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It is a busy life for Dr Helen King, the Oxford United midfielder. While her team-mates were in pre-season training, the 24-year-old was in East Africa where - in graphic detail - she recalls being among a small group of medical students on hand to deal with a patient affected by severe malaria. "One night a guy, about 18 years old, was basically unconscious and not really protecting his own airway, fitting, and he was repeatedly throwing up and inhaling his own vomit," said King, who is just weeks into her career as a doctor at the £430m Southmead Hospital in Bristol. "There were three of us medical students, a couple of nurses, and about 12 of the patient's family all standing around watching us. "Although we had done simulation training in med school, obviously in the UK as a med student you are right at the back of the room in any of those situations, so it was kind of my first experience of trying to take control in that situation and deal with the problem." Media playback is not supported on this device After that kind of life or death experience, facing a Notts County side led by an all-star cast of England's bronze medal-winning World Cup players is not such an intimidating prospect. And while the shift patterns of a junior doctor have forced her to miss matches, King managed to put down her stethoscope long enough to put her boots on and score against Women's Super League One side Notts in their midweek Continental Cup group game. It is a juggling act the Oxford University graduate is used to, having travelled countless miles, clocked up long hours at work, along with writing essays, training for and playing matches. "I pride myself on being pretty efficient with my time-keeping, but there was one time I had to text Rich (Blackmore), our general manager, to tell him that I would be late because I'd been waiting all day to deliver a baby, which had come at the most inopportune time, so I obviously stayed for the delivery," King told BBC Sport. Increasingly, trying to be in two places at one time is an issue for the young medical professional. "It has been an eye-opening experience. I was thrown in a bit at the deep end as my first shift was a night shift, and you tend to be one of not too many doctors in the hospital and are dealing with whatever issues come up at that time. "At the moment I'm taking it training session by training session and game by game, really clinging on to my football career as long as possible." The former Bristol Academy midfielder is pleased to be playing the game at a time when is it still possible to build a career off the pitch without compromising on anything but sleep. "For the women's game, it is amazing that it is becoming increasingly professional," King said. "Obviously it is driving up standards and means that the majority of WSL 1 players can make a living out of football. "I've been fortunate to play at a time when there is a real professional attitude and the standard is higher than it has ever been, but if you are determined enough you can just about manage to combine that with starting a career in another area as well. "Personally, I would have hated to not pursue one or the other." Last season, King was part of a diverse squad of part-timers, including a dental nurse, accountant and teacher, who featured for Oxford in their first season in WSL 2 - the second-tier of English football. The unheralded outfit finished second from bottom, but this season have already surpassed last term's points tally and are on track for a mid-table finish. Playing for Oxford in the newly-established semi-professional league is something she never imagined would happen. "Having the experience to play at a high level and with the level of professionalism that women's football has got to now was something completely new and nothing I thought I'd experience," she said. Life on the pitch and shifts looking after the sick are worlds apart, but be it in an Oxford United shirt or scrubs, King has found plenty of joy. "I don't score too many goals, so they are pretty special when they do come along," she smiled. "In medicine it is a massive privilege to be dealing with what, for a lot of patients, is one of the most significant events in their life, getting ill or having an operation. Obviously it is not usually a good event for them, but being there to help people through that is massive. "It is rarely as exciting or dramatic as Grey's Anatomy or Scrubs make it look, but just occasionally you get some pretty exciting moments and sometimes feel that you have actually intervened directly and positively. That is hard to beat."
She has treated malaria in Uganda, works in pre and post-op surgery and was once late for football training after delivering a baby.
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David Wilson, 49, was found dead at an address in the city's Southwick Road just after 11:00 GMT on 14 December. At the time, police said Mr Wilson had been the victim of a "violent attack". Daniel Johnson, 20, formerly of Morris Street, Gateshead, was charged with murder more than 18 months after Mr Wilson's body was found. He denied the charge at Newcastle Crown Court. Mr Johnson, who has been remanded in custody, is due to appear at Sheffield Crown Court on 28 February and a trial has been listed for 7 June.
A man has denied the murder of a grandfather whose body was found at a flat in Sunderland.
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Media playback is not supported on this device His spell of 3-9 saw the hosts all out for 248, losing 5-27 in 12 overs to concede a first innings lead of 45. England then slipped to 28-3 at lunch and were only 107 ahead when Moeen Ali became the fifth man to depart. But Stokes hit three sixes in a superb 85, putting on 127 with Jonny Bairstow (47) as England closed on 228-8. Stokes finished with 4-26 - the best figures by any overseas pace bowler at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium - and England will be confident of maintaining their 100% record against the Tigers, having won all eight of their previous encounters. The match remains delicately poised, though, after Shakib Al Hasan's 15th five-wicket haul gave the home side hope. England had gained the momentum when Stokes took the important wicket of Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim shortly before the close on day two. And the tourists were handed an early gift on the third morning as Shakib charged down the wicket with a wild lunge at Moeen and was stumped off the second ball of the day. Stokes bowled with hostility, sending down deliveries consistently close to 90mph and striking the dangerous Sabbir Rahman - who hit three fours in his 19 - on the helmet with a bouncer. The all-rounder extracted movement away from the bat off the seam and reverse swing inwards as England chose not to take the second new ball. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid had nightwatchman Shafiul Islam caught at mid-on and, in the next over, Stokes swung one in to trap Mehedi Hasan Miraz lbw for one, before quickly capturing the final two wickets in four balls. It was another sultry day, with temperatures feeling like 41C (105F) in the high humidity. After his superb bowling display in the heat - a 10-over spell either side of the day two close yielding 4-10 - Stokes was back at the crease in the 19th over of England's second innings. He was impressively circumspect in the high-pressure situation, waiting 40 balls to hit his first boundary. However, supported by the consistently purposeful Bairstow, he began to deflate the home side and their supporters. The left-hander reached his half-century from 102 balls with a six and, after Bairstow edged on to his stumps three short of a fifth successive fifty, Stokes recorded a third maximum with a mighty blow into the stands at mid-wicket. He finally fell lbw after missing a sweep in the 65th over, unselfishly not opting for the review despite pleas from partner Chris Woakes. For the second time in the match, England lost their top three within 12 overs, stifling the rapid progress made by the bowlers. Bangladesh began with spin from both ends and captain Alastair Cook's modest display with the bat in his record-breaking 134th Test ended when he edged another sharply turning delivery from debutant Mehedi to slip, the 18-year-old's seventh wicket of the match. Don't let your local sports volunteer miss their chance in the spotlight! Nominate them now - before midnight on Sunday, 23 October Key batsman Joe Root made only a single before he was lbw sweeping in the next over, his review merely confirming the ball would have struck the middle of middle stump. Ben Duckett (15) completed a challenging debut when he was caught at short-leg off the glove in the final over before lunch, while Gary Ballance's troubles continued when he fell for just nine after sweeping straight to leg slip. But the strength of England's middle order was borne out again as they became the first team to have seven successive partnerships of over 50 for the sixth wicket. England all-rounder Ben Stokes on BBC Test Match Special: "It would be nice to get a few more, we're lucky in that sense that we've got a really strong batting line-up, so hopefully we can get up to 320. "Sometimes it was quite tough to control how much the ball was going to swing but I've been working a lot of reverse swing and we were very careful to keep the ball in good nick, Rooty has been non-stop keeping the smooth side shiny and the rough side as dry as possible. "Reverse swing is a massive weapon and we have three seamers who can all do really really good reverse swing skills. "We didn't have the greatest start with the bat, we were a bit shocked with how many wickets we lost, but there was so much time left in the game that it was a matter of occupying the crease, rotating the strike and putting the bad balls away. "The pitch is very similar to how it was in our first innings, once the shine came off and the ball got soft it was a bit easier but against the spinners with the new ball - one spinning, one picking up pace and skidding on - it was very tough." BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew Stokes and Bairstow came together with England in dire straits but patiently they built the partnership that should win the match. Former England spinner Vic Marks Stokes has played superbly and, slightly in his shadow because he came in afterwards, Bairstow was very good as well. At 62-5, this game was firmly in the balance but the whole complexion has changed. Stokes accelerated but he did the hard yards to start with and paced the innings beautifully. Former England women's batter Ebony Rainford-Brent What I liked about Stokes and Bairstow's partnership is that they were playing in conditions which don't suit their natural game. Stokes found the perfect balance between knocking the ball into gaps and hitting the boundaries. He's changed the course of the Test match.
Ben Stokes produced an outstanding all-round display as England built a lead of 273 after three days of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.
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Great Britain's David Weir, Jonnie Peacock and Hannah Cockroft are just three athletes who shone on the track while Ellie Simmonds was once again the ParalympicsGB star of the pool. Oscar Pistorius won individual gold on the final day of action in the Olympic Stadium, while China proved once again that they were the top dogs of Paralympic sports by topping the medals table with 95 golds. We asked BBC's pundits to pick their favourite memory and their athletes of the Games. Eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson: "My favourite moment occurred inside the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday morning just after 9.20am. "I was there thinking there's only about 65,000 people in here, but by 10am it was full. "The crowds at the Paralympics and Games Makers have made it brilliant." World championship swimming silver medallist Kate Grey: "I like to call it 'Super Saturday' Part 2 - the day when Ellie Simmonds defended the 400m freestyle title and broke a world record in a battle with Victoria Arlen. "It just proved that even with all of the drama of the classification issues with Arlen, in the end it came down to the swimming. The two 17-year-olds didn't get drawn into it. They just went out there and had a great battle - the crowd loved it. "On the same day my best friend Claire [Cashmore] got a silver medal and I had a bit of an emotional interview with her." Former Great Britain Paralympic wheelchair rugby player Alan Ash: "My moment of the Games was the semi-final of the wheelchair rugby between USA and Canada - it was probably the best game of wheelchair rugby that I have seen in my 20 years of playing. "It was jaw-dropping stuff. You could hear some of the people who were watching the sport for the first time saying this game is just awesome and really getting addicted to it. "It is great that it has got that exposure and hopefully get more viewers but it was just great to hear people talking about the sport." Commonwealth Games silver medallist Allison Curbishley: "I have to say it's Dave Weir in the 800m. "I took into account the rollercoaster of emotions he's gone through. "He knew London was going to be his time and that it's unlikely he will be at another Paralympics. "I admired the fact he won the first gold, then the second, before calming his emotions in such a competitive race which featured the likes of Swiss Marcel Hug and China's Zhang Lixin. "He seems to have the knack of putting himself in the position to attack." Great Britain's Atlanta Paralympics wheelchair basketball silver medallist Joe Jayaratne: "My moment of the tournament was in a game in the men's preliminary round. "It was when Canada's Patrick Anderson, who is probably the best player in the world, sent a bounce pass to his long-time team-mate Joey Johnson whose chair was spun away from the basket, but he still managed to show great skill and poise to put it in the net. "Anderson came out of retirement for London 2012 and finished up with a third Paralympic gold medal." Two-time Paralympic gold-medal winning cyclist Mark Bristow: "I think for me it was Alex Zanardi's celebration after winning the handcycling time trial to clinch his first gold medal. He jumped out of his racing chair, kissed the ground and then waved the bike above his head. He just comes across as a guy who is totally without anger about what has happened to him, he loves life and is always looking forward to see what is the next challenge." Four-time Paralympic champion Marc Woods: "My best memory of the Games has nothing to do with the Aquatics Centre. "For me, it's been walking around the Olympic Park, meeting people, especially young kids, who are excited about disability sport and meeting those who would not have had disability sport enter their consciousness without the Games. "About 50% of the kids I've spoken to say they love goalball and they love the excitement of not being able to cheer during the action, then suddenly going crazy when a point is won or lost. That's the highlight for me. Four-time Paralympic champion Marc Woods: "It's 13-time Paralympic champion Matt Cowdrey, who is now Australia's most successful Paralympian of all-time. He won five gold medals in London and is an absolutely amazing swimmer. "Disability can mask the ability and talents of an athlete so it's hard to match people from different classes, like Brazil's Daniel Dias [who won six gold medals in London]. "But I love watching Cowdrey swim and he's also a fantastic ambassador, not just for swimming, but for Australia and the Paralympics." Eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson: "That's a hard choice, but I have to say David Weir. "He won three golds on the track in the deepest competition in athletics. "They set unbelievably tight qualifying - the guys were pushing 97% of the world record in order to just get here. "What Dave did was just amazing. He was smart, controlled and didn't panic. The way he raced was stunning." Two-time Paralympic gold-medal winning cyclist Mark Bristow: "David Anthony, Great Britain's wheelchair rugby star, just exudes such expression and passion. "I went to watch the first game they played against the United States and it just seemed that he upped the whole pace of the match. To see someone with his presence on the court was just brilliant." Former Great Britain Paralympic wheelchair rugby player Alan Ash: "It has got to be Ellie Simmonds for me with the age thing. "A lot of stars have come through, but Ellie has shown so much maturity and really embraced it." Great Britain's Atlanta Paralympics wheelchair basketball silver medallist Joe Jayaratne: "My star of the Paralympics has been Netherlands point guard Inge Huitzing who has been absolutely fantastic and been a key figure for her team. I think she has been the most complete player in either the men's or women's wheelchair basketball tournaments "I think she has been the most complete player in either the men's or women's wheelchair basketball tournaments. "She helped the Dutch beat the USA to win bronze, but in truth they are a far better team than that." Commonwealth silver medallist Allison Curbishley: "David Weir is my favourite athlete. You have to look at what he's done since he was a young 17-year-old taking part at the Atlanta Games. "He took a bit of time away from sport, he had glandular fever and injuries - he had a lot of reasons to leave the sport. "At this year's London Marathon he was like a caged animal. "He's a machine and he deserves the respect and credit he'll hopefully get now." World championship silver medallist Kate Grey: "I like to pick the underdog usually, but I have to go with Ellie Simmonds. She came into this with a lot of pressure on her shoulders with her world records broken [by Arlen]. "Could she handle the attention after the way she came out of Beijing as the golden girl thrust into the public eye? "She did so with such maturity, and I take my hat off to how well she coped with the emotion and demands of it all. She has put Paralympic sport in a great light and on to the map."
After 11 days of thrilling, emotion-charged action, the London Paralympics is over.
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Robertson, 29, who left the Scottish side on Wednesday, is not eligible for the Dons' game against Chesterfield. "I've had experience of League One before with Preston and Port Vale and I know what the league is about," Robertson told the club website. "I know what we have to do and hopefully I can help get results for the team, the manager and the fans." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.
AFC Wimbledon have signed former Ross County defender Chris Robertson subject to international clearance.
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While children run around in the playroom, their parents sip tea and chat to their neighbours who share this living space. It's a happy, safe environment. None of the children seem aware that they're growing up in a homeless hostel. "Before I had my children, I used to work 70 hours a week," says Natalie. Her husband died earlier this year. She moved to be nearer her family, but they didn't have enough room to accommodate her and three children. "I am a grafter, I am a hard worker. It's just not that easy to get up and get back into work," she says. The hostel accommodates for dozens of homeless parents and their children. It's one of several of its kind in Belfast. Residents enter the site via a large security gate before arriving at the front desk. There's a strict 22:00 GMT curfew. Once inside there is a homely feel and various support available for the residents. Natalie says a school bus collects her children directly from the hostel each morning. The residents' living environment may be shared, but their stories differ. Sarah moved into the hostel a year ago after giving birth. She says there was a breakdown in relations with her family, so she contacted the Housing Executive for options. A hostel, though, was not somewhere she wanted to go. "I've heard stories of people having parties and drinking too much, even drug use in hostels." However, after being reassured by friends who had used the facility, she moved in with her baby and says she doesn't regret it. Sarah has her own flat within the hostel, which comes with a bathroom, kitchen and living space. She aspires to have a home of her own but admits she could be in the hostel for a long time. "There just aren't enough houses to put people into," she says. "It's hard to get your housing points up, it's so hard. I don't know how I'm getting out of here but I have to some way." Children can live at the hostel until they're 18. After that, the charity works with the Housing Executive to find alternative accommodation, whether that's with their parent or singly. The hostel provides vital support, but it's not a long-term solution for the residents and their children. The charity's aim is to see all service users ultimately move into their own home. For some, the transition can be swift. For others, the reality of life in a homeless hostel can last much longer.
The colourful walls and cheerful staff make it easy to forget the circumstances of the residents.
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26 January 2017 Last updated at 08:09 GMT These children are called young carers, and while many of them are happy looking after a disabled - or sick - relative they also face many difficulties. Morgan's mum has a problem with her muscles which means she can't stand up or move around for long periods. So, Morgan helps out around the house, cooking dinner, cleaning, walking the dog and other things that need doing. He is one of around 700,000 young people in the UK who are caring for a family member. Jenny went to meet him to find out a bit more about his day to day life.
Did you know that right now, across the country, there are hundreds of thousands of children who are looking after a parent, brother or sister?
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Speaking in the Senedd chamber during tributes to 77-year-old Mr Morgan, she told fellow AMs: "He loved this place." Mrs Morgan, who is AM for Cardiff North, added: "Losing Rhodri is a terrible personal blow to me and to the family... It is an aching loss." Later the assembly confirmed Mr Morgan's funeral would be held in the Senedd on 31 May. Former AM Lorraine Barrett, now a humanist celebrant, will conduct the public ceremony, which will begin at 11:00 BST. A service of committal will be held at the Wenallt chapel, Thornhill Crematorium, the following day on 1 June at 14:00, and the assembly said all are welcome. Mrs Morgan watched colleagues deliver praise for the former Welsh Labour leader from her seat in the Senedd chamber on Tuesday as other family members looked on from the public gallery. "We've had, I would say, a roller coaster sort of life," Mrs Morgan said. "It's been rosettes, rosettes all the way." "He had a wonderful life and he enjoyed every minute," she added, to the applause of her colleagues. The tributes the family had received from all over Wales "had been a huge comfort", she said. Rhodri Morgan's successor, Carwyn Jones, told AMs: "Last week we lost one of our nation's giants. "He may be gone, but his name is written into our history." Mr Jones was speaking after making a statement on Monday night's Manchester Arena suicide attack, which left 22 people dead. To an emotional Senedd chamber, the first minister said Mr Morgan had "served with distinction" as first minister for nearly 10 years. "He was somebody who commanded such respect but, of course, he was somebody who was down to earth," the Welsh Labour leader said. "No ceremony, no airs and graces." Mr Jones described Rhodri Morgan as a "hugely intelligent man with a fine mind" but who was "at home with anybody". "He was a great mixer and a great character and he will be missed by his family, of course, but so many people around Wales and beyond," he said. Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: "He was a man who had a willingness to want to know, a thirst to understand and above all he was a genuine, decent and upright individual." Referring to Mr Morgan's role after the turbulent first nine months of the Welsh Assembly, Mr Davies added: "We as a country owe him a great debt of gratitude for the way... he stabilised the ship, along with others, when this institution's future wasn't secure and there was a huge question mark. "We are fortunate that he was there, at the helm, working with others, making sure that devolution did turn into a permanent part of our democracy". Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said Mr Morgan well deserved to be called a "man of the people". "He was always willing to engage, he was quick thinking. He was a real character and he was a patriot," she said. His mantra was to do things differently in a "unique Welsh way", Mr Wood said. "Without Rhodri Morgan Wales wouldn't be the country it is today," she added. UKIP group leader and a former MP Neil Hamilton said he was in the House of Commons with Mr Morgan from 1987 to 1997. "I warmed to him because it was immediately clear that whilst fiercely loyal to his own party he was always going to be his own man and a fully paid up member of the awkward squad," he said. "As a selfless public servant he was universally respected across the political spectrum and loved as the warmest of human beings by legions of people he encountered in all walks of life." He called him one of "the most admirable men I've had the pleasure to know". In an emotional speech Liberal Democrat AM Kirsty Williams said Mr Morgan "stood out, and he stood taller than us... as a politician, as a leader, as a father figure and friend to those of us from the class of '99 and in the communities across Wales,". "When my mother passed away he wrote not only to me but to my late father. "My father couldn't believe that the first minister of Wales had taken the time to write to him about his loss," she told the Senedd, fighting tears. Presiding Officer Elin Jones said Cardiff Bay would "never see the like of Rhodri Morgan again". "For those of us who have served here since 1999, we will not forget his courage and boldness in creating and leading the Welsh Government. "Rhodri ploughed his own furrow, and did so in order to do what he believed was best for this nation." Former presiding officer Dafydd Elis Thomas told the chamber that he was "delighted that we are to celebrate his passing in this place, appropriately in this building next week". "It's the building of the people of Wales," he said, adding: "Rhodri Morgan built the politics that made it possible."
Julie Morgan has spoken about the death of her husband, former first minister Rhodri Morgan, who died last week.
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The Gordon-Elliott trained steeplechaser was around a 16-1 chance for the showpiece contest. "Unfortunately Don Poli has picked up an injury and will not make it to this year's Festival," said Elliott in his Betfair blog. "We are all very disappointed as he was in great form and we were really looking forward to him running." Despite Don Poli's withdrawal, owners Gigginstown House Stud still have a leading contender for the Gold Cup in the Elliott-trained Outlander. Stable companion Empire Of Dirt, just ahead of Don Poli when runner-up in the Irish Gold Cup, had been targeted at the Ryanair Chase, but could be switched.
Don Poli, who was third in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup, will miss this year's race on 17 March.
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There are 210 confirmed cases, 39 of which needed hospital treatment. Ninety two cases are under investigation. About 50% of the cases are in children under five years old. The outbreak, which is concentrated on Liverpool where there are 125 confirmed cases, is the largest since the MMR vaccine was introduced. There are 29 confirmed cases in Knowsley, 22 in Sefton and seven in Wirral. Further cases have been confirmed in Cheshire, Halton and St Helens. More than 30% of cases have been in people aged 15 years or over. Dr Roberto Vivancos, a Health Protection Agency consultant, said: "It's obvious from these statistics that people who are not fully vaccinated are not just at risk themselves, but they pose an infection risk to others, such as defenceless babies and toddlers who are too young to be vaccinated. "Measles is a very infectious illness that spreads rapidly amongst children and adults who are not protected by MMR vaccine. "It is also a serious illness that can lead to serious complications. On rare occasions, people die from measles. "It should not be treated lightly, but it is an avoidable illness and we strongly advise parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated."
More than 200 cases of measles are confirmed on Merseyside in the largest outbreak in the area since 1988, the Health Protection Agency has said.
