Datasets:

faisaltareque

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consum_v8

like 0

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-38773818

Badminton player killed in Thailand moped crash

An England team badminton player was killed in Thailand when her friend drove their moped into the path of a truck, an inquest heard.

Rebecca Shaw, 32, from Huddersfield, was on her way to swim with elephants when the crash happened in Phuket in December 2015. Her friend, Julie Robinson, escaped with minor injuries. Bradford Coroner's Court heard the exact details of the crash were unclear due to conflicting witness accounts. Coroner Martin Fleming said the driver of the Toyota pick-up truck, Natthaphon Klomkhan, told police he was driving at approximately 60kph (37.5mph) when the moped drove from a side road, across a four-lane carriageway, and directly in front of his vehicle. Mr Klomkhan said he braked, sounded his horn and flashed his lights but was unable to avoid hitting the bike. Ms Robinson, who did not attend the inquest, said she checked before driving across the road, and claimed the truck was being driven at excessive speeds, and had failed to take evasive action. In an email sent by Ms Robinson to the coroner in July, she said: "He just drove straight into the back of the scooter, sending both of us flying through the air at some height." Describing the aftermath of the crash, Ms Robinson described blood pouring out of her friend's mouth when her head hit a metal barrier. She was twice resuscitated at the scene but died later in hospital, the inquest heard. Mr Fleming said photographs of the scene showed Ms Robinson's view would have been obscured and that crossing the carriageway would have left little margin for error. He said it was unclear whether the truck driver was going too fast. The inquest also heard police in Thailand had considered charging Ms Robinson in connection with the incident. The coroner ruled Ms Shaw, who was wearing a helmet, died as a result of head injuries sustained in a road traffic collision. She played for the England national team 10 times and was described by her family as a "real-life angel".

['Huddersfield']

[{"entity": "England", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Thailand", "label": "LOC"}]

England ||| Thailand

["Huddersfield"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-28784100

In pictures: India's coal miners

India is the world's third largest coal producing nation and coal supplies 60% of the country's energy needs, but the coal industry is poorly regulated. Arindam Mukherjee photographs some coal miners going about their work in eastern India.

The coal-rich region in India includes huge swathes of eastern states like Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, and pockets in the central and southern parts of the country. Most miners spend their days tunnelling, digging and extracting coal from the mines. Here, a group of miners are at work in a mine in West Bengal state's Raniganj district. Each group is led by a sardar (chief) who is responsible for the work of his group. More than half of India's commercial energy needs are met by coal. It is the main fuel for generating power and making steel and cement. But mining is also a major factor in environment pollution, emitting smoke and noxious gases. Many of the miners also suffer from lung diseases caused due to inhaling coal dust throughout the day. Coal mining can be a very hazardous activity and hundreds of miners have died over the years in accidents in mines. Poor maintenance of the mines is a major factor behind frequent accidents. Once underground, the only way a miner can communicate with the outside world is by using an intercom. Sunita Devi's husband Santraj Prasad was killed along with 25 others in February 2001 when the Bagdigi colliery in Jharkhand was flooded. She now works as a guard at a mine officer's bungalow in the nearby town of Jharia. Here, she sits at her home with her late husband's photograph and one of her children. Miner Salim Ansari was the lone survivor of the Bagdigi disaster in which 26 of his colleagues died. He was trapped in an underground air pocket for seven days until rescue workers found him and brought him out. Lakhan Tanti works as a loader at the government-owned Coal India Limited mine in Ranigunj in West Bengal. He says the company is now hiring contractual labourers instead of salaried employees to cut costs. Coal mines, like this one in the state of Jharkhand, have multiple floors where excavation takes place and often operate 24 hours a day. Here, a group of miners are going deep inside an underground mine to begin work. Female labourers are hired to clean and collect coal near the railway line in Bailbandh colliery in Ranigunj. The women are mostly dependents of deceased miners and are employed on humanitarian grounds after the death of their husbands. The coal-rich region in India includes huge swathes of eastern states like Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, and pockets in the central and southern parts of the country. Most miners spend their days tunnelling, digging and extracting coal from the mines. Here, a group of miners are at work in a mine in West Bengal state's Raniganj district. Each group is led by a sardar (chief) who is responsible for the work of his group. More than half of India's commercial energy needs are met by coal. It is the main fuel for generating power and making steel and cement. But mining is also a major factor in environment pollution, emitting smoke and noxious gases. Many of the miners also suffer from lung diseases caused due to inhaling coal dust throughout the day. Coal mining can be a very hazardous activity and hundreds of miners have died over the years in accidents in mines. Poor maintenance of the mines is a major factor behind frequent accidents. Once underground, the only way a miner can communicate with the outside world is by using an intercom. Sunita Devi's husband Santraj Prasad was killed along with 25 others in February 2001 when the Bagdigi colliery in Jharkhand was flooded. She now works as a guard at a mine officer's bungalow in the nearby town of Jharia. Here, she sits at her home with her late husband's photograph and one of her children. Miner Salim Ansari was the lone survivor of the Bagdigi disaster in which 26 of his colleagues died. He was trapped in an underground air pocket for seven days until rescue workers found him and brought him out. Lakhan Tanti works as a loader at the government-owned Coal India Limited mine in Ranigunj in West Bengal. He says the company is now hiring contractual labourers instead of salaried employees to cut costs. Coal mines, like this one in the state of Jharkhand, have multiple floors where excavation takes place and often operate 24 hours a day. Here, a group of miners are going deep inside an underground mine to begin work. Female labourers are hired to clean and collect coal near the railway line in Bailbandh colliery in Ranigunj. The women are mostly dependents of deceased miners and are employed on humanitarian grounds after the death of their husbands.

['Energy industry', 'Environment', 'India']

[{"entity": "India", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Arindam Mukherjee", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "India", "label": "LOC"}]

India ||| India

["Energy industry", "Environment", "India"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47468741

Gulnara Karimova: Uzbekistan ex-leader's daughter jailed

The daughter of Uzbekistan's late president Islam Karimov has been sent to prison for allegedly violating the terms of her five-year house arrest.

