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30006640 | The Group H match, which ended 1-1, was stopped in both halves, with players taken off for 10 minutes after the break by referee Bjorn Kuipers.
Italy's Antonio Candreva and Croatia's Ivan Perisic scored the goals.
Croatia and Italy are on 10 points, but the Croats lead on goal difference.
In the other game in the group, Malta, who had failed to score in their previous six matches, recorded a 1-1 draw in Bulgaria.
Clayton Failla equalised from the spot in the second half to earn the Maltese their first point of the campaign.
Czech Republic are in pole position in Group A following a 2-1 victory over Iceland.
A 61st-minute own goal by winger Jon Dadi Bodvarsson helped the Czechs maintain their record.
Turkey recorded their first three points in the group with 3-1 win over Kazakhstan. Burak Yılmaz scored twice in the victory in Istanbul.
In Group B, Israel strode to top spot with a 3-0 win over Bosnia-Hercegovina.
They are now a point clear of second-placed Wales, with World Cup 2014 side Bosnia-Hercegovina with only two points from four games.
Match ends, Italy 1, Croatia 1.
Second Half ends, Italy 1, Croatia 1.
Milan Badelj (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Graziano Pellè (Italy).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Mattia De Sciglio (Italy) because of an injury.
Delay in match Mario Mandzukic (Croatia) because of an injury.
Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Roberto Soriano (Italy).
Foul by Vedran Corluka (Croatia).
Graziano Pellè (Italy) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic following a fast break.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Darijo Srna (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy).
Attempt missed. Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Croatia. Milan Badelj replaces Marcelo Brozovic.
Attempt saved. Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic.
Attempt blocked. Antonio Candreva (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).
Antonio Candreva (Italy) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Domagoj Vida (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Graziano Pellè (Italy).
Attempt blocked. Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Claudio Marchisio.
Attempt blocked. Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Delay in match (Croatia).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match (Italy).
Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Daniele De Rossi (Italy).
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Croatia).
Roberto Soriano (Italy) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).
Daniele De Rossi (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Croatia. Andrej Kramaric replaces Ivica Olic.
Attempt missed. Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Claudio Marchisio.
Foul by Ivica Olic (Croatia).
Daniele De Rossi (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Danijel Pranjic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Roberto Soriano (Italy). | The Euro 2016 qualifier between Italy and Croatia was interrupted on two occasions when flares were thrown on to the pitch and riot police intervened to control disturbances in the crowd. |
36738303 | Timmonsville, a town of only 2,000 people, passed the order on Tuesday. A first offence leads to a verbal warning, a second to a written warning and a third to a fine of $100-600.
Similar orders were previously made in towns in Florida and Louisiana.
One council official said the ban would lead to racial profiling.
In 2007, officials in Delcambre, Louisiana, said their ban was not racist.
In pictures: Sagging trousers
The style is popular with hip-hop artists. The New York Times reported that the style originated from oversized prison outfits, given without belts to avoid suicide attempts.
The Timmonsville order, published by the Florence News newspaper, reads:
"It shall be unlawful for any person driving or walking the streets and roads of the town of Timmonsville to:
(a) engage in public nudity;
(b) display pornographic material such that others are unwantingly exposed to the same or that minors are able to view the same;
(c) display the flesh of one's rear-end, behind or backside during stationary or movement within the city limits;
(d) wear pants, trousers, or shorts such that the known undergarments are intentional displayed/exposed to the public."
"Young children do what they see," Timmonsville Mayor William James Jr was quoted as saying by the Florence News.
"If they see older guys doing that, they're going to grow up and think that it's right. We need to put a stop to it. I understand there's a such thing as fads, but this has gone on way too long."
One member of the council, Cheryl Qualls, objected to the order, saying: "It will increase racial profiling on some of our children here in Timmonsville and across the country," according to South Carolina's The State newspaper.
Sagging trousers were often more expensive, and used as a status symbol, she said.
Ocala city council in Florida overturned its ban on sagging trousers two years ago. | A town in the US state of South Carolina has banned the wearing of sagging trousers, an offence that may now lead to a $600 (£462) fine. |
36570725 | Two police sergeants, two dog handlers and five police constables were hurt while investigating the unlicensed music event in Thames Road.
About 1,000 people had gathered inside, while another 1,000 were outside.
Missiles were thrown at officers and nine men have been arrested, the Met said. Four officers were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Police remain at the scene and road closures are in place.
Temporary Ch Supt Sean Wilson, borough commander for Barking and Dagenham, said: "A number of officers were injured whilst going about their duties and this will not be tolerated.
"A full investigation has been launched and we will endeavour to bring those responsible to justice." | Nine police officers have been injured after missiles were thrown at an illegal rave in Barking. |
34373591 | Sky Ride saw people flock to the city on bicycles as stretches of the ring road and many city-centre streets were shut between 11:00 and 15:00 BST.
Rachel Lancaster, of Coventry City Council, said it was important to encourage people to cycle more regularly and the free event helped to do that.
At last year's event - the first in the city - about 8,000 cyclists took part. | Roads across Coventry have been closed for a city-wide cycling event. |
26555874 | Employees sent overseas typically receive hardship pay increases, but Panasonic is the first firm to explicitly pay more due to China's air quality problems.
Unrelenting smog has been an ongoing problem in many Chinese cities.
The move was announced as part of Panasonic's pay negotiations.
The firm refused to say how many Japanese staff would be impacted by the compensation and exactly how much they would receive in additional pay.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China would wage a "war on pollution" as part of his opening remarks at this year's annual meeting of parliament, known as the National People's Congress.
As recently as last month, pollution monitors in Beijing said particulate readings soared to 15 times the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organization.
That has made many workers reluctant to move to the country.
As well as the pollution premium, Panasonic said it would increase base pay for all of its workers by 2,000 yen ($19.5; £11.7).
It is one of dozens of Japanese firms to have announced pay increases this week.
Toyota, Nissan and Honda also announced base pay raises - the first hikes since the financial crisis in 2008.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has put pressure on Japanese firms to raise wages in an effort to combat deflation and boost the Japanese economy. | Japanese electronics firm Panasonic has said it will pay its employees working in China a premium to compensate them for the country's high pollution. |
35171686 | The group was formed by childhood friends Louis Rei and cousins Haile and Akelle Charles - whose fathers were session musicians for the likes of Bob Marley.
After years of struggling as solo artists, the trio created the catchy seduction song In2 in a late-night recording session earlier this year. After filming a video for £250, they saw the track catch fire, eventually reaching the top 10 in November - at one point outselling Adele's Hello.
Named after their stomping ground in Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush, West London, the band have attracted celebrity fans such as Wiley, Lily Allen, Wretch 32 and Rita Ora, and are frantically working on their debut album.
They spoke to the BBC at the Wendy House recording studio, where their names are etched on the wall alongside the likes of Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding, Stevie Wonder and... er, Jedward.
How did the band form?
Louis Rei: The name only came about recently - but us, as a collective, we're family so we've been around quite a while. But the name WSTRN has only existed for a short amount of time.
So what was the catalyst?
Akelle: In2. The hottest track on the road right now. [laughs]
How did that song come about?
Louis Rei: Basically, we was all just in the studio. We didn't even go in there to make the song. We was actually just chilling and going through some beats. Then Haile went in the [vocal] booth and laid down the chorus. We was like, "woah, what's going on here?"
How soon did you know it was going to be massive?
Akelle: We didn't really. We put it to one side after we made it. It was like, "that's cool - what's next?"
Haile: But then Akelle sent it to a DJ and that's when everything spiralled out of control.
What's the most surprising thing that's happened as a result?
Louis Rei: I woke up one time and saw that Alan Carr had done a parody of In2. That was just crazy.
Akelle: Alan Carr did the best In2 remix!
Louis Rei: Yeah, big up Alan!
Both In2 and the b-side Got Love are romance songs. Should we expect more of that?
Louis Rei: We just want to bring positivity back. Everything's way too serious right now, man.
Akelle: I'm going to rap about personal stuff like relationships, pain that I've gone through, pain that someone else has gone through. Real life stuff that people can connect to. So they can hear the song and they're like "Oh my God, this guy is talking about me."
Akelle, you claim on In2 that you've been "in and out with girls". Are you a bit of a ladies' man?
Akelle: I'm definitely a loverman! [He blushes and buries his head in his hands] Oh my God, I'm getting all shy! Why did I put that line in there?!
Tell me about your background? What were you doing before WSTRN?
Akelle: I started making music when I was about seven or eight. [Late reggae artist] Smiley Culture brought me and my brothers and sisters into the music industry.
Like a British Jackson 5?
Akelle: That's what we were trying to do. We were trying to get somewhere with our family music but it didn't really work out.
Were you the Marlon or the Michael?
Akelle: I was Michael. 100 per cent Michael. I'm the youngest - so it makes sense.
Do you all have similar stories?
Louis Rei: My earliest recollection of music would be primary school. I think my dad wrote me a little lyric for a school project - and I remember how it felt, rapping in front of everyone. I got a buzz from that, and it's been at the back of my head ever since.
Haile: In my early teen years, I did music as a hobby with all my friends. Then, from 17 upwards, I started to take it more seriously. And then I met these guys and it all happened.
Louis Rei: So to go back to that question where you asked, "Did you know In2 was going to be a hit?" - it's hard. As a musician, I can tell you that many times in the past I've said, "Yeah, this is the song that everyone's going to like," and it just didn't happen.
How did you come up with the name WSTRN?
Louis Rei: It was actually our manager, Morgan Keyz. The music scene has its poster boys - East London had Dizzee Rascal, etc - so we're saying it's the West's turn now.
Is there a focal point for the music scene in West London?
Akelle: Everything's run by social networks now. You don't need a hook-up or a meet-up to create a scene. But there's so much more talent to come. We're bringing West London together. And it's divided. There's not much unity.
In what way is it divided?
Louis Rei: What's unique about West London is you can walk down a lovely high street and you'll take a turn and suddenly you're on a council estate. So you'll have friends from different walks of life.
Akelle: It's a proper eye-opener.
Louis Rei: You just get to experience things from a different viewpoint. It rounds you as a person.
Isn't it easy to become resentful when you're right next to people who have more than you?
Louis Rei: I don't think we focus on who's got more than who. If you're doing well and I care for you, I'm happy - and I hope you feel the same about me. And then we elevate it.
Other urban acts on the Sound of 2016 list - Section Boyz and J Hus - have done everything independently. Why did you decide to sign to a major label?
Louis Rei: It's a difficult one. We started independently. We did the video for In2 and put it on YouTube ourselves. We generated ridiculous amounts of interest. But we went with Atlantic [Records] because we need a machine to take our music where we want it to go. We genuinely believe it can cross over.
Akelle: We had to make a decision - and a quick decision at that. But we didn't just go with them in order to say "yeah, we're on a label". We checked out all the labels that was interested and went with the ones that felt genuine.
How did they convince you?
Akelle: They were thinking long-term. Other labels weren't thinking long-term.
There's a perception that a major label will try to impose its vision on you. How do you stay true to yourselves?
Akelle: That's something we had to talk about. We know about the industry through experience - so we're not going to be puppets.
So what happens next?
Louis Rei: Just making more music.
Haile: We've got so much sick tunes already - but we're going to make more. Because we might make a better tune that we want on the album.
How many songs have you got?
Akelle: So many.
Louis Rei: Enough for an album.
Akelle: Maybe two.
Louis Rei: Everybody seems to feel like, "do you feel pressure after In2?" but we're really enjoying it. How can you feel negative? We started at zero, we're here now and if it stays here, it's a bonus. | London soul trio WSTRN have come joint fifth in the BBC Music Sound of 2016 - tying with electronic producer Mura Masa. |
37183483 | 25 August 2016 Last updated at 11:40 BST
The horse was filmed trotting down the city-bound carriageway just before the Broadway roundabout at about 10:00 BST.
"It was an accident waiting to happen, with rubberneckers bringing their cars to a dead halt to take a look," said BBC cameraman John Morrissey, whose son filmed the incident.
Several police officers – one armed with a rope – tried to bring the horse under control as it left the motorway and made its way up the Donegall Road towards the Falls Road before reportedly being cornered on a side-street.
In May, three runaway cows caused rush-hour delays for drivers on the M1 in County Antrim. | A runaway horse has brought traffic to a halt as it trotted along the M1 outside Belfast. |
39841053 | Mr Shorten's centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP) vowed to "employ Australians first" in the advert released on Sunday.
However, the video was widely criticised for the people it chose to feature, a majority of whom were white.
Mr Shorten denied racism, but conceded the video lacked diversity.
Another Labor frontbencher, Anthony Albanese, described the advert as a "shocker" and said it should "never have been produced".
The video featured Mr Shorten criticising his political opponent, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, over domestic job opportunities.
But discussion quickly turned to who was pictured alongside Mr Shorten.
The government accused Mr Shorten's party of trying to appeal to conservative voters, while left-wing Greens politician Sarah Hanson-Young said the video was "just awful".
Mr Shorten dismissed accusations of racism as "rubbish", but said his party would show more diversity in future.
"I've had a look at the final production and I think we should have had more diversity in it and I will be speaking to the Labor Party about that," he said.
Mr Albanese said he had not seen the advert before it aired on the local Nine network.
"I think anyone who sees it knows exactly what's wrong with it," he said. | Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has admitted making a "bad oversight" over a party advert that was accused of being racist. |
38622950 | A 43-year-old man was found at a house in Shirley Terrace, Gomersal, on Friday at about 18:30 GMT, said West Yorkshire Police.
He had been attacked and was treated by paramedics but died at the scene, said the force.
A 47-year-old woman and 26-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are in police custody.
Police are appealing for witnesses who saw anything around Shirley Terrace. | A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of a man in West Yorkshire. |
25445869 | Retired judge Sir Peter Gibson reviewed 20,000 top secret documents after allegations of wrongdoing by MI5 and MI6 officers in the wake of 9/11.
He found no evidence officers were directly involved in the torture or rendition of suspects.
But he said further investigation was needed into evidence of complicity.
Minister without portfolio Ken Clarke announced that a further investigation by a committee of MPs and peers will now be held into areas of concern highlighted by Sir Peter.
Sir Peter told reporters: "It does appear from the documents that the United Kingdom may have been inappropriately involved in some renditions. That is a very serious matter. And no doubt any future inquiry would want to look at that."
In a statement to MPs, Mr Clarke said the guidance for intelligence agencies on detention and torture was "inadequate" in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and "it is now clear that we were in some respects not prepared for the extreme demands suddenly placed on them".
By Gordon CoreraSecurity correspondent, BBC News
Few expected the amount of detail that Sir Peter Gibson has provided in his report.
It may be unfinished but it raises serious issues - 27 in all - ranging from Britain's role in rendition to what ministers were told and whether they asked enough questions.
Campaigners had raised questions about Sir Peter's independence.
Those may now have been answered but the next issue is whether the Intelligence and Security Committee will be able to get to the truth.
One of the issues Sir Peter raises in his report is whether the committee was given enough information for its previous inquiries into the subject which did not get close to the truth.
The ISC says it does have more powers now to investigate but it faces a significant task in trying to deal with allegations the prime minister has described as a stain on the country's reputation.
The "oversight" of intelligence activities with detainees was "not robust enough," the former justice secretary added.
Mr Clarke did not rule out the possibility of a judicial inquiry into rendition claims after the Intelligence and Security Committee has completed its report.
Jack Straw, who was foreign secretary during the period covered by Sir Peter's report, welcomed the Parliamentary committee's investigation, at which he and other witnesses will be able to give evidence.
But he stressed that he never condoned the ill-treatment of terror suspects during his time in office.
"I was never in any way complicit in the unlawful rendition or detention of individuals by the United States or any other states," he told MPs.
He said he had agreed to the transfer of British nationals being held in the US to Guantanamo Bay but added: "We never agreed in any way to the mistreatment of those detainees or to the denial of their rights."
He urged MPs to accept "that we made repeated objections to the United States government about these matters and that I was able to secure the release of all British detainees from Guantanamo Bay by January 2005".
Sir Peter's report does not offer final conclusions because it did not have the chance to interview witnesses because of ongoing police investigations. Instead it sets out 27 issues he feels need to be examined further.
"It would be wrong to leave these issues, many of which relate to matters of policy, unexamined for the unknown amount of time it will take for the police to complete their related investigations," said Mr Clarke.
"The period of time was one in which we and our international partners were suddenly adapting to a completely new scale and type of threat from fundamentalist, religious extremists.
"Many UK intelligence officers had to operate in extraordinarily challenging environments subject to real personal danger. But everyone in the government and everyone in the agencies accept this bravery has to be combined with clear rules of proportionality, accountability, to ensure we uphold the values we are working hard to defend.
"While we accept intelligence operations must be conducted in the strictest secrecy, we also expect there to be strict oversight of those operations to ensure at all times they respect the human rights that are a cornerstone of this country's values."
Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan accused the government of going back on its 2010 promise to hold an independent "judge-led" inquiry into the allegations.
The Labour MP rejected Mr Clarke's claim that Sir Peter was unable to carry out a full inquiry, as originally planned, because it would interfere with ongoing police investigations.
He questioned whether the Intelligence and Security Committee, even with its recently beefed-up investigatory powers, was up to the task, given the need to "ensure any investigation is as independent and transparent as possible and has the full confidence of the public". | There is evidence Britain was inappropriately involved in the rendition and ill-treatment of terror suspects, an inquiry has revealed. |
27289391 | Gambling tycoon James Packer and David Gyngell, who heads the Nine Entertainment Group, were seen fighting at Bondi Beach on Sunday.
It is not clear what caused the brawl between the two, who are good friends.
The incident has dominated the Australian media, with photos reportedly sold for a six-figure sum.
"Eastern Suburbs Local Area Command has commenced an investigation into an incident that occurred about 14:00 Sunday... at Bondi Beach," a police statement said.
"Police have not yet received an official complaint but have appealed to anyone who witnessed, or has vision or images of the incident."
James Packer, son of media tycoon Kerry Packer, is one of Australia's richest men, with an estimated wealth of around A$6bn ($5.6bn, £3.3bn) from his gaming empire.
David Gyngell, a top-level media executive, was best man at his wedding, as Mr Packer was at his.
Photographs showed the two men trading punches, wrestling and swapping headlocks. Video footage then showed them grappling on the ground, with three other men trying to separate them.
After the fight, the men released a joint statement.
"We have been friends for 35 years and still are," it read. "In that time we have had our fair share of ups and downs. We respect each other and neither of us will be commenting further."
The brawl has attracted enormous media interest in Australia, with tabloids devoting pages of coverage to what one is calling the "Bondi biffo". | Police have launched an investigation into a street brawl between an Australian billionaire and a TV network head that led to a media frenzy. |
40438007 | A vote on the bill was postponed on Tuesday as Republican leadership seek to persuade rebels to back the plan.
Nine senators have said they will not support it, and the party can only afford to lose two for it to pass.
The plan has been widely criticised amid fears that millions will lose their health insurance coverage.
A survey published on Wednesday by USA Today suggests only 12% of Americans support the Senate plan.
President Barack Obama led an overhaul of the US healthcare system that has been deeply unpopular among Republicans, who have vowed to replace his signature law.
But the party cannot agree on a replacement - conservative Republicans say the Senate plan maintains too many elements of so-called Obamacare, while moderates believe it will hurt vulnerable people.
The president said on Wednesday: "I think we're going to get at least very close, and I think we're going to get it over the line."
He added that the final plan "would be so good, would be far better than Obamacare, and would be much less expensive for the people".
The latest round of polling, which shows approval numbers for the Senate healthcare reform bill hovering in the mid-teens, is deadly news for Republicans.
They're caught in a political pincer not unlike the one Barack Obama and Democrats faced during the Affordable Care Act battle of 2009. Back then, conservatives viewed the legislation as an unacceptable government takeover of US healthcare. Meanwhile, some on the left disapproved because they thought the efforts didn't go far enough. They wanted full-out socialised medicine, instead of market-based insurance reform.
That left-right combo of dissatisfaction made it hard for Obamacare to ever gain majority backing.
Trumpcare faces a similar dilemma - only it's much, much worse. Democrats universally despise the proposals. The not-far-enough/too-far divide exists almost entirely within Republican ranks. Moderates think the cuts go too far. Hard-liners want a full-out repeal. None of them are happy. That leaves only a slice of a slice of the public offering any kind of support for the bill.
Republicans legislators may yet close ranks and pass something, faced with the unappealing prospect of doing nothing after promising action for seven years. One thing is certain, however. Whatever they might agree on has little chance of garnering much popular support.
Will Trumpcare's unpopularity be fatal?
The 142-page Senate bill - the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 - imposes deep cuts to Medicaid, a government health programme for low-income Americans.
The bill also gives states more latitude in requiring insurers to provide essential medical benefits guaranteed under Obamacare, including emergency and maternity care and mental health services.
Details also include:
Nine Senate Republicans have announced opposition to the bill.
Some have criticised it for stripping protections for the poor and elderly, as well as access to women's health. Others on the right of the party say the bill still represents government overreach.
Not one single Democrat is expected to support the proposed legislation, having lambasted it as a huge transfer of wealth from poor to rich.
Top Democrat Nancy Pelosi has warned that "hundreds of thousands" of Americans will die if the bill passes.
The American Medical Association opposed the bill because, among other concerns, it says there will be higher costs for people on low incomes.
And the American Association of Retired Persons, the nation's oldest non-profit organisation representing Americans over 50 years-old, slammed the bill as an "age tax".
Republicans reportedly want to make changes to the bill by the end of this week.
They will then send it to be analysed by the non-partisan Congressional Budgetary Office (CBO), which has said the bill in its present form would strip 22 million Americans of health insurance over the next 10 years.
Congress returns from the Fourth of July holiday on Monday 10 July, and there is a three-week window before the long summer break in which the Senate can vote on a new version.
It will then need to return to the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, for approval before being signed into law by the president.
A healthcare bill similar to the Senate version has already passed the House, but it was criticised by the president as "mean". | US President Donald Trump has said he believes the Senate healthcare bill will "get over the line" and secure the votes it needs to pass. |
32131749 | The Electoral Commission has launched a public awareness campaign to remind people of the need to be registered.
Otherwise, they will not be able to vote on 7 May.
It has made a new television advertisement to remind voters they will be turned away from polling stations unless they are registered.
The commission will also use radio, press, outdoor and digital advertising to remind the public about the 20 April deadline.
Ann Watt, the head of the Electoral Commission's Northern Ireland office, said: "There has already been a great deal of interest and debate ahead of the UK general election, with voters keen to have their say.
"However, many people do not realise that they aren't registered and how easy it is to do so.
She added: "We don't want anyone to be turned away on polling day, so if you aren't registered take action now by downloading a registration form."
Voters can use the commission's website - www.aboutmyvote.co.uk - or can call the helpline on 0800 4320 712 to become registered. | The general public are being reminded that they must register to vote by 20 April if they want to take part in the general election. |
34020749 | The cars, made in the West Midlands and Liverpool, were caught in the blasts that killed at least 116 people.
Sixty people are still missing. At least 700 were injured.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said it was too early to tell how many vehicles were affected.
In a statement it said: "Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) wishes to express its most profound condolences to the families and friends of those who lost loved ones in the explosions in Tianjin.
"Our thoughts are with them as well as with all those who were injured in this tragic event."
