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The name of each cat killed by Robert Farmer, 26, was read out to him by the judge in Santa Clara Superior Court.
One of the cats showed signs of having been sexually abused, experts said.
Farmer committed the crimes in San Jose in 2015. He was found sleeping in his car in October that year with a dead cat in the centr... | A man in California has been jailed for 16 years after admitting he stole and tortured cats, killing 18 of them. |
The tortoise, known as Speed, had been in geriatric decline for some time.
Keepers at San Diego Zoo had used acupuncture and hydrotherapy to treat his arthritis and other ailments.
Speed had been brought to California in 1933 as part of a programme to preserve the endangered species from the Volcan Cerro Azul island of... | A giant Galapagos tortoise more than 150 years old has been put down at a zoo in California. |
The live broadcast of John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer was scheduled for 15 November.
The opera set to be performed this autumn portrays the hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship by the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985.
Jewish American passenger Leon Klinghoffer was killed in the attack
"I'm convinced that ... | New York's Metropolitan Opera has cancelled plans for a global HD broadcast of a performance amid fears it could spark anti-Semitic sentiment. |
Their recent run is in contrast to the way they started the season with six victories from their first seven games.
Since the end of March, the Vikings' only wins have been in the Challenge Cup against lower-league sides.
"We've got the personnel and we've got the people to spark us back into life," Betts told BBC Radi... | Widnes head coach Denis Betts is confident his squad will find their form after a seven-match losing streak in Super League. |
Dundee West MP Chris Law was questioned by police in September in relation to his Spirit of Independence referendum campaign in 2014.
The campaign saw him raise grassroots funding to travel across Scotland in a Green Goddess fire engine that had been painted in the colours of the saltire.
The Crown Office confirmed tha... | An SNP MP has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a police investigation into his financial dealings. |
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United remain 15 points clear at the top of the table with eight games left after a 1-0 win at Sunderland.
"We are not concerned with what we have left behind us, we are only focusing on what is in front of us," said Ferguson.
"The players have created a record with 25 win... | Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says his side will not ease up on their march towards a 20th league title until the job is complete. |
Naomi Gwynne wrote to South Lanarkshire Council after finding her brother Isaac was unable to use the swings.
Both children are autistic and Isaac is visually impaired by a brain tumour and has severe learning difficulties, so he cannot hold on to a normal swing.
The council said it had found a new seat it was hoping t... | An eight-year-old girl has accused a council of "forgetting" about her disabled twin brother when it installed new equipment at their local park. |
Mr Tsilikin, 54, was found on Thursday evening after friends and family had been unable to contact him.
His mobile phone and computer are missing. Police have opened a murder inquiry.
Mr Tsilikin was a well-known culture and arts critic, working on TV and radio as well as for print media such as Kommersant, Vogue and E... | Noted Russian journalist Dmitry Tsilikin has been found stabbed to death in his flat in St Petersburg. |
We Were There was written by Leicester singer Bob Wragg for the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain.
Mr Wragg, 82, said its original release was deemed "inappropriate" following the outbreak of the Falklands War.
The recording features many of the winning side including Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.
The song c... | A football anthem sung by England's 1966 World Cup winning side has been released after spending 34 years hidden in an Isle of Man attic. |
He also said the summer transfer window would have been "significantly important for many reasons".
The Spaniard was sacked on Thursday with Everton 12th in the Premier League following a 3-0 defeat by Sunderland.
He added: "It has been an honour to be the manager of Everton Football Club for the past three seasons."
E... | Roberto Martinez said he is "disappointed" Everton were not able to "finish what we started" following his sacking as manager this week. |
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How did their players rate in the biggest match in the history of Welsh football?
Coped well with Portugal's early flurry of crosses but was powerless to deny Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal's opening goal. The Crystal Palace player was unfortunate to be wrong-footed by Nan... | Wales' heroic Euro 2016 run came to an end one game before the final as they lost 2-0 to Portugal in the last four. |
It extends BBC Sport's current deal, which runs until 2013, as exclusive broadcaster of the Six Nations and covers TV, radio and online.
This year's tournament saw audiences increase to their highest level for 13 years, with an average audience of 4.7m per match.
"The Six Nations is a crown jewel in the sporting calend... | The BBC has agreed a deal to broadcast the Six Nations until 2017. |
The 23-year-old made 116 as Tim Groenewald and Lewis Gregory rattled through the rest of the hosts line-up.
Jennings, who hit 15 fours, finally fell top-edging Josh Davey to gully before Durham were bowled out for 256.
Tom Abell and Davey fell lbw to Rushworth, then Onions bowled Marcus Trescothick as Somerset closed o... | Keaton Jennings' century and three quick wickets from opening pair Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions gave Durham the edge against Somerset on day one. |
Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals plans to add medicinal salmonella-killing herbs to the fermented honey drink.