Gulnara Karimova repeatedly used the internet and left her flat, which she was banned from doing, prosecutors say. In 2017 Ms Karimova was sentenced to 10 years in jail for fraud and money laundering but that was commuted last year to house arrest. She was once a diplomat and pop singer who was tipped to succeed her father. Ms Karimova lived at her daughter's flat in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. Her Swiss lawyer, Grégoire Mangeat, said on Twitter that the 46-year-old had been "forcibly removed" from the flat on Tuesday afternoon and taken to an unknown location. "We, her defence counsels, denounce these totally arbitrary methods," said Mr Mangeat. "For several months now, we have been unsuccessfully asking the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland to commit an expert to establish the absence of the rule of law in Uzbekistan." Images posted on Instagram Stories by Ms Karimova's daughter Iman showed a woman in a short blue robe and pink slippers being dragged out of an apartment by two men. Mr Mangeat also posted the picture online, saying she had been taken to an unknown place. On Tuesday, a Tashkent court ruled that Ms Karimova must serve the remainder of her term in prison, prosecutors said in a statement. They allege that she used forbidden communications methods, including the internet; left the flat; and failed to pay the state compensation. Ms Karimova was once a prominent figure in Uzbek politics who held the posts of ambassador to Spain and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, and was tipped to succeed her father, Islam Karimov, as president. She also had her own jewellery line, ran an entertainment television channel and released pop singles under the name Googoosha. But she reportedly fell out with her father and family in 2014 and shortly after she was detained by security forces. She was not seen in public for years and when her father, an authoritarian leader who ran Uzbekistan for 27 years, died in September 2016, she did not attend the funeral. Prosecutors accused her of being part of a criminal group that controlled assets of more than $1bn (£760m) in 12 countries, including the UK, Russia and United Arab Emirates. Then-prime minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev took over as president after the death of Islam Karimov in 2016. Read more

['Uzbekistan']

[{"entity": "Uzbekistan", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Islam Karimov", "label": "PER"}]

Uzbekistan ||| Islam Karimov

["Uzbekistan"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-38661590

Mexico violence: Four killed in Cancun gunfight

An attack on the government offices in the Mexican beach resort of Cancun has left four people dead, officials say.

Police intervened after gunmen opened fire at the Quintana Roo state attorneys' office. TV showed footage in which intense gunfire could be heard. One policeman and three suspected attackers died, governor Carlos Joaquin said. Five suspects were arrested. Mr Joaquin described the attack as a reaction by gangsters to his crackdown on organised crime. It happened one day after a gunman killed five people in a club in the nearby resort city of Playa del Carmen. In that incident, Mr Joaquim said the attacker and one of the victims, a man from Veracruz, had a "personal conflict". A Canadian, an Italian and a US citizen were among the dead. It was not clear if the two attacks were related, officials said. Gunfire erupted during the attack in Cancun on Tuesday, causing panic on the streets, witnesses said. A shopping centre was evacuated by security forces after people described hearing gunfire inside. But officials later said it was a false alarm. Security checkpoints were set up near Cancun's hotel area, some 7km (4 miles) from where the attack happened, local media reported. The US consulate in Merida urged Americans to follow local authorities' warnings and consult with their hotels before leaving the premises. Federal forces would be sent to help the local authorities, the governor said, without giving details of how many gunmen were involved in the attack. Speaking on television in the evening, Mr Joaquin added: "The state is under control and in order...People from Cancun and our visitors can go about their lives as normal." Quintana Roo, an area popular with foreign tourists, has long been spared from the drug-related violence that afflicts other parts of Mexico.

['Gun crime', 'Mexico']

[{"entity": "Cancun", "label": "LOC"}]

Cancun

["Gun crime", "Mexico"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-56284155

Covid-19: Another new variant added to UK watch list

Scientists have identified 16 cases of another new variant of coronavirus in the UK.

Public Health England has designated it as a 'variant under investigation' (VUI), meaning it is on their watch list, but not one they are immediately concerned about. It has a mutation in common with the South Africa and Brazil variants. That change, E484K, may help the virus evade some immunity from vaccination or prior infection, experts believe. The cases were first identified on 15 February by the UK's variant surveillance system. Experts suspect it originated in the UK. All 16 individuals who tested positive, and their contacts, have been traced and advised to isolate. PHE said the cases were geographically spread across the UK. And it confirmed that surge or mass testing would not be necessary - this is only done for variants of concern (VOC), such as the Brazil one. The UK now has 8 variants on its watch list - 4 VUIs and 4 VOCs. Most recently, officials had been trying to track down a person in England known to have been infected with the Brazil VOC. The search was narrowed to 379 households in the south of England, and the case was traced to Croydon. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said incidents like this are rare and only occur in around 0.1% of tests. It's not unexpected that variants are appearing or that the virus will continue to change. All viruses mutate as they make new copies of themselves to spread and thrive. But some changes may affect how well current vaccines work. Scientists are looking at tweaking coronavirus vaccines to keep pace with the new, emerging variants to ensure that they continue to offer high protection against the disease as the virus mutates. The UK's drug regulator the MHRA has said new vaccines can be fast-tracked through the approval system without "lengthy" clinical studies.

['South Africa', 'Coronavirus pandemic']

[{"entity": "UK", "label": "LOC"}]

UK

["South Africa", "Coronavirus pandemic"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-48745293

Jaclyn Hill promises lipstick refunds to fans after 'contamination'

Beauty YouTuber Jaclyn Hill has promised to refund everyone who bought one of her lipsticks, after some appeared contaminated.

