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She believes Labour's offering was "too narrow" at the election and insists she can broaden its appeal and put "the fight for equality and social justice back at the heart" of the party.
The shadow home secretary - who has held various front bench roles in government and opposition - says she has the "strength, experience and progressive ideas" to secure a Labour victory in 2020.
So what would the leadership hopeful do with power if she was elected?
Who is Yvette Cooper?
Ms Cooper has strongly defended the previous Labour government's economic legacy, saying the party should "take on the Tory myths" that it spent too much before the financial crash. She has criticised leadership rival Andy Burnham for apologising for Labour's record, saying that by doing so he is falling into "George Osborne's trap".
She is strongly opposed to the government's cuts to public spending, which she has branded an "ideological assault on public services". Labour, she says, needs the "confidence" to set out "a credible alternative" to the Conservatives' economic strategy, promising "a fairer approach" to building strong public finances and sustainable growth.
The Labour leadership contender has called for a "fresh start" to Labour's relations with business, saying the party, under Ed Miliband, alienated the business community with its rhetoric. She has pledged to set up a business advisory group including non-Labour supporters, if she becomes leader, to ensure regular dialogue.
Ms Cooper wants to turn Britain in to a "hi-tech" economy, promising to encourage start-ups and create hi-tech digital "jobs for the future". She is also committed to increase the UK's investment in science and research development to 3% of national income, saying Britain should become the science and technology capital of Europe.
She wants to create two million more high-skilled manufacturing jobs and has argued that Labour should drop its opposition to the government's cut in corporation tax to 20%.
Ms Cooper has made her opposition to the government's welfare reforms known, calling the bill "unfair and damaging". She backs the government's benefits cap, limiting the amount one household, in principle, but she has vowed to protect tax credits from cuts, warning that the government's plans will leave working families worse off. She has pledged to establish a Welfare Reform Commission to look at "how state best supports work, prevents poverty and delivers value for money". Ms Cooper has also outlined a commitment to ending child poverty within a generation.
Ms Cooper wants to oversee a "revolution" in family support, and is promising to revive Sure Start children centres, introduce free Scandinavian-style universal childcare and to "end child poverty in our lifetimes".
One of the reasons for her contesting the leadership is that no party has offered a "bold enough" vision for families, she says, arguing that childcare and family policy are "fundamental building blocks of a strong modern economy and of strong communities". Ms Cooper would also consult on extending the period whereby new mothers can take up a workplace discrimination claim.
On higher education, Ms Cooper has said she supports the idea of a graduate tax, saying that this is a "fairer system" of financing higher education. She has also been critical of the government's free schools programme, saying it has not been value for money.
Like the other leadership contenders, Ms Cooper has criticised Chancellor George Osborne's National Living Wage as inadequate and vowed to implement the full living wage - currently £7.85 an hour and £9.15 in London - beginning with Britain's 1.4 million care workers. The Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP would also raise to 50p the top level of income tax.
She has vowed to reverse planned government changes to trade union strike laws and has condemned plans to end union subscription fees, saying it makes "little sense".
Ms Cooper wants Labour to commit to building more homes to address the "housing crisis". She has pledged to build 300,000 new homes a year, which is further than the 200,000 homes the party was promising in its 2015 election manifesto. She has also spoken in favour of Eco towns and Garden Cities.
Ms Cooper wants a freeze or cap on the number of new appointments to the House of Lords, pending a process of "proper reform". She has committed to create an "extra-parliamentary constitutional convention" involving the parties and all parts of civil society. She says there needs to be "major reform", including more devolution, "the need for a new framework for England and Wales and for local government", and House of Lords reform.
A pro-European Union MP, Ms Cooper says she wants Britain to take the lead in Europe, "promoting international development and human rights". But she would argue for reforms "before, during and after" a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, including on the agency workers' directive.
Under Ms Cooper's plans, a Labour government would end indefinite detention in the asylum and immigration system. She is also calling for more frontline police officers which would be paid for by an £800m savings plan. She has also vowed to introduce new laws and steps to tackle discrimination and prejudice. | Yvette Cooper says the Labour Party needs a "progressive" and "modern" vision that is "optimistic" about Britain's future, and she is pitching herself as the unity candidate in the four-way contest. | 33859518 |
Ken MacBrayne has been told he will receive no more support from the party after a string of posts came to light.
The 72-year-old is seeking election to Western Isles Council.
The Tories said the comments were "totally unacceptable" and said Mr MacBrayne was "no longer a member".
However, he will still appear on the ballot for the Benbecula and North Uist ward on 4 May as the nomination list is finalised.
Publicly viewable posts on social media platforms by Mr MacBrayne included insults directed at Ms Sturgeon and calls for her to be physically gagged.
He also shared posts by right-wing group Britain First calling for immigrants and asylum seekers to be denied benefits and predicting a religious war in the UK and Europe.
An SNP spokeswoman said: "Mr MacBrayne's comments are extremely offensive, with rants of this nature completely inappropriate from someone standing for public office.
"The disturbing, extremist views include what is essentially neo-Nazi propaganda gloating about a coming race war from a self-proclaimed 'resistance' group.
"It is staggering that this bile is coming from a Tory candidate."
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: "These comments are totally unacceptable, and the party have informed the candidate that he shall be receiving no further support for his campaign.
"The party has also suspended Mr MacBrayne, and he is no longer a member." | A Conservative candidate for May's council elections has been suspended from the party after posting "extremely offensive" online comments about First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. | 39580304 |
County chairman Stephen Taylor revealed that they took their decision following a vote by the club's board.
Each county is guaranteed revenue of £1.3m from the competition, which is planned to get under way in 2020.
The only two counties who have so far not backed the ECB proposal are Essex and Middlesex.
"The new competition will provide much-needed revenue to all clubs," said Taylor. "With significant additional investment in recreational cricket - something we are very keen to develop.
"The preservation of all formats of cricket at New Road is fundamentally important. This will go a long way to protecting the four-day game, 50-over competition's and the T20 Blast."
The changes require the support of 31 out of 41 of the ECB's voting members, which comprise the 18 first-class counties, 21 recreational boards, the Minor Counties Cricket Association, and the MCC - owners of Lord's and Middlesex's landlord.
A number of counties have come out in support of the proposals for the new tournament.
Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Somerset, Sussex, Yorkshire and Durham have all announced that they will back the ECB rule change, while Kent have abstaned.
Others, including Glamorgan, Hampshire and Warwickshire - the only county who already play their T20 cricket under a city banner as Birmingham Bears - have been vocal in their support for a city-based competition, while Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart has expressed concern over the details of the new event. | Worcestershire have become the latest county to back the England and Wales Cricket Board's proposed new eight-team city-based T20 competition. | 39705724 |
An electoral college of 47 people drawn from all over Wales, including all the bishops, will meet on 21 February to vote on a confidential candidates list.
The election follows the retirement at the end of January of Dr Barry Morgan.
The new bishop will be the 72nd Bishop of Llandaff, a diocese which serves nearly half the population of Wales.
The college is made up of representatives from all six Welsh dioceses.
Once a bishop is elected, he or she will have up to 28 days to accept the position. If he or she accepts, the election will be formally confirmed in April. | The doors of Llandaff Cathedral will be locked for up to three days this month as a new bishop is elected, it has been announced. | 38917703 |
US law firm Scott and Scott is claiming Tesco's overstatement of its profits last year caused a "permanent destruction of value to shareholders".
Scott and Scott said it was in "active discussions" with institutions in the UK and Europe about filing a claim, but that none had yet signed up.
Tesco declined to comment on the possible action.
The firm has already filed a class action lawsuit against the supermarket chain in the US, accusing it of misleading investors.
"International institutions asked us to find a way to bring a claim in the UK which they can join," said David Scott, managing partner at Scott and Scott.
Scott and Scott is funding a UK law firm to represent the group, known as Tesco Shareholder Claims Limited, to try to muster enough support for a potential claim.
In September, the supermarket chain stunned investors when it said that it had mis-stated its half-year profit guidance by £250m - a figure that was subsequently revised to £263m.
Following the announcement, Tesco's shares fell to a 14-year low of 164.8p, but have since recovered to trade at around 246p.
Tesco Shareholder Claims said it believed that, had the accounting irregularities not taken place, both the share price and the value of the company would be "materially higher".
The move follows a similar claim from UK law firm Stewarts Law, which said last year it was seeking Tesco shareholders to participate in a lawsuit to establish whether they were entitled to compensation.
Separately, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is currently carrying out a criminal investigation into the accounting irregularities at Tesco.
Several senior executives left in the wake of the scandal and new chief executive Dave Lewis, who joined Tesco from Unilever in September, has pledged to slash costs and sell assets to fund lower prices and mend Tesco's finances.
On Monday, Patrick Cescau, who was the director closely involved in the replacement of the supermarket's chief executive and chairman, became the latest senior executive to leave.
Tesco said he would retire from the board on 7 April 2015 following six years as a non-executive director. | Tesco is facing potential legal action from UK institutional shareholders following its accounting scandal. | 32026738 |
The banning of cars on a short stretch of Nottingham Road on to the A610 at Nuthall Island began in February 2014.
Nearly 21,500 fines have been issued but 51 of 62 appeals have been upheld.
The campaigner said the idea was poorly implemented but the county council insists signage has been improved.
Restrictions were put in place 10 years ago to stop Nottingham Road being used as a "rat-run" and help buses get on to the Nuthall roundabout.
However, the council said the restrictions were widely ignored and cameras were then fitted.
Local resident Steve Strickland was caught using the lane on a bank holiday but successfully took his case to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which ruled the signage was inadequate.
He said the high rate of successful appeals showed the signage was "not fit for purpose".
"There are not enough signs, inaccurate guidance, difficult placement and no road markings.
"The council legally don't have to put down road markings but it is acknowledged, certainly at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, that road markings are the most obvious way to get the motorists' attention.
"My advice is to appeal."
Peter Goode, Nottinghamshire County Council's traffic manager, said: "We were assured by consultants from day one that signage was adequate but we have [been] taking account of what adjudicators have said.
"The adjudicators sometimes look for something more than is legally required and in fact current rules lead us to believe road markings are not appropriate." | A motorist has urged fellow drivers, fined for being in a controversial bus lane in Nottinghamshire, to come forward after it emerged more than 80% of appeals were successful. | 32547149 |
Conservative Heather Wheeler shared a graphic with a medals table split between "Rest of World", "British Empire" and "EU post-Brexit".
After congratulating Team GB, she then wrote: "Now for the Trade Agreements."
The South Derbyshire MP said the tweet was a joke in response to another total which put the EU medals together.
But the post - entitled "Empire Goes For Gold" - has been labelled "deeply offensive to so many people and their ancestors" by Labour MP for Tottenham David Lammy, while others have called it "insensitive and ignorant".
Ms Wheeler, who campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union, told the BBC it was a "tongue-in-cheek reply" which she felt was clear, adding: "My tweet says congratulations to Team GB and the Commonwealth".
When queried about the mention of the British Empire, she said: "It was clearly a joke."
Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan, who also campaigned for Brexit, tweeted in support of Ms Wheeler, saying: "This is Twitter! Any light-hearted remark will spark cretinous faux-outrage!"
The USA topped the Rio Olympics table with 46 gold medals and 121 in total, with Team GB finishing in second. | An MP has sparked a backlash after a "deeply offensive" tweet suggesting the Olympics were won by the British Empire. | 37163416 |
More than 80,000 vehicles use the two crossings each day, with the cost ranging from £6.40 for cars to £19.20 for lorries.
The money is collected by a private company and the funds are used to pay the construction costs of the bridges.
That debt is due to be cleared by 2018, when they revert to public ownership.
With a general election next year, there is increasing pressure on the political parties to make their positions clear.
Jessica Morden, the Labour MP for Newport East, told BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme: "I would like to see the tolls reduced and there to be some kind of flexibility in the system, and to make them much more modern so that we could have concessions for people who live locally, [and] off-peak travel for businesses.
"I hope the VAT will come off the bridge tolls so we can reduce them in that way."
Nick Ramsay, Conservative AM for Monmouth, said he would like to see some reduction of the tolls, at the very least.
"I think we could come to a balance whereby you would have a flat rate for the tolls, you would have a reduction in the tolls... and then the remainder that's left could be used on either maintenance or infrastructure," he said.
Plaid Cymru is calling for the tolls to be cut to £2 for cars, while the Liberal Democrats want to see the tolls "substantially reduced".
Alan Williams, commercial manager of Monmouth packing firm Tri-Wall, said the firm spent around £16,000 a year on bridge tolls.
He said: "It causes us to incur extra costs, and sometimes deflect our transport company to travel in a different direction.
"We sometimes have to return from the south-west of England via Gloucester instead of crossing back into Wales."
The UK government said there were costs it may have to recoup even after the bridges reverted to public ownership.
In a statement, the Department for Transport said: "No decisions have been taken on the future management or tolling arrangements of the crossings after the end of the current concession.
"However, the government has been clear that any future arrangements will need to make proper provision for repayment of government costs, future maintenance and reflect the needs of road users in both England and Wales.
"We are not proposing any changes to the ownership of the crossings at this time."
The Welsh government has called for control of the tolls to be devolved to Cardiff Bay.
Sunday Politics Wales, BBC One Wales, Sunday 2 February 11:00 GMT | Cross-party calls have been made for the Severn Bridge tolls to be cut drastically when the UK government takes control of charges after 2018. | 25988010 |
McNally announced his resignation after their loss to Manchester United on left them four points from safety.
"Nobody expected after [Sunday's] Manchester United game we would lose our chief executive," Balls said.
"It's been very destabilising to the club. But we've got to make sure going forward the football club keeps going from strength to strength."
He told BBC Radio Norfolk: "What happened after the Manchester United game, David McNally resigned verbally, then in writing, then on Twitter. It came out of the blue for all of us.
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"The directors had a discussion over the course of Sunday and decided with great regret to accept that resignation."
McNally had been at Carrow Road since 2009 when the club were in League One.
Successive promotions took them into the Premier League, and four of the last five season have been in the top flight.
But with two games to go, the Canaries are four points behind 17th-placed Sunderland, who could secure their top-flight status with a win over Everton on Wednesday.
Whatever their fate, Canaries boss Alex Neil appears likely to keep his job.
"Alex Neil is one of the best managers in British football. He's got our 100% support for this week and also in the coming months as we deal for next season," said Balls.
"But clearly it's been messy. When there's speculation all over the place, the board has to stand back and ask what's happened and what's our responsibility?"
Neil admitted he would examine his own contribution if Norwich are relegated.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Wednesday's match, Neil said: "At the end of the season I'll be judging how I've performed, how other people have performed and I'm pretty sure people will be judging me. That's normal in the Premier League." | David McNally's resignation as chief executive has "destabilised" Norwich City, says club chairman Ed Balls. | 36258291 |
Wins over Italy and the Netherlands, and a loss to hosts Russia, saw Wales qualify for the quarter-finals.
England proved too strong, winning 21-7, but Wales then beat Belgium and Poland in the repechage to claim fifth and book their place on the Gold Coast.
Head coach Nick Wakley can now start preparations for the Commonwealths.
Sian Williams (capt); Shona Powell-Hughes; Dyddgu Hywel; Gemma Rowland; Bethan Dainton; Rhiannon Parker; Ffion Lewis; Elinor Snowsill; Hannah Jones; Philippa Tuttiett; Sinead Breeze; Jasmine Joyce (travelling reserve: Jodie Evans). | Wales Women sevens qualified for the 2018 Commonwealth Games after finishing fifth at the Kazan Sevens, the finale of the Grand Prix Sevens Series. | 40548787 |
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) says fracking can go ahead if three key tests are met.
And the government says it already plans to meet those tests – on methane leaks, gas consumption and carbon budgets.
Environmentalists argue fracking will make the UK’s climate change targets impossible to achieve.
But the CCC disagrees. Its tests of government policy are:
Though the government is confident these conditions will be reached, a spokesman admitted that any increase in current carbon emissions in future would make current targets even more challenging.
There is already a growing mismatch between the government's long-term promises on climate change and the policies to deliver carbon cuts according to the CCC and National Grid.
There is huge uncertainty about the projections on fracking from the CCC and the government.
The UK currently has no shale gas production, and many observers believe the potential of fracking in the UK has been hyped.
A CCC scenario projecting the most aggressive trajectory of shale gas development with minimum necessary regulation by 2030 estimates emissions of around 11 million tonnes of CO2 a year.
But even that is only a quarter of the UK's emissions from agriculture and land use change. One expert told BBC News: "This is more or less loose change when it comes to the carbon budgets. It’s likely that the local effects like lorry disturbance will prove a more significant issue."
The CCC mostly accepts the government’s reassurances on its three tests. The government is confident it has learned from regulatory failures in the early days of so-called wildcat fracking in the US.
Professor Jim Skea from the committee says with best practice, UK shale gas may have a lower carbon footprint than much of the gas currently imported, which has to be compressed at great energy cost.
But he wants more detail on rules over the completion of wells, when methane can burp out along with the fracking fluid injected into the ground to release the gas. He also wants chapter and verse on how wells will be inspected after they have been decommissioned and before they are abandoned.
He told BBC News: "The CCC accepts that the government plans are mostly on track but wants more detail. Our recommendation is to monitor what government does because we are making the assumption that we have a very well regulated industry and we need some details filled in on that."
The CCC also urged the government to make progress on capture and storage technology, which allows fossil fuels to be burned with minimal emissions of CO2.
The Prime Minister previously said this was vital for the UK before he scrapped a competition to develop it - in order to save cash.
The previous head of the Environment Agency, Chris Smith, said fracking should only go ahead if CCS was imposed, and the CCC report says that without CCS the UK would need to eliminate almost all CO2 from all sectors of the economy by 2050.
A government spokesman said ministers were working on other ways of encouraging CCS without a publicly-funded competition. He also confirmed that the government still intended to show by the end of the year how it would achieve long-term CO2 targets.
The government is to make a final decision on whether to allow fracking at two sites in Lancashire by 6 October.
Energy firm Cuadrilla is appealing against Lancashire County Council's refusal to let it extract shale gas at Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood.
Professor Richard Davies from Newcastle University, said: “To do what the Committee on Climate Change recommend, and do it transparently, could force the UK to develop the world’s best ‘smart’ monitoring technologies for emissions from well sites. There will be new business opportunities if a shale industry takes off."
Dr Doug Parr, chief scientist at Greenpeace, said: "The idea that fracking can be squared with the UK's climate targets is based on a tower of assumptions, caveats, and conditions on which there is zero certainty of delivery.
"The problem with ramping up a whole new high-carbon infrastructure and the fossil fuel vested interests to go with it is that you can't just dial it down later on if emissions start going through the roof."
Labour's Barry Gardiner said: "The CCC report lays out three fundamental tests but the government has decided to do precisely nothing to increase protection for the public or to deliver security for our climate targets.
"On this basis, it is currently neither safe nor reasonable to approve any fracking in Britain."
Follow Roger on Twitter. | The government’s climate change advisors have given a cautious green light to fracking in the UK. | 36727751 |
Richard Carter from Yorkshire First said election broadcasts were an example of an out of date system.
The leader of Cornish party Mebyon Kernow called the rule which only grants TV airtime to parties standing in one in six constituencies "absurd".
A BBC spokesperson said the BBC Trust was reviewing the broadcasts.
A ComRes poll for the BBC in November found about 80% of people in England supported having more powers devolved to local areas.
Mr Carter said his party was considering contesting seats outside of Yorkshire to "demonstrate the absurd current situation".
He said: "Why should Yorkshire First have to stand in London, Lancashire and Cornwall to qualify? It is bizarre."
Mebyon Kernow, a party with four councillors in Cornwall and campaigning for a Cornish Assembly, has also called for a change to the rules.
Party leader Dick Cole said a national quota was "absurd", especially when greater devolution was being promised for English regions.
He said: "The party has requested the Broadcasters' Liaison Group agree that genuine 'regional' parties which stand candidates in a majority of the seats in a particular area be allowed an election broadcast."
The BBC spokesperson said: "The BBC Trust is currently holding a public consultation on the criteria for party election broadcasts at the general election.
"The BBC Executive will allocate broadcasts, according to the criteria set by the Trust, in February 2015." | Broadcasting rules around party election broadcasts need to reflect regional English interests, according to localised political parties. | 30388454 |
The DfE has just published its accounts for 2014-15, nine months after every other government department.
The NAO says there is a level of "misstatement and uncertainty" that means the truth and fairness of the accounts cannot be verified.
The DfE says academies are subject to a "rigorous system of accountability".
While there is no suggestion that academies have misspent money, the NAO report warns that the rapid expansion of the academies programme in England has made it difficult to keep track of spending and land.
It also says the situation is likely to get worse given the government's drive to turn all schools in England into academies by 2020, or for them to have a plan to do so by 2022.
The report says: "The department's policy of autonomy for academies brings with it significant risks if the financial capability of the department and academies are not strengthened.
"And the financial statements do not present a true and fair view and meet the accountability requirements of Parliament.
"This will become even more significant in the context of the planned expansion of the academy sector."
The DfE is also criticised for not getting its accounts signed off in time.
The NAO says best practice means departments should aim to submit their accounts for scrutiny before the summer recess - a target all other departments met.
January is the official deadline, but the DfE asked for an extension until 26 April.
The DfE said this was necessary because schools work on the basis of an academic year, while government departments operate according to the financial year.
Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: "Providing Parliament with a clear view of academy trusts' spending is a vital part of the Department for Education's work - yet it is failing to do this.
"As a result, I have today provided an adverse opinion on the truth and fairness of its financial statements.
"The department will have to work hard in the coming months if it is to present Parliament with a better picture of academy trusts' spending... in 2017."