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Barrett finished on 114, the highest score by a Northants number 10, to back up the contributions of Crook and Rob Keogh (154) as the visitors made 551. But Worcestershire then responded well in the day's final session. Daryl Mitchell (86*) and Tom Fell (61*) were both there at the close on 153-1. So far, the pair have shared an unbroken stand of 145 - matching Northants' ninth-wicket partnership earlier between Crook and Barrett. Inside 34 overs, they fell just nine runs short of the county's ninth-wicket record, but they still surpassed the previous best for the ninth wicket in matches against Worcestershire, the 137 shared by Jack Timms and Reg Partridge at Stourbridge in 1934. Crook's career-best 145 overtook his 142 not out last summer against the Australian tourists, while South African Barrett's innings beat the 106 by Gus Williamson, batting at 10 against Cambridge University in 1960. On a day when Worcestershire vice-captain Joe Leach (3-121) passed the landmark of 50 Championship wickets for the second successive season, the home side lost England Lions all-rounder Brett D'Oliveira for an 11th-ball duck. But captain Mitchell then weighed in with his best score of the summer, well supported by Fell, before bad light ended play prematurely. Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes told BBC Hereford & Worcester: "Anyone coming in at number 10 and getting a hundred has done a great job. Jack Shantry has done that sort of thing for us. "It is a flat wicket and our two guys played really well, Tom Fell and Daryl Mitchell, who is nicely poised for what could be his first century of the season. "They have just started to get the ball to reverse a little bit and that will be a little bit trickier. We need to get a big score and potentially pull out if we avoid the follow-on. "But that's easier said than done. We've got to get there. We've got nearly another 300 runs to go and that is ultimately our plan at the moment." Northants century-maker Chad Barrett told BBC Radio Northampton: "I couldn't have wished for a better Championship debut. I've had to wait two years for my opportunity. It was a decent wicket and I had to make the most of it. "Two years waiting to play a second first-class game (the first was against Sri Lanka) is a long time. You think to yourself 'Am I going to play another one?' "When I got the nod, I thought when I have a bat or a bowl, I've just got to show what I can do. "We said we'd try to get to 500 which is a big milestone and to get to three figures myself was my own milestone. I had faith in Ben Sanderson while I got there. I know he can hold a bat and is more than capable."
Northamptonshire tailender Chad Barrett made an unbeaten century on his debut, to back up Steven Crook's career-best 145 as Worcestershire were made to toil for a second day running at New Road.
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The cash will go to the Mackintosh Appeal, which aims to raise £20m, following the fire on 23 May which severely damaged the building. The Scottish government has previously pledged £5m towards the fund, which has Hollywood star Brad Pitt and Dr Who actor Peter Capaldi among its trustees. GSA estimates the cost of restoring the building to be between £20m and £35m. Firefighters managed to save 90% of the iconic structure and 70% of its contents during a lengthy operation. GSA believes eventual restoration work could take up to four years. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said he was "delighted" that the UK government would support efforts to return the Mackintosh building to its former glory. He said: "The Glasgow School of Art is one of Glasgow's great institutions. The response to the fire from people across the world has been phenomenal. "It is a beautiful building of international importance so it is right that the UK government should make a contribution to its restoration. "We will work with The Glasgow School of Art to ensure that the funding is provided at the most appropriate time to meet their needs." Professor Tom Inns, director of GSA, said the funding pledge from the UK government was "a huge boost" to the appeal. "We are determined to restore the building to its former glory, as the inspirational home for the GSA's creative talent and for the delight of visitors from across the UK and the world," he said. "The UK government's support will help us enormously in our efforts to rebuild, and to ensure we can continue to operate at the highest level internationally, bringing the UK's creative talent to the world and allowing the world to understand the unique contribution of Mackintosh."
The UK government is to donate £5m to help restore Glasgow School of Art's (GSA) fire-damaged Mackintosh building.
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Middlesbrough has been ranked the worst place for them to live, and Waverley in Surrey the best. Researchers gave a score to 346 local authority areas based on child poverty, life expectancy, teenage pregnancy, GCSE results and youth unemployment. Charity Plan International UK said inner-city areas performed the worst. The report, produced in conjunction with the University of Hull, highlighted Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool, Knowsley, Hastings, Hull, Salford and Sandwell as the worst places to be a girl. The best places were Waverley, Rushcliffe, Chiltern, Mole Valley, Epsom and Ewell, Rutland, Elmbridge, Wokingham, St Albans and East Hertfordshire. Authors behind the report said girls across the UK "were being failed" and urged the Government to take "urgent action". The report found girls were facing sexual harassment on a sometimes daily basis, while the pressure to have a perfect body and the growing problem of cyber bullying was piling additional burdens on to them. The charity compiled the report as part of a campaign to tackle gender inequality. It said it focussed on girls because while they performed better than boys at school they were "subjected to high levels of violence", with one in five women reporting experiencing sexual abuse during their education. "Girls are facing harassment in schools, they don't feel safe online and they're scared every day on the street," said Plan International UK head of girls' rights, Kerry Smith. "The UK is failing to meet its obligations to girls as set out in international human rights protocols and as things currently stand will fail to meet its obligations under the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. "What is more, our study shows that a girl's life chances are tied to where she lives." See how your area was ranked for girls' quality of life here. 35% child poverty in Middlesbrough 13% child poverty in Waverley, Surrey 79.8 years life expectancy in Middlesbrough 85.1 years life expectancy in Waverley 15.3 births per 1,000 under-18s in Middlesbrough 1.7 births per 1,000 under-18s in Waverley Official figures showed that in Middlesbrough 67.1% of girls got 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE in 2014-15, whereas in Surrey it was 77.8%. Middlesbrough had 17% of all 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training in 2013, compared with 3.2% in Surrey. Theresa May, the UK's second female prime minister, has pledged to tackle social exclusion and discrimination. She has promised to make Britain a country that works for everyone "not for a privileged few" and has announced an audit into how race, gender and class affects how people are treated by public services. A government spokeswoman said: "We are committed to building a country that works for everyone - no girl should be held back in life just because of her gender or where she lives. "We have given schools clear guidance on ‎sex and relationship education and products to help them discuss body image with their pupils, so they can learn to respect themselves and others. "Teenage pregnancy rates are at the lowest level for 40 years and we are driving down child poverty, with the number of children living in workless households at a record low. "But we want to do more, which is why we are encouraging more young people, particularly girls, to study Stem (science, engineering, technology and maths) subjects and working to eliminate the gender pay gap." 37340498
Girls growing up in parts of England have a much lower quality of life than others, according to analysis of official statistics.
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Interim Governor Francisco Dornelles says the "serious economic crisis" threatens to stop the state from honouring commitments for the Games. Most public funding for the Olympics has come from Rio's city government, but the state is responsible for areas such as transport and policing. Interim President Michel Temer has promised significant financial help. The governor has blamed the crisis on a tax shortfall, especially from the oil industry, while Brazil overall has faced a deep recession. The measure could accelerate the release of federal emergency funds. Rio state employees and pensioners are owed wages in arrears. Hospitals and police stations have been severely affected. What has gone wrong in Brazil? In a decree, Mr Dornelles said the state faced "public calamity" that could lead to a "total collapse" in public services, such as security, health and education. He authorised "exceptional measures" to be taken ahead of the Games that could impact "all essential public services", but no details were given. The state has projected a budget deficit of $5.5bn (£3.9bn) for this year. Rio's mayor Eduardo Paes said on Twitter the state's decision "in no way delays the delivery of Olympic projects and the promises assumed by the city of Rio". There are also concerns over an outbreak of the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects, and the impact it could have on the city's tourism. Rio expects about 500,000 foreign visitors during the Olympics.
The Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro has declared a financial emergency less than 50 days before the Olympics.
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The move had been expected and comes after the small Baltic state met the required financial criteria. Latvia suffered a deep recession in the wake of the financial crisis that saw it receive an international bailout. PM Valdis Dombrovskis imposed big public spending cuts that helped the recovery. Latvia is now one of the fastest-growing economies in the EU. The European Commission and the European Central Bank are likely to decide on the request in June. Latvia says it has met the five requirements needed to gain entry into the eurozone, which relate to levels of debt, deficit, inflation, long-term interest rates and having a stable peg to the euro. Latvia's currency, the lat, has been pegged to the euro since 2005 and Mr Dombrovskis argues that joining is the next natural step. However, opinion polls in the country suggest that nearly two-thirds of the population are against joining the single currency.
Latvia has formally applied to join the euro in 2014, in a move which could see it become the 18th member of the bloc.
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It has been banned from operating in New Delhi following the alleged rape by a driver of a female passenger. Meanwhile, a judge in Madrid has ordered a temporary halt to the service and Thai authorities say the firm lacks proper registration and insurance. Uber is yet to comment on the latest legal cases against it. District attorneys in San Francisco and Los Angeles claim Uber made "untrue or misleading representations" regarding the quality of its own background checks on drivers. They also accuse the firm of: District attorneys are seeking an injunction against Uber that could see its drivers temporarily banned from the two cities. By contrast, rival firm Lyft has reached a settlement with the same district attorneys. It will submit its app to the authorities for accuracy checks as well as seeking authorisation to operate in airports. It will also pay civil penalties of $500,000, half of which will be paid within 30 days while the rest could be waived if the firm complies with the terms of the injunction. Other US cities have also begun legal action against Uber. In Portland, Oregon, the firm is being sued for failing to seek consent on how it would be regulated. Meanwhile, Max Tyler, a Colorado state representative, has questioned how it vets drivers, alleging that the firm does not run an FBI background check, something which other taxi drivers have to have. Its process of recruiting new drivers is also being looked at by authorities in New Delhi after a driver, who was previously accused of raping a female passenger in 2011, was cleared to drive for Uber. The driver has been arrested for another alleged rape and appeared in court on Monday. He had obtained a reference from the Delhi Police, but police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told Reuters that the certificate appeared to be fake. Indian police also questioned an Uber executive about the checks run on drivers. Police said that Uber's drivers did not have the special badges that it issues to taxi drivers proving that they have cleared background checks. They said that Uber and similar services that operate online platforms linking drivers with customers are registered in India as technology businesses rather than transport companies. In a statement Uber said it would work with the Indian government to "establish clear background checks currently absent in their commercial transportation licensing programmes". It added that it would also partner with women's safety groups and "invest in technology advances to help make New Delhi a safer city for women". Uber defended the way it checked drivers, saying it was a responsibility it took seriously. According to the firm, it is on track to complete more than two million background checks this year. The company, which now operates in 52 countries, was recently valued at $40bn after an investment by venture capitalists. But since its launch the business, which uses a smartphone app to connect riders with drivers, has proved hugely controversial. In Europe, registered taxi drivers' unions have staged strikes and protests against what they see as light regulation of Uber and similar services. Uber's business practices have also been questioned and doubts raised over whether its tracking system breaks data protection laws.
Uber's week of woes is continuing with authorities in San Francisco and Los Angeles taking legal action against the internet-based taxi firm.
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China's defence ministry said aircraft entering the zone must obey its rules or face "emergency defensive measures". The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are a source of rising tension between the countries. Japan lodged a strong protest over what it said was an "escalation". By Damian GrammaticasBBC News, Beijing Since President Xi Jinping took power a year ago, he has overseen a more muscular effort to assert Chinese control over disputed territories in East and South China seas. His nationalist approach, backed-up by large increases in spending on the armed forces, is welcomed by many in China. But it has led to increasing tension with almost all of China's neighbours. Many, like Japan, have defence agreements with the United States, which has long sought to preserve the balance of power in Asia. The fear is that one small incident, for example between Chinese and Japanese vessels or aircraft, could escalate rapidly into a far wider and more serious crisis. "Setting up such airspace unilaterally escalates the situations surrounding Senkaku islands and has danger of leading to an unexpected situation," Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement. Taiwan, which also claims the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands, expressed regret at the move and promised that the military would take measure to protect national security. In its statement, the Chinese defence ministry said aircraft must report a flight plan, "maintain two-way radio communications", and "respond in a timely and accurate manner" to identification inquiries. "China's armed forces will adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not co-operate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions," said the statement. It said the zone came into effect from 10:00 local time (02:00GMT) on Saturday. State news agency Xinhua showed a map on its website covering a wide area of the East China Sea, including regions very close to South Korea and Japan. Responding to questions about the zone on an official state website, a defence ministry spokesman, Yang Yujun, said China set up the area "with the aim of safeguarding state sovereignty, territorial land and air security, and maintaining flight order". "It is not directed against any specific country or target," he said, adding that China "has always respected the freedom of over-flight in accordance with international law". "Normal flights by international airliners in the East China Sea air-defence identification zone will not be affected in any way." The islands have been a source of tension between China and Japan for decades. In 2012, the Japanese government bought three of the islands from their Japanese owner, sparking mass protests in Chinese cities. Source: aviationdevelopment.org Since then, Chinese ships have repeatedly sailed in and out of what Japan says are its territorial waters. In September this year, Japan said it would shoot down unmanned aircraft in Japanese airspace after an unmanned Chinese drone flew close to the disputed islands. China said that any attempt by Japan to shoot down Chinese aircraft would constitute "an act of war". Last month Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, said China's behaviour over the disputed East China Sea islands was jeopardising peace. BBC World Service East Asia editor Charles Scanlon says the confrontation over the small chain of uninhabited islands is made more intractable by conflicting claims for potentially rich energy resources on the sea bed. But the issue has now become a nationalist touchstone in both countries, making it hard for either side to be seen to back down, he says.
China has outlined an "air-defence identification zone" over an area of the East China Sea, covering islands that are also claimed by Japan.
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The shake-up of portfolios by EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has upset many MEPs, the BBC's Chris Morris reports from Brussels. The UK's Lord Hill has been assigned to financial services and capital markets. His hearing is on Wednesday. MEPs can block Commission appointments. Each would-be commissioner faces a public grilling lasting several hours. Many of the questions will be about technical details of policy, less than three weeks after the nominees found out which job each of them had been given. The hearings will be televised live on the European Parliament website. Among those under particular pressure from MEPs are the Spanish and Hungarian nominees, as well as Lord Hill, our correspondent says. A former lobbyist, he is likely to come under close scrutiny because of the Conservatives' Euroscepticism and concern about the power of bankers in the City of London. The hearings will begin with Sweden's Cecilia Malmstroem (Trade), followed by Karmenu Vella of Malta (Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries). The parliament is scheduled to vote on whether to approve the new Commission as a whole on 22 October. There is particular concern among Green and Liberal MEPs that the climate action and energy jobs will be merged in one post, in the hands of a Spanish conservative, Miguel Arias Canete. Some MEPs are also worried about having Hungary's Tibor Navracsics in charge of education, culture, youth and citizenship. A former Hungarian justice minister, he is close to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who clashed with EU officials over alleged curbs on civil liberties. The European Commission took legal action against Mr Orban's government over several new laws, including data protection policy and the judiciary. Vytenis Andriukaitis (Lithuania) Health and food safety Miguel Arias Canete (Spain) Climate action and energy Dimitris Avramopoulos (Greece) Migration and home affairs Elzbieta Bienkowska (Poland) Internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs (small and medium-sized businesses) Corina Cretu (Romania) Regional policy Johannes Hahn (Austria) European neighbourhood policy and enlargement negotiations Jonathan Hill (UK) Financial stability, financial services and capital markets union Phil Hogan (Ireland) Agriculture and rural development Vera Jourova (Czech Republic) Justice, consumers and gender equality Cecilia Malmstroem (Sweden) Trade Neven Mimica (Croatia) International co-operation and development Carlos Moedas (Portugal) Research, science and innovation Pierre Moscovici (France) Economic and financial affairs, taxation and customs Tibor Navracsics (Hungary) Education, culture, youth and citizenship Guenther Oettinger (Germany) Digital economy and society Maros Sefcovic (Slovakia) Transport and space Christos Stylianides (Cyprus) Humanitarian aid and crisis management Marianne Thyssen (Belgium) Employment, social affairs, skills and labour mobility Karmenu Vella (Malta) Environment, maritime affairs and fisheries Margrethe Vestager (Denmark) Competition
The nominees for posts in the next European Commission are facing confirmation hearings in the European Parliament - and some tough questioning is expected.
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the move was a step towards Scotland becoming an "innovation nation". The fund will provide financial support and specialist advice to businesses. It comes as a report suggested the economy is continuing to recover from the slowdown at the start of the year. Ms Sturgeon said the fund, which will be available from now until 2018, was the key step in the Scottish government's economic strategy. The fund is also expected to allow an extra 1,200 businesses to work directly with universities. Ms Sturgeon will confirm details of the fund at an event for 80 business leaders. She will say: "In total, we expect to see businesses develop 1,000 commercial products which are new to their firm - or perhaps even more importantly, completely new to the market place as a whole. "Those new products will differ in terms of their importance and their impact - but our overall intention is clear. "We want to support ambitious and innovative companies in every corner of Scotland. And we want those companies to develop and profit from new products, which improve the wellbeing of individuals around the world." The Scottish government has dedicated £31m of the funding available to it through the European Regional Development Fund, with the remainder of the £78m total coming from Scotland's enterprise agencies. Meanwhile, the latest Bank of Scotland business monitor said new business levels picked up strongly over the summer. And expectations for the coming months continue to point towards moderate growth for the remainder of the year. In the three months to August, 36% of firms surveyed increased turnover, while 36% experienced static turnover. The remaining 28% experienced a decrease, giving a net balance of +8%, marginally up from the +7% of the previous quarter but down from the +30% of the same quarter one year ago. Turnover for firms in the production sector improved on the previous quarter but was significantly down on the same period in 2014, while the services sector showed a decline on the previous three months. Firms reported a marginal improvement in volumes of repeat business in the latest three months. However, trends in the volume of new business are much better with an overall net balance of +17% compared to +3% of the previous quarter and close to the +23% of the same quarter one year ago. Businesses remain optimistic for the next six months, with 34% expecting turnover to increase against 19% who predict a decrease. A further 47% expect it to be static. Bank of Scotland chief economist Donald MacRae said: "The Scottish economy slowed at the start of 2015 but is expected to return to moderate growth in summer and autumn. "Expectations remain positive and suggest that current growth rates will be maintained in the third quarter of the year."
The Scottish government is to announce the details of a £78m fund which it says will help Scottish businesses to develop almost 1,000 new inventions, products and services.
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Following a late sell-off, the FTSE 100 index closed 23 points, or 0.4%, lower at 5,877. Leading the losers was Kingfisher, which slumped 6% after announcing a five-year plan that involved returning cash to shareholders but also hefty exceptional costs. Shares in Lloyds Banking Group fell 5.6% after analysts at JP Morgan cut their target price for Lloyds' shares. Other banks also fell, with Barclays down 4.7% and RBS down 4%. "Fundamentally, the situation is no different to how it was a number of weeks ago," said Brenda Kelly, head analyst at London Capital Group. "The FTSE, having initially started proceedings oscillating the 5,900 level has already begun to falter, with the materials sector providing what has become a fairly habitual drag on the UK benchmark," she said. Oil prices fell again, with Brent crude dropping 4% to $30.86 a barrel, reversing some of Friday's surge. Earlier in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 managed to stay positive, closing up 0.9% at 17,110.9. On the currency markets, the pound was down by a fifth of a cent against the dollar at $1.4246, and it fell two fifths of a cent against the euro to €1.3173.
(Close): Shares in London closed lower as oil prices tumbled.
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Carlisle's Brunton Park home was rendered unusable, and they are playing games at three alternative venues. Coleman was frustrated because Stanley have had two League Two games postponed because of waterlogging. "Can I start by apologising if I have caused any offence," he said. In an open letter on the Accrington website he continued: "The quotes published were just a small snippet of a longer interview. "In that interview, my sympathy for the people who have suffered massively from the floods was made abundantly clear. "I have no issue with your football club, this was a catastrophic flood and I wish you the best of luck in overcoming the hardship it has caused." Carlisle have been given a boost in their attempts to restore Brunton Park to a playable state after learning they are eligible to apply for contributions from the Premier League Fans Fund. Keith Curle's side played the first of their 'home away from home' games at Preston's Deepdale ground last weekend, beating Notts County 3-0 in front of 3,067 fans. They will also play matches at Blackburn's Ewood Park and Blackpool's Bloomfield Road. "My main point over this whole affair is that it is now pot luck over whether a team plays Carlisle as an away fixture or on a neutral ground - how can this be fair?" Coleman continued. "I am not suggesting for one minute that this is favouring Carlisle in the actual game - it clearly favours the opposition, which makes the victory over Notts County even more creditable. "Could you imagine the league sanctioning the game on 6 February [between the two teams] being played at Ewood Park, which would be tantamount to a home game for us? "The main benefactors from this whole situation are the possible handful of teams that will not have to face Carlisle United on their home pitch." National League side Gateshead were forced to play games away from their International Stadium home at the end of the 2012-13 season after their pitch was deemed unsuitable for matches. They played matches as far afield as Boston in Lincolnshire, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and coincidentally, Carlisle. Meanwhile, Carlisle have released striker Kevin Osei, although the former Marseille player only started one of nine appearances for the club.
Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman says he intended no offence to Carlisle United after criticising the Football League's decision to allow them to move home games after flooding in the area.
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The three men - aged 33, 41 and 47 - have been taken to a London police station for interview. The Serious Fraud Office has issued search warrants for three properties in the South East of England - one in Surrey and two in Essex. All three men are British nationals living in the UK, a statement said. One of the men is said to be a banker, with the other two having worked for an inter-dealer broker. In July, the SFO said it had formally launched a criminal investigation into the rigging of inter-bank lending rates. These are the first arrests since the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission began looking into Libor fixing it suspects took place in the Autumn of 2008. As well as dozens of individuals, a number of major banks are also being investigated by regulatory authorities in the UK and the US over attempts to manipulate the rate, one of the most important in the UK economy. Bought in in the 1960s, the daily Libor rate is calculated from banks' estimates of how much it costs them to borrow from other banks, and is used as the basis for some retail bank and mortgage rates. Since then, until the credit crisis at least, it has been used as the benchmark essentially used to judge just about any financial product based on cash deposits and lending. In June, Barclays bank was fined £290m for attempting to manipulate the rate. A report written by the Financial Services Authority's managing director Martin Wheatley in September said the Libor system was broken and in need of a complete overhaul, including criminal prosecutions for those who try to manipulate it. Mr Wheatley said bankers guilty of fixing Libor in the future could be jailed.
