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A report by the Women and Equalities Select Committee said the government has failed to close the pay gap.
It said policies were needed to tackle barriers such as women's disproportionate responsibility for childcare and low part-time wages.
It warned that the UK economy was suffering as a result.
It estimated that a failure to use women's skills was costing the country £36bn a year, equal to 2% of GDP.
The wage difference between men and women stands at 19.2%, according to the Office for National Statistics, which has barely changed for four years.
Maria Miller, chairwoman of the committee, said: "The gender pay gap is holding back women and that isn't going to change unless the government changes its policies now.
"The pay gap represents a massive loss to the UK's economy and we must address it in the face of an ageing workforce, a skills crisis and the need for a more competitive economy."
The report said that providing equal support to men and women for looking after children, as well as other forms of unpaid caring roles, "is one of the most effective policy levers in reducing the gender pay gap".
It suggested the introduction of three months, well-paid leave for fathers and second parents to share care more equally.
Sarah Jackson, chief executive of the charity Working Families, said: "The 'motherhood penalty' is a price that women continue to pay at work and at home. The answer lies with fathers.
"A decent period of paid paternity leave would allow more fathers to care for their young children and push this out of the domain of 'women's work' for good."
The report also criticised the lack of support in getting women back into employment, and said the government should set up a National Pathways to Work scheme to help the transition.
Women aged over 40 are most affected by the disparity in pay, particularly those aged between 50-59 years old who are paid, on average, 27% less than men.
The committee said: "Evidence suggests that the barriers to well-paid work currently experienced by women over 40 will continue unless action is taken to address the root causes of the gender pay gap."
Britain's financial services industry is being encouraged to sign up to a charter which could penalise executives if they do not meet targets to increase the number of senior female employees.
A government-commissioned review, led by Virgin Money's chief executive, Jayne-Anne Gadhia was published on Tuesday. It recommends that financial services companies link parts of executive remuneration packages to gender balance targets.
It also suggested that companies set internal targets for gender diversity in their senior ranks and publish progress reports.
Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, HSBC, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Virgin Money will all sign the new Women in Finance Charter. Asset manager Columbia Threadneedle and mutual Capital Credit Union have also signed up.
The Treasury said it will publish a list of all the companies that have aligned themselves with the charter in three months.
Ms Gadhia said research revealed that in 2015 women made up only 14% of executive committees in the financial services sector.
She said: "Too few women get to the top and this is not just about childcare. Women are leaving because the culture isn't right.
"It's very encouraging that a number of major financial services companies have already agreed to implement our recommendations. As a result, the issue will now be addressed in a way the City recognises.
"Make it public, measure it and report on it. What gets published gets done."
The report by the Women and Equalities Select Committee also highlighted that women are trapped in low-paid, part-time work, often below their skill sets.
Some 41% of female workers are part-time employees compared to 12% of men. The median hourly pay for full-time workers is £13.29 compared to £8.44 for those in part-time employment.
The report also found that 59% of minimum wage jobs are held by women. "Too little attention has been focused on the situation of women working in low-paid, highly feminised sectors like care, retail and cleaning, " it said.
"Until their rates of pay and progression improve, the gender pay gap will not be eliminated."
Frances O'Grady, secretary general of the TUC said: "If we don't tackle problems like occupational segregation, the motherhood pay penalty and barriers to more equal parenting, the gender pay gap will take decades to close." | A group of MPs is demanding that greater steps are taken to combat a "motherhood penalty" that has left women being paid less than men. | 35862925 |
The actor told The Stage subsidy should be dependent on lower ticket prices.
The RSC responded by highlighting the range of prices of tickets available for its recent West End transfers.
The National, meanwhile, said it was committed to "keeping as many tickets priced as low as possible".
Speaking at the recent launch of an artists' campaign against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), Wolf Hall star Rylance said subsidised theatre productions "had to be accessible".
"You can't have the RSC and the National receiving millions of pounds of money without a lower price, in my feeling," he went on. "A lower price should be part of it."
His comments were endorsed by actress Juliet Stevenson, who told the newspaper that West End ticket prices were so high she could no longer afford to go.
She said she had wanted to see her friend, Dame Harriet Walter, in the RSC's production of Death of a Salesman, but had balked when she discovered it would cost her £285.
"I rang up Harriet and said: 'At the moment... I can't really afford to see your play," she is quoted as saying. "'I have two children and it's going to cost nearly £300.'"
Stevenson also criticised the "completely scandalous" booking fees that are now routinely charged when tickets are purchased for any live event.
"Mark Rylance and Juliet Stevenson are right to say London ticket prices should be within the reach of everyone," said Catherine Mallyon, the RSC's executive director.
"They are however commenting on top price tickets, and may not be aware of the full range of tickets and discounts available.
"For our recent West End shows, prices range from £10 to £69.50. A family of two adults and two children could buy advance tickets to Death of a Salesman for £40.
"There are audience members who wish to purchase premium tickets however, and this income helps us to offer an extraordinarily wide range of ticket prices."
Once a booking fee and restoration levy is added to the £69.50 price, the top ticket price for Death of a Salesman rises to £71.75.
Stevenson did not specify how many tickets she was attempting to purchase, though £285 would have been the cost of four tickets costing £71.75 each.
In its response to Rylance's comments, the National said it was "committed to sharing our work with as many people as possible".
"We agree with Mark that affordable ticket pricing plays an important role in that, and use our public funding to help achieve that accessibility."
Tickets to its main house shows, its spokesperson continued, ranged from £15 to £55, with no additional booking fees.
The National also receives sponsorship from the Travelex foreign exchange company that enables it to make more than 100,000 £15 tickets available for four of its productions. | A claim by Mark Rylance that subsidised companies such as the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company are charging "way too much" for tickets has been rejected by both institutions. | 33479485 |
Belgium-born Moussa, 26, joins the League One Saddlers after his short-term deal with the Shrimpers finished at the end of last season.
"I'm really pleased to have signed and I feel this is a club where I will fit in nicely," Moussa told the club's official website.
He becomes Walsall boss Jon Whitney's eighth signing of the summer.
Moussa started his career at Southend, scoring eight goals in 103 games, before moving to Leicester City in August 2010.
He had a more prolific spell in two seasons with the Sky Blues from September 2012, where he scored 20 times in 92 appearances.
Moussa rejoined Southend in March on non-contract terms after spending most of last season at Charlton.
"I feel this is a big season for me," Moussa added. "A lot of trust and confidence has been put in me to perform and I really want to do that and hopefully we can have success as a team."
Moussa's deal has an option for a further year and he joins Joe Edwards, Kacy Milan Butterfield, Erhun Oztumer, Florent Cuvelier and Theo Vassell in signing permanent contracts at the Banks's Stadium.
Southampton defender Jason McCarthy and West Ham midfielder George Dobson have also arrived on loan.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Walsall have signed former Southend United and Coventry City midfielder Franck Moussa on a one-year contract. | 36765001 |
In an interview with Al Jazeera TV, Maj-Gen Yoav Mordechai accused members of Hamas's military wing of training IS fighters and treating those wounded in clashes with the Egyptian military.
The interview came shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of IS "terrorism knocking at our borders".
Yisrael Hayom provides its usual strong support for Mr Netanyahu, and reports the immediate tightening of security in southern Israel as part of "raising preparedness" for any eventuality.
It is joined by Alex Fishman in Yediot Aharonot, where he writes that Israel cannot allow Sinai to become a "logistics rear for Hamas in Gaza, the fruit of this co-operation with Islamic State".
He adds that it would be "naive" to imagine that IS fighters are not already present in Israel's southern Negev desert, and recruiting among Israel's Arab population.
Other papers like the Jerusalem Post leave to one side the question of Hamas involvement, but have no doubt that Israel, Egypt and Gulf Arab states face a common threat in Islamic State. "It is time to confront this ideology throughout the region, beginning in Sinai," it says in an editorial.
The liberal broadsheet Haaretz questions both Mr Netanyahu's political agenda and the government's intentions in going on the record over its accusations against Hamas.
Commentator Amos Harel says Gen Mordechai's interview could only have come on "explicit orders from the highest levels of the government".
He thinks Israel's aim is to get Egypt to "take direct action" against Hamas - a "highly unusual move" that risks sending out mixed signals, given Israel's own restrained response to recent rocket attacks by possible Islamic State sympathisers in Gaza.
Haaretz's editorial concedes that there may be co-operation with IS, but cautions against using this as a pretext to "settle scores" with Hamas given the "regional chaos".
Whatever the truth of tactical co-operation in Sinai, IS has a history of denouncing Hamas and other Muslim Brotherhood groups as "apostates" over their willingness to contest elections and tolerate non-Sunni Muslims.
IS recently released a video threatening to overthrow Hamas, with Palestinian fighters in Syria condemning the movement's crackdown on Salafist groups in Gaza and its approach to enforcing Islamic law.
Some prominent commentators on jihadist sites even speculate that Islamic State is in fact planning to attack Hamas via Sinai as part of the current campaign, or by activating fighters in Gaza itself.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook. | An Israeli general's assertion that he has intelligence linking the militant Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which dominates Gaza, with Islamic State's affiliate in Egypt's Sinai peninsula is a major talking point in the Israeli media. | 33379744 |
John Davies was 94 when he died in Great Yarmouth earlier this month.
He served in World War II, when he was stationed in North America, Africa and India, but his funeral on Wednesday was due to be poorly attended.
A Facebook post has suggested people pay their respects "to see this gentleman on his final journey".
He lived his final years at The Gables care home in Gorleston, Norfolk, where deputy manager Julie Hayes remembered him as a "real gentleman".
"He hated TV, he called it the fools' lantern, but would write poetry and sing to us while wearing his top hat," she said.
Mr Davies had two brothers and two sisters, who all pre-deceased him, and never married.
"He had quite a tragic life," added Ms Hayes.
"He was supposed to meet his proposed wife in Malta, but then he was stationed in North Africa, so he missed his wedding.
"He never knew what happened to her.
"He also never got over the death of his brother, who was also in the RAF and was just 19 when he was killed in the war."
A message about his death and forthcoming funeral was posted on a serviceman's forum earlier this month, where it was spotted by Mick Smith.
He reposted the plea on his own page on Friday, after noticing it was getting "little attention". It has since been shared more than 700 times.
"I've got friends in Great Yarmouth in the services and ex-services and so the message spread like a bush fire," said Mr Smith, of Newmarket, Suffolk.
"We've heard from RAF veterans' organisations who have said they will send standard bearers, it's really heart-warming."
Mr Davies was born and bred in Burgh Castle, near Great Yarmouth, and left school at 14 to work on a poultry farm for seven shillings a week.
He remembered the Regal Cinema being built and watched the first film shown there, The Private Lives of Henry VIII.
Aged 15, he walked to London - sleeping in a haystack en route - to join his brother, Arthur.
He was a hotel chef in the capital before and after World War II, and later a maintenance engineer at The Star Hotel in Great Yarmouth until his retirement.
He continued to work into his mid-80s, running a market stall selling CDs in aid of the Caister Lifeboat.
Mr Smith has helped organise an escort of bikers, who will ride with Mr Davies' coffin from Great Yarmouth to Gorleston.
"Someone with such a distinguished service record for this country should be given a really good send-off," he added.
"I hate it when you hear about carers attending a funeral and there being a four or five people there, I think that's so sad.
"People like him built this country." | An RAF veteran who died without any surviving family is to be given a send-off by ex-servicemen and an escort of bikers after a Facebook campaign. | 35151605 |
The only children who are less happy at school than English kids are pupils from Germany, South Korea and Estonia.
The survey found that half of children say they have been made to feel left out by other kids.
A charity called the Children's Society asked kids from 15 countries around the world what they thought about their lives.
The survey looked at children's lives at school, their relationships with teachers, and also their experiences of emotional and physical bullying.
It also looked at other factors which can affect children, like self confidence, body image, and their overall life satisfaction.
The survey said that children from countries like Uganda, Ethiopia and Algeria are much happier at school than English kids.
Children are also concerned about their relationship with teachers with lots of them saying they feel teachers don't treat them fairly.
Girls in England were more than twice as likely as boys to say they are unhappy with their bodies.
The study also showed that children became unhappier as they hit their teens, around the age of 13 or 14.
The Children's Society is encouraging the government and schools in England to provide better advice to pupils.
It is also trying to work with schools to help reduce bullying and promote exercise to try and help children feel better.
The government also says:
"The best schools create a happy, safe and supportive environment for children. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and all schools must have measures in place to tackle it." | Life for kids in England is tougher than in many other countries according to a survey of more than 50,000 from across the world. | 33977706 |
The images show three men outside Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd in central London, Scotland Yard said.
Contents of 72 safety deposit boxes were taken from the firm in wheelie bins and bags during the raid.
On Friday it emerged the Met received a call on Good Friday and were told an intruder alarm had gone off - but decided it did not require a response.
Officers are now investigating why the call was given a grade that meant no police response was deemed necessary.
Previously, Scotland Yard had said it was alerted to the burglary on Tuesday.
Det Ch Insp Paul Johnson said the images showed the men using a side door situated in Greville Street to make their way to and from the premises.
"They were highly audacious, entering on two occasions over that weekend," he said.
He said the footage "along with other material" was being evaluated to establish the precise movements of the suspects and the "painstaking" investigation would continue into next week.
"I would appeal to neighbouring businesses, or members of the public who are either witnesses or in possession of CCTV footage, to contact us with information to support this inquiry," he said.
The full CCTV video, obtained by the Mirror, shows the men make two visits to the vault between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
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In the CCTV footage, one man outside the safe deposit building is seen pushing a wheelie bin, which the paper said could have contained the large drill used for breaking a hole through the lift shaft.
The newspaper, which published the 17-minute video on its website, said the men made a getaway in a white van. It said the van was seen pulling up shortly before 07:00 on Easter Sunday.
A source was quoted as saying the raid was the work of a professional gang who "planned this job down to every last detail".
The Met Police said it had already recovered the footage "at the earliest opportunity", but declined to comment on why it was only released after being published by the newspaper.
Officers are still waiting to carry out a face-to-face interview with the owner of the safety deposit company because he is overseas, but have spoken to security staff working at the building.
It has said items were stolen from at least 56 safety deposit boxes and police have so far contacted 42 holders.
In total, 72 boxes were opened out of the 999 installed there. Five were vacant and 11 were due to be opened by the company following the non-payment of fees, police said.
A heavy duty drill was used to bore holes into the 6ft (1.82m) thick reinforced concrete walls to access the vault after the thieves had climbed down a lift shaft.
Experts said it was likely the thieves made several holes until they had created a big enough space to get through, which would have taken an experienced operator several hours.
Hatton Garden is famous for jewellery and the vault was used mainly by local jewellers and gold dealers.
No arrests have been made. | CCTV images showing burglars pulling off the "audacious" Hatton Garden jewellery heist have been released. | 32263174 |
The winner will be announced in a live ceremony, broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Radio 6 Music, at 21:30 GMT on Friday.
The first album in 13 years by ground-breaking electronic musician Aphex Twin, aka Richard D James. A series of intricate musical puzzles, it is surprisingly accessible - finding a sweet spot between the musician's ambient works and the "drill and bass" of his 1990s hardcore phase.
Highest UK chart position: 8
He said: "The holy grail for a music fan, I think, is to hear music from another planet, which has not been influenced by us whatsoever." [Pitchfork]
Did you know? The album title is a shortened verison of "Syrobonkus" - a nonsense word made up by one of James's children.
Smoky, melodramatic, intimate - Benjamin Clementine's debut record has seen him compared to Nina Simone and Nat King Cole. Across 11 sparse, piano-led tracks, he unflinchingly describes his background as a Ghanaian immigrant, who went from homelessness and busking on the Paris metro to being championed by Sir Paul McCartney and Bjork.
Highest UK chart position: Did not chart.
He said: "Personally, I wouldn't mind going on stage naked, totally naked." [The Independent]
Did you know? The opening track repurposes Winston Churchill's words to address his unhappy childhood: "Never in the field of human affection/ had so much been given for so few attention."
Gaz Coombes' second solo album couldn't be any further removed from the irrepressible indie of his Britpop band, Supergrass. Stuttering beats and restless, metamorphic song structures complement the singer's sense of disorientation and disquiet as he approaches 40.
Highest UK chart position: 18
He said: "I think Britpop was a bit overblown; it was only a handful of really decent bands." [The Guardian]
Did you know? The album is named Matador because "at certain times, we've all got to dodge some kind of beast that's hurtling towards".
Glasgow's Christopher Duncan received a diploma in classical music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - but, aside from his complex choral harmonies, you barely hear the influence on this album of hushed, pastoral electronica.
Highest UK chart position: Did not chart.
He said: "Geographically, my music is quite breezy. It's not necessarily a Glasgow sound. Glasgow music tends to be a bit gritty." [Quip Magazine]
Did you know? Duncan recorded the album alone, in his bedroom, playing each instrument individually. On some tracks, the drum sounds were created by tapping wire brushes on his desk chair.
A former session singer for the likes of Grace Jones, Zero 7 and Bobby McFerrin, Zimbabwean-born Eska Mtungwazi has recorded an agile album that effortless blends soul, jazz and folk with the rhythms of West Africa. But the main attraction are her supple vocals, which achieve the rare feat of combining intricacy and precision.
Highest UK chart position: Did not chart.
She said: "For around two years, I stopped recording, writing or performing with or for other people. I needed to be the only element in the room... so I could get to learn what my sound was." [PRS for Music]
Did you know? Eska is the only artist on the shortlist with a degree in maths.
Florence's third album is her most vulnerable and stripped-down to date - although there's still plenty of hurricane-force emoting, as the singer picks over the bones of a broken relationship and confronts her demons after a decade of full-throttle hedonism.
Highest UK chart position: 1
She said: "I think I've got quite a strange voice. It's more emotional, perhaps, than technical." [NPR]
Did you know? Taylor Swift encouraged Florence to ditch gothic lyrics about death and the sea that peppered her first two albums. "Taylor said that you must sing about what's happening in your life," she explained.
Tense and brooding, Shedding Skin is Ghostpoet's second Mercury-nominated album after 2011's Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam. Recorded, at Brian Eno's suggestion, with a live band, it finds rapper Obaro Ejimiwe tackling topics like homelessness and domestic violence in his croaky, laid-back baritone.
Highest UK chart position: 52
He said: "I'm not becoming some political, Billy Bragg type character... but I'm never going to sugar coat anything." [Ellipsis]
Did you know? Ejimiwe was a judge on last year's Mercury panel. "You had a room full of passionate people, which was great," he told DIY magazine. "Nobody was blagging it."
A former Mercury-winner with his band The xx, Jamie Smith's first solo album pillages dance music's past to create something altogether new - quiet rave. At times it is obtusely minimal, but that only makes the moments where the music blossoms - as on the uplifting chorus to I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) - all the more euphoric.
Highest UK chart position: 3
He said: "Because it was made over such a long period of time [five years], all the songs on the album just ended up not conforming to any specific era or trend." [Time Out]
Did you know? The album samples dialogue from several British programmes - including Channel 4 drama Top Boy - which Smith encountered while away on tour.
Roisin Murphy: Hairless Toys
Off-kilter, expansive pop music from the former frontwoman of Moloko. A lot of the lyrics emphasise her status as an outsider - "I didn't become a pop star, and nobody knows exactly why," she once said - but she seems happier operating on the experimental outer edge of dance pop.
Highest UK chart position: 19
She said: "If anyone tells me I'm trying to be Kylie Minogue, ever, they're wrong." [Evening Standard]
Did you know? The album was inspired by the film Paris Is Burning, which documents the lives of African-American and Latino drag queens in 1980s New York, and the "ball culture" which gave rise to Voguing.
With its state-of-the-nation punk rock firebombs, Slaves' debut album is not for the faint-hearted. Singing drummer Isaac Holman and guitarist Laurie Vincent's music is precision-targetted at the mosh pit, but their album pulled off the tricky task of translating their scruffy riffs to the turntable.
Highest UK chart position: 8
They said: "In our generation there's lots of negativity towards people being creative. When I was growing up no one ever said 'You can do it'. Our band says you can." [NME]
Did you know? The band celebrated getting a top 10 album by going out for a pizza.
Emotionally revealing songs from a teenager wise beyond her years, Before We Forgot How To Dream charts five years in the life of Derry-born Bridie Monds-Watson. The singer-songwriter touches on themes of isolation, her parents' divorce, and finding your place in the world.
Highest UK chart position: 37
She said: "My parents didn't believe I'd written the song because I'd never shown any sort of interest in music." [BBC]
Did you know? Her favourite bands are Abba and Pink Floyd. "Not enough people appreciate how great those keyboard riffs are," she told The Guardian.
London quartet Wolf Alice took four years over their debut album, and the effort shows - with the grunge-pop of their early EPs moderated with moments of ethereal, melodic rock. Singer Ellie Roswell is the band's secret weapon - and their Trojan Horse, drawing fans closer with her delicate harmonies before unleashing a full-throated scream.
Highest UK chart position: 2
They said: "We put ourselves out there as a baby band. If someone says 'oh, I saw you two years ago', I feel like apologising." [The Telegraph]
Did you know? The band are named after a 1970s short story by Angela Carter, about a feral girl raised by wolves. | A look at the 12 albums nominated for this year's £20,000 Mercury Prize. | 34528483 |
After Notts had racked up a seemingly impregnable 445-8 - the second-highest List A score ever recorded - Northants came within 21 runs of a famous win.
Notts openers Riki Wessels and Michael Lumb put on 342 - the highest-ever stand in one-day cricket in England.
But Northants made a bold bid to get the runs, falling just short on 425.
The total run aggregate in the match of 870 was enough to beat the 867 in the Surrey-Glamorgan C&G Trophy tie at The Oval in 2002 - the game in which Ali Brown hit the world record one-day score of 268, yet Glamorgan got within 10 runs of winning, losing off the penultimate ball.
Sharing that record was some consolation for a Northants side who made an incredibly game effort, Adam Rossington's rapid 97 off 69 balls ultimately being upstaged by Rory Kleinveldt, who hit nine sixes and 10 fours in his 128 off 63 balls - his maiden List A century.
Even then, when the ninth Northants wicket fell at 417, there was drama as top-order batsman Richard Levi finally appeared at number 11, nursing an earlier wrist injury.
He initially came out with a runner, Rob Keogh, who was promptly sent back by the umpires. But, after Levi had put his first ball back over the bowler's head for six, he was then bowled off the second ball of the 48th over by Harry Gurney.
For all Northants' efforts, they were all still shadowed by the stunning 342-run stand earlier between Lumb (184) and Wessels (146).
The world one-day record is still held by Surrey, who made 496-4 against Gloucestershire in the FP Trophy at The Oval in 2007.
Former Northants batsman Wessels and England international Lumb, who both hit one-day career-bests, smashed Notts' previous partnership record of 217 - also held by Lumb, with Alex Hales, against Middlesex at Lord's in 2014.
They also beat the previous best one-day stand in England, 324 by India's Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid against Sri Lanka at Taunton in the 1999 World Cup.
But when Wessels went for 148, they fell just 30 runs short of matching the all-time best one-day partnership of 372 between Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, for the West Indies' second wicket against Zimbabwe at Canberra in the last World Cup in February 2015.
They also fell short of the highest-ever one-day first-wicket stand, an unbroken 367 set in a South African one-day game by Morne van Wyk and Cameron Delport for Dolphins against Knights in Bloemfontein in October 2014.
Lumb's 184 is now Notts' highest one-day cricket score, beating Paul Johnson's 167 not out against Kent in 1993, and it surpassed Ian Botham's 175 not out for Somerset as the highest score in a List A game against Northants.
Their stand was the biggest in a one-day game between two first-class counties since Tim Curtis and Tom Moody put on an unbroken 309 for Worcestershire's third wicket against Surrey at The Oval in the 1994 Natwest Trophy semi-final. | Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire set a new record for most runs scored in a 50-over fixture in England in a One-Day Cup thriller at Trent Bridge. | 36460075 |
The Scottish Police Federation also said some politicians were "not being totally honest with the Scottish public" over police numbers.
