer Will Young and presenters Laura Whitmore and Ore Oduba.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email [email protected]. | Kiss FM DJ Melvin Odoom will be swapping his radio mic for the dancing shoes on Strictly Come Dancing, it has been confirmed. |
34464799 | Police say the majority of issues were reported on Tuesday in the centre of Lowestoft, including around Whapload Road and Battery Green Road.
Devices can be bought which block signals for remote central locking, leaving a vehicle unlocked.
Suffolk Police said the source of the problem "had not yet been identified".
A spokesman said: "Owners of various makes of vehicle have reported experiencing problems, which include either being unable to lock their vehicles remotely and secure vehicles becoming unlocked."
The force advised people to manually lock their vehicles.
Michael Hollidge, who works nearby, said he regularly checked on his parked car since experiencing the problem.
"It's locking one minute, then it's not the next," he said.
"I try it with my key and the key's not working.
"I don't know what it is."
Driver Duncan Cole said he feared his insurance would not be valid if his car was unlocked at the pay-and-display car park, and so decided to return home.
Ofcom, the government agency with responsibility for radio communications, said it was keen to receive complaints about problems with electronic key fobs, which it could then investigate, but had so far received no complaints.
Similar issues in Southampton were found to be due to interference from a resident's faulty device which transmits a TV signal to other sets in the home.
BBC reporter Kim Riley visited a car park in Whapload Road earlier on Wednesday and said he was "rather sceptical" that there was any truth to the reports.
"Then something rather strange started happening," he said. "The key was still in the ignition and suddenly the car started to lock itself, and a few seconds later the alarm triggered.
"There is something in this.
"Police are taking a keen interest, and indeed officers came over to speak to us after a member of the public reported someone looking suspicious, sitting in a car, tapping away on a laptop.
"Fortunately I was able to do some smooth talking and satisfy them that it was only cameraman Shaun Whitmore, busy editing my report for tonight's BBC Look East." | About 50 drivers have reported being unable to remotely lock their cars, possibly due to someone using a signal jammer in part of Suffolk. |
40374806 | The Mourne men had been 4-1 outsiders but produced a hungry, high-energy display to reach the 16 July final in which they will play holders Tyrone.
Monaghan trailed by seven points when Darragh O'Hanlon converted a 41st-minute penalty.
They fought back to be just one point behind, but Down clung on to win.
It was a stunning display by Eamonn Burns' side and came just a year after Monaghan had hammered Down 2-22 to 0-9 at the quarter-final stage.
For Monaghan, it was a huge disappointment as they sought a third provincial title in five years.
They went in as strong favourites but came up against a fired-up Down side who had been buoyed by victory over Armagh in the quarter-finals.
In a pivotal first-half spell, Down accounted for seven of the eight points scored and they led 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time.
Then came the penalty drama, with Niall Donnelly being pulled back by Colin Walshe.
I'm so proud of the players - they did everything we asked them to do. We started brightly but at the end we dug in. We were patient and fought hard.
Stand-in referee Paddy Neilan from Roscommon, who had replaced the injured David Coldrick at half-time, awarded the penalty and O'Hanlon found the net despite keeper Rory Beggan getting a hand to the ball.
Victory seemed assured for Down - but Monaghan revived their hopes with a string of points from Conor McManus 4, Darren Hughes, Jack McCarron and Kieran Hughes.
Late in the game, Conor Maginn had the ball in the net but ref Neilan ruled it out for a foul on keeper Beggan.
McCarron had a chance to level the game but sent a free well wide and Down got the insurance point through Donal O'Hare.
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Down: M Cunningham; N McParland, G McGovern, D O'Hagan; D O'Hanlon, C McGovern, C Mooney; K McKernan, N Donnelly; P Turley, C Maginn, S Millar; J Johnston, R Johnston, C Harrison.
Monaghan: R Beggan; F Kelly, D Wylie, R Wylie; C Walshe, V Corey, N McAdam; K Hughes, K O'Connell; D Hughes, K Duffy, O Duffy; C McCarthy, J McCarron, C McManus | Down produced the shock result of the 2017 Ulster Championship by clinching a thrilling two-point win over Monaghan in Saturday's semi-final in Armagh. |
36902221 | While most DJs of his age let the music do the talking, the 25-year-old very much likes to converse with his listeners.
Lance is the founder and owner of Vibe Radio SA, an internet radio station based in the Cape Town township of Athlone.
Set up in 2011, Vibe is aimed at South Africa's teenagers and young adults.
With listeners across the country, it engages with them on topics ranging from bullying, to HIV/Aids, fashion, and advice on becoming an entrepreneur.
Lance says: "The point of Vibe Radio is to provide a platform that focuses solely on the youth voice, and gives young people the opportunity to say what's on their mind, and be heard."
He adds that the radio station was born from his own frustration at the lack of support given to young people in South Africa, and the failure to make them heard on a national level.
"The scariest realisation I had was that the young didn't have a voice, or were seldom heard," says Lance.
"It was at that realisation that I knew I had to find a way to start my own radio station."
A former TV producer, Lance set up the station using his own savings, and support from a Cape Town-based social enterprise called Reconstructed Living Lab (RLabs).
Vibe now has 16 employees, and makes money from advertising.
With the youth unemployment rate in South Africa standing at 37.5% (for people between the ages of 15 and 34), job opportunities are few and far between for many of Vibe's listeners.
As a result, much of the station's focus is on discussing how young people can best go about launching and running their own businesses.
Lance says the aim is for this always to be done in an interesting and entertaining way, or as he calls it - "edutainment".
So for example, in a recent discussion about becoming a concert promoter, and how the cost of each ticket breaks down, he discussed a tour by teen heartthrob Justin Bieber.
Another young entrepreneur from a Cape Town township, Andisiwe Nyavula, says that young people in her community need access to basic business services if they are to create self-sustaining companies. So since 2012 she has taken matters into her own hands.
Ms Nyavula, 25, is the founder of Nzum Nzum, a chain of three business centres cum internet cafes that offer photocopying, printing and faxing, company registration, and web access to those trying to get their start-ups off the ground.
The prices range from five South African rand (35 cents; 27p) for 30 minutes of internet access, to one rand per page of photocopying, and 80 rand for 10 business cards.
About 3,000 people use the centres per month, which are located in the Cape Town townships of Nyanga, Phillipi and Gugulethu.
But as much as Ms Nyavula tries to make a difference, she admits that there are many challenges facing township entrepreneurs that also need to be addressed, such as the high crime rates, rogue landlords, and unhelpful service providers.
"It took more than three months to install a reliable connection at our new internet cafe," she says. "And if there's a problem it takes more than two weeks to fix it.
"The townships have long been shunned by big businesses."
The World Bank estimates that more than half of South Africa's 53 million population lives in townships and other informal settlements.
With that many potential customers, South Africa's townships should by rights be looked upon as potential economic hotspots.
But attention tends to focus on the negatives, and little notice is given to the economic success stories hiding within South Africa's sprawling townships.
"There are incredible individuals with amazing ideas and grassroots businesses that they run in the townships," says Craig Dumont, a member of the management team at RLabs.
RLabs, which receives government grants to fund its work, provides would-be township entrepreneurs with training and support.
From its main hub in a Cape Town township, since 2008 it has been an incubator for more than 50 start-up companies, and has seen thousands of entrepreneurs - including Vibe Radio's Lance Petersen - walk through its doors and receive business support.
According to Mr Dumont, not only are township entrepreneurs innovative and determined, their knowledge of local needs gives them an advantage over corporate South Africa.
"Township entrepreneurs have a deep understanding of their environment, the challenges, and their target audience," he says.
Based in the Kayamandi township on the outskirts of the affluent Western Cape town of Stellenbosch, some 50km (30 miles) east of Cape Town, Loyiso Mbete is the type of businessman that Mr Dumont would say deserves more credit.
Mr Mbete, 36, is a beekeeper who owns more than 400 hives and employs three people.
He jokes that demand for his honey and related services - such as fruit pollination - is so high that he struggles to keep up.
"I came from a poor family so there was always a need to make it in life," says Mr Mbete. "I had no choice but to find ways and means to make ends meet."
He adds: "It is important to understand that those businesses active in township are feeding the poor and uplifting people out of poverty. They also help create employment, so they are making a big contribution to the South African economy."
While many businesses in South Africa's townships complain that they don't get enough help from the authorities, the Western Cape Government says that in recent years it has greatly increased the support on offer.
Alan Winde, its Minister for Economic Opportunities, says that over the past two years more than 2,000 small businesses based in townships across the province have been assisted by a scheme called the emerging business support programme. This provides financial management, sales and marketing training.
He adds: "Regions across the province, including townships, are vibrant spaces for innovative small businesses." | Lance Petersen sits in his radio studio and chats into his microphone. |
36718639 | The 53-year-old departs just days after Argentina lost on penalties to Chile in the Copa America final.
In a statement Martino indicated he quit because of a "lack of decisions" at the head of the Argentine FA (AFA) and "serious problems" in selecting a squad for the Olympics.
The Argentine managed his country from August 2014, after previously coaching Barcelona.
Last month's Copa America defeat was the second time Argentina finished runner-up to Chile in the competition during Martino's reign.
Star player Lionel Messi - who missed a penalty in the final shootout - retired following the match, saying it "hurt not to be a champion".
A host of other leading Argentina players are reportedly close to quitting the national team, although there has been no confirmation of further retirements.
Martino has also struggled to choose an 18-man squad for the Olympic football tournament in Rio, which starts on 3 August - two days before the Games formally commence.
Argentine media says Martino is frustrated clubs are unwilling to release player in time for Rio. At present there are only nine players in Argentina's Olympic squad, and the president of the country's Olympic committee has hinted he may not send a team.
The AFA has also been struggling amid a power vacuum that followed the death of long-time president Julio Grondona in 2014.
The AFA has been placed under the administration of a Fifa committee in order to prepare it for new presidential elections in 2017. | Gerardo Martino has resigned as head coach of Argentina. |
27523732 | "He wanted to go and train one against one," Kalou told BBC Sport. "We were only teenagers but I remember it like it was yesterday."
Like both of the Toure brothers - Kolo and Yaya - Kalou began his football career with the academy at Asec Mimosas in the Ivorian city of Abidjan.
In fact most of the players who will start against Japan in Ivory Coast's opening match of the World Cup in Recife on 14 June have known each other for nearly two decades.
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"I joined the academy in 1997 and Yaya was already there and Kolo, too," said Kalou. "We've had at least 17 years of playing together.
"We always want to lift each other and make each other get better. I can't thank Kolo enough for knocking on my door every morning.
"As a kid you don't realise how important that is but now I realise it is vital to have people to push you to your limit."
In Brazil, Ivory Coast will be aiming to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in their history and they have been drawn in a group - along with Colombia, Greece and Japan - that appears to give them a great chance of progressing.
Kalou also feels that the relationships the players have forged since they were youngsters could make all the difference.
"I remember the last qualifying game against Senegal and the assist Yaya Toure gave me for the last goal," Kalou said.
"I knew that his first intention wasn't to pass the ball to the first striker who called for the ball because I know that he always has that second touch to try to play the perfect ball.
"So I waited a little bit and I ran at the right moment to receive the ball and score the goal.
"That can change the game so it's important to have that kind of understanding on the pitch, and off the pitch as well, because it can help us to win the game.
"I know how they play, I understand their game and how they want to give the ball. Sometimes it's very important to have those feelings in an important game."
Despite the fact that he was part of a Chelsea team that won the Champions League, a Premier League title and four FA Cups, Kalou admits he has sometimes been in the shadow of the other stars of Ivory Coast's so-called golden generation.
But he has developed and matured since he joined French side Lille and in World Cup qualification he was the top scorer for Sabri Lamouchi's side, with two crucial goals in the play-off against Senegal, which the Elephants won 4-2 on aggregate.
"That's what I've learnt at Lille, playing for this club I knew couldn't hide behind a Yaya Toure or a Didier Drogba," he said.
"Being at Chelsea was an amazing experience, I arrived there young and I was surrounded by big players and big brothers so I was kind of the little kid.
"I was well protected by players like Didier and when things were bad at Chelsea I was not the one to take the blame.
"At Lille that's not the case; if Lille is not going right, I'm taking the blame. I've learnt through tough experiences. I knew I couldn't hide anymore. Lille changed the way I see things and I'm not afraid of going forward and showing that I can bring a team to the top level.
"In the World Cup qualifiers I finished with five goals for Ivory Coast and finishing as top scorer in the qualifiers was a good moment because it's something that I pushed myself to achieve.
"Usually I wouldn't be among the top scorers but scoring those important goals was a challenge.
"I pushed myself to do that and if we're going to do well at the World Cup we have to push each other. Pushing Gervinho, pushing Didier (Drogba) pushing Yaya is good for the team because we'll get the best out of each other."
For all their success at club level, the likes of Kalou, Gervinho and Yaya are yet to win a trophy with Ivory Coast.
The Elephants were runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2012 but with the likes of Drogba and Kolo approaching the end of their careers, this could be the final chance for the current group to make an impact on the world stage.
"People would like to see that generation winning something," Kalou says.
"The generation of Drogba, Didier Zokora and Kolo are a little bit older than us but what they did so well was to bring the team to their level because nobody did it before; Ivory Coast had never qualified for a World Cup before that generation.
"I think they have done brilliantly for the country. Today Ivory Coast is the highest ranked African team on Fifa's list so that's a big achievement.
"We have one dream and that is to win something together I think because we've worked so hard to get to this level, it would be important to achieve something together, it's so important for our generation and also the country." | Salomon Kalou used be woken up at five o'clock every morning by a knock at the door from Kolo Toure. |
40815354 | Julian Isaacs, 59, admitted sending threatening Facebook messages to former MP Oliver Colvile in May at Plymouth Magistrates Court.
Afterwards Mr Colvile slammed the sentence of 80 hours community service.
Isaacs was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
More on MP threatened and other Devon stories
Speaking afterwards, Mr Colvile, who was MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport from 2010 until May, criticised the sentence, saying: "It's appalling. It's a form of terrorism.
"He should be sent to prison."
The court heard that Isaacs, of Stonehouse, Plymouth, made the comments in response to a post by Mr Colvile on his Facebook page during the election campaign.
In one message he told him to jump off the Tamar Bridge that crosses between Devon and Cornwall.
"I did mean it literally," Isaac said.
"I do not regret anything".
The court heard he told police he had made the posts "in the pub after a couple of beers."
The Exeter University student also told police "feelings were running high" in the run-up to the election and he meant "no harm" to Mr Colvile.
He told officers he is a "pacifist who abhors violence" and it was "a joke that was not funny".
Ministers have announced an inquiry into intimidation of election candidates. | A Labour supporter told a Conservative general election candidate that "assassination was too good for him" and told him to jump off a high bridge. |
38225927 | The European Commission's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has suggested that any deal will need to be concluded within 18 months rather than two years.
That is to leave enough time for the UK, the 27 other EU countries and the European Parliament to approve the Brexit plan.
The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said that would be "ample time" to sort the terms of the UK's departure.
In his first news conference since taking on his new role, Mr Barnier said the negotiations would be "legally complex".
Having different arrangements for different parts of the UK would obviously add to that complexity.
Mr Barnier has said the EU will do its "utmost" to tackle the issues Brexit raises in Northern Ireland, which will have the UK's only land frontier with the EU.
