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Reality Check: Are there more women in leading TV roles? - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | BBC Reality Check investigates whether gender balance has changed in popular TV dramas in recent years. | Entertainment & Arts | Jodie Whittaker will take the title role in Doctor Who but Helen Mirren was star of Prime Suspect back in 2006
In the week the BBC announced it was casting a woman as Doctor Who for the first time, it also revealed that only a third of its highest-paid stars are women.
Headlines about women's equality, or otherwise, in British TV abounded.
It got the Reality Check team thinking about whether Jodie Whittaker's appointment as the first female Doctor was a sign of changing times, or is news from the BBC's payroll a more accurate barometer of female fortunes in entertainment? In essence: are more women getting lead roles in TV dramas?
According to our research, the answer seems to be: hardly.
There is a rise compared with a decade ago - but the increase is marginal. The number of females in lead television roles rose by only one - from 17 in 2006 to 18 in 2016 - although when the number of females enjoying shared lead roles is taken into account, the difference is slightly greater - 26 against 21.
Reality Check has looked at the 50 most-watched dramas (excluding soaps) in the UK for 2016, and the corresponding top 50 a decade earlier.
To compile each list we've used the official consolidated TV viewing figures collected and published by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB).
In 2006, the top 50 most-watched TV dramas included literary adaptations, like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, starring Geraldine McEwan, and Philip Pullman's The Ruby In The Smoke, featuring Billie Piper in a lead role.
There were popular original series, too. Ten years ago crime drama Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin as detective and single mother Janine Lewis, was in its third series on ITV. And attracting more than five million viewers was The Kindness of Strangers, a psychological drama with Julie Graham and Hermione Norris.
The top 10 for 2006 featured two female-led shows with an audience of more than eight million: Housewife, 49, based on the wartime diaries of Nella Last and starring Victoria Wood, and Helen Mirren's final appearances as Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act.
Prime Suspect, of course, was instrumental in leading the way for strong female leads on TV. Lewis and A Touch of Frost were among the most viewed dramas with a male lead.
On the list in 2016 was the second series of military drama Our Girl, starring Michelle Keegan, as was Dark Angel, a chilling story set in the 19th century starring Joanne Froggatt as prolific serial killer Mary Anne Cotton.
In terms of overall popularity, three of the five dramas that proved most popular with audiences in 2016 featured a lead character or characters who were female.
Forensic crime drama Silent Witness, starring Emilia Fox, was in its 19th series and still attracting audiences in excess of eight million.
Happy Valley, for which Sarah Lancashire won a Best Actress TV Bafta, was in its second run, and there was Call The Midwife, with its female ensemble cast.
Popular shows with a male lead included Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock and Death In Paradise, starring Kris Marshall.
Some caveats - streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime don't release their viewing figures. That means that undoubtedly popular shows with strong female leads, like The Crown, Orange Is the New Black and The Gilmore Girls revival, could not be included on the 2016 top-50 list.
And of course major streaming services did not exist back in 2006.
So in conclusion, the number of female-led dramas - and the ones in which women share the lead - have slightly increased, along with their popularity with audiences.
But there's a long way to go before parity is achieved.
• None All the Doctors, from Hartnell to Whittaker | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40668409 |
Yorkshire helicopter sex films PC hid 'voyeurism' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Adrian Pogmore used the aircraft to film people sunbathing naked and his friends having sex. | Sheffield & South Yorkshire | Former police officer Adrian Pogmore has admitted four charges of misconduct in a public office
An ex-police officer who admitted misusing his force's helicopter to film people having sex hid his "swinging and voyeurism", a court has heard.
Adrian Pogmore, 51, used the aircraft to film people sunbathing naked and a couple, who were his friends, having sex in their garden.
Four other men all deny charges of misconduct in a public office.
Giving evidence at Sheffield Crown Court, a former colleague said he did not know Pogmore was "into voyeurism".
Police officers Matthew Lucas, 42, and Lee Walls, 47, and helicopter pilots Matthew Loosemore, 45, and Malcolm Reeves, 64, are all on trial.
Pogmore made four recordings from the aircraft between 2007 and 2012, including filming two naturists sitting outside a caravan on a campsite and his friends having sex, the court heard.
The jury was told he knew the couple because they "shared his sexual interest in the swinging scene" and the pair had "brazenly put on a show" for the helicopter.
When asked by Mr Loosemore's defence barrister, Neil Fitzgibbon, if he believed it was appropriate for someone "into swinging and voyeurism" to operate a £1.5m police helicopter camera, ex-colleague PC Tim Smales replied: "certainly not".
PC Smales agreed with Mr Fitzgibbon when asked: "It would be fair to say Mr Pogmore kept his swinging and/or voyeurism a secret?"
He replied: "Certainly from me, yes."
The officer told the jury he would have reported it if he knew Pogmore was "into voyeurism and swinging" and that he worked with him for a number of years before Pogmore was dismissed from South Yorkshire Police.
Prosecutors had described Pogmore as "a swinging and sex-obsessed air observer", while the jury was told the other four men blamed him for the recordings.
The court heard how the footage was found among Pogmore's property at a police station, and he was the only defendant present during all four incidents.
Pogmore, of Guilthwaite Crescent, Whiston, Rotherham, has admitted four charges of misconduct in a public office.
Mr Reeves, of Farfield Avenue, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, denies two counts of the same charge.
Mr Walls, of Southlands Way, Aston, Sheffield, denies one count.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-40669603 |
How OJ Simpson paved the way for Donald Trump - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | His trial, and car chase, paved the way for reality TV, and Donald Trump, writes Nick Bryant. | US & Canada | Was OJ Simpson's arrest and trial the beginning of reality TV - and Donald Trump's rise?
It seems entirely fitting that OJ Simpson should reappear at this surreal juncture in American life because many of the trends that culminated in the election of Donald J Trump can be traced back to his arrest and trial.
Consider first of all the impact on the US media of that slow-motion car chase, as "The Juice" headed down the 405 freeway in the back of his white Ford Bronco pursued by a small armada of police cars and a squadron of news helicopters. With viewers glued to their televisions that day, Domino's recorded a record spike in pizza deliveries.
It was the moment arguably that real-time, rolling news truly came of age.
That chase and the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the 1995 trial on CNN and Court TV demonstrated a voracious appetite for cable news. The OJ "trial of the century", with its blend of tabloid sensationalism and serious analysis, established the formula for ratings success.
In last year's presidential election, the media fixation with Donald Trump demonstrated how that recipe still works now. His candidacy could almost have been tailor made to fit the requirements of real-time cable news and Twitter, its digital equivalent.
In ratings terms, his road to the White House became the political equivalent of that freeway chase, an improbable journey we couldn't take our eyes off partly because we were fascinated to learn how it would end. Donald Trump exploited this. The billionaire reality TV star, sensing immediately his media pulling power, became the ringmaster of an OJ-style circus.
OJ Simpson was already a star, but the whole of America was hooked on every detail of the trial
America's celebrity culture predates OJ Simpson, but his trial unquestionably fuelled it. Johnny Cochran, Marcia Clark, Robert Shapiro. The attorneys became stars in their own right. So, too, did Judge Lance Ito. Kato Kaelin, a minor player, parlayed his witness stand limelight into various appearances on reality TV shows.
Then there's the Kardashian connection. OJ's close friend Robert Kardashian, the father of Kourtney, Kim, Chloe and Rob, sat alongside the defence team throughout the trial.
The first time that Americans were introduced to a Kardashian on television was when Robert appeared before the media on 17 June, 1994, the day of the Bronco car chase, to read a letter penned by OJ which sounded like a confession. Robert Kardashian became one of the first inadvertent celebrities of the OJ story, and his children ended up being beneficiaries.
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Few episodes in American life so starkly exposed the racial divide as the OJ verdict. A majority of whites were convinced of his guilt. Polls suggested that six out of 10 African-Americans thought him innocent. In the Oscar-winning documentary OJ: Made in America, one of the most stunning sequences comes when the shots of jubilant African-Americans celebrating OJ's acquittal are juxtaposed with white viewers speechless and stunned. Such was the roar of delight from OJ's supporters gathered outside the courthouse that a police horse reared up in fright.
Back then it was stunning to see how Americans presented with the same evidence could reach conclusions so diametrically opposed. But it was not altogether surprising. In the aftermath of the Rodney King beating, and the acquittal of the officers who clubbed him so mercilessly, it made sense for the defence team to put the Los Angeles Police Department on trial. Playing what became known as "the race card" was a clever, if cynical ploy (OJ's lawyer Robert Shapiro famously said afterwards his legal team had played the race card from "the bottom of the pack").
After the celebrated former football star had been acquitted, one of the nine African-Americans on the jury was brazen enough to flash OJ Simpson the black power salute. Another black juror, Carrie Bess, unashamedly told the makers of OJ: Made in America the verdict was payback for Rodney King.
Americans reached radically different conclusions in 1995, as they do now
The black lawyer Johnny Cochran had successfully tapped into a shared sense of victimhood among African-Americans understandably appalled by the institutional racism of the LAPD. Mark Fuhrman, the detective who was recorded using a racial epithet, became exhibit one, the perfect bogey man.
Here again there are parallels with the election of Donald Trump, when voters were presented with the same evidence, the same televised spectacle, and reached diametrically opposed opinions. Again America was riven, although the roots of that polarisation were different. With OJ, it was race.
With Trump, it was class, education, gender and geography. Yet he, too, tapped into a shared sense of victimhood. He portrayed himself as the victim of the Washington political establishment and East Coast liberal media, essentially telling his supporters that the same elites sneering at him were the same elites sneering at them. Whereas Cochran played the race card, Trump deployed the rage card.
Another parallel. When historians study the rise of post-truth politics, the triumph of feelings over fact, they will surely trace at least some of its origins back to the OJ Simpson trial. In that LA County courtroom, the evidence overwhelmingly pointed towards Simpson's guilt on charges of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Yet some jury members admitted afterwards they wanted to give the LAPD and the prosecution team a bloody nose. For some jurors, it was a protest verdict, based on emotion rather than the facts of the case.
What struck me about last year's election was how many voters were prepared to overlook Donald Trump's truth-stretching and falsehoods because of their determination to exact revenge and send a message. Trump's relied on slogans - Make America Great Again, Build the Wall, Lock Her Up - knowing they had more resonance than detailed policies. Feelings were more important than facts. Hillary Clinton became the perfect bogey woman. Someone who personified all that was wrong with the American body politic. Someone who used the "d" word, deplorables, to describe them.
Many of those who voted for Trump felt the political system was rigged against the white working class, just as some of the black jurors in the OJ trial felt the political system was rigged against them.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Four things OJ did in while in prison
Johnny Cochran proved a master at presenting alternative facts, even coming up with the simple, but deeply misleading, catch-phrase, "if it doesn't fit you must acquit". Donald Trump has become the greatest practitioner of post-truth politics, and cries "fake media" in much the same way that Cochran talked of fake forensic evidence. During his first six months in office, the President made 836 false statements, according to the fact-checkers at the Washington Post, but that doesn't seem to worry staunch Trump loyalists.
Back in 1995 the world was captivated by the trial of OJ Simpson, just as it now is with the trials and tribulations of Donald Trump.
To outsiders, both are Only in America phenomena. When the not guilty verdict was handed down, many global onlookers found it completely inexplicable, and concluded there must be something terribly wrong with America's criminal justice system.
Is that now not the question being asked of America's broken politics? | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40683038 |
Prosthetic penis sex attacker Gayle Newland jailed - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Gayle Newland created an online persona to trick her female friend into a relationship for two years. | Liverpool | A woman who wore a prosthetic penis and tricked her blindfolded friend into sex has been jailed.
Gayle Newland, 27, of Willaston, Cheshire, created an online persona pretending to be a man and continued the deceit for two years.
A retrial jury found her guilty of committing three sexual assaults, which she denied, using a prosthetic penis without her victim's consent.
She was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for six-and-a-half years.
Sentencing her, Recorder of Manchester, Judge David Stockdale QC, said: "Truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction.
"The truth, the whole truth, here is as surprising as it is profoundly disturbing."
He added: "It is difficult to conceive of a deceit so degrading or so damaging for the victim upon its discovery."
Newland was originally jailed for eight years in November 2015 after she was convicted of the same offences, which happened in 2013.
But the conviction was later quashed on the grounds the trial judge's summing up of the case was not fair and balanced.
Newland created a fake Facebook profile when she was 15 years old
During the retrial the victim, who gave evidence behind a curtain, told the court she was persuaded by the defendant to wear a blindfold at all times when they met.
She said she only found out she was having sex with a woman - rather than a man - when she finally took off her mask.
The victim told the court she thought she was having sex with Kye Fortune - a fake Facebook profile Newland originally created when she was 15 years old, using an American man's photographs and videos.
She said: "There was no point until the day I took the blindfold off that I thought for one second that a woman was the person behind this."
Newland denied concealing her gender and claimed both women were gay and struggling with their sexuality when they met and had sex, with her as Kye, during role-play.
The defendant received concurrent terms of six years for three counts of sexual assault.
She was jailed for an extra six months for defrauding her former employers - an internet advertising agency - of £9,000 by creating fake client profiles between March 2014 and September 2015.
The court heard she had held a senior position at the firm, which paid bloggers to post content.
Simon Medland QC, prosecuting, said Newland "manipulated" the firm's payments system in which contributors were rewarded with small sums for posting content.
The retrial jury was not told of the fraud conviction until it returned its verdicts.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-40668960 |
Comic book success: The rise of the Comic-Con festival - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How Comic-Con has become an annual festival of costumes and comic books - and a multi-million dollar industry. | Business | Comic-Con International is now a major event and has spawned festivals around the world
San Diego's Comic-Con International, happening this weekend, is an annual fiesta of costumes, comic books and celebrities that sits at the centre of a multi-billion dollar industry.
From a gathering of less than 300 people in 1970, the event has morphed into an annual, multi-day media bonanza that draws major corporate sponsors, movie studios and more than 150,000 people.
The event made more than $17m in revenue in 2015, according to the most recent tax filing available online, and it has spawned similar festivals in cities around the world.
"San Diego's growth has been mind-boggling," says author John Jackson Miller, who also owns Comichron, which tracks sales of comic books.
Mr Miller went to San Diego for the first time in the early 1990s, when it still drew less than 40,000 people.
When Comic-Con started just 300 came, now it involves more than 150,000 people
Now thousands of people flock to San Diego for the event even without tickets and the skyrocketing demand has led some to call for San Diego to expand its convention centre.
Eventbrite, a ticketing website, estimated that fandom conventions in North America grossed $600m in 2013. It said the wider economic impact could be as high as $5bn.
The San Diego convention centre estimates the annual July event generates some $140m in economic impact for the region.
Experts say the growth has been fuelled in part by a Hollywood that has mined comic books and science fiction for blockbusters, broadening the fan base.
Advances in special effects since 2000, when X-Men was released, have increased the success of movie adaptations, says Mr Miller. (Warner Bros. and Disney own the two major comic publishing outfits.)
The event's also been helped by higher consumer spending on live entertainment
The popularity of the events also coincides with a rise in spending on live entertainment, particularly among younger customers.
Some of the shift reflects a wealthier society with money to burn beyond basic needs, says Stephanie Tully, a marketing professor at University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, who has researched consumer spending.
But she says there's an additional factor at play: Fear Of Missing Out - a phenomenon popularly dubbed FOMO - which has been exacerbated by social media.
"It's really difficult to substitute this year's comic con with next year's comic con," says Eesha Sharma, a professor at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business who worked with Ms Tully on a new study that shows people are more likely to go into debt to pay for experiences than material goods.
Companies have taken note of the phenomenon.
In an increasingly online world, there's still no substitute for face-to-face interactions
Disney is investing heavily in its theme parks and big investors such as TPG Capital, a private equity giant, have plunged money into troupes such as Cirque du Soleil.
"What I hear and what I see is that companies ... have a huge interest in live entertainment at the moment," says John Maatta, a former television executive who is now chief at Wizard World, which ran comic conventions in more than a dozen US cities last year.
Mr Maatta says he thinks people put more value on real-world interaction as more of our lives play out online.
"There's no substitute for human connection," he says.
The growing circus at the San Diego festival, which unlike many others is run by a not-for-profit operation, has turned off some industry stalwarts.
Film adaptations have boosted the appeal of events like Comic-Con
Earlier this month, Mile High Comics, a major comics retailer, said it would not attend for the first time in more than 40 years. Other long time participants have started their own events.
David Glanzer, a spokesman for Comic-Con International: San Diego, did not respond to questions about its approach.
The group in 2014 filed a lawsuit against a smaller Salt Lake City event, alleging that the group had violated its trademark.
But for the most part, organizers have appeared content to let the fandom multiply.
ReedPOP, part of a London-based company, started the New York Comic Con in 2006 - it's expected to draw some 200,000 people this year - and now runs about 30 events globally in cities that include Shanghai, Mumbai and Sydney.
Cosplayers at the 2015 MCM Comic Con in Manchester England
Event director Mike Armstrong says there's some room to grow in the US, and even more opportunity overseas.
"I'm very much of the mindset that rising waters will lift all ships," says Mr Armstrong. "I view smaller shows as feeder opportunities to get people excited and interested so they might one day want to attend New York Comic Con."
Earlier this year, Wizard World, which has scaled back the number of shows since 2015, warned investors it may not be able to continue in business. But Mr Maatta said the problem was temporary and didn't reflect the bigger market.
The firm has righted itself with new financing and announcements of additional conventions are coming, he says.
Comic book sales were flat last year but for now the industry is healthy
"The plan is just to intensify what we're doing," he says.
Are there clouds on the horizon?
Robert Salkowitz, the author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture, has followed the comic industry's rise since the 1990s.
"I always have my eye on how it could fall apart," he says.
Sales at comic book shops were flat in 2016 and have slipped this year, according to Comichron.
Comic book fandom: No longer a fad, for many it's a lifestyle
But Mr Marshall said that compares to banner performance in prior years. Comic sales at general audience book stores continue to grow and movies, such as Wonder Woman, still rake in millions at the box office.
A few flops might scare off the industry, but for now Mr Salkowitz says he thinks the market is healthy.
"Fandom has grown big enough," he says.
Mr Maatta agrees: "I don't think it's a fad," he says. "I'd almost say it's a lifestyle." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40659611 |
Girl, 5, fined £150 for lemonade stand - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The young girl burst into tears after Tower Hamlets Council issued a fine for selling 50p drinks to festival goers. | London | Andre Spicer said his daughter burst into tears and told him "I've done a bad thing"
A five-year-old girl was fined £150 by a council for selling 50p cups of lemonade to festival goers.
The girl's father Andre Spicer said his daughter had set up the stall in Mile End, east London, while thousands of music fans were on their way to the Lovebox Festival at the weekend.
Mr Spicer said his daughter burst into tears and told him "I've done a bad thing".
Tower Hamlets Council has since cancelled the fine and apologised.
The girl was fined for trading without a licence
Mr Spicer said his daughter loved the idea of setting up a stall near their home.
"She just wanted to put a smile on people's faces. She was really proud of herself," he said.
"But after a small time trading, four enforcement officers walked over from the other side of the road.
"I was quite shocked. I thought that they would just tell us to pack up and go home.
"But they turned on their mobile camera and began reading from a big script explaining that she did not have a trading licence.
"My daughter clung to me screaming 'Daddy, Daddy, I've done a bad thing.' She's five.
"We were then issued a fine of £150. We packed up and walked home."
A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly.
"This clearly did not happen.
"The fine will be cancelled immediately and we have contacted Mr Spicer and his daughter to apologise."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075 |
Did Halle Berry drink half a pint of whiskey at Kingsman Comic-Con event? - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The star was challenged to down the drink while promoting her film, Kingsman: The Golden Circle. | Entertainment & Arts | Actress Halle Berry surprised film fans by appearing to drink half a pint of whiskey in one go on stage.
The Oscar winner was promoting her latest film, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which features a fictional bourbon that serves as a business front for US secret agents.
When it was produced at the Comic-Con event, Berry was poured a large glass which she initially ignored.
But when a fan asked her a difficult question, she chose to drink it.
What was the tough question? She was asked whether her action spy film - which also stars Colin Firth and Taron Egerton - was more British than James Bond.
When Berry said she'd rather drink the whiskey than answer, panel moderator Jonathan Ross led a chant encouraging her to "chug" it.
"Oh I can you know, would you like to see that?" Berry replied and then downed the drink while grimacing and pretended to fall off her chair.
"Kingsman would like to remind you to drink responsibly," Ross said afterwards, adding: "She's a professional, she can handle it."
Here's how it happened in pictures.
After the panel, Berry was asked if it was real bourbon she drank.
"Let that be a mystery to the world," she told Entertainment Tonight. "Never dare a girl like me to do anything, because I just take the challenge."
The sequel to Matthew Vaughn's 2014 film, about the recruitment of a young secret agent, was the first big film to kick off Comic-Con in the San Diego Convention Centre's famous Hall H.
The film's other stars including Egerton, Firth, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and Pedro Pascal were on hand to talk about the movie and give fans a sneak peek of new footage.
As well as a longer trailer which was released just ahead of the panel, three clips were shown - the opening sequence, the introduction of Tatum as Statesman agent Tequila (the American equivalent to the Kingsmen), and the introduction of Julianne Moore as Poppy, the film's villain.
The stars also revealed more about their characters, with Tatum saying he "was begging" to have a part in the sequel as he was a fan of the franchise.
Berry said her character, Ginger Ale, was "kind of the techy, brain, nerdy character", while Firth kept tight-lipped about his role.
Fans of Kingsmen will know the Oscar winner didn't make it to the end of the first film alive, although he appears in the sequel.
"It's all a mystery to me, really. I mean, I'm in the trailer! I seem to do a lot of shaving and, that's really all I can say," he said.
The film is released in cinemas in September.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
• None What happened at Comic-Con Day One?
• None Comic-Con: What you should look out for
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40676461 |
Brexit: Is cabinet now united behind transition plan? - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A settled view seems to be emerging on the need for a transitional period after Brexit but questions remain on how long this will take. | UK Politics | Leading Brexiteers have said they are not opposed to a period of transition or implementation
The government and the cabinet "is united".
Now, on the surface, these words from Michael Gove shouldn't be surprising. A minister wouldn't advertise disunity.
The surprise though is that - as one of the most prominent Leave campaigners - he was talking about an implementation period post-Brexit which could last for an unspecified amount of time.
Insiders say his arrival at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and dealing with the powerful farming lobby may have influenced his view.
Some of the most prominent Remain ministers have been expressing relief - tinged in one case with just a hint of triumphalism - that they think in recent weeks that they have managed to sell the idea of a soft landing - or as some say "no cliff edge" - after the UK leaves the EU in 2019 to some of their more sceptical colleagues.
So much for unity. Where do differences still lie?
It was interesting that, in answering my question on whether freedom of movement would continue under an implementation period, that Michael Gove didn't rule this out. Migration, he argued, would be decided by the needs of the economy.
But for how long? The tectonic plates may have moved on a transitional deal but its duration is where cabinet fault lines persist.
Liam Fox has been pretty clear he doesn't want to contemplate anything more than two years.
As one minister put it - he has waited forty years to leave the EU so two more won't matter.
But anther prominent cabinet Brexiteer told me he thought it would be a "disaster" if the implementation period hadn't concluded by the assumed date of the next election in 2022 while others have talked about anything up to a four year period.
Business has said a "cliff-edge" change in regulations and procedures must be avoided
Then what form will any transition take?
Could there be temporary membership of the European Economic Area? Some leavers might be suspicious that temporary would become permanent.
Should we stay in the customs union a bit longer until we hammer out a bespoke deal post Brexit?
The EU is unlikely to get the clarity it seeks until there is clarity around the cabinet table.
So while some Remainer ministers I have spoken to this week were upbeat, relaxed and chipper - and believe that British business is making its influence felt - many issues remain unresolved.
And, of course, I use the term 'Remainer" historically - the cabinet is also united on leaving the EU but the question is how.
There has been talk of soft, hard and clean Brexits. Increasingly another word has entered the lexicon.
David Davis uses it. Michael Gove used it today. Expect to hear more of it. Pragmatic. That's now the goal - a pragmatic Brexit. And that necessarily means compromise at cabinet level as well as with the EU.
• None UK and EU at odds on Brexit 'bill' | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40682982 |
Chester Bennington: Linkin Park vocalist 'took his own life' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A coroner says the star, who was close to Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, took his own life. | US & Canada | Bennington spoke publicly about being abused as a child
The coroner said Bennington apparently hanged himself. His body was found at a private home in the county at 09:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Thursday.
Bennington was said to be close to Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell, who took his own life in May.
Formed in 1996, Linkin Park have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.
The band had a string of hits including Faint, In The End and Crawling, and collaborated with the rapper Jay-Z.
The album Meteora topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2003 and is regarded as one of the biggest indie rock records of all time.
The band had been due to begin a tour next week.
For a generation growing up in the early 2000s, it would have been hard to find someone who didn't own a copy of the band's debut album Hybrid Theory.
It's sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and remains one of the biggest selling albums released since the start of the millennium.
Linkin Park's successful trick was to fuse elements of metal and rock with rap and hip-hop to shape the nu-metal genre on songs such as Crawling, In The End and Numb.
Arguably their biggest asset was Chester's powerhouse voice. He had a huge, raspy vocal which suited their stadium-filling, singalong anthems.
Whilst his vocal persona could be described as angry and harsh, in person he was warm, articulate and funny.
The band's most recent album, One More Light, saw a different direction as they worked with prolific pop songwriters Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter - and collaborated with UK grime artist Stormzy.
He leaves a wife, and six children from two marriages.
The singer is said to have struggled for years with alcohol and drug abuse, and has talked in the past about contemplating suicide as a result of being a victim of abuse as a child.
Bennington wrote an open letter to Chris Cornell on the latter's death, saying: "You have inspired me in ways you could never have known... I can't imagine a world without you in it."
Cornell would have celebrated his 53rd birthday on Thursday. He hanged himself after a concert in Detroit on 17 May.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Linkin Park announced a new world tour as they were inducted into the RockWalk in Los Angeles
Band member Mike Shinoda confirmed the news of Bennington's death on Twitter: "Shocked and heartbroken, but it's true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one."
Tributes to Bennington flooded in soon after news of his death.
The band Imagine Dragons tweeted: "no words, so heartbroken. RIP Chester Bennington."
Grime artist Stormzy, who collaborated with Linkin Park earlier this year, tweeted: "Bruv I can't lie I'm so upset serious."
If you are affected by the topics in this article, the Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123 (in the UK) or by email on jo@samaritans.org. If you are in the US, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40676530 |
Norway: The country where no salaries are secret - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | In Norway, anyone can find out how much anyone else is paid, and it rarely causes problems, writes Lars Bevanger. | Magazine | This week the British papers revelled in news about how much the BBC's on-air stars get paid, though the salaries of their counterparts in commercial TV remain under wraps. In Norway, there are no such secrets. Anyone can find out how much anyone else is paid - and it rarely causes problems.
In the past, your salary was published in a book. A list of everyone's income, assets and the tax they had paid, could be found on a shelf in the public library. These days, the information is online, just a few keystrokes away.
The change happened in 2001, and it had an instant impact.
"It became pure entertainment for many," says Tom Staavi, a former economics editor at the national daily, VG.
"At one stage you would automatically be told what your Facebook friends had earned, simply by logging on to Facebook. It was getting ridiculous."
Transparency is important, Staavi says, partly because Norwegians pay high levels of income tax - an average of 40.2% compared to 33.3% in the UK, according to Eurostat, while the EU average is just 30.1%.
"When you pay that much you have to know that everyone else is doing it, and you have to know that the money goes to something reasonable," he says.
"We [need to] have trust and confidence in both the tax system and in the social security system."
In 2015 Norwegian PM Erna Solberg earned 1,573,544 kroner (£151,001). - her assets were valued at 2,054,896 kroner (£197,179) and she paid 677,459 kroner (£65,011) in taxes
This is considered to far outweigh any problems that may be caused by envy.
In fact, in most workplaces, people have a fairly good idea how much their colleagues are earning, without having to look it up.
Wages in many sectors are set through collective agreements, and pay gaps are relatively narrow.
The gender pay gap is also narrow, by international standards. The World Economic Forum ranks Norway third out of 144 countries in terms of wage equality for similar work.
So the figures that flashed up on Facebook may not have taken many people by surprise. But at a certain point Tom Staavi and others lobbied the government to introduce measures that would encourage people to think twice before snooping on the salary details of a friend, neighbour or colleague.
People now have to log in using their national ID number in order to access the data on the tax authority's website, and for the last three years it has been impossible to search anonymously.
"Since 2014 it has been possible to find out who has been doing searches on your information," explains Hans Christian Holte, the head of Norway's tax authority.
"We saw a significant drop to about a 10th of the volume that was before. I think it has taken out the Peeping Tom mentality."
There are some three million taxpayers in Norway, out of a total population of 5.2 million. The tax authority logged 16.5 million searches in the year before restrictions were put into place. Today there are around two million searches per year.
In a recent survey 92% of people said they did not look up friends, family or acquaintances.
"Earlier I did do searches, but now it's visible if you do it, so I don't do it any more," says a woman I meet on the streets of Oslo, Nelly Bjorge.
"I was curious about some neighbours, and also about celebrities and royalty. It could be good to know if very rich people are cheating, but you don't always know. Because they have many ways of reducing their income."
The tax lists only tell you people's net income, net assets and tax paid. Someone with a vast property portfolio, for instance, would probably be worth far more than the figure found in the lists, because the taxable property value is often far less than the current market value.
Everyone has been able to see how much anyone earns and the taxes they pay, since 1814
Hege Glad, a teacher from Fredrikstad south of Oslo, remembers that when she was young, adults used to queue up to examine the "enormous, thick" books of income and tax data, published once a year.
"I know my father was one of those looking. When he came home he was in a bad mood because our well-to-do neighbour was listed with little income, no assets and, most of all, a very small amount of tax paid," she says.
While she approves of Norway's transparency in this area, she notes that it can have negative effects. She has seen this in school.
"I remember once coming into school and a group of boys were very keen to tell me about the massive amounts of money the dad of one of the others in the class was making.
"I noticed a couple of other boys who usually were part of this gang had pulled back, saying little. The mood was not very nice," she says.
There have been other stories about children from low-income families who have been bullied in school, by classmates who looked up their parents' financial situation.
But Hans Christian Holte thinks the government currently has the balance about right.
The fact that anonymous searches are no longer permitted discourages criminals from searching for wealthy people to target.
And yet, the restrictions introduced in 2014 have not stopped whistleblowers reporting things they find suspicious.
"We like people to do searches which could help us in investigating tax evasion and the amount of tips that we get has not gone down," he says.
"Maybe the Peeping Tom part has more or less vanished, but you still have the legitimate reasons for searching and also some good effects of that openness."
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-40669239 |
The man who migrated twice - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | What is life like for those involved in Europe's great migration? | Europe | This is the story of the man who migrated twice.
Who dodged the police along the Italian border with France - twice. Avoided officials on the train to Paris - twice. Made it to the shanty town life in Calais - twice. Risked death as he stowed away on a vehicle to Britain - twice.
Now he waits for the British asylum process to decide whether he can stay. Yes, again, for a second time.
It is a story of the determination to make it to safety - wherever that is perceived to exist - and of why Europe's migration crisis is only deepening.
Let's call him Adam, because he doesn't want me to use his real name, and because it's a popular name in Darfur, Sudan, from where he comes.
He calls himself a "village man". But today, in a smart well-ironed shirt, Adam looks at home here in the UK, although the UK has become anything but home for him.
Adam left Darfur in 2012, made his way to Libya, and spent some years there. But as that country crumbled, he felt propelled onwards, to Europe.
He followed the route so many take. Sicily to Ventimiglia in northern Italy, on to Paris, then Calais and then finally Britain.
He was detained by the authorities, put into indefinite detention for four months, then released. He was then arrested again, detained this time for two months before it was decided that he should be sent back to Italy because there was a record (his fingerprints) that he had first arrived there.
"They put me in handcuffs," Adam says. Four officers accompanied him back to Milan and left him there.
"I stayed 10 days in Milan, on the streets." That was when he decided to go back, first to Ventimiglia, and this time round it was harder.
He says: "The first time I was lucky. I just took the train from Ventimiglia to Paris."
But this second time was another year into Europe's migration crisis and the border was being monitored more effectively. "I tried maybe two or three times to get to Marseille, but they sent me back again."
Finally he stepped on to the railway tracks and started walking. "I just walked from Ventimiglia to Cannes for like eight hours." From there to Paris again and on to Calais.
It was more difficult there too. The previous year "it was better. But this time was more difficult because many people (had) come and many police officers (were there) to stop people".
One of the back country roads into France favoured by migrants
He tried "for like 15 days, 20 days", until he managed to crawl into a space underneath a bus. "And I found myself in UK the second time."
One month and one day after he had been deported from Britain, he was back. But this is not the end of Adam's story.
Determination, desperation, there's no one word that encapsulates fully what you find today along the trail that Adam knows so well. His analysis, that it's getting harder to cross borders, is echoed by others and this is why.
Italy has become the go-to country for those seeking to come across the Mediterranean. The Turkey-Greece route is all but shut down following an agreement between the EU and Ankara.
This year, more than 93,000 migrants have arrived in Italy according to the United Nations. An EU-wide relocation scheme that should have taken the pressure off Italy has moved fewer than 8,000 since it launched almost two years ago.
Rome is trying to do deals with Libya to stop the boats launching in the first place - but there's no central figure of authority in that war zone. They want other countries to open ports in the Mediterranean to migrant and rescue boats - France and others have said no.
So Rome has dispersed its migrants across the country. There is growing resentment in towns and villages where people suddenly find themselves hosting others who don't speak their language. As one man in the north of Italy put it: "I'm not against immigration, but I'm against it when it's handled like this."
The asylum process is stretched to breaking point. Shelters can't accommodate everyone. In Trento, towards the Austrian border, four men, from Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria, told how they have waited almost three years in limbo - unable to work - not knowing if their final appeal will grant them the right to remain or not.
"If I'd stayed here six months and they told me 'we are sending you back to Ghana' (then) there is no crying," says Ibrahim Mohammed. But after three years? "How can you tell me to go back?"
The likelihood is they will not be deported, even if their asylum appeals fail. Few are actually sent back. Instead they are stuck, unable to work, or provide for themselves. All this - and the poor state of the Italian jobs market - explains why so many decide to move on from Italy.
Nasser and his son Aladin from Sudan are trying to get from Ventimiglia in Italy to join Nasser¹s sister in France
And with numbers growing, that is why Austria to the north and France to the west have both put in more frequent border checks.
The people they are trying to stop gather every morning for a small free breakfast at a refuge in the Italian border town Ventimiglia. Among them on one day recently were Nasser and his two-year-old son Aladin from Sudan.
Aladin - still in nappies - is ill and they desperately need a doctor.
"I've tried twice in the last week," said Nasser. "My sister is in France waiting for us. The police sent us back."
On the small winding roads through the hills to France, the police check vehicles for stowaways before you can cross the border. They have set up camp in the olive groves up on the hillsides to keep watch for those trying to get across. Occasionally a patrolling helicopter passes overhead.
For France too is "overwhelmed" - that's the word the new president uses - and is trying to stop people coming on to its territory.
In the capital a week ago, they moved thousands off the streets around a metro station into shelters, but now another thousand are back on the streets, according to the deputy mayor, Patrick Klugman.