The tipple is based on a 16th century Welsh drink called metheglin.
"You can see this would sell very well to students," Prof Les Baillie said.
"Perhaps you could protect them from t... | Scientists are working on a Welsh "super mead" which could protect drinkers from the scourge of food poisoning at the late-night takeaway. |
Tries from Dan Leavy and Luke McGrath - either side of a brilliant breakaway by the Blues' Tomos Williams - put the hosts 14-7 ahead at half-time.
The visitors fought back to lead 21-17 after counter-attacking scores from Williams and Sion Bennett.
But Ross Molony plunged over from close to give Leinster a seventh succ... | Leinster resisted a spirited Cardiff Blues revival to strengthen their position at the top of the Pro12 table. |
Inspectors criticised teaching and leadership at the Phoenix Academy and Lakeside Academy following visits in February, rating both schools inadequate in all areas.
Wrockwardine Wood and Sutherland academies, also run by the Telford Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust, were put in special measures earlier this week.
The t... | All four schools run by a Telford academy trust have been put in special measures within a week. |
The sum, covering January 2013 to October 2014, included money spent on in-house staff, third party companies and advertising agencies.
Some residents said this was a "waste of money" and the States would need to "measure its effectiveness".
Deputy Heidi Soulsby said when it comes to advertising "we've got to think in ... | The States of Guernsey spent £1.8m on PR and advertising over 22 months, figures released to the BBC show. |
It will give 40 million yen (£274, 000) to the Cartivator group that operates outside Toyota city in central Japan.
The Nikkei Asian Review reports Toyota and its group companies have agreed in principle to support the project.
So far crowdfunding has paid for development of the so-called Skydrive car, which uses dron... | Japanese carmaker Toyota has announced its backing for a group of engineers who are developing a flying car. |
Motorcycles used as taxis and known as boda bodas are time-savers for people who need to get somewhere in Tanzania's north-western city of Mwanza.
They seem to be the only way to beat traffic jams. But when you get on the bike and wrap your arms around the driver, you are actually putting your life in his hands.
In the... | Tanzania's motorcycle taxi drivers, often associated with deadly road accidents, are being trained to become life-savers, writes Ross Velton. |
The remains of Saima Ahmed, 36, were recovered from the grounds of Gogar Mount House, on the edge of Gogarburn Golf Club.
Her family have criticised the police response after they reported Ms Ahmed missing from her home in the Wembley area of London in August 2015.
She had no known links to Edinburgh.
Ms Ahmed's family... | Police have made a fresh appeal for information a year after a woman's body was found on the outskirts of Edinburgh. |
The Czech world number 233 edged Estonia's 99th-ranked Kontaveit - who beat Britain's Heather Watson in the first round - 6-4 7-6 (8-6).
Vondrousova had beaten Czech compatriot and world number 18 Barbora Strycova in the semi-final.
Sunday's victory moves her close to the top 100 for the first time.
Croatia's Borna Cor... | Marketa Vondrousova, a 17-year-old qualifier, beat Anett Kontaveit in the final of the Biel Bienne Open in Switzerland to win her first WTA title. |
The 27-year-old Scot, who is back at number four in the world after dropping down the rankings following back surgery, is to marry girlfriend Kim Sears in April.
Murray is as relaxed about that as he has been this week at the ATP event in Indian Wells, where he has progressed to the quarter-finals.
He loosened up in mo... | It is a big year for Andy Murray - and not only because he is looking to add to his two Grand Slam titles. |
All examples of this group, known as the Archosauromorpha, lay eggs.
This led some scientists to wonder whether there was something in their biology that prevented live births.
But examination of the fossil remains of a very long-necked, 245 million-year-old marine reptile from China revealed it was carrying an embryo.... | Scientists have uncovered the first evidence of live births in the group of animals that includes dinosaurs, crocodiles and birds. |
Ciaran Williamson, eight, was playing with friends in Craigton Cemetery when a headstone fell on him on 26 May 2015.
Council employee David MacCall told the inquiry in the days after Ciaran's death, between 500 and 900 headstones were laid flat over safety concerns.
It also emerged that another boy was injured by a hea... | A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a boy at a Glasgow cemetery has heard that up to 900 headstones were deemed unsafe days after the tragedy. |
The nine-year-old's family sought redress from NHS England and South Central Ambulance Service after he became unwell in 2007 aged six weeks.
He received treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, but it came too late to prevent injury to his brain.
The organisations denied liability, but agreed to settle the case.
The... | A boy who suffered "catastrophic brain damage" after contracting meningitis as a baby is to receive £4.6m in compensation from the NHS. |
A southbound Volkswagen Crafter Van collided with a Peugeot Partner Van on the A702, just north of Candymill Road, near Biggar, at 17:35 on Thursday.