Three men have been arrested in connection with continuing investigations into the manipulation of the Libor inter-bank lending rate.
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Several analysts weighed in on the options available to the US, from those the country has already taken to those that would take months or years to enact. Mark Katz, professor of government and politics at Virginia's George Mason University, then rated these options based on how devastating they might be to Russia and its President, Vladimir Putin. President Barack Obama has already signed an executive order to freeze the US-held assets of those responsible for undermining democracy in Ukraine. A black list is still being compiled, but it's likely to include Russia's wealthiest. Pain Index (out of 10):9 "Asset freezes on the Russian elite's holdings in the West would be very painful," says Katz, who notes that Mr Putin is already calling on those with assets in the US to move them before the freeze can be put into effect. The state department is cancelling or rejecting visas of Russian officials who it says have contributed to Ukraine's instability. But consider it a warning shot, says Stephen Larrabee, distinguished chair in European Securities at the Rand Corporation. "It is to show some sort of determination" on the part of the US, he says. "It could hurt the people that are sanctioned, but that's only a very few people." Still it has the power to cause disproportionate pain, especially if Europe joins in. Pain Index: 8 "Moscow is especially sensitive to visa bans affecting the elite, though not so sensitive that it would change policy on Crimea," says Katz. Secretary of State John Kerry has suggested kicking Russia out of the G8, the powerful group of nations and one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. While outright expulsion isn't yet on the table, the US and the other nations have already pulled out of preparations for an upcoming G8 summit due to be held in Sochi, Russia, in June, and could boycott the event. But Russia may be willing to sacrifice the G8 in the name of a larger prize. "It's something that matters, but at the end of the day it's a cost they are willing to live with if they can get what they want in Crimea," says Jeff Mankoff, deputy director and fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies Russia and Eurasia programme. Pain Index: 1 for skipping the G8 talks, but 5 for kicking out Russia entirely. "This move would suggest that Russia under Putin is not a civilised state," says Katz. The US already announced the cancellation of a joint military exercise between Russia, the US and Norway, but experts say it's another example of how limited America's options are. "We're using most of our cards right now. We suspended military ties for the time being," says Larabee. "But there isn't a lot that we can easily do that would really hurt Russia." Pain Index: 2 A powerful snub, but "the Russian military may not be eager for these anyway," says Katz. Exporting natural gas to Europe is big money for Russia - a fifth of its total earnings, some $100bn (£60bn) a year, says Anders Aslund, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute. If Europe stopped buying, it could introduce massive instability to the already weakening Russian economy. It would be painful for Europe to wean itself off that gas. One way to soften that blow is for the US to provide some of the shale gas it now has in abundance. At present the US offers a limited number of permits to export natural gas. So far, the White House says they have no plans to change the current energy policy - and putting the plan in place would take time and sacrifice for all parties involved. "It's not something you could just switch overnight," says Aslund. Pain Index: 10 "If Western countries greatly curtailed oil and gas purchases from Russia, this would have a sharp negative effect on the economy of Russia," says Katz. But he adds that it would also have negative effects on the West.
The White House has said the US will "impose a cost" on Russia for its actions in Ukraine, but how much pain can the US inflict through diplomatic, political and economic means?
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Viewers saw Peggy make a surprise return on Friday night when she told her son Phil her cancer had returned. Dame Barbara, 78, said she had thought "long and hard about it" but it was now time to say goodbye to the character. She joined the soap in 1994 and played the character full-time until 2010. She has since made occasional returns. Unlike her previous storyline, she will not win her cancer battle and will die from the disease. "Peggy is a character close to my heart but I made the decision a while ago that I need to say goodbye to her once and for all, as otherwise she will always be there, urging me to go back, and that is something I need to shut the door on," Dame Barbara said. She said EastEnders executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins had accepted her decision and they had been "secretly plotting Peggy's last scenes" since the summer. The scenes were filmed secretly in November, and will air in the late spring of 2016, said a blog posted on the official EastEnders website. Dame Barbara said she wanted the role to end while Mr Treadwell-Collins was still working on the programme. "After thinking long and hard about it, I realised that it is time for me and the audience to say our final farewells to the lady who I have loved for many years and I thought that whilst the guvnor, who I adore, is still in charge I want him to be the one to oversee it," she added. Born in east London, Dame Barbara made her West End stage debut at the age of 15 after training in drama and dance. In the 1960s and 1970s she appeared in a series of TV sitcoms and the Carry On... comedy films, before becoming a household name to a new generation of TV viewers through EastEnders. In pictures: Career of Dame Barbara Windsor Treadwell-Collins said: "Barbara is the real guvnor of EastEnders. So when she told me her decision back in the summer, we both had a little cry before getting excited about how Peggy Mitchell, the matriarch to end all matriarchs, could bid her final farewell to Albert Square." He praised the actress, who was made a dame in the Queen's New Year Honours list for services to charity and entertainment, for creating one of the "greatest ever characters on British television" and said her exit was the end of an EastEnders era. He added that Peggy's departure would be "one of the most heartbreaking, uplifting and epic exits an EastEnders character has ever had". As the Mitchell family matriarch, Peggy's biggest storylines have included her battle with breast cancer, her marriage to Frank Butcher, her feud and friendship with Pat Butcher and her marriage to Archie Mitchell, which resulted in the family losing The Queen Vic pub.
EastEnders actress Dame Barbara Windsor says she is leaving the show for good as it is revealed her famous character, Peggy Mitchell, will be killed off.
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Sentenced to jail for many years, he was soon pardoned as the Venezuelan government did not consider either him or his movement much of a threat. Yet his uncompromising attacks on political corruption and state incompetence struck a chord in the Venezuelan people and he won the 1998 presidential election. His first term in office was marked by moderation in foreign policy and he was a frequent visitor to the US. However, domestic policy was more radical, with a particular focus on social programmes. These centred on "missions" dedicated to improving access to health, education, social security, food and land for the poorest sectors of society. An alliance began to take shape with Cuba in order to fulfil these ambitions. His support among the poor soared. Mr Chavez's success in introducing a new constitution in 2000 signalled longer term ambitions, as he could now run for office again with the option of re-election. The prospect of "Chavismo" becoming permanently established in Venezuela created a backlash among those who had benefited from the old order. A counter-revolution was soon under way and President Chavez was ousted from the presidential palace in April 2002. The US did not plan the counter-revolution, but it almost certainly knew what was happening and did not warn the Venezuelan authorities. Mr Chavez was restored to power in 48 hours by a military that at first appeared to have supported the coup and he immediately embarked on a vigorous campaign against his enemies at home and abroad. Domestically, Mr Chavez's targets included the traditional political class with its strong ties to the US. To counter their influence in the media, President Chavez promoted state television and pressured the judiciary to restrict the influence of privately-owned means of communication. He also replaced technocrats in the state oil company (PDVSA) with loyal supporters. Venezuela became increasingly politicised, with the debate focusing on the role of President Chavez himself. To maintain political support, Mr Chavez expanded his social programmes using the income derived from high oil prices. Minimum wages were increased sharply and many Venezuelans were lifted out of poverty. Other social indicators, notably literacy, also improved and Mr Chavez and his political movement had little difficulty in defeating an opposition that was deeply divided and unable to adjust to the new Venezuelan realities. In foreign affairs, President Chavez followed an aggressively anti-imperialist policy in which verbal attacks on the US became frequent. He went out of his way to cultivate enemies of the US and deepened the relationship with Cuba. Yet his most important goal was the building of an alliance among the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean that would fulfil the frustrated dream of his great hero, South American independence leader Simon Bolivar, two centuries before. The first step towards the Bolivarian dream had been Petrocaribe - a scheme to provide cheap oil to the countries of Central America and the Caribbean that depend on imports. It was hugely popular, with only Barbados refusing to take part. This was followed by Alba, a regional integration scheme that would grow to include Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras (until 2009) and Nicaragua, as well as a few small independent Caribbean states. Venezuela under Mr Chavez, along with Brazil under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also promoted a new regional architecture designed to embrace all American states except the US and Canada. This led to Unasur, the Union of South American countries, and a proposed Community of Latin American and Caribbean nations (Celac). It also led to a development bank designed to counter the influence of the IMF. Mr Chavez's ambitions to join Mercosur (the regional integration scheme founded by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) were long blocked by the Paraguayan senate. But political upheaval in Paraguay led to the country being suspended from the bloc, so clearing the way for Venezuela to be admitted in July 2012. President Chavez's electoral success (he lost only one nationwide vote) did not rest, it is safe to say, on his foreign policy. This was very clear in the presidential election in October 2012, which he won despite a strong challenge from the opposition. It was due to the social policies that won him the enduring loyalty of the country's poorest strata as well as some support from the middle classes. But his government's policies failed to address several problems that increasingly concern all sectors of society. The first is the high level of common criminality, illustrated most clearly by the exceptionally high homicide rate. The second is the level of inflation, which has been exacerbated by the devaluation of the currency despite the high oil price. The third is the continuation of government corruption, including allegations of nepotism against the Chavez family, accusations they have long denied. Finally, there is the issue of mismanagement of state resources as a result of the politicisation of the bureaucracy, the judiciary and state-owned enterprises. Any successor to Hugo Chavez, whether from his own party or the opposition, will need to tackle these issues, but they will do so without the undoubted charisma that has sustained Chavez's popularity for many years. When that happens, Venezuela will embark on a new chapter in its 200-year history. Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas is Associate Fellow, Americas, Chatham House
Hugo Chavez burst onto the national scene in Venezuela in a failed military uprising in 1992.
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Noone, 29, has made 170 appearances for the Bluebirds since joining from Brighton for £1m in 2012. But he has struggled to secure a regular first-team place recently and Cardiff could sell him before his contract expires in 2018. "I think Nooney realises it's time for him to move on," said Warnock. "I think he needs a new challenge now. He's done ever so well for the club since he's been here. "I only ever played two years at a club and I was a winger and I was ready to move on, and I think Craig needs a new challenge, get his enthusiasm back." Another Cardiff winger, Anthony Pilkington, could also be on his way out of the club. The 28-year-old signed a two-year contract extension last September, keeping him at Cardiff City Stadium until 2019. But Warnock says the Republic of Ireland international could be among those to depart this summer. "Pilks is similar [to Noone]," he told BBC Wales Sport. "Pilks can score more goals, but whether he needs a new challenge or not, that is something which will be discussed in pre-season." While Pilkington and Noone's futures remain undecided for now, one player who seems destined for the exit is left-back John. The 21-year-old has started only one game for Cardiff since Warnock was appointed manager of the Championship club in October. "I think Declan will move on," the 68-year-old said. "I had a good chat with him last season. I think the time has come for him to try his luck somewhere else. "He's a little bit stale with us, he's not going to get much of a look in. I look at the left-back and left forward positions and he's kind of in between in the Championship. "I think he could do a job somewhere and I think he's got to be playing now. I'm not going to stop him."
Cardiff City winger Craig Noone and left-back Declan John are likely to leave this summer, according to the club's manager Neil Warnock.
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The late 14th/early 15th Century structure had suffered from rotting timbers and damage to the roof angels caused by death-watch beetles. The year-long restoration, by the Churches Conservation Trust, was part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The church is known for the "stunning angel roof", said the trust. Crispin Truman, chief executive of the trust, said: "I couldn't be more proud of the partnership between the people of King's Lynn and The Churches Conservation Trust which has made the rescue of this internationally important building possible. The roof angels of St Nicholas' were in danger of being lost forever before the community mobilised to help us save the chapel. "Thanks to funds raised locally and the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, St Nicholas' is now once again open for all to see in its full glory. "As well as re-roofing of the building to preserve the incredible carved angels beneath it, the restoration work has included the installation of solar panels on the roof, and a state-of-the-art kitchen and toilets, which will help to breathe new life into the chapel." Founded in about 1140, the chapel was re-built in the 14th and early 15th centuries from new wealth which came to the town from the Baltic maritime trade. King's Lynn was once one of the most important ports in England, trading with the Baltic, northern Europe and beyond. Dendrochronological analysis shows oak used in some of the woodwork tracery at the chapel is from trees felled about 600 years ago in Eastern Europe and imported to King's Lynn for use in the chapel. A Chapel of Ease is in the parish of another church and was built to meet an expansion of a town for the convenience of parishioners.
One of the largest chapels in England - the St Nicholas' Chapel in King's Lynn, Norfolk - is reopening after a £2.7m restoration project.
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Chief executive Satya Nadella has been focusing on cloud services and revenue for the division rose 5% to $6.3bn. However, profits for the three months to 31 December fell 15% to $5bn (£3.4bn) as the strong dollar and falling PC sales took their toll. Total revenue also slipped 10.1% to $23.8bn. Both numbers were better than analysts had expected. NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker said: "People who think Microsoft is sliding into irrelevancy really need to re-evaluate how they see the company. They are a software-first company in a world that is increasingly about software." Matt Howard, a venture capitalist at Norwest Ventures, said Microsoft had "nailed the cloud". Mr Nadella said: "The enterprise cloud opportunity is massive - larger than any market we have ever participated in." Microsoft's combined cloud business, which also includes other divisions such as Office 365, was on track for $9.4bn in annual revenue - higher than its previous forecast of $8.2bn. The global cloud storage industry was worth almost $19bn last year, according to Research and Markets. The group estimates that will rise to $65bn by 2020. Microsoft's decision to focus more on cloud services - where its competitors include Amazon, Google, IBM and Cisco - has helped it move away from the declining PC market. Microsoft's revenue from personal computing, which includes the Windows business, fell 5% in the quarter to $12.7bn. Global PC shipments fell 10.6% in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2014, according to IDC. The research firm said PC sales should improve later this year as companies that had delayed replacing computers ahead of the release of Windows 10 last summer start buying again. Tablet computers were a bright spot for Microsoft, with revenue up 29% following the launch of the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. The number of people using the Xbox Live service for digital content and video games climbed 30% to a record 48 million. Shares in Microsoft were up 4.2% to $54.25 in after-hours trading in New York and have risen 10% in the past 12 months.
Microsoft shares rose in after-hours trading as it reported strong growth in its cloud computing and mobile applications divisions.
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The Alzheimer's Society said it had found "shocking" evidence of poor and variable care during its review. The report, based on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, found problems with falls, night-time discharges and readmissions, and said standards needed to improve urgently. The Department of Health said the disease was a key priority. One in four hospital beds is believed to be occupied by a person with dementia. The Alzheimer's Society called for all hospitals to publish an annual statement of dementia care, to include information on satisfaction, falls, readmissions and staff training. The charity received responses to their FOI request from half of the 163 hospital trusts in England; however, for some of the questions the figures were based on a fifth of trusts as not all hospitals could provide answers to all the questions. The information showed: The Alzheimer's Society also carried out a survey of dementia patients. It found examples of patients being treated with excessive force, not being given enough help with meals and drinks and being left in wet or soiled sheets. Nine in 10 said hospitals were frightening and only 2% felt all staff understood the needs of people with dementia. The charity described these findings as unacceptable and a sign that dementia patients were not getting the standard of care they should. Alzheimer's Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: "In the worst cases, hospital care for people with dementia is like Russian roulette. People with dementia and their carers have no way of knowing what's going to happen to them when they are admitted. "In many cases they are well looked after but, as our investigation shows, too often people with dementia fall and injure themselves, get discharged at night or are marooned in hospital despite their medical treatment having finished." A Department of Health spokesman said the disease was a key priority and in recent years £50m had been spent on making hospitals and care homes more "dementia friendly", while 500,000 staff had received extra training. "People with dementia and their carers deserve the very best support," he added.
Dementia patients admitted to hospital in England play "Russian roulette" with their health, a charity is warning.
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The Delhi chief minister had ink thrown on him on Sunday during a thanksgiving rally following the "success" of his government's odd-even vehicle restriction programme that ended on 15 January. Indian politicians sometimes do have ink, eggs and shoes thrown at them by irate protesters, but very rarely has a single politician been at the receiving end of so many attacks of this nature. Apart from what the Indian media call "ink attacks", Mr Kejriwal has also had eggs flung at him and even been slapped at a public rally, prompting him to once tweet: "I am just thinking - why am i being repeatedly attacked? Who r the masterminds? What do they want? What do they achieve?" Here are some of those instances: A weekend rally by Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party to "thank" the people of Delhi for complying with its vehicle restriction programme saw some unexpected drama when a young woman threw ink at him to allegedly protest against what she referred to as a "CNG scam". The woman, identified as Bhavna Arora, told Indian media that more than 100,000 CNG stickers had been sold to non-CNG vehicles so that they would be exempt from the odd-even road rationing scheme. She has since been arrested by the Delhi police and Mr Kejriwal's supporters have called the incident a conspiracy by India's ruling BJP because they were "angry" at the success of the scheme. However, a world weary Mr Kejriwal told his supporters to let Ms Arora go. "Leave her. She is referring to some scam... CNG scam. Take the papers from her," he said. "Whenever something good is attempted in the country or in Delhi some forces create all sorts of hurdles. As Gopal Rai said, many forces had tried to ensure the odd-even scheme failed." An eggs-Kejriwal is actually an Indian dish comprising eggs, cheese and chilli, but is now a phrase more commonly used to describe the chief minister who has been pelted with eggs several times during his political career. One occasion was in January 2015 when a man threw eggs and stones at him while he was addressing a campaign rally in Delhi. The eggs missed Mr Kejriwal. He had escaped a similar attack in another Delhi constituency a month earlier as well. In what many termed an act of hubris, Mr Kejriwal decided to stand against prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi from the north Indian city of Varanasi. During a large rally to announce his candidature, he was attacked with both ink and eggs. First, eggs were thrown at his car outside the Kashi Vishwanath temple, while vocal supporters of Mr Modi blocked his cavalcade. Later, while Mr Kejriwal travelled towards the grounds where he was scheduled to hold his rally, ink was thrown at him. News reports said that the ink had stained his face and clothes. Mr Kejriwal was left with a swollen eye while campaigning in Delhi, when an auto driver who approached him with a garland leapt up and slapped him immediately after placing the garland around his neck. The 38-year-old attacker had accused him of not fulfilling promises. He later apologised to Mr Kejriwal. In a tweet at the time Mr Kejriwal said: "Is violence an answer to country's problems? Let them tell me place n time. I will come there. Let them beat me as much as they want... but will that solve the problems?" And this was not even the first time he had been roughed up. According to the NDTV channel, he had also been "punched" during a rally in Delhi a month earlier.
There's undeniably something about Arvind Kejriwal.
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Police said the 52-year-old woman and a man, 51, were struck by a black Renault minibus on the A64 at Crambeck, near Malton, close to midnight on Saturday. The pair, who were pronounced dead at the scene, had just got off a double-decker Coastliner bus. The minibus was heading towards York at the time and police have made an appeal for witnesses.
Two people died when they were hit by a minibus as they crossed a road after getting off a bus in North Yorkshire.
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After calling the election in search of an increased majority, the Conservatives have emerged with 13 fewer seats than they held at the start of the campaign. Labour - widely expected to lose seats to the Tories - made a net gain of 30 seats. Of those seats it won, 28 came from the Conservatives, while of those it lost, six went in the other direction. The BBC has spoken to former Tory voters in some of those lost seats to find out why they changed their minds. David Manning, 64, has supported the Conservatives for most of his life. Living in the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency, he was among the voters who helped Labour candidate Luke Pollard take the seat from Conservative Oliver Colvile - increasing Labour's share of the vote by 16.7%. A retired teacher, he says the idea that he would have voted for Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party was laughable at the beginning of the campaign. "I was even ridiculing him," he told the BBC. "At the start of the campaign I was totally against Jeremy Corbyn. My switch from blue to red was a surprise even to myself. "However, as the campaign progressed I warmed to him and cooled to Mrs May." David has voted for Labour only once before, when Tony Blair was leading the party. "Mrs May was wooden and lacked charisma," he said. "And having witnessed first hand the way education has been dismantled by the Tories, I concluded that the alternative Labour was offering was far better for the country. "I've watched my partner's school become an academy and have the money sucked out of it. "I read every manifesto and asked myself an honest question: 'What do I think is best for the country?' "I believe in Labour's manifesto." David believes there has been a shift in public opinion and he thinks that is a trend which could continue. Labour's victory in Canterbury - achieved with a majority of just 187 but representing a 21% swing from 2015 - suggests he could be right. The Kent seat had been held by the Conservatives since 1918. Sir Julian Brazier - the sitting Conservative MP - had represented the area since 1987. New York based Financial Times columnist John Authers described Labour's victory there as the "rough equivalent, in US terms, of Democrats taking Texas". Sharon Dawson and her husband Michael voted for Labour. In the past they have voted for both the main parties. Sharon voted Labour in 2015 while Michael plumped for the Conservatives. "We are pleased but very surprised," Sharon said. "With such a big majority we didn't really think it would happen." Sharon is a teacher, while Michael is a microbiologist working in the NHS. Both said that austerity played a key role in their decision to support Labour. "To lose more funding for us would basically mean losing teachers," Sharon said. "You can only save so much in the NHS before you have to start making cutbacks to critical services," Michael added. "The cuts have to stop." Kent is one of the few parts of the country where a grammar school system still operates. Though popular with some, a Conservative commitment to expanding the selective school system - reaffirmed in the manifesto - has also drawn significant criticism, not least from within the Conservative Party itself. "I don't think having more grammar schools will improve education for all," Sharon said. "In a fair system all students should be offered the same level of education and educational experiences." "The Tory manifesto wasn't for the people," Michael said. "It was for the rich, the upper class. You look at the Tory potential spend on the NHS and compare it to what Labour were proposing and the Labour plans are much more viable. The NHS is in crisis." Sharon says that in the week leading up to the election, rumours circulating on social media pointed to a tight result in Canterbury. But they were still caught off guard when the ballots had been counted. "Did I think Labour could win Canterbury? Hell no!" said Michael. "People are sick of austerity. I thought there might be a swing to Labour but to win was a shock." In Kensington, London, the result was perhaps even more dramatic. After several recounts, Labour candidate Emma Dent Coad was declared the winner, defeating Conservative Victoria Borwick by just 20 votes. Ms Borwick's share of the vote dropped by more than 10% while Ms Dent Coad saw Labour's vote climb by more than 11%. Kensington and Chelsea voted overwhelmingly to remain in the 2016 EU referendum, with almost 69% of voters opting to maintain Britain's EU membership. Some social media users have declared the electoral upset in Kensington, where the Liberal Democrats also increased their vote share by close to 7%, the "revenge of the remainers". Lorna, 58, voted against the Conservatives for the first time in her life. "Victoria Borwick is particularly pro-Brexit so doesn't represent her constituency," she said. "I think Brexit is nuts." Lorna did not vote for Labour, but instead opted for a pro-remain independent. A number of the voters the BBC spoke to in the area told similar stories. One 54-year-old man, who did not want to be named, said that he had voted for the Conservatives in the last eight elections but switched to the Liberal Democrats because "I am a remainer and I didn't like Theresa May's rhetoric". Labour voter Gabriela Sexton said she was "delighted" with the result. "The borough of Kensington was incredibly complacent," she said. "No one ever came to see us from the Tory party [during the campaign]." Briony Jones normally votes for the Green Party, but chose to opt for Labour in this election. "I think change is good because we have never had a MP of a different complexion to the council," she said. "I thought actually who had the most chance [of winning] and I read up on Emma Dent Coad and I liked what I read. "I'm jolly pleased." By Chris Bell, UGC and Social News team. Additional reporting by Emma Harrison
Theresa May remains prime minister despite disappointing election results for the Conservatives.
