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Freezing tips - BBC Food | 2017-02-03 | null | null | null | 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: | http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques/freezing_tips?intc_type=promo&intc_location=news&intc_campaign=freezingtips&intc_linkname=bbcfood_fac_vidclip1 |
Six Nations 2017: Johnny Sexton joins opener absentees - BBC Sport | 2017-02-03 | null | 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. | null | 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." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38845499 |
Women's Six Nations: Italy Women 8-20 Wales Women - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Wales Women get their Six Nations off to a winning start with a gritty 20-8 victory over Italy Women at Jesi. | null | Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby
Wales Women made a winning start to the Six Nations with a gritty 20-8 victory over Italy Women at Jesi.
Caryl Thomas' close-range score after 16 minutes helped Wales to a 10-0 lead, with Elinor Snowsill kicking a penalty and conversion.
Italy cut the Welsh lead to 10-8 at the break after Manuela Furlan's try.
But full-back Dyddgu Hywel and hooker Carys Phillips crossed for Wales in the second period before the Welsh defence held out in the closing stages.
Wales dominated the early territory thanks to an astute kicking game, with Snowsill chipping over a 25-metre penalty after nine minutes.
The visitors then made the most of running a tap penalty, with prop Thomas emerging from underneath a pile of bodies as the Welsh pack drove over, Snowsill converting.
Italy mounted a storming comeback in the second quarter as winger Michela Sillari knocked over a penalty after the Welsh scrum was put under severe pressure, to the delight of a noisy home crowd.
Then full-back Furlan made the most of room out wide to cross in the corner, leaving Wales hanging on to a precarious 10-8 advantage at half-time.
A similar move then saw Wales' number 15 Hywel emulate Furlan, cutting inside to score the visitors' second try five minutes after the break.
Wales had their fair share of defending to do, but proved more efficient in turning pressure into points as captain Phillips crashed over from a driving maul with 10 minutes left.
Wales then held out in defence for a fifth straight win under new coach Rowland Phillips, the former Wales flanker.
Hywel was named woman of the match for a commanding all-round performance in attack and defence.
She told BBC Wales Sport: "First half, the Italians were putting quite a lot of pressure on us, maybe we lost our shape at some points, but we kept our composure and came back stronger in the second half.
"I feel in the second half we really showed what we can do on the pitch. It's always nice to score but it came off a good drive by the forwards and simple work to finish it off from the backs.
"We've got a lot of analysis to do and then head into training on Tuesday to concentrate on the England game.
"It's a great environment with new management - we've had the perfect build-up with four warm-ups and beating Ireland two weeks ago. It's all about confidence and thankfully we've got that massive win [and are] ready for England next week." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38839157 |
Lawro's Premier League predictions v BBC NFL analyst Osi Umenyiora - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson takes on BBC NFL analyst Osi Umenyiora in this week's Premier League fixtures. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson will be making a prediction for all 380 Premier League games this season against a variety of guests.
Lawro's opponent for this weekend's Premier League fixtures is two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora, an analyst on the BBC's NFL Show.
Umenyiora says he does not support a Premier League team - instead he follows his favourite player, Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"Anywhere Zlatan goes, that is who I follow," he explained. "Last year I was a fan of Paris St-Germain, but now I am a fan of United - because of Zlatan.
"He is the kind of footballer who could make the transition to play in the NFL, partly because of his attitude and also because he has the physicality to dominate games."
As well as predicting the outcome of the weekend's Premier League games, Umenyiora has picked a winner of Super Bowl LI on Sunday - he thinks the Atlanta Falcons will beat the New England Patriots 31-27 in Houston.
Super Bowl LI, with Umenyiora, Mark Chapman, Mike Carlson and Jason Bell is live on BBC One and BBC Radio 5 live from 23:20 GMT on Sunday.
You can make your Premier League predictions now, compare them with those of Lawro and other fans by playing the BBC Sport Predictor game.
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
From the midweek Premier League games, Lawro got three correct results, including two perfect scores, from the 10 games for a total of 90 points.
He beat England spinner Moeen Ali, who got two correct results, with no perfect scores for a tally of 20 points that leaves him joint bottom of the guest leaderboard.
All kick-offs 15:00 GMT unless otherwise stated.
• None The celebrations that were bigger than the goals | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38802571 |
Ciaran Maxwell: The Marine who turned to terror - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell turned to terror and stored arms smuggled from the military. | Northern Ireland | Ciaran Maxwell was set upon and beaten unconscious as a teenager in Larne
A Royal Marine Commando from Northern Ireland has pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism linked to dissident republicanism. Ciaran Maxwell's case raises alarming questions of how he was able to penetrate the ranks of an elite British military unit and smuggle out arms.
In the early hours of a morning back in June 2002, Maxwell, then 16, was walking from his home in Larne towards the Seacourt estate, which sits on a hill overlooking the port. What happened next left the Catholic teenager "angry and traumatised", according to someone in the nationalist community who knew him.
Maxwell was struck by a bottle, fell to the ground and was set upon and beaten unconscious by a gang of loyalists armed with golf clubs and iron bars.
The unprovoked attack featured in the republican newspaper An Phoblacht, which claimed that an Army patrol arrived at the scene but did not intervene.
That cannot be substantiated, though amid escalating tension in the town, soldiers were back on the streets to support the police who dealt with nearly 300 sectarian incidents between April 2001 and March 2004.
A security source we spoke to recalled shootings, houses being burnt out and regular beatings.
This was the environment in which Maxwell - described as a "quiet republican" - became an adult.
Several residents in his home town said the mental scars of his beating never fully healed, leaving a vulnerability that others would later exploit.
The failure of police to prosecute anyone for the assault may also have caused him bitterness.
Eight years later the adventure-loving, physically fit Maxwell began the gruelling 32-week training to become a Royal Marine, writing online: "Pain is temporary, the Green Beret is forever."
In May 2011 his mother expressed her pride ahead of attending his passing out parade in England.
But all was not as it seemed. One of the men who completed training with Maxwell, and does not want to be identified, told the BBC: "He was a strange character, very reserved, didn't join in with the banter."
He described him as "shifty" and unwilling to form close relationships with others in the unit.
Before he had even completed his training, court papers show that Maxwell began "assisting another to commit an act of terrorism" although it is not clear which individual or group he was working with.
He was not the only young man from Larne being drawn into the orbit of dissident republicanism.
A friend from the Seacourt estate was jailed in 2014 after pleading guilty to possession of explosives with intent to endanger life. Niall Lehd had buried chemicals, a pipe bomb and a deactivated submachine gun in blue barrels in a field.
By 2016, despite having become a father, Maxwell had begun burying his own blue barrels full of explosive ingredients during visits to see family in Larne.
Some of the ammunition discovered
In a country park, he stockpiled chemicals which he bought online, timer units and improvised detonators. Even more alarmingly, in a remote forest he hid a handgun, ammunition, pipe bombs and Claymore anti-personnel mines he had stolen from the British military.
His behaviour was becoming increasingly reckless as he built more hides in the woods near his home in Devon where he also stashed cannabis he planned to sell in Larne.
In his work locker were bank card details stolen from fellow Marines to carry out fraud and handwritten notes on tactics used by terrorist groups.
But his plans unravelled when police uncovered the hides in Northern Ireland in one of the most significant arms finds of recent years.
Detectives traced the serial numbers on the mines across the Irish Sea to 40 Commando, the Royal Marine unit based near Taunton where Ciaran Maxwell had been quietly building a career. They also found his DNA on some of the material found in the woods.
Maxwell had endured so much to get the green beret only to trade it for terrorism. Was his a long-planned infiltration or was he dragged back by others to a past he thought he had escaped?
In his hometown few are willing to talk on the record about his case. Larne is much calmer these days but the occasional street mural and flag hint at the continuing presence of loyalist paramilitary groups such as the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Defence Association.
There are concerns that dissident republicans are becoming more active in parts of Northern Ireland. Last month a police officer was shot and injured in north Belfast.
Although Maxwell had links to dissident republicans, it is not known how extensive they were. A security source told the BBC that he was "operating as a bit of a lone wolf."
Sammy Wilson, Democratic Unionist MP for East Antrim, said: "There has always been a dissident group which has been operating around Larne engaged in firebombing, that kind of activity, and it's been known that they have been trying to move into the area and recruit."
Mr Wilson is concerned that Ciaran Maxwell was able to sneak munitions out of his base and evade detection for so long.
He said: "Where it is clear that someone is vulnerable either to coercion or may well have sympathies to aid and abet terrorist groups because of their background, perhaps we should give special attention to them when they come back to their own community."
The BBC asked the Ministry of Defence about its security vetting procedures for Royal Marines but received no response.
The criminal case against Ciaran Maxwell was overwhelming, paving the way for today's guilty plea.
What is much less clear is exactly why he turned to terrorism, although his actions offer a stark reminder of the dark forces that still threaten stability in Northern Ireland. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38856986 |
Romania protests: Children central to anti-government rally - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Parents explain why they have brought their children to anti-government protests in Bucharest. | null | As anti-government protests in Romania enter their fifth day, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg speaks to parents about why they have decided to bring their children along. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38867030 |
Ireland move closer to Test cricket status after ICC meeting - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Ireland could be granted Test cricket status as soon as April following a meeting of the ICC board in Dubai. | null | Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Ireland could be granted Test cricket status in April after a meeting of the International Cricket Council board in Dubai.
An agreement has been made to include them and Afghanistan in future plans.
At the meeting, the ICC also agreed the principle of a nine-team Test league, to be run over a two-year cycle, probably starting after the 2019 World Cup.
Decisions will be made at the next ICC board meeting in April.
In addition, after the controversy of the recent India-England series, the ICC has agreed in principle to use the decision review system in televised World Twenty20 matches from October.
The ICC has been discussing ways to revamp the Test structure for some time.
It is unclear if Ireland and Afghanistan would be able to play Tests straight away or would have to wait for the new structure of Test cricket to begin.
Ireland made their one-day international debut in June 2006 when they played England, while Afghanistan's maiden ODI was three years later.
Afghanistan's domestic four-day and Twenty20 competitions have now been granted first-class and List A status respectively, four months after Ireland's Inter-Provincial Championship became the first domestic event outside a Test-playing country to earn first-class status. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38869091 |
Six Nations 2017: The six key questions Eddie Jones is facing - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | England seem well set for the Six Nations, so what are the six questions facing coach Eddie Jones? Tom Fordyce reports. | null | 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
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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? | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38748058 |
Caught between Trump and a liberal place - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Technology bosses seem open to talking with President Trump - but their staff seem to have other ideas. | Technology | Donald Trump (R) met technology leaders when he was president-elect
It also just so happens to be the sixth largest economy in the world and home to the most influential, profitable and powerful companies on earth.
If the bubble bursts, or even just contracts a little, the whole country suffers - including President Donald Trump and his supporters. California is a so-called “donor” state, meaning it simply pays more into the US Treasury than it gets out.
So when President Trump talks about making deals, he’ll know full well that in California he faces formidable bargaining chips he can’t ignore. He may even be on the back foot.
And that may be one of the reasons why we saw a peculiar thing happen on Friday.
Uber boss Travis Kalanick decided not to turn up to President Trump’s economic advisory panel, and the president said... nothing.
He didn’t call the company “failing” or “once great” or “weak” or any of those words he’s typically thrown around when he feels personally slighted.
In fact, aside from a few pre-election skirmishes with Apple, President Trump has been relatively ambivalent towards tech firms, and there’s a very good theory as to why - he really needs them.
Travis Kalanick put Uber's reputation ahead of the value the company might get from a meeting with the president
And they need him too, of course.
Under President Trump, Silicon Valley is holding out for a lower corporate tax rate - which could bring billions back into the US, a win-win for both sides.
But there’s a snag in this arrangement. For the most part, the workers at these companies are outraged, seething at the prospect of their bosses even sitting at the same table as the new president.
That’s why we saw 2,000 Google employees across the world leave their desks on Monday to demonstrate against the immigration ban.
It’s why Amazon’s own employees are calling on the company to stop advertising on right-wing news website Breitbart.
It’s why Uber’s staff wrote a lengthy “Letter to Travis”, informing their boss about how unpopular his involvement with President Trump was among the ranks. It worked.
“Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that,” Mr Kalanick told staff in a memo announcing he was stepping down.
The tone was understanding, but a little frustrated. Would it not be better to at least have a seat at the table? Uber’s staff didn’t see it that way.
Although he said he didn’t support President Trump’s immigration policy, people thought he did. And that’s what mattered most.
He put Uber’s reputation ahead of the value Uber might get from a meeting with the president.
He may have been extra-sensitive after a long week.
Last Saturday, a misjudged tweet caused a reported 200,000 Uber users to delete their accounts - so many, in fact, the company had to create a special tool to automate the process.
Uber’s explanation that it was all a big misunderstanding has merit, but the furore, justified or not, underlined the fine line tech companies tread with their users.
The firms have until now acted in ways that were “good for business”, but now they are being forced to consider what is simply “good”.
One minute you can be helping the people of San Francisco get around, the next those same people are protesting outside your headquarters.
Another company tip-toeing along is Twitter, buoyed by its role as the mouthpiece for the most important man in the world, but cowed by what that man chooses to share.
It has faced calls to ban President Trump from the site on account of some feeling he has breached the network’s rules on hate speech and harassment.
It of course hasn’t done that - and to be fair, the demand didn’t gain significant traction, even amongst Trump’s opponents.
But Twitter’s employees, nervous about their role as President Trump’s megaphone, contributed a combined $1m (£800,775) to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
The ACLU has been the benefactor of choice for companies that have one eye on public perception.
Many are dealing with what can be plainly described as the “Peter Thiel problem”. Mr Thiel, an investor with an arguably unrivalled track record, has his fingers in almost every significant pie around here.
And, uncomfortably for many, he also has the ear of the president, of whom he is an outspoken supporter.
When Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg chose not to make a public statement on the Women’s March two weeks ago, people jumped to various conclusions, most of which inevitably led to the hand of Mr Thiel - who sits on Facebook’s board.
This comes despite any evidence Mr Thiel is calling any kind of shots on Facebook’s political position.
Support for President Trump in California is harder to come by than in other parts of the US
Meanwhile, well-regarded start-up accelerator Y Combinator is also feeling pressure thanks to its links with Mr Thiel.
The company’s president Sam Altman said he wouldn’t sever ties with the investor. The programme has said it will take on the ACLU as one of its cohorts, offering mentorship on digital projects.
It seems for now the rank-and-file of Silicon Valley see advising President Trump as indistinguishable from supporting him.
Technology companies are perhaps paying for years of hyperbolic statements about changing the world, in a place where a minor software update gets people “super excited”.
One thing that has struck me about staff at these huge companies is the infectious, passionate loyalty. It exists because those employees believe the company stands for the same issues they do. Any wavering creates shockwaves.
The atmosphere may get less toxic as the presidency continues, but it leaves bosses extremely hesitant to get around President Trump’s table.
Will President Trump need to get around theirs?
Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC and on Facebook | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38866023 |
Davis Cup: Great Britain could play France in the quarter-finals - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | France beat Japan in Tokyo to set up a potential Davis Cup quarter-final against Great Britain in April. | null | Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, Red Button, Connected TV and online, plus follow text updates on the BBC Sport website
Great Britain's reward should they beat Canada will be a Davis Cup quarter-final against France, who saw off Japan with a day to spare in Tokyo.
Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert won the doubles to give France an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Australia went 3-0 up on the Czech Republic and next face the USA, who beat Switzerland - who were missing Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka.
Serbia also progressed on day two as they went 3-0 up on Russia.
Britain lead Canada 2-1 heading into the final day in Ottawa, with the three remaining World Group first-round ties also to be decided on Sunday.
Champions Argentina, without Juan Martin del Potro, are 2-1 down at home to Italy; 2015 runners-up Belgium lead Germany 2-1 in Frankfurt; and Croatia have taken a surprise 2-1 lead over Spain, missing Rafael Nadal, in Osijek. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38867825 |
Trump administration sanctions Tehran - but what now? - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Within days of an Iranian missile test and a subsequent warning from the Trump administration, the US has now followed up by imposing a new round of economic sanctions. | US & Canada | Iran is "on notice" after a missile test, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn says, but didn't specify what US ramifications would be
Within days of an Iranian missile test and a subsequent warning from the Trump administration, the US has now followed up by imposing a new round of economic sanctions.
The sanctions focus upon suppliers to Iran's missile programme and groups that help to arm what Washington sees as terror organisations in the region.
It is hard to see what practical impact these sanctions will have, since few of these organisations or individuals probably do business in the United States.
But the sanctions sends a clear warning to Tehran the guard has changed in Washington.
The Obama administration saw its relationship with Iran largely through the prism of the need to negotiate a deal to constrain Tehran's nuclear programme.
Iran's regional activities - support for Hamas and Hezbollah, military support for the Assad regime, backing of the Houthis in Yemen, and its growing influence in Iraq - were all played down to ensure that the nuclear deal might go ahead.
For the Obama team, restraining Iran's nuclear activities was the overarching goal.
This was seen as an end in itself, one that might stave off military action, but also a step that might, over time, also lead Iran away from its relative economic isolation towards an improved relationship with the West.
Opinion was deeply divided on the nuclear deal.
The US and its major western allies, along with Russia, saw merit in the nuclear agreement that effectively "kicked the can down the road", postponing any confrontation with Tehran over its nuclear programme.
Washington's regional allies though - countries like Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, who have watched Tehran's rise with alarm - were much less impressed.
And many of them may well have been hoping that the Trump team - which includes several vocal opponents of Tehran - might seek to undo the agreement.
Things are a little more complex than that. On a recent trip to Israel's major annual security conference last week, many experts and officials there took the view that a bad deal, if properly implemented, might be better than no deal at all.
What worries Israelis is the fact that Iran is now becoming a major player in the region.
Its support for the Assad regime in Syria and the deployment of its allies - Hezbollah and various Shia militias, supported by officers from its Revolutionary Guard Corps - has provided Tehran with at least the opportunity to establish its allies on a long border with Israel from the Mediterranean Sea through Lebanon and Syria - all the way to the Jordanian frontier.
Jordan too is concerned, as are several of the Gulf states, which explains their quiet strategic rapprochement with Israel.
The irony in all of this is that it was largely US military power that established the conditions for Iran's rise to regional prominence.
By deposing its archenemy Saddam Hussein and reducing Iraq to a minor military player with many other security problems on its plate - Washington opened the door to the expansion of Iranian influence in the region.
Iraqi boys walk near the University of Mosul after its liberation from IS
A further irony is that in supporting the Iraqi government's efforts against so-called Islamic State, the US is objectively allied with Tehran, with several Iranian-influenced Shia militias fighting in the same campaign.
The Obama administration's failure to countenance the forced removal of Syria's President Assad and its inept and half-hearted efforts to arm and train Sunni forces there, again favoured the emerging Shia axis.
So the Trump administration comes to office with a desire fundamentally to change Washington's stance towards Tehran. These sanctions are but the first step.
A declaration that Iran is now "on notice", in the words of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, may sound good, but it doesn't amount to a policy.
What real steps does the Trump team envisage?
Is it ready to back - albeit reluctantly - the nuclear accord while monitoring stringently Iran's behaviour?
What wider international support can the US gather for tougher action against Tehran's missile programme - which it insists it is entitled to pursue?
On the face of it here the US may have a point. UN Security council resolution 2231 calls on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear weapon.
A US National Security Council briefing earlier this week noted that ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering a payload of at least 500kg to a range of 300km are inherently able to deliver nuclear weapons.
"There should be no doubt," the briefing went on , "that the United States is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising."
But what exactly does the Trump Administration mean by phrases like "holding Iran to account"?
These are two countries whose warships potentially come into close proximity in Gulf waters every day. Tensions could spark a major confrontation. Is Washington on a collision course with Tehran?
Its rhetoric might suggest so. But it is President Trump's actions - and of course Iran's own responses - that will determine where things go from here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38859956 |
Quiz of the week's news - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A weekly quiz of the news, 7 days 7 questions. | Magazine | It's the weekly news quiz - have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world over the past seven days?
If you missed last week's quiz, try it here
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38845772 |
Six Nations 2017: Pundits pick winner and key players - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Who will be the game-changers? What new rule will have the biggest impact? And who will win? Our pundits have their say. | null | We have asked four wise old heads what they expect to happen over the next seven weeks in the Six Nations.
Jeremy Guscott, Jonathan Davies, Keith Wood and Andy Nicol have 191 Test caps - including 13 for the British and Irish Lions - between them.
They will be on your televisions and radios analysing all the action from the 2017 tournament - but we've nabbed them first to find out who they expect to win, and plenty more besides.
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How do you expect your team to get on?
Former England centre Jeremy Guscott: England are the reigning Grand Slam champions and have won 13 out of 13 under Eddie Jones, but being realistic they haven't taken teams apart with amazing attack. It's been very much brutal defence that's been giving them the edge and improved fitness. They may need to produce more than that this year.
Ex-Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies: Wales will have to perform better defensively - and more importantly offensively - if they are to be contenders this year. They also need to have more variety in their game.
Keith Wood, former Ireland hooker: Ireland are looking very good at the moment. The coaching seems to be a little more flexible than it has been and the team seem more comfortable, with the current gameplan suiting the expanded squad.
Former Scotland scrum-half Andy Nicol: Scotland are in pretty good shape - they are definitely improving, with a well-balanced team and good coaching. There is confidence throughout the squad after a positive autumn, as well as Glasgow qualifying for the knockout stage in Europe. My target for them is three wins.
Who will win the title?
JG: It's between England and Ireland. England have three home games (and I expect them to win all three), which gives them a slight advantage, but that is countered with having to play Ireland away. Ireland are playing at a tempo and intensity that the rest of the Six Nations haven't reached yet, and I expect them to win the championship.
JD: It's got to be Ireland. However, I don't expect them to win the Grand Slam (winning all five of their matches), so bonus points - introduced this year - will be important.
KW: I expect Ireland to win. It is the right cycle of games for them, their confidence is high and the provinces are doing well in Europe. They also have a small injury list - notwithstanding Johnny Sexton's absence from the opening weekend - and more strength in depth than before.
AN: England and Ireland start as favourites, with not much between them. They meet in the last game in Dublin with home advantage being crucial and probably the difference between the two. The style that England play and their ability to score more tries and points make them my favourites to win the Six Nations on points difference - or bonus points - but with no Grand Slam.
How will the Six Nations finish?
What new rule will have the biggest effect?
There are two main changes this year - stricter rules on high tackles and the introduction of bonus points.
The former means anyone making contact with the head of an opposition player, either recklessly or accidentally, will be punished more severely.
The introduction of bonus points brings the Six Nations in line with other competitions around the world and means sides scoring four tries, or losing by less than seven points, will earn bonus points.
JG: The new rules on high tackles will have the biggest effect. Without doubt players will be going to the bin for high tackles and that will have a bearing on results for sure.
JD: The new high tackle ruling and the way each referee interprets each incident.
KW: High tackle rule. The margin between a correct tackle and a high hit is too small.
AN: The new high tackle law could see more yellow cards, which could influence games. I'm not sure bonus points will come in to it - certainly not in first few games.
Who do you think will be the key player?
AN: England's Owen Farrell. Tactician, kicker, intense, brave, winner - there's five words I'd use to describe him.
JD: I pick Farrell too - he is key to England's game management.
KW: Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray - he leads by deed and composure.
Should the Six Nations have promotion and relegation?
The Six Nations began as a four-team competition - the Home Nations Championship - in 1883 before adding first France and then Italy - the latter in 2000.
The growth of rugby union over the past decade has seen Georgia, in particular, and a resurgent Romania become competitive at the highest level, but unable to move up from the second-tier Rugby Europe Championship because there is no promotion and relegation.
The second tier nations have called for the chance of admission to the Six Nations but the chances of that happening in the "Short to medium term" are unlikely, according to the tournament's boss John Feehan.
AN: I am not in favour of straight relegation from the Six Nations but I am in favour of a play-off between the bottom team in the Six Nations and the top nation in the Rugby Europe Championship. Georgia have earned the right to have a shot at making the top level having won the Nations Cup (the Rugby Europe Championship) in eight of the past nine years.
JG: I'm not sold on relegation yet. It may come in the future, but I've not heard enough compelling evidence to make a change yet.
JD: I think the bottom team in the Six Nations should take part in a two-game play-off against the top candidate.
KW: No, but we need to see these teams - the likes of Georgia, Romania and Russia - play tier-one teams more often. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38847806 |
Davis Cup, Canada v Great Britain: Jamie Murray & Dom Inglot win doubles - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot put Great Britain 2-1 up against Canada with victory in the Davis Cup doubles in Ottawa. | null | Sunday's coverage: Watch live on BBC Red Button, Connected TV and online from 17:00, plus follow text updates on the BBC Sport website.
Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot put Great Britain 2-1 up against Canada with victory in Saturday's Davis Cup doubles contest in Ottawa.
The British pair beat Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 to edge the visitors ahead in the best-of-five World Group tie.
Dan Evans will play Pospisil in Sunday's fourth rubber, before Kyle Edmund faces Denis Shapovalov.
The winners of the tie will travel to France for the quarter-finals in April.
"Both teams knew how important this match was to give them a lead going into Sunday," said Murray.
"It was 50/50 going into the match. We knew it would be a close game because of the surface, how everyone was serving on the court and because we all know how to play doubles."
Captain Leon Smith said: "There's still a lot of tennis. We've been in these situations before. The good thing is it gives you two cracks at it and gives everyone a lot of confidence.
"It does feel good going into the team room, it feels like the momentum is with you, and we've got two very good players that we can prepare for Sunday."
Both Britain and Canada are without their leading players, as world number one Andy Murray recuperates after the Australian Open and number four Milos Raonic is injured.
Pospisil's surprise win over Edmund in the second singles on Friday had given Canada a huge boost, but Britain took back control of the tie over the course of three hours with a clinical performance.
On the fast indoor surface there was only one break of serve apiece, and three tie-breaks were required, but the final break-point tally stood at 10-2 in favour of the Britons.
In 44-year-old Nestor, playing his 50th Davis Cup tie, Canada had one of the most successful doubles players in history alongside Pospisil, himself a former Wimbledon doubles champion.
The Canadian pair had the edge in rankings but after the opening two sets were shared in tie-breaks, it was Scotland's Murray and Englishman Inglot who began to take charge.
Three break points went begging in the third set, before they were gifted a mini-break in the tie-break thanks to a Pospisil double fault, and Inglot in particular forced home the advantage.
Pospisil, who had served superbly for three sets, was now the one under pressure and he succumbed in the fourth set to give Britain a decisive lead.
It was Inglot, the man of the match, who coolly served out to put Britain within sight of their fourth Davis Cup quarter-final in a row.
"As the match went on we started to start the points better and make a few returns. And I think they got a bit tired as well," said Murray.
"The surface was not easy, it was hard on the joints. Vasek played yesterday and Daniel is older than us, so there was no excuse for us not to outlast them.
"We did a great job, we stayed strong in the important moments. It was fine margins."
Murray has now won seven rubbers in a row in the Davis Cup and he was very ably supported by Inglot, in what may have been his best display yet in British colours. The visitors were sharper in the key moments, and are in a strong position heading into Sunday's singles.
A quarter-final in France in the first week of April beckons if Britain can win one one more point. Dan Evans has first use of the slick court against Vasek Pospisil: both have been in good form, and both will enjoy the surface.
