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36239223 | The 27-year-old won all her bouts by ippon on her way to beating Croatia's Marijana Hasanbegovic in the final.
Israeli-born Schlesinger, who last won a Grand Slam title in 2012, gained 500 qualifying points for this summer's Olympics in Rio de Janiero.
On Friday, Britain's Nekoda Davis (-57kg) and Ashley McKenzie (-60kg) took silver and bronze respectively.
Speaking about Schelsinger, elite performance coach Kate Howey said: "After a disappointing Europeans she came back in style. This should put her in a seeding place for the Olympics."
The final day of the Baku Grand Slam on Monday will see Britons Gemma Gibbons (-78kg), Natalie Powell (-78kg) and Ben Fletcher (-100kg) going for gold. | British judoka Alice Schlesinger took gold in the -63kg class at the Baku Grand Slam in Azerbaijan on Saturday. |
38467968 | A selection of your pictures of Scotland sent in between 23 and 30 December. Send your photos to [email protected] or our Instagram at #bbcscotlandpics. | All pictures are copyrighted. |
38501946 | Russians are banned from competing by the IAAF because of widespread state-sponsored doping in their country.
Now it has issued guidelines to Russian athletes, spelling out what they need to do before they can compete again.
A recent report said more than 1,000 Russians, including Olympic medallists, benefited from a doping programme.
"Russian athletes have been let down by a system that should have protected them," said Lord Coe, chairman of the International Association of Athletics Federations.
The IAAF banned Russian athletes from competition in 2015 in response to allegations of state-sponsored doping. Before last summer's Olympic Games in Rio, the governing body outlined "strict criteria" any Russian athletes must meet if they wanted to take part in the Games.
Only one athlete was able to meet the criteria - US-based long-jumper Darya Klishina, who entered as a neutral.
Those guidelines have now been updated and sent to Russia's athletics federation. They say Russian athletes wanting to compete need to prove they have never been implicated "by their national federation's failure to put in place adequate systems to protect and promote clean athletes".
It also points out any athletes cleared to compete will only be allowed to take part under a neutral flag.
The updated criteria also asks Russian athletes to show:
The IAAF said applications would be reviewed by its Doping Review Board (DRB), who will decide whether applicants will be granted neutral athlete status.
Last month, the IAAF decided to extend Russia's ban - which was first announced in November 2015 - meaning the country will miss March's European Indoors in Belgrade, Serbia.
Since then the second part of a report for Wada by lawyer Richard McLaren has been published, stating that more than 1,000 Russians across 30 sports benefited from a state-sponsored doping programme between 2011 and 2015. | Russian athletes must prove they are clean before they can return to international competition, athletics' governing body has warned. |
35559410 | The 41-year-old came forward after a South Wales Police appeal over five "suspicious incidents" in Pontprennnau and Pentwyn, Cardiff, since 26 January.
He said he offered the mother and son a lift in bad weather near Pontprennau Primary School on 8 February.
Officers said they were satisfied his intentions were "genuine".
Insp Paul Arkontopoulos said: "As a result of the publicity, a local man has contacted us and confirmed he offered the lady and her child a lift due to the bad weather conditions."
The force said it was continuing to investigate other reported incidents in the area and patrolling near schools to reassure the public. | A Range Rover driver who offered a woman and child a lift outside a school has apologised for causing concern after police issued a warning. |
32037169 | The bank said about 1,000 jobs will be transferred from the UK capital as part of the move, starting in mid-2017.
Antonio Simoes, of HSBC, described Birmingham as a "growing city" with the "expertise and infrastructure" to support the bank.
Birmingham City Council and Marketing Birmingham both support the move.
The bank is in "advanced negotiations" for a 250-year lease on a new office at Arena Central in the city centre enterprise zone, the city council said.
Arena Central will be built on a 1.5m sq ft (139,366 sq m) site occupied by the Alpha Tower and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The council said development of the site is expected to start in June.
Forget about the so called "Northern Powerhouse", more and more companies considering expansion outside the London and southeast are looking seriously at Birmingham.
For years, the second city has been punching below its weight, but now it appears to be attracting some major companies.
Already Deutsche Bank has chosen Birmingham for its recent expansion in trading operations and HS2 Ltd has sited its construction HQ here.
Arena Central is just one of a series of planned developments in the city.
Others, including Paradise Circus and the redevelopment of Snow Hill, should attract even more high-profile companies.
Birmingham was chosen following a review of "a number of possible head office locations," the bank said.
HSBC said it has consulted with the unions and is committed to "supporting employees throughout this process".
The first branch of the Birmingham and Midland Bank opened in the city in 1836. The bank was acquired by HSBC in 1992. | The headquarters of the personal and business arm of HSBC bank will relocate from London to Birmingham, it has been announced. |
39387805 | Hatton accidentally nudged his ball on the green and did not replace it.
He had narrowly missed his birdie chance on the first extra hole and went to tap in, but the ball moved slightly forward when he placed his putter down.
Under a local rule, such accidental movement is no longer a penalty provided the player replaces his ball.
Compatriots Paul Casey and Ross Fisher fared better, and are both through to the last 16.
Full results
Hatton's defeat by Rafa Cabrera-Bello in the final round of group matches meant the pair went into a play-off with Charles Howell to determine who would advance to the last 16 at Austin Country Club, Texas.
Cabrera-Bello and Howell resumed the play-off without him. Howell went on to secure victory at the fifth extra hole and set up a clash with Spain's Jon Rahm.
"I'm only human, I'm going to make mistakes as I've done today," said Hatton, who secured his first victory on the European Tour at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in October 2016.
Rules official Steve Carmen told the Golf Channel: "What happened was he placed his putter behind the ball and caused the ball to move and then he putted from the new position.
"We have a local rule in effect that if it's an accidental movement on the putting green you can replace the ball but he didn't replace the ball so he's played from the wrong place, and there's a two-shot penalty."
There were no such problems for five-time major winner Phil Mickelson as the American remains on course for his first win since the 2013 Open by beating Ryder Cup team-mate JB Holmes 6&5.
Mickelson will face Marc Leishman in the last 16 after the Australian, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, came out on top in a three-man play-off in group three.
Leishman, England's Lee Westwood and America's Pat Perez all finished with a 2-1 record after Westwood's victory over Perez, with Leishman then making a birdie on the second extra hole to advance.
Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen had already booked his place in the last 16 and will face William McGirt for a quarter-final berth after the American defeated England's Andy Sullivan to maintain his 100 per cent record.
Kevin Na defeated England's Matt Fitzpatrick with a birdie on the first extra hole to set up a meeting with Bill Haas.
Two-time major winner Jordan Spieth joined Rory McIlroy in making an early exit after Japan's Hideto Tanihara defeated compatriot Yuta Ikeda to finish top of group five, with Paul Casey next in line for Tanihara.
World number one Dustin Johnson, who is seeking a third straight tournament victory and a clean sweep of WGC events, defeated US PGA champion Jimmy Walker 5&3 to win group one.
And England's Ross Fisher edged past former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off to set up a last-16 clash with two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson. | England's Tyrrell Hatton was knocked out of the World Golf Championship Match Play after incurring a two-stroke penalty in his three-man play-off. |
36269711 | Arlene Foster made the announcement for IT firm Parity Solutions in 2010, when she was minister at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Invest NI had pledged £630,000 in support, but it was never paid as the company rethought its plans.
At the time, the firm employed 63 people and aimed to hire up to 94 more.
It intended creating a "Microsoft centre of excellence", which Ms Foster said would "contribute almost £3m in salaries to the economy".
But six years later, just under 20 staff are employed locally and on Tuesday they were told half of them are likely to lose their jobs as the Belfast office down sizes.
The cutbacks are being linked to a loss of government work.
Parity is based at the Northern Ireland Science Park, but its headquarters are in London.
There have been other occasions when, usually for commercial reasons, expansions backed by Invest NI did not work out.
US firms Vello Systems and CVS Caremark are recent examples of businesses that reduced their staff in Northern Ireland following earlier announcements to expand. | It has emerged that a project, which the executive said would create around 100 well-paying jobs in Belfast, never materialised. |
38026547 | The Woldgate Woods landscape depicts trees near Bridlington, East Yorkshire. The piece, measuring 10.5ft (3m) wide, is made up of six individual canvases.
Auctioneers Sotheby's said the sale had set a new record for the artist, breaking his previous auction record of $7.9m (£6.3m), set in 2009.
The work had a guide price of between $9m and $12m.
Grégoire Billault, head of contemporary art at Sotheby's, said: "David Hockney stands alongside Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud as one of the pillars of post-war British art."
Hockney, who was born in Bradford, started painting the scenes at Woldgate, a Roman Road between Bridlington and Kilham, and Warter 10 years ago.
His method of connecting multiple canvases to create one huge piece of artwork was devised because he was not able to fit the large-scale painting up the stairs of his Bridlington studio, Sotheby's said.
The picture of Woldgate Woods was included in a Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy in London in 2012.
A major retrospective of the artist's work is due to open at Tate Britain in February following his '82 Portraits and 1 Still-life' show at the Royal Academy earlier this year. | A painting by David Hockney has sold for $11.7m (£9.4m) at an auction in New York. |
34136741 | The airline said that it carried 7.06 million passengers in August - the second consecutive month above the seven million mark.
The load factor was a record 94.4% - up 0.2 percentage points from August last year.
Easyjet had previously predicted annual profits of between £620m and £660m.
Some of the most popular destinations for holidaymakers included Malaga, Alicante, Faro, Palma and Barcelona.
Paul Moore, an Easyjet spokesman, said: "People have realised that the strong pound against the euro is really making their money go further on holiday."
Sterling has surged against the euro over the past year and is worth €1.36, having reached as high as €1.44.
The airline said the strong August had more than offset additional costs faced by the carrier, including disruption from French air traffic control strikes in April and the impact of two fires at Rome Fiumicino airport.
Shares in Easyjet rose 6.4%, or 117p, to £17.88, making it the top riser on the FTSE 100.
The company's shares have gained almost 30% over the past 12 months, valuing it at more than £6.6bn.
Easyjet's load factor was just short of the 95% figure reported by Ryanair for August.
The Irish airline said on Wednesday that it carried 10.4 million customers in August, up 10% from the same month last year. | Easyjet has raised its full-year profit forecast to between £675m and £700m after enjoying better-than-expected trading in August. |
39007068 | Twenty-three-year-old Mr Mckeague, from Dunfermline in Fife, vanished while on a night out with friends on 24 September in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
A bin lorry made a collection in the area just after the last sighting.
Mr Mckeague's mother Nicola Urquhart welcomed the decision of Suffolk Police to search the landfill site in Milton.
The bin lorry's route to the site appeared to coincide with the movements of her son's phone.
Mrs Urquhart told the BBC: "Commonsense suggests that the most likely place Corrie ended up is the landfill site or the incinerator."
Suffolk Police said the preparatory work at the landfill site at Milton, Cambridgeshire, was going to take longer than previously expected.
Some 8,000 tonnes of bulk material need to be removed to allow safe access to where the search needs to take place.
Mrs Urquhart said she was hoping a deadline of Saturday at 17:00 GMT for a £50,000 reward would encourage someone to come forward with information about what happened.
"If Corrie is in the landfill site they will still get the reward if they can tell me how he ended up there," she said.
She added she would be joining members of the Suffolk lowland search and rescue (SULSAR) and other local groups to also search areas of land near Bury St Edmunds.
Police said a further potential witness, a cyclist, had been traced but officers renewed appeals for any information to locate the two remaining individuals seen on foot in the area where Corrie was last seen.
They are trying to trace an older man and a person seen walking through the Brentgovel Street area of Bury St Edmunds early on 24 September. | The mother of a missing RAF serviceman Corrie Mckeague says she believes his body may be found when a massive landfill site is searched. |
39174530 | Blaenau Gwent and other parts of the south Wales valleys were singled out by research into official government questions on 'wellbeing'.
Analysts found Blaenau Gwent had one of the biggest overall differences between those who are content and unhappy - a term dubbed 'wellbeing inequality'.
Researchers hope the findings can help steer government policy in the future.
"These findings show us that what matters to people is more complex than most policymakers realise, or measure," said Nancy Hey, director of the What Works Centre for Wellbeing, who carried out the study.
"Income alone only tells us part of the story about how we may be struggling, or thriving, in our daily lives.
"Wellbeing gives us a more nuanced picture, and allows us to see why and how different groups in society are affected in different ways.
"The evidence shows us that large differences in wellbeing is not inevitable. We are going to be looking for more clues as to what local authorities can do to understand and reduce the gap in upcoming research."
The parts of Wales ranked highest for wellbeing equality - where the gap between those happy and unhappy is smaller - were places like Flintshire, Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Monmouthshire.
But those with a wider inequality gap included Torfaen, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot - and Blaenau Gwent.
Across the UK - the wellbeing gap was smaller in places like Enfield and Harrow in London, Cheshire, Warwickshire, and Shetland - and wider in locations such as Liverpool, Sunderland and Rotherham.
The research looked at a series of questions asked to 160,000 people across the UK by the Office for National Statistics.
The questions were:
The questions were given a score out of ten, depending on how people felt, giving an overall wellbeing score. It meant researchers could then look at how big the gap was between the 'happiest' and 'least happy' in every individual local authority.
Researchers said the analysis might be a useful tool in the future too - after using the details to see if there was any relationship in feelings on wellbeing and those areas that voted Leave in the Brexit referendum.
The study discovered that while the average wellbeing of any area did not appear to have any connection to the way that authority's area voted - the measure of wellbeing inequality did.
Simply put - council areas like Blaenau Gwent with the widest gap between those satisfied and those who are not - voted to leave the EU.
"This research shows the deep divides in communities, with some people's experiences falling far short of the life they want to lead, while others flourish. Understanding these inequalities is the first step towards taking action," added Annie Quick from New Economics Foundation, which supported the research. | Some parts of Wales show the widest gap in the UK between those happy with life - and those who are not. |
40456535 | Colin Campbell, from Inverness, has primary progressive multiple sclerosis and told BBC Scotland in April that his health had rapidly deteriorated.
However, a new friendship with another MS patient, Rona Tynan, has led to securing a care package and new accommodation in central Scotland.
Ms Tynan said the friendship inspired her to find a new course of treatment.
Ahead of leaving Inverness to move into his new home, Mr Campbell told BBC Scotland he was living "bonus time" after deferring his 15 June booking at a clinic in Basel.
The 56-year-old, who has been living in a flat, said: "For me the priority was ground-floor accommodation.
"I have also had the good fortune of meeting ex-Metropolitan Police officer Rona whose intervention in my plans to end my life put that on hold.
"She gave me a good reason why I should delay my plans."
Mr Campbell said instead of seeking help he had "become self obsessed and resigned to his life not being easy".
Among the help Ms Tynan helped him to find was access to a mobility scooter.
In turn, Ms Tynan said Mr Campbell had encouraged her to find other potential treatment for her MS.
She will have stem cell treatment carried out in Mexico later this year.
"That is a step I probably wouldn't have made if I hadn't met Colin," she said. | A man has told of living "bonus time" after deferring his decision to end his own life in a clinic in Switzerland. |
35532278 | Dr Adam Osborne, who was married at the time, told her exposing the two-year affair would "destroy" his family, a disciplinary panel was told.
He made threats towards the woman, asking her to retract her complaint to the General Medical Council (GMC).
Dr Osborne, brother of Chancellor George Osborne, was not at the hearing.
He treated the woman, referred to as Patient A, for depression, anxiety and chronic fatigue at a private practice in London, between 2011 and 2014.
She also had problems with substance abuse and self-harm.
Dr Osborne ended the relationship in February last year during an email exchange, the tribunal heard.
Two days later, Patient A, who is no longer living in the UK, was admitted to hospital after taking an overdose - hours after sending an email about the affair to psychiatrist Dr Neil Boast, who had temporarily been Dr Osborne's supervisor.
Following complaints to the GMC by Dr Boast and Patient A, Dr Osborne sent a "number of inappropriate emails" to his former lover between 14 February and 24 February, requesting that she withdraw the complaint.
One email said: "Please don't do this to me, it will destroy me and my family in public."
Representing the GMC, Bernadette Baxter said: "Patient A said on a number of occasions she wanted him to stop contacting her."
The emails "became more imploring" and Dr Osborne was "highly manipulative" in preying on the woman's vulnerabilities.
"He sees himself very much as a victim," she said.
"Then there are emails where the mood very much changed and spills into the territory where he makes threats towards Patient A."
Ms Baxter also outlined how Dr Osborne's emails suggested there would be consequences for her family and argued that Patient A had in fact seduced him.
The tribunal, which will judge whether the psychiatrist's fitness to practise is impaired by reason of misconduct, was told that there had also been contact between Patient A and Dr Osborne's wife.
Julian Woodbridge, who is representing the psychiatrist, said his client had been on sick leave.
Reading a letter to the tribunal, he said Dr Osborne apologised for being in a relationship with Patient A and sending "inappropriate emails in a moment of panic".
In 2010, the psychiatrist was suspended from practising medicine for six months after writing fraudulent prescriptions for a girlfriend, a family member and an escort, while he was a trainee at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.
As a result, the GMC tribunal said the misconduct, which related to incidents between 2006 and 2008, impaired his fitness to practise.
It found he had "behaved dishonestly" after attempting to obtain anti-psychotic medication for a cocaine addict he had been seeing while his partner was away.
The current tribunal will resume on Wednesday. | A psychiatrist begged a vulnerable patient not to report him to a medical watchdog after he ended their affair, a tribunal has heard. |
22746675 | Lebanese security sources said the clashes took place on Lebanon's side of the border, near the town of Baalbek.
Hezbollah is fighting alongside the army in Syria, but the clashes have rarely crossed onto Lebanese soil.
Meanwhile the Red Cross has said it is alarmed by the worsening situation in the besieged Syrian town of Qusair.
It has appealed for access to the town, which lies just 10km (6 miles) over the Lebanese border.
Thousands of civilians are believed to be trapped as pro-government forces - including Hezbollah fighters - battle rebels.
The office of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also appealed to the warring parties to allow residents to flee.
Mr Ban telephoned Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem to share his concerns, but was told the Red Cross would be allowed in "as soon as military operations are over", Reuters reports.
Mr Moualem reportedly expressed his surprise at the level of concern over Qusair, saying there had been none when rebels took over the town last year.
Also on Sunday, a car bomb killed nine members of the Syrian security forces in the capital, Damascus, according to the British-based pro-opposition watchdog the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The watchdog said the bomb had targeted a police station in the eastern district of Jobar, which has seen renewed clashes between government forces and rebels who are entrenched there.
Casualty reports from the Baalbek clashes, just over the border from Syria, have not been independently verified, but Reuters news agency quoted a Lebanese security source on Sunday as saying that at least 15 people were killed.
There were reports that at least one Hezbollah fighter was among the dead.
Lebanese media quoted officials as saying the rebels had been preparing to launch rockets when the clashes broke out.
The Syrian rebels have threatened Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in revenge for its backing of the government in Damascus, and have frequently fired rockets into Lebanon, including several on Saturday.
The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the reported clashes are another a symptom of the possible dangerous spread of the Syria conflict.
Hezbollah, a Shia movement, has stirred up sectarian feelings in Lebanon by giving support to the Syrian government.
In addition, some Lebanese Sunnis have also crossed into Syria to fight alongside the rebels, who are drawn largely from Syria's majority Sunni community, meaning Lebanon's domestic conflict has effectively drifted over into Syria, says our correspondent.
Hezbollah fighters are also involved in the siege of Qusair, which is considered a key logistical hub and supply route for weapons smuggled into Syria.
An opposition activist told the BBC on Friday that around 30,000 civilians were still in the town, effectively under blockade.
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the fact that both the UN and ICRC have issued urgent statements on Qusair at the same time is an indication of how desperate they believe the situation there has become.
Qusair's importance
The UN Security Council attempted to issue a declaration voicing "grave concern" about Qusair, but it was blocked by Russia so failed to obtain the necessary unanimous agreement of council members.
A diplomat said Russia blocked the draft text because the UN had failed to speak out when Qusair was seized by rebels.
Fighting in Qusair intensified last month with militants from Hezbollah joining forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Reinforcements from the rebel Free Syrian Army are reported to have managed to break through from the north-east to support the embattled rebel fighters.
Activists from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights say rebels in Qusair are bracing themselves for another assault.
Fifteen Syrian army tanks have massed north of the town, says Rami Abdel Rahman, the observatory's director.
"Regime forces are reinforcing the sites that they have north of the city, including Dabaa airport and Jawadiya," he said.
The UN estimates that than 80,000 people have been killed and 1.5 million have fled Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. | A number of people have been killed in an exchange of fire between Syrian rebels and fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, say reports. |
37472874 | The 26-year-old scored late on in the 3-1 win over Burton to put the Canaries on top of the Championship table.
"I'm very happy that my first goal happened at this stadium amongst this fantastic crowd
"When I go forward and try to attack, I normally look to make an assist. This time I went on the run and shot for goal," Pinto told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"In this league, you don't know what could happen, it's hard. But when you score the third one, it's the end of the game and I think that's very good for us."
Although Norwich came away with three points, they had to battle against a stubborn Burton side.
"We didn't have the best day, but in the end we did enough to take the three points," Pinto said.
"If we're not having a good day, we still have players in the squad that can make a difference."
Norwich are next in action on Wednesday when they travel to Newcastle United - both teams having been relegated from the Premier League last season.
"When you keep winning games, you're just waiting for the next one to come," he added.
"It'll be a big game for us against Newcastle, but if we have a better day and keep doing our jobs, I think we can win the game." | Norwich defender Ivo Pinto said his first goal for the club was a thank you from him to their "amazing" fans. |
32761561 | Former cabinet ministers including Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham defended Labour's fiscal record and spending on schools and hospitals.
However, candidates from the 2010 intake of MPs argued that the party spent too much while in office.
The debate followed Chuka Umunna's withdrawal from the leadership contest.
The remaining candidates appeared at the annual conference of the Progress think tank in London.
There was agreement that Labour needed to demonstrate economic credibility to regain power, with shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt telling the meeting that the party needed to be "trusted with public finances and the family finances".
Mr Hunt, who was first elected to Parliament in 2010 when Labour lost power, argued the last Labour government "spent too much" and failed to "leave enough economic headroom to deal with the economic crisis and the recession".
Shadow health minister Liz Kendall said: "There's absolutely nothing progressive about spending more on debt interest payments than on educating our children."
But shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "The Tories have had a triumph of spin over the facts in saying what they said about the economic record of the last Labour government."
The former chief secretary to the Treasury said the deficit did "grow too large" in the government's later years but insisted: "The last Labour government ran more surpluses in its first term than the Tories did in 18 years."