JLR has manufacturing plants in Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands and at Halewood on Merseyside.
On Friday, India's Tata Motors, which owns JLR, saw its stock price fall 2.72% on the Mumbai stock exchange.
Tianjin is one of three major ports in China through which JLR imports vehicles.
JLR said 5,800 of its cars were in Tianjin at the time of the explosions.
Carmaker Renault said the blast burned 1,500 of its imported cars and Volkswagen said 2,700 of its cars were damaged. | Almost six thousand new Jaguar Land Rover cars, worth hundreds of millions of pounds, may have been destroyed in explosions in the Chinese port city of the Tianjin. |
32928540 | Anthony France, 41, from Watford, was found guilty of aiding and abetting PC Timothy Edwards to commit misconduct.
France had followed an "accepted procedure" at the Sun of paying for stories, Judge Timothy Pontius said.
He is the only journalist who stands convicted by a jury under a probe into alleged illegal payments to officials.
During the trial, a jury at London's Old Bailey heard how France had a "corrupt relationship" with the PC Edwards - a Heathrow Airport officer - for more than three years.
PC Edwards sold 38 stories and tip-offs to France between March 2008 and July 2011 in exchange for more than £22,000.
Judge Pontius sentenced the reporter to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, and to 200 hours of community service.
He described him as a journalist of "hitherto unblemished character" who was "essentially a decent man of solid integrity".
Judge Pontius said some of the articles that resulted from payments were "very much in the public interest", including stories about drunken airline pilots and drug smuggling.
However, others were "plainly chosen and published for their obviously salacious subject matter", he added.
Payments by France had followed "an accepted procedure that doubtless had existed for some time" at the Sun, the judge said.
Transactions went through an established procedure, he added, saying it was not a case of France handing over a "grubby envelope" in a dark corner of a pub.
"If there was a wrong culture, as clearly the jury found, it is not one of Mr France's making. It was inevitably created by others for their benefit and sustained by others for their benefit," Judge Pontius said.
France - who denied the charge - told jurors he had never been advised by anyone at the Sun that speaking to a police officer or a public official might be against the law.
PC Edwards - who pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office - was jailed for two years in 2014.
BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said a number of journalists from the Sun had been in court to support France during the hearing.
France, a crime reporter, had been prosecuted under Operation Elveden - the Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged inappropriate payments to police and public officials.
His conviction comes after charges against nine journalists accused of making illegal payments to officials were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service last month.
However, when it announced the decision, the CPS said it was continuing the prosecutions of France, and two other Sun journalists in a separate case. | A Sun reporter has been given an 18-month suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of paying for tip-offs from an anti-terrorism officer. |
34063380 | They reveal a 230% increase in patients from the county sent to out-of-area beds between 2013-14 and 2014-15.
A carers group has expressed concern a local shortage of resources means some patients are being sent as far away as Yorkshire and Manchester.
The local mental health trust said it was improving its management of beds.
Following a Freedom of Information request, Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust revealed the number of patients sent out-of-area increased from 29 in 2013-14 to 98 in 2014-15, with 83 of these placements due to "bed pressures locally".
The cost of out-of-area placements has risen over the same period from £601,000 to £2m.
Patients have been sent to units as far afield as Manchester, Leeds and Harrogate.
Roma Mills, involvement manager for Carers in Hertfordshire, said the shortage of beds was partly due to the national underfunding of mental health.
She said when patients are sent miles away from their homes and friends and families "it is not a good experience for vulnerable and ill people".
A spokeswoman for the trust said it was trying to "minimise the out of area bed spend" through "strengthening clinical leadership" and having more consultants in evening and weekend shifts to minimise delays in discharging patients.
She added that the trust may also "buy specialist beds where it is not economic to provide ourselves" such as female-only psychiatric intensive care beds, which are not provided by the trust. | Mental health patients in Hertfordshire had to travel up to 180 miles (290 km) for a bed because of a shortage of local accommodation, new figures show. |
38266125 | The Miami Dolphins will play the New Orleans Saints in one of those contests as part of the NFL's International Series.
There will be two games staged at Wembley and two at Twickenham Stadium.
London hosts four games in 2017, one more than in 2016 and the most it has ever hosted.
The New York Giants became the first side to win at Twickenham in October when they beat the Los Angeles Rams 17-10.
Meanwhile, at Wembley, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Indianapolis Colts 30-27 and the Washington Redskins tied 27-27 with the Cincinnati Bengals.
London hosted its first NFL game in 2007 and the NFL says there has been "accelerated growth" in audience figures since then. It says the UK has a fan base of more than 13 million people. | The NFL has announced the full set of fixtures to be played in London in 2017. |
37677803 | Archie Darby, aged four months, died after being attacked in Colchester, Essex, on Thursday afternoon.
His brother Daniel-Jay Darby, who is 22 months old, is still in hospital.
The owner of the dog - the children's aunt - has been named by other media outlets as 31 year old serving police officer PC Clare Ferdinand.
Essex Police has refused to confirm whether she is the same PC Clare Ferdinand who has spoken on behalf of Loughton CID in the media previously.
"We are carrying out an investigation into the circumstances of this tragic incident," a force spokesman said.
"It is not a criminal investigation and is not likely to be in the future."
For more on this and other stories, visit BBC Essex Live
Speaking to the BBC at the weekend, Essex police and crime commissioner Roger Hirst confirmed the dog's owner "works for police" but could not clarify in which position or for which force.
Mr Hirst said the family pet - believed to be a Staffordshire bull terrier-type - "didn't have any history" of aggression and "wasn't at all vicious".
The boys' mother, who has not been named, was left with minor injuries during the attack in a house in Harwich Road. Police were called there at 15:10 BST on Thursday.
The dog involved has been destroyed.
The death of Archie Darby comes just three months after three-year-old Dexter Neal was fatally bitten by an American Bulldog in Halstead.
In that case, a 29-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control. She remains on bail until Wednesday. | The death of a baby boy mauled by a family dog is "unlikely" to be treated as a criminal investigation, police said. |
37246994 | The £650m building, behind St Pancras station and the British Library, will be home to 1,250 scientists.
Named after the co-discoverer of DNA structure, the Crick will examine fundamental questions about how illnesses develop, in order to find new ways to treat conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections and diseases of the brain.
The director of the institute, Sir Paul Nurse, said the Crick would "attract brilliant, bold and creative scientists from the UK and around the world".
Sir Paul, a Nobel Prize winner and former president of the Royal Society, is among the first scientists to move into the building.
He and his team are studying cell division, which is crucial to understanding how cancer and other diseases develop.
Sir Paul said the UK's decision to leave the EU meant the Crick would lose a planned £10m a year in EU funding, which would need to be replaced by government funding.
However, he said, Britain was a "great scientific nation" and the Crick would be a symbol the UK was "open for business".
The Crick is funded mainly by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust.
The building will replace ageing and cramped laboratories at Mill Hill in north London, Lincoln's Inn Fields, and Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.
Although the main focus of the Crick will be the biological processes underlying human health and disease, it will also do "translational research", which aims to turn lab discoveries into treatments for patients.
The institute has a partnership with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. | Europe's biggest biomedical laboratory, the Francis Crick Institute, has opened in London. |
35417265 | Ahmed "Kathy" Kathrada and Denis Goldberg were both jailed because of their activities during the Apartheid period.
Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans said the honour was a "tribute to the noble and fearless fortitude" of the men.
They received the accolade with their defence team at the Guildhall.
The City of London said the men were awarded in recognition of their fight for freedom and racial equality.
Denis Goldberg
Ahmed "Kathy" Kathrada
Mr Goldberg, now 82, told a Q&A session that South Africa had "come a tremendously long way in undoing what the Apartheid government did" but "there is still a long way to go".
He told the audience he still did not know how he had been caught by police but at the time he was "certain we were going to be hanged".
Mr Kathrada, 86, organised protests for the ANC with Mr Goldberg even after the South African government had shut the group down.
He told the audience: "Even when we were banned we knew we had to carry on our work in some form or other."
Another political prisoner, Andrew Mlangeni, was also due to receive the Freedom of the City but was unable to attend the ceremony because of ill health.
His son attended in his absence along with Nelson Mandela's daughter and granddaughter.
A very brief history of Apartheid in South Africa | Two men who were sentenced to life imprisonment alongside Nelson Mandela in South Africa have received the Freedom of the City of London. |
35413153 | Kate Chisholm, of Skerne Park Academy, Darlington, made the appeal after she noticed more and more adults wearing pyjamas at the school gates as well as at meetings and assemblies.
She said her aim was to help set a good example for pupils.
Parent Phil Naylor said wearing nightwear to school was "disgraceful".
Ms Chisholm said the final straw came when parents wore pyjamas to the Christmas show and to recent parents' evenings.
"It just got to the point when I thought 'enough's enough'," she said.
"I'm not trying to tell people what to do with their lives, but I just think having a really good role model first thing in the morning, getting yourself up, getting yourself dressed, ready for business, out to school is a really good example to set.
"I'm afraid wearing pyjamas, going to school, maybe doesn't reinforce that somehow."
In her letter, Ms Chisholm wrote: "If we're to raise standards it's not too much to ask parents to have a wash and get dressed.
"I have had loads of support from the community and people saying it's about time something was done. I have had far more positive responses than negative," she said.
"If I get the parents on board then we often get the children too and in order to get the best chances for the children we have to raise the bar with the parents."
School parent Mr Naylor said Ms Chisholm had his support: "It's disgraceful, we should be guiding our children not giving them bad habits." | A primary school head teacher has written to parents asking them to wash in the morning and stop dropping their children off in their pyjamas. |
37442863 | Tserin Dopchut only had a small bar of chocolate in his pocket when he wandered into the woodland.
He slept on a dry makeshift bed under a larch tree, The Siberian Times said.
A huge land and air search was launched to find the boy, who may have been following a puppy when he vanished.
The child had been under the care of his great grandmother, local media reported, but he ventured off near the village of Khut, located amid dense forestry in the Tuva Republic when her back was turned.
For 72 hours the child braved plummeting temperatures, the threat of wild animals and the danger of falling into a fast-flowing river before he was eventually rescued by his uncle.
"The situation was very dangerous. The River Mynas is fast and cold. If a small child fell in, it would be certain death," Ayas Saryglar, head of Tyva's Civil Defense and Emergencies agency, told the Siberian Times.
"There are wolves, and bears in the forest. The bears are now fattening for the winter. They can attack anything that moves.
"In addition, it is warm during the day, but at night there are even frosts. If we consider that the kid disappeared during the day, he was not properly dressed - only a shirt and shoes, no coat."
A day and night search operation to find the child involved villagers, local policemen and even a helicopter scouring a vast area of about 120 square km.
Another official told local media that the child was saved after recognising his uncle's voice calling his name. After being hugged, his first question was whether his toy car was okay.
Rescuers were quick to praise the toddler's initiative - he found a dry place under a larch tree and slept between its roots.
"The whole [of his] village is throwing a party to celebrate his survival," regional leader Sholban Kara-Ool was quoted as saying.
The boy has now been nicknamed Mowgli, The Siberian Times reported. Mowgli is the fictional orphan in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book novels,
"It is now predicted he will become a rescuer himself," the paper said, "because he showed incredible stamina for his age by surviving for so long alone in these cold woods."
Doctors say that Tserin suffered no serious injuries from his ordeal. | A three-year-old boy survived alone for 72 hours in a forest in the remote Russian region of Siberia, in an area renowned for being inhabited by wolves and bears. |
23397482 | Spurs have agreed an undisclosed fee, thought to be about £7m, for the 23-year-old, who has won 14 caps.
Chadli is with Spurs in Hong Kong for the Asia Cup, and having agreed terms and passed a medical, could make his debut against Monaco on 3 August.
FC Twente won 65% of their Eredivisie matches last season when Nacer Chadli played. Without him, they only won 25%.
Source: Opta Sports
He joined FC Twente from AGOVV Apeldoorn in 2010 and played 106 times for the club, scoring 31 goals.
Two of those strikes came in Champions League matches against Spurs in the 2010-11 season.
Chadli becomes the third Belgian player at White Hart Lane, alongside Mousa Dembele and
The London club have also sealed the £17m capture of Brazilian international midfielder Paulinho during the close season. | Tottenham have completed the signing of Belgium international winger Nacer Chadli from Dutch club FC Twente. |
38905331 | Simon Pringle, former head of Brinsworth Manor Junior School in Rotherham, was found guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" by a misconduct panel.
He produced false data that showed pupils attainment was "good" prior to a visit by inspectors in 2014.
Mr Pringle was prohibited from teaching indefinitely, but can appeal.
The school said it suspended the teacher in April 2015. He resigned in September 2015.
More on this and other South Yorkshire stories
The National College for Teaching and Leadership panel heard Mr Pringle had "admitted that he drafted false lesson observation feedback for some teachers" including some "observation feedback for teachers he had never observed".
The report also found that in emails and staff meetings "Mr Pringle gave staff clear encouragement to err on the side of generosity in assessing attainment".
In a statement, Vicky Helliwell the executive head of the school said Mr Pringle had not been in contact with any member of staff or pupils since he was suspended.
"I became aware of issues in the reporting of school data after I took up post as executive head at the school in April 2015," she said.
"I suspended Mr Pringle and reported the issue to the local authority.
"I want to assure parents and carers that there has been no adverse impact on children's education or teaching." | A head teacher has been banned from the profession for falsifying students' progress records. |
38514314 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Jacob Stockdale sliced through weak Scarlets defending to help build a 13-6 half-time lead for the visitors.
Scarlets fought back and clinched victory with a controversial penalty try owing to World Rugby's new rules on high tackles.
Both sides had players sin-binned because of the new rules in a gritty, low-scoring second half.
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Scarlets started the game four points above sixth-placed Ulster, who had a game in hand over their opponents.
An exchange of penalties between Scarlets fly-half Dan Jones and opposite number Paddy Jackson had seen the hosts lead 6-3, before Ulster struck midway through the first half.
They were given a helping hand by the Scarlets, as centre Stuart McCloskey wriggled out of a tackle to offload to wing Stockdale, who ran through for an easy score.
Scarlets recovered with a second-half penalty from Jones, and then a penalty try which put the spotlight on World Rugby's new directive on high tackles.
Players making contact with an opponent's head in "reckless tackles" now receive at least a yellow card - and so it proved for Ulster's Sean Reidy.
The number eight thought he had denied Scarlets scrum-half Aled Davies a score with a tackle on the try line but, because it was deemed high by television match official Carlo Damasco, referee Marius Mitrea sent him to the sin-bin and awarded the hosts a penalty try.
Scarlets second row Jake Ball was also yellow-carded for a high tackle two minutes later, prompting a period of pressure from Ulster.
But Scarlets stood firm to secure a ninth win from 10 Pro12 fixtures.
Scarlets: Johnny Mcnicholl; Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Steff Evans; Dan Jones, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens (capt), Werner Kruger, Jake Ball, Tom Price, Lewis Rawlins, James Davies, John Barclay.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, Nicky Thomas, Joshua Macleod, Will Boyde, Aled Davies, Aled Thomas, Steff Hughes.
Ulster: Louis Ludik, Andrew Trimble (capt), Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall; Callum Black, Rory Best, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson, Clive Ross, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Jonny Simpson, Franco van der Merwe, Pete Browne, Dave Shanahan, Brett Herron, Tommy Bowe.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistants: Elia Rizzo (Italy), Robert Price (WRU)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (Italy) | Scarlets consolidated their place in the Pro12's top four with a hard-earned win over play-off rivals Ulster. |
40469504 | But Fijian father Sam Cataki, who served in the British Army for 12 years, said he was still awaiting news of his wife Seini's application.
Mr Cataki, 36, who lives in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, lost his job last month after his application was refused.
He was later told he could work again while his case was considered by the Home Office.
Mr Cataki said the Home Office called him on Friday to say he had been granted him indefinite leave to remain in the UK - permanent residency - and he received the letter on Saturday.
This means he will be able to apply for British citizenship in one year's time.
He said he was very happy and very appreciative of all the support he received.
A petition set up in support of Mr Cataki attracted more than 34,000 signatures.
Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, has been assisting Mr Cataki since 2014.
Before he left the Army in 2013, Mr Cataki said he applied for citizenship in the UK but believes he was rejected because of three points on his driving licence.
Mr Cataki, who has a one-year-old and a five-year-old, returned to his job at the Milford Haven Port Authority, where he has worked for two years, last week. | An ex-soldier refused UK citizenship has been granted indefinite leave to remain here, he has confirmed. |
39256084 | Staff at Denbigh's Henllan Bakery have downloaded an app which assesses mobile signal quality to identify areas with poor coverage.
The app for Android phones by Ofcom then automatically reports the information back to the regulator.
So far, it has identified signal issues around Chirk and Oswestry.
The app works by automatically measuring voice-call reliability, signal strength and data speeds without the user having to do anything and without any personal data being collected.
Ed Moore, a director at the bakery, said: "We need to be able to reach our delivery staff wherever they are and a lack of reception can make this impossible.
"The situation seems particularly bad towards the Chirk and Oswestry area but there are 'not spots' scattered around everywhere. It isn't just in rural areas."
Denbighshire council has been working with mobile operators to improve signal quality in the county and said more data would help it make the case for improved infrastructure.
Council leader Hugh Evans said the council was aware of the frustration felt by people when they cannot get a good signal and said Ofcom had made a "positive move by exploiting technology which most of [us] carry around all the time".
The council is now asking staff to download the app, claiming that with 700 employee handsets, it was in a "strong position" to help gather the data needed.
Ofcom said publication of data collected by the app would encourage mobile network operators to improve their networks. | Bakery delivery drivers in Denbighshire are helping to improve the area's mobile phone coverage by flagging up so-called "not spots". |
37115552 | "I've been blessed and cursed with the ability to write a catchy tune," says The Divine Comedy lynchpin Neil Hannon.
"I guess not everyone can do it, so I should feel happy about it. But sometimes the more contrary, artistic part of me is annoyed: 'Oh my God, you've written another catchy chorus! Why couldn't you just stick to expressing what you were trying to express, and not have this earworm?'"
The Irish star is discussing his approach to writing The Divine Comedy's 11th album Foreverland.
Despite Hannon's best efforts, it is stuffed with memorable tunes, delivered in the band's signature baroque pop style. And it comes at a point in his career when most musicians, including his hero Scott Walker, start making what he calls "unfathomable music".
"I'm so proud that somebody's out there making those sorts of records," he laughs. "But I wouldn't want to listen to them myself."
Hannon has been releasing records as The Divine Comedy since 1990, bringing a poetic wit and an orchestral flourish to the top 40 on albums like Casanova, A Short Album About Love and Fin de Siecle.
He also wrote the theme music for Father Ted, as well as the character's "Eurovision entry", My Lovely Horse. In recent years, he's taken on an opera for the Royal Opera House and an organ commission for the Royal Festival Hall before returning to his main job.
In a phone call from Ireland, the pithy and self-deprecating star discussed his career, his new album and playing the David Bowie Prom.
Good morning, Neil. How are you?
I'm very well, thank you.
Were you expecting our call?
I was. I know it doesn't sound like it but that's just my phone manner. I was terrified of the phone as a youth, I must say.
Really?
Well, I was terrified of talking to anyone, really. I found adults in general like great giants who knew how the world worked. But I never became similarly large of stature. I'll always be the shy boy.
The first time you realise that adults are fallible is a life-changing moment, isn't it?
Well, my daughter realised that the first time she beat me at Connect 4, when she was six or seven. It was like, "Hang on, dad, you're not very clever at all."
My son's six and he can actually out-run me. School sports day is just embarrassing.
Never give them the benefit of your humiliation. Just say you've got bad hips.
Anyway, we're not here to discuss our failures as parents…
Aren't we? Oh no.
Well, there's the small matter of the first Divine Comedy album in six years. Why did you wait so long?
It was partly by design. Although I have a lovely big set of fans out there, nobody expects me to stick out an album every two years. That would just be ridiculous. So I said to myself I would keep working on it until I was absolutely happy with the way everything sounded.
You've written songs about Napoleon and Catherine the Great. How come?
The reason is simply that, like most middle-aged men, I read quite a lot of history books. Apparently, that's a thing. I read an article about it: middle-aged, middle class men gravitate towards the history section in the book shop.
So what was it about Catherine the Great that caught your attention?
Largely that she had the same name as my girlfriend [Irish musician Cathy Davey], who is also great.
At the end of the song, you sing that you'd like to "bake her a cake". Are you vying for a place on Bake Off?
Ah, you see, I'm not a cake person. I have a lot of problems with cake. I'd bake her a cake, because she likes cake. I quite like carrot cake, I suppose. That's quite nice, even though it shouldn't be.
Other People sounds like a voice memo from your phone, souped up with a string section.
That's exactly what it is! I was in a hotel in London and I came up with those words, so I sang it into my phone and thought no more about it.
When I listened back to it, I really liked the quality of the vocal. It was reasonably in tune, and I thought, "Wouldn't it be funny to have that with a string orchestra coming in underneath?'
There's bit at the end where I just stop and go "blah, blah, blah", and that's simply because I had no more words written. Nowhere else to go!
Both the title track, Foreverland, and the song My Happy Place are about searching for contentment. Do you have a "happy place", real or fictitious, that you retreat to?
When I was a kid, I was very influenced by my grandfather, who had been an estate manager for various odd Irish aristocrats. He would watch these barmy gentry and relate all these stories to us, which was great fun. But it did give me this longing for a large Georgian house in the country. It all seemed so wonderful and romantic and eccentric. Then, a couple of years ago, I bought a large Georgian house in the country!
How does that feel?
It's a lot of hard work, but it feels great.
Do you have a groundsman?
We do, but I have to ration him. There's such a lot of garden, he could be here all day every day - and that would break me. I'm not having that many hits any more.
Speaking of which, I looked back at the Divine Comedy's chart history, and was surprised to find that National Express was your biggest hit… I always thought it was Something For The Weekend or Alfie.
Some people come up to me and say, "That was an amazing number one!" And I'm like, "It was number eight. It got nowhere near number one!"
That is the one slight bugbear of my professional career, is never having had a number one. But you mustn't be greedy.
At least you got to appear on Top of the Pops.
Oh, that was the number one ambition of the childhood Neil - to be on Top of the Pops like Adam Ant and Elvis Costello and Blondie.
I have a weird memory of it because we had choir practice on Thursday night. It would be over by seven, but then we had to get dad out of the church to drive us back home, so we would always miss at least the first 10 minutes. I'm always turning on Top of the Pops [repeats] these days and going, "no I don't remember this one". Then, 10 minutes in, it all comes flooding back.
Would you like to see it return?
When Top of the Pops departed this life it was a miserable day - and yet it had lost its relevance. They were running after the kids instead of the other way round.
The internet is to blame. For everything, really.
You recently sang at the David Bowie Prom, which got very mixed reviews. What did you think of it?
I don't think the reviews were too wide of the mark. It was an odd night and it was well-meant but perhaps, overall, it could have been a bit tighter and a bit more to the point. But that's the price you pay for experimenting.
You're not a stranger to the classical world, having composed an opera, an organ suite and a musical. Will you do more in that area?
I'm not sure how successful I am in these other genres. I think I have a good handle on harmony and melody, but the technique and the theory lets me down a little. It would be lovely to take 10 years off and actually learn all this stuff. But it's all so boring.