But the European Commission will not speculate on what may or may not be possible for Scotland.
It regards that as an internal matter for the UK to resolve ahead of Brexit negotiations.
Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, wants to keep Scotland in the European single market, even if the rest of the UK is leaving.
The chancellor, Philip Hammond, appeared to rule out such a special arrangement on a visit to Edinburgh last week.
It was "not a realistic prospect" he said.
The Scottish government has said it will publish proposals to maintain Scotland's EU links by the end of the year.
One option Ms Sturgeon has said is being looked at is the so-called Norway model.
Norway is in the European Economic Area as a member of the European Free Trade Association, which under current rules can only be joined by independent states.
Any special arrangement for Scotland would require UK and EU backing.
The UK seems very unlikely to go down this route and the EU is very clear that it will only negotiate with the UK government.
In other words, it will discuss what the UK brings to the table.
However, BBC Scotland understands that Michel Barnier will be happy to meet other interested parties once the talks get under way.
That potentially includes the Scottish government.
Separately, it appears the SNP's international affairs spokesman, Alex Salmond, has asked to see Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels ahead of December's EU summit.
President Juncker appointed Michel Barnier as the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator in July - a month after the UK's referendum vote to leave the EU.
At the time, he said he "wanted an experienced politician for this difficult job".
A former French foreign minister and MEP, Mr Barnier also reformed the banking system as European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Financial Services.
He has a reputation as a tough negotiator.
Since taking up his current role on 1 October, Mr Barnier has shuttled between European capitals consulting EU member governments.
He has also held an initial courtesy meeting with the UK Brexit secretary, David Davis.
Mr Barnier has denied reports that he intended to conduct negotiations in French.
On social media he said that he worked as often in English as in French and that the "linguistic regime" would need to be agreed between both sides.
The formal negotiations will only begin when the UK triggers the exit process under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.
Theresa May intends to do that by the end of March 2017.
The UK Supreme Court must first decide if she has the power to start the process without parliament's approval.
The Scottish government is among those represented in the case.
It wants the UK to seek the consent of the devolved administrations for Brexit legislation.
This would not give Holyrood a veto because any objections could be overruled by Westminster.
That would cause a clash between the governments in Edinburgh and London.
The former first minister, Alex Salmond said this would amount to a "constitutional crisis" that would be to Scotland's advantage.
The Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson, has warned against an "unnecessarily divisive Brexit" and has previously urged the SNP not to pursue a second independence referendum.
The Scottish government is consulting on a draft referendum bill to keep the option of another vote on independence open.
Ms Sturgeon has said she would seek the explicit legal authority to hold the vote from the UK government, if she wants to go ahead.
Opinion polls suggest there has been little change in the overall level of support for independence since the 2014 referendum which the "no" side won 55% - 45%.
The Scottish Labour leader, Kezia Dugdale, is due to give a speech on Wednesday outlining plans for a more powerful Scottish Parliament within the UK following the Brexit vote. | The timetable for Brexit negotiations just got a little tighter. |
35476843 | The Magpies spent £29m in January and had a £21m offer for striker Saido Berahino rejected by West Brom the day before transfer deadline day.
"We wanted to take this club forward, and that will only progress through investment," said McClaren.
"To make a huge bid like that for Saido shows the ambition we've got."
Newcastle signed Jonjo Shelvey from Swansea, Andros Townsend from Tottenham and Henri Saivet from Bordeaux on permanent deals and Roma's Seydou Doumbia on loan during the January transfer window.
McClaren said the signing of 22-year-old Berahino would have been a "bonus".
"It's a very, very good squad now," he said. "This window was important. I am very pleased with it.
"We've done great business - they're four very good signings.
"Now we have to gel everybody together and, the last third of the season, really go for it."
Newcastle, who are in the Premier League relegation zone, face Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday. | Newcastle's £83m spending spree since the end of last season is "just the beginning", says manager Steve McClaren. |
35940201 | Foster Christian, 53, of Dickens Avenue in the city, is charged with the murder of Simon Gorecki and Natasha Sadler.
Mr Gorecki, 47, and Ms Sadler, 40, were found when police were called to the property on Tuesday.
Mr Christian is also charged with two counts of grievous bodily harm. He is due to appear before Medway Magistrates Court on Friday.
A 16-year-old boy who was described as being in a critical condition following the argument is now stable, Kent Police said.
Two women, aged 18 and 35, who were arrested early on Thursday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice are still in custody, the force added. | A man has been charged with the murder of two people following an altercation at a property in Canterbury. |
17982339 | The Chilgrove mosaic, discovered at Chilgrove Roman Villa, had to be moved in four sections, from Chichester District Museum to the Novium.
The museum has been built to display the remains of a Roman bath house.
Chichester residents can win the chance to visit the museum the day before it opens to the public on 8 July.
The Chilgrove mosaic will be sited opposite the remains of the bath house, which were excavated in the 1970s.
They were later preserved under a temporary car park but it was always the hope of the city council that a museum would one day stand on the site.
"The public will be able to see some of Chichester's extraordinary heritage in a wonderful setting," said Councillor Myles Cullen.
"The new museum is magnificent. It is sure to become one of the jewels in Chichester's crown.
"Not only will the museum attract local people but also visitors from far and wide. It will give a major boost to the local economy."
Novium will have about 150,000 artefacts, both on display and in storage.
"Together these tell the story of the district and the people that have lived here and influenced its development," said Novium manager Tracey Clark.
Residents will be able to apply for one of 40 "golden tickets" to preview the museum. | A Roman mosaic dating from the 4th Century in the first object to be installed in a new museum due to open in West Sussex in the summer. |
30794110 | The telecoms equipment maker's growth was driven by the global adoption of fourth-generation (4G) mobile technology.
Its revenue also increased by about 20% in the same period, the company said.
The Chinese conglomerate competes with the likes of Sweden's Ericsson for technology infrastructure such as mobile phone masts.
It is also in the race with other tech giants to develop 5G technology, while also being a player in the smartphone market.
Huawei's consumer business saw revenue rise by about 32% from a year ago thanks to the higher sales of its mid- to high-end range of mobile phones, it said in a statement.
The firm's growth comes despite it facing challenges in several major economies. In the US it was scrutinised for posing a security risk because of its alleged close ties with the Chinese government.
It has been banned from being involved in broadband projects in the US and Australia over espionage fears.
The company's final audited earnings results will be released in March. | Chinese tech giant Huawei said its operating profit in 2014 rose by about 17% from the previous year. |
39661339 | The justice ministry argued that the group had distributed pamphlets which incited hatred against other groups.
Lawyers representing the group reject the claims and say they will appeal.
The denomination says it has 175,000 members in Russia - a country where it was persecuted during the Stalin era.
An estimated eight million people worldwide are part of the Christian-based movement, best known for going door-to-door looking for new converts.
Jehovah's Witnesses at a glance
Practitioners of the faith argue that it means their activities from now on will be criminalised.
The justice ministry urged the court to close the group's national headquarters near St Petersburg, Russian news agencies reported, in addition to banning some of its "extremist" publications.
One pamphlet distributed by the group quoted the novelist Leo Tolstoy as describing the doctrine of the Russian Orthodox Church as superstition and sorcery.
Officials have accused the religion of destroying families, propagating hatred and endangering lives.
Jehovah's Witnesses say the accusations are completely untrue. A spokesman told the AFP news agency that he was "shocked" by the ruling.
"I didn't expect that this could be possible in modern Russia, where the constitution guarantees freedom of religious practice," Yaroslav Sivulsky said.
The Jehovah's Witnesses group was founded in the United States in the 19th century.
They take most of the Bible literally and refuse blood transfusions. They are not seen by traditional Christian Churches as a mainstream denomination.
During Joseph Stalin's reign of terror in the Soviet Union it was outlawed and thousands of members were deported to Siberia. Other Christian groups were also persecuted.
As the Soviet Union collapsed, there was a revival of Christianity in Russia and the ban on Jehovah's Witnesses was lifted in 1991.
Gradually attitudes towards the movement hardened again and in 2004 it was accused of recruiting children and preventing believers from accepting medical assistance.
Human rights group Sova has argued that an "official repressive campaign" has been conducted against the movement for years and many of their members have been physically attacked. | Russia's Supreme Court has accepted the government's request to designate Jehovah's Witnesses as an outlawed religious group, deeming it to be an extremist organisation. |
37242696 | The British telecoms company said it had notified Valve "on multiple occasions" about the infringements, but received no reply.
The four patents concern computer and video game platforms, digital distribution services and personalised access to online services and content.
The case was filed in the US state of Delaware.
Many patent cases are filed there because of its reputation for favouring patent-holders.
Valve owns Steam, the world's largest digital PC games distribution platform.
"BT's constant investment in innovation has seen it develop a large portfolio of patents which are valuable corporate assets, so it is only right that BT protects its investment," said a company spokesman.
The technologies and features covered by the patents are widely used by many digital services, including another gaming platform Twitch as well as YouTube. Valve could not be reached for comment.
BT has attempted legal action against other companies in the past.
It unsuccessfully tried to sue American internet service provider Prodigy in 2002, saying it had invented hyperlinks and was owed royalties.
It also tried suing Google in 2011 over patent infringement, resulting in Google counter-suing two years later. | BT is taking legal action against games platform Valve, claiming it has used its technologies without permission. |
37888327 | Customers have complained about money being withdrawn without permission, cards being blocked and long delays to get through to the bank on the phone.
The bank said its anti-fraud systems had identified "suspicious activity" on some customer accounts.
It said the customers affected were in their "thousands but less than 10,000".
By Sunday evening, Tesco Bank said it had spoken to the majority of those customers affected and any stolen money would be refunded from Monday onwards and "within 24 business hours".
Some cards had been immediately blocked as a precautionary measure, but affected customers were still be able to use online banking and carry out chip and pin transactions, the company said.
It said customers should contact the bank if they had any concerns, but added: "We can reassure our customers that they will not lose out as a result."
Alan Baxter from Berwick-upon-Tweed said he had lost £600, leaving him with just £21.88 in the bank.
He said: "Tesco said they couldn't offer me emergency funds but would offer £25 as a goodwill gesture.
"I've got food and petrol to pay for. I have a delivery of coal coming tomorrow for our coal-fired heater and I won't be able to pay."
Kevin Smith, from Blackpool, said he had lost £500 from one account and £20 from another.
He said: "I was just about to go to bed last night when I received a text message from Tesco saying there had been fraud on my account. So of course you panic."
Other customers complained on Tesco Bank's website and on social media about long delays when calling the company's customer service line to find out if their account was affected.
"Appalling service here. Woken at 4am to say contact urgently. Spent over three hours on hold. No answer," one wrote.
Another wrote: "Been waiting 40 mins to get through to @TescoBankNews. I hope my money is safe..."
A third said: "My weekend is not going very well, thanks to Tesco Bank. Money has vanished from my account and you don't even answer the phone."
Robert Schifreen, editor of the computer safety website Security Smart, said Tesco Bank must tell people what happened and how fraudsters obtained customers' bank details.
"It could be, for example, that people have been attaching skimming devices, card readers and cameras specifically to Tesco's cash point machines, so that they've been capturing people's accounts there," he told the BBC.
"It could be somebody who works at Tesco Bank who's had access to the database. It could be somebody else, who Tesco have passed information to, and that information has been hacked."
The Financial Conduct Authority says banks must refund unauthorised payments immediately, unless they have evidence that the customer was at fault or the payment was more than 13 months ago.
Banks are also required to refund any charges or interest added to your account as a result of the fraudulent payments.
Tesco Bank has been owned by Tesco plc since 2008, after starting as a joint venture with Royal Bank of Scotland.
The bank has more than seven million customer accounts and 4,000 staff, based in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle. | Thousands of Tesco Bank current account customers appear to have been targeted by fraudsters, with some saying they have lost hundreds of pounds. |
38779377 | The Heed made a bright start but were made to wait until the 27th minute for a breakthrough, with Jordan Burrow nudging the ball over the line after James Bolton's initial effort was blocked.
The opener may have been scrappy, but George Smith's fine strike from 25 yards made it 2-0 just before half-time as he notched his first goal for Gateshead.
Danny Johnson put the result beyond doubt just after the hour after picking up Wes York's through ball to finish between Magnus Norman's legs.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Gateshead 3, Southport 0.
Second Half ends, Gateshead 3, Southport 0.
Patrick McLaughlin (Gateshead) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution, Gateshead. Nyal Bell replaces Danny Johnson.
Goal! Gateshead 3, Southport 0. Danny Johnson (Gateshead).
Substitution, Southport. Ashley Grimes replaces Jamie Allen.
Substitution, Southport. Ben McKenna replaces Declan Weeks.
Second Half begins Gateshead 2, Southport 0.
First Half ends, Gateshead 2, Southport 0.
Goal! Gateshead 2, Southport 0. George Smith (Gateshead).
James Bolton (Gateshead) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Goal! Gateshead 1, Southport 0. Jordan Burrow (Gateshead).
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up. | Gateshead got back to winning ways with a comfortable National League triumph over Southport. |
37823464 | In his view the announcement that the FBI was reviewing new material in the Hillary Clinton emails inquiry "changes everything". He called on his supporters to "prevent her taking her criminal scheme into the White House".
The mere fact that the FBI is looking at new material justifies, in Donald Trump's mind, his frequent references to "crooked" Hillary. It doesn't matter that so far there is more innuendo than fact.
The FBI has not even looked at the material, let alone been able to judge whether it is significant or produces new evidence that she was "careless" with classified information.
Trump believes it bolsters his narrative that Mrs Clinton is guilty of "criminal and illegal conduct" and is at the epicentre of a "rigged" system.
It means that if Mrs Clinton becomes president many will doubt her legitimacy. She will be tainted. Already some Republicans are promising further investigations even if she wins the presidency.
It should be noted that quite a few Democrats shake their heads in bewilderment that after all this time Mrs Clinton has not been able to put the email controversy to rest.
A few days ago I walked down a line waiting to access a Trump event. A surprising number of people thought there would be fraud, even though the elections are conducted on a state basis, many of which are controlled by Republicans.
What was more disturbing was the number who said they would not accept the result if Mrs Clinton won. It was not a majority but neither was it only one or two.
Among the Trump crowd she is not just disliked; it runs deeper, it borders on hatred.
The Republican candidate tells them she should be in prison and the crowd roars back "lock her up". If she is, as Mr Trump alleges, a "crook" then some ask if there is a duty to resist. Some of his supporters wear T-shirts with the slogan "trump that bitch".
What they will do with their anger if they do not get the result they want is difficult to gauge. On the fringes there is talk of resistance, of revolution. Some report people joining militias.
If Mr Trump loses, a heavy responsibility will fall on his shoulders. Will he accept defeat or encourage the view that the election was stolen and so shake the foundations of American democracy?
There are sometimes legitimate questions after a vote. In 2004, John Kerry waited until the day after the election to concede, having wanted more detail on voting in Ohio. In 2000 there were long legal battles over the vote in Florida but, in the end, Al Gore accepted the court's decision.
But Mr Trump speaks of a wider conspiracy involving the media, international finance and corrupt politicians.
Mr Trump will be under huge pressure to accept the result. His problem is that his tone and language have been so harsh towards Mrs Clinton that congratulating a woman he had denounced as "crooked" and a "liar" would be very difficult.
