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The water pipes in the town are old and prone to leaks and bursts, Severn Trent Water said. Part of Milford Road is expected to be closed until the summer as a metal water pipe is replaced. Diversions will be in place. The road is "just too narrow" in parts to be kept open as large machinery will be used, a spokesman said. More than 12 miles (20km) of new water pipes are being laid from the Shugborough area into Stafford town centre. In the first phase, which began in September, pipes were installed on Tixall Road for a new housing development nearby.

The second phase of a £15m project to upgrade the water and sewer pipes in Stafford is under way.

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There have been calls for Carroll, 27, to make an international return after his recent hat-trick against Arsenal. But Hodgson said: "Every time someone scores a goal and he's English it is 'why is he not playing for England?' "I'm certainly not going to pick him on the basis that he scored a hat-trick so therefore has to be in the England team." Ex-Newcastle and Liverpool forward Carroll has scored two goals in nine England appearances, but has not featured for the national side since October 2012. Tottenham's Harry Kane, the Premier League's top-scorer with 22 goals this season, and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, who has netted 21 times, have established themselves in the England set-up and both played in last month's friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands. Arsenal forwards Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge were also in those squads, while captain Wayne Rooney has now returned to the Manchester United side following injury. Media playback is not supported on this device Carroll has scored seven league goals this season and Hodgson will name his 23-man squad for this summer's tournament in France on 12 May. "We know Andy, we know his qualities," added the 68-year-old. "In an ideal world, if you had a lot of places at your disposal, you'd always include a guy like him because he is exceptional in the air - but whether or not I'd be able to include him with all these others, I don't know." The England boss hinted that even skipper Rooney might not be assured of a place after his two-month lay-off with a knee problem. "There's no disguising the fact that people like (Arsenal midfielder) Jack Wilshere, (Manchester City forward) Raheem Sterling, (Liverpool midfielder) Jordan Henderson, (Arsenal midfielder) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wayne Rooney - a year ago they were five players who were getting into every squad," said Hodgson. "Things have happened to them and we have to reassess. "If we can be sure they are at the level of fitness and capability to produce the performances they produced a year ago they will be serious contenders. If we are not convinced, we have to give it some thought."

England manager Roy Hodgson has played down West Ham striker Andy Carroll's chance of being selected for Euro 2016.

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Vikki Thompson, 21, was found dead in her cell at HMP Leeds in 2015 with a ligature around her neck. Robert Steele told the hearing in Wakefield Miss Thompson wrote to him while in prison saying: "I know I'm going to do something silly." Giving evidence he said: "I believe she shouldn't have been in a male prison." More stories from across Yorkshire The jury inquest was also told Miss Thompson, from Keighley, had repeatedly told prison and court escort staff that she would be "carried out in a box". Mr Steele said he spoke to her on the phone while she was in prison and she told him she wanted to move to a women's prison that and her solicitors were waiting for her to make a formal application to the governor. Mr Steele also said he received a letter from his partner which said: "I don't think I can last very long in here. I can't sleep at night. I just feel like I won't be here no more. "I know I'm going to do something silly. I don't want to but I can't do this." But, in a statement read to the court, Miss Thompson's mother Lisa Harrison said her daughter did not say she had a problem being in a men's prison. "Vikki didn't like prison but who does?" Ms Harrison said. "She never said anything to me about it being the wrong prison for her." The inquest heard Miss Thompson had identified as female since she was 10 years old but had never had any surgical or hormone treatment. She did not have a Gender Recognition Certificate establishing her female identity so she was sent to a men's prison. Coroner Jonathan Leach said the inquest would examine a number of issues including the suitability of the "prison accommodation". The jury was told that after an extensive risk assessment process Miss Thompson was initially put in E-Wing rather than A-Wing, where vulnerable prisoners were housed, and placed on a one-hour suicide watch. Mr Leach said this decision was taken because it was thought she might be under more risk on A-Wing due to the number of sex offenders there. He said she was later allowed to move to A-Wing but was taunted by men in the segregation block below. The inquest heard that on the day she died Miss Thompson had been seen watching TV at 19:00 GMT but at 20:00 she was spotted on the floor with the ligature round her neck and the alarm was raised. The inquest, which is expected to last three weeks, continues

The partner of a transgender woman found dead in a men's prison while on remand has told an inquest she did not want to be in a male jail.

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As well as the African Player of the Year and Africa-based African Player of the Year shortlists which were announced last month, a range of other awards will also be handed out. Continental successes feature heavily in the categories including nods to Nigeria's women's Nations Cup winners and Uganda's Gabon 2017 qualifiers. Arsenal striker Asisat Oshaola, who finished as the top scorer with Nigeria at the women's Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, is amongst the names on the Women's Player of the Year shortlist. The Super Falcons coach, Florence Omagbemi, is rewarded for Nigeria's triumph with a nomination for Coach of the Year. She will face competition from, amongst others, Uganda coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic, who guided the Cranes to their first Africa Cup of Nations finals in 39 years. Also on that list is Pitso Mosimane who coached South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns to the African Champions League title. Sundowns are also on the Club of the Year shortlist. Other names in the frame for an award are Manchester City's Nigeria striker Kelechi Iheanacho who is up for the Most Promising Talent prize, and fellow Super Eagle Alex Iwobi who features in the Youth Player of the Year category. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria on Thursday, 5 January 2017. Women's Player of the Year: Most promising Talent: Youth Player of the Year: Coach of the Year: Referee of the Year: Club of the Year: National Team of the Year: Women's National Team of the Year:

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) named the shortlists for eight more categories ahead of its annual awards gala to be held in Abuja on 5 January 2017.

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The USA captain has been undergoing medical evaluations since last month, his club Seattle Sounders revealed. The 33-year-old, who spent seven years playing in England, returned to training with Seattle on Wednesday. "You can't just say, 'Clint's important to us'. You have to mean it. And that means Clint's health comes first," said Seattle general manager Garth Lagerwey. Take part in our new Premier League Predictor game, which allows you to create leagues with friends. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Former Tottenham and Fulham forward Clint Dempsey has undergone a procedure to address an irregular heartbeat.

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The government said that protests against the bill had given ministers "food for thought". Poland already has among the tightest abortion laws in Europe, and the proposal sought to ban all abortions unless the mother's life was at risk. MPs voted to reject the bill by 352 votes to 58. The bill came from an anti-abortion citizens' initiative that gathered some 450,000 signatures. It was initially backed by the Catholic Church, but bishops then said they could not support one of the proposals, to jail women who had an abortion. Poland's tussle over abortion ban The proposals were not sponsored by Poland's ruling, socially conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) and MPs were given a free vote. However, many PiS MPs initially voted to back the bill when it went before parliament last month. Some 100,000 people, mostly women, protested against the proposals in cities across Poland on Monday and appeared to prompt the PiS to swing against the bill, although the party promotes Catholic values. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo distanced herself from a change to the law and Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin moved to reassure women on Wednesday that a total ban would not get through. "Abortion will certainly not be banned when the woman is the victim of rape or if her life or her health is in danger," he insisted. Since Law and Justice came to power last year, it has been criticised by the EU for taking control of state media appointments and for reforms to Poland's constitutional court. Abortion is already largely banned in Poland. The only exceptions are a severe and irreversible damage to the foetus, a serious threat to the mother's health, or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. The Stop Abortion campaign group wanted the ban extended to cases of rape and incest. The only exception would have been where the mother's life was in danger. Doctors already risk punishment if they carry out an illegal termination. But the tighter proposals would have made abortion punishable with an five-year prison term. In the end this was a bill that not even the Catholic Church could support. Just before the vote in parliament, Poland's bishops put out a statement saying that while they opposed abortion they did not support punishing women for having the procedure. The proposed ban was not popular amongst most Poles, even though some members of the right-wing ruling party initially supported it. The scale of Monday's protests clearly gave Law and Justice food for thought, and the education and science minister Jaroslaw Gowin spoke about a lesson in humility. After the vote, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said a pro-life education campaign would be prepared instead. It seems that a 23 year-old compromise, which only allows abortion in cases of rape or incest or when the health of the mother or foetus is seriously endangered, will remain in place.

Poland's parliament has voted overwhelmingly to reject a controversial citizens' bill for a near-total ban on abortion.

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13 August 2016 Last updated at 10:12 BST She has become Britain's first woman ever to win a trampolining medal at the Olympics. Bryony took silver place on Friday with a score of score of 56.040, just behind Canada's Rosie MacLennan. The 25-year-old said that she hadn't expected to win a medal at all, but her performance in the final had been the best she'd done all year. Now she wants more kids to get involved in the sport, and says that it's about a lot more than just winning medals. Watch Ricky's interview with her.

Team GB silver medallist Bryony Page says she hopes more kids will be inspired to take up trampolining after her success in Rio.

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The panther chameleon was found on Monday by a dog walker in the wooded area at Marl Park. It had to be put down after X-rays showed all of its legs were broken and it had a deformed spine. RSPCA Cymru said it was an "extremely sad example of an abandoned and neglected exotic pet". Inspector Selina Chan said: "It is a possibility that the owners took on this animal but were unable to provide the care he needs and decided to release him to the wild. "We are urging potential owners of exotic animals to thoroughly research what is required in the care of the particular species before taking one on. "Potential owners need to make sure they can give their animal the environment it needs and they have the facilities, time, financial means and long-term commitment to maintain a good standard of care, as required under the Animal Welfare Act 2006." She added it was illegal to release non-native species into the wild.

Owners of exotic animals have been urged to do research before having them as pets after a seriously neglected chameleon was found in Cardiff Bay.

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Kim Wall, 30, was last seen on Thursday evening on board the vessel with the owner, 46-year-old Peter Madsen. The submarine later sank and Mr Madsen was rescued before being arrested and charged with manslaughter. The stricken vessel, the Nautilus, has been raised but no body was found and the search for Ms Wall goes on. Mr Madsen initially said that he dropped Ms Wall off before it sank but police say he has now changed his statement - although they have not said what to. Police gave no other information on why they thought the Nautilus was deliberately sunk, but it contradicts Mr Madsen's explanation that there was a technical fault. Mr Madsen has denied involvement in Ms Wall's death, and will be held in custody for 24 days while investigations continue. Ms Wall's boyfriend first reported her missing after she failed to return from what should have been a short trip on the submarine. She had been writing about Mr Madsen and his submarine, which at one stage was the largest privately-made vessel of its kind. Police are still appealing for witnesses who may have seen Ms Wall on Thursday evening. "We're still hoping that we'll find Kim Wall alive, but we are preparing ourselves for the fact that she may not be," Copenhagen police homicide chief Jens Moller said.

Danish police believe that a submarine at the centre of an investigation into a missing Swedish journalist was deliberately sunk.

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A counter at thepiratebay.se showed a countdown to 1 February, but it appears to have come back online a day early. The website, which provides links to pirated content, was taken offline following a raid in Sweden in December. Police officers seized servers in Stockholm after a complaint was filed by a group called the Rights Alliance, which targets internet crime. The police operation took place in an area in Nacka, south-east of Stockholm, with the area's cold weather used as a natural cooling system for computer servers. The site was taken down in 2006 after another raid by police but reappeared online three days later. The Pirate Bay is one of the internet's most-visited websites, and the film, music and software industries blame it for losses running into billions of pounds. Internet service providers (ISPs) in the UK were ordered by the High Court to block access to the site in 2012. In October Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfrid Warg was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for hacking into computers and illegally downloading files. Another co-founder, 35-year-old Peter Sunde, was arrested in Sweden last year after two years on the run and was sentenced to eight months in prison for violating copyright laws. Meanwhile a third co-founder, Hans Fredrik Lennart Neij (known to hackers as TiAMO), was arrested while trying to cross into Thailand from Laos in November. A message from "Winston" on the newly-relaunched site reads: "So, first we ditched the trackers. We even got rid of the torrents. Then we left the servers to enter the clouds. "Now, we're about to take the biggest step in our history." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

The Pirate Bay website has been relaunched.

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A man entered the store on Balmoral Place between 07:30 and 07:45, threatened a 33-year-old member of staff with a weapon and attacked him. The suspect fled with a four-figure sum of cash, cigarettes and the wallet and mobile of a 61-year-old customer who came into the shop and intervened. Police described it as a "shocking" and "vicious" attack. The suspect was described as white, in his early 20s, wearing black trousers, a black top, light pink trainers and a black scarf covering his face. He was also carrying a black backpack which may have had pink markings on it. Det Con Andrew Hope said: "This was a shocking attack. It was vicious and the member of staff sustained a serious head injury during the attack. "He was taken by ambulance to the Borders General Hospital where he was treated and has since been released. "The suspect had no thought for the staff member or the customer who thankfully was not injured in the incident. "The Post Office is a busy place, as is Gala Park where the suspect made off towards, so I would appeal to anyone who saw the attack and who hasn't already spoken to police, or anyone who can assist officers with their inquiries to contact us."

A shop worker has been seriously injured during a raid on a post office in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.

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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced to five years for allegedly plotting to topple the government in Tehran. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, has criticised the UK government for a lack of action and said the appeal against the term was happening in "secret". It is understood it is being held in Tehran on Wednesday. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 38 has spent time in solitary confinement since her arrest at Tehran Airport last April, with her two-year-old daughter Gabriella. The child has remained in Iran after the government confiscated her passport and is being looked after by her grandparents. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced to five years in jail in September on charges that have not been disclosed. Mr Ratcliffe said the family could not go to his wife's appeal hearing and did not know when to expect a result as it was "another of these secret trials". He said: "Obviously her father is terrified, as am I. We are increasingly on tenterhooks as to what could happen." Mr Ratcliffe, 41, believes his wife is being used as a bargaining chip in a diplomatic row between Iran and the UK. He said he will know when the appeal has happened and what was said in the courtroom but the final outcome "might come today, it might come next week". There was a gap of about four weeks between his wife's trial and the verdict, he added. Mr Ratcliffe said his wife had felt suicidal and had started a hunger strike during her time in jail but there was "more fight in her" since being moved out of solitary confinement over Christmas. He told BBC Breakfast the outcome of the appeal was "unpredictable" as it could see her sentence quashed, reduced or increased. Speaking about his daughter, Mr Ratcliffe said: "I have watched her grow up on Skype. "She has lost her English, and she is now pretty much fluent in Farsi - with only a few words in English. "Conversations now either have to be translated through one of her aunts and uncles or they are very physical - so playing peekaboo and watching her dancing." Mr Ratcliffe said he was trying to get a visa so he could visit his wife and daughter. Amnesty International UK said Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was a "prisoner of conscience" who was being held for "peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression and association". Risk campaign manager Kathy Voss added: "Though she shouldn't even find herself in this awful position, we very much hope the appeal will rule in Nazanin's favour and order her immediate release."

The husband of a British-Iranian charity worker jailed in Iran is "terrified" about the outcome of his wife's appeal, he has said.

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The visitors went ahead thanks to a 24th minute penalty by Peter Whittingham, but were pegged back by a great strike from substitute Sullay Kaikai with six minutes left. Neil Warnock's men thought they had snatched the win when Kenneth Zohore raced clear to score on 88 minutes. But in added time, Kaikai headed in to frustrate the Bluebirds. It was a showing which will have frustrated Bluebirds' boss Warnock, who has bemoaned his side's defending as they look to escape the relegation battle at the bottom of the Championship. Whittingham, nearing a decade at the Welsh club, coolly gave Cardiff the lead from the spot after referee Simon Hooper decided Andreas Bjelland brought Cardiff defender Sean Morrison down in the box. Brentford huffed and puffed for an equaliser and might have had it sooner but for a couple of fine saves from Brian Murphy, who was making his debut in the Cardiff goal. In the second half, Murphy first denied Ryan Woods and then pulled off an even better stop to thwart John Egan with 15 minutes left. Murphy was finally beaten when 21-year-old Kaikai cut inside from the left and fired home an excellent shot. Zohore looked to have had the final say for the visitors when he poked beneath onrushing goalkeeper Daniel Bentley, but more drama followed when Bees defender John Egan crossed for Kaikai to head home his second and earn Dean Smith's side a point. Brentford manager Dean Smith: "I find it amazing that we have not had a single penalty this season but we have been there before. The officiating has not been the best this season and that is something that needs to improve. "That said, we should not have got ourselves into that position in the first place. "We started brightly but then they got the penalty and we lost a bit of confidence. "We started to go a little bit more direct but we had a talk at half-time and came out a lot stronger." Cardiff manager Neil Warnock: "We can be a decent team but a team has to be 11 lads on the same wavelength or opponents at this level will find you out. "One or two out there didn't have the desire when we needed it most and need to look at themselves." "The lads want to punish me. They don't want to make it easy for me. "It seems like a loss to be honest. Some of our experienced lads have to stand up - we have one or two who just please themselves instead of taking the game by the scruff of the neck." Match ends, Brentford 2, Cardiff City 2. Second Half ends, Brentford 2, Cardiff City 2. Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Daniel Bentley. Attempt saved. Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joe Bennett. Attempt missed. Joe Bennett (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kenneth Zohore with a headed pass. Nico Yennaris (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Sean Morrison (Cardiff City). Goal! Brentford 2, Cardiff City 2. Sullay Kaikai (Brentford) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by John Egan with a cross. Goal! Brentford 1, Cardiff City 2. Kenneth Zohore (Cardiff City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joe Ralls. Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Craig Noone. Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Craig Noone. Attempt blocked. Philipp Hofmann (Brentford) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Woods with a cross. Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Stuart O'Keefe. Goal! Brentford 1, Cardiff City 1. Sullay Kaikai (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Josh McEachran. Attempt saved. Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Attempt missed. Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Joe Ralls with a cross following a set piece situation. Foul by Scott Hogan (Brentford). Bruno Ecuele Manga (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Josh McEachran (Brentford). Joe Ralls (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Ryan Woods (Brentford). Craig Noone (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt saved. Sullay Kaikai (Brentford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Scott Hogan. Foul by Sullay Kaikai (Brentford). Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Cardiff City. Craig Noone replaces Junior Hoilett. Substitution, Brentford. Philipp Hofmann replaces Andreas Bjelland. Harlee Dean (Brentford). (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Harlee Dean (Brentford) is shown the yellow card. Attempt blocked. Harlee Dean (Brentford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andreas Bjelland. Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Anthony Pilkington. Attempt blocked. John Egan (Brentford) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Woods with a cross. Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Brian Murphy. Attempt saved. John Egan (Brentford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Scott Hogan with a headed pass. Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Scott Hogan (Brentford) is shown the yellow card. Attempt missed. Sullay Kaikai (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick. Sullay Kaikai (Brentford) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Stuart O'Keefe (Cardiff City).

A glut of late goals at Griffin Park saw honours shared between Brentford and Cardiff City.

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Ronaldsway Airport has been closed due to a plane not being able to taxi off the runway following its unsuccessful attempt to fly to Belfast. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company cancelled the 08:45 GMT Douglas to Heysham ferry and the 14:15 return. The Manx Met Office said strong winds were expected to hit the island throughout the day. Director of Ports Ann Reynolds said the plane had been unable to land in Belfast and had returned to the island, and that all passengers on board had been "returned to the airport by bus". She added that the pilot landed safely but decided the winds were too strong to taxi back to the airport. Citywing tweeted that all flights to and from the island were "cancelled for today" and the airport said it would remain closed until 13:00. A spokesman for the ferry company said the 19:45 service was expected to depart as scheduled. The strong winds have also brought trees and power cables down across the Isle of Man affecting motorists. Isle of Man Constabulary have shared pictures on social media of fallen trees and damage to the roof of the power station in Douglas. A police spokesman said the south of the island was "worst affected". "Trees are coming down all over the island, so please do not travel - if you have to travel, keep journeys to a minimum," he said. The Isle of Man Met Office has issued an amber weather warning and also warned of heavy rainfall at times throughout the day.

Gale force winds have led to the cancellation of ferries and flights between the Isle of Man and the UK.

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A statement issued by the region said the player had failed to recover from a head injury he suffered during the Premiership Sevens in August 2015. The 25-year-old started his career with Blackwood and played sevens for Wales. "I am devastated that I have been forced to retire from rugby through injury, but I know that it is the right decision," said Pewtner. In May 2015, another Dragons player Ashley Smith had to retire at the age of 28 following a "series of concussive events". And in September former Wales back-row Jonathan Thomas retired after being diagnosed with epilepsy linked to head traumas suffered while playing. Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones added: "It saddens us all to hear that Matthew has been forced to retire. "We are all grateful for Matthew's fantastic contribution to the team throughout the years he has been with the region. We wish him all the best for the future." In addition to playing seven for Wales, Pewtner was capped at under-20 level in 2009-10. He said he would be studying for a teaching qualification.

Newport Gwent Dragons wing Matthew Pewtner has been forced to retire from injury on medical advice.

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The pensioner, who is in her 70s, had gone into a church on William St on Friday and disturbed a man as he was trying to prise open a donation box. He left the church when he saw her, but returned and demanded money from her. "At first, the lady refused to hand over her purse but when this man hit her with the crowbar, she did give him a sum of money," police said. Det Sgt Stephen Wilson said the pensioner was "left shaken and has some bruising to her left shoulder". Officers investigating the robbery have arrested a 45-year-old man. He was detained on suspicion of attempted theft and robbery; going equipped for theft; and possession of an offensive weapon with intent.

An elderly woman has been hit with a crowbar during a robbery at a church in Portadown, County Armagh.

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It comes after one was found hiding under a water tank in a garden at Kirton Holme, near Boston, Lincolnshire, over the Easter weekend. Inspector Becky Harper said: "While he is very cute, we'd like to stress that raccoon dogs don't make good pets." "They are wild animals and we would strongly discourage people from buying or keeping one," she said. "They need a great deal of space, and their needs cannot be met in a typical domestic environment." More on this and other local stories from across Lincolnshire The RSPCA said it had dealt with a number of call-outs in recent years to stray pet raccoon dogs that have escaped, or been deliberately released to the wild. Ms Harper added that the animals posed a high level of threat to our native wildlife. The raccoon dog - now nicknamed Cedric by RSPCA staff - is being cared for at a specialist centre after efforts to trace its owners failed. He is due to be re-homed to a specialist keeper.

The RSPCA has issued a warning against what it says is a growing trend for keeping raccoon dogs as pets.