Strathclyde Police is the one of three Scottish forces to announce a vacancy freeze in the face of funding concerns.
The Scottish government said officer numbers were at record levels.
But Strathclyde is the latest Scottish force to announce the freeze due to ongoing uncertainty over its budget, in a move which covers both officers and civilian staff.
It said an intake of 100 probationary officers to the Scottish Police College between August and October will not go ahead.
In January, Northern Constabulary put recruitment on hold before hiring 20 new officers in May. Although the force had no formal freeze policy, recruitment would only take place to maintain current numbers.
Lothian and Borders Police introduced a vacancy freeze in April in response to "looming cuts". A force spokesman said that "the harsh reality is that our organisation must get smaller".
On Tuesday, Strathclyde Police said the recruitment of officers would be suspended after the current intake of 65 probationary officers later this month.
John Gillies, director of human resources for the force, said: "The public sector is facing an unprecedented period of financial challenge and Scottish policing is not going to be immune to that.
"While we don't know exactly the scale of the cuts that we will be facing, early indications are that it could be anywhere up to 10% of our budget in the next financial year. We have to prepare for that.
"We have more or less stopped recruiting police staff over the past few months and today we are formalising that. We also have to be realistic about the number of officers we can afford to recruit at this time of uncertainty."
Mr Gillies said that there had been "a massive expansion in police officer numbers" in the past few years.
He said "protecting these frontline services" would be an "absolute priority" in any future decisions taken.
Strathclyde Police has 8,410 officers paid for out of its own budget and those of other bodies.
However, Scottish Police Federation chairman Les Gray said he was "very disappointed" by the announcements.
He sympathised with chief constables, whom he said were facing "even more severe" cuts to their budgets than they had initially believed.
Mr Gray claimed that some politicians were "not being totally honest with the Scottish public" over police numbers, which he said would inevitably fall if officers who retired or left the force were not replaced.
He added: "Quite clearly evidence shows that when police numbers fall, crime will rise - people will become the victims of crime, there will be more fear of crime, and without wishing to be melodramatic some people may even lose their life.
"The police service isn't like the public sector per se. We are unique from the point of view that we are out there saving lives and preventing crime.
"I would not like to be the police officer that has to go to somebody's home to tell them that their son or daughter seriously assaulted, sexually assaulted, raped or murdered and have to explain to them that there wasn't a police presence there."
A Scottish government spokesman said the force's recruitment of additional officers in recent years had been "impressive" despite spending cuts from Westminster.
"We have already delivered a record number of police officers in Scotland - a total of 17,409 - and our 1,000 additional police officers pledge by the end of this parliament has been met ahead of schedule, with 1,175 more officers now compared to March 2007," he said.
"This pledge remains absolutely on track - despite the spending cuts of the previous and present UK government at Westminster - which is a fantastic achievement delivered by the police and Scottish government working in partnership."
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour has called for a public statement from Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and repeated calls for him to publish an independent projection study on police numbers.
The Scottish Conservatives urged Strathclyde Police to do all it could to retain front line officers but said the need for savings was inevitable in light of "Labour's massive debt legacy". | A recruitment freeze among some Scottish police forces will result in a fall in officer numbers and a rise in crime, it has been claimed. | 10611876 |
Mae'n debyg bod pump o bobl ar yr hofrennydd preifat o fath twin squirrel, a'i fod wedi gadael Milton Keynes yn gynharach ddydd Mercher, ar ei ffordd i Ddulyn.
Yn gynharach yn ystod y prynhawn, fe gollwyd cysylltiad gyda'r hofrennydd, a chafodd Gwylwyr y Glannau eu galw am 16:15.
Mae hofrennydd y gwasanaeth yng Nghaernarfon wedi cynnal archwiliad manwl o'r tir yn ardal Caernarfon, a chafodd y gwasanaeth yn Sain Tathan, Bro Morgannwg ei alw i ymuno yn y chwilio yn ddiweddarach.
Mae cais wedi ei wneud i longau a chychod sy'n hwylio ym Môr Iwerddon ar hyn o bryd hysbysu'r gwasanaethau perthnasol os ydyn nhw'n gweld unrhyw beth o bwys.
Dywedodd y Cadlywydd Peter Davies ar ran Gwylwyr y Glannau: "Rydym wedi creu cynllun chwilio rhwng Bae Caernarfon ac arfordir Dulyn ac mae dau hofrennydd allan yn chwilio'r llwybr ar hyn o bryd.
"Rydym yn y broses o gysylltu â chychod a llongau ym Môr Iwerddon a oedd yn yr ardal dan sylw tua canol dydd ac rydym yn parhau i anfon negeseuon Mayday i'r rhai sydd yno ar hyn o bryd iddyn nhw i gysylltu â ni ag unrhyw wybodaeth bellach.
"Does dim rhagor o wybodaeth gyda ni ar hyn o bryd." | Mae Gwylwyr y Glannau a'r gwasanaethau brys yn chwilio am hofrennydd, wedi i awdurdodau hedfan golli cysylltiad ag e yng nghyffiniau Bae Caernarfon. | 39439298 |
It came after decades of eating and drinking too much in a high-stress, sedentary job: "It was an explosion waiting to happen," he said.
For Graham, whose wife had become increasingly disabled through multiple sclerosis, the diagnosis was a wake-up call.
"I need to be able to help her - and I need to be around for longer," he said.
Graham is not alone in his diagnosis.
Public Health England estimates that 42% of 45- to 64-year-olds have a long-term health condition such as diabetes or heart disease.
This week, it urged middle-aged people to walk more often and more briskly.
It is encouraging those between the ages of 40 and 60 to start doing regular brisk walks of just 10 minutes a day.
One in five middle-aged people are physically inactive, engaging in less than 30 minutes of exercise a week, it says.
To help, the government agency is promoting a free app - Active 10 - which can monitor the amount of brisk walking an individual does and provide tips on how to incorporate more of it into the daily routine.
When Graham was diagnosed as a diabetic, he realised he needed to make changes: "My clothes were getting tighter, and I was hearing how being overweight could affect my life and health in other ways," he said.
Diabetes has been linked to other issues such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, causing a reduction in one's life expectancy.
He said beforehand he had managed to turn a blind eye to this.
"When someone is in front of you telling you it's you, there's nowhere to hide," he said.
"They're not talking about the other millions of people out there."
Graham's doctor suggested he should join a local walking group in Stockport.
"I started and I was a bit nervous. With a couple of hills, it was more walking than I'd been doing," he said.
He was talked into the 1.9 mile walk by the group leader.
"After the first time, I overcame all those fears."
He invested in a pair of new shoes and gradually increased his walks to reach five miles.
"It was a very quick improvement, once you realise after the first one or two that you don't become immediately breathless and that you can walk further from home than you thought," said Graham.
"I moved on from walking with that group, to walking by myself, walking further distances and the pounds started falling off me."
He used a pedometer to make sure he was reaching the recommended 10,000 steps a day.
Now he does about 15,000 steps and has lost 50lb.
"My trousers were falling off me. I had to throw away all the clothes I owned," he said.
Graham said the benefits were not only physical.
"I'm fitter, healthier, more confident. When you start walking you see things in your area that you haven't seen before, such as discovering canal towpaths."
His advice to others is not to be "disappointed if it doesn't happen in the first few weeks".
Now, he and his wife diet and swim together.
"When I'm playing with my grandchildren now, it's them that get tired before me," Graham said. | Graham Ward was 60 when he was diagnosed with type II diabetes. | 41041926 |
They say people need to know how to help each other because it could take some time before it is deemed safe for paramedics to arrive on the scene.
Their app, called CitizenAID, offers step-by-step advice.
The idea is supported by counter-terrorism police. Security services say a UK terror attack is highly likely.
Although an individual's chance of being caught up in an incident is small, Brig Tim Hodgetts and Prof Sir Keith Porter, co-developers of CitizenAID, say it is a good idea for people to have a plan and the knowledge and skills to help each other.
Their app, pocket book and website suggest how best to deal with injuries in the immediate aftermath of a mass shooting or bombing incident.
The system includes instructions on how to treat severe bleeding - one of the major causes of death in these scenarios.
It guides people through packing, putting pressure on and elevating a wound, and how to use a tourniquet safely, for example.
The programme also explains how to prioritise those who need treatment first and what to tell the emergency services once they arrive.
CitizenAID is not a government initiative but its developers say it builds on national advice from national counter-terrorism police to:
The CitizenAID system says people should follow these steps and then go one step further. It suggests once people are safe, they should start treating casualties.
Ch Insp Richard Harding, head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, told the BBC: "One of the challenges we have is that when a serious incident, particularly a terrorist incident occurs, the first responders from a police perspective to a terrorist incident will inevitably be trying to deal with the people causing the threat.
"They won't have time to deal with the people who are injured and that gap is vital to saving people's lives.
"So we are really interested in the concept of CitizenAID. It allows the public and people involved in very rare incidents like this to help themselves and help others and their loved ones survive the situation."
According to its founders, CitizenAID builds on lessons learnt on the battlefield.
Sir Keith Porter, professor of clinical traumatology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, told the BBC: "I have treated hundreds of soldiers whose lives have been saved by simply the applications of tourniquets when they have been shot or blown up. Teaching individual soldiers these skills has saved lives.
"And I think it is essential we train the public in those skills and that is exactly what CitizenAID does."
Brig Tim Hodgetts, medical director of the Defence Medical Services, told the BBC; "We don't know when the next incident will be that will involve blasts or gunshots so we need a critical mass of the general public to learn these first aid skills.
"They are the people who are always going to be at the scene. They are the ones who are going to make a difference."
He added: "I think we are doing the opposite of scaring the public, we are empowering the public.
''By giving them a step-by-step system we take away the anxiety because the decisions are already made and the right decisions in the right order can save lives."
The app is free to download and the pocketbook costs £1.99 to order.
Sue Killen, of St John Ambulance, added "First aid can be the difference between life and death. Knowing basic first aid in a terror attack or in an everyday emergency at home or in the community, will give you more confidence to deal with a crisis.
"First aid is easy to learn and our first aid techniques cover a wide range of injuries that could occur in a terrorist incident including severe bleeding, crush injuries and shock.
"We encourage anyone who would like to learn first aid to go to our website to view our first aid videos, download our app or attend a first aid course."
What do you think? Join the conversation on Facebook. | People need to learn lifesaving skills in case they are caught up in a terror attack in the UK, a team of senior military and civilian medics has said. | 38495234 |
The company has launched a consultation with staff affected by the planned closures.
The retail shops, which sell electrical and white goods, are predominantly sited across the north of Scotland.
The outlets, along with Scottish Hydro Electric's online shop, are expected to close by 15 May. SSE said it aimed to avoid redundancies "wherever possible".
Locations affected include Aberdeen, Crieff, Dingwall, Dunblane, Dundee, Forfar, Lerwick, Oban, Nairn and Perth.
SSE director of domestic retail Stephen Forbes said changing shopping habits and more customer choice meant the shops have been loss-making for a number of years.
He said: "Customers' shopping habits have changed considerably since these shops were first opened with more and more people shopping online, especially for larger electrical items.
"We know some of these shops have been on local high streets for a long time so we did not take this decision lightly but footfall and sales have reduced considerably and there is, unfortunately, no realistic prospect of that long-term trend reversing.
"Our priority is to ensure our colleagues are fully supported during this time and we will work to redeploy staff within the SSE group where possible."
SSE employs about 6,000 people across Scotland.
Scottish Hydro Electric shop locations:
Aberdeen, Banchory, Banff, Blairgowrie, Bowmore, Brechin, Brodick, Buckie, Campbeltown, Crieff, Dingwall, Dunblane, Dundee Wellgate, Dunoon, Forfar, Grantown On Spey, Huntly, Inverurie, Kirkwall, Kyle, Lerwick, Lochboisdale, Lochgilphead, Nairn, Oban, Perth, Peterhead, Pitlochry, Portree, Rothesay, Stonehaven, Stornoway, Thurso, Tiree, Tobermory, Ullapool, Wick. | SSE has announced plans to close its 37 remaining Scottish Hydro Electric shops in Scotland, with the loss of 119 jobs. | 35936577 |
The former prime minister, who died last week aged 87, was given a ceremonial funeral.
A debate on her legacy which was due to be held at the Scottish Parliament has been postponed.
Following her funeral, Ms Davidson said Lady Thatcher's family had "carried themselves exceptionally well".
The MSP, and her deputy Jackson Carlaw, were among more than 2,000 guests at the St Paul's Cathedral service.
Lady Thatcher's coffin, draped in the Union flag, was brought to the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday, where it remained until Wednesday morning.
Flags were lowered to half mast on government buildings, before a gun carriage took her body to the cathedral.
After the hour-long service, Ms Davidson told BBC Scotland: "I thought the Bishop of London gave a moving, a very straight, very dignified eulogy about some of the private aspects of Margaret Thatcher, the woman, as well as about some of the politics of Baroness Thatcher, the PM.
"And beyond that I thought the family themselves carried themselves exceptionally well."
Ahead of the funeral, Mr Salmond said he believed people should not celebrate the death of Lady Thatcher.
A rally is planned in Glasgow's George Square later.
Mr Salmond told the BBC he respected people's right to disagree with the former prime minister's policies but said "people shouldn't celebrate anybody's passing".
He said: "It is important we [the Scottish government] attend the funeral, I do on behalf of the people of Scotland and do so properly because that is the right thing to do in terms of the funeral - but I can well understand why many, many people would see that sort of cost as disproportionate.
"I don't think anyone should celebrate anybody's death and I say people shouldn't celebrate anybody's passing but people are entitled absolutely, absolutely entitled, to put forward their point of view."
Mr Salmond described Lady Thatcher as the "hand maiden of a return of Scottish democracy" because he argued her time in government helped create the Scottish Parliament.
Scotland Office Minister David Mundell said that Lady Thatcher had put Britain "back on the world stage".
He was speaking to BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme ahead of the funeral.
Scotland's only Conservative MP Mr Mundell said: "I think the funeral being held is appropriate for Mrs Thatcher, not just in terms of her electoral success, a period in office, the longest continuous non-war period in office, but also her standing in the world community."
He added that she put "Britain back on the world stage" and she has left a "great legacy".
Ahead of the funeral, Shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran said Lady Thatcher "had a legacy of division".
Despite that, the Labour MP stressed: "She was a mother, she was a grandmother, that has to be recognised, so the tone of criticism has to be correct.
"But it would be disrespectful to Margaret Thatcher herself if we did not recognise the political impact she had and the controversy that she stimulated."
Ms Curran said she "did not know if it was appropriate" for protests to take place on the day of a funeral.
When asked if dancing in the streets was acceptable in the wake of a death, she stated: "I don't think that's acceptable.
"I don't agree with the tone of some of the death parties, as it were, I don't think that's the right method. The best way to challenge Margaret Thatcher is to challenge her politics, and challenge the legacy she has left and determine that we will never go down that route again."
Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell attended the funeral.
He said Lady Thatcher remained a commanding figure in British politics having been the first female prime minister and winning three consecutive general elections.
Sir Menzies told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Whatever your political view, you must surely acknowledge that this is a woman of very great achievement."
He went on to say that Lady's Thatcher's handling of the Falklands war marked out her bravery and courageousness.
The funeral route was lined with military personnel. One of the bearer party who carried the coffin was from the Scots Guards. L/Sgt Paul Quayle, 31, comes from East Kilbride.
On Tuesday it was announced that a debate on Margaret Thatcher's legacy in Scotland, due to take place at Holyrood, was being rescheduled so as not to coincide with the day of her funeral.
Green and Independent MSPs had chosen to use their allotted parliamentary time on Wednesday to hold the debate, called "There is still such a thing as society".
The Scottish Conservatives had branded the timing "provocative and insensitive".
After a meeting of the parliament's business bureau the debate was moved to Thursday.
Meanwhile, up to 200 people gathered in Glasgow's George Square for what organisers described as a remembrance rally for the "victims" of Lady Thatcher's period of office, among them Ravenscraig steelworkers and employees of former factories in Bathgate, Cumnock and Linwood.
Prominent left-winger Tommy Sheridan, a former MSP who helped lead the protests against the poll tax, told the rally: "We are not here to show respect to a woman who showed no respect for us.
"The message today is we don't respect you either." | Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson were among guests who attended the funeral of Baroness Thatcher. | 22175000 |
The rigid inflatable boat (RIB) was designed by students from the independent UWC Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan in the early 1960s.
It has gone on to become the world's most widely used inshore rescue boat.
The RIB has been awarded the Engineering Heritage Award by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Past recipients of the award include the Jaguar E Type car, the Concorde aircraft and the Bletchley Park Bombe decryption machine Enigma, designed by Alan Turing.
The original RIB named "Naomi" has been fully restored and was described by the award committee as a "very important engineering artefact".
Atlantic College principal John Walmsley said: "It's a huge honour for a project pioneered by our students to win an award along[side] such illustrious previous recipients.
"We will be awarded a red plaque that will be displayed at the seafront on the boathouse next to Naomi."
The award was given in honour of the design and construction of the RIB and also for the gift of the patent to the RNLI "for the humanitarian saving of lives and the global contribution to rescue".
Atlantic College, a coastal boarding school for students from around the world, was founded in 1962 at the 12th Century St Donat's Castle near Llantwit Major. | A rescue boat designed by Welsh students has been honoured as an engineering icon - on a par with Concorde and London's Tower Bridge. | 32931064 |
Vaughn was also famous for his role as Lee in the Magnificent Seven, and television roles in Hustle and Coronation Street.
The actor died after a battle with acute leukaemia, his manager, Matthew Sullivan, told the BBC.
Vaughn died in New York on Friday morning surrounded by his family, he said.
David McCallum, from the hit TV show NCIS, who as Illya Kuryakin starred alongside Vaughn in The Man From UNCLE, told TVLine.com he was "utterly devastated" by the news.
"Robert and I worked together for many years and losing him is like losing a part of me. My deepest sympathies go out to Linda and the Vaughn family," he said.
Vaughn, who was "a few months shy of 84" had been seeking treatment for his leukaemia, Mr Sullivan said.
"He was a great human being. I enjoyed every day of working with him," he said.
Vaughn had only recently finished two projects - an appearance on Law and Order: SVU, and a starring role in the upcoming film Gold Star, about a young woman caring for her dying father.
Famous films Vaughn worked on included Bullitt and Towering Inferno, both with Steve McQueen, and he took the role of the villain in Superman III.
He was also well-known in Britain for his 1970s appearance as Harry Rule in the ITV series, The Protectors.
The plot featured three wealthy individuals getting together each week, usually in exotic locations, to solve crimes and protect the innocent.
Though extremely popular, it was later described by Vaughn in his autobiography as "tasteless junk".
Decades later, he would have another hit UK series with Hustle, a BBC series in which he played elderly con man Albert Stroller, responsible for setting up potential targets for a younger generation of grifters.
He is survived by his wife Linda and two children, Cassidy and Caitlin Vaughn.
On social media, fans paid tribute to his work.
"Robert Vaughn, such a fine actor, one of the best Columbo villains (no higher praise than that) and an utterly charming man," tweeted Stephen Fry.
Actor Jon Donahue said: "As an 80s kid, I grew up with Superman III... Robert Vaughn was a badass!" referencing Vaughn's role as Superman's nemesis.
Gavin Free, creator of the YouTube series The Slow Mo Guys paid tribute to Vaughn's work ethic. "I got to work with him on Hustle five years ago. He did his own slow mo stunts that day while in his late 70s," he wrote.
Fellow fictional secret agent, Sir Roger Moore, whose incarnation of James Bond came several years after The Man From UNCLE, said he was sorry to hear the news.
The video in this story has been removed because of rights issues. | Actor Robert Vaughn, best known as the secret agent Napoleon Solo in The Man from UNCLE, has died aged 83. | 37957088 |
Armed police were stationed among spectators at the Great Manchester Run, the latest large-scale event to take place since Monday's suicide bombing.
A huge round of applause for the emergency services followed a minute's silence for the victims and casualties.
Runners set off under the banner #RunForManchester.
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"I heart Manchester" signs were dotted around the city, while runners and spectators are wearing yellow ribbons and bee symbols in a show of solidarity.
Oasis hit Don't Look Back in Anger was played on the loudspeakers following the minute's silence, a song which was spontaneously performed by a crowd after a silence in St Ann's Square in central Manchester on Thursday.
Poet Tony Walsh, who performs as Longfella, also read out his inspirational verse "Do Something" to the crowds.
Early arrivals for the 10k race found more police than runners, their vans clustered around Portland Street and the start line.
But as the junior run got under way there was little sign of trepidation among the crowd. Kids were smiling, their parents nervous. For security reasons? No, because they feared getting pipped to the line by their 10-year-old.
As more runners arrived in the city, many of them streaming off trams at St Peter's Square, some admitted to a level of anxiety about the events of Monday.
One man told me he didn't want his wife and child to support him because of the presence of all the armed police.
But their presence is a reassuring one, and the smiles on their faces are also etched on those competitors striding towards the start line.
Asked why he was running, one man - Brian Leigh, 47, from Sale - summed it perfectly. "I'm running because I'm proud to be Mancunian."
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) gave the go-ahead for Sunday's athletics event, with additional security measures in force.
It included Europe's largest 10km run and, for the first time, a half-marathon.
Insp Phil Spurgeon, of GMP, said he wanted to encourage everyone to see Manchester as "open for business" and thanked people for their support towards his officers and staff since Monday.
"Support has come in many forms, from hugs and kind words to boxes of pizzas being delivered to police stations," he said.
"Just today, a lady who wanted to do her 'bit' for Manchester has arranged for a delivery of 2,400 tea bags to be brought to us to be able to make a warm brew after patrols."
He added: "Regardless of the support that we're receiving it's so important that we remember the people who matter most in this - the people who have lost their lives and their loved ones, and the people who were injured.
"We're thinking about you all."
Manchester City Council leader Richard Leese said: "It was not whether it was going to happen but how we could make it happen.
"We're all here for one reason. It is an act of defiance, an act of solidarity. It's a community coming together to share grief and to say Manchester will not be beaten by terrorism.
"People really want to be here to stand up to be counted. Seeking strength in each other."
Great Manchester Run's event director, Charlie Mussett said: "Manchester's not the same place this week. The event is not the same event.
"It's a bit different and we're reflecting that in the tone and content of the event and showing respect for victims and families and the horror that the city has seen.
"Equally we have people coming here to run a half marathon or a 10km and we're hoping to lift their spirits as best as we possibly can.
"I think it's incredibly emotional."
Earlier, CCTV images showing suicide bomber Salman Abedi on the night of the attack were released by Greater Manchester Police.
Twelve men remain in custody on suspicion of terror offences.
Of the 116 people who received NHS inpatient care in the days immediately after the attack, 54 continue to be treated across eight hospitals.
Nineteen are in critical care, NHS England added.
Athletics legend Brendan Foster, founder of the Greater Manchester Run said: "All of our feelings this morning have been about the 22 people who died, their families and that terrible atrocity.
"But today is about not doing what [the terrorists] want us to do, change our way of life, be frightened, the people of Manchester are saying this is our city, you're not going to take away our independence. We are providing the stage for that."
David Wyeth from Chorlton Runners, who famously struggled near the end of the London Marathon and was helped by fellow competitor Matthew Rees, along with an official to the finish line, was among the participants along with Mr Rees.
Mr Wyeth said: "[Some of our running club] members who were there on Monday evening would have been running today but for some of them it is too much to be in the city right now so soon after.
"For me, someone not directly affected, I see this as a wonderful opportunity to come together with everyone.
"It was such a difficult decision... but the fact it is going ahead is brilliant because people need this. This year, the 15th year, is going to be special."
Dawn Nisbet, running the 10k for charity, said: "The atmosphere is phenomenal.
"The cheering and supporting is amazing.
"The amount of people who have come out to support the spirit of Manchester is humbling. There was a minute's silence and I don't think there was a dry eye." | Tens of thousands of runners pounded the streets during an emotional occasion for Manchester, days after the arena attack that killed 22 people. | 40076241 |
The London to Scotland route was run by National Express before then.