And what if you finish learning it all and get run over by a bus? What a waste of time.
Foreverland is released by Divine Comedy Recordings on 2 September.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email [email protected]. | As The Divine Comedy return from a six-year break, Neil Hannon discusses parenthood, history books and his inability to resist earworms. |
30996202 | In a letter, he wrote: "I don't trust the policy of the US, nor have I exchanged a word with them, but this does not mean I reject a peaceful solution to conflicts."
These were his first comments since December's historic move by Cuba and the US after decades of hostilities.
High-level talks were held last week.
In the letter published by the state-run newspaper Granma, Mr Castro wrote: "We will always defend cooperation and friendship with all the people of the world, including with our political adversaries."
The 88-year-old appeared to be backing decisions taking by his younger brother Raul - the current Cuban president who succeeded him in 2008.
The Cuban president, the letter stated, "has taken the pertinent steps in accordance with his prerogatives and the powers given to him by the National Assembly the Communist Party of Cuba".
It was hardly a ringing endorsement of US-Cuban rapprochement but nor was it a rejection of the decision to re-establish political ties with the great enemy to the north, the BBC's Will Grant in Havana reports.
Fidel Castro has spent his whole adult life in conflict with the US, and it should come as little surprise that he has not given a glowing reception now those hostilities are apparently at an end, our correspondent says.
That said, he adds, many in Cuba believe that the current efforts to warm the long-frozen relations would not have started in the first place unless Fidel had given them his benign approval.
His silence on the issue had led to growing speculation over his health.
Earlier this month, Fidel Castro sent a letter to former footballer Diego Maradona to quash rumours that he had died. | Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro appears to have given tacit approval to the recent decision by Cuba and the US to restore diplomatic relations. |
39552222 | The fighting erupted when a joint security force deployed by the main Palestinian factions in Ein el-Hilweh came under fire from radical Islamists.
The factions had told the Islamists, led by Bilal Badr, to disarm.
Local media said gunfire and explosions could be heard on Monday afternoon after a period of calm in the morning.
The official National News Agency reported that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement had rejected a deal proposed by mediators that would have seen Mr Badr allowed to go into hiding if he accepted the joint force.
Established in 1948 near the city of Sidon, Ein el-Hilweh is the largest of the 12 Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
The UN says more than 54,000 registered refugees live there, but one recent estimate put the population at closer to 120,000.
Ein el-Hilweh, which like the other camps falls outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese security services, has been plagued in recent months by deadly clashes between the various armed groups operating there.
Last week, the largest factions in the camp formed a joint force in an attempt "to bring security to it", a local Fatah commander told the NNA.
The factions agreed to dismantle the so-called Bilal Badr group, whose members have been accused of sheltering fugitives from the Lebanese authorities and issuing fatwas authorising the killing of people with whom they disagree.
But the force faced resistance as it deployed on Friday night, triggering fierce clashes that involved machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
The fighting prompted the Lebanese army to close the highway next to the entrance to the camp and Lebanon's health ministry to evacuate patients from the nearby government hospital. | At least six people have been killed and 35 others wounded in clashes inside a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon since Friday, medics say. |
21317048 | Brazil returned to Wembley as part of the Football Association's 150th anniversary celebrations - and played their full part in a highly entertaining friendly.
Wayne Rooney steered England into a first-half lead with his 33rd goal for his country, after goalkeeper Joe Hart had earlier saved Ronaldinho's penalty.
Fred punished Gary Cahill's mistake to put Brazil level just after the interval but Lampard, on as a half-time substitute for Tom Cleverley, gave Roy Hodgson's side a confidence-boosting win with a precisely curled effort from the edge of the area on the hour.
It completed a satisfying night's work for Hodgson and England as Ashley Cole won his 100th cap and Arsenal's Jack Wilshere delivered a display rich in promise as he started alongside captain Steven Gerrard in midfield for the first time.
Arsenal's Wilshere, particularly in the first half, was outstanding on only his seventh England appearance and looked intent on making up for time lost with club and country after an ankle injury sidelined him for 15 months.
England looked potent going forward with Rooney as the main point of the attack and Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck on the flanks, which will give Hodgson food for thought before the crucial World Cup qualifiers away to San Marino and Montenegro next month.
Cole received a warm reception from England's supporters inside Wembley as he completed his century of international appearances.
The visitors' own centurion, Ronaldinho, received a commemorative shirt from the Brazilian federation to mark his 100th cap - but he was unable to celebrate it with a goal as he missed a penalty after 19 minutes. The award of handball against Wilshere from Ronaldinho's cross appeared harsh, so a measure of justice was done as Hart saved his spot-kick then recovered superbly to scoop away the rebound.
The hosts took advantage of Hart's good work to move into the lead eight minutes later. Wilshere was once again at the heart of it with a fine ball to release Walcott and when keeper Julio Cesar saved bravely at the Arsenal forward's feet, Rooney steered home the rebound in composed fashion from the edge of the area.
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Little had been seen of the much-celebrated Neymar and his first serious contribution was hardly distinguished as he steered Oscar's cross well over the top at the far post when he should have scored.
England made two changes at half-time, sending on Lampard and Leighton Baines for Tom Cleverley and Cole, while Brazil replaced Ronaldinho, Ramires and Fabiano with Fred, Lucas and Arouca.
The Brazilian changes reaped instant reward as Fred equalised three minutes after the restart. Cahill took the blame with a careless concession of possession that ended with Fred powering his finish past Hart.
And he almost put Brazil ahead seconds later when Hart's poor clearance caused problems and the Fluminense striker glanced another effort off the bar.
England's response, however, was in keeping with the rest of their performance and they were in front again on the hour. Julio Cesar had saved well from Cahill's header but he was helpless as Lampard's fine first-time shot from the edge of the area went in off the upright.
Full Time The referee brings the game to a close.
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Bonfim Dante by Wayne Rooney. Free kick taken by Soares Julio Cesar.
Emboaba Oscar has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
Wayne Rooney is penalised for a handball. Direct free kick taken by Moreira Jean.
Wayne Rooney concedes a free kick for a foul on Joao Miranda. Joao Miranda takes the direct free kick.
James Milner decides to take a short corner.
Guedes Fred produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
James Milner fouled by da Silva Dani Alves, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Leighton Baines.
Emboaba Oscar is caught offside. Joe Hart takes the free kick.
Bonfim Dante restarts play with the free kick.
Substitution David Luiz leaves the field to be replaced by Joao Miranda.
Junior Neymar fouled by Frank Lampard, the ref awards a free kick.
Substitution Aaron Lennon is brought on as a substitute for Theo Walcott.
Emboaba Oscar takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.
Unfair challenge on Kasmirski Filipe Luis by Theo Walcott results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Emboaba Oscar.
Outswinging corner taken by Junior Neymar, Steven Gerrard makes a clearance.
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Moreira Jean by Wayne Rooney. Junior Neymar takes the direct free kick.
Substitution (Brazil) makes a substitution, with Kasmirski Filipe Luis coming on for Claro Adriano.
Junior Neymar produces a left-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the bar.
Effort on goal by Junior Neymar from 20 yards. Comfortable save by Joe Hart.
The ball is sent over by da Silva Dani Alves, save made by Joe Hart.
Free kick awarded for a foul by Wayne Rooney on David Luiz. Direct free kick taken by David Luiz.
Moreira Jean produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the target.
Substitution Moreira Jean on for Joe Paulo Paulinho.
Effort from deep inside the area by Claro Adriano misses to the left of the goal.
Substitution James Milner replaces Danny Welbeck.
Assist on the goal came from Jack Wilshere.
Goal! - Frank Lampard - England 2 - 1 Brazil Frank Lampard grabs a goal from just outside the penalty box to the top right corner of the goal. England 2-1 Brazil.
Steven Gerrard has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand post.
Corner taken by Steven Gerrard from the left by-line, Gary Cahill takes a shot. Save by Soares Julio Cesar. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Steven Gerrard, save made by Soares Julio Cesar.
Rodrigues Lucas Moura gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Leighton Baines. Leighton Baines restarts play with the free kick.
Effort from 18 yards by Guedes Fred.
Assist on the goal came from Rodrigues Lucas Moura.
Goal! - Guedes Fred - England 1 - 1 Brazil Guedes Fred gets on the score sheet with a goal from just inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. England 1-1 Brazil.
Shot by Steven Gerrard. Save by Soares Julio Cesar. Effort from inside the area by Jack Wilshere misses to the right of the goal. Free kick awarded for a foul by da Silva Dani Alves on Jack Wilshere. Frank Lampard takes the free kick.
The match restarts for the second half.
Substitution Gaucho Ronaldinho leaves the field to be replaced by Rodrigues Lucas Moura.
Substitution Marcos Arouca joins the action as a substitute, replacing Nascimento Ramires.
Substitution (Brazil) makes a substitution, with Guedes Fred coming on for Clemente Luis Fabiano.
Substitution Leighton Baines replaces Ashley Cole.
Substitution Frank Lampard on for Tom Cleverley.
Half Time The referee calls an end to the first half.
Theo Walcott takes a shot. Save by Soares Julio Cesar.
Unfair challenge on Tom Cleverley by da Silva Dani Alves results in a free kick. Tom Cleverley takes the direct free kick.
Wayne Rooney has a shot on goal from outside the box which misses left.
Junior Neymar gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Glen Johnson. Direct free kick taken by Gary Cahill.
Centre by Clemente Luis Fabiano, Glen Johnson makes a clearance.
The ball is sent over by Emboaba Oscar.
Unfair challenge on Wayne Rooney by David Luiz results in a free kick. Joe Hart restarts play with the free kick.
Close range shot by Junior Neymar goes wide of the left-hand post.
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on David Luiz by Danny Welbeck. David Luiz takes the direct free kick.
Clemente Luis Fabiano produces a drilled right-footed shot from 18 yards. Blocked by Gary Cahill.
The assist for the goal came from Theo Walcott.
Goal! - Wayne Rooney - England 1 - 0 Brazil Wayne Rooney grabs a goal from just outside the area low into the middle of the goal. England 1-0 Brazil.
Theo Walcott takes a shot. Save by Soares Julio Cesar.
Shot from just outside the box by Glen Johnson goes over the crossbar.
Corner from the left by-line taken by Steven Gerrard, save made by Soares Julio Cesar.
Shot by Ashley Cole from outside the box goes over the target.
Close range effort by Danny Welbeck clears the crossbar.
The assistant referee signals for offside against Clemente Luis Fabiano. Joe Hart takes the indirect free kick.
Foul by Emboaba Oscar on Tom Cleverley, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Steven Gerrard.
Junior Neymar produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
Penalty taken by Gaucho Ronaldinho is saved by Joe Hart. England 0-0 Brazil.
The referee gives a against Jack Wilshere for handball.
Clemente Luis Fabiano takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Blocked by Glen Johnson.
Shot by Junior Neymar from 18 yards. Gary Cahill gets a block in.
Shot from just outside the box by Emboaba Oscar goes over the bar.
Corner taken by Steven Gerrard, Foul by Wayne Rooney on Nascimento Ramires, free kick awarded. Soares Julio Cesar restarts play with the free kick.
The offside flag is raised against Clemente Luis Fabiano. Indirect free kick taken by Joe Hart.
Gaucho Ronaldinho takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post.
Jack Wilshere challenges da Silva Dani Alves unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by da Silva Dani Alves.
Outswinging corner taken by Steven Gerrard from the right by-line, clearance made by Nascimento Ramires.
Steven Gerrard takes a corner.
The referee gets the game underway.
Live data and text provided by our data suppliers | England secured their first win over Brazil for 23 years as Frank Lampard's spectacular strike gave them victory at Wembley. |
36496786 | Chorley Hospital in Lancashire was downgraded to an urgent care centre in April due to a doctor shortage after a pay cap on agency staff was imposed.
Nine of the 14 needed have been secured and recruitment is under way for six others for an end of August opening.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) said it "hoped to reinstate" the unit but there were "no guarantees".
The trust is looking to appoint two overseas doctors and applications have been received for four permanent staff.
But securing new trainee doctors it expects in August and appointing one permanent doctor would provide enough staff to reinstate the department while recruitment processes are ongoing.
The service requires 10 permanent staff, while the remaining four can be temporary.
Professor Mark Pugh, medical director of LTHT, said: "If we achieve that staffing position we hope to be able to reinstate the department from the end of August.
"If we do not have the right number we won't be able to reinstate the department in August."
On Wednesday, Wigan hospital in Greater Manchester partially blamed an "unprecedented" demand on its A&E department on the closure.
It said it had seen a four-fold increase in people with a Chorley postcode attending its unit.
LTHT said other hospitals in the surrounding area reported they had seen the "small increase that was forecast".
The downgraded urgent care centre at Chorley has been seeing more than 100 patients a day, with "very few" needing transferring to the casualty department in Preston, the trust added.
More than 18,000 people have signed a petition to keep the A&E open. | A hospital A&E department closed temporarily over "unacceptable" safety risks is expected to reopen in August. |
29857267 | The deadline for members of the public, interest groups and institutions to send their proposals to the Smith Commission closed at 17:00 on Friday.
Provisional numbers showed it had received 14,000 emails and letters from the general public.
And it had received more than 250 submissions from institutions.
The commission, headed by Lord Smith of Kelvin, is currently considering greater autonomy for the Scottish Parliament in the wake of September's "No" vote on Scottish independence.
Lord Smith said: "When I accepted the invitation to lead the commission I was determined to make sure that the public and Scotland's civic institutions would have the chance to have their say.
"I believe we have undertaken a broad ranging programme which has been as extensive as it was possible to achieve in the time available.
"I have been delighted by the response and want to thank the many individuals and organisations who worked hard to make substantial and thoughtful submissions."
He said the political parties would have the chance to reflect on the submissions before any decisions are made.
Lord Smith added: "They will be given full access to all submissions and we will shortly hold a dedicated session of all-party talks to discuss them."
Trade unions, charities and industry bodies have made submissions and Lord Smith has held a number of meetings around the country to discuss the proposals.
The commission was set up after David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg made a vow in the run-up to the referendum that there would be further substantial devolution if Scotland rejected independence and stayed in the UK.
But Lord Smith - who recently chaired the organising committee for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - has stressed it is not solely the three main Westminster parties who will be involved in the negotiations.
The SNP are represented on the Commission by Finance Secretary John Swinney and MSP Linda Fabiani; Labour by Holyrood finance spokesman Iain Gray and Westminster shadow pensions minister Gregg McClymont; the Conservatives by former Scottish leader Annabel Goldie and academic Professor Adam Tomkins.
The Liberal Democrats are represented by former Scottish secretary Michael Moore and ex-Scottish leader Tavish Scott; and the Scottish Greens by co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Maggie Chapman.
Under the timetable already agreed for reform, an agreement on recommendations for what new powers should be transferred north has to be reached by the end of November, with draft legislation produced by the end of January 2015.
This would then be implemented by whatever party wins next year's general election. | The commission set up to discuss further devolution to the Scottish Parliament has received more than 14,000 submissions. |
38289859 | The Central Election Commission said 80% of voters backed the reforms, from a turnout of 42%.
Backers say the reforms make government more efficient, but critics say they were designed to prolong President Almazbek Atambayev's grip on power.
Here's what you need to know.
Aside from measures to strengthen the prime minister, there are a raft of other changes.
Under the old constitution, Kyrgyz citizens could turn to international organisations such as the UN's Human Rights Committee if they felt that their rights had been infringed.
If the organisation agreed, the Kyrgyz constitution said the government had to take measures to reinstate their rights or compensate the damage. This clause has now been removed and decisions by international organisations may no longer be recognised.
The new constitution will also allow the government to revoke a person's citizenship, and says that the country's judges are bound by "certain restrictions" which are not defined.
And it changes the definition of marriage to "a union between a man and a woman", which many have viewed as a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
The new constitution significantly increases the power of the prime minister. He and his deputies can now be members of parliament and keep their executive offices at the same time - barred under the previous constitution.
Critics of the changes say that this creates a clash of interests, since the head of the cabinet will be responsible for implementing laws he voted on in parliament. But the government points to Western democracies in which this is standard, including the UK.
The prime minister will also be able to appoint heads of local administration without the recommendation of the local judiciary body, and he will be able to dismiss members of the cabinet himself without the president's approval, except the ministers for defence and security.
Government legislators say that the new constitution will address "problems" with the previous document, passed in 2010, and strengthen the country's independence. They argue that the changes will clarify the process of collaboration between executive and legislative branches.
Opposition members say that the changes were made to help President Atambayev cling on to power. His current term will finish next year and he will not be able to run for the presidency again, but critics have pointed out that he will be eligible to become prime minister - the very office which has had its powers increased - and de facto continue running the country.
Kyrgyzstan is the only state in Central Asia to have a parliamentary system of government and it has been referred to as "an island of democracy" in a region prone to authoritarian regimes.
Critics of the changes say they fear that the new constitution will dilute Kyrgyzstan's democracy, reducing checks and balances and making it harder to protect human rights. Activists have voiced concerns that the power to revoke citizenship could be used to threaten dissidents.
But the government argues that the changes will improve the work of different branches and prevent clashes between the parliament and the cabinet, which can bog down legislation. | Kyrgyzstan voted in a referendum on Sunday for changes to the constitution that give more power to the government and especially to the prime minister. |
33396972 | The motorist was threatened by the man, who was demanding money, at about 14:10 BST on Friday.
As he tried to leave the van on the passenger side, the hijacker drove off and he was dragged along the Old Milltown Road in Castlereagh.
His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
The stolen van was later recovered a short distance away at Minnowburn Drive.
Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them. | A van driver has sustained a serious head injury after he was dragged along the road by a hijacker who stole his vehicle in east Belfast. |
27185544 | Kevan Thakrar, 26, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, who is serving three life sentences for killing drug dealers, also lost his cranberry juice.
District Judge Neil Hickman said there had been a "cavalier disregard for Mr Thakrar's rights and his property".
The POA union, which represents prison workers, said it was "in despair" at the "ridiculous award".
Thakrar was jailed after he and his brother killed Keith Cowell, 52, his son Matthew, 17, and Tony Dulieu, 33, from Essex, at the Cowells' house in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, in 2007. They were also sentenced for two attempted murders.
In March 2010, Thakrar maimed three guards at Frankland Prison in County Durham after stabbing them with a broken bottle, but was cleared of two counts of attempted murder and three of wounding with intent.
Following the attack, Thakrar was moved from Frankland to Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes and it was during this move that some of his possessions went missing.
According to the court judgment, detailed on Thakrar's Facebook page set up by campaigners protesting his innocence, he was awarded £224.97 for damage to his stereo, alarm clock and nasal clippers.
He was also awarded £90 after items including a carton of cranberry juice, protein powder and toiletries were lost, which he claimed left him "stressed".
Judge Hickman awarded him a further £500 to compensate him for lost photographs and personal items, making £814.97 in total.
The prison ombudsman had originally offered Thakrar £10 in compensation, but he took the case to court last year and Judge Hickman ruled that he deserved a further payout.
Peter McParlin, national chairman of the POA, said: "It's a ridiculous award, it's a disproportionate award.
"This is a high-security prisoner - as a bare minimum it will be costing the taxpayer at least £50,000-a-year to be kept incarcerated.
"He's the architect of his own situation and we are in despair."
A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "We robustly defend all cases as far as the evidence allows."
Following the judgement, Thakrar boasted about it on his Facebook page saying that he had hoped to send bailiffs to the Ministry of Justice to ensure they paid his compensation. | A triple killer won £800 compensation after items including his nose hair clippers were damaged in prison. |
29376259 | UKIP immigration spokesman Steven Wolfe also wants to strip terrorists of their passports, and deny entry to asylum seekers without ID documents.
He told the UKIP conference he also wants to boost the number of frontline border staff and search teams by 2,500.
The UKIP policy updates came as the government announced plans to give the Home Office control of passports.
Mr Woolfe said UKIP would bring in a "priority entry" for Britons, with a separate queue for the rest of the world, including European Union citizens.
He added that a failed electronic entry system - e-borders - highlighted the coalition's "incompetence" on border controls.
Referring to a payout made to Raytheon, a US defence giant fired from the e-borders contract by the Home Office over alleged poor performance, Mr Woolfe said the blunder had cost "a quarter of a billion pounds in compensation".
He said: "If the government can find the technology to listen to all our phone calls, it must be technically possible to know who's coming into this country or not."
UKIP also wants to strip terrorists of their passports, echoing controversial government plans.
Mr Woolfe said: "UKIP will remove the passports of any person, who has gone to fight for a terrorist organisation, and anyone who came here and was granted, and lucky enough, to have such a passport, and carry out terrorist activities, you will also lose it, because there are lots of people who want that passport."
In addition, he said illegal immigration was "a scourge on the people that need help, and it's a boon for terrorists and mafia gangs".
UKIP would support the abolition of a treaty that says asylum seekers have to remain in the first European country they enter.
"UKIP will support the measures to abolish the provisions of the Dublin Treaty, that says that we cannot choose to identify the country an illegal migrant comes from if they do not have any identifying documents. We will send you back."
The UK's border force would also be boosted by 2,500, under the plans.
"They are the ones who have to spot terrorists and drug dealers among the tens of millions of people who come to our countries each year," Mr Wolfe said.
"They are our first line of defence of the homeland, and for too long they have been ignored and put under pressure by successive governments."
UKIP added that it will give armed forces personnel who have served for a minimum of 12 years the option of joining the border force or the police when they leave military service. | The UK Independence Party UKIP is calling for separate immigration queues for UK citizens at border entry points. |
33210147 | Gower AM Edwina Hart and Neath AM Gwenda Thomas are to stand down at the 2016 assembly election.
Mr Jones praised the economy and transport minister's "determination and energy" and said former deputy minister Mrs Thomas was "a passionate advocate for the rights of carers and children".
Labour Llanelli AM Keith Davies is also leaving Cardiff Bay next year.
Mrs Hart and Mrs Thomas were elected to the first assembly in 1999, while Mrs Hart has also been a member of the cabinet since the start of devolution.
Paying tribute to the women, Mr Jones said: "I know that for both Gwenda and Edwina, representing their 'home' areas was incredibly important to them - and both Neath and Gower are losing very talented and passionate advocates."
Mrs Hart said it had been an "honour and a privilege" to serve her constituency for 16 years.
"I am very grateful for the support they have given me during this time, and I will continue to represent their views vigorously until the end of the assembly term next year," she added.
Mrs Thomas said: "It has been a privilege to be part of Wales' political journey, but most of all, I am happy to have had the chance to work for communities I love and call home."
Edwina Hart has been a defining figure in Welsh devolution.
She oversaw a dramatic reduction in the number of boards running the Welsh NHS.
More recently, she helped define a new era of economic development following the abolition of the Welsh Development Agency.
There are no other Welsh government departments with a personal stamp on it like hers, and I understand she enjoys a degree of autonomy that is not afforded to any other minister.
Despite criticism, her approach has been unashamedly interventionist.
It is impossible to say whether the Welsh government would have bought Cardiff Airport for £52m two years ago without her - but the decision had the Edwina Hart stamp all over it.
If something is failing in the private sector, Mrs Hart believes in using the levers at her disposal to step in.
