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Newspaper headlines: Vegetable 'rationing' and lawyer under attack - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The papers lead on lettuce rationing in supermarkets and a lawyer being struck off for dishonesty.
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The Papers
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There is universal condemnation in Friday's papers for the lawyer struck off after he was found to have acted dishonestly in bringing murder and torture claims against British Iraq War veterans.
The Daily Telegraph thinks Phil Shiner should now be investigated by the criminal authorities "with the same vigour they showed in investigating those he falsely accused".
It says he was "on a crusade; a mission, it seemed, to tear apart the reputation of the British armed forces".
The Times says he has been made a "pariah of his profession", and calls for proper safeguards for soldiers so they cannot in future be subjected to allegations based on "cooked-up evidence".
The Daily Mail agrees, saying the "witch-hunt" extends as far as Northern Ireland, where police are investigating more than 300 killings by the Army during the Troubles.
The paper says Mr Shiner "is a stain on the legal establishment".
The Guardian has discovered that there is a ban on non-urgent surgery in West Kent until the new financial year begins, in April.
It says around 1,700 people will be affected by the decision, which has been prompted by a cash crisis.
The Royal College of Surgeons tells the paper the policy will prolong patients' suffering and may even cost more in the long term as conditions worsen.
The group which commissions treatment in the area says no patients will have operations cancelled as a result of the measures.
Rationing of a different kind is on the front page of the Daily Mail.
It says some supermarkets have begun imposing limits on the number of vegetables customers can buy due to the shortages caused by bad weather in the Mediterranean.
Iceberg lettuces are being rationed in Tesco and Morrisons, which is also capping the purchase of broccoli.
For the Guardian, it is "just the tip of the iceberg".
It says: "British shoppers have already been warned that shortages of courgettes, aubergines, salad and celery will continue until the spring - and they can expect to pay substantially higher prices for the stock that is available."
The Mirror leads with an investigation into the poaching of gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where populations have fallen by 80% in 20 years.
The paper says the animals are being shot for bush meat by militia groups and miners looking for a rare metal used in the manufacture of mobile phones and games consoles.
It is calling on the international community to act now to stop the slaughter.
The Times, meanwhile, is urging the government to bring about a housing revolution by allowing more development of the Green Belt.
It reports that a white paper on housing - due out next week - is expected to relax building height restrictions, among other measures.
However, the paper thinks the Tories should go further - and have the stomach for a fight in its heartlands, where the Green Belt is seen as sacrosanct.
Staying in the countryside, a new study about the benefits of camping is widely reported.
Apparently a night under canvas can help with insomnia by resetting the body's circadian rhythm, or internal clock, because campers are forced to adapt their sleeping patterns to the natural light.
However, the Telegraph warns there is a price to be paid for new-found health: it only works if there's strictly no peeking at the mobile phone.
Several newspapers reveal the possible secret of Donald Trump's remarkable hair.
According to the Times, it's an issue which has fascinated Americans throughout his career. Meanwhile, the new US president's head of hair is described in the Daily Express as a "gravity-defying bouffant".
Its mystery, though, may have been solved by his long-time doctor.
Dr Harold Bornstein told the New York Times that the president takes a prostate-related drug that stimulates hair growth.
He confirmed the president's hair was all real, but said it was helped to grow by a small dose of the drug finasteride, which lowers levels of prostate-specific antigen.
The doctor said: "He has all his hair. I have all my hair."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38850445
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Our changing attitudes to chimpanzees - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The illegal trade in chimps highlights the long, often shameful relationship between them and humans.
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Science & Environment
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The BBC's revelations about the illegal trade in baby chimpanzees triggered an outpouring of emotion on social media about the cruelty suffered by these adorable animals
And this raises questions about how our attitudes to our closest relations in the natural world have changed.
Some people who contacted me volunteered to adopt Nemley Jr, the infant rescued from traffickers after the BBC investigation.
Many expressed outrage at the wealthy buyers in China, South East Asia and the Gulf states whose demand encourages poachers to go on raids in the jungles.
There has also been a new burst of fury at celebrities posing with chimps.
More recently, Louis Tomlinson, of One Direction, was criticised for using one in a video.
And a small number on Twitter and Facebook were so disturbed by the heart-breaking scenes in our videos that they wanted to see anyone trading endangered animals immediately locked up or even killed.
What this represents is the latest episode in a long and often shameful relationship between chimps and humans.
Nemley Jr, the infant rescued from traffickers after the BBC investigation
Strange though it seems, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were able to become the first humans to walk on the Moon because of a legacy of rocket development that depended on chimpanzees.
As it happens, the BBC's coverage of chimp trafficking aired on the very anniversary of the launch of Ham the Astrochimp, the first primate to reach orbit, back in January 1961.
He had been captured in the jungles of Cameroon, strapped into a Mercury rocket and blasted into an unknown still deemed too risky for people.
He survived, but other space-faring chimps had a far tougher time.
Enos, the second Nasa chimp sent into space, was given tasks to perform - and, if he got them wrong, his feet would be given a small electric shock.
But the equipment malfunctioned, according to the account that emerged years later.
So even when Enos performed properly, by pulling the correct levers when prompted, he was still electrocuted 33 times in all.
None of this killed him, but his space capsule then landed off course.
US astronaut Alan Shepard with chimpanzee Ham, who preceded him in space
The truth was, chimps were deemed bright enough to stand in for people but were seen as expendable.
Medical researchers also used to turn to chimps and other great apes to seek answers to fundamental questions about physiology and the brain.
That work stopped in the UK many decades ago, and in several European countries more recently, but was phased out in the US only after a major scientific report in 2011 concluded there was no benefit from it.
According to Sir Colin Blakemore, professor of neuroscience and philosophy at the University of London and a long-time defender of the use of animals in research, discoveries in the 1950s and 60s revealed how chimp brains were "uncannily" like ours.
"The structures, the folds, the similarity was amazing," he says.
"Great apes were being used as models for humans, but the model came back to bite the researchers because of that shocking similarity
The more the brains of chimps and other great apes were seen to be like ours, the harder it became to justify conducting experiments on them, and a ban became the inevitable outcome.
British primatologist Jane Goodall is perhaps the world's leading authority on chimpanzees
Prof Blakemore lists a range of useful outcomes derived from research on chimps:
And he highlights the work on HIV - carried out under massive public pressure at the start of the Aids epidemic - as an example of an apocalyptic scenario that might conceivably justify the use of great apes in the years ahead.
"One could imagine that if the future of mankind is threatened by some terrible pathogen, then work on great apes might offer the possibility of saving the human race," he says.
Another long-standing - and popular - use of chimps has been for entertainment.
During our investigation, we heard of baby chimps performing in zoos in China.
That sounds outrageous to us now, but the same happened for decades in the UK.
Chimpanzee tea parties were a big attraction - and they were only phased out at Twycross Zoo in the 1970s.
The zoo's chimps became famous for appearing in hugely popular TV commercials for the tea brand PG Tips.
The last of the animals to feature on air, a female known as Choppers, died last year.
Sharon Redrobe, the zoo's chief executive, says a change in attitudes came as zoos faced having to cope with older chimps disturbed by their experiences and as conservation became more of a priority.
Two chimpanzees at a "tea party" at Whipsnade Zoo in April 1937
"There's been a massive sea-change in the zoo community," she says.
"In the 80s, there was a wake-up call that we needed to be part of the solution not the problem."
And, looking ahead, she says, celebrities "need to get the message that chimps don't make pets and that hugging them does them real harm".
For Will Travers, president of the Born Free Foundation, it was the growing scientific understanding of chimps - through the work of Jane Goodall and others - that turned opinion against exploiting the animals, and he gives a poignant example.
"There had been a misunderstanding that grimaces were smiles, but they were not," he says.
"We now know they represented fear. Enjoyment is the lips pressed together. This was a turning point.
"We've shot them into space, used them in experiments, dressed them up and pretended they're little humans, but the one thing we haven't done is the one thing they need: protection from us."
All eyes are now on the potential buyers of baby chimpanzees.
China, a huge market for ivory, was persuaded to introduce a ban on it last Christmas, which could help choke off demand.
The same kind of edict might help to save the chimpanzees as well.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38830223
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Chelsea Cameron wrote letter thanking drug addict parents - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Chelsea Cameron explains why she's grateful to her drug addict parents.
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A woman raised by drug-addicted parents has written a letter to thank them.
Chelsea Cameron's parents missed many important moments as she grew up, like exam results and prize giving.
She told the Victoria Derbyshire programme why she's grateful.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38825332
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James Ibori: Nigerian ex-governor challenges UK conviction - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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A former Nigerian governor and convicted money-launderer claims UK investigators in his case were corrupt.
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UK
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James Ibori was released from a UK prison in December after serving four years of a 13-year sentence
A Nigerian politician is appealing against his British conviction for corruption, claiming the Metropolitan Police investigation was itself mired in corruption.
James Ibori was released in December after four years in a British prison, but prosecutors have since admitted they have documents suggesting police officers involved in the case took bribes.
The UK government spent years and millions getting Ibori out of Nigeria and into a British court in one of the most expensive and complex police investigations undertaken.
Ministers wanted to prove their determination to tackle corruption in Africa.
Ibori, a former London DIY store cashier, was jailed for fraud totalling nearly £50m in April 2012.
But now the tables have been turned with Ibori claiming the British authorities were themselves corrupt.
"I have been unfairly treated, that's all I can say," Mr Ibori told the BBC, confirming that he plans to appeal against his conviction for money laundering.
"Yes, I am, of course. I have made that decision personally and I have instructed my solicitors."
Ibori was extradited from Nigeria to London in 2010
Ibori was believed to have laundered large sums in the UK, just part of hundreds of millions of dollars it was claimed he had embezzled from the Nigerian people.
On a state salary of just £4,000 a year he had bought a fleet of luxury cars and expensive properties. He was also looking to buy a private jet.
In 2005 the Department for International Development funded a special police unit inside Scotland Yard to go after corrupt African politicians.
Its prime target was Ibori. Its aim: to get him into a British court and convict him for corruption.
Having been extradited to London in 2010, Ibori was convicted and sentenced to 13 years for money laundering two years later.
But since he was jailed, documents have emerged suggesting that at least one officer involved in the Ibori investigation had taken thousands of pounds in bribes.
Last year, after repeatedly telling judges there was no evidence of police corruption, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) admitted they had found substantial material that supported the allegations.
Last summer, defence lawyers learned more about an undercover Scotland Yard investigation called Operation Limonium.
"There exists intelligence that supports the assertion that [a police officer] received payment in return for information in respect of the Ibori case," the CPS admitted.
The officer in question has always denied taking bribes and internal police investigations have previously exonerated him.
Details of how Scotland Yard tapped phones and conducted covert surveillance on a number of officers in the unit investigating Ibori emerged for the first time.
Ibori bought expensive properties and cars, including this Bentley, on a salary of £4,000 a year
Other documents alleging officers had taken bribes were sent to the authorities anonymously in 2011 by a lawyer convicted as part of the Ibori case.
Former solicitor Bhadresh Gohil says he was trying to alert them to the police corruption.
"I brought this case to the attention of the Met police, the commissioner of the Met police Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, I brought it to the attention of Alison Saunders, the head of the CPS. I also drew it to the attention of the then Home Secretary Theresa May," Mr Gohil says.
"Unfortunately, no-one did anything about this."
What they did do was attempt to prosecute Mr Gohil for perverting the course of justice by faking the documents. With the CPS release of the new documents, that case collapsed.
The British authorities managed to get their man before a judge in 2012, but now James Ibori is willingly returning to the courts looking to put the reputation of the UK's criminal justice system on trial.
The irony will not be lost on government ministers.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38834833
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West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Gabriel Jesus scores his first Manchester City goal as they tear West Ham apart for a comfortable victory at London Stadium.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Gabriel Jesus scored his first Manchester City goal as they tore West Ham apart at London Stadium.
City, who left striker Sergio Aguero and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo on the bench, led when Kevin de Bruyne played a one-two with Jesus before stroking home.
Four minutes later, they doubled their lead when the impressive Leroy Sane beat two defenders and his deflected cross was tapped home by David Silva.
And the game was as good as won before half-time when Raheem Sterling squared the ball to Jesus to tap home.
Yaya Toure added a fourth after the break from a penalty when Hammers debutant Jose Fonte brought down Sterling.
West Ham, who made errors to lose possession for each of City's three first-half goals, have been beaten heavily by City twice at home in 2017, having lost 5-0 in their FA Cup meeting last month.
City are now only behind fourth-placed Liverpool on goal difference, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea.
City boss Pep Guardiola revealed before the game that he had decided to stick with goalkeeper Willy Caballero and his front three of Sterling, Sane and Jesus - all of whom started Saturday's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup.
And it worked in sensational style the trio - aged 22, 21 and 19 respectively - ripped the Hammers to shreds.
Jesus, making his first Premier League start following his £27m move from Palmeiras this month, assisted the opener as City broke from their own half at speed with De Bruyne. The Brazilian exchanged passes before the Belgian, who was also impressive throughout, guided the ball past Darren Randolph.
The second goal was made by Sane, who has recently hit form following a slow start after his £37m summer move from Schalke, with the German skinning two Hammers defenders and crossing, via a touch from Randolph, for Silva to tap home.
The dynamic front three all had a hand in the third, with Sane playing in Sterling, who passed the ball across goal for a Jesus tap-in.
Their second-half performance was still dominant albeit less sensational, perhaps because it did not need to be, but they got their fourth when Sterling was brought down by Fonte and Toure narrowly beat Randolph.
In goal, Caballero kept his third clean sheet of 2017, having only played three matches, in contrast to the benched Bravo, who had conceded the last six shots on target he had faced.
West Ham have now conceded 12 goals to City this season, including nine in 2017 - all at London Stadium.
And while City were brilliant, the Hammers played a huge part in their own downfall.
Aaron Cresswell gifted the ball to City for their first, then lost a 50-50 before the second goal and Pedro Obiang gave the ball to Sane for the third. Centre-back Fonte marked his debut, following his £8m move from Southampton, by conceding a penalty for Toure's second-half penalty.
They only forced Caballero to save the ball once - a simple fourth-minute stop from Michail Antonio.
Slaven Bilic's side - who only had 30% possession - did have the ball in the net once, although Antonio was offside when he latched on to debutant Robert Snodgrass's through ball to fire home.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to BBC Sport: "Our high pressing was good. We were so aggressive without the ball.
"Gabriel Jesus is a fighter with instinct for the goal. He's good at assists too.
"We played a front three with an average age of 20. I like the fans to be excited. Those players are the future of the club. Leroy Sane had some problems at the beginning but now he's settled. They will be important players for the next few years."
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic told BBC Sport: "It's like a copy and paste from the FA Cup game. It's very frustrating. We made such mistakes for the first and third goal. If you give the ball away in those areas, they'll punish you.
"When it's 3-0, it's hard to play against them. You are hoping if you score you can turn a game around. But at 3-0 it's more likely you'll concede more as they'll gain confidence.
"It's a heavy defeat for us but we can't let it hurt us a lot. We have to bounce back like we did after the FA Cup defeat."
Analysis - 'City will be found out'
"I think if Manchester City play the team they did tonight away from home against other team, they will be found out.
"They are far too open. Yaya Toure, as the holding midfielder, won't get around enough against decent teams.
"West Ham are the perfect team for Manchester City. They played 4-4-2 and were destroyed in midfield.
• None Gabriel Jesus became the first player to both score and assist a goal on their first Premier League start for Manchester City.
• None Jesus also became the second youngest Brazilian player to score his first Premier League goal (19yrs 304days), after Rafael for Manchester United in November 2008 (18yrs 122days).
• None David Silva scored his third away Premier League goal against West Ham - his highest tally of away goals against another opponent in the competition.
• None West Ham have shipped four or more goals in three of their 12 Premier League games at London Stadium - the same number as in their final 106 top-flight games at Upton Park.
• None Yaya Toure has scored all 11 of his Premier League penalties - the best 100% record in the competition.
• None In his 50th Premier League game, Kevin de Bruyne recorded his 30th goal involvement in the competition (11 goals, 19 assists).
• None City have scored nine goals in two games in all competitions at London Stadium - just half the number West Ham have (18) in 17 games there.
Both clubs are back in Premier League action this weekend.
City host Swansea on Sunday (13:30 GMT), while the Hammers go to Southampton on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
How the papers saw Jesus' performance
• None Attempt blocked. Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
• None Offside, West Ham United. Mark Noble tries a through ball, but Robert Snodgrass is caught offside.
• None Attempt blocked. Edimilson Fernandes (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
• None Offside, West Ham United. Robert Snodgrass tries a through ball, but Michail Antonio is caught offside.
• None Offside, Manchester City. David Silva tries a through ball, but Sergio Agüero is caught offside. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38740421
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Weekend camping resets body clock - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Time outdoors helps sleep but scientists say you could benefit at home by using more natural light.
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Health
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The researchers dragged volunteers on to a camping trip in the midst of a Colorado winter
Spending a weekend out camping resets the clock inside our bodies that influences sleeping habits, scientists at a US university have discovered.
The team argue that time in the great outdoors could help those struggling to get up in the morning and boost health.
The researchers said swapping bricks and mortar for canvas was not a long-term solution.
But exposing ourselves to more bright light in the day (and less at night) could help.
Our body has a daily "circadian" rhythm that anticipates day and night to co-ordinate how our body works.
It alters alertness, mood, physical strength, when we need to sleep and even the risk of a heart attack as part of a 24-hour cycle.
Light helps the clock keep time, but modern life with artificial light, alarm clocks and smartphones has altered our sleeping habits.
The report is published in Current Biology and Dr Kenneth Wright, from the University of Colorado Boulder, told the BBC: "We're waking up at a time when our circadian clock says we should still be asleep."
He says this is damaging to health with studies suggesting links with mood disorders, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
And it also simply makes us really groggy and sleepy when we try to get up in the morning.
So Dr Wright organised a series of camping expeditions for a small group of volunteers.
They had to wear special watches that recorded light levels and had blood tests to analyse the sleep hormone melatonin.
And the only artificial light they were allowed was the glow of a campfire, even a torch was banned.
The first thing they learned on a week-long camping trip in winter was people were exposed to 13 times more light than at home, even though it was the darkest part of the year.
Their melatonin levels also started to rise two-and-a-half hours earlier than before the expedition and they went to bed earlier too.
The campers were now sleeping and waking in tune with their body clocks.
Another camping trip showed most of that benefit could be gained by just going away for a weekend.
Dr Wright said: "We're not saying camping is the answer here, but we can introduce more natural light to modern life.
"It is something we as a society can regulate without people having to change behaviours."
He thinks homes, offices and schools could be designed to allow in more natural light.
And the new generation of "tuneable" light bulbs - that can be made far brighter in the day and dimmer at night - could also be used.
However, at the moment, people's body clocks would start to shift back to their old rhythm once the tent was packed up.
In order to continue to benefit from the camping reset, people would need to get a large hit of light in the day - for example by going out for a walk before work - and cut down in the evening by using less artificial light.
And if you want to watch your favourite TV show "record it", says Dr Wright.
The researchers also picked up clues that our body clocks alter during the year and that may affect how our body functions.
In a week of summer camping, melatonin production was altered by two hours, in winter it was altered by 2.6 hours.
It is a suggestion there is something different about the way our bodies react to the longer or shorter day.
And we already know that some people suffer from low mood with seasonal affective disorders.
Dr Wright added: "We have a hint there's something there and maybe at one point it time it was critical and now, in a modern environment, maybe we don't need to worry about putting on more weight in winter, but the impacts may still be hardwired in our physiology."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38826127
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British cancer patient trapped in Dubai: 'I'm bleeding profusely' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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A British woman tells the Victoria Derbyshire programme that police in Dubai are refusing to hand over her passport so she can fly back to the UK for urgent cancer treatment.
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A British woman has told the Victoria Derbyshire programme that the police in Dubai are refusing to hand over her passport so she can fly back to the UK for urgent cancer treatment.
Luisa Williams said she was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer two weeks ago.
She said authorities in the United Arab Emirates want to deport her for carrying out charity work which was against the law.
But they won't let her leave unless she goes to a detention centre first, where she is concerned her condition may worsen.
The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38842943
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The new property trap affecting thousands - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Buying a home can be expensive enough but some owners are facing unexpected bills to buy the freehold of their property.
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Business
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Katie Kendrick says she was originally told her home's freehold would cost between £2,000 and £4,000
When putting pen to paper to buy a new home, most people expect to know how much they will need to pay to own it outright. But thousands of families in England and Wales are discovering the new-build houses they bought are not all they seemed.
Katie Kendrick bought her new-build home from Bellway in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, three years ago for £214,000.
"It was supposed to be our forever home," she tells the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, sitting in the living room of her four-bedroom house. "But it's the biggest mistake I've ever made."
Katie knew the house was leasehold - meaning she owned the property for the 150-year length of her lease agreement - but claims she was told by the sales representative that because of the long lease it was "as good as freehold"; a property owned outright.
She thought nothing of it, and says she was told she would be able to buy her freehold after two years, believing it would cost between £2,000 and £4,000.
But a year and a half later, she received a letter from Bellway saying her freehold had been sold to an investment company, which was now quoting £13,300 for her to buy it.
"At the moment I feel completely blind and in a corner and don't know which way to turn. There's legal action but that is very costly," she says.
What Bellway has done - selling a new home as leasehold, and then selling the freehold separately to an investment company without informing the family living there - is not illegal.
In England and Wales, the "right of first refusal" applies to flats, but not houses. So it was not legally obliged to tell Katie it would do this.
For an investment company, buying groups of freeholds is a safe long-term investment. Receiving regular payments for ground rents - over leases that number well over 100 years - means safe, steady incomes, to fund things like pensions.
The campaign group Leasehold Knowledge Partnership estimates this business is worth up to £500m to the developers each year.
The leasehold system has existed for a long time in England and Wales, especially in blocks of flats. Many leaseholders have long leases, for example for 999 years, and experience no problems.
But the trend for new-build houses being sold as leasehold has accelerated in recent years. While not all house builders use this model, those that do argue it helps make developments financially viable.
But nowhere on Bellway's website is this system made clear to potential buyers, and Katie feels these facts were not made clear to her. She also says the solicitor - recommended to her by Bellway - made no mention of this possibility either.
Katie says because she bought the house through the government's Help To Buy scheme, she felt she could trust the process.
Bellway has not responded to requests for comment.
Homeground - the company that now manages Katie's freehold on behalf of the investment company - said in a statement it "can usually informally negotiate a price which can often save both time and some of the professional fees".
"In the rare event we cannot agree, the leaseholder still retains the right to turn to the statutory process, which will establish the price as well as the legal fees they have to pay."
It's likely thousands of homeowners could be in a similar position to Katie. Lindsay, who lives on the same estate, bought a house from developers Taylor Wimpey.
The company did ask Lindsay if she wanted to buy her freehold - for £2,600. She declined because she was on maternity leave and felt financially it was not possible.
Two years later she asked about buying it but found it was now £32,000.
"I rang them and said, 'I'd like to buy it now.' And they said, 'It's not for sale - there's a private investor who owns it. They've got a long-term interest in your property,'" Lindsay explains.
"I turned around and said, 'I've got a long-term interest in my property. It's my family home, it's my son's inheritance, and it's not yours to just line your pockets with.'
"I feel like I've let everybody down because it wasn't right to buy it when it came. But nobody said this was a one-time offer.
"It might be legal, but it's not even questionable that it's immoral," she adds.
Watch the Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.
Taylor Wimpey said as it no longer owned the freehold to Lindsay's house, it did not set the price of the freehold or benefit from the ground rent.
It added that, since the start of this year, houses on its new developments would be sold as freehold-only, except in a small number of cases where it did not own the freehold to the land.
But other developers are still selling new-build houses as leasehold.
Katie and Lindsay do have the option to negotiate with the companies who own their freeholds, but say they do not wish to go down this route. They feel the original prices should still stand.
The law does allow a leaseholder to force their freeholder to sell after two years - if both sides cannot agree a price, a tribunal will decide how much the leaseholder should pay.
However, the leaseholder can also be liable for the legal fees of both parties, meaning further expense to people like Katie and Lindsay.
A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government has told the BBC "it is unacceptable if home buyers are being exploited with unfair charges and unfavourable ground rent agreements prior to purchase.
"We are aware of this issue and will announce radical proposals to reset the housing market in our forthcoming White Paper."
Beth Rudolf, from the Conveyancing Association, says that if the developers were not clear about the leaseholds, it may be a case of misrepresentation.
"Anyone marketing a property is covered by consumer unfair trading regulations, which means that if there is anything that would affect their decision-making process, then they should be advised of that before viewing the property," she says.
Beth Rudolf believes developers should be clear about the leaseholds from the start
"It's too late when they move into the house to find that out, it's too late when they become legally liable to purchase it.
"It's too late really at the point when they've viewed it, because they've already fallen in love with it."
The fight goes on for Katie and Lindsay, who worry their homes are now "unsellable" while this shadow hangs over them.
"Hindsight's a wonderful thing," says Lindsay. "I wouldn't have done it if I had known."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38827661
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Brexit: When MPs voted to back Article 50 bill - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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MPs argued for and against, then voted, by a majority of 384, to allow Theresa May to get Brexit negotiations under way.
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MPs have voted by a majority of 384 to allow Theresa May to get Brexit negotiations under way.
They backed the government's European Union Bill, supported by the Labour leadership, by 498 votes to 114.
But the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrat leadership opposed the bill, while 47 Labour MPs and Tory ex-chancellor Ken Clarke rebelled.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38833593
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Marking 20 years of European crash testing - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Footage is released celebrating 20 years of European crash testing.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38836651
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Trevor Bayliss: India defeat shows England must learn to play spin - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Trevor Bayliss believes England need to work on how they play spin bowling after their tour of India ended in a crushing defeat.
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Last updated on .From the section Cricket
England need to work on how they play spin bowling after their tour of India ended in a crushing Twenty20 defeat, says head coach Trevor Bayliss.
England lost eight wickets for eight runs in 19 balls to lose by 75 runs in Bangalore, with spinner Yuzvendra Chahal taking 6-25 in his four overs.