An "adverse opinion" is the most serious view an auditor can give on a set of accounts and it is the second time the NAO has given this warning - the first being in January last year.
Since 2012, the DfE's group financial statements have also covered the financial statements of academy trusts, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
Included in this are 2,824 academy trusts that operated 4,900 academies between 2014 and 2015.
A department spokesman said: "Academies are subject to a rigorous system of accountability and oversight, tougher and more transparent than maintained schools.
"This is reflected in the NAO's finding that there are no material inaccuracies in individual academies' statements.
"However, the consolidation of thousands of those accounts into the format required by Parliament is one of the largest and most complex procedures of its kind.
"All of these accounts are published individually by trusts ensuring they can be held to account by the department and the public."
He said the department had developed a new methodology for the financial year 2016-17, which the NAO had said would provide a solution to a number of these issues.
He added: "With the Education Funding Agency's rigorous oversight of the academy system and the expanding role of the regional school commissioner, we are confident that the accountability system for the expanding academies programme is robust and fit for purpose."
Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said: "This is a damning and very serious report, which highlights both the opaque financial arrangements within some academy chains as well as the almost impossible job the Department for Education has set itself in trying to directly run thousands of schools from Whitehall.
"Forcing all schools to become academies will make this situation even worse.
"If this report was about a local authority, it would rightly be put in special measures and taken over." | The Department for Education has been severely reprimanded by the National Audit Office for failing to properly account for spending by academies. | 36090672 |
Southgate, 46, was interviewed for three hours on Monday after an unbeaten four-match spell as interim manager.
The Football Association says he is "the only candidate" for the role.
"It's just been dragged out a bit," said Mills, 39. "I'm a little bit surprised with the FA."
Mills played alongside Southgate for both England and Middlesbrough.
"Surely you just give him the same contract as Sam Allardyce," he added.
"They made these decisions under Allardyce - the money for the job."
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Former England striker Chris Sutton was critical of the interview process and said it was a "slap across the face" for Southgate.
But former FA chief executive Adrian Bevington said he did not think it was "overcomplicating" the issue.
After Allardyce's departure following a newspaper investigation, Southgate led England to two wins and two draws during his time in interim charge.
"Gareth should be appointed as soon as possible," added Mills. "The job he's done is impeccable.
"A lot of people say he's too nice. Yes, he's an absolute gentleman, and very articulate, intelligent, but he's got an edge."
No decision on England's next manager is expected until 30 November, but Southgate is heavy favourite.
The Three Lions are not in action again until 22 March, when they meet Germany in a friendly four days before their next qualifier against Lithuania. | Gareth Southgate should be appointed England manager "as soon as possible" and be given the same contract as predecessor Sam Allardyce, says former Three Lions defender Danny Mills. | 38073041 |
Royals captain Paul McShane and team-mate Danny Williams had a visible confrontation during the second half.
"I didn't see it," McDermott said when asked for a view after the game. "But, I do know that these guys want to win."
Reading lost to a late Adam Forshaw goal shortly after Matej Vydra had missed a chance to seal an away win.
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"I've seen players in dressing rooms that have won leagues (doing things) that you wouldn't know about.
"I don't really want to talk about it. That's what winners do, they want to win.
"They were gutted at the end, we all were."
In a lively post-match interview with BBC Radio Berkshire's Tim Dellor, McDermott also refused to criticise Czech Republic striker Vydra for failing to convert a late chance.
"I'm not here to pillar one person," he added. "We're sick for Matej Vydra, we're sick that it hasn't gone in the net.
"We're absolutely sick to lose the game. If we hit the target there, we win the game. It's a real disappointment that we haven't won the game."
Reading stay 14th after the defeat and still require one more point to be mathematically safe from relegation. | Reading manager Brian McDermott denied seeing two of his players clash with each other during Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Championship leaders Middlesbrough. | 36033919 |
The scheme hopes to safeguard the future of the Torwoodlee Tower near Galashiels which dates back to 1601.
A fundraising campaign was launched in 2001 to generate the resources necessary to consolidate the building.
A two-year £150,000 project is now able to get under way which should help to make the structure safe to view.
The tower plays a part in the history of Galashiels and its annual Braw Lads' Gathering celebrations.
James Pringle, the 14th and current laird of Torwoodlee, said: "In 2001 we launched a campaign to raise the funds we needed to consolidate this romantic ruin.
"That year was the quincentenary of 1501 when we first came to Torwoodlee and it seemed a very apt moment to be thinking of the next 500 years.
"Now, thanks to the generosity of the Fallago Environment Fund, Historic Scotland, local people and Pringles around the world, we are in a position to undertake the two year project to stop the tower falling down any more."
He said when the project was finished the tower would be "safe for people to look at and admire once again". | A project has started to try to stabilise a historic Scottish Borders tower which has fallen into an "increasingly precarious" condition. | 32121365 |
Koeman also said on Thursday that the future of England defender Phil Jagielka "depends if there is interest from other clubs".
The Toffees have rejected a bid from AC Milan to take Deulofeu, 22, on loan for the remainder of the season.
Deulofeu has made 13 appearances for Everton this season.
"I spoke to Gerard and it's a difficult situation for the player," said Koeman. "If he finds a solution to go and get game-time then it's no problem.
"But the final decision will be down to the board."
Everton are waiting to see if Milan will come back with a new offer.
Ajax is another potential destination for a player who can leave but is expected to cost a loan fee.
Middlesbrough have also been linked with a January move for Deulofeu.
The Spaniard joined Everton on loan from Barcelona for the 2013-14 season, making the transfer permanent in 2015 for £4.3m.
Jagielka, 34, has been linked with a move to Sunderland, managed by former Everton boss David Moyes.
He joined the Toffees in July 2007 from Sheffield United and has gone on to make over 300 appearances for the club.
Everton also remain interested in signing Manchester United winger Memphis Depay during the winter transfer window, though he is likely to join French side Lyon. | Winger Gerard Deulofeu can leave Everton before the January transfer window closes in order to get more games, boss Ronald Koeman says. | 38655487 |
The decision comes after the Welsh government said it would not step in to rule on the application at Llanbedr, near Harlech.
Snowdonia National Park Authority says the plans will be approved, subject to conditions, which are yet to be decided.
Park charity Snowdonia Society said the site was inappropriate.
It wanted the Welsh government to call in the plans and to hold a planning inquiry.
But it has now referred the decision back to the park authority.
The airfield employed 130 people before it closed in 2004.
Llanbedr Airfield Estates was previously granted a certificate to use the site to test unmanned aerial vehicles at the former military air base.
Earlier this month it applied to the park, as planning authority, to re-use hangars and associated buildings for aircraft maintenance including decommissioning / disassembly, parts recovery and refitting together with engineering training.
It says it would take up to 28 days to dismantle narrow bodied commercial airliners such as a Boeing 737 with bigger Boeing 747 taking up to 42 days.
After the airfield closed, Llanbedr Airfield Estates wanted to use the land for private flights and let empty buildings for business use. | Plans to turn a former airfield in Snowdonia into a yard to dismantle airliners will be given permission. | 19267592 |
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Catt, 27, came through the club's academy and Auterac, 23, joined from Saracens ahead of the 2014-15 season.
"It's fantastic to be retaining Nathan and Nick, two outstanding young props," said Bath head coach Mike Ford.
"They both have their best years ahead of them and with Neal Hatley overseeing their development, they'll keep going from strength to strength." | Bath loosehead props Nick Auterac and Nathan Catt have signed new contracts with the Premiership club. | 34975384 |
For that matter, you could say the same about being a criminal in New York.
And why? Well, I'm going to give you two statistics that unless you have really good jaw muscles should cause your mouth to spring open.
Since the horrific and brutal murder of two police officers in Brooklyn before Christmas, the number of parking tickets and summonses issued for minor offences has fallen by a staggering (and yes, jaw dropping) 94%; the number of arrests is down by an equally astonishing 66%
Now this could be explained by the fact that criminals woke up one morning in mid-December, rubbed their eyes and decided that from now on they were going straight, pursuing a life of simple virtue.
While New York drivers, instead of choosing between the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, decided they would take the long road to Damascus, and never speed, never drink/drive, never park illegally again. Yep. That could be one explanation.
But seriously, let's consider a more likely scenario.
Put crudely it is this - since those two officers were cut down in cold blood, the police who are at war with the mayor, Bill de Blasio, are de facto on a go-slow. The headline in the New York Post is this: "It's not a slowdown - it's a virtual work stoppage"
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association has told officers to put their own safety first and not to make arrests "unless absolutely necessary".
The average NYPD cop is apparently incandescent that Mayor de Blasio, in their view, gave succour to opponents of the police by expressing concern following the death by chokehold of Eric Garner.
The police, you will have probably seen on the TV, have not lost an opportunity to turn their back - literally - on the mayor. It happened first when he went to Woodhull hospital on 20 December where the fatally wounded bodies of patrolmen Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu had been taken after the shooting.
If that was a spontaneous outpouring of anger, it looked a lot more rehearsed by the time the funerals came round and the same thing happened again.
So what was it that De Blasio said to provoke such fury? After the grand jury rulings in both the case of Eric Garner and Ferguson shooting victim Michael Brown, he said he would have to warn his mixed race son about the "dangers" posed by cops.
The police muttered that there was a causal relationship between those comments and the two police officers being murdered.
Wow. That is a big accusation. I guess the acid test for a comment like that is would De Blasio repeat it today given the anger it has provoked. Almost certainly not. It was politically dumb and insensitive to the police. But can he really, honestly be blamed for the deaths of those two patrolmen?
Perhaps though something else is going on here.
The powerful police unions have been simmering with rage ever since Bill de Blasio was elected.
He came to office on a platform of reforming the police; of changing the way they work; of renewing the way they interact with the public.
The police, because they are the ones who are putting themselves in harm's way every day, risking their lives, and in the case of those two Brooklyn patrolmen losing them, believe they know much better than a liberal politician how to keep New York safe.
But Bill de Blasio believes he has something that gives him legitimacy to pursue these reforms - it's called a mandate.
It may not exactly honour the uniform they wear but really who cares if New York cops turn their back on the mayor? And it may not be the most sophisticated of political protests, nor the appropriate place at a funeral, but it has made a point.
But if they're turning their backs on the fight against crime, then that is something else. | If you're inclined to park illegally, or jump a red light, or exceed the speed limit, has there ever been a better time to be in New York? | 30689296 |
Police said the boy, 16, was arrested after the fire at The Orchard in Quedgeley. A woman escaped from the building but a dog died in the blaze.
Firefighters from Gloucester, Stroud, Painswick and Cheltenham were called to the blaze in the early hours.
The boy was released on police bail on Friday evening, pending further inquiries.
Richard Smith from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue said the fire was "very severe".
He said the building was currently too unsafe to enter.
Mr Smith said a "full fire investigation" was under way at the pub in Olympus Park and the service was working with Gloucester Police.
He added about 50 firefighters were called to the blaze and stopped it from spreading to neighbouring buildings. | A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a pub in Gloucester was destroyed by fire. | 14675893 |
Environmental groups said digging and dredging has had a serious impact on coastal ecosystems.
A temporary ban was imposed late last year, but campaigners allege dredging has continued.
Singapore has imported more than 72 million tonnes of sand from Cambodia since 2007, according to UN figures.
That figure conflicts with the Cambodian government's numbers, which say Singapore imported just 16 million tonnes in the period.
Singapore has expanded its landmass by more than 20% since its independence in 1965, and considers reclamation a key strategy for accommodating a growing population.
Sand is essential to reclamation, but on recent projects Singapore has begun experimenting with techniques that would require less sand.
The country's reclamation projects are built by private contractors, who must adhere to sand import rules that include environmental protection measures.
A spokesman for Cambodia's Ministry of Mines and Energy, Meng Saktheara, said the new, permanent ban was in response to environmental concerns.
"Their worries are right that the risks are massive, so the ministry decided to ban sand exports and large-scale sand dredging," he said.
Other countries have previously imposed various types of sand export bans.
Malaysia imposed a ban on exports in 1997, while Indonesia announced a ban on exporting land sand to Singapore in 2007.
Environment groups are hopeful that the ban will put a stop to the trade, which they say has been causing environmental damage for years.
"I think it will make a difference. It will not be easy for the sand mining companies to continue exporting," said Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, an activist with the group Mother Nature.
Media and activist attention on the trade would now make it difficult for companies to flout the rules, he added. | Cambodia has permanently banned sand exports, officially ending sales to Singapore which has used it for years as part of its land reclamation. | 40590695 |
Uma Bharti, the water resources minister, claims she told the men's accusers to watch as they were hung upside down.
"Rapists should be tortured in front of victims until they beg for forgiveness," she said.
Ms Bharti made the comments while campaigning for a local politician in Agra, in Uttar Pradesh state.
She brought up an infamous case from July 2016 where a mother and her daughter were gang-raped in Bulandshahr, saying the Uttar Pradesh government had failed to give the victims justice.
"The rapists should be hung upside down and beaten till their skin comes off," the minister is reported to have said.
"Salt and chilli should be rubbed on their wounds until they scream. Mothers and sisters should watch so they can get closure."
Ms Bharti said that when she was chief minister of Madhya Pradesh state from 2003-4, she took the same attitude.
"I would tell the cops to hang the rapists upside down and beat them so hard that they would cry out. I would tell women to watch through windows of the police station," she said.
She told the crowd that when a policeman objected, "I told him people who behave like 'danav' (demons) cannot have Manavadhikar (human rights). Their heads should be cut off like Ravana's". Ravana is an evil demon king in Hindu mythology.
Ms Bharti is a member of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and has previously made the headlines for her controversial comments.
Her torture revelations have resonated with some in India, where the most grievous rape cases sometimes attract the death penalty.
Crimes against women in India have been in the spotlight since the brutal gang-rape and murder of a student in 2012 in Delhi. | An Indian minister says she made rape suspects beg for their lives and ordered police to torture them. | 38928860 |
President Rodrigo Duterte says he wants to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, especially among the poor.
His executive order is expected to face fierce opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.
Mr Duterte's predecessor had to fight for years to pass a bill extending the use of contraceptives in the country.
But the Supreme Court placed a temporary ban on the distribution of contraceptive implants under the law in 2015 after complaints from anti-abortion groups. The government has appealed.
More than 80% of Filipinos are Roman Catholics, according to the Pew Research Center.
The push to achieve "zero unmet need for family planning" is an important part of the Philippines' plans to cut poverty, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
The government wants to cut the poverty rate to 13% by 2022, down from 21.6% last year, he added.
He said the government believed contraceptive provision was "pro-life, pro-women, pro-children, and pro-economic development".
Mr Duterte's executive order prioritises getting contraceptives to two million women identified as poor by 2018.
The department of education has also been asked to provide "gender sensitive and rights-based" sex education in schools, CNN Philippines reports.
The Philippines is the only country in the Asia-Pacific where the rate of teen pregnancies has risen over the last two decades, according to the UN.
The country has a population of around 103 million people. | Government agencies in the Philippines have been ordered to offer free contraceptives to an estimated six million women who cannot obtain them. | 38591581 |
The Glasgow Warriors full-back has not played since damaging an ankle while winning his 33rd cap in Scotland's win over Italy at Murrayfield last month.
The 23-year-old told BBC Scotland: "We're getting there. I'm hopeful but we're just taking it day by day.
"I want to play in every single game so if I'm selected, then great."
Hogg, who has been wearing a protective boot as part of his rehabilitation, says that if he is not chosen for Wednesday's game in Gloucester then he will "just continue to work hard and hopefully get the starting jersey next time".
"You want to play in a World Cup and this would be my first," he said.
"As you can probably tell, I'm really excited."
Meanwhile, Hogg's Warriors team-mate Josh Strauss, who was born in South Africa, now qualifies to play for Scotland having spent three years in the country.
Former Scotland captain Al Kellock joked on BBC Radio 5Live that Strauss "took a good six months" to understand his accent.
He said: "I've had a lot of conversations with Josh about it and I know how much he thinks about it.
"I've also told him that now that he's Scottish he's probably going to get a little bit better looking and probably get a little bit taller as well and be a better player."
Asked if representing Scotland can mean as much to a player qualifying on the residency rule, Kellock replied: "It definitely can but it just comes from a different place.
"There are different motivating factors in every member of your team.
"The world's changed. People are moving around so much that it's a reality that people are going to pull on a jersey that doesn't necessarily represent where they grow up but he will be as motivated as anyone else on that park." | Stuart Hogg is "hopeful" of recovering from injury in time to feature for Scotland in their opening World Cup match against Japan. | 34294608 |
The head of the censor board, Pahlaj Nihalani, told Indian media that it was because the film was "too scary".
The Jungle Book is a computer-generated remake of the 1967 animated film that was based on Rudyard Kipling's book.
The film, which has been praised in early reviews, releases in India on 8 April.
Mr Nihalani told an Indian newspaper that the decision was taken because "the 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience".
The music composer of the film, Vishal Bhardwaj, told a press conference that nothing about it warranted a U/A certificate.
"It is such a beautiful film. There is nothing in it which will scare the kids, but let's just accept the fact, these are the times," he was quoted as saying by the media.
The decision has predictably led to some ridicule on social media.
The film has also received a Parental Guidance (PG) certificate in the US, which has led to this debate among two Indian film reviewers: | India's censor board has given Disney's Jungle Book a U/A certificate, meaning that children will not be able to watch the film without adult supervision. | 35984104 |
The proposals are contained in a document setting out the BBC's plans for the next decade.
They include a new interactive channel for Wales to be launched online and a new news online homepage for Wales.
The BBC said it must do more "to reflect the lives and experiences of all licence fee payers" and commits to improving "how we portray and represent the different nations of the UK."
But while the document - British Bold Creative - acknowledged that there had been a decline in English language programming in Wales by the BBC, it does not respond directly to First Minister Carwyn Jones's request for an extra £30m of investment in the area.
The BBC said it would consult with the Welsh government and others as part of the process of Charter Review.
Among its other proposals, the BBC said a new interactive channel for Wales would be launched online, where archive and original content will be broadcast, while the four nations of the UK will have their own BBC news online home pages.
The BBC's document said it was "fully committed to broadcasting and providing services in the UK's indigenous languages," and that it would share with S4C the technology and expertise to use its new personalised service, "myBBC".
News output is also scrutinised in the document, with an acknowledgement that since devolution "there is now a much stronger case for providing a different balance in how we serve audiences with the most relevant BBC news and current affairs".
In a speech accompanying the document, director general Tony Hall said he wanted to explore how "we might better configure the BBC's news offering across the UK."
In summary:
ANALYSIS by Huw Thomas, BBC Wales arts and media correspondent
The proposals contain a frank admission from the BBC that it needs to improve its portrayal of Wales on its UK-wide services.
While it hasn't offered an immediate solution, there is a hint at the creation of a Welsh Ten or a Scottish Six - an all-inclusive TV programme that would deliver Welsh, UK and world news in one programme, rather than splitting the news from London and Wales as happens now.
The creation of a BBC Wales online TV channel is designed to offer a platform for programmes.
But while the BBC acknowledges that English language programming in Wales has been in decline, the Welsh government's demands that it invests an extra £30m have been met with an offer of consultation, not cash.
The BBC wants to provoke a discussion about its future - but Welsh voices will need to shout loudly to be part of a debate framed by budget constraints and wider demands on the BBC's future resources.
Lee Waters, director of think tank The Institute of Welsh Affairs, said Lord Hall had said nothing on how the BBC will go about better reflecting the whole of the UK.
"If the BBC director general is sincere in wanting to create a BBC that is 'made to measure for you, wherever you are', as he said in his speech, he needs to make sure BBC Wales is able to produce content that allows people in Wales to see their own communities and their country reflected in its output," said Mr Waters. | The BBC has said it wants to improve Wales coverage on its UK-wide services. | 34173726 |
They were inducted alongside the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Journey and Yes during a concert in New York.
However, it was not just a celebration: a number of artists chose to use the occasion to make impassioned pleas and remember lost friends.
Tupac's award was collected by his friend, fellow rapper Snoop Dogg.
Folk singer Baez - as known for her activism as her singing - made a rallying call for resistance in the face of "the new political cultural reality".
The 76-year-old, who admitted most younger people had never heard her work, made a return to the spotlight this week when her song Nasty Man went viral.
Baez - imitating Donald Trump's particular way of speaking - told the audience gathered at Brooklyn's Barclays Center: "Let us together repeal and replace brutality and make compassion a priority. Let us build a great bridge, a beautiful bridge, to welcome the tired and the poor."
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder tackled climate change, saying: "We cannot be the generation that history will look back upon and wonder, why didn't they do everything humanly possible to solve this biggest crisis of our time?"
Snoop Dogg was on hand to collect Tupac's trophy, more than two decades after he was shot dead in Las Vegas.
Calling Tupac "the greatest rapper of all time", he recalled how they were just "two black boys struggling to become men", adding: "To be human is to be many things at once: strong and vulnerable, hard-headed and intellectual, courageous and afraid, loving and vengeful, revolutionary and, oh yeah... gangsta!"
Tributes were also paid to 1986 Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Berry. who died last month aged 90, with ELO playing one of his best known hits - Roll Over Beethoven.
Meanwhile, Nile Rodgers - lead guitarist of disco band Chic - was recognised for his contribution to production. | The late rapper Tupac Shakur, 1960s protest singer Joan Baez and grunge legends Pearl Jam have all entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. | 39537967 |
Mr Ruto and his family were not at the compound near the western city of Eldoret at the time.
The man had entered the residence after injuring a police guard with a machete and stealing his gun, police said.
The incident comes days before Kenya holds presidential elections.