Without great fanfare, she built up the Welsh government's property portfolio to try to inject life into the economy after the recession and she has proposed what would, in effect, be the re-nationalisation of the biggest rail franchise in Wales.
The biggest question following her departure is whether plans for the £1bn M4 relief road around Newport will succeed without its biggest champion driving it through. | First Minister Carwyn Jones has paid tribute to two senior Labour assembly members who are set to stand down. |
38648098 | The Blue Parrot club was hosting the closing night of an electronic music festival and was packed with music fans, many of them foreigners.
Among those who died were a Canadian, an Italian and a US citizen.
But the gunman was targeting a man from Veracruz, the attorney-general said.
"Suddenly a person enters the club through the main door and heads directly for this particular individual and shoots," Attorney-General Miguel Angel Pech told Mexican radio station Radio Formula.
BPM clubbers in Mexico were told shooting was fireworks
"This individual, who was Mexican, from [the state of] Veracruz. unfortunately loses his life."
Three of the people who were shot dead were members of the festival's security team, organisers said.
Mr Pech said they had tried to protect the man from Veracruz.
The fifth victim was a woman who died of injuries sustained in a fall during the chaos which followed the firing of the shots, when guests ran for the exits in panic.
Mr Pech had earlier said that among those killed were two Canadians, an Italian and a Colombian. But in a subsequent news conference he corrected this to say the victims were one Canadian, an Italian, a US citizen and two Mexicans.
Fifteen people were injured.
Quintana Roo Governor Roberto Borge said the gunman and the victim from Veracruz had "a personal conflict".
Four people have been detained.
The club was hosting the closing night of the BPM festival, a popular event which attracts thousands of electronic and dance music fans from around the world. | The attorney-general of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, where five people were killed in a shooting in a club on Monday, says the target of the attack was a Mexican man. |
32923104 | But he said that although many held him "ultimately responsible" for the football community, he could "not monitor everyone all of the time".
He was speaking at the opening of Fifa's congress, a day after seven top officials were held in a US inquiry.
Mr Blatter has faced calls to quit but is seeking re-election on Friday.
Many of Fifa's major sponsors have expressed concern over twin corruption investigations by both the US and Swiss authorities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Fifa congress in Zurich, Mr Blatter said the events of the week had "cast a long shadow over football".
In his first public appearance since the scandal broke, he said: "The actions of individuals bring shame and humiliation on football and demand action and change from us all.
Analysis: BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Zurich
An astonishing speech from Sepp Blatter: 17 years as Fifa president but when it comes to corruption he cannot "monitor everyone all the time".
He did say the allegations had brought "shame and humiliation" (words, cynics might say, that are not normally in his vocabulary) to football, but he did not mention the fact that a great many people, from David Cameron to Uefa boss Michel Platini have called on him to resign.
Instead he addressed the future, secure in his own personal conviction that he has a future in Fifa. It was time to change, "for football, for the world, for peace". Then he swept out again, to the strains of the Fifa anthem. On Friday, he stands for re-election. And he's likely to win.
Why so long for Swiss Fifa probe?
Football fans' reactions
"We cannot allow the reputation of football and Fifa to be dragged through the mud and it has to stop here and now.
"Many people hold me ultimately responsible for the... global football community... I cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong they will also try to hide it."
But he added: "It must fall to me to bear the responsibility for the reputation and well-being of our organisation and to find a way forward to fix things."
Mr Blatter admitted the "next few months will not be easy - I am sure bad news will follow" but that with Friday's vote, "we have the opportunity to begin on what will be a long and difficult road to rebuilding trust".
Mr Blatter had faced calls to resign, including from UK PM David Cameron and the head of European football's governing body Uefa, Michel Platini.
Mr Platini had earlier taken part in an emergency meeting with other Fifa confederation heads and Mr Blatter.
Mr Platini said he had asked Mr Blatter "as a friend" to resign, saying: "I have had enough - enough is enough, too much is too much."
The president refused, and the other confederations agreed with him that Friday's vote, in which Mr Blatter is seeking a fifth term, should go ahead.
Uefa will back Jordan's Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Mr Blatter's only challenger.
Mr Platini said that if Mr Blatter won, Uefa could hold an extraordinary meeting in Berlin at the time of the Champions League final.
When asked if this could include withdrawing from Fifa competitions, Mr Platini said: "We will raise all possibilities."
Britain's David Gill said he would not take up his post on Fifa's executive committee if Mr Blatter were re-elected.
Some of the 14 people indicted on Wednesday in the US investigation are accused of receiving bribes to influence the outcome of bids to stage football tournaments, such as the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2016 Copa America in the US.
South African government officials have denied the claim.
Fifa on Wednesday provisionally banned from football-related activity 11 of the 14 people charged in the US. On Thursday it added another, Aaron Davidson.
Fifa's major sponsors Coca-Cola, Visa, Adidas, McDonald's, Hyundai Motor and Budweiser are pressing Fifa to take immediate action to restore its reputation.
Swiss prosecutors plan to interview 10 Fifa executive committee members as part of a separate investigation into the bidding process for the World Cup tournaments in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. | Fifa president Sepp Blatter has condemned the "action of individuals" for bringing "shame and humiliation" on football in a corruption scandal. |
16201032 | The country remains strongly dependent on Russia, both for its economy and to help counter security problems. In particular, Tajikistan depends on Moscow to help fight drug smuggling from neighbouring Afghanistan and an emerging radical Islam movement.
Tajikistan is also expanding its ties with China: Beijing has extended credits and has helped to build roads, tunnels and power infrastructure. Chinese firms are investing in oil and gas exploration and in gold mining.
Population 7.1 million
Area 143,100 sq km (55,251 sq miles)
Major languages Tajik, Uzbek, Russian
Major religion Islam
Life expectancy 65 years (men), 71 years (women)
Currency Tajik somoni
President: Emomali Sharipovich Rakhmon (Rakhmonov)
Emomali Rakhmon, a former cotton farm boss, was elected to president in 1994. He was re-elected in 1999 for a seven-year term - and won a third term in 2006, in an election international observers decried as neither free nor fair. He secured a fourth term in 2013.
Rakhmon played a vital role in Tajikistan's civil war, helping the pro-Communist effort to remove Islamist rebels from Dushanbe in the early 1990s.
After years of civil war and violence, some stability returned to Tajikistan. The president has a firm grip on power, however. But he enjoys popular support and citizens appear thankful for the end of the civil war.
The US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House rated Tajikistan as "not free" in its 2014 Freedom of the Press report. The report accused President Rakhmon's government of maintaining "intense pressure" on Tajik independent media.
The authorities also routinely block websites and social media platforms, including Russia's Odnoklassniki, Facebook and YouTube. But users are adept at using proxies to get around this. Opposition websites operate mainly from abroad.
Some key dates in Tajikistan's history:
13th century - Genghis Khan conquers Tajikistan and the rest of Central Asia, which becomes part of the Mongol Empire.
1860-1900 - Tajikistan is divided, with the north coming under Tsarist Russian rule while the south is annexed by the Emirate of Bukhara.
1921 - Northern Tajikistan becomes part of the Bolshevik-designated Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR), which also included Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, part of northern Turkmenistan and southern Kazakhstan. In 1929, Tajik ASSR becomes a Soviet Socialist Republic, separate from Uzbekistan.
1991- Supreme Soviet declares Tajikistan independent from the Soviet Union; Rahmon Nabiyev, a Communist leader, wins Tajikistan's first direct presidential election with 57% of the vote. But in 1992 anti-government demonstrations in the country escalate to a civil war that lasts for five years.
2013 - President Rakhmon wins another seven-year term in elections several months after the government blocks major foreign websites like Facebook and Radio Free Europe. Zayd Saidov, a businessman arrested for setting up an opposition party before the elections, is jailed for 26 years on a number of charges, including fraud, corruption and having sexual relations with a minor. | Battered by a five-year civil war at the onset of its independence, Tajikistan has struggled with poverty and instability in the two decades since it became its own state. |
39341614 | A team of five surgeons at Advocate Children's Hospital in Chicago removed baby Dominique's parasitic twin.
In this extremely rare case, her parasitic twin was attached to her back and shoulder. This made her look like she had two extra legs and feet.
Dominique travelled from Ivory Coast for the operation and will return soon.
Dr John Ruge, who led the surgery, said one of the biggest challenges had been to ensure Dominique was not left paralysed.
He said: "There was a lot of challenges to her skeletal system... we could destabilise her spine and cause her impairment."
Another of the surgeons, Frank Vicari, said: "We had an enormous amount of imaging, specialised imaging that would allow us to identify her own native anatomy, the anatomy of the parasitic twin and anticipate the problems we might see... so that we could pre-plan what we intended to do and minimise any opportunity for a surprise during surgery."
Dr Ruge said the operation had been vital because of the strain on Dominique's heart and lungs of having to "provide nourishment to another almost individual".
Also, the parasitic twin had been attached at a very important junction between the neck and the thoracic spine and "that amount of mass and disturbance in that area would cause her significant spinal problems as she grew".
Dominique's foster carer in Chicago Nancy Swabb said: "She has touched our hearts. She is a member of our family.
"We know that she will go back to her loving family, and we'll keep in touch - but this has changed our lives. She is pretty amazing." | A baby girl whose twin failed to develop properly and fused to her growing body in the womb is recovering after a successful operation in the US. |
36172823 | The black-tie affair is an annual gathering of politicians, journalists, celebrities and other notables from Washington and beyond. The highlight of the evening is the president's speech, during which he makes fun of himself, his allies and his opponents, often in equal measure.
Mr Obama has not spared many from his zingers in past years - and that includes current Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
He's also returned to a few common threads throughout his presidency: jokes about his "birth country" (Kenya, as some critics falsely claim), and the challenges of facing a hostile Republican Congress.
Here's a look at some of Mr Obama's best lines and sharpest jabs from the past seven White House Correspondents Dinners, and the political context in which they were delivered.
"Welcome to the fourth quarter of my presidency," Mr Obama said in 2015, noting his wife, Michelle, was cheering the loudest.
Mr Obama spent a good portion of the speech picking on conservatives and their efforts to block him in the last two years of his presidency.
"[Former Republican representative] Michele Bachmann predicted I'd bring about a Biblical end-of-days," Mr Obama said, shaking his head. "Now that's a legacy."
As races in Congress heated up in spring 2014, Mr Obama made reference to his sinking poll numbers and Democrats worrying about a negative effect on their own elections.
"Sasha needed a speaker at Career Day and she asked Bill Clinton," Mr Obama said of his youngest daughter. "I was a little hurt."
He also made the first reference to a likely presidential run by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In the middle of a problematic roll out for the website for Mr Obama's healthcare law, Mr Obama needled himself about "rookie mistakes" - including commenting on California Attorney General Kamala Harris's looks.
Mr Obama also mocked some media companies, saying "BuzzFeed" used to be "something I did in college at 2am" and comparing his recent horrendous free throw session (two out of 22) as less reliable than broadcaster NBC's record with successful programmes.
While the Republican candidates for the presidency in 2012 were still battling in the primaries, Mr Obama singled out front-runner (and eventual nominee) Mitt Romney to compare educations. Two degrees from Harvard instead of one? "Snob" Mr Obama joked.
The president also opened his 2012 speech with a nod to the year before.
"In fact this very weekend last year, we finally delivered justice to one of the world's most notorious individuals."
Mr Obama had announced the death of Osama bin Laden the day after the 2011 Correspondents Dinner. But the picture on the screen behind him in 2012? Donald Trump.
After Donald Trump pressed Mr Obama for his long-form birth certificate (three years after Mr Obama had been elected), Mr Obama did so, and then took it to Mr Trump at the 2011 dinner.
The businessman was in the audience - and he wasn't laughing.
In year two of Mr Obama's administration, he noted his approval ratings were dropping from highs right after his election, but was still using material that referred back to the 2008 campaign.
The president also made reference to struggling banks and the US attempt to shore them up after a market crash. "All our jokes tonight are brought to you by Goldman Sachs," He said. "They make money whether you laugh or not."
Mr Obama's first correspondents dinner came shortly after he had finished his first 100 days in office - a milestone which many campaigns use to fulfil promises.
He took the opportunity to remind people what the new Obama administration had already done - and make light of an expensive situation for the US - the government bailout of General Motors, a major automotive firm.
"Just last week, Car and Driver named me auto executive of the year," Mr Obama said. | On Saturday evening in Washington, Barack Obama will attend his last White House Correspondents' Association dinner as president. |
37837214 | 1 November 2016 Last updated at 12:49 GMT
The authorities then rounded up the migrants from the hills on the Spanish side of the border.
The UN says more than 1,000 people have crossed over the heavily fortified border to reach Ceuta in 2016. | More than 200 mainly African migrants have crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco having forced their way through barbed-wire border fences. |
36480584 | Both have signed two-year deals with the National League South side to replace Steve Tully and Wayne Carlisle.
Hodges managed the Cornish club between 2010 and 2013, gaining promotion, but left due because of financial problems.
Fallon featured in the 2010 World Cup and played for the Kiwis in a 1-0 win over New Caledonia on Wednesday.
"I'm looking forward to coming back to Truro and to getting back to the buzz of winning games," Hodges said.
"It's all happened very quickly and it's been a bit of a whirlwind but I feel like I have unfinished business at Treyew Road."
Hodges, 42, played for various clubs including Plymouth, Barnet and Reading and got the White Tigers promoted to the sixth tier in his previous spell in charge.
Fallon, who will play for Truro alongside his role as assistant boss, was released by Bristol Rovers last month and his previous clubs include Aberdeen, Plymouth and Swansea.
The 34-year-old has 24 New Zealand caps and scored his most recent international goal in a 5-0 victory against Vanuatu last month.
Meanwhile, Truro have signed striker Andrew Neal and midfielder River Allen from Bodmin Town and handed new deals to six players, including Aaron Bentley and Jamie Richards. | Truro City have re-appointed former boss Lee Hodges as their new manager, with New Zealand international striker Rory Fallon joining as his assistant. |
36034619 | Gary Hutchison, 50, from Inverness, was jailed for six months and banned from driving for five years on Wednesday.
He appeared at Inverness Sherriff Court after being caught six times over the legal limit whilst disqualified and without insurance on 23 February.
Hutchison was previously banned from driving on 10 February.
He had been disqualified after being found seven times over the limit in a car park outside his home revving the engine.
But 13 days later, he was caught back behind the wheel over the legal alcohol limit again. He also admitted two previous convictions for similar offences between 2007 and 2008.
Defence solicitor, Marc Dickson, said his client had made the short journey to a supermarket and was on his way back when caught by police.
He said: "He suffered depression and became alcohol-dependant when he lost his employment." | A motorist who was convicted of being seven times over the legal limit was caught drink-driving again less than two weeks later. |
40050834 | Lucy Haughey, a Channel 4 Come Dine With Me winner, bombarded Sharon Low with messages for almost a year.
She was due to be sentenced earlier this month but the case was continued for the sheriff to ensure all abusive posts were removed from social media.
The 36-year-old admitted cyber-stalking Ms Low between June 2015 and May 2016.
Sheriff Linda Ruxton sentenced Haughey at Glasgow Sheriff Court after being told all comments had been taken off the internet.
She handed her a community payback order with the condition she must do 250 hours unpaid work within eight months, and granted a two-year non-harassment order.
The sheriff said: "I am satisfied that all postings concerning the complainer have now been removed from any social media sites.
"I made it absolutely clear on the last occasion that I regard this as a very serious offence.
"I said to you that your conduct was frankly wicked. You caused untold distress and misery to someone you did not even know, causing her embarrassment and public humiliation."
The two women had never met but Haughey, from Crosshill, Glasgow, repeatedly sent messages to Ms Low.
Haughey also admitted contacting Ms Low's mother by phone and calling Ms Low at her work and then hanging up.
Ms Low also received a text message which stated: "I know your secrets, all of them, leave us alone or it's all out there."
The victim closed down her Facebook account but received more messages to a new account she thought was anonymous.
One message included the words "watch your attitude, watch that high horse and watch your fake life on here, there's always someone watching who knows the truth".
Defence lawyer Paul McCue told an earlier hearing that Haughey was in an abusive relationship at the time and had been manipulated into making contact with Ms Low.
Mr McCue confirmed that Haughey had deactivated her Facebook account. | A reality TV show winner has been ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work after posting abusive online messages about her then boyfriend's ex-partner. |
18249474 | Denmark contributes two thirds of Greenland's budget revenue, the rest coming mainly from fishing. Potential oil, gas and rare earth mineral reserves have attracted prospecting firms.
Greenland enjoys perpetual daylight for two months each year but over 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap 4km thick in places. Global warming is feared to be causing the ice cover to melt increasingly fast but has also increased access to Greenland's mineral resources.
The USA has long seen Greenland as strategically important and established a radar base at Thule at the start of the Cold War.
The island's population is only 57,000. Inhabitants face severe social problems, notably unemployment, alcoholism and HIV/AIDS.
Population 56,200
Area 2.17m sq km (840,000 sq miles
Major languages Greenlandic, Danish
Major religion Christianity
Life expectancy 68 years (men), 73 years (women)
Currency Danish krone
Head of State: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Prime Minister: Kim Kielsen
A former policeman and environment minister, Kim Kielsen took office as prime minister in December 2014 after a coalition deal struck in the wake of snap elections.
His predecessor and Greenland's first woman prime minister, Aleqa Hammond of the Siumit social-democratic party, stepped down in October 2014 over a spending scandal.
Broadcasting in Greenlandic and Danish, is the main source of news and entertainment.
There are no daily newspapers. The major titles - a weekly and a bi-weekly - publish in Greenlandic and Danish.
982 - Greenland discovered by the Norwegian, Erik the Red, who calls his discovery "Greenland" to make it more attractive. In 986 he returns with settlers but by 1600, only Inuit inhabitants remain.
1721 - New Danish settlement established near present-day capital, Nuuk.
1940 - Denmark is occupied by Germany during World War II. The United States assumes protective custody over Greenland for the duration of the war.
1953 - Greenland becomes an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
1979 - Greenland attains home rule following a referendum.
1999 - Danish High Court rules that Inuit were illegally exiled from their land in northern Greenland in 1953 to expand US airbase at Thule but denies them right of return.
2008 - Greenlanders vote in referendum for more autonomy, greater control over energy resources and granting Kalaallisut or Western Greenlandic status of official language in place of Danish.
2010 - Greenland's ice sheet is shrinking faster and making a bigger contribution to rising sea levels, a study in the journal Science confirms.
2013 - Greenland parliament votes to end the territory's 25-year ban on the mining of radioactive materials such as uranium, leading to a boom in mineral resource exports. | Greenland is the world's largest island and an autonomous Danish dependent territory with limited self-government and its own parliament. |
35851172 | The new goals recommend adults eat 30g of fibre a day - a 25% rise on previous levels.
And they suggest eating no more than of 5% added or natural sugars per day - roughly six teaspoons - a cut of 50%.
The changes have been based on evidence and advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and Food Standards Scotland.
Fibre helps prevent heart disease, diabetes and weight gain - as well as improving digestive health - and can reduce the risk of some cancers.
The "free sugar" guidelines refer to sugars added to food, or those naturally occurring in fruit juices, honey and syrups.
Eating too much sugar can lead to health problems including obesity and diabetes.
There is also a new goal that carbohydrates should make up around 50% of a person's total energy intake.
Minister for Public Health Maureen Watt said: "Despite some improvements in recent years, obesity levels are still too high in Scotland.
"Also, in common with most of western Europe, we have seen continued increases in the levels of Type 2 diabetes.
"It's clear that, as a nation, we need to improve our diet and think more about reducing our sugar intake and eating more fibre."
Earlier this week, Food Standards Scotland launched the new Eatwell Guide, which replaces the previous 'eatwell plate', and shows people in Scotland how they can achieve a healthy balanced diet.
In Wednesday's Budget, Chancellor George Osborne unveiled a new sugary drinks tax - to be in operation by 2018 - aimed at fighting childhood obesity. | Guidelines on an ideal Scottish diet have urged people people to eat more fibre and less sugar. |
38401445 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The Super Fight League will see eight teams from different parts of Britain competing in a league format.
"MMA is big and getting bigger," Khan, a financial stakeholder in Indian MMA promotion Super Fight League, told BBC World Service.
"Fighters like Conor McGregor are making a lot of noise. MMA is hitting some high numbers on pay per view."
Irish fighter McGregor, 28, became the Ultimate Fighting Championship's first dual division champion in November.
Earlier this year, Khan said he would be willing to "put friendship aside" and fight McGregor in the UFC.
The Bolton fighter, 30, added: "I am always going to be involved in boxing but to have my foot in the door with MMA is brilliant.
"The market is massive for us. We want to reach countries like India with a population of 1.2 billion people."
Last week, Kell Brook's camp revealed they were in talks with Khan about a fight in May 2017.
Khan had said that Brook, 30, was not a big enough name for him to fight but has since changed his mind after the Sheffield fighter's battle with Gennady Golovkin, who stopped Brook in September.
"It's a fight that I would love to have," added Khan. "I have changed my mind because of the Triple G [Golovkin] fight.
"Kell was smart taking that fight. He knew he was going to get beat but he still took it because he knew he was going to get paid well and make a name for himself."
Asked about how he rated Brook, Khan said: "He is not a bad fighter. It takes a lot to step in the ring with someone who is bigger than you and he did that so he deserves credit where it's due.
"I still think he is not the best in Britain. I still think I'm the best. The number one fighter in Britain. So time will tell."
Khan was also asked about the public family feud between the boxer's family and wife, Faryal Makhdoom, and the impact it might have on his career.
The boxer's dad, Shah, said last week the row was an embarrassment and that he did not see the argument ending.
Khan added: "I am going to look after them [my family] the way I have always looked after them.
"Sometimes things change in boxing. Your manager changes, advisers change but family is always going to be your family.
"It's always a challenge when you are in a situation like this and it's very hard for me being in the middle.
"To be honest with you I never let things like that get to me because it can destroy you.
"I have to make sure I am physically and mentally very strong. I think right and I think happy."
Read more about the family row here | Boxer Amir Khan is planning to launch a team-based mixed martial arts league in Britain in 2017. |
35591987 | The three-year-old beat 2,751 other entries of 199 breeds to take the top dog spot at Westminster Kennel Club.
"He has that extra sparkle," his handler, Valerie Nunes-Atkinson said. "He's an old soul."
CJ, also known as California Journey, is a descendent of two other champions and the third German Shorthaired Pointer to win the competition.
Head judge Dr Richard Meen said CJ had the intelligence and alertness he looked for in a winner.
"This is what we go to bed dreaming about," CJ's owner Valerie Nunes-Atkinson said after the win was announced. CJ gets no prize money, but will now embark on a media tour.
Lucy, a borzoi, pictured here with her handler, Shota Hirai, was runner-up in the competition.
CJ also beat this fluffy Samoyed to win the prized silver bowl.
Rumor, a German shepherd, was ranked the number one dog in the US last year, and has won 101 best in show titles, but she missed the top spot in New York on Tuesday.
This year was the kennel club's 140th Best In Show competition.
Owners often spend hours grooming their pooches.
...and sometimes the handlers get pampered themselves | A German shorthaired pointer called CJ has won America's most prestigious best in show dog competition in New York. |
38026073 | The Court of Session ruled against the group in October after a lengthy legal challenge against the policy, which would set a minimum unit price of 50p.