The loss sealed a 2-1 T20 series defeat for England, who also lost the Test and one-day series during the tour.
"We're certainly not world-class players of spin," admitted Bayliss.
"We're playing against players that are very good players of spin, and they've got very good spinners themselves.
"When you don't grow up on it, as players here do, it is difficult. It's a learning process."
• None Eight wickets for eight runs - how the collapse unfolded
'One of our worst performances in a while'
England lost 86 wickets to spin across all formats on their tour of India, having also struggled against it in their previous tour in Bangladesh.
Chasing 203 to win on Wednesday, they were still in the game at the halfway stage of their reply, but after Chahal dismissed both skipper Eoin Morgan and vice-captain Joe Root, the tourists collapsed.
"It is a little bit disappointing the way we finished our series," said Bayliss. "It doesn't reflect the type of cricket we have played over here. But it's what can happen in a T20 match when you're chasing a big total."
Morgan said: "Everybody is gutted. Today was a big game for us. There was a series on the line and we wanted to produce a good performance but in fact we have produced one of our worst in a long time.
"If we can take anything from it, it is that it is the first time it has happened in two and a half years."
'Still a lot of work to do'
England won only three of their 13 matches during the tour - one ODI, one T20 and a tour match against India A.
However, they produced their best cricket in the limited-overs series, scoring more than 300 in each of the ODIs and producing some improved bowling displays in the T20s.
"The results haven't gone the way we'd have liked," said Bayliss. "We've played some pretty good cricket here at times.
"We've still got a lot of work to do - the boys have been very honest about where they stand.
"We've got to put together a batting and a bowling performance in one game - we seem to bat well in some games, and bowl well in others."
Morgan added: "There hasn't been a lot between the sides, particularly in the one-day series. There was 15-20 runs between the winning and losing of the series.
"The improvements we have shown since then have been considerable in our bowling department. When you are going well you have to take advantage of it.
"But we are really strong at the moment. Home advantage is huge, around the world. We have pushed India right to the cusp in both [limited-overs] series."
'Up to Cook if he continues as captain'
In the wake of the 4-0 Test series defeat in India, Alastair Cook said he had "questions" about his role as England captain, admitting Root was "ready" to be his successor.
Australian Bayliss said he had not spoken to Cook since he departed the tour but said he would contact him in due course.
"I'm heading home to Australia for a little while in the next day or so," added Bayliss. "I'll put the feet up for a little bit and I'm sure I'll speak to him at some stage.
"I'll give it a couple of days - I'm sure we'll exchange a text message or something.
"As I said to him when he left, and there was a lot of speculation, it is totally up to him. He will know if it's time to step down.
"I'm happy either way, whether he stays or goes. There is plenty of time."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38829551
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Thailand displays biggest ever haul of pangolin scales - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Thai customs officials have seized their biggest ever haul of smuggled pangolin scales, after a crackdown on illegal wildlife trade.
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Thai customs officials have seized their biggest ever haul of smuggled pangolin scales, after a crackdown on illegal wildlife trade.
The scaly mammals are illicitly transported from Africa to meet demand in Asia for their supposed medicinal value.
This has led to their numbers falling drastically and all eight species are protected under international law.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38840930
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IPL 2017: Ben Stokes tipped to land 'big bucks' deal by Yuvraj Singh - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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England's Ben Stokes could fetch millions when he enters the Indian Premier League auction, says India's Yuvraj Singh.
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Last updated on .From the section Cricket
England's Ben Stokes could earn "millions" when he enters the Indian Premier League auction, says India batsman Yuvraj Singh.
The auction for the 20-over franchise competition is scheduled to be held in Bangalore on Monday, 20 February.
When asked how much Stokes was worth, Yuvraj, who went for a record £1.6m in 2015, said: "A couple of million.
"He's a quality hitter, fast bowler and fielder. He'll definitely get the big bucks. He brings a lot to the table."
Yuvraj, 35, has lined up against Stokes, 25, in the recent one-day and Twenty20 series between India and England, and has enjoyed watching England's talisman close up.
"I always see Ben and Virat [Kohli] having a go at each other," Yuvraj told BBC Sport. "It's great for cricket to have passion.
"We always have banter with the English. My old battles were with Andrew Flintoff."
This year the IPL will run from 5 April to 21 May, with England's players available for much more of the tournament than usual because of the lack of a Test match in May.
This availability, coupled with eye-catching performances in limited-overs cricket, mean England's players could be highly sought.
Sam Billings and Jos Buttler are already signed to teams, but the likes of Stokes, Chris Woakes, Jason Roy, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills and Alex Hales could attract interest.
"If these guys come and play the IPL, their skills will improve," Yuvraj added. "The more they play in different conditions, the better they will become."
Stokes could become the subject of a "bidding war", according to freelance T20 journalist Freddie Wilde.
Wilde believes Kolkata Knight Riders may target the Durham player now West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell is suspended following a doping code violation.
However, he might not be the only player to swell his bank balance.
"Jason Roy could be hot property at this auction too," said Wilde.
"Over the past year, Roy has established himself as one of the leading opening batsmen in the world and his form in the England-India ODI series, as well as the World T20 last year, proves he can do it in Indian conditions.
"Tymal Mills is the most likely of the England bowlers to be picked up. High pace is valuable in India, where the pitches generally offer little in the way of lateral movement to seamers.
"I also think Chris Woakes could prove to be a useful, perhaps under-valued, acquisition for somebody."
Read more: Where the IPL contract money goes (Daily Telegraph)
Stokes much more than a batsman or bowler...
• Ben Stokes of any player in the 2016 World T20.
• Jason Roy has a strike-rate (runs per 100 balls) of 132 in the Powerplay.
• Alex Hales' strike-rate in the Powerplay is 130, in the middle overs it is 135 and in the death overs it is 156.
• Tymal Mills has taken 3-33 from 28 slower balls in his T20 international career.
• None Since the start of 2016, Chris Jordan is England's leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals with 17.
The IPL had a television audience of 347 million in India last year, with more than a third of that believed to be female viewers.
"It's quite simply one of the biggest tournaments in the world - not just in cricket," said Isa Guha, a former England women's international who is now an IPL commentator and analyst for television.
"All eyes are on it right across the globe because it's where cricket meets entertainment.
"I liken it to a sitcom because families sit down and enjoy it when they get home from work. It's not just father and son. It's wife and daughters too.
"The Indian public buy into the heroes and villains. AB de Villiers, for example, is revered. They'd be excited to see Ben Stokes play in the IPL."
So who excites you?
Is Ben Stokes really worth millions? Perhaps you agree that Chris Woakes offers value for money?
Have a little fun with our ranking tool, which allows you to pick the three English players you think should attract the most attention at the IPL auction.
* This article was amended on 3 February after Kevin Pietersen withdrew from the IPL auction
Pick your top three IPL signings from our list.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38830273
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Reality Check: Was pollution worse in London than Beijing? - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Was pollution in the British capital worse than it was in the Chinese capital last week?
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UK Politics
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The claim: Air pollution in London last week was worse than it was in Beijing.
Reality Check verdict: Some one-off readings were higher in London last week, but this was an unrepresentative snapshot and Beijing is generally far worse.
On 22 January, recordings of particulate air pollution were higher in London than in Beijing.
Ruth Cadbury is the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, a part of London that has seen unusually high levels of air pollution recently.
Last week saw the highest level recorded in the capital since April 2011.
The spike was attributed to cold, calm and settled weather, meaning winds were not dispersing local pollutants.
Different countries measure air pollution in different ways.
The UK government uses a one (lowest) to 10 (highest) scale.
Last week's levels in London were a 10.
Another measure is the Air Quality Index (AQI).
Last Monday, according to this measure, some parts of London showed particulate levels a bit higher than in Beijing.
But this was just a snapshot and not the case for most of the week.
On Wednesday afternoon, the overall AQI level in Beijing was about three times higher than in London, and recordings were even higher on the Chinese city's industrial outskirts.
The World Health Organization gathers average particulate levels from cities around the world.
They suggest that Beijing's levels are about five times worse than London's.
The cities with the dirtiest air are Zabol in Iran and Onitsha in Nigeria.
In the UK, overall emissions of all types of air pollution have fallen dramatically since 1970.
Pollution in Beijing is much worse than in London - or in Stockholm, where the same claim was made this week.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38829146
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Six Nations 2017: Rhys Webb returns as Wales make five changes for Italy game - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Scrum-half Rhys Webb returns as Wales make five changes for their Six Nations Championship opener against Italy in Rome.
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Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby
Coverage: Live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app, plus live text commentary
Wales have made five changes from the team that beat South Africa in November for Sunday's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome.
Scrum-half Rhys Webb returns after injury, while former captain Sam Warburton is named on the blind-side flank by interim coach Rob Howley.
Props Nicky Smith and Samson Lee come in to the team, with Jake Ball in for the injured Luke Charteris at lock.
Bath number eight Taulupe Faletau has failed to recover from a knee injury.
Scott Williams is preferred at centre to Jamie Roberts, who is on the bench, while Dan Biggar will partner Webb at half-back.
The Ospreys scrum-half missed the autumn Tests against Argentina, Japan and South Africa after injuring a knee against Australia on 5 November.
Lock Alun Wyn Jones leads the team for the first time since taking over from Warburton as skipper.
None of the uncapped players in the extended squad have made the match day 23, with interim coach Rob Howley saying it was important to start the tournament with a win.
In fact Howley's starting XV averages more than 45 caps a man.
"We've gone with a lot of experience with 10 out the XV who started against South Africa," he said.
"It's important to start well hence the selection you see.
"We've been there as coaches and some of the players have - 2009 comes to mind - when we made a number of changes and given opportunities but we just feel for the start of the campaign we want to start well.
"We believe the Six Nations is going to be about momentum and we wanted to pick a rather experienced team to start the tournament."
• None Five changes for Wales women's team to play Italy
• None Keep up to date with BBC Six Nations alerts
• None How to watch and follow the Six Nations with the BBC
Meanwhile Italy coach, Conor O'Shea, has made five changes from the team that beat South Africa in November for the Wales clash.
There are no uncapped players in the Italian squad as captain Sergio Parisse returns to lead the side and win his 122nd Test cap.
Wales in the 2017 Six Nations
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38838243
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Davis Cup: Dan Evans plays Denis Shapovalov in Great Britain v Canada opener - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Dan Evans will play 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov in the opening rubber of Great Britain's Davis Cup first-round tie against Canada in Ottawa.
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Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Friday's coverage: Watch live on BBC Red Button, Connected TV and online from 20:00 and BBC Two from 23:05, plus follow text updates on the BBC Sport website.
Dan Evans will play 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov in the opening rubber of Great Britain's Davis Cup first-round tie against Canada in Ottawa.
Friday's second singles rubber will be between Kyle Edmund and Vasek Pospisil.
Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot will contest Saturday's doubles rubber against Daniel Nestor and Pospisil.
Captain Leon Smith has confirmed world number one Andy Murray will not compete for Great Britain this weekend, saying it is the "right thing for him to do".
"We all miss Andy because he is such a great influence on the team both on and off the court," said Smith.
"Like we saw last year [in the match against Serbia when he watched as a spectator], he puts a lot of interest and care into this team."
World number three Milos Raonic pulled out of the Canadian team with an injury, meaning the hosts are without a top-100 singles player.
The draw was conducted at the home of the Canadian Parliament by the Speaker of the House. The match court is about three miles from Parliament, and it is nearly possible to make the entire journey on skates as the Rideau Canal is frozen solid and open to skaters.
The absence of Milos Raonic hits Canada very hard. Denis Shapovalov won last year's junior Wimbledon and is an exciting prospect, but it is a huge ask for him to win a five-set match at the age of 17.
Kyle Edmund will also start favourite against Vasek Pospisil, although the Canadian was a top 40 player this time last year.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38848927
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Find out how LA officers rescue exploited children - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Police in Los Angeles carry out their biggest-ever operation to rescue sexually exploited children.
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Police in Los Angeles have carried out their biggest-ever operation to find girls and young women who were forced into commercial sexual exploitation.
Officers made almost 500 arrests and rescued more than 50 young people.
The BBC's Angus Crawford was given exclusive access.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38823816
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Rare 'lava firehose' from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Dramatic footage shows the unusual phenomenon as lava flows through a crack in a sea cliff.
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The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has been active since 1983, but scientists have filmed an unusual phenomenon.
Dramatic footage shows lava as it flows through a crack in a sea cliff, and into the Pacific Ocean.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38825330
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Preserving memories: Readers share their time capsule stories - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Readers share stories of their childhood time capsules and the items they buried.
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UK
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John buried a Matchbox car and a halfpenny in his time capsule
Many people around the world make time capsules with items included in them, hoping someone will find them many years later.
A Blue Peter Millennium time capsule has been accidentally dug up 33 years earlier than planned. It was buried under the Millennium Dome, now the O2 Arena, in 1998 and was not supposed to be unearthed until 2050.
We asked people to share their stories and to tell us what they included in their time capsules. Here are some of the responses we received.
John Carver, 59, buried his time capsule 51 years ago. It included many items including crayons as he thought there would not be colours in the future. He never found the capsule.
"I buried a time capsule when I was about eight. The contents included, as far as I can remember, crayons, a halfpenny and a Matchbox car.
"They were 'securely' packaged in a Marmite jar which then came with a metal lid. It was buried in the lawn of the family home, which has recently been sold, never to be seen again.
"Within a very short time the hole I had dug disappeared and I could never accurately pinpoint where it was.
"It was the family home for 56 years and over the years, I have always thought about it."
Mike Simpson and his son Thomas created a time capsule hoping that a boy from the future would find it one day and read it. The capsule included a list of Thomas's favourite things, ranging from his favourite meal to his favourite TV show, which is Doctor Who.
"Thomas was just starting to get interested in history so this was a project that helped him to understand the passage of time and consider how a house can be home to many different families over a century," Mike says.
"Eight years ago when Thomas was five we moved into our present home, which dates from the 1890s. Removing old plaster to add a damp course revealed some gaps between the Victorian bricks where mortar had crumbled.
"We created a letter to a little boy from the future, listing Thomas's name, school, favourite food, favourite TV show among other things.
Thomas pictured with his favourite items, some of which he buried in the time capsule
"We carefully folded this up and sealed it in a plastic bag with one of his school photos and a penny dated that year. This was pushed between two bricks and then plastered over.
"Hopefully decades from now someone will find a message from the past."
Aged about 10, Angus Macdonald, now 50, buried his time capsule in his parents' back garden in Singapore in 1976.
"It was a big glass jam jar, buried only about a foot down, and it contained the front page of that day's newspaper and a few other personal bits and pieces.
"I imagine it has probably been found by now and probably thrown away as junk. Or else it has broken and its contents long decomposed.
"One day, I would like to go back and see whether it is still there, but I guess it would be a bit odd to ask the current occupants of the house whether I could dig up their garden!
"I think time capsules are a great idea - but you need to do it properly, bury them in a place where they are unlikely to be discovered, set a date for opening them that is not too far away and ensure the fact of their existence is recorded somewhere, especially with family or friends."
Ray Green's staircase where he hid his time capsule
Ray Green placed a time capsule under his home's staircase in 1992. While altering the staircase of his then new house, he took photos of the construction work at the time, along with a picture of him and his wife and other items.
"In the capsule there are pictures of me and my wife, a copy of the Liverpool Echo, pictures of the construction and a letter I wrote explaining the work that was carried out.
"There was also a good luck message to anyone finding it and deciding to alter the staircase again, mainly because I had such a swine of a job doing it."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38845752
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Blue Peter time capsule dug up 33 years early - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Workers at the O2 arena accidentally unearth the trove which has a wealth of late 90s memorabilia.
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UK
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Blue Peter presenters Katy Hill and Richard Bacon bury the trove in 1998
A Blue Peter time capsule has been accidentally dug up by construction workers 33 years earlier than planned.
The Millennium Time Capsule was buried under the Millennium Dome, now the O2 Arena, in 1998.
Filled with viewers' mementos of the time, it was not supposed to be unearthed until 2050.
The O2 has said despite being damaged, the capsule's contents are safe. The BBC said the capsule will be re-buried.
A Tellytubby, Blue Peter badge and Tamagotchi were among the items buried
Former Blue Peter presenters Katy Hill and Richard Bacon buried the capsule in June 1998.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "Although a little earlier than anticipated, we're looking forward to sharing these memories with our viewers and making new ones as we return the capsule to the earth so that it can be reopened in 2050 as originally planned."
In a competition, viewers had been asked to submit ideas for items they would like put inside.
The winning entries included roller blade wheels, an asthma inhaler, Tellytubby dolls, a France 1998 World Cup football, a picture of a dove to symbolise peace in Northern Ireland and a Roald Dahl book.
Dawn of the Dome: Fireworks light up the sky on 1 January 2000
A spokesman for the O2 Arena said: "The team at The O2 and our contractors ISG have been searching for the Blue Peter time capsule since we started construction work in 2016.
"We found it yesterday but sadly it was accidently damaged during excavations. The capsule and its contents are safely stored in our office and we've let the team at Blue Peter know.
"We're going to work with them to either repair or replace the capsule and bury it again for the future."
The BBC said: "We are looking forward to sharing these memories with viewers and making new ones as we rebury the capsule until 2050."
A Spice Girls CD was among the other items locked away in the capsule...
...as was an insulin pen...
...and a set of British coins, in what was a pre-£2 coin era
Photos of the Oblivion ride in Alton Towers were also preserved...
....along with an asthma inhaler...
...and a picture of Princess Diana, who had died a year earlier in a road accident
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38838033
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The art of a President Trump state visit - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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What do we know about the new president's aesthetic tastes?
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Entertainment & Arts
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A current family fad is playing that word-association game in which you respond to the previous player's word with a relatable one of your own, eg me: "Annoying." Son: "Dad." Wife: "Bald eagle."
And so on. We've played a lot recently, such that I've started to react to the daily news in a similarly tangential way, where related but seemingly random thoughts pop into my head over and above more conspicuous concerns.
For instance, while everybody else was discussing the significance of a potential state visit to the UK by President Trump, I had two immediate thoughts in my mind:
No need to dwell on point one.
One look at the photographs of Donald Trump's Manhattan Penthouse in Trump Tower confirms George IV's extravagant tastes and those of the current US President are simpatico.
The art question is harder (should that be his choice of gift).
As potentially treacherous presents go, giving a work of art to someone you don't know is right up there with buying underwear for a work colleague or deodorant for your mother-in-law: the likelihood of causing offence and/or embarrassment is high.
Taste in art is a hard one to call, as the well-meaning Germans found out in 2015, when they attempted to combine their penchant for modernist expressionism with Her Majesty's passion for horses and family life.
The Queen seemed bemused by the gift of a painting of her and her father, George VI
It fell to President Joachim Gauck to present the painting by Nicole Leidenfrost to the Queen during her fifth state visit to Germany.
The president stood proudly to the side of the easel on which the painting rested.
It depicted the Queen as an eight-year-old girl sitting on a blue horse while her father, George VI, held its reins.
Mr Gauck smiled enthusiastically, made a gesture with his left arm in a magician's "ta-da" sort of way, and invited the British monarch to inspect the splendid piece.
The Queen's response was, shall we say, muted.
She looked over to the Duke of Edinburgh with a bemused smile on her face and a question in her eye that appeared to be asking if this was a practical joke.
Her husband leant in to look at the picture, held his position, and said nothing, leaving his wife with the task of filling the awkward silence.
"It's a strange colour for a horse," she said.
The German president laughed charmingly but unconvincingly, as did others in attendance.
"And that's supposed to be my father, is it?" Her Majesty enquired.
The Trump Tower in New York was built on the site of an art-deco department store
That hurt. But Mr Gauck remained calm and courteous and duly confirmed the figure on the left was meant to be her father.
The chances of President Trump trotting off in the same direction and opting for a German expressionist aesthetic are slim.
This is a man who once described a painting by Chris Ofili featuring the Virgin Mary amid cut-up backsides from pornographic magazines as "degenerate," which is a loaded word to choose to describe an artwork, as it was so infamously used by the Nazis to describe Jewish and German expressionist paintings, which they exhibited and mocked in the 1937 Degenerate Art show.
Art deco is out too, even though the American president is a New Yorker and has therefore spent his life surrounded by some the greatest examples of it in it the world.
My grounds for this assertion go back to an incident in 1980 when he was about to demolish the Bonwit Teller Department Store on Manhattan's 5th Avenue in order to build Trump Tower.
Before the wrecking balls swung into action, he was asked by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to save the art deco bas-reliefs on the building's facade.
Newspaper reports from the time claim he said he would, but then he did not - later explaining to the press (having allegedly taken on the persona of an invented PR man called John Barron - a surname he would later give his son as a Christian name) there were too many health and safety issues to overcome.
President Trump has inspired a number of works of art
As for modern art, I think I can confidently say the president is not a huge fan on the whole.
In his book Art of the Deal, he said: "I've always felt a lot of modern art is a con."
This could explain why he missed out on what would have been a great art deal in 1981, when he rejected Andy Warhol's series of Trump Tower screen-prints the artist had made for him on spec (Warhol said: "Mr Trump was very upset that it wasn't colour coordinated.")
I think baroque could be his thing.
It has everything he seems to like.
It is big, sweeping, grand, historic and tumultuous.
It has the Louis XIV kitschy campness he goes for.
Better still, it is dramatic.
President Trump is a showman; he understands the power of the spectacle.
It is no surprise to me that he flirted with a career as a Broadway producer in his early 20s, and perfectly possible that he considers his work in property development as a more lucrative form of theatre, with his enormous buildings providing the set for urban dramas to unfold in and around.
So, a baroque offering that is all about scale and showmanship - I suppose he could revisit his onetime collaboration with the Russian artist Zurab Tsereteli, whose colossal statue of Christopher Columbus he planned to make the totemic landmark of his West Side Yards development in New York.
He told the New Yorker magazine in that "it's got $40m [£30m] worth of bronze in it" and the artist was "major and legit".
Jeff Koons' sculpture Puppy. Might something like this grace Buckingham Palace?
Most importantly perhaps, it was 6ft (1.8m) taller then the Statue of Liberty, itself a whopping work of art that was given to American by the French as a state gift.
In the end, New York rejected Tsereteli's statue, so did Boston and Miami.
It was finally erected in Puerto Rico last year.
But that took years, and Donald Trump may have only months before his visit. So, what to do?
Maybe he could pop round to Jeff Koons's studio in New York.
Here is a contemporary American artist in touch with his baroque side, who has even exhibited at Versailles, and whose artistic vision is to "communicate with the masses" - a populist manifesto I imagine to be close to the president's heart.
What's more, he makes massive sculptures and loves dogs nearly as much as the Queen.
Proof for which can be found in his famous 40ft (12m) high plant-encrusted sculpture of a West Highland terrier puppy (1992), which he could reconceive in 2017 for the Queen as a 50ft (15m) high corgi that would take pride of place at the front of Buckingham Palace.
Alternatively, the president could scale back on this ambitious plan and ask Koons to make a corgi doorstop instead.
It might not generate the same amount of column inches, but at least it should receive a warmer welcome than the unfortunate blue horse.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38830230
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Non-Muslim Americans wear hijab in solidarity for World Hijab Day - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Women in America walked in the shoes of Muslim women by wearing a hijab for World Hijab Day.
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Women in America walked in the shoes of Muslim women by wearing a hijab for World Hijab Day.
The BBC asked non-Muslim women why they decided to don the headscarf.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38836649
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Workington police blow up 'suspicious' car parked by fellow officers - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The force says it was "an internal communications error" and has apologised to the owner.
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Cumbria
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The car was parked outside Workington police station after the owner had taken ill
A police force carried out a controlled explosion on a "suspicious" car outside a station, not realising its own officers had parked it there.
A bomb squad was called after concerns about an unattended Vauxhall Corsa at Workington police station, Cumbria.
Roads around the building, in Hall Brow, were sealed off and an explosion carried out at 08:00 GMT.
The force blamed "an internal communications error" and apologised to the owner.
Cumbria Police said other officers on duty were not aware colleagues had parked the car outside the station after helping its owner, who had been taken ill.
The building was evacuated, a 100m cordon put in place and the vehicle blown up.
Insp Ashley Bennett said: "We have made contact with the owner of the vehicle, explained the situation and have apologised to him.
"The officers who dealt with this morning's incident did so with public safety in mind and followed the appropriate procedures in respect to an unoccupied suspicious vehicle.
"The constabulary will review this incident and will take on board any learning."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-38838653
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Past the point of no-return - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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After decades of debate on the EU, MPs have finally done it - we are off.
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UK Politics
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After decades of debate, years of acrimony over the issue in the Conservative Party, months of brutal brinksmanship in Westminster, and hours of debate this week, MPs have just approved the very first step in the process of Britain leaving the European Union.
There are many hurdles ahead, probably thousands of hours of debate here, years of negotiations for Theresa May with our friends and rivals around the EU, as she seeks a deal - and possibly as long as a decade of administrative adjustments, as the country extricates itself from the EU.
On a wet Wednesday, the debate didn't feel epoch-making, but think for a moment about what has just happened.
MPs, most of whom wanted to stay in the EU, have just agreed that we are off.
This time last year few in Westminster really thought that this would happen. The then prime minister's concern was persuading the rest of the EU to give him a better deal for the UK.
His close colleagues believed the chances of them losing, let alone the government dissolving over the referendum, were slim, if not quite zero.
Then tonight, his former colleagues are rubber stamping the decision of a narrow majority of the public, that changed everything in politics here for good.
This isn't even the last vote on this bill. There are several more stages, the Lords are likely to kick up rough at the start.
But after tonight, for better or worse, few will believe that our journey to the exit door can be halted.
As government ministers have said in recent days, the moment for turning back is past.
• None Trump and May 'committed' to Nato
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38830552
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Transgender pupil treated 'like freak' by school - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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A 16-year old transgender pupil is suing his former school for discrimination.
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The mother of a transgender pupil is taking legal action against a school which she claims treated her child like "a freak".
