Datasets:

Dzeniks

/

BBC-article

like 0

A 2017 genetic study suggests ancient gene flow (introgression) between 200 and 550 thousand years ago from the bonobo into the ancestors of central and eastern chimpanzees Other researchers argue that chimpanzees either should not be used in research, or should be treated differently, for instance with legal status as persons

Ukraine says it shot down hypersonic missiles amid an "exceptionally dense" barrage fired at Kyiv on Tuesday. Kyiv said air defences intercepted six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which Russia has claimed can overcome all existing air defence systems. They were among 18 missiles of different types fired at the city in a short space of time, officials said. Russia denies its Kinzhals were stopped and said one destroyed a US-supplied Patriot air defence system. Ukraine declined to comment. The BBC cannot independently verify the claims made by either country. Russia has stepped up its air campaign in recent weeks - bombarding the Ukrainian capital eight times so far this month - ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive. On Tuesday evening Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow had not fired as many of the Kinzhal missiles as Kyiv had claimed to have shot down. However if Ukraine's claims are true, Moscow will be feeling frustrated that the finest weapons from its missile fleet are now able to be intercepted. This is in large part due to the arrival of modern Western defence systems, including Patriots. Russia continues to insist that the missiles, which it says can travel at more than 11,000kmh (7,000mph), cannot be destroyed by any of the world's air defence systems. The Kinzhal, or "dagger", is an air-launched ballistic missile. Most ballistic missiles reach hypersonic speed - five times the speed of sound, or just over 6,000 kmh - at some point during their flight. Kyiv said it shot down a Kinzhal for the first time last week. In the past few days, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been on a European tour in which he has been promised several billion dollars' worth of military equipment by Western allies, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Emmanuel Macron of France. During Tuesday's barrage footage showed air defences destroying targets over the city. The head of Ukraine's armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhny, said Russia attacked Kyiv from the north, south and east and that 18 air, sea and land-based missiles had been used. Serhiy Popko, head of the Ukrainian capital's military administration, described the barrage as being the "maximum number of attack missiles in the shortest period of time". Gen Zaluzhny said that also included nine Kalibr cruise missiles, which were launched from ships in the Black Sea, and three land-based missiles. Residents on Tuesday were warned to keep away from windows as debris from intercepted missiles fell from the sky. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said rocket debris had fallen in central districts, including on the city's zoo. No animals or workers were injured. Kyiv resident Kseniia told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that she and her husband were asleep when they heard a "series of very loud explosions" above their building. She compared the intensity of the attack to a Star Wars film or an action video game. She also said that thanks to the support of its international allies, Ukraine is now capable of tracking down and destroying high calibre missiles. "It's such a relief to know Kyiv is under such a strong defence right now". Another resident, Yevhen Petrov, said Tuesday's attack was the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that his house had shaken from the force of an assault. Russia's resumption of strikes on Kyiv earlier this month came after a lull of over 50 days. The Ukrainian authorities believe Moscow's strategy is to exhaust the air defence systems, which have been extremely successful in intercepting most of the missiles and drones fired. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, thousands of civilians and combatants have been killed or injured, cities and towns have been destroyed in fighting, and 8.2 million Ukrainians have been registered as refugees in Europe with 2.8 million of them in Russia, according to data provided to the UN's refugee agency. Additional reporting by BBC weapons analyst Chris Partridge.

Reruns have aired on Boomerang and Adult Swim === Movies ===Cartoon Network Movies is a film production unit of Cartoon Network

The price of fish and chip takeaways has increased by 19% but it has nothing to do with profiteering, the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) says. In Somerset a portion of fish and chips can cost as much as £14 - the UK average is £9 according to the ONS. Factors including the cost of living crisis mean outlets are raising prices in order to survive, NFFF said. Stuart Devine, area director for the NFFF, said fish and chip shops were facing "a perfect storm". In the year to March 2023 the price of takeaways rose by 13% in the UK and fish and chip meals saw the highest increase of 19%, representing a rise of about £1.44 to £9 on average for one portion, the Office for National Statistics said. Mr Devine said food inflation, energy and fuel costs, as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had driven up the cost of ingredients and the power to cook them. How much are prices rising for you? Try our calculatorCost of living tips: Your personalised money guide "Cost are soaring. You either put your prices up or you risk going out of business," Mr Devine said. "There's no profiteering happening in fish and chip shops. "I run six fish and chip shops, employing 150 people, and we are finding it very tough. "Small, independent fish and chip shops may survive because their overhead costs are less, but it really is at a critical point." Steve Gibbs, who runs Howards Fish and Chip Shop in Taunton, said he feared rising prices would deter customers. "It's the price of cooking oil. Then Brexit and the war in Ukraine because most of the fish comes from Russia. So now the fish is Norwegian. "It's just so expensive. We have to pass [on the costs] to customers." But his wife and co-owner Sue said fish and chips were still good value and added: "We try not to put our prices up if we can help it." In a statement, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We recognise that many businesses are struggling with the impact of higher prices, which is why we remain committed to our plan to halve inflation this year. "That's why we have held down non-domestic energy bills, slashed business rates bills by 75% and recently set out a range of policies that will bring over 100,000 people into the labour market - ensuring businesses have access to the skills they need." Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]

The pervading presence of stage actors in film was the cause of this outburst from director Marshall Neilan in 1917: "The sooner the stage people who have come into pictures get out, the better for the pictures This problem has been addressed with the use of Viagra, although Viagra can make the actor's face noticeably flushed, give him a headache, make it difficult to ejaculate, and can take about 45 minutes to take effect

A parish councillor has described the removal of a flagpole from a village green as "bizarre" and "depressing".Jon Gambold said the pole, in Biddenham, near Bedford, bearing a Ukrainian national flag, has been vandalised three times since 31 December. He said the actions were "very, very hurtful for the Ukrainian refugees we've got in the village and across Bedford".Biddenham Parish Council was aiming to purchase a "bigger vandal proof pole and a bigger Ukrainian flag", at a cost of more than £1,000, he added. Mr Gambold, who is also a Conservative councillor for Bedford Borough Council, said: "We want to show solidarity with these people."I'm upset on their behalf and for them."He said he did not know who cut the pole down, but that he was aware of one person who had expressed unhappiness that an Ukrainian flag was being flown in the village. Councillor Gambold said he "started to get worried" after the flag was removed for a second time in March."I got a new cleat for the flag pole and put it higher up so that they couldn't get to it to vandalise it", he said. He said the Ukrainian flag was replaced with the union flag for the King's Coronation, but "on the Wednesday night or Thursday morning it had gone".The incidents have left him "shocked", he said, adding: "I thought we'd done what we could to stop it being vandalised and someone has still found a way to do it."Putting up a bigger flag is the sort of statement we're trying to make," he added.Bedfordshire Police said it was aware of a previous incident and has been contacted for comment. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, external, Instagram, external and Twitter, external. If you have a story for us, email [email protected], external

=== 1960s and later ===The decades following the decline of the studio system in the 1960s saw changes in the production and style of film In November 2015, Union began voicing Nala in the Disney movie and series The Lion Guard

UN officials are in last-ditch negotiations to make sure a deal which allows Ukraine to export grain by sea is renewed before it expires on 18 May. Thanks to the agreement between the UN, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia, more than 30 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been shipped out of the Black Sea through a safe corridor. However, Russia is threatening to pull out of the deal because it says Western sanctions are hampering its own agricultural exports. Ukraine is a major global exporter of sunflower, maize, wheat and barley. When Russia invaded in February 2022, its naval vessels blockaded Ukraine's ports, trapping some 20 million tonnes of grain. That sent global food prices rocketing. Food supplies were particularly threatened in Middle Eastern and African countries which rely heavily on Ukrainian grain. The UN says prices of staple foods rose across these regions by an average of 30%. It warned that 44 million people in 38 countries were facing "emergency levels of hunger". "UN officials were worried about the Horn of Africa, where drought was already pushing countries towards famine conditions, and a lack of grain was making things worse," says Richard Gowan from The International Crisis Group, which works to prevent conflict. Ukraine grain deal needed to feed world – WFP head The arrangement is meant to be extended for 120 days at a time, and was last renewed on 18 March. However, Russia only agreed to a 60-day extension,and is now threatening to pull out altogether. It wants Russian producers to export more food and fertiliser to the rest of the world, but says Western sanctions are getting in the way. There are no specific sanctions against Russian agricultural exports, but Moscow argues other restrictions mean international banks, insurers and shippers are reluctant to do business with its exporters. UN officials are trying to broker a compromise. Russia previously withdrew from the deal in November 2022, accusing Ukraine of launching a "massive" drone attack on its fleet in Crimea from vessels in the safe shipping corridor. However, it rejoined a few days later. On 22 July 2022, Russia and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, with the support of the UN and Turkey. It let cargo ships pass safely through the Black Sea to and from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi. The first grain shipments started in early August, using a corridor 310 nautical miles long and three nautical miles wide. According to the UN's Joint Coordination Centre (JCC), which oversees the scheme, more than 30 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been shipped from Ukraine, as well as fertiliser. These extra supplies were a major factor in lowering world food prices. Prices started falling in spring 2022, ahead of an expected deal, and are now lower than they were before Russia's invasion. Ukraine is exporting 30% less food that it did before the Russian invasion, according to its agriculture ministry. This is partly because farmers are producing less, due to the fighting across large parts of the country. However, Ukraine's government says Russia has been delaying cargo ships heading to ports to pick up produce. Under the deal, Russia has the right to inspect ships to make sure they aren't bringing cargo into Ukraine, such as weapons. "Ukraine has accused it of being overly picky with the inspections," says Bridget Diakun, from the shipping journal Lloyds List. "There is usually a queue of about 100 ships in the entrance to the Black Sea." Only about a quarter of Ukraine's food exports have been going to the world's poorest countries, according to UN figures: 47% has gone to "high-income countries" including Spain, Italy and the Netherlands 26% has gone to "upper-middle income countries" such as Turkey and China27% has gone to "low and lower-middle income countries" like Egypt, Kenya and Sudan Russian president Vladimir Putin has criticised Ukraine for not exporting more of its foodstuffs to developing countries. However, the UN says the exports have benefited needy people around the world because they calmed international food markets, bringing food prices under control. In 2022, more of half of the wheat grain procured by the United Nations World Food Programme came from Ukraine. Between August 2022 and the end of the year, it sent 13 ships from Ukraine carrying a total of over 380,000 tonnes of wheat to Ethiopia, Yemen, Djibouti, Somalia and Afghanistan. Pictures provide evidence of Russian grain theft Correction 17 March 2023: A reference to the volume of the WFP's wheat grain procurement was amended.

While they waited for the third Canadian season to be completed (thereby making 26 episodes in total when added to season 2), they produced two exclusive cel-animated series of their own, Beast Wars II (also called Beast Wars Second) and Beast Wars Neo, to fill in the gap Galvatron reactivates himself and a battle follows in Hong Kong between the Autobots, Cemetery Wind, and the drones

Imagine being in court and seeing your son - a government critic - sentenced to 25 years in prison. Elena Gordon knows exactly how that feels. Last month Elena stood beside the dock - a glass cage - in a Moscow courtroom. Locked inside it was her son Vladimir Kara-Murza. One of President Putin's most vocal critics, he was convicted of treason and other alleged crimes and jailed for a quarter of a century. Elena, who lives abroad, had flown to Moscow for the verdict. "I was the only one from the family and friends to get into the courtroom," Elena tells me. "Vladimir hadn't been aware that I would be there. So, he was a little bit shocked, but hopefully pleasantly surprised. I had been prepared [for this outcome], although I thought they would give him 24 years and eleven months, as a kind of an insult. In the end they decided to act blatantly. They gave him the maximum." Since her son's conviction, Elena has managed to secure two meetings or svidaniya with Vladimir in jail. "He's become very thin," Elena says. "I'm worried about his health. But he's brave, obviously, and he says his spirit is unbroken. "He is surprisingly optimistic. He believes in the future of Russia, and he believes in his own role in the future democratic Russia. But in terms of his own immediate future he is realistic. He is getting ready to be transferred to a penal colony." "What about you, his mother?" I ask Elena. "Are you optimistic or pessimistic?" "I not only hope, I believe that I will see Vladimir free," she replies, "and I don't intend to wait twenty-five years for that." For more than a decade Vladimir Kara-Murza has been a high-profile opponent of the Kremlin. He helped persuade Western governments to impose sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, on Russian officials engaged in corruption and human rights abuses. Such persistent activism sparked anger in the corridors of Russian power. He survived two mysterious poisonings, which he and his supporters have linked to the Russian authorities. Kara-Murza's letters to the BBC from jail In the West he spoke out against political persecution at home and against the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Last year, in a speech to lawmakers in the US state of Arizona, he condemned the "dictatorial regime in the Kremlin." Soon after he returned to Moscow where he was arrested. "Vladimir must have known he was putting himself in danger by returning to Russia," I suggest to his mother. "Did you try to stop him coming back?" "I did," replies Elena. "It's a painful topic for me, as a mother. I cannot distance myself and see him as a political figure only. He is first and utmost my son. "I begged him not to go back to Russia. He promised to think about this. And as you see, the result of his thinking was negative." "Has he expressed any regret to you that he returned?" "No, never. Never," says Elena. "I regret it very much. I speak for myself. "He has principles. He really believes that he must be with his country and with his people, and that he would have no right to have a say in the future democratic Russia if he had fled and stayed in security." Vladimir Kara-Murza's fate is a reminder of the danger in which politicians, activists, individuals who challenge the Kremlin are putting themselves. Most of Russia's leading opposition figures have either fled the country or are now in prison. "I am afraid that Russia has turned into a dictatorship," says Elena Gordon. "To me it all looks rather grotesque, actually - that in the 21st century we see around us what was described in the anti-utopias of the 20th century. It's a terrible regression. It's a shame."

== Education ===== Primary and secondary ===Victoria's state school system dates back to 1872, when the colonial government legislated to make schooling both free and compulsory In November 2019, Victoria's Secret announced it would no longer hold the annual fashion show featuring its angels, indicating a major change in marketing strategy

The UK will send hundreds of air defence missiles and armed drones to Ukraine on top of the Storm Shadow cruise missiles announced last week. The move means the UK is going further than any other country in providing weapons with the potential to tip the battlefield in Ukraine's favour. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky met the UK's Rishi Sunak as part of his tour of Western allies. Mr Zelensky said it was important for the West to send fighter jets as well. But the prime minister said providing fighter jets was "not a straightforward thing", although he did say the UK would form "a key part of the coalition countries" providing that support. Ukraine is continuing to prepare for a much-anticipated counter-offensive against Russian forces. Last week, Mr Zelensky told the BBC his country needed more weaponry before it could launch the attack. On Monday, the Ukrainian president had about two hours of talks with Mr Sunak at Chequers, near London. He arrived on British soil for a surprise visit after a whirlwind tour of Western Europe that also took in Rome, Berlin and Paris. Mr Zelensky said Ukraine and the UK were "real partners", while Mr Sunak's spokesman described the meeting as "warm and collegiate". The Storm Shadow cruise missiles can be used to destroy Russia's positions on occupied Ukrainian territory. If Ukraine can destroy Russia's command centres, logistics hubs and ammunition depots in occupied territory, then it may prove impossible for Moscow to continue resupplying its frontline troops in places. This is what Ukraine did so successfully in Kherson last year, forcing the Russians to withdraw almost without a fight. It will now be hoping to repeat the process with the help of Western-supplied munitions. What weapons are being given to Ukraine by the UK?The challenges of giving fighter jets to Ukraine President Zelensky's repeated calls for Nato to send F-16 jets are being met with delays and obfuscations, for several reasons. The Ukrainian air force has trained its pilots on F-16s, which the RAF do not use, but such training takes months, not days. Logistics, maintenance and the need to find suitable runways are all important too. Finally, there is the question of escalation. Nato is struggling to balance giving Kyiv the maximum support it can, without getting directly drawn into this conflict. If Nato does end up sending F-16 warplanes, however old they may be, then that, in Moscow's eyes, constitutes a major provocation by the West. Mr Zelensky said he discussed the supply of Western fighter jets with Mr Sunak. New jets were a "very important topic for us, because we can't control the sky", the Ukrainian leader added. "We spoke about it and I see that in the closest time you will hear some, I think, very important decisions, but we have to work a little bit more on it," he said. The UK has no plans to send fighter jets to Ukraine, according to the prime minister's official spokesman. But No 10 said elementary training for Ukrainian pilots would begin this summer, along with British efforts to work with other countries on providing F-16 jets to Ukraine. The prime minister's official spokesman also denied that any drones supplied by the UK would be used to hit targets inside Russia. They would be used for the defence of Ukraine on Ukrainian sovereign territory, the spokesman said. Mr Sunak said: "This is a crucial moment in Ukraine's resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke. "They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year." In response, Russia said the new British weapons due to be supplied to Kyiv would only cause "further destruction". "Britain aspires to position itself at the forefront of the countries that continue to pump weapons into Ukraine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Ukraine secured a new defence aid package from Germany after talks in Berlin with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday, taking its total military funding to nearly $7bn (£6.44bn). Mr Zelensky described the new pledge of German Leopard tanks and anti-aircraft systems as "the largest since the beginning of the full-scale aggression" by Russia in February 2022. France has promised dozens more light tanks and armoured vehicles after President Emmanuel Macron met his Ukrainian counterpart in Paris. In February, Mr Zelensky visited London for the first time since the start of the war, during which he attended an audience with the King and addressed Parliament. His latest visit to the UK comes ahead of a G7 gathering in Hiroshima, Japan, later this week which will also be attended by Mr Sunak.