Yvette Cooper, another former chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "We should never let anybody tell us that it was too many teachers, doctors or nurses that caused Lehman Brothers bank in New York to crash."
Shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh said: "People have forgotten the economic credibility that the last Labour government had."
She said Labour had built schools and hospitals that were "treasured in our communities".
Ms Cooper, Mr Burnham, Ms Kendall and Ms Creagh have declared their intention to run for leader, while Mr Hunt told the conference he would make an announcement next week.
At the same event, shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint announced she would be running for deputy leader.
The Don Valley MP told the Today programme ahead of the debate that Labour lost the election because "fundamentally the public did not trust us on the economy".
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has already announced a bid to be deputy, saying Labour "must and could win the next election", but only if it "broadens its appeal by adopting sensible, centre-left politics which celebrate wealth creation and entrepreneurship".
Former Labour campaign co-ordinator Tom Watson is reported to be crowd-funding a deputy leadership bid, while Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy has said she is "open to the question" of running.
Barnsley East MP and shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher - a fierce critic of Ed Miliband's election campaign - is to run Mr Burnham's campaign, according to the website LabourList.
It is reported that Mr Burnham also has the backing of Labour peer Lord Falconer, who was lord chancellor and justice secretary under Tony Blair and was close to the former PM.
Shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant has signalled his backing for Ms Cooper, tweeting that the next leader must be "someone who's been tried in the fiery furnace of public opinion".
Mr Hunt said on Friday he would be be attending the debate - along with the other four hopefuls - to "set out my analysis on how we begin to understand what went so wrong and why".
He added: "We must use this leadership election to ask some very profound questions.
"All voices in the party must be heard so that we can have a full and proper assessment as to why the politics of nationalism triumphed in Scotland and huge swathes of England, and how we have allowed the Conservative Party to present a more compelling vision for Britain to so many millions of people."
Speculation still surrounds shadow business secretary Mr Umunna's decision to pull out on Friday, when he said he was not "comfortable" with the "pressure" of being a candidate.
As well as citing extensive pressure and scrutiny Mr Umunna also said he was ruling himself out because of concerns about the impact of the bid on his family.
A rising star of the party, Mr Umunna was first elected to Parliament in 2010 - alongside Tristram Hunt and Liz Kendall - before joining the shadow cabinet.
Asked about the candidate who might win, Conservative Chancellor George Osborne said: "The Labour leadership contest has descended into farce.
"But it's not actually about personalities. I don't think the Labour Party any more represents the working people of this country who aspire to a better life." | Prospective Labour leaders have clashed over Labour's record in government in their first public debate in the race to succeed Ed Miliband. |
35644741 | The former Gloucestershire captain fractured his left index finger during fielding practice prior to Worcestershire's game against Durham at Chester-le-Street last September.
It was expected that the injury would heal without any need for an operation.
A later x-ray revealed slight damage to the cartilage in the joint, forcing him to undergo delayed surgery in December.
But the finger failed to respond to the insertion of a plastic joint replacement and, following consultation with a specialist, Gidman has been forced to retire, with a year remaining on the two-year contract he signed when he arrived at New Road from Gloucestershire in September 2014.
"It is with great sadness that I have no choice but to retire from the sport that has given me so much," said Gidman, who made 11,622 first-class runs, as well as nearly 6,000 in limited-over cricket.
"I have been really lucky to have played for so long and I have so many great memories. Obviously my many years with Gloucestershire included the majority of my success but I've really enjoyed the last 18 months, meeting some fantastic people at Worcester."
Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes added: "It's a very sad day. We're extremely disappointed for Alex. It was a freak injury."
High Wycombe-born Alex Gidman made the vast majority (187) of his 204 first-class appearances with Gloucestershire, with whom he spent 13 seasons.
He played in both their two successive Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy Lord's final victories (both over Worcestershire) in 2003 and 2004.
He was Gloucestershire captain from 2009 to 2012, which was also his benefit year. But he struggled when he came to New Road last season, making just 440 runs in 13 games at 24.44. | Worcestershire batsman Alex Gidman has been forced to retire from cricket at the age of 34, because of injury. |
39513747 | The bill aims to revoke parts of the UK government's 2016 Trade Union Act.
It would mean current restrictions on industrial action in the NHS, the fire service, schools and other devolved services in Wales would change.
UK ministers say industrial relations are a matter for Westminster.
A key element of the UK government's law is to only allow strikes backed by 40% of a union's members in a ballot.
But members of the Welsh Assembly's Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee agreed the new legislation was needed to maintain Wales' "social-partnership" approach.
In March, Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said it would be a "democratic outrage" if ministers in London tried to block the Welsh Trade Union Bill.
The Labour Welsh Government argues UK ministers should not impose restrictions on union activity in Wales in devolved services, such as the NHS and schools.
The committee report was not supported by one of its eight members as Conservative AM Janet Finch-Saunders did not agree with its conclusions.
Committee chair John Griffiths said: "While the partnership approach is not without its tensions and difficulties, it seems to be serving Wales well.
"Industrial action across the UK is at its lowest for years and strikes have been less prevalent in Wales than in England in recent years."
He added: "It is clear to us that the success of the social partnership is dependent on equality between partners and that the relevant provisions in the 2016 act are likely, to varying degrees, to affect this.
"In view of the above, we support the general principles of the bill and agree that it is needed to disapply the relevant provisions of the 2016 act."
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has said the Wales Act 2017, which received Royal Assent in January, "puts beyond doubt that this policy area is not devolved".
UK ministers, he said, would "act at the earliest opportunity" to "protect the interest of taxpayers and our public services in Wales". | Rules making it harder for strike action in public services could be changed in Wales after a cross-party group of AMs backed a new law. |
37814496 | The lifetime ban on visas would apply even to those travelling as tourists, for business, or who married an Australian.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the move would send "the strongest possible signal" to people-smugglers.
The proposed ban is to be put to parliament later this week.
Australia transports asylum seekers who arrive by boat to off-shore processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
Even if found to be genuine refugees, they are already blocked from being resettled in Australia. They can either return home, be resettled on Manus or Nauru, or go to a third country.
The new legislation would apply to all those sent to Nauru and Manus from 19 July 2013, including those who have returned home, and anyone who arrives in the future. Children, however, would be exempt.
"This is a battle of will between the Australian people, represented by its government, and the criminal gangs of people-smugglers," Mr Turnbull said.
"You should not underestimate the scale of the threat. These people-smugglers are the worst criminals imaginable. They have a multibillion-dollar business. We have to be very determined to say no to their criminal plans."
He added: "If they seek to bring people to Australia those passengers will never settle in this country."
The law will directly affect about 3,000 adult refugees being housed on Manus, Nauru or in Australia undergoing medical treatment.
Australia's Labor opposition says it is yet to decide whether to back the new law.
Australia has been repeatedly criticised for its tough policy on refugees and asylum seekers.
Earlier this month, a report by Amnesty International compared its camp on Nauru to an open-air prison.
Mr Turnbull dismissed the report's findings as "absolutely false".
Read more: Australia asylum: Why is it controversial? | Australia has unveiled tough new plans to bar any asylum seekers who try to reach the country by boat from ever being able to enter. |
36182057 | Hamilton started 10th after an engine failure in qualifying but after repairs he drove a superlative race to limit the damage to his title hopes.
But Rosberg's victory extended his championship lead to 43 points.
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crashed out on the first lap after being hit twice by Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat.
Listen back to the frantic opening lap
Hamilton fears more engine trouble
Hamilton closed dramatically on Rosberg in the mid-part of the race but had to back off to protect his engine.
Hamilton had dispatched Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen with a dive down the inside into Turn Five on lap seven and, after passing Williams driver Valtteri Bottas to take second on lap 19, he began to claw back Rosberg's advantage.
First it was by small margins, but in six laps from lap 30 he reduced it from 12.1 seconds to 7.5.
As Hamilton began to close, Mercedes said the speed differential was down to Rosberg being in traffic. But he continued to close over a number of laps once the German was in clear air until being told that the engine had a water-pressure issue.
Hamilton immediately backed off, the problem stabilising after a handful of laps.
The Briton cruised to finish in second, watched by the late-arriving Russian President Vladimir Putin, comfortably able to hold off Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
The Finn took the final podium position, passing Bottas after stopping for fresh tyres four laps later.
Listen: 'The disappointment is getting to Hamilton'
Raikkonen's team-mate Vettel was taken out by two separate clashes with Kvyat on the first lap.
The two had argued publicly after the previous race in China, when Vettel felt Kvyat's dive down the inside at Turn One had been too aggressive and had precipitated a collision between the two Ferraris.
Most observers felt Vettel's criticisms in Shanghai were unfair, but there was no doubt Kvyat was in the wrong in Sochi.
He rammed Vettel's car up the rear at the second corner, and then again at the third, forcing Vettel into a spin into the barriers. Kvyat was given a 10-second stop-go penalty for his errors.
Vettel spat expletives over the team radio before getting out of his car and riding a scooter back to the pits to make his feelings clear to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
But when talking to reporters, Vettel's phlegmatic mood was in contrast to his anger after China. "These things happen obviously but it's harsh. The race is very long; you can make progress on the first lap but you can also end your race.
"It was not my fault - there was nothing I would do differently.
"I don't dislike [Kvyat]. I think he did a mistake two weeks ago and I think he did a mistake today."
Bottas took fourth, ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa and the McLaren of Fernando Alonso, scoring the team's best result of the year by far in sixth.
Alonso's result was based on a brilliant first lap, in which he rose from 14th on the grid to seventh.
Team-mate Jenson Button went the opposite way on the first lap, dropping to 15th after being held up by Vettel's crash, and could only take 10th, taking the final point by pressuring Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz into a mistake with four laps to go.
Behind Alonso, Kevin Magnussen was a highly impressive seventh for struggling Renault, ahead of Haas' Romain Grosjean and Force India's Sergio Perez, who recovered well from a first-lap puncture.
Hamilton, who was up to fifth on the first lap after threading his way through chaos at the first corner, said: "There wasn't a doubt in my mind I could win it. I had the pace, but then I had the problem with the engine again and I had to back off."
"We had a rough seas. No simple plain sailing," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said. "Lewis had a worry, we had a water leak, and we just needed to bring the car home.
"And we also had a problem on the engine on Nico's car as well, where it was giving strange signals from the power-unit."
That will be a concern for Mercedes, following the consecutive engine problems Hamilton had during qualifying at the last two races.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Russian Grand Prix results
Russian Grand Prix coverage details | Nico Rosberg dominated the Russian Grand Prix to take his fourth win in a row this season as Lewis Hamilton fought back to finish second. |
35302509 | Brent crude, used as an international benchmark, fell as low as $29.96, but bounced back to trade at $30.22.
Oil prices have fallen by 70% in the past 15 months.
Earlier, Russia's Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, warned tumbling oil prices could force his country to revise its 2016 budget.
He said that the country must be prepared for a "worst-case" economic scenario if the price continued to fall.
Taxes from oil and gas generates about half the Russian government's revenue.
The 2016 federal budget that was approved in October was based on an oil price of $50 a barrel in 2016 - a figure President Vladimir Putin has since described as "unrealistic".
Government departments have been ordered to cut spending by 10%, repeating a policy imposed in 2015, Reuters reported.
Pensions and pay for government workers will be protected from the cuts, which could save as much as 700bn roubles (£6.3bn; $9.1bn).
Finance minister Anton Siluanov said that the Russian budget could only be balanced at an oil price of $82 a barrel.
He said the 2016 budget should be revised to assume an oil price of $40 a barrel.
"Our task is to adapt our budget to the new realities," Mr Siluanov said.
Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev warned that Russia faced a long period of low commodity prices with oil at $15 or $20 a barrel.
"The biggest risk is that there will be low prices for a long time - that is, for years, for decades," he said.
Mr Medvedev also said that high interests rates were holding back economic growth in Russia.
The Bank of Russia held rates at 11% last month, with governor Elvira Nabiullina warning of "high volatility" in global markets.
A year ago the central bank shocked markets by increasing rates from 10.5% to 17%.
Inflation stands at 15% in Russia, but the bank hopes it would fall to 4% by next year. | Oil prices have briefly fallen below $30 a barrel on international markets for the first time since April 2004, before recovering again. |
32791571 | 19 May 2015 Last updated at 08:26 BST
It's one of the biggest and most prestigious flower shows in Britain.
Awards are given out in various categories, including Young School Gardener of the Year.
This year's winner, 9 year old George, got the chance to meet the Queen. | Thousands of people are expected to head to the Chelsea Flower show in London this week. |
35686616 | The test kit will cost $3,000 (£2,160) and will be sent to buyers in March.
Augmented reality glasses overlay computer-generated images on the wearer's real-world surroundings, unlike virtual reality which replaces the entire field of vision with images.
One expert said augmented reality devices were still at an "experimental" stage.
"I don't expect Hololens to be a mass market product due to its pricing," said Piers Harding-Rolls of IHS Technology.
"Like the early VR headsets, this will appeal to technology enthusiasts with large amounts of disposable income.
"But I think we're a good few years away from compelling consumer AR smart glasses which have the desirable content and are cheap enough to drive a broader interest in the technology."
Microsoft has stressed its developers' edition of Hololens is designed for app creators, to encourage the production of software for the device before it is more widely available.
The company said consumer availability would follow "further down the line".
It also detailed the first seven native programs available for Hololens.
Among them are:
The device will also run a game called Young Conker - a spin-off of cult hit Conker's Bad Fur Day, which told the story of a foul-mouthed squirrel trying to get home to his girlfriend.
A video of Young Conker has been negatively received by fans of the original game, who have eagerly been awaiting a sequel aimed at mature audiences.
"Why would you ever do this? This is by far the worst thing that could possibly happen to the Conker franchise," commented one disappointed gamer on YouTube.
Microsoft said it had chosen Conker because he was "the right size to believably show up in the player's world" and was "famous for breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the player".
Absent from the list of launch apps was Minecraft, the hugely popular building game, which had featured heavily in Hololens demonstrations and previews.
Microsoft says Hololens will run as a fully self-contained device running Windows 10, powered by an Intel chip.
The company says it has developed a unique "holographic processing unit" that can map the wearer's environment and recognise gestures while rendering images at the same time.
Gestures, glance and control allow the wearer to interact with the software, and the helmet supports Bluetooth accessories - the first of which is a "clicker" button users can hold.
"I think Hololens has the potential to find traction in niche commercial applications where pricing is less of an issue," said Mr Harding-Rolls.
"I see consumer AR as more embryonic than VR and still very much at an experimental stage." | Microsoft has started taking orders for a developers' edition of its Hololens augmented reality headset. |
13664452 | Scientists say a pill called Vemurafenib appears to give patients a greater chance of surviving longer than chemotherapy.
It was tested on a group of 675 patients with advanced melanoma.
Another drug, taken intravenously, called Ipilimumab, is said to give patients extra years of life.
The results were presented at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
During a trial, 84% of patients who took Vemurafenib pills twice a day were still alive six months later. This compares with 64% of those on standard chemotherapy.
The drug works by acting on a faulty gene, BRAF, found in half of terminally ill patients whose cancer has spread to other organs.
The results were so impressive that the British experts running the trial stopped it early so they could switch all patients in the group over to Vemurafenib.
And trials showed the drug reduced the risk of the disease worsening by 74%, compared with chemotherapy.
Meanwhile, trial results from another study show that a one-course infusion treatment of Ipilimumab may extend the survival of patients with advanced melanoma.
Several patients have lived for years when they might otherwise have died in weeks or months, say investigators. At least one is still alive five years after receiving the treatment.
Research is now being conducted to find out whether Vemurafenib could be used for other cancers, including ovarian, thyroid and bowel cancer.
Both treatments are now being assessed by European licensing bodies and could become available to UK patients within months, subject to approval.
Although it is unclear if the NHS would be able to afford to use these relatively expensive drugs that cost tens of thousands of pounds.
Professor Richard Marais, whose work at the Institute of Cancer Research demonstrated the importance of BRAF in melanoma, said: "This is the biggest breakthrough in melanoma treatment in more than 30 years.
"The results demonstrate for the first time that a targeted therapy can work in melanoma and will change our approach to treating this disease. It is an enormous advance in the field."
Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said: "For the first time, we have effective treatments becoming available for melanoma.
"Both show how the research we have been doing is feeding through into help for patients.
"It is a first step but a vitally important one, and it encourages us to redouble our efforts for people with this most dangerous type of skin cancer."
Malignant melanoma kills more than 2,000 people in the UK each year, and more than 11,000 people annually develop the disease. | Patients with advanced skin cancer could benefit from two new treatments that extend life, a cancer meeting in Chicago has heard. |
35693450 | The mainland benchmark Shanghai Composite finished the day up 1.7% at 2,733.17.
On Monday, the People's Bank of China unexpectedly lowered its Reserve Rate Ratio, cutting the amount of cash the country's lenders must hold in reserve.
The move was designed to boost liquidity and provide more stimulus to China's slowing economy.
It was the first such cut since October and comes after a string of volatile days on the mainland's stock markets.
Fresh economic data out on Tuesday though gave little grounds to reassure investors.
The closely watched Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a gauge for the manufacturing sector, shrank more than expected in February.
The PMI index stood at 49.0, down from 49.4 the previous month. Any reading below 50 indicates a contraction of the sector.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index closed up 1.55% at 19,407.46.
In Japan, shares edged higher despite fresh economic data suggesting the eagerly awaited recovery remains elusive.
The Nikkei 225 index closed 0.4% up at 16,085.51.
Earlier, official data showed that household spending was down 3.1% in January, compared to a year earlier.
Along with disappointing company spending, it suggests that efforts to boost investment and domestic spending have so far failed to take effect.
In Australia, the ASX/200 index closed up 0.85% at 4,922.30, boosted by the country's big lenders and some energy firms.
Commodity giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto rose 2.95% and 2.7% respectively on hopes for a recovery in oil and commodity prices.
Gold mining company Newcrest climbed more than 4.5% on the strengthening price of the precious metal.
The country's central bank left its lending rates on hold on Tuesday, marking the 10th month in a row the cash rate has remained at a record low of 2%.
Shane Oliver, head economist at AMP Capital in Sydney, said the Reserve Bank of Australia continued "to sound less upbeat" on the global economic outlook.
"Our view remains that the RBA will cut interest rates again this year reflecting the risks around the global economy, weaker than expected commodity prices, still subdued growth in Australia ... a more dovish Fed threatening a higher Australian dollar and continued low inflation," he said.
"However, this may not come till May," he added.
In South Korea, the stock market remained closed for a national holiday. | Chinese shares traded higher on Tuesday morning after a fresh stimulus push from the country's central bank. |
38499645 | A study published by the Fabian Society has looked at how many seats Labour could lose at a general election if it performed in line with recent opinion polls which have put it as low as 24%, compared with 31% at the general election. The analysis suggested a loss of around 40 seats compared with 2015, when it won 232.
The calculation assumes a uniform swing across all constituencies in Britain.
If the study had included the most up-to-date polls, the figure would have been a little bit lower - perhaps around 25 to 30 Labour losses.
Either way, one interesting question is why the number isn't higher.
Len McCluskey, head of the Unite union and one of Jeremy Corbyn's strongest backers, says the current performance is "awful".
Yet the figures suggest that despite the current low standing, a large majority of Labour MPs would be re-elected.
That's because a lot of them are in safe seats.
An interesting feature of recent British electoral politics is that the number of safe seats has increased whereas the number of marginal seats has fallen.
It's interesting to compare the 2015 election with 1992, the last time the Conservatives won an overall majority.
In 1992, 169 of the seats in Great Britain were won with majorities under 10% - a common definition of a marginal seat. In 2015, that number was just 119. And only 49 of those were won by Labour.
On the other hand, the number of very safe seats has increased. In 1992, there were 155 seats won with majorities above 30%. In 2015, there were 223.
The electorate has become more geographically polarised.
A further interesting quirk of British elections is that the extremely safe seats in the country tend to be Labour seats, even when it loses the national vote.
The 11 safest seats in the country are all Labour - as are 17 of the safest 20.
That doesn't mean those constituencies could never elect an MP from another party. In 2015, Labour lost some very safe seats in Scotland as a result of the SNP landslide. But it does mean that for many Labour MPs, even the current polls shouldn't cause them too many worries about their own futures.
This trend became even more acute in 2015.
The Conservatives pulled off their surprise victory by winning votes just where they needed them, such as in Liberal Democrat-held seats in the south west of England - which is now almost entirely blue.
Meanwhile in safe Tory seats, they gained few votes.
On the other hand, Labour piled up lots of extra votes in seats it already held comfortably.
So nationally their vote share went up even as they lost seats overall.
In the political science jargon, the Conservative vote has become more "efficient", with fewer votes wasted, while Labour's is more inefficient.
So Labour could lose quite a lot of those votes without seeing a particularly dramatic reduction in its number of seats.
The flipside of this for Labour is that fewer marginal seats also means the swing it would need to win an overall majority of its own is much higher than it would have been in the past.
Analysis by polling expert John Curtice suggests that Labour needs a national swing of nearly 10% to win a majority.
Swings of that size don't come around very often. Tony Blair managed it in 1997 as did Clement Attlee in 1945, albeit in unusual circumstances.
And the mountain will be even higher for Labour if and when the proposed boundary changes are implemented. | Labour's opinion poll rating is at its lowest since 1983 but that doesn't mean it's on course to lose most of its seats. |
35801403 | The port's board has given the go-ahead for the upgrading of its berth to accommodate ships of more than 340m (1,115ft) in overall length.
General manager Ian McQuade said it meant the port could target "the ever increasing range" of cruise customers.
The new facility is due to be finished in time for the 2017 season.
The 9.6m-deep main cruise berth at Portland is due to handle about 5,000 passengers on board Holland America Lines and the TUI Group vessels later this year.
Costa and Saga cruise ships are also due to visit the port.
Portland is one of three ports on the south coast that can already accommodate vessels up to 300m (985ft) alongside.
Mr McQuade said the further extension would put it among a "unique group of ports". | More cruise ships could be set to visit the Dorset coast, following the approval of plans to extend facilities at Portland Port. |
10821669 | It has considered the latest proposals for a retail and residential development on the Bridge.
The Co-op and developers Leale's Yard Limited are behind the project and first submitted plans last April.
The department agreed with concerns over the amount of retail space and suggested it could be cut by about 20%.
It also raised questions about the height of the development and said it hoped by reducing the number of shops, the overall size of the development could be reduced. | The plans for the Leale's Yard development in St Sampson need to be cut back, according to Guernsey's Environment Department. |
38661621 | Bjoern Hoecke, who heads Alternative for Germany in the eastern state of Thuringia, is notorious for incendiary remarks on refugees and race.