It would be a third match in three days for the Canadian, but he is taking pain killers for a knee injury and when he spoke after Saturday's doubles did not sound overly confident about his chances of playing. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38870467 |
Retailers 'left behind' as consumers change habits - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Data shows declining sales on the High Street due to the abandonment of seasonal shopping patterns. | Business | When I was a child I vividly remember being marched into town at the end of the summer holidays for new shoes and a coat before autumn arrived. That was just the way it was.
But now, it seems British shoppers are doing things differently.
We are waiting for the sales and buying things out of season, holding on to them until they are needed. And this has led to a fall in sales.
The overall value of retail sales dropped by 2% in 2016 compared to 2015, according to consumer insight company Kantar Worldpanel.
With shoppers being more flexible on when they buy items, shops have leftover stock, which then has to be discounted to shift it.
Glen Tooke, consumer insight director at Kantar, says many retailers have been "left behind" as buying patterns have changed.
"These companies are stuck in a rigid, seasonal buying cycle which no longer reflects how consumers shop," says Mr Tooke.
The data covered clothing, footwear and accessories sold by both High Street retailers and supermarkets.
The drop in sales was across all types of clothing, including children's, according to Kantar Worldpanel
"This is the deepest decline the market has seen since August 2009, knocking nearly £750m off its total value in the 52 weeks ending 18 December 2016," Kantar said in a statement.
Mr Tooke said the decline was a "serious cause for concern".
Retail analyst Richard Hyman agrees that shoppers are shifting focus away from seasons when buying.
"There are twin evils at play here. The discounting going on and retailers not knowing their customers well enough to know what they want.
"In 90% of the trading weeks in 2016, more than half the retailers in the fashion market had some sort of sale going on."
This, Mr Hyman says, results in customers learning that if they hang on, the item they have their eye on might well end up being reduced in price.
Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos, a consumer and business psychologist at UCL, says the constant discounting can lead to a "dilution of trust" meaning shoppers come to believe goods are overpriced to begin with.
Dr Tsivrikos believes there could also be something else at play - shoppers have adopted an entirely new way of thinking about their wardrobes.
"Retailers are failing to fully understand that consumers are now making modular purchases rather than single-item purchases," he says.
For example, rather than buying a thick winter coat, a shopper might instead invest in a lighter spring jacket, and a sports layer such as a hoodie, which can then be worn together or separately across the seasons.
Consumers are increasingly looking to buy items they can layer up
"This trend is supported by key design labels, which are leaving behind the conventional fashion week presentations and shows. Such events are driven by seasons, so instead these key design labels present fewer and more versatile collections of garments that consumers can wear throughout the year," says Dr Tsivrikos.
There is also another train of thought, particularly for the footwear industry.
"Online purchases have already reached 25% of overall sales of footwear in the UK - this is the fastest-growing sector," says John Saunders, chief executive of the British Footwear Association.
"The growth of online is doing away with season as collections change on a much more regular basis and products are available all year round to reflect consumer demand.
"A good example of this is the growth of sandals and open footwear for consumers taking winter sun holidays," he adds.
Winter sun holidays means we are buying sandals and flip-flops all year round
There were some bright spots for the retail market in Kantar Worldpanel's data - online-only retailers saw impressive growth of 7% in 2016 compared to 2015, while independent retailers improved sales by 3%. So what are they doing differently?
"It sounds obvious, but the fashion retailers that are doing well right now are the ones that are managing to keep all the balls in the air at once - having the right product, at the right price, in the right place, at the right time," says Graham Soult, owner of retail consultancy CannyInsights.
"It's where chains like Uniqlo and Zara benefit from controlling their own supply chains, and being really agile in getting new stock into store quickly when it's needed.
"At the same time, some of the online fashion retailers, such as Boden, are great at mixing selected seasonal pieces with timeless items that can be layered or accessorised, and sold and worn throughout the year," he adds.
But there's a new threat around the corner, one that will affect all retailers, big, small and online: the continuing fluctuation and downward trend in the value of the pound.
We hear forecasts of prices going up as retailers are forced to pass on the rising costs of items imported from abroad, but in a world where most of us own more items of clothing than are strictly necessary, will we continue to buy if prices rise?
"It's easy to make do. Our wardrobes are generally made up of 10% items we need, 90% items we want. Retail has to inspire desire, or we won't buy. Higher prices won't do that," he says.
So if retailers are paying more, but cannot pass on these increases, the future for the British High Street could be as uncertain as a shopper's whim. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38812925 |
France Galop female jockey rule criticised by Turner, Gordon and Kirby - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | A new rule in France giving a weight concession to female jockeys draws criticism from across horseracing in the UK. | null | Last updated on .From the section Horse Racing
A new rule in France allowing horses with female jockeys to carry less weight has been labelled "unfair", "offensive" and "patronising".
Governing body France Galop will allow 2kg (4.4lbs) less in the saddle to encourage use of female riders.
Group One-winning jockey Hayley Turner wants "more subtle" help, adding: "It seems a bit unfair on the lads."
The British Horseracing Authority noted the move "with great interest" but has "currently no plans" to do the same.
Jean-Pierre Colombu, vice president of France Galop, said the rule change provided a "real opportunity" for female riders.
There are 53 female and 354 male professional jockeys in Britain.
Around 90% of races in France will be subject to the rule change, though listed and group races will be exempt.
Apprentice and conditional jockeys in the UK are given a weight allowance, which in theory combats their inexperience by reducing the burden on a horse.
But leading male jockey Adam Kirby believes a 2kg reduction for women would be too much.
Kirby said: "It's ridiculous, isn't it? 4lbs is two lengths. I appreciate women might not be as strong as boys, but riding in races is not about strength, it's about positioning, rhythm and things like that."
In 94 years of the British flat racing Champion Apprentice title, only three female riders in Turner, Amy Ryan and Josephine Gordon - in 2016 - have won the honour.
Gordon, who turned professional in November and has eight wins this season, believes there will be a female champion jockey in the next 15 years.
She said: "I think an allowance would give a lot more females more opportunities to get rides at lower weights, but personally, I find it a bit offensive.
"Last year I had a claim and was competing against the male apprentices and I won it fair and square."
Jane Elliott, who has four wins from her last eight rides, described the French move as "a bit patronising".
"If you did get a 4lb allowance, I'd be expecting to get five rides a day in handicaps," she said. "It's such a big amount of weight to be giving jockeys."
Turner, who became the first woman to ride 100 winners in a calendar year in 2008, added: "I very much doubt it will happen in the UK. I'd be disappointed if it did, to be honest."
The BHA intends to speak to French authorities and the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) before deciding if it should "consult more widely across our sport".
The governing body claims as many women have graduated as apprentices as men in recent years.
The PJA said it was "unaware" the rule change was coming in France, adding: "The feedback we've had is that it isn't something the majority of our female members would want.
"There are plenty of female riders out there who are at least as good as their peers, and we have no doubt that such a weight allowance would put them at a significant advantage and increase their opportunities.
"Whether it is the right thing to do or is necessary is another matter, but it is important we canvass the views of our members, which we will do."
But jump jockey Lucy Alexander, the first female to become champion conditional in 2012-13, said she would "welcome" the change, adding: "The BHA should look at it." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/38862543 |
Usain Bolt stars at Nitro Athletics event in Melbourne - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt's team of All-Stars win the first day of the inaugural Nitro Athletics event in Melbourne. | null | Last updated on .From the section Athletics
Coverage: Highlights on BBC Two on Sunday, 5 February from 14:45-15:45 GMT; BBC One on 11 February 13:15-14:00; BBC Two on 12 February 13:00-14:00.
Usain Bolt's team of All-Stars won the first day of the inaugural Nitro Athletics event in Melbourne in a series IAAF president Lord Coe says will "revolutionise" the sport.
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Bolt was the star attraction as six teams of 12 male and 12 female athletes competed in a mixture of old and new events.
Bolt raced in the mixed 4x100m relay, which his All-Stars won.
"I was just enjoying myself from the start to the end," said Bolt, 30.
"Everybody was just having fun. Everybody was trying to support their team-mates - going over to the long jump, to the javelin - that's something we're not really used to."
During the meet, flame cannons shot fireballs into the air and there were dancers as pop music blared out, with a 7,000 crowd at the 8,500-capacity stadium.
The All-Stars, Australia, England, New Zealand, Japan and China competed across 12 events, with points awarded for each athlete's placing.
The 4x100m mixed relay featured two male and two female athletes, with Bolt handing over to American Jenna Prandini.
"We just want to do something different," said Bolt. "I've never handed [a baton] over to a girl. For me that was exciting."
There was a men's elimination mile, where the last-placed runner was eliminated at the end of each of the first three laps of the track.
In the 2x300m mixed relay, England's Christine Ohuruogu and Theo Campbell finished third.
The second of the three-event series will take place on Thursday, 9 February, with the final one on Saturday, 11 February.
Full results and points table available here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/38868165 |
Should you have two bins in your bathroom? - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How much difference could you make by having separate bathroom bins for recycling? | UK | Our bathrooms are filled with shampoo bottles, toilet rolls and cleaning products which could easily be put into our recycling bins when finished with.
Yet research shows our green intentions are washed away as soon as we step near a toilet.
Now a business group has come up with an idea for how to combat this problem - two bathroom bins.
The Circular Economy Taskforce, who were brought together by Prince Charles's Business in the Community environment charity, says it could boost recycling.
So should two bins really sit alongside your stack of loo roll in the bathroom?
Why should people have two bins in their bathrooms?
"It's trying to address the problem that people are less likely to recycle packaging for things we use in our bathrooms than for things we use in other rooms of the house," says Jonny Hazell, senior policy adviser for environmental think tank Green Alliance.
The Recycle Now campaign points to its statistics, which show that while 90% of packaging is recycled in our kitchens, only 50% is being recycled in the bathroom.
"Often homes have one central recycling bin located in the kitchen, so when in the shower or washing your face it can be tricky to remember to transfer it to that bin," it says.
"This is why having a recycling bin or bag in the bathroom might be useful, if there is space."
Business in the Community says two bins could make it easier to separate out the plastics that can be recycled.
"But it doesn't have to be a bin, it could be as simple as a bag on the door handle that you bring down to the kitchen every week," it added.
Where has this idea come from?
While recycling has grown from 12% to 45% in the UK over the last decade, campaigners say the bathroom is an area that needs more focus.
The Circular Economy Taskforce came up with the idea as part of its work looking at practical collaborative ways to boost recycling and re-use rates.
"The bathroom is one of the areas that has come up time and time again in the group as somewhere where both business and consumers can make a difference to help us all reduce our impact on the environment," says Business in the Community.
"Thinking about how different types of bins could boost recycling in the bathroom is just one example of a potential simple solution that could have a big impact."
Why are people failing to recycle their bathroom products?
Campaigners believes it comes down not just to where a recycling bin is located but also to confusion over what can be recycled.
Recycle Now says: "There can also be confusion about what can or can't be recycled with bathroom products.
"For example many people don't realise that bleach bottles can be easily recycled - simply make sure it's empty and put the lid back on.
"Recycling just one bleach bottle saves enough energy to power a street light for 6.5 hours, so the value quickly adds up."
Research from the University of Exeter also found that people who threw away waste in the bathroom saw it as being "dirty" and were less likely to recycle it.
Going through your bathroom bin to separate out what can and can't be recycled can seem off-putting," says Business in the Community.
It added: "There is also a lot of confusion around what can be recycled in the bathroom, for example many consumers are confused by aerosols."
How much recyclable waste comes from a bathroom?
Plastic shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles, plastic moisturiser bottles (such as for hand cream and body lotion), glass face cream pots (plus the cardboard packaging they come in), perfume and aftershave bottles, aerosols for deodorant, air freshener and shaving foam, bleach and bathroom cleaner bottles, toothpaste boxes and toilet roll tubes.
Is a lack of recycling in bathrooms a real problem?
Every little helps, is the message from environmental and recycling groups.
"In general, the less we recycle, the more water and energy we need to use to produce the materials we use in our daily lives," said Mr Hazell.
Recycle Now says recycling reduces the amount we are sending to landfill and makes use of resources already available rather than making them from scratch.
"Ultimately this means reduced levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere which contribute to climate change," it added.
"For instance it takes 75% less energy to make a plastic shampoo bottle from recycled plastic compared with using virgin materials."
Can two bins have a meaningful impact on recycling overall?
"Ensuring you recycle in the bathroom can make a big difference," says Recycle Now.
"It would save £135,000 in landfill costs if every UK household threw their next empty shampoo bottles into the recycling bin.
"On top of this, if everyone recycled one more toilet roll tube it would save enough cardboard inner tubes from landfill to go round the M25 38 times."
But what if you don't have the space for two bins?
There are other options. Hang a reusable bag on the bathroom door so you can transfer your recyclable items straight into the recycling bin. Or opt for a bin with split compartments which can be used to separate recyclable and non-recyclable items.
• None Are you rubbish at recycling?
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38856081 |
Ozzy Osbourne on fame and reality TV - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Ozzy Osbourne reflects on his fame and how reality TV affected his life. | null | Ozzy Osbourne reflects on his fame and how reality TV affected his life as Black Sabbath prepare to perform their final gig. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38862780 |
Six Nations: World-beating crowds to flock to rugby showpiece - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | The Six Nations - which has the highest average attendance per match of any tournament in world sport - begins on Saturday. | null | The Six Nations, which begins on Saturday, is set to be watched by the highest average attendance per match of any tournament in world sport.
Over the next seven weeks the northern hemisphere showpiece, which features England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy, will see the cream of European rugby meet across five rounds, culminating in the final set of games on 18 March.
Scotland play Ireland in the tournament's opening match in Edinburgh at 14:25 GMT, before defending champions England host France at Twickenham at 16:50 GMT, while Wales play Italy at 14:00 on Sunday in Rome.
Last year's tournament attracted an average 72,000 fans a game, leading sport's global standings above American football's NFL in second and the Fifa World Cup in third - according to statistics published by European football body Uefa.
More than a million people in total watched last season's 15 matches, with 81,916 fans packing in to see England beat Wales 25-21 at Twickenham in the best-attended game.
England secured the 2016 title with a perfect record of five wins from their five games, earning them the Grand Slam.
• None Alerts put you at centre of Six Nations
• None Who will win the 2017 Six Nations?
They are the bookies' favourites to win again but an Ireland team that claimed a famous win over world champions New Zealand in Chicago in November are serious contenders to regain the title they won in 2014 and 2015.
Wales are without head coach Warren Gatland - who has stepped away from his role for a year to coach the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in the summer - but interim replacement Rob Howley leads a team that includes the likes of barnstorming wing George North.
Scotland come into the tournament buoyed by the domestic success of a Glasgow Warriors side currently fourth in the Pro12 and into the last eight of the top-tier European Champions Cup.
France and Italy are both under relatively new leadership, with Guy Noves and Conor O'Shea taking over in January and June 2016 respectively, but the former showed signs of their old form in an improved showing in the autumn Tests, while O'Shea was the mastermind behind Harlequins' 2012 Premiership title.
One of the key factors in deciding the destination of the title may be the strength in depth of each squad.
High-profile stars such as Ireland's Johnny Sexton, Wales' Taulupe Faletau and England's Billy Vunipola will miss the start of the tournament through injury, and the physicality of the modern game means more are sure to join them on the sidelines.
For the first time bonus points will be on offer.
In addition to the four points to be gained for a win, teams can pick up a further point for scoring four or more tries or by losing by seven points or less.
Another change is that referees have been told to pay extra attention to high tackles, with more severe penalties to be handed down to players who make contact with an opponent's head, whether accidentally or recklessly.
While the chance to clinch this season's title will spur on supporters, the tournament will also be a chance to renew age-old rivalries and add another chapter the tournament's long history of famous results.
And in a competition that saw England captain Bill Beaumont carried shoulder-high from the pitch in 1980, David Sole's slow walk onto the Murrayfield turf in 1990, Scott Gibbs carving through the England defence at Wembley in 1999 or a fresh-faced Brian O'Driscoll's hat-trick against France in 2000, there is every prospect of new heroes being made. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38859441 |
Goat predicts winner of Italy v Wales Six Nations match - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | A goat predicts the winner of Sunday's Six Nations rugby match between Italy and Wales. | null | A goat has predicted the winner of Sunday's Six Nations rugby match between Italy and Wales.
Lilian, who lives at Cefn Mably Farm Park, near Cardiff, uses two buckets to select her favourite side. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38862283 |
Hull City 2-0 Liverpool - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Alfred N'Diaye scores on his Hull City debut as Liverpool's dreadful start to 2017 continues with a fourth defeat in five league and cup games. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Alfred N'Diaye scored on his Hull City debut as Liverpool's terrible start to 2017 continued with a fourth defeat in five league and cup games.
Senegal forward N'Diaye, signed on loan from Villarreal, tapped home unmarked after Simon Mignolet dropped the ball at his feet.
Despite striker Sadio Mane's first start since 2 January, Liverpool failed to force a single save in the first half and were poor throughout.
Hull, who have won all four home games under new manager Marco Silva, sealed victory when Oumar Niasse, on loan from Everton, kept his composure after the Reds defence had been carved open.
• None Reaction: 'Unacceptable' Liverpool 'need to wake up'
• None Relive the action from the KCOM Stadium
• None Reaction from the KCOM and the rest of Saturday's Premier League games
Hull were bottom of the table and three points from safety when former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos boss Silva took charge on 5 January.
Fast forward four weeks and the Tigers have a win over Liverpool and a draw at Manchester United, as well as an EFL Cup semi-final home win over United under their belt.
Hull are an organised and well-drilled unit at the back while the arrival of N'Diaye, as well as Poland winger Kamil Grosicki, has provided them with an added threat.
They overcame the loss of captain Michael Dawson, who was injured in the warm-up, to produce their most complete performance so far under Silva.
Hull are 18th in the table - one point from safety - and now have seven points from a possible 12 under Silva's reign.
With Arsenal losing earlier in the day and Tottenham kicking-off late, Liverpool would have climbed to second in the table with victory.
Yet they ended the day 13 points behind leaders Chelsea. In the last 14 days Jurgen Klopp's side have been knocked out of the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, and seen their hopes of a first league title since 1990 all but vanish for another season.
While Jurgen Klopp remains unbeaten in seven games against the top-six, the German has now seen his side lose to Burnley, Bournemouth, Swansea City and Hull City.
This was as bad as any of them; an abject, disjointed performance sprinkled with individual errors and a lack of cutting edge.
Liverpool's defenders were as much to blame for the first goal despite Mignolet's mistake, leaving N'Diaye completely unmarked when he steered the hosts ahead.
The Reds enjoyed 72% possession but as Klopp said afterwards: "Possession is only good when you create something from it."
Hull manager Marco Silva: "It is a fantastic afternoon for us. Our supporters were fantastic, we need them and they support our team always.
"I am sure in the future we will play better, but at these moments we need to keep our focus and our organisation, because every game it is possible to get valuable points.
"In the Premier League it is fantastic to get clean sheets, to do that against Manchester United and Liverpool is fantastic."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "I don't want to find excuses, it is hard to think of intelligent things to say after a match like this.
"It is not the time to talk about these things [qualifying for the Champions League], we have to show our best and then people can judge us.
"We all know how good we can be, and it's still there, but not if we play like we did in the first half today."
• None Marco Silva has now taken seven points from his first four games in the Premier League, as many as Hull City managed in their 18 league games prior to his arrival.
• None The Tigers kept their first home clean sheet in the Premier League this term, having conceded in each of their previous 11 league games at the KCOM Stadium in 2016-17.
• None Jurgen Klopp has now lost five of his past eight games in all competitions; as many as he had in his previous 32 games in charge of Liverpool beforehand.
• None Klopp has also gone five consecutive league games without winning for the first time since February 2015 (with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga).
• None Alfred N'Diaye netted on his Premier League debut for Hull; this after scoring just two goals in 134 appearances within the top five European leagues beforehand (PL, La Liga & Ligue 1 combined).
• None Liverpool have conceded the opening goal in each of their past three Premier League games - only between May and August 2016 have they suffered a longer such run under Jurgen Klopp (four games).
Hull will make the journey to face Arsenal next Saturday (12:30 GMT) with confidence sky high. Liverpool need to find some confidence for their home game with Tottenham on the same day (17:30) in a game which could go a long way to deciding who qualifies for the Champions League.
• None Offside, Liverpool. Sadio Mané tries a through ball, but Roberto Firmino is caught offside.
• None Attempt saved. Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
• None Attempt saved. Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
• None Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
• None Goal! Hull City 2, Liverpool 0. Oumar Niasse (Hull City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrea Ranocchia with a through ball following a fast break.
• None Offside, Hull City. Oumar Niasse tries a through ball, but David Meyler is caught offside. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38779233 |
Super Bowl: Astronaut throws football '564,644 yards' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Nasa releases a video of the ISS crew preparing to watch the Super Bowl from 250 miles above Earth. | null | Nasa has released a video of the International Space Station crew preparing to watch the Super Bowl from 250 miles above Earth. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38866754 |
RHS Chatsworth Show aims to 'break the mould' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A new Chatsworth garden show will include freeform gardens with weeds, wildflowers and boulders. | Derby | One of the show gardens will be located inside a 44-tonne granite cube at Chatsworth Estate and will only be visible through peepholes
The first new Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) show in a decade will "break the mould" of Chelsea and allow "revolutionary" designs to take centre stage, organisers say.
The show at Chatsworth, a Derbyshire stately home, will have eight "freeform" gardens, RHS said.
"Chelsea is a big event crammed into a small site - we'll have more freedom," Chatsworth's Steve Porter said.
"Predictability is being thrown out of the window," he added.
The RHS Chatsworth Show will run from 7-11 June and up to 80,000 visitors are expected.
Three new temporary pontoon bridges will be built across the River Derwent as part of the show to allow visitors to access displays on both sides.
The Wordless Cupboard by Sheena Seeks is a freeform garden with a "landslide of glacial boulders" that will not contain any plants
All three will float on the water, with one being designed in classic Palladian style with a flower display inside it.
RHS spokesman Liz Patterson said artists of all genres including sculptors and visual artists will take part.
One installation, called The Wordless Cupboard, has two 3-metre high cubes and a "landslide of glacial boulders" that are meant to evoke "the oppression of powerlessness".
A garden designed by landscape architecture students from Leeds Beckett University called the Path of Least Resistance will include weeds and wildflowers in "an urban wasteland".
Moveable Feast is a garden for the "Rent Generation" who want something that will move with them when they move from house to house.
The Moveable Feast by Worcestershire-based Tanya Batkin is a pack-up-and-go garden aimed at the Rent Generation who want portability
"The sheer scale of the location, with the River Derwent running through it, allows designers to "break the mould and do something slightly different" Ms Patterson said.
"Our aim is to create a new show that champions the horticultural innovation of today and the future, and encourages exhibitors to be progressive and think outside the box," RHS director of shows Nick Mattingley added.
The student-led Path of Least Resistance Garden is meant to promote sustainability by using wildflowers and weeds
The Curves and Cube garden designed by Gaze Burvill and David Harber has a steel lattice with curving oak pieces "piercing through its core"
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-38843243 |
Icy US road pile-up caught on camera - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Amateur footage captures a pile-up on an icy stretch of road in Oregon, but no-one is seriously hurt. | null | An icy stretch of road in Oregon in the US caused a 30-vehicle pile-up.
The crashes were filmed by a onlooker, with all the people involved escaping serious injury. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38865942 |
Trump's telephone un-diplomacy - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Donald Trump brings his brash, direct, unscripted style to talks with foreign leaders. Will it work? | US & Canada | The world is getting its first look at Donald Trump the Diplomat. He looks a lot like Donald Trump the Candidate, Donald Trump the Businessman and Donald Trump the Reality Television Host.
He's brash. He has a temper. He's willing to say impolite things. He can be bullying or ingratiating, depending on his own internal calculations.
Such attributes made him must-see television on The Apprentice. It helped him land blockbuster real-estate deals in boom times and stay one step ahead of financial collapse when business went bad.
It's an open question whether it will be effective as a way to assert national authority on the world stage. There's no doubt, however, that it represents a sharp break from how US presidents have conducted themselves in the past, with carefully managed foreign interactions that seldom deviate from a prearranged script.
Perhaps it's better to say that what the world is getting is its first look at Donald Trump the Un-Diplomat.
Multiple media accounts on Wednesday described Mr Trump's recent phone conversations with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, based on reports from senior government officials and leaked transcripts of the communications.
The president told Australia's leader that an agreement the Obama administration had negotiated to admit entry of more than a thousand refugees currently detained in Australia was "the worst deal ever" and described his conversation with Mr Turnbull as the "worst call by far" among those he had conducted with world leaders that day.
Australian PM Malcom Turnbull says his conversation with Donald Trump was candid and frank
The discussion, scheduled for an hour, ended after about 25 minutes.
In his call with Mr Nieto, Mr Trump reportedly said Mexico "had not done a good job" knocking out its "bad hombres". An Associated Press article reported that Mr Trump had threatened to send US troops into Mexico, but other media outlets were unable to confirm this or said the remark was made in jest.
In both episodes, Mr Trump reportedly took time to boast about the size of his inauguration crowd - a recurring theme in his public remarks since becoming president.
Accounts of the conversations differ dramatically from the official White House readouts, which paint a sterile picture of leaders embracing the "enduring strength and closeness" of their nation's relationships and discussing common interests.
According to CNN reporter Jim Acosta, however, the reality is far different, as a source told him Mr Trump's conversations "are turning faces white" in the White House.
A subsequent tweet by Mr Trump condemning the Australian refugee agreement seemed to confirm that the Turnbull conversation was more contentious than the original readout would indicate.
The morning after the reporting double-whammy - further evidence that this administration already leaks more than a Swiss-cheese boat - Mr Trump addressed the swirling controversy.
"When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it," he said, his New York accent a touch thicker than usual. "They're tough. We have to be tough. It's time we're going to be a little tough, folks. We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world, virtually. It's not going to happen anymore"
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It's the kind of in-your-face attitude that Mr Trump's supporters have long said they admired and wanted in the White House, although it has left much of the traditional foreign policy establishment stumbling to the fainting couches.
"This kind of behaviour generates a deep uncertainty on the part of other countries about whether they can trust America - and trust in America is the foundation on which much of the current world order is structured," writes Vox's Zach Beauchamp. "If Trump continues to behave this erratically, the consequences could be, well, unpredictable - and that's scary."
Mr Trump's foreign interactions haven't been all tough talk, however. A few weeks after his surprise election, Mr Trump spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and, according to that nation's readout of the conversation, the then-president-elect was effusive in his praise.
Donald Trump's negotiating strategy is outlined in The Art of the Deal
"President Trump said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif you have a very good reputation," the release read. "Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people. I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems."
In his 1987 book, The Art of the Deal, Mr Trump explained what he saw as the keys to good negotiating. One of them was to be nice, but "fight back hard" if you think you're being treated unfairly.
Another is to never show weakness.
"The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it," he writes. "That makes the other guy smell blood, and you're dead."
Donald Trump the Un-Diplomat seems to be putting those maxims to use early and often in his global interactions - no matter who is on the other end of the line. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38849257 |
Ukraine: Inside civilians' living nightmare - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | In eastern Ukraine, one woman cannot tell her grandson his mother is dead after another night of heavy shelling. | null | In eastern Ukraine, one woman has told the BBC she cannot tell her grandson his mother is dead after another night of heavy shelling.