Major artists included Carole King, James Taylor and America In 2019 the concert series' format was retooled and the event was renamed the Rock Hall Honors, in which the honored performer is joined in concert by guests of their choice

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has been in the UK for talks with the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The visit came ahead of a Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces, expected to begin in the coming weeks. Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the UK has been a major supplier of weapons and equipment to Kyiv, though on a much smaller scale than the US. So what exactly is being sent, and how much of a difference is it making? The UK confirmed that it had supplied Ukraine with long-range missiles earlier this month. The Storm Shadow cruise missile has a range of over 250km (155 miles), according to the manufacturer. By contrast, the US-supplied Himars missiles used by Ukraine only have a range of around 80 km (50 miles). Currently, Storm Shadow has the longest range of any missile available to Ukraine, and can therefore strike targets previously believed to be safe by Russian forces. Russia claims the system has already been used against its forces. The UK is the first country to supply cruise missiles to Kyiv. The UK also led the way in supplying Nato standard main battle tanks to Ukraine. In January the UK announced that 14 Challenger 2 tanks would be sent, alongside around 30 AS90 self-propelled guns. The Challenger 2 was built in the 1990s, but is significantly more advanced than Warsaw Pact standard tanks used by Ukraine. Following the UK's announcement, several others committed to sending tanks to Ukraine, including Germany with its Leopard 2 model. Many military analysts believe tanks, in co-ordination will other weapons systems, will be vital to any attempt by Ukraine to dislodge Russian forces from heavily fortified positions in the expected counter-offensive. On Monday, Downing Street said that it would supply "hundreds" of attack drones and air defence missiles. The statement did not reveal what kind of drones would be supplied, but it said they would have a range of over 124 miles (200km). It is anticipated they may be used to hit logistics and control facilities deep behind Russian lines. In 2022, the Ministry of Defence announced supplies of heavy lift drone systems to provide logistical support to isolated forces. Analysts say that drones can be very effective in getting supplies over the "last mile" to front line troops, particularly under threat of Russian artillery fire and in situations where there is a risk of encirclement. "It's the sheer quantity of stuff needed by troops," says Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). "Every time you can use a drone instead of a soldier to get supplies forward is one less time someone is exposed to extreme danger." The donation of M270 multiple-launch rocket systems with M31A1 precision munitions to Ukraine was confirmed in 2022. The UK's M270 system is similar to the American Himars launchers. Jack Watling Rusi told the BBC: "These systems are precisely what Ukraine needs. They allow the Ukrainians to out-range a lot of the Russian artillery systems and also to strike with precision." The UK has sent more than 5,000 next generation light anti-tank weapons, or Nlaw, to Ukraine. Nlaws are designed to destroy tanks at short range with a single shot. Crucially for Ukraine's armed forces who need weapons immediately, the missiles are easy to transport and simple to use. A soldier can be trained to use them in less than a day. Many analysts believe they had a major impact on the course of the conflict in the days following Russia's invasion. "Nlaw was absolutely critical to the defeat of Russian ground thrusts in the early stages of the war," says Mr Bronk. The weapons have been "particularly effective" when used in combination with artillery, he says. Maritime Brimstone missiles were also sent to Ukraine in 2022. Brimstones can be used against tanks, artillery and some smaller vessels such as landing craft, according to Capt Chris Carlson, formerly of the US Navy. The missiles are normally fired from aircraft, but in Ukraine they are being modified to be fired from trucks. Launching them from the ground reduces their effective range, says Capt Carlson. When used as anti-ship missiles, Brimstones are far too small to sink larger vessels, but could cause substantial damage. "It all depends where you hit," he says. "If you went through an engine or near the water line, you could give an enemy some serious trouble." Britain has donated at least 120 armoured vehicles to Ukraine, including Mastiff patrol vehicles. Mastiffs were very popular among British troops in Afghanistan as they provide a high level of protection against landmines and improvised explosive devices. Analysts say that in an area which as been as heavily mined as the Donbas, Mastiffs are likely to be very useful. It is understood that both sides in the conflict have used landmines extensively. COUNTER-OFFENSIVE: Zelensky: We must wait before starting offensiveANALYSIS: What weapons is the world giving?READ MORE: Full coverage of the crisis Britain says it has donated at least six air defence systems, including Starstreak missiles. Starstreak is designed to bring down low-flying aircraft at short range. It ignores counter-measures such as flares and chaff deployed by many aircraft. "From a pilot's point of view, Starstreak is a very unpleasant thing," says Mr Bronk. "There's very little you can do about it." He says Russian forces may deem some operations too risky if they are aware that a weapon as deadly as Starstreak is on the ground. The UK has also supplied Stormer vehicles to act as a mobile platform for Starstreak missiles. Other equipment supplied by the UK includes: Javelin anti-tank missilesAnti-structure munitionsPlastic explosivesSmall-arms munitionHelmetsBody armourNight vision devicesElectronic warfare equipmentCounter battery radar systemsGPS jamming equipment Graphics by Gerry Fletcher.

Facing forward the right side is referred to as starboard and the left side as port Handweaving was highly regarded and taken up as a decorative art

Ukraine has no plans to hit targets in Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said in Germany, where Kyiv secured a big new defence aid package. "We are not attacking Russian territory," he said after talks in Berlin with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "We are preparing a counterattack to de-occupy the illegitimately conquered territories," Mr Zelensky added. Mr Scholz vowed to back Ukraine "for as long as it is necessary", promising €2.7bn (£2.4bn) worth of weapons. This includes advanced German Leopard tanks and more anti-aircraft systems to defend Ukraine from almost daily deadly Russian missile and drone attacks. President Zelensky described the new tranche as "the largest since the beginning of the full-scale aggression" by Russia in February 2022. The war has transformed Germany's attitude towards Ukraine, moving from being a reluctant supplier of military hardware to virtually doubling its contribution overnight, the BBC's Jenny Hill in Berlin says. Russia accuses Ukraine of repeatedly hitting targets inside Russia, including a reported drone attack on Moscow's Kremlin earlier this month. Ukraine denies the accusations, while also stressing that it has a legitimate right to use force and other means to fully de-occupy its territories currently under Russian control. These include four regions in the south and east, as well as the Crimea peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014. Later on Sunday, President Zelensky travelled to the western city of Aachen to receive the prestigious Charlemagne Prize awarded this year to him and the Ukrainian people. The honour is given for efforts to foster European unity. "Ukraine incarnates everything the European idea is living for: the courage of convictions, the fight for values and freedom, the commitment to peace and unity," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the award ceremony. Previous winners include Winston Churchill, Pope Francis and Bill Clinton. In other developments on Sunday: Ukraine's air force says it destroyed 25 drones and three cruise missiles launched by Russia in yet another massive overnight attackSix people were killed and another 16 injured in the past 24 hours in Russian shelling of Ukraine-held areas in the eastern Donetsk region, local officials saidOne person was killed in Sunday's Russian artillery attack on the southern Kherson regionMobile internet is temporarily suspended in the Russian-seized areas of the eastern Luhansk region because of increased shelling by Ukrainian troops, Moscow-installed officials said President Zelensky flew to Germany from Italy overnight, his plane escorted by two German Air Force fighter jets. In Rome, the Ukrainian leader met Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He also had a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican. The Argentine pontiff said he was constantly praying for peace in Ukraine. The Pope also stressed the urgent need to help "the most fragile people, innocent victims" of the Russian invasion. Meanwhile, Ms Meloni assured Mr Zelensky of Rome's support for united Ukraine. Later on Sunday, the Ukrainian leader arrived in Paris, where he went to the Élysée Palace for a working dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Examples include: Metropolis (1927), Planet of the Apes (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Blade Runner (1982) and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Children of Men (2006), and Arrival (2016) In this broader sense, drama is a mode distinct from novels, short stories, and narrative poetry or songs

Belarus' leader Alexander Lukashenko has missed a major state celebration, further fuelling health speculation. The autocratic politician, 68, usually speaks publicly at the annual National Flag, Emblem and Anthem Day event but his prime minister read a message on his behalf on Sunday. Last week, Mr Lukashenko left Moscow soon after Victory Day parade, skipping lunch with President Vladimir Putin. Mr Lukashenko looked visibly tired, and his right hand was bandaged. He was last seen in public laying flowers in the capital Minsk during Belarus' own Victory Day celebrations on 9 May - a few hours after returning from the Russian capital. An opposition Telegram channel reported that Mr Lukashenko visited a presidential medical centre just outside Minsk on Saturday night - but this information has not been independently verified. Mr Lukashenko's office has so far made no comments on the issue. Often described in the West as Europe's last dictator, Mr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994, suppressing any dissent. In 2020, he was proclaimed as the winner of presidential elections, which were denounced by the opposition as a sham. Thousand of people were later arrested and brutally beaten by riot police and KGB security service agents during mass anti-government protests that rocked the country. However, Mr Lukashenko managed to stay in power, backed by Russia. Last year, he supported President Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, offering Belarus as a launchpad for Russian troops to cross into Ukraine and allowing Russian war planes to carry out strikes from Belarusian soil.

Museums in the area include the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and the Saratoga Automobile Museum Variety found the film to be a "spirited, funny and warm saga" that serves them up "in a new way that enhances their most winning qualities"

The hometown of Ukraine's Eurovision act was hit by Russian missiles moments before the band took to the stage in Liverpool, officials say. The head of Ternopil regional state administration, Volodymyr Trush, confirmed two people had been injured. Ternopil mayor Serhiy Nadal said warehouses were damaged. Ukraine's foreign ministry accused Russia of attacking Kyiv and Ternopil regions before and during Tvorchi's Eurovision performance. Ten minutes before taking to the stage at the Liverpool Arena, Tvorchi posted on Instagram citing reports of Ternopil in western Ukraine being attacked. After performing, they added: "Ternopil is the name of our hometown, which was bombed by Russia while we sang on the Eurovision stage about our steel hearts, indomitability and will. "This is a message for all cities of Ukraine that are shelled every day. Kharkiv, Dnipro, Khmelnytsky, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Uman, Sumy, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Kherson and all others. "Europe, unite against evil for the sake of peace!" Tvorchi, made up of producer Andrii Hutsuliak and Nigeria-born vocalist Jeffery Kenny, hoped to defend the Eurovision title after Kalush Orchestra won last year in Turin. They performed "Heart of Steel" - a song about troops who led an ultimately unsuccessful resistance against Russian forces at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. The duo seeking Eurovision glory for Ukraine Liverpool is hosting the contest on behalf of Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict. At the end of their performance, Tvorchi held their fists in the air as acts from other nations were also seen waving the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine. The UK's ambassador to Ukraine Dame Melinda Simmons described Tvorchi's Eurovision performance as "poignant". Writing on Twitter, she added: "Reminder that the reason why Ukraine could not host this event is because Russia continues to invade and the people of Ukraine live in continuing danger." Though Swedish act Loreen took the Eurovision crown after a nail-biting finish, there was praise for Tvorchi from Ternopil's mayor who thanked the band for supporting the city during their performance. Posting on Facebook in Ukrainian, Mayor Nadal wrote: "It was at this time that our city was attacked by Russian missiles. "Thank you, because your speech has become a symbol of not only the unity of the country, but of the whole world." He told the BBC the fire at the warehouse in Ternopil had been brought under control. "Firefighters worked all night and continue to work," he said, adding that the two people who were wounded suffered minor injuries and were in hospital. Russia has not yet made any official comment. Earlier in the day, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Pope Francis at the Vatican and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome. He has since flown to Germany, arriving in Berlin just before 01:00 local time.

During the album's production, Vaughan appeared at the Houston Astrodome on April 10, 1985, where he performed a slide guitar rendition of the U In early October 1978, Vaughan and Double Trouble earned a frequent residency performing at one of Austin's most popular nightspots, the Rome Inn

Russian communities across Europe have been polarised by the Ukraine war - and that threatened to spill over in Berlin this month when they marked the defeat of Nazi Germany. Given how much Vladimir Putin uses the Soviet victory over fascism in 1945 to justify Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was no avoiding the war here in the German capital. Many German-based Russians clearly believe the president's reasons for the war, with some views in Berlin virtually indistinguishable from the narratives promoted by Russian state TV - but others are just as vocal in opposing it. The commemorations in Berlin started on 8 May, as Germany marked the 78th anniversary of its liberation from fascism, and groups of Russians visited the Soviet war memorial in Treptower Park. One, Alexander, who is originally from Russia but has lived in Germany for more than 20 years, said he believed Russian forces were "defending Donbas, Crimea, Kherson, and Odesa against fascists" - listing places in south-eastern Ukraine. "They belong to Russia! Russia is taking back what belongs to it," added Anna, another Russian living in Germany. Alexander then showed me a cigarette holder and a tobacco box he had decorated by taping portraits of President Putin to them. But the events that matter most to Russian speakers were held the following day, 9 May - marked in Russia as Victory Day. They kicked off with the Russian ambassador laying flowers to the imposing statue of a Soviet soldier in Treptower Park. Again, the event mostly attracted supporters of the Kremlin's policies and rhetoric. One of them, a young Russian called Yevgenia, told me that "the collective West, particularly America" were fanning the flames of neo-Nazism in Ukraine. Yevgenia was sporting the St George's Ribbon - a Kremlin-backed symbol often used by Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. Like many at the rally, she and her friend held aloft a Soviet flag, as Russian flags were banned. But not everyone supported such views. The monument to the grieving mother at the other end of Treptower Park was the meeting point for those who wanted to honour the victims of fascism without supporting Mr Putin's claims that he is fighting "fascists" in Ukraine. And many of the people who gathered there were Russians. One of them, Kirill, told me he fled Russia last October to avoid being drafted into the army and being sent to fight in Ukraine. "I do not want to become a murderer for Putin. I do not believe the lies I'm told by TV," he said. "I was very afraid, but I attended anti-war rallies. I did all I could do," Kirill told me, standing alongside a poster about political prisoners in Russia. Kirill fled Russia after being arrested, fined and beaten for attending anti-war rallies in St Petersburg. Another young Russian in this corner of Treptower Park, an activist called Alexandra, thought President Putin had turned Victory Day into a propaganda tool. "It is an absolute sacrilege for us," she told me. Her friend Ekaterina chimed in: "It is important for me to show that not everyone from Russia supports what is happening in Ukraine or what this day has turned into. "The way it is marked now is a one big reason why this war started on 24 February last year." At another important event held by Russians in Berlin on Victory Day, dozens gathered at the Brandenburg Gate for what is known as the march of the Immortal Regiment. Even though such marches are encouraged by the Kremlin, the one held in Berlin seemed less overly political than the events in Treptower Park, with dozens of Russians solemnly carrying photographs of their ancestors who fought in World War Two. A group of anti-war Russians demonstrated against Victory Day being turned into a propaganda tool - but their event was outnumbered by the rally sporting Kremlin-encouraged symbols such as St George's ribbons or Soviet flags. But what do Germans think of all this? I was able to find the whole spectrum of opinions among them. Many came to Treptower Park on 8-9 May to offer thanks for the Soviet army liberating Germany from fascism, and were less concerned with the present. "What Putin is doing in Ukraine now doesn't change the fact that [Russia did liberate Germany]," one of them, Wolfgang, told me. Another German demonstrator, Kristina, was against weapons deliveries to what she described as the "fascist regime" in Ukraine. But a young man, Janek, said it was "shameful" that President Putin was using the defeat of Nazism as a foreign policy tool. "They say they want to free Ukrainians from the Nazis there - but it's just not true, it's propaganda," he said.