He told supporters that Germans were the "only people in the world who planted a memorial of disgrace in the heart of their capital".
One politician accused him of incitement.
Ralf Stegner, a leading figure in the centre-left Social Democrats, tweeted: "Hoecke gives inflammatory speech, wants to rewrite history". Mr Stegner then demanded "no influence for the Neo-nazi mob!"
Thuringia's state Prime Minister, Bodo Ramelow, said it was not the first time the AfD leader had used "Nazi language".
The AfD started out as a Eurosceptic party but has quickly moved to the right and made rapid strides in regional elections in Germany. Its national leader, Frauke Petry, said last year that police should shoot at migrants entering the country illegally.
The party is expected to pick up seats in federal elections, which will take place on 24 September. Latest opinion polls suggest the AfD attracts at least 11% support among German voters.
Some 200 protesters gathered outside the hall in Dresden where the AfD leader was speaking to party supporters on Tuesday night.
He was given a standing ovation as he began his address and was applauded when he targeted the memorial of 2,711 stone slabs, which opened in 2005 and commemorates the six million Jews of Europe murdered by the Nazi regime.
He spoke of the German state of mind until now as of a "brutally defeated people" and Germany needed a "180-degree turn'' when remembering its past.
Instead of teaching Germany's schoolchildren about the country's world-renowned philosophers, musicians and inventors, of which he suggested Germany had more than any other people, German history was being made "lousy and ridiculous", he complained.
To audience chants of "Merkel must go!" he likened the German chancellor to East Germany's Communist leader Erich Honecker, who was forced to resign by his party shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Green party chairman Simone Peter condemned his speech as "unspeakable". "The AfD must unequivocally distance itself from this and apologise to our Jewish friends."
The chairman of Germany's Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, said that the party had "shown its true face with these anti-Semitic and utterly inhuman words".
Some politicians pointed out that the AfD leader had given his speech hours after Germany's Constitutional Court decided against imposing a ban on the far-right NPD party, arguing that it was not a threat to the country's democracy.
There was some criticism from within Bjoern Hoecke's own party. Marcus Pretzell, the husband of national leader Frauke Petry, said he had shown considerable ignorance about the Nazi era.
The AfD is due to host a conference in Germany at the weekend that includes right-wing and far-right European leaders. Mr Pretzell, himself an AfD regional chairman, wrote on Facebook (in German) that the world was watching the party and it still had a lot to learn. | A leader of Germany's right-wing AfD has provoked outrage for condemning the Holocaust memorial in Berlin. |
34163946 | Amelet Francis was found seriously injured in a flat in Kerrycroy Street, Toryglen, at about 14:55 on Friday.
Police and ambulance attended but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 53-year-old man was arrested in connection with her death and taken into police custody. A full report on the incident will be sent to the procurator fiscal. | A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a 49-year-old woman at her home in Glasgow. |
35766069 | The Japanese firm says the technology works by playing a sound and then checking how it resonates in the wearer's ear canal.
This provides a biometric check that serves as an alternative to a fingerprint sensor or eye scanner.
NEC said it intended to make products using the facility available before the end of 2018.
One expert praised the innovation for offering a fresh alternative to passcodes - which can be spied on and stolen - but warned that the innovation could be turned against its user.
NEC said its earbuds could be used to complete an ID test in about one second.
The earphones need to be fitted with a microphone, it explained, in order to record the waveforms generated by a short burst of audio noise as it was reflected around the eardrum.
Since the shape and size of each person's ears are unique, the firm said, the resulting data could be used to distinguish an individual.
"It enables a natural way of conducting continuous authentication, even during movement and while performing work, simply by wearing an earphone with a built-in microphone to listen to the sounds within ears," said NEC manager Shigeki Yamagata.
The firm added that it believed its technique would act as a reliable check more than 99% of the time.
The German security firm SRLabs was among the first to demonstrate that fingerprint sensors can be spoofed, and the organisation has long warned that the danger with using any biometric marker is that once an identifier has been copied you cannot reset it like a password.
The problem was recently highlighted when it emerged a US government database containing millions of people's fingerprint records had been hacked.
One of SRLabs' researchers also highlighted another problem: it is potentially easier for the authorities to force someone to comply with a fingerprint or ear canal check than it is to make them reveal their password.
"I bet the FBI is regretting the fact that [San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook] hadn't been using an iPhone with a fingerprint sensor as they could have forced his dead body to have unlocked the handset for them rather than trying to make the courts get Apple to help," said Ben Schlabs.
Technology consultant Ben Wood suggested earbud-based checks might also prove less convenient than using sensors built into a mobile phone.
"People always have their handsets with them - that's not the case for their earphones," he said.
"But they do make sense as a way to provide authentication if you are already on a call while using them."
He added that the two techniques could also be combined.
"Two-factor authentication is becoming a bigger deal as we move away from traditional passwords, so using both a fingerprint and an earprint, if that's what it's called, could be useful to those who want a higher level of security." | NEC has announced that it is developing earbuds that can confirm an owner's identity. |
34167730 | Four workers were killed in the blast when a huge explosion reduced Wood Treatment Ltd to rubble in July.
Former professional footballers, including ex-England winger Trevor Sinclair, took part in the game at Macclesfield Town.
Organiser Keith Innes said: "The last few weeks have been tough, the heart of the community has been ripped out."
He added: "The community has always been together - anybody will give anything for each other - but this has really cemented exactly what it is like to be from Bosley."
Will Barks, Derek Moore and Dorothy Bailey were identified as victims, but Jason Shingler, 38, remains missing.
The inquest into Mr Moore's death was opened and adjourned last month.
Fifty workers at the mill have been made redundant.
More than £100,000 has been raised so far by The Bosley Disaster Appeal Fund.
Sinclair, who scored a goal, was joined by ex-Man City players Paul Dickov, Shaun Goater and brothers Ian and David Brightwell, along with ex-Coronation Street actor Scott Wright and several Macclesfield Town players. | A charity football match has raised more than £35,000 for families affected by the Bosley mill explosion. |
31808646 | The move means that the British Transport Police (BTP) will no longer operate as a separate force in Scotland.
BTP wanted to continue providing this service, with oversight by Holyrood instead of Westminster.
But Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has decided against that.
He wants the force's Scottish operations and more than 200 officers integrated into Police Scotland.
In a statement, the Scottish government said: "Police Scotland is responsible for all policing in Scotland outwith the railways and we believe the functions of the British Transport Police should be integrated within the single service.
"The BTP provide a specialist function that is recognised and valued by the rail industry and its passengers and it is essential that this specialism is maintained within Police Scotland.
"This will ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of all policing in Scotland, keeping communities safe and strong".
A letter released to the BBC by the Scottish government under freedom of information reveals that former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill offered to takeover the BTP in 2011.
He wrote to the then UK Transport Secretary Philip Hammond on the day that the creation of a single Scottish police force was announced.
In the letter, Mr MacAskill wrote: "I would like to explore the potential for the BTP in Scotland to become part of the new Scottish policing landscape".
The Scottish government has also released an email from the British Transport Police Federation, which represents police officers, expressing anger at the Smith commission recommendation.
In this note dated 5 December 2014, the federation's chairman, George Lewis said: "Such a move is both unjustified and unjustifiable.
"It is a betrayal of the BTP and our members who have worked tirelessly to achieve their policing targets year after year".
SNP ministers had a high-profile dispute with the British Transport Police over its use of stop and search when they first took office.
Mr Matheson told the Police Oracle website that railway policing needed to become part of Police Scotland because of the country's "distinctive approach to policing".
And he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Police reforms have been taking place in Scotland over the last 18 months, moving to the single force.
"It's been the Scottish government's view that this [transport policing] would be better if it was integrated into Police Scotland given that it would sit alongside our national police service.
"That's why we believe this would be a better fit for how we are taking policing forward in Scotland."
The Smith Commission on further devolution recommended that policing the railway be devolved and this was included in draft legislation drawn up by the UK government.
This is expected to become law after the general election and the BTP could become part of Police Scotland by the end of 2016.
A BTP spokesman said: "We are aware of the justice secretary's public comments on the future of railway policing in Scotland.
"Our number one priority remains the continued safety and security of the railways in Scotland, and across the rest of the network.
"Since the announcement that rail policing was to be devolved, we have been in dialogue with the Scottish and UK governments, the rail industry and other key stakeholders. These discussions continue."
A UK Department for Transport spokesman said: "How rail transport is policed in Scotland will be a matter for Scotland once the legislation is passed."
Labour MP Tom Harris was the minister responsible for the British Transport Police in 2007-08.
"BTP is a long-standing and effective police force" he said.
"It will be sad to see it merged with Police Scotland as part of a further centralisation of services.
"This move is premature. No-one has been consulted - neither the travelling public nor the police officers themselves. A hasty decision today could put at jeopardy the safety of the travelling public tomorrow."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "Some people have argued that the Scottish Parliament should choose to keep the force as one single entity across the UK instead of integrating into Police Scotland.
"I think that is worthy of consideration. We need to have that debate. We need to consider this carefully rather than deciding now what the structure should be."
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Alex Johnstone said: "People will look at this move and think the SNP is again using Police Scotland to make a political point.
"The British Transport Police are hugely respected and valued by passengers. One of their key duties is policing cross-border services, but now they will have to get off the train before Scotland and be replaced by officers from the single force.
Mr Johnstone added: "I think the public will be concerned by yet more centralising by the Scottish government."
BTP has 231 officers in Scotland according to the BTP federation website and a network of 11 offices within major railway stations.
It is dwarfed by Police Scotland which is the largest force in the UK outside London, with more than 17,000 officers.
Under one possible model, BTP could become the Scottish Transport Police division of Police Scotland.
The Scottish Police Authority, which oversees the work of Police Scotland, said it had already started discussions with the BTP.
BTP and its governing body are due to meet to consider their response to the Scottish government's plan.
The cross-border force is worried that losing its Scottish division could lead to the break-up of the entire force.
There have been previous discussions about the Metropolitan Police taking over railway policing in London.
BTP is not the only police force operating in Scotland alongside Police Scotland.
The MoD police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary will continue to protect key sites. | Police Scotland will take over railway policing when the function is devolved, Scotland's justice secretary has decided. |
40161436 | Neil Taggart, who also served as a West Yorkshire Police Authority chairman and city councillor, pleaded guilty to eight child sex offences at Leeds Crown Court earlier.
The 65-year-old has been sacked from the Labour Party after he was suspended in October, a party spokesman said.
The crimes took place between 2007 and 2016, according to the Yorkshire Post.
Taggart, of Marlowe Court, Garforth, is due to be sentenced on 4 July.
In a statement, Labour said it had suspended him "as soon as the party became aware of the allegations he was facing".
"Following his guilty pleas today, he has been auto-excluded from the Labour Party, as being convicted of a serious criminal offence means he is no longer eligible to be a party member."
Leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, said: "I condemn these despicable crimes in the strongest possible terms."
Taggart served as Lord Mayor in 2003. He was a Labour councillor for more than 30 years before being deselected by the party in October 2013 ahead of the 2014 election. | A former Lord Mayor of Leeds has admitted making and distributing indecent photographs of children. |
32841971 | The 50kg (110lb) device was removed by a specialist Army team and safely detonated.
The bomb, thought to date from the early 1940s German air raids on London, was found on Thursday.
Homes and businesses were evacuated and the Army built a blast wall around the device in case it exploded.
The device was taken away by the Royal Logistic Corps disposal teams to a safe area to be detonated in a controlled explosion.
Police confirmed it was blown up in an unspecified location in Bedfordshire shortly after 17:00 BST.
After the bomb was removed from its position near Wembley, street cordons were taken down and people were allowed back into the area.
Wembley Stadium said its weekend games would go ahead including the Championship Middlesbrough v Norwich play-off on Monday.
"This weekend's games remain unaffected and we look forward to welcoming supporters of all six Football League Play-Off finalists to Wembley", it tweeted.
The Army said the bomb was located about 200m (656ft) away from Wembley Stadium but there was no risk to the venue. Empire Way had been partially closed and a 400m cordon was in place while bomb disposal experts dealt with the device.
The bomb was reported at about 15:00 BST on Thursday and Met Police officers said about 300 properties had been evacuated, which included the TV studio where Britain's Got Talent is filmed.
Ch Supt Mick Gallagher, from Brent Police, said the public had been "very mature" in its response to the bomb.
He said 70 people had spent the night in an evacuation centre and more people joined them in the morning.
"I must also thank our courageous soldiers from various Army regiments for working tirelessly for over 24 hours, using their skill and experience to safely bring this incident to its conclusion," he added.
An Army spokesman said: "This bomb is a live munition in a potentially dangerous condition so it's important that people listen to the police and evacuate their homes if asked.
"Any bomb, even under a controlled explosion, could cause significant damage to property and there is a genuine risk to life."
The Met Police said it had worked with disposal experts and partner agencies "to keep disruption to local residents and businesses to an absolute minimum", while ensuring everyone's safety.
In March, a 250kg (550lb) bomb was found in Bermondsey, south-east London. It was safely defused and taken to Kent to be destroyed. | An unexploded World War Two bomb uncovered by builders near Wembley Stadium posed "a genuine risk to life", the Army has said. |
38761943 | The three unions said the offer was not without issues but was the "only credible and viable way to secure the future".
Agreements on changes to pensions have been seen as essential to future investment, including £1bn at the Port Talbot plant in Wales over 10 years.
A ballot on the offer is expected to go ahead on Monday.
But up until now, unions have been saying the decision for more than 6,000 workers was a personal one, based on individual circumstances.
"We do not make this recommendation lightly," said a joint-statement from Unite, GMB and Community unions.
"Nobody is saying that the proposal on the table is without issues. We fully understand the concerns of members, particularly around the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS).
"But as we have said before what you are voting on is the best outcome that could be achieved through negotiation. It is our collective view, supported by our independent experts, that this is the only credible and viable way to secure the future."
A consultation on changes to the BSPS was announced in December, as part of a deal which included a pact to avoid compulsory redundancies for five years and 10 years of investment.
Under the changes announced, the BSPS would close to future accrual, replaced with a defined contribution scheme with maximum contributions of 10% from Tata and 6% from workers.
An initial offer involved a new pension scheme with contributions of only 3% from the company and 3% from employees.
More than 100 union members from across Tata met on Thursday.
The unions said they had listened to feedback from members, wanting them to make clear what their views were.
"As with any agreement, the devil is in the detail and some of the details have only been finalised this week," they added.
Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock, who has the Port Talbot plant in his constituency, tweeted: "I am sure that steelworkers will take the steel unions' endorsement of the deal into account, when they are weighing up how to cast their votes".
Analysis from Brian Meechan, BBC Wales business correspondent
The unions are reluctantly recommending the deal because the consequences of rejecting it are ultimately so great.
Initially, the three trades unions said it was a personal matter about personal circumstances.
But it says something about the strength of feeling on the shop floor because the unions certainly believed they had got the best deal possible from Tata.
They thought it was something they could sell to workers but they have been finding it very difficult to convince some of those workers after a turbulent year which started with job losses and then led to a sales process, which ended up being cancelled.
So it seems over the last few weeks that the unions had a genuine concern their members would vote against it.
But in many ways, Tata's workers have been left out of much of the decision-making - most of which has been happening 4,500 miles away in Mumbai. So this is their first opportunity to have that power to decide things for themselves again.
It is unlikely Tata will come back with anything better and First Minister Carwyn Jones has said there is no plan B.
The unions now hope with their backing of the deal that it will be more likely to go through. | Unions at Tata have recommended steel workers at its UK plants accept a deal which includes pension reform. |
37106834 | The Wales centre is one of eight internationals coach Wayne Pivac will give first pre-season outings.
Davies rejoined Scarlets after two years with Clermont and will play a week after seeing his brother James win a silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
"I'm looking forward to it, he's a great player coming back," said fellow centre Scott Williams.
Davies' return to the Scarlets on a dual contract with the Welsh Rugby Union was heralded as a key signing for the game in Wales as well as the region.
The 2013 British and Irish Lion is one of a number of players opting to either return from playing in England and France or to stay in Wales.
As well as being a boost for the domestic game, it means tough competition for places in the Scarlets midfield with player-of-the-season Hadleigh Parkes, Gareth Owen and Steffan Hughes also in the mix.
Williams, who missed most of the 2015-16 domestic season with a knee injury he suffered playing in Wales' World Cup win over England, welcomes the competition.
"I think Jonathan is enjoying it back here with the boys - it's our second week in now so we've been straight back in the mix," he added.
"You want competition in positions it keeps you all on your toes and brings out the best in you.
"Last season maybe that's what we didn't have, just that strength in depth when some one got injured we didn't have someone with a bit of experience to come in.
"This year we can chop and change and if someone is carrying a knock we've got as-good a player to come in and fill that position."
Scarlets were beaten 45-3 by Exeter in their first pre-season friendly, but coach Pivac says the team to play Bath is being picked with their opening Pro12 game against Munster on 3 September.
He confirmed Williams and Davies will both play against Bath, along with Ken Owens, Jake Ball, John Barclay, Gareth Davies, Aled Davies and Liam Williams.
Pivac added that Jonathan Davies' recent return from Rio was not a concern because he resumed pre-season training before the other internationals in the squad.
"Jonathan came in a week earlier than the others and put in some solid work," he said.
"Those players won't be playing the entire game, it's about being smart and easing them into it.
"They've had a big break and they're in a bit of catch-up mode so we don't have a lot of pre-season matches so it's important they get a run."
The game against Bath is the Scarlets' final friendly before the Pro12 season kicks-off. | Jonathan Davies will make his on-pitch return to Welsh rugby when Scarlets play Bath in Colwyn Bay on Saturday. |
39106689 | The Germany midfielder, 24, has been limited to nine Bundesliga starts because of muscular problems since re-signing from Bayern Munich last summer.
The club said that they had carried out a series of internal investigations into the cause of Gotze's problems.
Gotze said he would do "everything in his power to be back in training".
Media playback is not supported on this device
"He [Gotze] has continually suffered with muscular problems in the past few months, prompting a comprehensive internal investigation into the possible causes," said a club statement.
"Those investigations revealed the player has metabolic disturbances, rendering it absolutely necessary to withdraw him from team training for the time being."
Gotze, who scored Germany's extra-time winning goal against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, has played 24 minutes of Bundesliga action in 2017.
"I'm currently undergoing treatment and will do everything in my power to be back in training and helping my team to achieve our common goals as soon as possible," he said.
Dortmund are third in the Bundesliga table, 13 points behind leaders Bayern Munich with 12 matches remaining. | World Cup winner Mario Gotze has been ruled out "for the time being" because of "metabolic disturbances", his club Borussia Dortmund have said. |
10255887 | So news that former high-profile hacker Adrian Lamo had turned over an Army intelligence analyst to authorities was met with derision by some.
"A lot of people have labelled me a snitch," Mr Lamo told BBC News. "I guess I deserve that on this one but not as a generality."
"This was a very hard decision for me."
Mr Lamo is a former hacker, who exposed security flaws at the New York Times, Yahoo and Microsoft. After a brief stint hiding from the FBI, Mr Lamo was imprisoned and fined. He now works as a journalist and security analyst.
Mr Lamo says that he was responsible for reporting Specialist (SPC) Brad Manning to the military authorities after the analyst boasted to him that he had handed over thousands of classified documents and classified military video to whistle-blower site Wikileaks.
One video posted to the site shows a US Apache helicopter killing up to 12 people - including two Reuters journalists - during an attack in Baghdad in 2007. Two children were also seriously injured in the attack. Some of the men were armed.
Mr Manning, 22, reportedly acquired the video during the course of his work at a US Military field base FOB Hammer, on the outskirts of Baghdad.
US intelligence analyst arrested
Mr Lamo said that he did not suspect anything unusual when Mr Manning contacted him over instant messenger and e-mail.
"I'm contacted on a daily basis by all kinds of people who confess to all kinds of federal crimes," he said.
"I have never once turned them in, even when the FBI offered me a deal."
However, after Mr Manning confessed to distributing the documents, Mr Lamo said that his stance changed and he "felt the need to contact investigators".
"At the moment he gave me the information, it was basically a suicide pact."
"I was worried for my family - that if I were obstructing justice that they could be caught up in any investigation," he said.
"I wanted to do this one by the book, by the numbers. I didn't want any more FBI agents knocking at the door."
Mr Lamo also said that he had decided to report Mr Manning for reasons of national security.
Instead of going straight to the authorities, Mr Lamo disclosed the information to "a friend" who had worked as an agent in the Army counter intelligence unit.
"He put me in touch with some of his former colleagues who he felt could handle the issue in a low key way," he said.
Who are WikiLeaks?
Four agents - from different federal and military agencies - turned up at his house to read the conversation logs - from his e-mail and instant messenger conversations with Mr Manning - "one by one", he added.
"I gave them conversation logs that implicated Special Agent Manning.
"They were particularly interested in a code word for a major operation."
Mr Lamo also described how Mr Manning had supposedly obtained the documents.
"He described the process of operational security in detail," said Mr Lamo.
"What he described was a culture of insecurity with poor attention to information.
"The field base didn't have significant security."
He said that Mr Manning would download the documents from a room that needed a unique security code to access it. However, security on the base had slipped, he said.
"He said you'd knock on the door and they'd let you in."
Mr Lamo said that Mr Manning would take a CD labelled Lady Gaga into the room which he would load into a computer.
"Basically he sat down and started burning data to the CD whilst pretending to be bopping along."
Mr Manning would then upload the documents to Wikileaks servers, which are held in various countries around the world and anonymise the source.
Wikileaks has not confirmed Mr Manning as the source of the video and has said it never collects personal information on sources. It said that it has not been sent 260,000 classified US embassy cables that Mr Manning reportedly leaked to the site.
Wikileaks also questions Mr Lamo's credibility.
However, the US military has confirmed that Mr Manning has been detained on suspicion of leaking classified documents and video. He is being held "in pre-trial confinement" in Kuwait.
"I want to be proud of it but I can't bring myself to be. I keep thinking about what it was like being 22, alone and not knowing about my future," said Mr Lamo.
"Knowing that I did that to somebody - it hurts. I feel like I should be talking to a priest."
He said he had been placed in a situation where "an impossible decision had to be made".
"I hope that Manning gets the same chance as I did - the same chance to take his punishment as I did and start a new life as I did."
"I like to think I prevented him from getting into more serious trouble." | Hackers often pride themselves on their anti-authoritarian and counter culture stance. |
40812312 | Ms Ortega, a fierce critic of President Nicolás Maduro, called for an independent audit of the vote.
The move came just hours after the British-based company, Smartmatic, that supplied the voting system said that the turnout figures had been inflated.
Mr Maduro has dismissed the claims.