The election has exposed a badly divided country with many voters uncomfortable with both candidates. Some talk of a need for healing but, for the moment, the virtues of bipartisanship and collegiality have been replaced by a dog-eats-dog, winner-takes-all politics.
When Mr Trump heard of the new FBI enquiry he opined that "maybe the system is not as rigged as I thought".
His critique changes if events move in his favour, but if he loses he has encouraged his supporters to doubt American democracy.
"Rigged" is a word loosely used but potentially dangerous. | Donald Trump tweeted that there would not be another day as good as last Friday. |
35729801 | People on board a number of flights said firms had not turned up to clear ice from their planes - forcing the aircraft to queue to be de-iced.
Earlier, Manchester Airport reported "minor delays to departing aircraft".
It said de-icing was the responsibility of airlines and their ground teams but its staff "stepped in to assist".
A Manchester Airport spokesperson said airport staff helped with the "organisation of de-icing, when it was clear a back log was forming and third parties needed assistance".
"At no time today did the airport's infrastructure or services falter."
A Flybe spokesperson said in "exceptional circumstances" like Friday's heavy snow "it is ultimately the airport that directs the priority in which the de-icing rigs should service the aircraft".
"Airlines can advise their preferences but have no control over any final decision that in such an instance is wholly directed by the airport."
Liz Shimmin, who is due to fly to the Isle of Man with her three-year-old child, said they boarded their Flybe plane at 08:30 GMT but were still waiting after they had been told that they were second in the queue for the de-icer.
She said information had been "inconsistent" and passengers were feeling cold as the doors were being kept open.
Shirley Hale, who is on a Jet2 flight bound for Tenerife, said tempers were "beginning to fray" as passengers waited for information.
Jet2 has yet to respond.
BBC North West Tonight presenter Carol Lowe, who was due to fly with Easyjet to Switzerland, said she had been sitting for more than three hours in a plane that was waiting to be de-iced.
"We were due to leave for Geneva at 10:50 but didn't board until midday - at that point we were told the aircraft was number 30 in a queue to be de-iced.
"No sign of that happening yet. The pilot and crew have been fantastic and have been handing out snacks. For now it's a case of sitting tight until it stops snowing."
An Easyjet spokesman confirmed nine flights to and from Manchester Airport had been cancelled and one flight had been diverted to Liverpool.
"While the circumstances are outside of the airline's control, easyJet apologises for any inconvenience caused," he said.
"We are continuing to review the situation and would like to reassure passengers that we are doing everything possible to minimise the disruption."
The airport said it was "fully open for flights" but advised passengers to check the status of their flights with their airline. | Passengers at Manchester Airport have been stuck "for hours" inside planes waiting to take off due to a lack of de-icers, it has been claimed. |
13217693 | He spent several minutes shaking hands, chatting and posing for pictures on Thursday, telling well-wishers: "All I've got to do is get the lines right."
The couple say they have been "incredibly moved" by public reaction.
In a message in their official wedding programme they thanked "everyone most sincerely for their kindness".
During Friday's Westminster Abbey ceremony Miss Middleton will vow to "love, comfort, honour and keep" Prince William but will not vow to obey him.
The service will be the epitome of "Britishness", St James's Palace said.
VisitBritain has predicted more than 600,000 people will be on the streets to watch Friday's events and several hundred are already camping out in tents and sleeping bags outside the abbey and in The Mall.
Prince William, who is spending the evening with the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry, emerged from his London home Clarence House to walk to The Mall at about 2030 BST.
Some of the the crowd were spending the night on the street and the prince asked them about their preparations.
Earlier, the Duchess of Cornwall also met some of the fans in The Mall.
She described Prince William and Miss Middleton as being "all ready" for their big day and said the Royal Family were "very excited".
How to watch the day's events
Explore Westminster Abbey
Seating plan
Route map
Video tour of the route
Weather forecast
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office says the invitation for the Syrian ambassador in London has been withdrawn following reports that up to 400 pro-democracy protesters have been killed in Syria by security forces in recent weeks.
A Foreign Office statement said: "Buckingham Palace shares the view of the Foreign Office that it is not considered appropriate for the Syrian ambassador to attend the wedding."
Earlier on Thursday Miss Middleton took part in her last rehearsal at Westminster Abbey, with best man Prince Harry, the bridesmaids and pageboys.
Miss Middleton and her family are gathering at the Goring Hotel in Belgravia.
She arrived at the hotel at about 1745 BST accompanied by her mother and sister and stood outside for a short while as photographers took pictures.
Some 50 foreign heads of state are among the 1,900 invited guests attending the wedding.
Meanwhile the Queen has hosted an event for British and foreign royals at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, near Hyde Park, in central London.
British royals including the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex attended, as well as princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lord Freddie Windsor and Lady Gabriella, and Zara Phillips and fiancee Mike Tindall were also there.
Other royal guests included Prince Pavlos of Greece and Princess Marie-Chantal, Queen Sofia of Spain, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain.
Queen Margarethe of Denmark, Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and Princess Katherine, the Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg, King Harald of Norway and Queen Sonia also attended.
It has emerged that the Queen will leave for a weekend away after hosting the wedding day lunchtime reception, giving over Buckingham Palace for William and Kate's black tie party in the evening.
It means the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will miss Prince Harry's best man's speech and Michael Middleton's father-of-the-bride address.
In their official wedding programme released on Thursday, the royal couple's message reads: "We are both so delighted that you are able to join us in celebrating what we hope will be one of the happiest days of our lives.
"The affection shown to us by so many people during our engagement has been incredibly moving, and has touched us both deeply.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone most sincerely for their kindness."
Details of the order of service were also released.
The bride will walk up the aisle to coronation anthem I Was Glad, by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, from Psalm 122.
It was composed for the crowning of Prince William's great-great-great grandfather, Edward VII, at Westminster Abbey in 1902.
The couple have chosen to use the Series One (1966) Book of Common Prayer ceremony.
Classical compositions by Elgar, Britten and Vaughan Williams will feature during the ceremony, alongside the hymn Jerusalem and the English melody Greensleeves.
St James's Palace said many of the "stunning" pieces were chosen by the royal couple for their "theatre".
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, Miss Middleton's parents - Carole and Michael Middleton - her sister Pippa and her brother James will all act as witnesses and sign the marriage registers.
James Middleton will also give The Lesson, reading Romans 12: 1-2, 9-18.
The souvenir wedding programme is available to download free as a PDF from the official Royal Wedding website.
The booklet will be sold for £2 a copy along the processional route, with proceeds going to the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.
Follow the latest from Peter HuntWorld awaits royal wedding
Train companies have warned 400,000 people are expected to travel by train into central London on Friday - a 15% rise in passengers compared with a normal public holiday - but say they will be able to cope.
It is anticipated the events will be watched by millions of people worldwide on television.
Thousands of journalists have descended on London and makeshift studios are outside Buckingham Palace and along the wedding route.
Scotland Yard has indicated it would take pre-emptive action to stop people causing trouble and said it "brought forward" three raids on premises in the capital, believed to be occupied by squatters, because of the wedding.
But Labour backbencher John McDonnell raised a point of order in the Commons describing the action - which the Metropolitan Police said was not "specifically related" to the wedding - as "disproportionate".
The Met Office says Friday will start off dry but cloudy in London. It will become brighter through the morning, with some sunny spells, but there is a 30% risk of showers about noon when Prince William and his bride are expected to emerge from Westminster Abbey after the wedding.
Forecasters also say there is a risk of heavy showers developing later on. Temperatures in the capital are expected to reach a high of 19C (66F) in the afternoon. | Prince William has gone on an impromptu walkabout ahead of his wedding to Kate Middleton to meet royal watchers gathered near Buckingham Palace. |
39293369 | The former Manchester United star, 42, and ex-team-mate Ryan Giggs, 43, asked Manchester City Council to delay making a decision on whether to allow plans including two skyscrapers in the city.
They will now revise their ideas which were described by Historic England as a threat to "erase" the area's history.
However, Mr Neville insisted he believed in the "scale" of the plans.
The St Michael's development, near Manchester Town Hall, includes a 200-bed five-star hotel, 153 apartments, 135,000 sq ft of offices and a synagogue.
Retail and leisure space, including two sky bars/restaurants, is planned for the 31-storey Number One St Michael's skyscraper and a 21-storey office tower would be housed in Number Two St Michael's.
However, the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub - said to be the inspiration for the pub in the BBC's Life On Mars programme - and Bootle Street's former police station would have to be bulldozed, drawing the ire of local conservationists.
Speaking at a property conference in the French city of Cannes, Mr Neville said: "From our point of view there is no doubt that some of the suggestions, made to us during the consultation process, we need to listen to.
"We need to refine certain aspects of it and make changes to certain aspects.
"We still fundamentally believe in [the] scale [of the project], we still fundamentally believe in the buildings being tall in that zone.
"That is the absolute belief we have."
The former footballers say the scheme will create 1,500 jobs and Mr Neville stressed he wanted the development to be "perfect".
A council spokesman confirmed the footballers' representatives had requested their planning application be put on hold. | Gary Neville has put his £200m property development plans on hold following criticism from conservationists. |
35531590 | William Burns, 55, from Paisley is charged with attempting to murder Ross Sherlock at Dornoch Place, near St Helen's Primary in Bishopbriggs.
Prosecutors claim he acted with another and the incident on 24 September 2015 was aggravated by organised crime.
Mr Burns made no plea or declaration during an appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court and was remanded in custody.
Papers from the court allege that while acting with another, Mr Burns "with face partially masked, did present a handgun at him and repeatedly discharge said handgun striking him on the body to his injury and to the danger of life".
Mr Burns is due to appear in court again next week for a full committal hearing. | A man has appeared in court charged with shooting a man near a primary school in East Dunbartonshire. |
38193059 | The Tigers went ahead through Robert Snodgrass' controversial penalty before Christian Benteke equalised with another spot-kick.
Wilfried Zaha blasted the Eagles ahead, but Hull benefited from poor Palace defending as Adama Diomande and Jake Livermore scored twice in a six-minute period to put the hosts back in front.
But Campbell, who played 38 times for Hull in the 2007-08 season, headed in from Zaha's cross to make it 3-3.
27 mins (1-0) - Hull take a controversial lead after Snodgrass had gone down in the penalty area, despite there appearing to be no contact from Scott Dann, before sending Wayne Hennessey the wrong way with the penalty.
52 mins (1-1) - Crystal Palace equalise through Benteke's penalty after Zaha fell over Snodgrass' challenge.
70 mins (1-2) - Zaha jinks into the box and unleashes a powerful shot past David Marshall.
72 mins (2-2) Diomande turns smartly on the edge of the area, taking out Palace defenders Damien Delaney and Dann, before shooting past Hennessey.
78 mins (2-3) Livermore runs past Yohan Cabaye and Dann to fire Hull into the lead.
89 mins (3-3) Zaha's cross from the right wing is met by Campbell, who got ahead of marker Curtis Davies to equalise.
The main talking point from the match was referee Mike Jones' decision to give Hull a first-half penalty.
Dann slid in towards Snodgrass, but the Eagles defender pulled his own leg away with Snodgrass crumpling to the floor despite replays clearly showing that there was no contact between the players.
Palace boss Alan Pardew said: "I feel genuinely sorry for the referee because of the angle, the player has really fabricated that.
"It really frustrates us. There's no point trying to protect players when they dive. We then get a yellow card for Dann for complaining. Does that then get transferred to Snodgrasss?
"We all want it (diving) out of the game. Snodgrass needs to have a look at himself, he'll be embarrassed when he sees that back."
After the match, Snodgrass said: "I've not seen it. I thought the boy was going to come in so I tried to ride the tackle. The players weren't happy but I've not seen it again."
Hull boss Mike Phelan was asked if Snodgrass had dived and said: "The ref didn't feel that way, we take the penalty."
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Although a thrilling match for the supporters, the game highlighted the need for both managers to strengthen their defences when the January transfer window opens.
Hull have now conceded more goals than anyone in the division and only won once in 13 league games as they try to avoid an instant return to the Championship.
Two of their next three games are against Tottenham and Manchester City, while Palace, who have conceded 14 goals in their past four away matches, have to play Manchester United and then Chelsea.
Both managers have already said they hope to make signings next month and their hopes of staying in the top flight could depend on it.
Hull City manager Mike Phelan said: "I'm disappointed but also really proud of the way we played.
"We were on the front foot most of time, we were competitive - but when you score three at home and don't get a win, we should have seen it through.
"The last goal was a poor goal to concede, these things happen when you lose concentration.
"In January we need additions. The players want fresh faces, more energy, and we want to build on this squad."
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Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew: "We made defensive errors, scored three away from home and still have not won.
"When Wilf got the second we really should be seeing that out from there. We score goals but we just need to tighten up.
"There was a magnificent performance from Wilf. He was sublime. They couldn't cope with him and that goal is a contender for goal of the season."
Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy: "Wilfried Zaha was brilliant, the best I've seen him. It looked like he had a point to prove. They couldn't cope with him from the first minute.
"The longer the game went on, the more influential he was. He did defensive work too. He scored a special goal. His crossing can let him down but he's obviously been working on it."
Ex-Palace striker Ian Wright on MOTD: "Robert Snodgrass dived. He's just gone down. He's expecting Scott Dann to tackle him, but he's not tackled him.
"When you're under the kind of pressure Alan Pardew is under you need luck. Christian Benteke should have been awarded a penalty. Palace need the referees to do their bit."
Both sides are next in Premier League action on Wednesday, with Hull away at Tottenham and Palace at home to Manchester United (both 20:00 GMT).
Match ends, Hull City 3, Crystal Palace 3.
Second Half ends, Hull City 3, Crystal Palace 3.
Harry Maguire (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).
Jake Livermore (Hull City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace).
Substitution, Hull City. Markus Henriksen replaces Sam Clucas.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.
Goal! Hull City 3, Crystal Palace 3. Fraizer Campbell (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Wilfried Zaha with a cross.
Attempt missed. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Joel Ward.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Tom Huddlestone.
Attempt blocked. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Harry Maguire (Hull City).
Ezekiel Fryers (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Robert Snodgrass (Hull City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace).
Attempt blocked. Fraizer Campbell (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joel Ward with a cross.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Harry Maguire.
Attempt blocked. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Fraizer Campbell.
Attempt missed. Sam Clucas (Hull City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Andrew Robertson with a cross.
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Fraizer Campbell replaces Martin Kelly.
Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Harry Maguire (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace).
Goal! Hull City 3, Crystal Palace 2. Jake Livermore (Hull City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Robert Snodgrass.
Foul by Harry Maguire (Hull City).
Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Adama Diomande (Hull City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ahmed Elmohamady.
Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Joel Ward.
Goal! Hull City 2, Crystal Palace 2. Adama Diomande (Hull City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Harry Maguire.
Attempt missed. Tom Huddlestone (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Yohan Cabaye replaces James McArthur.
Goal! Hull City 1, Crystal Palace 2. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the top right corner following a corner.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Curtis Davies.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by David Marshall.
Attempt saved. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Wilfried Zaha.
Corner, Hull City. Conceded by James McArthur.
Offside, Hull City. Harry Maguire tries a through ball, but Adama Diomande is caught offside.