A 58-year-old male passenger in the Peugeot is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
The 32-year-old driver was uninjured as was the 26-year-old male driver of t... | Police have appealed for witnesses to a crash between two vans which closed a Lanarkshire road for several hours. |
Andrew Travers left the authority by "mutual agreement" after the error, officials said.
Voters were initially turned away from all 155 polling stations in the borough because their names were missing from the poll list.
An independent investigation has been launched, the council said.
In a statement issued through the... | The chief executive of Barnet Council has left his role after a blunder led to some voters being turned away from polling stations on Thursday. |
Zeid Raad Al Hussein described the incident, in which 10 people were wounded, as "extremely shocking".
Cizre has been the focus of an offensive by Turkey's army against the Kurdish rebel group, the PKK.
Mr Al Hussein also expressed concern over reports that the man who filmed the incident was arrested.
"Filming an atro... | The top UN human rights official has urged Turkey to investigate an apparent shooting by security forces of unarmed civilians in the city of Cizre. |
The vehicle was dragged for several hundred metres after being struck by a Paris-bound train at Conde-sur-Huisne in the Orne region on Friday evening.
Deputy prefect Pascal Vion said the car "seemed to have stopped in the middle of the tracks" before the crash at 20:20 local time (18:20 GMT).
A woman managed to escape... | Three people have died after a train hit a car on a level crossing in the north-west of France, officials say. |
They want Ofcom to wait until a decision is made about their plan to merge the two mobile companies.
BT and EE are also planning to merge.
The spectrum, formerly used by the Ministry of Defence, would provide 4G services for mobile companies.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally approved the pr... | Ofcom is to delay the start of its auction for another chunk of 4G spectrum, after threats of legal action from Telefonica and Hutchison, parent companies of O2 and Three. |
Shiels, whose played for League of Ireland champions Dundalk last year, joins a club that plays in the tier below the MLS in North America.
FC Edmonton are captained by former Linfield defender Albert Watson.
"Dean's a goalscorer and a creative player who works at a level we would expect of someone at FC Edmonton," sai... | Northern Ireland strike Dean Shiels has signed for Canadian North American Soccer League club FC Edmonton. |
With three defeats in his previous six bouts, the Scottish boxer's career seemed to be on the wane.
But his power, timing and focus returned in a supremely confident display at Glasgow's Hydro on Saturday night as he clinched the vacant WBA World Super-Lightweight title - and entered the record books as the first Scot ... | In a sport beset by tiresome braggadocio, Ricky Burns seems like an impostor. |
The singer will perform 20 shows under the banner Lionel Richie - All the Hits through April and May, and September and October next year.
The cheapest tickets, which go on sale on Friday, start at $59 (£38).
Richie, 66, said the decision was made to perform after consulting his 21-year-old son, Miles.
"I asked him, '... | Following his barnstorming set at Glastonbury, soul legend Lionel Richie has announced a residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. |
The RMT union began the 72-hour walkout on New Year's Eve.
The action prompted warnings of widespread disruption for travellers during new year celebrations.
Southern's parent firm Govia Thameslink (GTR) is in dispute with both the RMT and Aslef unions. Another strike is set for 9 January.
The planned six-day strike in... | A strike by conductors on Southern rail has entered its second day as a long-running row about the role of guards on new trains continues. |
Walker was a passenger in a Porsche a friend was driving when it hit a pole and burst into flames in November 2013.
US media report that a wrongful death case has now been filed by Walker's daughter Meadow, who is 16, alleging the carmaker took safety shortcuts.
Porsche has not yet publicly responded to the claims.
Aft... | The daughter of the late Fast and Furious actor Paul Walker is to sue carmaker Porsche over the crash in which he died, US reports say. |
In a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, the group accused the social network of "disproportionate censorship of Facebook users of colour".
The coalition wants the site to specify which rule a deleted post has broken, and provide an appeal process.
Facebook has previously responded to a letter submitted by the group, but has no... | A coalition of more than 70 civil rights groups has urged Facebook to be clearer about the content it removes. |
It was responding to a global study that suggested investing heavily in computers and classroom technology does not improve pupils' performance.
Highland Council has a plan to give every P6 to S6 students access to a tablet computer.
The local authority said the study also suggested that good teaching coupled with tech... | Highland Council has said it remains committed to giving more schoolchildren access to technology. |
Bempton Cliffs at Flamborough Head has the UK's largest mainland seabird colony, according to the RSPB.
It said the new facilities would bring more visitors and improve their access to the thousands of nesting birds.
Keith Clarkson, site manager, said: "It's absolutely fantastic. It's been 10 years in the making."
The ... | A visitor centre at an internationally important nature reserve in East Yorkshire has reopened after a £1.3m upgrade. |
The report was commissioned by Stormont's Department for Social Development (DSD) and the Department of the Environment (DoE).
DSD had proposed an "affordable housing contribution" would apply to all developments of five homes or more.