Watch: 'We know the turnout was manipulated'
Ms Ortega said she had appointed two prosecutors to investigate four out of the five directors of the National Electoral Council (CNE) "for this very scandalous act that could generate more violence in the country than what we have already experienced".
Critics say the council is stacked with government loyalists who do the president's bidding.
But one of its five directors, Luis Rondón, has been openly critical of the constituent assembly, which President Maduro convened.
Speaking on Wednesday, he said that the allegations made by election technology company Smartmatic backed up the concerns he had raised about failures in the run-up to the vote.
"This election was different from all others carried out by the National Electoral Council," he said before demanding that "the results should be transparent for all Venezuelan people".
He also pointed out that the full results still had not been published and that the council's website was showing an error message.
Mr Rondón called on his fellow electoral council directors to suspend the swearing in of the constituent assembly members until a full audit had been carried out.
However, this is unlikely to happen as the head of the electoral council, Tibisay Lucena, has defended the vote and its results.
Just hours after Mr Rondón's statement, Ms Ortega also cast doubt on the legality of Sunday's poll.
"We are facing an unprecedented, serious incident that represents a crime," she told CNN.
However, it is unclear at this point if the investigation is likely to proceed.
Previous attempts by Ms Ortega to challenge executive decisions have been blocked and she has been fiercely attacked by government loyalists.
A close ally of Mr Maduro, Jorge Rodríguez, said it was only a matter of time until she would be removed from her post.
"She is the past," said Mr Rodríguez, who is among the socialist party loyalists to be elected to the constituent assembly. | Venezuela's chief prosecutor, Luisa Ortega, has opened an investigation into claims of fraud during Sunday's controversial election for a new assembly to rewrite the constitution. |
36289392 | Back in 1957 though, things looked a little different - not least because only 10 countries entered, an increase of three on the contest's debut the year before.
That year the UK was represented by the unknown Patricia Bredin from Hull, singing a love song called All.
She ended up in seventh place, her six points outshone by Netherlands' entrant Corry Brokken, who took the crown with 31 points.
Despite the setback Ms Bredin, then 22, went on to have a long career on stage and screen before retiring to a farm in Canada.
Now aged in her 80s, Ms Bredin has clear memories of her performance.
"Singing in the final in Frankfurt, Germany it was wonderful, because they had about a 60 piece orchestra and it was like being on clouds."
Ms Bredin grew up in west Hull and attended the Newland School for Girls.
Her singing career began as a member of the Hull Operatic Society, performing in shows at the City Hall and other venues.
She landed the Eurovision chance after being spotted singing at London's Savoy Hotel.
And a short meeting with BBC executives, who asked her "Would you like to be on TV?", was all it took to get the job.
"Two songs had been chosen and each one had to be sung by two different performers, but they had a problem because nobody wanted to sing that terrible little song called All," she said.
The song was less than two minutes long and despite her performance being broadcast on TV, the public did not have an opportunity to send it into the charts as she never recorded it.
John Kennedy O'Connor, author of the official history of the Eurovision Song Contest, said the contest then did not have the media focus it enjoys now.
"It was a much more formal process that it is now and a much more formal type of show," he said.
"At that time the contest just didn't mean anything to anybody. So I don't think she really benefited from it."
But, Ms Bredin became a regular in musicals in the West End and on Broadway, once taking over a role from Julie Andrews.
She also acted in a number of British films, appearing alongside Ian Carmichael and Sid James.
And, while singing on the liner QE2 in the 1960s, she met Canadian millionaire Charles MacCulloch. The pair married and moved to a farm in Nova Scotia.
She was widowed soon after the wedding and remained in Canada raising cattle.
Reflecting on her Eurovision appearance, she said she was just pleased to still be remembered.
"I had a wonderful career and enjoyed it and you go on to something else," she said.
"Now just existing is my primary priority." | This year's Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm will feature the UK's 60th song to vie for glory in the competition's history. |
35065221 | Adong Santina walked opposition candidate Kizza Besigye around the hospital in a remote area on Saturday.
Government official Moses Kaziba Nandhala informed her that she would be disciplined for divulging "unauthorised information", a leaked letter shows.
In April, Mr Nandhala failed to account for money allocated for health.
The records had been eaten by termites, he said, when appearing before the parliamentary accounts committee to explain what happened to about $250,000 (£165,000) meant for health in Abim district in the north-eastern Karamoja region.
The BBC's Patience Atuhaire in the capital, Kampala, says she understands that three nurses who worked at the district hospital have been suspended, although she has only seen the letter sent to Ms Santina, the senior nursing officer.
Ms Santina told Mr Besigye, in the presence of television crew covering his campaign, that the hospital was operating without a qualified doctor.
Another nurse said they had no power at all and water had to be fetched.
The nurses are trying to appeal against their suspension, our correspondent adds.
Mr Besigye, 59, is running against President Yoweri Museveni, 70, in elections due next year.
He was once Mr Museveni's doctor and political ally.
The president has governed Uganda since 1986, and his critics say he has become increasingly repressive. | A senior Ugandan nurse has been suspended after being caught on camera complaining to a presidential candidate about poor facilities at her hospital. |
39123042 | The country's winter window closed on Tuesday, with the 16 Chinese Super League clubs passing the £215m spent by England's 20 top-tier teams in January.
Oscar's move to Shanghai SIPG for about £60m and Shanghai Shenhua's reported £40m deal for Carlos Tevez came days before spending caps were announced.
Limits on the number foreign players in squads are in place for the new season.
Only three non-Chinese players can be fielded in a fixture when the season starts in March, a move the country's football association hopes will combat "irrational" spending.
But the total spend for the winter window - which ran from 1 January to 28 February - was a record for the Super League, exceeding the 2016 window by £36m.
The Chinese Super League's spending power came to prominence when 25-year-old Oscar agreed to leave Chelsea to join Shanghai SIPG for £60m.
It proved the biggest deal globally in the winter window but other notable Chinese moves saw Odion Ighalo join Changchun Yatai - a side who finished fifth from bottom last season - for £20m.
Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel, who was thought to be an Everton target, moved from Zenit St Petersburg to Tianjin Quanjian, where he will receive a reported £15.3m annual salary.
China's winter window runs for 28 days longer than those of European clubs. The country's spend was 16 times bigger than the total outlay in La Liga and more than the sum spent in Spain, Italy, Germany and France combined.
Figures obtained from Transfermarkt.co.uk show the total net spend of the Chinese Super League stands at £332m in 2017, a sizeable jump from about £25m in 2013.
When announcing intent to place limits on spending and foreign imports in early January, the government said clubs have been "burning money".
Their move to cool the habit proved controversial, with some clubs already boasting more than three overseas players in their squads, many of whom earn substantial wages.
Previously the rule was "4+1" - four foreigners of any nationality plus one Asian player in a matchday squad.
Quotas, caps and restrictions in a league quickly developing a reputation for its vast resources also go against the theory that some clubs' big-business backers are splashing out in hope of winning favour with President Xi Jinping, who has called for China to become one of the game's superpowers.
The limits being applied to the Chinese transfer market may have already stopped some potential deals, with Tianjin Quanjian's chairman saying the club had dropped bids for Chelsea's Diego Costa, PSG's Edinson Cavani, Monaco's Radamel Falcao and Benfica's Raul Jimenez as a result.
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was strongly linked with a move to the country before committing to the EFL Cup winners.
And big finance may not only threaten those outside of China. Guangzhou Evergrande - champions for six-straight years - have been drastically outspent in the winter window.
After spending controls were announced, the club managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari vowed to field a Chinese-only squad by 2020, a U-turn after years of success based on big-money foreign signings. | Chinese clubs spent £331m during the country's winter transfer window, outstripping the Premier League. |
39587959 | It is hoped the redevelopment will attract an extra 28,000 visitors a year to the museum at Stirling Castle.
Yorkshire-based consultants PLB have been appointed exhibition designers for the project.
Prince William launched the Thin Red Line Appeal to secure the museum's future last October.
The Museum Trust said the aim of the project is to "reinterpret the regimental museum for the current era".
The museum, which attracts about 185,000 visitors every year, is based in the A-listed 15th Century Royal Palace known as The King's Old Buildings.
The Trust said the redeveloped museum would place "one of Scotland's greatest regiments more firmly in the context of the nation's story."
The construction work is expected to be completed in early 2019.
PLB's creative designer Jamie McCall, said: "This commission challenges us to explore the history of the regiment and present their story through an interactive and thought-provoking museum, one which attracts audiences of all ages from all nations.
"Our plans include utilising the original architecture, whilst revisiting the spatial layout and working with the museum and Stirling Castle to create a really unique visitor offer."
Project director Col AK Miller said: "PLB understood our desire to tell the Argylls' story in the wider context of Scotland and the UK - from the Highland Clearances, through the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of Empire, to the World Wars and post-colonial era." | Construction work on a £4m project to transform the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum will begin in summer 2018. |
35403285 | Anabolic steroids are used to enhance athletic performance and increase muscle mass but can cause heart and liver problems.
The BBC found a product called Prostasia is advertised on Facebook, along with branded merchandise.
Facebook said it tackled any "illegal activity" as soon as it knew about it.
Anabolic steroids - which are banned in professional sport - mimic the effects of testosterone but used at unsafe levels can cause high blood pressure and heart attacks.
It is a crime to make, advertise or sell the Class C drug. The offence carries an unlimited fine and can result in a prison sentence.
However, a BBC Inside Out investigation found dealers trading online across the UK.
Posing as a user, its reporter became a member of 30 closed Facebook groups dedicated to selling steroids.
The steroid testosterone propionate was purchased online from Jon Elliott whose online status says he is based in Northampton.
When tested in a laboratory it was also found to contain the steroid testosterone enantate, which was not on the labelling.
A former steroid user, who did not wish to be named, told Inside Out that his liver became inflamed and the left ventricle of his heart was enlarged as a result of taking steroids.
He added: "My thyroids, according to my doctor, were on the verge of packing up which would have required me to take medication for the rest of my life."
He also suffered paranoia, depression and problems with work and relationships.
"Paranoia was one of the big things for me. I convinced myself something was happening that was not happening," he said.
Anca Frinculescu, a pharmacist at the Tic Tac Lab, said "[This is] dangerous because you never know what you buy and you never know the strength.
"There are plenty of side effects that can appear after use."
The seller, Mr Elliott, who trades online under his own name, was confronted by Inside Out. He denied selling the drugs, claiming his Facebook account had been hacked.
Some sellers have created a brand, like a legitimate business.
Prostasia has UK and US sales pages and a promotional video. Users can buy branded hoodies, mugs and mobile phone covers.
It also boasts that a female "sponsored athlete" has had its logo tattooed on to her neck.
One of its sellers Craig James - real name Frazer Craig - sold steroids to Inside Out.
When approached by the BBC at his home in Sutton Coldfield with evidence he was selling the drug illegally, he said: "You haven't, I'm sorry", and declined to comment further.
Bjorn Otto Peacock, from Essex, produces Prostasia merchandise and advertises the drug online.
"I don't know nothing about that," he told the BBC.
"I just get orders for hoodies and stuff, they send me pictures and writing they want and I print them off."
He denied he had used Facebook to advertise Prostasia for sale or posted photos of himself with the drug.
A Facebook spokesman said: "Our community standards make it clear that we prohibit the sale of illegal items on our site.
"We have built a vast reporting infrastructure that allows anyone to report things that break these rules.
"As soon as we are alerted to such illegal activity we work quickly to remove it, as we have done here."
Inside Out will be broadcast on BBC One in the east of England at 19:30 GMT on Monday and will be available on the BBC iPlayer | Dealers offering illegal performance-enhancing drugs that can cause severe side effects are selling their products via Facebook, the BBC has discovered. |
28125265 | There is an urgent need to increase the number of potential therapies being investigated, say US scientists.
Only one new medicine has been approved since 2004, they report in the journal Alzheimer's Research & Therapy.
The drug failure rate is troubling and higher than for other diseases such as cancer, says Alzheimer's Research UK.
Dr Jeffrey Cummings, of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, in Las Vegas, and colleagues, examined a public website that records clinical trials.
Between 2002 and 2012, they found 99.6% of trials of drugs aimed at preventing, curing or improving the symptoms of Alzheimer's had failed or been discontinued.
This compares with a failure rate of 81% for cancer drugs.
The failure rate was "especially troubling" given the rising numbers of people with dementia, said Dr Simon Ridley, of Alzheimer's Research UK.
"The authors of the study highlight a worrying decline in the number of clinical trials for Alzheimer's treatments in more recent years," he said.
"There is a danger that the high failure rates of trials in the past will discourage pharmaceutical companies from investing in dementia research.
"The only way we will successfully defeat dementia is to continue with high quality, innovative research, improve links with industry and increase investment in clinical trials."
Experimental models
Dr Eric Hill, of the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, said more research was needed to understand the complex mechanisms behind the disease.
"The development of better experimental models that could be incorporated into a battery of tests, will not only help us to understand the changes that occur in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, but also provide tools for the development of new drug treatments that could slow or stop the onset of disease," he told BBC News.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.
It affects more than 820,000 people in the UK and costs the economy £23bn a year. | More than 99% of drug trials for Alzheimer's disease during the past decade have failed, according to a study. |
35360091 | The spent rounds, discovered by a prisoner sorting through clothing at Littlehey Prison, near Huntingdon earlier this month, were handed to a guard by the inmate.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "They were quickly removed and there was no risk to the security of the prison."
An internal investigation is taking place.
Littlehey Prison, in the village of Perry, houses up to 1,206 adult male sex offenders and is a category C jail.
The ammunition cases were found in the pocket of a jacket in a supervised recycling workshop.
A Prison Service spokesman confirmed "two empty ammunition cases were discovered in a supervised sorting area at HMP Littlehey earlier this month".
He said the cases, which did not contain gunpowder or firing pins, were handed to workshop instructors.
All prisoners are "thoroughly searched" when they leave the shop, he added.
Textile recycling company LMB collects clothes from various locations, including supermarkets. Some are sent to prisons to be sorted by inmates.
Last July, an imitation hand gun was found at an LMB recycling workshop at Highpoint Prison near Haverhill, Suffolk.
A BB gun and a live bullet were found in a bed sheet at the same workshop in September.
Recycling was halted at both Highpoint and Littlehey prisons following the discoveries but is now running again, with items being checked before being handed to inmates. | Two ammunition cases have been found in a jacket sent to a Cambridgeshire prison for recycling. |
35643876 | Pte Cheryl James, from Llangollen in Denbighshire, was one of four recruits to die from bullet wounds at the Surrey army base between 1995 and 2002.
Her former room-mate Lisa Slattery said she laughed when she first heard the gunshot because she thought Pte James had fired her gun accidentally.
Shortly after a sergeant told female recruits to stay where they were.
Ms Slattery said the sergeant ordered a group of male soldiers to follow him.
"Someone said, 'Don't phone home or anything like that. Go to this room and we can talk about what happened'," she told the hearing in Woking.
Nicholas Moss QC, representing the Ministry of Defence (MoD), said the instruction was presumably because Pte James's parents had not been informed of their daughter's death.
Ms Slattery replied: "I don't know. I remember being really upset because I could not tell my parents."
Another former recruit said Pte James had asked to be put in a cell for bad behaviour to avoid doing guard duty.
Glen Rankin said: "Cheryl didn't want to be on guard duty the following morning.
"She was asking me to say she had been in trouble and say she was drunk and put her in a cell. She was pretty drunk.
"She was a bit upset I would say. She was pretty adamant she didn't want to go on guard duty for whatever reason that was."
Mr Rankin said he was surprised to see Pte James arrive for guard duty the following day and she appeared "quite happy".
Asked whether Pte James talked about her future in the Army, he replied: "At times I got the impression she didn't like it. Just the place in general put you off being in the Army and how they treated you."
Det Supt Brian Boxall, who led the 2002 Surrey Police investigation into the death of Pte James, was due to appear as a witness on the sixth day of the inquest.
But at the start of the hearing, coroner Brian Barker QC said it had been agreed by all parties that Mr Boxall was no longer required to give evidence.
The inquest continues.
Who were the Deepcut four? Background to the deaths and timeline of events | Soldiers at Deepcut barracks were told not to ring home after the body of a recruit was found, an inquest heard. |
40136336 | Rosa King, 34, died at Hamerton Zoo Park in Cambridgeshire on Monday.
The findings of a 2012 inspection report highlighting damaged fencing and concerns over "escape protocol" were widely reported after her death.
However, the local council confirmed its recommendations were "fully complied with".
Ms King, whose family home is in Chippenham, Wiltshire, had worked at the zoo for 14 years.
A joint investigation by police and Huntingdonshire District Council - which is responsible for licensing the zoo - is currently under way to determine how the incident happened.
More news from Cambridgeshire
The last inspection report the council has been able to provide to the BBC dates from 2013.
When inspectors visited the zoo in 2012 they advised the owners to "review, repair and replace [an] ageing/damaged perimeter fence where the structural integrity of the fence is compromised" and said "the escape protocol should be amended to to categorise animals of varying sizes".
However, a council spokesman has confirmed "all of the conditions on that report were fully complied with" and the zoo's licence was renewed by the authority same year. It expires in 2019.
The zoo has been closed since the incident on Monday morning and the council was unable to say when it might re-open or how long the investigation might last.
It has not responded to any other questions from the BBC.
Earlier this week police confirmed the tiger which killed Ms King was unharmed and was still alive.
Meanwhile, colleagues have paid tribute to the senior keeper.
In a statement released by the zoo, they said: "Rosa was not only an invaluable and highly respected member of our team, first and foremost, she was our friend and we miss her very much.
"Rosa's passion and commitment to animals and wildlife were an inspiration to all those who worked with and knew her.
"We are still coming to terms with what has happened."
Details of how Ms King died have not yet been released, and an inquest is expected to take place next week.
Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning | Safety concerns raised several years ago at a zoo where a tiger killed a keeper were fully addressed, the licensing authority has said. |
30910027 | Max Gradel scored the goal that gave the Elephants the only victory in the six matches in the group, and saved them from having to draw lots.
He smashed in a drive from 20 yards to set up a last eight match with Group C runners-up Algeria on Sunday.
Edgar Salli missed two good chances to equalise, hesitating when clean through and also blazing over from in the box.
Those glaring misses left Cameroon bottom of the group - their worst finish at a Nations Cup finals - and it also means lots will need to be drawn on Thursday to decide whether Mali or Guinea, who played out the fifth 1-1 stalemate of Group D, take the other quarter-final place.
Ivory Coast will be relieved to have avoided that lottery, having gone out in 1988 by that method, as they did just enough to earn the win that guaranteed them passage to the knock-out stages for the sixth successive time.
They had the better of the early exchanges, Serge Aurier crossing for Wilfried Bony, whose effort via his hip was pushed round the post by keeper Fabrice Ondoa, before right-back Aurier was himself denied as the Cameroon stopper dived low to keep out a header.
But neither side was brimming with confidence and the first half-hour lacked fluency and decisiveness.
It was a moment of uncertainty from Cameroon defender Jerome Guihoata that cost his side dear when he lost the ball to Gradel 25 yards out and the forward sent a rasping drive into the left corner to open the scoring.
Cameroon had a chance to restore parity three minutes later, but Salli took too long to get his shot away when clean though and Sylvain Gbohouo rushed out to save with his legs.
Salli was guilty of a worse miss when he blazed high and wide from the edge of the box with the last kick of the half - and it proved to be his final touch as he was replaced by Vincent Aboubakar at the start of the second period.
It was a change that was destined not to work for Cameroon as Aboubakar could do no better than Salli, spurning his side's only clear second-half chance, scuffing a shot from eight yards out.
Cameroon were simply unable to find a spark to ignite their play and in the end the Indomitable Lions limped out of the tournament.
Ivory Coast will hope that Yaya Toure has not done the same, as the Manchester City midfielder looked to be carrying an injury when he was substituted on 82 minutes.
Match ends, Cameroon 0, Côte d'Ivoire 1.
Second Half ends, Cameroon 0, Côte d'Ivoire 1.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Serey Die (Côte d'Ivoire) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Henri Bedimo (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wilfried Bony (Côte d'Ivoire).
Sylvain Gbohouo (Côte d'Ivoire) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon).
Cheick Doukoure (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Eric Choupo-Moting (Cameroon).
Serey Die (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Dangerous play by Wilfried Kanon (Côte d'Ivoire).
Foul by Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon).
Siaka Tiéné (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hand ball by Junior Tallo (Côte d'Ivoire).
Attempt saved. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Stéphane Mbia (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Max Gradel (Côte d'Ivoire).
Aurélien Chedjou (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Cheick Doukoure (Côte d'Ivoire).
Nicolas N'Koulou (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wilfried Bony (Côte d'Ivoire).
Stéphane Mbia (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Serey Die (Côte d'Ivoire).
Foul by Clinton N'Jie (Cameroon).
Serge Aurier (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Henri Bedimo (Cameroon).
Wilfried Bony (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Côte d'Ivoire. Cheick Doukoure replaces Yaya Touré.
Foul by Stéphane Mbia (Cameroon).
Serey Die (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Eric Choupo-Moting.
Attempt missed. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Leonard Kweuke with a cross.
Offside, Cameroon. Vincent Aboubakar tries a through ball, but Clinton N'Jie is caught offside.
Foul by Stéphane Mbia (Cameroon).
Wilfried Bony (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stéphane Mbia (Cameroon).
Kolo Touré (Côte d'Ivoire) wins a free kick in the defensive half. | Ivory Coast beat Cameroon to earn a place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as Group D winners. |
35613125 | Bond, 29, has signed a deal until the end of the season with the Reds.
The former Colchester, Chester and Stevenage man has recently been at National League North side Chorley.
Centre-back Dallison, 20, is yet to make his debut for the Seagulls, but has had loan spells at non-league sides Dartford and Braintree.
Meanwhile, Crawley have terminated the contract of midfielder Ross Jenkins to allow the 25-year-old can join Romanian top-flight club ACS Poli Timisoara.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | League Two side Crawley Town have signed midfielder Andy Bond and brought in Brighton & Hove Albion defender Tom Dallison on a 30-day loan deal. |
31816721 | However, the public spending watchdog's report said annual long-term savings were 4% less than planned.
It said the initiative only exceeded targets through one-off savings, such as reducing Formula One coverage.
The NAO also warned of "more challenging" changes in the future, and said more services may be at risk.
The BBC began its Delivering Quality First (DQF) initiative in 2012-13, after the licence fee was frozen at £145.50 during negotiations with the government in 2010.
The NAO report, published by the BBC Trust, examined its progress.
It said the BBC had "so far delivered value for money" with overall savings in line with forecasts, "without significantly impacting on performance".
However, it said that plans to make around 85% of remaining savings from productivity improvement meant "greater challenges" lay ahead, with more changes to structures and ways of working than in the first few years of the programme.