Police chief Joseph Boinnet told local media the situation was now "under control".
"There is no threat now because he was the only one."
There were no further details about the attack.
Earlier reports suggested a number of gunmen had entered Mr Ruto's home, but police later clarified there was only one attacker.
More about Kenya's elections:
Full coverage here
There have been conflicting reports about how many guns the attacker used.
Mr Boinnet told Capital FM News that only one firearm, belonging to the security guard, had been recovered from the gunman.
However, Rift Valley Regional Co-ordinator Wanyama Musiambo told reporters the attacker had used a number of guns after breaking into a police armoury in the compound.
"From the exchange of fire we thought it was more than one attacker, because he used different firearms," he said in quotes carried by Reuters news agency.
"After the operation we discovered that it was one gunman, but because he was inside there, he could change positions and firearms because he had access to the guns. And the guns he was using were ours," he added.
The deputy president had left the home hours before the attack, heading to a campaign rally in the town of Kitale with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Mr Kenyatta is seeking re-election on 8 August. Legislative and regional elections will also be held on the same day.
While Kenya's 2013 elections passed relatively peacefully, there was serious post-election violence following the 2007 polls, which left more than 1,000 people dead and 600,000 displaced from their homes.
However, experts say they do not expect to see the same level of conflict in the coming elections. | Kenyan police say they have shot dead an attacker who forced his way into the rural home of Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto, ending a siege that lasted several hours. | 40767494 |
The email from the former US ambassador to Australia is among 4,000 released amid a row about Mrs Clinton's use of private email for official business.
Mr Rudd's office said if such a request had been made, it was done without his authority.
Mr Rudd was replaced by his deputy, Julia Gillard, in 2010.
Part of the email, sent by ambassador Jeffrey Bleich to the State Department in June 2010, is blocked out.
"I spoke at length with former PM Rudd on Monday," Mr Bleich wrote.
He said Mr Rudd "did not raise the issue" but that his aide had later called "and noted that Rudd had not heard from S, [Secretary of State] and would have hoped for a sympathetic call".
"I have no strong point of view on this one. He has received such a call from POTUS [The President of the United States] already.
"But, I think he and S had a good relationship and he may want to talk to her about his future career goals."
A statement from Mr Rudd's office said he had made "zero request" for any call with Mrs Clinton.
"By that stage, Mr Rudd had already had a long conversation with President [Barack] Obama which was initiated by the President," it said.
Mrs Clinton's opponents have accused her of putting US security at risk by using an unsecured computer system for official business.
Mrs Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2016 presidential election, says no classified information was sent or received on her personal email account, however, 125 emails were deemed confidential by the State Department.
She has said her decision to use a private email server at her New York home was a mistake. | Former Australia PM Kevin Rudd "hoped for a sympathetic call" from then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after he was ousted, an email says. | 34124200 |
Marcus Wooldridge, 36, of Blandamour Way, Bristol, was found guilty at Bristol Crown Court and sentenced to two years and nine months.
The attack happened at the Fit Firm Gym in Hotwells Road - formerly owned and managed by Wooldridge.
Police believe there may be more victims as he worked in several gyms.
Investigating officer Det Con Rachel Alford said: "Wooldridge claimed to be a trained physiotherapist and registered nurse, which gave him the opportunity to physically examine the victim within the gym environment.
"The truth is he has no formal qualifications as a physiotherapist or personal trainer and these claims were merely a smokescreen for his real intentions - to commit a sexual assault."
After the sentencing, the victim who is now aged 20, said: "I'm so relieved this is over and I want to warn people that these types of crimes can happen to anyone.
"In my view it's worth speaking out about and I hope this conviction gives other victims the courage to report offences to the police."
Wooldridge was also placed on the sex offenders register for life. | A gym owner who sexually assaulted one of his clients under the guise of helping her with stretches and treatment has been jailed. | 38639341 |
The 24-year-old, who moved to Lord's from Glamorgan at the end of 2012, took 9-34 in the second innings to finish with match figures of 13-103.
"I've had two very lean years which has hurt me," he told BBC London 94.9.
"I came here as a fairly big signing and expected to be doing these sort of things from the off. I am there to perform and I wasn't doing it."
The right-arm seamer added: "I came on a decent contract and wasn't performing so I was getting some criticism, and rightly so."
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Harris took 21 wickets at an average of 38.33 in his first season at Middlesex but his second year in north London was more difficult, following a change in his action.
He took just 12 wickets at 55.50 in his seven appearances and returned to Glamorgan on loan in order to find form.
"We changed last year to be better - you want to be better and you want to improve," he said.
"Many things have been said that if I was half a yard quicker I'd be that much closer to hopefully getting an England call-up. That's what we went searching for.
"You could argue that we probably found it, but it was at the detriment to what I did naturally.
"I lost my height, I wasn't hitting the seam and I wasn't causing problems."
Harris has now re-modified his bowling action over the winter, culminating in his best bowling figures since his second first-class match for Glamorgan in 2007, aged just 17.
"We made a choice to go back. This is the type of bowler I have always been," he said.
"I was never going to be express but I'm hopefully bowling at a decent enough pace and doing a bit with it.
"I said all the way through the summer so far that I had been bowling quite nicely but there was still something to click.
"I got in a nice rhythm and I'm thrilled. It has been a long wait to get another 10-for." | Middlesex bowler James Harris says his career-best figures in the victory over Durham were "a long time coming". | 32608669 |
Brazilian Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira, 53, and Dutch national Ang Kiem Soe, 52, were among six people who faced the firing squad on Sunday.
The other four convicts were from Indonesia, Malawi, Nigeria and Vietnam.
Indonesia has some of the toughest drug laws in the world. It ended a four-year moratorium on executions in 2013.
President Joko Widodo has said that he will show no mercy towards drug criminals because they have ruined the lives of so many.
The six convicts were executed in Central Java province - five on the island of Nusa Kambangan and the other one, a Vietnamese woman, in the small central Javanese town of Boyolali.
Brazil says Moreira was the first Brazilian national to be executed abroad.
He was arrested in 2003 after police at Jakarta airport found 13.4 kg of cocaine hidden in his hang glider.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said in a statement that she was "outraged and dismayed".
"Relations between the two countries have been affected," said Ms Rousseff.
Ms Rousseff had made a plea for clemency on Friday, but it was rejected by Mr Widodo.
She told her Indonesian counterpart that she respected the sovereignty and judicial system of his country but as a mother and head of state she was making the appeal for humanitarian reasons.
Brazil says Mr Widodo said he understood the Brazilian president's concern but said he could not commute the sentence as the full legal process had been followed.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Mark Rutte had also personally contacted the Indonesian president in the case of Ang Kiem Soe.
Mr Koenders called the execution "a cruel and inhumane punishment ... an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity".
Human rights group Amnesty International urged the Indonesian government to halt executions immediately, and eventually abolish the death penalty.
Moreira said in a video recorded by a friend that he regretted trying to smuggle cocaine into Indonesia.
"I am aware that I committed a serious offence, but I believe I deserve another chance. Everyone makes mistakes."
A second Brazilian national, Rodrigo Muxfeldt Gularte, remains on death row in Indonesia, also convicted with drug trafficking offences.
Brazil abolished the death penalty in times of peace when it became a republic in 1889. | Brazil and the Netherlands have recalled their ambassadors from Indonesia after the execution of two of their nationals for drug trafficking. | 30870558 |
Abu Khaled al-Suri was among several people who died when a base of Ahrar al-Sham, part of the Islamic Front, was targeted on Sunday, activists said.
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), a jihadist rebel group, is thought to have been responsible.
Suri was reportedly sent to Syria by al-Qaeda to end the infighting between ISIS and other rebel groups.
It is said to have left more than 2,000 people dead since early January.
Abu Khalid al-Suri was killed along with six comrades from Ahrar al-Sham in Sunday's attack, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Two rebels told the Reuters news agency that five men had entered the rival group's headquarters in Aleppo and opened fire before one blew himself up.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but a spokesman for the Islamic Front, Akram al-Halabi, said he believed ISIS was behind it.
"The first fingers of blame point to the State," he told the Associated Press. "Unfortunately this is going to make the infighting worse."
Suri, a Syrian-born militant whose real name was Muhammad Bahaiah, is believed to have been close to the late al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and his successor Ayman al-Zawahiri.
He fought against US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Rebel sources said he was sent to Syria a few months ago on a mission to mediate in the conflict between ISIS and other rebel groups, including the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front.
An audio recording attributed to Suri was released last month in which he said ISIS had "sought to corrupt the jihad in Syria, as it did in Iraq and Afghanistan".
He called on the group to stop attacking other jihadists, adding: "Direct your car bombs at the infidels and do not busy yourself with fighting the mujahedeen and killing them."
Earlier this month, al-Qaeda's general command insisted that it had "no connection" with ISIS and was not responsible for its actions.
ISIS grew out of the former Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), a jihadist militant umbrella group that included al-Qaeda in Iraq. It is believed to have helped create the al-Nusra Front in mid-2011.
In April 2013, ISI leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the merger of his group and al-Nusra - effectively a takeover - and the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
But the move was rejected by al-Nusra leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani and Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's overall leader, who recognised al-Nusra as its sole Syrian offshoot.
Since then, ISIS and al-Nusra have operated as separate entities, with the latter focusing on toppling President Bashar al-Assad and maintaining better relations with other rebels. ISIS has seemed to be more concerned by territorial gains and implementing its extreme interpretation of Islamic law.
Also on Sunday, several people were reported killed by a car bomb near a field hospital in northern Syria, close to the border with Turkey.
Activists said the blast happened in the rebel-held town of Atmeh, which hosts a camp for thousands of people displaced by Syria's civil war.
It was not immediately clear who had carried out that attack.
According to UN figures, 6.5 million Syrians have been displaced by the country's civil war, and 2.5 million are registered as refugees. Lebanon has taken the highest number of refugees, followed by Jordan and Turkey. | A rebel leader linked to al-Qaeda has been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. | 26318646 |
The four and five-year-old children from Devon were weighed and measured as part of the government's National Childhood Measurement Programme.
Parents of children at Tor Bridge Primary School contacted The Plymouth Herald about the letters.
Plymouth's director of public health Dr Ruth Harrell said support was in place for parents to discuss the results.
Click here for more on this story, and other stories from across Devon and Cornwall.
School nurses working for Livewell South West sent out the letters as part of the Public Health England scheme.
Teri Sanders, mother of Archi Sanders who attends the school said: "According to the NHS guidelines, my son needed to be one stone lighter to be a perfect weight.
"I can understand why the NHS needs to warn parents or give a guideline, but I think it's disgusting that they can label my son very overweight."
Sarah Tall, whose four-year-old daughter Roxanne attends the school, put her child's details into an NHS healthy weight calculator, which confirmed the findings.
"She hasn't got an ounce of fat on her," Ms Tall said.
"My main worry is if a child is at an age where they can be very self conscious, it would affect them.
"If they're telling us our children are overweight, they should be a bit more sensitive."
The results are posted to parents and are not given to the children themselves or to the school.
Dr Ruth Harrell, Plymouth City Council's director of public health, said some parents might be "surprised" by their child's result.
"The measurement that we perform is our best estimate of the amount of excess weight that a child is carrying, but very occasionally might not be giving us the full picture."
Jake Franklin, aged five, was also classed as "very overweight", although his mother Kelly said it is "the least of his worries".
Jake underwent nine hours of brain surgery when he was a baby and has several learning difficulties.
Kelly said: "I didn't expect it to be written like that. I would like a formal apology for the way it was handled.
"I would also like to point out, it's nothing to do with the school, the school have a very healthy lifestyle policy". | Parents have said they are appalled by an "insensitive" letter describing their children as "very overweight". | 39343771 |
The service said it received 141 calls and attended 102 incidents across Northern Ireland - the lowest figure on record for 31 October.
The majority of the incidents (45%) were located in the Southern Command Area.
Most involved rubbish, bonfires and calls where tyres had been set alight.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, police have confirmed that they made 12 arrests in Londonderry following Halloween celebrations on Friday.
This compares with 17 arrests in Derry last year and 21 in 2012. | The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has reported an 18% decrease in Halloween incidents compared to last year. | 29862138 |
17 October 2016 Last updated at 12:14 BST
Tickets to the event at Glasgow's Science Centre sold out in just 23 minutes. His talk was broadcast on screens across the building.
Tim Peake spent six months on the Principia mission and became the first UK astronaut to go on a spacewalk.
Glasgow Science Centre hosts Tim Peake event | British astronaut Tim Peake has told an audience of his fans in Glasgow about his time on the International Space Station. | 37679982 |
Organisers said restrictions imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) after the crash at Shoreham Airshow would have "seriously limited" some of the flying displays.
The event has been rescheduled for Saturday 28 May 2016 and tickets already issued will remain valid.
The show would have been the first to be held in the area since 1989.
Chris Petty, from organisers Skylive, said the decision had not been taken lightly.
"We had put together an excellent programme of events but clearly the tragedy at Shoreham has forced us to consider very carefully whether it would be right to go ahead.
"The restrictions announced by the CAA...would have seriously limited the flying displays of the jet aircraft scheduled to take part - including the Avro Vulcan and the aircraft from the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight - it would have significantly reduced the quality of the central element of the event."
A spokesman for Durham Tees Valley Airport said it believed the decision to postpone was the right one. | An air show due to take place at Durham Tees Valley Airport on Saturday has been postponed. | 34070073 |
Elliott Johnson wrote letters, found after his death, in which he claimed he was bullied by Tory supporters.
His parents want his inquest to be widened to include evidence about the culture in the Conservative Party.
A pre-inquest review has taken place to hear from lawyers on both sides.
An extract from one of the letters was read to Ampthill Coroner's Court, near Milton Keynes.
The 21-year-old wrote: "These past few weeks have been the most difficult of my life. I've failed in money, failed in life, failed in politics."
Live updates on this story here
Heather Williams QC, representing Mr Johnson's parents Alison and Ray Johnson, said the treatment he received could be considered "inhuman or degrading".
"The family believe his death was directly linked to a series of events that occurred in the last few weeks of his life," she added.
Mr Johnson made a complaint about bullying weeks before he was found dead in Bedfordshire.
The case subsequently led to the resignation of former party co-chairman Grant Shapps.
Former activist Mark Clarke, who is at the centre of the allegations, which he denies, has been expelled from the party.
June 2015: He starts working for the campaign group Conservative Way Forward as political editor.
12 August: Mr Johnson makes a complaint to the Conservative party about activist Mark Clarke. Around the same time he is demoted due to budget cuts.
5 September: He withdraws his complaint after a meeting with Mr Clarke.
15 September: Mr Johnson is found dead on railway tracks near Sandy station, Bedfordshire.
16 September: Police find a letter in his room accusing Mr Clarke of bullying. He denies this allegation.
18 November: Mr Clarke is expelled from the party.
28 November: Grant Shapps resigns amid claims he failed to act on bullying complaints while he was co-party chairman.
George Alliott, representing Mr Johnson's former employer, the campaign group Conservative Way Forward, said a more in-depth inquest would "have to include reference to Elliott's mental health and his sexuality".
Mr Johnson's parents, who live in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, have decided not to participate in an internal review by the Conservative Party saying they fear it will be a whitewash.
Coroner Tom Osborne will deliver his written decision on what evidence will be heard at the full inquest later this week. | A young Conservative activist found dead on railway tracks could have suffered "inhuman or degrading" treatment at the hands of party members, a hearing has been told. | 35706828 |
The unidentified gunman was shot dead by police after roaming the streets with a rifle and a revolver in broad daylight on Saturday.
Officials have released few details but accounts by friends and witnesses suggest the victims were not connected.
The dead include two women relaxing outside an addiction recovery centre and a cyclist who begged for his life.
The gunman shot the cyclist first before moving on to kill the two women.
"His last words were 'Please God, no,'" said Teresa Willingham, a witness to the first shooting. "He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."
The cyclist was left lying face down in the street with his bike, while the gunman walked approximately half a mile (0.8km) to a home for women recovering from addiction.
It was there that the two women were shot while relaxing on the porch of the home.
"He walked calmly and collectedly. His demeanour was like he was having a stroll in the park," said Matthew Abshire, who heard the shots and followed the gunman down the street.
Police confronted the man outside a nearby burger restaurant.
An eyewitness told a local television station that police instructed the gunman to drop his weapons, before they "shot at him a good 20 times". | Police are saying little about why a man killed three people at random on the streets of Colorado Springs. | 34703278 |
Renewable energy developer Empowering Wind Group, was granted planning permission in 2008 to build a 136m-tall turbine at the ground.
But the airport blocked the development after claiming there was an issue with "air safety".
The company said it was now pursuing litigation against the airport.
Middlesbrough Council approved planning permission for the turbine in 2008.
Following the decision, Durham Tees Valley Airport claimed there was an issue with "air safety" and "degradation to the radar service".
However, after an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority, it was deemed Empowering Wind Group did not need approval from the airport and said the turbine would not compromise passenger safety.
Chief executive Paul Millinder said the company was taking legal action after it lost 30% of the tariff the company was going to get for the electricity it generated.
A statement from Durham Tees Valley Airport said: "We are awaiting a letter from Middlesbrough Council, which will explain the rationale behind this decision.
"We have no further comment to make at this stage."
The Championship club said the turbine would provide power for 20 years.
The stadium will be the first sports venue in Europe to become self-sustainable.
The turbine, which will be installed in the car park, is expected to be built by the end of May. | A firm planning to make Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium self-sufficient in energy is taking legal action against Durham Tees Valley Airport. | 30624359 |
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder joined the League One club from Tottenham Hotspur's foundation college programme last May.
His eye-catching strike against Bury in November was voted the club's goal of the season in a debut campaign which included 12 starts in all competitions.
Irishman Osadebe's new deal at Priestfield Stadium includes the option of a further one-year extension. | Emmanuel Osadebe has signed a new one-year deal with Gillingham. | 36427088 |
Colin Horner, 35, was shot in front of his three-year-old son at Balloo Link, Bangor, at 14:45 BST on Sunday.
He was a friend of loyalist Geordie Gilmore who was shot dead in March in a feud between factions of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).
Police believe dashcam footage from other motorists could prove vital.
They want to trace Mr Horner's movements between the time that he left the Rathgael area of Bangor, where he was living, at 13:30 BST and 14:30 BST when he arrived at the car park.
They also want to find out more about a red Ford Mondeo car with false number plates which was seen leaving the scene of the shooting - it was later found burnt out near the Six Road Ends.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Det Supt Richard Campbell said Mr Horner was murdered in a "very brutal" and "completely reckless" way.
"We know that he went into the store with his son for about ten minutes, got back in his car, put his son in the rear and was just about to get into car," he said.
"He was approached by a single gunman, we believe."
The police officer said Mr Horner was hit three times and died in hospital. He said the child was immediately beside his father when he was shot in what he called a "hugely barbaric act".
One stray bullet hit another vehicle.
Police have described the killing as a "brutal, senseless and horrendous" attack that Mr Horner's son will carry with him throughout life.
It is understood the gunman was wearing a dark hoody with the hood up and had his face covered.
Ulster Unionist North Down MLA Alan Chambers, who arrived at the car park about 10 minutes after the shooting, said the scene was "surreal".
"There was a casualty on the ground, there was about six paramedics round the person working very, very hard with CPR and also administering fluids to him," he said.
"They worked on him for maybe 45 minutes, they put him then onto a trolley and moved him into an ambulance and worked on him in the ambulance for another 20 minutes and then the ambulance left the scene with a police escort."
Mr Chambers said hundreds of people were there, unaware of what had happened.
"On a sunny bank holiday weekend, as a man lay fighting for his life, people were walking by blissfully unaware of what happened carrying tins of paint and wallpaper under their arms," he said.
Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said the Bangor community would be "deeply shocked" by this murder.
"To shoot someone in a busy supermarket car park in sight of children and shoppers shows a brutality and recklessness that will not be tolerated," he said.
"The PSNI are doing all they can to bring to justice anyone involved."
DUP MLA Gordon Dunne said people were in "shock and disbelief" at what had happened.
"This was something we thought was past us, but, sadly, on occasions, is still with us," he told BBC Northern Ireland's Good Morning Ulster.
Mr Dunne said any suggestion of a link to a loyalist feud was "speculation".
"Whoever is responsible must be brought before the courts for this terrible deed," he said.
The DUP MLA said community relations were extremely good in Bangor and, as he and his colleagues were canvassing for the forthcoming election, they had a sense that things were "stable and settled".
Alliance North Down MLA Stephen Farry said the shooting had "sent shockwaves" throughout the town.
"My thoughts are with the loved ones of the man shot dead. There can never be any excuse for carrying out such an act, which has left a man dead and a family mourning," he said.
"Violence has no place in our society and those who carried out this attack must be taken off the streets. I would urge anyone with information on it to contact police immediately."
Sinn Féin MLA Chris Hazzard condemned the shooting.
"Whoever was behind this shooting wants to drag us back to the past. It will not happen," he said.
Green Party MLA Steven Agnew said the murder was "very shocking".
"This took place in broad daylight on a busy shopping day, with children and families present. A large number of people will have been shocked by this incident. Anyone who has witnessed or was nearby, undoubtedly, this will live long in their memory." | Police are investigating a possible link between a man's murder in a supermarket car park and a loyalist paramilitary feud. | 40081929 |
In the 38 years since, Britain has won 89 Olympic gold medals, embraced four British Formula 1 champions, six Prime Ministers, four James Bonds, six - soon to be seven - Star Wars films and a 12m rise in population.
But it had not produced another Grand Prix motorcycling world champion in any class - until now.
