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By copying the wing anatomy of birds and bats, the researchers designed a mechanism to allow their flying robot to squeeze between obstacles and recover from impacts.
Details are published in the journal Bioinspiration and Biomimetics.
The wings are based on the ability of birds and bats to tuck their wings close into their bodies.
To achieve this, the Stanford University team built a light, flexible wing from carbon fibre and a thin membrane of plastic film.
Its bat-like design enables it to fold in and then recover, entirely passively - with no need for any other part of the robot to trigger the folding process.
The wings are attached to the drone's body with a 3D-printed wrist joint, which was also based on animal anatomy. It is hinged in such a way as to allow the rest of the wing to fold and unfold freely.
Dr David Lentink, the lead researcher on the project, said he was "surprised it worked so well'.
He added: "[We hit the robot wing] hard with a stick to see how well it could handle hard impact.
"[We] could basically use a rod like a baseball bat and hit the wing of the robot, and it would still recover just fine."
Dr Lentink explained to BBC News that the secret of this rapid, unfolding recovery was that "the wings are flapped at the root".
"This flapping induces centrifugal forces all over the wing," he explained, like the force that pulls you outward on a spinning playground roundabout.
"So as soon as the wing is folded along the designed origami-like fold line, it is forced outward by the centrifugal forces again and unfolds automatically."
The researchers say their development will help make flapping winged drones much more robust.
There is a great deal of interest in military and search and rescue applications of small, flapping-wing drones that are able to hover and carry out quick, evasive manoeuvres.
Dr Lentink said that drones needed to become much more resilient "if we ever want to safely fly through a forest or land in a tree like a bird". | Scientists have created a drone with flapping wings that can fold in and rebound following a mid-air collision. | 32068361 |
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The American, 33, won a high-quality quarter-final 3-6 6-2 6-3 in front of 15,000 spectators on Centre Court.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has now won 26 matches in a row at the majors stretching back to Wimbledon 2014.
Williams goes on to face Russian fourth seed Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals on Thursday.
She is now two wins from holding all four major singles titles, and closer to becoming the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1988 to win all four in one year, but afterwards continued her policy of not talking about the subject, saying "no Slam talk".
Williams and Sharapova will meet for the 20th time, with the American having won the last 16 encounters.
"It's been a while but she's been playing really well, she's such a fighter," Williams told BBC Sport.
"I look forward to it. I don't have anything to lose, I'm just going in there trying to win a match."
Spanish 20th seed Garbine Muguruza will play Poland's former finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, the 13th seed, in the other semi-final.
Williams came through one of the toughest tests she has faced while picking up titles at the US, Australian and French Opens to keep her amazing Grand Slam run going.
The American hit 17 aces and 46 winners to overcome Azarenka in an intense contest that lasted two hours and five minutes.
"It was really fun out there," said Williams. "I was smiling at one point and I saw Victoria smiling as well. We both really enjoyed it.
"It's been up and down, up and down, but somehow I'm still alive. I'm just happy to be here."
Azarenka knew she could trouble Williams, having taken her to three sets twice during the recent clay-court season and squandering three match points against the American in Madrid.
After surviving some early pressure on serve, the Belarusian broke for 3-1 after her power drew an error and then converted her third set point with a raking forehand winner.
The standard of hitting was remarkable, each putting the other under huge pressure on serve early in the second.
Azarenka fought off three break points in game four, Williams then saved herself with a big serve and a backhand in game five.
The key moment came when Williams broke to lead 4-2 with a dipping backhand, setting up a run of seven straight games that effectively decided the match.
Azarenka threatened to break back when offered one last chance as Williams served for the match, but almost inevitably the world number one found an ace to see off the danger and sealed victory moments later.
Former champion Sharapova withstood some heavy hitting from American Coco Vandeweghe to reach her fifth Wimbledon semi-final.
The fourth seed was under pressure after losing the second set but recovered to beat the world number 47 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 in the opening match on Centre Court.
"You have to give everything," said the 2004 winner.
"You are playing in a Wimbledon quarter-final. It's been a while since I have been in a semi at Wimbledon. I was pleased to win and it gives me a lot of confidence."
Sharapova found it hard going against Vandeweghe, who impressed in her first Grand Slam quarter-final as she hit 32 winners and dominated many of the baseline exchanges.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova was tested from the outset and survived a seven-minute opening game that included four break points.
The Russian proved the more clinical, however, breaking twice in three games to take control of the first set and again to love early in the second.
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After working her way to within sight of victory, Sharapova dropped serve to love and a fired-up Vandeweghe dominated the tie-break to set up a decider.
Again, Sharapova's experience showed as she broke three times in the final set, attacking the Vandeweghe first serve with more success to close it out after two hours and 46 minutes.
"I was pretty dominant in the first set and the beginning of the second but things slipped away after that and I had to regroup," said Sharapova, who is through to her first Wimbledon semi-final since 2011.
"My opponent was full of confidence so I knew it was going to be a tough match.
"You're in a position to win it and sometimes it doesn't quite go your way. You have to go back to what worked for you in the first set." | Top seed Serena Williams kept alive her hopes of a sixth Wimbledon title and a possible calendar Grand Slam with a three-set win over Victoria Azarenka. | 33429857 |
Extern says it has been told the Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS) must close with the loss of 47 jobs.
It says the service supports 235 families affected by issues including poverty, mental health, and addiction.
The Health and Social Care Board said the scheme was operated "on a pilot basis" for three years from 2014.
Charlie Mack of Extern said he had support from parties across the political spectrum before the election.
"I have in writing from (DUP leader) Arlene Foster two days before the election saying she was personally supportive of the project".
Mr Mack described the decision as "devastating" and "a complete false economy".
He said: "IFSS is a life-altering, and often life-saving service, which is seeing 50% more children in Belfast being removed from the child protection register, is keeping children in school, and is significantly reducing anti-social and violent behaviours".
The Health and Social Care Board said it was "working with the Belfast Trust to ensure minimum disruption and impact to these families as the pilot comes to an end".
In a statement, the Department of Health said the pilot had come to an end and there were similar levels of need across Northern Ireland:
"Our focus now will be on taking the learning from the pilot in Belfast and applying it not only to statutory family and children's services but also to other family support services."
The department said families, "will continue to be supported by statutory services, where appropriate, or connected with other non-statutory family support services in the area".
. | A Northern Ireland charity says children will be the first victims of the Stormont collapse as one of its projects is to close. | 39255264 |
Yankel Rosenthal, a former minister of investment, was arrested on Tuesday after landing at Miami airport.
His cousin Yani and uncle Jaime Rolando, a four-time presidential candidate and newspaper owner, were also charged.
They come from one of the wealthiest families in Honduras.
The three men were detained by customs officials when they landed at Miami airport on Tuesday morning.
They appeared before a federal judge in Miami on Wednesday.
The three men provided "money laundering and other services that support the international narcotics trafficking activities of multiple Central American drug traffickers and their criminal organisations," said the US Treasury Department in a statement.
Seven of their businesses were labelled under the US Kingpin Act as "specially designated narcotics traffickers".
They have been accused of transferring drugs money between accounts in New York and Honduras between 2004 and 2015, according to the Efe news agency.
Their lawyer, Andres Acosta Garcia, was also arrested at Miami airport on Tuesday and charged.
Yankel Rosenthal served as minister in President Juan Orlando Hernandez's administration but left the post unexpectedly in June.
During his term, he led Club Deportivo Marathon to several league titles.
He also built a brand-new stadium in the north-western city of San Pedro Sula which was named after him. | The president of one of Honduras's most famous football clubs has been charged in the United States with drug trafficking and money laundering. | 34471019 |
The condom packets show the Warlingham Rugby Club logo with the slogan "join the family".
Club chairman Peter Mattison boasted the move was "bold" and "quirky" and described it as "a bit on the edge".
Players and members will give out the free condoms while socialising in local bars and clubs.
"In the past we've used posters and other advertising campaigns to recruit players," Mr Mattison said.
"But we really wanted to get the Warlingham RFC name out there and what better way than to use our brand to promote both the club and a socially-responsible attitude?"
He said as long as young men and women who may want to play rugby saw it as an amusing way to catch their attention - and join the Warlingham family - then "job done".
The club, which is in its 95th year, is training throughout the summer on Wednesday evenings and has said all are welcome to revive their playing or give the game a try. | A Surrey rugby club has started handing out branded condoms to attract new players in a bid to get its name better known. | 36611539 |
The party said the country's recent economic performance made "grim reading" even before factoring in the UK's vote to leave the EU.
They have called for measures including a Brexit Support Fund for at-risk industries and income tax increases.
The Scottish government set up an expert group in the aftermath of the Brexit vote to advise on the future.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to examine all options available to her to protect Scotland's interests in the wake of the referendum result.
Labour have set out a series of proposals for Westminster and Holyrood policies in the wake of the Brexit vote, aimed at boosting the economy and tackling uncertainty.
These include:
Leader Kezia Dugdale said Labour supported the Scottish government's "efforts to secure Scotland's relationship with the EU", but underlined their "moral duty" to protect jobs and the economy.
She said: "The consequences of the UK voting to leave the EU will be felt for years to come, and the only thing we know for sure is that we don't know very much about what the future holds.
"Labour stands with the majority of Scots who want to be part of the UK and the EU - we won't give up pursuing those options but protecting jobs and public services must come first."
Labour's plan was announced in the same week as Nicola Sturgeon underlined what she described as Scotland's key interests in the Brexit negotiations.
One of these interests was economic - "safeguarding the free movement of labour, access to a single market of 500 million people and the funding that our farmers and universities depend on".
She also focused on social protection, "ensuring the continued protection of workers' and wider human rights", also featured in Labour's action plan.
Ms Sturgeon also spoke of the upheaval created by the vote as "an opportunity to be innovative and creative - an opportunity to shape the future". | Scottish Labour has published a Brexit action plan urging the Scottish and UK governments to act to avoid recession. | 36897565 |
In an email sent to Associated Press, Jorge Mendes said Mourinho told the Syrian FA that, "while he felt honoured to receive the invitation, he cannot at the moment accept it".
The Portuguese, 53, was sacked for a second time by Chelsea in December.
Mourinho, who has also managed Porto, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, has been linked with Manchester United.
It was reported last week Mourinho had started house-hunting in Cheshire after his representatives held talks with United.
Syria, who have never qualified for the World Cup, sacked coach Fajr Ibrahim despite reaching the Asia's third and final round of qualifying, scheduled to begin in August.
They are 123rd in the Fifa rankings and are the rank outsiders of the 12 countries in Asia still competing for two automatic places at the 2018 World Cup and a play-off spot.
Syria have played their home games in neighbouring Oman since the country was plunged into civil war five years ago. | Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has rejected an offer to coach Syria, according to his agent. | 36006158 |
It's politically untouchable and its budgets ring-fenced (though the fences sometimes need mending) because it has overwhelming public support.
But if it's a state religion, it's got a problem with recruiting its priesthood. And a lot else besides.
Audit Scotland has issued an update on its views of the NHS north of the Border. It makes uncomfortable reading for health secretary Shona Robison about targets missed for waiting times.
It adds urgency to those calling for a re-think of how NHS Scotland needs to reform (now including government ministers), under pressure from tight budgets and growing demand for its services.
The spending watchdog notes the high-level plans for the NHS adapting to changed demands. But it also highlights areas where not much progress has been made towards the vision.
A key element of it is a warning about staffing levels, high vacancy rates and the sometimes astonishing and rising cost of plugging gaps in rotas.
Audit Scotland has set government and health boards the task of assessing the changing demands for staff - for instance, as medical technology changes, and care is shifted into patients' homes.
And even if enough people are trained for changing roles, there's a big challenge to ensure they're in the right places, they're retained in the workforce, and in Scotland, and that they're motivated to deliver the expected rising quality of care.
That issue of workforce planning is not the main area of party political ding-dong about SNP stewardship of the health service. But it is worth a closer look.
I'll spare you the detail but, of late, I've had more exposure to the NHS than I would have wished. I've found that doctors and nurses, when not doing a (usually) fantastic job, laugh scornfully about the notion of 'workforce planning'.
The Scottish government can produce much evidence of plans, work programmes, flow charts and effort going into projections for the future needs of the NHS. But there's not so much evidence that it's feeding through to have much practical effect.
Audit Scotland gave a lot of weight to its call for a more co-ordinated approach and better data with which to plan. It's hard to believe that health boards don't co-ordinate recruitment, but they don't.
The numbers are big. One in ten people in the workforce are in the health or care sectors.
Nearly £6bn is spent on pay for 137,600 NHS jobs in Scotland. Actually, there are more people on the payroll, but this is a measure of "whole-time equivalents" - the number of employees if they were all full-time. Nearly £1bn is spent on national insurance and pensions.
There are 59,000 nurses and midwives, or 43% of the total. Medical and dental (including doctors) number 12,500, or 9%. There are twice as many administrators as medics (and if you think they're all about red tape and waste, try making an appointment with a doctor without using a secretary or receptionist).
Let's stick with the numbers, because that's how to get a handle on the problem.
Almost a fifth of staff are aged over 54, and that has been rising. Of general practitioners, 34% were aged over 50 last year, up from 28% ten years ago.
Turnover of staff last year was at nearly 7%. Among doctors and dentists, it was at 9.2%. In the islands and rural services, the churn of staff is higher still.
Vacancies for consultant posts have been rising steeply, up from 235 in March last year to 408 this year. Among senior posts for general acute medicine, one in six was being advertised in March. In radiology, it was one in eight.
From my anecdotal evidence, doctors are opting to retire or go part-time because they dislike the direction of travel of their contracts - 12 hour shifts, weekend working, or seven days on call, even for the most experienced as they are nearing retirement.
They are able to work part-time partly because they are so well-paid. Even doctors (privately) admit that consultants and GPs won far too much over the past 15 years, as NHS negotiators bought them out of private sector work that few of them were doing.
These challenges are not just down to the NHS in Scotland. Or to put it another way, it doesn't exist in a vacuum.
The workforce is mobile - in and out of the labour market, and in and out of both Scotland and the UK.
For all that people complain about the need for health boards to recruit nurses overseas, it wouldn't be necessary if nurses trained in the UK (at taxpayer expense) weren't taking their skills to foreign countries.
According to the Royal College of Nursing, more UK-trained nurses left the UK to work abroad in 2011 than foreign-trained nurses came in this direction.
And there's a demographic challenge. An eighth of nurses are aged 55 or over. Nearly half of midwives are eligible for retirement in the next decade.
And although a lot more nurses have been trained recently, there has been a decline in the number who are registered in the UK.
Britain is also reliant on foreign-trained doctors. In the 1970s, quarter of registered doctors in the UK were trained elsewhere. By 2005, it had risen to a third.
That growth rate slowed with the expansion of Britain's medical schools (places up by 70% since 1960 to reach nearly 6000 graduates each year). By 2012, 37% had been trained overseas.
The NHS requires far more hospital doctors than it used to - up 30% to 143,000 across the UK in the past decade.
The problem identified there by the King's Fund, a London-based health policy think tank, is not so much the demographics of large-scale retirement over the next decade, but the reverse - a shortage of career development opportunities for younger doctors, as senior consultants work past conventional retirement age.
And just as British-trained nurses are sought in other countries, so too with doctors. The King's Fund points to analysis suggesting that the USA will need 130,000 more doctors ten years from now.
In social care too, demand is on the rise and Britain is dependent on foreign-born people to do a lot of the work.
In England, nearly a fifth of the social care workforce is from outside the UK, and in some parts of the south-east, that can rise to half.
While 1.6 million people work in social care, the projections are for that to rise by at least a third within ten years.
The social care workforce is 80% female. That goes for around 90% of those at the front line.
And that is one of the trickiest bits of NHS workforce planning too. It's increasingly a service delivered by women.
As women still take the burden of family care, HR departments have to adapt to their requirements for flexible and part-time working.
Around 70% of those starting medical degrees are female. It takes ten years for one of them to become a fully qualified GP.
Plugging gaps in specialisms with that long a delay is only exacerbated by the changing protocols of how healthcare is delivered. Decisions made now about the workforce needs in five to ten years won't necessarily meet the evolving health requirements of next decade.
Medical science moves fast. Some skills become redundant. Others will be required of which we haven't yet heard.
Some time between 2017 and 2022, there will be more female doctors in the NHS than male.
Assuming many women doctors will require maternity leave, and may take career breaks, that makes workforce planning a lot more difficult.
So you've got to have some sympathy for those charged with workforce planning in the NHS. It's not easy. But as Audit Scotland points out, it could be a lot better. | The National Health Service has been described as the closest thing Britain has to a state religion. | 34612829 |
Gary Gowans' short film shows the Millennium Falcon emerging from the building, chased by Imperial TIE fighters, as R2-D2 looks on.
The film fades to black as the V&A logo expands to become "Vader", with the sound of Darth Vader's breathing.
Mr Gowans, from Newport-on-Tay, said he made the film to "cheer himself up" after a bout of flu.
The short film has been viewed more than 203,000 times on Facebook since being posted on Sunday.
The £80.1m museum is currently under construction and is due to open in summer 2018.
V&A Dundee said it was "delighted" that it had inspired the video.
Mr Gowans, who is a senior lecturer in graphic design at Dundee's Duncan of Jordanstone art college, said: "I drive past it every day, it's a beautiful building.
"The look of it at the moment feels a little Star Wars-y.
"Every time I drive by it I can't get Darth Vader's death march tune out of my head.
"When I go past it I just hear Star Wars theme tunes.
"I did it over a couple of weekends and a few nights here and there. I thought I'd have a bit of fun and post it to a few friends."
Mr Gowans said he was "slightly shell-shocked" at the reaction to the video.
He said: "It's the first time I've ever done anything on Facebook.
"I posted it at four o'clock and I thought a few folk would see it.
"I woke up this morning and my daughter and my wife said you won't believe the amount of people who are viewing it.
"It's all a bit of a surprise."
A V&A Dundee spokesman said: "We're delighted to see talented people like Gary being inspired by our building before we even open next year, resulting in such fun and creative work." | A filmmaker's reimagining of Dundee's new V&A Museum as a Star Wars space port has become an internet hit. | 39405393 |
Lawro's opponent for the latest round of Premier League fixtures are Creed stars Michael B Jordan & Tony Bellew.
Everton fan and professional boxer Bellew plays 'Pretty' Ricky Conlan in the film, that sees Sylvester Stallone reprise his role as the former world heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa.
Balboa is trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson - played by Jordan - the son of his former rival Apollo Creed.
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"At one point Ricky was going to be a Liverpool fan," Bellew told BBC Sport. "I said I can't play a Liverpool fan because, if I do that, I cannot go home.
"We got Everton involved instead and I am so happy because the club have given me so much - I have been around Europe watching them and I have supported them since I was a baby - so I feel I have given something back by getting their ground and the club's badge global exposure in this film."
California-born Jordan says listening to Bellew has made him a Toffees supporter too, and explained: "I am an honorary Evertonian now. I cannot speak in a Scouse accent but I can understand it."
You can hear more from Jordan and Bellew on Football Focus at 12:10 GMT on Saturday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website.
Our scoring system has changed this season and a correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is now worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
From the midweek Premier League games, Lawro got four correct results from 10 matches, with no perfect scores.
His score of 40 points saw him beat comedian and actor Elis James, who picked one correct result, and a state-of-the-art sports-forecasting super-computer called SAM (Sports Analytics Machine), that picked three correct results.
Make your own predictions now, compare them to Lawro and other fans and try to take your team to the top of the leaderboard by playing the BBC Sport Predictor game.
All kick-offs 19:45 GMT unless otherwise stated
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Jordan & Bellew: 2-0
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Jordan & Bellew: 2-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Jordan & Bellew: We are going to beat them - Guus Hiddink has not seen anything until he sees the Blue Army turn up. 0-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Jordan & Bellew: 1-0
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Jordan & Bellew: 1-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Jordan & Bellew: 0-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Jordan & Bellew: 0-4
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Jordan & Bellew: 1-2
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Jordan & Bellew: 2-3
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Jordan & Bellew: 0-1
Match report
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
SAM was built by Professor Ian McHale, Dr Georgi Boshnakov and Tarak Kharrat from the Centre for Sports Business at the University of Salford.
Lawro's best score: 160 points (week 19 v Guy Mowbray)
Lawro's worst score: 20 points (week one v Graeme Swann) | BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season. | 35286417 |
But playing in the finals of a major tournament with a country that three years ago was ranked below perennial also-rans Liechtenstein and Luxembourg always felt like a "distant dream" for the nation's only Champions League winner.
Gudjohnsen, now 37, is at last aiming to realise that ambition at next summer's European Championship. It would be a remarkable story if he were to play in France - but then again, his nation has recently been specialising in the remarkable.
In finishing second in their qualifying group, seven points clear of Netherlands, Iceland became the smallest nation ever to reach a major tournament, and the first to do so with a population below one million.
Its inhabitants number just 329,000 - not many more than live in Coventry.
Even El Salvador, beaten 10-1 in their opening game at the 1982 World Cup, had a population of more than four million backing their team, while Wales - who ended a 58-year wait for qualification last month - has nearly 10 times as many people as Iceland.
"The older you get in footballing years, the further away you get from realising what is a boyhood dream," Gudjohnsen told BBC Sport.
"But then when it happens it makes you feel proud and privileged just to have been part of an amazing campaign."
So how did a country with such limited resources make it to the Euros?
Read about the nations that have qualified for Euro 2016.
Gudjohnsen owed his progression beyond the normal bounds of Icelandic football to his father Arnor's career in Europe.
The seven years Gudjohnsen Sr spent at Belgian side Anderlecht allowed the young Eidur to develop away from the harsh winter climate and mountainous terrain of his homeland, where football outside the four- or five-month summer period meant small-sided games on hard indoor floors.
But much like the prospective plans put forward by an English Football Association commission in October 2014, Iceland's football association (KSI) has overseen massive investment in changing that in the past 15 years.
There are now 30 full-size all-weather pitches, seven of which are indoors, and almost 150 smaller artificial arenas that ensure youngsters at grassroots can continue to play football in winter, often inside indoor dome structures.
It is why the current crop of players, many of whom made history by qualifying for the European Under-21 Championship in 2011 - Iceland's first foray into any major international tournament - have been labelled "the indoor kids".
"For this nation, the dome pitches were a revelation," Heimir Hallgrimsson, the national team's joint head coach, told BBC Sport. "Every village wanted an artificial pitch, and there is now one close to almost every school in Iceland.
"These guys now with us in the national team were brought up on artificial pitches. Many would have had youth coaching in an indoor dome. They could go out if the weather was good, but they always had good facilities to train."
Despite Iceland having no professional club sides, there is an extraordinarily high number of qualified coaches in the country, with 639 people holding a Uefa B licence, according to recent KSI statistics.
It means even youngsters living in the tiniest provincial fishing village in Iceland can benefit from a state-of-the-art, all-weather pitch and a trained coach.
Hallgrimsson, 48, spent his entire playing career in Iceland and balances his coaching commitments with part-time work as a dentist, but he recognises the appeal of the coaching profession for Icelanders.
"Every town or village in Iceland wants to have a good football team for the parents and for the kids, and it is easy to train as a Uefa A or B licence coach here," he noted.