The Po, Italy's longest river (652 kilometres or 405 miles), flows from the Alps on the western border with France and crosses the Padan plain on its way to the Adriatic Sea The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula's backbone, and the Alps form most of its northern boundary, where Italy's highest point is located on Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) (4,810 m or 15,780 ft)

Firefighters who were involved in a fifth convoy to Ukraine have returned home. Avon Fire and Rescue Service joined its first convoy by sending two former fire engines and six members of staff on the journey. The members of the convoy transported essential kit and medical equipment to aid firefighters in Ukraine. Ross Larner, a firefighter from Clevedon Fire Station, said there was a "great sense of camaraderie". The six firefighters embarked on their five-day journey from Avonmouth to the Ukrainian border in Poland on 2 May. Prior to leaving the country, they met with other members of the convoy from around the UK. In total, 25 vehicles and 80 crew members transported 8,000 pieces of equipment across the continent. Mr Larner said the team were told that more than 70 men had been killed on the front line and more than 350 fire stations and 1,500 trucks had been destroyed as a result of the conflict. He added that although the convoy was not directly helping, their donations would help keep civilians safe. Mr Larner said he and his colleagues felt a "great sense of achievement" when they met the Polish and Ukrainian fire services at the border. "You do get very run down and tired and it's not the greatest conditions to be in, but it is worth it - and it's nothing compared to what the Ukrainians are going through", he added. Mr Larner said that he would "definitely" be open to joining a similar scheme in the future. "I feel quite privileged to have had the experience," he said. "A few people have been on previous convoys which is a testament to what a good experience it is." Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]

From the 1990s on, the New York divorce coercion gang was involved in the kidnapping and torture of Jewish husbands in New York City and New Jersey for the purpose of forcing them to grant gittin (religious divorces) to their wives Shortly after her arrest, doctors recorded signs of trauma: her IQ was measured as 112, whereas it had previously been 130; there were huge gaps in her memory regarding her pre-Tania life; she was smoking heavily and had nightmares

Pope Francis has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he is constantly praying for peace after the two met privately at the Vatican. The pontiff also stressed on the urgent need to help "the most fragile people, innocent victims" of the full-scale invasion launched by Russia last year. Mr Zelensky earlier met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who assured him of Rome's support for united Ukraine. More than 1,000 police are deployed and a no-fly zone over Rome is in place. In a statement on Saturday, the Holy See said Pope Francis and President Zelensky "discussed the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war" during a meeting that lasted about 40 minutes. The Argentine pontiff and President Zelensky "both agreed on the need to continue humanitarian efforts to support the population". The statement added: "The Pope has assured his constant prayer and continuous invocation to the Lord for peace - since last February" - when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion. Pope Francis has often said that the Vatican stands ready to act as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Earlier this month, he stated that the Vatican was working on a peace plan to end the war, saying that the mission was "not yet public. When it is public, I will talk about it." But the relationship between Ukraine and the Vatican has sometimes been uneasy. A few months after the war in Ukraine began, the Pope said in an interview that Moscow's invasion was "perhaps somehow provoked". And last August, Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican took the unusual step of criticising the Pope after the pontiff referred to Darya Dugina, the daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist figure, who was killed by a car bomb, as an "innocent" victim of war. Earlier on Saturday, President Zelensky had talks with his counterpart Sergio President Mattarella and then met Ms Meloni for a working lunch. Italy historically has strong ties with Moscow. Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the conservative Forza Italia party, is an old friend of President Putin. They went on trips together and exchanged birthday gifts. Matteo Salvini, the deputy prime minister, has frequently voiced pro-Russian sentiments and criticised military assistance to Ukraine. President Zelensky is not expected to meet either Mr Salvini or Mr Berlusconi during his trip. At the news conference that followed the meeting between Mr Zelensky and Ms Meloni, the Ukrainian leader invited "all the Italian political leaders and representatives of civil society" to visit Ukraine. He said they would be able "to see what a single person was capable of doing to us, what Putin was capable of, and you will understand why we are fighting this evil". Ms Meloni stressed that the war would only end when Russia stopped its "brutal and unjust aggression" and withdrew from all Ukrainian territory. She also pledged Italy's support for Ukraine for "as long as is necessary". Meanwhile, the German government unveiled its biggest military aid package for Ukraine yet, worth €2.7bn (£2.4bn). Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelensky, said the aid indicated that Russia was "bound to lose and sit on the bench of historical shame". Earlier this week, German media reported that President Zelensky was planning to visit Germany following his trip to Italy, although this has not yet been confirmed. In other developments: President Zelensky's visit came after Russia carried out a new wave of air strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnightMore than 20 people were injured in the western city of Khmelnytsky. Critical infrastructure, as well as homes and government buildings, was also hitExplosions were reported on Friday in the Russian-occupied city of Luhansk, about 90km (56 miles) behind the front line in eastern Ukraine. Russian-backed separatist forces in the region accused Kyiv of using Storm Shadow missiles, which the UK said it had supplied Ukraine with earlier this weekThere were also more reports of blasts in Luhansk on SaturdayA helicopter crashed in Russia's Bryansk region, on the border with Ukraine, injuring one woman. Footage circulating on social media purports to show an S-24 warplane also crashing in the region on Saturday - although the videos have not been verified.

She awakens to find Gale by her side, who reassures her that her family is safe but her home no longer exists When mandrills attack, Peeta is saved by the unexpected sacrifice of a drug-addicted tribute from District 6

A volunteer who helped transport almost 350 tonnes of aid to the front line in Ukraine has been paralysed in a moped accident while on holiday in Spain. Darius Linkus and wife Saule - who was his passenger - both broke their necks, with Mr Linkus losing the use of both legs. Friends of the pair, from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk, are fundraising for an accessible wet room. "I just thought I had to help; he kind of inspired me," said Oliver Horsman. The husband and wife, both 41, have three children who are being looked after by a relative. The pair are in rehabilitation, with Mrs Linkus suffering a broken right shoulder and the loss of some mobility in her arm. Mr Horsman said that after the crash in September, Mr Linkus was on the phone from his bed, trying to arrange for generators to be delivered to people near front lines. "It was a bit of a frog in throat moment," said Mr Horsman. "He knew he was paralysed at that point but he was like, 'I've got to do something'. "It's pretty crazy that he now needs other people's help really - pretty tragic." Mr Horsman said Mr Linkus, who works in import and export, was quick to help after war broke out in Ukraine last year. Within three days of the war starting their Facebook post asking for aid had been shared thousands of times. "It went insane," said Mr Horsman. "It ended up generating about 350 tonnes worth of aid. "Through Darius's connections he managed to sort out all the import/export paperwork, get all the fixers on the borders for these vans that were going over. "He ended up doing four or five trips himself and we facilitated 50 or 60 further trips to get that stuff over the border." The aid they took to Ukraine included surgical and first aid kits, incubators and military boots, and they also helped pick up and drop off refugees. After a "manic" few months, the couple had a weekend break in Spain and hired a moped, Mr Horsman said. "His front wheel hit a rock in the road," he added. "Both wearing helmets, within the speed limit, nothing silly. "It was just how they fell." He said he wanted to fundraise for the wet room "so at least he can have a quality of life", as they had no income. "He's a very proud man, super giving, will literally give you the shirt off his back," he added. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]

In Japan, the series Transformers: Cybertron showed no ties to the previous two series, telling its own story IDW Publishing introduced The Transformers: Evolutions in 2006, a collection of mini-series that re-imagine and reinterpret the G1 characters in various ways

Ukraine says it has recaptured ground in Bakhmut, a rare advance after months of grinding Russian gains in the eastern city. Kyiv said its forces advanced 2km (1.2 miles) in a week. Russia said its troops had regrouped in one area. The claims signal a momentum shift in Bakhmut - but more widely, there is no clear evidence of a Ukrainian counter-offensive. However, two explosions were reported on Friday in Russian-occupied Luhansk. Images posted on social media, verified by the BBC, show a big plume of black smoke rising from the city, which lies about 90km (55.9 miles) behind the front line in eastern Ukraine. The blasts come a day after the UK said it had supplied Ukraine with long range Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Kremlin-appointed officials said six children in Luhansk were injured in a missile attack alongside Russian parliamentarian Viktor Vodolatsky. The authorities there have blamed the attack on Kyiv. Luhansk is beyond the reach of the Himars rockets Ukraine has previously relied on for deep strikes against Russian targets. But Russian-appointed officials in the region said they thought Ukrainian-made missiles were responsible, hitting administrative buildings of two defunct enterprises. Earlier Russia's defence ministry said Russian troops in one Bakhmut area had changed their position for strategic reasons. It said units of the southern group of Russian forces had taken up a better defensive position in the Maloilinivka area, something which took into consideration "the favourable conditions of the Berkhivka reservoir". However the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin said what the Ministry of Defence was talking about "is unfortunately called 'fleeing' and not a 'regrouping'". As the intense, bloody battle has worn on, Bakhmut has become symbolically important - though many experts question its tactical value. In a post on Telegram, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar claimed Russia suffered significant troop losses as Ukraine gained 2km without losing any positions. Meanwhile Russian military bloggers reported Ukrainian advances or troop movements in several areas. The Institute for the Study of War also said Ukrainian forces had probably made gains of 2km in Bakhmut. The BBC has verified video of soldiers with Ukrainian-identifying markings posing in front of a gate and a tank in the distance, also with Ukrainian markings. The video, published on 11 May, has been located to an area around Bakhmut industrial college, until recently held by Wagner troops. Away from Bakhmut, the exiled mayor of Melitopol reported a large explosion on Friday morning in the centre of the south-eastern city, which has been occupied by Russia since the start of the war. It was not known what caused the blast, but the Ukrainian air force made 14 strikes on Russian forces and military equipment on Thursday, Ukraine's armed forces said. Alongside the air strikes, Ukraine said it destroyed nine Russian drones and carried out successful attacks on dozens of military targets - including artillery units, an ammunition warehouse and air defence equipment. After months of stalemate, a Ukrainian counter-offensive - helped by newly-arrived Western weapons - has been openly discussed. But Ukraine's president said on Thursday it was too early to start the attack. "With [what we already have] we can go forward and, I think, be successful," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview. "But we'd lose a lot of people. I think that's unacceptable. So we need to wait. We still need a bit more time." Despite President Zelensky's words, pro-Kremlin Russian war correspondent Sasha Kots claimed the counter-offensive had begun. Ukrainian tanks were on the Kharkiv ring road heading towards the border with Russia, he said, quoting "trusted" sources. His claims could not be independently verified. "There are low loaders in the columns carrying Western [tank] models among others," Kots added. "In other words," he said, "Kiev [Kyiv] has decided to aggravate the situation along the northern front in parallel with the start of offensive actions on the flanks of Artyomovsk [the Russian name for Bakhmut]." Another Russian war correspondent, Alexander Simonov, wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had broken through near the village of Bohdanivka, close to Bakhmut, taking "several square kilometres" of ground. Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musivenko said Kyiv recognised that the anticipated counter-offensive might not necessarily defeat Russia "in all occupied areas". He told Ukrainian NV radio there was every possibility the war could continue into next year. "It all depends on how the battles develop. We can't guarantee how the counteroffensive will develop," he said. An unnamed senior US military official told CNN that Ukrainian forces were preparing for a major counter-offensive by striking targets such as weapons depots, command centres and armour and artillery systems.. Ukraine's spring 2022 advances in the southern and north-eastern parts of the country were also preceded by air attacks to "shape" the battlefield. Daniele Palumbo and Richard Irvine-Brown contributed to this article Incident Room - Ukraine: How Will it End? Frank Gardner weighs up the possible outcomes for the war, as Ukraine prepares a counter-offensive against Russian forces. Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only)

Ardeth bids Rick, Evelyn, and Jonathan goodbye, and the trio rides away on a pair of camels, not realizing it is laden with Beni's stolen treasure Stage one was the mummy at its most decayed, with tattered bits of clothing, skin, and sinew hanging over a skeleton

Industrial sites in Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire are aiming to set up a network of pipes to collect carbon dioxide emissions and pump it to be stored under the Irish Sea. The "Peak Cluster" group is made up of five cement and lime plants plus a waste power plant near Northwich. The aim is to have the pipelines up and running by 2030 with units set up at those sites to capture the emissions. It could cut three million tonnes of emissions each year, the group claimed. Progressive Energy, the firm behind the project, said it would help the UK achieve "net zero" greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The cement and lime plants in the Peak District and Staffordshire Moorlands are owned by Tarmac, Breedon, Lhoist and Aggregate Industries. The would be joined by the Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant plant in Cheshire, due to become operational in 2025. The underground pipes will feed into one of two existing storage sites in the Irish Sea, at locations which once held natural gas. Project director John Egan from Progressive Energy said the scheme was still in its early stages, but would make a "crucial contribution" to driving down harmful emissions. Seabed sites for storing captured carbon, to remove climate damaging gases from industrial sites, are seen by many scientists as important in reducing emissions to net-zero. But there have been warnings about the potential for CO2 leakage if the correct sites are not chosen. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]

Cage had a small role in the film, which received poor reviews and a short run in a limited number of theaters == Controversies ==The issue of citizenship naturalization is a highly contentious matter in United States politics, particularly regarding illegal immigrants

Tidal flood defences must be raised 15 years earlier than expected as sea levels rise, the Environment Agency says. An updated plan is designed to ensures communities in London and the wider Thames Estuary are ready to adapt to the impact of climate change. It sets out how it will protect more than 1.4 million people and £321 billion of property from tidal floods. The plan says defences must be raised upstream of the Thames Barrier by 2050. The Environment Agency has assured Londoners that the Thames Barrier continues to operate reliably and effectively as part of the wider flood defence system. It expects the barrier to continue to protect London until 2070. However, to further protect the capital it has committed to deciding an end-of-century option by 2040. The plan also calls for riverside strategies to be embedded into local planning frameworks by 2030 to ensure that new developments factor in future flood defence requirements. Julie Foley, the Environment Agency's FCRM Strategy & National Adaptation Director, said: "Sea levels are rising at an accelerated rate across the Thames Estuary, and it is therefore essential that we act now to respond to the changing climate. "Our updated plan recognises that defence raising needs to start earlier than originally thought - by some 15 years. "Alongside, the plan also requires greater investment in habitats and natural flood management to support nature recovery. "We cannot deliver the ambitions of the updated Thames Estuary 2100 Plan on our own. "That is why we will continue to work with many partners to deliver a green and resilient estuary." Wandsworth Bridge to close to vehicles for 10 weeksThames Water told to fix leaks by Environment AgencyThames flood defence scheme 'to be built by 2027' Last summer over 1,000 properties across London were severely flooded during intense storms. A report found that Thames Water was slow to respond to the floods because it had struggled to understand what caused them and their impact. It added that the company did not plan for the storms properly, gave customers unclear messages about what to do, and failed to update local councillors and MPs about what was happening. Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]

As president, Biden has addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recession Biden signed the bill into law in mid-November 2021

A man has embarked on a 3,000km (1,864 miles) kayak voyage in icy waters as part of a "poo-centric expedition". Mike Keen, from Suffolk, is almost a month into his three-month paddle from Qaqortoq in the south of Greenland - to Qaanaaq in the north. Along the way, he is collecting poo samples from sea mammals to check the levels of microplastics. He is also only eating a Greenlandic diet - food that can foraged or hunted - as part of a microbiome study. Mr Keen, who set off on 20 April and expects to complete his journey at the end of July/early August, described his mission as a "poo-centric expedition". He said the "tough bit" so far had been the cold. The 53-year-old chef, from Holton St Mary, near East Bergholt, has been rough camping and relying on the generosity of locals along the way. "Getting up in the morning, putting all your wet gear on for an eight-hour paddle in a kayak is pretty tough going but once you're out on the water it's OK," he said. He said he has had to haul his kayak across frozen fjords as he makes his journey up the west coast of Greenland. The high fat and protein diet of fish, seal, shrimp and reindeer also "took some time getting used to," he said. The samples of sea mammal poo he is collecting will be sent back to laboratories in Greenland's capital - Nuuk - to be analysed for microplastics. Samples of his own faeces will be sent back to a team of microbiologists to see what effect the diet has on his gut microbiome, his physiology and mental wellbeing. Murals aim to inspire climate change actionGreenhouse farmers call for support for homegrownCouple complete Atlantic charity row challenge Mr Keen said he was not looking forward to the sea ice as he continues to head north - and added that he "may need to think up a plan B" for getting through it. He said he wanted to raise awareness of climate change in the Arctic and the two scientific research projects he would be carrying out were "important". Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]

In a constitutional democracy the powers of the majority are exercised within the framework of a representative democracy, but the constitution limits majority rule, usually through the provision by all of certain universal rights, e == Maps ==Democracy is the most popular form of government with more than half of the nations in the world being democracies-97 of 167 nations as of 2021

Residents of a tiny Swiss village have all been evacuated because of the risk of an imminent rockslide. Brienz's fewer than 100 villagers were given just 48 hours to pack what they could and abandon their homes. Even the dairy cows were loaded up for departure after geologists warned a rockfall was imminent. Two million cubic metres of rock is coming loose from the mountain above, and a rockslide could obliterate the village. The development has raised questions about the safety of some mountain communities, as global warming changes the alpine environment. Brienz, in the eastern canton of Graubünden, is now empty. The village has been judged a geological risk for some time and is built on land that is subsiding down towards the valley, causing the church spire to lean and large cracks to appear in buildings. As the minutes ticked towards the deadline to leave, even Brienz's dairy cows were being taken to safety. The residents, some young, some old, families, farmers and professional couples, had two days to abandon their homes. They were asked earlier this week to evacuate the village by Friday evening. Swiss villagers told to flee monster rockslide Switzerland's Alpine regions are especially sensitive to global warming - as the permafrost high in the mountains begins to thaw, the rock becomes more unstable. This particular mountain has always been unstable, but recently the rock has been shifting faster and faster. Days of heavy rain could bring two million cubic metres of loosened rock crashing down the mountainside onto the village, scientists warned. Now the villagers must wait, in temporary accommodation, for the rock to fall - and hope it misses their homes.