Government forces and Russian-backed rebels have accused each other of attacking civilians as fighting intensifies, with some of the heaviest clashes just over 10 miles from rebel-held Donetsk.
Tom Burridge reports from the city of Avdiivka. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38862480 |
I'll dress like a woman when you act like a president, police officer tells Trump - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The US president is the focus of another social media storm over purported dress-code comments. | US & Canada | Police officer Elizabeth Rooney felt the comments were "misogynistic and unpresidential"
It seems President Trump has high standards when it comes to the way his staff are dressed. Looking the part is as important as acting the part when you are in the president's circle, apparently.
But his reported requirement that his female staff "should dress like women" has provoked an inevitable backlash on social media.
According to a former Trump campaign worker, quoted in a news report by Axios, the president wants the men who work for him to wear ties and the women to dress "appropriately".
Dresses are apparently preferred, but if a female staffer wears jeans, they must "look neat and orderly", the publication reported.
The internet responded in a powerful way, with many using the hashtag #DressLikeAWoman.
Elizabeth Rooney, a police officer in Worcester, Massachusetts, and army veteran, posted a photo of her in uniform.
She told the BBC: "I'll start dressing like a woman when he starts acting like a president. I felt his remarks that women should "dress like a woman" are misogynistic and unpresidential.
"Each morning when I wake up, I dress myself in pride, honour, duty and freedom."
Dr Judy Melinek tweeted "Yes I'm doing an autopsy wearing pearls."
The hashtag has already generated more than 130,000 tweets since early on Friday.
One of the first tweets was by @NJGirlSEliza whose army uniform selfie has been retweeted nearly 2,000 times.
Others followed suit by posting pictures of themselves in their own work attire or of other inspirational women.
"This is how you #DressLikeAWoman when there is hazardous waste"
Dr Rebecca Alleyne posted a photo of herself in scrubs during surgery. She told the BBC: "I believe in social media as a change agent and a photo is an efficient means for making a point. I've had a very positive reaction, only one or two negatives.
"I want women everywhere to be judged on their abilities, not on what they're wearing. I believe that, no matter who's issuing the dress code."
Dr Rebecca Alleyne in Los Angeles responded to Trump's alleged comment with this picture of her at work
There were some voices in favour of the more gender-appropriate approach, but the majority of comments appeared to mock the remarks, which have not been confirmed as coming from President Trump, which they perceived to be sexist.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Elizabeth Rooney as being a police officer in Boston. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38853350 |
Newspaper headlines: Louvre attack and MP's China cash 'link' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The attack in Paris, the funding of a shadow minister's office and energy bill price rises attract headlines on Saturday. | The Papers | CCTV images showing the aftermath of an attack by a man with a machete at the Louvre museum in Paris feature in many papers - with the Daily Telegraph saying troops had prevented a fresh terrorist incident.
The i reports that the man was shot several times in the stomach, after he allegedly attacked soldiers with a machete, shouting "Allahu Akbar".
The Daily Mirror reports 50 sixth formers from Surrey were held inside the museum for two hours as the authorities searched for possible bombs.
There is anger at Npower's decision to increase its energy prices by an average of more than a £100 a year for customers on its standard variable tariff.
The Daily Express describes the move as a "kick in the teeth" for families. "For too long these companies have been making huge profits while punishing their customers," it says.
The Daily Mirror comments that such a price hike demands "powerful action" and calls for the "tough regulation of companies ripping off customers".
The Times reports on its front page that the shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner is receiving money from a law firm with links to the Chinese state.
The paper says the son of the law firm's founder works in the MP's office - and that the donations partly pay his salary.
There's no suggestion of impropriety, but some Labour sources have expressed "disquiet" to the paper.
According to the Guardian, Jeremy Corbyn's team have "informally explored the idea of collaborating with the Greens and Liberal Democrats" in Stoke Central, to prevent UKIP winning the seat at the upcoming by-election.
The paper says a senior figure in the Labour leader's office has asked a go-between what it would take to persuade the other parties to "dial down" their campaigns - or even withdraw candidates.
The Daily Telegraph and Times both report on what the government may do to alleviate the housing crisis.
"Get building or lose planning" is the headline on the front of the Telegraph, which says developers will be ordered to make use of planning permission quickly - or risk losing it. The paper says ministers want to discourage firms from sitting on land earmarked for new homes.
According to the Times, local authorities will be told to target vacant properties with sharp rises in council tax, as part of a drive to bring hundreds of thousands of empty homes back into use.
Elsewhere, a police chief in Merseyside has spoken to the Guardian about the pressing need for communities in Liverpool to break the wall of silence around gang crime.
Assistant chief constable Nikki Holland urges residents to "stop tolerating" gang members in their midst and "take back control" by talking to police.
What is called the on-going "veg panic" also attracts headlines.
The Daily Mail says a growing number of supermarkets are rationing vegetables in response to crop shortages caused by adverse weather across the Mediterranean.
Some stores, it reports, have even decided to block people from buying certain products online.
"Seize a salad" is the headline in the Sun, which accuses Spanish supermarkets of "stockpiling" lettuces, while shelves across the UK are left bare.
For some columnists, the entire episode illustrates the lunacy of our consumer habits. "Humans are absurd" writes Deborah Orr in the Guardian.
"Why do we persist in flying planes full of lettuce to Britain? How can it be said to be a consumer crisis when such a piece of ridiculous foolishness goes wrong?"
Finally, the papers seem bemused by David Cameron's reappearance in the limelight - alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Sun says the former prime minister appeared in a short 10-second video posted by the actor-turned-politician on social media.
The Daily Mail says he is seen leaning into the shot and draping his arm over the star, before saying "I'll be back".
"Exactly what the former PM means is a mystery" says the paper, adding he "should probably know better than to make bold promises" only seven months after being forced to bid "hasta la vista to Number 10". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38863523 |
Skydivers compete in Wind Games 2017 - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | The invention of wind tunnels has given skydivers a new way to hone skills that usually require jumping from a plane. | null | Competitors have been taking part in the Wind Games 2017.
More than 80 teams and 200 flyers from around the world met in Spain for the event. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38863714 |
Ex-Sheffield City Council boss Roger Dodds jailed for sex abuse - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | A BBC News investigation has revealed how Sheffield City Council failed to stop an employee, a predatory sex offender, from abusing his victims in council offices over two decades. | null | A BBC News investigation has revealed how Sheffield City Council failed to stop an employee, a predatory sex offender, from abusing his victims in council offices over two decades.
Roger Dodds has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
The council was first told about the allegations against Dodds back in 1981 - but didn't inform the police.
Years later, following further allegations, they allowed him to take early retirement with an enhanced pension. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38859830 |
Refugee's medical emergency reignites debate in Australia - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Australia is again accused of "putting politics above lives" over the case of a high-risk pregnancy. | Australia | Australia detains asylum seekers on the small Pacific nation of Nauru
As the US-Australia refugee deal dominated headlines this week, a medical emergency was unfolding at an Australian detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru.
Advocacy groups have been pushing the Australian government to allow a Kuwaiti refugee, who is 37 weeks pregnant, to be flown to Brisbane to give birth by caesarean section.
They say they alerted the government that she was a high-risk patient in December, due to the condition of pre-eclampsia, her baby being in the breech position, because of her age of 37 and because she had been prescribed the antidepressant citalopram, which can result in harmful side-effects on newborn babies.
Known only as "Dee", the woman has been on Nauru since late 2013 and is now living in the local community after being deemed a genuine refugee.
However, with Australia having not approved her entry, the woman had remained in Nauru's general hospital. While previously refugees on Nauru were routinely allowed into Australia to give birth in better-equipped hospitals, Australia has been reluctant to allow the practice since 2015, fearing that once in the country refugees will seek legal help to remain here.
Finally on Friday, Dee was flown to Brisbane. According to Nauru's government, it came after Australia gave permission late on Thursday night.
Conditions for refugees in Nauru have been criticised by rights groups
Australia sends all asylum seekers who arrive by boat to detention centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island. Those processed there and classed as genuine refugees have been released into the local communities. Children of asylum seekers who give birth in Australia are not automatically given visas or citizenship.
This "Pacific Solution" has been criticised by refugee advocacy groups, who say Australia - the sixth-largest country in the world geographically and with the seventh-lowest population density - could afford to show more compassion to asylum seekers and is obliged to do so under a UN convention.
The government, supported by the main opposition, argues boat journeys are dangerous and controlled by people-smugglers. It says its policies have restored the integrity of Australia's borders, prevented deaths at sea and discouraged people who aren't genuine refugees from making the journey.
It becomes still more complicated by the question of who should bear the responsibility in medical emergencies for those awaiting processing.
Canberra's reluctance to grant medical evacuations is not confined to problematic pregnancies. It has also been the case for refugees needing other treatment, such as an 11-year-old Iranian boy who was prevented from going to Australia for corrective surgery on a broken arm in 2015, despite a storm of protest.
Australia-based activist groups Doctors for Refugees and the Refugee Action Coalition say the government's delayed action over Dee was based on a fear of her remaining in Australia after her procedure, and showed again that the government was ready to put lives at risk to make a political point.
It was not immediately clear if her condition had changed before she was airlifted on Friday.
Doctors for Refugees President Dr Barri Phatarfod said Dee had been identified by a team of several Australia-based specialists assessing her medical tests as a high-risk patient requiring urgent transfer to Australia in December. But, Dr Phatarfod said, approaches to Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton had been rebuffed.
"Either the minster, who is not an obstetrician, chose not to believe us, which would take a certain amount of arrogance, or else the government just doesn't care," Dr Phatarfod told the BBC.
"This is a very high-risk pregnancy, which requires medical assistance that simply cannot be provided on Nauru. The Australian government is putting politics above people's lives.
"Nauruan women with complicated pregnancies are allowed to be flown to Australia. But because Dee is a refugee, she's effectively a prisoner. Her choices have been taken away. She'll be delivering how the Australian government says she'll be delivering."
Dr Phatarfod said despite promised funding from Australia to upgrade the Nauru hospital, the facility was still grossly inadequate for cases such as Dee's and operated by poorly trained staff.
She said the woman also had a large fibroid, or benign tumour, on the front of her uterus. Cutting through such growths for a caesarean delivery usually resulted in substantial bleeding, and Dr Phatarfod said the Nauru hospital was not equipped to handle transfusions.
This issue has been in the spotlight in the past few years through several high-profile cases, including:
"After that [the Somali refugee's] case, who in their right mind would take this risk with this latest case?" said Sydney-based Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul.
"People on Nauru are hostage to politics. And Australia's two big political parties (Liberal and Labor) are both hostage to the offshore solution. There's no principled position by the two main political parties anymore."
Australia's offshore detention policies have been the subject of protests
Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection has kept its statements on the case brief. Handling media enquiries via email, it said it did not "provide specific details on the health and transfer arrangements of individuals".
"Australia provides comprehensive medical support services to the regional processing centre in Nauru and to the Nauruan Government Health Facilities," a spokesman wrote in an email to the BBC.
"Refugees in Nauru are eligible to access the Government of Nauru Overseas Medical Referral process if required medical services are not available in Nauru. This process is under the management of the Government of Nauru.
"Decisions relating to medical treatment, including medical transfers, for refugees in Nauru are made at the discretion of the Government of Nauru."
In a statement late on Thursday, Nauru's government said it had "no control over decisions by Australia on who to transfer".
"Within the last 30 minutes we have received confirmation from Australia that the patient [Dee] will be airlifted and this is expected to happen tomorrow," it said in a statement.
Nauru's government and Mr Rintoul confirmed Dee had boarded the plane early on Friday afternoon. Australia did not comment on Friday.
The Refugee Action Coalition says there are 1,800 people who have been determined to be refugees on Nauru and Manus. Australia's agreement with the US is for it to take up to 1,250 of them, although President Donald Trump's criticism of the deal means it is far from certain.
Even if all 1,250 were resettled, Mr Rintoul says this would still leave 550 in limbo on the Pacific islands, and continuing debate over their care. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-38836424 |
Davis Cup, Canada v Great Britain: Vasek Pospisil levels after Dan Evans wins opener - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Vasek Pospisil beats Kyle Edmund in the second singles match to draw Canada level at 1-1 with Britain in the Davis Cup. | null | Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Saturday's coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, Connected TV and online from 18:00, plus follow text updates on the BBC Sport website.
Kyle Edmund lost to an injured Vasek Pospisil as Great Britain and Canada ended day one of their Davis Cup World Group tie level at 1-1 in Ottawa.
Pospisil, ranked 86 places below Edmund at 133rd in the world, overcame a leg injury to level the best-of-five tie.
Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot are scheduled to face Daniel Nestor and Pospisil in Saturday's doubles contest.
The two nations are missing their leading players as world number one Andy Murray recuperates following the Australian Open, while Canada's world number four Milos Raonic is injured.
"We had a video from Andy last night and [captain] Leon [Smith] put it on the big screen," Evans said.
"I'm guessing he was watching. He said he would be. It's obviously nice he supports the team. He's a good guy to have in our corner."
Evans successfully carried the responsibility of being Britain's number one as he converted a gulf in experience over world number 234 Shapovalov into a straight-sets victory - the Briton's first win in a live Davis Cup rubber since 2013.
Shapovalov gave evidence that he has a bright future, the Wimbledon junior champion hitting plenty of flashing winners behind a swinging left-handed serve, but 39 unforced errors proved too much.
The Canadian dropped serve in a nervous opening game and again to lose the set, but he threatened more in the second and it took an ace and a deft drop volley for Evans to see off the first two break points against him.
That was as close as Shapovalov would get, however, with Evans then breaking thanks to a fantastic lob and making the decisive move at 4-3 in the third set.
"I tried to get on top early," Evans said. "That was the plan, to come out and silence him and not give him confidence. I did that and then rolled him from then on. I was happy with way I played."
Edmund, ranked 47th in the world, looked a good bet to increase Britain's lead against Pospisil, who has slipped from 25th three years ago to a lowly 133rd in the world.
The Canadian, 26, was further hampered by a left leg injury which required a medical timeout as early as the fifth game, and continued to require bouts of treatment.
It was therefore all the more remarkable that Pospisil reeled off eight of nine games following the timeout with some fine serving, while Edmund produced an error-strewn performance across the net.
The fast pace of the court allowed Pospisil to keep the points short, race through his serving games and put pressure on the increasingly vulnerable Edmund serve.
Edmund, 22, managed to get through to a tie-break in the third set but was outplayed once again, ending with eight double faults and 39 unforced errors.
"It was just not good enough, pretty dismal from my standards," the Briton said.
"Everyone can accept winning and losing but it needs to be a lot better at this level. I'm just very disappointed for myself, for the team.
"It's annoying when you have support like that and fans come out and spend money and travel and to put on a performance like that. You just really want to do well."
Captain Smith added: "The most important thing is to dust it [Edmund's defeat] off but focus now on the next matches. There's a lot of tennis to be played"
There was real composure, confidence and style in the way Evans defused the challenge of his 17-year-old opponent. Having saved the only two break points he faced midway through the second set, Evans then pounced immediately to secure the only break required to win the set.
Edmund, in contrast, put in a very ragged performance against Pospisil, who has had a miserable time in singles these past 12 months. The Canadian was in excellent form, serving 19 aces and getting the very best out of the quick court laid over the ice rink here in Ottawa.
Murray and Inglot have been warned: Pospisil will play again in Saturday's doubles, and his partner Daniel Nestor is a former Olympic champion, world number one and multiple Grand Slam champion (all in doubles).
World number two Novak Djokovic is the only member of the top 10 in action and he trailed by a set and a break against Russia's Daniil Medvedev before the 20-year-old was struck down by cramp.
Djokovic, playing for the first time since his shock second-round loss to Denis Istomin at the Australian Open, had earlier needed treatment to his right shoulder.
"The pain I had prevented me from playing the points as I wanted to," said the 12-time Grand Slam champion, who led 3-6 6-4 6-1 when Medvedev eventually retired to give Serbia a 2-0 lead.
"But it's a good victory and we are in a very good position."
The winners of the tie in Ottawa look set to face a trip to France in the quarter-finals, after Yannick Noah's side took a 2-0 lead over Japan in Tokyo.
Argentina's Davis Cup defence could be short-lived without star man Juan Martin del Potro, as they trail 2-0 to Italy in Buenos Aires. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38862964 |
Wales' Euro 2016 journey to be released in cinemas - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The story of Wales' remarkable journey to the semi-final of Euro 2016 is to be released in cinemas. | Wales | The story of Wales' remarkable journey to the semi-final of Euro 2016 is to be released in cinemas.
Don't Take Me Home follows how Wales ended a 58-year wait to reach a major tournament and surpassed expectations in France.
Chris Coleman's team topped their group and beat Belgium on their way to the last four before losing to Portugal.
The film is out in UK cinemas on 3 March but there will be previews around Wales on St David's Day.
In his first interview about the movie, film-maker Jonny Owen told the BBC's Good Evening Wales programme: "The biggest part for me, and one of the biggest parts of the film, was that we'd finally made a major tournament for the first time in nearly 60 years and, when we found our place in the sun, boy did we revel in it.
"I think everybody would want Wales in a major tournament from now on because the way we were was just exemplary all round."
Mr Owen said the FAW brought him in after the Wales team watched his film about Nottingham Forest - I believe in Miracles - while in France.
And he added that he had only managed to keep it a secret because he was living in Nottingham.
"If I'd been living in Wales and had a few pints with the boys, I might have been more loose-lipped," he said.
"Full credit to the FAW, they kept their nerve and didn't say anything when they could have and they wanted it to be a big surprise."
He said he had interviewed all the players who started games, so it is their narrative in the film.
And he said the glossy film footage is interspersed with lots of mobile phone footage, showing the fans' journey as well as that of the players.
He said he had been told watching the film was an emotional experience.
"I do mention the passing of Gary Speed at the top because one thing about this team was they were young men, or young boys in many cases, when Gary passed.
"What they've achieved since is very emotional when you think of where they've come from." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38856071 |
Met Police chief Hogan-Howe horse patrol at Chelsea-Arsenal - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Britain's top cop goes on mounted patrol at Chelsea-Arsenal game. | London | Oliver the police horse carried the weight of Britain's top cop at Stamford Bridge
Britain's most senior police officer has saddled up to join mounted officers patrolling a Premier League derby match.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe kept an eye on Chelsea and Arsenal fans while perched on police horse Oliver.
The top of the table clash attracted 41,490 fans to Stamford Bridge.
A spokesman said Sir Bernard has attended patrols "quite a lot" since being appointed in September 2011.
He is due to retire next month, after five years in the role.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38868155 |
Rio's iconic Maracana stadium abandoned - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Just months after the Olympics, a dispute over the condition of Brazil's Maracana stadium has erupted. | null | Just months after the Olympics, a dispute over the condition of Brazil's Maracana stadium has erupted.
The building has been damaged by looters and has lain empty as clubs and authorities argue over who should manage it. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-38865941 |
Jose Mourinho: Man Utd players 'must realise they need to win' - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says some of his players need to leave their "comfort zone" and to learn how to win. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says certain members of his squad need to realise the importance of winning.
United are unbeaten in 14 Premier League games but have drawn their past three and been sixth in the table after each round of matches since 6 November.
"Playing to win, having the responsibility to win, and coping with the pressure of winning is something that has to belong to your natural habitat," said Mourinho.
"For some guys, it doesn't."
Six players in the Old Trafford club's first-team squad have not won a domestic league title or major international tournament - Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian, Jesse Lingard, Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.
Mourinho did not name any individuals but, speaking before Sunday's trip to champions Leicester (16:00 GMT kick-off), he said his squad contains players who "need time to go out of a comfort or a protected zone where they don't think the aim is to win".
Meanwhile, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been added to United's Europa League squad after being left out for the group stages.
The 32-year-old former Germany captain will now be available for the last-32 tie against Saint-Etienne later this month.
Having signed four players last summer, United did not buy anyone during the January transfer window - but Mourinho has identified the men he wants in the summer.
In recent seasons, United have become embroiled in negotiations with Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos and forward Gareth Bale, and midfielder Cesc Fabregas when he was at Barcelona, but the Mourinho says he will not chase "impossible" transfers.
"I know what I want and I am very realistic," said the Portuguese. "I know what are the impossible targets and I don't like my club to participate in them.
"It is a waste of time. It is a gift to the agents to help them improve their situation."
Given they have been in sixth place since early November, there is a real possibility that United will fail to qualify for the Champions League for a second successive year.
That would cost them more than £20m in sponsorship income due to a clause in their £750m, 10-year deal with Adidas, but is unlikely to impact on their ability to attract top-class players because of Mourinho's reputation and the club's ability to pay top salaries.
Mourinho's priorities will be to bring in at least one "game-changing forward" and bolster his defence significantly.
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has been heavily linked, although United officials have played down a story from France that personal terms with the 25-year-old have already been agreed.
A formal move for Benfica's Victor Lindelof is anticipated after United ruled out a January move for the 22-year-old Sweden defender due to his near £40m buyout clause.
Monaco defensive midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is also of interest to Mourinho, with England winger Ashley Young and Schweinsteiger top of the list of likely departures. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38858499 |
The man hiding tenners round Cardiff - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Why film maker Matt Callanan has hidden £10 notes around Cardiff for others to spend. | null | Why film maker Matt Callanan has hidden £10 notes around Cardiff for others to spend. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38859821 |
Ancient shopping list found as stately home renovated - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Jan Cutajar, the man responsible for renovations at Knole House in Kent, describes the rare find dated October 1633. | null | A letter listing mundane items dated October 1633 has been discovered during renovations of Knole House, a stately Tudor home in Kent.
Jan Cutajar, the man responsible for the renovations, tells BBC World Service about the rare find. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38869153 |
Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Chelsea move 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable win over Arsenal. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Chelsea tightened their grip on the Premier League title race and delivered a blow to Arsenal's aspirations with a convincing victory at Stamford Bridge.
Manager Arsene Wenger, watching from the stands as he served the third of a four-match touchline ban, was hoping Arsenal could respond to Tuesday's shock home defeat by Watford - but Chelsea exerted their authority to leave the Gunners 12 points behind the leaders.
Marcos Alonso gave Chelsea the lead after 13 minutes, heading home after Diego Costa's header came back off the bar. Arsenal were unhappy with Alonso's challenge on Hector Bellerin that saw the defender take a heavy blow to the head which forced his substitution, but referee Martin Atkinson saw nothing wrong.
Eden Hazard made the decisive contribution with a magnificent solo goal eight minutes after half-time, leaving a trail of Arsenal players in his wake in a run from the halfway line before beating Petr Cech.
The goalkeeper's poor clearance gifted substitute Cesc Fabregas Chelsea's third, five minutes from time, and Olivier Giroud's late goal barely counted as consolation for Arsenal. The visitors had chances but saw Thibaut Courtois save well from Gabriel, Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck.
• None 'Arsenal have settled for fourth again'
• None Reaction from Stamford Bridge and the rest of Saturday's Premier League games
Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League was 12 points at the conclusion of this victory - although Tottenham moved back to within nine points with a win against Middlesbrough - and to underscore the scale of their improvement, it is worth going back to the first meeting between these clubs at Arsenal in September.
Their 3-0 loss to the Gunners left Chelsea in eighth place and eight points behind then-leaders Manchester City after six games. This proved to be a watershed moment for the Blues and manager Antonio Conte.
In the intervening 18 games after Conte switched to his preferred three-man central defensive system, they have won 16 league games, lost at Spurs and drawn at Liverpool. It has been a powerhouse run that has effectively brought a 20-point swing in the title race.
Chelsea once more looked the model of efficiency, although they conceded more chances than Conte would have liked, with N'Golo Kante a tireless midfield influence.
The Italian wanted to make amends for that heavy loss at Emirates Stadium and he had the players and system to do it in style.
And when they have individuals who can produce game-defining moments like Hazard, it is almost impossible to see any way they will leave the door far enough ajar for any of their pursuers to squeeze through.
Conte's celebration after Hazard's goal showed how much the win meant to him.
All over for Arsenal?
Arsenal's loss here at Stamford Bridge caps a dreadful week for the Gunners and manager Wenger - watching from the stands as their title hopes were surely snuffed out for another year.
First they were knocked off course by that defeat by Watford and here they were beaten by a Chelsea side that looked like everything Arsenal did not. Strong, streetwise, ruthless and confident.
Wenger's side were limp in the opening phases, not even getting a touch in the Chelsea penalty area for 35 minutes and when chances did come along they were squandered.
Wenger can make all the usual positive noises but this was, ultimately, an emphatic beating and barring a dramatic and unforeseen turn of events, the wait for their first title since the year of "The Invincibles" in 2003-04 will go on.
A single banner saying "Enough Is Enough. Time To Go" was held aloft in the Arsenal end - but it was almost a token gesture of defiance, rather like Giroud's late goal.
The two faces of Chelsea
This Chelsea side mixes silk and steel - and does it in the shape of N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard.
Kante has been a key contributor this season and was again here. He breaks up opposition attacks and starts Chelsea's own. He makes it his business to make life impossible for opponents.
Hazard sprinkles the stardust on Chelsea, as he proved with that slalom, weaving run for the crucial second goal that effectively decided the contest.
Chelsea look a team for all season. And look like Premier League champions in waiting.
What the managers said
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte: "It was an important game. I consider Arsenal one of the six teams that can fight for the title until the end of the season. To put them 12 points behind is very important for us.
"In four days we have had two games against two great teams. I think we are showing we deserve to stay on top of the table. I am very pleased for my players. In every session they show me great attitude and great will to fight and win this league.
"Was the first goal a foul? In England never. No."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "It was a foul. If you look at a number of games recently we can feel sorry.
"It was 100% a foul, it was even dangerous play. That doesn't take anything away from the performance of Chelsea.
"We had a strong start but didn't take the opportunities and after half-time the second goal was the killer for us."
• None Chelsea have won nine successive Premier League home games and the aggregate score in these matches is 27-4 in Chelsea's favour.
• None Arsenal have lost four of their past nine Premier League games, the same number that they lost in their previous 35 matches in the competition.
• None Chelsea have won all nine Premier League games in which Hazard has scored this season.
• None Petr Cech has failed to keep a clean sheet in three of his four Premier League games against Chelsea for Arsenal and has conceded in both meetings at Stamford Bridge.
• None Diego Costa failed to score in consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time since 2 May 2016 (three in a row).
• None Cesc Fabregas scored his first ever Premier League goal against Arsenal.
Chelsea will be looking to extend their lead further when they travel to Burnley in the Premier League next Sunday (12:30 GMT), while Arsenal host Hull on Saturday (12:30 GMT).
• None Attempt saved. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) header from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
• None Goal! Chelsea 3, Arsenal 1. Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nacho Monreal with a cross.
• None Attempt missed. Diego Costa (Chelsea) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is too high.
• None Attempt saved. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cesc Fàbregas.
• None Goal! Chelsea 3, Arsenal 0. Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box to the high centre of the goal.
• None Attempt saved. Victor Moses (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Eden Hazard.
• None Attempt missed. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Mesut Özil with a cross following a corner. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38779302 |
Jessica Ennis-Hill takes part in Sheffield park run - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | The retired athlete ran two laps of a Sheffield park with dozens of other runners. | null | Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill has taken part in her first park run in her home city of Sheffield.
The retired athlete ran two laps of Endcliffe Park, with dozens of other runners in the morning 5km event, to mark a new sponsor for the series of events.