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In a break with tradition, Mr Bercow said MPs should wear "businesslike attire" but that it was not essential for this to include ties. Parliamentary custom is for male MPs to wear jackets and ties in the chamber. Mr Bercow was speaking after Tory backbencher Peter Bone said he had spotted an MP - who was Lib Dem Tom Brake - asking a question tieless. Mr Bone - who is well known for wearing rather flamboyant ties in the Commons - said he was "not really one to talk about dress sense" but asked whether the rules had changed. "I think the general expectation is that members should dress in businesslike attire," Mr Bercow replied. "So far as the chair is concerned... it seems to me that as long as a member arrives in the House in what might be thought to be businesslike attire, the question of whether that member is wearing a tie is not absolutely front and centre stage." MPs should not be disrespectful towards their colleagues or the House of Commons, he said, but added: "Do I think it's essential that a member wears a tie? No." To laughter from MPs, Mr Bercow clarified that there was "absolutely no obligation on female members not to wear ties, if they so choose". Parliament's official rule book Erskine May only has a limited set of rules on members' dress; namely that military insignia or uniforms should not be worn in the Commons and that the custom is "for gentlemen members to wear jackets and ties". As a parliamentary factsheet notes, the Speaker has "on a number of occasions, taken exception to informal clothing, including the non-wearing of jackets and ties by men". In 2009, Labour MP Graham Allen was told by the former deputy speaker Sir Alan Haselhurst he was not "properly attired" when he tried to ask a question when not wearing a tie. Two years later, Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi apologised after a novelty tie he was wearing started playing a tune while he was making a Commons speech.
Male MPs do not need to wear ties in the House of Commons chamber, Speaker John Bercow has said.
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The 24-hour walkout will take place on 7 September across all Govia Thameslink (GTR) services including Southern. It will coincide with a two-day strike on 7 and 8 September on Southern in a row about guards' roles on new trains. The RMT union said it followed a 70% vote for strike action. GTR has not yet commented on the new strike. But earlier, it called on the RMT to call off the 48-hour strike and get back round the table to find a solution. Southern passenger services director, Alex Foulds, said: "We've had a summer of travel chaos for hundreds of thousands of people and they are now proposing yet more misery and disruption in the week when people go back to work and back to school." GTR operates Southern, Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Great Northern services. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "The Govia Thameslink franchise is in meltdown and not fit for purpose. "Not content with axing catering services, closing ticket offices and attacking the role of their guards, they now want to threaten 130 station jobs and compromise the safety of both their passengers and staff alike." He also called for further negotiations and said: "It is about time Govia Thameslink started acting responsibly, halted their cuts plans and got round the table with the union in serious and genuine talks." He said ticket office closures would result in "a massive increase in lone working, including late at night". The union said GTR proposals to reorganise station staff and create a new role of station host would lead to the closure of, or reduced hours at, 83 ticket offices. In the dispute over guards' roles, the RMT is fighting moves to turn conductors on Southern into "on-board supervisors", with drivers taking over responsibility for opening and closing carriage doors. The union has said it has concerns over safety and job cuts, but the company imposed the changes on Sunday.
A strike over ticket office closures will take place on Southern rail on the same day the network is hit by industrial action over guards' roles.
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Media playback is unsupported on your device 24 March 2015 Last updated at 18:18 GMT Has the situation improved since then? Ahead of the presidential elections on 28 March, BBC Africa tells you what you need to know about the nation's power generation. Produced by Baya Cat
Nigeria experienced power outages about 46 days per year from 2007-2008, with each outage lasting an average of six hours, according to a World Bank report.
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It follows the bank's failure to send out thousands of annual statements, which would have reminded customers of their right to cancel. Those affected over the three-year period have been offered a refund of their premiums, plus 8% in interest. Barclays said the issue had affected less than 3% of its PPI customers in total. It is estimated a typical customer might receive several hundred pounds of refunds. Barclays agreed to make the payments after the intervention of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). "The annual statement was an important measure resulting from the market investigation, which ensures customers know they have a PPI policy, how much they are spending on it, and reminds them of their right to cancel or switch," said Adam Land one of the CMA's senior directors. Most of those affected are credit card customers, although 740 hold mortgage accounts with Barclays. The bank said that of 10,000 customers they have contacted, so far only 100 have opted for a refund. "Last year we identified a number of Barclays and Barclaycard customers who, due to a technical issue, had not been sent their annual PPI statements," said a Barclays spokesperson. "We have written to those customers to apologise and outline how we will remediate them where they believe they would have cancelled their policy, had they received the statements." The bank said it had put controls in place to prevent the mistake happening again.
Barclays has sent letters to 10,000 of its customers, offering refunds for Payment Protection Insurance (PPI).
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Terry Bywater top-scored for GB with 20 points, but they could not win a fourth successive title as Turkey won 76-69. GB's men had trailed by 12 at half-time and fought back to within three in the final quarter, but Turkey - who won the pool match between the teams - held on to win the gold medal. Earlier in the day, GB's women won bronze with a 68-37 win over France. They won every quarter in the bronze-medal match, having beaten the same opponents by four points in the pool stages, with co-captain Helen Freeman top-scoring with 27 points. GB women's coach Miles Thompson said: "The game we played against France was the game we were searching for this tournament. "We separated early and we stayed separated through consistent defence." The women's final was won by the Netherlands, who beat Germany 56-46. GB men's co-captain Terry Bywater said: "We'd won it three times - we wanted a fourth. I think the first twenty minutes we were nervous, we wanted it so bad and it showed. "We showed that we are one of the best teams in Europe. At the end of the day it's about keeping our heads held high - we made the final."
Great Britain's men lost to Turkey in the final of the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Tenerife.
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A memorial stone to The Chronicles of Narnia creator will be unveiled later, to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. He is the first Belfast writer to receive such an honour. Lewis will join such greats as Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, John Keats, William Blake and TS Eliot in a tradition going back 600 years. It coincides with a day of literary celebration in Belfast, that includes a CS Lewis mayoral reception at the city hall. The event is part of the week-long CS Lewis festival designed to celebrate and enjoy the work and life of one of Belfast's greatest literary sons. Belfast Lord Mayor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said: "I feel honoured to host a reception for the finest modern Belfast writers, who follow a proud local literary heritage which the likes of CS Lewis helped to build. "It is also fitting that the best Belfast writers should get together to read on the very day that CS Lewis is interred in Poets corner in Westminster Abbey - the first ever Belfast writer to receive that honour. "This is a great day for our city and our wealth of writers past and present". Lewis (1898-1963) is best remembered for writing The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of books that has sold more than 100m copies worldwide. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first instalment in the saga, was published in 1950 and has been adapted since for stage, TV and film. Other works by the Belfast-born novelist, essayist and literary critic include The Screwtape Letters, The Space Trilogy and the non-fiction titles Mere Christianity and Miracles. Former poet laureate Ted Hughes was the most recent writer to be commemorated at Westminster Abbey with a posthumous memorial stone.
Belfast-born writer and scholar CS Lewis is to be officially inducted into Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey.
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The 26-year-old woman was attacked in the Hothampton Sunken Gardens, Waterloo Square, Bognor, at about 02:00 BST on Saturday. Sussex Police said a 42-year-old man from Bognor was arrested on suspicion of rape on Saturday evening. Det Sgt Alan Fenn said the force was "not looking for anyone else in connection with this rape."
A man has been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman who was subjected to a "prolonged assault" in West Sussex.
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29 June 2016 Last updated at 11:01 BST It became known as "The Great War" because it affected people all over the world and was the biggest war anyone had ever known. In total, around 1.3 million Indian soldiers served, but more than 74,000 of them lost their lives. Martin's been finding out how they ended up fighting for Britain and how children think they should be remembered.
One hundred years ago, thousands of men left their homes in India to help Britain fight Germany in World War One.
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A spokesman said the allegation had come from a member of the public. He refused to reveal the age and gender of the worker accused. He also refused to reveal if it was an officer. He said no-one had been suspended or arrested. "At the moment this is an allegation and we will not be releasing any information that may identify the person concerned," he said.
A West Mercia Police worker is being investigated after an allegation of rape, the force has said.
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The new trilogy is called The Book of Dust and the first novel will come out in October, 17 years after the last instalment. He says the books are an "equel", rather than a prequel or sequel. The His Dark Materials trilogy sold more than 17.5 million copies and was translated into 40 languages. The series will return to the story of Lyra Belacqua, and will begin when the heroine is a baby, and move on to when she is 20 years old. "People say, 'Is it prequel? Is it a sequel?' Well, it is neither," said Mr Pullman, speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. "It's an 'equel'. It's a different story which begins roughly 10 years before His Dark Materials and ends roughly 10 years after." In a separate interview Mr Pullman said: "I know from their letters and tweets that my readers have been waiting patiently (mostly) for The Book of Dust for a long time. "It gives me great pleasure and some excitement at last to satisfy their curiosity (and mine) about this book. "At the centre of The Book Of Dust is the struggle between a despotic and totalitarian organisation, which wants to stifle speculation and inquiry, and those who believe thought and speech should be free." The writer is not giving away any plot details, but has dropped some hints about what the new books could contain, saying that "an ordinary boy" featured in an early part of the story would return as a key character. Mr Pullman's last His Dark Materials book was published in October 2000, and the first volume of the new series will come out on Thursday 19 October. The original trilogy - Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - is currently being adapted by the BBC. There was also a 2004 National Theatre adaptation and a 2007 film, The Golden Compass, which was adapted from first book Northern Lights, and starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. The first book was retitled The Golden Compass in North America.
Author Philip Pullman has announced the publication of the long-awaited follow-up to his best-selling His Dark Materials series of novels.
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A clerk for Granite County confirmed to People Magazine that the couple secretly exchanged vows in Philipsburg, Montana on 1 October. It is thought the ceremony took place a month after Scarlett gave birth to the couple's daughter, Rose, and a year after they got engaged. The 30-year-old was previously married to Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds. Rumours that Scarlett and Romain had tied the knot had been circulating for a while, after she was photographed wearing a ring on her wedding finger. The star of Lost in Translation and The Avengers was left "devastated" following her divorce from Ryan Reynolds in December 2010. Speaking to Vogue magazine about the end of her two-year marriage, she said: "It really throws you. You think that your life is going to be one way, and then, for various reasons or whatever, it doesn't work out." Newsbeat has contacted Scarlett's agent, but has not received a response so far. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube.
Scarlett Johansson has reportedly married her fiancé, French journalist Romain Dauriac.
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The pair were arrested outside a nightclub near the Champs Elysees on Saturday and spent a night in jail. Williams, 35, will appear in court at a later date having accepted a charge of buying cocaine, judicial sources say. O'Connor, 26, faces a charge of possession. They were found with 2.4 grams of the drug. Police, quoted by AFP, alleged Williams was seen in a car with two suspected drug dealers. O'Connor was allegedly spotted outside the car acting as a lookout. Williams plays for the French team Racing 92 and O'Connor is at Toulon. The two suspected dealers were also arrested. Racing 92 said in a statement (in French) that it had suspended Williams "temporarily". "If the investigation confirmed the possession of cocaine and the transaction, it would not only be against the law but also a serious breach of our ethics," the club said. Toulon is still deciding whether to take action against O'Connor, who made 44 appearances for Australia between 2008 and 2013. Williams earned 77 New Zealand caps between 2002 and 2012. Last October two other New Zealanders playing for Racing 92 were cleared of doping charges. The side are current champions of French rugby.
Two former rugby internationals, New Zealander Ali Williams and Australian James O'Connor, have been charged with drug offences in Paris.
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The four-time champion upstaged title rivals Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, pipping the Briton by 0.004 seconds. Rosberg, who can tie up the title on Sunday if results go his way, was 0.435secs behind Vettel. The German, 26 points ahead with 75 available over the remaining three races, will be champion if he wins the race with Hamilton 10th or lower. Rosberg can afford to finish second - or second twice and third once - even if Hamilton wins all the remaining races and still be champion. Final practice (16:00 BST) and qualifying (19:00) are live on the BBC Sport website and radio 5 live sports extra. If Ferrari are in the mix at the front on Sunday, it would be unexpected after a difficult season for the Italian team, but it could play into Hamilton's hands. Because Rosberg has such an advantage, Hamilton ideally needs him to finish below the podium positions. If Hamilton won with Rosberg lower than third, the Briton would be able to control the championship - two wins in the final two races would be enough, even without any further problems for the other Mercedes. Ferrari have been working hard on developing their car in recent races and the SF16-H tends to go better relative to Mercedes at the races where the softer tyres of the five in the Pirelli range are behind used. Mexico is one of those tracks, with the super-soft, soft and medium being the tyres available. It was harder than usual to get a read on relative form because Ferrari did not run the super-soft tyres at the start of the race-simulation runs. Instead, they sent Vettel out on the medium tyre and Raikkonen on the soft, while Mercedes and Red Bull did the more usual thing in running the super-soft. Of the super-soft runners, Hamilton was comfortably quicker than Rosberg, who was closely matched with the Red Bulls. Hamilton, who was beaten to pole and win by Rosberg in Mexico last year, said he had had "a solid day", adding: "The track is feeling better than it did last year and I feel a lot more comfortable in the car than I did the first time we came to this circuit, so hopefully I can carry that through the rest of the weekend. "I didn't really get the maximum out of my lap and out of my tyres so I think we have got more pace." Asked if Ferrari were a big threat, Hamilton said: "I don't think so but we'll find out tomorrow." "It was a good day," said Vettel. "The car seems to work, but there was a lot of traffic - I felt like I was in Mexico City, not on the race track. "Lewis' lap didn't look particularly good so I think he has a little more in the pocket. We need to be realistic. If it's like this tomorrow, we take it for sure." Red Bull have been Mercedes' closest challenger in recent races but they appeared off the pace on one lap on Friday. However, Verstappen said he had struggled initially to find a good set-up after missing first practice following a brake fire. He said the short runs were "not representative" as a result but that "our race pace was very strong". He added: "Ferrari look definitely very strong but we just need to work hard, understand the tyres a bit more on this slippery track and then I am pretty sure we are there as well tomorrow." The whole day was a difficult one to read, perhaps as a result of the low-grip track surface at an unexpectedly cool Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, where highs were only 16C. Media playback is not supported on this device Tyre supplier Pirelli said it was difficult to draw conclusions from the day's running and that the competitive picture would be clearer once more rubber had been laid down on the track on Saturday morning. Nico Hulkenberg's Force India split the Red Bulls, Williams' Valtteri Bottas was eighth quickest and Fernando Alonso's McLaren was 10th fastest on a track where the Honda-powered team were expecting a difficult weekend. Media playback is not supported on this device Regardless, it did appear as if Hamilton had an advantage in pace over Rosberg. He was 0.7secs quicker in the first session in addition to his smaller advantage in the second and the auguries appear good at this early stage for him to keep the title fight alive, barring some kind of technical problem or error. Mexican Grand Prix second practice results Mexican Grand Prix coverage details
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was a surprise pace-setter in second practice at the Mexican Grand Prix.
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Tess, a Sprocker Spaniel, went missing on 3 June from cliff tops on the north Cornwall coast at Bude. Owner Lucy Blackburn, from Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, has extended her holiday and enlisted help from a Beagle "with an unbelievable nose". Mrs Blackburn said losing Tess, aged four, was "the most heartbreaking thing in my life". She will set out with Jenny Brown from K9Tracker and her beagle Tiga to find Tess by tracking her scent. Mrs Blackburn said she had been hit hard by losing Tess after owning her since she was eight weeks old: "For people who don't own dogs they will find it very difficult to understand. "I have had Tess longer than I have had my children. She is an integral part of my family and not having her here is the most heartbreaking thing in my life." Mrs Blackburn was put in touch with Surrey based K9Tracker through the Dog Lost UK charity. She said Ms Brown and Tiga had previously had success finding dogs who had been missing for up to 13 days and that the service was free. She pointed out dozens of testimonials describing the sniffer dog as "truly amazing", "incredible" and "a dog in a million". Mrs Blackburn and her family were on a week-long holiday in Bude when Tess went missing and a thorough search of the area was carried out. Her husband Paul and their two young children returned home on Saturday but Mrs Blackburn is determined to stay on in Cornwall until Tess is found.
A family has sought the help of a sniffer dog in a desperate attempt to find a pet who went missing on holiday.
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Gomis, 28, was out of contract after spending almost five years at the French club, where he scored 56 goals in 120 league appearances. The forward was a target for the Swans last summer and has now signed a four-year deal. Newcastle United agreed a fee in the region of £8m for the Frenchman in August, but the deal fell through. Gomis was impressed by the persistence of manager Garry Monk and chairman Huw Jenkins in their continued interest in him. "They showed they really wanted me - and that's one of the main reasons I chose Swansea ahead of the other interested clubs," said the 12-times capped Frenchman. "They've been trying for over a year to sign me. It didn't quite happen back then, but they kept trying and I'm absolutely delighted to be here now. "Although I've been aware of Swansea for a number of seasons, I've been following them a lot closer since the interest first materialised last year. "It's a proud club with strong philosophies. It is growing all the time and I'm honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of it." Gomis, a product of St Etienne, made his last appearance for Les Bleus in their 3-0 friendly defeat by Brazil in September. He became Monk's second signing since becoming manager at the Liberty Stadium. His first was a deal to secure goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski from Arsenal, whose contract with the Gunners expires at the end of June.
Swansea City have completed the signing of striker Bafetimbi Gomis after he left Lyon.
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Once hailed as a potential model for African development, the country is now one of the poorest countries in the world. The vital cashew nut crop provides a modest living for most of Guinea-Bissau's farmers and is the main source of foreign exchange. But today the nation has a massive foreign debt and an economy that relies heavily on foreign aid. It has become transhipment point for Latin American drugs. At the end of the 1990s the country experienced a conflict which drew in Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, and France and ended with the president going into exile. Population 1.6 million Area 36,125 sq km (13,948 sq miles) Major languages Portuguese, Crioulo - a form of Portuguese, African languages Major religions Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity Life expectancy 47 years (men), 50 years (women) Currency CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc President: Jose Mario Vaz A former finance minister, Jose Mario Vaz won the presidential election run-off of May 2014 by a big margin. He is the first elected leader since the army mutinied in 2012 and plunged the country - already plagued by corruption and cocaine trafficking - into chaos. Mr Vaz's election was meant to draw a line under those events, but Guinea-Bissau has a record of military coups, and no elected leader has served a full term since independence 40 years ago. Stability continued to remain an elusive goal under the new president. A year after coming to power, Mr Vaz sacked his prime minister and party colleague, Domingos Simoes Pereira, after falling out with him. During the ensuing political crisis, there were four changes of prime minister in little over a year, amid a power struggle between Mr Vaz and his party, led by Mr Simoes Pereira. The media experience "harsh treatment" from the authorities, security forces, and individuals with connections to the military and drug traffickers, US-based Freedom House reports. A climate of fear has led to self-censorship, which particularly affects reporting on drug trafficking. Broadcasters face many challenges, not least the lack of a reliable power supply. Private radio and newspapers exist but they are hindered by financial instability. Some key date in Guinea-Bissau's history: 1446-47 - First Portuguese arrive; subsequently administered as part of the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands, the Guinea area becomes important in the slave-trade. Guinea-Bissau becomes a separate colony in the Portuguese Empire in 1879. 1974 - Independence following a guerrilla war. 1980 - Country's first president, Luis Cabral, is ousted in military coup led by Joao Bernardo Vieira; plans for unification with Cape Verde dropped. The overthrow is the first of many political coups that undermine the country's stability over the next four decades. 2006 - Guinea-Bissau soldiers battle Senegalese rebels along the southern border. 2006 - Guinea-Bissau appeals for international help to stop people-traffickers using its remote coastline to smuggle migrants, including Asians, to Europe. 2007 - Donors have one last opportunity to save Guinea-Bissau from chaos and to combat Latin American drug cartels, the UN and International Monetary Fund warn. 2010 - US names two top military officials as international drugs traffickers and freezes their US assets. EU announces it is ending mission to reform Guinea Bissau's security forces, saying lack of respect for rule of law is making this an impossible task. 2011 - EU suspends part of its aid to Guinea-Bissau because of concerns over governance and the rule of law. Several months later, thousands take to the streets to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior for his failure to curb rising food prices. 2012 - The UN Security Council expresses concern that drug trafficking has increased, and demands a return to constitutional rule. 2014 - Presidential election run-off is won by Jose Mario Vaz. A year later, international donors pledge more than $1.1bn to help Guinea-Bissau's economy revive after years of instability.
West Africa's Guinea-Bissau was part of the Portuguese Empire for centuries and was once known as the Slave Coast; today 14% of the population speaks Portuguese.
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Robert McClean, 64, of Annaghquin Road, Rock, was sentenced for illegally infilling an area of birch bog. In April 2014, the Environment Agency investigated complaints of dumping on land on the Annaghquin Road. They found an area about 75mx75m filled with clay soil, plastics, ceramics, wood, construction and demolition waste. A total of 2,142 tonnes of waste was found. Over the next two years, officers returned four times to the site, where the waste was found to have increased. When McClean was identified as the owner of the land, he was issued with a legal notice requiring the removal of the waste from the site. The site it was said to have cost £6,000 to clear. As well the fine, Dungannon Magistrates Court ordered McClean to pay £226.63 costs and an offender levy of £15.