Andorran Group (Agrupament Andorrà), an anti-fascist organization linked to the Occitanie's French Resistance, accused the French representative (veguer) of collaboration with Nazism Most Andorran residents can speak one or more of these, in addition to Catalan

A £42.9m project to refurbish the flood defences in an seaside port town has been completed.Nearly 4km (2.5 miles) of flood walls in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, have been updated.The upgrade should provide protection from tidal flooding to more than 2,100 homes.Tom Stanley, project manager for the Epoch 2 scheme, said: "We are already seeing the impacts of climate change in the UK and around the world, which is why urgent action is needed to adapt the impacts of climate emergency." Great Yarmouth has a history of flooding, including the 1953 east coast tidal surge, and more recently, in December 2013 and January 2017.The work, which started in September 2019, saw 40 flood defence walls refurbished at locations across the town, which should extend their lifespan by up to 30 years, the Environment Agency said.It said less material, lower carbon materials and hybrid power reduced the project's carbon footprint, and it also created a new inter-tidal saltmarsh to boost biodiversity in the area.The project was not delayed by the World War Two bomb which exploded in Great Yarmouth in February, the Environment Agency said.A business case is currently in development for the next stage of the project. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, external, Instagram, external and Twitter, external. If you have a story for us, email [email protected], external

How would you portray death if you had to experience it first?" Charles Laughton, who worked closely for a time with Bertolt Brecht, argued that "Method actors give you a photograph", while "real actors give you an oil painting He was one of the first notable Hollywood actors to play a homosexual character, starring as a gay Holocaust victim in the 1979 Broadway production of Bent, for which he earned a Theatre World Award

Thirty new electric buses costing almost £500,000 each have joined a fleet taking passengers around Cambridge. Stagecoach East is introducing the new double-deckers across routes from Sunday. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), which helped fund the fleet, said they would "help tackle pollution" and encourage bus travel. The bus company already has two electric vehicles, introduced in 2020. The new fleet has been funded by the CPCA, Greater Cambridge Partnership, Stagecoach East and the Department for Transport, following a successful bid to the government's Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. The combined authority said the buses "emit 72% less well-to-wheel CO2 emissions than an equivalent-size diesel bus". The introduction of the new vehicles means 31% of Stagecoach's Cambridge bus fleet will be electric. Cambridge congestion charge: Your viewsReferendum on city congestion charge rejected The Swedish message to UK congestion charge cities The Labour Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, said it was "marking a turning point for public transport in the region". "Removing 30 diesel buses from our historic city and replacing them with these new vehicles will not only have a positive impact on the health of our region by reducing air and noise pollution, but will also help in the broader fight against climate change as we embrace these new and exciting technologies," he said. He said the authority aimed to have "all buses and taxis operating within the area [with] zero emissions by 2030". Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]

Some species, such as sperm whales, are particularly well adapted for diving to great depths to catch squid and other favoured prey === Family ===On 17 May 2020, Bolt's longtime girlfriend Kasi Bennett gave birth to their first child, daughter Olympia Lightning

The Australian government has approved a new coal mine for the first time since it was elected - on a climate action platform - last year. The government was bound by national environment laws when considering Central Queensland's Isaac River coal mine, a spokeswoman said. Only one coal mine proposal has ever been blocked under those laws. Scientists have repeatedly warned that any new fossil fuel projects are not compatible with global climate goals. The Isaac River coal mine - which will be built near Moranbah, an 11-hour drive north of Brisbane - is expected to produce about 2.5 million tonnes of coal over five years. The mine will extract metallurgical coal, also known as coking coal, which is used in steelmaking. Although a small mine compared to others in the state, its production could amount to some 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in its lifetime, think tank the Australia Institute says. A really simple guide to climate change Environment groups had called on the government to block the new development, on the grounds it would increase global emissions and damage the habitat of endangered or vulnerable species like the koala, the central greater glider and the ornamental snake. But when Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek's proposed decision was announced on Thursday afternoon, the government said no-one had made submissions during the formal consultation period. "The Albanese government has to make decisions in accordance with the facts and the ­national environment law - that's what happens on every project, and that's what's happened here," a spokeswoman for Ms Plibersek said . The proponents of the mine, Bowen Coking Coal, will have the opportunity to respond to any proposed conditions on the development before it is formally approved - usually in a matter of months. Since it came to power in May 2022 after campaigning on greater climate action, Anthony Albanese's Labor government has enshrined into law a stronger emissions reduction target - of 43% by 2030 - and has negotiated the introduction of a carbon cap for the country's biggest emitters. But it has refused to rule out new coal and gas projects. And while it in February blocked a coal mine on environmental grounds for the first time in history, it did not consider climate in doing so. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says any new fossil fuel projects are not compatible with the aim of the Paris Agreement - limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. In fact, existing fossil fuel infrastructure must be urgently phased out, it says. Greens environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the decision demonstrated a need for reform. "Australia's environment laws are clearly broken. Polluting projects are failing to be ­assessed for the emissions they create," she said.

The Globe Theatre of London initiated a project in 2014 to perform Hamlet in every country in the world in the space of two years Shakespeare's next comedy, the equally romantic Merchant of Venice, contains a portrayal of the vengeful Jewish moneylender Shylock, which reflects dominant Elizabethan views but may appear derogatory to modern audiences

A restaurant chain is using waste heat generated from its kitchen to heat water and buildings following trials. The success of the year-long trial at Nando's Didsbury branch in Manchester has been rolled out to 14 other stores. The system created by Lancashire energy firm Dext Heat Recovery uses a heat exchange - a box on the roof which collects the heat produced by cooking. Instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, the heat is filtered and recycled. Prof Karl Williams, director of the centre for waste and resource management at the University of Central Lancashire, said he was excited about ways to recover energy to combat the climate emergency. "There's lots of technology out there to recover energy for example from sewers, but every bit helps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels," he said. Prof Williams added: "The main challenge I see with this is cost, to have a real impact it needs to go into smaller businesses on our high streets because there are a lot more of them than big chains. "They'd find it difficult to invest as it would take them longer to get payback as they don't generate as much heat as larger chains." The amount of heat produced in the average Nando's kitchen a year is enough to heat more than 30 homes for a year. Dext has been working with Nando's since 2009 when they started collecting the heat from its grills to heat water- a system which is now used to save energy in 300 branches. Director of Dext Heat Recovery Neil Bracewell said he believed it could be a game changer for the restaurant industry. "We work with Sheffield Hallam University where we developed and researched the heat exchanger to cope with dirty air from restaurant kitchens. Wind is main source of electricity for first timeGreen energy projects worth billions stuck on holdIs the UK on track to meet its climate targets? "Nando's have helped us financially and by allowing us to test our equipment." He added it was still a "learning curve", but they were "saving money and reducing CO2 emissions". Mr Bracewell said their systems currently start at about £20,000 but estimated the outlay could be made back in 18 months depending on the size and use of the kitchen. Sam McCarthy, Nando's head of sustainability for the UK and Ireland, said they were keen to share this technology with other restaurant chains. "We have a net zero target of 2030 and this new technology is proving to be a success reducing the impact on the planet and saving money on energy bills which we want to reinvest in the future of our restaurants. "We're always looking to trial new technology to help us with this and it's great to support and work with a small business like Dext." Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]

Francis emphasised poverty, chastity, obedience and submission to Christ She later received other Indian awards, including the Bharat Ratna (India's highest civilian award) in 1980

To help tackle climate change, the UK has pledged to reach "net zero" - where no further planet-warming greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere - by 2050. To achieve this, much less energy needs to be generated by fossil fuels and much more needs to come from renewable sources and low-carbon technologies. Experts say increasing the use of renewables would also improve the UK's energy security. Energy is used for various purposes, including heating and powering homes, businesses, transport and industry. In 2022, the majority of the energy (79.1%) used within the UK came from fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This is down from 87.2% in 2012, mainly due to the declining use of the dirtiest fossil fuel, coal. Around one-fifth (20.1%) of UK energy use was from "low-carbon" sources in 2022 - up from 12% in 2012. "Low-carbon" includes renewables (wind, solar, hydropower and bioenergy) and nuclear. Nuclear is not considered renewable, but is classed as low-carbon because power stations do not directly release greenhouse gases during their operation. The output from nuclear energy has actually fallen by around a third in the past decade due to ageing reactors. Electricity generation accounted for around a third of the UK's total energy use in 2022. Of the electricity generated in the UK in 2022: 40.8% came from fossil fuels56% from low-carbon sources - including 41.4% from renewables and 14.6% from nuclear By comparison, of electricity generated in 2012: 67.6% came from fossil fuels30.7% came from low-carbon sources, including 11.3% from renewables and 19.3% from nuclear. In particular, power generation from coal has fallen sharply, although natural gas usage remains high. The use of both wind and solar power has increased rapidly. In the first three months of 2023, for instance, for the first time wind generated more electricity than gas. To meet the UK's legally-binding target to be "net zero" across the economy by 2050, the government has said that all electricity should be generated from "clean" sources by 2035. Remaining non-electric energy use will have to be net zero by 2050. Since electricity can be generated by low-carbon sources rather than fossil fuels, demand for it is expected to grow by 40-60% by 2035. Ensuring electricity is generated as cleanly as possible will therefore be increasingly important to meet the overall net zero goal. The government has announced various ambitious targets to decarbonise energy and electricity. These include increasing the capacity of offshore wind, nuclear, carbon capture and hydrogen, all of which are low-carbon technologies. It is also encouraging people to use electric heat pumps instead of gas boilers, and will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. Green energy projects worth billions stuck on hold Recent reports by the government's independent climate advisers the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the National Audit Office and a cross-party group of MPs have all warned that the UK risks missing its 2035 "clean" electricity target without increased effort from Whitehall. Key recommendations include: reducing natural gas usage more quicklyimproving homes' energy efficiencychanging planning laws to speed up renewable projectsreforming the electricity grid to pass on the cheaper running costs of renewables to consumers Is the UK on track to meet its climate targets? In 2022, the UK imported about 37% of its energy. That represents a drop from nearly 50% in the early 2010s, but the figure is still higher than in the late 1990s, when the UK was a net exporter - meaning it sent more energy abroad than it imported. The UK imports proportionally less of its electricity - typically about 5%. In 2022 it was a net electricity exporter for the first time in 44 years, but this was largely because of French nuclear plant maintenance. The importance of energy security was highlighted when Russia's invasion of Ukraine disrupted the gas market. The reduction in Russian supplies increased demand for other countries' gas resources, causing global prices to soar, and pushing up consumer bills. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss opened applications for new North Sea oil and gas exploration licences, which the government said would boost the UK's energy security. Rishi Sunak has not confirmed whether he backs his predecessor's plan. The International Energy Agency and other bodies warn that any new oil and gas projects would go against existing commitments designed to avoid the most harmful impacts of climate change. The CCC and environmental think tanks Green Alliance and the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit argue that the best way to lower bills for customers and boost energy security would be to cut fossil fuel use. This is not least because North Sea supplies are dwindling, and gas from any newly granted licences would not enter the market until around 2050. By contrast, they say a decarbonised electricity system would be more reliable, secure and cost-effective by protecting the UK from volatility in fossil fuel prices.

He met Rachael Speed, an assistant director, on the set of The Virgin Queen in 2005, and they had a son in April 2008 before separating in 2009 TV Guide (April 11–17, 1987) called 1977's Jesus of Nazareth "the best miniseries of all time" and "unparalleled television"

If you are a marathon runner in search of a personal best, your body shape could be just as important as your training, analysis suggests. A study of 170 Ironman contestants found tall, leggy runners performed better in warm climates, while shorter, stockier people had the upper hand in colder temperatures. But the effect is seen in men only, the researchers say. Natural selection probably means the fastest men became the best hunters. Study author Prof Ryan Calsbeek, a professor of biological sciences, at Dartmouth College, in the US, said his research was among the first to suggest human physiology may be adapted to climate to optimise physical performance. "Global patterns of temperature and climate may have shaped human body types to look and perform the way they do," he said. So even before athletes leave the starting line in Ironman triathlons, marathons and other endurance events, some men may be better suited than others to racing - based on their body type and the temperatures they are running in. Daily walk prevents one in 10 early deaths - studyPumping weights could help you live longerExercise addicts urged to build in rest days Humans, it turns out, may be just like animals, with cold-adapted species tending to be burlier with thicker, shorter limbs to limit heat loss. And in hotter climates, sleeker human (and animal) physiques are built to keep cool efficiently. The research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, analysed 171 triathletes who had competed in at least two Ironman events - one in a hot location, the other in a cold one - and used software to measure the athletes' physiques, based on photos from the competitions. Ironman participants have to: swim 3.8km (2.4 miles)cycle 180kmrun 42.2km Triathletes were chosen for the study because their event is a perfect way of studying how the size and shape of the human body affects performance. "There is one event, running in particular, that we know to be important in the evolution of humans and two events - swimming and cycling - that are not," Prof Calsbeek said, which made comparisons very useful. He found the greatest difference in performance based on physique came in the running section. Endurance athletes are urged to think about which climates their body shape and type might be naturally suited to, while not taking their eye off the ball on training and motivation either. "People attempting a personal best time can think about race locations and average temperatures, to pick a venue based on how their body type is adapted to perform," Prof Calsbeek said.

On the eve of the second season's premiere, CNN said, "after this weekend, you may be hard pressed to find someone who isn't a fan of some form of epic fantasy" and cited Ian Bogost as saying that the series continues a trend of successful screen adaptations beginning with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003) and the Harry Potter films (2001–2011) establishing fantasy as a mass-market genre; they are "gateway drugs to fantasy fan culture" The show's final two seasons, especially season eight, received more criticism

Billions of pounds' worth of green energy projects are on hold because they cannot plug into the UK's electricity system, BBC research shows. Some new solar and wind sites are waiting up to 10 to 15 years to be connected because of a lack of capacity in the system - known as the "grid". Renewable energy companies worry it could threaten UK climate targets. National Grid, which manages the system, acknowledges the problem but says fundamental reform is needed. The UK currently has a 2035 target for 100% of its electricity to be produced without carbon emissions. Last year nearly half of the country's electricity was net-zero. Where does the UK get its energy and electricity?Wind generated a record amount of power in 2022 But meeting the target will require a big increase in the number of renewable projects across the country. It is estimated as much as five times more solar and four times as much wind is needed. The government and private investors have spent £198bn on renewable power infrastructure since 2010. But now energy companies are warning that significant delays to connect their green energy projects to the system will threaten their ability to bring more green power online. A new wind farm or solar site can only start supplying energy to people's homes once it has been plugged into the grid. Energy companies like Octopus Energy, one of Europe's largest investors in renewable energy, say they have been told by National Grid that they need to wait up to 15 years for some connections - far beyond the government's 2035 target. There are currently more than £200bn worth of projects sitting in the connections queue, the BBC has calculated. Around 40% of them face a connection wait of at least a year, according to National Grid's own figures. That represents delayed investments worth tens of billions of pounds. "We currently have one of the longest grid queues in Europe," according to Zoisa North-Bond, chief executive of Octopus Energy Generation. The problem is so many new renewable projects are applying for connections, the grid cannot keep up. The system was built when just a few fossil fuel power plants were requesting a connection each year, but now there are 1,100 projects in the queue. Torbay Council has been hit by the delays. The diggers are already clearing the ground for a 6-hectare solar plant it is building in Torquay. It is due to be finished next year. The council plans to use money raised from selling the energy to help fund local services, but it has been told the plant will not be connected for five years. And even that date is not certain. "Worryingly, there are some indications that that could slip into the mid 2030s", said Alan Denby from Torbay Council. "That's a real problem for the council in that we declared that we wanted to be carbon neutral by 2030." With projects unable to get connections, construction is either being paused or projects are being completed but are unable to produce any power. National Grid, which is responsible for moving electricity across England and Wales, says it is tightening up the criteria for projects to apply so only the really promising ones join the queue. But a huge new investment is also required to restructure the grid so it can deal with more power sources, says Roisin Quinn, director of customer connections. "Fundamental reform is needed," she told the BBC. "More infrastructure is needed. We are working very hard to design and build at a faster pace than we ever have done before." Energy Networks Association represents the UK's network operators, such as DNOs, which connect people's homes to the main system owned by National Grid. It says that the government needs to speed up the planning process so electricity infrastructure can be built more quickly. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: "We have connected the second highest amount of renewable electricity in Europe since 2010 but we recognise the challenge of connection delays." The government is due to announce a new action plan for speeding up connections later this year. The energy regulator, Ofgem, which oversees the operators, said that all stakeholders were playing catch-up with the government's targets. Rebecca Barnett, director of networks at Ofgem, said: "The targets have been increasing in the last two or three years dramatically and there is a long lead in investment time that is needed to commit, develop, and deliver these really big assets. "I think that has caused a real problem; we definitely need to catch up. The incremental approach of the past is not fit for purpose." Ofgem says it has agreed to allow the National Grid to raise an additional £20bn over the next 40 years from customer bills to pay for the huge upgrades the grid needs. Customers have seen household prices soar over the last year following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and a run-on gas. But Ms Barnett said this new investment will have a minimal impact on customers bills and will help shoulder the burden of some of the volatile energy prices. "The future is for green, more secure and in fact cheaper energy. We know there is some investment cost needed to get us there, but in the long run it is going to be cheaper for us all," she said.