Jackie* said the treatment had been "appalling". Her child Aidan*, 16, who was born female, claims he was effectively excluded by Hereford Cathedral School, which refused to let him wear a boy's uniform.
The legal action is currently going through the courts.
It is understood as part of the school's defence, it claims Aidan was withdrawn by his family before a final decision was made by the school about whether it could accommodate his needs.
In a statement it said: "The continued happiness, wellbeing and safety of our pupils is the top priority."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-38832413
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British Antarctic Survey's Halley base on the move - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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The British Antarctic Survey's Halley research station is towed 23km inland to avoid an icy fate.
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The British Antarctic Survey's Halley research station has been towed 23km across the Brunt Ice Shelf.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38849078
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Jose Mourinho: Man Utd manager says rules are different for him - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he is being judged by different rules to other Premier League bosses.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he is being judged by different rules to other Premier League bosses.
The Portuguese appeared to be frustrated by the performance of referee Mike Jones during Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Hull at Old Trafford.
And Mourinho highlighted Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's exchange with fourth official Neil Swarbrick during their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Tuesday.
"You know clearly I am different. The rules for me are different," he said.
• None 5 live podcast: 'Mourinho no better than LVG'
Klopp apologised after shouting in Swarbrick's face during the second half of Tuesday's match at Anfield, and said the official told him: "No problem, I like your passion."
Former Chelsea boss Mourinho, who had earlier walked out of a BBC TV interview, said: "Yesterday a fourth official told a manager: 'I enjoy very much your passion.' Today, I am told to sit down or I am going to be sent to the stand."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is serving a four-match touchline ban after being found guilty of verbally abusing fourth official Anthony Taylor, remaining in the technical area after his dismissal and then making physical contact with Taylor during Arsenal's home win over Burnley last month.
Mourinho has served two touchline bans this season, for speaking about Taylor prior to his side's trip to Liverpool in October, and kicking a water bottle during a home draw with West Ham in November. Both actions are against Football Association rules.
The 54-year-old was given a stadium ban in November 2015 while managing Chelsea after he was found guilty of going to referee Jon Moss' dressing room during a London derby at West Ham.
His long-time assistant Rui Faria served a six-game stadium ban when he had to be pulled away from referee Mike Dean during Chelsea's game against Sunderland in April 2014.
Mourinho said: "I watch my team from the hotel. I was forbidden to go to the stadium. My assistant had six matches stadium ban. I didn't touch anyone."
Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic made a string of fine saves at Old Trafford as the Tigers frustrated United.
Mourinho said: "I don't criticise my opponent. They are fighting for their lives. Every point for them is gold. They have to fight with everything they have. They tried to see what they were allowed to do."
He told reporters at the post-match press conference: "Tell the truth. It is as simple as that. You will be doing a public service, I think. If I speak I am punished. I don't want to be punished."
In trying to avoid getting himself into trouble with the FA, Jose Mourinho may have done exactly that.
His frustration was obvious during a first half in which he had three long conversations with fourth official Stuart Attwell, then one more in the second, to express his concern at Hull's perceived time-wasting.
He evidently had no desire to speak with colleagues on Match of the Day judging by his hasty exit at the first opportunity just 90 seconds into his post-match interview.
His news conference lasted five minutes, during which time he told journalists to "write the truth" because he feared for the consequences if he said what he thought.
That is all fine.
But in stating he gets different treatment to rival managers, Mourinho may have crossed the line.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38836249
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BBC iPlayer - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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JavaScript seems to be disabled. Please enable JavaScript to take full advantage of iPlayer.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10318089
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Daniel Radcliffe 'yet to see' Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe says he has yet to see the play inspired by JK Rowling's stories.
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Entertainment & Arts
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Radcliffe (right) appears with Joshua McGuire in the Old Vic production
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has revealed he's yet to see the stage play of JK Rowling's eighth Potter story.
"I just feel it would not be a relaxing evening at the theatre," he said of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
"I assume every night there are 1,000 Harry Potter fans in the audience," he continued, adding it was "fantastic" they were there to see the play.
Radcliffe is shortly to return to the London stage in an Old Vic revival of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
The 27-year-old said he had read Sir Tom Stoppard's play "at a fairly formative age", having studied it while on the Harry Potter set, and could remember being "baffled and delighted".
First staged in 1966, the play replays Shakespeare's Hamlet from the point of view of two hapless minor characters.
Radcliffe plays Rosencrantz in the 50th anniversary production, while Joshua McGuire plays Guildenstern.
Jamie Parker plays the adult Harry in the two-part Cursed Child stage play
Speaking to the BBC's Rebecca Jones, Radcliffe said he had studied Shakespeare at school but had never performed it on stage.
He said Sir Tom's play, which features the scenes from Hamlet in which Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear, was "an amazing introduction" to the Bard of Avon's work.
"It's a play so full of ideas there's always going to be something new to play with," he went on, adding he was "starting to enjoy the poetry" of the Shakespeare sections.
The actor also revealed he would "probably just ignore" fans who attempt to record his performance, recalling that people had tried to talk to him on stage when he made his theatre debut in Equus.
Directed by David Leveaux, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead runs from 25 February to 29 April.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38831398
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How long should you stay in one job? - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Is there a magic number to how many years you should stay in one job before moving on?
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Business
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Peter Capaldi is bowing out at Christmas after four years playing Dr Who
Three years is the maximum length of time anyone should stay in a job, declared actor Peter Capaldi when he explained why he was stepping down from the Dr Who role after four years.
"I've never done one job for three years. This is the first time I've done this and I feel it's time for me to move on to different challenges," he said.
It's a pretty short tenure compared to the old days when people secured a job after leaving school or university and then stayed there until they collected their golden carriage clock.
But increasingly, changing one's job every few years is considered the norm.
In fact, a UK worker will change employer every five years on average, according to research by life insurance firm LV=.
In the US, it's even shorter with people staying with a single employer for just over four years, according to official statistics.
But is there a magic number, one that will make sure you don't stop progressing, but also doesn't make you look too, well, flighty?
Almost a quarter of employed people are currently looking for new roles, according to HR body the CIPD
Claire McCartney, adviser for the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, says there's no such thing.
"It's very specific to the person. It depends on their career plans, assuming they have any career plans and whether they feel they get the right amount of challenge and flexibility," she says.
Ms McCartney does, however, believe there's a minimum tenure, saying just three months in one role before moving on wouldn't look good, unless it was driven by a change in personal circumstances.
She also says the size of an organisation can often be a factor in determining how long a person stays, with a smaller company often offering less opportunity for people to progress than a larger rival.
Victoria Bethlehem, the group head of talent acquisition at recruitment firm Adecco, says she looks favourably on a prospective employee who has changed roles every three to five years.
"Immobility is never desirable in a curriculum. This does not necessarily mean that the candidate needs to have changed several companies and employers.
"What's important is to see the candidate has an open attitude to change and a continuous learning approach, driving him or her to embrace new challenges," she adds.
Changing jobs regularly is seen as positive if it moves your career forward, say experts
In certain sectors, regular change is not only desirable, but a necessity, according to Robert Archer, regional director of human resources at recruitment firm PageGroup.
"In technology, advertising and public relations, where professionals are known to change jobs every few years or even months, job hopping can be considered to be a necessity in order to keep up with changes in the market," he says.
But Nigel Heap, managing director at recruitment firm Hays UK & Ireland, warns "there can sometimes be a stigma associated with 'job hopping'."
"Constantly moving to new roles without demonstrating a good reason might make new employers wary. They may question your ability to commit to an organisation and it may appear that you cannot adapt to new environments and challenges.
"If you do move jobs frequently it's important that you clearly outline how long you were in each job on your CV, and support this with clear evidence of what you have learned in each role and what value you can bring to future employers," he says.
By far the most influential element driving how often you change jobs is age.
In the US, the average tenure of workers aged 55 to 64 was 10.1 years, more than three times the 2.8 years of workers aged 25 to 34, according to the most recent US statistics.
The UK doesn't record such data, but London-based Dr Clare Gerada is an example of an older worker who has stayed at the same place for many years. She has worked for the NHS for 40 years and spent 25 years at the same practice.
Clare Gerada started working for the NHS when she was just 14 years old
Dr Gerada says this is partly down to her role which offers lots of flexibility and change, but she believes people are inherently designed to put roots down.
"Of course when you're young you should move around and do things and experiment, gain experience, but there has to be a point I think that you put roots down and actually start to grow in that job," she told Radio 4's Today programme.
But so-called millennials, those born between 1980 and 1999, have very different expectations about jobs.
Several surveys suggest that these younger workers aren't motivated by the same factors as previous generations, such as a job for life, but instead value a good work-life balance and a sense of purpose beyond financial success.
Job hopping too often could make new employers question your commitment
It's a drastically different outlook from the generations before who are used to the more traditional hierarchy of large corporate firms - staying at the same firm and working a set number of years in a particular post before progressing.
Almost a quarter of employed people are currently looking for new roles, according to the CIPD's latest Employee Outlook survey which polled 2,000 UK employees.
For companies of course it poses a challenge. Constantly losing staff and their knowledge and having to recruit and retain replacements is costly.
Ms McCartney says firms need to do more to try and retain staff, for example holding regular casual chats with staff on career progression.
"Companies need to be more creative. There might not be room for promotion, but cross-function working, opportunities to work on special projects and secondments are all ways of boosting skills," she says.
But she also says it's important for firms to stay on good terms with departing staff, who may decide to return later on in a different role adding wider experience to their existing knowledge of the firm.
"It's not about organisations holding on to people at all costs," she says.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38828581
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Six Nations 2017: Josh Strauss in for Scotland to play Ireland - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Josh Strauss and Glasgow Warriors team-mate Ryan Wilson are in the Scotland back row for the Six Nations opener at Murrayfield.
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Last updated on .From the section Scottish Rugby
Josh Strauss, Glasgow team-mate Fraser Brown and Stormers centre Huw Jones come in to Vern Cotter's Scotland starting XV for the Six Nations opener at home against Ireland on Saturday.
Strauss plays at number eight as Ryan Wilson moves to blind-side flanker.
Jones replaces Mark Bennett, having recovered from the foot injury that ruled him out of the final autumn Test against Georgia in November.
Brown's inclusion means a place on the bench for Edinburgh's Ross Ford.
Edinburgh prop Simon Berghan is the only uncapped player in the squad.
In front of Strauss and Wilson, Hamish Watson holds down the openside role he occupied throughout the autumn Tests, and brothers Jonny and Richie Gray are paired once again in the Scotland second row.
Props Allan Dell and Zander Fagerson, with only seven caps between them, are either side of Brown in the front row.
• None Stuart Hogg: It will be a tasty Six Nations
• None John Barclay: I want to be part of Scots' best days
• None Follow the Six Nations across the BBC
Jones became the first Scot to score two tries against Australia, when he made his first start for Scotland at Murrayfield in November, but he was injured against Argentina a week later.
He and Alex Dunbar combine again in midfield, and Cotter has opted for a familiar set of backs as Greig Laidlaw, Finn Russell play at nine and 10 respectively, and full-back Stuart Hogg and wingers Sean Maitland and Tommy Seymour form the back three.
Scotland in the 2017 Six Nations
Head coach Cotter welcomed having the enthusiasm of an uncapped player and "some reasonably new players" in the squad.
"We've been growing our depth and our versatility within that, so we have a number of different options that allow us to continually attack the opposition, which is our main focus," said the New Zealander ahead of his final Six Nations in charge of Scotland.
"Facing Ireland first up doesn't get much harder.
"They are at the top of their game and will come here with confidence after beating some of the best teams in the world, including the All Blacks and Wallabies and having won the tournament twice in the past three years."
John Barclay's omission for Josh Strauss is the main talking point in this Scotland team. The Scarlets back-row has started nine of the last 10 Tests while Strauss has been a bit of a peripheral figure this past year. Strauss is in on the back of some powerful stuff for Glasgow in Europe. The need for ball carriers is massive in this match and Strauss, at his best, is better at that side of the game than Barclay, who can count himself unlucky.
Fraser Brown makes it ahead of Ross Ford. Brown has been superb of late. He's another ball-carrier - a stratospheric 14 carries in Glasgow's rout of Leicester - and offers more than the centurion Ford.
Huw Jones is in despite not having played since November. Cotter is hoping his game-breaking class will not be lessened by a lack of match sharpness.
Ireland's team is formidable, despite Johnny Sexton not being in it. It's an illustration of their depth that Donnacha Ryan, a standout in the second-row in the victory over New Zealand, can't now get into the 23. Jared Payne and Jordi Murphy, two more heroes from that historic victory, are long-term injuries, but Ireland are still loaded with class, power and experience.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38841642
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Newcastle fan's train journey sees 56-ticket split - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Newcastle fan saves on FA Cup train journey but needed 56 tickets.
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Tyne & Wear
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Mr Heywood posted a picture of his ticket bonanza on Twitter
Newcastle United's army of fans is used to long journeys, and one found a way to cut the cost of a trip to Oxford - but it needed 56 separate rail tickets.
Jonny Heywood booked split tickets from Tyneside for the Magpies' fourth round FA Cup clash last weekend.
Mr Heywood said he saved £56 by not buying one ticket for the whole trip - but was left with a stack of seat reservations and returns.
He and his girlfriend were left juggling 28 tickets each.
In his tweet, Mr Heywood, of Washington, jokingly thanked his friend for the "worst advice" he said he had ever received.
The tweet prompted other people to tell of their own thriftiness, including a football fan who posted a picture of a mound of tickets for a trip to see Southampton, which he said saved him £30.
Split tickets can save passengers money as separate fares for each leg of a journey - all on the same train - are sometimes cheaper than one ticket covering the entire trip.
On Wednesday, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) which represents train operators announced a trial of a scheme that will automatically offer the cheapest possible fare to passengers.
As for Mr Heywood, although he saved money he had to endure a 3-0 pummelling at the hands of League One Oxford.
Have you ever bought a similar number of tickets to make a rail journey? Email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Or you can contact us in the following ways:
SMS/MMS: 61124 or if you are outside of the UK +44 7624 800 100
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-38827931
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Six Nations 2017: The six key questions Eddie Jones is facing - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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England seem well set for the Six Nations, so what are the six questions facing coach Eddie Jones? Tom Fordyce reports.
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Eddie Jones' England appear to have minimal problems: reigning Six Nations champions, 14 wins on the spin, a summer spent whitewashing Wallabies, an autumn of being tested and pulling through every time.
And yet. As they prepare to get their title defence under way against France this Saturday, Jones has been in typically restless mood - decrying his players' global standing, downplaying the team's decorated past year, and being as likely to appear satisfied as he is to tarmac Twickenham.
These are the six key questions the old schemer knows he has to answer:
• None Daly and Launchbury in for England
• None Follow the Six Nations across the BBC
1. How does he combat complacency?
England haven't lost at home to France in the Six Nations for 12 years. They have won four of their past five meetings with Wales. Scotland last won at Twickenham when Margaret Thatcher was in her first term as prime minister; Italy, even buoyed by the charisma and drive of Conor O'Shea, have a record against the men in white of played 22, lost 22.
All of which might lead England supporters to think this championship will all come down to the final match in Dublin, and all of which means Jones - 13 matches in charge, 13 wins - is making sure his players do not fall into the same trap.
"Nothing in our team is permanent," he has said of his 100% men.
"No-one owns the jersey; no-one owns their position in the team. It's something you borrow, and something you've got to cherish."
It is why he has claimed that his squad doesn't yet contain a single player good enough to make a world XV, no matter how many caps, Premiership trophies, European Cups or French scalps there might be among the 34 names. It is why he has quoted Sir Alex Ferguson, who said that he only managed two world-class players in his 27 years at Manchester United.
No matter that Ferguson actually said there were four (Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo). It is the headline rather than the small print that matters in Jones' message. No-one is safe. Everyone can do better.
2: How does he improve leadership in the team?
Everyone can do better, including a captain who, less than a year ago, became only the second man in 19 years to lead England to a Grand Slam.
Dylan Hartley's successes in the role have bought him only the slightest insurance. With his six-week ban for an illegal tackle on Leinster's Sean O'Brien having only expired last week, he is seriously short of match time but has retained the armband for the Six Nations.
Beyond the championship, there are no guarantees. There is the pressure at hooker from the consistently excellent Jamie George, Tommy Taylor and Luke Cowan-Dickie, and there are Jones' repeated hints that his captain for the games leading up to the next World Cup may not be a 33-year-old.
Jones has talked of "leadership density" - of having eight or nine generals throughout the ranks, as the World Cup-winning side of 2003 could boast, and he may already have earmarked the man most likely to lead them all, Owen Farrell.
One of Jones' first acts as head coach was to promote Farrell from the ranks to vice-captain, a move in keeping with his decision, when in charge at Saracens, to give him a debut against Llanelli just 11 days after his 17th birthday. A greater promotion yet may come early again.
In other words: stick or twist? You might think only the bravest or most cocksure of coaches would change a winning team. The Six Nations does not tend to reward the experimental or the untested.
But what if those wins were not enough? What if the stated long-term aim of winning the World Cup in Japan in 2019 outranks this oldest of tournaments?
And so suddenly there are dilemmas everywhere. Does Jones move Farrell inside to 10, breaking up his partnership with George Ford to create fresh options at centre, or does he look at the continued injury problems of Manu Tuilagi and the international inexperience of Ben Teo'o and keep old friends together?
Mike Brown will be 34 by the time of that World Cup. Isn't Anthony Watson his natural successor at full-back, particularly bearing in mind the surfeit of options on the wing? Yet Brown is rock-solid under the high ball, beats a man every time he attacks with ball in hand and brings the grunt and aggression that Jones so appreciates in his charges.
Is this the time to let the outstanding Maro Itoje run free in the back row, leaving the second row in the combative and athletic hands of Courtney Lawes, George Kruis and Joe Launchbury? Or does the sensible coach let his superman fly where he has excelled so far in his brief international career?
James Haskell, like Brown, will be 34 by 2019 - so there is the question as to should he return to the flanks whenever fit. Jones must also consider if it realistic to expect another 30-something, Chris Robshaw, to remain a first choice when his spell out with a shoulder problem ends this spring.
England's head coach knows that to win the World Cup, he needs more than one world-class side. He may need more than two; unless injury rates dramatically and unexpectedly drop, he requires both cover and a fitting replacement for that cover, as his current problems at loosehead prop illustrate.
4. How does he manage expectation?
England expects, as another successful captain of the ship once remarked. Jones' team have set high standards over the past 12 months, beating every major rugby nation bar the one they did not meet, New Zealand.
So will supporters giddy on that long unbeaten stretch feel disappointed if England fail to win a second successive Grand Slam? If they lose to Ireland yet win the Six Nations title, is that no longer enough, despite the fact it would have been very welcome during the run of four successive second-place finishes for which they had to settle from 2012 to 2015?
And what if that remarkable run goes on? If England win every one of their matches in this Six Nations, they will break New Zealand's all-time record for most consecutive Test victories. English teams and those who cheer them have not generally reacted well to sustained success; England's cricket team won only one of their next four Test series having attained the world number one ranking in 2011, while the rugby team's World Cup and Grand Slam triumph of 2003 was followed by a third place in the 2004 Six Nations, a fourth in 2005 and another fourth in 2006.
It may be a happy problem for Jones to have, when so little was expected for so long, when the past two World Cups have seen the team fall apart and the head coach sacked. But a problem it may be, now the bar has been raised.
5. How does he improve England's attacking game?
Jones made no secret his first Six Nations campaign was about tightening the defence. England had, after all, shipped 33 points in Australia's last match at Twickenham, 28 in their last home game against Wales, and 35 on France's previous Six Nations visit. Jones also wanted to buttress a set-piece that had gone from traditional strength to Achilles heel during that World Cup disaster of 2015.
That England scored five fewer tries in the tournament last year than they had in coming second in 2015 mattered less than the bigger Slam scenario. Now, in his second, Jones wants to revitalise the offensive element of his team's make-up in the same way.
There has been the appointment of Rory Teague as full-time skills coach, but Jones understands that more developments must follow - perhaps a different balance of personnel in the backs, maybe a more expansive gameplan, almost certainly a ruthlessness when chances do appear.
The theory is unarguable. The reality - in what are likely to be cold, wet conditions, in the most ferociously competitive tournament in world rugby, when every other nation and all their support are looking forward to knocking England off their throne - may be several degrees harder.
6. How does he deal with defeat?
It will come at some stage, perhaps in Cardiff, where England have won only twice in the Six Nations in a decade, or Dublin, where they have been victorious in the tournament just once in 14 years. It may come on tour in Argentina, while Jones' best players will be absent as they join up with the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand. It may happen beyond that still, should the Jones magic continue to cast its spell.
When it does, how will his side react? Will it feel worse to players and supporters because of the long unbeaten run that preceded it, and will its manner deflate some of the good feeling which Jones has created since his appointment?
Because the end is not the end. Maybe a truly world-class team never countenances defeat, but a truly world-class team also develops from one - from the lessons that reverse has taught, from the weaknesses it exposes, from the players who fall short.
As Jones said last month: "If we lose a few battles on the way, it will help us win the war."
Jones and England have been like a married couple who have enjoyed the most extraordinary start to their relationship. When the first fight happens, when the first door slams, will it strengthen the bond between them, or will they forever be looking back to when it all seemed so special, so untarnished?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38748058
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Australia PM Malcolm Turnbull on Trump call: 'Call ended courteously' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull tells Ben Fordham on 2GB Radio he's "disappointed" that details of a call between himself and President Trump were made public.
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Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull said he was disappointed that details of the call he had with President Trump - which he described as "very frank and forthright" - had been made public.
He told a Sydney radio station that "the report that the president hung up is not correct".
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-38842289
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Pregnant Beyonce photo mesmerises America - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The pop icon announces she is carrying twins with a striking post that becomes Instagram's most-liked ever.
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US & Canada
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Less than two weeks into Donald Trump's presidency, it seemed the only news from here on out would be political.
The new president and his flurry of executive orders and swift-moving, substantive changes to US policy and procedure seemed to leave little oxygen for any other headlines.
But even President Trump lacks the star power of Queen Bee.
Prior to the inauguration, some fans joked that Beyonce should drop an album as Trump was being sworn in, and in doing so steal the spotlight from the new commander in chief.
Beyonce did one better: she announced, via a resplendent photo on Instagram, that she would be dropping something else - two something elses, in fact.
That's right - Beyonce is having twins. And the news has been welcomed by more than eight million of her followers - making it Instagram's most-liked post of all time.
"I literally tripped and fell at a formal Fulbright dinner because I found out Beyonce was pregnant with twins," wrote one woman on Twitter.
Other social media users were less articulate, relying on gifs and emojis to showcase their elation.
The photo showed Beyonce kneeling in front of a giant hedge of roses, wearing blue satin knickers and a maroon bra. She is covered with a long green veil, and is already heavily pregnant.
"This pic is a powerful statement on bodies, maternity & the sacred. Beyonce continues to push us to reimagine womanhood. A feminist icon," gushed writer Laura Rankin.
It's fitting that Beyonce used Instagram to relay her news.
Twitter has become an all-out war zone between alt-right egg accounts and the professional left.
Facebook is full of posts from friends and relatives begging people to call their Senators, sign a petition, or attend the next march.
Instagram has remained a social media Switzerland: there, it's nothing but home-decorating photos, artfully staged food and cute babies - an apolitical oasis in these troubled times.
Beyonce's news was powerful enough to bring some of the Insta-tranquility over to the rest of social media, and for a brief hour or so political Twitter was tempered with jokes about Beyonce's baby shower and several plays on "Betwice".
Possible name suggestions included Yellow and Red Ivy - her five-year-old daughter with Jay Z is Blue Ivy Carter.
It was almost like 2016 again.
That's not to say her announcement was strictly apolitical.
As one comedian on Twitter noted, "there are more black people in Beyonce right now, than in Trump's entire cabinet team."
Some also saw a hint of politics in the timing: the news came on 1 February, the first day of Black History Month.
"BEYONCE WAITED UNTIL BLACK HISTORY MONTH BECAUSE SHE LOVES US SO" wrote New York Magazine writer Rembert Brown, who is not usually given to all caps.
It was a more fitting kick off for many than the address given by President Trump earlier in the day, in which he called Frederick Douglass, America's most significant abolitionist, "someone who has done a terrific job that is being recognised by more and more people".
That had some wondering if he even knew who Douglass was.
When a reporter asked Mr Trump's press secretary for more clarity, it only got worse, and as a result Douglass was trending on Twitter today, too.
"Beyonce would commemorate the first day of Black History Month by letting us all know she's bringing more black person magic into the world," wrote one Twitter user.
In an era when many activists are concerned that Donald Trump's policies and his pick for attorney General, Jeff Sessions, will be detrimental to American civil rights, a supersized Beyonce pregnancy was a welcome distraction - and a reminder, however slight, that time marches on.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38835831
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Manchester United 0-0 Hull City - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Eldin Jakupovic makes a string of saves as Hull frustrate Manchester United by claiming a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Eldin Jakupovic made a string of fine saves as Hull frustrated Manchester United by claiming a goalless draw in the Premier League at Old Trafford.
The hosts dominated the match but could not find a way past the Tigers goalkeeper, who brilliantly kept out Zlatan Ibrahimovic's long-range strike and Paul Pogba's driving effort in the first half.
In between, Harry Maguire should have done better with a header which he put wide of goal.
Ibrahimovic hooked an effort wide in the second half and Jakupovic made his best save to prevent Juan Mata from scoring at the back post, as well as keeping out Paul Pogba's curler.
The visitors could have won it with five minutes to go, but on-loan Lazar Markovic's clipped shot came back off the post and Abel Hernandez struck tamely at David de Gea.
The point keeps United in sixth place, but allowed Hull to move off the bottom of the table.
The rules are different for me - Mourinho
Relive the entertaining draw from Old Trafford
Jakupovic made a total of six saves, punching the air in delight with each effort he kept out and taking the acclaim of the jubilant away supporters at full-time.
Hull have shipped 47 goals this season - only Swansea (52) have conceded more in the division - and this was just their second clean sheet in 23 league games.