"I took my Pro Licence in England and I looked around. Of course it is a professional set-up for the big clubs there, but it's mostly parents or some guy who takes over and works with the kids who play on Sunday.
"I think that's the difference. We teach our kids from a young age and we give them good sessions with trained coaches, so that's why we get a lot of young players going abroad early, at 17, 18, 19, which they have to do to continue their development professionally."
At 26, Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson is now the focal point of the Iceland team and a typical example of his country's youth development policy.
Sigurdsson was signed by Reading as an under-17 international in 2005. He had loan spells with Crewe and Shrewsbury before moving to Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga and impressing sufficiently to make a high-profile return to the Premier League with Tottenham.
"If you look at Gylfi for instance, he was in a lot of clubs and he still didn't miss out. Even if he didn't succeed from the beginning, now he's a really good player," says Iceland's other joint head coach, Lars Lagerback.
"I think it's in the country's culture - they're used to working hard and taking care of themselves, so it's a really nice group in that way to work with."
Lagerback, 67, led his home country of Sweden to an unprecedented five major tournaments in a row, and reckons the achievement he and Hallgrimsson have manufactured with the tiny Nordic isle is "a little bit special".
Their qualification has come two years after a play-off defeat by Croatia denied them a first World Cup appearance in Brazil, following a group campaign in which they had finished runners-up behind Switzerland despite being drawn as one of the lowest seeds.
"Of course we were very disappointed losing to Croatia, but I think when we restarted again everyone saw it as a good first step," Lagerback said.
"We tried to put it that way and even if we thought we ended up in a tough group for the Euros, we always said if you give 100% in preparation and during the game you can always win in football."
Gudjohnsen announced his retirement from international football following the Croatia defeat but was lured back just 18 months later, sensing his long-held ambition could still be fulfilled.
For two consecutive qualifying campaigns, the management team have got the best out of a group of players who qualified for the European U21 finals in 2011.
They are players, now approaching their mid-20s, who have now got the better of the Netherlands in home and away matches, as well as dismantling Turkey 3-0 on their way to qualification from what on first viewing was an intimidating group.
And they are players that have grown up idolising Gudjohnsen and his role in giving Icelandic football an identity both in England's Premier League with Chelsea and across Europe at Barcelona and Monaco.
"You do have a sense that some of these players look up to me," Gudjohnsen said.
"They grew up watching me play probably - probably played with me on the PlayStation as well.
"It is strange, but once you get into training and on the pitch these things tend to be forgotten very easily and I'm still just one member of the group.
"We're all fighting for the same thing. It's a great experience but I've hoped they've enjoyed playing with me as much as I have with them because it's been a breath of fresh air for Icelandic football."
The former Chelsea striker still enjoys iconic status in his home country, but has had to make do with substitute appearances in Iceland's final qualification games and has missed out on a place in the squad for the side's friendlies with Poland and Slovakia this weekend.
After his spell back at Bolton Wanderers in the Championship last season, during which he scored six goals, Gudjohnsen moved to Chinese side Shijiazhuang Ever Bright in July.
But following the conclusion of the Chinese Super League season he is now seeking a new club in the hope he can reach and maintain the fitness levels required for tournament football.
"I'm looking at a few options now," Gudjohnsen said.
"I think it's fair to say it would be best to be playing in Europe, to try and play at the best level to be as fit as possible when the tournament comes.
"The success of the national team has been one of the key factors in me just continuing. It's been a motivation to keep me going until at least next summer.
"But in saying that I just love the game too much, it hasn't been difficult to keep motivating me to keep playing. This has just been a nice bonus, a little extra at the end." | Since coming on to replace his father Arnor as a 17-year-old substitute in 1996, Eidur Gudjohnsen has spent most of his 19-year international career as Iceland's most celebrated player. | 30012357 |
And that could be a foretaste of things to come: not just the US's so-called "backyard", but emerging markets in general are bracing themselves for the economic effects of Donald Trump's US election victory.
Mr Trump does not become president until 20 January, and so far, we know little about the economic policies that he will actually put into practice.
But analysts are watching for at least three factors that could have contradictory and clashing effects.
This is the big issue that caused the Mexican peso to plummet 12% against the dollar in the immediate aftermath of the election result.
It has since recovered a little, but the pressure on the currency has been severe since August, when Mr Trump began rising in the opinion polls.
It has already led the Mexican central bank to increase interest rates sharply and more rate rises are likely in future.
The fear is that Mr Trump will deliver on his campaign pledge for a complete renegotiation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), which links the US with Mexico and Canada.
Since Nafta came into being in 1994, the Mexican economy has become ever more closely intertwined with that of its northern neighbour, and any changes to the agreement would have a wrenching effect.
However, any rewriting of Nafta would have to be approved by Congress and could not be enacted unilaterally by the president.
Elsewhere, the Brazilian real was also hard hit by Mr Trump's victory, tumbling nearly 9% in four days.
However, there are signs that Brazil's caretaker government is using the currency turmoil as cover for its plans to push through a series of key economic reforms, and in any case, the real is still higher against the dollar than it was at the start of the year.
Mr Trump has talked of imposing punitive tariffs on imports, particularly Chinese and Mexican ones. In the case of Mexico, he would not have to redraft Nafta in order to do this and would have more leeway to act by himself.
If the US does choke off trade with its neighbours in an attempt to curb imports and boost job creation, there could be unintended consequences in another oft-overlooked part of its "backyard": the Caribbean.
Caribbean diplomats point out that although the US is the sub-region's biggest trading partner, its biggest source of aid is now China.
Any damage to the Caribbean's trade with the US would simply drive it further into the Chinese embrace. And if the US thinks communist Cuba is a big geopolitical problem now, they argue, then just wait until the whole English-speaking Caribbean is looking to Beijing instead of Washington.
This part has some good and bad aspects for emerging markets.
In his victory speech, Mr Trump promised to give a big boost to the US's ailing infrastructure, which he said would become "second to none".
If this and other fiscal stimulus pledges gain the upper hand over his protectionist impulses, that could boost imports from other countries.
These two opposing tendencies reflect tensions in the minds of the voters who cast their ballots for the Republican candidate.
On the one hand, they fear for their livelihoods and see free-trade deals as a sure-fire way of destroying US jobs, by making it more profitable to move them overseas to lower-wage countries.
But on the other hand, as consumers, they benefit from cheap goods made in China and other big manufacturing countries.
So a booming US economy could help emerging markets by stimulating demand for their products.
On the other hand, if that demand overheats, the US Federal Reserve might have to take measures to cool it down, notably by raising interest rates - and that could cause another set of headaches for emerging economies.
This is the flipside of the coin to the currency collapses seen in Brazil and Mexico. As the real and the peso weaken, so the dollar strengthens.
However, this could well turn out to be more than just a temporary blip.
If the pace of US interest rate rises starts to speed up, then this will fortify the value of the dollar, and that causes problems in poorer countries.
True, it makes their goods cheaper for US buyers, but many of them have substantial debt piles denominated in US dollars, so those will cost more to service in their own currencies.
Brazil and Mexico get off lightly here. Brazil certainly has a debt problem, but very little of it is denominated in dollars.
The same goes for Mexico. State oil company Pemex has debts in dollars, but it also earns in dollars too, since oil is priced in the US currency.
On the other hand, Turkey has a lot of foreign debt priced in dollars and would be vulnerable to a further strengthening of the dollar.
This has already had an impact on the value of the Turkish lira, which was in a bad way even before the US election, because the country's political crackdown had led to capital flight.
And Mr Trump could also fuel currency wars by formally accusing China of manipulating the value of the yuan and keeping it artificially low, as he has previously alleged.
Whatever happens, the rising dollar is already the most visible economic effect of a Trump presidency, even before he takes office - and the effect may have only just begun. | Donald Trump's US election victory caused shockwaves on Mexican and Brazilian markets, with the countries' respective currencies taking a battering. | 38010223 |
At the moment, the process can take up to six days.
The organisation that manages the cheque clearing system said the changes would be phased in from October 2017.
However, it will be the second half of 2018 before all UK banks and building societies are able to offer the faster service.
Under the new arrangements, co-ordinated by the Cheque and Credit Clearing Company, banks will be able to clear cheques by exchanging pictures of them.
At the moment, all cheques have to be physically transported back to the bank that issued them.
Several banks - including Barclays and Lloyds - also allow their customers to pay in cheques via pictures on their banking apps.
However, this can only happen when the cheque is issued by the same bank.
"These changes will put cheques firmly in the 21st century, delivering real and important benefits for the many individuals, charities and businesses that regularly use cheques," said James Radford, chief executive of the Cheque and Credit Clearing Company.
"Not only will cheques clear faster but banks and building societies may offer their customers the option of paying in an image of a cheque rather than the paper cheque itself."
Although cheque use has declined in recent years, there were still 477 million written in the UK last year.
The industry had wanted to phase them out entirely by 2018. However MPs said they should be retained, as many older people in particular relied on them. | Bank customers who pay cheques into their accounts will soon be able to get the money cleared within one working day. | 39351793 |
Their numbers had plummeted in the last 100 years because of hunting and a lack of prey.
Writing in the
Journal of Wildlife Management
, researchers say the cougar is now spreading far outside their traditional western habitats.
But they say the return of the big cats raises important questions about how humans can live with these predators.
Such has been the decline of the cougar in some parts of the United State that the US Fish and Wildlife service declared the eastern cougar
extinct
just last year.
For decades mountain lions were seen as a threat to livestock and humans and many States paid a bounty to hunters for killing them.
Their habitats were restricted to the areas around the Black Hills of Dakota. But in the 1960s and 70s the animals were reclassified as managed game species, so hunting was limited and numbers started to grow.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that mountain lions started to spread far and wide during the 1990s - this perspective was confirmed last June when a young male was hit by a car and killed in Connecticut.
Genetic analysis indicated that the animal originated from the Black Hills and had travelled approximately 2,900km (1,800mi) via a number of States.
Now researchers have published the first scientific evidence that cougars have returned to the mid-west and are now to be found as far south as Texas and as far north as the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba.
They say that limits on hunting and the return of elk and mule deer that cougars prey on have been key to increasing the overall population which is now said to number around 30,000.
And as the populations have grown, the territorial instincts of the big cats have forced them to conquer new ground. Michelle LaRue from the University of Minnesota, is one of the authors of the paper.
"What's happening is that, as the young males are moving out of the areas they were born in, they are coming into contact with other young males and they don't have anywhere else to go so they're kind of being forced out of these western populations and into these areas of vacant habitats in the mid west," she said.
The team used recorded sightings that had been verified by wildlife professionals as well as carcasses, DNA evidence and cases of attacks on livestock across 14 State and provinces. And the scientists believe the spread of the cougar might continue.
"I would assume that with the continued management practices that have allowed for the rebound, cougars have the potential to continue to move eastward into areas of available habitat," said Michelle LaRue.
Many researchers are concerned that the spread of the mountain lion will inevitably bring them into conflict with humans. Other species such as bears have run into trouble thanks to their taste for human food. Ms LaRue said that cougars are very different.
"They are very fleeting animals they're solitary and they don't like people, they like to be in remote rugged wilderness areas, I say it's a lot less likely than they'll become dependent on trash like bears."
"If you were in the woods with a cougar and it saw it you wouldn't even know it, it would run before you even knew it was there." | The American mountain lion or cougar is now re-populating parts of the US, scientists say. | 18425472 |
The claim: Prime Minister David Cameron says as a result of his negotiations in Brussels earlier this year - which has not come into effect yet but will if the UK votes to stay in the European Union - EU citizens who come to the UK but fail to find work will have to leave after six months.
Reality Check verdict: Existing EU rules allow states to deport citizens from other EU countries if they have become a burden on the welfare system of the state. UK law suggests this occurs after six months of unsuccessfully looking for work, but it is not clear how many people have been removed from the UK on this basis. The UK will have no additional powers in this area as a result of David Cameron's EU deal in February.
"There are good ways to control migration and there are bad ways," he said.
"A good way is doing what I did in my renegotiation, which of course hasn't come into effect yet and will if we vote to stay in the European Union, which is to say to people if you come to our country first of all you don't claim unemployment benefit, second of all after six months if you haven't got a job you have to leave."
Both these points are already part of UK law, following amendments to The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 .
As things stand, EU citizens who come to the UK to find work cannot claim jobseeker's allowance during their first three months in the country.
After that they can claim for a total of 91 days, which can be split across several periods of jobseeking. They can continue claiming beyond that period if they can demonstrate that they are actively looking for a job and are likely to get it.
After a total of six months they can be removed if they still have not found a job, and have no realistic possibility of finding one, and require support from the welfare system.
These rules have been in place since early 2014, and are in line with existing EU legislation.
The EU-UK deal which David Cameron negotiated in February, and which will be implemented if the UK votes on 23 June to stay in the EU, will not change anything in this respect.
Home Office figures do not show how many people have been deported on the basis of being a burden to the UK since the rules came in, but the numbers are thought to be low.
Mr Cameron did make a third point on Sky News: "And third of all if you do come and get a job you have to work for four years paying into the system before you get full access to our welfare system."
That's the so-called emergency brake on access to the welfare system, which does not exist at the moment and will only come into force if the UK votes to stay in the EU on 23 June. It would affect all new arrivals and could be applied for a period of seven years.
Read more: The facts behind claims in the EU debate | Speaking on Sky News' special referendum programme on Thursday evening, David Cameron addressed concerns about migration by referring to what he gained in his renegotiation with Brussels earlier this year. | 36449974 |
The 24-year-old Englishman, who was with Manchester United, Liverpool and Burnley as a youth, has signed a one-year contract at Fir Park.
Sutton, who scored 13 goals last season, has joined St Johnstone.
"I've asked for the number nine jersey as I like the pressure of expectations," said Fletcher.
"I know the previous player wearing that number scored a lot, so my target is to not only match that but get more.
"I'm a player who will work hard and I know where the goal is."
Fletcher, who had spent spells on loan to Grimsby Town, Stockport County, Accrington Stanley, Crewe Alexandra and Yeovil Town, scored seven times in 32 appearances last season as York finished 18th in England's League Two.
He finally left Burnley permanently to join York in 2013 but was out of contract and was released this summer.
His arrival at Fir Park follows quickly after the addition of David Clarkson, the striker released by Dundee.
Manager Ian Baraclough told his club website: "I've seen a fair bit of Wes and know exactly what he is capable of.
"The club has also had him watched on several occasions and feel he is ready to add something different to our squad.
"His game will suit the way we want to play and, along with David Clarkson, will add more competition.
"This is just the beginning of the recruitment process though.
"We've still got several more faces to come all across the park and we'll continue to work hard to do that as quickly as possible." | Wes Fletcher has joined Motherwell after leaving York City and targeted more goals than his predecessor in the number nine jersey, John Sutton. | 33298498 |
I don't know of any policies that would prevent this kind of thing. The killers in these mass killings are willing to commit the crime knowing full well they'll be caught and spend the rest of their lives in prison [or get the death penalty]. Or they are willing to kill themselves - as in the Connecticut case - or they allow themselves to be shot by police.
This is a person who is willing to die in order to kill large numbers of people. Almost everyone who commits a mass shooting planned it for hours or sometimes weeks - or in the case of Columbine, a year. They're going to be able and willing to do more to evade legal controls.
If you can block a less-motivated person who is only going to be motivated to get a gun for a short period of time, that's going to be an easier task than preventing someone who is motivated to kill large numbers of people.
We can improve the background checks in two ways. Currently the federal background check only applies to gun dealers. If you buy a gun from a private source there is no federal requirement for a federal background check.
In most of the US if you buy a gun from a friend or relative you're not subject to a background check.
Currently, the law says you can't sell a gun [to a mentally ill person] and a mentally ill person can't buy a gun. But in practice the background checks don't work that well because the records are radically incomplete.
Politicians can no longer be allowed to defend the status quo. They must, instead, be forced to defend our children. Parents can no longer take "no" for an answer from Washington when the topic turns to protecting our children.
The violence we see spreading from shopping malls in Oregon, to movie theatres in Colorado, to college campuses in Virginia, to elementary schools in Connecticut - it's being spawned by the toxic brew of a violent popular culture, a growing mental health crisis and the proliferation of combat-styled weapons.
I say good luck to the gun lobbyist, good luck to the Hollywood lawyer, who tries to blunt the righteous anger of millions of parents by hiding behind twisted readings of our Bill of Rights.
Our government rightly obsesses, day and night, on how to prevent the next 9/11 from being launched from a cave in Afghanistan, or a training base in Yemen, but perhaps - just perhaps - now is the time they start obsessing on how to stop the next attack on a movie theatre, or in a shopping mall, or a college campus, or in our children's first grade classes.
Joe Scarborough was speaking on his show, Morning Joe on MSNBC.
First, Congress should pass the Fix Gun Checks Act, which would close the "private sale loophole" that allows more than 40% of gun sales to go through without a background check. It would require every gun buyer to pass a background check.
The majority of gun sales already go through the background check system, and it's neither onerous nor intrusive, nor does it infringe on anyone's rights.
This bill would also require states and the federal government to send all necessary records on felons, domestic abusers, the seriously mentally ill, and other dangerous people to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Second, it is time to pass an enforceable and effective assault weapons ban - one that isn't riddled with loopholes and easy evasion. A previous ban expired in 2004, and even though President Bush supported reinstating it, Congress never acted. That must change.
Congress should also ban the high-capacity magazines that have been used again and again in these mass shootings. These weapons and ammunition can be used to kill large numbers of people quickly, and regulating them certainly falls within the bounds of the Second Amendment.
And third, the president and Congress should work together to make gun trafficking a felony - as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, and others have proposed.
This legislative package would make it harder for criminals, drug abusers, minors, and the mentally ill to get guns, and harder for them to inflict the level of carnage that we saw this weekend.
It's not a panacea, it wouldn't get rid of all the guns on the streets, but it would go a long way towards limiting them and limiting the number of people killed.
Michael Bloomberg spoke publicly at City Hall in New York.
What is the government planning to do? Come and get the guns? I don't think so - it would be unconstitutional at this point. Our Supreme Court has already ruled on this issue.
It's not going to play in the US. The gun-owning community is not prepared to give up their firearm freedoms because a few individuals misuse those freedoms.
When we start looking at guns, we miss the opportunity to focus on the problem. In whose hands are the guns? This particular problem, and all the other mass shootings, involve clearly mentally deranged individuals.
We have a failed mental health system now in this country, and if we don't put resources into getting at these people before they commit such horrible acts we're not going to solve this problem.
I hope things do change. There is a lot of things that we could do, we could do better.
We can talk about the "gun show so-called loophole" [allowing purchases without a background check] but that's not where criminals obtain the majority of their guns, even very few.
I wouldn't do anything particularly on the gun laws. I would focus, if we're dealing with mentally deranged individuals, on our mental health system.
We can't incarcerate people, we can't take them off the streets until they actually do something that's dangerous.
Well, it's too late when they've already committed murder or killed themselves, if we can't help them beforehand. And our laws prevent us from helping them.
There are probably going to be some major modifications made [to gun laws]. I am a firm believer in our constitutional rights so I don't believe that Americans should give up guns. I don't think there should be a ban on all guns.
I think maybe a partial ban on certain kinds of handguns, and I'm also for training people in school - principals and administrative people that would want [to carry guns].
I'm OK with the fact that they want to have a concealed weapon, in case anybody did come into their school. Teachers would have a way to defend their students and themselves.
This is getting pretty grim that anybody can walk on a campus and there is no protection for those who are in the school themselves.
Gary Kleck, Richard Feldman and Beth Nimmo were speaking to the BBC | As the debate begins over whether to reform US gun laws in the wake of a mass shooting at a school in Newtown, Connecticut, public figures, activists and those affected are starting to speak out on the issue. | 20760350 |
Only residents, senior Palestinian officials and humanitarian cases will be allowed through the checkpoints that have been set up until further notice.
The restrictions were imposed after a Palestinian policeman shot and injured three Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint outside the city before being killed.
Ramallah is home to the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority.
A large number of Palestinians, foreign diplomats and aid workers travel to the city every day.
While diplomats were not directly affected by the restrictions, one told the AFP news agency it was "having an effect in terms of our ability to engage".
"A number of meetings have been called off because Palestinian interlocutors have not been able to get to the meeting site," the diplomat added.
Palestinians said the measures - which were common during the second Palestinian uprising, or intifada - amounted to collective punishment.
"They shouldn't punish the entire governorate of Ramallah for a policeman who carried out an attack," Palestinian police spokesman Adnan Damiri told the Associated Press.
The Israeli authorities have struggled to halt a wave of stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks by Palestinians or Israeli Arabs that have left 28 Israelis dead since October.
More than 155 Palestinians - mostly attackers, Israeli officials say - have also been killed in that period.
The assailants who have been killed have either been shot dead by their victims, or security forces as they carried out attacks. Some attackers have been arrested.
Other Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops amid spiralling violence.
On Monday, Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian after he attempted to stab soldiers near the settlement of Salit in the West Bank, the Israeli military said. | The Israeli military is preventing non-residents from entering the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. | 35459329 |
Wing Fu Cheung, 65, also known as Nelson Cheung, was attacked and stabbed near Randalstown in Janurary 2015.
Christopher David Menaul, 25, originally with an address in Barra Street in Antrim town, also pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Cheung's wife.
He admitted stabbing her in the hand and robbing her.
A defence barrister asked Belfast Crown Court that his client be re-arraigned on the three charges he had previously denied.
The barrister also asked the judge to adjourn the tariff hearing on Menaul's life sentence.
Adjourning the hearing to determine the minimum term that Menual will have to serve, the judge told him that the law provided only one sentence for murder - life.
A previous court hearing was told that on the night of 7 January, 2015, Mr Cheung and his wife, Winnie, were driving to their Ballymena home.
They had just left their Chinese restaurant in Randalstown and, as they drove along the Caddy Road, their car was "rammed'' by another vehicle.
A prosecution lawyer said that after Mr Cheung got out of the passenger seat he was confronted by two males and was stabbed up to 18 times.
It was also claimed that he was hit with such force, one stab wound "went straight through his body and out his back''.
Portuguese national, Virgilio Agusto Fernando Correia, 35, with an address in Grant Avenue, Randalstown, County Antrim, is accused of Mr Cheung's murder and the attack and robbery of his wife, as is engineer Gary Thompson, 34.
Mr Thompson, who is now living at a PSNI approved address, is also accused of wounding, assisting offenders, handling stolen goods, and perverting the course of justice.
His 34-year-old wife, Lisa Thompson, who is also living at a PSNI approved address, faces a series of separate charges.
She denies assisting offenders, handling stolen goods, and perverting the course of justice. | A County Antrim man has been jailed for life after pleading guilty to the murder of a Chinese businessman almost two years ago. | 32590267 |
Seeing khaki military trucks near the EU's main buildings, police on the streets locking down security before tomorrow's summit certainly changes the atmosphere. But for the prime minister, it's tense for a different reason.
By his own admission, David Cameron is trying to do something that has never really been tried before - change a country's relationship with the rest of the EU while already being a member.
What he is demanding are fundamental changes to the institution in a negotiation that will be mind-bogglingly complex. Trying something that is politically bold, even though the actual changes he wants to make are often criticised as being tame, comes with significant risk.