The report found the BBC, which plans to cut annual costs by £700m by the end of 2016-17 compared to 2011-12, made "fewer productivity savings and earned less from commercial income than planned".
"The BBC has made reported annual savings of £374 million by such means as renegotiating existing contracts, limiting salary increases and reducing the number of more expensive senior staff," said Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office.
"The BBC has taken a systematic approach to how it can achieve future savings, but it needs to keep the implementation of its plans under review.
"This will lessen the risk of the BBC's having to make further reductions to scope by, for example, cutting the number of new programmes it commissions or acquires."
One controversial proposal by director General Tony Hall is to axe digital channel BBC Three from the TV schedules, moving it online. This would save around £50m a year, £30m of which could be ploughed into BBC Drama.
Nick Prettejohn, chair of the BBC Trust's Value for Money committee, said the report recognised that "good progress" was being made.
"The NAO has suggested that the final years will present greater challenges and we agree that there is a limit to the extent costs can be reduced before quality begins to suffer," said Prettejohn.
"We believe the remaining targets should be met and will continue to track progress to ensure that savings do not have an unintended impact on the programmes and content which audiences love."
The NAO report also said the BBC cut public service broadcasting staff costs by 17% during the first two years of the programme, despite staff numbers falling by only 1% overall.
In a statement, Anne Bulford, the BBC's managing director of finance and operations, said: "For just £2.80 a week, the BBC provides great value to licence fee payers, and, as this report makes clear, the BBC has exceeded its efficiency targets."
She added: "We're on track to save £1.5 billion a year by 2016-17 despite the licence fee being frozen and some of it being used by the government for other projects such as broadband roll-out and local television.
"We have a good track record in delivering value for money, and won't stop searching for ways to become more efficient so even more of the licence fee goes into the programmes and services that people love." | The BBC's cost-cutting programme exceeded targets by making savings of £374m in 2013-14, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). |
36123492 | But she told the BBC it did not make it "impossible", as she made the case for a vote to stay in the EU on 23 June.
If the UK left the EU it would have to accept free movement rules "without any say" over them in order to access the single market, she warned.
Vote Leave said Mrs May had "given up" on trying to control immigration.
"The only way to take back control of our borders and have a fair immigration policy is to vote Leave on 23 June," its chief executive, Matthew Elliot said.
But speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Mrs May - who has so far kept a low profile in the referendum debate - said immigration policy and border control were "different" issues and should not be conflated.
In her first major intervention in the campaign since backing Remain, the home secretary said: "Yes, free movement makes it harder to control immigration but it doesn't make it impossible to control immigration."
She said controlling immigration - whether from inside or outside the EU - "is hard", and added: "We have constantly to be working at it, which is exactly what we're doing, so you can't just change one feature and assume that is going to have an impact."
Warning against an EU exit, Mrs May said: "If we were to be outside the European Union and still want the sort of access to the single market that people talk about... where that's been done for other countries, they have to accept the free movement rules without any say over those rules."
Free movement of people gives all EU citizens the right to travel, live and work wherever they wish within the bloc of countries.
An independent analysis recently forecast that three million more people would come to the UK by 2030 if Britain stayed in the EU.
Mrs May said she understood the public's "concerns" over immigration, and conceded the current level - well above the government's "tens of thousands" target - is "too high".
But she insisted the government was taking steps to address it, citing action to tackle "abuse" of free movement rules.
She also said the UK had "an opportunity" to change the rules in Britain's favour from within the EU, and said this is what David Cameron had achieved through his EU renegotiation, by reducing "pull factors" for migrants.
Mrs May contested claims by Leave campaigner and cabinet minister Michael Gove that EU membership means the UK cannot control its borders, saying the UK is not in the border-free Schengen area and "can stop people entering" the country.
"But crucially we can only do that if we've got the information we need to have," she added, as she made the case for continued EU membership.
Commenting on the home secretary's remarks, Vote Leave's Mr Elliott said: "It's clear that even Theresa May has given up on the government's promise to control immigration.
"She admitted that EU membership makes this impossible and that David Cameron has failed to bring any powers back from the EU to change that."
Meanwhile, justice minister Dominic Raab, who supports an EU exit, said negotiations following a potential vote to leave could include discussions on implementing visas for EU travellers heading to Britain.
"At the moment President Obama's administration... is looking at new visa requirements and screening from Germany, Belgium, Greece, France because of the recent terrorist attacks.
"I think we should at least have the power and the control to do that to make sure we keep Britain safe," he told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme.
Asked whether that would mean UK citizens requiring visas to travel to Europe, Mr Raab said: "Or some other kind of check". | The free movement of workers within the EU makes it more difficult to curb immigration to the UK, Home Secretary Theresa May has admitted. |
39946566 | Ukad last week postponed a hearing into the Briton testing positive for a banned substance in February 2015.
Fury, 28, had hoped to box in July but the British Boxing Board of Control told BBC Sport he is suspended "until the matter is dealt with by Ukad".
Ukad, which has not given a timeframe, does not comment on individual cases.
BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith said: "I haven't seen any new dates yet. I presume they are trying to sort them out with legal advisors but until that hearing, his licence is suspended."
Warren described the postponement of the hearing as a "liberty" and suggested the government could "intervene".
"Ukad have got a problem," said Warren. "He's entitled to make a living. If he's done wrong then get it over with. How can this be right? Why does it drag on from 2015?"
Fury also faces potential repercussions for refusing to fulfil a later test based on perceived persecution by Ukad.
Warren asserts this took place when the former heavyweight champion of the world was struggling to cope with depression and that when Fury's uncle and trainer called Ukad "an hour later", they "refused to come back".
Fury, 28, and his cousin and fellow heavyweight Hughie Fury, 22, were charged by Ukad in June 2016 as a result of urine tests conducted 14 months earlier which showed traces of nandrolone.
Between the failed tests and charge, Tyson Fury claimed the WBA, IBF and WBO world titles from Wladimir Klitschko, while Hughie Fury fought four times.
Both men deny any wrongdoing but their hearing was postponed after over two days when Ukad cited a "potential conflict of interest" on its panel.
Hughie Fury is still free to compete but Tyson lost his licence in October 2016 as the BBBofC moved "pending further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues".
If the case is dismissed, Warren hopes Fury will fight on 8 July on the undercard of Billy Joe Saunders' WBO middleweight title defence against Avtandil Khurtsidze in London. | Tyson Fury's boxing licence will not be reinstated until after his UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) hearing - which promoter Frank Warren fears could be in October. |
36970549 | 3 August 2016 Last updated at 19:34 BST
The friend, who asked not to be identified, said Amina Al-Jeffery sent her messages asking for help.
Earlier on Wednesday, the High Court in London ruled that she must be allowed to return. Amina Al-Jeffery claimed her father had locked her up against her will. Her father Mohammed, said he did it to "save her life".
Watch Secunder Kermani's full report on BBC Newsnight at 22:30 BST on BBC Two, or catch up afterwards on iPlayer | A friend of Amina Al-Jeffery - a British-Saudi woman who has won a court case allowing her to return to the UK - says she described her time there as "like a prison". |
38113760 | Rory McKenzie opened the scoring from 18 yards when Steven Smith's shot ricocheted into his path.
Marcus Haber passed up a huge chance to level when he sent his free header wide before the interval.
And Souleymane Coulibaly thundered home his 10th goal of the season in all competitions from close-range to settle the game on 70 minutes.
The Dundee goalkeeper Scott Bain showed he has confidence in his feet as well as his hands after he sidestepped Nathan Tyson having controlled a passback 10 yards off his goal line, but he got away with it with neat piece of skill.
Not so neat was Cammy Kerr who was lucky just to receive a yellow card as punishment for a scything tackle on Jordan Jones. The Killie winger was in full flight when he was clattered by the Dundee wingback right in front of the home technical area.
In the 18th minute the Kilmarnock supporters protested against director Michael Johnston. Their chants of "we want Johnston out" emphasised their desire for the club's company secretary to relinquish his place on the board.
Within two minutes their chants turned to cheers as McKenzie gave Killie the lead. Smith's shot was blocked but fell at his team-mate's left foot. McKenzie's trickling effort had enough to beat Bain at his right-hand post.
Dundee, unbeaten on their last five visits to Rugby Park, could have been level had Tom Hateley made a better connection to a Marcus Haber headed knock-down. He mishit his effort from close-range at the back post on the half hour mark.
Moments later substitute Danny Williams, who had replaced James Vincent, saw his volley saved by Jamie MacDonald, who dived to his right.
Tyson almost doubled Killie's lead when drive from 18 yards clipped the crossbar on its way over.
At the other end Haber should have done better with a header which bounced wide, while Craig Wighton struck the side netting after a fine cutback from the left by Williams.
Jones's powerful running on the left flank caused the Dundee defence no shortage of problems. His deliveries from corners also posed a threat and Will Boyle should have hit the target with a header from one of them.
Just as Killie fans were striking up another chant against director Johnston their team made it 2-0. Jones was heavily involved with the ball in from the left and Coulibaly accepted the opportunity to shoot high into the net.
Bain denied Tyson then McKenzie in the dying minutes, and the feet of MacDonald prevented Williams snatching a stoppage-time consolation.
This, though, was a thoroughly deserved victory for Kilmarnock, their first in four matches.
Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark: "I thought it was a dominant performance from start to finish. We created numerous chances. I thought to a man the players were fantastic, stuck to the game plan, we forced Dundee into a system change, albeit towards the end of the game.
"It was a thoroughly deserved victory and it could've been by a bigger margin.
"The games where we're playing teams in and around us, we have to have someone in goalscoring form. Souleymane does a lot of unseen hard work for us, but he's getting his rewards with the goals, the players appreciate what he's doing."
Dundee manager Paul Hartley: "We weren't at it today. I felt Kilmarnock were better than us all over the pitch and it wasn't our best performance.
"Haber has a chance at the back post, he can maybe do better, Williams has a chance but the keeper makes a good save, but overall we didn't really threaten their goal enough.
"We didn't pass it well, we didn't get into the final third enough and we didn't get enough good balls into the box.
"These are the games that are going to be vital for us - the league table from sixth down to 12th is so tight - so I think every point is vital. But we've got to regroup and go again."
Match ends, Kilmarnock 2, Dundee 0.
Second Half ends, Kilmarnock 2, Dundee 0.
Attempt saved. Danny Williams (Dundee) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution, Kilmarnock. Adam Frizzell replaces Jordan Jones.
Paul McGowan (Dundee) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Souleymane Coulibaly (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Paul McGowan (Dundee).
Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Rory McKenzie.
Attempt blocked. Darren O'Dea (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Nathan Tyson (Kilmarnock) because of an injury.
Rory Loy (Dundee) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gary Dicker (Kilmarnock).
Substitution, Dundee. Rory Loy replaces Kostadin Gadzhalov.
Attempt saved. Rory McKenzie (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Scott Bain.
Attempt saved. Nathan Tyson (Kilmarnock) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Foul by Nathan Tyson (Kilmarnock).
Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia (Dundee) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Greg Taylor (Kilmarnock).
Cameron Kerr (Dundee) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, Dundee. Faissal El Bakhtaoui replaces Craig Wighton.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Darren O'Dea.
Attempt saved. Steven Smith (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Goal! Kilmarnock 2, Dundee 0. Souleymane Coulibaly (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Steven Smith.
Attempt missed. William Boyle (Kilmarnock) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Paul McGowan.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Scott Bain.
Attempt saved. Jordan Jones (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Steven Smith (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Danny Williams (Dundee).
Attempt missed. Craig Wighton (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Jordan Jones (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Kevin Holt (Dundee) header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Cameron Kerr.
Attempt blocked. Jordan Jones (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Foul by Nathan Tyson (Kilmarnock).
Paul McGowan (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Souleymane Coulibaly (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Darren O'Dea (Dundee). | Kilmarnock climb into sixth place in the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win over Dundee at Rugby Park. |
36056399 | Omar Khan, 31, had worked at The Johnson Partnership in Nottingham for five years before he was arrested.
Erlin Manahasa, Albert Dibra and Nazaquat Ali were sentenced alongside Khan - who was jailed for 40 months - at Nottingham Crown Court.
They all admitted the same charge, relating to offences committed between 1 October and 4 December last year.
The court previously heard the case involved the recovery of 1kg (2.2lb) of cocaine.
Digby Johnson, a partner at the firm, told the BBC last month that they did not represent Khan - who had set up his own office and was about to leave the company.
Mr Johnson called Khan's actions "stupid" but described Khan, of William Street, Huddersfield, as "a lovely guy" who was "incredibly hard-working".
Manahasa, of no fixed address, was jailed for four and a half years, Dibra, of Joyce Avenue, Nottingham, for seven and a half years, while Ali, of Chard Street, Nottingham, was sentenced to five years in prison. | A barrister who was due to move into his own chambers in Huddersfield has been jailed for supplying cocaine. |
34963237 | Krampus, in which a boy accidentally summons a Christmas demon, appears to have no connection with the East Midlands.
The fleeting shot prompted bafflement on Facebook, with one person even demanding producers "pay royalties".
Legendary Pictures and Universal have not yet commented.
The brief appearance of Nottingham's Christmas market was spotted by the son of a city council employee.
A spokesman said the authority was not approached about using the footage, but it does not necessarily have to be.
He said: "We do give permission for people to film in the city all the time but they don't always need permission, so if this footage already exists somewhere we wouldn't necessarily know about it.
"It is surprising to see Nottingham in a Hollywood trailer and we are pleased it has been used to depict a Christmas scene.
"Out of all the footage they could have picked, they chose Nottingham to show a typically Christmassy scene."
The horror movie starring Toni Colette and Adam Scott was filmed in New Zealand, according to IMDb.
The Dark Knight Rises Wollaton Hall was used as Wayne Manor in this Batman film
This is England Shane Meadows shot much of the film in inner city Nottingham
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning The adaptation of the Alan Sillitoe novel was set and filmed in Nottingham
Control Nottingham stood in for 1970s Macclesfield in the Joy Division biopic
Nottingham's Christmas market takes place in the city's Old Market Square, known affectionately by residents as Slab Square.
People commented on the film cameo after a story appeared in the Nottingham Post.
On Facebook, there was speculation that it was "just CGI" or it "may have been photoshopped a bit", but the council has confirmed that the footage did show the real Nottingham. | Nottingham is at the centre of a festive mystery after the city made a bizarre cameo appearance in the trailer for a Hollywood film. |
36043366 | Stephen Bollard, 25, had been freed early from prison for a similar offence when he raided a newsagent and grocery shop in Cockenzie, East Lothian.
The court was told the shopkeeper, Mohammad Ramzan was shaken but physically unharmed by the incident, in which Bollard brandished a screwdriver.
Bollard's lawyer said he felt "remorse" for the attack on 16 August last year.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Uist told Bollard: "When you committed this offence you were under the influence of drugs and alcohol."
Lord Uist said it was clear from a background report and his previous convictions that he had "a long-standing drug misuse problem".
He jailed Bollard for three years and two months, but ordered that he first serve 183 days imprisonment, which was outstanding from his previous sentence for armed robbery with a knife.
The judge also ordered that he should be kept under supervision for a further two years. | A man has been jailed for more than three years for a robbery in which he took a single £10 note. |
36866149 | But Vaughan Gething said it still has "more to do" and continues to face big challenges as demand increases.
He was speaking to BBC Wales as latest performance figures show a main target hit for the ninth successive month.
This involves 65% of ambulances on life-threatening red calls arriving within eight minutes.
Headline figures:
A new target came into force in October after a decision to overhaul the way performance of the service is measured.
A new "clinical model" came in with a "traffic light" system of grading calls.
The decision meant ambulance response time targets for all but the most serious calls were scrapped.
Previously the eight-minute target applied to about 40% of the 999 calls the ambulance service received but now applies to only to fewer than 10% - only those judged to be immediately life-threatening.
For all other calls - categorised as amber or green - the ambulance service is given more time to judge the most appropriate response.
It is argued this allows vehicles and crews to be prioritised to calls where a life is immediately at risk,
Under the old system the service consistently failed to meet its targets amid concerns that resources were spread too thinly.
Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said the service had moved away from a "blunt target" to more refined ones which judge the quality of care for the patient.
"More and more of those are being seen within the target time," he said.
"There's also more scrutiny about what the service does and much greater focus on the quality of care and outcomes for people as well."
Although conceding that the new target is "theoretically" easier to hit overall, Stephen Harrhy, chief ambulance commissioner for Wales, said the change had meant a quicker response to the most urgent cases.
"What we've been able to demonstrate is that we can get to a lot more of the calls for those people who have immediately life-threatening conditions than we were ever able to before," he said.
Supporters of the new model say the old targets, which were introduced in 1974, only took account of speed and ignored the quality of care delivered.
Since the new system come in to force in October a raft of "quality indicators" have been published with the aim of measuring the the results for patients.
They include several "clinical indicators" - for example whether or not patients who have suffered heart attacks, strokes or have fallen and broken their hips get the most appropriate care.
They also include measures of the delays face by ambulance crews waiting for space to become available in emergency departments.
The statistics show the number of hours "lost" by ambulance crews waiting to hand over patients increased significantly during the first three months of 2016 compared to the period between October and December last year.
But the ambulance service said its performance against clinical indicators held up well despite the additional pressures across the NHS during the winter months.
It conceded there was room for further improvement - particularly in making sure performance is consistent across Wales.
Richard Lee, director of operations at Welsh Ambulance Service said the priority was to improve consistency across health board areas, "in very rural areas we have not improved as much as we'd like".
But overall, he said the response to the most urgent calls compares well with elsewhere in the UK.
Mr Lee said Wales was now "leading the way" in the UK for the way the system works and compares "very favourably" with pilot ambulance schemes running in Yorkshire and the south west of England.
"We could have invested tens of millions of pounds in hitting the previous targets but it wouldn't have made any difference to patients," he said.
"We know around 20% of our previous 'red' patients weren't even travelling to hospital.
"Our system previously categorised calls as 'potentially life threatening' and this was a very vague term. The new model concentrates resources on people who we know will come to harm if we don't arrive very quickly."
When the new targets came into force last year - opposition parties accused the Welsh Government of "moving the goalposts" to avoid criticism of ambulance service performance in the run up to the Assembly election.
Plaid Cymru described the change as a "dangerous experiment", but Mr Gething said the new model allows more scrutiny and honesty and has helped the organisation "improve its service for the people in Wales who really need it". | The ambulance service in Wales has turned a corner and its performance is "objectively getting better", the health secretary has said. |
36044459 | Claire Clappison's son Hayden died in 2003 when she was 18 weeks pregnant.
She says Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said there would be no ashes but, in 2013, found they were being held by the funeral director.
The Trust said it would do "whatever we can" to provide answers.
More on this and other local stories in Hull and East Yorkshire
Ms Clappison said: "The only reason I'm doing this is because I want justice for Hayden.
"It's not fair just to be sat on a shelf in cupboard at a funeral directors for nine years.
"I want somebody to say sorry and admit that it was them. Sorry goes a long way."
Her legal challenge is being supported by Hudgell Solicitors.
The firm claims to have evidence staff at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (HEYH) misinformed parents there would be no ashes.
Lawyer, Andy Petherbridge said he believed the trust had "breached its duty of care by giving incorrect advice out".
He said: "What we're hoping for is, firstly, answers as to why this happened and, secondly, assurances that this won't happen again. People have suffered psychologically as a result of this."
Mr Petherbridge said he believed hundreds of bereaved parents may have been affected and similar legal action was "likely to follow".
Kevin Phillips, chief medical officer for HEYH said: "I would again like to offer my deepest sympathies to anyone affected by the loss of a baby.
"I would also like to reassure all those who experienced such a loss at this trust that we will do whatever we can to help answer any questions they have about the cremation arrangements made at the relevant time." | A mother who discovered her son's ashes had been kept for nine years after his cremation is taking legal action against the hospital trust she claims told her there would be no remains. |
37263989 | Saints took the lead when Petr Cech tipped a Dusan Tadic free-kick onto the underside of the bar but the ball bounced in off the Gunners keeper.
Laurent Koscielny equalised with a spectacular overhead kick after Cazorla's corner was not cleared.
The hosts toiled in attack but Cazorla won it for them after Jose Fonte was judged to have fouled Olivier Giroud.
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The result was harsh on Southampton, who were well-organised at the back and dangerous when they broke forward.
Saints remain winless under new manager Claude Puel, while Arsenal are five points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, who beat Manchester United earlier on Saturday.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger gave debuts to both his recent signings, £35m centre-back Shkodran Mustafi and £17m forward Lucas Perez.
A World Cup winner with Germany, Mustafi instantly looked comfortable in his new surroundings, having more touches (94) and playing more passes (86) than anyone else on the pitch, frequently stepping up into the Saints half when he was on the ball.
But Spaniard Perez had a much quieter debut, failing to have a shot of any kind in the first half. His only effort at goal after the break was blocked and he was taken off after 63 mostly ineffective minutes.
Wenger threw on Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and, eventually, Alex Iwobu too, but his side continued to struggle in front of goal until Fonte tangled with France striker Giroud and referee Robert Madley pointed to the spot.
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Southampton are in the bottom three after failing to win any of their first four games of the season, but they were unfortunate not to pick up at least a point in north London.
Shane Long was left on the bench until half-time but had three good chances in the second half.
Long wasted his best chance when he fired well wide after Tadic's superb flick had left him with only Cech to beat.
The Republic of Ireland striker also headed over the bar when unmarked from a free-kick and did not get enough on his follow-up shot after Cech had parried a Pierre Hojberg strike.
Arsenal begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday (19:45 BST kick-off), with a trip to play French champions Paris St-Germain, before another away game, at Hull, in the Premier League next Saturday (15:00 BST).
Southampton are also on European duty, at home to Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday (20:05 BST), before they host Swansea on Sunday (14:15 BST).
Match ends, Arsenal 2, Southampton 1.
Second Half ends, Arsenal 2, Southampton 1.
Attempt saved. Shane Long (Southampton) header from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cédric Soares with a cross.
Goal! Arsenal 2, Southampton 1. Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
Virgil van Dijk (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) because of an injury.
José Fonte (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
Penalty Arsenal. Olivier Giroud draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by José Fonte (Southampton) after a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt blocked. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mesut Özil with a cross.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Cédric Soares.
Foul by Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal).
Oriol Romeu (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Alex Iwobi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton).
Attempt missed. Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Santiago Cazorla.
Francis Coquelin (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Southampton).
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Petr Cech.
Attempt saved. Shane Long (Southampton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Substitution, Southampton. James Ward-Prowse replaces Dusan Tadic.
Attempt missed. Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Santiago Cazorla with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Cédric Soares.