Adama Diomande (Hull City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott Dann (Crystal Palace). | A late equaliser from substitute Fraizer Campbell saw Crystal Palace snatch a draw at Hull City in a thrilling Premier League game. |
37695277 | Lawro's opponent for this week's Premier League fixtures is Joe Clarke, who won kayak gold for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics.
The 23-year-old Stafford and Stone Canoe Club slalom canoeist is a lifelong Stoke City fan and told BBC Sport: "I first went to watch them with my granddad when I was about eight.
"I just remember that it was very cold. But it is always cold there. That is what resonates with me as a Potters fan - it is always cold, but we always go."
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Winning Olympic gold gave Clarke the chance to meet his heroes at their training ground, and he had an eventful visit.
Clarke explained: "I went to see the Stoke players and staff when I got back from Rio, which was a crazy experience. They were all so friendly.
"I opened the door and was greeted by the captain, Ryan Shawcross, then had breakfast in the canteen with the rest of the team.
"I went out to kick a few balls afterwards and put in a few crosses to Crouchy (Peter Crouch). They were terrible, but he still tried to sink them."
You can make your own predictions now, compare them with those of Lawro and other fans, and try to take your team to the top of the leaderboard by playing the new BBC Sport Predictor game.
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
In the last round of fixtures, Lawro got six correct results, including one perfect score, from 10 Premier League matches. That gave him a total of 90 points.
He beat Strictly star Ed Balls, who got four correct results, with no perfect scores, for a total of 40 points.
All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless otherwise stated.
The Cherries thumped Hull last week and are going well, with only one defeat in their past six league games.
Eddie Howe's side have built up a bit of momentum and have got goals in them as well and, like their trip to West Brom last week, this is a tough one for Tottenham.
Dele Alli's late equaliser against the Baggies maintained their unbeaten start to the league season.
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But they relied on goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to get them a draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, and I don't think they have picked up where they left off before the international break at the start of the month.
Spurs went to the south coast and stuck five goals past Bournemouth this time last year but I see a different outcome this time.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Joe's prediction: Bournemouth will put up a good fight but I am going for Spurs. 1-2
Boro are finding life tough in the top flight and it is their lack of goals that concerns me most.
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They have not picked up a single point this season after falling behind in a game, so the first goal is going to be very important on Saturday. You have to fancy Arsenal to get it.
The Gunners have now won seven games in a row in all competitions and it is hard not to see them making it eight on Saturday.
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Joe's prediction: 3-0
Burnley's home form is becoming even more important in their bid to stay up, because they pose hardly any threat when they play away.
I suspect Clarets boss Sean Dyche might tweak his formation to increase their attacking power but, even if he sticks with their usual 4-5-1, his side will hound the life out of Everton.
The Toffees showed against Manchester City last week that they can cope with sustained pressure and still look dangerous at the other end, but I see this one ending up all-square.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Joe's prediction: This is a tricky one. I quite fancy Burnley to sneak it. 1-0
Hull have conceded 17 goals in their past four league games and are just starting to fall apart.
As with the other newly promoted clubs, Middlesbrough and Burnley, it now appears that if you play well against them, you will beat them.
Stoke, in contrast, are looking far more solid of late and are now three games unbeaten. I think their improved run will continue.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Joe's prediction: The most important game of the weekend. Our last two results (a draw at Manchester United and home win over Sunderland) have been a bit more positive and the team has played better too - now let's see if we can keep that up and climb the table to where we should be.
Hopefully Jack Butland will be back in goal soon because he gives the other players a lot of confidence. Up the Potters! 0-2
Leicester's away form is a problem - they have lost all four on the road in the league and look completely open, which is the opposite of last season.
Things are different for the Foxes at home, though, where they remain unbeaten in the league.
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Islam Slimani is starting to look like a real threat to Jamie Vardy's place up front, which is what Vardy needs - he has not been playing badly, but he has also not scored in his past eight games for his club.
Vardy has not gone through a spell like this for a while and I think his problem is he is thinking about chances too much, and ends up snatching at them. Like most footballers, when he plays instinctively he is much better.
Palace's five-game unbeaten run in the league was ended by West Ham last week but they remain halfway up the table and, if they finish the season there, they will be happy.
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Joe's prediction: Leicester have not found their form from last season yet so I fancy Palace to get something here. 1-1
Swansea were decent in last week's win at Arsenal and played well in patches, although their better stuff came when the game had already gone away from them.
The Swans are going to find it more difficult when they have to take the initiative in games, especially against a Watford side that only got their first clean sheet of the season last weekend against Middlesbrough, but do not concede many goals.
I am going for a draw, which would be a far better result for Watford than it would be for Swansea.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Joe's prediction: 2-0
Sunderland's woes continued with another defeat - at Stoke - last week and their injury list is not getting any smaller either.
West Ham got an important win at Crystal Palace last week and will look to this game as a way of improving their record at the London Stadium too.
I fancy Black Cats striker Jermain Defoe to score against his old side, but I am backing the Hammers to come out on top.
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Joe's prediction: 0-1
The key for Liverpool will be dealing with West Brom's set-pieces. I was at Anfield for this fixture last season, a 2-2 draw that saw the Baggies bully them and punish them at corners and free-kicks.
The Reds also have to be careful that they don't over-elaborate in attack when Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho are on the ball.
Both Brazilians are outstanding players but it is frustrating when they try a lot of clever flicks when they should just look to hold the ball up and bring other players into the game.
I do still think Jurgen Klopp's side will create the most chances, however. If they can take them, they will win.
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Joe's prediction: I am going to have to go for Liverpool here - I will be in trouble with one of my friends if I don't. 2-0
Southampton look very solid at the back and do not seem to make too many mistakes. At the other end, Charlie Austin is going through the sort of spell where he cannot miss.
What Saints need is a combination of Austin's finishing prowess and Shane Long's legs - Long gets in lots of great positions but misses lots of chances, whereas Austin hardly seems to miss a chance, but cannot run away from anyone.
City's defeat by Barcelona means they have now gone four games without a win in all competitions, but they were still top of the league going into the weekend.
Some people might be painting it as a crisis at Etihad Stadium, but it really isn't.
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I am expecting Manchester City to bounce back from their 4-0 defeat at the Nou Camp in midweek. Sergio Aguero will be fit and available and he should start.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Joe's prediction: I can see a big win for City. 3-0.
Chelsea easily saw off Leicester at Stamford Bridge last time out but they will know better than to expect it to be easy when their former manager Jose Mourinho is back in town.
Mourinho did a job on Liverpool on Monday - when I looked at his team selection at Anfield, I wasn't convinced but it worked.
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United had pace in wide areas to combat Liverpool's numbers. They defended well and David de Gea made two good saves when he had to.
I would expect Mourinho to nullify Chelsea's attacking threat too, which is why I am going for another draw here - I just don't think enough of the Blues' forward players are performing well enough to break United down.
Victor Moses has been playing well, but we already know what he is capable of - the challenge for him is to produce that sort of form on a regular basis.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Joe's prediction: This should be tasty. I am going to sit on the fence because I cannot call it either way. 1-1
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
Lawro's best score: 140 points (week three v Laura Trott)
Lawro's worst score: 30 points (week four v Dave Bautista) | BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson will be making a prediction for all 380 Premier League games this season against a variety of guests. |
38885990 | Michael Peter Blanchard, 67, was flying solo when he is believed to have lost control and crashed into a tree.
The retired management consultant, of Pwllglas, near Ruthin, arrived in Kathmandu on 21 January.
The accident occurred the following day in the picturesque Pokhara district, about 120 miles from the capital.
He was rushed to the Metro City Hospital in Pokhara where he died the same day. He was identified by his passport.
At a brief hearing in Ruthin, John Gittins, the coroner for north Wales east and central, said a post-mortem examination carried out in Nepal found the cause of death to be "blunt force injuries to the head and pelvis".
The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association is carrying out an investigation.
The inquest was adjourned to a full hearing later in the year. | A Denbighshire man involved in a paragliding accident on his first full day in Nepal suffered head and leg injuries, a Ruthin inquest has heard. |
40297814 | Richard Cullen is known for representing high profile clients.
Earlier, US media reported that Donald Trump was being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice.
Mr Mueller is leading an FBI inquiry into Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Mr Mueller's team is also investigating the finances and business dealings of President Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the Washington Post has reported.
The Post previously reported that investigators were focusing on meetings Mr Kushner had held last year with senior Russian figures.
Reports in US media have said senior intelligence officials are to be interviewed on whether Mr Trump tried to end an inquiry into his sacked National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and about the firing of FBI chief James Comey.
Mr Trump - who has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia - said this was the latest action in a "phony story".
"You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people!" the US president tweeted.
Mr Pence's office announced the decision to hire Mr Cullen on Thursday. It said the vice-president had earlier interviewed several candidates.
"The vice president is focused entirely on his duties and promoting the president's agenda and looks forward to a swift conclusion of this matter," Mr Pence's spokesman Jarrod Agen said.
Mr Cullen, who is chairman of McGuireWoods LLP law firm, represented high profile clients such as former US congressman Tom DeLay and Elin Nordegren, ex-wife of golfer Tiger Woods.
He was also involved into the Iran-Contra and Watergate investigations.
Last month, President Trump hired his own lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, to handle Russia-related investigations by the FBI and US congressional committees.
The latest media reports say the obstruction of justice investigation began just days after Mr Trump fired Mr Comey on 9 May.
Mr Comey, who had been leading one of several Russia inquiries, testified to Congress last week that the president had pressured him to drop the inquiry into Mr Flynn.
Mr Flynn stepped down as the president's national security adviser in February after failing to reveal the extent of his contacts with Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to Washington.
Mr Comey testified under oath that Mr Trump had told him during a private meeting: "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go."
The White House has said the president "has never asked Mr Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn".
Mr Comey said he was "sure" Mr Mueller was looking at whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice.
But Mr Comey also testified that to his knowledge the president had not tried to stop the Russia investigation. | Vice-President Mike Pence has hired an outside lawyer to handle his response to inquiries into possible ties between President Trump's campaign and Russia. |
35616946 | How do government ministers and MPs from all the parties in the House of Commons line up? The tallies are changing and will be updated.
Tap here to enter your postcode.
* Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, backed the Remain campaign before her death on 16 June.
Those who want to remain in the EU:
* Members who attend cabinet
Those who want the UK to leave the EU:
* Members who attend cabinet
**Attends Conservative political cabinet meetings
Remain camp
The following MPs have put on the record their intention to campaign to remain in the EU:
Peter Aldous - Waveney
Heidi Allen - Cambridgeshire South
Edward Argar- Charnwood
Victoria Atkins - Louth and Horncastle
Harriett Baldwin - Worcestershire West
Gavin Barwell - Croydon Central
Guto Bebb - Aberconwy
Richard Benyon - Newbury
Paul Beresford - Mole Valley
James Berry - Kingston and Surbiton
Jake Berry - Rossendale and Darwen
Nicola Blackwood - Oxford West and Abingdon
Nicholas Boles - Grantham and Stamford
Peter Bottomley - Worthing West
Karen Bradley - Staffordshire Moorlands
Steve Brine - Winchester
James Brokenshire - Old Bexley and Sidcup
Robert Buckland - Swindon South
Simon Burns - Chelmsford
Alistair Burt - Bedfordshire North East
Neil Carmichael - Stroud
James Cartlidge - Suffolk South
Alex Chalk - Cheltenham
Jo Churchill - Bury St Edmunds
Kenneth Clarke - Rushcliffe
Therese Coffey - Suffolk Coastal
Damian Collins - Folkestone and Hythe
Oliver Colvile - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Alberto Costa - South Leicestershire
Byron Davies - Gower
Caroline Dinenage - Gosport
Jonathan Djanogly - Huntingdon
Michelle Donelan - Chippenham
Oliver Dowden - Hertsmere
Jackie Doyle-Price - Thurrock
Flick Drummond - Portsmouth South
Alan Duncan - Rutland and Melton
Philip Dunne - Ludlow
Michael Ellis - Northampton North
Jane Ellison - Battersea
Tobias Ellwood - Bournemouth East
Charlie Elphicke - Dover
Graham Evans - Weaver Vale
David Evennett - Bexleyheath and Crayford
Mark Field - Cities of London and Westminster
Kevin Foster - Torbay
Lucy Frazer - Cambridgeshire South East
George Freeman - Norfolk Mid
Mike Freer - Finchley and Golders Green
Roger Gale - Thanet North
Edward Garnier - Harborough
Mark Garnier - Wyre Forest
David Gauke - South West Hertfordshire
Nick Gibb - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
John Glen - Salisbury
Robert Goodwill - Scarborough and Whitby
Richard Graham - Gloucester
Helen Grant - Maidstone and The Weald
Damian Green - Ashford
Dominic Grieve - Beaconsfield
Andrew Griffiths - Burton
Ben Gummer - Ipswich
Sam Gyimah - Surrey East
Luke Hall - Thornbury and Yate
Stephen Hammond - Wimbledon
Richard Harrington - Watford
Simon Hart - Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
Sir Alan Haselhurst - Saffron Walden
Oliver Heald - Hertfordshire NE
James Heappey - Wells
Peter Heaton-Jones - Devon North
Nick Herbert - Arundel and South Downs
Damian Hinds - Hampshire East
Simon Hoare - Dorset North
George Hollingbery - Meon Valley
Kevin Hollinrake - Thirsk and Malton
Kris Hopkins - Keighley
John Howell - Henley
Ben Howlett - Bath
Nigel Huddleston - Worcestershire Mid
Nick Hurd - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Margot James - Stourbridge
Robert Jenrick - Newark
Joseph Johnson - Orpington
Andrew Jones - Harrogate and Knaresborough
Marcus Jones - Nuneaton
Seema Kennedy - South Ribble
Simon Kirby - Brighton Kemptown
Julian Knight - Solihull
Mark Lancaster - Milton Keynes North
Phillip Lee - Bracknell
Jeremy Lefroy - Stafford
Brandon Lewis - Great Yarmouth
David Lidington - Aylesbury
David Mackintosh - Northampton South
Alan Mak - Havant
Tania Mathias - Twickenham
Mark Menzies - Fylde
Johnny Mercer - Plymouth Moor View