A County Tyrone man has been fined £500 after thousands of tonnes of waste were dumped on land he owned.
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She said it needed to be reviewed, as she was asked about what her party would do to increase security. Prevent was set up by Labour in 2003 and its remit was widened by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition in 2011. Home Secretary Amber Rudd recently said if the Conservatives were re-elected, the strategy would receive more money. Setting out her views on Prevent on the Andrew Marr Show, Ms Lucas said: "Many in the Muslim community believe it's been an attack on their group in particular. "We absolutely want there to be a mechanism whereby people can come to the state with concerns, but when it is perceived by the Muslim community itself as being a toxic Big Brother brand, then we need to look at it again." Prevent is designed to support people at risk of joining extremist groups and carrying out terrorist activities, focusing on schools, faith organisations, prisons and other communities where people can be at risk of radicalisation. Ms Lucas also defended her opposition to mass online surveillance, saying the security services should focus on "targeted" measures. The Green co-leader told Andrew Marr she and colleague Baroness Jones had been labelled "domestic extremists" in the past by police because of their campaigning and protesting activities, which was, she said, a waste of officers' time and resources.
Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas has called the Prevent counter-terrorism scheme "toxic", saying Muslim communities feel "attacked".
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He earned $80m (£51m) thanks to blockbusters like Avengers: Age of Ultron, according to the list. For the first time, the list also includes actors who work outside the US movie industry, meaning the top 10 includes three Bollywood stars. Daniel Craig was the only British actor to feature, at number 15 jointly with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. They each earned $27m (£17m) according to Forbes. In compiling the list, the number crunchers measure earnings before subtracting management fees and taxes over the past year. Forbes described it as "the first truly global earnings tally of leading men", adding that the 34 stars on the full list "earned a combined $941m (£603m) before taxes and fees between June 2014 and June 2015". Jackie Chan came in at number two with $50m (£32m), thanks to being the biggest movie star in China. 1. Robert Downey Jr - $80m 2. Jackie Chan - $50m 3. Vin Diesel - $47m 4. Bradley Cooper - $41.5m 5. Adam Sandler - $41m 6. Tom Cruise - $40m 7. Amitabh Bachchan - $33.5m 8. Salman Khan - $33.5m 9. Akshay Kumar - $32.5m 10. Mark Wahlberg - $32m
Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr has topped Forbes' list of highest-paid actors for the third year running
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Officers fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters, with some of the gas leaking into the courtroom. Many demonstrators waved Turkish flags and chanted anti-government slogans, showing solidarity with the defendants. The "Ergenekon" plot allegedly aimed to topple the AK Party government. Since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power, heading an Islamist-rooted movement, hundreds of military officers - serving or retired - have been arrested. The investigations have undermined the traditionally powerful influence of the military in Turkish politics. They also illustrate the deep divisions between secular nationalists - who see themselves as the heirs of the country's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; and supporters of the government - who want to reduce the role of the military and make more room for the public practice of Islam, says the BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul. It is not yet known when the hearing will resume, our correspondent says. Thousands of people, from several towns, started arriving by coach very early on Monday to support the defendants at the prison-court complex in Silivri. Protesters shouted, "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal!". They said the four-year long trial was unfair and politically motivated. Some tried to tear down police barriers in front of the courthouse. Correspondents said the whole complex was under a cloud of tear gas, and it even leaked into the courtroom, where the hearing was interrupted with arguments about who could sit where. Retired armed forces commander Gen Ilker Basbug is among the defendants, along with a number of military officers, politicians, academics and journalists. Prosecutors have demanded life imprisonment for Gen Basbug and 63 others, including nine other generals. They are accused of links to an ultra-nationalist secret network called Ergenekon, which allegedly tried to foment chaos and trigger a military coup to oust the AKP. Mr Erdogan has been in power since 2002. Critics say there is little evidence for the charges and accuse the government of trying to silence its secularist opponents. In a separate trial last September three former army generals were sentenced to 20 years in jail each for plotting a coup against the AKP. Nearly 330 other officers - including some senior military figures - were also convicted over the "Operation Sledgehammer" plot. Turkey's military has long seen itself as the guarantor of the country's secular constitution. It staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and has a history of tension with the AKP.
The high-profile trial of 275 alleged coup plotters in Turkey has been delayed after police clashed with angry crowds outside the court near Istanbul.
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Children's services in Birmingham have consistently been rated "inadequate" by Ofsted. At a briefing, Brigid Jones, who oversees children and family services, said the council had "come a long way". However, she said she did not expect children's services to be "fit for purpose" for an unannounced Ofsted inspection expected by April 2016. At the social care review into the council's three-year plan into children's services, Ms Jones said: "We have come a long way in the last year but we can't underestimate how far we've still got to go. "Children are definitely safer than they were a year ago but there still not as safe as we would like them to be." The new plan, which will cost £94m over three years, was announced in April. New IT and upgrades to existing systems are to be introduced, including mobile devices for all social workers. Under the plans, the number of front-line social worker posts will increase from 511 to almost 600 by March 2017. The authority has struggled to recruit enough social workers over recent years, particularly those with substantial experience. A serious case review said workers, together with other agencies, "collectively failed to prevent" the death of Keanu Williams, in 2011. Ms Jones said the recruitment of social workers had gone up but they still needed more. She added around a third of the council's staff were agency workers, which it hoped to get down to 15%.
A heavily-criticised council does not expect its children's social care team to be fit for purpose until April 2017.
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The local authority has decided on the proposed settlement scheme with solicitors representing families. It provides for payments of between £1,000 and £4,000, plus legal expenses. The scandal involved families whose children's remains were disposed of without their knowledge. It first emerged at Mortonhall Crematorium in Edinburgh where more than 250 families were believed to have been affected. Staff at the crematorium buried baby ashes in secret and parents were told there were no ashes left when young babies were cremated. The practice at the crematorium is thought to have been in place from its opening in 1967 until a change of management in 2011. The Mortonhall Settlement report which outlines the compensation scheme will go before the council on 5 February. Thompsons Solicitors, which represents 129 clients, helped develop the scheme. The offer needs the approval of councillors. Chief executive of the City of Edinburgh Council, Sue Bruce, said: "The events of the past two years have understandably been distressing for families affected by the events at Mortonhall Crematorium. "The council is taking forward all the recommendations made by Dame Elish Angiolini in her report, and will ensure nothing like this happens ever again." Meanwhile, draft designs for permanent Mortonhall memorials have been revealed. Two memorials are being proposed after consultation with parents. One will be within the grounds of Mortonhall Crematorium and the other will be at a location still to be identified in the city. The Meadows and the Botanic Gardens are among the locations being considered. Some families had strongly expressed that they did not wish to return to Mortonhall. Parents will decide which designs are chosen with the aim to have the memorials completed by the autumn. Patrick McGuire, from Thompsons Solicitors, said: "In addition to the grief they face over the loss of their children the families also have to bear the deep upset caused by practices at the crematorium. "Despite this they have shown remarkable courage and resolve to make the Scottish public aware about what had gone on." He added: "As a group the Mortonhall parents have displayed great solidarity and compassion to each other and it is largely through their efforts that we now have wider investigations into events at crematoria throughout Scotland. "The Mortonhall families, through their tenacity and decency, have brought us to where we are today. "In doing so they have ensured that in the future no other families will have to suffer distress due to unacceptable practices at our crematoria."
Families who have been affected by the baby ashes scandal at Mortonhall Crematorium will be offered settlements of up to £4,000 by the City of Edinburgh Council.
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Declan Hughes scored either side of a Ross McNeil goal for the Lowland League leaders in a 3-1 win over BSC Glasgow. Ajax's 1971-72 run was at the highest level of competition in the Netherlands so remains the official world record. Hereford's run came to an end in January of this year. The Bulls - formerly Hereford United, who were wound up in December 2014 - were playing in the ninth tier of English football, while the Lowland League is the fifth level of senior football in Scotland. Ajax, the Amsterdam club who have won the European Cup four times, sent two members of their club TV department to cover East Kilbride's match. The visitors from the Dutch capital delivered cases of beer to the winning side and a video message of congratulations from Edwin van der Sar, the former Netherlands and Manchester United goalkeeper, who is now a marketing director at Ajax. East Kilbride manager Martin Lauchlan: "It was relief because I don't think we played particularly well - I'll need to have a word with the boys about that. "But we're absolutely ecstatic to get 27 wins; I would say it's the biggest day of my career. It's the biggest achievement I've had but I don't want to take credit away from the players." On the presentation from Ajax and message from Edwin van der Sar: "It was a special moment and a touch of class. Ajax have been very respectful of us. They have tweeted a few times, but to send over 27 crates of beer and two bottles of champagne just makes it special and I would like to say a great thanks to them. "I'll be expecting a couple of flights over to Amsterdam to thank Edwin! But absolute quality for a world superstar to recognise East Kilbride. "It's a special day. I don't really know what to say because I'm overwhelmed with that."
East Kilbride surpassed Ajax's run of 26 successive wins and matched the record of 27 set by Hereford - watched by representatives of the Amsterdam giants.
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The 22-year-old Englishman travelled back to his parent club for diagnosis after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle. "Unfortunately I have torn my ac joint in my shoulder," he said on Twitter. "Which is going to keep me out for around two to three months. Gutted I won't be involved in upcoming games." Matthews joined Accies on a season-long loan from the English Championship club and has made 13 appearances. Accies sit in ninth place in the Scottish Premiership, two points ahead of bottom side Partick Thistle. Matthews went off eight minutes before the end of the game against Caley Thistle and was replaced with 23-year-old Robbie Thomson, Accies' summer signing from Queen of the South.
On-loan Norwich City goalkeeper Remi Matthews will be sidelined for up to three months after an injury picked up with Hamilton Academical.
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The monk's remains, which are inside a Buddha statue, were taken from a temple in the small Chinese village of Yangchun in Fujian province in 1995. The villagers say a Dutch collector, whom they are suing, bought the statue in Hong Kong in 1996. The statue was not seen until turning up at a show in Budapest in 2015. In recent years, Beijing has vigorously tried to retrieve artefacts it says were stolen. But so far there have been few successes via courts of law. The latest case is complicated by the fact that the collector, Oscar van Overeem, is believed to have swapped the statue with another dealer, whose identity has been hidden, in exchange for several Buddhist artefacts in late 2015. The statue's current whereabouts are not clear. Looted statues returned to China in Pinault donation Elgin Marbles: Commons motion urges return to Greece The odd objects looted from Washington DC in 1814 In this case, the Buddha statue, known as the Zhanggong Patriarch, had been in the villagers' temple for centuries, and was also worshipped by residents of the neighbouring Dongpu village. The villagers had hidden the mummy in their homes and even buried it in fields during the destruction wrought by China's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 70s, reported the South China Morning Post. A scan of the statue a few years ago showed it contained the remains of a monk, thought to be 1,000 years old. The villagers were able to prove they were descendants of the monk, their lawyer, Jan Holthuis, told AFP news agency. He said they would argue that, according to Dutch law, "a person is not allowed to have a known body in their possession. "We also have enough evidence to prove that the statue is indeed the one that was stolen from the temple," Mr Holthuis added. According to the state-owned China News Service, the Dutch collector is contesting the claim on the grounds that it was filed by village committees - entities he claims cannot be seen as legal plaintiffs under Dutch law.
Chinese villagers are taking their fight to retrieve an allegedly stolen 1,000-year-old mummified monk to a Dutch court on Friday.
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Women and the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) contacted the BBC after being told home births would not be possible. In response the Health and Social Services Department said there had been no change to its policy on home births. Anita Davies, from NCT, said the number of women giving birth at home was small, but uncertainty was leaving people distressed and anxious. A spokesman for the Health and Social Services Department said there had been occasions in the past when the department had not been able to support home birth requests to "ensure appropriate resources are available to provide safe clinical care". They said home births were given careful consideration but it is by no means a routine approach. He said: "If assurance of safe care cannot be achieved at the same time as scheduling for two midwives to attend a planned home birth, this is when alternative arrangements have to be made. "This has meant that on some occasions, requests for planned home births have to be managed in discussion and with agreement of mothers-to-be." The news follows major changes at the Loveridge Ward, the island's only maternity ward, after the release of a critical report into the supervision of midwifery services. Among the expectant mothers to comment on the BBC Radio Guernsey Facebook page was Louise Gallienne who is 17 weeks pregnant and wrote "just been told I am not allowed a home birth due to the lack of staffing". "I was very disappointed. I am hoping they will be able to get the staff so in the future it will be a service they can offer again," she added. Joey De Mouilpied, due in May, told a similar story saying she had been told last week her home birth would not be possible due to "staffing issues". However, Amber Furby, who is due on Thursday, said there had been no suggestion her home birth would not go ahead, but suggested maybe no new bookings were being approved. Ms Davies said normally fewer than 10 women in Guernsey gave birth at home each year, but the core of the issue was a woman's right to choose. She said she had been approached by three women who had hoped to have home births and it was "puzzling why this decision has come about without any clear statement". In December 2010 Guernsey's Health and Social Services Department said it was a woman's right to make an informed choice about the place of birth.
Home births are not available due to a lack of staffing, according to some pregnant women in Guernsey.
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The airport was originally meant to open in early 2012, but has been hit by several delays and mishaps. The cause of the latest delay is not clear, but it is reportedly related to problems with the airport's baggage handling systems. Opposition politicians have called for Berlin's mayor to resign over the project, seen as a major embarrassment. The new airport is destined to take over from the capital's ageing Tegel and Schoenefeld airports. Berlin Brandenburg airport, also to be known as Willy Brandt airport after the late West German chancellor, will eventually handle up to 27 million passengers a year. The airport was initially meant to be a showcase for the German capital, commensurate with the city's growing status as a big tourist destination and a hub of political power, says the BBC's Steve Evans in Berlin. But it has suffered from a litany of technical problems. The initial delay in its opening was put down to a lack of check-in desks. In June last year there was another problem when it transpired that the site's fire system was not ready. The cost of the project has also risen, from the initial 2bn euros ($2.6bn; £1.6bn) to more than 4bn ($5.3bn; £3.2bn), with the possibility that it may rise further. The latest delay to the opening has attracted widespread scorn in the German media. The mass-market Bild newspaper began its coverage of the latest problems with the line: "What a disgrace! The capital is showing up the entire country!"
The opening of a new airport for the German capital Berlin has been further delayed, until 2014 at the earliest.
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Four-year-old Sean Turner, from Wiltshire, died in March 2012 at Bristol's Royal Hospital for Children. A coroner ruled the hospital had not failed Sean but his parents Steve and Yolanda disagreed and tweeted Prof Sir Bruce Keogh to "sort this out". Within hours Dr Keogh responded that he would be in contact to "fix a date". Sean suffered a brain haemorrhage and cardiac arrest six weeks after he had undergone corrective heart surgery at the Bristol hospital. His parents blamed doctors and nursing staff for transferring their son from intensive care too soon and for missing the signs of his worsening condition. But in a narrative verdict at the inquest last month, coroner Maria Voisin said there were "lost opportunities" in Sean's care, but it did not amount to neglect. After Mr Turner, 47, tweeted Sir Bruce, saying: "Will someone please pick up the reins, stand to post and sort this out?". Within 24 hours, NHS England's medical director had responded: "Steve, I will meet all concerned parents. Will contact you on Monday to fix a date convenient to families. This week?". Mrs Turner said they had been "gobsmacked" when they got the response. "We never expected Sir Bruce to tweet back," she said. She added they initially thought it was a "hoax". An NHS spokesman confirmed the tweet was genuine and said a meeting would be set up "at the earliest opportunity" for Sir Bruce "to hear them voice their concerns and to understand their concerns". Although Mrs Turner said it would not be "practical to meet all concerned parents this week", she said they would be "waiting for his call".
The NHS's medical director has agreed to meet the parents of a boy who died after heart surgery after they pleaded with him on Twitter.
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The military has not made public the reason for Vice Admiral Mark Norman's suspension. Federal Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a short statement that he fully supported the decision to relieve Vice Adm Norman from carrying out his military duties. Vice Adm Norman was named to the post last August. He was removed from of his duties "effective immediately and until further notice", according to an order from Gen Jonathan Vance, Canada's chief of the defence staff, which is dated 13 January. Gen Vance is Canada's top soldier in uniform and commands the military. His letter did not offer any explanation for Vice Adm Norman's dismissal. A spokesman for the general said Vice Adm Norman has been removed "from the performance of military duty. For the time being, he will not be carrying out the functions of [vice chief of the defence staff]". He has been replaced on an interim basis by current navy commander Vice Admiral Ron Lloyd. Vice Adm Norman is a career naval officer who has spent over three decades in Canada's military, joining in 1980 as a navy reservist.
The second highest-ranking officer in the Canadian military has been temporarily relieved from his duties.
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Mr Trump is hosting the Chinese president for a two-day visit at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Last year Mr Trump said China had "raped the US" and vowed to brand the superpower a currency manipulator. But the meeting appeared to be diplomatic, with both leaders agreeing to a new format for US-China talks. Mr Tillerson said President Trump's trip to China would be a "state visit" in 2017, but gave no other details. "Both the atmosphere and the chemistry between the two leaders was positive... all of us are feeling very good about the results of this summit," said Mr Tillerson. An A-Z of hot topics for Trump and Xi What can Trump do about trade with China? The cost of Trump's 'Winter White House' The leaders of the world's two most powerful economies agreed to a 100-day plan to discuss trade talks directed at boosting US exports and reducing Washington's trade deficit with China, according to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "Given the range of issues and the magnitude, that may be ambitious, but it's a very big sea change in the pace of discussion," Mr Ross told reporters. "I think that's a very important symbolisation of the growing rapport between the two countries." Mr Trump said he believes he made "tremendous progress" in the US-China relationship during talks with Mr Xi. On the night of the Chinese president's arrival, a US airstrike on an airbase in Syria was launched in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack. The attack was made public on Thursday evening just moments after Mr Xi and his wife left the resort following dinner. Beijing has avoided publicly taking sides on the issue. China's position on Syria is much closer to Russia's than to the US. And the Chinese government will guess that the timing of the American missile strike was a blunt message that without more robust Chinese help on dismantling Kim Jong-un's nuclear programme, the next target for pre-emptive American military action might be North Korea. In Chinese protocol, sudden moves disrupting setpiece occasions are avoided wherever possible, and in private, President Xi is likely to be angry that President Trump chose to strike on the very night of his visit. But in public Mr Xi stuck to his script about the virtues of co-operation while Mr Trump insisted they'd formed an outstanding relationship and made great progress. As the two presidents went into their final lunch there were no specifics though, and in the aftermath of the US missile strike on Syria, all the big questions which bedevil the US China relationship have been kicked down the road for President Trump's visit to China later this year. According to a statement on China's foreign ministry website, Mr Xi told Mr Trump: "We have a thousand reasons to get China-US relations right, and not one reason to spoil the China-US relationship." The pair discussed a range of issues, including North Korea, which the US believes is trying to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the west coast of the US. Mr Tillerson said on Friday the US may take its own measure in dealing with Pyongyang. "We would be happy to work with them," he said. "But we understand it creates unique problems for them and challenges and that we would and are prepared to chart our own course if this is something China is just unable to co-ordinate with us."
US President Donald Trump has accepted his counterpart Xi Jinping's invitation to make a visit to China, said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
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Peter Bell, a Governor for Southern Health, called for the motion to be discussed at an Extraordinary Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday. But trust chairman Tim Smart cancelled the meeting for legal reasons on Saturday. Mr Bell said the cancellation was "no laughing matter". The meeting, which would have been held at Lyndhurst Community Centre in Hampshire, comes after a report found the NHS mental health trust failed to investigate the unexpected deaths of more than 1,000 people since 2011. Responding to the cancellation, Mr Bell threatened the trust with legal action if it did not reconsider proceeding with the meeting on 17 May. He said: "I am beginning to feel like the families who have being pursuing changes at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust appear to have been banging their heads on a brick wall. "If this was not such a serious matter I would be laughing out loud at such tactics. But this is no laughing matter. This is deadly serious and I really hope that the interim chair begins to understand just how serious this is. "Do we really need to resort to the courts in the first two weeks of your appointment?" Mr Smart said the delay was "far from ideal" and that the resolutions put forward by Governors for discussion "did not comply with NHS Improvement guidance, and any vote would not be legally robust". "I am determined that what we do everything correctly, whatever the short term difficulties along the way", he added.
A health trust criticised for putting its patients at risk has cancelled a meeting where a vote of no confidence in the executive board was expected.
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Kirsty Smith came close for the Scots in the first half when her shot was tipped over the crossbar. Jane Ross fired wide in the second half and was later denied by goalkeeper Laura O'Sullivan after Lisa Evans had fired against the bar. With no goals in 90 minutes, the play-off tie went to spot-kicks and Frankie Brown scored the decisive kick. There was an inevitable air of anti-climax following the group games and it did not help that the Scots had several players out with injury. Six of Anna Signeul's usual starting line-up, including Kim Little, were not even on the bench. A further four, including Evans and Ross, did not start, leaving central defender Ifeoma Dieke, who was captain for the day, as the only regular in the starting XI. Wales chose a strong team but after coming close in the third minute, when Rachel Rowe forced goalkeeper Shannon Lynn to make a good block with her leg, they failed to take advantage of Scotland's makeshift line-up. Signeul's injury woes continued when a stretcher was called for Rachel McLauchlan as she lay injured after only 10 minutes, but the Hibernian right-back, making her first Scotland start, was able to continue. However, Hibs captain Joelle Murray was replaced by Brown after 32 minutes. Left-back Smith came closest to scoring midway through the first half, her fine 30-yard shot touched over by O'Sullivan. Substitutes Ross and Evans altered the dynamic of the game after the break and Ross had a great chance to score her 50th Scotland goal but slipped the ball wide. Evans then rattled the frame of the goal and Ross's attempt to net the rebound was blocked. The Manchester City striker continued in pursuit of the landmark goal but was just over with a shot from 20 yards. Substitute Fiona Brown crossed for Lizzie Arnot, who could not direct her header past O'Sullivan with the clock ticking down. Evans, and then Ross - twice - in stoppage time, again came very close before full-time. Hayley Ladd and Amina Vine were unsuccessful with their penalties for Wales while Scotland's Caroline Weir had her spot-kick saved before Brown converted to settle the tie. Scotland: Lynn, McLauchlan, J Murray (Fr Brown), Dieke, Smith, L Ross (Fi Brown), Weir, Crichton, Arnot, Cuthbert (J Ross), C Murray (Evans). Wales: O'Sullivan, Harding (Miles), Ladd, Ingle, Gemma Evans (Vine), Georgia Evans, Fishlock (James), Rowe (Thomas), Beynon (Estcourt), Lawrence, Green (Fletcher). Referee: E Urban (Hungary). Scotland captain Ifeoma Dieke: "The pitch was bad, you couldn't play football - we tried, but it wasn't our best game. The tiredness definitely showed. "Games against the Home Nations are always going to be more of a battle than football. They battled, we battled. "In the second half we played better and had some good chances. It was also our first clean sheet of the tournament so I guess that's pleasing. "It was also good practice for going to the Euros because you never know if we're going to get to a situation like this with penalties. "It was good to finish off the 10 days with the win and there have been a lot of positives from the tournament, including so many players getting game time. That's going to stand us in good stead."