"What's going now today, this week, this summer, we need urgent measures. We cannot handle it by ourselves in Paris."
The French prime minister last week announced a series of new measures - cutting the time it takes to process asylum claims, "systematically" deporting so-called economic migrants and building more shelters to house refugees in the next two years.
However, Mr Klugman says it is not enough.
Only a tiny number of the hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers in Europe follow Adam for the whole of his journey and cross from Calais to the UK.
We don't know how many of them do it twice.
As for Adam, there is no happy ending to his story. It has been around a year since he had his last interview in his new asylum process. Since then he has been in limbo, not knowing whether he will be deported again, or this time be allowed to stay.
He has a room to stay in - paid for by the government - and £75 a week to live off. He is not allowed to work. And he says it feels as if he is still on his journey, heading where he does not yet know.
"I have nothing to do. Just eat, sleep, nothing. Wait, wait and nothing changes." "Sometimes you feel it's not a life. It's better to pass away." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40671878 |
The female psychologist running Risley men's prison - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | When 44-year-old Pia Sinha became governor of Risley prison, she needed to adapt quickly to its overwhelmingly male culture. | Magazine | Running a men's prison is a tough job, and if you don't look like a stereotypical prison governor, part of your job is challenging people's expectations. So how does Pia Sinha do it, asks the BBC's Siobhann Tighe.
"What are youse doing here? What youse doing here?"
Over the din of HMP Risley, a prisoner shouts at us from the other side of a metal gate. He's spotted my microphone and wants to know what's going on.
The governor, Pia Sinha, is showing me round but stops to chat to him. He doesn't hold back. He tells her: "This jail's rubbish."
It's almost a year since 44-year-old Sinha took charge here. People often do a double-take when this 5ft three-quarters-of-an-inch tall Asian woman introduces herself as the governor.
"You get a lot of raised eyebrows and some people openly say: 'You're not what I expected,'" Sinha says.
It doesn't offend her. She takes it as a compliment.
When she started her career in prisons almost 20 years ago, her friends were horrified. They weren't used to hearing workplace stories like the ones Sinha would tell them.
Even today, she says, the atmosphere is an "acquired taste". She's often heckled by the prisoners, although she treats it as mere bravado.
"It can be very intimidating and unpleasant but when I walk on to the wings, I need to feel comfortable," she says.
HMP Risley, near Warrington, Cheshire, is a men's resettlement prison, which means that prisoners here are nearing release.
In late 2016, a few months after Sinha took charge of it, an inspection report identified a number of failures at the prison. A fifth of prisoners felt unsafe, it said, and "it was not a sufficiently respectful prison".
"It was a fair report," says Sinha. From her point of view it was well-timed. She wasn't in her post when the inspectors visited. Arriving afterwards meant she had a clear action plan to make improvements.
"Risley feels chaotic at times," Sinha admits. One of the challenges staff face are "nearly epidemic" levels of novel psychoactive substances (NPS), also known as "legal highs", including Spice.
When I'm there, Sinha catches up with some of her staff. Prison officers report that three prisoners have taken Spice today, and it's not even lunchtime. No-one's died at HMP Risley from taking the drug, but there have been deaths in other jails.
"You see people under the influence of NPS just walking around and if they seem OK, you just leave them alone," says Sinha of the zombie-like trance the drug can induce.
But often they're unwell and it's necessary to involve healthcare professionals.
"We're talking about an unknown quantity here." Her voice trails off.
Mechanisms for smuggling drugs inside are very sophisticated, she says, and staff are "constantly battling" a steady stream of banned substances, Sinha says. "Constantly battling," she repeats.
Sometimes drones are used to get drugs over the prison walls, but the guards have had some success in catching them.
"We're good at spotting drones. We're getting better and better. We've actually employed someone to just watch the skies and we're intercepting them, but it's an everyday struggle."
Prison is an environment where the unpredictable can happen at any time.
Sinha's job is one of crisis management. She and her staff have to deal with self-harm, violence, bullying and antisocial behaviour. Much of the chaos can be traced back to drugs in one way or another, she says.
There are even comic moments. The day before we met, I confirmed our interview on the phone but Sinha was in a rush and had to go. A prisoner was up a tree.
"This happens now and again, and we call it an 'incident at height'," Sinha says.
It was a hot day, and one man in the exercise yard didn't want to come back inside, so scaled a tree.
"There's a serious point to this because potentially it's life-threatening," Sinha says. So the prison went into Command Mode and specially trained staff talked him down.
"The lesson is that we need to trim the branches so it's harder to climb trees," says Sinha.
When Sinha tours her prison she's constantly locking and unlocking gates. For prison staff, your keys and your key pouch around your waist become part of you, she says.
"This becomes an extension of your body," Sinha explains, jangling her keys. "When I first started, I'd go home and I'd try to lock myself in and out of my bedroom because I was so used to doing it."
Sinha began her career as a psychologist at HMP Holloway, a woman's prison in London which closed last summer. Since then she's worked in women's and men's prisons and institutions for young offenders. Her first governorship was the adult male prison, HMP Thorn Cross in Cheshire.
As she's risen through the ranks, Sinha has spent less time with prisoners and more time managing staff. She's also learned to adapt her approach.
"Even though Thorn Cross is a male prison there was scope to use my female dominant skills," she says.
"It was a place where you can be creative - the focus was overtly on resettlement. But when I came to HMP Risley it was like starting again because it had a very male culture. It required masculine skills. I had to be clear in my communication. There is no room for discussion and dialogue when you're expected to give strong leadership."
Does spending all her working day in a high-security environment make her feel like a prisoner at times, rather than the one in charge?
"Yes, sometimes. You're not able to bring your mobiles into work. You can't do any personal admin during lunch breaks or quiet times. We have our own intranet, but there's limited access to the internet. It's very, very firewalled."
Prison, she says, "shuts off the outside world, whilst the world wants to remain blissfully unaware of what happens inside".
Part of a governor's job is knowing how to deal with a bored and restless inmate who tells you that your prison is rubbish.
Sinha responds by asking whether it's because he's struggling. It's not that, he insists. Where has he come from, she asks.
"I've been in loads of different jails," he says. "I've done seven years before."
The governor asks him whether she can help in any way, especially as he's not working, spending all his time behind his door.
Now he's polite, and turns down her offer.
"It's all right," he says, and then, "Have a nice day." Just as you would if you passed someone in the street.
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-40662532 |
UK air traffic controllers warn of over-crowded skies - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Air traffic controllers are expected to guide a record 8,800 flights across the UK on Friday. | Business | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Nats released a video in 2015 illustrating flights coming in and out of airports in south-east England
Air traffic controllers are warning that UK skies are running out of room amid a record number of flights.
Friday is likely to be the busiest day of the year, with air traffic controllers expecting to handle more than 8,800 flights - a record number.
They have called for a drastic modernisation in the way aircraft are guided across UK airspace.
It comes as the government launches a discussion to shape the UK's aviation industry for the next 30 years.
Air traffic controllers expect to manage a record 770,000 flights in UK airspace over the summer - 40,000 more than last year.
But the ability of the the UK's National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) to deal with this surge is being stretched to the limit, it is claimed.
Nats director Jamie Hutchison said: "In the last few weeks we have already safely managed record-breaking daily traffic levels, but the ageing design of UK airspace means we will soon reach the limits of what can be managed without delays rising significantly."
The Department for Transport estimates that, if airspace management remains unchanged, there will be 3,100 days' worth of flight delays by 2030 - that is 50 times the amount seen in 2015 - along with 8,000 flight cancellations a year.
The government's consultation paper sets out a long-term plan for UK aviation
The government wants the public to submit ideas on a wide range of subjects, from airport bag check-ins in town centres to noise reduction targets.
The six themes it will consult on over the coming months are:
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Our new aviation strategy will look beyond the new runway at Heathrow and sets out a comprehensive long-term plan for UK aviation.
"It will support jobs and economic growth across the whole of the UK."
He said the government wanted to consult "as widely as possible" over the next 18 months on its new aviation strategy.
"We've got to get through the Brexit process, we've got to conclude the negotiations, we need to have new agreements with countries like the United States and Canada," he said.
"I'm off next week to meet with my US counterpart to talk about how we make sure that aviation across the Atlantic has a strong future with all the growth potential that's there."
Martin Rolfe, chief executive of Nats, said the government consultation process could take between two and three years, "so millions and millions of people will have a say in aircraft flying over their house".
He told the BBC's Today programme: "Local communities are very obviously concerned about what more traffic might look like, but actually modernising [airspace] means we can keep aircraft higher for longer.
"We can have them descend more steeply than they currently do because modern aircraft are more capable than the types of aircraft that were in service when this airspace was originally designed."
The consultation paper will look at everything from the future of drone technology to baggage handling
Meanwhile, airport capacity is expanding way beyond Heathrow's new runway.
Friday also marks the start of a £1bn investment programme to double the size of Manchester Airport's Terminal 2.
The number of planes taking off and landing at Stansted has gone up every month for almost four years.
Cardiff Airport has seen an 11% rise in traffic, and Luton is recording growth of 7% this year alone.
Nats is rolling out a new £600m computer system to make traffic control more efficient
The problem of volume has been complicated by shifts in travel patterns.
Destinations including Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia have lost out to Spain, Italy and the US, which means major changes in the flows of traffic into UK airspace.
Nats itself is rolling out a new £600m computer system known as iTec that could result in more flights and fewer delays. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40669144 |
'Mind-blowing' cows hold clue to beating HIV - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The secret to an HIV vaccine may be in a cow's tummy, US researchers say. | Health | Cows have shown an "insane" and "mind-blowing" ability to tackle HIV which will help develop a vaccine, say US researchers.
In a first for immunisation, the animals rapidly produced special types of antibody that can neutralise HIV.
It is thought cows evolved a supreme immune defence due to their complex and bacteria-packed digestive system.
The US National Institutes of Health said the findings were of "great interest".
HIV is a slippery and nefarious opponent. It mutates so readily that every time a patient's immune system finds a way of attacking the virus, HIV shifts its appearance.
However, a small proportion of patients eventually develop "broadly neutralising antibodies" after years of infection. These attack parts the virus cannot change.
A vaccine that could train the immune system to make broadly neutralising antibodies should help prevent people being infected in the first place.
But no jab can do the job.
Then researchers at the International Aids Vaccine Initiative and the Scripps Research Institute tried immunising cows.
"The response blew our minds," Dr Devin Sok, one of the researchers, told the BBC News website.
The required antibodies were being produced by the cow's immune system in a matter of weeks.
Dr Sok added: "It was just insane how good it looked, in humans it takes three-to-five years to develop the antibodies we're talking about.
"This is really important because we hadn't been able to do it period.
"Who would have thought cow biology was making a significant contribution to HIV."
The results, published in the journal Nature, showed the cow's antibodies could neutralise 20% of HIV strains within 42 days.
By 381 days, they could neutralise 96% of strains tested in the lab.
Dr Dennis Burton, a fellow researcher, said: "The potent responses in this study are remarkable.
"Unlike human antibodies, cattle antibodies are more likely to bear unique features and gain an edge over HIV."
Unusually for human antibodies, the broadly neutralising ones have a long and loopy structure. Cow antibodies are inherently more long and loopy.
So the cow immune system finds making the antibodies easily.
It is thought the cow's "ruminant" digestive system which ferments grass in order to digest it is a Wild West of hostile bacteria. So the animals have developed the antibodies needed to keep them in check.
It means cattle could eventually become a source of drugs to make more effective vaginal microbicides to prevent HIV infection.
However, the real goal is to develop a vaccine that encourages the human immune system to make the antibodies it currently finds a struggle.
That remains a significant challenge, but the cattle study could help point the way.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said: "From the early days of the epidemic, we have recognized that HIV is very good at evading immunity, so exceptional immune systems that naturally produce broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV are of great interest - whether they belong to humans or cattle."
• None Aids deaths halve as more get drugs | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40661252 |
Princess Diana's belongings to be displayed at Buckingham Palace - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Belongings on show will include her school lunch box, ballet shoes and cassette tapes. | UK | Cassette tapes, a lunch box and ballet shoes owned and used by Princess Diana will be put on public display at Buckingham Palace.
The exhibition of Diana's rarely-seen personal belongings opens on Saturday and coincides with the 20th anniversary of her death.
Also included in the collection are photos of the Princess with her sons, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Many of the objects in the exhibition were selected by William and Harry.
The centrepiece of the collection is a desk where the Princess of Wales read and answered official correspondence in her sitting room in Kensington Palace.
Her love of music is documented in her cassette collection, which includes albums by Diana Ross, Lionel Richie and Elton John.
Princes William and Harry chose some of the pieces on the desk to reflect their memory of her
The items were taken from Princess Diana's personal belongings at Kensington Palace
Some of the pieces were taken from her childhood, when she was known as Diana Spencer
The exhibition, which runs until 1 October, will also include gifts presented to the Queen over her 65-year reign.
These gifts include a paperweight made from a fossilised dinosaur bone, and a union jack badge worn in space by British astronaut Major Tim Peake. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40672929 |
Deborah Watling, Doctor Who companion, dies aged 69 - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Essex-born actress played Victoria Waterfield opposite Patrick Troughton's Doctor in the 1960s. | Entertainment & Arts | Watling appeared with an Ice Warrior in a 1967 episode of Doctor Who
Actress Deborah Watling, who played one of Patrick Troughton's companions in the early years of Doctor Who, has died at the age of 69.
Watling played Victoria Waterfield in 40 episodes between 1967 and 1968, most of which were wiped after transmission.
Her father was the actor Jack Watling, who appeared alongside her in two Doctor Who adventures.
Her brother Giles Watling, Conservative MP for Clacton, said she would be "sorely missed".
"She was a lovely, lovely girl, bubbly and vibrant," he said of his sibling.
Born in Loughton in Essex in 1948, Watling made her first TV appearance as a child in William Tell.
Her character, Victoria Waterfield, travelled with Patrick Troughton's "second Doctor"
She went on to appear in a TV version of HG Wells' The Invisible Man and played Alice Liddell in a Wednesday Play by Dennis Potter about author Lewis Carroll.
Watling made her first appearance in Doctor Who in the second part of 1967 serial The Evil of the Daleks, the only episode of that adventure that still exists.
She went on to appear in six more serials, only two of which - The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Enemy of the World - still exist in their entirety.
After Doctor Who, Watling appeared in The Newcomers, Rising Damp and World War II drama Danger UXB.
In 1993 she reprised her companion role for a Children in Need short called Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time.
Earlier this week it was announced that Jodie Whittaker will be the first female Doctor when Peter Capaldi relinquishes the role at Christmas.
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-40684318 |
Poynton High School charity trip sent home from India - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The 16 students from Poynton High School were refused entry at Chennai Airport. | Manchester | The 16 students had to return home with toys they were taking for children in India
A group of students have been sent back to the UK after Indian officials said they had the wrong kind of visa to visit a charity they were supporting.
The 16 students and three staff were refused entry at Chennai Airport by immigration staff even though the school had made three previous visits.
Poynton High School head teacher David Waugh said the school and local community was "shocked and saddened".
Nobody from the Indian High Commission was available for comment.
The school said airport officials claimed the group had no rights to enter the country on their visa because they were going to be undertaking work with a non-governmental organisation.
The group had to return home with the toys and other items it was taking to the children in India.
Mr Waugh said: "They were going to play with the children they have helped and paint a mural.
"The staff and students are in a state of tired shock having travelled for 48 hours as a round trip."
Mr Waugh said he had contacted the Indian High Commission to complain but it had just referred him to its website.
He said the Foreign Office is now pursuing the issue with the Indian Government.
The school has raised more than £27,000 since 2005 for a small charity based in Macclesfield called India Direct which has supported building and running two children's homes in India.
India Direct was set up after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.
The charity said: "Our hearts go out to this great team of staff and students, who have already made a real difference, and who must be so disappointed."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40673111 |
Charlie Gard case: Latest report 'makes sad reading' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | His parents were angry the results were heard in court before they had been told privately. | London | Results of Charlie's scan were heard in court before his parents had been informed privately
Charlie Gard's parents reacted angrily in court when medical information was revealed about their son which they had not previously been told about.
The High Court was told a scan of the baby's brain made for "sad reading". His mother responded: "We have not even read it" and her husband walked out.
Earlier, the judge urged protestors supporting the family not to target the hospital.
The 11-month-old suffers from a rare genetic disorder and underwent a brain scan at the weekend to help settle a medical dispute about whether his treatment should be continued or whether he should be allowed to die with dignity.
On hearing the hospital lawyer's assessment of the scan, Charlie's mother Connie Yates broke down in tears and his father Chris Gard shouted "evil" at the lawyer before walking out of court earlier.
The case has been the subject of a lot of media attention
Charlie's parents are fighting for the right to remove their child from GOSH's care. They want instead to take him to the US for experimental treatment, which a neurologist from New York said might give him a 10% chance of improving his health.
The case has attracted a lot of attention around the world and campaigners who want the judge to "let Charlie live" have lined the High Court entrance for the hearings.
Previously, the judge has condemned people who had abused and threatened GOSH medics on social media as a result of Charlie's case.
Mr Justice Francis, who is presiding, warned earlier there were "lots and lots" of other sick children being treated by the hospital whose families might not want to be confronted by campaigners.
GOSH has confirmed it received complaints from family members of other children being treated at the hospital, but would not provide further details.
Connie Yates and Chris Gard want Charlie to receive an experimental therapy called nucleoside
Mr Justice Francis will analyse the latest expert evidence at a High Court hearing on Monday and Tuesday.
At a preliminary hearing on Friday, he said he would need to know whether there was "new material" which could make a "difference".
Lawyers representing GOSH said they had "yet to see" any new evidence.
A US doctor who has offered to treat Charlie has attended a meeting with his GOSH care team to decide whether he should travel to America for therapy.
Dr Michio Hirano met doctors earlier this week to examine Charlie and discuss his condition. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40685461 |
Britain’s Got Talent champion dog Pudsey dies - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | He was the first dog to win the show, alongside owner Ashleigh Butler, in 2012. | Northampton | Pudsey and owner Ashleigh Butler had worked together for 11 years
Britain's Got Talent winner Pudsey the dog has died, ITV has confirmed.
The border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross won the contest in 2012 with owner Ashleigh Butler.
The pair became famous for their dance routine to the Mission Impossible theme, and were the first dog act to win the competition.
Paying tribute to Pudsey on Friday, Ashleigh described him as a "beautiful boy" who had changed her life.
A post on the Britain's Got Talent Twitter feed said: "We are saddened to hear that today we lost Pudsey, a most marvellous winner. Our thoughts are with Ashleigh."
The pair won over viewers by dancing to the Mission Impossible theme
Ashleigh said 11-year-old Pudsey was put down on Thursday after a short battle against leukaemia.
"I had to make the hardest decision of my life to let my beautiful boy go to sleep at the age of 11," she said.
"From the minute he was born he brought nothing but joy to me, and as a winner of BGT millions of others who adored him too.
"No words can express just how much I will miss him.
"He changed my life and I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. He will always be in my heart."
Pudsey even starred in his own movie in 2014
Pudsey and Ashleigh, from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, had worked together for 11 years.
In October 2012, a book titled Pudsey: My Autobidography, was released, chronicling the pet's rise to fame.
He hit the big screen in 2014, taking the leading role in his own movie, Pudsey The Dog: The Movie.
The pair also travelled to America following their big win, where they performed on America's Got Talent and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Tributes began to pour in within minutes of Britain's Got Talent sharing news of his death, with fans saying they were "heartbroken" and sending wishes to his family.
Fans said on social media that they were "heartbroken" at the news
Britain's Got Talent judge David Walliams took to Twitter to pay tribute, writing: "Farewell to a very special dog that the nation fell in love with".
Fan Jennifer Wood tweeted: "Actual just started crying reading and article about Pudsey the dog dying...too sad". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-40687618 |
Justin Bieber banned from China for 'bad behaviour' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Beijing said it was not appropriate to allow in entertainers who have engaged in "bad behaviour." | Entertainment & Arts | Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has been banned from performing in China, according to Beijing's Culture Bureau.
In a statement, the ministry said it was not appropriate to allow in entertainers who have engaged in "bad behaviour."
"Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer," it added.
The statement was issued in response to a question recently submitted by a user of the bureau's website.
"We hope that as Justin Bieber matures, he can continue to improve his own words and actions, and truly become a singer beloved by the public," the statement said.
To its list of hostile foreign forces - one assumes ranking somewhere below the Dalai Lama and Taiwanese separatists - China has added the name Justin Bieber.
The news came in a statement from the Beijing municipal culture bureau, answering a question from a fan about why, with the singer about to embark on an Asia-wide tour, no venues have been scheduled in mainland China.
Justin Bieber is indeed "talented at singing" came the reply, but nonetheless it would not be appropriate to allow him to perform, because of what it called a number of incidents of "bad behaviour." It did not elaborate on exactly which of Mr Bieber's run-ins with the law it was referring to.
The pop star, who was allowed to tour China in 2013, joins a long list of musicians who have found themselves similarly blacklisted. Most though, like the British band Oasis and the US group Maroon 5, because of perceived political statements, rather than on the grounds of bad behaviour.
The shrine photo prompted a lot of scrutiny on social media
This hasn't been the first time the Sorry singer has caused controversy in Asia.
In 2014, Bieber caused upset on social media after he posted a photo of himself visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
The shrine honours fallen warriors and pays tribute to convicted war criminals but in China and South Korea, the shrine is seen as a symbol of Japan not being sorry for its empire's past.
But despite the singer taking the photo down and apologising, the Chinese were outraged. Their foreign minister's spokesperson said he hoped the singer had left Yasukuni with "a clear understanding of Japan's history of invasion and militarism, and of the source of Japan's militarism".
Justin Bieber will be performing in Asia as part of his Purpose World Tour from September, and will be playing in Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia.
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-40681026 |
Forced child migration 'bigger abuse scandal than Savile' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Gordon Brown says the moving of 130,000 UK children overseas was "government-enforced trafficking". | UK | The forced migration of UK children overseas was a bigger sex abuse scandal than that of Jimmy Savile, ex-prime minister Gordon Brown has said.
Mr Brown told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse that the 2,000 surviving British child migrants who suffered abuse should be compensated.
He said the mass transportation of 130,000 British children overseas was "government-enforced trafficking".
Across 50 years, the children were sent to ex-colonies such as Australia.
The transportation programme began in the 1920s, partly to ease the population of the UK's orphanages in the years after the First World War, and to give "lost" children the chance of a new life in Britain's colonies.
But children continued to be be sent abroad until 1974.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales has already heard that many child migrants experienced "unacceptable depravity", with some having been sent abroad without the consent of parents and wrongly told they were orphans.
In 2009, the Australian government apologised for the cruelty shown to the child migrants and in 2010 Mr Brown, in his role as UK prime minister, issued an apology to victims on behalf of the UK.
The experiences of the children sent away from the UK are being looked at as part of the first phase of the wide-ranging inquiry into child abuse.
Mr Brown told the inquiry that the forced migration of British children was "probably the biggest national sex abuse scandal".
"Bigger than what people have alleged about Savile," he said.
"Bigger than what people have alleged about individual children's homes.
"Bigger in scale, bigger in geographical spread, and bigger in the length of time that went on undetected.
"I'm shocked about the information that I have seen."
Mr Brown said a government minister should explain to the inquiry why nothing has been done over "sickening" new evidence of abuse which has come to light since his 2010 apology.
He said he had become aware of so many historical cases he described as "grave, horrifying and sickening" and said there had been a "violation of human rights".
"Children were denied a childhood, an identity, a family and any sense of belonging," he said.
"Many, some as young as three - and this was happening as recently as the 1970s - were sent abroad having been falsely told their parents were dead."
He said successive governments had failed in a duty of care.
"Because we failed in our duty of care it is now time to compensate the 2,000 child migrants still alive," he said.
Mr Brown added: "My apology seven years ago was for the gross inhumane violation of rights by forcibly removing children, depriving them of identity, family and any sense of belonging.
"An unknown but clearly large number of these children were subjected to horrific assaults sometimes before, sometimes during but in the main after they left the UK.
"Because successive governments failed in what I call their duty of care, these 2,000 surviving migrants all need and deserve redress."
Mr Brown told the inquiry that 1,000 families had been reunited since 2010.
Another former prime minister, Sir John Major, did not appear in person but provided a written statement to the inquiry which said his government took the approach that mistreatment of British children sent abroad was primarily a matter for the country concerned. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40669699 |
Gay Germans' joy mixed with adoption angst - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Equal marriage will be celebrated at Gay Pride Berlin, but adoption is still a thorny issue. | Europe | Gay Pride Berlin is a riot of glitter, glam and rainbow flags.
This weekend people will celebrate Germany's new law to allow equal marriage. But it is not necessarily "equal" for gay parents.
Berlin drag kings wax their moustaches, the queens dust off their biggest beehives and huge rainbow flags adorn government ministries.
This year Berlin's gay festival season has an unusually political edge.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed the new equal marriage law on Thursday, meaning that same-sex couples should be able to get married from October. Until now only civil partnerships were available, which lacked some rights.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas tweeted: "A great day for more justice. Finally all get the same rights!"
Jörg Hormann and his husband Patrick have been in a civil partnership for 9.5 years and have two young children. "We hope that now, finally, people will know that we are a completely normal family," said Jörg. "We're just happy that we're no longer seen as inferior."
I met Jörg and his family a few weeks ago at a demonstration outside the Bundesrat, Germany's upper house, as lawmakers formally voted on the measure.
Next to him stood a woman holding a placard saying "scrap homophobic adoption law". Journalists looked confused. "But I thought the new law sorts out adoption for gay people?" one asked her.
Jörg (L) and Patrick have two children and welcome the new law
In fact Germany's new equal marriage act allows gay couples to adopt. But it ignores the precarious situation of lesbian couples where one partner has a child.
"German laws have, until now, focused on bloodline," explained Constanze Körner from the LSVD, a gay rights group. It means that traditionally in Germany the legal definition of two parents is a mother and a father.
In heterosexual relationships, a man becomes the legal father by marrying the mother, or by simply recognising fatherhood.
For non-biological parents in same-sex relationships, however, the only possibility is a difficult and bureaucratic formal adoption procedure.
It is a process which some mothers describe as harrowing and intrusive, with gay parents having to justify their parenting to officials. It can take up to 18 months, so it can also be a period of uncertainty, a legal limbo in which the co-parent has no parental rights and the child is potentially vulnerable if the biological mother dies.
"We definitely need the possibility that things can be regulated legally before conception, whether there's a known father, or whether the child was conceived through a sperm bank, so that families and children are legally protected," said Ms Körner.
Berlin festival: One reveller posed as Donald Trump looking like a drag queen
The new equal marriage law took Germany by surprise. For years the issue had been blocked by Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), many of whom define marriage as between a man and a woman.
But attitudes in Germany have been shifting and, with elections coming in September, Mrs Merkel's rivals, the centre-left SPD, were hoping to turn gay marriage into a campaign issue.
In typical Merkel fashion, she outmanoeuvred them. She allowed parliament to vote on it, and for it to be a vote of conscience, knowing that this would guarantee the law passed.
But she kept her conservative party base happy by voting no. "Merkel's the only person in parliament who did not vote according to her conscience," one observer joked.
The SPD is still keen to use the issue in the election, Berlin's SPD mayor Michael Müller told me.
"We managed to push this through against the will of the CDU. How Merkel behaved baffled many people. It's clear that it was a pure election tactic, and voters always take such things badly."
Not according to some of those at the annual Lesbian and Gay Festival near Nollendorfplatz last weekend.
For Larissa (in dark glasses) and her friends the new law was cause for celebration
Larissa has just got engaged to her girlfriend, and although she is not a Merkel fan, she is just happy that she can now get married.
"Merkel was the one who enabled this to be a vote of conscience. She has her opinion, and I can tolerate that. But she still allowed it to happen, so for me that's a positive thing."
Do one thing, while simultaneously also doing the exact opposite - that is often how Chancellor Merkel operates. And on equal marriage she has wriggled out of a potentially explosive election issue.
But for many gay parents the fight continues.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40684820 |
Toronto rebukes handyman whose steps save taxpayers $50,000 - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Instead of a thank you, city officials demand the doughty DIY hero's steps be removed. | US & Canada | A Canadian pensioner built a set of stairs at his local park for just C$550 when the city estimated it would cost at least C$65,000 ($51,500, £40,000).
But instead of a thank you, Toronto has blocked off access to the steps and asked Adi Astl, 73, to take them down.
Before the stairs were installed, Mr Astl said a few people had fallen down the steep muddy embankment to the park.
Mr Astl said he took matters into his own hands after his local councillor told him about the city's price tag.
"To me, the safety of people is more important than money," Mr Astl told CTV News. "So if the city is not willing to do it, I have to do it myself."
He said the whole project took him and his neighbours about 14 hours.
Mr Astl's councillor, Justin Di Ciano, said the official estimate, which the city said could go from $65,000 to $150,000, was outlandish.
"With $150,000 you can put up half a house," Mr Di Ciano told GlobalNews.
The muddy embankment before the stairs were built
Toronto Mayor John Tory agreed the price estimate was overblown, but said it just won't do for private citizens to "go out to Home Depot and build a staircase in a park because that is what they would like to have".
City staff say they are re-assessing the estimate, which was based on a staircase built at another park.
Resident Dana Beamon told CTV News she is thankful for Mr Astl's staircase.
"We have far too much bureaucracy," she said.
"We do not have enough self-initiative in our city, so I am impressed." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40676256 |
Prince George photo marks fourth birthday - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The picture was taken at Kensington Palace at the end of June, ahead of his birthday on Saturday. | UK | An official portrait of Prince George has been released to mark his fourth birthday.
The picture, taken at Kensington Palace ahead of his birthday on Saturday, captures a smiling future king.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were "delighted" to share the photograph taken by royal photographer Chris Jackson, Kensington Palace said.
The prince has spent the run-up to his birthday on a tour of Poland and Germany with his parents.
Prince George Alexander Louis - known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge - was born on 22 July 2013.
"The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received," Kensington Palace said.
Getty Images royal photographer Mr Jackson, who took the photo at the end of June, said: "I'm thrilled and honoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday.
"He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot."
The prince spent five days in Poland and Germany with his parents ahead of his birthday
Earlier, the Duke of Cambridge gave Prince George and Princess Charlotte a guided tour of a helicopter at the Airbus factory in Hamburg on the last day of their official tour of Germany and Poland.
Prince George tried on a pilot's helmet while Princess Charlotte played with buttons in the cockpit.
In September, Prince George is due to start school.
He will go to Thomas's Battersea, a private preparatory school located a few miles from the family residence in Kensington Palace in London, where the family will be based.
The royal party finished their official tour on Friday | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40684062 |
Moon dust bag sold for $1.8m at New York auction - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The bag was used by astronaut Neil Armstrong to collect the first ever samples of the Moon in 1969. | US & Canada | The white bag still carries traces of Moon dust and small rock
A bag used by US astronaut Neil Armstrong to collect the first ever samples of the Moon has sold at auction in New York for $1.8m (£1.4m).
The outer decontamination bag from the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was bought at Sotheby's by an anonymous bidder.
The white bag still carries traces of Moon dust and small rocks.
The auction comes after a legal battle over the ownership of the only artefact from the Apollo 11 mission which was in private hands.
After the spacecraft returned to Earth, nearly all the equipment was sent to the Smithsonian museums.
However, the bag was left in a box at the Johnson Space Center because of an inventory error.
It was then misidentified during a government auction, selling for just $995 to a lawyer from Illinois in 2015.
Nasa later tried to get the bag back, but earlier this year a federal judge ruled that it legally belonged to the buyer, who then offered it for sale at Sotheby's. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40677650 |
Blair Logan admits murdering brother in fire attack - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Blair Logan poured petrol onto his brother and set it alight, killing him and injuring his girlfriend. | Glasgow & West Scotland | Blair Logan poured petrol onto his brother's bed before setting it alight
A man has admitted murdering his brother by dousing him with petrol and setting him alight on New Year's Day.
Cameron Logan, 23, died in the blaze in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, and his girlfriend Rebecca Williams, 25, was seriously injured.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Blair Logan, 27, admitted murdering his brother and attempting to murder Ms Williams at the family home.
He confessed 12 days after the attack but claimed he did not mean to kill.
The court heard that the two brothers had a "hostile" relationship and Logan told police they had not spoken since the death of their grandmother in 2013.
On the night of the fire, Cameron and Rebecca had arranged to stay the night at the family home after a party and his mother Catherine set up an inflatable mattress for them in the living room.
Logan remained in his bedroom, emerging only to wish his parents a happy new year.
The young couple returned from the party at about 04:00 and went to sleep.
At about 07:15, Mrs Logan was woken by the family dog whining and went downstairs, where she saw a figure in dark clothing standing inside the living room.
Cameron Logan and Rebecca Williams also saw the man, holding something that was on fire, and screamed.
Cameron Logan died and Rebecca Williams was seriously injured in the fire on New Year's Day
Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, told the court: "Catherine Logan then heard Cameron roar in surprise, shock and fear, before the accused made a jerking motion with his arm as if throwing something.
"The accused then ran from the living room and went out the front door.
"Catherine Logan slammed the door behind him, shouting something like 'get the hell out of my house', still not knowing who it was.
"When she turned back towards the living room she saw 'orange and crackling' and the room turning black. She also heard Cameron and Rebecca screaming."
She tried in vain to open the door to the room before running to ask neighbours for help.
Rebecca Williams managed to roll onto the floor and crawl into the kitchen. Unable to open the back door, she put her head in the fridge to protect herself from the fire before passing out.
Mr Logan senior tried to get into the living room but was beaten back by the intensity of the smoke and flames.
The prosecutor said the accused admitted pouring petrol "with the intention of maiming or crippling" his brother.
But after his arrest, Logan told police: "I didn't want to kill him."
In a police interview he said he took the petrol from a church garage a month and a half before the fire and stored it in his bedroom.
Searches of his computer found he had researched burn injuries.
The attack was said to be in retaliation for a "last straw" incident at the house a week earlier, when his brother had punched him.
He said he did not realise Ms Williams was in the bed and had not intended to harm her, or his parents.
Cameron Logan with the family dog Gomez which also died in the fire
Defence lawyer Shelagh McCall QC said Logan showed "wicked recklessness" but did not intend to kill his brother.
He was said to have "felt physically sick at the whole thing".
Logan has been subject to two psychiatric reports which concluded there was not sufficient evidence for a plea of diminished responsibility.
Ms McCall said there were "unusual traits" in Logan's personality and that he had a lack of understanding of the impact of his actions on other people.
Rebecca Williams was in court to hear the guilty plea
Both parents were in the court room in Glasgow, along with Ms Williams, as the guilty plea was made in front of judge Lady Scott.
Ms Williams, a radio journalist, was rescued from the fire and treated in hospital for burns and the effects of breathing in smoke, and has undergone surgery on four occasions. She has had a tracheostomy to help her regain the power of speech.
Logan's parents were treated for smoke inhalation but were not badly injured.
Logan was arrested two weeks after the fire following a major Police Scotland investigation.
The family dog, Gomez, was also killed in the fire.
Logan also admitted endangering the lives of his parents.
Lady Scott asked for a social worker report and set a sentencing date for 11 August at the High Court in Livingston. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-40680716 |
Two former Doctors clash over Jodie Whittaker casting - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Colin Baker says Peter Davison's reservations about TV's new Time Lord are "absolute rubbish". | Entertainment & Arts | Davison (left) and Baker (right) expressed divergent opinions over Whittaker's casting
Two ex-Time Lords have had a war of words over Jodie Whittaker being cast as TV's first female Doctor.