Maria Miller- Basingstoke
Amanda Milling - Cannock Chase
Andrew Mitchell - Sutton Coldfield
David Morris - Morecombe and Lunesdale
James Morris - Halesowen and Rowley Regis
Wendy Morton - Aldridge-Brownhills
David Mowat - Warrington South
Bob Neill - Bromley and Chislehurst
Sarah Newton - Truro and Falmouth
Caroline Nokes - Romsey and Southampton North
Guy Opperman - Hexham
Neil Parish - Tiverton and Honiton
Mark Pawsey - Rugby
John Penrose - Weston-super-Mare
Claire Perry - Devizes
Chris Philp - Croydon South
Eric Pickles - Brentwood and Ongar
Dan Poulter- Suffolk Central
Rebecca Pow - Taunton Deane
Victoria Prentis - Banbury
Mark Prisk - Hertford and Stortford
Mark Pritchard - The Wrekin
Jeremy Quin - Horsham
Mary Robinson - Cheadle
David Rutley - Macclesfield
Antoinette Sandbach - Eddisbury
Andrew Selous - South West Bedfordshire
Grant Shapps - Welwyn Hatfield
Alok Sharma - Reading West
Alec Shelbrooke - Elmet and Rothwell
Keith Simpson - Broadland
Chris Skidmore - Kingswood
Chloe Smith - Norwich North
Julian Smith - Skipton and Ripon
Nicholas Soames - Mid-Sussex
Amanda Solloway - Derby North
Caroline Spelman - Meriden
Mark Spencer - Sherwood
John Stevenson - Carlisle
Rory Stewart -Penrith and The Border
Gary Streeter - Devon South West
Mel Stride - Devon Central
Graham Stuart - Beverley and Holderness
Hugo Swire - East Devon
Maggie Throup - Erewash
Edward Timpson - Crewe and Nantwich
Kelly Tolhurst - Rochester and Strood
David Tredinnick - Bosworth
Tom Tugendhat - Tonbridge and Malling
Andrew Tyrie - Chichester
Ed Vaizey - Wantage
Shailesh Vara - North West Cambridgeshire
Robin Walker - Worcester
Ben Wallace - Wyre and Preston North
Matt Warman - Boston and Skegness
Angela Watkinson - Hornchurch and Upminster
Helen Whately - Faversham and Mid Kent
Chris White - Warwick and Leamington
Craig Whittaker - Calder Valley
Craig Williams - Cardiff North
Gavin Williamson - Staffordshire South
Rob Wilson - Reading East
Dr Sarah Wollaston - Totnes
The following Conservative MPs have stated their intention to campaign for the UK to leave the European Union:
Nigel Adams - Selby and Ainsty
Adam Afriyie - Windsor
Lucy Allan - Telford
David Amess - Southend West
Stuart Andrew - Pudsey
Caroline Ansell - Eastbourne
Richard Bacon - Norfolk South
Steven Baker - Wycombe
Stephen Barclay - North East Cambridgeshire
John Baron - Basildon and Billericay
Henry Bellingham - North West Norfolk
Andrew Bingham - High Peak
Bob Blackman - Harrow East
Crispin Blunt - Reigate
Peter Bone - Wellingborough
Victoria Borwick - Kensington
Graham Brady - Altrincham and Sale West
Julian Brazier - Canterbury
Andrew Bridgen - Leicestershire North West
Fiona Bruce - Congleton
Conor Burns - Bournemouth West
David Burrowes - Enfield, Southgate
Bill Cash - Stone
Maria Caulfield - Lewes
Rehman Chishti - Gillingham and Rainham
Christopher Chope - Christchurch
James Cleverly - Braintree
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - The Cotswolds
Geoffrey Cox - Devon West and Torridge
Christopher Davies - Brecon and Radnorshire
David Davies - Monmouth
Glyn Davies - Montgomeryshire
James Davies - Vale of Clwyd
Mims Davies - Eastleigh
Philip Davies - Shipley
David Davis - Haltemprice and Howden
Nadine Dorries - Bedfordshire Mid
Steve Double - St Austell and Newquay
Richard Drax - Dorset South
James Duddridge - Rochford and Southend East
Iain Duncan Smith - Chingford and Wood Green
George Eustice - Camborne and Redruth
Nigel Evans - Ribble Valley
Michael Fabricant - Lichfield
Suella Fernandes - Fareham
Dr Liam Fox - Somerset North
Mark Francois - Rayleigh and Wickford
Richard Fuller - Bedford and Kempston
Marcus Fysh - Yeovil
Nusrat Ghani - Wealden
Cheryl Gillan - Chesham and Amersham
Zac Goldsmith - Richmond Park and North Kingston
James Gray - Wiltshire North
Chris Green - Bolton West
Rebecca Harris - Castle Point
John Hayes - South Holland and The Deepings
Chris Heaton-Harris - Daventry
Gordon Henderson - Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Philip Hollobone - Kettering
Adam Holloway - Gravesham
Gerald Howarth - Aldershot
Stewart Jackson - Peterborough
Ranil Jayawardena - Hampshire North East
Bernard Jenkin - Harwich and Essex North
Andrea Jenkyns - Morley and Outwood
Gareth Johnson - Dartford
David Jones - Clwyd West
Daniel Kawczynski - Shrewsbury and Atcham
Greg Knight - Yorkshire East
Kwasi Kwarteng - Spelthorne
Andrea Leadsom - Northamptonshire South
Edward Leigh - Gainsborough
Charlotte Leslie - Bristol NW
Julian Lewis - New Forest East
Peter Lilley - Hitchin and Harpenden
Jack Lopresti- Filton, Bradley and Stoke
Jonathan Lord (Con, Woking
Tim Loughton - Worthing East and Shoreham
Karen Lumley - Redditch
Craig Mackinlay - Thanet South
Anne Main - St Albans
Kit Malthouse - North West Hampshire
Scott Mann - Cornwall North
Paul Maynard - Blackpool North and Cleveleys
Karl McCartney - Lincoln
Jason McCartney - Colne Valley
Stephen McPartland - Stevenage
Stephen Metcalfe - Basildon South and Thurrock East
Nigel Mills - Amber Valley
Penny Mordaunt - Portsmouth North
Anne-Marie Morris - Newton Abbot
Sheryll Murray - Cornwall South East
Andrew Murrison - Wiltshire South West
David Nuttall - Bury North
Matthew Offord - Hendon
Owen Paterson - Shropshire North
Mike Penning - Hemel Hempstead
Andrew Percy - Brigg and Goole
Stephen Phillips - Sleaford and North Hykeham
Christopher Pincher - Tamworth
Tom Pursglove - Corby
Will Quince - Colchester
Dominic Raab - Esher and Walton
John Redwood - Wokingham
Jacob Rees-Mogg - Somerset North East
Laurence Robertson - Tewkesbury
Andrew Rosindell - Romford
Paul Scully - Sutton and Cheam
Henry Smith - Crawley
Royston Smith - Southampton Itchen
Andrew Stephenson - Pendle
Bob Stewart - Beckenham
Iain Stewart - Milton Keynes South
Julian Sturdy - York Outer
Rishi Sunak - Richmond, North Yorkshire
Desmond Swayne - New Forest West
Robert Syms - Poole
Derek Thomas - St Ives
Justin Tomlinson - North Swindon
Michael Tomlinson - Mid Dorset and North Poole
Craig Tracey - Warwickshire North
Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Berwick-upon-Tweed
Andrew Turner - Isle of Wight
Martin Vickers - Cleethorpes
Charles Walker - Broxbourne
David Warburton - Somerton and Frome
James Wharton - Stockton South
Heather Wheeler - Derbyshire South
Bill Wiggin - Herefordshire North
Mike Wood - Dudley South
William Wragg - Hazel Grove
Nadhim Zahawi - Stratford-upon-Avon
Labour MPs who say they will campaign to remain in EU
Diane Abbott - Hackney North and Stoke Newington
Debbie Abrahams - Oldham East and Saddleworth
Heidi Alexander - Lewisham East
Rushanara Ali - Bethnal Green and Bow
Graham Allen - Nottingham North
David Anderson - Blaydon
Jon Ashworth - Leicester South
Ian Austin - Dudley North
Adrian Bailey - West Bromwich West
Kevin Barron - Rother Valley
Margaret Beckett - Derby South
Hilary Benn - Leeds Central
Luciana Berger - Liverpool Wavertree
Clive Betts - Sheffield South East
Roberta Blackman-Woods - City of Durham
Tom Blenkinsop - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Paul Blomfield - Sheffield Central
Ben Bradshaw - Exeter
Kevin Brennan - Cardiff West
Lyn Brown - West Ham
Nick Brown - Newcastle East
Chris Bryant - Rhondda
Karen Buck - Westminster North
Richard Burden - Birmingham, Northfield
Richard Burgon - Leeds East
Andy Burnham - Leigh
Dawn Butler - Brentford and Isleworth
Liam Byrne - Birmingham Hodge Hill
Ruth Cadbury - Brentford and Isleworth
Alan Campbell - Tynemouth
Sarah Champion - Rotherham
Jenny Chapman - Darlington
Ann Clwyd - Cynon Valley
Vernon Coaker - Gedling
Ann Coffey - Stockport
Julie Cooper - Burnley
Rosie Cooper - West Lancashire
Yvette Cooper - Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford
Jeremy Corbyn - Islington North
Neil Coyle - Southwark and Bermondsey
David Crausby - Bolton North East
Mary Creagh - Wakefield
Stella Creasy - Walthamstow
Jon Cruddas - Dagenham and Rainham
Judith Cummins - Bradford South
Alex Cunningham - Stockton North
Jim Cunningham - Coventry South
Nic Dakin - Scunthorpe
Simon Danczuk - Rochdale
Wayne David - Caerphilly
Geraint Davies - Swansea West
Gloria De Piero - Ashfield
Thangam Debbonaire - Bristol West
Stephen Doughty - Cardiff South and Penarth
Jim Dowd - Lewisham West and Penge
Peter Dowd - Bootle
Jack Dromey - Birmingham Erdington
Michael Dugher - Barnsley East
Angela Eagle - Wallasey
Maria Eagle - Garston and Halewood
Clive Efford - Eltham
Julie Elliott - Sunderland Central
Louise Ellman - Liverpool Riverside
Chris Elmore - Ogmore
Bill Esterson - Sefton Central
Chris Evans - Islwyn
Paul Farrelly - Newcastle under Lyme
Jim Fitzpatrick - Poplar and Limehouse
Robert Flello - Stoke-on-Trent South
Colleen Fletcher - Coventry North East
Caroline Flint - Don Valley
Paul Flynn - Newport West
Yvonne Fovargue - Makerfield
Vicky Foxcroft - Lewisham, Deptford
Gill Furniss - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
Mike Gapes - Ilford South
Barry Gardiner - Brent North
Pat Glass - Durham
Mary Glindon - North Tyneside
Helen Goodman - Bishop Auckland
Kate Green - Stretford and Urmston
Lillian Greenwood - Nottingham South
Margaret Greenwood - Wirral West
Nia Griffith - Llanelli
Andrew Gwynne - Denton and Reddish
Louise Haigh - Sheffield, Heeley
Fabian Hamilton - Leeds North East
David Hanson - Delyn
Harriet Harman - Camberwell and Peckham
Carolyn Harris - Swansea East
Helen Hayes - Dulwich and West Norwood
Sue Hayman - Workington
John Healey - Wentworth and Dearne
Mark Hendrick - Preston
Stephen Hepburn - Jarrow
Meg Hillier - Hackney South and Shoreditch
Margaret Hodge - Barking
Sharon Hodgson - Washington and Sunderland West
Kate Hollern - Blackburn
George Howarth - Knowsley
Tristram Hunt - Stoke-on-Trent Central
Rupa Huq - Ealing Central and Acton
Imran Hussain - Bradford East
Dan Jarvis - Barnsley Central
Alan Johnson - Hull West and Hessle
Diana Johnson - Hull North
Gerald Jones - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Graham Jones - Hyndburn
Helen Jones - Warrington North
Kevan Jones - North Durham
Susan Elan Jones - Clwyd South
Mike Kane - Wythenshawe and Sale East
Gerald Kaufman - Manchester Gorton
Barbara Keeley - Worsley and Eccles South
Liz Kendall - Leicester West
Sadiq Khan - Tooting
Stephen Kinnock - Aberavon
Peter Kyle - Hove
David Lammy - Tottenham
Ian Lavery - Wansbeck
Chris Leslie - Nottingham East
Emma Lewell-Buck - South Shields
Clive Lewis - Norwich South
Ivan Lewis - Bury South
Rebecca Long-Bailey - Salford and Eccles
Ian Lucas - Wrexham
Holly Lynch - Halifax
Steve McCabe - Birmingham Selly Oak
Kerry McCarthy - Bristol East
Siobhan McDonagh - Mitcham and Morden
Andy McDonald - Middlesbrough
John McDonnell - Hayes and Harlington
Pat McFadden - Wolverhampton South East
Conor McGinn - St Helens North
Alison McGovern - Wirral South
Liz McInnes - Heywood and Middleton
Catherine McKinnell - Newcastle upon Tyne North
Jim McMahon - Oldham West and Royton
Fiona Mactaggart - Slough
Justin Madders - Ellesmere Port and Neston
Khalid Mahmood - Birmingham Perry Barr
Shabana Mahmood - Birmingham, Ladywood
Seema Malhotra - Feltham and Heston
Rob Marris - Wolverhampton South West
Gordon Marsden - Blackpool South
Rachael Maskell - York Central
Christian Matheson - City of Chester
Alan Meale - Mansfield
Ian Mearns - Gateshead
Ed Miliband - Doncaster North
Madeleine Moon - Bridgend
Jessica Morden - Newport East
Grahame Morris - Easington
Ian Murray - Edinburgh South
Lisa Nandy - Wigan
Melanie Onn - Great Grimsby
Chi Onwurah - Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Kate Osamor - Edmonton
Albert Owen - Ynys Môn
Teresa Pearce - Erith and Thamesmead
Matthew Pennycook - Greenwich and Woolwich
Toby Perkins - Chesterfield
Jess Phillips - Birmingham, Yardley
Bridget Phillipson - Houghton and Sunderland South
Stephen Pound - Ealing North
Lucy Powell - Manchester Central
Yasmin Qureshi - Bolton South East
Angela Rayner - Ashton-under-Lyne
Jamie Reed - Copeland
Steve Reed - Croydon North
Christina Rees - Neath
Rachel Reeves - Leeds West
Emma Reynolds - Wolverhampton North East
Jonathan Reynolds - Stalybridge and Hyde
Marie Rimmer - St Helens South and Whiston
Geoffrey Robinson - Coventry North West
Steve Rotheram - Liverpool, Walton
Joan Ryan- Enfield North
Naz Shah - Bradford West
Virendra Sharma - Ealing, Southall
Barry Sheerman - Huddersfield
Paula Sherriff - Dewsbury
Gavin Shuker - Luton South
Tulip Siddiq - Hampstead and Kilburn
Andy Slaughter - Hammersmith
Ruth Smeeth - Stoke-on-Trent North
Andrew Smith - Oxford East
Angela Smith - Penistone and Stocksbridge
Cat Smith - Lancaster and Fleetwood
Jeff Smith - Manchester, Withington
Nick Smith - Blaenau Gwent
Owen Smith - Pontypridd
Karin Smyth - Bristol South
Keir Starmer - Holborn and St Pancras
Jo Stevens - Cardiff Central
Wes Streeting - Ilford North
Mark Tami - Alyn and Deeside
Gareth Thomas - Harrow West
Nick Thomas-Symonds - Torfaen
Emily Thornberry - Islington South
Stephen Timms - East Ham
John Trickett - Hemsworth
Anna Turley - Redcar
Karl Turner - Kingston upon Hull East
Derek Twigg - Halton
Stephen Twigg - Liverpool, West Derby
Chuka Umunna - Streatham
Keith Vaz - Leicester East
Valerie Vaz - Walsall South
Tom Watson - West Bromwich East
Catherine West - Hornsey and Wood Green
Alan Whitehead - Southampton Test
Phil Wilson - Sedgefield
David Winnick - Walsall North
Rosie Winterton - Doncaster Central
John Woodcock - Barrow and Furness
Iain Wright - Hartlepool
Daniel Zeichner - Cambridge
Labour MPs who back the UK leaving the EU
Ronnie Campbell - Blyth Valley
John Cryer - Leyton and Wanstead
Frank Field - Birkenhead
Roger Godsiff - Birmingham Hall Green
Kate Hoey - Vauxhall
Kelvin Hopkins - Luton North
John Mann - Bassetlaw
Dennis Skinner - Bolsover
Graham Stringer - Blackley and Broughton
Gisela Stuart - Birmingham Edgbaston
SNP MPs (all 54 backing Remain)
Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh - Ochil and South Perthshire
Richard Arkless - Dumfries and Galloway
Hannah Bardell - Livingston
Mhairi Black - Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Ian Blackford - Ross, Skye and Lochaber
Kirsty Blackman - Aberdeen North
Philip Boswell - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Deidre Brock - Edinburgh North and Leith
Alan Brown - Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Lisa Cameron - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
Douglas Chapman - Dunfermline and West Fife
Joanna Cherry - Edinburgh South West
Ronnie Cowan - Inverclyde
Angela Crawley - Lanark and Hamilton East
Martyn Day - Linlithgow and East Falkirk
Martin Docherty-Hughes - West Dunbartonshire
Stuart Donaldson - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Marion Fellows - Motherwell and Wishaw
Margaret Ferrier - Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Stephen Gethins - North East Fife
Patricia Gibson - North Ayrshire and Arran
Patrick Grady - Glasgow North
Peter Grant - Glenrothes
Neil Gray - Airdrie and Shotts
Brendan O'Hara - Argyll and Bute
Drew Hendry - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
Stewart Hosie - Dundee East
George Kerevan - East Lothian
Calum Kerr - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Chris Law - Dundee West
Callum McCaig - Aberdeen South
Stuart McDonald - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
Stewart McDonald - Glasgow South
John McNally - Falkirk
Angus MacNeil - Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Paul Monaghan - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Carol Monaghan - Glasgow North West
Roger Mullin - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Gavin Newlands - Paisley and Renfrewshire North
John Nicolson - East Dunbartonshire
Kirsten Oswald - East Renfrewshire
Steven Paterson - Stirling
Angus Robertson - Moray
Alex Salmond - Gordon
Tommy Sheppard - Edinburgh East
Christopher Stephens - Glasgow South West
Alison Thewliss - Glasgow Central
Owen George Thompson - Midlothian
Mike Weir - Angus
Eilidh Whiteford - Banff and Buchan
Philippa Whitford - Central Ayrshire
Corri Wilson - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Pete Wishart - Perth and North Perthshire
Mickey Brady (Sinn Fein - Newry and Armagh)
Tom Brake (Liberal Democrats - Carshalton and Wallington)
Alistair Carmichael (Lib Dem - Orkney and Shetland)
Nick Clegg (Lib Dem - Sheffield Hallam)
Pat Doherty (Sinn Fein - West Tyrone)
Mark Durkan (SDLP - Foyle)
Jonthan Edwards (Plaid Cymru - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Tim Farron (Lib Dem - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Sylvia Hermon - (Independent - North Down)
Danny Kinahan (UUP - South Antrim)
Norman Lamb (Lib Dem - North Norfolk)
Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Paul Maskey (Sinn Fein - Belfast West)
Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP - South Belfast)
Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Francie Molloy (Sinn Fein - Mid Ulster)
Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem - Leeds North West)
John Pugh (Lib Dem - Southport)
Margaret Ritchie (SDLP - South Down)
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Mark Williams (Lib Dem - Ceredigion)
Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Douglas Carswell (UKIP - Clacton)
Nigel Dodds (DUP - Belfast North)
Jeffrey M. Donaldson (DUP - Lagan Valley)
Tom Elliott (UUP - Fermanagh and South Tyrone)
Ian Paisley (DUP - North Antrim)
Gavin Robinson (DUP - Belfast East)
Jim Shannon (DUP - Strangford)
David Simpson (DUP - Upper Bann)
Sammy Wilson (DUP - East Antrim) | A deal has been done on renegotiating the UK's terms of membership of the EU and David Cameron has announced a 23 June referendum on whether the UK should stay in, or leave, the European Union. |
40414731 | The current agreement between Cricket Australia and the country's top players expires on 30 June and no new deal has been struck.
