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22751670 | Merthyr Town Football Club hopes work to lay a synthetic pitch can be completed by early into the start of next season once they have signed a new lease at Penydarren Park.
The club says a 25-year deal is being negotiated with Merthyr Tydfil council.
Fans took over when the club, which plays in the English Southern League, went into liquidation three years ago.
Other developments include demolishing the derelict Strikers social club, providing more parking, and extending social and community facilities.
The money comes from the Ffos y Fran Community Fund in an agreement between the borough council and a firm extracting coal from the nearby Ffos y Fran land reclamation scheme.
Merthyr Town chairman Meurig Price said: "We feel that the new 3G pitch is definitely the way forward to ensure stability of the club.
"We will be able to use it much more than a grass pitch.
"This season we had 62 games on the ground and the pitch suffered because we didn't have the money or the equipment to improve the pitch."
The ground is used by the teams for disabled footballers, a football academy, college and veterans' teams as well as women's football. | A south Wales football club saved by fans three years ago has received a £500,000 grant for a revamp. |
36786762 | Lincoln Red Imps, whose players include a fireman, a policeman and a taxi driver, beat the Scottish Premiership side 1-0 on Tuesday.
The tie will be decided in the second leg at Celtic Park next Wednesday.
Team officials in Lincoln said it would be "wonderful" for the team to visit on their way home from Scotland.
The Gibraltarian team changed its name from the Blue Batons to the Lincoln Red Imps after a former Lincoln director sponsored them.
Lincoln City FC play in the National League and are nicknamed the Imps. Club director Roger Bates said their namesake's victory was "an amazing achievement".
He said: "It is quite an amazing story - I don't think anyone expected it.
"Some people seemed to think we'd beaten Celtic last night, which would have been wonderful, but no, it wasn't us."
He added: "We've had the association for 40 years without coming together, so it would be wonderful if they could pay us a visit." | Lincoln City FC has invited their Gibraltarian namesakes to the city to celebrate their shock victory over Celtic in a Champions League qualifier. |
33043618 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Hamilton lost an apparently certain win in the previous race in Monaco because of a team strategy error and was determined to make amends in Montreal.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"Did I need this? I think so," he said after his dominant win.
His win extends his lead to 17 points. Team-mate Nico Rosberg had cut it to 10 after inheriting the Monaco win.
"I don't feel I needed to be relieved," he said.
"I was quickest all of the previous race weekend as well.
"Obviously we had the problem which enabled Nico to win the race but otherwise, generally I had good pace for the last two races so it's not a relief, it just feels good to continue with good strength and it's great that the team is continuing to be strong as well and continue to move forwards.
"That's probably the most impressive thing."
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said the team had been through a difficult fortnight because of the criticism they received for the error in Monaco, which has led to a reassessment of how they make major strategic decisions in races.
"After Monaco it was very difficult for the team to handle it," Wolff said. "We were exposed to massive criticism.
"It looked like all the victories and world championships were forgotten and suddenly a bunch of idiots were managing the team.
"And then when he had some ups and downs in the team. The result is satisfying after what happened in Monaco."
Mercedes appeared to have retained their advantage over Ferrari despite the Italian team bringing an upgraded engine to Canada after using three of their permitted 10 in-season development tokens, ascribed to different parts of the engine on a performance-related basis.
Hamilton and Rosberg, who finished a close second, were under no real threat in the race from Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, who was running third before a spin caused by an engine problem dropped him to fourth.
But Hamilton said it would be wrong to jump to conclusions because Ferrari's lead driver Sebastian Vettel had to start from the back following engine problems in qualifying and a penalty for infringing safety regulations.
Vettel finished fifth and is now 43 points - with 25 for a win - behind Hamilton in the championship with 12 races remaining.
Asked whether he was more relaxed now that the title fight appeared to be himself and Rosberg, Hamilton said: "It's pretty much impossible for you to come to that conclusion because Kimi spun so we didn't really get to see his true pace in the race.
"Sebastian wasn't there and obviously Sebastian has generally been the quicker of the two so far this season so we didn't really get to see Ferrari's true pace this weekend, I think, and in the next race we will."
Full race results | Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton admitted he "needed" victory in the Canadian Grand Prix, after his fourth victory in seven races so far this season. |
37357449 | A judge ruled that Kristhielee Caride had violated the terms of her contract as the island's representative for Miss Universe.
She had refused to attend a designated hair salon, and failed to appear on a TV programme because she said the traffic was too bad.
Ms Caride was seeking $3m (£2.25m) in damages from the organisers.
The week-long court case has gripped Puerto Rico. TV stations interrupted regular programming to show proceedings in court and her testimony.
Inside a Venezuelan beauty school
Miss Universe: Miss Colombia mistakenly crowned
The killers of Miss Honduras arrested
The ruling by Puerto Rican Supreme Court Judge Eduardo Rebollo dismissed the lawsuit filed by Ms Caride.
He said Ms Caride had given terse answers to questions during a newspaper interview and that she did not love cameras.
Desiree Lowry, the national director of Miss Universe Puerto Rico, told the court that Ms Caride had refused to apologise to the newspaper reporter after the interview.
Ms Lowry also said Ms Caride had used her own stylist instead of a hair salon hired for her.
Ms Caride defended her decision and accused salon employees of disrespecting her.
She lost the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2016 title in March and was replaced by another candidate. | A Puerto Rican beauty queen has lost her bid to reclaim her tiara taken from her for poor behaviour. |
37926623 | The Rochdale youngster was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year and was told it was terminal in September.
Joshua will not be able to attend the game at Northern Gas and Power Stadium on Wednesday but will have a shirt hung up in the changing room and will be named as one of Dale's seven substitutes, with the squad number 55.
"He has touched the hearts of everyone at Rochdale since we met him for the first time back in February," manager Keith Hill told the club website.
"No child should have to go through what Joshua is going through and we, as a club and a group of players, will continue to do whatever we can to support him and his family.
"We hope this one small gesture can bring some light to his family during this difficult time." | League One side Rochdale have named five-year-old Joshua McCormack in their squad for their Checkatrade Trophy match at Hartlepool United. |
38883719 | The Tynesiders trialled the 20-year-old forward in a friendly against Kilmarnock, having scored 31 goals in 46 games for Synners.
Langstaff will return to Synthonia for the remainder of the season.
"My first goal in the summer will be to break into the squad," Langstaff told the club website.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Gateshead have signed striker Macaulay Langstaff from Northern League Division One side Billingham Synthonia on a one-and-a-half year deal. |
37735554 | All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated.
Scottish League Cup
Greenock Morton 0-2 Aberdeen
Scottish Premiership
Inverness CT 1-1 Kilmarnock
Partick Thistle 1-1 Ross County
Scottish Championship
Ayr United 1-0 Queen of the South
Dundee United 2-1 Dumbarton
Dunfermline Athletic 1-3 Hibernian
Falkirk 2-4 Raith Rovers
Scottish Premiership
St Johnstone v Dundee (12:00)
Scottish League Cup
Rangers v Celtic (14:15)
BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound will provide live coverage across the weekend, with live text updates on the BBC Sport website.
Take part in our Predictor game, which allows you to create leagues with friends. | Live updates followed by match reports from the weekend matches in the Scottish League Cup, Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship. |
38558066 | Paul Michael Sadler, 35, from Broughton was taken to hospital following the accident on the A5104 in Broughton at about 21:30 GMT on Saturday.
He died during the early hours of Monday.
The van driver, a 26-year-old local man, was arrested after failing the roadside drug swipe test.
He has since been released on police bail pending the result of further tests.
Mr Sadler's family were said to be "completely heartbroken", according to a statement issued by North Wales Police. | A man has been arrested after failing a drugs test following a fatal collision with a pedestrian in Flintshire. |
25730359 | According to figures published by the Department of Health, that was an increase of 16 over the previous year.
The South Eastern Health Trust carried out the highest number of terminations. A majority of the women were aged over 30.
However, 14 women were aged 24 and under.
According to the department the abortions were performed within legally acceptable and medically approved conditions.
Unlike the rest of the UK abortion is only allowed in very restricted circumstances in Northern Ireland.
Abortions can be carried out in NI only to preserve the life of the mother or if continuing the pregnancy would have other serious, permanent physical or mental health effects.
There is strict assessment regarding any impact on mental well-being and the woman must consult with two clinicians. | The number of abortions carried out in Northern Ireland has increased with 51 terminations performed in local hospitals last year. |
35957228 | But behind the scenes, much larger deals are helping to move money at an unprecedented rate. Wealth is flowing from the mainland, through currency dealers in Hong Kong and beyond.
The leaked Mossack Fonseca documents have revealed to us how the families of China's leaders keep money offshore.
And now, a full analysis of the files by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shows that nearly one third of the firm's business came from its offices in Hong Kong and China - making China the firm's biggest market and Hong Kong the company's busiest office.
Mossack Fonseca's booming China business is evidence of an even bigger trend: the reliance of China's wealthiest people on offshore investments.
Around $1tn (£700bn) left China last year, draining the country's foreign reserves.
It is a shift that could destabilise the entire Chinese economy.
And the relatives of China's leaders are among those who have stashed their wealth abroad.
At least seven current and former leaders were found to have links to offshore companies set up by the Panamanian law firm, including the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and two other top leaders.
Many of these names have circulated in connection with offshore banking before, in past media reports. However, the leaked files come at a tricky time for China's leadership.
Owning offshore companies is not illegal in China but the existence of these secretive financial structures raises all sorts of questions for the families of China's leaders.
China's Communist officials are supposed to lead "clean" lifestyles that discourage them from profiting from their ruling positions, according to the party's constitution. And importantly, their families are not supposed to profit from their ties to the top.
Willy Lam, a political analyst with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says Xi Jinping has portrayed himself as "a purist in terms of morality and frugality".
Stashing vast sums in offshore accounts "definitely goes against the teachings of Xi Jinping and also well-known conventions of the Communist Party", he says.
"As to whether the offspring of senior cadres have obtained their wealth illegally, it's difficult to say because the Chinese legal system is very opaque."
The files tell us more than we ever knew before about how the Chinese elite's money is stored abroad. Long email chains reveal that Mossack Fonseca repeatedly helped politically connected clients to become offshore company shareholders without exploring their backgrounds, as they are required to do under international law.
For example, Mossack Fonseca helped Deng Jiagui, the brother-in-law of Chinese President Xi Jinping, to create three offshore companies located in the British Virgin Islands.
However, the firm failed to investigate Mr Deng's high-profile political connections when helping him to acquire his companies, in 2004 and again in 2009.
It is unclear what the companies were used for though one had been dissolved and the other two were dormant by the time Mr Deng's powerful relative, Xi Jinping, took the helm of the Communist Party in 2012.
But the irony cannot be overlooked: since coming to power, Xi Jinping has unleashed an intense anti-corruption campaign on the Communist Party. More than 300,000 officials were punished for violating the party's anti-corruption laws in 2015 alone.
What is happening at Mossack Fonseca is being replicated elsewhere too. Rich Chinese are using Hong Kong as a gateway - to protect their wealth by moving it overseas.
"People are worried about keeping their money in China for two reasons," explains Andrew Collier, an independent China analyst based in Hong Kong.
"One is that the Chinese economy is slowing. The second reason is that the leadership has been trying to clean up corruption and there's some sense that some people are trying to move their money offshore because they're worried about the safety of their capital within China."
Hong Kong has become a focal point for those who want to stop money leaving China. Last month, China's anti-corruption office acknowledged that most money flowed through Hong Kong and vowed to stop the practice, though that might be an impossible task.
Around $600bn of the money that left China last year was transferred in defiance of Chinese banking controls.
Every Chinese citizen can only transfer $50,000 a year outside the country. Anything more than that is often moved illegally.
Some people use complex money transfers to get their cash out.
One illegal currency changer we spoke to explained how he helped clients secretly transfer money abroad by keeping vast reserves of money in dozens of "zombie" accounts spread across China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines.
He uses bank accounts that are still under the names of dead people to ensure they cannot be traced back to him.
"I receive my client's money into one account in one country and then transfer the currency they need into a different account in another country," he explains, smiling.
However, he says he will not accept any more business from clients who want to take Renminbi out of China.
"I have too much Renminbi already," he says, frowning.
What would happen if China cracked down on currency traders like him and actually enforced their own rules more tightly?
"Panic. There would be panic."
The movement of capital is fuelled by anxiety.
"People do not have faith in the ability of the financial and economic decision-making team to put things right," Willy Lam explains.
"So if they have one or two million US dollars, it would be stupid for them not to at least park half of that wealth overseas. Simply because there is very little faith in the future of the party."
Those who cannot access big-time currency traders sometimes rely on money mules to carry thick stacks of cash across the border. We met one man who works as a mule, who confirmed he was busy carrying money for his anxious clients.
"If my customers want to immigrate or invest in a business overseas, they need my help," he explained.
"Sometimes I strap the money on to my body or I carry a small bag. Customs officers always target people with lots of luggage or those who look nervous, so I just try to act normal."
So why does it matter if China's richest people move their wealth out of the country?
Once money leaves China, it has to go somewhere.
This massive flow of money is driving up real estate prices worldwide. According to juwai.com, a real estate website that connects mainland Chinese clients with foreign sellers, Chinese buyers spent more than $52bn on foreign property last year.
In Hong Kong, visitors from mainland China splash out on luxury items. This is replicated around the globe: China's richest people - perhaps even those at the very top - are spending and storing their money elsewhere.
They are protecting themselves but they are making China more vulnerable. | In the shadow of Hong Kong's big banks, rows of currency exchange shops specialise in quick, anonymous transactions. |
26712038 | Developers behind the Circuit of Wales scheme in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, are said to be asking the Welsh and UK governments to commit up to £50m.
Silverstone's MD has written to the prime minister to intervene.
Planning issues have delayed the start of work at the site.
Heads of the Valleys Development Company wants to create 6,000 jobs and bring 750,000 visitors a year to the area as part of its plans but doubts have been raised over the number of jobs claimed.
The development promises to transform one of Wales' most deprived communities.
Alongside the racing circuit, there are plans for hotels, a grandstand, a technology park and a solar park.
But those projects all rely on the racetrack going ahead.
The Circuit of Wales would host all motor racing events except Formula 1.
A spokesperson for Silverstone confirmed on Monday that its managing director Richard Phillips had written to Mr Cameron about funding for the Circuit of Wales.
The letter said: "An injection of funds by the Welsh and/or UK governments to the Circuit of Wales project would amount to a transfer of state resources, which gives Circuit of Wales an economic and selective advantage over other circuits. As such, it could amount to illegal state aid.
"There are a number of well-established, privately funded circuits in the UK, including Wales, that feel that the British motor sport industry would be threatened by the addition of a government-funded circuit."
A statement added: "Silverstone has no objection to competition between UK circuits, but it has to be a level playing field.
"Silverstone reiterates that it is sympathetic to the economic situation in Ebbw Vale, but motor sport at circuit level is not particularly profitable and is often loss-making.
"Many UK circuits are under-utilised and struggle for revenue. It is unrealistic to suggest Circuit of Wales will be the exception."
Downing Street confirmed a letter had been received from Silverstone regarding the Circuit of Wales.
Nick Smith, Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent, said Silverstone had received local and UK government funding, and said its objection "feels a bit like the pot calling the kettle black".
He said potential public funding for the Circuit of Wales "should be treated on its own merits", adding: "What wouldn't be fair would be if assistance for the Circuit of Wales were stymied by the self-interest of a competitor such as Silverstone."
The Association of Motor Racing Circuit Owners, which represents 17 UK race tracks, said last summer the circuit would harm motorsport.
Developers have asked both the Welsh and UK governments for up to £50m in total towards the scheme, it was revealed this month.
BBC Wales understands the Welsh government is considering investing £30m in the project.
The Welsh government told BBC Wales on Monday the Circuit of Wales had not asked it for money.
A spokesperson said: "Apart from an initial grant to fund the early stages of project development there has been no request or offer for any funding support for this project."
Michael Carrick, chief executive of the Heads of the Valleys Development Company, said they were disappointed with the letter's contents, adding: "It sounds like Silverstone is resistant to investment within the automotive sector which is vital to its continued growth and development in the UK.
"The suggestion of 'illegal state aid' made by Silverstone also highlights they do not understand the basic process of applying for state funding of this nature."
He said the Welsh government and the Blaenau Gwent community understood and supported the Circuit of Wales "both as a catalyst for economic growth and as a venue for world-class sporting entertainment".
"The Circuit of Wales is a unique investment opportunity - a development designed to meet the public's expectations of a modern sporting venue and the commercial imperative to deliver a business hub that will sustain and support the British motorsport industry," he added.
A key part of the racing circuit development involves securing the rights to host MotoGP - the motorbike racing equivalent of Formula 1 - which attracts global audiences of up to 300 million.
The company has said it aims to build the circuit in time to host the prestigious event in September 2015 but it is understood no deal has yet been signed.
It was hoped that building work could start on the site last December but there have been delays because of planning issues.
The circuit is being built on 332 hectares (820 acres) of common land so the company has to deregister it, find an equivalent amount of land elsewhere and re-register that as common land.
The Planning Inspectorate for Wales said the process could take almost a year to complete. | Silverstone racetrack bosses have asked David Cameron to prevent tens of millions of pounds of potentially "illegal" state aid being used for a new £280m circuit in Wales. |
39596110 | City play their League of Ireland matches at Maginn Park in Buncrana but it does not meet Uefa standards.
Oriel Park, home to league champions Dundalk, could host the Candystripes in the qualifier rounds this summer.
It's been reported that the Showgrounds in Sligo was Derry's preferred option but it was financially unviable. | Derry City hope to use Oriel Park in Dundalk as their home venue in the Europa League while the Brandywell is redeveloped. |
34826897 | What was taken away from Gordon Reid was the use of his legs. A devastating blow for anybody but particularly cruel for a 12-year-old boy.
Between the ages of six and 12, Reid could often be found honing his skills on the courts of Helensburgh Lawn Tennis Club. The sport had become an important part of his life, but his life was about to change.
"I had a neurological condition in my spine called transverse myelitis, which basically left me paralysed from the waist down," Reid recalls. "I was in hospital for six months."
Reid, now 24, was determined that his life would not be shaped by his disability and that he would continue to play the sport he loved.
"For me, it was just a case of wanting to get back to living a normal life and enjoying myself as much as I could," Reid told BBC Scotland.
"I found out about wheelchair tennis when I was leaving hospital. I really just wanted to get back involved in sport because sport was such a big part of my life.
"I tried it once and loved it, loved being able to get back out on the tennis court. I think it was a big part of my rehab as well.
"It helped me gain fitness and become more active again after I had my disability. Obviously it's a huge part of my life now."
Wheelchair tennis would provide Reid with the platform to achieve more than perhaps he could ever have hoped in the sporting world, but before he tasted success, he had to work through some difficult times while facing up to life without the use of his legs.
"There were a lot of dark moments," he recalled. "I could see all my family and friends and how much it was affecting them as well.
"It was a difficult period for all of us: 12 years old is a young age for something like that to happen to you.
"So there were a lot of dark moments and periods of my life where I was quite down and finding it quite hard, but I think tennis has definitely been a big help to me and helped me overcome a lot of the hurdles that have been placed my way in life.
"Of course, because I love sport so much, I wanted to get back involved with sport as much as possible.
"I think it was just about that: making the choice of not letting the condition defeat me and just trying to turn things back around."
His existing talent and experience of tennis meant that the move into wheelchair tennis was an obvious one, but adapting to the new game was not always easy.
"It's really just about timing of moving the chair and making sure your chair is in the right position to get your body in the right position to make the shot," Reid explained.
"It was definitely a struggle at the start. It can be quite frustrating, especially when you're used to being able to just adjust your feet at the last moment or move your body position at the last moment.
"It's definitely something that takes a bit of getting used to. It's just like any other skill I suppose - the more you do it, the more you practice, the better you get at it. It just all came with time."
Reid took up the game in 2005, became the youngest ever British national singles champion in 2007 and, by 2008, he was representing Great Britain at the Paralympics in Beijing at just 16 years old.
"It was a bit of a surreal experience because one day I was in doing my Highers with my friends in school and the next day I was flying around all over the world to compete. It felt like I was leading a bit of a double life."
He would go on to represent GB again at London 2012, making the doubles quarter-finals. In 2013, he beat the world's top three players to rise to number four in the singles rankings, becoming the highest-ranked British wheelchair player in history.
A serious contender in both the singles and doubles formats, he made his Grand Slam breakthrough this year in splendid style.