Peter Davison, who played the Doctor from 1981 to 1984, said he "liked the idea" of a male Doctor and that he felt "a bit sad" the character might no longer be "a role model for boys".
His comments were promptly dubbed "rubbish" by his successor Colin Baker.
"You don't have to be of a gender to be a role model," said the actor, who portrayed the Doctor from 1984 to 1986.
"Can't you be a role model as people?"
The actors were speaking on Thursday at Comic-Con, the world's largest celebration of film, TV and pop culture.
Baker, the father of four daughters, said the BBC show's 54-year history had given young male viewers plenty of figures to emulate.
"They've had 50 years of having a role model," said the 74-year-old. "So sorry Peter, you're talking rubbish there - absolute rubbish."
Davison - whose own daughter Georgina is married to David Tennant, another ex-Doctor - accepted "you need to open it up" and that he was "maybe an old-fashioned dinosaur".
John Barrowman has also been at Comic-Con in San Diego this week
The news that Whittaker will inherit the Tardis from Peter Capaldi this Christmas has been a major talking point at the San Diego event.
John Barrowman asked fans to give the Broadchurch actress a chance while making his own Comic-Con appearance on Thursday.
"If we buy into the world of Doctor Who... it doesn't say that he will be a he all the time," said the actor.
Barrowman, who played Captain Jack Harkness in the programme and its spin-off Torchwood, donned a glittery mini-dress modelled on the Tardis while appearing at the San Diego Convention Centre.
Closer to home, Whittaker's casting as the 13th Doctor continues to animate other former stars of the long-running series.
Freema Agyeman, another former companion of the TV time-traveller, said she was "overjoyed" that a woman had finally landed the role.
"I feel like standing on top of a rooftop and shouting for joy," said the actress, who confessed to being "astounded" by the "furore" that the casting announcement had generated.
"The strength of the show and the reason for its longevity is the way it keeps changing and shifting," she told the BBC this week.
Agyeman, who played Martha Jones opposite Tennant's Doctor, will shortly be seen in Apologia at London's Trafalgar Studios alongside The West Wing's Stockard Channing.
Earlier this week it was revealed in the BBC's annual report that Capaldi was paid between £200,000 and £250,000 last year for his role in the series.
In an interview with the London Evening Standard, BBC director general Tony Hall said Whittaker would be paid the same as her predecessor "for the same amount of work".
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40679134 |
Comic-Con 2017: What you should look out for - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The films and TV shows getting people excited at this year's fan fest in San Diego. | Entertainment & Arts | Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot, Doctor Who's Peter Capaldi and Westworld's Thandie Newton are all expected to attend the four-day event
More than 100,000 fans have descended on San Diego in California for this year's Comic-Con, the largest event dedicated to film, TV and pop culture.
Stars including Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Charlize Theron and the cast of the new Justice League film are expected to attend.
There will also be looks at the new seasons of Stranger Things, Westworld, Walking Dead and Game of Thrones.
The four-day fan fest concludes with a special Doctor Who session.
With hundreds of events going on, here's a guide to the main things to look out for each day, along with who is likely to turn up.
Taron Egerton reprises his role in Kingsman: The Golden Circle
The seventh season of The Walking Dead ended with a regular character meeting their demise - but showrunner Scott Gimple promised series eight would be even more intense
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40676454 |
Holiday flight departs after 38-hour delay - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A flight from Aberdeen to Portugal has finally taken off after being delayed since early on Thursday morning. | NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland | Thomson has apologised to passengers for the delay
A flight from Aberdeen to Faro in Portugal has finally arrived at its destination after take-off was delayed by more than 38 hours.
The 140 holidaymakers had been stranded at Aberdeen Airport since arriving on Thursday morning for what should have been the 06:00 flight.
The flight was delayed because of a technical issue with the aircraft.
There were also 114 stranded Thomson passengers in Portugal waiting for the return flight.
The flight from Aberdeen to Portugal did not depart until 20:43 on Friday evening, the airline said.
Those affected by the delay were put up in hotels overnight and given vouchers to buy refreshments.
Thomson said the Aberdeen to Faro flight had arrived at 23:40 local time.
Passengers flying from Portugal were diverted to Manchester and then taken to Aberdeen on a coach, arriving in the city at about 01:00 on Saturday.
In total, 245 passengers in Aberdeen and Faro were affected by the delay
"We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers who travelled on flights FPO811 from Aberdeen to Faro and FPO812 from Faro to Aberdeen, which unfortunately were delayed as a result of a technical issue," a spokeswoman for Thomson said.
"We provided affected customers with overnight accommodation and vouchers for refreshments. We also be providing letters to customers with EU flight delay claim information in line with the Civil Aviation Authority's guidelines.
"We understand how frustrating a flight delay can be and we would like to thank affected passengers for their patience and understanding."
Speaking earlier on Friday, Susan Davidson told BBC Scotland that she and the other passengers had been taken off the aircraft shortly before it had been due to depart Aberdeen on Thursday morning.
"We were really given no information whatsoever and just left waiting in the airport," she said.
"Finally I think it must have been about 14:15 yesterday we were told we would be put up in a hotel and just to await further information from the company."
Mrs Davidson said passengers had been "pretty much kept in the dark" by the airline, with most of the information coming from the hotel she had been staying at.
She added: "The children are exhausted and desperate to get away. It has just been awful."
James Hepburn, who should also have been on the flight from Aberdeen on Thursday morning, described the delay as "horrific" and said he was "very, very angry". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-40684551 |
Brexit: Cabinet 'united' over EU transition deal - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | An "implementation period" following Brexit must be driven by "pragmatism", Michael Gove says. | UK Politics | The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29 2019
The "cabinet is united" over the need for a transitional period after Britain officially leaves the European Union, Cabinet minister Michael Gove has said.
He said an "implementation period" ensuring access to migrant labour and economic stability would happen.
He said it must be driven by "pragmatism" but also recognise the UK's vote to leave the EU last year.
It follows newspaper reports that free movement for EU citizens could continue for years after March 2019.
The Times reports that the prime minister is ready to offer EU citizens free movement for up to two years after the UK officially leaves the EU - while the Guardian suggests it could be four years.
A senior Downing Street source dismissed the reports as coming from "someone on a flyer" and said it was "not the government's position".
But BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said there appeared to have been a hardening of opinion in cabinet around the concept of a transitional period between full EU membership and a new relationship after the official Brexit date of March 2019 - in which the UK would be outside the EU but in which some elements of its membership would continue for a fixed period.
What form will any transition take?
Could there be temporary membership of the European Economic Area? Some leavers might be suspicious that temporary would become permanent.
Should we stay in the customs union a bit longer until we hammer out a bespoke deal post Brexit? The EU is unlikely to get the clarity it seeks until there is clarity around the cabinet table.
There has been talk of soft, hard and clean Brexits. Increasingly another word has entered the lexicon.
David Davis uses it. Michael Gove used it today. Expect to hear more of it. Pragmatic. That's now the goal - a pragmatic Brexit. And that necessarily means compromise at cabinet level as well as with the EU.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox - who campaigned for Brexit - said on Thursday he "did not have a problem" with the idea of an "implementation phase", which he suggested could be around two years.
On Friday, the chief executive of Goldman Sachs International Richard Gnodde said a "significant" transitional period needed to be agreed as soon as possible.
Asked about the newspaper reports on Friday, Mr Gove said: "The prime minister has made clear, as we leave the European Union we will have an implementation period which will ensure that we can continue to have, not just access to labour, but the economic stability and certainty which business requests. And again that is something around which the government and the cabinet is united."
He recognised the importance of "access to high quality labour" for businesses and said any such transitional period should "be driven by a shared pragmatic judgement" involving the best interests of the UK economy and a "smooth" Brexit but which was also "in line with the result that the British people voted for just over a year ago".
Immigration to the UK, particularly from poorer EU countries, was seen as a major issue in the referendum campaign.
Newly elected Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said: "It is encouraging that some of the more sensible and pragmatic members of the government are beginning to exert themselves and look for a compromise, but it is still the case that within a few years, British people are going to lose their right to move freely around the continent."
Speaking earlier, the former Labour chancellor Lord Darling said that a transition period after March 2019 was "essential" to stop businesses suddenly being deprived of European workers and told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If it's true that they are talking about up to four years, then I think that would be very welcome."
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the question of a transitional deal was "a matter for the negotiations" but added that the British people had "voted to take back control of our borders and that's what will happen post-Brexit".
Conservative backbencher Peter Bone told BBC Radio 4's the World at One: "I don't think for one minute that the government is going to allow free movement after we come out of the EU."
He added: "Free movement has to end no later than 31 March 2019 and I think most Conservative MPs would say that, the country would say that... and I think Mrs May would say that."
But UKIP's interim leader Steve Crowther said: "Since the election, Theresa May is badly holed and unseaworthy, and the Remainer Philip Hammond, who was on his way out of the door before 8 June, now sees an opportunity to fudge, delay and obfuscate until the end of the current parliament, to try and get the decision reversed."
On Friday, Downing Street said the government's "overarching goal" was for "a smooth, orderly exit culminating in a comprehensive free trade deal with the EU, with a period of implementation in order to avoid any cliff-edges". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40680738 |
'I was named after a World War One battle' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How "battle name babies" and their descendants were called after battles such as "Passchendaele". | UK | Ella Passchendaele is one of a handful of descendants with the battle still part of their name
There were not only the names of World War One battles, but also the names given to babies, usually in commemoration of a father or relation who fought and died there.
It might sound strange to modern ears, but more than 1,600 children during and after World War One were given names related to the war, even down to calling babies Vimy Ridge or Zeppelina.
The war literally became part of their identity - and they became a form of living commemoration.
The names tended to be given to girls rather than boys and the battle names were feminised, such as Sommeria, Arrasina, Verdunia, Monsalene and Dardanella.
With the centenary commemorations approaching for the Battle of Passchendaele, there have been efforts to trace families who have passed down these names through the generations.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Why were babies named after Passchendaele? Sean Coughlan reports for BBC Radio 4's PM programme
Ella Passchendaele Maton-Cole, a 19-year-old in Alton, Hampshire, is one of the few remaining people with a name taken from the battle of Passchendaele, which began on 31 July 1917.
This became one of the most well-known battles of World War One, with appalling conditions, terrible casualties and great heroism. There were 320,000 killed and wounded on the Allied side, in a battle fought in mud so deep and treacherous that men drowned in it.
Ella Passchendaele's name was handed down through her great grandmother, Florence Mary Passchendaele, named after her cousin, Frederick Fullick, who had died during the battle in September 1917, aged 24.
Ella says the connection is "bittersweet", but she likes having a name with such history behind it.
She is a similar age to many of those who died in the battle in Belgium a 100 years ago and she says that the name gives her a sense of "connection".
"It's not that I'm named after all the deaths," says Ella. But she is proud to be named in honour of an ancestor who fought there.
Researchers at the National Archives in Kew found a letter sent to Frederick's sister from an officer, who had been there when he died.
"I was in charge of the party of men who carried him to the dressing station and I can certainly assure you he was perfectly calm and collected," the officer had written.
Jessamy Carlson, a historian and archivist at the National Archives, says the naming of children after battles was a way of honouring the dead and for families to keep a "personal, tangible connection" with a lost husband, father or relative.
She says it also shows the "extent to which war became part of everyday life".
"You have an experience that is all pervasive. You have women whose husbands are away, dying far from home - and naming their children in this commemorative way is a way of holding them close," says Ms Carlson.
In the first stages of the war, the battle names tended to be generic locations - with children given names such as Belgium or Frances (after France) or Calais, where soldiers might have disembarked.
But Ms Carlson says that as the war progressed the names became specific to battles, such as Arras, Mons and Somme, and then down to particular parts of battles, such as Delville Wood.
The trend was particularly prevalent in south Wales - and the brother of the actor Richard Burton was called Verdun, after the battle in France. Verdun became the single-most used battle names, adopted by more than 900 families.
Passchendaele, with its huge casualties, also became a source of names for babies.
Passchendaele was one of the bloodiest and muddiest battles of the First World War
"The thing that Passchendaele is now most famous for is the mud. It started raining the day after the battle started and continued for a month and turned the western front into a quagmire," says Ms Carlson.
"The modern resonance of Passchendaele is the extensive loss of life and horrific conditions - and to see children named after this seems quite poignant," she says.
Chris Oswald from Wiltshire is from another family which used Passchendaele as a name, after a grandfather who fought there and won a Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery.
"It's difficult now for modern people to understand the effects that it must have had on a generation, the cataclysm of World War One must have changed the way people saw things.
"I can understand that creating a memorial with a name like Passchendaele is something that would have seemed perfectly normal."
As the war ended, there was another flurry of names such as Peace, Poppy, Armistice and Victory.
There will be national commemorations for Passchendaele beginning next week, marking one of the most intense and controversial battles of World War One, which cost hundreds of thousands of casualties and saw the front line moving only by a few miles.
Culture Secretary Karen Bradley says it was "very touching" to think of those who died there being remembered through the descendants named after them.
"It is fitting, that in its centenary year, we are uncovering the forgotten stories that link people to Passchendaele," she said.
Ella Passchendaele is one of a handful of people who still have the name.
The monumental attack on German lines on a summer day in Belgium in 1917, is now in the name of a teenager talking on a summer's afternoon in Hampshire a century later.
She says when she was at school she was always being asked about a name that seemed so unusual.
"I used to write my name on my text books and everyone would say: 'What is that?'"
Now she says she wants to carry on the name for another generation. "That's why when I'm older I'll be naming my children Passchendaele for their middle names."
You can listen to Ella Passchendaele and the story of the "battle babies" on BBC Radio 4's PM programme. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40645645 |
Why a midwife shared a photo of blood-stained trousers - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A midwife in Sweden has posted a picture of her blood-stained trousers to demonstrate her lack of time to change her sanitary products | Europe | A midwife in Sweden who says she was so overworked she had no time to change her sanitary products has posted an image of her trousers, stained with menstrual blood, to highlight the pressures of her job.
Petra Vinberg Linder uploaded the photo on July 14 on Facebook with the comment: "Night shift midwife = had three childbirths. You don't have time to pee or change sanitary products. Thanks and goodnight,"
Most of the reaction to the Facebook post was positive as Ms Linder was applauded for highlighting the demand on nurses and midwives in Sweden following cuts to some maternity services.
There has also been recent mounting concern at reports in Sweden of women being turned away from overcrowded maternity wards or being forced to drive long distances to give birth.
In the northern Swedish town of Sollefteå pregnant woman have to travel up to two hours to give birth after the local hospital's maternity unit was closed in January as part of wider health cuts. As a result, some couples have taken courses on how to give birth in a car.
In Spain in April this year, a Spanish police officer began a procedure for alleged harassment following a row over her abandoning her duty for 5-10 minutes because she was menstruating.
Midwife Petra Vinberg Linder posted this image of her menstrual blood stained scrubs
Ms Linder told the BBC: "The picture was just for my friends but when I woke up it had been shared widely and I had many messages of support.
"We need more midwives and clinics and the politicians need to wake up to this. We love our jobs but we are struggling with the heavy workload and unsure about our future."
The Swedish Government has allocated £45 million to improve maternity care including a new maternity project in which new mums or woman at risk of complications will be assigned a midwife for the duration of their pregnancy.
Responding to Ms Linder's image one Facebook user commented: "I don't know you, you showed up in my feed but you're worth all the admiration and it's not OK that care is so undermanned. Not for you or your patients. Thank you!"
Another posted: "Thank you for daring to show this. Amazing post, strong tough woman."
However, there were some who thought such an image of menstruation blood was unnecessary. One user commented: "Some things you just shouldn't share. Sure this is happening, but it's not something people want to see."
• None Swedes set to occupy closing maternity ward which inspired 'car birth' course - The Local The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40668181 |
Xanda, son of Cecil the lion, killed by hunter in Zimbabwe - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Xanda, the six-year-old son of Cecil the lion, is shot dead by trophy hunters in Zimbabwe. | Africa | Two years after Cecil the lion was killed by a trophy-hunter in Zimbabwe, prompting global outrage, his son has met a similar sad end.
Xanda, a six-year-old lion with several young cubs, was shot dead on 7 July.
He was killed just outside the Hwange National Park in northern Zimbabwe, close to where his father died.
The lion had been fitted with an electronic tracking collar by Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU).
Dr Loveridge, a Senior Research Fellow with Oxford's Department of Zoology, secured the collar last October.
"Xanda was one of these gorgeous Kalahari lions, with a big mane, big body, beautiful condition - a very, very lovely animal. Personally, I think it is sad that anyone wants to shoot a lion, but there are people who will pay money to do that," he said.
The Oxford team are calling for a wider 5km (three-mile) "no-hunting zone" around the National Park.
Sad inheritance: The much-loved Zimbabwean lion Cecil was killed in 2015
The BBC's Africa Correspondent, Andrew Harding, reports that at the age of six, Xanda was old enough to be legally targeted by big game hunters.
These individuals, many from the US, UK and South Africa, pay tens of thousands of pounds for the deadly pursuit - thereby funding the staff who protect other wildlife.
It is not yet clear who shot Xanda. A professional hunter is said to have reported the death to the authorities and returned the lion's collar.
The killing comes two years after dentist Walter James Palmer, from Minnesota in the US, sparked an international outcry by killing Cecil, a 13-year-old lion who was a major tourist attraction in the area.
His home and dentistry practice were targeted by protesters after his identity surfaced in the press.
Protesters left stuffed animals at Walter Palmer's dental practice after it emerged he had shot Cecil
At the time it was reported that the lion had been shot with a bow and arrow and did not die immediately. He was followed for more than 40 hours before being shot with a rifle.
Mr Palmer was believed to have paid $50,000 (£32,000) to hunt a lion in Zimbabwe's largest game reserve. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-40671590 |
Do you have to rescue someone in danger? - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Five Florida teenagers watched a man drowning - but did nothing to help. Can they be prosecuted? | US & Canada | A video of Jamel Dunn's last moments appeared on social media
It is a harrowing video to watch: a man, crying out for help as he struggles to swim in the middle of a Florida pond.
Off camera, the voices of five teens, mocking him.
"They drowning, what the heck," one laughs.
"Ain't nobody fixing to help you," another is heard to say.
And, after his head disappeared under the water for the final time: "Oh, he just died."
The body of Jamel Dunn - a 32-year-old disabled father-of-two - was found in the water three days later, on 12 July.
Up until that point, no one knew where he had gone. No one had called 911 to report a man in trouble. No one even knew anyone had witnessed the drowning until the video emerged on social media, and Dunn's family members saw it.
Its contents have shocked the community in the city of Cocoa, on Florida's east coast. But the teens, aged between 14 and 16, will face no charges, prosecutors have said: there is nothing on the statute books which deal with an incident like this, they say.
The family have shared this picture of Dunn on a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs
The vast majority of states in America do not put a "duty to rescue" on their citizens, but 10 do.
But even these do not cover all instances. Florida is one of the few states to have such a law, but it only covers reporting a sexual battery if witnessed or suspected, according to The Volokh Conspiracy, a blog written mainly by law professors.
In fact, only a few countries in the world have a law which means people have to help or risk prison time, including Germany, where four people are currently being prosecuted for "unterlassene Hilfeleistung" (failure to provide assistance).
According to local reports in Germany, last October an 82-year-old man collapsed in a bank in Essen, but was then ignored by other customers, ranging in age from 39 to 62, for the next 20 minutes.
A fifth customer eventually called an ambulance, but it was too late, and the man died a few days later in hospital. No-one in the case has been named.
Perhaps the most high-profile instance of a law like this involved the death of Princess Diana.
Seven photographers were accused of failing to render assistance by French investigators following the 1997 Paris crash which killed the princess, her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul.
Photographers who took pictures immediately after Princess Diana's fatal crash were investigated
The men had taken photographs rather than helping the dying occupants of the car, it was alleged.
But after two years of investigation, all charges were dropped against them.
But why would you have such rules? Surely people should help simply because it is the right thing to do?
Sometimes, however, people are more worried about being landed with a bill - or getting into legal trouble.
In China, that fear is so strong that when a two-year-old girl was struck in a hit-and-run accident in the city of Foshan, Guangdong Province, 18 people ignored her before one person stopped to help.
Wang Yue, two, is seen on CCTV before being hit by a vehicle.
Wang Yue, who was nicknamed "Little Yueyue" by Chinese media, later died in hospital.
The case sparked a national debate about China's morality, one which reared its head again this year, when a woman was struck by a car but then ignored by pedestrians crossing the road moments later.
But many social media users understood the decision, according to the New York Times.
"If I helped her to get up and sent her to the hospital, doctors would ask you to pay the medical bill," one wrote. "Her relatives would come and beat you up indiscriminately."
The teenagers in the Florida case, however, would not have ended up in trouble. Every state in the US has a "good Samaritan law", which largely protects those who try to help in an emergency situation from being sued.
But whether or not this factored into their thinking is unknown. The teens were heard to mention alligators - but that would not have prevented them calling 911.
As for the moral argument, Yvonne Martinez, the Cocoa Police Department spokeswoman, told Florida Today at least one of the boys did not seem worried by the implications of what they had done.
"There was no remorse, only a smirk," she said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40680895 |
School exclusions: Record numbers for drugs and alcohol - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | New figures reveal schools in England are battling a growing drug and alcohol problem | England | A record number of school exclusions were issued to pupils last year for drug and alcohol related issues, new statistics reveal.
Figures show 9,250 permanent and fixed period exclusions for drugs and alcohol were handed out by schools in 2015-16.
A further 2,140 exclusions were issued to pupils for sexual misconduct.
The government says every child should "have access to a good school place where they can learn without disruption and feel safe".
The figures published by the Department for Education, and analysed by BBC News show an increase over the past decade in the number of exclusions being issued for drugs and alcohol in state-funded schools.
In the last academic year 9,250 permanent and fixed period exclusions were issued for substance offences compared to 8,580 in 2006-07.
Charly from Sheffield says without help she would have ended up in prison, after being excluded from school
Yorkshire and Humber has the highest rate of fixed period exclusions in the country, with more than 50,000 exclusions handed out to children in 2015-16, for a variety of reasons.
Local charities are working with schools to try and give those children excluded from school a second chance.
Teenager Charly, who has been working with the charity In2Change in Sheffield, said: "I got kicked out of three schools because I used to hit teachers and students.
"I was constantly in trouble with the police and to be honest I was like violent dog.
"Without coming here I'd be in prison."
As the school population has grown, the number of drug and alcohol exclusions is also at its highest rate since 2010.
Drug charities say schools need to place a greater emphasis on teaching children and young people that taking drugs is not a "social norm".
Michael O'Toole, of Mentor UK, said: "We know fewer young people are using drugs but you can't just stand there and warn young people about their dangers.
"We need to get the message home that the vast majority of people don't take drugs."
Overall drug usage amongst young people has been falling over the past decade.
Figures from the England and Wales crime survey show that the number of 16-24 year olds who say they have used drugs in the last year, has fallen from 30% in 1996 to 18% in 2016.
"Schools need to make sure they have a drugs policy in place to deal with this issue but at the same time we need to make sure those children who are excluded for drug offences don't suffer in the long term," Mr O'Toole added.
In2Change in South Yorkshire work with children and young people who have been excluded from school to turn their lives around
A report from the Institute of Public Policy Research suggests nearly two-thirds of the adult prison population were at some point excluded from school.
Hanif Mohammed, a manager at In2Change, was kicked out of his school aged 14 and later jailed for 10 years for manslaughter.
"Working with these young people is for me partly about redemption, but I can see so much potential in these kids," he said.
"Part of the challenge working with these young people is to get them to realise that education can be their salvation and it can allow them to build a better life".
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "The rules are clear that exclusion powers should only be used in particular circumstances and decisions to exclude should be lawful, reasonable and fair.
"Permanent exclusion should only be used as a last resort, in response to a serious breach, or persistent breaches, of the school's behaviour policy". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40670354 |
Corrie Mckeague: 'Nothing found' in airman landfill search - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police end landfill search for missing airman Corrie Mckeague, who they say had "slept in rubbish". | Suffolk | An airman who disappeared 10 months ago was "known to sleep in rubbish on a night out", police have said.
Corrie Mckeague, 23, has not been seen since a night out in Bury St Edmunds last September, when CCTV showed him entering a bin loading bay.
Suffolk Police has confirmed its search of waste at Milton landfill was at an end.
Mr Mckeague's family say they are "devastated" at the news and disputed claims he would have slept in a bin.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Det Supt Katie Elliott, of Suffolk Police, spoke at a press conference in Martlesham, near Ipswich.
Police said all the information "points to the fact Corrie was transported to the landfill".
Det Supt Katie Elliott said the landfill search for Mr Mckeague had been "systematic, comprehensive and thorough".
She said: "Corrie had been known to go to sleep in rubbish on a night out. There is no evidence to support any other explanation at this time."
Corrie Mckeague's girlfriend April Oliver (centre) announced the birth of their baby daughter on Father's Day
Responding to the news, Corrie's father Martin Mckeague posted a statement on his Facebook page saying: "The McKeague family in Scotland is devastated by today's announcement.
"At no point did we think that the search of the site would end this way, and as all the evidence tells us that Corrie is somewhere in that landfill site, we are heartbroken at the thought that we may not be able to bring Corrie home together."
His mother Nicola Urquhart said: "I have tried really to put my trust in them (the police) but to say I am devastated that they are now saying they think he is still in there but they are going to stop searching, I cannot begin to explain how that makes me feel."
She said she did not believe there was evidence he slept in bins and was "angry" at the claim.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Det Supt Elliott said police had spoken to one witness who had previously found Mr Mckeague asleep in a bin and he had been known to previously sleep on park benches, in toilets and stair wells.
Although material from the time and place of Mr Mckeague's disappearance has been found at the landfill, the serviceman, from Dunfermline, Fife, has not been discovered.
In June, Mr Mckeague's girlfriend April Oliver, from Norfolk, gave birth to their daughter.
The police investigation had established early on that Mr Mckeague's mobile phone tracked the same route, and at the same pace, as a bin lorry on the night of his disappearance.
But initial inquiries found the rubbish truck was carrying a load of 11kg (1st 10lb), suggesting Mr Mckeague was not on the refuse truck.
Then in March it emerged the true weight of the truck contents was more than 100kg (15st 10lb).
The error was a "genuine mistake", Suffolk Police said.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Corrie Mckeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, spoke of her anguish as the search for the airman was ended
Corrie's mother, Nicola Urquhart, said the initial assurance from police that he was not in the bin lorry had been "the one thing that was giving me hope that he was still alive".
Police say they will now search previously incinerated waste and carry out a review of the investigation for any fresh leads in the case.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-40685185 |
UKIP AM uses racial slur about Labour MP Chuka Umunna - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Michelle Brown is recorded making derogatory comments about Labour's Chuka Umunna in a phone call. | Wales politics | Chuka Umunna was briefly a contender for the Labour leadership in 2015
A UKIP AM has been recorded using a racial slur about an MP in a phone call to a former member of her staff.
North Wales AM Michelle Brown was recorded using derogatory comments about Labour MP for Streatham, Chuka Umunna, in a call in May 2016 to her then senior adviser Nigel Williams.
Ms Brown said her language was "inappropriate" and has apologised.
Mr Williams, who was her senior adviser for 12 months, was sacked by Ms Brown in May.
Ms Brown, who called Mr Umunna a "coconut", was also recorded using an abusive remark about Tristram Hunt, who was then Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central.
Michelle Brown was one of seven politicians elected as UKIP AMs in 2016
In a statement, Ms Brown said: "The point I was making is that because of his considerable wealth and privilege, Chuka Umunna cannot possibly understand the difficulties and issues that the average black person faces in this country any more than I can, and I stand by that assertion.
"I do however accept that the language I used in the private conversation was inappropriate and I apologise to anyone that has been offended by it.
"As far as the language I used about Mr Hunt is concerned, it was a private conversation and I was using language that friends and colleagues often do when chatting to each other."
An assembly Labour Group spokesman said: "This is absolutely outrageous language and lays bare the disgusting racism at the heart of UKIP.
"Anything less than immediate suspension would be a clear endorsement of Michelle Brown's racist slur."
Tristram Hunt quit as an MP to become the director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum
Ms Brown's comments have been referred to the assembly's standards commissioner.
Mr Williams said he believed Ms Brown should resign from her seat and UKIP's national executive committee should remove her from the party.
"You wouldn't expect anyone to say it, let alone somebody in such a position. It's appalling," he said.
"Michelle Brown is not fit for office saying things like that. UKIP HQ should do the right thing. The party does not want people with views like that in the party. End of."
UKIP AM David Rowlands said he "thought we'd put that racist language behind us as a party".
The regional AM for South Wales East said: "It's an inappropriate comment. It's certainly not the kind of language I'd use.
"I don't know if there's been any provocation but I'm very disappointed that anyone in my party should be using that language.
"However, it does puzzle me that someone can record and release a private call without the knowledge of the other person."
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said: "This racism reflects poorly on our parliament - The National Assembly for Wales - and that's why her party should take action on this.
"No to racism in all its forms. No tolerance on racism in our Assembly."
This is not the first controversy Ms Brown has faced - in February, she was forced to deny claims she had smoked "recreational drugs" in a Cardiff Bay hotel room.
Her spokesman said the smell was caused by the AM smoking a strong tobacco product.
• None UKIP AM faces vote of no confidence | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-40688367 |
Farm subsidies 'must be earned' - Michael Gove - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Environment Secretary Michael Gove plans to pay farmers for protecting the environment and creating rural jobs. | Science & Environment | Mr Gove says leaving the EU will allow Britiain to reform how it cares for the environment
Farm subsidies will have to be earned rather than just handed out in future, the Environment Secretary Michael Gove has said in a speech.
Farmers will only get payouts if they agree to protect the environment and enhance rural life, he will say.
The move is part of what he calls his vision for a "green Brexit".
Farmers’ leaders want the current £3bn total to be spent on the environment, more infrastructure to develop farm businesses, and promoting British food.
The government has promised to keep overall payments at the same level until 2022.
The Tenant Farmers' Association - which represents tenant farmers in England and Wales - has called for the same amount of money to remain after that time.
Under the EU's current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), farmers are paid based on the amount of land they farm.
However, in a speech at WWF's Living Planet Centre in Woking on Friday, Mr Gove said the current system will be abolished after the UK has left the EU.
He criticised the current system for giving money to some of the UK's wealthiest landowners, for encouraging wastage, and for not recognising "good environmental practice".
Mr Gove described Brexit as "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reform how we care for our land, our rivers and our seas, how we recast our ambition for our country’s environment, and the planet".
Critics say under the CAP wealthy UK landowners are given subsidies of up to £3m a year.
The issue was highlighted last year when BBC News revealed that taxpayers are paying more than £400,000 a year to subsidise a farm where a billionaire Saudi prince breeds racehorses.
The Newmarket farm of Khalid Abdullah al Saud - owner of the legendary horse Frankel - is among the top recipients of farm grants, along with the Queen.
Environmentalists will applaud the promise of change; they blame the CAP for the huge loss of wildlife in the British countryside.
The question for Mr Gove will be what detailed policy takes its place.
The Environment Secretary says that CAP puts resources in the hands of the already wealthy
Mr Gove said in his speech: “There are very good reasons why we should provide support for agriculture. Seventy per cent of our land is farmed - beautiful landscape has not happened by accident but has been actively managed.
“Agriculture is an industry more susceptible to outside shocks and unpredictable events - whether it’s the weather or disease. So financial assistance and mechanisms which can smooth out the vicissitudes farmers face make sense."
He also expressed a desire to protect the “human ecology” of Britain’s highlands, where farming without subsidy is impossible.
This won’t please radical environmentalists, who want Mr Gove to save money (and in their view enhance the environment) by letting sheep farming wither, and allowing the uplands to revert to natural forest.
The Country Land and Business Association, known as the CLA, accepts the need for reform and has launched a plan for a land management contract.
Ross Murray, president of the CLA - which represents owners of land, property and businesses in England and Wales - said there is "vital work to be done", including to support farming practices, to manage soils and preserve land.
When pressed on whether rich landowners should received public money, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was open to change but practices such as tree planting - which are good for the environment but provide landowners with little benefit - should still be recognised.
Asked if farming subsidies could be reduced in the future, he added: "In the long term perhaps, but in the meantime I think we're going to have to support farmers who provide public goods which could never be provided by the market."
Craig Bennett, head of Friends of the Earth, welcomed the speech, but said: “Current EU rules aimed at tackling air pollution and climate change and protecting our birds, bees and nature must not be watered down, and mechanisms must be put in place to enforce them post-Brexit."
National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Meurig Raymond said that, after leaving the EU, "it is important that we see a broad and innovative range of measures to ensure farmers continue to deliver all the benefits - for our wellbeing, for our economy and for our environment - that the country enjoys".
He added: "Such a policy needs to be comprehensive, providing support to farmers not just for environmental work, but also to manage risk and volatility, and to improve productivity and resilience among farming businesses."
One crucial question will be who has the final say on proposed developments in the UK's prime wildlife sites. At the moment they are protected by the EU as part of Europe's common heritage. That protection may disappear after Brexit. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-40673559 |
Newspaper headlines: Female top judge and BBC pay row - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A woman becoming Britain's top judge is covered in the press, while the BBC pay row rumbles on. | The Papers | The Times reveals that a woman will become Britain's top judge for the first time.
It says Lady Hale of Richmond is expected to be confirmed as the next president of the Supreme Court.
The paper describes her as "clever, determined and a bit prickly".
It points out that some of her comments have made headlines, most notably last year when she said the prevalence of what she called "boring old farts" in the judiciary meant there was more consistency in court rulings.
Many of the papers continue to focus on the fallout from the BBC's publication of presenters' wages.
The front page headline in the Daily Mail is "shameless BBC stars are still dodging their tax".
The paper accuses some of the corporation's stars of having their salaries channelled into companies "so they can avoid tax".
In its leader, the Mail argues that the BBC is "wedded to a funding model which is both horribly antiquated, and frankly unsustainable".
The Financial Times wades into the debate about the preponderance of men among the BBC's highest earners.
Its leader says that "for a public corporation that often investigates inequality in business and government, these are ugly headlines".
But it believes the controversy will have served a valid purpose if the disclosures lead to public discussion about the pay gap.
There is a range of opinions on the story in the letters pages.
One person writes to the i newspaper saying: "The kerfuffle about BBC salaries and gender is useless unless we have real comparisons with ITV, Sky and various other broadcasters."
A letter in the Guardian suggests that, in the interests of transparency, whenever a politician is interviewed on television their salary and the salary of the presenter should appear on the screen.
The leader in the Daily Express considers the plight of Sir Andrew Morris, the chief executive of Frimley NHS Trust.
He has provoked a backlash by saying publicly that "blokes die off earlier because they're nagged to death by the other half".
He later apologised for the remark.
Under the headline "boss's trouble and strife", the Express says: "Let's hope for Sir Andrew's sake that at the very least his wife Linda saw the funny side."
The Sun is one of several papers to comment on the appointment of Sir Vince Cable as the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
In its opinion column, the paper argues that the party is still recovering from its U-turn on university tuitions fees when it formed part of the coalition government.