In the short-term, if he fails to persuade other countries that Britain should be able to limit benefit payments to EU workers in the UK he faces serious political embarrassment at home, not least from eurosceptics in his own party, including some cabinet ministers who have made this a red line.
The focus on that measure is intense - not surprisingly. It is a promise the PM made in the Conservative manifesto, an area of huge public concern and serious political conflict.
On the eve of the summit, there are all sorts of suggestions being made about the likelihood of a compromise. Several EU countries' officials have today made it absolutely plain that they have absolutely no intention of agreeing to the notion of Mr Cameron's four-year ban.
So there is feverish anticipation of what the alternatives might be. One EU source told me that Angela Merkel had told the PM to make three years, rather than four, his opening bid in the negotiations.
There's a suggestion that countries could agree to a proposal where during a so-called "ban", the same benefits would be paid, but the costs of those benefits could be covered by the worker's home country, rather than the UK.
It is though, a very fluid situation and there is no one proposal on the table that is likely to be agreed this week. Instead, the PM's goal is to inject a hefty dose of political momentum into the process so that officials can get on with the nitty gritty in the next couple of months.
In the next 36 hours, he needs his political counterparts to show they are willing to help.
But is there a risk that all the speculation over benefits distracts from the bigger issue?
In recent weeks there's been a building sense that the three other areas of reform are agreed. I understand that although there has been progress, concluding that those areas are somehow complete is a rather kind interpretation of where the discussions have really got to.
Talking this week to people familiar with the talks, there are nerves, a frustration even, that misleading assumptions are being made about the rest of the process.
In addressing the short-term political focus on whether a benefit ban could work, bigger questions about Britain's place in the EU as a country almost certain to never join the euro mustn't be ignored. | Tight security because of the recent terror threat isn't the only reason that Brussels feels tense tonight. | 35116995 |
The visitors pressured their in-form hosts and were rewarded when they took the lead with a fortuitous goal.
Stanley defender Tom Davies' clearance hit Jimmy Spencer 12 yards out and the ball bounced into the bottom corner.
The home side grabbed a vital equaliser when on-loan winger Tariqe Fosu found the bottom corner from 10 yards after a quick breakaway.
Accrington slipped from third to fifth in the table, with Cambridge still 12th, five points off the play-off places. | Accrington lost vital ground in the League Two automatic promotion race as they were held at home by Cambridge. | 35902416 |
Defeats to Nottingham Panthers and Cardiff Devils left the Glasgow side without a point over the weekend as the new campaign stalled at the start.
A frustrated Finnerty stressed that the level of performance will not be tolerated.
"This team is nowhere near the level it can compete at," he said. "We're going through some growing pains and we're not clicking.
"It's pretty tough to analyse when we just didn't get going. We're struggling killing penalties right now and on Sunday, Cardiff got the momentum from that first goal.
"We're two games into the regular season and we're definitely not panicking. In saying that, this isn't accepted by any stretch of the imagination.
"We have some decisions to make and have to see a lot more out of a lot of players. These two losses won't dictate our season. We're at the start of the marathon."
In Saturday's 4-1 loss to Nottingham Panthers Clan started well with Scott Pitt opening the scoring, before the tide turned, with Matt Carter, Dan Spang, Chris Lawrence and Eric Lindhagen on target for the visitors.
Clan went to the Cardiff on Sunday and ended up on the wrong end of a 5-1 defeat in their first visit to Ice Arena Wales.
Joey Martin's early goal set the Devils on their way before Layne Ulmer added a second minutes later to open a two-goal first period lead.
Alex Leavitt pulled one back, but the home side scorched ahead through Matthew Myers and two from Jake Morrissette clinched a convincing victory.
Nottingham began their three-game Scottish odyssey at Dundee Stars on Friday and left Tayside with a 3-1 victory.
Two from David Clarke and one from Jeff Dimmen was enough to take the points from Marc LeFebvre's side, despite Stars captain Joey Sides pulling one back.
Looking for a full compliment of six points, Nottingham made their way to Fife Flyers on Sunday but Todd Dutiaume's men denied them in a 4-1 win.
Chase Schafer's second period opening goal was cancelled out by Jeff Brown in the third period, but Matt Sisca, Justin Fox and Ryan Dingle completed a good night's work for the hosts.
The Flyers began the weekend with a Challenge Cup loss at Belfast Giants on Saturday, who took revenge for their 5-2 defeat in Kirkcaldy the week before.
Matt Towe gave the Giants a second period lead, but Justin Fox cancelled it out before Mike Forney restored the advantage.
Brandon Benedict made it 3-1 in the third, which was pulled back by David Turon before Forney's empty net finish claimed the points.
Dundee Stars, after their loss on Friday, made up for it with a crushing 8-3 win over Edinburgh Capitals in their Challenge Cup opener.
Ben Edmonds and Tommaso Traversa put the Stars two up before Yevgeni Fyodorov pulled one back for the Caps. Cale Tanaka and Vinny Scarsella then opened up a 4-1 lead for the visitors.
Garrett Milan picked up a second for Edinburgh before the second interval, but two from Felix-Antoine Poulin, with another from Scarsella in between those made Dundee's lead unassailable.
Fyodorov picked up his second to reduce the arrears, but Tanaka did the same thing to clinch the victory for LeFebvre's side in emphatic style.
WEEKEND RESULTS
Friday
Elite League:
Dundee Stars 1-3 Nottingham Panthers
Saturday
Elite League:
Braehead Clan 1-4 Nottingham Panthers
Challenge Cup:
Belfast Giants 4-2 Fife Flyers
Sunday
Elite League:
Cardiff Devils 5-1 Braehead Clan
Fife Flyers 4-1 Nottingham Panthers
Challenge Cup:
Edinburgh Capitals 3-8 Dundee Stars | Coach Ryan Finnerty insists there is no panic at Braehead Clan after losing their opening two Elite League games in disappointing fashion. | 37338580 |
The inspection was part of the RQIA's ongoing programme of unannounced inspections of hospitals which provide emergency services.
Inspectors noted not enough nurses in the medical and surgical wards.
However, it said the Southern Health and Social Care trust is working actively to address the deficit.
The inspectors found there was a shortage of nurses between the surgical and medical wards.
At the time of the inspection, the rota was short of nine full-time nurses.
A recruitment process is now under way with posts being filled in the meantime with bank and agency staff.
The review found that in the past year, six staff members had left, with reasons including the commute to work, career progression and seeking to work in a different speciality.
According to the RQIA, the trust has been proactive in recruiting nursing staff for the emergency department.
In the past year, 25 new nursing staff have taken up post.
However with 96 full-time nurses, the unit exceeds the number of funded posts by 34.
According to the health trust, these posts are considered to be at risk as they are not funded from within the emergency department's budget.
The RQIA's chief executive, Olive Macleod, said overall the findings were good.
"In each area inspected, we observed caring, sensitive and insightful staff working to maintain the dignity and privacy of those in their care," she said.
"Patients also told us they were very satisfied with the standard of care and treatment they received."
The inspection also praised an open and transparent culture in the surgical ward where staff were positive about the support they received from management. | Northern Ireland's health regulators say they found a shortage of nurses in several areas of Craigavon Area Hospital during an inspection in April. | 38020950 |
After a less experienced GB line-up lost 90-62 behind closed doors on Saturday, coach Joe Prunty restored his frontline players for Sunday's game.
The resulting 78-69 defeat, with Andrew Lawrence top-scoring with 15 points, gave a better indication of GB's improvement this summer.
Their next game comes against Greece at the Copper Box in London on Saturday.
Kavell Bigby-Williams, one of the finds of the summer programme, had 16 points and took 11 rebounds on Saturday as the newer members of squad struggled to match their more experienced hosts.
Find out how to get into basketball with our special guide.
On Sunday, the return of starting centre Dan Clark, scoring guard Lawrence and forward Gabe Olaseni had GB in front for most of the first half.
Israel took command of the game with an 18-6 run in the third quarter and although GB closed to 73-66 down with three and a half minutes remaining in the game, a series of missed shots prevented them taking advantage of the opportunity.
"We're improving every week," said GB assistant coach Nate Reinking. "We're coming to London and hopefully we get a great week of practice and we keep doing that, because the goal has to be to peak at the end of August." | Great Britain suffered back-to-back defeats to Israel in Tel Aviv in their latest EuroBasket warm-up games. | 40928155 |
On Friday, it was reported that police had used a Taser on a suspect armed with a knife who had broken into the woman's house in Tirowen Drive.
The suspect had fled to a house next door, where a number of windows were smashed before the arrest took place.
The accused, 38, has also been charged with burglary with intent to steal.
He is expected to appear before Lisburn Magistrates' Court on Monday. | A man has been charged with aggravated burglary after two houses, including the home of a woman and child, were broken into in Lisburn, County Antrim. | 33668379 |
The thousands of negatives and prints are being taken from Bodleian's Talbot archive and other collections.
It is hoped academics and members of the public will help to identify unknown people and buildings in the photographs.
The website is due to go live later this year.
It will include some of the first photographs of Oxford and material from Fox Talbot's The Pencil of Nature, the first book illustrated with photographs.
Project leader Prof Larry J. Schaaf, from Bodleian Libraries, has spent 40 years researching the Victorian inventor.
Prof Schaaf said putting the material online would "help unlock the enormous artistic, documentary and technical information embodied in these images".
The Bodleian spent two years raising £2.1m needed to buy the private collection of letters, diaries and photographs which it acquired in October.
Born in Melbury Abbas, Dorset, in 1800, Fox Talbot established the three primary elements of the photographic process: developing, fixing, and printing using paper coated with silver iodide.
He created the first photographic negative in 1835, taken from a window at his home in Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire.
During his career he created more than 4,500 images - about 25,000 of his original negatives and prints are thought to still exist. | The complete photographic works by Victorian pioneer William Henry Fox Talbot is to be made available online. | 32697112 |
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The 34-year-old was pushed hard by Spain's Adel Mechaal, but his final-lap pace proved decisive as he came home in seven minutes 35.15 seconds.
Farah will attempt a third successive world 5,000m-10,000m double in August.
Elsewhere, Britain's Laura Muir finished second in the women's mile.
Muir came in behind Kenya's Olympic silver medallist Hellen Obiri and also missed out on a new British record by six hundredths of a second at the Games, held as part of the Diamond League calendar.
Farah once again denied any wrongdoing on Thursday after computer hackers had revealed some of his blood samples had initially been flagged as suspicious. The samples were later cleared on further investigation by governing body the IAAF.
Despite a week of difficult questions, Farah was assured of an universally positive welcome at the London Stadium, the scene of his thrilling 2012 Olympic distance double and the venue for next month's World Championships.
While Andrew Butchart kept in range of Farah to finish third in a new Scottish record, the cheers were for the Briton as he held off European indoor champion Mechaal in a season's best time.
"I love London, there's no place like home. I have to stay focused the next three weeks," Farah told BBC Sport.
"Other things don't distract me. I'm only in control of my legs. Never will I fail a test.
"I run year after year with joy and there's not much more you can do. I love being on the podium, hearing the anthem and making people proud to be British."
BBC Radio 5 live athletics commentator Mike Costello
Mo Farah is still the man to beat over 5,000m and 10,000m at the World Championships, as much because of his aura as anything. The best in any sport tends to intimidate as well as dominate. When his competitors stand on the start line with him, his very presence is enough to frighten them into a loss of form.
We've seen time and again that tactically he's a master. If he is not to be victorious at the Worlds, it will be a case where Mo Farah loses rather than somebody else wins.
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Muir's mark of 4:18.03 was half a second outside of Zola Budd's 32-year-old British mile record, but her display confirmed her return to form and fitness before the World Championships in four weeks' time.
After clocking a 800m personal best in Lausanne on her comeback from a stress fracture in her foot, Muir looked set to add to her five British records, including the 1500m mark set at the Anniversary Games last year, as the field set off at a fierce pace.
However, Obiri came through strong in the final 200m to pull away from her rival as Muir's lack of race sharpness showed.
Muir's hopes of running both the 1500m and 5,000m at the World Championships, which were called into doubt by British Athletics performance director Neil Black last month, now look like being realised.
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Olympic 100m champion Elaine Thompson won her contest with world 200m champion Dafne Schippers over the shorter distance, coming home in 10.94 to maintain her unbeaten run in 2017.
Britons Asha Philip and Daryll Neita finished sixth and seventh respectively.
However, Dina Asher-Smith fell short of the final with time running out for the British record-holder to prove her fitness to the selectors before the World Championships.
The 21-year-old suffered a foot fracture earlier this year and ran outdoors for the first time in 2017 last weekend.
"Obviously I would have liked to have gone a lot faster, and I would have liked to put a better race together, but I'm happy to have come through it healthy," she said after her time of 11.51, more than half a second off her personal best.
"I'm confident with some more training and some more work in me that things will be on the up."
The British team will be selected on Monday with Philip and Neita assured of their 100m spots.
Much of the chat afterwards was about the choice of footwear chosen by Jamaican Thompson as she romped to victory.
Although she did not wear conventional running spikes, the 25-year-old said she had to go for a modified form of trainers in the event.
"The spikes I have I am not confident with and hurt my Achilles so I am running in flats," she said.
"They have spikes but they are very petite. They are built especially for me and made lighter."
Her performance impressed those on social media.
Leo said on Twitter: "Elaine Thompson has just casually mocked the world's fastest sprinters by winning her 100m in 10.94 into a headwind. WEARING TRAINERS."
James Truscott added: "Elaine Thompson is queen and this is proof of it! Running in trainers at the #AnniversaryGames like it's some school sports day."
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Britain's Tom Bosworth set a new world record in the rarely-raced men's mile walk, beating the previous 17-year-old mark by five seconds in a winning time of 5:31.08.
The 27-year-old, who finished sixth in the 20km at Rio 2016, said that he wanted to produce a special performance to mark race walking's Diamond League debut.
"With about 500m to go I thought 'is the maths wrong, is that happening?'," he said.
"In athletics, you've got to have characters and personality and I think today was a great advert for racewalking."
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Dalilah Muhammad, Rio 2016 champion and the fastest women in the world this year, suffered defeat in the 400m hurdles as she struggled to shake off an injury that saw her fail to finish in Lausanne earlier in the week.
The American came home in sixth as Jamaica's Janieve Russell won in 54.02, with Britain's Eilidh Doyle fourth.
Chris O'Hare backed up his victory in last weekend's British championships with the first Diamond League success of his career, finishing strongly to overtake Kenya's Vincent Kibet in the home straight and finish in 3:34.75.
British champion Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake finished fourth in the 200m behind a trio of Americans led by Ameer Webb.
Zharnel Hughes beat Danny Talbot to fifth place to strengthen his claims, in the absence of the injured Adam Gemili, to the third discretionary spot in the British World Championships team.
GB heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson came fourth in the long jump with a season's best leap of 6.75m but finished last in her 100m hurdles heat.
British champion Morgan Lake finished seventh in the high jump, with Olympic champion Ruth Beitia also fouling out at 1.90m.
Allyson Felix, of the USA, set a new world-leading time for the year with 49.65 in the women's 400m, while Botswana's Nijel Amos did the same to win the 800m in 1:43.18.
American Kendra Harrison, who set the world record at the meeting last year, won the 100m hurdles in 12.39, but was pushed hard by resurgent Australian Sally Pearson in a season's best 12.48.
Olympic champion Aries Merritt took the 110m hurdles in a season's best, with Britain's David Omoregie back in a disappointing eighth. Fellow Rio 2016 gold medallist Kerron Clement beat the British Virgin Islands' Kyron McMaster, the fastest man in the world this year, in a thrilling finish in the 400m hurdles, winning in 48.02. | Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah enjoyed the perfect tune-up ahead of the World Championships with a trademark victory in the 3,000m at the Anniversary Games. | 40550442 |
It is understood 1,510 postal voting packs are unaccounted for.
Earlier reports suggested the number of people who had applied for a postal vote and not received their packs was far lower, at 580.
Plymouth City Council, which blamed a computer problem, apologised and said it was urgently investigating.
Polls are open from 07:00 to 22:00 BST on Thursday, and postal ballots can be used at polling stations.
The council said it was authorised to issue replacement post voting packs until 17:00 BST on polling day.
However, a spokeswoman said emergency proxy votes for those living abroad were not permitted under the circumstances.
Three constituencies are affected: South West Devon, Plymouth Moor View, and Plymouth Sutton and Devonport.
Emily Dymond, who lives in Canada but can vote in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said she was "really frustrated" not to receive her postal vote or proxy form.
She said after applying on 10 May, nothing arrived from the council. She sent 10 follow-up emails but heard nothing back.
She eventually spoke to a council employee who told her nothing could be done.
Ms Dymond, 27, said: "I don't understand how they can get away with it. I want to know how they will put it right."
BBC South West political correspondent Martyn Oates said Plymouth Sutton and Devonport was "the most marginal seat" in the region, so the missing ballots could prove "quite significant" there.
Stuart Pilcher, agent for Conservative candidate Oliver Colvile in the seat, said: "It's very very worrying that this issue has come about, voting is a right for everyone."
Tudor Evans, leader of the Labour opposition group on the city council and supporter of candidate Luke Pollard called it an "omnishambles" and he was "beside himself with rage".
For a complete list of candidates for the seat, click here.
People can still return their postal ballots but they must be received by 22:00 BST on ThursdayThey also have the option of taking them to a polling station in one of the three affected constituenciesPolling booths have also been set up at Council House in Plymouth, the headquarters of the councilIf anyone who applied for a postal vote has not received a pack they should contact the council
Royal Mail special deliveries are being used to get packs to as many voters as possible within the three constituencies.
The council is also trying to get packs to people who live outside the area, but said Plymouth people living overseas and without a postal ballot will not be able to vote.
It said: "We are still investigating the cause of the problem, which appears to have been due to an IT issue. We will determine how this has happened to ensure it cannot happen again."
Analysis by Martyn Oates, Political Editor , BBC South West
It's clearly embarrassing for a major local authority to have to be running around at the eleventh hour to make sure more than 1500 voters living in three different constituencies are actually able to vote in a general election.
The bigger challenge now, though, is trying to get ballot papers to postal addresses outside the Plymouth constituencies. It sounds as if some people willing and entitled to cast a vote in Plymouth will now be unable to through no fault of their own.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We have a dedicated postman collecting postal votes from the council and delivering these packs as soon as we receive them.
"We will continue to deliver any packs handed to us today [Wednesday]." | More postal ballots have been reported missing in Plymouth - after hundreds of voters complained theirs had not been received. | 40184173 |
Ridden by Adrian Heskin, the 7-1 shot stayed on strongly from the final fence to win by five-and-a-half lengths.
Previous course winner The Mooch was the 10-1 runner-up with 7-2 favourite Futuramic in third place.
It completed a double for Bolger and Heskin following Lofgren's win in the opening Maiden Hurdle.
Bolger celebrated a winner at the Cheltenham festival on Friday when the JP McManus-owned On The Fringe won the Foxhunter Chase for the second year running. | Federici made the 420-mile round trip from Enda Bolger's County Tipperary yard to claim victory in Sunday's Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick. | 35855763 |
The inscribed lead bar is the only one known of its type to be found the UK, auctioneers have said.
Found by Plymouth bricklayer Jason Baker, 31, it failed to fetch its guide price of £60,000 in November.
But, Hanson's Auction House in Derby confirmed it had sold the 2ft (60cm) ingot, which dates from AD 164 and was uncovered near Wells.
More on the Roman lead bar and other stories from Devon
The ingot, known as a "pig", is thought to have been mislaid by the Romans who at the time would have been sending mined lead back to Rome.
Mr Baker, who had been detecting for 18 months when he made the discovery, was unavailable for comment.
Previously, he said: "Normally, I find just a couple of Roman coins and that's normally a good day."
Mr Baker had signed up for a weekly event with the Southern Detectorists' Club when he made the find.
He said at the time there had been a "frenzy of finds" so when his detector sounded he "knew it was something good".
He also said he would be sharing the money from the sale with the farmer. | A rare ingot of Roman lead that was unearthed on a farm has sold for £25,000. | 39366713 |
It is the first time a special outdoor public event has been organised in the city for the Indian Festival.
Diwali symbolises victory of good over evil and is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world.
The colourful festivities featured fireworks, live music, food, dancing lanterns, a laser display and Scottish ceilidh bands.
More than 125 Diwali lanterns, some of them created by children, were hung up in the marquees.
A demonstration featuring 500 large sparklers was due to round-off the event. | Hundreds of people in Edinburgh have been celebrating Diwali at a special event in Princes Street Gardens. | 34881495 |
Dons chairman Pete Winkelman has dismissed an approach from the Blues for the 34-year-old.
"I'm flattered - but just as flattered by the chairman's response. It shows he wants me at this football club," Robinson told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"That gives me the satisfaction of knowing you're wanted somewhere."
Robinson has been in charge at Stadium MK since May 2010 and is the fourth longest-serving manager across the Premier League and Football League.
He has finished in the play-offs in two of his four full seasons in charge, but has yet to win promotion from League One.
Championship side Birmingham sacked manager Lee Clark on Monday and are 21st in the table.
"[The approach] has come as a shock and I think everyone has conducted themselves wonderfully well," said Robinson after his side's 2-1 win over Fleetwood on Tuesday, which moved them up to fourth.
"It's something I didn't want to get out there. It's happened and the chairman said 'no' and we move on.
"To be linked to a club like Birmingham City - it's a massive football club in one of the biggest cities in the UK.
"People talk about my name being in for this or that - it's nothing to do with me. The fact that people go to the chairman means I have to answer these questions.
"My wife and daughter are extremely happy here and we stroll on at MK Dons." | MK Dons boss Karl Robinson has said he is "flattered" by Birmingham City's interest in his services and his own club's desire to keep him. | 29721278 |
Humberside Police advertised the £117,078-a-year post on its website.
Garry Forsyth, currently Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, provided a close-up self portrait
Mr Forsyth, who is expected to start his new role as deputy chief constable in the summer, said he was "delighted".
Humberside Police Chief Constable Justine Curran said Mr Forsyth was a "motivated and driven individual" who would help to oversee "significant changes" within the force.
The force was criticised over its advert for the role, with one marketing expert saying the bid to fill a senior position should not have been publicised in such a way.
But Ms Curran said it was "vital candidates embraced new technology". | The successful applicant for a senior police role that called for candidates to send a "selfie" with their CV has published the picture he submitted. | 31665403 |
But an actual bricks and mortar Amazon store? That's still as rare as an A-list celebrity sighting.
The company opened its seventh US bookshop in New York on Thursday, drawing a steady stream of selfie-snapping gawkers, tourists and loyal shoppers who revelled in the novelty experience of shopping in person.
"It makes it feel more accessible," said Amanda Martinez, 25, of New York, who arrived before the store opened and walked out later with a JJ Abrams novel. "It's already accessible because it's online but it's nice to go inside and walk around."
Amazon opened its first bookshop in Seattle in 2015. By the end of the year, it plans to have 13 in the US. It's also expanded its physical footprint on university campuses and is experimenting with grocery and convenience shops.
Bricks and mortar retail remains a marginal part of Amazon's business - and that's not likely to change anytime soon, said analyst Tuna Amobi, who follows the company for CFRA Research.