The Scot partnered Shingo Kunieda of Japan to victory in the French Open doubles, his maiden Grand Slam title.
Reid teamed up with Michael Jeremiasz of France for Wimbledon and made it all the way to the final before losing in three sets to France's Nicolas Peifer and Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez.
With France's Stephane Houdet by his side, Reid added a second Grand Slam by taking the doubles title at the US Open in New York, beating Peifer and Jeremiasz.
After this week's victory at the Masters event in California alongside Jeremiasz, Reid has risen to the top of the world doubles rankings and he is determined to stay at the top of the game.
"There are only two ways you can go when you're number one," he suggested. "That's to stay there or go back down again.
"Everybody will be aiming for me and targeting me, but it's a nice pressure to have because you know you're at the top and you're the best player in the world in doubles.
"It's always been one of my main goals in my career to try and make it to number one. I never really thought it would happen this early to be honest.
"I've done it in doubles, I'll be looking to try to do it in singles as well."
Given how far he has come, you would not bet against him. | "You can focus on what you can do instead of worrying about things you can't do and what's been taken away from you." |
34368160 | In May 2014 they had close to 18,000 members but 12 months later that number had soared to 60,000 - it became known as the "Green surge".
But despite increasing their vote four-fold in the 2015 general election and picking up more than one million votes, they only won one seat, holding onto Brighton Pavilion where Caroline Lucas is the MP.
Now lurking on the left-wing of British politics is something new - a Labour party led by Jeremy Corbyn - and as the Green's leader, Natalie Bennett, noted during her autumn conference speech many are wondering if it's crowding the Green Party's space.
In Islington North, where Jeremy Corbyn is the local MP, the enthusiasm and energy in the Green Party remains undimmed.
Ben Hickey is one of the Islington Green Party members. Sitting in the local Green councillor's kitchen he told me that "during the election we had dozens of people here leafleting, canvassing, it was a bit of an HQ." He said "we'd had so many new members as well, people coming through with no experience in politics, polling, mucking in, it was fantastic".
Since the general election 7,000 people have joined the Green Party but more than 3,000 have left. Peter Kellner, the president of the polling organisation YouGov told me many are heading to Labour.
"There is no doubt that Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party is siphoning votes off from the Greens," he said. "Quite a lot of Green members joined the Labour party to vote for him. I think the Greens have a real challenge - one of the reasons for the challenge is that they face a very hostile voting system."
He added: "They have one MP. They had what, one million plus votes at the general election. Had we had a proportional voting system they'd have had what, 20 MPs… The Greens are not a big party and if so many of their active supporters decided to sign up for Labour that's a real problem for the Greens."
Martha Everett from Buxton in Derbyshire was a Labour voter but joined the Greens before the election. Now that Jeremy Corbyn has been elected leader she has switched back to Labour. She paid £3 and signed up as an affiliated supporter to vote for Mr Corbyn and intends to vote Labour at the next general election.
"It purely comes down to thinking that my vote will actually make a difference rather than just being a protest vote" she told me, adding that "the policies don't seem to be widely different although obviously Labour have a bit more experience of actually being in power as well so in that respect more likely to get things done I would have thought."
But Caroline Lucas dismissed concern that Mr Corbyn's Labour could start siphoning off votes from the Greens and that the so-called Green surge could turn out to be temporary.
"I think the core of that is significant and will stay," she told me.
"Yes some people are leaving," she admitted, "but others are joining and we're still seeing net increase in the number of our members."
She continued: "There is just a general churn in politics. In the old days people would join a party and stay with it for life. They'd often join it because their parents were members of it beforehand. I think now people are much more flexible, fluid.
"Politics is very different, it's moving much faster. It wouldn't surprise me if those people who have left come back again. The Greens are doing something distinctive and I hope people will stay with us because they recognise that."
Back on the streets of Islington the Greens are keeping up the fight.
The local Green councillor, Sarah Russell, is optimistic. She stood against Jeremy Corbyn in the general election and told me she managed to increase the Green share of the vote three-fold: "It shows even up against Jeremy Corbyn himself the Green vote can hold strong. That indication gives me hope." | It's been a turbulent year for the Green Party. |
38157560 | They estimate that this led to a total of £1.23bn being spent online that day.
Taking the whole week, from Monday 21 November to Monday 28 November, online sales rose to an estimated £6.5bn.
IMRG said that more than before, spending had been spread over the entire week as retailers staggered the start of their sales promotions.
"Over the past few years Black Friday has consistently demonstrated a remarkable capacity for shifting in terms of size and scale," said Justin Opie, managing director at IMRG.
On Tuesday department store chain John Lewis reported record sales for last week of just under £200m, a rise of 6.5% on the same week last year.
"It was the biggest ever week in John Lewis's trading history, and also included our biggest ever day on Friday 25 November," said a John Lewis director Dino Rocos.
Black Friday is a marketing ploy of the retail industry, imported from the US in 2014.
That year there were fights among huge crowds of shoppers at some supermarkets and stores around the UK.
In response to those scenes, the annual discounting event has swiftly become a more emphatically-online event.
As a result there were no reports of frenzied shopping in shops and stores this year.
In fact it went wrong in central London when a power cut blacked out the Soho area during the evening. | The retail industry's so-called "Black Friday" marketing campaign led to a 12% rise in online spending that day, say retail analysts IMRG. |
41011662 | The top speed of the Fuxing or "rejuvenation" bullet trains was capped at 300km/h (186mph) in 2011 following two crashes that killed 40 people.
From next week, some of the trains will once again be allowed to run at a higher speed of about 350 km/h.
The higher maximum speed should cut about an hour off the journey time between Beijing and Shanghai.
By 21 September, seven of China's bullet trains will be permitted to travel at the increased maximum speed.
To mark the return of the higher-speed service, the trains have been named "Fuxing" - Chinese for rejuvenation - in line with a national government slogan and development plan.
All the trains have been fitted with an improved monitoring system that will slow and stop the trains automatically in the event of an emergency.
The nation's rail operator is believed to be looking into ways to upgrade track to let the engines run even faster - perhaps at speeds approaching 400km/h. China is believed to have about 19,960km (12,400 miles) of high-speed rail tracks.
The 2011 crashes of the high-speed trains led to a state investigation into the railways ministry which uncovered widespread corruption.
The probe meant many officials were charged with corruption and abuse of power. Two senior officials were given suspended death sentences. | China's fleet of high-speed trains is set once again to become the world's fastest. |
38011651 | Abortions are illegal in Northern Ireland except for cases where the woman's health is at risk.
That has led to women travelling to Great Britain seeking terminations.
But anti-abortion group Precious Life said allowing NI women to access NHS terminations would "run roughshod over the law and the democratic process".
The issue was raised by Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie, who said NI women should have access to the service without facing huge costs.
During First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday afternoon, Mr Harvie said: "Many women in Northern Ireland find themselves left with no option but to travel elsewhere in the UK to access legal and safe abortion.
"The time and the stress that this costs them is bad enough but there are also significant financial barriers, with some organisations supporting these women estimating that at the low end it costs them at least £400 and in many other cases more than £2,000.
"Does the First Minister agree that the NHS in Scotland should be exploring what can be done to ensure that these women are able to access abortion in Scotland, if that's where they chose to travel to, without facing these kind of unacceptable financial barriers?"
He said abortion should be treated as part of normal healthcare and not "stigmatised".
Ms Sturgeon said she believed that no woman "should ever be stigmatised" for having an abortion.
She added that abortion should not be seen in isolation and was a fundamental part of healthcare.
Ms Sturgeon told the chamber: "I am happy to explore that with the NHS. To explore both what the situation would be right now in terms of accessing safe and legal abortion for women from Northern Ireland within NHS Scotland and whether there's any improvements that are able to be made.
"I believe, like Patrick Harvie, that women should have the right to choose, within the limits that we currently set down in law, and I believe that right should be defended.
"And when a woman, any woman, does opt to have an abortion, and let's stress that is never, ever an easy decision for any woman, then abortion should be available in a safe and legal way."
In a statement, Precious Life's director Bernadette Smyth said abortion was a "criminal offence" in Northern Ireland which "exists to protect both mothers and their unborn children".
"To make provisions for women to access free abortions in Scotland would be to run roughshod over the law and the democratic process in Northern Ireland," Ms Smyth added.
"This will not go unchallenged. There will be a public outcry."
Women from Northern Ireland are not legally entitled to free abortions on the NHS in England following a High Court ruling in 2014, which is being challenged in a legal action at the UK Supreme Court. | Nicola Sturgeon said she would look into giving Northern Ireland women access to NHS abortions in Scotland without facing prohibitive costs. |
35050075 | Leeds University researchers said the events influenced first-time voters, younger voters and those who claimed they were not interested in politics.
They were also rated higher than newspapers and social media for helping people understand party policies.
Party leaders took part in four debates and Q&As after drawn-out negotiations.
According to the Democracy on Demand study, the programmes were successful in "reaching sections of the population least likely to be touched by the rest of the campaign".
More than half of people who said they were "not very" or "not at all" interested in politics said they planned to watch the first debate, on ITV, it said.
Over 30% of people who watched the debate said it made them "more interested in the election campaign", 70% of viewers said they now knew more about what the party leaders were like, and 60% felt they knew more about the policies being put forward.
Younger and first-time voters reacted more positively than "their more jaded elders", it said.
The debates were cited as the best way to compare the leaders' abilities to run the country, and were second after TV news for learning about the parties' policies.
Among undecided voters, they were cited ahead of TV news, interviews, newspapers and social media for helping people make up their minds.
The researchers carried out surveys of 2,000 people at the start of the campaign and after three of the programmes: ITV's seven-leader debate, the BBC's opposition leaders' debate which did not include David Cameron and Nick Clegg, and a Question Time show in which the PM, Ed Miliband and Mr Clegg were grilled separately. A fifth survey was carried out after polling day.
Professor Stephen Coleman, who led the research team, said: "We found that many voters feel they have a right to see the party leaders debate on television - the default assumption should now be that debates happen.
"Debates should become part of the fabric of major political events."
Chancellor George Osborne was challenged to support the debates at the next general election as he deputised for Mr Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions.
He said the issue was decided by discussions between political parties and broadcasters, adding he felt the PM had done well last time around.
Relive some of the highlights of the clashes below: | The televised debates that took place before the general election performed a "crucially important civic role", according to a new study. |
38934616 | Fans held up offensive banners during a 1-0 win over RB Leipzig and lit flares, while there were reports of crowd trouble outside the Westfalenstadion.
The German Football Association (DFB) said Dortmund "needs to be sanctioned".
The club has until Monday to accept the proposal or reject it in which case the decision will be taken by DFB's court.
Dortmund had received a suspended sentence last summer for similar offences and the the DFB said there had been trouble at three other games this season - against Mainz, Hoffenheim, and the away game in Leipzig.
Banners at Saturday's game attacked Leipzig, owned by energy drink makers Red Bull, as well as their sports director Ralf Rangnick and Red Bull owner Dieter Mateschitz.
"Slaughter the bulls," read one.
Dortmund has already promised to crack down on fan violence and the club said it "deeply regrets" last weekend's violence that also left police officers and a police dog injured.
Read more: Why are RB Leipzig hated in Germany?
The Westfalenstadion's south stand, nicknamed the "Yellow Wall", is the largest standing stand in Europe with a 25,000 capacity. | Borussia Dortmund face an £85,000 fine and the closure of their famous 'Yellow Wall' stand for one Bundesliga match after crowd trouble last weekend. |
35404709 | Former cabinet minister Sir Eric Pickles said those "at risk" should be treated with "Christian spirit".
Former Children's Minister Tim Loughton said there was a strong humanitarian case to help those "in limbo".
Ministers say no decision has been made but charities want the UK to admit 3,000 minors from Syria and elsewhere.
Last year, an estimated 26,000 children arrived in Europe without their families.
Many had simply disappeared and were at risk of falling prey to people-traffickers, drug dealers and other abusers, Save the Children said.
The charity wants the UK to take in a further 3,000 unaccompanied children, in addition to the 20,000 refugees the UK has already pledged to take direct from refugee camps over the next five years.
Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons, Sir Eric, the former Communities and Local Government Secretary, who is now the UK's anti-Semitism envoy, said he was pleased the issue was being looked at again.
"He is quite right to try and keep children in the region, but to use the world's phrases, 'we are where we are', he said of Prime Minister David Cameron.
"There are children out there who are at risk, and I would urge the government to look carefully about this.
"After all this is 25 January - a month ago we were celebrating that great Christian festival of children, and I hope that that spirit lingers beyond Boxing Day."
Speaking after meeting interior ministers from other EU nations, in Amsterdam, Home Secretary Theresa May said Europe was "struggling to cope" and every nation needed to do its bit.
"Together with my counterparts from France and Germany, I made the case for urgent action, not just to deal with the immediate crisis, but also to resolve the situation in the longer term," she said.
"Unfortunately, what we've had is more talk than action.
"And we need urgently to work together to ensure that we can have proper processing at Europe's external borders, that we're returning illegal migrants, and that we're working up-stream in transit and origin countries."
On the issue of whether to prioritise child refugees, Mrs May said the UK's thinking would be driven by "the best interests of the child".
A "variety of options" was being examined, she added.
Earlier this month, Mr Cameron told the Commons he was considering the issue "in good faith", and the BBC understands he has yet to make up his mind whether to take more refugees.
Some warn taking in more lone children could lead to subsequent demands for their relatives to be brought to Britain - but Labour, the SNP and the Lib Dems are asking the UK to do more.
Raising the matter in an urgent question in the House of Commons, Labour MP Yvette Cooper said reception centres and children's homes in a number of European countries were overflowing and refugee children "disappearing".
"We hear rumours that the government will only be looking at helping child refugees from camps in the region," she said. "That is not enough."
In response, Home Office Minister James Brokenshire said the issue remained under review.
"Such a serious issue, potentially affecting the lives of so many, must be considered thoroughly, and no decisions have been taken yet," he said.
"The government is clear that any action to help and assist unaccompanied minors must be in the best interests of the child, and it is right that that is our primary concern."
Kent County Council has already warned it will not be able to accept any more unaccompanied children, saying its children's services are facing "enormous pressure" and have run out of foster beds. | Political pressure is continuing to grow on the government to take in thousands of unaccompanied refugee children who have made it into Europe. |
30766963 | The incident began when the actor, 34, got drunk on a mixture of rum and vodka and vomited in the toilet.
He was being comforted by glamour model Chloe Goodman, who suddenly exclaimed: "That's not OK, I'm leaving now", before leaving the bathroom in tears.
Goodman said: "He went to my dressing gown top and put my boob out."
The incident itself was not broadcast when the Channel 5 show showed the aftermath of the incident in Saturday night's show, as cameras do not film in the toilet.
Jackson at first defended himself, telling the housemates he "didn't know she had nothing on underneath" the robe.
After the incident, which took place on Friday, producers arranged for Jackson to sleep in a separate area.
However, they decided to remove him the following day, calling his behaviour "wholly unacceptable".
Michelle Visage, another of the contestants in the reality show, told him he should "respect a woman's body", adding: "Do not touch a woman in that way."
The actor replied: "I barely touched her, that's not an excuse, I know that."
Later, speaking in the show's diary room, Jackson described the incident as a mixture of "innocence and curiosity", saying he had been "silly, bold and dumb" to lift Goodman's robe as she was offering assistance.
Her actions "seemed like flirtation", he added, before backtracking and saying he was "too emotionally wounded to really even gauge any real relationship-type flirtation".
"I made a mistake and now I'm in boiling water for it," he added.
Speaking before he left, Jackson insisted his action was "not a ripping open or an aggressive move" but added: "I accept all the ramifications".
Jackson, who played the son of David Hasselhoff's character Mitch Buchannon on Baywatch, is well-known for his troubled personal life and fellow housemates had expressed concern about his drinking in the days since the current series of Big Brother launched on Wednesday.
Fellow contestant Perez Hilton, a celebrity blogger, had questioned the wisdom of Jackson participating in the show, saying that the actor was not "mentally stable" and "borderline scary".
Meanwhile, former Coronation Street star Ken Morley was also given a formal warning for using "unacceptable language" after he used the word "negro" to describe R&B singer Alexander O'Neal.
O'Neal responded angrily, telling Morley: "I'm just giving you some information - it's just black, we don't use negro any more."
Saturday's broadcast of Celebrity Big Brother was pushed back by one hour, to 22:00 GMT, in light of the "explosive drama," said Channel Five in a statement. | Former Baywatch star Jeremy Jackson has been thrown out of Celebrity Big Brother after pulling open another contestant's dressing gown. |
34922296 | The two-time winner was beaten 6-2 by amateur Adam Duffy on Tuesday.
The Chinese player swore throughout his 30-second post-match news conference and used a derogatory word to describe the set-up at the York Barbican.
His comments have been referred to the disciplinary arm of snooker's governing body, the WPBSA.
Warning - the section below contains language some readers may find offensive
The UK Championship is widely regarded as snooker's second biggest event behind the World Championship.
But in 2013 the format changed to a flat draw with 128 players starting in the same round, meaning the early stages involved more tables and more cramped conditions, with four in the main hall and four in the sports hall.
Asked where he thought his match went wrong, Ding said: "It was crap. Fucking four tables and everything is going wrong.
"I don't want to say any more about this. It's just crap. It's for amateurs."
Ding is expected to be fined for his outburst, but further sanctions are unlikely. | World number nine Ding Junhui is facing disciplinary action for his angry outburst following his shock first-round exit from the UK Championship. |
34973736 | A survey by industry body Scottish Engineering suggested recruitment and output was down, while orders were static.
It found exports were suffering from sterling's strength against the euro.
The report also indicated weak domestic demand was pushing down prices.
On a more positive note, the survey suggested the displacement of staff from the oil and gas sector had helped to ease long-standing skills shortages across the central belt.
Scottish Engineering chief executive Bryan Buchan said: "This is not a total panacea, as a number of companies which provide sub-contract services to the oil and gas sector are themselves recording a drop in orders.
"But it is allowing us some degree of hope for the future." | Scottish engineering companies have reported tough business conditions for the fourth quarter in a row, with the fall in oil price having a "devastating" effect on some firms. |
30714385 | Neil, whose team sit third in the Scottish Premiership, will travel south on Friday to discuss personal terms.
Assuming there are no glitches, he will be transferred as a player, with the midfielder, 33, having been in charge at New Douglas Park since April 2013.
"All that has happened is the clubs have agreed compensation, but there is still work to be done," Neil said.
Speaking at a media conference on Thursday, he added: "As far as everything is concerned with Norwich, nothing has been agreed, signed or finalised on my part."
Having experienced early success with the Accies, Neil is not phased by the challenge of taking the Canaries back to the Premier League.
"When I got the job here I was only 31 and still focused on playing," he explained. "You think to yourself: 'Am I ready to take it?' But it's like anything else, when something crops up that you can't refuse
"I had to take it on, and it ended up going really well.
"I have learned a hell of a lot over the last two years at two different levels, which is good. I have learned about the play-offs as well.
"It's one of those situations that I am just excited, thrilled and looking forward to a challenge, if things get sorted."
Earlier in the day Neil spoke to the squad at a meeting at New Douglas Park.
On his way in to that, goalkeeper Michael McGovern told reporters he believed Neil would go "right to the top".
He said: "He's right up there with the best. He's sought-after but it's not surprising. He's got the lot. He's very clued in tactically and he's a very good man-manager."
The English Championship side approached Accies on Tuesday following the resignation of Neil Adams, who stood down on Monday, nine months after taking charge, with Norwich seventh in the table.
The 49-year-old will take a break from football and return to the club in an unidentified role in July.
Neil, who has made eight outings as a player this term, has been with Hamilton since 2005, having played in England with Barnsley and Mansfield Town.
"I've had massive links with the club for a long, long time and I've spent the best years of my life here, as a player, as a manager, and working closely with (vice chairman) Ronnie (MacDonald) and (chairman) Les (Gray), and as captain for eight years.
"So it's going to be extremely difficult if I do end up moving on."
Accies, who average home crowds of 2,533, have lost just five of their 20 league games this term having won promotion via the play-offs last season.
They topped the Premiership in early October following a 1-0 win over champions Celtic, their first success at Celtic Park in 76 years. | Norwich City and Hamilton have agreed a compensation deal for player-manager Alex Neil. |
35260491 | PC Dave Phillips, 34, died after a pick-up truck mounted a central reservation in Wallasey, Merseyside, in October last year.
Appearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Clayton Williams, of Wheatland Lane, Wallasey, denied PC Phillips's murder and attempting to wound his colleague.
Mr Williams is due to stand trial at Manchester Crown Court on 7 March.