Similar schemes operate in the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The depar... | A scheme to compel private developers to contribute towards building social housing is "not realistic" for most of Northern Ireland, a report has found. |
Guiseley hit the front spectacularly when Kevan Hurst swung in a corner to the edge of the box and John Rooney volleyed in past a stunned Nathan Ashmore.
Ebbsfleet staged a dramatic second-half turnaround in the space of three minutes. Full-back Luke Coulson cut back for Myles Weston to place into the net and, shortly ... | Ebbsfleet grabbed a point on their return to the National League as they drew 2-2 in an entertaining match at Guiseley. |
Actresses including Meryl Streep, Sally Field, Sandra Bullock and Cameron Diaz saluted the 76-year-old Oscar-winner at Thursday's event in Hollywood.
"I'm so happy to add another woman's name to the list," she said.
Fonda's brother, Easy Rider star Peter Fonda, said "Jane, I've never been prouder of you, and I know Dad... | A cast of stars have paid tribute to actress and political activist Jane Fonda as she accepted the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. |
At its peak more than 40 firefighters tackled the blaze in Albion Terrace, which started at about 08:10 BST.
The line, which was closed for safety reasons, was reopened at about 15:15.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) said crews were expected to be at the scene "damping down" throughout the evening.
It is believe... | A fire at an industrial unit in Hexthorpe caused disruption to train services between Sheffield and Doncaster for several hours. |
The 28-year old Dolgellau-based driver won three out of the 17 stages in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta in his first event since returning to WRC.
He and co-driver Daniel Barritt finished in sixth place overall.
Evans was more than six minutes behind team-mate Ogier.
Toyota's Jari-Matti Latvala finished in second place, with ... | Welshman Elfyn Evans was the best-placed British driver as reigning champion Sebastien Ogier won the opening round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Monte Carlo. |
The newspaper has been widely boycotted in the city because of its accusations following the Hillsborough disaster.
A motion put forward at a meeting on Wednesday night condemned the paper for its "blatant lies" about the tragedy, in which Liverpool 96 fans were killed.
The Society of Editors said the council was "stre... | A campaign calling on retailers in Liverpool to stop selling The Sun has received the unanimous backing of city councillors. |
Plans for the Ysgol y Berwyn site were originally approved in 2015, and the campus was due to open in 2018.
But a petition called for a review of proposals that would see the Church own the buildings.
On Tuesday, Gwynedd's cabinet agreed to consult on the school's Church status.
The Diocese of St Asaph said it was "dis... | Gwynedd's council leadership has come under fire from the Church in Wales in a row over the future of plans for a new £10m school campus serving the Bala area. |
The five-storey Bursledon Windmill had its wind shaft and sails replaced following a £94,000 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant.
Built in 1814, it is believed to be the only working windmill in England that retains a wooden shaft.
Miller Jonathan Cook said it was "long-lived technology that works as well as when it was ... | A 200-year-old windmill in Hampshire has reopened following a two-year restoration project. |
Last month, the board of crofting's regulatory body apologised for its handling of the dispute with crofters.
It also asked convener Colin Kennedy to resign.
But Mr Kennedy told BBC Scotland's Sunday Politics Scotland he was staying in the post.
The dispute relates to the running of common grazings, including at Manger... | The convener of Scotland's Crofting Commission has reiterated he will not stand down amid a heated public dispute over common grazings - unless he is forced to by the Scottish government. |
The missile reached an altitude of about 3,000km (1,865 miles) and landed in the sea off Japan, the Japanese national broadcaster NHK said.
It comes three weeks after North Korea's first ICBM test.
In response, the US and South Korean military conducted a live-firing exercise using surface-to-surface missiles, a US def... | North Korea has conducted a new intercontinental ballistic missile test, South Korea and the Pentagon say. |
Lost for Words was written, as critics have noted, after St Aubyn's novel, At Last, was overlooked by Booker judges.
It takes aim at judges of the fictional Elysium prize, who largely fail to read the books on their shortlist.
"The only thing I was sure of when I was writing this satire on literary prizes was that it w... | A satire of the Booker Prize by Edward St Aubyn has won its own award - The Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. |
The possibility of Brexit was one of the factors that led the US Federal Reserve to keep interest rates on hold, Chair Janet Yellen said.
The US central bank also said it expected a "slower path" for future rate rises.
It raised rates in December for the first time in nearly a decade.
On the 23 June UK referendum on wh... | The US Federal Reserve has kept interest rates at between 0.25% and 0.5% in the face of an uncertain jobs market. |
Sexist, racist and homophobic remarks were being used by pupils against school staff, as well as offensive comments about appearance, the NASUWT said.
There were also examples of parents being abusive on social media, it added.