She later posted online: "Loved my first park run this morning! 5km is a little bit further than the 800m I'm used to." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-38867537 |
Trump travel ban: 'President must honour ruling' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | The Washington State Attorney General says he is "certain" the president will not like the ruling. | null | President Donald Trump must honour the temporary nationwide block on his travel ban, the Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has said.
Earlier, Federal Judge James Robart ruled against government lawyers' claims that US states did not have the standing to challenge Mr Trump's executive order. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38866749 |
Sheffield City Council 'failed to stop predatory sex offender' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Roger Dodds was jailed earlier for 16 years after pleading guilty to four counts of indecent assault. | Sheffield & South Yorkshire | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "I remember... looking at Roger Dodds with his big bunch of keys, locking the door, and that was horrifying", one victim said
Predatory sex offender Roger Dodds was left free to abuse his victims by Sheffield City Council despite bosses having known about his offending for years, BBC News has found.
Dodds, who was jailed earlier for 16 years after pleading guilty to four counts of indecent assault, was allowed to operate as an employee of the council "without sufficient challenge, accountability or consequences", a council-commissioned report found.
Council officials not only knew about his behaviour, but also failed to report his activities to police and gave him early retirement with an enhanced pension.
Kenny Dale, who was abused by Dodds in the early 1990s and has waived his right to anonymity, said: "I was the victim of a horrible man and the council are to blame for that."
Sheffield City Council said it "accepted responsibility" and was "deeply sorry" Dodds had been allowed to commit these offences while in its employment.
Dodds abused at least one man while heading up the council's Grants and Awards Department
Dodds, now 81, was employed in 1975 to head the council's Grants and Awards Department.
The unit was responsible for providing financial support to students attending college or university. However, Dodds used his position to sexually abuse young men, typically in their late teens.
One victim, who did not want to be named, said he was assaulted during their very first meeting.
He told the BBC: "Dodds was asking me things about my studies, and, very gradually, his left hand started to feel its way into my right jeans pocket. When that started to happen, I just became frozen and unable to move."
According to former colleagues, Dodds was part of a club that operated within the council swapping hardcore pornographic magazines in internal envelopes and screening adult films in a basement room.
He was first investigated by Sheffield City Council in the early 1980s after a series of allegations were made against him.
The complaints gave one employee the courage to tell managers about the abuse he had been subjected to.
Richard Rowe said he grew to fear turning up for work as a result of his abuse at the hands of Dodds
Richard Rowe, who has also waived his legal right to anonymity, said he was subjected to "terrifying" assaults over an 18-month period.
However, he said when he told bosses what was happening, he was told to stay quiet.
"They asked for specifics and I gave them as much details as I could bring myself to voice. But they knew, they knew exactly," he said.
"At the end of the interview it was, 'there is nothing more to tell us, so go back to the office and you do not speak about this inside or outside the building'. I clearly remember that warning."
Following the investigation, Dodds was moved to a position working with schools.
An investigation carried out for Sheffield City Council, and seen by the BBC, said he was given "substantial unregulated and unsupervised access to schools".
The report continues that "there appears to have been no disciplinary consequences to his behaviour at the time".
Nor was his transfer a chastening experience for Dodds.
Kenny Dale said he blamed the council for failing to stop Dodds
Mr Dale began working at the council in the early 1990s and, despite warnings from colleagues, applied for a post working alongside Dodds.
"Everyone told me not to go for it," he said, "[but] I didn't think that kind of behaviour would be allowed".
He said Dodds began touching him inappropriately almost immediately and continued to do so despite his objections and the lack of challenge from managers.
Another investigation by the local authority was launched and in 1993 Roger Dodds left the council.
However, despite Mr Dale's insistence Dodds should not be given a payoff, he was given an early retirement package that included an enhanced pension.
Mr Dale said he blames the council for the abuse he suffered.
"The council are so responsible, more responsible than he was," he said.
Roger Dodds was the subject of two internal investigations while working for Sheffield City Council
Following the second internal investigation officials concluded a criminal investigation should have been launched.
In 2008, one of Dodds' victims went to South Yorkshire Police with his allegations.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to prosecute at the time - a CPS spokesman said its files did not contain details on why that decision was taken.
Dodds was eventually charged in 2016 after another complainant came forward in 2014.
The police investigation prompted the council to commission consultants to investigate how it had handled Dodds.
The 2008 review concluded: "It was clearly wrong that Dodds should receive early retirement. He was not subject to any official sanction by the council for his alleged behaviour."
The 28-page dossier also revealed repeated failures by the council, describing the authority's action as clearly unacceptable not just by present-day standards but by the policies and legislation in place at the time.
It conceded the council did not know how many other victims there might be.
Its conclusion was damning, stating: "The actions of Roger Dodds have caused enormous distress to his victims, and the city council has been complicit in allowing Dodds to operate apparently without sufficient challenge, accountability or consequences."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-38840808 |
Davis Cup, Canada v Great Britain: Dan Evans beats Denis Shapovalov in opener - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Watch the best of the action as Dan Evans sees off Canada's 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov in straight sets in the Davis Cup. | null | Watch the best of the action as Dan Evans sees off Canada's 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov in straight sets to win his first match as Great Britain's Davis Cup number one.
READ MORE: Evans gives Britain early lead over Canada in Davis Cup | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38863841 |
Newspaper headlines: MPs call to 'shut down Iraq abuse inquiry' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A demand by MPs to halt the Iraq troops abuse inquiry and claims of a gap in UK defences make Sunday's front pages. | The Papers | No story dominates the headlines but the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Times both lead on defence issues.
The Sunday Telegraph takes aim at officials in the Ministry of Defence, reporting that MPs will blame a "rotten core" of civil servants for allowing British soldiers to be hounded by false claims of abuse dating from the Iraq War.
The story is based on a parliamentary inquiry whose findings have not yet been published.
The Telegraph expects the report to condemn the activities of the government's Iraq Historic Allegations Team and to call for it to be shut down immediately.
IHAT has said that it handles investigations with sensitivity. The Telegraph, though, calls it a "grotesque charade".
The MoD also finds itself under attack from the Sunday Times, which claims that equipment failures and bungled procurement deals have left gaping holes in Britain's defences.
Among a number of examples, it cites the Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyers, which are apparently so noisy they can be detected by Russian submarines 100 miles away.
In a statement, the MoD says it is focused on delivering the equipment needed to keep Britain safe.
Elsewhere, the Sun on Sunday reports that the British veteran, Johnson Beharry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for heroism in Iraq, was delayed and questioned at JFK airport in New York by officials enforcing President Trump's travel ban.
Lance Sergeant Beharry, who was en route to a charity event for war veterans, believes that an Iraq stamp in his passport aroused suspicions.
He complains that he felt "humiliated" and missed the fund-raising show because of the delay.
The Observer says that the government is to break with Margaret Thatcher's policy of supporting home ownership, with a shift in favour of people who rent.
It says the new approach, to be set out in a White Paper this week, will aim to deliver more affordable and secure rental deals, and threaten tougher action against rogue landlords.
In the Observer's view, it is a turning point for the Conservative party and an admission by Theresa May's government that home ownership is out of reach for millions of families because of sky-high property prices.
The Mail on Sunday devotes its front page and two others to news that the former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is sharing a house in west London with a French politician, described by the newspaper as "glamorous" and "foxy".
The Mail says Laure Ferrari, who moved in with Mr Farage last week, is the head of a Eurosceptic think-tank which is accused of diverting EU funding to UKIP before the general election and the referendum.
Mr Farage tells the Mail he is simply helping Miss Ferrari with somewhere to stay. They both deny having an affair. Mr Farage also denies any financial wrongdoing.
David Beckham appears on a number of front pages, after the leak of private emails apparently revealing his anger at missing out on a knighthood in 2013.
His spokesman has said that the emails have been "hacked and doctored" and contain "outdated material taken out of context".
The Mail on Sunday is unimpressed by friends of the footballer explaining that he was simply "a normal person" who was "extremely disappointed" not to get a knighthood.
But the Sunday Mirror says it is understandable that Beckham feels "miffed" after giving so much to charity and his country. It says it is high time he was told "Arise, Sir David".
The story of Mary Ellis from the Isle of Wight, one of the few women who flew Spitfires during World War Two, is told in the Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday.
Mrs Ellis, who turned 100 last week, joined the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1941. She and her fellow so-called "ATA girls" delivered planes to RAF airfields, releasing male pilots for combat duty.
For an early birthday treat, she recently took control of a Spitfire once again on a flight over the South Coast accompanied by a co-pilot.
Finally, for those with a sweet tooth, the Sunday Times reports that chocolate bars are about to get 20% smaller.
It comes as manufacturers try to meet government targets for reducing sugar in their products.
They can not use artificial sweeteners, according to the paper, because this ruins the taste and can even have a laxative effect.
declined to comment on the possible 20% cut. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38871164 |
Ferry port worker from Greenock wins £4.3m in lottery - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | A ferry port assistant from Greenock says he is "a bit shaken up" after winning more than £4m from Saturday night's National Lottery draw. | null | A ferry port assistant from Greenock says he is "a bit shaken up" after winning more than £4m from Saturday night's National Lottery draw.
James Couper, 46, first found out that he had won during his lunch break at work the following day when a colleague read out the winning numbers.
His winning numbers were five, 21, 23, 34, 43 and 45.
Mr Couper is still deciding what to do with his winnings, but has promised his children Rachel, 20, and Daniel, 16, a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38863194 |
10 things we didn't know last week - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Johnny Depp's alleged wine bill, and more news nuggets. | Magazine | 1. Johnny Depp is alleged to have spent $30,000 a month on fine wine.
2. The Great Scottish half-marathon course is 150m too short.
3. You can carry one falcon in economy class on a Qatar Airways flight.
5. A dating app is being developed to help orangutans find a love match.
6. A man sold his back tattoo to German art collector, for 150,000 Euros.
Seen a thing? Tell the Magazine on Twitter using the hashtag #thingididntknowlastweek
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38833370 |
What's so special about Hemel Hempstead turning 70? - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | Seventy years ago the post-war government promised to help victims of the London blitz by building "new towns". | null | Seventy years ago the post-war government promised to help victims of the London blitz by building "new towns". Six thousand acres were bought in Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead was born. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38863274 |
Herald Sun Tour: Chris Froome can still retain title - Team Sky - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Team Sky believe Chris Froome can retain his Herald Sun Tour title, despite trailing race leader Damien Howson going into Sunday's final stage. | null | Last updated on .From the section Cycling
Team Sky believe Britain's Chris Froome can retain his Herald Sun Tour title in Australia, despite remaining one minute 12 seconds behind race leader Damien Howson going into Sunday's final stage.
A 7km climb features on each of the four laps on stage four.
And while Team Sky sporting director Brett Lancaster said the 121km course was not hard enough, he said "never say never" about Froome's chances.
"He's an animal," Lancaster told the Herald Sun. "He's a racer. He's a gentleman off the bike, but when he gets on the bike - that rhino he's got on his bike is there for a reason."
The three-time Tour de France champion and Orica-Scott's Howson of Australia were held up in Saturday's crash, just 1.5km from the finish line.
McCabe was one of only a handful of riders to emerge from the pile-up and beat Australians Mitch Docker and Leigh Howard, with Froome's team-mate Luke Rowe, who won stage two, in fourth.
Australian Howson retained his lead with Jai Hindley in second place, 38 seconds behind, with Froome back in sixth. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/38866540 |
Winning photos of great gardens - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | From rural UK to rocky outcrops in China - winners from International Garden Photographer of the Year. | In Pictures | This late autumn photo - from Snowdonia National Park in North Wales - has been crowned the overall winner of the 10th annual International Garden Photographer of the Year competition.
Taken by Lee Acaster, and entitled Left, this stark image won the Trees, Woods and Forests category - and then beat thousands of other entries to win the top spot.
Garden designer Chris Beardshaw - one of the competition judges - says the photo "perfectly encapsulates both the extremes of fortune and personality of these giants".
While Clare Foggett - who edits The English Garden Magazine - says the image "draws the viewer in, to reveal the still surface of the lake behind. It demands closer inspection".
Scroll down to see a selection of some of the best images from each category.
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"This is a classical composition with the bridge leading us into the garden and its wonderful display of October colour. The angle of view is very precisely aligned, creating the feeling of serene calm."
"It has a calm, almost Eastern zen-like quality. The autumn leaves on the handrail could have been artfully placed there by a stylist, but the fact that they had been spontaneously placed there by children visiting the garden earlier seems to add even more serendipity to the image."
Philip Smith, founder of the International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A dreamy midsummer scene. It is an unusual composition with the main subject near the picture's edge, but this, taken together with the empty space in the middle of the frame, heightens the faint sense of unreality that marks this photograph out."
"A fleeting and delicate image that encourages a holding of the breath and calm silence, for fear of disturbing the perfection."
"Wordsworth was right about daffodils filling the heart with pleasure and this photo of 'the stars that shine and twinkle on the Milky Way' does just that, with beautiful light from the setting sun. One look at the image and you want to be there."
"White Stars at Sunset is a descriptive title for this field of wild Narcissus with the beautifully backlit sta- shaped flowers. The low viewpoint chosen by the photographer has encouraged the flowers to command the stage against a dramatic evening sky."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"Texture and softening effects have been created in post-capture processing, but the strength of the image is in its very simple but accurate composition. In simplifying the still-life, the photographer has created a strong sense of romantic elegance."
"This charming image of Bergenia not only illustrates the character of the flower, but the added texture and softness to the palette gives it an artistic painterly feel."
"No-one could fault this image for not being true to its subject 'Breathing Spaces'. The glimpse of the mountainside in the break in the clouds has been very well caught and contrasts with the vibrant autumn colours of the foreground. A strong composition with the diagonal of the hillside."
"This anonymous person collecting fodder for his animals has a touch of humour about it. We have to assume he can see where he is going. The mountainous background with lovely soft, misty and low light adds a sense of place."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"This is a spontaneous shot that tells the story perfectly. The photographer has intuitively positioned the farmer in the frame in such a way that we can trudge along with him to the village we can see in the background."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A clever shot. The flowers are beautifully lit and balanced with the lights of the city. There is so much activity to be seen in the background, but the photographer has succeeded in keeping the flowers in the foreground of our attention."
"The shallow depth of field has rendered the lights of a city purely as a glow which leaves the interpretation to the viewer."
"A blaze of colour brings out the true feel of summer. The shallow depth of field adds to the intrigue of the image. An accomplished image for this young photographer."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A wonderfully exuberant image. The photographer has captured the scene very well by excluding anything that might interfere with the appreciation of colour and pattern."
This portfolio of microscopy images was entered as a set in the Beauty of Plants category and features sectioned and stained flower buds.
A selection of the images - including some close-up details - can be seen here.
"The images are stunning - a rarely seen glimpse of the mechanics and 'insides' of a plant, normally only seen by botanists peering down microscopes. Their other-worldly quality brings a new level of intrigue to our garden plants."
"Well executed and inspirational in design. A very unusual way to portray these flowers, the clarity and design are stunning and a lot of worthwhile hard work has gone into this portfolio."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"One of the most attractive macro images in this year's competition. The light falling on this tiny subject is wonderfully handled and reveals the other-worldly elegance of the subject."
"A captivating image, glorious colours and the composition cannot be faulted. The depth of Field is perfect. The detail is beautiful and this is a very worthy winner of the macro category."
"A dramatic composition for this monochrome image with lighting to bring out the detail and texture in the leaves and yet maintaining the subtlety of the petals."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A complex plant stripped down to its essentials of tone, form and texture. It is skilfully processed with a large amount of detail in a complex gradation of grey tones. There's a calm stillness that makes it a worthy winner."
The winning photos are being exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew in London, from 4 February to 12 March 2017. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38829413 |
Laura Muir breaks European indoor 3,000m record - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Scot Laura Muir breaks the European 3,000m indoor record in Karlsruhe, Germany to maintain her superb start to the year. | null | Last updated on .From the section Athletics
Laura Muir continued her recent record-breaking form by setting a European 3,000m indoor record in Karlsruhe.
The Scot, 23, beat Russian Liliya Shobukhova's record by 1.45 seconds to post a new mark of eight minutes 26.41 seconds, fifth on the world-best list.
Muir is preparing for next month's European Indoor Championships.
England's Andrew Pozzi won the 60m hurdles in Germany in 7.44 seconds - the fastest time in the world this year and-third fastest in British history.
Pozzi ran a personal best of 7.49 in the heats before bettering that mark as he finished 0.14secs outside Colin Jackson's British record in the final.
Dina Asher-Smith set a world best time of 7.13 in the 60m heats before being edged into second in the final by Jamaican Gayon Evans (7.14).
Muir broke the British indoor 5,000m indoor record in Glasgow last month, and took Kelly Holmes' British 1500m record outdoors last July.
She then beat her own 1500m mark in Paris on her way to winning last year's Diamond League title.
As well as the European Indoor Championships in Belgrade in early March, she is also targeting a medal at the World Championships in London in August, after finishing seventh in last year's 1500m Olympic final in Rio. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/38869781 |
South Africa v Sri Lanka: Bees stop play in third ODI - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | A swarm of bees stop play midway through Sri Lanka's innings in the third one-day international against South Africa in Johannesburg. | null | Last updated on .From the section Cricket
A groundsman uses a fire extinguisher to disperse the bees at the Wanderers A swarm of bees stopped play midway through Sri Lanka's innings in the third one-day international against South Africa in Johannesburg. The bees disrupted play twice - sending players diving to the ground - before the game was officially stopped in the 27th over, with Sri Lanka on 117-4. A groundsman used a fire extinguisher to try to disperse the bees, before a beekeeper was called to the Wanderers. Play restarted over an hour later and South Africa won by seven wickets.
• None Scorecards from the third ODI Players and umpires dive to the ground | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38868267 |
David Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger on Snapchat - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | The former prime minister and Mr Schwarzeneggar appeared in a video on the ex-California governor's Snapchat page. | null | The former prime minister and Mr Schwarzeneggar appeared in a video on the ex-California governor's Snapchat page. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-38859824 |
Teenager's Facebook search uncovers missing mother's death - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Marco's viral Facebook search for a mother he barely knew prompted police to look at the case again. | Europe | Marco Hauenstein as a baby with his birth mother
A man who launched an online search for his missing birth mother discovered she died years ago in Germany - but bureaucratic errors led to the family never being informed.
Gina Hauenstein, who came from a small village in northern Switzerland, had been listed as officially missing since 2000.
In January this year her son Marco, who spent his childhood with foster parents in another part of the country, posted a Facebook appeal for information about the mother he last saw as an infant.
His story captured attention across Europe, prompting new enquiries - until Swiss police confirmed that the remains of Gina Hauenstein had actually been found just across the border in Germany in 2013.
Marco did not have an easy start in life.
He knew very little about his birth family, but he did know that his mother had been a drug addict, and is believed to have spent time during the 1990s in Zurich's then-notorious Platzspitz drugs scene, where addicts bought heroin in a city centre park and injected it openly.
When Marco was born in 1997, he was already addicted, and had to spend the first months of his life in hospital withdrawing and recovering.
Although his mother visited him from time to time, he never lived with her, and when Marco was just three, she disappeared.
Although Marco describes his childhood with foster parents as happy, he says questions about his birth family were "always on my mind".
His search first started when he was around 16, and he began by asking local town councils in the region of Switzerland his mother had come from. He also made enquiries with the police.
No information was forthcoming. Police told him that despite a search both within Switzerland and across Europe, no trace of her had ever been found.
Gina Hauenstein had been missing since 2000
Only when an appeal Marco made on Facebook began to attract attention - it was shared thousands of times in just a few days - did Swiss police look again at their records.
They discovered that in 2013 they had been contacted by German police, with news that human bones had been found in a village just across the border from Gina Hauenstein's home town in Switzerland.
The results of a forensic examination by Swiss investigators confirmed the bones were Gina's.
Local police in her home town were informed in 2015, but inexplicably that information never reached either Gina's family or the German authorities investigating the remains.
This week, Swiss police visited Marco and broke the news, apologising for a mistake they admit should never have happened.
Marco's social media feeds were saturated with messages during the search
Marco, who patiently gave many interviews when he first launched his Facebook appeal just four weeks ago, is now taking time for himself to digest the news.
He has not posted on Facebook since January. While not quite the happy end he had hoped for, there was at least one positive development.
"Danke! Thank you! Merci!" he wrote. "Thanks to your help, on 20 January, I was able to meet my uncle and my grandmother for the first time. It was a very emotional moment.
"At last, I have part of my family back."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38860398 |
Black Sabbath: 'We hated being a heavy metal band' - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Black Sabbath reflect on their 50-year career as they play the final gig of their last world tour. | Birmingham & Black Country | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
After several world tours spanning five decades, heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath are bringing it to a close in the city where it all began. How did Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and former member Bill Ward's upbringing in post-war, industrial Birmingham influence their unique sound - and is this really "the end" for the band?
For a group that has been widely credited with creating the sound of heavy metal, influencing thousands of bands and inspiring generations of guitarists, it was a term Black Sabbath initially wanted to have nothing to do with.
"We called it heavy rock," recalls Iommi. "The term heavy metal came about from a journalist when I came back from America (in the 70s).
"He said 'you're playing heavy metal' and I said 'no, it's heavy rock - what's that?'"
Who coined the phrase is disputed, with Rolling Stone critics Lester Bangs and Mike Saunders both credited with using it first.
Throughout the 1970s, many reviewers used it as an insult - a sneering description of this new wave of "aggressive" musicians, their loud, thrashing sounds reverberating around packed, sweaty rooms full of fans.
"At first we didn't like being called heavy metal," admits Butler. "But everyone likes to put you into certain pigeon holes, so we sort of got used to it.
"And then instead of it being derogatory, it became a whole lifestyle."
Along with Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath were credited with 'inventing' heavy metal
Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, who, like Black Sabbath, formed in 1968, were also progenitors of the movement.
But Sabbath are credited with inventing the distinctive riffs that characterised the sound in the early days - and that was all down to a terrible twist of fate that befell a 17-year-old Iommi at a steelworks in Aston, Birmingham.
It was the last shift for the young welder at the Summer Lane factory, who was leaving to try and make his fortune as a professional musician.
As he went to cut a piece of metal, the guillotine came crashing down on his right hand, slicing off the tips of his middle and right fingers.
"I was told 'you'll never play again'," says the lead guitarist.
"It was just unbelievable. I sat in the hospital with my hand in this bag and I thought 'that's it - I'm finished'.
"But eventually I thought 'I'm not going to accept that. There must be a way I can play'."
He went home and fashioned new fingertips out of an old Fairy Liquid bottle - "melted it down, got a hot soldering iron and shaped it like a finger" - and cut sections from a leather jacket to cover his new homemade prosthetic.
"It helped to make me play a different style because I couldn't play the conventional way - I couldn't play the proper chords like I could before the accident, so I had to come up with a different way of making a bigger sound."
A 17-year-old Iommi fashioned his own prosthetic fingertips to enable him to carry on playing the guitar - the prosthetics he uses today were crafted by professionals
"Tony's an incredible guy," says Osbourne. "He not only played again, he invented a new sound. I often say to him, 'how do you know when you're touching the strings?' - and he says 'I just do it'."
The bleak, factory-laden streets of Aston, where Osbourne, Iommi, Butler and Ward grew up just a few roads apart, also had an impact on Sabbath's haunting sound and ominous lyrics.
The working-class suburb hadn't benefitted from post-war regeneration in the way Birmingham city centre had, just a couple of miles away.
Iommi and Butler worked in factories after leaving school, Ward delivered coal and Osbourne, after stints in a slaughterhouse and car plant, turned his hand to burglary. Music was an escape for the teenagers.
"It wasn't a great place to be at that time," recalls Butler. "We were listening to songs about San Francisco, the hippies were all love and peace and everything.
Within two years of forming their band in Aston, Birmingham, in 1968, Black Sabbath were touring America
"There we were, in Aston, Ozzy was in prison from burgling houses, me and Tony were always in fights with somebody, and Bill, so we had quite a rough upbringing.
"Our music reflected the way we felt."
It was the chance sighting of a small, oddly-written note in a Birmingham music shop - 'Ozzy Zig needs a gig' - that brought the four together.
It was spotted by Iommi and Ward, who were looking for a singer after leaving "a band people could fight to".
"I knew Ozzy from school, Birchfield Road in Perry Barr, and I didn't know he used to sing," remembers Iommi.
"His mum came to the door and we said we were answering the advert, and she said 'John, it's for you'.
The musicians all lived a few streets away from each other in Aston - Osbourne and Iommi used to attend the same school
Ozzy Osbourne said the band "had to finish in Birmingham" where it all began
"I saw him walking up the hallway and I said to Bill, 'forget it'. We talked for a bit and then we left.
"I said, 'I don't think he can sing, I know him from school'."
A few days later, Osbourne and Butler went round to the Iommi family's grocery shop in Aston, saying they were looking for a drummer.
"Bill was with me but he said 'I'm not going to do anything without you'," says Iommi.
"So we said let's give it a go - the four of us."
"I have been out of Black Sabbath longer than I've been in," says Ozzy Osbourne
Tony Iommi's much-publicised battle with cancer is among the reasons the band has finally decided to stop touring
Calling themselves Earth, they started out playing blues, before turning their attention to writing their own material.
Butler recalls: "It was always the hippy, happy stuff on the radio and there were we, in Aston, having to go to work in factories.
"We wanted to put how we thought about the world at the time. We didn't want to write happy pop songs. We gave that industrial feeling to it."
And it was Butler and Iommi's love of horror films that gave the group its signature, stirring sound.
"We wanted to create a vibe like you get off horror films - try and create a tension within the music," says Iommi.
"We thought it would be really good to get this sort of vibe, this fear and excitement.
"It was a struggle. There was nothing like what we were doing. We'd taken on something because we believed in it, and loved what we were doing."
Black Sabbath have had many line-ups over the years, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence
Following a mix-up with another band called Earth, the band changed their name to Black Sabbath, after the title track that took its moniker from a 1963 horror film by Boris Karloff.
And within just two years, they were flying to the US to perform to an emerging, global fan base at the start of a career that would span the next 50 years.
Over 70 million records, several line-up changes - Iommi has been the only constant presence - and one headless bat later, the band has decided to call time on touring, performing the last gig on their exhausting 81-date "The End" tour in their home city.
Iommi's much-documented cancer battle and the musicians' advancing years - Osbourne and Iommi are 68 and Butler is 67 - contributed to the decision to slow down.
All three founding members speak with a mixture of pride, excitement and sadness when talking about performing in their beloved Birmingham.
"We've toured everywhere else in the world but there's nowhere like Birmingham," says Butler.
Geezer Butler said the band "came from nothing", growing up on the streets of Aston, Birmingham
"It's still the only place where I get nervous before I go on. It means the world to me. It's where our hearts are."
"It's where we started," adds Osbourne. "The old road has gone back to Birmingham.
"I don't live there any more but most of my family live there. We started in Birmingham so why not finish in Birmingham?"
But, like many bands before them who have announced "the end" before being enticed back on stage with lucrative deals, should we actually expect to see Sabbath back together again one day?
Iommi's certainly keen. "We're not saying goodbye as such, as in we're never going to do it again, [but] we don't want to do any more world tours," he says.
"I wouldn't rule out doing a one-off show. Or even an album. I think the door's open."
"As far as I am concerned, this is the end," he insists.
"I have been out of Black Sabbath longer than I've been in. We've all had different arguments and fallings out.