Asked by BBC Sport if it was his best game in a Hull shirt, Jakupovic replied: "I try to be my best for the team all the time but today I caught a good day.
"The striker celebrates when he scored, and I celebrated to myself with some saves."
United striker Ibrahimovic was not impressed by the Hull player's performance. The Swede said: "I did not see any chances where it was difficult for the goalkeeper. It was not a good save from Mata, it was a bad finish. Some saves he made for the cameras."
United had seen all the top four sides drop points in this round of fixtures as they chase a Champions League spot, but failed to capitalise even though they had 66% possession in the match.
Despite extending their run to 14 games unbeaten in the top-flight, they have drawn their last three games and are four points adrift of Liverpool in fourth place.
United only had themselves to blame in a wasteful performance. Marcus Rashford, who completed a full 90 minutes for the first time since November, highlighted his team's sloppiness by losing possession 21 times - more than any other player on the pitch.
Wayne Rooney was brought off the bench at half time, but failed to change the game, having become the club's leading all-time goal scorer in the previous league match at Stoke.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "We didn't score. You don't score, it is not possible to win.
"We needed to score, we needed more time to play. If you played 35-40 minutes in both halves, it is a lot. I think Hull City tried to see where they could go, the way they could behave and tried to see what the referee would allow them to do.
"They had the feedback and were comfortable to do what they did. I am not critical of that. They are fighting against relegation and every point is gold.
Asked by BBC commentator Martin Fisher what upset him about referee Mike Jones' performance: "If you do not know football, you should not have a microphone in your hand."
Before this game, Hull had lost nine straight away games, with their last point on their travels coming at Burnley in early September.
But under new boss Marco Silva they have shown enough improvement to suggest they can preserve their top-flight status.
The Portuguese has led Hull to a win and a draw in his first three games - with a defeat coming against leaders Chelsea - and lie four points away from safety.
Having beaten United in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final last week, Hull may even feel disappointed by not taking all three points with Markovic coming agonisingly close to clinching the winner late on.
However, striker Oumar Niasse was lucky not to be given a red card after making late challenges on Michael Carrick and Daley Blind, having earlier received a yellow card.
'Sometimes you have to suffer'
Hull boss Marco Silva: "It is a very good result for us against a very good team. We played like a team with great attitude, spirit and character. What we showed tonight again, I am happy.
"Sometimes you have to suffer in moments but we have to play as a team.
First Old Trafford shutout since 1952 - the stats
• None Manchester United are on the current longest unbeaten run in the Premier League this season (14 games - won seven, drawn seven).
• None Hull City have picked up just two points in their 10 Premier League meetings with Manchester United (won zero, drawn two, lost eight).
• None Man Utd have attempted 85 shots (including blocks) against newly promoted sides at Old Trafford this season but have found the net just twice.
• None This is the first time United have failed to beat two different newly promoted clubs at home in a Premier League season since 1994-95 (Nottingham Forest and Leicester).
• None Hull kept their first clean sheet at Old Trafford in all competitions since January 1952.
• None The Red Devils have only lost once in their last 20 home Premier League games (won 12, drawn seven) - against Manchester City in September 2016.
• None In fact, United have now gone unbeaten in 18 home games in all competitions (won 12, drawn six). It is their longest run since October 2011 (37 games).
• None Hull have won four points in three Premier League games under Marco Silva, one more than they managed in the previous nine under Mike Phelan.
United travel to champions Leicester City on Sunday (kick-off 16:00 GMT), while Hull host title challengers Liverpool on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
• None Attempt blocked. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Daley Blind with a headed pass.
• None Attempt saved. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Daley Blind with a headed pass.
• None Attempt saved. Marcos Rojo (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Paul Pogba with a headed pass.
• None Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• None Delay in match Andrea Ranocchia (Hull City) because of an injury.
• None Attempt saved. Abel Hernández (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tom Huddlestone. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38740420
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If I ever get pregnant, I won't be an 'expectant mother' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Freddy McConnell, a trans man who intends to have children in future, says it makes sense for medical staff to talk about "pregnant people" instead of "expectant mothers".
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Magazine
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A booklet published by the British Medical Association suggests that its staff should use the phrase "pregnant people" instead of "expectant mothers" in order to show sensitivity towards intersex men and trans men who get pregnant. The BBC's Siobhann Tighe spoke to one trans man for his view on the BMA's guidance.
It's impossible to get figures about how many trans men in the UK want to be pregnant, or go through pregnancy. The handful of gender identity clinics in the UK won't give out statistics, although one consultant psychiatrist says the figure is "tiny".
Only one transgender man in the UK, Hayden Cross, has spoken publicly about his pregnancy. Cross had hoped to freeze his eggs before completing his transition, but when the National Health Service refused to pay he decided to get pregnant with donor sperm and temporarily put gender reassignment surgery on hold.
I spoke to another trans man, Freddy McConnell, who has thought about what he might do if and when he wants his own children.
He's not ready to start a family yet, but if and when the time comes, he says carrying the baby will certainly be an option. He identifies as a gay man and has a partner who describes themselves as non-binary.
"That means that they don't identify as a male or a female - but they are on the masculine side of the spectrum," Freddy says.
Freddy, 30, made the physical transition from female to male four years ago with the help of testosterone. Even now he gets testosterone injections once every 12 weeks. He also had an operation performed in the States which removed his breasts and gave him a male, contoured chest.
But crucially he didn't have "lower" (genital) surgery, and that means that he has some options when it comes to having a family.
"I've always wanted kids and a family and I've thought about this a lot," he says.
"When trans men wants to have kids and they're on testosterone, they have to come off it. Then you'd have to wait for your menstruation cycle to kick in, and hopefully you'll be able to conceive. If you don't, it may be because you have a pre-existing fertility issue."
But stopping your testosterone is risky for a trans man because it could lead to gender dysphoria - described by the Terence Higgins Trust as an intense feeling of sadness, low mood and uncertainty.
Often this is what causes a person to transition in the first place, and for Freddy, it's a real concern.
"A lot of the changes that testosterone makes to your body are permanent. So, if you came off testosterone your voice wouldn't become high again and you wouldn't lose your facial hair," Freddy says.
"But the things that can change back once your system is running on oestrogen again is your fat distribution and muscle growth, and that could cause dysphoria and be challenging.
"If I was going to carry a baby that would worry me, because I really like the physical changes that testosterone has given me.
"It makes life a lot easier for me to be 'read' as male all the time, and I worry about losing that and the security it gives me in my identity."
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Freddy acknowledges that there aren't many people like him in the UK.
"The trans community is small, the trans male community is smaller and then the number of trans men who've had babies is vanishingly small," he says.
This means that social media sites, particularly from America or Canada, are particularly useful when it comes to getting information, providing support and sharing feelings.
"People who've been through this experience talk about feeling worried, and they're frightened that they'll be judged," says Freddy.
"And so they look to the community itself for information. That's where you know that people won't talk in a way that's disrespectful and won't be shocked, and they'll use inclusive language."
So when it comes to the BMA advice about referring to "pregnant people" instead of "expectant mothers" Freddy feels it's uncontroversial and factually correct.
"What they're saying in this document is: 'If you're talking to a trans man or an intersex man about being pregnant, don't call him an expectant mother.'
"If you call me that, it's incorrect and it's going to make me feel like you're not talking about me, you don't see me, you don't get where I'm coming from and I wonder where it is going to leave me as a patient under your care. It signals rigidity and closed-mindedness.
"But it's really important to say we're not interested in redefining motherhood, or taking away that word. We're just trying to be seen."
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter
• None The transgender family where the father gave birth
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38831313
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'I signed £1.3bn rent contract by mistake' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Luke Mosson bought a flat for £150,000 but later realised that a clause in his contract meant the ground rent over the whole lease would cost more than £1.3bn.
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Luke Mosson bought a flat for £150,000, but later realised that a clause in his contract meant the ground rent over the whole lease would cost more than £1.3bn.
He is now negotiating with his landlord to be released from that clause.
Watch the full report on leasehold contracts here.
The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38834621
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Trump unapologetic on 'tough phone calls' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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President Trump brushes off reports of his "tough phone calls" with Mexican and Australian leaders.
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Speaking at a National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC, President Donald Trump has brushed off reports of "tough phone calls" he had recently with the Mexican and Australian leaders.
"Believe me, when you hear about the tough phone calls, don’t worry about, just don’t worry about it, they’re tough, we have to be tough,” he said.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38835806
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Six Nations: England's George Kruis out of France match with injury - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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England lock George Kruis is out of the Six Nations opener against France on Saturday with a knee ligament injury.
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Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and text updates on the BBC Sport website. Highlights: Watch on BBC Two and online from 18:00 GMT on Sunday.
Lock George Kruis is out of England's Six Nations opener against France on Saturday with a knee ligament injury.
The 26-year-old Saracens second row suffered the injury in training on Tuesday and will see a specialist on Thursday to determine its severity.
England head coach Eddie Jones said: "We are not ruling him out of the Six Nations at this stage."
Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury are now expected to pair up in the second row, with Maro Itoje at flanker.
Jones will name his starting XV for Twickenham on Thursday.
Defending champions England then face Wales at the Principality Stadium on 11 February, with Kruis' inclusion in that game now unclear.
France centre Yann David, 28, has also pulled out of the England match with a thigh injury and is a doubt for their second game against Scotland on 12 February.
France head coach Guy Noves now has to select between Gael Fickou, Remi Lamerat and Mathieu Bastareaud to form his centre partnership against England.
David is the latest France player to withdraw through injury, with flanker Raphael Lakafia, hooker Camille Chat, loose-head prop Eddy Ben Arous and centre Wesley Fofana all previously ruled out.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38834700
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Trump cabinet: Rex Tillerson hails 'extraordinary opportunity' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Rex Tillerson has been sworn in as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state.
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Rex Tillerson, the former chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil, has been sworn in as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state.
The 64-year-old was cleared for full Senate approval in a 56-43 vote.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38836644
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The man who sold his back to an art dealer - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Tim Steiner has an elaborate tattoo on his back which was designed by a famous artist and bought by an art collector. For 10 years now he has been showing it in art galleries.
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Magazine
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Tim Steiner has an elaborate tattoo on his back that was designed by a famous artist and sold to a German art collector. When Steiner dies his skin will be framed - until then he spends his life sitting in galleries with his shirt off.
"The work of art is on my back, I'm just the guy carrying it around," says the 40-year-old former tattoo parlour manager from Zurich.
A decade ago, his then girlfriend met a Belgian artist called Wim Delvoye, who'd become well known for his controversial work tattooing pigs.
Delvoye told her he was looking for someone to agree to be a human canvas for a new work and asked if she knew anyone who might be interested.
"She called me on the phone, and I said spontaneously, 'I'd like to do that,'" Steiner says.
Two years later, after 40 hours of tattooing, the image spread across his entire back - a Madonna crowned by a Mexican-style skull, with yellow rays emanating from her halo.
There are swooping swallows, red and blue roses, and at the base of Steiner's back two Chinese-style koi fish, ridden by children, can be seen swimming past lotus flowers. The artist has signed the work on the right hand side.
Collectors can buy the pig skins tattooed by Wim Delvoye once the pigs have died of old age
"It's the ultimate art form in my eyes," Steiner says.
"Tattooers are incredible artists who've never really been accepted in the contemporary art world. Painting on canvas is one thing, painting on skin with needles is a whole other story."
The work, entitled TIM, sold for 150,000 euros (£130,000) to German art collector Rik Reinking in 2008, with Steiner receiving one third of the sum.
"My skin belongs to Rik Reinking now," he says. "My back is the canvas, I am the temporary frame."
As part of the deal, when Steiner dies his back is to be skinned, and the skin framed permanently, taking up a place in Reinking's personal art collection.
"Gruesome is relative," Steiner says to those who find the idea macabre.
"It's an old concept - in Japanese tattoo history it's been done many, many times. If it's framed nicely and looks good, I think it's not such a bad idea."
Delvoye worked for 40 hours to complete the piece
But this aspect of the work often sparks intense debate.
"It becomes a huge discussion matter every time, and those confrontations with people have been very exciting and interesting," Steiner says.
"People are either very into the idea, or say it's going too far - they're outraged or say it's against human rights. They come with ideas of slavery or prostitution."
As part of his contract, Steiner must exhibit the tattoo by sitting topless in a gallery at least three times a year.
His first exhibition took place in Zurich in June 2006 - when the tattoo was still a work-in-progress. When the 10th anniversary fell last year, he was in the middle of his longest-ever exhibition, a whole year at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Tasmania, working five hours a day, six days a week.
That came to an end on Tuesday.
"Sit on your desk, with your legs dangling off, straight backed and holding on to your knees for 15 minutes - it's tough," he says.
"I did this for 1,500 hours. It was by far the most outrageously intense experience of my life.
"All that changed throughout the days was my state of mind - sometimes heaven, sometimes hell, always totally alert."
The only thing separating Steiner from visitors to the gallery is a line on the floor - a line that that in the past some have crossed.
"I've been touched, blown on, screamed at, pushed and spat on, it's often been quite a circus," he says. "But I wasn't touched a single time on this trip, it's a miracle."
Steiner takes in the view during his first stint at Mona in 2012
When people try to speak to him he doesn't move or reply. He just sits still. "Many people think I'm a sculpture, and have quite a shock once they find out I'm actually alive," he says.
But he rejects the idea that this is performance art. "If the name Wim Delvoye was not attached to this tattoo, it would have no artistic relevance," he insists.
It is part of Delvoye's intention, though, to show the difference between a picture on the wall and a "living canvas" that changes over time.
"I can get fat, scarred, burned, anything," Steiner says. "It's the process of living. I've had two lower back operations."
One of the joys of working at Mona has been having the gallery to himself before opening time.
"To be in there by myself, with my headphones in, roaming around and doing my stretches surrounded by stunning art in this mystical building was surreal," he says.
And he will be back there in November, for a six-month stint, after appearances in Denmark and Switzerland.
"This whole experience has convinced me that this is what I am here to do. Sit on boxes," he says.
"And one day TIM will just hang there. Beautiful."
Tim at the Louvre in 2012
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38601603
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Dubai Tour: Marcel Kittel punched by Andriy Grivko during stage three - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Race leader Marcel Kittel is punched by Astana rider Andriy Grivko during stage three of the Dubai Tour.
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Last updated on .From the section Cycling
Dubai Tour leader Marcel Kittel says he will not accept an apology after Ukrainian rider Andriy Grivko punched him on the third stage of the race.
Grivko has been disqualified from the race and his Astana team apologised to Kittel and his Quick Step Floors team.
German sprinter Kittel posted a picture on Twitter with blood on his face, and wrote: "I won't accept an apology. That has nothing to do with cycling.
"What Grivko did is a shame for our beautiful sport."
The incident happened early on the 200km stage from Dubai to Al Aqah.
"When we passed a construction site, the sand began blowing and as soon as we went into the crosswinds we were fighting for position, which is always stressful, and Andriy Grivko punched me," Kittel said on his team's website.
"I get that riding in the crosswinds is always tense, but it gives him no right to act like that. He could have hurt my eye.
"In the finale, my mind wasn't 100% on the sprint, but I am happy I have no big injuries and I kept the lead."
Grivko later posted a statement on his Facebook page, in which he claimed Kittel had first pushed both himself and team-mate Dmitriy Gruzdev.
He said that created "a very tense and dangerous situation that could cause not only my fall, but a big crash in the peloton."
Grivko, who also accused Kittel of spitting at him, added: "I responded with aggressive action to aggressive action from the other side.
"Perhaps I got emotional and it has nothing to do with cycling, but in extreme situations, when exists a question of safety, it is difficult to stay calm."
Kittel had won the opening two stages but finished outside the top 10 on day three, as John Degenkolb of Trek-Segafredo took stage honours.
Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) also finished outside the top 10 in an untidy sprint finish, with Aqua Blue Sport's Adam Blythe the best-placed Briton in ninth place after his team-mate Mark Christian spent most of the day in the break.
Kittel retained the overall race lead by eight seconds from Dylan Groenewegen of Team Lotto NL-Jumbo.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/38844632
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Kris Marshall swaps Death In Paradise for family time - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Kris Marshall quits BBC One's Death in Paradise because it means too much time away from his family.
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Entertainment & Arts
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Kris Marshall said his family were unable to join him to film the current series
Working for six months a year on a Caribbean island might sound like the dream job - but now Kris Marshall, the star of BBC One's Death in Paradise, has decided to leave the show.
Marshall has played DI Humphrey Goodman on the detective drama, which is filmed on Guadeloupe, for four years.
The actor, who made his name on sitcom My Family, said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and young children.
A new detective will arrive in his place, played by Ardal O'Hanlon.
O'Hanlon is best known for his roles in Father Ted and My Hero.
In a BBC press release, Kris Marshall said: "Death in Paradise has been an incredible experience, six months every year filming on a tropical island in the sunshine - what's not to love!
"Humphrey was socially awkward and clumsy but also brilliant, I'll miss him but it's time to hand over to someone new and spend more time with my family.
"I know Ardal will do a superb job and I just hope Humphrey gets a happy ending!"
Marshall's character will be seen for the final time when the show's sixth series ends on Thursday 9 February.
He has said this was the first series where his family didn't join him in Guadeloupe for the filming. He and wife Hannah have a four-year-old son Thomas and a younger daughter, Elsie.
"We did Skype about once a week," he told The Sun about filming the current series.
"But my son got bored very quickly. It's like: 'Seeing your face is one thing, but if you can't play with me then you're no real use to me so I'm gonna go off and do something else.'
"You just end up coming off FaceTime feeling quite bereft and actually quite empty."
In 2015, before Elsie was born, he told Radio Times: "I'm not sure I could do the show if my son and my wife weren't with me."
O'Hanlon will be seen as Marshall's replacement, playing DI Jack Mooney, on Thursday's episode (2 February), and will take over as the main detective on the sun-drenched, murder-afflicted fictional island of Saint Marie next year.
O'Hanlon said: "I am delighted to be joining Death in Paradise and exploring what's made Mooney up and leave London for a life in the Caribbean. I've already had a taste of filming in Guadeloupe and can't wait to get back."
An average of 8.7 million viewers watched the first three episodes of the current series.
Marshall has been seen solving crimes on Saint Marie since the third series, when he took over from Ben Miller, who starred in the first two series.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
• None Marshall on 'the luckiest job in TV'
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38839073
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Daily Politics coverage of PMQs - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Prime Minister's Questions on the BBC's Daily Politics.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27901933
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Romania clashes flare over corruption decree - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Anti-government protests take place in Bucharest, Romania.
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The Romanian capital, Bucharest, has seen one of its largest ever anti-government protests after a decree was passed that could free dozens of officials jailed for corruption.
Some protesters in the capital threw firecrackers and smoke bombs at police who responded with tear gas.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38836646
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Christian charity abuse claims: Daughter 'didn't see anything' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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One of the daughters of former Christian charity head John Smyth QC says having boys around the house was a normal part of her childhood, after allegations of abuse against him emerged.
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The Church of England has admitted it failed "terribly", after claims of physical abuse by a former colleague of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby were not reported to police for over 30 years.
Channel 4 News alleges 22 boys were beaten by former Christian charity head, John Smyth QC, in the 1970s.
One of his daughters told the BBC that having boys around the house was a normal part of her childhood, though she never saw any abuse.
Her interview has been voiced by an actor to protect her identity.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38847949
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Drake offers free gig after Travis Scott fell into a hole - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Drake promises to refund 20,000 fans after Travis Scott fell into a hole on stage at the O2.
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Newsbeat
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Drake is promising to refund 20,000 fans after Travis Scott fell into a hole on stage at his gig at the O2 in London.
The 24-year-old was joining the Canadian as a special guest on his Boy Meets World tour.
He was performing Goosebumps when he tripped into the cavity in the middle of the stage, damaging part of the set.
He disappeared for a few seconds before Drake helped him back out.
Travis didn't seem hurt but apparently it meant a huge globe was broken and couldn't come out on stage.
This Instagram picture shows how the globe should have looked...
Drake then told fans he was doing this "for free tonight" and he'd "deal with it later".
"You can pay for it later," he said.
He repeated the offer at the end of the gig saying: "London England, I love you, I hope you enjoyed your free show".
There's no word from his people yet though, so it's not clear if fans at the O2 arena will actually be getting a refund.
He could definitely afford it though. Forbes magazine estimates he's worth £47m.
Travis later tweeted the gig was fun and "London is wild".
Earlier this month, Drake has postponed the opening UK dates of the tour.
Three dates - two in Glasgow and one in London - were rescheduled from the end of January to March because of "unforeseen production setbacks".
Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articles/38837513
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Will Spain's coal belt survive through online barter? - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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In Spain's hard-up Asturias region people are resettling rural areas and using online barter trade.
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Europe
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The decline of coal has led to a revival of rural traditions in Asturias
The sons and daughters of miners in the deserted coalfields of northern Spain face two choices: leave to find work, or innovate to be able to stay.
Now, they have developed an online barter economy, which they say is helping them return to their rural roots. But can it really work?
Javi Fernandez's small house is surrounded by edible plants. Among traditional winter crops grown in this area, like verza, a kind of cabbage, there's also mustard, Jerusalem artichokes, and shiitake mushrooms.
It's a small patch of bounty amid miles of empty, rolling hills.
Rather than study engineering to work in the coal mines like both his father and grandfather, Mr Fernandez studied agriculture in Cuba.
"I couldn't afford to go to a paying university so I studied for free at the ISCA University, in San Jose de las Lajas," he beams, digging through the 400 sq m (4,300 sq ft) of artichokes he has planted.
Asturias became a centre for coal production in Spain in the late 19th Century, but waves of closures have left whole towns deserted and hundreds of thousands of miners unemployed.
And the EU is ending all subsidies for the coalfields by 2018, sounding the death knell for the industry in the region.
Cultivating mushrooms enables Javi Fernandez to get things he needs through barter
Javi brings a range of produce to market, thanks to skills he learnt in Cuba
Javi Fernandez uses a traditional Asturian technique to grow his mushrooms: harvesting branches from the forest, drilling small holes and impregnating them with spores, before covering the holes in beeswax and leaving them in the dark for a year. Then he makes shiitake pate, dries and cures the mushrooms, and powders them so they can be taken in pill form.
For all his work, he earned no money at all until recently. Instead, he put his produce into an online barter economy, trading it for other things he needs.
"Up in the mountains there's a serious liquidity problem," he says. "People find it easier to barter because money simply isn't available."
Twice a month, he takes his produce to a local village market, with a sale already agreed online.
Other young people, also trying to survive in the mountains, come with a wide range of offers, from building, teaching and manual labour to giving legal advice and translation.
Spain is far from the only country where barter is gaining traction at the margins of the economy.
Barter is probably the oldest form of commerce, involving trade of goods or services with no money involved. And in this area of northern Spain, networks such as Rastru have developed that allow users to go online to match offers and needs, in a digital twist on an ancient tradition.
The system adopted by Rastru - which stands for Asturian network of barter communities - equates one trade-point known as a "copin" to one euro. It enables users to barter directly, or rack up the digital currency to get goods and services from others in the community. To attract business, users can also deal in a mix of euros and points.
Asturias miners saw the pits close, leaving a tough legacy for their children
Asturias is littered with relics of its coal-mining heyday
"Barter means you can leave the bureaucracy alone, and that people who wouldn't otherwise have access to money have a way of surviving in the countryside," says Sergio Palacio Martin, who helped found the initiative and is also the son of a miner.
"The first stories that appeared about what's happening said we were all hippies. Now they're calling us entrepreneurs."
Across Asturias there are 78 municipalities, divided into nodes, he explains. Each one works autonomously. Since it started four years ago, nearly 1,500 users have shifted €350,000 (£300,000; $375,000) of produce between them.
An old photo of Asturias miners: Coal was an integral part of everyday life
Until the mid-19th Century, most people from Asturias lived in smallholdings similar to that of Javi Fernandez. As coal and steel mining took hold, rural areas were abandoned and the central cities and industrial centres became overpopulated.
But Mr Fernandez says that has all changed and speaks of a big movement. "People from Asturias are returning to the mountains. They are having to learn about their rural environment, because there's nothing else for them, there's no work."
Violeta is happy that local people are returning to their rural roots
Further up the mountain, Violeta cuts pumpkins and turnips for a stew she's making for her kids. "It's not really new, this movement to the countryside," she says. "People were already rural, but then they moved to the city. Now a generation's moving back. It's just another episode; a return to their roots."
And there are opportunities here too. Asturias boasts 200,000 hectares of virgin, chestnut forest - Europe's biggest, says Javi. For now, the chestnuts drop to the ground and are eaten by wild boars.
The mild climate and rich soil are good for farming. "We have all we need here," says Violeta. "We came to make a future for ourselves, because in the city the future's dark and there are no possibilities. Here the possibilities are endless. There's forest, there's water, there's sun. We have what we want. "
The bartering activity is modest, and will not provide a lasting solution to these young people's problems. But it is a start and offers a chance to navigate a period of uncertainty and industrial decline.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38731808
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Cameroon 2-0 Ghana - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Cameroon will face Egypt in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final after two second-half strikes see off Ghana.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Cameroon will face Egypt in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final after two second-half strikes saw off Ghana.
Both sides had gone close to breaking the deadlock before Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui took advantage of atrocious defending from a free-kick to lash in the opener in the 72nd minute.
With seconds remaining Christian Bassogog sealed victory when he applied a deft finish to a counter-attack.
I am more than unhappy - we wanted so much to be in the final
Ghana went close through Wakaso Mubarak and Christian Atsu.
Panathinaikos midfielder Wakaso tested keeper Fabrice Ondoa will a brilliant bending free-kick, and Newcastle's flying winger Atsu saw his angled strike drift past Cameroon's upright by inches.
Relive the action as it happened
Aside from those two chances, the Black Stars - who last won the competition in 1982 - underwhelmed against a side who were clear second favourites going into the match.
As for coach Hugo Broos' Indomitable Lions, they are into their first final since they lost to Egypt in 2008.
"It is a real dream for us to get to the final," said the Belgian coach.
"Ghana have more experience than us - look at what they have done in recent tournaments. But since the start of this tournament we have shown we keep going right to the end in every game.