Attempt blocked. Nacho Monreal (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Iwobi.
Foul by Olivier Giroud (Arsenal).
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Arsenal. Alex Iwobi replaces Theo Walcott.
Attempt missed. Shane Long (Southampton) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Nathan Redmond with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Theo Walcott (Arsenal).
Virgil van Dijk (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Nathan Redmond (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.
Attempt blocked. Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Olivier Giroud.
Offside, Southampton. Shane Long tries a through ball, but Nathan Redmond is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Mesut Özil. | Santi Cazorla's stoppage-time penalty gave Arsenal a dramatic victory over a determined Southampton side. |
35216569 | Emergency services and the Red Cross were called to the Penge Lane and Queen Adelaide Road area of Penge following the leak at 22:30 GMT on Saturday.
Gas distribution firm SGN said it had made a temporary repair overnight.
Residents moved to four reception centres were allowed to go home from 05:00 and engineers were working on a permanent repair, a spokesman said.
It said it aimed to complete the repair work by Sunday afternoon.
A member of the public reported smelling gas shortly after 22:30 on Saturday and called the national gas emergency number, SGN said.
It was initially thought more people had to leave their homes as a precaution but police later said about 150 people were affected.
Neighbourhood policing team @MPSBromley tweeted: "Huge Gas Leak Penge Lane / Queen Adelaide Road. Houses being evacuated. Please avoid this area."
A second tweet from the account at about 02:00 said: "Road closures remain in place in #Penge ... 4 reception centres housing evacuees. Community spirit pulling through. Updates to follow."
Sgt Lance Chenery tweeted: "On scene with @MPSBromley dealing with a serious gas leak in #Penge #SE20 large evacuation of residents."
Sgt Gareth Starr said some residents were moved from reception centres to hotels, with others escorted home by police officers from about 05:00.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said road closures were put in place as a cordon was set up around the site. Gas engineers remain at the scene. | About 150 people were evacuated from homes in south London following what police described as a "huge" gas leak. |
39119874 | The new stadium has a proposed capacity of 34,186 - down by almost 4,000 on the GAA's original plan.
It is the latest planning application after the multi-million pound project was beset with problems and delays.
A residents' group had objected to the new plans and said the lower capacity was "not a significant reduction".
Ulster GAA said the planning application came after an "unprecedented" 32-week consultation.
Planning permission for the sports stadium was overturned in 2014 after objections by local residents.
The GAA unveiled fresh plans for the stadium last October.
It said height, scale and capacity were all reduced from the previous design and that it was aiming to work within the original budget of £76m.
In confirming the latest planning application, Ulster GAA said it had received 95% approval from about 3,000 people who responded to the stadium consultation.
It said it had also received a positive report from the Safety Technical Group (STG), an advisory body which oversees the construction of new stadiums in Northern Ireland.
This report has not been made public, despite requests by the BBC to see the document.
The original plans for the stadium were embroiled in controversy when Paul Scott, then head of the STG, claimed he was bullied after he raised concerns that the stadium could not be evacuated safely in emergencies.
Mr Scott has since been replaced as head of the STG by former Omagh District Council chief executive Danny McSorley.
Ulster GAA said that the STG found that the plans were "sufficiently developed, and in accordance with safety legislation and guidance, at this stage to provide a sound basis for development towards the GAA's target capacity of 34,186".
Tom Daly, chairman of the Casement Park Project Board, said the GAA had "listened, learned and acted" in submitting the new plans.
"We are delighted with the overwhelming support the project has received with 95% of people that responded being in favour of the scheme and also with the positive endorsement we received from the Safety Technical Group," he said. | The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has submitted a new planning application to build a controversial stadium at Casement Park, west Belfast. |
23212964 | The Briton sprinted away from his main rivals, including Alberto Contador, on the final climb to the summit finish at Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees.
"That was an emphatic display by Chris Froome and Team Sky. It's been a tough week but he was chomping at the bit.
"Team Sky put a plan into action and it worked perfectly although I think they will be surprised just how much time they put into the likes of Alberto Contador because that final climb was not particularly long by Tour de France standards.
"I was very impressed with Peter Kennaugh's performance. We have been waiting a while to see him at a Grand Tour and he did a fantastic job on the penultimate climb and looked comfortable on that descent.
"The morale of Froome's rivals is going to have taken a big hit. They could try to attack on Sunday but they might not have the legs if Sky set the tempo high again.
"There are days coming up in the mountains where I can see Froome winning this like Tours of old."
Listen to the BBC Radio 5 live stage eight podcast
He beat Richie Porte by 51 seconds and leads his Team Sky team-mate by the same margin in the overall standings.
Contador lost one minute, 45 seconds to Froome and is seventh, 1'51" down.
"I couldn't be happier," said 28-year-old Froome.
"It has been a nervous week leading up to now but my team has done a fantastic job and to repay my team-mates with a stage win and Richie coming second, I couldn't have asked for more."
South Africa's Daryl Impey started the day in the yellow jersey but the Orica GreenEdge rider, who is more of a sprinter than a climber, knew he would be losing the race lead on Saturday's first day in the mountains.
He suggested that Froome would be one of the riders to keep an eye on and the race favourite, who finished second behind Sir Bradley Wiggins last year, did not disappoint.
The first 120km of racing was reasonably flat and calm with a four-man breakaway - which included Christophe Riblon, who won a similar race to Ax 3 Domaines in the 2010 Tour - opening up a lead of more than nine minutes at one point.
However, the lead was slowly whittled away and was down to around one minute by the time the leaders had reached the bottom of the day's biggest climb - the hors categorie Col de Pailheres.
Riblon made a solo bid for the stage win on the ascent, while Team Sky controlled the pace of the peloton.
Several riders, including France's Tommy Voeckler, who won the 2012 King of the Mountains classification, and Dutch climber Robert Gesink also made solo breaks but they were soon caught and overtaken by Colombia's Nairo Quintana.
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The Movistar rider then chased down Riblon and was first over the summit of the 2,001m-high Col de Pailheres to win the souvenir Henri Desgrange - the prize awarded to the first rider to reach the highest point of the overall race.
Team Sky's Peter Kennaugh took over the pacing duties towards the top of the climb and led the peloton on the descent, chipping away more than 30 seconds of the one minute advantage that Quintana had built up.
The Isle of Man rider then set a furious pace up the final 7.8km ascent to Ax 3 Domaines - so furious that he ran out of energy and was forced to drop away with around 6km remaining.
That left just Porte to pace Froome and the duo upped the tempo, catching and passing Quintana in the next kilometre before Froome took off on his own to record a memorable victory.
Not only did Froome beat the likes of two-time Tour winner Contador and Quintana by one minute, 45 seconds, he also put more than four minutes into 2011 champion Cadel Evans.
Alejandro Valverde, who was third on the stage, lost 1'08" but is third overall, 1'25" behind Froome.
Slovakia's Peter Sagan picked up 10 points in the green points jersey classification after finishing behind Andre Greipel in the day's intermediate sprint, which came just before the mountain ascents.
With the four riders in the breakaway claiming the big points on offer, German Greipel won the race from the peloton to claim 11 points, with the Isle of Man's Mark Cavendish getting nine points.
Sunday's stage nine is a second and final day in the Pyrenees. The 165km race starts in Saint-Giron and features four category one mountain climbs and one category two ascent but finishes with a descent into Bagneres-de-Bigorre.
Stage eight results:
1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 5:03:18"
2. Richie Porte (Aus/Team Sky) +51"
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +1:08"
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin) +1:10"
5. Laurens ten Dam (Ned/Belkin) +1:16"
Overall standings:
1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 32:15:55"
2. Richie Porte (Aus/Team Sky) +51"
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +1:25"
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin) +1:44"
5. Laurens ten Dam (Ned/Belkin) +1:50"
Selected others:
7. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff +1'51"
8. Nairo Quintana (Spa) Movistar +2'02"
9. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha +2'31"
13. Daniel Martin (Ire) Garmin +2'48"
22. Nicolas Roche (Ire) Saxo-Tinkoff +4'10"
23. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC +4'36"
60. Peter Kennaugh (GB) Team Sky +27'01"
90. David Millar (GB) Garmin +40'11"
148. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma-Quickstep +1h12'50"
168. Ian Stannard (GB) Team Sky +1h22'16"
185. Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky +1h29'03"
Green points jersey standings after stage eight:
1. Peter Sagan (Svk/Cannondale) 234 points
2. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto) 141
3. Mark Cavendish (GB/Omega Pharma - Quickstep) 128
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Katusha) 111
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Sky) 88 | Chris Froome produced a sensational ride to emphatically win stage eight of the Tour de France and take his first race leader's yellow jersey. |
32447405 | Air passenger duty (APD) for children under the age of 12 on economy travel will be abolished from 1 May.
That means some passengers who have already booked and paid for flights that take off after 1 May are due a refund of the duty.
Some airlines are giving refunds automatically, but others require passengers to fill in a claim form.
"[Some airlines] are operating a refund by request system and this could be one extra job that many parents never get around to doing, leaving much of the money stuck in APD limbo," said Hannah Maundrell, of comparison website Money.co.uk, which has a guide to the changes.
"Airlines are already awash with consumers trying to reclaim money for delays, these new applications for APD refunds could simply add to the administrative nightmare.
"The important point here is that anyone that's booked a flight for a child aged two to 11 for after 1 May must check whether they paid APD. If they did, they need to make sure they get the money back from either the airline or the travel agent."
The British Air Transport Association (BATA) said the different systems of refund were the result of airlines requiring different levels of information at the ticket booking stage.
Some ask for the age of the passenger when a ticket is booked, so these airlines have been able to make automatic refunds. Others may not ask for the age until passengers confirm details closer to the flight departure, in which case parents might need to actively make a refund claim for children aged under 12.
Some airlines have automatic refunds, some may require a refund claim to be made online, while others ask passengers to follow email or booking account instructions.
The APD cut was announced in December's Autumn Statement, and followed an announcement in the previous Budget to scrap two APD tax bands.
Air passenger duty is charged on all passenger flights from UK airports. The rate of tax varies according to where the passenger is going, and the class of travel. The amount paid in duty can range from £13 to £71.
From May 2016, APD for children under 16 will also be abolished.
The changes will cost the Treasury £40m in 2015-16. The cost will jump to £80m the following year, and rise to £95m in 2019-20. | Parents due partial refunds on their children's air tickets face a variety of ways to claim the money. |
32236597 | A poster featuring a kilted man in front of an image of Glen Coe is being displayed on 50 large digital screens in the US city.
The VisitScotland poster reads: "Visit Scotland. The land that inspired Outlander".
It also urges New Yorkers to "Give in to your kilty pleasures".
Based on a series of novels from American author Diana Gabaldon, the TV series follows the story of Claire Randell, a nurse from 1946 who is swept back in time to 1743.
It was filmed at various locations across Scotland, including Doune Castle near Stirling.
The promotion drive will also see VisitScotland members march along New York's 6th Avenue with an Outlander-themed banner during the Tartan Day Parade on Saturday.
The parade will include 300 Outlander fans and will be led by Graham McTavish, who plays Dougal Mackenzie in the show.
VisitScotland has also teamed up with Showcase, the Canadian channel broadcasting Outlander, to offer viewers a holiday for two in Scotland.
The advert for the competition is being broadcast during the first and second episodes of the series this month, with shots of Scotland appearing alongside clips from the show.
VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said: "Outlander has captured the imagination of people across the globe, particularly in North America, and it is vital that we make the most of this fantastic opportunity.
"Our intensive marketing activity during Scotland Week, and beyond, will encourage more and more people to come to Scotland - the land that inspired Outlander." | Tourism promotion agency VisitScotland is targeting American fans of the hit drama Outlander during Scotland Week celebrations in New York. |
37662604 | He was Alistair Sloss of Ruskey Road in the village.
Mr Sloss's death is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.
In a statement, the HSE said its "deepest sympathies are with the man's family at this most difficult time".
DUP MLA Keith Buchanan said the man's death was "another tragic loss within the farming community".
"The local community's in shock. Any small rural area, everybody knows everybody else," he said.
"The amount of farmers across Northern Ireland and across the country working at slurry at this time of year, unfortunately these things can and will happen.
"Hopefully the message will come through to take more time and be cautious."
Ulster Unionist MLA Sandra Overend said: "To hear of another local farming accident brings a clench to my stomach.
"I was so saddened to hear of the tragic death of Alistair Sloss yesterday evening and I immediately thought of his family who are suffering their greatest sadness; my heart goes out to them."
Wesley Aston of the Ulster Farmers' Union said the "tragic news" of Mr Sloss's death showed there could be no complacency around the issue of farm safety.
"Just a couple of days ago, we got encouraging news from the Health and Safety Executive about how much we had made progress in reducing farm deaths," he added.
"Unfortunately to receive this tragic news last night just shows that we can't be complacent and it is important that we do take every action that we can to avoid such events happening in the future." | It is believed the man who died following a farm accident in Coagh, County Tyrone, had been working with slurry. |
37528963 | Grace Jacobs suffered a broken leg and wrist when she was struck by a car as she crossed Hangingwater Road in 2015.
The group set up a mock zebra crossing to highlight their campaign.
Calls for a crossing at the junction of Hangingwater Road and Whiteley Wood Road have been backed by 6,500 people.
Martin Jacobs said: "Children are crossing this road every day and it's very dangerous.
"Somebody is going to have another accident before long."
He said a 6,500-signature petition calling for a crossing and safety improvements at the junction will be presented to Sheffield City Council on Wednesday.
Grace said: "I suffered bad enough injuries and for anybody else to get injured would be horrible." | Campaigners calling for a pedestrian crossing to be installed where a 12-year-old schoolgirl was badly injured have staged a demonstration outside Sheffield Town Hall. |
35797679 | Talks on Turkey's bid for EU integration are being sped up as part of a deal which would see the country help to tackle Europe's migrant crisis.
Tory MP and Leave campaigner Owen Paterson warned that Turkish accession could impact on immigration, and said it was a "real concern" to UK voters.
Mr Osborne told the BBC's Andrew Marr the UK had "a veto" over the issue.
He raised the prospect of the UK stopping Turkey joining the EU unless its economic prosperity was similar to the UK.
Last week, EU and Turkish leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss ways to ease the ongoing migration crisis which is engulfing Europe.
Under the plan - which is not yet finalised - all migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be returned. For each Syrian sent back, a Syrian already in Turkey would be resettled in the EU.
In return, Turkey would receive more funding and there would be faster progression on accession talks, including a relaxing of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens travelling to the EU.
On Sunday's Andrew Marr show, Mr Osborne said: "We have a veto over whether Turkey joins or not.
"We can set conditions and we have made it absolutely clear that we will not accept new member states to the European Union and give them unfettered free movement of people unless their economies are much closer in size and prosperity to ours."
He added: "I don't frankly think Turkish accession is on the cards any time soon. We could, if we wanted to, veto it as other countries could."
The idea of Turkey joining the EU is controversial, with critics arguing that a large, mainly Muslim country with many rural poor could change the whole character of the EU.
Conservative former minister Owen Paterson, who is backing an EU exit, told Sky News' Murnaghan programme that the question of Turkish accession was a "massive" issue.
"Letting in 77 million people who have a long 750-mile border with, sadly, incredibly unstable... states, Syria and Iraq, I think is something of real concern to many people."
"This is the lurking huge iceberg under the surface," he added - and predicted it would "undoubtedly" influence the outcome of the UK's in-out referendum on the EU, on 23 June.
Boris Johnson has also voiced concerns, saying in a speech on Friday that he was "very dubious" about the proposed EU-Turkey deal.
"I am certainly very dubious on the other side of the coin about having a huge free travel zone. I think that is one of the problems, that we need to take back control of our borders," he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to the BBC, Roland Rudd, treasurer of the pro-EU Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, claimed London mayor Boris Johnson - on the Leave side - had wanted Britain to stay in the EU, but changed his mind over the course of a weekend.
Mr Johnson, one of a number of senior Conservatives to have broken ranks from Prime Minister David Cameron to back the Vote Leave campaign, declared his hand last month, after much speculation about which side he would join.
Mr Rudd, who chairs the pro-EU Stronger In campaign, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics he was surprised at the mayor's decision.
"Like a lot of people I had conversations with him, pretty recent, and it was absolutely clear he was for in," he told the BBC's Pienaar's Politics.
There was not any shade of doubt at all, he said, and added: "He's clearly changed his mind over a weekend."
Mr Johnson has denied his decision was anything to do with leadership ambitions, saying the UK would be better off outside the EU which "costs us a huge amount of money and subverts our democracy". | Turkey becoming a member of the EU is not "on the cards" any time soon, UK Chancellor George Osborne has said. |
36359645 | Captain Alexander Wallace revealed to fiancée Ethel how the British army defeated German forces in the face of food shortages, disease and heat.
The letters tell how sickness killed far more men than battle itself.
His letters are being published online as part of the National Army Museum's Soldiers' Stories series.
Capt Wallace was born in 1885 in Aberdeen, and was educated at Robert Gordon's College and the University of Aberdeen, qualifying in medicine in 1906.
His letters, from the Abercorn area of Africa, detail how British and German soldiers alike pillaged food from the local population.
The men got "lots of queer food which we raid from the surrounding villages".
He wrote: "War is a sad thing for the native population. The troops occupy the country for a bit, take what food there is, leaving nothing for the natives."
Capt Wallace wrote that the medical camps were "filthy" and mosquitoes and flies were "simply swarming".
For every man lost in battle, 30 were said to have died from sickness.
One unit began the campaign with more than 1,000 men but - having hardly engaged with the enemy - was reduced to just over 100.
The letters to "my dear Ethel" include reassuring and positive messages, such as "our men are all doing well and we are quite hopeful of the result."
He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917 for his care of the wounded, after 67 of the 70 men he treated survived.
He returned to Scotland and married Ethel.
Capt Wallace died in December 1954.
Dr Peter Johnston, collections content manager at the National Army Museum, said: "Wallace's letters remind us that Britain wasn't only at war in Europe.
"They vividly show what it was like to be a young man fighting far from home in an unfamiliar land.
"While today we often think of civilians affected by war, we don't tend to think about how the First World War affected those who lived in the conflict area.
"Wallace's detailed description of how local communities and natives suffered are rare, making this archive a very special piece of history." | Letters written by a World War One medical officer from Aberdeen who fought in East Africa are being published online for the first time. |
39274041 | Having hosted six of the seven Friday night games since they were introduced in 2009, Wales have now said they will not host any matches in 2018 or 2019.
WRU chairman Gareth Davies says Wales feel they "have done their bit".
"We basically made that comment, we feel other nations should share the burden," he told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
Wales beat Ireland 22-9 last Friday.
Wales were also involved in the one Friday match that they did not host, in Paris in 2009, which France won 21-16.
WRU chairman Davies says the Friday night games have been unpopular with supporters.
"Commercially the Friday night games have done very well," he said.
"They have been sell-outs and other sales on the business end have performed well.
"But it is incumbent upon us to take into account what supporters are saying.
"It is pretty inconvenient to get into Cardiff on a Friday night.
"We have taken into account what our loyal customers have told us."
Davies conceded Wales will have no control over playing on a Friday evening if they are selected for one of those fixtures as an away side. | The Welsh Rugby Union has told Six Nations organisers it is not prepared to stage Friday night matches in the next two years. |
32182208 | The fire at the Churchill Square shopping centre in Brighton started at about 12:30 BST.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue said it affected three cars, and was quickly extinguished. No-one was injured but a dog had to be rescued from a car.
Smoke could be seen billowing from the building at the height of the fire. The centre was reopened a short time later.
The fire, tackled by four crews, is not being treated as suspicious.
The shopping centre was evacuated as smoke had started to set off alarms in shops, the fire service said.
Staff were permitted back into shops and offices at about 14:15 BST with the public allowed to return about 20 minutes later.
The centre was fully reopen by 15:10 BST, with the exception of the car park where the fire took hold, although people were able to recover their vehicles, police said.
An investigation to establish the cause of the fire will be carried out. | Shoppers and motorists had to be evacuated from a shopping centre after a fire broke out in the car park. |
40779658 | Brendan Rodgers' side were without Griffiths and fellow striker Moussa Dembele as they drew 0-0 in the first leg of their Champions League tie.
But the Scot is free of suspension for the return leg of the qualifier.
"Hopefully the wee man could be fit. But, if not, we have a lot of options," insisted the midfielder.
"He's been working around the clock to try to get fit.
"The wee man's always chomping at the bit to get on the park to score goals.
"As soon as he gets that ball, he wants to put it in the back of the net and I'm sure he'll be ready to do that. Here's hoping anyway."
Following the goalless first leg at Celtic Park, Rodgers explained his lack of cover for Griffiths and Dembele by stressing that having three top strikers at a Scottish Premiership club would be an expensive luxury.
Midfielders Tom Rogic and Scott Sinclair were both used up front during the third qualifying round game against Rosenborg, while Callum McGregor could be an option in Norway after his three goals in Saturday's friendly win over Sunderland.
"The gaffer is very relaxed that way and he knows we've got attacking midfielders who can create chances and score goals," said Brown.
"Scotty, Tom, Jamesie Forrest, Callum McGregor scored a hat-trick at the weekend, so we know we've got people there who can score goals.
"That's why we've got a big squad and that's why we believe and put faith in other people as well."
Brown has shrugged off a knock he took near the end of the match against Rosenborg in Glasgow.
"I'm fine," he said. "It's old age. That's what it is. Just a wee slight tackle.
"The guy left his studs in and I've managed to kick the bottom of his foot, but everything's okay."
Brown does not accept that home advantage now makes Rosenborg favourites to reach the play-off stage.
"The game plan was spot on from them," he admitted. "They defended well and they managed to stop us from scoring goals.
"But we had a lot of possession and now we just need to move the ball a lot quicker and create more chances and, once we create those chances, we have to take them as well.
"It's 0-0, so if we score a goal, they need to score two.
"It's still 50-50. It depends on who wants it more on the day."
Meanwhile, Brown revealed that former Celtic team-mate Shaun Maloney was at their Lennoxtown training ground on Monday after being linked with a return to the club as an under-20s coach.
The 34-year-old Scotland midfielder, who turned down the offer of a contract extension with Hull City, had been poised to join Aberdeen until an injury problem was revealed.
"He was in today to have a look around and I was speaking away to him," added Brown. "The wee man would be brilliant.
He's just a great guy overall. He works well, is willing to learn and he'll bring a lot of class as well." | Captain Scott Brown remains hopeful that Leigh Griffiths will be fit to face Rosenborg but thinks Celtic have plenty others who can score goals. |
39919326 | The National Association of Estate Agent (NAEA) said it believes the data will soon be a compulsory part of property adverts.