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Very occasionally tremors appear on the Zimbabwean political landscape that point to a shift in prospects for this rich but beleaguered southern African nation. For those of us who watch the changing fortunes of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, the cautionary tale is always to expect the unexpected and to make no assumptions about the outcome. President Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party is riven with fresh divisions over who will succeed him - influential figures and names that once commanded entire chapters in the history of the nation's revolutions have been cast aside. For his part, the 92-year-old has long considered talk of a future in which he is absent as tantamount to treason. He is still the president and there is no vacancy for that post and the people, he says, should not be "confused by the confusionists". And for the last two years, his younger wife Grace has forced her will into the debate, seen one vice-president fired and is gunning for another while declaring just the other day that if needs be, Mr Mugabe would continue to rule from his grave. Hyperinflation and Zimbabwe's famous billion and trillion dollar notes are a thing of the past, but now hard currency has been in short supply. The liberalised dollar economy of 2009 is on the brink of collapse, there are long queues at banks which have limited the amounts people can withdraw and there are plans to introduce new bond notes to ease the cash-flow crisis. Farai Sevenzo: "No inquiry, no arrests - just a $15bn hole in the nation's coffers" The country is importing more than it is selling, unemployment continues to soar, while a proud history of good education has only produced millions of vendors selling cheap goods and food to their fellow impoverished citizens as businesses fold around them. The country's major hospitals have at times gone without water and electricity, and it surprises no-one that the president's daughter gave birth in Singapore rather than a local maternity hospital; and that Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the official opposition, has been undergoing treatment in a South African hospital. The need for food is as real to millions as is the drought affecting all of southern Africa, and the politicians' preoccupation with the tragic soap opera of Mr Mugabe's last days on earth have offered no new plan to feed them and give them jobs. Instead, the headlines this year have celebrated his 92nd birthday, while he announced in March that $15bn (£10bn) of the country's diamond wealth had been looted and simply disappeared. No inquiry, no arrests - just a $15bn hole in the nation's coffers. In the context of this trying background, a 39-year-old pastor called Evan Mawarire, based in the capital, Harare, took to social media last month and called for Zimbabweans to re-own their flag, to stop wishing they lived in another country, and to force the politicians to answer questions on their lack of accountability and corrupt ways without fear. The hashtag #ThisFlag was born and internet-literate Zimbabweans within and outside the country began to air their frustrations, repeating the tag line "hatichada, hatichatya" - meaning in Shona "we've had enough, we are not afraid". They say they will refuse to bribe policemen, they will watch and circulate tales of corruption, they will not parrot the ruling party's excuses, which have for years blamed Western sanctions for dismal delivery of services and the ailing economy. Government loyalist ministers have dismissed the upstart #ThisFlag trend as an elitist diaspora-inspired movement that has been taking "to the Twitter", which would have no traction with the thousands of rural folk who have consistently voted President Mugabe back into power. Yet even as journalists reached for ill-matching Arab spring comparisons of revolution born out of social media, it was clear that a few hundred thousand citizens with access to smart phones had started a debate, which was not linked to a moribund opposition, whose loyalties were to the flag of nationhood rather than to the politics of personality. Zanu-PF elections have tended to be a united strategised persuasion of the electorate, which isolated the urban opposition and was not shy of violence and blatant bribery in money, maize or land. And a large proportion of the citizens kept their heads down and went about their business as activists disappeared and bones were broken. But the evidence of misrule is all around and if they can no longer afford to pay their children's school fees, they cannot afford to be apathetic. What is more, Zanu-PF's formidable united front is no more, everywhere you look former Mugabe loyalists are spouting the bitter language of opposition. Zimbabwe's next election is not due until 2018, but a "million man march" last week saw thousands of people on Harare's streets in a show of support for Mr Mugabe's candidature, while recent opposition marches in Harare and Bulawayo created a sea of red for the opposition Movement of Democratic Change (MDC). Only, it must be said, is the new party of Joice Mujuru, Mr Mugabe's sacked vice-president, shy of a protesting presence in the country. The starting gun for what is likely to be a game-changing election has been fired 18 months early. And it will be a vote in which citizen apathy may well be a thing of the past. More from Farai Sevenzo:

In our series of letters from African journalists, the film-maker and columnist Farai Sevenzo looks at why Zimbabweans are turning to their flag to demand accountability from politicians.

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The Local Government Association (LGA) says the government needs to find "genuinely new money" to meet its funding pledges to schools in England. Ministers insist money raised from a sugar tax on soft drinks will be spent on improving child health. But the LGA fears this money is being used to cover funding shortages. It says schemes to improve pupils' health cannot be seen as "nice-to-do but fundamentally non-essential". In February, ministers announced that £415m would be pumped into schools, as part of a healthy-pupils capital programme, to pay for facilities that support sport, after-school activities and healthy eating. This is to be paid for by a levy on soft drinks with the most added sugar, introduced from April 2018. Last week, Education Secretary Justine Greening announced an extra £1.3 billion for schools over the next two years, a move that came amid concerns from schools and parents about intense and growing pressures on budgets. Some of this £1.3bn would come from making savings of £315m from the healthy-pupils funding, the Department for Education (DfE) said. It is understood that the government now expects to receive less money than previously expected from the sugar tax and the Treasury is topping up the fund to the original expectation of about £1bn. It is understood that it is this part of the money that will now go towards general school funding. But Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA's community wellbeing board, said: "It is vital that the soft drinks levy, which marked a significant step in the fight against obesity, is protected. "Government needs to find genuinely new money to meets its new school funding commitments. "It is perverse and counterproductive to simply shift this money around, particularly at the expense of children's health." Sugar tax: How will it work? Soft drinks levy will earn schools £415m Young 'to get biggest sugar tax boost' Mrs Seccombe added: "The government needs to be clear about what this now means for the levy, and for reducing the worrying levels of child obesity in this country. "Schemes that encourage physical activity, healthy eating and improve children's mental and physical health - which the levy would have been used to pay for - cannot be seen as nice-to-do but fundamentally non-essential." A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: "Our soft drinks industry levy will raise an estimated £775m by 2020 and has led to soft drinks companies cutting sugar levels in their products. "Every penny of England's share of that money will be spent on improving child health."

Money set aside for promoting physical activity and healthy eating in schools should not be used to "plug a black hole in funding", councils say.

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More than 700,000 employees face unpaid leave due to the shutdown which was triggered after the two houses of Congress did not agree on a new budget. Hyundai said affected employees who currently own its vehicles will be given a payment relief "for as long as they are out of work". Employees looking to buy a new car will be given a 90-day payment deferral. "We recognize the impact on family budgets that the furlough will drive," John Krafcik, chief executive of Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement. Hyundai had offered a similar scheme, the Hyundai Assurance programme, during the peak of the global financial crisis four years ago to help consumers who had lost their jobs. Many analysts have said that the move had helped the South Korean firm win customer loyalty and boosted its sales in recent years. The company said that its latest offer to help the federal employees was an addition to that programme and aimed at "helping workers at a time when they most need it". "Like we did almost four years ago when we launched Hyundai Assurance, this is our way of saying 'We've got your back' during this uncertain time," Mr Krafcik said. Under the latest offer, Hyundai will extend all auto loan and lease payments during the shutdown for current Hyundai owners who are put on unpaid leave. The programme is available to all customers who have financed their purchase or lease through Hyundai Finance America.

Hyundai Motor will defer payments due from US federal employees affected by the partial government shutdown.

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Universities minister Jo Johnson has announced plans for "better targeting" of Disabled Students' Allowances. From next September, universities will have "primary responsibility" for meeting disabled students' needs. The National Deaf Children's Society said it was "bitterly disappointed" by the announcement. "We have no way of knowing if universities will pick up the cost," said its chief executive, Susan Daniels. The announcement, in a written ministerial statement, sets out which support will continue to be provided by the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSAs) and which costs universities must meet. DSAs help disabled students afford the specialist equipment, support workers and extra travel costs they need. They are not repayable and not means-tested. In 2012-13, they provided £146m to 64,500 higher education students, a rise of 44% on the £101m paid out in 2009-10 to 47,400 students. Zanna, 18 and from Cumbria, is a foundation student at Manchester School of Art. "Being profoundly deaf, I only hear 30% of all conversation with the help of my hearing aid and cochlear implant, otherwise I only hear 2-5% of sounds. "Deaf students spend a lot of time strenuously trying to lip-read, this is often very frustrating and tiring. "A lot of extra work has to be done, such as obtaining notes prior to lectures and pre-learning so it is easier to understand what happens in lectures and classes. "I also have to use subtitles for any videos or films, any unexpected films in lectures with no subtitles are lost to me. "In my university accommodation I have a special fire alarm which flashes and vibrates under my pillow if an alarm sounds. "At university, I use a wireless microphone which transmits speech directly to my hearing aid and cochlear implant. I have funded this equipment myself, however one of the receivers for my hearing aid is loaned by the university. "My course was not eligible for DSA funding which is why the university has struggled to supply me with the full support I need, such as an electronic note-taker. "I will be applying for DSA for my degree in 2016. I am very concerned that I will not get the support that I need to achieve my full potential and I know that hundreds of other disabled students are also worried. "The government says it is unlikely to impact existing arrangements with students, but what about if you decided to do further study at a different university? "I aim to specialise my fashion design degree with a masters in knitwear, I have concerns this further study may not be possible for me due to lack of support. "Disabled students should be allowed equal opportunities to non-disabled students and to put it bluntly, the cuts to DSA limit our futures. "Having discussed the cuts to DSA with deaf and other disabled students I have seen a trend in a loss of hope. These students, myself included, feel disregarded by the government and our access to higher education has been unjustly restricted." In the statement, Mr Johnson said a review of the 25-year-old scheme had long been overdue. He wants universities to fulfil their legal duties to disabled students under the 2010 Equality Act. "Higher education providers should discharge their duties under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled students, as other organisations and businesses do." "More inclusive learning environments" and better use of technology were essential, he said. The allowances will still be the primary source of funding for certain types of support, for example for guides for blind or partially sighted students, but much other support must be funded by universities. Universities will be expected to meet more of the costs of specialist accommodation and of printing and scanning, while computer accessories will be funded "by exception only". Susan Daniels said the allowances were "a lifeline". "We know deaf students can achieve just as much as their hearing peers, but the right support must be in place. "Deaf students desperately need support such as note-takers because they cannot lip-read a lecturer or follow a sign language interpreter and take notes at the same time. "Deaf young people are telling us they feel the government is intent on making it more difficult for them to go to university. We strongly believe the government must think again or guarantee safeguards will be in place to protect deaf students." The National Union of Students fears small, specialised institutions will struggle to meet the costs. Disabled students' officer Maddy Kirkman said the changes risked inconsistency in support and complained the government had ignored these concerns. "To make higher education accessible, the government needs to work with students and institutions and take our views into account, not brush them aside." The Green party said the changes amounted to a £70m cut to support for disabled students. Spokeswoman Mags Lewis suggested the changes would mean cuts to computer support, proof-reading and scribing, with older students with weak computer skills, particularly badly affected. She warned that disabled students could "fall into a no man's land" with government and universities each claiming it is the other's responsibility. The document says a new quality assurance framework will be put in place to ensure students get the help they need and best value for money. "I am determined to ensure disabled students should be able to make use of and develop their talents through higher education and that there should be no cap on their aspirations," wrote Mr Johnson. A Universities UK spokesman pointed out institutions have a legal duty to support disabled students, "which they will all do like any other organisation. "The important thing also will be to reassure all students that support for disabled students will continue to be available."

Disabled students could miss out on vital support when funding much of the help is transferred to universities next year, say campaigners.

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One of the men was arrested in the capital Berlin and the other in a town close to Cologne, in west Germany. Police seized computers, mobile phones and sketches in the raids but did not find a "smoking gun", prosecutors' spokesman Martin Steltner said. About 450 officers were involved in the raids. One of the men detained, reported to be aged 35, had been living in a refugee shelter in the town of Attendorn, east of Cologne, and is wanted by the Algerian authorities for alleged links to IS. Police said "investigations show that he has been trained militarily in Syria". The man's wife, also wanted by Algeria, was detained at the same time but prosecutors said she was not a suspect in the German case. The suspect held in Berlin was arrested on suspicion of falsifying identity documents, police said. Two other Algerians in Germany, said by police to be "from the jihadist scene", were tracked down but not arrested. "Our understanding is that the four men accused could have planned to carry out an attack together," Mr Steltner said. German media said the possible targets included central Berlin tourist sites Checkpoint Charlie and Alexanderplatz. Since January, the suspects had changed their mobile phones multiple times and communicated using instant messaging services, reports said. Germany's security concerns have risen since the Paris attacks last year. Officials declined to comment on a report in the Tagesspiegel newspaper, citing security sources, which said senior IS figures had ordered an attack on Germany.

German police have arrested two Algerians suspected of planning an attack and having links to the militant group, Islamic State (IS).

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Now the business organisation, the CBI, has become the latest civil society group to argue that a restructure is required. This week, the independent unionist MLA John McCallister has tabled a bill in the assembly that proposes big changes to the workings of the devolved parliament and government. The stalled Stormont House Agreement outlined plans for a formal opposition. But Mr McCallister's Assembly and Executive Reform Bill goes much further. He argues that his plans would help to move politics in Northern Ireland away from tribal divisions. "The public mood out there is that people desperately want to see this place working and functional - being about evidence-based policy making," he says. "Being able to change the government is a fundamental right of democracy." Under his plans, parties would have to gain 18 or more seats to be automatically entitled to enter the executive. They would negotiate with each other to agree a Programme for Government before taking up ministerial positions. Any party with fewer than 18 seats would not be excluded from the executive, as they could be included on the basis of the negotiations. But if a party did not agree with the Programme for Government, they would go into an enhanced opposition. First Minister's Questions in the assembly would work more like Prime Minister's Questions at Westminster. There would be a leader and deputy leader of the opposition, likely to be the leaders of the two largest non-executive parties. At least 15 days a year would be set aside for opposition business. Smaller parties could have a bigger say. In the Irish parliament, or Dáil, independents have signed up to a technical group to get improved speaking rights. The Stormont bill proposes a similar system in Northern Ireland, suggesting that six or more MLAs could form a group that would be represented on the committee that decides assembly business. At the moment, 89 out of the 108 MLAs are in the parties that make up the executive. Queen's University Belfast professor Yvonne Galligan, who has carried out studies that have compared democratic institutions, says having an opposition makes more sense to voters. "The government and opposition model is one which is very familiar to people on these islands," she says. "I think that allows people to clearly distinguish between parties and political platforms. "A strong parliament and a strong opposition would help to shore up people's confidence in our democratic institutions." When it comes to critiques of the parliamentary system, Stormont is not alone. Mary Fee MSP, a member of Scottish Labour's shadow cabinet, told me that the Scottish Parliament's means of holding government to account had flaws. She says parliamentary committees should be fewer in number, but have more members, and be given more time to scrutinise legislation. "Committee members should take off their party hats when they go into committee," she says. "That is something that has dogged us. With a majority government, members of the governing party will more often toe the party line and not scrutinise the government." Besides government and opposition, there are other significant measures in Mr McCallister's bill. It would abolish community designation, the system by which MLAs must register as unionist, nationalist, or "other". Currently, 30 signatures on a "petition of concern" will trigger a cross-community vote, under which a majority of unionists and nationalists are necessary for a motion to pass. The bill would replace petitions of concern with another minority protection mechanism - 30 signatures from three parties or groups would be needed to require a motion or bill to have a "weighted majority" - 60% would be the threshold for success. There would also be a new rule for ministers. Collective cabinet responsibility would be written into the ministerial code, in an attempt to stop inter-executive sniping. And instead of having a deputy first minister, there would be two first ministers. Mr McCallister says he has had indications from many of the Stormont parties that they could sign up to "much" of the bill. He acknowledges that some parties may have issues with the proposals to have two first ministers and to abolish community designation. However, the South Down MLA claims that his bill is a "carefully put together package of something which will work and deliver a much more functional assembly and executive". Whether it is passed, in part or in full, will depend on what the assembly's bigger parties make of it. MLAs may hold their first debate on the bill next month. The View is broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland at 22:35 on Thursday, and is available to watch afterwards on the iPlayer.

"Dysfunctional", "not fit for purpose", "in urgent need of reform" - these are just some of the phrases that politicians themselves have been using about the Stormont system.

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23 March 2017 Last updated at 00:00 GMT The Brit Awards, so who's going to be there, who's performing, and what's the prize going to look like? Well we've got it all covered, watch this. Music from Little Mix- Syco Music, Stormzy- Merky Records, Katy Perry- Warner, Bruno Mars- Atlantic Records, Ed Sheeran- Atlantic Records, Robbie Williams- EMI and pictures from Brit Awards Ltd

The biggest music stars in the UK, are getting ready for a huge event today.

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Dyfed-Powys Police said training would begin on Wednesday ahead of them being deployed on the streets. Cameras are always on but only record once the officer presses a button. Police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: "The use of the cameras supports transparency in policing and will aid the investigation of complaints against officers." The move follows a three-month trial in 2015 and any member of the public has the right to request footage taken of them within 31 days. Any recordings not needed for policing purposes are automatically deleted from cloud storage after that time. The force said recordings would only be made if there was "a policing need" and officers would announce when they start and stop filming. Cameras will always be on standby, filming on a 30-second loop, but audio does not record until the officer presses the button. Chief Constable Mark Collins said: "They will provide the public with more reassurance and will help officers to document valuable evidence - leading to swifter justice for victims."

A police force has begun the rollout of body cameras for 800 officers and community support officers.

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Earlier today George Osborne said he had no plans to do so - but he refused to completely rule out the move. The coalition government reduced the highest income tax rate from 50% to 45% in 2013. Ed Balls, Labour's shadow chancellor, criticised Mr Osborne's refusal to rule out a further cut. Asked on Sky News's Murnaghan programme if there were plans to cut income tax by 5% for those earning over £150,000, George Osborne said "that's not our plan". Challenged as to whether he would explicitly rule the move out, the chancellor replied: "You can judge us by what we say we want to do. And what we want to do is increase the tax-free personal allowance to £12,500 so people full-time on the minimum wage don't have to pay income tax and millions of people are better off. "And when it comes to higher-rate tax payers, our priority is increasing the threshold at which you pay that higher rate to £50,000. "Those are our big tax commitments for the coming Parliament." When asked later if he would cut the top rate of tax, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "It's not our policy. It's not our plan. "Our plan is to raise to £12,500 the basic rate threshold, so that we take another million people out of income tax altogether and cut tax for 30 million people. That's the plan." But Ed Balls said: "When George Osborne cut the top rate of income tax from 50p down to 45p we know that he and David Cameron wanted to go further and actually cut it to 40p - which, if they were to do that, would mean hundreds of thousands more in tax cuts for the richest people in our society." He added: "They need to tell us is that their plan - they won't rule it out, they should do so now." This election issue includes income tax and national insurance levies and business taxes. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat minister David Laws has accused the Conservatives of "unbelievable cheek" in taking credit for personal tax allowance rises. Mr Laws, a former chief secretary to the Treasury, said the prime minister and chancellor had failed to push for the move in talks with Lib Dems. His party will spell out plans to "go further and faster" in increasing the allowance in the coming days, he said. George Osborne said raising the level was one of his "big tax commitments". The tax-free personal allowance is to rise from £10,600 in 2015-6 to £10,800 in 2016-7 and £11,000 in 2017-8. Mr Laws told Pienaar's Politics on BBC Radio 5 live that was down to his party. "What I can tell you is that there hasn't been a single Budget or Autumn Statement in this parliament where the prime minister or the chancellor have ever made this a Conservative ask," he said. "The discussion they've had with Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander have always been on the basis that it's the Lib Dems pushing for this and it's the Conservatives pressing other policies which usually don't help those people on low and middle incomes." The schools minister also told the programme his party would spell out further plans on the issue in the coming days. "The Lib Dems left to our own devices, or putting our position in coalition talks, will want to go a lot further and faster than the measures set out in the Budget recently to help those people on low and middle incomes," he said. In other election news: Subscribe to the BBC Election 2015 newsletter to get a round-up of the day's campaign news sent to your inbox every weekday afternoon.

Labour is calling on the Conservative Party to vow that it won't lower the top rate of income tax if it wins the election.

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Mother-of-four Joanne Thompson, 33, was found at her Old Mill Court home in Newtownards on Wednesday by a relative. Police want to hear from witnesses to any disturbance at a bonfire at Dakota Avenue in the town on Monday. They also want to hear from anyone who noticed activity around Ms Thompson's home on Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The death of a woman whose body was found in her home in County Down is being treated as suspicious.

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North Wales Police had warned supporters to behave at the Racecourse and later confirmed there were no arrests at the match which ended 0-0. Safety fears meant Chester fans had to travel on official coaches under police escort. It is the fourth year the fixture has been marked as a "bubble match" - meaning supporters will be kept apart. North Wales and Cheshire police forces have said restrictions could be reviewed if there was no trouble at the two games this season. Speaking before the game, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones said: "If things go well, it looks as if this bubble business with the restrictions on travelling fans can be lifted which would be great news." "This is now the only [current] fixture in all the tiers of English and Welsh football that is a bubble, including Premier League and Championship derby fixtures, and I think it is risk averse and disproportionate in terms of policing," he added.

Police have thanked Wrexham and Chester fans for their "good natured co-operation" at their derby match.

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The 63-year-old retiree used to practice her religion by praying at temples, but now she volunteers seven days a week at a recycling centre to raise funds for Taiwan's Buddhist association Tzu Chi. "I have no time to go to temples. Praying is not important. Coming here every day is like praying," said Ms Hsiao. This is not how most people practice Buddhism in Chinese-speaking or even non-Chinese Buddhist societies. Their faith is usually self-focused: praying for protection in their current life and to be born into a better life after they die. But Taiwan is leading a quiet, yet powerful movement that has turned traditional Buddhism on its head, converting many Buddhists such as Ms Hsiao into doers, not just believers. Burning paper money and incense is discouraged - it's bad for the environment. Going to temples is low priority. Even praying too much is frowned upon. The focus now is on what the Taiwanese call "humanistic Buddhism" - caring for others and for society. It returns Buddhists to the core principles of Buddhism - speaking good words, thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds. "According to Buddhism, it's not enough to have benefits for oneself only, you must also have benefits for others. We should try to help as many people as we can to be relieved of suffering," said Head Abbot Hsin Bao of another major Taiwanese Buddhist association, Fo Guang Shan. The practice has helped Taiwan's leading Buddhist organisations expand in unprecedented ways. Tzu Chi Foundation - which is at the vanguard of the movement - has seven million followers, including two million overseas. Its 100,000 volunteers in Taiwan are seen everywhere in their trademark blue shirts and white trousers. They recycle plastic bottles to raise charity funds, check on elderly people living alone, provide support to poor and at-risk families, tutor children and help respond to natural disasters. Another influential Taiwanese Buddhist group, Dharma Drum Mountain, regularly holds "Buddhism 101" classes to teach people how to apply the philosophy to their lives. In one recent class for about 200 people, a psychologist used Buddhism's teachings to advise students on how to recognise and work on their own negative emotions, and how to deal with troubled family relations. "Buddhism's teachings can be used everyday and where's the best place to use them? In your family," Yang Pei told the class. Fo Guang Shan, meanwhile, holds youth camps for children. "These organisations are very different from traditional Buddhism," said Kuo Cheng-tian, a professor at National Chengchi University. "They emphasise lay believers running temples and Buddhist organisations, not just monks. And they use ordinary believers to lead charity missions." It is unclear how many Buddhists there are in the world. Buddhism is not an institutionalised religion and many Buddhists also believe in other faiths. But some estimates suggest there are half a billion to one billion Buddhists globally, making it the world's fourth largest religion. What makes Taiwanese Buddhism unique is its strong emphasis on helping society. Tzu Chi, for example, has provided post-disaster relief in more than 84 countries, including in the Philippines, where it recently paid 50,000 households to rebuild homes destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan. With growing pressure in their rapidly changing society, people in China are increasingly turning to Buddhism. But while a lot of money has been poured into rebuilding temples destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and the temples have collected a vast amount in entrance fees or donations, they don't have the practice of giving back to society, said Fu Xinyi, a Nanjing University academic who specialises in Buddhism. "They build temples for tourism, for money, but they don't know how to spread Buddhism's ideology," Mr Fu said. "This is regrettable. Society has so many problems, Buddhism should play its role in helping people and giving them spiritual guidance." Mainland China can learn from Taiwan, he said, but the government's suspicion of religions will limit Taiwanese Buddhists' ability to spread humanistic Buddhism there. "They can spread the ideology, but the actions can't be as big as in Taiwan because the government will feel threatened," Mr Fu said. Still, China's people and even leaders are becoming more familiar with Taiwan's Buddhism. Tzu Chi is the first foreign non-governmental religious organisation to be allowed to set up a branch in China. Chinese President Xi Jinping also recently met with Fo Guang Shan's Master Hsing Yun, who is popular in the mainland. Chinese leaders may be realizing Buddhism can be a stabilising force in society. And although Buddhist groups have traditionally been less active, compared to Christian counterparts, in spreading their religion, that is changing. Taiwan's major Buddhist associations have their own TV channels, publishing houses, and news agencies, as well as hospitals and universities. They send volunteers to schools to teach children about good behaviour, through storytelling. But they say they are not trying to convert non-believers. "We see no need for you to be converted; we're not aiming to proselytise," said Chien Tung-yuan, a Tzu Chi spokesman. "From the beginning, Shakyamuni (Buddha) taught people to help those who are suffering, without conditions, and not to want anything in return." Changing the way Buddhism is practiced has not only led to a revival of the religion in Taiwan, but its expansion overseas. Fo Guang Shan, for example, has 200 temples worldwide, including 20 in Europe and 24 in the US, not just for overseas Taiwanese but local people. Dharma Drum Mountain, meanwhile, has 125 chapters worldwide, while Tzu Chi boasts many branches in 48 countries. In Malaysia, its members jumped from 100,000 to one million last year. "We want to use Taiwan as a base to spread Buddhism to mainland China and the rest of the world," said Fo Guang Shan's Head Abbot Hsin Bao. Taiwan is also helping mainland China rediscover the religion. Although Buddhism has nearly 2,000 years of history in China, it had diminished in importance in recent centuries because of wars, political turmoil and suppression, and a focus on modernisation. Millions of Chinese listen to Taiwanese masters' teachings on DVDs or MP3s. They download material from websites and spread them online. With improved relations between the two sides in recent years, many Chinese Buddhists leaders and adherents are now able to travel freely to Taiwan. Taiwan's Buddhists also can more easily spread their message in the mainland, even if it is in low-key ways such as repairing a temple or promoting "reading clubs" - similar to Bible study. Scholars believe Taiwan is playing a key role because many charismatic Buddhist leaders fled to the island after the Communists took over the mainland in 1949. Influenced by the respected late Buddhist leader Taixu's calls for contributing to society to gain enlightenment, the masters and their disciples made the idea a reality. Taiwan's groups were also influenced by Christianity, adopting practices such as doing charity work. At the same time, growing wealth here meant Taiwan's middle class, especially elderly people, have more money and time to help others, as they seek meaning in life. Back at the Taipei recycling centre, more bags of used clothes arrive for Ms Hsiao to sort. She said putting Buddhism's teachings to practice has given her the strength to cope with her mother's sudden death and helped her improve relations with her children. 'It's opened the knot in my heart,' Ms Hsiao said. Her advice to other Buddhists: "Don't just believe in Buddhism, do something to help others."