"I am very happy, especially for the team. They are an exemplary group on and off the field and they deserve to be in the final."
Their build-up to the match was clouded by a dispute between the team and the national association over pay, but on Gabon's Franceville stadium pitch their focus rarely wavered from the task in hand.
Cameroon defended brilliantly, nullifying the threat of Andre Ayew and brother Jordan - and, later on, substitute Asamoah Gyan.
They also caused Ghana several problems at the other end.
Slavia Prague defender Ngadeu-Ngadjui was both a rock in defence and a menace on set-pieces in attack, highlighted when he fired in from the angle to give his side the lead.
A free-kick was swung into the area and both Ghana defender John Boye and keeper Razah Brimah flapped at the delivery, allowing Ngadeu-Ngadjui to thrash home.
As Ghana, coached by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, searched for the equaliser they left space at the back, which was exploited in the third minute of stoppage time when Aalborg forward Bassogog sprinted into the area and poked in past the reach of Razak.
"I am more than unhappy. We wanted so much to be in the final," said Grant.
"We did everything to be there and in the second half we completely dominated. Congratulations to Cameroon of course but we were the better side and we lost."
The Black Stars will meet Burkina Faso in Saturday's third place play-off in Port Gentil.
• None Goal! Cameroon 2, Ghana 0. Christian Bassogog (Cameroon) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Vincent Aboubakar following a fast break.
• None Attempt missed. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Christian Bassogog following a set piece situation.
• None Jacques Zoua (Cameroon) wins a free kick on the right wing.
• None Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• None Delay in match Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon) because of an injury.
• None Attempt blocked. Asamoah Gyan (Ghana) header from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Ayew with a cross. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38753437
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JK Rowling hits back over threats to burn Harry Potter books - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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JK Rowling mocks Twitter users who threaten to burn her books because of her anti-Trump stance.
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Entertainment & Arts
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Rowling has never shied away from expressing her political views on social media
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has hit back at Twitter users who threatened to burn her books following her criticism of President Trump.
Rowling's recent Twitter feed has been filled with her retweets criticising the president's recent travel ban.
Some followers have taken umbrage with her stance, with several saying they have burned her books or plan to do so, and one suggesting she "should stay out of politics".
But the novelist has proved a match for her critics with her mocking responses.
Rowling has more than nine million followers on Twitter
One Twitter user said they would now "burn your books and movies, too".
Rowling hit back: "Well, the fumes from the DVDs might be toxic and I've still got your money, so by all means borrow my lighter."
Another said she had "just burned all their Harry Potter books after being a fan for 17 years".
Rowling's riposte? "Guess it's true what they say: you can lead a girl to books about the rise and fall of an autocrat, but you still can't make her think."
Rowling joked it was like going back to the 1990s, when her books were first published - and burned by a minority
Another Twitter user posted: "You're a grown ass woman whose entire career is based on stories about a nerd who turns people into frogs. Stay out of politics."
Rowling responded: "In - Free - Countries - Anyone - Can - Talk - About - Politics.
"Try sounding out the syllables aloud, or ask a fluent reader to help."
It isn't the first time people have burnt or threatened to burn JK Rowling's books.
In the late 1990s, not long after the first couple of Harry Potter books were published, some had concerns about the magic and supernatural references, which they believed went against Bible teachings.
A pile of Potter books was set alight in New Mexico in December 2001 by a religious group who claimed Harry was "the devil".
And a preacher in Maine in the US marked The Chamber of Secrets' release by holding a party in which he shredded copies of Potter books.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38842695
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Australia sharks: Campaigners call for end to nets - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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Conservationists say the nets are killing too many dolphins and turtles.
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In Australia, campaigners are calling for an end to the use of shark nets at beaches, because they are killing dolphins and turtles.
More have been installed after a recent spate of shark attacks on the east coast - but some nets have been cut deliberately by those who oppose them.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38810462
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NHS staff trigger Google cyber-defences - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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NHS staff using Google's search engine triggers one of its cybersecurity defences.
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Technology
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NHS staff using Google's search engine has triggered one of its cybersecurity defences.
NHS Digital confirmed so many NHS staff use the search engine that it had started asking them to take a quiz to verify they were "not a robot".
News site the Register reported one NHS Trust had told staff to "use Bing" instead.
Google indicated its systems were designed to spot unusual traffic and were working as intended.
Detecting suspicious traffic from one network can help defeat potential cyber-attacks, such as attempts to try to overwhelm a website.
The BBC understands Google is not deliberately singling out NHS traffic.
A Google spokeswoman said: "Our systems are simply checking that searches are being carried out by humans and not by robots in order to keep web users safe. Once a user has filled out the Captcha [security check], they can continue to use Google as normal."
The NHS is one of the biggest employers in the world, with more than a million members of staff.
An email sent by an NHS system administrator suggested the number of staff using the search engine was "causing Google to think it is suffering from a cyber-attack".
NHS Digital told the Register: "We are aware of the current issue concerning NHS IP addresses which occasionally results in users being directed to a simple verification form when accessing Google.
"We are currently in discussion with Google as to how we can help them to resolve the issue."
NHS Digital was unable to suggest what NHS staff may be searching for using Google.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38826821
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Manchester United 0-0 Hull City: Jose Mourinho walks out of interview - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho walks out of his BBC interview after the draw with Hull, telling Martin Fisher: "If you don't know football, you shouldn't have a microphone."
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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho walks out of his BBC interview after the 0-0 draw with Hull City, telling reporter Martin Fisher: "If you don't know football, you shouldn't have a microphone."
READ MORE: Hull hold Manchester United at Old Trafford
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38835923
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Entrepreneurs Nick Jenkins and Sarah Willingham are leaving Dragons' Den - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The final Dragons' Den episode featuring Nick Jenkins and Sarah Willingham will air on 26 February.
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Newsbeat
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The entrepreneurs will step down at the end of the current series on BBC Two, with their last episode on 26 February.
Nick Jenkins, who founded greeting card website Moonpig.com, and Sarah Willingham, who made her money investing in restaurant chain The Bombay Bicycle Club, joined the show in 2015 with Touker Suleyman.
Touker, Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones are understood to be staying.
Sarah Willingham, 43, said: "Being part of Dragons' Den has been one of the best experiences of my life.
"At the end of last year my husband Michael and I decided to finally put into action our long-held dream to spend a year travelling the world with our young children.
Peter Jones is still the only original entrepreneur to be taking part in the show
"Sadly this means that I've had to step down from my role as a Dragon.
"It's been a great privilege to be part of such a fantastic show and I wish everyone on it continued success."
Nick Jenkins, 49, said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed making Dragons' Den but I want to focus more on my portfolio of educational technology businesses and that would make it difficult to take on any more investments from the Den."
Patrick Holland, channel editor at BBC Two, said: "Nick and Sarah have both been terrific Dragons, using their nous and insight to make some great investments and produce some compelling entertainment in the process.
"As they step down from the show I want to thank them and wish them all the very best for the future."
Sarah Willingham's husband paid tribute to his wife in an Instagram post.
During her time on the show, Sarah Willingham invested in a craft gin subscription business, a coconut product firm (with Nick Jenkins), a beauty product subscription service (with Nick Jenkins), a coffee-based body scrub, science-themed children's birthday parties and workshops (with Nick Jenkins) and a skin foundation for vitiligo sufferers.
Nick Jenkins put money into a home appliances retailer (with Deborah Meaden), a magnetic dog and equine lead connector, an online double-dating app, freshly cooked baked beans, "slap-on" wrist watches and a gourmet pork scratching snack company.
Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articles/38824698
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Beyonce pregnant: Couple 'blessed' to be having twins - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Beyonce and husband Jay Z say "our family will be growing by two", in an Instagram post.
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US & Canada
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Beyonce and her husband Jay Z say they "have been blessed two times over", using Instagram to announce that she is expecting twins.
"We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two," the pair wrote, and "we thank you for your well wishes".
The post, signed "The Carters", has a photo of Beyonce with a baby bump, wearing lingerie and a veil.
The couple already have a daughter, Blue Ivy, who has just turned five.
Beyonce has been nominated in nine categories for the 2017 Grammy Awards, extending her lead as the most-nominated woman in Grammys history.
The star, 35, is due to headline the Coachella music festival in southern California in April.
The announcement gave no indication of the babies' due date.
In 2011, Beyonce revealed her pregnancy to fans during the MTV Awards.
She opened her performance of Love On Top by announcing: "I want you to feel the love that's growing inside of me."
During the closing bars of the song, she opened her jacket to reveal her baby bump. The camera then cut to Jay Z, who was being congratulated by Kanye West.
Blue Ivy went on to inspire a song on Beyonce's self-titled album, and appeared several times in last year's Lemonade.
Jay Z revealed in the lyrics to his track Glory that Beyonce suffered a miscarriage before the birth of Blue Ivy.
Beyonce and her husband Jay Z married in 2008
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38834656
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Huddersfield Town 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Huddersfield show their promotion credentials by beating 10-man Brighton, who fail to extend their Championship lead.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Huddersfield showed their promotion credentials with an impressive home win over Brighton, who missed the chance to extend their Championship lead.
The Seagulls remain one point ahead of second-placed Newcastle.
Tommy Smith's angled shot put the hosts in front before Tomer Hemed rounded the goalkeeper to equalise.
Nahki Wells fired into the top corner and Elias Kachunga nodded in to make it 3-1 before half-time, and Lewis Dunk's red card added to Brighton's misery.
Centre-back Dunk was sent off for a second yellow card midway through the second half for a lunging challenge on Izzy Brown, having been booked in the first period for a foul on the same player.
The Terriers' seventh win in nine league matches keeps them fifth, but they are now just two points behind fourth-placed Leeds, who they play at home on Sunday.
Brighton, knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league Lincoln five days earlier, were uncharacteristically poor in defence and conceded three goals in a league match for the first time in almost 12 months.
The outstanding Rajiv van La Parra had already hit the post before full-back Smith's attempted cross landed back at his feet, and his subsequent shot flew in at the near post.
Hemed pounced on a poor back header from Huddersfield's Aaron Mooy to level, but that proved to be the only clear chance they created in the entire 90 minutes.
Wells' excellent finish from just inside the box was his 100th goal in English football, and it was the former Bradford forward's shot which goalkeeper David Stockdale palmed into the air for Kachunga to head in Huddersfield's third from close range.
After Dunk's dismissal, the fifth of his career, there was still time for Australian midfielder Mooy to strike the upright from long range and Stockdale to tip over a powerful attempt from substitute Kasey Palmer.
"It was a good one, maybe one of the best this season. We scored three goals and had chances for more, and conceded a sloppy goal which was easy to avoid, but it was very good.
"We are fresh and still very hungry and greedy, even when we are humble and we know we're playing against the best team in the division.
"We gave ourselves no limits, we try our best and today our best was very good."
"Every now and again you get a real bad one, and that was a real bad one.
"We were nowhere near the levels you need to play any game in this division, never mind one as good as Huddersfield, and on their own ground too.
"If we put in another performance like this at Brentford on Sunday, we will lose again. We need to be far better.
"Lewis Dunk has played the ball but he was already on a yellow and he's given the referee a decision to make. It's another one for him and something he has to learn from. We are going to miss him. It's a blow."
• None Attempt saved. Joe Lolley (Huddersfield Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Collin Quaner.
• None Attempt missed. Kasey Palmer (Huddersfield Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
• None Attempt saved. Kasey Palmer (Huddersfield Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Elias Kachunga.
• None Offside, Huddersfield Town. Aaron Mooy tries a through ball, but Nahki Wells is caught offside.
• None Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Elias Kachunga.
• None Oliver Norwood (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• None Attempt saved. Kasey Palmer (Huddersfield Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Elias Kachunga. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38753430
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Frank Lampard: Former Chelsea & England midfielder retires - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard retires, bringing to an end a 21-year career in the professional game.
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Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard has retired, bringing to an end a 21-year professional career.
The 38-year-old, who spent last year with New York City in Major League Soccer in the US, announced his decision on social media on Thursday.
"Whilst I have received a number of exciting offers to continue playing, at 38 I feel now is the time to begin the next chapter in my life," said Lampard.
"I'm grateful to the Football Association for the opportunity to study for my coaching qualifications and I look forward to pursuing the off-field opportunities that this decision opens."
He won 11 major trophies, including three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2012. Lampard also won four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Europa League.
• None Lampard v Gerrard - who was better? Read the stats and cast your vote
• None Listen: Lampard will go to the very top of management - Redknapp
• None Only Ryan Giggs (632) and Gareth Barry (615) have made more Premier League appearances than Lampard (609).
• None His total of 177 goals is the Premier League's fourth highest behind Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Andy Cole.
• None He has scored more goals from outside the box than any other Premier League player (41).
• None Lampard scored against a record 39 different teams in the Premier League.
• None No England player has scored as many penalties as Lampard (nine), excluding shootouts.
Frank Lampard's legendary status and standing as one of the greatest players of the modern era is cemented by statistics.
When he left Chelsea in the summer of 2014, he was the club's record goalscorer with 211 goals from 649 appearances - a truly remarkable return for a consummate professional plying his trade in midfield.
Lampard was central to the most successful spell in Chelsea's history as he and they completed a clean sweep of trophies at home and abroad, a haul that reflected his stellar contribution.
He was the model of consistency, respected and admired by team-mates and opponents alike.
Like his great contemporary Steven Gerrard he struggled to transfer club successes to his England career, but he was still a fine performer on the international stage.
Lampard's next step looks certain to be into coaching - and with the knowledge gained over a lifetime from his father Frank Sr as well as working with managers such as Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink, few would bet against him adding to his successes in this phase of his career.
Lampard joined Chelsea from boyhood club West Ham for a fee of £11m in 2001.
His club-record 211 goals helped the Blues win the Champions League, three Premier Leagues, four FA Cups, two League Cups, the Europa League and a Community Shield.
He played a pivotal role as Jose Mourinho's side delivered Chelsea's first top-flight championship in half a century, scoring 13 goals including both in the title-winning 2-0 victory at Bolton in April 2005.
He added 16 league goals the following season as Chelsea retained their title, finishing runner-up to Barcelona forward Ronaldinho in both the Ballon d'Or and Fifa World Player of the Year awards.
Lampard scored 10 or more Premier League goals in 10 successive seasons for Chelsea, reaching 22 as he collected a third Premier League winner's medal in 2009-10.
Champions League success finally followed in 2011-12 as Lampard captained the side to a penalty shootout win over Bayern Munich in the absence of the suspended John Terry.
"He was definitely a world-class player for a long period of time," said BBC football analyst and former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin. "I don't think we rate him as highly as we should do.
"He is kind of remembered just for scoring goals. That he was phenomenal at. There are very few people on the planet who can score that number of goals from midfield.
"He was a better all-round footballer than he was given credit for. When he was moved further back at the end of his career for Chelsea, he realised that his passing, short and long, was exceptional."
Lampard played a key role in bringing success back to Stamford Bridge, but he was unable to help replicate that trophy-laden touch with the national side.
He made his England debut against Belgium in 1999, going on to win the same amount of caps as Sir Bobby Charlton, but missed out on a place in both the Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002 squads.
Lampard scored three times as England reached the Euro 2004 quarter-finals, and finding a way to fit him and Steven Gerrard into the same midfield was seen as the solution to the national side's problems.
The pair formed the core of what was tagged England's 'golden generation', but both missed a penalty in a World Cup quarter-final shootout defeat by Portugal in 2006 and England failed to qualify for the Euros two years later.
A last-16 exit followed against Germany in the 2010 World Cup and Lampard missed Euro 2012 through injury, before playing his final major tournament for England in Brazil in 2014, when England went out in the group stage.
"From an England point of view he was pretty spectacular," added Nevin. "There were times when he got a lot of stick. He still got all those caps and still scored a whole bunch of goals."
Lampard began his career at West Ham, making his debut in January 1996 having progressed through the club's youth system. But the presence at the club of his dad Frank Lampard Sr, and uncle Harry Redknapp as manager, meant the teenager was singled out for criticism.
Lampard even claimed in his autobiography that some Hammers fans cheered when he broke his leg during a game against Aston Villa.
Later he would face a frosty reception when he controversially arrived at Manchester City after agreeing to join New York City - the MLS franchise set up by the Premier League club and the New York Yankees baseball team - in 2014.
Lampard refused to celebrate when he scored against Chelsea, and while his performances in Manchester saw his deal at Etihad Stadium extended, it prompted an angry reaction in New York.
Lampard finally made his MLS debut in August 2015, but critics were underwhelmed by his performances and, after returning from an injury this season, he was jeered by his own fans and described as "the worst signing in MLS history".
But he rediscovered his scoring touch and the city celebrated Frank Lampard Day in September after he scored his 300th career goal. He went on to reach double figures in the MLS before announcing his time at New York had come to an end.
"It was an incredible career when you consider he was written off right at the start and told he might not go that far," said former Scotland international Nevin.
Nevin, a key member of the Chelsea side that won promotion from English football's second tier in 1984, says Lampard is capable of doing anything he wants to in the game.
"He's a hugely intelligent guy," said Nevin. "He could actually go into an area where he could be running part of a club. If he wants to go down that route he is perfectly capable.
"Looking at his capabilities, anything within the game is possible for him, be it coaching, be it managing, be it working with the FA.
"I hope the game doesn't lose him, but I don't think it will. I think he loves the game too much."
Match of the Day presenter and former England international Gary Lineker recently went to New York to speak to Lampard about his future.
"Lampard says he is very keen on getting into coaching, which is not a path too many English players of his calibre have taken recently when their playing days ended," said Lineker.
"Part of that is down to them having other options. Punditry is one of them and I am sure he would be very good at it - there would be plenty of people trying to get him to work for them.
"But it would be nice to see someone like Lampard go into the coaching game, with his intelligence and passion and especially because he wants to test himself as a manager."
Former Chelsea midfielder and assistant manager Ray Wilkins told BBC Radio 5 live: "Frank's been exceptional and ranks among best that have ever played for Chelsea with his goals, his creativity, his work ethic. He's everything anyone wants as a coach or manager.
"I would love him to go [and manage] a Premier League side and not anywhere else. He knows what the Premier League is all about. Go in where you know - he knows top-quality international footballers. Give him the opportunity to do his stuff."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37985587
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Berkeley student anger at right-wing speaker invitation - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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A talk by Trump supporter Milo Yiannopoulos is called off amid protests at the Berkeley campus.
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The University of California at Berkeley has cancelled a talk by the editor of the right-wing Breitbart News website, Milo Yiannopoulos, after hundreds of students protested against his visit.
Mr Yiannopoulos is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.
At least one fire was started and police fired tear gas, as the campus was put on lockdown.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38837395
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Freezing tips - BBC Food
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2017-02-02
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Is your freezer jam-packed full of mysterious foods from a time long-forgotten? Maybe your freezer is a stop on the way to the bin for all kinds of odds and ends you don't know what to do with. With a few simple tricks, you can eliminate waste and save money on food.
1. Save your leftovers by flat-packing them in bags that stack easily.
2. Make using up leftovers easier by writing the expiry date on the bags, not the day you froze it. Most cooked foods keep for 3 months. You'll find it easier to grab something that needs using up quickly, without doing the math.
3. Save leftover stock, coconut milk, chilli, ginger in ice cube trays to make an instant soup, straight from the freezer. Just add straight-to-wok noodles, coriander and any other vegetables you fancy.
4. Flash-freeze loose items like sliced bananas, berries, sliced chillies or ginger if you want to use a little at a time. Place the food on a baking tray and freeze before transferring to a sealable freezer bag. Then you can use as much or as little as you need.
5. Know how long you should keep meat and fish to avoid the straight-to-bin syndrome:
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques/freezing_tips?intc_type=promo&intc_location=news&intc_campaign=freezingtips&intc_linkname=bbcfood_fac_vidclip1
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Six Nations 2017: Johnny Sexton joins opener absentees - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton is the latest star to miss the Six Nations start, as we round up the views from around the camps.
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Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
As the start of the Six Nations nears, the respective coaches spent as much time talking about who wouldn't feature in the opening weekend as would.
The duration of Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton's absence was a theme for coach Joe Schmidt, while England counterpart Eddie Jones' - sporting a shiner of his own - updated the media on his host of walking wounded.
Scotland's Vern Cotter rued the absence of props WP Nel and Alasdair Dickinson, while Wales' Rob Howley is without first-choice forwards Luke Charteris and Taulupe Faletau.
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Sexton will miss Saturday's meeting with Scotland with a tight calf, but Schmidt raised the prospect that the 63-cap Leinster fly-half could also miss Ireland's second match against Italy on 11 February.
"Realistically, Johnny is an outside chance for Italy. He's probably played about 82 minutes in the last eight test matches," said Schmidt.
"In the three Six Nations I have been involved in, Johnny has dominated the number 10 position so we're still hopeful that he can come back in and do that for us."
Paddy Jackson, who deputised for Sexton in Ireland's autumn Test win over Australia, has been given another chance to stake his claim, while flanker Sean O'Brien is fit again at openside.
Before taking on the England role, Jones had suggested that flanker Chris Robshaw was short of international class.
But, with Robshaw out for the tournament with a shoulder injury, Jones admits Maro Itoje, who has been switched to six from the second row, has a tough task to match up to the Harlequin in the opening match against France.
"Itoje has got big shoes to fill," said Jones. "Chris Robshaw has been one of our integral players with his work-rate but Maro has trained well in that position and we believe he can make a really good fist of it.
Prop Joe Marler, meanwhile, has claimed that drinking two pints of milk a day is behind his rapid recovery from a leg fracture that was expected to rule him out of the team's first two fixtures.
"Your mum always says milk is really good for you and you don't really believe it until you need it because you've got a broken leg, so I just drank loads of it," he said.
"I drank two pints a day and it's something I'll keep doing because it's really tasty."
Cotter is keen to keep his Scotland players' feet on the ground after winning four out of five of their matches since last year's Six Nations and coming within a point of Australia in their solitary defeat.
"Can we win the whole thing? I think the trap is every year that Scotland get talked up," said the New Zealander.
"We are realistic. We know which teams are ranked ahead of us, we know what the rugby hierarchy is at the moment. It's up to us to change that."
Hooker Fraser Brown will make only his fourth start ahead of 102-cap Ross Ford and Cotter says that the Glasgow man's defensive skills swung selection.
"Fraser is very good defensively and close around ruck time. We know Ireland go to one-pass or two-pass plays and we need to be robust around that area."
Webb returns as Wales make five changes
With Wales' opening match followed six days later by defending champions England's visit to Cardiff, interim head coach Howley has put his side through two full-contact training matches to get them match ready.
Welshman Nigel Owens, who took charge of the 2015 World Cup final, officiated the 50-minute, 15-a-side matches and Howley believes the approach has worked.
"There has been a lot of energy and enthusiasm over the past two weeks, and we are excited going into Sunday," he said.
Wales XV to face the Azzurri have collected a total of 677 caps and Howley believes that experience is crucial.
"The side that's been selected has about a 70% winning ratio in the Six Nations. They know what winning looks and smells like in the Six Nations," he said.
France coach Guy Noves will give 22-year-old Bordeaux scrum-half Baptiste Serin his Six Nations debut and only third start in the team against England on Saturday.
"We're convinced we can count on him in the future but we want to try him out in a difficult situation." said Noves.
"If we trust him, he has to show his qualities in the toughest situations. To only play in the lesser matches, that doesn't seem smart to me."
Maxime Machenaud drops to the bench despite starting in each of France's three autumn Tests.
Former Harlequins head coach Conor O'Shea, who took charge in June, wants his Italy side to build on their first-ever win over South Africa in November.
Italy have not beaten Wales since a 23-20 success in Rome in 2007.
"We want a great, great performance this weekend to make everyone understand that we are on the right track," said O'Shea.
"It is possible to change our history. Sport is very strange and can very quickly change."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38845499
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Newspaper headlines: Rejoice and revolts as 'Brexit begins' - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The papers lead on the starting gun being fired on Brexit, as MPs vote for Article 50 to be triggered.
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The Papers
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"We have lift-off" is the Daily Mail's front page headline on Wednesday night's Brexit vote in the Commons.
It describes the vote - by 498 to 114 - as a "crushing majority" to start the formal process of leaving the European Union.
Its front page - complete with union flags, a picture of Sir Winston Churchill's statue and Big Ben - heralds a "momentous day for Britain".
The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, says the period of "phoney Brexit" is now over, adding that at the point of the vote "our bridges were burned and there's no way back".
The paper's editorial goes on to say there is "no point pretending that the process is going to be straightforward".
It adds that one ambition must be to "avoid it seriously damaging relations with the rest of Europe".
The Financial Times reports that even as Theresa May celebrated victory, there were warnings of the difficulties to come from her former EU ambassador, Ivan Rogers.
He said resolving demands from Brussels for a £60bn exit payment could descend into name-calling and a diplomatic "fist-fight".
The Guardian is one of a number of papers to highlight the split that has emerged in the Labour Party - with more than a fifth of its MPs defying Jeremy Corbyn's orders and voting against the Brexit legislation.
The paper's editorial says the party's difficulties were "etched" on the face of shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, as he wove his way through what it called the "mess of conflicting ambitions that constitute current party policy".
The editorial says: "We would rather that the party had voted with its heart than, as it perhaps did, with an eye on its electoral prospects in leave areas like Stoke and Copeland."
Away from the Brexit debate, UKIP could face a £500,000 bill over claims it misused EU cash, according to the Times.
The paper says Nigel Farage, Paul Nuttall and six other party MEPs are under investigation.
It adds that they could be told to pay back the money if their full time European parliamentary assistants were found to have also been working for a national party.
Several papers, including the i newspaper and the Guardian have a picture of the party's former leader Nigel Farage speaking at the European parliament yesterday.
Also visible in the photo is the Labour MEP Seb Dance.
He is holding up a piece of paper with an arrow pointing towards Mr Farage with the words "he's lying to you".
The Telegraph reports that a major overhaul of the Official Secrets Act is under way in the face of what it calls a "growing threat from Russia".
Spies and civil servants who leak secrets would face up to 14 years in jail, according to the paper.