Danny Kent is unlikely to have the TV offers rolling in just yet - in fact he was offered a MotoGP ride this winter with a salary of zero - but the 21-year-old's Moto3 title win has ended the long wait for GP glory in the UK.
He almost had to quit the sport at 14, endured a bad season while his dad was given months to live as he underwent cancer treatment, and struggles to attract any backing from British companies. So how has he done it?
Kent has already been racing for 15 years, starting out as a six-year-old at a local go-kart track in Swindon where his big sister now works.
A natural on two wheels, mum Tracey may have originally dismissed his interest as 'a five-minute wonder' but dad Martyn was more prophetic.
"I said the first time he sat on a bike that he'd make a racer," Martyn told BBC Sport.
And dad was right.
Soon Danny's parents bought him his first bike and he won his first race, showing the speed and lack of fear that saw him quickly move up the classes.
"It was just something Danny wanted to do and we followed it," said Tracey.
"We both never had anything like this when we were children so we were happy to support him for as long as we could. We said 'just follow your passion'."
But a family's support can only stretch so far. Trying to get sponsorship in the UK is "like trying to get blood out of a stone" says Tracey, and Kent was left with a very adult decision while still a child as the cost of racing in Europe began to take its toll.
"We told him when he was 13 or 14 that he had one more year, that was make or break time," Tracey said.
"He would either get picked up by a team and go professional, or give it up and concentrate on school. Luckily it went the way we wanted."
In his make-or-break year, 14-year-old Danny was spotted by the MotoGP academy in Spain. Within three laps of a trial he had impressed enough to earn a place in the Red Bull Rookies - a long-standing gateway to MotoGP - and in 2010 he finished the season in second place.
That earned him a place in the smallest class of grand prix racing - a class he has now won.
It has not all been so straight forward for Kent though.
In the 2013 season he made the step up to the 600cc Moto2 class where he struggled to 16 points all season, with a best result of 12th.
The then 19-year-old was criticised, but was dealing with bad news at home as dad Martyn underwent treatment for cancer.
Tracey said: "Martyn was given 12 weeks to live because of a huge aneurysm on his brain.
"We caught it just in time and he had major brain surgery. He couldn't fly or travel at all for a long time. Things aren't 100% still but he is alive and here to enjoy this.
"There were plenty of people slating Danny when he was having a bad time of it in Moto2 but he was flying all over the world knowing that his dad wasn't well. How many teenagers have to deal with that?
"It's not the life of glory that some people think. The amount of travelling is huge and it's very tiring - and he absolutely hates flying! But it can be such a short career. You have to enjoy it while you can, live the life."
In the 362 500cc/MotoGP races which have taken place since Kent's birth on 25 November 1993, a British rider stood on the podium just 13 times. With zero wins. To put that into perspective Valentino Rossi has 175 podium finishes in the top class all of his own.
"Why have we not had a British champion for so long? It's a question we've all asked for many years," says former BBC MotoGP commentator and Sheene's team-mate Steve Parrish.
"For many years there was a token British rider out there at best. This is a starting point - Danny Kent is the biggest step forwards in many years.
"His achievement is something we have to seriously recognise, and get behind him."
There have certainly been talented riders from the UK in the years between Sheene and Kent.
They have flourished in the rival World Superbike championship - where riders race bikes based on models you or I can buy in dealerships - winning nine championships since 1994, with this year's Northern Irish winner Jonathan Rea dominating a season in which British riders won 25 of 26 races.
Should Kent go on to join the current MotoGP crop of Cal Crutchlow, Bradley Smith, Scott Redding and Eugene Laverty it would be the strongest British representation for many years.
So will we have a champion in the top class any time soon?
There is one obstacle that emerges again and again - a lack of sponsorship and backing for British riders.
Kent will move up for his second shot at Moto2 in 2016 with his current Leopard Racing team but he was offered three rides in MotoGP next year.
At least one offer would have seen him earn nothing in the first year of his contract, with Kent - and other riders on the grid - expected to fund their own expenses through sponsorship.
Former MotoGP rider James Toseland, who helped Kent sort out a training regime and handed down his '52' number, says: "There will have been plenty of young talented British riders who will have had to give up on the dream over the last 10 years and it will get worse.
"If you want to travel business class and stay in nice hotels like MotoGP riders do, you can easily spend £50k a year.
"Add in a motorhome, fuel, insurance and a driver. If you do it properly, not scrimping, you won't get much change out of £100k.
"So if you are offered no wages, you have to find personal sponsorship to cover all that before you start, and then hope that you do well enough to earn a better deal in year two.
"You can start racing at five or six years old, dedicate your life to it and get to the level of being a Moto3 world champion at 18, 19 years old and by 21 you could have nothing to show for it.
"Talent should be looked after much better. The level of investment for parents to get their son or daughter to the top level, you can easily put a hole in half a million quid.
"And to earn half a million back from a career in motorcycling is certainly not easy these days. If you can't recoup that investment, even if you are a world champion, then it is an impossible task."
Kent's parents say they "haven't a clue" how much his fledgling career cost them personally, but advise any parents of a future star to head to the continent as soon as they can. Kent counts most of his sponsorship from Luxembourg and the Czech Republic.
Parrish doesn't see the story changing in the near future.
"We get poor media coverage in the UK, we don't have good weather and nobody wants their children riding motorbikes," he said.
"We need to find better support and backing. There are no big British companies supporting MotoGP and I'm afraid that I don't see that changing as now it is not on terrestrial television the big companies aren't seeing it.
"The only way the sport will get bigger is if we have someone capable of challenging for the MotoGP title, winning races week in, week out."
Will Danny Kent be that man? Time will tell. But if he can become the first British winner of a MotoGP race since Sheene's victory in Sweden in 1981, perhaps the Rolls Royces and lucrative TV adverts will follow. | When the late Barry Sheene won the 1977 world motorcycling championship he was made an MBE, bought a 700-year-old manor house to live in with his model girlfriend and starred in a series of TV aftershave advertisements with boxer Henry Cooper. | 34358693 |
The decision leaves short-term interest rates at record lows of 0% to 0.25%, the same level they have been at since December 2008.
The decision came as little surprise to the markets, although the Fed has previously signalled that rates are likely to rise within months.
The Fed said the US economy was still expanding at a moderate pace.
Share of gold mining firms were up earlier in the day on the expectation that the central bank would hold off on a rate rise this time.
In a statement, the Fed said it was continuing to watch the global economy and domestic labour market for signs of strength.
"The Committee continues to see the risks to the outlook for economic activity and the labour market as nearly balanced, but is monitoring global economic and financial developments," the statement added.
In a repeat of September's vote, nine members of the board - including chairwoman Janet Yellen - voted to keep rates the same. One, Jeffrey Lacker from the Federal Reserve Bank at Richmond, voted for an increase.
The Fed gave few hints about when it will raise rates, but if it sticks to previous expectations that a rate increase will happen this year, it has only one more chance to do so, at its next meeting in December. | The Federal Reserve has decided to keep US interest rates unchanged after its latest meeting. | 34662871 |
They are used to define the transitional periods between the seasons, so when winter changes to spring, spring to summer and so on.
They are key dates in the journey of the Earth around the Sun.
The position of the Sun in relation to the Earth affects how long days and nights are.
This year on 17 March the amount of day and night are completely equally split which means this day is called the equilux.
So what are equinoxes and solstices?
Equinox is basically the date twice a year when the amount of day-time we get is equal to the amount of night time we get.
This happens when the sun is positioned exactly above the equator.
Equinox occur twice a year, once around the 20th of March which is the spring equinox and again around September the 22nd, known as the autumn equinox.
The word equinox comes from two Latin words, equi which means equal and nox meaning night.
So, from the day of the spring equinox the day is longer than the night and from the day of the autumn equinox the night becomes longer than the day.
Simple right? Well there's a bit more to it...
So day and night are only NEARLY a totally equal length on the equinox.
The moment when day and night are truly of equal length occurs a few days before the spring equinox, and a few days after the autumn equinox.
This is called the equilux... Still with us?
So the Solstice also occurs twice a year, we have a summer solstice around the 21 June in the Northern Hemisphere and a winter solstice around the 21 December.
The summer solstice is the day when the Northern hemisphere experiences its longest period of day light all year.
Winter solstice is the day when the Northern Hemisphere experiences its longest period of night time all year.
During the summer solstice, the sun in the middle of the day is at it's highest point in the sky of the year. During the Winter solstice this is reversed and the noon sun is at it's lowest of the year.
Some far northern countries such as Iceland and Norway experience continuous daylight for months. This is because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, this can also result in increased sunlight and warmer temperatures.
Hopefully that has shone some light (awful pun alert) on what equinox and solstice mean! | Equinoxes and solstices key dates in the calendar. | 39305266 |
Glenis Freeman, from Leicestershire, was attacked in a field in Stanford-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire in 2010. Her husband Roger, 63, died in the stampede.
Mrs Freeman was hospitalised for three weeks with broken ribs and a ruptured spleen.
The owner of the cattle was found not guilty of manslaughter.
A spokesman for Nelsons Solicitors said the settlement was for a "significant" amount.
A bull named Moonriver Zac Pi, which was held in the field along with a herd of cows, was destroyed immediately after the attack.
But the trial was told there was some confusion over whether the couple were attacked by the bull or a cow.
Mrs Freeman told police she believed an animal with horns attacked her after she tried to defend her husband from it, however the court was told the bull did not have horns.
She said the attack was "like a nightmare".
"I didn't know what to do. I tried to help Roger but the bull butted me in the chest.
"I woke up a week later in hospital where I was told that I had needed to have emergency surgery. My children told me that, although I had escaped, Roger hadn't made it.
"If only there had been a sign up saying there was a bull in the field, we wouldn't have gone into the field, and Roger would still be alive today." | A walker who was seriously injured in a cattle attack that killed her husband has been awarded "significant" damages. | 35969422 |
The independent report has criticised the council and the partnership which managed the building contracts, as well as the construction company.
City of Edinburgh Council said lessons would be learned from the report.
Nine tonnes of masonry fell at Oxgangs Primary School in January 2016 during a storm.
Ten primaries, five secondaries and two additional support needs schools were shut because of concerns over the standard of construction in the city.
About 7,600 pupils were affected by the closures.
How Edinburgh built unsafe schools
City of Edinburgh Council asked John Cole, an experienced architect from Northern Ireland, to investigate the closure of the 17 Edinburgh schools built under the PPP1 project.
In his report, he said: "The fact that no injuries or fatalities to children resulted from the collapse of the gable wall at Oxgangs School was a matter of timing and luck.
"Approximately nine tonnes of masonry fell on an area where children could easily have been standing or passing through.
"One does not require much imagination to think of what the consequences might have been if it had happened an hour or so later."
The 250-page report identified fundamental defects which led to the wall collapse:
The report said: "It is the view of the inquiry that the primary cause of the collapse of the wall at Oxgangs school was poor quality construction in the building of the wall, which failed to achieve the required minimum embedment of 50mm for the wall ties, particularly in the outer leaf of the cavity wall. The poor quality relates to all three of the following aspects:
"All three issues were ultimately the responsibility of the design and build contractor in charge of the site."
The report said it was not the result of an isolated case of a rogue bricklayer.
It said the substandard brick-laying was either not inspected or was ignored, that an appropriate level of independent scrutiny was missing; and that having a clerk of works may have made a difference.
Mr Cole also questions whether the drive for faster, lower-cost construction is to the detriment of quality and safety.
The report said the fundamental weakness was the lack of proper scrutiny of building work by the council and Edinburgh Schools Partnership, which managed the PPP contract.
The report also said: "There was an over-reliance on the part of the council, without adequate evidence, that others in the project structure, including those building the schools would comprehensively fulfil this essential role."
The report also concluded that the finance model was not responsible for defective construction.
Mr Cole also highlighted a failure to properly store and maintain the relevant documents.
He said closing the schools had been the only practical and safe course of action, and that finding alternative arrangements for more than 7,600 pupils was a "remarkable feat". The impact on the children's education had been "relatively limited".
His report was originally expected by the end of 2016, but was delayed by several weeks after Mr Cole was advised that any organisation or individual criticised in the investigation must be given time to respond.
The schools affected by the closures were all built or refurbished as part of the same public private partnership scheme.
They were built by Miller Construction, which was acquired by Galliford Try in 2014.
City of Edinburgh Council said it was drawing up an action plan to ensure confidence in the safety of all its buildings.
An Edinburgh Schools Partnership spokesman said: "We have fully cooperated with the council and Professor Cole in trying to establish the facts of what happened with the schools affected.
"Having only just received a copy of the report, we will now take time to consider its findings in detail before commenting further."
Andrew Kerr, City of Edinburgh Council's chief executive, said: "The report pulls no punches and makes clear what went wrong, the reasons for it and where responsibility lay.
"Clearly there are lessons for the council and I will now be drawing up an action plan to take our recommendations forward to ensure everyone can have confidence in the safety of all of our buildings.
"The council, our public and private sector partners both in Scotland and across the United Kingdom, need to take on board the issues raised and address the concerns highlighted in the report as they have far-reaching implications for the construction industry."
Kevin Stewart, Minister for Housing and Local Government, said: "The safety of people in public buildings is an absolute priority and I am very concerned by some of the findings highlighted in this report."
Larry Flanagan, EIS General Secretary, said: "This report issues a stark warning - to Edinburgh, to local authorities and to all those responsible for the construction and maintenance of our schools - that they must take action to ensure that all buildings are well-designed, properly-built and maintained to an extremely high standard.
"This is not an area where corners or costs should ever be cut.
"The legacy of the PPP/PFI funding model is too many inferior buildings, for which we will all be paying a vastly inflated price for decades to come. Scotland's pupils and school staff and, indeed, Scottish taxpayers deserve far better." | A report into safety failures that forced 17 Edinburgh schools to close has highlighted a lack of proper scrutiny of the construction work. | 38907714 |
Edwin Mee, 45, of Tavistock Road, Croydon, allegedly targeted 11 victims aged 15 to 25 when he was a recruitment sergeant in Croydon and Cheam.
He has denied 17 counts of sexual assault, three rapes and one count of assault by penetration, alleged to have occurred between 2010 and 2011.
Sgt Mee's trial is expected to begin at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday. | An Army sergeant has denied committing a string of sexual offences against female recruits on military bases. | 32201921 |
Matthew James, 30, from Trehafod, near Pontypridd, used his body as a human shield while trying to protect his fiancee when the gunmen opened fire.
At least 38 people died in Sousse with the Foreign Office confirming at least five were British.
Islamic State extremists have said they carried out the attack.
Read more developments on this story here
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Gas engineer Mr James' fiancee Saera Wilson, 26, said he was hit in the shoulder, chest and hip.
Speaking from the hospital on Friday where Mr James, known as Sas, is being treated, she said: "He took a bullet for me. I owe him my life because he threw himself in front of me when the shooting started.
"He was covered in blood from the shots, but he just told me to run away.
"He told me: 'I love you babe. But just go - tell our children that their daddy loves them'.
"It was the bravest thing I've ever known. But I just had to leave him under the sunbed because the shooting just kept on coming.
"I ran back, past bodies on the beach to reach our hotel. It was chaos - there was a body in the hotel pool and it was just full of blood.
"You just can't explain how terrible it was. It was chaos with screaming and gunshots. I'm just so glad Matthew is alive because so many other people are dead."
Gas engineers and friends of the couple have raised thousands of pounds to help support them and their two children while Mr James recovers from his injuries.
Several other tourists from Wales have also been caught up in the attacks.
Amanda Roberts, from Swansea, was staying with her family near to the affected Imperial Marhaba Hotel in the Port El Kantaoui district.
They were on the beach when the attack took place and she told the BBC: "Someone said 'run for your life'."
It is understood the family have returned to the UK.
Ms Roberts daughter Leiha Shaw, 28, posted on social media they had 15 minutes to pack, leave the hotel and get on a plane.
"So relieved to be home in the UK," she posted on Saturday morning.
"At the moment we are being looked after by officials at Manchester Airport who have been wonderful, I cannot thank them enough. Waiting now for them to get us home.
"(I) can't even put it in to words the feeling that I have today and what myself and family have been through. A very sad day for Tunisia and a very sad day for the world."
A number of Britons issued desperate pleas for information about relatives who have not made contact since the attack.
Chris Spiteri, 29, from Cardiff, said he was deeply worried about his 25-year-old cousin Lena Tanti, also from Cardiff, who is currently in Tunisia.
However, he later managed to speak to her and found out that she was at a different resort some two hours away.
Kelsie Collins, from Pontypridd, was also on holiday in Sousse with her family and described scenes of confusion and fear. Her grandmother, Mavis Collins, spoke of her relief at hearing the family is safe.
Stacey Webb, 23, from Barry, said she was locked in a bathroom with seven others following the shooting.
"I have never been more scared in my life but I hope God is with me", she said.
Wrexham FC footballer Wes York, 22, left Sousse just 48 hours before the killings.
The striker told the Daily Post he would have been at the targeted beach, had he not cut his holiday short to prepare for pre-season training.
"I have been watching what has happened on TV and it just sends chills down your spine to think I was only just there," he said.
Tunisia has been on high alert since March when militants killed 22 people, mainly foreign tourists, in an attack on a museum in the capital Tunis.
A suicide bomber blew himself up in a failed attack on the beach in Sousse in October 2013.
Tunisia's prime minister Habib Essid has said the majority of the 38 people killed in the attack were British.
Speaking in Downing Street after chairing an emergency Cobra meeting on the UK's response to the attacks, Prime Minister David Cameron said he could only imagine the "pain, and anguish and agony" of families caught up in these "terrible events".
Thomson and First Choice said the two hotels where the attacks took place - the Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba and the Bellevue - were part of their programme.
The companies said their customers were among "a number of fatalities", and they had sent 10 planes to bring home 2,500 tourists.
All Thomson and First Choice holidays to Tunisia have been cancelled for the next week.
The Foreign Office's helpline number is 0207 008 0000. | A Welsh tourist who was shot three times during the terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach is due to be flown home, BBC Wales understands. | 33286886 |
Three men threatened security guards at Hatfield Avenue Shell garage in Fleetwood at 07:50 BST, said police.
They drove off, later throwing an axe at a police patrol car then reversing into the vehicle before speeding off and stealing another car.
Four men aged 22, 24, 27 and 32, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery.
The men, all from the Bolton area, are in custody.
A number of motorists on the A6 at Barton reported their cars had been involved in minor collisions.
The vehicle stolen from the woman, aged 61, was found abandoned. No-one was injured.
Det Ch Insp Mark Winstanley said: "This was a fast-paced sequence of events and it is fortunate that, while distressing for those involved, no-one was injured." | A masked gang stole thousands of pounds in a robbery before throwing an axe at a police car and dragging a woman out of her vehicle in Lancashire. | 34526553 |
Hartlepool Power Station was due to close in 2019 but will now remain operational until 2024, owner EDF Energy confirmed.
Almost 700 people work at the plant, which produces enough energy to supply almost 2.5 million homes.
EDF said the extension was possible as the site remained safe and economically viable.
It has also been confirmed that a new visitor centre will open at the plant.
A previous centre was closed as a security precaution. | Hundreds of staff at a nuclear power plant have been told the site is to stay open for an extra five years. | 24824816 |
The £67bn ($108bn) is 3.2% higher than the previous bid and 14% higher than its initial offer last month.
It is the third time that InBev has made a higher bid for the company, with previous offers at £38, £40 and £42.15 per share.
Shares in SABMiller closed flat at £36.67 in London following the latest bid, valuing the company at £60.2bn.
SABMiller has rejected the previous offers, claiming that they "very substantially" undervalued the company.
InBev has accused SABMiller's board of being unwilling to enter talks about a deal.
Last week Carlos Brito, chief executive of InBev, said its proposal "creates significant value for everybody. How long will it be before shareholders see a value of over £42 in the absence of an offer from AB InBev?"
Under UK takeover rules, InBev has until 16:00 GMT on Wednesday to make a formal bid for the maker of brands including Peroni and Grolsch or walk away for six months.
InBev brews beers such as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona among others.
If a deal is struck, it would create the world's biggest brewer and be the UK's biggest corporate takeover.
SAB has several large shareholders, which have so far sided with the London-listed company and said the offers undervalue it.
South Africa's Public Investment Corporation, the fourth-largest shareholder in SAB, said on Friday that the price was too low.
A deal will not succeed without the support of tobacco company Altria, which has a 27% holding, and Colombia's Santo Domingo family, which owns 14% of the shares.
SABMiller tried but failed to acquire Dutch rival Heineken a year ago. | Anheuser-Busch InBev has increased its offer for rival brewer SABMiller to £43.50 a share. | 34505589 |
Official figures for the first quarter of 2014 showed sanctions on Employment and Support Allowance claimants were some 4.5 times higher than in the same quarter in 2013 - although the 2014 figure still includes those appealing.
Under the sanctions, benefits can be docked temporarily.
Ministers said they were a last resort.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) was introduced in 2008 to replace incapacity benefit.
It is intended for people who are unable to work due to sickness or disability. Claimants undergo tests, called work capability assessments, before learning whether they are eligible for the payment.
Some of those deemed eligible for the payment are given regular interviews to help them find work, depending on their level of disability.
In the first three months of 2014, there were 15,955 sanctions on ESA claimants, compared with 3,574 in the same period last year.
Only ESA claimants in the work-related activity group, where an adviser assists them with training and skills, can be subject to sanctions, which are handed out for failing to attend a mandatory interview or failing to take part in a work-related activity.
There are 552,000 benefit claimants in the ESA work-related activity group and they receive up to £101.15 a week, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said.
Matt Downie, director of policy and external affairs at Crisis, said: "This is a shocking escalation in the use of sanctions and we are deeply concerned about the impact on people's lives.