Sorting through a large pile of used clothes and household items, Hsiao Hsiu-chu is the picture of a new-age Buddhist.

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McCall said he and some of his players were goaded by supporters following their 1-0 loss to the Lions at Wembley. He questioned why stewards had not prevented the invasion. "We're absolutely distraught, we wanted to clap our own fans, the last thing we need is people running around us and giving us verbals," said McCall. "I think it's nonsense," he told BBC Radio Leeds. "Ten minutes later an army of stewards comes on when they should have been on straight after the final whistle and stood on the halfway line. "I don't understand why people feel they need to come over to players, intimidate us and wind us up. I was close to clocking a couple. "I'm not necessarily blaming the people who did it but where was the stewarding? Why march them out 10 minutes afterwards? "They should have got to the halfway line straight away and stopped anyone from coming over." Millwall boss Neil Harris encouraged his side's fans to leave the pitch to allow the team to enjoy their celebrations, while match-winner Steve Morison claimed they had "ruined" the moment. "It's not ideal, it's not quite the place for a pitch invasion, I've got to be honest," Harris told BBC Radio London. "I don't condone it whatsoever. I'm just hoping there was no disrespect towards Stuart and his team. "For me, I wanted to get them off because I wanted to see my players enjoy it and I wanted to see my players take the admiration of the whole fan base, which happened in the end. "I think it was overzealous, a lot of people wanting selfies and jumping about. I certainly don't condone it, but I'm hoping it was lighthearted."

Bradford City boss Stuart McCall said he was "close to clocking" Millwall fans who invaded the pitch at the end of the League One play-off final.

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In a tactical race, 24-year-old English held off European Indoor silver medallist Andreas Bube of Denmark to win in 1:49.02. Dublin runner Brian Gregan won the 400m while City of Lisburn club's Amy Foster was second in the 100m in 11.70. Ireland's eighth place in Vaasa meant they were 20th overall in Europe. That is their lowest placing in the biannual event since 2011. The League One event was won by Sweden who were promoted to the Super League alongside hosts Finland and Switzerland.

Donegal's Mark English won the 800 metres as Ireland finished eighth in League One of the European Team Championships in Finland.

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At least 21 people were killed by the storm, the Red Cross said, with the eastern island of Samar worst hit, but it caused far less damage than feared. Thousands of people are heading home after about a million people were evacuated from vulnerable areas. The city of Tacloban, which bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Haiyan last year, has emerged relatively unscathed. Albay province, which evacuated more than half its population, has called for those people to go home. After spending three days at a school in Polangi, families are packing into small military trucks, holding one or two plastic bags with the essentials they brought with them. They worry about the state in which they'll find their homes but many are most worried about their rice fields, their only source of income. One woman reached her house and found it flooded and uninhabitable. For her that means at least one more night in the evacuation centre. Hagupit: What did the Philippines do differently? Hagupit - pictures, tweets and videos from the Philippines In the capital, residents are preparing for heavy rain and strong winds. The typhoon is still travelling westwards across the Philippines, and has weakened into a tropical storm, according to the Philippine meteorological authorities. A government alert on Monday morning stated that residents of the capital and surrounding regions should expect winds of up to 100km/h (62mph) in the next 24 hours, and to prepare for possible flash floods, landslides, and storm surges of up to 2m. Thousands who live along the coast and riverbanks were evacuated on Monday, reports said. A total of 11.8 million people live in the national capital region. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said the city was "prepared and trained for this", but added: "It's the flooding that we are worried about." Financial markets closed their doors on Monday along with schools and government offices. Flights and other public transport were halted. Hagupit has been nowhere near as powerful as Typhoon Haiyan - known as Yolanda in the Philippines - which tore through the central Philippines in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 dead or missing. In Tacloban, Hagupit blew away roofs and flooded streets, but the area has escaped the wider devastation of last year. "There were no bodies scattered on the road, no big mounds of debris," local woman Rhea Estuna told the Associated Press by phone from Tacloban. "Thanks to God this typhoon wasn't as violent." Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez told the BBC that the immediate task was assessing damage to the temporary shelters in which some people have been living. He said that the weather was good now but that high tides were making it harder for waterways to drain, despite work to clear debris. UN official Orla Fagan told Reuters that a lot of people have begun returning to their homes. "In Tacloban this morning, the sun is shining, people just started going back," she said. The storm made its fourth landfall on Monday night, hitting Batangas province some 100km (60 miles) south of Manila with winds of roughly 100km/h. At its height, as it approached land on Saturday, gusts of up to 250km/h were recorded. The authorities said they were better prepared than when Haiyan struck, and organised the largest peacetime evacuation in the history of the Philippines. Justin Morgan, Oxfam country director for the Philippines, told the BBC that a key factor was a greater focus on the dangers of storm surges, meaning people were moved away from coastal areas. Joey Salceda, governor of Albay province, told the BBC no casualties and only "negligible damage" had been reported in his province. He said the storm had been identified as a threat in late November, giving officials time to identify population at risk, evacuate them two days ahead of the storm and prepare food supplies. Known locally as Typhoon Ruby, Hagupit has nonetheless caused major damage in several towns in the east. The Philippine Red Cross said at least 21 people had died over the weekend, with 18 of those on the eastern island of Samar, where Hagupit made landfall on Saturday. The mayor of Dolores, a town on Samar, said that 80% of homes there had been destroyed. One resident reportedly died after a tree fell on him. Two more people - a one-year-old girl and a 65-year-old man - died from hypothermia in the central province of Iloilo, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. A total of 183 flights had been cancelled and five airports closed, the agency said, and there were power outages in 16 provinces.

Tropical storm Hagupit is heading to Manila, but has been downgraded from a typhoon after crossing the country.

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The Norwegian, who also won the sixth stage of the race in Lisieux, proved the strongest of a breakaway group of 14 riders over the stage's final climb. Frenchman Thomas Voeckler ended an eighth day in yellow, but conceded 27 seconds to his main rivals. Australian Cadel Evans is his nearest challenger - one minute 18 seconds behind with four stages to go. Manx sprinter Mark Cavendish put in another solid shift, picking up a point at the intermediate checkpoint and retaining his green jersey. Team Sky's strong showing in the absence of team leader Bradley Wiggins, who suffered a broken collarbone on stage seven, has also made it a successful Tour for the only British team in the race. Rigoberto Uran and Geraint Thomas have both held the jersey for the race's best young rider, while Boasson Hagen is emerging as a consistent threat at the end of each stage. The 24-year-old played his part in a 14-strong breakaway that established an advantage of more than seven minutes over the peloton as they climbed the category-two Col de Montgenevre. Irishman Nicolas Roche attempted in vain to lead a group of three across the gap as the field climbed over the border and up to the Italian resort of Sestriere. But, with any gains immediately at risk on a subsequent 48km descent, the general classification contenders were content to save their aggression for Pramartino - the stage's final ascent. After breaking free at the head of the field, Spaniard Ruben Perez Moreno reached Sestriere with a clear lead and raced solo downhill in a bold attempt to win from the front. With 20km to go, the lone leader's lead of over a minute was still intact but he was absorbed back into the chasing pack as they climbed for the final time. French champion Sylvain Chavanel initially took on the pace but he could not shake Boasson Hagen who powered away before nervelessly navigating the winding downhill roads to Pinerolo for his victory. "If I'd taken fewer risks, I would have finished with Contador, Evans and the Schlecks Back in the field, Alberto Contador tested Andy Schleck and Voeckler with a burst of acceleration. But the descent proved more profitable for the Spaniard as Voeckler lost crucial time running wide on the corner as he struggled to keep with the downhill pace. Contador, a three-time winner, and his compatriot Samuel Sanchez looked as if they may make inroads into the rest of their rivals as they pressed in the final kilometres. But Andy Schleck, who had looked nervous in wet weather on the way down to La Rochette on Tuesday, brother Frank and Evans stuck doggedly to their tail to record the same time. Contador confirmed that, after getting caught up in a pile-up on the first stage and suffering a knee injury earlier in the race, he had to take some risks in a bid to win a fourth Tour de France. "It was a very dangerous descent," he said. "I was off the front, I saw I could attack and the important thing is to pull back time every day." And Voeckler revealed that Contador's approach was at least a partial success, convincing him to ride unnecessarily aggressively in the closing stages. "It's a pity, because I saw that Contador, Evans and the Schlecks finished together," reflected Voeckler. "If I'd taken fewer risks, I would have finished with them." STAGE 17 RESULT 1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Sky) 4hrs 18mins 00secs 2 Bauke Mollema (Ned/Rabobank) at 0:40 3 Sandy Casar (Fra/FDJ) at 0:50 4 Julien El Fares (Fra/Cofidis) same time 5 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra/Quickstep) 6 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz/Astana) at 1:10 7 Maciej Paterski (Pol/Liquigas) 8 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz/RadioShack) 9 Jonathan Hivert (Fra/Saur-Sojasun) at 1:15 10 Borut Bozic (Slo/Vacansoleil) at 2:20 OVERALL STANDINGS 1. Thomas Voeckler (France/Europcar) 73 hrs 24 mins 34 secs 2. Cadel Evans (Australia / BMC Racing) +1.18 3. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg / Leopard) +1:22 4. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg / Leopard) +2:36 5. Samuel Sanchez (Spain / Euskaltel) +2:59 6. Alberto Contador (Spain / Saxo Bank) +3:15 7. Damiano Cunego (Italy / Lampre) +3:34 8. Ivan Basso (Italy / Liquigas) +3:49 9. Tom Danielson (U.S. / Garmin) +6:04 10. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Team Sky) +7:36

Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen secured his second stage win of the Tour de France with victory in Pinerolo.

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His meetings will focus on the relationship between the UK and Russia, as well as issues involving Syria and Ukraine "where we continue to have significant differences", it said. The Foreign Office said the UK "will engage with Russia where it is in our national interest to do so". The timings and details of the visit will be released "in due course". A spokeswoman said: "The foreign secretary has accepted an invitation from Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to visit Moscow in the coming weeks. "The prime minister and the foreign secretary have made clear that our policy towards Russia is to 'engage but beware' and the visit is entirely consistent with this approach. "This is not a return to business as usual and the foreign secretary will continue to be robust on those issues where we differ." A Foreign Office source insisted that the visit did not signal any shift in UK policy towards Russia. "He is not going in order to reset the relationship. He has been clear in his calls with Lavrov that this can't happen till they change course on issues such as Ukraine. "He intends to say the same things face to face as we do in public and in Parliament about Russian activities. While it may be a tough visit, that is what needs to be done." The source added: "Boris has always said we must engage when in our interests. He calls it 'guarded engagement'. He will be robust in the meetings and defend our position. This is not about cosying up, in fact quite the opposite." Mr Johnson's trip will see him become the first minister to travel to Moscow for an official visit in more than five years. On a visit to Kiev last week, the foreign secretary said Russia's annexation of Crimea was illegal and insisted that it should be returned to Ukraine. He has also said there was no case for relaxing sanctions against Russia until it abided by the Minsk peace agreement. Mr Johnson has been hugely critical of Russia recently, accusing it of engaging in "dirty tricks" such as cyber attacks. The Russian embassy in London has responded by accusing him of trying to reopen the Cold War. Speaking in Germany last month, Mr Johnson told the BBC: "You have got to engage with Russia, but you have got to engage in a very guarded way. You have got to beware of what they are up to. "There is no question that, when you look at Russian activity on the cyber front, when you look at what they are doing in the western Balkans, when you look at what has been happening in the Ukraine, you've got to be very, very cautious. "I think it is entirely right to have a dual track approach. We don't want to get into a new Cold War."

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is to visit Moscow in coming weeks, the Foreign Office has announced.

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DUP leader, First Minister Arlene Foster, has resisted both calls to step aside and calls to resign over the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. RHI is approximately £490m over budget. Sinn Féin's national chairperson Declan Kearney accused Mrs Foster and her party of "unvarnished arrogance" over the "growing political crisis". Writing in the the republican newspaper, An Phoblacht, Mr Kearney said: "It's increasingly obvious the DUP have lost the run of themselves within the northern political institutions." He repeated an earlier call by his party colleague Martin McGuinness that Mrs Foster should step aside as first minister to "allow a time-framed, comprehensive, independent investigation" into the heating scheme. The DUP leader set up the RHI scheme in 2012 when she was minister for enterprise, trade and investment. Last month she apologised for its lack of cost controls but defended her own role in the scheme. Sinn Féin and the DUP lead a power-sharing coalition government at Stormont, with the support of Justice Minister Claire Sugden, an independent MLA. However, relationships have been under increased strain as the full implications for the public purse of the botched RHI scheme have been revealed. Mr Kearney's article also criticised the DUP and its Communities Minister Paul Givan for last week's decision to withdraw funding for an Irish language bursary scheme. The Líofa (fluent) Gaeltacht bursary scheme enabled at least 100 people a year to attend summer Irish language classes in the Donegal gaeltacht. The funding cut was announced by Mr Givan's department two days before Christmas. Mr Kearney wrote: "The political process has now been dragged recklessly by the DUP, culminating with the RHI crisis towards an unprecedented tipping point. "Political institutions cease to have value when they do not reflect equality, mutual respect and parity of esteem, and have become detached from the lives of citizens they are meant to serve. "Playing fast and loose with the political process and the political institutions is unsustainable. "There are big decisions to make, and there is very little time." However, Sinn Féin was criticised by the SDLP for not supporting its call for a public inquiry into the RHI scandal. SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone said: "Surrendering the demand for a judge-led public inquiry is surrendering the need for transparency, accountability and consequences for the loss of hundreds of millions in public money. "With trust in our hard-won institutions at stake, Sinn Féin need to think very carefully on where their loyalties lie. The SDLP have been clear, only a judge-led inquiry can get to the truth of this matter."

Sinn Féin has accused the DUP of dragging the political process "towards an unprecedented tipping point" over the 'cash-for-ash' scandal.

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Graeme asks: Now that the EU referendum vote has been declared to leave EU, is it not possible for the government to have a second referendum vote just the same as SNP wants to have another referendum for independence. It is unlikely that there would be a second in-out referendum, not least because there is little evidence it would have a different result. While we should not read too much into the results of polling, in a post-referendum poll by ComRes, 92% of leave voters said they were happy with the outcome, while 4% of remain voters were happy (and, overall, 7% were indifferent). Also, MPs (with a handful of exceptions) have been rushing to say that the result of the vote must be respected. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has suggested there may be a second referendum on the terms of an eventual deal to the leave the EU, although that is not required by current legislation. You can read the full Reality Check here. Neil asks: Can Scotland make a deal with the EU separate to England without leaving the EU? We can't say for sure as this is an unprecedented situation and the treaties do not refer to this set of circumstances. If Scotland were to hold a second referendum, and become independent, it could apply to become a member of the EU in the usual way. And it is now more plausible that EU member states would try to speed up the process for Scotland than it would have been at the time of the 2014 independence referendum. We cannot say if it would be able to keep the UK's membership without going through some sort of application process, but Spain and France have both said they are opposed to holding separate talks with Scotland before the UK leaves the EU, and any deal would require unanimous backing of member states. You can read the full Reality Check here. John asks: Is it not right that the USA has a Trade Agreement with the EU? I am sure that they have not agreed to freedom of movement. So why can we not negotiate a deal like them? The USA does not currently have a free trade deal with the EU. It is in the process of negotiating a trade agreement called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or TTIP. The wording and details of the agreement have not been finalised, but it is indeed unlikely that it will include freedom of movement. The EU's deal with Canada has also been cited as a possible starting point for the UK. Both the US and Canada will get access to the single market without actually being part of it, so they will not get full access - Canada's deal, for example, excludes some food items such as eggs and chicken. The UK could negotiate a trade deal with the EU that did not include freedom of movement, but it would be unlikely to provide the same access to the single market that it currently enjoys. You can read the full Reality Check here. Matt says: Much has been made of the two-year exit period that invoking Article 50 will bring. Can anyone explain what might happen if that period expires without agreement on our exit terms? Would our membership simply cease? Or would we remain engaged to all of the terms and conditions that were in place prior to that time? Once Article 50 has been triggered, there is a two-year time limit on negotiations for a new relationship between the UK and the EU. If an agreement has not been approved by other member states and the European Parliament within two years, then the deadline may be extended if all parties agree to it. Otherwise, the UK simply stops being a member of the EU and its treaties will no longer apply. But negotiations on a new relationship could still continue after that point. You can read the full Reality Check here. John asks: How do you know how various ages voted? We will never know the actual figures for how different age groups voted. Like other elections, the referendum was a secret ballot. However, there are post-referendum polls that give a pretty good indication. They can't tell us the precise numbers but they're clear enough to confirm that young voters were more likely to vote Remain, and older voters more likely to vote Leave. You can read more about what polls from before and after the referendum tell us here. Adam asks: If the UK invokes Article 50 by stating its intention to leave, can we later withdraw this intention if, for example, we don't like the deal that is negotiated or will we be compelled to leave? There is nothing in Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, or in any other EU legal document, that would tell us what would happen if an exiting country changed its mind, after the process of leaving had started. A member state leaving the EU is unprecedented, so it's impossible to say what would happen if the UK decided it didn't like the deal and it wanted to stay. However, the signals we have had so far, from both EU and UK politicians, suggest it is unlikely that EU members would allow the UK to change its mind and stay in the EU with all its opt-outs, the rebate and so on, if it didn't like the deal on offer. Graham asks: The view of senior constitutional lawyers is that there has to be a bill passed by Parliament to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, before Article 50 can be invoked. Won't MPs be duty-bound to vote in whichever way they consider to be in the best interests of the country? The answer: Some constitutional lawyers think that there will have to be a vote in Parliament before Article 50 is invoked. But others say it's a prerogative power held by the prime minister so no vote is necessary. Even if there is a vote, many MPs will think their primary duty is to uphold the will of the people as expressed in the referendum - even if they had personally supported Remain. Read more: The facts behind claims about our relationship with the EU

The Reality Check team answers more of your questions about the implications of the UK's vote to leave the European Union.

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The court upheld a Chilean prison sentence for Hartmut Hopp, a German citizen in his seventies. Hopp worked with Paul Schäfer, a former Nazi soldier who founded the commune in southern Chile 1961. Residents were indoctrinated and kept as virtual slaves for more than 30 years. Hopp's lawyer says he will appeal against the sentence. Schäfer also collaborated with the government of Augusto Pinochet whose secret police used the colony around 350km (215 miles) south of the capital, Santiago, as a place of torture and to "disappear" his opponents. Germany last year said it would declassify its files on the sect, and the foreign minister at the time, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, admitted that the diplomatic service had failed to stop the abuses. The scale of the abuses only came to light after Schäfer faced a series of lawsuits in 1997. He fled Chile and was arrested in Argentina in 2005. He was convicted in Chile of sexual abuse of children, weapons possession and human rights violations. He died in a Chilean jail in 2010 at the age of 88.

A German court has sentenced a doctor who fled Chile to five years in prison for involvement in child sex abuse at a commune called Colonia Dignidad.