In a separate announcement, the Department for Transport said Virgin would continue to run the West Coast Main Line until April 2017.
Ten of the country's 16 rail franchises are due for renewal before the general election, expected in 2015.
Virgin Trains had previously been running the West Coast Main Line but initially lost that deal when the contract for it was awarded to FirstGroup.
However, this decision was later overturned after the transport secretary found there had been "significant technical flaws" in the franchise bidding process.
This was because of mistakes by Department for Transport staff and three civil servants were suspended. The government also halted rail franchising.
As a result, Virgin was given the right to run the rail line for longer while the franchise bidding system was sorted out, and has now had that extended further, until 2017.
The company is also understood to be keen to bid for the new East Coast contract.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced the start of a bidding process for the East Coast franchise on Tuesday.
He also published a detailed timetable for all rail franchise arrangements over the next eight years.
He said: "This programme is a major step in delivering tangible improvements to services, providing long-term certainty to the market and supporting our huge programme of rail investment.
"Above all, in future franchise competitions, we are placing passengers in the driving seat by ensuring that their views and satisfaction levels are taken into account when deciding which companies run our railway services.
"Franchising has been a force for good in the story of Britain's railways, transforming an industry that was in decline into one that today carries record numbers of passengers."
But rail unions are unhappy with the news of the East Coast line being put up for private bidding, pointing out that the private sector had twice given up the franchise before.
Bob Crow, the general secretary of the RMT - Rail Maritime and Transport union - said: "The proposed reprivatisation of the East Coast, after the public sector rescued the service following two private failures, proves conclusively that the political class have learnt absolutely nothing when it comes to our railways.
"This is a politically inspired wrecking move designed to flog off this publicly owned intercity route before the next election, regardless of the consequences."
Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association rail union, said: "The £50 million West Coast line fiasco revealed that private franchises are a shambles. So they go and privatise the only successful publicly owned franchise, the East Coast line.
"This is an act of political spite to reward their friends in the City and to tie the hands of an incoming Labour government in 2015. The most expensive rail network in Europe is about to get even more expensive."
Shadow transport minister Maria Eagle also criticised the decision to privatise the line.
"Instead of focusing on the chaos in franchising caused by his government's incompetence, the secretary of state has decided to embark on an unnecessary and costly privatisation of the East Coast intercity services, a privatisation due to take place weeks before the date of the next general election," she said.
The East Coast route, running out of London King's Cross, serves locations including Peterborough, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Berwick upon Tweed, Edinburgh's Waverley station, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen.
The government also announced details of the various franchise deals coming up for bidding, with many of them having been put back, meaning the current operating company will have its franchise extended.
The Great Western franchise, run by FirstGroup and due to end in October this year, will not start until July 2016.
The Northern franchise, due to end in April 2014, will not begin until February 2016 and the South Eastern franchise, also due to end in April 2014, will not start until June 2018.
The first of the new franchises to start will be Essex Thameside, where the franchise ends in May this year and will begin in September 2014. | Private companies have been invited to bid for the East Coast rail franchise, which has been run in the public sector since 2009. | 21936255 |
Waterlogged roads have caused severe traffic blocks along arterial roads and all flights have been delayed.
The local train service, used by hundreds of thousands of commuters daily, has been suspended, with many stranded at stations.
The annual monsoon often causes a complete breakdown of infrastructure and transport services in Mumbai. | Heavy monsoon rains in India's financial capital, Mumbai, have brought the city to a standstill. | 33197680 |
29 June 2017 Last updated at 14:38 BST
Loads has changed since it came out.
So what's coming next? Jenny's been looking into the future... | Now, it wasn't the first or the most used smartphone, but it's the iPhone's 10th birthday today. | 40445213 |
Sunday's victory in Mexico was the world champion's 51st of his career. Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher is the record holder with 91.
Hamilton said: "It has all happened so quickly and it doesn't feel very real."
The Briton's interest in F1 was developed watching Prost's battles with his hero Ayrton Senna as a child.
"It is just very strange to think that growing up watching these guys and seeing their cars at McLaren and hoping one day I get to race and do something similar to them," he added.
"It is quite an honour to be up there."
Hamilton's victory was his eighth of the season and his 30th since joining Mercedes for the 2013 season after spending the first six years of his career at McLaren, for whom Prost and Senna were driving when their duel was at its height.
The win reduced Hamilton's championship deficit to team-mate Nico Rosberg to 19 points, with 50 available in the two remaining races in Brazil on 13 November and Abu Dhabi on 27 November.
If Rosberg wins in Sao Paulo, the German will become champion regardless of where Hamilton finishes.
Rosberg can also afford to finish second and third even if Hamilton wins both races.
Hamilton, whose season has been hit by a series of reliability problems as well as bad starts, said: "I'm trying to claw it back.
"It is feeling pretty late this charge, but in the past it has shown it is never too late and that is why I have to keep on trying to do what I have done this weekend."
Rosberg said: "I am aware of that but it doesn't change anything for me.
"My approach is going to be the same - focus on Brazil and take it as one single race and for the win there just as I have done here.
"That's what feels best for me to perform as well as I can." | Lewis Hamilton says he "can't believe" he has moved level with Alain Prost in second place on the all-time Formula 1 winners' list. | 37819341 |
Her use of private email has generated a barrage of criticism as Mrs Clinton runs for president.
Critics say that her set-up was unsecure, contrary to government policy and designed to shield her communications from oversight.
The FBI is investigating whether classified information was improperly sent via the server and stored there.
Mrs Clinton initially handed over thousands of pages of emails to the state department, but not the server.
Her lawyers will also hand over to the FBI memory sticks which contain the copies of the emails.
Her use of private email has been a major issue in the presidential race. Polls show an increasing number of voters view her as "untrustworthy" due in part to the questions surrounding her email use.
Under US federal law, officials' correspondence is considered to be US government property.
Mrs Clinton says the primary reason she set up her own email was for "convenience" but sceptics say the real reason she did it was because it gave her total control over her correspondence.
According to Mrs Clinton, she sent or received 62,320 emails during her time as secretary of state - she says half of them were official and have been turned over to the State Department.
Probably not. Mrs Clinton's email system existed in a grey area of the law - and one that has been changed several times since she left office.
It's a big deal because Mrs Clinton is asking the US public to trust that she is complying with both the "letter and the spirit of the rules". Her "convenience" explanation has been difficult for some to swallow and critics on both the left and the right are concerned she made her communications on sensitive national security issues more susceptible to hackers and foreign intelligence services.
For more, read Hillary Clinton's 'emailgate' diced and sliced
Government employees are encouraged to use government email accounts although some top officials have used personal accounts in the past.
In March, Mrs Clinton said she and her lawyers made the decision over what would be considered work-related email when the state department asked for records from former secretaries of state.
The emails deemed work-related were about half of the 60,000 emails she sent in total during her time in office. The emails she deemed personal were deleted, Mrs Clinton said.
Since then, the state department has been releasing the emails to the public in batches about once a month.
However on Tuesday, the state department said it would not be releasing a portion of the emails because some of the messages were retroactively determined to be "top secret".
Senior Republican Reince Priebus said Mrs Clinton had "run out of options" in the face of FBI scrutiny.
"She knows she did something wrong and has run out of ways to cover it up," he said. | Hillary Clinton has agreed to hand over to the FBI the private email server that she used as secretary of state. | 33872602 |
The Belgian, 25, had a difficult start to his rookie campaign as team-mate to double world champion Fernando Alonso, but his form has improved.
With Alonso's future uncertain, McLaren have ensured continuity with at least one of their drivers next season.
"We've great confidence in Stoffel and he's getting better all the time," said racing director Eric Boullier.
"His team-mate is a tough opponent - that's an understatement in fact, because he's arguably the best driver in the sport today.
"But Stoffel's robust talent and fierce ambition make us sure that he'll achieve great successes with us in the future."
McLaren executive director Zak Brown added: "I regard Stoffel as a super-talent - a future Formula 1 world champion in fact - and that's why I've always been adamant that he should race for us on a multi-year basis."
Brown said he would not discuss the duration of Vandoorne's contract but added: "When we signed Stoffel, we intended that he would race for us for a significant number of years, and that remains our firm intention."
Vandoorne said: "I'm delighted that the team has now formally announced that I will continue to race for them next year, because I'll be able to approach the second half of my rookie season with total focus on the job in hand: namely getting the very most I can out of my car, my engineers, and everything and everyone around me."
Alonso, who turned 36 last month, is out of contract at the end of this season and has said he will wait until at least September before deciding on his future.
McLaren want to keep him, and Alonso has said it is his "priority" to stay in F1, where he does not appear to have other options, with top teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull not interested in him.
But he has also said he wants to win in 2018 and it is far from clear McLaren will be able to satisfy those wishes - whether they stick with struggling Honda as engine supplier or switch to Renault, as is the other possibility.
Alonso has intimated he would be prepared to consider a future outside F1, most likely in IndyCars, where he has an ambition to win the Indy 500, in which he was racing for victory this season in a McLaren-supported programme before his Honda engine failed. | Stoffel Vandoorne will stay with McLaren for a second season in Formula 1 in 2018, the team have announced. | 41025189 |
The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said about 170 men are on open-ended sentences at the jail near Devizes.
A lack of funding has led to the withdrawal of mandatory courses those prisoners are required to undertake in order to qualify for a parole hearing.
The IMB said the matter is causing "a destabilising influence in the prison".
Its report claimed the cost of keeping each prisoner who is over tariff at the Category C jail amounts to more than £20,500 per annum.
Inspectors advised the government to implement a "finite action plan" to address the needs of prisoners affected which must include funding of courses to "reduce the wait times, and increase the number of parole boards".
The report also recommended a national database to identify prisons which deliver interventions and match prisoners to appropriate courses.
However, the Ministry of Justice said those who remain in custody do so because the independent parole board "has assessed them as posing an unacceptable risk to the public".
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced indeterminate sentencing for public protection for serious sexual and violent offenders.
The Prison Reform Trust said: "A lack of resources means that prisoners are unable to prove their reduced risk and are waiting longer and longer for a parole decision, with no means of knowing when, or if, they will be released.
"To right this wrong would not only save over £40m a year but should also be done on grounds of simple humanity."
Erlestoke Prison did not wish to comment on the report.
HMP Erlestoke houses about 500 men and specialises in rehabilitating long-term prisoners and preparing them for release. | Action is needed to reduce the amount of prisoners detained at Wiltshire's Erlestoke Prison beyond their minimum tariff, inspectors have said. | 33410040 |
Findings from an international effort to assess the status of dozens of fish stocks are published in the journal Current Biology.
The research found that many stocks in the northeast Atlantic were being fished sustainably and, given time, should recover.
But one researcher said that any talk of a recovery would be "premature".
Paul Fernandes and Robin Cook examined the status of 57 stocks monitored over 60 years in the northeast Atlantic.
They used data collected largely by government research institutes, including large programs at hundreds of fish markets and at sea on hundreds of fishing and research vessels operating every day of the year.
They found that over the last decade there had been substantial reductions in the exploitation of these populations, and this coincided with improvements in their status.
The European Union's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has come in for sustained criticism for failing to protect fish stocks. The authors, though, say their results provide no support for a view that the CFP has failed.
They were surprised by the number of stocks that have improved since fishing pressure was reduced at the turn of the century. In 2011, for the first time, they say, the majority of fish stocks were being fished sustainably - the result of reforms put in place in 2002.
"Contrary to common perception, the status of our fish stocks is improving," said co-author Dr Paul Fernandes from the University of Aberdeen, UK.
"Many of our stocks are not overfished; nature now needs to take its course for these fish to rebuild their populations."
However, the status of some stocks - particularly cod - remains precarious.
Dr Callum Roberts, a fisheries expert who was not involved with the study, told BBC News: "Reports of recovery are premature."
Dr Roberts, from the University of York, UK, added: "There is an improvement in some of the indicators, and that is good news. But what is monitored is only a small fraction of what is exploited - albeit it is among the more commercially [relevant] species that are being monitored."
At the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, politicians committed to re-build fish stocks to maximum sustainable yield (MSY) levels by 2015. The MSY describes the largest catch that can be taken from a fish stock over an indefinite period without harming it.
"As time went on, it became more and more apparent that there was no way they could re-build stocks to those levels by that target year," said Dr Roberts, "So a less ambitious target was adopted, which is that fishing mortality rates need to be brought down by 2015 to a point where fish stocks can be re-built to MSY levels by some future date.
"That is the main essence of this paper - for a lot of stocks we have reduced fishing mortality rates to a level that will deliver MSY levels eventually. But there's no set timescale over which you have to do it... Some of the fishing mortality rates are not going to deliver recovery of the fish stocks any time soon."
Co-author Dr Robin Cook told BBC News: "Many of the stocks are above what is regarded as the minimum safe level of biomass.
"There are some stocks where you would have some concerns. Some of the cod stocks have not recovered particularly strongly.
"In the last few decades there has been some success at reducing fleet size and the number of days that vessels fish for. But that has to stay that way - if you don't do that things will just deteriorate to where they were in the past.
"Having got to where we are, we don't want to just take the brakes off and expand again."
This year has seen marathon negotiations to reform the Common Fisheries Policy, including an agreement to phase out "discards" - the controversial practice of dumping unwanted fish.
Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter | Many European fish stocks are on the road to recovery from overfishing, according to a major new study. | 23358256 |
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Prescod's win, edging out Dasaolu by 0.02 seconds with 10.09, means Chijindu Ujah or Adam Gemili will miss out when three picks are announced on 11 July.
Asha Philip won the women's 100m in 11.21, with Dina Asher-Smith sixth and now a doubt for August's championships.
Ex-Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu was eliminated in the 400m heats.
Ohuruogu's failure was the first moment of drama on a day where guaranteed places were up for grabs at London's World Championships, beginning on 4 August.
To secure their place, athletes had to finish in the top two in the final of their discipline and must have also achieved a qualifying time.
Dasaolu, 29, and Prescod, 21, both already had the necessary time but the latter burst through in the closing 40 metres of the final to take the biggest win of his career.
"I can't believe it," said Prescod. "It's such a blessing. I can't describe how happy I am. The last year has been a real struggle for me but now I can focus on the World Championships."
Ujah withdrew from the final with cramp, meaning either he, Gemili or Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake - who all hold the qualifying time - will need the nod from selectors to be part of Britain's 100m team.
Ujah is the third-fastest sprinter in British history, Mitchell-Blake has the quickest time of 2017 and Gemili has major championship experience, including a fourth-place finish in the 200m at the 2016 Olympic Games.
"Ujah went flat out in the semi-final which he didn't need to do," said BBC Sport pundit Colin Jackson. "Let's hope it's not serious for him."
Commentator Steve Cram added: "That leaves the selectors with a little bit of a headache, who are they going to have to fill that third spot?"
Two-time world champion Ohuruogu boasts the quickest 400m time in British history, set in 2013, but she was third in her heat and will not contest Sunday's final.
Afterwards, the 33-year-old said she would be available for the 4x400m relay at the World Championships if needed but her time at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium was only 13th fastest across the four heats.
She could run the World Championship qualifying time in the next week but her best effort in 2017 is outside the top 10 in the country and it therefore looks highly likely she will miss out.
Perri Shakes-Drayton, who has raced just eight times since damaging her knee at the 2013 World Championships, impressed in the 400m heats, winning in 53.02.
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Asher-Smith - European champion and the fastest British female sprinter of all time - raced outdoors for the first time this year having recently recovered from a broken foot.
But she was left trailing as Philip won her fourth British title, benefiting from a good start to hold off 20-year-old Daryll Neita, who clocked 11.25 despite being slow from the blocks.
The pair are both guaranteed a place at the Worlds, while Asher-Smith, who was visibly emotional after the race, will now likely focus on the 200m.
The 21-year-old said: "I have been training for three weeks so I am so happy - everyone said I was not going to be able to run at all in 2017 but I thought, I just can't let that happen because it is a World Championships. The London dream is definitely back alive."
BBC 5 live pundit Darren Campbell said: "The third spot selectors can keep open. The fastest 100m runner out of our women this year is Desiree Henry and she has not competed in this race and has already got the qualifying time. I don't think they can justify picking Dina Asher-Smith."
Mo Farah - who will seek to defend his 5,000m and 10,000m titles in London - and long jumper Greg Rutherford will be part of the British team courtesy of their status as world champions.
Farah will be joined by Andrew Butchart in the 5,000m after the Scot secured a win in Birmingham, where 20-year-old Morgan Lake produced a lifetime best mark of 1.96m in the high jump to qualify.
Laura Muir is already assured of a place having won the overall 1500m Diamond League title last year, while Katarina Johnson-Thompson has already reached the heptathlon qualifying mark, as has Ashley Bryant in the decathlon.
Steeplechaser Rob Mullett won his third British title ahead of Zak Seddon as both men made the team.
European indoor champion Andrew Pozzi - who was exempted from the trials - was instead competing in the 110m hurdles at the Diamond League meeting in Paris on Saturday night and set a new personal best of 13.14 seconds to claim second place. | British Athletics selectors face a World Championship dilemma after Reece Prescod and James Dasaolu secured 100m places at the team trials. | 40469612 |
Fake messages appearing on the @60Minutes account criticised US support for "terrorist" rebels in Syria and others accused Barack Obama of trying to "take away your guns".
A group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army claimed to have been responsible for hijacking the accounts.
The @CBSDenver account was also taken over, said news director Tim Wieland.
The SEA group has previously put out messages in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It appeared to behind the takeover of several BBC Twitter accounts last month and some of NPR's accounts last week.
A CBS spokeswoman confirmed that the accounts had been compromised. CBS said it was working with Twitter to "resolve the issue".
The fake messages that appeared on the @60Minutes account reportedly included:
Other messages claimed: "Syrian Electronic Army Was Here via @SyrianCyberArmy" and suggested the action was in response to the suspension of the @Official_SEA account.
Tweets sent out on the @48Hours account reportedly included: "General Dempsey calls for #Obama's arrest under new anti-terror laws #48hours".
Gen Martin Dempsey is chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Twitter has not commented on the latest account hackings. | The Twitter accounts for two CBS news programmes in the US have been suspended after being hacked. | 22237458 |
Argyll and Bute Council granted permission to Ardyne Estates to build the facility at Ardyne Point.
The council said the factory was expected to support 150 jobs, and add more than £7m to the local economy.
A masterplan identifying potential future developments in the wider Ardyne Point area was also approved.
Ardyne Estates has not indicated when construction work will start on the factory.
David Kinniburgh, chair of the council's planning committee, said: ''We wholeheartedly support this development.
"It will be a great boost to the economy of South Cowal in particular and Argyll and Bute in general.
"A particularly important feature is the masterplan which identifies potential future developments in the wider Ardyne Point area.
''The plan is flexible but includes areas for tourism, business, leisure, housing, marine and aquaculture developments.
"This site can now be developed in a sensible and sustainable way, benefiting both developers and the wider community." | Plans for a new £19m fish processing plant at a former oil rig fabrication yard in the Cowal Peninsula have been given the green light. | 34616005 |
Councillors voted down the proposals on the grounds of visual impact on the Crichton site in Dumfries.
The Dumfries and Galloway College plan had been recommended for approval.
A spokesman for the college said it was "disappointed" by the decision but would now have to look at a smaller scheme or alternative location.
The further education body had earmarked a shared funding package for the project with Sportscotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council.
It will now explore the possibility of a smaller-scale development in the same area or a full-size pitch at another site. | A £410,000 plan to develop a first full-size, third-generation all-weather football pitch in Dumfries and Galloway has been rejected. | 11163297 |
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Tony Dodds got into the room of Matthew Davis, 39, and repeatedly hit him over the head as he slept.
The victim's body was not discovered at the guest house on North Parade, Whitley Bay, until two days later.
Dodds, 25, of Hillheads Road, admitted murder and was jailed for life. He must serve a minimum of 15 years.
The hearing was told that after attempting to enter the rooms of other tenants in March this year, Dodds managed to get into the room of Mr Davis.
The victim was punched, kicked and beaten over the head.
Dodds then tried to go into the guest house kitchen to make himself some food, the hearing was told.
Det Ch Insp Shelley Hudson, of Northumbria Police, said: "This was a truly cowardly attack on a vulnerable man.
"All of the evidence would suggest that he was attacked in his sleep - he had no defensive wounds and there was nothing to suggest a struggle took place.
"What's more it appears that Matthew's murder was without motive or reason."
She added that Dodds showed no remorse for the attack. | A man who broke into a guest house and battered a stranger to death with a wine bottle has been jailed for life. | 40854898 |
King Arthur Pendragon argued a parking fee of £15 for the 2016 summer solstice breached his human rights.
Parking at the Neolithic monument, managed by English Heritage (EH), usually costs £5.
A judge at Salisbury County Court granted Mr Pendragon a full hearing at a small claims court.
Mr Pendragon, who was joined by other druid and pagan supporters to protest outside the court, believes the £15 fee was "illegal" and excluded 12,500 from the event.
He told the judge at the allocation hearing that the claim was not about money or costs, but the fact it "unfairly targeted his religion".
The increased charge was introduced to encourage more people to car share or travel by bus, but Mr Pendragon said he wanted to prove EH was wrong to turn him away when he refused to "pay to pray".
A spokeswoman for EH said: "This was a procedural hearing establishing the next steps and we look forward to presenting our full case at a later date.
"As legal proceedings are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further."
Mr Pendragon asked that the date for the full hearing does not clash with the spring or summer solstice. | A senior druid has been told he can take English Heritage to court to challenge "pay to pray" car parking charges at Stonehenge. | 38558778 |
She is accused of directing the artillery fire in which the two journalists died.
It was initially thought the judge had found her guilty, but journalists say a final verdict has not yet been delivered.
Ukraine and some Western countries have condemned the case as a show trial.
The two Russian state TV journalists Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin were killed in mortar fire in June 2014, at the height of fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels.
On the same day, Ms Savchenko, 34, was captured by rebels.
Ms Savchenko, a pilot by training, is accused of having acted as an artillery spotter on the ground.
She denies the charges. Her has argued phone records prove she was captured by rebels before the attack.
Ms Savchenko had arrived in the area a few days previously to join the volunteer Aidar battalion, loyal to the Ukrainian government.
According to her lawyers, she was captured by rebel militants on the morning of 17 June whilst trying to reach several Aidar fighters who had been wounded in an ambush.
Ms Savchenko says her captors then took her into Russia, but prosecutors say she secretly crossed into Russian territory herself.
Ukraine resistance symbol in Russia
Caught in the middle of a media war
'A symbol of defiance and hope'
Reading the verdict, the judge in the Russian town of Donetsk quoted prosecutors as saying Ms Savchenko had been driven by "political hatred".
The prosecution has called for Ms Savchenko - who was elected as a Ukrainian MP in her absence following her capture - to be jailed for 23 years.
Any sentence will be delivered by the court on Tuesday, after an eventual verdict has been handed down.
Earlier, one of her lawyers said there was "no doubt" that the court would find Ms Savchenko guilty and sentence her to a "few dozen years".
"A propaganda machine is at work here, absent of justice and freedom," said Mark Feigin on Twitter.
Western politicians have called for her release.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said she should be freed "immediately and unconditionally" while the US envoy to the UN, Samantha Power, described the trial as "farcical".
Relations between Russia and Ukraine - along with its Western allies - have deteriorated since the events of 2014 in Ukraine.
Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula that March after an unrecognised referendum on self-determination, and is accused of covertly supporting the rebels in the bloody conflict which later divided eastern Ukraine. | A Russian judge has begun reading the verdict on Ukrainian captive Nadia Savchenko, accused of helping kill two Russian journalists. | 35860038 |
And, at the age of 40, Richard Whitehead isn't done yet.
"If I was beaten by a 40-year-old, I'd be pretty embarrassed," says the man who will attempt to win two gold medals at the World Para-athletics Championships, days before his 41st birthday.
"I want the other athletes to be inspired by my performances. This is who I am. I'm looking forward to seeing the podium again."
With four decades under his belt, Britain's Whitehead is the antipathy of the modern, media-trained athlete. He says what he thinks, wins races and puts on a show while doing it.