She said on Instagram on Sunday that everyone would receive a full refund, even if they hadn't complained. Since she launched them at the end of May, social media has been flooded with complaints about their quality. Some reported they opened the $18 (£14) lipsticks to find hairs, holes and plastic balls embedded in the formula. This includes YouTuber Alexandra, who says hers contained shards of metal. She runs the channel Pretty Pastel Please and the video of her unboxing the lipsticks has been viewed nearly a million times. "I purchased the lipsticks the moment they launched online, feeling really excited to receive them," she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat. "I loved the look of the packaging and purchased the entire collection so that I could swatch and review it on my YouTube channel, and paid $315 (£250) in total including shipping." Alexandra says it took 20 days for the lipsticks to arrive and by that time she'd already seen loads of videos online of people saying the lipsticks were contaminated. "I didn't want to believe it but, sure enough when I received mine the very first lipstick that I unboxed had a hair sticking right out the top," she says. "One by one I opened the lipsticks and, of the 19 that I opened, only four didn't show visible signs of contaminants. Alexandra says that when she swiped the lipsticks on paper - not feeling comfortable to use them on her lips - she found "a cocktail of contaminants including hair, plastic, gritty balls and even three shards of metal in the shade Sophia". Jaclyn addressed the issues Alexandra mentions, and other concerns about how old the lipsticks were, in a YouTube video two weeks after the launch. She reassured customers that the lipsticks were not hazardous to use and didn't contain anything that could cause infections. She then promised to send new products to everyone affected and offered refunds to people who were unhappy. Alexandra received a refund after emailing the company with pictures of her lipsticks, but says that's not the problem - she thinks the products need recalling for safety reasons and has sent them off to a lab to get them tested. "I'm extremely upset that Jaclyn Hill has not recalled her lipsticks," she says. "I found three very sharp shards of metal, and I have also seen other posts online showing that other people have found metal as well, and it leads me to believe that the products are extremely dangerous. "Had I used the shade Sophia without inspecting it first, I would have sliced my lip open. "Given the fact that I also found dark black hairs in the same lipstick, the contaminated product could have easily carried bacteria, which could lead to an infection." Jaclyn Hill says she is now getting the products tested in a lab to see where the contamination has come from. Newsbeat has contacted her company for comment. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

['YouTubers', 'YouTube', 'Social media influencers']

[{"entity": "Jaclyn Hill", "label": "PER"}]

Jaclyn Hill

["YouTubers", "YouTube", "Social media influencers"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48619156

Grenfell survivors project messages on 'unsafe' tower blocks

Campaigners have projected messages on to high-rises across England saying they are unsafe, ahead of the two-year anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Survivors group Grenfell United put the messages on buildings in Salford, Newcastle and London. One projection says: "2 years after Grenfell and this building is still covered in dangerous cladding." The government said it had made £600m of funding available to replace combustible cladding on high-rises. It expected the work - on both private and social housing homes - to be completed "as soon as possible", it said. In Newcastle, the projection on to Cruddas Park House, which is a 25 storey block for people over 50, says: "2 years after Grenfell and the fire doors in this building still don't work". Newcastle City Council said it had invested over £9m in fire safety measures across the borough and that "the safety of customers is our number one priority". The projection on to the NV building in Salford, which has 246 flats, says it is "still covered in dangerous cladding" which is not covered by the government's cladding removal fund. The developer of the building told the BBC "an urgent investigation is ongoing". And the projection in London appears on Frinstead House, a 20-storey block a stone's throw away from Grenfell Tower. It says the block has no sprinklers. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, which took over management of the high-rise in March last year, said its staff had met residents to talk about sprinklers and other fire safety measures. It said there was a fire safety programme under way across its borough and it was "seeking clear guidance and recommendations from central government on fire safety systems". Grenfell United said it is calling for tower blocks across the UK to be "made safe, and for residents to be listened to and treated with respect". It says they want to see safe fire doors, sprinklers in blocks to keep fire escapes clear, and for all dangerous cladding to be removed. Natasha Elcock, chairman of Grenfell United and a survivor from the tower, said: "It's been two years since Grenfell and people are still going to bed at night worried that a fire like Grenfell could happen to them." The campaigners are calling for the government to introduce a new separate housing regulator to put "residents concerns over profits of housing associations". Karim Mussilhy, vice-chairman of Grenfell United, and who lost his uncle in the fire, said although their message is simple they "needed the biggest possible platform to make them [the government] listen". Mr Mussilhy said residents were raising concerns, but being ignored. "That's what happened to residents in Grenfell before the fire. We have to change the culture in social housing so people are treated with respect." he continued. He has also urged the next prime minister to be "on the right side of history" and to prioritise dealing with the tragedy when they take office. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said in a statement: "The Government has banned combustible materials in the external walls of new high-rise homes and guidance requires that sprinklers must be installed in new buildings above 30 metres. "Building owners are ultimately responsible for the safety of the building and it is for them to decide whether to retro-fit sprinklers."

['Grenfell Tower fire', 'Salford', 'Newcastle upon Tyne']

[{"entity": "England", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Grenfell Tower", "label": "LOC"}]

Grenfell Tower

["Grenfell Tower fire", "Salford", "Newcastle upon Tyne"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32432725

Gallipoli centenary: Prince Charles meets veterans' relatives

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to the "heroism and humanity" of those who fought in Gallipoli, one of World War One's bloodiest campaigns, at a centenary ceremony in Turkey.