But the SWA said it had a "strong view that minimum pricing is incompatible with EU law" and would appeal further.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the decision was "deeply disappointing".
The Scottish government wants to press ahead with setting a minimum price per unit of alcohol "as soon as possible".
The policy of setting a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol was approved by MSPs in 2012 but has been tied up in legal challenges ever since, with the SWA claiming it is in breach of trade law.
They say other policies should be considered as an alternative to minimum pricing, including an increase in tax.
The Scottish government insists the law could save lives by ending cheap alcohol prices.
Under the plans the cheapest bottle of wine (9.4 units of alcohol) would be £4.69, a four-pack of 500ml cans of 4% lager would cost at least £4 and a 70cl bottle of whisky could not be sold for less than £14.
The matter has now been through the Scottish courts twice. It was referred to the European Court of Justice, which ruled in December 2015 that European law may have been breached by the policy - but concluded that it was ultimately up to the national courts to make a decision about whether to implement it.
Julie Hesketh-Laird, acting chief executive of the SWA, said the group had "carefully considered" the latest ruling before deciding to appeal.
She said: "This is not a decision we have taken lightly. However given our strong view that minimum pricing is incompatible with EU law and likely to be ineffective, we now hope that our appeal can be heard quickly in the UK Supreme Court.
"Having studied the ruling, we believe the Scottish court has not properly reviewed the legislation's compatibility with EU law as required by the European Court's judgement."
£14
Cheapest 70cl bottle of whisky
£4 Four-500ml pack of 4% lager
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the matter during her weekly question session at Holyrood, urging the SWA not to appeal to allow the "life-saving" policy to proceed.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the group's decision was "deeply disappointing".
She said: "I think the SWA may want to consider that minimum unit pricing was passed with the overwhelming support of the parliament, has been tested in Europe, and has now been approved twice in the Scottish courts.
"We remain committed to ongoing dialogue with the alcohol industry. Should the SWA drop their appeal, and accept that the time has now come to implement this measure that will save lives, they could expect very strong support from across Scotland.
"We remain determined to implement this policy as soon as possible, and we're confident that, like the Court of Session, the Supreme Court will find the policy to be lawful."
Under the Courts Reform Act 2014, leave has to be given by either the Inner House of the Court of Session or the Supreme Court itself before appeals can be taken forward.
Alcohol campaigners said news of the appeal attempt was "shocking and saddening".
Alison Douglas of Alcohol Focus Scotland said the SWA was "ignoring both the will of the Scottish Parliament and the court's decision", adding: "Minimum pricing will save many lives and improve many more."
Erin Carlin, director of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems, said it "beggars belief" that the legal battle could continue.
She said: "They know that they will not win this case in London. Everyone knows that. Meanwhile, 22 people die every week because of alcohol."
BMA Scotland chair Peter Bennie said: "We believe that this measure should be implemented without further challenge and that the Scotch Whisky Association is wrong to delay the policy with more legal wrangling which will do nothing to tackle the very real concerns that exist around alcohol harm." | The Scotch Whisky Association has applied to appeal in the UK Supreme Court against minimum pricing for alcohol in Scotland. |
35071630 | Nottingham's Theatre Royal opened in 1865, and held its first panto - The House that Jack Built - the same year.
The annual event continued almost uninterrupted, even through world wars, attracting a wide range of stars.
Headline names have included George Formby, Tony Hancock, Danny La Rue, Leslie Crowther, Orville and, recently, David Hasselhoff and Su Pollard.
The opening show at the theatre was the 18th Century play The School for Scandal, but after the final curtain manager Walter Montgomery promised weighty dramas and lighter entertainment.
"As an earnest expression of our efforts we begin with Sheridan - Shakespeare will soon follow. Nor whilst providing the solids of the banquet shall we neglect the trifle," he said.
"The gay burlesque and the witty farce soon follow and to these in due season King Pantomime will succeed."
Over the years, the theatre has put on classics such as Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Babes in the Wood and much more.
Previous panto performers have lined up to wish the venue a happy birthday.
David Hasselhoff said: "I have fond memories of the Theatre Royal Nottingham because of the culture of the city and the legend of Robin Hood, but also the mystery and elegance of the theatre.
"You could feel the presence of the actors and audiences that have spanned the past 150 years. It is an amazing theatre"
And comedian Brian Conley said: "I have very fond memories of performing in one of my first pantomimes with Little & Large many years ago and then to come back and star in my own pantomime was such an honour.
"It is such a beautiful theatre, wonderful for comedy and a great place that brings the whole community together." | A theatre celebrating its 150th anniversary has released dozens of historic pantomime posters. |
38763201 | Webb highlighted Leicester fly-half Owen Williams and Wasps open-side flanker Thomas Young, who are among seven uncapped players in the squad.
"It's great these new boys have been called into the squad," said Webb.
"The likes of Owen Williams and Thomas Young have been playing exceptionally well."
The seven uncapped players in the Wales squad are Ospreys flanker Olly Cracknell, Newport Gwent Dragons wing Ashton Hewitt, Ospreys lock Rory Thornton, Williams, Scarlets wing Steffan Evans, Scarlets scrum-half Aled Davies and Young.
Thornton and Davies have previously been involved in Wales squads.
"It's great for them to be named in the squad and they can put the heat on the boys that finished the jerseys off last," Webb told Scrum V Radio.
Williams, who joins Gloucester for 2017-18, is challenging Webb's Ospreys team-mates Dan Biggar and Sam Davies for the Wales fly-half spot.
Cardiff Blues' Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric of Ospreys stand in Young's way in the battle for the number seven jersey, while Gloucester's Ross Moriarty has also played there.
Webb will continue his bid for full fitness before Wales face Italy in Rome on Sunday, 5 February as Ospreys host Bristol in the Anglo-Welsh Cup on Saturday.
The 28-year-old, who has 23 Wales caps, scored on his return from an ankle injury in the 26-21 European Challenge Cup win at Newcastle last weekend.
On Saturday, Webb will play in his hometown of Bridgend as Ospreys opted to play at the Brewery Field rather than their usual Liberty Stadium venue.
"I know I've been out of the game for 12 weeks, but I know what I'm capable of doing," said Webb.
"I'm feeling fit and ready and glad they've released me back this weekend to get some more minutes under my belt.
"And I'll be ready then if I'm named in the squad for next weekend [against Italy]." | The new faces in Wales' Six Nations squad "can put the heat on" established stars and win caps in the tournament, says scrum-half Rhys Webb. |
38506818 | As Marshall and family members posed with Paul Ryan, re-elected on Tuesday as House Speaker, the teen, Cal Marshall, can clearly be seen raising his arm into a distinctive dabbing pose.
Dabbing - a dance pose which involves burying your face in the crook of your elbow - gained momentum in 2015 when US musicians popularised the move.
Whilst his dad remains oblivious to his actions, Speaker Ryan is on to him.
"Do you want to put your hand down?" he says to Cal, who sheepishly apologises and blames the unusual contortions of his arm on needing to sneeze, before smiling for the camera and adopting a more conventional pose.
The video has been widely shared on social media.
Despite his crash course in dabbing, Ryan still wasn't entirely sure what had happened.
One politician's child who probably won't be following Cal Marshall's lead is the 17-year-old son of Utah Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox. He was firmly warned off a copycat performance by his mother, Abby.
And what now for Cal after upstaging his dad on his big day? Well, according to the elder Marshall he may not be seeing much of his friends for a while.
Produced by Chris Bell, UGC and Social News team | Finding your feet in a new job can be difficult at the best of times, so spare a thought for Republican US congressman Roger Marshall, whose son decided a photo op at his swearing in was the perfect time to do some dabbing. |
36585195 | A man with a thundering presence, he looked confident, defiant and indestructible as the crowds thronged around his convoy in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Now Bemba is a war criminal, sentenced and convicted in a landmark case. As a former vice-president, he is the most senior figure sent to jail by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
And his nightmare is not over yet. A separate witness-tampering trial, in which he is accused alongside four accomplices, is still ongoing. He could do more time.
DR Congo warlord Bemba jailed over war crimes
What is the International Criminal Court?
So what is the significance of this case?
First of all, it matters because more than 5,000 victims testified, argues ICC Spokesman Fadi El Abdallah.
"Justice may take time but ends by being done."
He believes the Bemba judgement, for crimes committed in the Central African Republic (CAR), will give impetus to further investigations currently under way in that country.
And the case has cemented the principle of command responsibility, setting an important legal precedent.
But perhaps more significant than anything else is that it delivers on a conviction which Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda holds dear - that sexual violence as a weapon of war is unacceptable.
Bemba is paying the ultimate price - 18 years for rape in a part of the world where sexual violence is often ignored.
Let's be blunt here. We are talking about gang rapes, sexual slavery and crimes in which victims - women, men and young boys - suffered appalling internal injuries after the butt of rifles or other sharp objects were used to punish them.
I recall seeing a former UN envoy John Holmes, reduced to tears during a visit to a Congolese hospital by women, stripped of their dignity, silently leaking urine from gaping wounds sustained during violent sexual attacks.
Bemba's victims suffered the same. Perhaps today they feel some sense of justice.
Jean-Pierre Bemba
Profile: Jean-Pierre Bemba
But experts caution against being too overwhelmed by this apparent victory for the ICC.
The court has been battling a PR war, especially among those who argue it has an anti-African bias.
"Expectations about the ICC are totally unrealistic," argues Mark Kersten, author of new book Justice in Conflict.
Although he believes that the jailing of a high-profile figure like Bemba "sends some signals" to other leaders, he believes it is "hard to see a deterrent effect".
What he considers just as important is that "the ICC learns something from this case".
It has taken nearly a decade to secure Bemba's conviction.
"The ICC needs to think why it took 10 years to get to this point. It needs to become more efficient," Mr Kersten argues.
That includes ensuring it has cast iron evidence before bringing a case to trial and being clearer on the law being applied.
The ICC spent roughly $1bn (£680m) during the time it took to bring Bemba to justice, according to analysis done by Dr Carsten Stahn of Leiden University in the Netherlands.
And compared with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, it spends more money on support functions than actual investigations.
"It's costing a lot of money without much action and justice has been a long time coming," agrees Dr Rachel Kerr of King's College London's War Crimes Research Group.
The ICC is still an evolving institution. Bemba's conviction will be seen as an indication that it is on the right track but it still suffers enormous obstacles.
The first challenge is accusations of anti-African bias. Of the 10 conflicts the court is currently investigating, all of them bar one, Georgia, is in Africa.
Yet most were referred by the country themselves, two were as a result of UN Security Council resolutions and one case in Kenya was opened by former prosecutor Louis Moreno Ocampo.
Preliminary investigations include alleged crimes in Afghanistan and Colombia - but the perception is that has failed to sell itself to the world.
Secondly, the ICC is a hostage to bureaucracy, and diplomatic horse-trading.
Unlike the tribunals in Rwanda and Yugoslavia, says Dr Kerr, the world's first permanent war crimes court "is dependent on voluntary co-operation".
In the cases of Rwanda and Yugoslavia, states were obliged to co-operate under a UN mandate.
By contrast the ICC depends on co-operation - and it has at times struggled to achieve it.
Countries like South Africa, which puts human rights centre stage, and by common consent has one of the most liberal constitutions in the world, seem to feel rather differently about justice where other Africans are involved.
It is currently battling against a Supreme Court ruling that found that South Africa broke its own international obligations by failing to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir when he attended an African summit in Johannesburg last year.
As former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has also questioned the ICC for allowing Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto to remain free during hearings against them.
Bemba's conviction comes just weeks after a Senegalese court sentenced the former Chadian ruler Hissene Habre to life.
Also this week the trial of another warlord from DR Congo, Bosco Ntaganda, resumes at the ICC.
The world's first permanent war crimes court may be under fire for its narrow focus - Syria is a case in point. Attempts to secure a referral to the ICC by the UN Security Council failed when China and Russia exercised their veto power.
Nevertheless, the Bemba case shows that the sentiment that Africa's citizens deserve the same protection against murder, pillage and rape as anyone else in the world, is one which is both worth fighting for and possible to win. | When Jean-Pierre Bemba drove through the streets of Kinshasa during historic elections in 2006 he was feted like a hero. |
36118084 | Sam Saunders put the Bees ahead early on when he lobbed keeper Marcus Bettinelli from the edge of the box.
Fulham, who are 21st in the Championship table, were 2-0 down two minutes later when Hogan found the net with a low, powerful shot.
Hogan then volleyed his second, and his fifth in 93 minutes since returning from a knee injury, before the break.
The former Rochdale striker has featured only seven times for the Bees since the start of the 2014-15 season and began his comeback in March.
Despite £11m signing Ross McCormack going close in the first half with a shot bouncing off a post, Fulham's players were booed off at half-time.
Fulham wasted several chances after the break, with Tom Cairney chipping over when in a good position and Moussa Dembele wasting a chance to shoot with the goal in sight.
McCormack then saw his dipping free-kick expertly turned over the bar by Bees keeper David Button.
But it was a deserved victory for Brentford, who went close to adding a fourth early in the second half when Konstantin Kerschbaumer's low drive was well blocked by Fulham keeper Bettinelli.
Brentford boss Dean Smith on Scott Hogan: "He's not talking to me at the moment because I took him off but he was sitting there with ice all over his body so we have to go softly softly with him.
"We have to manage him carefully with the medical team, but if he stays fit then we will see much more of him next season because he's a natural goalscorer.
"He's put himself in a difficult position with the supporters in terms of expectation now."
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic: "It was embarrassing in first 45 minutes. We played without any character and desire. We are ashamed of that performance.
"We've promised things this season and not delivered them, but I know how to fix this problem and the club knows how to fix this problem.
"The honeymoon is over, but the cause of this was not my fault. It was the fault of other people, but in the summer I know what the problem is and I am ready to fix it and show ambition." | Two goals from Scott Hogan helped Brentford claim an emphatic west London derby victory against lowly Fulham. |
32234567 | Kim Rose, standing in Southampton Itchen, said he had been told to report to police over allegations of treating.
Electoral Commission rules state food and entertainment cannot be provided by candidates to "corruptly influence" votes.
Hampshire police declined to comment.
Mr Rose said he held the event on 21 February at a community centre in Weston.
He invited veteran snooker star Jimmy White, who he described as a long-time friend, to play pool with local youngsters. Adult entrants were charged £2 for the event.
Mr Rose said: "It was fantastic day. We laid on teas, coffees, sandwiches and some sausage rolls. Now I've been reported for allegations of treating.
"Maybe it's bit naive but all the intentions were good.
"It's absolutely ridiculous. I'm sure people aren't going to change their mind [over voting] for a sausage roll," he said.
Mr Rose said he had been contacted by Hampshire Constabulary's Economic Crime Unit and asked to report to Romsey police station on Monday.
A force spokeswoman said: "In line with our policy, we would not comment on an issue relating to a non-arrested person."
The Electoral Commission said it was a police matter.
Its summary of electoral offences states: "A person is guilty of treating if... they directly or indirectly give or provide any food, drink, entertainment or provision to corruptly influence any voter to vote or refrain from voting.
"Treating requires a corrupt intent - it does not apply to ordinary hospitality."
The candidates for the constituency are:
Source: yournextmp.com | A UKIP parliamentary candidate is to be questioned over allegations he tried to influence voters by giving away sausage rolls at a party event featuring snooker star Jimmy White. |
39507039 | Travis Hackett, 13, joined the players on the pitch and then watched the Foxes beat Sunderland 2-0.
The teenager from San Diego has said the club's Premier League triumph helped him through his treatment.
The visit to Leicester was organised by aUS charity the Craig Willinger Fund that arranges football trips for young people with cancer.
Travis was told just hours before the match he would be leading the side out, having learnt last month he would be watching the match.
"We got there and they told him he was going to be a mascot and that amazed him," Johanna Agueda from the charity said.
"He told me himself that he was most excited about being able to go on the pitch... that was a unique experience.
"We were near Sunderland's fans but then they came and whisked us up to the director's box so Leicester City Football Club really stepped it up for us."
Travis is in the maintenance stage of his treatment and is considered to be cancer free, but will continue with chemotherapy until next year.
His interest in Leicester City began in 2014-15 when the Foxes went on a winning run to avoid relegation. | An American teenager who beat leukaemia has fulfilled a lifelong dream by leading out Leicester City as a mascot. |
34583043 | Map-maker Ordnance Survey (OS) worked on the game that challenges players to find a hidden marker on Ben Nevis.
The game has been made for use with Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard 3D devices.
OS said players would also be able to explore the virtual mountain, which was created using data the mapping agency has on the real Ben Nevis.
The organisation's OS Labs worked with 3D technology companies to create the new virtual world.
John Abbott, of OS Labs, said: "OS has no plans at present to create further virtual worlds, but what we have demonstrated is that it can be done, and in terms of future uses it is the perfect medium for visualisation.
"It can be used for planning, as a test environment for running scenarios.
"Put real-world data into the virtual world and you gain a level of experience and understanding of an environment that can only be bettered by actually being there." | Britain's tallest mountain has been recreated in a virtual reality game that is played using 3D headgear. |
35167585 | The Scot is to pursue a business career, helping establish a Paris branch of The Whisky Shop, set up by her father Ian, the Celtic chairman.
"It is not a decision I've taken lightly," Bankier told BBC Scotland.
"I've taken almost a full year to contemplate while I've played a little bit and trained a little bit."
Bankier won silver in the mixed doubles at the World Championships in 2011. With English partner Chris Adcock, she defeated four seeds before losing to Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, the world number one pair, in the final.
The pair followed that with bronze at the European Championships the following year, but she split from the Great Britain programme after a first-round defeat at the London 2012 Olympics saying she did not believe it would help her qualify for Rio in 2016.
Bankier teamed up with Robert Blair to win Commonwealth bronze at Glasgow 2014 before taking a sabbatical from the sport in February and announcing she would not try to qualify for the Olympics because of difficulties over finding a new partner.
"I've achieved many of the goals I set out to achieve when I was 10 years old and decided I wanted to go down the path of playing badminton," she said.
"I achieved so much early on and I feel like I've got to the stage where there's nothing left that is really driving me forward.
"It is such a hard lifestyle to maintain when you are not 100% motivated and, when you have done it for more than 10 years, it takes its toll.
"I felt it was a good time to call it a day and move on to something new."
Bankier admitted the World Championships silver medal was her career high.
"It was a euphoric week, really fantastic, out of the blue," she said.
"It was absolutely incredible and I will always remember that week as being the highlight of my badminton career.
"I think also the Commonwealth Games, the timing of it, the moment I shared with Robert, who was my long-standing partner.
"To win a Commonwealth medal in my home city of Glasgow was incredibly special."
She said leaving the sport now gives her a chance to "start afresh in a brand new career", adding: "I knew I had other ambitions and things I wanted to do and achieve and explore while I'm still young and not in my late 30s."
Former Scotland international Susan Egelstaff has paid tribute to Bankier but said the decision is "not a huge surprise".
"She hasn't played internationally for months," she said.
"It's a real shame for Scottish badminton. She's been if not the most successful player in Scotland's history then certainly one of the most successful." | World silver medal winner Imogen Bankier has retired from badminton at the age of 28, saying she no longer had the required motivation. |
37120365 | This was the seventh largest victory, in terms of runs, in the 3,767-match history of ODIs.
Pakistan piled up 337-6 in a match reduced by rain to 47 overs per side, with Sharjeel Khan scoring 152.
Ireland were bowled out for just 82 inside 24 overs in reply, with left-arm spinner Imad Wasim taking 5-14.
Sharjeel's 152 was the third quickest 150 in the format in terms of balls faced, his innings coming off 86 balls and including 16 fours and nine sixes.
He racked up his maiden ODI century in just 61 balls, registering Pakistan's fourth fastest ton in the format.
The teams will meet again at the same venue on Saturday.
After the two encounters with Pakistan, Ireland will finish their season with further one-day internationals against South Africa on 25 September and Australia on 27 September - both in Benoni, South Africa.
Pakistan are using the games as preparation for five one-day internationals against England, having drawn the recent Test series between the countries.
Ireland captain William Porterfield:
"It was a good toss [for Pakistan] to win but we let ourselves down with the ball. We can't let teams get away from us like that.
"It is a tough learning curve bowling against some of the best batsmen in the world but our young bowlers want to come back, go again and come back stronger.
"It is difficult chasing down a total like that; we just have to go and address how we went wrong." | Ireland lost to Pakistan by 255 runs in the first of two one-day internationals between the sides at Malahide on Thursday. |
36998003 | All five goals came from penalty corner moves, starting with Raghunath Vokkaliga firing the fifth-ranked Indians ahead in the first quarter.
Rupinder Pal Singh made it 2-0 before John Jermyn pulled one back for the Irish, who were making their first Games hockey appearance in 108 years.
Singh netted again before Conor Harte volleyed in with five minutes left.
It was an impressive display for an Irish side ranked 12th and lacking the vast Olympic experience of their opponents.
Vokkaliga rattled into the bottom corner with the last strike of the first quarter to give India a deserved lead at the Olympic Hockey Arena.
Ireland improved at the start of the second quarter and Jermyn netted from a penalty corner but it was ruled out for a block by Alan Sothern.
India were clinical from penalty corners and Singh shot high into the net four minutes from half-time.
Shane O'Donoghue blasted just over before Jermyn's drag-flick hit the India net with 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Singh restored India's two-goal advantage early in the final quarter but the Irish remained determined and Harte tapped in after the ball bounced up off diving keeper PR Sreejesh.
Ireland pressed for the equaliser and again O'Donoghue was narrowly off-target with their final opportunity.
"We just didn't take our chances today," said Ireland head coach Craig Fulton.
"It ebbed and flowed for three quarters and we finished strong in the last quarter after John Jermyn's goal. We were playing well and had a good few chances but were just not accurate enough.
"As a team, we normally pride ourselves on that accuracy and today it didn't fire for us. All of our flickers are good and you can see that the shots were on, we just missed the target."
The Irish are back in pool action on Sunday against the Netherlands.
Ireland: D Harte, J Jackson, R Gormley, M Watt, C Cargo, J Jermyn, P Caruth, S O'Donoghue, M Darling, P Gleghorne, C Harte.
Subs: J Bell, A Sothern, E Magee, K Shimmins, K Good. | Ireland suffered a 3-2 defeat by India in their opening Pool B game at the Olympic Games in Rio on Saturday. |
39267352 | Pembrokeshire council recently voted to cut Milford Haven paddling pool's £1,000 budget, leaving its future uncertain.
A petition started by Brian Phillips calls on Milford Haven Town Council to take over its running.
Mr Phillips said the pool "has been a source of summer fun for children for many decades" and had been "gaining in popularity over the last few years".
"We need Milford Haven Town Council to take responsibility for this lovely feature to ensure it remains open for many years to come," he added.
A Pembrokeshire council spokesman said the local authority would work with elected members, the town council and the community to "ensure a bright future for the town's paddling pool". | A campaign has been launched to save a Pembrokeshire town's outdoor pool. |
34330260 | US President Barack Obama welcomed the pope as he landed on Tuesday - a rare honour for a foreign dignitary.
The pontiff will visit Washington DC, New York and Philadelphia.
Before he departed Cuba on Tuesday, he called on its people to live a "revolution of tenderness".