About 60% of 1,500 teachers questioned in a poll said they had faced abuse, compared with 21... | More teachers are facing abuse on social media, warns a teachers' union. |
It is adopting a Cardiff University professor's approach which he says has made the Welsh capital safer than similar sized UK cities.
It works by using information from victims to identify violence hotspots, such as in nightclubs and parks.
The method has already been adopted by Western Cape in South Africa and Milwauk... | The Dutch capital Amsterdam is following in the footsteps of Cardiff in a bid to reduce violent behaviour. |
A former Spanish colony, it was annexed by Morocco in 1975. Since then it has been the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Morocco and its indigenous Saharawi people, led by the Polisario Front.
A 16-year-long insurgency ended with a UN-brokered truce in 1991 and the promise of a referendum on indepen... | Western Sahara is a sparsely-populated area of mostly desert situated on the northwest coast of Africa. |
The 27-year-old Commonwealth Games silver medallist was badly injured in a motorbike taxi accident in Vietnam.
Earlier this week she was flown back to Scotland and is in hospital in Edinburgh.
In a Facebook message posted by a friend, Stephanie also said "can't wait to get home and have a Nando's".
On Thursday, her par... | Scots judo star Stephanie Inglis has thanked her supporters and said she hopes to be "up and about" soon. |
The £14.8bn project's 1,000-tonne boring machine has broken into the eastern end of Liverpool Street Crossrail station.
By 2018 high-speed trains will run from Reading, through central London to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in Essex.
Andrew Wolstenholme, from Crossrail, said the project was on the "final countdown" to link... | Crossrail workers have made their latest breakthrough by tunnelling under the City of London. |
Bruce, without a club since leaving Hull in July, is favourite to replace Roberto di Matteo, who was sacked by the Championship club on Monday.
Savage said Bruce has experience in the division and still lives in the area.
"He took Birmingham up, he took Hull up," said the Welshman. "He won't have to travel, he won't ha... | Former Birmingham City boss Steve Bruce is the "right man" to manage Aston Villa, according to former Blues midfielder Robbie Savage. |
Apple was sued in 2014 for allegedly using a technology developed by a professor and his students in its iPhone chips without the University of Wisconsin-Madison's permission.
Apple was ordered to pay about $234m (£179m) when it lost the patent case.
That sum has now been more than doubled because it continued to use ... | A US judge has ordered Apple to pay more than half a billion dollars to a university after the tech firm failed to abide by an earlier court ruling. |
The Scottish champions fielded a makeshift side in the 4-0 reverse and Rodgers was delighted with the 21-year-old he signed from Manchester City.
"For Ollie it's about fitness - you see how he moves in the game today," the Celtic manager said.
"He has the qualities to play at the very highest level."
Ntcham, a French i... | Brendan Rodgers says Celtic new boy Olivier Ntcham proved he has the ability to play at the very top level in Saturday's friendly defeat to Lyon. |
The visitors took the lead three times in the first half thanks to tries from Justin Horo, Luke Walsh and Tony Gigot.
However, scores from Theo Fages, Alex Walmsley and Louie McCarthy-Scarbrook gave Saints the lead at the interval.
Horo's second try put the Dragons back in front but tries from Jonny Lomax, Mark Perciva... | St Helens boosted their hopes of a top-four finish with a battling Super League win over Catalans. |
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Long's 170kg lift with his last attempt in the clean and jerk saw him grab gold from London 2012 champion Om Yun-Chol of North Korea, who lifted 303kg.
Thailand's Sinphet Kruaithong took the bronze medal at the Riocentro Pavilion 2 with 289kg.
In the snatch segment, Beijin... | China's Long Qingquan lifted a combined world record of 307kg to win Olympic gold in the men's 56kg weightlifting. |
The actor was charged with culpable homicide in Mumbai for the September 2002 incident. Mr Khan has always denied he was at the wheel.
If convicted, he faces 10 years in prison.
Mr Khan is one of Bollywood's biggest stars and has starred in more than 80 Hindi-language films.
Several of his films, including Dabangg, Rea... | An Indian court is due to rule on whether Bollywood star Salman Khan is guilty of running over five men sleeping on a pavement, killing one. |
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Gregory will tee off at Augusta National for the first time on Thursday after securing his place by winning the British Amateur Championship last summer.
Before even setting foot on the famous Georgia course, the 22-year-old from Waterlooville, Hampshire had his eyes glued... | They say you can learn almost anything on YouTube these days and Scott Gregory is hoping the video sharing website holds the secrets to a perfect US Masters debut. |
The 21-year-old was also suspended for four months backdated to 23 May although three of those months have been suspended until 1 July 2016.
Townsend had already voluntarily withdrawn from the England squad for the European Under-21 Championship.
It is believed he was not accused of betting on games he had involvement ... | Tottenham midfielder Andros Townsend has been fined £18,000 by the Football Association for breaching betting regulations. |
John Collins, 74, Terry Perkins, 67, Brian Reader, 76, and Daniel Jones, 58, pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court.