It says the proposals aim to replace existing laws with a modern espionage act and a data disclosure law.
Under the new system, foreign spies who steal information from government departments and leak it - or those who snoop on British embassies - would face prosecution in British courts for the first time.
The original Teletubbies ran from 1997 to 2001
Builders have accidentally dug up and smashed a Blue Peter time capsule.
According to the Sun, presenters Richard Bacon and Katy Hill buried items picked by the viewers under the Millennium Dome - now the O2 Arena - in 1998.
The capsule was supposed to remain underground until 2050.
However, workers laying cables at the O2 Arena unearthed it on Tuesday.
Items inside included a set of Tellytubby dolls, a Tamagotchi, a Spice Girls CD and, of course, a Blue Peter badge.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38836572
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Gabriel Jesus: Man City boss Pep Guardiola compares Brazilian to watermelon - BBC Sport
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2017-02-02
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Manchester City's signing of Gabriel Jesus was like buying a watermelon, according to manager Pep Guardiola.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester City's signing of Gabriel Jesus was like buying a watermelon, said manager Pep Guardiola after the Brazilian's first goal for the club.
The 19-year-old, who joined from Palmeiras, scored one and assisted another on his first Premier League start as City thrashed West Ham 4-0.
"You never know. It's like a watermelon. You have to open to see if it's good or not," said Guardiola.
"The prospect was good. Jesus is a fighter with instinct for the goal."
City signed the striker in the summer for £27m, but he spent the rest of 2016 with his Brazilian club - helping them to win their domestic title.
Since joining up with City last month, he has started twice and made one substitute appearance, scoring one goal and assisting two.
Guardiola told BBC Sport: "He played a few minutes against Tottenham and created chances and it's not easy to play at Crystal Palace. He's good at assists too. He made a marvellous assist against Palace and today with Kevin de Bruyne."
The City manager added: "He has dreams about what he wants to do in his future career. He wants to become something in world football, and we're going to try to get it for us."
Guardiola left top scorer Sergio Aguero on the bench, starting Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Jesus up front - and the trio impressed, linking up well and playing a part in all four goals.
De Bruyne opened the scoring after a one-two with Jesus, Sane set up David Silva for the second, and Sterling squared for Jesus to make it 3-0 before half-time.
Yaya Toure added a fourth from the penalty spot after Hammers debutant Jose Fonte brought down Sterling.
"We played a front three with an average age of 20," said Guardiola. "In Europe, nobody has strikers this young. I like the fans to be excited. Those players are the future of the club."
Asked if Aguero would have to get used to life on the bench, Guardiola said: "No. I'm a guy who likes to involve as many players as possible."
While discussing Jesus, the former Barcelona boss was repeating a phrase Leeds owner Massimo Cellino said in June 2014 about new coach David Hockaday.
"Coaches are like watermelons, you only know [how good it is] when you open it," said the Italian.
Hockaday was sacked after six games.
How the papers saw Jesus' performance
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38836079
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Football stadiums disabled access: Deadline approaches - BBC News
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2017-02-02
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At least three clubs may miss a self-imposed deadline to improve access for disabled fans, the Premier League says.
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At least three clubs are at risk of missing a self-imposed deadline to improve access for disabled fans, the Premier League has said.
A report suggests Bournemouth, Chelsea and Watford may not fulfil a pledge to meet standards by August 2017.
It stressed clubs have been "working hard on delivery" since a 2014 BBC report found that 17 of 20 clubs did not provide enough wheelchair spaces.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38842288
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FA Cup: Theo Walcott scores 100th Arsenal goal - BBC Sport
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2017-02-20
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Theo Walcott scores his 100th goal for Arsenal as he doubles the Gunners' lead in their FA Cup fifth-round tie against non-league Sutton United at Gander Green Lane.
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Theo Walcott scores his 100th goal for Arsenal as he doubles the Gunners' lead in their FA Cup fifth-round tie against non-league Sutton United at Gander Green Lane.
Watch all the best action from the FA Cup fifth round here.
Available to UK users only.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39034268
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Grace Hopper's compiler: Computing's hidden hero - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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The story behind the compiler, a remarkable innovation that made modern computing possible.
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Business
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One, zero, zero, one, zero, one. Zero, one, one…
That is the language of computers. Every clever thing your computer does - make a call, search a database, play a game - comes down to ones and zeroes.
Actually, it comes down to the presence (one) or absence (zero) of a current in tiny transistors on a semiconductor chip.
Thankfully, we do not have to program computers in zeroes and ones.
Microsoft Windows, for example, uses 20GB, or 170 billion ones and zeroes.
Printed out, the stack of A4 paper would be two and a half miles (4km) high.
Ignoring how fiddly this would be - transistors measure just billionths of a metre - if it took a second to flip each switch, installing Windows would take 5,000 years.
Lt Grace Hopper using a new calculating machine invented by Howard Aiken for the US Navy's use during World War Two
50 Things That Made the Modern Economy highlights the inventions, ideas and innovations that have helped create the economic world.
Early computers really were programmed rather like this.
Consider the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, later known as the Harvard Mark 1.
It was a 15m-long (50ft), 2.5m-high concatenation of wheels, shafts, gears and switches.
It whirred away under instruction from a roll of perforated paper tape.
If you wanted it to solve a new equation, you had to work out which switches should be on or off, which wires should be plugged in where.
Then, you had to flip all the switches, plug all the wires, and punch all the holes in the paper tape.
Programming it was not just difficult, but involved tedious, repetitive and error-prone manual labour.
Four decades on from the Harvard Mark 1, more compact and user-friendly machines such as the Commodore 64 found their way into schools.
You may remember the childhood thrill of typing this:
"Hello world" would fill the screen, in chunky, low-resolution text.
You had instructed the computer in words that were recognisably, intuitively human.
It seemed like a minor miracle.
One reason for computers' astonishing progression since the Mark 1 is certainly ever-tinier components.
But it is also because programmers can write software in human-like language, and have it translated into the ones and zeroes, the currents or not-currents, that ultimately do the work.
The thing that began to make that possible was called a compiler.
And behind the compiler was a woman called Grace Hopper.
Nowadays, there is much discussion about how to get more women into tech.
In 1906, when Grace was born, not many people cared about gender equality.
Fortunately for Grace, her father wanted his daughters to get the same education as his son.
Sent to a good school, Grace turned out to be brilliant at maths.
Her grandfather was a rear admiral, and her childhood dream was to join the US Navy, but girls were not allowed.
Then, in 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor dragged America into World War Two.
The US Navy started taking women. Grace signed up at once.
If you are wondering why the navy needs mathematicians, consider aiming a missile.
At what angle and direction should you fire?
The answer depends on many things: target distance, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction.
These are not complex calculations, but they were time-consuming for a human "computer" armed only with pen and paper.
As Lt (junior grade) Hopper graduated from midshipmen's school in 1944, the navy was intrigued by the potential of an unwieldy machine recently devised by Harvard professor Howard Aiken - the Mark 1.
The navy sent Lt Hopper to help Prof Aiken work out what it could do.
Grace Hopper with Howard Aitken (middle, bottom row) and the rest of the Harvard Mark 1 computer team in 1944
Prof Aiken was not thrilled to have a female join the team, but Lt Hopper impressed him enough that he asked her to write the operating manual.
This involved plenty of trial and error.
More often than not, the Mark 1 would grind to a halt soon after starting - and there was no user-friendly error message.
Once, it was because a moth had flown into the machine - that gave us the modern term "debugging".
More often, the bug was metaphorical - a wrongly flipped switch, a mispunched hole in the paper tape.
The detective work was laborious and dull.
Lt Hopper and her colleagues started filling notebooks with bits of tried-and-tested, re-useable code.
By 1951, computers had advanced enough to store these chunks - called "subroutines" - in their own memory systems.
By then, Grace was working for a company called Remington Rand.
She tried to persuade her employers to let programmers call up these subroutines in familiar words - to say things such as: "Subtract income tax from pay."
She later said: "No-one thought of that earlier, because they weren't as lazy as I was."
In fact, Grace was famed for hard work.
Grace Hopper was posthumously granted the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016
But what Grace called a "compiler" did involve a trade-off.
It made programming quicker, but the resulting programmes ran more slowly.
That is why Remington Rand were not interested.
Every customer had their own, bespoke requirements for their shiny new computing machine.
It made sense, the company thought, for its experts to program them as efficiently as they could.
Grace was not discouraged: she simply wrote the first compiler in her spare time.
And others loved how it helped them to think more clearly.
Kurt Beyer's book, Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age, relates many tales of impressed users.
One of them was an engineer called Carl Hammer, who used the compiler to attack an equation his colleagues had struggled with for months.
Mr Hammer wrote 20 lines of code, and solved it in a day.
Like-minded programmers all over the US started sending Grace new chunks of code, and she added them to the library for the next release.
In effect, she was single-handedly pioneering open-source software.
Grace's compiler evolved into one of the first programming languages, COBOL.
More fundamentally, it paved the way for the now-familiar distinction between hardware and software.
Dr Telle Whitney co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration in 1994 to encourage women into computing
With one-of-a-kind machines such as the Harvard Mark 1, software was hardware.
No pattern of switches would also work on another machine, which would be wired completely differently.
But if a computer can run a compiler, it can also run any program that uses it.
Further layers of abstraction have since come to separate human programmers from the nitty-gritty of physical chips.
And each one has taken a further step in the direction Grace realised made sense: freeing up programmer brainpower to think about concepts and algorithms, not switches and wires.
Grace had her own views of why colleagues had been initially resistant: not because they cared about making programs run more quickly, but because they enjoyed the prestige of being the only ones who could communicate with the godlike computer.
She thought anyone should be able to programme.
And computers are far more useful because of it.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38677721
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The house changing lives in memory of Amy Winehouse - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Amy's Place is the UK's only recovery house dedicated to helping young women overcome their addictions.
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UK
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Grace, a recovering alcoholic, is one of 16 young women living in Amy's Place
Set up in memory of the late singer Amy Winehouse, Amy's Place is the UK's only recovery house dedicated to helping young women overcome their addictions. The BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme is the first to go inside and meet the women aiming to go clean for good.
"I'm not that long sober, but I've come so far. You forget that my life was sitting in a homeless hostel planning how to kill myself," Grace says.
The 19-year-old is one of the first occupants of Amy's Place - a recovery house established by the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
She is a recovering alcoholic, and has been dry for just over a year. It is a marked turnaround from the life she used to lead.
"It started when I had my first drink aged eight, and by 12, I was sneaking around doing things that I shouldn't have been doing," she says.
"Between 13 and 14 I went into care, and that's where [the drinking] took off and I could be more sneaky about it, as I didn't have my parents around."
Grace says she drank as a coping mechanism, but it soon became a habit.
The problem "rocketed" when she began living in a homeless hostel, until one incident shook her into realising the full extent of the damage being caused.
"It was in November 2015, when I took 57 antidepressants on a litre of vodka and a litre of [liqueur], and nearly died. I woke up frothing at the mouth, terrified.
"They were detoxing me in 'resus' [resuscitation area] in hospital and they told me, 'It's a waiting game now to see if your organs are failing or not.'
"It was four days of me sitting in resus hoping and praying I wasn't dying."
Watch Jean Mackenzie's full film about Amy's Place on the Victoria Derbyshire website.
Grace decided to take steps to overcome her addiction but living in a homeless hostel meant it wasn't easy.
"When your room was next to somebody who is selling drugs, you can never get well in a sense," she says.
"You're always stuck in the conundrum of, 'Do I go back to my old habits or do I go to a [support] meeting?'
"I was living a life of recovery in a using and drinking world."
Jane Winehouse says the house's potential to change lives is a "wonderful thing"
It is stories like Grace's that motivated Amy Winehouse's step-mother, Jane Winehouse, to set up the house - designed to help young women stay clean while taking their first steps without drugs and alcohol once they have left rehab.
"We met people in treatment who were scared to death of what was going to happen when they finished treatment [in rehab]," she says.
"For a lot of them, all they could think about was, 'If I have to go back to where I was before, I'm just not going to stand a chance.'"
Set up in partnership with the housing provider Centra, Amy's Place is the only recovery house in the UK designed specifically to help women under 30.
Winehouse died aged 27 in July 2011 from alcohol poisoning. She had previously struggled with drug addiction for many years and had spent time in rehab.
In the London house each of the 16 occupants gets her own flat, paid for using housing benefit. They can stay for up to two years.
There is a strict policy of no drugs, no alcohol and no overnight guests and they must agree to random drugs tests - Grace passed her latest one.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Amy Winehouse home 'has given me a future'
Another resident, 26-year-old Judith Heryka, is also working towards a more stable future, without drugs.
Her main motivation is her children, aged five and seven. The catalyst for her deciding to seek help came when she was told proceedings would begin to take them into the adoption system. She says it saved her life.
Judith had become hooked on crack cocaine and says she had become "very depressed… bitterly, bitterly, bitterly, like suicidal, depressed".
As part of the programme at Amy's Place, the women must take part in activities outside the house that can help them stay clean and prepare them for living by themselves.
It could be re-entering education, doing voluntary work or - in Judith's case - finding a passion, such as kickboxing.
"I can really zone out, do something that I love," she explains, while taking part in a local class.
Judith says the house is "100%" the reason why she is managing to stay clean and the first time she has lived somewhere and felt safe.
House manager Hannah Crystal says she is "really excited" to see the women progress.
"I think the girls here are going to get to a point where they're ready to move on," she adds. "And we'll have new arrivals, and I think we'll keep growing from strength to strength."
The road to recovery, however, is not without its difficulties. Some of the women in the house have relapsed, and Grace admits she recently came close to drinking.
The house is working with Grace to help her achieve her ambitions. She hopes to become a forensic psychologist one day and at the moment she's learning woodwork with the charity the Spitalfields Crypt Trust.
"Before, [the future looked] very black, without anything I was looking forward to. Now I realise I've got a very long life ahead of me," she says.
For Jane Winehouse, giving the women the tools to change their lives "is the most wonderful thing".
Especially, as she says, the house is "in Amy's memory".
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38992373
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Great Yarmouth church saved by 'exploded' bric-a-brac - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Chairs, records and toys are among the items dangling from the ceiling of St John's Church.
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An eclectic collection of "exploded" bric-a-brac suspended from the ceiling of a former church in Norfolk aims to keep the building "alive" as part of a conservation project.
St John's Church, in Great Yarmouth, has not been used for worship in about a decade. Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust now plans to repair and conserve the Grade II-listed landmark as a cultural heritage hub.
Its first exhibition - Suspended between Art, Architecture and Preservation - features a collection of everyday objects suspended on fishing lines to give the impression the entire nave is filled with floating items.
Bernard Williamson, chairman of the trust, said: "The trust is blessed to be the custodian of this charismatic community building.
"We have already undertaken urgent roof repairs... and are now seeking external funding for its light-touch repair and conservation.
"In the meantime, through using it for events, exhibitions and installations, we hope to keep it ‘alive’, allowing people to access it again and engage with it, the artwork and each other."
The eclectic objects were put in place over the course of a week by architecture students from the University of Sofia, in Bulgaria, who were in East Anglia as part of the trust’s partnership work to share knowledge about traditional buildings skills and conservation.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-39010515
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These are the London Fashion Week designers shaping the way we see gender - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Meet the London Fashion Week designers using clothes to shape how we see gender.
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Newsbeat
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London Fashion Week has traditionally only been aimed at women, but seven of the major catwalk shows this season have mixed in menswear.
Added to that, we've seen men modelling women's wear, unisex clothing brands and androgynous designs that would work on anyone.
It seems like British fashion is going through a gender revolution at the moment.
Newsbeat meets the designers leading the way.
Irish-born designer Jonathan Anderson started his J. W. Anderson brand as menswear in 2008, before launching his first women's collection two years later.
He designs with the idea that men can borrow clothes from women and vice versa.
"It's something that we play with each season, this idea," he tells Newsbeat backstage at his London Fashion Week show.
"We'll do a mac on a guy and a mac on a woman. They are the same thing, but on a man and a woman they can mean different things."
J. W. Anderson used androgynous looks in both his men's and women's collections
Anderson is seen by many in the fashion world as a pioneer for taking this unisex approach years ago.
Although he now presents his women's and menswear collections separately, he says he doesn't want to dictate who should wear what.
"I can give you an idea of how I see it on both a man and a woman, but I'm not going to tell you if it's for a man or a woman."
The artistic director of Diesel, and founder of the unisex range Nicopanda, Nicola Formichetti was also Lady Gaga's stylist for three years (yes, he was responsible for the meat dress).
"Fashion has always been about mixing gender, but now it's becoming such an issue," he tells Newsbeat.
"Now there are products like jeans and hoodies and military jackets that are becoming very very unisex."
He thinks designers have a "duty" to create clothes that every gender can feel comfortable in.
"We have a voice and we need to use it."
Julien Macdonald's sequin-studded ball gowns are a favourite with some of the world's most glamorous women, including Beyonce and Gigi Hadid.
So it surprised some in the fashion world when he launched a menswear collection in 2015.
And at this London Fashion Week, male models walked alongside women in tight-fitting sequin jackets and lycra bodysuits - looks that would traditionally be considered very feminine.
He says men are becoming more comfortable experimenting with the way they dress.
"We live in a metrosexual community," he tells Newsbeat.
"When you see your girlfriend going out in an amazing dress, you think, 'I want to look just as good as you,' so men do want to have fun.
Julien Macdonald featured men and women together on his catwalk
"Nobody cares if you look camp or gay - you know what? Now everybody's got a mixed community of friends. It doesn't matter."
Robert and Oliver are both menswear designers who presented their debut collections as part of the Central Saint Martins MA show at London Fashion Week.
Robert Sanders, 25, uses layers of recycled fabric to create tunics, skirts and shorts that drape over the models in an androgynous way.
"I grew up dressing up in my mum's clothes, and getting negative feedback off people," he tells Newsbeat.
Oliver Thame's collection featured bold clashing prints, and tops with cut outs that revealed the torsos of his male models.
"I presented it on men, but I feel like it could've been just as well presented on women," says the 25-year-old.
"I think in this day and age, is there really such a thing as gender specific fashion?"
Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articles/39025086
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Driverless Roborace car crashes at speed in Buenos Aires - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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A landmark race involving two driverless cars sees one of them crash and the other avoid running over an animal.
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Technology
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The red Devbot 1 completed the race, but the yellow Devbot 2 crashed
A landmark race between two driverless electric cars has ended badly for one of the contestants.
The unfortunate Devbot vehicle crashed out of the Roborace competition after misjudging a corner while travelling at high speed.
The incident occurred ahead of the start of the latest Formula E electric car race in Buenos Aires.
The other vehicle managed to complete the course after achieving a top speed of 186km/h (116mph).
"One of the cars was trying to perform a manoeuvre, and it went really full-throttle and took the corner quite sharply and caught the edge of the barrier," Roborace's chief marketing officer Justin Cooke told the BBC.
"It's actually fantastic for us because the more we see these moments the more we are able to learn and understand what was the thinking behind the computer and its data.
"The car was damaged, for sure, but it can be repaired. And the beauty is no drivers get harmed because... there is no-one in them."
Photos of the resulting damage have been published by an Argentinian blog. Roborace also plans to upload footage from the event onto its YouTube channel this Friday.
The cars communicate with each other to avoid contact
The Devbots are controlled by artificial intelligence software - rather than being remote-controlled by humans - and use a laser-based Lidar (light detection and ranging) system and other sensors to guide themselves. They also communicate to avoid collisions with each other.
Roborace's organisers had previously showed off one of their Devbots speeding round the UK's Donington Park circuit last August, but this was the first time they had publicly displayed two vehicles competing against each other.
Roborace intends to replace the Devbots with sleeker models when the competition formally launches
Even so, they billed the event as a test run ahead of future plans to pit 10 teams of robotic cars against each other, each powered by different AI software.
Mr Cooke stressed that crash barriers and a limit on the Devbot's top speed had meant spectators in the Argentine capital had not been put at risk.
And he added that another incident involving the winning car illustrated built-in safety measures.
"A dog ran on to the track, and the car was able to slow down, avoid it and take another path," he said.
The winning Devbot 1 managed to avoid running over a dog
Roborace's chief executive Denis Sverdlov will reveal more details about his company's plans, at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona next week.
The company then intends to show off its tech again at the next Formula E race, in Mexico City on 1 April.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39027477
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Toto Wolff & Niki Lauda sign new Mercedes deals until 2020 - BBC Sport
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2017-02-20
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Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda sign to stay with the team until the end of 2020.
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Last updated on .From the section Formula 1
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda have signed new deals to stay with the team until the end of 2020.
Their new contracts coincide with the duration of Mercedes' own current commitment to F1.
In common with the rest of the teams, Mercedes will begin negotiations for beyond 2020 with new owner Liberty Media during this year.
Wolff retains his 30% shareholding in the team and Lauda his 10% stake.
Team boss Wolff joined Mercedes from Williams in February 2013, and Lauda took up his position in late 2012.
The deals conclude a busy winter of off-track activity for Mercedes, who have dominated the sport since the advent of turbo hybrid engines in 2014 with three consecutive world title doubles.
Mercedes have signed Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate this season, with the Finn replacing world champion Nico Rosberg, who announced his retirement five days after winning the title last November.
Executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe is on gardening leave before his departure from Mercedes and is to join Williams in the coming weeks.
Lowe's position as technical boss has been taken by James Allison, who has been given the title technical director, a new role within the team as part of a slight re-alignment of responsibility at the head of the company.
Wolff has run the team with Lowe as his right-hand man since the departure of former team principal Ross Brawn at the end of 2013.
Dieter Zetsche, the chairman and chief executive officer of Mercedes' parent company Daimler, said: "In 2013, we restructured the management of the team with the clear goal of improving our performance.
"Since then, however, the results have exceeded our expectations. A key factor in this success has been the combination of Toto's entrepreneurial skills and Niki's experience.
"Their renewed commitment gives our programme important continuity for the next four years."
F1 has introduced major regulation changes for this season in an attempt to make the cars faster and more dramatic - and to give the sport greater appeal.
The cars are wider with bigger tyres and are expected to be between three and five seconds a lap faster than in 2016.
Mercedes' new F1 car will be revealed to the public on Thursday, before the start of pre-season testing three days later.
The first 2017 car to be unveiled will be that of Swiss team Sauber on Monday, followed by the Renault on Tuesday, Force India on Wednesday and Ferrari, McLaren and Williams on Friday.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39021867
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Meet the plasterers, teachers and builders taking on Arsenal - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Meet Sutton United's team as they prepare to take on Arsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
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Newsbeat
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Sutton United are getting ready to take on Arsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
The teams will meet for the first time in their history at Gander Green Lane in front of 5,000 fans. Millions more will be tuning in to watch it on BBC One.
Arsenal players are paid millions but Sutton's players get £600 a week.
That means many of them have other jobs including teachers, carers, personal trainers and builders.
Dan Spence plays fullback for Sutton but he also works at a special needs school as a teaching assistant.
"It's completely different but it opens your eyes and it's very rewarding.
"There's a good bunch of 15 and 16-year-old boys who love football.
"Every playtime it's like we're going to do Sutton versus Leeds or Sutton versus Arsenal."
Dan says his students are fully behind his team too.
"It's a great buzz around the place - a few posters are up - they're really supporting us.
"The day after training normally you go into work and you speak to work colleagues about what you've been up to.
"To go in after playing Arsenal and telling them stories about the game... it's going to be amazing."
Dan Fitchett works in an office and sells life insurance.
"I work there full time apart from training here twice a week in the mornings.
"It is what it is and it works well with football."
The striker admits playing for Sutton United - and playing against a Premier League side - helps him get on well with his clients.
"I ask them if they like football - and I might mention I'm playing Arsenal - it kind of helps with my sales definitely.
"And there are quite a few Arsenal fans in the office.
"It's quite a comedown when you're back into the office after playing such big games."
Goalkeeper Ross Worner is on to a good thing.
He frames football shirts for a living and is hoping to cash in on his club's big game against Arsenal.
"I've been framing all the boys' shirts from all the cup games.
"It's something I quite enjoy doing, being a footballer myself I had shirts I wanted framed, so I got into it.
"If I can get a few (Arsenal) shirts in, it'll help the cash flow.
"All the boys already said whatever shirt they get they want it framed, so work should be good for the next couple of weeks after the game."
Jamie Collins plays centre back for Sutton United but for three days a week he's a building supervisor.
"Sometimes I get my hands dirty and do a little bit of labouring for the lads if we're short on people.
"It's a lot different from the football days but it's a good break.
"You work one day then train the next - so it's a good mix.
"My boss has been sympathetic and has given me some days off before the game.
"He's a Tottenham fan so he's hoping we do him a favour and beat Arsenal."
Arsene Wenger gets paid £8.9m but Sutton United manager Paul Doswell manages Sutton United for free.
In fact he even took out a personal loan to pay for the club's pitch.
Paul has a property business with 100 employees so he says he doesn't need another job.
He loves football that much.
Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articles/38997208
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How female explorers face challenges of south pole trek - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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The team of British soldiers will be the first all-women group to walk across Antarctica.
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A team of British soldiers are preparing to become the first large all-female group to walk across Antarctica.
They will have to endure temperatures of -40C and walk for up to nine hours a day carrying more than their own body weight in supplies.
Exercise Ice Maiden is currently training in Norway for the 80-day south pole challenge in September. Among the many challenges is coping with extreme cold when you need a loo break.
Maj Sandy Hennis, from Cannock, Staffordshire, said she hoped the expedition would inspire girls and women everywhere.
Correction 24 February 2017: This report initially said they would be the first female team to complete the challenge. In fact Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft achieved a similar feat in 2001.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-39007611
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Facing the robotic revolution - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Why machines and AI are set to transform the way we live and work.
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Technology
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Pepper awakes. "Hi, I am a humanoid robot, and I am 1.2m [4ft] tall. I was born at Aldebaran in Paris. You can keep on asking me questions if you want."
Michael Szollosy, who looks at the social impact and cultural influence of robots, has just switched on the new arrival at the Sheffield Robotics centre, at the University of Sheffield.
