Datasets:

autoevaluate

/

autoeval-eval-xsum-default-80767e-59416145366

like 0

Follow

Evaluation on the Hub 34

Griffin Place Communications Limited, in Llantarnam, Cwmbran, employed up to 140 people, with many staff claiming they were sacked days before. Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle said the Welsh government has "serious questions to answer", while Welsh government said it would be reviewing the situation. Attempts have been made to contact the company for comment. On Friday, employees arrived at the Llantarnam offices to find the rooms empty and the doors locked. The company has notified some workers that it has commenced liquidation proceedings and many of those have claimed they are owed thousands of pounds in wages. A letter to employees from insolvency firm Finn Associates advised there will be a meeting of creditors on 13 August. Ms Neagle has arranged a public meeting for former workers on Monday at Mount Pleasant Hall in Pontnewydd. "The immediate priority now has got to be to try and support the many staff who have been devastated by this news," she said. Shadow Economy Minister William Graham said Welsh taxpayers "will rightly question" whether Welsh government's investment in the project represented value for money. Torfaen council confirmed it will be contacting seven clients employed by the company as part of the UK government's Work Programme. According to the Welsh government, support provided to the company stipulated jobs should be in place for at least three years. "We will, with immediate effect, be seeking repayment of relevant grant sums," the spokesperson added. "We have also mobilised the Welsh Contact Centre Forum, who can signpost affected staff to potential new job opportunities, and we will keep the situation under review."

A call centre in Torfaen which received £600,000 funding from the Welsh government has gone into liquidation.

33733220

The 51-year-old had only signed a new contract with the Premier League champions in May. Former PE teacher and Chelsea scout Walsh will work with new Toffees manager Ronald Koeman, who replaced Roberto Martinez last month. "It feels very much like a new era at Everton," said Walsh. He becomes Leicester's second key departure of the summer after midfielder N'Golo Kante joined Chelsea for £30m. Walsh has been credited with helping discover bargain signings such as winger Riyad Mahrez and Kante for the Foxes, who last season became top-flight champions for the first time in their 132-year history. Professional Footballers' Association player of the year Mahrez joined from Le Havre in 2014 for £400,000, while Kante was signed from French club Caen for about £6m. "I am genuinely excited to be here at Everton and very much looking forward to getting down to work," said Walsh. "I know the club well, my roots are in the north west and my brother, Mickey, was an Everton player in the Bob Latchford era and always proud of that fact." Dutchman Koeman added: "It is really good for the club to have someone in Steve who has shown his quality in his job at a number of clubs over many years. "That is the experience and quality he will bring to us at a good time in the season." Pat Murphy, BBC Radio 5 live: "Arguably, Walsh became the most important figure in Leicester's football department because he kept delivering unpolished gems from his countless scouting missions without breaking the bank. "Although he signed a new and improved contract only in May, he has been tempted away by what he sees as a career promotion and the vision of Everton's majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. "The London-based Iranian businessman has ambitious plans for Everton, with money seemingly not an issue. Landing first Koeman as manager and now Walsh within a month is a double coup. "Leicester will be seeking full compensation for the loss of Walsh but just as in the pursuit of Koeman, money is no longer a thorny problem at Everton."

Everton have appointed Leicester City joint assistant manager and head of recruitment Steve Walsh as their new director of football.

36859406

Well perhaps it is. It certainly took the commodities markets (and me) rather by surprise when it agreed to cut production at a meeting in Algiers. In fact the group has a lot of work to do before it has a real and sustained impact on the price. But that decision was not what the market expected. Traders thought the result would be more disarray, as there was at a meeting of Opec and some other oil exporters in Doha back in April. This time they did manage to make progress. The context for the Algiers decision - and the unsuccessful attempts to agree action before - is crude oil prices are less than half what they were in June 2014. That hurts Opec member countries. Government finances and economic performance have taken a substantial hit. In Saudi Arabia for example, the government's finances were in surplus to the tune of 12% of annual income (GDP) in 2012. Last year there was a deficit of 16%. Angola's economy grew 7% in 2013. Last year it was 3%. Venezuela's figures are much worse, though it's far from being entirely due to the lower price of oil. That has however severely aggravated the economic damage done by the country's political crisis. Opec member countries have felt this financial pain with increasing intensity for almost two years now. Opec doesn't account for the whole market by a long way. There are very large oil producers that are not members, notably the United States, Russia, China and Canada. But the group, which currently has about 40% of the global market can move it by cutting production - and it does have a history of responding to low oil prices, by cutting production. In the past Saudi Arabia, the group's biggest player, has often led the effort. This time the situation was complicated by Iran's emergence earlier this year from international sanctions over its nuclear programme. Tehran was determined to take advantage and sought to recover its share of the market. For Opec, the trouble was that Saudi Arabia was unwilling to curb production without Iran doing likewise, a position also underpinned by the longstanding geopolitical tension between the two countries which are the leading powers in the Gulf. That tension was the reason for the failure in Doha in April. Things seem to have changed. Iran has boosted oil production already. It could go higher, but not as easily as was the case in the immediate aftermath of the lifting of sanctions. Saudi Arabia has softened its position. The oil minister Khalid al-Falih, who was appointed after the Doha meeting, is reported to have said in Algiers that Iran, as well Nigeria and Libya would be allowed to produce "at maximum levels that make sense". The secretary general of the group, Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, told the BBC that those three countries "have lost a considerable volume of their production due to unfortunate circumstances". He said "they will be treated differently." It also appeared to be the case for some time after the price fall began in 2014 that Saudi Arabia was willing to tolerate the situation because of the pressure it put on competitors, especially shale oil producers in the United States. The rise of this sector over the last decade or so is seen as a key factor behind the plentiful supply of oil that partly drove the price fall. Some shale operators have cut back, but overall oil production in the US in 2015 was higher despite the lower prices. If the Saudi aim was to squeeze the American industry, they have not had anything like the success they hoped for. It does look as though the Saudis have decided they need a new strategy. So Opec agrees they want to take action to push prices up. The detail will be difficult to negotiate. How will they allocate the production cuts between members? How differently will Iran, Nigeria and Libya be treated? And what baseline level of production will they use in calculating new production ceilings? It's also likely they will want some non-members to co-operate. The US and Canada won't. They don't believe in the kind of market management that Opec is trying to achieve and in any case oil production is done in those countries by private businesses which will not take orders from energy ministers. Russia, however, might be willing to come on board and did discuss the possibility at the Doha meeting. And then with Opec there is always the question of whether member countries will comply with any agreed limits on their own production. The reaction of the oil market to the Algiers agreement is telling. The price of crude oil rose and then fell back. It remains very much within the range that it has been trading in for the last six months. In short it looks like the market view is that something has changed at Opec, but traders will need to see Opec filling in all the details of an agreement before they are convinced that prices really are heading upwards.

Opec, the oil producers' group is back in the driving seat.

37512637

United took the lead on the night and in the tie when Henrikh Mkhitaryan drilled in a low finish in the 10th minute but Anderlecht equalised when Sofiane Hanni scored after 32 minutes. United were minutes away from a penalty shootout before Rashford got the winning goal after 107 minutes with a brilliant turn and finish. That means Mourinho's men won 3-2 overall across both legs of the quarter-final. Winning the Europa League is very important for United and manager Jose Mourinho as it offers another route into the Champions League, European club football's biggest competition. The other sides into the semi-finals are Ajax, Lyon and Celta Vigo with the draw taking place at midday on Friday.

Marcus Rashford's extra-time goal sent Manchester United into the Europa League semi-final beating Anderlecht 2-1 on a nervy night at Old Trafford.

39665822

Cotton, 22, has played 17 first-class matches since his debut in 2014 and featured regularly in white-ball cricket this season. Taylor, 21, was ruled out for the season with a back injury. "They are both exciting fast bowlers who have the ability to win games for Derbyshire," head coach John Sadler told the club website. "And we must remember they're still only 22 and 21 respectively." Derbyshire are bottom of Division Two, having failed to win any of their Championship matches this season.

Fast bowlers Ben Cotton and Tom Taylor have signed new contracts with Derbyshire until the end of 2018.

37329883

Researchers found that the hard working sheep dogs were successful at keeping seagulls away from beaches. Gull dropping are known to be a source of E. coli bacteria, which can lead to abdominal cramping and diarrhoea in humans. High levels of the bug are a leading cause of beach closures in many parts of the world, including the UK. The bacteria are commonly found in human and animal faeces and can end up in the seas through rain water run off or from sewage. Seagulls have been implicated in the spread of resistant versions of the bug. A recent report showed that around a third of E. coli samples taken from the birds were resistant to more than one antibiotic. In this new study, researchers assigned the dogs to 200-metre stretches of beach along the shores of Lake Michigan in the US, which were patrolled for parts of the summer season. Half way through the dogs were switched to untreated sections. Populations of Ring-Billed gulls have soared in the region since the 1970s with numbers increasing by 10% per year. The collies, known for their intelligence and their herding abilities, disturbed the seagulls and kept them from landing on the beaches. "Most of the time, the dogs were kept on their leads," said Dr Elizabeth Alm from Central Michigan University, who led the study. "They were released with the leads dropped, only when their handler directed them to chase gulls. Then the dogs were called, they would circle back, and the handler would pick the lead back up." Over the course of the summers of 2012 and 2013, the scientists recorded the number of birds at each section of beach while water and sand samples were collected and tested for E. coli. They found that the bacterial counts were significantly lower on those sandy stretches where the dogs had kept the gulls at bay. However the benefit didn't last through the whole season and the researchers found that later in the summer, bacterial numbers had risen once again. Dr Alm believes that the timing of the dog patrols is crucial to their effectiveness. "If the E. coli establish in the sand early in the season, they appear to be able to persist, and probably even grow in the sand so that even though the dogs can remove the gulls from the beach later in the season, this late reduction in gulls does not translate in to a late season reduction in E. coli." One key question though was the worry that the dogs themselves might increase the levels of E. coli if they had to answer nature's call while working on the beach. "These were professional working dogs," said Dr Alm. "They were given ample opportunity to take care of their "business" before going to work. They didn't often poop on the beach, but if they did it was immediately picked up by their handler and disposed of off the beach." The research has been published at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Follow Matt on Twitter.

Border Collies may be an effective weapon against E. coli infections at the seaside according to a new study.

27468430

Wellington monument on the Blackdown Hills, in Somerset, was built in 1817 but since 2005 it has been fenced off because of falling stone debris. The National Trust is using ground-penetrating radar on the 174ft (53m) tower to see under its stone cladding. Ken Evans, from the trust, said the work was "crucial". Built on one of the highest points of the Blackdown Hills, the landmark was put up as a tribute to the Duke of Wellington's military achievements at the Battle of Waterloo. But according to the trust, it has been struck by lightning twice in its history and renovating the very tall landmark every 10 to 15 years has been "expensive and unsustainable". Mr Evans, the trust's building surveyor, said the radar study was one of several being carried out to "understand this unique and somewhat complex monument". "We have been using wind and movement sensors which have already surprised us by showing that it doesn't flex in the wind quite as much as we expected," he said. "The ground-penetrating radar seeks to identify voids and gaps in the stonework under the surface but should also tell us more about the materials which were used to build the obelisk." Data from the detailed survey will also be used to build a computer model of the obelisk and help with a "more effective repair approach".

A computer model of one of the world's tallest three-sided obelisks is being made to find out why it is falling apart.

32719212

The League One side are hoping to construct a new stadium at Mill Hill in Medway, opposite their training ground. The Gills have been based at their current 11,582-seater Priestfield ground in Medway since 1893. "When I came here in 1995 I realised that there was no long-term future for this club on this site," Scally said. "In 1999, I put out a document, 'The Path to Premier League Football', which some may have smiled at, but those that smiled then are probably not smiling now if you look at examples of other clubs that have succeeded with lesser grounds or lesser conurbations." Gillingham, who currently have an average home attendance of 5,000-6,000, are 18th in League One, four points above the relegation zone. They have not been in the second tier of English football since being relegated in 2005. "Bournemouth comes to mind as the most recent example. But Brighton's also a very good case study," Scally told BBC Radio Kent. "If you build a new stadium that is fit for purpose as far as sustainability is concerned, and you make it of a size capable of hosting Premier League football, and you have the right investment into the club and into the project, then the two in parallel can actually take you to the heady heights of the Premier League and beyond. "I'm not saying that if you build a stadium that guarantees you Premier League status, of course, but what I am saying is that if you don't build a stadium, you really can't sustain top Championship or Premier League football in a stadium such as we have now."

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally says a new stadium could allow the club to sustain a place in the top two divisions of English football.

39380799

The match was due to take place on Thursday but was rescheduled due to a frozen pitch at Stade des Alpes. Davies started ahead of Biggar at fly-half in their Pro12 win against Edinburgh on Friday, 2 December. Veteran Paul James comes in for Nicky Smith at loose-head prop and Dmitri Arhip is at tight-head for Ma'afu Fia. Wales hooker Scott Baldwin is undergoing a head injury assessment and is omitted from the Ospreys' line-up. In midfield, centre Ashley Beck makes way for Kieron Fonotia while prop Fia has a shoulder injury that has put him out of contention. Ospreys are playing in the second-tier European tournament for the first time and have a 100% record after wins over Newcastle Falcons and Lyon. Grenoble lost heavily when they played the same teams. The two teams meet again on Saturday, 17 December. Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy told BBC Radio Wales: "It's pretty poor and disappointing. We came down to the ground at 3pm and the ground was hard. The blowers and a little bit of hot air has gone on it to try and rectify it but I think it was too little too late. "It's bitterly disappointing, it affects preparations. Now we've got to stay out here. It's not as if it's an anomaly where you come here and there's a big blizzard. "There's definitely been a lack of preparation and thought gone into it and for such a big game for us, we're bitterly disappointed we haven't played the game tonight." Grenoble: Armand Batlle; Pierre Mignot,Clement Gelin, Nigel Hunt, Tino Nemani; Gilles Bosch, David Mele; Alexandre Dardet, tienne Fourcade, Walter Desmaison, Mickael Capelli, Mathias Marie, Kevin Kornath, Steven Setephano, Dylan Hayes. Replacements: Loick Jammes, Denis Coulson, Dayna Edwards, Thomas Jolmes, Henry Vanderglas, Lilian Saseras, Fabrice Estebanez, Bastien Guillemin Ospreys: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Kieron Fonotia, Josh Matavesi, Dafydd Howells; Dan Biggar, Tom Habberfield; Paul James, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Rory Thornton, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), James King, Dan Baker, Justin Tipuric. Replacements: Scott Otten, Nicky Smith, Rhodri Jones, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Underhill, Rob McCusker, Brendon Leonard, Sam Davies. Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)

Wales' Dan Biggar takes over from Sam Davies as Ospreys make five changes for their rescheduled European Challenge Cup game at Grenoble on Friday.

38206296

Mr McKelvie said he left after being told he may be required as a witness during the inquiry's investigations. His information had led to Labour MP Tom Watson raising concerns over whether a minister had links to a past paedophile ring. It was later reported that the police had found no evidence for such a claim. The IICSA inquiry, sparked by claims of paedophiles operating in Westminster in the 1980s, will investigate whether "state and non-state institutions have failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation" in England and Wales. Mr McKelvie said he had "reluctantly" resigned after being "advised that I am likely to be required as a witness in the inquiry's investigations, and that the inquiry may need to examine my work in pursuing allegations of [child sexual abuse]". Justice Lowell Goddard, who is leading IICSA, thanked Mr McKelvie for his work on the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel. She added: "I would also like to take this opportunity to stress that allegations concerning child sexual abuse related to Westminster are only one component of the inquiry's work. "As I said in my opening statement the inquiry's terms of reference go far broader than this and encompass all institutions within England and Wales. This important work continues." The BBC reported on Thursday that emails unearthed by the BBC's Panorama programme showed detectives dismissed the allegations made by Mr Watson in October 2012, two months after the Commons statement. The files on which Mr Watson based his statement were seized as part of an investigation involving Mr McKelvie, into the paedophile ring centred on senior social worker Peter Righton in the early 1990s. Mr Watson was briefed on their content, before making his statement, by Mr McKelvie. Mr McKelvie has told the BBC he did not claim to Mr Watson that there had been a "Westminster paedophile ring" and pointed out that the police investigations which followed the Commons statement had led to convictions of two men who were part of the original paedophile ring. It also emerged on Thursday that child sex abuse victims have been asked to resubmit information to the inquiry after it was accidentally deleted. Online forms were deleted due to a "change in our website address", the Goddard Inquiry into historical abuse said on its website.

Ex-child protection officer Peter McKelvie has resigned as an adviser to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), the inquiry says.

34551860

The 25-year-old wing has crossed codes from Super League side Wigan Warriors, in arguably the most high-profile switch since Sam Burgess' move to Bath. Burgess' time in union only lasted a year, but Chorley-born Charnley is hoping he can take to the game more naturally. "I just want to learn it and not have to ask where I should be stood. I just want to have it free-flowing," he told BBC Sport. Since his move to Sale was announced in March, Charnley has been to the AJ Bell Stadium to watch the team as much as possible. With his focus on league as a youngster, he did not grow up watching the Premiership, Six Nations or England internationals. "I've wanted to try union for a while," he added. "I've been lucky enough to be successful in league and achieve things that not many people can achieve so when the opportunity came to switch codes, I couldn't turn it down. "I've been watching a lot of games and analysing it. It is one of those where I need to watch as much as I can as I need to know what I need to be doing." Charnley said he was having to adapt to a different way of training and the pace of the game in union. "I was doing some clearing out the other day and it hurt my neck," Charnley said with a wry smile. "It is getting my body used to it. I'm used to running between two people and getting up and down and this is different. "It's good, it's a new challenge and I'm excited for it all." He signed off with his hometown club in the perfect way, scoring a try at the Grand Final at Old Trafford as Wigan beat Warrington 12-6 last month. His stats in rugby league were staggering - 165 tries in 176 appearances - and Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond does not want to suppress that natural ability to cross the whitewash. "We're not going to take away anything that he has already got, we can't enhance that at all at the moment," said 48-year-old ex-Sale hooker Diamond. "We have a good management structure here. We understand what we're bringing from one sport to another and the differences in the codes. "We have to settle him in; we don't want to rush him in. I think he will be nothing like the Sam Burgess affair that happened." There is a long line of Wigan players moving to union, and in recent times both Chris Ashton and Joel Tomkins have become cross-code internationals, but still the most successful was Jason Robinson's switch. England head coach Eddie Jones has spoken about Charnley as having the ability to join the list of players who have represented their country in both codes. "The potential is there, without a doubt," former Sharks and England winger Mark Cueto told North West Tonight. "You don't want to pile the pressure on him but he has the ability to do it, and I'm sure he will. "He has such a good career so far, so as a long as he does that in a Sale shirt then he is always going to have a sniff." Asked if he thought about running out at Twickenham, Charnley added: "Any player wants to play for their country. You want to put that jersey on. "If I'm lucky enough to be successful enough to get picked then it will be a nice thing on my CV."

Only two weeks after his first training session in rugby union, Josh Charnley will make his debut for Sale Sharks in Friday's Anglo-Welsh Cup game against Wasps.