Sun goes on to suggest that Sir Vince is the "perfect leader of a party devoid of firm principle" because he backs a second EU referendum, having once described such a poll as an "insult to voters".
Finally, the Daily Telegraph has details of a controversy at Lord's cricket ground.
It explains that until now, cricket fans have been able to bring as many alcoholic drinks into the venue as they wanted.
Traditionally these have been consumed with picnics in the Harris Garden.
However, the paper says that due to what it describes as "an alcohol-fuelled bust-up" during the recent Test against South Africa, the relaxed policy may be "whacked for six". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-40677404 |
Justine Damond's death 'should not have happened' - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | An Australian woman's shooting was caused by the "actions of one individual", the police chief says. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. It's the first news conference Police Chief Janee Harteau has held since the fatal shooting
The fatal shooting of an Australian woman by a Minneapolis police officer "should not have happened", the city's police chief has said.
Justine Damond, originally from Sydney, was shot when she approached a police car after reporting a suspected rape.
A lawyer for Ms Damond's family has called it "ludicrous" to suggest the two officers inside feared an ambush.
Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said the killing was "the actions and judgement of one individual".
Officer Mohamed Noor, who shot Ms Damond in the abdomen in an upmarket neighbourhood of the city, has refused to be interviewed by investigators, as is his legal right.
"The actions in question go against who we are as a department, how we train and the expectations we have for our officers," Chief Harteau told reporters in Minneapolis.
"I want to assure Justine's family our community and those in Australia that I will do everything in my power to ensure due process is followed and justice is served."
Body cameras, which are worn by all Minneapolis police, had not been turned on at the time of the shooting and the squad car dashboard camera also failed to capture the incident.
Chief Harteau said the cameras worn by Officers Noor and Matthew Harrity "should have been activated".
"An officer should have them on and that is what we are trying to identify," Chief Harteau said.
"We want to do everything we can in training and in our policy to ensure that they are put on before an officer arrives at the scene."
Fred Bruno, the lawyer for Officer Harrity has said: "It is reasonable to assume an officer in that situation would be concerned about a possible ambush."
However Robert Bennett, who represents Ms Damond's family, said the yoga instructor was in her pyjamas when she approached the police and "was not a threat to anyone".
Mr Bennett told CBS News: "I think that [the ambush fear] is ludicrous. It's disinformation. It doesn't have any basis in fact."
He added: "She obviously wasn't armed, was not a threat to anyone, and nor could she have reasonably been perceived to be."
On Thursday, a statement from Ms Damond's family said: "All we want to do is bring Justine home to Australia to farewell her in her hometown among family and friends.
"We are still trying to come to terms with this tragedy and we are struggling to understand how and why this could happen."
On Wednesday, police released the transcript of two separate 911 calls Ms Damond made after hearing screams nearby.
"I'm not sure if she's having sex or being raped," she told the police operator, before giving her address.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
"I think she just yelled out 'help', but it's difficult, the sound has been going on for a while," she continued.
Ms Damond called back eight minutes later to ensure police had the correct address.
Chief Harteau said she understood why the incident could make some people more reluctant to call 911.
"Although disheartening, I understand the fear and why it exists. This has had a negative impact on the community trust we have built," she said.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has said he will decide whether to charge the police officer. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40677856 |
How Linkin Park made rap metal memorable - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The band's Chester Bennington, who has died at 41, changed the dynamics of nu metal with his personal lyrics. | Entertainment & Arts | Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, who has died aged 41, changed the dynamics of nu metal with his searingly personal lyrics and musical curiosity.
Linkin Park weren't the first band to fuse metal and rap, but they were the most successful.
Their first album, Hybrid Theory, was certified diamond in the US, representing 10 million sales. Around the world, they sold more than 50 million records.
What set them apart from other nu metal acts like Korn and Limp Bizkit was the vocal interplay between its two frontmen.
Chester Bennington's guttural screams tussled with Mike Shinoda's matter-of-fact rapping in a volatile expression of rage and frustration, while DJ Joseph Hahn framed the band's thrashing guitars with sampled dystopian soundscapes.
Musically, they were miles apart from the sense-dulling artlessness of many of their contemporaries, inspired by contemporary Asia, postmodernism and sample culture. They weren't afraid to show their vulnerability on songs like Numb and In The End.
Linkin Park released a collaborative EP with Jay-Z, and invited grime star Stormzy onto their latest album, One More Light - a brave, if not entirely successful, venture into mainstream pop.
They never swore on record until 2007's Minutes to Midnight (something which boosted their commercial ascent); their lyrics were vivid enough without curse words.
"There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface / Consuming, confusing / This lack of self-control I fear is never ending," he sang on Crawling, a single from their debut album.
"I tried so hard and got so far," he sang on their biggest hit, In The End, "but in the end, it doesn't even matter."
Bennington was candid about the dark times that inspired these songs - he was molested as a child, and later struggled with drug and alcohol problems.
"I literally hated life," he told Rock Sound in 2015. "I was like, 'I don't want to have feelings. I want to be a sociopath. I don't want to do anything. I don't want to care what other people feel like. I want to feel nothing.'"
As a result, Bennington often sang as if he was fighting for his life and, sometimes, it felt like he was winning. "Every scar is a story I can tell," he sang on Sharp Edges, released earlier this year.
In retrospect, it's tempting (and easy) to find hints of suicidal thoughts in Bennington's lyrics - but that detracts from the complexity of his writing, which could be fragile and empathetic as often as it was angst-ridden.
Outside of music, he tried to be a force for positivity, too - setting up the fund Music for Relief with the rest of Linkin Park, and playing a range of concerts to raise money for victims of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 tsunami.
On their latest album, the band teamed up with a charity installing solar panels in communities without electricity in Africa, Haiti and Jordan.
The lyrics to the title track, too, saw Bennington reach out to fans suffering depression like his own: "If they say / Who cares if one more light goes out? / Well I do."
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40679745 |
Thailand monks: Wirapol Sukphol case highlights country's Buddhism crisis - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thai monk Wirapol Sukphol denies a range of charges but the case points to a wider trend of bad karma. | Asia | Wirapol Sukphol was seen flying in a private aircraft in a YouTube video released in 2013
It was a jarring image; a group of Buddhist monks, with shaven heads and orange robes, sitting back in the soft-leather seats of an executive jet, passing luxury accessories among themselves.
The video of the monk, now known by his pre-monk name, Wirapol Sukphol, went viral after being posted on YouTube in 2013.
A subsequent investigation by the Thai Department of Special Investigations (DSI) uncovered a lifestyle of what appeared to be mind-blowing decadence. They tracked down at least 200 million Thai baht ($6m; £4.6m) in ten bank accounts, and the purchase of 22 Mercedes Benz cars.
Wirapol had built a mansion in southern California, owned a large and gaudily-decorated house in his home town of Ubon Ratchathani, and had also constructed a giant replica of the famous Emerald Buddha statue in Bangkok's royal palace, which he claimed - falsely, as it turned out - contained nine tonnes of gold.
There was evidence, too, the DSI said, of sexual relationships with a number of women. One woman claimed he had fathered a child with her when she was only 15 years old, a claim the DSI says is supported by DNA analysis.
Wirapol fled to the US. It took four years for the Thai authorities to secure his extradition. He has denied criminal charges of fraud, money laundering and rape.
How had a monk acquired so much influence, even in his early twenties? How was he allowed to behave in ways which clearly violate the patimokkha (the 227 precepts by which monks are supposed to live)? Monks are not even supposed to touch money, and sex is strictly off-limits.
Monks behaving badly are nothing new in Thailand. The temptations of modern life have thrown up many examples of monks with unseemly wealth, monks taking drugs, dancing, enjoying sexual relations with men and women or abusing girls and boys.
There are also temples which have attracted large and dedicated followings, through skilful promotion of charismatic monks and abbots, said to have supernatural powers.
These have capitalised on two aspects of modern Thai life; the yearning for spiritual succour among urban Thais, who no longer have a close relationship with a traditional village temple, and a belief that donating generously to powerful temples will bring success and more material wealth.
It appears Wirapol tapped into this trend. He arrived in the poor North Eastern province of Sisaket in the early 2000s, establishing a monastery on donated land in the village of Ban Yang. But according to the sub-district head, Ittipol Nontha, few local people went to his temple, because they were too poor to offer the kind of donations he expected.
Wirapol was questioned as part of an investigation by the DSI
The monk started holding elaborate ceremonies, he said, selling amulets, and built his replica of the Emerald Buddha, to attract wealthier devotees from other parts of the country.
These followers have described being beguiled by his soft, warm voice, and convinced by his claim to have powers - like the ability to walk on water and talk to deities. In turn, Wirapol gave generously to those with influence in the province; many of the cars he bought were gifts for important monks and officials.
Even today he still has supporters, who argue he is at heart a good man, entitled to enjoy donated luxuries.
After a succession of scandals, people are openly talking about a crisis of Buddhism in Thailand. Numbers of ordained monks have been falling steeply in recent years, and many smaller village temples are unable to support themselves financially.
The body which is supposed to govern the Buddhist clergy is the Supreme Sangha Council, but this comprises a group of very elderly monks, and until this year had not had a properly functioning Supreme Patriarch for more than a decade. It has proved ineffective.
The National Office of Buddhism is also supposed to regulate the religion, but it too has been plagued by leadership turmoil and allegations of financial irregularities.
The government has now introduced a law requiring temples, which collectively accumulate $3-4bn (£2-3bn) in donations every year, to publicise their financial records. It is also talking about introducing a new, digital ID card for monks to ensure those tainted by malpractice cannot be ordained again.
The faltering morality of monks, though, is partly rooted in the way Buddhism has evolved in Thailand.
For 150 years there have been two quite different forms of Buddhism; that of the more austere, Thammayut tradition, practised in the elite, palace-backed temples of Bangkok, which upholds the strict rules about monks detaching themselves from the material world; and the looser Mahanikai tradition of the provinces, where monks are part of the community, joining neighbourhood activities, sometimes in violation of the patimokkhai.
In the villages, temples have served as schools or traditional centres of medicine and venues for local celebrations. The advice of monks has been sought on a range of worldly issues; in this environment the line between what is and is not acceptable behaviour can become blurred.
The other source of the problem is the hold that superstition has over many Thais, and the way this has become commercialised.
Monks are these days often used more as deliverers of semi-religious rituals - like blessing new cars or houses for good luck - than practitioners of the 227 precepts. No-one in Thailand bats an eyelid at the sight of lottery tickets being sold inside temples.
Buddhist monks are not supposed to touch money, and sex is strictly off-limits
This love of superstition extends to rich Thais, who are happy to donate generously in the belief this will ensure greater fortune in the future.
Phra Payom Kalayano, the abbot of a temple north of Bangkok well known for his criticism of the commercialisation of Buddhism, has appealed to Thais to be more thoughtful about donating.
"Nowadays people think good karma is about throwing money at temples - especially rich people. They have faith, but they don't think. That is not practising good karma, smartly. That is just blind faith.
"At the same time, some monks are stupid. They don't know how to manage the donations they receive. Instead of managing the money to build karma and prestige for the temple, the monks end up building criminal cases against themselves," he said.
In a simpler age, before the arrival of globalisation and its many consumer distractions, it was easier to advocate a monastic life that disavows all material pleasures. But it is harder today to insist that monks should forego technological conveniences like smartphones and air travel.
It is even harder to define what role monks should play in 21st Century Thailand, beyond the provision of services like amulets and good luck blessings, which can so easily turn into a money-making business. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40678511 |
Greece-Turkey earthquake: Two killed on island of Kos - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | At least 100 are injured on the Greek island of Kos after the 6.7-magnitude quake in the Aegean Sea. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. At least two people were killed in the tourist destination of Kos
A strong earthquake in the Aegean Sea has killed at least two people on the Greek island of Kos, officials say.
The 6.7-magnitude quake hit 12km (seven miles) north-east of Kos, near the Turkish coast, with a depth of 10km, the US Geological Survey said.
On Kos, around 115 people were injured, including tourists - 12 of them seriously. Some buildings were damaged.
Turkey's health minister said 358 were hurt in the Turkish city of Bodrum, but none seriously.
The earthquake struck at 01:31 on Friday (22:31 GMT Thursday).
The two deceased have not been named but police said that both victims were tourists - a 22-year-old from Sweden and a 39-year-old from Turkey.
They died when the roof of a popular bar collapsed, police said.
Dozens were wounded when buildings collapsed, some of them suffering broken bones, Kos regional government official Giorgos Halkidios said.
The army is supporting the emergency services with the rescue operation, he added.
Greek authorities said the 12 people seriously injured included tourists from Turkey, Sweden and Norway. Four were taken to Crete for treatment, and three to Athens.
The director of the hospital in Crete told Greek Skai TV that one person was in a critical condition, while a Swedish tourist had lost a leg.
The quake damaged a number of older buildings on the island of Kos
Large cracks appeared on pathways near a port on Kos
The Turkish foreign ministry said a ferry had been sent to evacuate 200 Turkish nationals from Kos back to Bodrum.
Data from Turkey's disaster and emergency management authority, AFAD, showed that more than 40 aftershocks were felt in Turkey and Greece in the aftermath of the quake, some up to magnitude 4.6.
British student Naomi Ruddock felt the earthquake in Kos, where she is on holiday with her mother.
"We were asleep and we just felt the room shaking. The room moved. Literally everything was moving. And it kind of felt like you were on a boat and it was swaying really fast from side to side, you felt seasick."
Ms Ruddock said that a staff member told her it was the worst earthquake the area had seen.
"All of a sudden it felt like a train was going right through the room," German tourist Vernon Hausman told Reuters.
"I told my son: 'Looks like an earthquake, so let's get the hell out of here.'"
Kos was nearest to the epicentre of the quake and appeared to be the worst hit, with damage caused to a number of older buildings, including cracked walls and smashed windows.
Officials say some of the damaged properties may not have been earthquake-proof
Tourists headed to Kos airport after evacuating hotels and apartments
The mayor said the buildings that suffered the most damage were built before "earthquake building codes" were introduced.
"The rest of the island has no problem. It's only the main town that has a problem," Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said.
Kos's port was put out of action, and a ferry was unable to dock due to damage at the harbour, Greek police said.
Tourists later gathered outside terminal buildings at Kos airport having left their hotels and apartments.
In Turkey, some witnesses described waking in the night after being violently shaken in their beds.
Kristian Stevens, a British tourist in Didim, 90km (60 miles) from Bodrum, said the building he was in began to "shake like a jelly".
Residents fled their homes and tourists ran from holiday apartments with pillows and blankets. Some sustained injuries after jumping from windows in panic, Turkish broadcaster NTV said.
Sophie Wild, another British tourist in Turkey, said she fled her third-floor accommodation in the coastal town of Altinkum, about 40km from Bodrum (as the crow flies), when she woke to a loud banging noise.
"People were running out of rooms, banging on people's doors to make sure they were out," Ms Wild told the Press Association, adding: "Everyone just ran outside."
"It was a lucky escape and it could have been much worse," said Issa Kamara, 38, a personal trainer at the city's Maca Kizi hotel.
At a hospital in Bodrum, the wounded were being treated in the garden as a precaution after the quake caused slight damage to parts of the hospital ceiling, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.
The earthquake also triggered high waves off Gumbet, a resort town near Bodrum, which flooded roads and left parked cars stranded, Turkish media report. There were no reports of casualties there.
Cars were lifted on to curbs by high waves at the resort town of Gumbet in Turkey
Turkey and Greece sit on significant fault lines and are regularly hit by earthquakes.
One of the deadliest in recent years hit the heavily populated northwest of Turkey, in 1999, killing some 17,000 people. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40677825 |
Boots faces morning-after pill cost row - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The pharmacy is accused of keeping prices high to avoid stirring up controversy. | UK | Levonelle can be taken within three days of having unprotected sex
Boots has been accused of refusing to cut the cost of one of its morning-after pills for fear of criticism from campaigners.
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), which provides abortion care, wants Boots and other pharmacies to reduce the cost of emergency contraception Levonelle.
Boots told the BPAS it wanted to avoid "incentivising inappropriate use".
The company said it was "disappointed by the focus" BPAS had taken.
Currently, the progestogen-based drug Levonelle costs £28.25 in Boots, and its non-branded equivalent is £26.75.
But the branded drug costs £13.50 at Tesco and a generic version is £13.49 in Superdrug.
However, Superdrug charges £27 for Levonelle and £35 for an alternative emergency contraceptive pill, EllaOne.
BPAS lobbied Boots to reduce the cost of the pill to make it more accessible for women having difficulty getting the drug quickly on the NHS.
Clare Murphy, BPAS director of external affairs, said: "Most people believe women should be able to access emergency contraception from pharmacies at an affordable price."
But the chief pharmacist at Boots UK, Marc Donovan, said: "In our experience, the subject of [emergency hormonal contraception] polarises public opinion and we receive frequent contact from individuals who voice their disapproval of the fact that [Boots] chooses to provide this service.
"We would not want to be accused of incentivising inappropriate use, and provoking complaints, by significantly reducing the price of this product."
He added that the chemist wanted to avoid the pill "being misused or overused".
MP Yvette Cooper told Boots on Twitter: "This is patronising and pathetic - keeping emergency contraception price too high cos you don't trust women and are scared of critics."
When asked to explain their stance, Boots released a statement saying the price of emergency contraception included "a professional healthcare consultation".
It said: "This consultation helps support customers in their choice by examining an individual's full medical history and any potential drug interactions."
Sandra Gidley, chair of Royal Pharmaceutical Society England, said it wanted to see all community pharmacies in England supplying emergency contraception free through the NHS.
"NHS emergency contraception services have been available free through pharmacies in Scotland and Wales for some time and we would like to see that replicated across the whole of the country so women get better access, regardless of their ability to pay."
The morning after pill can be taken in the days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy.
In England, Levonelle and EllaOne are free of charge from most sexual health clinics, most GP surgeries and most NHS walk-in centres or urgent care centres - but they are free only to women in certain age groups from pharmacies in some parts of the country.
In Scotland and Wales, the emergency contraceptive pill is available free of charge on the NHS from pharmacies, GPs and sexual health clinics.
In Northern Ireland, some pharmacies allow it to be bought on the NHS, and it is available free of charge from sexual health clinics and GPs. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40676534 |
Dali's moustache 'intact at 10 past 10', exhumation finds - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The comments by the painter's foundation come after his body was dug up to settle a paternity case. | Europe | Ms Martínez (right) says she was born in 1956 as a result of an affair between Dalí and her mother
Salvador Dalí's moustache is intact in the "10 past 10" position, the surrealist painter's foundation has said, a day after his body was exhumed.
"It was like a miracle," said Narcis Bardalet, who was in charge of embalming Dalí's body 28 years ago, adding that the hair was also intact.
The body was exhumed in the north-eastern Spanish city of Figueres to settle a paternity case.
A woman says her mother had an affair with the world-famous artist.
If María Pilar Abel Martínez is proved right, she could assume part of Dalí's estate, currently owned by the Spanish state.
Dalí's body was exhumed from a crypt in a museum dedicated to his life and work on Thursday evening.
"When I took off the silk handkerchief, I was very emotional," Mr Bardalet told RAC1 radio station on Friday morning.
"I was eager to see him and I was absolutely stunned. It was like a miracle... his moustache appeared at 10 past 10 exactly and his hair was intact," he added.
Lluís Peñuelas, the secretary of the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, said that it was "a moving moment".
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DNA samples have been taken from the artist's teeth, bones and nails in a four-hour operation, the officials say.
It may take weeks before the results of the tests are known.
The exhumation went ahead following a court order on behalf of Ms Martínez.
This was despite the objections of the local authorities and the Dalí Foundation, both of which said that not enough notice had been given.
Ms Martínez, a tarot card reader who was born in 1956, says her mother had an affair with Dalí in the year before her birth.
Her mother, Antonia, had worked for a family that spent time in Cadaqués, near the painter's home.
Ms Martínez's action is against the Spanish state, to which Dalí left his estate.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Will Gompertz explained how Dali's body would be removed
Ms Martínez says her mother and paternal grandmother both told her at an early age that Dalí was her real father.
But the claim has surprised many, including Ian Gibson, an Irish-born biographer of Dalí, who said that the notion of the artist having an affair that produced a child was "absolutely impossible".
"Dalí always boasted: 'I'm impotent, you've got to be impotent to be a great painter'," the biographer said.
Dalí's wife, Gala, died in 1982 - after which he is said to have lost much of his zest for life | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40685361 |
Baroness Hale: The Supreme Court trailblazer - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Baroness Hale is a champion of diversity whose life has been full of firsts. | UK | Lady Hale is the first female president of the UK's highest court
Forthright in her views and a champion of diversity, Baroness Hale is a trailblazer whose life has been full of firsts.
Born in Yorkshire, Brenda Hale is a grammar school girl whose parents were both head teachers.
She achieved the only starred first in her year at the University of Cambridge, before going on to be the youngest person and first woman to be appointed to the Law Commission.
Lady Hale played a significant role in introducing a number of reforms to the law, including the Children Act 1989, which is widely acknowledged as the UK's most important piece of legislation protecting children.
In 2004, she became the first woman to be appointed as a Law Lord.
When the Law Lords - who had sat in parliament as the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords - were given a new home in 2009, with the establishment of the UK Supreme Court, she became its first female justice.
In 2013, she became its first deputy president and today becomes its first female president.
But her route to becoming the most senior judge in the UK has been anything but conventional.
Unlike her fellow Supreme Court justices, Lady Hale spent many years in academia rather than legal practice. She remains an educator to the core.
In 1966, she became an assistant lecturer at the University of Manchester, where her interests were in social welfare and family law.
She remained at the university for 18 years while also qualifying as a barrister.
It is no surprise that she did so by achieving the highest mark in her year in the Bar Final exams in 1969.
She followed this by developing a part-time practice in family law, which she managed to combine with her academic work.
With her burgeoning CV, it was perhaps only a matter of time before she was appointed a judge in the family division of the High Court.
She was the first academic - yet another first - to achieve such a move in 1994.
She continued to play a role in legislative reforms, such as the introduction of the Family Law Act 1996, which covered domestic violence, and the Mental Health Act 2005.
Lady Hale, front left, had been deputy president of the Supreme Court
Lady Hale has always been acutely aware of the need for judges to be drawn from a diverse group within society.
She has been all too conscious that diversity has been a stubbornly difficult problem for the judiciary to overcome and that it remains a major issue.
Figures on judicial diversity released on Thursday show some progress in the last three years among senior judges.
The percentage of female judges in the Court of Appeal has risen from 18% to 24%, and from 18% to 22% in the High Court.
But there is still a woeful lack of diversity, with just 28% of court judges being female and only 7% coming from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Shortly after her appointment as the first female Law Lord in 2004, while speaking in a lecture, she said the gender and ethnicity of judges matters "because democracy matters".
"We are the instrument by which the will of Parliament and government is enforced upon the people. It does matter that judges should be no less representative of the people than the politicians and civil servants who govern us."
But she hasn't always been so diplomatic.
In 2011, with typical candour, she said she found it "quite shocking" that so many senior judges were members of the all-male Garrick Club, a private members' club in London's West End.
She suggested its popularity might contribute to male dominance of the bench, thanks to "personal network relationships".
She has talked about the background of her fellow senior judges, who have moved from public school to Oxbridge colleges, to the Inns of Court, as being "from quadrangle, to quadrangle, to quadrangle".
She acknowledges that she herself is part of the quadrangle by dint of going to Cambridge.
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled against the government in the Article 50 case
As a Supreme Court justice she has been the court's magnetic north on matters of family law.
In 2011, in the housing case Yemshaw v LB Hounslow, she gave the lead judgement ruling that domestic violence was not limited to physical violence.
In 2014, she effectively broadened the definition of what amounts to a deprivation of liberty for those who lack mental capacity and are detained in care homes and other institutions, writing famously in her judgement that "a gilded cage is still a cage".
There has also been controversy.
Lady Hale was criticised by Brexiteers for comments in a lecture to students in Malaysia, in which she appeared to speculate on aspects of legal questions in the Article 50 case before it had been heard by the court.
She was forced to say publicly that she would not recuse herself from the case.
Most importantly, she will have to steward the UK Supreme Court through the Brexit and post-Brexit period in which it will have to determine the weight to be given to decisions of the European Court of Justice.
The UK's relationship with what is in effect the Supreme Court of the EU remains highly contentious, and the eyes of the pro-Brexit press, in particular, will focus laser-like on decisions of our own Supreme Court on issues of EU law.
If she receives some personal criticism in the press, that will not be a first. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40679299 |
Marvyn Iheanacho convicted for beating boy to death over lost trainer - BBC News | 2017-07-21 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Marvyn Iheanacho battered his partner's son to death in a south-east London park for losing a trainer. | London | A man has been found guilty of murder after battering his partner's five-year-old son to death in a park for losing a trainer.
Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, subjected Alex Malcolm to a brutal attack in Mountsfield Park, Catford, south-east London, on 20 November last year.
Witnesses heard a "child's fearful voice saying sorry", loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe, Woolwich Crown Court was told.
He will be sentenced on Tuesday.
Witnesses in the park heard a "child's fearful voice", loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe
The jury heard Iheanacho, of Hounslow, was in a relationship with Alex's mother Lilya Breha and would often stay in her flat in Catford.
Ms Breha nodded as the verdict was announced and quietly wept in court.
Alex suffered fatal head and stomach injuries and died in hospital two days after the attack.
One of his trainers was later found in the play area by police.
One of Alex's trainers was later found in the play area by police
Iheanacho, who was known to Alex as "Daddy Mills", admitted beating the boy before in a note in his diary which read: "Do I really love Alex, five years old small cute lil boy.
"Who want nothing more, than daddy mills to love him protect him but most of all keep him from harm - even though I had to beat him just now for sicking up in the cab - why why why I say - so the answer is yes yes yes I love him and like with all my heart but may not enough."
Iheanacho, who denied murder, gave several different accounts of how the injuries were caused including that Alex fell off a climbing frame, which were all rejected by the jury.
Rob Davis, district crown prosecutor, CPS London Homicide, said: "Only Marvyn Iheanacho knows how Alex was fatally wounded but it is certain his anger boiled over at some point on that evening.
"His actions that day tragically ended a young boy's life and deprived a mother of her son.
"His efforts to cover up what really happened, first to Alex's mother by claiming Alex had simply fainted and hit his head, then by lying and repeatedly changing his story to police show his greatest concern was for himself."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679081 |
Donald Trump insists he has 'complete power' to pardon - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The president responds to reports he is considering presidential pardons over alleged Russia collusion. | US & Canada | Mr Trump referred to his "complete power to pardon" in a tweet
US President Donald Trump has insisted he has the "complete power" to pardon people, amid reports he is considering presidential pardons for family members, aides and even himself.
The US authorities are probing possible collusion between the Trump team and Russia. Intelligence agencies think Russia tried to help Mr Trump to power.
Russia denies this, and the president says there was no collusion.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Mr Trump and his team were looking at ways to pardon people close to him.
Presidents can pardon people before guilt is established or even before the person is charged with a crime.
Describing the reports as disturbing, Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said "pardoning any individuals who may have been involved would be crossing a fundamental line".
On Saturday, Mr Trump tweeted: "While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS."
Mr Trump also attacked "illegal leaks" following reports his attorney general discussed campaign-related matters with a Russian envoy.
The Washington Post gave an account of meetings Attorney General Jeff Sessions held with the Russian ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak. The newspaper quoted current and former US officials who cited intelligence intercepts of Mr Kislyak's version of the encounter to his superiors.
One of those quoted said Mr Kislyak spoke to Mr Sessions about key campaign issues, including Mr Trump's positions on policies significant to Russia.
During his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Mr Sessions said he had no contact with Russians during the election campaign. When it later emerged he had, he said the campaign was not discussed at the meetings.
An official confirmed to Reuters the detail of the intercepts, but there has been no independent corroboration.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Commander in tweets: What we can learn from Trump's Twitter
The officials spoken to by the Post said that Mr Kislyak could have exaggerated the account, and cited a Justice Department spokesperson who repeated that Mr Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.
But the Post's story was the focus of one of many tweets the US president fired off on Saturday morning.
"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!" Mr Trump said.
The Washington Post is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has been an occasional sparring partner for Mr Trump. "Comey" refers to James Comey, the former FBI boss Mr Trump fired.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump told the New York Times he regretted hiring Mr Sessions because he had stepped away from overseeing an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.
Mr Sessions recused himself in March amid pressure over his meetings with Mr Kislyak. He says he plans to continue in his role as attorney general.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Sessions said he loved the job and the department
Several other regular targets for Mr Trump featured in his series of tweets.
He accused the "failing" New York Times of foiling an attempt to assassinate the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
It is not clear what Mr Trump was referring to, but on Saturday a US general complained on Fox News that a "good lead" on Baghdadi was leaked to a national newspaper in 2015.
A New York Times report at the time revealed that valuable information had been extracted from a raid, but the paper stressed on Saturday that no-one had taken issue with their reporting until now.
And Mr Trump again urged Republicans to "step up to the plate" and repeal and replace President Obama's healthcare reforms, a key campaign pledge of his that has collapsed in Congress.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Donald J. Trump This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40692709 |
John Heard: Home Alone actor dies aged 71 - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | John Heard, who played the father in the Home Alone films, has died aged 71. | US & Canada | The star played Peter McCallister in the Home Alone films
The actor John Heard, best known for his role in the Home Alone films, has died at the age of 71.
Heard was found dead on Friday in his hotel room in Palo Alto, California, according to celebrity news website TMZ.
The Santa Clara medical examiner's office confirmed the death. The cause is unknown.
Heard had reportedly been staying at the hotel after "minor back surgery" this week.
"Our officers responded with the Fire Department to a hotel in our city on a report of a person in need of medical aid," the Palo Alto police department said.
"The person was determined to be deceased. While still under investigation, the death is not considered suspicious at this time."
Arguably Heard's most memorable role was as Peter McCallister, the father of Macaulay Culkin's character in the Home Alone films, in the 1990s.
But he first started acting in the 1970s, appearing on the stage, on television and in film.
James Woods worked with Heard on Too Big to Fail
He went on to play leading roles in films including Cutter's Way, C.H.U.D and Gladiator, opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr.
In 1999 he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as Vin Makazian - a corrupt New Jersey police detective - in television series The Sopranos.
Marlon Wayans, who worked with Heard on the 2004 comedy White Chicks, wrote on Instagram: "He was a great guy. Shared a lot of laughs. Sad to see such a good spirit and actor taken." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40692317 |
Thailand monks: Wirapol Sukphol case highlights country's Buddhism crisis - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thai monk Wirapol Sukphol denies a range of charges but the case points to a wider trend of bad karma. | Asia | Wirapol Sukphol was seen flying in a private aircraft in a YouTube video released in 2013
It was a jarring image; a group of Buddhist monks, with shaven heads and orange robes, sitting back in the soft-leather seats of an executive jet, passing luxury accessories among themselves.
The video of the monk, now known by his pre-monk name, Wirapol Sukphol, went viral after being posted on YouTube in 2013.
A subsequent investigation by the Thai Department of Special Investigations (DSI) uncovered a lifestyle of what appeared to be mind-blowing decadence. They tracked down at least 200 million Thai baht ($6m; £4.6m) in ten bank accounts, and the purchase of 22 Mercedes Benz cars.
Wirapol had built a mansion in southern California, owned a large and gaudily-decorated house in his home town of Ubon Ratchathani, and had also constructed a giant replica of the famous Emerald Buddha statue in Bangkok's royal palace, which he claimed - falsely, as it turned out - contained nine tonnes of gold.
There was evidence, too, the DSI said, of sexual relationships with a number of women. One woman claimed he had fathered a child with her when she was only 15 years old, a claim the DSI says is supported by DNA analysis.
Wirapol fled to the US. It took four years for the Thai authorities to secure his extradition. He has denied criminal charges of fraud, money laundering and rape.
How had a monk acquired so much influence, even in his early twenties? How was he allowed to behave in ways which clearly violate the patimokkha (the 227 precepts by which monks are supposed to live)? Monks are not even supposed to touch money, and sex is strictly off-limits.
Monks behaving badly are nothing new in Thailand. The temptations of modern life have thrown up many examples of monks with unseemly wealth, monks taking drugs, dancing, enjoying sexual relations with men and women or abusing girls and boys.
There are also temples which have attracted large and dedicated followings, through skilful promotion of charismatic monks and abbots, said to have supernatural powers.
These have capitalised on two aspects of modern Thai life; the yearning for spiritual succour among urban Thais, who no longer have a close relationship with a traditional village temple, and a belief that donating generously to powerful temples will bring success and more material wealth.
It appears Wirapol tapped into this trend. He arrived in the poor North Eastern province of Sisaket in the early 2000s, establishing a monastery on donated land in the village of Ban Yang. But according to the sub-district head, Ittipol Nontha, few local people went to his temple, because they were too poor to offer the kind of donations he expected.
Wirapol was questioned as part of an investigation by the DSI
The monk started holding elaborate ceremonies, he said, selling amulets, and built his replica of the Emerald Buddha, to attract wealthier devotees from other parts of the country.
These followers have described being beguiled by his soft, warm voice, and convinced by his claim to have powers - like the ability to walk on water and talk to deities. In turn, Wirapol gave generously to those with influence in the province; many of the cars he bought were gifts for important monks and officials.
Even today he still has supporters, who argue he is at heart a good man, entitled to enjoy donated luxuries.
After a succession of scandals, people are openly talking about a crisis of Buddhism in Thailand. Numbers of ordained monks have been falling steeply in recent years, and many smaller village temples are unable to support themselves financially.
The body which is supposed to govern the Buddhist clergy is the Supreme Sangha Council, but this comprises a group of very elderly monks, and until this year had not had a properly functioning Supreme Patriarch for more than a decade. It has proved ineffective.
The National Office of Buddhism is also supposed to regulate the religion, but it too has been plagued by leadership turmoil and allegations of financial irregularities.
The government has now introduced a law requiring temples, which collectively accumulate $3-4bn (£2-3bn) in donations every year, to publicise their financial records. It is also talking about introducing a new, digital ID card for monks to ensure those tainted by malpractice cannot be ordained again.
The faltering morality of monks, though, is partly rooted in the way Buddhism has evolved in Thailand.
For 150 years there have been two quite different forms of Buddhism; that of the more austere, Thammayut tradition, practised in the elite, palace-backed temples of Bangkok, which upholds the strict rules about monks detaching themselves from the material world; and the looser Mahanikai tradition of the provinces, where monks are part of the community, joining neighbourhood activities, sometimes in violation of the patimokkhai.
In the villages, temples have served as schools or traditional centres of medicine and venues for local celebrations. The advice of monks has been sought on a range of worldly issues; in this environment the line between what is and is not acceptable behaviour can become blurred.
The other source of the problem is the hold that superstition has over many Thais, and the way this has become commercialised.
Monks are these days often used more as deliverers of semi-religious rituals - like blessing new cars or houses for good luck - than practitioners of the 227 precepts. No-one in Thailand bats an eyelid at the sight of lottery tickets being sold inside temples.
Buddhist monks are not supposed to touch money, and sex is strictly off-limits
This love of superstition extends to rich Thais, who are happy to donate generously in the belief this will ensure greater fortune in the future.
Phra Payom Kalayano, the abbot of a temple north of Bangkok well known for his criticism of the commercialisation of Buddhism, has appealed to Thais to be more thoughtful about donating.
"Nowadays people think good karma is about throwing money at temples - especially rich people. They have faith, but they don't think. That is not practising good karma, smartly. That is just blind faith.