He asks: "What do you do, Pepper?"
"Of course not," says Pepper, "but that shouldn't keep us from chatting."
I say indeed not, and ask what he thought of Paris.
"You can caress my head or hands for example," is the reply. "Very Parisian," I observe, stroking the sensors atop of Pepper.
"I like it when you touch my head. Ah, miaow."
Pepper is slim white robot, with skeletal hands, a plastic body and big black eyes.
Mr Szollosy says: "Human beings don't need very much to identify something as alive.
"So a couple of black dots and a line underneath and we see a face every time.
"People say, 'Oh he's smiling at me,' - his mouth doesn't move. But that's what humans bring to the equation.
"We invent these things. I say robots were invented in the imagination long before they were built in labs."
This project is less about developing the technology and more about examining the way we relate to it - most people working in this field are convinced Pepper and and his kind will have huge implications for all of us, changing the way we work, the way we live, even the way we relate to each other.
"I think it is going to be increasingly the case that robots do more and more of the jobs that people used to do," says the centre's director, Prof Tony Prescott.
"We have lots of Eastern Europeans weeding fields because nobody in the UK wants to do that. It could be automated. It's a perfect job for a robot to do."
We are now at a tipping point.
The advances in AI (artificial intelligence) mean robots can now do much more.
But it hasn't developed in the way people might have expected 50 years ago.
A computer can do really clever stuff - beating a chess grandmaster with ease, and now winning at Go.
But a robot butler, which could make you a cup of coffee and run your bath, remains out of reach.
Taking jobs, not terminating humans, may be the biggest threat posed by robots
The very idea of robots excites and scares. It is part of the reason behind this centre.
After the development of genetically modified (GM) food, also known in the tabloids as "Frankenstein food", and the backlash against it, they decided some education was called for.
Mr Szollosy says people are frightened by the wrong things. He bemoans the fact that any story about robotics is accompanied by a picture of the Terminator.
"If artificial intelligence does want to take over the world, eradicate the human race, there are much more efficient ways of doing it," he says.
"Gun-wielding bipedal robots - we could beat them no problem. Daleks can't go upstairs.
"My job is to make people understand what not to fear but also explain that robots may well take 60% of the jobs in 20 years' time and that is of deep concern, if we don't restructure society to go along with that."
Prof Prescott hopes robots are part of the solution to a problem that haunts politicians.
"We have a shortage of trained carers, and it is often migrant labour," he says.
"Those jobs are very poorly paid.
"The quality of life for people in care is low, the quality of life for the carers is also low.
"I would like to protect the right to human contact in law, but people with dementia may need a lot of physical help and a lot of that can be provided by robots."
Milo, with a chunky body and a mobile face under anime-style hair, is designed to mimic human expressions to help autistic children.
But some of those he manages I've never seen on a real person.
MiRo is much cuter, looking somewhat like a dog, a donkey or a rabbit.
"It's designed to mimic the behaviour of animals," says Sheffield Robotics' senior experimental officer Dr James Law.
"For patients, particularly the elderly, particularly with Alzheimer's and dementia it is akin to pet therapy, which can have a lot of value for people who need more social interaction in their lives."
Still MiRo is not very cuddly. Unlike Paro.
I would say he's a very sophisticated furry toy seal, squeaking as you stroke his sensors, flashing big black eyes as you caress him.
Dr Emily Collins is interested in using such robots in children's wards, where real animals and even fur is a danger.
"I'm very interested in what mechanism is going on between a human and an animal which results in increased neuropeptide release, so they need less pain medication," she says.
"Being able to replicate that in paediatric wards, where you cannot have animals, would be fantastic.
"I don't see the point in a humanoid robot, apart from the fact people like the form and the shape.
"As soon as you make a robot look like a human analogue, people have expectations that the robot is going to do the same as a person, and we can't replicate that."
Many car production lines have been automated, but what next?
It is a really interesting debate, and one that maybe one day we'll have to face. But there are far more pressing problem.
If Mr Szollosy is right and robots take 60% of the jobs by 2037, what does he think will happen?
"The jobs are going to go," he says.
"There is going to be greater unemployment. Maybe we need to recast our society so that becomes a good thing, not a bad thing."
Prof Prescott says: "If people aren't able to sell their labour, then the whole market struggles because the people producing still need people to buy.
"So maybe we need to pay people to consume, maybe through some basic income.
"I think it is inevitable that we go in that direction. It's good news.
"The possibility now exists we can put over a lot of the work we don't like to robots and AIs."
The idea of "the basic" would face huge political opposition.
But it's worth noting that many who work in the field think there are few alternatives, even if there has to be an economic crisis before it's taken seriously.
This is not the same as interesting questions for the future about robot rights or consciousness - these problems are coming toward us with, well, the speed and ferocity of the Terminator.
Mainstream politicians are only just beginning to take notice.
You can hear Mark Mardell's report for The World This Weekend, plus a debate about what the future holds for robots and jobs, via BBC iPlayer.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39028030
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Which pop stars deserve a blue plaque in their honour? - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Forty blue plaques will be unveiled on BBC Music Day this year - and you can decide who gets one.
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Entertainment & Arts
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David Bowie already has a plaque but who else deserves one?
Rock and pop's most influential figures are to be honoured with blue plaques on BBC Music Day this year - and you can decide who gets one.
Over the next week, every BBC local radio station in England and the Channel Islands is accepting nominations for a local artist (or venue) that changed the course of musical history.
The winners will be honoured with a plaque on a building where they lived or a venue where they became famous.
To be considered the nominee must be:
The candidates will be submitted to The British Plaque Trust - and the 40 recipients will be unveiled on Friday, 9 June as part of BBC Music Day.
Surprisingly few pop musicians have one - with a notable exception being David Bowie, who is honoured at the location of the photoshoot for The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust in London's West End.
But who else deserves one? To get you thinking, here are five people and places that could benefit from a blue plaque.
Long before he could grow that designer stubble, George Michael met Andrew Ridgeley at Bushey Meads school and pop history changed forever.
Bonding over a love of music, the duo initially formed a five-piece band called The Executive, who played everything from ska to Beethoven's Fur Elise.
Their friendship was vital in sustaining George through the whirlwind success of Wham! and eventually giving him the courage to go solo.
Estimated to be more than 100 million years old, Peak Cavern is undoubtedly the oldest music venue in the UK.
The natural limestone cavern has hosted gigs by the likes of Richard Hawley, Mystery Jets and The Vaccines, who all benefit from the site's remarkable acoustics.
Fun fact: It used to be called The Devil's Arse (because of the flatulent sound caused by flood water draining from the cave) but received a more demure name in 1880, so Queen Victoria wouldn't be offended when she visited for a concert.
While Queen were still a struggling young pop band, Freddie Mercury ran a stall in London's Kensington Market with drummer Roger Taylor.
They sold clothes and bric-a-brac, as well as a thesis Freddie had written about Jimi Hendrix while attending Ealing College.
The stall did well enough to fund the band in their early days - so much so that they kept it going after Queen released their first album.
Delia Derbyshire is one of the earliest and most influential pioneers of electronic sound.
Working in a time before synthesisers, samplers and multi-track tape recorders, the musician, assisted by her engineer Dick Mills, created not only the original Dr Who theme but countless other experimental and ground-breaking recordings.
She was born in Coventry, but was evacuated to Preston, Lancashire, during World War Two. A blue plaque at either of her childhood homes would be a fitting memorial.
Not the most rock'n'roll of locations, Beachy Head nonetheless deserves its place in music history.
David Bowie filmed elements of the video for Ashes to Ashes there; and The Cure used it as the backdrop for both Just Like Heaven and Close To Me.
Industrial noise terrorists Throbbing Gristle used it in the deeply-ironic cover for their album, 20 Jazz Funk Greats; and, most famously of all, it stars in the final scene of The Who's Quadrophenia, where the young Jimmy throws his scooter over the edge of those chalky cliffs.
To make your suggestion for a musical blue plaque, you can contact your BBC local radio station via email, Twitter or Facebook; or email localmusiclegends@bbc.co.uk. You can also share suggestions on social media using #localmusiclegends.
The British Plaque Trust criteria is to commemorate innovative, influential and successful people who have died - but any genre of music is permissible, and significant locations which have played a part in our musical heritage are also eligible.
The initiative is not a vote - so the final decision on who or what the plaques commemorate, and where they are located, will not be based on the number of suggestions received.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38991904
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Baby food with a touch of the Mediterranean - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Catherine Gazzoli is producing a range of organic baby food influenced by her Italian roots.
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Business
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Few small entrepreneurs have a contacts book as bulging as Catherine Gazzoli's.
But then not everyone has enjoyed an illustrious career involving working as chief executive of Slow Food UK, a not-for-profit body that promotes and supports local food networks across the world, as well as running food and agricultural programmes for the United Nations.
So when Ms Gazzoli, 39, spotted an opportunity for a Mediterranean-influenced organic baby food brand, she was able to get some big names from the food industry on board.
Her business plan for Piccolo developed on the kitchen table of Green & Blacks co-founder Craig Sams.
Shortly before launching the brand last year, she won seed funding from an impressive list of investors including food campaigner Prue Leith, former Pizza Express chief executive Mark Angela and ex-Duchy Originals boss Andrew Baker.
Catherine Gazzoli has continued to expand the number of products in the Piccolo range
"It was important for me to have investors who knew the food industry. While I was coming from a non-profit background which involved helping the public eat better, I needed support in creating a company that would be commercial as well as have social values," says Ms Gazzoli, who was born in Geneva to Italian parents and grew up in Rome.
The investment allowed Ms Gazzoli, who left Slow Food UK in 2014 after a six-year stint, to set up a development kitchen for testing recipes. "Sometimes investment gets a bad rap but if it's the right investment it can help you," she says. "The directors involved have helped steer the company and have been extremely important in the initial success."
The funds also helped Ms Gazzoli to attract the right talent. Her recruits included Alice Fotheringham as head of nutrition and product development, who had previously worked with the leading baby food author, Annabel Karmel. And Kane O'Flaherty - a former Itsu and Metcalfe's Food Company's design expert - joined as head of creative.
Ms Gazzoli reveals how she managed to poach Mr O'Flaherty: "I kept making him his favourite dish - a Maltese rabbit stew - which takes 24 hours to make." Whether it was the cooking or her tenacity, Mr O'Flaherty eventually left MetCalfe's to join Piccolo.
Ms Gazzoli's aim was to create nutritious, organic baby food packed with flavour. For this, she turned to her Italian roots. "My family had a grocery store in the north of Italy and I grew up with a room just for making pasta, where ravioli and fresh pesto was made every day," she says. "I wanted to include lots of grains, pulses and herbs to create variety and a healthy balance."
Piccolo started with six products, such as fruit and yogurt blends, and now has 16 offerings including vegetable risotto and sweet tomato and ricotta spaghetti that cost between £1 and £1.60 a pouch. The range - most of which are made in the Mediterranean - will rise to 30 products by the summer.
Since launching in April 2016, the brand has found favour from both retailers and consumers. Piccolo products are available from 750 stores in the UK including Asda, Planet Organic, Whole Foods Market and Abel & Cole, and has just started selling in stores in China too.
Turnover for its first year is expected to reach £2m, but the Covent Garden-based company is yet to turn a profit.
Although the path from idea to production may appear smooth, Ms Gazzoli says the reality was more challenging as she hadn't done any negotiations with supermarkets before.
The slide in the value of the pound following the Brexit vote has also created problems. "We source from all over the Mediterranean, for example, apples from the Dolomites, and there's price fluctuations... prices are all over and it's a difficult time for grocers too. It's a very special time to be learning."
A recent vegetable shortage has been another spanner in the works. "I've had these sourcing issues and trouble getting products on time. I can't change courgettes to peas [in her products], so it's a very complicated scenario."
Catherine Gazzoli's daughter Juliet is often in the Piccolo office
Like many business owners, Ms Gazzoli has to balance managing a fast-growing firm with childcare, raising her three-year-old daughter Juliet. "During the week there's no separation between my child and the business," she says.
"Juliet is often in the office, and if I'm stuck in a meeting the staff help me with the nursery run. They're both my babies and are both interweaved. Juliet loves Kane and Alice, she's grown up with them. I don't think you can separate when you're a start-up."
Her "very supportive" Italian husband and his parents help out with childminding duties as well.
Piccolo products have arrived on shelves as sales in the baby food sector are now worth about £700m, according to market research firm Mintel.
Daniel Selwood, food and drink editor at trade magazine The Grocer, says that while Ella's Kitchen - the top baby food brand - dominates the market, Piccolo still stands out.
"The focus on Mediterranean variants makes it a bit different to existing players. It offers a good rate of new variants, and also Catherine has got some pulse in the industry from being chief executive of Slow Food UK," he says.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38894818
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Islamic State battle: View from Iraq's front line - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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On the front line with government forces pushing towards Mosul, the last major stronghold of so-called Islamic State in Iraq.
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The BBC's Quentin Sommerville joins government forces as they resume their push towards western Mosul, the last major stronghold of so-called Islamic State in Iraq.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39025204
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Sweden Twitter account: 'Nothing happened here' - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Librarian Emma Johansen was running Sweden's official Twitter account when the president mentioned a security incident.
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US President Donald Trump has sought to explain why he referred to a security incident in Sweden on Friday which did not actually happen.
School librarian Emma Johansen tells the Today programme she was in charge of the official @sweden Twitter account on Saturday night and found herself fielding hundreds of questions from concerned people in Sweden.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-39025852
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Slippery bottle solves ketchup problem - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Scientists in Boston have found a way to get every last drop of ketchup out of the bottle.
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Science & Environment
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The BBC's Pallab Ghosh reports: The invention means the ketchup "just glides out"
Scientists in Boston have found a way to get every last drop of ketchup out of the bottle.
They have developed a coating that makes bottle interiors super slippery.
The coating can also be used to make it easier to squeeze out the contents of other containers, such as those holding toothpaste, cosmetics and even glue.
The researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believe that their innovation could dramatically reduce waste.
It is always an effort getting that last drop of ketchup out of the bottle.
Everyone has their own technique. Some karate chop the bottle, others furiously shake it and many simply bash it.
But the MIT team has developed a system that banishes all that frustration.
When incorporated into the bottle, it enables the ketchup or any other liquid to just slide out without leaving a trace.
In its manufacture, the container must first be coated on the inside with a rough surface.
A very thin layer is then placed over this. And, finally, a liquid is added that fills in any troughs to form a very slippery surface - like an oily floor.
The ketchup hovers on top and just glides out of the bottle.
According to Prof Kripa Varanasi, who developed the slippery surface, the technology is completely safe.
"The cool thing about it is that because the coating is a composite of solid and liquid, it can be tailored to the product. So for food, we make the coating out of food-based materials and so you can actually eat it."
The technology's co-inventor Dr David Smith told me that it could also help reduce waste.
"With the manufacture of these sticky products there is about 200 million gallons of material each year that gets stuck to tanks and then gets washed off and thrown away. And in packages there are about 40 billion packs with material stuck in packages so the technology has the potential to significantly reduce waste."
Some people may miss the ritual struggle with their ketchup. But like it or not when the super slippery bottle becomes available in a few years' time, meal times will be a little less tricky.
In this demonstration, the paint container on the left is untreated; on the right, the paint in the treated container slips easily off the sides to the bottom
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39030055
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CEO Secrets: Sex toy boss shares his tips - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Richard Longhurst, co-founder of Lovehoney, a sex toy business, shares his business advice.
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Richard Longhurst, co-founder of online sex toy business Lovehoney, shares what he's learned from starting up the business.
Shhh! Get all the #CEOSecrets on our website here and watch this video explaining the series.
To keep up to date with the CEO Secrets series and go behind the scenes, follow series producer Dougal Shaw on Twitter and Facebook.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39007551
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Unilever: Profile of a consumer goods giant - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Profile of Unilever, the business behind brands from Marmite to Pot Noodle and Persil.
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Business
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Unilever is behind some of Britain's best-known brands
UK-based household goods maker Unilever has rejected a takeover bid of about $143bn (£115bn), one of the biggest in corporate history, from US giant Kraft Heinz.
The deal - if it was to eventually succeed - would be the biggest acquisition of a British company on record, based on offer value.
Steve Clayton, fund manager at Hargreaves Lansdown, said such a deal would create enormous cost savings.
"Putting portfolios of brands together can create huge synergies across marketing, manufacturing and distribution, even before you think about cutting the combined HQ back to size," he said.
"Kraft Heinz are attempting a massive push on the fast forward button, for to acquire the sheer scale of brands that Unilever represents through one-off acquisitions could take decades.
"With debt cheap and abundant right now, Kraft have spotted their opportunity."
Globally, it would be the second-biggest deal behind Vodafone Airtouch's takeover of Germany's Mannesmann AG for $172bn (£138bn) in 1999.
Unilever announced last month that annual pre-tax profit rose to 7.47bn euro (£6.3bn) from 7.2bn euro (£6.1bn) last year, but revenues dropped 1% to 52.7bn euros (£44.7bn), while underlying sales rose by a lower-than-expected 3.7%.
Unilever clashed with supermarket Tesco in October over its attempts to raise prices to compensate for the steep drop in the value of the pound.
William Hesketh Lever, founder of Lever Brothers, wrote down his ideas for Sunlight Soap in the 1890s.
It was "to make cleanliness commonplace; to lessen work for women; to foster health and contribute to personal attractiveness, that life may be more enjoyable and rewarding for the people who use our products".
In 1887, William Lever bought the site where Port Sunlight would be built, a large factory on the banks of the Mersey opposite Liverpool with a purpose-built village for its workers providing a high standard of housing, amenities and leisure facilities.
Lever Brothers and Dutch business Margarine Unie signed an agreement to create Unilever in 1929.
Kraft merged with Heinz in 2015 to create one of the US's biggest food companies.
• None Marmite owner: 'No merit' in US takeover
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39009072
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Princess Diana's changing fashion style explored in exhibition - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The Kensington Palace exhibition will bring together clothing from throughout Princess Diana's life.
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London
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An exhibition tracing the changing styles of Diana, Princess of Wales is due to open in Kensington Palace.
Diana: Her Fashion Story will display iconic outfits from throughout her life - from before she was married to after her divorce in the 1990s.
Curator Eleri Lynn said the exhibition showed how the princess was "growing in confidence throughout her life".
A "White Garden" celebrating Diana's life will also be planted in the palace grounds this summer.
Princess Diana commissioned this tartan coat and skirt from designer Emanuel for an official royal visit to Italy in 1985.
The boxy style may have been fashionable in the 1980s but many commentators thought little of the coat.
This silk chiffon evening gown was worn by Diana at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, and for a performance of Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, London in 1989.
It was created by Catherine Walker who took inspiration for the dress from the gown worn by Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 film, To Catch A Thief.
Princess Diana hit the headlines when she danced with actor John Travolta at a state dinner in the White House in 1985.
The velvet silk evening dress which she wore that night was designed by Victor Edelstein and was said to be one of her favourites.
This cocktail dress, which Diana wore for a concert at the Barbican in 1989, was considered an unusual choice for a princess given it was based on a masculine tuxedo.
Designer David Sassoon said it was an example of how Diana started to "break the rules" as she experimented with styles and learned what clothes worked for different occasions.
This sequined evening dress created by Catherine Walker in 1986 was said to be typical of Diana's "Dynasty" phase when the media noted her taste for "large shoulder pads, lavish fabrics and metallic accessories".
The princess wore it for an official visit to Austria in 1986 as well as two charity balls in 1989 and 1990.
Diana increasingly worked with Catherine Walker during her life to develop what the designer called her "royal uniform".
She wore this red day suit created by Walker for her famous visit to the London Lighthouse, a centre for people affected by HIV and AIDS, in October 1996.
Diana: Her Fashion Story will open on 24 February
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38994105
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Welsh Open 2017: Stuart Bingham beats Judd Trump 9-8 in final - BBC Sport
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2017-02-20
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Stuart Bingham holds his nerve in a tense final frame to beat Judd Trump 9-8 and win his first Welsh Open title.
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Stuart Bingham held his nerve in a tense final frame to beat Judd Trump 9-8 and win his first Welsh Open title.
The Englishman, 40, took the last two frames, sealing victory with a break of 55 to claim his first ranking title since the 2015 World Championship.
Bingham had led 4-0 in the early stages and came through a scrappy final session that saw a highest break of 63.
"Unbelievable," said the world number two. "To get my hands on another trophy means everything."
Compatriot Trump, 27, cut the early deficit to 5-3 by taking the last frame of the afternoon session and moved 7-6 and 8-7 ahead in the evening.
However, Bingham got back on level terms and, after Trump missed an early opportunity in the decider, it was the former world champion who prevailed with a clearance.
"I honestly felt that Judd outclassed me from the word go," said Bingham. "The first two frames were massive but it was only from his mistake that I cleared up and won.
"I've been knocking on the door since October, playing pretty well. I thought it wasn't going to happen here and hats off to Judd, from 4-0 down a lot of people would have crumbled and given up."
Trump said: "It was tough. I missed a few chances early on. I kind of threw it away in the first four frames.
"I missed too many easy balls and even tonight when I was getting back into it, I missed another easy ball. On the whole I did well to get back into it, it was just the odd shot here and there that cost me."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39022490
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Angelina Jolie on Cambodia, film and family - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Angelina Jolie on her new film - based on the genocide in Cambodia - politics and her family.
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Angelina Jolie on her new film First They Killed My Father - based on the genocide in Cambodia - politics and her family.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39022192
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Kim Jong-nam killing: Footage shows airport 'attack' - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Footage from an airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is said to show the moments before Kim Jong-nam died.
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CCTV footage from an airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, apparently shows the killing of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.
He is believed to have been attacked in the airport departure hall last Monday by two women, using some form of chemical.
Police believe he was poisoned and are looking for four North Koreans.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39034093
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Angelina Jolie exclusive: Cooking bugs in Cambodia - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Angelina Jolie and her family try some of Cambodia's delicacies.
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Angelina Jolie is in Cambodia to promote her new film First They Killed My Father, which is based on the country's genocide.
Yalda Hakim met up with the actress and her children to try some of Cambodia's unusual delicacies.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39030811
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FA Cup: Lucas Perez puts Arsenal ahead against non-league Sutton - BBC Sport
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2017-02-20
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Watch as Lucas Perez gives Arsenal the lead in their FA Cup fifth-round tie against non-league Sutton United at Gander Green Lane.
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Lucas Perez gives Arsenal the lead in their FA Cup fifth-round tie against non-league Sutton United at Gander Green Lane.
Watch all the best action from the FA Cup fifth round here.
Available to UK users only.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39034262
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Scientists 'solve' the ketchup problem - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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A super-slippery coating for bottles could make getting liquids out much easier, US scientists say.
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Scientists in the US may have found a solution to one of the classic dinner table problems - getting every drop of ketchup out of a bottle.
As the BBC's Pallab Ghosh reports, they say it is down to a non-toxic coating that makes the inside of bottles super-slippery.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39032105
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Breast cancer diagnosed after breastfeeding problem - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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When her baby boy stopped breastfeeding, Sarah Boyle insisted on a hospital scan.
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A mother has told BBC 5 live that her baby helped spot her breast cancer after he refused to be breastfed.
Sarah Boyle first noticed a lump in her right breast in January 2013, but was told it was a cyst by her GP.
She was later referred for a hospital scan and a biopsy by her GP. Two weeks later she was diagnosed with grade 2 triple negative breast cancer.
Speaking to Adrian Chiles, Sarah said that her prognosis is looking good and she hopes to make a full recovery.
"I'm doing really well to be honest. I get on with it because I'm a mother."
This clip is originally from 5 live Daily on Monday 20 February 2017
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39031252
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Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Manchester United - BBC Sport
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2017-02-20
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes off the bench to score the winner as Manchester United are made to work hard to beat Blackburn in the FA Cup fifth round.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench to score the winner as holders Manchester United had to work hard to beat Championship strugglers Blackburn in the FA Cup fifth round.
Striker Ibrahimovic was allowed too much time in the box to latch on to fellow substitute Paul Pogba's pass and tuck in from close range to set up a quarter-final tie against Premier League leaders Chelsea.
Danny Graham had given the hosts the lead with a rising finish following excellent play by Marvin Emnes, who himself had tested Sergio Romero with a thumping effort moments earlier.
In response, Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele pushed away Ander Herrera's fierce shot, but Marcus Rashford equalised for the visitors by going round the goalkeeper and slotting in from Henrikh Mkhitaryan's precise pass.
Rovers striker Anthony Stokes had a goal rightly ruled out offside following Romero's triple save late on.
Victory for United maintains their hopes of a cup treble this season, as they travel to Saint-Etienne in the Europa League on Wednesday with a healthy last-32 first-leg advantage, and face Southampton in the EFL Cup final next Sunday.
Jose Mourinho's side did not have it all their own way at Ewood Park and were slow and sloppy in possession, while struggling to carve open clear-cut opportunities.
But they had summer signings Ibrahimovic and Pogba to thank as the two players combined for United's winning goal, with the side now losing just one of their last 10 away games in all competitions.
World-record signing Pogba, who reportedly said he left the club in his first spell after failing to play against Blackburn in 2011, picked out Ibrahimovic with an inch-perfect pass, although the home defenders should have done better to close the Swede down for his 24th goal of the campaign.
It was also Mkhitaryan's incisive, outside-of-the-foot pass which opened up the Blackburn's defence for the opening goal. The excellent Armenian controlled much of the match with his intricate passing and pacy forward play, driving a strike narrowly wide in the first half.
Harking back to the old days
Premier League title rivals against United during the mid-1990s, Rovers have fallen on difficult times since and find themselves at the wrong end of the Championship, in real danger of being relegated to the third tier.
When once they could boast the likes of Simon Garner, Alan Shearer and Andy Cole in their starting line-up, this side is mostly put together from free and loan signings.
Nomadic front man Graham, acquired for nothing from Sunderland, has impressed this term and rolled back to happier times for Rovers with a well-taken effort after 17 minutes, turning Chris Smalling and striking high past Romero for his 12th goal of the season.