Scotland beat Wales 6-5 on penalties in Paralimni to clinch fifth place in the Cyprus Cup.
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Officers have been given seven more days to question three men, two aged 26 and one aged 40, and a 29-year-old woman - all from Birmingham. All four are being held under the Terrorism Act. A fourth man, aged 59, has been freed on bail "with strict conditions". Four of the people were arrested in Birmingham on Thursday, while one of the 26-year-old men was arrested at Gatwick Airport in the early hours of Friday. The group of four are still being held in the West Midlands, where they continue to be questioned by officers. Searches continue at a number of properties in Birmingham as part of the investigation, West Midlands Police said. Police said the arrests were made after they worked with MI5 and Belgian and French authorities. They said there was no risk to the public at any time and they had no information to suggest an attack in the UK was being planned. West Midlands Police has previously refused to confirm reports that images of landmarks in Birmingham, including a shopping mall, were found on a mobile phone belonging to one of the alleged Paris ringleaders.
Police have been given more time to question four people arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences as part of an investigation launched after the recent attacks in Paris and Brussels.
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Manchester United forward Rashford, 18, has seven goals in 13 outings since making his senior debut in February. Hodgson has been "very impressed" with the teenager but said it was "unlikely" he would take him to France. "I think it would be a very bold decision to put him in," added Hodgson. Media playback is not supported on this device Rashford, who is still six months short of his 19th birthday, marked his senior debut with two goals against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League. Since then, the England Under-20 international has scored four Premier League goals, including winners against Manchester City and Aston Villa. The youngster also scored at West Ham to help United book an FA Cup semi-final date at Wembley with Everton. In March, Hodgson said he would "neither rule him in or rule him out" when asked if Rashford could make his squad for France this summer. Hodgson has numerous attacking options in the shape of United's Wayne Rooney, Tottenham's Harry Kane, Leicester's Jamie Vardy, Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge and Arsenal's Danny Welbeck. In addition, West Ham's Andy Carroll has staked a claim after scoring six goals in his last five league games. "I think it would mean possibly leaving someone behind who, at the moment, has more reason to be called up," said Hodgson when again asked about Rashford. "But you never know. The fact is it would be foolish as well to say 'no, no, he's not ready, he can't do it'. "I am sure he could do it. "It's not inconceivable but it looks unlikely to me with the current players we've got and the competition for places in that area of the field."
England boss Roy Hodgson says he would have to sacrifice a player who has "more reason to be called up" in order to fit teenage striker Marcus Rashford in his Euro 2016 squad.
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Evenlode Tower in Blackbird Leys is one of two high-rise buildings owned by Oxford City Council where cladding failed fire safety tests. The authority is looking for mast climbers - a type of moveable platform - to enable cladding to be removed. An Oxford City Council spokesperson said it was "awaiting a timetable" for when the process could begin. Cladding removal has started on Windrush Tower - the other Oxford City Council high-rise where cladding failed tests - because mast climbers were already in place for a refurbishment project. 'Pressure on suppliers' Cladding on 137 high-rise buildings across 41 local authority areas in England has failed fire safety tests, according to the latest figures. Oxford City Council said it had no confirmed date for installing new cladding on the Evenlode and Windrush towers. It expects "pressure on suppliers" could lead to increased delivery times and said residents would be the first to know once a timetable was agreed. Oxfordshire's fire service has said residents are safe to remain in the towers, which both have sprinkler systems fitted.
A council is searching for equipment to enable contractors to remove unsafe cladding from a tower in Oxford.
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In Belfast on Friday, eight officers were injured and 13 people arrested in clashes between loyalists and police. Senior officers had appealed to loyalists planning to protest in Belfast city centre later not to do so. However, several thousand loyalists have been protesting outside City Hall. An Irish tricolour flag has been set on fire. Loyalists opposed to new restrictions on flying the union flag at Belfast city hall have been holding protests across Northern Ireland all week after the city council voted to fly the flag on designated days. Nationalists at Belfast City Council had wanted the union flag taken down altogether, but in the end voted on a compromise from the Alliance party that it would fly on designated days. Unionists have said they consider the changes regarding the union flag to be an attack on their cultural identity. On Friday, six officers were injured in the Crumlin Road and Ligoneill Road area of north Belfast and two at Shaftesbury Square in the city centre. Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said: "Loyalist paramilitary groups are now actively involved in orchestrating this disorder and we've seen that in various parts of the greater Belfast area over the course of the last couple of nights." He said members of both the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) have been involved. "We've seen members of both groups actively involved in the violence, we're now seeing senior members actively involved in orchestrating the violence." ACC Kerr called on those planning to protest in Belfast city centre on Saturday to "step back". "This is not the time, the place, the day, or the area to be involved in that protest. We have very significant concerns about public safety in Belfast city centre today," he said. "We have committed a very significant policing presence to Belfast city centre today to make sure we keep people safe. We will not accept violent or illegal behaviour today and we have the resources to deal with it. "Please step back. This is a time for calm heads and reflection as we approach Christmas. This is not the time for thuggery disguised as protest." The home of an Alliance party councillor was attacked in County Down overnight. The party said windows were smashed and a car also damaged at Linda Cleland's house in Newtownards. "I saw this tall hooded person in my garden - I have a rockery - and they were lifting the boulders," Councillor Cleland said. "There were more bangs and I heard people on the roof and then I phoned 999. "They've literally put in all my downstairs windows, they've put in all the windows of my car and they've put in one of my upstairs windows. I have never been so scared in my life, or felt so helpless." Belfast's Christmas Market has been temporarily closed and politicians have warned that the economy is being damaged on what should be some of the year's busiest shopping days. On Friday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the city and condemned the violence. Her comments came before Friday night clashes. Among those arrested on Friday was a boy aged 13. Three people - two men, aged 18 and 29, and a 17-year-old boy - are due in court later on Saturday. ACC Kerr said 27 police officers had been injured while dealing with disorder this week. Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt also urged the protesters to stop. "Anyone who attacks a police officer, anyone who riots, anyone who engages in illegal street protest, is disrespecting the values of the Union flag," he said. "Stop now. You are losing the argument." The SDLP's Conall McDevitt said: "The protesters are now damaging the economy of their own city. "Last night's violence proved extremely damaging to both the footfall and the reputation of south Belfast's night-time economy, which in turn hurts local business owners and local jobs." There were a number of developments during the disturbances on Friday evening: In other disturbances, about 200 people were at the DUP mayor of Newtownabbey's Christmas dinner and 400 were at a Christmas function involving singer Peter Corry. About 30 to 40 loyalists who congregated at the gates hijacked and burned two cars and smashed the windscreens of other cars belonging to people attending the functions. People at the play were delayed and those at the Christmas dinner had their evening cut short because entertainers could not get into the premises. A situation arose where people inside could not leave and people attempting to enter were obstructed. DUP assembly member Paul Girvan attempted to speak to the protesters but was initially stoned before being recognised by the loyalists. He said that as far as he was concerned there was clear paramilitary orchestration. "Irrespective of what anybody says there was definitely clear paramilitary involvement in this," he said. "Some figures well known to myself were there and have links to the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force)."
Police in Northern Ireland have said loyalist paramilitaries have organised some of the recent violence over flags.
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The Wallabies' number 10 says Russell is "world class" and unfortunate not to be on the British and Irish Lions tour. "Finn Russell is a very dangerous player," said Foley. "He has all the tricks of the trade. "He's a major threat for us this weekend and someone will have to contain him." Glasgow Warriors' Russell, 24, will win his 29th cap at the Allianz Stadium, having set up two tries in last weekend's 34-13 win over Italy in Singapore. A penalty and a conversion nudged his international points total to 66, some way behind the 429 Foley has amassed in 43 Test appearances. "I thought he was unlucky to miss out on that Lions squad," added Foley on his opposite number. "He's a form 10 in the northern hemisphere. His ability to run, pass and kick is world class." Foley, 27, wrote his name into the history of this match when breaking Scottish hearts with a 79th-minute penalty to clinch an epic World Cup semi-final at Twickenham in 2015. Then he did it again in the autumn of 2016 when putting over a late match-winning conversion to win a Test at Murrayfield. There was just a single point in both games at the end. "It's up there with the best," Foley said of his nerve-shredding World Cup kick against Scotland. "It was a pretty stressful moment. It had every bit of emotion you could feel. We were easily on top but, in the 73rd minute, we were down. "(The drama) is all we know against the Scots. They're a class outfit and they play a style that really suits them, especially now with their new coach, Gregor Townsend. We can expect a lot of flair and entertainment. "Every time I've played against them it's been a battle that's been fought all the way to the death. "I'm sure this will be another one on Saturday. We saw against Italy the ability the Scots have to score tries. The last two games could easily have gone the either way."
Australia stand-off Bernard Foley thinks counterpart Finn Russell is the Scottish player the home side must be wary of in Saturday's Test in Sydney.
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The chances of England experiencing an exceptionally warm year is 13 times more likely due to human influences on climate, a study suggests. 2014 was the UK's warmest since records began in 1910. The research, published in Environmental Research Letters, is based on climate models and temperature records for England dating back to 1659. Dr Andrew King from the University of Melbourne is the lead researcher. "Both of our approaches showed that there is a significant and substantial increase in the likelihood of very warm years occurring in central England," he said. Dr Peter Stott, of the Met Office Hadley Centre, said the new findings added to evidence that human-induced climate change was increasing the chances of record-breaking temperatures around the world, including in the UK. "At the Met Office we produced similar research late last year showing how climate change had made UK record breaking temperatures about 10 times more likely," he said. "The fact that what might seem relatively modest rises in temperature around the world are causing quite dramatic increases in the likelihood of extreme temperatures may seem surprising but this is a well understood feature of how changes in mean temperatures affect extremes." 2014 was the warmest year on record, with global temperatures 0.68C (1.24F) above the long-term average. It was also the UK's warmest since records began in 1910.
England is set for more record-breaking warm years like 2014, say scientists.
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The Welsh government is expected to receive extra money as a result of the English scheme, to spend as it wishes. CPAG said free lunches in Wales would help family budgets, help fight child poverty and boost pupils' health. Welsh ministers said they would press the Treasury for details on the funding and how much will come to Wales. Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy PM Nick Clegg announced the English scheme on Tuesday, which is expected to save parents about £400 a year per child. He told told his party's conference in Glasgow that targeting infants would ensure "every child gets the chance in life they deserve", teach healthy eating habits and boost attainment. Now CPAG chief executive Alison Garnham said it was the "ideal time for the Welsh government to look to build on its excellent free school breakfast initiative by looking to match the free school meal announcement for England." She added: "With Welsh families being battered by UK government tax and benefit policies, stagnating wages and soaring food prices, free healthy school lunches have never been so important." "Ensuring all infant school children receive a free healthy school lunch would provide much-needed relief to hard-pressed family budgets, protect against rising levels of child poverty and food poverty and at the same time boost our children's health, education and well-being." The Welsh Liberal Democrats said about £30m extra would be coming to Wales, under a funding formula for spending announcements on devolved matters, and called on Welsh ministers to follow England's lead. Party education spokesman Aled Roberts said: "We want to see the Welsh Labour government do something similar to ease the pressure families in Wales are under." Following Mr Clegg's announcement, the Welsh government said it believed in providing free school meals to those who need them most and encouraged those eligible to take them up. In a statement it added: "It's important to remember that we led the way in the UK by introducing a free school breakfast initiative - now, under the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, local authorities have a duty to ensure that the provision of primary school free breakfasts continues. "The Free Breakfasts In Primary Schools Scheme is designed to help improve the health and concentration of pupils, and to develop healthy eating habits from a young age. "We will press the Treasury for further details of the funding package announced today but we expect Wales to get the Barnett (formula) consequential of any additional funding made available in England in the normal way."
Plans to give all pupils at infant schools in England free lunches should be matched in Wales, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has said.
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What was expected to be a day of deep discontent at St James' Park will instead be remembered for the spirit the Magpies showed as they salvaged a point that takes them off the bottom of the Premier League table. Spectacular second-half strikes by Nikica Jelavic and Mohamed Diame had put the Tigers ahead but Cisse came off the bench to rescue an unlikely point and, temporarily at least, take the heat off his beleaguered boss. Media playback is not supported on this device Pardew was under mounting pressure after his side's miserable start to the season had prompted some supporters to threaten open revolt against his four-year reign. A fans group had printed 30,000 anti-Pardew posters before kick-off and asked fans to wave them in the fifth-minute to mark the number of wins Newcastle have managed in 2014. Stewards stopped some supporters from bringing the posters into the ground but, while a smattering of fans still showed them off, the chants that accompanied the protest were directed at the club's owner Mike Ashley, not Pardew. Unlike during their sorry defeat at Southampton last weekend, however, dissent was not the prevailing mood among the Newcastle fans. Some enterprising early attacking play from the home side helped ensure the crowd were mostly positive in the first half but the issues in attack that had seen Newcastle fail to score in three of their four previous league games this season did remain. Remy Cabella and Yoan Gouffran both failed to seriously test Tigers keeper Allan McGregor when well placed and several neat passing moves fizzled out. A few half-hearted boos were as bad as it got for Pardew at half-time, but the atmosphere changed when Jelavic swivelled to fire Hull ahead in acrobatic style just after the break. It was then the first chants of 'We want Pardew out' were heard from sections of the ground. Media playback is not supported on this device Their volume increased when Diame found space to fizz a superb second goal high into the net with 20 minutes left, but the hostility never reached the same levels as it had done when fans protested against Pardew on the final day of last season. Instead, the home supporters concentrated on helping their team battle back into the game, with their comeback starting as soon as Cisse came off the bench to provide the bite that had been missing up front. The Senegalese striker reduced the deficit with 16 minutes left when he accepted Cheick Tiote's pass and beat McGregor with an angled drive and, in doing so, inspired his side to press hard for an equaliser. One came with three minutes remaining, when Gouffran met Moussa Sissoko's ball into the box and Cisse fired home to ensure his first appearance of the season was a memorable one. A point is not the end of Pardew's problems, but his future at least looks a little more secure than it did last Saturday. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew: "We had some big chances and then we make one mistake and it got punished, and an unbelievable goal out of nothing puts us in a big hole. "But we had tremendous resolve. The players have had to play under enormous pressure and I'm very proud of them. "I have to say 80% of the crowd were terrific. They took a view of 'let's see what happens'. We do have some fans who are a little bit more radical than that and they wanted to make their presence felt and you have to accept that as a manager." Hull manager Steve Bruce: "If feels like a loss. Unfortunately, we've made mistakes and got punished. "We've scored two wonderful goals, which would have graced any arena. Apart from the mistakes we made late on, we looked a very good team. "Individual errors are something you can never determine what it is. Is it complacency? Tiredness? A mistake is a mistake and we've got punished."
A mass protest against Newcastle boss Alan Pardew failed to materialise as two Papiss Cisse goals saw his side fight back from 2-0 down to salvage a dramatic point against Hull.
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Patrick McDonough, 59, from Middlesbrough was found seriously injured at Buttertubs Pass near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales on 4 October. He died in James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough the following day. North Yorkshire Police are looking for number of MG sports car drivers who were seen in the area at the time. Detectives have contacted local motoring clubs in a bid to trace the car owners, but no-one has so far come forward. Officers said that they are seeking the drivers as witnesses and said "there is no suspicion at this time, that they were involved". Police also appealed for the occupants of a yellow car seen taking photographs in the area to get in touch.
Police are appealing for the drivers of MG sports cars to come forward as part of an investigation into the death of a cyclist in North Yorkshire.
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Spieth, 23, will defend his FedEx Cup title in the last of the four play-off tournaments, the Tour Championship in Atlanta, starting on Thursday. The 2016 Ryder Cup begins on 27 September, with Europe looking for a fourth successive victory. "If you're saying 2016, right now, I've got a choice - Ryder Cup," Spieth said. The Texan, who was part of the 2014 US team that lost to Europe at Gleneagles, added: "I don't have a Ryder Cup. I think I will have a Ryder Cup at some point." "You want something that you don't have. That's a trophy that I've watched the other side of now and it hurt." Spieth is seventh in the FedEx Cup, the PGA Tour's season-long points contest, with compatriot Dustin Johnson leading. England's Paul Casey, in fifth, is the highest-placed Briton going in to the Tour Championship, in which the top 30 players from the recent BMW Championship compete. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Scotland's Russell Knox are also in the top 10, alongside Australians Adam Scott and world number one Jason Day.
American golfer Jordan Spieth says he would prefer to win the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine than the $10m (£7.7m) prize money on offer in the FedEx Cup.
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Media playback is not supported on this device Trott and Wales' Elinor Barker were tied on 37 points but double Olympic champion Trott was awarded the gold as she placed higher in the final sprint. Scotland's Katie Archibald claimed bronze, her first medal of the Games. England's Jess Varnish won her second medal in Glasgow, a bronze in the women's sprint. Australia's Stephanie Morton beat compatriot Anna Meares to win gold. Trott, 22, has been suffering with a kidney infection and had until now endured a disappointing Games, failing to qualify for the individual pursuit before finishing 11th in the 10km scratch race. "I can't believe it," she told BBC Radio 5 live. "I felt so bad at times in that race. I'm not even 100%, I've not eaten properly for the last two days and I've been living off porridge. I'm not really a porridge fan. "It's right up there with the Olympics for me after the disappointment of the last two days. To pull it off at the end was great." Varnish comfortably beat Malaysia's Fatehah Mustapa in a deciding second race, having been awarded the first when commissaires relegated Mustapa for unfairly holding her line on the final straight. "It was so obvious, she just elbowed me," said Varnish, 23, who added a second medal to the bronze she won in Thursday's 500m time trial. "I am quite sure I would have come around her anyway but I am glad to have got the medal." New Zealand's Shane Archbold won gold in the men's 20km scratch race, with Glenn O'Shea of Australia in second and Canada's Remi Pelletier in third. The Isle of Man had two riders in the top five, with Mark Christian fourth and Joseph Kelly fifth. Sophie Thornhill and Helen Scott won their second Commonwealth gold in the Para-sport 1,000m tandem time trial for blind and visually impaired athletes. The English pair beat Scotland's Aileen McGlynn and Louise Haston into silver for the second time following their earlier victory in the tandem sprint event, while Australia's Brandie O'Connor and Breanna Hargrave won bronze. Meanwhile, in the men's keirin, three-time Olympic gold medallist Jason Kenny was eliminated in the repechage by fellow Englishman Matthew Crampton. That event was later won by Australia's Matthew Glaetzer, who finished ahead of New Zealand's Sam Webster and Malaysia's Azizulhasni Awang. Media playback is not supported on this device
England's Laura Trott won gold in the women's points race at the Commonwealth Games despite being laid low with a kidney infection.
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Managers of Saint Marc, in Huntington Beach, later apologised and said they had fired the staff member. The original Facebook post about the incident has been shared more than 1,000 times and gained hundreds of comments. But the women have also received a backlash from people dubbing the story "fake news". Diana Carrillo, who has Mexican ancestry, told the BBC: "I've never faced discrimination like this in the past. The four of us who went to the restaurant were all born in the United States." The incident happened when they visited the restaurant on 11 March. Ms Carrillo said: "As soon as I sat down, the waiter approached the table and without welcoming us, asked me for my proof of residency. "I just handed it over to him. I didn't know what to say. I had no words. I felt paralysed literally for a few moments, just in a complete state of shock." She said the waiter then asked her friends and sister the same thing, adding: "I have to make sure you're from here before I serve you." US President Donald Trump was elected in November amid tough rhetoric on immigration and has pledged to build a wall along the Mexican border. "I think a lot of people think they have the power to discriminate against people more openly than before," Ms Carrillo said. "I woke up this morning to a lot of comments stating this is fake news, that this didn't happen. Unfortunately it did happen and it happened to me and three other people. We have to bring awareness to racism and address this." The women say they told management immediately, who offered to move them to a different section but they had already decided to leave. The Washington Post reports that management contacted the women on Monday, offering a VIP experience at the restaurant and pledging to donate 10% of the weekend's proceeds to a non-profit organisation of the group's choice. They declined the meal but asked the donation be made to Orange County Immigrant Youth United. Kent Bearden, senior director of operations at Saint Marc, confirmed to the newspaper that the waiter in question was fired and said that that employee's actions "are something that you can't control". "That individual did not treat a table of guests to the expectations that we set forth in that company policy, and that caused him to be terminated," he said. Ms Carrillo told the BBC she was happy with the restaurant's initial handling of the incident, but has been disappointed that an official apology has since been removed from the restaurant's social media page.
Four women in Southern California were asked to prove they were legal residents by a waiter in a restaurant.