37834404

Dear President Tusk On 23 June last year, the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. As I have said before, that decision was no rejection of the values we share as fellow Europeans. Nor was it an attempt to do harm to the European Union or any of the remaining member states. On the contrary, the United Kingdom wants the European Union to succeed and prosper. Instead, the referendum was a vote to restore, as we see it, our national self-determination. We are leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe - and we want to remain committed partners and allies to our friends across the continent. Earlier this month, the United Kingdom Parliament confirmed the result of the referendum by voting with clear and convincing majorities in both of its Houses for the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The Bill was passed by Parliament on 13 March and it received Royal Assent from Her Majesty The Queen and became an Act of Parliament on 16 March. Today, therefore, I am writing to give effect to the democratic decision of the people of the United Kingdom. I hereby notify the European Council in accordance with Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union of the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the European Union. In addition, in accordance with the same Article 50(2) as applied by Article 106a of the Treaty Establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, I hereby notify the European Council of the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the European Atomic Energy Community. References in this letter to the European Union should therefore be taken to include a reference to the European Atomic Energy Community. See the letter as published by Downing Street (PDF) This letter sets out the approach of Her Majesty's Government to the discussions we will have about the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union and about the deep and special partnership we hope to enjoy - as your closest friend and neighbour - with the European Union once we leave. We believe that these objectives are in the interests not only of the United Kingdom but of the European Union and the wider world too. It is in the best interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that we should use the forthcoming process to deliver these objectives in a fair and orderly manner, and with as little disruption as possible on each side. We want to make sure that Europe remains strong and prosperous and is capable of projecting its values, leading in the world, and defending itself from security threats. We want the United Kingdom, through a new deep and special partnership with a strong European Union, to play its full part in achieving these goals. We therefore believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the European Union. The Government wants to approach our discussions with ambition, giving citizens and businesses in the United Kingdom and the European Union - and indeed from third countries around the world - as much certainty as possible, as early as possible. I would like to propose some principles that may help to shape our coming discussions, but before I do so, I should update you on the process we will be undertaking at home, in the United Kingdom. As I have announced already, the Government will bring forward legislation that will repeal the Act of Parliament - the European Communities Act 1972 - that gives effect to EU law in our country. This legislation will, wherever practical and appropriate, in effect convert the body of existing European Union law (the "acquis") into UK law. This means there will be certainty for UK citizens and for anybody from the European Union who does business in the United Kingdom. The Government will consult on how we design and implement this legislation, and we will publish a White Paper tomorrow. We also intend to bring forward several other pieces of legislation that address specific issues relating to our departure from the European Union, also with a view to ensuring continuity and certainty, in particular for businesses. We will of course continue to fulfil our responsibilities as a member state while we remain a member of the European Union, and the legislation we propose will not come into effect until we leave. From the start and throughout the discussions, we will negotiate as one United Kingdom, taking due account of the specific interests of every nation and region of the UK as we do so. When it comes to the return of powers back to the United Kingdom, we will consult fully on which powers should reside in Westminster and which should be devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But it is the expectation of the Government that the outcome of this process will be a significant increase in the decision-making power of each devolved administration. The United Kingdom wants to agree with the European Union a deep and special partnership that takes in both economic and security cooperation. To achieve this, we believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU. If, however, we leave the European Union without an agreement the default position is that we would have to trade on World Trade Organisation terms. In security terms a failure to reach agreement would mean our cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened. In this kind of scenario, both the United Kingdom and the European Union would of course cope with the change, but it is not the outcome that either side should seek. We must therefore work hard to avoid that outcome. It is for these reasons that we want to be able to agree a deep and special partnership, taking in both economic and security cooperation, but it is also because we want to play our part in making sure that Europe remains strong and prosperous and able to lead in the world, projecting its values and defending itself from security threats. And we want the United Kingdom to play its full part in realising that vision for our continent. Looking ahead to the discussions which we will soon begin, I would like to suggest some principles that we might agree to help make sure that the process is as smooth and successful as possible. i. We should engage with one another constructively and respectfully, in a spirit of sincere cooperation. Since I became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom I have listened carefully to you, to my fellow EU Heads of Government and the Presidents of the European Commission and Parliament. That is why the United Kingdom does not seek membership of the single market: we understand and respect your position that the four freedoms of the single market are indivisible and there can be no "cherry picking". We also understand that there will be consequences for the UK of leaving the EU: we know that we will lose influence over the rules that affect the European economy. We also know that UK companies will, as they trade within the EU, have to align with rules agreed by institutions of which we are no longer a part - just as UK companies do in other overseas markets. ii. We should always put our citizens first. There is obvious complexity in the discussions we are about to undertake, but we should remember that at the heart of our talks are the interests of all our citizens. There are, for example, many citizens of the remaining member states living in the United Kingdom, and UK citizens living elsewhere in the European Union, and we should aim to strike an early agreement about their rights. iii. We should work towards securing a comprehensive agreement. We want to agree a deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU, taking in both economic and security cooperation. We will need to discuss how we determine a fair settlement of the UK's rights and obligations as a departing member state, in accordance with the law and in the spirit of the United Kingdom's continuing partnership with the EU. But we believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU. iv. We should work together to minimise disruption and give as much certainty as possible. Investors, businesses and citizens in both the UK and across the remaining 27 member states - and those from third countries around the world - want to be able to plan. In order to avoid any cliff-edge as we move from our current relationship to our future partnership, people and businesses in both the UK and the EU would benefit from implementation periods to adjust in a smooth and orderly way to new arrangements. It would help both sides to minimise unnecessary disruption if we agree this principle early in the process. v. In particular, we must pay attention to the UK's unique relationship with the Republic of Ireland and the importance of the peace process in Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is the only EU member state with a land border with the United Kingdom. We want to avoid a return to a hard border between our two countries, to be able to maintain the Common Travel Area between us, and to make sure that the UK's withdrawal from the EU does not harm the Republic of Ireland. We also have an important responsibility to make sure that nothing is done to jeopardise the peace process in Northern Ireland, and to continue to uphold the Belfast Agreement. vi. We should begin technical talks on detailed policy areas as soon as possible, but we should prioritise the biggest challenges. Agreeing a high-level approach to the issues arising from our withdrawal will of course be an early priority. But we also propose a bold and ambitious Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. This should be of greater scope and ambition than any such agreement before it so that it covers sectors crucial to our linked economies such as financial services and network industries. This will require detailed technical talks, but as the UK is an existing EU member state, both sides have regulatory frameworks and standards that already match. We should therefore prioritise how we manage the evolution of our regulatory frameworks to maintain a fair and open trading environment, and how we resolve disputes. On the scope of the partnership between us - on both economic and security matters - my officials will put forward detailed proposals for deep, broad and dynamic cooperation. vii. We should continue to work together to advance and protect our shared European values. Perhaps now more than ever, the world needs the liberal, democratic values of Europe. We want to play our part to ensure that Europe remains strong and prosperous and able to lead in the world, projecting its values and defending itself from security threats. As I have said, the Government of the United Kingdom wants to agree a deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU, taking in both economic and security cooperation. At a time when the growth of global trade is slowing and there are signs that protectionist instincts are on the rise in many parts of the world, Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free trade in the interest of all our citizens. Likewise, Europe's security is more fragile today than at any time since the end of the Cold War. Weakening our cooperation for the prosperity and protection of our citizens would be a costly mistake. The United Kingdom's objectives for our future partnership remain those set out in my Lancaster House speech of 17 January and the subsequent White Paper published on 2 February. We recognise that it will be a challenge to reach such a comprehensive agreement within the two-year period set out for withdrawal discussions in the Treaty. But we believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU. We start from a unique position in these discussions - close regulatory alignment, trust in one another's institutions, and a spirit of cooperation stretching back decades. It is for these reasons, and because the future partnership between the UK and the EU is of such importance to both sides, that I am sure it can be agreed in the time period set out by the Treaty. The task before us is momentous but it should not be beyond us. After all, the institutions and the leaders of the European Union have succeeded in bringing together a continent blighted by war into a union of peaceful nations, and supported the transition of dictatorships to democracy. Together, I know we are capable of reaching an agreement about the UK's rights and obligations as a departing member state, while establishing a deep and special partnership that contributes towards the prosperity, security and global power of our continent. Yours sincerely Theresa May

Here is the full text of Theresa May's letter to European Council president Donald Tusk, beginning the start of Brexit negotiations.

39431070

Police said the last thing the man remembered was leaving a bar in Manchester city centre at 01:00 GMT. He apparently woke up in a confused state before contacting Greater Manchester Police at about 15:00 GMT. Thousands of people are expected to celebrate the festive season in what has come to be known as Mad Friday. GMP tweeted about the man's nightclub ordeal, and said officers were searching for people with access to the building in order to free him.

A man dialled 999 after waking up locked in an empty nightclub dressed only in his underpants following a Christmas party.

38343253

Rowe, Team Sky's road captain, broke a rib in a crash on the opening stage but rode on to support team leader Froome. The 27-year-old finished as lanterne rouge, an honour for the rider in last place on general classification, noting the sacrifice of their own ambitions to help their team's bid for yellow. "That's incredible," Brailsford said of Rowe's effort after breaking his rib. "They're so robust, these guys, and he went down really hard. "He caught his rib on the pavement as he went into it and probably did more damage than we originally thought. "He was in a lot of pain but he pulled through and he's so good as a road captain - he communicates so well. "We would have been in big trouble without him actually so it was great that he pulled through." Froome's winning time of 86 hours, 20 minutes and 55 seconds saw him finish 54 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran in second place. Rowe ended the race four hours, 35 minutes and 52 seconds behind Froome as he toiled in order to help the Team Sky leader claim his third successive title. The Welshman finished 167th in the general classification, more than three minutes adrift of second-from-bottom Tom Leezer. But the lanterne rouge is something of a badge of honour for Tour cyclists, with Rowe spending much of the 2017 race chasing down breakaways at the front, then bringing up the rear of the peloton having spent all his energy in Froome's cause. BeSpoke: Download the Radio 5 live podcast Find out how to get into cycling with our special guide.

Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford praised Luke Rowe after he helped Chris Froome win his fourth Tour de France title.

40699320

The settlement was reached in a compensation claim against the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. The child, who cannot be identified, suffered hypoxia due to a delay in her delivery at Antrim Area Hospital in 2007. It resulted in a series of complex health issues. These included severe cerebral palsy and complex epilepsy. Her parents sued the trust, claiming medical negligence. The case had been due to run as a five-day trial at the High Court in Belfast earlier this month. However, full liability was admitted a week before the listed hearing date. The figure of £5.3m covers damages and the costs of past and future care for the child.

An eight-year-old girl from County Antrim who was left profoundly disabled after being starved of oxygen at birth is to receive £5.3m.

36362284

John Key said the toll was expected to rise further, adding: "We may be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day." The tremor caused widespread damage as it occurred at a shallow depth of 5km (3.1 miles) during lunchtime when Christchurch was at its busiest. The mayor of New Zealand's second-biggest city says 120 people have been rescued from the ruins. The country's deadliest natural disaster in 80 years struck at 1251 (2351 GMT on Monday), 10km (6.2 miles) south-east of the city. The damage is said to be far worse than after the 7.1-magnitude quake on 4 September, which left two people seriously injured but no fatalities. Christchurch earthquake: Eyewitness accounts The epicentre of that quake, which occurred in the middle of the night, was further away from the city and deeper underground, but it still caused an estimated $3bn (£1.9bn) in damage. TV pictures of the aftermath of Tuesday's disaster showed scores of collapsed buildings in the South Island city of nearly 400,000 people. Shocked survivors could be seen wandering the rubble-strewn streets, which cracked open as the ground beneath was liquefied by the tremor. Police said that the dead included people on two buses which were crushed by falling buildings. Helicopters plucked survivors to safety from rooftops, and dumped water on fires. Officials said up to 30 people were feared still trapped inside the razed Pyne Gould Guinness building, where screams have been heard from the ruins. Trapped under her desk inside the building, Anne Voss told Australia's Channel Seven by mobile phone: "I am hoping they will get me out soon because I have been here so long. And it's dark. And it's horrible." Asked whether she was injured, she said: "I know I am bleeding and I can feel the ground is quite wet. I think it's blood." A dozen visiting Japanese students are among those reported missing. Bystanders have been using bare hands to try to free survivors trapped under debris. Many injured people were carried out on blood-soaked stretchers or in the arms of shocked workmates and strangers. Some escaped on ropes lowered from office towers. Others managed to crawl out of the rubble. By Jonathan AmosScience correspondent, BBC News By nature, earthquakes tend to cluster in space and time. And Tuesday's tremor in Christchurch is almost certainly related to the much more energetic event that hit the region last September. The critical difference on this occasion is the ground broke almost directly under the country's second city, and at shallow depth, 5km (3 miles) below the surface. Contrast this with September's magnitude 7 quake: its epicentre occurred some 40km west of the city and at a depth of 10km, and it continued to rupture mainly away from the major built-up areas. New Zealand lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. The country straddles the boundary between two tectonic plates: the Pacific and Indo-Australian plates. On South Island, the location of the latest quake, the plates rub past each other horizontally. Depth and location key The tremor sent the spire of Christchurch Cathedral, a landmark in the centre of the city, toppling into the square below. John Gurr, a camera technician, told Reuters news agency the area outside the cathedral was "like a warzone". Power and telephone lines have been knocked out, while burst pipes have deluged streets with water. The suburbs of Lyttelton and New Brighton are reportedly "unliveable". Queen Elizabeth II said in a statement she had been "utterly shocked" by the news. "My thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this dreadful event," the statement said. The quake caused some 30m tons of ice to shear away from New Zealand's biggest glacier. Witnesses say massive icebergs formed when the Tasman Glacier in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park broke, tossing a nearby lake with huge waves. Back in Christchurch, emergency shelters were set up in the city's Hagley Park, a race course and schools as night approached. City Mayor Bob Parker told the BBC: "This is a terrible, terrible toll on our city." "There is no power in most of the city; there is no water in most of the city," he added. PM John Key said: "It is just a scene of utter devastation. We have to work as fast as we can to get people out of environments where they are trapped. "This is a community that is absolutely in agony. We just need this community, as it has done before and as it will do again, to come together, to check and support one another," he added. The military has been deployed to help the rescue effort, and the government has accepted an offer of specialist help from Australia. A series of aftershocks, some as big as magnitude 5, have already rattled the stricken city, and officials warned residents to brace for more. One Christchurch resident, Jaydn Katene, told the New Zealand Herald: "We've had friends in town call us and say there are just bodies lying around; lots of dead bodies outside shops just lying there just covered in bricks." A British backpacker said the city "looked like a bomb had hit it". New Zealand experiences more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which only around 20 have a magnitude in excess of 5.0. The last fatal earthquake was in 1968, when a 7.1-magnitude tremor killed three people on the South Island's western coast. Tuesday's was the country's worst natural disaster since a 1931 quake in the North Island city of Napier killed 256 people.

New Zealand's prime minister says at least 65 people have died after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch.

12533291

The ex-Germany captain, who has trained alone or with the Under-23s under new boss Jose Mourinho, was named in their 25-man Premier League squad on Friday. The 32-year-old World Cup winner retired from international football this week after 24 goals and 121 caps. Eighteen-year-old defender Axel Tuanzebe has been named in United's 27-man Europa League squad. Only 21 non-"club trained" players - those who have spent three years at the club between the ages of 15 and 21 - can be named in squads for the European competition. United could only count forwards Wayne Rooney and Jesse Lingard as "club trained" so a maximum squad of 23 could be named, along with four Under-21 players in Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Tuanzebe. Schweinsteiger signed a three-year deal in July 2015 but was told by Mourinho last month that it would be "very difficult" for him to play again for the club. United begin their Europa League campaign away to Dutch club Feyenoord on 15 September. They are in Group A along with Turkey's Fenerbahce and Zorya of Ukraine. Manchester United's Europa League squad for the 2016/2017 group stage: David de Gea, Sergio Romero, Sam Johnstone, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Axel Tuanzebe, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Michael Carrick, Daley Blind, Ashley Young, Ander Herrera, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marouane Fellaini, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been left out of Manchester United's Europa League squad.

37266143

The 32-year-old Dane spent the second half of last season on loan at the Lilywhites where he made 14 outings. Lindegaard made 29 appearances for Manchester United over five years before his move to the Baggies. "I'm really happy that things have fallen into place before we get closer to the season," he said. "It was a very easy decision. I could have gone to several other clubs in England but it was a no brainer, I wanted to stay here." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Preston North End have re-signed goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard on a one-year deal after he had his contract cancelled at West Bromwich Albion.

36693599

The 20-year-old striker was sent off by Mike Jones in Blues' 2-0 win on Saturday. But an FA Regulatory Commission upheld Blues' appeal for wrongful dismissal. Adams is now free to play against Bristol City on Sunday, with Harry Redknapp's side needing victory to secure Championship safety. Blues are 20th in the table and go to Aston Gate two points clear of the relegation zone but with an inferior goal difference to Nottingham Forest and Blackburn immediately below them.

Che Adams will be available to play in Birmingham City's final game of the season after his red card against Huddersfield was rescinded.

39792127

Blair Turgott got on the end of a good passing move to secure victory in the dying minutes at Grange Lane. The Villagers' problem this season has not been creating chances but taking them, as when Steve Brogan curled in a shot from long range that clipped the bar. After the break, Reece Thompson eventually put the home side ahead with a great finish from Kyle Wootton's cross. However, Bromley substitute George Porter equalised swiftly from close range with his first touch of the match. Turgott's late winner left the bottom club quizzical about when their wretched luck will turn. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, North Ferriby United 1, Bromley 2. Second Half ends, North Ferriby United 1, Bromley 2. Goal! North Ferriby United 1, Bromley 2. Blair Turgott (Bromley). Substitution, North Ferriby United. Ryan Kendall replaces Reece Thompson. Substitution, North Ferriby United. Vinny Mukendi replaces Kyle Wootton. Substitution, Bromley. Tobi Sho-Silva replaces Lee Minshull. Substitution, North Ferriby United. Danny Emerton replaces Ryan Fallowfield. Goal! North Ferriby United 1, Bromley 1. George Porter (Bromley). Substitution, Bromley. George Porter replaces Jamie Philpot. Substitution, Bromley. Jordan Higgs replaces Dave Martin. Goal! North Ferriby United 1, Bromley 0. Reece Thompson (North Ferriby United). Second Half begins North Ferriby United 0, Bromley 0. First Half ends, North Ferriby United 0, Bromley 0. First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

The agony continued for Steve Housham's North Ferriby in a 2-1 loss at home to Bromley.

37737798

Its new official forecast is for the gap between spending and taxes still to be a deficit of £7bn in 2019-20, compared with the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast made at the last budget for a surplus of £7bn. Its gloomier projection may be seen as a particular embarrassment for the Tories, given that unlike Labour and the Liberal Democrats they are committed to generating a surplus on the overall budget. However a small part of the forecasting difference between the IMF and the OBR is that the IMF assumes there will be a weakish minority government after the election and therefore spending will be a bit higher than the Tories' plan. So a senior Tory put a brave face on the IMF's disagreement with the OBR and said it showed the risks of voters not giving them a clear mandate. However that is not the whole story, in that the IMF also believes the OBR is being a bit too optimistic about growth and tax revenues in the latter years of the next parliament. In truth therefore the IMF is highlighting that whoever leads the next government may be forced to increase taxes or cut spending a bit more than currently planned. This may represent a bigger headache for the Tories than Labour or the LibDems given that in the last few days the Tories have committed themselves to £6bn of tax cuts and £8bn of increased spending on the NHS, without saying where the money for these giveaways would come from. In fact just yesterday a senior Tory pointed to the OBR's projected surplus for 2019/20 and said that would cover (almost) the NHS commitment. Well the IMF today says that £7bn surplus is a chimera. All that said, the IMF forecast is a million miles from being devastating for any party: the difference between a £7bn deficit and £7bn surplus in 2020 is just 0.6% of GDP or national income - which is a rounding error in the context of a deficit that was a humongous 10% of GDP just five years ago.

The International Monetary Fund has today highlighted the challenge to be faced by the next government in returning the public finances to balance.

32327177

The £42m MV Loch Seaforth made its first passenger sailing last month but is still in a "test period" and not fully in service. Thursday's fault took five hours to fix and the ferry was cleared again for sailings. Another ferry, the Isle of Lewis, took the passengers involved. Bad weather has led the cancellations of Friday sailings on the Stornoway-Ullapool route and other services on Scotland's west coast. Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne said withdrawing the Loch Seaforth had been an operational decision and the fault would not have prevented the ship from sailing. A spokesman said: "Yesterday evening an issue arose with an engine room ventilation fan which required attention and an operational decision was taken to remove her from the route while it was fixed. "While passengers were delayed, and we regret any inconvenience to them, no-one was stranded." A spokesman added: "This was not a major issue but it required around five hours of work as the fan was in a difficult to reach location."

A new ferry built for the Stornoway to Ullapool route was temporarily withdrawn from passenger duties because of a faulty ventilation fan.

31759248

The 20-year-old spent 18 months with the Scottish champions but is also wanted by Nice and at least two English Premier League clubs. Celtic assistant Chris Davies confirmed on Monday that his club maintain "a constant dialogue" with Roberts. "There is always going to be a home for him here if that suits everybody," Davies said. "They have been talking and the situation is always open to a certain extent because the transfer window is still open. "We've got the players that are with us working and fighting right now, we've been scoring and creating goals, so if something extra happens then it's all positive, but if not, we're OK." Nice, who face Napoli in the Champions League play-off round, have already added two players to their midfield options this week, with Wesley Sneijder, previously of Galatasaray, signing on Tuesday following the acquisition of Allan Saint-Maximin from Lique 1 rivals Monaco. But Roberts is ready to tell his parent club that his own choice would be Celtic. "All I know from our part is that we value the player, rate the player, and I'm sure if it was right for everybody then something would be done," said Davies. "But we can't really control that at the moment. We just focus on our work here and see how that one evolves. "Pat at the moment is playing for Man City, he's featured for them, so I can't comment too much on it." Davies also confirmed there were no plans to bring in an extra central defender despite injuries to Dedryck Boyata and Erik Sviatchenko ahead of facing Astana of Kazakhstan over two legs on 16 and 22 August for a place in the Champions League group stage. Before then, Celtic face Kilmarnock in the League Cup on Tuesday then travel to take on Partick Thistle in the Premiership. "We've used Nir Bitton, who has played there before and done exceptionally well," said Davies. "Kristoffer Ajer has filled in and Mikael Lustig can fill in as well - and we've got Jozo Simunovic. "We're happy with what we've got going into tomorrow night. Astana is coming up, but we're comfortable. "We're not in a desperate situation, we're comfortable and we've got six games coming up in the next 20 days, so we've got a squad we're going to have to use and everybody has to be ready." Englishman Davies also confirmed that Celtic are talking to former winger Shaun Maloney over a coaching role at the club. The 34-year-old began his career at Celtic Park, making more than 150 appearances for the Scottish champions, and the player is expected to retire after his proposed summer move to Aberdeen after leaving Hull City fell through because of persistent injuries. "I can't give you anything definitive - it's something the club are looking at," Davies said. "I've met him once or twice and been really impressed with him as a character and his thoughts on the game. "He brings a lot of experience as a player and his Celtic connections as well. "I think he would fit in really well if it were to happen. Any player that's been involved at a club as a player, especially if they've come through the academy, it gives them a good empathy for the players in that academy."

England Under-20 winger Patrick Roberts will tell Manchester City that his preference is to rejoin Celtic on loan.

40852352

The 2005 world champion, who has lost just one frame in three matches, took just 53 matches to record his win. Ding won the last three frames, the decider with a break of 108, to beat Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-3. Reigning world champion Stuart Bingham defeated Wales' Ryan Day 4-2 to set up a last-four meeting with Joe Perry who saw off Ali Carter 4-1.

Shaun Murphy crushed Liang Wenbo 4-0 to set up a World Grand Prix semi-final against Ding Junhui in Llandudno.