"Sanctions are cruel and can leave people utterly destitute - without money even for food and at severe risk of homelessness. It is difficult to see how they are meant to help people prepare for work.
"Our own research has shown that many homeless people face unfair and inappropriate sanctions, often handed out due to errors on the part of the job centre or work programme provider.
"We want the government to commit to an urgent, wide-ranging review looking at the appropriateness and effectiveness of sanctions, especially for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness."
Disability charity Scope said the increase "raises serious questions".
Chief executive Richard Hawkes said: "We back the government's commitment to getting more disabled people into work.
"But such a dramatic increase in the use of sanctions raises serious questions.
"Disabled people are being sanctioned for things like missing interviews with advisers. How often do sanctions take into account the reality of disabled people's lives?
"Interviews with advisers can clash with medical appointments and inaccessible transport can make attendance extremely difficult."
He called for more advisers with specialist understanding of disabled people's conditions and added: "We need a system that works for disabled people, that supports them to find a job they want, and that takes seriously the barriers they face."
A Department for Works and Pensions spokeswoman said: "People who are in a job know that if they don't play by the rules or fail to turn up in the morning, there might be consequences, so it's only right that people on benefits should have similar responsibilities. However, sanctions are used as a last resort."
The sanctions are temporary and the vast majority last for a week, said the DWP, with about 99% of recipients not receiving sanctions.
Claimants can apply for hardship payments, which would allow them to receive 60% of their payment for the duration of the sanction. They are also entitled to part of their ESA benefit which is not affected by sanctions, which is £28.75, the spokeswoman added.
The DWP figures also showed that Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) claimants had benefits suspended 920,000 times in the year up to March 2014.
A spokeswoman said that around 6% of all JSA claimants receive a sanction, with the most common reason being the benefit claimant failing to actively look for a job.
The Liberal Democrats have said too many benefits claimants are unfairly punished and called for a "yellow card" system.
This proposal, to be included in their general election manifesto, would see jobseekers who breach the terms of their benefits given a warning for a first offence rather than having payments suspended.
Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Minister Steve Webb said producing a card showing details of the issue would help claimants understand what they had to do to keep receiving payments and seek help from people such as GPs or social workers.
The DWP has agreed a series of reforms to the sanctions system after a Government-commissioned review warned of significant inadequacies in official communications with claimants.
Former civil servant Matthew Oakley said some only discovered their benefits had been stopped when their bank cards were refused at cash machines and recommended that a guide to benefit sanctions must be easily accessible in hard copy and online. | There has been a "shocking" rise in the number of sanctions given to those who receive a key sickness benefit, according to homeless charity Crisis. | 28776102 |
The organisation has launched the campaign 10 years to the day since a bronze Henry Moore figure was stolen from the grounds of his former estate.
It revealed that a growing number of post-war works have been destroyed, sold, lost or stolen from public places including schools and parks.
Historic England has compiled a list of such works for the public to view.
Missing works include one of the three figures that make up Lynn Chadwick's The Watchers, taken from Roehampton University in London, and Barbara Hepworth's Two Forms (Divided Circle), which was stolen from Dulwich Park in south London in 2011.
Chief executive of Historic England, Duncan Wilson, said: "Part of England's national collection of public artworks is disappearing before our eyes. Historic England's research is only the tip of the iceberg as it's almost impossible to trace what has happened to every piece of public art since 1945.
"We're making efforts to protect the best examples of post-war public art that still exist, and make sure that it continues to enhance the public realm.
"But we also want to raise awareness of just how vulnerable these works can be and we want the public to help us track down lost pieces."
Henry Moore's Reclining Figure that was stolen from Hertfordshire in 2005 was worth £3m but police believe it was probably melted down and sold for scrap metal for £1,500.
Others have been vandalised, including an abstract steel sculpture by Barry Flanagan in Cambridge.
Historic England believes public art is under threat because of the price of scrap metal, local authority funding gaps, pressure from redevelopment and vandalism.
In 2012, Wakefield Council removed its Henry Moore sculpture from public display and put it in secure storage because of a spate of thefts. | Historic England - formerly English Heritage - is calling on people to help track down missing works of public art. | 35094062 |
Bridgend council said streets were sealed off due to falling roof tiles.
Elsewhere, the M4 was shut by a blown-over lorry, rail passengers have been facing cancellations, and Wales rugby fans flying back to Cardiff from Dublin have been diverted.
At its peak, about 3,700 homes had no electricity.
Over the course of the day Western Power Distribution has dealt with more then 5,000 power cuts in Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Monmouthshire, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan and Ceredigion.
The storm was expected to clear by 18:00 GMT.
Damage was caused to a number of buildings - which led to the closure of streets around Bridgend town centre.
In Pembrokeshire, part of the roof of St Davids Fire Station was dislodged, while in Tenby, there were reports of unsafe structures.
On the M4, a lorry which blew over on the M4 between Junction 37 (Pyle/Porthcawl) and Junction 38 (Margam) has been removed but the motorway reopened after repairs were carried out.
Strong winds also closed the M48 Severn Bridge in both directions, with it later reopening with driving restrictions in place.
Rail services have also been disrupted across Wales.
First Great Western advised rail passengers not to travel between Cardiff, Bristol, Gloucester, Westbury and Taunton.
And Arriva Trains Wales said there were severe delays on services to west Wales while all lines at Cardiff Queen Street station were temporarily blocked on Monday afternoon.
But the Cambrian line which runs between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury has reopened.
Rugby fans due to fly back to Cardiff Airport after the Six Nations 16-all draw with Ireland in Dublin were diverted to Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester while other flights were also affected.
The highest wind speed of 83mph was recorded at Pembrey, Carmarthenshire followed by 82mph at Mumbles, according to official Met Office data.
Live flood warnings from Natural Resources Wales, the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
View the flood map by tapping on the image below
Tap here for up-to-date flood information. | Winds of up to 83mph shut several parts of a town centre as Storm Imogen battered south Wales and caused power cuts to thousands of homes on Monday. | 35519712 |
A new study said indigenous lands were "protected natural areas" accounting for 55% of the carbon stored in the Amazon basin.
It said this land was at risk because governments had failed to recognise or enforce indigenous land rights.
The report was released on the first day of UN climate talks in Peru.
The study said nearly 20% of the Amazon forests are at risk from logging, mining, agriculture and infrastructure projects.
"If all the current plans for economic development in the Amazon are actually implemented, the region would become a giant savannah, with islands of forest," said Beto Ricardo of Brazil's Socio-Environmental Institute, one of the study participants.
"We have never been under so much pressure," said Edwin Vasquez, co-author of the study and head of the Indigenous Coordinating Body of the Amazon Basin.
The authors concluded that maintaining the stability of the global atmosphere would depend on whether governments chose to adopt policies that would ensure preservation of indigenous lands and protected areas.
Peru is more than 60% rainforest.
In the south-eastern region of Madre de Dios, in the past decade alone, mining has stripped 595 sq kilometres (230 sq miles) of forest and poisoned the rivers.
Most of the destruction is done by illegal miners from outside the region, though thousands have left in recent months because of a government crackdown.
Indigenous rights have been in the spotlight as Peru hosts the UN climate talks which aims to negotiated a framework for a deal to cut global carbon emissions to be ratified in 2015.
An estimated 333,000 indigenous people live in the Peruvian Amazon and have grown increasingly vocal in their condemnation of logging, mining, and other encroachments on their land.
In September, four leaders from the Ashaninka people were killed while campaigning against deforestation and for land rights. | Scientists say destroying indigenous areas of the Amazon rainforest will have an irreversible impact on the atmosphere of the planet. | 30304658 |
Spencer, 24, spent three years at Birmingham, who finished sixth last season - 19 points behind Emma Hayes' title-winning Chelsea side.
Bailey, 20, is an England Under-23 international and played in the 2013 European Women's Under-19 Championship.
"I want homegrown, English players who want to grow with us," said Hayes.
"Becky has developed into a top goalkeeper and arrives with Champions League experience and a desire to reach the next level in her career.
"Jade is a player I have known about for some time and for someone who is 20 has fantastic experience, having started for Arsenal for the past two seasons." | Chelsea Ladies have signed goalkeeper Becky Spencer and midfielder Jade Bailey from Birmingham City Ladies and Arsenal Ladies respectively. | 35285169 |
A suspension could affect Nigeria's 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo on 6 September, and South Africa four days later.
Fifa has rejected the appointment of Giwa, which came at a controversial Nigerian Football Federation 'election' last week, which split the governing body.
Football's world governing body said it does not recognise the executives' election, but added it "it appears the ministry of sports has".
"Should there still be persons claiming to have been elected and occupying the NFF offices at midnight on Monday, 1 September 2014, we will bring the case to the appropriate Fifa body for sanctions, which may include the suspension of the NFF," said the Fifa statement on Friday.
Fifa accepted the decision of the majority congress, at which 39 of its 44 members resolved at an ad hoc general assembly, for executive committee elections in Nigeria to take place on 4 September.
The disputes within the NFF have already led to a Fifa intervention, international suspension and the enforced return - twice - of outgoing NFF president Aminu Maigari.
However Giwa, has played down the Fifa threat.
"We will present our position to Fifa by Monday morning and they will be convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that we adopted the correct statutes before organising the election," said Giwa.
"We call on Nigerians not to panic. The NFF is not intimidated and we do not expect any sanction because we have done the appropriate thing.
"There is absolutely nothing to fear. Fifa will receive the position of the Federation and will be convinced that elections have, indeed, taken place," Giwa added.
The crisis caused by the purported election has meant league matches will not be played across the country as scheduled this weekend after referees, club managers and players announced a boycott until the situation is resolved.
Football journalists in the country have called on Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene.
On Friday, the country's National Assembly - comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives - summoned all parties in the NFF to a meeting to resolve the crisis plaguing Nigerian football.
In addition to the deep divisions in the NFF, the Super Eagles are still without a permanent coach as Stephen Keshi's contract was not renewed after the World Cup.
He has agreed only to take temporary charge of the team for their two forthcoming Nations Cup qualifiers, having grown impatient with negotiations over a new deal. | Nigeria are risking a ban by Fifa after Chris Giwa failed to step down as president of the football federation by Monday's deadline. | 28995537 |
Uefa imposed the penalties after objects were thrown at Celtic players in the Champions League qualifier.
Linfield's South Stand lower section 1 will be closed for one European game.
Celtic's Leigh Griffiths has received a one-match ban for provoking spectators while his club have been fined £4,000.
Griffiths tied a Celtic scarf to a goalpost after the final whistle in Friday's game.
Earlier on Thursday, Uefa also charged Celtic over an "illicit banner" displayed during Wednesday's second-leg game in the Champions League tie.
The Glasgow club have also been cited for a "kit infringement" and "blocked stairways" at Celtic Park following Wednesday's 4-0 victory.
A Uefa spokesperson said that the illicit banner charge related to the banner "portraying a person in a paramilitary uniform".
That case will be dealt with by the Uefa control, ethics and disciplinary body on 28 July. | Linfield have been handed a partial stadium closure for their next European tie and fined £8,850 following incidents in last week's game against Celtic at Windsor Park. | 40675630 |
Mae'r cynllun gafodd ei gyhoeddi ddydd Mawrth yn cyflwyno "ymagwedd fwy rhanbarthol" i ddelio gyda'r clefyd, gan sefydlu ardaloedd TB isel, canolradd ac uchel ar sail lefel achosion.
Cafodd cynlluniau drafft eu cyhoeddi 'nôl ym mis Hydref ac fe ddaw'r cyhoeddiad yma yn dilyn ymgynghoriad gyda'r cyhoedd.
Er i undebau groesawu bod y llywodraeth wedi gwrando ar bryderon o fewn y diwydiant, maen nhw'n awyddus i weld mwy yn cael ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r clefyd mewn moch daear.
Cafodd ffermwyr eu holi a fydden nhw'n ffafrio nodi ble yng Nghymru mae'r risg o TB yn lledu yn isel, cymhedrol ac uchel.
Fe fydd ffermydd yn y rhanbarthau risg uchel - Sir Benfro, Sir Gaerfyrddin ac ar hyd y ffin â Lloegr - yn wynebu mwy o reolau a chyfyngiadau o ran prynu, gwerthu a symud gwartheg.
Mae'r mesurau'n cynnwys cyflwyno profion ar ôl symud yn yr ardaloedd TB isel o 1 Hydref 2017.
Mae'r cyhoeddiad yma'n un cymhleth ac yn llawn manylder. A hynny am fod mynd i'r afael â'r diciâu yn bell o fod yn hawdd.
Mae'n broblem sydd wedi herio sawl llywodraeth a gweinidog ers degawdau. Mae'n pwyso'n drwm ar y pwrs cyhoeddus hefyd - fe wariodd Llywodraeth Cymru dros £26m ar daclo TB yn 2015/16.
Daeth 10-15% o'r arian hwnnw o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd ac mae'r ansicrwydd yn sgil Brexit yn golygu bod angen gwneud arbedion, yn ôl Llywodraeth Cymru.
Bydd yr uchafswm sy'n cael ei dalu fel iawndal i ffermwr am golli buwch yn gostwng o £15,000 i £5,000 dan y cynlluniau newydd.
Y gobaith yw y bydd y mesurau llymach i geisio atal y clefyd rhag lledu yn arwain at lai o ddifa gwartheg, a llai o gostau wrth reswm.
Mae'r ysgrifennydd wedi addo pennu dyddiad fel targed i anelu tuag ato o ran gwaredu gwartheg y wlad o TB yn llwyr.
Yn ôl yr undebau amaeth mae angen y math yna o uchelgais.
Eu pryder mwya' nhw yw y bydd problemau dybryd Cymru â'r diciâu yn peryglu cytundebau masnach i allforio cig i weddill y byd ar ôl i Brydain adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.
Mae'r undebau amaeth yn dadlau bod y rhwystrau sydd yn eu lle yn barod ar ffermydd Cymru ymysg y llymaf yn y byd. Maen nhw'n awyddus i weld mwy yn cael ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r clefyd mewn moch daear.
Dywedodd Ysgrifennydd yr Amgylchedd, Lesley Griffiths: "Dwi wedi gwrando ar ymatebion y diwydiant i'n hymgynghoriad a dwi wedi cynnwys beth oedd yn briodol ac yn rhesymol yn y Rhaglen.
"Ni ddylid ystyried hyn yn gynllun y llywodraeth yn unig; mae wedi'i ddatblygu ar ôl ymgynghori â'r diwydiant a chaiff ei adolygu dros amser."
Un fferm sydd wedi cael ei heffeithio gan reolau diciâu yw Fferm Penlan ger Maenclochog yn Sir Benfro.
Mae'r ffermwr yno, Andrew Griffiths, wedi colli 100 o wartheg o ganlyniad i'r rheolau ar ddifa.
"'So nhw 'di ffeindio dim TB ar y gwartheg o gwbl - 'so hynny'n ein helpu ni, lladd gwartheg glân a gwartheg magu," meddai wrth Y Post Cyntaf.
"Ni wedi gwethio'n galed i gael gwartheg fel rhain, ac maen nhw jyst yn mynd â nhw off fel 'na."
Dywedodd tad Andrew, Goronwy, bod angen mynd i'r afael â'r moch daear sydd yn gallu lledu'r clefyd - a nid difa gwartheg yn unig.
"Mae pob un yn cyfadde' bod nhw [moch daear] yn cario'r TB", meddai.
"Os nad ydyn nhw'n taclo'r job o'r ddwy ochr, mae'n pointless i ladd da. [Mae] ffermwyr yn dod yn glir a mewn chwe mis mae'n nhw nôl yn ei chanol hi.
"Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw daclo'r job o'r ddwy ongl, maen nhw'n gwneud hynny mewn gwledydd eraill ac mae wedi bod yn success... Pam na allen nhw wneud hynny yng Nghymru?"
Hyd at fis Mawrth 2017 cafodd bron i 10,000 o wartheg eu difa yng Nghymru, sy'n gynnydd o bron i 15% o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol.
Mae nifer y gwartheg sy'n cael eu difa, yn enwedig yn y gorllewin, o ganlyniad wedi cynyddu yn sylweddol yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf.
Dywedodd Llywodraeth Cymru fod hyn yn rhannol oherwydd ei ymdrechion i fynd i'r afael a'r clefyd unwaith ac am byth.
Mae'r ffigyrau diweddara' ar gyfer TB mewn gwartheg ar eu hisaf ers 10 mlynedd, gyda dros 95% o yrroedd nawr yn rhydd o'r haint.
Y llynedd, fe wariodd Llywodraeth Cymru dros £26m ar fesurau i fynd i'r afael â'r diciâu.
Hyd yn hyn mae Ms Griffiths wedi gwrthod cyflwyno cynllun i ddifa moch daear.
Ond dywedodd bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystyried caniatáu i foch daear gael eu dal, eu profi - ac os ydyn nhw wedi'u heintio - eu lladd mewn modd dyngarol ar ffermydd sydd â phroblemau hir dymor â'r diciâu. | Bydd ffermydd mewn rhannau o Gymru sydd wedi'u heffeithio'n wael gan y diciâu - neu TB - mewn gwartheg yn wynebu rheolau llymach. | 40324184 |
The woman had last been seen on Friday in Sheerness, and was then found in Victoria Street, Gillingham, on Monday morning, Kent Police said.
A 42-year-old man, a 30-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, all from Gillingham, have been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment.
The two men have also been arrested on suspicion of rape.
They remain in police custody. | Two men and a boy have been arrested after a woman was reported missing over the weekend. | 39349705 |
As tributes to the US President-elect go, it may not be the most respectful. But it is offered with the affection and gentle humour which it soon becomes apparent is a hallmark of Sevnica, a Slovenian town which just happens to be the place where Donald Trump's first-lady-to-be, Melania, spent most of her childhood.
"We formed the burger so it would resemble Trump a little bit," chuckles Bruno Vidmar, the chef-proprietor of Rondo, a restaurant in the newer part of Sevnica.
"It has hot peppers, because Trump's statements are hot - and it comes with dollar fries because he's a successful entrepreneur."
The presidential tie-in seems to be serving Rondo well: on a weekday morning, the place is buzzing with an early lunch crowd from the nearby furniture and textile factories. Meanwhile a table full of smartly-dressed young women order another of Bruno's culinary creations dreamt up with Sevnica's most famous daughter in mind.
"The 'Melanija' dessert is made out of sponge, then there's a layer of mascarpone and strawberries. It's light enough for a model - and we have it on good authority that Melania loves strawberries."
Sevnica is a small place - so Bruno probably did not have to search long to find an authority on what Melania likes for pudding. Or, at least, what she did like when she was growing up as Melanija Knavs in this town of fewer than 5,000 people.
Bar the addition of a branch of Lidl on the outskirts, little seems to have changed since she left for Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana, as a teenager. The old castle - parts of which date back to the 12th Century - still overlooks Sevnica from its hilltop perch.
The town itself is a tidy place with new and old sections, sitting alongside the River Sava and surrounded by forested hills. The Slovenian Tourist Board suggests that Sevnica is "an excellent destination for those who enjoy picnics and outings, hiking, cycling or fishing".
If the roads had been less icy, it would certainly have been an enjoyable ride through the trees to Gostišče Ob Ribniku, a restaurant and guesthouse next to a small lake. Inside the traditional wooden chalet, you can chat to one of the people who can shed some light on the future first lady's early years.
"We were next door neighbours - and we used to go the same way to school," says Mateja Zalezina, who runs Gostišče Ob Ribniku with her husband, Dejan.
"In the afternoon when we came back we used to hang out in front of the apartment block. Even then she was quite busy, because her mother was a fashion designer and Melania was one of the models for the Jutranjka company that did fashion for kids."
Mateja laughs at the idea that she could have spotted that her neighbour would go a long way from Sevnica - never mind all the way to the White House. But she says that Melania could not help but stand out.
"She was really good at school. She and her sister Ines were studying really hard. After school, we played a game called 'gumi-twist', an elastic band game, and she was really good at that. She had the figure of a model - really long legs - and she always won!"
The restaurant is offering a three-course "Melanija Menu" in honour of Mateja's former playmate. But, like Rondo's eponymous offering, this does not feel like a culinary cash-in, just a low-key tribute, delivered with affection.
"I'm really happy for her - she's achieved the maximum," says Dejan. "I hope everyone in Sevnica will watch the inauguration. We will be here at the restaurant with friends and will raise a glass to them both."
Back in the old town, beneath the castle, Sevnica's mayor Srecko Ocvirk is not planning any special events to mark the start of the Trump era. But he hopes the publicity will bring the town's charms to the attention of tourists.
"The first visitors who came were journalists like you," he admits. "But we're now seeing there are rising numbers of tourists. We're also expecting more organised tour groups after the inauguration. Sevnica and the region will become better known because of this."
At the town's primary school, one of the staff has certainly achieved a degree of local celebrity. Art teacher Nena Bedek was best friends with Melania until the future Mrs Trump left to finish her schooling in Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana.
Now Nena fields questions from her students about her friendship with Sevnica's most famous former resident - and marvels at the different paths their lives have taken.
"It's a 'wow' effect for us and for me," she says.
"She was a reliable girl and a very good friend. But she never wished to stand out - even though she was beautiful and hard-working. She loved to read and draw. She was brought up in a very artistic manner - she knew what was beautiful - due to her mother's job as a fashion designer. I have very fond memories and keep her very close in my heart."
As for the town's various tributes - which include wine, slippers and honey as well as the culinary offerings - Nena believes they are in keeping with the Sevnica spirit.
"They are very sympathetic and sweet - none of them are bad things - and it's also funny. I think it's still within limits - all in all it's sweet and nice."