"I don't know about them but I'm not doing it again. We want to end on a high note."
For the full interviews with Black Sabbath, watch Inside Out West Midlands on Monday at 19:30, or on iPlayer. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-38768573 |
The man with a titanium chest - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | null | After seven years with part of his breastbone missing, Edward Evans gets a revolutionary titanium implant. | null | For seven years, part of Edward Evans's sternum was missing - the bone would normally have protected his lungs and heart.
A single blow to his chest could have killed him.
Now Edward, from the Midlands, has become the first person in the UK to get a 3D-printed titanium replacement.
His story was featured on Trust Me I'm A Doctor on BBC Two - @BBCTrustMe on Twitter
Join the conversation - find BBC Stories on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38853200 |
Vegetable shortage: How to cope as supermarkets ration lettuces - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | With experts warning that salad shortages are the tip of the iceberg, what can leaf lovers do? | UK | Kale is used as an alternative to iceberg lettuce in Riverford's Caesar salad
Some supermarkets are rationing iceberg lettuces, with experts warning it could be the, er, tip of the iceberg.
Bad weather in Europe has already caused a #courgette crisis, alongside a shortage of broccoli, tomatoes, salad peppers and aubergines.
With vegetable shortages expected to continue until April, what alternatives are there for shoppers?
During the UK's winter months of December, January and February, UK farmers produce beetroot, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chicory, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, parsnips, potatoes, red cabbage, swede and turnips.
We've become a "slightly strange group", expecting all-year-round produce, according to Lord Haskins, the former chairman of Northern Foods, which supplies Tesco.
"Thirty years ago you'd never have worried about buying lettuce in the middle of the winter - lettuces were things that grew in the summer and you ate them in the summer - you ate cauliflowers and Brussels sprouts in the winter," he says.
As for courgettes, they are actually "very, very out of season", says organic vegetable retailer Riverford. We have just got used to supermarkets supplying them all year round.
Eating British produce that's in season is often cheaper, as it is produced locally - and it can be healthier too.
According to food industry campaign group Love British Food, fruit and vegetables that are in season contain the nutrients, minerals and trace elements that our bodies need at particular times of year.
Apples, for example, are packed with vitamin C to boost our resistance to winter colds.
Beetroot is "terrific in soups" says Alexia Robinson from Love British Food
The group's Alexia Robinson recommends beetroot, kale, cabbages, broccoli and traditional root vegetables for their health-giving properties.
Riverford says a slaw made with cabbage, beetroot or swede will offer "10 times more nutrients" than an iceberg lettuce - which it says aren't known for their nutritional value.
If you are really keen on iceberg lettuces, you can probably pay a bit more for one from Peru or South Africa, says Lord Haskins.
But imported vegetables can clock up a lot of air miles before they land on your plate - making them worse for the environment.
Hatty Richards, from the Community Farm in Chew Magna, Somerset, says buying local is better.
"We have such a range on our doorsteps already, it's fresher, it's really good for the environment - it reduces air miles - and it supports local business which is crucial."
Lord Haskins agrees, and suggests your tastebuds may also be grateful:
"We all buy stuff from far parts. They don't taste nearly as good: strawberries at this time of year from Egypt don't taste anything like as good as a British strawberry in May, June, July."
Kale is a hardy winter leaf that can withstand frosty weather
A leafy salad is nice - but there are plenty of alternative dishes to try.
Riverford's Guy Watson thinks the UK's more bitter winter salad leaves and root vegetables can provide "a far superior substitute" which will easily make up for a lack of lettuce.
Vibrant winter coleslaws and cauliflower salads "bring British veg to life", he says, adding that one of the Riverford Field Kitchen's most popular winter dishes is a kale caesar salad.
Kale, which was originally used to feed cows, is a robust, hardy winder leaf that can withstand frosty weather. It can also be used in soups, stews, stir fries, gratins or just wilted with butter.
Ms Robinson suggests embracing winter comfort food with a "good old fashioned winter stew with plenty of root vegetables with tender meat".
If you're still not convinced you can do without leafy salads, try growing your own.
Those who do want to eat lettuce need not despair. According to the campaign group Eat Seasonably, lettuce, rocket and other crunchy salad leaves are some of the easiest things to grow at home, all year around - on a seed tray indoors, on your window sill or in the garden.
Spinach is easily grown, even in window boxes, says Ms Robinson
Ms Robinson says: "As well as the cress there are many great veg that can be easily grown in window boxes such as leaf lettuce, radishes, spinach, green onions and of course a good selection of herbs."
Another easy win is beetroot, Eat Seasonably says, which can be grown in a big pot. Though beetroot is harvested in October, Riverford says it can last up to four months if it's kept in a cold storage.
"Carrots are not too hard to grow either," Riverford's Emily Muddeman said, "Leeks, kale - you could plant just four or five stalks of kale and it will go on sprouting."
Any budding gardeners could start with planting onions later this month - Eat Seasonably says they are "not even slightly difficult to grow".
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38852000 |
2017 Six Nations: Scotland 27-22 Ireland - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | Scotland withstand a superb Ireland fightback to record their first opening-round Six Nations victory since 2006, | null | Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
Scotland survived a thrilling Ireland comeback at Murrayfield to record only their second opening-round victory in Six Nations history.
The hosts enjoyed a stunning start despite Ireland's scrum dominance, full-back Stuart Hogg crossing twice.
Keith Earls scored in the corner but Alex Dunbar's try from a clever line-out move put the Scots 21-5 up.
Tries from Iain Henderson and Paddy Jackson put Ireland 22-21 ahead before Greig Laidlaw's two late penalties.
It was a remarkable conclusion to a scintillating opening match of this year's Championship, with Ireland - who took a losing bonus point - having 70% of the possession in the second half.
But, despite scoring 17 unanswered points either side of the interval, Irish hopes of a third title in four years suffered a major blow.
They must now lift themselves for next Saturday's trip to face Italy in Rome, while Scotland travel to play France the following day in buoyant mood.
• None Never miss a Six Nations story - sign up for our rugby union news alerts
This was an absolute firecracker of a Test match, a classic of its kind. It got off to a thunderous start and rarely let up. The portents for the Scots were not good in the early minutes when their scrum came under heavy attack and started shipping penalties at an alarming rate, but their game-breakers soon came to prominence and set Murrayfield alight.
Scotland were clinical, seizing on uncharacteristic Irish errors. When they applied pressure in the visitors' 22 and Garry Ringrose unwisely came out of the defensive line, Hogg went outside him and through for the opening score.
The Scots weathered an Irish backlash and hit them with another score just after the first quarter.
Zander Fagerson forced a turnover on the floor and Scotland went from there. From a line-out, Finn Russell, standing flat to the advantage line, found Huw Jones, who sent Hogg away. The full-back dummied Rob Kearney to go over and Laidlaw made it 14-0 with the conversion.
Ireland responded and got reward for waves of pressure when Earls went over, but that only galvanised Scotland to get a third try. And it was a thing of wonder. A beautiful crossfield kick from Russell forced Simon Zebo into conceding the line-out.
The Scottish line-out then pulled the canniest trick in the book, front-loading it with three backs - Laidlaw, Tommy Seymour and Dunbar.
Ireland didn't think for one second that Ross Ford's throw was going to one of them, but it did. He threw it flat to Dunbar who, surreally, went through a gap to score.
Laidlaw's conversion made it 21-5, Jackson's penalty reducing the deficit to 21-8 just before the break.
The second half was utterly extraordinary. Ireland mobilised their troops in a very major way. They owned the ball for vast sections of the half, Henderson scoring after monumental pressure finally broke through incredible Scottish resistance.
Ireland came again, with power and intent. Conor Murray broke free and linked with Jamie Heaslip but the outstanding Ryan Wilson, with help from a Sean Maitland interception, snuffed out the danger.
Next, Maitland's tackle forced Kearney to put a foot in touch on the right wing, denying Earls a second try.
In the midst of the onslaught, Jonny Gray was a defensive rock. A total colossus. When Irishmen went down in the tackle it was normally Gray who put him there.
Not even Gray and his army of heavy-hitters could stop Ireland from scoring again, however. They were making yards and finding holes against a seemingly tiring Scotland and Jackson stretched to score and then converted his own try.
Ireland were ahead for the first time; 21-20 after 62 minutes.
Scotland's goose looked cooked, but these players have learned some lessons on the road to this victory, some bitter lessons from matches that should have been won but were lost in the closing minutes.
Roles were reversed here. From somewhere, Scotland summoned grunt and control and won a penalty that Laidlaw fired over to put them back in the lead. They kicked on, controlling the ball, looking after it like it was a new-born babe. Ireland couldn't get near it.
The last act was another penalty from the captain, boomed over against a backdrop of sheer delirium.
This was Scotland's biggest victory in 18 years, since they were champions in 1999. Nobody will be thinking about trophies, but Scotland have momentum - and history.
Paris next, with a mighty spring in the step.
Replacements: Ford (for Brown, blood 5-11, then 27), Reid (for Dell, 56), Berghan, Swinson (for Strauss, 65), Barclay (for Watson, 49), Price, Weir (temp for Russell, 46-52), Bennett (for Jones, 60)
Replacements: Scannell, Healy (for McGrath, 56), Ryan (for Furlong, 69), Dillane (for Henderson, 64), Van der Flier (for O'Brien, 66), Marmion, Keatley, Bowe (for Earls, 68).
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38848621 |
Six Nations: England beat France 19-16 to start title defence with win - BBC Sport | 2017-02-04 | null | England leave it late before coming from behind to start their Six Nations defence with a narrow win over France - a national record 15th in a row. | null | England overcame a disjointed first half and a resurgent France to come from behind and get their Six Nations defence off to a winning start by securing a national record 15th victory in a row.
Eddie Jones' men were fortunate to be level 9-9 at half-time and were four points down with time running out after a fine try from Rabah Slimani.
But, kept in touch by Owen Farrell's three penalties and one from Elliot Daly, their strength off the bench gradually seized control of a match that had been slipping away.
With their forwards at last making inroads with ball in hand and a tiring defence stretched, Ben Te'o's try finally brought Twickenham to full voice.
• None Never miss a Six Nations story - sign up for our rugby news alerts
• None Are Jones & Farrell the new Fergie & Keane?
The win saw the team pass the record of 14 straight victories set by Sir Clive Woodward's men in the run-up to their 2003 World Cup win, and means they are only three wins away from equalling the all-time record set by New Zealand last year.
It also extended France's dismal run in this fixture to six successive defeats on the road, yet the men in blue were transformed from the stodgy outfit of recent memory, and England will be hugely relieved to have found a way through.
After an early exchange of penalties, Jonny May was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Gael Fickou, Camille Lopez making it 6-3 and the hosts again uncertain out of the blocks.
France scrum-half Baptiste Serin was enjoying his Twickenham debut, his big runners making inroads and George Ford struggling to exert any control.
England were grateful for Farrell's boot to be within three points half-an-hour in, and a long-ranger from Daly levelled up an uneven match at 9-9.
Desperate defence kept Virimi Vakatawa and Scott Spedding out just before the break, France without a lead to show for six clean breaks and 344 metres made in those first 40 minutes.
France came again after the interval, Vakatawa breaking down the left after a Farrell penalty came back off the post, the impressive Louis Picamoles marching it deep into England territory and Courtney Lawes producing a huge tackle to keep the blue shirts at bay.
A fabulous delayed pass from Ford appeared to have put Daly into the left-hand corner only for the TMO to rule, correctly, that the winger's foot was in touch as he dived over, and a fraught contest broke further open still.
Ford was into his rhythm, space opening up as his dummy runners stretched the French defence, Farrell kicking his fourth penalty on 54 minutes after sustained pressure to nudge England ahead for the first time.
France coach Guy Noves went to his bench, swapping out his props and opting for the experience of Maxime Machenaud over Serin, and it was the visitors who struck back in style.
In classic French style, offloads from first Sebastian Vahaamahina and then his fellow forward Kevin Gourdon sent prop Slimani under the posts, Lopez's conversion making it 16-12 to Les Bleus.
Now it was Jones who threw on fresh legs, James Haskell and Te'o bringing the much-needed muscle, Danny Care and Jack Nowell the pace, Farrell to fly-half, Daly to outside centre.
After a series of drives that battered holes in the French defence, Farrell took quick ball and sent Te'o smashing over for his first Six Nations try, the talismanic Saracens man adding the conversion for 19-16.
At last Twickenham had its voice, with France wearied by their earlier efforts, and England will travel to Cardiff for Saturday's encounter with Wales knowing they must improve significantly if a second Grand Slam is to follow.
Maro Itoje pushed him close, while Picamoles and Spedding were a constant menace for France, but Farrell's accuracy under pressure and remorseless defence saved his side from a chastening opening-day defeat.
What do the coach and captain think?
England captain Dylan Hartley: "We got through that one and a huge amount of credit needs to go to our finishers today. Ben Te'o and James Haskell gave us some go-forward at the end there.
"Week one of the tournament we'll take that win, but there's plenty to work on. It keeps us grounded, keeps us ready for next week and we'll have to be a lot better to prepare for Wales."
England head coach Eddie Jones: "I felt some players were still in their club mentality so that's something we need to work on. We were disjointed in attack and we lacked urgency in defence.
"Now we know what we've got to work on, we will get there. The finishers made a fantastic impact on the game - that is the strength of our team, we have a brilliant 23-man squad."
What is the pundit's view?
Matt Dawson, 2003 World Cup winner: France were better than England in a lot of areas, but the strength of this England side was in their fitness and ability to play under pressure.
I have got to give huge credit to the substitutions for England because they were the difference in the end.
Replacements: Te'o for Ford (69), Care for Youngs (66), Mullan for Marler (66), George for Hartley (55), Haskell for Launchbury (64), Nowell for Joseph (69)
Replacements: Huget for Lamerat (72), Doussain for Lopez (72), Machenaud for Serin (57), Slimani for Baille (46), Maynadier for Guirado (72), Chiocci for Atonio (46), Iturria for Vahaamahina (72), Goujon for Chouly (64). | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38849751 |
Five cult films audiences hate to love - BBC News | 2017-02-04 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | As Sharknado 5 begins production, here are five other critically-panned films audiences have grown to love. | Entertainment & Arts | Tara Reid and Ian Ziering have been ever present in the Sharknado series
Sharknado fans rejoiced this week at the news that the Syfy channel is pressing ahead with a fifth instalment in the trashy disaster franchise.
Directed as ever by Anthony C Ferrante, Sharknado 5 will see returning stars Ian Ziering and Tara Reid travel to London to avert a global shark tornado.
Since it began in 2013, the TV movie series has been met with glee by viewers - and derision by critics.
Here are five critically-panned movies that audiences have grown to love.
Often cited as the worst movie ever made, Tommy Wiseau's self-financed opus came and went in 2003 but has since developed an enthusiastic fan following.
Audiences at special screenings regularly congregate to yell abuse, recite lines from the script in unison and throw plastic spoons at the screen (don't ask!)
Tommy Wiseau wrote, directed and produced the film and also played the lead role
Wiseau, who also appeared in the film, has taken this in good humour, appearing at screenings to take questions and even taking part in a live reading of his script.
He's since reteamed with co-star Greg Sestero for a new film called Best F(r)iends, while James Franco has made a film about The Room's production, entitled The Masterpiece.
Read more about The Room from BBC Culture.
Made for less than $10,000 (£8,000), this ultra low-budget attempt to replicate Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds on a shoestring had audiences flocking to revel in its awfulness.
James Nguyen's film was particularly derided for its special effects, which consisted mainly of shoddy CGI eagles interacting unconvincingly with the film's cast of unknowns.
US distribution company Severin Films saw potential in its ineptitude and took the film on a "Birdemic experience tour" that included a visit to London in 2010.
Not to be deterred, Nguyen released a sequel, Birdemic 2: The Resurrection, in 2013 and has plans to round out the franchise with Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle.
Paul Verhoeven with Showgirls stars Gina Gershon and Elizabeth Berkley in 1995
Riding high on the success of Basic Instinct, Dutch director Paul Verhoeven reteamed with writer Joe Eszterhas for this torrid tale about a Las Vegas dancer stripping her way to stardom.
Their labours were met with derision by the critics, who poured scorn on the script, Elizabeth Berkley's lead performance and one particularly ill-judged swimming pool sex scene.
As is the way of these things, though, the film developed a cult following on home video and is now a staple on the midnight screening circuit.
Verhoeven, incidentally, is currently getting some of the best reviews of his career for Elle, a dark drama about rape that won two Golden Globes last month.
Just three years on from Return of the Jedi, George Lucas laid an almighty egg with this disastrous stab at bringing Marvel's wise-quacking alien to the big screen.
Back to the Future's Lea Thompson was among Howard the Duck's human stars
Released as Howard: A New Breed of Hero in the UK, the film's crimes against cinema include putting an actor with dwarfism in an inexpressive duck suit that reportedly cost $2m (£1.6m) to make.
Since its release in 1986, though, the film has come to be embraced both by lovers of bad movies and fans of the original comic book character.
Howard's brief appearance at the end of 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, meanwhile, has prompted talk that a movie comeback may be on the cards.
Edward Wood Jr's status as the world's worst director is largely down to a 1959 black-and-white creature feature that languished in late-night TV obscurity for 20 years.
But after film critic Michael Medved declared it the worst movie ever made in 1980, it found a new audience among those who saw a camp value in its cheap effects and cheesy sci-fi storyline.
Many were particularly impressed by Wood's billing of Bela Lugosi as the film's star, despite the fact that he barely appears and actually died three years before the film's release.
The film and Wood himself were subsequently granted the ultimate accolade when Tim Burton made a film about the director's life, starring Johnny Depp as Wood and Martin Landau as Lugosi.
Depp and Landau at the Cannes Film Festival, where Burton's Ed Wood screened in 1994
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38856191 |
Leicester City 0-3 Manchester United - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Manchester United ease to victory at Leicester to leave the defending champions just one point above the relegation zone. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Premier League champions Leicester are just one point above the relegation zone after defeat at home by Manchester United left them still searching for a first league win in 2017.
A dour opening half came to life just before the break when the visitors scored twice in two minutes.
First, Henrikh Mkhitaryan latched onto Chris Smalling's flick-on and raced through on goal before beating Kasper Schmeichel with a clinical finish.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic then took advantage of terrible Leicester marking to side-foot home his 15th Premier League goal of the season.
Juan Mata ensured there was no way back for the hosts when he finished off a one-two with Mkhitaryan early in the second half.
Leicester never looked like scoring, with their only shot on target a tame Wilfred Ndidi strike just before half-time.
Manchester United remain in the hunt for a top-four finish. They are sixth, one point behind Liverpool and two behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
• None Listen: Mahrez 'really is lacking in confidence'
Could the champions really go down?
Jose Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea the last time he visited the King Power Stadium. That was in December 2015 and he was sacked the day after a defeat that strengthened Leicester's title charge.
This time it is Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri who is under pressure. Far from defending their title, they are very much in a relegation dogfight and went into Sunday's game looking to record their first league win since New Year's Eve.
A pacy attack of Ahmed Musa and Jamie Vardy promised much but ultimately offered little, the latter in particular a shadow of the striker who scored in 11 consecutive Premier League games last season.
The Foxes have now failed to score a league goal in five games this year, but of equal concern for Ranieri will have been his side's defending. Ibrahimovic was left unmarked to poke home Manchester United's second and then Wes Morgan played two players onside for the third.
Leicester have not won away all season in the league, so it is their home form that has kept them out of the drop zone so far - 18 of their 21 points have been collected at the King Power Stadium.
This defeat, though, was their third in six home games and Ranieri will need to get things back on track quickly if the Foxes are to avoid being the first reigning top-flight champions to be relegated since Manchester City in 1938.
Manchester United have been far too reliant on Ibrahimovic this season. The evergreen Swedish striker is the club's leading scorer with 10 more league goals than any other Manchester United player.
In an effort to relieve the Swede's burden, Mourinho started Marcus Rashford alongside him in a 4-4-2 formation.
It quickly became evident that Ibrahimovic was far more effective in a central role and after 20 minutes Mourinho reverted to 4-2-3-1 with Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Mata behind the former Paris St-Germain striker.
The change immediately improved the visitors' attacking strength as the pace of Mkhitaryan and Rashford, coupled with Mata's creativity, stretched Leicester's defence and left gaps for Manchester United to exploit, which they did to full effect.
In the end Leicester could not cope and although United will arguably face tougher defences this season, three different goalscorers and a convincing win will give Mourinho confidence his side can challenge for the top four, particularly with Liverpool and Arsenal's own challenge faltering.
What they said
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri: "When we conceded the first goal we got down. I don't understand why. It's important to be strong until the end and never give up. But the confidence is not so high.
"Last season was terrific but we are Leicester and every time we have to fight.
"We are together. I am fully confident in my players and the players are confident in me."
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "It was really important for us. We lost two points in the last match at home and had three consecutive draws so we needed the points.
"I am happy. We don't have a league defeat since October and if we tried to transform the unlucky draws to victories, we would be in an amazing position."
• None Leicester City are the first Premier League team to fail to score in the first five matches of a calendar year and the first top-flight side since Spurs in 1986.
• None They are the only side in the top-four English tiers to have failed to score in the league in 2017.
• None Manchester United are unbeaten in their past 15 Premier League games; their longest run since March 2013 (18 games unbeaten).
• None The Foxes are the second reigning Premier League champions to lose successive home league games by a three-goal margin (also Man Utd in 2013-14).
• None There were just 88 seconds between Henrikh Mkhitaryan's and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's goals for Man Utd.
• None Ibrahimovic has reached 15 Premier League goals for Man Utd in the fourth fastest number of games (23), following Van Nistelrooy (19) Yorke (20) and van Persie (21).
• None Juan Mata has been involved in 86 Premier League goals since his debut (44 goals, 42 assists) - the highest goal involvement rate of any Premier League midfielder in that time.
After an FA Cup fourth-round replay against Derby at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday, Leicester have a potentially massive game in the Premier League on Sunday [kick-off 16:00 GMT]. They travel to Swansea, who are one place below the Foxes in 18th.
Manchester United, meanwhile, host Watford on Saturday [15:00] knowing three points could lift them into the top four.
• None Attempt blocked. Demarai Gray (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
• None Attempt saved. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ashley Young.
• None Attempt missed. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Antonio Valencia.
• None Attempt blocked. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ander Herrera. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38786544 |
Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss has 'serious thinking to do' on his future - Ian Wright - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has "some serious thinking to do" about his future with the club, says Gunners legend Ian Wright. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger "has some serious thinking to do" about his future, says club legend Ian Wright.
Wenger has been Gunners boss since October 1996 and has won the Premier League three times, but the 67-year-old's contract expires in the summer.
Arsenal, who last won the league title in 2004, lost 3-1 to league leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday to fall 12 points behind the Blues.
"Does he still have the stomach to do this again?" asked Wright.
• None 5 live In Short: Arsenal have settled for fourth again - Mills
"It is a tough couple of months for Arsene Wenger, and Arsenal are doing what they do when they slip up," added the Match of the Day pundit, who was part of Arsenal's Premier League-winning squad in 1997-98.
"Arsenal are in the top four, but they aren't winning the league.
"Arsene Wenger has some really serious thinking to do at the end of the season."
Former England defender Martin Keown was part of Wenger's side in each of his three top-flight title wins and he believes the Frenchman will stay on at Arsenal.
Keown told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme: "The way that they are sort of losing their way now, the question comes again - does Arsene Wenger remain in the seat? Do they look to make a change?
"I just feel the way the club is so pragmatic in its decision making, I don't see Arsene leaving. Whether he should or shouldn't, I don't think it will happen."
He added: "He will decide when he leaves the club. I do feel that is the situation and I do feel he has earned the right, in the same way that Sir Alex Ferguson did at Manchester United, to choose when he goes.
"I feel deep down he has already made his mind up to stay. It is just the timing of that announcement. Results like against Chelsea make that difficult for him to do.
"He doesn't make spur of the moment decisions. He has to make the best decision for Arsenal and not just for himself."
Chelsea were just so much better - Mills
Wenger watched Saturday's game at Stamford Bridge from the stand as part of a four-match touchline ban.
He saw his side go behind to a Marcos Alonso header, before Eden Hazard's solo run and finish doubled the Chelsea lead.
An Olivier Giroud headed consolation came after former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas lobbed Petr Cech.
Arsenal are third in the table, a point clear of both Liverpool, who lost at Hull on Saturday, and Manchester City, who host Swansea on Sunday (13:30 GMT).
The Gunners have finished fourth in six of the past 11 seasons and former England defender Danny Mills believes they have "settled for fourth again".
"Chelsea were just so much better all over the pitch physically, mentally," said Mills on BBC Radio 5 live.
"That mentality has to filter down from the top," he added, referring to Wenger.
"It has nothing to do with him being in the stands. He's told them 30 seconds before they go out on to the pitch.
"They were weak mentally and physically. Hazard brushed away three or four Arsenal defenders on his way to scoring."
• None 'Wenger out, Pochettino in' - Arsenal fan asks for Spurs boss on 606
Wenger was not happy with Alonso's goal, with the Spaniard's arm making contact with Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin's head as he jumped to meet the ball.
"Of course it was a foul," said Wenger. "Referees are much more severe with tackles on the ground and let much more go with elbows in the face. It's not only today, but in many, many games I see.
"But it's more dangerous to hit the head than the legs."
However, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte countered: "To hear this in England, I'm surprised. I must be honest. In England, in this league, this is always a goal.
"It was a contest and Alonso jumped more than Bellerin and scored a goal." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38870243 |
Trump travel ban: Mike Pence defends president - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | US Vice-President Mike Pence defends Donald Trump, after he called the man who suspended his travel ban a "so-called judge". | null | US Vice-President Mike Pence has defended Donald Trump's right to ban people from travelling to the US from seven mainly-Muslim countries.
On Friday the ban was suspended by federal Judge James Robart, who the president has since described as a "so-called judge".
An attempt by the White House to reinstate the ban on Sunday was rejected by the US federal appeals court. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38872177 |
Manchester City 2-1 Swansea City - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Gabriel Jesus scores twice as Manchester City move up to third in the Premier League after overcoming Swansea City. | null | Gabriel Jesus scored twice as Manchester City moved up to third in the Premier League by overcoming a battling Swansea City in injury time at Etihad Stadium.
Jesus had an immediate impact in front of his home crowd, using his natural pace to dart forward and put his side in front with a tap past Lukasz Fabianski.
The hosts dominated the first half, but the visitors had the better of the second half, taking advantage of Manchester City's lack of intensity as Gylfi Sigurdsson picked up Luciano Narsingh's cross and steered the ball beyond a diving Willy Caballero.
However, the goal spurred the home side on. They picked up the pace again and Jesus was on hand to slide home a winner after his header was parried by Fabianski.
Analysis: Jesus not ready to replace Aguero yet
Pep Guardiola has made 80 changes to his starting line-up this season, 15 more than any other Premier League manager, and he opted to keep Jesus up front in place of Sergio Aguero.
For all Swansea's recent improvement, they could not match City's pace in the first half. The hosts swamped Swansea's defence and created space, passing with a fluency that has not always been evident this season.
Jesus, City's £27m Brazilian signing, showed little sign of fatigue as he made his third appearance in seven days. He was on the move from the opening minutes of the game, his first shot flying over the bar, and his quick movement allowed him to tap the ball beyond Fabianski.