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The 25-year-old will face world number 14 Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who overcame Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova 5-7 6-1 6-1. "Caroline is one of the best athletes on tour, so I know I am going to be running for a lot of balls," she said. "I'm looking forward to it, it is going to be a battle and I will try my best." Konta broke Williams twice in the first set as she moved into a 3-0 lead, before the 36-year-old American salvaged one of those breaks. Williams struggled with her first serve and saved five break points early in the second set before breaking Konta to take a 3-1 lead. But the British number one battled back to break Williams on three occasions on her way to sealing victory shortly after midnight local time. Konta will reach a career-high world number seven ranking if she lifts the trophy on Saturday. Earlier, Roger Federer continued his stunning start to 2017 by reaching the men's semi-finals with a dramatic win against Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych. The 35-year-old Swiss survived two match points in the deciding tie-break before winning 6-2 3-6 7-6 (8-6). Federer has now won 17 of his 18 matches this year. He will now face Australia's Nick Kyrgios who defeated Germany's Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-7 (11-9) 6-3. Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide. Federer, who claimed his first major for five years at the Australian Open in January, served for the match at 5-3 in the deciding set, only for Berdych to break to love and go on to force a deciding tie-break. However, he choked at the crucial moment as his losing streak against Federer - which goes back to March 2013 - was extended to a seventh match. Federer's progression means a meeting with long-time rival Rafael Nadal in Sunday's final remains a possibility. Spain's 14-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, who lost to Federer in Melbourne, recorded a 6-2 6-3 win over American Jack Sock to reach the last four. He faces Italian Fabio Fognini, who became the first unseeded player in 10 years to make the semi-finals by beating Kei Nishikori.
Johanna Konta defeated seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams 6-4 7-5 to become the first British woman to reach the Miami Open final.
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Media playback is not supported on this device Saturday's 4-2 defeat of Stoke was the Blues' 13th Premier League win in a row - equalling the record of successive victories in a single season set by Arsenal during the 2001-02 campaign. "They are fantastic and we are proud," said Conte of his side's achievement. When you have these type of players you can go to sleep happy "But we must concentrate on the second part of the season." He added: "Numbers are not important if you do not win the title." Chelsea have a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, with Liverpool, in second, beating Manchester City 1-0 in Saturday's late game. Conte, who became Chelsea boss in the summer, acknowledged it would be "difficult" for his side to repeat their run, which began on 1 October. "The first part of the season was incredible for us but the next half will be very hard for us," he said. "We started the season as underdogs and now we have the light on us, we must know this and work more to find the right solution to try to win in every game." Chelsea twice lost the lead to a gutsy Stoke side - after goals from Gary Cahill and Willian - before Willian's second and Diego Costa's late fourth ensured another three points for the Blues. Conte praised his players for coping with the Potters' aerial and physical threat. "They showed great character because it's not easy when you take the lead and concede, and do it again," he said. "I was a player so I know this type of situation. You look at the clock and see you don't have much time to win the game. "It's not easy because, after so many wins, you face teams who want to beat you for many reasons and we must know this. When you have these type of players you can go to sleep happy." Former Manchester United and Everton defender Phil Neville on BBC's Match of the Day "This was probably the most difficult game Chelsea have had in their run. Stoke played really well and matched their system which might be the first time that's happened. "From kick-off at 2-2, Chelsea ploughed men forward, Eden Hazard went for the jugular. Teams usually retreat but Chelsea don't. Teams can't live with their intensity. That comes from Antonio Conte. Sensational." Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer on BBC's Match of the Day "Costa's goal today summed up his displays this season - it had aggression, power and a great finish. He was angry, but in the right way. "He's the player of the season so far."
Chelsea's record-equalling winning streak is not significant unless they go on to claim the Premier League title, says manager Antonio Conte.
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30 October 2015 Last updated at 17:01 GMT Teams have been battling it out for weeks to see who will be crowned champion. Australia take on current world champions New Zealand in a huge clash. The favourites are the New Zealand All Blacks but the Australian Wallabies will be hoping for an upset. Martin caught up with some young fans ahead of the match to get their thoughts.
One of the biggest sporting events in England will take place on Saturday - the Rugby World Cup final.
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The project, which the company launched in 2013. was designed to let users buy a basic phone and add different modules like a keyboard or other sensors, Google had announced during its developer conference I/O in May, its intentions to have a developer version ready to ship in the autumn. It will now concentrate on its other phones, tablets and other hardware lines, reports Reuters. Project Ara has suffered numerous setbacks since it began life as a Motorola venture, which Google owned before later selling. The idea was to create a smartphone which could be customised to owners' tastes with interchangeable "modules" including screens, cameras and processors. In 2014, a trial was announced in Puerto Rico, centred around providing buyers with a smartphone frame and a range of 20 to 30 clip-on modules. However, this pilot scheme was delayed and eventually cancelled last year, with the team blaming "lots of iterations" in the design. In May this year, Google said a new version of the modular phone would be less customisable than originally planned. The main display and processors could no longer be swapped - a redesign Google said offered more space for other parts with more unusual functions. Modular phones could help consumers upgrade their handset without having to buy an entirely new model, as well as reducing technological waste. However, the individual components are expensive to manufacture. LG released the modular LG G5 phone earlier this year to a lukewarm response. On launch it only supported two additional modules - a high-definition audio processor and a camera grip. The battery can also be exchanged, but doing so causes the phone to reboot. "Project Ara went against every lesson the smartphone market has learnt over the years, eliminating the removable battery for example," says Ian Fogg, senior director of mobile and telecoms at analysts IHS. "The original concept of making all modules user-changeable is an incredibly hard thing to do. "By redesigning it so only certain modules were swappable dramatically simplified the project, but it undermined the point of how important swapping those bits out was to the consumers. It went right against every bit of industry wisdom."
Google has suspended work on Project Ara, its modular smartphone.
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Avon and Somerset Police said paramedics found a 30-year-old man who had collapsed in Taunton on Wednesday afternoon. He later died. Officers said they were looking at potential links between his death and the use of the psychoactive substance, a spokesman said. Six other people at the same property in Wheatley Crescent were found ill but did not have to be taken to hospital. A spokesman said they believed some of those affected may have taken Spice. Det Insp Liz Hughes said anyone taking similar substances was "playing roulette with your health".
A man may have died after taking the former legal high Spice, police say.
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Evin Lewis smashed a 48-ball century and Johnson Charles scored 79 off 33 deliveries in West Indies' 245-6 in the series opener in Lauderhill, Florida. KL Rahul led India's reply with an unbeaten 110 - his 46-ball hundred was the joint second fastest in T20s. But Dwayne Bravo had MS Dhoni caught at short third man off the final ball of the match to seal a remarkable victory. Lewis, the 24-year-old left-handed opener playing only his second international match, took 32 off a Stuart Binny over, the joint second most expensive over in T20s. West Indies hit 21 sixes - a record in a T20 international innings - while their total was the third highest in history. India's response sits fourth on the list. The final game of the series takes place at the same venue on Sunday. India won the four-Test series 2-0.
West Indies held on to beat India by one run in a thrilling Twenty20 that saw a record 489 runs and 32 sixes.
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Insurance companies claimed compensation, citing the 1886 Riot Damages Act, after a Sony warehouse in Enfield was targeted by arsonists. The legislation said "damage by riot" should be paid out of police funds. But the court said the mayor's office - which funds the Met Police - should not pay for loss of profit and rent. Mr Johnson asked for a Supreme Court ruling following hearings in the High Court and Court of Appeal. A number of insurance companies had argued the destruction and looting of the Sony warehouse fell into the category for compensation as specified by the Victorian legislation - and they wanted the police to foot the £80m bill. A High Court judge had ruled the Sony warehouse was damaged on 8 August 2011 during "widespread civil disorder" and the losses had arisen out of damage caused by "persons riotously and tumultuously assembled" and should be paid for out of police funds. But he decided that there was a limit to liability - and said "consequential losses", including loss of profit and rent, were not "in principle recoverable". Insurers challenged the decision on the "extent of liability" and the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour, concluding that legislation provided a right to compensation for consequential loss. But five Supreme Court justices, who heard the case in January, have now published a ruling to overturn that appeal court decision. They concluded the Riot Damages Act does not "extend to cover consequential losses". The Sony warehouse was attacked on 8 August 2011 during widespread riots that followed the death of Mark Duggan in Tottenham. More than 1.5m CDs were destroyed in what lawyers called "the largest ever arson attack in Europe". Chris Owen, head of disputes at law firm TLT which represented the Met Police, said: "With many claims for consequential loss dependent on the outcome of this case, today's Supreme Court decision will likely save the UK taxpayer upwards of £80m. "The Supreme Court ruling today has clarified that the compensation payable by the Metropolitan Police is limited to the costs of repairing the damage done to property during the 2011 London riots."
London Mayor Boris Johnson will not have to pay compensation after a warehouse was destroyed in the city's 2011 riots, the Supreme Court ruled.
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Dale opened the scoring when Mendez-Laing pounced on a loose ball from Ian Henderson's blocked effort. Mendez-Laing then nipped in between Ian Lawlor and Peter Clarke to double his tally and Rochdale's lead. Former Bury defender Ashley Eastham wrapped up the three points when he leapt highest in the Shakers' box to head Michael Rose's corner past Lawlor. Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester: Media playback is not supported on this device "We wanted more penetration and we got it today. I think the game should have been put to bed before half time with the chances we created. "I think it was all about control of the ball today. "The plan worked but the players, more importantly, put in some practice and that's what pleases me most." Bury manager David Flitcroft told BBC Radio Manchester: Media playback is not supported on this device "It's been a real tough week. I've got players out there who physically weren't really prepared for the game. "It didn't look right and it didn't feel right. "We've got to get the right bodies in now and make sure we've got enough covering in every position to get over the line."
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's brace secured a comfortable victory for Rochdale over local rivals Bury in League One.
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Jovenel Moise, a 48-year-old banana exporter, was sworn in at a ceremony at the National Assembly. His predecessor, Michel Martelly, stood down a year ago at the end of his term, and was replaced by an interim president while rival political parties disputed the result of the elections. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas. It is still struggling to recover from a series of natural disasters, including a devastating earthquake that hit the capital, Port au Prince, seven years ago. Mr Moise, who has never before held public office, was appointed by Mr Martelly in 2015 as his preferred candidate. He won the October 2015 poll, but the election was annulled for alleged fraud. Mr Martelly left office in February 2016, at the end of his five-year-term, passing on power to Senate President Jocelerme Privert. A new election was held in November. It was delayed by a month because of Hurricane Matthew, which destroyed 90% of some of Haiti's southern areas at the beginning of October. Mr Moise won in the first round, with some 55% of the vote against 20% for his closest rival, Jude Celestin. But the result is still being contested by the opposition, which held protests outside the National Assembly building. He is due to lay out his plans for the next five years in a speech later on Tuesday. Mr Moise and former president Martelly are both members of the centre-right Parti Haitien Tet Kale (Haitian Bald Head Party).
Haiti has sworn in a new president after a political crisis that has lasted more than a year.
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The number of policies on offer has risen sharply in the past few years and so has the variation in the cover they offer. Recent research has shown there are more than 370 single-trip policies available at the moment. But 12% provide no cover for travel abandonment, 2% provide no cover for cancellation or curtailment of a holiday, and 11% do not cover missed departures. Meanwhile only 8% cover more than £500 of lost or stolen money and 6% do not cover lost or stolen baggage at all. Would you buy a policy if you realised it had any of these limitations? We asked you to submit your questions about holiday and travel insurance and James Daley, editor of Which? Money, has answered them. I am trekking to Everest base camp with Help For Heroes in November. All the trekkers would like to know which travel insurance policy you would recommend for us. Claire Sims, Bedford. Going on a trek in the Himalayas is not likely to be covered by a standard insurance policy. However, your existing insurer may well cover you for your trip if you call them and explain what your plans are. You may have to pay more, but the additional premium should not be prohibitive. If it is, consider approaching a Which? Best Buy travel insurance provider for worldwide cover. I will be travelling in the UK, to Europe and to the Caribbean within the next seven months. Travelling with me will be my partner and our two children, both under 12. What should I be looking for in terms of an annual insurance policy that will be both value for money and provide adequate cover for lost or delayed baggage and flight delays? Marina Harden, London. Travelling in the UK is not a problem, as any medical requirements will be covered by the NHS, and home insurance will cater for any losses. However, travel insurance provides an extra safety net, as it will cover you for delays and cancellation - although check that your policy covers UK travel, as not all do. As you are then travelling outside Europe, you will need a worldwide single or annual insurance policy. Opt for one with £5 million medical cover. This may sound a lot but the cost of ongoing medical treatment and repatriation can quickly rack up. My cousin and her children are UK nationals resident in France. Many UK policies seem to insist on UK residence or being registered with a UK GP. French travel insurance seems vastly expensive and provides limited cover. Are any UK policies available for her? Richard Faris, Farnham. EU legislation does allow UK companies to cover UK nationals living elsewhere in the EU but many choose not to. MRL Insurance has an insure-all policy that will cover anyone who lives inside the EU. I have just booked a holiday to Budapest in the summer with nine friends who are all aged 18. We are staying in Budapest for 10 days and visiting the Sziget festival. What insurance would be best for us and how do I know what I am covered for, as I find many of the insurance deals terms and conditions confusing? George Streets, Bournemouth. The cheapest way to get adequate cover would be to opt for a single trip European travel insurance. This can start from as little as £6. Ensure that whatever policy you buy offers £2 million medical cover, just in case you suffer a serious accident or illness and need prolonged treatment and repatriation. The biggest mistake that people make is taking out too little cover. It can be well worth spending an extra pound or two to get higher cover levels. What compensation do airlines have to pay for delayed flights? My honeymoon flight was delayed by 25 hours and I contacted the airline to ask for compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004, but they have said that they do not compensate passengers. Claire Thomas, Cardiff. The amount of compensation you qualify for depends on the length of the delay and the distance you are flying. If you were delayed more than three hours, you will qualify for compensation - starting at an entitlement of 300 euros for a short haul flight and 400 euros for a medium or long haul flight. For long haul delays of over four hours, you are entitled to 600 euros. They should also pay for meals and phone calls. If the airline does not pay up, you can get in touch with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which has taken over dealing with consumer complaints from the now defunct Air Transport Users Council. I am an active 86 year old who enjoys foreign travel. My biggest problem is finding annual travel insurance. I have found annual travel insurance this year with Insure and Go (Castle Cover) by paying an age-related premium. With a record of no claims, but with some usual health problems associated with age, are there any particular companies that may have special cover for the elderly traveller? Irene Deal, Cowes. There are a number of companies that specialise in insuring elderly travellers - but sadly there is no avoiding the fact that premiums get very expensive once you pass 80. Using an insurance broker is one way to find a cheaper deal. And if an insurer refuses to cover you because of your age, then many will refer you to one that will. What are the best sources of insurance for holidaying abroad for a 65- year old female and 72-year old male who is on medication for an embolism 10 years ago? Stella Cook, Dorset. Once you are over 65, finding a reasonably priced travel insurance policy gets trickier. However, if you are in good health, there are still cheap options available - in fact, people between the ages of 65 and 69 can get single trip policies for seven days in Europe for just £12. If you have got a pre-existing medical condition, however, you may need to contact a specialist broker. Go to the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) website to find a broker in your area. My girlfriend and I have booked a round the world holiday for both of us stopping in America, New Zealand and Australia. I am British and my girlfriend is Australian, What you would recommend for us both for insurance? Are there any British companies that would insure my girlfriend? Tom, Chester. If you both live in the UK, then the nationality of your girlfriend should not be relevant. You simply need to buy a couple's worldwide travel insurance policy for the length of your trip. You may find that buying an annual policy works out cheaper. I need to travel to Italy for a family wedding this summer. I will be just 36 weeks pregnant on the weekend of the wedding - which is way past the coverage date of our current travel insurance (they cover up to 28 weeks only). I have booked train tickets for the entire journey. I have my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC ) but I am wondering if there is any personal or family insurance (two adults, one three-year old) that will cover me at 36 weeks? Sarah, London. I have a medical problem which my consultant has indicated presents no travel problem. I have tried around 25 companies who have refused travel insurance. Is there a company which might provide cover? Keith Jenkins, Banbridge, Co Down. Sarah and Keith - If you have a pre-existing medical condition and are having difficulty getting cover, try the insurance surgery. They should be able to find a company that can offer you cover for your trip. If not, then try an insurance broker. I am going backpacking through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos over seven weeks. I already hold world-wide multi-trip travel insurance, which I get through my bank account. Would it be worth investing in an additional insurance policy with a specialist travel company to ensure I am completely covered for backpacking? Phillip Heslop, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Philip, you may want to check that the type of trip you are looking to go on will be covered, particularly if some of the journeys are on smaller airlines. For example, if you are delayed getting to an international flight because of a late connecting flight you may not be covered and so may need a more specialist policy. You should also check the excess on your bank policy. In the event that you have to make a claim, it might work out cheaper to buy a separate, specialist insurance policy. I was planning on going to Nice in France this summer to try get some summer work in a bar or cafe. What insurance do I need? I am a university student looking to pick up the language. Danny, England. Danny, this is quite complex but a number of firms will offer to provide travel insurance for this. The main area to look at is the length of time you are likely to be away as some will only cover for, say, 60 days as a maximum. The policies will also often allow certain types of work to be covered and bar work is generally one of these. What sort of insurance is needed for inter-railing? Is anything included in the ticket? Does it matter that it will move between many different countries? Jack, Nottingham. You should be able to buy a policy that will cover Europe and depending on how long you are going for you may need to consider a longer-term policy. You need to check the policy itself to check that every country you are visiting is covered. We are off to France in a few months for three weeks. We are driving our own car. Our UK car insurance gives us fully comprehensive cover and cover for breakdown in the EU. We all have our EHIC cards. So, do we also need medical insurance? Richard Spurr, Coalville. There are lots of things that are not covered by your EHIC card. We recommend that you take out an insurance policy that offers at least £2m of medical cover in Europe. This will cover costs such as repatriation - if you are badly injured and need to be transported back to the UK - as well as additional possible costs such as airlift from the scene. I wondered if there is a good way to get travel insurance and breakdown cover combined for a 16 day trip to Spain by car? Most travel insurance seems to cover flights, and there is a bewildering array of European breakdown covers ranging from Green Flag to the AA and in between. Is it better to go for a policy which covers parts and labour if you travel in a car under five years old? We intend to travel late July and there will be four passengers on the return journey. Jane, London. There are companies that will be able to offer you both travel insurance and breakdown cover - such as the AA or RAC. But there may not be any advantage to buying both of these from the same provider. If you want to get the best value, you may be better off considering these as two separate purchases. If you have already got breakdown cover in the UK, you will find it is likely to be cheaper to extend your existing policy, rather than take out separate cover with another firm for use in Europe. As for travel insurance, use a comparison site to compare deals. Most will cover you for delay to any ferries or trains you take to get over to the continent - as well as cancellation, or loss of property abroad. Most travel insurance offers paltry cover for valuables, usually around £250 when you read the small-print. This would not even cover an average camera or a mobile phone never mind multiple items, such as iPod, sunglasses etc. Where can you get decent valuables cover or is it better to cover these items under household insurance and just use travel insurance for health, delay and cancellation purposes? Howard, Manchester. When Which? is compiling its Best Buy tables for travel insurance, we do not include policies that offer less than £1,500 cover for baggage and personal belongings. You are right that many policies offer much less than this, but there are policies out there that offer higher levels of cover. Take a look at our best buys or use a comparison site that allows you to filter by cover levels. How does the travel insurance provided by certain bank accounts compare to individually purchased policies? Kaye, Scotland. The cover provided by so-called packaged bank accounts - for which you pay a monthly fee - can be quite good. Indeed, maximum age limits are often higher than standard policies, which can make these kinds of accounts attractive for older customers who are struggling to get a competitive deal elsewhere. However, it is important to drill down and look at the individual policies in detail, to make sure you are aware of any exclusions, and that cover levels are high enough for your needs. We recommend that you do not buy a policy that offers any less than £2m of medical cover in Europe and £5m elsewhere. I am going to France. Apart from ash cloud disruption and strike, which issues should I focus on for the travel insurance? Ele Chan, Luton. We believe that you should be looking for at least £2m worth of medical cover, £1,500 of cover for baggage and personal belongings, and £3,000 for cancellation or curtailment. Although £2m might sound like a lot of money, medical bills can quickly add up. If you are involved in an accident where you need to be airlifted from the scene - and perhaps transported from a French to a UK hospital eventually - costs can quickly soar. There is quite a lot that is not covered by simply carrying an EHIC. Why do people with cancer have to pay so much for travel insurance, even if they are in remission? John Rouse, Chesterfield. Most travel insurance policies are not underwritten - which means insurers do not drill down into your individual circumstances. Instead, they come up with a price based on probabilities and averages. It is likely that there are statistics that show that someone in remission from cancer is more likely to make a large claim on their travel insurance than someone who has not had cancer - so insurers price the policies accordingly. Many people lose because of this kind of pricing. For example, premiums for travel insurance soar once people get into their sixties, seventies and beyond - even if they are in perfect health. The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by the BBC unless specifically stated. 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.
Buying travel insurance is more problematic than it seems.
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The authority said it had "little choice" but to consider the rise which will result in an extra £55 a year for a band D property. Children's Services will lose £8.9m and 51 jobs will go under the proposals. The city council said it has a funding shortfall of £54m due to government cuts and rising costs. However, Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said the "headline savings figure this time round is smaller, mostly due to our prudent planning" and the dividend from its shareholding in Manchester Airport Group. He said devolution was "not a magic bullet" and it would still have funding challenges. Sir Richard said it would allow the authority "greater control" to help "support better integrating services" which would help people become "more independent and less reliant on the most expensive public services". The plans will be considered at a scrutiny meeting and an executive meeting before a final budget is set in March.
Manchester City Council is planning to make cuts of £13.8m from next year's budget and increase council tax by almost 4%.
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The 39-year-old did not play for the Dons after signing from Hearts in a predominately coaching capacity last summer, but impressed on trial. Manager David Hopkin told Livingston's website: "I have been chasing Neil for close to two months now. "He will be fantastic for us, of that I have no doubt." Alexander, who has three Scotland caps, joined Livingston in 1998 from Stenhousemuir and left to join Cardiff City three years later. He subsequently had spells with Ipswich Town, Rangers and Crystal Palace before joining Hearts, making his final appearance in the Scottish Premiership in April 2016. "He brings a wealth of experience to the team, having won previous league titles with Hearts and Rangers, with the added bonus of a European final during his time at Ibrox," added Hopkin. "Neil is a very fit individual who has looked after himself impeccably over the years and will be invaluable to our young squad this season." Alexander becomes Hopkin's sixth signing for Livi's return to Scotland's second tier after winning League One. Forward Dylan Mackin was previously with Motherwell, midfielders Scott Robinson and Ross Brown were both at East Fife and striker Josh Peters with Forfar Athletic. Meanwhile, Hearts striker Nikolay Todorov has returned for a second loan spell.