"It is extremely likely that as of 1 July we'll be jumping over the cliff together," said Dyer.
"The fundamentals of the deal are nowhere near to being resolved."
Former Test wicketkeeper Dyer added: "We will be assisting in whatever way we possibly can in that but they're unemployed."
In March, Cricket Australia proposed salary increases for men and women as part of a revised memorandum of understanding, but that meant players would no longer receive a percentage of the organisation's revenue.
This was rejected by the Australian Cricketers' Association, who also turned down a recent revised pay offer.
The dispute has put a question mark over the Australian men's team playing a two-Test series in Bangladesh scheduled for August, while they are scheduled to host England in the Ashes from 23 November to 8 January, 2018.
The women's team is currently in England for the Women's World Cup and are under contract until the end of the tournament. | More than 200 of Australia's senior cricketers will be "unemployed as of 1 July", says Australian Cricketers' Association president Greg Dyer. |
34866251 | An Australian educational body noted a "significant decline" in IT literacy among some students since 2011.
Its report said children learned very different skills on tablets and smartphones to the basic technology skills required for the workplace.
Changes to the way that ICT was being taught in Australian schools could explain some of the decline, it said.
The report added that significant alterations in the types of devices people use could also be behind some of the changes.
The report by Australia's National Assessment Programme looked at technology literacy among two groups of children - one just leaving primary school and another in its fourth year of secondary school. More than 10,500 students took part.
It compared digital literacy scores from 2011 with those from a survey carried out in late 2014.
"This report shows a significant decline in their ICT literacy performance when compared to previous cycles," it said.
Both age groups saw a decline in IT proficiencies, it added. Statistics revealed that the average performance of 16-year-olds in the 2014 group was lower than the average in any other year.
In addition it found that the number of children meeting basic ICT literacy standards in these age groups had dropped.
"These declines in performance are concerning and warrant serious attention," said the report.
The online survey asked children to complete a variety of tasks including
Pupils now made "increased" and "extensive" use of mobile technology and it was possible that this meant they were "practising fewer of the skills that have been associated with ICT literacy," it said.
Tablets and smartphones were making children competent at using many forms of online communication, it said, at the expense of those other skills emphasised by the curriculum.
It warned against assuming that children who use tablets and other portable devices were more widely competent with technology.
"We cannot expect students to become proficient on important employability and life skills, just by using computing devices for games and social interaction," it said. "They also need to be taught the relevant knowledge, understanding and skills."
Eben Upton, who came up with the idea for the bare-bones Raspberry Pi computer, said the Australian research presented some "interesting" conclusions.
"It's always been my belief that 'appliance-like' hardware platforms don't encourage real computer literacy because there are missing rungs on the ladder between being a consumer and being a producer," he told the BBC.
"There's a place for tablets in education, but we need to get away from the idea that knowing how to pinch-zoom makes your toddler the next Bill Gates," he said. | Children's growing use of mobile devices may hamper their learning of key technology skills, says a report. |
36754666 | Juba is in lockdown amid fresh fighting, apparently sparked by a shootout between the bodyguards of the leaders of the two factions. Some reports speak of dozens dead.
President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar have both called for calm.
A 2015 peace deal to end a 20-month civil war has failed to quell unrest.
'We want peace - and ice cream'
The latest clashes came after Mr Kiir and Mr Machar met at the presidential palace on Friday.
A half-hour shootout among bodyguards escalated into heavy weapon and then artillery fire in several parts of the city.
A doctor at a hospital told the Associated Press that soldiers had brought in scores of bodies, most of them military men, but this has not been independently verified.
An earlier deadly altercation on Thursday night left five soldiers dead at a checkpoint.
Mr Kiir and Mr Machar described Friday's violence as "unfortunate".
The rival armed factions both took up positions in April as part of the peace deal, which saw Mr Machar return to the country.
Tens of thousands died in the civil war and millions were forced from their homes.
South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, is so broke that the authorities say no official anniversary celebrations will be held.
But the streets of Juba were at least reported to be fairly quiet on Saturday. | South Sudan's capital, Juba, remained tense on Saturday, the fifth anniversary of its independence, after deadly clashes between rival factions. |
15663299 | The soldier, from the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, died on Wednesday at Babaji in Helmand province.
He was serving with 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment as a part of a Combined Force in Lashkar Gah. His next of kin have been informed.
The death of the soldier - the 385th in Afghanistan since 2001 - gives added poignancy to Remembrance Sunday.
Last week Private Matthew Haseldin, 21, of Settle, North Yorkshire, was killed in Afghanistan and during Prime Minister's Question Time David Cameron and Ed Miliband both paid tribute to him.
His body is due to be repatriated on Thursday.
Reacting to Wednesday's death, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Mackenzie, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "We are greatly saddened by the news of this soldier's death."
"We will keep him and his loved ones in our thoughts as we carry on with our important mission. His loss is not in vain," he added.
The 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment are based at Worsley Barracks in York.
The death comes in the middle of a row over England's footballers wearing poppies.
On Wednesday Fifa relented and agreed to allow England to wear the poppy symbol on their shirts during Saturday's friendly against Spain. | A British soldier has been killed by a bomb in Afghanistan - the 385th fatality since the campaign began. |
38519749 | Cornelius Van Der Wetering, 54, was last seen in the Tomich area, about 30 miles from Inverness, on Wednesday 28 December.
He had been staying at a guest house in Inverness.
It is thought he had planned a walk to Kyle of Lochalsh through Glen Affric, a distance of more than 70 miles.
Officers are appealing to any walkers, guest house owners, bus or taxi companies in the area to contact police if they have seen him.
Mr Van Der Wetering is described as tall, slim and with short grey hair. He was wearing outdoor clothing and carrying a large rucksack when last seen.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Mr Van Der Wetering was last seen in the Tomich area on 28 December, having previously stayed in guest house accommodation in Inverness.
"It is understood he planned to walk from Tomich towards Kyle of Lochalsh via Glen Affric.
"Officers are appealing to anyone who may have seen a man of his description walking in the Tomich/Glen Affric or Lochalsh areas since December 28 to make contact via 101." | Police are searching for a Dutch tourist who has been missing for more than a week after setting off on a walk in the Highlands. |
38969975 | Caledonian MacBrayne said 5,055,827 passengers and 1,356,396 cars travelled on its vessels in 2016.
The figures mark the first full year of the road equivalent tariff (RET) on the network, which aimed to equate ticket prices with the cost of road journeys.
The busiest route was Ardrossan to Brodick on the Isle of Arran.
The route carried 828,262 people and 202,843 cars in 2016 - an annual rise of 8.7% and 6.84% respectively.
The Largs to Isle of Cumbrae route was the second busiest, carrying 738,549 passengers and went up by 7.49 % on the previous year.
In terms of cars, there was a 74% rise in vehicles travelling on the Tobermory to Kilchoan crossing.
CalMac said a larger vessel would operate in summer 2017 to cater for the growth in numbers.
The Rothesay route was second-busiest with 172,897 cars, up 19.12% on the previous year's figures.
Across the network, 428,801 more passengers and 186,695 more cars travelled on CalMac's ferry services in 2016.
The RET scheme, which began a phased introduction in 2008, led to sharp drops in fares across several routes.
However, it took until October 2015 before there was full network coverage of the scheme.
The figures come after CalMac announced losses of £5m in November last year.
CalMac said 2016 was the first year since 1997 that it had carried more than five million passengers.
Managing director Martin Dorchester said: "Last year was our busiest in terms of passengers for two decades.
"This is a great reflection of the professionalism of our staff in dealing with an increase of more than 400,000 passengers and almost 190,000 cars whilst still running a smooth operation to help all our travellers, whether islanders or visitors, business or pleasure, to get where they are going."
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf added: "Cheaper fares bring benefits to locals, visitors and local businesses, making ferry travel more attractive and accessible, as well as providing a boost to the tourist trade."
CalMac said evidence on a number of routes suggested the reduction in fares had led to islanders journeying more, with many taking their cars with them. | Cheaper fares are being credited with attracting more than five million passengers to the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network last year. |
37221682 | The winger went over before Rangi Chase extended the lead, and the hosts were 34-8 ahead at half-time lead thanks to Luke Dorn and Paul McShane's tries.
Jake Webster touched down on his return from injury and Luke Gale capped his excellent display with a late try.
Victory was Castleford's third in four games, but their play-off hopes are over after St Helens beat Hull FC.
Wakefield scored five tries through Tom Johnstone, who went over twice, Reece Lyne, Bill Tupou and Nick Scruton.
Chris Chester's side have lost six matches in a row and remain bottom of Super League.
On-loan former England forward Ben Harrison, who had been out since November after surgery on his wrist, knee and ankle, made his long-awaited return for Wakefield.
Castleford: Dorn; Hampshire, Minikin, Webster, Solomona; Chase, Gale; Patrick, Milner, Springer, Holmes, Savelio, Moors.
Replacements: McShane, Millington, Cook, Maher.
Wakefield: Hall; Lyne, Arundel, B Tupou, Johnstone; Miller Finn; Scruton, Moore, Arona, Molloy, A Tupou, Harrison.
Replacements: Sio, Simon, Yates, Anderson.
Referee: Gareth Hewer. | Denny Solomona scored a first-half hat-trick as Castleford ran in eight tries to beat neighbours Wakefield. |
31901197 | Mr Assange sought refuge at the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over sex assault allegations.
On Friday, there was a U-turn from Swedish prosecutors who offered to travel to London to interview him.
Sympathisers with placards are expected to gather outside the embassy later.
Mr Assange sought asylum at the Ecuadorean Embassy on 19 June 2012 shortly after the supreme court rejected his final appeal against extradition.
He is wanted for questioning relating to one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation, and one count of rape against two women in 2010.
Mr Assange denies the allegations and has said they are part of a smear campaign against him.
He argues that if he is sent to Sweden, he could then be extradited to the US where he fears he will face the death penalty for publishing leaked US diplomatic cables.
For 1,000 days he has remained in a small room with a bed, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill and cooking facilities, the BBC's Jon Ironmonger said.
Last month, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe admitted the total cost of guarding the Embassy had exceeded £10 million. | Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange are to hold a vigil to mark his 1,000th day inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London. |
34113949 | The UK manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 51.5 in the month, down from 51.9 in July. Any score above 50 indicates expansion.
This was "well below" the index average over the past two-and-a-half years, compiler Markit said.
After two years of continual job creation, August saw a reduction in headcount in the sector.
"The UK manufacturing sector remains in a holding pattern, with production growth hovering around the stagnation mark and marginal job losses reported for the first time in 26 months," said Rob Dobson from Markit.
"Export order volumes continue to disappoint, with the sterling exchange rate, weak sales growth to the eurozone and the slowdown in China all having an impact."
He added that the sector was unlikely to contribute to the "solid gain in broader GDP growth expected for the third quarter".
Analysts highlighted the weakness in exports as a key problem for manufacturing in the UK.
"The survey indicates that UK manufacturers are continuing to find life very challenging as they are being held back, particularly by weak foreign orders," said Howard Archer from IHS Global Insight.
"In particular, sterling's strength - particularly against the euro - is seemingly constraining UK manufacturers."