But Mr Amobi says even on a small scale, a real store has benefits, including boosting brand awareness and exposing people to Amazon's Prime subscription service. Prime members get the online prices in the store, while non-members must pay the list price for books.
"There's an opportunity to get their platform closer to the consumer and interact, engage, at a very minimal investment," he said.
For Amazon's smaller rivals, which have stepped up face-to-face events such as author readings to survive, the company's physical expansion also adds to the pressure, he explained.
"It's been an ongoing process [of disruption] frankly over the last decade," he said. "This is just going to ... accelerate that."
Leigh Altshuler, spokeswoman for the Strand Book Store - a New York institution founded in 1927 - said the Strand knows it cannot rest on its laurels.
But she thinks the typical Amazon customer is looking for something different to those drawn to independent shops like hers: "We're not going anywhere. We're ... not just a bookstore, but a culture and a community."
Jennifer Cast, the vice-president of Amazon Books, said the company's "customer-obsessed" focus is driving the real-world expansion.
People have been asking for a place to check out books and test-drive Amazon's tech products, such as the Kindle e-reader, she says.
Amazon also has a mountain of data on what people are reading to put to use in stocking the store.
At the New York shop, which is tucked away on the third floor of one of Manhattan's most upmarket shopping malls, the company organises books into new kinds of categories, such as page turners - books that Kindle-readers finish in three days or less.
She says the goal of the shop, where customers can pay by credit card or on the Amazon App, is to be "a discovery mecca for customers".
"People have asked us, 'Is this just a big showroom?'" Ms Cast said. "I just say: 'Look how many books are on the shelves. Does this look like a showroom?' No - this is a store."
Ms Cast wouldn't say whether the shops are profitable or how many more stores Amazon might be contemplating.
Xiupeng Zhang, 28, of New York is an Amazon Prime member who stopped by to buy a Sheryl Sandberg book.
For him, the ability to pick up his purchases straight away without having to wait for them to be delivered, combined with low, online-world prices has long-term appeal: "It's like the future of retail." | Amazon, in its third decade of business, dominates the world of online shopping. | 40051886 |
The voluntary charter, part of the Trades Union Congress' "Dying to Work" campaign, sets out a process to support staff with a terminal diagnosis.
It also aims to ensure their employment and death in service benefits are protected.
Council leader Ali Thomas said it provided a "clear pathway of support".
"Receiving a terminal diagnosis is an extremely difficult and distressing event for any individual and their loved ones," he said.
"I am proud that Neath Port Talbot council is leading the way for employers in Wales". | Neath Port Talbot council has become the first organisation in Wales to sign a charter to help terminally ill workers. | 39032061 |
Despite the popularity of the television Timelord, 97 episodes were lost by the BBC.
Rob Ritchie, from Sunderland, was approached by a BBC producer who spotted his animation work on YouTube, and he ended up making a trailer for one of the most important lost ones.
He became the creative force behind the recreation of the Power of the Daleks, now available on DVD and download.
The serial was originally broadcast in 1966, but was later destroyed, with only a few stills surviving, and the audio, which had been recorded by a fan.
It is considered one of the most important "lost" ones, as it was the first to feature the second doctor, Patrick Troughton, and his clash with the doctor's greatest enemies.
In February 2016 Rob Ritchie was asked to create a demo reel, which was commissioned.
The Sunderland University graduate said: "I was initially only brought on board to make the trailer and animate the Daleks for the story, but when we worked out the logistics of the production I was quickly promoted to CGI animator and lead compositor.
"This entailed piecing the whole project together, taking the character animation and placing the characters in correct places, adding the backgrounds and creating visual effects.
"It's a really, really important story in terms of the Doctor Who universe as its the first time the doctor changed faces, and without that programme the story wouldn't exist today.
"Plus, obviously, there's Daleks in it, and who doesn't love Daleks?"
As well as the release of the DVD on Monday there are 750 cinema screenings planned in the US, and 150 in Australia.
"The feedback has been fantastic", he said. "I just can't believe the scale of it!" | A missing Doctor Who episode has been brought back to life after 50 years. | 38026227 |
The site, at Germany Beck in Fulford, was flooded over Christmas and the Conservative MP for the area, Julian Sturdy, had backed a campaign to reconsider the scheme.
Persimmon Homes said the £125m scheme would minimise the flood risk and offered "great benefits" to the area.
Work will begin with construction of a new road junction off the A19.
The scheme has been the subject of criticism due to its size and the risk of flooding but was approved by the City of York Council in 2007.
Campaigners opposed to the scheme also believed the land is on the site of the 1066 Battle of Fulford.
Simon Usher, managing director at Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, said: "This is a major development which will transform the approximately 24 hectare site, not only bringing much-needed new homes to the region, including 227 affordable homes, but also creating more than 120 new job opportunities, with more expected during the life of the project."
Mr Usher said the company would be providing £6m for community projects which included highway improvements and a new community sports facility at Fulford School.
The new A19 junction will also see the road raised, which the company said would reduce the likelihood of it flooding in the future.
The water, which will be displaced from the A19, will be stored in a specially created water meadow.
Persimmon also said the design of the development included oversize drainage pipes to store run-off water and reduce the rate at which water enters the public sewers and watercourses. | Work to build more than 600 new homes near York will begin in May, a developer has confirmed. | 36054364 |
It feels like there's a lot of power there too, so getting energy from the waves of the sea sounds as if it's got real potential. For World Service listener Michael McFarlane, it's a question that's been on his mind for years.
"I live in Jamaica and we are never very far from the sea… Electricity generation [here] is mainly based on fossil fuels," he says.
So why isn't the ocean powering Michael's home yet?
In order to tackle this question for the World Service programme Crowdscience, first, there was a language problem to unpick.
Deborah Greaves, Professor in Ocean Engineering and Director of the COAST Laboratory at the UK's Plymouth University explains: "We've tended to use "marine renewable energy" to describe wave and tidal energy…[it's] energy which can be extracted from the movement of the oceans in the marine environment."
Large tidal power generators already exist in selected locations around the world - the La Rance River estuary plant in Brittany, France, opened in 1966, and the world's current largest tidal power station is at Sihwa Lake in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, costing 313.5 billion South Korean won (£212 million GBP or $263 million USD).
Expense is one factor that currently limits the worldwide number of tidal power plants. Environmental concerns are another, as some places with particularly strong tides are also sensitive ecosystems, such as estuaries.
And there's one more detail that's particularly relevant for listener Michael: As anyone who's been lucky enough to spend time on a beach in Jamaica knows, the tides there don't go in and out that much. It can be by as little as centimetres, compared with metres at a time in other locations around the world.
For our programme, this means we turn to wave power, which, as Prof Greaves tells us, is still in the early stages of development. "Wave energy on the other hand involves extracting the wave energy motion in a device, and there are a huge number of different approaches to how you can do this."
Out at sea, water doesn't always move as predictably as in a tide. Ocean waves are whipped up by winds, and can be all over the place, interacting from all directions. It's this irregularity and difference which means that energy can be harvested in many ways, and there are thousands of patents registered for a whole variety of different approaches.
You can get some idea from the devices' myriad of names, which include: The Limpet, the Frog, Mighty Whale, Wave Roller, Wave Dragon, the Oyster, and the Penguin. The latter bobs up and down in the sea like a real penguin does - although it looks a bit like a cartoon block of cheese - some names aren't totally representative.
But, variety and excellent names aside, what has the most potential to generate our electricity - wave or tidal? "There's more potential for wave energy in terms of the resource because the tidal resource tends to be located in specific positions round the coastline.
"So there's actually a greater potential for wave energy, but at the moment it's further off being commercially developed," says Deborah Greaves.
At the Coastal Ocean and Sediment Transport laboratory at Plymouth University in the UK, Professor Greaves oversees new wave power devices being tested in their giant Ocean Wave Basin. Over 100 cars could be parked inside the 35m long, 15m wide and up to 3m deep tank - if it weren't full of water.
And at one end, there are 24 paddles that can be individually controlled to generate waves approaching 1m in height. This means that a variety of waves can be created - from the sort of waves that you might see at the beach, to a much more mixed-up surface with different sized and timed waves from many directions, which the COAST team call a sea state.
As big as this sounds, this is only laboratory scale - it's not a patch on the open ocean, but it's where wave energy devices start out. Deborah explains: "We can only go up to a certain scale here...and so in order to really understand how your device is going to perform in the sea, and some of the additional challenges in installing it and getting it to survive in a marine environment.
"All of those things we can't test but they can be tested at larger scale at a nursery site in the sea."
FaB Test in Falmouth Bay is one such place. Heading out about a mile into the sea on a research vessel illustrated how this stage helps wave energy device developers move their models forward.
"It enables us to make sure that we have access to the devices... At the same time, this area here is providing us with very rough and extreme conditions. We have seen waves close to 10m," said Prof Lars Johanning of Exeter University, casually leaning on one leg and maintaining impressive stability whilst the CrowdScience team clung on to the boat rails and their microphones.
"In the real world as you've just experienced here... you've got waves from different directions, you've got a current, you've got wind, you've got salt water - so you've got corrosion," Prof Johanning explains.
"It's a small thing that goes wrong quite often unfortunately but it stops you from going further. Or of course then, you address it."
Prof Johanning tells us that the real challenge for wave energy devices is surviving extreme conditions. "You would like to have very nice looking waves from one direction if possible... very smooth and regular. That is not the real sea. The real sea is a bit different unfortunately so you have to overcome this. We can design for these conditions but we also have to make sure that it is cost effective."
Once safely off the boat and back in the car, we set off from the nursery site towards what we were affectionately terming as 'big school' for wave energy devices (much to our contributors' amusement). Here, standing on a glorious and very windy beach, we met Stuart Herbert, Commercial Director of Wave Hub Ltd.
"Wave Hub you can think of as a large electrical extension lead. So we have a cable which is 25km long - very thick cable - and it goes underneath the sand we're standing on and heads out to the sea and ends up about 10 miles off [the town of] St Ives," said Stuart.
Given the wind and wintry conditions, this was the closest we could get today - thankfully. Mr Herbert tells us: "[The conditions have been] as high as 15 metres in the last couple of years.
"Bigger is better to a certain extent but these devices have to survive out there… This site has an excellent wave resource and a good place where we can connect to the National Grid… There's other places like Australia, Western Ireland, Portugal, France, Spain also have very good wave resource."
So what does he think about listener Michael McFarlane's question: Could the energy of the sea provide us with all our electricity?
"What a fantastic question! And Jamaica has a good wave resource." A promising start. But what's the timeline, and could it happen?
"It has been estimated that there's more than twice as much wave energy out there than is required to power the whole world. However, capturing that wave energy, capturing this wild and unpredictable resource, is quite a challenge. It's going to take some time for these devices to get to a commercial stage where we can deploy them in multiple numbers all over the world.
"Would we ever get to a stage where we can power the whole world from wave energy? I have to be absolutely honest with you and say that's really not going to happen. There have been some estimates made that it could be 15-20% in the UK."
So, not all of our electricity then. But island communities could still make use of some wave power in the future, especially because, as Mr Herbert says, "A lot of island communities at the moment either have no power or get their power from expensive sources like diesel generators."
Michael was far from wrong in thinking that the sea appears to offer this vast resource of free power. But the challenge is making devices that can harvest the most energy from those unpredictable waves, in a cost effective manner, and survive the relentless bruising and battering of the environment.
As Stuart Herbert concludes: "Wind turbines have been around for at least 20 years... Wave energy is at least 10 years behind that. So 10 years from now I would imagine that we'll start seeing commercial arrays of wave energy devices producing really useful amounts of power."
BBC CrowdScience, Wave Power first airs on the World Service at 1132 GMT on Saturday 24th December. Listen online and download the podcast. | If you've ever struggled to walk across the deck of a boat as it rolls in a choppy sea, or tried to stand up against breaking waves at the beach, you'll have felt the might of the ocean. | 38426389 |
After an unannounced visit in August, HM Inspectorate of Prisons said staffing at HMP Garth, Leyland, impacted supervision, access to some resources and limited health services.
The Category B training prison holds 780 men in total.
A prison spokesman said it had employed 20 extra officers since the inspection.
Inspectors said although it was a training prison, staff shortages meant most prisoners could only attend education or work for three-and-a-half days a week.
Due to the site running a "restricted regime", morning activity sessions were routinely shortened as staff were unavailable to supervise prisoners.
An internal prison report last month said prisoners believed to have been drunk on home-made alcohol were at the centre of recent disorder at the prison.
Inspector concerns included:
•The number of violent incidents had been rising steadily and there was a sharp increase in the two months before the inspection.
•Drug treatment services were good, but they were undermined by too readily available drugs and alcohol.
•Relationships between staff and prisoners were undermined by a lack of continuity of staff on the wings.
Inspectors found the prison was "generally calm and well ordered" and praised its "very good" mental health services. Public protection arrangements were also described as "sound".
Nick Hardwick, chief inspector of prisons, said: "HMP Garth has an important and difficult role and some of the significant challenges it faced at this inspection were caused by staff shortages outside its direct control.
"For the most part these pressures were well managed.
"Nevertheless, the weaknesses in some critical areas - safety, equalities, activities and offender management - undermined its core function as a training prison for serious offenders."
Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, said: "At the time of the inspection, Garth had a number of staff vacancies but it was managing a difficult population really well.
"Since the inspection the prison has received 20 new prison officers with six more due to start shortly. The additional staff will enable the governor to further develop the regime at Garth and address the recommendations in the report." | A Lancashire prison that houses a specialist unit for sex offenders has "chronic" staff shortages, inspectors have warned. | 30797676 |
The Yorkshireman, 28, is the first European winner at Augusta since 1999 and only the fourth British champion.
"It's a great feeling and hopefully one we can have many more times," said Willett of his first major victory.
Willett's manager Chubby Chandler said the golfer could win another major this year and become number one in the world "without any doubt".
Carding a final-round five-under-par 67, the Englishman took advantage of defending champion Jordan Spieth dropping six shots in three holes.
The last European to win at Augusta was Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, while the only other British champions have been Nick Faldo (1989, 1990, 1996), Sandy Lyle (1988) and Ian Woosnam (1991).
Chandler said Willett, a 2007 Walker Cup team-mate of three-time major winner Rory McIlroy, could "become one of the greats of his time".
"He won't be distracted. He knows exactly what he's trying to do. Winning the Masters is the start of the journey, not the end of the journey," said Chandler.
"He knows exactly how many majors Rory has won and he will want to get up there and past Rory's tally. If you take Tiger Woods out, what is the next best tally of majors among current players? Phil Mickeslon with five."
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The former English amateur champion turned professional in 2008, but his progress has been slower than others of his generation, such as McIlroy, Spieth and Rickie Fowler, with ongoing back problems halting his progress.
But Chandler revealed that the vicar's son, once the top-ranked amateur golfer in the world, carefully managed his back problems and used his father, Steve, as a psychologist.
"He had his trainer in Augusta and he's got a terrible back, so once a month he has a check-up, and then he goes on and does his thing properly," he said.
"He works so hard in the gym, partly because of his back and because he wants to, so he will be here for a long time."
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Willett, who described his victory on Sunday as "surreal", admitted he is not yet at the level of world number three McIlroy, 26, and world number two Spieth, 22.
"They've obviously achieved a good bit more than me. I've still got a bit of a way to go to be up there with those boys," added Willett, who moves to ninth in the world rankings after his Augusta win.
"But it is a fantastic start in the right direction of doing pretty special things in big tournaments.
"I'm just looking forward to being in that illustrious group of major winners, making sure I move forward in my game and seeing what else I can achieve."
Never want to miss the latest golf news? You can now add this sport and all the other sports and teams you follow to your personalised My Sport home. | Winning the Masters is a "fantastic start" to achieving "special things" in golf, says Danny Willett. | 36020454 |
Speaking on the future of north-south relations, he suggested the UK could have a customs arrangement with the EU similar to the one with Turkey.
Turkey's customs union gives it tariff-free access for industrial goods.
That deal does not cover agriculture, though, apart from processed products.
It is also a deal in which Turkey has little power to shape the rules.
It must apply the EU's common external tariff, but is not on the decision-making bodies that formulate tariffs.
It must also open its markets to countries with which the EU strikes a trade deal - but those countries are not obliged to open their markets to Turkey in return.
That model is not at all attractive to those advocates of a so-called Global Britain, who want the UK to have a fully independent trade policy.
The second arrangement mentioned by the taoiseach was the European Free Trade Area (EFTA).
It is effectively an organisation that allows the non-EU countries of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to participate in the single market.
Switzerland is also in EFTA, though its relationship with the EU is conducted through bilateral deals.
The political advantage is that the UK would not be subject to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) - one of Prime Minister Theresa May's red lines.
However, it would likely be subject to the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) and judicial control by the EFTA Court, the bodies which make sure EFTA members follow the rules of the single market.
EFTA also has its own trade deals which the UK could participate in and crucially EFTA members also have freedom to do bilateral trade deals.
However, there is still the question of freedom of movement.
EFTA members are required to follow EU commitments on free movement, albeit with the potential of an opt out. | During his first official visit to NI, Irish PM Leo Varadkar mentioned two specific arrangements which he suggested could soften the impact of Brexit across the island of Ireland. | 40827798 |
This year, 28,148 graduates began initial teacher training courses, representing 94% of the target figure.
At secondary level, where population increases are set to hit schools next year, just 82% of the target was met.
Ministers said they had redoubled their efforts to attract top graduates.
But head teachers and academics say there is no doubt the existing recruitment crisis is going to intensify in the next academic year.
Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Brian Lightman said: "We continue to be immensely concerned about the teacher recruitment crisis which is affecting schools all over the country."
Education recruitment expert and honorary research fellow at Oxford University John Howson said: "There is clearly going to be a crisis for the 2016-17 academic year in some parts of the country."
Because of the high numbers of teachers needed in England's schools and the high level of staff turnover - about 7-8% of the workforce - between 35,000 and 40,000 newly trained teachers are needed every year, experts say.
This is equivalent to half of the UK's standing army or roughly the whole of the Royal Navy.
This year, a large increase in the need for secondary schools for teacher trainees was factored in to the government estimate, known as the Teacher Supply Model.
This is because a population bulge is due to begin hitting secondary schools from autumn 2016. It is estimated that there will be an extra 800,000 pupils in secondary schools by 2022.
However, the recruitment of trainee secondary school teachers is the sector that has fared worst in terms of missing its target.
Government statisticians estimated that 18,451 new secondary trainees would be needed for the next academic year. Just 15,114 were recruited on to courses for secondary subjects.
The government stresses that not all teachers who newly enter the state sector are coming directly from teacher training courses.
It says about half tend to be returners to the profession or those new to the state sector - ie those from private schools, abroad or trained teachers, who have never taken up a teaching post before. These are accounted for in a separate part of teacher supply calculations.
Mr Lightman said: "This means that there are more than 3,400 fewer secondary trainees entering the profession this year than are needed.
"There are serious shortfalls in the core subjects of maths and science, and also in languages and geography, both of which are also English Baccalaureate subjects.
"The government wants 90% of pupils to sit GCSEs in the English Baccalaureate subjects. How will this be possible when there will clearly not be enough teachers for them?"
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the figures highlight what most in education already know: that teacher recruitment levels are at a critically low point, particularly in subjects such as physics, RE and design and technology.
"What the figures don't capture is that even in subjects where recruitment appears to be close to target, those trainees might not be where they're most needed once they're qualified. They also don't capture the ever-increasing workload and a growing gap between private and public wages in a context of high rents and mortgages, which are driving many excellent teachers out of what can be a deeply rewarding profession."
Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: "With the economy improving, we have redoubled our efforts to attract top graduates.
"Today's figures show that teaching is still a hugely popular profession, with over 1,000 more graduates training to teach secondary subjects - including record levels of trainees holding a first-class degree.
"I'm delighted that for the first time the majority of teachers are being trained on school-led routes in the classroom from day one and learning from the best teachers. This is a testament to the popularity of Teach First and School Direct."
There has been a deliberate shift to a more school-led approach to teacher training in the past few years. But all teacher training courses include substantial amounts of time for trainees based in schools. | Targets for the number of new trainee teachers in England have been missed for the third year running, prompting concerns of an intensified recruitment crisis in schools. | 34866850 |
Prince Charles visited Stebonheath Primary School, Llanelli, where he was shown a water catchment system and was treated to a concert.
He later met the youth team at Llandovery Rugby Club, Carmarthenshire, of which he is a patron.
The prince also visited Aberdare's Prysmian Cables & Systems in Rhondda Cynon Taff.
And he was given a tour of parachute manufacturer Airborne Systems in Llangeinor, Bridgend county, where he met staff and apprentices. | The Prince of Wales spent the day meeting young people in Carmarthenshire during a visit in the region. | 35672012 |
Mark Mason, 48, from Rhyl, died after being stabbed in the town's Home Bargains car park on 27 October.
James Davies, 20, Anthony Baines, 30, Jake Melia, 21, and Mark Ennis, 30, did not enter a plea.
The men, all from Liverpool, appeared at Mold Crown Court via video link from Altcourse Prison and were remanded in custody.
They are also accused of maliciously wounding two other men with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, on the same night. | Four men charged with murdering a father-of-two at a supermarket car park have appeared in court. | 37859583 |
Cadets, troops and veterans received the traditional Welsh symbol, which had been wrapped in a red thread and dipped in gold.
As Colonel-in-Chief she told the regiment that it was a "great pleasure" to celebrate St David's Day with them.
She also said soldiers are now more engaging with her - suggesting that she has become "less frightening" with age.
Dressed in a heather wool tweed coat by Karl Ludwig, the Queen stood on the dais of the parade square at Lucknow Barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire, to take the royal salute before the national anthem was played.
She inspected the parade while sat in the back passenger seat of a Range Rover and later met two regimental goats, Shenkin and Llywelyn.
"I am also delighted to be able to present leeks to representatives of the regiment, from cadets to comrades, and to meet the new mascot, Llywelyn," she said.
"The British Army, perhaps more than any in the world, has always lived through the regiment and the regimental tradition.
"In the hour of battle it has repeatedly relied on these bonds, on the pride and comradeship of men who would sooner die than betray the traditions of their corps, or be unworthy of the men of old who fought before them under their colours.
"This is reflected in your regimental motto, Death rather than Dishonour.
"I see that same pride and comradeship in parade before us today and I am certain that the regiment is in good hands.
"I wish you all good fortune for the future."
The Royal Welsh is one of the lead armoured infantry battalions of the British Army and was formed on St David's Day, 1 March, in 2006.
The Queen has been associated with The Royal Welsh and its former regiments, The Royal Welch Fusiliers and The Royal Regiment of Wales, since her coronation. | The Queen has presented leeks to The Royal Welsh regiment to mark St David's Day this week. | 39160405 |
Cornwall Council members voted on the plans and four other major retail developments in Truro on Thursday.
Developers Inox had said they would contribute £8m from the supermarket deal to build the 6,000-seat stadium.
Supporters say the decision effectively marks the end of the proposal, while Inox said a "miracle" was needed.
A petition of nearly 5,000 signatures in favour of the stadium was handed in to County Hall before the meeting.
Ian Connell, chairman of the Cornish Pirates rugby club, said: "We are hugely disappointed. The decision was greeted with total dismay from supporters, some as far afield as New Zealand."