Items believed to be worth more than £10m were taken in the raid at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company in London's jewellery quarter.
More than 70 safety deposit boxes were ransacked.
Perkins, of Heene ... | Four men have admitted conspiracy to burgle in connection with the Hatton Garden safety deposit box raid over the Easter weekend. |
In the three months to June 2014, there were 960 initial decisions to place a child for adoption, compared with 1,830 in the three months to September 2013.
The figures were released by the Adoption Leadership Board (ALB).
The ALB says the drop in adoptions may have been influenced by recent court judgements in care an... | The number of children put forward for adoption by local councils in England has fallen by almost half in under a year, the latest figures show. |
The origin of the giant 'A' at Playhatch Roundabout on the A4155 Reading to Henley road is not yet known.
The roundabout is near Sonning-on-Thames, where a red letterbox 'appeared' on a bridge last year.
A BBC Radio Berkshire reporter saw the 'pin' and posted an image on a BBC Facebook page.
"I was just driving to Sonn... | A sign resembling a large, red Google Maps pin has been spotted on an Oxfordshire roundabout. |
Several thousand people filed through Independence Square, still full of barricades and memorials to more than 80 people killed last month by snipers.
And the government announced plans to recruit 10,000 people within the next 15 days for its new National Guard.
"People will have the opportunity to defend the country,"... | As voters cast their ballots in Crimea, the mood in Kiev was downbeat: anxiety, mixed with defiance. |
The papers, showing drafts of the poems Unluckily for a Death and Into her Lying Down Head, were bought by Swansea University at an auction in New York.
They will go on public display at the university's Bay Campus library on International Dylan Thomas Day - 14 May.
The drafts include 25 pages in Thomas's minuscule han... | Working manuscripts of poems by Dylan Thomas are to go on public show for the first time. |
It is understood the new offer was a basic £35.5m, which would have risen to nearer £40m when various extras were added.
The Reds value the 20-year-old, who has also been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid, at £50m.
Last week, Liverpool turned down a bid of £25m, plus add-ons, from Premier League rivals City.
Sterling... | Liverpool have formally rejected a second bid from Manchester City for England forward Raheem Sterling. |
The announcement follows a series of drone crashes that made the company recall its much anticipated Karma aircraft.
In addition, the US company said its president, Anthony Bates, would quit his post at the end of the year after three years in the job.
GoPro said that consumer demand for its products remained "solid".
... | Action camera-maker GoPro is cutting 200 jobs and shutting down some of its services. |
Prof Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan says EU scientists working in Britain could leave amid a climate of uncertainty.
The Science Minister, Jo Johnson, said the UK would continue to attract the brightest and best to work in the country's universities.
He added that he hoped that the nation's research institutes would cont... | The president of the Royal Society has called on the government to guarantee the residency of EU citizens in the UK. |
Amarmandakh Sukhbaatar was performing in the country's capital Ulan Bator when the alleged attack took place.
Russian news reports said he was hit over the head with a bottle and repeatedly kicked in the face.
The Russian embassy said it was investigating, but called local press reports "distorted".
The rapper had take... | A top Mongolian rapper was beaten into a coma by a Russian diplomat after wearing a swastika on stage, his lawyer and family have claimed. |
The apparent breakthrough came amid fresh US air strikes on Islamic State (IS) positions. Fifteen IS fighters are said to have been captured.
The UK, France and Australia joined the US in dropping humanitarian aid.
Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State militants for two month... | Iraqi forces have reached the besieged town of Amerli in northern Iraq, where thousands have been trapped by jihadists, military officials say. |
The English rider crashed at this year's TT and the Fireblade bike has been plagued by mechanical problems.
Martin told MCN that he was quitting road racing but he later clarifying his position on Facebook.
"I've not given up on racing or road racing but I've got no plans to do anymore road racing on the Hondas this ye... | Road racer Guy Martin says he will not compete for Honda for the rest of 2017 after a frustrating season. |
Forty workers have been made redundant at Nelson Packaging's factory in Lancashire.
Managing director Michael Flynn said it was mainly due to "the English bag legislation and corresponding impact on customer and retailer demand".
He also blamed "aggressive overseas competition".
The 5p charge for bags was introduced in... | The introduction of a 5p charge for plastic bags in England has been blamed for a packaging firm going into administration. |
Built in the 13th Century, it overlooks Aleppo's Old City and is part of a UN-listed World Heritage site.
Syrian government forces have been using the citadel as a military position.
Government and rebel forces have been fighting for control of the city for over three years. It is not known which side caused the explos... | A bomb explosion has caused part of the walls of Aleppo's ancient citadel to collapse. |
Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in the restive Balochistan province and accused of "espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan".