Prince Charles and Prince Harry also met relatives of Gallipoli veterans. They joined leaders from Australia, New Zealand and Turkey - which all lost thousands of troops - at memorials. About 131,000 - made up of 45,000 Allied forces and 86,000 from Turkey - died in the campaign. The fatalities included about 25,000 British military personnel, 10,000 from France and 10,000 from Australia and New Zealand. The series of events in Turkey - to mark the 100th anniversary of the landings on the peninsula of Gallipoli - included an international ceremony and a Commonwealth and Irish commemoration. A separate service also marked France's participation. Prince Charles and Prince Harry met 15 relatives of Gallipoli veterans on board HMS Bulwark, the Royal Navy's flagship. At the international ceremony, Prince Charles said everyone had a "shared duty" to overcome intolerance and fight prejudice "so we can truly say we have honoured the sacrifice of all those who have fought and died here on the battlefield at Gallipoli and elsewhere." At the Commonwealth and Ireland service at Cape Helles, Prince Charles read an extract from John Masefield's book Gallipoli. Wreaths were laid by representatives including Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. The President of Ireland, Michael Higgins, also attended. What was Gallipoli? Why Gallipoli is still commemorated in Australia and New Zealand on Anzac Day World War One's forgotten Anzacs: The Indigenous Army Ben Goddard, 37, travelled to Turkey to honour his great-grandfather Pte Alfred William Goddard, of 2nd Hampshire Regiment, who landed on V Beach on 25 April 1915. He was hit on the elbow by shrapnel 11 days later, but survived the fighting. Mr Goddard, from Ropley in Hampshire, said: "So many men fought and did not come back. That should be remembered, whether the campaign was a disaster or not." Hugh Gillespie, 72, from North Yorkshire, made the journey in memory of his grandfather, Lt Col Franklin Gillespie, who was killed by a sniper while leading a raid. "Our soldiers behaved so exceptionally and fought extremely well in difficult conditions. I think it is an object lesson in making sure the strategy is right in the first place," he said. The events are commemorating the World War One campaign when Allied forces landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in modern-day western Turkey - then part of the Ottoman Empire - in April 1915. However, the invasion failed, with the Allied forces unable to advance more than a few miles inland. A bloody stalemate ensued which lasted until Allied troops evacuated the peninsula in January 1916. With the sun glinting off the water and lush forests dotting the peninsula, it's hard to imagine the horror that engulfed Gallipoli a century ago. Over nine months, the beaches became bloodbaths as Allied forces attempted their failed invasion. The anniversary is being marked by several ceremonies to remember the thousands of victims. We were on board HMS Bulwark as Prince Charles and Prince Harry met descendants of the soldiers, hearing of heroism and the intense fighting in 1915, when troops were gunned down even before their boats landed on the beaches. Joining the royals at the ceremonies are the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand, for whose countries Gallipoli marked the birth of their national consciousness - fighting in major warfare for the first time as independent nations. Leading the ceremonies: the president of Turkey, which emerged from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire under Ataturk, a brilliant Gallipoli commander. It's a campaign remembered for different reasons by all sides. Events will continue in Turkey on Saturday with services for Anzac Day, which is widely marked in Australia and New Zealand. In London, the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh - who is patron of the Gallipoli Association - and Prince William will be joined by senior government and military figures to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that 35,000 British military personnel had died in the Gallipoli campaign, rather than 25,000. Why do Australians and New Zealanders mark Anzac Day? Presenter and chef John Torode explores what there is to celebrate on Anzac Day Australia commemorations risk loving Gallipoli to death Did you know someone who took part? Will you be attending any of the memorial events taking place to mark the occasion? You can share your family memories by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. Email your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, upload them here, tweet them to @BBC_HaveYourSay or text 61124. If you are outside the UK, send them to the international number +44 7624 800 100. Or WhatsApp us on +44 7525 900971 Read our terms and conditions.

['Turkey', 'World War One', 'Australia']

[{"entity": "Gallipoli", "label": "EVE"}, {"entity": "World War One", "label": "EVE"}, {"entity": "Turkey", "label": "LOC"}]

Gallipoli ||| World War One ||| Turkey

["Turkey", "World War One", "Australia"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41461032

Catalan referendum: 'Hundreds hurt' as police try to stop voters

Catalan emergency officials say 761 people have been injured as police used force to try to block voting in Catalonia's independence referendum.

The Spanish government had pledged to stop a poll that was declared illegal by the country's constitutional court. Police officers prevented some people from voting, and seized ballot papers and boxes at polling stations. In the regional capital Barcelona, police used batons and fired rubber bullets during pro-referendum protests. Speaking soon after the polls closed at 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT), Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Catalans had been fooled into taking part in an illegal vote. The Spanish interior ministry said 12 police officers had been hurt and three people arrested. It added that 92 polling stations had been closed. The national police and Guardia Civil - a paramilitary force charged with police duties - were sent into Catalonia in large numbers to prevent the vote from taking place. While Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau condemned police actions against what she called the region's "defenceless" population, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said police had "acted with professionalism and in a proportionate way". One voter, Júlia Graell, told the BBC that "police started to kick people, young and old", adding: "Today, I have seen the worst actions that a government can do to the people of its own country." In Girona, riot police smashed their way into a polling station where Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont was due to vote, and forcibly removed those looking to place their ballots. Mr Puigdemont was able to vote at another polling station. The BBC's Tom Burridge, in Barcelona, witnessed police being chased away from one polling booth after they had raided it. Since Friday, thousands of people have occupied schools and other buildings designated as polling stations in order to keep them open. Many of those inside were parents and their children, who remained in the buildings after the end of lessons on Friday and bedded down in sleeping bags on gym mats. In some areas, farmers positioned tractors on roads and in front of polling station doors, and school gates were taken away to make it harder for the authorities to seal buildings off. Firefighters acted as human shields between police and demonstrators. Referendum organisers had called for peaceful resistance to any police action. Meanwhile, FC Barcelona's match against Las Palmas was played behind closed doors, after Barcelona said the football league refused to suspend the game. Catalonia, a wealthy region of 7.5 million people in north-eastern Spain, has its own language and culture. It also has a high degree of autonomy, but is not recognised as a separate nation under the Spanish constitution. Pressure for a vote on self-determination has grown over the past five years. But Spanish unionists argue Catalonia already enjoys broad autonomy within Spain, along with other regions like the Basque Country and Galicia. Mr Rajoy says the vote goes against the constitution, which refers to "the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation, the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards". Central government spokesman Iñigo Mendez de Vigo accused the Catalan government of being inflexible and one-sided, but it is a charge that Catalan nationalists have thrown back at Madrid itself. The Spanish government put policing in Catalonia under central control and ordered the regional force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, to help enforce the ban on the illegal referendum. Before the poll, Spanish authorities seized voting materials, imposed fines on top Catalan officials and temporarily detained dozens of politicians. Police have also occupied the regional government's telecommunications centre. Spain says a number of factors ensure the poll does not adhere to international standards: the Spanish interior minister said the computer system preventing people from voting twice was not working from Sunday morning. On top of that, any result would not be legally binding, as the poll had been blocked by the Constitutional Court. By Tom Burridge, BBC News, Barcelona The Spanish government has always said that it's the Spanish courts ordering the Spanish police to act. But their strategy of physically preventing people from voting has the potential to backfire hugely. Had you asked me 24 hours ago whether or not I thought it realistic that Catalonia's regional government would declare independence from Spain in the next few days I would have said probably not. But after the very ugly scenes we've seen across this city and this region today I think it is a very real possibility. If that happens then we're into the unknown.

['Catalonia', 'Spain', 'Barcelona', 'Catalonia independence protests']

[{"entity": "Catalonia", "label": "LOC"}]

Catalonia

["Catalonia", "Spain", "Barcelona", "Catalonia independence protests"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51169705

SpaceX completes emergency crew escape manoeuvre

SpaceX has conducted a test of the abort manoeuvre it would use if one of its crew-carrying rockets ever developed a problem during flight.

The rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center saw a Falcon-9 vehicle's ascent into the sky deliberately terminated just 80 seconds after lift-off. The Dragon astronaut capsule on top fired its escape engines to carry itself clear of the "faulty" booster. Parachutes brought the vessel to a safe splashdown some 30km off Florida. No humans were involved in the practice abort; the only occupants of the Dragon ship were a couple of Anthropomorphic Test Devices, or "dummies". This was considered to be the last major milestone for California's SpaceX company before the US space agency (Nasa) certifies the firm to carry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. Nasa has contracted both SpaceX and the aerospace giant Boeing to take over routine transportation of astronauts to low-Earth orbit. Not since the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011 have American crews been able to launch from American soil. The apparently flawless in-flight abort demonstrated on Sunday should bring this long hiatus to close, perhaps by early summer. SpaceX had promised the escape manoeuvre would be spectacular, and so it proved. As the Dragon capsule fired its escape engines, the Falcon booster underneath lost aerodynamic stability, broke apart and exploded in a huge ball of flame. But by then, the crew capsule was well away, continuing to climb skyward thanks to its powerful superDraco thrusters. Onboard video showed the Dragon drop its service-module segment, or "trunk", before releasing two drogue parachutes. Four main chutes then emerged. These 35m-wide envelopes lowered Dragon into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean a little over nine minutes after the Falcon's lift-off. Teams from SpaceX and the US Air Force were stationed offshore to begin the recovery of the capsule and bring it back to land. Company CEO Elon Musk lauded everyone involved in the test and marvelled at some of the day's statistics: "The peak velocity of Dragon during abort was more than double the speed of sound, Mach 2.2, and achieved an altitude of 40km, 131,000ft. These are exciting specs, for [Dragon] to have gone to three times the altitude of a typical airliner," he told reporters. The importance of having an effective abort capability was underlined by the 2018 experience of Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and Nasa flight engineer Nick Hague. They were on a routine journey to the ISS when their Soyuz rocket damaged itself two minutes into the ascent. The men only escaped death because their capsule also had an emergency system to pull the vessel to safety. It will be recalled also that the Challenger space shuttle in 1986 had no such escape capability and all seven crew members died when the orbiter began to break up 72 seconds into its mission. Nick Hague tweeted after watching Sunday's demonstration: "Trust me... surviving a rocket failure by way of a successful abort system made today's test personal. Thank you @SpaceX & @usairforce Guardian Angels!" Both SpaceX and Boeing were supposed to make their "astronaut taxi services" available in 2017, but the companies have had to grapple with - and overcome - some tricky technical challenges. SpaceX, for example, saw one of its capsules explode on a testbed in April last year. And Boeing, which calls its crew capsule Starliner, hit trouble on an uncrewed dummy run to the space station last month. The Starliner experienced an anomaly immediately after launch that led it to waste fuel reserves, leaving it short of the propellant necessary to reach the orbiting outpost. All that said, it seems likely both SpaceX and Boeing will get to debut crewed flights in the coming months. Nasa has selected shuttle veterans Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to make the first Dragon crewed flight. Mr Musk said their capsule would be at Kennedy shortly and could be ready to fly before July. But Nasa Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the "go for launch" for Hurley and Behnken might depend on how long the agency wanted the men to stay on the space station. "Do we want that first crew to be a short duration (mission)? Or do we want it to be a longer duration? If it's going to be a longer duration, then we have to have some additional training for our astronauts to actually be prepared to do things on the International Space Station that we weren't planning to have that initial test crew necessarily do." Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40690144

Linkin Park cancel North American tour after Chester Bennington death

Linkin Park have cancelled their North American tour following the death of singer Chester Bennington.

Promoters Live Nation said refunds would be made available to all ticket-holders for the tour, which was due to begin next Thursday. A spokesman for the company added: "We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chester Bennington." The Los Angeles County Coroner said the singer, 41, and a father of six, hanged himself on Thursday. His body was found at a private home in the county at 09:00 local time (17:00 GMT). He had previously struggled with addiction and had spoken to BBC Newsbeat about depression and suicide. Formed in 1996, Linkin Park have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-43045898

Commonwealth Games: Birmingham to build 2022 Games Village

A village accommodating up to 6,500 athletes and officials is to be built for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In December, Birmingham was named host city for the £750m showpiece - the most expensive sports event to be held in Britain since the London Olympics. The Games Village in Perry Barr will include about 1,000 homes, dining areas, transport and services. Birmingham City Council said it would be a "catalyst" for projects bringing up to 3,000 homes to the area. Midlands Live: Birmingham's flights to Tunisia resume; West Brom sack chairman and chief exec After the Games, the accommodation - a mix of apartments and town houses - is due to be converted to homes for sale and rent, including social and affordable housing. Ian Ward, leader of the Labour-run council, said the village's development would help rejuvenate the north west of the city, creating a "meaningful and lasting legacy" for residents. "We have a desperate need for high-quality housing in the city and it would have been much trickier to meet that demand if we had not been successful in our bid to host the Games," he said. 2022 host city in 60 seconds What could Birmingham offer 2022 visitors? Shooting dropped from the Games Seven reasons city's Olympic bid failed Perry Barr councillor Jon Hunt said it was "crucial" people in the area, which has faced housing, employment and deprivation problems, felt the Games were delivering something for them. "It is important we work together with the organisers to secure the legacy we deserve at a grassroots level," he said. A public meeting about the event will be held at Alexander Stadium at 19:00 GMT on Thursday. Mr Hunt added: "Perry Barr will be hosting thousands of people from all over the world for the Games. We want it to be a warm Brummie welcome."

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25455992

Fake vodka 'can kill you' warning to Christmas shoppers

Christmas shoppers trying to save money are being warned to look out for counterfeit alcohol, which can seriously damage health.