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Dywedodd Charles Hendry, awdur yr adroddiad, y gallai morlynnoedd llanw fod yn "ddiwydiant newydd cyffrous a phwysig i'r Deyrnas Unedig". "Ar ôl astudio'r dystiolaeth a siarad â phobl allweddol ar y ddwy ochr, fy marn i yw y dylen ni gymryd y cyfle nawr i symud 'mlaen â'r dechnoleg," meddai. Ychwanegodd fodd bynnag y dylid aros i'r morlyn yn Abertawe gael ei adeiladu ac yna asesu ei effaith, cyn cymeradwyo prosiectau mwy mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU. Mae gwrthwynebwyr i'r cynllun wedi mynegi pryder am ei effaith ar fywyd gwyllt a'r amgylchedd, a hefyd wedi codi amheuon a fydd yn cynnig gwerth am arian. Ar gais Llywodraeth Prydain, fe wnaeth y cyn weinidog ynni Charles Hendry dreulio bron i flwyddyn yn astudio ymarferoldeb y cynlluniau. Gobaith y datblygwyr yw sefydlu rhwydwaith o forlynnoedd ar hyd arfordir y DU, gan ddechrau yn Abertawe. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi croesawu casgliadau'r adroddiad. Wrth ymateb i'r adroddiad, dywedodd Ceri Davies o Gyfoeth Naturiol Cymru: "Mae datblygu ffynonellau newydd o ynni adnewyddol sydd yn lleihau niwed i'r amgylchedd yn nod yr ydym yn ei gefnogi'n llawn. "Mae defnyddio'r llanw i greu ynni adnewyddol yn beth cymharol newydd ac mae'n beth cymleth iawn. Nid oes neb wedi casglu tystiolaeth o'r blaen am y dechnoleg yma sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio am y tro cyntaf. "Rydym yn cydweithio'n agos gyda datblygwyr y cynllun morlyn arfaethedig yn Abertawe a gydag arbennigwyr eraill i sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud hyn yn fanwl ac yn deg." Byddai'r cynllun ym Mae Abertawe yn cynnwys 16 o dyrbinau ar hyd morglawdd newydd, ond mae'n cael ei weld fel cynllun prawf ar gyfer cynlluniau llawer mwy. Gallai'r rhain gynnwys safleoedd yng Nghymru ym Mae Caerdydd, Casnewydd a Bae Colwyn, ac yn Lloegr, oddi ar arfordir Cumbria a Bae Bridgwater. Dywed Ysgrifennydd Cymru, Alun Cairns fod y Llywodraeth yn edrych ymlaen at astudio adroddiad Charles Hendry "a phenderfynu sut y gall lagwnau gyfrannu at anghenion ynni Cymru a gweddill y DU." Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi croesawu'r adroddiad. Dywedodd llefarydd: "Mae hyn yn amlwg yn cynnig cyfleoedd sylweddol posib i Gymru. "Mae morlynnoedd yn cynnig cyfle i gyfrannu at ddiwydiant ffyniannus Cymreig sydd yn cynnig ffyniant tra'n cefnogi ein hamcanion di-garboneiddio ehangach. "Rydym yn croesawu'r sylw fod achos cryf iawn dros sefydlu Morlyn Llanw Bae Abertawe fel cynllun bychan arloesol i liniaru'r tir, yn dibynnu ar dderbyn cymeradwyaeth." Dywedodd Hugh McNeal, pennaeth Abertawe RenewableUK , y corff sy'n cynrychioli cwmnïau yn y sector ynni adnewyddol glan, fod yr adroddiad yn rhoi cymeradwyaeth i fenter Bae Abertawe. "Nawr, dylai Llywodraeth ddod â'r broses o drafod i ben fel bod y gwaith ar yr isadeiladwaith yn gallu dechrau mor fuan â phosib." Dadansoddiad yr gohebydd amgylchedd, Steffan Messenger Heb os, mae'r adroddiad yn bleidlais o hyder yng ngweledigaeth y cwmni, sy'n gobeithio datblygu morlynnoedd llanw cynta'r byd. A geiriad neges Charles Hendry i Lywodraeth Prydain yn drawiadol o glir. Byddai bwrw ati a'r morlyn arbrofol cynta' un ym Mae Abertawe yn bolisi "na fyddai neb yn ei ddifaru" maes o law, meddai. "Dwi ddim yn credu y bydd na unrhyw ddadlau yn y degawdau i ddod nad hyn oedd y peth iawn i'w wneud." Ond mae 'na argymhellion na fydd Tidal Lagoon Power mor hapus i'w gweld, gan gynnwys y dylai'r cytundebau i ddatblygu unrhyw forlynnoedd eraill yn y dyfodol gael eu cynnig drwy broses tendro agored. A dylai fod bwlch o rai blynyddoedd hefyd, medd Charles Hendry, cyn bod y gwaith o ganiatau datblygiad morlynnoedd mwy o faint yn dechrau. Hynny er mwyn dysgu gwersi a sicrhau nad yw'r morlynnoedd yn niweidiol i'r amgylchedd. Bydd grwpiau amgylcheddol fel yr RSPB, yr Ymddiriedolaethau Bywyd Gwyllt ac eraill yn falch o weld hynny. Tra'u bod yn croesawi potential y morlynnoedd i gynnig ynni glan, dy'n nhw heb eu persawdio eto na fydd effaith ar fywyd gwyllt. Mae Tidal Lagoon Power yn mynnu na fydd eu morlynnoedd yn brifo natur ac yn addo gwario miliynau i sicrhau hynny. Ond mae'r cwmni yn dal i fod mewn trafodaethau a Chyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ynglŷn â'r drwydded forol sy'n rhaid iddyn nhw ei sicrhau cyn bod unrhyw waith adeiladu yn medru dechrau. Mae 'na gryn anghydweld ynglŷn â'r effaith posib ar bysgod yn benodol. Dwi ar ddeall fod TLP wedi cyflwyno tystiolaeth newydd i CNC a falle bydd yn rhaid i'r corff amgylcheddol gynnal ail ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus cyn cytuno ar drwydded forol. Gallai hynny gymryd amser. Ond gyda'r adolygiad heddi mor glir yn ei gefnogaeth, fe fydd na bwysau ar bawb sy' ynghlwm â'r prosiect - o Lywodraeth Prydain i Gyfoeth Naturiol Cymru - i ddatgan be'n union yw eu safbwynt... cyn hir. Bwriad y cwmni yw dechrau'r gwaith adeiladu o fewn blwyddyn i gael caniatâd gan y Llywodraeth. "Fe all lagŵn llanw cynta'r byd ym Mae Abertawe ddarparu ar gyfer ein hanghenion ynni cenedlaethol a chreu swyddi lleola am ddegawdau," meddai. Mae Cyfeillion y Ddaear hefyd wedi croesawu'r cyhoeddiad gan ddweud y gallai lagŵn ym Mae Abertawe chwarae "rôl allweddol wrth gynhyrchu ynni glan i Gymru." "Er hyn, mae'n bwysig bod ystyriaeth gywir yn cael ei roi i unrhyw effaith bosib ar fywyd gwyllt a'r amgylchedd cyn bod unrhyw ddatblygiad yn cael caniatâd," meddai llefarydd Ond yn ôl Ymddiriedolaeth Pysgotwyr, mae'r adroddiad wedi methu ag ymchwilio yn llawn i effaith codi lagŵn o'r fath. Dywedodd Mark Lloyd, prif weithredwr yr Ymddiriedolaeth, y dylai mwy o ystyriaeth "gael ei roi i astudio'r syniadau a thechnoleg fwy diweddar' i'r defnydd posib o ynni llawn." Mae'r Ymddiriedolaeth hefyd yn dweud fod yr adroddiad yn gwneud eu damcaniaethau economaidd ar lagŵn fyddai'n para 120 o flynyddoedd, sef dwbl y 60 mlynedd oedd yr amcangyfrif cyntaf ar gyfer asesu'r prosiect. Bydd angen i'r datblygwr, Tidal Lagoon Power, ddod i gytundeb gyda Llywodraeth Prydain ynglŷn â'r cymhorthdal fydd yn cael ei dalu am drydan o'r safle. Mae'r cwmni yn dweud y bydd Abertawe yn profi'r dechnoleg, ond yn gallu cynhyrchu hyd at 12% o ynni'r DU yn y pendraw. Yn ôl y cwmni, bydd y safle yn cynhyrchu trydan am 120 o flynyddoedd, ac maen nhw'n ceisio am gytundeb am daliad o £89.90 i bob megawat awr (MWh). Byddai hynny'n is na'r £92.50 i bob MWh i orsaf pŵer niwclear Hinkley C. Mae hefyd angen trwydded forol gan y corff sy'n gyfrifol am yr amgylchedd, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru. Er i dros 20 o gwmnïau annog i'r cynllun gael ei gymeradwyo yn gynharach yn yr wythnos, mae pryderon yn dal i fod am effaith amgylcheddol ar bysgod, adar a'r posibilrwydd am lifogydd. Mae llywydd Cymdeithas, Cymdeithas Brithyll ac Eog Cymru, Rhys Llywelyn yn rhybuddio y gallai'r cynllun gael effaith andwyol ar stoc bysgod: "Ma'r niwed i bysgod a rhywogaethau eraill yn mynd i fod yn anferth, ond hefyd, os dy' chi'n edrych ar yr ochr economaidd, dyw'r syms ddim yn neud synnwyr a dweud y gwir wrthoch chi. "Maen nhw'n son am gynllun dros 95 neu 120 o flynyddoedd, lle mewn gwirionedd, dyw'r project yma ddim yn mynd i bara 40, 30, 20 mlynedd, a byddwn ni'n cael ein gadael gyda'r peth ofnadwy yma yn llygru Bae Abertawe."

Mae adroddiad annibynnol sydd wedi ei gyhoeddi ddydd Iau yn argymell adeiladu morlyn llanw gwerth £1.3bn ym Mae Abertawe.

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Alan Knight, 51, admitted murdering David Bond, 50, in Worthing and was sentenced at Hove Crown Court to serve at least 19 years. After the hearing, Sussex Police said the killing in August followed a row over the cleanliness of the house in Osmonde Close where they both lived. Det Ch Insp Tanya Jones said the tipping point was the microwave oven. Describing the level of violence as "horrendous", she said: "His reaction was extreme for something, which in reality, was very small." Police said Mr Bond was last seen on 6 August in The Warwick pub, but an argument began after he arrived home. Knight texted his friend to say his landlord had asked him to move out. He wrote: "Shall I just kill him and you find me somewhere to duck till we get a plan..." Police said he later messaged the friend to say he was "only joking" but then sent six images of Mr Bond's body, which she did not believe. The next day, Knight drove Mr Bond's car to Hove and withdrew £600 before abandoning the car in London and visiting a friend in Southend. The friend later told Essex Police she believed he had killed his landlord. Shortly afterwards, Sussex Police went to Mr Bond's house where his body had been seen. Det Ch Insp Jones said Knight knew what he was doing and described it as "a cold and calculated crime". She said the pair only lived together for about six months. In a statement, Mr Bond's family said: "David was a caring loving son and father to his two sons, David Jr and Christopher. Out of no reason, his life was taken away cruelly."

A lodger has been jailed for life for stabbing his landlord 29 times after a row about cleanliness.

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Drew Nelson said members have organised protests that will be controlled by the Orange Order and will be peaceful. At a joint news conference on Thursday, the order and unionist leaders unveiled the first part of their "graduated response" to a Belfast parade ruling. Meanwhile, a court challenge to the ruling is due to be heard on Friday. A judicial review hearing is expected to take place in the High Court in Belfast at 14:00 BST. On Thursday evening, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said she would meet unionist and Orange Order leaders to discuss their call for a commission of inquiry into the issue of parades. Speaking on the BBC programme The View, Mr Nelson said the institution was doing what it could could to ensure peace. "We are stepping up to the mark here to try and manage this situation," Mr Nelson said. "If we did nothing, it would create a more volatile situation and increase the risk of violence and we are doing everything in our power to stop that. The Parades Commission, last week, ruled that the Ligoniel Orange Lodge should not make a return parade along a stretch of the Crumlin Road that separates unionist and nationalist communities on 12 July. It is the second year in a row that such a ruling has been made. Several nights of rioting took place after the same parade was stopped from returning along the road last year, with scores of officers injured.

The Orange Order's grand secretary has said the institution has put a massive effort into calming the situation in Northern Ireland ahead of 12 July.

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Florida Senator Marco Rubio said the rap star was unwise to pretend to shoot a clown dressed as the US president in the video. Mr Rubio told TMZ: "If the wrong person sees that and gets the wrong idea, you could have a real problem." The video, featuring Snoop Dogg and Kaytranada, is a remix of Lavender by Canadian group BadBadNotGood. Mr Rubio added: "Snoop shouldn't have done that. "We've had presidents assassinated before... so anything like that is something people should be really careful about." The video shows Snoop shooting the Trump character with a gun that releases a flag with the word "bang" written on it. Mr Rubio ran to be the Republican presidential candidate. He lost the Republican primary in his home state to Mr Trump. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

Snoop Dogg has been criticised for shooting a toy gun at a Donald Trump character in a music video.

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Allan Whittern ran the grocer's store in Suffolk Parade from 1932 until his death 50 years later, in 1982. Following its closure in 1991, the door painted with his father's likeness was donated by his son to the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum in the town. The Cheltenham Trust, which runs the gallery, wants to restore it for an exhibition later in the year. His daughter-in-law, Thelma Whittern, said it was painted with Mr Whittern's portrait after he refused a request by a Whitbread representative to place an advert on the warehouse door. "The chap said 'well what can we put on?' and Allan promptly replied 'you can put me on'. And so the chap did," she said. She said since it disappeared, people have asked after its whereabouts. "People used to pass by in semi-darkness and see the portrait there and [say] 'goodnight Mr Whittern', thinking he was coming out of the warehouse. "Since he's gone we've been asked by so many, 'where is it? What have you done with it? You haven't destroyed it?" A crowdfunding campaign for donations has reached more than half of the £3,000 needed for the work to be carried out. A further £1,400 needs to be raised by Friday. The trust's Chloe Moorhead said: "Championing Cheltenham's rich heritage is of huge importance to the trust and to the town. "This is a fantastic opportunity for people to play their part in preserving an important part of Cheltenham's art history for generations to come."

A portrait of a well-known Cheltenham grocer which was painted onto his shop door in the 1960s could be restored.

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park said 100,000 people visited in September when the poppies were installed, compared with about 37,000 last year. The poppy arch segment, Wave, consists of 5,800 ceramic poppies falling from Cascade Bridge into the Lower Lake. Park entry on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day will be by ticket only. Yorkshire Sculpture Park said visitor numbers would be restricted on 8 and 11 November "to ensure a calm and contemplative experience for all". Belinda Eldridge, operations manager, said the 170% rise in visitor numbers was "phenomenal" and Yorkshire Sculpture Park was expecting its biggest ever year, with more than half a million visitors. "We feel extremely privileged to be able to bring the poppies to Yorkshire," she said. "It's safe to say tens of thousands of people are coming as a result of the poppies." She said the sculpture had a "different feel" from any other sculpture at the park, and many people found seeing the poppies was a "calm and contemplative experience". The installation is part of a nationwide tour of poppies from the artwork Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, which was unveiled in London in July 2014. The artwork, created by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper, marked 100 years since the start of World War One and drew more than five million visitors. The Yorkshire Regiment raised 24 Battalions served by 65,000 men, of whom 9,000 died.

A sculpture park near Wakefield has reported a 170% rise in visitors since poppies from the Tower of London went on show in September.

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John Nelms said on the club's website that a land use application will soon be submitted with the local council for land in Camperdown Park. He and fellow American owner Tim Keyes recently bought 29 acres of land there, near the city's Ice Arena. Nelms spoke after the club revealed an operating loss of £530,000 to 31 May. "They are not great, but they're nothing to worry about," Nelms said of the club's annual accounts, which showed that turnover had remained at about £4m. "Football Partners Scotland, the major shareholder, funds any losses. We said we would do that from the get go." Nelms explained that missing out on a top-six finish in the Scottish Premiership - Dundee finished eighth - resulted in £200,000 less income than had been budgeted for. Club wages also increased by £175,000, partly down to the first pay rises to administration and support staff "for a number of years". Nelms pointed out that the maintenance bill for Dens Park had risen £50,000 on the previous year and an additional £500,000 would be required in the 2017 accounts because of rent increases. Dundee's stadium is less than 400 yards away in the same street as city rivals Dundee United's Tannadice Park. "The biggest issue we have is the stadium itself," added Nelms. "We've put over £200,000 into the ground and that's not enhancing the ground - that's just keeping it going. "We assume that those issues are going to get worse and worse as time goes on. "We are trying to put on a 21st century entertainment product in a 19th century building and it's not new news that Tim and I have bought 29 acres near the ice rink in Camperdown Park. "And we will be putting in a land use application shortly that we hope really enhances Dundee Football Club."

Dundee are continuing to work towards moving away from Dens Park to a new stadium in the city, manager director John Nelms has revealed.

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Jack Walsh, from Lisburn in County Antrim, is hoping he will be one of the few to make it big. "Here everyone is involved in the industry as an actor or film-maker, even if they're serving coffee in a restaurant," he said. His passion for film was initially sparked by his A-level course in moving image arts at Friends' School in Lisburn. Now, the 23-year-old is working for the hugely popular Game Grumps channel in Los Angeles, which has over 3.1m YouTube subscribers. The idea is deceptively simple. Each day, Game Grumps uploads up to four videos of members of the group playing a videogame while talking about it as they play. Be warned, the commentary and humour can be of the adults-only variety. But watching and listening to members of the company play classic videogames like Super Mario attracts hundreds of thousands of people a day. Walsh works behind the camera to help keep the whole enterprise going. "You'd be amazed at the work that goes into watching people play video games," he said. "What I do is shooting and directing the commercials for them which they upload onto their channel. "They get asked by a lot of technological and computer companies to promote and advertise their products, so I film live action material for them." He is also involved in the company's planned expansion into TV comedy on YouTube's Red channel, which has recently been launched as an alternative to Netflix. "We're developing more original material which will be released on YouTube," he said. "The team behind Game Grumps are animators, comedians and musicians, so the YouTube channel helps to keep all their other projects afloat. "We hope to get bigger, releasing more original content." Walsh moved to Los Angeles at 18 to study at film school straight after taking four A-levels at Friends' School. His A-level in moving image arts got him hooked on filmmaking, and in the final year of his film degree he got an opportunity to work with leading composer John Debney. Debney has composed scores for a number of films including Iron Man 2, Bruce Almighty, Elf and The Passion Of The Christ, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. "Our syllabus allowed us to intern at a production company for the final semester and I was fortunate enough to work with him," said Walsh. "I was his sole intern and at the time John was conducting for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, released last year as the first film under Paramount's new animation studio." That experience led Walsh to write and direct his own short film musical, Not Another High School Musical, in which a teenage boy becomes inspired to form his own all-singing, dancing gang to stand up to the bullies in his school after watching West Side Story. "I wrote the music and lyrics, and I would really like to do more of that in the future," he said. "I hope to write a Game Grumps musical and shoot it over the next couple of years." And would he like to return home to work in Northern Ireland's burgeoning film industry at some point? "It's great that the film industry is growing in Northern Ireland, especially with Game Of Thrones, which is really the biggest TV show in the world," he said. "I still think there are more opportunities back home as well. "LA can be lonely if you don't know anyone, but the company here is getting bigger and bigger and I want to shoot and direct more so I'm not ready to come home just yet."

It is the home of the entertainment universe, but for every top filmmaker in Los Angeles there are many who fail to be successful.

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The animal, nicknamed Menai, was discovered at Tan-y-Foel close to Anglesey Sea Zoo a month ago. The zoo said it was the first time an Olive ridley turtle had been in the UK. Staff, who took it to a vet, said Menai was now progressing to the next stage of its recovery by being moved to a larger tank inside their aquarium. Zoo owner Frankie Horbo said: "As she is now so active we are hoping this new environment will allow her to start diving and moving around more, and may help to resolve some of her buoyancy issues." She said records dating back to 1748 showed Menai was the first Olive ridley to arrive in the UK. "It's incredibly unusual. The nearest breeding population is in Gabon, in south western Africa," she said. Ms Horbo said Menai was comatose when she arrived but had managed to retain "a core of body heat" and was now back to her ideal temperature.

A rare tropical turtle found in a serious condition after washing up on an Anglesey beach is more lively and improving every day, a zoo has said.

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Relegated Villa were leading 2-1 at Vicarage Road before two late goals from Watford captain Troy Deeney. Ayew and team-mate Idrissa Gana Gueye were then allegedly involved in an incident involving home supporters. Reports suggest the Ghana international, 24, climbed over advertising boards to confront fans. Ayew, who was substituted in the 79th minute, is believed to have taken exception to something said in the Sir Elton John Stand. His low drive had earlier restored Villa's lead, but Aly Cissokho was sent off with 17 minutes to play and Watford mounted a late comeback.

The Football Association says it will investigate striker Jordan Ayew's actions during Aston Villa's 3-2 defeat at Watford on Saturday.

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Media playback is not supported on this device The wing, 34, scored in the last move of Wales' 24-18 defeat by Australia in Cardiff and was later in tears during a televised interview. Gatland said that the last-gasp try "was fantastic for him [Williams]". The New Zealander also says Wales' fans can look forward with excitement to the 2012 Six Nations and beyond. "You've got to be excited about the Six Nations. I thought it was a really good game of rugby," said Gatland. "And I thought we played some great rugby in that first half against one of the best defences in world rugby. Media playback is not supported on this device "They had the best defence at the World Cup - they were hard to break down. "We scored a couple of cracking tries and you've got to be excited about the youth in this team. "Jamie Roberts, now that Shane Williams is gone, is the oldest in that backline at 25 years of age. "There's a good young loose-forward trio, some second-rows are still very young so we've got to be really excited about not just the up-coming Six Nations, but the next cycle and looking forward to building up to 2015." Gatland felt that Leigh Halfpenny's 50th-minute sin-binning was "unlucky" and that Australia fully exploited Wales' disadvantage while the full-back was absent. "I felt sorry for Leigh because with the angle he came from and the way the ball bounced he thought it had gone in to [Australia fly-half James] O'Connor's hands and he has not been able to see the ball, but he thought he had the ball at the time," Gatland said. "The referee has a different angle and we accept that decision, but unfortunately we conceded 21 points in that period and that's the game. "We got ourselves back into the game, but that 10 minutes has been very costly for us." However, Gatland felt Osprey Williams can look back on a memorable send-off to an outstanding career. He [Shane Williams] is a once-in-a-generation player Gatland said: "The game didn't go fantastic for him outside of that [try], but it was a fitting end for someone who's had a fantastic career. "He's won a lot of games from his individual exploits for Wales over the years so to score in the final minute of his final game was a fitting end, I think." Australia coach Robbie Deans also paid tribute to Williams. "He is a once-in-a-generation player," said former All Black Deans, echoing the thoughts of rugby figures such as Barry John, Graham Henry and Bryan Habana. "What he has achieved in the game no one does really. He deserves every acknowledgement going. "It was a nice way to finish, although I probably wasn't excited at the time until I saw who it was. "He is a quality player and we wish him well. He has contributed to the game of rugby. "He leaves a legacy a lot of players in Welsh rugby will want to follow. It's good for the game." Media playback is not supported on this device

Wales coach Warren Gatland hailed Shane Williams' late try in their defeat by Australia as a fitting end to the player's career.

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The region's chief operating officer says the claims of head coach Sean Holley and forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys will also be assessed. New Zealander Hore, a former Wales fitness coach, said: "We definitely will be looking at both scenarios." Johnson will become Scotland boss Andy Robinson's senior assistant coach. Hore said: "We've been talking for a long period of time about where to go from here, that kind of thing. "What we want to do now is sit down and look at the blueprint. "We started this exercise four years ago to bring him [Johnson] in to help develop those coaches and that coaching staff and put those systems in place. Are we happy with where we're at? "And we've just got to review that now and make a decision on whether we bring somebody else in, that maybe the process needs to be finished. "Or, are we happy with where we're at and go with from within, as we said? "And then it's who, from within, is going to head that up?" Hore admits the festive period has made it difficult for the Osprey's power brokers, such as joint managing directors Roger Blyth and Mike Cuddy, to meet to discuss the issue. "With some directors being away, obviously with the festive period and that, we just haven't had a chance to sit down because it [the news about Johnson leaving] came out a little bit earlier than we expected," Hore added. "So yeah, we've got a bit of work to do yet." The Ospreys stopped a run of three defeats with a 17-12 win over Welsh rivals Cardiff Blues on New Year's Day at the Liberty Stadium.

Andrew Hore says the Ospreys will consider finding a successor for director of coaching Scott Johnson, who leaves for Scotland in June.

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Lawnmowers, a scarifier and a turfer were taken from the Lockerbie site some time between 09:00 on Thursday and the same time on Friday. Det Con Scott Barr said it appeared to have been a "targeted raid" with a vehicle needed to remove the property. He appealed for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area to contact them as soon as possible.

Grass cutting equipment worth about £20,000 has been stolen from a south of Scotland bowling club.