Former Scotland goalkeeper Neil Alexander has returned to Livingston for a second spell after being released by Aberdeen.
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HP is suing Mr Lynch, and Autonomy's former finance chief, following the US computer giant's £11bn takeover of the business in 2011. The US firm alleges "accounting misrepresentations" led HP to massively over-pay for Autonomy. But in a filing in London's High Court, Mr Lynch blamed HP "incompetence". He denied wrongdoing, and accused HP of making statements that were damaging to him and misleading to the stock market. HP's takeover of Autonomy was a major strategic move for the US company, designed to take it into software. But HP eventually wrote off three-quarters of the company's value, and accused Mr Lynch and finance head Sushovan Hussain of mismanagement. Both men strongly reject the claims. In interviews on Thursday with Reuters and the Financial Times, Mr Lynch claimed that documents would show HP's handling of Autonomy after the takeover was "incompetent". He said divisions within HP were "at war" with each other. HP said Mr Lynch's lawsuit was a "laughable and desperate" attempt to divert attention from its own $5bn claim and that it "anxiously looks forward to the day Mr Lynch and Mr Hussain will be forced to answer for their actions in court".
Mike Lynch, founder of UK technology firm Autonomy, has hit back at Hewlett-Packard with a $150m (£100m) counter-claim in their long-running dispute.
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They will be the first such elections since the previous chamber was dissolved by a court ruling in 2012. The authorities say the poll is the final step in a transition to democracy. However, critics say most candidates are supporters of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and the new parliament is likely to strengthen his control. Polling stations are expected to open at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) and close from 19:00. The election consists of two rounds of voting and results are not expected to be known until early December. Voters will choose 596 MPs for the lower house, the House of Representatives. Security will be tight across the country with at least 185,000 troops supporting police, Egyptian news agency Mena reported. Will Egypt's democracy be restored? On Saturday, President Sisi made a televised appeal for Egyptians to vote. "Line up in front of polling stations and plant with your votes the hope for a bright tomorrow for our new Egypt," he said. President Sisi is a former general who led the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, following months of unrest. Mr Morsi's party, the Muslim Brotherhood, won about half the seats in the last parliament but is now banned and its leaders are in jail - some facing death sentences. In contrast, many figures from the regime of deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak are on the ballot paper, says the BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo. While the new parliament appears to have broad powers, it is not expected to challenge the president, she adds. Analysts say turnout is expected to be low, with many Egyptians disillusioned with the democratic process. Apathy is particularly high among young people, with many angry at the government and its policies.
Polls are due to open in Egypt in the first round of long-delayed elections to choose a new parliament.
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United are also understood to have written off £6.7m on ex-Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger. They have not said the sum relates to the midfielder but it is understood he was only named in their domestic squad because of Premier League rules and is very unlikely to play for United again. The Old Trafford club posted record annual revenues of £515.3m on Monday. Van Gaal and his coaching team were dismissed 48 hours after leading United to victory over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final. Assistant manager Ryan Giggs subsequently left following Jose Mourinho's appointment as Van Gaal's replacement. Mourinho left Schweinsteiger out of his Europa League squad and has told the 32-year-old he has only the remotest chance of playing this season, because the Portuguese manager will promote youngsters into his squad should injuries or suspensions affect his central midfielders. It is now known that the former Bayern Munich player only retains that chance because Premier League rules forced United to name any player over the age of 21 in their squad if they had room within their allotted 25 places. The situation surrounding the German - originally signed for a fee believed to be in the region of £11m - means United no longer think they will get their money back on the player, so have written off the £6.7m they had been valuing him at. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.
Manchester United paid out £8.4m to former boss Louis van Gaal and his coaches after they were sacked in May.
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A BBC local radio survey suggests it is getting more difficult to persuade newcomers to take the practice up. Three-quarters of delegates to the annual conference of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers said it had got harder in the past 10 years to attract new members. About eight out of 10 delegates said it was difficult to recruit under 21s. Tower captain at St James Garlickhythe in London Dickon Love said bell-ringing tended to get bracketed with Morris dancing as a pursuit for old men with beards, but that was misleading. "Bell-ringing is exciting for the mind," he said. "It's the best of form of heavy metal; it's a big loud noise, it keeps you fit, there's a competitive element as well. And it's a very social thing to do - after each practice without fail you can find us down the local pub." They have been able to lure in some new recruits and have a new set of eight bells, installed four years ago, and a newly-recruited band of ringers, including a professor of astrophysics and the art director of a well-known magazine. Pete McCoy, the tower captain at St Mary's Church in Walkley in Sheffield - who met his wife Judith bell-ringing - said teenagers today have more distractions than when he was young. He said: "There weren't so many things for a teenager or young person to do as there are today. "And is it cool to ring bells? I think it is. But does everyone else?" Although there are nearly 40,000 ringers in the UK, just over half of the 180 delegates questioned at the conference in May in Portsmouth said they thought declining church attendances have made it harder to recruit. 54% Agree 43% Disagree Kate Flavell, of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, says the 66 affiliated societies need to do more to promote their hobby. They have teamed up with the Heritage Open Days initiative to ring bells for the public at 500 sites including at St Peter Mancroft in Norwich, where the first "full peal" was staged in May 1715.
The centuries-old tradition of church bell-ringing is under threat because of a shortage of new recruits.
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The yearning rock anthem was played extensively during their 1996 tour, and a studio version is one of the band's most sought-after tracks. Speaking to BBC 6 Music, guitarist Ed O'Brien admitted the band had bottled out of including it on OK Computer. "If that song had been on that album, it would have taken us to a different place," he told Matt Everitt. "We'd probably have sold a lot more records... [But] I think we subconsciously killed it because if OK Computer had been like a Jagged Little Pill, like Alanis Morisette, it would have killed us." O'Brien said the band had never made a "good version" of the song "because when we got to the studio and did it, it was a bit like having a gun to your head. We felt so much pressure." Played live, Lift builds steadily from a gently strummed intro to a widescreen, anthemic climax; as Thom Yorke describes being "stuck in a lift" before emerging to declare: "Today is the first day of the rest of your days." The band previewed it while supporting Morissette on her 1996 US tour, and O'Brien recalled that it was often the highlight of their set. "It was a really interesting song, because the audience, you'd suddenly see them get up and start grooving. It had this kind of infectiousness about it." Lift will be featured alongside two further out-takes, I Promise and Man Of War, on OKNOTOK, a new release marking the 20th birthday of Radiohead's landmark 1997 album, OK Computer. The two CD/triple vinyl set will also include a remastered version of OK Computer and eight B-sides. An expanded box set will boast the triple LP, as well as a cassette tape compiled by the band featuring tracks taken from the OK Computer session archives and demo tapes. The limited edition set will also include a replica of Yorke's handwritten notebook from the era and a hardcover book packed with unreleased artwork and lyrics "to all the tracks except the ones that haven't really got any lyrics". The band has also revived its 1997-era website to mark the occasion. OK Computer remains one of Radiohead's most beloved albums - marking the point where they shrugged off the strictures of "rock" and began to write more fluid, experimental songs. Featuring the haunting, claustrophobic singles Paranoid Android, Karma Police and No Surprises, it was named the best album of the last 25 years by readers of Q Magazine, and in 2015 was added to the US National Recording Registry, meaning it will be preserved in the Library of Congress. The library said the album had been recognised for "its themes of anti-consumerism, social alienation, isolation, malaise and an overall atmosphere of melancholy". The re-release is due out on 23 June, the same night Radiohead top the bill at Glastonbury Festival. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
Radiohead are to release their fabled "lost single" Lift on a 20th anniversary edition of OK Computer.
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There was a boost from oil prices which reversed early losses to trade higher. US crude added 2.8% to trade at $33.05 a barrel, following confirmation of a meeting between major oil producers next month. That lifted oil shares: Exxon Mobil finished 0.6% higher. By the close the Dow Jones was up 212 points or 1.3% to 16,697. The S&P 500 climbed 1.1% to 1,929. The tech-heavy Nasdaq index climbed 0.9% points to 4,582. Earlier in the session there had been better-than-expected manufacturing data. Figures from the Commerce Department showed orders for durable goods - long-lasting manufactured products - rose by 4.9% in January. The increase was the biggest since March last year, and beat forecasts for a 2.5% gain. Shares in cloud software company Salesforce jumped nearly 11% after its quarterly revenues beat expectations. Fourth quarter revenues rose 25.3% to $1.81bn, and the company also increased its full-year sales forecast.
(Close): US shares pushed higher through the afternoon to close with healthy gains.
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Chihuahua-cross Cherry, five, went missing on a walk and was found after a thermal imaging camera scanned the area above Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent. Her owners enlisted the help of Cwmbran-based aviation firm Resource Group to look for their missing pet. The thermal imagining camera detected Cherry and an old mining tunnel was used to rescue her. She had gone missing at about 18:00 GMT on Wednesday 15 March while chasing sticks on a walk at Cwmtillery Lakes. Staff from Resource Group joined teams from the RSPCA, Gwent Police and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Using the drones, they were able to locate Cherry on Monday and the rescuers dug through an old mining tunnel to get to her.
A dog trapped down a mountain hole after being missing five days was rescued following a drone search.
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SHS Integrated Services Ltd, based at Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, has kept on 11 staff to assist with the winding-up. Administrator Deloitte blamed poor trading over the past two years with talks under way over the sale of contracts and assets. The company, that also provided insulation and cladding, has other bases in Pembrokeshire and Doncaster.
A scaffolding firm has made 148 people redundant after going into administration, it has been confirmed.
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In a statement, it said Boko Haram - which pledged allegiance to IS in 2015 - continued to "undermine the peace and stability" in West and Central Africa. Meanwhile, a senior US official said there were reports of Boko Haram fighters joining IS in Libya. Nigeria is to host a summit on Saturday on fighting Boko Haram. President Muhammadu Buhari will welcome counterparts from Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger for the gathering in Abuja, along with French President Francois Hollande, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken. In the statement, the 15-member UN Security Council expressed "alarm at Boko Haram's linkages with the Islamic State". It also voiced its support for Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's "crucial initiative" to hold the security summit in Abuja. Meanwhile, Mr Blinken - who is already in Nigeria - said he was concerned by reports that Boko Haram militants were going to Libya, where IS influence has grown in recent months. "We've seen that Boko Haram's ability to communicate has become more effective," he said. "They seem to have benefited from assistance from Daesh [IS]." Mr Blinken added: "So these are all elements that suggests that there are more contacts and more co-operation, and this is again something that we are looking at very carefully because we want to cut it off." At the same time, he declined to comment on whether the US would agree to a Nigerian request to sell it American war planes to fight Boko Haram. Who are Boko Haram? Boko Haram militants have been attacking civilian targets as the Nigerian military seeks to wrest territory from their control. The Islamist group's seven-year insurgency has killed some 20,000 people and driven more than two million people from their homes.
The UN Security Council has said it is alarmed by ties between Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist militants and the Islamic State (IS) group.
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Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are renovating the former Stock Exchange building in Manchester city centre into a luxury hotel. Wesley Hall, a human rights activist, said he spoke to Neville on the phone and was told they could stay until February when building work will start. The group of squatters was evicted from an empty office block last week. Mr Hall said while speaking to a developer working on the site on Friday he was given the phone to speak directly to Gary Neville. "He spoke to me he said, 'Look, I've not got a problem with you staying here, look after the building and respect the actual building," he said. He added that giving the homeless somewhere to stay is "a lifeline". "These people aren't getting a nourishing meal, their immune systems are low and they are dying. "All it needs is someone to put a roof over their head and give them a bit of support," he said. Wesley Dove, who has been homeless for the last 12 months and living in a tent, said: "It's a beautiful building, now we know we can stay we can start doing work. It is a bit of security for winter." Planning permission to turn the Stock Exchange on Norfolk Street into a 35-bedroom luxury hotel was granted earlier this year, with former United team-mates Neville and Giggs funding the project. The Grade II-listed building, which they bought for £1.5m, will house a gym, spa, roof terrace for members and a ground-floor restaurant, according to architects AEW.
About 30 homeless people who have set up camp in an empty building owned by two former Manchester United players have been told they can stay for winter.
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Should the government be able to access your internet browsing history, bug your computer or smartphone, access and hold data on your medical history, trade union activities and much, much more? If so, what protections and procedures should be in place to control the process? How far should judges ride shotgun as ministers authorise intrusive powers? Should there be a watchdog to protect the citizen? These are some of the issues to be fought out next week, when the Commons holds two days of detailed debate on the Investigatory Powers Bill (here is my regular rundown of what is coming up in Parliament next week). This is the latest bill aimed at giving the security services and the police up-to-date powers to monitor activity on the internet - it comes with a long back-story: first there was the Communications Data Bill (the original Bill dubbed the Snoopers Charter, by its opponents) which was dropped after being savaged by a committee of MPs and Peers; then there was DRIPA, the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act (DRIPA), which only made it through Parliament after a clause was added to make it expire at the end of December. Now the IP Bill aims to renew and update those powers. The key to understanding what is going on, as this legislation returns to the Commons for two days of detailed Report Stage debate, next week, is the Parliamentary timetable and the mathematics in both the Commons and the Lords. The Bill has to be passed before the DRIPA expires in December - otherwise the legal authority for the existing powers will lapse (although there's always the option, in extremis, of passing an emergency mini-bill to continue the existing powers for a couple of months). Then there's the maths - faced with some formidable backbench Tory critics, the government cannot rely on its narrow Commons majority, and needs at least the acquiescence of Labour to get the Bill through the House - and it has no majority at all in the Lords, so a roughing-up in the Commons may mean peers think they then have a licence to fillet the Bill of its most controversial provisions. And there's plenty of scope for controversy. The ur-text on this are the speeches by Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham and Labour's frontbench superlawyer, Sir Keir Starmer, at the Second Reading debate in March (the bill has been "carried over" from the previous session), where they set out their key concerns. Then, Labour abstained - arguing that a new framework for investigatory powers was needed, but this wasn't it. They set out a shopping list of changes required to gain their support. And since then an intensive process of behind the scenes negotiation has been under way - both between Labour and the government and with dissident Tories and amongst the opposition parties (providing, whisper it quietly, a rare example of Labour-SNP cooperation). This week, that process produced a couple of major government concessions. First the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson QC, has been commissioned to examine the operational case for the powers in the Bill (Labour being unconvinced by the evidence produced by the government, thus far). He will report back before the Bill reaches its Committee Stage in the House of Lords, and the government will have a hard time resisting any recommendations he makes, and would probably face defeat in the Upper House, if it did. Second, the government has agreed to accept Labour amendments making it clear that the powers in the Bill cannot be directed against legally-constituted trades unions. In addition, Home Secretary Theresa May has put down a new "privacy clause" (NC5) giving the various authorities allowed to employ the investigatory powers a duty to "have regard to: (a) whether what is sought to be achieved by the warrant, authorisation or notice could reasonably be achieved by other less intrusive means, (b) the public interest in the integrity and security of telecommunication systems and postal services, and (c) any other aspects of the public interest in the protection of privacy". This gives critics of the Bill some of the safeguards they want. Another government amendment will add a requirement for "exceptional and compelling circumstances" to justify the retention and examination, of health records. There is also movement on providing special protection for MPs, lawyers and journalists. Plenty of issues remain, however. All the opposition parties remain concerned about the extent to which the Bill would require people's internet connection records (ICRs) to be kept for 12 months. This would reveal which websites had been visited by who - although not the detail of what had been looked at within a particular site. There is still considerable dispute over the threshold of seriousness which should be crossed before this information could be accessed. Then there's the question of how authorisation should be granted. In the Bill, the security services apply to the Secretary of State for a warrant and then a Judicial Commissioner reviews the minister's decision under 'judicial review principles' - effectively checking that a proper process has been followed, rather than considering the merits of the application. Both Labour and former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, a long-standing critic of the government's approach on investigatory powers and an important player on the Tory benches, have amendments down to tighten up this "double-lock" scrutiny mechanism and remove reference to judicial review principles throughout the Bill. Both want to give the Judicial Commissioner the same power as the Secretary of State to determine whether a warrant is required based on the evidence available. And David Davis goes further, with a new clause (NC 22) to reverse the approval process, so that an application for a warrant is first made to a Judicial Commissioner, rather than the Secretary of State - although Labour look unlikely to support that. This area could be one of the major flashpoints; the government will probably resist any further erosion of ministers' role, on the principle that ministers, not judges, should take such decisions - and be accountable to Parliament for them. The SNP want even more controls - they're particularly concerned about equipment interference, one of the most intrusive powers in the bill, which would allow the direct bugging of computers, smartphones and other devices - and where it's applied to Parliamentarians, which includes those in the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Welsh Assembly, they want both the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister to sign off on equipment interference warrants. They are also calling for heavier supervision of the use of investigatory powers - with amendments to replace the proposed Investigatory Powers Commissioner with a bigger, all-singing, all-dancing Investigatory Powers Commission. And across the opposition parties there is a move to ensure that the appointment of the Commissioner (or, if agreed, the members of the SNP's Commission) can be made, except on the recommendation of independent judicial appointments bodies in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, UKIP's Douglas Carswell has an amendment to require the appointment of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner to be agreed by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. Lib Dem former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has an amendment to address the problem that, because of the nature of the business, people who are wrongly subject to intrusive surveillance are unable to secure redress. To deal with this he proposes giving the Investigatory Powers Commissioner the power to notify those who have been a subject to an interception warrant/equipment interference/covert human intelligence gathering etc, when the authorisation or warrant against them has fallen. This would allow someone who is notified of their surveillance to take a case before the investigatory powers tribunal and would discourage the police or security services from mounting fishing expeditions based on very little evidence. A similar system is already in place in Germany, Belgium and California. This probably goes too far for Labour. The political parties are not the only players. The Intelligence and Security Committee, the high-powered parliamentary watchdog, chaired by the former Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, has weighed in with amendments designed to put privacy at the heart of the Bill. They start with New Clause 4, which creates a criminal offence of "unlawful use of investigatory powers". It's not a completely new offence, but the idea is to create a catch-all crime, taking in what the committee calls the "intrusive investigatory powers in the Bill," rather than relying on offences scattered across several pieces of legislation. Another amendment (25) aims to limit the potentially broad scope of thematic warrants involving people who "share a common purpose" by ensuring that they also must be engaged in a particular activity. Then there's New Clause 2, to allow the ISC to refer matters on behalf of Parliament, to the Commissioner and to provide a mechanism for the Committee to be informed of the outcome. And there's a proposal that the list of "Operational Purposes" for which the powers can be used is reviewed at least annually by the Prime Minister. Other amendments have come from individual MPs: the Conservative Stephen McPartland's New Clause 6 is designed to limit access to Communications Data to the Intelligence Services and Law Enforcement Agencies only. "There is no rationale for organisations such as Food Standards Agency and Gambling Commission to have the same incredibly intrusive powers as the Intelligence Services, Mr McPartland said. Conservative ex-minister Sir Edward Leigh wants to require the Secretary of State to consult the Speaker before deciding to issue a warrant that applied to an MP's communications - and a further cross-party amendment extends that to the presiding officers of all UK legislatures. And the SNP go further - proposing a new clause (NC23) to ensure applications for a targeted equipment interference warrant or targeted examination warrant against Parliamentarians are decided by a Judicial Commissioner, without the involvement of the Home Secretary - and it would also provide extra safeguards to the correspondence of Parliamentarians when a warrant for hacking is sought. This is just a cross-section of some 400 amendments. Of course, many will not be selected by the Speaker for debate, while others will be grouped together, but there will be plenty of issues on which the government, faced with a combination of most of the Opposition parties, plus an array of Tory dissidents, may be forced into concessions. There's a delicate political dance here, because while ministers are not in a strong position, Labour (which would be the essential keystone of any government defeat) cannot afford to be painted into a corner where it looks soft on terrorism. While almost the entire Opposition abstained at Second Reading, few are expected to do so when Third Reading is reached on Tuesday. But it would take a monumental bust-up over some really crucial point for Labour to vote against - especially when they know that the Bill will certainly be highly vulnerable to further amendment, when it reaches the House of Lords. The SNP, meanwhile, say the government has not responded to their concern. Justice spokesperson Joanna Cherry MP said: "For the UK government to dismiss reasonable SNP amendments outright means they run the real risk of putting opposition parties in the position of having to vote against the Bill in its entirety. "That is not a decision that we would take lightly - so I call on the Home Secretary to urgently reconsider adopting our proposals before next week's vote."
Is it a revamped "Snoopers Charter," or is it an essential set of 21st century powers, to fight organised crime and terrorism?
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Industrial action began on Tuesday but was ramped up nationally by members of the big trade unions. Thousands of people stopped work on Wednesday and marched through Athens to demonstrate over the measures being demanded by international lenders. There were isolated clashes, but the most of the protest were peaceful. Elsewhere in the country ferry services stopped and buses and trains were limited. Flights were also hit for several hours by the strike. MPs are set to vote on controversial reforms on Thursday that will cut pensions and end tax breaks. The left-wing Syriza government needs to make further savings before eurozone finance ministers agree to hand over further loan cash as part of its latest bailout deal. Despite pouring rain, crowds of protesters joined a rally late in the morning in Klafthmonos Square in the centre of Athens. Further rallies were held elsewhere in the capital, including one organised by the communist-affiliated PAME union. A large number of professions were involved in the strike, including the biggest trade unions, the GSEE and ADEDY: The new austerity measures will not come into force until 2019 and 2020 but Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has to persuade eurozone finance ministers next Monday to provide the next loan instalment of €7.5bn (£6.4bn; $8.2bn). Mr Tsipras - who came to power pledging to resist austerity measures - said on Wednesday that he was hopeful the finance ministers would respond favourably to Greece's predicament. Athens needs to repay 7.5 billion euros ($8.2 billion) of debt maturing in July. Mr Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed during a call on Wednesday morning that a deal was "feasible" by Monday, a government official said. Greece is facing its next big debt demand in July and has had three bailouts from the EU and IMF so far. The country has fallen back into recession for the first time since 2012, according to figures that emerged on Tuesday. Unemployment is running at nearly one in every four people with almost a 50% jobless rate among young people.
Hospitals, transport services and government offices across Greece have been severely affected by a general strike over new austerity measures.
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