Last month a top UN court told Pakistan not to execute Mr Jadhav until it had time to hear a case brought by India.
India dismissed the mercy petition and a "confessional video" by Mr ... | A former Indian navy officer who has been sentenced to death on charges of spying in Pakistan has filed a mercy petition, the Pakistan military says. |
It was discovered by a passing police patrol near Holy Cross Boys' Primary School in Ardoyne in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Ch Supt Chris Noble said the device was "sizeable" and an attempt by dissident republicans to kill police officers.
He said the lives of the local community had also been put at risk.
"Ther... | Police have said a bomb which was left outside the gates of a primary school in north Belfast could have killed or seriously injured. |
Among the dead is a family of four killed in a fire started by lightning, officials say. Thousands of people have been left homeless.
The storm comes two weeks after the region declared a drought disaster.
The BBC's Mo Allie in Cape Town reports that before the storm, there had been several interfaith meetings to pray ... | Eight people have been killed when a storm lashed the South African city of Cape Town following months of drought. |
Head of a Young Woman (1906) is worth more than £17m (25m euros).
The painting is the property of Jaime Botin, a Spanish banking tycoon.
It was declared a "historical heritage asset of exceptional importance" by the Spanish National Court and refused an export permit.
An attempt to export the painting to Switzerland o... | A Picasso painting barred from leaving Spain has been seized by French authorities from a boat docked in Corsica. |
Georgina Callander, 18, was among 22 people who died in the suicide bombing at Manchester Arena on 22 May.
Hundreds attended the ceremony at Holy Trinity Church in Tarleton, Lancashire.
Attendees wore "a touch of yellow" at the request of her family, who thanked mourners for their "sympathy and support".
Parents Lesley... | Streets of a village were decorated with pink and yellow ribbons for the funeral an Ariana Grande "superfan" killed in the Manchester terror attack. |
After beating France 19-10, Wales have two wins and a draw as they travel to face unbeaten England at Twickenham in round four.
But the style of their fifth consecutive win over the French has been criticised in some quarters.
"It's a bit baffling, but it is Wales isn't it, it [the reaction] does happen doesn't it?" sa... | Neil Jenkins says he is baffled by some of the criticism of his team's style in the Six Nations. |
It's understood 29-year-old Craig Church died after falling down several flights of stairs in the apartment block where he lived in eastern China.
He had been working as an English language teacher at a primary school in Rui'an for the past two years.
His sister, Carrie Church, told BBC Radio Foyle he was a "fun-loving... | The sister of a Portstewart man who died in a tragic accident in China on Tuesday, has said the family is "shocked and heartbroken". |
Hughes qualified on residency this summer and features for the first time under head coach Eddie Jones.
Leicester hooker Tom Youngs, who was overlooked earlier in the year by Jones, is recalled to the set-up.
But Northampton's Luther Burrell, Chris Ashton of Saracens and Wasps' Danny Cipriani are notable omissions.
Lei... | Wasps' Fiji-born back-row forward Nathan Hughes has been named in a provisional 45-man England elite player squad for a pre-season camp this month. |
Terence Brannigan, chair of the Maze/Long Kesh development Corporation, was speaking after roads around the former prison site were congested on the first day of the event.
Mr Brannigan said rural roads were "not designed for that kind of traffic"
But he said work was under way to put the new infrastructure in place.
"... | About £20m has been pledged to construct two major roads linking the new site of Balmoral Show to the motorway network, it has been claimed. |
Firefighters were called to a blaze in Kilmaurs Road at 23:40 on Saturday.
The woman, local resident Catherine Kelly, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 41-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Another woman, aged 41, who was also in the house at the time was not injured.
Police said the fire was a... | A murder investigation is under way after a 71-year-old woman died in a fire at a house in Kilmarnock. |
Second-year scholars Callum Pritchard-Ellis, James Ballie, Callum Saunders, James Jones, Fraser Murdock and Perry Ng have all been offered senior deals.
Davis told BBC Radio Stoke: "We're delighted to have another strong group.
"Producing our own younger players is going to be more important. It only bodes well for the... | Crewe Alexandra manager Steve Davis says the future of the club looks very healthy as six academy graduates are offered professional contracts. |
For hosts Forfar Athletic it was a second successive home 3-1 defeat after a run of nine straight wins.
Draper put the Welsh champions ahead after 24 minutes only for Stuart Malcolm to reply after the break against the run of play.
Forfar were on top after the break, but two Draper strikes won the tie.
The Welsh side w... | Greg Draper grabbed a hat-trick as The New Saints made history by becoming the first non-Scottish side into the Scottish Challenge Cup quarter-finals. |
More than 80,000 people were in Croke Park for the homecoming show to mark 30 years since The Joshua Tree album.
First drummer Larry Mullen Jr appeared, then guitarist The Edge, next Bono, and finally Adam Clayton on bass.