Rob Saltmarsh, the managing director of Inox, said: "I can't see a way forward. Members decided our application wasn't suitable or didn't offer enough benefit for Cornwall."
Two of the four proposals were approved at the meeting, but Mr Saltmarsh said there was "commercial demand" for only one supermarket so despite the deferral, he feared the stadium's supermarket would not be approved.
He added it had taken Inox six years to get to this stage and doubted other developers would built a stadium in the current economic climate.
Truro and Penwith College vowed to contribute £2m to make up the £10m needed to build the stadium on the edge of Truro.
On Thursday, the Maiden Green development, a proposal for a supermarket and 515 homes was approved, as was the Willow Green application, which includes a supermarket, 435 homes and a primary school. | Plans for a new stadium in Cornwall are in jeopardy after councillors deferred a decision for a supermarket which would have paid for it. | 31866343 |
McKerr, 18, has represented South Africa at Under-19 level but holds a British passport.
Pillans, 24, joins from the Dolphins and will play for the county under an ancestral visa.
"Following the retirements of Chris Tremlett, Tim Linley and David Balcombe we needed to add to our resources," said director of cricket Alec Stewart.
"Conor is a part of this process and Mat will add quality and strength to our seam bowling unit."
Pretoria-born Pillans has taken 114 wickets at an average of 23.72 in 31 first-class appearances.
The right-armer, who has recently been playing for KwaZulu-Natal Inland, will link up with Surrey in the next fortnight.
Surrey begin their County Championship campaign against Nottinghamshire on Sunday, 10 April. | Surrey have signed South African fast bowlers Conor McKerr and Mathew Pillans on three-year deals. | 35698774 |
Changes are being made to the weight and height at which a child will be allowed to use a backless booster seat. However, parents will not need to replace car seats they have already bought because they can continue to use them.
From next year, changes are being made on the rules regarding backless booster seats.
Currently, parents can use these types of seats for children who weigh 15kg (2st 5lbs) and above - typically aged three and over.
The new rules will mean only children weighing over 22kg (3st 7lbs) who are also over 125cm (4ft 1ins) tall can use the seats.
The United Nations, which sets the safety standards for car seats, has approved the change which must now be implemented by the EU.
The government said the earliest the new rules will come in is March 2017 and they will affect the whole of the UK.
Many child car seat experts say they are unsuitable for small children as the child is not held as securely in the seat, the adult seatbelt is not guided across their body in the best way and they offer little protection if a car is involved in a side-on crash.
Do not worry. The changes will only apply to new backless seats and not ones already on the market that meet current safety standards.
Parents can continue to use their current model after the rule change and will not need to buy a new one.
It will be down to manufacturers of new seats to ensure they meet the revised safety standards and are labelled correctly.
Children must use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135cm (4ft 5in) tall, whichever comes first.
There are typically three types of children's car seats:
Only EU-approved child car seats can be used in the UK - which have a label showing a capital "E" in a circle.
Parents should typically choose a car seat based on their child's height or weight.
A driver can be fined up to £500 if a child under 14 does not wear a seat belt or child restraint. Anyone 14 and over not wearing a seat belt must pay the fine themselves.
There are exceptions. For example, children can travel without a child car seat in a taxi or minicab if they travel on a rear seat and wear an adult seat belt if they are aged three or older or without a seat belt if they are under three.
Many parents think they can judge which car seat they need to buy based on their child's age but it should only be used as guidance.
Car seats are typically categorised according to height and weight.
Height-based car seats, known as "i-Size" seats, must be rear-facing until the child is over 15 months old.
For weight-based car seats, the type depends on how heavy a child is.
A more detailed list is available through childcarseats.org.uk | New rules on child car seats are set to come into force after March next year and have left many parents confused about what they need to use. | 38182298 |
In May, Alitalia filed to be put into special administration for the second time since 2008. It will now be restructured, sold off or wound up.
On Friday, Italian media reports said Alitalia had received about 10 non-binding offers.
"We are serious in indicating we have an interest in Alitalia," said Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary.
He added: "But we are also serious in that our interest in Alitalia is only... if there was a significant restructuring so that Alitalia could reasonably be seen to operate on a profitable basis."
Mr O'Leary also said there would need to be "an absence of Italian government interference".
The Italian government has ruled out renationalising Alitalia, which was privatised and relaunched nine years ago after filing for bankruptcy in 2007.
The government said in May that it would provide a bridging loan to keep the airline's planes flying for about another six months.
About 18 firms initially interested in a potential purchase were reportedly given access to Alitalia's financial figures, and non-binding offers had to be submitted by the end of last week.
Those interested in making binding offers have until October to do so.
However, if no buyer comes forward then administrators will be faced with the prospect of winding up Alitalia, which is 49%-owned by Gulf airline Etihad. | Budget airline Ryanair says it has made a "non-binding offer" for loss-making Italian carrier Alitalia. | 40706103 |
The swimmer, who won three gold medals at the Rio Games last year, received the award at Buckingham Palace.
Her golden hat trick came with wins in the 100m backstroke,the 200m freestyle gold and the women's SM14 200m individual medley.
The 100m backstroke win to retain her London 2012 title set a new record.
At the Brazil Games, she also won silver in the 100m breaststroke, the weakest of her four events.
The 21-year-old from Seaforde in County Down competes in the S14 class for swimmers with an intellectual disability. | Northern Ireland's four-time Paralympic gold medal-winning swimmer Bethany Firth has been recognised with an MBE. | 39644584 |
The 28-year-old Warriors centre, who came to Sixways directly from Rugby School in 2006, has largely been limited to European Challenge Cup appearances this season.
Grove, who played a big part in getting Warriors promoted in May, has failed to make Dean Ryan's Premiership team.
He will join utility back younger brother Oli, 25, at the Exiles.
The three-times capped Scotland centre, who made his international debut in 2009. has run in 29 tries in 151 appearances for Warriors,
Grove spent six months on loan to Edinburgh for the first half of the 2010-11 season, following Worcester's relegation to the Championship.
He was then part of the Warriors team which went down again in 2014, but stayed at the club this time, playing a key role in their return to the Premiership via the play-offs, which included two semi-final victories over two legs against Scottish.
"I spoke to Dean Ryan about getting some more time out on the pitch and I'm familiar with the club after coming down many times to watch Oli play," said Gove.
"It's a great opportunity to get some game time at Scottish and hopefully contribute in the coming weeks." | Worcester Warriors have loaned former Scotland international Alex Grove to Championship side London Scottish. | 35404743 |
The pedestrian died after being hit by a large bucket loader at the UPM plant in Shotton, at 11:30 GMT on Monday.
The case has now been handed over to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for sole investigation.
UPM Shotton general manager David Ingham said: "We are all deeply shocked by this tragic incident."
The man who died was a contract worker in the inbound recovered fibre warehouse, where the bucket loader is used to move waste paper from the floor to the recycling lines.
The HSE has interviewed witnesses and reviewed materials relating to the incident. | A man arrested in connection with a death at a Flintshire paper mill has been released without charge, North Wales Police has said. | 38899282 |
Researchers from the UK and Japan found that the head and tail movements of sperm made patterns similar to the fields that form around magnets.
And these help to propel sperm towards the female egg.
Knowing why some sperm succeed and others fail could help treat male infertility, the researchers said.
More than 50 million sperm embark on the journey to fertilise an egg when a man and woman have sex.
About 10 reach the finish line - but there can only be one winner.
The journey is treacherous, says study author Dr Hermes Gadelha.
"Every time someone tells me they are having a baby, I think it is one of the greatest miracles ever - but no-one realises," says Dr Gadelha, a lecturer in applied mathematics at the University of York.
He and his team measured the beat of individual sperm cells' tails to try to understand the flow of fluid around the sperm.
It turns out that a "simple mathematical formula" explains the rhythmical patterns created, Dr Gadelha says.
And these movements help selected sperm cells move forward towards their holy grail - the female egg.
The study, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, says the next step is to use the model to predict how large numbers of sperm move.
Prof Allan Pacey, a sperm expert from the University of Sheffield, says a successful sperm is more than just about swimming prowess.
"The more we know about sperm the better. This might help infertility treatment in some small way but there are lots of other factors to consider too."
They include the number of sperm available, getting them to the right place at the right time and the DNA present in the head of the sperm.
When a man has ejaculated, 50 million to 150 million sperm are produced, and these cells immediately start swimming upstream towards a woman's fallopian tubes.
But it's not an easy journey - there are lots of hurdles to overcome for the male sex cells, which are just 0.065mm in length.
Only one sperm can penetrate the woman's egg and fertilise it, so the race is on.
First, they have to survive the vagina, where conditions mean most die. Then they have to avoid dead ends and being trapped before reaching the uterus.
On the way there are marauding white blood cells ready to kill them.
Finally, the remaining sperm arrive at the fallopian tubes, where they are fed and nourished.
But has an egg been released at exactly the right time to welcome the winning sperm? If not, the journey has all been in vain. | How an individual sperm swims, against all the odds, through fluid to reach the fallopian tubes has been revealed - and it's all about rhythm. | 39292913 |
Now the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to President Juan Manuel Santos for his efforts in the negotiations.
Could that be enough to save the agreement?
The peace process with the Farc is on a roller coaster ride.
Mr Santos spent four years in difficult negotiations before signing an agreement in August at a triumphant ceremony in Cartagena. But the public vote rejecting the accord left him with little to show - until he was made a Nobel laureate.
"I receive this award with great humility and as a mandate to continue to work tirelessly for the peace of Colombia," Mr Santos said after the announcement. "For this, I will dedicate all my efforts for the rest of my days."
But beyond the commitment of the president, how can the Nobel Prize unlock a crisis where the government is facing a "no" from its people?
Overall, the award is seen as a boost to the process and a message from the international community to all parties to the conflict.
"It is the voice of the world supporting our country," said Humberto De la Calle, chief negotiator for the government in Havana, where the deal was struck.
"It is appropriate that we continue listening in a fast and efficient way to different sectors of society to understand their concerns and promptly define a way out."
He said that many of the interpretations of the agreement from the "no" side were wrong.
But, he said, there would be a dialogue between the government and the Farc that could lead to adjustments or clarifications of the deal.
That was seconded by Ivan Marquez, the Farc's chief negotiator.
"We will see how can we attach (new items) to an agreement we have built with great effort and dedication for more than four years," he said.
But he added: "We have already signed something, we will not (the Farc and the government) will not destroy what we have built."
Echoing the position of Mr Marquez was Diana Gomez, a representative for victims of state crimes. At an event for "yes" voters in the presidential palace on Friday, she said that the agreement reached must be respected.
At the end of that event, President Santos said: "Yes to peace, (yes to having the) agreement now".
There is an openness to dialogue with the "no" side, but also pressure to solve the issues as soon as possible, while changing the signed agreement as little as possible.
Andrei Gomez Suarez, a professor at Universidad de Los Andes and member of the organisation Rodeemos el Dialogo ("surround ourselves with dialogue"), also thinks the Nobel Prize gives the president the power to persevere.
"Undoubtedly it changes the balance of power for President Santos, and gives him legitimacy," he told the BBC.
The Centro Democratico political party, led by the former president and current senator Alvaro Uribe, are the main opponents of the deal with the Farc.
They are already holding talks with the government, which will continue next week with proposals for amendments. But the Farc might find it very difficult - if not impossible - to accept some of them.
On hearing the news, Mr Uribe tweeted his congratulations to President Santos, but said he wanted to "change harmful agreements for democracy".
Another major opposition figure, former President Andres Pastrana, tweeted: "I congratulate @JuanManSantos for his Nobel Peace. Another reason to advance national unity agreement."
That national agreement refers to a proposed consensus between the government and the "no" campaign which would be taken to the negotiating table in Havana.
Mr Santos is also very unpopular among many in Colombia. The Nobel Peace Prize has not changed their opinions. These were the people that fuelled the "no" victory on Sunday.
Throughout the peace process with the Farc, the international community has given strong support to the negotiations. Among them are Pope Francis, the United States, the European Union, United Nations, and the countries of Latin America.
Sources: BBC Monitoring, Colombian presidency
And yet, when the time came for a vote, outsiders could not influence the decision.
"What Colombians think has more weight than what the international community says," Centro Democratico Senator Paloma Valencia told the BBC.
"The international community doesn't live here and did not have to suffer what Colombians had to."
But even with a Nobel Peace Prize, the hardcore "no" voters will not change their minds.
It is in the hands of the government to find positions acceptable to both the "no" camp and the Farc, who will have to agree to incorporate those changes into the document signed in Cartagena. | Less than a week ago, Colombians voted "no" to an agreement with the guerrilla group the Farc, sparking a political crisis that threatened the peace process. | 37590023 |
After plunging more than 12% on Tuesday, shares in Anglo American ended down a further 1.2%.
Anglo had announced a major restructuring plan and said it was suspending its dividend until the end of next year.
Mining shares have been hit by falling commodity prices, with iron ore prices at 10-year lows.
The FTSE 100 index ended the day down 8.5 points at 6,126.6 points.
Glencore rose 4.6%, Rio Tinto was 1.1% higher and BHP Billiton was up 2.4%.
Among the other mining firms, shares in Fresnillo dropped 0.9% after it said a pipeline had burst at its Saucito mine in Mexico. However, the firm said it would not suspend production at the mine.
Shares in equipment hire group Ashtead were the biggest riser, jumping 6.9%, after it said strong demand in the US meant its annual results should now be better than previously forecast.
Analysts had expected Ashtead to report full-year pre-tax profits of £608m for the year to April.
On the FTSE 250, shares in Entertainment One, the owner of the Peppa Pig children's TV character, rebounded 10.7% after the company said it was trading in line with its full-year guidance.
The firm's shares fell 20% on Tuesday after announcing that its refinancing plan would increase monthly interest payments.
Stagecoach shares fell 14.4% after the bus and rail operator cut its full-year profit forecast. The travel group blamed the Paris terror attacks for "discouraging people from travelling to major cities".
On the currency markets, the pound rose 1% against the dollar to $1.5168, and climbed 0.16% against the euro to €1.3804. | (Close): Mining companies regained some of the losses they posted on Tuesday, but Anglo American slid further into the red. | 35049100 |
Lord Coe, the London 2012 chairman, said he had been approached to stand as the successor to Colin Moynihan.
A BOA committee is drawing up a list of candidates to replace Lord Moynihan, who announced last month he would be stepping down after seven years.
Lord Coe, who was recently made the UK's Olympics legacy ambassador, said: "I am happy for my name go to forward."
The 55-year-old, a 1500 metres Olympic gold medallist in 1980 and 1984, led London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympics and was subsequently made chairman of Games organiser Locog.
As legacy ambassador, he has been asked to advise Prime Minister David Cameron on how to best secure long-term benefits for the UK following the London Games.
Mr Cameron said Lord Coe had "done a brilliant job delivering the best Games ever", adding: "Now I want him to help me deliver the best Olympic legacy ever." | Sebastian Coe has confirmed he will stand to be the next chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA). | 19551011 |
The Bridge International Academies group says it offers affordable, high-quality education to its 12,000 pupils, who often come from poor families.
The Education Ministry says the 63 schools must now close immediately.
The group, supported by foundations such as those set up by Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, says it will appeal.
A judge said the Bridge International school authorities had been given several opportunities to meet the national standards but had failed to do so.
The US-owned group first opened its schools in Uganda in 2015, but has been plagued with accusations of poor sanitation, inadequate infrastructure and not following the national curriculum, reports the BBC Africa's Catherine Byaruhanga from the capital, Kampala.
The government ordered their closure in July also alleging that the schools were recruiting unqualified teachers.
However, the organisation decided to go to court to fight the decision.
It insists it follows Uganda's public education system, with seven years of primary school and children starting from the age of six.
Some people who support Bridge International argue that government schools are worse off with nearly 70% of children dropping out before they finish primary education, our correspondent says.
Teacher absenteeism is also said to be a major challenge with about one third of teachers not turning up during the school week, she says.
Sources: Ministry of Education, 2014, Uganda National Examinations Board, 2015, Uwezo, 2015
Bridge International Academies has major backers, including the UK government and the foundations of philanthropic billionaires Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg.
It also operates in India and Nigeria, and in January entered into a partnership with the Liberian government to run its primary schools.
How Bridge International operates in Uganda:
Read more: Is private education the answer? | Uganda's High Court has ordered the closure of a chain of private schools over concerns about poor sanitation and its curriculum. | 37871130 |
If Snapchat had accepted, it would have been Facebook's biggest purchase.
Citing sources close to the matter, the Journal reported Snapchat was being pursued by others, including Chinese e-commerce company Tencent.
Popular with teenagers, Snapchat has doubled its usage recently.
According to the firm, more than 350 million images, or "snaps" are sent daily between mobile devices. Once received by users, they are erased after a few seconds.
Created in 2011, Snapchat raised more then $60m from investors last June, which valued the company at more than $800m.
However, the company has recently come under fire for claims that sent images delete themselves after being viewed.
Several hacks have been created that allow users to save snaps, posing potential privacy issues. | Image messaging firm Snapchat, founded by Evan Spiegel, 23, rebuffed a $3bn (£1.9bn) acquisition offer from Facebook, according to the Wall Street Journal. | 24935361 |
The show asked contestants to guess what answer 100 people had given when told to name a woman's job.
The "correct" answers included cooking, cleaning and dishes. Answers for a man's job included builder, plumber and mechanic.
The channel said the answers were "not reflective of all Australians".
The programmes format involves two families competing to guess the most-given answers to a question that has been posed to a survey of a 100 people.
Wednesday's episode of the programme, known as Family Fortunes in the UK, sparked outrage on social media.
Some viewers called the question "misogynist", "sexist" and "disgraceful" while others said it was perpetuating gender stereotypes.
In Wednesday's episode, host Grant Denyer asked contestants to "name something people think is a woman's job".
The answers were cooking, cleaning, nursing, hairdressing, domestic duties, dishes, receptionist and clothes washing.
Earlier in the episode he asked the contestants to "name something people think is a man's job" and the answers were: builder, plumber, mechanic, carpenter and being a tradesman.
On Thursday, Channel Ten said on its Facebook: "We apologise for including the two questions relating to what people think is a man's job and a woman's job in the episode of Family Feud which aired last night."
"The questions were ill advised and should not have been included in the show."
But Grant Denyer posted on Twitter: "Don't blame us 4 the answers, they're yours Australia!"
Some of those commenting on the apology from the channel also thought the reactions had made the story into a bigger deal than it was. | Australia's Channel 10 has apologised for broadcasting a question on the quiz show Family Feud deemed sexist by many watching. | 29639887 |
But like other Gulf states, the sharp fall in global oil prices has forced the country to consider whether these benefits are luxuries it can no longer afford.
Last month, Parliament Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim warned that continuing to spend in the same way would be "economic suicide".
"We cannot lie to the Kuwaiti people, we cannot come here and say we will protect your pockets and the citizen will not be affected," he said. "Everyone's pockets will be affected... This is the reality."
In January, the Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah spoke of the need for better management of spending and for budget cuts to cope with declining revenues
However, an attempt by the government to remove subsidies on diesel and kerosene last year was heavily criticised by MPs.
The pressure led to the subsidies being restored, although it was decided that they would be reviewed monthly in accordance with global price fluctuations.
The acting Finance Minister, Anas al-Saleh, also announced this month that the cabinet had approved a plan to impose a 10% tax on corporate profits, as one of a number of measures aimed at reducing Kuwait's budget deficit, projected to be 8.18bn dinars ($27.1bn; £19.2bn) for this financial year.
In addition, some state-owned projects, including airports, ports and some facilities of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), would be privatised, Mr Saleh said.
Kuwaiti lawyer Mishari al-Sawwagh feels that the government's priorities in implementing such measures are misplaced.
"Our problem in Kuwait is not about money... it's about leadership and management," he told the BBC.
Mr Sawwagh believes cutting subsidies will not only hit Kuwaiti citizens but also the 2.9 million-strong foreign workforce on which they depend.
"Lifting petrol subsidies, for example, will affect foreign workers who may consider leaving as they can no longer afford the living costs here, and this will also affect our economy," he said.
One area of public spending that has come under scrutiny is healthcare.
At present, thousands of Kuwaitis are sent each year to the US, Europe and elsewhere for medical treatment.
However, many say the system has been abused by people claiming to be suffering from medical conditions in order to spend months abroad at the state's expense.
In 2014, the government spent 441m dinars ($1.46bn; £1.04bn) on funding some 11,000 medical trips abroad, according to figures from the State Audit Bureau.
To reduce the numbers of so-called "medical tourists", the government announced plans to reduce the daily allowances given to patients and their companions.
But MPs have called on the government to review its decision and instead focus on ensuring that only those in need of specialist treatment are sent abroad.
Ahmed Baqer al-Ali, a Kuwaiti doctor doing postgraduate training in plastic surgery in London, believes the popularity of medical tourism is a result of a number of problems with Kuwait's healthcare system.
"A lot of patients do not trust the health system," he told the BBC. "We find people travelling for treatment for chronic conditions such as diabetes and back pain, which can be successfully treated in Kuwait."
"The government should take tough steps to resolve this issue. But it's not just about reducing the amount - it's about the whole concept."
In addition to improved assessment of those seeking treatment abroad, Dr Ali believes that money needs to be spent on building world-class medical institutions in Kuwait.
He points out that this is already happening in the UAE, with Abu Dhabi opening branches of the Cleveland Clinic and King's College Hospital, while Dubai attracted an estimated 500,000 medical tourists in 2015.
Dr Ali says this kind of long-term vision would not only improve the healthcare available to Kuwait's population, but also provide much-needed training positions for local doctors, whose development is being hindered by the practice of exporting patients.
Most Kuwaitis diagnosed with cancer are currently treated abroad, for example.
"This is a disaster because we have plenty of local oncologists who have been trained abroad, and many in the new generation of doctors want to specialise in oncology, but they have no exposure to cases," Dr Ali said.
"It's not about the quality of doctors here; we are trained at the best centres in the world."
"The problems are management issues and the lack of infrastructure. There's no quick solution, but this is what the government needs to solve." | Sitting on the world's sixth largest proven oil reserves, Kuwait's 1.3m citizens are accustomed to lavish benefits, such as interest-free housing loans, free education and healthcare, and food and fuel subsidies. | 35881609 |
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The 18-year-old began Saturday 11 shots off the lead at five over par, but hit nine birdies to end the day one under.
"I played aggressive and it worked for me today," Hull said.
South Korea's Park leads at five under, one shot ahead of Norway's Suzann Pettersen, China's Feng Shanshan and South Korean Ahn Sun-Ju.
Former world number one Park, who won three majors in a row in 2013, had finished one shot behind compatriot Ahn.
But Ahn's par on the final hole turned into a double bogey when she was penalised two shots for "building a stance" in a bunker on the 18th.
She said: "It's disappointing, but it's my mistake and I have to follow the rules of the game."
American overnight leader Mo Martin shot a five-over-par 77, including a double bogey on the 11th.
World number four Pettersen carded a 68 to climb into joint-second alongside Feng and Ahn.
Pettersen, 33, told BBC Two: "I'm really enjoying the course. I'm hitting the ball great and I'm confident with the putter."
But the big winner of the day was Hull, despite bogeying her opening two holes.