At London 2012, he stormed to victory in the T42 200m, setting a world record.
Whitehead, who has two prosthetics after being born without the lower part of his legs, has dominated the event, winning titles at the 2011, 2013 and 2015 World Championships, and at Rio 2016.
And rather than slowing down as time ticks by, he's getting faster - improving on his world record earlier this year with a time of 23.01 seconds and pursuing at least one gold medal when the World Championships begin at London Stadium on Friday.
But sprint stardom may never have occurred. Having become the fastest double-amputee marathon runner in history, he was told his classification would not feature in the long distance at his home Paralympics in 2012.
So, at the age of 35, the Nottingham athlete looked for a new, shorter challenge.
"I remember when I first had the conversation with the British Athletics performance director for the Paralympics, Peter Eriksson, and he said I was too old for athletics," said Whitehead.
"Look where I am now. It shows anything is possible."
That conversation was before London 2012, at which he proved the doubters wrong in the same stadium where he seeks gold again on Saturday night.
"It's a stadium I'll always treasure," he said. "I have so many memories in there.
"I will always remember that buzz when I came out of the bend in the 200m final. It was like a jet engine pulling me through to the finish line."
There is also the small matter of the 100m at the World Championships, an event in which he took silver at Rio 2016, finishing behind Australia's Scott Reardon.
As a double-leg amputee, Whitehead's starts out of the blocks are slower than those of his single-amputee rival - but the sight of the Briton storming through the field in the last 20 metres and only just failing to catch Reardon was a thrilling moment at the last Paralympics.
"I think I would have retired after Rio if I had won the 100m as well," Whitehead said. "In one respect, I'm thankful to Scott for giving me another year.
"I'm quite a strong, powerful athlete and I'm having to get rid of some of that power and get more technical. So hopefully that can help me deliver in the 100m as well as the 200m."
The question about retirement follows Whitehead around wherever he goes. He has never hidden his desire to get back to marathons and the perceived wisdom is that a home World Championships would be the perfect way to finish a successful track career.
"It may be my last event - I'm non-committal," is his reply to the retirement question this time around.
"It's an important decision for me and my family. I still feel I can continue to push that world record. I'll make the decision after the games.
"Friends and family say I should keep going. But I want to finish while I'm at the top, where I can say I've given all I can. Then maybe I move into a management role to help younger athletes.
"But I've had a great innings. If it's my last race, it will be emotional. It's also a great opportunity to set that legacy and say I'm not just a Paralympian and that I've got a lot to offer." | He is a marathon world record holder, sprint world-record holder, Paralympic champion and world champion. | 40574441 |
The Met Office's yellow "be aware" warning is in force until midday on Sunday, with the most frequent sleet and snow showers expected in west Wales.
Up to 2cm of snow could fall on low ground and untreated roads may be icy as temperatures drop.
Forecasters also said gusts of up to 60mph could hit exposed northern and western coasts.
There was some disruption overnight into Saturday with reports of hazardous driving conditions on the A487 and A486 around Synod Inn in Ceredigion.
There was also a heavy hailstorm and two crashes on the A40 in Carmarthen.
In Denbighshire, the A542 Horseshoe Pass reopened on Saturday morning as most of the overnight snow fell on high ground.
The latest warnings follow hazardous conditions on some mountain roads in Wales in recent days.
Several cars were left stuck in snow on the A470 in Gwynedd on Thursday on the Crimea Pass near Blaenau Ffestiniog.
In Rhydymain, Gwynedd, a 50-year-old man had to be airlifted to hospital after his car crashed in snowy conditions.
Six schools in Gwynedd and Anglesey also closed on Thursday due to the severe weather. | A warning for snow and ice has been issued for all of Wales. | 31035061 |
South Africa Under-20s cap Thomson, whose father is Scottish, will provide cover for Finn Russell during his Six Nations participation with Scotland.
Thomson, 21, has played six times in Super Rugby for the Stormers.
Hughes, 23, returns to Glasgow's line-up for Friday's meeting with Scarlets after agreeing his new two-year deal.
And with New Zealander Dave Rennie replacing Warriors' Scotland-bound head coach Gregor Townsend next season, Hughes revealed extending his stay was an "easy decision".
"I'm looking forward to Dave Rennie coming in," Hughes said. "It'll be good to learn from him."
Hughes has played 24 times for the Warriors since 2014, scoring three tries in the process, and has two Scotland caps.
And Townsend added: "Rory is an important member of our squad and it's great that he's decided to continue his career at Scotstoun.
"He's played really well this season and there is a lot more to come from him in the future."
Of Thomson's arrival, Townsend said: "It's a bonus for us to be able to bring in someone of Brandon's quality and potential during a period when we have a number of players away on Test duty.
"He has fitted in really well so far and even training in the snow yesterday didn't seem to phase him."
Thomson added: "I was over in Zimbabwe playing a warm-up game for the Stormers when I got the call to say I could fly over here and it all happened pretty quickly.
"I came over with the main goal of getting some experience and it's good to play in a different environment and for a great club.
"I'm structured, physical and I like to run the ball out wide and keep the game loose." | Glasgow Warriors have signed fly-half Brandon Thomson on a two-month contract and have extended wing Rory Hughes' stay with the club until May 2019. | 38920625 |
Tomasz Kocik, 38, of Buckingham Road, Harlesden, was found guilty of murdering Marta Ligman, 23.
The trial heard Ms Ligman may have been alive when Kocik dragged her from their flat to the canal in north west London.
At the Old Bailey he was told he would serve a minimum of 18 years and six months.
Kocik was caught on CCTV cameras early in the morning of 1 May this year dragging an "extremely heavy" and large suitcase for half a mile from his home to the canal towpath and then filmed again when he returned home an hour later with wet trousers.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard told Kocik Ms Ligman had suffered a "severe beating" at his hands.
More on this story and updates from London.
He said: "Dead or dying you then treated her body in a grotesque and demeaning way, hauling her in a suitcase down to the canal and carrying a stick to try to submerge the case when you got there."
Kocik then followed a "determined" course of action to mislead her family, friends and police by using Ms Ligman's Facebook account to "leave a false trail", the judge said.
The court heard Ms Ligman's body was discovered 10 days later by the occupants of a houseboat who spotted her dyed red hair streaming from the case after it collided with the hull.
Her body was in a tight foetal position wrapped in bin bags and curtains.
Despite her family asking him to report Ms Ligman's disappearance Kocik failed to report her missing until after the body was found in the canal.
Ms Ligman was in Poland when she met Kocik in an online dating chatroom, before moving to London in 2012 to live with the forklift truck driver.
The jury heard that colleagues at the delicatessen where Ms Ligman worked described Kocik as an "obsessively jealous, controlling boyfriend".
In his defence Kocik, a Polish national, claimed he had found Ms Ligman dead at their flat after days of amphetamine fuelled bondage sex sessions. | A man who beat his girlfriend and put her unconscious body inside a suitcase before dumping it in London's Grand Union Canal has been jailed for life. | 34944837 |
While this may be where the garment was finally sewn together, it has already been to several other countries.
In fact, it's quite possible this piece of clothing is better travelled than you. If it was human, it would have certainly journeyed far enough to have earned itself some decent air miles.
The material used to create it came from lyocell - a sustainable alternative to cotton. The trees used to make this fibre come mainly from Europe, according to Lenzing, the Austrian supplier that Zara-owner Inditex uses.
These fibres were shipped to Egypt, where they were spun into yarn. This yarn was then sent to China where it was woven into a fabric. This fabric was then sent to Spain where it was dyed, in this case pink. The fabric was then shipped to Morocco to be cut into the various parts of the dress and then sewn together.
After this, it was sent back to Spain where it was packaged and then sent to the UK, the US or any one of the 93 countries where Inditex has shops.
From dresses to t-shirts and trousers, most items of clothing sold around the world will have had similarly complicated journeys.
In fact, they're likely to be even more convoluted.
6,298
factories
1,725
suppliers
7,000+ shops
93 countries
60% of clothes are made in or close to its Spanish HQ
Most Inditex garments are made close to its Spanish headquarters or in nearby countries such as Portugal, Morocco and Turkey.
This is what helps the firm achieve its famously fast reaction times to new trends.
Most of its rivals' supply chains are far less local.
Regardless of where they're based, most factories are not owned by the fashion brands that use them. Instead, they're selected as official suppliers. Often these suppliers subcontract work to other factories for certain tasks, or in order to meet tight deadlines.
This system can make tracking the specific origins of a single item difficult. I contacted several big clothing brands including H&M, Marks and Spencer, Gap and Arcadia Group last week to give me a sample example of the journey of a t-shirt in their basic range from seed to finished product.
Only Inditex was able to respond in time to meet the deadline for this article.
"I imagine companies don't want to respond because they have no clue where the materials they buy come from," says Tim Hunt, a researcher at Ethical Consumer, which researches the social, ethical and environmental behaviour of firms.
The difficulties were highlighted devastatingly by the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster where more than 1,100 people were killed and 2,500 injured when the Bangladesh garment factory collapsed.
In some cases, brands weren't even aware their clothes were being produced there.
According to the "Behind the Barcode" report by Christian Aid and development organisation Baptist World Aid Australia, only 16% of the 87 biggest fashion brands publish a full list of the factories where their clothes are sewn, and less than a fifth of brands know where all of their zips, buttons, thread and fabric come from.
Non-profit group Fashion Revolution, formed after the Rana Plaza factory collapse, is leading a campaign to try to force firms to be more transparent about their supply chains.
Every year, around the time of the disaster it runs a #whomademyclothes campaign encouraging customers to push firms on this issue.
Fashion Revolution co-founder and creative director Orsola de Castro says the mass production demands of the fashion industry and the tight timescales required to get products from the catwalks on to the shelves as quickly as possible means the manufacturing processes have become "very, very chaotic".
"The amount of manpower which goes into the production of a t-shirt - even at the sewing level, it goes through so many different hands. On their standard products most brands wouldn't know the journey from seed to store," she says.
While newer and smaller fashion brands are creating products with 100% traceability, she says it's a lot harder for the established giants.
"It's a big and complex issue to turn around and would require a massive shift in attitude."
Yet just over a decade ago, Pietra Rivoli had no problems tracking the journey of a single $6 cotton t-shirt she'd picked out of a sale bin in a Walmart in Florida.
Starting with the tag at the back of the t-shirt, she tracked its journey backwards from the US "step by step along the supply chain".
"A shoe leather project," is how Prof Rivoli describes her journey, which resulted in a book, The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy.
As a teacher of finance and international business at Georgetown University in Washington, Prof Rivoli wanted to investigate her assumption that free trade benefited all countries.
Her travels took her from the cotton-growing region of Lubbock in Texas to China, where the t-shirt was sewn together. Eventually, she ended up in Tanzania on the east coast of Africa, which has a thriving second-hand clothing market.
Her assumption was that the complicated supply chain was driven by cost and market forces.
She concluded that a lot of brands' decisions about where to buy supplies and make their clothing was actually driven by politics. She cites US agricultural subsidies for cotton growers and China's migration policies encouraging workers to move from the countryside as examples.
"Rather than a story of how people were competing - how do I make a faster T-shirt, a better T-shirt, a cheaper T-shirt - what I found is that the story of the T-shirt and why its life turned out the way it did was really about how people were using political power," she says.
The current backlash against global trade is a direct result of this kind of political interference, she believes.
This kind of consumer anger could eventually drive change among fashion firms, she says. Prof Rivoli notes that many firms now list all their direct suppliers and she says there is a move towards developing fewer, longer term supplier relationships.
"There might be a little less hopping around," she laughs. | "Made in Morocco" says the label on the pink Zara shirt dress. | 39337204 |
But it is also coming under increased scrutiny over its lack of editorial balance and accusations that it is deliberately using disinformation to counter and divide the West.
In a spanking new press centre in Moscow on 10 November, controversial TV news anchor Dmitry Kiselev, who is also head of the Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today) news agency, unveiled Sputnik - the Kremlin's latest foray into the international news arena.
With its planned network of media hubs in 30 cities, Sputnik is the new brand for the radio station Voice of Russia and the foreign-language operations of the RIA Novosti news service, which were taken over by Rossiya Segodnya when it was launched last December.
Kiselev said the new project was aimed at a global audience "tired of aggressive propaganda promoting a unipolar world and who want a different perspective".
But with his own relentless denunciation of the West and demonisation of Ukrainians as fascists on state TV, there can hardly be a more practised purveyor of "aggressive propaganda" than Kiselev himself.
The Sputnik launch came less than a fortnight after the Kremlin's international TV channel RT (formerly known as Russia Today) unveiled a dedicated news service for viewers in the UK. Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan (who holds the same position at Rossiya Segodnya) said that RT UK would seek to "promote debate and new ways of thinking about British issues".
RT's funding is set to rise in 2015 to over $330m (£210m; €264m). It is said to be planning to add French and German operations to its existing services in English, Spanish and Arabic.
But RT UK's debut was greeted with a barrage of criticism in the British press. Writing in the Observer, Nick Cohen accused the channel of spreading conspiracy theories and being a "prostitution of journalism". Meanwhile, in The Times, Oliver Kamm called on broadcast regulator Ofcom to act against this "den of deceivers".
Oliver Kamm did not have long to wait. On 10 November, Ofcom found RT guilty of violating the broadcasting code's "due impartiality" rules in its coverage of the Ukraine crisis in early March. It rejected RT's contention that as a station that challenges the "established" view in the UK it was somehow exempt from the normal broadcast requirements.
In view of past violations, it put the channel on notice that future breaches may result in a "statutory sanction", which could include fines, or even the suspension or revocation of RT's broadcast licence.
For President Putin, RT is spearheading Russia's bid to challenge the "Anglo-Saxon monopoly" on global news. But, according to a recent report by US journalist Michael Weiss and UK-based writer and TV producer Peter Pomerantsev, it is part of a strategy of disinformation aimed at countering and dividing the West.
Entitled "The menace of unreality: How the Kremlin weaponises information, culture and money", the report was produced under the aegis of the US-based Institute of Modern Russia (IMR), which is part-funded by members of the family of former oil tycoon and Putin opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky..
Adapting techniques inherited from the old KGB, say the authors, RT makes extensive use of conspiracy theories that serve to undermine a "reality-based discourse". This, they argue, then creates the conditions in which the Kremlin can advance its own disinformation to "confuse situations at critical junctures".
They give as examples a spurious RT report about Jews fleeing Ukraine over anti-Semitism, equally bogus insinuations that a US think tank was advising Ukrainian President Poroshenko to carry out ethnic cleansing, and the spreading of conspiracy theories concerning the downing of Malaysian airliner MH17 over east Ukraine in July.
According to Weiss and Pomerantsev, this kind of media manipulation amounts to a "weaponisation of information", a phrase also used in relation to Russia by Mark Galeotti, a professor of global affairs at New York University.
But Ms Simonyan insists that RT is not very different from other major news broadcasters. Responding to the Ofcom ruling, she said the BBC was also guilty of "bias" in its reporting of Ukraine, as well as its coverage of other issues.
In a statement posted on RT's website, she said other broadcasters would also have to change the way they operate, "if double standards are to be avoided".
Weiss and Pomerantsev, meanwhile, came under fire in an anonymous article on the pro-Kremlin English-language website Russia Insider. Part political critique, part personalised attack, the article accuses them of being members of a "Russophobic hack pack" that also includes Edward Lucas of The Economist and US journalist Anne Applebaum.
Ordinary Russians appear to hold similar views. A poll published on 12 November by the independent Levada Centre indicated that 88% of the population believe the USA and other Western countries are waging an information war against Russia. Just 4% dissented from this view.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook. | The Kremlin's international media operation appears to be going from strength to strength with two recent high-profile launches and more in the pipeline. | 30040363 |
The tree, which stands on a traffic island in the Shawlands area, is surrounded by a tall metal fence.
Many local people have vented their feelings on the community council's Facebook page, with one woman claiming the tree looked like it was "trapped".
Glasgow City Council said the tree was fenced off for safety reasons and to ensure the lights were not pulled off.
Dorothy Boyd branded the tree "hideous" on Shawlands and Strathbungo community council's social media page.
Meanwhile Carol Meldrum wrote: "The poor thing looks like it's trapped", and William Love posted: "What an eyesore... nae common sense."
The community council had hoped the fence could be replaced with a lower crowd control barrier.
But they have been told the high fence has to stay because because contractors are concerned about the risk of a member of the public coming into contact with mains electricity if they climb over the railing.
Community council chairman Gary Cushway said: "It seems it's the contractors that have refused to sign off for health and safety reasons.
"There is a feeling that if you are going to make the effort to put the tree up, then make it look half reasonable rather than just throwing it up.
"It needs to be safe but there are a lot of families around the area and the children would like to have it looking nice. Perhaps the fence could be decorated to make it look nicer.
"Some people have said it looks like it has been caged."
The community council hopes to begin negotiating with the city council early next year in the hope of finding a better solution for the festive tree in 2017.
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council, which is responsible for the tree, said: "The Christmas tree in Shawlands had Heras fencing installed around it by our contractors for safety reasons and also to ensure lights are not pulled off, as has happened on occasion in some locations.
"The installation of such fencing depends on a site specific assessment by the installation contractor.
"It should be noted that the Christmas tree in Shawlands was moved from its usual location at Shawlands Cross because of public realm work taking place there, and as always, we will review locations for next year."
The council said a number of the city's 26 neighbourhood Christmas trees have similar fencing. | A community Christmas tree in part of Glasgow looks like it has been "caged", according to disappointed residents. | 38318917 |
AMs will look at how well people feel the Welsh Government responds to climate change, contributes to heritage and landscapes and serves local needs.
The closing date for submissions to the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee is 7 April.
The AMs will also examine the Welsh Government's delivery of its Woodlands for Wales strategy.
Committee chairman Mark Reckless said: "Forests and woodlands cover more than 300,000 hectares in Wales, and the industry is worth half a billion pounds to the Welsh economy.
"We will be taking a close look at this sector, examining how the Welsh Government is balancing the sustainable environmental and commercial priorities.
"We would be interested to hear what anyone with an interest in forestry and woodland in Wales has to say." | An inquiry into forestry and woodland policy in Wales has been launched by an assembly committee. | 39003535 |
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Ander Herrera was sent off for two fouls on Hazard, while Marcos Rojo later appeared to stamp on the Belgian.
N'Golo Kante's 51st-minute winner secured Chelsea a semi-final meeting with Tottenham at Wembley in April.
"In 20, 25 minutes for Hazard, it was impossible for him to play football," said Conte.
"I see only that he got a lot of kicks. I don't think that I'm crazy and I see only him in this situation.
"He started receiving kicks and finished receiving kicks. No one person can say this did not happen."
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Conte was involved in a touchline confrontation with opposite number Jose Mourinho shortly after Herrera's dismissal which ended with the pair being separated by fourth official Mike Jones.
The Italian said he had not seen the incident in which Rojo appeared to tread on a falling Hazard late in the game.
The Argentina defender must wait to see if the Football Association takes action after referee Michael Oliver files his report on the match.
Conte said: "This tactic, to play by going to kick the opponent, does not exist. It's not football for me. I don't think this can be a tactic.
"I think sometimes when you play against players with great talent you try and intimidate these players. I think the referee must protect this type of player."
Conte said Hazard had shown "great character" in a "very difficult and dangerous" situation.
The Italian added: "We go to play football and my players want to play football."
Monday's victory kept Chelsea, who are 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League, on course for a domestic Double.
Media playback is not supported on this device | Chelsea boss Antonio Conte accused Manchester United of targeting Eden Hazard during his side's 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final win at Stamford Bridge. | 39262505 |
Ian Gordon, 66, also from Troon, is alleged to have placed a pillow over the face of 63-year-old Patricia Ann Gordon and restricted her breathing.
At the High Court in Glasgow, his QC Gordon Jackson entered a guilty plea on his behalf to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.
But he will stand trial for murder after prosecutors rejected the plea.
Advocate depute Iain McSporran QC told the court: "That plea is not acceptable to the Crown."
A date of June was set for his trial.
Bail for Mr Gordon was continued. | A pensioner has admitted killing his wife at her home in Troon in April last year. | 38573494 |
Would you give up on the internet completely or happily stump up for good journalism and entertainment?
These are the choices we could be facing if ad blocking programs go mainstream.
This is because advertising revenue underpins about 90% of everything we see online - it's the internet's fundamental economic model.
Yet Apple's decision to allow its iPhone and iPad Safari browser to block ads through the use of third-party software extensions could seriously undermine this model, analysts believe.
"Ad blocking is a threat to the whole advertising industry," says David Frew, senior programmes manager for the Internet Advertising Bureau trade body.
"It's possibly heralding the end of online advertising in its current form," he says. "It's essential people understand that online content isn't free - there's a value exchange. Facebook is monetising you - your data is valuable."
Internet browsers have given users the ability to block pop-ups - and therefore pop-up ads - for years, and there are a number of ad blocking programmes already on the market, such as AdBlock, Adblock Plus, uBlock and Adguard, already used by tens of millions of people around the world.
But now that a global brand like Apple has weighed in, the practice could become much more popular, particularly on mobile, some in the publishing and advertising industries believe.
Brian O'Kelley, chief executive of AppNexus, a digital advertising technology firm, believes that websites only have themselves to blame for this ad backlash.
"A lot of websites have gotten greedy - on some home pages about 50% of the screen area is taken up with ads. A lot of junk is thrown on there," he says.
"Ads are supposed to be attention getting but they shouldn't be intrusive or annoying."
Daniel Knapp, senior director of advertising research at consultancy IHS, agrees, saying: "Consumers are fed up with interruptions and ads that affect the viewer experience. Ads also increase data usage and reduce battery life on mobile."
But there is a paradox in our feelings towards ads, believes Mark Pinsent, managing director of digital marketing agency Metia.
"People say they don't like ads and as soon as you give them the ability to avoid advertising, they will.
"But we often like to chat about our favourite ads. The problem is there's a lot of bad ads out there."
So if consumers begin blocking ads en masse, how will online publishers cope with the inevitable cut in revenue, and how will advertisers reach their audiences?
"There'll be fewer ad transactions and less money, but it's not going to zero. It just makes the pie smaller for everyone," says Mr O'Kelley.
In his view, publishers and content producers will have to have a "hard conversation" with consumers and persuade them not to use ad blockers.
"Consumers should have a choice over what kinds of ads they want to see, how fast they want them to load, and how much personal information they are happy to share," he says.
"When you visit a site with an ad blocker on there should be no option where you can get the content for free."
But how realistic is such an approach in a world where free internet content has been taken for granted and the subscription-based paywall model has succeeded only for specialist publications?
Darren Goldsby, chief technology officer for Hearst Magazines UK, publisher of well-known titles such as Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Esquire, admits that ad blocking is "as big a disruptor for us as the internet was when it came along".
Ad blocking is as big a disruptor for us as the internet was when it came along
"Ad blocking is a threat and the number of ad blockers is likely to increase. But that means we have to work harder to provide content in a commercially successful way that people want to read," he says.
This is likely to mean more so-called "native advertising" - sponsored content, advertorials, branded micro-sites, and so on - that can't be blocked by ad blockers, says Mr Goldsby.
And advertisers are already learning to use social media as a way of engaging with consumers, presenting content that is entertaining and shareable, says Mr Pinsent.
For example, Jaguar recently videoed its new F-Pace four-wheel drive car performing the world's biggest ever loop-the-loop. It made newspaper headlines.
"They then used targeted paid-for social media to get that video in front of people who would find it interesting," he says. "They did that without going through any traditional publisher.
"Brands will increasingly become their own content producers."
But as publishers resort to more of this native advertising and branded content to recoup lost digital ad revenue, what does this mean for independent journalism?
"As soon as you start blurring those lines between journalism and brand sponsored content it becomes very dangerous because consumers may be influenced without being aware of it," warns Mr Pinsent.
Once consumers understand that they may have to pay for an ad free online experience, ad blockers may wane in popularity, particularly if the other alternative is a website full of commercially biased editorial.