Written by multiple authors, the series was set 25 to 30 years after the original films and introduced the Yuuzhan Vong, a powerful alien race attempting to invade and conquer the entire galaxy Most specifically he revealed the "symbiotic relationships" between the Jedi, the Force, midi-chlorians (microscopic lifeforms, first mentioned onscreen in 1999's The Phantom Menace), and the Whills (all-powerful creatures first mentioned in the title of the original outline of Star Wars, Journal of the Whills):[The next three Star Wars films] were going to get into a microbiotic world

The world's biggest storms, which whip the high seas into a frenzy or flatten buildings on land, have long daunted wind farm developers. But that is changing. Operators are increasingly adopting turbines designed to withstand tropical cyclones. One of the latest examples is a "typhoon-resistant" floating wind turbine, which will soon help to power an offshore oil platform in China. According to the manufacturer, MingYang Smart Energy, this 7.25 megawatt (MW) turbine can survive wind speeds of up to 134mph for 10 minutes. It has been installed at a facility 136km off the coast of the island province of Hainan. MingYang did not respond to a BBC request for comment but theirs is not the first turbine designed to face down such an onslaught. In 2021, US firm GE received typhoon-certification for its mammoth Haliade-X turbine. It is fixed, not floating, and has a capacity of up to 13MW. The blistering growth of the wind energy industry is pushing turbines to their limits and some question whether the pace of the rollout is wise. While components such as turbine blades are remarkably strong, they are not indestructible. And the forces of nature, especially out at sea, are notoriously unpredictable, meaning the pressure is on to prove that wind turbines really are hurricane-ready. Tropical cyclones - often called typhoons or hurricanes depending on location - are a familiar threat in certain parts of the world, including in the Gulf of Mexico or around much of Southeast Asia. Such storms can produce wind speeds well in excess of 100mph. The strongest one-minute sustained winds on record, of 215mph, were created by Hurricane Patricia in the Eastern Pacific in 2015. Despite the meteorological challenges in such regions, the expansion of wind energy is expected there in the coming years and decades. Today's turbines already put up with some powerful gales. Those positioned off the northeast coast of the UK in the North Sea operate in wind speeds of up to 50mph or so, after which point they are switched off, notes Simon Hogg at Durham University, who holds the Ørsted chair at the university, which is funded by energy firm Ørsted. Technically, such turbines are designed to survive even higher wind speeds. Leon Mishnaevsky of the Technical University of Denmark suggests that wind turbine blades are generally quite reliable. These days, they are made from strong but lightweight carbon fibre composites and automated manufacturing processes help to ensure the uniform placement of the fibres, which is important for the blades' robustness, he notes. Wind turbine makers also perform a range of stress tests on blades to ensure that they are up to scratch. This can include attaching large "exciters" to the blades, which bounce up and down, simulating the repeated stresses of winds on the structure. Giant blades are also sometimes bent to the point of breaking, says Prof Hogg, which helps to confirm the maximum loads they can bear. But the fallibility of turbines, especially the biggest ones, is becoming more apparent as time goes by. Insurer GCube notes in a recent report that offshore wind losses rose from £1m in 2012 to more than £7m in 2021. Plus, machines with capacities larger than 8MW can suffer component failures within just two years of installation, the firm says, more than twice as fast as 4-8MW devices. More technology of business: Why teaching robots to blink is hard but importantThe tech entrepreneur betting he can get youngerHow LinkedIn is changing and why some are not happyThe tiny diamond sphere central to a fusion breakthroughThe remote Swedish town leading the green steel race Some of the most dangerous forces to trouble turbine blades are torsion, or twisting, loads, says Find Mølholt Jensen, chief executive of Bladena, a firm that specialises in diagnosing and repairing large turbine blades around 60m in length, or longer. Repeated twisting of blades can induce difficult-to-spot fractures, he says: "The damage cannot be seen from the outside." The longer the blade, the greater the risk, comments a spokesman for Bladena. Current testing and industry standards are not sufficient to prove that the largest turbine blades can withstand these stresses, argues Dr Jensen. New designs could help, though. In Japan, Challenergy has been working on a turbine with tall, vertical blades that spin around a central tower. While currently much smaller and less powerful than the biggest traditional, three-bladed turbines in operation today, Challenergy's device is intended to cope with very high winds. When a powerful typhoon called Hin Nam No struck the Philippines and Japan last August, it passed over two of the company's turbines. One of the devices, at Ishigaki City in Okinawa, recorded wind speeds of around 64mph. The turbine continued to operate without any problems, according to Challenergy. In the US, a research team has taken a cue from nature in their design of an alternative hurricane-resistant turbine. "We were inspired by palm trees," explains Lucy Pao at the University of Colorado Boulder. "In high winds they kind of go with the flow, they bend with the wind." She and her colleagues designed a prototype two-bladed wind turbine design with flexible blades. Plus, the rotor faces downwind rather than into the wind, as is common in traditional configurations, helping it to absorb the impact of strong gales. During tests at an onshore site in Colorado, the blade tips were observed deflecting by up to 600mm, more than half a metre. "None of them snapped," says Prof Pao. Wind speeds in the area can reach 100mph in the wintertime, she adds. However, the wind energy industry has almost universally adopted the upwind, three-bladed design so selling a new concept is difficult, Prof Pao explains. Currently, her research in this area is on hold, pending further funding. She shares the concerns of other observers who question whether wind turbines are really ready for some of the strongest winds nature can hurl at them. "The novel materials, they are stronger, they are pretty amazing, but I don't know that they've been tested out as thoroughly as maybe they should be," she says. Then there are the tricky economics of siting turbines in places where winds are especially variable. James Martin is chief executive at Gulf Wind Technology, a company exploring the deployment of turbines in the Gulf of Mexico. In this area, low wind speeds are common for most of the year - with the occasional hurricane blasting its way through. "If you design that turbine to be strong enough to withstand the peak wind event, then you'll be carrying a lot of extra cost for the times that you've got light wind," notes Mr Martin. He declines to share details of the turbines or technologies his firm is considering. In the coming years, you can expect to see more and more turbines arriving in regions affected by cyclones, though. "We need [turbines] there as much as we need them in any other area of the globe," argues Prof Hogg. "I don't think we should shy away from it."

The salon staff go to a night club to party Customer's purchase intention based on rational expectations, and additionally impacts on emotional trust

Bus maker Wrightbus has received a £12m cash boost to produce green buses at its County Antrim factory. The NextGenZEBs project will develop battery-electric and fuel-cell-powered buses to replace diesel engines. It is part of a £77m joint government and industry-backed funding to develop zero-emission vehicles. Meanwhile, it's been annouced two NI firms will split £3.6m in government funding to cut down on their use of fossil fuels. FP McCann Ltd is getting £3.39m to improve the energy efficiency of crushing and concrete manufacturing at its Craigall Quarry in Kilrea. Natural World Products in Dunmurry produces peat-free composts and soil conditioners.  It will put almost £300,000 towards replacing diesel-powered equipment with electric-powered equivalents. The funding supports businesses which use high amounts of energy to clean up their manufacturing processes using low-carbon technologies. It's a portion of a wider pot of £24.3m funding awarded through the UK government's Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. A Natural World Products spokesperson said the funding had "allowed the company to make significant further greenhouse gas emissions savings at one of its key processing facilities". Wrightbus will work alongside Queen's University Belfast and Translink to deliver its NextGenZEBs project. It is hoped that it will fill a gap in supply for zero-emission, multi-axle vehicles, as well as creating and safeguarding 883 jobs. Jo Bamford, Wrightbus executive chairman, said: "When I took over the company, I was clear about my ambitions for it, both in terms of contributing to the UK's plans for net zero and in terms of supporting the British economy. "We have always said that we will continue to drive forward with our zero-emissions vision." In February, Wrightbus announced it is planning to develop a green hydrogen production facility. Two months later, the Ballymena business secured an order to deliver 48 zero-emission buses for use in London by the end of this year. In Northern Ireland, Wrightbus already supplies Translink with battery and hydrogen powered buses, the first of which hit the streets in March 2022. The NextGenZEBs project is one of seven schemes across the UK with joint government and industry backing, ranging from work on green fire engines to a hydrogen fuel cell version of the Ford Transit van. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: "Zero-emission cars, vans and taxis are increasingly common but this cutting-edge work is going to mean clean, green vehicles designed and built in the UK can increasingly take on the toughest jobs too, from life-saving emergency services to haulage and public transport." The funding has been awarded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development programme, which aims to build an end-to-end supply chain for zero-emission vehicles in the UK. More than £38m of this investment comes from the government, backed by a further £38.7m from the automobile industry - taking the total to just over £77m.

Mackie was hesitant about the series because he felt it would not be able to match the quality of the MCU films, and he did not want a Black actor to be the lead of Marvel's first failure, but he was won over by Spellman's writing == Premise ==Six months after being handed the mantle of Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Sam Wilson teams up with Bucky Barnes on a global mission to stop an anti-patriotism group, the Flag Smashers, who are enhanced with a recreation of the Super Soldier Serum and believe the world was better during the Blip

Businesses are having to move while flood defences are installed on Wales' coastline over the next 18 months. A seafood stall is among those relocating when the work in Mumbles, Swansea, starts this month. Gower Seafood Hut owner Chris Price called the timing "a concern" as the cost of living has already meant tough times for businesses. The Welsh government-funded project aims to protect business and homes threatened by climate change. Mr Price runs the seasonal seafood pop up between March and September, along with his partner, Sarah. But he said sales were down on previous years and is worried that having to move for the installation of flood defences may further affect sales. Climate anxiety to be eased with £214m flood fundsDoctor spends thousands defending home from floodsFears 9ft-high flood defences will destroy privacy "We don't get footfall of the promenade anymore," he said. "And with the land train and bike rack also being moved, it's causing concern." Mr Price said he recognised that the work was required due to climate change and rising tides, but was disappointed with the timing. "Businesses in the Mumbles are so reliant on the summer. Starting the work at the beginning of the season is not ideal." The work, which is due to end in 2024, will see 0.8 miles (1.3km) of flood defences rebuilt along the coastline. Another business, coffee van Bibby's Beans, has also been moved. Owner Marc Bibby said the move had been "disrupting" but he was "quite confident" about sales during the summer. "There's a lot of engineering going on and we appreciate that. "If they don't do it, Mumbles is going to disappear, so we understand." The Welsh government is set to spend £215m on managing flood risk over three years. Last year, £71m was spent, which increased to £75m this year. About 250,000 properties are at risk of flooding across Wales. In Mumbles, the defences will protect 120 homes. Natural Resources Wales operations manager, Ioan Williams, said the investment was a "step in the right direction" to protect homes, commercial developments and major road infrastructure. He added: "There's a conversation that we need to have here with governments, with local authorities and with communities around planning policy. "Where we build properties, where we build schools, hospitals, other infrastructure to make sure that they are resilient for the future."

These tracks inspired emerging American house producers such as DJ Sneak, Green Velvet and Roger Sanchez to produce sample-led house tracks with deep funky grooves, and ultimately resulted in the release of a sole full-length album, Pansoul == Precursors ===== Garage rock and beat ===The early to mid-1960s garage rock bands in the United States and elsewhere are often recognized as punk rock's progenitors

Vietnam has recorded its highest ever temperature, just over 44C (111F) - with experts predicting it would soon be surpassed because of climate change. The record was set in the northern province of Thanh Hoa, where officials warned people to stay indoors during the hottest times of the day. Other countries in the region have also been experiencing extremely hot weather. Thailand reported a record-equalling 44.6C in its western Mak province. Meanwhile Myanmar's media reported that a town in the east had recorded 43.8C, the highest temperature for a decade. Both countries experience a hot period before the monsoon season but the intensity of the heat has broken previous records. In Hanoi, climate change expert Nguyen Ngoc Huy told AFP that Vietnam's new record was "worrying" given the "context of climate change and global warming". "I believe this record will be repeated many times," he said. "It confirms that extreme climate models are being proven to be true." The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments make steep cuts to emissions. In Vietnam's central city of Danang, farmer Nguyen Thi Lan told AFP the heat was forcing workers to start earlier than ever and finish by 10:00. Vietnam's previous record temperature of 43.4C was set in central Ha Tinh province four years ago. Further west, the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka recorded its highest temperature since the 1960s while Indian authorities said parts of the country were experiencing temperatures that were three or four degrees above normal. In April, Spain recorded its hottest-ever temperature for that month, hitting 38.8C at Cordoba airport in the south of the country. In March climate scientists said a key global temperature goal was likely to be missed. Governments had previously agreed to act to avoid global temperature rises going above 1.5C. But the world has already warmed by 1.1C and now experts say that it is likely to breach 1.5C in the 2030s. In its report, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said "every increment of global warming will intensify multiple and concurrent hazards".

Following months of cross-border raids between the two countries, Saddam declared war on Iran in September 1980, initiating the Iran–Iraq War (or First Persian Gulf War) During 2006, fighting continued and reached its highest levels of violence, more war crimes scandals were made public, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq was killed by US forces and Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity and hanged

Shell is selling its stake in the controversial Cambo oil field, it has been announced. The project - which is west of Shetland - is the second-largest undeveloped oil and gas discovery in the UK's North Sea. The oil major is looking for a buyer for its 30% holding. Cambo has been the focal point of many protests, and Shell has been rumoured for months to be looking for someone to take over its part. The remaining 70% of the field is owned by Ithaca Energy. Cambo in better position for go-ahead, say ownersWhy Cambo oilfield is a difficult gamble for ShellCambo oil field development to be paused Ithaca said the two companies had agreed on several possible outcomes. Shell might sell all of its stake, but if it only manages to find a buyer for a portion of the stake it could offload its remaining share to Ithaca. If a buyer wants to purchase more than Shell's 30% stake then Ithaca will sell up to 19.99% of its holding in the project, it said. Shell's senior vice president of UK Upstream, Simon Roddy, said: "Following an internal review, we have decided to sell our 30% working interest in Cambo and have agreed a process with Ithaca Energy for the sale of Shell's stake in the field this year. "We wish Ithaca Energy well in the future development of the field, which will be important to maintain the UK's energy security and to sustaining domestic production of the fuels that people and businesses need." Ithaca chief executive Alan Bruce said: "Our agreement with Shell represents a meaningful step towards the development of Cambo, the second-largest undeveloped field in the UK continental shelf and a key asset in helping maintain the UK's future energy security." He added: "Ithaca Energy remains committed to investing in the UK North Sea, however, the impact of the amended Energy Profit Levy and the fiscal instability it has created continues to constrain our ability to invest. "We are actively engaging, in a constructive manner, with the UK Government in pursuit of the fiscal stability required to make critical investment decisions that will support the UK's long-term energy security."