35789926

Daniel Smith, from Rochdale, was just 21 when he was commended for his brave actions in Iraq. But he has since found it difficult to get treatment, his marriage has failed and he is struggling to find work. For a number of nights each week, Mr Smith parks in a lay-by and sleeps in his car, to get away from people and control his anger management issues. "I just don't like being around people sometimes I just want to close myself off. Basically I don't like living on people's sofas, I am not relying on people to put up with me. When I am depressed I would rather be alone so I've just got used to doing it now," he told the Victoria Derbyshire programme. "I have got my quilt and stuff in the back and I have got my internal wifi here so it's like a mobile house." It is thought Mr Smith's PTSD was sparked after the vehicle patrol he was part of was blown up by roadside bombs twice in a week in 2005. The medically trained fusilier tried to help many of his colleagues who had received terrible injuries. "I took a lot of guilt because obviously I thought I did my best at the time when I was treating them. I didn't really think they would die, I just thought they would be injured or go back home, but they passed away and obviously that was a big shock to us and I didn't know how to take that," he said. "I became a bit scared then. I didn't know what to think or what my next step would be. Because it happened to me twice and I thought it will happen to me third time unlucky." The Ministry of Defence citation when he received his medal said: "With no regard for his own safety and with his focus firmly on saving those in the vehicle, he commenced the evacuation of the casualties from the burning chaos." What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder caused by witnessing or being involved in a frightening or distressing event. People naturally feel afraid when in danger, but the legacy of some traumatic events is a change in perception of fear. They may feel stressed or frightened in day-to-day life. Diagnosing PTSD But Mr Smith, now 31, blames himself for not being able to save his friends and does not think he deserves the medal. In fact, he does not really remember being awarded it by Prince Charles. "I didn't really take it all in, I was very numb that day because I was on medication anyway so my mood and my temperament wasn't the best," he says. Figures from veterans' mental health charity Combat Stress show Mr Smith is not alone. It has seen a 28% increase in veterans seeking mental health support from April 2014 to 2015, treble the 9% increase seen the year before. Almost 6,000 are registered with the charity, and it says it has never been busier in its 97-year history. Mr Smith says he got good treatment at first, with six weeks of intensive therapy, but it tailed off, leaving him frustrated and bitter. Eventually he got a medical discharge from the army. His marriage failed because of his anger, which also caused him to lose his job as a bailiff. "At the time I was blown up I didn't really think it would affect me. It didn't feel reality at the time but a year later it had time to sink in, your depression kicks in, you're drinking. You don't realise you are changing, but other people see you are and you just become very angry towards them," he explains. His father, Gary, says he has been "pushed from pillar to post" since leaving the army and the family has so far spent over £3,000 to try to get him diagnosed and treated. "Basically all they have done is put a sticking plaster over a gaping wound and just sent him into general society to pick up the pieces which is really difficult, because society doesn't pick the pieces up from remnants of the army," he says. "There was no follow-up from the NHS, there were no papers handed over from the military to the NHS to follow on his treatment." His father says he worries about his future, as without treatment or a support network he thinks a long-term recovery is unlikely. And Mr Smith says he is bitter about how he has been treated by the army. "I feel like I have been cast aside until the next person comes along because I haven't done anything wrong," he says. The Ministry of Defence said it did not comment on individual cases. But it said: "The government is absolutely committed to the mental health of our armed forces and provides a wide range of support both during and after service. "We work closely with other government departments and agencies so that where necessary, there is continued effective treatment and support on transition to civilian life." Watch the Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.

Better support is needed for members of the armed forces who leave the military with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one of the youngest recipients of the George Medal has said.

35970281

The blast in a town in Puebla state was apparently caused by thieves attempting to steal fuel from the pipeline. Oil gushed through the streets and caught fire, destroying homes and cars and forcing hundreds of people to flee. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has visited the scene and promised to launch an investigation. Puebla State Secretary Valentin Meneses said the explosion injured 52 people as well as destroying 32 houses and damaging scores more in San Martin Texmelucan - a small community about 80km (50 miles) east of Mexico City. He said that according to early indications, a criminal gang had punctured the pipeline. "They lost control because of the high pressure with which the fuel exits the pipeline. The streets began to flood, then came a spark and we saw rivers of fire in the streets," he said. In pictures: Mexico pipeline blast One local resident said she awoke at about 0530 local time to a strange, overpowering smell, like petrol. Minutes later, her street looked as if it was flowing in tar, and then it erupted in flames. Her husband knocked down a wall, allowing them to escape from the back of their home. "It was like we were living in an inferno. Everything was covered in smoke," she said, quoted by AP news agency. The fire was brought under control by midday, and the state oil monopoly Pemex said it had shut the pipeline down. President Calderon arrived in the town later on Sunday to survey the damage and visit the injured. He offered his condolences to the victims' families and said those responsible for the incident would be brought to justice. Pemex says that theft of oil from its pipelines is a chronic problem, costing it hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

At least 28 people have been killed and many others injured in an oil pipeline explosion in central Mexico, officials say.

12034038

Bloemfontein joins Beijing and Lisbon in being suspended from carrying out any Wada-related anti-doping activities, while Moscow's lab had its accreditation revoked in April. The decision leaves 31 Wada-accredited labs in the world, but none in Africa. Wada said the laboratory may apply for reinstatement before 30 September. The body did not disclose the reasons for the South Africa facility's suspension, which can be appealed against at the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of Bloemfontein being notified.

South Africa's Doping Control Laboratory has become the fourth lab to be sanctioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) in the past month.

36200814

An altercation broke out between two men inside a fast food outlet about 00:35 BST on Sunday which then continued outside. Police said the suspect is described being aged in his early 20s, of slim to medium build, with cropped dark hair shaved on both sides. Police have appealed for information.

A man in his 30s is in a serious condition in hospital after suffering a head injury during an assault in Belfast city centre.

37076927

The tanker hit the central reservation halfway between junction 32 for Coryton and junction 33, Cardiff West, at about 17:45 GMT on Monday. The westbound carriageway was closed from junction 30, Cardiff Gate, and one lane was also closed eastbound. One person has been taken to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant. Their condition was not known. The Welsh Ambulance Service said other people involved in the crash were not injured. There were long queues in both directions following the crash, but traffic has since eased. Diversions remain in place. South Wales Police advised motorists to avoid the area for the rest of the night. The Welsh Ambulance Service sent two rapid response vehicles, one ambulance and a doctor but an air ambulance could not be sent due to the weather conditions. Two fire engines and one rescue tender from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service remained at the scene late on Monday evening to assist police. Check if this is affecting your journey

One person has been taken to hospital after a serious crash on the M4 in Cardiff involving a tanker and a van.

34705380

The man's blue Ford Focus and a red HGV collided between the Warrix Interchange and Corsehillmount roundabout, near Dreghorn, at about 20:50 on Wednesday. The car driver died at the scene. The 36-year-old man who was driving the lorry was uninjured. Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the crash or who may have any information to contact them.

A 45-year-old man has died after the car he was driving collided with a lorry on the A71 in North Ayrshire.

35428467

But, swift of foot and imposing in stature, Oliver Burke is not only far from your stereotypical winger, he is no ordinary 19-year-old footballer. He became a fixture in new Nottingham Forest head coach Philippe Montanier's starting line-up this season, repaying the Frenchman with four goals. Now, days before vying to win his third Scotland cap after being included in Gordon Strachan's squad for Sunday's opening World Cup qualifier in Malta, Burke has switched to the German Bundesliga after RB Leipzig paid the English Championship club £13m for his services. Here's five things you should know about the teenager tipped to be the football superstar for which Scotland has long been yearning. Born in Kirkcaldy on 7 April 1997, Burke was brought up in England and joined Nottingham Forest's youth academy at the age of eight. He signed a professional contract shortly before being handed his first-team debut by Stuart Pearce as a late substitute in a 3-1 Capital One Cup defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on 24 September 2014. A one-month loan to Bradford City was to follow and two outings in English League One defeats contributed to an inauspicious start to his career. However, on his return to Forest, he gradually established himself as a fixture in the Championship club's first-team squad under fellow Scot Dougie Freedman last season. With his bulging thighs and broad shoulders holding up a 6ft 2in frame, Burke would not look out of place among the bulked-up wingers who these days grace the fields of top-class rugby union. And, by the time he scored his first Forest goal in December's 1-1 draw for Cardiff City, he had elbowed compatriot and namesake Chris Burke out of the picture at the City Ground. Burke the elder, the former Rangers, Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Scotland winger now on trial at Kilmarnock, was subsequently taking his more diminutive frame to Championship rivals Rotherham United on loan before being released at the end of the season. Burke had still featured more from the Forest bench - 18 out of 31 appearances - than the starting line-up, but that did not deter Strachan from calling him into the Scotland squad for the first time in March. Strachan has suggested it was a happy coincidence that Burke had impressed for Forest while the head coach was on a scouting mission to watch striker Tony Watt in action for Charlton Athletic. Some wingers beat their man with speed, some beat their man with trickery, some beat their man with power. In Burke, Strachan, himself a renowned winger of old, saw a player who "offered something different" and his brief cameo performance in the 1-0 friendly win over Denmark confirmed him as someone who combined all those qualities in one handy package. A couple of lung-busting runs quickly justified Strachan's decision to by-pass the under-21 set-up for the teenager who had already played six times for the Under-19s. As summer debate raged about why Wales were able to reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals while Scotland failed even to qualify, much was said about the importance of a Gareth Bale-style talisman in transforming a workmanlike international team into a good one. Some are predicting that Burke could be the next Scot to follow the likes of Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law by reaching such world-class status. After the winger's recent pair of goals against Wigan Athletic, Forest team-mate Thomas Lam compared Burke in style and physique to Bale. "He is a great talent and potentially a great player," said the Finland defender. "He is a similar player to Gareth Bale. I do not want to say he is definitely going to be as good as him, but you can see the similarities there - he does scare the life out of opponents." As the summer transfer window approached closure, Burke was being linked with Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Manchester United, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur. However, Leipzig emerged out of left field to beat their Bundesliga and Premier League rivals to his signature. Forest head coach Montanier had insisted that the teenager, who signed a new contract until summer 2021 in February, ought to remain at the City Ground for at least another season to learn his trade. But, as owner Fawaz Al Hasawi defended the sale by stressing that the £13m would be used to invest in players to aid their promotion bid, Burke was joining a club whose own rapid rise up the ranks mirrors his own. Founded in 2009 when energy drink maker Red Bull purchased the rights of fifth-tier SSV Markranstadt, they won promotion last season as runners-up in the second tier. Ralph Hasenhutti was appointed head coach in May and the former Bayern striker inherited a squad full of emerging German talent that has been bolstered during the summer. Burke, who sporting director Ralf Rangnick described as "an outstanding talent with an awful lot of potential", becomes their second highest signing of the summer after Guinea midfielder Naby Keita, who arrived from sister club Red Bull Salzburg. The Scot said he was impressed by Leipzig's desire to become one of Europe's top clubs and together they could be on the fast-lane to the top.

He's been compared to Gareth Bale, fast-tracked into the national squad, and was linked with a transfer to some of the top clubs in Europe before becoming the most expensive ever Scottish player - all after only 13 starts for his club.

37208393

The Scottish Seabird Centre wants to expand its education and conservation programmes to include all marine life in a bid to remain viable. A National Marine Centre for Scotland is designed to be built at the existing Seabird centre in North Berwick. An interactive experience is planned to inspire people to care for the natural environment above and below the waves. The Scottish Seabird Centre said it needs to evolve to remain viable, it has more education requests than it can cope with and visitor expectations are at an all-time high. It has secured £3.3m Heritage Lottery funding but needs another £2m if its vision is to become a reality with the centre planned to open in 2020 for Visit Scotland's year of coasts and waters. Grace Martin, project director for the National Marine Centre, said: "The Scottish Seabird Centre currently offers visitors an opportunity to engage with nature in a sustainable way. "As a conservation and education charity, we welcome 4,000 schoolchildren a year and lead projects such as SOS Puffin. "But, as with all charities, we must move with the times to remain viable and to achieve our objectives of inspiring people to care for wildlife and the natural environment. "We have more education requests that we can accommodate and visitor expectations are at an all-time-high. "Our vision is to create a centre that is of national significance and one that the local community is proud of." Professor John Baxter, principal advisor at Scottish Natural Heritage and a trustee of the Seabird Centre, said: "The marine environment of Scotland supports a fantastic array of habitats and wildlife. "Under the surface of the seas is a hidden and very special world that we want to reveal and bring to life, for people of all ages, in exciting and engaging ways. "Scottish universities are at the cutting-edge of marine environment research but there are at present limited opportunities for the public to share in this work. "Through public engagement we know there is a high level of interest in our seas, coasts and wildlife. "This new attraction will provide an immersive and interactive experience, communicating the latest research and inspiring people to look after our natural world. It is vital that we protect and conserve our seas and their wildlife for future generations."

Plans for a £5.5m National Marine Centre for Scotland have been unveiled in East Lothian.

39501904

Media playback is not supported on this device The new pay deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) means an England international will earn up to £300,000 each year in match fees alone. Along with their club salaries, bonuses and commercial income, an elite player could soon top seven figures per year. "The market place dictates what they deserve," Rugby Players' Association chief executive Hopley told BBC Sport. "If players are successful and conduct themselves in a way that is becoming to that role model status, then I think they do deserve it." The latest RFU accounts showed record profits following the 2015 Rugby World Cup. "The players generate huge amounts of money for the game," Hopley added. "In the context of the revenues being generated through English rugby, it's a very reasonable deal. "We wanted to ensure that the players felt they were participating in the commercial upside of the RFU - and despite a disappointing World Cup for everyone, we have seen a fantastic year around English rugby revenues. "England players in 2003 won £70,000 each for winning the World Cup, while players in this Old Mutual Wealth Series will pick up more than that for playing in four games for England." Mark Lambert, the vice-chairman of the RPA, denies that the new deal will lead to a disconnect between elite England players and the rest. "The way you earn respect as a rugby player is the way you carry yourself, the way you behave, and the example you set for other people," the Harlequins prop told BBC Sport. "All the [Harlequins] guys that have come through the system and gone on to represent England internationally, they are model professionals and deserve what they have achieved in the game. "We would all like to be earning that money, but it's something that's directly linked to the revenues of the RFU," added Lambert, who has made more than 200 top-flight appearances for Quins. "The RFU make a lot of money and it's only right the England players get that. There is potential for players to make a good amount of money, but you have to put in that hard work first in order to get there." The RPA last week held its quarterly board meeting with a variety of issues on the agenda, from artificial pitches to the new rugby calendar. Hopley says the players' union would fully support the notion of a fallow summer in the calendar post-2019, as revealed by the BBC in September, adding: "The players' voice is on the rise, and rightly so." Lambert said: "It is more important than ever that the players have a strong voice. "The game is expanding, there is a lot of money and there is lot of opportunity - and we need to make sure the player doesn't get pulled in too many directions. "It's an exciting time, but we have got to make sure the game stays the same at its core."

A top English player deserves to make £1m a year, says players' union boss Damian Hopley.

37982293

Police said the 33-year-old victim was playing on a fruit machine in the Rosevale Tavern in Partick at about 18:00 on Saturday when a stranger assaulted him. The attacker fled via a side entrance and CCTV showed him heading down Dumbarton Road towards the city centre. The victim was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for treatment to a serious facial injury. Det Con Jen Adams, of Police Scotland, said: "This was a completely unprovoked attack which will leave the victim scarred for life. "Officers have been conducting extensive enquiries including examining CCTV and speaking to people who were within the pub at the time of the incident." The attacker is described as being aged in his mid 20s with brown hair which was longer at the top and shaved at the bottom. He was wearing a black quilted waist-length jacket, dark blue jeans and dark trainers.

A man has been left scarred for life in an unprovoked attack in a Glasgow pub.

37332446

The social network's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg confirmed the decision to retain Peter Thiel during her appearance at the Code Conference. Mr Thiel has said he wants to challenge Gawker's "bullying" behaviour. But he has been criticised for using his wealth to try and silence part of the media. That poses a potential issue for Facebook at a time when it is trying to convince parts of the industry to host articles on its platform, provide it with exclusive video content and allow the tech firm to sell advertising on their behalf. "Peter did what he did on his own, not as a Facebook board member," Ms Sandberg told attendees at the California event. "We have very independent board members with very independent thoughts that they share publicly. Those strong people make really good board members because they have strong views and they're not afraid to think differently than other people, which has served Facebook well." But one expert questioned whether the decision to keep on Mr Thiel - who was one of Facebook's early investors - was sustainable in the long-term. "Facebook has always fundamentally seen itself as a technology company, but is now having to deal with the public position - and also the ethics and responsibilities - of being a publisher," media consultant Steve Hewlett told the BBC. "Imagine that this person were sitting on the board of The Times or the BBC - that would look like an obvious conflict of interest. You can't have a billionaire sitting on a publisher's board who is suing other people for publishing things. "So, if you think of Facebook as being a publisher, this is plainly problematic." The clash between Gawker and Mr Thiel dates back to 2007, when the media firm published an article headlined: "Peter Thiel is totally gay people". Last week, the venture capitalist revealed to the New York Times that he had subsequently funded a team of lawyers to find and help "victims" of other Gawker articles sue the firm - an act he described as "philanthropic". One case resulted in a jury ordering Gawker to pay Hulk Hogan $140m (£97m) after it decided the publication of a sex tape featuring the ex-professional wrestler amounted to an invasion of privacy. Gawker is appealing against the ruling, which threatens its future. The publisher has also challenged Mr Thiel's involvement and questioned his continued role at the social network. "As a Facebook board member, how have your own views on politics and news influenced your contribution to corporate decisions?" asked Gawker's founder Nick Denton in an open letter. Jeff Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post newspaper, was critical of Mr Thiel earlier in the week during his own appearance at the Code Conference. "I don't think a billionaire should be able to fund a lawsuit to kill Gawker," he said. "Seek revenge and you dig two graves. One for yourself." Facebook's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg rebuked one of its other directors, Marc Andreessen, earlier in the year for criticising India's action against the firm's Free Basics scheme. But Ms Sandberg said the circumstances involving Mr Thiel were different. "[In the earlier case] it almost felt like he was speaking for Facebook," she explained. Even so, one company watcher suggested Ms Sandberg's comments were unlikely to end the matter. "Media critics clearly see Thiel's actions as a threat to free speech, if not the entire news business," said Graham Lovelace from Lovelace Consulting. "Some are trying to bring Facebook into that, because of its record in championing free expression. "It highlights the debate around Facebook's identity as it continues to grow." Shareholders in the social network have an opportunity to question its decision at its annual stockholder meeting on 20 June.

Facebook has chosen to keep the billionaire who helped fund a sex tape legal case against Gawker Media on its board of directors.

36433860

Declan Paul Butcher from Roe Park Court committed the 'single punch' assaults on Market Street in Limavady on 2 October 2014. CCTV footage showed his first victim being knocked unconscious. A second man suffered a double jaw fracture. Butcher appeared at Londonderry Crown Court on Thursday. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison. The court heard that the defendant had 51 previous convictions including eight assaults. He had also been assessed as presenting a high likelihood of reoffending. The judge told Butcher he had inflicted "gratuitous violence" on two" completely innocent" members of the public. The second man was punched and knocked out when he came across the first victim lying unconscious on Market Street. Both men later regained consciousness in hospital.

A 25-year-old man from Limavady has been jailed for knocking out two men in separate attacks on the same night.