But some observers believe the rise of ad blockers provides an opportunity for consumers to strike a new deal with publishers and advertisers.
"A new model is to put users of the internet in control of their own data. Let them decide who they trade it with and for what reward," says StJohn Deakins, chief executive of CitizenMe, a group helping consumers take control of their own data and monetise it.
Others believe this shift in internet economics will simply put more power in the hands of Facebook, Google and, increasingly, Amazon.
"By 2020, 70% of European online advertising will be controlled by Facebook and Google," says IHS's Daniel Knapp.
"They're building closed ecosystems to lock in content and advertising. They control the audiences."
Is it time for those audiences to wrestle free from such control?
You can follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthew_wall | Imagine you had to start paying to view content on all your favourite websites. | 34268416 |
Fire crews were called to North Lane in the village of Oulton at about 02:30 BST to reports of a blaze.
A 40-year-old male was rescued from the building, which was heavily smoke-logged, a spokeswoman from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said.
Appliances from Rotherwell, Garforth and Stanks attended the incident. The cause is not yet known. | A man has been taken to hospital following a house fire near Rothwell in Leeds. | 33579472 |
Former NI secretary Mr Paterson has suggested politicians should not have their salaries paid by the taxpayer if they cannot reach an agreement.
When asked about it in an interview, Mr Adams said: "First of all, let me say that Owen Paterson is a complete tube".
But he said it was "fair enough" if the government wanted to stop salaries.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, Mr Adams qualified his opinion of Mr Paterson, who was the Conservative shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland from 2007 and then secretary of state for Northern Ireland from May 2010 to September 2012.
The Sinn Féin president said he introduced Mr Paterson to relatives of people killed in the Ballymurphy massacre when he was shadow secretary of state.
"He was moved almost to tears by their account," he said. "When he became secretary of state a few months later he completely changed and did nothing about the issues which they want dealt with."
During an urgent statement on Northern Ireland in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Paterson said withholding pay from Stormont politicians might "crystallise minds".
He asked the present Secretary of State James Brokenshire: "Would you agree with me that there is one measure that would put pressure on the parties to come back to the talks and might crystallise minds, and that would be to make it clear that should the elected members not form the executive after a lengthy period of negotiation then their salaries and expenses will not be paid from the public purse?"
Mr Brokenshire pledged to keep "all options under consideration" in his efforts to form a new executive.
Stormont politicians - MLAs - are set to get a pay rise from 1 April, when wages will rise by £500 per year, bringing salaries to £49,500.
The Northern Ireland Assembly has not had a full day's sitting for months after the Democratic Unionist Party/Sinn Féin power-sharing administration collapsed in January amid a row over a botched green energy scheme.
Since a snap election earlier this month, the parties have been locked in negotiations but have yet to reach an agreement on forming a new executive. | Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has called ex-minister Owen Paterson a "complete tube" when asked about his comments on politicians' pay. | 39435092 |
Sunayana Dumala, who flew to India after the shooting to be with her husband's family, told the BBC she was "devastated" by his death.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a bar in Olathe, Kansas. His friend Alok Madasani and an American were injured.
Adam Purinton, 51, has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder.
Ms Dumala said that she had grown anxious about racial hatred after the election of Donald Trump, but she said her husband was "dedicated" to their life in the US and to his job as an engineer.
"Just last week we drove to Iowa to see our friends and their new baby," she said. "When we came back, he was working in the car while I was driving. That's how much he loved working... He personally wanted to do so much for this country."
Mr Kuchibhotla worked at the US technology company Garmin, alongside his friend Mr Madasani, who has now been released from hospital. The pair were regulars at Austin's Bar and Grill where they enjoyed sharing a drink after work.
But on Wednesday night another customer, Adam Purinton, was shouting racist slurs and told the two men they did not belong in America, witnesses said.
In a separate interview, Mr Madasani told the BBC: "This guy just randomly comes up and starts pointing fingers... We knew something was wrong... He said: 'Which country are you from? Are you here illegally?'"
Mr Purinton was thrown out but, according to police, he returned with a gun and opened fire, killing Mr Kuchibhotla. Mr Madasani was wounded, along with Ian Grillot, a 24-year-old American who attempted to intervene.
Ms Dumala last saw her husband early that morning, when he left for work. "I was still taking my shower as he was passing from the hall and he said goodbye," she said.
He had worked late two nights already that week and she texted him to ask if he would bring some work home so they could have tea together. He said yes and told her he'd be home at 19:00.
At 20:00 she began to get worried and started calling friends, including Mr Madasani's wife. She heard something about a shooting at the bar and she phoned her husband over and over again until a friend came to the house with news.
"The look in his face and the way he was looking at me... I asked him, 'Is Srini dead?', and he nodded his head."
Ms Dumala said she wanted to rush to the hospital but collapsed in the garage. She waited at the house until two policemen arrived.
"They asked my name, Srini's name, his date of birth," she said. "Then they told me those words and they just said it so simply. They said they were sorry."
Mr Kuchibhotla was from the Indian city of Hyderabad, where his parents still live. Ms Dumala described how her husband had recently bought a car for his father. "He was so happy and so proud about it," she said.
"There are three brothers. I always heard stories that they were the naughtiest kids."
Ms Dumala began to lose sleep after the election in November, fearful that the couple would suffer hate crimes in the country they called home.
"I was so worried I just couldn't sleep," she said. "I was talking to Srini and I was like, 'Will we be safe in this country?' He would say 'Nani, Nani, don't worry. We will be OK. We will be OK'."
They discussed whether they should return to India but, in the end, she decided that if they minded their own business, nobody would harm them.
The FBI is now investigating whether Mr Kuchibhotla and Mr Madasani were targeted because of their race. Mr Madasani has visited Ian Grillot, 24, the US man injured while attempting to stop the shooting, to thank him.
Ms Dumala plans to return to the US, but she said her husband would be "everywhere".
"His clothes, his side of the sink, the way he used to brush, shower. His daily prayers in that room, preparing his favourite food. It will be tough eating without him," she said. | The widow of an Indian man killed in a suspected race crime in the US has said her husband "loved America" and came to the country "full of dreams". | 39090918 |
A spokesman said talks between the British Medical Association and NHS Employers had been "constructive".
However, the two sides "are not able to prevent the industrial action planned".
The strike begins at 08:00 GMT across England and could affect thousands of NHS patients as junior doctors will only provide emergency care.
Earlier this week the BMA announced three spells of strike action across England, after negotiations with the government ended with no resolution.
Issues being disputed by the BMA and NHS include weekend pay.
The strike details announced are:
Acas has confirmed that talks between the BMA and NHS bosses will continue next week.
The latest round of negotiations focused on the offer made by the government in November, which would see an 11% rise in basic pay.
This would be offset by plans to cut the number of weekend hours junior doctors can claim extra 'unsocial hours' pay for.
Current rules mean that working between 7pm and 7am Monday to Friday, or any hours worked during Saturday and Sunday, attracts a premium rate of pay.
This would change with the new government proposals.
Junior doctors would receive time and a half for any hours worked between 10pm and 7am, with time and a third being paid for any hours worked between 7pm and 10pm on Saturdays or Sundays.
On-call availability allowances - ranging from 2-6% of basic pay, would also be paid to junior doctors, with additional payment for work resulting from being on call.
The government said the changes are need to create more seven-day services, but the BMA warned that they could lead to doctors being over-worked because safeguards to keep a lid on excessive hours are being weakened.
A series of protests were held across the country and 98% of BMA members who took part in the ballot backed strike action. | Talks to resolve the junior doctors dispute will "not prevent" strike action on 12 January, conciliation service Acas has said. | 35268824 |
Coal use fell by a record 52% in 2016 on the previous year in the face of cheap gas, higher domestic carbon prices, renewables and other factors.
The drop was partially offset by increased emissions from oil and gas.
The results are based on analysis of government figures by the website Carbon Brief.
The Department of Energy, Business and Industrial Strategy (Beis) is due to publish its own estimates on 30 March.
One of the main reasons for the drop in coal use is the carbon price floor. This carbon tax doubled in 2015 to £18 per tonne of CO2.
In his budget on Wednesday, the Chancellor Philip Hammond is expected to set out the future path for the tax. This could have wide-ranging implications for the planned phase out of coal and the cost of low-carbon power subsidies.
Coal use has fallen by 74% since 2006 and is now 12 times below the peak of 221 millions of tonnes (Mt) burnt in 1956.
While CO2 from coal fell drastically, carbon emissions from gas increased by 12.5% in 2016 as utilities switched from burning coal. CO2 from oil also went up, by 1.6%.
Carbon emissions in 2016 reached 381 millions of tonnes (Mt) of CO2. With the exception of sharp dips caused by general strikes in the 1920s, this represents the lowest level since 1894, when Nicholas II became Tsar of Russia.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCScienceNews | A collapse in the use of coal has driven UK carbon emissions down to levels barely seen since the Victorian era, new figures show. | 39181753 |
The pool, at White Wells Spa Cottage on Ilkley Moor, is open for bathers all year round but it is traditional to take the plunge on 1 January.
Joanne Everall, who runs the bath house and adjoining cafe with Mark Hunnebell, said the pool usually attracted 100 to 150 people at new year.
The current record was made last year, with 212 bathers taking part.
Queues formed throughout the day outside the cottage, as bathers of all ages braved the water.
The bath was built in around 1700, when it was open air with surrounding walls but no roof.
Its waters were advertised as having healing properties. Charles Darwin is believed to have visited Ilkley in 1859 and "took the waters" at White Wells. | A total of 183 people took a dip in a plunge pool on the Yorkshire moors on New Year's Day. | 38490881 |
The Belgium international, 22, is set to move to the Premier League club in a £33m (40m euros) deal on Sunday.
Batshuayi, who scored 23 goals in all competitions for Marseille last season, will be new manager Antonio Conte's first signing at Stamford Bridge.
"This should be formalised tomorrow, I will leave Olympic Marseille this summer," Batshuayi wrote on Twitter.
Batshuayi came on as a substitute in Belgium's 3-1 Euro 2016 quarter-final defeat by Wales on Friday.
The Brussels-born forward, who signed for Marseille from Standard Liege in 2014, came off the bench to score in Belgium's 4-0 win win over Hungary in the last 16 on Monday.
He was linked with several Premier League clubs, and Crystal Palace reportedly agreed a fee with Ligue 1 side Marseille earlier this week. | Chelsea target Michy Batshuayi has confirmed that he will leave Ligue 1 side Marseille this summer. | 36661597 |
The Zano, developed in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, crashed to earth in November after initially becoming Europe's most successful Kickstarter project, with 12,000 supporters.
But numerous Welsh industries and backers continue to run with the crowd.
So, what are the pros and cons for investors and those looking for a cash injection?
"It's created a massive buzz," said Bafta-nominated director Carl Rock, whose short film, The Truthful Phone, has been partially bankrolled using crowdfunding.
More than £25,000 of the budget of the film - an adaptation of a story by Monty Python's Terry Jones, with puppets and narration from actor Michael Sheen - was raised via a Kickstarter campaign.
Kickstarter is a rewards-based platform, meaning investors get a reward, service, experience or product in return for their money.
In this case, the 580 backers will receive digital downloads, T-shirts, posters and even the chance to be a puppeteer on the film, which will be partly shot in north Wales.
Mr Rock said crowdfunding also allowed producers in the arts to "connect" with their potential audience.
"If we go to another investor they know there is a real budding audience and they will look at all this press (we have received as a result).
"You can go to an investor and there is something very sexy."
The film, which has also received funding from Ffilm Cymru Wales, is billed as an adventure in the mould of 1980s fantasy films like Gremlins and Labyrinth.
Producer Katie Pow said the team had been "touched" after getting in contact with some of the film's backers, who "felt part of something" beyond their normal experience.
But what businesses are suited to raising money through crowdfunding?
Support and guidance body Business Wales, said it might not be right for firms with "a complicated business concept".
"You need to be able to explain your business idea in a way that is clear, concise and engaging," it advised.
It is estimated that by 2020, crowdfunding will raise £15bn for British innovators, entrepreneurs, community groups, artists, sports people and others.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has produced guidance on crowdfunding and regulates equity and loan-based schemes.
It says different platforms carry "different levels of risk" and warns people to be aware of the limitations of cashing in some investments.
A method of generating funding for a service or project from a number of people, normally through social media or the internet, with four main categories:
Source: Financial Conduct Authority
Online platform Seedrs offers opportunities in equity crowdfunding, where investors take a shareholding in projects.
So far, it has raised £2.26m for six Welsh businesses.
While it counts tennis star Andy Murray among its wealthy "angel" and institutional investors, Seedrs says about 67% of its backers come from the "crowd".
Ben Aronsten, of Seedrs said: "Up until recently that was only really a possible arena for high-net worth individuals who had cash and really good contacts.
"What we're doing is democratising that to a certain point."
But he added: "We completely admit it's a long-term, high-risk asset class that, realistically, takes five to seven years before you see a potential return.
"You have got your assets and your pension and this (equity crowdfunding) should be part of of your overall portfolio."
The risks are clear for all to see.
Hokkei, the Cardiff-based takeaway opened by Masterchef finalists Dale Williams and Larkin Cen, raised £275,000 through Seedrs in June 2015.
But the takeaway went into administration in January.
Seedrs said while half of new UK businesses fail within the first five years, those on its side have seen a much lower rate - closer to 20%.
Mr Aronsten said: "The failure of any business is always unfortunate and, if this happens, Seedrs completes a full review of what happened for shareholders.
"However, for the most part, businesses that have funded on Seedrs are doing extremely well."
Swansea-based Veeqo, an online order management system for retailers, has raised £120,000 from about 25 investors on the site.
Donation-based schemes allow people to contribute to philanthropic causes with no expectation of financial gain or reward for their pledge.
More than £50,000 was raised for paralysed stunt cyclist Martyn Ashton, 41, of Margam, Neath Port Talbot, who needed money to save his Colnago C59 bike from being sold and to pay for his rehabilitation.
Elsewhere, people are using crowdfunding to raise money for myriad enterprises, including charity events, street-art projects and political campaigns.
But, what's the most useful advice for those thinking of putting their cash into any crowdfunded project?
Perhaps that issued by the FCA: "You should only invest money you can afford to lose." | Welsh backers could be forgiven for going cold on crowdfunding after the Zano mini-drone project - which raised £2.3m - failed to take off. | 35470129 |
Michael Donald put the visitors in front before Leighton McIntosh levelled matters with his 14th goal this season.
Blackburn loanee Preston put Ayr back in front just before the break.
Patrick Boyle set up Preston for his second and Robbie Crawford made it four to give Peterhead a tough ask in Saturday's second leg. | Jordan Preston scored twice as Ayr United claimed the initiative in the Championship play-off semi-final against Peterhead. | 36180034 |
But these were the lucky ones. Their crewmates had already been lost in the rough, icy waters after the lifeboat had capsized twice in atrocious conditions.
This was the tragedy that happened 100 years ago following an aborted rescue mission and left an everlasting mark on a small Gower community.
A church service and memorial walk took place on New Year's Day while an exhibition at Port Eynon Village Hall remembers the volunteers that lost their lives.
It was on 1 January 1916 that the 13 crew members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI's) boat Janet were at work in the area.
At about 11:45 GMT, a rocket was launched from the station to tell them they were needed.
Soon after this, the volunteers took to the water in the Horton and Port Eynon lifeboat to go to the aid of a cargo ship.
The SS Dunvegan had got into trouble in Oxwich Bay, just off Pennard, after its engine had failed.
While it dropped its anchor, the storm was so strong, it was being pulled out to sea.
The Mumbles station was closer, but it was decided to send a boat from Port Eynon as the direction of the wind meant the men would not be fighting against it.
But after finding the Dunvegan, all crew members decided to stay on board and were eventually pulled to land by rope from a nearby cliff.
Not needed, the Janet - a sailing boat with oars but no engine - decided to make its way back to Port Eynon.
But now it was sailing against the wind and the RNLI's Brin Hurford said: "It capsized after the mast broke, with everyone going in the water.
"When it self-righted, they found that Billy Gibbs, William Eynon and George Harry were missing.
"While they found Gibbs and he was able to get back on board, it capsized a second time, which was when he was lost."
The 10 survivors now had no mast or oars, so drifted towards Mumbles overnight, arriving at daybreak.
"It wasn't like now, with the volunteers wearing proper thermals. They wore dry suits, with wellies and oil skins and once they were wet, that was it," said Mr Hurford.
"There was no hot food or drink and all they had between them was a bottle of brandy."
While Eynon and Harry's bodies were recovered, that of Billy Gibbs was never found- although an unidentified body was spotted off the coast of Porthcawl.
There have been no local men lost at sea since and Mr Hurford said the 1916 incident left a lasting impression on the community of about 500 people.
As villagers marked the centenary on New Year's Day, he said there were strange parallels to the conditions a century ago.
"It's quite bizarre in a way. In the lead up to it in late 1915, the weather was quite warm for December, with a lot of storms then following," he said.
"It is similar to what we have had over the past few months. When we did the [memorial] walk, it was blowing a gale, with the only difference that the wind was south-westerly not south-easterly."
At the time, the RNLI was going through a process of replacing their lifeboats with newer, motorised vessels and after the incident, stations at Tenby and Mumbles covered Port Eynon's area.
It was not until 1968 that a lifeboat returned to Horton and Port Eynon, with Walter Grove, the son of the tragedy's survivor William Grove Junior, instrumental in this.
His children Lawrie (operations manager) and Courtney have also served on the lifeboat as well as grandson Tom, showing just how strongly it is tied to the community.
Another indication of this was the large number of descendents of the crew who came forward to help mark the centenary.
The RNLI exhibition, which runs until 16 January, is called Hope in the Great War and honours volunteers who risk their lives.
It is touring the UK and tells, as well as the Horton and Port Eynon crew, the stories of other brave men.
A play based on the events is also being performed daily at St Cattwg's in Port Eynon.
At the gates of the church stands an everlasting tribute to the three men who lost their lives on that fateful day - a memorial statue of a lifeboatman, with his gaze forever searching seaward. | With just a bottle of brandy to help them through a terrible storm, 10 men huddled for warmth as they drifted at sea for 22 hours. | 35261140 |
Mae'r arolwg yn dangos y Ceidwadwyr ar 40% - cynnydd o 28% ers mis Ionawr - gyda Llafur ar 30% (-3), Plaid Cymru ar 13% (dim newid), y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol ar 8% (-1) a UKIP ar 6% (-7).
O ddefnyddio'r arolwg i ddarogan canlyniadau, mae'n awgrymu y gallai'r Ceidwadwyr ennill 21 o'r 40 sedd yng Nghymru gan gipio 10 oddi ar Lafur allai ddisgyn i 15.
Dywedodd yr Athro Roger Scully fod Cymru "ar drothwy daeargryn etholiadol".
Barn yr arbenigwr o Ganolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru, a gomisiynodd yr arolwg ar y cyd, oedd y byddai canlyniad felly "o arwyddocâd hanesyddol hir dymor".
"Dyw'r Ceidwadwyr ddim wedi ennill mwyafrif y seddi yng Nghymru mewn etholiad cyffredinol ers yr 1850au - cyn oes democratiaeth dorfol," meddai.
"Mae Llafur wedi ennill y mwyafrif o bleidleisiau a'r mwyafrif o seddi yng Nghymru ymhob etholiad cyffredinol o 1922 ymlaen, ac wedi ennill mwyafrif clir o seddi yn yr ugain etholiad cyffredinol diwethaf (o 1935 ymlaen).
"Mae'r potensial i'r Ceidwadwyr fod mewn sefyllfa i nid yn unig gorffen o flaen Llafur ond i ennill dros hanner seddi Cymru yn awgrymu ein bod ni ar drothwy rhywbeth gwirioneddol seismig."
Roedd yr Athro Scully yn pwysleisio mai canlyniadau un arolwg yn unig yw'r rhain, a bod chwe wythnos o ymgyrchu yn weddill.
Ond ychwanegodd: "Am unwaith dyw geiriau fel syfrdanol a digynsail ddim yn ymddangos yn amhriodol.
"Mae Cymru wedi bod yn Llafur ers mwy o amser nag y gall unrhyw un fydd yn bwrw'u pleidlais yn yr etholiadau yma gofio.
"Mae'n bosib ein bod ychydig dros chwe wythnos o weld yr oruchafiaeth un blaid yna sydd wedi bodoli ers bron ganrif yn dod i ben yn ddisymwth."
Fe gafodd arolwg barn ei gynnal gan YouGov, ar gyfer ITV Cymru Wales a Chanolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru Prifysgol Caerdydd, sampl o 1,029 o oedolion o Gymru, ac fe gafodd ei gynnal rhwng 19-21 Ebrill 2017. | Fe allai twf yn y gefnogaeth i'r Ceidwadwyr eu gweld yn cymryd lle Llafur fel y blaid fwyaf yng Nghymru yn yr Etholiad Cyffredinol yn ôl arolwg barn ar gyfer ITV Wales. | 39695615 |
Pumpkin - partial to leftover ice cream and crisps - is the only Scottish representative in PDSA Pet Fit Club.
The seven-year-old ginger and white tabby will compete against six other pets from across the UK, including dogs, other cats, and a rabbit.
Weighing 1st 8lbs (10.2kg), Pumpkin's target is to lose 7lb (3.2kg).
The pet cat will now go on a strict six-month diet and exercise programme.
Owner Chelsea Mullen, 21, from the Bridge of Dee area of Aberdeen, has owned Pumpkin and his sister Munchkin - who is not overweight - since they were kittens.
She said: "They both seem to eat the same amount but the difference is that Pumpkin simply doesn't do any exercise. He just lies there.
"Several years ago Pumpkin got stuck in the cat flap. It was so stressful because he was completely wedged in, couldn't go forwards or backwards. He's avoided it ever since.
"We would like Pumpkin to lose weight so he can start having fun and learn how to play with both his toys and his sister Munchkin again, but most of all we want him to lose the weight in order to keep him healthy."
She added: "He's a very happy, friendly and loving cat but has turned into a couch potato.
"His daily exercise now consists of moving from the bed or sofa to the food bowl and back again.
"He's very reluctant to go outside because that involves getting off the sofa and he doesn't even move if he sees a fly.
"Pumpkin tends to eat dry food and he does like cat treats. He also loves indulging in leftover ice cream and crisps. He always tries anything to get food and claws at you until you give in."
PDSA senior vet Fiona Gregge, who will be helping to overseeing Pumpkin's diet, said: "Pet obesity is a growing issue that affects millions of UK pets.
"Carrying excess weight can have serious health risks and increase the chances of pets suffering from life-limiting and life-threatening diseases including arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.
"With the help of PDSA Pet Fit Club, Chelsea is making the necessary lifestyle changes to help get Pumpkin down to a healthier weight.
"We will support him every step of the way over the next six months to ensure they succeed." | An overweight cat from Aberdeen who got stuck in a cat flap has been chosen as a finalist in a major pet slimming competition. | 39869880 |
City do not have an experienced right-back after releasing out-of-contract duo Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna.
Guardiola has been linked with Tottenham's Kyle Walker but is understood to be considering whether to bid for 34-year-old Alves, who played for Juve in their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid on 3 June.
It is thought Juve want £5m for Alves.
Guardiola knows Alves well having brought the Brazil international to Barcelona from Sevilla for £23m in 2008.
The pair won three La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups and two Champions Leagues together before Guardiola left the Nou Camp in 2012. | Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could turn to Juventus' Dani Alves to strengthen his full-back options. | 40321586 |
Sporting want £34.1m (40m euros) for the 28-year-old, which the Foxes consider unrealistic.
Slimani, who is keen on a Premier League move, has been at Sporting since 2013 and has scored 31 goals in 46 games for the club.
The striker made four appearances for Algeria at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, scoring twice. | Premier League champions Leicester City are in talks with Sporting Lisbon to sign Algeria forward Islam Slimani. | 37209147 |
Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have written to Prime Minister Theresa May laying out their priorities.
In the letter, they identify five key areas.
They are the border, trading costs, the energy market, drawdown of EU funding and treatment of the agri-food sector.