Rather like Sevnica itself, perhaps.
You can hear Guy De Launey's report from BBC Radio 4's World Tonight via BBC iPlayer. | The President Burger is presented with a flourish - on a wooden board, surrounded by circular "dollar fries" and topped with a yellow crust of cheese "hair" which looks as if it might fly away at any moment. | 38642889 |
Builth Wells High School had eight minutes to question Maj Peake - who became the first Briton to walk in space on 15 January.
They used amateur "ham" radio equipment to communicate with ISS as it travelled 215 miles (346km) above Wales.
Signing off, Maj Tim told the students: "It's been great talking to you."
Eight of the school's pupils asked questions on Saturday, with two more from Gwernyfed High School near Brecon also taking part.
Gwen Davies, head girl in Year 13 at Builth Wells, asked Maj Peake - who watched England's Six Nations rugby match against Scotland from space - whether the signal for the broadcast was any good.
He replied: "I really enjoyed watching the rugby up here and I was very grateful to get it sent up, but I assure you it probably wasn't a better picture than the one you got on Earth."
Pupils also asked scientific questions, such as one about the materials the mission is testing to see how they weather in the the space environment.
Maj Peake said he exercises for two hours a day in space to keep fit.
He also explained it could take up to two years before the density of his bones is back to normal after he returns home.
More than 200 people attended the event at the school.
On Tuesday, Maj Peake sent Wales a St David's Day message.
He was previously questioned by Rhys Maguire-Stokes, eight, of Blaenymaes Primary School, in Swansea, via Twitter. | Astronaut Tim Peake has been quizzed by Powys high school pupils via a live link with the International Space Station (ISS). | 35728195 |
Wall Street and bourses across Europe have been recovering some of the ground since the UK voted last week to leave the European Union.
In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 share index finished 1.6% higher at 15,566.83.
Shares in carmaker Toyota rose by more than 2% despite fresh recalls over faulty airbags.
Other markets across Asia also saw gains, despite the continued uncertainty in the wake of the UK's referendum vote.
Investors are hoping that central banks will step in with more stimulus measures should the global economy weaken.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 1.3% higher at 20,436.12 while the mainland benchmark Shanghai Composite finished up 0.65% at 2,931.59.
In Australia, the ASX/200 index also closed higher, up 0.8% at 5,142.40. Shares in commodity giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were both up by almost 2%.
In South Korea, the Kospi share index finished 1% higher at 1,956.36. | Asian stock markets have recorded more gains, continuing the positive lead set by the US and Europe on Tuesday. | 36658989 |
The gas-fired station, operated by SSE, won the £15m contract to keep capacity open when other sources such as renewables cannot meet Scottish demand.
The deal will run from April next year until September 2017.
Scottish Power announced it was to close its huge coal-fired power station at Longannet in Fife early next year as a result of the decision.
It had previously indicated that the plant would have to shut if it did not win the contract.
However, Jim Smith, SSE's managing director of energy portfolio management, said: "This announcement is positive news for Peterhead.
"SSE has continually invested in the site since it opened in 1980 and we're pleased Peterhead will continue to play an important role in ensuring National Grid can provide system stability and resilience going forward."
National Grid said Peterhead had been selected because its proposal was "determined to be the most beneficial across a number of factors".
It said: "These include the ability to provide system stability and resilience, and value for money for GB consumers." | A major contract from the National Grid has been described as "positive news" for Peterhead power station. | 32021098 |
Well, for a start the government seems to have ruled out the two deals which were most popular with much of British industry, staying in the single market and/or staying inside the EU's customs union.
The government ruled out staying in the single market because it is intent on reducing and controlling immigration and being in the single market involves accepting the free movement of people.
While if the UK were to stay inside the customs union, it would not be able to negotiate its own trade deals.
That really only leaves two options for the UK to negotiate: a bespoke free trade deal with the EU, or failing to reach such a deal and instead falling back on our membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Although even members of the cabinet seem divided on the issue - with International Trade Secretary Liam Fox saying not getting a free trade deal would be "bad" for Britain and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson saying it "would not be as apocalyptic as some people like to pretend" - the government would prefer to have a deal rather than not.
So what is a free trade deal and how does it differ from membership of the WTO?
A free trade area is one where there are no or reduced tariffs, or taxes or quotas on goods and/or services from one country entering another.
It sounds rather like the deal we have with the EU at the moment but it isn't. For a start there are always exemptions in a free trade deal and for the UK that is likely to include fisheries and agricultural products.
They trade freely inside the EU because we are all members of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and so everyone gets the same subsidies and follows the same rules.
Once we leave the EU we won't be part of the CAP or the CFP. There also might be other industries or products which are not part of the deal - countries often have specific areas they want to protect like steel, pharmaceuticals or the health service.
What do businesses want in Brexit talks?
It is also true that even with a free trade agreement there can be border checks and other controls on goods entering and leaving the countries involved.
At the moment there are none within the EU, a fact of particular importance to the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Also, almost 80% of the British economy is made up of service industries and often these are not covered by a free trade deal - and, even if they are, the so-called "non-tariff barriers" can be huge.
That is, for example, mutual recognition of regulations, legal differences, environmental standards, banking rules and all the rest.
We might get a great free trade deal - one which protects what we want to protect and gives us access to the EU's market for manufactured goods and services.
But it will all be the result of negotiations and they can take years, normally seven or more, and unless both sides agree to an extension we will have only two years after Article 50 is triggered to get a deal agreed.
That is why the government says it is preparing for what happens if it does not get a deal, either because it runs out of time or the deal on offer is not worth having. That plan would mean relying on the rules of the WTO.
At the moment the UK and the rest of the EU apply WTO-agreed tariffs on other countries' exports, covering more than 5,000 categories of goods, from "apples to zinc oxide".
In theory we could renegotiate each of those tariffs but if that happened it could be a very long and messy series of negotiations.
The best-case scenario is that we just inherit the same deal the EU has with the rest of the world, and change it later if we want to.
However, that means our exports to the EU, about 45% of all our exports, would face the same tariffs the rest of the world does when exporting to the EU.
These vary hugely depending on the industry, more than 40% on average for dairy products and 4% on average for transport equipment.
Some experts say that is perfectly manageable, others that it would be a huge hit for British industry.
Perhaps the worst-hit sectors would be food exporters and those whose supply chain is spread out across Europe.
Cars and aerospace firms, for example, can ship components several times across borders before finally fitting them into the finished product.
In theory, each time they moved between the UK and the rest of the EU, they would have to pay tariffs and face customs checks. | With Article 50 now finally triggered, what are the options for the UK's negotiators when it comes to trade? | 39256909 |
Williams is expected to join the European champions from Scarlets at the end of the season, though the move has not been confirmed.
Charteris has played for Perpignan, Racing 92 and Bath in four and a half seasons outside Wales.
"I've spoken to Sanj [Williams] about it and for him I think it would be a great move," said Charteris.
"He would be playing in an unbelievable team, playing in a great league in the Premiership and he will flourish as a player and go from strength to strength."
Williams and Charteris line up for Wales against South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday in the final match of Wales' autumn series.
Scarlets and the Welsh Rugby Union are keen to keep the player in Wales.
A move to England would mean Williams - who plays full-back for his region - would be subject to rules which limit the number of players based outside Wales who can be picked for the national side.
The senior player selection policy - known as the so-called "Gatland's law" - means only three wildcard players can be in the Wales squad for any series of matches.
This autumn Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), George North (Northampton) and Taulupe Faletau (Bath) were the selections with Bath fly-half Rhys Priestland missing out.
Charteris is exempt because he was not offered a contract by a Welsh region before joining Bath, but still believes Saracens would be a good move for Williams.
"I understand the argument from Wales why they want to keep players here but from a purely selfish point of view - or from a player's point of view - I think it's undoubtedly the right move and the best thing for him to do," added Charteris.
"And I think Wales as a national team will benefit from that because he will come back with more experience. He will learn things from Saracens, little things that he can bring back.
"I certainly do understand the argument of having the best players in Wales in terms of selling it to the public.
"But I think the fact we only have four teams means we have to have some boys playing away to open up spots for other players."
Charteris left Newport Gwent Dragons for Perpignan in 2012 and says the move had been a big success for him.
"It's a hard one - it's all about the individual," he added.
"For me it was the best thing I ever did was move outside of Wales.
"From a personal point of view, for my private life, for my family, for all of that it was brilliant.
"I've loved it. And from a rugby point of view I think I've developed as a player from being out.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"There are certain boys who have moved - whether to France or England - and it hasn't worked for them for whatever reason and they feel happier being back home whether that's for the fans support around them or familiarity or whatever."
Charteris was a lean 21-year-old when he made his Wales debut against a South African team boasting legendary locks Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield in 2004.
The Springboks will be missing another world-class second row in Cardiff with Eben Etzebeth back home after suffering concussion in the defeat by England.
But Charteris does not believe his absence will affect the Springboks.
"In all honesty the strongest second row this series has been Pieter-Steph du Toit," he said.
"He's been quality. When you see him playing for the national side he's been outstanding and I know he's been going very well for the Stormers as well so I think he's their focal point, their strongest second row.
"Obviously Lood de Jager is a big player, a very good player for them as well.
"There's a continual conveyor belt of second rows and back rows coming out of South Africa and the next one is always bigger, stronger and faster than the last one." | Wales wing Liam Williams would benefit if he decides to join Saracens, says lock Luke Charteris. | 38106882 |
Data from more than 35,000 surveys suggests that habitats have declined by more than 50% since the 1970s.
The report's authors believe that over-fishing and disease is mainly to blame.
They say the trend could continue if nothing is done, but with protection the reefs could bounce back.
Carl Gustaf Lundin, director of IUCN's Global Marine and Polar Programme, said the findings were alarming.
"The reefs support a number of different countries and populations," he said.
"Tourism is one of the biggest industries, and the health of the reef is essential to the well-being of many of the people living there. And of course they are immensely beautiful and wonderful places as well."
The report, which was also authored by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, looked at data collected between 1970 and 2012 from 90 reef habitats and is the most comprehensive assessment of corals in this region.
The authors concluded that many reefs in the Caribbean were undergoing a dramatic transformation - changing from colourful realms, bursting with life, to barren habitats, covered in slimy algae.
They said the damage had been driven by the loss of some of the reefs' key inhabitants.
In the 1980s, a disease, thought to have been brought in from the Panama Canal, wiped out a large number of sea urchins. While fishing on the reefs has also caused parrotfish to plummet.
Both of these creatures graze on reefs, and without them, algal species take over.
Dr Lundin said: "We saw that reefs with no grazers ended up getting smothered by algae. And after a period of time they see a significant or even complete collapse of the reef area."
He said that if no action was taken, the outlook for Caribbean corals would be bleak.
"If we do nothing, I'm afraid the most likely scenario is that we will continue the slippery slope to slime," he said.
"We'll lose a tremendous amount of coral cover and we'll end up with algal reefs with a much lower diversity of species."
However, the report concluded that there was evidence that damaged reefs could be revived if they were protected.
Dr Lundin said: "We have been able to document a number of cases where we've seen recovery of degraded reefs, so that is very positive - it means we shouldn't give up hope."
The Caribbean is not the only area that has seen losses to coral reefs. Around the world, these habitats are doing badly.
Conservationists say that warming ocean temperatures are also driving some of the losses.
As temperatures rise, corals lose the tiny algae that live in their tissues, causing them to turn white - a process known as coral bleaching.
Follow Rebecca on Twitter | Many of the Caribbean's coral reefs could vanish in the next 20 years, according to a report published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). | 28113331 |
For the last 14 years Jean Bishop from Hull, who has severe arthritis, has dressed up in a bee outfit and collected money in a tin for Age UK.
She has been named Fundraiser of the Year at the Pride of Britain Awards.
Mrs Bishop, who was presented with the award by David Walliams, said the event was "out of this world".
"It was fantastic, I haven't got over it yet," she told BBC Radio Humberside.
Mrs Bishop started fundraising for Age UK Hull after her husband died and initially rented a costume from the charity to attract attention while carrying a tin at shopping centres in the city.
Her daughter later made a costume for her out of three hula-hoops and material bought from a charity shop.
Mrs Bishop, who took part in last year's Olympic torch relay, said she had set herself a target of £100,000.
"Everybody has been so generous. If I get the £100,000 I'm just going to have to start again."
Pam Davies, chief executive of Age UK Hull, said Mrs Bishop was "inspiring".
"She has serious staying power to stand with that tin all day, and to do it all in that outfit, which isn't the most comfortable, is incredible," she said.
"Really her money has helped us continue to provide services for elderly people in the city."
The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards were held at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday night and will be broadcast at 20:00 BST on ITV1. | A 91-year-old woman known as the "Bee Lady" who has raised £92,000 in loose change for charity has been presented with a national award. | 24444646 |
Cooper has made 21 appearances for the Royals this season after breaking into the first-team set-up last term.
The 21-year-old featured alongside Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in the Young Lions' 2-1 defeat by Canada.
"We think there is a lot of potential there and we have always tried to bring the young players on," said McDermott.
"He did really well and he was comfortable in the environment. He has got a lot to do and learn but the one thing about Jake is that he wants to learn and get better."
"I have discussed with him what he needs to do. He comes in every day, he's learning in the team which is really important. If he makes mistakes now, it will be a mistake he will not make next season.
"We have an awful lot of younger players playing international football. It's a great honour for them and a great honour for our club."
Reading players returned to training on Tuesday after several members of the squad were away on international duty over the Easter period.
McDermott used some spare time to track the progress of some of his younger players, including Cooper and Dominic Samuel, who is currently on loan at League One club Gillingham.
"It was good for me to get around and watch some games," the 54-year-old told BBC Sport. "I went to see four games actually. I went to a game Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday."
McDermott's side return to action at Bolton in the Championship on Saturday, looking for their first win in six matches. | Reading manager Brian McDermott praised defender Jake Cooper after going to Doncaster to watch him make his debut for England's Under-20 team. | 35927578 |
Lee and Robert Firkins were found guilty in 2005 of murdering Graham and Carol Fisher at the couple's petrol station near Wadebridge.
Solicitors said DNA from the Fishers' bungalow could show other people, who may have been responsible for the killings, were there.
Their submissions are being examined by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
More on the petrol station murder, and other Cornwall news
No physical evidence was found to link the brothers to the crime scene, where the couple were shot repeatedly after being bludgeoned with a sledgehammer.
The Firkins are currently serving life sentences for the 2003 murders.
Jane Hickman, who represents Lee Firkins, said that since the murders, the science of DNA had "advanced enormously", and that the number of people in the database had doubled.
She said fingerprints and palm prints from inside the house that had previously not been matched to anyone may now be identified.
She said the prints may be a "game changer" in the case.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has provisionally decided against sending the case to the Court of Appeal after a previous challenge to the Firkins' convictions.
That related to the reliability of a key witness, and was lodged almost two years ago.
If the CCRC agrees to the latest request, and new evidence is found, the case could go to the Court of Appeal.
The commission said: "We received submissions relating to forensics in this case - we are considering those at the moment." | Lawyers for two brothers convicted of murdering a Cornish couple believe DNA evidence could be used to clear them. | 39928828 |
Porter, 31, arrives after being released by the Blades, having spent three and a half years with the club, scoring 23 times in 118 games.
Briggs, 23, has made 12 appearances for Millwall this season.
"It's an opportunity I jumped at and I've been pleasantly surprised by the facilities," he told BBC Essex.
"I'm here until the end of the season and I believe we have the quality to get out of trouble."
Briggs started his career at Fulham, where he became the Premier League's youngest ever player by making his debut aged 16 years and 65 days.
Porter, who scored four times as the Blades reached the FA Cup semi-final last term, has featured for Bury, Oldham, Motherwell and Derby, but has not played a game since November.
"It's been frustrating not playing at Sheffield United because I signed a new contract in the summer," he said.
"This is the first time I've moved south, so it's a big move for me."
Both players are expected to feature against Leyton Orient on Saturday. | Colchester have signed Sheffield United striker Chris Porter on an 18-month deal and Millwall defender Matthew Briggs on loan for rest of the season. | 30934295 |
20 July 2017 Last updated at 17:20 BST
Whiskers was found and taken to the nearest vet where his microchip was scanned.
His owners were contacted, and a Facebook post calling for help in getting him home was seen by 60,000 people and shared more than 600 times.
Ayshah has been finding out more about this story with such a purr-fect ending.. | Whiskers, a ginger tomcat missing for three months in Australia has finally been returned to his family. | 40675585 |
Roman Catholics have been more used to receiving guidance from the Vatican than giving it.
But with Pope Francis has come a growing sense that he intends fundamental change in the way his huge Church is run - and that he wants to include "ordinary" Catholics in it.
His unprecedented exercise in consultation - the survey sent to all Catholic bishops with instructions to consult as widely as possible - is a powerful further sign of reform in the old top-down way of governing the Church.
The survey's 39 questions deal with sensitive subjects - contraception, gay marriage, sex outside marriage, and whether divorced and remarried people should be allowed Holy Communion.
The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales was the first in the world to put the survey online, and is encouraging all Catholics to complete it by the deadline on 20 December.
Their responses are likely to confirm what bishops already know - that the behaviour of Catholics, including the roughly one third who go regularly to church, is diverging dramatically from the model of Catholic practice set out by the Church.
Examples taken from the survey on the family by the Catholic Church in England and Wales
But rather than criticise, Pope Francis is convinced that the Church needs to understand - and his survey is part of that effort.
A few weeks ago, the Pope criticised the Roman Catholic Church for being too focused on enforcing the rules for human behaviour based on its traditional beliefs.
He called it being locked up in "small things and small-minded rules", and an obsession with "the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines".
There is no sign that Pope Francis plans a major overhaul of Church doctrine, but it is clear that he wants a switch in emphasis to a message of mercy and forgiveness, especially towards those who are suffering.
The survey is itself a tacit acknowledgement that the way the Church deals with Catholics who cannot - or will not - follow official church teaching must change.
The way the survey has been worded has been criticised as obscure and convoluted, but there is no denying that it goes to the heart of fundamental and often awkward issues in the way Catholics lead their lives.
In one section - headed "On Unions of Persons of the Same Sex", one question asks: "What pastoral attention can be given to people who have chosen to live in other types of union?"
Another addresses the issue of contraception - but instead of using that word it refers to "The openness of the married couple to life".
The Church rules out artificial contraception, but questions whether couples are "aware of how morally to evaluate the different methods of family planning", before asking more directly "Is this moral teaching accepted?"
The truth is that much of the Church's moral teaching is not accepted.
Professor Linda Woodhead of Lancaster University, in research among 1,672 British Catholics for the Westminster Faith Debates, finds them largely holding on to their identity as Catholics, but more likely to trust their own reason and judgement than the Church's rules in deciding their moral behaviour.
On an issue by issue basis, the results are remarkable, and give an insight into what the Pope is likely to learn from his survey.
According to Professor Woodhead's findings, four in ten churchgoers - who are more respectful of the Church's teaching than non-attenders - would ban abortion altogether, and just under half of churchgoers think same-sex marriage is wrong.
She says: "If we measure ['faithful Catholics'] by the criteria of weekly churchgoing, certain belief in God, taking authority from religious sources, and opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and euthanasia, only 5% of Catholics fit the mould, and only 2% of those under 30".
Those figures exclude elements such as the teaching on contraception, widely ignored by Catholic lay people.
Pope Francis is not offering to change teaching on contraception.
The Church would not believe it was serving anyone by dismantling its values - diluting what it regards as a "gold standard" for people who want to lead a good life.
Like the Church's understanding of what constitutes a "valid" marriage - that is, between a man and a woman - contraception is an issue of doctrine, or core belief, and not open to reform.
But that is not to say there is not considerable room for manoeuvre, allowing the change of focus to the "kinder" and non-judgmental approach Pope Francis has repeatedly called for.
The Pope has shown that he is aware that even those Roman Catholics who shun the rules are hurt by the way the Church deals with them, in deeds as well as words.
For example, in the past the Church has described "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" as "objectively disordered".
Pope Francis has said that he does not feel in a position to judge homosexual people.
Then there are the divorced people who have remarried - and are, according to the strict interpretation, therefore committing adultery and are denied Holy Communion.
The Vatican document accompanying the survey hints at a realisation that all might not be well by pointing out mournfully that "many Catholic children and young people will never see their parents receive the sacraments".
Even Catholic bishops thought of as traditionalist - such as the Bishop of Portsmouth, Philip Egan - have called for a more merciful way of dealing with such people.
Even without a reform of core beliefs, there could be significant changes in practice and what has already been identified as Pope Francis's "style" to reduce conflict in the Church's ideal values and the real lives of its members.
As some in the Church have already pointed out, to a great extent "style is substance" when it comes to applying the rules.
In matters such as contraception for example, new thinking could call for Catholic couples to be "open to life" in their sexual relationship, but leave up to their consciences how exactly they manage it.
Responses to the survey are to be given to Catholic bishops before they gather in Rome next September for a special meeting, or synod, to discuss the Church's approach to "the family".
They are due to meet in 2015 to issue new guidance to Catholics based on their discussion next September.
Most were selected by the traditionalist popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, but the Catholic commentator John Wilkins says even traditionalists are aware of the gulf between teaching and practice.
"It's a dangerous gap for an institution like the Church," says Mr Wilkins. "It can deal with it in two ways - either by clamping down from the top, which runs the risk of reducing the Church to a small sect, or by adapting its teaching, focusing on Jesus, so that Catholics can say, 'yes, that's me, that's what I believe'."