36103241

MPC members voted 8-1 to keep rates on hold - the first time for months the decision has not been unanimous - with Ian McCafferty voting for an increase. In its latest Inflation Report, the Bank said the outlook for inflation was "muted", leading some economists to say a rate rise could now be delayed. However, Bank governor Mark Carney said a rise was "drawing closer". Aberdeen Asset Management chief economist Lucy O'Carroll said: "Those analysts who predicted a rate rise this year may be on brink of having to rip up their predictions." Many analysts had anticipated that two or three policymakers would vote for a rate increase. But the Bank said a collapsing stock market in China and continuing talks over Greece's debts mean the outlook for global growth was muted. The Bank of England said it expected inflation to be back to its 2% target in two years' time. Standing in the way of the Bank's desire for higher inflation is a drop in oil prices and energy costs in general, as well as a rise in the value of sterling, which the Bank estimates has risen 3.5% since May. The timing for a Bank rate increase is "drawing closer", Mr Carney said in a news conference, but cannot "be predicted in advance". The decision would be determined by looking at economic data, he added, including wage growth, productivity and import figures. The increases, when they came, would be "gradual" and limited to a level "below past averages", he said, which is in line with his previous forecasts of how rates will change. This Thursday marks the first time the Bank has released the monthly rate decision at the same time as the minutes of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee meeting, without the hitherto normal fortnightly gap, and has been named by pundits as Super Thursday. "It would have been imprudent to push through a rate rise at this moment when our economic recovery remains in need of care and encouragement," said John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce. "Rates will eventually have to rise and when they do, it should be done slowly and steadily. Until that moment, the Bank of England is right to keep interest rates at current levels." The MPC voted unanimously to continue to hold the UK's bond-buying programme at £375bn. The pound fell sharply against other currencies as analysts put back their forecasts of when the Bank might start to raise rates. Sterling fell by a cent against the dollar before recovering slightly to stand at $1.5511, and was down nearly one euro cent against the euro at €1.4218. There is what to many will look like a contradiction at the heart of the Bank of England's voluminous pronouncements on inflation and interest rates. On the one hand, it expects price changes to be zero or even negative - or well below the 2% target - for longer than it predicted back in May (and actually nought over the next couple of months). But the Bank also expects inflation to return to target on the basis of interest rates that could rise a bit faster next year than it had been anticipating. That said, don't panic if you have a mortgage - the Bank's forecasts are based on the assumption that the interest rate it controls, Bank Rate, will rise just 0.25% in the first four months of next year and could double from 0.5% to 1% by the end of 2016. So if banks and building societies simply pass on this increase in their borrowing costs to customers, mortgage rates would rise by 0.5% next year. Read Robert's blog in full

UK interest rates have been held at 0.5% again by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

33799438

Yet that is what happened to Anthony Fletcher back in 2009, when at work one day he tried some nuts, seeds and dried fruit that had been delivered in the post by a new company called Graze. Graze had been set up a year earlier by seven friends as an internet-based business that posted healthy snacks in cardboard boxes small enough to fit through people's letter boxes. Then aged 27 and working for a drinks company, Anthony says he was "blown away by the idea of it". So much so that he immediately found out where Graze was based, drove across London to knock on its door and asked for a job. The team at Graze were impressed enough by Anthony's get-up-and-go and enthusiasm to give him the job of head of marketing. Fast forward to today and Anthony is chief executive of the business that now enjoys annual sales of more than £70m and that under his leadership has successfully expanded from the UK to the US. With a masters degree in chemistry from Oxford University, and a year spent doing pharmaceutical research at Princeton University in the US, Anthony might not immediately seem a perfect fit for leading a snack food business. However, while Graze's food is all natural, the company is renowned for its very scientific and technological approach to how it operates. Now selling more than 400 different snacks, ranging from flapjacks to beef jerky, and dried beetroot to carrot crisps, it constantly analyses the 15,000 customer ratings it says it receives every hour to tweak and develop new products and product combinations. This has led to the creation of such best sellers as "Veggie Protein Power", a combination of soybeans and chickpeas. Meanwhile unpopular products such as fennel and caraway seeds can be quickly dropped. Not that Anthony would claim it was always plain sailing, especially in Graze's early years. "Lots of founders and chief executives tell beautiful stories about having the right vision from the start, but it wasn't the case at Graze," he says. "We had to iterate, we tried and we failed - we had to pivot a great deal. People were excited, but not about the product." One thing that Graze initially got wrong was to try to sell slices of fresh fruit, but Anthony says it had to be axed from the range because even though they "tried to ship it as fast as possible" it wasn't arriving with the customer in good enough condition. With its own production facility, Anthony says the business can put new products on sale within 24 hours. He says: "We have a vast amount of data that we can use to understand the product and the customer. "It lets you be reckless and try different ideas. That permeates the business." It was after he had been with the business for three years that Anthony became chief executive, when he led a management buyout in 2012. The move, which was backed by US private equity group Carlyle taking a majority stake in the business, saw three of the seven co-founders end their day-to-day involvement in the business but remain as shareholders. After selling direct to customers via a subscription service for its first six years, Anthony overhauled its business mode in 2014. While subscriptions would continue, customers could also start to make one-off purchases. An even bigger move that year was a successful leap into wholesale, with Graze products becoming available at UK retailers like Sainsbury's, Boots, WH Smith and Tesco. Anthony admits that the timing of the move into the bricks-and-mortar world was fortuitous, as supermarkets and other retailers were being put under pressure to remove confectionary products from the "impulse purchase" racks near the tills. "We were very lucky, there was some serendipity involved," he says. "The UK government was putting a big drive to remove sugar products from the till, and retailers faced a dilemma of knowing customers were tempted into purchases, but they used to make so much money off it." The next big move at Graze was its expansion into the US in 2015. Anthony says Graze knew it had to move fast to get to the market before rivals, so rather than try its luck in one state, it decided to launch in all 50 at the same time. The hope was that its focus on data and its quick response to customer feedback meant it would be able to produce a range of snack products that appealed to US tastes, even if at first some items were not successful. Thankfully for Graze this approached worked, and while it initially started selling its standard UK range in the US, Anthony says it quickly dropped items that US customers "hated", such as mango chutney, the UK curry condiment staple. More US-specific products were then quickly introduced, such as "Creamy Range Kern Pops", which is popcorn with a "creamy, zesty kick", and chocolate pecan pie. More The Boss features, which every week profile a different business leader from around the world: Taking his own path: The world's leading maze designer Fancy a four flowers or ginger fried pork pizza? The boss who lives as a medieval knight The bad news that inspired a woman's sparkling success Within three months of its US launch, Anthony says Graze had gained 100,000 customers - a number that has continued to grow. Toby Pickard, senior retail analyst at grocery research firm IGD, says there are three main reasons why Graze has become one of the UK's leading snack brands. "Convenience, its ability to personalise healthy snack deliveries to suit customers' personal preferences, as well as its ability to tailor new products for local markets," he says. On a day-to-day basis Anthony admits he finds it hard to balance being a boss of a company with 500 employees, with being a parent. "It's a challenge," says the father-of-two. "One of the most challenging aspects is international travel. It's demanding, I don't think there are any easy answers, you just have to manage." Part of that process is changing his management skills, and taking a step back. He says: "In the early days I was really involved in the decisions, but as the business has grown, I have become focused on not solving all the problems, but still being curious about the organisation and making it better."

Many of us can remember a key moment that transformed our lives, but it doesn't usually involve tasting snack foods.

40199167

The project will examine hair, bone and other material from a collection amassed by a Swiss biologist - and will invite submissions from elsewhere. Many cultures relate legends of hairy, humanoid creatures that lurk in the wilds, rarely seen. But material claimed to be from such creatures have never been subjected to modern scientific techniques. "It's an area that any serious academic ventures into with a deal of trepidation... It's full of eccentric and downright misleading reports," said Prof Bryan Sykes, from Oxford University. The researchers will apply a systematic approach and employ the latest advances in genetic testing, aiming to publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. "There have been DNA tests done on alleged yetis and other such things but since then the testing techniques, particularly on hair, have improved a lot due to advances in forensic science," the Oxford geneticist told Reuters news agency. Modern testing could get valid results from a fragment of a shaft of hair, added Prof Sykes, who is leading the project with Michel Sartori, director of the Lausanne Museum of Zoology. A 1951 expedition to Mount Everest famously returned with photographs of giant footprints in the snow, fuelling speculation about giant Himalayan creatures, unknown to science. Since then, many eye-witness reports of such creatures have emerged from remote regions of the world. These humanoid beasties are variously known as the "yeti" or "migoi" in the Himalayas, "bigfoot" or "sasquatch" in North America, "almasty" in the Caucasus mountains and "orang pendek" in Sumatra, but there are many others. Tests up to now have usually concluded that alleged yeti remains were in fact human. But, said Prof Sykes, "there has been no systematic review of this material." The project will focus on an archive of remains held at the Lausanne museum that was assembled by Bernard Heuvelmans, a Belgian-French biologist who investigated reported yeti sightings from 1950 up to his death in 2001. Other institutions and individuals will also be asked to send in details of any possible yeti material. Aside from the yeti question, Prof Sykes said he hoped the project would add to the growing body of knowledge on the interaction between different human species in the past. "In the last two years it has become clear that there was considerable interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals ... about 2% to 4% of the DNA of each individual European is Neanderthal," he said. Those who are favourable to the idea of as-yet undescribed creatures say the yeti and orang pendek could represent survivals of Homo erectus, Homo floresiensis (the Indonesian "Hobbit") or Gigantopithecus - a giant ape that once inhabited the forests of East Asia. The idea has even spawned the term "cryptozoology" to describe the search for such beasts. Others are highly sceptical of such tales, and consider the subject unworthy of serious scientific investigation. Asked about the project's chances of success, Prof Sykes said: "The answer is, of course, I don't know," adding, "it's unlikely, but on the other hand if we don't examine it we won't know."

A UK-Swiss team will use DNA testing to investigate the origins of remains claimed to be from yeti and bigfoot.

18160673

But is the issue the result of local factors or a symptom of a more fundamental issue? The number of teacher vacancies in the north east, Highlands and the Northern Isles is relatively high. In many other parts of the country, there is no significant problem filling most teacher vacancies. Council umbrella body Cosla says the problem is in what it calls particular "pockets" of the country - rather than a national problem as such. In each of the last four years the Scottish government has increased student teacher numbers. It also argues it has addressed teacher unemployment and stabilised teacher numbers in recent years, and has dismissed any suggestions of a Scotland-wide shortage. There are a number of possible explanations for the problems in northern Scotland. For example, the cost of housing in some parts of the north east - an important factor in the overall cost of living - may deter people from moving there if they know their salary would go further in another part of the country. Young people In rural areas, it can be a challenge to find the right person for any skilled job. Young people from rural areas who want to become teachers will usually have left home at 18 to study - many may simply not fancy returning to a rural community, at least while they are in their 20s or 30s. It is important to distinguish between the drop in the overall number of teachers in Scotland in recent years and the all-too-real challenge some councils face filling advertised vacancies. Councils across Scotland are now committed to trying to maintain teacher numbers - the current council funding deal with the Scottish government makes this a formal obligation. But filling vacancies requires, of course, finding the right candidates. Councils in the north have tried a number of ideas - promoting what they believe to be the advantages of living in their area, for instance, or providing free accommodation. Different challenge One contentious issue is over just who can become a teacher. All teachers in Scotland have to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, but teachers from outside Scotland have to meet specific requirements. The biggest number of teachers from outside Scotland come, inevitably, from the rest of the UK. However teachers in England who, in effect, learned on the job as graduate trainees through the UK government's Teach First initiative cannot register in Scotland. Head teacher vacancies throw up a different challenge though. Head teachers are often promoted from within their own council area - they may go for a promoted post at their own school or a nearby school. If these vacancies are unfilled, it may beg questions over why some people appear not to want promoted. One recently claimed to BBC Scotland that the amount of bureaucracy and extra work for a relatively modest rise in salary meant that some may not believe the promotion to be worth it.

Plans for a summit aimed at tackling teacher shortages highlight an urgent problem in parts of northern and north east Scotland.

34063718

Her path to being the chief strategy officer of internet security firm RSA started when she travelled on her own to the US at 11-years-old. Ms Howe remembers vividly arriving at San Francisco airport on her own. "A tall, lanky, moustached immigration agent spends what feels like an eternity questioning me. I know the stakes are high. I know my family's future depends on me passing this interview" she explained at a Tedx event. Her family had fled Iran shortly before the 1979 revolution. They went to the UK and a few months later put her on a flight to the US as they "calculated that an 11-year-old girl on her own will not be turned away by immigration," she said. Their calculation paid off. The customs officer stamped her Iranian passport and she started her new life. The first thing she had to do was adapt to California - a place she described as "where all-you-can eat buffets and free-thinking rebellion are the norm". She found her safe space in coding. "I was happy in the computer room," she told the BBC. "I was an immigrant, trying to fit in a girls' school and the computer room was a safe place to be." But at 17-years-old she took an entirely different direction. She "fudged" a few details on her CV and applied for a job as a casting assistant for Steven Spielberg. "My 1968 birthday changed to 1966 so I could work legally full-time in that job," she explained. "I remember trying to stay as close to the truth as possible." Ms Howe was in her senior year at school, but was also doing a course at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) so just didn't mention the bit about school. She had also been an assistant director in theatre productions and gave that a prominent showing in her CV. She got the job and for around eight months she moonlighted between casting for a TV show and her senior year at high school. The UCLA course gave her more freedom than in normal high school and when she needed to take an exam she told her boss that she had a doctor's appointment. It would be decades before she returned to the world of coding. In that time she went from being an entertainment lawyer to business consultant to angel investor to venture capitalist. Ms Howe was meeting with the cyber security company Endgame to talk about investing in them when she was offered a job by the chief executive. "He said 'raising money is not going to be a problem. What I need is a business partner'." She took the job of chief strategic officer and eventually moved to a bigger cyber security company RSA. She described the path back to the computer room as "circular" and said she had been "distracted" by "bright shiny things" in the entertainment industry. But Ms Howe said she was not alone, as a female, in her interest in technology not turning into a career at first. Over the nine years of investing in tech, she said she had only met a "handful" of female company founders. But Ms Howe urged women to consider working in internet security specifically. She said making the internet safe was a "mission" that "appeals to women". "Solving a problem that makes the world safer, makes our personal lives safer and makes our children online safer," is how she put it. Internet security companies are struggling to fill vacancies and she said the demand for workers was only going to become bigger. The 13-year-old in the computer room now needs many more protections than when she was a teenager.

Niloofar Howe is a rare woman working in internet security.

39198508

The actor is due to star in a fifth Indiana Jones film, which will be released in 2019. Ford told the BBC: "I've always thought there was an opportunity to do another. But I didn't want to do it without Steven [Spielberg]. "And I didn't want to do it without a really good script. And happily we're working on both. "Steven is developing a script now that I think we're going to be very happy with," he said of Spielberg, who is directing the film. Spielberg directed the four previous Indiana Jones films, which were all produced by Star Wars creator George Lucas. Ford first appeared as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, released in 1981. He then starred in three subsequent films, most recently in 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ford was speaking to the BBC ahead of the DVD release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the film in which he reprised his role as Han Solo. When asked whether Han Solo, who is killed in the film, could return in some form to future movies in the franchise, Ford replied: "Anything is possible in space. "I wanted Han Solo to sacrifice himself for the good of the other characters to bring some gravitas to the story." Speaking about his involvement in the film, Ford said: "I was very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the other characters, to work on a script that I had real confidence in, with actors that were a dream to work with, with a director that had a very sure and generous hand, and it was altogether a pleasure." But Ford said he does not feel an emotional connection to the characters he plays. "I hope I bring an emotional understanding of the characters and something the audience will recognise," he said. "I want the audience to experience the character, not to feel that they know him but to be involved in seeing what happens to him." Star Wars: The Force Awakens became the UK's biggest film of 2015 after just 16 days of release, with takings of £94.06m.

Harrison Ford has said he did not want to star in a new Indiana Jones film without director Steven Spielberg.

35869648

The migratory bird of prey has returned to RSPB Scotland's Loch Garten reserve, near Grantown on Spey, for its 14th season. Nicknamed EJ, her previous drama-filled visits have included having her eggs kicked out of the nest by rival males. Reserve staff have compared her seasons to a TV soap.

A female osprey whose previous breeding seasons have been described as being akin to a soap opera has laid her first egg of the 2016 season.

36000075

The pedestrian died following an incident involving a green car in the Diamond area on Sunday afternoon. Police said an 18-year-old woman had been arrested. They have appealed for information.

A woman has died after being hit by a car in Ballycastle, County Antrim.

34694547

Shahid Tarafdar, 45, was hit by a Peugeot 307 on Stockport Road at about 15:45 GMT on 7 February. He was taken to hospital but later died. Michael Joyce, 21, from Reabrook Avenue, Manchester has been charged with perverting the course of justice. Both have been remanded to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court later. The teenager has also been charged with a number of other driving offences including driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop and report a collision and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, after a man died after he was hit by a car in Levenshulme.

38954285

The two are Anthony Allen, 43, of Hertfordshire, England and Anthony Conti, 45, of Essex, England. They were charged by US authorities with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in an effort to manipulate Libor for Rabobank's financial gain. That brings the total number of indicted Rabobank employees to six. An earlier indictment had previously named traders Tetsuya Motomura, 42, of Tokyo, Japan and Paul Thompson, 48, of Dalkeith, Australia, as well as Paul Robson, a former Rabobank Libor submitter. "[Libor] is a key benchmark interest rate that is relied upon to be free of bias and self-dealing, but the conduct of these traders was as galling as it was greedy," said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell in a statement. Last year, Dutch lender Rabobank paid fines to US, British and Dutch regulators over allegations of Libor manipulation of €774m (£616m).

Two ex-Rabobank traders have been charged by the US Department of Justice with manipulating the Libor rate.

29651813

The artificial intelligence system - LipNet - watches video of a person speaking and matches the text to the movement of their mouths with 93% accuracy, the researchers said. Automating the process could help millions, they suggested. But experts said the system needed to be tested in real-life situations. Lip-reading is a notoriously tricky business with professionals only able to decipher what someone is saying up to 60% of the time. "Machine lip-readers have enormous potential, with applications in improved hearing aids, silent dictation in public spaces, covert conversations, speech recognition in noisy environments, biometric identification and silent-movie processing," wrote the researchers. They said that the AI system was provided with whole sentences so that it could teach itself which letter corresponded to which lip movement. To train the AI, the team - from Oxford University's AI lab - fed it nearly 29,000 videos, labelled with the correct text. Each video was three seconds long and followed a similar grammatical pattern. While human testers given similar videos had an error rate of 47.7%, the AI had one of just 6.6%. The fact that the AI learned from specialist training videos led some on Twitter to criticise the research. Writing in OpenReview, Neil Lawrence pointed out that the videos had "limited vocabulary and a single syntax grammar". "While it's promising to perform well on this data, it's not really groundbreaking. While the model may be able to read my lips better than a human, it can only do so when I say a meaningless list of words from a highly constrained vocabulary in a specific order," he writes. The project was partially funded by Google's artificial intelligence firm DeepMind.

Scientists at Oxford University have developed a machine that can lip-read better than humans.

37911135

Frank Field, who is backing the Leave campaign, will say the 23 June poll poses "an untold danger" for his party's prospects of power. The vast majority of Labour MPs back EU membership. Meanwhile former Labour home secretary Alan Johnson will tell union members that EU membership is "vital" for workers' rights. The UK's EU vote: All you need to know Mr Field, the MP for Birkenhead and a former welfare minister, is expected to warn in a speech that the referendum could be "the second-longest suicide note in Labour's history" - behind the manifesto that preceded its 1983 general election drubbing. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has expressed Eurosceptic views in the past, recently made his first major speech of the referendum campaign setting out a "socialist" vision for Britain in Europe. He said there was "nothing half-hearted" about Labour's campaign and said he would continue to make the case for membership in the run-up to polling day. But Mr Field will say: "The last thing Jeremy needs to do is to undermine further the traditional Labour vote, much of which wishes to leave the European Union. "For the party leader more actively to campaign for the Remain campaign will push even more Labour voters into the arms of UKIP." Mr Field, who campaigns for "balanced migration", will criticise an "open-door policy" which he says pushes down wages and puts a strain on public services. Ahead of the speech, Mr Field said Labour MPs' overwhelming support for staying in the EU was "very unrepresentative" of the views of many of the party's activists in the country at large. "While the polls show a majority of Labour voters support staying in Europe, about 40% do not and the number of MPs who represent that view are a mere handful," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. "It is our job to make a good case for leaving Europe so these voters feel that at last their views are being represented in the debate." The Leave campaign has targeted migration this week with interventions from Michael Gove and Boris Johnson as it attempted to regain the initiative following warnings about the economic effect of a vote to leave. Alan Johnson, who is leading his party's Remain campaign, will claim a vote to stay in the EU would be as important as the election of Labour's reforming government in 1945, which led to the creation of the NHS and expanded welfare. "From nurses and builders to railway workers, steel workers, postal workers and shop workers, trade unions will be campaigning for a Britain that remains in Europe," he will tell the Usdaw union's conference. "The rights of working people are protected by our EU membership, and Labour and our union movement are united in campaigning for Britain to remain in Europe." Elsewhere in the EU debate, the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee published what it said was a "reliable, unbiased analysis" of the issues involved. The cross-party committee, which was divided on whether to back EU membership, said it had chosen not to endorse either side. Instead it urged voters to consider the UK's trading relationship with the rest of the EU and the rest of the world, its "international representation and reputation" and how the EU and its policies might develop in the future. Committee chairman Crispin Blunt said: "The referendum offers the British people a once-in-a-generation opportunity to chart a course for the UK's role in the world. "Voters should consider not only the short-term consequences of staying or leaving but the long-term opportunities and challenges."

Labour risks losing "a swathe" of voters to UKIP by campaigning to remain in the EU, one of its MPs is to warn.

36135768

Hibs controlled much of the opening half, but fell behind to Michael Gardyne's goal after he broke free of Mark Oxley and Liam Fontaine. Fontaine redeemed himself, scoring Hibs' equaliser just before half-time. However, it was the defender's poor clearance that allowed Schalk to score the winning goal at the death. Jim McIntyre opted to line his side up in a 3-5-2 shape that they had not used before this season, but which the coaching staff had seen other sides use well against Hibs this season. The play was frantic and urgent from the outset. Players were performing by their wits rather than any pre-planned strategy, and Jason Cummings' resourcefulness was almost telling when he lifted a 30-yard shot goalwards that Gary Woods had to move smartly to tip over the bar. A counter-attack by County saw Schalk try to play Gardyne through. The pass was misplaced, but Jackson Irvine regathered possession and he did find Gardyne. Fontaine's tackle only moved the ball away from Oxley, allowing Gardyne to prod the ball into the empty net. The goal was against the run of play, but Hibs did not allow it to unnerve them. Darren McGregor might have equalised, but headed over from a good position at the back post. Cummings also saw a hooked shot saved by Gary Woods in the County goal. A set-piece ought to have been a chance for County to rely on their organisation at the back, but there was a lack of command as a corner was fired into the penalty area and Fontaine rifled the ball into the corner of the net. The County players left the field at the interval looking dejected. Hibs would have felt that the momentum was in their favour, and Cummings and Anthony Stokes both had early chances to fire their side in front. The introduction of Brian Graham for the ineffective Liam Boyce provided County with a greater presence up front and somebody to build attacks around. The forward thought he had scored when he out-jumped Oxley to nod the ball in from close-range, but he was harshly judged to have fouled the goalkeeper. Yet in the final moments of the game, with Schalk and Gardyne having suffered from injuries, County found the means to win the final. The latter's break down the left saw Fontaine send his clearance straight to Schalk, who finished from close range to secure the first major trophy in County's history.

A 90th-minute Alex Schalk goal delivered Ross County's first piece of major silverware as they beat Hibernian to lift the Scottish League Cup.