The first and deputy first ministers said Northern Ireland was unique as the only part of the UK that has a border with an EU member state.
The border must not become a catalyst for illegal activity or create an incentive for those who wish to undermine the peace process, they added.
While the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union by 52% to 48%, 56% of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain.
During the EU referendum, Arlene Foster's party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), campaigned in favour of Brexit, while Martin McGuinness's Sinn Féin wanted to stay in the European Union.
When it comes to the economy, however, both leaders said they wanted to "retain as far as possible the ease with which we currently trade with EU member states".
Both politicians also emphasised the need for Northern Ireland to "allow access to unskilled as well as highly skilled labour".
They said this was necessary for both private and public sector employers who are "heavily dependent on EU and other migrant labour".
The letter also refers to the "many thousands of people who commute each way across the border to work on a daily basis".
The first and deputy first ministers also registered their concerns about Northern Ireland's access to energy, EU funds and agricultural support.
They stated in the letter that Northern Ireland receives approximately 10% of the UK's cash from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and acknowledged that the agri-food sector is "uniquely vulnerable both to the loss of EU funding" or to other barriers to trade.
The Stormont ministers said they want to play their part in any engagement between the British and Irish governments in relation to the border.
They said they were "reassured" that the prime minister has given a commitment that Northern Ireland would be fully involved and represented in negotiations.
However, they added that they recognised "the possibility that it cannot be guaranteed that outcomes that suit our common interests are ultimately deliverable". | The first and deputy first ministers have said they must be fully involved in negotiations regarding the UK's future relationships with the EU and other countries. | 37039683 |
The report, which examines the sale of Nama's Northern Ireland portfolio, was carried out by the Irish Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
Mr Cushnahan, a Belfast businessman, was on the board from 2010 until 2013.
He was a financial adviser to seven different Nama debtors, an interest he disclosed at the time as required.
However, the PAC said the he should have been removed from the board when those interests were disclosed.
That goes further than an earlier report by the Irish Auditor General.
It said Nama should "have formally considered" whether Mr Cushnahan's involvement in discussion of its Northern Ireland strategy was consistent with his involvement as a financial adviser to debtors.
Nama, an Irish state agency, was established in 2009 to take control of billions of euros of bad property loans which were damaging the Irish banks.
It sold its entire Northern Ireland portfolio to Cerberus, a US investment fund, for £1.24bn in 2014.
The PAC has concluded that the sales process, which lead to a loss of £162m, was "seriously deficient" and Nama had been unable to show it got value for money for the state.
It said that key elements of the sale were influenced by one of the bidders, US fund Pimco.
The report also finds it was not "procedurally appropriate" for the Irish Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, to meet with Cerberus, as it could have given the perception of preferential treatment.
This conclusion was disputed by committee members from Mr Noonan's Fine Gael party.
Mr Cushnahan has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the deal. | The failure to remove Frank Cushnahan from Nama's Northern Ireland advisory board was "a failure of corporate governance", a report has concluded. | 39260376 |
Many of Kardashian West's millions of fans on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook posted messages of sympathy after learning she was robbed by two men dressed as police officers in Paris.
Among messages of support were jokes about the attack, questions over whether the story should be reported by news organisations, and claims that the incident was a publicity stunt.
The barrage of abuse led to other celebrities and fans defending her with TV host James Corden among those saying: "She's a mother, a daughter, a wife, a friend. Be nice or shut up."
Singer Leona Lewis tweeted: "Years later I'm still personally dealing with trauma after being attacked. We should be sending love to @KimKardashian it's an awful ordeal."
On Twitter, some people referred to Ryan Lochte, the US Olympic swimmer who falsely said he had been robbed at gunpoint while in Brazil during the Olympics Games.
Many lampooned Kardashian West's penchant for self-publicity.
There was also mentions of public spats she has had with other celebrities such as Taylor Swift, posting images of her with a gun. Also, people implied Kardashian West was trying to take attention away from her brother's baby shower that took place on the same day.
US model Chrissy Teigen weighed in on the vitriol celebrities sometimes face online.
Presenter Piers Morgan also expressed his sympathy for Kardashian West. But when he was accused of hypocrisy, given his previous mockery of her, he argued it was possible to feel both.
Among the most popular tweets was one by this user urging people to see Kardashian West as a human being.
Some were outraged that anyone could find the incident funny just because of who she is.
Others thought such reactions were the symptoms of something more worrying about society.
There were comments online on whether or not the story was getting too much news coverage because of the fame of the victim, and many compared it to other news stories and issues.
By Tse Yin Lee BBC's UGC and Social News team | Being held at gunpoint is clearly not funny, but the internet had to be reminded that reality TV star Kim Kardashian West was a victim after news of the attack was met by online abuse and cruel jokes. | 37538896 |
The 37-year-old edged out the Belgian by a bike length as Britain's Ian Stannard finished third.
"I broke my arm five weeks ago and missed all the racing," said Hayman. "I raced a race in Spain last week.
"This is my favourite race. It's a race I dream of every year. This year I didn't even dare to dream."
Orica Greenedge rider Hayman was riding in his 15th Paris-Roubaix and is the second Australian to win the race after Stuart O'Grady in 2007.
Pre-race favourites Peter Sagan and Fabian Cancellara were both caught out by crashes and finished well back.
The 257.5km route across northern France, nicknamed the 'Hell of the North', is famous for its cobbled sections.
Team Sky rider Elia Viviani, 27, was taken to Valenciennes hospital after being involved in a crash with a motorbike during the race.
Video footage shows the motorbike crashing into barriers and Viviani before the Italian walks away from his bike clutching his chest.
"He thought he'd anticipated the crash and saw it happen in front of him. He managed to come to a stop on the right by the barrier when the motorbike went into him," said Sky's team doctor Derick Macleod.
"He's got a few bruises and abrasions and he's a bit sore obviously, but we're really thankful he's got no significant injuries."
Result:
1. Mathew Hayman (Aus/Orica) 5:51:53
2. Tom Boonen (Bel/Etixx - Quick-Step) Same time
3. Ian Stannard (GB/Team Sky) Same time
4. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel/LottoNL) Same time
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Dimension Data) +3 secs
6. Heinrich Haussler (Aus/IAM Cycling) +1 minute
7. Marcel Sieberg (Ger/Lotto) Same time
8. Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat/IAM Cycling) Same time
9. Imanol Erviti (Spa/Movistar) + 1:07 mins
10. Adrien Petit (Fra/Direct Energie) +2:20 mins | Australian veteran Mathew Hayman beat four-time winner Tom Boonen in a dramatic finish to win the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic. | 36010773 |
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and consumer group Which? have jointly launched a new tariff, spelling out mortgage fees in a standardised format.
The move comes after Which? warned last year that people could be "paying over the odds" due to complex charges.
Which? also said there were 40 different names for fees and charges in use, often for the same service.
For example an application fee - a charge for assessing and processing an application - could also be named a booking fee or a reservation fee.
The CML and Which? were asked by Chancellor George Osborne to work together on the new tariff.
It has standard terminology, so lenders will in future use the same names for fees.
It will also have a common format, so that each lender will list fees in the same order, with the same descriptions.
Lenders representing 85% of the market have agreed to introduce the tariff and place it on their website by the end of the year.
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "This new approach should make it much easier for people to compare mortgage fees. We hope that all mortgage providers will make these changes as soon as possible."
CML director general Paul Smee said: "Lenders have successfully pulled together to put in place some sensible measures to help consumer understanding.
"We very much hope that the new tariff and standard terminology will make it demonstrably easier to understand and compare mortgage costs." | Banks and building societies are to simplify mortgage information, to help borrowers find the cheapest deal. | 34893490 |
It comes after complaints that women who travel from Tanzania to the Middle East for work are being mistreated.
Some are forced to work in jobs they didn't apply for, including the drugs industry, says the BBC's Sammy Awami.
Job agencies in Oman have previously stopped recruiting Tanzanian workers, reports the Times of Oman.
Seperatus Fella, secretary of the government's Anti-Trafficking Secretariat announced the ban.
"Most of these girls and boys are subjected to commercial sex or work as domestic servants and barmaids, with some sent on forced labour in factories, farms and mines under very poor conditions," Mr Fella told the Reuters news agency.
Tanzania provides the largest number of housemaids from African countries to Oman, Tanzania's The Citizen newspaper reported in 2014.
The Times of Oman explains that Omani employers prefer Tanzanian domestic workers because Swahili is widely spoken in Oman.
But in 2014 the newspaper said five job agencies in Oman stopped recruiting Tanzanian workers following complaints from both domestic workers and their employers ranging from violence to child abuse. | The Tanzanian government has banned up to 70 employment agencies that send women to countries in the Middle East to be housemaids. | 34003923 |
So it's understandable that everything she's done since the National League for Democracy's victory last November has been focused on avoiding a repeat of 1990 and making sure that this time power is actually transferred.
There's been no victory rally, no triumphalism, and respectful overtures have been made not just to the current president and the commander in chief of the army, but also the former military ruler Than Shwe.
Much to the frustration of the local media The Lady has been saying very little about how the talks are progressing.
There's been no word on whether she's still pushing to be president, whether the constitution might be changed, or who she has in mind for the government she plans to lead.
Though it was talked up a few months ago the prospect of the NLD nominating Ms Suu Kyi for president appears to have receded.
She's still barred by the constitution because her sons are British not Burmese, but there had been speculation that a deal might be struck to waive or suspend the clause.
If that is the plan, those in the know, both in the army and in the NLD, are very good at keeping secrets.
It now seems likely that Ms Suu Kyi has chosen to consolidate her win and stick with the plan she articulated pre-election. That she would nominate someone loyal and that she would lead the government from "above" them.
That moment is fast approaching. Myanmar's newly elected parliament gathers for the first time on Monday and one of its first tasks will be to choose a successor to Thein Sein.
Such is the numerical advantage of the NLD in parliament and Ms Suu Kyi's dominance over party affairs, that the presidency is effectively her gift to give.
So are we closer to knowing who that puppet president might be?
From Ms Suu Kyi there have been few clues, apart from indicating it would be a civilian and a current party member.
The elderly men who make up the leadership of the NLD are less discreet. When journalists call, if they've got information they tend to talk.
So last week there was a flurry of excitement when long-time NLD spokesman Nyan Win told the French news agency AFP the names of the party's candidates for lower and upper house speaker.
U Win Myint, who's been very visible during the transition talks, was apparently in line to take the powerful position of speaker of the lower house. So not president.
His appointment was later confirmed by the party. But the "leak" of information was revealing and clearly infuriated Ms Suu Kyi. Shortly afterwards the NLD released a statement.
"The NLD has been delicately handling matters at the moment," it said.
"That's why only the NLD chair [Ms Suu Kyi] has the right to speak regarding the issues of NLD policies and transitional matters."
It was a clear expression of what many already knew. Party policy and strategy is being driven by Ms Suu Kyi and a small group of advisers around her.
She doesn't trust anyone else not to mess it up.
Then this week came another clue in the presidential puzzle. Aung San Suu Kyi's personal doctor suddenly made an appearance at a key meeting with army Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing.
Dr Tin Myo Win has long been mentioned as a possible presidential pick. He meets Ms Suu Kyi's two stated criteria - as a civilian and an NLD member, and is one of her closest confidantes.
During her years under house arrest he was one of the few people the generals allowed to visit at her house on University Avenue. In recent years the doctor has also become more involved in the politics of the NLD, and has helped shape its policies on healthcare.
When I spoke to him on the phone in December I asked him directly if he would serve as Myanmar's president if asked to.
"I'm not interested," he said. "I'm a surgeon so I more or less prefer to do my job rather than the other things."
Take that with a pinch of salt. If he's not interested in politics why then was he suddenly one of the four people Ms Suu Kyi chose to sit alongside her at important discussions with the army?
Dr Tin Myo Win hadn't been involved in transition talks before and Ms Suu Kyi didn't look in need of medical back-up.
Could this have been a first opportunity for Ms Suu Kyi to introduce the commander-in-chief to her hand-picked president? A way of ensuring that things go smoothly when his name is proposed in parliament?
We'll soon know for sure. For now there's no-one to allowed to give us the official answer, apart from Ms Suu Kyi. | The first time Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a general election the Burmese army refused to accept the result. | 35426185 |
Former Alex captain David Artell, 36, replaced Davis on Sunday, with Crewe 18th in the fourth tier.
"Something's got to change," Ashton told BBC Radio Stoke. "Maybe a fresh approach will make the difference.
"Steve did a magnificent job when he came in, taking over from Dario Gradi, in the right manner and philosophy."
But the once-capped England international, 33, added: "It's been a long time now that they've been on a steady decline.
"Apart from a good couple of months at the start of the season, they've not really looked like turning it around.
"Steve can look back at Crewe with fond memories and be proud of what he did. From where they were when he came in, two Wembley trips, promotion and a trophy was brilliant.
"But the real worry is that if the slide continues, then you're looking at the Football League trapdoor which Crewe definitely don't want to go through.
"It was the right time for him to step aside and for someone else to take it on."
"They now have David, who was club captain in successful times, and his number two Kenny Lunt is a great coach who brings experience of what it's like to get to Championship level with Crewe.
"And it's absolutely vital they use (head of recruitment) Neil Baker. He's been there and done it. Any situation Crewe go into, he's got that experience. He's got a good calmness to him. He's not going to make rash decisions."
Ashton left Crewe for Norwich for £3m in January 2005 and his subsequent move to West Ham a year later earned the club even more money with a sell-on fee.
Previously, players such as David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Robbie Savage, Rob Jones, Neil Lennon, Danny Murphy and Seth Johnson all moved for big transfer fees.
But, for all the success of their highly-rated academy, Crewe have not received a seven-figure fee for a player since Luke Murphy left for Leeds United in 2013.
"You're always looking for that next player to come through to go on to bigger and better things," said Ashton. "Since they sold Luke Murphy on the back of Nick Powell to Manchester United and Ashley Westwood to Aston Villa, it's been difficult.
"The only worry is that it's getting more and more difficult for teams like Crewe to bring talent through as the big clubs widen their search and get all of the best players.
"Within the boundaries Crewe set, you don't have money to spend. You have to bring youngsters through, and it's very difficult down there to constantly rely on your youth policy." | Ex-Crewe striker Dean Ashton says the sacking of Steve Davis as manager may have come "at the right time" if the League Two club are to stay in the EFL. | 38561031 |
The Standard gave me permission and, because Radio Solway's opening actually fell on a Friday, I featured on the very first programme transmitted from the Dumfries studio.
My contribution was pre-recorded the night before and I remember listening to it in bed with my head under the covers, somewhat mortified by hearing my voice on the radio for the first time. You get used to it.
Less than a year later, I joined the BBC first as producer, then as senior producer from 1989 to 1993.
The main daily programme was Solway Report, an all-speech news magazine intended to reflect Good Morning Scotland from which it opted out between 07:30 and 08:00.
At lunchtime we did a shorter 10-minute news bulletin, followed by a feature programme of 50 minutes which changed each day. These included the rural affairs programme Country Matters, an arts magazine called Spotlight Tuesday and the end-of-the-week music request show Friday Call-Out.
One of the most popular lunchtime programmes we ever did came about largely by accident after someone donated a large quantity of old 78 LPs.
They weren't really of a good enough sound quality to play in a normal record show, but I got William Williamson and the late Davie Shankland to build a nostalgia programme around them and called it And That Reminds Me. It was a great success with listeners.
We had a lot of autonomy from the powers-that-be in Glasgow and were allowed pretty much to get on with what we wanted, within reason. Often this involved great invention and stretching meagre resources to breaking point and beyond.
Examples included Children in Need nights when we embarked on some pretty ambitious outside broadcasts using what little equipment we could assemble, and masses of goodwill from all involved.
We persuaded entertainers like Alasdair Macdonald and Bill McCue to come and appear for nothing as well as local singers and bands.
Technically, these programmes were held together for hours on end with little more than sticky tape and string, but they were great fun to do.
On the news front, we also did local election specials.
I particularly remember one district council result programme anchored by Gary Robertson, now one of the mainstays on Good Morning Scotland. We went on air at either nine or ten in the evening just as votes were starting to be counted.
We had reporters at each of the district count centres in Annan, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Stranraer and Gary also had a studio panel representing the political parties.
The plan had been to intersperse the election news with a smattering of records to give everyone's tonsils a rest and to help fill in the gaps between results.
However, such was Gary's ability to "gab" that he somehow kept it going as a speech-only programme until about twenty to one the following morning when we were still waiting for one outstanding result from either Stewartry or Wigtown which had been recounted several times.
At that point Gary did eventually run out of words and had to resort to playing a disc.
Things changed in 1993 when Radio Scotland's then head of radio James Boyle decided to reduce the amount of local programming around the country and redirect some of the resources involved in making it towards the national service.
That sparked a huge and very vociferous local campaign to "Save Radio Solway" which was ultimately unsuccessful and probably proved counter-productive in the long run.
When local programmes were withdrawn in February 1993, a lot of people thought it meant the BBC was withdrawing from Dumfries altogether, which was not the case.
What was lost from the output was the voluntary "community" element. The staff remained at Lover's Walk, but in changed roles.
Twenty years on we are STILL here providing three things: local radio news for Dumfries and Galloway (daily opt-outs at 0654, 0750, 1254 and 1654); online local news on the South of Scotland Website; and news from the region for network programmes.
Back in 1993, I became the regional radio reporter providing news from Dumfries and Galloway for programmes such as Good Morning Scotland and Newsdrive. Later, my role was extended to include TV and I started appearing on Reporting Scotland.
Later still, the job changed technically as well so that now I self-shoot most stories with my own camera and edit them myself on a laptop. Changed days!
Without doubt the biggest story we ever dealt with during the 30 years was the Lockerbie Disaster. It was still in the days of Radio Solway and, as well as telling the news of what happened and the aftermath, we provided a vital information link between the authorities and the community.
It may have happened in 1988, but Lockerbie has never gone away as a story and remains in the headlines today as the 25th anniversary approaches.
In 1995, I was privileged to go to America for the dedication of the Lockerbie memorial in Arlington cemetery and got to know some of the bereaved relatives on their "patch".
The hospitality and kindness shown me will never be forgotten. Then, in 2000 and 2001, I spent a considerable time at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands covering the trial and subsequent appeal of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.
Apart from Lockerbie issues, the start of this millennium was an incredibly busy news time in Dumfries and Galloway with the Solway Harvester fishing disaster in January 2000 and the foot and mouth outbreak in February 2001. These stories both ran for several months and were far-reaching in their impact.
Thirty years on I think the triple role fulfilled by the news staff in Dumfries is a very vital one, appreciated by viewers, listeners and online readers.
Despite budget restraints, the BBC in Scotland has remained committed to its local output and having regional reporters round the country to ensure it remains a truly national network. | Before Radio Solway went on air, I was a reporter on the Dumfries and Galloway Standard and was approached to see if I would be interested in preparing and broadcasting sports bulletins on Friday and Monday on the Solway Report half-hour morning news programme. | 22270266 |
Gijon are 18th in La Liga, after losing seven of their last eight league games.
Abelardo, 46, a Gijon native, played for the club for five years and took over as head coach in 2014.
"I don't have a problem writing off the money," said Abelardo. "There are more important things - loyalty to my club above all."
The ex-Spain and Barcelona defender, who was in tears during the news conference, will be replaced by former Girona, Valladolid and Levante coach Rubi. | Abelardo has left his role as Sporting Gijon head coach, but refused a reported four million euros (£3.5m) in compensation. | 38665972 |
But the shortlist is dominated by surprise hit Camille Rewinds (Camille Redouble), which has 13 nominations.
The crowd-pleasing comedy follows a young woman who goes back in time to her teenage years.
Emmanuelle Riva - recipient of one of Amour's five Oscar nods - will be up for best actress at next month's Cesar ceremony.
So is Rust and Bone star Marion Cotillard, who has also been nominated for a Bafta for her performance.
Rust and Bone, about a whale trainer whose life is irrevocably changed by a tragic accident, has nine nominations in all.
They include citations for best film, best music and best director (Jacques Audiard).
Dark fantasy Holy Motors, which divided critics at Cannes last year, also received nine nominations, including best film and best actor (Denis Lavant).
The latter faces competition from Amour's Jean-Louis Trintignant, while Holy Motors' Edith Scob competes with Amour's Isabelle Huppert in the supporting actress category.
Ken Loach's The Angel's Share, Ben Affleck's Argo and Denmark's A Royal Affair are among the titles shortlisted in the foreign film category.
Some 3,400 people from across the French film industry took part in the voting process to determine this year's nominations.
The awards, hosted by actor and former Eurotrash presenter Antoine du Caunes, will be presented on 22 February in Paris.
The Academy Awards take place two days later in Los Angeles, two weeks after the Bafta Film Awards in London. | Oscar hopeful Amour (Love) is up for 10 prizes at this year's Cesars, France's prestigious annual film awards. | 21198923 |
In 1666, fires in London were quite common. Homes didn't have electricity, so real flames were used for lighting, cooking, and heating homes.
Also buildings were made out of using wooden timbers and were built closely together, so once they'd started it was pretty easy for fires to spread.
No fire had ever grown as big as the Great Fire of London before.
The summer of 1666 had been particularly dry, with drought making it more likely that fires would spread.
It's thought that the fire started in a baker's shop early in the morning.
The shop belonged to the king's baker, Thomas Farynor, in Pudding Lane.
With strong winds, the fire spread quickly down Pudding Lane, towards the River Thames and London Bridge.
As the fire reached the River Thames, it passed over warehouses full of flammable materials like oil, which quickly set on fire. After just a few hours, London Bridge was on fire too.
The fire was stopped from reaching the south side of the river because a section of the bridge was missing.
Famous buildings including St Paul's Cathedral, The Royal Exchange, and the Guildhall were completely destroyed, as well as 13,200 houses, and 87 parish churches.
Firefighting was much more basic in 1666, and people didn't know nearly as much about stopping fires as we do today.
Fire brigades used leather buckets, axes and water to try and stop the fire but, unsurprisingly, they didn't work very well.
Instead, a plan was suggested to blow up houses in the path of the fire, so that there would be an area with no houses to act as fuel for the fire to keep growing.
The Navy used gunpowder to destroy the buildings and by the next morning, the fire had been stopped.
Up to a third of the city was destroyed and more than 70 thousand people were made homeless.
Six people were recorded to have lost their lives as a result of the fire but it's thought many more could have died. | The 2 September 2016 marks 350 years since the start of the Great Fire of London, which changed the skyline of the capital city forever. | 37222884 |
The advert promoted an article headlined, "The United States was founded as a white people's republic."
Mr Dorsey tweeted that the firm had "made a mistake" and blamed an automated system.
However, according to reports, Twitter had originally said a screenshot of the advert appeared to be fake.
When the ad was first brought to Twitter's attention by writer and musician Ariana Lenarsky, a spokesperson told the website Motherboard that the screenshot she provided looked "either old or photoshopped".
Ms Lenarsky said she would leave the site until the firm apologised.
"Acknowledgement from [Jack Dorsey] & [Twitter] is great, but it really isn't over," she has now tweeted.
"We must continue to hold feet to the fire on this stuff."
The Twitter account of the group behind the ad, known as New Order, has now been suspended.
Last year, a right-wing activist claimed he had been able to promote a tweet which began "whites need to stand up for one another" using Twitter's advertising tools to target specific users, reported Slate.
This week Twitter announced new tools for tackling abuse, which includes hate speech, on its platform. | Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey has apologised after an advert for a white supremacist group appeared on the social media platform. | 38025593 |
A Football Association commission ruled the player should not have been sent off during Saturday's 2-1 victory.
Referee Lee Mason dismissed the forward in added time following an aerial challenge with Erik Pieters.
"The red card is a big mistake of the referee or maybe of the fourth referee or maybe the linesman," said Saints boss Ronald Koeman after the match.
"Sadio is trying to put his head to the ball. Even Pieters told me afterwards there was nothing," he added.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes said he was "as surprised as anybody" at the dismissal.
"I don't think that he has caught him. I think he has challenged for the ball. He hasn't thrown an arm or anything," said Hughes.