Married father-of-two PC Phillips had been responding to reports of a burglary in Woodchurch Road, Birkenhead, when he died in the early hours of 5 October.
He and a colleague had been attempting to stop a vehicle using a tyre-puncturing "stinger" device, police said.
Fellow officers tried to save his life before he was rushed to hospital, but he died shortly after arrival.
PC Phillips' widow Jen attended the hearing. | An 18-year-old man has denied murdering a Merseyside Police officer who died after being struck by a vehicle. |
33819607 | Dr Joanne Willox said Harry Clarke did not tell her about any faints he had suffered in the past five years.
Mr Clarke was unconscious at the wheel of the bin lorry which crashed in December last year, killing six people.
He had previously fainted behind the wheel of a stationary bus in 2010.
Ms Willox, who was working for Bupa on behalf of Glasgow City Council, told the fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the tragedy that when she assessed Mr Clarke she did not have access to his medical records.
She said she could have obtained access to records with patient permission but the practice was not to do so for one-off assessments.
She told the inquiry it would have been helpful to have had them.
In response to a question on the assessment form about any history of blackouts or impaired consciousness in the last five years, Mr Clarke answered "no".
Ms Willox also said Mr Clarke's job was a "safety critical" one and that a person with an uninvestigated history of fainting should not be allowed to do it.
Dorothy Bain QC, for the Morton family, produced Mr Clarke's medical history which underlined a "significant" number of dizzy episodes dating back to the 1970s.
She said Mr Clarke had also reported stress, depression and anxiety over the years.
And she noted that he reported 18 months of recurring dizziness during 1994 investigations into chest tightness.
Dr Willox says she would have asked Mr Clarke's GP for information and recorded this in DVLA forms had Mr Clarke told her of his history.
In April 2010 - shortly before he joined the council - Mr Clarke fainted on a stationary bus while working as a driver for First Bus.
Dr Willox said the information contained in Dr Kenneth Lyons' report to First Bus over the incident was enough to inform the DVLA and stop him from driving.
In later evidence, when asked about a disputed "road rage" incident, cardiologist Prof Andrew Rankin said he "struggles to see" how it could be linked to Mr Clarke's loss of consciousness.
He also said fainting could recur outside time limits set out in DVLA guidelines.
Prof Rankin said there was "no clear pointer" that Mr Clarke was going to suffer loss of consciousness.
He said it was "likely" that he could have had an HGV licence in 2014 as the previous incidents had been so far in the past.
He said the "vast majority of people would not have had another episode".
Another cardiologist, Dr Nicholas Boon, said that if Mr Clarke blacked out without warning at the wheel of a stationary bus, his licence should have been revoked.
But he also said it was possible that Mr Clarke could have had an HGV licence in 2014 even if the 2010 episode had been disclosed.
The FAI has previously heard evidence that Mr Clarke suffered episodes of dizziness and fainting for decades before the fatal crash on 22 December, when several witnesses reported seeing him slumped behind the wheel on the bin lorry as it went out of control in the city centre.
But he failed to disclose his health history to the DVLA and on job application forms, and was said to have continued to deny any history of blackouts even after the bin lorry crash.
The FAI has also heard claims that Mr Clarke was "on his last legs" at the bus firm following repeated sick days prior to his blackout.
Erin McQuade, 18, her grandparents Jack Sweeney, 68, and his 69-year-old wife Lorraine, all from Dumbarton, died in the incident in the city's Queen Street and George Square.
Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow, and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, were also killed when the truck mounted the pavement before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel.
A further 15 people were injured. | A doctor who assessed the Glasgow bin lorry crash driver for his HGV licence renewal in 2011 has said she would not have passed him fit to drive had she known he had fainted the previous year. |
27034049 | Cranston was approached by Stefan Montana, 17, in New York outside his current Broadway show All the Way.
Referencing a famous Walter White line, the actor warned Montana's friend Maddie that she should "tread lightly" if she dared to say no.
After being sent the invitation on Instagram, she accepted that night.
Cranston's Breaking Bad character, a high school chemistry teacher turned drug dealer, first delivered the famous line during a confrontation with his brother-in-law Hank, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.
In the video proposal, Cranston said: "If you don't go to the prom with Stefan, then maybe your best course of action would be to tread lightly."
A grinning Montana, from California, then followed it up with a request of his own: "Maddie, will you go to the prom with me?"
He told the New York Daily News that he and Maddie are both big fans of the Emmy Award-winning AMC series, broadcast by Netflix in the UK.
"He really is the nicest guy in the world. It really is true. He's not really a celebrity, he's a dude," Montana told the paper.
"He didn't have to help me out but it was pretty amazing," he added. | Actor Bryan Cranston has helped a teenage Breaking Bad fan secure a date for his prom, by filming a special proposal in character as Walter White. |
35501265 | The 32-year-old was first-team coach under Teddy Sheringham, who was sacked with the club 19th in League Two.
"The way I see it is this is my club and whatever the football club sees is the best pathway and future for them, I'll be happy," he told BBC Look East.
"I would just like to get the opportunity to take the club out on Saturday and get it out of the way."
Sarll, currently the bookies' favourite, continued: "I'm really looking forward to Saturday, it's going to be a big moment for me and after that we'll see what happens.
"Emotionally I think my thoughts will be pretty much led by what happens in fixtures, but I've absolutely not thought about it in the slightest - the phone hasn't stopped ringing, it's not allowed me to think anything other than what's going on now."
Media playback is not supported on this device
The former Brentford and Rotherham coach was given the chance to step up from the youth team to the first team in the summer by former England striker Sheringham, who left his job on Monday with the club having taken only three points from the last eight games.
When asked about his style of play, Sarll said: "I go to football matches to see goals go into the back of the net.
"Why would I want to go to a football match to see people pass it back to the goalkeeper? Why would I want to see the goalkeeper have more touches than a centre forward? I don't.
"I like to score goals and I like to score them quickly, not for the detraction of keeping the football and playing with a bit of style, but my teams play with a bit of steel." | Stevenage caretaker boss Darren Sarll says he has not yet thought about the prospects of taking the role full-time. |
32099316 | The 44-year-old, from Redbridge Hollow is charged with harassment, blackmail and assault, as well as various servitude and forced labour offences.
The 19 charges relate to 10 victims and are said to have taken place between April 2010 and October 2014.
He appeared before Oxford Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody to appear at the crown court on 17 April.
He is the second person to be charged following police raids on properties in Rose Hill, Blackbird Leys and a travellers' site in Redbridge Hollow, in Hinksey Hill, on Thursday.
The investigation, known as Operation Rague, relates to suspected human exploitation, slavery and fraud offences. | A man has been charged in connection with slavery and fraud offences following raids in Oxford. |
35903728 | The ceremony is part of a series of commemoration events this weekend.
Taoiseach (prime minister) Enda Kenny and Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Joan Burton were also at the ceremony.
The president met relatives of those involved in the events of the Rising at a state event on Saturday.
The Easter Rising was a rebellion held in April 1916 to overthrow British rule in Ireland.
It was unsuccessful but is seen as a significant stepping stone to the eventual creation of the Republic of Ireland and the partition of Ireland.
The wreath-laying ceremony on Saturday took place at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin.
The memorial garden is dedicated to people who fought for Irish independence from Britain.
The event began with a performance of The Parting Glass, a traditional Irish song, sung by the Island of Ireland Peace Choir.
After a wreath was laid by President Higgins, a minute's silence was observed.
Relatives of 78 people who died during the Rising were also at the event and were invited to lay wreaths after the state ceremony had ended.
The event is part of the Republic of Ireland's official commemoration programme.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in events throughout the Republic leading up to an Easter Centenary Parade on Sunday.
In an interview with the BBC, President Higgins said the Republic's approach to the rising's centenary was one of "ethical sensitivity" and that the event was of "immense significance". | Irish president Michael D Higgins has laid in wreath at a remembrance ceremony held in the Republic of Ireland to mark the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. |
37293322 | Djokovic, 29, has completed just two of five matches in New York, benefiting from a walkover and two retirements.
He will face another Frenchman in the last four after Gael Monfils beat compatriot Lucas Pouille 6-4 6-3 6-3.
"This was the scenario that I needed and I wished for," said Djokovic, who has faced his own health issues.
The Serbian world number one arrived at Flushing Meadows nursing injuries to both his left wrist and right elbow.
"I got a lot of days off and recovered my body," he said. "Right now I'm feeling very close to the peak. That's the position where I want to be."
Second seed Andy Murray takes on Kei Nishikori on Wednesday, before Juan Martin del Potro and Stan Wawrinka play the last of the quarter-finals.
In the women's draw on Tuesday, Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki beat Anastasija Sevastova 6-0 6-2 in another match marred by injury, with the Latvian severely hampered by a twisted ankle.
Wozniacki won easily to set up a semi-final against German second seed Angelique Kerber, who beat Italy's Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-0.
Djokovic had won 13 of his last 14 matches against Tsonga, who hit 19 unforced errors and failed to win a point on his second serve in the opening set.
The Frenchman's predicament worsened when he required a medical timeout for attention to his left knee after falling a double break down in the second set.
After watching Djokovic seal the set with an ace, he then approached the net and held out his hand to bring an end to the action after 81 minutes.
"I know Jo well, he's a fighter and this is something I'm sure he didn't wish for," said Djokovic, who is through to his 10th consecutive semi-final in New York.
Pouille made 44 unforced errors as the five-set win over Rafael Nadal appeared to take its toll on the 22-year-old.
Monfils maintained his momentum either side of a 15-minute rain delay to seal his first Grand Slam semi-final appearance since the 2008 French Open.
"It's a court I love," he told the New York crowd. "I always say that the French is my home, but this one is my second."
Monfils, 30, has yet to drop a set in five matches at Flushing Meadows. | Defending champion Novak Djokovic is through to the US Open semi-finals after a knee injury forced Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to quit when trailing 6-3 6-2. |
38588987 | Montgomeryshire's Glyn Davies said health officials must rethink proposals which could see a new emergency centre in Telford, rather than in Shrewsbury.
Current plans are on hold for consultation, but affect Welsh patients travelling to England for treatment.
The issue was debated in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening.
At the moment, mid Wales patients requiring treatment for life-threatening conditions are normally taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital's A&E unit.
But reorganisation will see a new dedicated emergency centre built for Shropshire.
However, that could be sited in Telford, which is a further 15 minutes away for Welsh patients.
"It isn't a logical option," the Conservative MP told BBC Wales.
"There are people from the Llanidloes area now who are travelling the best part of three-quarters to an hour to get to an emergency A&E centre. That is excessive.
"I think to add a quarter of an hour - 20 minutes even - under a blue light on top of that, I think that is just unacceptable."
Joy Jones said she had experienced the journey from Newtown to Shrewsbury in an ambulance with her son Joshua. She said the prospect of another 20 minutes on the road was "terrifying".
"You've started counting down the miles and trying to work out where you were on the road - it's very frightening, especially if it's dark - it's night time," she said.
"To go to Shrewsbury is frightening enough. To think that you've got to go further - sort of 20 minutes up the road to Telford - to get emergency treatment is terrifying."
The reorganisation is part of a NHS Future Fit programme that was launched in 2014, and is due to be implemented in 2017.
The two main hospitals in Shropshire service only about 400,000 people, and there have been problems recruiting consultants.
Its health trust has argued that one emergency department would put specialists consultants in one place, improving patient care.
Health minister David Mowat said on Thursday evening the joint Shropshire and Telford Commissioning Group would meet next week to start an eight to 12-week review of the options.
He said a new independent chairman would also be appointed with a casting vote to help decide on a favoured location. Once that is decided it will then go to public consultation.
A final decision is expected to take place in the summer. | Some Powys patients could face journeys of more than an hour to reach emergency hospital treatment in Shropshire, a Welsh MP has warned. |
20177616 | Mr McKay, who was 36, was shot dead at his home on Longlands Road on 25 October.
Requiem mass was held at St Gerard's church on the Antrim Road for Mr McKay on Friday.
Fr Gerry Cassidy said Mr McKay had died "in the early summer of his life".
He said sympathy and prayers were also with the family of David Black who was murdered on the M1 motorway in Northern Ireland on Thursday.
Mr McKay, the father of a 10-year-old child, was shot several times as he sat alone on a sofa in his living room. He died at the scene.
At least two armed men were involved in the attack.
Police have asked anyone who saw a silver Volkswagen Bora, which had been stolen by five masked men in the New Lodge area shortly before the shooting to contact them.
The car was later found burnt out in Ardmoulin Place, west Belfast. | The funeral for Danny McKay who was murdered at his home in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, last week, has taken place. |
38899989 | Sergeant Alexander Blackman, 42, from Taunton, Somerset, is appealing against his murder conviction.
Blackman, known as Marine A, was sentenced to life in 2013.
His defence team argues fresh psychiatric evidence would have provided him with the "partial defence of diminished responsibility".
Blackman watched the court proceedings on Tuesday via video link from jail.
Jonathan Goldberg QC, for Blackman, said that at the time of the 2011 shooting the marine was serving with Plymouth-based 42 Commando in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in conditions which were a "breeding ground" for mental health problems.
Mr Goldberg said three experts agreed that at the time of the killing, Blackman, described as a reserved man like a "John Wayne character", had been suffering from an adjustment disorder.
He argued that this affected Blackman's ability to form a rational judgement or exercise self-control and crucially to know whether the insurgent was alive or not.
Blackman shot the insurgent, who had been seriously injured in an attack by an Apache helicopter, in the chest at close range with a 9mm pistol.
Blackman used abusive language as he said: "There you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil."
He then turned to his comrades and said: "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere, fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention."
The shooting was captured on a camera mounted on the helmet of another Royal Marine.
Blackman was convicted in November 2013 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 10 years.
In May 2014, the Court Martial Appeal Court rejected a conviction challenge, but reduced the minimum term to eight years because of the combat stress disorder he had been suffering from.
During his trial, Blackman, who denied murder, said he had believed the victim was already dead and he had been taking out his anger on a corpse.
Prof Neil Greenberg told the appeal hearing that everybody had their "breaking point".
"There is no such thing as a Rambo type, an Arnold Schwarzenegger soldier, who can face all sorts of stresses and appear to be invulnerable.
"That sort of person only exists in the cinema."
He said that, assuming that the video showed elements of planning and deliberation, it was completely consistent with an adjustment disorder.
But Richard Whittam QC, for the Crown, said that the mere fact of an adjustment disorder did not get one "through the door" of diminished responsibility.
The hearing continues. | A Royal Marine had a recognised mental illness when he fatally shot an injured Afghan fighter, the Court Martial Appeal Court has heard. |
31118378 | Some hospitals have already employed people to guide smokers off hospital grounds, in a bid to tackle the issue.
Pressure group Ash Wales called the smoking situation "unacceptable" and has urged the Welsh government to enable stricter enforcement.
In response, the Welsh government said it had carried out a consultation and was considering how to take it forward.
Policies to ban smoking on the grounds of all hospitals in Wales have been in force since October 2013, though some health boards had rules in place earlier.
BBC Wales contacted the six health boards which run hospitals in Wales, with each confirming that smoking is "still visible" around entrances.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said it had two "smoke-free officers" who offer support to stop while also insisting they are not allowed to smoke on site.
In the last three months alone, a smoking enforcement officer at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff has spoken to more than 1,000 smokers - including 174 members of staff.
Liz McSloy, from Pontardawe, has suffered from asthma for over 30 years and is particularly affected by cigarette smoke.
Her five-year-old daughter, Cerys, also has asthma, as well as severe allergies.
"Cerys has regular check ups so we're back and forth at the hospital quite a bit. There are people smoking outside the main entrance on a regular basis"
"The worst is when we have to go to A&E with my asthma. I avoid the main entrance and try and go in a different entrance and work my way around as I know I can stop and sit down to try and recover a bit."
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which runs the NHS across north Wales, said it was now looking into "on-the-spot-fines for littering" for smokers.
It said despite a zero-smoking policy for three years and "new bold signage and innovative awareness-raising campaigns", smokers were still visible on its hospital sites.
Simon Clark, director of pro-smoking group Forest, said the threat of fines "was absolutely abominable".
He added: "It seems extraordinary to us that NHS administrators would be spending time, and probably money, coercing people like this.
"Hospitals are very stressful places, not just for patients but also for visitors and staff.
"We can understand them not wanting people to smoke around hospital entrances, in which case the compromise should be a comfortable smoking shelter."
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "When asked about legislating to prevent smoking in hospital grounds, responses were generally positive in our recent consultation on the Public Health White Paper, and we are considering how to take this forward." | Hospitals across Wales are considering on-the-spot fines for people smoking on site and near entrance ways. |
29640288 | Police and protesters in Hong Kong scuffled for a second night on Thursday as a group of demonstrators tried to re-occupy a main road near government buildings.
The unrest comes after more serious clashes on Wednesday during which some police officers were filmed beating and kicking an unarmed protester.
Police are investigating the incident, which has sparked public outrage.
Making no mention of the scuffles, the Xinhua News Agency and the People's Daily, praise the police for "taking decisive actions" in "dispersing the protesters" to ensure smooth traffic on the roads.
The People's Daily report blames protesters for causing disturbances for the past few nights, and points out that they had "even surrounded the police" while the law enforcers had "used the minimal force" to stop the actions that "endanger public safety and disrupt social order".
"The police had arrested 45 people in their operation… Four police officers were injured during the process," notes the report.
The paper says that the police "have the backing of the people" and they should "swiftly clear up the streets to restore order in Hong Kong".
Without making reference to the protest in the former British colony, a separate report in the Xinhua News Agency gives a lengthy description of how US police officers had "forcefully dispersed protesters" who were involved in previous "Occupy" movements.
"The Occupy Wall Street campaign lost its popularity not only because the protesters had affected the lives of others, but also because they had broken the tolerance of the American law," notes the report.
Describing the Hong Kong protesters as "foolish", the Global Times Chinese edition urges the society to "help the protesters in controlling their extreme emotions and see the situation clearly".
Lashing out at the US for supporting the protesters, the editorial points out that the US "will not stand a chance" in "openly confronting China over Hong Kong affairs".
"Hong Kong is not the Middle East or Ukraine. The Chinese government has multiple levels of ability as well as abundance of resources to control the Hong Kong situation," says the article, adding that "for Hong Kong's own sake, Occupy Central must end".
In contrast to the subdued reporting in the mainland, media outlets in Hong Kong are widely reporting the scuffles between the police and the protesters, while giving different views over the incident.
Blaming the protesters for provoking the police and criticising them for "playing victim", the pro-Beijing Ta Kung Pao daily points out that the police had "adopted a high level of tolerance" when dealing with the "illegal" movement.
"The oppositions accused the police for behaving lawlessly even before investigations can conclude. Their political motive is very clear. They are using this incident to demonise the police, hoping to see the abolishment of the use of force. They are using the incident as a bargaining chip with the government," says the paper.
In an equally strongly worded editorial, the Apple Daily lambasts the police for "not remaining politically neutral".
"They are helping the thugs from the anti-Occupy camp and are acting unprofessionally. Now they have even discarded the basic discipline that is required of the force," says the paper, noting that the protesters had not resorted to violence or destroyed public properties during the movement.
It adds that "the police force and the Hong Kong government are shielding the officers".
"This ambiguous attitude makes one wonder if the police were acting out of impulse or is this a malicious strategy to provoke anger from the public to trigger more conflicts so as to create the reasons to clear up the sites with force," notes the paper.
The daily urges the protesters to stick to the "peaceful and non-violent principle" and not to fall into the "trap" of the "opponents who include the anti-Occupy group and the police".
Worrying that violence might escalate, the Ming Pao daily notes that "some protesters had deviated from the peaceful movement" and urges law enforcers to exercise restraint even when facing violence.
"We still hope that the police are able to handle the campaign properly and let it end peacefully without the need for outside forces to interfere," says the paper.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. For more reports from BBC Monitoring, click here. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook. | Media in China have defended Hong Kong's police force after several clashes between officers and pro-democracy protesters. |
34685183 | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this increased the need for co-operation between the US and Russia.
US officials said "fewer than 50" troops would "train, advise and assist" vetted opposition forces in fighting the so-called Islamic State (IS).
It will be the first time that US troops operate openly in Syria.
Mr Lavrov said the US had decided on its move "unilaterally and without any reference to the Syrian leadership".
He added: "I am convinced that neither the United States nor Russia of course want any kind of slide into a so-called proxy war. But to me it is obvious that this situation makes the task of co-operation between the militaries even more relevant."
He was speaking after talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in Vienna.