35738631

Flanker Peter O'Mahony captains the side in Rotorua, with tour skipper Sam Warburton on the replacements' bench. Maro Itoje starts at lock in an otherwise unchanged pack from the one that beat the Crusaders last Saturday. "Even though it's a strong side we have to make sure we aren't fully showing our hand," said boss Warren Gatland. "We need to keep the All Blacks guessing a little bit about what the final squad [for the first Test] may be." Sexton, 31, has not started since the first match of the tour against the Provincial Barbarians, but came off the bench to good effect in the win over the Crusaders in Christchurch. He partners fellow Irishman Conor Murray at half-back. "Johnny needs some more rugby and he's got a bit of his mojo back, so we wanted to give him a start," Gatland added. Farrell is among the replacements, and Gatland says there is "every chance" he will play alongside Sexton at some point in the game. Gatland has previously played down the possibility of Farrell and Sexton operating in the same backline. "Owen Farrell has had quite a bit of rugby and he's pretty important to us at the moment," Gatland said. "We need to make sure he is fit for the following week, because he has been pretty crucial to us. "He is on the bench and he can come on and we could end up with a 10/12 combination [with Sexton], or we can end up with him coming on at 10. "At some point he will get some game time." Maori All Blacks: J Lowe; N Milner-Skudder, M Proctor, C Ngatai, R Ioane; D McKenzie, T Kerr-Barlow; K Hames, A Dixon (capt), B May, J Wheeler, T Franklin, A Ioane, E Dixon, L Messam. Replacements: H Elliot, C Eves, M Renata, L Price, K Pryor, B Hall, I West, R Thompson. Lions: L Halfpenny (Wales); A Watson (England), J Davies (Wales), B Te'o (England), G North (Wales); J Sexton, C Murray (both Ireland); M Vunipola, J George (both England), T Furlong (Ireland), M Itoje, G Kruis (both England), P O'Mahony (capt, Ireland), S O'Brien (Ireland), T Faletau (Wales). Replacements: K Owens (Wales), J McGrath (Ireland), K Sinckler (England), I Henderson (Ireland), S Warburton (Wales), G Laidlaw (Scotland), O Farrell, E Daly (both England). Gatland says Warburton is aware of the competition he faces in the back row if he is to start the first Test against the All Blacks on 24 June. Warburton returned from a minor ankle injury to play over an hour in the midweek defeat by the Highlanders in Dunedin. "He is fully aware that loose-forward trio went extremely well against the Crusaders," Gatland said. "This tour isn't about Sam Warburton, it's about putting the squad first, so if he isn't involved in the first Test he will fully understand that." Elswehere, Ben Te'o is alongside Jonathan Davies in the midfield, with George North, Anthony Watson and Leigh Halfpenny in the back three. Liam Williams does not feature in the matchday squad for the second successive game. Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Tadgh Furlong continue their combination in the front row. Media playback is not supported on this device Gatland says a fixture against the Maori is one of the "unique spectacles in world rugby". The Maori starting XV features experienced All Blacks such as scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow and wing Nehe Milner-Skudder. The potent backline also includes fly-half Damian McKenzie, Charlie Ngatai and Reiko Ioane, who scored against the Lions for the Blues and has been named in the New Zealand squad for the Test matches. "We experienced a powerful powhiri on Monday which really resonated with the boys and it's been great to be here in Rotorua and feel all the support," said Maori head coach Colin Cooper. "It's really lifted the team and helped bring them together as a unit. We recognise the challenge that is ahead of us on Saturday, but we're really excited as a group by the opportunity we have to represent New Zealand, Maoridom and the fans that will descend on Rotorua this weekend."

Johnny Sexton has been preferred to Owen Farrell at fly-half for Saturday's British and Irish Lions match with the Maori All Blacks.

40279530

Seven people have denied conspiracy to defraud at Cardiff Crown Court after six insurance claims worth £144,000 were made between 2009 and 2011. Matthew Davies, 33, of Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, said he suffered injuries in a "genuine" crash. A guitar worth £1,850 was also damaged, he said. On Monday, the court heard Mr Davies, who runs a valeting business, expressed his disapproval of personal injury claims during an interview about his own. "It's not something I agree with," he said at the time. "I understand the reflection that personal injuries and claims have on the price of people's insurance policies." The prosecution said he was also recorded as having stated everyone else "is doing it, so I'm going to put one (a claim) in". Mr Davies told the court he and fellow defendant, Adam Fear, 27, also of Pontypridd, played together in a band called Heroes and Outlaws. They went for a jam session at a home on Shelley Walk in Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd, on 15 October 2010, Mr Davies said. He told the court the pair were later driving out of the area when Mr Fear's car collided with a BMW at the junction of Dyffryn Road and Cardiff Road. When asked whether he was telling the truth and the crash was genuine he said: "Yes, it was." The court heard Mr Davies attended his GP a week later. "Initially, I was fine but on the Sunday and Monday evening I could not sleep very well. I had numbness in my fingers and ringing in my ears," he said. He also told medics he was suffering with neck and back pain after the alleged accident. Mr Davies visited Caerphilly Miners' Hospital on 3 November 2010, having consulted with a firm of injury specialist lawyers. When quizzed by prosecutor Christopher Clee, Mr Davies said he had "no idea" why details about his injuries and the accident appeared to differ in the various medical notes. Mr Davies told the court he discovered his Gibson Les Paul Custom electric guitar was damaged only when collecting it from the wrecked vehicle after the crash. He said it only later occurred to him that he might make an insurance claim on it but, as he had failed to find a receipt, he ended up having to "cut his losses" and accept an offer of £300 for the damaged instrument. His fellow band mate Mr Fear has already told the court he is innocent of conspiracy to defraud. The case continues.

A man from south Wales accused of involvement in a car insurance fraud ring "does not agree" with personal injury claims, a court has heard.

35090193

Collymore, 46, expressed an interest in the role at a meeting with Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi on Tuesday. But after "time to reflect" on the meeting and feedback from fans, he has now "withdrawn from any involvement". He had said: "I'm not convinced change will happen quickly or thoroughly enough under Fawaz's ownership." But following his decision to withdraw his interest, he explained: "As for fans which questioned my motive, I want the club to be in safe hands, competitive and in the top division. "My current business, career and health are way more important to me than pushing against a tide of doubt, spite and rabble rousing, so I'll stick to the odd Q&A in Nottingham now and again to say hello to those who supported me back in the day." Collymore was involved in a protest against Al Hasawi on 21 January, which followed the collapse of a proposed takeover of the club by a US-based consortium led by John Jay Moores. "I believe Fawaz will stay in the short/medium term," Collymore wrote on his blog. "Unless JJM [Moores] meet the asking price of £50m or as Fawaz said "the Chinese offer silly money", it is my belief that he feels he has the resources, passion and plan to move the club forward." Forest are currently 19th in the Championship, just five points above the relegation zone. They sacked manager Philippe Montanier on 14 January, making the Frenchman the seventh to leave the City Ground since the Al Hasawi family took over in July 2012. Meanwhile, the Nottingham Forest Supporters' Trust have been given an assurance by the city council that the land on which the City Ground is built will never be sold. The stadium is owned by the club, but the land still belongs to the council. The Supporters' Trust have also applied to register the City Ground as an Asset of Community Value, meaning they would have first refusal to purchase the stadium if it were ever to be sold, with six months to raise the required funds. "This is a key safeguarding measure for the future of our football club," a spokesperson said. "With our membership now live and having already seen hundreds of members join up, we have a huge wealth of skills to call upon to continue to push further initiatives forward."

Former Nottingham Forest striker Stan Collymore says he is no longer interested in a role as sporting director at the Championship club.

38744007

Froome clocked 51 minutes and 18 seconds for the 37.5km stage from Bourg-Saint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont-D'Arc, which Dutchman Tom Dumoulin won in 50 minutes and 15 seconds. Bauke Mollema finished sixth to go second in the overall standings. There were doubts the stage would go ahead after Thursday's attack in Nice. Tour officials decided to continue with the race, with a heightened security presence, after at least 84 people were killed when a lorry drove through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city. There was a sombre atmosphere at both the start and finish lines on stage 13, with most riders not learning of the news from Nice until they woke up on Friday morning. "We want this day to be a day of dignity as a tribute to the victims," said race director Christian Prudhomme. "The race must continue." There was a minute's silence held before the first rider set off on the course, and another minute's silence was observed as the jersey holders stood on stage after the day's racing had finished. The riders, including Froome, placed their bouquets of flowers on an empty podium in a symbolic tribute for the victims in Nice. Froome, who lives in Monaco, just 12 miles (20km) from Nice, said: "This is definitely a time for people to stand together. It definitely puts things into perspective for us. "I'm happy with how the stage went but everyone's thoughts are with the people in Nice. It's a special place for me, close to where I'm based, and I can't imagine what everyone is going through." Stage winner Dumoulin added: "On one side I'm a very happy man but on the other side it's a very sad day. "I woke up to the terrible news from Nice and there was a question whether we should race. It was a just decision in the end to race. It's terrible what happened and it shadows the day a lot." On the road, it proved to be a crucial day for 2013 and 2015 champion Froome, as he increased his lead on all of his yellow jersey rivals. Last year the 31-year-old collected the yellow jersey on stage seven and never relinquished it. "There will be a strong breakaway group but it will probably come back together and end in a bunch sprint finish" Read Geraint's preview of stage 14 And since wearing the maillot jaune on stage eight this year, the Team Sky rider has continued to put more time between himself and the other contenders. His time trial may have been one minute three seconds slower than Dumoulin's superb stage-winning pace, but he was almost two minutes quicker than Mollema, who is now his closest threat for the overall lead. Fellow Briton Adam Yates, 23, dropped from second to third, but continues to have a remarkable Tour, finishing seven seconds quicker than the highly regarded Nairo Quintana. Colombian Quintana looks devoid of form, having been unable to chase Froome, Mollema and Richie Porte up Mont Ventoux on Thursday, and now falling to fourth and two minutes 59 seconds off the lead. The comprehensive stage victory for Dumoulin strengthens the widely held belief that the 25-year-old has the potential to win a future Grand Tour - which includes the Giro d'Italia and La Vuelta. 1. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Giant) 50mins 15secs 2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky)+1min 3secs 3. Nelson Oliveira (Por/Movistar) +1min 31secs 4. Jerome Coppel (Fra/IAM Cycling) +1min 35secs 5. Rohan Dennis (Aus/BMC Racing) +1min 41secs 6. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek) +1min 54secs 7. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +2mins 8. Jon Izagirre (Spa/Movistar) +2mins 2secs 9. Tony Martin (Ger/Etixx - Quick-Step) +2mins 5secs 10. Steve Cummings (GB/Dimension Data) +2mins 24secs 1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 58hrs 2mins 51secs 2. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek) +1min 47secs 3. Adam Yates (GB/Orica) +2mins 45secs 4. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +2mins 59secs 5. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 17secs 6. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) +3mins 19secs 7. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +4mins 4secs 8. Richie Porte (Aus/BMC Racing) +4mins 27secs 9. Daniel Martin (Ire/Etixx - Quick-Step) +5mins 3secs 10. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +5mins 16secs

Britain's Chris Froome extended his lead in the Tour de France to one minute and 47 seconds by finishing second in the stage 13 time trial.

36807556

Andrew Armstrong, 33, of Mossdale Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to one count of rape at an earlier hearing. The victim reported the rape to police in 2002 but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided no action should be taken. A fresh investigation was launched in 2013 when the victim reported it again. Police said the woman had "suffered for years" and been ostracised by family. The victim and a police officer handling the case were also threatened with rape via a text message on 12 May this year when Armstrong entered his guilty plea, police said. The threat came from an unknown number and also contained a sexually-explicit photo. A 59-year-old man has been arrested and bailed in connection with the incident. Det Con Rachel Wood said: "This is one of the most harrowing cases I have ever dealt with during my years as a police officer." She said the woman had "suffered for years" knowing she had been a victim of rape and was "further tormented" because she was "ostracised from her family who refused to believe her". "Both the victim and myself were subjected to vile sexual threats so it is even more testament to the courage and bravery of this woman that she did not back down in the face of such disgusting threats and, as a result, Armstrong has been convicted of his appalling crime." the detective said. "She has told me that the abuse she suffered at the hands of Armstrong ruined her life, to the point where she is paranoid the same thing will happen to her own children." Armstrong was told he would remain on the sex offenders register for life. Det Con Wood said she hoped the sentence at Manchester Crown Court would mean the victim could now "finally start to rebuild her life".

A man who raped a 14-year-old girl in 2001 has been jailed for six years.

33479002

Fifa president Sepp Blatter announced plans last week to form an 11-person panel to review football's scandal-hit world governing body. Domenico Scala had earlier said he would only lead the taskforce if he is guaranteed full independence. The Swiss businessman is already the independent chair of Fifa's audit and compliance committee. Scala was believed to have been prepared to lead the taskforce, after meeting presidents of three of Fifa's six continental confederations. But a spokesman for Scala told BBC Sport: "Domenico Scala never applied for such a chairmanship." He added that the post would only be considered "under the strict condition" that "independence was guaranteed". As well as an independent chair, the taskforce will have two representatives from the AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), Concacaf (North, Central America and the Caribbean) and Uefa (Europe), as well as one representative from each of Conmebol (South America) and the OFC (Oceania). In a statement, Fifa said representatives from federations would not necessarily have to be "members of the football community" and the confederations could decide that themselves. Blatter, who has announced his intention to stand down as president, has said presidential term limits and integrity checks for top officials are potential areas of reform. Recommendations are due to be presented at the next meeting of Fifa's executive committee in Zurich on 24 and 25 September. The prospect of Scala leading an independent review of Fifa was described as "laughable" by campaign group New Fifa Now. And Alexandra Wrage, who resigned from Fifa's independent governance committee in April 2013 in protest at a lack of meaningful action, said even an independent chairman of the reform taskforce "can't work". She told BBC Sport: "The process needs to be taken out of Fifa's hands. Short of that, it's another reform dead-end." Blatter's resignation on 2 June followed the arrest of seven Fifa officials as part of a United States investigation that saw 14 people indicted on corruption charges. A separate criminal investigation by Swiss authorities into how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were allocated is also under way.

Fifa has said its reform taskforce will be chaired by an independent person from outside of football.

33681460

Wednesday's friendly against Canada at Easter Road was sparsely attended and the crowd for Sunday is expected to be well short of Hampden's capacity. "I would only implore supporters to, at worst, come along and if we're rubbish, boo us," said the assistant manager. "You never know, we might be decent and they might have something to cheer." Scotland sit fifth in Group F after four games, with manager Gordon Strachan acknowledging that three points are a must at home to the unbeaten Slovenians, who are second behind England. Back-to-back 3-0 away defeats to Slovakia and England have made the prospect of reaching a first major tournament since 1998 remote. "I can only say to fans I know there's a group of players going into this game hugely determined and positive regardless of previous results because they are playing well within good situations at their clubs," added McGhee. "So we expect to see a positive reaction that the supporters could enjoy." And McGhee says no-one should read too much into a disappointing 1-1 friendly draw against Canada. "The team will change," stressed the former Motherwell boss. "If we were sitting here saying the team that we had last night is the same team that's going to play on Sunday, and therefore the manager has to come up with some story to convince them that they are going to do better on Sunday than they did last night, then I would be worried. "But that is not the case. Last night didn't really bear a lot of relation to Sunday. "It was an exercise in something else: one or two people getting games; Tom (Cairney) getting a start and introducing him to people. "So I don't really feel there was much that I saw that is relative to Sunday. "We have known all along the importance of Sunday night and have a totally different way of thinking about Sunday than we did last night."

Mark McGhee has urged fans to turn up for Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Slovenia - but says they will be entitled to boo a poor performance.

39370028

The Briton produced a stunning lap to be 0.360 seconds quicker than Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg - and seemed as if he may have been able to go faster. But the track was empty for the final five minutes and senior figures said the format should be rethought. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said F1 should "apologise to the fans". "It didn't really work for me," Horner added. "We have not really put on a show. "To have Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in fast cars not taking part with five minutes to go is wrong." Rosberg was behind both Ferraris after the first runs in the final session, but he grabbed second on his final run ahead of Vettel and Raikkonen, who will start third and fourth respectively. The first race of the new season gets under way on Sunday at 05:00 GMT, with coverage on radio 5 live from 04:00 and online from 03:30. Rosberg said straight after the session: "It's good to try something but it hasn't worked - so we should go back." Ferrari's Vettel, who qualified third but was able to change out of his overalls in time for the post-qualifying news conference because he did not run in the second part of the final session, said: "I don't see why everyone is surprised it didn't work. "It is a bit busier at the beginning of the session but for no reason. People want to see us pushing to the limit at the end of the session. It is the wrong way to go and that's what we said." The new format did work on one level, however. It made the first and second parts of the session more fraught - and one top team was caught out as Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat ended up 18th on the grid. Media playback is not supported on this device Hamilton was 0.838secs quicker than Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who was also 0.478secs behind Rosberg. The margin between the cars was such that Ferrari decided not to bother doing a second run in the final session of qualifying because they accepted they could not beat the Mercedes and preferred to save a set of tyres for the race. On the face of it, that suggests Mercedes are as far ahead of Ferrari as they were last year. But Hamilton was actually even further ahead of Vettel in qualifying in Australia last year and the German won the next race in Malaysia. Hamilton said: "I really have to take my hat off to this team - what they have done to raise the bar once more. It inspires and motivates me. "I enjoyed driving the car in qualifying, got the set-up just right. They were some sexy laps, beautiful rhythm, it felt so good. I felt like James Brown at the end of the lap." Vettel added: "We expected them to be stronger in qualifying, which they were. Very happy with the lap in the end so we saved a set for the race. We still have high hopes for tomorrow and it is a long year." Toro Rosso's Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were fifth and seventh, split by Williams driver Felipe Massa. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and the Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10. McLaren's Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button took 12th and 13th, a huge improvement on their dismal 2015, and Briton Jolyon Palmer 14th for Renault on his grand prix debut, ahead of team-mate and former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen. Australian GP qualifying results Australian GP coverage details

Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix as the new elimination qualifying format came in for heavy criticism.

35850356

The nine-year-old's family sought redress from NHS England and South Central Ambulance Service after he became unwell in 2007 aged six weeks. He received treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, but it came too late to prevent injury to his brain. The organisations denied liability, but agreed to settle the case. The High Court heard that the child, who is from Berkshire but who cannot be identified, requires around-the-clock care. He has severe cerebral palsy, profound learning disabilities, deafness, severe visual impairment and epilepsy. His legal team alleged his condition was the result of negligence by two GPs and a paramedic. They argued the boy would not have suffered the injuries if he had been given antibiotics and hospital treatment sooner. Mr Justice Kerr said the payout, which will be used to provide the boy with life-long care, "marks the end of a long and difficult process". He will receive a £2.3m lump sum and index-linked annual payments of £237,660 which will increase to £259,257 when he turns 19. Speaking after the hearing, the family's solicitor, Olivia Scates, described the case as "extremely tragic and distressing". "His family have been devastated," she said. "I am delighted the family will now have access to the help they need to provide for his extremely severe disabilities."

A boy who suffered "catastrophic brain damage" after contracting meningitis as a baby is to receive £4.6m in compensation from the NHS.

39481613

The pipe, which supplies Staleen Water Treatment Plant in County Louth, burst on Friday. Irish Water said parts to repair the main arrived on site on Wednesday. Speaking to RTÉ, Sean Laffey of Irish Water said this was a "temporary patch" but that a permanent fix would be completed in two weeks. Water is currently running through the pipe, but testing will continue for the rest of the day. On Tuesday, Irish Water said it could be the weekend before supply returned to normal. Irish Water also said it is prioritising the replacement of the 2.2km water main which serves the plant. "It's clear from the significant level of disruption and hardship endured by so many customers as a result of the burst on this high pressure main that its replacement must be a priority for Irish Water," a statement said. "A detailed programme for complete replacement will take a number of weeks to finalise. "However, a preliminary view suggests a timeframe of 18 months and a budget of 2-3m euros will be needed to complete the work." Water rationing remains in place and there are 86 stationary water containers in place across counties Louth and Meath.

Work is under way to repair a burst water main in the Republic of Ireland which has left 50,000 customers without water for six days.

40732111

The twin-engined CN235 transport plane came down in a rural area near the town of Codazzi, in Cesar province, having reported engine difficulties. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos described the victims as heroes. An investigation into the cause of the crash has been ordered, says the commander of Colombia's air force, Gen Carlos Bueno. Colombian media reported (in Spanish) that local residents said the plane had been struck by lightning. All of those killed were members of the Colombian air force. The CN235 is manufactured by Airbus, who said in a statement that the plane concerned was produced in 1998 in Seville.

A Colombian air force plane has crashed in the north of the country, killing all 11 of those on board.

33748020

Media playback is not supported on this device Ding scored at least a half-century in every frame he won as he extended his first-session lead from 6-2 to 10-2. Williams, who had to play with a new tip after splitting his old one on Monday, managed to pot just two balls before the mid-session interval. The Welshman did take frame 13, but China's Ding powered to victory. Two-time Crucible champion Williams only made two half-centuries, but said he was destined to lose from the moment he split his old tip. "I got beat easily and, to be honest, deep down I knew I would so I cannot really grumble," said Williams, 41. "I was playing, and feeling, brilliant. With the players left in, it was probably my best chance of winning the World Championship. "But as soon as my tip split the night before I knew then that my chances were gone. It was almost impossible. It didn't matter who I played. "He played good but in the first session, I feel, if I had my normal tip I would have been in front." Ding still had to take his opportunities and he did so in devastating style. Williams was so accustomed to sitting in his chair during a one-sided start to the evening session, that Ding had to remind his opponent to get up and go in for a break. The Welshman then joked that he had Ding "rattled" and his "head had gone" when he tweeted during the interlude. Ding, who last reached the semi-finals in 2011, has dropped down to 17 in the world and had to qualify for this year's tournament. But the 29-year-old looked to be reaping the reward of so much time in play during a one-sided morning session where he was sharp and fluent in taking six from seven frames after Williams won the opener. And he sealed victory with little fuss, grabbing his 11th score of more than 50 on his way. "I got some easy chances in the match because Mark had a lot of bad kicks," Ding said. "And every player has a big problem if they have a new tip. "I controlled the game, took my chances and made some good breaks. I was confident. Every time I saw a chance I thought I could go for it and pot it." In the evening's other match, world number one Mark Selby maintained his four-frame advantage over gutsy qualifier Kyren Wilson to lead 10-6 with a session to play. Wilson, who beat top-10 seeds Joe Perry and Mark Allen to reach the last eight, had chances in the first three frames but lost them all as the 2014 champion Selby built a 6-0 lead. The Kettering man responded by taking the next two and then won a scrappy ninth frame of a disjointed match to get to within three. But Selby's famed matchplay saw him keep his rival at bay and he won a tense final frame to avoid his lead being reduced to two frames. Wilson and Selby return to finish their match on Wednesday morning.