Trading standards say it may contain chemicals such as chloroform or industrial alcohol, which can affect eyesight, or in extreme cases, kill. Seizures of counterfeit vodka in some areas doubled over the last year. Typically it is sold in corner shops where unscrupulous owners sell it from underneath the counter. It has also been found on sale in nightclubs. "I was silly enough to buy some stuff from under the counter, which was clearly not a proper manufactured product," admits Alex Kohnert, a student at Sheffield University. "I have friends who've suffered from temporary blindness, in one case, but also quite bad stomach pains," he told the BBC. Trading Standards staff in Sheffield have been particularly aggressive in trying to tackle the problem. Since April this year they have found 2,300 bottles of illicit alcohol, mostly vodka. That is double the amount they found last year, which in turn was double what they found in 2011. Usually it contains alcohols used in cleaning fluids or antifreeze. As a result, such bottles can contain up to 57% alcohol. "It's not tested. There's no quality control," says Ian Ashmore of Trading Standards. "These are often criminals that are manufacturing this. They're not concerned about the consumer's health. So it can contain virtually anything," he says. In once recent case, a shopkeeper in the Richmond area of Sheffield was fined £582, including costs, for keeping 674 bottles of counterfeit vodka under the counter. The council called the fine derisory. The problem is now becoming apparent elsewhere across the country too. In August, a nightclub in Leeds was fined for stocking vodka containing chloroform, an anaesthetic which can make you feel dizzy, and even cause a drinker to lose consciousness. In September, HMRC seized 13,000 litres of counterfeit vodka in Scotland, one of the largest such seizures ever. It was being transported from Belfast and the lorry was intercepted as it left the ferry at Cairnryan. In December 2013, the owner of a nightclub in Chelmsford was fined after selling fake Smirnoff which he had bought from a van just outside the club. Doctors warn that any fake alcohol which contains methanol can be particularly dangerous. Dr Sarah Jarvis, who advises the organisation Drinkaware, says it can cause nerve damage, giving the victim symptoms of Parkinson's disease. "You can lose your eyesight; you can lose your ability to walk like a normal person; you can lose your life," she told the BBC. Spotting a fake is not always easy. Most illegal manufacturers try and imitate the UK duty paid stamp, although often it is the wrong size. One bottle of vodka we saw claimed to come from an area called "Russia-Berlin", which ought to ring alarm bells. Others had spelling mistakes, wonky labels, and even sediment in the bottle. But some bottles looked exactly like their genuine counterparts, such as Smirnoff or Selekt. Some had an extremely pungent aroma. Price is another good indicator. The duty and VAT alone on a legitimate 70cl bottle of vodka total £8.89. "So if you see a bottle on sale for any less than £9.50, I would be inspecting it," said Ken Webb, an enforcement officer with Trading Standards. Becca Barnes, a welfare officer at Sheffield University, is particularly concerned about students who tank themselves up early in the evening. "We've had students who've started drinking before a night out," she says. "Our advice is to look carefully at the prices as you shop." Drinkware advises shoppers to think of four 'Ps':

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english

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53338139

Coronavirus: Dementia patients 'deteriorating' without family visits

Relatives of care home residents with dementia should be treated as key workers, leading charities say.

In a letter to the health secretary, they write that the care given by family members is "essential" to residents' mental and physical health. They argue the current limits on visitors have had "damaging consequences". They want visits to resume safely, with relatives given the same access to care homes and coronavirus testing as staff. Signed by the bosses of leading charities including Dementia UK and the Alzheimer's Society, the letter calls on the government to "urgently" address what it calls the "hidden catastrophe" happening in care homes. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has told the BBC it will be setting out further details "shortly" on how it can "carefully and safely" allow visiting in care homes. In April, the DHSC said in a document that all "family and friends should be advised not to visit care homes, except next of kin in exceptional situations such as end of life". The charities say that this "enforced separation" has caused a "deterioration" in residents' mental and physical health, particularly for those living with dementia - who make up more than 70% of the population of care homes. They argue that family carers remain "essential members of the residents' care and support network", in providing practical services as well as being their "advocates, voice and memory", and "keeping them connected to the world". They are calling on Health Secretary Matt Hancock to publish detailed guidance on care home visits, and grant certain relatives and friends the same "key worker" status as members of staff - which would allow them the same access to care homes and coronavirus testing. During the pandemic, there have been 5,404 excess deaths - an increase of 52.2% compared with the five-year average - of people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Rosie's mother has severe dementia and lives in a care home. For months she couldn't visit, but when she did, two weeks ago, Rosie was shocked. Her mother was "quite slumped over in her wheelchair". It took her a long time to respond. Rosie could see she'd changed a lot. Worse still, in the last fortnight her mother has stopped eating, refusing to open her mouth when care home workers try to feed her. Rosie is now worried that she might refuse liquids too, and die. Rosie is relieved that the health secretary is promising guidance to allow visits - but also concerned that it may limit how these can happen. Before coronavirus hit, Rosie's mother had visits every day from family or friends. They would sit with her for at least an hour, talking to her. Rosie would sing Motown songs which her mother loves. "Her face would light up, she'd try to sing along" she said. Sometimes she brought food, or would take her out of the home. She liked going to the pub. Now that her mother is so much worse, Rosie would like to be treated in the same way as a paid care worker, to be allowed into the home and sit with her mother. She would be tested for Covid-19, and wear personal protective equipment (PPE). This is something leading dementia charities are saying must made possible under new guidance. "I'm her voice, her advocate" Rosie says. "I should be with her. I've only got one mother. I'm not prepared to let her die without me there". In the letter, the charities say the "inconsistency" of the visiting guidance across the UK nations is causing "additional confusion and stress" for providers and family members. In Scotland, care homes that are virus-free for 28 days were able to accept visitors from 3 July. In Northern Ireland, as of Monday, care homes that are free from the virus can allow one person to visit at a time, with a second person accommodated "where possible". In Wales, visits have been allowed to care homes and their residents since 1 June, provided they take place outside and 2m social distancing rules and hygiene procedures are followed. Care England, which represents most of the independent providers, says new guidance in England is essential - and it is "not right to keep people with care and support needs locked down indefinitely". Nicci Gerrard is the co-founder of John's Campaign and has also signed the group letter. The campaign was set up after her father, Dr John Gerrard - who had Alzheimer's disease - died in November 2014, following a stay in hospital without people he knew to closely care for him. She describes the effect of the lockdown as a "slow-motion catastrophe" that hasn't been fully recognised yet. Ms Gerrard says: "We have received hundreds of messages from family carers who used to go in regularly and who are desperate about what is happening." She says for many residents, family members are "their link to the outside world; they're their voice, and their memory". 'One Dementia Voice', the UK's leading dementia organisations led by John's Campaign and the Alzheimer's Society said it welcomed Mr Hancock's response to the group's letter, but added it needed to see the "detail", including whether designated family carers would be given key worker status. A spokeswoman said it was vital family carers get the same "safe, regular and repeated testing that key workers do, so they can get back in to care homes safely and give the care for their loved ones with dementia that no one else can". Despite the lack of guidance, many homes in England have been allowing visits from relatives, but usually only once a week per person and for very limited amounts of time. They check visitors' temperatures, question them and insist that meetings take place outside, with at least a 2m distance between residents and visitors.