"Our role fundamentally and the strategy is to enable local forces but does that put US forces in harm's way? It does, no question about it," Defence Secretary Ash Carter later told reporters.
He did not rule out further deployments of special forces to the region, if the initial mission was deemed a success.
For more than a year, US-led coalition forces have been carrying out air strikes against IS, which controls a large part of northern Syria and parts of neighbouring Iraq.
The US recently abandoned its Syria rebel training effort, opting to provide equipment and arms directly to rebel leaders instead.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Obama wanted to provide additional support for Syrian rebel fighters who had been having success on the battlefield.
"There are now moderate opposition forces that are 45 miles (72km) outside [IS stronghold] Raqqa," he said. "The president is prepared to intensify the elements that have shown promise."
He added: "This is an intensification of a strategy he discussed a year ago."
The numbers are small, nonetheless the US decision represents a notable shift in US policy. Their mission will be "to help co-ordinate local ground forces and coalition efforts" against IS in northern Syria. In all likelihood they may fight alongside Kurdish forces who have been the most effective of Washington's local allies.
"Co-ordination" could well mean forward air controllers - teams trained in the skills of linking up tactical air power with troops on the ground, designating targets and calling in strikes. The fact that the US now has specialised A-10 ground attack aircraft reasonably close by at the Turkish air base of Incirlik may also be significant.
This is a small step intended not least to reassure Washington's unsettled allies in the region. The drift in US policy has become even more apparent since Russia's muscular intervention from the air. But to be convincing, the US may need to do a good deal more and that seems to be at variance with President Obama's basic instincts.
This week's talks in Vienna involved Iran for the first time.
The summit sought to close the gap between the US and its allies, who support the rebels, and the key foreign allies of the Syrian government, Russia and Iran.
World leaders say progress was made in the "historic" talks to resolve Syria's civil war, but they continue to differ on the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.
'Progress made' in Syria talks
If not Assad, then who?
US special operations forces have previously taken part in at least two raids in Syria.
In May, troops killed senior IS member Abu Sayyaf and captured his wife in eastern Syria.
And last summer, forces failed in an operation to rescue American hostages including journalist James Foley, who was later beheaded by IS.
Last week, American forces assisted Kurdish troops in the rescue of dozens of hostages held by IS in Iraq. One American soldier was killed in the raid. | Russia has warned of the risk of a "proxy war" in the Middle East after the US said it would send special forces to Syria. |
32160420 | He has several aliases but is best known as Mohamed Dulyadin, which means ambidextrous in the Somali language. His exact age is not known but is thought to be in mid-30s.
Kuno is a Kenyan-Somali and was a headmaster at a madrassa, or Islamic school, in Garissa, Kenya until 2007.
But then he crossed the border into Somalia to join the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), which at one point controlled much of the country.
When the UIC collapsed he joined the militant group Hizbul Islam, which in 2010 merged with al-Shabab.
A BBC Somali service reporter says that Kuno is well-known as a hardliner in Somalia and is one of al-Shabab's leading operatives in the southern Jubaland region, which shares a long border with Kenya.
He is alleged to have been behind several attacks on Kenyan soldiers who are fighting al-Shabab in Jubaland. He is also blamed for attacks on Kenyan civilians in Kenya itself. | The Kenyan government has named Mohamed Kuno as the mastermind behind the Garissa University College attack and has put a $215,000 (£145,000) reward for his capture. |
32820816 | The boy suffered a broken wrist when he fell onto the M49, near Bristol.
Driver Tudor West and coach owner Keith Jones, both of Bridgend, deny charges relating to dangerous driving after the teenager - part of a rugby team - was injured, on 16 May last year.
Mr West told Bristol Crown Court he had asked the team to wear seatbelts but they "had not put them on".
The court was told the bus had passed its MOT a month before the incident, but as part of the accident investigation it was inspected and "nine defects were identified".
During the hearing, the jury was played a video showing an inspector pushing the coach door "lightly with his hand" before it opened.
But in the court, Mr West acted out his "normal morning routine" on the stand.
He showed the jury how, on the day of the accident, he had opened and closed the emergency rear exit and had then put all of his weight against it.
When asked how he thought the door had opened, allowing the the 13-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to fall onto the motorway, Mr West said: "I don't know, all I know is that it wouldn't have happened on that morning."
Tudor West denies dangerous driving and driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
Coach company owner Keith Jones denies permitting the driving of a vehicle in a dangerous condition, and aiding and abetting dangerous driving.
The trial continues. | A coach driver checked his vehicle's emergency exit hours before a boy fell out of it on a motorway, a court heard. |
39501913 | Knudsen, 24, did not play in Tuesday's 3-0 home win over Wigan, while Taylor, 31, went off during the first half.
Centre-back Taylor suffered suspected recurrence of a hamstring injury that had kept him out since February.
Of left-back Knudsen, McCarthy told BBC Suffolk: "He's damaged his shoulder. It looks like he'll need an operation."
McCarthy continued: "He could rest it for three or four weeks and come back, but we've got six games to play.
"The last thing I want is to bring him back in the last game and he gets injured and misses the start of pre-season."
With six games left, the Tractor Boys are 17th in the Championship table, nine points clear of the relegation zone.
Speaking after the win over the Latics, former Wolves and Sunderland boss McCarthy praised the recent performances of Polish goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
The 29-year-old has played in all but one of Town's league fixtures this season, keeping 11 clean sheets in the process.
Asked whether he expected enquiries about the ex-Notts County goalkeeper in the summer, McCarthy said: "Every chance. I've already bigged him up as the best in the league.
"We've got him under contract, but we all know if a huge offer comes in from a big club, then it's difficult to stop it if it's the right deal. Let's hope not." | Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy says injured defenders Jonas Knudsen and Steven Taylor could miss the end of the Championship season. |
38523691 | The couple, named locally as Michael Beck, 62 and Nicola Beck, 52, were found dead at around 11:40 GMT on Wednesday.
Their home, near Dunkeswell, Devon, remains cordoned off.
Devon and Cornwall Police said the deaths are being treated as a "domestic related murder and suicide".
Read more about farmhouse deaths and other Devon and Cornwall stories here
Det Insp Steve Davies, from the Major Crime Unit, said: "We are conducting house-to-house enquiries and have been carrying out searches at the premises today.
"We are not looking for any other person in connection with this isolated incident and can confirm that no other person was present at the premises at the time of this incident." | A husband and wife whose bodies were discovered at a farmhouse died in an apparent murder-suicide, police have said. |
38048445 | It happened at about 16:00 GMT on Sunday while the Belfast-to-Amsterdam flight was waiting to take off.
Passengers were on board the already-delayed flight while waiting for the aircraft to be de-iced.
Alan Whiteside, operations director at the airport, said the flight was cancelled due to damage to the plane.
He told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme that de-icing takes place "in very close proximity" to the aircraft - with one member of staff driving the vehicle and another applying the de-icer.
"Unfortunately, on this occasion, it came into contact with the plane," he said. "It doesn't take much to damage an aircraft.
"Any damage at all will be of concern to the engineers and they will err on the side of caution."
Mr Whiteside said there was "never any danger to the passengers or any crew".
An Easyjet spokesperson said the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew was always the carrier's highest priority.
"The captain kept the passengers informed and they were given the option of being rebooked onto the next available flight, or obtain a refund," said the spokesperson.
Passengers were offered meals and hotel accommodation if required, and the company has apologised for any inconvenience caused. | An investigation is to be launched after a de-icing vehicle crashed into an Easyjet plane at Belfast International Airport. |
36629281 | Sussex Police said the woman, who was seen with the child at the station on Friday, was traced to her home address in London.
They said the girl was now in the care of social services but have not given any information about the mother.
Police began an urgent hunt for the woman after being alerted by members of the public who saw the child alone.
CCTV footage showed a woman, believed to be the child's mother, walking with the girl along Queens Road from the station, where they had arrived on a train from London at about 12:30 BST.
Minutes later, concerned passers-by alerted police after spotting the girl on her own at a bus stop near the Ibis Hotel, about 100m south of the station.
Sussex Police said the Metropolitan Police had now taken over the investigation, but a Scotland Yard spokesman was unable to give more details.
Detective Inspector Lee Horner, of Sussex Police, said on Friday that it was not clear whether the girl had got to the bus stop by herself or whether she lost her mother there. | The mother of a five-year-old girl found alone at a bus stop near Brighton station has been found. |
35315383 | Payne is likely to be back in action at Allianz Park after suffering a broken foot in Ireland's World Cup pool victory over Romania in September.
The 30-year-old could play at full-back as regular number 15 Louis Ludik is struggling to overcome a groin injury.
Payne was added to Ulster's squad for the competition last week.
The anticipated comeback of the Irish-qualified Kiwi will also come as a boost to Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, with the start of the Six Nations just three weeks away.
Payne played in Ireland's opening two games at the World Cup and scored a try on his tournament debut against Canada.
After sustaining his foot injury against Romania, he was ruled out of the side which went on to defeat France the day before the game.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Centre Darren Cave has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered at the start of December and could occupy a place on the replacements' bench as the Ulster coaching team are likely to retain Luke Marshall and Stuart McCloskey in midfield.
Lock Alan O'Connor and prop Wiehahn Herbst, who missed last week's dramatic win over Oyonnax, are expected to return, along with winger Andrew Trimble, who was rested.
Number eight Nick Williams is likely to miss the match after suffering a blow to the head late in the game in France.
The 32-year-old is being assessed under the normal concussion protocols but the expectation is he will miss the Pool 1 contest.
Ulster retain hope of qualification for the quarter-finals, with the weekend trip to the Premiership leaders and a home game against Oyonnax on 23 January still to come.
The Irish province's long-term injuries include Iain Henderson, Tommy Bowe and Peter Nelson.
Centre Stuart Olding is nearing a return to fitness after being out since March because of a knee injury while another Ireland player, Dan Tuohy, is expected to be available again next month after breaking a leg in early December. | Jared Payne is in line for a possible starting berth in Ulster's European Champions Cup team to face Saracens on Saturday on his return from injury. |
38350658 | Government and rebel sources say the agreement will allow people to leave several besieged enclaves in Syria.
But hours after the announcement, aid agencies were still waiting for the process to start.
At least 6,000 people left east Aleppo under a fragile truce on Thursday, but the operation was halted a day later.
The area has seen rapid government advances in recent weeks.
As well as east Aleppo, the deal is also said to include the evacuation of two other rebel-held towns and two towns loyal to the government.
Only when Shia civilians are allowed out of the pro-government towns of Foua and Kefraya, both besieged by rebels, will Aleppo's convoys begin moving again, reports the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Istanbul.
Fifty buses have headed to Foua and Kefraya in anticipation, and more are gathering at the Ramousseh crossing outside Aleppo, our correspondent says.
Confusion reigned on Friday morning when the evacuation from east Aleppo, which was taking place along corridors out of the city towards rebel-held areas (Khan al-Asal and Khan Touman), was stopped.
The government said rebel fighters had fired on the convoys at the checkpoint at Ramousseh. Rebels said pro-government forces opened fire.
The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote over the weekend on a French-drafted proposal to ensure the operation is co-ordinated by international observers, with humanitarian aid allowed into Aleppo and hospitals given protection.
Correspondents say thousands of cold and hungry civilians remain stranded in the rebel-held east of the city, waiting to be moved to safety.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on all sides to provide guarantees and allow the evacuation to be completed.
"It's important that the parties on the ground do their utmost to end this limbo," ICRC Syria head Marianne Gasser said in the statement.
"People have suffered a lot. Please come to an agreement and help save thousands of lives."
On Saturday various government and rebel sources confirmed that a deal had been reached, which included the following:
Monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the evacuation from Foah and Kefraya, which are home to some 20,000 people, was expected to start on Saturday.
Syrian state TV, meanwhile, said starting the Idlib evacuations was the main condition for allowing the Aleppo exodus to continue.
How Srebrenica's survivors view Aleppo
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War photographer joins Syria convoy
The UN's children's charity Unicef says sick and wounded children are among the evacuees from east Aleppo, some of whom left without their parents.
"However, hundreds of other vulnerable children, including orphans, remain trapped inside that part of the city," it added.
"We are extremely concerned about their fate. If these children are not evacuated urgently, they could die."
Abdulkafi al-Hamdo, a teacher who is also still in east Aleppo with his young daughter, told the BBC by phone he did not want to leave his home and city but believed he had no choice.
"The weather is so cold," he said. "Some people have been here since 09:00 yesterday (07:00 GMT on Friday) and the children are so hungry they are crying. They are freezing. Most of them here are scared of a brutal end to the ceasefire.
"They are afraid that they will not be able to get out. This is the feeling of most people here." | Trapped civilians and rebels are waiting to leave east Aleppo in Syria after a new deal was reportedly reached for evacuations to resume. |
39921202 | The incident happened in the Aldi store on Gilmerton Road at about 17:30 on Sunday 5 March 2017.
Two members of staff were threatened, pushed and racially abused.
The first man is in his mid-20s, about 5ft 4in, of chubby build, with brown hair and bright blue eyes and was wearing a dark blue Adidas sweatshirt.
The second man is in his mid-20s, about 5ft 9in, of slim build, with black hair and a black beard, and he was wearing a black hoodie and black trousers.
The third man is in his mid-20s, about 5ft 5in, of slim build and with black hair. He was wearing a black Nike hoodie with white stripes on the sleeves and dark trousers.
Police Constable Heather Storer, of police Scotland, said: "This was a distressing and offensive incident for the employees of the store who were simply doing their job.
"We believe the males in the images may be able to help with our investigation and we would urge them or anyone who recognises them to come forward as soon as possible." | CCTV pictures of three men who may be able to help in an investigation into a racially-aggravated assault in Edinburgh have been released by police. |
37735848 | Alexander Yakovenko said the embassy was "shrinking" and questioned whether the UK wanted "an adequate Russian diplomatic presence".
He also criticised the prime minister and foreign secretary for giving what he said were "anti-Russian statements".
The Foreign Office said there was no policy to delay visas.
Mr Yakovenko said Russia did not have enough diplomatic staff in London because as people returned home or went on to other postings, visas for their replacements were not being issued.
"The embassy is shrinking and if it continues the embassy will be reduced further. People cannot be replaced because the visas are not being issued," he said.
"I hope this problem will be resolved under present government."
He added: "Here in London, we simply do not understand the strategy of this country on visa issues."
Mr Yakovenko's comments come amid public clashes between the UK and Russia over Syria, Ukraine and the killing of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.
Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told MPs Russia risked becoming a pariah nation over its involvement in bombing the Syrian city of Aleppo and urged protesters to demonstrate outside its embassy.
And Prime Minister Theresa May this week urged European leaders to send a "robust united message" to Moscow over the bombing campaign.
Also on Friday, there was further attention on the relationship between the countries as two British warships shadowed an aircraft carrier and other Russian naval ships as they passed the UK on their way to Syria.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have made clear to the Russians that the queues need to be cleared on both sides, and they have agreed work with us on this.
"We regularly discuss the visa exchange process with the Russians at official level and this requires both the UK and Russia to work together to ensure the effective operation of our respective embassies." | The Russian ambassador to the UK has accused the British government of delaying the granting of visas to staff at its embassy in London. |
37904965 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Holman wasted early chances for the Robins but he made a decisive contribution to the 19th-minute opener. He blasted a shot that Ben Garratt could only parry and Wright followed up at the far post to snaffle the rebound.
With leading scorer Ryan Lowe left on the bench after recent injury problems, Crewe lacked a threat and youngsters Alex Kiwomya and Dan Udoh struggled to make an impact on the Robins' back three.
The restless natives in a crowd of just 1,711 were given further cause to moan in the 36th minute when centre-half Rob Dickie thrust forward and slid the ball inside for Barthram, who beat Garratt at his near post.
Garratt then turned away Holman's piledriver and Crewe were fortunate to have James Jones well placed to divert Dan O'Shaughnessy's shot off the line from the resulting corner.
The tie was soon out of their reach after the restart with Cheltenham striking twice in the space of nine minutes.
First former Alex player Waters brought down a high ball amid a crowd of home defenders and hooked the ball into the far corner in the 53rd minute, before Holman cut in from the left and drove into the top corner.
The goals kept coming with Lowe, brought on at the restart, turning home from close range after playing a one-two with fellow substitute Callum Saunders in the 65th minute, but it was a mere consolation for Crewe.
Report supplied by the Press Association
Match ends, Crewe Alexandra 1, Cheltenham Town 4.
Second Half ends, Crewe Alexandra 1, Cheltenham Town 4.
Attempt missed. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Attempt saved. James Rowe (Cheltenham Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner, Cheltenham Town. Conceded by Harry Davis.
Attempt blocked. Jack Munns (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Callum Ainley (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt missed. James Rowe (Cheltenham Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Attempt saved. Daniel Wright (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Foul by George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra).
Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Cheltenham Town. James Rowe replaces Billy Waters.
Attempt missed. James Jones (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Daniel Wright (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt saved. Amari Morgan-Smith (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner.
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Russell Griffiths.
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Russell Griffiths.
Attempt saved. Ryan Lowe (Crewe Alexandra) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt saved. Daniel O'Shaughnessy (Cheltenham Town) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner, Cheltenham Town. Conceded by Ben Nugent.
Amari Morgan-Smith (Cheltenham Town) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box.
Harry Davis (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Daniel Wright (Cheltenham Town).
Attempt saved. Billy Waters (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Aaron Downes.
Substitution, Cheltenham Town. Amari Morgan-Smith replaces Dan Holman.
Corner, Cheltenham Town. Conceded by Jon Guthrie.
Attempt blocked. Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Ryan Wintle replaces Danny Hollands.
Attempt missed. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Goal! Crewe Alexandra 1, Cheltenham Town 4. Ryan Lowe (Crewe Alexandra) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Callum Saunders.
Attempt missed. James Jones (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Callum Saunders replaces Daniel Udoh.
Goal! Crewe Alexandra 0, Cheltenham Town 4. Dan Holman (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Billy Waters.
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Aaron Downes.
Substitution, Cheltenham Town. Jack Munns replaces James Dayton.
Perry Ng (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jack Barthram (Cheltenham Town).
Attempt saved. Ryan Lowe (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half. | Cheltenham ran riot at Crewe to book an FA Cup second-round date at Sutton United thanks to goals from Danny Wright, Jack Barthram, Billy Waters and Dan Holman. |
32409909 | The ex-Scottish first minister was filmed making the joke at an SNP fundraising event on 13 April.
The video was tweeted by David Cameron, who said voters would be shocked. But Mr Salmond said the prime minister clearly had a "sense of humour bypass."
Labour dismissed the suggestion of any SNP influence as "total nonsense".
With the polls pointing to another hung parliament there is much focus and debate on possible coalitions and deals between the parties to form a government.
The Conservatives are warning of a Labour-SNP tie-up, which they say would cause chaos and be bad for the UK.
Although Labour leader Ed Miliband has ruled out a formal coalition with the SNP if his party falls short of a majority on 7 May - the Conservatives say there could be a looser arrangement with Labour relying on SNP support to win Commons votes.
In reply, Mr Miliband has accused the Conservatives of putting the future of the UK at risk by "talking up" rather than "taking on" the SNP.
In the footage, Mr Salmond says: "The Scottish Labour leader will not be writing the Labour Party budget. But then I knew that already - because I'm writing the Labour Party Budget.
Mr Salmond said: "The point made in a light-hearted way was that Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy had been slapped down by his party bosses at Westminster and told that he would have no role in a Labour Budget.
"David Cameron is clearly a prime minister with both a people bypass and a sense of humour bypass."
In his tweet David Cameron said "This footage will shock you: Alex Salmond laughs & boasts he'll write Labour's budget. Vote Conservative to stop it."
The video of Mr Salmond was raised during Wednesday's Daily Politics debate on the economy.
Labour's Treasury spokesman Chris Leslie said the SNP would have no influence on a Labour budget.
"It's total nonsense," he said, adding: "Why would we tie up in any way with... the SNP when we disagree so profoundly with them on the need to make sure we have fiscal responsibility?"
Put to him that independent economic think-tank the Institute of Fiscal Studies has said Labour's plans are broadly consistent with the SNP's, he disagreed.
"If you think that Stewart's proposal for additional borrowing is something that we would go along with, you are completely wrong," he told BBC economics editor Robert Peston.
But Stewart Hosie, the SNP's economic spokesman and parliamentary hopeful, took a different view, insisting that there was a deal to be done with Labour.
"I think there is a deal to be struck which is fiscally responsible and which actually lifts austerity from people, unlike Labour who signed up to £30bn of cuts in this year."