Mane will not now have to serve any suspension. | Southampton forward Sadio Mane's red card against Stoke has been overturned following an appeal. | 35803664 |
Spanish police said they were holding 21 people who allegedly trafficked cannabis to the city hidden in packs of marble tiles.
Merseyside Police arrested three further suspects.
Spain's Policia Nacional also said five cannabis production centres had been dismantled, and thousands of plants seized.
Footage of part of the operation was posted on the force's Twitter feed. | Twenty-four people have been arrested over a suspected plot to smuggle drugs to Liverpool from Spain. | 39991116 |
Sadie Jenkins, 28, of Newport, attacked them while in a drug-induced trance after prolonged amphetamine abuse.
She was cleared of two counts of attempted murder on the grounds of insanity.
At Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, Miss Jenkins was handed the order, which requires drug testing at least once a week.
Her trial heard Miss Jenkins was psychotic and out of touch with reality when she attacked the children with a 6in (15cm) kitchen knife on 7 May 2014.
After wounding the children, she used the knife on herself and later told doctors: "The voices told me to do it".
In the hours before the attack, she was convinced she been sent a "secret message" via US TV show CSI.
The court heard the children were attacked with a steak knife while Miss Jenkins was "in the grip of a psychosis, induced by your past illegal drug taking".
Mrs Justice Carr described the case as a "tragedy" and said Miss Jenkins would take amphetamines on a daily basis and there was "no excuse" for her drug abuse.
She added: "They [the children] will be physically and emotionally scarred forever.
"Because of your psychosis, you did not know what you were doing was wrong."
The court was told that medical experts said she did not require treatment in hospital and that Miss Jenkins has fully recovered from her psychosis.
"Providing you remain drug-free and mentally stable, you present a low risk of re-offending," said Mrs Justice Carr.
Miss Jenkins has taken several drug tests since her arrest and has tested negative every time. | A woman who slit the throats of two children has been given a two-year supervision order. | 33282683 |
The top of the hall at City University caved in at around 14:30 local time (06:30 GMT) over an area of 900 sq m (320 sq ft), police say.
Eyewitnesses say the collapse, which occurred above the hall's badminton facilities, sounded like an explosion.
Such accidents are unusual in Hong Kong, where safety standards are generally high.
Venkat Saraenji, a student at the university, told the South China Morning Post the collapse had been "quite loud" and could be heard for "20 seconds".
"Someone ran out of it and screamed, 'explosion, explosion'," he said. "The exam season was over, otherwise it would have been full of students..."
Two men and a woman were taken to hospital, a police spokeswoman told the BBC.
In a statement, the university said: "To the best of our knowledge at this time, no other persons were trapped inside the hall and the prime focus now is to ensure that the facility is safe."
Police are investigating the incident. | The roof of a sports hall at a university in Hong Kong collapsed on Friday, injuring three people. | 36343302 |
Martin's inclusion for the opening two World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Lithuania has surprised many observers.
He narrowly missed the target with a volley and a header as the Scots were held 1-1 by Lithuania on Saturday.
"I had Chris at Norwich and he is not going to run in behind people, he can't do that," Lambert told BBC Sportsound.
"He hasn't got the speed to do it. If you ask him to link play up and get hold of the ball and, if a chance comes his way, he is one of the most natural finishers I have ever worked with. There is no problem with his finishing.
"But, if a team lies deep against you, like Lithuania, there is nowhere for him to run because he hasn't got the pace to run in behind.
"But he can certainly lay it off for someone else - and the guy is a natural finisher."
Martin, 27, scored 23 goals in 48 games in Lambert's first season in charge of Norwich City, 2009-10, before his scoring form tailed off and he spent time on loan at Crystal Palace, Swindon Town and Derby County.
The 2013-14 season, in which he plundered 25 goals in 51 games for Derby, led to a Scotland debut and he has scored 21 and 16 goals respectively - including a first for his country - in the past two seasons.
Although he has yet to score in 12 club games for Derby and Fulham - where he is on loan - this season, and his last 20 in all, Lambert believes he can prosper for Scotland with someone alongside him.
"For me, if Chris is playing up front, I think he needs someone up around him, whether that is Leigh Griffiths or Oliver Burke, who I think is a brilliant talent. Then you have support round about Chrissy.
"He is a natural finisher if you get a service to him with someone in behind him, but he is not going to run over the top of people. No disrespect, but he can't do that."
Lambert, who won 40 caps for Scotland between 1995 and 2003 and played at the 1998 World Cup, believes Scotland will still "have a big say" in their World Cup qualifying group, despite Saturday's setback.
"It may not be the most talented group of players Scotland have ever had, but they have great endeavour and enthusiasm and I do think they will be close," he said.
"They might pick up points where nobody expects them to. I don't think there is much between the teams in the group - and I include England in that.
"Scotland normally need to go away and get a result somewhere and this campaign will be no different."
Lambert, who won the Champions League in 1997 during a 16-month spell with German club Borussia Dortmund, believes 19-year-old winger Burke will benefit hugely from his recent £13m move to RB Leipzig.
"He is at a club where he will get properly schooled tactically," the 47-year-old added. "He is raw at the moment, but that will come.
"He will learn how to high press - when to go, when not to go - and different methods. There will be little things like going to hotels at different times, training at different times.
"He will do things differently, live differently and he will grow up really quickly. It brings you on as a person.
"I was fortunate enough to play with a team that had world-class players. Leipzig are a bit away from that, but they are a developing club that is going places.
"He is at a really good club where I am sure he will get a lot of help. For a 19-year-old to have that opportunity is fantastic and I am glad he has done it." | Scotland need to play another forward alongside Chris Martin to get the best out of him, according to his former manager Paul Lambert. | 37602051 |
In the latest edition of its journal, the John Muir Trust (JMT) said the animal had been demonised in the UK.
It has raised the issue of bringing back the wolf as part of a wider discussion on "rewilding" the UK.
JMT said that over the next few months it hoped to stimulate debate on returning areas to more natural states.
In the John Muir Trust Journal, chief executive Stuart Brooks said the charity wanted to help develop a practical vision on rewilding.
Rewilding includes controlling grazing by domestic and wild animals so native trees and plants can flourish.
Mr Brooks also said: "We want to establish a more cohesive context for species reintroductions based on what is possible as well as desirable."
His comments accompany an article by the charity's communications chief Susan Wright and head of land and science Mike Daniels.
In the article, they said wolf ecotourism was growing in other parts of Europe, but also noted a cull of wolves in Sweden.
They said: "There is no ecological reason why wolves couldn't come back - we have the climate, the habitat and the food.
"Many are afraid of the 'big bad wolf' even though they are far more likely to be harmed by their pet dogs, or indeed their horses, than by a wolf, if it were present."
The wolf was hunted to extinction in Scotland in the 1700s with some of the last killed in Sutherland and Moray.
Today, European wolves can now only be seen in captivity, such as at the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, near Aviemore.
However, wolves have continued to feature on a list of Scottish wildlife that people have concerns about in terms of conservation.
A small number of respondents to the latest Scottish Nature Omnibus Survey mentioned the mammal when asked what wildlife they were most worried about.
Deer, red squirrel and Scottish wildcat topped the list.
Commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage, the survey is held on a regular basis to gauge public awareness of Scotland's natural world, and the efforts to protect and manage it.
Wolves have featured in the survey since 2011. Just 1% of respondents mentioned the predator in the latest survey.
However, people did rate it ahead of creatures that do inhabit Scotland and have conservation issues, such as puffins, voles, red kites and ptarmigan.
Wolves were driven to extinction by persecution and hunting. Chieftains and royalty led some of the hunting parties.
One attended by Queen Mary in 1563 employed 2,000 Highlanders and ended in the deaths of five wolves and 360 deer.
Huge swathes of forest in Perthshire, Lochaber and Argyll were systematically destroyed to deprive wolves of their habitat.
The remains of a wolf trap have also been found at Moy, near Inverness, dating from between the 16th and 18th centuries.
Wolves were lured by bait onto a carefully weighted plank above a deep pit covered with brush wood.
Animals killed near Brora, in Sutherland, in 1700 and another at Findhorn, in Moray, in 1743 were among Scotland's last.
More recently there has been debate on the release wolves in Scotland, including into a large enclosed area at the Alladale Estate in Sutherland. | A landscape conservation charity has said there was "no ecological reason" why wolves could not be reintroduced to Scotland. | 27445875 |
The aim is to help conserve wildlife and its habitats, including spiny lobsters and stalked jellyfish.
Conservation organisations say they are pleased but they, along with fishermen's groups, are also worried about how it will be managed. | More than twenty new marine conservation zones are being set up around the UK coastline. | 35337769 |
East Cork Crane Hire was working as a contractor at the Slieve Rushen wind farm.
The wind farm was part of Séan Quinn's business empire but is now owned by investment fund Platina Partners.
Aidan Kelleher, from East Cork Crane Hire, told the BBC he was not prepared to put his workers in danger.
On Tuesday, a placard was erected in Derrylin threatening executives who now run one part of the former Quinn group.
Police condemned the threats.
"This is part of an ongoing campaign of intimidation directed at a local company and we are keen to speak to anyone who noticed anything suspicious in and around the area on Monday night or Tuesday morning," Det Insp Brian Foster said.
"This is a deplorable act of intimidation against members of the local business community and we would appeal to anyone who observed this sign being erected."
"This was aimed at a firm working at the Slieve Rushen wind farm.
"A crane hire company had brought equipment onto the site yesterday to carry out essential maintenance to some turbines, but last night a threat was made that the equipment would be set on fire if it was not removed from the mountain.
"Aidan Kelleher the managing director of East Cork Crane Hire, has told the BBC that he was not prepared to put his workers in danger.
"This afternoon those cranes left Derrylin in a convoy.
"Now other workers have been threatened too.
"Last month, bullets and a warning letter were sent to a Danish-owned energy company that had been working at the site.
"Part of this dispute is about access rights and land ownership.
"The wind farm is now owned by an energy investment fund and I was up there yesterday, spectacular views across Fermanagh's lakes, but there is also a high level of security there too."
Mr Quinn, a former billionaire businessman from County Fermanagh, lost control of his manufacturing businesses in 2011 following a disastrous bet on shares in Anglo Irish Bank.
The consortium of banks and other lenders that took over the group gradually sold off its various divisions.
There has been a long series of sabotage and vandalism on businesses which were once owned by Mr Quinn.
These include incidents where vehicles and machinery were set on fire, power lines cut down and other arson and vandalism attacks causing hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage.
In April 2014, one of Northern Ireland's biggest construction firms pulled out of plans to buy a former Quinn group business after a series of death threats and attacks on property.
The Lagan Group had planned to buy the former Quinn roof tiles business.
Mr Quinn has recently said that he and his family "condemned and will continue to condemn all negative activity" in the area. | A crane hire company which had been working at a wind farm near Derrylin, County Fermanagh, has pulled out after receiving threats. | 36094755 |
Jay Whiston was 17 years old when he was murdered by Edward Redman in Colchester in 2012.
Jay's mother Caroline Shearer, of Clacton, became an active campaigner on the dangers of knife crime after her son's death.
She said she had decided to stand as an independent for the Clacton seat, which has been held by Douglas Carswell.
LIVE: For more on this and other Essex stories
In her message on Facebook, Mrs Shearer said: "I've gone and done it.
"I will now be intending to stand for Independent MP for Clacton and Tendring.
"I'm not interested in what other parties have done. It is about what we can do.
"I've created a charity to help reduce crime in the community. That's been my life since my son died.
"I'm now prepared to hand that all over so I can help people."
She said she wanted to try and solve the various problems in the Tendring area of north east Essex.
Former major UKIP donor Mr Banks admitted earlier this week knowing "nothing" about Clacton despite announcing he would be standing for election there. He has not confirmed which party he will stand for.
Following his announcement, the incumbent Mr Carswell, an independent who previously represented UKIP and the Conservatives, said he would not be seeking re-election. | The mother of a murdered teenager has announced she will be standing against Arron Banks in the General Election. | 39672433 |
The accounts were reportedly run by one "co-ordinated group".
Most of the articles were related to businesses, business people, or artists.
Some of the businesses alleged that they had been scammed by the rogue editors, Wikipedia said.
Volunteer editors on English Wikipedia announced the move after weeks of probing.
The investigation, called "Orangemoody" after the first rogue account identified, revealed that the suspect accounts were "sock puppets" - a term that refers to people creating fake online identities to promote a certain viewpoint, often while having a personal or paid interest.
In addition to blocking the 381 "sock puppet" accounts, the editors deleted 210 articles created by them.
The articles "often included biased or skewed information, unattributed material, and potential copyright violations," Wikimedia Foundation members Ed Erhart and Juliet Barbara wrote in a blog post.
Some of the companies and people involved said they had been scammed, Wikipedia said.
Article subjects may have suffered from "continued shakedowns by bad actors", it added.
There were allegations of demands for payment, and complaints that articles were being deleted despite payments being made.
The list of businesses and artists that said they had been scammed included a UK holiday firm, and a former Britain's Got Talent contestant, the Independent reported.
Quality Villas, a Berkhamsted-based holiday company, was one of the businesses that said it had been approached for money.
Dan Thompson, the firm's general manager, told the BBC that he had tried to create a Wikipedia page in June.
Shortly afterwards, he received an email from someone claiming to be from Wikipedia, who offered to help get the firm's page online. Later, he was asked to pay $400 (£260) for the edits.
"I'd never written a post for Wikipedia before," he said. "For me it seemed like an easy solution."
After he paid via PayPal, the page was deleted. He said with hindsight it was easy to see it had been a scam, but at the time it had appeared convincing.
"I can't see a great chance of getting anything back," he added.
The edits made on all of the accounts were similar enough that investigators believed they were made by one co-ordinated group.
Not all paid editing is out of bounds on Wikipedia. Several prominent public relations firms have signed an agreement to abide by Wikipedia's paid editing guidelines.
Museum and university employees around the world also edit by disclosing their official affiliations.
The last time hundreds of accounts were blocked on Wikipedia was in October 2013, when Wikipedia editors expressed "shock and dismay" at the discovery of more than 250 user accounts set up to make paid-for entries. | Wikipedia has blocked 381 accounts for what it has called "black hat" editing - people being paid to create promotional articles without disclosing who they represent. | 34127466 |
The data is the latest evidence that the US economy is growing strongly and adds to speculation that there could be an interest rate rise next month.
The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 0.8% in October from the month before, and were up 4.3% from a year earlier.
In addition, September's sales increase was revised up to 1.0% from 0.6%.
The combined sales rise over September and October was the largest two-month gain since early 2014.
The Commerce Department said there was strong demand for building materials in the wake of hurricane Matthew.
In addition, car sales rose 1.1% last month after an increase of 1.9% in September. Spending at service stations increased by 2.2% in October as petrol prices rose.
The dollar strengthened following the data, amid speculation that US interest rates could be increased in December.
Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve - which holds its next policy meeting on 13-14 December - said it judged the case for an increase in rates had continued to strengthen.
The US economy created 161,000 jobs last month, and the same data release showed the number of jobs created for the months of August and September was revised up. | Retail sales in the US rose faster than expected in October, helped by strong car sales, figures have shown. | 37985227 |
Postman Martin Noble had to flee his home in Carlisle in the early hours of 5 December when Storm Desmond hit.
He thought he had contacted to Cumbria Community Foundation for help, but only realised three weeks ago he had forgotten to press send.
The family has now received help and Mr Noble said "despair" had been lifted.
Postman Mr Noble, who had been living in the city's Warwick Road, said: "We thought that we didn't qualify and that's why we hadn't heard anything.
"I re-sent the application when I realised I hadn't sent it in the first place and I got a phone call the next morning offering a grant.
"On that Saturday in December, a policeman knocked just after midnight and said we had to evacuate immediately. We lost everything - all our white goods and furniture."
The Community Foundation said almost 1,000 families out of the 5,300 made homeless by Storm Desmond were still in temporary accommodation.
It has now re-launched its appeal to raise money for its relief fund.
Andy Beeforth, chief executive, said: "We know that there are people out there who were flooded and still haven't come forward for help.
"We think this is partly because some people still think they are not eligible for a grant or that someone else is in greater need."
Mr Noble, his wife Selina and daughter Daisy are in temporary accommodation in Wigton and friends rallied round donating furniture.
He added: "We had maxed out our credit cards.
"There were so many times we were in tears and wondered how we were going to get through. For so long it was so bleak.
"You can't believe the happiness we feel now." | A flood victim went without financial help for 10 months because he forgot to hit "send" on an e-mail, it has emerged. | 37494313 |
Second-quarter revenues rose by 26.6% to a record £133.8m, with commercial revenues up 42.5% to £66.1m.
Broadcast revenue rose 31.3% to £37.3m and sponsorship revenue rose by £1.6m, but matchday income was down 1.6%.
The Red Devils currently lie fifth in the Premier League table and have been knocked out of the Champions League.
"Our solid results off the pitch help contribute to what remains our number one priority - success on the pitch," said executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
United's chances of qualification for next season's Champions League hang in the balance after an inconsistent season under Louis van Gaal.
Majority-owned by the American Glazer family, they are six points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City.
Leicester have a five-point lead at the top of the table - and defeated City last weekend with a team that cost £22.5m.
"Leicester is a fantastic reference point for everybody this year," said Woodward in a conference call with investors on Thursday.
"Some players are bought by other clubs with an eye to them developing into something special in a few years' time whereas there's perhaps more pressure on bigger clubs to bring in players who are going to hit the ground running, top players verging on world class almost immediately. There is a slightly different market in which people are buying."
The BBC understands Van Gaal's position is precarious after learning that Jose Mourinho has held talks with the club about taking over in the summer. | Manchester United are on track to become the first British club to earn more than £500m in one year despite their lack of success on the pitch. | 35548741 |
One diplomat described as amateurish Greece's attempts to unlock bailout funds from the EU and IMF.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said it was up to international creditors to "turn to realism".
But Germany's European Commissioner said if talks failed Greece would come under a state of emergency.
Without a cash-for-reforms debt deal with the EU and IMF, Greece is expected to default on a €1.5bn (£1.1bn; $1.7bn) debt repayment to the IMF due by the end of the month.
The Athens government's bailout deal with the EU also runs out on 30 June and Mr Tsipras has been trying to unlock the final €7.2bn instalment.
European Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, who is also a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right CDU, said that on 1 July Greece would have to be considered an "emergency area", affecting police salaries, medicines, energy and other fields.
CDU figures in Germany lined up to criticise Greece's position, with deputy party leader Volker Bouffier condemning Greek demands as unrealistic and Julia Kloeckner from the party executive accusing Mr Tsipras of overplaying his hand.
Even the head of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) in Germany's coalition, Sigmar Gabriel, who has been seen as more sympathetic to the Greek position, warned the Athens government that time was running out. "Everywhere in Europe, the sentiment is growing that enough is enough," he wrote in Bild newspaper.
One European Union official said the clock was already at five-past-midnight, and although eurozone finance ministers were poised for last-ditch talks on Thursday, "at this stage there's nothing to discuss".
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said emergency credit would continue to be provided for Greek banks as long as they were "solvent and have sufficient collateral", but he refused to say what might happen if Greece missed any debt repayments.
How close is Greece to Grexit?
Greece special report
Speaking to Greek newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton, Mr Tsipras warned that "further cuts to pensions after five years of looting under the bailouts can only be viewed as serving political expediency".
"We will patiently wait until creditors turn to realism. We have no right to bury the European democracy in the land where it was born."
But European Commission spokeswoman Annika Breidthardt rejected his assertion that creditors were seeking pension or wages cuts. They only wanted Athens to phase out early retirement and remove "incorrect incentives for early retirement".
Greece had already agreed to specific targets for its primary surplus, she said, with 1% of GDP this year, followed by 2% in 2016 and 3.5% by 2018.
What was important was agreeing how to achieve that.
She said a deal had been reached on changes to VAT rates, with a standard rate of 23%, a second reduced rate of 13% and another "super reduced" rate of 6% on books and medicines.
However, while creditors were expecting annual savings of 1% of GDP in pensions and VAT, Greece later presented calculations that indicated far smaller reductions. As much as €1.8bn had been expected in pension savings, but Greece came up with only €71m, the spokeswoman said.
"The Greek government is playing with fire," said Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, warning time and patience were running out. The prevailing mood is one of irritation as the need to find a solution grows more urgent.
Greek Finance Minister Yannis Varoufakis, in an interview with tabloid newspaper Bild, ruled out a Grexit but took the opportunity to reiterate demands for Greek debt to be restructured and for emergency talks led by Angela Merkel.
Perhaps that's no surprise. The chancellor has made it clear she wants to keep Greece in the eurozone. But she has reportedly acknowledged the possibility of a Grexit and is under pressure domestically on Greece. One conservative colleague, Wolfgang Bosbach, has threatened to resign rather than support another bailout deal.
€320bn
Greece's debt mountain
€240bn
European bailout
€56bn Greece owes Germany
177% country's debt-to-GDP ratio
25% fall in GDP since 2010
26% Greek unemployment rate
IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard, in a blog post, explained that Greece needed to reduce pension expenditure - which already accounted for more than 16% of GDP - by 1% of GDP. He also argued it could be done while protecting the poorest pensioners.
As pressure on Greece intensified, shares in Greece tumbled, with some bank stocks falling by more than 10%.
In a further sign of widespread German frustration, the head of the influential IFO Institute for Economic Research, Hans-Werner Sinn, said he believed the Berlin government should refuse further funding for the Greek economy.
A leading MP in Mr Tsipras's left-wing Syriza party, deputy speaker Alexis Mitropoulos, said if talks failed the prime minister would have to consider either a referendum or fresh elections.
Mr Tsipras's Syriza-led coalition swept to power in late January, with an anti-austerity mandate. | EU officials and German politicians have vented their frustration at Greece, with time running out for reaching a debt deal. | 33136664 |
The road was shut in both directions between J3 for Halesowen and J4 for Bromsgrove shortly after 09:00 BST.
All lanes reopened just after midday and normal traffic conditions are expected soon, said Highways England.
The man was freed from his car and taken to hospital, said the Central Motorway Policing Group. | The M5 motorway was closed for an air ambulance to land to treat a man freed from his overturned car. | 36119590 |
The prime minister made the promise of warship HMS Bulwark, two patrol boats and three helicopters at an emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
An estimated 800 people died when their boats sank off Libya on Sunday.
"I think it is right for Britain to step forward," Mr Cameron said.
"It was a positive meeting because other countries are joining Britain in offering military assets in order that will help to save lives.
"But what's emerging is what we need which is a comprehensive plan, going after the criminal gangs, going after the traffickers, going after the owners of the boats, potentially taking action there as well."
He said the Royal Navy will be "saving lives, not offering people asylum in the UK" and they would take migrants to Italy "or to other nearby countries".
The European Union withdrew funding for Italy's "Mare Nostrum" search and rescue operation last year, replacing it with the smaller Operation Triton.
Following the crisis talks, European leaders are to triple funding for search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean to €9m (£6.5m).
The EU will also look at ways to capture and destroy smugglers' boats, officials said.
Earlier, funerals for 24 of the victims of Sunday's disaster were held in Malta.
In London, protestors gathered for a mass "die-in" in Parliament Square to advocate migrant rights.
"Protect people, not borders", "#dontletthemdrown" and "detention centres, shut them down" were among the messages on the protestors' placards. | David Cameron has said a "comprehensive plan" is needed to tackle migrant traffickers as he pledged military assets to boost search and rescue efforts in the Mediterranean. | 32435401 |
Brendan Rodgers has signed just one player, Moussa Dembele, since taking over as manager, but said on Tuesday he is looking at "a couple" more.
"Getting players out first and foremost will be the objective," former Celtic keeper Bonner told BBC Scotland.
"It will take a bit of time. I would expect Brendan to bring in a few before the [Champions League] deadline."
If Celtic overturn a 1-0 Champions League deficit against Gibraltan part-timers Lincoln Red Imps on Wednesday, they would have until 23:00 BST on Thursday, 21 July to complete any signings if they were to be available for the third qualifying round starting next week.