"At the same time, some monks are stupid. They don't know how to manage the donations they receive. Instead of managing the money to build karma and prestige for the temple, the monks end up building criminal cases against themselves," he said.
In a simpler age, before the arrival of globalisation and its many consumer distractions, it was easier to advocate a monastic life that disavows all material pleasures. But it is harder today to insist that monks should forego technological conveniences like smartphones and air travel.
It is even harder to define what role monks should play in 21st Century Thailand, beyond the provision of services like amulets and good luck blessings, which can so easily turn into a money-making business. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40678511 |
Beverly Martin defection: UKIP loses control of its only council - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Beverly Martin said she defected to the Tories after UKIP failed to make "significant change". | Kent | Beverly Martin has defected to the Conservative Party
UKIP has lost overall control of the only local authority it runs following the defection of one of its councillors to the Conservatives.
The loss of Beverly Martin means the party only holds 27 seats on Thanet District Council while the other parties combined hold 28.
Ms Martin said she joined the Tories after UKIP failed to make "significant change".
UKIP party members have condemned her decision to leave.
UKIP councillor Stuart Piper said: "I don't think anyone could doubt her care and concern for Ramsgate as a town, but in a sense she's just thrown away the only job she had to coordinate town promotion."
In October 2015 five councillors defected from the UK's first UKIP authority due to concerns over the council's lack of action over Manston Airport.
However, the party regained control in 2016 following a by-election.
Councillor Stuart Piper, UKIP, said Ms Martin had "thrown away" an opportunity
Ms Martin has swapped allegiance twice before - from UKIP to DIG Alliance and then back to UKIP.
Speaking about this occasion, she said: "There has to be a very good reason for making a political change.
"The first one when I became an independent was specifically on the issue of Manston.
"We had the opportunity to be a flagship council, that is a very rare privilege and I really had enormous hopes that we would make significant changes on social issues, development and economic issues. Frankly we haven't, not as UKIP.
"It's Craig Mackinlay, our MP for South Thanet who invited me last year to form a group for assessing what we might do with the port and the beaches, that came from the Conservatives.
"That is where the energy is coming from."
In the June general election UKIP's vote fell by 26.4% in South Thanet and 21.2% in North Thanet - leaving them with just 6% and 4.5% of the vote.
First the local elections and the party loses every seat, then the General Election and it fails to win any seat. Now it's lost the only council it controls in the country. It's been a rough ride for the party's councillors and members. They still don't know who'll lead the party nationally.
Councillor Beverly Martin says she's always been a Conservative at heart and that joining the group felt like a "homecoming". But what of the voters? Did they know that underneath the purple rosette was a blue one?
UKIP group leader Chris Wells told me wasn't surprised by the news, which he heard first from press. He said they'd been there before and they'd get through it again. This isn't the first time he's lost his majority. Nor is it the first time she's left UKIP.
There will undoubtedly, as there always is, when a politician changes sides be calls for a by-election. But it doesn't sound like Councillor Martin will step down before the election in two years time. She says she'll still be fighting for the things she stood for.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-40691149 |
Norway: The country where no salaries are secret - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | In Norway, anyone can find out how much anyone else is paid, and it rarely causes problems, writes Lars Bevanger. | Magazine | This week the British papers revelled in news about how much the BBC's on-air stars get paid, though the salaries of their counterparts in commercial TV remain under wraps. In Norway, there are no such secrets. Anyone can find out how much anyone else is paid - and it rarely causes problems.
In the past, your salary was published in a book. A list of everyone's income, assets and the tax they had paid, could be found on a shelf in the public library. These days, the information is online, just a few keystrokes away.
The change happened in 2001, and it had an instant impact.
"It became pure entertainment for many," says Tom Staavi, a former economics editor at the national daily, VG.
"At one stage you would automatically be told what your Facebook friends had earned, simply by logging on to Facebook. It was getting ridiculous."
Transparency is important, Staavi says, partly because Norwegians pay high levels of income tax - an average of 40.2% compared to 33.3% in the UK, according to Eurostat, while the EU average is just 30.1%.
"When you pay that much you have to know that everyone else is doing it, and you have to know that the money goes to something reasonable," he says.
"We [need to] have trust and confidence in both the tax system and in the social security system."
In 2015 Norwegian PM Erna Solberg earned 1,573,544 kroner (£151,001). - her assets were valued at 2,054,896 kroner (£197,179) and she paid 677,459 kroner (£65,011) in taxes
This is considered to far outweigh any problems that may be caused by envy.
In fact, in most workplaces, people have a fairly good idea how much their colleagues are earning, without having to look it up.
Wages in many sectors are set through collective agreements, and pay gaps are relatively narrow.
The gender pay gap is also narrow, by international standards. The World Economic Forum ranks Norway third out of 144 countries in terms of wage equality for similar work.
So the figures that flashed up on Facebook may not have taken many people by surprise. But at a certain point Tom Staavi and others lobbied the government to introduce measures that would encourage people to think twice before snooping on the salary details of a friend, neighbour or colleague.
People now have to log in using their national ID number in order to access the data on the tax authority's website, and for the last three years it has been impossible to search anonymously.
"Since 2014 it has been possible to find out who has been doing searches on your information," explains Hans Christian Holte, the head of Norway's tax authority.
"We saw a significant drop to about a 10th of the volume that was before. I think it has taken out the Peeping Tom mentality."
There are some three million taxpayers in Norway, out of a total population of 5.2 million. The tax authority logged 16.5 million searches in the year before restrictions were put into place. Today there are around two million searches per year.
In a recent survey 92% of people said they did not look up friends, family or acquaintances.
"Earlier I did do searches, but now it's visible if you do it, so I don't do it any more," says a woman I meet on the streets of Oslo, Nelly Bjorge.
"I was curious about some neighbours, and also about celebrities and royalty. It could be good to know if very rich people are cheating, but you don't always know. Because they have many ways of reducing their income."
The tax lists only tell you people's net income, net assets and tax paid. Someone with a vast property portfolio, for instance, would probably be worth far more than the figure found in the lists, because the taxable property value is often far less than the current market value.
Everyone has been able to see how much anyone earns and the taxes they pay, since 1814
Hege Glad, a teacher from Fredrikstad south of Oslo, remembers that when she was young, adults used to queue up to examine the "enormous, thick" books of income and tax data, published once a year.
"I know my father was one of those looking. When he came home he was in a bad mood because our well-to-do neighbour was listed with little income, no assets and, most of all, a very small amount of tax paid," she says.
While she approves of Norway's transparency in this area, she notes that it can have negative effects. She has seen this in school.
"I remember once coming into school and a group of boys were very keen to tell me about the massive amounts of money the dad of one of the others in the class was making.
"I noticed a couple of other boys who usually were part of this gang had pulled back, saying little. The mood was not very nice," she says.
There have been other stories about children from low-income families who have been bullied in school, by classmates who looked up their parents' financial situation.
But Hans Christian Holte thinks the government currently has the balance about right.
The fact that anonymous searches are no longer permitted discourages criminals from searching for wealthy people to target.
And yet, the restrictions introduced in 2014 have not stopped whistleblowers reporting things they find suspicious.
"We like people to do searches which could help us in investigating tax evasion and the amount of tips that we get has not gone down," he says.
"Maybe the Peeping Tom part has more or less vanished, but you still have the legitimate reasons for searching and also some good effects of that openness."
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-40669239 |
Justine Damond shooting: Police chief Janee Harteau quits - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Minneapolis mayor says she lost confidence in the chief after officers killed an Australian woman. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Mayor Betsy Hodges was interrupted by angry protesters at a news conference about the resignation
A police chief in the US state of Minnesota has resigned after one of her officers fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman.
Justine Damond was killed after she called the police to report a woman screaming outside her home in a quiet suburb of Minneapolis last week.
Police chief Janee Harteau had earlier said it "should not have happened".
The city's mayor accepted her resignation, saying she had lost confidence in Ms Harteau.
Ms Damond's death provoked outrage in her homeland, where Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called it "inexplicable" and "a shocking killing".
The 40-year-old yoga and meditation teacher, originally from Sydney, was shot when she approached a police car after reporting a suspected rape.
A lawyer for Ms Damond's family has called it "ludicrous" to suggest the two officers inside had feared an ambush.
Speaking at a news conference in Minneapolis shortly before her resignation was announced, Ms Harteau said the killing was "the actions and judgement of one individual".
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Officer Mohamed Noor, who shot Ms Damond in the abdomen, has refused to be interviewed by investigators, as is his legal right.
Body cameras, which are worn by all Minneapolis police, had not been turned on at the time of the shooting and the squad car dashboard camera also failed to capture the incident.
Chief Harteau said the cameras worn by Officers Noor and Matthew Harrity "should have been activated".
Mayor Betsy Hodges said, in a written statement, that it was unacceptable for body cameras "to fail us when we needed them most".
Fred Bruno, the lawyer for Officer Harrity, has said: "It is reasonable to assume an officer in that situation would be concerned about a possible ambush."
However Robert Bennett, who represents Ms Damond's family, said she "was not a threat to anyone".
He told CBS News: "I think that [the ambush fear] is ludicrous. It's disinformation. It doesn't have any basis in fact."
On Wednesday, police released the transcript of two separate 911 calls Ms Damond made after hearing screams nearby.
"I'm not sure if she's having sex or being raped," she told the police operator, before giving her address.
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"I think she just yelled out 'help', but it's difficult, the sound has been going on for a while," she continued.
Ms Damond called back eight minutes later to ensure police had the correct address.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has said he will decide whether to charge the police officer. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40690191 |
Charlie Gard case: Latest report 'makes sad reading' - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | His parents were angry the results were heard in court before they had been told privately. | London | Results of Charlie's scan were heard in court before his parents had been informed privately
Charlie Gard's parents reacted angrily in court when medical information was revealed about their son which they had not previously been told about.
The High Court was told a scan of the baby's brain made for "sad reading". His mother responded: "We have not even read it" and her husband walked out.
Earlier, the judge urged protestors supporting the family not to target the hospital.
The 11-month-old suffers from a rare genetic disorder and underwent a brain scan at the weekend to help settle a medical dispute about whether his treatment should be continued or whether he should be allowed to die with dignity.
On hearing the hospital lawyer's assessment of the scan, Charlie's mother Connie Yates broke down in tears and his father Chris Gard shouted "evil" at the lawyer before walking out of court earlier.
The case has been the subject of a lot of media attention
Charlie's parents are fighting for the right to remove their child from GOSH's care. They want instead to take him to the US for experimental treatment, which a neurologist from New York said might give him a 10% chance of improving his health.
The case has attracted a lot of attention around the world and campaigners who want the judge to "let Charlie live" have lined the High Court entrance for the hearings.
Previously, the judge has condemned people who had abused and threatened GOSH medics on social media as a result of Charlie's case.
Mr Justice Francis, who is presiding, warned earlier there were "lots and lots" of other sick children being treated by the hospital whose families might not want to be confronted by campaigners.
GOSH has confirmed it received complaints from family members of other children being treated at the hospital, but would not provide further details.
Connie Yates and Chris Gard want Charlie to receive an experimental therapy called nucleoside
Mr Justice Francis will analyse the latest expert evidence at a High Court hearing on Monday and Tuesday.
At a preliminary hearing on Friday, he said he would need to know whether there was "new material" which could make a "difference".
Lawyers representing GOSH said they had "yet to see" any new evidence.
A US doctor who has offered to treat Charlie has attended a meeting with his GOSH care team to decide whether he should travel to America for therapy.
Dr Michio Hirano met doctors earlier this week to examine Charlie and discuss his condition. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40685461 |
HMP Hewell: Security teams called to prison 'incident' - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A prison officer is taken to hospital with minor injuries following a disturbance at HMP Hewell. | Hereford & Worcester | HMP Hewell has about 1,000 adult male prisoners at its closed site
A prison officer was taken to hospital with minor injuries after an "incident" at HMP Hewell.
Specially trained prison security teams arrived at the prison near Redditch in Worcestershire late on Saturday night.
The Prison Service said a "small number" of inmates at the category B jail were involved in the disturbance.
Prison authorities are now back in full control of the affected wing and the matter has been referred to West Mercia Police.
Men shouting and swearing, as well as banging and dogs barking, could be heard coming from the prison.
Specialist security squads, equipped to deal with riots, arrived at the site in unmarked vans at about 19:30 BST.
HMP Hewell is surrounded by farmland and houses about 1,000 inmates - including some category A remand prisoners.
In an inspection report published in January, Hewell was described as "a prison with many challenges and areas of serious concern".
Peter Clarke, chief inspector of prisons, said the "main concerns" were regarding "issues of safety and respect".
He said levels of violence were "far too high", communal areas were "dirty" and many cells were overcrowded.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are absolutely clear that offenders who behave in this way will be punished and face spending extra time behind bars."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-40695607 |
Charlie Gard: Death threats sent to Great Ormond Street staff - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Great Ormond Street Hospital says the police have been called in following "unacceptable behaviour". | London | The hospital said "unacceptable behaviour" had been recorded "within the hospital"
Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital have received death threats over the treatment of baby Charlie Gard.
The hospital said police had been called after families were "harassed" and "unacceptable behaviour" was recorded in the hospital.
It is involved in a legal battle to remove life support from the 11-month-old, who has a rare genetic disorder.
His parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard said they did not condone abuse and had also faced "nasty and hurtful remarks".
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter although Charlie's case was "sad and complex", this behaviour was "totally unacceptable".
Charlie, who was born on 4 August 2016, has a form of mitochondrial disease, a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and irreversible brain damage, and his parents want to take him to the US for pioneering treatment.
Connie Yates and Chris Gard want Charlie to receive an experimental therapy called nucleoside
They have lost a succession of court cases to overturn the hospital's decision that it would be in the best interest of the child to be allowed to die with dignity.
The latest court battle involves new testimony from a US neurologist who has visited Charlie in hospital to decide whether he should travel to America for therapy.
Charlie's parents want to take him to New York for experimental treatment, which the US doctor said might give him a 10% chance of improving his health.
Mary MacLeod, chairman of Great Ormond Street Hospital, said in a statement that Charlie's case was "a heartbreaking one", adding the hospital understood the "natural sympathy people feel with his situation".
However, in recent weeks the hospital community had been subjected to a "shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility and disturbance," she said.
Charlie has a rare genetic condition and is on life support
She added: "Staff have received abuse both in the street and online.
"Thousands of abusive messages have been sent to doctors and nurses whose life's work is to care for sick children.
"Many of these messages are menacing, including death threats.
"Families have been harassed and discomforted while visiting their children, and we have received complaints of unacceptable behaviour even within the hospital itself."
Ms MacLeod, who also chairs the hospital's clinical ethics committee, said "there can be no excuse" for patients, families and staff "to have their privacy and peace disturbed".
In a statement issued through a spokeswoman, Charlie's parents said: "We don't condone abusive or threatening behaviour to GOSH staff or anybody in connection with our son.
"We too get abuse and have to endure nasty and hurtful remarks on a daily basis.
"People have different opinions and we accept that but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed as it makes a stressful situation worse and is very upsetting for all involved."
The case is due back before a High Court judge on Monday. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40691478 |
Newspaper headlines: Princes' last Diana call and BBC pay row - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The last phone call between Princess Diana and her sons, and a row over a BBC pay gap make the news. | The Papers | The ITV documentary in which Princes William and Harry talk about the death of their mother, Princess Diana, is the lead for several of the Sunday papers.
They focus on the Princes' recollections of their final phone call with her, hours before she died in the Paris car crash - and their regret that they didn't speak for longer.
"Last call with Mum haunts us", is the Sunday Mirror's headline, and it's a similar theme for the Star on Sunday.
The Mail on Sunday's coverage extends to 10 inside pages and includes a number of newly-released pictures.
One of them - of a young Prince Harry being cuddled by his mother during a family holiday - appears on the front pages of the Sunday Times and the Sunday Telegraph.
The open letter by more than 40 of the BBC's top female presenters to the corporation's director-general, Lord Hall, calling on him to act now to close the gender pay gap, is widely covered - and makes the lead for the Telegraph.
The paper has the headline: "Revolt of the BBC women". It describes the letter as an unprecedented show of anger.
Writing in the Mirror, Saira Khan says what really upset her was seeing definitive proof that the BBC - the organisation we trust to be the voice of British values around the world - is "sexist to its core".
Remarks by the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, that the cabinet is united in wanting a transitional Brexit deal on migrant labour that meets the needs of British business, is welcomed by a number of papers.
The Mail says a wise and typically British compromise - in which the desires of all are considered, but neither side gets everything it wants - may now be taking shape.
For the Sunday Times, the cabinet is moving in the direction of an open and entrepreneurial Brexit - the only basis for Britain's future success.
In the words of Andrew Rawnsley in the Observer, the slow learners in the cabinet have finally grasped that Britain will require a smoothed departure if there is to be any hope of avoiding a shock Brexit.
According to the Mail, President Trump has been asked to make a "dummy" State visit to Britain this year to show that he can avoid embarrassing the Queen.
The paper says he's been invited to come for brief talks with Theresa May - but with none of the Royal pomp and circumstance he wanted.
As a face-saving measure - the paper goes on - Mr Trump will be offered a State visit next year - but it won't take place unless the low-profile trip is a success.
Finally, as the ITV 2 reality show, Love Island, reaches its climax tomorrow, a number of commentators explore what has made it such a rating success.
For Zoe Strimpel in the Telegraph, it has become the guilty pleasure of our time. The opportunity to watch other people - with perfect bodies and zero wrinkles - trying to solve the modern riddle of love is just too cathartic to miss.
Writing in the Observer, Emine Saner says the show has been carefully seducing us - or to put it in Love Island speak, "proper grafting". Many of us will be heartbroken when it leaves us, she says. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-40695353 |
Holiday flight departs after 38-hour delay - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A flight from Aberdeen to Portugal has finally taken off after being delayed since early on Thursday morning. | NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland | Thomson has apologised to passengers for the delay
A flight from Aberdeen to Faro in Portugal has finally arrived at its destination after take-off was delayed by more than 38 hours.
The 140 holidaymakers had been stranded at Aberdeen Airport since arriving on Thursday morning for what should have been the 06:00 flight.
The flight was delayed because of a technical issue with the aircraft.
There were also 114 stranded Thomson passengers in Portugal waiting for the return flight.
The flight from Aberdeen to Portugal did not depart until 20:43 on Friday evening, the airline said.
Those affected by the delay were put up in hotels overnight and given vouchers to buy refreshments.
Thomson said the Aberdeen to Faro flight had arrived at 23:40 local time.
Passengers flying from Portugal were diverted to Manchester and then taken to Aberdeen on a coach, arriving in the city at about 01:00 on Saturday.
In total, 245 passengers in Aberdeen and Faro were affected by the delay
"We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers who travelled on flights FPO811 from Aberdeen to Faro and FPO812 from Faro to Aberdeen, which unfortunately were delayed as a result of a technical issue," a spokeswoman for Thomson said.
"We provided affected customers with overnight accommodation and vouchers for refreshments. We also be providing letters to customers with EU flight delay claim information in line with the Civil Aviation Authority's guidelines.
"We understand how frustrating a flight delay can be and we would like to thank affected passengers for their patience and understanding."
Speaking earlier on Friday, Susan Davidson told BBC Scotland that she and the other passengers had been taken off the aircraft shortly before it had been due to depart Aberdeen on Thursday morning.
"We were really given no information whatsoever and just left waiting in the airport," she said.
"Finally I think it must have been about 14:15 yesterday we were told we would be put up in a hotel and just to await further information from the company."
Mrs Davidson said passengers had been "pretty much kept in the dark" by the airline, with most of the information coming from the hotel she had been staying at.
She added: "The children are exhausted and desperate to get away. It has just been awful."
James Hepburn, who should also have been on the flight from Aberdeen on Thursday morning, described the delay as "horrific" and said he was "very, very angry". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-40684551 |
Dali's moustache 'intact at 10 past 10', exhumation finds - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The comments by the painter's foundation come after his body was dug up to settle a paternity case. | Europe | Ms Martínez (right) says she was born in 1956 as a result of an affair between Dalí and her mother
Salvador Dalí's moustache is intact in the "10 past 10" position, the surrealist painter's foundation has said, a day after his body was exhumed.
"It was like a miracle," said Narcis Bardalet, who was in charge of embalming Dalí's body 28 years ago, adding that the hair was also intact.
The body was exhumed in the north-eastern Spanish city of Figueres to settle a paternity case.
A woman says her mother had an affair with the world-famous artist.
If María Pilar Abel Martínez is proved right, she could assume part of Dalí's estate, currently owned by the Spanish state.
Dalí's body was exhumed from a crypt in a museum dedicated to his life and work on Thursday evening.
"When I took off the silk handkerchief, I was very emotional," Mr Bardalet told RAC1 radio station on Friday morning.
"I was eager to see him and I was absolutely stunned. It was like a miracle... his moustache appeared at 10 past 10 exactly and his hair was intact," he added.
Lluís Peñuelas, the secretary of the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, said that it was "a moving moment".
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DNA samples have been taken from the artist's teeth, bones and nails in a four-hour operation, the officials say.
It may take weeks before the results of the tests are known.
The exhumation went ahead following a court order on behalf of Ms Martínez.
This was despite the objections of the local authorities and the Dalí Foundation, both of which said that not enough notice had been given.
Ms Martínez, a tarot card reader who was born in 1956, says her mother had an affair with Dalí in the year before her birth.
Her mother, Antonia, had worked for a family that spent time in Cadaqués, near the painter's home.
Ms Martínez's action is against the Spanish state, to which Dalí left his estate.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Will Gompertz explained how Dali's body would be removed
Ms Martínez says her mother and paternal grandmother both told her at an early age that Dalí was her real father.
But the claim has surprised many, including Ian Gibson, an Irish-born biographer of Dalí, who said that the notion of the artist having an affair that produced a child was "absolutely impossible".
"Dalí always boasted: 'I'm impotent, you've got to be impotent to be a great painter'," the biographer said.
Dalí's wife, Gala, died in 1982 - after which he is said to have lost much of his zest for life | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40685361 |
General Hill's medals: Waterloo veteran's badge to be auctioned - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Shropshire-born general was known to his troops as Daddy Hill due to his caring nature. | Derby | The medals were awarded to Lieutenant-General Rowland Hill who fought alongside the Duke of Wellington
A military badge with medals awarded to a soldier who fought with the Duke of Wellington in 1815 has been found.
The medals were discovered in their original box in Derbyshire and will be auctioned later this month.
The brooch with the medals, including several grand crosses, belonged to Viscount Hill, Charles Hanson of Hanson's Auctioneers said.
The general, born in Shropshire, was known as Daddy Hill by his troops due to his caring nature.
Known as Daddy Hill, the general was "renowned for looking after his men"
The medals are expected to sell for thousands of pounds.
Lieutenant-General Rowland Hill was a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars as a commander under Wellington.
The medals discovered in Derbyshire include the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and the Sword and the Peninsular Cross.
A statue in Shrewsbury commemorates the Waterloo general but has been damaged by heavy rain, frost and snow
Mr Hanson said: "(Hill) was a man who never married, he devoted his life to serving his country. He led armies of up to 30,000 men in some of the most important battles of the 1800s in Egypt, Spain, Portugal and France.
"He inevitably had brushes with death. At the Battle of Waterloo, where Hill commanded the II Corps, he was lost in the melee and feared dead but escaped unscathed.
"He was brilliant on the battlefield and yet humble, a commander renowned for looking after his men."
General Hill was born in 1772 at Hawkstone Hall in Shropshire and died in in 1842 at the age of 70. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-40692254 |
Man shot in paramilitary-style attack in north Belfast - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police describe the attack on a 30-year-old man in north Belfast as "brutal and horrific". | Northern Ireland | A man has been shot in both legs in what police have described as a "brutal and horrific" paramilitary-style attack in north Belfast.
The 30-year-old was attacked by two men as he walked along Henry Place at about 01:30 BST on Saturday.
Police said it was "yet another example of how criminal groups seek to control communities through fear and violence".
The man was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries, which are not life-threatening.
Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA Nichola Mallon said the attack was "extremely worrying" for people in the area.
"Yet again we have had a paramilitary-style shooting," she said.
"It's not for paramilitaries to dispense justice - that's for the police and the courts.
"People in north Belfast are really weary that yet again north Belfast is in the headlines for something so harrowing." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40691666 |
Corrie Mckeague: 'Nothing found' in airman landfill search - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police end landfill search for missing airman Corrie Mckeague, who they say had "slept in rubbish". | Suffolk | An airman who disappeared 10 months ago was "known to sleep in rubbish on a night out", police have said.
Corrie Mckeague, 23, has not been seen since a night out in Bury St Edmunds last September, when CCTV showed him entering a bin loading bay.
Suffolk Police has confirmed its search of waste at Milton landfill was at an end.
Mr Mckeague's family say they are "devastated" at the news and disputed claims he would have slept in a bin.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Det Supt Katie Elliott, of Suffolk Police, spoke at a press conference in Martlesham, near Ipswich.
Police said all the information "points to the fact Corrie was transported to the landfill".
Det Supt Katie Elliott said the landfill search for Mr Mckeague had been "systematic, comprehensive and thorough".
She said: "Corrie had been known to go to sleep in rubbish on a night out. There is no evidence to support any other explanation at this time."
Corrie Mckeague's girlfriend April Oliver (centre) announced the birth of their baby daughter on Father's Day
Responding to the news, Corrie's father Martin Mckeague posted a statement on his Facebook page saying: "The McKeague family in Scotland is devastated by today's announcement.
"At no point did we think that the search of the site would end this way, and as all the evidence tells us that Corrie is somewhere in that landfill site, we are heartbroken at the thought that we may not be able to bring Corrie home together."
His mother Nicola Urquhart said: "I have tried really to put my trust in them (the police) but to say I am devastated that they are now saying they think he is still in there but they are going to stop searching, I cannot begin to explain how that makes me feel."
She said she did not believe there was evidence he slept in bins and was "angry" at the claim.
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Det Supt Elliott said police had spoken to one witness who had previously found Mr Mckeague asleep in a bin and he had been known to previously sleep on park benches, in toilets and stair wells.
Although material from the time and place of Mr Mckeague's disappearance has been found at the landfill, the serviceman, from Dunfermline, Fife, has not been discovered.
In June, Mr Mckeague's girlfriend April Oliver, from Norfolk, gave birth to their daughter.
The police investigation had established early on that Mr Mckeague's mobile phone tracked the same route, and at the same pace, as a bin lorry on the night of his disappearance.
But initial inquiries found the rubbish truck was carrying a load of 11kg (1st 10lb), suggesting Mr Mckeague was not on the refuse truck.
Then in March it emerged the true weight of the truck contents was more than 100kg (15st 10lb).
The error was a "genuine mistake", Suffolk Police said.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Corrie Mckeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, spoke of her anguish as the search for the airman was ended
Corrie's mother, Nicola Urquhart, said the initial assurance from police that he was not in the bin lorry had been "the one thing that was giving me hope that he was still alive".
Police say they will now search previously incinerated waste and carry out a review of the investigation for any fresh leads in the case.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-40685185 |
Blood donation rules relaxed for gay men and sex workers - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Accurate blood tests mean more groups can give blood safely, experts say. | Health | More people will be able to donate blood more easily under the new rules
Blood donation rules for sex workers and gay men are being relaxed in England and Scotland after improvements in the accuracy of testing procedures.
Men who have sex with men can now give blood three months after their last sexual activity instead of 12.
And sex workers, who were previously barred from donating, now can, subject to the same three-month rule.
Experts said the move would give more people the opportunity to donate blood without affecting blood supply safety.
The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs - which advises UK health departments - recommended the changes after concluding that new testing systems were accurate and donors were good at complying with the rules.
All blood that is donated in the UK undergoes a mandatory test for Hepatitis B and C, and HIV, plus a couple of other viruses.
Scientists agree that three months is a comfortably long window for a virus or infection to appear and be picked up in the blood.
Prof James Neuberger, from the committee, said: "Technologies to pick up the presence of the virus have greatly improved, so we can now pick up viruses at a much earlier stage in the infection, and therefore it's much easier to tell if a blood donor has the virus."
The rule changes will come into force at blood donation centres in Scotland in November, and in early 2018 in England.
They will now all be able to donate blood after abstaining from sex for three months.
The UK government is also considering relaxing the rules for people who have undergone acupuncture, piercing, tattooing and endoscopies, and for those with a history of non-prescribed injecting drug use.
But these also need changes to current EU legislation.
Alex Phillips, blood donations policy lead at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said the changes were a "victory for science over stigmatising assumptions", adding: "The evidence suggests three months is the right amount of time."
She told BBC One's Breakfast that the lifetime donation ban for sex industry workers was based on "preconceptions rather than evidence".
Deborah Gold, chief executive of National Aids Trust, said the new rules were a "huge advance" for gay and bisexual men - who can now donate three months from their last sexual activity.
Ms Gold said: "We are also delighted that NHS Blood and Transplant have said they will now investigate how possible it is for some gay men, depending on degree of risk, to donate without even the three-month deferral."
NHS Blood and Transplant said there was not currently a shortage of blood in the UK but 200,000 new donors were needed every year to replenish supplies.
It said there was a particular need for more people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to give blood. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40669950 |
Six 'unpresidented' months - 42 to go - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | US citizens have now had six months to get used to their new president and still not all are finding it easy. Americans in the UK face a double dose of change with Brexit. | US & Canada | US citizens have now had six months to get used to their new president and still not all are finding it easy. For Americans in the UK there is a double dose of change, with Brexit now firmly under way. London-based writer and broadcaster Michael Goldfarb has been finding that the combination means all conversations turn inexorably to politics.
Donald Trump has been president for half a year. It is a year since Britons voted to leave the European Union. Yes, the two events are linked.
Like an enormous piece of Antarctic sea ice calving off from the continent and drifting away, the Anglo-American world has detached itself from its partners and headed off into the unknown.
For those of us who are citizens of both countries it has been a strange time.
Twenty years ago, when I was National Public Radio's London correspondent, I used to get invited to the annual American ambassador's 4 July shindig at the residence in Regent's Park. It was a perk of the job.
I didn't hear of an Independence Day bash this year, and anyway there is no ambassador in place yet. In an example of the chaos that swirls around his administration, President Trump's nominee, Woody Johnson, heir to the Johnson & Johnson baby powder fortune and owner of the New York Jets NFL team, has only just been confirmed by the Senate but has not yet presented his credentials to the Court of St James's.
Woody Johnson, pictured at Trump Tower in December, is due in London soon
I haven't been to a 4 July party for ages, but this year was an exception. My hosts were an Anglo-Swiss couple, holding a party in honour of a business colleague from New York - a barbecue on their terrace overlooking a square of renovated warehouses you would never find without GPS.
After six months of the Trump whirlwind everyone was exhausted and happy to lay off politics, but it was tough. Plus, the British half of the couple hosting the party works for a major international music publisher and has extensive business in the EU so it was impossible not to touch on Brexit, and once you're on Brexit you get to Trump and then on to this new historical epoch we've been led into - not by war or revolution but via the ballot box. Eventually, we extricated ourselves from the subject. It was time to bring out the sparklers and my 11-year-old happily waved them into the night.
Ronald Reagan (left) and Margaret Thatcher in Downing Street, in 1982
The "unpresidented" uniquely American nature of the Trump Administration makes it easy to overlook how much its existence owes to the particular political relationship the UK and the US have enjoyed since Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan came to power within a year of each other.
Trump's "unpresidented" tweet was deleted and re-posted with the correct spelling
Thatcher/Reagan tried to undo their respective nations' social democratic settlements by radically deregulating markets and gutting trade unions. The pair dominated the West's international security organisations. The Anglo-American axis continued to a greater or lesser extent right through Prime Minister Tony Blair's pledge to President George W Bush to back the US in its war to overthrow Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
Ironically, Brexit and the election of Trump were made possible by the votes of those who were the losers in the deregulated, free-trading economic world led by Thatcher/Reagan, which laid the foundations for today's world of economic inequality and employment insecurity. The votes were also an expression of the anger of people at the Iraq War. That anger was not just a phenomenon of the left. One of the key moments in Donald Trump's successful campaign to the get the Republican nomination came in a debate when he said to Bush's brother Jeb: "The Iraq War was a big fat mistake."
Jeb Bush (left) and Donald Trump (right) debating in February 2016
Last month Henry Kissinger passed through London briefly to give the keynote address at the Centre for Policy Studies' Margaret Thatcher Conference on Security. The CPS was a think-tank founded by Mrs Thatcher and a few close colleagues in the mid-1970s. I attended expecting to hear Kissinger say something about the security implications of the uncharted waters Anglo-America has entered.
It never happened. The secret of the 94-year-old Kissinger's rise to secretary of state, and his continued presence on the world stage, is a courtier's ability to flatter his audience. Answering a question about Brexit, Kissinger admitted to the Eurosceptic audience he initially thought it was a terrible idea but now realised Brexit wasn't so bad and could be made to work.
He never mentioned Trump once. It seemed odd. I would have thought Trump's disruptive approach to foreign relations, the opposite of Kissinger's ideas of rationally maintaining order among the great powers, would have been worth a comment. Especially since the president will be with us for a while yet.
Henry Kissinger and Donald Trump in the Oval Office in May 2017
Six months into the Trump presidency, his popularity numbers are only slowly eroding.
A recent Washington Post/ABC News Poll shows the president's approval rating down to 36%.
That's six points lower than it was in April. That month I was in America making a BBC radio programme to mark Trump's first 100 days in office and I was talking to some of his unswayable supporters that I had met covering the campaign.
Nothing had happened at that stage that would make them change their views, and I doubt even the Russia scandal has reached a point where they will stop supporting him.
Similarly, in Britain, Brexit voters have been unswayed by the rocky start to negotiations made by Prime Minister Theresa May's government. Despite the Conservatives' poor performance at the recent general election, more than two-thirds of Britons want to continue the Brexit process.
Recently, I found myself chatting with a member of the House of Lords, a former cabinet minister in both the Thatcher and Major governments, and an ardent pro-European.
We were in the Green Room at New Broadcasting House waiting to go on different BBC news programmes. We were marvelling at the way our world had been turned on its head in the last year.
An item about Donald Trump came up on the television. The former minister shook his head in bewilderment and asked me how long I thought Trump could last. I told him that so long as the President had 35% to 40% of the country solidly behind him he would be in office a while. I also said I didn't think he would be impeached and that the end of his presidency, whenever it comes, would be "unpresidented".
The Conservative grandee, shook his head. "This can't go on… it can't go on." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40648351 |
K-golf: South Korea's female golfing phenomenon - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | South Korean women have dominated international golf for years now. Why? | Asia | South Korea's Park Sung-hyun has won her first women's major
Newly-crowned golfing champion Park Sung-hyun has become the latest name in a stellar series of female winners from South Korea.
This week, Park, 23, won the US Women's Open by two shots to claim her first LPGA title. Eight other Korean women also made it to the tour's top 10.
"It's almost like I'm floating on a cloud in the sky," said Park, whose nickname Dak Gong translates to "shut up and attack".
South Korean women have dominated the fiercely-competitive game, claiming victory at the US Women's Open seven times in the past decade. So what makes them so successful?
For decades, South Korea has emerged as a major exporter of popular culture. The lucrative 'K Wave' evolved from a regional development into a global phenomenon and cemented the viral status of Korean pop music groups and drama serials.