He stressed that under his party's plans there would be a "modest rise" in public spending and the deficit and debt would fall in every year of the next parliament.
But Mr Leslie replied: "We are not going to compromise in any Budget on the fundamental principle that we have to eliminate the current budget deficit as soon as possible in the next parliament."
Commenting on his former leader's remarks, Mr Hosie said: "I think he was having a bit of fun.... I thought it was quite amusing."
* Subscribe to the BBC Election 2015 newsletter to get a round-up of the day's campaign news sent to your inbox every weekday afternoon. | Alex Salmond has said his suggestion he would be writing Labour's Budget if it won power in May was meant as a "light-hearted" remark. |
39613461 | The Slovenia-born 27-year-old won 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in the clay-court Open Citta Della Disfada final in Barletta, Italy.
Bedene won the Verrazzano Open in France last week, and now has three titles to his name on the secondary ATP Challenger Tour in 2017.
He is on a 10-match unbeaten run, and is forecast to rise from 76th in the rankings to around 69th.
The clay-court specialist has now won 17 of his last 18 matches, with the only defeat coming on hard courts at the Miami Masters. | British number four Aljaz Bedene beat Portugal's Gastao Elias to win his second tournament in a row. |
40718136 | In a bid to raise awareness about farm safety, Victor Chestnutt spoke about how he was badly injured by a Highland cow, a breed with long curved horns.
She had recently calved when she attacked him during a TB test a number of years ago, Mr Chestnutt recalled.
The animal was destroyed but the farmer kept the horns as a reminder of the need for caution.
He has told the story as part of Farm Safety Week which is designed to reduce fatalities and injuries on farms.
Six people were killed on farms in Northern Ireland in 2016 and there have already been a number of fatalities this year.
The Health and Safety Executive says as many as 100 people a month in Northern Ireland require hospital treatment after accidents on farms.
Mr Chestnutt, who is from Bushmills and is a deputy president of the union, said he had bought the Highland cow because a family member "liked the look of them".
He knew she was "steamed up" that day but the speed with which she turned on him caught him by surprise, he said.
He needed surgery for serious leg injuries after she gored him in a pen.
"It did my confidence for some time," he recalled. "I was very fortunate - I could have been killed."
"It really got to me that I had set my limits but she was still fit to get me."
An experienced cattle breeder and handler, Mr Chestnutt has had three near misses with livestock.
He said farmers needed to avoid complacency and be aware of the dangers.
He also said effective cattle handling facilities could help prevent injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive is organising a week of publicity around farm safety.
Chief Executive Keith Morrison urged farmers to stop and think for a short time before undertaking any task.
"We're not saying don't do things, we're saying manage the risk," he said.
Most accidents happen as a result of falls, accidents involving machinery, livestock and slurry. | A senior figure in the Ulster Famers' Union has described how he was almost gored to death by a cow. |
39351623 | Jones said the Hatters "don't know how to grind out a win" after their 1-1 draw with lowly Newport County.
Luton are currently in fifth place in League Two, five points off the automatic promotion places.
Jones said his team were playing too many "powder-puff crosses or little passes when we want a killer instinct".
He told BBC Three Counties Radio: "We've only lost once in four games, but we've only taken three points. Now we have eight games to go - it's a shootout."
Danny Hylton gave Town the lead after five minutes at Rodney Parade, but Sean Rigg levelled for the hosts, who remain second bottom of League Two.
Jones, who signed a new three-and-a-half year contract with the Hatters on Monday, added: "It has to mean more to the [the players]. It's livelihoods. It's promotion. It can make or break them." | Luton Town manager Nathan Jones says his side's remaining eight games must "mean more" to his players if they are to win the "shootout" for promotion. |
29323606 | It comes as Radio 1 has announced that the teenage cancer patient, who raised almost ??5m for charity before his death in May, will have an award presented in his name at this year's Teen Awards.
Jane Sutton added: "My son was courageous and inspirational.
"I'm immensely proud of everything he achieved."
The 19-year-old, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, died after launching an appeal in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
He made a bucket list of 46 things he wanted to achieve and raised money during the process.
The charity recently announced ??2.9m of the ??4.96m raised through donations and gift aid would be invested in specialist cancer units for young people.
Jane Sutton said: "When he first started fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust, never in his wildest dreams did he think he would reach ??5 million.
"As well as all the other ambitious goals on his bucket list, he really wanted to help other young people with cancer. He has certainly done that.
"He wasn't going to let his cancer stop him making the most of every minute and he often used to say, 'I may have cancer, but cancer doesn't have me'."
This year's Radio 1 Teen Awards will take place at Wembley Arena to honour some of the UK's unsung teenage heroes as well as music, online, sport and entertainment stars.
Radio 1 listeners have nominated friends and family aged 12 to 17 for the awards in recognition of their bravery, strength and selflessness.
Previous listener nominations have included relatives, work colleagues, friends and carers.
As well as the Teen Heroes, other prizes include best British group, British vlogger, British actor and British sports star, which will be voted for by Radio 1 listeners.
Stephen Sutton's mother added: "We will never forget Stephen, his spirit will live on in all that he achieved and shared with so many.
"His selfless fundraising and positive attitude to life touched countless hearts across the world and the huge outpouring of love and support he received in return helped him throughout his journey.
"Stephen found the kind words and messages of support from so many people he didn't know deeply humbling and I know that it made him really happy.
"He loved life and wanted to live every day to the full, preferring to measure life in terms of achievement and not time."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Stephen Sutton's mum has said her son "would have been really honoured to have a Radio 1 Teen Hero award named after him". |
32475479 | Pep Guardiola's side beat Hertha Berlin 1-0 on Saturday to put them within sight of the title.
Wolfsburg had to beat Gladbach to make Bayern wait another week for a 24th Bundesliga title and 25th overall championship, but lost to a Max Kruse goal. The Bundesliga started in 1963.
Bayern are still in the Champions League and German Cup semis.
They will have little time to celebrate this success as they face rivals Borussia Dortmund in the last four of the domestic cup on Tuesday.
Bayern are bidding for their third consecutive domestic double, and second treble in three years.
Guardiola has won five domestic titles in his six years as a manager; three out of four with Barcelona and now two in two for Bayern.
The Bavarians face Barca in the Champions League semi-finals in May.
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "Retaining the title is a magnificent achievement. All credit to the coach and the team. They've been fantastic throughout, in a season following a World Cup where we had a host of players in action.
"We'll have a magnificent party at some stage, no worries. But all in good time. When we do, it'll be a huge celebration." | Bayern Munich won their third straight Bundesliga title thanks to Wolfsburg's 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach. |
35185759 | 27 December 2015 Last updated at 10:34 GMT
No-one was in the pub at the time it collapsed.
Record rainfall has caused flooding in parts of northern England, Wales and Scotland.
Severe weather warnings have been issued meaning that conditions could be dangerous for people.
Take a look at this. | A 200 year-old pub in Greater Manchester has collapsed due to flood waters and some of it has been washed away by the River Irwell. |
37625067 | Against the dollar, the pound had fallen more than 2%, at one point dropping below $1.21, while against the euro it fell below €1.10.
It has now fallen about 19% against the dollar since the referendum, to lows not seen since 1985.
One analyst said it was "trading like an emerging market currency".
At one point the pound hit $1.2088 against the dollar on Tuesday evening and against the euro it touched €1.0939.
In the first hour of trade in Asia it was back above $1.22, a rise of 0.8%.
'Should I change my pounds to dollars now?'
Who's afraid of the falling pound?
Ahmed: The pound's fall and why it matters
Viewpoints: How low can the pound go?
Neil Wilson from ETX Capital said the mood around the pound had been extremely negative in recent days and that it was "now trading like an emerging market currency."
He also said comments by a senior Bank of England official had not helped.
Michael Saunders, a member of the Bank's interest rate-setting committee, said earlier that the pound could still "fall further", but that the recent sharp drop was not an immediate cause for concern.
The comments were interpreted as a signal that the Bank could keep interest rates lower for longer.
Earlier in the day, some traders had said sterling came under pressure from reports that US banks Citi and Morgan Stanley could move staff out of London, adding to worries about foreign investment leaving the UK.
"It really isn't terribly complicated. If we are outside the EU and we don't have what would be a stable and long-term commitment to access the single market then a lot of the things we do today in London, we'd have to do inside the EU 27," said Rob Rooney, chief executive of Morgan Stanley International.
Traders also pointed to leaked documents, warning that a withdrawal from the EU single market could cost the Treasury more than £66bn a year, as a reason for the drop.
Why does the fall of the pound matter?
On the upside, it matters for exporters which are boosted as their goods are far cheaper on foreign markets.
It matters for multinational companies like pharmaceutical firms which earn much of their income in dollars. It matters for the tourism industry in the UK, as foreign visitors flock here for bargains and good value holidays.
On the downside, it matters for tourists travelling abroad who will find everything they buy much more expensive.
It matters for the food and fuel this country imports as it becomes more expensive. It matters for inflation, as the rise in import costs feeds through to businesses and the High Street.
And remember, it does not need much of a rise in inflation to wipe out real income growth which at present is running at around 2%. If real incomes start falling, that is when the fall in sterling becomes a truly political issue.
Because the pound in your pocket will actually be worth less.
Read Kamal's blog in full
The falls in the pound on Tuesday pushed the FTSE 100 to an intra-day high, but it closed the session 0.4% lower at 7,070.88 points.
Many of the companies in the index generate most of their revenues abroad, and a weaker pound means overseas revenues are worth more when they are converted back into sterling.
The index broke its last intra-day high from 27 April 2015, when it reached 7,122.74 points, but could not hold on to beat that day's record closing high of 7,103.98. | The pound extended losses against both the dollar and the euro in late US trade on Tuesday, but recovered slightly in early Asian trade. |
39919354 | The interior ministry warned against "activity that undermines the dignity, reputation and honour of the army".
Its statement came two days after TV channels received similar instructions.
The military was accused of undermining democracy when it rejected the findings of an inquiry by the prime minister's office into a row over press leaks.
The so-called "Dawn leaks" affair began in October when the Dawn newspaper reported on tensions between government and military officials.
Many Pakistanis have taken to social media in recent days to attack the army's top brass. The new chief of staff, Lt-Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, has been a target of many of the barbs.
One poster tweeted a picture of his predecessor, Raheel Sharif, with the comment: "You are being missed."
Another tweet said: "I want to stand with the army, but somebody please tell me where the army is standing."
Others pointed out the changing mood towards the army.
Such comments prompted Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to accuse some Pakistanis of "criticising and maligning the armed forces on social media without any reason".
He warned that it was a serious crime and anyone found doing it would be dealt with "sternly and indiscriminately". Humiliating the army or its officers "under the cover of free speech is intolerable", he added.
From the day Dawn first reported on the government's spat with the military, reactions have ranged from it being a national security breach to one in which the newspaper is seen to have reported only what had been public knowledge for decades, reports the BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad.
For almost all the time since independence in 1947, top decision making in Pakistan has remained either directly or indirectly under the military's control, our correspondent says.
A section of society, including some political groups, have endorsed the military's moves largely on the premise that many politicians from the parties which tend to govern Pakistan are corrupt and even a "security risk".
The last three years saw a massive effort by the military's public relations wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), to present former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif as a "saviour".
But since 10 May, when the ISPR withdrew the explosive 29 April tweet that said the directives issued by the prime minister's office had been "rejected", many of its supporters have been disappointed at what they see as capitulation.
The military establishment is seen as being sensitive to criticism on social media, and was accused of being behind the "kidnapping" in January of several liberal bloggers who had aired unfavourable views.
The issue saw some allegedly pro-military activists and a section of the judiciary highlight perceived "blasphemous" posts, forcing the government to negotiate the blocking of such content.
By comparison, the storm of protest over the "Dawn leaks" has assumed a direct anti-military tone, and none of the material can be censured on grounds of blasphemy.
Many observers believe the episode has sparked the most vicious anti-military campaigns since the 2007 sacking of the chief justice by military ruler Pervez Musharraf and the 2011 killing of Osama Bin Laden by US special forces in a raid in Abbottabad.
Critics say the affair shows the military has no respect for legitimate civilian governments.
It is thought the military's "retreat" has delivered political dividends for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government less than a year before a general election is scheduled to be held.
But allowing such criticism to continue in country with such a powerful military might not go down well.
Even though the military "withdrew" the 29 April tweet - the entry remains on its main media account, many observers note. | Pakistanis have been told not to criticise the armed forces on social media, as the government tries to end a damaging spat with commanders. |
36926292 | The event, which has been organised by the All Under One Banner group, set off from the Botanic Gardens.
It was followed by a rally in the city's George Square attended by thousands of people.
Police Scotland said about 2,500 to 3,000 people had gathered in George Square.
Organisers however claimed that more than 5,000 people had taken part in the march and rally.
One of the organisers of the event, John McHarg, said the march had been inspired by recent events such as the Brexit vote and the decision at Westminster, opposed by SNP MPs, to renew the Trident submarines carrying the UK's nuclear arsenal.
He said: "Scotland did not vote to leave Europe, Scotland did not vote to retain Trident, and we want to show the powers that be that we won't tolerate this.
"Independence now for us is very much back on the agenda."
Supporters of the Union have played down the significance of the march.
Glasgow Conservative MSP Annie Wells said: "At the end of the day, the democracy that really matters is the vote that we cast less than two years ago to say that we wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom.
"We need to get out the back of referendums and actually get on with doing the day job." | Pro-independence campaigners have marched through Glasgow in what organisers describe as a "vibrant and creative people powered event". |
39506574 | Wrestlers Vasyl Fedoryshyn, from Ukraine, and Artur Taymazov, of Uzbekistan, have lost their respective 2008 silver and gold medals.
Russian weightlifter Svetlana Tsarukaeva has been stripped of her 2012 silver.
All three tested positive for the steroid turinabol.
Taymazov also tested positive for another steroid, stanozolol.
The International Olympic Committee is retesting hundreds of doping samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games based on targeted intelligence.
More than 100 athletes have already been sanctioned as part of the retesting programme. | Three more athletes have been stripped of their Olympic medals after failing retests of their Beijing 2008 and London 2012 doping samples. |
38835381 | Etienne Tshisekedi, one of the country's most important advocates of democracy, was a prominent opponent of successive Congolese leaders.
The party he helped found in 1982, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party (UDPS), said he had travelled to Belgium last week for medical checks.
He was due to head a transitional council under a deal for President Joseph Kabila to step down this year.
Mr Tshisekedi served as a minister under autocratic ruler Mobutu Sese Seko in the country then known as Zaire before helping to set up the UDPS.
During the 1990s he was named prime minister four times but did not remain in the position after clashing with Mobutu, who was eventually forced out in 1997.
His activism meant he remained popular but in recent years he had been suffering ill health. | DR Congo's main opposition leader has died in Brussels aged 84, reports say. |
35812862 | A team of scientists from Switzerland, America and the UK teamed up to research the eating habits of certain species of spider.
They discovered that spiders from 10 different families were eating nectar, sap, honeydew, leaves, pollen and seeds from things like weeds, shrubs, trees, grasses, ferns and orchids.
The spiders who ate the most plants were the 'Salticidae', or the jumping spider family.
The lead scientist Martin Nyffeler from the University of Basel thinks that the reason why the spiders eat plants might be to help them to avoid going hungry when there aren't as many insects around and to give them have a balance of different nutrients from the food. | New research has shown that as well as eating insects, toads and small mammals, some spiders also like to eat plants. |
39102788 | The replacement Cowes Floating Bridge vessel, linking Cowes and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, had been due to come into service by the end of March.
However, engineers must wait for spring tides to complete the lowest part of the slipway where the chains attach.
It is hoped the ferry will now start in early May, after staff training.
The previous vessel was taken out of service at the start of January after 40 years of service.
Drivers travelling between the west and east sides of the River Medina face a 10-mile diversion via Newport, although a replacement launch is in operation for foot passengers.
The Isle of Wight Council said the new ferry, being built in Wales by Mainstay Marine, would carry more vehicles than its predecessor and would make "faster, more regular" crossings.
The ferry office said it hoped 20 vehicles would fit on the new vessel, compared with 10 or 11 on the old ferry. | The launch of a new chain ferry has been delayed because engineers are waiting for a low enough tide to complete a slipway. |
39275838 | The two pages of tax return, revealed by US TV network MSNBC, also showed he declared $103m in losses. It gave no details on income sources.
The White House said publishing the tax return was against the law.
Mr Trump refused to release his tax returns during the election campaign, breaking with a long-held tradition.
He has said he is under audit by tax authorities and that his lawyers advise against releasing tax returns. His critics, however, say they suspect Mr Trump has something to hide.
Correspondents say that, despite the lack of detail, the leak is still significant because so little is known about President Trump's tax affairs and the new information could increase pressure on him to release more.
The two pages show that Mr Trump paid $5.3m in federal income tax and an extra $31m in what is called alternative minimum tax (AMT).
AMT was set up nearly 50 years ago to stop the wealthiest people from using deductions and loopholes to avoid paying taxes. Mr Trump has called for it to be abolished.
The $38m bill was an effective tax rate of about 24%, higher than the average American citizen would pay but below the 27.4% averaged by higher-earning taxpayers.
We now have another snippet, just the smallest glimpse, into Donald Trump's personal financial empire. The few pages from 2005 reveal that the alternative minimum tax, first instituted in 1970, did what it was supposed to do - prevent a very wealthy individual from paying a relatively tiny amount of federal taxes.
There is also now confirmation of the validity of the 1995 tax information the New York Times published last year, showing Mr Trump took a near billion-dollar business write-off that he could extend for 18 years.
Beyond that, the contours of Mr Trump's personal wealth remain a mystery. Only supporting tax documentation, not included in this leak, could show the details of Mr Trump's income, including sources both domestic and international.
For a few moments, the political world thought a political bombshell was about to drop on the White House. In fact, it was more like lightning at night - a quick flash, then a return to darkness.
Although leaking federal tax returns is a criminal offence, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow argued that the network was exercising its right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment to the US Constitution to publish information in the public interest.
Journalist David Cay Johnston, interviewed on MSNBC, said he had received the documents in the post from an anonymous source.
In a statement issued before the broadcast, the White House said: "You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago."
It said Mr Trump had a responsibility to pay no more tax than was legally required.
Every US presidential candidate since 1976 has released their tax returns although there is no legal requirement to do so.
During last year's election campaign, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton accused Mr Trump in a head-to-head debate of paying no federal income tax.
He responded: "That makes me smart."
Last October, the New York Times revealed parts of Mr Trump's 1995 tax returns that showed losses of $916m (£753m). The newspaper said this could have affected his returns for up to 18 subsequent years, allowing him to legally avoid paying federal income taxes.
The forms disclosed on Tuesday do not say whether the £103m write-down was connected to the 1995 losses. | US President Donald Trump paid $38m (£31m) in tax on more than $150m (£123m) income in 2005, a leaked partial tax return shows. |
34607827 | Simon Armitage, 65, of Baydale, Clyst St George, Devon, admitted nine counts of fraud and one of forgery.
Exeter Crown Court heard 10 clients were involved. Armitage got away with the fraud for four years until he merged his firm with another.
Judge Francis Gilbert said it was a "very serious breach of trust".
Armitage borrowed money from the clients in the belief he would be able to pay it back but instead got deeper and deeper into debt and responded by stealing even more cash, the court heard.
After the firms merged, a complaint about the handling of a case was made and Armitage admitted he had borrowed money from the account which he intended to repay later.
Adrian Chaplin, prosecuting, said the other firm, Kitsons, embarked on an investigation which uncovered nine more cases dating back to 2009 and involved £430,000.
Judge Gilbert said: "In addition to the losses from your frauds you have caused a very considerable expense to Kitsons, a reputable firm whose reputation has been diminished by what you have done.
"This is a serious offence involving significant sums of money and a very serious breach of trust and the fiduciary duty you owed to your clients."
Stephen Nunn, defending, said Armitage had run a respectable and honest business for many years until he ran into financial trouble in 2009.
The court heard the affected clients had since been reimbursed by the Solicitors' Indemnity Scheme and Armitage has been suspended as a solicitor, and declared bankrupt. | A solicitor who stole £430,000 from the estates of dead clients to pay off his overdue tax bills has been jailed for four years. |
34716177 | The content will be featured on the network's streaming services apps, HBO Now and HBO Go, and other platforms.
The four-year deal also includes the possibility of more traditional television projects.
Stewart stepped down as host in August after leading the nightly news satire show for the past 16 years.
"Stewart will view current events through his unique prism," HBO said in a statement.