In the final Mass of his four-day visit to the island, with President Raul Castro attending, he urged thousands of Cubans to serve one another and not an ideology.
On the trip from Cuba to the US, the Pope held a news conference and answered those who said his criticisms of capitalism went too far.
"I've never said anything that is not in the social doctrine of the church," the Pope told reporters. "Maybe I have given the impression of (being) a bit lefty, but that would be a mistaken interpretation."
When he landed at Andrews Air Force Base, the Pope was greeted by Mr Obama and his family along with Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife.
The crowd, which included a military honour guard, schoolchildren, politicians, and Roman Catholic clergymen, chanted: "Welcome to the USA! Hello! Hey!"
After a brief chat with Mr Obama, the pope rode away in a small charcoal-gray Fiat as part of a motorcade bound for the Vatican diplomatic mission in Washington.
Taking questions from journalists, the Pope answered in Spanish and Italian for almost half an hour - apologizing that English was not his forte.
Asked why he hadn't met dissidents in Cuba, he said he had had no private audiences with anyone. However, he had greeted all those invited to meet him on the steps of Havana Cathedral - who may have included dissidents. Now, Pope Francis is starting to focus on the US leg of his visit - which could be just as tricky a diplomatic balancing act.
Pope Francis was asked about his criticisms of capitalism. Earlier this year, he termed unbridled capitalism "the dung of the devil".
He responded that he wasn't really a leftie and that in his many statements on the economy, he had never gone against the Church's social doctrine.
Then, he jokingly offered to recite the Creed, in order to prove that he, the Pope, was indeed Catholic.
Authorities have launched one of the biggest security operations in US history to ensure the pope's safety.
The pontiff, who has sought to bring Catholics back to the church with a more inclusive message, is very popular in the US and is expected to draw massive crowds in all three cities.
A large portion of central Philadelphia will be practically closed off during his visit and federal employees in Washington have been urged to work remotely while the Pope is in the capital.
The event could attract up to a million and a half people.
The Pope enjoys going into crowds and using an open-sided Jeep rather than a bulletproof "popemobile", throwing US law enforcement off as they mount huge security operations.
The BBC's Will Grant in Cuba says the Pope has avoided any overt political statements during his visit there but commentators say he is expected to be more outspoken while in the US.
Profile: Pope Francis
Five tricky issues for the Pope in the US
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday: | Pope Francis has begun his tour of the US, where he is expected to greet millions of American Catholics and address thorny issues like climate change and income inequality. |
32708202 | Robert and Christianne Shepherd, from Horbury, Wakefield died in Corfu in 2006.
The brother and sister were on holiday with their father and step-mother at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel, booked by Thomas Cook. | The coroner at an inquest into the death of two children from carbon monoxide poisoning on holiday has told jurors the conclusion must be unlawful killing. |
32172974 | Some 3,000 Tunisian jihadists are thought to have gone to Syria and Iraq.
Tunisian concerns about home-grown militants have been heightened by last month's attack on a Tunis museum.
The country - birthplace of the Arab Spring protests - cut ties with Syria in 2011, where similar unrest had provoked a government crackdown.
Demonstrations in Syria spiralled into a civil conflict, with Islamist factions drawing in jihadists from across the Middle East and Europe.
After the emergence of Islamic State (IS) as the most powerful of the jihadist groups, several European countries re-opened channels of communication with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Mr Assad had earlier been criticised by Western governments for his response to the uprising against his rule.
Tunisian FM Taieb Baccouche told reporters on Friday that his country would not have an ambassador in Syria but would open a consulate or "put in place a charge d'affaires" there.
He said a consular presence in Syria would help Tunisia keep track of its citizens fighting alongside the Islamist militants.
He added that Syria was welcome to send an ambassador to Tunisia if it so wished.
Mr Baccouche also said his country would restore diplomatic ties with Libya, which has been racked by insecurity since the violent overthrow of Col Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
At least two of the Tunisian men who carried out a deadly attack on the Bardo museum in Tunis last month had trained in Libya. | Tunisia says it plans to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria in order to track its citizens who have gone to fight alongside Islamist militants. |
33843510 | The Bundesliga club say the bus was fired at by a motorcyclist in Bielefeld in north-west Germany but added that no-one was injured.
Hertha are staying near Bielefeld before their first-round tie with German second division side Arminia Bielefeld on Monday night.
Only the driver was on board at the time of the shooting and police are now investigating.
The vehicle was travelling from the team hotel to pick the players up from Bielefeld Central Station.
Hertha say the motorcyclist had overtaken the bus and threatened the driver "with his fist", before turning and pointing a gun at the bus and the driver.
Pictures from the club show the windscreen of the bus with a bullet hole.
Hertha chief executive Michael Preetz said: "We are deeply shocked and hope that the perpetrators will be caught. Luckily our bus driver got off with a fright."
Arminia Bielefeld tweeted: "We are shocked by the attack on the team bus from HerthaBSC." | Hertha Berlin's team bus has been shot at on the eve of a German Cup match. |
39720624 | Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) has briefed its employees of the potential, long-term proposal.
Prospect, the union which represents air traffic controllers across the UK, has opposed the idea.
Hial said it was in the "very early stages of exploring opportunities" presented by new technologies.
The Scottish government-owned company operates 11 regional airports in the Highlands, Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Tayside.
The sites include Kirkwall in Orkney, Benbecula, Stornoway on Lewis and Sumburgh in Shetland.
David Avery, Prospect's negotiations officer, said: "Hial exists to serve island and remote communities in Scotland.
"As part of this duty we believe that they should be supporting these communities by providing high quality employment locally.
"By moving these jobs to an as yet undecided central location the communities around Kirkwall, Benbecula, Sumburgh and Stornoway will be losing skilled jobs that are unlikely to be replaced.
"Prospect is also concerned that the telecommunications infrastructure required to operate a remote tower set-up does not yet exist in these areas. "
The union said Hial employed about 55 air traffic controllers and also additional support staff across Scotland.
A spokesperson for Hial said: "Hial is currently in the very early stages of exploring opportunities presented by new and emerging air traffic technologies, which could have the potential to enhance the sustainability and resilience of air traffic services across the operation.
"A scoping study has been commissioned to investigate all options.
"Our staff and other key stakeholders have been informed of the current position, and will be fully involved throughout the process.
"The review will include an evaluation of remote tower technologies, centralised surveillance and controlled airspace."
The spokesperson added that no decisions have been made and the scoping study was unlikely to be discussed until a meeting of Hial's board in September "at the earliest". | The provision of air traffic control at individual Scottish islands airports could be replaced by a centrally controlled system. |
40507291 | Liz Saville Roberts challenged Theresa May at Prime Minister's Questions, saying Wales had lost 750 officers since the Tories took power in 2010.
Mrs May said crime was at a record low, and that the Conservatives had protected police funding since 2015.
She also pointed to the creation of the National Crime Agency and a national cyber crime unit as boosting resources.
Ms Saville Roberts, who leads Plaid Cymru at Westminster, told the House of Commons: "Police officer numbers in Wales have dropped by 10 per cent since her party came to power."
Referring to figures provided by Dyfed-Powys Police, she added: "If policing were devolved - as it is in Northern Ireland and Scotland - Welsh forces would have extra funding worth £25m at their disposal.
"This would more than replace those lost officers.
"What justification is there for refusing to devolve policing?"
Plaid Cymru said the Dyfed-Powys figures were based on the Barnett formula, which determines public funding for the different UK nations taking population into account, rather than the UK government's separate police funding formula.
The party claimed that changes to the police funding formula would deliver a further £32m cut to Welsh forces.
Responding to Ms Saville Roberts, the prime minister said: "We are currently protecting police budgets. We have been doing that since 2015."
She added: "We're not just protecting those police budgets, we are ensuring that the police have the capabilities they need to deal with new types of crime, creating the national Cyber Crime Unit, creating the National Crime Agency.
"These are all important steps to ensure the police can do their job of cutting crime, and crime is at a record low." | Welsh police forces would be £25m a year better off if the service was devolved, a Plaid Cymru MP has claimed. |
36790977 | Many were surprised, citing his history of faux pas including insulting the president of Turkey and commenting on the US president's ancestry.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a radio interview Mr Johnson was a liar with "his back against the wall".
One EU source told the BBC: "Everyone in the European Parliament thinks it's a bad joke and that the Brits have lost it."
Boris Johnson: How Britain's new foreign secretary has insulted the world
New UK government: Who's in and who's out?
Here we take a look at the response in countries where Mr Johnson will now represent the UK.
The Washington Post publishes a round-up of "undiplomatic" things Mr Johnson has said during his time in public life.
"To be sure, Johnson is an unusual candidate for the job. The former journalist is known for his deliberately provocative manner, ruffled appearance and penchant for sometimes-insulting commentary," it says.
It reminds its readers that just two months ago, "a poem he concocted about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan having sexual congress with a goat won the first-place prize in a contest sponsored by Spectator magazine."
Washington Post writer Ishaan Tharoor also writes that Mr Johnson "has controversially bucked the Western trend and praised Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for battling the Islamic State, no matter its parallel campaign of violence on Syria's civilian population".
"A Short History of Boris Johnson Insulting Foreign Leaders" is how the website of American culture and politics magazine, The Atlantic, reports the story of Mr Johnson's comeback.
"The brash and flamboyant politician, the UK's new foreign secretary, is one of the more cosmopolitan figures on the world stage - but he's also one of the least diplomatic," it says.
Apparently stifling a laugh on hearing the news of Mr Johnson's new job, state department spokesman Mark Toner said the US would always work with the UK because of the "special relationship" between the two countries.
"This is a relationship that goes beyond personalities and it is an absolutely critical moment in England's history but also in the US-UK relationship," he says.
In comments to Europe 1 radio, Mr Ayrault said: "I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the [referendum] campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall."
Newspaper Le Figaro says Mr Johnson "gives the impression of being guided by opportunism".
The newspaper says the UK's new foreign secretary's political career has seen him change his mind on gay marriage and on Turkey joining the EU.
Pierre Jova writes in the paper: "Although, he has a 'clown' image which delighted the tabloids with his antics and punchy statements, he was a comrade of David Cameron at Eton and Oxford and is a pure product of the British conservative aristocracy raised to govern."
Ralf Stegner, deputy leader of the SPD party, said: "[Prime Minister Theresa] May seems to be weaker through making such an appointment." He said Mr Johnson had hardly demonstrated that he was an outstanding diplomat. "Now he is negotiating Brexit. Have a nice trip."
Green Party leader Simone Peter said it was "not a good signal" if Mr Johnson "inflicted his capricious and monstrous approach" on Europe.
Der Spiegel took an editorial line against Brexit and published a "Please don't go" issue aimed at the UK in the run-up to its EU referendum.
The news magazine (in German) calls Mr Johnson a "controversial politician" and notes that his decision to support a Leave vote was a deciding factor in the referendum campaign, which Leave won with 52% of the vote.
One of its columnists, Jakob Augstein, commented: "Haha! Boris Johnson as foreign minister. I can't stop laughing. The Brits are crazy."
The German journalist Laura Schneider points to a certain amount of mirth on television as presenters announce Mr Johnson's new role.
Under the headline: "Why the disloyal jack of all trades is not the absurd choice", Die Welt thinks it knows why Mrs May appointed him.
"He described Hillary Clinton as a "sadistic nurse", compared the EU with Hitler. And now Boris Johnson is the British foreign secretary. But the new prime minister is pursuing a plan… she [Mrs May] incapacitated her anti-EU critics by making them accountable. Now Brexit advocates must ensure that the exit succeeds," it says.
The deputy editor of Germany's biggest tabloid, Bild, Nikolaus Blome, tweeted: "There's justice after all. As foreign minister, Boris Johnson, now has to lie in the bed he made himself."
The head of the Russian State Duma's foreign affairs committee, Aleksey Pushkov, tweets that Mr Johnson's predecessor, Philip Hammond, has "painful anti-Russian complexes" that he hopes Mr Johnson does not share.
Mr Hammond said last year that Russia had the potential to be "the single greatest threat" to UK security and that President Vladimir Putin was "bent not on joining the international rules-based system which keeps the peace between nations, but on subverting it".
The Russian news website ria.ru calls Mr Johnson "one of the most eccentric politicians in the UK" and says he "knows how to surprise".
A Turkish official suggested Ankara would draw a line under Mr Johnson's previous remarks.
"His negative comments on Erdogan and Turkey are unacceptable... However we're sure of one thing, that British-Turkish relations are more important than that and can't be hostage to these statements," he said.
Speaking before Mr Johnson's appointment, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the former London mayor had made an "unfortunate statement" when he used Turkey's accession to the EU negatively in the referendum.
Asked what he would like to say to Mr Johnson, he said: "May God help him and reform him."
The pro-government Daily Sabah described the new foreign secretary (who has Turkish ancestry) as being "anti-Turkey" and said he had "sympathy for the PKK".
Pro-government newspaper commentator Selim Atalay sent a tweet to Johnson saying: "Dear @BorisJohnson I understand you need well-versed apologies in Turkish. I can help you with that. PS: Turkish roots-card won't work. Cheers."
Sydney Morning Herald foreign editor Maher Mughrabi writes that Boris Johnson has been "removed from Conservative Party plotting at Westminster and allowed to get on with being a travelling circus". The rest of the world, he says, can rely on Mr Johnson to "confidently lecture people of many nations on their own histories and cultures".
Former prime minister Tony Abbott takes a more benign view:
The former prime minister of Sweden, Carl Bildt, tweets that he wishes the appointment were a joke.
MEP Fredrick Federley tweeted: "Trump, Brexit, Pokemon Go, Boris Johnson. Oh lord, what horrors will you bring us tomorrow?"
Czech MEP Pavel Telicka tweeted: "People say PM May does not have a sense of humour. By appointing B Johnson she proved the opposite."
Financial news website kurzy.cz describes the appointment of Mr Johnson as "at the very least questionable and very surprising. She has appointed to the post of foreign minister one of the leaders of Brexit, former London mayor Boris Johnson, who is famous, among other things, for his often extremely 'undiplomatic' conduct." | Newspapers and politicians around the world have been reacting to Boris Johnson's appointment as UK foreign secretary. |
38068895 | Professor Barry Cooper, who has studied the composer's manuscripts, claims there are inconsistencies within the 1817 piece, Allegretto in B minor.
His "hunch" is it was "copied shortly after it was composed".
Auctioneers Sotheby's said copying the piece was "not conceivable", adding the lot would go on sale on 29 November.
Auctioneers Sotheby's said copying the piece was "not conceivable", adding the lot would go on sale on 29 November.
Ludwig van Beethoven composed and wrote Allegretto in B minor on 29 November 1817 for an English visitor to Vienna, the auctioneers said.
Mr Cooper, professor of music at The University of Manchester, claims the 23-bar piece was written a day earlier on 28 November 1817.
He said inconsistencies in the auction item include one note D being copied as C, and double bars and natural signs do not resemble Beethoven's handwriting.
Prof Cooper, who has studied Beethoven's manuscripts for more than 40 years, said "quite a few things don't stack up".
"I am thoroughly familiar with every detail of his handwriting, which is why I am certain this manuscript is not in Beethoven's hand.
"My hunch is that it was copied from the original shortly after it was composed and that the copyist tried to reproduce it by carefully working to the best of his ability," he said.
Simon Maguire, head of musical manuscripts at Sotheby's, said: "The experts that I have shown it to are world renowned.
"I don't think it's really conceivable that you can get that handwriting of music so fluently if at the same time you are trying to copy somebody whose handwriting is idiosyncratic [distinctive/unique]."
Mr Maguire has invited Prof Cooper to view the manuscript being sold.
Professor Cooper has said studying a copy is "as good as the original". | A row over a handwritten score "by Beethoven" being sold at auction for up to £200,000 has broken out between an expert and its sellers. |
34256762 | The inquiry into the Dogan group, which owns Hurriyet newspaper and part owns CNN Turk TV, also involves an interview with an alleged Kurdish PKK militant.
A ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK unravelled in July and the conflict has escalated in recent weeks.
As tensions increased, protesters attacked Hurriyet's offices last week.
Pro-government demonstrators accused the paper of misquoting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
There were also attacks on another newspaper, Daily Sabah, as well as a number of offices belonging to the pro-Kurdish HDP party.
Anadolu news agency said prosecutors moved against Dogan after a pro-government newspaper said Hurriyet had used uncensored pictures of fallen Turkish soldiers.
On Monday, police raided a weekly news magazine, Nokta, seizing copies of its latest issue, whose cover had a mock-up picture, showing President Erdogan taking a selfie at a soldier's funeral.
Insulting the president is considered a crime in Turkey and carries a prison term of more than four years.
Dozens of people have been killed in the conflict in the east of the country, which is taking place as Turks prepare for another general election. In June, the ruling AK Party lost its majority in parliament and has since failed to persuade other parties to join a coalition.
Some of the worst fighting has been in the mainly Kurdish city of Cizre in south-eastern Turkey, where the government says 31 militants have been killed. The HDP says 23 civilians died there.
Critics of Mr Erdogan have accused him of using the collapse of the ceasefire to curb support for the HDP, whose share of the vote in June cost his party its majority.
They also say he has tried to silence both mainstream and social media ahead of 1 November elections.
Mr Erdogan became president in August 2014, after several years as prime minister, and has vowed to bolster the powers of the presidency. | Turkish prosecutors have begun an inquiry into a big media group, after photos were published of dead soldiers, state-run Anadolu news agency says. |
19484580 | The move comes in the wake of a series of mis-selling scandals such as payment protection insurance (PPI).
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will not impose an outright ban on commissions.
But it is demanding that payments be dependent on the customer benefiting, not on the volume of sales.
A representative of the UK's banks said that changes were already being made, but that there was some merit to the use of commission.
It is common practice for bank, building society and insurance company staff to have an incentive to sell products and policies.
This includes pushing the sales of bank accounts, mortgages and credit cards when people simply go about their daily financial business in banks.
Martin Wheatley, FSA managing director, told the BBC that some incentive schemes seemed "guaranteed to give the wrong outcome for the customer".
Later, in a speech, he said: "It has been too easy, for too long, for those selling or giving advice to be motivated solely by the rewards on offer to them.
"We have found evidence of poor practice and we are concerned that this reward culture is a significant contributor to mis-selling.
"Incentive schemes on PPI were rotten to the core and made a bad problem worse."
With PPI - which was sold alongside loans and credit cards to cover repayments if people became ill or lost their jobs - many people were either not told they had bought it, or had bought it and were not eligible to claim on it.
However, many sales staff had an incentive to promote PPI. Banks are in the process of paying out £9bn in compensation to borrowers who were mis-sold PPI.
Mr Wheatley said that some of the incentive schemes were often so complex that it made it harder for firms to keep control of them.
The FSA conducted a review of 22 financial firms' incentive schemes.
Mr Wheatley said that some of the schemes could be good or bad, but he added, "most of what we have seen are bad".
Some of the risks that emerged included:
The report is pushing the ball into the court of financial institutions to clean up their act.
Mr Wheatley described it as a "wake up call".
He said firms must now review their schemes, ensure controls are adequate, and ask questions of how star salespeople were successful, not just congratulate them.
Mr Wheatley also said that the regulator would come down on firms that failed to clean up their act in a year or 18 months' time. This could be done before mis-selling occurred, rather than afterwards, and could include institutions losing their licences.
The British Bankers' Association (BBA), which represents the UK's High Street banks, said that things were already getting better.
"No-one wants mis-selling: it is not in the interests of customers or banks that people end up with products or services they do not need. Where mis-selling has happened in the past, the industry is already putting things right," said BBA chief executive Anthony Browne.
But he argued that commission could have a positive effect.
"In all walks of life, doing the right thing well should be recognised. In commerce, incentives are often part of that recognition. In banking, the right incentives create the right long-term outcome for customers while rewarding responsible behaviour by sales staff," he said.
However, consumer group Which? said that a stricter approach was needed from the regulator.
"It is clear that the light touch regulation of the past has not worked. We want to see the FSA rigorously enforcing the rules and taking tough action against those banks that continue to let their customers down," said Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director.
"Consumers have suffered one banking scandal after another. There must now be a fundamental shake up of banking culture and a return to banking for customers, not bankers."
Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of the Personal Finance Education Group, said customers needed to be more aware of what they were buying.
"Sales commissions are only one part of the mis-selling jigsaw. We need to ensure that the next generation of consumers have the skills, knowledge and confidence to make savvy consumer decisions, and avoid products that are unsuitable for them," she said.
Next year, Mr Wheatley will take charge of a new body, the Financial Conduct Authority, which will oversee how finance firms treat their customers.
He agreed that a culture of greed and irresponsible attitude to customers may have "got out of control" in the financial sector.
"The public will no longer accept a brutal Darwinian relationship," he said.
He said he wanted to make banking "boring" again.
Mr Wheatley is also conducting a review of Libor, the inter-bank lending rate that has been discredited following manipulation by traders.
He said that most of the responses to his review had said Libor needed to change, but he declined to discuss it further while investigations were continuing. | The UK's financial watchdog is calling for a clampdown on commissions paid for selling insurance, loans and bank accounts. |
39987346 | Bartra, 26, had surgery on his right hand and wrist after the blast before a Champions League tie with Monaco.
He played 90 minutes as Dortmund edged Werder Bremen 4-3 to beat Hoffenheim to third place in the Bundesliga.
Hamburg avoided a relegation play-off with a late win over Wolfsburg.
Spain centre-back Bartra, who joined Dortmund from Barcelona last June, was the only player to receive serious injuries in the blast on April 11.
Three devices containing pieces of metal exploded shortly after Dortmund left their hotel to travel to the home leg of their quarter-final tie against the Ligue 1 side.
Police in Germany have charged a man suspected of being behind the attack. Prosecutors say he was a market trader hoping to make money if the price of shares in the team fell.
Dortmund started the final day of the Bundesliga season level on points with fourth-placed Hoffenheim, knowing a victory against eighth-placed Bremen would seal third because of their superior goal difference.
They secured the three points - but it required an 89th-minute penalty from top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to defeat an away side that had led twice.
Aubameyang, who also scored a spectacular volley to put Dortmund 2-1 ahead, was crowned the Bundesliga's top scorer after taking his tally to 31 goals for the season.
Marco Reus also netted twice as Bremen, who scored through Zlatko Junuzovic, Fin Bartels and Max Kruse, missed out on European qualification.
Hoffenheim drew 0-0 against Augsburg and will go forward to the Champions League play-offs in order to gain entry to the group stage.
Hamburg are the only club to have never been relegated from the Bundesliga since the league was founded in 1963 - and they made sure that run continued with a dramatic 2-1 win against relegation rivals Wolfsburg.
Hamburg started the final day of the season fourth bottom, knowing they had to beat Wolfsburg - the team directly above them - to avoid a two-legged play-off against the side that finishes third in Bundesliga II.
Wolfsburg took the lead on a tense afternoon when Robin Knoche headed in after 23 minutes, before Filip Kostic fired in Hamburg's equaliser nine minutes later.
The home side knew they needed a winner to survive and it eventually arrived when substitute Luca Waldschmidt - on his 21st birthday - kept them up with his first goal of the season.
It sparked ecstatic scenes in the Volksparkstadion, with thousands of Hamburg fans pouring onto the pitch to celebrate at the final whistle.
Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 4, SV Werder Bremen 3.
Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 4, SV Werder Bremen 3.
Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fin Bartels (SV Werder Bremen).
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Sven Bender replaces Ousmane Dembélé.
Milos Veljkovic (SV Werder Bremen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Milos Veljkovic (SV Werder Bremen).
Attempt saved. Thomas Delaney (SV Werder Bremen) header from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Zlatko Junuzovic.
Foul by Marc Bartra (Borussia Dortmund).
Thomas Delaney (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal! Borussia Dortmund 4, SV Werder Bremen 3. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Philipp Bargfrede (SV Werder Bremen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Penalty Borussia Dortmund. Christian Pulisic draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Philipp Bargfrede (SV Werder Bremen) after a foul in the penalty area.
Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund).
Fin Bartels (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, SV Werder Bremen. Maximilian Eggestein replaces Lamine Sané because of an injury.
Foul by Sokratis (Borussia Dortmund).
Max Kruse (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left.
Foul by Marc Bartra (Borussia Dortmund).
Max Kruse (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) because of an injury.
Corner, SV Werder Bremen. Conceded by Marc Bartra.
Foul by Matthias Ginter (Borussia Dortmund).
Zlatko Junuzovic (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Borussia Dortmund. Conceded by Lamine Sané.
Corner, Borussia Dortmund. Conceded by Milos Veljkovic.
Attempt blocked. Matthias Ginter (Borussia Dortmund) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marco Reus with a cross.
Corner, Borussia Dortmund. Conceded by Felix Wiedwald.
Attempt saved. Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Christian Pulisic with a headed pass.
Attempt saved. Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal! Borussia Dortmund 3, SV Werder Bremen 3. Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Penalty Borussia Dortmund. Marco Reus draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Serge Gnabry (SV Werder Bremen) after a foul in the penalty area.
Substitution, SV Werder Bremen. Philipp Bargfrede replaces Florian Grillitsch.
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Gonzalo Castro replaces Nuri Sahin. | Defender Marc Bartra returned to action for the first time since being injured in the attack on Borussia Dortmund's team bus as his side gained entry to the Champions League group stage. |
17520756 | The council is pledging to support forces personnel once they leave military service.
Brigadier Nick Fitzgerald, Commander of 42 (North West) Brigade signed the covenant at Liverpool City Hall.
The ceremony was attended by council and military figures and ex Armed Forces Minister Peter Kilfoyle.
Merseyside is a major recruitment area for the armed forces and it is hoped the covenant will help with jobs and houses for demobbed staff as well as supporting serving personnel.
Brigadier Fitzgerald said: "It is an opportunity for the local community to find means and methods to help armed forces staff reintegrate back into society."
He said the covenant should also help provide opportunities for personnel to make contacts with local charities and service providers.
"Reintegrating back into your city and back into your community can be alienating, especially if you have spent 15 years serving overseas and local authorities, local charities and local communities can help with that transition," he added.
He said the armed forces have received good support from the people of Liverpool.
"You only have to see the support in Liverpool - I've attend welcome home parades for regiments serving overseas, HMS Liverpool returning from Libya - to see the empathy for their servicemen and women," he added.
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Frank Prendergast, said: "Liverpool has a proud tradition of supporting our armed forces, and I welcome the signing of this agreement."
He added: "It is vitally important we do all we can to show we value their important contribution to keeping us safe, and support them when they return home to the community."
Last weekend the Fourth Battalion of The Parachute Regiment received the freedom of the city. | Liverpool has become the latest UK city to draw up a Community Covenant to support ex-servicemen and women returning from war. |
35590298 | Prof Rafael Bengoa was speaking after a health summit in Belfast.
The panel put a set of principles to politicians who now have until 26 February to agree them.
If the politicians reach consensus they will underpin the work of the panel as they design a new model for health.
Health Minister Simon Hamilton described Wednesday's discussions as "very constructive".
The SDLP and the Ulster Unionists have questioned the timing of the summit, just months before an election.
Arlene Foster's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the four other main parties took part.
The DUP Health Minister Simon Hamilton announced the panel members in January.
The panel consists of two local doctors, two health service managers originally from Northern Ireland and two international experts.
It is chaired by Prof Rafael Bengoa, who is regarded as a worldwide expert on health reform and is also a former health minister for the Spanish Basque Country.
The panel was suggested by Sir Liam Donaldson in his 2015 report, which said there were too many hospitals in Northern Ireland and expertise was too thinly spread.
It highlighted duplication and called for a simpler, more efficient system. | The man leading the panel which will help reform health and social care in Northern Ireland has called on politicians to be brave and be prepared to make tough decisions. |
36011665 | Rubble and firecracker shells were scattered all over the ground. And shoes. Lots of them.
A pink flip-flop, one black sandal, a white sports shoe that's upside down - they were all lying not far from each other, all signs of the mad scramble that erupted as people tried to save themselves.
There was still a whiff of firecrackers in the air, and over parts of the ground, it was mixed with the smell of rotting flesh. It persists, even though all of the dead bodies have now been removed from the site.
Some say the tragedy would have been much worse if the fire had started earlier in the evening. A local politician told me the explosion occurred right at the end of the fireworks display.
All the eyewitnesses I spoke to said a burning firecracker landed on a concrete structure inside which the explosives were stored, and that's what sparked the blaze.
One of the injured, Pradeep Gopalan, described what followed as a "globe of fire".
He had travelled about 30km (20 miles) from his village to the temple to watch the festivities.
He tried to run but got trapped.
"Big pieces of concrete flew off the structure and one hit me on my back," he said. "I couldn't move. I just lay there."
Pradeep was rescued by the police, but many others weren't as fortunate.
"I saw severed limbs, and bodies lying in a pool of blood. Some of them were children," he said, clearly haunted by what he's witnessed, but grateful to be with his family as he recovers at the Kollam district hospital.
On a bed next to Pradeep, Chandra Haasan's son was being treated for a fracture in his leg. Mr Haasan says it was mainly because the concrete building collapsed that there have been so many casualties.
"We were half a kilometre away, and my son has still been injured. It was like an earthquake," he said.
"I went with many people from my village. Three of them died."
Throughout Sunday people had been coming to a help desk that was set up just outside the hospital building hoping to find their loved ones.
Most of the dead bodies had been handed over to the families, but a few are still to be identified.
Kollam's district hospital had a string of high-profile visitors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit was followed shortly by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's arrival.
Several political parties have organised food and other supplies for the injured and their families.
Some believe this is because elections are due in Kerala next month, others though say it's simply because this is perhaps the worst disaster the area has ever seen. | Outside the Puttingal temple there was an eerie silence one night after the fire tragedy. |
36920141 | Lee, 25, is three shots ahead of Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand.
England's Charley Hull, playing on her home course, is tied 11th on three under par while Scotland's Catriona Matthew is two under.
New Zealand's world number one Lydia Ko is two over, alongside England's four-time major winner Dame Laura Davies.
Lee, whose 62 also equalled the record for the lowest round at a Women's British Open, said: "Today was great, but it is only the first round."
Lee led this month's US Women's Open by three shots after the opening round, before fading to finish in a tie for 11th.
Hull told BBC Sport: "I was happy with my round. I was a bit nervous on the first tee obviously because it's my home golf course and it's a pretty easy shot so I'd have looked pretty silly if I'd screwed it up."
Media playback is not supported on this device
We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here. | South Korea's Mirim Lee leads the Women's British Open at the end of day one after shooting a course-record 10-under-par 62 at Woburn. |
29626965 | Data are incomplete, but suggest the suicide rate among Communist Party and government officials may be 30% above the rest of China's urban population.
Experts say this is due to the pressure of President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption battle.
Until the morning of 14 September, Dong Xuegang was not a suicide statistic but a 51-year-old middle-ranking official in the city of Yuncheng, Shanxi, with a wife and child, and a life as three-dimensional as any of us.
Then he jumped to his death from his 9th floor window.
The night before he had been interrogated by the Communist Party's corruption investigators, reportedly about allegations that he had received bribes from real estate developers and had paid his superior a bribe for a promotion.
Suddenly finding himself in the crosshairs of Xi Jinping's mission to rescue the Chinese Communist Party must have been a terrifying experience if it made Dong Xuegang feel he'd rather be dead.
Mr Xi has promised zero tolerance of corruption among party officials, warning that he is going after "both the tigers and the flies", villains from the top to the bottom of the system.
State media amplify the pressure with a daily drumroll of arrests, investigations, trials and sentences.
The Chinese Communist Party does not express regret for the collateral damage in human lives. Mr Xi has said this is a life and death battle for the survival of the party itself.
Sixty-five years ago, the Communist revolution was welcomed by many Chinese because they saw the Communist Party as less corrupt and more committed to social justice than the Nationalist government which went before.
Now China is one of the most unequal societies in the world and the party is widely reviled as a machine for the self-enrichment of those who control it.
In the two years since he came to power, Xi Jinping has embarked upon a personal mission to rebuild a Communist Party fit to rule in the 21st Century.
Shanxi province is often described as the frontline of China's anti-corruption campaign. The region has got rich on mining and real estate, and so have its party officials. Bribery is simply the way government business has been done here.
But now, from the provincial party secretary and the police chief down, Shanxi has seen a sensational string of arrests. Everyone lives in fear that they might be next.
"He panicked." That is the assessment of Gao Qinrong, the investigative journalist who broke the story of Dong Xuegang's suicide jump.
Mr Gao served eight years in jail after exposing the corruption of a local party chief, and he still gets death threats from powerful enemies.
But he says Mr Xi's anti-corruption campaign is working and Dong Xuegang's suicide is part of the proof.
"You'd think death would be a more frightening prospect, but these officials are terrified of losing their fortune and their reputation, and they're also worried that they may be made to inform on others."
"They just can't face living through all that. They prefer to end it all quickly," he said.
Gao Qinrong believes fear can make the party honest. We talked outside the high walls of the Shanxi prison where he served his time, armed guards observing us from watchtowers.
He told me there were now 60 Communist Party officials inside serving sentences for corruption.
He hopes the balance of power between whistle-blowers and party bosses has changed for good and that his own persecutors may be next in line.
"It was a very painful experience being in prison because I knew I was innocent. I even thought about killing myself, but I taught myself to stay strong," he said.
"I told myself I must hold on because I need to fight them to the end. I believe Xi Jinping's policy of zero tolerance for corruption can change things."
In Yuncheng city, I take a tour of the new China in the black chauffeur-driven limousine of a Shanxi real estate developer.
As we drive through a forest of high-rise construction projects, he tells me every single one of them has involved bribery of the officials who control land use and the law.
But now the anti-corruption campaign has thrown government into confusion. When everyone has been on the take, who's poacher and who's gamekeeper?
The only difference is scale. Some are more corrupt, some are less, but they are all corrupt.
And so are all the business people who have to deal with them. It's normal practise to give gifts. If you don't, your projects won't go through.
Changing the culture of the Chinese Communist Party is a herculean task. And there are critics who think Xi Jinping is going about it in the wrong way.
Some party insiders complain that the campaign is too tough, destroying incentives and damaging economic growth. Some suspect he is using corruption as a stick with which to beat his political enemies.
From outside the party, critics point out that Mr Xi talks about the rule of law but runs an investigative machine answerable only to himself.
What's more, his two years in power have seen the imprisonment of lawyers and journalists fighting for greater transparency.
But Professor Wang Yukai of China's Academy of Governance says the critics should suspend judgment because the survival of the Communist Party hangs in the balance and the president has the public behind him.
No one should doubt his resolution. He has tackled corruption from top to bottom, even targeting top leaders.
The corruption is deeply entrenched and without his campaign to remove it, the party will die. This campaign is a shockwave through the system.
As Beijing prepares for a vital policy meeting of the Communist Party leadership this week, battling corruption is still top of the agenda.
This is a ruling party which hasn't yet worked out how to function without its bribery fix. | To China and the world, Dong Xuegang is just a number. |
36906001 | New Zealand bowler Tahuhu, 25, has replaced Australia captain Meg Lanning, who has a shoulder injury.
Dattani, 22, comes in for Kirstie White after the wicket-keeper suffered an ankle problem.
Surrey play their opening match on Sunday against Southern Vipers at the Ageas Bowl. | Surrey Stars have added seam bowler Lea Tahuhu and all-rounder Naomi Dattani to their squad ahead of the inaugural Women's Super League competition. |
38565502 | Efforts to contest the results were "an attempt to subvert the express will" of the Gambian people, he said in a statement, Reuters news agency reports.
State television reported that Mr Bojang had been sacked.
The UN Security Council has called on President Jammeh to step down.
He initially accepted that opposition leader Adama Barrow won the election, but then reversed his decision, citing electoral "abnormalities".
"The Gambia has decided and we must accept and respect this decision," Mr Bojang said in his statement. He also spoke to Reuters by phone from neighbouring Senegal.
In October Sheriff Bojang made headlines when he announced The Gambia's intention to pull out of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He described it as "an International Caucasian Court for the persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans".
Mr Jammeh has ruled The Gambia since taking power in a coup in 1994. He has acquired a reputation as a ruthless leader.
A trio of West African leaders, including Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, will travel to the country on Wednesday in a second bid to convince him to accept the results.
The Gambia has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence from Britain in 1965 and regional grouping Ecowas has placed forces on standby in case Mr Jammeh does not step down.
Last week, the head of The Gambia's army gave his full backing to the president. | Gambian Information Minister Sheriff Bojang has resigned to protest against President Yahya Jammeh's refusal to accept defeat in last month's presidential election, reports say. |
38246104 | He also told flight controllers of an engine problem at 16:09 local time (11:09 GMT) on Wednesday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman Muhammad Azam Saigol told reporters.
All 47 people on the twin-propeller plane flying to Islamabad were killed.
An investigation is ongoing, but the carrier has insisted strict checks left "no room for any technical error".
"I want to make it clear that it was a perfectly sound aircraft," Mr Saigol said. "I think there was no technical error or human error."
A flight data recorder has been found, the airline said.
PIA had earlier put the number of people on board at 48, but on Thursday said 42 passengers and five crew had died in the crash.
Pakistani authorities have said the apparent engine issue will be a focus of inquiries.
Irfan Elahi, from Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority, told Dawn newspaper: "At the moment, there is no other reason for the plane crash other than the failure of the left engine."
The plane crashed in the Havelian area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, about 70km (43 miles) from Islamabad.
Police said the passengers' charred remains have been taken to a hospital for DNA identification.
Famous pop singer turned Islamic preacher Junaid Jamshed was on board, along with three foreigners - two Austrians and one Chinese citizen.
There was anger amongst relatives of the victims, gathering at the hospital to collect their loved ones' remains.
Ghulam Rasool Khan told the AP news agency: "It is a murder and I want to know who killed my brother."
Plane crashes are not uncommon in Pakistan, but the last major crash involving a PIA aircraft was in 2006, in which 44 people died.
Junaid Jamshed was one of the pioneers of Pakistan's pop scene that took off after the 1987 death of the country's conservative military dictator, Gen Ziaul Haq. Vital Signs, of which he was the lead singer, is still considered one of the best Pakistani bands of the era.
After the 11 September attacks in the US, he gradually moved away from music and closer to religious circles. Influenced by Tablighi Jamaat, a global Islamic missionary movement that encourages Muslims to be more religiously observant, he grew a long beard and switched permanently to the local kurta-shalwar dressing and a preacher's turban. In this new incarnation, he evolved into a singer of na'at, or devotional Islamic hymns praising God and the Prophet Mohammad, which are sung without musical instruments.
During this period, he started a fashion-design chain called J. (J-Dot) which created fusion clothing - traditional garments with a modern touch. The chain has branches in all the major Pakistani cities, as well as in the Middle East and UK. He had three wives, the youngest of whom was with him on the ill-fated flight.
Read the full profile. | The pilot of a flight that crashed in Pakistan made a mayday call just before losing contact, the airline said. |
34457987 | Patrick McLoughlin said ministers were examining work by manufacturers to reduce aircraft emissions and would also look at the economic impact of the decision.
The Airports Commission has recommended expanding Heathrow and not Gatwick.
Prime Minister David Cameron is due to announce a decision by the end of 2015.
Gatwick Airport's chief executive Stewart Wingate said: "Heathrow's poor air quality already breaches legal limits and it is difficult to see how expansion could legally go ahead."
He said an expanded Heathrow would generate millions of extra car journeys.
But a Heathrow spokesman said: "The government's Airports Commission confirmed a third runway at Heathrow can go ahead without breaching air quality legal limits, as long as we continue to implement our mitigation plans."
Heathrow has committed to having no extra airport-related road traffic after expansion by improving rail links, extending the London Low Emission Zone, and replacing local diesel buses with cleaner vehicles.
Sir Howard Davies, Airports Commission chairman, wrote to Mr McLoughlin last month and said appropriate measures could be taken to address air quality at an expanded Heathrow.
He claimed limited weight should be placed on the suggestion that the issue represented a significant obstacle.
Mr McLoughlin said ministers were looking at what companies such as Rolls Royce, who were at the leading edge of improving aircraft emissions, were doing.
He also said ministers had to make sure the UK overall was not put at an economic disadvantage. | Air quality will be a "major consideration" when a government decision is made on airport expansion, the transport secretary has said. |
40080679 | Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Ricky John Best were killed and Micah David-Cole Fletcher was severely injured in Portland, Oregon on Friday.
They all intervened after a man launched into a verbal tirade against the teens, one wearing a hijab.
The suspect, Jeremy Joseph Christian, was later arrested.
The 35-year-old is due to appear in court on Tuesday, charged with two counts of aggravated murder, attempted murder, intimidation and being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon.
The FBI said it was still unsure if Mr Christian - who allegedly said "all Muslims should die" during the attack - will face charges for hate crime.
Meanwhile, Mr Fletcher continues to recover after sustaining a knife wound to his neck that his mother said was "a millimetre" from his jugular vein.
He posted a picture from his hospital bed, alongside a poem on Saturday evening. One of the lines said: "I spat in the eye of hate and lived."
The three men have been hailed as "heroes" in their local community, not least by Destinee Mangum - the 16-year-old who was travelling with her friend, 17, when the attack took place.
"I just want to say thank you to the people who put their life on the line for me, because they didn't even know me and they lost their lives because of me and my friend and the way we look," she told local channel KPTV.
Close to 1,000 people gathered for a vigil in memory of Mr Namkai-Meche, 23, a recent college graduate, and 53-year-old army veteran Mr Best, a father-of-four, on Saturday evening.
There have also been numerous tributes online to the men.
Tributes have been paid to the men by the city's mayor, as well as Oregon governor Kate Brown and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who described their deaths as "heartbreaking".
"No one should have to endure this racist abuse," she wrote on Twitter. "No one should have to give their life to stop it."
US President Donald Trump has yet to mention the attack.
Veteran journalist Dan Rather wrote an open letter to Mr Trump, which has been shared more than 100,000 times on Facebook, imploring the president to speak out about their deaths.
Mr Rather said: "Two Americans have died leaving family and friends behind.
"They are mourned by millions more who are also deeply worried about what might come next. I hope you can find it worthy of your time to take notice." | More than $600,000 (£468,000) has been raised for the families of the three US men attacked while defending a Muslim teenager and her friend on a train. |
37993124 | It emerged last week that two state-backed Chinese firms had withdrawn from a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Scottish government.
The deal had come under intense scrutiny from opposition parties.
But international business experts told Holyrood's Economy Committee that it would not have a long-term impact.
The MoU had been signed in March by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as well as SinoFortone and China Railway No3 Engineering Group (CR3).
But opposition parties accused the government of secrecy over the agreement, which only became public knowledge when it was revealed by newspapers.
It also emerged CR3's parent firm has been singled out by Amnesty International for apparent human-rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo and faced allegations of "gross corruption" by the Norwegian Oil Fund.
Giving evidence to the committee on the impact of Chinese withdrawal, Neil Francis, international operations director at Scottish Development International, said: "I think it's really important that we don't let it have a long-term impact on relationships.
"Everything is based on having a consistent, long-term approach to that particular market and to show due respect to the time it takes to build those relationships.
"It is a vast, vast, vast country and there are a huge number of opportunities, and we just have to take our time to ensure that everything we do reinforces the kind of perspective that we are open for business, that we value doing trade and investment with our counterparts in China.
"We will not let it have a detrimental impact."
James Brodie, manager and Scotland and China business adviser at the ChinaBritain Business Council, added: "I would just make one point in emphasising the vastness of China and the difficulty to make any kind of a splash, either positive or negative, in the Chinese media.
"So, I would reassure you that I don't suspect that the impact upon the wider investment community will be of any significance".
Ms Sturgeon has said her government will continue to try to attract investment from China despite the collapse of the MoU, and has blamed opposition politicians for creating a "political climate in which these partners felt they couldn't proceed".
The first minister opened the new Edinburgh offices of Chinese power company Red Rock Power Limited, a subsidiary of State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC), on Tuesday.
The Scottish government said the state-owned investment holdings company plans to invest further in renewable developments in Scotland, building on its existing offshore wind projects.
Ms Sturgeon said: "SDIC's presence here is a vote of confidence in our renewables sector and we are committed to working closely with SDIC to support their investments in Scotland.
"We also want to identify opportunities for Scottish supply chain companies in the Chinese market and are keen to work with SDIC to stimulate more investment into Scotland."
She met with Wang Huisheng, chairman of the SDIC board, who said: "We are looking forward to participating in more areas of Scottish economic development and contributing more to the prosperity of Scotland." | Chinese companies are unlikely to be deterred from investing in Scotland despite the collapse of a possible £10bn deal, MSPs have heard. |
39118023 | The club claimed Suffolk Police "unlawfully" charged for keeping order on the streets around the ground.
But the High Court said police were entitled to recover costs for officers in Portman Road and Sir Alf Ramsey Way.
The High Court has now found that officers charged for policing too large an area.
Mr Justice Green ruled that the club was entitled to the return of any money it overpaid.
He found that the club should only pay for policing in the streets which were home to 40 turnstiles for the club's ground and subject to a traffic control order on match days.
The force had "no lawful power" to demand payment for carrying out policing in the wider area and the club had paid up under "a mistake of law".
Suffolk Police had "no defences available" to the club's claim to be put back in the position it would have been in had the mistaken payments never been made, said Mr Justice Green.
He said the club's payout would be calculated on the basis that the sums it paid for policing "constituted fair market prices".
The judge said he hoped the club and the force would now reach a final settlement of the dispute in the light of his rulings.
However, if the amount due to the club cannot be agreed, the case will return to court for another hearing. | Ipswich Town Football Club has won the latest round in a battle over the cost of policing matches. |
37344594 | Lancashire were reduced to 6-4 and 32-5 before recovering to 102-5, still 225 behind, when rain and bad light ended play 28 overs early at Old Trafford.
Middlesex earlier lost seven wickets for 65 runs to be bowled out for 327.
If Middlesex win and Somerset beat Yorkshire at Headingley, Middlesex will need four points from their final game against Yorkshire to become champions.
Whereas the visiting batsmen benefited from some loose Lancashire bowling on the first day, the Middlesex attack made perfect use of the new ball and the movement offered from the surface to rip through the home top order.
Toby Roland-Jones, constantly asking questions with a full length, had England prospect Haseeb Hameed caught at second slip without scoring, before Tim Murtagh induced an edge to gully from Luke Procter.