Korean golfing has now joined the ranks of K-pop and K-drama stars, with its athletes being given an impressive amount of respect on the world stage.
"Many people associate South Korean women with being just K-pop and K-drama stars. But Park is just one in a long line of champion women golfers from our country," wrote Jin Joo-so, a golf fan on Facebook.
Move aside K-drama starlets, these women are carving a new global name for their country
Decades of rigorous training and intense competition has resulted in a generation of strong, young Korean women who have transformed and revolutionised the "thinking man's game".
Eric Fleming runs a fan site titled SeoulSisters, devoted to South Korean players. He says that the reason why Korean golfers dominate the sport is simple: they work hard.
"When a Korean girl shows talent in golf, her family will do whatever it takes to support her dream. Even if that means spending most of their savings to make it possible," he explained. "In return, she is expected to do everything possible to maximise her potential."
Golf is cut throat and pressure to excel in the sport is huge. But reality is harsh and sadly, not everyone becomes a champion.
"For the few that make it to the top, they have not only put in thousands of hours of training, they have developed a drive that makes sure they will continue to work hard to get as far as they can," Mr Fleming said.
"When a Korean girl makes it to the LPGA, I believe she is more motivated to win because of all the work and investment she has put in.
She has to make big sacrifices. Many American golfers just don't."
Pak Se-ri changed the face of women's golf and sparked a South Korean revolution
These are exciting times for South Korean golf.
And there's one name that's synonymous with the Korean golfing wave and that's Pak Se-ri, the woman credited with starting it all.
The 39-year-old from Daejeon city is now retired but she went out on a high in 2016 with a Hall of Fame career that yielded several major titles and inspired a wave of young women players who followed her to the renowned LPGA Tour.
"I am extremely proud of all of them. To witness the success of so many South Korean players on tour makes me feel proud of what I was able to accomplish," Ms Pak told BBC News from Seoul.
"Together we proved and continue to prove that no matter your country, background or circumstances, if you work hard enough to pursue your dreams, anything is possible."
She also spoke about "competitive training regimes" which set the standard for many South Korean women, who have learned to adapt to the gruelling game.
"Golf is a game of repetition and very often, it is difficult to remain dedicated. But hard work, dedication, passion and a lot of support was what I had," she said.
"I can say that from a cultural perspective, South Koreans are exposed to insane amounts of pressure from a very young age. So we naturally deal better with pressure on tour." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40628058 |
Reality Check: Are there more women in leading TV roles? - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | BBC Reality Check investigates whether gender balance has changed in popular TV dramas in recent years. | Entertainment & Arts | Jodie Whittaker will take the title role in Doctor Who but Helen Mirren was star of Prime Suspect back in 2006
In the week the BBC announced it was casting a woman as Doctor Who for the first time, it also revealed that only a third of its highest-paid stars are women.
Headlines about women's equality, or otherwise, in British TV abounded.
It got the Reality Check team thinking about whether Jodie Whittaker's appointment as the first female Doctor was a sign of changing times, or is news from the BBC's payroll a more accurate barometer of female fortunes in entertainment? In essence: are more women getting lead roles in TV dramas?
According to our research, the answer seems to be: hardly.
There is a rise compared with a decade ago - but the increase is marginal. The number of females in lead television roles rose by only one - from 17 in 2006 to 18 in 2016 - although when the number of females enjoying shared lead roles is taken into account, the difference is slightly greater - 26 against 21.
Reality Check has looked at the 50 most-watched dramas (excluding soaps) in the UK for 2016, and the corresponding top 50 a decade earlier.
To compile each list we've used the official consolidated TV viewing figures collected and published by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB).
In 2006, the top 50 most-watched TV dramas included literary adaptations, like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, starring Geraldine McEwan, and Philip Pullman's The Ruby In The Smoke, featuring Billie Piper in a lead role.
There were popular original series, too. Ten years ago crime drama Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin as detective and single mother Janine Lewis, was in its third series on ITV. And attracting more than five million viewers was The Kindness of Strangers, a psychological drama with Julie Graham and Hermione Norris.
The top 10 for 2006 featured two female-led shows with an audience of more than eight million: Housewife, 49, based on the wartime diaries of Nella Last and starring Victoria Wood, and Helen Mirren's final appearances as Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act.
Prime Suspect, of course, was instrumental in leading the way for strong female leads on TV. Lewis and A Touch of Frost were among the most viewed dramas with a male lead.
On the list in 2016 was the second series of military drama Our Girl, starring Michelle Keegan, as was Dark Angel, a chilling story set in the 19th century starring Joanne Froggatt as prolific serial killer Mary Anne Cotton.
In terms of overall popularity, three of the five dramas that proved most popular with audiences in 2016 featured a lead character or characters who were female.
Forensic crime drama Silent Witness, starring Emilia Fox, was in its 19th series and still attracting audiences in excess of eight million.
Happy Valley, for which Sarah Lancashire won a Best Actress TV Bafta, was in its second run, and there was Call The Midwife, with its female ensemble cast.
Popular shows with a male lead included Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock and Death In Paradise, starring Kris Marshall.
Some caveats - streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime don't release their viewing figures. That means that undoubtedly popular shows with strong female leads, like The Crown, Orange Is the New Black and The Gilmore Girls revival, could not be included on the 2016 top-50 list.
And of course major streaming services did not exist back in 2006.
So in conclusion, the number of female-led dramas - and the ones in which women share the lead - have slightly increased, along with their popularity with audiences.
But there's a long way to go before parity is achieved.
• None All the Doctors, from Hartnell to Whittaker | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40668409 |
Blade Runner 2049: Harrison Ford responds to Deckard replicant mystery - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Is Deckard human or a replicant? The star gives an answer. | Entertainment & Arts | It's one of the most debated theories in sci-fi - is Harrison Ford's character in Blade Runner human or an artificially created replicant?
The answer was left as a mystery in the theatrical release of Ridley Scott's 1982 film - with even Scott and Ford arguing about it - and with a sequel due to be released in October, fans are hoping the issue will finally be resolved.
Ford and fellow cast members including Ryan Gosling introduced a second trailer and new clips from the movie at Comic-Con on Saturday, which connect the sequel to the original film.
Moderator Chris Hardwicke couldn't help but ask Ford if Blade Runner 2049 would address the lingering questions about Deckard's identity - human or replicant?
After a long pause, the star responded: "It doesn't matter what I think."
So that clears that up then.
However he did say he returned for the sequel because: "We had a really good script based on a really good idea. It deepened the understanding of my character… It had great depth."
Set 30 years after the events of the first film, the sequel sees Gosling play Blade Runner Officer K, who discovers a dark secret which leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard.
The Comic-Con panel was introduced by a hologram of Jared Leto, who stars as the villain in the movie but wasn't able to be in San Diego in person.
Gosling admitted making a Blade Runner sequel was surreal and it still hadn't quite sunk in yet that he was making it.
"I just remember when I was a kid it was one of the first films that I'd seen where it wasn't clear how I was supposed to feel when it was over," he said. "There's a moral ambiguity to it that's quite a haunting experience."
Director Denis Villeneuve said he took on the job because he "didn't want anyone else to [muck] it up", as the original film was his inspiration to become a film-maker.
However he thanked Ridley Scott for leaving him to get on with making the film he wanted.
The final fan question in the Q&A was put to Harrison Ford - was it his goal to reboot every single one of his franchises, having turned his hand to Indiana Jones, Star Wars and now Blade Runner?
"You bet your ass it is!" he replied.
We can only hope for a Working Girl sequel next.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
• None Comic-Con: What you should look out for
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40690349 |
How OJ Simpson paved the way for Donald Trump - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | His trial, and car chase, paved the way for reality TV, and Donald Trump, writes Nick Bryant. | US & Canada | Was OJ Simpson's arrest and trial the beginning of reality TV - and Donald Trump's rise?
It seems entirely fitting that OJ Simpson should reappear at this surreal juncture in American life because many of the trends that culminated in the election of Donald J Trump can be traced back to his arrest and trial.
Consider first of all the impact on the US media of that slow-motion car chase, as "The Juice" headed down the 405 freeway in the back of his white Ford Bronco pursued by a small armada of police cars and a squadron of news helicopters. With viewers glued to their televisions that day, Domino's recorded a record spike in pizza deliveries.
It was the moment arguably that real-time, rolling news truly came of age.
That chase and the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the 1995 trial on CNN and Court TV demonstrated a voracious appetite for cable news. The OJ "trial of the century", with its blend of tabloid sensationalism and serious analysis, established the formula for ratings success.
In last year's presidential election, the media fixation with Donald Trump demonstrated how that recipe still works now. His candidacy could almost have been tailor made to fit the requirements of real-time cable news and Twitter, its digital equivalent.
In ratings terms, his road to the White House became the political equivalent of that freeway chase, an improbable journey we couldn't take our eyes off partly because we were fascinated to learn how it would end. Donald Trump exploited this. The billionaire reality TV star, sensing immediately his media pulling power, became the ringmaster of an OJ-style circus.
OJ Simpson was already a star, but the whole of America was hooked on every detail of the trial
America's celebrity culture predates OJ Simpson, but his trial unquestionably fuelled it. Johnny Cochran, Marcia Clark, Robert Shapiro. The attorneys became stars in their own right. So, too, did Judge Lance Ito. Kato Kaelin, a minor player, parlayed his witness stand limelight into various appearances on reality TV shows.
Then there's the Kardashian connection. OJ's close friend Robert Kardashian, the father of Kourtney, Kim, Chloe and Rob, sat alongside the defence team throughout the trial.
The first time that Americans were introduced to a Kardashian on television was when Robert appeared before the media on 17 June, 1994, the day of the Bronco car chase, to read a letter penned by OJ which sounded like a confession. Robert Kardashian became one of the first inadvertent celebrities of the OJ story, and his children ended up being beneficiaries.
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Few episodes in American life so starkly exposed the racial divide as the OJ verdict. A majority of whites were convinced of his guilt. Polls suggested that six out of 10 African-Americans thought him innocent. In the Oscar-winning documentary OJ: Made in America, one of the most stunning sequences comes when the shots of jubilant African-Americans celebrating OJ's acquittal are juxtaposed with white viewers speechless and stunned. Such was the roar of delight from OJ's supporters gathered outside the courthouse that a police horse reared up in fright.
Back then it was stunning to see how Americans presented with the same evidence could reach conclusions so diametrically opposed. But it was not altogether surprising. In the aftermath of the Rodney King beating, and the acquittal of the officers who clubbed him so mercilessly, it made sense for the defence team to put the Los Angeles Police Department on trial. Playing what became known as "the race card" was a clever, if cynical ploy (OJ's lawyer Robert Shapiro famously said afterwards his legal team had played the race card from "the bottom of the pack").
After the celebrated former football star had been acquitted, one of the nine African-Americans on the jury was brazen enough to flash OJ Simpson the black power salute. Another black juror, Carrie Bess, unashamedly told the makers of OJ: Made in America the verdict was payback for Rodney King.
Americans reached radically different conclusions in 1995, as they do now
The black lawyer Johnny Cochran had successfully tapped into a shared sense of victimhood among African-Americans understandably appalled by the institutional racism of the LAPD. Mark Fuhrman, the detective who was recorded using a racial epithet, became exhibit one, the perfect bogey man.
Here again there are parallels with the election of Donald Trump, when voters were presented with the same evidence, the same televised spectacle, and reached diametrically opposed opinions. Again America was riven, although the roots of that polarisation were different. With OJ, it was race.
With Trump, it was class, education, gender and geography. Yet he, too, tapped into a shared sense of victimhood. He portrayed himself as the victim of the Washington political establishment and East Coast liberal media, essentially telling his supporters that the same elites sneering at him were the same elites sneering at them. Whereas Cochran played the race card, Trump deployed the rage card.
Another parallel. When historians study the rise of post-truth politics, the triumph of feelings over fact, they will surely trace at least some of its origins back to the OJ Simpson trial. In that LA County courtroom, the evidence overwhelmingly pointed towards Simpson's guilt on charges of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Yet some jury members admitted afterwards they wanted to give the LAPD and the prosecution team a bloody nose. For some jurors, it was a protest verdict, based on emotion rather than the facts of the case.
What struck me about last year's election was how many voters were prepared to overlook Donald Trump's truth-stretching and falsehoods because of their determination to exact revenge and send a message. Trump's relied on slogans - Make America Great Again, Build the Wall, Lock Her Up - knowing they had more resonance than detailed policies. Feelings were more important than facts. Hillary Clinton became the perfect bogey woman. Someone who personified all that was wrong with the American body politic. Someone who used the "d" word, deplorables, to describe them.
Many of those who voted for Trump felt the political system was rigged against the white working class, just as some of the black jurors in the OJ trial felt the political system was rigged against them.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Four things OJ did in while in prison
Johnny Cochran proved a master at presenting alternative facts, even coming up with the simple, but deeply misleading, catch-phrase, "if it doesn't fit you must acquit". Donald Trump has become the greatest practitioner of post-truth politics, and cries "fake media" in much the same way that Cochran talked of fake forensic evidence. During his first six months in office, the President made 836 false statements, according to the fact-checkers at the Washington Post, but that doesn't seem to worry staunch Trump loyalists.
Back in 1995 the world was captivated by the trial of OJ Simpson, just as it now is with the trials and tribulations of Donald Trump.
To outsiders, both are Only in America phenomena. When the not guilty verdict was handed down, many global onlookers found it completely inexplicable, and concluded there must be something terribly wrong with America's criminal justice system.
Is that now not the question being asked of America's broken politics? | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40683038 |
Generation Game to be brought back with Mel and Sue - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former Great British Bake Off presenters will host a four-episode run of the classic game show. | Entertainment & Arts | Former Great British Bake Off hosts Mel and Sue are to host the return of BBC classic show The Generation Game.
It has been commissioned for an initial four-episode run, although a launch date has yet to be set.
"It's a cuddly toy, it's a toaster, it's a circular power saw, no it's Mel and Sue doing the Generation Game! We can't believe it, we are so excited!" the hosts said.
The new show will combine aspects of the original series with new games.
Perkins had hinted earlier this month on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that the presenting duo might reunite for another TV project soon, after quitting The Great British Bake Off last year when the BBC lost the rights to Channel 4.
"I'm very hopeful Mel and I will do some pratting about, but I couldn't tell you exactly what yet. Possibly some prime-time pratting," she told Kirsty Young.
BBC Studios said audiences had identified the Generation Game as "the TV show that viewers most wanted to see back on their screens".
The show sees pairs of family members across generations take part in performance and task-based games, with the ultimate goal of facing the Conveyor Belt.
This is a memory test whereby the winning pair watches prizes pass on the belt before attempting to remember each one to win it, from household appliances to the infamous cuddly toy.
Sir Bruce Forsyth fronted the Generation Game from 1971-77 and again from 1990-94
All the family pairs will start the show in the studio audience and only find out which game they are playing when Mel and Sue announce them.
A panel of star judges will score the pairs after each game and decide which will get to face the Conveyor Belt.
Charlotte Moore, the director of BBC content, said: "The Generation Game is an iconic BBC One show, so to be able to bring it back for today's audience with Mel and Sue overseeing things is a wonderful moment for the channel."
Larry Grayson and Jim Davidson have also presented the Generation Game
One-off editions of the show were hosted by Vernon Kay in 2011 and Graham Norton in 2005
The Generation Game began on BBC One in 1971, with Sir Bruce Forsyth as its longest-serving host. The entertainer fronted the show for two spells from 1971 to 1977 and 1990 to 1994.
The Generation Game was presented by Larry Grayson between 1978 and 1982 and Jim Davidson from 1995 to 2002.
There have also been two one-off editions of the show. Graham Norton presented a Christmas edition in 2005, while Vernon Kay took charge of a version for Comic Relief in 2011.
In 2014, one of the contestants on the Comic Relief special, Miranda Hart, was reported to be in talks to host a revival herself.
The announcement of the show's revival with Mel and Sue was described by comedian Susan Calman on Twitter as "smashing", while Sally-Ann Burgon tweeted: "Just perfect, literally just the most perfect "regeneration" of a show".
But Mark Rice was among several people to wonder why an old format was being revived, tweeting: "Love Mel and Sue but, seriously, the Generation Game? Can the BBC not come up with any fresh ideas for such great presenters?"
Meanwhile, Daily Mirror TV critic Ian Hyland mischievously suggested: "The BBC should put Mel & Sue's Generation Game on at the same time as Bake Off on C4. And have a cake icing round featuring Mary Berry."
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-40695631 |
EasyJet ticket review call after son, 15, taken off plane - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The boy, 15, was travelling alone to see grandparents in France when he was asked to leave the plane. | Sussex | Casper Read was travelling alone to grandparents in Toulouse, France
The mother of a boy taken off a plane at Gatwick due to a lack of seats is demanding EasyJet overhaul its ticketing process.
Casper Read, 15, was travelling alone to grandparents in France when he was asked to leave the plane after a man was allocated the same seat.
Stephanie Portal, from Worthing, West Sussex, said her son felt "he had been kicked off and cheated".
EasyJet has apologised, offered compensation and is investigating.
"There was him and an adult for one seat and the adult was getting very angry about it all," Miss Portal said.
"I don't know if it was a random selection, or if they thought Casper would be the easier option to get off the plane, but it's wrong.
"He was asked to go to the cockpit - thinking he would be allocated another seat - but before he knew it, was taken outside the plane and told to go to the information desk.
"He was left to make his own way through the airport, nobody in departures to meet or help him, and despite there being three more flights that day was put on the latest one and had a 10 hour wait."
Casper Read had to wait 10 hours for the last flight of the day
Miss Portal said a manager at EasyJet told her the airline overbooks its flights by up to five seats due to people often not showing up, and that it was the last people to check-in, not the last to buy their tickets, who were in danger of not getting a seat.
"The whole system needs an overhaul and the attitude of the attendants was irresponsible," she said.
"Children should never be pulled off a flight and the people who are should be given priority on the next one.
"Airlines cannot gamble on the probability of people not turning up."
"Casper is quite laid back but he really felt he had been kicked off and cheated," she added.
A spokesman for the airline said: "EasyJet is sorry that Casper Read's flight from London Gatwick to Toulouse was overbooked on 20 July.
"We are investigating why he was able to board the aircraft as he should have been informed at the gate.
"EasyJet has a procedure to protect unaccompanied minors but unfortunately this was not followed on this occasion."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-40691142 |
Boots apologises for morning-after pill response - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The company initially said it didn't want to "incentivise inappropriate use" of the pill. | UK | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "Boots spectacularly misjudged public opinion," says Clare Murphy of the BPAS
Boots has said it is "truly sorry" for its response to calls to cut the cost of one of its morning-after pills.
The pharmaceutical company was criticised after telling the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) it was avoiding "incentivising inappropriate use".
It now says it is looking for cheaper alternatives to the Levonelle brand.
The firm said it "sincerely" apologised for its "poor choice of words" over the emergency contraception pricing.
The progestogen-based drug Levonelle costs £28.25 in Boots, with a non-branded equivalent priced at £26.75.
The branded drug costs £13.50 at Tesco and a generic version is £13.49 in Superdrug.
Claire Murphy from the BPAS welcomed the move by Boots but said it would keep up the pressure on the chain.
"Women struggle to access emergency contraception and the cost is a key barrier," she said.
"It's been wonderful to hear the women, and the men, of this country stand up and really make their voices heard in response to the position Boots originally took."
But Laura Perrins from the blog Conservative Women said condemning a pharmacy for setting a price on a particular drug was itself a "form of moralising".
She said Boots should not be forced to reduce the cost, saying Levonelle "is a drug that is unlike others and is a drug that can be given to under-age girls without parental consent".
The BPAS has lobbied Boots to reduce the cost of the pill to make it more accessible for women having difficulty getting the drug quickly on the NHS.
The service also found the pills can cost up to five times more in the UK than in some parts of Europe.
Previously, Boots had defended its pricing plan for the pill, saying it was often contacted by individuals who criticise the company for providing the service.
It also said it "would not want to be accused of incentivising inappropriate use, and provoking complaints, by significantly reducing the price of this product".
The response led to some Labour MPs saying Boots had taken an "unacceptable" moral position, while health campaigners talked of a "sexist surcharge".
The company later issued another statement, stating regret that its previous response had "caused offence and misunderstanding".
It added: "The pricing of [emergency hormonal contraception] is determined by the cost of the medicine and the cost of the pharmacy consultation.
"We are committed to looking at the sourcing of less expensive EHC medicines, for example generics, to enable us to continue to make a privately-funded EHC service even more accessible in the future.
"In addition the NHS EHC service where it is locally commissioned, is provided for free in over 1,700 of our pharmacies, and we continue to urge the NHS to extend this free service more widely."
The morning-after pill can be taken in the days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy.
In England, Levonelle and EllaOne are free of charge from most sexual health clinics, most GP surgeries and most NHS walk-in centres or urgent care centres, but they are free only to women in certain age groups from pharmacies in some parts of the country.
In Scotland and Wales, the emergency contraceptive pill is available free of charge on the NHS from pharmacies, GPs and sexual health clinics.
In Northern Ireland, some pharmacies allow it to be bought on the NHS, and it is available free of charge from sexual health clinics and GPs.
Sandra Gidley, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said the original stance taken by Boots was a "little uncomfortable".
She said: "They seemed to be saying women would be irresponsible and that can't be the case because pharmacists have to ask a set number of questions so if women are regularly trying to use the morning after pill as a method of contraception they're simply not allowed to have it."
• None How risky is the contraceptive pill?
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40689763 |
UK to bring in drone registration - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Drone owners will also be required to pass a safety awareness test. | Technology | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Introducing drone registration "is not about stopping people having fun"
The UK government has announced plans to introduce drone registration and safety awareness courses for owners of the small unmanned aircraft.
It will affect anyone who owns a drone which weighs more than 250 grams (8oz).
Drone maker DJI said it was in favour of the measures.
There is no time frame or firm plans as to how the new rules will be enforced and the Department of Transport admitted that "the nuts and bolts still have to be ironed out".
The drone safety awareness test will involve potential flyers having to "prove that they understand UK safety, security and privacy regulations", it said.
The plans also include the extension of geo-fencing, in which no-fly zones are programmed into drones using GPS co-ordinates, around areas such as prisons and airports.
"Our measures prioritise protecting the public while maximising the full potential of drones," said Aviation Minister Lord Martin Callanan.
"Increasingly, drones are proving vital for inspecting transport infrastructure for repair or aiding police and fire services in search and rescue operations, even helping to save lives.
"But like all technology, drones too can be misused. By registering drones and introducing safety awareness tests to educate users, we can reduce the inadvertent breaching of airspace restrictions to protect the public."
There has not been a significant accident involving a drone yet, but there have been several reports of near misses with commercial aircraft. There have also been incidents of drones being used to deliver drugs to prison inmates.
"Registration has its place. I would argue it will focus the mind of the flyer - but I don't think you can say it's going to be a magic solution," said Dr Alan McKenna, law lecturer at the University of Kent.
"There will be people who will simply not be on the system, that's inevitable."
There have been occasions of near misses between drones and other aircraft
Similar registration rules in the US were successfully challenged in court in March 2017 and as a result are currently not applicable to non-commercial flyers.
Dr McKenna said there were also issues around how a drone's owner could be identified by police and whether personal liability insurance should also be a legal requirement in the event of an accident.
DJI spokesman Adam Lisberg said the plans sounded like "reasonable common sense".
"The fact is that there are multiple users of the airspace and the public should have access to the air - we firmly believe that - but you need systems to make sure everybody can do it safely," he said.
"In all of these issues the question is, where is the reasonable middle ground? Banning drones is unreasonable, having no rules is also unreasonable.
"We're encouraged that [the British government] seems to be recognising the value drones provide and looking for reasonable solutions." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40684581 |
Irish immigrant’s arrest highlights race's role in deportation - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | After a high-profile deportation, undocumented Irish immigrants are on edge. | US & Canada | John Cunningham had been living in the US without papers since 1999
After a high-profile deportation, undocumented Irish immigrants are on edge, and trying to help Latino immigrants who are more likely targets for immigration officials.
John Cunningham came to Boston in 1999. Like many Irish immigrants to the US, he arrived on a 90-day visa for summer work. But then he settled in, worked as an electrician and ran his own company, remaining in the country without authorisation.
"All of a sudden you turn around, so much time has gone by, and you start to realise what is going to be in store for yourself for the future," Cunningham said in a March interview with the Irish Times.
On 16 June, nearly two decades later, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents came to his home to arrest him. He was deported to Ireland on 5 July. Because he arrived in the US under the visa waiver programme, one commonly used by European immigrants, he had waived his right to a hearing.
Ronnie Millar, who runs Boston's Irish International Immigrant Center, thinks Cunningham's decision to share his experiences and speak out for the rights of unauthorised immigrants in the United States made him a target for deportation.
A warrant was issued for Cunningham's arrest in 2014 after he failed to appear in court on an allegation he did not complete work he charged a client for.
But ICE would only confirm that his arrest and deportation was due to his visa overstay.
Cunningham became the first high-profile Irish immigrant deported under President Donald Trump, and it's created a chilling effect in Boston.
"There were shock waves sent through the community, a disbelief that this was actually happening," said Millar, a close friend of Cunningham's.
New citizens sing the US national anthem in Boston
It is a chill felt by people like Jerry. He asked to be identified by only his first name because he remains unauthorised to live in the US and fears deportation. When Jerry first arrived in the US on a three-month visa waiver in the summer of 2011, he hadn't made up his mind about returning to Ireland. "The lifestyle, the work, everything was just better here at the time. So things just kind of happened," he said. "I had a return ticket booked. I just never got on the plane."
The Migration Policy Institute estimates there are 16,000 undocumented Irish living in the US. The Irish Embassy in Washington puts that number closer to 50,000. Most live in Boston, New York or Chicago.
Like Jerry, many are hiding in plain sight, navigating a difficult world of privilege and panic as white, undocumented immigrants.
"I don't think anyone is outright targeting people who look like me," Jerry said, "But there's still a fear. You could be walking in the street and bump into the wrong person, you can get pulled over while driving, walk into the wrong building or show the wrong ID."
"Most people think undocumented and they think people who come across the southern border," Cunningham said in an interview with this reporter a year before his arrest. "They're not thinking about the Irish guy who lives right next to them."
Jerry, Millar and Cunningham all acknowledged that, as white men, they can fly under the radar of those who associate unauthorised immigrants with Mexico and Central America.
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Cunningham recalled local police and immigration officials not questioning his status during stops. He felt that he was given a pass because of his Irish accent. He wondered if the officers would have treated him differently if he were black or brown.
As a whole, white and other non-Latino immigrants are targeted for arrest and detention at disproportionately lower rates, says Randy Capps of the Migration Policy Institute.
"It's the Latino immigrants from Mexico and Central America that are overrepresented in terms of arrests and deportations," said Capps.
Accusations of unequal treatment and racial profiling among immigrant communities have also sparked criticism in Boston about local media attention to Cunningham's arrest. Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, said that for every one story of a white immigrant who faces deportation, there are many other stories of non-white immigrant experiences not told.
Rose points to Boston's Francisco Rodríguez, a Salvadoran immigrant who, after two denied asylum requests, had been granted a stay of removal every year since 2011.
That changed this year under President Donald Trump, who greatly broadened which immigrants the government considers a priority for deportation. Rodriguez was arrested when he arrived for a check-in with immigration authorities in June and remains in custody while fighting his deportation to El Salvador.
Critics also point to racial bias in how Cunningham's story was told. Julio Varela, co-host for Futuro Media's In the Thick podcast and a Boston native, has often challenged what he calls an "Irish immigrant privilege" in local media. In a column on the Latino Rebels blog he argues Irish and other white immigrants like Cunningham are more often portrayed as model community members undeserving of deportation.
It's why the Irish International Immigrant Center offers its legal and social services to more than Irish immigrants. Christina Freeman, a lawyer at the centre, said their "know your rights" workshops often include talk about racial bias and law enforcement. The participants "know there is a racial bias, they've experienced it".
"You look around the room and see who's in there and there's not one white face in the crowd," Freeman said. "It's because the teenagers being stopped the most often are teenagers of colour."
While white undocumented immigrants may benefit from blending in, there is still an impact.
Millar recalls his centre aiding an Irish woman so embarrassed to reveal her immigration status to her American-born family that when a parent died back in Ireland, she instead stayed in a hotel in the US to give her family the illusion she went home, rather than admit that she's undocumented and risk not gaining re-entry into the US.
Following Trump's electoral victory, Millar said there was an increased fear that Boston's previously welcoming stance toward Irish immigrants would soon change. Those fears were compounded following Cunningham's arrest, he adds.
"We are not in a good place as a society," Millar said. "As a nation, we've really lost our way, who we are and our values - being a country that's made up of immigrants."
The World is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH. You can listen to more here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40332646 |
Linkin Park cancel North American tour after Chester Bennington death - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The tour has been cancelled following the death of singer Chester Bennington on Thursday. | Entertainment & Arts | Linkin Park have cancelled their North American tour following the death of singer Chester Bennington.
Promoters Live Nation said refunds would be made available to all ticket-holders for the tour, which was due to begin next Thursday.
A spokesman for the company added: "We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chester Bennington."
The Los Angeles County Coroner said the singer, 41, and a father of six, hanged himself on Thursday.
His body was found at a private home in the county at 09:00 local time (17:00 GMT).
He had previously struggled with addiction and had spoken to BBC Newsbeat about depression and suicide.
Formed in 1996, Linkin Park have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.
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-40690144 |
Marian Hill: 'An Apple advert kick-started our career' - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How Marian Hill went from cult artists to mainstream success, after Apple chose their song for an ad. | Entertainment & Arts | Marian Hill wrote their breakout song, Down, in the space of one night
It's an ordinary day in Advert-ville, USA.
As the black-and-white sun rises over a black-and-white street, authentic-looking extras with a variety of contemporary hairstyles walk past a dilapidated warehouse.
A shoeshine boy flicks open his newspaper, passing time until a customer arrives. None ever will, because shoeshine boys only exist in the movies.
Perched on an upturned milk crate is a tall and slender young man. Let's call him Lil Buck, because that is his name. Bored, he puts in his earphones and fires up a song.
Suddenly, the music brings him to life. He springs off the crate and contorts his body to an irresistible beat, defying gravity as he dances on walls and shop-fronts.
That's how Apple chose to promote their new wireless headphones earlier this year - and the song selected for the soundtrack was Marian Hill's Down.
The "Stroll" commercial has been watched more than 12m times
A sparsely atmospheric track, it pits Samantha Gongol's husky voice against a simple piano figure before crashing into a staccato beat in the chorus.
Apple's advertising agency, Media Arts Lab, stressed the importance of finding "an unknown band" for their commercial.
"People get excited when they discover a new band," music supervisor Peymon Maskan told Music Week earlier this year.
"They pull out their phone to Shazam the track and they tell their friends. That's a music fan's experience when discovering an ad like this."
Within days of the advert airing, the song had racked up 12 million views on YouTube and Down became the most searched-for song in America - ahead of Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.
Nielsen Soundscan, which compiles the charts, said sales of the song jumped from "negligible" (not worth reporting) to 101,000 in the space of a week. In the UK, it was streamed more than 3 million times.
"That commercial was the catalyst for a lot of things," says keyboardist and producer Jeremy Lloyd.
"It put us in so many people's living rooms - and to have them instantly love the song felt so validating for all the work we had done."
As they take a break from making their second album, the duo tell the BBC how they got together and found their sound.
How did the band get together?
Samantha: Jeremy and I have been friends since we were about 12 or 13. We got the name Marian Hill from a production of The Music Man that we were in together in eighth grade. He played Harold Hill, I played Marian Paroo and we combined our character names.
We stayed friends throughout high school and college, until Jeremy showed me a beat and asked if I wanted to write with him. That song was called Whisky, and the rest is history.
Right out of the gate you had a unique, minimalistic sound. How did it come about?
Jeremy: We really stumbled into it. At the time we'd written a couple of other things together that were all over the map musically. Then I was playing Sam a couple of different beats and I had one that had this hip-hop feel to it - and that was the Whisky beat. Neither of us had ever made anything like it before.
I was able to recognise how much better it was - and so, for me, the goal became, how do you carry this forward?
"Jeremy and I can be honest without hurting each other's feelings," says Samantha
Jeremy: At that point, it still wasn't that serious, necessarily. It was just a thing we'd made. And when I was about to graduate college, I decided I wanted to give it a real try, so I emailed, like, 50 blogs and thankfully people picked up on the song and liked it. From then on it's been this slow, steady stream of people wanting to hear more.
Samantha, your vocals are very jazzy. Who were your influences?
Samantha: I grew up loving the diva vocalists - Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James. I was a huge Norah Jones fan too. That was a huge watershed moment for me, in terms of discovering a contemporary vocalist that I connected with.
Jeremy: So often in songs, there's no room for the vocal to sit - the voice is just pasted on top, so the whole mix is throbbing at the seams. With our stuff I try to make sure the vocal has space, and you can hear all the textures and nuances that would otherwise get lost.
Before Marian Hill, Samantha did some work as a "top liner", writing melodies for big pop singers. What was that like?
Samantha: Writing sessions are kind of like blind dating: You're just thrown into a room together and you hope you get along and make something incredible.
How did you go about writing Down?
Samantha: We were just messing around in the studio and I think the piano line came first, Jeremy?
Jeremy: Yeah, it was the first thing we'd written on a piano. I was goofing around and I stumbled on that piano line. It wasn't like, "OK, we're writing a song now." I wasn't quite sure about it. But I asked Sam, "Do you think we could do something with this?" and she figured out a melody.
Looking back on it, it was such a simple process. I'm pretty sure it was all one night.
The duo released their debut EP in 2013
The song's about going to a party against your better judgment, is that right?
Samantha: We just wanted to have fun with it. There are so many party songs about getting on the dancefloor and throwing your hands in the air (like you just don't care).
We thought it could be cool to write it from the perspective of Marian Hill, and what it would sound like if we did a song like that. "I'm not sure I want to go, but do you?" And then the crash of the chorus was the party itself.
The Apple commercial really fitted the song. How much input did you have?
Jeremy: We probably would have had a veto if we'd hated it, but it very much was on them. They put it together and we were just like, "Wow, this is perfect."
Jeremy: It was amazing because our album [Act One] had been out for a minute and our fans were loving it, but it hadn't really broken out to a larger audience. Having this spotlight, it put us in so many people's living rooms, and to have them instantly love the song felt so validating for all the work we had done. It was a great way to finish off the album campaign.
The band will be playing in the UK later this year
Jeremy: We've been writing a lot over the last two months, together in New York and at home in Philadelphia. It's an exciting point to be at, coming off the success of Down, so we're really excited to get these songs out to our new fans.
What changes are you making compared to the first album?
Jeremy: It's the same aesthetic, only it's a little more brash. But we're right in the middle of it and that direction could change.
And when do we get so hear it?
Jeremy: It will be within a six-month window. We have a deadline in mind.
Samantha: Probably in the fall.
Marian Hill's Act One (The Complete Collection) is out now. They play a headline gig at London's Scala on 9 October.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40683275 |
John Hesp from Bridlington wins £2m in world poker contest - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The semi-retired businessman usually plays in £10 entry tournaments in his home casino in Hull. | Humberside | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. John Hesp: "I've been living the dream, I've loved every minute of it"
A grandad from East Yorkshire has won $2.6m (£2m) by finishing fourth in the world's most prestigious poker tournament.