As they launched into Sunday Bloody Sunday, the crowd went wild.
Many of those watching had flown... | Under a fading blue sky, the imminent arrival of U2 on stage in the Irish capital was heralded by two songs - Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town and The Waterboys' Whole Of The Moon. |
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3 December 2014 Last updated at 14:08 GMT
The bridge, for pedestrians only, would cost £175m to build, making it the world's most expensive footbridge.
Lambeth and Westminster councils, who are in charge of new buildings in areas of London, have both said the bridge can go ... | A huge garden bridge over the River Thames in London is a step closer after plans were approved by local council officials. |
The unit was assisted by officers from Humberside, Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and the West Midlands.
The arrests are part of a pre-planned operation relating to alleged terrorism offences under Italian legislation.
Police said the four men will appear before Westminster Magistrates Court but did not specify a date.
Th... | Four men have been arrested in the UK following a counter-terrorism operation led by Italian authorities, the North East Counter Terrorism Unit says. |
The official purchasing managers' index (PMI) on Sunday showed that factory activity unexpectedly shrank in October to 49.8, below the 50-point mark, which suggests contraction.
It is also marks the third consecutive month of contraction in manufacturing.
The Shanghai Composite closed down 1.7% to 3,325.08, while Hong ... | Asian markets started the week with losses as investor confidence was dented by China's manufacturing data. |
The firm announced it had agreed a deal with the board of California-based Anacor Pharmaceuticals.
Anacor's flagship product is crisaborole, a cream for eczema which is awaiting approval by US regulators.
The deal comes just weeks after Pfizer scrapped a planned $160bn merger with Irish drugmaker Allergan for tax reaso... | US drugs giant Pfizer will acquire the maker of a new eczema treatment in a deal worth $5.2bn (£3.6bn). |
Top-seed Kerber, 29, who also lost to Belinda Bencic at the Fed Cup earlier this month, hit 38 unforced errors as the world number 73 dominated.
"I was not feeling my game and not finding my rhythm," German Kerber said.
China's Zheng plays Canadian Eugenie Bouchard next.
Third-seed Agnieszka Radwanska and fifth-seed Pe... | World number two Angelique Kerber lost 7-5 6-1 to Zheng Saisai in the second round of the Qatar Open, her first singles tournament since winning the Australian Open. |
Smith, 34, lost WBO title bouts with Arthur Abraham in 2014 and 2015, and trainer Joe Gallagher said Saturday's fight was a "last roll of the dice".
The Briton has now been beaten seven times in his 45 professional fights.
The three judges in Wetzlar, Germany, each ruled the fight 119-108 in Zeuge's favour.
It was Zeug... | Paul Smith lost a third attempt to win a world title as Tyron Zeuge retained his WBA world super-middleweight belt with a unanimous points decision. |
The key moment was a fumble by Mayo keeper Robert Hennelly early in the second half which gifted Dublin a penalty scored by Diarmuid Connolly.
Hennelly was a late inclusion in place of David Clarke but the move backfired.
Deep in injury-time, Cillian O'Connor missed a difficult free which would have levelled the scores... | Mayo's 65-year wait for an All-Ireland Senior Football title goes on after holders Dublin edged a 1-15 to 1-14 win in the final replay at Croke Park. |
The 26-year-old was sent off for a foul on Gaston Ramirez during the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The FA rejected a claim of wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment.
He will miss both legs of the semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday and, if the Seagulls progress, the Championship play-off final on ... | Brighton will be without Dale Stephens for their play-off campaign after the midfielder's three-match ban was upheld by the Football Association. |
The rare Tyrannosaurus bataar, 7m long (23ft), was bought by an anonymous bidder for more than $1m (£630,000) in New York.
The sale went ahead despite protests from the Mongolian president.
Elbegdorj Tsakhia says the skeleton, unearthed in the Gobi Desert, came from Mongolia and that exporting fossils found in the cou... | A row has broken out over the sale of a dinosaur skeleton at auction in the US. |
"I was very nervous and my words just came out wrong," he wrote on Facebook.
The Night Manager star drew censure on social media for a speech in which he referred to aid workers in South Sudan "binge-watching" the programme.
The British actor said that his "only intention" had been "to salute [their] incredible bravery... | Actor Tom Hiddleston has apologised for his much-criticised acceptance speech at the Golden Globe awards, admitting it was "inelegantly expressed". |
Driver Henry McPherson, 61, from St Fergus, died after the accident on the A952 near Mintlaw in 2014.
Pauline Flynn, 36, denies causing death by careless driving.
Mr McPherson's partner Patricia McPherson, 52, told Peterhead Sheriff Court she remembered the look of fear on his face.
Ms Flynn, of Mintlaw, allegedly cros... | A woman whose partner died after a car crash in Aberdeenshire has told a trial she felt as if she was "in a washing machine" after the collision. |
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