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dementia

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english

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36269734

Russia says US missile system breaches nuclear INF treaty

Russia's foreign ministry says US activation of a European missile defence shield in Romania, scheduled for Thursday, violates a treaty on nuclear forces.

A ministry statement quoted by Interfax news agency said it was a breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed in 1987. The US says the Aegis system is a shield to protect Nato from long-range missiles and is no threat to Russia. Romania is hosting part of the system. A ceremony will be held at a Nato airfield in Deveselu, southern Romania, on Thursday to mark the start of Aegis operations there. "This decision is harmful and mistaken, because it is capable of upsetting strategic stability," said Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the Russian foreign ministry's department for proliferation and arms control issues. Nato and US officials say the system has been developed to track and intercept missiles fired from a "rogue" state. In the past Iran was mentioned in that context, but the US has also had North Korea in mind. For years the US has been testing the Aegis system on warships too. An incoming missile would be destroyed in space, before it could re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. On Friday another phase of the project will be launched in Poland, with a groundbreaking ceremony at Redzikowo, near the Baltic Sea. Aegis missiles are to become operational there in 2018. Mr Ulyanov said Russia's interests "are being affected in a direct way by this". He said the Americans' MK-41 launch system could also be used to fire cruise missiles, not just air defence missiles. "From our viewpoint this is a violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty," he said.

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Russia ||| Romania

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-35061369

Smartphone consultations with GPs in digital health plan

Patients will be able to consult with their GP using a smartphone and monitor their conditions via mobile apps, as part of a Welsh government strategy.

There will be more opportunity to book appointments online while people will be able to access their health records over the internet. NHS staff will also be expected to use mobile devices to access, collect and transmit data quickly. Plaid Cymru welcomed the plan, but warned it would take time to introduce. Ministers want to put digital technology "at the heart" of NHS care. Under the five-year strategy, people in Wales can expect to: Free Wi-Fi will also be made available at all NHS Wales hospital sites for patients, visitors and staff to use. Launching the new strategy, Health Minister Mark Drakeford said digital technology was now "an important part of our everyday lives". "Our vision is for more interactive, personalised health and social services, allowing people to access services wherever and whenever it's convenient to them." He said patients are often the experts in their own conditions and giving them more control over their care and access to their records could help improve their health. Tony Rucinski, chief executive of the Board of Community Health Councils, which look after the interests of patients, called the strategy's aspirations "really exciting", but said getting "an awful lot of different organisations" to work together on it would be a "challenge". "We've got dense population bases, we've got rural communities, we've got challenges where people find it difficult to access healthcare, there are ideas and technologies out there that could transform that, free up resources and get the whole thing working so much better, that's got to be a good thing," he said. Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Gruffydd urged ministers to make clear it would take a "long, long time" to make such changes, although he added they would ultimately mean a "more effective service" for patients. Conservative Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar said: "Anything that improves access to GPs and other medical services is desperately needed in Wales but outcomes will only improve if the services are there in the first place." Do you like this story? If so, head over to our Facebook page and join today's debate.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33239356

What it means to be female in Nigeria

What does it mean to be female in Nigeria? Women in Nigeria are using a hashtag on Twitter to share their experiences of everyday gender discrimination.

It started with a small book club meeting in the capital of Abuja on Sunday. Its members were discussing Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's "We Should All Be Feminists", based on the writer's popular talk. "We started describing our own experiences and challenges and thought we should bring the discussion to a larger group," says the book club's Florence Warmate. The area sales manager began to tweet her thoughts with the hashtag #BeingFemaleinNigeria, and soon the timeline flooded with other women sharing the unique situations they face because of their gender. The hashtag, which has been mentioned more than 80,000 times on Twitter, has been used by both women and men to debate gender identity and describe how women face sexism in their workplace, public places and even in their homes. "#BeingfemaleinNigeria is being told countless times that I will never find a husband because I am 'too ambitious' and outspoken," said one tweet. Several tweets explained how they had to deal with gender stereotypes at work or being judged even based on the kind of vehicle they drove. "I learnt that if you graciously cook food & take to work for male colleagues, you must clear their dirty plates too," said one woman. "If you own an SUV, it's your sugar daddy/ married lover that bought it for you," tweeted another user. "You can't go to club on your own to have a solo drink, you're a prostitute," read a tweet about the problems faced while going out. "Having to bear the trauma of your rape alone because your rapist is a highly respected family member," said another. Another post referenced #BringBackOurGirls, the global online campaign which called for the release of the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram fighters: "You get kidnapped and killed because you are being educated." Warmate says she does not expect society to change overnight. "But this can enlighten people and change perceptions about women. When women work hard, respect that." Nigeria is currently ranked 118th out of 142 countries in the Gender Gap Index 2014 of the World Economic Forum. In a new survey the 'Global Women Entrepreneur Leadership Scorecard', Nigeria scored the highest when it came to women who thought they have the skills to become entrepreneurs, but scored the least among 31 countries for 'business environment'. While several men have also actively encouraged the stories coming out of #BeingFemaleinNigeria, some responded with another hashtag: #BeingMaleinNigeria. "You must pay for lunch/dinner/movies/etc because masculinity = money," tweeted one man, while another said, "You are responsible, hardworking, morally upright. But stereotype of Nigerian men by women will overshadow your efforts." Warmate clarifies her trend is not meant to put men down. "This is about gender equality. It's about how if a man did the same thing we did, no-one would ask him anything," she tells Trending. "It's not male bashing. It's not feminism." When asked why she thinks the trend is not linked to feminism, she explained that feminism is a broad subject with different definitions for different people, and it can be associated with a 'negative agenda'. The conversation that started in Nigeria has resonated with women across the world and has sprouted posts about what it means to be women in other African countries like Ghana, and also Bangladesh. "Hashtags #BeingFemaleInGhana #beingfemaleinZimbabwe #BeingFemaleInNigeria just show that it's tough being a woman. Simple. But we're strong!," summarised one user. Blog by Samiha Nettikkara Next story: Bree Newsome: Flag activist becomes online folk hero Bree Newsome scaled a flagpole on the grounds of the South Carolina state capitol and took down the Confederate flag. By the time she climbed down, she was a hero to many online. READ MORE You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, and find us on Facebook. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending.