John Hesp, 64, of Bridlington, made it to the final table of the main event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
The grandfather of seven swapped his local casino in Hull for Las Vegas to take part in the 7,221-player contest.
Mr Hesp's progress captivated the poker world, with many of the game's biggest names rooting for him to win.
The semi-retired businessman, who paid $10,000 (£7,000) to enter the tournament, won admirers for his colourful dress sense and cheerful demeanour at the table.
Mr Hesp made it to the final table, narrowly missing out on the top three
Speaking to the BBC, he said: "It's been quite awesome, I've been living the dream, I've loved every minute of it and I've had so much fun and entertainment.
"I've wanted to do this tournament for a couple of years now, it was one of the things on my bucket list."
The final at the Rio casino is due to conclude on Saturday, with the winner earning $8,150,000 (£6.3m).
Mr Hesp, who said he wasn't going to turn professional, continued: "I got in the top 500, then 100, then 50 and so on and it got to the point where it was indescribable, nobody could believe I could do it as an amateur.
"As I dropped below 100 it seemed quite a number of the world's media got on board and started to want to talk to me."
The main event is the finale of the WSOP's yearly poker extravaganza
The amateur, who runs a caravan centre in Bridlington, said: "I've just wanted to play some poker with some professionals.
"First of all I'd like to spoil the family a bit, my wife isn't that bothered about going away on holiday but we're quite happy to go to our humble, static caravan in the Yorkshire Dales at Pateley Bridge."
Professional poker player Danielle Anderson tweeted: "What a pleasure it was to see John Hesp bring fun back to poker's biggest stage. Hope players follow his example. Let's grow the game."
Poker journalist Remko Rinkema posted: "John Hesp's 4th-place for $2.6 million is the second biggest cash ever by a British player."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-40691415 |
Newspaper headlines: Some first class trains to end and Boots boycott call - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The end of some two-tier rail travel, and a Boots boycott call make newspaper headlines. | The Papers | A plan to scrap first class compartments on commuter trains is the lead for the Daily Telegraph.
The paper has an interview with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who uses the train to get to his Whitehall office.
He says he understands what a pain it is for passengers to stand in packed standard-class carriages, while first-class compartments are empty.
The Telegraph says it first highlighted the issue of half-empty first class carriages on packed commuter trains in 2013 and it thinks scrapping them is "a first class idea".
The Daily Mail leads on the row between Boots and a number of female Labour MPs over the chain's refusal to cut the price of the morning-after pill.
Boots put out a statement late last night apologising for its initial response and saying it was looking for cheaper alternatives. It had earlier suggested it didn't want to encourage the overuse of the morning-after pill.
In an editorial, the Mail welcomes what it describes as Boots' "principled stand" calling it "refreshing". It describes the Labour MPs - who'd called for a boycott of Boots - as "contemptible".
The row over BBC pay rumbles on, and the Daily Mirror leads with a claim that BBC bosses held a string of frantic talks with female stars before details of huge pay disparities with men became public.
One unnamed source is quoted saying: "The BBC might describe them as contract negotiations, but it looked like hush money to me."
Charles Moore in the Telegraph points out - among many things - that if the women get more while the men stay on the same then the whole point of exposing the figures in the first place, to force the BBC to control its costs, will have been upended.
According to the Times, hard-left Labour supporters are plotting to oust the party's deputy leader, Tom Watson, over what they see as disloyalty to Jeremy Corbyn.
They're said to want to replace him with the shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry. Sources close to Ms Thornberry have said the claims are categorically untrue.
The Guardian reports that Interpol has circulated the names of 173 so-called Islamic State militants it believes could have been trained to mount suicide attacks in Europe.
The list was drawn up by US intelligence from information captured during assaults on IS territories in Syria and Iraq.
The Daily Express, meanwhile, highlights the case of an illegal migrant in Bishop Auckland in County Durham, who's been spared jail despite allegedly saying he wanted to kill all the English; he was arrested after bursting into a Methodist church during a Sunday service.
The paper says Home Office officials failed to take the opportunity to seek a deportation order - and Crown Prosecution Service lawyers rejected a request by magistrates to consider more serious charges.
An investigation into cyber-crime by the i paper reveals what the paper calls "the shocking truth behind the threat you face".
The paper talks of a "tidal wave of attacks" costing the British public more than the budget of the NHS. It says 85% of attacks go unsolved by the police, as criminal gangs steal millions of pounds every day.
Examples of victims include everyone from GPs targeted by identity thieves, to a grandmother defrauded of her life savings.
And, the paper says, police in South Yorkshire have had to drop investigations six times in the past three years - after discovering the alleged offenders were under ten years old. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-40689482 |
Jerusalem: Metal detectors at holy site 'could be removed' - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Tensions have risen over security measures at the site in Jerusalem revered by Jews and Muslims. | Middle East | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Israel is willing to consider alternatives to controversial metal detectors it installed at a holy site in Jerusalem, a senior official says.
Major General Yoav Mordechai called on the Muslim world to put forward other suggestions.
Israel installed the detectors after two Israeli policemen were killed near there earlier this month.
The measures angered the Palestinians, who accuse Israel of trying to take control over a sacred place.
Tensions over the site, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, have surged in the past couple of days.
"We hope that Jordan and other Arab nations can suggest another security solution for this (problem)," Maj-Gen Mordechai told BBC Arabic, referring to the metal detectors.
"Any solution be it electronic, cyber or modern technology: Israel is ready for a solution. We need a security solution; not political or religious."
The BBC World Service's Middle East editor Alan Johnston says it is the first sign of a softening of Israel's position over the measures.
Saturday saw fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. At least four Palestinians have been killed in the last two days' protests.
On Friday, three Israeli civilians were stabbed to death at a settlement near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
The United Nations Security Council is to meet on Monday to discuss ways of defusing the violence. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-40695132 |
Highs and lows as small town sponsors refugee family - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Meet the grandmother who led the charge to sponsor a family of refugees. | Wales | Retired nurse Christine Hughes preparing for the arrival of the refugee family
They have donated time, skills, money and even a house in a bid to be allowed to help a family of refugees resettle in the UK.
But, as the Home Office announces £1m to help more communities sponsor refugees, just how much work was it for one group of retirees, part and full-time workers to pull together and take responsibility for a family?
Christine Hughes kept seeing pictures and videos on Facebook of Syrian refugees and their desperate bids to get to the UK. And she wanted to help.
"I was hearing the most awful stories and just not sleeping," mother-of-four and grandmother Mrs Hughes said.
"If I started thinking about it before I went to sleep, that was it, I just couldn't sleep, because I knew what people were suffering right at that moment while there I was in my cosy bed."
No longer wanting to feel helpless, she and a few other people held a meeting in the Pembrokeshire town of Narberth to discuss what they could do.
A year later and she has finally achieved her goal - to resettle a refugee family in the picturesque market town.
It is one of 10 to have brought a group of refugees to the UK under a scheme introduced in July 2016.
It means community can take responsibility for resettling up to three refugee families - supporting their move here by setting up accommodation for them, helping them to learn English and eventually find jobs.
The vast majority of the 20,000 Syrian refugees the UK has committed to take in have come through the support of local councils. But community groups have sponsored 53 refugees in the last year.
Narbeth has a population of 2,000, according to the last census
The scheme was modelled on the successful Canadian Private Sponsorship scheme which has resettled more than 200,000 refugees since it was introduced in 1978.
But the group called Croeso Arberth - meaning Narberth Welcome - said it had not been straight-forward.
It had to raise £4,500 as insurance to cover each of the seven supported refugees, which is kept in a separate bank account for emergencies, as well as having £6,000 in the bank to cover the cost of things like interpreters, transport from the airport and a £200 allowance for each member of the family - given in small amounts for six weeks while they wait for their applications for benefits to go through.
A house had to be found, English lessons arranged, schools contacted and extensive Home Office forms filled in - and that was just to start.
Listen to Croeso Arberth prepare to welcome the family of refugees on BBC Radio Wales' Eye on Wales programme
The UK government website has information about how to sponsor a family of vulnerable refugees to resettle in the UK
Retired nurse Mrs Hughes said: "I had absolutely no idea of the amount of time I was going to have to donate to it.
"I have got a house I rent out, my mother is 93, I have got three horses, I've got four children, two of who have got grandchildren, and have a few little jobs cleaning guest houses, so I'm tearing myself away from different situations, just trying to cope, really.
"Halfway through the process I did think 'what am I doing', but thinking we were nearly there is what has kept me going."
The group, which has a core of 12 people with around 100 more who have expressed a desire to help, has committed to support the resettled family for a year, and be responsible for their housing - paid for with housing benefits - for two years.
Mrs Hughes said: "I started off as an email pusher - just keeping people informed about meetings and fund-raising events. Then I started doing practical things like phoning up the schools, I went to the police, I went to the doctors."
Group tidying up the garden of the house where the refugees will be living
Shortly after she and other members of the group wrote an action plan for the Home Office - a plan that has been revised multiple times since the application first went in.
Jill Simpson, who works part-time at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, liaised with the Home Office on behalf of Croeso Arberth throughout the negotiations.
She said: "I spent months sitting at my computer, pulling together all sorts of information, writing documents. At times it felt as if it was being made very difficult, but I think that, on reflection, it is because it is such a new scheme and the Home Office people have been feeling their way as well.
"There was a lot of support, but you needed to get through this nitty gritty bureaucracy."
The group needed approval from local council Pembrokeshire to go ahead with the application, as well as getting approval from Citizens UK, who acted as the lead sponsor - with legal responsibility to make sure everything runs as it should.
Mrs Simpson said: "We had to describe the house to the Home Office, and it had to be available, but we didn't know how long it would take until we had a family, and that was really difficult because if you think about it no landlord is going to want to sit with a house empty waiting for a family to arrive at an unspecified time."
Oshi Owen has turned her former family home over to the refugee family
But the group struck lucky when local Oshi Owen, who was thinking about moving from her five-bedroom house in Narberth, heard the group were looking for somewhere for the refugee family.
Ms Owen said: "I had thought about moving in September, but when the group were looking for somewhere for a family of refugees I just said I will somehow manage it and make it work and committed to move out by April."
She will be paid rent through housing benefit, although she said it is below what she could get for the house if it was privately rented.
The group initially thought they might be able to have the family arrive in April and eventually the arrival date became July.
Ms Owen said: "I had to accept that for three months there wasn't going to be any rent coming in.
"But I would rather help people than it being about the money. It is about giving something to those in need."
She left some furniture in the house for the new tenants, while the community group cleared the garden and cleaned in preparation.
Croeso Arberth had a small welcome party at the airport to meet the family of seven
Ms Owen said neighbours were "shocked" to hear who was moving in, but "really want to make the family welcome".
With the house spick and span there was a nervous wait before the refugees arrived on 13 July.
As they walked through arrivals at Birmingham Airport they were greeted by a welcome party of interpreters and members of Croeso Arberth clutching balloons, chocolates and a big sign between them.
BBC Wales have agreed not to identify Narberth's newest Syrian residents - but we can say they are an extended family of seven from a refugee camp in the Middle East.
"I can't believe it is all over with now," Mrs Hughes said.
"I would never have expected it to be such a big thing to undertake, but I feel like the family are going to be fine, and it is the start of a new chapter now with them here. Things will go wrong, but we will just have to play it by ear."
Croeso Arberth have plans to sponsor another group of refugees in the near future, but hope it will be easier next time.
Mrs Hughes added: "Because we have been one of the first groups to do this it has been a learning curve for us and the Home Office, but hopefully they will be able to do things faster for other groups and it will all move along a bit quicker.
"Obviously I still think about the people still in refugee camps, but I know I cannot do any more than I have done and am doing."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-40641352 |
Corrie Mckeague: Mother considers landfill injunction - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Nicola Urquhart says she wants to stop police filling a landfill where she thinks her son's body is. | Suffolk | The mother of missing airman Corrie Mckeague says she is considering taking out an injunction to stop police filling in the landfill site where she believes her son's body is.
Corrie Mckeague, 23, was last seen since in Bury St Edmunds in September.
Police called off the landfill search near Cambridge on Friday.
His mother Nicola Urquhart said she was "beyond devastated". A petition calling for Suffolk Police to continue the search has more than 13,000 signatures.
The RAF serviceman from Dunfermline, Fife, has not been seen since a night out in the Suffolk town when CCTV showed him entering a bin loading bay.
Thousands of tonnes of waste was sifted through in the search
Police began searching the Milton landfill site in March but after 20 weeks announced it was at an end.
However, they have said they will now search previously incinerated waste and carry out a review of the investigation.
Mr Mckeague's mother said: "I'm so angry. I'm beyond devastated that they've misled me... they told us at the beginning they were searching the landfill, they lied.
"They weren't searching the landfill, they were searching an area of the landfill."
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Mrs Urquhart said the police told her "we think he's still in there but we're not searching anymore".
On Friday night a petition was started calling on police to continue searching the site.
Corrie Mckeague, front, was on a night out with friends when he went missing
"Yesterday's decision to stop searching at the landfill means they have now given up on finding Corrie," Mrs Urquhart wrote on Facebook.
"Suffolk police have handed back the landfill and are trying to have it filled back in this week.
"I am getting advice about the possibility about an injunction to stop them filling the landfill in, at least until there is more honesty and plain speaking from the police."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-40691756 |
William and Harry regret last 'rushed' call with Diana - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | William and Harry speak candidly for a documentary marking the 20th anniversary of her death. | UK | The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Prince William and Prince Harry have spoken of their regret that their last conversation with their mother was a "desperately rushed" phone call.
Prince Harry, who was 12 when Princess Diana died, said: "All I do remember is probably regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was."
In an ITV documentary to mark 20 years since their mother's death, the princes also spoke of her "fun" parenting.
Diana encouraged them to be "naughty" and smuggled them sweets, they said.
The princes added that she was a "total kid through and through", who understood the "real life outside of palace walls".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "She was one of the naughtiest parents": Prince Harry and Prince William on their memories of their mother
Unpublished photos of the princes with their mother feature in the programme.
Prince Harry and Prince William are seen looking through Diana's personal album as they talk about how their childhood memories of their mother sat alongside her global image and influence as a campaigner for the homeless, Aids victims, and banning landmines.
Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 when Prince William was 15 and Prince Harry was 12.
Prince William said taking part in the programme initially seemed "quite daunting" but had been "a healing process as well".
He said they wanted "her legacy to live on in our work and we feel this is an appropriate way of doing that".
The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry Princess Diana was pregnant when photographed with Prince William here. "Believe it or not, you and I are both in this photograph," the Duke of Cambridge tells his brother in the programme
But the Duke of Cambridge said the last conversation with their mother weighs "quite heavily" on his mind.
It took place while the brothers were having a "very good time" with their cousins at Balmoral, the Queen's home in Scotland.
"Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know 'see you later'... if I'd known now obviously what was going to happen, I wouldn't have been so blasé about it and everything else," he said.
Prince William says in the interview he remembers what his mother said - but does not reveal details of the conversation.
Prince Harry said: "It was her speaking from Paris, I can't really necessarily remember what I said but all I do remember is probably regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was."
Recalling Princess Diana's sense of humour, Prince Harry said: "Our mother was a total kid through and through.
"When everybody says to me 'so she was fun, give us an example' all I can hear is her laugh in my head."
He added: "One of her mottos to me was, you know, 'you can be as naughty as you want, just don't get caught'.
"She was one of the naughtiest parents. She would come and watch us play football and, you know, smuggle sweets into our socks."
The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry The photos shown in the programme were taken from Princess Diana's personal album
Prince William said his mother was "very informal and really enjoyed the laughter and the fun".
She could be "sort of the joker", he added, and "loved the rudest cards you could imagine".
He said: "I would be at school and I'd get a card from my mother. Usually she found something, you know, very embarrassing, you know, a very funny card, and then sort of wrote very nice stuff inside.
"But I dared not open it in case the teachers or anyone else in the class had seen it."
Prince Harry and Prince William, now aged 32 and 35 respectively, say Diana was "the best mother ever"
He also talked about the "very funny memory" of coming home from school to find his mother had invited supermodels Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell to their home in Kensington Palace.
"I was probably a 12 or 13-year-old boy who had posters of them on his wall," he told Monday's documentary, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy.
"I went bright red, and didn't know quite what to say and sort of fumbled and I think pretty much fell down the stairs on the way up. I was completely and utterly awestruck."
Earlier this month, the princes attended a service to re-dedicate their mother's grave at Althorp House in Northamptonshire, on what would have been her 56th birthday.
Prince Harry said he had only cried twice for his mother - one of the times was at the funeral service at Althorp in 1997.
"So there's a lot of grief that still needs to be let out," he said.
Prince William, who was accompanied at the re-dedication service by the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, said he keeps the memory of his mother alive for his children by "constantly talking about granny Diana".
"She'd be a lovely grandmother, she'd absolutely love it, she'd love the children to bits," he said.
And he joked: "She'd be a nightmare grandmother, absolute nightmare... She'd come, probably at bath time, cause an amazing... scene, bubbles everywhere bath water all over the place and then leave."
The princes, pictured here with their mother in 1992, recall their last conversation with her
Reflecting on the anniversary of Princess Diana's death, Prince Harry told ITV: "To myself and William she was just the best mother ever."
He said: "It has been hard and it will continue to be hard, there's not a day William and I don't wish that she was still around and we wonder what kind of mother she would be now, and what kind of a public role she would have and what a difference she would be making."
The princes have also both agreed to take part in a forthcoming BBC documentary about their mother.
They were were speaking to ITV from their home at Kensington Palace where they will unveil a statue of their mother in its public gardens on the 20th anniversary of her death.
Prince William said: "We won't be doing this again - we won't speak as openly or publicly about her again, because we feel hopefully this film will provide the other side from close family friends you might not have heard before, from those who knew her best and from those who want to protect her memory, and want to remind people of the person that she was."
The documentary will be broadcast on ITV and STV at 21:00 BST on Monday, 24 July. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40692457 |
UKIP AM uses racial slur about Labour MP Chuka Umunna - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Michelle Brown is recorded making derogatory comments about Labour's Chuka Umunna in a phone call. | Wales politics | Chuka Umunna was briefly a contender for the Labour leadership in 2015
A UKIP AM has been recorded using a racial slur about an MP in a phone call to a former member of her staff.
North Wales AM Michelle Brown was recorded using derogatory comments about Labour MP for Streatham, Chuka Umunna, in a call in May 2016 to her then senior adviser Nigel Williams.
Ms Brown said her language was "inappropriate" and has apologised.
Mr Williams, who was her senior adviser for 12 months, was sacked by Ms Brown in May.
Ms Brown, who called Mr Umunna a "coconut", was also recorded using an abusive remark about Tristram Hunt, who was then Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central.
Michelle Brown was one of seven politicians elected as UKIP AMs in 2016
In a statement, Ms Brown said: "The point I was making is that because of his considerable wealth and privilege, Chuka Umunna cannot possibly understand the difficulties and issues that the average black person faces in this country any more than I can, and I stand by that assertion.
"I do however accept that the language I used in the private conversation was inappropriate and I apologise to anyone that has been offended by it.
"As far as the language I used about Mr Hunt is concerned, it was a private conversation and I was using language that friends and colleagues often do when chatting to each other."
An assembly Labour Group spokesman said: "This is absolutely outrageous language and lays bare the disgusting racism at the heart of UKIP.
"Anything less than immediate suspension would be a clear endorsement of Michelle Brown's racist slur."
Tristram Hunt quit as an MP to become the director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum
Ms Brown's comments have been referred to the assembly's standards commissioner.
Mr Williams said he believed Ms Brown should resign from her seat and UKIP's national executive committee should remove her from the party.
"You wouldn't expect anyone to say it, let alone somebody in such a position. It's appalling," he said.
"Michelle Brown is not fit for office saying things like that. UKIP HQ should do the right thing. The party does not want people with views like that in the party. End of."
UKIP AM David Rowlands said he "thought we'd put that racist language behind us as a party".
The regional AM for South Wales East said: "It's an inappropriate comment. It's certainly not the kind of language I'd use.
"I don't know if there's been any provocation but I'm very disappointed that anyone in my party should be using that language.
"However, it does puzzle me that someone can record and release a private call without the knowledge of the other person."
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said: "This racism reflects poorly on our parliament - The National Assembly for Wales - and that's why her party should take action on this.
"No to racism in all its forms. No tolerance on racism in our Assembly."
This is not the first controversy Ms Brown has faced - in February, she was forced to deny claims she had smoked "recreational drugs" in a Cardiff Bay hotel room.
Her spokesman said the smell was caused by the AM smoking a strong tobacco product.
• None UKIP AM faces vote of no confidence | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-40688367 |
What can modern girls learn from Disney princesses? - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | England's women's footballers are calling for girls to recognise the strong traits in the characters. | UK | A slim figure, housework skills, and the need to be rescued by a man are some of the attributes often associated with Disney princesses.
But behind the clichés, the characters can also demonstrate determination, compassion, ambition - and fearlessness.
The England women's football team believes the traits of Disney princesses are exactly what you need to be come a successful player.
The Football Association (FA) has joined with Disney on a campaign that focuses on the character's strong attributes - to encourage more young females into football.
Striker Nikita Parris said: "My favourite Disney princess is Ariel from The Little Mermaid because she was fearless.
"I was the same when it came to playing football with the boys in my home town. I had to be determined in order to make it."
Captain Steph Houghton added: "Being brave, being strong and being kind are all important attributes when it comes to building a successful team.
"They are all qualities that girls can learn from Disney princesses."
But can modern girls pick up anything from the likes of Disney's 80-year-old Snow White - who cleans up after a bunch of men and needs a prince to save her?
England striker Nikita Parris says Ariel's fearless character was an inspiration
She dresses up as Disney princesses for children at Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice near Sheffield.
She believes Disney princesses, both old and modern, can be positive role models for young women.
"I think the more vintage Disney princesses that are scrutinised, like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, who people depict as waiting for success to come to them, can be inspirational.
"In the end they had similar drive. They wanted a better life and it just so happened male figures came into that.
"The famous quote is Cinderella didn't ask for a prince, she asked for a night off and a dress.
"Every single Disney princess has had to go through trouble to get where they want to be.
"They show the struggle and that you can get through the other side with enough work and support and a positive can-do attitude."
Stephanie, who dresses up as Cinderella to visit children, believes princesses are an inspiration
Over the years, Disney has moved away from depicting its princesses as delicate and demure.
The late 1980s saw an ambitious mermaid Ariel defy her dad to achieve her dream of becoming a human - even if she did sacrifice her voice for a man.
Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Jasmine in Aladdin had an independent streak, while Mulan showed women could fight just as well as men - if not better.
In 2009, Tiana became Disney's first black princess and 2012's Merida from Brave showed off an adventurous spirit and a love of archery.
Despite not being official Disney princesses, Frozen's Elsa and Anna have been praised for putting sisterhood at the heart of their happiness.
And Disney's newest female heroine Moana was depicted with an average body type and without a love interest.
Suzie Longstaff, headteacher of the all-girls Putney High School in south-west London, has done assemblies about empowering girls through Disney princesses.
She says: "Disney have come a long away, and my two children have grown up with Elsa and Anna and Moana and Ariel. They are all so much better female role models.
"They have traits that the FA is extolling, and any way we can empower girls to believe in themselves through role modelling they recognise and enjoy is fantastic.
"My five-year-old is permanently dressed as Moana at the moment. I think she is a great strong girl who can stand up for herself."
However, Mrs Longstaff thinks some of the older Disney princesses do not portray strong female characteristics.
"I said to the girls at school that the one role model I wish my girls wouldn't dress up as is Cinderella.
"She sits around for years for her prince to come along and in this day and age we can't encourage girls to do that. They must go out and stand up for themselves.
"Disney and the FA are on the road but there is a long way to go to completely equalise the perception of female and male role models as well as diversity."
Disney's Princess Tiana's ambition was to open her own restaurant
Disney appears to be keen to move away from focusing on the stereotypes of what makes a princess.
Last year it launched a ten-point checklist of what it takes to be a Disney princess - and it didn't include the need to wear a tiara or a ball gown.
Instead, they included being honest, trying your best and never giving up.
Siobhan Corria, head of inclusion for charity Action for Children, says there is a role for the more modern Disney princesses in inspiring young women.
However, she believes there are more contemporary role models girls can aspire to.
"I think that more recent Disney characters that don't fit gender stereotypes are inspirational for young girls in terms of achieving things," she says.
"It's good to see Disney keep up with the changing times.
"But I'd prefer organisations like Disney to really be shattering the gender stereotypes as much as possible and give both genders non-traditional roles as a way of inspiring people." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40682933 |
Prince George photo marks fourth birthday - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The picture was taken at Kensington Palace at the end of June, ahead of his birthday on Saturday. | UK | An official portrait of Prince George has been released to mark his fourth birthday.
The picture, taken at Kensington Palace ahead of his birthday on Saturday, captures a smiling future king.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were "delighted" to share the photograph taken by royal photographer Chris Jackson, Kensington Palace said.
The prince has spent the run-up to his birthday on a tour of Poland and Germany with his parents.
Prince George Alexander Louis - known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge - was born on 22 July 2013.
"The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received," Kensington Palace said.
Getty Images royal photographer Mr Jackson, who took the photo at the end of June, said: "I'm thrilled and honoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday.
"He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot."
The prince spent five days in Poland and Germany with his parents ahead of his birthday
Earlier, the Duke of Cambridge gave Prince George and Princess Charlotte a guided tour of a helicopter at the Airbus factory in Hamburg on the last day of their official tour of Germany and Poland.
Prince George tried on a pilot's helmet while Princess Charlotte played with buttons in the cockpit.
In September, Prince George is due to start school.
He will go to Thomas's Battersea, a private preparatory school located a few miles from the family residence in Kensington Palace in London, where the family will be based.
The royal party finished their official tour on Friday | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40684062 |
Comic book success: The rise of the Comic-Con festival - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How Comic-Con has become an annual festival of costumes and comic books - and a multi-million dollar industry. | Business | Comic-Con International is now a major event and has spawned festivals around the world
San Diego's Comic-Con International, happening this weekend, is an annual fiesta of costumes, comic books and celebrities that sits at the centre of a multi-billion dollar industry.
From a gathering of less than 300 people in 1970, the event has morphed into an annual, multi-day media bonanza that draws major corporate sponsors, movie studios and more than 150,000 people.
The event made more than $17m in revenue in 2015, according to the most recent tax filing available online, and it has spawned similar festivals in cities around the world.
"San Diego's growth has been mind-boggling," says author John Jackson Miller, who also owns Comichron, which tracks sales of comic books.
Mr Miller went to San Diego for the first time in the early 1990s, when it still drew less than 40,000 people.
When Comic-Con started just 300 came, now it involves more than 150,000 people
Now thousands of people flock to San Diego for the event even without tickets and the skyrocketing demand has led some to call for San Diego to expand its convention centre.
Eventbrite, a ticketing website, estimated that fandom conventions in North America grossed $600m in 2013. It said the wider economic impact could be as high as $5bn.
The San Diego convention centre estimates the annual July event generates some $140m in economic impact for the region.
Experts say the growth has been fuelled in part by a Hollywood that has mined comic books and science fiction for blockbusters, broadening the fan base.
Advances in special effects since 2000, when X-Men was released, have increased the success of movie adaptations, says Mr Miller. (Warner Bros. and Disney own the two major comic publishing outfits.)
The event's also been helped by higher consumer spending on live entertainment
The popularity of the events also coincides with a rise in spending on live entertainment, particularly among younger customers.
Some of the shift reflects a wealthier society with money to burn beyond basic needs, says Stephanie Tully, a marketing professor at University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, who has researched consumer spending.
But she says there's an additional factor at play: Fear Of Missing Out - a phenomenon popularly dubbed FOMO - which has been exacerbated by social media.
"It's really difficult to substitute this year's comic con with next year's comic con," says Eesha Sharma, a professor at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business who worked with Ms Tully on a new study that shows people are more likely to go into debt to pay for experiences than material goods.
Companies have taken note of the phenomenon.
In an increasingly online world, there's still no substitute for face-to-face interactions
Disney is investing heavily in its theme parks and big investors such as TPG Capital, a private equity giant, have plunged money into troupes such as Cirque du Soleil.
"What I hear and what I see is that companies ... have a huge interest in live entertainment at the moment," says John Maatta, a former television executive who is now chief at Wizard World, which ran comic conventions in more than a dozen US cities last year.
Mr Maatta says he thinks people put more value on real-world interaction as more of our lives play out online.
"There's no substitute for human connection," he says.
The growing circus at the San Diego festival, which unlike many others is run by a not-for-profit operation, has turned off some industry stalwarts.
Film adaptations have boosted the appeal of events like Comic-Con
Earlier this month, Mile High Comics, a major comics retailer, said it would not attend for the first time in more than 40 years. Other long time participants have started their own events.
David Glanzer, a spokesman for Comic-Con International: San Diego, did not respond to questions about its approach.
The group in 2014 filed a lawsuit against a smaller Salt Lake City event, alleging that the group had violated its trademark.
But for the most part, organizers have appeared content to let the fandom multiply.
ReedPOP, part of a London-based company, started the New York Comic Con in 2006 - it's expected to draw some 200,000 people this year - and now runs about 30 events globally in cities that include Shanghai, Mumbai and Sydney.
Cosplayers at the 2015 MCM Comic Con in Manchester England
Event director Mike Armstrong says there's some room to grow in the US, and even more opportunity overseas.
"I'm very much of the mindset that rising waters will lift all ships," says Mr Armstrong. "I view smaller shows as feeder opportunities to get people excited and interested so they might one day want to attend New York Comic Con."
Earlier this year, Wizard World, which has scaled back the number of shows since 2015, warned investors it may not be able to continue in business. But Mr Maatta said the problem was temporary and didn't reflect the bigger market.
The firm has righted itself with new financing and announcements of additional conventions are coming, he says.
Comic book sales were flat last year but for now the industry is healthy
"The plan is just to intensify what we're doing," he says.
Are there clouds on the horizon?
Robert Salkowitz, the author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture, has followed the comic industry's rise since the 1990s.
"I always have my eye on how it could fall apart," he says.
Sales at comic book shops were flat in 2016 and have slipped this year, according to Comichron.
Comic book fandom: No longer a fad, for many it's a lifestyle
But Mr Marshall said that compares to banner performance in prior years. Comic sales at general audience book stores continue to grow and movies, such as Wonder Woman, still rake in millions at the box office.
A few flops might scare off the industry, but for now Mr Salkowitz says he thinks the market is healthy.
"Fandom has grown big enough," he says.
Mr Maatta agrees: "I don't think it's a fad," he says. "I'd almost say it's a lifestyle." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40659611 |
'Why my brain injury gets me arrested' - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Dominic Hurley is regularly mistaken for being drunk, but his slurred speech and poor balance is the result of a brain injury following a moped crash in Ayia Napa. | Disability | Dominic Hurley is regularly mistaken for being drunk and it has led to him getting arrested. His slurred speech and poor balance is actually a result of a brain injury caused by a moped crash while he worked abroad.
In 1994, Hurley, then 21, went on a rare night out with his colleagues. He had been studying for a degree in hotel management and was on a year's placement at a hotel near Ayia Napa in Cyprus.
The group had been out for some food and drinks but were tired and called an early end to the night. They travelled back to their accommodation on rented mopeds.
"I had the slowest one and was at the back," he says. "I must have fallen asleep or hit a pothole or lost concentration, I don't know, but I tumbled off and I wasn't wearing a helmet."
Hurley hit his head and ended up in hospital for months. His parents were told he probably wouldn't walk or talk again.
He had been in Cyprus for just seven weeks.
Dominic Hurley was flown back to the UK by the air ambulance days after the crash
"It totally changed me. I was in a coma for three months but I wasn't fully aware of things for at least a year.
"At 21 I had everything going in life, I was into sports, going out, and it all changed. It's like I've got two lives - I've got one until I was 21 and I've got one afterwards."
Hurley, who now lives in Rotherham, defied the doctors' expectations and did walk and talk again, but 23 years after the crash he continues to live with paralysis on his right-side and has learned to write with his left hand. His speech is slurred and he finds organising his life difficult.
His memory has also been significantly impaired. He can remember snapshots of his time in Cyprus but has a total blank of the accident and the following 12 months of recovery.
He says he can only remember "bits and bobs" from his childhood and even then he can't be sure if he's fabricated the memories from photographs.
"There's no time or place to my memories. My brain and memory are like a brick wall where you throw bits of mud at it - some of it sticks, some slide off and other ones bounce off."
Other symptoms of his brain injury have got him into trouble with the law as he can appear drunk and his agitation quickly escalates.
"I am a very nice person but I've been arrested three times," he says.
The first arrest was during a trip to Torquay when he complained about a meal at an Indian restaurant. The food was "awful", he says, and had attempted to convey the point calmly to the staff.
"I tried to explain but they locked the door and said I had to pay. They phoned the police, then I had an argument with the police and I sounded drunk and I was probably stumbling a bit.
"I was thrown in the back of the van and put in a cell. It wasn't until the morning that I could explain."
The second time, Hurley was in a taxi with friends when the driver demanded payment before he would drive them anywhere.
Dominic with his parents Anne and Bill
They tried to explain their friend's situation but say the police were called and Hurley was "yanked out the car" and taken into custody due to what they thought was drunken behaviour.
"They're not like police cells in The Bill or cells you see on TV," Hurley says. "There's excrement on the walls. They make my problems even worse when I'm cold and I get migraines."
He says the three arrests have seen him separated from friends, dragged from cars, and his hands forced behind his back - harsh treatment that made him feel like a "common criminal".
"Each time I was just seen as another drunk. I wasn't given much of an interview at all."
The BBC contacted the National Police Chiefs' Council but it said it could not comment on the care Hurley received.
The third time he was arrested Hurley had been in close proximity to a fight at a pub, but this time he had a trick up his sleeve.
He had been issued with a Brain Injury Identification Card, an initiative from Headway, which describes the side effects he might display.
"The police went through my wallet and found it and said they'd ring my parents. It really helped because they let me out rather than keeping me in all night."
The card was launched nationally this week to help all those in a similar situation to Hurley.
Peter McCabe, chief executive of Headway, a brain injury charity, says: "Many people are assumed to be drunk as a result of having slurred speech or an unsteady gait, with attempts to explain the effects of their brain injury often being ignored."
He says the ID card aims to raise awareness within the criminal justice system and help police officers understand the situation at the earliest opportunity.
He calls it a "simple solution to a tricky conversation" and believes it also gives carriers a confidence boost to which Hurley agrees.
The now 44-year-old father-of-one, says: "All the problems started because people assumed I was intoxicated. I think the card is a great idea. You can work hard to raise awareness but you may not reach every police officer and that is where the ID card comes in.
"I want to be able to tell people rather than have them wondering what's wrong with me. It's just a better way of doing it."
The scheme has received support from the National Police Chiefs' Council, Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Liaison and Diversion and the National Appropriate Adult Network.
Following his accident, Dominic returned to education and studied graphic design at college in Sheffield. It's where he also met his wife, Doreen, who comes from Germany and was on a 12-month work placement.
"She met me and liked me,' he says. "It is more difficult with a brain injury, but all it takes is just a bit more understanding."
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• None BBC Ouch: 'My brain injury turned me into a teenager' | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-40653929 |
Follow Blair's stance on Labour rebels, Corbyn urged - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A former Labour chief whip says ex-PM Blair was reluctant to discipline Corbyn when he was a backbencher. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Former chief whip Baroness Armstrong says Jeremy Corbyn was "the greatest rebel ever"
A former Labour chief whip has urged Jeremy Corbyn to "reflect" on Tony Blair's approach when party leader by ruling out the de-selection of MPs.