The challenge for Guardiola's side now is to maintain that level of intensity. When it dipped, City looked vulnerable in defence and their slick passing was lost as Swansea pressed forward.
It showed why they have not kept a clean sheet at home in the Premier League since their 1-0 win over Watford in December.
The frenetic final few minutes, which saw the hosts finally react after going a goal behind, forced them to up the pace back to their original level.
But those dips in concentration are a worrying sign for Guardiola.
After initially winning just three of their first 19 top-flight games this season, the Swans arrived at Etihad Stadium having won three of their last four games, and with an increased confidence under new manager Paul Clement.
They were overwhelmed by the home side for the first 45 minutes but Clement's consistency with his squad, starting the game with an unchanged side for the third time before boosting them with shrewd substitutions in the second half, turned the tables for Swansea.
At one point, goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski had made more passes than any other Swansea player, and they did not have a single shot in the first half. But when Swansea pressed forward, it was Guardiola's side who were forced onto the back foot.
Swansea found a fluency with their passing and defender Alfie Mawson, who worked hard in the first half to deny the home side, picked up the pace to twice outfox City's defence. The equaliser felt inevitable, with Sigurdsson moving his feet well to pick up Narsingh's cross.
If Swansea could have found an extra gear in the closing minutes they might have been able to hold on and secure a point. However, Manchester City's final burst of pace, and the scramble in front of the goal that led to Jesus' winner, showed that the visitors still have some work to do in defence.
What the managers said
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to BBC Sport: "It is the first time we have won a game in the last minute. The first half and second half were much different. They were better.
"Always when you go 1-0 you don't know whether to attack or wait back. At the end we won and that is important.
"Many times this season in last minute we have conceded. It was similar here and we were lucky here that Swansea scored before the last minute and we had time to recover."
"Gabriel Jesus is strong, fast and has really good movement. He has arrived really, really, well. He is Gabriel Jesus. We are happy to have him."
Swansea manager Paul Clement speaking to BBC Sport: "We deserved more. Not in the first half, we didn't play well. We were nowhere near our potential. They are a good side. We were organised and in shape but one against one we were not aggressive enough.
"The players responded very well in the second half and were the better team. We got the equaliser and at that point you think we can see the game out for a valuable point.
"The circumstances of the goal we are disappointed about. I am very proud of the players. If we can build on that we will have some more wins not far away."
• None Gabriel Jesus became just the third Brazilian to score on his first two Premier League starts, with the other two also playing for Manchester City (Geovanni and Robinho).
• None He's also the first player since Stevan Jovetic to score two goals on his first home Premier League start for Man City.
• None Man City have now won 11 home league games in a row against Swansea - they've only had a longer such run against a side twice in their history (13 v Wolves, 12 v Grimsby).
• None Man City's winner was the 12th scored in the 90th minute this season - just one fewer than in the whole of 2015-16.
• None Indeed, Swansea have conceded a 90th minute winner in their last two trips to the Etihad, with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring at the death last season.
• None Since his Premier League debut in January 2012, only Yaya Toure (16) has scored more goals from outside the box than Gylfi Sigurdsson (13).
• None Sigurdsson has scored eight Premier League goals this season - his second best return in the competition (11 in 2015-16).
• None Jesus' goal, and his shot immediately before the goal, were Man City's only two shots on target in the second half.
Manchester City travel to Bournemouth on Monday, 13 February (20:00 GMT), while Swansea host champions Leicester on Sunday, 12 February (16:00 GMT).
• None Attempt missed. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Yaya Touré.
• None Goal! Manchester City 2, Swansea City 1. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner.
• None Attempt saved. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by David Silva with a cross.
• None Attempt blocked. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Gabriel Jesus.
• None Offside, Manchester City. Fernandinho tries a through ball, but Gabriel Jesus is caught offside.
• None Goal! Manchester City 1, Swansea City 1. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luciano Narsingh. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38786558 |
Week in pictures - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The past seven days in the entertainment world, including Winona Ryder at the SAGs and Ed Sheeran in Liberia. | Entertainment & Arts | Pop star Kylie Minogue confirmed she and British actor Joshua Sasse had separated. In an Instagram post, she thanked fans for their "love and support" and said she and her former fiance "wished only the best for each other". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38800512 |
Iran shows off air defences - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | It comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US. | null | The display comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38869410 |
Six Nations 2017: England's Eddie Jones aims to improve after France win - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | England coach Eddie Jones says "it does not get much uglier" than his side's performance in their 19-16 Six Nations win over France. | null | Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
England coach Eddie Jones says "it does not get much uglier" than his side's display in the 19-16 win over France.
England secured a record 15th straight victory but looked well below their best as they made a winning start to their Six Nations title defence.
"We weren't our usual urgent selves and maybe I've got to look at the preparation I gave the team," said Jones.
"The performance was ugly, but the result is beautiful."
• None Are Jones & Farrell the new Fergie & Keane?
England's campaign continues with a trip to Cardiff to face Wales next Saturday, and Jones has demanded an improvement from himself and his squad.
"I felt some players were still in their club mentality so that's something we need to work on - I don't think I prepared the team as well as I could have done," he added.
Neither wing Anthony Watson or second row George Kruis are expected to have recovered from injury in time to face Wales, but Jones may be tempted to change his starting XV anyway after the impact made by his replacements.
Front-row forwards Matt Mullan and Jamie George, flanker James Haskell and scrum-half Danny Care all impressed, with centre Ben Te'o also coming off the bench to cross for the match-winning try in the 70th minute.
"The finishers made a fantastic impact on the game, we got really good value from them and that is the strength of our team, we have a brilliant 23-man squad," added Jones.
Captain Dylan Hartley echoed his boss, saying "a huge amount of credit needs to go to our finishers today".
"Ben Te'o and James Haskell came on and gave us a good bit going forward at the end there so unbelievable impact from our subs," he added.
"We dug in, we found a way and we'll take something from that."
Former England scrum-half and World Cup winner Matt Dawson: "France were better than England in a lot of areas, but the strengths of Eddie Jones' side is their fitness and ability to play under pressure.
"They are unbeaten for the last 15 games, so it was always going to be tough for France to take it through to 80 minutes.
"The substitutions for England were the difference in the end. The battle of the bench belonged to England."
Former England hooker and Grand Slam winner Brian Moore: "France were the better team for the most part. But they could not put away the several breaks they made. With one moment of clarity, England managed to go ahead.
"They say just win your first game and England did just win their first game." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38871064 |
Retailers 'left behind' as consumers change habits - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Data shows declining sales on the High Street due to the abandonment of seasonal shopping patterns. | Business | When I was a child I vividly remember being marched into town at the end of the summer holidays for new shoes and a coat before autumn arrived. That was just the way it was.
But now, it seems British shoppers are doing things differently.
We are waiting for the sales and buying things out of season, holding on to them until they are needed. And this has led to a fall in sales.
The overall value of retail sales dropped by 2% in 2016 compared to 2015, according to consumer insight company Kantar Worldpanel.
With shoppers being more flexible on when they buy items, shops have leftover stock, which then has to be discounted to shift it.
Glen Tooke, consumer insight director at Kantar, says many retailers have been "left behind" as buying patterns have changed.
"These companies are stuck in a rigid, seasonal buying cycle which no longer reflects how consumers shop," says Mr Tooke.
The data covered clothing, footwear and accessories sold by both High Street retailers and supermarkets.
The drop in sales was across all types of clothing, including children's, according to Kantar Worldpanel
"This is the deepest decline the market has seen since August 2009, knocking nearly £750m off its total value in the 52 weeks ending 18 December 2016," Kantar said in a statement.
Mr Tooke said the decline was a "serious cause for concern".
Retail analyst Richard Hyman agrees that shoppers are shifting focus away from seasons when buying.
"There are twin evils at play here. The discounting going on and retailers not knowing their customers well enough to know what they want.
"In 90% of the trading weeks in 2016, more than half the retailers in the fashion market had some sort of sale going on."
This, Mr Hyman says, results in customers learning that if they hang on, the item they have their eye on might well end up being reduced in price.
Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos, a consumer and business psychologist at UCL, says the constant discounting can lead to a "dilution of trust" meaning shoppers come to believe goods are overpriced to begin with.
Dr Tsivrikos believes there could also be something else at play - shoppers have adopted an entirely new way of thinking about their wardrobes.
"Retailers are failing to fully understand that consumers are now making modular purchases rather than single-item purchases," he says.
For example, rather than buying a thick winter coat, a shopper might instead invest in a lighter spring jacket, and a sports layer such as a hoodie, which can then be worn together or separately across the seasons.
Consumers are increasingly looking to buy items they can layer up
"This trend is supported by key design labels, which are leaving behind the conventional fashion week presentations and shows. Such events are driven by seasons, so instead these key design labels present fewer and more versatile collections of garments that consumers can wear throughout the year," says Dr Tsivrikos.
There is also another train of thought, particularly for the footwear industry.
"Online purchases have already reached 25% of overall sales of footwear in the UK - this is the fastest-growing sector," says John Saunders, chief executive of the British Footwear Association.
"The growth of online is doing away with season as collections change on a much more regular basis and products are available all year round to reflect consumer demand.
"A good example of this is the growth of sandals and open footwear for consumers taking winter sun holidays," he adds.
Winter sun holidays means we are buying sandals and flip-flops all year round
There were some bright spots for the retail market in Kantar Worldpanel's data - online-only retailers saw impressive growth of 7% in 2016 compared to 2015, while independent retailers improved sales by 3%. So what are they doing differently?
"It sounds obvious, but the fashion retailers that are doing well right now are the ones that are managing to keep all the balls in the air at once - having the right product, at the right price, in the right place, at the right time," says Graham Soult, owner of retail consultancy CannyInsights.
"It's where chains like Uniqlo and Zara benefit from controlling their own supply chains, and being really agile in getting new stock into store quickly when it's needed.
"At the same time, some of the online fashion retailers, such as Boden, are great at mixing selected seasonal pieces with timeless items that can be layered or accessorised, and sold and worn throughout the year," he adds.
But there's a new threat around the corner, one that will affect all retailers, big, small and online: the continuing fluctuation and downward trend in the value of the pound.
We hear forecasts of prices going up as retailers are forced to pass on the rising costs of items imported from abroad, but in a world where most of us own more items of clothing than are strictly necessary, will we continue to buy if prices rise?
"It's easy to make do. Our wardrobes are generally made up of 10% items we need, 90% items we want. Retail has to inspire desire, or we won't buy. Higher prices won't do that," he says.
So if retailers are paying more, but cannot pass on these increases, the future for the British High Street could be as uncertain as a shopper's whim. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38812925 |
Davis Cup, Canada v Great Britain: Jamie Murray & Dom Inglot win doubles - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot put Great Britain 2-1 up against Canada with victory in the Davis Cup doubles in Ottawa. | null | Sunday's coverage: Watch live on BBC Red Button, Connected TV and online from 17:00, plus follow text updates on the BBC Sport website.
Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot put Great Britain 2-1 up against Canada with victory in Saturday's Davis Cup doubles contest in Ottawa.
The British pair beat Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 to edge the visitors ahead in the best-of-five World Group tie.
Dan Evans will play Pospisil in Sunday's fourth rubber, before Kyle Edmund faces Denis Shapovalov.
The winners of the tie will travel to France for the quarter-finals in April.
"Both teams knew how important this match was to give them a lead going into Sunday," said Murray.
"It was 50/50 going into the match. We knew it would be a close game because of the surface, how everyone was serving on the court and because we all know how to play doubles."
Captain Leon Smith said: "There's still a lot of tennis. We've been in these situations before. The good thing is it gives you two cracks at it and gives everyone a lot of confidence.
"It does feel good going into the team room, it feels like the momentum is with you, and we've got two very good players that we can prepare for Sunday."
Both Britain and Canada are without their leading players, as world number one Andy Murray recuperates after the Australian Open and number four Milos Raonic is injured.
Pospisil's surprise win over Edmund in the second singles on Friday had given Canada a huge boost, but Britain took back control of the tie over the course of three hours with a clinical performance.
On the fast indoor surface there was only one break of serve apiece, and three tie-breaks were required, but the final break-point tally stood at 10-2 in favour of the Britons.
In 44-year-old Nestor, playing his 50th Davis Cup tie, Canada had one of the most successful doubles players in history alongside Pospisil, himself a former Wimbledon doubles champion.
The Canadian pair had the edge in rankings but after the opening two sets were shared in tie-breaks, it was Scotland's Murray and Englishman Inglot who began to take charge.
Three break points went begging in the third set, before they were gifted a mini-break in the tie-break thanks to a Pospisil double fault, and Inglot in particular forced home the advantage.
Pospisil, who had served superbly for three sets, was now the one under pressure and he succumbed in the fourth set to give Britain a decisive lead.
It was Inglot, the man of the match, who coolly served out to put Britain within sight of their fourth Davis Cup quarter-final in a row.
"As the match went on we started to start the points better and make a few returns. And I think they got a bit tired as well," said Murray.
"The surface was not easy, it was hard on the joints. Vasek played yesterday and Daniel is older than us, so there was no excuse for us not to outlast them.
"We did a great job, we stayed strong in the important moments. It was fine margins."
Murray has now won seven rubbers in a row in the Davis Cup and he was very ably supported by Inglot, in what may have been his best display yet in British colours. The visitors were sharper in the key moments, and are in a strong position heading into Sunday's singles.
A quarter-final in France in the first week of April beckons if Britain can win one one more point. Dan Evans has first use of the slick court against Vasek Pospisil: both have been in good form, and both will enjoy the surface.
It would be a third match in three days for the Canadian, but he is taking pain killers for a knee injury and when he spoke after Saturday's doubles did not sound overly confident about his chances of playing. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38870467 |
Growing waiting times threat to NHS - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | With waiting lists growing longer, the subject could soon raise fierce debate. | Health | There are many indicators against which patients can judge the performance of the NHS.
But historically, the totemic benchmark of the quality of service provided by hospitals is the number of people waiting for surgery and how long they have to wait.
Waiting times for non-urgent surgery were the subject of fierce political debate for much of the last two decades, but recently they faded in importance as targets have been met.
That could now be changing as waiting lists grow longer in the different health systems across the UK and the human cost of delayed surgery becomes more apparent.
Media and political attention has focused on the four-hour benchmark for being treated or assessed in A&E.
The King's Fund think tank believes the number of patients waiting for operations in England will soon top four million - for the first time in nearly a decade - and that could prove to be the tipping point for public and political opinion.
Cutting waiting lists was a key promise by New Labour ahead of its election victory in 1997. Remember the pledge card brandished by Tony Blair and his colleagues?
Labour delivered its policy of reducing numbers waiting for operations by 100,000, and then, in 2008, went further by introducing the 18-week target.
That established a right for patients to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of being referred by a GP, with a benchmark of 92% of patients seen in that time.
The 18-week target and fines regime, which was refined in 2012, was widely seen as an effective incentive to hospitals to cut waiting times for patients.
Tony Blair pledged to cut waiting lists during the 1997 election campaign
Hospitals on average managed to hit and exceed the 92% standard, but that all changed in early 2016 when performance slipped below that target.
Analysis of NHS England data reveals that the number of patients waiting more than 18 weeks for non-urgent surgery has more than doubled in the four years to November 2016.
That is a much faster rate of increase that the number who start treatment in under 18 weeks and faster still than the rate of growth of NHS operations across the board.
Hospital chiefs and health experts say increasing waiting times are an inevitable consequence of NHS budgets lagging behind increases in patient demand.
When emergency admissions are rising, and with a finite number of beds, something has to give.
Delayed transfers of care make the task of finding beds even harder. Patients waiting for routine surgery and procedures are the ones who lose out.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different target regimes for waiting lists.
All have seen sharp increases in the number of long waits between 2012 and 2016.
Wales has not hit its target since 2010 and the NHS in Scotland has been adrift since June 2014.
The pressures on resources and the ability to deliver timely routine treatment are similar across the UK.
Without an injection of more cash it is hard to see how the waiting list situation will improve, given the stresses and strains on all forms of care across the NHS.
Cancellations of routine surgery over Christmas and early January will contribute to the deterioration.
Waiting lists are still a lot shorter than at the worst points in the 1990s and at times over the following decade.
But the question now is whether patients begin to feel that what they get from their local hospital, unless they are seriously ill, is falling well short of their expectations. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38859225 |
Nigel Owens asked to be chemically castrated - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | Rugby union referee Nigel Owens speaks to BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs about coming to terms with being gay. | null | Rugby union referee Nigel Owens tells Kirsty Young that he asked to be chemically castrated after realising he was gay.
You can listen to the full Desert Island Discs interview on BBC iPlayer | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38873994 |
Heather Knight column: Women's Big Bash League, Taylor Swift and the oldest living Test cricketer - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | England captain Heather Knight reflects on the Women's Big Bash League, Taylor Swift songs, an "orphans' Christmas" and yoga with a centenarian. | null | With the Women's Big Bash League over, Heather Knight reflects on another winter down under, pays tribute to one of her predecessors as England captain, is "put to shame by a 105-year-old", and looks ahead to a trip to Rwanda.
The second edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) has come to an end and unfortunately for the "Lilac Ladies", my Hobart Hurricanes side, it's ended at the same stage as last year with a semi-final loss.
We've played some brilliant cricket but have been a little bit inconsistent through the year. Saying that, we've managed to punch above our weight for a second year in a row and make it to the semi-finals, despite many predictions to the contrary.
I've really enjoyed my time in the WBBL once again. It's definitely grown since last year with more publicity, more coverage and it's great to see some bigger crowds too.
The double-headers with the men's Big Bash League are, I think, definitely the way forward until the competition grows enough to stand by itself - although it would be great to see the time gap between the end of the women's matches and the start of the men's games reduced, in order to get more people to come to both.
The live online streaming of every WBBL match, outside of the TV broadcast fixtures, has been a very good addition, with highlights of every game available freely, and the social media presence has also been great.
Unfortunately I got roped into embarrassing myself with my woeful singing, featuring in the Hurricanes' rendition of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" on the WBBL Pitch Perfect show with Aussie comedian Bobby. Note: the costumes were to try to mask our dreadful voices!
• None Watch the Hurricanes' cover version of "Shake it Off" on Facebook
I think there is a lot that can be learned from the WBBL to take into the ECB's second season of the Kia Super League this summer.
Having two expanding domestic competitions in Australia and England will only help the global development of the women's game, so hopefully the Super League will bounce off the back of the second WBBL, and of course the ICC Women's World Cup on home soil in June and July.
I was deeply saddened to hear the news about Rachael Heyhoe Flint passing away, as she was an incredible lady who I was lucky enough to have met on several occasions.
She managed the MCC team that I played in against the Rest of the World back in 2014 at Lord's, and I remember her being thrilled that the game was being played - for obvious reasons, after she had fought so hard to play at the home of cricket herself.
On that day, she brought along her old England blazer and she was massively chuffed it still fitted her, 50 years later! The things she has done for women's cricket are remarkable, and as a current group of players, we owe her a massive amount.
Talking of past England players, I had the absolute privilege of meeting Eileen Ash, the oldest living Test cricketer (male or female) for some filming before I left for Australia, and she is easily one of the most extraordinary ladies I've ever met.
She's 105, does yoga every week and I've met teenagers who have a lot less energy than she does! It was amazing to hear some of her experiences of playing cricket for England, especially the boat trips they used to have to take to play in Australia, and she also took me through her yoga routine.
My pride, and a number of my muscle groups, are still in tatters after being put to shame by a 105-year-old...
Looking back at how the lives of Rachael and Eileen were as England cricketers, compared to where we are now, there's certainly a stark difference.
The addition of the Big Bash and the Super League to the calendar, alongside increased international commitments, has made the women's game today truly an all-year-round operation. It's amazing to be involved in, but it also means a lot more time on the road.
This Christmas was my third in a row away from home, but it was great to spend it with some of the Hurricanes girls and a stray Melbourne Renegade for an "orphans' Christmas".
The England team has a tradition of a Christmas Day run, and I was able to drag along Hurricanes team-mates Erin Burns and Amy Satterthwaite to join me this year.
Having played pretty much non-stop since April, I'm looking forward to a few weeks' break and I'm massively excited to be heading to Rwanda again for a few days to link up with the Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation, the charity of which I'm a trustee.
The building of the ground in Rwanda is now in progress and is starting to look a lot like a cricket pitch.
It's been an eye-opener, seeing how much work and detail goes into this sort of project - I now know a lot more about types of soil than I ever thought I would.
The charity still needs to raise £250,000 to complete the pavilion and develop into a community hub where cricket is forging ties and building hope in a place that desperately needs it following its chequered history.
You can read more BBC columns from Heather during 2017, when the BBC Sport website will show video highlights of the Women's World Cup in June and July. BBC Radio will have increased coverage of the Super League, with commentaries on every round of games. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38838533 |
Hull City 2-0 Liverpool - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Alfred N'Diaye scores on his Hull City debut as Liverpool's dreadful start to 2017 continues with a fourth defeat in five league and cup games. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Alfred N'Diaye scored on his Hull City debut as Liverpool's terrible start to 2017 continued with a fourth defeat in five league and cup games.
Senegal forward N'Diaye, signed on loan from Villarreal, tapped home unmarked after Simon Mignolet dropped the ball at his feet.
Despite striker Sadio Mane's first start since 2 January, Liverpool failed to force a single save in the first half and were poor throughout.
Hull, who have won all four home games under new manager Marco Silva, sealed victory when Oumar Niasse, on loan from Everton, kept his composure after the Reds defence had been carved open.
• None Reaction: 'Unacceptable' Liverpool 'need to wake up'
• None Relive the action from the KCOM Stadium
• None Reaction from the KCOM and the rest of Saturday's Premier League games
Hull were bottom of the table and three points from safety when former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos boss Silva took charge on 5 January.
Fast forward four weeks and the Tigers have a win over Liverpool and a draw at Manchester United, as well as an EFL Cup semi-final home win over United under their belt.
Hull are an organised and well-drilled unit at the back while the arrival of N'Diaye, as well as Poland winger Kamil Grosicki, has provided them with an added threat.
They overcame the loss of captain Michael Dawson, who was injured in the warm-up, to produce their most complete performance so far under Silva.
Hull are 18th in the table - one point from safety - and now have seven points from a possible 12 under Silva's reign.
With Arsenal losing earlier in the day and Tottenham kicking-off late, Liverpool would have climbed to second in the table with victory.
Yet they ended the day 13 points behind leaders Chelsea. In the last 14 days Jurgen Klopp's side have been knocked out of the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, and seen their hopes of a first league title since 1990 all but vanish for another season.
While Jurgen Klopp remains unbeaten in seven games against the top-six, the German has now seen his side lose to Burnley, Bournemouth, Swansea City and Hull City.
This was as bad as any of them; an abject, disjointed performance sprinkled with individual errors and a lack of cutting edge.
Liverpool's defenders were as much to blame for the first goal despite Mignolet's mistake, leaving N'Diaye completely unmarked when he steered the hosts ahead.
The Reds enjoyed 72% possession but as Klopp said afterwards: "Possession is only good when you create something from it."
Hull manager Marco Silva: "It is a fantastic afternoon for us. Our supporters were fantastic, we need them and they support our team always.
"I am sure in the future we will play better, but at these moments we need to keep our focus and our organisation, because every game it is possible to get valuable points.
"In the Premier League it is fantastic to get clean sheets, to do that against Manchester United and Liverpool is fantastic."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "I don't want to find excuses, it is hard to think of intelligent things to say after a match like this.
"It is not the time to talk about these things [qualifying for the Champions League], we have to show our best and then people can judge us.
"We all know how good we can be, and it's still there, but not if we play like we did in the first half today."
• None Marco Silva has now taken seven points from his first four games in the Premier League, as many as Hull City managed in their 18 league games prior to his arrival.
• None The Tigers kept their first home clean sheet in the Premier League this term, having conceded in each of their previous 11 league games at the KCOM Stadium in 2016-17.
• None Jurgen Klopp has now lost five of his past eight games in all competitions; as many as he had in his previous 32 games in charge of Liverpool beforehand.
• None Klopp has also gone five consecutive league games without winning for the first time since February 2015 (with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga).
• None Alfred N'Diaye netted on his Premier League debut for Hull; this after scoring just two goals in 134 appearances within the top five European leagues beforehand (PL, La Liga & Ligue 1 combined).
• None Liverpool have conceded the opening goal in each of their past three Premier League games - only between May and August 2016 have they suffered a longer such run under Jurgen Klopp (four games).
Hull will make the journey to face Arsenal next Saturday (12:30 GMT) with confidence sky high. Liverpool need to find some confidence for their home game with Tottenham on the same day (17:30) in a game which could go a long way to deciding who qualifies for the Champions League.
• None Offside, Liverpool. Sadio Mané tries a through ball, but Roberto Firmino is caught offside.
• None Attempt saved. Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
• None Attempt saved. Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
• None Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
• None Goal! Hull City 2, Liverpool 0. Oumar Niasse (Hull City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrea Ranocchia with a through ball following a fast break.
• None Offside, Hull City. Oumar Niasse tries a through ball, but David Meyler is caught offside. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38779233 |
St Johnstone 2-5 Celtic - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Moussa Dembele scores a hat-trick as Celtic beat St Johnstone and go 27 points clear at the top of the Premiership. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Substitute Moussa Dembele scored a hat-trick as Celtic came from behind to beat St Johnstone and go 27 points clear at the top of the Premiership.
Liam Henderson's goal for the visitors was cancelled out by Keith Watson's header and David Wotherspoon's effort went in off Celtic's Dedryck Boyata.
Dembele converted a controversial penalty to equalise and then fired the visitors ahead.
And further strikes by Scott Sinclair and Dembele followed.
Brendan Rodgers remains unbeaten by domestic opponents as Celtic manager and his side have now won 19 league games in a row.
St Johnstone trail fourth-placed Hearts by three points but remain 10 ahead of Motherwell.
St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright was determined to snuff out the danger posed by Celtic youngster Kieran Tierney and so pushed Richard Foster into the midfield to keep him company but it was another Celtic youngster who helped the champions draw first blood.
Liam Hendreson, Patrick Roberts and Gary Mackay-Steven all started with real drive and intent for the visitors and after Zander Clark pulled off two good saves from Roberts and Mackay-Steven, Henderson curled the ball beautifully past the Saints number one.
It was just reward for a sizzling start and at that stage the home side were struggling to deal with Celtic's energy in midfield.
But this St Johnstone side, the last to beat the champions way back at the end of last season, rarely buckles and that is down to belief.
As expected, Celtic were enjoying most of the possession, but after the goal they were wasteful with their chances and the home side started to venture out with the odd probing counter attack and were rewarded from a set play.
Danny Swanson curled in a sumptuous corner from the right and Watson's sheer will took him above the Celtic defence where he bulleted a header past goalkeeper Craig Gordon, with the ball taking a nick of Celtic captain Scott Brown's head.
The champions were rocked but there was worse to come for them before the break as Saints sensed some rare vulnerability.
Again Swanson was the man who provided the inch-perfect cross, this time from the left on the counter attack. His ball found the head of Wotherspoon inside the box and he deftly flicked it backwards where it bounced off Boyata and into the net.
They got the breaks they needed but it was no more than their efforts deserved in the first half.
Fearing for their unbeaten run, Celtic came out in the second half determined to turn the screw and poured forward in waves. Saints were holding them at bay, though, until a penalty award that infuriated Wright and his St Johnstone players.