To some extent the very fact of the Pope's survey, broaching issues Catholics were once not encouraged to discuss, has raised expectations, assumptions which, whether justified or not, might be hard to satisfy. | A survey of ordinary believers' views on sexual ethics signals a potentially ground-breaking change of emphasis for the Roman Catholic Church. | 24955321 |
All three of the students, believed to be first years, are reported to have died in "unrelated" incidents.
Police are not treating the deaths of Miranda Williams, Daniel Green, or Kim Long as suspicious.
The university, which has about 22,000 students, offered condolences to their families. Inquests are due to be held at a later date.
Deputy registrar Lynn Robinson said: "These events are always extremely upsetting and our thoughts are with the students' families and friends."
Ms Robinson added: "Our student welfare services are offering support to anyone affected.
"It goes without saying that we take student health and wellbeing very seriously and would urge any students who are feeling anxious, depressed or lonely to seek support."
She said the student counselling service was well-placed to help and mental health first aid training had been provided to "many staff". | The deaths of three students in a single term at the University of Bristol are being investigated. | 38095728 |
After a goalless first half, Sam Baldock opened the scoring with a fierce shot into the roof of the net.
Murphy then added a second with a cool finish, before Elvis Manu's strike made the game safe for the Seagulls.
Murphy's steered fourth sent Brighton, who drew with Derby in the Championship on Saturday, into round two.
Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Colchester United 0.
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Colchester United 0.
Attempt saved. Sam Baldock (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Rob Hunt.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Colchester United 0. Jamie Murphy (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
Foul by Oliver Norwood (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Macauley Bonne (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Oliver Norwood (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Louis Dunne (Colchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Sam Baldock (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Frankie Kent (Colchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Sam Adekugbe.
Substitution, Colchester United. Louis Dunne replaces Tom Lapslie.
Substitution, Colchester United. Craig Slater replaces Kurtis Guthrie.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Colchester United 0. Elvis Manu (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sam Baldock.
Substitution, Colchester United. Macauley Bonne replaces Sammie Szmodics.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 2, Colchester United 0. Jamie Murphy (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kazenga Lua Lua.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Colchester United 0. Sam Baldock (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Kazenga Lua Lua.
Attempt blocked. Jamie Murphy (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Sam Adekugbe (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Kurtis Guthrie (Colchester United).
Doug Loft (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Doug Loft (Colchester United).
Attempt missed. Doug Loft (Colchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
Oliver Norwood (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Oliver Norwood (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Sammie Szmodics (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Jamie Murphy.
Attempt missed. Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Sam Baldock (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Elvis Manu (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Frankie Kent (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Sam Baldock (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Doug Loft.
Attempt blocked. Danny Holla (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sam Baldock (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kane Vincent-Young (Colchester United). | Jamie Murphy scored twice to help Brighton & Hove Albion beat League Two side Colchester United in the first round of the EFL Cup. | 36948859 |
The 21-year-old, who can also play in defence, had a previous loan spell with Barrow when he made three appearances between February and April 2016.
Rowe had loan spells at Wycombe in 2014 and 2015, before joining permanently from Rotherham in June 2015.
His signing comes a day after the addition of Wolves keeper Jon Flatt.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here. | Barrow have made their second signing in as many days with the addition of midfielder Dan Rowe from Wycombe on loan until the end of the season. | 38531269 |
The location was disclosed by a member of a drugs gang who was attacked by residents of Carrizalillo.
The town is 75km (47 miles) south of Iguala, where 43 students disappeared over a year ago.
Carrizalillo residents say there was unusually high gang activity on the night of the students' disappearance.
Locals say that over the past years, the town has increasingly come under the control of the Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors) drugs gang, whose members extort local businesses and terrorise residents.
They say that in the early hours of 27 September 2014, dozens of armed men belonging to the gang arrived in Carrizalillo in pick-up trucks.
The students were last seen on 26 September 2014.
The government report into their disappearance said that they were seized by corrupt local police officers who handed them over to the Guerreros Unidos.
According to the report, the Guerreros Unidos mistook the students for members of rival drugs gang Los Rojos and killed them.
The report says that the Guerreros Unidos burned the bodies and dumped their remains in Cocula, a small town near Iguala.
However, an independent group of experts has cast doubt on this version of events and the Mexican authorities have reopened their investigation.
In the weeks after the students' disappearance, dozens of mass grave were discovered in Guerrero state.
Hardly any of the bodies have been identified but their discovery has revealed the extent of the violence and disappearances in this region of Mexico.
Relatives of the 43 students, who are still hoping to find them alive, have reacted with scepticism to the theories put forward by the residents of Carrizalillo.
The 43 were all students at an all-male teacher training college in the town of Aytozinapa, in south-western Guerrero state. The college has a history of left-wing activism and the students regularly took part in protests.
They disappeared from the nearby town of Iguala on the evening of 26 September 2014 amid a confrontation between municipal police and the students during which six people were killed.
Independent forensic experts have matched charred bone fragments reportedly found at a rubbish dump near Iguala to Alexander Mora, one of the 43 missing students. They also say there is a high probability another set of remains could belong to Jhosivani Guerrero de la Cruz, another of the students. However, experts from the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights say the chain of evidence was broken and they could not be sure the bone fragments had been found at the dump.
According to the official report, the students were seized by corrupt municipal police officers who handed them over to members of a local drugs gang. The drugs gang mistook the students for members of a rival gang, killed them and burned their bodies at the dump before throwing their ashes into a nearby stream.
They think officials have failed to investigate the role soldiers from a nearby barracks may have played in the students' disappearance. The government has refused to let the soldiers, who were in the area at the time of the disappearance, be questioned by anyone but government prosecutors. The families also point to the report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights which said that there was no evidence the bodies of the 43 were burned at the dump. | Forensic experts have been sent to the Mexican town of Carrizalillo to examine human remains found in a number of mass graves. | 34720637 |
Plans for Clifford's Tower include a new viewing platform and an exhibition displaying the structure's 19th Century wall, which has been buried since 1935.
English Heritage, which manages the site, said the changes would "help celebrate the ruin".
If approved, the new facilities are planned to open in June 2017.
Clifford's Tower was built in the middle of the 13th Century but was left a ruin after a fire in 1684.
It has been involved in sieges and public executions, as well as being the location of the infamous massacre of York's Jewish community in 1190.
Jeremy Ashbee, head curator of properties at English Heritage, said: "We are investing in one of York's most iconic landmarks to tell the fascinating history of Clifford's Tower and its place in the city for generations to come in a way that's never been told before". | A historic medieval tower in the centre of York is to get a new visitors' centre in a redevelopment costing more than £2m. | 35328109 |
A consultant-led obstetric service was moved from Stafford to Royal Stoke University Hospital in January 2016.
The projected number of births is too low to operate a full unit, the report said. It added the hospital's midwife-led unit is an "important service".
The hospitals trust said it acknowledged findings from the report.
Read more news for Stoke and Staffordshire
NHS England, which published the review, said it commissioned it at the request of the government.
The report concluded it would not be possible to reinstate and safely maintain "a financially viable consultant-led obstetric service".
The projected amount of births at a County Hospital consultant-led obstetric unit would be "too low to provide adequate experience for staff to safely maintain their skills" or for trainees to complete studies, it stated.
Director of midwifery at the trust Karen Meadowcroft said she acknowledged the report findings.
She said: "I'm pleased that the Freestanding Midwife-led Birth Unit at County Hospital is recognised as a valuable and important service which offers mothers-to-be and their families a great birthing experience." | It would not be possible to safely return full maternity services to Stafford's County Hospital, a review has concluded. | 38608183 |
The 33-year-old was the club's player of the season and was also voted the players' player of the year.
"I can't thank my team-mates enough for letting me do what I do," the utility back told BBC Radio 5 live.
Gopperth's brilliant score against Northampton was also named try of the season.
The former Newcastle Falcons player also picked up the Golden Boot award for scoring 221 points during the campaign.
"I am only one cog in this massive organisation. The way the boys play encourages me and makes me want to be better," he added.
Gopperth's coach Dai Young won the director of rugby award. His side topped the regular season table.
Lichfield's England international Harriet Millar-Mills was named women's Premiership players' player of the year for the second season. | Wasps' Jimmy Gopperth has been named the Premiership player of the year to complete a hat-trick of awards. | 39957336 |
It said mobile phones had no place in the courtroom, and banned judges from using them while hearing a case.
At the time, the judge was presiding over the trial of two men on stabbing charges at a court in Frankfurt.
Lawyers for the accused lodged a motion of bias against the defence after the judge was seen using a mobile phone.
Germany's Federal Court of Justice (BGH) threw out the convictions after the judge - who has not been identified - was found to have checked the phone several times during 10 minutes of witness testimony.
The judge also texted a babysitter twice when the hearing ran over longer than expected.
BGH judge Thomas Fischer said mobile phones "do not belong in the courtroom - that goes for onlookers, lawyers and of course also for judges".
He stressed that judges must be focused on the case at all times. | Germany's highest civil court has ordered two retrials after a judge was discovered arranging childcare via text message during court hearings. | 33171046 |
Prince Nayef, who was also deputy prime minister and interior minister, had left the country for a holiday and medical tests late last month.
UK PM David Cameron praised the prince's "dedication" and US President Barack Obama focused on his role in fighting terrorism.
He was named crown prince last year succeeding Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.
The succession in Saudi Arabia still passes among the sons of former King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, who established the modern kingdom during his reign from 1932 to 1953. So far, five brothers have become kings and about 20 are still alive.
King Abdullah, who is 88 years old, had a back operation last year.
Next in line is expected to be Prince Nayef's 76-year-old brother, Prince Salman, who was appointed defence minister in November after spending five decades as governor of Riyadh.
The new crown prince must be approved by the Allegiance Council, a 34-strong assembly of King Abdul Aziz's sons and some of his grandchildren.
Obituary: Prince Nayef
A statement from King Abdullah published by the official SPA news agency, said Prince Nayef had died on Saturday "outside the kingdom" and would be buried on Sunday after Maghreb (sunset) prayers in Mecca.
Unconfirmed reports said Prince Nayef had been receiving medical treatment since May at a hospital in the Swiss city of Geneva.
On 3 June, the deputy interior minister said the prince, who was 77 or 78, was in good health and would return "soon".
Saudi Arabia is expected to declare a period of mourning following Prince Nayef's burial.
The prince was a member of the influential group known in Saudi Arabia as the "Sudairi Seven", which was made up of the sons born to King Abdul Aziz and his favourite wife, Hassa bint Ahmed al-Sudairi.
The kingdom's interior minister since 1975, he led the crackdown on al-Qaeda's offshoot in the country after 11 September 2001.
Personally committed to maintaining Saudi Arabia's conservative traditions based on the Wahhabi doctrine of Islam, he was seen to be more conservative than King Abdullah.
But in 2001, Prince Nayef supported a move to issue women with their own identity cards, a decision which gave women more freedom in many financial and legal transactions, says the BBC's Shaimaa Khalil in Cairo.
He adopted a more stern tone to the Arab Spring, denying claims that it could move to Saudi Arabia, our correspondent adds. | Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has died "outside the kingdom", the royal court has said. | 18470718 |
Universal Pictures' production of Dracula will be based in Belfast, but it will be filmed across various locations in Northern Ireland.
The three-month shoot is due to begin in August and will receive financial support from Northern Ireland Screen.
The announcement has been hailed as a welcome boost for the NI economy by the first and deputy first ministers.
First Minister Peter Robinson said: "The Northern Ireland Executive is committed to continue to invest in our creative industries.
"This is fantastic news for the local film industry which further cements Northern Ireland's reputation as a world-class production location."
Mr Robinson said it was the second time that Universal Pictures had confirmed the filming of a major production in Northern Ireland and he added the announcement would "deliver an important economic boost through job creation and investment".
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: "The film industry is an important sector for our economy and we offer an exceptionally competitive location for film and television production projects.
"With the next series of HBO's BAFTA award winning Game of Thrones series, about to start in July, Universal's decision to film Dracula here is another strong vote of confidence in our local filming industry and our ability to attract global players."
The film's executive producer, Joe Caracciolo, said his company were "very much looking forward to bringing Dracula to Northern Ireland" and added that the location made "good financial sense".
He said this was due to "Northern Ireland Screen's film incentive programme, the favourable exchange rate, and an impressive local infrastructure that is well suited for this type of project."
Mr Caracciolo added: "Filming Dracula in Northern Ireland allows us to capture the extraordinary beauty and topography that resemble the European backdrop in which this story takes place."
Northern Ireland Screen, which is funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund, is to contribute ??1.65m to support the film.
The government-backed film agency said it estimated that the production would deliver ??15m expenditure on goods and services in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Screen's chief executive, Richard Williams, said: "We are delighted to renew our relationship with Universal Pictures and look forward to working with Joe and his team.
"Securing Dracula is a real coup for Northern Ireland; as well as offering employment for our fantastic crew base, large-scale productions provide apprenticeship and trainee opportunities, thus helping ensure our local talent base has the opportunity to continue to develop."
Dracula will star Welsh actor Luke Evans from Fast & Furious 6 and Canadian Sarah Gadon, who recently featured in A Dangerous Method.
The film will be directed by Gary Shore and produced by Michael De Luca. | A major Hollywood studio is to film a new Dracula movie in Northern Ireland later this year, it has been confirmed. | 22601083 |
The remaining high-rise blocks were brought down together by controlled explosion. The BBC Scotland news website looks at the history of the controversial development.
The Red Road estate was a development of eight tower blocks in the north east of Glasgow between Balornock and Barmulloch.
The steel-framed high-rise flats were designed in 1962 by architect Sam Bunton for Glasgow Corporation (later Glasgow City Council) and built between 1964 and 1969.
Six of the eight blocks were traditional point-shaped and had 30 storeys. Two were broader slab-shaped and had 25 storeys.
The eight blocks were designed to accommodate about 4,700 people.
The flats were commissioned to help tackle a post-war housing crisis in Glasgow. Many of the city's homes at that time were rundown tenements.
In 1947 a delegation from Glasgow visited Marseilles to see new tower blocks designed by the French architect Le Corbusier.
Following that visit, a high-rise policy was introduced to Glasgow.
The Red Road site - a former cabbage patch - was among several sites chosen in Glasgow for the new high-rise homes.
Early residents welcomed the move from overcrowded and rundown tenement flats into the clean and modern tower blocks.
For some it was the first time they had an inside toilet.
In a BBC interview in 2012, one of the first residents, Jean McGeough, said the flats meant community and neighbours shared cleaning the hallways on a rota system.
"They were lovely the houses and it's breaking my heart to see them coming down," she said.
The original vision for the Red Road estate was more modest than the eight tower blocks that eventually went up and by the end of construction the development was something of a social experiment.
During the 1970s the estate gained a growing reputation for crime, antisocial behaviour, and alcohol and drug problems.
A fatal fire on the 23rd floor of one tower block in 1977 also saw some families refuse to return and brand the tower blocks a death trap.
By the 1980s, increased security measures, such as CCTV, were introduced to help tackle social problems. Two of the tower blocks were also transferred for use by students and the YMCA.
In 2003, the controversial decision was taken to transfer all of Glasgow's 81,000 council homes to the independent landlord, Glasgow Housing Association (GHA).
The not-for-profit body announced in 2005 that it would demolish one of the tallest blocks as part of a regeneration plan for the area. It was later decided that all of the flats would be demolished.
The first tower block was brought down in June 2012. The second demolition took place in May 2013.
In 2014, organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow announced plans to bring five of the towers down simultaneously during the opening ceremony in the city later that year.
However, the plan proved controversial and was dropped after an online petition against the demolition gathered thousands of signatures.
In August this year, Glasgow Housing Association said the remaining six blocks would be brought down together in the one-off demolition.
The prevailing view is that the social experiment of housing almost 5,000 people in the flats was ultimately a failure.
However, for some residents the tower blocks raised their living standards and are fondly remembered.
The sheer scale of the development, and its brooding presence on Glasgow's skyline for decades, has inevitably meant the flats have become an integral part of the city's cultural history.
This has found expression in books and films, notably the 2006 Bafta-winning Andrea Arnold film Red Road and the 2011 Alison Irvine novel, This Road is Red. | The last of Glasgow's Red Road flats have been demolished. | 34496865 |
It was the home of two of the four men who carried out the attacks in London, which killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.
Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, and Shehzad Tanweer, 22, grew up in Beeston, while Hasib Mir Hussain, 19, lived in nearby Holbeck. The fourth bomber, Germaine Lindsay, came from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.
As details of where they came from emerged, an international media frenzy descended on the area and journalists placed it under intense scrutiny in the following days and weeks.
As the dust settled on the story, there was a fear Beeston's reputation would suffer irreparably and forever be tainted by the terror attacks.
But behind the negativity - then and a decade on - is a community that has been working to better itself.
In the wake of the London bombings, the world's media descended on Beeston. There were satellite trucks on every street corner. They blamed our community for the atrocity.
Journalists, at least some of them, seemed to have written their story on the train up from London leaving a few gaps for names, dates and street names. They didn't try to find out about our community, they'd already made up their minds and found evidence to back up their version of the story.
People in Beeston stood together. We held a vigil on Tempest Road, there was a trip to London to lay a wreath at Kings Cross and a peace march into Leeds city centre. We redoubled our efforts to work together across faith and ethnic lines. That spirit is exemplified on Beeston Festival day each June when thousands fill the local park to share music, food, and sport.
Beeston is a busy, active place.
There is an annual festival, the Asha Neighbourhood Project, a voluntary centre for women and their families and the Faith Together in Leeds 11 project, a partnership between Christian churches and Muslim organisations.
In addition, there are youth clubs, a hiking group, music in the park events and neighbours who look out for each other.
Community worker Ed Carlisle said: "I see a lot of small scale, grass root acts of kindness.
"My street, for example, is a terraced cul-de-sac off Tempest Road with different ethnicities and there's a real inter-dependence.
"We have an elderly couple who get a lot of support and recently there was another man who fell on hard times. We pulled together to get him a house and get it decorated. That kind of thing is really special."
At the geographical heart is the Hamara Centre, which has grown from humble beginnings into a large ethnic minority voluntary organisation.
Hamara stands out as a beacon within the Asian voluntary sector and its success has inspired other organisations.
Its chief executive Hanif Malik said: "We were fearful 7/7 could impact negatively on community relations but in fact the very opposite happened.
"There were lots of initiatives undertaken by us all to ensure levels of cohesion remained strong and I'm glad to say that's continued."
However, community leaders admit Beeston is not without its problems.
It has the same issues as any low-income, inner-city area.
Mr Carlisle, who grew up in Kent but has lived in Beeston since 2002, said: "There are problems and conflicts, but that happens anywhere.
"People aren't overly wealthy so they can't buy their independence from one another. The streets are tightly packed together, so that tends to lead to greater reliance on neighbours.
"There are people who say they can't wait to get out of Beeston, but for every one of them is another who says they've been here for years and never want to leave.
"Personally it's the friendliest place I've ever lived. So many residents are proud to call it home and that is priceless." | Ten years ago the Leeds suburb of Beeston found itself blinded by the media spotlight in the wake of the devastating 7/7 bombings. | 33329988 |
The Ramada in Portrush, which was owned by the Kennedy family, went into administration on Thursday.
Nama has appointed receivers to the Kennedys' other property assets in relation to a £48m debt.
East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said he feared the move could see the hotel sold at a significant discount.
He said it could mark the start of a so-called fire sale by Nama of properties it holds in NI.
Nama has always maintained it is not in its interests to have a fire sale in Northern Ireland.
So far, there has been no comment from the agency.
The news was met with shock by the owners and local politicians.
The 69-bedroom hotel has an annual turnover of £2.2m and has won several awards.
The owners were informed on Thursday afternoon that administrators had been appointed and will now run the hotel.
The 50 full-time and part-time staff have been informed.
The owners said that despite several requests, they had been unable to meet with Nama over the past few months.
In a statement on the hotel's Facebook site, Alistair Kennedy said the business would trade as normal.
"We have been assured that all bookings and reservations are safe," he said.
"The Kennedy family who have owned and operated the hotel for the past 11 years would like to thank all our customers and friends for the support and custom they have given us over that period of time."
Mr Kennedy said he hoped customers would continue to support the hotel's staff "during what is obviously going to be a very difficult period for all involved".
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Kennedy said that on Tuesday the group had been served with a demand by Bank of Ireland, on behalf of Nama, to repay £48m of loans within 24 hours.
Those loans had originally been advanced to Kennedy Group companies by Bank of Ireland, AIB and Anglo Irish.
He said the group had sent annual business plans to Nama in October and November but the agency had been refusing to meet to discuss them.
In a statement, the administrators, from the Belfast-based accountancy and consultancy firm RSM McClure Watters, said that the hotel would remain open for business.
"We hope that people will continue to benefit from the hotel's facilities and our immediate objective is to maintain operations and honour bookings.
"Given the continuation of trade we look forward to working with the hotel's staff to drive the business forward."
DUP MP Gregory Campbell said the hotel was "quite crucial" to the causeway coast area.
"This is a well-run profitable establishment and the owners and many people in the community can't understand why Nama has moved to put it into administration," he said.
In October 2010, the construction arm of the Kennedy Group was placed into administration.
It consisted of J Kennedy and Co Contractors and three related firms, Kennedy Crane Hire, Kennedy Concrete Products and J Kennedy and Company (manufacturing).
A list of properties which have been repossessed by Nama included an industrial site on Letterloan Road in Coleraine. This is believed to be the former premises of Kennedy Concrete Products.
It is not clear why Nama has now decided to take further enforcement action against the group.