A further play-off round follows on 16/17 and 23/24 August before the group stages get under way in mid-September.
Bonner believes 20-year-old striker Dembele will prove a good signing, and identified other positions where the Scottish champions need to strengthen.
"Dembele is young and not 100% fit yet," the Irishman said. "I think he will turn into a very good player - that's a position where they needed to strengthen.
"There are other positions like midfield - someone on the ball to make those killer passes forward - and the centre-half position has been hit by injury.
"If he can bring in a few players, then you'll see what Brendan is all about and what kind of team he wants to play on the pitch. That'll be interesting for me."
Rodgers himself admits he "inherited a huge squad" and knows "we need to trim it".
As the manager stressed on Tuesday, Bonner believes Celtic's supporters will "need to be patient" at Parkhead on Wednesday after what he labelled the "shocking result" in Gibraltar.
If they prevail on aggregate, Celtic will play either Astana of Kazakhstan or Lithuanians Zalgiris Vilnius in the third qualifying round over the next fortnight.
"I think Celtic have enough about them to score early on," Bonner added. "They'll go on and handsomely win the game.
"The underdog is always looking to maintain the 0-0 scoreline in the first half hour and into half-time, then hope that the crowd will turn on the home team.
"But the fans need to be patient. Brendan is in the role now and there are huge expectations and [the fans] are expecting big things.
"I do believe that he has to be given time to get his own players in and make his own stamp on this team." | Pat Bonner believes Celtic will have to sell players to make room in the squad before they bring in any more recruits. | 36844548 |
LG showed off a set that can be fitted almost flat against a wall while Samsung teased a new kind of TV - designed to look like a painting - that displays art when not in use.
Samsung also unveiled a flagship set boasting greater brightness levels than before.
Others, including Sony, also revealed new models.
Samsung's flagship 75in (190cm) QLED 4K TV features the latest version of its quantum dot technology - tiny particles that emit different colours of light. These now feature a metal material that the firm says allows for better colour reproduction.
Samsung has decided to stick with a curved display for its high-end models - despite criticism from some experts that viewing angles suffer with such designs.
The QLED TV can achieve HDR (high dynamic range) brightness of between 1,500 and 2,000 nits - one nit equalling the light from a candle.
"It's insanely bright," said Jack Wetherill, a tech analyst at Futuresource.
"That is pretty power hungry one would imagine, but if they're going down the route of getting as good a picture as they can out of it, then fair enough."
This sets it apart from other set makers who use another premium TV screen technology, OLED (organic light-emitting diode).
Such screens use a carbon-based film allowing the panel to emit its own light, rather than being backlit - this enables the ultra thin designs.
Quantum dot TVs might not be able to display the deepest blacks possible with OLED, but they are generally brighter.
LG's new OLED 4K TV was as thin as last year's - just 2.57mm thick - and will be available in 65 and 77in models.
But the firm has now designed a new mount that uses magnets so the set can be fixed flat against a wall, which the firm says means it doesn't cast "a single shadow".
LG also announced its latest TVs would support four HDR formats - including Hybrid Log-Gamma jointly developed by the BBC and the Japanese broadcaster NHK. This will allow sport and other live broadcasts to be shown in the format.
Many experts agree that HDR makes a huge difference to the TV picture, making it seem richer and allowing for higher levels of contrast between light and dark tones.
"It is more vibrant, the colours are more distinctive," said Mr Wetherill.
"It does bring a much more impressive and immersive experience - no question about that."
It is not yet clear which format will become popular with content-makers, so LG's inclusion of all four should ensure it does not become obsolete if and when a winner emerges.
Samsung also showed off images of its new Lifestyle TV, which it described as "a beautiful, always-on, truly smart display that transforms the TV to art".
It comes in a wooden frame, in an attempt to look like a painting.
Sony also announced a new 4K OLED TV - its first - the latest in its Bravia range.
As well as an HDR processor that can upscale standard dynamic range content to "near 4K HDR quality", the set has also dispensed with in-built speakers.
Instead, it emits sound via vibrations produced on the surface of the screen itself.
This wasn't demonstrated at the press conference, noted Mr Wetherill, but it was, he said, "an interesting concept".
Panasonic did not discuss its OLED TV plans at its press conference, though it is possible a prototype will be on the CES trade show floor.
At last year's consumer electronics show IFA in Berlin, the company had said it would release details of the TV during the winter.
Follow all our CES coverage at bbc.co.uk/ces2017 | South Korean tech giants LG and Samsung have launched TVs that aim to better blend in to consumers' living rooms. | 38514171 |
The 26-year-old striker netted 23 goals for County last season, lifting them from a relegation battle and finishing the term as the Premiership's leading scorer.
His predatory powers alerted Burton Albion and a move to the English Championship followed.
The Northern Ireland international's departure leaves a void at County, partially filled by the arrival of Thomas Mikkelsen.
County's pre-season preparations included a trip to La Manga ahead of their tilt at the new Premiership season.
"We're working hard," Ross County assistant boss Billy Dodds tells BBC Scotland. "It's double sessions and work, I'm afraid, even though we're in a lovely spot.
"The holidays are over. We get a month (off) and it flies by very quickly. It's back to the grind. The boys have been great and we've been back for nearly two weeks now."
"He was huge for us. You look at what happened at Dundee when you took out Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart last season - they struggled to score goals. So, if you take that number of goals out of any team then it hurts you. It was a great feat for Liam Boyce to be the top scorer in Scotland.
"If you take 23 goals out of your team then you need to replace them, it's as simple as that. That's why we've signed Thomas Mikkelsen from Odense. We're hoping he plays his part. Craig Curran and Alex Schalk are more than capable and they both played big parts last year. I'm sure they'll step up to the plate.
"Craig, Alex and Thomas can help to fill the void left by Liam. Boycie was great for the club and deserves his chance on a bigger stage. There were a few clubs in for him but Burton met the buy-out clause. He could've chosen where he was going but he's such a great lad in terms of thinking about the next stage of his career.
"A lot of footballers don't do that - they just live for the moment and get on with it. But Boycie's got a plan. He had the choice of a few clubs and opted for Burton Albion. After speaking to him, it was a case of 'I want to go to the [English] Championship, and if I do well, then you never know what might happen'.
"That was in his thoughts, it wasn't just money. He's an articulate man and he always looked at the training we were doing. I've said to him: 'There's a coach in you.' He looks at the training and talks about the set-up - he was interested in every part of the game. It wouldn't surprise me if he becomes a coach later on in life."
"We've been backed by [chairman] Roy MacGregor ever since we came here. We find it difficult to get players to come to the Highlands and we always have done. However, [manager] Jim [McIntyre] and I know what it takes now. We batter away, we chip away, we might take so many rejections from players to get two or three in and that's the way it's going to be."
"We've added a couple of boys: Sean Kelly and Jamie Lindsay and we've also signed Thomas Mikkelsen. We'd still like to get one or two more faces in but the squad's building nicely and we're fairly happy with it."
"We've just taken the boy Jamie Lindsay from Celtic, who was at Morton last year. We've signed him for the season and are delighted with him. He's a bundle of energy and has a great attitude. I spoke to Jim Duffy about him and he couldn't have spoken more highly of him. He's been out here in La Manga with us and done really well. We want energy and hunger in our team."
"It's getting harder. Now we've got Hibs back in the top flight and most of the other big clubs back. A lot of clubs will be delighted [to secure] a place in the top six; others will be delighted to remain in the Premier League. We want to try to get top six but it's getting more difficult. As long as we're in the Premier League…
"We've got a great squad and we were disappointed not to finish in the top six last season. It will probably be even more difficult this season. If we stay up and finish seventh again we can't be too disappointed. We're desperate for a good cup run."
"We would have loved Inverness to have stayed up. You cannot beat the local rivalry and I hope they come straight back up this year - and we hope Dundee United come up too, whether that's through the play-offs or automatically. They're two clubs I wish were in the Premier League and that can only be healthier for Scottish football."
"Our facilities are phenomenal. Players know that - once they come here and see it for themselves, it's a bit of a wow factor. It's not just the training ground, it's the dressing rooms, the gymnasium, the indoor facilities. It's got the wow factor and players who have come up from England say it's some of the best facilities they've played in.
"If players aren't in the top bracket down in England, the Premier League and Championship, then we're certainly up there. That's what we sell to them when they come. We have players who have done it in England, like Andrew Davies who has played at the top level. He comes up here and loves it. Once they get here they love it and Roy's a great backer.
"It's great for players to come up here and see it for themselves. But I'm not going to kid you: to get players up here, we've had so many knockbacks. If we get three or four players out of that then we've done our job." | Liam Boyce struck fear into the hearts of Scottish Premiership defenders; now Ross County are nursing a headache as to how best to replace him. | 40495505 |
The Royals were on the receiving end of a debatable handball decision in their 1-1 draw against Cardiff on 19 March.
"Managers should have two calls per game," he said. "One in the first half and another one in the second."
"You can't see any instant replays, but you can have an instant call to the officials if it's a big decision."
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McDermott revealed he had been told - once replays had been studied - a handball was missed in the build-up to Cardiff's equaliser.
"I looked at the Leicester v Southampton decision on Sunday, and for me, it's a handball," he said.
"But, that's what football's about and people make mistakes. It's a hell of a difficult call to make in real time if you're a referee or assistant.
"People don't get these things wrong deliberately."
Cricket, American football and tennis are among sports which permit appeals against decisions by officials. | Reading boss Brian McDermott believes managers and coaches should be given two chances per game to appeal against contentious refereeing decisions. | 35996111 |
The cortege left Chatsworth House for St Peter's Church at Edensor, where a service was held.
The Prince of Wales, who paid tribute to the last of the Mitford sisters who died aged 94 earlier this week, was there with the Duchess of Cornwall.
More than 600 staff from the stately home and hundreds of members of the public lined the route to the church.
The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire's body was laid to rest in a wicker coffin among the Cavendish family graves in the village churchyard.
Chatsworth Garden has been opened to the public for a celebration of her life.
By Aleena NaylorBBC Radio Derby presenter
I understand the dowager duchess attended a funeral herself and there was a wicker coffin at it.
She was absolutely enthralled by the idea.
When someone rather disparagingly said, "Well it looks like a picnic basket," she said, "Well that's what I want."
The order of service for the funeral included hymns, as well as Elvis Presley's How Great Thou Art because of the duchess's love of the singer.
The duchess transformed Chatsworth House in Derbyshire into a popular tourist attraction.
Tributes have been paid all week. Prince Charles said he would "miss her so very much".
The dowager duchess's son Peregrine, the current Duke of Devonshire, said this week his mother had always kept the family together.
"She never complained much about anything. She gets irritated by things but only briefly. Very much a 'half-full' person, optimistic and really happy," he said.
A book of condolences will be available for people to sign in Flora's Temple in Chatsworth Garden.
The Helen's Trust, which supports the terminally ill and the Addington Fund, which helps farming families, were supported by the duchess.
Donations were collected for the two charities.
Chatsworth House, farmyard, stables shops, restaurants and the Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop have been closed for the day. | The funeral of Deborah, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, has taken place on the Chatsworth estate. | 29443935 |
Stefano Brizzi, from south London, admitted dismembering PC Gordon Semple, 59, while high on crystal meth.
The 50-year-old claimed PC Semple died accidentally during a sex game but an Old Bailey jury found him guilty of murder.
He was ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years in jail.
The Italian national claimed PC Semple, who was on duty at the time, had died on 1 April during a "sex game gone wrong" when a dog leash he was wearing had slipped.
However, the court heard it would have taken far longer for him to be strangled than Brizzi's account suggested.
Brizzi denied trying to cannibalise parts of PC Semple, from Greenhithe in Kent, by cooking and then biting into a rib found in his kitchen bin.
But at his sentencing, the prosecution said an expert odontologist had since confirmed that even though Brizzi claimed not to remember it, he had in fact tried to eat human flesh.
Police found "globules" of flesh floating in the bath, bags containing bones and a part of PC Semple's head, and pools of human fat in the oven.
He also told police he had "chucked" some of PC Semple's body into the Thames and thrown away his police badge and belongings.
The judge said there were "terrible features" of the case and that Brizzi's drug addiction had ruined his life.
He said: "Regret you express now for Mr Semple's death has to be seen against what you did over a number of days to his body."
The court heard Brizzi was obsessed with the American TV show Breaking Bad in which the protagonists Walter White and Jesse Pinkman dissolve a rival drug dealer in a bathtub filled with acid.
When police visited Brizzi's flat on the Peabody Estate in south London, he told them how he thought he was "getting away with it" and was planning to finish disposing of the body later that day.
In mitigation, Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC blamed Brizzi's crystal meth addiction as she accepted the expert evidence.
She said Brizzi had "absolutely no recollection" of it and was "utterly horrified by it".
The court heard Brizzi had gone to Crystal Meth Anonymous meetings, but upset people by wearing a Breaking Bad T-shirt as the show "glorified" the drug.
The pair had arranged a "hot, dirty, sleazy session" having met on gay dating app Grindr.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, PC Semple's older brother, Ronald Semple, said his sibling had been regarded as a "Dixon of Dock Green character", a character from a police show which was broadcast in the 1960s and 1970s.
He said his brother had worked for the force for more than 30 years and enjoyed running marathons and organising trips to France for charity.
He was a "caring and gentle person" and "much loved" by his family, who were left devastated with the news of his murder, the court heard.
Passing sentence the Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard QC, said: "The PCs on scene encountered something no amount of training could have prepared them for. I commend them both.
"Mr Semple was dearly loved by his family and friends and no sentence carried by this court can equate to the precious human life lost."
Chief Crown Prosecutor for London Baljit Ubhey said: "An evil and calculating man, Brizzi lied to the police and then to the court, claiming that Mr Semple's tragic death was caused when a sex game went horribly wrong."
She also paid tribute to how her team dealt with the challenging case, particularly considering the lengths Brizzi had gone to to remove traces of his crime. | A man who strangled a Metropolitan Police officer before trying to dissolve his body in an acid-filled bath has been jailed for life. | 38289430 |
They were sentenced at Preston Crown Court for offences including conspiring to supply Class A drugs and money laundering.
Gang leader Zahid Khan, 40, carried out the drug deals and used couriers to transport heroin, cocaine and cash.
Police had seized 1kg of heroin, 1kg of cocaine and nearly £50,000.
Lancashire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit began investigating the gang in January 2015.
They found couriers were taking drugs to and from Preston, Accrington, Bolton and Leicester.
A seventh man is due to be sentenced on 26 July. Two other men were given suspended sentences and community service after pleading guilty to money laundering offences.
Det Sgt Mark Lee said: "Our investigation revealed that Khan and his associates couriered drugs around the county and beyond and laundered the proceeds of their drug deals.
"As a result of this operation, we have dismantled a significant drugs network, taking large quantities of cocaine and heroin off our streets, ensuring that those involved in the conspiracy have been brought to justice."
A proceeds of crime investigation will follow. | Six men involved in a drugs and money-laundering network across Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Leicester have been jailed. | 36745381 |
Barton, 34, was suspended for 18 months after admitting a Football Association charge in relation to betting.
He joined the Clarets for a second spell in January after leaving Scottish Premiership side Rangers.
Winger Michael Kightly has also been released but talks are continuing with out-of-contract goalkeeper Paul Robinson and midfielder George Boyd.
Manager Sean Dyche said: "Joey leaves us for the obvious reasons after he has again been a big part of what we have achieved this season.
"Equally, Michael has been a great servant of the club and always a tremendous person to have around the group."
Burnley finished 16th in the Premier League, six points above the relegation zone. | Midfielder Joey Barton has been released by Burnley, one month after being banned from football. | 40019100 |
The study by the London School of Economics and the Institute for Fiscal Studies says the success should boost social mobility in the capital.
The proportion of pupils on free school meals in inner London obtaining five or more A*-C grades at GCSE has more than doubled over a decade, it finds.
London could offer "valuable lessons" for improving standards in other areas.
The study seeks to find out what is behind the "London effect" that has seen the performance of disadvantaged pupils improve dramatically.
In 2002, fewer than a quarter (22%) got at least five A*-C GCSEs (including maths and English) but by 2013, this had risen to nearly half - 48%.
Outside England's capital, the figure rose from 17% to 26%.
Researchers say the improvement in performance of disadvantaged children in London cannot be attributed to one single factor and is "complex and stretches back a number of years and through the education system".
However, steady improvement in the capital's schools is cited as one major factor, with improvements in primary schools playing a major role.
They found that disadvantaged pupils generally started primary school at a similar level or behind their peers elsewhere in England, but then made faster progress from the age of five to 11.
The ethnically diverse mix of London is cited as another possible factor for the capital's success, because poorer pupils from ethnic minorities tend to obtain better GCSE results than children from poor, white British backgrounds.
But the report says this only explains about one-sixth of the improvement relative to the rest of the country and most of it can be explained by rising attainment at primary level - pupils entering secondary school with better test results.
The researchers say the tide started to turn in London - "an educational success story" - before various schemes aimed at improvement were introduced.
"We show that the London advantage for poor children was present in primary and secondary schools from the mid-1990s," the report says.
"This is well before the introduction of many recent policies that have previously been cited as the reasons for London's success, such as the London Challenge or academies programme."
The study concludes that the academic success of the capital's young people is likely to gain ground.
"London's schooling success seems likely to further grow over time as age-11 test scores continue to improve relative to elsewhere in England," it says.
"Furthermore, it is striking that London's improvement appears to be driven by higher quality attainment, including higher grades and GCSE qualifications rather than lower value equivalent qualifications.
"While it is too early to observe if this trend continues at later stages, there are reasons to be optimistic that this may translate into more social mobility in the capital city," the study concludes. | High academic attainment among poorer pupils in London's schools is set to improve further, researchers suggest. | 34390467 |
The 29-year-old was suspended by USA Swimming after a conviction for drink driving in September.
He entered a short-lived retirement after London 2012, but will now bid to reach a fifth Olympic Games.
"You guys heard it here first," he told reporters at Arizona's Skyline Aquatic Centre, where he will be competing for the first time since his suspension.
"I am looking forward to next year. I don't think it's too hard to really realise why I came back."
Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, will not swim at August's World Championships in Russia, as part of an agreement with USA Swimming alongside his ban.
He will instead race at the US national championships in San Antonio, Texas, taking place at the same time as the Worlds.
"The last couple of months have probably been the hardest I've ever had to go through in my entire life,'' he added.
"I take full responsibility for all of my actions. I've hurt a lot of people and it's been terrible." | Eighteen-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps says he wants to compete at Rio 2016, after serving a six-month ban. | 32329632 |
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Hoey carded two late birdies in the high-pressure event at PGA Catalunya but his level-par 72 left him on three under, which proved two shots too many.
The five-time European Tour winner finished in a share of 37th with only the top 25 and ties earning cards.
Waterford man Gary Hurley finished tied 44th on level par after a closing 72.
As a former European Tour winner, Hoey, 37, can expect to be handed a number of starts next year including a few sponsors' invites.
However, he may opt instead to undertake a full season on the second-tier Challenge Tour which would offer him a more regular schedule.
Hoey's round on Thursday got off to a dreadful start as he bogeyed his opening 10th hole.
The Belfastman was back in contention to win a tour card as he birdied the 12th, 15th and the second but consecutive sixes at the third and fourth saw him drop back to one under.
Three late birdies helped move him back to three under but the damage had been done.
England's Nathan Kimsey led the qualifiers on 13 under after a closing 70.
That left him one ahead of overnight leader Edoardo Molinari plus Scotland's Scott Henry and Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez.
Amid one of golf's most pressurised environments, there were numerous example of last-day heartache although England's Richard McEvoy just squeezed in on the qualifying mark of five under despite a closing 76.
His compatriot Gary King was the big mover as his closing 66 moved him 39 places up to the qualifying mark. | Michael Hoey missed out on a European Tour Card as two double bogeys wrecked his chances on the final day of the qualifying school in Girona. | 38019109 |
A defence ministry spokesman said the troops would carry out reconnaissance missions and return fire if necessary.
The group is also said to have killed 11 soldiers and 13 police officers in the north-eastern state of Yobe, the Nigerian military has said.
Yobe is one of the three north-eastern states under a state of emergency.
Witnesses in the town of Buni Yadi said the attackers had arrived in several vehicles, including an armoured car, and told residents they were not going to kill civilians, only members of the security forces.
They also burnt buildings including the home of a traditional ruler and a police station.
Buni Yadi is a notoriously volatile area, where dozens of teenage school boys were killed in their dormitory last February, says the BBC's Will Ross in Abuja.
The almost daily attacks in north-east Nigeria show the massive task the Nigerian military faces, he adds.
More than 500 people have been killed since Boko Haram hit world headlines by abducting more than 200 schoolgirls from their remote boarding school in Chibok last month.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Nigerian military said it knew where the girls were, but would not attempt a rescue.
Retired US Gen Carter Ham, who was formerly one of the commanders of the US Africa Command, which liaises with African countries on military matters, told the BBC that the Nigerian government must now be considering its options:
"There are difficult options at best. Certainly a military or security force hostage rescue operation brings with it great, great risk, and I think there have been in public debate about Nigeria's capability to perform that, but... if they have an opportunity and see that is the right thing to do, they probably could."
The Nigerian military has rejected accusations that it is hampering efforts to find the kidnapped girls because of poor training and corruption.
Responding to an article in the New York Times, it said in a statement that the author of the article failed "to acknowledge the fact that this same Nigerian military have trained and conducted military exercises and operations alongside the military organisations of other nations in recent times and excelled".
Thousands of people have died since Boko Haram began a violent campaign against the Nigerian government in 2009 and in the subsequent security crackdown.
Who are Boko Haram?
Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau
Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko Haram | Cameroon has deployed about 1,000 troops to its border with Nigeria to fight the growing threat of the Islamist group, Boko Haram. | 27593163 |
Many were held for months or even years without charge, the report found.
Interrogators often questioned them about their male relatives' activities rather than the crimes in which they themselves were implicated, it said.
The government called the claims "over-exaggerated", but admitted a number of female detainees had been mistreated.
"We have some limited illegal behaviours which were practised by security forces against women prisoners," a spokesman for the human rights ministry said. "Iraq is still working to put an end to prison abuse."
He added that those responsible would be held accountable.
More than 4,500 women are currently being held in prisons across Iraq, according to the 105-page report, titled "No One is Safe" - The Abuse of Women in Iraq's Criminal Justice System.
A vast majority of them are Sunni Muslims, but the abuses documented by HRW showed "women of all sects and classes" were affected.
Many of those interviewed described being "beaten, kicked, slapped, hung upside-down and beaten on their feet, given electric shocks, and raped or threatened with sexual assault by security forces during their interrogation".
Sexual violence was so commonplace that one employee at a women's prison facility was quoted as saying: "We expect that they've been raped by police on the way to the prison."
Contrary to Iraqi law, most of the female detainees had no access to a lawyer before or during their interrogations, the study found.
"Iraqi security forces and officials act as if brutally abusing women will make the country safer," said Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East and North Africa director.
"Both men and women suffer from the severe flaws of the criminal justice system. But women suffer a double burden due to their second-class status in Iraqi society."
In late 2012, Sunnis took to the streets demanding that the Shia-led government release women who were being held without charge or because of acts of terrorism allegedly committed by their relatives.
But HRW said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had failed to carry out his promised reforms of the criminal justice system.
Several judges who tried terrorism cases alleged that some investigative judges were still committing serious violations of suspects' due process rights because of their "collusion with security officers and because of the considerable influence Maliki exerts over the judiciary", the report said.
Iraq has seen a surge in violence over the past year. Government data says more than 1,000 people died in January, which would be the highest monthly toll for almost six years.
HRW warned that the security forces' heavy-handed tactics and alleged abuses in Sunni-dominated areas were "undermining the government's military efforts" to combat insurgents linked to al-Qaeda who have attempted to take control of the cities of Falluja and Ramadi. | Iraqi security forces are detaining thousands of women illegally and subjecting them to torture and abuse, a new report by Human Rights Watch says. | 26064908 |
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