HBO did not announce a start date, but a network official told Reuters that the venture should launch next year.
The network said Stewart would work with a graphics company to produce short-form content that will be refreshed multiple times a day,
"Appearing on television 22 minutes a night clearly broke me. I'm pretty sure I can produce a few minutes of content every now and again," Stewart said jokingly in the HBO statement.
Traditional networks are investing more in their internet streaming services to compete with upstarts like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
On Monday, CBS announced a new Star Trek TV series would be broadcast exclusively on its streaming service, starting in 2017.
The move puts to rest speculation about Stewart's next career move. When he announced he was leaving the Daily Show in February, Stewart did not say what he would do next.
He has advocated for several charitable causes since he left the Daily Show. He also a made a cameo appearance for his friend and Daily Show veteran Stephen Colbert during the debut of Colbert's new chat show. | Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart has signed a deal with HBO to produce topical videos for the network's internet services. |
40995341 | Michelle O'Neill suggested parties should be given a tight deadline from next Monday to restore the government.
The Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) Simon Hamilton described her proposal as a "stunt", saying his party had been ready to form an executive for months.
NI has been without a functioning devolved government since January.
The coalition led by the two biggest parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, collapsed over a green energy scandal.
Formal talks were suspended without agreement at the start of July.
Mrs O'Neill said the latest round of talks should be "focused and time-limited".
"With limited engagement since the talks concluded on 4 July, I am keen to formally re-engage at the earliest opportunity in order to re-establish an executive and power-sharing institutions on a proper and sustainable footing," she said.
"Moreover, I do not believe there is much public appetite, or need, for another drawn-out phase of talks."
However, Mr Hamilton accused Sinn Féin of holding Northern Ireland to "ransom" over less-than-critical issues on a "political wish-list".
"The DUP are not saying that we shouldn't be dealing with issues like Irish language, like other cultures as well," said the former economy minister.
"But we should be doing those in parallel with forming a government.
"The DUP would go up to Stormont this morning and form a government to deal with those difficult issues that there are around health, education and the economy, which we believe are more important than the ones that Sinn Féin are stalling the restoration of an executive on."
Mrs O'Neill rejected the accusation that her party was not serious in its call for the resumption of talks.
"It's not a stunt," she said.
"What it clearly is about is trying create a bit of momentum, trying to kick-start a process.
"I have heard James Brokenshire saying that he wants to resume things before the end of the summer, but it needs to happen now."
The Sinn Féin leader was dismissive of a suggestion from Mr Hamilton that talks could be held in parallel to a restored executive.
"What we've had is a failure from the DUP to deliver on people's rights, to deliver what they've previously signed up to, so I don't think it's tenable that you can have an executive while we see those issues outstanding," said Mrs O'Neill.
The most significant sticking points between the two main unionist and nationalist parties are:
There is little chance of progress in a new talks process if Sinn Féin approaches it "with their red lines in place", according to Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann.
"In the time since the last process was parked we have continued to engage with civic society," he said.
"It is clear from these meetings that the voluntary and community sector, business, trade unions, student unions, health charities and many more all share our frustration at the lack of progress to date."
The SDLP's Claire Hanna said the key to overcoming the sticking points in the talks was the reform the petition of concern - a mechanism intended to protect minority rights in the Assembly that has been used by the bigger parties to block legislation.
"Even if the DUP say - and I don't believe they are going to say - 'we now support gay marriage,' we won't be able to believe it until we see it, so we need to get back into the Assembly," she told BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show..
The Alliance party's Kellie Armstrong said she was disappointed Sinn Féin had only now said it was ready to resume talks.
"We could have been doing this all summer," she said.
She said the smaller parties had been meeting throughout the summer months.
"It's a little cynical now to call for talks to be re-formed - we've been looking for this all summer," she said.
The Green Party's Clare Bailey described Stormont as "a ghost town".
"Since the last election, my office has been empty and a lot of MLAs are the same," she said. "We don't know whether we should move into our offices again."
"It is like a ghost town, the corridors are empty. There's no buzz about the place."
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said he did not want to see a return to what he described as "pantomime season" at Stormont.
"We need government - if, as is obvious, we can't get it from failed Stormont, then it must be provided from Westminster," he added.
"Turning the key on Stormont may be painful for its payroll hangers-on but, frankly, I'm not sure the public will really notice - has anyone really missed it over the last six months?"
Northern Ireland's institutions collapsed amid a bitter row between the DUP and Sinn Féin over the DUP's handling of an inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.
In January, the late Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin, resigned in protest, triggering a snap election in March. | Sinn Féin's northern leader has written to the UK and Irish governments proposing a formal resumption of Northern Ireland power-sharing talks. |
24638804 | The two-year-old boy was taken from his family on Tuesday in Athlone, County Westmeath and returned a day later.
It comes after relatives of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl taken into care in Dublin on Monday insisted she is a member of their family.
Police removed the seven-year-old girl from the home of a Roma family in the Tallaght area.
The police action took place against the background of international interest in the case of a blonde-haired child being taken from a Roma family in Greece last week.
Greek police are investigating whether the girl had been abducted.
In the first case in the Republic of Ireland, the parents told police the child was their daughter, but officers were not satisfied with the explanation nor with the documents that were produced.
A woman family member was adamant that the girl was her sister.
The family is co-operating with the investigation.
There has been some criticism of reporting of the case.
Dezideriu Gergely, executive director of the European Roma Rights Centre, told RTÉ, Ireland's state broadcaster, that links being made to the case in Greece "had been made prematurely".
Mr Gergely said it was important to remember that not all Roma were dark-skinned and many did have pale skin and blonde hair.
Images apparently released by members of the Roma family to the Irish press have thrown some doubt on just how distinctive the child in question is. | A second child from a Roma family who was taken into care in the Republic of Ireland has been reunited with his parents. |
38262967 | Why? It is all down to health and safety, or should we say 'elf and safety?
At previous events in Enniskillen, Santa and his little helpers have thrown sweets into the crowd.
But the Impartial Reporter said it had been contacted by candy-loving parents who noticed that this year there were "no flying sweets".
However, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said the practice had been discontinued for the past number of years.
In a statement the council said: "The practice of throwing sweets into the crowd at the Enniskillen Christmas lights switch on event has not taken place over the last number of years in the interest of health and safety.
"More than £300 worth of sweets were distributed to children, as is customary, by Santa and his helpers at this year's Enniskillen Christmas lights switch on event.
"The barrier at this year's event was also extended to enable Santa to meet as many children as possible."
Looks like there will be no danger of anyone ending up in hospital after being wounded by an errant flying bonbon. | Santa no longer throws sweets for children when he switches on the Christmas lights in County Fermanagh. |
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The 31-year-old Briton, who retires after London 2012, adds a second gold to the one she won in the sprint at the Beijing Games in 2008.
Pendleton hit the front at the bell and held off a late charge from China's Guo Shuang, with Hong Kong's Wai Sze Lee a surprise bronze medallist.
"I can barely believe it right now," Pendleton said.
"Thank you so much to everyone who's helped me get here. The crowd have been fantastic and it really helped me today."
Australia's Anna Meares, the pre-race favourite, could only finish fifth.
The race - a frenetic affair that starts with the riders following a small motorbike for five-and-a-half laps before being released to sprint the final 625 metres - came only half an hour after the claimed gold in a new world record.
Britain have won seven out of 10 track cycling gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics
And that superlative performance followed another world record display in their qualifying round.
By the time the six riders in the last race of the evening took to the track, the noise was deafening.
Not that this race needed much of a build-up.
Meares v Pendleton was one of the most eagerly anticipated contests coming into these Games, with the 28-year-old Queenslander expected to get the better of her British rival in the keirin, an event she has won at the last two World Championships.
But Pendleton looked in great form during her ultimately fruitless rides
The Bedfordshire-born star was disqualified from the event, with partner Jess Varnish, when Pendleton slightly mistimed a changeover.
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The raw speed she exhibited, however, was noticeable, and expectations of a keirin classic grew when both Meares and Pendleton were comfortable winners of their semi-finals.
But British cycling's glamour girl blew her rival away in the final with a burst down the back straight that catapulted her from fourth to first with 250m to ride.
Guo pushed hard but there was no getting around Pendleton, who now looks to have an excellent chance of finishing her career with another gold medal in the women's sprint, which starts on Sunday.
She has won six world titles in that event, as well as her 2008 Olympic crown. | Victoria Pendleton capped a sensational evening for Britain's track cyclists with victory in the women's keirin. |
36426842 | They each competed at five Olympic Games and are arguably the greatest exponents of their respective sports that Great Britain has produced.
But while Redgrave and Ainslie have nine gold medals between them, postman Chris Maddocks is perhaps most famous for finishing last in front of 100,000 people at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
He has been to more Olympics than Sir Chris Hoy, Dame Kelly Holmes or Linford Christie - but now pounds the streets of Devon delivering mail.
"I get paid for covering a lot of ground," he tells BBC Sport.
"It's at a lot slower pace, so I'm not the fastest postman in the west, but it probably prevents me from becoming incredibly fat, so it has its bonuses."
Maddocks' most famous moment came 16 years ago in his final race - the plucky Brit finishing an hour behind the winner in the 50km walk - but Maddocks insists he was no 'Eddie the Eagle' or 'Eric the Eel'.
"I was a good athlete and I was Olympic standard, I was just injured. I just did the best I could on the day and I was in trouble from the very first step," he remembers of his final race.
Just seven weeks before Maddocks had torn a buttock muscle while training and he was advised not to make the trip down under.
"I was in great shape in the lead up to Sydney, I'd qualified by winning a race in Holland in the March of that year.
"They said I should pull out, but I wasn't going to give up the Games easily, because this was likely to be my final Olympics," he says.
"If I was keeping anyone out of the team, maybe I would have pulled out and a reserve could have come in, but that wasn't the case, it was either me or no-one, and I saw no point in having no-one on the line."
Come race day on 29 September 2000, Maddocks doubted if he could make the five laps around the track at Stadium Australia, let alone the 31 miles around Sydney's streets.
But as he toiled in the Australian sun, dropping further and further behind, little did he know that his progress was being followed by those inside the stadium via the big screens.
"The stewards and one or two supporters were saying it'd be worth it, but I thought it was more sympathy to keep me going," he said
"I was so far behind I reasonably assumed there'd be no-one in the stadium, but I wheeled up onto the track and there was an absolute wall of sound.
"What I didn't realise was that my painful progress had been followed on the big screens in the stadium and people had stayed behind from the morning session to see me finish.
"Instead of it being an empty stadium, 100,000 people sang along to The Proclaimers' '500 Miles' and my legs turned to jelly."
Cult status followed, and his scrapbooks are filled with cuttings about his most memorable achievement - although it was far from his best.
Having missed out on selection for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, when Britain sent a smaller squad than usual and other countries boycotts the Games because of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, he did not make his debut until Los Angeles four years later.
He twice finished 16th at the Olympics - on his debut in the 50km walk and eight years later in the 20km event in Barcelona.
"I walked 83 minutes in Seoul, and then it only got me into the 20s, but if I'd have produced that in LA four years earlier it would have been good enough for close to a bronze medal," he recalls.
Now 59, Maddocks' British record mark of 3 hrs 51 mins and 57 secs for the 50km still stands to this day, nearly 26 years after it was set, while his 20km record was only broken three months ago, having stood for 28 years.
But while he is something of a forgotten hero at home, he does return to the limelight every four years, using his expertise to enlighten US Olympics fans about his chosen sport.
"I was honoured in 2011 to be approached by NBC on American television who were interested in me commentating for them on the three Olympic walks (at London 2012).
"My wife took the initial call and rang me up when I was posting letters saying 'we've had an approach Chris, I've taken the executive decision on your behalf that you would be interested'.
"I must have done a good job as they came calling again recently and they want me to do the same role as co-commentator and expert analysis for the Rio Olympics, so for me that's a fantastic way to stay involved at the highest level with the sport that I love."
Media playback is not supported on this device | What two things do Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Ben Ainslie and a postman from Tiverton have in common? |
35201135 | The plane was diverted to Calgary after turbulence hit and the injured are in a stable condition.
Turbulence injuries cannot always be prevented by passengers wearing seatbelts when instructed to do so, and turbulence cannot always be predicted.
So what causes plane turbulence in the skies? The list is long.
According to to the Federal Aviation Administration, turbulence can be caused by:
In-air turbulence is the leading cause of injury to people on flights, according to the FAA, and on average 58 people in the US are injured during turbulent flights when not wearing seatbelts every year.
Most turbulence accidents happen at 30,000 ft (9144m) or above.
Passengers on the Air Canada flight said the turbulence happened suddenly, with blankets flying up to the ceiling, people screaming and the plane feeling "like a rollercoaster".
Turbulence can happen unexpectedly at any time, no matter the weather, Mark Weiss, a former American Airlines pilot of 23 years, told the BBC.
"It's just a natural phenomena of weather," he said. "You can't always predict it. It could be as clear as could be, and you could get caught in a jet stream."
Airlines are diligent about turning on the "fasten seatbelt" sign if turbulence is predicted, but sometimes it comes out of nowhere, and a seatbelt can only do so much, he said.
Pilots can be tipped off to upcoming turbulence by fellow pilots flying ahead, in some cases.
A passenger can be wearing a seatbelt too loosely and still be knocked out by severe turbulence-by horizontal or vertical lifting, even getting thrown to the ceiling.
People with children on their laps need to be especially careful. Those children are basically "flying objects," he said.
Turbulence can cause baggage bins to unlock and suitcases to fall on people, causing injury, or food and beverage carts can get loose.
Mr Weiss recalls flying from Puerto Rico and experiencing severe turbulence.
"There were broken glasses from dishes... one flight attendant hit the ceiling, landed on arm rest and detached a retina in her eye."
Mr Weiss has seen broken arms, broken noses and back and neck injuries from turbulence.
Despite warnings, some people are always going to stand up on a long flight to go to the restroom, retrieve water or stretch out, even if the seatbelt sign is on.
The best thing for passengers to do is listen to the crew when turbulence hits, he said. | An Air Canada flight bound for Toronto from Shanghai made an emergency landing after severe turbulence injured 21 passengers, including three children. |
37497220 | In a phone call with Sergei Lavrov, Mr Kerry said the US held Russia responsible for the use of incendiary and bunker bombs against the city.
The US state department said it was making preparations to suspend talks.
Aleppo has come under heavy aerial bombardment since the end of a ceasefire a week ago.
In response to Mr Kerry's phone call, the Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Evgeny Zagaynov, said the "trend" of Russia being blamed for the attacks in Syria must stop.
"It's become a sort of unfortunate tradition that the majority of strikes on civilian facilities in Syria, without checking it ... is blamed on Damascus or Russia,'' he said.
But Moscow said on Wednesday they would send diplomats to Geneva to talk to the US about normalising the situation in Aleppo.
"On orders of the Russian president, we are ready to continue joint work with our American partners on the Syrian issue," the defence ministry said in a statement.
Some 250,000 people are trapped in the rebel-held east of the city. They are under siege from Russian-backed Syrian government forces, which have launched a fierce campaign to recapture the area. The bombardment has been among the worst in the history of the five-year conflict.
The US has accused Russia of taking part in strikes on civilian targets and possibly committing war crimes.
The two nations have been locked in talks in an attempt to revive a fragile peace agreement, but the US said last week that Russia had openly lied to the UN about its intentions.
At least 96 children have been killed and 223 injured in eastern Aleppo since Friday, according to the UN children's agency Unicef.
"The children of Aleppo are trapped in a living nightmare," said Unicef deputy executive director Justin Forsyth on Wednesday. "There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing."
More than 170 people have been killed in east Aleppo since the beginning of the recent offensive, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.
Air strikes continued to hit Aleppo's besieged eastern neighbourhoods on Tuesday night. Local medical workers said that two major hospitals were put out of service by the bombardment.
International medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) tweeted to say that both hospitals were out of service. Adham Sahloul, a spokesman for the US-based Syrian American Medical Society, which supports the two hospitals, said the two attacks took place at the same time, suggesting they were deliberately targeted.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon denounced the reported attacks on the two hospitals as "war crimes".
Addressing crowds in St Peter's Square in Rome on Wednesday, Pope Francis decried the bombing of Aleppo, saying those responsible for killing civilians would have to answer to God.
Aleppo, once Syria's largest city and its commercial and industrial hub, has been divided roughly in two since 2012, with President Bashar al-Assad's forces controlling the west and rebel factions the east.
In the past year, government troops have gradually broken the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes. Earlier this month, they severed the rebels' last route into the east and placed its 250,000 residents under siege.
Children in Aleppo have made up a large proportion of casualties from air strikes, according to aid groups. At least 100,000 children remain trapped in the eastern part of the city.
In the government-held west, 49 children were killed by rebel shelling in July alone, the New York Times reports, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
On Tuesday, the US pledged to provide an extra $364m (£276m) in humanitarian aid to people affected by the Syrian war.
The World Health Organization (WHO) meanwhile called for the "immediate establishment of humanitarian routes" into Aleppo, where hospitals are running out of supplies and rubble-strewn streets are preventing ambulances from getting through. | US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned his Russian counterpart that Washington will end Syria talks unless Moscow stops the bombing of Aleppo. |
34965590 | The city council's public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) would give the police powers to move beggars on and impose fines.
The Society of St James said it would criminalise the needy and vulnerable.
The council insisted it was trying to cut down on "con-artist beggars".
Under the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, local authorities can use PSPOs to ban certain activities they believe are having a "detrimental impact" on the quality of life.
Labour-controlled Southampton City Council has published its plans for PSPOs covering the city centre as well as parts of Bitterne, Portswood, Shirley and Woolston.
More than 60,000 people signed a petition in Oxford opposing plans for a similar scheme in the city.
Trevor Pickup, chief executive of the Society of St James, which works with homeless and vulnerable adults in Southampton, said he was "very concerned".
"We've got vulnerable people with drug, alcohol and mental health issues on the streets and tackling that with a criminal justice approach is just not appropriate.
"People don't give up drug problems if they've been issued with an enforcement order."
Warwick Payne, council cabinet member for housing and sustainability, said cracking down on "overt street begging" was a popular idea.
"Quite a lot of people who are begging we think are not homeless at all.
"It's trying to make sure we give services and support to those who need it and also wheedle out those who are portraying themselves as homeless and conning Sotonians into giving money out of the goodness of their hearts."
The consultation period is due to end on 11 December. | Plans to fine people found begging on the streets of Southampton have been criticised by a homelessness support charity. |
12596860 | Alan Wood, 50, was found dead in his home in Lound, near Bourne on 24 October 2009.
The Crimewatch programme on Monday is the second appeal on the murder and will also feature an interview with the victim's mother.
A £60,000 reward has been offered over Mr Wood's death.
He had been stabbed in the eye and throat and police believe his attackers could have tortured him for his bank card PIN numbers.
The credit cards were used in Stamford and Bourne in Lincolnshire over the next couple of days, but only a few hundred pounds were withdrawn, Lincolnshire Police said.
The programme will feature a reconstruction, along with the new CCTV images and the interview with Mr Wood's mother Maureen, a Crimewatch spokesman said.
Four men have been arrested in connection with Mr Wood's murder.
Three have been released from bail without further action while a fourth man, aged 20, remains on police bail. | Previously unreleased CCTV footage from an investigation into the murder of a Lincolnshire man is to be shown on BBC One's Crimewatch programme. |
35179979 | James McPake was carried off following a challenge on John Rankin and Blair Spittal scored after a free-kick was awarded against the Dundee captain.
But Eiji Kawashima's mistake let Kane Hemmings score and Nick Ross' deflected shot also beat the debutant goalkeeper.
United's miserable day got worse when midfielder Guy Demel was sent off.
It was only Dundee's second win in this fixture in a decade and, significantly, moves them 16 points clear of their city rivals in the Scottish Premiership table.
Paul Hartley's side had to fight back from the loss of McPake to a suspected dislocated knee early on after he fouled Rankin.
The captain was booked by referee Kevin Clancy before being taken to hospital for treatment.
To make matters worse for the hosts, Spittal scored from the resulting free kick, the midfielder curling a swerving 25-yard effort past a helpless Scott Bain.
However, the Dundee goalkeeper did make a couple of crucial saves after that.
First, he pushed away an acute angled drive from Billy Mckay, set up by another fine bit of play by Spittal with a defence-splitting pass.
Then it was Rankin's turn to be denied by Bain as United played the more incisive football for long spells in the early stages.
It was typical blood and thunder derby fare at a packed Dens Park, the first 45 minutes being particularly eventful, with Kawashima heavily involved.