Peter Travers wrote for Rolling Stone that "Lohan rises to the occasion, delivering a rock-the-house version of 'Frankie and Johnny ==== Performers ====See List of longest-serving soap opera actorsSoap opera performers in the United States are typically divided into two main groups: primary characters (sometimes referred to as "contract players" – as their portrayers signed contracts of employment – or leading characters) and secondary characters (sometimes referred to as recurring characters)

Alberta has declared a state of emergency after wildfires spread across the western Canadian province, driving nearly 25,000 people from their homes. Faced with more than 100 wildfires, Alberta's Premier Danielle Smith called the situation "unprecedented". Residents of Edson, a town of more than 8,000, were told to leave immediately. Ms Smith said a hot, dry spring had created "so much kindling" and some 122,000 hectares (301,000 acres) had burned so far. Many of the fires are burning out of control, fanned by strong winds. The worst-hit areas include Drayton Valley, about 140km (87 miles) west of the provincial capital Edmonton, and Fox Lake, some 550km north of the city, where 20 homes were consumed by fire. Firefighting helicopters and air tankers have been brought in and the federal government has offered assistance from Ottawa. Edmonton Expo Centre is accommodating more than 1,000 evacuees and in the town of High Level a curling rink is being turned into a temporary shelter. Alberta is a major oil-producing region, but so far oil facilities do not appear to be in immediate danger.

In 2013, 1% of adults were estimated to hold 46% of world wealth and around $18 Cotonou International Airport provides service to the capitals of the region and to France, as well as the major cities of Benin: Parakou, Kandi, Natitingou, Djougou, and Savé

At least 130 people have died after floods and landslides hit Rwanda's northern and western provinces, authorities say. The rains hit at night when many people were asleep - an official told the BBC this is one reason why so many died. The five-year-old daughter of Claudette Nyiraneza was among them. "We could not save my daughter under the rubble until morning," she told the BBC, adding that neighbours eventually helped retrieve her body. Local governor François Habitegeko said many houses had collapsed on people. He said that main roads in the area "are not usable because of landslides". Rwanda's public broadcaster RBA reports that the casualty numbers are expected to increase as floodwaters continue to rise. Rwanda's president offered his condolences to those who have been affected. His statement also added that residents were being evacuated from "affected and high-risk areas". The government's main priority now is to "reach every house that has been damaged to ensure we can rescue any person who may be trapped", the Reuters news agency quotes Mr Habitegeko as saying. Relief efforts have already started, "including helping to bury victims of the disaster and providing supplies to those whose homes were destroyed," a government minister for emergencies, Marie Solange Kayisire, told AFP Africa Live Page: For news updates from around the continent The heavy rains pounded Rwanda "all night" and more downpours are expected throughout the month, authorities say. Heavy rains and consequent damage and casualties between March and May are commonplace in Rwanda, but the deluge on Tuesday night was unusually strong and long-lasting. This is the worst flooding Rwanda has seen since May 2020 when around 80 people died. Deaths have also been reported in neighbouring Uganda, where six people have died after landslides, the Ugandan Red Cross says. Rwanda's weather authority is linking the unusual rains seen in recent years to climate change. Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely. The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

In the United States, much of the film industry is centered around Hollywood, California == Film types, macro genres and the filmmaker's voice ==The screenwriters taxonomy creates additional categories beyond "subgenre" when discussing films, making the argument that all narrative Hollywood films can be delineated into comedies or dramas (identified as a "film type")

A court has ruled that disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes must report to prison while she appeals against her fraud conviction. Holmes, 39, had asked a judge to remain free while she fought against her jail sentence for a blood-testing hoax. She was sentenced to over 11 years in prison after a jury last year found her guilty of defrauding investors. In a separate ruling, US District Judge Edward Davila also ordered Holmes to pay $452m (£363.8m) to victims. She will split the multi-million dollar payment with her former romantic and business partner, ex-Theranos boss Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani. A judge will set a new date for Holmes to go to prison. The BBC has reached out to Holmes' attorneys for comment. Balwani was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted on 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy last year. He began serving his sentence in April after losing his own attempt to remain free while appealing against his conviction. The court has recommended Holmes serve her time behind bars at a federal minimum-security women's prison in Bryan, Texas. Elizabeth Holmes: From tech star to convicted fraudsterThe prison experience Holmes is desperate to avoid Holmes had asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to delay her sentence days before she was supposed to report to prison in April. The Theranos founder had said that she would raise "substantial questions" about her case that could warrant a new trial, an argument that Mr Davila had rejected. "Contrary to her suggestion that accuracy and reliability were central issues to her convictions, Ms Holmes's misrepresentations to Theranos investors involved more than just whether Theranos technology worked as promised," he said at the time. Holmes' attorneys also argued she should remain free while appealing against her case to care for her children. The mother of two has been living in San Diego, California, with her partner, hotel heir William Evans, as well as their one-year-old son William and three-month-old daughter Invicta, Once hailed as the "next Steve Jobs", Holmes was said to be the world's youngest self-made billionaire. She started Theranos after dropping out of Stanford University. During her time leading the company, Holmes was able to raise millions of dollars from high-profile investors, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Oracle founder Larry Ellison. But the start-up crashed in 2018 after investigations revealed its technology did not work. The blood-testing device was purported to be able to run a multitude of tests from just a few drops of blood. The company's infamous downfall was documented in a TV series, an HBO documentary and a podcast.

The dentition of the nine-banded armadillo is P 7/7, M 1/1 = 32 Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century, leprosy was unknown in the New World

Gunmen in south-eastern Nigeria have attacked a US convoy, killing four people, local police say. They say two of the victims of Tuesday's attack in the Anambra state were US consulate employees, while the other two were police officers. The attackers kidnapped three other people, and set their vehicle on fire. Washington says no US citizens were in the convoy, which was travelling in the state plagued by violence and separatist insurgency. Nigerian police say the attack happened on the Atani-Osamale road in Ogbaru region. Police spokesperson DSP Ikenga Tochukwu says security forces were currently carrying out a rescue and recovery operation. In a statement to the BBC, the US confirmed that "there was an incident on 16 May in Anambra state", adding that Washington was working with Nigerian security services to investigate the attack. "The security of our personnel is always paramount, and we take extensive precautions when organising trips to the field," the US state department said. The Nigerian authorities often blame violent attacks in the region on the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra movement (Ipob). The group has so far made no public comments on the issue.

He changed its mainbase colour design when switching teams during his F1 career; in 2008 Alonso attached two pictures of a spade, ace and heart symbol to show he was a two-time world champion In his first race with Alpine at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso was forced to retire after plastic debris entered his brake duct

Accountant Mohamed Osman has been forced to pick up an AK-47 rifle for the first time in his life to defend his neighbourhood as the conflict in Sudan escalates, inflaming racial tensions between Arabs and other groups in the country's volatile Darfur region. Mr Osman lives in El Geneina, historically a symbol of black African power in Darfur, that has been shelled, burnt and looted by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militiamen. Their notoriety has earned them the nickname Janjaweed, an Arabic word for "devils on horseback" . "I've never seen such a thing in more than 20 years of war in Darfur. It's awful," Mr Osman, 38, said. We have changed his name for his own safety. "Whenever there is an attack by the Janjaweed here in El Geneina, their fellow tribesmen come with their arms from across the border in Chad on motorbikes and on horsebacks to assist them," he told the BBC from his home in the northern Ardamata neighbourhood. Mr Osman's office, in the city centre, is a burnt-out wreck. "I can't go there, let alone work," he noted, in a matter of fact way. Another resident, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the city had been taken over by the RSF and Janjaweed, with snipers positioned in buildings and gunmen on streets. "They're just shooting every place. If you go outside you'll be killed. You can't move, even 200 or 300 metres," Mr Ibrahim told the BBC. His name has also been changed. Medics reported that at least 280 people have been killed and 160 have been wounded in El Geneina in the last few days alone. The latest violence is seen by analysts as a clear breach of the 11 May Saudi-brokered agreement between the RSF and the Sudanese army to alleviate the suffering of civilians, while talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire continue in Jeddah. Mr Osman said that as the fighting advanced closer to Ardamata in recent days, he and many other men in his neighbourhood got AK-47 rifles and began carrying out 24-hour patrols in shifts. This was something he never imagined doing, as his life used to revolve around keeping track of the finances of his clients. "We have no choice but to arm ourselves and defend our city," Mr Osman said, pointing out that he could not risk exposing his family - including his mother, sisters, nieces and nephews - to the much-feared paramilitaries and militiamen. Asked how he acquired his Soviet-made Kalashnikov rifle, he replied wryly: "The cheapest thing you can buy here is a weapon." In contrast, food has become scarce and prices have rocketed as the RSF and Janjaweed set markets ablaze. "They even burnt the food and flour that was stored in the markets, as if they want the survivors of bullets to die of hunger," said Ishaq Hussein, a former worker at a non-governmental organization in El Geneina. The BBC has been unsuccessful in attempts to reach the RSF for comment. With a population that was put at around 170,000 in the last census in 2010, El Geneina is the traditional capital of the Massalit kingdom, making it a target for the Janjaweed. They have long been accused of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab groups in Darfur. "The Janjaweed are killing all the African people starting with the Massalit," Mr Ibrahim said. Conflict first erupted in Darfur in 2003 when mostly non-Arabs took up arms against the government, complaining about discrimination and a lack of development. The government retaliated by mobilising the Janjaweed, and later welding them into an estimated 80,000 to 100,000-strong paramilitary force that has now turned on Sudan's military ruler Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the army he commands. The RSF launched an assault on the capital Khartoum on 15 April, with the military retaliating with daily air strikes in a bid to regain control of the city. But in El Geneina, there is no attempt to fight back against the RSF and the Janjaweed. "There's a zero presence of the army or any other government body to protect the civilians," Mr Ali said. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) estimates that about 100,000 people have fled their homes in the city, and remain "at the mercy of the relentless violence, with settlements once again being reduced to ashes". "We are still unable to deliver emergency aid," NRC added in a statement. Mr Ibrahim said that water supplies had also been cut. "Water is a big problem for everyone, even for the donkey," he said. He made a desperate plea for international help, saying the city has been under attack for 23 consecutive days. "A lot of injured people don't have any type of treatment, more than hundreds and hundreds and hundreds," Mr Ibrahim said. He added that he was alone at home, having sent his wife and family to safety. "I have kids and it's difficult for them to be hearing these guns every day. That's why I sent them out," he said, pointing out that families tend to leave in guided groups before sunrise, when the risk of being confronted by the RSF and Janjaweed is less. Mr Osman said that if the security crisis deepens, he too will flee to Chad to live in make-shift camps. "If this does not stop by the mercy of Allah, I will take my family and run to Chad to stay in a shelter built with our clothes rather than being killed here," he said.

" The band originally identified themselves as "Gorilla" and the first song they recorded was "Ghost Train", which was later released as a B-side on their single "Rock the House" On 27 February, the band released the second episode of Song Machine entitled "Désolé"

Australian police are investigating after at least 65 women received used condoms in the post. The letters, which also contained handwritten messages, were sent to addresses in south-eastern and eastern Melbourne. Police believe the victims are linked and part of a targeted attack. All of the women are believed to have attended the city's Kilbreda College private girls' school in 1999. The first victim came forward in March, and the most recent was reported on Monday, police said. Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper reported that the women suspect their addresses were obtained from an old school yearbook. Bree Walker told the paper she "didn't sleep" the night she received the letter, which contained a "very graphic (handwritten) message". She later contacted friends to see if they had received similar packages. Police believe that most of the women received multiple letters, all with used condoms enclosed. The investigation is ongoing, and police have urged anyone with information to come forward. They are expected to give an update on the case later on Wednesday. Kilbreda College, an independent Catholic girls school, was founded by the Brigidine Sisters in 1904 and has some 900 pupils enrolled.

The metropolitan region is defined by the Planning and Development Act 2005 to include 30 local government areas, with the outer extent being the City of Wanneroo and the City of Swan to the north, the Shire of Mundaring, City of Kalamunda and the City of Armadale to the east, the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale to the southeast and the City of Rockingham to the southwest, and including Rottnest Island and Garden Island off the west coast The Perth-Gingin Shrublands and Woodlands and Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain straddle the metropolitan area

A Chinese comedy troupe has been slapped with a 14.7m yuan ($2.1m; £1.7m) penalty over a joke about the military that invoked a slogan from President Xi Jinping. The quip, which likened the behaviour of a comedian's dogs to military conduct, irked authorities. They said Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media Co and comic Li Haoshi had "humiliated the people's army". The company accepted the penalty and terminated Mr Li's contract. The offending remark was made during a stand-up performance in Beijing on Saturday, when Mr Li alluded to two canines he had adopted which were chasing a squirrel. "Other dogs you see would make you think they are adorable. These two dogs only reminded me of... 'Fight to win, forge exemplary conduct'," said Mr Li, whose stage name is House. The punchline is part of the slogan that President Xi unveiled in 2013 as a goal for the Chinese military. In an audio recording of the performance shared on China's Twitter-like platform Weibo, audience members can be heard laughing at the joke. But it was much less welcome on the internet, after a member of the audience complained about it. Beijing authorities said they launched an investigation on Tuesday. They then confiscated 1.32m yuan of what was deemed to be illegal income, and fined the company another 13.35m yuan, according to Xinhua. Shanghai Xiaoguo's activities in the Chinese capital have also been indefinitely suspended. "We will never allow any company or individual use the Chinese capital as a stage to wantonly slander the glorious image of the PLA [People's Liberation Army]," said the Beijing arm of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism Bureau. The audio went viral, with some nationalists saying they were deeply offended and state media also piling on. But others questioned if the reactions were over the top. "I am patriotic and really don't like others to humiliate our country... But I really don't like this atmosphere where every word about politics is sensitive," reads a post liked 1,200 times. Mr Li apologised to his more than 136,000 Weibo followers. "I feel deeply shamed and regretful. I will take responsibility, stop all activities, deeply reflect, learn again." His Weibo account has since been suspended. The incident sheds light on the challenging climate for Chinese comedians, who have been targeted by authorities and netizens alike. In late 2020, stand-up comedian Yang Li was accused of "sexism" and "man hating" after making jokes about men. A group claiming to defend men's rights also called on netizens to report her to China's media regulator.

Voice-over performances and cameo appearances in which persons play themselves are not eligible from all of the film and TV acting categories The European Golden Shoe, also known as European Golden Boot, is an award that is presented each season to the leading goalscorer in league matches from the top division of a European national league

New Zealand police have launched a homicide inquiry into a fire at an emergency housing hostel in Wellington, where at least six people were killed. Officials said up to 20 people were still missing and they were treating the blaze as an act of arson. The fire had broken out at the four-storey Loafers Lodge hostel early Tuesday - forcing residents to the rooftop and some to jump from windows. Due to the damage, police have not yet been able to confirm the death toll. However, they warned that number could rise on Wednesday, as a team of investigators was sent into the building after an assessment of the building's integrity. "Officers will be working to locate and recover those who have lost their lives tragically in this fire," Acting Wellington District Commander Dion Bennett told reporters on Wednesday, "We know there are many people waiting for news of family and friends including residents who escaped the fire and who are keenly waiting for news of their fellow tenants." More than 90 people had been accounted for. But authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the dead or those missing - some of whom might be unaccounted for due to other reasons, they said. The incident has shocked New Zealand. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins called it "an absolute tragedy" and said it raised a wider discussion about the nation's housing crisis. The 92-room hostel was known to house residents from vulnerable and marginalised communities - including those on welfare and disability pensions- as well as workers from a nearby hospital. Residents who survived said the blaze had begun shortly after midnight local time, (12:30 GMT Monday). Some had crawled through smoke to safety, while others were rescued from the roof by firefighters. One resident, Tala Sili, said he had jumped from his window to escape the fire which had started on the third floor. "I was on the top floor and I couldn't go through the hallway because there was just too much smoke so I jumped out the window," he told national broadcaster RNZ. "It smelt like poison," he said. On Wednesday, police were given the all clear to send in a reconnaissance search team for the first time, after the building's rooftop collapse. "This scene examination will be an extensive and methodical process, and we expect it to take some time - likely several days," Mr Bennett said. Loafers Lodge Hostel had been designated by New Zealand's Ministry of Social Development in 2011 as an emergency accommodation provider. The government said on Tuesday that contract had ended. However the hostel is still part of a wider but informal network of temporary lodging. Homelessness charities in the city have confirmed that some of their previous clients had found lodging there. New Zealand is in the midst of a housing crisis brought on sky-high private property prices and rents and a shortage of state housing. Official figures show that as of February more than 3,300 households live in emergency housing.