Ding Junhui thrashed Mark Williams 13-3 inside two sessions to become the first man into this year's World Championship semi-finals.

36146668

The 21-year-old is eligible to face Macclesfield on Saturday. Former Port Vale player Jefford has made 27 appearances for Welling this season. "Ben is a good young player that we potentially feel is a league player," Rovers assistant boss Jamie Day told BBC Wiltshire. "He has gained some good experience."

National League side Forest Green Rovers have signed defender Ben Jefford on an 18-month contract from Welling.

35431836

The software giant shared the details with tech news sites Digital Foundry and Eurogamer. The console has reportedly been designed from the start to make newer games playable at ultra-high 4K resolutions and at high frame rates. The console's graphics chip uses 40 high-speed processing cores to produce the high-definition images. Detailed specifications shared with the websites reveal that the hardware inside the console will have a central processor with eight cores that run at 2.3GHz. By contrast, the eight cores in Sony's PS4 Pro run at 2.1Ghz and those in the Xbox One at 1.75GHz. The 40 cores in the graphics unit also run at a higher speed than those in the 36 cores in the Sony console and the 12 in the Xbox One. Microsoft said it set itself a target of making the whole device capable of handling six teraflops per second - one it claims to have hit. Eurogamer estimates that the graphical processing unit inside the Scorpio box is 4.6 times more powerful than the chips in the Xbox One. Just as important, it said, was the amount of memory available to games. "That means fast streaming of very high-quality art assets, which will really help at the 4K ultra HD resolutions that Microsoft is gunning for," said Eurogamer editor Oli Welsh. However, he added that the magazine's reporters had seen only one demo, that used a very well-refined game engine. Piers Harding-Rolls, a games industry analyst at IHS Technology, said the powerful hardware would help Microsoft distinguish the new devices from the Xbox One S and give it credibility with gamers keen to get the latest hardware. Scorpio's ability to handle 4K resolutions should also help align its Xbox and Windows PC gaming strategies. He added: "Third-party publishers that are developing games for both PC and console are progressively developing 4K level content, so the overhead to develop for this new platform is not as onerous as seems at first glance." Seth Barton from game news site MCV said Microsoft still had some key decisions to take with the console. "Price is the real key here," he wrote, adding that the hardware shown suggested the cost would be higher than £400. "For most it simply remains a very powerful console, without a clear marketing plan or a price," he said. "And so we're no closer to seeing how Microsoft is going to turn the silicon into a saleable product." Microsoft first mentioned Project Scorpio in June last year and the console is due to go on sale in time for Christmas this year. The firm is expected to give further information, including the console's name, at the E3 games show in June.

Microsoft has released some of the specifications for its new console - known as Project Scorpio.

39515314

The Republican nominee's latest outreach to black voters, at a North Carolina rally, drew a swift backlash. Many on social media questioned whether Mr Trump had considered the US history of slavery and segregation. It follows a report that his charity used funds to settle lawsuits for which he was personally liable. At Tuesday's campaign event in Kenansville, the White House hopeful said: "We're going to rebuild our inner cities because our African-American communities are absolutely in the worst shape they've ever been in before. "Ever, ever, ever." Obama's legacy in black America He continued: "You take a look at the inner cities, you get no education, you get no jobs, you get shot walking down the street. "They're worse, I mean honestly, places like Afghanistan are safer than some of our inner cities. "And I say to the African-American communities, and I think it's resonating, because you see what's happening with my poll numbers with African Americans. They're going, like, high." The businessman-turned-politician is continuing his outreach to African-American voters by meeting a group of pastors Wednesday in Cleveland, Ohio. The BBC's Anthony Zurcher says Mr Trump's recent overtures to the black community may be aimed primarily at assuring moderate white voters of his racial sensitivity. According to recent polls, he still faces an uphill climb in winning over even a modest level of black support. Aside from a blip in one unconventional tracking poll, Mr Trump's black support continues to be mired in low single digits. This is roughly equal to the levels earned by the Republicans who ran against Barack Obama, the first black US president. Last month, Mr Trump also raised eyebrows when he asked black voters: "What do you have to lose?" He told a nearly all-white audience in Michigan that African Americans "are living in poverty" and their "schools are no good". Mr Trump said his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, "would rather provide a job to a refugee" than to unemployed black youths. Meanwhile, his running mate Mike Pence has been defending the nominee against new criticism of his charitable foundation. What's the deal with the Trump Foundation? The vice-presidential candidate told NBC in an interview aired on Tuesday evening that he is confident the Trump Foundation "fully complied with the law". The Washington Post reported hours earlier that Mr Trump used $258,000 from his charity for legal settlements involving his Mar-a-Largo resort in Florida and a New York golf course. The transactions could violate federal tax laws against using charities for "self-dealing", according to the newspaper. The Post reported that in 2007, Mr Trump used foundation funds when his Palm Beach club was fined $120,000 by the town for having a flagpole almost twice the height allowed under local rules. As part of the settlement, he donated $125,000 to veterans' charities from the Trump Foundation. The foundation's money comes mainly from other donors, not Mr Trump himself. The Post also reported that in 2010, a golfer sued when he was denied a $1m prize for a hole-in-one in a charity tournament at Mr Trump's course outside New York City. A $158,000 settlement also came from the Trump Foundation. The report was based on interviews and legal documents. Mr Pence told NBC there are "a number of factual errors in that story", though he was unable to specify any.

Donald Trump has faced criticism after declaring that African Americans are in the worst shape "ever, ever, ever", in a town named after a slaveholder.

37431609

Sat on the floor leaning against each wall, they don't say much. Instead, they wail, wipe their tears and hug each other to share the pain. Ayse Aygun's 18 year-old son Salih had gone across the border to Syria, to join the Kurdish YPG militants and fight against the Islamic State group (IS). He was killed two weeks ago in a clash at the town of Sirrin. Ayse's family and friends try to be there for her in these difficult times. It is more than losing a child for Ayse. The Turkish authorities will not allow her son's body back into the country to be buried. "My son wasn't fighting the Turkish army" she says. "He was fighting the IS. IS beheaded people. They killed the elderly. Why aren't they allowing my son back? This is an insult." More than 4,000 people from Turkey, predominantly Kurds, have gone to fight against the IS since the assault on Kobani started late last year. Up until recently, those killed were allowed back for their funerals. Over 200 YPG fighters have been buried in Turkey so far. But now the bodies of 23 fighters have been stopped at the border. Salih's aunt Islim says they spoke to the local governor to help them bring his body into Turkey. "He told us it was beyond him. He said there was a cabinet decree. He told us there was nothing he could do" she says. "But we want our brother to be buried in our land. We could go visit his grave, say a prayer. He should be near us." Families suspect, all this is part of a measure to keep the border town of Suruc calm. Here, an attack by the group calling themselves Islamic State killed 32 people last month. The culture centre where the bomb went off still bears the scars of the attack. Pictures of the dead young activists, along with various toys for kids they intended to take to Kobane are laid out in the garden - at the exact spot where the attack took place. But on the streets of Suruc life is back to normal. There are security forces present of course, but that has been part of daily life for some time, given the proximity to the Syrian border. What happened in this predominantly Kurdish town across the border from Kobane changed Turkey and the security landscape dramatically. After the attack, the Turkish government launched what it called "a synchronised war on terror" on several fronts. Operations against IS were followed by a crackdown on the Kurdish militant group PKK and other radical leftist groups. The level of threat in the country has increased to extent not seen in recent years. Early this week the most violent attacks since the crackdown took place, in retaliation for the increasing military operations against the PKK. As the once solid ceasefire is in tatters, many fear peace is now something of the past and there's more trouble ahead. Ayse had 11 sons. One is now dead in Syria. Another is a soldier in the Turkish army. And another is a policeman. She says she wants peace so that mothers won't have to shed any more tears. But the soldier son, who speaks on condition of anonymity, is more pessimistic. "We were more than brothers, Salih and I. We were best friends. I'm a soldier. He died in Kobane. We want peace. "But how is peace attainable when they don't even let us bury our dead?" he asks.

A room is full of women looking like they have cried for hours, if not for days.

33929933

An off-duty inspector found the girl in Grange Lane, Lye, near Pedmore Technology College, Stourbridge. Police are seeking a light grey or blue vehicle in connection with the crash. Sgt Steve Newbury said: "It's shocking to think someone could leave a child seriously hurt in the street, drive off and make no effort to get her medical treatment." Updates on this story and more from the Black Country He added: "Clearly this is distressing at any time for the girl's family, but to happen just days before Christmas is truly heartbreaking." The girl suffered a fractured skull and internal injuries in the crash, thought to have happened just before 22:00 GMT on Thursday. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was clear "the 15-year-old had multiple serious injuries" and there was no car at the location. "She was treated at the scene by ambulance staff before being taken to Russells Hall Hospital." Her condition on arrival there was described as critical but stable.

A 15-year-old girl has been critically injured in a suspected hit-and-run in the Black Country.

35130408

Another measure of success in Canada will be the crowd for the first Women's FA Cup final to be held at Wembley on Saturday. We've already seen record crowds at Women's Super League games since we've arrived home and about 30,000 tickets have been sold for the game between my team Chelsea and Notts County, which will set a new benchmark. Media playback is not supported on this device If we see those numbers, I see no reason why the FA Cup final cannot be played at Wembley every year. Women's football in England is now worthy of that stage and as one of the first two teams to play this historic occasion, we will be proud to be part of another pioneering moment. In the build-up to the game, some of my team-mates have been asking me about playing at Wembley, having played there for England against Germany last November and while representing Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics. I can only say that it is a unique, out-of-body experience to play in front of so many people. It's a feeling that never gets old and we will be going to Wembley before Saturday so that those new to it can get a feel of the iconic 90,000-seat stadium. In attempting to win Chelsea's first piece of silverware, it's the biggest game in the club's history, but one thing I've been telling them is we have to play the game and not the occasion. I wouldn't care if it was being played in a local park in Wembley, the most important thing is to win. With Chelsea's men's team also playing at Wembley the following day when the Premier League champions take on FA Cup winners Arsenal in the Community Shield, we want to make it a historic weekend. There are many players in our team who have won the FA Cup before, including myself. The first time was in 2005 with Charlton when I scored the winner against Everton and in 2012 I was part of the Birmingham team which beat Chelsea on penalties following a 2-2 draw. In our dressing room we have midfielder Katie Chapman, who has won the FA Cup eight times, and Gilly Flaherty, who has won it five times, so we are not lacking pedigree. Media playback is not supported on this device But having missed out on WSL so narrowly last season [on goal difference to Liverpool], it's fair to say that this could mean more because of the journey we have been on together. Despite losing our last two league games, we aren't panicking. We have strong characters in the dressing room and the belief that got us to the FA Cup final and saw us go unbeaten in 13 matches this year. There has been plenty of talk about the fact that our unbeaten start to the league season has come to an end. It would have been nice to hold onto that record, but the WSL is a very competitive league and every team in it has dropped points. We were the last to do so. We didn't play well in a 4-0 loss at Sunderland but the promoted side are now top of the league and our defeat by Manchester City last Sunday came courtesy of a very fortunate winner. Despite the result, our performance was pleasing. We are a point off the top with five games left and to be in that position in such a competitive season is positive. Our focus is now on Saturday and we are confident we can win. Another positive from the World Cup has been the boost to crowds in the WSL. The first weekend after we arrived back saw record numbers for Manchester City, while 2,061 watched Liverpool beat Arsenal, and more than 1,200 saw us beat Bristol. Media playback is not supported on this device Three weeks after our return, the bounce has lasted. Our first home defeat in more than 18 months by Manchester City was watched by a club-record 1,857 at Staines FC. Those numbers are a credit to marketing staff at WSL clubs and the players, who are obviously putting on a good show in order to entice supporters back. The time we spend with fans immediately after games also helps too, I think. The test now comes when the Premier League starts on 8 August. With the Continental Cup now under way again, our season doesn't end until October, so hopefully the upsurge in attendances will continue and women's football will still very much be something people want to watch. England and Chelsea forward Eniola Aluko was speaking to BBC Sport's Alistair Magowan.

Since returning from the Women's World Cup, it's been a pleasant surprise that more and more people have approached me in the street and congratulated England on finishing third.

33716014

As the lawsuits represent around 25 million US Uber customers, this amounts to an individual payout of just over a dollar each. The proceedings claimed that the lift-hailing app was charging a "safe ride fee" but not carrying out adequate background checks on its drivers. Uber said it would rename the charge a "booking fee". It also pledged to change the wording of its advertising to avoid safety-related language. The settlement requires court approval and applies to journeys booked in the US between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2016. "We are glad to put these cases behind us and we will continue to invest in new technology and great customer services so that we can help improve safety in the cities we serve," the firm said in a statement. Uber track its drivers' cars via GPS and shares a photo of the driver with customers before they get in the car. "No means of transportation can ever be 100% safe. Accidents and incidents do happen," it added. "That's why it's important to ensure that the language we use to describe safety at Uber is clear and precise."

Uber has offered £20m ($28.5m) to settle two US lawsuits which argued that its safety claims were misleading.

35559438

Operated for the HM Coastguard by Bristow Helicopters Limited, the crews took over a role previously carried out by the RAF and Royal Navy. The 500 missions include rescues of hillwalkers and climbers and searches for missing people. The Inverness base is one of the UK's busiest search and rescue units.

Search and rescue helicopter crews based at Inverness Airport have completed 500 missions since the start of their duties in April last year.

37924573

County are tenants at the ground which is also used by rugby union teams Newport Gwent Dragons and Newport RFC. "We've already made our position clear in respect to the pitch issues and what we're dealing with," Davies said. "It points to the fact Newport County are bottom of the league and I suggest he focuses on preparing his own side." "I'm not sure why he [Westley] feels it necessary to go on about it," Davies told BBC Wales Sport. Davies is also the chief executive of Rodney Parade Limited, which owns the ground and agreed a 10-year lease for the football club to use the stadium in 2013. On Thursday, Westley questioned whether Newport County were getting value for money out of the leasing deal. The Exiles have had two games - against Morecambe and Barnet - abandoned at half-time while their game against Stevenage in October was postponed because of the state of the pitch. "It costs us more for us to have County playing there than it's worth. The estimated cost of drainage work is worth twice as much as we receive from County each season," Davies continued. The Dragons were beaten 10-0 by Ospreys at Rodney Parade on New Year's Day on a dreadful pitch and Davies says he is aware of the state of the playing surface. "This issue is very important and I'm not trying to say the pitch is perfect. We're doing all we can to repair the pitch but there's no short-term solution," he said. "In the meantime, it helps no-one that it continues to dominate the agenda."

Newport Gwent Dragons chief executive Stuart Davies says he is disappointed at Newport County boss Graham Westley's criticism of the Rodney Parade pitch.

38692954

Police are investigating events linked to the funeral and wake of the mother of INLA man Patsy O'Hara, who died in the 1981 hunger strike. Dozens of people wearing military-style uniform, berets and dark glasses attended the funeral in Londonderry. Unionist politicians criticised the paramilitary display at the funeral in Londonderry on Saturday. But Edel Kelly said it was what her grandmother wanted. "She meant the world to me, to my sisters and my brothers as well and to a whole lot of people in Derry, because everyone knew Peggy O'Hara," Ms Kelly said. "My granny organised everything herself before her death, she wanted what happened at the wake and she wanted what happened at the funeral." It was reported earlier this week that shots were fired over Mrs O'Hara's coffin. The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) is a republican paramilitary group believed to have been responsible for more than 120 murders from its formation in 1975 until its ceasefire in 1998. Ms Kelly defended the paramilitary theme of the funeral and she also criticised deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. After the funeral, he had tweeted: "Honoured to attend Peggy O'Hara's funeral Mass this morning. Masked men parading after did little to respect the memory of such a good woman." But Ms Kelly disagreed. "I'm just speaking from my granny's point of view because I knew what her feelings on Martin McGuinness were. He's actually disrespecting her as the mother of a hunger striker. "It's something that my granny wanted. If he's condemning that, then he's condemning the wishes of my granny. "If it happened in their tradition I would have no problem with that. Patsy O'Hara died. He gave his life for Ireland." DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell was critical of the police response at Mrs O'Hara's funeral. "Despite our efforts with the police, it would seem that there were no visible signs of police in close proximity to the funeral cortege on Saturday," he said. "Men and women dressed in paramilitary garb with faces covered were free to march, for almost two miles, around the streets of Londonderry." Ulster Unionist Ross Hussey said people would expect to see convictions "after this brazen display of paramilitary thuggery". Responding to the criticism, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said the nature of their operations are made on a cases by case basis. "There is no 'one size fits all' approach however where offences are disclosed they will always be investigated. "These sorts of displays and paramilitarism have no place in a modern Northern Ireland. "We absolutely reject any suggestion of bias in policing. Such remarks are inaccurate, unhelpful and ill-informed." Edel Kelly believes her grandmother's death is being used a political football. "As we walked along from Longtower chapel, down past where we used to live in Ardfoyle where Peggy brought us up, everybody on Bishop Street came out and blessed themselves. "We didn't go through any contentious areas, it wasn't about that. It was about honouring my granny and the suffering that she's gone through all these years. "They shouldn't be bringing this into politics."

The granddaughter of veteran republican Peggy O'Hara has defended a paramilitary display at her funeral.

33591023

That compares with just 300 people in the largest trust area, Belfast. It is thought that the problem in the South Eastern Trust is down to staffing issues in that area. The trust - which covers Newtownards, County Down and Lisburn, said it has been unable to fill two consultant cardiologist posts. There is also the added problem of staff sickness and increase in the number of referrals. The South Eastern Trust serves a population of approximately 345,000 people with a budget of almost £500m. The figures also show that 364 people are waiting up to a year for their first urgent consultant-led appointment at the Ulster Hospital, while in every other trust the waiting list for this type of appointment is zero. In a statement, South Eastern Trust said: "We have recently lost two consultant cardiologists who both required to relocate. "Despite strenuous efforts, we have, so far, been unable to fill these vital posts and, combined with the constant increase in the number of cardiology referrals, this has led to an unfortunate increase in waiting times for appointments. "We are taking every possible measure to address this."

Almost 1,000 people in the South Eastern Health Trust are waiting for an urgent appointment to see a cardiologist, according to a report.

37587986

Assombalonga, 23, had three years remaining on the deal he signed on joining from Peterborough in 2014. Forest owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi said he had turned down an offer from Premier League side Norwich for the forward. Assombalonga, who missed much of the 2015-16 season with a serious knee injury, has scored 19 goals in 39 games for Championship side Forest. His three goals this season have helped the club to seventh place after five games. Meanwhile, Al Hasawi has said that the £13m received from the sale of Oliver Burke to German club RB Leipzig will be reinvested into the club. "The money remains in the club, we could spend it in January or on a facility within the club," Al Hasawi told BBC Radio Nottingham. "We are willing to reinvest it but I cannot go and get three or four players for the club. That is the manager's decision. "We have to let him choose the right players for himself and respect that." Winger Burke, 19, had netted four times in seven appearances this season and, despite his future potential, no sell-on clause was included in the Scot's transfer deal. Al-Hasawi continued: "There is no sell-on clause for Burke as at first they offered £8m and I turned them down, then they offered £10m and I said 'no'. "When they said £13m and we will pay it in one go without a sell-on clause, I said 'OK'. "The money we got from the sale is good for the club, especially as they paid the money in one go. It's good business."

Nottingham Forest striker Britt Assombalonga has signed a new five-year contract.

37260227

The BBC's Juliana Liu followed the final campaigning hours of two young women standing for office in the city's district elections, the first polls since last October's protest movement. Read on to find out if they succeeded. Few souls are visible on the streets early on Sunday morning in the Hong Kong neighbourhood of Whampoa. But there are only 15 hours of campaigning left and two young, idealistic first-time candidates - part of a new breed known as the "umbrella soldiers" - are already in action. Dr Kwong Po Yin, 29, an emergency room doctor, and Yau Wai Ching, 24, a former administrator, are members of Youngspiration, a political party founded in the wake of last year's Umbrella Movement to keep its legacy alive. Both are running against older establishment politicians with more resources, so neither presumes they will win but they will still hit the streets in their respective constituencies. It's frustrating at times for Dr Kwong, contesting the Whampoa West district, a middle-class area with more than 8,000 registered voters. The few residents she sees are not keen to speak. Most of them seem to brush her off. But one resident, who is walking her friendly pet parrot, stops to chat. She is supported by a band of volunteers even younger than she is, who have been consistently campaigning. They spent the night organising election paraphernalia detailing her plans to improve transport links. But they are not alone. Dr Kwong's opponent, Lau Wai Wing, 64, a district councillor for more than 20 years, is already here. He says he's not surprised to face a political newcomer. He says he understands that millenials have different positions on political issues. Spirits are somewhat higher when it comes to the hallowed Hong Kong campaign tradition of tackling the tea houses. Dr Kwong and a volunteers greet families sitting down to a Sunday brunch of hot tea and steamer after steamer of delicious dim sum. Buoyed by the food, drink and lively, noisy atmosphere, the residents break into ready smiles and wish Dr Kwong well. By this time, the polling stations, almost 500 of them, have been open for seven hours. It is already apparent, looking at the hourly data provided by election monitors, that turnout is likely to hit a record high. The umbrella soldiers, about 50 of them, reckon the higher the turnout, the better their chances of victory. With only three more hours of voting left, Dr Kwong is seizing the moment. Climbing onto a ladder, bullhorn in hand, she urges passers-by to vote for her and for Ms Yau. Their victory, she says, would show that support for the Umbrella Movement can translate into concrete political gain. Even though district councillors do not make laws, they do help manage large sums of public money. And they have the opportunity to interact with residents daily. These voters, Dr Kwong says, are a very powerful base of support, one that her party wants to build for many years to come. With less than a minute to go before the polls close, election officials are looking for any stragglers. Turnout in Whampoa West reaches a high of 50% of registered voters, significantly higher than the 41% seen four years ago. This is the kind of unfettered, credible election that democrats want for the chief executive, Hong Kong's highest official. Their disagreement with the Chinese government on this matter is what triggered last year's protests. Tensions soar as the election officer announces that, after three rounds of counting, there is still no clear winner. The issue, he says, is that there are 66 "questionable" ballots. Each must be personally examined to see whether they are valid. The result will determine the winner. The crowd gathers tightly around him. The stress is palpable. The official shows each ballot before making his decision. After going through all of them, he pronounces Dr Kwong the winner of the election by just 39 votes. She looks stunned. Meanwhile, the same process is happening across the street. Ms Yau is a credible challenge to an experienced political insider. But after rigorous rounds of counting, she appears to have lost by several hundred votes. The turnout in that district was even higher at 55%. The two women shared exactly the same platform, but one has won and the other has lost. After months of intense campaigning, the two political sisters hug and congratulate each other. In her victory speech, Dr Kwong acknowledges how the Umbrella Movement transformed her from ordinary citizen to politician fighting for Hong Kong's future.