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A Vauxhall Astra and a Peugeot 206 were involved in the crash on Blackburn Road in Sheffield at 01:00 GMT. Joshua Fothergill, 19, of Rotherham was in the Astra and died at the scene as did Liam Parkin, also 19, of Sheffield who was in the Peugeot. A 20-year-old man, held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop, has been bailed. Three other men who were travelling in the Peugeot were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. They were a 24-year-old and an 18-year-old from Rotherham, and a 21-year-old man about whom no other details were released by police.

Two teenagers who died when two cars collided in the early hours of Saturday have been named by police.

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Conservative MP Damian Collins made the call after US media claims that former Fifa executive Chuck Blazer recorded conversations with football officials at the London 2012 Olympics. Russia will host the 2018 World Cup after England's unsuccessful bid. The 2022 World Cup will be in Qatar. The SFO can investigate "cases which undermine UK commercial/financial PLC in general and the City of London in particular" and has been following bribery claims stemming from the December 2010 decision to award rights for the next two World Cups. Fifa has already undertaken its own investigation into the corruption allegations, led by independent ethics investigator Michael Garcia. American Blazer was a member of Fifa's executive committee from 1996 to 2013. On Sunday, the New York Daily News alleged US FBI agents recruited Blazer by threatening him with arrest and prosecution for tax fraud if he failed to cooperate. Media playback is not supported on this device The paper says Blazer was supplied with a modified keyring that contained a tiny microphone in order to secretly record conversations with leading football officials during a visit to the London 2012 Olympic Games. "If there is evidence that Chuck Blazer held meetings during the Olympics, that would come under the jurisdiction of the SFO," Collins told BBC Sport. "I want to see if they would now be prepared to act." Fifa declined to comment about Blazer when contacted. BBC Sport has seen a letter from the SFO to Collins, sent before the allegations about Blazer were published, which said the crime bureau was watching corruption allegations "with interest". The letter added that the SFO did not believe it had the right to launch its own inquiry. SFO director David Green told Collins: "The allegations that have occurred so far are against non-UK nationals and the alleged conduct took place outside of the UK." That could now change if reports of Blazer recording officials in London are accurate. Green's letter adds: "I can... assure you that the SFO will continue to keep the jurisdictional position under review." Collins wrote to the SFO in September asking it to seek access to the report produced by Michael Garcia. Garcia spent 18 months interviewing individuals from nations wanting to stage the 2018 and 2022 finals - and wants greater transparency from Fifa. But Fifa president Sepp Blatter said Garcia's full report will not be published because of legal issues. The information that will be eventually be revealed is now in the hands of Hans-Joachim Eckert, a German judge tasked by Fifa with deciding if any individuals breached the organisation's code of ethics. He is due to make an interim statement later this month, which may include redacted sections of Garcia's findings. Collins is concerned that information relating to claims made by former chairman of the FA Lord Triesman concerning alleged corruption could be contained within Garcia's files but will not be made public. Lord Triesman made a series of allegations concerning his time involved with England's 2018 bid in evidence to a House of Lords committee in 2011. Furthermore, Collins asked the SFO to consider whether evidence of any additional wrongdoing, which might fall under its jurisdiction, could be revealed by obtaining access to Garcia's report. In light of the SFO's response and Chuck Blazer's alleged role as an FBI informant, Collins believes Fifa must now publish Garcia's findings and inform the relevant law enforcement agencies. "If Fifa is sitting on evidence relating to acts of bribery and corruption, then it is more than just a football matter," Collins said. "It is unthinkable they wouldn't reveal what they have. "There are people who are stopping evidence being made available. You'll have to draw your own conclusions as to why that is."

The Serious Fraud Office has been urged to reconsider its decision not to investigate allegations of Fifa corruption during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process.

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The Dutch firm said the 26.9bn euro (£22.8bn) offer undervalued Akzo and showed a "lack of cultural understanding of the brand". The company, which claims its own plans for growth are superior, has been urged to reject a merger by the Dutch government and its own workers. But some Akzo investors favour a deal. PPG said it was disappointed by Akzo Nobel's decision and would "review" the firm's response. It comes several weeks after PPG increased its offer to buy the Amsterdam-based firm for the second time as it seeks to create an industry leader in the paints and coatings sector. The US firm suggested the bid was its last friendly attempt to merge with Akzo and has not ruled out putting the matter directly to shareholders. But responding on Monday, Akzo chief executive Ton Buchner said his team had conducted an "extensive review" of the bid and had again found it wanting. "The PPG proposal undervalues AkzoNobel, contains significant risks and uncertainties, makes no substantive commitments to stakeholders and demonstrates a lack of cultural understanding," he said. Akzo says its own plans for the firm - which involve spinning off its chemicals division into a separate business - would better serve shareholders. It has promised to increase its dividend for 2017 by half and pay a 1bn euro special cash dividend in November. However, it also faces mounting pressure from some of its biggest shareholders to consider a deal, having repeatedly refused to enter talks with PPG's management. Last month, the activist investor Elliot Investors also called for a vote to oust chairman Antony Burgmans - a proposal Akzo rejected. In its favour, Akzo has won political support against a tie-up, with four provincial governments having warned of its impact on jobs. The company also says that PPG would struggle to get the deal past Dutch competition regulators, which poses a risk to shareholders. As part of its latest offer, PPG offered commitments on jobs and to pay a break fee in case the deal was rejected by officials. In a statement on Monday, it said: "[Akzo] has once again refused to enter into a negotiation regarding a combination of the two companies, ignoring the best interests of its stakeholders, including long-term shareholders who overwhelmingly support engagement." Akzo Nobel shares fell more than 2% in morning trading in Amsterdam but have jumped about 30% this year.

Akzo Nobel, the owner of Dulux paint, has rejected a third takeover offer by US rival PPG Industries, leaving the door open to a hostile bid.

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Letters from the Department of Environment to a range of organisations that work in areas like tourism, environmental heritage and hills management, began arriving on Wednesday. It is understood a number of high profile organisation are badly affected. In some cases the cuts runs to more than £200,000. It follows a cut of more than 10% to the department's own budget which was finalised earlier this week. One of the organisations affected is the Northern Ireland Environment Link. Its funding has been cut from £200,000 to £50,000. The letter it received said its funding would continue until June, but would be withdrawn after that. Its chief executive Craig McGuicken said: "We knew that the department had taken a serious cut in the budget, but the sector has been surprised by the severity of this." In the letter his organisation received, a departmental official wrote: "We will pay the relevant portion of our offer of funding for 2015-16 for the three month period from 1 April to 30 June 2015 in accordance with the verification and claim process set out in the letter of offer and to a maximum of £50,000. "No further funding will be provided in future financial years in relation to our previous letter of offer. "I appreciate that this letter will not bring welcome news to you." The Belfast Hills Partnership has also been affected. It helps to conserve and promote the mountains around the city. Its core funding from the department has been reduced to zero from £50,000. Its director Jim Bradley said: "Although NIEA [Northern Ireland Environment Agency] have been warning us of very drastic cuts, this is much more than just a major cut in funding, it is an end to funding of organisations, many of which NIEA set up to tackle specific needs and issues. "This has nothing to do with how efficient or effective individual organisations were, it's a wholesale removal of a sector which delivered services much better and at lower costs than government could." A representative from the Ulster Wildlife Trust said their annual grant of £220,000 was being totally cut. She said it would have an impact on jobs. "We're all very shocked. We expected cuts but not at this level. It will be a very different landscape we're going to be operating in," she added. The Mourne Heritage Trust is losing three quarters of its funding for 2015/16 going from £225,000 to £56,000 pounds. Chief Executive Martin Carey said the scale of the cut had come "as a complete surprise". "As of July 1, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will not be providing any funding for an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and for the Mourne Heritage Trust which it established." He said it would affect the organisation's ability to maintain paths and stiles and collect litter. He said the decision also jeopardised up to £1,000,000 pounds in `match funding` from organisations like the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund.

Environmental groups in Northern Ireland are facing huge cuts to their budgets after the money they receive from government was slashed.

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Sheridan only took over as manager at Rodney Parade on Friday after Terry Butcher's departure the previous day. He saw his side fall behind to Exeter when Joel Grant took Jordan Moore-Taylor's cross and cut inside to score. But Newport fought back as John-Lewis pounced after Troy Brown blocked Alex Rodman's initial effort. Newport County manager John Sheridan told BBC Wales Sport: "We played very well, I couldn't have asked any more from the players. "The endeavour and some of the football we played at times was really good. "It's always difficult when you're bottom of the league, you're always looking up at everyone and it was a difficult game against Exeter, I've always liked the way they play. "But the players really responded to the new manager coming in and they gave me a performance I was really pleased with."

New boss John Sheridan saw Newport claim a hard-fought draw in his first game in charge thanks to a Lenell John-Lewis equaliser against Exeter.

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The 36-year-old former Watford and West Bromwich Albion defender was without a club when he joined Blues on a one-month trial deal in September 2012. But this new contract, in a player-coach role, is his fourth for Blues as he continues to extend a career that now totals more than 700 appearances. Robinson has not figured since being sent off at Bournemouth on 6 April. But he has still clocked up 36 appearances this season, taking his total number of games in a royal blue shirt to 119. "Robbo is an influential person around the dressing room and been a good help to me since I've come in," Rowett told BBC WM. "And I still think he can offer something on the pitch. "There is an opportunity to become a squad defender and still be influential around the club and help some of the youngsters in a coaching capacity, maybe one or two days a week. "Sometimes it's hard to find someone that can offer a multitude of things. They can help the young players with that game understanding and that knowledge of winning things and doing things properly in football, because that's something you don't often get in academies. "Every time he pulled on the captain's armband he gave it everything he's got. He's a real winner and a real leader and sometimes I don't think there are enough of those around clubs in the game."

Birmingham City club captain Paul Robinson has signed a new one-year contract with the Championship club.

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Iwan Wyn Lewis of Penygroes, Gwynedd, had been sectioned at Ysbyty Gwynedd after allegedly assaulting his mother. The 36-year-old was visited by an officer in April 2016 about his bail arrangements, which a doctor said could have added to his distress. His body was found in the Menai Strait on 2 May. Mr Lewis was receiving treatment at the hospital's Hergest unit and was later moved to the Cynan ward where he received the visit from the officer. Speaking at the inquest in Caernarfon on Thursday, consultant psychiatrist Dr Olufemi Adebajo said he was "extremely unhappy" about the visit. "I don't think the police should be able to come to the ward without special permission," he said. Asked by coroner Nicola Jones whether the conversation with the officer could have added to Mr Lewis' agitation and distress, Dr Adebajo said: "It's quite possible - even likely". He said he had known Mr Lewis for more than two years and never considered him to be a suicide risk. The day before his death, he had asked staff for extra medication because he said he was feeling agitated, but they did not change his dosage because they could see no sign of agitation. On the evening of 2 May, Mr Lewis told staff he was going to the shop, but 45 minutes later his body was found in the Menai Strait. The inquest continues.

North Wales Police has been criticised at an inquest for sending an officer to speak to a hospital patient with paranoid schizophrenia.

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Few details of the deal agreed by the Russians and Americans have been released. There was indeed something of a decline in hostilities, though no comprehensive calm. The ceasefire was supposed to open the way to aid deliveries in Syria, followed by the rolling out of a co-ordinated military campaign by Moscow and Washington against so-called Islamic State (IS) targets and other groups linked to al-Qaeda. In practice the latest attacks on the aid convoy and hospital seem to have taken things back to square one. Indeed the cynicism of the attack on the convoy in particular is remarkable. The Russians have shown drone footage of their monitoring of the convoy, the route and location of which were pre-announced. But what happened next is disputed. The Americans are hinting strongly that the convoy was attacked from the air by a pair of Sukhoi Su-24 jets - either Russian or Syrian. It makes little difference to Washington, which holds Moscow responsible either way. In contrast, the Russians deny any culpability; they say their aircraft were not in the area and that the destruction of the convoy was the result of action on the ground - the implication is from rebel forces. Quite what purpose anyone had in destroying the convoy is unclear, other than to jeopardise the ceasefire. But the seeds of its collapse were there from the outset. Firstly, the ceasefire was negotiated not between the warring parties on the ground but by two of their patrons - the US and Russia - who are both engaged in the conflict, in different ways and with very different goals. The Syrian Government and the various rebel factions were not involved. Secondly, neither the Russians nor the Americans were able to convince their allies to accept the deal. Moscow had the easier job, to convince the Assad regime, which is hugely dependent upon Russia. The Americans were able to convince some of the rebel groups to back the deal - but many others did not. Indeed many of them have no particular relationship with the Americans. Furthermore, the complex and untidy nature of the Syrian battlefield with multiple localised conflicts going on across the country, prosecuted by a variety of actors, made the idea of any ceasefire difficult from the outset. The idea that the guns should fall silent in one war - between the Assad government and a variety of rebel groups - while the US and Russia put their foot on the accelerator in another battle against IS is a little bizarre. Any hammering of IS would create local vacuums into which one or other actor, the government or the rebels, might step. In any case many at the Pentagon (and probably one would imagine some inside the Russian Defence Ministry as well) were far from enthusiastic about the proposed joint military campaign against IS. If there was insufficient trust at the outset, then the attack on the aid convoy and the recriminations between Washington and Moscow now, have only made matters worse. The conflict seems to be heading for a brutal stalemate as the fighting continues. The Assad regime is too weak to retake all the areas of the country it has lost. The rebel opposition too weak to seriously challenge it beyond the areas it already holds. The Kurds as well as the Turkish incursion into Syria add an additional level of complexity to the problem. And as mentioned above the continued assault on IS will change the strategic map in Syria whatever happens elsewhere.

While US Secretary of State John Kerry is not giving up on the idea of a ceasefire in Syria, it is very hard to see his efforts bearing fruit.

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A leaked document said a group of organisations, also featuring two local NHS trusts, had come together and was the last remaining bidder in the process. The BBC understands it could be led by private firm Interserve. Pending further discussions, the deal is due to be awarded in December. In the leaked document, clinical commissioning groups said the public-private sector consortium would "bring together a wide range of skills and expertise". Discussions are expected to take place over the coming weeks, before an official proposal is submitted. If successful, the consortium will co-ordinate cancer care - from diagnosis through to treatment - in the county. Outsourcing contracts to cover both cancer and end of life care in Staffordshire were announced last year. Together, they are expected to be worth £1.2bn and cover a 10-year period. The contracts will cover the areas controlled by Stafford and Surrounds, Cannock Chase, Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire CCGs. Trade unions have previously described the involvement of private companies as a "huge gamble". Campaigners are expected to hand over a petition on Thursday against awarding the contracts to the private sector.

A £690m cancer care contract in Staffordshire is expected to be awarded to a consortium including private firms.

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The Invergordon lifeboat was launched and local coastguards teams deployed at about 14:30. As they headed to the scene it was reported that the dinghy had come to rest on a sandbank. The local coastguards on the ground were able to reach the inflatable vessel and help the occupants to safety. Invergordon Lifeboat spokesman Michael MacDonald said: "They were lucky to come to rest on a sandbank. "If the wind had picked up it could have been blown them further out with the tide also on it's way out and they could have been put in more danger."

Two adults and a child were rescued by coastguard teams after their dinghy was blown offshore near Nairn East beach.

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The winger, 23, set up Martin Samuelsen's goal before scoring the second in Saturday's 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic at the Abax Stadium. Maddison has now provided a league-high 15 assists for 11th-placed Posh, who are eight points off the play-offs. "On his day he is one of the best in this league, if not the best," McCann told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. "We want to try to get his best out of him more than not his best, if you know what I mean. He's bringing a lot more to the table this year." Peterborough signed Maddison, who started his career at Newcastle United, from Gateshead in 2014. "Goal-scoring wise I've been a bit off," said Maddison, who has scored eight times this season. "But assist wise, I'm up there. I've just got to help the team in any way I can."

Peterborough United manager Grant McCann says Marcus Maddison is the best player in League One "on his day".

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The 28-year-old footballer's contract was terminated hours after he was dropped for Saturday's Premier League match against Manchester United. He will stand trial on Friday on two further counts of sexual activity with a child, which he denies. Sportswear firm Adidas has cancelled its contract with the midfielder. After Johnson's arrest in March 2015, the club suspended him, but then lifted the ban following talks with his representatives and the Professional Footballers' Association. In his last appearance for the Black Cats, England international Johnson - who played while on bail - scored in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. Johnson, who was born in Sunderland, began his career at Middlesbrough before moving to Manchester City and then to Sunderland for £10m in 2012. When asked about the winger's future at a news conference earlier on Thursday, Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce said: "He'll not be available for this weekend. We will see how it goes after that." The trial of Johnson, who has won 12 England caps, will take place at Bradford Crown Court and is expected to last two weeks.

Adam Johnson has been sacked by Sunderland after pleading guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and one charge of grooming.

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They want England, Wales and Northern Ireland brought in line with Scotland. The bill proposes amending the 1988 Road Traffic Act to lower the blood-alcohol concentration limit from 80mg alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg. The government said the current limit struck a balance between safety and personal freedom. The bill, which will be debated in the Lords on Friday, also proposes lowering the limits for alcohol in breath and urine when driving a vehicle. Because everyone has a different susceptibility to alcohol, health experts say it is difficult to quantify exactly how many units can be drunk before reaching the proposed new limit. For the average man, it would be just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine and for women, half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine. In a letter to the Times, the Alcohol Health Alliance said the move would save lives and improve road safety. The alliance, which is made up of organisations including the Royal College of Physicians, the British Medical Association and Alcohol Concern, said that at the current limit, drivers are six times more likely to die in a road traffic accident than those who have not drunk any alcohol. It said a vote in favour of the bill would signal to the government that "now is the time time to lower the drink-driving limit". Scotland lowered its drink-driving limit to the proposed new level in December 2014 and police figures show that drink-drive offences there fell by 17% in the first three months of 2015. Northern Ireland is currently consulting on whether to lower its limit. At present, England, Wales and Northern Ireland have one of the highest drink-driving limits in Europe. The World Health Organization recommends a limit of 50mg/100ml. Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance and honorary professor in clinical science at the University of Liverpool, said the overriding reason for lowering the limit was that "several hundreds of lives could be saved in England each year". And he said the scientific evidence for the change was strong. "There is a wealth of published, peer-reviewed, high quality research on the impact of alcohol on psychomotor skills and judgement. "While even low levels have an effect on these critical functions, the deterioration in performance moving from a blood level of 50 to 80mg per 100ml are striking." Prof Gilmore said there was public support for a lowering of the legal drink-drive limit at a time when drink-driving appears to be on the rise. The Local Government Association recently estimated that lowering the current limit would also save nearly £300m a year by reducing police and ambulance call-outs and hospital admissions. A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "The drink-driving limit for England and Wales strikes an important balance between safety and personal freedom. "By having our limit, we are not criminalising those who drink a small amount a long time before driving, but our advice remains unchanged: don't take the risk by driving after you have had a drink." People who have served road bans in England and Wales for serious drink-driving offences have to pass a medical examination before they can regain their licence.

A group of doctors and health experts is urging the House of Lords to support a bill to lower the drink-driving limit across the whole of the UK.

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Air accident investigators have been briefing families ahead of official publication of their final report. The police helicopter crashed onto the busy Clutha bar on 29 November 2013. An earlier interim report said the engines had shut down even though there was fuel in the reserve tank. Some relatives said the briefing had left many questions unanswered, and underlined the need for black box flight recorders to be fitted in all passenger-carrying aircraft. Following the meeting with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) in Glasgow on Wednesday evening, Ian O'Prey whose son Mark died in the bar, said there was "no resolution" to the tragedy. Mr O'Prey said there had been a few "heated moments" during the meeting but it "all calmed down". He said: "I don't think I'm any further forward. The AAIB - they think it was switches that were left on - or weren't left on. "My main question to them was flight recorders - if they had flight recorders, it would have taken us a fraction of the time it has taken us. "Personally I feel calmer than I did before I went in. I can't keep shouting at the moon for the rest of my life although I feel I want to." Investigators are due to hold another closed meeting with bereaved relatives on Thursday and have asked families not to discuss the detailed findings until the report's official publication on Friday. John McGarrigle, whose father John died, said he felt "let down" despite optimism ahead of AAIB meeting. Mr McGarrigle said: "All tonight has done for me is raise loads more questions. My head is scrambled, I'm that angry. "Flight data recorders should be installed in every passenger-carrying aircraft - simple as. If we had that, we would know a lot more. "We wouldn't know the full cause, but we would know half of the reasons at least and we would have learned from it." Jim Morris, an aviation law expert with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, also said the lack of a "black box" had hampered the investigation. He said: "Unfortunately, in my view, due to a lack of a requirement to fit a black box flight data recorder, we have almost more unanswered questions." Mr Morris added: "We still do not know why fuel did not reach the engines. "The report goes into significant detail in its analysis but it is clear from what is said in the report that they can't answer all the questions." Anne-Marie Kennedy, who was working behind the bar and was trapped in the wreckage, said she was "satisfied" with how the briefing went. She said: "It's shown me that they should have black boxes for defo, it's shown me the need for other regulation, but other than that nothing. "Until I speak to my legal team I can only speculate. "I'm satisfied with the way the night went. I believe that the AAIB has done everything in their power. "The guy explained the investigation, the complexity and the length of time. They did all they could." Find out more The Police Scotland Eurocopter EC 135, operated by Bond Air Services, came down on to the roof of the Clutha Bar at about 22:25 on a busy Friday night. The helicopter crew who were killed were pilot David Traill, PC Tony Collins and PC Kirsty Nelis. The seven customers in the Clutha who died were John McGarrigle, Mark O'Prey, Gary Arthur, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins, Samuel McGhee and Joe Cusker. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) issued an interim report last year which said that both engines on the helicopter "flamed out" due to a fuel supply problem. The report, however, did not set out the cause.

Relatives of the 10 people who died in the Clutha helicopter tragedy in Glasgow have been told fuel switches were in the off position when they should have been on.

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The Scottish airline believes the flights, from 15 October, will attract passengers working in the offshore energy industries. The routes will be operated by 33-seat Saab 340 aircraft. Durham Tees Valley chief executive Steve Gill said it was a "real shot in the arm for the airport" and good news for the business community.

Loganair has announced new services linking Aberdeen with Durham Tees Valley Airport and Norwich.

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The attacker, a 27-year-old Swiss man, also died on Sunday, they said. Five other people were hurt when the man set fire to the train and stabbed passengers in the attack on Saturday. Two of them, including a six-year-old child, are in a serious condition. Police have said that, as yet, there is no indication of a political or terrorist motive for the attack. The attack occurred around 14:20 (12:20 GMT) as the train was approaching Salez station, between the towns of Buchs and Sennwald. Several dozen passengers were on board at the time. In a statement (in German), St Gallen cantonal police said video evidence from inside the train showed the attacker, armed with a knife, pouring out a flammable liquid. Six people - including the attacker - were injured. The seventh injured person was a man on the platform who pulled the burning attacker off the train. Forensic experts are analysing the flammable liquid and the scene of the crime. Police said the attacker lived in a canton adjoining St Gallen. His address has been searched. On the basis of the video evidence, police say the man acted alone.

A 34-year-old woman who was injured in an attack by a knifeman on a Swiss train has died in hospital, police say.