Mr Campbell and his fellow DUP MP Ian Paisley have expressed concern at the administration move and said they hoped to raise the matter with Nama through Finance Minister Sammy Wilson in the days ahead. | A leading north coast hotel has been put into administration by the Irish Republic's National Asset Management Agency (Nama). | 22113875 |
The former rugby league international suggests too many tries may spoil the spectacle.
"I'm not disrespecting sports like netball or basketball, where there's points scored very regularly," he said.
"I'd hate to think we'll get to a stage like that."
Edwards was credited with playing a major part in Wales' Six Nations Grand Slams of 2008 and 2012 and their championship win in 2013.
Their miserly defence conceded just two tries in the 2008 tournament, and three in each of the 2012 and 2013 editions.
Bonus points have been introduced for the first time this season, with a point for a team that scores four tries.
Edwards concedes fans want to see good attacking rugby.
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"When people come to watch rugby, they don't really want to watch the defence, they come to watch the attack and that's totally understandable." said Edwards.
"There's loads more tries being scored in world rugby, everything's going towards the attack as regards rules."
Edwards backs the plan to encourage attacking play, but does not accept a low scoring match is necessarily a dull one.
"The best game I watched over the Christmas period was Saracens [10-3 win] versus Toulon where there was only one try in the whole game," he said.
"It was a real hard, tough, tactical game of rugby" he said.
Tackle talk goes well
Edwards added Wales' session with international referee Nigel Owens to discuss the refereeing of tackles had gone well.
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World Rugby's January 2017 directive has led to more yellow and red cars being issued for contact with the ball-carrier's head.
"Nigel was fantastic as usual, he explained a couple of areas where referees disagreed and what he feels will be the decisions in the Six Nations," said Edwards.
"You've never been allowed to smack somebody round the head, but now if you do it accidentally, you're probably going to get punished more harshly than before."
But former rugby league star Edwards hopes Wales will not be too badly affected by the refereeing.
"The target area's getting smaller and smaller," said Edwards.
"Maybe that's one of the reasons so many tries are being scored, who knows?" | Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards does not want rugby's Six Nations Championship to become "like basketball" following the introduction of bonus points. | 38801167 |
More than 100 drivers in Weymouth and Bridport in Dorset, are currently involved in an eighth week of industrial action.
Bus firm First Dorset said a further walkout was "unnecessary".
The union Unite said it had contacted the conciliation service Acas, but accused First Dorset of not yet agreeing to the terms of reference.
First Dorset said it welcomed Unite's request for formal arbitration but added a date had not yet been set.
Unite has said Weymouth and Bridport drivers earned £8.80 an hour and it wants this to rise to £9.50 over three years to match the wages of drivers in Yeovil, Somerset.
But First Dorset has said the pay increase is "unaffordable".
The first round of action began on 20 June, with the current round due to end at 04.29 BST on Monday.
However, further action will now take place from 04:30 on Monday until 04:29 on Tuesday, from 04:30 on Wednesday until 04:29 on Thursday, and from 04:30 on 26 August until 04:29 on 29 August.
First Dorset said the firm was providing more than 90% of its services and running an emergency timetable during the dispute.
Marc Reddy, managing director of the firm, said: "We simply cannot understand the rationale for further strike action.
"Typically, when both parties agree to resolve a dispute through collective arbitration, as in this case, industrial action ceases, on the basis that the arbitrator will resolve the dispute with a decision.
"The decision to strike this week and next is completely unnecessary and will have no bearing on an arbitrator's decision."
Unite regional officer Bob Lanning said: "We are keen to get the arbitration process rolling, but the company has yet to agree the terms of reference."
He added drivers "won't even consider suspending the strikes until we have a copper-bottomed agreement for a date for the Acas talks". | Bus drivers in Dorset who are locked in a dispute over pay are to extend their strike, a union has confirmed. | 37109760 |
The group played 16 songs including classics such as 2 Minutes to Midnight, Fear of the Dark and The Number of the Beast.
It was also the final night of their Maiden England world tour at Knebworth.
"Three years of touring comes to an end tonight," said lead singer Bruce Dickinson.
"This is the culmination of those three years. We should be pretty good by now, if we don't get it right tonight then we never will."
Dickinson finished by hinting at a new album: "What's coming in the next few years is going to make it more real for you guys, believe me."
Long-time mascot Eddie made several appearances through the band's set including a giant version that walked across the stage during Run to the Hills.
Earlier in the evening, Bruce Dickinson took part in a mock dog fight above the grounds of Knebworth House to commemorate the start of World War One.
Dickinson flew one of the planes in the display, which lasted for 15 minutes and ended with the Band and Bugles of The Rifles playing the Last Post just before Deftone's set on the main stage.
Slayer paid tribute to former guitarist Jeff Hanneman during their final track Angel of Death on the second stage.
Hanneman died of liver failure last May.
There was also a big crowd for former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach in the main tent.
All the entrances were shut about 20 minutes before the performance with the area at full capacity.
One group of angry festival-goers tried to push a security barrier over during the set after being denied access.
Festival favourite Frank Turner played on the main stage and said his friends had asked him if he was nervous about playing a heavy music festival.
"I said 'Of course I'm not nervous because this is where I come from; rock, punk and heavy metal.'
"By the way, for those of you who don't know what this is, it's an acoustic guitar," he told the crowd.
"It might be an acoustic guitar but I'm going to die with a BC Rich Warlock in my hands."
Amber Paul, 18, Nino, 17, Megan, 16, Summer, 16, Hannah, 17, and Ashley Wiggans, 18, all met on Twitter a few years ago.
They're camping for the weekend and said they enjoyed the way the stages were set out.
"It's a small site, so there's less walking," said Hannah. "And there are no clashes."
There are two main stages at Sonisphere and as a band finishes on one, another act starts on the other.
One of the more surreal moments of the festival was provided by Japanese metal outfit Babymetal, who were playing their first gig in the UK.
The group is made up of three teenage, female singers and a backing band who were dressed in white robes and facepaint.
In an introduction video called Metal Resistance: Episode II, a parody of the opening credits of Star Wars, the band revealed they were the self-styled saviours of heavy metal.
They also paid tribute to "metal gods" Iron Maiden and later in their set, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett.
There were also performances from Blitz Kids, Vodoo Six, The Sisters of Mercy, Anthrax, Ghost and The Virginmarys.
Sunday is headlined by Metallica, whose set By Request has been chosen by fans, with performances elsewhere from Alice in Chains, Mastodon, Airbourne and Krokodil, the band featuring Radio 1 rock show host Daniel P Carter.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Metal band Iron Maiden pulled in the biggest crowd of the weekend so far as they headlined the Saturday night at this year's Sonisphere Festival. | 28182791 |
Caterpillar Northern Ireland said the diesel had got into a storm drain which runs to the sea off Larne.
It is believed around 40,000 litres of fuel was involved. It was part of a bigger spill, some of which was contained on site.
The incident is being investigated by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
People involved in a regatta off the County Antrim coast on Saturday reported a long diesel slick and heavy fumes.
It is believed the slick spread several miles north of Larne harbour.
Caterpillar said it had reported the incident when it was discovered.
It said it had also employed an environmental contractor to help with the clean up.
A spokesman for the firm told the BBC: "A control unit that manages the quantity of diesel entering a test tank failed.
"We are carrying out our own investigation to fully understand how this happened and to implement a permanent remedy."
The NIEA has taken samples with a view to enforcement.
East Antrim MLA Oliver McMullan, from Sinn Féin, called for a full investigation.
"This major diesel spillage off the coast of Larne is a cause for serious concern in the East Antrim area.
"The company behind the spillage have said it was responsible but a number of questions still have to be answered.
"We need to know how this diesel got into storm drains and ended up in the sea," he added.
Caterpillar Northern Ireland mainly makes diesel generators at its Larne facility. | A leading manufacturing firm has said it was the source of a big pollution spill off the County Antrim coast. | 36522015 |
The odd-one out is of course the latter, Spain's talismanic striker, known more for his ability to hit a football into the back of the net than for knocking a baseball out of the park.
Yet it was Villa, and ten of his new teammates, who were welcomed on Sunday by a 40,000-strong crowd at the cathedral of New York's most-popular sport - Yankee Stadium.
They were playing for the freshly minted New York City Football Club franchise (catchy nickname yet to be picked) - the Big Apple's latest attempt to build on the surge in support for soccer, as the game is known stateside.
A joint venture by Manchester City and the New York Yankees, NYCFC was rumoured to have cost $100m (£68m) to set up, and enters a market already jam-packed with sports brands, including two other football teams, the New York Red Bulls and New York Cosmos.
Critics point out that previous attempts to instil football into the hearts and minds of the city's nine million inhabitants have not fared well.
For example, the Cosmos, which once counted Brazilian legend Pele among its ranks, only started playing again in 2013 after folding in 1985, while few teams in the US top-flight league, Major League Soccer (MLS), actually turn a profit.
As Jason Kreis, NYCFC's head coach and an MLS stalwart, admits, selling football to the US public is still an uphill struggle, particularly in a city with many other distractions.
"It was a concern of mine when I came to New York," he says, standing beside NYCFC's makeshift training pitch a day before the team's inaugural home match.
"There's limited time, there's limited money. There's so many things to do in New York City that people are making a very difficult choice to come to our matches.
"We have to feel that we are responsible to capture their attention and to hold their attention."
Mr Kreis' players may have to work hard to win the loyalty of the city's football fans, but they needn't worry about the sport's broader appeal.
A survey carried out prior to the 2014 World Cup suggested the US has 70 million soccer fans - more than the entire UK population.
Indeed, New York's residents are no strangers to the beautiful game. Scottish club Celtic played a team of all-stars from the American Soccer League way back in 1931, and global giants such as Real Madrid and Manchester United have played exhibition matches in the Bronx to sell-out crowds.
Then there is the US national team, which has qualified for the last seven World Cups, and as fans in New York are keen to emphasise, fared better than England in Brazil last year.
It wasn't just a sideshow either. The team's 2-2 draw with Portugal was the most watched football game in US history, drawing 27 million viewers.
And while the MLS still struggles to attract more than a few hundred thousand TV viewers per game, lagging well behind traditional US sports, namely: American football, baseball, basketball and hockey, its fixtures do attract sizeable crowds - averaging roughly 25,000 per match.
No wonder then, that the MLS is expanding rapidly, with new teams in New York and Orlando, and planned franchises in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami - the latter an investment by MLS fan favourite David Beckham.
Plus, as MLS spokesman Dan Courtemanche points out, professional soccer is the "second most popular consumption sport [read: watching and buying merchandise] among the millennial audience - that's 18-30 year olds - in the US, and similar studies have shown that up in Canada, where we have three clubs."
Nathan, a 20-something Brooklyn resident who arrived at Sunday's inaugural home match decked head-to-toe in NYCFC kit, is a case in point.
"I played soccer growing up," he says. "I was very excited about the MLS when it started. Every World Cup I get more and more addicted to this game.
"I was excited to have a team that I can just get on the subway and come to - it's nice to have team in New York for real."
But North American football fans are still more interested in watching football from the UK's Premier League, Spain's La Liga and other highly-competitive championships, than they are in watching home-grown talent.
The US's 55 million residents of Hispanic origin, who, as Mr Courtemanche quips, "don't need to be taught how to love the game", prefer watching South American football teams. Mexico's Liga MX still attracts the most TV viewers of any soccer broadcasts in the US.
In order to attract such fans, MLS has imported bankable stars reaching the end of their careers at high-profile international clubs, such as Spurs legend Robbie Keane and Brazil's Kaka, gaining itself a reputation as a "retirement league".
Having a team full of footballers of that calibre, however, may never be possible due to the nature of MLS' economics.
Aside for a handful of designated players, MLS teams are not allowed to spend more than $3.1m on salaries, with a maximum salary for any one player of $387,500.
David Beckham recently joined the chorus of those criticising the MLS' salary cap, but the league's leadership insists there are no plans to lift the limit.
Instead, the MLS is spending up to $40m on developing more home-grown talent, and has instituted a rule allowing for higher salaries to be awarded to players from a team's development academy.
The plan is beginning to bear fruit. California-born striker Gyasi Zardes rose through LA Galaxy's youth teams to become the highest scoring home-grown player in MLS history with 16 goals last season.
He has also received a call-up to the national team, and is earning almost $200,000 per season.
And while headliners like David Villa will always draw crowds, fans at Yankee Stadium on Sunday were also familiar with Mix Diskerud, a fringe member of the US squad, and Patrick Mullins, who scored the second goal in the team's 2-0 win against New England Revolution.
NYCFC has already sold 15,000 season tickets, and the club plans to move to a more permanent, custom-made home with a capacity of roughly 28,000, just as soon as they find an site agreeable to New York authorities.
"There is no real telling what this league could be like in five or ten years," says Claudio Reyna, a US soccer legend (and ex-Rangers, Sunderland and Man City player) appointed as NYCFC's director of football operations, after Sunday's win at Yankee Stadium.
"In my opinion it is the league with the biggest room for growth in the entire world." | Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Derek Jeter, and David Villa. | 31881844 |
On Saturday, the company welcomed the first visitors to the new 34bn yuan ($5.1bn; £3.9bn) park in Hefei which also has hotels and a shopping mall.
The firm plans to build as many as 20 more such parks across China by 2020.
Dalian Wanda has been outspoken about its rivalry with US firm Walt Disney which opened its first theme park in mainland China in June.
In May, Wanda launched its first theme park in Nanchang just weeks before Disney launched its Shanghai park.
At the Nanchang opening, Wanda owner and China's richest man, Wang Jianlin, said he wanted to move away from Western imports and to establish a global brand based on Chinese culture.
Walt Disney wants to go very big in one place in mainland China: Shanghai. Dalian Wanda is going for a smaller, cheaper presence in many more places. The two firms have very different strategies in the country.
Disney's $5.5bn gamble in Shanghai is a behemoth of an entertainment complex.
Although Wanda's chief Wang Jianlin has made much of his desire to take on Disney at its own game, his offering is quite different. There's less of an overall "experience" - fewer rides with some animated characters and hotels and retail on a smaller scale.
Wanda's sell seems to be a cheaper- but just as much fun- day out.
So far, Disney still has a significant lead in the key part of this equation - intellectual property. With Star Wars and Marvel's array of characters to add to Mickey Mouse it has much to entice families.
Wanda is now looking to develop something similar with its vast cinema chain and the well established independent US production firm Legendary Entertainment, which it bought earlier this year.
In an interview in May with state-run broadcaster CCTV, Mr Wang said in May that Wanda wanted "to ensure Disney is not profitable for 10-20 years in this business segment in China".
Disney's Shanghai park is its sixth theme park and its fourth outside the United States after Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
A number of further Wanda theme parks are currently under construction, with one in Harbin slated for opening in 2017 and the next in Qingdao, Guangzhou and Wuxi in 2018 and 2019.
A Wanda movie park in the city of Wuhan was opened in 2014 but at the end of July unexpectedly closed for renovation.
The rivalry between Dalian Wanda and Walt Disney comes as China's slowing economy affects domestic consumer spending. At Wanda's cinema arm, ticket sales were up by only 12.8% in the second quarter compared to 61% in the first. | China's Dalian Wanda has stepped up competition with Walt Disney, opening its second theme park in the country. | 37469501 |
Work on the Pontio centre at Bangor University began in 2012 and it opened last year after a delay which cost £1m.
The university said it was also liaising with contractors over concerns about holes in the roof.
But Pontio directors said they had a successful first 12 months and they were confident they could build on their experiences.
They told the Newyddion 9 programme ticket sales for their first year saw about 35,000 sold for live performances, 39,000 for its cinema and about 2,500 for conferences and other events. | A £50m arts and innovation centre in Gwynedd has sold more than 76,000 tickets in its first year. | 38150700 |
The victim, aged 32, was hit by the car at about 11:30 BST on Friday in the McDonald's car park at China Garden, on Derby Street, in Bolton.
Police said he and friends were in a confrontation with another group.
A man, 19, has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and both failing to stop and report a collision.
Officers said four people the victim had been arguing with left in two cars but no-one in the vehicles stopped.
He is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
Greater Manchester Police is now investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash, including allegations of racist remarks made during the argument. Officers are also analysing CCTV images.
A spokesman for the force said they "were certainly investigating the possibility" that the car was deliberately driven at the victim. | A man has suffered severe fractures after a car crashed into him following a row in a car park in Greater Manchester. | 28182836 |
The marble slab, which is just over 60cm (24in) high, is inscribed in an early Hebrew script called Samaritan.
It only includes nine of the original Biblical commandments; the 10th is a local Samaritan rule.
It was sold at a Los Angeles auction house on condition that it will be displayed in a public museum.
The carving was discovered in 1913 during the excavation for a railway line near the city of Yavneh, an historical Jewish centre of learning, now in present-day Israel.
The auctioneers, Heritage Auctions, said it probably dates from between 300 and 500 AD, and could have marked the entrance to a synagogue.
The missing commandment - "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" - has been replaced with call for Samaritan worshippers to "raise up a temple'' on Mount Gerizim, a holy site above the city of Nablus, in the present-day West Bank.
The buyer has not been identified.
The seller, Rabbi Shaul Deutsch from New York's Living Torah Museum, insisted that the new owner display the ancient artefact publicly, according to Heritage Auctions.
The Samaritan community has a long history in the Middle East, although its population has dwindled to fewer than 1,000 people in recent times.
The US auctioneers provided a translation of the 20 lines of Samaritan text on its website: | The world's earliest-known stone carving of the Ten Commandments has sold in a US auction for $850,000 (£680,000). | 38011205 |
Reports say the militants now control at least 60% of the city.
However, air strikes have forced them to pull back from a key government compound where they raised their black flags on Friday.
Ramadi is capital of the country's largest province, Anbar.
The BBC's Ahmed Maher in Baghdad says IS fighters have entrenched their positions around residential districts after beating back Iraqi forces backed up by three regiments sent as reinforcements.
If the entire city were to fall, it would be a major blow to the government, he adds, being just 100km (60 miles) from Baghdad.
IS and Iraqi troops have been battling for months to take control of strategically important Anbar province.
Earlier, the Iraqi army said it had sent three regiments to areas surrounding the city.
Iraqi military spokesman Brig Gen Saad Maan Ibrahim also told Iraqi state television that the US-led coalition had been supporting Iraqi troops with "painful" air strikes since late on Friday.
High-profile Iraqi officials have made several statements to the press and on social media, admitting that the situation is dire, our correspondent says.
It is a sign of how worried the government is, and of how serious the situation on the ground has become, our correspondent added.
The IS assault on the government compound on Friday involved as many as six suicide car bombs. At least 10 police officers were killed, while another 50 were reported to have been taken prisoner.
In response, US Vice-President Joe Biden pledged to deliver heavy weaponry, including shoulder-held rocket launchers and additional ammunition, as well as supplies to the Iraqi forces.
The heavily Sunni province of Anbar covers a vast stretch of the country west from the capital Baghdad to the Syrian border, and contains key roads that link Iraq to both Syria and Jordan.
Iraq's prime minister pledged in April that his forces would "liberate" Anbar from IS after the success of re-taking the central city of Tikrit. | Islamic State (IS) militants have tightened their grip on the centre of the Iraqi city of Ramadi after repelling an advance by government forces. | 32763909 |
The MV Hebrides had 76 people on board when a technical failure meant it was unable to slow down at Lochmaddy harbour, North Uist, on 25 September.
The vessel struck both harbour pontoons as well as rocks on the seabed.
CalMac said it had now been repaired at dry dock in Greenock and should be back in service on Monday.
Sea trials are due to take place on Saturday. If successful, the MV Hebrides will return to the Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy route.
Ferries the MV Clansman and MV Lord of the Isles, which had been re-routed to provide cover, will resume normal service the same day.
Ross Moran, CalMac's general manager operations, said: "Many communities have been disrupted to a greater or lesser extent by MV Hebrides being taken out of service for dry dock repairs.
"None more so than South Uist, which temporarily lost its daily return service from Lochboisdale to Mallaig with MV Lord of the Isles.
"While there has been some very understandable frustration about the situation, there has also been a much appreciated amount of understanding and support, for which CalMac is very grateful."
He added: "We thank the people and businesses of South Uist and all other communities affected by this uncertain period for their great patience, and we apologise for the undoubted inconvenience.
"We look forward to successful completion of sea trials for MV Hebrides on Saturday and a return to normal service across the network on Monday." | A Caledonian MacBrayne ferry damaged when it crashed into a harbour has been repaired and is expected to resume service on Monday. | 37658185 |
It said those travelling to the continent should take plenty of food and water and check with travel operators before starting out.
The Port of Dover says roads are clear and it is not expecting severe delays.
Last weekend drivers queued for up to 14 hours because of extra French security checks.
Latest information from BBC Travel
Traffic going to the Port of Dover traffic should use the M20/A20, while drivers not planning to cross the channel should consider routes such as the B2011, A256 or A258, which may not be suitable for HGVs, KCC advised.
The Port of Dover said anyone travelling to the port should be "properly prepared".
KCC said it has delivered 52,300 2-litre bottles of water to the Dover coastguard from where it can be distributed to delayed motorists if necessary.
Writing on the Conservative Home website on Thursday, Charlie Elphicke, Tory MP for Dover and Deal, said: "It seems every summer there is travel chaos in Kent.
"If this happened at Heathrow there would be uproar.
"But it's somehow seen as okay for tens of thousands of holidaymakers and truckers to be stuck in the sweltering heat all day long without water, food, information or toilet facilities," he wrote.
"You can't help but get the impression that travelling from the Channel Ports is looked down upon and far less of a priority than the elite jet-set." | Motorists heading towards Dover are being advised by Kent County Council (KCC) to prepare for possible delays and congestion. | 36922772 |
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