On a brighter note, the survey found a "substantial drop" in input prices, which fell at "one of the steepest rates" seen in the past 16 years. This was down to lower oil and commodity prices, as well as the strong pound, which makes exports more expensive but imports cheaper.
The pound slipped immediately after the figures were announced, as markets bet that the weaker figures would push back the timing of any rate rise by the Bank of England.
Sterling fell half a cent against the dollar to $1.5339 and was down more than a cent against the euro at €1.3591. | Growth in the UK's manufacturing sector slowed slightly in August, a survey has suggested. |
39040666 | But for women behind the camera, it takes a lot more to get noticed.
Female nominations for technical work are rare - blink and you can miss them. From the outside, it looks like a man's world - but is that how it feels?
Three women - two of them 2016 Oscar winners - tell us what it's really like.
Oscars 2017: Full coverage
"I loved film growing up - I watched a lot of horror and I loved prosthetics, so my natural thought was to get into that," says Sara Bennett, who won an Oscar for her work on 2015 sci-fi drama Ex Machina.
The film brought to life the female robot Ava, played by Alicia Vikander, whose body had humanoid features but with a transparent skull, limbs and torso.
As the first female VFX supervisor to win an Oscar, Sara broke new ground at 2016's ceremony.
It was only the third time in 89 years that a woman had been nominated for visual effects.
The last winner? Suzanne Benson for Aliens - back in 1987.
Despite being such rarity, Sara says she's never felt outnumbered.
"Until last year's Oscar nomination, I'd never really thought about it being male-dominated," she says.
"The hard time for me was learning the craft and moving up, as opposed to dealing with men in my industry."
She grins.
"Being a woman probably went in my favour, to be honest."
Sara, whose back catalogue includes Sherlock, The Martian and the first four Harry Potter films, says she loves the variety her work gives her.
Her passion for her work is infectious, and she says it was "amazing" winning the Oscar - she couldn't quite believe it when her name was read out.
But she also mixes it up by managing a team, mentoring young women and leading children's workshops.
Having trained in prosthetics and make-up, she became a runner during the 1990s, working as a general assistant on film sets before switching to VFX.
As a compositor, she learned how to combine several visual elements into a believable on-screen image, gaining her first credit in 1998 for Babe, Pig in the City.
Although aspiring VFX specialists can now learn through YouTube tutorials, software and courses, Sara's adamant that the best experience is found in the workplace.
"Until you're working flat out and your eyes are bleeding at four in the morning, that horrible feeling - that's when you really learn about the job," she laughs, talking about the pressures of working to tight deadlines.
Three years ago she set up London and Cardiff-based visual effects company Milk with four male colleagues, after their section in another VFX studio, The Mill, was closed down.
Sara now sees more women moving through the ranks, and says with delight: "When I was younger it was about 80/20 men to women in VFX, but now it's closer to 60/40."
But even if more women want creative positions in the film industry, they're not at the top table just yet.
Research from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film says women made up just 17% of "behind-the-scenes employment" on the top 100, 250 and 500 films of 2016.
The study, The Celluloid Ceiling, states this is a drop of two percentage points on 2015, putting the figures on a par with 1998.
These statistics, combined with this year's all-male VFX Oscar nominations, make those rare female wins look even more stark.
So when's this going to change?
Sara says it will take a while. "There's so many women doing VFX. Maybe they're not doing the big A-List films, but they're out there doing it all."
Fie Tholander, 31, has been inspired by Sara, working for her as a VFX compositor at Milk.
"I've always been drawn to magic, to fairy tale stories," she says, citing David Bowie fantasy drama Labyrinth (1986) as an inspiration.
She's single-mindedly pursued her career since she was 15 and is now creating aliens for the upcoming Doctor Who series.
She also worked on the brains in jars with eyeballs which featured in last year's Christmas special.
As a Danish high school student, she already knew she wanted to work in VFX, studying art at Animation Workshop before heading for London, with an internship at The Mill.
It was there that she met Sara, who became her mentor.
"Having Sara as a role model makes women realise they can actually do it," she says.
"VFX is portrayed as a technical thing, which isn't always the case. I'm not a technical person, I'm more creative."
Fie thinks women need to be more assertive: "I think women in general hold back, we're afraid to ask, and men are a bit more bold with their careers."
Has she ever hit a glass, even a celluloid, ceiling? Nope.
"Sexism isn't something I've come across. If I want something I have to ask for it - no one will give it to me."
But Fie does think the industry's progressing, with more women applying to work in her profession.
She's also convinced that the film world is changing.
"With all the movies coming out, we're getting female role models who aren't princesses, which is great."
Recent films such as Arrival have seen Amy Adams star as an expert linguist communicating with aliens, while Star Wars movie Rogue One has Felicity Jones as its lead.
But it's not just VFX and sci-fi where women are breaking through.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, 37, made history last year as Pakistan's only double Oscar winner.
She won her second best documentary Oscar for A Girl in the River - The Price of Forgiveness, about honour killings in Pakistan.
Her first, in 2012, was for Saving Face, about a plastic surgeon treating those scarred by acid attacks.
Starting out as a print journalist in Pakistan, Sharmeen decided aged 21 to switch to documentaries, so she could tell her stories visually.
She pitched her first film proposal to about 80 global organisations.
"I was pretty much turned down by everyone," she says. "But I've always believed that if a door doesn't open for you, it's because you haven't knocked hard enough."
Undeterred, she asked the New York Times, who'd just set up a TV unit.
They agreed to fund her first film, about Afghan refugee children on the streets of Pakistan.
Her career went upwards from there - she's also won two Emmys (in 2010 and 2013) and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Distinction), Pakistan's second-highest civilian award.
For Sharmeen, her Oscar wins made a huge difference.
"It amplifies your voice and the voices of all of those people you are making a film about.
"After A Girl in the River, there was legislation about honour killing installed in Parliament in Pakistan. The win at the Oscars gave it the final push it needed to get it passed."
She deliberately multi-tasks by producing and directing because "it allows me the freedom to tell the type of stories I want to tell".
"I've always said that making a film is like having a baby. You have a long period of time where something is inside of you, and when you send it out into the world, you want the world to appreciate it."
Well aware of the high numbers of men working in the film industry, she says she's at an advantage in her field.
"Whereas Hollywood will tell you fewer women are getting the opportunities to be directors or play key roles in film, in documentary work, women in greater numbers are coming up behind the camera, winning Academy Awards."
And for her, being a female filmmaker is an "asset".
"I've been able to get into places where a man would seldom be able to get into," she says.
"If I was a man perhaps I wouldn't be standing here today. I'm looked upon as less of a threat because I'm a woman."
Sharmeen is keen to see more young women working in film, and tells them: "You always need to believe in yourself. You need to go out and kick open those doors and you should never take no for an answer. Anything is possible.
"Chase your dreams and you never know, you may find yourself up on stage telling the stories you want to tell - and getting an accolade for it."
Sara's words of advice are all about being resilient.
She adds: "If you get knocked back just get back up again - keep trying, make sure you enjoy it, put a big smile on your face - don't give up."
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Oscars season is all about the stars: who said what, which gowns rocked the red carpet, and of course, who won. |
33009034 | The Athens government will have until 30 June to pay the €1.5bn total, which is also the day on which its bailout deal with the EU and IMF runs out.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is trying to reach a deal to unlock final bailout funds before Greece runs out of money.
But Greece's creditors say differences remain between the two sides.
IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said that under a precedent dating back to the late 1970s, governments could ask to bundle together "multiple principal payments falling due in a calendar month... to address the administrative difficulty of making multiple payments in a short period."
The last country to bundle together payments to the IMF was Zambia in the mid-1980s.
BBC economics correspondent Andrew Walker says the €300m payment would have been difficult for the Greek government but reports suggest it had identified money that could have been used.
The decision to delay it may also be a negotiating tactic, he adds, intended to put pressure on the IMF and the EU in negotiations over the bailout.
Mr Tsipras said after talks in Brussels in the early hours of Thursday that an agreement with Greece's international creditors was "in sight".
However, the head of the eurozone's finance ministers Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who was involved in the negotiations, said later the gap was "still quite large".
High-level talks were expected to resume on Friday, although Mr Tsipras was due to brief the Greek parliament rather than return to Brussels.
Mr Tsipras rejected elements of proposals put forward by his country's international creditors in talks with Mr Dijsselbloem and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.
He said the sides were now "very close to an agreement" on the key sticking point of primary surpluses - the amount by which tax revenues exceed public spending.
But he said there were "points that no-one would consider as a base for discussion", citing cuts to pensions and a raise in sales tax for electricity.
Mr Dijsselbloem said the talks had been successful in narrowing down the remaining issues, although key differences still remained.
He expected Greece to "look at our proposals more carefully, probably come up with some alternative proposals that they want," Reuters quoted him as saying.
€320bn
Greece's debt mountain
€240bn
European bailout
€56bn Greece owes Germany
177% country's debt-to-GDP ratio
25% fall in GDP since 2010
26% Greek unemployment rate
Greece's cash-strapped government has been haggling since February over the release of the last €7.2bn in funds, but its current bailout arrangement with the IMF, European Central Bank (ECB) and European Commission runs out at the end of June.
Failure to reach a deal could trigger a Greek default and a potential exit from the eurozone.
Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "We want Greece to stay in the euro but in order to achieve that, Greece has to make the necessary efforts, and these are the subject of our ongoing discussions, and I want to see them come to a positive result." | Greece has told the International Monetary Fund it will delay Friday's €300m (£216m) debt repayment and bundle all four of its June payments together. |
24370177 | Lady Hale, the deputy president of the Supreme Court, said she was disappointed no other woman had reached the same level as herself.
In the 10 years since her appointment, 13 other judges have been promoted to her level, but none were women.
Lady Hale also said she opposed legal wigs, saying they were "men's wigs".
Speaking alongside Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court, at the start of the new legal year, Lady Hale said she was among those who were consulted on senior judicial appointments - but the actual decision process was dominated by men.
Supreme Court justices are appointed by the Queen following a recommendation from the Lord Chancellor (also known as the Justice Secretary).
That recommendation comes from a special commission which is set up each time a new justice needs to be appointed. The process includes consulting senior judges and politicians across the UK.
Lady Hale said she had been "flattered and proud" to be the first woman to be made a Law Lord, the predecessors of the Supreme Court Justices, but she said she did not want to be the last.
"I am disappointed that in the 10 years since I was appointed not one among the 13 subsequent appointments to this court has been a woman.
"Now, things are improving in the lower ranks of the judiciary, but regrettably not yet up here."
"I do not think I am alone in thinking that diversity of many kinds on the bench is important for a great many reasons, but most of all because in a democracy which values everyone equally, and not just the privileged and the powerful, it is important that their rights and responsibilities should be decided by a judiciary which is more reflective of the society as a whole, and not just a very small section of it."
Lady Hale said she did not play any part in the selection process, other than being possibly the only woman to be consulted.
"I do not know whether the fact that the appointments process is dominated by men has anything to do with the choice of people.
"It would not be impossible to speculate that it is always much easier to perceive merit in people who are like you than it is to discern the merit of those who are a bit different.
"I am not only talking about gender diversity, I am talking about all kinds of diversity."
Until recently both the president and deputy president of the Supreme Court permanently sat on the Supreme Court appointments commission. However, Parliament changed the rules this year, requiring the president to sit on the commission alone, alongside a senior judge from elsewhere. This meant that the deputy president - currently Lady Hale - would be excluded.
Of the six Supreme Court selection commissions to date, five had a majority of men and one included no women at all.
None of the five heads of the other branches of the judiciary are women. A fifth of judges at the Court of Appeal, the most important tier below the Supreme Court, are now women - the highest ever proportion. Women only form a majority in the ranks of voluntary community-level magistrates who deal with local petty crime.
Asked about the role of wigs and gowns in a modern diverse judiciary, Lady Hale added: "I have not made any secret of the fact that I am not in favour of barristers and judges wearing wigs. My main objection is that they are men's wigs.
"Of course, that is one of the reasons why the early women barristers wanted to wear wigs. It was because they wanted to look like everybody else. But we have got beyond that." | The UK's most senior female judge has said the lack of women at the top of the judiciary could be because men prefer to appoint other men. |
29946792 | It said hackers accessed its network with a vendor's username and password between April and September.
The company had previously revealed that 56 million debit and credit card details were also stolen in the hack.
Analysts say it is one of the largest data breaches on record, surpassing a similar incident at retailer Target.
Home Depot insisted on Thursday that the file containing the email addresses did not contain passwords or other sensitive personal information.
But it warned customers to be on guard against further phishing scams that might trick them into sharing personal information.
Customers that have been affected in the US and Canada will be notified and offered credit monitoring, the company added.
The latest update came just weeks after Home Depot disclosed the data breach, saying 56 million credit and debit card details were taken.
The company said it was still investigating the incident.
It follows a similar case involving Target, another US retailer, which was targeted by hackers in December 2013.
Target said payment and personal data from as many as 70 million customers was taken. | US retail giant Home Depot says hackers who stole payment-card details of millions of customers also stole 53 million email addresses. |
37320239 | Miracle Mattress faced strong criticism after its "twin tower sale" offered every mattress sold on the anniversary of the attacks for the price of a smaller twin mattress.
In the clip, staff fall into two towers of mattress, knocking them over.
"We'll never forget," the presenter of the clip says in the now withdrawn advert.
Miracle Mattress owner Mike Bonanno said that "effective immediately, our Miracle Mattress store will be closed indefinitely", in a statement released on Friday.
"We will be silent through the 9/11 Anniversary to avoid any further distractions from a day of recognition and remembrance for the victims and their families."
In a letter published earlier, Mr Bonanno apologised, saying the video had been produced at the company's San Antonio office without permission from management.
"The video is tasteless and an affront to the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11. Furthermore, it disrespects the families who lost their loved ones and continue to struggle with the pain of this tragedy every day of their lives."
Twitter users criticised the company over the video. "This is absolutely sickening," said one. "You deserve to be out of business. End of story," said another.
A total of 2,996 people died on 11 September 2001 when al-Qaeda militants hijacked four planes, crashing two into the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York, a third into the Pentagon and the fourth into a field in Pennsylvania. | A Texas mattress shop is to close after facing a backlash for a 9/11-themed advert described as "tasteless". |
32681431 | Jones, 29, collapsed by the side of the pitch six minutes into the game at London Skolars and was later pronounced dead of a suspected cardiac arrest.
Fans at the Keighley ground gave applause on the sixth minute of the Cougars' home game against Coventry.
Jones' shirt number six has been retired by the Keighley club.
His widow Lizzie went on to the pitch before the game when balloons in the West Yorkshire club's colours were released.
Writing in the match day programme she said: "I'm so happy my wonderful Danny finished his days playing the sport he adored, at a club he treasured with lads he thought the world of.
"Danny was the best daddy and husband in the whole world; he made us smile every single day.
"I want everyone to remember his passion and commitment and, most of all, his contagious, infectious smile.
"I will bring his beautiful babies up to make him proud. The legacy he has left will last forever. I could not be any prouder of my beautiful man."
Keighley chairman Gary Fawcett hopes a fund set up for Jones' family will eventually top £1m.
Donations for Danny Jones's widow, Lizzie, and their five-month-old twins has already passed £70,000. | Thousands of rugby league fans paid tribute to Keighley player Danny Jones at the club's first home game since his death last Sunday. |
35483522 | Nicola Sturgeon, Carwyn Jones and Arlene Foster have written to the PM to urge him to defer the date.