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He is accused of fraud by cheating while riding for the publicly funded US Postal Service team. The lawsuit was filed by Armstrong's former team-mate Floyd Landis before being joined by the government in 2013. Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life in August 2012. The 45-year-old won the seven titles between 1999 and 2005. The US Postal Service sponsored the team between 1996 and 2004. Armstrong admitted to using drugs in all seven of his Tour wins in January 2013 while Landis was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title for failing a doping test. The government wants Armstrong to pay back money the US Postal Service paid his team for sponsorship, plus triple damages. Landis could collect up to 25% of any damages awarded.

Banned cyclist Lance Armstrong's fight against a $100m (£79m) lawsuit by the US government has been set for a trial starting in Washington on 6 November.

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It is understood the new offer was a basic £35.5m, which would have risen to nearer £40m when various extras were added. The Reds value the 20-year-old, who has also been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid, at £50m. Last week, Liverpool turned down a bid of £25m, plus add-ons, from Premier League rivals City. Sterling joined Liverpool from QPR in 2010 and is under contract until 2017, but has rejected the offer of a new £100,000-a-week deal. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said last month he expected Sterling to stay at Anfield for the remainder of his current deal. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Liverpool have formally rejected a second bid from Manchester City for England forward Raheem Sterling.

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Cardiff-based SA Brain bought the chain Coffee #1 last year. It comes as new figures show Brains' sales are up nearly 4% in its pubs. Brains believes there is potential in the coffee market and plans a chain of about 50 outlets over the next three years in south Wales and the south west of England. The family-run brewery employs about 2,000 people. Last year's profits are up 6% against what the company described as "a tough economic backdrop". In autumn 2011, Brains bought Coffee #1, which comprised 15 high street shops in south Wales and the south west of England, and since then, it has opened three more. Brains chief executive Scott Waddington said: "The research suggests that the coffee market is going to continue to grow at 5, 6, 7% for the next five years, which is pretty much what it's been doing for the last five years. "Coffee in the UK, despite more and more places opening, still has a long way to go to catch up with more developed markets, like the US." Equity analyst Sam Hart said Brains' decision to diversify into coffee shops was "probably partly a reflection of very tough conditions in the on-trade [bar and pub sales] beer market". "The on-trade is under pressure from a combination of pressure on consumers' disposable incomes, rising alcohol duties and the increased availability of relatively cheap beer at the supermarket chains," he added. Mr Hart said the growth in the coffee shop culture in the UK could be viewed as Americanisation. "Obviously coffee has been ingrained in culture in the US for many years and this appears to be spreading to the UK and other developed markets," he said. "Many people view coffee as an affordable luxury on which they are prepared to spend, despite pressures on their disposable incomes."

Wales' largest independent brewer is planning to open about 30 coffee shops over three years as it diversifies from its traditional pub business.

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Chaudhry Muhammad Shakeel is accused of murdering the beautician, while her father Chaudhry Muhammad Shahid is being held as an accessory to murder. The men's lawyers, however, say they will apply to have the case dismissed due to a "complete lack of evidence". Ms Shahid, 28, from Bradford, died in July in Pakistan. Live updates and more from across West Yorkshire Following a court hearing in Jhelum, in the state of Punjab, both men were remanded into custody ahead of their next appearance on 20 October. The judge ordered that Ms Shahid's second husband Syed Mukhtar Kazim should also appear on that date. Mr Kazim, who married Ms Shahid in Leeds in 2014 before the couple moved to Dubai in 2015, claims his wife was murdered because her family disapproved of their marriage. It is thought Ms Shahid had travelled to Pakistan to visit family in the village of Pandori after being told her father was ill. Her relatives in Pakistan initially said she had suffered a heart attack but a post-mortem examination confirmed she died as a result of being strangled.

Lawyers representing the first husband and father of alleged "honour killing" victim Samia Shahid say they will seek to have the case thrown out.

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The imagery, released by US geopolitical intelligence company Stratfor and taken on 31 October, shows how almost all the buildings at the airport, on the southern outskirts of Mosul, have been razed. Runways have also been damaged, with wide trenches carved into them and rubble placed along their lengths, Stratfor's analysis says. Taxiways and aprons - where aircraft park - have also been sabotaged. About 50,000 Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, assisted by US-led coalition airstrikes, are currently involved in a military offensive to reclaim Mosul from IS militants. Government forces have already retaken dozens of villages and towns surrounding the city and are currently consolidating gains made in Mosul's eastern outskirts. The damage to the runways has rendered the airport worthless as an asset for attacking forces, says Stratfor. Airports or runways are typically a primary objective for assaults on cities, since control over them can deny or enable logistical capabilities, having a considerable impact on the outcome of battles. However, IS militants have ensured there is little left for approaching forces to gain by taking the site, Stratfor says. IS employed a similar tactic at Qayyarah air base, 70km (43 miles) south of Mosul. However, the trenches dug there only partially covered the main runway, Stratfor says, and it was restored to service within months of the Iraqi forces recapturing the base in July. By comparison, Mosul airport's destruction could be much more difficult to repair. Mirroring the demolition at Qayyarah, IS fighters have also levelled almost every structure at Mosul airport. Stratfor says that as well as preventing Iraqi forces and their allies from using the facilities, the tactic also serves to clear the line of sight for IS defensive positions on the northern edge of the airport. Along with restoring the runways, Iraqi forces would need to rebuild hangars, warehouses and other infrastructure in order to use it as a logistical base. In contrast to the widespread destruction elsewhere in the area, the images show how the city's sugar factory remains relatively intact - testimony to its utility to IS. After the jihadists captured Mosul in June 2014, they continued to operate the factory, says Stratfor, and more than a year later, executed the plant's manager when she refused to run it for them. However, the images also show how coalition airstrikes, aimed at destroying key IS positions and assets, have caused some damage to the buildings. Satellite imagery released last week, showed how IS had constructed multiple barricades across key routes into the northern Iraqi city.

Satellite images of Mosul have revealed how fighters from so-called Islamic State (IS) have destroyed much of the city's airport to render it unusable as Iraqi forces close in.

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Deputy Education Minister Mduduzi Manana appeared in court last week to face the assault charge. He is accused of hitting the woman during an argument at the venue. On Saturday, a brief statement from President Jacob Zuma's office said he had accepted Mr Manana's resignation, and thanked him for "his contribution to the work of government". Mr Manana has previously apologised for what he called a "shameful incident". He claimed he was provoked, but "should have exercised restraint". His political party, the African National Congress, welcomed his resignation and also thanked him for his service. When the allegations first emerged, the ANC said "such behaviour is unacceptable ... violence against women is the shame of our times". The allegations caused widespread outrage in South Africa, where violence against women is not uncommon. During his initial court hearing, he was brought into the courtroom through a separate entrance, and journalists were not permitted inside. But Police Minister Fikile Mbalula insisted that Mr Manana would not receive any special treatment. "The deputy minister will not be treated with special kid gloves but will face the full wrath of the law. The state fully supports the victim," he said. He was released on bail of $375 (£290) pending further investigation.

A South African minister has resigned amid accusations he assaulted a woman in a nightclub earlier this month.

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Thieves stole a 5m (16ft 4in) flagpole - complete with Union Jack - at some point over the weekend. Earlier this month, items intended for an open day, including two generators, food and drink were stolen. Last year, a memorial to the thousands of crewmen who served in Bomber Command during World War Two was damaged by trespassers. Director of the centre Nicky Barr said it was "extremely frustrating". She said: "I had great faith in the human race, but it has been somewhat diminished - I don't understand why someone would want to target a memorial." More on this and other stories from across Lincolnshire The Lincoln attraction is to honour the air crews' efforts with exhibitions, information and accounts from service personnel and survivors. The centre - set to open in September - still needs £2m in donations and events are being held to raise the cash. 125,000 Aircrew served in Bomber Command in World War Two 364,514 operational sorties flown 55,573 aircrew killed in action 25,611 killed flying from Lincolnshire 70% of aircrew were killed, taken prisoner or injured Mrs Barr said fundraising efforts were being hampered by the break-ins. She said: "Whether it was done as high jinks, or whether there is a market for second-hand flag poles, I just don't know. "The reality is the sacrifices made by these guys [Bomber Command crews] allows for the freedom whoever is doing this has got today." Officials have launched a petition in a bid to get further funding from the government to complete the project.

The International Bomber Command Centre has been targeted by thieves for the second time in a matter of weeks.

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A 5ft x 3ft (1.5m x 1m) void appeared on Whitworth Street on Sunday, resulting in the road's closure between Princess Street and Oxford Street. A section of the busy Mancunian Way has been closed since August, after two holes opened up. Replacement sewer pipes are being installed. United Utilities said sewers underneath Whitworth Street have not been damaged. "Non-urgent" roadworks in other parts of the city have been suspended until after Christmas in order to relieve congestion caused by Mancunian Way's partial closure. Councillor Pat Karney, city centre lead for Manchester City Council, said Whitworth Street should be repaired in time for Monday's evening rush hour. He described the appearance of the latest hole as "incredibly unfortunate". "The council has placed a moratorium on all non-urgent roadworks, but this is the last thing we needed at the moment," he added. He said the council will investigate why the city is being "blighted" by holes. A 40ft (12m) wide sinkhole opened up in August on the Mancunian Way after heavy rainfall, while another hole appeared a month later.

Motorists in Manchester are being frustrated by the appearance of yet another hole in a city-centre road.

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Nine families have been resettled in Aberdeenshire in the past few weeks. Faith groups and the North East Scotland Credit Union (Nescu) have set up an account to allow people to donate money for essential items. Rev Stella Campbell, of Skene Parish Church, said: "We wanted to do what we can to help them settle in to their new life here in Scotland." The fund will be managed by representatives of the Church of Scotland, Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre (AMIC), and the Aberdeenshire Partner Refugee Group. More details are available via [email protected]

An appeal to raise money for Syrian refugees who have arrived in the north east of Scotland has been launched.

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The Environment Agency (EA), which manages it, has chosen the Severn and Wye fish smokery as its preferred bidder to become its new custodian. In 2014, the EA said it was looking for an investor to "secure the long-term future of the important historic site". Lydney Harbour was built in the early 1800s to transport iron and later coal. Richard Cook, of the smokery, said he would now work with the local community, the council and the EA "to help develop and promote what we believe to be one of the Forest of Dean's hidden gems". Ian Jones, from the EA, said: "We see transferring the harbour as an essential step in revitalising the area and ensuring that all users retain the ability to use the harbour and its surroundings with enhanced facilities." The EA said it would continue to manage and operate the harbour while negotiations - expected to "take a while" - were completed. During its heyday, the harbour saw about 300,000 tons of coal being exported annually in more than 2,000 vessels. The final export of coal was in 1960 and it finally closed in 1977.

The future of Lydney Harbour in Gloucestershire has been secured after a deal has been done for it to be operated by a local business.

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One of the uprising's leaders said the soldiers were "ready to fight" if attacked. Sergeant Seydou Koné said they did not want to negotiate with anyone, according to Reuters news agency. The unrest began after a spokesman for the soldiers announced on Thursday that they had dropped their pay demands. In January, they forced the government into paying them about $8,000 (£6,200) each in bonuses to end a rebellion. They were due to receive a further payment this month and about 8,000 mutineers are unhappy that they were not consulted ahead of Thursday's televised announcement. Three former rebels from the country's civil war era were wounded on Saturday after the mutinous soldiers opened fire in Bouaké to stop them staging their own protest, Sergeant Koné said. There have also been reports of injuries after shooting in the northern city of Korhogo. The military chief of staff, General Sékou Touré, had threatened "severe disciplinary sanctions" on Friday if the uprising did not end. Shops are closed and soldiers are patrolling and firing in the air in Bouaké, residents said. The mutineers have also taken control of the city of Odienne, in the north, reports say. On Friday, shots were fired in the air at military bases in Abidjan, Bondoukou in the east, Bouaké in the centre, and Korhogo. It is believed the mutineers were firing blanks. In response, elite Republican Guard troops in Abidjan fired warning shots that pushed the mutineers back inside the military headquarters compound in Abidjan, Reuters reported. The situation in the city on Saturday was said to be calm. Reacting to the spreading unrest, President Alassane Ouattara held an emergency meeting of the country's security council. The mutiny has raised fears of a resurgence of the violence seen during Ivory Coast's 10-year civil war, which ended in 2011. Many of the mutineers in January were thought to be former rebels who joined the army after the conflict.

Angry soldiers have blocked off access to Bouaké, the second largest city in the Ivory Coast, as a revolt over a pay dispute continues.

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Europe's largest 10km run had more than 35,000 runners last year and there will also be a half-marathon this time. "Manchester is a truly resilient city and we look forward to successfully hosting these great sporting events," said city councillor Luthfur Rahman. Earlier, Chelsea cancelled their Premier League victory parade, which was due to take place on Sunday. The club say it would be "inappropriate" with the UK terror threat at its highest level after Monday's bombing killed 22 people and injured 64. Greater Manchester Police and the city council had already said athletics' Great CityGames could take place in Manchester on Friday evening. Now they have given the go-ahead for the Great Run, with additional security measures expected to be in force. Rahman, the council's executive member for culture and leisure, said: "The Great CityGames and Great Manchester Run are two of the real highlights of Manchester's sporting calendar. "We know that thousands of Mancunians have been looking forward to taking part, or cheering the athletes on, so I am pleased and proud to confirm that these fantastic events will be held as planned this weekend." Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford is among those lined up to take part on Friday, with Sunday's field including Ethiopia's triple Olympic champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba. Chelsea had planned an open-top bus tour with the trophy and hoped to add the FA Cup in Saturday's final with Arsenal. The Gunners have also said they will not stage a parade should they win. A screening of the match at the club's Emirates Stadium has been cancelled and fans will be given refunds. Chelsea said players will make a donation to a fund supporting victims of the attack and they will wear black armbands for the final at Wembley, with a minute's silence beforehand. "Everyone associated with Chelsea Football Club offers our heartfelt condolences to those affected by Monday's terror attack in Manchester," said a club statement. "Our thoughts go out to all the victims and their families and friends." Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said the safety of supporters and staff was paramount and the club had been in close contact with the security services. "After taking their advice we have reluctantly taken the decision to cancel the screening and potential parade," he said. Spectators at all major events can expect to see more armed police and face longer security checks. Media playback is not supported on this device A rough sleeper who helped victims of the bomb attack is to be given six months' free accommodation by David Sullivan, West Ham United's co-chairman. Sullivan and his eldest son Dave were moved by reports of a man named Steve who tended to children when the bomb went off at a concert being given by American singer Ariana Grande. West Ham's joint owner tracked down the homeless man after putting out an appeal on BBC Radio 5 live while his son took to social media. They are now working out a plan to pay his rent for the next six months, while also providing him with new clothes and opportunities to find work . "Steve was just one of hundreds of people who forgot about their own safety and rushed to the aid of others, and we were both moved by his story," David Sullivan told 5 live. Media playback is not supported on this device A minute's silence was observed before the Europa League final between Manchester United and Ajax in Stockholm on Wednesday and both wore black armbands. The opening ceremony was considerably reduced as a mark of respect for the victims. England and South Africa stood shoulder to shoulder for a minute's silence before the first match of the one-day cricket series at Headingley. Both teams wore black armbands as they took the field in Leeds, with all 15 members of the England squad lining up on the pitch alongside the tourists and umpires for a sombrely observed silence. Formula 1 is expected to observe a silence before this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. F1's teams, the majority of which are based in Britain, have also agreed to have #Manchester on their cars. British driver Lewis Hamilton said he would be thinking of the victims. "I am carrying them in my heart this weekend," said Hamilton. "It is difficult to think about it and it is just crazy to think where we are in the world." Salford are to waive admission prices for their next rugby league match in return for donations to the appeal fund. Fans can obtain free tickets for the Red Devils' Super League match against Catalans Dragons at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night but will be asked to make a donation in return. "Like everybody, I was shocked and outraged by the events of Monday night," said Salford owner Dr Marwan Koukash, a Palestinian refugee who became a self-made millionaire after coming to England to study. Supporters attending this weekend's football play-off finals at Wembley are being urged to arrive at least an hour before kick-off. Blackpool take on Exeter City in League Two on Sunday while Huddersfield Town face Reading in Monday's Championship match. Both games start at 15:00 BST. Fans are asked not to bring bags, with extra security in place. A minute's silence will be held before both games, with players and match officials wearing black armbands. Police Scotland will be reviewing its security, including arrangements for Saturday's Scottish Cup final. Premiership Rugby said there will be a minute's silence before Saturday's final between Exeter and Wasps at Twickenham. And in the Women's Super League Manchester City Women's home game against Chelsea Ladies on Thursday night will go ahead after discussions with police. The game, which will kick off at 19:00, is the first professional sports fixture to take place in the city after the attack. Security around the Indianapolis 500 in the US will be beefed up this weekend. "One thing fans may notice this year, there will be an increased presence of armed law enforcement folks wandering through the grounds," Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said.

The Great Manchester Run will go ahead on Sunday following talks over security after the Manchester Arena attack.

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Last year's champions led 17-10 at half-time with Noel Reid and Jack Conan scoring either side of Hamish Watson's impressive try for Edinburgh. Zane Kirchner extended Leinster's lead before Tim Visser's score and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne kicked the hosts ahead. But tries from Jordi Murphy and Luke McGrath, allied with solid Ian Madigan kicking, meant the Irishmen prevailed. Leinster end their campaign fifth, seven points shy of the semi-final places. Edinburgh finish eighth for the second consecutive season under head coach Alan Solomons, but with a total of 48 points this campaign compared to 38 last year. Add to that a European Challenge Cup final - albeit a defeat to Gloucester - and it seems the South African is making gradual progress at Murrayfield, where he recently signed a new 12-month contract. Hidalgo-Clyne's early penalty set Edinburgh off on the right foot but the visitors soon established a lead they would hold onto for the most of the match. A nice line-out collection by Leinster flanker Murphy presented Madigan with a drop-goal opportunity that the fly-half duly took. Madigan then combined well with Sean O'Brien to release Reid through the middle; the 24-year-old centre outpacing Edinburgh full-back Jack Cuthbert to cross between the posts. The conversion was added by the boot of Madigan but Edinburgh ensured the Irishman did not go out of sight. After Dougie Fife's claim for a try in the corner was ruled out, Watson found himself in possession from the line-out and gambled with a darting run to the line instead of spreading the play left were the hosts had numbers waiting. Watson, who won his first Scotland cap in this year's Six Nations, managed to get behind the posts and Hidalgo-Clyne converted. However, Leinster were quick to put on another display of quick hands and fast offloads in the middle to double their try count. This time Dave Kearney and Madigan gave substitute Conan the opportunity to split Edinburgh's defence with a piercing run and try, with Madigan again adding another two points. Hidalgo-Clyne heartened the hosts at the start of the second half with another penalty before Springbok winger Kirchner crossed on the right-hand side for Leinster, although there was no conversion on this occasion to compliment it. The Murrayfield men's resolve still existed and a fitting try for the Harlequins-bound Visser, who wrestled free to touch down, gave Edinburgh's record try scorer a final moment to remember in red and black. Hidalgo-Clyne's conversion and subsequent penalty put Edinburgh ahead for a few dreamy moments as thoughts of seventh place and a European play-off became a reality once more, but it was too much to ask of an injury-depleted side. Murphy and McGrath both ended a period of stout home defending to cross over late on and Madigan added the extras each time. Edinburgh: Cuthbert, Fife, Beard, Strauss, T. Visser, Heathcote, Hidalgo-Clyne, Dickinson, Ford, Andress, Bresler, Toolis, McKenzie, Watson, Du Preez. Replacements: Brown for Beard (59), Fowles for Hidalgo-Clyne (78), Sutherland for Dickinson (76), Cochrane for Ford (63), Berghan for Andress (38), Atkins for Bresler (57), Hilterbrand for McKenzie (73). Not Used: Te Rure. Leinster: R. Kearney, Kirchner, O'Shea, Reid, D. Kearney, Madigan, Boss, J. McGrath, Strauss, Ross, Toner, M. McCarthy, J. Murphy, O'Brien, J. Heaslip, Denton. Replacements: Kelleher for Kirchner (80), Gopperth for Reid (74), L. McGrath for Boss (65), Bent for J. McGrath (61), Dundon for Strauss (78), Denton for M. McCarthy (3), Conan for Denton (8). Not Used: Furlong. Ref: Nigel Owens (Wales) Att: 3,476 Ref: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Edinburgh's flickering hopes of staying in European Champions Cup contention were extinguished by Leinster.

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Moderate exercise increased the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that makes memories, in 120 volunteers. The year-long trial, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed performance on memory tests also improved. Exercise may buffer against dementia as well as age-related memory loss. The latest work looked at healthy people in their 60s rather than people with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. But the findings have important implications for ageing societies faced with a dementia time bomb. In the UK, 820,000 people have dementia, and this figure is set to double by 2030. Until a cure is discovered, finding cheap and simple ways to reverse this trend is imperative, say experts. Professor Kirk Erickson and colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh in the US set out to investigate the impact that even moderate exercise might have on preserving memory. They split their 120 volunteers into two groups. One group was asked to begin an exercise regimen of walking around a track for 40 minutes a day, three days a week, while the others were limited to doing simple stretching and toning exercises. Brain scans and memory tests were performed at the start of the study, halfway through the study and again at the end. Scans revealed hippocampus volume increased by around 2% in people who did regular aerobic exercise. The same region of the brain decreased in volume by 1.4% in those who did stretching exercises, consistent with the decrease seen in normal ageing. Both groups showed some improvement over time on memory tests. In the walking group, the improvement appeared to be linked with increased size of the hippocampus. Professor Erickson said: "We think of the atrophy of the hippocampus in later life as almost inevitable. But we've shown that even moderate exercise for one year can increase the size of that structure. "The brain at that stage remains modifiable." Dr Simon Ridley of the Alzheimer's Research Trust said that although the study does not look at memory loss in Alzheimer's or dementia, it suggests "it's never too late to start exercising to help keep our brains healthy". "Even modest exercise may improve memory and help protect the brain from normal decline caused by ageing. "Increasing evidence suggests regular exercise and a healthy diet may help reduce our risk of developing dementia as well as reaping numerous other benefits from living a healthy lifestyle."

Walking for 40 minutes a few times a week is enough to preserve memory and keep ageing brains on top form, research shows.

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Ashley Yates, 45, used a spy pen to record images of pupils and staff at The Tynings Primary School in Staple Hill, South Gloucestershire. On Tuesday, at Bristol Crown Court, he admitted charges of making indecent images of children and voyeurism. In a letter to parents the school said "additional adult victims have been identified" which the police confirmed. On Tuesday the court heard Yates, of Filton, who is married with children, and had been in post as head at the school for eight years, filmed six girls, one boy and two members of staff. It also heard Yates had handed over passwords to computers that would assist with the continuing police investigation. A police spokesman said: "Enquiries are ongoing and we will not be commenting until sentencing." But the letter to parents on the school's website says: "Police have confirmed that additional adult victims have been identified. "These victims came to light after items were seized by police during the course of the investigation. "The additional victims are all adult victims who have been contacted. "They have also been offered support from police and the local authority. "If any further victims are identified during the course of the investigation they will be notified immediately." The school said it was working closely with the police and South Gloucestershire Council and would be disclosing as much information as possible without prejudicing the continuing legal proceedings. In a letter to families, the acting head also thanked parents for their "patience and co-operation during this difficult time". Yates has been remanded in custody until his next court hearing at Bristol Crown Court on 9 August.

A head teacher who snooped on pupils and staff in his school toilets filmed more adults than first thought.