Baroness Hilary Armstrong told the BBC Mr Corbyn was "the greatest rebel ever" as a backbencher but Mr Blair was reluctant to discipline him.
She said the then prime minister felt that Labour was "a broad church".
Amid claims Mr Corbyn's opponents could be forced out, Baroness Armstrong said he needed to show he is "tolerant".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The Westminster Hour, Baroness Armstrong said she was pleased the Labour party chairman Ian Lavery had said de-selection was not the way forward.
But she added: "I know MPs where basically there is a process of harassment, where at every meeting they are criticised, they are challenged, they are told that they don't represent the people in the room.
"And all this is meant to do is grind them down, is wear them down, and get them to believe they shouldn't be in the Labour party any more."
She said "sectarianism" was "ruling" in some areas.
Baroness Armstrong added: "Jeremy has the opportunity over the summer and at party conference to make it absolutely clear that he is not going to lead a narrow sectarian faction, he's going to lead a broad church that is tolerant.
"And the real test for Jeremy is, is he up to it?"
Mr Corbyn voted against his own government more than 500 times and Baroness Armstrong said at the time there was upset among party members in his Islington North constituency,
"I had a couple of folk from Jeremy's constituency come to see me and say 'People are a bit upset with Jeremy always being against the Labour government, what if we try to de-select him?'".
She advised them they would not be supported by the leadership.
Baroness Armstrong said: "The prime minister was very clear about that when Jeremy was a backbench MP. And he was right, we shouldn't have worked to de-select him.
"But I hope that Jeremy will now reflect on that and I hope that he will be absolutely determined to make sure it doesn't happen under his watch." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40694882 |
First class could be cut on busy trains, says Grayling - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The transport secretary is "absolutely" committed to scrapping first class seats on commuter routes. | UK | Train firms could be forced to reduce first class seats on busy commuter lines to ease overcrowding, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said.
He said people will see "less first class in the future" with busy suburban trains having "one class" instead.
Mr Grayling suggested operators may be forced to scrap first class areas when franchises are awarded in the future.
Rail Delivery Group - which represents train operators - said it would work to increase seat numbers on key lines.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Grayling said he was "absolutely" committed to scrapping first class carriages on shorter, commuter routes, at busy times of the day, and wanted train operators to take action if passengers demanded it.
"I absolutely understand what a total pain it is if you are standing on a train for 20 to 30 minutes on the way to work," he told the paper.
"I don't really see a case for a non-long distance journey for there to be any division between first and second class. There should just be one class on the train."
"People will see less first class in the future as we start to say that on busy suburban trains you can't start segregating," he added.
The Department for Transport issues contracts to run rail franchises in England, and can include conditions such as whether first class seating should be provided.
In March, ahead of contract negotiations to run the Southeastern franchise, passengers were asked if they wanted to remove first class seats at busy times.
The contract to run the line - which serves south-east London, Kent and parts of East Sussex - expires next year.
Other franchises to be renewed in the next 12 months include the West Coast Main Line from April 2019, and the East Midlands regional contract, which has three firms bidding to run the contract from March 2018.
However, some are not due for renewal for several years, with the Northern and East Anglia franchises currently not due for renewal until 2025.
David Sidebottom, director of Transport Focus - which represents passengers - said it was important train users have a choice, "as long as that choice is not to the extreme detriment of everyone else".
"A balance needs to be achieved between the number of standard and first class carriages a train has," he added.
"However, it is clear that where passengers are being squeezed into standard class carriages while there are plenty of empty seats in first class, this balance is not being achieved.
"In the long-term we need a big increase in capacity. This means continued investment in new and longer trains to meet existing demand."
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group - which represents train operators - said firms were prepared to work with the government over the issue.
"We understand passengers' frustration when they can't get a seat which is why rail companies are working together to invest and improve journeys with thousands of new carriages and 6,400 extra train services a week by 2021," he said.
"We will continue to work with governments to increase seats on key routes to boost communities, businesses and the economy."
• None First class faces axe in new rail deal | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40690621 |
Britain’s Got Talent champion dog Pudsey dies - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | He was the first dog to win the show, alongside owner Ashleigh Butler, in 2012. | Northampton | Pudsey and owner Ashleigh Butler had worked together for 11 years
Britain's Got Talent winner Pudsey the dog has died, ITV has confirmed.
The border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross won the contest in 2012 with owner Ashleigh Butler.
The pair became famous for their dance routine to the Mission Impossible theme, and were the first dog act to win the competition.
Paying tribute to Pudsey on Friday, Ashleigh described him as a "beautiful boy" who had changed her life.
A post on the Britain's Got Talent Twitter feed said: "We are saddened to hear that today we lost Pudsey, a most marvellous winner. Our thoughts are with Ashleigh."
The pair won over viewers by dancing to the Mission Impossible theme
Ashleigh said 11-year-old Pudsey was put down on Thursday after a short battle against leukaemia.
"I had to make the hardest decision of my life to let my beautiful boy go to sleep at the age of 11," she said.
"From the minute he was born he brought nothing but joy to me, and as a winner of BGT millions of others who adored him too.
"No words can express just how much I will miss him.
"He changed my life and I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. He will always be in my heart."
Pudsey even starred in his own movie in 2014
Pudsey and Ashleigh, from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, had worked together for 11 years.
In October 2012, a book titled Pudsey: My Autobidography, was released, chronicling the pet's rise to fame.
He hit the big screen in 2014, taking the leading role in his own movie, Pudsey The Dog: The Movie.
The pair also travelled to America following their big win, where they performed on America's Got Talent and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Tributes began to pour in within minutes of Britain's Got Talent sharing news of his death, with fans saying they were "heartbroken" and sending wishes to his family.
Fans said on social media that they were "heartbroken" at the news
Britain's Got Talent judge David Walliams took to Twitter to pay tribute, writing: "Farewell to a very special dog that the nation fell in love with".
Fan Jennifer Wood tweeted: "Actual just started crying reading and article about Pudsey the dog dying...too sad". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-40687618 |
Gay Germans' joy mixed with adoption angst - BBC News | 2017-07-22 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Equal marriage will be celebrated at Gay Pride Berlin, but adoption is still a thorny issue. | Europe | Gay Pride Berlin is a riot of glitter, glam and rainbow flags.
This weekend people will celebrate Germany's new law to allow equal marriage. But it is not necessarily "equal" for gay parents.
Berlin drag kings wax their moustaches, the queens dust off their biggest beehives and huge rainbow flags adorn government ministries.
This year Berlin's gay festival season has an unusually political edge.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed the new equal marriage law on Thursday, meaning that same-sex couples should be able to get married from October. Until now only civil partnerships were available, which lacked some rights.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas tweeted: "A great day for more justice. Finally all get the same rights!"
Jörg Hormann and his husband Patrick have been in a civil partnership for 9.5 years and have two young children. "We hope that now, finally, people will know that we are a completely normal family," said Jörg. "We're just happy that we're no longer seen as inferior."
I met Jörg and his family a few weeks ago at a demonstration outside the Bundesrat, Germany's upper house, as lawmakers formally voted on the measure.
Next to him stood a woman holding a placard saying "scrap homophobic adoption law". Journalists looked confused. "But I thought the new law sorts out adoption for gay people?" one asked her.
Jörg (L) and Patrick have two children and welcome the new law
In fact Germany's new equal marriage act allows gay couples to adopt. But it ignores the precarious situation of lesbian couples where one partner has a child.
"German laws have, until now, focused on bloodline," explained Constanze Körner from the LSVD, a gay rights group. It means that traditionally in Germany the legal definition of two parents is a mother and a father.
In heterosexual relationships, a man becomes the legal father by marrying the mother, or by simply recognising fatherhood.
For non-biological parents in same-sex relationships, however, the only possibility is a difficult and bureaucratic formal adoption procedure.
It is a process which some mothers describe as harrowing and intrusive, with gay parents having to justify their parenting to officials. It can take up to 18 months, so it can also be a period of uncertainty, a legal limbo in which the co-parent has no parental rights and the child is potentially vulnerable if the biological mother dies.
"We definitely need the possibility that things can be regulated legally before conception, whether there's a known father, or whether the child was conceived through a sperm bank, so that families and children are legally protected," said Ms Körner.
Berlin festival: One reveller posed as Donald Trump looking like a drag queen
The new equal marriage law took Germany by surprise. For years the issue had been blocked by Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), many of whom define marriage as between a man and a woman.
But attitudes in Germany have been shifting and, with elections coming in September, Mrs Merkel's rivals, the centre-left SPD, were hoping to turn gay marriage into a campaign issue.
In typical Merkel fashion, she outmanoeuvred them. She allowed parliament to vote on it, and for it to be a vote of conscience, knowing that this would guarantee the law passed.
But she kept her conservative party base happy by voting no. "Merkel's the only person in parliament who did not vote according to her conscience," one observer joked.
The SPD is still keen to use the issue in the election, Berlin's SPD mayor Michael Müller told me.
"We managed to push this through against the will of the CDU. How Merkel behaved baffled many people. It's clear that it was a pure election tactic, and voters always take such things badly."
Not according to some of those at the annual Lesbian and Gay Festival near Nollendorfplatz last weekend.
For Larissa (in dark glasses) and her friends the new law was cause for celebration
Larissa has just got engaged to her girlfriend, and although she is not a Merkel fan, she is just happy that she can now get married.
"Merkel was the one who enabled this to be a vote of conscience. She has her opinion, and I can tolerate that. But she still allowed it to happen, so for me that's a positive thing."
Do one thing, while simultaneously also doing the exact opposite - that is often how Chancellor Merkel operates. And on equal marriage she has wriggled out of a potentially explosive election issue.
But for many gay parents the fight continues.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40684820 |
Refunds as Pokemon fest beset by glitches - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Fans booed and chanted at company executives as they tried to fix problems. | Technology | Organisers did a valiant job of keeping attendees upbeat despite the issues
As many as 20,000 attendees at a Pokemon Go festival in Chicago are being offered refunds after technical glitches meant fans were mostly unable to catch anything - let alone “them all”.
Disappointed fans will also be offered $100 in the form of the app’s in-game currency, Pokecoins.
The event on Saturday had been touted as a chance for fans to come together and catch some of the rarest monsters on the hugely successful app.
But fans booed and chanted “fix our game!” and “we can’t play!" as executives from Niantic, the game’s creator, attempted to explain the problems.
At one point a bottle was thrown at a presenter on stage - it missed.
Pokemon Go was launched last summer and has since been downloaded over 750 million times, reportedly making more than $1bn in revenue. The game required players to walk around the real world in order to find monsters in different locations.
Fans had hoped to catch rare Pokemon at the event in Chicago's Grant Park
On Saturday, in Chicago’s Grant Park, fans had hoped to find some species of Pokemon that were otherwise not available or extremely rare.
Tickets to the event sold out within around 10 minutes of going on sale, leading to many tickets being resold at almost 10 times their face value.
But the festival succumbed to a combination of overwhelmed mobile networks, and several bugs that Niantic admitted were “on our side”.
“We know that this is not the day that we had all envisioned,” Mike Quigley, the firm’s chief marketing officer, told angry attendees.
“But we appreciate your patience.”
As well as the technical problems, long lines prevented many ticket holders from getting into the event for more than three hours.
“This is the worst time I have ever had doing anything,” tweeted one fan, who later left.
In an attempt to fix the issues, the company increased the radius of the event by a further two miles, meaning players could leave Grant Park in order to try and connect to the game and get access to the rare creatures.
And just before 6pm local time, attendees were told they would all get a Lugia - a Pokemon that had not been available on the game before, an announcement that drew big cheers from an otherwise dejected crowd.
You can reach Dave securely through encrypted messaging app Signal on: +1 (628) 400-7370
• None Pokemon Go or Pokemon Gone? You decide! | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40695589 |
Donald Trump insists he has 'complete power' to pardon - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The president responds to reports he is considering presidential pardons over alleged Russia collusion. | US & Canada | Mr Trump referred to his "complete power to pardon" in a tweet
US President Donald Trump has insisted he has the "complete power" to pardon people, amid reports he is considering presidential pardons for family members, aides and even himself.
The US authorities are probing possible collusion between the Trump team and Russia. Intelligence agencies think Russia tried to help Mr Trump to power.
Russia denies this, and the president says there was no collusion.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Mr Trump and his team were looking at ways to pardon people close to him.
Presidents can pardon people before guilt is established or even before the person is charged with a crime.
Describing the reports as disturbing, Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said "pardoning any individuals who may have been involved would be crossing a fundamental line".
On Saturday, Mr Trump tweeted: "While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS."
Mr Trump also attacked "illegal leaks" following reports his attorney general discussed campaign-related matters with a Russian envoy.
The Washington Post gave an account of meetings Attorney General Jeff Sessions held with the Russian ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak. The newspaper quoted current and former US officials who cited intelligence intercepts of Mr Kislyak's version of the encounter to his superiors.
One of those quoted said Mr Kislyak spoke to Mr Sessions about key campaign issues, including Mr Trump's positions on policies significant to Russia.
During his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Mr Sessions said he had no contact with Russians during the election campaign. When it later emerged he had, he said the campaign was not discussed at the meetings.
An official confirmed to Reuters the detail of the intercepts, but there has been no independent corroboration.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Commander in tweets: What we can learn from Trump's Twitter
The officials spoken to by the Post said that Mr Kislyak could have exaggerated the account, and cited a Justice Department spokesperson who repeated that Mr Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.
But the Post's story was the focus of one of many tweets the US president fired off on Saturday morning.
"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!" Mr Trump said.
The Washington Post is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has been an occasional sparring partner for Mr Trump. "Comey" refers to James Comey, the former FBI boss Mr Trump fired.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump told the New York Times he regretted hiring Mr Sessions because he had stepped away from overseeing an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.
Mr Sessions recused himself in March amid pressure over his meetings with Mr Kislyak. He says he plans to continue in his role as attorney general.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Sessions said he loved the job and the department
Several other regular targets for Mr Trump featured in his series of tweets.
He accused the "failing" New York Times of foiling an attempt to assassinate the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
It is not clear what Mr Trump was referring to, but on Saturday a US general complained on Fox News that a "good lead" on Baghdadi was leaked to a national newspaper in 2015.
A New York Times report at the time revealed that valuable information had been extracted from a raid, but the paper stressed on Saturday that no-one had taken issue with their reporting until now.
And Mr Trump again urged Republicans to "step up to the plate" and repeal and replace President Obama's healthcare reforms, a key campaign pledge of his that has collapsed in Congress.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Donald J. Trump This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40692709 |
John Heard: Home Alone actor dies aged 71 - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | John Heard, who played the father in the Home Alone films, has died aged 71. | US & Canada | The star played Peter McCallister in the Home Alone films
The actor John Heard, best known for his role in the Home Alone films, has died at the age of 71.
Heard was found dead on Friday in his hotel room in Palo Alto, California, according to celebrity news website TMZ.
The Santa Clara medical examiner's office confirmed the death. The cause is unknown.
Heard had reportedly been staying at the hotel after "minor back surgery" this week.
"Our officers responded with the Fire Department to a hotel in our city on a report of a person in need of medical aid," the Palo Alto police department said.
"The person was determined to be deceased. While still under investigation, the death is not considered suspicious at this time."
Arguably Heard's most memorable role was as Peter McCallister, the father of Macaulay Culkin's character in the Home Alone films, in the 1990s.
But he first started acting in the 1970s, appearing on the stage, on television and in film.
James Woods worked with Heard on Too Big to Fail
He went on to play leading roles in films including Cutter's Way, C.H.U.D and Gladiator, opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr.
In 1999 he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as Vin Makazian - a corrupt New Jersey police detective - in television series The Sopranos.
Marlon Wayans, who worked with Heard on the 2004 comedy White Chicks, wrote on Instagram: "He was a great guy. Shared a lot of laughs. Sad to see such a good spirit and actor taken." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40692317 |
Dozens of job offers for girl fined for lemonade stand - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The five-year-old had been selling 50p cups of lemonade to festival goers in east London. | London | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Andre Spicer tells 5 live: "We should be encouraging our kids to get out there"
A five-year-old girl who was fined £150 by a council for selling 50p cups of lemonade has received dozens of offers to set up stalls at other events.
Andre Spicer, a business school professor, had let his daughter set up a stall to sell refreshments outside Lovebox Festival, east London.
However, four council officials fined the pair for trading without a licence.
Tower Hamlets Council has since apologised for issuing the fixed penalty notice and cancelled the fine.
Mr Spicer said his daughter had received offers to set up lemonade stands at festivals and at Borough Market in Southwark.
The family tweeted: "We have been overwhelmed by the kind response from people across the world.
"Dozens of festivals, markets and businesses have offered us the opportunity to set up a lemonade stand.
"We hope they will extend this invitation to others who'd love to make a stand."
Borough Market tweeted the girl's father: "In all seriousness, would your daughter like to sell some lemonade at Borough Market? We'd love to make that happen for her."
LeeFest: Neverland has also invited the pair to sell lemonade at its August festival in Kent.
The fine was for trading without a licence
Mr Spicer told how his daughter had "burst into tears" after enforcement officers "began reading from a big script explaining that she did not have a trading licence".
He said: "My daughter clung to me screaming 'Daddy, Daddy, I've done a bad thing.' She's five.
"We were then issued a fine of £150. We packed up and walked home."
A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly.
"This clearly did not happen."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40697243 |
Tour de France 2017: Is Chris Froome Britain's least loved great sportsman? - BBC Sport | 2017-07-23 | null | A lack of charisma? His background? Image and perception? Why does cycling great Chris Froome not receive the admiration he surely deserves? | null | Bearing in mind that it took 110 years for the first Briton to win a Tour de France, you'd expect the man who then wins four of the next five to be one of the most loved and admired sportsmen of this or any other era.
There is no fluking a yellow jersey. Three weeks of physical attrition, of relentless mental calculations and stress, of staying ahead of a shifting mass of rivals ganging up to unseat you, of managing egos and efforts within your own team, of high mountains and cruel cross-winds.
And yet when Chris Froome won his third Tour last year, having run up Mont Ventoux in his cleats on his way to victory, he failed to even make the 16-strong shortlist for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.
In case you want to blame the host broadcaster, it is worth remembering that in addition to the three BBC representatives on the selection panel there were former sporting greats Ryan Giggs, Victoria Pendleton and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson; sports presenter Ore Oduba, writers Amy Lawrence and Liz Nicholl, chief executive of UK Sport; David James (sports editor of the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People), Adam Sills (sports editor of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph) and the Mail on Sunday's Alison Kervin.
That is a pretty wide cross-section of the sport-obsessed. It was also in an Olympic and Paralympic year. But 2015, when Froome became the first Briton to win the Tour twice, was not. He still came seventh in the eventual public vote, with just 3.86% of the total votes cast.
In 2013 he finished sixth with 5.2% of the vote. This after a five-year period when British male cyclists - Chris Hoy, Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins - had won SPOTY three times between them.
• None Stage-by-stage - how the Tour has unfolded
Froome is not a man to bemoan his lot. Yet as he rides into Paris in yellow once again, having survived multiple challenges in one of the most competitive and ferocious Tours in memory, you could forgive him wondering what else he must do to be as cherished as some who have achieved significantly less.
There was certainly a shadow cast at the start of his reign by the success of Wiggins, the Neil Armstrong to his Buzz Aldrin. The second man on the moon will never enjoy the instinctive adoration as the first. There was the perception too, unfair though it may have been, that on the stage to La Toussuire during Wiggins' coronation in 2012, Froome had at least considered regicide if not tried to commit it.
It explains a slow start to his dance with the British public. But now, when his own Tour deeds have thrown Wiggins' achievements into stark relief, when the revelations about his former team-mate's therapeutic use exemptions have made some place a mental asterisk next to his win?
Only four other men in history have won three yellow jerseys in a row before. Each of them is a giant of the sport: Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain. Only the last three of them and Bernard Hinault have won four or more in total.
If you do not appreciate Froome now, you probably never will. If the Champs-Elysees this Sunday doesn't make you relish what he has done and sense it in its proper context, you may also be missing out.
"Just to complete the Tour is hard enough," says Geraint Thomas, his team-mate first at Barloworld almost a decade ago and with Sky in the garlanded years since.
"Just to physically get round 3,000-odd kilometres of mountains, sprints, wind and rain, the pressure you're under - you have to be on top of your game to get through it. To win it takes a whole new level, and to win it multiple times, year in, year out hitting that same level, is super impressive.
"The training to even get there is full-on. Chris lives and breathes it from November all the way through to the following October. There is a lot of time away from his young family, a lot of training camps, on top of a volcano in Tenerife, hour after hour of hard graft.
"And it's not just the training - it's living the right way. The mental discipline is just as hard as the physical work. I do the training and I enjoy it. That's the easy part.
"It's when you're at home and you're starving hungry and you want to pig out but can't, when tea is quinoa rather than the massive pizza you'd really like. You go out with your partner and she will have a glass of wine or a dessert, or she orders a steak and you have to settle for a piece of steamed fish. Chris lives like that throughout the year."
Wiggins was a great stylist on his bike, smooth on the pedals, a track rider's instinctive handling skills. Froome is all elbows and effort, grimacing up mountains, descending like the last few frames before an almighty pile-up.
If that has kept the aesthetes cool towards him, the struggling amateurs can understand both the determination and the improvement it has brought. Wiggins could be wonderful company for his team-mates, but he could also be moody and introverted. Froome has grown into the role of team alpha male, learning from his predecessor, managing all the messy stuff that comes with the leader's jersey.
"Being in yellow takes at least half an hour away from your recovery every day," says Thomas, who spent four days on top of the GC standings this month.
"You finish the stage, you try to do your warm-down, then it's on to the podium, and that's the good bit. Then you have to do TV and radio, and you get asked the same two questions 15 times, which gets quite monotonous when you're already so tired.
"You then speak to the print media, you go into another press conference, and then doping control. If you can get the job done in doping control you can be in and out in 10 minutes. If it's been a hot day and you're dehydrated, you can be in there for an hour. All the other guys will be straight onto the team bus to do their warm-down, get some food down them and put their feet up.
"You get booed a lot. And it can be intimidating on those mountain roads. It's not like football, when the spectators can abuse you but not actually touch you. On those big climbs on the open roads, you never know. They could hit you; riders in our team have been punched before. It's another challenge."
Froome is restrained in his public utterances, polite rather than extrovert. But he is no cycling robot. There is a back story which should both amaze and endear: growing up in Kenya with rock pythons for pets, spending long weeks in a small corrugated iron hut, with no running water and only a long-drop toilet, in a small village high in the red-dirt hills of Kenya's Rift Valley, the only white kid for miles around; getting knocked off by his own mother in his first race, aged 13; entering himself in his first world championships after borrowing the email account of the head of Kenyan cycling.
There is quirk and there is humour. Thomas tells a story from the pair's younger days when they were preparing for the national championships by staying at his girlfriend's parents' house.
Two nights before the race, Froome insisted on making everyone a potent Kenyan cocktail called a dawa. Except the ones he made for his team-mate were both more numerous and significantly stronger. He ended up beating his host by 10 enfeebled seconds.
Vuelta a Espana stage wins - four (three individual and one team time trial) Olympic medals - two (time trial bronze at London 2012 and Rio 2016) Made an OBE for services to cycling in 2015
There was also an engaging naivety. "Sometimes he had no idea about other riders," remembers Thomas.
"'Who was that guy? He looked strong today.' 'Yeah mate, that was Nibali. Only someone who's won every Grand Tour there is to win…'
"He's still like that now. Someone can switch teams and it will fool him. 'Who's that in the Trek jersey? He's quick!' 'Mate, that's Contador…'"
Sky's organisational and ethical struggles since the first revelations 10 months ago about Wiggins' use of the corticosteroid triamcinolone have both damaged the brand and leaked into the image of its other riders, no matter how removed from it some were.
Froome too will always have the unconverted in his congregation, unwilling to accept his improvement over the past seven years nor the explanation that blood parasite bilharzia was to blame for his previous inconsistencies.
Then there is how British or not he is perceived to be, born in Nairobi, schooled in South Africa, resident now in Monaco, although it is not a unique story; Wiggins was born in Belgium to an Australian father, former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss spent his early years in Johannesburg and England rugby union captain Dylan Hartley was born and raised in Rotorua, New Zealand. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton also live in Monaco.
"I'd lived in Kenya but I didn't feel Kenyan," Froome told me after his first Tour win. "I'm British, with a British passport from birth."
English cricketing darlings Colin Cowdrey and Ted Dexter were born in Bangalore and Milan respectively. The first man to win a medal for Great Britain at a modern Olympics, way back in 1896, was Charles Gmelin, born in Krishnagar, India. Terry Butcher, the epitome of blood-soaked, badge-kissing Englishness, was born in Singapore.
You can pick your own path through that debate. What is unarguable is the manner in which Froome has won his Tours - with a solo attack at the top of Ventoux, with an ambush attack on the descent of the Col de Peyresourde, with an audacious uphill escape at the end of stage 14 this time around, having also ridden through picnics and survived a broken rear wheel.
Two years ago he had urine thrown at him by one spectator. He has been spat on. On this Tour he was jeered by partisan supporters of home favourite Romain Bardet. His composure has survived all that, with even French journalists who were charmed enough by Wiggins to dub him "Le Gentleman" coming round from acceptance to admiration.
"Cav is like the Muhammad Ali of cycling," says Thomas. "He's so close to Merckx's record for stage wins at the Tour.
"Brad had so much variety in all he achieved, Sir Chris did things no British rider had ever done before. It's so hard to compare across the different disciplines, but Froomey is right up there with them. He's not behind any of them." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/40692045 |
HMP Hewell: Security teams called to prison 'incident' - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A prison officer is taken to hospital with minor injuries following a disturbance at HMP Hewell. | Hereford & Worcester | HMP Hewell has about 1,000 adult male prisoners at its closed site
A prison officer was taken to hospital with minor injuries after an "incident" at HMP Hewell.
Specially trained prison security teams arrived at the prison near Redditch in Worcestershire late on Saturday night.
The Prison Service said a "small number" of inmates at the category B jail were involved in the disturbance.
Prison authorities are now back in full control of the affected wing and the matter has been referred to West Mercia Police.
Men shouting and swearing, as well as banging and dogs barking, could be heard coming from the prison.
Specialist security squads, equipped to deal with riots, arrived at the site in unmarked vans at about 19:30 BST.
HMP Hewell is surrounded by farmland and houses about 1,000 inmates - including some category A remand prisoners.
In an inspection report published in January, Hewell was described as "a prison with many challenges and areas of serious concern".
Peter Clarke, chief inspector of prisons, said the "main concerns" were regarding "issues of safety and respect".
He said levels of violence were "far too high", communal areas were "dirty" and many cells were overcrowded.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are absolutely clear that offenders who behave in this way will be punished and face spending extra time behind bars."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-40695607 |
Charlie Gard: Death threats sent to Great Ormond Street staff - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Great Ormond Street Hospital says the police have been called in following "unacceptable behaviour". | London | The hospital said "unacceptable behaviour" had been recorded "within the hospital"
Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital have received death threats over the treatment of baby Charlie Gard.
The hospital said police had been called after families were "harassed" and "unacceptable behaviour" was recorded in the hospital.
It is involved in a legal battle to remove life support from the 11-month-old, who has a rare genetic disorder.
His parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard said they did not condone abuse and had also faced "nasty and hurtful remarks".
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter although Charlie's case was "sad and complex", this behaviour was "totally unacceptable".
Charlie, who was born on 4 August 2016, has a form of mitochondrial disease, a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and irreversible brain damage, and his parents want to take him to the US for pioneering treatment.
Connie Yates and Chris Gard want Charlie to receive an experimental therapy called nucleoside
They have lost a succession of court cases to overturn the hospital's decision that it would be in the best interest of the child to be allowed to die with dignity.
The latest court battle involves new testimony from a US neurologist who has visited Charlie in hospital to decide whether he should travel to America for therapy.
Charlie's parents want to take him to New York for experimental treatment, which the US doctor said might give him a 10% chance of improving his health.
Mary MacLeod, chairman of Great Ormond Street Hospital, said in a statement that Charlie's case was "a heartbreaking one", adding the hospital understood the "natural sympathy people feel with his situation".
However, in recent weeks the hospital community had been subjected to a "shocking and disgraceful tide of hostility and disturbance," she said.
Charlie has a rare genetic condition and is on life support
She added: "Staff have received abuse both in the street and online.
"Thousands of abusive messages have been sent to doctors and nurses whose life's work is to care for sick children.
"Many of these messages are menacing, including death threats.
"Families have been harassed and discomforted while visiting their children, and we have received complaints of unacceptable behaviour even within the hospital itself."
Ms MacLeod, who also chairs the hospital's clinical ethics committee, said "there can be no excuse" for patients, families and staff "to have their privacy and peace disturbed".
In a statement issued through a spokeswoman, Charlie's parents said: "We don't condone abusive or threatening behaviour to GOSH staff or anybody in connection with our son.
"We too get abuse and have to endure nasty and hurtful remarks on a daily basis.
"People have different opinions and we accept that but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed as it makes a stressful situation worse and is very upsetting for all involved."
The case is due back before a High Court judge on Monday. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40691478 |
VW denies £2.5m London congestion charge bill - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Sadiq Khan claims VW owes Transport for London £2.5m in missed congestion charges following its emissions scandal. | London | There are 500,000 cars with VW engines registered in London, 80,000 of which were fitted with the "defeat devices"
Car firm Volkswagen (VW) has said it will not pay the £2.5m the mayor of London claims it owes in missed congestion charge payments, following the 2015 emissions-rigging scandal.
Sadiq Khan said 80,000 VW engines fitted with "defeat devices" were registered in London.
The devices, which detected when an engine was being tested, changed performance to improve results.
VW said the cars had "validly" qualified for a low emissions discount.
The world's largest car manufacturer admitted about 11 million cars worldwide were fitted with the device.
However, a spokesperson for VW said all of its vehicles which benefitted from the Congestion Charge Greener Vehicle Discount "did so validly throughout the relevant period".
There is "no basis on which it can be said that Transport for London has lost any sums as a result of the NOx issue."
"No sums are therefore due in compensation," the spokesperson added.
Mr Khan said the actions of VW were "nothing short of a disgrace".
Last year a US court ordered VW pay a $14.7bn (£12bn) settlement over the scandal. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40697251 |
Newspaper headlines: Princes' last Diana call and BBC pay row - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The last phone call between Princess Diana and her sons, and a row over a BBC pay gap make the news. | The Papers | The ITV documentary in which Princes William and Harry talk about the death of their mother, Princess Diana, is the lead for several of the Sunday papers.
They focus on the Princes' recollections of their final phone call with her, hours before she died in the Paris car crash - and their regret that they didn't speak for longer.
"Last call with Mum haunts us", is the Sunday Mirror's headline, and it's a similar theme for the Star on Sunday.
The Mail on Sunday's coverage extends to 10 inside pages and includes a number of newly-released pictures.
One of them - of a young Prince Harry being cuddled by his mother during a family holiday - appears on the front pages of the Sunday Times and the Sunday Telegraph.
The open letter by more than 40 of the BBC's top female presenters to the corporation's director-general, Lord Hall, calling on him to act now to close the gender pay gap, is widely covered - and makes the lead for the Telegraph.
The paper has the headline: "Revolt of the BBC women". It describes the letter as an unprecedented show of anger.
Writing in the Mirror, Saira Khan says what really upset her was seeing definitive proof that the BBC - the organisation we trust to be the voice of British values around the world - is "sexist to its core".
Remarks by the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, that the cabinet is united in wanting a transitional Brexit deal on migrant labour that meets the needs of British business, is welcomed by a number of papers.
The Mail says a wise and typically British compromise - in which the desires of all are considered, but neither side gets everything it wants - may now be taking shape.
For the Sunday Times, the cabinet is moving in the direction of an open and entrepreneurial Brexit - the only basis for Britain's future success.
In the words of Andrew Rawnsley in the Observer, the slow learners in the cabinet have finally grasped that Britain will require a smoothed departure if there is to be any hope of avoiding a shock Brexit.
According to the Mail, President Trump has been asked to make a "dummy" State visit to Britain this year to show that he can avoid embarrassing the Queen.
The paper says he's been invited to come for brief talks with Theresa May - but with none of the Royal pomp and circumstance he wanted.
As a face-saving measure - the paper goes on - Mr Trump will be offered a State visit next year - but it won't take place unless the low-profile trip is a success.
Finally, as the ITV 2 reality show, Love Island, reaches its climax tomorrow, a number of commentators explore what has made it such a rating success.
For Zoe Strimpel in the Telegraph, it has become the guilty pleasure of our time. The opportunity to watch other people - with perfect bodies and zero wrinkles - trying to solve the modern riddle of love is just too cathartic to miss.
Writing in the Observer, Emine Saner says the show has been carefully seducing us - or to put it in Love Island speak, "proper grafting". Many of us will be heartbroken when it leaves us, she says. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-40695353 |
Ben Needham: Blood found on sandal and inside toy car - BBC News | 2017-07-23 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police say the findings "corroborate" the theory Ben died in an accident involving heavy machinery. | Sheffield & South Yorkshire | Ben Needham vanished on the Greek island of Kos in July 1991
Signs of blood have been found on part of a sandal and on soil inside a toy car recovered by police searching for missing Sheffield toddler Ben Needham.
Ben was 21 months old when he disappeared on the Greek island of Kos in July 1991.
South Yorkshire Police said forensic work was being carried out in Aberdeen to try to extract DNA from the items.
Det Insp Jon Cousins said it was still his "professional belief" Ben died in an accident at the farmhouse.
Details of the findings have been released on the 26th anniversary of Ben's disappearance.
The car found in Kos is thought to be similar to this one
Ben was last seen playing near to a farmhouse his grandfather was renovating
Ben went missing while playing near a farmhouse, which was being renovated by his grandfather in Iraklis.
An extensive 21-day search of land around the building and a second site 750m (820 yards) away took place in October after it emerged the toddler may have been crushed to death by a digger working on the site.
About 60 items discovered during the search were brought back to the UK for analysis, some of which were sent for testing at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen.
South Yorkshire Police were assisted by members of the Hellenic Rescue Team and Red Cross
The search of the two sites was carried out over 21 days in October
Professor Lorna Dawson, head of the soil forensics group, said the team of scientists had discovered the "profile indicative of human blood decomposition on a fragment of a sandal."
The profile had also been found on soil from inside a toy car, however, the stronger signal had been found on the footwear sandal, she said.
Professor Dawson said the discovery was the "chemical finger print" of compounds left behind "when there has been decomposition or decay".
"There's a strong indication from this chemical profile that this was present on those items as a result of blood decomposition," she said.
"It's significant in identifying that there had been a human who had bled in contact with those items.
"The biologist has to come in now and identify who left that blood on that item by extracting the DNA."
Professor Lorna Dawson was part of the team responsible for analysing the items
Det Insp Cousins said: "Based on the facts and the information obtained, as previously stated it is still my professional belief that Ben died as a result of a tragic incident at the farmhouse involving heavy machinery.
"It's my belief that [the findings] corroborate and strengthen that theory."
The Needham family has been informed and the force would continue to assist the Greek authorities with any ongoing enquiries, South Yorkshire Police said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-40684276 |
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