The Japanese international was cleared to make his debut and, for long spells of the first half, you could see why manager Mixu Paatelainen worked so hard to get him.
He made a couple of decent saves during an opening period dominated by his new team, but four minutes from half time he showed an alarming vulnerability.
The Tannadice team have struggled all season to cope with high balls played into their penalty box and so it proved again.
Nicky Low played a free-kick from deep on top of Kawashima, who made a hash of his punch and Hemmings hooked the loose ball home for his sixth goal in the last three matches.
The goalkeeper claimed in vain for a foul and it was a painful lesson that he cannot expect the sort of protection in Scotland that he has been used to back home or during his spell in Belgium.
Not that his afternoon got any better as Dundee hit the front in 62 minutes with the aid of a deflection as a Ross shot spun off Sean Dillon.
That was enough to wrong foot the unfortunate goalkeeper and his new team start the New Year rooted to the foot of the table and needing a miracle to stay up. | Dundee came from behind to win the second city derby of the season as Dundee United failed to improve their position at the foot of the table. |
34003567 | The accident happened at the junction with the M49, near Redwick, Gloucestershire - junction 22 - after 09:30 BST on Thursday.
As a result, the M49 northbound was also shut.
Recovery works are expected to continue into the evening. | A slip road leading on to the westbound section of the M4 approaching the Severn Bridge has been closed after a lorry overturned and shed its load. |
32850410 | However, the proposed ban will not apply to wearing the veils on the streets, officials say.
Those who flout the ban could be fined up to €405 ($450;£290).
Only a few hundred women in the Netherlands are thought to wear burkas, most of them only occasionally.
The proposed new law will be sent to a panel of legal advisers for assessment, reports say.
The panel was heavily critical of an effort in 2012 by the government to ban burkas, saying it breached constitutional religious freedom provisions.
"Face-covering clothing will in future not be accepted in education and healthcare institutions, government buildings and on public transport," the government said in a statement after the cabinet approved Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk's bill. | The Dutch cabinet has approved plans for a partial ban on wearing the face-covering Islamic veil in public places including schools, hospitals and on public transport. |
35292660 | Victorian scientists believed the creature was a giraffe with a trunk and a "missing link" between mammals.
Digital reconstructions of the bones show that while the giraffe was gigantic, the theory that it was as big as an elephant was not true.
The findings, published in Biology Letters, shed new light on the work of 19th Century fossil hunters.
The first fossil specimen was found by the Scottish geologist Hugh Falconer and the English engineer Proby Thomas Cautley on an expedition to the Siwalik hills in India in the 1830s.
In a paper published in 1836, the two men outlined their discovery of an animal with a skull the size of an elephant which they believed had a trunk.
Palaeontologists envisaged it as an elephant sized, moose-like creature - a view that has prevailed.
Christopher Basu of the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire, co-researcher of the study, said the fossil hunters did a "beautiful job at describing it and taking measurements", although it turns out the body mass calculation was "educated guesswork".
Sivatherium was a giant relative of modern giraffes, living over one million years ago in both Africa and Asia.
Unlike the giraffes of today, Sivatherium had a short neck, with short, stocky legs.
At the time of the first discovery of bones of the mammal in the 1800s it was thought to be a link between giraffes and elephants.
"They thought it was this missing link animal," Mr Basu, a veterinary scientist, told BBC News. "They had never seen anything that size with that kind of anatomy."
As part of research into the anatomy of living giraffes, he used modern computer methods to investigate the skeleton of the giraffe "cousin".
By reconstructing the animal's anatomy in 3D, he was able to estimate its body mass.
"As a palaeontologist, it is really important to understand the basic question - how big was this animal?" he explained.
The research - carried out with Liverpool John Moores University - came up with an estimated body mass of 1,246kg (857 to 1,812kg range).
This is thought to be an underestimate, as it does not take into account large horns possessed by the males.
Although its size does not approach that of an African elephant, the animal - dubbed "Siva's beast" - was certainly a large member of the giraffe family and may have been the largest ruminant mammal that has ever lived.
"This was probably the largest giraffe relative to have ever existed, which makes it the largest ruminant that's ever existed," said Mr Basu, who is studying for a PhD.
Such a large ruminant might have struggled to eat enough to provide the energy needed to power such a large body, he added.
"It's a rare animal," he said. "It's pushing the limits of its anatomy."
Follow Helen on Twitter. | A prehistoric giraffe that died out 10,000 years ago might have been the largest ruminant that walked the Earth. |
36112208 | It wants to introduce the letter K into the Welsh language alphabet and re-route any M4 relief road around seaside resorts to boost tourism.
The party is fielding candidates on all five regional lists around Wales.
Spokesman Captain Madness said they were hopeful of getting a third of an AM under the proportional voting system. | The Official Monster Raving Loony Party has published its "Manic-festo" for the Welsh assembly election in May. |
28875390 | The South African originally signed a two-year deal when he joined the Welsh county in the winter of 2013.
Glamorgan announced the deal on the day all-rounder Jim Allenby left the county to join Somerset and Craig Meschede signed on a season-long loan.
A club statement said Rudolph was "one of the key senior players around which Glamorgan will build their future."
Rudolph has previously played county cricket for Surrey and Yorkshire.
The left-hander has played 48 Tests for South Africa at an average of 35.43 runs and also has a slightly higher average in one-day internationals.
He was Glamorgan best one-day batsman in 2014, scoring 575 at an average of 82.14 in the 50-over game and averaged 60.33 in the T20 league.
Glamorgan finished second from bottom in division two of the County Championship last season, but even in a struggling team Rudolph scored 857 runs at an average of 31.74. | Opening batsman Jacques Rudolph has signed a contract extension which will keep him at Glamorgan until 2017. |
35905828 | Dutch legend Cruyff died from cancer last Thursday at the age of 68.
An image of Cruyff will appear on big screens in the 14th minute, reflecting the number worn by the former Barcelona and Ajax player and coach.
England will also wear black armbands and there will be a minute's silence to mark the Brussels terror attacks. | England fans will be asked to take part in a minute's applause for Johan Cruyff 14 minutes into the friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley on Tuesday. |
33883959 | An MQM leader, Farooq Sattar, said the move was in protest over an army-led crackdown allegedly targeting the party's supporters in Karachi.
The authorities say the action has improved security and is not politically motivated.
The MQM has long denied charges of using violence to control Karachi.
Though currently in opposition, the party has joined governing coalitions at various points in its 30-year history.
The resignation decision applied to the party's 24 MPs in the lower house of parliament, its eight senators in the upper house, as well as its 51 members in the Sindh provincial assembly.
The resignations will create a significant vacuum in parliament, if and when they are accepted, says the BBC Shahzeb Jillani in Karachi.
He says this could lead to a major by-election, which the government of PM Nawaz Sharif is keen to avoid.
What is MQM?
1984: Founded as the party of Urdu-speakers who migrated from India at the time of the 1947 partition, known as Muhajir
1988: Wins all seats in Karachi, becoming Pakistan's third largest party
1992: Party chief Altaf Hussain leaves country after an arrest warrant is issued in a murder case; army claims to have busted "torture cells" used by MQM activists to punish opponents
2004: Emerges as major ally of military ruler General Pervez Musharraf
2014: London police raid the home of Altaf Hussain, who still controls the party, and investigate claims of money laundering and murder | Lawmakers from Pakistan's fourth-largest party, the opposition Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), have resigned from both chambers of parliament. |
35835777 | The magician died on Thursday aged 77 at his Berkshire home, a month after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
McGee said her husband did not know he was dying in his final days.
"He was in, what the consultants said was, a happy, confused state. He knew who everybody was, but his brain wasn't processing new information [due to the tumour]," she told the BBC.
McGee, who married Daniels in 1988 after many years as his on-stage assistant, said they had the kind of marriage "most people dream of", saying: "We had a life that was full of laughter... we were so happy together."
Daniels was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour last month.
"I've cried my heart out some nights but it all happened so quickly," McGee said.
"On the day he was diagnosed the tumour had already spread so far that they knew he only had a few weeks to live. Then, in two days he deteriorated from feeling lethargic to having other symptoms, so he actually didn't really know what was going on.
Daniels was born Newton Edward Daniels in Middlesbrough and developed his magic skills in working men's clubs, making his TV debut on talent series Opportunity Knocks.
He then took over the primetime Saturday night slot with his BBC show, which started in 1979.
Daniels was known for a string of catchphrases, including the line: "You'll like this... not a lot, but you'll like it."
BBC correspondent Nick Higham said: "Paul Daniels could be chippy and some thought him smug. He fell out with BBC managers who dropped his show in the 1990s.
"But there was no doubting his popularity - or his talent."
It was initially suspected Daniels had suffered a stroke after he fell at home, but it was then discovered he had an inoperable tumour.
His son, Martin Daniels, said at the time: "He has said before, 'When it's your time it's your time' and that's how he is trying to face up to things."
As well as McGee, Daniels leaves his three sons from a previous marriage - Martin, Paul and Gary.
Gary Daniels has tweeted a picture of a rabbit in a magician's hat with a tear in its eye, by friend and artist Helen Martin, and wrote: "It is with incredible sadness that I can confirm that Dad, Paul Daniels, passed away overnight."
In addition to his magic, Daniels presented game shows in the 1980s and '90s, including Wipeout, Every Second Counts and Odd One Out.
He also designed special effects for the stage productions of Cats and Phantom Of The Opera, and was commissioned by the English National Ballet to create magical effects for The Nutcracker.
Daniels had continued touring with his magic show and was booked to perform at venues across the UK this year, according to his website, before news of his illness emerged.
He supported a number of charities during his life, taking part in fundraising events and entertaining children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The Magic Circle said Daniels had "been an inspiration to many magicians" and is of "legendary status" in the world of magic.
In a statement, it said: "At the height of his career The Paul Daniels Magic Show on BBC One pulled more than 20 million viewers - that was more than one third of the British population regularly tuning in on a Saturday night to watch a magician make them laugh and witness feats of wonder such as his famous Chop Cup routine.
"In this day and age of fragmented media platforms, no other magician is likely to be able to achieve such a TV ratings record."
It added that "the magic world owes Paul a huge debt".
Illusionist Dynamo told the BBC: "Without Paul Daniels I don't think I'd be doing magic today, so it's really a testament to how important he is for the magic world, he was a true master and [his death] is just such sad news.
"He was a real personality, he didn't just perform a bunch of tricks, he knew how to take something and make it magical but humorous at the same time.
"He had his own style which I don't think anybody could ever emulate or recreate. Paul Daniels for me is probably the best magicians Britain has ever had. He has such an amazing legacy in magic."
Louis Theroux, who filmed a documentary with Daniels and McGee, wrote: "RIP Paul Daniels, a thoughtful skeptic, enemy of hucksterism and paranormal flimflam, and gifted magician."
Ola Jordan, who danced with Daniels when he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, tweeted that it had been "a pleasure and honour" to work with her "amazing dance partner". | Debbie McGee has said she and husband Paul Daniels lived a "fairytale life" together. |
37470647 | Christopher Halliwell was jailed on Friday for the 2003 murder of Becky Godden, having already been convicted of killing Sian O'Callaghan in 2011.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, ex-detective Steve Fulcher said Halliwell told him "police want to interview me about eight murders".
Mr Fulcher said he "concluded" it meant Halliwell was linked to other cases.
"There's no question, from all the information I gathered when I was running this inquiry in 2011, that he has committed other murders," he added.
In particular, he suggested Halliwell could have been involved with the disappearance of Linda Razzell, who was last seen on her way to work in Swindon in 2002.
The 41-year-old mother-of-four's husband, Glyn Razzell, was sentenced to life in prison for her murder but claims to be innocent and the victim of a conspiracy.
Ms Razzell's family, however, told BBC Wales they have "no doubt" that Razzell is guilty.
"We were 100% happy with the police investigation," a family spokesman said.
Mr Fulcher said police were aware Halliwell had a "direct relationship" with Mrs Razzell.
However, he denied newspaper reports he had suggested Halliwell could be linked to the disappearance of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence.
The Sunday Express reported Mr Fulcher as saying Ms Lawrence's case "fitted Halliwell's behaviour".
But North Yorkshire Police said they were "not aware" of any evidence to link Halliwell to Ms Lawrence. She vanished in York in March 2009.
Wiltshire Police are also not linking Halliwell to any other murders but were due to liaise with other police forces over cases.
Det Supt Memory said: "It is fair to say that there may be other victims as there is an eight-year gap, however I am not linking him to any other investigation at this time."
Mr Fulcher resigned from Wiltshire Police in 2014 after being found guilty of gross misconduct for failing to follow the proper procedures when arresting Halliwell in 2011.
During the investigation into the disappearance of Ms O'Callaghan, Halliwell offered to take police to "another one" and led Mr Fulcher to a field in Gloucestershire, where Becky Godden's remains were found.
The evidence gathered by Mr Fulcher, however, was ruled inadmissible as he had not cautioned Halliwell.
Ms Godden's mother, Karen Edwards, has praised Mr Fulcher for his actions but he has been repeatedly criticised by her father John Godden.
The 52-year-old taxi driver from Swindon was jailed for life in 2011 for killing Ms O'Callaghan.
Ms O'Callaghan mother, Elaine Pickford, said she felt there was "too much speculation going on" around other suspected victims of Halliwell.
"Despite my belief that there is likely to have been more victims, I personally do not feel it is helpful to either the police or those families to publicly speculate on those victims, scenarios and to presume," she said.
"Having been through the awful five-day experience when Sian was missing, you are, as a parent and a family, imagining all sorts of things, as well as trying to retain some small hope.
"Public speculation I don't feel would have helped us, just facts, which we were kept up to date on during those days and sadly when Sian was found."
Becky Godden's remains were also discovered. in 2011, in a field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire.
Christopher Halliwell was arrested outside a supermarket in Swindon at the height of the search for office worker Sian O'Callaghan.
At the time, it was still a search for a missing person and former Wiltshire Police detective Steve Fulcher "pleaded" with Halliwell "for Sian O'Callaghan's life".
"After a period of time all he said was 'have you got a car? we'll go'
"On that basis I allowed him to direct us to the White Horse at Uffington, where subsequently Sian O'Callaghan's body was found."
It was at this point - when police realised that Sian was dead - that Halliwell should have been taken to a police station and given access to a lawyer.
But Halliwell dropped a bombshell. He told Mr Fulcher "there was another one".
The detective chose to break guidelines saying there was a flaw which "doesn't allow police officers to act in the interests of the parties whose lives are threatened".
"It's a straight case between a victim's right to life and an offender's right to silence."
He led officers to a field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, and paced out to the final resting place of Becky Godden. | A double murderer may be linked to six other murders, according to a former detective who arrested him. |
36161728 | Prof Carl Jones, from Carmarthen, has saved birds including the pink pigeon and echo parakeet during 40 years of work in Mauritius.
He also expanded the number of Mauritius kestrels from just four in the wild to more than 300 in a decade.
Prof Jones will be awarded the 2016 Indianapolis Prize in London.
The man who nominated him for the award, Dr Simon N Stuart, chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission, said: "I know of no other conservationist who has directly saved so many species from extinction."
Of the 63 bird, mammal and amphibian species worldwide that have been down-listed on the IUCN Red List as a result of conservation initiatives, Prof Jones has led the recovery efforts for six of them.
The cash prize and Lilly Medal will be presented to the professor, who is chief scientist of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and scientific director of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, at the Natural History Museum.
Prof Jones is known as a "Durrell disciple", having worked closely with author and naturalist Gerald Durrell since the 1970s.
He said: "It's a great accolade not just for me, but for Gerry Durrell and the people who have made this work possible over the years.
"I'm particularly proud of this award because it validates the conservation of animals — like Telfair's skinks and pink pigeons — that are not megavertebrates, but provide critically important ecosystem services nonetheless." | A conservationist from Wales who has brought back at least nine species from the brink of extinction will receive a £170,000 ($250,000) prize later. |
32793324 | Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey will bring the Welfare Reform Bill back to the assembly next week, alongside a new implementation plan.
But Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy said this was "a mistake".
He said his party was already exploring a petition of concern to block the bill.
Mr Robinson said if the bill is not passed he will ask the secretary of state to take control of welfare.
If she refuses to do so, the devolved institutions are likely to collapse.
However, Mr Murphy said the proposal that Theresa Villiers could take control of welfare powers would be "unacceptable" to Sinn Féin.
In the politics of Stormont, the next crisis is just around the corner. Or make that next week.
If the DUP carries out the threat to bring the welfare bill back to the assembly then it will surely fall, short of a Sinn Féin about-turn of mammoth proportions.
What the secretary of state will do is less clear. Taking control of welfare, as Peter Robinson wants, is unlikely to be her first choice.
Her meetings with the party leaders this week could be fraught, And possibly fruitless as well.
This may still drag on and on.
In the short term, the head of the civil service could direct that an emergency budget be drawn up of up to 95% of the real budget.
But that is a sticking plaster. Short of political agreement, of the Stormont House variety or something else, the prospects for Stormont look bleak.
Mr Robinson said the welfare reform issue had "run out of road" and was making Stormont's finances unsustainable.
He said the implementation plan being produced by the social development minister could be "tweaked" by the other Stormont parties.
However, he added that Sinn Féin's continuing insistence that all current and future claimants should not lose out was "an impossible ask".
He said the welfare bill could be debated on Tuesday, and if it fails to pass he would formally ask the secretary of state to take back welfare powers or to legislate.
He added that if the assembly was to collapse, Westminster would still have to legislate for welfare reform in Northern Ireland.
Finance Minister Arlene Foster said she will also produce a budget that would show how each Stormont department would be impacted if welfare reform is not passed.
Mrs Foster has already said failure to agree will open up a £500m hole in the budget as it would prevent the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement.
Theresa Villiers said she would be meeting the parties this week to try to find a solution.
"I've said repeatedly that it's crucial the parties resolve the welfare reform impasse and press ahead with implementing the Stormont House Agreement, which includes putting the executive's finances back on a sustainable footing for the future."
She added: "The consequences of the executive not being able to meet its commitments could put the institutions at risk, which is in no-one's interests." | First Minister Peter Robinson has warned that the Stormont Assembly could collapse next week if welfare reform is not agreed. |
37134640 | Japan's Hirooki Arai, who came home third, was subsequently disqualified for a collision with Canada's Evan Dunfee, but was reinstated to the bronze medal position on appeal.
Heffernan, 38, was eighth in the 20km in Beijing, ninth in London four years later and third in the 50km in 2012.
He had previously made his debut in Sydney in 2000.
"At 36-38km I thought I was going to win it," said Heffernan afterwards.
"I got bad cramps then but it's still a magnificent performance. I'm still there or thereabouts so you have to take the positives.
"This is the only day of the year that counts. Obviously I would have liked to have won a medal. I love training in the summer and I love training for these championships.
"It's all about tunnel vision and getting ready for the big day," added the 2013 World Championship gold medallist.
Brendan Boyce finished 19th in 3:53.59 but Alex Wright was forced to withdraw mid-race due to a fluid intake problem. | Ireland's Robert Heffernan finished sixth in the 50km walk in 3:43.55 at his fifth Olympic Games in Rio. |
24501253 | The £3,500 consignment was discovered after being abandoned at Carlisle railway station in August last year.
During a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Barry Kelly and Craig Colquhoun denied trying to buy the stash.
Two other men who supplied the weapons, William Dempsey, a serving soldier, and Martin Ashdown, pleaded guilty to firearm offences.
The trial heard that Dempsey, 29, a private serving with the 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland in Canterbury got off a Scotland bound train at Carlisle on 17 August 2012.
He was dressed in desert combat uniform and carrying two camouflage bags. He told station staff he thought he was being followed by police and asked them to look after the bags.
When he did not return British Transport Police opened the bags. As well as a form bearing Dempsey's name, rank and number, officers also discovered the illegal haul of guns and ammunition.
The consignment involved an Uzi sub-machine gun and silencer, a shortened 12 bore double barrel shotgun, a 6.35mm handgun - all in working order - and 136 cartridges for the weapons and a further 58 revolver cartridges.
Potential purchaser
A mobile phone was also found and data from this item led to the arrest of three other men, said Nicholas Kennedy, prosecuting.
Mr Kennedy said that Ashdown, 32, was the source of the firearms and Dempsey, through his friendship with him, was able to provide a potential purchaser for them and was facilitator of the deal.
He said that Kelly, formerly from Darvel in Ayrshire, was the purchaser and that Colquhoun, from Barrhead near Glasgow, was his "right hand man and played an important role in the sale and purchase of firearms".