Tierney left Foster on the floor with some trickery at the edge of the box but his cross was cut out at close range by Watson, who twisted his body away as he fell, and referee Craig Thompson immediately pointed to the spot for handball.
It looked harsh but despite the protests, Dembele, just on for Mackay-Steven, stepped up and blasted high past Clark to level.
The home side knew they now had a mountain to climb as Celtic sensed the tide turning - and turn it most certainly did.
Top scorer Dembele's low drive from 16 yards after fabulous build-up play put them ahead before Sinclair made it four after good running from Roberts.
With the game won it was showboating time and the fifth was simply sublime.
Mikael Lustig's rabona inside the box found sub Callum McGregor, who had a flick of his own into the path of Dembele and the Frenchman smashed in his hat-trick and 23rd goal of the season.
It was hard to take for the St Johnstone fans who thought for a time that the seemingly impossible might just be possible but it was a thing of beauty to seal Celtic's 29th unbeaten domestic game since the start of the season.
• None Liam Craig (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• None Mikael Lustig (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• None Attempt blocked. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
• None Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
• None Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 5. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
• None Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 4. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
• None Attempt saved. Kieran Tierney (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
• None Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 3. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mikael Lustig. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38786530 |
US Yemen raid: Bomb-making video 'mix-up' - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | The Pentagon shares footage from a seized computer, that turns out not to be as valuable as it first thought. | null | The Pentagon has shared footage from a seized computer, which turned out not to be as valuable as it first thought. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38869156 |
Black Sabbath final gig: Osbourne 'a doddering god' - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | Colin Paterson speaks to fans for BBC radio from Black Sabbath's final gig. | null | Black Sabbath, the British band credited with inventing heavy metal, have played their final gig.
A capacity crowd of 16,000 watched the performance in the band's home city, Birmingham. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38871838 |
Six Nations: Are Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell the new Ferguson and Keane? - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | As England make it 15 wins in a row, is the relationship between Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell growing to resemble that of Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane? | null | He is lucky with the talent he has in key positions, he is lucky with the funds and facilities created for him and he is lucky that no other nation save New Zealand has the same strength in depth sitting on their replacements' bench.
But there is nothing lucky at all about how he utilises all of those to forge an England team that has already set new records and may yet set more impressive ones still.
It wasn't hard to see where England were going wrong in the first half against France. It was everywhere you looked.
A first line-out so bad it hit the back of Dan Cole's head. A yellow card for a tackle that was unnecessary and illegal. An inability to dent the blue defensive wall with ball in hand, a problem stopping the waves of French runners coming at them from deep and wide and fast.
The difficulty lay in working out what to do about it and how to make that plan work.
No Vunipolas to add muscle and metres made. No Chris Robshaw to slow the progress of a French back row charging and offloading like a French back row of old. An opposition liberated from the stylistic straightjacket of recent torpid years, and a Twickenham crowd silenced by unexpected uncertainty and fear.
Any coach could have torn into their team after a first 40 minutes as scrambled as that. Not so many could have sent them out again after half-time clear of mind and confident in their ability to turn that slump into success. Fewer still could have made not just the right changes to personnel but customised the positional and tactical ones so shrewdly too.
With 18 minutes to go, England were much improved but still four points down, Rabah Slimani's offload-inspired try threatening to end France's 12-year wait for a win in south-west London and mark the Six Nations' opening day with a second shock to match that of Scotland's thrilling win over Ireland.
Off came Joe Launchbury. On came James Haskell into the back row, forward went Maro Itoje into the second row. More pace. More power.
Five minutes later, George Ford and Jonathan Joseph off, Ben Te'o and Jack Nowell on, Owen Farrell to fly-half, Elliot Daly to inside centre. More power still, now pace spilling out everywhere, now a dynamism and drive and the sound from the stands of belief and excitement too.
Quick ball, sharper minds. Farrell found Te'o, Te'o found a soft opposition shoulder and the try-line opened up in front of him.
"I always thought we were going to win," said Jones afterwards. "I thought we were awful, but I always thought we were going to win."
There were not many others so sure in the moment, fewer yet who could have prevented even subconscious anxiety and anger from transmitting itself to the players on the pitch.
France had three men - Scott Spedding, Virimi Vakatawa and Louis Picamoles - who all made over 120 metres with ball in hand. Northampton number eight Picamoles, not content with being as hard and lumpy and slippery to stop as an iceberg, also carried the ball 15 times, beat seven defenders, made five tackles, offloaded four times and won a turnover too.
France made 591 metres to England's 383, made 10 line breaks to their opponents' five and beat 24 defenders to England's 13.
Those are hard numbers to turn your way.
Tough too was the blocking tackle Farrell put in on Picamoles as the number eight thundered into the England half with the game still in the balance, and harder still does it become with each passing performance not to see Farrell as not just Jones' epitome on the pitch but his skipper in waiting too.
Jamie George is putting his own pressure on Dylan Hartley, even if the incumbent captain and hooker is still understandably rusty after his most recent lengthy suspension. Farrell, four from five from the tee on Saturday, hitting the post with his other pot, is increasingly making an unarguable case either way.
The best coaches have a leader on the pitch who shares their outlook, intensity and approach. Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had it best in outstanding midfielder Roy Keane: never a backward step, always pushing for better, intimidated by no-one and no situation.
Jones loves Hartley's obduracy. He appreciates his aggression, when it is focused and snarling just the right side of illegality.
In Farrell's goal-kicking he sees a weapon that keeps better teams within reach and turns tight games his way. In the 25-year-old's youth he sees a man who will be at his physical peak at the next World Cup. In the apparent absence of self-doubt he sees a reflection of his own confident character.
Farrell is not as instinctive with ball in hand as his childhood friend and team-mate George Ford. He is not infallible with the boot, although he can sometimes make it look mighty close.
In a match like this, described afterwards by Jones as an ugly performance but a beautiful result, he is the backbone and the brains too: implacable, unshakeable, the on-field general who drags others along with him.
Jones isn't perfect. "I take full responsibility," he told the BBC on Saturday after the sub-par performance. "I didn't prepare them well enough."
Neither are his team, even if they have won more matches in a row - 15 - than any other England side in history. If he can solve problems, he must also be growing sick of the slow starts that cause them.
And he is certainly lucky. But so too are England, to have a coach who can take what he has been given and turn it into something better, who has set new standards and is still nowhere close to being satisfied. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38870995 |
Davis Cup: Belgium beat Germany but celebrate early in late drama - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Belgium's Steve Darcis celebrates too early in a dramatic fourth set tie-break against Germany's Alexander Zverev but eventually wins on his fourth match point. | null | Belgium's Steve Darcis celebrates too early in a dramatic fourth set tie-break against Germany's Alexander Zverev but eventually wins 2-6 6-4 6-4 7-6 (10-8) on his fourth match point.
WATCH MORE: 5 best shots as Inglot and Murray win doubles
Available to UK users only. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38875204 |
Ukraine: Inside civilians' living nightmare - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | In eastern Ukraine, one woman cannot tell her grandson his mother is dead after another night of heavy shelling. | null | In eastern Ukraine, one woman has told the BBC she cannot tell her grandson his mother is dead after another night of heavy shelling.
Government forces and Russian-backed rebels have accused each other of attacking civilians as fighting intensifies, with some of the heaviest clashes just over 10 miles from rebel-held Donetsk.
Tom Burridge reports from the city of Avdiivka. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38862480 |
Africa Cup of Nations 2017: Cameroon 2-1 Egypt - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Cameroon come from behind to beat Egypt 2-1 and seal a fifth Africa Cup of Nations title in a thrilling, edgy final in Libreville. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Cameroon came from behind to beat Egypt 2-1 and seal a fifth Africa Cup of Nations in a thrilling, edgy final.
Substitute Vincent Aboubakar swept in the winner two minutes from time, flicking the ball over defender Ali Gabr and thumping it home.
Nicolas Nkoulou had earlier equalised for Cameroon, rising highest to power in a header on the hour mark.
The equaliser cancelled out Mohamed Elneny's opener on 22 minutes with a beautifully taken near-post strike.
The wild celebrations for Aboubakar's winner announced Cameroon's return to the continental summit, after a 15-year wait.
It also makes them the second most successful nation in the competition's history - behind Egypt - and marks the first time they have beaten the Pharaohs in the final in three attempts.
Besiktas striker Aboubakar ran towards the triumphant Cameroon fans in the Stade de l'Amitie stands in Libreville to celebrate, pursued by delirious team-mates and coaching staff.
Underdogs Cameroon had already upset the odds to reach the final and stunned the much-fancied Egyptians with a late dramatic strike, after fellow substitute Nkoulou had drawn them level.
Despite being beset by pre-tournament problems, including the withdrawal of key players such as Joel Matip and Eric Choupo-Moting, coach Hugo Broos managed to assemble a squad that got their reward for being strong, adaptable and resilient in equal measure throughout.
The Pharaohs - bidding for an eighth title after seven years in the international wilderness - started comfortably and Elneny's opening strike capped a wonderful fluent move down the right.
The Gunners midfielder started the move and finished it - receiving the ball from Mohamed Salah in the box and sweeping it past Fabrice Ondoa into the roof of the net at the near post.
But Egypt invited the Indomitable Lions to come at them in the second half and they paid a heavy price.
The excellent Cameroon forward Benjamin Moukandjo whipped in a dangerous cross and substitute Nkoulou muscled his way through the Egyptian defence to beat Ahmed Hegazy to the ball and bury it past 44-year-old Essam El Hadary in the Egyptian goal.
The contest developed into a fascinating cagey final, with Cameroon, inspired by Christian Bassogog and Jacques Zoua up front, pinning Egypt back and limiting them to long balls to Salah and substitute Ramadan Sobhi.
Fatigue soon set in in the Egyptian ranks and Cameroon got their reward for increasing the pressure on the experienced Pharaohs defence.
Aboubakar controlled a long ball forward with his chest at the edge of the box, flicked it over the stranded Gabr, before gathering, taking a step and smashing home off his right foot for a fitting winner.
The Egyptians - featuring the tournament's oldest and most experienced player - El Hadary, were left stunned after looking comfortable for much of the first half.
As they had done for much of the tournament, Egypt relied on a well-marshalled defence, led by Ahmed Hegazy, Gabr and Hull City's Ahmed Elmohamady. They also had the formidable Elneny and Salah leading the line.
The Pharaohs more than played their part in an entertaining final, but it was Cameroon's energy that would light up the occasion and provide a thrilling end to a thoroughly entertaining tournament for the near-capacity crowd of more than 38,000 in the Gabonese capital.
Belgian coach Broos reflected the unity in his squad's ranks, as he celebrated the first Nations Cup title of his career.
"I am happy for the players," he said. "This is not a group of football players, they are a group of friends."
Egypt coach Hector Cuper was left to dwell on another defeat in a major final, having lost two European Champions League finals with Spanish club Valencia.
"The sadness I have is not because I lost another final," he said.
"It's because there was so much hope especially among the people in Egypt and I am sorry for the players who put in so much effort."
• None Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• None Delay in match Christian Bassogog (Cameroon) because of an injury.
• None Attempt missed. Mohamed Elneny (Egypt) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Abdallah El Said from a direct free kick.
• None Collins Fai (Cameroon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• None Attempt blocked. Benjamin Moukandjo (Cameroon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Bassogog.
• None Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
• None Goal! Egypt 1, Cameroon 2. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sébastien Siani.
• None Offside, Egypt. Abdallah El Said tries a through ball, but Ali Gabr is caught offside. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38786537 |
Scotland 27-22 Ireland: Scots 'finding ways to win' - Vern Cotter - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Scotland coach Vern Cotter says his players have learned how to win close games after beating Ireland in their Six Nations opener. | null | Scotland coach Vern Cotter says his players are shaking off their habit of defeats in close games after the "best win" of his tenure against Ireland.
The Scots suffered heartbreaking single-point losses to Australia at the 2015 World Cup and again in November, but beat Argentina in the last minute.
And two late Greig Laidlaw penalties saw them overcome Ireland in their Six Nations opener after trailing 22-21.
"The players are finding ways to win games," Cotter told BBC Sport.
"When there was one point in it towards the end, I imagine everyone thought it was going to be a similar scenario.
"But they have obviously learned and improved and we managed to claw our way back into it.
"It is a great win for the players. It will validate a lot of the work they have been doing. I am just really happy and it is quite a nice feeling to be honest.
"I thought for a while we had managed to get ourselves in trouble again.
"We dominated the first half, and Ireland dominated large parts of the second half. But there was composure in the end and they managed to get out of it.
"It has been a while since we won the first game of the Six Nations so that will change the dynamic. I think the players will decide what they want to do from here."
It was Scotland's first opening-round win since they beat France in 2006, and only their second since the Six Nations started in 2000.
"We know we haven't won the first game here for 10 years but Vern sat us down this week and told us we were going to win," said captain Greig Laidlaw.
"We were just bloody-minded. This team is coming on leaps and bounds with every week and we are over the moon with this win."
A brace of tries from Stuart Hogg, who became his country's leading Six Nations try-scorer with nine, and a third from Alex Dunbar after barely half-an-hour put them 21-5 up.
But Paddy Jackson's penalty, and tries from Iain Henderson and Jackson - adding to Keith Earls' earlier effort - put one of the title favourites 22-21 ahead inside the final quarter before Scotland came again.
"We're a changed group," Laidlaw added. "We want to drive this whole thing forward, especially when we pull those jerseys on at home, we don't want to be getting beaten anymore. It's so pleasing to see.
"The messages were pretty simple - hold onto the ball, that was the game plan, it really worked in the first half, and that's how we were able to score 21 points.
"We maybe never adjusted as well just after half-time when Ireland came up a bit harder and we coughed up a couple of balls. But to pull ourselves out of that hole and hold onto the ball and get some penalties was the winning of the game."
Hogg, who was named man-of-the-match, cemented his status as favourite for the British and Irish Lions number 15 jersey on this summer's New Zealand tour with two dazzling early tries.
"I was put in some good positions by the team and I just had to finish it off," Hogg told BBC Sport.
"The boys gave us a good platform and we have some excellent backs. I was just in the right place at the right time thankfully.
"Credit to Ireland, they were outstanding in that second half. Defensively we had to be on the money the whole time and the boys are absolutely delighted to come away with a win." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38869774 |
Government plans laser pen clampdown - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | The UK promises tougher penalties for people who shine laser pens at transport operators. | null | The government is planning tougher penalties for people who shine laser pens at transport operators. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38872170 |
Met Police chief Hogan-Howe horse patrol at Chelsea-Arsenal - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Britain's top cop goes on mounted patrol at Chelsea-Arsenal game. | London | Oliver the police horse carried the weight of Britain's top cop at Stamford Bridge
Britain's most senior police officer has saddled up to join mounted officers patrolling a Premier League derby match.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe kept an eye on Chelsea and Arsenal fans while perched on police horse Oliver.
The top of the table clash attracted 41,490 fans to Stamford Bridge.
A spokesman said Sir Bernard has attended patrols "quite a lot" since being appointed in September 2011.
He is due to retire next month, after five years in the role.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38868155 |
Fire engulfs recycling centre in Milton, Stoke-on-Trent - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | Amateur footage captures the blaze at a recycling centre in Milton, Stoke-on-Trent. | null | This video can not be played
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38872527 |
Rio's iconic Maracana stadium abandoned - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | Just months after the Olympics, a dispute over the condition of Brazil's Maracana stadium has erupted. | null | Just months after the Olympics, a dispute over the condition of Brazil's Maracana stadium has erupted.
The building has been damaged by looters and has lain empty as clubs and authorities argue over who should manage it. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-38865941 |
Ancient shopping list found as stately home renovated - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | Jan Cutajar, the man responsible for renovations at Knole House in Kent, describes the rare find dated October 1633. | null | A letter listing mundane items dated October 1633 has been discovered during renovations of Knole House, a stately Tudor home in Kent.
Jan Cutajar, the man responsible for the renovations, tells BBC World Service about the rare find. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38869153 |
Quad series: Australia beat England in dramatic finale to win series - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Australia retain the Quad series title after a dramatic 47-46 victory over England at Wembley Arena. | null | Last updated on .From the section Netball
Australia retained the Quad series title after a dramatic 47-46 win over a much-improved England at Wembley.
The Roses recovered from going seven goals behind to lead the world number one side in the third quarter.
With 10 seconds to go, England needed only one goal to take the game to extra time, but Diamonds captain Sharni Layton produced a match-winning interception at the death.
Australia finish the series with three wins from three matches.
England won their opener against South Africa in extra time, before being comprehensively beaten by New Zealand in Liverpool.
But coach Tracey Neville was pleased with the turnaround in their performance against the world and Commonwealth champions.
"I'm so proud of them. I said to them they had to back each other on court," Neville told BBC Two.
"There were some of the critical moments where we could have got ahead but we have to look at positives.
"They fought from the start to the end. We made them make changes and you have to challenge the coaches as well as the players."
England defender Geva Mentor, who was named player of the match, added: "We turned it around from the lousy performance in the week.
"The Wembley crowd got us over the line. I'm so proud of the team."
In the final game of the series New Zealand beat South Africa 70-39 to leave the Proteas winless with three defeats. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/netball/38874808 |
Jessica Ennis-Hill takes part in Sheffield park run - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | The retired athlete ran two laps of a Sheffield park with dozens of other runners. | null | Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill has taken part in her first park run in her home city of Sheffield.
The retired athlete ran two laps of Endcliffe Park, with dozens of other runners in the morning 5km event, to mark a new sponsor for the series of events.
She later posted online: "Loved my first park run this morning! 5km is a little bit further than the 800m I'm used to." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-38867537 |
Sheffield City Council 'failed to stop predatory sex offender' - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Roger Dodds was jailed earlier for 16 years after pleading guilty to four counts of indecent assault. | Sheffield & South Yorkshire | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "I remember... looking at Roger Dodds with his big bunch of keys, locking the door, and that was horrifying", one victim said
Predatory sex offender Roger Dodds was left free to abuse his victims by Sheffield City Council despite bosses having known about his offending for years, BBC News has found.
Dodds, who was jailed earlier for 16 years after pleading guilty to four counts of indecent assault, was allowed to operate as an employee of the council "without sufficient challenge, accountability or consequences", a council-commissioned report found.
Council officials not only knew about his behaviour, but also failed to report his activities to police and gave him early retirement with an enhanced pension.
Kenny Dale, who was abused by Dodds in the early 1990s and has waived his right to anonymity, said: "I was the victim of a horrible man and the council are to blame for that."
Sheffield City Council said it "accepted responsibility" and was "deeply sorry" Dodds had been allowed to commit these offences while in its employment.
Dodds abused at least one man while heading up the council's Grants and Awards Department
Dodds, now 81, was employed in 1975 to head the council's Grants and Awards Department.
The unit was responsible for providing financial support to students attending college or university. However, Dodds used his position to sexually abuse young men, typically in their late teens.
One victim, who did not want to be named, said he was assaulted during their very first meeting.
He told the BBC: "Dodds was asking me things about my studies, and, very gradually, his left hand started to feel its way into my right jeans pocket. When that started to happen, I just became frozen and unable to move."
According to former colleagues, Dodds was part of a club that operated within the council swapping hardcore pornographic magazines in internal envelopes and screening adult films in a basement room.
He was first investigated by Sheffield City Council in the early 1980s after a series of allegations were made against him.
The complaints gave one employee the courage to tell managers about the abuse he had been subjected to.
Richard Rowe said he grew to fear turning up for work as a result of his abuse at the hands of Dodds
Richard Rowe, who has also waived his legal right to anonymity, said he was subjected to "terrifying" assaults over an 18-month period.
However, he said when he told bosses what was happening, he was told to stay quiet.
"They asked for specifics and I gave them as much details as I could bring myself to voice. But they knew, they knew exactly," he said.
"At the end of the interview it was, 'there is nothing more to tell us, so go back to the office and you do not speak about this inside or outside the building'. I clearly remember that warning."
Following the investigation, Dodds was moved to a position working with schools.
An investigation carried out for Sheffield City Council, and seen by the BBC, said he was given "substantial unregulated and unsupervised access to schools".
The report continues that "there appears to have been no disciplinary consequences to his behaviour at the time".
Nor was his transfer a chastening experience for Dodds.
Kenny Dale said he blamed the council for failing to stop Dodds
Mr Dale began working at the council in the early 1990s and, despite warnings from colleagues, applied for a post working alongside Dodds.
"Everyone told me not to go for it," he said, "[but] I didn't think that kind of behaviour would be allowed".
He said Dodds began touching him inappropriately almost immediately and continued to do so despite his objections and the lack of challenge from managers.
Another investigation by the local authority was launched and in 1993 Roger Dodds left the council.
However, despite Mr Dale's insistence Dodds should not be given a payoff, he was given an early retirement package that included an enhanced pension.
Mr Dale said he blames the council for the abuse he suffered.
"The council are so responsible, more responsible than he was," he said.
Roger Dodds was the subject of two internal investigations while working for Sheffield City Council
Following the second internal investigation officials concluded a criminal investigation should have been launched.
In 2008, one of Dodds' victims went to South Yorkshire Police with his allegations.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to prosecute at the time - a CPS spokesman said its files did not contain details on why that decision was taken.
Dodds was eventually charged in 2016 after another complainant came forward in 2014.
The police investigation prompted the council to commission consultants to investigate how it had handled Dodds.
The 2008 review concluded: "It was clearly wrong that Dodds should receive early retirement. He was not subject to any official sanction by the council for his alleged behaviour."
The 28-page dossier also revealed repeated failures by the council, describing the authority's action as clearly unacceptable not just by present-day standards but by the policies and legislation in place at the time.
It conceded the council did not know how many other victims there might be.
Its conclusion was damning, stating: "The actions of Roger Dodds have caused enormous distress to his victims, and the city council has been complicit in allowing Dodds to operate apparently without sufficient challenge, accountability or consequences."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-38840808 |
The people behind famous phrases - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | From "Bob's your uncle" to "Gordon Bennett" - are there real people behind such English phrases? | England | Some of the most famous English phrases use people's names to convey a meaning, from the Bob of "Bob's your uncle" to the Gordon Bennett we call upon when we must not swear. But are these expressions, and others like them, based on real people? And if so, how did they become household names?
The phrase "all my eye and Betty Martin" is used to declare something as nonsense.
There are a number of theories as to who the mystery woman - or indeed man - was, says Benjamin Norris, assistant editor of the Oxford English Dictionary.
"One idea is that it stems from Latin words used to call on the goddess of Crete 'O mihi Britomartis', or St Martin of Porres 'O mihi, beate Martinehe'," he said.
Eric Scaife from the Yorkshire Dialect Society said: "St Martin was the patron saint of innkeepers, so if you had had a few it may sound different - you would be talking rubbish!"
Could it be that British soldiers or sailors abroad heard locals uttering these Latin words in disbelief and anglicized them?
Could Betty Martin be versions of the Latin for St Martin or the goddess of Crete Britomartis?
"I suspect she was a character of the lusty London of 1770s and no record of her exists," wrote lexicographer Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Catchphrases (1977).
Mr Norris said in northern England the phrase is sometimes uttered as "all my eye and Peggy Martin".
"It seems relatively unlikely that we will be able to discover the identity of the individual in question for sure," said Mr Norris.
The term is used to mean "and there you have it" or the equivalent of the French "et voilà".
Its origin could have been a satirical swipe at Conservative prime minister Lord Salisbury's controversial decision in 1887 to appoint his nephew Arthur Balfour as chief secretary for Ireland, wrote journalist Fraser McAlpine, in his BBC America Anglophenia blog.
Mr Norris agreed: "In light of Lord Salisbury's Christian name being Robert - 'Bob', of course, being a familiar form of this name - and the appointment being seen by many at the time as nepotistic this theory is an appealing one.
"Though, if it is true, it does not easily explain why the phrase is first recorded in the 1930s."
Is Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, the third Marquess of Salisbury the inspiration for the phrase "Bob's your uncle"?
McApline and Mr Scaife have also both questioned whether the phrase could have something to do with Sir Robert Peel, who created the Metropolitan Police Force - where officers were commonly known as "bobbies".
"Perhaps he had a roguish nephew who was believed to have been kept from prison by his uncle," McAlpine wrote.
"Then there's the name itself, which appears to have been used as a catch-all name for someone you don't know, in much the same way that Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and that lot constantly referred to, well, anyone, as Clyde," he wrote.
This expression conveys the sense that "if anything can go wrong it will go wrong".
It was created by aerospace engineer Captain Edward A Murphy while he was working on a series of US Air Force studies to test human tolerance to acceleration and deceleration, according to Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase & Fable.
He coined the phrase after he observed someone setting up an experiment that required the attachment of 16 accelerometers, according to Brewers.
Captain Edward A Murphy is thought to be behind his eponymous "law"
Each consisted of a sensor that could be attached to its mount in two different ways - and the subject had attached all of them the wrong way round.
"It is quite widely accepted as true and it also fits the chronology of our evidence for the phrase, with the earliest recorded use of Murphy's law in Genetic Psychology Monographs: 1951," said Mr Norris.
The expression "to go to Davy Jones's locker" means to be drowned at sea.
"This item of nautical slang is shrouded in mystery, though we do know that the figure of Davy Jones was seen to represent the spirit of the ocean, sometimes even being interpreted as essentially a sea-devil," said Mr Norris.
Davey Jones's locker is a nautical phrase meaning to drown at sea
The use of Davy Jones's locker to refer to the depths of the sea, frequently considered as the graveyard of those who have drowned, has been around since 18th Century, he said.
For instance, in his 1751 work Peregrine Pickle, Tobias Smollett refers to Davy Jones as "the fiend that presides over all the evil spirits of the deep".
This man's name is often used in place of a swear word when making an exclamation of anger, surprise or frustration.
There were two famous Gordon Bennetts who might have been the source - a father and son.
James Gordon Bennett senior (1795-1872) was a Scottish-born journalist, famous in the US for founding the New York Herald and conducting the first ever newspaper interview.
His son, of the same name, was something of an international playboy. Mr Scaife described him as "a dandy... known for driving fast cars and causing consternation and surprise".
Gordon Bennett used his inheritance to sponsor the Bennett Trophy in motor racing from 1900 to 1905, and in 1906 established a hot-air balloon race that is still held today.
He holds the Guinness Book of Records entry for "Greatest Engagement Faux Pas".
One very drunken evening he turned up late to a posh party held by his future in-laws, and ended up urinating into a fireplace in full view of everyone. The engagement, unsurprisingly, was broken off.
However Mr Norris said of the Gordon Bennett expression: "It seems most likely to be a euphemistic substitution for 'gorblimey', which is itself a phonetic rendering of a colloquial or regional pronunciation of 'God blind me'."
This story was inspired by phrases sent in by readers of England's oddest phrases explained.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-38563240 |
Newspaper headlines: MPs call to 'shut down Iraq abuse inquiry' - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A demand by MPs to halt the Iraq troops abuse inquiry and claims of a gap in UK defences make Sunday's front pages. | The Papers | No story dominates the headlines but the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Times both lead on defence issues.
The Sunday Telegraph takes aim at officials in the Ministry of Defence, reporting that MPs will blame a "rotten core" of civil servants for allowing British soldiers to be hounded by false claims of abuse dating from the Iraq War.
The story is based on a parliamentary inquiry whose findings have not yet been published.
The Telegraph expects the report to condemn the activities of the government's Iraq Historic Allegations Team and to call for it to be shut down immediately.