"I just hit fairways and hit greens and I just putted well," Hull told BBC Radio 5 live.
"The first two holes I started bogey, bogey, but I got it back from that. A great back nine and a birdie every par three made it even better."
Hull, the Ladies' European Tour's Rookie of the Year in 2013, is the best-placed home player, ahead of Dame Laura Davies, 50, who is tied in 28th at three over par. | England's Charley Hull carded a six-under-par 66, the day's best round, to move within three shots of third-round leader Inbee Park at Royal Birkdale. | 28278225 |
Gatland says the All Blacks illegally targeted Murray during the Lions' 30-15 first Test defeat in Auckland and could have caused a career-ending injury.
"What he's implying is we are deliberately going out to injure somebody, and that's not the case. I guess he might be a bit desperate," said Hansen.
The Lions face Super Rugby champions the Hurricanes at Wellington's Westpac Stadium on Tuesday, with the second match of the three-Test series at the same venue on Saturday.
Gatland said New Zealand dived "blindly" at Murray's standing leg whenever he launched a box kick in Auckland.
He will seek discussions with the second Test's referee, Jerome Garces.
"I thought that was a little bit dangerous, and after he's kicked he's been pushed a few times, and pushed to the ground," said Gatland.
But Hansen said on Radio Sport NZ: "It's just really, really disappointing to hear him say that, and take the gloss off not only the Test match but from his own team's performance as well.
"As a New Zealander, I would expect him to know the New Zealand psyche. It's about playing hard and fair.
"We are trying to charge the kick down, and/or tackle him. Both those things are legal.
"Just because he is one of their key players, it doesn't mean to say he has a right to go around the park without being charged down or tackled."
After the game, Gatland said the All Blacks played a "very direct" style, which he believes would have been criticised if used by the Lions.
"It's another predictable comment coming from Gats," said Hansen. "He is looking to take the heat off his own team."
Gatland is set to bring flanker Sam Warburton and lock Maro Itoje into the starting XV for the second Test after the Lions were physically dominated in the series opener.
Tour captain Warburton and Itoje impressed as second-half replacements in Auckland.
Gatland said: "We might have to shake it up a little bit.
"Someone like Maro Itoje made an impact coming off the bench and was very physical.
"Sam Warburton was excellent as well at the breakdown when he came on."
Former Lions and England coach Clive Woodward said on Sunday that the Lions should change tactics rather than personnel as they attempt to win the final two Tests.
"We didn't lose the game based on selection," he told BBC 5 live's Sportsweek. | British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland's comments about New Zealand's treatment of Lions scrum-half Conor Murray are "desperate", says All Blacks boss Steve Hansen. | 40401272 |
Sophie Taylor, 22, died when her car hit a block of flats in Adamsdown, Cardiff, in August 2016.
Cardiff Crown Court heard her BMW crashed while being followed by "jealous" Melissa Pesticcio, 23, and her ex-boyfriend in separate cars.
Miss Pesticcio, of Llanrumney, denies causing death by dangerous driving.
She also denies causing serious injury by dangerous driving and two charges of dangerous driving.
The jury has been told Miss Taylor had begun a relationship with Miss Pesticcio's ex-boyfriend Michael Wheeler, 22, which led to "prolonged hostility" between the two women.
Miss Taylor was allegedly being pursued by Wheeler and Miss Presticcio, who was driving her own BMW.
She crashed into the wall after colliding at high speed with Wheeler's Vauxhall Corsa.
Wheeler has already admitted causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury.
The court heard that days before the crash, Miss Taylor taunted Miss Pesticcio with messages about losing her lover, such as "It's never going to be you and him any more".
She also called her a "hoe" and wrote: "He doesn't like you. He doesn't love you. Why don't you just move on."
Christopher Rees, defending, said Miss Pesticcio had been in a "proper ongoing long-term relationship with Wheeler, and was living with him at his parent's home when he began speaking to Sophie".
Georgia Flavin, Miss Taylor's best friend, agreed with Mr Rees that Miss Taylor was "no shrinking violet" and "wasn't afraid about speaking her mind".
Mr Rees said: "One of Sophie's issues in the July and August was the overlap with Pesticcio's relationship with Michael Wheeler."
Miss Flavin said she was with Miss Taylor on two occasions when Miss Pesticcio tried to intimidate her friend.
She told how Miss Pesticcio pulled up in her car with Wheeler's sister and her children alongside Miss Taylor and shouted abuse at her in the street.
Miss Flavin said: "There was shouting and Sophie just kept her mouth shut and said nothing. It was quite nasty."
She said she was also with Miss Taylor when Miss Pesticcio chased her out of a McDonald's car park five days before the fatal crash in her car.
Miss Flavin said: "We stopped at the lights. Pesticcio drove beside us, rolled down the windows and was just shouting things.
"When the lights went green Pesticcio drove forward and pulled in front and braked so we had to do an emergency stop so we didn't go into the back of her."
The prosecution's case is it was Wheeler's Vauxhall Corsa which collided with Miss Taylor's car, directly causing the fatal crash, but he claimed Miss Pesticcio was also responsible after taking "a main role in the protracted pursuit".
The court has heard Miss Taylor's friend, who was a passenger in her car, suffered "life-changing injuries" as a result of the crash.
The trial continues. | A woman was killed by a love rival in a car chase days after she taunted her in a chain of messages about stealing her boyfriend, a jury has been told. | 39737761 |
A 32-year-old man, who has not been named, died outside the Studio Sport Bar in Hexham from head injuries at about 04:00 GMT .
A 25-year-old man has been arrested and is currently in custody.
Det Insp Dave English from Northumbria Police said the "tragic death" was being treated as an "isolated incident" and is appealing for witnesses. | A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man who died after being found unconscious. | 38782256 |
De Villota, 32, was seriously injured on 3 July while testing for Marussia at the track at Duxford.
A statement issued by the Marussia Technical Centre, in Banbury, said she left Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on Friday.
She had made "significant progress" since the accident, it said.
The statement said: "More comfortable and familiar surroundings, plus the support of her wider family and friends, will undoubtedly provide a more conducive environment in which Maria can commence the next phase of her recovery."
The team praised staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital for the "remarkable care and attention that she has received there".
De Villota was injured during a straight-line test at the airfield. She was making her testing debut for Marussia and driving an F1 car for the fourth time in her career.
She sustained injuries after her car "suddenly accelerated" into the back of the support lorry, according to witnesses.
Earlier this week, the team said its own investigation had ruled out a fault in the car as a cause of the crash.
The incident is currently being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). | F1 test driver Maria de Villota, who suffered head injuries and lost an eye in a crash in Cambridgeshire, has returned to Spain. | 18937064 |
Robert Kay, 36, from Bonnyrigg, stabbed Carlo Volante, 40, in a "one sided violent attack" in broad daylight in front of his girlfriend, Mhairi Hughes.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Kay pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Volante in Bonnyrigg, on 3 January 2017.
Judge Lady Rae will sentence Kay at a later date.
The court heard Kay rented a room to Miss Hughes who was in a relationship with Mr Volante, who lived with her.
Advocate depute Angela Gray said at about 14:00 on 3 January, Mr Volante and Miss Hughes decided to go to her mum's house to walk the dog.
She said: "In doing so they also woke up the accused who shouted.
"Miss Hughes shouted at Kay and Mr Volante told Kay not to shout at Miss Hughes.
"Miss Hughes felt she had enough and was not going to put up with Kay any longer so she and Mr Volante decided they were moving out right away."
They started packing belongings and shouted at one another to hurry and Mr Volante realised he should have been at work that day.
He shouted at Kay because he was annoyed at missing work then went downstairs to take bags outside for his girlfriend.
Seconds later Miss Hughes heard a disturbance and looked out to see Kay running down the path, away from the door.
She heard Mr Volante shouting "He has a knife" and other witnesses saw Kay chase after him.
Mr Volante ended up on the ground and Kay stood over him and stabbed him "a number of times on the upper body".
Miss Gray added: "Miss Hughes at this time was only five metres away, not going any closer out of fear and was shouting and screaming at Kay to leave Mr Volante alone.
Mr Volante was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but pronounced dead at 5.52pm.
He was found to have 14 sharp blade injuries with nine of them being stab type injuries.
Defence QC Donald Findlay said Kay has no recollection of the incident and the last memory beforehand is an alleged threat made by Mr Volante. | A man has admitted murdering his flatmate's boyfriend after a row when he was accidentally woken up by the couple in Midlothian. | 39659674 |
Dan Davies won the Gordon Burn Prize for his book, In Plain Sight: The Life and Lies of Jimmy Savile.
Actress - and judge - Maxine Peake described it as "compelling".
"This is so much more than a book about the monster that is Savile. It's about grotesque social attitudes towards the famous and money," she said.
The winner was picked from a selected shortlist by a judging panel comprising of Peake, authors Roddy Doyle and Doug Johnstone, artist Gavin Turk and journalist Suzanne Moore.
'Clear-eyed examination'
Davies' book details Savile's secretive life and the author's own developing relationship with the TV presenter over the course of multiple interviews, as well as examining the many inquiries which have followed the discovery that Savile was one of the UK's most prolific sexual predators.
Originally turned down by a slew of publishers prior to Savile's death, because it was deemed too controversial, it was published to critical acclaim last year.
Johnstone, author of The Jump, called it "a clear-eyed examination of a terrifying personality".
"Dan Davies has dug deep to produce one of the finest examples of investigative journalism I've ever read."
The Gordon Burn Prize was set up in 2012 to honour the late journalist whose extensive books covered topics such as the Yorkshire Ripper, Fred and Rosemary West and the Moors murderers.
According to organisers, which include publishers Faber & Faber (one of those who originally turned down Davies' book), the Gordon Burn Trust and New Writing North, the award seeks "to illuminate the work of those writers whose work follows in his [Burn's] bold footsteps".
Davies receives £5,000 and the offer of a writing retreat for three months. | A journalist who interviewed Jimmy Savile extensively over the last six years of his life has won an award for his book about the fallen celebrity. | 34486844 |
The animal has been extinct in Britain for 1,300 years, but the Lynx UK Trust believes it will help control deer populations and attract tourists.
It said the selected area had a low human population density, little sheep farming and few roads and railways.
Opponents fear the lynx will be a threat to livestock and wildlife.
A series of consultation events are to be staged to discuss a possible schedule for the reintroduction.
Paul O'Donoghue, chief scientific adviser for the trust, said: "Balancing up the many factors, Kielder has continually stood out as a place where the lynx can flourish."
Several sites across the UK, including Aberdeenshire, Ennerdale in the Lake District and Thetford Forest in Norfolk, were initially identified by the trust before being ruled out as unsuitable.
Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, told BBC Newcastle he believed lynx "could perhaps fit into the landscape in the longer term" and help create "richer" biodiversity.
However, he added: "Let's look at the implications, let's not rush into this."
He called for the trust to consult at length with the Forestry Commission, which is the biggest landowner in the area.
The National Sheep Association (NSA) has been a vocal critic of the proposed scheme, saying the UK is "unsuitable" for the reintroduction of the animals.
It believes they would "threaten the welfare of sheep and the livelihood of farmers". | Northumberland and the Scottish Borders have been chosen as the preferred site for a project to reintroduce Eurasian lynx forest cats to the UK. | 36881541 |
Charlie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover and Deal, said Shepway District Council supported the plans for a smaller lorry park at Westenhanger.
The council's leader had previously branded a proposed 3,300-space lorry park as "bonkers".
Lorries are allowed to park on the M20 when there are delays at Channel ports.
The proposed lorry park is aimed at relieving pressure caused by Operation Stack, when trucks are allowed to queue due to delays at Channel Tunnel and ferry ports.
Mr Elphicke said: "We've had major problems in Dover in recent months because of the level of gridlock, which is a weekly occurrence.
"We need a long term solution. There is a site near Folkestone which could be the site with up to 1,000 lorry parking spaces.
"[Shepway] District Council is supportive and I'm making the case it should be advance check-in, before lorries go down to the Eastern Docks.
"There would be 1,000 spaces in the Eastern Docks and 1,000 spaces near Folkestone which would be enough capacity not to cause gridlock in Dover."
A spokeswoman said Shepway council was "driving plans" for a lorry park with about 1,000 spaces.
She said the authority was looking at land near Westenhanger and was talking to local land owners.
Councillor Paul Carter, Conservative leader of Kent County Council, said problems arising from Operation Stack were "intolerable" to the people of Kent.
He said: "We need national government to fund what is needed to get the private sector to operate those lorry parks.
"Recently, the government introduced charging for foreign lorries using our roads, and I believe a substantial amount of the money should be used to fund these lorry parks." | A new 1,000-space lorry park to help reduce congestion from queuing lorries on the M20 and in Dover has local support, an MP says. | 31850472 |
Tyrone Lock, from Hope under Dinmore in Herefordshire, was found 48 hours after reports he was acting erratically at Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel near Whitchurch in Shropshire.
The 18-year-old had taken ecstasy and the herbal stimulant khat before fleeing in his socks and boxer shorts.
West Mercia Police said it would "review future callout procedures".
CCTV footage of the hotel from 21 November 2015 showed Mr Lock threatening the night manager and acting erratically.
When police arrived, the teenager ran out of the lobby towards the hotel golf course.
The inquest jury found officers inappropriately classed him as a suspect who was absconding, as apposed to treating him as a vulnerable person.
PC Charlotte Sullivan told the inquest she requested a police helicopter but it could not be provided for "operational reasons".
Shropshire coroner John Ellery questioned why a second call to the National Police Air Service (NPAS) was not made and PC Sullivan replied: "I wouldn't normally ask a second time."
A police dog handler, PC Ian Willes, searched the grounds for 40 minutes and heard a voice shouting "Leonard" - the name of Mr Lock's friend. The police dog picked up a scent, but the teenager was not located.
Two days later, he was found dead in a pond on the grounds by a green-keeper.
The jury at Shropshire Coroner's Court recorded a narrative verdict.
Outside court, Mr Lock's mother Tracey Lock said she was "happy to get justice for Tyrone" who "was a gentleman... and a pleasure".
"I'm so proud to be his mum," she added, but said the family was "broken" without him.
Det Ch Insp Paul Moxley said: "We acknowledge today's verdict and we will now look to work closely with NPAS to review future callout procedures.
"Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Tyrone following his tragic death." | Significant police failings contributed to the death of a teenager from hypothermia, an inquest has ruled. | 37575634 |
Jordon Begley, 23, died in hospital after being Tasered in Gorton following a row with neighbours on 10 July 2013.
Eleven officers attended Mr Begley's home after his mother called 999 to report he had a knife.
The inquest jury delivered a narrative verdict after a five-week hearing at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice.
Following the verdict, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) "restricted" the operational duties of the officers involved in the case.
Jordon Begley was shot with the 50,000 volt stun gun from a distance of 28in (70cm).
He was hit with "distraction strikes" while being restrained and handcuffed by three armed officers from GMP, the inquest was told.
While the initial Taser shock did not cause his heart to stop, the jury concluded that the use of the Taser and the restraint "more than materially contributed" to a "package" of stressful factors leading to Mr Begley's cardiac arrest.
Another factor, they concluded, was Mr Begley's intoxication at the time of the incident and confrontation with police.
In damning conclusions, the jury said the officer who pulled the Taser trigger, PC Terence Donnelly, "inappropriately and unreasonably" used the stun gun for longer than was necessary.
The jury said PC Donnelly pulled the trigger for eight seconds which was "not reasonable in the circumstances".
After Mr Begley struggled and was restrained by armed police they were "more concerned with their own welfare than his," they added.
The 23-year-old factory worker offered "minimal resistance" and there was "no need" for one officer to punch him a second time in a "distraction strike" as they handcuffed him, the inquest heard.
The ruling concluded he was also left too long face down with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Outside court his mother, Dorothy Begley, 47, described the jury's conclusions as "fantastic" and called for all police officers to wear body cameras.
She said: "After two years of fighting everybody, fighting the system, Jordon's day has come. That is all I ever wanted. The last two years have been hell."
"Someone has got to say sorry, they've got to. That's what we want."
The family is now seeking legal advice.
Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley said the verdict had "raised a number of serious concerns, including the way the Taser was used, the use of force by the officers after the Taser was deployed and about the communication between the officers who attended Jordon's home".
"In the interim, I have decided to restrict the operational duties of the officers involved in the Taser discharge and restraint until we have had time to fully consider the coroner's comments and have further dialogue with the IPCC."
Since the introduction of Tasers in 2003, Home Office figures show its use has increased by more than 200%, with one in 10 officers now armed with a Taser and more than 10,000 Taser incidents in England and Wales in 2013. | An unarmed man died partly as a result of being "inappropriately and unreasonably" Tasered and restrained by police officers, an inquest has found. | 33373531 |
The head of the emergency services said the victims - 21 to 25 years of age - were suspected of acute poisoning at the private event in the Costa Salguero area which had gone out of control.
"We'll see what substances they took," said Alberto Crescenti.
The Time Warp festival was being held in Argentina on Friday and Saturday.
Buenos Aires' emergency service was called after it became clear that private ambulances attending the event were unable to cope.
"We couldn't stay inside, we couldn't breathe," one of the participants told local TV channel TN.
"It was too hot and there were too many people."
Time Warp, launched in Germany in 1994, was in Buenos Aires for the third year in a row.
Among the DJs performing there were Chris Liebing, Barem and Deep Mariano.
The second night has now been cancelled. | Five people have died and another five remain in a critical condition after attending a music festival in Argentina's capital, officials say. | 36063635 |
The prime minister told the party's conference the UK must change after the "quiet revolution" of the Brexit vote, urging people to "seize the day".
Labour were now seen as the "nasty party" and only the Tories would "stand up for the weak... up to the powerful".
The state should be a "force for good" to help working people, she argued.
In her set-piece speech in Birmingham, less than three months after she became prime minister, Mrs May said her vision was of a country "where everyone plays by the same rules and where every single person, regardless of their background or that of their parents, is given the chance to be all they want to be".
The vote to leave the EU, she said, was a "once-in-a-generation chance to change the country for good" and write a new page in its history.
Acknowledging the divisions caused by the referendum, she urged people whichever way they had voted "to come with me as we rise to meet this moment, come with me and together let's seize the day".
The rejection of the EU, she said, demonstrated not only a desire for greater control but also reflected the deep divisions that had built up in the country over generations, with working people too often ignored by the "privileged and powerful".
"It was not the wealthy who made the biggest sacrifices after the financial crisis, it was ordinary working class families," she said.
"If you're one of those people who lost their job, who stayed in work but on reduced hours, took a pay cut as household bills rocketed, or - and I know a lot of people don't like to admit this - someone who finds themselves out of work or on lower wages because of low-skilled immigration, life simply doesn't seem fair.
"It feels like your dreams have been sacrificed in the service of others."
Promising to build a "united Britain rooted in a centre ground", she said her government would protect jobs and "repair" free markets when they did not work properly.
Setting out a "responsible capitalism" agenda, she said the government would "go after" businesses that regarded paying tax as "an optional extra", challenge those which recruited "cheap foreign labour" at the expense of British workers and, in a reference to the collapse of retailer BHS, condemn those who "take out massive dividends while knowing that the company pension is about to go bust".
Previous Tory leaders have sought to reduce state intervention, but Mrs May said her government would take action to identify injustice, find solutions and drive change.
Analysis by Carole Walker, BBC political correspondent
Theresa May sought to define herself as the leader of the post-referendum era. The woman who voted to remain in the EU who now understands that the vote to leave was a vote for more profound change.
There was a powerful warning that if the government fails to respond to the demand for change, resentment will grow and divisions will become entrenched.
In advance of the speech, many of the pro-Tory newspapers were headlining an attack on the liberal elite, who dismiss people's concerns about immigration and crime. But the big targets for Theresa May were the rich and powerful, the big businesses and vested interests who ignore the wider needs of society.
The Tory leader made a direct claim on Labour's territory, saying the Conservatives are now the party of the workers. Her opponents, she said, were not just divided but divisive. Her best line was a re-working of her famous sound bite, as she said it was Labour which was now being called "the nasty party".
But there were challenges for her own party too. She stressed the importance of the role of the state, the need for government to be a force for good. She promised a new industrial strategy and enhanced workers rights. It was a very different message from that of previous Tory leaders who have sought to reduce state intervention and roll back the size of government.
There were no concrete proposals for how she would right the wrongs in society. But we are told this was her vision, identifying what needs to change. The details of how this will happen will come from her ministers "in due course".
It was a commanding, confident performance from a leader who has swiftly assumed an air of powerful authority. But she will be judged on whether she does manage to deliver far-reaching change. And on whether she can get a Brexit deal which protects jobs and businesses whilst giving people the control over their lives that they were promised in the EU referendum.
In a speech containing no new policy announcements Mrs May talked at length about the values which would shape her premiership, saying Labour did not have "a monopoly on compassion" and criticising its "sanctimonious pretence of moral superiority".
"Let's make clear that they have given up the right to call themselves the party of the NHS, the party of the workers, the party of public servants."
And, to huge applause from the hall, she flipped the "nasty party" tag - which was how she famously said some saw the Conservatives back in 2002 - on to the Labour Party following their recent acrimonious leadership contest.
She restated her support for extending selective education in the state sector and expanding grammar schools, saying they had a role to play "where parents want them and where they will improve educational standards".
Making a pitch for the Tories to be the party of "ordinary working-class people", she said: "Just listen to the way a lot of politicians and commentators talk about the public.
"They find their patriotism distasteful, their concerns about immigration parochial, their views about crime illiberal, their attachment to their job security inconvenient.
"They find the fact that more than 17 million people voted to leave the European Union simply bewildering."
Dismissing the labels of the "socialist left and the libertarian right", she told Tory supporters: "It's time to remember the good that government can do.
"Where many see government as a problem, I want to show it can be part of the solution.
"While government does not have all the answers, government can and should be a force for good; that the state exists to provide what individual people, communities and markets cannot; and that we should employ the power of government for the good of the people."
The speech was praised by former justice secretary Michael Gove, sacked by Mrs May in July, who tweeted: "Government has a critical role to play in supporting commerce and enterprise, providing infrastructure and ensuring markets work for all. We need markets to generate wealth but support for them is undermined by inequality and excesses of undeserving rich."
But Labour said the speech marked a decisive shift to the right, with a "backwards" schools policy and no action to tackle an NHS in "financial meltdown".
The Lib Dems said their former coalition partners were now "divisive, reckless and uncaring" while the SNP attacked "repellent" proposals - announced on Tuesday - which could force businesses to spell out what proportion of their workforce is not British.
"Theresa May's vision of Brexit Britain is a deeply ugly one - a country where people are judged not by their ability or their contribution to the common good but by their birthplace or by their passport," said SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon. | The Conservatives will use the power of government to "restore fairness" in Britain and spread prosperity more widely, Theresa May has said. | 37556019 |
15 March 2016 Last updated at 16:12 GMT
Russia has announced that it's sending home fighter planes from the country which many people think is positive step.
The BBC's Geneva correspondent Imogen Foulkes explains what this means for peace talks happening in Switzerland right now. | There's hope for peace in Syria five years after the civil war first started. | 35815595 |
Germany international Zieler, 28, joined the Foxes from Hannover in June 2016 but made just 13 appearances last season.