It constitutes the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the U New York is one of the most important sources of political fundraising in the United States

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has lost his appeal against a prison sentence for corruption. However, the Paris appeals court ruled that he could serve his time at home wearing a tag instead of going to jail. In 2021 Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison - including two suspended - for trying to influence a judge in a separate case. The 68 year-old was the first former French president to get a custodial sentence. Following Wednesday's ruling, Sarkozy's lawyer said she would launch a new challenge with the Court of Cassation, one of France's highest jurisdiction. "Nicolas Sarkozy is innocent," lawyer Jacqueline Laffont said. "We will take this all the way." The former president was convicted of attempting to obtain information about a case in 2014 - after he had left office - by suggesting he could secure a prestigious job for the judge. He has been banned from holding public office for three years. It is one of several corruption cases involving Sarkozy, who denies any wrongdoing. Earlier this month, prosecutors requested that he should face trial over to allegations that the Libyan government illegally contributed to his 2007 presidential bid. But investigating magistrates have the last word over whether a case should go to trial. Nicolas Sarkozy served one five-year term as president, until 2014. He adopted tough anti-immigration policies and sought to reform France's economy during a presidency overshadowed by the global financial crisis. Critics nicknamed him "bling-bling", seeing his leadership style as too brash, celebrity-driven and hyperactive for a role steeped in tradition and grandeur. France's Nicolas Sarkozy: 'Bling' and legal woes

Presently, the largest university in Portugal is the University of Lisbon In a constitutional democracy the powers of the majority are exercised within the framework of a representative democracy, but the constitution limits majority rule, usually through the provision by all of certain universal rights, e

Police officers in the Indian state of Assam are being asked to lose weight in a few months or leave the force. A top state police official said that the body mass index (BMI) of all officers will be "professionally recorded" starting mid-August. Officers in the "obese" category will then be given time until November to reduce weight or voluntarily retire. People with medical conditions will be exempted, said GP Singh, Assam's director general of police. Mr Singh said in a tweet that he would be the first in the force to get his BMI recorded. A few weeks ago, Assam's chief minister had said that around 300 police personnel in the state would be asked to retire early because they were "habitual drinkers" and "physically unfit". He said it was part of an exercise to "cut the deadwood out of the police force". Heavy drinkers told to leave India police force Studies have found that Indian police officers often work long, irregular hours without proper rest or breaks. In 2018, reserve police officers in Karnataka state were also asked to lose weight or face suspension. A top official had told the BBC at the time that the decision was taken because several officers had died due to "lifestyle-related diseases" such as cardiac problems and diabetes in the past 18 months. BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight by the square of their height, and is used by many doctors, health service providers and insurers around the world to decide whether an individual is healthy, overweight or obese. But its is also highly controversial - several experts have argued that using BMI as a measure of health is flawed as it is inaccurate, unscientific and and designed for white, European men. BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features. To kiss or not - the taboo around public affection in IndiaThe officer accused of asking for bribe from Shah Rukh KhanThe remarkable reinvention of cricket icon Dhoni at 41 Dozens held in India after Islamic State film rowThe life of India's gangster-politician killed on live TV

Because it is a fixed resource which is in demand by an increasing number of users, the radio spectrum has become increasingly congested in recent decades, and the need to use it more effectively is driving many additional radio innovations such as trunked radio systems, spread spectrum (ultra-wideband) transmission, frequency reuse, dynamic spectrum management, frequency pooling, and cognitive radio === Remote control ===Radio remote control is the use of electronic control signals sent by radio waves from a transmitter to control the actions of a device at a remote location

A group of primary school children has suffered traumatic, "life-changing" injuries after a horrific bus crash in Melbourne, Australia. The bus was carrying 45 students when police say it was hit by a truck from behind and rolled on Tuesday afternoon. Some 18 children - aged 5 to 11 - were rushed to hospital, many for emergency surgery. One remains in intensive care. The truck driver has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury. Australia has a below-average road safety record compared to other advanced economies. It ranks 20th of out of 36 OECD countries for road fatalities. Warning: This article contains distressing details Police said the bus had only just left Exford Primary School, on the western fringes of Melbourne, when the collision occurred. Children were trapped inside the bus before bystanders - including the truck driver and many of their teachers, who had rushed to the scene - helped emergency responders to free them from the wreckage. Surgeons worked into the early hours of the morning to treat those children seriously hurt. Their injuries included crushed limbs - forcing amputations - as well as head injuries, spinal injuries and serious cuts. Seven children remain at the hospital in serious conditions, including one in intensive care, the Royal Children's Hospital said. "It is just distressing, knowing what our kids have been through and I can just imagine their fear," principal Lisa Campo told media on Wednesday. The 52-year-old bus driver was also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among those who thanked first responders and sent well-wishes to the families involved. "Any accident is just horrific, the fact that it involves school students just breaks your heart," he said. Superintendent Michael Cruse said the scene of the crash was extremely confronting for all who were there. "Some of the injuries are life changing [and] this incident was avoidable," he said. The 49-year-old truck driver - who suffered minor injuries - has since been charged with four counts of dangerous driving. Investigations are ongoing, but Supt Cruse said "inattention" would be a key focus, and more charges are likely to be laid.

Thriller may refer to:Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and televisionThriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre== Comics ==Thriller (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics in the USThriller Comics, later known as Thriller Comics Library and Thriller Picture Library, a series of comics published by Amalgamated Press/Fleetway in the UK from 1951 to 1963Boris Karloff Thriller, a comic published by Gold Key Comics in 1962== Films ==Thriller – A Cruel Picture, a 1973 film by Bo Arne VibeniusThe Thriller, a 2010 Indian filmThriller (2018 film), a slasher horror film starring Mykelti Williamson and RZAThriller, a 1979 film by Sally Potter== Music ==Thriller (album), a 1982 album by Michael Jackson"Thriller" (song), a song by Michael JacksonThriller 25, a 2008 special 25th anniversary edition of the Jackson albumMichael Jackson's Thriller (music video), a 1983 music video"Thriller" (viral video), a 2007 video featuring prison inmates in Cebu, Philippines recreating the dance from Michael Jackson's music videoThriller – Live, a 2009 musical featuring the music of the Jackson 5 and Michael JacksonThriller (Cold Blood album) (1973)Thriller (Eddie and the Hot Rods album) (1979)Thriller (Lambchop album) (1997)Thriller (Swoop album) (1993)Thriller (EP), a 2013 EP by BtoBThr!!!er, a 2013 album by !!!Thriller, a 1982 album by KillerThriller, a 2009 album by Part ChimpThriller, a 2000s American rock band featuring Jeremy Bolm"Thriller", a song by Fall Out Boy from Infinity on High, 2007== Television ==Thriller (British TV series) (1973–1976), an anthology television seriesThriller (American TV series) (1960–1962), an anthology television series hosted by Boris Karloff== Roller coasters ==Thriller (roller coaster) or TsunamiThe Thriller (roller coaster)Thriller (Land of Make Believe)== Other uses ==Thriller Manju (born 1972), Indian film actor, martial artist, director, screenwriter, stunt coordinator, and choreographerThriller (short story collection), a 2006 short story collection edited by James PattersonThe Thriller, a magazine published in the 1910s, which reprinted stories from The Black Cat and possibly other sources == See also ==Thrill (disambiguation)Triller (disambiguation)All pages with titles beginning with Thriller All pages with titles containing Thriller

Former prime minister Liz Truss has made a personal plea for Rishi Sunak to brand China as a "threat" to UK security during a visit to Taiwan. The ex-prime minister challenged Mr Sunak to deliver on pledges he made last summer to clamp down on China. Ms Truss made the speech in Taipei City on Wednesday, making her the first former prime minister to visit Taiwan since Margaret Thatcher. The Chinese Embassy called Ms Truss's visit "a dangerous political stunt". It added that the visit "will do nothing but harm to the UK". In the speech, Ms Truss urged the West not to work with China, warning that totalitarian regimes "don't tell the truth". She drew comparisons between the tensions between China and Taiwan, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the Conservative party leadership contest, Ms Truss pledged to take a firm stance against the Chinese government, and wanted to declare China under Communist Party rule a "threat" to national security. But after her short-lived time in No 10, her plans were never realised. Her successor Rishi Sunak, also declared China as "the biggest-long term threat to Britain", and promised to close all 30 of Beijing's Confucius Institutes in the UK. Confucius Institutes, which teach Chinese language and culture, came under fire after critics and charities accused the centres of being used by the Chinese government to spread propaganda under the guise of teaching, interfere with free speech on campuses, and even spy on students. While Mr Sunak has not closed the institutes, the UK government is expected to promise that it will stop funding Mandarin teaching at the centres. In her speech, Ms Truss said Mr Sunak was "right" to make those pledges. "We need to see those policies enacted urgently," she added. The prime minister updated the UK's integrated review on foreign and defence policy in March to describe China as representing an "epoch-defining and systemic challenge". In her speech, Ms Truss said the review needed to be amended to "state clearly that China is a threat". She called on the UK government to support Taiwan joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement - and for it to block China from joining. UK agrees to join Asia's trade club - but what is it? The former prime minister also called for the development of "an economic Nato", which "supports freedom and proper free enterprise". She suggested countries including the G7 nations, members of the EU, South Korea and Australia could join this kind of group. Ms Truss said: "We cannot rely now on the UN security council, which was recently chaired by Putin's Russia. "We cannot rely on the World Trade Organisation to make sure fair trade rules are in place. That's why we need other alternatives to get things done." Ms Truss made the speech at the invitation of the Prospect Foundation, a think tank. It forms part of the former UK leader's five-day visit to the country. Last week, senior Conservative MP Alicia Kearns accused former Prime Minister Liz Truss of "Instagram diplomacy" over her planned visit to Taiwan. Ms Kearns, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs committee, told the Guardian the trip was "performative, not substantive". But Ms Truss accused her Tory colleague of "misusing" her position "to engage in petty political attacks", and said her visit aimed to show "solidarity" with Taiwan. Taiwan and China split in 1949 following a civil war that ended with the Communist Party in control of the mainland. China views Taiwan as Chinese territory.

Although an adequate amount of dietary iodine is important, too much may worsen specific forms of hypothyroidism Central/secondary hypothyroidism affects 1:20,000 to 1:80,000 of the population, or about one out of every thousand people with hypothyroidism

A year after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son was cleared of all charges of possession and consumption of drugs, the case is once again making headlines in India. An officer in charge of investigating the case against Aryan Khan - who was arrested in November 2021 - has been charged for corruption and extortion. Sameer Wankhede has been accused of asking for a bribe of 250m rupees ($3.04m, £2.4m) from the actor's family. On Monday, he was among the five people named in a complaint filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's leading investigation agency. The CBI said that Mr Wankhede had allegedly allowed his aides to threaten Aryan Khan's family, saying he would be framed in a drugs case unless they paid the amount. ‘Excessive’ media gaze on star son after drug bust Mr Wankhede has denied the allegations and said he is being "rewarded for being a patriot". There was no immediate comment from Aryan Khan or his family. Mr Wankhede was one of the three officers who led the October 2021 raid on a cruise in which the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) claimed to have seized drugs from Aryan Khan and 19 others, and arrested them. Aryan Khan was taken off a cruise ship that was on its way from Mumbai - the city where his family live - to Goa. The NCB said Aryan Khan and the others were detained under laws "related to possession, consumption and sale of illegal substances". The case made headlines in India and globally. The Bollywood actor's son spent nearly three weeks in jail and was later released on bail. A twist came in November when Mr Wankhede was criticised for mishandling the case and was transferred from his position as the chief of NCB's Mumbai zone. Nawab Malik, a politician belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which was part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra at that time, accused Mr Wankhede of several irregularities, including extortion. Shortly after, the case against Aryan Khan - along with six other pending investigations - was taken away from Mr Wankhede and handed over to a special investigation team. Mr Wankhede's tenure with the NCB ended in December and five months later, he was moved to a tax department in the southern city of Chennai. Reports, however, said that he continued to spend most of his time in Mumbai on leave. In the meantime, the drugs agency cleared Aryan Khan of all charges in May 2022. Girlfriend on 'media trial' in Bollywood star's death In August, the case was back in the news after Mr Wankhede filed a police complaint, alleging that he was receiving death threats on social media. In another complaint the same month, Mr Wankhede alleged that he was being harassed by a top NCB official, who was investigating the irregularities in the drugs case. The CBI says it began investigating Mr Wankhede and four others after an NCB official accused them of impropriety under Mr Wankhede's supervision. It said that a special enquiry team of the NCB found several irregularities in the manner in which Mr Wankhede conducted the investigation. The names of 17 suspects had been dropped from the official documents filed in connection with the case, the agency said in its complaint. It added that Mr Wankhede allowed two civilians - KP Gosavi and his aide Sanvile D'Souza - to accompany the team of NCB officials on the raid as "independent witnesses", but gave the suspects the impression that they were NCB officials. "Gosavi was even allowed to come to the NCB office after the raid, which is against the norms for an independent witness," the complaint registered by the CBI said. "He also clicked selfies and recorded the voice note of an accused." According to the enquiry team, this allowed Mr Gosavi to demand 250m rupees from Aryan Khan's family as he threatened them with accusations of drug possession against their son. The amount was brought down to 180m rupees and a token amount of 5m rupees was taken as bribe by Mr Gosavi and Mr D'Souza. A part of this was later returned by them, the CBI said. Aryan Khan's family has not commented on the allegation. Why a film star's death trumped India's Covid story The CBI complaint also alleged that during the investigation, Mr Wankhede had failed to provide "satisfactory proof" of his assets against his declared income. On Monday, CBI officials raided Mr Wankhede's home along with 28 other locations in Mumbai city in connection with the case. Mr Wankhede denied the allegations against him and said he was being "rewarded for being a patriot". "They found 23,000 rupees and four property papers in my house," he told reporters after the raid . "These assets were acquired before I joined the service." On Tuesday, his wife said the allegations against him were wrong. "We are fully cooperating in the CBI proceedings. We have faith in law and order, and we are ready to cooperate with the investigating agency as a responsible citizen," Kranti Redkar Wankhede told news agency ANI. BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features. The life of India's gangster-politician killed on live TVTo kiss or not - the taboo around public affection in IndiaThe remarkable reinvention of cricket icon Dhoni at 41 'I lost 11 family members in Kerala boat accident'Broken dreams and burnt homes after India ethnic clashesIndia’s booming population needs more women at workDeaths raise fresh fears over cow vigilantism in India

Grayson temporarily took over as Batman (while Wayne was traveling through time), using the aid of Damian Wayne, making his newish appearance as "Robin", to defeat and imprison Todd As a team, Batman and Robin have commonly been referred to as the Caped Crusaders and the Dynamic Duo

Scotland's first minister has said there was nothing unusual in the timing of a warrant to search his predecessor's home. It emerged on Tuesday that police asked for permission to search Nicola Sturgeon's house and the SNP HQ during the party's leadership contest. The request was not granted by a sheriff until two weeks later - after the contest ended. Humza Yousaf said the government would "never dream" of interfering. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the first minister was asked whether a two-week gap between a warrant being requested and granted was normal. Police waited two weeks for SNP search warrantTimeline: The SNP finances controversy He replied: "I suppose that would be a question for the Crown, not questions for government or ministers or the first minister. "I don't believe there will be any particular reason out of the ordinary that it would take that time." Mr Yousaf added: "We would never dream of interfering, neither in a live police investigation, but certainly not in a search warrant. "I'm the first minister. I don't sign off on search warrants, I don't get involved in operational decisions for Police Scotland." The first minister also said he did not believe the Crown Office took decisions "based on election contests or politics". 15 February - Nicola Sturgeon announces she is to stand down as first minister and SNP leader 18 March - Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell quits as SNP chief executive in a row over misleading party membership figures being given to the press 20 March - Police submit a draft warrant to the Crown Office seeking permission to search Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell's home and the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh 27 March - Mr Yousaf narrowly defeats Kate Forbes in the SNP leadership contest 3 April - The finalised search warrant is sent to a sheriff and is granted 5 April - Police raid the home of Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell and the party HQ and remove several boxes of evidence. Mr Murrell is arrested and later released without charge. See a full timeline of the two-year police investigation here. Sources close to the inquiry have denied that there was an undue delay in granting the warrant, which is reported to have included a long list of items the police wanted to seize as part of their ongoing investigation into the SNP's finances. BBC Scotland understands that prosecutors discussed the draft search warrant with police officers after it was submitted, with a sheriff signing it off on the same day it was finalised. Opposition parties have highlighted what they believe is a potential conflict of interest in the role of Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, who heads the Crown Office but is also a Scottish government minister and sits in its cabinet meetings. Ms Bain did not respond when asked by Sky News on Tuesday whether the search warrant had been deliberately delayed until after Ms Sturgeon left office. A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said prosecutors always acted independently of political pressure or interference. He also said any case involving a politician was carried out without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or her deputy the Solicitor General. Details of the two-week gap between detectives submitting a request for a search warrant to the Crown Office and it being sent to a sheriff for approval were released by Police Scotland in response to a freedom of information request and first reported by the Scottish Sun. It showed that the Crown Office was told on 20 March that Police Scotland wanted a search warrant. It was not until 3 April - a week after Mr Yousaf, the SNP hierarchy's preferred candidate, narrowly won the SNP leadership contest - that the application for a warrant was approved by a sheriff. Officers searched the Glasgow home of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell two days later. Mr Murrell, who had recently quit as the SNP's chief executive, was arrested before later being released without charge while further investigations were carried out. The SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh was also searched on 5 April and a luxury motorhome that sells for about £110,000 was seized from outside the home of Mr Murrell's mother in Dunfermline. Colin Beattie, who was the party's treasurer at the time, was arrested on 18 April before also being released without charge while further inquiries were carried out. He subsequently quit as treasurer. Alba MP Kenny MacAskill, who served as justice secretary in the SNP government led by Alex Salmond, called for a judge-led inquiry into the Crown Office's role in the granting of the warrant to search Ms Sturgeon's house and the SNP HQ. He said an inquiry would "reassure the public that the decisions taken by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have not been influenced by political considerations". Scottish Conservative MSP Russell Findlay told BBC Scotland that the case raised "fundamental questions" about the role of the Lord Advocate. He said it was "not appropriate" for the head of the prosecution service to also be a government minister, and that the roles needed to be separated. Police launched their Operation Branchform investigation almost two years ago after receiving complaints about how a total of £666,953 donated to the SNP by activists was used. The party pledged to spend the funds on a future independence referendum. Questions were raised after its accounts showed it had just under £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total net assets of about £272,000. Last year it emerged Mr Murrell gave a loan of more than £100,000 to the SNP to help it out with a "cash flow" issue after the last election. The party had repaid about half of the loan by October of that year. It still owes money to its former chief executive, but has not said how much.