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Such investments should be registered in the same way as securities sales, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It follows a rise in the number of Initial Coin Offerings, or ICOs, through which crypto-currency start-ups have sought quick financial backing. However, there are concerns that ICOs are creating an investment bubble. More than $1bn has been raised so far this year in such transactions but there are questions over how investors are to be protected should a venture backed with digital coins fail. Now the SEC has said that issuers of "distributed ledger or blockchain technology-based securities" must register offers and sales. "The innovative technology behind these virtual transactions does not exempt securities offerings and trading platforms from the regulatory framework designed to protect investors and the integrity of the markets," said Stephanie Avakian, the SEC enforcement division's co-director. It was sometimes difficult to see how a firm had justified a large evaluation for its ICO, said Eitan Jankelewitz, a technology specialist and partner at law firm Sheridans. "If you consider the size of the investment compared to the type of investment that a professional would make, they look disproportionally large," he told the BBC. He also pointed out that regulators don't need to rely on legislation specifically dealing with crypto-currencies to enforce rules on securities and investments. "Those sorts of regulations tend to be more principles-based," he explained. "If a new technology comes along that allows a new activity to be undertaken, then the law would still apply." The SEC made its comments on ICOs in a report on a crypto-currency investment fund known as the DAO. Digital coins worth $60m ($41m) at the time were stolen after the DAO was hacked last year. While the SEC has not decided to make civil charges as a result of its investigation into what happened, it is using the case to caution industry and the market.

A US regulator has said firms looking for backing via crypto-currencies should be more strictly regulated.

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The Times Educational Supplement (TES) says measures to guard against grade inflation were not appropriate for this year's English exams. Teaching unions have accused Ofqual of "regulatory failure" and say it is more evidence of flawed exam marking. But the regulator insists it applied its measures correctly. It comes as state and private school heads call for an independent inquiry into the problems. Last week Ofqual said it felt the way this year's English GCSE exams were graded was fair, despite the grade boundaries being moved significantly part-way through the year. Teachers have complained that pupils achieving exactly the same marks would have received different grades depending on what time of year they sat the exam. And many who were predicted a grade C, obtained a grade D in their summer exams. Ofqual found that June's grade boundaries were correct, while January's were "too lenient". A key document sent to exam boards, which is on the Ofqual website, sets out how it expects exam boards to use a process known as "comparable outcomes" to ensure that grade standards are maintained between GCSEs year-on-year. It sets out five conditions for when such processes should be used to alter the way papers are marked. According to the TES report, this year's English GCSE and the circumstances around it failed to meet four of the conditions. The first of Ofqual's five conditions was that the cohort - or pupils from that year- in a subject "must be similar, in terms of ability, to those of previous years". But last week's report on English GCSEs noted that the "attainment profile" for 2012 dropped, as grammar and independent school pupils were replaced with extra, lower-achieving comprehensive pupils. The second condition was that the qualification must be "fit for purpose". On Monday, Education Secretary Michael Gove told Parliament that this year's English GCSE was "not fit for purpose". The third condition was that the "nature of the qualification" must be the same. Ofqual's report last week stated that "these qualifications are different from previous English qualifications in a number of ways". Finally, the regulator said in the letter that comparable outcomes must only be applied where "previous grades were appropriate". Ofqual's report said that the English GCSE grades in January were "too generous". The only condition that appears to have been met is that teaching standards have remained largely consistent. The guidelines also state: "Students should not be advantaged or disadvantaged simply because they were the first to sit a new set of examinations." The watchdog has interpreted its own conditions differently, and is insisting that the comparable outcomes approach that prevented grades from rising in June was correctly implemented. But Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT heads' union, said: "Ofqual doesn't seem to have applied the concept of comparable outcomes properly. "In this instance there is a regulatory failure. It is a big mess." And Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said this appeared to be "another piece of evidence that procedures applied to this exam was not fit for purpose". Meanwhile, Ofqual said: "The comparable outcomes approach was used correctly for GCSE English this year and we stand by this decision. "Comparable outcomes are not intended to produce identical results year on year. "What's important is that outcomes can be compared when taking into consideration a range of factors which may affect the results. More details on the use of this approach can be found in our report." But Dr Christopher Ray, chairman of the Head Masters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), said the issue was evidence of a deeper problem with Ofqual. "The verdict of Ofqual's initial report and the reasoning to support it fall well short of answering the questions raised in the minds of schools and pupils." Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said: "It is clear that pupils, parents and education professionals, across the spectrum of schools, feel that pupils have been done a disservice. "Whilst the Education Secretary Michael Gove says he is 'saddened' by the injustice that has been served to thousands of pupils, he is showing how out-of-touch he is with pupil opinion by refusing to take action. Labour supports calls for an independent inquiry to get to the bottom of this mess." The Commons Education Committee is set to start an inquiry into the GCSE grading problems next week.

England exams regulator Ofqual breached its own rules in allowing controversial changes to the way English GCSEs were graded this summer, it is claimed.

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A report following an unannounced inspection said the overall number of self-harm incidents at HMP Woodhill was also "very high". It said the prison's response to the deaths had "lacked rigour". The National Offender Management Service said a new governor was "working hard" to improve things. The high-security jail, which is mainly used to hold remand, newly-sentenced and short-term prisoners, was inspected in January. The report said recorded levels of assaults were "very high and double what inspectors have seen in other local prisons". But it said the "general environment in the prison was good" and the accommodation was "reasonable". Nick Hardwick, chief inspector of prisons, said: "Woodhill is a prison that retains great potential, particularly in terms of the resources at its disposal. "However, as we reported last time, outcomes for prisoners remained concerning and some were very disappointing." Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, said the governor and his staff had a "unique set of challenges". "Woodhill holds some of the most difficult and disruptive men in the prison estate," he said. "The governor and his staff are working hard to reduce the incidents of violence and to improve rehabilitation."

Inspectors have raised concerns about the number of suicides at a Buckinghamshire prison, after four "self-inflicted deaths" last year.

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But with no private company yet to get a craft with passengers onboard into orbit, or even sub-orbit, how can you best endeavour to lead an industry that is still very much in an embryonic state? Final Frontier's cramped headquarters are testament to the very early stage of its business sector. It is based in a tiny studio in Brooklyn Navy Yard that can barely fit co-founders Ted Southern and Nikolay Moiseev, two assistants, and a few tables. Bits of fabric and plastic tubing litter almost every available surface. However, humble surroundings have not stopped the company from dreaming big about the future possibilities - and profits - of commercial space travel, which has already seen more than $1.4bn (£900m) of investment from companies including Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. And that figure is expected to more than double over the next 10 years as commercial space tourism is set to become a reality. Mr Moiseev, a former space suit designer for Zvezda, Russia's national space suit supplier, left his home country to strike out in the US. He has tried on and tested almost every space suit ever designed, and was responsible for designing the suits worn by cosmonauts on Mir, the former Russian space station, and the crew of the current International Space Station. But Mr Moiseev thinks that those designs are nothing compared with what lies ahead. "In the near future a lot of people - tourists - any age, with different health conditions, will fly in space," he says. "And the high operation pressure is a challenge for the space suit designer." This is the issue that Final Frontier says it is hoping to solve: how to design a space suit, not for an astronaut, but for a normal person who just happens to be headed to outer space. Mr Southern says: "Spaceflight is notoriously uncomfortable - tight, hot - and sometimes the spacesuits just make it worse. "When they're pressurised they're hard to move, you need special liquid cooling garments generally for space suits, and they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars," says Mr Southern. "So that's what we're trying to overcome here, we're going for a suit that's lightweight, inexpensive, safe and also more comfortable than traditionally military style spacesuits." But first there's the small matter of money. Mr Southern says: "A lot of rocket companies that are coming online now are hoping to fly 2014, 2015, 2016 - years out. "So it's been a challenge for that reason finding funding, finding partners, and finding customers." Although the pair first started dreaming and designing in 2007, after meeting at a Nasa-sponsored astronaut glove design competition (which they later placed at in 2009), they did not set up Final Frontier until 2010. At first, Mr Southern poured in his extra earnings from his day job as a costume designer for Broadway shows and circus firm Cirque de Soleil, into the business. "People always raise an eyebrow - 'Wow that's so different - props and costumes and spacesuits'," says Mr Southern with a smile. "In fact I see a full continuum there. Failure was not an option on Broadway either." Contracts with Nasa - to design radiation coating for fabrics and bits of space suits, including a pressurised elbow-and-shoulder assembly - provided Final Frontier with funding. As did an agreement with zero2infinity, a Spanish company interested in exploring suborbital trips. But in addition to traditional means, in June 2012 Final Frontier Design turned to crowd-funding website Kickstarter. Using the $27,632 they raised on the site, they were able to build the "3G" suit, which is the third version of their lightweight space suit. Meant to be worn inside the space capsule in case of a loss of pressure, it was unveiled this summer. Funding is not the only challenge: Final Frontier must also deal with competitors. There are the established space suit manufacturers, like David Clark and Boeing, who have a long history of providing suits for Nasa. Then, there are rival start-ups like Orbital Outfitters, which like Final Frontier features a founding team that includes space outsiders, such as a former Hollywood special effects artist. Finally, there are the in-house space suit design centres at a number of the commercial space tourism companies, such as SpaceX, which is led by Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal. Peter Homer, a private astronaut glove developer who started his own firm, Flagsuit (tagline: "Fits like a glove"), says there's more than enough room for everyone. "Right now, there's not a lot of competition because there's no market," says Mr Homer, who is also collaborating with Orbital Outfitters. Mr Homer won the Nasa glove competition in 2007 and 2009. "It's about trying to keep going and trying to keep moving the technology forward. I and others are kind of waiting for the customers to be ready for their space suits." So Mr Southern and Mr Moiseev continue to wait, and build. They've hired interns for the summer, who are busy testing various suit fabrics and gloves. For Mr Southern and Mr Moiseev, their unlikely partnership and even more implausible business quest, is not just about a business opportunity but also about the way they see the future. "I see it as inevitable that the human race will expand beyond the surface of the Earth, it's unfortunately finite limited surface area here," says Mr Southern. "I think it's pretty critical that we survive in these challenging environments."

Final Frontier Design wants to be the number one space suit designer for commercial space flights.

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The former Tory MP, 67, defeated UKIP Wales leader Nathan Gill to lead the party's seven-strong assembly group. Mr Farage said he was "not particularly in favour of Mr Hamilton's return to the front line, aged nearly 70". Mr Hamilton replied: "If Attenborough can still survive in a jungle of wild animals and predators at 90, I'm sure I'll be fine in the assembly." Mr Farage, who is 15 years younger than Mr Hamilton, had described the treatment of Mr Gill as "an act of deep ingratitude" after UKIP won its first seats in the assembly. Speaking about Mr Hamilton on LBC radio on Friday, Mr Farage said: "I think it is difficult to return to frontline politics after a 20-year gap when you are getting on a bit in years. "But there you are, perhaps he'll surprise me." He added: "One thing I will say, he is utterly committed to this EU cause, and he has been since the 1960," referring to Mr Hamilton's opposition to UK membership of the European Union. In response, Mr Hamilton said: "The average UKIP member will be very disappointed at Nigel's ageist remark. "UKIP has many thousands of active and vigorous senior members. "It seems particularly odd to knock old age at the very moment we celebrate the 90th birthdays of two icons of Britishness - Her Majesty the Queen and Sir David Attenborough. "If Attenborough can still survive in a jungle of wild animals and predators at 90, I'm sure I'll be fine in the assembly. "Clement Atlee was 65 when, as Prime Minister, he introduced the NHS. "Churchill was 72 when he led us to victory against the Nazis. "Ronald Reagan was 77 when he brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War. "Is Nigel suggesting he could have done a better job than any of them, because he is 15 years younger than me?" Among those who supported Nathan Gill in the leadership vote last week was Mark Reckless, a former Conservative MP and now a AM for South Wales East. Asked what the relationship between Mr Hamilton and Mr Gill was like, Mr Reckless said: "Not good." "I hope over time wounds will heal and we'll want to do the best for the people who voted for us and Wales as a whole," he told BBC Wales on Thursday. Mr Reckless said he had supported Mr Gill in the leadership challenge, but added: "I accept the result." Of Mr Hamilton's bid to go for leader, Mr Reckless said: "It's not what I would have done, but we are where we are. "I don't want to say anything critical about Neil on that."

Neil Hamilton has rejected suggestions by UKIP leader Nigel Farage that he is too old for frontline politics.

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The far-right group posted a video on YouTube showing members in the Al-Manar Islamic Centre in Cathays on 20 August. The visit followed claims made in national newspapers in July that Shaykh Ali Hammuda, an Imam at the mosque, was a "radical" preacher, which he strenuously denied. Ali Hammuda has been approached by BBC Wales to comment. In the video, Britain First members can be seen entering the mosque and questioning a member, who told them the mosque rejected extremism. The Muslim Council of Wales also said the "radical" claims were "bizarre and certainly unfounded". In a statement, the council said the mosque was "a vocal and committed partner in both countering the ideology of the so-called Islamic State and the social factors that lead to radicalisation." By entering the mosque Britain First members could have broken an injunction which banned members from entering any mosque in England and Wales. South Wales Police confirmed a complaint had been received and "the matter is being investigated". Bedfordshire Police, which secured the injunction, also confirmed it is investigating.

Police are investigating a complaint from a Cardiff mosque which received an uninvited visit from Britain First.

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Vithiya Alphons, 24, has acute myeloid leukaemia but her Sri Lankan background makes the search hard as not many South Asian people are on donor registers. She launched a social media campaign to help find a match. Charity Anthony Nolan said 5,600 have signed up in the last week. "The impact of Vithiya's appeal has been nothing short of incredible," said Ann O'Leary, head of register development, at the charity. "But Vithiya still needs to find her stem cell match and there are people just like her all across the world who are still waiting. "We need to continue to diversify the register so we can find a match for all." Miss Alphons was diagnosed with the aggressive form of blood cancer after falling ill just days after returning for her final year as an optometry student at Cardiff University. She started feeling unwell with severe sickness and a fever, while she had a pain in her leg, so she went to her doctor for tests. She underwent chemotherapy in Cardiff before being well enough to be transferred to a hospital in London, where she is from. After her third course of chemotherapy, Miss Alphons felt better and thought she had beaten her illness. But further tests showed the leukaemia was still in her blood and doctors told her the best option was a stem cell transplant from a donor, which is needed in the next two months. Speaking to BBC's Asian Network Miss Alphons said she is grateful for all the support. "I would just like to say thank you so much to everyone who has registered so far and please, please do carry on registering because you can save my life and you can also save so many other's lives. "Please spread the word and help me to save my life."

Thousands of people have come forward following a worldwide appeal to find a stem cell donor for a Cardiff University student who needs a match in the next two months.

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The men from the 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment sat on the floor when ordered to stand to attention. The protest by 16 soldiers was sparked by grievances with their captain and colour sergeant. It took place in February while on exercise in Kenya. Fifteen were sentenced to detention, one of whom was dismissed from the Army. A 16th was also dismissed. All the soldiers pleaded guilty to disobeying a lawful command - an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. The soldiers complained of being "led by muppets", the court martial heard. The prosecutor at the court martial said members of the platoon had been seething at the way they were being managed, and felt that they were "not appreciated". The court heard a captain and sergeant apparently got drunk before a lengthy training march in the Brecon Beacons last winter. The troops were said to have been furious at finding their two commanders asleep, rather than greeting the soldiers as they crossed the finish line. Tensions came to a head at the end of a training exercise in Kenya in February, when 16 soldiers decided to protest. Ahead of a parade, a ringleader shouted "sit down" and members of the platoon did so. The commanders ordered each man in turn to stand up, but were ignored. Corporal Anthony Brown, said to be the ringleader, was stripped of his rank, dismissed from the Army and sentenced to 60 days' detention. Two lance corporals were reduced to privates and sentenced to 60 days' detention, while a third was reduced to private and dismissed without detention. Twelve privates were sentenced to 40 days' detention. The soldiers were in the 1st Battalion at the time of the protest. However, the 1st has now become the 2nd, following Army restructuring. John Wilson, a retired colonel and former editor of the British Army Review who lectures in military history, described the nature of the soldiers' protest as "unprecedented". The sentences given to the troops at the court martial were "strong enough to make the point", added Col Wilson. "I don't think a corporal, whatever his grievances, can expect to orchestrate such a public protest in front of the entire battle group parade and get away with it." An Army spokesman said it was "not appropriate" to comment on the sentencing.

Fifteen soldiers have been jailed after a court martial for staging a "sit-in" in protest at being "led by muppets".

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Stirling (112) and Morgan (103 not out) added 214 for the third wicket as Middlesex chased down 239 with ease. Kent's under par 238-7 owed much to Sean Dickson (99) and Darren Stevens (61) sharing 135 for the third wicket. Dickson agonisingly fell one short of a century on his List A debut as he chopped on a delivery from Steven Finn. Kent were in trouble early on at 12-2 with Finn, omitted from England's side for the second Test against Pakistan, taking a spectacular return catch to dismiss captain Sam Northeast. Once Dickson and Stevens were separated, the visitors struggled to get on top of Middlesex's bowlers as Finn (2-31) and Tim Murtagh (2-28) led from the front. In reply, Middlesex were reduced to 16-2 when Ryan Higgins and Nick Gubbins fell cheaply, but Kent were forced to wait another 39 overs before making another breakthrough. Morgan and Stirling reached three figures in almost identical time. Ireland international Stirling got there first in 118 balls before Morgan followed off 116 balls. Stirling and George Bailey were both dismissed late on, but Middlesex's third win in five games came with 31 balls to spare. Middlesex all-rounder Paul Stirling told BBC Radio London: "It was nice to build a partnership and once we got in, we just went on and kept going and the landmarks kept coming up. "I've felt in pretty good nick most of the year and I'm just happy to go on and get some runs. "I've had a lot of starts, it's something I've always tried to work on and thankfully it came off today. I'm happy with where my game is at the minute." England one-day captain Eoin Morgan: "Kent managed to get the ball moving around a bit, so it was a bit tricky to begin with. "The way Paul plays his innings, he always manages to apply pressure regardless of what the ball's doing. "To get such a substantial partnership when only chasing 238 really knocks the game on the head."

Centuries from Paul Stirling and England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan guided Middlesex to a six-wicket One-Day Cup win against Kent.

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She will talk about her life outside of politics, including television appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and Doctor Who. Former Corries musician Ronnie Browne, along with authors Christopher Brookmyre and Lesley Riddoch, will also be festival guests. The 12th annual event will be held from 1-6 September.

Former Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe will headline this year's Nairn Book and Arts Festival.

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"I'm OK with myself, I sleep pretty good at night," Casey Anthony told the Associated Press, adding that she does not care "what anyone thinks about me". The 30-year-old complained about her portrayal in the media as a partying child-killer. Anthony was convicted of lying to police but acquitted of murder. Casey Anthony: The case that gripped the US If found guilty she could have faced the death penalty under Florida law. "My sentence was doled out long before there was a verdict. Sentence first, verdict afterward," she said. "People found me guilty long before I had my day in court." The 2011 case drew millions of viewers across the US, with every twist covered on live television. Anthony was dubbed "America's most hated mom" amid reports she went to nightclubs and got a tattoo in the month her daughter was missing. Last week the former judge that presided over the case spoke out to say that Anthony "more than likely" accidently killed her daughter by using too much chloroform to calm her before suffocating her with duct tape. During the trial, her defence argued that the girl drowned in the pool, and that Anthony and her father covered it up. The government failed to secure a conviction due to the lack of physical evidence tying her to Caylee's death. When asked about the drowning defence, Anthony hesitated. "Everyone has their theories, I don't know. As I stand here today I can't tell you one way or another. "The last time I saw my daughter I believed she was alive and was going to be OK, and that's what was told to me." She added: "Caylee would be 12 right now. And would be a total badass."

An Orlando mother who was found not guilty of murdering her two-year old daughter Caylee has broken her silence six years later.

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Andy Butler opened the scoring before further goals from Liam Mandeville and Matty Blair gave Rovers a commanding half-time lead. Tom Pett and Fraser Franks pulled goals back for Stevenage, before Jamie Jones' own goal appeared to end their comeback hopes. But Rowan Liburd scored the hosts' third with a minute left as Rovers desperately clung on to go one point clear at the top. Doncaster had hit the front after Butler took advantage of poor defending to head home on 27 minutes. Mandeville hit his sixth goal in as many games to double the visitors' lead on 34 minutes and Blair further increased Doncaster's advantage two minutes later with a fine volley. Pett slotted home on 61 minutes, before Franks smashed home a brilliant half-volley on 72 minutes. Jones bundled into his own net from John Marquis' header, before Liburd struck in the 89th minute to set up a nervous finish. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Stevenage 3, Doncaster Rovers 4. Second Half ends, Stevenage 3, Doncaster Rovers 4. Attempt missed. Tom Pett (Stevenage) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Attempt blocked. Tom Pett (Stevenage) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Goal! Stevenage 3, Doncaster Rovers 4. Rowan Liburd (Stevenage) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Michael Tonge following a corner. Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Craig Alcock. Harry McKirdy (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Tommy Rowe (Doncaster Rovers). Tom Pett (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Niall Mason (Doncaster Rovers). Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Matty Blair. Hand ball by Fraser Franks (Stevenage). Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Andy Williams replaces James Coppinger. Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Dean Wells. Foul by Rowan Liburd (Stevenage). John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing. Dale Gorman (Stevenage) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Matty Blair (Doncaster Rovers). Own Goal by Jamie Jones, Stevenage. Stevenage 2, Doncaster Rovers 4. Attempt saved. John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Foul by Ronnie Henry (Stevenage). Tommy Rowe (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Paul Keegan replaces Liam Mandeville. Goal! Stevenage 2, Doncaster Rovers 3. Fraser Franks (Stevenage) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Michael Tonge. Hand ball by Liam Mandeville (Doncaster Rovers). Substitution, Stevenage. Rowan Liburd replaces Steven Schumacher. Jack King (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers). Foul by Harry McKirdy (Stevenage). Jordan Houghton (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt missed. Steven Schumacher (Stevenage) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Craig Alcock. Liam Mandeville (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Steven Schumacher (Stevenage). Attempt missed. John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Goal! Stevenage 1, Doncaster Rovers 3. Tom Pett (Stevenage) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ben Kennedy. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match (Stevenage). Jordan Houghton (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Ronnie Henry (Stevenage).

Three goals inside 13 first-half minutes helped Doncaster Rovers go top of League Two with a 4-3 win at Stevenage.