Stuttgart will be back in the Bundesliga next season after winning promotion under Hannes Wolf.
Zieler said: "I have the feeling that something can develop at the club."
Zieler's departure means that Leicester have Ben Hamer as back-up to first-choice Kasper Schmeichel.
This summer the Foxes have signed Sevilla captain Vicente Iborra for £10.5m and Hull defender Harry Maguire for £17m.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Leicester have sold goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler to Stuttgart for an undisclosed fee after a year with the Premier League club. | 40576804 |
The forward, the brother of former U's player and Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson, made 394 appearances in 12 years at the club.
In a statement Oxford United paid tribute to what it described as one of its "all-time greatest players".
Atkinson holds the club's all-time scoring record with 107 goals, and only five players have more appearances.
Friend and former teammate Ken Skeen said: "He was a great man and a great footballer who I was proud to call my best mate, even after all these years.
"I am glad I came to Oxford and got the chance to know him. He was a true gentleman who was at the heart of Oxford United for many years and he will be missed by everyone."
Atkinson started out at Aston Villa but joined his brother Ron at Oxford United during the 1959/60 season before he turned 17.
He scored the club's first ever goal in the Football League, and his 77 league goals remain a club record.
A minute's silence will be held at a forthcoming game. | Oxford United's all-time top goal scorer Graham Atkinson has died of cancer at the age of 73. | 38531229 |
Police said the man was pulled from the water by five members of the public but later died in hospital.
The incident happened at about 17:00 on Monday at the Falshaw Bridge, near Arboretum Avenue in Stockbridge. There are no suspicious circumstances.
Police said they had spoken to the four women who were involved in attempting to save the man.
But they appealed for a man who had also helped to contact them.
Sgt Donna Mackay said: "Our condolences are with the friends and family of the victim who passed away, despite the valiant efforts of these five good Samaritans.
"We are eager to trace the final male witness as part of our enquiries. We would ask this man, or anyone who may know who he is, to contact police as soon as possible." | A 58-year-old man has died after falling into the Water of Leith in Edinburgh. | 33994959 |
He told the BBC that as a child, he had watched Mr Lee cry on television as he announced one of the country's most traumatic moments: its separation from Malaysia in 1965.
"It's a sad day for all Singaporeans. I lived in the era where he built Singapore, and I've seen it progress," said the 58-year-old.
For Sayeed Hussain, who brought his two teenage children to pay respects before they headed off to school, Mr Lee's legacy was social harmony. "He did a lot for us, helped to shape a multi-racial and multi-cultural Singapore," he said.
Mr Lee was a towering figure in the lives of many Singaporeans, leading a team that transformed Singapore to a rich, stable country.
He has also been strongly criticised for his human rights record, his ruthless pursuit of political opponents and views on race and genetics. But in the immediate hours after his death, few Singaporeans were willing to touch on the more controversial aspects of his legacy.
Even opponents, such as politician Chee Soon Juan who was sued for defamation by Mr Lee, expressed only condolences. Low Thia Khiang, the leader of Singapore's main opposition party in parliament, Workers' Party, said Mr Lee's contribution would be "remembered for generations to come".
Online and offline, the country mourned. Radio and television played tributes and downbeat music, newspapers darkened their mastheads, digital billboards were blanked out, and television stations ran tickers announcing his death.
On Facebook, people turned their display pictures to stylised icons mourning Mr Lee.
By mid-morning, several residents of Lee Kuan Yew's Tanjong Pagar constituency had arrived at the local community club to pay their respects.
As a boy growing up in the area, L Kalaiselvan, 57, attended many of Mr Lee's election rallies.
"When it would be his turn to speak, it was like a bull or a lion charging onto the stage. His voice was so commanding. You felt like you were in safe hands," he said.
Many also showed up at the iron gates of the Istana, the compound housing the president's official residence and the prime minister's office. Officials had set up a tented booth with boards where people could post messages.
They came, young and old, bearing bouquets, cards and solemn expressions. Some stayed behind to read what others had written, and several had tears in their eyes.
"We've never had a leader who worked so tirelessly for us. He sacrificed a large part of his life for the country," said Carolyn Chia, 40.
Among the older Singaporeans who spoke to the BBC, there was an anxiety that younger citizens would forget Mr Lee's legacy, and the hardships that earlier generations had faced, and grow complacent.
"He was our founding father, he gave us government housing and education, I owe everything to him. Life was hard back then... I don't know if younger ones will remember that," said Sum Choi Yoke, 65.
But 35-year-old lecturer W Chai said it was the duty of his generation "to do more to show the country that we do care... it's our job now to move things forward."
"Whichever direction the current leadership takes now, it will have to be a more open one, and it's been happening. The people now want more say in this country."
Younger Singaporeans said they respected Mr Lee, even if they would not support some of his strong-armed tactics, such as crackdowns on critics, if he was still in politics today.
"It would be difficult now, because the political field has changed," said Wong Chee Wai, 34. "But Mr Lee did what was best for Singapore at that time."
"It's not always possible to be the good guy and also do what's necessary." | As the sun rose over Singapore General Hospital, paralympic athlete William Tan arrived in his wheelchair at a tribute area for Mr Lee Kuan Yew and bowed his head in silence. | 32013623 |
Hodgson described the 21-year-old, who has scored 23 goals in 35 games this season, as combining "everything you're looking for in a centre forward".
"Is he worth a place in the squad now? Of course he is," said Hodgson.
Captain Wayne Rooney is likely to continue in attack, despite adopting a new midfield role at Manchester United.
In a lengthy interview, the England boss also said:
Kane, who only made his first Premier League start for Spurs in April, is currently the joint-leading English goalscorer in the top flight, level with QPR's Charlie Austin on 13.
Hodgson said he had already given "a lot of young players" their chance at international level and said Kane "certainly deserves a place in the squad as much as Saido".
But he questioned whether the Spurs star was "worthy" of a place in the first team like Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge.
-----------------------------------
Hodgson was asked for his thoughts on England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who had been photographed this month with a shisha pipe in is hand while out at a London club. Hodgson said he felt the matter had been dealt with by Arsenal, adding: "It won't occupy a lot of my time with Jack when I see him because we have a football match to win."
What is shisha smoking? It's a way of smoking tobacco, sometimes mixed with fruit or molasses sugar, through a bowl and hose or tube.
Hodgson, 67, also revealed he had once used a shisha pipe. "As an ex-cigar smoker, when I tried it I thought it was a complete nonsense. I couldn't understand who would do it. Apart from a faint fruity taste in your mouth, that was about the end of it. I thought tobacco was smoking and shisha pipes were water with flavour."
-----------------------------------
"That's something he'll have to prove," added Hodgson. "But unless I give him a chance in the squad, he'll never get a chance to prove that anyway.
"If you can be a star at a top team like Tottenham at the age of 21, then you're doing pretty well."
Rooney's recent goalscoring form has been in stark contrast to Kane's, with the 29-year-old yet to manage a shot on target in 2015.
Rooney has scored six goals in his last six games for England, taking his tally to 46, just three behind leading goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton.
But, often playing in a central midfield role, he has only managed eight for Manchester United this season, his last coming on 26 December.
Hodgson said he was not concerned about Rooney's form and added that he did not plan to play him as a midfielder.
"I don't necessarily think that will be his best position for us and I don't have any immediate plans to play him there," said Hodgson. "But who knows? I will never say never.
"He's a goalscorer and you always like to see goalscorers in positions where they can get into the box. If you've got several other goalscorers and can afford to use one of them a bit further back, that's fine.
"But he's our top goalscorer in the qualifiers, he's just a couple of goals away from being England's leading goalscorer, so I hope he will continue to score goals for us."
Hodgson, whose team have won all four of their Euro 2016 qualifying matches and are six points clear at the top of Group E, said Rooney was versatile enough to play in various positions for club and country.
"If you are an England player, you do have to accept you wear two hats," added the former Fulham, Liverpool and West Brom boss.
"You have got to be prepared to leave one hat at home and put the other hat on. If you can't do that, you are never going to be any good for me as an England player.
"We can't demand they wear those hats when they go back to their clubs. We have to quite happily accept when they have done their 10 days with us, they put that hat away and they put a new one on.
"This is about England and my job now is to do my job for England." | England manager Roy Hodgson has all but confirmed Tottenham striker Harry Kane will be in his squad for next month's double-header with Lithuania and Italy. | 31449204 |
The U's have won seven of their past eight games in all competitions, with just two defeats in 18 matches.
But Appleton admitted he was oblivious until analyst Mark Thomas pointed out their current surge.
"You just go from game to game and look ahead to the next one, to be honest," Appleton told BBC Radio Oxford.
Oxford, who are 13th in the table, face MK Dons at home on Saturday at the start of six games in 18 days, which includes an FA Cup fifth round tie at Middlesbrough and an EFL Trophy semi-final against Luton Town.
"For us to have any thoughts along the lines of promotion, we have to continue this form over the next 18 matches," said Appleton, whose side are six points outside the top six.
"There's 54 points to play for, but we know that our first target is 50 points and then let's see how many games are left and how big the gap is to the play-offs.
"The lads are in a good place at the moment. I won't talk about league tables, but they will. They'll look at them and talk between themselves, they're not daft.
"But, they know that given their form and the way they've played of late, they can stay resolute." | Oxford United manager Michael Appleton had to be reminded of how strong a run of form his side are on as they target the League One play-off places. | 38931220 |
Clement believes Swansea, 18th in the table and two points adrift of Hull City, need 10 points from their remaining five games to survive.
The former Derby boss admits his team 'haven't responded well,' to the pressure of the last few matches.
"As soon as you lose that belief, the job is done. I don't get that sense from the players," said Clement.
The Swans will be without midfielder Jack Cork and Wayne Routledge for Saturday's "must win" home clash with Stoke City.
After initially lifting the fortunes of his team, the Swans have slid into the relegation zone after six games without a win and Clement admits their performances have been disappointing.
"They haven't responded particularly well over the last five or six games when the pressure has been there," he said.
"I continue to reinforce the point I said to them. We have to play under this pressure because, if we keep performing the way we are, the pressure will be gone (as Swansea will be relegated) and the last two or three games will be for nothing.
"The mental side is a key area at the moment. But it would be difficult to put it all on that.
"It's a slightly different situation to way this club has been over the last few years.
"In the first four years the club got off to such a good start in the first part of the season, they were never in a situation at the end of the season where so many points were required.
"Last season was slightly different, they had slightly more at the halfway point than this time and got out of it.
"This season has been the worst situation at the halfway point. It's new they are in this situation, but you have to get on with the task in hand. That's about preparing well, performing well, dealing with the pressure."
Clement said he was aware of the leadership former captain Ashley Williams used to bring before his summer move to Everton.
But the Swans' managers called on his players to show those same leadership qualities now.
"Not just one person, but as many as possible, helping each other and having that belief, still," he said.
"I know there has been some critics out recently about lack of effort, lack of passion and those kinds of things have been said.
"I don't believe the players are not trying and don't understand the situation we are in and how important this is for the club and for the fans and for the city.
"We understand all those responsibilities, but the belief is still within the players and with five games to go I still believe there is a lot of twists and turns. That's 15 points and I still believe it will go to the very end."
Meanwhile Clement has not ruled out a move for former Chelsea captain John Terry this summer - if the club stay up.
Clement coached Terry at Stamford Bridge and described him as a "fantastic leader" and a "dying breed."
Asked about possible interest, Clement said: "Why not?....I'd be more than happy to speak to him." | Swansea City head coach Paul Clement says his side still have the belief to avoid Premier League relegation. | 39657000 |
Hardliners have been on a political warpath this week after the first visit to Tehran by the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.
"Do you think our country has no order that you can go anywhere you want and see anyone you want to see?" the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, demanded on Tuesday night.
Leading clerics from the holy city of Qom have now added their voice, accusing the West of "reviving the plot of the soft revolution", a reference to the widespread street protests - blamed on foreign powers - that were sparked by the disputed 2009 presidential election.
When Baroness Ashton first landed in Tehran last weekend, moderate newspapers hailed her arrival as an "achievement" of the reformist President Hassan Rouhani.
His Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has established a good working relationship with Europe's top diplomat during their months of negotiations which led to November's landmark interim deal on Iran's nuclear programme.
Now Mr Zarif, as well as Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, has been summoned to appear before parliament to answer questions.
Hardliners have zeroed in on what is being denounced as Baroness Ashton's "controversial meeting".
Their target is a small gathering with seven female human rights activists at the very start of her mission, which coincided with International Women's Day.
The presence of Narges Mohammadi, the acting head of Iran's Centre for the Defenders of Human Rights, attracted some of the greatest attention.
She has been to prison five times since her days as a student activist, and is now on bail.
"The better Iran's relations with the world become, the more open the political climate in Iran becomes, and the more active our civil society," Ms Mohammadi told me.
Baroness Ashton spoke of "the great privilege to meet women to talk about issues for women in Iran and across the world," as she stood next to Mr Zarif at a news conference on Sunday.
On Wednesday, a small crowd of protesters, mainly from an Islamic Association of University Students, gathered outside the residence of the Austrian ambassador in Tehran where the meeting with the female activists - meant to be a low-key discussion - was held the previous Saturday evening.
"If Mrs Ashton is concerned about women and human rights, she should go take care of the women in Europe," one student association declared earlier this week.
"This backlash was to be expected," a prominent editor of one of Iran's conservative media told me. "It will subside."
But it is also clear the deeply-rooted suspicion will not go away.
Hardline politicians, still smarting from President Rouhani's emphatic victory in last year's elections, also see this as an opportunity to step up the pressure to try to weaken the reformist government, including negotiations on the future of Iran's nuclear programme.
"They will try to keep the flame alive," said one Iranian commentator.
There has been less comment so far from more moderate media.
But a cautious appreciation of her visit was quoted earlier this week.
"It can have a positive effect on the process of Iran's nuclear talks and the promotion of our country's relations with the European Union," remarked Ahmad Shohani, a member of the parliament's security and foreign policy committee.
As we walked through Tehran's crowded bazaars this week, Iranians often asked us what kind of impact her visit would have.
"When senior officials visit it gives us hope," said Mehdi whose family has been in the carpet business for more than three decades. "When more junior officials come, we worry."
"We definitely welcome her visit," emphasised a woman carrying bags of Iranian nuts and sweets in preparation for the upcoming Persian New Year on 21 March. "It's not good to live in isolation."
"Ashton and her friends should deal with the government," insisted another man who lamented the high prices caused by years of international sanctions. "We cannot make a long wall around ourselves but the EU and the Iranian government have to show good intentions."
Baroness Ashton was clear from the start that human rights were an important part of her greater engagement with Iran.
She often makes a point of talking to women wherever she visits.
"She would have been criticised if she did not reach out to Iranian women, especially since it was International Women's Day," commented one of her advisers.
Her approach in Iran was carefully framed as a "potential human rights dialogue in future".
European diplomats say the idea to put human rights on the agenda was first suggested by Iran's delegation during a meeting at the United Nations in September.
Both Baroness Ashton and the Iranian leaders she met in Tehran have spoken positively about their talks earlier this week.
"I've met people who've played a role in Iran, not just now but historically, and we were able to talk about the potential to do other things, including human rights," Baroness Ashton told me and the few other journalists who came to cover her visit.
After meeting her, President Hassan Rouhani spoke of the need to "interact constructively" with the entire world, including Europe, based on "common interests and mutual respect".
His unofficial Twitter account @HassanRouhani used the hashtag #Constructive_Engagement.
Mr Minister Zarif also spoke about the potential to co-operate in other areas, including action against drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan, the battle against "terrorism", and the "dangerous" situation in Syria.
But Baroness Ashton also made it clear that progress on any front would depend on the success or failure of difficult talks on a long-term comprehensive nuclear accord, which will resume on 17 March in Vienna.
"I am leaving here knowing there is support for those who are going to come to negotiate," she told me. "But there's so much to do and we have to be cautiously optimistic."
Even deeper scepticism was reiterated again this week by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"Our officials have started negotiations. We hope they will come to a conclusion but we are not optimistic," he commented during one of his audiences.
Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly warned that the nuclear talks are a "pretext in the hands of the West" to interfere in Iran's affairs.
"Ashton has given some hope to the moderates, some food to the hardliners," was how one Iranian observer summarised this rare visit by a senior Western official. "This is Iran." | A visit to explore the potential for a new relationship between Iran and Europe has also ended up highlighting the enduring sensitivity of the old. | 26542321 |
It began after the discovery of a suspicious object in Killylea.
The Elm Park Road is closed in both directions.
It is not thought any homes have been evacuated. | A security alert is continuing in County Armagh on Friday night. | 34554421 |
Patients stayed in A&E at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital while records said they were admitted to a non-existent ward, the whistleblower said.
Hospital bosses rejected this and said the ward was adjacent to A&E.
There was "no evidence of any attempt to defraud or 'game the system'" the trust told the Health Service Journal.
The ward at the heart of the allegations was called the EDU (Emergency Department Unit) and was nicknamed a "breach avoidance unit", according to a former A&E worker.
An investigation by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust found missed targets may have been under-reported.
The hospital however rejected the idea the ward did not exist. It said it may have been called "virtual" among staff because patients' details were entered onto a computer there, but that was a "language issue rather than a policy initiative".
Read more Herefordshire and Worcestershire stories
The ex-staff member further alleged staff felt pressured by managers to "falsify records for the four-hour target", and nurses did not want managers "harassing" them over four-hour breaches.
63%
Seen within target of four hours
84 Waited more than 12 hours
86.2% National average for number of patients seen in four hours
95% Target for the number of patients to be seen within that time
Computer records of some patients' admissions did not match times they were moved according to paper records, the investigation report said.
Caragh Merrick, chairman of the hospital trust, said there were "system and administration errors and not actions to present the trust in a better position than it was".
The investigation revealed "poor process and recording" but nothing suggested a virtual EDU and there was "no evidence of manipulation of data".
The trust confirmed "the alleged practices were not happening today".
New leaders being recruited would "see prompt investigations where concerns were raised with clear outcomes and actions and people being held accountable where necessary", the trust said. | A whistleblower has accused a hospital of inventing a "virtual ward" for patients to avoid breaching the minimum four-hour waiting target in A&E. | 38919029 |
WhiteHat Security provides web security services to businesses, including e-commerce, financial services and healthcare companies.
The new jobs will be created following the establishment of a threat research centre, customer support and software engineering operation.
Invest NI has offered the company an employment grant of £400,000.
WhiteHat Security will also get £80,000 of support under the agency's Skills Growth Programme to develop its Belfast team, while the Department for Employment and Learning has offered support of up to £240,000, towards pre-employment training costs.
The company will recruit 50 security engineers, 20 software engineers and 10 customer support staff over the next three years.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "It is very welcome news that another leading ICT company has decided to locate in Northern Ireland.
"WhiteHat Security is a rapidly expanding company that is leading the field in the area of web security.
"The ICT sector is an important and growing cluster for Northern Ireland; and WhiteHat is a welcome addition to our important IT security sub sector." | Eighty jobs are to be created in Belfast by an American web security firm. | 30391712 |
The incident happened on the 23:09 service from Dunblane to Edinburgh on 16 December shortly after the train left Larbert railway station.
A man who was sitting in the seat next to the girl placed his hand on her legs twice.
She was able to alert a conductor who helped her to move seats.
The man was described as white, about 5ft 11in tall, in his late 20s, with strawberry blonde hair.
He was wearing a Christmas jumper and jeans at the time.
PC Andrew McAinsh, said: "Everyone should be able to travel on the railway network without experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour.
"I would like to commend the victim for reporting what happened to her.
"She was very shaken by the incident and an investigation is under way to identify the offender." | A 17-year-old girl has been left "very shaken" after being sexually assaulted on a train by a man wearing a Christmas jumper. | 38403136 |
The body of Derek Taylor, 71, was found at the property in Cross Fold, Blackburn in Lancashire, on Wednesday.
A post-mortem examination confirmed he died from "significant head injuries".
Deanha Neely, 32, of no fixed address, appeared before Blackburn Magistrates' Court earlier and was remanded appear at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday.
A 34-year-old woman held on suspicion of murder has been released without charge.
Mr Taylor's family said he had "a big heart of gold and will be greatly missed". | A woman has been charged with the murder of a man believed to have been living inside a coach at an industrial unit. | 38715883 |
Researchers are now certain the remains uncovered at Llanwnda near Caernarfon date to the 11th or 12th Century - but its owners remain a mystery.
The Hen Gastell - Old Castle site - was the focus of surveys and digs over a two-year period.
The final findings of the experts have now been published by the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust.
"We were investigating the site because we didn't really know one way or another whether it was an Iron Age site," said dig director Jane Kenney.
"Now we know for sure. We had 14 radio-carbon samples dates and they all came out at about the same time."
Today, the site is an impressive earthwork monument with none of the original structure standing.
But excavations clearly showed it had been a defended enclosure, with a large ditch and substantial earthen bank outside the ditch.
Holes dug to hold posts suggest it would have held a large timber building that could have been up to 65ft (20m) long.
But who did it belong to?
"It's extremely hard to say," admitted the site director.
"It's not likely to be one of the princely courts, it was somebody a little bit lower on the social scale."
One theory is that it may have had connections with Vikings known to have settled in parts of the area, with speculation it could have been linked to Bon y Dom - a castle reputed to have been built by Olaf, King of Dublin.
"But it's all guesswork - and something the historians can help with. There's still an awful lot we don't know about the site," added Ms Kenney. | An archaeological dig in Gwynedd has discovered that what was thought to be an Iron Age fort was a medieval castle. | 36311810 |
Mr Carson, 28, was shot in the head by a gang of men who burst into his family home in Walmer Street, in the south of the city, last Thursday night.
Francis Gerard Smith, from Springfield Road, Belfast, has been charged with possessing a rifle and 50 rounds of ammunition in suspicious circumstances.
Mr Smith was remanded in custody.
Two other west Belfast men have already been charged with murdering Mr Carson.
The murder accused - 37-year-old Michael Smyth, from Ardmonagh Gardens, and 32-year-old David Smyth, from Monagh Drive - were remanded in custody at Belfast Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Appearing before the same court on Wednesday, 39-year-old Francis Gerard Smith acknowledged supporters in the courtroom with a thumbs-up signal.
An investigating detective told the judge she could connect him to the weapons charges.
A defence solicitor put no questions to the officer and made no application for bail.
The judge remanded Francis Smith in custody until 30 March. | A man has appeared in court accused of having a rifle and ammunition in a case linked to the shotgun murder of Stephen Carson in Belfast last week. | 35710630 |
The Kingstone Press Championship side said in a statement the club will "very shortly be unable to fulfil its financial obligations".
It said it had sought insolvency advice as there was a "very real prospect" the club could "cease to exist".
It said the situation was a result of several factors, including the loss of a significant investor.
Mark Aston, the club's head coach, said: "There is still potential here.
"It breaks my heart, it's not easy at the moment."
The Eagles, a part-time side since 2000, went full-time this season in a bid to win promotion to the Super League but missed out on a place in the qualifiers.
A club spokesman said: "The club was totally committed to achieving the goal of playing Super League football once again this year, but due to a complex set of reasons including the strong competition in the league we have seen our best efforts fall short.