What happened when Hong Kong's youth demonstrators actually tried to get elected?

34897403

Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service recorded the acreage of several of the most serious of the 73 heath and grass fires its crews have tackled. The 332-acre total includes 100 acres burnt in Locaber on 1 May, but does not take into account all land affected. Landowners contributed more than £1m towards the cost of the fire fighting. The Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA), which has provided the figure, said private landowners and estates supplied staff, specialist equipment and paid for helicopters to water-bomb flames. Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) said the majority of wild fires in its area were now out. Parts of Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Fife were also affected during a dry and windy spell of weather. Crews tackled flames on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, while smoke from a fire near Tyndrum temporarily closed the A82 in Argyll. The north-west Highlands was the worst hit. Since the start of the month, 150 acres of burning heath were tackled by crews from Fort William, Newtonmore and Kilchoan. Acharacle and Mallaig dealt with a 100-acre heath fire, while crews from Stornoway and South Lochs extinguished a 24-acre grass fire on Lewis. Dunvegan, Portree and Uig crews extinguished a wild fire that burnt 40 acres on Skye. Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland's national stadium, sits in 33 acres bought in 1903. HIFRS has praised firefighters and the public for their help in dealing with the incidents. SRPBA Highlands and Islands regional manager, Drew McFarlane-Slack, said private landowners and their employees had played their part. He said: "Many of our members have made a huge effort over the last week investing significant time and resources supporting and working with the fire and rescue service and their neighbouring landowners like the National Trust for Scotland and the RSPB to fight the fires. "This is despite the majority of affected land falling outwith our members' own estates."

Ten Hampden Park-sized football grounds could be fitted into the 332 acres of land calculated to have been burnt in wild fires in the north since 1 May.

13295092

It follows the first formal talks since Carwyn Jones and Leanne Wood were tied 29-29 in a Senedd vote on Wednesday. The aim was to form a minority Labour administration rather than a coalition, a joint statement on Friday said. "We are confident that we can find a way forward that will result in the successful nomination of a First Minister next week," it said. "We will continue to work over the weekend, and look to resume formal talks on Monday." The Conservatives and UKIP, had joined Plaid Cymru in backing Ms Wood in the vote for first minister, with Labour and the sole Liberal Democrat, Kirsty Williams, backing Mr Jones. Jane Hutt represented Labour and Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru in Friday's talks, which took place at Welsh Government offices in Cardiff Bay, with neither party leader attending. Labour fell short of a majority at the 5 May election and needs opposition support to govern. Plaid Cymru AMs insist they did not do a deal with other parties before the tied vote on Wednesday. Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies told BBC Radio Wales on Friday there had been three sets of "substantial" talks involving two AMs from his party and two AMs from Plaid. But he later released a statement suggesting the Tories would drop their backing for Ms Wood if a deal with Plaid was not forthcoming. "We have an historic opportunity to break the mould in Wales... but this will only be possible with clear enthusiasm from others," he said. "Should such ambition not be shown... Welsh Conservatives will not be minded to repeat our action from Wednesday's vote." UKIP assembly group leader Neil Hamilton said the average Plaid voter did not back the party to see it "effectively" go into coalition with Labour. "We are all in favour of talks, but minority parties should stick together against Labour arrogance," he said. On Thursday, some UKIP AMs suggested they could switch their votes if parts of their manifesto were made law, although Mr Gething said for Labour: "That is not something we would consider." Meanwhile, Labour and the Lib Dems confirmed talks were continuing between their parties. BBC Wales understands Mr Jones has discussed appointing Ms Williams as a cabinet minister, but neither party would confirm any details of the talks. Even with Ms Williams on board, Labour would still need an arrangement with another party to secure Mr Jones's re-election as first minister. At the assembly election Labour won 29 seats, Plaid Cymru 12, the Conservatives 11, UKIP seven and the Liberal Democrats one. AMs have until 1 June to nominate a first minister or face another election. Former first minister Rhodri Morgan has suggested Welsh Labour could learn lessons from the SNP in the way the two parties reacted to last week's elections. Nicola Sturgeon's SNP was two seats short of a majority in the Scottish Parliament, with Welsh Labour winning 29 of the 60 seats in the Senedd. Speaking on BBC Radio Cymru's O'r Bae programme Mr Morgan said: "Nicola Sturgeon was saying this is the third victory in a row that we've had in Scotland. "So you create a psychology, so that everyone expects that you will master, you will govern, and that nobody can ask a question about what the way forward is. "Now Labour was saying, no, don't rejoice, don't claim that we've won, because we haven't. "Technically Nicola Sturgeon hadn't either, but she had created the psychology of expectation."

Labour and Plaid Cymru say they are "confident" of breaking the deadlock over the election of a first minister.

36281736

It includes plans to cut red tape, develop infrastructure and make it easier for companies to do business. The launch comes on the eve of Mr Modi's first visit to the US as prime minister. Manufacturing contributes only 15% to India's gross domestic product; authorities want to raise it to 25%. Mr Modi's 'Make in India' campaign comes a day after India sent its homegrown mission to Mars. The Mangalyaan robotic probe, one of the cheapest interplanetary missions ever, was successfully put into the orbit of Mars on Wednesday morning. "Whenever I met [business] people for the last few years they would tell me - we want to shift out... It pained me that people of nation are forced to leave," Mr Modi said while unveiling the campaign in the capital, Delhi. "We do not want any industrialist being forced to leave India. I can say that we have been able to bring about a change in last few months." Mr Modi said India must "increase manufacturing and at the same time ensure that the benefits reach the youth of our nation". A boost to manufacturing will create jobs, increase purchasing power and create a larger market for manufacturers, he added. India has a huge pool of talented people, Mr Modi said, adding that it was because of this talent that India was able to send the indigenously-built Mangalyaan to the orbit of Mars. Mr Modi won the recent general election, promising to revive India's slowing economy and in the three months to June, the country's economy grew by 5.7% , its fastest pace in two-and-a-half years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched an ambitious campaign which aims to turn the country into a global manufacturing hub.

29357627

RMT members working for CalMac are preparing to hold a second 24-hour strike on Friday. Union members within Argyll Ferries are also to walk out. Three days of industrial action by CalMac staff last month culminated in a 24-hour strike. The dispute has been triggered by the tendering of Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. Unions have concerns that the new contract will not protect jobs and pensions. Following a meeting on Tuesday, CalMac said dialogue with the RMT remained "open" with the talks due to reconvene on Wednesday. The RMT said that, as things stood, the 24-hour strike planned for Friday would go ahead.

Further talks are due to take place between Caledonian MacBrayne and RMT on ferry workers' jobs and pensions.

33428516

Themes from Star Wars, Jaws and Indiana Jones will also be played at the concert, on 20 July. "Will people come dressed as Star Wars characters? I'd be really disappointed if they don't," said Proms director David Pickard. He went on to praise the musician's "wonderful, varied" scores. However Williams will not be able to attend the concert, as his age prevents him from taking trans-Atlantic flights. This was a contributing factor in the London Symphony Orchestra losing the opportunity to land the next generation of Star Wars films. The John Williams tribute is one of almost concerts that will take place as part of the 123rd Proms this summer. To mark Hull's year as the City of Culture, the festival will leave London for the first time since the 1930s with a performance of Handel's Water Music at a new outdoor ampitheatre overlooking the River Hull and the Humber estuary. Back in London, Europe's only BAME orchestra, Chineke!, will make their Proms debut. The brainchild of double-bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku, the ensemble was only founded in 2015, making it one of the youngest groups ever to play the festival. "It would normally be common for an orchestra to be in existence for five or six years before they appear," said Pickard. But he said it was "very important to mark" the "significance of Chineke! and what they are doing," in showcasing the talent of under-represented performers. The orchestra will debut a new work by British-Caribbean composer Hannah Kendall, The Spark Catchers, accompanied by BBC Young Musician winner Sheku Kanneh-Mason - who will receive his A-Level results shortly before the concert, on 30 August. Other highlights in this year's programme include: Explore the full line-up on the BBC Proms website Notably, the 2017 season has nothing as populist as last year's Strictly Prom, or previous years' diversions into grime and dance music. "I don't want the Proms to be something that repeats things for the sake of repeating them," said Pickard, adding he wanted to "find new ways of getting new audiences". "And things like the John Williams prom will hopefully do the same thing that a Doctor Who Prom might do, which is to bring in an audience that might be drawn in by the films they've seen, but will hear music they love played by an orchestra." 2017 marks 90 years since the BBC took over running and financing the Proms, and 70 years since the famous Last Night was broadcast on television. It has commissioned 30 new works, 13 of which are by female composers, while three female conductors will make their first Proms appearance. Although he admitted there was still work to be done, Pickard said the diversity of this year's performers and composers wouldn't have been possible 10 years ago. "The Proms is a leader in classical music and people look to us for the things we're doing," he said. "And whilst we can't bear that responsibility alone, I think it's incredibly important we take the lead." All of this year's concerts will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and more than 20 will be filmed for television or iPlayer. The BBC is also experimenting with lossless audio - by streaming the season in CD quality via the BBC Proms website. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

The music of Harry Potter will feature at this year's Proms, as part of a concert celebrating the 85th birthday of film composer John Williams.

39651853

Thames Valley Police caught 12 drivers on the A34 and M40 in Oxfordshire using phones on a single day during the operation. It comes after a lorry driver was sentenced to four years for killing a family-of-four by getting distracted when using his phone on the A34. Police said that one driver was filmed for 30 seconds driving with no hands on the steering wheel. Chief inspector Henry Parsons said: "Sometimes HGV drivers think as they are high up we cannot see them using a device, but with this tactic we definitely can." On 31 October Tomasz Kroker was sentenced to four years after he pleaded guilty to using his phone while in charge of a lorry. After getting distracted he ploughed into a number of cars killing Tracey Houghton, her two sons and her stepdaughter.

Police have used a "covert lorry" to spy on drivers using their phones.

38342554

Police were targeted with fireworks, while motorists described "petrol bombs" being thrown at cars on Commercial Road, Pill, on 20 October. Three teenagers - aged 16 to 17 - were sentenced to five months' custody at Cwmbran Youth Court on Tuesday. Two 13-year-olds were handed non-custodial 12-month referral orders. All five of the teenagers - who cannot be named - had earlier admitted violent disorder, with one of the 16-year-olds also admitting a separate charge of breaching a dispersal order. District Judge David Parsons said no other sentences could be justified because of the "uninhibited, unlawful behaviour". Prosecutor Paul Hewitt told the court police received calls at 19:45 BST to say youths had set off fireworks. Officers arrived at the scene but a lit firework was thrown at them and, when about 20 youths began throwing stones and eggs, they retreated. "At about 20:35, police were called to another riot on Commercial Road, where there were fires being set in bins and fireworks thrown at buildings," Mr Hewitt said. "There was a large group in the street, throwing items at vehicles. The windscreen of a police van was smashed by a brick, causing significant damage." Mr Hewitt described wheelie bins being set alight and put into the road, "petrol bombs" being thrown at vehicles with "terrified" motorists making three-point turns to escape. He added: "Local people were terrified. Police feared their vehicles would be pelted with fireworks and the entire area was under siege. "A dispersal order was issued and a police helicopter was used to tell the crowd on loudspeaker." Locals and motorists described "missiles and bombs" being thrown at cars and thousands of pounds worth of damage caused. A video taken on a mobile phone was shown, with a youth heard shouting "there are Molotov cocktails out here, throw it" as cars were set alight. Judge Parsons handed each of the three older defendants - two were aged 16 and one 17 - a 10-month detention and training order, half of which will be served in custody with the rest under supervision in the community. He said the court had an "overwhelming obligation" to "protect the public in their homes or businesses or in the street". "Those that partake in disturbances of this magnitude, causing harm and fear to even the most steel-hearted of residents, must be punished accordingly," he added.

Five teenagers have been sentenced after admitting their part in a "riot" which saw part of Newport city centre "under siege".

38063803

Mr Tillerson, former head of Exxon Mobil with no previous political experience, said in an interview he was "stunned" with the invitation. "I didn't want this job. I didn't seek this job," he told the conservative website Independent Journal Review (IJR) during his recent visit to Asia. "My wife told me I'm supposed to do this." In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Tillerson said he had been due to retire this month after spending more than 40 years at oil giant Exxon Mobil. He turns 65 on Thursday. "I was going to go to the ranch to be with my grandkids," he added in the interview, as he returned to the US from Beijing. Mr Tillerson said he had never met Donald Trump before his election in November. When he was invited for a conversation with the then president-elect, he thought they would talk "about the world" given his experiences at the oil company, he added. "When he asked me at the end of that conversation to be secretary of state, I was stunned." Mr Tillerson then gave the news to his wife, Renda St Clair, who said: "I told you God's not through with you." He added: "My wife convinced me. She was right. I'm supposed to do this." It was Mr Tillerson's first interview since he took office and correspondents say he has so far kept a low profile at the state department. He came under criticism after the state department press corps was not taken along with him on his trip to Asia. The IJR's Erin McPike was the only reporter allowed to travel with him. The state department said this was because of the size of the plane. But in the interview Mr Tillerson said: "I'm not a big media press access person. I personally don't need it. "I understand it's important to get the message of what we're doing out, but I also think there's only a purpose in getting the message out when there's something to be done." Mr Tillerson has also been criticised for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But when the subject came up in the interview, the IJR said: "He was so cagey when Russia came up, for example, that his answer wasn't even worthy of inclusion."

The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said he only accepted the job after being convinced by his wife.

39351493

Firefighters were called to the set in the BBC's Elstree studios in Hertfordshire just after 23:00 GMT on Tuesday. Flames were reported in parts of a building on Albert Square. A firework is believed to have caused the fire, which did not lead to serious damage. The blaze, which was in the first floor and roof space of the building, was soon "contained and extinguished" by crews, said Ian Parkhouse from Hertfordshire fire and rescue service. "We're pleased that we were able to deal with this incident quickly, so it shouldn't affect the 30-year celebrations taking place this week," he said. A spokeswoman for the soap said: "There was a very small fire on set on Tuesday night after rehearsals had finished. "It has not affected any #EELive week plans and nobody was harmed," she added. The show is broadcasting live inserts in all its episodes this week, and will screen a fully live episode on Friday to celebrate its anniversary.

A fire broke out on the set of EastEnders a few hours after the BBC soap broadcast "live inserts" as part of 30th anniversary celebrations.

31520459

Adam Burton, 23, and a French tourist were caught posing naked on Wednesday by surveillance workers and were removed from the Unesco World Heritage site, Cusco police said. A police spokesman told the Press Association the pair were questioned over minor offences "against morality". The Foreign Office said it was in contact with the Peruvian authorities. It is understood the men have not been arrested or charged. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with local authorities in Peru following an incident involving a British national in Machu Picchu." Surveillance was increased at Machu Picchu in March 2014 after nude photos and streaking became increasingly common at the site. The Machu Picchu citadel, built by the Inca Empire in the 15th Century, stands at 2,430m (7,972ft) above sea level. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the site, which is one of Peru's main tourist attractions, each year. In June, four tourists who posed naked on a mountain in Malaysia, including one Briton, were given jail sentences of three days for causing a public nuisance.

A British man has been been questioned in Peru after posing naked at the Machu Picchu ruins, local police have said.

35723757

His left-wing Social Democrat party (PSD) had accused him of failing to carry out necessary economic reforms. The prime minister was involved in a power struggle with party leader Liviu Dragnea, who was barred from office after a conviction for voter fraud. Mr Grindeanu lost the censure motion by 241 votes to 10. The decision by his own party and its liberal ALDE allies to oust him was seen as a first, even for Romania's turbulent politics. For the motion to pass they needed a parliamentary majority of 233 votes. The PSD won elections in December only a year after losing power. Within weeks, protests erupted across the country over a decree seen as weakening anti-corruption measures in one of the European Union's most corrupt member states. In February the EU warned the government in Bucharest against "backtracking" in its efforts against corruption. Although Mr Grindeanu withdrew the decree, the crisis weakened the new government and soured relations between the prime minister and Mr Dragnea. Mr Dragnea criticised his rival's performance in government on Wednesday, accusing him of failing to push through "the most ambitious programme since 1989". Some commentators have argued that his removal was more about relaxing measures aimed at tackling corruption. Mr Dragnea, while being the power behind the left-wing party's throne, cannot take power because he was given a suspended jail term for vote rigging and also faces trial for alleged abuse of office. His first choice as prime minister, Sevil Shhaideh, was turned down by President Klaus Iohannis in December. A new nominee from the ruling coalition will also have to be approved by the president. Far from being the sick man of Europe, Romania's economy is showing the highest growth in the EU, at 5.6% in the year to March 2017. However, its justice system has been under EU scrutiny ever since the country joined in 2007. In its most recent report this year, the EU's executive praised Romania's anti-corruption agency (DNA) but warned that the fight against corruption was under serious threat from political and media attack.

Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu has been forced from power after only six months by his own party, in a no-confidence vote in parliament.

40355210

It is claimed the man was kicked in the head a number of times and verbally abused by a group of men at about 02:30 GMT on Monday after he was chased from the Springfield Road. He was later treated in hospital for facial injuries. Police have appealed for information about the incident.

Police say an attack on a man in his 20s in Dunboyne Park in west Belfast was a "sectarian hate crime".

38642910

Reactions range from the "BBC has killed Top Gear", to praise for a "brave BBC". The story was also news for media in areas as far apart as Latin America and Europe, with the Russian Defence Ministry even offering Clarkson a job at its own TV station. French daily Figaro said the announcement had had "the effect of a bomb on Twitter". It added that "the sense of disappointment can be read in messages posted on the social network across the Channel and even in France". Italian journalist Federico Garimberti recalled on Twitter: "Like it or not, a BBC that shows Clarkson the door demonstrates that it doesn't give a damn about its audience. Top Gear is watched by 350 million people in 212 countries." "This is the end of Top Gear as we know it," Jan Micka exclaimed on the Czech website Auto.cz. In Iran, a disappointed Twitter user tried to start a trend in defence of the British TV presenter. "We are all Jeremy Clarkson," declared @CmpiChism, arguing that "no one can present like him". Other Iranians seemed to agree. Saman Vatanshenasan wrote on Facebook that it was "meaningless to imagine the Top Gear without Jeremy... I need to say this in support of him that I am Jeremy Clarkson". "Now that the BBC has sacked Clarkson does anyone watch Top Gear anymore? They are crazy," @sellar said on Twitter. But not everyone in Iran on social media was pro-Clarkson. Facebook user Mohammad E. Amini pointed out that it was "important to know the red line between fame and extremism". "BBC saved its name by making this decision," he added. "BBC decision to stop its cooperation with Clarkson was a very brave and respectable move. Even if you have 30 million viewers there is still no reason for assault," argued @jaavid on Twitter. In the Czech Republic, the move to drop the Top Gear presenter was welcomed by journalist Ivan Kytka. "For the BBC, principles are clearly more important than profit. Money is not the most important thing for a public service broadcaster," he said on the Czech TV website. The BBC's decision not to renew Clarkson's contract was greeted with approval by internet users in Argentina. Last September, the Top Gear crew had to abandon filming in the country amid angry protests over a car number plate that appeared to refer to the Falklands War. "Thanks Jeremy… we don't need you around here… when you do come back it'll be to cover the story of when your delinquent countrymen give back the Malvinas [Falklands]," said a reader in the online forum of Clarin newspaper. "The best TV channel in the world can't have this type of employee," was another opinion in the same forum. Many social media users were amused the BBC's announcement coincided with news of singer Zayn Malik leaving the successful British boy band One Direction. "Jeremy Clarkson and Zayn Malik could team up to form a new boy band - Top Direction," ‏@sicfallacy suggested on Twitter. But for Italian user Mauro Scarpoloni, Clarkson was obviously the more popular brand. "So the real drama is not One Direction, it's that the BBC has killed @BBC_TopGear #BringBackClarkson," he tweeted. In Russia, the story seemed to acquire a political dimension. Interfax news agency quoted St Petersburg councillor Vitaliy Milonov as saying: "Clarkson will be able to find a great job in our country, where he will not be told how to host a TV programme." Zvezda, the TV channel controlled by the Russian Defence Ministry, announced on its website that it had officially offered to employ the former Top Gear presenter. It published a letter to Clarkson in English: "Dear Jeremy, the Russian Armed Forces Broadcasting Company 'Zvezda' expresses deep honour to you and kindly asks for cooperation. "We would like to invite you to be a presenter of motoring show on our TV Channel in Moscow." BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

The decision by the BBC to drop Jeremy Clarkson, the host of Top Gear, for carrying out a verbal and physical attack on one of the show's producers, has been met with both condemnation and approval by social media users worldwide.