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The Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says he's angry the Conservatives haven't given out full costings for their manifesto. Labour of course, did show us their sums at their launch earlier in the week, and they are on the warpath. The Tories are vulnerable to claims their plans would hit millions of people, because they will not give out the details of how their plans would actually work. At-a-glance: Conservative manifesto Election 2017: Live updates Parties clash with UKIP in live debate On the winter fuel allowance, for example, experts like the Resolution Foundation believe the only realistic way to introduce means testing is to limit the benefit to pensioners who get pensions credit. To do otherwise would be an administrative palaver, would create costs and would only give limited savings. But use that system, and five out of six pensioners would lose out, which translates to 10 million people - yes, you read that right, 10 million. In that scenario, only people entitled to pension credit would keep the benefit - those with a family income of less than £159.35 a week if they're on their own, or £243.45 for couples. Tory sources suggest that is not the intention at all, that they will create a new means test instead, implying that the numbers won't be as large. But they won't give any more detail than that; the plan is instead to produce a draft version of the new rules, a Green Paper, if they win, and then consult on the best way to do it. Without being specific of course, they do leave themselves open to suspicions about their true intentions. The same is true on their plans for social care. How many more people will be asked to pay? How exactly will the proposed system work? They are making big promises but again the plan is to produce a Green Paper if they win, then work it out. Again, on immigration there are questions about detail - ministers won't put a timetable on when they think they will actually (finally) get net migration down to the tens of thousands. It is not unusual not to produce detailed breakdowns of every policy cost in manifestos. They are broad contracts with the electorate, and no politician wants to set themselves too many tests that are impossible to pass later. Labour is often under more pressure to show their numbers because, traditionally, they are considered to be behind on economic credibility. I remember the Greens, too, in the last election, going to huge efforts to show they were a serious force to be reckoned with by publishing their numbers and an independent audit alongside. That didn't save Natalie Bennett, the then leader, from quite an awkward moment when we asked her how she planned to spend one billion pounds on 'The Earth', as their spreadsheet suggested. But some of Theresa May's plans have plenty of blanks to be filled in. And if the Tories won't, then others will and questions will keep being posed. Just as George Osborne was asked again, and again, and again, in the last election about how on earth he would make £12bn of welfare cuts, the Tories will keep getting asked this time round exactly what their plans will be. This morning, David Davis said that numbers doing the rounds this morning were just "guesswork". But that is exactly the issue - for as long as they don't give the full details, the guessing will go on. PS: On where the numbers end up on winter fuel allowance, if the Tories win, one of the most interesting things is that Theresa May would be dipping her toe in challenging the gap between young and old. In the last few years, pensioner incomes have been continually protected, many would argue at the expense of the younger generation. Part of this manifesto seeks to start to reverse that, which is a fundamental shift. The former Treasury adviser and well respected policy wonk Torsten Bell has explored that a bit here. The singer urging you to vote Views from the city that doesn't turn out If young people voted bigly....

Labour is crying foul this morning.

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There were goals galore, with champions Leicester putting four past Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and Watford and Burnley both scoring three times in their wins over Everton and Bournemouth respectively. Hull and Crystal Palace shared six goals while Swansea scored three in a much-needed win over Sunderland. Arsenal moved top on Saturday by beating Stoke, before Chelsea saw off West Brom a day later to regain the summit. Manchester United and Southampton both claimed narrow wins against Tottenham and Middlesbrough, before Liverpool and West Ham played out a thrilling draw. My team is at the top of this page. Why not pick your own from the shortlist selected by BBC Sport journalists, and share it with your friends? Pick your XI from our list and share with your friends. The save from Christian Eriksen's free-kick was first class but it wasn't my favourite. The save I thought was immense came in the first half when De Gea was confronted by every goalkeeper's nightmare as the Spain international suddenly couldn't see the ball. In his keenness to set up his defensive wall, he found himself scampering across his line to save what would have been a certain goal. What made the save even better was the fact that the free-kick picked up pace as the ball spun off the turf. To put these saves into perspective, you had to see the relief on the faces of the Manchester United players, not to mention manager Jose Mourinho. It would appear the boys at Old Trafford are starting to feel the pressure. Well, Irish eyes must be smiling in Lancashire after two goals by Irishmen and three well-earned points for Burnley. Jeff Hendrick got the stunning opener but Stephen Ward provided the goal that gave the Clarets a little breathing space in what became a stifling encounter. What impressed me most about Ward's goal was the speed of his reaction. Artur Boruc did well to make the save but Ward was on the rebound like a cobra to make it 2-0. However, I continue to be slightly bemused by managers. Sean Dyche felt that football is a time trial and the whistle must be blown in line with the time added board. Players play until the whistle. The time added is an indicator for the referee, and players continue to do their job until the referee blows for time. It's not the referee's fault if they can't defend in the meantime. I have always thought highly of this defender, especially his competitive qualities. He reminds me of his compatriot and 1978 World Cup-winning captain Daniel Passarella - relatively small in stature but a giant in the battle. Rojo can play anywhere across the back four, but I like him at centre-back where he can attack the ball and the man if necessary. Manchester United never heard a peep out of Tottenham's Harry Kane and that was all down to Rojo. Nine wins on the trot for the Blues suggest a Premier League title could be calling for Gary Cahill and his team-mates once more. The Chelsea captain was superb against a disciplined and well-organised West Brom side - a point Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola might want to consider. It was obvious that David Luiz was still suffering from the effects of last week's appalling challenge from Sergio Aguero. The Brazilian was determined to play but needed some care and attention at the back, and he got it from his skipper. Cahill covered everything and took charge of a situation that normally Luiz would have handled. Another clean sheet for Chelsea and a captain's performance by Cahill. When Hector Bellerin plays for Arsenal they tend to win. His quality of pass is so good when he is in the final third of the pitch, it's quite impressive. The substitute had only been on the pitch for a few minutes, having come back from injury, and he was causing Stoke all kinds of problems down the right. The full-back then produced the most wonderful ball for Theo Walcott to equalise and almost immediately set up a chance for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who should have done better. Bellerin is a fabulous talent and earned his place in the Arsenal team. As for Stoke, it was a valiant effort with notable performances particularly from Joe Allen and Charlie Adam. However Adam needs to be careful. He caught Alexis Sanchez with a nasty clip as he played a one-two with Alex Iwobi for Arsenal's third goal. He got away with what might have been interpreted as an clumsy error by some, but a stamp by others who know what actually takes place on a football field. Adam got away with it this time but it might cost him and his team in the future. This lad is capable of unbelievable things, the only problem is you don't know when the unbelievable is going to happen. Against Hull he was unplayable. You sensed something special was going on when he danced around three players, got in on goal and missed the target but what took place thereafter was just sensational as he almost single-handedly took Hull apart. He was brought down for Crystal Palace's penalty and assisted in their equaliser. But the moment to savour was Zaha's goal because it was special. The draw was the least Palace deserved after a shameful dive in the box by Hull's Robert Snodgrass, and two penalty appeals turned down by referee Michael Jones. Both of the challenges were on Christian Benteke, the second of which looked more like an assault than a foul. Thank goodness Zaha is capable of producing the occasional performance like this. I suppose if he did this every week, he'd be playing for Real Madrid and not Crystal Palace. What a goal. The control was a bit special but the quality of the finish just blew me away. He said in his post-match interview that he wants to score goals - well he won't score many better goals in his career than his strike against Bournemouth. However, it wasn't just the goal that set Hendrick's performance apart from the rest, but his overall contribution. On another day he might have had a penalty when Harry Arter bundled Hendrick over in the box and it again showed that the player has a healthy nose for sniffing out goals. I was as surprised as anyone to see Henrikh Mkhitaryan find it so difficult to get into this Manchester United side. I had observed his talents when he was at Borussia Dortmund and thought "what an excellent signing". His performance in the opening game of the season proved again that the Premier League is no stroll in the park, and the player paid the price for not starting well. However, this week has proved a great success for the Armenia international. His goal and performance in the Europa League demonstrated what he is capable of and against Spurs he looked even more impressive. What a pity that such a poor tackle by Tottenham's Danny Rose robbed the best player on the pitch from finishing a match he seem to control from the start. Three brilliantly taken goals by Jamie Vardy made Manchester City look less than ordinary. Vardy was back to his predatory best and I can't make up my mind which of his goals I enjoyed the most - his first, which he rifled past Claudio Bravo into the side of the net? Or his third, which he screwed over the line from what appeared an impossible angle? However, what is most disturbing about this encounter was Manchester City's attitude. When is Pep Guardiola going to take the Premier League seriously? How on earth the Manchester City boss expected go to the King Power Stadium with such a cavalier approach to their defensive responsibilities I can't imagine. What did Guardiola expect? That Leicester would be so intimidated by the reputation of City's attacking flair they would be scared stiff? Well, we saw what Vardy and his team-mates thought of that notion, didn't we? They absolutely shredded Manchester City in 30 minutes and it was nothing less than the visitors deserved for displaying such arrogance. I hated this player last season and now I am starting to love him. What a finish, what a performance and what a victory for Chelsea. One goal was always going to decide this fixture and it was a simple matter of who was going to make the first mistake. Unfortunately for West Brom, it was Gareth McAuley, who has been outstanding for the Baggies once again this season. He let Diego Costa in on a pass he had no right to win and what then took place was quite extraordinary. Costa, having won what appeared to be a lost cause, took aim from the most acute angle and curled a sensational shot into the top corner. Costa seems to be putting all his efforts into his game and seems to be less concerned with setting fires all over the pitch. His first goal was just fabulous and his second wasn't bad either. Stefano Okaka has found adjusting to life in the Premier League quite demanding, having been delayed by injury. However, his manager has persevered with the striker, which has been fortunate for Walter Mazzarri with Odion Ighalo suffering from second-season syndrome. This was Everton's fourth successive away league defeat and I can't remember when I have seen such abject defending on set plays. I have said it before, something is not quite right at Goodison Park and they need to fix it quickly.

What a weekend in the Premier League.

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Van Gaal, 65, has been out of work since being sacked by United hours after winning the FA Cup in May 2016. "I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical, but now I do not think I will return to coaching," Van Gaal was quoted as saying in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. Van Gaal also had spells in charge of Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AZ. He made the announcement on Monday after receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Dutch government for his contribution to football. He cited family issues for his decision, with De Telegraaf saying it was partly motivated by the sudden death of his daughter's husband last month. "So much has happened in my family, you become a human being again with your nose pressed to the facts," he added. The Dutchman also revealed he turned down lucrative offers to continue his coaching career in the Far East. Media playback is not supported on this device Van Gaal played as a midfielder for Ajax, Royal Antwerp, Telstar, Sparta Rotterdam and AZ between 1972 and 1987 before moving into coaching, first as an assistant at AZ followed by the same role at Ajax. He replaced Leo Beenhakker as Ajax head coach in 1991 and went on to preside over a period of sustained success, winning the Dutch league title on three occasions as well as the 1992 Uefa Cup and the 1995 Champions League title. Van Gaal was asked to emulate that success at Spanish giants Barcelona. He inherited Bobby Robson's side in 1997 and led them to two successive La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey. His country came calling in 2000, but his first stint in charge lasted less than two years when Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, the first time they had missed the competition since 1986. The Dutchman's second spell at Barcelona was even shorter - eight months - as he left midway through the season with the club hovering just above the relegation zone. Media playback is not supported on this device He then guided AZ Alkmaar to the 2005-06 Eredivisie title before moving to the Bundesliga, where he helped Bayern Munich to the 2009-10 Bundesliga title. The Dutch national side approached Van Gaal again in 2012 and this time the Netherlands became one of the first two European countries, along with Italy, to qualify for Brazil 2014, where they finished in third place. After much speculation, he joined United in May 2014, signing a three-year contract to succeed David Moyes. However, United replaced him with Jose Mourinho after just two years following a fifth-placed Premier League finish in the 2015-16 season, with a first FA Cup triumph since 2004 not sufficient to save him.

Ex-Manchester United and Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal says he has retired from coaching after a 26-year career.

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The woman was attacked in the Seagate area, near Dundee bus station, at about 22:30 on Sunday. Officers have issued a description of man they want to speak to in connection with the incident. He was in his 20s, about 5ft 10in tall, of slim build, with short, dark, brown hair, a tanned complexion. He may have been Eastern European. He was wearing a grey hooded top, blue jeans and black trainers.

Police in Dundee have launched an investigation after a woman was sexually assaulted in the city centre.

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It was after the reporter Neil Sears had apparently called on the comedian to question him over his tax affairs. But Brand received a less than positive response on Twitter. Soon after he deleted the reporter's mobile number and email, but not before some said they had contacted him. Some Twitter users, including former Daily Mirror editor Pier Morgan, complained that targeting the journalist was unfair, and threatened to report Brand to Twitter. One wrote: "We take a break from our study on the woodland toilet habits of bears to tell you that Russell Brand can be very immature." While another posted: "Unwise of Mr. Brand to tweet phone numbers, whoever they belong to." Twitter's rules state that users can't publish someone's private information without their consent. Russell Brand has thrown himself into political activism recently but a YouGov poll of 2,000 people found he's the celebrity seen as having the most "negative influence" on political debate. He also recently teamed up with Limerick comic duo The Rubber Bandits for a 'Parklife' parody. The comedian made the video after a tweet by someone pointed out the similarity between the two, which went viral with people recording parodies and mashups. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Russell Brand has tweeted a picture of the business card of a senior Daily Mail reporter, encouraging his 8.7 million followers to contact him.

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Marginally missing the grades needed, or even getting much better results than expected, can throw everything into turmoil. With only a few days to secure a university place or take an alternative path, good advice is crucial. Experts Alex Neill of Which? University and Tom Laws of the National Careers Service are on hand to offer personalised advice. My daughter received her AS results this morning which were disappointing. She got Bs in the two subjects she sat, with her other two subjects coming under the new rules where she simply takes her A-level in those two subjects next year. She is predicted an A* in English and 2s at A-level but wonders what the impact of the AS B grades will have. She was hoping to study English at Durham. Her father wants her to resit the year, change schools or just give up which is totally over the top. Any advice would be most welcome. Amanda Hi Amanda, Firstly, congratulations to your daughter on what is a good set of AS results. With promising grades like these I certainly wouldn't suggest she gives up either! The entry requirements for Durham University's English Literature BA course are certainly competitive: A*AA at A-level for 2017. If she has her heart set on going there, I'd suggest she sits down to discuss the year ahead and the work she'll need to put in with her subject tutors, as well as having an informal chat on the phone with an admissions tutor if possible. Remember she has five options to apply for on her Ucas form, so researching some alternative unis and heading to a few open days will be worth doing to keep her options open. All the best in the year to come! Alex Hi Amanda, The the most important thing at the moment is to see how your daughter feels - after all, she is going to be the one doing the hard work. Resitting the AS year is the most likely way of increasing her grade. She could certainly look at changing to a different school if she feels the quality of teaching or environment is the reason for her grades, but the downside would be having to adjust to new surroundings which could affect her studies. Durham University will look at her AS grades when considering any application but if her teachers have predicted that she can get the right grades then there's no real reason why she would not be able to achieve them. You and your daughter could discuss her options with a National Careers Service adviser on 0800 100 900 or the Exams Results Helpline on 0800 100 8000. Good luck! Tom. I've been on the phone most of the morning trying to appeal one of my grades because it's just on the border of me getting a A and I need it to get into my university. We've been told the appeals process has changed this year, so wondering whether it'll all be done in time so I can actually go to uni in September? I don't want to have to wait another year as fees may go up again. Is there a time they must give re-marks back by? Tom, Manchester Hi Tom, Great to hear you're already on the ball with getting in touch with the examining body to appeal your mark, speed is certainly of the essence! This will almost definitely be resolved before your September starting date but the sooner you act the better. The deadline for re-mark enquiries is Friday 26 August for results which affect university places. The examining body appeals department is staffed by people who understand how important it is for you to get an answer as quickly as possible, so expect things to move fast. If you haven't already spoken to your university, get in touch to explain the situation. They may accept you on to your chosen course with the grades you have; if not, they will at least be aware that you are very much still interested in taking your place. It's worth remembering that this is certainly not the first time the university will have dealt with situations just like yours and they understand that it takes a while to get re-marks organised. I hope this helps. Tom. Hi Tom, Sorry to hear you've been having a frustrating time of it today. If you're at school or college, your first port of call when it comes to appealing a grade needs to be with them. Students can't make enquiries directly with examining boards; your school needs to do this on your behalf. As your university place depends on the outcome of this result, you'll be able to use the rapid appeals process (deadline next Friday). I'd also suggest speaking directly with your university if you've not done so already, as depending on the number of places they have available, they may be willing to accept you with your current grades or hold your place open for longer. You're right that the appeals process has changed this year. New rules means that essentially marks will only be changed if an examiner has made an error in applying the marking scheme or adding up the marks, rather than on the basis of a difference in academic judgement. Which? has produced a step-by-step guide to the process. Good luck, Alex. I found out this morning that I got into my first choice! Just wondered when I had to apply for accommodation and healthcare etc? Is there a deadline? Everywhere seems to be giving different information. Georgia, Essex Hi Georgia, Well done on getting into your chosen university. Now you definitely know where you're going, I'd suggest getting straight on with applying for accommodation if you haven't done so already, especially if you're hoping to stay in university halls of residence. Not every university will have guaranteed space available for all first years (though some do) so places will be getting snapped up fast. Of course, there are plenty of other options, including privately-run halls and student housing, so check in with your university's accommodation office. As for healthcare, registering with a local or on-campus GP should definitely be on your freshers' week to-do list. Have a great time! Alex I would like to ask where to find apprenticeships and internships. I just finished a gap year abroad after achieving three A-levels in maths, electronics and German. I am really interested in doing an apprenticeship in electronic engineering. Everything at college was geared to university. I hear that companies want more women in engineering but where do we look? A lot of them ask for top grades and companies are missing out on a lot of potential. During my gap year I moved to Germany for six months to work in a law firm. I really want to stay in England but I feel like I'm being pushed towards Germany as they focus on the many routes to finding a job. Liberty, West Sussex I'm sorry to hear you are finding it difficult to find apprenticeship and internship opportunities. It is true that a lot of the companies offering higher and degree level apprenticeships are asking for applicants with high qualification grades, but the fact you have a variety of work experience should work well in your favour. Many companies consider applications for those who might not have the specific grades indicated but instead have knowledge and experience which is directly linked to the apprenticeship role advertised. It can be difficult to find higher level apprenticeship positions to apply for as the market is very competitive but a good starting point is the National Apprenticeships Service website. Also try Not Going to Uni and Tomorrow's Engineers which offers apprenticeship opportunities in a range of technology and engineering fields. If you are struggling, call the National Apprenticeship Helpdesk on 0800 150400 or the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900 to discuss the best ways to search for apprenticeship places. You will hopefully get some advice on apprenticeships similar to the advice you were able to get about universities while at college. I hope this helps and good luck! Tom. Would a university accept you on a different subject during clearing than the one you were originally hoping to do when you wrote your Ucas form? Matt Hi Matt, Yes, it's certainly possible to opt for a different subject when you're applying for a course in clearing. In fact, when Which? surveyed students who went through clearing last year, about a fifth told us they had done just that. Think carefully about your choice though. Remember you've probably spent time researching your original subject area, so we wouldn't suggest venturing too far from that area of study. A joint honours degree could be worth considering. When speaking to a university, you'll need to be prepared to explain why you're committed to the course and subject they're offering and that you're clear on the specifics of what you'll be doing. All the best in your search. Alex Hi Matt, You are able to apply through clearing for any subject which has a vacancy, even if it is different from your original choice. It's always worth speaking with the university first to make sure they will consider you for this course however, as they will still be looking at your grades and what subjects you have studied. It's a good idea to think about what new subject you are choosing and why, as it's easy to rush headlong into something that might not be best suited to you. If in doubt, speak to your teachers, parents or one of the careers advisers at the National Careers Service. Tom My daughter has the grades she needs to get into her university of choice to study marketing. Most of her friends are going on a gap year and now she has her grades and is feeling confident, she also wants to go abroad and spend time gaining work experience. What does she need to do, is it even allowed and who should she contact - Ucas or the university? Kat, Bolton Firstly, congratulations to your daughter on a great set of results. You don't mention whether the university place she is currently holding is for deferred entry already, but it sounds like that's not the case. If not, she needs to speak to her university as soon as possible to see if they would be happy for her to defer her confirmed place for 12 months so she can pursue her gap year. Most universities will be accommodating to a change of plan, particularly if she has good results and is intending to make good use of her year obtaining relevant work experience. The university will then need to reflect this change on Ucas, which of course will then potentially free up that place for someone else to start this year. Best of luck! Alex. My daughter did poorly in her AS results, getting a C and two Es. It is realistic to hope that she will recover in one year to get Cs? Claire Hi Claire, It can certainly be realistic for your daughter to gain her C grades this time next year. A lot of students will have received grades which may be lower than expected at AS and still go on to achieve fantastic results in their A2 exams. Many students find the change from GCSE to A-level difficult. Ask your daughter how she feels about the results. If she was expecting better grades, is there a particular reason why she thinks the marks are lower? Does the way she has been learning suit her skills or has she been struggling? The options open to your daughter are to continue to her second year and take the A-level exams, consider resits, or think about re-marks if she feels there has been a mistake. It's best to discuss the last two options with her teachers as soon as possible. The deadline for re-mark requests is 20 September. It may also be that your daughter isn't enjoying the environment she is in and this is affecting her studies. It may be worth looking at different qualifications types as well, as there might be something much more suited to your daughter's strengths available through college courses or apprenticeships. You can call National Careers Service yourself on 0800 100 900 from 08:00 to 22:00 BST for the latest information. Good luck to you both! Tom Hi Claire, I think there's every chance your daughter can bring her grades up but she'll need to commit to hard work next year. I would recommend she sits down with her subject tutors to talk over her unit marks so she can identify the areas in which she did well and where there's room for improvement. You don't mention which subjects she's studying specifically, but changes to the structure of AS and A-levels means that the two qualifications are essentially now decoupled for many subjects including English, the sciences, history and art - meaning it's all to play for in her end-of-year A-level exams in Year 13 in any case. We've summarised these changes on the Which? University website. Best of luck to your daughter for the year ahead. Alex My granddaughter has gained 2 Cs, a D and an E, in her AS subjects but unfortunately the E is in business studies which is what she wants to do at university. What chance will she have of getting an offer from a good university? Susan, Lincolnshire Hi Susan, Your granddaughter is lucky to have you so interested in helping her achieve her goals. The first thing to consider is what makes a good university. For every student, this means a slightly different thing. For example, someone might get the grades to successfully apply for Oxford or Cambridge but the environment there may be completely unsuitable for them and they could struggle. However, a "lower standard" university might allow them to flourish and achieve things they never would have been able to elsewhere. Business studies is a very varied university subject and so a student might not necessarily need a specific business studies qualification to be accepted for a course. The Ucas website lists the entry requirements for all courses at every UK university. Also, universities will make offers based on predicted grades and these grades are produced by your granddaughter's teachers. If they feel her AS levels haven't fulfilled her potential, the chances are that her predicted A-level grades will still allow her to apply to many different universities. Tom. Hi Susan, Well done to your granddaughter but commiserations if she is feeling disappointed with her business studies result. It will not count towards her final A-level result next year but it is likely to influence the predicted gradess. So she needs to set her sights realistically on universities and courses that play to her strengths. She should speak to her teachers about the year ahead. Something worth mentioning is that many business studies degrees don't require you to have business studies A-level. So perhaps she should consider pursuing the subjects she scored better in to keep her options broad. Either way, she certainly shouldn't lose hope of a place at university this time next year, Wishing her well for the year ahead, Alex.

While some young people celebrate their A-level results, others will have very different emotions after not receiving the results they were expecting.

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Two separate reports have suggested it could be an ideal site for a new small module reactor (SMR). About 300 workers are decommissioning the plant which began in 1995, two years after it ceased operating. It is due to enter a care and maintenance period in 2016. Ninety redundancies were announced in April. Darryl Williams from the Unite union said: "We would welcome anything that would keep local skills in the area." A report by the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee has called on the UK government to drive forward the development of SMRs. Another report by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers also suggested Trawsfynydd as a location for a demonstrator reactor. If the idea was given the go-ahead, it is thought the reactor could be up and running in 10-15 years. A Welsh government spokesperson said it was a matter for the UK government, but that it would monitor the situation. The Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) said: "We are undertaking a programme of work looking at the potential of SMRs."

Union leaders at the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station in Gwynedd have welcomed suggestions a new smaller reactor should be located there.

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