"In February 2006, Gilmour was interviewed for the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, which announced that Pink Floyd had officially disbanded The meaning of "fame" has changed over the years, originally meaning "renown" for achievement, as opposed to today's more common meaning of "celebrity"

One of the world's biggest carmakers has called on the government to renegotiate part of the Brexit deal or risk losing parts of its car industry. Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, had committed to making electric cars in the UK, but says that is under threat. It said it can no longer meet Brexit trade rules on where parts are sourced. The government is "determined" that the UK will remain competitive in car manufacturing, a spokesperson said. "If the cost of electric vehicle manufacturing in the UK becomes uncompetitive and unsustainable, operations will close," Stellantis said. It is the first time a car firm has openly called on the government to renegotiate the terms of the Brexit trade deal. It called on the government to come to an agreement with the EU to keep rules as they are until 2027, and it also wants arrangements for manufacturing parts in Serbia and Morocco to be reviewed. Nissan warns costs must fall to make new electric cars in UK Just two years ago, the world's fourth biggest car maker said the future of its Ellesmere Port and Luton plants was secure. But now Stellantis has asked the UK government to renegotiate part of the Brexit deal amid a "threat to our export business and the sustainability of our UK manufacturing operations". In a submission to a Commons inquiry into electric car production, the firm said its UK investments were based on meeting the strict terms of the post-Brexit free trade deal. These rules state that from next year, 45% of the value of the electric car should originate in the UK or EU to qualify for trade without tariffs, later rising to 65%. Stellantis said it was "now unable to meet these rules of origin" after the surge in raw materials costs during the pandemic and energy crisis. Why rules of origin are a headache for manufacturersHonda workers in Swindon to face 'reality check' after it closes If the government cannot get an agreement to keep the current rules until 2027, from next year "trade between the UK and EU would be subject to 10% tariffs", it said. This would make domestic production and exports uncompetitive in comparison to Japan and South Korea, it said. "To reinforce the sustainability of our manufacturing plants in the UK, the UK must consider its trading arrangements with Europe," Stellantis said. A government spokesperson said that Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch "has raised this with the EU". Ms Badenoch, who will meet with Stellantis executives today, "is determined to ensure the UK remains one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing, especially as we transition to electric vehicles," the spokesperson said. The government has set up a fund to develop the supply chain for electric vehicles, and in the coming months will take "decisive action to ensure future investment in zero emission vehicle manufacturing", the spokesperson added. But Labour's shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said manufacturers had been let down by a "government in chaos". He said that "the jewel in the crown of British manufacturing is at risk without urgent action from the government", promising that Labour "will work with industry to build the gigafactories we need". The deal on electric cars and batteries was one of the very last issues settled in Brexit negotiations between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen in 2020. The Stellantis document warns that uncompetitive electric vehicle costs will mean "manufacturers will not continue to invest" and will "relocate manufacturing operations outside of the UK". It then lists Ford, and BMW's electric Mini, as well as Honda's investment in the US after closing its UK site in Swindon. The core problem remains a lack of UK battery plants, and a domestic supply chain that should be being built now, but is being dwarfed by developments elsewhere. At a time of some uncertainty over UK trading arrangements, now the US, China and the EU are pouring subsidies into this market. The industry-wide fear is that the UK is missing out on a once-in-a-generation tidal wave of investment around the electrification of cars. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Tesla's Elon Musk, who hinted he might invest in a gigafactory - which makes batteries - in France. The owners of the UK's biggest manufacturer, Jaguar Land Rover, are currently being wooed by the Spanish government to host a gigafactory that had long been assumed to be being built in the UK. Andy Palmer, a former chief operating officer at Nissan and chairman of the battery start-ups Inobat and Ionetic, told the BBC "we are running out of time" to get battery manufacturing in the UK. "It's basically impossible to meet those [EU] local content rules unless you're sourcing your battery from a plant in the UK or in the EU," he told Radio 4's Today programme. He added that the cost of failure was clear: "It's 800,000 jobs [lost] in the UK, which is basically those jobs associated with the car industry." David Bailey, professor of business economics at the Birmingham Business School, agreed, saying: "If we don't make batteries at scale in the UK, we won't have a mass car industry." He added that although the government under Boris Johnson wanted a "gigafactory" built in the UK, "essentially there's no industrial policy to back that up". The Brexit trade agreement allowed a "phase in" of the strict rules on the origin for electric vehicle parts. The first stage comes in next year, and some in the UK car industry hope that the EU itself may want to renegotiate, if its own manufacturers are struggling to meet the origin requirements. But the requirements are hard-wired into the UK-EU treaty. The rules are then due to tighten again in 2027, and insiders believe UK exporters will find it impossible to export cars tariff free at that point, without UK battery production.

She made her American television debut guest-starring as a Rebel Wilson' character mother in her short-lived comedy series Super Fun Night While in Cincinnati, Weaver began to question his support for the institution of slavery, a change biographers attribute to Storer's influence

A mother says she watched her terrified seven-year-old son ride a rollercoaster without the safety bar down. Emma Underhill said she was unable to sleep after watching James ride the Nessi rollercoaster at the Rhyl Family Fun Fair in the Children's Village. Ms Underhill, 27, said she was horrified when she realised James was not strapped in. A Rhyl Family Fun Fair spokesperson said an internal investigation was ongoing. It was not the family's first time at the park, but it was the first time James had been allowed on the rollercoaster by his mother. Once off the ride, Ms Underhill said her son was "shaking and petrified". Theme park's 'sadness' over rollercoaster injuries "He said: 'Mummy, I thought I was going to fall out and die'," the mum from Greenfield, Flintshire, said. "I can't sleep. I'm getting upset talking about it. I can still see his face on that ride now. I had to watch him go around that whole track once, knowing he wasn't strapped in. As a parent who has always kept my children safe, it was terrifying." The theme park said it was treating the complaint "very seriously", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed the matter was passed to their concerns team and North Wales Police said they attended the incident. Ms Underhill, was at the theme park on 13 May with her partner Daniel Badrock, 28, James and their other son George, two. She said: "It was Daniel's birthday, so we thought we'd take the children out. James wanted to go on the Nessi rollercoaster on his own. He was very excited, thinking he was brave. Bless him. "James sat on the rollercoaster waiting to go. We were watching when he screamed: 'I'm not strapped in'. "My partner and I were literally screaming to the ride operator that James wasn't strapped in, and he replied: 'Yes, he is'," Ms Underhill claimed. "I watched petrified as the rollercoaster moved. The ride goes around twice, but the operator didn't stop it until after the first lap, and it was then he noticed the safety bar wasn't down on James. "James had just been holding on to a handrail the whole way around with no safety bar. I ran up and got James off the ride. I was in a panic, and James was screaming the whole time around. "There are signs on the rollercoaster saying the safety bar will be put down immediately, but there was no safety-bar check. It's not a slow rollercoaster - it has some speed to it." "He's lucky there were no physical injuries, but psychologically our anxiety has gone through the roof," she said. A Rhyl Family Fun Fair spokesperson said: "There was a complaint that was brought to our attention on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Although there were no injuries sustained, we have launched an internal investigation which is currently ongoing." They also said due to the investigation they could not comment further, but that the park has health and safety measures including safety checks. It said they were taking the complaint "very seriously". The family are waiting for a call back from the doctor on how to manage James' stress levels, his mother said. She also reported the matter to Denbighshire County Council and the HSE. She said there was "no apology from the ride operator or the owner". "We are meant to be going to Thomas the Tank Engine Land in a couple of months. James has said he doesn't want to go on a rollercoaster for the rest of his life." Ms Underhill said the incident had left them "angry and upset". A police spokesperson said: "We were called shortly after 1pm on Saturday, May 13 to report a dispute in the Children's Village area of Rhyl. Officers attended the area to speak with those involved as well as staff members at the site." The council said fairground safety concerns were the responsibility of the HSE.

There are many classical guitarists listed as notable in their respective epochs == Epistemology of logic ==The epistemology of logic investigates how one knows that an argument is valid or that a proposition is logically true

A kitchen garden which once produced food for the Earls of Enniskillen is now providing food for the soul. The garden at Florence Court in County Fermanagh has been restored to its former 1930s glory with the help of a team of volunteers. Two glasshouses which were demolished in the 1970s have been reinstated by the National Trust. They will be used to grow soft fruits and provide a space to nurture an interest in horticulture and heritage. The walled garden was created during the late 18th century and was once the heart of the Florence Court estate, the home of the Earls of Enniskillen. It was at its most productive from the late 1890s up to the Second World War, with 12 full-time gardeners cultivating fruit, vegetables and flowers. However, it fell in to decline following the departure of the last head gardener in 1947. After the estate was gifted to the National Trust in 1995, parts of the two-acre garden were restored, including the rose garden and apple orchard. The senior gardener at Florence Court, Ian Marshall, said the kitchen garden project is "about building a community as much as a garden". There are just over 30 volunteers who work in the garden for a day or two each week. "They are a hard-working and dedicated bunch, and without them the garden wouldn't exist," said Mr Marshall. "I think we have the peace, the tranquillity, but also the craic in here." One of the volunteers Deirdre McSorley believes working in the garden is "better than going to the gym". "It's a learning exercise, it's also very therapeutic, and you are getting exercise," she said. "I've got a garden at home with very little growing in it, so I'm learning here. "So when you do something like propagate seeds I know to do it at home," she added. Mr Marshall said new volunteers are always welcome. "It's a great social activity, you're meeting great people, great weather, though not all the time, and also you build up a bit of knowledge. "That's what I think people are here for, they come to learn new skills but they also come to meet new people and have a bit of fun." The two new glasshouses were installed following an award of £410,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore the garden to its original character and atmosphere. One will be used to grow fruits and plants and the other will be a community hub for hosting lectures, training workshops and skill-sharing.

"==== Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (Umm Habiba) ====In the same year, Muhammad signed a peace treaty with his Meccan enemies, the Quraysh effectively ending the state of war between the two parties ==== Hira'a Cave ====Situated atop Jabal an-Nur, this is the cave where Muslims believe Muhammad received the first revelation from Allah through the archangel Gabriel (Jibril in Islamic tradition) at the age of 40

Wales also received immigration from various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations in the 20th century, and African-Caribbean and Asian communities add to the ethnocultural mix, particularly in urban Wales Traditional dances include Welsh folk dancing and clog dancing

Funding for schools to bring pupils from different religions and backgrounds together is to be cut by 50% from September. Shared education sees pupils from different schools and backgrounds meeting for classes and activities. Hundreds of schools which take part face getting only half of the funding they received during 2022/23. A letter from the Education Authority (EA) said the 50% cut was due to the "financial climate". The letter to principals also said there was no funding available for shared education from the Department of Education (DE) after April 2024. According to the most recent DE figures, about 700 schools and pre-schools had received funding for shared education projects as of June 2021. The aim is to bring pupils from Catholic, Protestant and other backgrounds together on a regular basis for joint classes, activities or trips. It is different to integrated education. One of the longest-running partnerships is between Limavady High School and St Mary's High School. The two schools are also set to share Northern Ireland's first completed shared education campus - a new building used by pupils of both. The department provided funding of about £5m a year for schools working together in Shared Education partnerships. That paid for trips, resources, activities and things like the cost of buses to transport pupils between schools. But in the letter from the EA, which has been seen by BBC News NI, principals were told education budget pressures "have unfortunately impacted on the budget available to support mainstreamed shared education (MSE) for the next academic year". Funding for education was cut in the recent budget from the Northern Ireland secretary. The shared education money for schools will be about 50% less than the budget provided in 2022/23, the EA letter said. "We recognise that this will be detrimental to the level of activity that can be provided to children and young people," it added. Schools in shared education partnerships will be told the exact funding they will get in the coming days. The EA letter said that "due to the current significant financial pressures" funding to schools for shared education could not yet be confirmed beyond Easter 2024. "It is hoped that further resourcing will be made available thereafter but at this time we are unable to make any further commitments beyond that timeframe," it said. The department has already cut funding for numerous schemes, mainly aimed at helping disadvantaged pupils, to save money. Funding for others, like the early years programmes the Pathway Fund and Sure Start, has not yet been confirmed beyond June. Why are there so many cuts? The Executive Office has suggested cuts to numerous groups in response to what it calls "the most challenging budget in recent history". With a percentage of funds already allocated for designated purposes, the department says front-facing funding cuts are inevitable. Stormont officials believe they will need to find £800m in cuts and revenue-raising measures in the wake of last month's budget announcement, which was set by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris. The task was put upon Mr Heaton-Harris in the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) continues its boycott of devolved government until concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements are resolved. Mr Heaton-Harris, who has denied setting a "punishment budget", warned that government departments face difficult decisions in order to live within the funding available. The news about shared education cuts comes as the Equality Commissioner for Northern Ireland has said its funding is at a "critical stage". Required funding for the year ahead has been reduced by about 11% (£9.5m). That is despite extra expenditure on areas like the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the Identity and Language Act. Equality Commission chief commissioner Geraldine McGahey told BBC News NI the commission had been subjected to successive year-on-year cuts for more than a decade. She said its budget had been reduced by nearly 40% in that period with staffing numbers currently half its establishment figure, despite taking on new responsibilities. "This further proposed 10% budget reduction just compounds this situation further," she said. "The level of funding is now at a critical stage and impacting significantly on the nature and scale of the work we can do to improve people's lives through addressing inequalities and tackling discrimination." This was particularly disappointing following the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement which established the commission as one of its safeguards, she added. The Executive Office has been allocated £182m for the year ahead - this is despite an increase in financial pressures related to both loss of income sources and new spend commitments. These new spends include: The Covid-19 inquiryThe Homes for Ukraine schemeAn increasing number of asylum seekers choosing to make their home in Northern IrelandPreparations for the establishment of three new bodies mandated by fresh Irish language and Ulster Scots legislation. The department said £106m of this year's budget has already been earmarked toward schemes such as truth recovery and victims' payments. These funds can only be used for their designated purposes and not at the discretion of the department. With a baseline budget requirement of £85.2m for additional spending, the department now faces a reduction equating to £9.5m. Some 37% of TEO's budget is spent by its arm's-length bodies (ALB) focused on areas such as equality, community relations and institutional abuse. An equality impact assessment on potential decisions - which now faces a 12-week consultation period - includes a model of how a 10% budget cut would impact some of these ALBs. Bodies impacted could include: Equality CommissionCommunity Relations CouncilCommission for Victims and SurvivorsAttorney General for Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland Judicial Appointments CommissionCommissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse An analysis of information held by TEO indicates ALB reductions are anticipated to have a negative impact on good relations between people of different religious beliefs, political opinions or racial groups. The department says budget cuts could also have significant and adverse impacts on children, women, people with disabilities, those with mental health problems, refugees and migrants. TEO said it had identified potential areas for mitigation by prioritising projects where the safety of a group is at risk. Further money-saving measures could include continuing a temporary suspension of recruitment and a reduction in Good Relations work - reducing delivery to district council schemes by about 50% compared with last year. The department stressed these were not recommendations that would be made by officials under normal circumstances, but were actions required as a consequence of "an extremely constrained" budget allocation.