The move may have a significant impact on property values in city centres.
Air pollution has been linked to 40,000 early deaths in the UK, according to the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Mark Hayward, chief executive of the NAEA, told BBC Radio London: "I think anything that would affect someone's decision whether to buy or not should be there to be seen by the public."
"What we are saying is it will now factor into somebody's wish list in terms of what and where they want to buy," he added.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has previously described declining air quality in the capital as an emergency.
In London alone 9,000 deaths each year have been linked to air pollution, according to the mayor's office.
Earlier this year, Mr Khan announced primary schools located in London's most polluted areas would receive "toxic air audits".
In January, a "very high" air pollution warning was issued in the capital for the first time under a new alert system.
The mayor has also called for the government to adopt a diesel scrappage fund to tackle air pollution in the city. | Property listings may contain data about the air quality in an area in the future, according to estate agents. |
13940928 | This "quantum key distribution" has until now needed a dedicated fibre separate from that used to carry data.
But a new technique reported in Physical Review X shows how to unpick normal data streams from the much fainter, more delicate quantum signal.
It may see the current best encryption used in many businesses and even homes.
The quantum key distribution or QKD idea is based on the sharing of a key between two parties - a small string of data that can be used as the basis for encoding much larger amounts.
Tiny, faint pulses of laser light are used in a bid to make single photons - the fundamental units of light - with a given alignment, or polarisation. Two different polarisations can act like the 0s and 1s of normal digital data, forming a means to share a cryptographic key.
What makes it secure is that once single photons have been observed, they are irrevocably changed. An eavesdropper trying to intercept the key would be found out.
Sending these faint, delicate quantum keys has until now been done on dedicated, so-called "dark fibres", with no other light signals present.
That is an inherently costly prospect for users who have to install or lease a separate fibre.
So researchers have been trying to work out how to pull off the trick using standard, "lit" fibres racing with data pulses of millions of photons.
Now Andrew Shields of Toshiba's Cambridge Research Laboratory and his colleagues have hit on the solution: plucking the quantum key photons out of the fibre by only looking in a tiny slice of time.
Dr Shields and his team developed detectors fit to catch just one photon at a time, as well as a "gate" that opens for just a tenth of a billionth of a second - at just the time the quantum key signal photons arrive, one by one.
The team achieved megabit-per-second quantum key data rates, all the while gathering gigabit-per-second standard data.
"Trying to use such low-level signals over 'lit fibre' has been rather like trying to see the stars whilst staring at the Sun," said computer security expert Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey.
"What these researchers have developed is to use a technique that rapidly switches between the various light sources using the fibre such that one source isn't swamping the other," he told BBC News.
Paul Townsend of University College Cork led research published in the New Journal of Physics in 2011 aiming to do the same trick over 10km of fibre - but the new work was carried out over 90km of fibre at data rates hundreds of times higher.
"The work of this group, our own and others is showing how to address some of the critical practical problems that have to be addressed in order to get QKD out of the lab and into real fibre networks," he told BBC News. "This is a major advance in this respect."
Financial institutions are likely to be the first who are interested in the technology when it does escape the lab, senior author of the paper Dr Shields told BBC News.
"We're not too far away from that type of application already," he said.
"QKD isn't so expensive, probably comparable to a high-grade firewall - in the range of tens of thousands of pounds. So certainly in a corporate environment it's already affordable, and as time goes on I'm sure we'll see the technology get cheaper and cheaper."
However, not everyone is convinced that the wider world needs QKD.
"This is of academic interest only," Bruce Schneier, chief security technology officer at BT, told BBC News.
He referred to a 2008 article for Wired magazine arguing that the security of the codes themselves was not the weakest link in the security chain.
In it, he wrote, "it's like defending yourself against an approaching attacker by putting a huge stake in the ground - it's useless to argue about whether the stake should be 50 feet tall or 100 feet tall, because either way, the attacker is going to go around it".
But both Prof Woodward and Dr Shields suggest that coming advances in quantum computing - while perhaps not reaching consumers either - could see the end of the "public key encryption" that the internet currently depends upon. That could make the distribution of keys the new weak point.
Prof Woodward said: "The irony is that quantum techniques might lead to the demise of modern internet-based encryption, but quantum techniques could provide an alternative that is fundamentally more secure anyway." | The "uncrackable codes" made by exploiting the branch of physics called quantum mechanics have been sent down kilometres of standard broadband fibre. |
39128428 | At Mr Kuchibhotla's cremation on Tuesday, people held placards with slogans such as "Down with Racism", "Down with Trump" and "We strongly condemn hate crimes".
He and another Indian man were drinking in a bar in Kansas last week when they were shot by a man who reportedly yelled "get out of my country" as he fired at them.
The mourners holding the hand-written placards included young people and older people whose children are planning to go abroad or are already abroad.
For most Hyderabad students, the American dream begins as early as high school.
But a change in mood is most evident at the Chilkur Balaji Temple on the outskirts of the city.
It is better known as the "visa" temple because everyone hoping to travel to the US brings his or her passport there before applying for a visa.
The temple deity reportedly has a high level of success. Many applicants from a range of professions say they received their visas after offering prayers there.
The number of devotees has not seen any significant reduction since Mr Trump became president, but the number of prayers uttered by the faithful has increased.
"An extra prayer or two has been added," the chief priest, CS Rangarajan, told BBC Hindi. "We have started praying for their safety and also started praying that Donald Trump's thinking towards Indians will change because our boys and girls are skilled workers. They are not a liability to the American nation."
Mr Rangarajan was referring to a new US bill designed to limit the entry of highly-skilled workers which is likely to have a serious impact on the country's IT industry. Almost 70% of the visas go to Indians, most of whom are IT professionals.
Many Indians see this proposal as a dangerous shift in attitude towards Indian immigrants, and have linked this with the murder of Mr Kuchibhotla.
Mr Kuchibhotla's mother made an emotional speech at his funeral, saying she would not allow her other son to return to the US.
She is not alone.
The father of one IT professional told the BBC that although his daughter had got her US visa, they were worried, and were debating whether to let her go or not.
"The entire IT community is in a state of shock and this includes the students as well as IT professionals, all of whom grew up on this American dream," said Kiran Chandra, who heads the Forum of IT Professionals in Hyderabad.
Mr Chandra is convinced that "all this is happening because President Trump is leading the hate message against non-American people from the front".
"IT companies in India send a lot of people to the US. More importantly, Indian students subsidise US universities by contributing $2.4bn (£1.95bn) annually. American corporations set shop in India and take profits home. When American companies can compete in India why can't Indian IT professionals compete in America?" he asked.
Kris Lakshmikanth, the CEO of Indian recruitment company Headhunters, says that there is a sense of apprehension about employment, but says that has more to do with the uncertainty over the H-1B visa.
"Basically, the number of Indian IT professionals going to the US will come down if the policy on H-1B visas changes. First of all, not many IT companies will be seeking H-1B visas for their employees because of the proposed doubling of wages from $65,000 to $120,000."
He says the full picture will emerge only around May when the visas are actually issued.
Students seeking education in the US, meanwhile, say they are watching the situation.
"Yes, there is some fear. The number of students interested in the US has not reduced but they are also seriously looking at back up options. They are now also applying to universities in Canada and Australia," said education consultant Bindu Chopra. | Computer professionals and students in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, a major IT hub, are apprehensive after the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in the US last week. |
32649101 | The increase means the average house price has risen to £196,412.
The Halifax said demand for housing was being supported by several factors, including the improving economy, rising employment and low mortgage rates.
At the same time, it said supply remained "very tight" with a general shortage of properties for sale. | House prices rose 1.6% last month, according to the latest survey from the Halifax, with the annual rate of increase rising slightly to 8.5%. |
37444806 | Dundalk, amid their continuing European exploits, will be playing their sixth game in a fortnight with Derry facing into a third match in the same period.
"I was at their game on Tuesday (1-1 draw against Shamrock Rovers) and they looked tired," said Shiels.
"If they carry that tiredness into Friday, it will be to our benefit."
While Dundalk's fixture congestion could be to the advantage of their only real title rivals Cork City, Shiels insists that he would support calls for the League of Ireland season to be extended in order to help the Oriel Park outfit's European campaign.
"I've always said that the league should be supporting our European representatives.
"They should be be doing everything they can to support that and if that means extending the season, then I'm not going to go against that.
"It would probably create a few problems for certain teams but I am in favour of supporting our teams that are in Europe.
"Also, I don't want Dundalk to lose the league because of fixture congestion. I would rather they lose the league because someone was better than them.
"I'm a great believer in fair play and it's very difficult for Dundalk but they deserve credit for how they have played."
Derry will be boosted at Oriel Park by the return of Aaron McEneff and Dean Jarvis who missed last Friday's 0-0 draw away to Wexford Youths.
McEneff, in particular, has had a splendid season for the Candystripes and Shiels says "both were missed last week".
Dundalk defeated the Candystripes 5-0 at the Brandywell in early July but the first-half dismissal of Ryan McBride continued to Derry's heavy defeat.
Shiels is expecting Friday's game to be a much closer affair.
"I feel we can go there and get something from the game and play well. Maybe even win it. But there are many variables in football."
Dundalk go into Friday's fixtures five points clear of Cork, who have a game in hand, with the Leesiders facing Sligo Rovers away on Saturday evening.
Third-placed Derry are 10 points behind Dundalk as they go into the weekend games two points ahead of Shamrock Rovers, who face Galway United in Tallaght on Friday night. | Derry City boss Kenny Shiels believes Dundalk's busy recent schedule could benefit his side in Friday's League of Ireland contest at Oriel Park. |
18176368 | Alexander Thomas, 27, of Penygroes, Gwynedd, must serve six years before being considered for parole.
His victims were 21, 17 and 14 at the time, Caernarfon Crown Court heard.
The former Bangor University student, who denied the charges, raped the 14-year-old in the university gardens as she went home from school.
Judge Dafydd Hughes told Thomas he displayed "contempt and arrogance and an almost flippant attitude" towards the way he treated young women.
Judge Hughes said his youngest victim had been raped three times and Thomas had shown disregard for anyone who was vulnerable.
Gordon Hennell, prosecuting, said two of the women had self-harmed after their ordeal and the other said she felt isolated and scarred.
Simon Mills, defending, said Thomas would find being in prison for a long time a "very difficult experience."
"He's talented, articulate and highly intelligent," Mr Mills said.
"He had university education but it would now be extremely difficult to use his talents."
As well as the indeterminate sentence, Thomas will also be on the sex offenders' register for life.
Thomas stood with arms folded in the dock as the judge sentenced him.
After the court hearing, police investigating the case welcomed Thomas's sentence.
Det Con Andrew Edwards of North Wales Police said: "It is important to reassure all sections of the community that North Wales Police will provide the appropriate specialist support to assist victims through every stage of the process."
He said police took such crimes very seriously and it was reassuring to see this reflected in the sentence. | A sex attacker has been told by a judge he showed "contempt and arrogance" towards women as he was given an indeterminate sentence for five rapes. |
31128823 | In an article in Wired, Tom Wheeler said he intended to place new restrictions on how fixed line and mobile broadband providers handle data.
He plans to prevent the service providers from being able to create fast lanes for those willing to pay.
Verizon has indicated that it might begin legal action as a consequence.
Setting out his vision, Mr Wheeler described it as the "strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC".
The principle of net neutrality is one that holds that all packets of data, whether it be an email, a webpage or a video, are treated equally on the network.
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said he intended to reclassify internet service providers (ISPs) to make them like any other public utility, in order to ensure the watchdog can regulate them.
"These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritisation, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services," he wrote.
"I propose to fully apply - for the first time ever - those bright-line rules to mobile broadband.
"My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone's permission."
This will mean far heavier regulation for both fixed line and wireless providers and will give the FCC the power to stop ISPs from blocking traffic from services which rival their own, or from setting up fast lanes for those internet companies prepared to pay.
In a statement to the BBC ahead of the announcement, Verizon refused to be drawn on the debate.
"We have not publicly stated, nor do we intend to speculate, as to what we may or may not do regarding an order that we have not seen and has not yet been approved," it said.
But, in a blog post written a few months ago, entitled Diminishing the Prospects of Further Net Neutrality Litigation, the ISP explained the likely course for it and other ISPs if the FCC did reclassify internet access.
"The ISPs, and perhaps some in the tech industry, will have no choice but to fight the sudden reversal of two decades of settled law," it wrote.
ISPs have long argued that, in a data-hungry world, there needs to be some kind of traffic prioritisation.
They point out that bandwidth heavy services such as Netflix are putting disproportionate strain on their networks and forcing them to invest billions in infrastructure. Such services, they argue, should share the costs of maintaining the network.
Verizon kickstarted the current debate about net neutrality when it challenged the FCC's net neutrality rules in January 2014.
A court found in its favour, meaning Verizon could start charging content providers such as Netflix to carry its content through its pipes. It also meant that the FCC had to reassess its rules.
It immediately had two lobby groups putting pressure on it.
Advocates of a free and open internet insisted that net neutrality was one of the fundamental tenets of the internet - it had been built for everybody and it should remain as easy for a small start-up as for a big multi-national to access people via the network, they argued.
ISPs, on the other hand, argued that some sort of traffic prioritisation was necessary in the complex data-hungry world we now live in. Doing so did not damage commitment to an open internet, they contended.
Initially it seemed that the regulator was leaning on the side of the ISPs and favouring some sort of two-tiered internet but protests outside its headquarters, intense lobbying from the tech industry and the eventual intervention of President Obama, appear to have changed its mind.
In November the president waded into the row and called on the FCC to enact "the strongest possible rules" to protect an open internet.
The debate about net neutrality is not just confined to the US.
In Europe some countries, such as the Netherlands, have already enshrined the principle in law.
Web pioneer Sir Tim Berners-Lee called for the rest of Europe to follow suit in a guest blog on the European Commission's website, written this week.
The inventor of the world wide web said that maintaining net neutrality was "critical for the future of the web and the future of human rights, innovation and progress in Europe".
"When I designed the web, I deliberately built it as a neutral, creative and collaborative space," he added.
He cited research commissioned by the Dutch government which suggested that net neutrality "stimulates a virtuous circle between more competition, lower prices, higher connectivity and greater innovation".
The European Union is due to discuss the issue of net neutrality in March.
In the US, the changes also have some way to go before they become law.
The five FCC commissioners will vote on the proposal on 26 February.
Meanwhile some reports suggest that a group of Republicans in Congress are already working on a bill to undermine the proposals. | The chairman of the US's communications watchdog is proposing "strong" protections to ensure the principles of net neutrality are upheld. |
38280052 | A poll of almost 20,000 motorists, commissioned by the AA, found 29% of 25 to 34-year-olds admitted to drinking and driving the following morning.
AA president Edmund King said that it is "relatively easy" to be over the limit the next morning.
"If you have got any doubt it is probably unsafe to drive," he said.
The Scottish Government reduced the alcohol limit for drivers from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood in December 2014, but the legal level in England and Wales remains at 80mg.
Mr King told the BBC: "I think people have kind of got the message when they go out in the evening so they'll book a taxi or they'll have a designated driver and they'll be responsible.
"But once they get home, they go to bed, they have some sleep, and then they kind of think well I'm OK, it's the next day.
"So they're not equating the next day with what they've actually drunk and the problem is if you really have had a lot to drink, your body can only really break down one unit of alcohol per hour... it is relatively easy to be over the limit the next day."
He said 20% of those prosecuted for drink-driving are caught by police between 06:00 and 12:00, so more awareness is needed.
"If you know you've got to be up the next morning and driving then plan for it - don't drink so much the night before," he said.
According to the most recent Department for Transport figures, an estimated 240 people were killed in drink-driving related collisions across Great Britain in 2014. This number has fallen dramatically since 1979, when there were 1,640 deaths.
The first provisional estimates for 2015 suggest there were between 200 and 290 deaths in drink-drive accidents. | One in five motorists has driven the morning after a night of drinking, despite knowing they could be over the drink-drive limit, a survey suggests. |
35318821 | The ban, imposed on 4 January, was resisted by opposition groups.
It was lifted because it made women "unhappy", his office said in a statement, adding that they were his "best friends".
Last month, the president declared the Muslim-majority country an Islamic republic.
He said the move was in line with the nation's "religious identity and values".
A memo published in the pro-opposition Freedom and JollofNews newspapers, dated 4 January, said that an "executive directive has been issued that all female staff within the government ministries, departments and agencies are no longer allowed to expose their hair during official working hours".
But on Thursday, Mr Jammeh's office said that the government's initial ban had had "nothing to do with religion" and that women should not be upset by it.
"Women are (Mr Jammeh's) best friends, they are his sisters and he is here for their wellbeing and happiness at all times," a statement said.
"That being the case, this decision that makes them unhappy has been lifted."
The Gambia is popular with Western tourists because of its beaches. About 90% of Gambians are Muslim - and many Muslim scholars believe that Islam orders women to cover their hair in public.
Rights activists accuse Mr Jammeh - who has been in power since 1994 - of presiding over a brutal regime which is intolerant of dissent.
He portrays himself as a devout Muslim with miraculous powers - once claiming that he could cure Aids with a herbal concoction. | Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has scrapped a decree which ordered female government employees to cover their hair at work. |
35306743 | Bangor University is taking part in the new £1.7m Capturing Our Coast project which aims to improve understanding of UK marine wildlife.
More than 3,000 people across Britain will be trained to collect seaside samples for marine scientists.
The project is being led by Newcastle University and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for the public to get involved in hands on marine science on rocky shores and, at the same time, find out more about the research activities of marine scientists in the UK," said Bangor University's Prof Stuart Jenkins.
"We aim to build a long-lasting relationship with volunteers which we hope will be mutually beneficial."
Partners include the Marine Conservation Society, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), and the Natural History Museum.
Dr Heather Sugden, one of the scientists leading the scheme, said the project was the "first of its kind" in the UK.
"What this project aims to do is develop a network of citizen scientists who can help us build an accurate picture of marine life all around the UK - a baseline against which we can better understand the impact of climate change and other environmental and human factors," she added. | A north Wales university is one of seven UK centres calling on volunteers to become coastal "citizen scientists". |
34725816 | Singer Trevor Grills, 54, and tour manager Paul McMullen, 44, died after being hit by a falling metal door at G Live in Guildford on 9 February 2013.
David Naylor, 56, from Bridgnorth in Shropshire, faces two counts of manslaughter by gross negligence.
He is due to appear before South West Surrey magistrates on 15 December.
The company which manufactured the doors involved in the incident has been summonsed for breaches of duty imposed by the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Express Hi-Fold Doors Limited is accused of failing to ensure equipment was safe.
Mr Grills, from Port Isaac, and Mr McMullen, from Disley in Cheshire, were at the venue ahead of a performance due to be staged by the 10-piece group. | A man has been charged over the deaths of two members of the Cornish shanty group Fisherman's Friends. |
38637407 | You can clearly see the planet's "Great Red Spot" which is actually a mega-storm.
It's been going for several centuries and is even bigger than the Earth!
The image was captured by NASA's Juno spacecraft, which set off on a journey to learn more about Jupiter in 2011 and arrived in 2016.
Juno has been sending back images which the public can view and edit to give an idea of how Jupiter may look if you were seeing the planet with your own eyes.
Juno was about 285,100 miles from the massive gas giant when it snapped this picture.
The image was then edited by a member of the public called Roman Tkachenko | This amazing image is of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. |
36096390 | The incident happened at about 14:00 BST on Monday between junctions nine and 10, near Parc Menai.
North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency officers set up the road block to help a man retrieve a fencing panel which had fallen off his roof.
North Wales Police said there were clear signs for drivers not to pass.
After ignoring the sign, the car slowed down for a moment before accelerating away westbound.
PC Dave Thomas said: "This was an extremely dangerous manoeuvre. To breach a rolling road block is an offence which in this case could have had disastrous consequences."
Any witnesses are asked to call 101. | Police are searching for the driver of a silver Mercedes after the car breached a rolling road block on the A55 and nearly hit a traffic officer. |
33465262 | US investment firm Cerberus bought the entire portfolio from Nama for more than £1bn last April.
The Irish News revealed that Verbatim Communications worked for Tughans, the legal firm involved in the Nama affair.
The company is run by Gareth Robinson.
It organised an event about Tughans' association with Queen's University's postgraduate and executive education centre in 2012.
But in a statement, Belfast-based Verbatim Communications said that "at no time" has the firm been employed by Nama, Pimco or Cerberus.
Verbatim said none of its "employees or representatives facilitated or were in any way involved in the sale of Nama assets to Cerberus".
"Neither the company nor anyone representing the company benefited from the Cerberus/Nama transaction nor did they ever expect to".
The statement added that the company "fully supports all investigations into the matter whether in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland".
It confirms that "on one occasion, three years ago, Verbatim Communications Ltd was engaged by Tughans to assist with a very successful event relating to third level education".
Verbatim Communications said it "acts in a professional and ethical manner at all times and any suggestion to the contrary will be vigorously challenged".
Gareth Robinson, a former DUP councillor in Castlereagh, is listed as the only director of Verbatim Communications.
In October, Justice Minister David Ford raised questions about whether Peter Robinson should have declared an interest when inquiring about the costs associated with policing a world title boxing match in Belfast involving Carl Frampton.
The Irish News had reported that Gareth Robinson played a role in promoting the fight.
However, the first minister rejected the suggestion that he should have declared an interest, and said a discussion at the Stormont executive had related to the general policy of police charging for events. | The public relations firm run by the son of First Minister Peter Robinson says it has not been involved in any way in the controversial sale of National Asset Management Agency's (Nama) Northern Ireland properties. |
38164314 | Matthew Monaghan, from Pwllhelli, Gwynedd, played for Manchester United's and Wales' youth teams after the abuse at another club.
But Mr Monaghan said panic attacks forced him to give it all up.
It comes after several former players made allegations of historical child sexual abuse against football coaches.
Mr Monaghan, who now lives in Warrington, said he would have panic attacks, which were "without a doubt" down to the abuse, during training and matches.
"It's a weird feeling. It's as if you've lost four or five seconds of what's just happened and you don't know where you are, and I just had to get off the pitch," he told the BBC's Radio Cymru.
"I always used to say I was injured. That was my excuse, because you can't just run off a football pitch.
"I just thought I was cracking up, basically, losing the plot. I was drinking, late for training. I was always in trouble."
Mr Monaghan said he believed now that if he had told the club what had happened, "they would have got me counselling and the help that I needed".
Drinking, he said, was "the only way I could cope" at the time.
He said he was playing a match for Wales Youth when he realised he could not continue that way.
"I had a panic attack in the middle of the game and I thought 'I can't do this any more,' he said.
"Then I went back to united a couple of days later, had a bit of an argument with the coach, and I went in the office the next day and quit.