Graham's spin and shot when looking for a second provided no problems for the United goalkeeper and winger Craig Conway was wasteful by lashing over the crossbar from a promising position.
Defeat means Owen Coyle's men have won only once in five games and now turn their attention to preserving their Championship status.
'We conceded a brilliant goal' - what they said
Blackburn boss Owen Coyle: "We gave a very good account of ourselves but nobody likes losing games. We did enough to get another shot at it today.
"We now have to show that display week in, week out in the Championship.
"We know we have good footballers here, nobody could see they are short changed by us when it comes to entertainment.
"We showed great spirit and courage to try and get an equaliser at the end and we will need those qualities for the rest of the season."
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "Did they give us a good game? More than good, they gave us a hard game and congratulations to them. Their approach was brave, strong. They had real competitors and if we didn't have the right attitude from everybody we would be in real trouble.
"For long periods of the game you couldn't feel which one was the strongest team, they were brilliant. If they transfer this quality to the Championship they will have a big chance to survive.
"We conceded a brilliant goal. It was a brilliant goal. The movement and shot was really good, it didn't affect any player individually for us. We kept stable and we then scored a great goal."
Blackburn travel to Burton Albion in the Championship next Friday (kick-off 19:45 GMT), while Manchester United head to Saint-Etienne for the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie on Wednesday (kick-off 17:00 GMT).
• None Zlatan Ibrahimovic has now scored in the FA Cup, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey and Coupe de France.
• None The Swede is now Manchester United's joint-top scorer in all competitions since the start of last season (24 - joint with Anthony Martial), despite only joining this summer.
• None No Premier League player has played more games in all competitions this season than Ibrahimovic and Nathan Redmond (both 36).
• None All five of Paul Pogba's assists for Manchester United in 2016-17 have been for Ibrahimovic.
• None Manchester United have progressed from each of their last 11 FA Cup ties against teams from a lower division.
• None Danny Graham scored his first FA Cup goal since January 2013, which also came against top-flight opposition (Arsenal).
• None Four of Henrikh Mkhitaryan's five assists for Manchester United have been in cup competitions (three in the League Cup and one in the FA Cup).
• None Marcus Rashford has scored four goals in his six FA Cup appearances for Manchester United.
• None Blackburn have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 home games in domestic cup competition (FA Cup and League Cup).
• None Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
• None Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Marvin Emnes tries a through ball, but Anthony Stokes is caught offside.
• None Attempt saved. Marvin Emnes (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
• None Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
• None Attempt saved. Connor Mahoney (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Willem Tomlinson.
• None Connor Mahoney (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
• None Attempt blocked. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38947530
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Sir David Attenborough to present Blue Planet sequel - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The sequel to 2001's ocean series is due to be shown later this year on BBC One.
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UK
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Bottlenose dolphins were filmed surfing in South Africa for Blue Planet II
Sir David Attenborough will present the sequel to 2001's The Blue Planet, the BBC has announced.
The seven-part series, to be shown later this year, will aim to highlight recent scientific discoveries.
Filming innovations include suction cameras fitted to the backs of orcas.
"I am truly thrilled to be joining this new exploration of the underwater worlds which cover most of our planet, yet are still its least known," Sir David said.
Sir David said he was "truly thrilled" to be involved in the new series
The BBC's Natural History Unit spent four years filming off every continent and in every ocean for Blue Planet II, with support from marine scientists.
James Honeyborne, the series' executive producer, said: "The oceans are the most exciting place to be right now, because new scientific discoveries have given us a new perspective of life beneath the waves.
"Blue Planet II is taking its cue from these breakthroughs, unveiling unbelievable new places, extraordinary new behaviours and remarkable new creatures. Showing a contemporary portrait of marine life, it will provide a timely reminder that this is a critical moment for the health of the world's oceans."
Film-makers captured giant cuttlefish in Australia gathering in their thousands for their annual mating aggregation
Among the recent discoveries caught on camera are a tuskfish that uses tools and a new species of crab with a hairy chest - nicknamed the "Hoff crab" after Baywatch star David Hasselhoff.
The Natural History Unit's new filming techniques include "tow cams" that can capture predatory fish and dolphins head-on, suction cams which attach to the back of whale sharks and orcas for a creature's-eye view, and a probe camera that can record miniature marine life.
The BBC said the crew caught unusual examples of marine behaviour on camera, such as a coral grouper and reef octopus with sophisticated hunting techniques, a giant trevally fish that catches birds in flight, and a dive with a sperm whale mother and her calf.
A walrus mother and pup appear in the series, resting on an iceberg in the Arctic
It said the series would also explore new landscapes from methane volcanoes erupting in the Gulf of Mexico to the Antarctic deep at 1,000m, filmed using manned submersibles.
The Blue Planet was watched by more than 12 million people in 2001 and won Baftas and Emmy awards for both cinematography and music. The sequel will be broadcast on BBC One later this year.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39022239
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Manchester City v Monaco: Pep Guardiola says critics will 'kill' City if they lose - BBC Sport
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2017-02-20
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Pep Guardiola says Man City's critics will "kill them" if they exit the Champions League but wants his players to embrace the pressure.
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Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants his players to embrace the pressure of their Champions League last-16 tie against Monaco - even though he knows the club's critics will "kill them" if they do not progress.
Ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola has won the competition twice as a coach, and never failed to reach the semi-finals in seven attempts.
"To be here is not easy," he said.
"I want to convince the players to enjoy that moment. It is beautiful."
While Guardiola's previous two employers have been European champions 10 times between them, City reached their first semi-final last season and have progressed to the knockout round only four times.
"People can think Manchester City have to be here but a lot of big clubs are not here," said the 46-year-old. "We are lucky guys.
"Our recent history is quite good but over the long history, Manchester City was not here for a long time.
"All of Europe will watch us, to analyse us, to kill us if we don't win or say how good we are if we do."
De Bruyne 'doing well' despite fewer goals
City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne goes into the game having scored five goals in 32 appearances for the club this season.
Last term - his debut campaign having joined from Wolfsburg for a club-record £55m in August 2015 - he scored 18 goals in all competitions.
The 25-year-old Belgian says he is not interested in the figures because he is "playing better" this season.
"It doesn't bother me at all that I haven't scored as often," he said. "Not everyone sees I am playing lower on the pitch.
"I know how well I am doing for the team and if we can win a title, I will be very happy."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39031785
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Angelina Jolie on family, film and Cambodia - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Angelina Jolie on her new film First They Killed My Father, based on the genocide in Cambodia, and her family.
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Angelina Jolie on her new film First They Killed My Father, based on the Cambodia genocide, and also talks about her family.
She was speaking in an exclusive interview with the BBC's Yalda Hakim.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39022193
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Battle for western Mosul will be toughest fight yet - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Losing its most cherished prize will present IS with an existential challenge, says Renad Mansour.
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Middle East
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The battle for western Mosul is expected to be slow and difficult
Iraq's campaign to take back the western section of its second-largest city, Mosul, from so-called Islamic State (IS) will be Baghdad's last major showdown with the group, which, at its height, had controlled a third of the country's territory.
This will also be the toughest fight yet, as losing its most cherished prize will present IS with an existential challenge incomparable to any other loss it has suffered over the past two years.
Four months ago, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the official start of comprehensive operations to retake all of Mosul - east and west.
The timing of the announcement of the latest phase of the campaign has more to do with rallying the morale of his beleaguered forces than any significant changes in military strategy.
The fight for the east proved more difficult and time consuming than the Iraqi government had predicted.
The initial hope from the Barack Obama administration had been that Mosul would be liberated before the handover of power in Washington.
It is becoming clear that liberating all of Mosul will take several more months.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appeared at the Great Mosque in west Mosul in July 2014
In taking the east of Mosul, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) suffered considerable losses. According to Pentagon insiders, the casualty rates for certain forces on the front line was as high as 50%.
While this figure is denied by Iraqi military personnel in Baghdad, the government is concerned with attrition rates.
In battle, a winning side could be expected to suffer a much lower casualty rate. Incurring considerably more losses would heighten the risk of combat ineffectiveness.
For Prime Minister Abadi, just as important as weapons and funding is ensuring that his fighters on the frontline maintain battlefield morale and so far they have done so.
Time, however, is not on his side, as a prolonged campaign could erode troop resolve.
Mosul is the IS heartland. It was here, in the west, that the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, made his first and only public appearance, at al-Nuri mosque.
What has become clear from the battle thus far is that IS fighters will not retreat as easily from Mosul as they did in Falluja and Ramadi.
To them, losing the city means losing a capital.
Even before the group declared its caliphate, it was an underground organisation with a strong presence in western Mosul.
Residents recall that its fighters began performing public executions in the old market long before June 2014, without any punitive action from the provincial council.
Another challenge for the ISF will be the risk of civilian casualties. As many as 800,000 residents could be trapped in the densely populated and narrow streets. They are staying put as the battle rages.
Rather than fighting in the outskirt villages, IS is looking to draw the ISF to the urban centres of the west.
For the ISF, this means having to go door-to-door to flush out IS fighters, who are hiding among the population. The battle is already being dubbed the "war of the streets".
IS fighters are also relying on car bombs, which drive towards ISF troops and checkpoints. The jihadists would send up to 10 suicide bombers per day in the east.
To divert attention away from looming defeat, the IS leadership is looking to make a show of strength elsewhere.
When the ISF began operations in western Mosul, IS fighters launched attacks in the east, which Iraqi forces liberated over a month ago.
By doing this, IS looks to discredit ISF victories, and challenge the idea that Iraqi government forces are truly in control there.
Beyond Mosul, IS has also increased its attacks in other Iraqi cities. This includes recently liberated cities such as Falluja, but also, the capital, Baghdad.
The July 2016 bombing in Karada district, for instance, left more than 300 dead - becoming one of the largest attacks since 2003.
Since the beginning of this year, IS has killed almost 100 people in bombings in Baghdad alone.
Although challenging, short-term military successes are the easy part. The key to a sustainable victory is the political settlement.
Unlike most battles raging in the Middle East, in Mosul everyone bar IS is on the same side, albeit as uneasy bedfellows in some cases.
This includes Shia and Sunni Muslims and Kurds, as well as Iranians, Americans and others.
The various anti-IS groups in Mosul are uneasy bedfellows
Despite that, each party is looking to gain the most out of a victory. This contest for power may squander successes.
IS emerged not only because of its military prowess, but also because a considerable portion of Iraq's Sunni Arabs felt disenfranchised by the Shia-led government in Baghdad, as well as their own Sunni leaders.
Although many of these original supporters have since grown wary of the harsh IS rule, they will cautiously re-engage with their liberators, in hope of a better settlement.
Political infighting is the fuel that IS needs to survive, as military power alone will not do it for them.
At the moment, though, there are no clear signs of this settlement, as Prime Minister Abadi will have to juggle powerful competing forces all vying for influence in a post-IS Iraq.
Renad Mansour is an Academy Fellow at the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies, and lectures on the Middle East at the London School of Economics (LSE).
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39026040
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America's extremist battle: antifa v alt-right - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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In a divided America, two groups at the extreme ends of the political spectrum are doing battle online, and on the streets.
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BBC Trending
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A protester lobs a brick at police during protests in Washington during the inauguration of Donald Trump
In a divided America, two groups at the extreme ends of the political spectrum are doing battle online, and on the streets.
The alt-right - a disparate group of pro-Donald Trump provocateurs who critics say are bigoted white nationalists - has a reputation for trolling and online bullying. Now some believe they may have met their match in the form of a group of left-wing anarchists whose tactics are arguably more extreme.
They're called "antifa", short for "anti-fascist". The movement has its roots in 1930s Europe, but has had a low profile for much of the intervening period. Now the recent surge in nationalist movements across the globe has given it a new enemy to fight.
Antifa activists say they are committed to fighting fascism and racism in all its forms. Some aren't averse to violence, and the movement wasted little time in making its presence felt. Protests held during Donald Trump's inauguration turned violent. Restaurant windows were smashed, a car was set on fire and objects were thrown at the police. More than 200 arrests were made.
A Trump campaign hat set on fire by protesters during demonstrations in Washington
But the video which went viral that day wasn't of the rioters; it was one that featured the white nationalist Richard Spencer being punched by a masked man. Almost immediately mocking memes flooded the internet, including a number of videos of the attack set to music.
Far from condemning the attack, many antifa activists revelled in it.
"Every time anyone replays that video, 11 million ghosts rejoice along with them," an anonymous activist who runs an antifa Reddit group told BBC Trending. The 11 million figure, they say, refers to the victims of fascist regimes through the ages. "We as a society are so unwilling to condone Neo-Nazi philosophies ... that the video has become a part of the popular zeitgeist is a beautiful thing."
Not surprisingly, the fact that an act of violence has been turned into a propaganda coup infuriated many on the alt-right, amongst them Chuck Johnson, an influential figure in the movement.
"We've certainly reached a very tribal point in the culture where people cheer on violence," he told Trending. "Richard is not my favourite person on the right, but you should be able to give an interview on the street without being assaulted.
"I thought that was pretty disturbing to say the least."
Hear this story in full on the BBC World Service, or download our podcast
Last week the alt-right got a measure of revenge when Johnson published, on his website, the names, dates of birth and addresses of the 223 people who've been charged in connection with the Washington protests.
In internet speak, this is called "doxxing" - publishing someone's details without their permission, potentially laying them open to the threat of being harassed by anyone with a personal or ideological grudge against them.
It's a tactic used both by the alt-right and antifa. Johnson himself is perhaps most famous for publishing the home addresses of New York Times reporters and trying to reveal the personal information of a woman who was subject of a retracted Rolling Stone article about an alleged campus rape. He runs another site which crowdsources "bounty" rewards for actions against liberals. Some of the rewards are offered for revealing personal information.
Johnson defended the doxxing of the Washington protesters to BBC Trending.
"I don't have an issue with accused criminals having their addresses published," he says. "I don't think it's a problem."
The antifa activist whom we spoke to was equally unapologetic.
"Antifascists absolutely do engage in doxxing active members of hate groups." the anonymous activist said. "To ensure the safety of those who they would victimise from the shadows, we must bring them into the light."
At the same time, they don't like doxxing - when it happens to them.
"Many of those arrested in DC had absolutely no connection to any illegal action," the activist claimed. "Now, they face the threat of harassment by the most hate filled elements of society."
Online, there's a constant cat-and-mouse game. On alt-right and antifa message boards there's waves of trolling, spies, and constant rumours about infiltration. But the fight is also happening on the streets. In addition to the Washington protests, in recent weeks there have been a number of incidents in which both sides say they have been targeted for attack solely on the basis of their political beliefs.
Next story: The most eligible black woman in America?
After 16 years, the ABC reality TV show franchise The Bachelor has cast its first African-American lead.READ MORE
You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, and find us on Facebook. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-39004753
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Spencer Oliver on boxer Michael Watson, after suspected car-jack - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Former boxing champion Spencer Oliver describes the attack on friend and former boxer Michael Watson.
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Former boxing champion Spencer Oliver has described a suspected car-jacking attack on his friend and fellow former boxer Michael Watson.
Oliver told 5 live: “Michael has some burns when he was dragged down the road in the car. It was a crazy incident and thankfully no one was seriously hurt.”
A police spokesman confirmed: "Two men, aged in their 50s, informed officers that they had been sprayed in the face with a suspected noxious substance by two suspects who attempted to steal the car.
"The male suspects fled the scene in a different vehicle."
This clip is originally from 5 live Breakfast on Sunday 19 February 2017.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39020156
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Syria crisis: Footage shows girl 'Aya' rescue - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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Footage released by Syria Civil Defence shows a girl being pulled alive from rubble, apparently in Damascus amid reported air strikes.
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Footage released by Syria Civil Defence - also known as the White Helmets - shows a girl being pulled alive from rubble, apparently in Damascus' Tishreen neighbourhood on Sunday.
Activists have reported air strikes in two other neighbourhoods, Qabun and Barzeh, over the weekend.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39031258
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Cake or biscuit? Why Jaffa Cakes excite philosophers - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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It's a delicious structure consisting of sponge, chocolate and orange jelly. But is a Jaffa Cake actually a biscuit? And what can it teach us about philosophy?
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Magazine
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It's a delicious structure consisting of a small sponge with a chocolate cap covering a veneer of orange jelly. It is arguably Britain's greatest invention after the steam engine and the light bulb. But is a Jaffa Cake actually a biscuit, asks David Edmonds.
This question reheats a confectionery conundrum first raised in 1991. A tax is charged on chocolate-covered biscuits, but not on cakes. The manufacturer, McVities, had always categorised them as cakes and to boost their revenue the tax authorities wanted them recategorised as biscuits.
A legal case was fought in front of a brilliant adjudicator, Mr D C Potter. For McVities, this produced a sweet result. The Jaffa Cake has both cake-like qualities and biscuit-like qualities, but Mr Potter's verdict was that, on balance, a Jaffa Cake is a cake.
He examined a dozen possible criteria. There was, for example, the name. They are called Jaffa Cakes, not Jaffa Biscuits. This, Mr Potter concluded, was a trifling consideration, though he noted that Jaffa Cakes are more biscuit than cake in several ways. They are packaged like biscuits, and they are marketed like biscuits: they are usually found in the biscuit aisle in shops.
On the other hand, they have fundamental cake-esque qualities. Thus, they have ingredients of a traditional sponge cake: eggs, flour and sugar. And when Jaffa Cakes go stale they become hard, unlike biscuits, which become soft.
Does size matter? Jaffa Cakes are more biscuit-sized than cake-sized. Linked to this, cakes are often eaten with a fork, while biscuits tend to be held in the hand. To test the significance of size, I asked the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2013, Frances Quinn, to bake the most ginormous Jaffa Cake the world has ever seen - the size of a flying saucer, at 124cm in diameter, weighing in at 50kg, and containing 120 eggs and 30 litres of jelly.
Tim Crane, Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University, does not believe that this XXXXXXXXXXXL Jaffa Cake is any more cake-like than its normal-sized Jaffa Cake sibling. "These days you see all sorts of tiny cakes for sale, some of them much smaller than Jaffa Cakes," he says. "And there's nothing incoherent about a giant biscuit."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. How do you make the world's biggest Jaffa Cake?
The immediate implication of Mr Potter's ruling was financial. But Prof Crane says the question "Cake or Biscuit?" touches on a profound philosophical problem. "How do our concepts relate to reality?" Which aspects of our classification of the world come from the world itself and which come from us?
There is no record of the 20th Century philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, ever tasting a Jaffa Cake, though there is evidence that he was partial towards a bun. But his ideas are relevant to the Jaffa Cake puzzle.
We are tempted to think that every concept must have a strict definition to be useable. But Wittgenstein pointed out that there are many "family-resemblance" concepts, as he called them. Family members can look alike without sharing a single characteristic. Some might have distinctive cheek bones, others a prominent nose, etc. Equally, some concepts can operate with overlapping similarities. Take the concept of "game". Some games involve a ball, some don't. Some involve teams, some don't. Some are competitive, some are not. There is no characteristic that all games have in common.
And there is no strict definition of "cake" or "biscuit" that compels us to place the Jaffa Cake under either category.
Ponder the philosophy of the Jaffa Cake in the Philosopher's Arms on BBC Radio 4 at 20:00 on Monday 20 February
Another temptation is to believe that all that is at stake here is an arbitrary issue of semantics. It is, the thought goes, a mere verbal convention whether one labels a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit. It has nothing to do with the real world.
The distinction between statements that are true as a matter of convention or language ("All triangles have three sides"), and those that make a claim about the empirical world ("It is possible to eat 13 Jaffa Cakes in a minute") - is a longstanding one in philosophy. But in the middle of the last century the American philosopher Willard Van Orman Quine disputed whether such a rigid distinction could be maintained - and Tim Crane agrees with him that it cannot.
"Do you know what an Umiak is?" Tim Crane asks? "No? Well, it's a flat-bottomed Inuit canoe. So have I told you something about the word, or have I told you something about the world? Well, I think you've learned something about both." And if it's true to say, "a Jaffa Cake is a cake" (or "a Jaffa Cake is a biscuit") then that also tells us something about the world, i.e. about the properties of a Jaffa Cake, as well as about the meaning of the word "cake".
But could Jaffa Cakes be neither cakes nor biscuits - and instead something in between?
It may be interesting to compare Jaffa Cakes with people here, even though they differ in several ways - most Jaffa Cakes have no opinion about how they should be identified, for example, and most humans are not topped by a thin but scrumptious layer of chocolate.
Until recently, people have not been free to choose their gender, and have been restricted to being described as either male or female.
More and more discoveries in science are undermining this binary mapping. It used to be thought that men were defined by their having a Y chromosome. Now we know that whether an embryo develops as a male depends upon a single gene: the SRY gene. It's possible for a person with XY chromosomes to have the appearance of a woman if they are lacking this gene. Similarly, a person with XX chromosomes can have the appearance of a male if they carry this gene.
There are many genes at play when it comes to the male versus female development. Genetics, hormones, chromosomes can all combine to complicate a complicated picture. As a result, says Dr Helen O'Neill, a geneticist at University College London, "I think we should revise our definitions of male and female, there are many gradations in between". In fact, for some purposes, she thinks we should get rid of the male-female distinction, for example on passports. After all, she says, we are all homo sapiens.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Is it a cake or is it a biscuit?
Multifaceted expressions of identity inject a further layer of complexity. Mx Pips Bunce, who is married with two children and works for Credit Suisse as head of Global Markets Integration Components, identifies as "gender-fluid". Sometimes Pips wakes up choosing to express as Pippa and other times as Phil.
The world at present is set up for binary categorisation despite as many as 4% of people now identifying as non-binary, according to some studies. Two obvious and tricky areas are bathrooms and sport. Pips uses the female bathrooms as Pippa and the male ones as Phil, whereas some people who identify as non-binary or trans would rather bathrooms were intersex. The topic of which bathrooms transgender people use is highly contentious.
Equally contentious are intersex athletes in sport, like the South African Olympic 800m champion, Caster Semenya, who competes as a woman. Is it possible, or desirable, to break down the binary categories in sport - to introduce new categories perhaps? The idea is not preposterous. Boxing, with its different weights - flyweight, heavyweight etc. - is one of several sports carved up into more nuanced groupings than simply male/female.
But back to the Jaffa Cake mystery. Cake or biscuit? "Definitely cake," says Tim Crane, echoing the judgement of Mr Potter. This is an assertion about the world, not just about language. A Jaffa Cake, in its essence, is more cake-like than biscuit like. Its cake features are more elemental than its biscuit features.
And with that riddle solved, the Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy shrinks the world's largest Jaffa Cake by taking a giant bite.
David Edmonds is the producer of The Philosopher's Arms on BBC Radio 4
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38985820
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Don Juan role shows David Tennant 'as you've never seen him before' - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The actor's role in Don Juan in Soho will see him play 'an anti-hero', says writer and director Patrick Marber.
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Entertainment & Arts
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David Tennant's new West End role will show him in a new light, according to the play's writer and director.
The Broadchurch and Doctor Who star is going to be a "real anti-hero" in Don Juan in Soho, says Patrick Marber - the man behind Oscar-nominated film Closer.
It's been described as a "savagely funny and filthy" update of Moliere's 17th century tragicomedy Don Juan, with the action taking place in modern-day London.
Marber says Tennant has been known for playing "decent" people in recent years, but all that will change when he takes on the title role.
"It's a great part for him," says Marber as rehearsals get under way at Wyndham's Theatre.
"I think it's going to be very funny and very rude. It's really exciting to see my play again."
The play was first staged in 2006, with Rhys Ifans playing Don Juan as the seducer who's hell-bent on pleasure, and couldn't care less about the consequences.
Of the new Don Juan, Marber - who's also been an actor and comedian - says: "It's a part we haven't seen David play before, really.
"The man is an amoral hedonist, and is wicked. You love to hate him, and hate to love him - he's a real anti-hero."
Patrick Marber says Don Juan in Soho is 'naughty but nice'
And, according to Marber, Tennant is funny - very, very funny indeed.
"He's always a great comedian," he says.
"When I met him 20 years ago, he was the best light comedian I'd ever seen at the time. This is an opportunity to give full rein to his comic skills."
Asked quite how rude Don Juan is going to be, Marber replies: "I think it's naughty but nice. I don't think it's shocking."
It's a busy time for the playwright. He directed the just-opened West End transfer of Tom Stoppard's Travesties, which enjoyed a sell-out run at London's Menier Chocolate Factory last year.
Fans can also see his version of Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre, with Affair star Ruth Wilson giving what Marber describes as "one of the greatest performances" he has ever seen.
So how is he getting through this hectic period?
"I'm getting as much sleep as I possibly can and drinking a lot of coffee," he says.
Travesties stars Rev's Tom Hollander as Henry Carr, a man recalling his memories as a diplomat living in Zurich in 1917, and the people he met there - including James Joyce and Lenin.
"I think it sold out on the two Toms names - Hollander and Stoppard. It's a really nice combination of people," said Marber.
"It's not been on in London since the early 1990s. so I think there's some curiosity there too."
He described it as a "very funny play" which is "about universal things like love, sex, art and politics".
It is especially relevant in 2017, he added.
"At the time it's set, in Europe 1917 - exactly 100 years ago - the world is at war.
"It talks to that anxiety, that feeling that the world is disturbing and troubled. And it feels increasingly relevant, the play.
"I think that in troubled times, people want to be entertained, and it's a very entertaining evening at the theatre. It wears its politics lightly.
"It speaks to the soul and intellect, the heart and the head."
Travesties is at the Apollo Theatre until 29 April. Don Juan in Soho is at Wyndham's Theatre from 17 March.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38895605
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Exploring Glasgow's secret 'ghost station' - BBC News
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2017-02-20
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A forgotten and abandoned platform hidden beneath Glasgow Central Station could be given new life.
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A disused and forgotten platform beneath Glasgow Central station offers a glimpse of the past.
Guided tours of the tunnels have attracted thousands of people over the past couple of years.
But plans are afoot to try and restore part of the platform to how it looked in its heyday.
Paul Lyons of Glasgow Central Tours took BBC News on a tour of Glasgow's ghost station.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39008682
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