He told the jury that the proof of the conspiracies lay in communications between the defendants in texts, Blackberry messages and phone calls.
Mr Kennedy said that £3,500 was paid into Dempsey's bank account by Colquhoun on 16 August and it was withdrawn in Canterbury the same day.
Dempsey was arrested in Carlisle and Kelly was arrested in December.
The court heard that when Kelly's home was searched more than £20,000 was found in his loft and a further £180 in a wallet in the living room.
Colquhoun was also arrested on the same day at a house in Barrhead and Ashdown was arrested in Canterbury.
The jury found Kelly and Colquhoun guilty of five offences involving conspiring to sell prohibited weapons and conspiring to purchase a shotgun and cartridges without a licence between 12 and 17 August last year.
The two men were remanded in custody and will be sentenced along with Dempsey and Ashdown on 25 October. | Two men have been convicted of being involved in a plot to buy guns and ammunition destined for Scotland. |
37575091 | They can have a curious impact upon the unwary politician. Recycled air competes with reheated clichés to dull the senses. Bouts of ennui are followed by spells of frenzied enthusiasm, occasionally genuine.
Ruth Davidson is just back from the Conservative gathering in Birmingham. There she was feted as a star. Her opinions were sought, her views cited - even if - especially when she deviated a tad from the UK party line.
At Birmingham, she was if not quite the top banana then certainly pretty high up the tree. She even expressed a keen interest in appearing upon Strictly Come Dancing. The nation awaits her paso doble with a mixture of mute astonishment and mischievous anticipation.
Anyway, she returned, stimulated by the light, invigorating breeze from Birmingham's canals. (The city has, as every Brummie will tell you, more miles of canal than Venice. Without, of course, the Doge's Palace, St Mark's Square, the Bridge of Sighs and the quattrocento masterpieces - but these, no doubt, are pending in what the PM billed the Midlands Engine.)
One would scarcely be human if such star billing did not have an impact. Certainly, it would appear to have emboldened Ms Davidson - not that she needed much encouragement, her chutzpah count being already fairly high.
And so, her courage suitably stiffened, she challenged the First Minister to say what she intended to do about Brexit. Come on, FM, sort it out, would you?
Ms Sturgeon rose slowly to her feet. "Oh look out!", as John Lennon yells towards the end of Abbey Road. (The album, that is, not the London street.) You could just see the FM thinking "up with this I will not put".
And so it proved. According to the FM, her Conservative counterpart had something of a cheek demanding action on Brexit. Which, she reminded the chamber, had resulted from a decision taken by Ms Davidson's own party.
Nothing daunted, the Tory leader argued, in essence, that we are where we are. The choice now was to whinge or to act. She opted for action, disowning the course of mumping.
In response, Ms Sturgeon said that she too would seek to mitigate the impact of Brexit - as outlined in a report from the Fraser of Allander Institute - but would be considerably assisted in that endeavour if the UK government would drop a couple of hints as to how they intended to proceed.
Later still, Ms Sturgeon returned to the topic of the Conservative conference when invited to do so by Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats. Mr Rennie spoke with evident disapproval of the idea floated in Birmingham that there might be an audit of foreign workers in the UK.
Ms Sturgeon described this notion as, among other things, "disgusting" - and urged its withdrawal. Foreign workers here, she said, should be welcomed, not deployed as potential bargaining chips in any negotiation with the EU.
But, of course, the Brexit train has yet to leave the station. Which brings us to the topic raised by Labour's Kezia Dugdale.
She was exercised by delays and overcrowding on Scotland's rail network. This was a deftly populist issue advanced by the Labour leader. Commuters, she knows, are decidedly open to suggestions that their service could benefit from improvement.
Ms Sturgeon knows that and so she tiptoed towards the topic. Yes, things could be better but ministers were acting. It was better, she said, than "carping from the sidelines". Or perhaps, in this case, the branch line.
Ms Dugdale looked ever so slightly hurt. As far as she was aware, she was doing her job of holding the First Minister to account.
Still, onwards and upwards. Ms Dugdale and Mr Rennie left to hone their carping skills. Ms Sturgeon departed for Iceland where she is to speak about environmental conditions in the Arctic Circle. Or Fraserburgh, as it is known in the North-east.
And Ms Davidson pirouetted out of the chamber before executing a deft Palais glide, all the while humming one of the lighter airs from HMS Pinafore. | Having attended party conferences since the Middle Ages, I can attest that they offer an environment every bit as surreal as anything summoned up by Miró or Magritte. |
39268215 | Ddydd Mercher fe wnaeth Plaid Cymru lansio eu cynllun fframwaith nhw ar gyfer cynyddu niferoedd y siaradwyr Cymraeg.
Maen nhw'n dweud bod angen buddsoddi yn y cadarnleoedd gorllewinol sydd wedi gweld cwymp sylweddol dros gyfnod y tri chyfrifiad diwethaf.
Byddai hynny yn cynnwys strategaeth sy'n sicrhau bod swyddi yn cael eu dosbarthu yn fwy cyfartal ar draws Cymru.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dweud y bydda nhw'n gweithio gyda phob plaid i gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr erbyn 2050 | Mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ddangos ewyllys gwleidyddol i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cyrraedd y targed o filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050, yn ôl Plaid Cymru. |
36162703 | The defeat means they have won just one of their last four matches and are not yet certain of avoiding relegation.
But Guidolin insists the players haven't given up on the season.
"This [being on the beach] is a new phrase for me but this is not us at the moment," he said.
"I've seen my team work very well in training.
"Against Newcastle it's true, we didn't play well.
"After the win against Chelsea we had a moment where we relaxed, but not against Leicester."
Guidolin feels a number of sides are still looking over their shoulders.
"I don't know in the Premier League if this is a usual situation because there are other teams the same as us," he said.
"Bournemouth, Stoke, Watford, Crystal Palace and West Brom (are) also all in our situation (on) around 40 points.
"I spoke with my players and they are convinced to play the right way and play the remaining games as three finals."
Guidolin's future at the Liberty Stadium beyond the end of the season remains uncertain but he is not concerned that his situation is yet to be resolved.
The Italian says it is more important that Swansea mathematically secure their top flight status rather than focus on his future.
"Every week I speak with my players about this," Guidolin added.
"At the moment we are not mathematically safe and we need points.
"We are in a good position but I am focused to improve our position in the table."
Former Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has been strongly linked with a return to the Liberty Stadium.
Guidolin confirmed that Alberto Paloschi and Leroy Fer are set to miss out on Saturday's home clash with Liverpool due to hamstring injuries. | Francesco Guidolin has dismissed suggestions that Swansea City's players are 'already on the beach' and maintains they played well during last weekend's 4-0 thrashing by Leicester. |
40642526 | David Kennedy will leave his job as chief executive of Northampton Borough Council at the end of July.
It comes as police investigate "alleged financial irregularities" regarding the council's £10m loan to Northampton Town Football Club.
The money, released in 2013 to fund the redevelopment of Sixfields Stadium and nearby land, has yet to be recovered.
Mr Kennedy, who was appointed in 2007, was questioned by police under caution last month along with borough solicitor Francis Fernandes.
Live updates: Read more Northamptonshire stories here
The BBC understands Mr Kennedy has been off work on sick leave.
In a statement, he said: "I have been proud to serve the public of Northampton for the last decade.
"I have concluded that the time is right for someone else to lead the council's excellent and committed staff.
"I want to thank all those who have worked with me and supported me since 2007 and wish them well in the future."
The statement released by the borough council goes on to clarify that Mr Kennedy's resignation "is not the subject of any termination payment, pension enhancement or settlement agreement". | One of two senior council officers questioned by police over a £10m loan to a football club has resigned. |
35955437 | The captain alerted Dyfed-Powys Police on Saturday morning when crew realised Josh Winsper from Cornwall was missing.
Police divers and HM Coastguard were involved in the search.
Police said identification had not taken place as yet and next of kin had been informed of the latest development.
Earlier, Mr Winsper's family posted a plea to find him on social media. His aunt told the Cornish Guardian the family were "holding out for a miracle".
Mr Winsper was last seen at Astoria nightclub in the town at 02:30 BST on Saturday.
Rachel Gerred-Hart‎ told the newspaper: "His mother Sandra Winsper is beside herself with worry.
"You wouldn't believe the support coming from the town of Milford Haven. On behalf of the family we want to say the Welsh police have been incredible." | A body has been found in the search for a 24-year-old crewman who went missing while his vessel was at Milford Haven docks in Pembrokeshire. |
37121505 | The 40-year-old was infected with the virus while at a treatment centre in Sierra Leone in 2014.
She is alleged to have given dishonest answers to medical staff when she returned to Heathrow airport.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has been investigating Ms Cafferkey's conduct.
The charges against her had never been made public but were accidentally uploaded to the NMC website.
Ms Cafferkey said the NMC has since apologised.
The council alleges that she "allowed an incorrect temperature to be recorded" on 29 December 2014 and intended to conceal from Public Health England staff that she had a temperature higher than 38C.
Registered NHS nurse Ms Cafferkey travelled to the West African country at the height of the Ebola crisis to help the sick.
She returned to London and then travelled on to Scotland before being diagnosed, and spent almost a month being treated in an isolation unit at London's Royal Free Hospital.
Ms Cafferkey recovered but was readmitted to hospital on two separate occasions after suffering complications linked to the disease, and at one stage fell critically ill.
But she returned to work as a nurse at the Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire, where she had been employed before volunteering to go to Sierra Leone with the Save the Children charity.
She described at the time how she was "very happy to be alive" and was looking forward to returning to a "normal life".
However, in the months that followed her health suffered as she had issues with her thyroid, her hair fell out and she had headaches and pains in her joints.
But Ms Cafferkey stressed that she felt lucky because she had not lost her sight as others had done.
In March of last year the NMC began investigating her conduct and she was summoned for a preliminary hearing in Edinburgh.
She was not told the charges against her at that time, but they were thought to centre on allegations that she was unwell before she began her journey and her symptoms were obscured.
The NMC has now released the full charges, which allege Ms Cafferkey did not tell Public Health England screening staff who took her temperature at the airport that she had recently taken paracetamol.
She is also said to have left the area without reporting her true temperature.
A hearing on Ms Cafferkey's fitness to practise is set to take place in Edinburgh next month. The NMC has the power to strike workers off the professional register.
A spokesman for the NMC said it had been working closely with Ms Cafferkey and her representatives to reach an outcome "that is fair and meets the public interest".
He added: "Since the NMC's case examiners considered the allegations and drafted charges, we have received further evidence.
"The final charges the panel will consider will be determined in light of this new material. A process of ongoing review is part of our normal practice in all cases.
"Ms Cafferkey and her representatives have cooperated fully throughout this process. Currently we are working towards scheduling the case for a panel to consider on 13 September."
In a statement Pauline Cafferky said: "The NMC has apologised to me through my solicitor for the unfortunate mistake they made in uploading the allegations to their website in advance of the hearing next month.
"It's only then that the full facts now known to the NMC will be shared with the panel. Those facts, that have not yet been made public, will be considered by the panel as part of its review of all relevant information.
"I would very much hope that after the case has been considered by the panel the matter will be at an end.
"I have no further comment to make. " | Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey faces disciplinary action over claims she concealed her temperature at an Ebola screening on her return to the UK. |
29552091 | Margaret Hughes, 91, was found dead in her bungalow during floods at St Asaph, Denbighshire, in November 2012.
Witness Steven Green told the Ruthin hearing he knocked on her door at 09:00 GMT and said she should go with him.
But the pensioner, who was eating breakfast, "weighed up the pros and cons" and declined, shutting the door.
Mr Green said he had been staying with his parents in a nearby street when the floods hit.
He woke up to see a lot of activity on the street and so decided to check on his grandmother, who lived next door to Mrs Hughes.
Mr Green's grandmother was safe, but he saw a Red Cross worker at Mrs Hughes' door and went to help.
"I think you need to come with us," Mr Green told the great-grandmother.
At that point the flood water was flowing but had not reached kerb height. It was a foot away from her house, Mr Green said.
"She was eating her breakfast," Mr Green told the inquest.
"She looked like she gave it some thought, she weighed it up but she decided not to... and closed the door."
He added: "She looked like she weighed up the pros and cons of it."
Mr Green told the hearing Mrs Hughes looked "warm and cosy".
"She was old but she understood what I was asking her to do," he said. "There was no misunderstanding."
The hearing also heard from David Hallows, one of two Red Cross workers who had been asked to help evacuate the area.
"From what I could see happening, a crisis was coming," he said.
Mr Hallows said he advised Mrs Hughes to leave her home, and pointed to her disabled ramp which had water lapping up around it.
"I think she felt comfortable where she was and she wanted to stay," he said.
"She said she was fine and the door was closed."
Water levels rose by up to 7ft (2.1m) in about 30 minutes.
On Wednesday, the inquest heard Mrs Hughes had joined a flood warning scheme but an alert failed to reach her.
She had signed up to receive alerts through her daughter Gwenda Jones's mobile phone, who she said she did not get one on that day.
The hearing continues. | A "vulnerable" pensioner who drowned during severe flooding refused to leave her home as water levels rose, an inquest has heard. |
33009049 | Vladimir Kara-Murza, a dual Russian and British citizen, collapsed in Moscow last Tuesday. The 33-year-old was in a coma for almost a week and has been diagnosed with acute kidney failure.
He has now regained consciousness but still has difficulty communicating; tests to determine what caused his mysterious illness are continuing.
"He was perfectly healthy before, he'd had no chronic illnesses," the activist's father, also Vladimir, says. "It's clear he's been poisoned. But by what or who, we don't know."
Vladimir Kara-Murza was a close friend of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead in Moscow in February.
The chief doctor at the Moscow hospital treating Mr Kara-Murza told the BBC that tests revealed traces of an antidepressant.
He speculated that the citalopram, which the activist was taking, may have accumulated in his body if he had a prior, undetected kidney problem.
It may also have reacted with an antihistamine Mr Kara-Murza used for hay fever.
His family are sceptical.
"It was just a nasal spray," his father points out, unconvinced that a few drops could have triggered the "nuclear explosion" in his son's kidneys.
Other doctors also say his symptoms are not typical of a citalopram overdose.
"It is not the usual picture, whether an overdose is deliberate or inadvertent," believes Eran Segal. Called in by family friends, the Israeli doctor examined the activist shortly after he was rushed to hospital.
"It could be a severe infection or maybe some other toxin we are not aware of," Dr Segal told the BBC. "But there is no evidence of the cause."
After living abroad for some years, Vladimir Kara-Murza now works for the opposition organisation Open Russia run by oligarch-in-exile Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
His most recent Facebook post is an advert for an Open Russia film alleging serious human rights abuses and corruption in Chechnya.
His father says he was chief "organiser" of the project, but never mentioned receiving any threats.
While the "picture" of symptoms in such a young man is unusual, Dr Segal stresses that it is not necessarily suspicious.
But a long history of mysterious deaths linked to Russia is fuelling the family's doubts.
Just last month an inquest in the UK heard that traces of a rare plant poison had been detected in the stomach of Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichny.
A whistleblower in a major tax fraud investigation, his sudden death in 2012 had long been considered suspicious.
So, the Kara-Murza family has sent samples of Vladimir's nails and beard hair to four countries for analysis. Tests so far have not detected toxins.
"Maybe they've thought up some new poison," Mr Kara-Murza told the BBC.
"Or maybe it's a total coincidence: that a politician, an inconvenient one, was poisoned by some cocktail that had gone off," he added.
Though he rated the chances of that as one in a million, he stressed that such a scenario would be ideal.
"That means there's no threat to our family. We can walk the streets. My son doesn't have to leave the country," the father said.
"But if someone did want to frighten us," he said, "then they succeeded." | The father of a Russian opposition activist has told the BBC he believes the sudden, severe illness of his son is suspicious. |
36053672 | The Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) website said two vulnerabilities found in the Windows version of QuickTime had been reported to Apple.
But ZDI said it was "advised that the product would be deprecated on Windows" and that Apple would publish software removal instructions.
Apple has not officially announced the end of QuickTime on Windows.
QuickTime is a multimedia solution that was developed by Apple to handle video, audio and interactive content on its computers.
It was first released in 1991 and a version was later made available to download for Windows computers.
The Zero Day Initiative website publishes details of security holes in software that have not been patched or are being actively exploited in the wild.
Although QuickTime can still be downloaded from Apple's website, ZDI said the company had indicated it was no longer being updated on Windows systems.
In a security bulletin, security firm Trend Micro said newly discovered vulnerabilities left the software insecure.
"The only way to protect your Windows systems from potential attacks against these or other vulnerabilities in Apple QuickTime now is to uninstall it," it said.
However, it is understood QuickTime on a Mac will continue to receive updates.
Although Apple has not announced the end of QuickTime on Windows, its website describes part of the software package as a "legacy" tool.
Its guide to uninstalling QuickTime on Windows states: "Uninstalling QuickTime 7 also removes the legacy QuickTime 7 web plug-in, if present. Removing legacy browser plug-ins enhances the security of your PC."
Apple declined to comment. | Apple has stopped producing updates for its QuickTime media player software on Windows, according to security experts. |
40710066 | The 23-year-old was sent off after a mass brawl in the semi-final on 11 May and missed the final against Ajax, which United won 2-0.
However, the suspension has now been extended to include two more games.
Bailly will miss the Super Cup against Real Madrid on 8 August and United's first Champions League group match.
The Ivory Coast international's case does not qualify for an appeal because European football's governing body Uefa only overturns decisions made by the referee in cases of mistaken identity.
Bailly was sent off for a swipe at Celta's former Manchester City striker John Guidetti, with Facundo Roncaglia dismissed for retaliating.
The Premier League club also received a warning from Uefa for a late kick-off to the semi-final. | Manchester United defender Eric Bailly has been given a three-match ban for his red card against Celta Vigo in the Europa League. |
34376927 | Goldman Sachs, Korean private equity firm MBK Partners and others will keep a 49% stake in the Osaka-based theme park that opened in 2001, Comcast said.
The cable firm already owns Universal Studios and its theme parks through its NBC Universal unit.
USJ, a rival to Tokyo Disneyland, struggled to gain popularity and was sold to a consortium in 2009.
But visitor numbers have been picking up on the back of new attractions such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opened in July last year.
The company reported its best financial year in the 12 months to March with 12.7 million visitors. That compares with over 30 million visitors for Tokyo's Disney Resort.
USJ also had plans for a public share listing this year, but Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts said there were no plans for a listing in the near term.
The firm plans to build another theme park in Okinawa.
Comcast said it expected to complete the purchase in November. | US entertainment giant Comcast is to buy a 51% majority stake in Universal Studios Japan (USJ) for $1.5bn (£987m). |
39402698 | The woman lost 20kg (44 lbs) - about 40% of her body weight - while working for them, and was given only bread and instant noodles to eat.
Her employers received jail sentences of three weeks and three months.
Many Singaporeans hire live-in helpers from neighbouring countries, and abuse cases are not uncommon.
In the latest case, Filipino domestic worker Thelma Oyasan Gawidan was starved over a period of 15 months, where her weight dropped from 49kg to 29kg.
She testified in court that she was fed only small amounts of food twice a day, and her requests for more food were denied. She was also made to sleep in a storeroom, and allowed to shower only once or twice a week.
Ms Gawidan said she was unable to seek help earlier as her employers had confiscated her mobile phone and passport.
She finally fled in April 2014 and sought help from a migrant workers aid group.
Her employers, finance trader Lim Choon Hong and his wife Chong Sui Foon, pleaded guilty.
They claimed they treated Ms Gawidan the same way they treated themselves, as they ate and showered infrequently due to Chong's "obsessions" with food and cleaning her home. Psychiatrists testified that she had obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia.
Prosecutors pointed out that the family ate better food and in larger quantities. They sought the maximum jail sentence of one year for the couple.
Lim was jailed for three weeks and fined S$10,000 ($7,175, £5,700), while Chong was jailed for three months.
The case has horrified and outraged Singaporeans, with many on Monday commenting online that the sentences were too lenient.
"Too little... it's too inhumane to starve a person," said one Facebook user.
The BBC's Leisha Chi in Singapore says Ms Gawidan received S$20,000 in compensation, but in today's sentencing the judge's primary concern was whether giving money, be it "one dollar or one million dollars", demonstrated genuine remorse.
Singapore's courts have seen a rising number of cases of domestic helper abuse in recent years.
The city-state has a highly regulated system for employing maids, but activists say not enough is being done to protect migrant workers' rights. | A Singaporean couple have been jailed for starving their domestic worker from the Philippines, in a case that has shocked the city-state. |
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