They say a June date will "confuse" the process and make it hard for them to campaign effectively in the referendum.
Mr Cameron told MPs that voters were able to differentiate between polls.
David Cameron has pledged to hold the referendum by the end of 2017 but said he wants to get on with it and is reported to favour a poll on 23 June.
However, the exact timing hinges on whether EU leaders agree to the draft package of reforms published on Tuesday at a summit next month, which would pave the way for a poll at the end of June.
In their letter, also signed by Northern Ireland deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, the three political leaders say it is vital that voters are properly informed about the issue at stake in the referendum and this could be compromised if the campaign overlaps with that for elections to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Stormont Parliament on 5 May.
"We believe that holding a referendum as early as June will mean that a significant part of the referendum campaign will necessarily run in parallel with those elections and risks confusing issues at a moment when clarity is required," they write.
Analysis by Nick Eardley, BBC Scotland's Westminster correspondent
Opposition in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to an early referendum has been building in recent weeks.
There is concern that a date just weeks after the 5 May election would mean the campaigns become confused or there wouldn't be time to properly consider the European issue.
It is interesting to note the Labour Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has signed this letter.
Nationally his party favours a June vote - Alan Johnson, the leader of the Labour In campaign said yesterday his party would not stand in the way of a 23 June referendum. And last night, Scottish Labour's leader Kezia Dugdale told BBC Scotland she was happy for the vote to be held then.
But expect continued pressure from devolved governments and administrations on this issue. Even if David Cameron can persuade other European leaders of his renegotiation plans, it's possible he will face significant opposition domestically on the date.
"Furthermore, it will be virtually impossible for the political parties in our respective territories to plan effectively for, and where appropriate work together on, the referendum campaign while our own elections are in progress.
"We believe that the European Referendum is of vital importance to the future of the whole United Kingdom and the debate leading up to it should, therefore, be free of other campaigning distraction."
Raising the letter during Prime Minister's Questions, the SNP's Angus Robertson said the PM should show "respect" for the voters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and make a commitment not to hold the poll in June.
Mr Cameron said no date had been agreed but he could guarantee that the referendum would not be held within six weeks of devolved elections, which he claimed had been asked for by former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond.
"I respect the electorates of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the basis that I think people are perfectly able of making up their minds in a local election or Scottish Parliamentary election and then a period of some weeks later making up their mind all over again on the vital question of the European Union," he said.
"No date has been fixed and there must be a six-week gap but, frankly, I think he is looking for things to complain about." | The first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have urged David Cameron not to hold an EU referendum in June, saying it will "distract" from devolved elections taking place in May. |
38649376 | Two devices fitted with GPS trackers were released from a helicopter off the south coast of Iceland.
Both floated west and passed the coast of Greenland. It then headed towards Canada before crossing east across the North Atlantic.
One was found on Tiree and the other is in the sea off the Western Isles.
The devices' journeys could be tracked on a website set up by an Icelandic TV science programme which was available to the public.
The experiment was designed to highlight to the show's young viewers how rubbish dropped in the sea does not disappear but becomes a problem for people living on coastlines in other parts of the world.
Rhoda Meek found the device that washed on the east coast of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides after being alerted to the possibility of a message in a bottle being there.
She told BBC Alba: "I went out expecting to look for an actual bottle.
"I saw a bright yellow float sitting on the rocks and, following my natural curiosity, found that this was the 'bottle'."
Ms Meek said she would have loved to have had the device as a souvenir on her mantelpiece, but has carefully wrapped it up and posted it back to Iceland.
The second device is still floating in the North Atlantic off the west coast of the Western Isles.
The Icelandic scientists hope to extract data from the devices, which were fitted with GPS equipment usually used to track the movements of birds.
They had expected the devices to wash up in Norway. | A "message in a bottle" scientific experiment has reached a Scottish island a year after it was dropped into the sea in Iceland. |
40557017 | Justice Secretary Michael Matheson published the new priorities as he started the demolition of Scotland's only women's prison at Cornton Vale.
Two new community-based custody units for women will be located in Glasgow and either Fife or Dundee.
The new units will focus on recovery and keeping women closer to their families.
A smaller prison will also be built at Cornton Vale for 80 women. The current jail - which is 42 years old - was built for 217 women but ultimately housed about 350.
In 2012, a commission set up by the Scottish government called for the country's only women's prison to be demolished following mounting concern about the number of women held in jail.
The new strategy focuses on recent research which showed the extent to which traumatic childhood experiences can impact on future offending.
It referred to studies which showed that those who had suffered four or more adverse childhood events - including having a relative imprisoned, suffering abuse or being around drug misuse - were 14 times more likely to have been a victim of violence in the past 12 months and 20 times more likely to be incarcerated.
It emphasised that a different approach to youth justice - which focused on early intervention and prevention and trying to keep young people out of the criminal justice system - has contributed to a 78% fall in the number of under-18s convicted since 2006/7.
Mark Eardley says he started getting trouble when he was seven years old.
Aged 11, he was regularly in trouble with the police.
By the time he was 16 he says he was out of control and was put in care.
And then he says he did one very "stupid thing" and tried to "rob" a shop. He ended up in prison.
But after two months on remand he agreed to take part in Action for Children's Moving On project, which helps get young people into training and work placements.
Mark took part in their 12-week chef training programme.
Now 22, he works full-time as a chef.
He said: "I was a bad lad but look at where I am now. I've got a full-time job. It just shows you. The baddest people can change."
Justice Secretary Mr Matheson said: "Over the last decade Scotland has become a safer place with less crime, including violence, falling drug use, improved fire safety and better support when people are victims of crime or other serious incidents.
"But we strive for greater progress, not least while inequality continues to influence the likelihood of someone being a victim of crime or being drawn into offending.
"This is among the challenges outlined in the vision paper, which also highlights the relatively poor physical and mental health of people in contact with the justice system."
He added: "Our criminal and civil justice system, and the valued professionals who sustain it, are focused on building a safer and a fairer Scotland - protecting the public while supporting individuals and families facing financial, emotional or other crises.
"Our decisive shift in approach to youth justice, intervening earlier and providing multi-agency support, has seen huge falls in youth offending and we continue to draw lessons from that success."
The government's new strategy document stated: "We already have a track record in shifting towards prevention, including Scotland's recent success with youth justice.
"But as things stand, the cost of enforcement still outweighs the amount spent by the justice portfolio on primary prevention and early intervention many times over.
"The cost of the criminal justice system itself is about £2.5bn per annum. In times of reduced public spending, a shift towards preventative spending is challenging but is likely to be more effective in the long term."
It also referred to the Christie Commission which found that as much as 40% of all spending on public services is accounted for by interventions that could have been avoided by prioritising a preventative approach.
The report said there needed to be a greater focus on reducing the opportunities for crime and addressing the underlying causes, including doing more to protect children from abuse and neglect and to address mental health problems.
Dr Claire Lightowler, director of the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ), said: "We need to invest in the things that prevent offending in the first place.
"One of the things we need to see from the strategy - if it is going to be truly meaningful - is actual investment in mental health support, in housing, in substance misuse, in the range of factors that there is clear evidence around. These things help prevent offending.
"We need to invest in these kinds of things but that means difficult conversations about where we can cut costs and what does not work, particularly around prisons and the custodial estate, and investing these savings in things that would allow prevention and early intervention in community sentences and youth work and allowing a whole host of things to really do their job."
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: "Increasing focus on crime prevention is important and I welcome that this report seeks to do that.
"That, alongside improved rehabilitation, is clearly the most effective way of reducing crime.
"However, this cannot come at the expense of enforcement and keeping communities safe."
Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur said: "Scottish Liberal Democrats support early intervention with those at high risk of first-time offending and will support the further transfer of resources from ineffective short prison sentences to robust and effective community justice options.
"But SNP ministers need to show they mean business. They could start by immediately announcing a new robust presumption against sentences of less than 12 months." | The Scottish government has announced a greater emphasis on crime prevention as part of its new justice strategy. |
24658349 | Spokesman Col Gilles Jaron told the AFP news agency that several hundred French soldiers were involved in the mission in the north of the country.
It was aimed at preventing a resurgence of "terrorist movements", he added.
On Wednesday, a suicide bomb attack on a UN Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) base in Tessalit killed civilians and two Chadian peacekeepers.
The UN Security Council stressed that those responsible would be held accountable and reiterated its support for Minusma.
The Malian leader of a splinter group of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Sultan Ould Bady, said it had attacked the base because the Chadians were "working for France".
France sent troops to oust Islamist rebels from northern Mali in January.
The rebels were quickly pushed back from the main urban centres. Some retreated to hideouts in the mountains and desert, from where they launch occasional attacks.
Col Jaron of the French military's general staff said the operation - called "Hydra" - was "the first time we have seen forces of significant size working together" in Mali.
Its goal was to "put pressure on any terrorist movement to avoid their resurgence", he added.
The colonel stressed that the mission was not linked to any recent attack.
"This is one those operations that are conducted regularly... to participate in the stabilisation of the country," he explained.
He did not say when the operation started or on which areas it was focused, nor provide exact numbers or details on the forces taking part.
A spokesman for the Malian army, Lt-Col Souleymane Maiga told the Reuters news agency: "It's an operation to sweep identified areas in the three northern regions [Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal]. It will last as long as is needed."
BBC Africa analyst Mamadou Moussa Ba says this is the first time French troops have publicly been involved in operations against Islamist militants in Mali for several months.
France has 3,200 soldiers in the country but plans to reduce the force to 1,000 by February, several months later than originally planned.
It handed over responsibility for security to Minusma in July. However, the UN force has less than half of its mandated strength of more than 12,000 military personnel and has appealed for reinforcements. | French, Malian and UN forces have launched a "large-scale" operation in Mali, France's military says. |
32428792 | Healthwatch said the NHS had "poor understanding of what patients want".
The organisation, described as a national consumer champion in health and care, said 60% of 250 people they spoke to at emergency clinics did not have access to an NHS dentist.
NHS England said it was reviewing the urgent dental care service.
The watchdog said it had spoken to 250 patients attending unplanned dental clinics (clinics dealing with emergency work) and found 60% of those people were not registered with an NHS dentist and did not need emergency dental work.
Healthwatch also said it found the service in West Yorkshire was "disproportionately used by younger people and those from South Asian Communities".
The watchdog said: "We think that people use this service because they can't find a local NHS dentist.
"NHS England have not spent time properly understanding why people use unplanned dental clinics, and what patients want.
"Their efforts to understand what patients want from this service are poor.
"As a result, they are trying to commission a service that will not meet the needs of patients in West Yorkshire."
Alison Knowles, Locality Director, NHS England (Yorkshire and the Humber) accepted "access to a dentist is an important part of everyday healthcare for people".
"In the last two years, NHS England has funded treatment for an additional 10,000 patients in Yorkshire and the Humber," she said.
"We are now reviewing the urgent dental care service with the specific aim of further increasing the funding that's targeted at routine access to dental care." | Emergency dental clinics in West Yorkshire are being used by people who cannot access an NHS dentist, a watchdog has said. |
40656394 | Tonia Antoniazzi said more than £200m of investor funding was currently only available until Christmas, calling on UK ministers to back the scheme.
The Gower MP said some of the company's staff were working a four-day week.
The government has said it needs time to assess the lagoon's merits but investors have warned it risks stalling unless a green light is given soon.
Ms Antoniazzi was speaking at a Westminster Hall debate about the Queen's Speech and Wales.
"Recent reports have stated the tidal lagoon is in the most precarious position since its inception," she said.
"It is in danger of not happening. Funding is available until Christmas, what's going to happen then?"
Ms Antoniazzi said more than £200m had been "provisionally committed" by investors "ready to raise hundreds of millions more to fund the project".
"David Stevens, the founder of Admiral Insurance, has recently said if there's no evidence that the government is committed at some point the patience of investors will be exhausted and he is right," she told MPs.
"So Swansea tidal lagoon investors have now reportedly decided to delay their investment - we have to have the go ahead.
"It's reported staff have been asked to cut back to four days working week and unless the government acts, in the words of Stevens, an opportunity will have been lost and it will be very hard to piece together the future of my constituency."
UK ministers have said they are considering the recommendations of a review by former energy minister Charles Hendry, which backed the plan.
Last week a spokesman said: "We will require time to assess the merits of such a programme and determine what is in the best interest of the UK energy consumer and taxpayer in the long term and will publish its response to the Hendry Review in due course." | Swansea's planned £1.3bn tidal lagoon project is "in danger of not happening", an MP has warned. |
19096837 | Only 800 breeding pairs of corn bunting, confined to parts of the eastern lowlands and the Western Isles, are believed to remain in Scotland.
An Aberdeenshire population declined from 134 pairs to only 12 over a 20-year period.
A study has found changes in crop management could be to blame.
The joint study by RSPB Scotland and Dr Adam Watson, who monitored the corn bunting population, reported that an increase in field size and decrease in weed abundance reduced the availability of safe nesting sites and food sources the species depends on.
Dr Watson said: "When I first studied this population in 1989 it was thriving, and I saw winter flocks hundreds strong.
"To me in 2012, the familiar farmlands seem silent and empty. It is tragic."
RSPB Scotland conservation scientist Allan Perkins said: "Intensive crop management and removal of field boundaries, resulting in fewer weeds and the insects they support, together with earlier harvesting of cereals and mowing of grass has had a detrimental effect on the corn bunting.
"This is a species that favours low-intensity farming and it is vital that such systems are preserved, or habitats replicated through agri-environment schemes." | Urgent action is needed to transform the fortunes of one of Scotland's fastest declining farmland birds, RSPB Scotland has said. |
37911385 | Derrick, 53, is still undergoing medical treatment after surgery for a brain tumour.
"John has been involved in cricket for more than 35 years so it is a very easy phone call for us to make asking people to support him" said ex Glamorgan player Mike Powell.
It is hoped the funds will help Derrick adapt his house.
Powell is working alongside county chief executive Hugh Morris, Professional Cricketers' Association official Ian Thomas and current wicket-keeper Mark Wallace, the former chairman of the PCA.
The four are organising a major dinner at the SSE Swalec Stadium on December 8, with former England spinner and national selector Geoff Miller speaking free of charge.
The PCA has already started to help Derrick.
"John has been my coach since I was ten. He was a bit of father figure throughout my career," said Powell.
"If it wasn't for John I would definitely not have played first-class cricket, so I owe my career to him.
"We said that we would raise as much our end to marry up with what the PCA Benevolent Fund was doing. We got our heads together and decided to do a dinner for John."
Derrick played for Glamorgan from 1983 to 1991 and coached them to National League titles in 2002 and 2004.
He is currently performance manager of the Cricket Board of Wales and has continued to play at club level, but was taken ill in August 2016.
He did stints on BBC Wales commentaries earlier in the summer.
A JustGiving page has also been set up so that those who cannot attend the dinner can donate.
"It's been very humbling to see Welsh cricket pulling in tight when we have needed it" added Powell.
"Cricket clubs around Glamorgan have been phenomenal. A lot of them have taken a table at the dinner, which shows how much John is loved in this part of the world." | Glamorgan players past and present are organising fund-raising efforts to support former coach John Derrick. |
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