Roland-Jones then had Alviro Petersen held down the leg side, despite the batsman's protests, and yorked Steven Croft two balls later to leave the hosts in disarray at 6-4.
Jos Buttler briefly sparkled, but when he was brilliantly caught down the leg side by John Simpson to give Roland-Jones a fourth wicket, Lancashire were 32-5.
It was left to Rob Jones, in only his third first-class match, and Liam Livingstone to rebuild in an unbroken stand of 70, occasionally aided by light only good enough for Middlesex to bowl their spinners.
When the weather intervened for the final time, Jones, solid in defence, was unbeaten on 42 and Livingstone 31 not out.
The collapse came after an improved bowling display by Lancashire, with Kyle Jarvis and Tom Bailey making inroads with the second new ball and spinner Simon Kerrigan running through the lower order.
Overnight pair Dawid Malan (53) and Stevie Eskinazi were bowled by Bailey and Jarvis respectively before Bailey had Simpson caught at second slip.
Kerrigan, who struggled on the first day, showed a greater consistency of length to find turn and some uneven bounce, removing Ollie Rayner, Roland-Jones and Steven Finn in figures of 4-80. | County Championship leaders Middlesex dominated Lancashire on day two to move closer to a first title since 1993. |
35055158 | Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live on the theme of forgiveness, he said he did not think there was a "moment of forgiveness" for the banks.
He said: "This was the biggest financial crisis since the 30s and I don't think there's a moment of forgiveness.
"It's just not that straightforward."
He added: "It's a matter of rebuilding trust and you do not rebuild trust in a matter of one year or two years. It takes a long time.
"The banking fraternity, and all of the people in it, are having to work very hard to rebuild trust, because that trust was really broken for many customers."
RBS was briefly one of the world's biggest banks by assets, after expanding with takeovers and aggressive lending in the lead-up to the financial crisis.
The bank was bailed out by the government and is still 73% state owned. It has more than halved its assets to £945bn from £2.2 trillion while also cutting its staff globally from almost 200,000 to just under 110,000.
Mr McEwan took up the role of chief executive two years ago and has waived his right to a £1m "allowance" on top of his salary.
On the subject of bonuses, he said: "If we just say to ourselves, let's pay no bonuses, I lose really good people that are creating value for this business. I think it's a very short-term, short-sighted approach.
"So I have to be pragmatic. I know the public don't like that. But unfortunately I've got to be paying reasonable amounts of money for people to run up every day to do the jobs that I want them to do."
Ratings agency Moody's last month included RBS in a list of banks still at high risk from multi-billion-dollar litigation from misdeeds in the run-up to the financial crisis.
Mr McEwant said: "My work with this, my senior team now, is to get this bank back to being a much simpler bank, a much safer bank, so that we don't go broke again and purely focused on customers' needs not our own, because that's where it went wrong. We focussed on our own needs not customers'.
"We're doing everything we can to make this a safe bank and I think we're making really good progress. People should be pleased with what's happening, but we're nowhere near the finish of it." | Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chief executive Ross McEwan has told the BBC that rebuilding trust in the banking fraternity will take "a long time". |
21401141 | Ex-Newcastle, Tottenham and England star Gascoigne, 45, was transferred to hospital after suffering a bad reaction while being treated for alcohol addiction in Arizona.
But his long-term psychotherapist Dr John McKeown played down any fears.
"The hospital has reassured me that he is up and about walking," he said.
Dr McKeown, who has worked with Gascoigne for more than 10 years, added: "Paul has experienced severe complications with his detoxification.
"This is not unusual for someone who has been drinking as heavily as he has.
"Paul was transferred from the US Clinic Cottonwood to a local hospital to be monitored so as to be completely satisfied that there are no other complications to his health.
"There are no fears for his life. We will aim to keep everyone concerned updated on a regular basis."
Gascoigne's former captain at Spurs, Gary Mabbutt, told BBC Sport that he could be discharged in "the next day or two".
"He was put in intensive care where they monitored him," said Mabbutt. "But it wasn't a life-threatening situation and he's now in recovery. He will hopefully be leaving hospital in the next day or two and returning to the clinic to carry on the treatment to his problems."
Paul Spanjar, treatment director at the Providence Project rehab facility in Bournemouth where Gascoigne has been treated previously, says that there is a "slight overreaction" to the news that the former player was placed in intensive care.
"I wouldn't have seen it as a breakdown in his recovery and in fact sometimes this process is quite normal in the early stages of detox from alcohol," Spanjar told BBC Radio 5 live.
"I was with Paul on the Monday that he flew to Arizona and his health was very poor. He was physically dependant on alcohol and the detox procedure can be quite complex.
"Everybody can experience different withdrawal symptoms but hallucinations, shaking, sweating, insomnia, anxiety, paranoia, an inability to process any food - it heightens these sort of sensitivities.
"Paul has a very severe dependency and will have been experiencing lots of these types of symptoms."
Spanjar added that Gascoigne's recovery process had only just begun.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"It's very early days, " he said. "I think it's important to say that rehab is not actually the cure or the answer but the first step to recovery.
"Paul's journey is only just beginning and it certainly won't be finished when he completes treatment.
"His rehab journey will consist of various therapies essentially addressing both his alcoholism and the underlying attached issues that cause him to do some of the things he does, dealing with some of the resulting consequences and putting a really clear relapse prevention plan in place to help him cope upon his exit from treatment."
Spanjar explained why he felt it necessary for Gascoigne to fly to the United States.
He said: "The decision to go abroad was very much based upon some of the media frenzy in the UK.
"It would have been very difficult for Paul to continue with his treatment over here because of the lack of privacy."
Gascoigne's trip was funded by some of his celebrity friends, including former cricketer Ronnie Irani and broadcaster Chris Evans.
Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, who played alongside Gascoigne and Mabbutt at Tottenham, said on Twitter: "Gazza is struggling, Let's hope he can hang on in there. Others have generously offered help. #GetwellGazza" | Paul Gascoigne's therapist says there are no fears for the former England player's life after he was placed in intensive care in the United States. |
36762831 | A reporter in the capital, Juba, told the BBC gunfire and large explosions could be heard all over the city. He said heavy artillery was being used.
More than 200 people are reported to have died in clashes since Friday.
The latest violence came hours after the UN Security Council called on the warring factions to immediately stop the fighting.
Latest fighting updates
'We want peace - and ice cream'
Five obstacles to peace
In a unanimous statement, the council condemned the violence "in the strongest terms" and expressed "particular shock and outrage" at attacks on UN sites. It also called for additional peacekeepers to be sent to South Sudan.
Residents of Juba have told the BBC they are staying indoors amid the sound of gunfire from the streets.
"Soldiers are now looting some property," charity worker Ladu David Morris said. "They pretend to be patrolling but once they notice that no people are inside they break in."
The peace deal signed last August brought the two rival military forces together in the capital Juba. Even at the time this looked risky.
Perhaps if political progress had been made since Riek Machar returned to Juba in April, tensions between the forces could have been smoothed over, but the implementation of the peace agreement stalled. Each side clearly regarded the other as an existential threat.
Riek Machar seems to be in a weaker position right now: he has 1,300 soldiers, and some police, but no air power, tanks or heavy weapons - unlike his rival. There must also be questions about how much ammunition Mr Machar's troops have.
Another key question: to what extent are Salva Kiir and Riek Machar in command? Both called for calm on Friday, but the fighting still continued. And will the fighting spread beyond the capital? The longer this lasts, and the further it spreads, the harder it will be to stop it.
Chinese media say two Chinese UN peacekeepers have now died in Juba. Several other peacekeepers have been injured, as well as a number of civilians who have been caught in crossfire.
The latest round of violence erupted when troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and first Vice-President Riek Machar began shooting at each other in the streets of Juba.
On Monday, there were reports of tanks on the streets of Juba and clashes close to the airport and UN camps sheltering civilians. The US embassy warned of "serious fighting" taking place.
A BBC correspondent in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, said it was not clear if Mr Kiir and Mr Machar remained in control of their forces.
On Monday afternoon, soldiers loyal to Mr Kiir were ordered back to barracks, a spokesman for the force told the BBC. However, he did not comment on whether this meant the fighting was over.
It seems a disagreement at a checkpoint between rival soldiers led to a shootout on Thursday night in which five soldiers died. This quickly escalated into serious fighting from Friday onwards. Tensions have been high since April, when Mr Machar returned to Juba under a peace deal following a two-year civil war. He took a 1,300-strong protection force with him and they were supposed to start joint patrols with forces loyal to President Kiir. But a lack of trust between the two sides means the patrols have not begun.
There are concerns that what we are seeing is a repeat of what happened in December 2013. The two-year civil war started then after clashes between rival soldiers in Juba and degenerated into nationwide conflict in which tens of thousands died. The war was fought broadly between South Sudan's biggest ethnic groups - the Dinka, led by Mr Kiir, and the Nuer, under Mr Machar. At present, Mr Kiir and Mr Machar are calling for calm.
The international community played a major role in the creation of South Sudan and has tried to exercise some influence since independence in 2011. The UN and US have called for an immediate end to fighting, a call echoed by the East African regional group which brokered the recent peace deal.
A UN spokeswoman in Juba, Shantal Persaud, said fighting over the past few days had caused hundreds of internally displaced people to take refuge in UN premises.
She said both South Sudanese leaders were responsible for implementing last year's peace agreement, which included a permanent ceasefire and the deployment of forces away from Juba.
Information Minister Michael Makuei told the BBC that the situation in the city was "under full control" and civilians who had fled should return to their homes.
Mr Machar's military spokesman, Col William Gatjiath, accused officials loyal to the president of lying, and said there had been at least 10 hours of clashes on Sunday.
"The situation in South Sudan is uncontrollable because Salva Kiir and his followers are not ready to follow the peace agreement," he said.
The chairman of Igad, the East African regional bloc that has overseen peace talks in South Sudan, warned on Monday that the situation risked exposing millions of civilians "to senseless violence and the whole country to interminable chaos".
In a statement on Sunday, the US state department said it strongly condemned the latest outbreak of fighting in Juba.
Spokesman John Kirby said Washington had ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel from the US embassy in Juba. | Renewed fighting has broken out in South Sudan between forces loyal to the president and vice-president. |
37546852 | The 19th Century property in Terrington St Clement, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, previously served as a military club during the two World Wars.
Its current owner, and avid skateboarder, Rob Marsden, 41, said the skate ramps "just took over the room".
The three-bedroom property is for sale with a guide price of £200,000.
For more stories about quirky homes follow BBC England's Pinterest board
Estate agent Kate Mamo, from Attik Property Services, said: "We're getting interest from all over the world, and 80% of that is from people who want to keep it as it is which is great.
"It's great for Rob as he has built it with a lot of love."
Mr Marsden, who restores Range Rovers, bought the property 13 years ago.
It took him six months to build the 8m (26ft) by 12m (39ft) wooden skate bowl.
"I do a lot of wakeboarding and snowboarding so I built myself a ramp," he said.
"I then built a bigger one and a bigger one - before I knew it, it just took over the room.
"It's good fun. I have bowl nights every Wednesday night with my friends."
He said he had decided to sell up to move somewhere where he could accommodate both himself and his business.
"I'll miss my bowl nights but I have no intention of hanging up my board just yet," he said. | A house with an unusual feature - an indoor skate park in its main hall - has generated worldwide interest since being put up for sale. |
40070374 | Ridden by Ryan Moore, Churchill eased to the front with more than a furlong to go to win ahead of runner-up Thunder Show with Irishcorrespondent in third.
Galileo colt Churchill, the 4-9 favourite, may now go for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
"He wasn't enjoying the ground so I tried to help him along," said Moore.
"But when I asked him he was there. I have always rated him."
Churchill becomes the ninth horse to complete the Newmarket/Curragh 2,000 Guineas double.
His Ballydoyle stable companions Lancaster Bomber and Spirit Of Valor gave him a nice lead into the race and while Godolphin's Thunder Snow did his best to make a race of it, Churchill ultimately saw him off by two and a half lengths under Ryan Moore in the rain-softened ground.
"He is very exciting and hopefully go for the St James's Palace Stakes," said O'Brien who now has a remarkable 70 victories in European classics.
"He would have no problem stepping up to 10 furlongs later in the year. He is so versatile and relaxed." | The Aidan O'Brien-trained Churchill completed the 2,000 Guineas double by adding the Irish version to his success three weeks ago at Newmarket. |
34529949 | The survey of 2,033 drivers of these cars by Which? found that 90% of them considered fuel efficiency to be a key factor when buying their car.
Some 90% also thought that environmental impact was important.
VW is reeling from a scandal which saw 1.2 million UK motors, and 11 million globally, fitted with a defeat device.
In the US, this was used to cheat emissions testing.
Letters are being sent to affected drivers in the UK, but this regards potential alterations to the vehicle rather than compensation promises or apologies.
When asked about the potential for compensating customers over lost value to their vehicles, Paul Willis, managing director for Volkswagen's UK operation, told MPs: "I think it is premature to think about that."
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: "Many VW owners tell us they decided to buy their car based on its efficiency and low environmental impact, so it's outrageous that VW are not being clear with their customers about how and when they will be compensated." | Nine out of 10 VW diesel owners feel they should receive compensation over the emissions scandal, a consumer group survey suggests. |
32316865 | The Beijing-based firm did not disclose the amount of the acquisition, but did say that it received $80m (£54m) in funding from smartphone maker Xiaomi and investment firm Sequoia Capital.
Ninebot also makes two-wheeled electric vehicles, designed for standing riders, that resemble Segways.
Segway had sought an import ban against Ninebot in the US in September.
The Chinese company was one of several that Segway had accused of infringing on its patents.
In a statement, the companies said that both brands would continue to operate under their existing names.
"It [the acquisition] creates a development opportunity for the short-distance transportation industry, which the combined company will lead by widely applying a series of technologies, such as electric driving, mobile internet and human-computer interaction on future products," said Ninebot chief executive Lufeng Gao.
Segway was founded by Dean Kamen in 2001 with much fanfare, but struggled to become profitable.
It was bought by Summit Strategic Investments for an undisclosed amount in 2013. | Chinese vehicle maker Ninebot has bought iconic US rival Segway, the company announced on Wednesday. |
21766971 | The prince said many of the children had been "traumatised by the horrors of what they've witnessed".
He also praised the "extraordinary generosity" of the Jordanian people and called for greater assistance.
The prince and the Duchess of Cornwall were visiting the King Abdullah camp, which is home to 1,500 Syrians who have fled the two-year conflict.
More than a million Syrians have now been registered by the UN as refugees in countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.
In pictures: Charles at refugee camp
Prince Charles and the duchess, who are on a three-day tour of the Middle East, were greeted by UN staff at the camp.
The couple visited a craft skills training centre for women and children, and went to a nursery where 20 children sang songs to them.
The prince said some of the children had lost parents and suffered "horrendous experiences". He praised the work of the "wonderful" NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and the generosity of the "truly remarkable Jordanian people".
"They've managed to cope with and deal with all these hundreds of thousands of refugees and it's very nearly the second anniversary," he said.
"The generosity is extraordinary but it's putting more and more strain on food and hospitals so clearly the Jordanians need more assistance and help to be able to cope with this immense challenge."
The Duchess of Cornwall echoed her husband's sentiments, and said she found the experience "very humbling".
"Seeing all these children, some of them have lost their parents and been adopted by others, I feel it is quite heartbreaking," she said.
This is the couple's second full day in Jordan. Their next stop after the camp was the historic Roman city of Jerash.
The couple are travelling to Qatar followed by Saudi Arabia and Oman.
The King Abdullah camp, near Jordan's northern border with Syria, is one of the smaller camps in the country. It is run by the UN, Unicef and Save the Children.
The BBC's Wyre Davis, who is at the camp, said thousands of people were crossing the border into Jordan every night and half of them were thought to be children.
Extended families are crowded into one portable home but at least they have access to education and food in Jordan, he said.
The royal couple's visit comes as Save the Children warns that some two million children are in need of help in Syria.
Their report says increasing numbers are being recruited as guards, informers, fighters and, in some cases, human shields, for both sides involved in the conflict.
Save the Children's chief executive, Justin Forsyth, said the royal couple's visit would help publicise the plight of the refugees.
"There are still two million children inside Syria. If action is not taken soon to bring this conflict to an end, the physical and mental harm done to them could irreparably damage a generation of children," he said.
Earlier this month, Jordan's King Abdullah called on world nations to help his country, Turkey and Lebanon to shoulder "the tremendous burden" of caring for the huge influx of people.
The conflict in Syria began almost two years ago with demonstrations against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The protests quickly turned violent as opponents of Mr Assad took up arms to try to resist a brutal crackdown by the authorities.
The conflict has left more than 70,000 people dead and two million internally displaced, of a pre-conflict population of 20.7 million. | The Prince of Wales says the plight of Syrian refugees is "heartbreaking", while on a tour of a camp in Jordan. |
38512939 | World number 68 Melzer produced a gutsy display, saving eight first-set points before eventually succumbing to the world number one in the tie-break.
The Austrian broke as Murray served for the match at 5-4 but the Scot won the next two games and will next play world number 44 Nicolas Almagro of Spain.
Murray extended his career-best winning streak in competitive matches to 26.
He paid tribute to Melzer, saying: "He played great tennis and dominated large parts of the match. If he plays like this again this year he'll move higher and higher up the rankings.
"I played pretty good. The depth in men's tennis is great right now."
Earlier, world number two Novak Djokovic defeated Horacio Zeballos 6-3 6-4.
After shaking hands at the end of the contest the Argentine asked for a selfie with the Serb 12-time Grand Slam champion.
"That was the first time that I ever had this kind of experience in my career,'' Djokovic said. "So, Horacio, well done. Very original."
Meanwhile, Roger Federer was defeated by German teenager Alexander Zverev at the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth.
The Swiss 17-time Grand Slam winner lost 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4) in two hours and 30 minutes in a match of high quality.
The tournament in Australia is the 35-year-old's first after a six-month knee injury lay-off. | Sir Andy Murray reached the Qatar Open quarter-finals with a battling 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 win over Austrian Gerald Melzer. |
33676556 | The 29-year-old joins the Potters on a free transfer after ending his four-and-a-half-year stay at the Nou Camp.
He made just nine starts for the Catalans, spending last season on loan at Greek side Olympiakos following a previous temporary stay at Schalke.
The 50-times capped Afellay has become Stoke's eighth summer signing.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes has also confirmed that the club remain interested in Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmalenko, for whom they are reported to have made a £13m bid, having sold Steven N'Zonzi and Asmir Begovic for a combined £15m.
"We've expressed an interest, but we're not the only club," Hughes told BBC Radio Stoke. "I'm not sure how it's progressing. We're in the market for good players but we also understand that there are other clubs who covet players at that level.
"We are encouraged by the conversations we're having but we also know we have just got to be patient. If it can be done, then the club will try to make it happen."
Barcelona, for whom Potters manager Mark Hughes played in the 1980s, already had two ex-players, Bojan Krkic and Marc Muniesa, at Stoke.
And, having already signed ex-Barca winger Moha El Ouriachi earlier this summer, Afellay's arrival brings that number up to four.
Stoke secured ninth place for the second successive season in 2014-15, recording their best Premier League points total.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Netherlands winger Ibrahim Afellay has signed for Stoke City - the fourth former Barcelona player to join the club. |
37230926 | Lancashire Police Federation's chairwoman Rachel Baines said the closure of the base at Warton presents "a real concern around public safety".
It is one of eight National Police Air Service (NPAS) bases that will shut by April 2017 due to a 14% budget cut.
NPAS said the 15 remaining 24-hour bases will "protect" communities.
Sites in Barton, Greater Manchester, and Hawarden, Cheshire, will provide police air cover on the Fylde coast.
Ms Baines said helicopters will need to come "from much, much further afield", adding "we will not see anywhere near the same level of service."
"I personally think it's going to be devastating to the communities from Blackpool and North Blackpool.
"In terms of response times, pursuits, missing people, vulnerable people - the sort of thing the helicopter is really good at, we're just not going to have that resource available to us."
Campaigners claim NPAS is "winding down" the Warton base and reducing it to a fuelling station in advance of the April closure.
On Facebook, Save the Lancashire Police Helicopter Base has questioned how response times will be maintained, saying "the North of the country is struggling now".
NPAS said it will continue to run its usual 12-hour service at the site with two full crews until April.
Two officers have been redeployed to Barton.
NPAS is "normally" able to reach 92% of the population of England and Wales within 20 minutes and this will not change with the reduction to 15 bases, a spokeswoman said.
The figure for a 30-minute response time will drop from 98% to 97%, she said.
Ch Supt Tyron Joyce said NPAS has used "extensive modelling", including factors such as demand and population density, to "determine the optimum sites" in order to "provide a truly borderless service".
NPAS has already closed five bases - Rhuddlan, Halfpenny Green, Pembrey, Ripley and Sheffield.
In addition to Warton, Durham Tees Valley and Wattisham will shut by April 2017.
Bases at Husbands Bosworth and Lippitts Hill, which had been marked for closure, will now remain open.
Four helicopters may be cut from the 23 in service but a new base in Doncaster is planned with four new aeroplanes. | The closure of a police helicopter base in Lancashire will be "devastating" for communities, the force's federation has said. |
37212721 | It comes after community group Energise Galashiels claimed the move would have "significant advantages".
Scottish Borders Council had initially selected the Tweedbank terminus of the Borders Railway but an alternative site in Galashiels has since emerged.
Mr Kerr, an SNP MP, said the newer option could have a greater impact.
"It's clear that the presence of such a remarkable attraction in the heart of Galashiels could be transformative for the town centre, which is still struggling to recover from long term economic challenges in the retail sector," he said.
"Although the greenfield site at Tweedbank may appear to be the more straight-forward option, I don't think it offers comparable economic benefits.
"On the other hand, a site in the heart of Galashiels could kick off a new phase of town centre regeneration."
The MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk has written to Scotland's Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, to express his support for the move.
Energise Galashiels said it could provide a "major boost" for the town but also offer "greater benefits" to the region as a whole.
It said the potential visitor market on both sites was exactly the same.
The group said Galashiels had a wide choice of retail offerings and was the "prime hub" for transport in the region.
It added that putting the tapestry in the town would help its overall commercial viability.
"In the absence of a major intervention, it is doubtful that 'retail trading' will ever resolve the current level of vacancies," it said.
"Having the Great Tapestry of Scotland's home in Galashiels town centre will be an investment which will provide a massive boost to the existing efforts being made to regenerate the 'old town centre'."
The organisation said there were already a number of other projects ongoing in the town which could also boost visitor numbers to the tapestry.
"Energise Galashiels believe that securing the Great Tapestry of Scotland in a town centre location will act as a catalyst for other projects and initiatives which offer the opportunity of transforming Galashiels and regenerating an area that is key to the overall prosperity of the town," it added.
Scottish Borders Council is currently assessing the Galashiels option ahead of deciding whether to proceed with Tweedbank or change the location.
A spokesman said: "The Great Tapestry of Scotland project will now be considered by councillors on Thursday 29 September.
"This is to allow time for all elected members to be fully consulted before they make a decision on the future of this important project.
"Work will continue over the coming weeks, with very good progress having been made on both options for the Great Tapestry of Scotland." | Borders MP Calum Kerr has given his backing to Galashiels as the best place for a permanent home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland. |
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