IHAT has said that it handles investigations with sensitivity. The Telegraph, though, calls it a "grotesque charade".
The MoD also finds itself under attack from the Sunday Times, which claims that equipment failures and bungled procurement deals have left gaping holes in Britain's defences.
Among a number of examples, it cites the Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyers, which are apparently so noisy they can be detected by Russian submarines 100 miles away.
In a statement, the MoD says it is focused on delivering the equipment needed to keep Britain safe.
Elsewhere, the Sun on Sunday reports that the British veteran, Johnson Beharry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for heroism in Iraq, was delayed and questioned at JFK airport in New York by officials enforcing President Trump's travel ban.
Lance Sergeant Beharry, who was en route to a charity event for war veterans, believes that an Iraq stamp in his passport aroused suspicions.
He complains that he felt "humiliated" and missed the fund-raising show because of the delay.
The Observer says that the government is to break with Margaret Thatcher's policy of supporting home ownership, with a shift in favour of people who rent.
It says the new approach, to be set out in a White Paper this week, will aim to deliver more affordable and secure rental deals, and threaten tougher action against rogue landlords.
In the Observer's view, it is a turning point for the Conservative party and an admission by Theresa May's government that home ownership is out of reach for millions of families because of sky-high property prices.
The Mail on Sunday devotes its front page and two others to news that the former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is sharing a house in west London with a French politician, described by the newspaper as "glamorous" and "foxy".
The Mail says Laure Ferrari, who moved in with Mr Farage last week, is the head of a Eurosceptic think-tank which is accused of diverting EU funding to UKIP before the general election and the referendum.
Mr Farage tells the Mail he is simply helping Miss Ferrari with somewhere to stay. They both deny having an affair. Mr Farage also denies any financial wrongdoing.
David Beckham appears on a number of front pages, after the leak of private emails apparently revealing his anger at missing out on a knighthood in 2013.
His spokesman has said that the emails have been "hacked and doctored" and contain "outdated material taken out of context".
The Mail on Sunday is unimpressed by friends of the footballer explaining that he was simply "a normal person" who was "extremely disappointed" not to get a knighthood.
But the Sunday Mirror says it is understandable that Beckham feels "miffed" after giving so much to charity and his country. It says it is high time he was told "Arise, Sir David".
The story of Mary Ellis from the Isle of Wight, one of the few women who flew Spitfires during World War Two, is told in the Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday.
Mrs Ellis, who turned 100 last week, joined the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1941. She and her fellow so-called "ATA girls" delivered planes to RAF airfields, releasing male pilots for combat duty.
For an early birthday treat, she recently took control of a Spitfire once again on a flight over the South Coast accompanied by a co-pilot.
Finally, for those with a sweet tooth, the Sunday Times reports that chocolate bars are about to get 20% smaller.
It comes as manufacturers try to meet government targets for reducing sugar in their products.
They can not use artificial sweeteners, according to the paper, because this ruins the taste and can even have a laxative effect.
declined to comment on the possible 20% cut. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38871164 |
10 things we didn't know last week - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Johnny Depp's alleged wine bill, and more news nuggets. | Magazine | 1. Johnny Depp is alleged to have spent $30,000 a month on fine wine.
2. The Great Scottish half-marathon course is 150m too short.
3. You can carry one falcon in economy class on a Qatar Airways flight.
5. A dating app is being developed to help orangutans find a love match.
6. A man sold his back tattoo to German art collector, for 150,000 Euros.
Seen a thing? Tell the Magazine on Twitter using the hashtag #thingididntknowlastweek
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38833370 |
Super Bowl LI guide: Patriots v Falcons - Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell's lowdown - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | BBC NFL pundits Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell offer tips on staying awake and pick out the best players before Sunday's Super Bowl. | null | Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Sport website and mobile app.
The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons will battle it out this Sunday for the NFL Vince Lombardi trophy in a game televised in 170 countries around the world.
Lady Gaga is to headline the half-time show, which more than 116 million Americans tuned in to watch last year, with a 30-second US television advertising slot to cost at least £4m ($5m).
But what about the game itself? Why should we watch it? Who are the players to look out for? Who is going to win?
More importantly - how are you going to stay awake beyond the 23:30 GMT kick-off?
BBC NFL pundits Osi Umenyiora - a two-time Super Bowl winner himself - and former Houston cornerback Jason Bell joined BBC Sport to answer all of the big questions about Sunday night's showpiece.
Why should we stay up for the Super Bowl?
Jason: First of all, you are watching the two best teams in their sport play against each other so that's always exciting. It's also about the culture of football, it's an event and it's more than just a game - from the half-time show, all the pre-game stuff, the build-up. It's just excitement - it really is entertaining.
I know how important tea is so have your tea allocation ready. It's also a good thing to watch with a friend. Have some nice food and drinks - just make it an event.
Who will you be cheering for?
Osi (who played for Atlanta for two seasons): 100% Atlanta - even if I hadn't played for the Falcons, I'd be cheering for Atlanta because I lived in the city since I was 17. I've been in that environment and know how they feel about the team and it's just something I'd want to see happen for them.
Osi: Absolutely, they can. I know that Bill Belichick [head coach of the Patriots] is an outstanding coach who is going to come up with a gameplan to curtail the Atlanta Falcons offence - but they've proved almost impossible to stop in this entire year.
Jason: I'm going to agree with Osi - I'm cheering for Atlanta to win but if I look at the game and I break it down by the numbers and who is better, I think New England could pull it out and win.
Which players should we look out for?
Osi: With New England, you want to start with Tom Brady. That's where it all begins - he's been an outstanding quarterback. There's wide receiver Julian Edelman - but also look out for Martellus Bennett, the tight end, as I think he might have a good game.
For Atlanta, there's the running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman - those guys are going to be outstanding in this game. Then there's quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones. On the defence side of the ball, you want to look out for linebacker Vic Beasley and also defensive end Dwight Freeney, who could also have a major impact on this game.
The Most Valuable Player is going to be a quarterback - it usually goes down to that position.
Jason: To really impress your friends, look out for Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan - he has been doing some of the plays that injured tight end Rob Gronkowski used to do. Some of the routes that Gronkowski used to get open at and create match-up problems for opposing teams, he's now doing. That's something that we just discovered recently watching films.
170 countries set to tune in across the world. Americans are estimated to drink 325 million gallons of beer and eat 11.2m pounds of crisps and 1.3 billion chicken wings (which equates to four per American) - during the event. Celebrity Atlanta fans include Samuel L Jackson, Justin Bieber, Usher, boxing champion Evander Holyfield and Kenan Thompson of Kenan and Kel fame. Lady Gaga is set to headline the half-time show. In 2016, 162,000 tweets were reportedly sent in the 60 seconds after the half-time show. Facebook said 60 million people posted 200 million times about the last Super Bowl.
Are you ready for half-time with Lady Gaga?
Osi: I can't wait - I'm such a big fan of Lady Gaga. I can't wait to hear her sing all of her songs. I hope that she doesn't do any of her new stuff - I don't really like it, I like her old songs. I like Just Dance, Paparazzi, Poker Face - that's what I want to hear.
What's it like playing in a Super Bowl?
Osi (who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants): You can't prepare for something of that magnitude. I think what you try as much as possible is to keep all of the emotion out of you and just wait for the game to be over. If you allow yourself to think exactly about what is going on, you won't be able to go out there and perform.
You have to go out there and think that this is just a regular game and you can enjoy all of the emotions afterwards. The coaches do a really good job of keeping things as close to normal as they would be if you were playing just a regular season or play-off game.
What's it like playing in that stadium?
Jason (who played for the Houston Texans): I have great memories there and this venue was kind of the beginning of the state-of-the-art stadium. It has a retractable roof, which was something new when it was introduced, and all the facilities are great and it's in a great location.
It doesn't have a bad seat in the house so everybody attending will feel like they are right there. It's loud, exciting and really amazing - I'm excited to get back there.
Can you see this game ever happening in London?
Osi: In 40 or 50 years, maybe. The problem is it's such an American institution. Soccer is now getting bigger in America but could you see the FA Cup final being played in the United States?
Even though we want the game to keep growing in the UK, it's so American that we would never want to remove that particular game. You could possibly see the Pro Bowl or you could see play-off games, if there is a franchise, played in the UK. But the Super Bowl itself - it's going to be tough.
If human beings figured out a way to put a man on the moon, they'll find a way to bring a franchise to the UK. The NFL is pumping a lot of money into this and fans love it - there's a huge fan base of 13 million people who are fans of the NFL in the UK. I think that the time is coming.
• None how you can get involved in your own 'game day' this Super Bowl weekend.
Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora were talking to BBC Sport's Chris Visser. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/38761633 |
Phnom Penh's No 1 ladies taxi scooter agency - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | In Cambodia, motorbike taxis are everywhere - but it's rare to see women drivers transporting tourists. One entrepreneur is trying to change that. | Magazine | In Cambodia's capital, motorbike taxis are everywhere - but it's extremely rare to see women drivers transporting tourists. Those who do are judged harshly. Katya Cengel meets the young entrepreneur trying to change that.
When they show up at a Phnom Penh hotel in their tight red T-shirts and skinny jeans, people tend to get the wrong idea about Renou Chea and her fellow Moto Girl Tour guides.
"They think we're not 'good girls'," says Renou, a slight 26-year-old with long dark hair. "They think we're 'bad girls'."
It is an important distinction to make in Cambodia, where women who associate with foreigners are often assumed to be "bad girls" - or women who work in the sex trade.
"Sometimes they think that when we hang out with the men, it's just like for sex or something like that," adds her sister, Raksmey Chea, 23.
The Moto Girl Tour website doesn't help, offering motorbike tours of Cambodia's capital by "young and beautiful lady drivers".
Because they are all young and beautiful, Renou doesn't understand why advertising this might seem strange.
What is strange, at least in this South East Asian country, is women driving tourists. It just isn't done, says Siv Cheng, owner of Phnom Penh-based CS Travel.
"Mostly, you see, all moto (taxi) drivers are male," says Cheng.
Left to right: Sreynich Horm, Raksmey Chea and Renou Chea
Many women drive the little Vespa scooters and Hyundai motorbikes that zip around the city - everyone does - but they don't usually carry tourists.
Renou got the idea after an aunt told her about schoolgirls offering a moto taxi service in Thailand.
Having ridden a motorbike since high school, and having studied English in college, Renou figured showing tourists around her city would be a fun way to earn money. Having also studied accounting, she no doubt saw a good business opportunity as well. In 2015 almost five million tourists travelled to Cambodia, according to the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism.
Renou recruited her younger sister and Sreynich Horm, 22 - both as petite and pretty as Renou - and occasionally a fourth woman to be Moto Girl Tour guides.
But before they took their first tourists on board their bikes in early 2016, they had to convince their families that they would be safe.
Horm's father worried that a foreigner riding behind her could touch her and do other things to her - things "good" virgin girls should not have done to them.
To make sure they kept their reputations safe, the women established a rule - no holding on to the guide, hold the handlebar on the seat behind you instead.
When they have night tours and tours outside the city they team up. Still, friends and family often worry about the women carrying around large foreigners.
At 4ft 9in (1.45m) and 6st 5lb (40kg), Renou is the "tall" Moto Girl. Her Vespa is more than twice her weight, but she gets upset when people think she can't handle it or heavy loads.
For years she has been helping her father with his grocery store by making deliveries on her Vespa. Plus, as a woman, she believes she is actually a safer driver, something Hong Ly, guest relations' manager at Mito Hotel agrees with.
Renou would like to see more female travellers in Cambodia
"Tourists like girls who drive slow, not weave in and out of traffic," said Ly, who keeps a stack of Moto Girl Tour brochures on her desk.
The Moto Girls may be on to something. In early 2016 Vespa Adventures motorbike tour-company opened a branch in Phnom Penh and began hiring both male and female drivers, says Alex Meldrum, manager of the Phnom Penh branch.
An American man founded the original Vespa Adventures in Vietnam. But a Cambodian woman who plans to hire mainly female drivers in the group's other Cambodian location of Siem Reap runs Cambodian Vespa Adventures.
Chanel Sinclair, a 31-year-old lawyer from Australia, was both thrilled and comforted to find female tour guides when travelling solo in Phnom Penh for the first time in spring 2016.
She was so pleased with the attentive service she received from the Moto Girls, including regular cold water deliveries and help with bartering, that she went on three tours with the group.
Renou would like to see more women travellers like Sinclair, but so far the majority of the company's 50 or so customers have been male.
Scottish photographer Ross Kennedy, 44, took a custom tour with the Moto Girls in March 2016. To find more authentic scenes for Kennedy to shoot, Horm went to a region outside the city where her father has family and asked locals' advice.
Kennedy's tour began with crashing a wedding in the morning and ended with a Buddhist blessing ceremony in the afternoon. "Those are the memories that make a trip special," Kennedy wrote in an email.
In addition to being female, the Moto Girls try to differentiate themselves as well-informed guides who can discuss Cambodian art, history and culture.
Finding the right spots are not the only challenges they face. There are the cultural differences as well, like the Indian customer who said "Yes" while shaking his head in a fashion Renou mistook for "No", or the man from New Zealand who screamed when he saw a chicken on the road.
On one occasion Renou and her client were so absorbed in their tour of the National Museum that neither heard the alarm sounding the museum's closing. Renou finally glanced at her watch at 17:30, half an hour after closing time. As they raced to the gate, her client promised to book another tour - if she could get them out of the museum.
The locked gate proved a dead end, but some workers were able to find a security guard who let them out. Renou's customer proved true to his word and booked another tour.
Other difficulties are in the driving itself. Passengers unfamiliar with riding motorbikes sometimes lean to the left when they should lean right, says Horm.
Then there was the tourist who got the wrong idea and asked her out on a date. She turned him down, not wanting to confuse her work with her social life. Plus, she didn't fancy him.
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38827372 |
Trump travel ban: Iraqi family boards flight to JFK - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | An Iraqi family board a flight to the US after President Donald Trump's travel ban is blocked. | null | An Iraqi family have successfully boarded a flight to the US from Turkey, following the suspension of President Donald Trump's travel ban on people from seven mainly Muslim nations.
Fuad Sharef and his wife and three children, who have US immigration visas, were previously prevented from boarding a flight to JFK airport from Egypt.
The US justice department has filed a court motion against the suspension which was issued by a federal judge on Friday. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38872172 |
Winning photos of great gardens - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | From rural UK to rocky outcrops in China - winners from International Garden Photographer of the Year. | In Pictures | This late autumn photo - from Snowdonia National Park in North Wales - has been crowned the overall winner of the 10th annual International Garden Photographer of the Year competition.
Taken by Lee Acaster, and entitled Left, this stark image won the Trees, Woods and Forests category - and then beat thousands of other entries to win the top spot.
Garden designer Chris Beardshaw - one of the competition judges - says the photo "perfectly encapsulates both the extremes of fortune and personality of these giants".
While Clare Foggett - who edits The English Garden Magazine - says the image "draws the viewer in, to reveal the still surface of the lake behind. It demands closer inspection".
Scroll down to see a selection of some of the best images from each category.
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"This is a classical composition with the bridge leading us into the garden and its wonderful display of October colour. The angle of view is very precisely aligned, creating the feeling of serene calm."
"It has a calm, almost Eastern zen-like quality. The autumn leaves on the handrail could have been artfully placed there by a stylist, but the fact that they had been spontaneously placed there by children visiting the garden earlier seems to add even more serendipity to the image."
Philip Smith, founder of the International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A dreamy midsummer scene. It is an unusual composition with the main subject near the picture's edge, but this, taken together with the empty space in the middle of the frame, heightens the faint sense of unreality that marks this photograph out."
"A fleeting and delicate image that encourages a holding of the breath and calm silence, for fear of disturbing the perfection."
"Wordsworth was right about daffodils filling the heart with pleasure and this photo of 'the stars that shine and twinkle on the Milky Way' does just that, with beautiful light from the setting sun. One look at the image and you want to be there."
"White Stars at Sunset is a descriptive title for this field of wild Narcissus with the beautifully backlit sta- shaped flowers. The low viewpoint chosen by the photographer has encouraged the flowers to command the stage against a dramatic evening sky."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"Texture and softening effects have been created in post-capture processing, but the strength of the image is in its very simple but accurate composition. In simplifying the still-life, the photographer has created a strong sense of romantic elegance."
"This charming image of Bergenia not only illustrates the character of the flower, but the added texture and softness to the palette gives it an artistic painterly feel."
"No-one could fault this image for not being true to its subject 'Breathing Spaces'. The glimpse of the mountainside in the break in the clouds has been very well caught and contrasts with the vibrant autumn colours of the foreground. A strong composition with the diagonal of the hillside."
"This anonymous person collecting fodder for his animals has a touch of humour about it. We have to assume he can see where he is going. The mountainous background with lovely soft, misty and low light adds a sense of place."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"This is a spontaneous shot that tells the story perfectly. The photographer has intuitively positioned the farmer in the frame in such a way that we can trudge along with him to the village we can see in the background."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A clever shot. The flowers are beautifully lit and balanced with the lights of the city. There is so much activity to be seen in the background, but the photographer has succeeded in keeping the flowers in the foreground of our attention."
"The shallow depth of field has rendered the lights of a city purely as a glow which leaves the interpretation to the viewer."
"A blaze of colour brings out the true feel of summer. The shallow depth of field adds to the intrigue of the image. An accomplished image for this young photographer."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A wonderfully exuberant image. The photographer has captured the scene very well by excluding anything that might interfere with the appreciation of colour and pattern."
This portfolio of microscopy images was entered as a set in the Beauty of Plants category and features sectioned and stained flower buds.
A selection of the images - including some close-up details - can be seen here.
"The images are stunning - a rarely seen glimpse of the mechanics and 'insides' of a plant, normally only seen by botanists peering down microscopes. Their other-worldly quality brings a new level of intrigue to our garden plants."
"Well executed and inspirational in design. A very unusual way to portray these flowers, the clarity and design are stunning and a lot of worthwhile hard work has gone into this portfolio."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"One of the most attractive macro images in this year's competition. The light falling on this tiny subject is wonderfully handled and reveals the other-worldly elegance of the subject."
"A captivating image, glorious colours and the composition cannot be faulted. The depth of Field is perfect. The detail is beautiful and this is a very worthy winner of the macro category."
"A dramatic composition for this monochrome image with lighting to bring out the detail and texture in the leaves and yet maintaining the subtlety of the petals."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A complex plant stripped down to its essentials of tone, form and texture. It is skilfully processed with a large amount of detail in a complex gradation of grey tones. There's a calm stillness that makes it a worthy winner."
The winning photos are being exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew in London, from 4 February to 12 March 2017. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38829413 |
Victory over France secures a record breaking 15th straight victory for England - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | England surpass the national record set by Sir Clive Woodward's 2003 World Cup winners as they recorded their 15th win in a row by beating France. | null | England surpassed the national record set by Sir Clive Woodward's 2003 World Cup winners as they recorded their 15th win in a row by beating France.
The run began in Stuart Lancaster's final game in charge, a 60-3 win over Uruguay, before Eddie Jones took over and led the side to a Grand Slam, a whitewash victory in Australia, an unbeaten run in the autumn internationals and now victory over France in the 2017 Six Nations. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38869294 |
Davis Cup: Denis Shapovalov defaulted for hitting umpire with a ball, GB beat Canada - BBC Sport | 2017-02-05 | null | Britain reach the Davis Cup quarter-finals after Canada's 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov is defaulted for hitting the umpire with a ball. | null | Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Great Britain reached the Davis Cup quarter-finals after Canada's 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov was defaulted from the decisive match for hitting the umpire with a ball struck in anger.
Kyle Edmund had just broken serve to lead 6-3 6-4 2-1 when frustration got the better of Shapovalov.
A default followed, giving Britain a 3-2 victory in the World Group first-round tie in Ottawa.
Britain go on to face France away in the quarter-finals in April.
"It was a strange way to finish," said Edmund. "I've never been part of something like that."
GB captain Leon Smith added: "A bit of a surprise what happened at the end there and I feel for the young lad. He's a great talent and he's learned a harsh lesson today."
Vasek Pospisil had earlier levelled the tie at 2-2 with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) win over Dan Evans that lasted three hours and 23 minutes.
After the dramatic build-up provided by the fourth rubber, the decisive fifth looked to be heading for a relatively low-key conclusion as Edmund raced into a commanding lead.
Again, Britain had the advantage in terms of rankings, but Edmund also had five years and a growing bank of ATP experience on his side against the current Wimbledon junior champion, making his Davis Cup debut.
Shapovalov played much of the match in confident style, hammering down big serves and hitting flashing one-handed backhands, but his lack of experience showed with a handful of loose games.
With serve dominating, Edmund bullied the teenager with his forehand to earn the first two break points in game eight and Shapovalov offered up a double fault.
Edmund sealed the set with an ace out and wide, and repeated the formula in the second set - profiting from his opponent's errors to break at 5-4 and convert the set with another ace.
When Shapovalov framed a forehand wide to fall behind in the third set, there appeared little chance of a comeback, but that opportunity disappeared altogether when he angrily hit the ball off court.
It struck umpire Arnaud Gabas, giving the Frenchman a bruised eye, and after discussion with the team captains and match referee Brian Earley, the crowd were told that the tie was over as a distraught Shapovalov sat in his chair.
Canada's Davis Cup captain Martin Laurendeau said: "There's always a lesson to be learned from the good moments and the worst moments. If he wants to compete at this level he has to keep it together.
"Emotional control is the biggest factor in this game. He must learn the lesson and hope it serves him in the rest of his career."
Kyle Edmund has won this match but you don't want to win like this - it's a shocking way for it to finish.
This has taken a lot of gloss off for Kyle Edmund but he was going to win this match anyway. The incident looked worse the second time you saw it.
It was meant to go out of the stands, but Shapovalov got it completely wrong.
Umpire Arnaud Gabas was taken to Ottawa General Hospital for a check-up suffering from bruising and swelling of his left eye. Shapovalov made an impressive apology: he spoke of his shame and embarrassment and promised he will never do anything like that again.
He struck the ball with a serious amount of force. It was reckless and will live with him, but hopefully there will be no long term effect on Gabas' ability to umpire matches.
It may even force a tightening of the rules. Too many (much more experienced) players hit balls towards officials and the crowd in frustration, and this is a reminder of the potential consequences.
'Accident that can happen to anyone'
Henman and Nalbandian among big names to have defaulted | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38876048 |
Trump protests: LGBTQ rally in New York - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | null | An immigrant rights campaigner has five things to say at the LGBTQ Solidarity Rally in New York. | null | An immigrant rights campaigner took the podium at the LGBTQ Solidarity Rally in New York on Saturday.
Thanushka Yakupitiyage from the New York Immigration Coalition spoke at one of a number of worldwide protests over President Trump's agenda. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38872520 |
Guy Hamilton: The James Bond director who went undercover in WW2 - BBC News | 2017-02-05 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The James Bond director who risked his life during a daring secret mission in Nazi-occupied France. | England | James Bond director Guy Hamilton, pictured here on the set of Goldfinger, was a secret agent during World War Two
That James Bond creator Ian Fleming drew literary inspiration from his wartime work in espionage is relatively well known. But the heroic World War Two exploits of the director of Bond films including Goldfinger and Live and Let Die are less well documented.
Guy Hamilton, who grew up in France but was sent to boarding school to England, made an early foray into the film industry in the late 1930s, but after fleeing France at the outbreak of war his film-making career had to be put on hold while he joined the effort to defeat Nazi Germany.
In June 1944, he found himself in the sort of dire straits that would have challenged Bond himself.
On a mission to drop French secret agents in Brittany, Lt Hamilton and his crew of two sailors became stranded in a place crawling with German soldiers.
Under cover of darkness, Hamilton and his crew had rowed to shore from his navy ship in a small surfboat to drop off the agents. But when he headed back the ship had gone. There was no way of returning home.
Hamilton ran covert high-speed motor gun and torpedo boats out of Dartmouth for the Royal Navy's 15th Flotilla
Hamilton used the Shelburne Line, one of a series of crucial Allied escape routes that crisscrossed occupied France
Plymouth's Honorary French Consul Alain Sibril, who was born in Brittany and whose grandfather was part of the local Resistance, said: "This was shortly after D-Day, it was extremely, extremely dangerous.
"You can imagine it was a terrible place to be stuck."
Speaking to BBC Inside Out before his death last year, Hamilton said the events of that time were still etched on his memory: "My worries were to get rid of the surfboat and to try and get as far away form the beach as possible."
He spent several days on the run with two other sailors, evading German patrols and navigating minefields.
They were eventually rescued by the French Resistance and sheltered in a safe house run by Anne Ropers.
Hamilton (right) spent a month in Brittany pretending to be a Frenchman to avoid detection
Anne Ropers hid Hamilton and two other agents for about a month
In an interview before she died last year Mrs Ropers, then 97, said: "They stayed in my parents' room. At night, Guy was in one bed and the sailors in the other.
"By day, all three of them spent their time lying on their beds, so that they did not make any noise."
Mr Sibril said: "Had the Germans discovered Guy Hamilton and his fellow sailors, this would have been extremely dangerous. Not only for them, but also for the whole network of Resistance fighters."
Marguerite Pierre, 92, was another Resistance member who helped Lt Hamilton.
She said: "We were told by our commander that we risked either deportation or being shot in the field. We knew what the risks were."
Hamilton managed to send a message back to his naval crew in Dartmouth telling them he was safe
One night Hamilton's cover was almost blown, when members of the Resistance took him for a boozy game of boules.
He said: "They took me down the road to a cafe that had a bowling alley in the back.
"Well that was alright except that it was full of Germans all in uniform, having a drink. And the lads said 'can we have the bowling alley after you Fritz?', and they said 'yes, yes'… I was appalled and horrified."
Mrs Ropers said: "Each team bought the other a jug of cider. The Germans bought a jug of cider for the Englishman and vice versa."
Sir Roger Moore said Hamilton "was very much a James Bond character himself"
Hamilton would recall these experiences while directing James Bond films, as 007 actor Sir Roger Moore recalls.
He said: "He did tell me that he was once dropped into Nazi-occupied France and, being separated from his squad, found himself in a fairly sticky situation in a French village teeming with German soldiers.
"By virtue of speaking fluent French he was able to pull the wool over the Germans' eyes in a bar by pretending to be a local, and he was obviously very convincing."
For nearly a month Hamilton managed to avoid detection before escaping back to safety in England. Ten days later the escape route used by the Resistance was uncovered by the Nazis.
After the war Guy Hamilton worked in the film industry training under Carol Reed
The first Bond film he directed was Goldfinger in 1964
Hamilton directed a series of war films including Battle of Britain in 1969
He lived in Majorca until his death last year, aged 93
Hamilton would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his gallantry.
After the war he returned to the film industry, training under legendary director Carol Reed on movies such as The Third Man, later directing blockbusters including The Colditz Story and Battle of Britain, as well as four Bond movies - Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, The Man with the Golden Gun and Live and Let Die.
And for Moore, Hamilton's experiences in the Royal Navy informed the way he helped to bring Bond to life on the silver screen.
"Guy was very much a James Bond character himself," the actor said.
"He always knew what was believable and how far he could take audiences - and that was based on both his film-making experience and real wartime exploits."
Guy Hamilton's daring exploits can be relived on Inside Out South West on BBC One on Monday 6 February at 19:30 BST and on the iPlayer for 30 days thereafter | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-38733763 |
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