32074641

Mohit Dupar, 36, attempted to reach Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, after he got into difficulty at Camber Sands, East Sussex, on 24 July. Mr Silva Da Cruz died at the scene. Mr Dupar died in hospital four days later. East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said he would be looking at what public safety measures could be used at the beach. More news from Sussex The inquest in Hastings was told Mr Dupar, from Hayes, west London, died from a brain injury caused by cardiac arrest due to drowning. His 17-year-old son Ankush was also pulled from the sea, and remained in a coma for three weeks. Mr Silva Da Cruz, a Brazilian national who had been visiting family in Croydon, south London, died from drowning with his asthma possibly an exacerbating factor, the inquest heard. Robert Cass, of Rother District Council, said he believed the incoming tide meant the men became stranded and unable to get off a sandbar . Mr Craze adjourned the hearing and said he was considering verdicts of misadventure. A pre-inquest review into the deaths of five men from London was also held in Hastings. Kenugen Saththiyanathan, 18, known as Ken, and his brother Kobikanthan Saththiyanathan, 22, known as Kobi, both of Normandy Way, Erith, south-east London, were among the friends who died in the sea at Camber Sands on 24 August. Nitharsan Ravi, 22, of Admaston Road, Plumstead, south-east London, Inthushan Sriskantharasa, 23, of Chadwell Road, Grays, Essex, and Gurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, of Elsa Road, Welling, south-east London, were also in the group. A date for a full inquest was not formally fixed, and a decision on whether the inquest would be heard in front of a jury was deferred. The coroner said he would want to hear expert evidence into what public safety measures would be practical and recommendable, including the possibility of having sections of the beach for swimming only. "The provision of safety for the vast numbers of people that go to Camber is now an extremely important matter, and I owe it to the community as a whole to investigate as far as I conceivably can do," Mr Craze said.

A man died after trying to rescue a day-tripper from the sea a month before five young friends died at the same beach, an inquest has heard.

37835937

Jackson, 22, scored four goals in 36 appearances last season as Wrexham finished eighth in the table. He is Barnsley's third signing for next season, ahead of their League One play-off final at Wembley on Sunday. "Kayden has pace to burn, likes to get at defenders and will fit in nicely to the way we play," caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom told the club website. Jackson turned down a contract offer from Wrexham for next season. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Barnsley have signed striker Kayden Jackson from National League club Wrexham on a two-year deal.

36362101

The government said 19 of the 24 bills outlined in the speech will apply in whole or in part to Scotland. And the Scottish secretary said there will "undoubtedly" be more powers devolved to Edinburgh after Brexit. But opposition parties said the general election result meant the Conservatives have no mandate to govern. The SNP claimed that Theresa May was a "lame duck prime minister leading a lame duck government". And Scottish Labour said the speech had set out a "weak, vague and mean-spirited programme from a government in meltdown". Ms May - who lost her majority in the snap election earlier this month - has been forced to either axe or delay a number of key manifesto plans. Much of what remained in the Queen's Speech related to Brexit, including the so-called Repeal Bill - which will copy all existing EU laws into UK law, with parliament then deciding which bits to retain. The bill would give the UK Parliament temporary authority to amend laws that do not "operate appropriately" after Brexit. And existing decision-making powers devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be maintained pending further discussion on "lasting common frameworks". Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the powers will be returned from Brussels "in a way that works best for Scotland and the rest of the UK". He added: "There will undoubtedly be more decision-making powers coming to Holyrood, and I look forward to working closely with the Scottish government on this." The Scottish government has repeatedly claimed that the prime minister is planning a "power grab" because she has not confirmed that all of the powers associated with devolved areas, such as fishing and agriculture, will be handed to Holyrood once they return from Brussels. Ahead of what was a relatively low-key State Opening of Parliament, the prime minister promised to work with "humility and resolve" after failing to win the general election outright. In an apparent sign of recognition that she must seek a broad consensus for any Brexit deal, Mrs May said getting EU withdrawal right will mean securing "a deal which delivers the result of last year's referendum and does so in a way that commands maximum public support". The government used the Queen's Speech to stress that one of its priorities was to "build a more united country, strengthening the social, economic and cultural bonds between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales". And Mrs May said her programme for government would include measures to support the aerospace industry in Wales, protect access to British waters that are "so important to Scottish fishermen", and open new markets for key exporting industries in Northern Ireland. She said: "So this is a government with purpose. Determined to deliver the best Brexit deal, committed to keeping our country safe, enhancing our standing in the wider world and bringing our United Kingdom closer together." The Queen had earlier been accompanied by the Prince of Wales, rather than the Duke of Edinburgh, for the ceremony. Prince Philip was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night as a "precautionary measure" for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition. Conservative ministers are still attempting to secure a deal with the DUP, which would see the Northern Irish party support Mrs May's minority government. As well as the bill to convert EU rules into UK law, the government unveiled measures on trade, customs, immigration, fisheries, agriculture, nuclear and sanctions. On immigration, a bill will legislate for the end of free movement from the EU and make the status of EU nationals and family members subject to UK law. Although there are no specific details about a new system, ministers say they will be able to "control" numbers while attracting the "brightest and the best". A Fisheries bill will allow the UK to take on responsibility for "access to fisheries and management of its waters". And an Agriculture Bill will "provide stability" for farmers and ensure an "effective system" of support to replace the Common Agricultural Policy. Ian Blackford, the SNP's new leader at Westminster, said there was "nothing in the programme to try and turn around the faltering economy, or how to support our under-pressure public services". He added: "No one can have any confidence in this Tory government's ability to speak on Scotland's behalf in the vital Brexit negotiations - this makes it all the more vital that Scotland is given a seat at the negotiating table." Shadow Scottish Secretary Lesley Laird said the government's proposals failed to reflect the message that voters sent to Mrs May in the general election. She said: "Theresa May has no political authority, and while she struggles to stitch together a deal with the DUP to stay in office, she has been forced to ditch policies from her wildly unpopular manifesto." The Liberal Democrats said the Queen's Speech was "bereft" of ideas to support public services.

The prime minister has pledged to bring the United Kingdom "closer together" as her government unveiled its proposed new laws in the Queen's Speech.

40353322

Emmanuel Manzi from Italy won the event at Llanberis, while Richard Roberts was the first Welsh competitor to finish. Organisers say the 10-mile (16km) race attracts some of the best mountain racers in Europe. Snowdon Race tweeted its congratulations to one couple who got engaged after finishing the event. This year's race start was moved to Llanberis high street, where the very first race began. "The buzz in this little village come Snowdon Race weekend is unbelievable," said organiser Stephen Edwards.

About 600 runners have taken part in the annual mountain race up Snowdon with a series of other events being held to mark its 40th anniversary.

33579320

Cavan boss Terry Hyland recalls Seanie Johnston, Padraig Faulkner, Ciaran Brady and Liam Buchanan for their game against Carlow at Breffni Park. Thomas Mallon, Chrissy McKaigue and Ciaran McFaul return to the Derry team for the tussle with Meath at Owenbeg. Monaghan face Longford at Clones with Fermanagh against Mayo at Castlebar. The Farney County may face a tougher task than Cavan in regrouping from the Ulster semi-final replay defeat last weekend. Longford may have needed extra-time to account for a woefully out-of-form Down at Newry two weeks ago but the Leinster county were full value for their victory. For their part, Monaghan were decidedly second best against Donegal in the provincial semi-final last weekend even though they were only a point behind at the finish. Malachy O'Rourke, who has yet to name his team, has the job of rallying his side after they lost their Ulster title and it may prove no easy task against the Longford side led by inspirational skipper Mickey Quinn. Cavan shipped five goals in their defeat by Tyrone last weekend in an uncharacteristically sloppy defensive display but they should regroup to see off Carlow. The inclusion of Faulkner, Brady, Buchanan and the mercurial Johnston sees James McEnroe, Niall Murray, Martin Reilly and David Givney dropping out. Damian Barton's Derry changes mean that Mickey Conlon, Neil Forrester and Liam McGoldrick drop out of the side that defeated Louth. Meath were not disgraced in their 0-21 to 0-11 Leinster semi-final defeat by Dublin but Derry will still believe that they are capable of overcoming the Royals. James Kielt hit 1-9 in Derry's 1-18 to 2-10 win over Louth three weeks ago and Oak Leaf fans will hope the Kilrea man can have another influential afternoon. The pick of Saturday's six qualifiers is Fermanagh's tussle with Mayo at Castlebar as the home side aim to bounce back from their surprise Connacht semi-final defeat by Galway to see off Pete McGrath's Ernemen. Most pundits are tipping Mayo to keep their All-Ireland title hopes alive but the noises from the Fermanagh camp suggest they are convinced that they can pile more misery on Stephen Rochford's squad. Mayo will also go into the contest minus midfielder Tom Parsons who tore a hamstring in training in midweek while Ger Cafferkey and Jason Gibbons also remain out with Chris Barrett and Conor Loftus also unlikely to feature despite returning to training after injury. In contrast, Fermanagh appear to have no major injury worries, apart from long-term absentee, Ryan McCluskey. Cavan: R Galligan; K Brady, R Dunne, P Faulkner; F Flanagan, C Moynagh, C Brady; T Corr, L Buchanan; D McVeety, G McKiernan, K Clarke; C Mackey, E Keating, S Johnston. Derry: T Mallon; G McKinless, C McKaigue, K McKaigue; C McFaul, B Rogers, C Mullan; C McAtamney, N Holly; D Heavron, C Bradley, E Brown; J Kielt, E McGuckin, M Lynch. SATURDAY'S ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS Derry v Meath, Owenbeg, 14:30 BST Cork v Limerick, Thurles, 15:00 Mayo v Fermanagh, Castlebar, 15:30 Cavan v Carlow, Breffni Park, 17:00 Monaghan v Longford, Clones, 18:30 Kildare v Offaly, Newbridge, 18:30

The Football qualifiers continue on Saturday with Monaghan and Cavan playing after their Ulster SFC defeats and Derry and Fermanagh also in action.

36744515

The sign reads "JOBS". The backdrop to Mitt Romney's first rally in Ohio today is an artful suggestion of stripped-down, industrial virtue, made in the USA. When Romney appears, he talks big. Big changes. Big challenges. Big choices. A strategist tells me it is a deliberate contrast with what they say is President Barack Obama's "small vision for the future". Before he appears, a prominent Romney surrogate, Senator Rob Portman, urges everyone at the rally to vote as soon as it ends. Now. Today. If those committed enough to come to a rally have already voted, they can spend their time getting other people to the polls or persuading them to vote, he says. In this, if only this, Republicans agree with President Obama, who votes today. As one strategist put it, "every day is election day." There has been a lot of talk of the ground game in this election. In the past that meant sending buses for grannies on polling day - finding out who would like to vote for you and making sure they have transport for the big day. Finding out who is sympathetic, apathetic, reluctant or persuadable is still vital. But widespread early voting, as well as postal voting, changes the game. Once a person says in principle they would like to vote for your candidate, you can check that they have gone to vote at all. If they haven't, you can check the next day. And the next. Until they get so fed up they do vote. As an added bonus no last-minute blunder by your candidate allows them to change their mind. This is why it is so important. I've repeatedly said in the end this election will all come down to turnout. Think about what Mr Obama did in 2008: he persuaded a lot of people who didn't usually bother to vote, to vote for him. Without those extra votes he would have won, but not have won big. Some commentators say that it isn't really that tight a race - Mr Obama is still ahead in the swing states that matter. That's true. But only by a tiny margin, well within a margin of error. Mr Romney's team are trying to persuade disappointed Obama supporters that their man isn't worth giving another chance, and maybe theirs is. A Romney strategist told me they were hoping for "molt" - to me a new and novel term for switchers. So Mr Obama needs to get as many of those half-hearted 2008 voters in the bag as possible. If possible before polling day.

Four letters in burnished steel are stuck to the sort of bare metal rack that you can see in any warehouse in America.

20087737

Giovanni Dixon, 17, of Norwood, stabbed James Hunter in the heart after the 18-year-old tried to protect his friend. The Old Bailey heard Dixon and his friends had set upon Ezekiel Andrews with knives last May and Mr Hunter stepped in to protect him. Dixon was found guilty of murder and wounding and was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years. The court heard Mr Andrews, 18, who was described as a "tall and somewhat awkward boy", was punched to the ground, kicked and stabbed three times in the buttocks, following a perceived slight to the gang's friend Jacob Ayoade in the weeks before. Mr Hunter, 18, suggested they fight "one on one" but Dixon rejected that idea and instead stabbed him in the heart on Wells Park Road. The court heard Dixon "jovially" described what he had done as he made his getaway on a bus with his friends Jerome Catterall, 18, Jason Odumusi, 17, and Benedict Leka, 16. Judge Rebecca Poulet QC said the boys' behaviour demonstrated a "preoccupation almost bordering on obsession with knives". Catterall, of Sydenham and Odumusi, from Catford, were cleared of murder but convicted of wounding and sentenced to four and a half years each while Leka, from Forest Hill, who was 15 at the time, received four years for the same offence. Ayoade, from Forest Hill, was sentenced to three years for encouraging the offence and possessing a knife. Judge Poulet lifted a ban on naming all the defendants in light of their convictions.

A teenager "obsessed" with knives who bragged about stabbing a boy in south-east London has been jailed for life.

32307298

They made the appeal at an election hustings in Belfast on Tuesday. The event was attended by representatives from the five largest political parties. Speaking though an interpreter, Majella McAteer from the British Deaf Association says the move was long overdue. "Language, such as Irish or Ulster Scots, whilst they provide people in Northern Ireland with an option, you can choose to use Irish or Ulster Scots, sign language is ultimately a language of lead, it's completely different," she said. Ms McAteer said the event provided an opportunity for those attending to learn at first hand more about the issues on the campaign trail. "It's an opportunity for the deaf people to come along and see in their first language, which is sign language, five parties and their representatives giving some information about their manifestos and their political policies," she said. "It's giving deaf people an opportunity to make some better and more informed decisions about which party they'll vote for."

Members of Northern Ireland's deaf community have called for the introduction of a sign language act.

39047667

The building in Hammersmith's Margravine Cemetery, London created in 1869, has been given Grade II listing. Families unable to immediately pay for a burial previously used to keep dead relatives in their homes, contributing to cholera outbreaks in the city. Historic England said the store was "ghoulish and absolutely fascinating". Director of listing Roger Bowdler said many had to keep their relatives' bodies in their small cramped homes during the early 1800s, "so you've got the living cheek-by-jowl with the dead". The small octagonal building used for holding the dead before funerals, was an example of the facilities proposed by Edwin Chadwick, secretary to the Poor Law Commission, who led a review of sanitary conditions. The store also addressed people's fears that their relatives would be buried before they had actually died. The use of reception houses was phased out with the introduction of undertakers in the 1880s and the building is the sole survivor of its kind in the capital, according to Historic England. Heritage minister Tracey Crouch said the building was "an important part of London's history" as it "gives us a glimpse into how cholera outbreaks changed Victorian attitudes to burials and public health." Receiving the listing could help secure funding for any conservation work on the reception house.

A cemetery's unique Victorian reception house which stored coffins to stop poor people keeping bodies in their homes, has been given protected status.

37789885

England seamer James Anderson, who took 3-5 on the third evening, finished with figures of 4-20 as the Red Rose skittled Hampshire for 168 on day four. The visitors had resumed on 50-5, still trailing by 148, and were unable to make Lancashire bat again. Dane Vilas' 244 had put the home team in control earlier in the match. Alex Davies and Ryan McLaren also chipped in with centuries to give Lancashire a big first-innings lead, but it was their impressive bowling display in Hampshire's second innings that ensured victory. Anderson's 15 overs cost only 20 runs as he tore through the visitors' top order, while McLaren (3-41) and Kyle Jarvis (3-49) did the rest of the damage. England's all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson was playing in his first match after a month out through injury, with his country's first Test of the summer against South Africa starting on 6 July. Gareth Berg, the last Hampshire wicket to fall, top-scored with 49, while James Vince's 29 was the next best individual effort. Lancashire have gone above Hampshire and Yorkshire up to second in Division One, 14 points behind leaders Essex, who beat Warwickshire - also by an innings. England fast bowler James Anderson told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Not many people would have expected Essex and Lancashire to be first and second after seven games but we're in a really strong position and we have a lot of competition for places. "We're not going to get carried away. We now have a big game against Warwickshire and, if we get a result there, it will put us in a great position before the back end of the summer. "We're better placed to sustain this position but we have to make sure that what happened last year doesn't happen again. This week was a really good performance but there are still areas on which we can improve. "Al Davies, Dane Vilas and Ryan McLaren got us up to a really good score. Dane and Ryan are really solid professionals who have been fantastic additions. And we thought if we could put the ball in the right areas we could really challenge them and take 10 wickets." Hampshire coach Craig White told BBC Radio Solent: "It was going to be a big ask. But to fold again on a pretty good pitch is extremely disappointing. "Bergy tried and there was a bit of fight there at the end, but it was too much to ask really. "Anderson bowled beautifully, but the ball's allowed to swing and we should be able to combat that. "It seems that if the ball does swing or seam we get in a bit of trouble. We need to work on that, improve on that, try and stay positive, and get back on the horse, so to speak."

Lancashire moved up to second in the County Championship table after thrashing Hampshire by an innings and 30 runs at Old Trafford.

40362671

She outlined her concerns about the consequences of the Brexit vote in a letter to Theresa May on Wednesday. Mrs Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness highlighted five key priorities to the prime minister. On Thursday, Mrs Foster said: "Brexit means Brexit, but that doesn't mean that we close our eyes to the challenges that are there." She emphasised that Northern Ireland's border must not become a catalyst for illegal activity, nor create an incentive for those who wished to undermine the peace process. "In the past, terrorists have used the border as a way of evading justice and that can not be the case in the future," she said. "We need to make sure that we have strong mechanisms in place to make sure that they don't get away with that sort of activity." In their letter, the first and deputy first ministers highlighted to Mrs May that Northern Ireland was unique as the only part of the UK that has a border with an EU member state. They also referred to costs, the energy market, drawdown of EU funding and treatment of the agri-food sector as other priorities. During the referendum, Mrs Foster's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) campaigned in favour of Brexit, while Martin McGuinness's Sinn Féin wanted to stay in the EU. When it comes to the economy, they said they wanted to "retain as far as possible the ease with which we currently trade with EU member states". "It would be negligent of me not to point out where I believe the challenges are," Mrs Foster said. "We're extracting ourselves from European Union and it is of course right that we identify where those challenges lie, but I fundamentally believe that there are huge opportunities." Speaking on Thursday, Mr McGuinness said the letter was "a very important indication" that he and Mrs Foster "recognise our huge responsibility to the people we represent". "I think we would've done a grave disservice if we hadn't articulated the differences and challenges we might face in times ahead," he said. "This is about how we protect the interests of the people we represent and the challenges that lie ahead." He added that it was important the he and the first minister "come together in the aftermath of the vote" in spite of having been on different sides of the referendum debate. "My gripe isn't with Arlene Foster, my gripe is with David Cameron who called the referendum in the first place," he said. "This is too big, too serious for us not to be joined up in relation to how we take this process forward." Stormont's opposition parties criticised the letter, with the Ulster Unionist Party's (UUP) economy spokesperson Steve Aiken asking "whether this is a DUP u-turn on their position on the referendum". Mrs Foster replied that the UUP's position on Brexit had been "comical". She added: "Poor Steven Aiken has been sent out once again to be the attack dog against the executive, and frankly he comes across more as a Chihuahua." However, the SDLP's Claire Hanna said: "The first minister has serious questions to answer over the breathtaking reverse ferret she is currently performing. "Ms Foster has clearly realised the error of her ways in backing Brexit, and now the horse has bolted is asking the Conservative government to close the gate." While the UK as a whole voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48%, 56% of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain.

First Minister Arlene Foster has denied that campaigning for the UK to leave the EU was a mistake.

37043927

Police in Australia and Europe were aware of a paedophile site called the Love Zone hidden in the so-called dark web. It was protected by passwords, encryption and specialist software. Users were totally anonymous. The images and videos there were particularly disturbing - showing the abuse of babies and very young children. Members had to post increasingly graphic material to remain on the site. There were tens of thousands of accounts. Officers with Task Force Argos in Australia knew the creator of the site used an unusual greeting - the word "hiyas". After exhaustively trawling chatrooms and forums in the open internet, they found a Facebook page of a man who used the same greeting. Although the Facebook page was fake, they identified a picture of a vehicle and that led them to a man called Shannon McCoole - a childcare worker in Adelaide. When officers went through his door, he was actually online running the site. They took detailed photographs of McCoole's hands. This is where the freckle comes in - one on his finger matched exactly one seen in many of the images of abuse. In an unprecedented move, Task Force Argos assumed McCoole's identity and took over the running of the site. Last year he was given a 35-year prison sentence. One user who stood out was Huckle - given the number of children he had access to and his aggressive attitude. Using data gleaned from the site and information Huckle had posted on social media and other open internet sites, they identified who he was and where he lived. Realising he was coming back to the UK for the Christmas holidays in 2014, they tipped off Britain's National Crime Agency. As he landed at Gatwick airport he was met by officers from the NCA's Child Exploitation and Online Protection command. On his computer and encrypted drives they found tens of thousands of obscene images and videos.

One word and a freckle indirectly led to Richard Huckle's arrest.

36437856

Sannah Javid, 26, of Frank Slater House, Green Lane, Ilford, was taken to King George Hospital on Tuesday after officers were called to her flat. She died in the early hours of Wednesday. Post-mortem tests found the cause of death was multiple injuries. Metropolitan Police detectives believe Ms Javid knew her attacker. The force said a 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of her murder on Saturday. Det Ch Insp Tim Duffield added: "We are appealing for anyone who may have seen or heard something suspicious on the evening of Tuesday, 2 December to call the incident room at Hendon."

A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman who was found in her east London flat with serious injuries died.

30367169