"I thought if I left football it would make me better."
He said he then booked into a hotel and spent all of his money - about £6,000 - in three weeks.
He said he did not tell the club about the abuse at the time because "it's not the sort of thing you talk about is it? Especially in football".
Mr Monaghan said he was 23 when he first told his mother what had happened, but only now felt able to speak about it publicly.
He said he had no doubt he could have made it as a professional footballer had he not been abused.
Mr Monaghan added: "I'm not being big-headed, I've played with some of the best players in the world and I've held my own against them."
He said he thinks about what could have been "every Friday when I pay the bills", but now just wants to move on. | A Welshman has told how he walked away from a promising career in football because of abuse he suffered at the hands of a coach as a child. |
33609567 | This was back in 1998, one year before Mr Gregan helped the Wallabies to win the Rugby World Cup.
At the time the scrum-half was at the peak of his physical powers, and earning a sizeable income from endorsements on top of his rugby salary.
Yet there he was, a poster boy for Australian sport, calculating the number of people emerging from the morning rush-hour swell at Wynyard station near the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
Renowned as a great tactical mind on the rugby pitch, a player who always did his homework on his opponents, Mr Gregan was there that day to apply the very same principles to a new part of his life - setting up a business.
Aware that his rugby career would not go on forever, Mr Gregan - together with his wife Erica - had decided to open a coffee shop.
One of the vacant premises they had their eyes on was outside Wynyard station, in the city's central business district.
So doing his background checks, Mr Gregan was working out the exact level of passing trade. Happy with the numbers, the first GG Espresso shop opened in 1999.
Fast forward to today and there are now 16 GG Espresso cafes across Sydney, which are part of a wider food and hospitality business owned by the Gregans.
Called the Gregan Group, it enjoys annual revenues of more than 10 million Australian dollars ($7.3m; £4.7m), and employs 280 people.
Mr Gregan, 42, happily admits that being a celebrity helped the business back in its early days, but adds that the boost is only limited.
"It was great for a bit of publicity, but that only goes so far," he says. "There's a bit of noise initially, then you have to deliver.
"It all comes down to performance, and making sure you are consistent, particularly in coffee, because people will walk [somewhere else], particularly now.
"They'll walk another block or two to get the coffee made right, and the coffee they expect."
While Mr Gregan, who hung up his rugby boots for the last time in 2011, had almost no business experience when the first coffee shop opened, crucially his wife did.
Erica had extensive experience of working in the hotels and restaurant sectors.
And so to this day, she is the managing director of the Gregan Group, and takes the lead role in the day-to-day running of the Sydney-based business.
Meanwhile, while Mr Gregan also takes an active role in leading the business, he balances this with his other work as a rugby commentator.
He says: "My wife is very driven. If you ever met her, she is very good at opening shops, and is really keen to do it well, and have a consistency in the level of our service."
While the couple's business now extends to bars, restaurants and a catering company, they say they grew it slowly, and using their own money.
The only part of the Gregan Group that has outside investors are the two branches of its "Local Bar" brand, which have opened since 2011. The Gregans says this investment has come from "close friends" rather than any financial institution.
Born in Zambia to a Zimbabwean mother and Australian father, Mr Gregan's family moved to Australia when he was still a baby, settling in the capital Canberra.
He says his family helped install his drive and determination to succeed, be it in rugby or business.
"My father had his own pharmacy when I was young, but he sold it off and worked for the government in the health department. My mum was a working nurse.
"They worked really hard, so they had a strong work ethic, and I think that always rubs off on you.
"They certainly installed that within me, and they've always been great supporters."
But how does Mr Gregan - who with 139 caps for Australia remains the joint second most-capped international rugby player - find running a business compares with his old sport?
He says: "You are never going to replicate what the work space was when you were a professional sportsman.
"I had upwards of 60,000 people seeing what I did, watching every mistake you make.
"Yeah, they'd clap and see things you did well, but in a lot of ways you are naked because you are there for everyone to see, there is nowhere to hide."
Mr Gregan adds: "In a business you will be judged on results, but not every single eyeball is going to be on what you do. But still, the ability to perform is really critical when it comes to both sport and business."
While not every star sportsman can go on to be a hit in business,. Mr Gregan thinks many can be taught how to successfully run a company.
"One thing all elite athletes are pretty good at is getting coached, because they have to be coached, so they are good at listening to instructions.
"They are good at deciphering what is important, and what is not."
Whether retired professional sportsmen or women go into business, or do something else with their lives, Mr Gregan says it is vital that they have a structure to their days and weeks, and a challenge to overcome, to avoid feeling cast adrift.
"It is really important to get involved in business or in a venture which provides that sort of challenge," he says. "I like to have things on the horizon.
"I'm big on shared experience with good people, so you work hard but you have a bit of laughter along the way. Otherwise, what do you live for?" | As one of Australia's most recognised sportsmen, the sight of rugby union international George Gregan counting the number of commuters walking out of a busy Sydney railway station must have raised some eyebrows. |
36383590 | A debate in the Holyrood chamber saw leaders from all five parties speak in favour of Remain.
Ministers said they wanted to send a "clear, unequivocal" message of the parliament's support for EU membership ahead of the referendum on 23 June.
But there were a small number of dissenting voices from the Conservative and Labour ranks.
Members voted overwhelmingly to support a motion backing a Remain vote, by 106 votes in favour to eight against - although one MSP voting against the motion later said he had done so by accident. Three MSPs abstained.
Campaigners from both the Vote Leave and Scotland Stronger in Europe campaigns staged events outside the parliament to mark the debate.
Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, argued that 300,000 Scottish jobs were dependent upon exports to the EU.
She called on the Leave campaign to "cease their smears, speculation and downright ludicrous arguments", and told the Remain campaign that "their incredible Project Fear tactics" could alienate voters.
Ms Hyslop said: "The EU is not perfect but it is a remarkable achievement that in over six decades it has secured cooperation over conflict, pursued a shared sense of collaboration, exchange and purposeful endeavour to work in concert not just to advance the interests of its own members but the world on a global scale.
"It is on that positive basis the Scottish government is of the view Scotland as part of the UK should remain in the EU."
Labour leader Kezia Dugdale also made a passionate argument in favour of a Remain vote, saying there is "something beautiful about being part of this European family".
She also warned against the danger of "populist" arguments, but said "we are more secure in bigger alliances than standing alone."
A number of new MSPs used their first Holyrood speeches to advocate staying in the EU, including new Green member Ross Greer and Tory Adam Tomkins.
By definition, a referendum presents us all with a choice. That was true with the independence plebiscite in 2014. It is true now with the vote over whether the UK should remain within the European Union or not.
As in 2014, it is a simple choice - Remain or Leave - but a complex decision, with a range of competing factors.
That complexity, those layers, were on display at Holyrood today in what was a rather intriguing debate. More interesting than the advance arithmetic would have suggested, with the vote weighed heavily towards Remain.
Firstly, let me praise those MSPs who were speaking for the first time. Each delivered cogent, substantive contributions. Seriously, they were good. It would be invidious to single any one out. So I won't. Ok, maybe later.
Read more from Brian
Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell was the first to make the case for those arguing that the UK should leave the EU.
She said Scotland has "four tiers of government", arguing that people know little about their EU representatives - and "couldn't care less" about it.
Describing it as "an out-dated and failing institution", she said the EU would still look to trade with the UK in the event of a Brexit. She also said the Common Agricultural Policy "short changes" Scottish farmers.
Ms Mitchell argued that EU membership and the free movement of people could also put "unsustainable pressure" on public services and the benefits system.
She said nobody could predict what the future would bring regardless of the outcome of the referendum, but argued that the UK had the talent to prosper outside of the EU.
Ms Mitchell's fellow Tory MSP Graham Simpson and Labour's Elaine Smith all argued that Britain would do better outside the European Union.
Mr Simpson said the small number of MSPs backing Brexit meant Holyrood was "not reflective of Scotland at large", although he claimed that there could be at least one SNP member secretly planning to vote no, even if they were "not allowed to say so".
Meanwhile, Ms Smith put forward a left-wing, socialist case for leaving the EU, arguing that the union was an "undemocratic superstate" with an "unelected bureaucracy at its core".
Ms Smith was joined in voting against the motion by seven Conservatives; Ms Mitchell and Mr Simpson, Ross Thomson, Alexander Stewart, Maurice Corry, Gordon Lindhurst and Oliver Mundell - although it later emerged Mr Corry had "pressed the wrong button".
This puts Mr Mundell on the opposite side of the debate to his father, the Scottish Secretary David Mundell, who backs a Remain vote.
Three MSPs abstained - Labour's Neil Findlay and Tories Jamie Greene and Alison Harris.
Later on Thursday, former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond will be among the panellists on a BBC TV debate about the EU referendum.
Mr Salmond will put the case for Remain alongside Labour's Alan Johnson, with Liam Fox of the Conservatives and UKIP's Diane James arguing on behalf of Leave.
The "How Should Vote?" debate, being hosted in Glasgow before an audience of under-30s from across the UK, will be presented by broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire.
It will be aired on BBC One between 20:00 and 21:00, and will also be available on the BBC iPlayer.
Ahead of the EU debate, BBC Scotland asked Holyrood's MSPs where they stood on membership. Just 46 out of 129 responded.
Remain
Conservatives - Ruth Davidson, Miles Briggs, Peter Chapman, Jackson Carlaw, John Lamont, Alex Johnstone, Rachael Hamilton, Elizabeth Smith, Donald Cameron, Adam Tomkins, Douglas Ross, Brian Whittle, Finlay Carson and Annie Wells.
SNP - Alisdair Allan, Linda Fabiani, Bill Kidd, John Mason, John Swinney, Stewart Stevenson, Ivan McKee and Richard Lyle.
Labour - Claire Baker, Iain Gray, Colin Smyth, Alex Rowley, Jenny Marra, Rhoda Grant, Monica Lennon, Richard Leonard, James Kelly, Claudia Beamish and Daniel Johnson
Lib Dems - Alex Cole Hamilton, Willie Rennie, Mike Rumbles and Liam McArthur
Greens - Ross Greer, John Finnie, Andy Wightman and Mark Ruskell
Leave
Conservatives - Graham Simpson, Ross Thomson and Alexander Stewart
Undecided
Conservative - Liam Kerr
Labour - Neil Findlay | The Scottish Parliament has formally backed the case for the UK remaining in the European Union. |
39404186 | Speaking at a film festival in his home town of Malaga, the Mask of Zorro star said: "I suffered a heart attack on January 26, but it wasn't serious and hasn't caused any damage."
Banderas, 56, had three stents put in his arteries but insisted the incident had not been "dramatic".
He added that he was well and keen to return to work.
Banderas accepted a lifetime achievement award at the festival, recognising his career as an actor, producer and director.
He performed a flamenco on stage as he picked up the Biznaga de Oro Honorifica trophy.
His recent visit to a Swiss clinic had led to speculation about his health, but a spokeswoman had said last week that he was in "perfectly good health".
At the time of the heart attack, Banderas, also known for roles in the Shrek films and Philadelphia, was taken to hospital near his home in Surrey.
He tweeted a picture taken in the countryside with girlfriend Nicole Kimpel a few days later, saying he was "enjoying nature after a startle".
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Spanish actor Antonio Banderas had a heart attack earlier this year, he has revealed. |
38145830 | 10 April 2017 Last updated at 08:43 BST
Two-thirds of Australia's world-famous reef is now damaged by bleaching.
Bleaching is becoming a real problem for the coral reefs across the world.
Prof Terry Hughes, from James Cook University, said governments must urgently address climate change to prevent further bleaching.
"Since 1998, we have seen four of these events and the gap between them has varied substantially, but this is the shortest gap we have seen," Prof Hughes told the BBC.
Find out why coral bleaching is such a problem by watching the video above. | Rising sea temperatures have caused coral bleaching across the Great Barrier Reef on a scale never seen before. |
29655662 | Debjani Bora, a javelin thrower who has won several gold medals, fears her injuries may prevent her representing India in a forthcoming Asian contest.
One woman has been arrested for inciting a crowd to attack Ms Bora.
Witch hunts targeting women are common in parts of India and a number of those accused are killed every year.
Experts say superstitious beliefs are behind some of these attacks, but there are occasions when people - especially widows - are targeted for their land and property.
The latest incident took place earlier this week in Ms Bora's home village in the remote hill district of Karbi Anglong, where she also makes a living as a farm worker and lives with her husband and three children.
She was blamed in the wake of the the deaths of four people in the village, including one man who took his own life.
Police said villagers dragged her to a community prayer hall to face a "public trial on charges of being a witch".
Ms Bora recounted her experience to journalists on Wednesday.
"Instead of finding out why all the deaths occurred, some village elders suspected a witch was driving the people to death and organised a prayer. As the villagers were chanting hymns, one elderly woman identified me as the witch and shouted that I should be punished," she said.
"I was blamed for all these deaths in the village, wrapped up in fishing nets and beaten up severely."
She was taken to a local clinic, where she regained consciousness on Wednesday.
Karbi Anglong police chief Mugdha Jyoti Mahanta said one woman was arrested on Thursday after Ms Bora's family filed a complaint with the police.
"We suspect that she may have targeted Ms Bora for personal reasons," Mr Mahanta said.
Branding women as witches is particularly prevalent among tribal communities and tea plantation workers in Assam.
Nearly 90 people, mostly women, have been beheaded, burnt alive or stabbed to death after such accusations over the last five years, police say. | An Indian athlete has described how she was tied up and severely beaten after being branded a witch in her village in the north-eastern state of Assam. |
36875928 | The 31-year-old all-rounder will be available for six matches, of which four are in the One-Day Cup and two are in the County Championship.
Gidman has spent time on the sidelines with an ankle injury this season but has recently returned to action for Nottinghamshire's second XI.
He has taken 198 wickets at an average of 23.48 in his first-class career and averages 37.06 with the bat.
"He will bolster our resources and I'm sure he will do a great job," Kent skipper Sam Northeast said.
"He is hungry to play and we hope he will come into the side and buy into what the team is all about." | Kent have signed Nottinghamshire's Will Gidman on a one-month loan deal. |
36462783 | Sir Peter was on a visit to Ireland and died with his niece Cressida at his side, his agent said.
He had won Tony Awards for both Amadeus and Equus, which was later revived with Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe in his West End lead debut.
National Theatre director Rufus Norris described him as "one of the great writers of his generation".
He added: "The National Theatre was enormously lucky to have had such a fruitful and creative relationship with him. The plays he leaves behind are an enduring legacy."
His other plays included Black Comedy, Lettice and Lovage, The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Five Finger Exercise.
Actor Simon Callow, who starred in a stage production and the film version of Amadeus, as well as appearing in Equus, remembered Sir Peter as a very hands-on writer who knew how to "hold" an audience.
"I'll never ever forget as long as I live the two years that Paul Schofield, Felicity Kendal and I did Amadeus," he said.
"We never had a single performance where the audience wasn't utterly rapt and that was Peter's pure, theatrical instinctive genius."
Equus and Amadeus both premiered at the National Theatre, in 1973 and 1979 respectively, before enjoying long runs in the West End and on Broadway.
In Equus, Peter Firth played the role of the young man Alan Strang when the play was first put on by the National Theatre.
It opened on Broadway the following year, with Firth playing opposite Anthony Hopkins as psychiatrist Dr Martin Dysart. The role was later taken on by Richard Burton.
On Broadway it won two Tonys during its first run in 1975, and it won another Tony when the Radcliffe production moved to New York in 2009.
It told the story of a psychiatrist who takes on the case of a disturbed young man who has blinded six horses.
The film version in 1977 starred Burton and got three Oscar nominations including best screenplay for Sir Peter.
Amadeus, a biopic based on the life of Mozart, was made into a film directed by Milos Forman and starring Tom Hulce as Mozart and F Murray Abraham as court composer and rival Antonio Salieri.
It went on to win eight Oscars in 1985, including best picture and a screenwriting Oscar for Sir Peter. It told the tale of the wrangling, both professional and personal, between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Salieri.
The play won five Tony awards on Broadway, including one for Sir Ian McKellen in the role Salieri.
The Chichester Festival theatre opened in 2014 with a new production of Amadeus, starring Rupert Everett as Salieri and Joshua McGuire as Mozart.
A new production of Amadeus will open in October at the National, with Lucian Msamati playing court composer Salieri and live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia.
Sir Peter was born in Liverpool in 1926 and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.
He was knighted in the New Year honours list in 2001.
He is survived by his brother, Brian, nephews Milo and Mark and nieces Cressida and Claudia, whose father and Sir Peter's twin, the playwright and screenwriter, Anthony Shaffer, died in 2001.
His close family and friends said in a statement that they wanted to extend their sincere thanks to the staff who cared for him so well at Bon Secours Hospital and Marymount Hospice in Cork.
A private funeral in London will be held shortly and details of a memorial ceremony will be announced in due course. | British playwright Sir Peter Shaffer, who won an Oscar for Amadeus and wrote Equus, has died at the age of 90. |
26556831 | The future of Plas Madoc Leisure Centre in Wrexham was discussed at a public meeting on Thursday evening.
Campaigner Darrell Wright said a committee would be formed to explore running it as a social enterprise.
Wrexham council has agreed to postpone plans to demolish it to give volunteers time to come up with an action plan.
The authority has to find savings of £45m over five years and says it can no longer afford to run the facility.
Mr Wright said: "The meeting went well and there were about 120 people here [at Air Products Social Club in Acrefair].
"It was agreed to form a small committee to take it forward and explore the funding.
"The staff have been told Plas Madoc will close on the 28th April, and we won't be able to do anything about that, but the council has agreed to mothball it until 1 October.
"We're hopeful that if we can get funding in place we can open some time well prior to 1 October."
Speaking before the meeting local AM Ken Skates, one of the community group leaders, said the battle to save the centre had been "divisive and heated" because people cared passionately about it.
"Our vision is to secure its future and ensure it rediscovers its rightful place at the heart of the Clwyd South community," he said.
The group said community ownership of leisure services would enable savings to be made where councils were unable to find them, and would offer opportunities to bid for capital funding which was not available to the local authority, | Plans for a community group to take over a council-run leisure centre which is due to shut next month have taken a step forward. |
36868083 | The girls said they had torn the papers for fun while playing with them.
Police initially said they would be charged with "destroying assets", but later said they would not be charged.
Thailand's military government has outlawed any attempt to campaign against its controversial draft constitution, to be voted on in August.
Critics say the draft constitution, if approved, would significantly weaken the power of any future elected government.
The incident began on 18 July at a school in central Kamphaeng Phet province, which was being prepared as a polling station ahead of the referendum.
The girls tore some of the voters lists hung out at the school ahead of the poll, and were subsequently taken to a local police station for questioning, in the presence of child welfare staff and lawyers.
The girls told officers that they had played with the lists because they were pink and a pretty colour.
However, police initially said they needed to follow procedure and charge the girls, as damage to state assets had occurred, sparking anger on Thai social media and amongst rights groups.
On Friday, an officer at Kamphaeng Phet police station told BBC Thai that the two girls would not be charged because they had not intended to destroy the papers for anything other than for fun, and because they were under 10 years old - the minimum age at which a person can be held legally responsible under Thai law.
The girls were now back with their parents, and the police were working to conclude the case, he said.
How Thailand's military uses 'attitude adjustment' for dissenters
Is Thailand's battle against corruption working?
Although the girls were not charged in this case, correspondents say Thailand's constitutional referendum is a sensitive subject, with over 100 people detained for expressing their opposition to the constitution.
People have been arrested for carrying booklets providing information on the constitution, or criticising the draft constitution on Facebook.
There have also been reports of several incidents of voters lists being meddled with.
The Bangkok Post reported that lists had been tampered with at 10 polling stations in the run up to the referendum.
In one case a petrol station manager admitted stealing a list because he wanted to find new clients, the Post said. | Thai police have summoned two eight-year old girls for questioning after they tore voters lists prepared for the upcoming constitutional referendum. |
35354518 | Suhaib Majeed, 21, had "Mujahideen Secrets" on his laptop, the jury heard.
Mr Majeed, along with Nathan Cuffy, 26, Nyall Hamlett, 25, and Tarik Hassane, 22, from west London, deny conspiracy to murder and preparing terrorist acts.
It is alleged they were inspired by the Islamic State group and plotted to kill a police officer, soldier or civilian.
The Old Bailey heard that Mr Majeed liaised via Skype, the internet-based communication software, with someone overseas who helped him download the software, which the prosecution said was designed for Islamist terrorists to exchange encrypted messages.
The contact abroad told Mr Majeed to "stay sharp" but unknown to either of them he was already under surveillance by counter-terrorism officers, the court was told.
The prosecution says Mr Majeed and fellow defendant Mr Hassane were in frequent contact about how to cover their tracks using false names and addresses and a variety of SIM cards.
The jury also saw evidence they had set up a code to share new phone numbers but Mr Majeed did not fully understand it, leading to a string of abusive messages from Mr Hassane.
Coded messages were used on Twitter to discuss getting a gun, the court heard.
While Mr Hassane, a medical student, was in Casablanca in Morocco, he exchanged direct messages on the microblogging site with Mr Majeed about sourcing "creps" or "black Huaraches".
Prosecutor Brian Altman QC told jurors that would ordinarily be a reference to a certain brand of Nike trainer, but in their secret language they meant firearms.
Days later, on 25 August 2014, Mr Majeed reported back "I got it", to which Mr Hassane replied "kl" (cool).
Mr Hassane was alleged to have been leading the plot and to have issued instructions to Mr Majeed, who was studying physics at King's College London at the time of his arrest, the court has heard.
Jurors have also heard that by the time three of the gang were arrested in September 2014, they had a gun and ammunition and were discussing buying an untraceable scooter.
Mr Hassane, who was studying in Sudan, returned to the UK to carry on as a "lone wolf terrorist" but was arrested by police in early October 2014, the trial heard.
Using Google Streetview photo-mapping service, he had allegedly identified Shepherd's Bush police station and the Parachute Regiment Territorial Army Barracks at White City as possible targets.
Mr Majeed, Mr Cuffy and Mr Hamlett are also charged with various firearms offences.
The trial continues. | One of the four men accused of plotting "drive-by" shootings downloaded software to allow jihadists to exchange secret messages, a court has heard. |
37595745 | Hampshire Constabulary said the 18-year-old victim got into a van in Sandown High Street on Friday and was driven to nearby Niton.
She was assaulted in a car park between 09:00 and 12:15 BST, the force said. A 35-year-old man is being questioned.
Anyone who saw a red van in Sandown or Old Blackgang Road, Niton, is urged to come forward. | A man has been arrested following a serious sex assault on a teenager in a car park on the Isle of Wight. |
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