"As it stands today, the club is working incredibly hard to ensure it can honour all of its financial commitments in order to see the current season through and also to attract investment and funding from the business or sporting community.
"We will do everything in our power to make sure that this wonderful club lives to fight another season and secures its long-term future."
He said the club was in "advanced discussions" with prospective investors and was talking with Sheffield City Council about the club moving in to the city's Olympic Legacy Park.
The side, one of the founder Super League clubs, has been playing its home fixtures "on the road" since the closure of Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium in 2013. | Rugby league club Sheffield Eagles has said it is in a "dire financial predicament" and could close. | 37141676 |
She was appointed the new Bishop of Stockport in a service in York Minster.
The process ended centuries of male-only bishops in the Church of England.
In the Roman Catholic Church, women are still not able to become priests.
In 2015, there are still areas of life in the UK where equality is an ambition rather than a reality.
Women still can't...
Women in the army are currently not allowed to serve in the infantry or armoured corps.
While British women have already served on the front line in places like Afghanistan in support roles, they cannot serve where the primary aim is to "close with and kill the enemy".
The government is thinking about changing this following a report.
The defence minister has ordered an 18-month review of training procedures and the physical demands of fighting to ensure the change can be made without damaging female soldiers' health.
Female cyclists aren't guaranteed a minimum wage and are only allowed to race up to 140km (87 miles) a day on the road, while men are allowed to ride 280km (174 miles).
There has been no Tour de France for women since 2009.
A new event this year was set up this year for women: La Course by Le Tour de France.
However, former Olympic champion Nicole Cooke says it is a "scandal" there is no Tour for women.
In her retirement speech she made her feelings on sexism in cycling clear, saying: "It is somewhat of a handicap trying to demonstrate just how good you are on a bike when you are not allowed to ride."
While both men and women take part in the long distance 10km marathon open water race, only women can take part in the 800m freestyle compared with the men's 1,500m freestyle race.
Additionally men's synchronised swimming is not given a place in the Olympics.
Lacrosse was first played in the UK by women at St Leonards boarding school in St Andrews in 1896.
However, unlike the men's game, no contact was allowed.
This remains unchanged 124 years later.
Some bowling leagues have male-only policies.
Most recently the Shropshire Premier Bowling League hit headlines for its "strict male-only policy".
The president, who is standing down, claimed men were better players than women.
A BBC Sport study in October found that 30% of sports pay men more prize money than women.
Out of 35 sports that pay prize money, 25 pay equally and 10 do not.
Football was one of the sports with the biggest disparities, including the World Cup and the Premier League.
The good news is that the last statistics showed that the average wage gap for women and men in full time work is 9.4%, which is the narrowest gap since the two wages began being compared in 1997.
The bad news is that once part-time work is included, that difference increases to 19.1%, which means that women earn 84p for every pound a man earns.
The top three types of profession where the gender pay gap was highest were so-called 'skilled jobs' which includes electricians, florists and chefs.
Workers who operated machinery came next. The gender pay gap was third highest among managers, senior officials and directors.
Currently 23% of directors on FTSE 100 company boards are women, according to BoardWatch, which tracks the appointments of women directors.
In the top 250 companies, it found only 17.7% have women directors.
The government has a target of 25% female representation on boards of FTSE 100 companies by 2016.
Clare Balding said it would be great if women broadcasters could turn up to work in their pyjamas to prove a point about females being judged on what they look like.
She spoke out about the issue saying: "Women being judged on appearance: it stultifies talent.
"If you did that to men we would be caught up in a maelstrom - hah, a male-strom - of nonsense."
Meanwhile down under, an Australian broadcaster turned up to work in the same suit for a year and nobody noticed.
Karl Stefanovic wore the outfit to make a point about the sexism he said his female colleagues faced.
"But women, they wear the wrong colour and they get pulled up. They say the wrong thing and there's thousands of tweets written about them," he said.
In a 2013, a report showed that 87% of women thought they were judged more on their appearance than their ability.
The report Equality for Girls was based on a survey of more than 1,200 girls and young women aged seven to 21.
Despite there still being some way to go to complete equality, women in the UK are making gains.
As Emma Watson said at the Davos World Economic Forum last week: "It is my belief that there is a greater understanding than ever that women need to be equal participants in our homes, in our societies, in our governments, and in our work places."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Reverend Libby Lane has become the first female bishop. | 30984833 |
President Obama has said the actions are in his executive authority and that they will save lives.
The president said he recognises that the measures will not prevent all violence or mass shootings in the country.
"This is not going to solve every violent crime in this country," Mr Obama said. "It's not going to prevent every mass shooting; it's not going to keep every gun out of the hands of a criminal. It will potentially save lives and spare families the pain of these extraordinary losses."
What do the executive actions include?
Under the executive action, more sellers would have to register as federally licensed gun dealers, eliminating certain loopholes.
Gun sellers can be divided into two categories: federal firearms licensees and private sellers. The former is regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which conducts background checks.
Private sellers, on the other hand, largely do their business without government oversight.
There is much talk about the "gun-show loophole", but in reality, the majority of vendors at gun shows are licensed dealers, and unlicensed sellers meet at the shows to bring attention to their collections or sell guns.
Gun sellers also currently evade background checks by selling guns online and in other settings.
Some people sell guns out of their personal collection simply to get rid of ones they are not using anymore, and those people are exempt from the background check requirement. But many profit from selling guns without a license and are involved in illegal gun trafficking. Because current law is vague, it is hard to prosecute these cases, and many go unchecked.
"Those folks who are engaged in the business illegally are a small share of all unlicensed gun sellers, but they are contributing disproportionately to gun trafficking," Ted Alcorn, research director for gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety, told the BBC.
According to research by Mr Alcorn's group, just last year 600,000 guns were for sale on a website called ArmsList by dealers not under the federal background check requirement.
Most include: arrests, felony or misdemeanours, court records, warrants, sex offences and incarceration records.
If the FBI needs to follow up on something in a background check, they currently have three days to do it. If the agency does not do so in three days, the person wishing to buy a gun can go ahead with a purchase.
This is how Dylann Roof, who police say killed nine people in Charleston, South Carolina, in June obtained a gun despite having a drug charge.
The new actions would allow for 24/7 background checks, eliminating the loophole that people who should not be able to get guns are able to do so because the FBI did not process their check fast enough.
"It's absolutely going to make a difference," Mr Alcorn said. Someone illegally engaged in gun selling can put hundreds of firearms in illegal markets in the US in cities like Chicago and New York City, he said, with "devastating consequences" as a result.
"Clarifying the law will make a difference... it's also a symbolic gesture," Mr Alcorn said. "In face of Congress' refusal to take meaningful action, [Obama] is willing to put his team's attention and creativity into determining the ways the executive branch can make a difference."
The actions do not limit capacity on ammunition magazines or ban assault rifles, which gun control groups have repeatedly called for. Still, many are pleased with the actions.
Mr Obama has "answered the calls of moms, gun violence survivors, community leaders and every day advocates across the country who worked tirelessly to support the President in taking meaningful action to prevent gun violence," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
The National Rifle Association, a powerful group that ranks lawmakers on how gun-friendly they are which opposes nearly every new piece of gun legislation, tweeted that Mr Obama's "rhetoric does not match his record" and that the group had been "calling for the full enforcement of the law for... a while now."
"Funny how @POTUS invokes civil liberties while trying to restrict one of them," the group tweeted.
These are executive actions, not orders, meaning they are not legally binding.
"They represent less formal guidelines that the ATF will implement for gun dealing," gun violence news website the Trace explains. "Which means that Obama may wind up facing criticism not just from those who think he's overstepped, but those who could conclude he has not gone far enough."
The funding for mental health services will require congressional approval, and the funding to hire more agency workers may as well.
Some of the actions are likely to be challenged in court.
These actions can all be overturned by the next president-and the Republican candidates are all promising they would do so on day one.
Why Obama is powerless - the roadblock at Congress
Are you mad or criminal? - the question a gun seller asks
Texas women and their firearms - a photographer taught to shoot at an early age
Do tighter gun laws work? - a state where guns are a way of life
Guns at home - the question parents hate to ask before a playdate | The White House has announced numerous executive actions aimed at decreasing gun violence in the US. | 35228354 |
The near-complete skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus bataar was handed over to Mongolian officials at a ceremony in New York on Monday.
A Florida fossils dealer in December admitted smuggling the bones, which sold at auction for more than $1m (£643,000).
US officials seized the bones last year after Mongolia said they were stolen.
''We are very pleased to have played a pivotal role in returning Mongolia's million-dollar baby,'' US Attorney Preet Bharara said.
''Of course, that million-dollar price tag, as high as it is, doesn't begin to describe the true value of an ancient artefact that is part of the fabric of a country's natural history and cultural heritage.''
Mongolian Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism Oyungerel Tsedevdamba said they would be setting up a new dinosaur museum, as "we never had dinosaurs' museum before".
The bones, discovered in the Gobi Desert, were smuggled into the US from the UK in March 2010.
Mongolia has laws that protect fossils - they are the property of the state and their export is banned. | The US has returned a 70-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton which was smuggled from Mongolia. | 22431009 |
An array of information is available through the BBC News website and various organisations offer help.
The rescue of Northern Rock and the subsequent banking crisis brought the safety of savings into sharp focus.
Savings up to £85,000 per person, per authorised institution, are now guaranteed, should any regulated bank, building society or credit union go bust. The situation can be complicated, so we've produced a guide to how savings are covered.
The Financial Services Authority(FSA) publishes the current list of the authorised institutions and which brands they own.
A couple with a joint account is covered per person.
So each person in a couple would have £85,000 covered in the account - so up to £170,000 in total would be protected.
Schemes in the EU have to offer similar compensation, including a scheme in the Irish Republic, which we've explained in a seperate piece.
The UK compensation arrangements are run by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. It has a guide to how to claim on its website.
You can always go to the BBC News website's in-depth section on savings and investments for the latest news and guides.
If you are new to saving, or want to get more from what you have already put by, the free, independent Moneymadeclear website has some basic guides to different ways to save and explains some of the jargon you might come across.
There are numerous price comparison websites which let people research the best deals for savings, investments, insurance and mortgages.
Among them are Moneyfacts and Moneysupermarket as well as the official Moneymadeclear website.
The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Links to external sites are for information only and do not constitute endorsement. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation. | Threats to the safety of savings, and the search for good returns at times of low interest rates, have been a concern for savers. | 12349317 |
Dr John Sentamu referred to the idea that he would be "tainted" by consecrating the Church of England's first woman bishop.
He will lay hands on the Rev Libby Lane when she becomes Bishop of Stockport on Monday, but will not when the Rev Philip North becomes Bishop of Burnley.
Mr North opposed women as bishops.
He will be consecrated on 2 February in York Minster, where two bishops will take part in the traditional laying on of hands while Dr Sentamu "will lead all other bishops present in exercising gracious restraint".
Campaign group Women and the Church (Watch) said it was "unprecedented" for an archbishop to attend such a ceremony in his province and not lay hands on a new bishop.
BBC religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the two consecrations "illustrate the tensions that lie at the very heart of the Church of England's compromise between traditionalists and reformers".
In a statement, Dr Sentamu said archbishops had always had the power to "delegate" part of their role as chief consecrator.
"Any suggestion that the arrangements proposed for the consecration of the Bishop of Burnley are influenced by a theology of 'taint' would be mistaken," he said.
He cited the examples of two traditionalist bishops he had consecrated "despite the fact that I have been ordaining women to the priesthood since I first became Bishop for Stepney in 1996".
By Caroline Wyatt, BBC religious affairs correspondent
For those who fought long and hard first for women priests, then for women bishops, the consecration of the Rev Libby Lane on 26 January will be a day for celebration and rejoicing.
And for those within the Church of England clergy and laity who do not recognise female leadership, the efforts to accommodate their sensitivities at the consecration of a traditionalist suffragan bishop, the Rev Philip North, on 2 February, may be of some comfort.
As one clergyman commented on Twitter, the compromise found by the Archbishop of York in the consecration plans for Mr North "should be seen... as a loving and necessary gesture to those who oppose women priests".
But will it? Another terms it a "very Anglican compromise" - in that nobody can claim outright victory, while the church does its best to walk a sometimes uncomfortable middle way between those for and those against female church leadership.
Dr Sentamu referenced the "five guiding principles" agreed by the Church last year, in which the General Synod said all orders of ministry should be "open equally to all, without reference to gender".
But he also quoted another of the principles, which accepted that there were those who "on grounds of theological conviction, are unable to receive the ministry of women bishops or priests" and said the Church "remains committed to enabling them to flourish within its life and structures."
He said the arrangements for Mr North's consecration were made "for prayer, not politics".
A spokeswoman for Watch, which campaigned for the introduction of female bishops, said the organisation was "dismayed" at the arrangements.
"We believe it is unprecedented that an archbishop should be present at a consecration in his own province and not lay hands on a candidate," she said.
"We are saddened that there will be such a powerful visual sign of a divided College and House of Bishops at the moment of consecration."
Speaking about the consecration of the first female bishop, the spokeswoman added: "That will be a great day, and nothing should detract from that moment of affirmation for all women in all walks of life." | The Archbishop of York has said his decision not to take part in the "laying on of hands" for a new bishop was not due to a "theology of taint". | 30943009 |
Thousands of fans left 77 minutes into Saturday's draw with Sunderland at Anfield in protest at the planned top-price £77 ticket in the new main stand.
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In reversing their decision, club owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) told disgruntled fans "Message received."
Liverpool's dearest matchday ticket will now stay at £59.
The highest season-ticket price is also frozen.
Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry, chairman Tom Werner and FSG president Mike Gordon issued an open letter detailing the changes, following what they described as a "tumultuous week".
"The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don't care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club's expense," it said.
"Quite the opposite is true."
The club has also ended game categorisation - meaning fans will pay the same price for matchday tickets regardless of the opposition.
From next season, Premier League clubs will benefit from a new three-year £5.1bn domestic television rights deal.
When overseas rights contracts are taken into consideration, that sum jumps to about £8bn.
Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) chairman Malcolm Clarke has been urging clubs to reduce ticket prices as a result.
BBC Sport's Price of Football study found two thirds of Premier League tickets were frozen or reduced in price in 2015.
Now Liverpool have joined Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Norwich and Swansea in freezing season-ticket prices for 2016-17.
West Ham have reduced theirs for their move to the Olympic Stadium.
Clarke told BBC Sport that the FSF plans to meet fan groups to discuss further action, including a potential mass walkout across a weekend of Premier League fixtures.
He said his organisation wanted to make sure top-flight clubs "really do deliver some sort of a package" to help bring down prices.
The Premier League says all clubs are in "absolute agreement" to help away fans, without a "consensus" on how to do it.
A spokesman said there would be "something meaningful for the start of next season".
During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, David Cameron said he would "look very carefully" at Labour proposals to give fans compulsory places in club boardrooms.
BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty:
The swift reaction of Liverpool's owners to the anger generated by their new ticket prices for next season is a victory for fan power.
Liverpool have become a lightning rod for mounting concern over rising Premier League ticket prices, especially with a multi-billion-pound television deal kicking in next season.
To the credit of their owners, they have admitted they got it wrong, have acted decisively and moved quickly to appease the growing tide of discontent among their loyal fanbase.
FSG will hope the climbdown, because that is what it is, will repair fractures in that crucial relationship with Liverpool's fans. They have listened and for that they deserve additional credit.
Those fans, in turn, will feel they have struck a significant blow for supporters around the country.
They, many would suggest, deserve even more credit.
West Brom manager Tony Pulistold BBC Radio 5 live that clubs have "enough money to subsidise" tickets and need to ensure they are not "milking" supporters.
He suggested away fans should only pay £10 to ensure the atmosphere at grounds matched that inside the "fantastic" stadiums in Germany.
"We have to give something back," said Pulis. "My chairman will probably never speak to me again after saying this."
Gareth Roberts, editor of the Anfield Wrap website, praised Liverpool's response.
"It was an unprecedented step for everyone to walk out like they did," he said. "It was a fantastic show of strength and solidarity by the fans.
"We are one of the first clubs in the country to do this and I hope fans across the country realise that, if you make your voice heard and stand up and say it is wrong, you can get somewhere with it.
"Football supporters have proved they are really important in the game." | Liverpool's owners have scrapped their controversial £77 ticket and apologised for the "distress caused" by last week's pricing announcement. | 35546090 |
RPSB NI said that voting to leave would lead to uncertainty over the protection of important sites.
The charity also claimed that EU agreements had been key to protecting birds and habitats.
The comments were made as part of a written submission to a parliamentary inquiry.
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster are conducting an inquiry into the impact of the EU referendum in Northern Ireland.
As part of their submission, RSPB NI said if the UK voted to leave, EU protections for species and habitats would "no longer mandatorily apply".
The charity claimed the EU had had a "positive impact" in other areas such as air and water quality and renewable energy targets.
It said international agreements on nature conservation and robust enforcement, were key to protecting birds and habitats.
Although RSPB NI said they have issues with certain aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy, the potential loss of agri-environment schemes within it - which pay farmers to conserve wildlife - would be "a concern".
The charity also questioned whether a Brexit would affect cross border habitat improvement schemes which attract EU funding. | A leading wildlife charity in Northern Ireland has said leaving the EU would have significant implications on its work. | 35652442 |
Many people, including vegans, Hindus and Sikhs, got angry about tallow being used to make bank notes because it comes from animal fat, and they do not agree with this because of their beliefs.
But many people don't agree with palm oil being used in products like this either. So what is it and why is it causing a debate?
Palm oil is made from the fruits of trees called African oil palms.
The trees originally came from west and south-west Africa, but they were introduced to Indonesia and Malaysia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
They grow naturally in tropical rainforest areas, but they also are being planted and farmed especially to produce more palm oil.
The trees may be produced on small-scale family farms called smallholders or large plantations.
Dr Emma Keller from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), a charity that works to protect the planet, told Newsround: "Palm oil is in close to half of the products we buy in the supermarkets - in everything from shampoos and soaps, to pizzas and biscuits. It's everywhere."
It is a type of vegetable oil, like sunflower or rapeseed oil.
Some people say palm oil is the best type of vegetable oil to produce.
Emma explained: "Palm oil is a super-efficient crop, meaning that we can produce a lot more palm oil per area of land compared to other oil crops like soybean oil or coconut oil."
It is also reported that oil palm trees do not require as many pesticides or fertilisers to be used when growing them.
Finally, the palm oil industry offers jobs to people living in poverty in developing countries.
"Palm oil has provided jobs for millions of small farmers, helping them to get out of poverty, earn more money and have a better life for them and their families," explained Emma.
Environmentalists argue that this farming of oil palm trees is extremely bad for the planet.
Deforestation is when forests and trees are cut down to clear the land to use it for something else
Palm oil production is said to have been responsible for about 8% of the world's deforestation between 1990 and 2008.
This is because forests are burned to clear areas where people can grow oil palms - even if it's illegal.
Burning forests like this destroys the places where plants and wildlife live, meaning the area has less biodiversity.
Species like orangutans, rhinos, elephants and tigers can be affected.
A report for the Bank of England about palm oil explains: "Forest fires, started to clear land for oil palm, release high levels of carbon dioxide and black carbon (soot) into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change."
Burning forests like this was blamed for extreme air pollution levels in Singapore in June 2013, when a thick haze covered the city. Children had to stay inside to protect themselves from the unclean air.
Amnesty International also reported at the end of 2016 that young children were being used in Indonesia to work in the production of palm oil - although the BBC has not been able to check what the report said.
Some also say that eating palm oil is not good for health, as it is high in saturated fat.
It is believed that the amount of palm oil that people around the world will consume is expected to go up over the coming years.
Work is being done to stop palm oil production from damaging the planet.
A group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was formed in 2003 to get those in the palm oil industry to work together to do this. Members of the group, which the WWF help to set up, are given strict guidelines about how they produce their palm oil.
Some manufacturers have said they will only buy palm oil that they know has been produced in a sustainable way - meaning in a way that won't damage the planet. But many say it is difficult to know for sure whether or not farmers have actually followed the rules.
There has also been a change to make people who are buying things in the supermarket more aware of palm oil.
In the past, labels on food didn't used to have to say if palm oil had been used as an ingredient. They only had to say 'contains vegetable oil'.
But at the end of 2014, EU labelling laws changed so that products now have to state specifically if they contain palm oil.
Campaigners say that it is difficult when looking at a palm oil product on a shelf to know if the oil has been produced in a way that is damaging the planet or not.
So should we just avoid palm oil completely?
The expert Emma does not think that the solution is to do this. She thinks we should still produce and use palm oil - as it is more efficient to produce than alternative vegetable oils - but do more to make sure that the palm oil being bought and sold is sustainable and certified.
"You are really important in helping us get to a world where sustainable palm oil is the norm and that it is unacceptable to produce palm oil in a way that damages the environment, and the health of the people working and living in palm oil producing areas," she said.
Members of the European Parliament have just called for an EU scheme to make sure unsustainable palm oil is not being bought.
We will have to wait to see what happens. | The Bank of England has announced it is considering using palm oil to make the new £20 notes, instead of something called tallow, which has been used to make the new plastic £5 note. | 39492207 |
12 August 2016 Last updated at 15:12 BST
A Banff man has appealed for help in identifying fish that have appeared in his garden in Banff.
Kevin Bain thinks the 75 fish could be sand eels deposited by a waterspout.
Mr Bain, who lives about 500m from the sea, posted footage of the spectacle on Periscope in the hope someone could shed light on the appearance of the two-inch fish. | Footage: Kevin Bain | 37058053 |
The tourists, who were bowled out for 245 by Essex last weekend, collapsed from 101-2 to 192-8 at Grace Road.
But uncapped Shanaka shared an unbroken stand of 122 with Rangana Herath (28 not out) to take Sri Lanka to 318-8.
The first of three Tests against England begins at Headingley on Thursday.
Sri Lanka, who conceded a first-innings deficit of 158 in the draw with Essex, were again troubled by a Leicestershire side showing nine changes from their previous first-class match against Northamptonshire.
With Test captain Angelo Mathews rested, his stand-in Dinesh Chandimal won the toss but they immediately lost Dimuth Karunaratne, who was bowled by Atif Sheikh on the fourth delivery of the match.
Kaushal Silva (38) and Kusal Mendis (65) steadied the ship, but 21-year-old Rob Sayer dismissed them both as the Sri Lanka collapse began.
The middle order showed little resistance, with all six Leicestershire bowlers claiming scalps.
When Jigar Naik had Dushmantha Chameera caught behind just after tea, the tourists looked in danger of being bowled out for less than 200.
However, Shanaka went on the offensive, hitting nine fours and three sixes in his 115-ball stay and will resume on Saturday looking for a fourth first-class hundred.
Sri Lanka were playing for the first time since wicketkeeper Kusal Perera's ban for missing a drugs test was lifted.
"It's great news for us that the ban has been lifted, he's a wonderful cricketer and we've missed him," said coach Graham Ford.
"He is a good player in all formats and I am sure the selectors will think about him for the one-day format.
"I'm not sure what is happening with the officials in terms of him playing in the Test squad but it's just great news to know that he is available for selection again." | Sri Lanka put in another poor batting performance on day one against Leicestershire before being rescued by an unbeaten 91 from Dasun Shanaka. | 36291254 |
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