['Social media', 'Nigeria', 'Feminism']

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Nigeria ||| Nigeria ||| Twitter

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40307918

German reunification architect Helmut Kohl dies at 87

Helmut Kohl, Germany's ex-chancellor and architect of reunification in 1990, has died at 87.

Kohl led Germany for 16 years (from 1982 to 1998). He is credited with bringing East and West Germany together after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Together with his French ally President Francois Mitterrand, he was responsible for the introduction of the euro. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has ordered flags at EU institutions to be flown at half-mast. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Kohl's former protegee who later called for his resignation over a political funding scandal, said his death filled her with deep sadness. "Helmut Kohl's efforts brought about the two greatest achievements in German politics of recent decades - German reunification and European unity," she said. "Helmut Kohl understood that the two things were inseparable." For his part, Mr Juncker said in a tweet: "Helmut's death hurts me deeply." "My mentor, my friend, the very essence of Europe, he will be greatly, greatly missed," he added. Former US President George HW Bush paid tribute to the man he knew while in office from 1989 to 1993 as a "true friend of freedom" and "one of the greatest leaders in post-war Europe". Kohl suffered a bad fall in 2008 and had been using a wheelchair. He died at his house in Ludwigshafen, in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Bild newspaper reports. Kohl, who led the centre-right Christian Democrats, was the longest-serving chancellor of the 20th Century. A passionate believer in European integration, he persuaded Germans to give up their cherished deutschmark in favour of the European single currency. In the UK, he is remembered for his differences over the EU with the late UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. In France, he is the German leader who held hands with Mitterrand at a service at the Verdun war memorial in 1984 to mark the 70th anniversary of World War One. But for Germans he is above all the man who reunified a country divided by the allied powers after World War Two, promising the people of the ex-communist East "flourishing landscapes", in unity with the richer West. Helmut Josef Michael Kohl was born on 3 April 1930 into a conservative, Catholic family. His political outlook was shaped by his experiences in his hometown of Ludwigshafen in the Rhineland during World War Two. Because of its huge chemical works, the town was heavily bombed and, at the age of 12, the young Helmut found himself helping to recover the charred bodies of his neighbours from the rubble. What he once described as "the blessing of a late birth" freed him from any taints of Nazism. READ ON Kohl fell from grace when a funding scandal under his leadership of the Christian Democrats came to light after he left office in 1998. Chancellor Merkel first entered government under Kohl's rule in 1991. But she publicly denounced him and called for his resignation when it was revealed the party had received millions of dollars worth of illegal donations using secret bank accounts. In 2011, in a series of interviews and statements, he spoke out against Mrs Merkel's policy of strict austerity to deal with the European debt crisis. Kohl's later life was also marked by personal tragedy. His wife, Hannelore, killed herself in July 2001 after suffering from a rare skin condition and depression.

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Helmut Kohl ||| Germany

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49830755

UEFA to plant 50,000 trees in Republic of Ireland

The governing body of European football says it's going to plant 50,000 trees in the Republic of Ireland to offset emissions from people travelling to Euro 2020 matches.

The move is part of an UEFA climate action project. The body will plant 600,000 trees across the 12 host countries of the tournament. Euro 2020 will be spread across a dozen venues in Europe, including the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Other venues include Hampden Park in Glasgow and the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Aleksander Čeferin, president of UEFA, said that there are many benefits of the tournaments, but that increased travel comes with a cost. "UEFA takes its responsibilities on this seriously and it is right that we offset the carbon emissions that causes," he said.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43733751

Burned Silicon Valley home's $800,000 price tag raises eyebrows

A Silicon Valley real estate agent is defending the price of a fire-ravaged home that is listed on the market for $800,000 (£565,000).

The San Jose house, which sits on a 5,800 sq ft lot in California's San Francisco Bay Area, was the site of a major fire two years ago. The listing, announced on the agent's Facebook page, quickly drew criticism. San Francisco housing prices have risen dramatically in recent years due to proximity to nearby technology firms. "Unchecked free market capitalism," one commenter complained. "Posting a dumpster with a roof in Facebook for 800,000 is begging to get trolled," another social media user wrote. But Willow Glen Charm real estate agent Holly Barr said the land is what makes the property so valuable, as well as its proximity to nearby technology companies such as Facebook and Google. "If you are in the market you know real estate you know that this is what it's worth and the buyers set the price," Ms Barr told KTVU-TV. She added that she has already received several offers, and predicts that a bidding war may break out soon. Rick Smith of Santa Clara County Association of Realtors told the station: "I'm not surprised at all." The median price for a single-family home in the area is $1.4 million, he noted. According to NBC News, houses in San Jose gain nearly $571 in value every day due to rising costs and fewer homes for sale in the area. Over a year, that equals over $200,000 in new equity, the news outlet reports. Sacred Heart Community Services spokesman Darren Seaton told the network that he fears that the high cost will hurt more than just homeowners' wallets. "A home looks like it makes more than a schoolteacher here in San Jose," Mr Seaton told NBC. "As housing continues to skyrocket, it's going to make it more difficult to survive in Silicon Valley." Where house prices rose fastest in 2017 Where can I afford to live?

['San Francisco', 'United States']

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-44520613

Selfie mistakes: Sorry, but that is not a celebrity

Clean Bandit are Grace Chatto, Jack and Luke Patterson - but perhaps not everybody knows that or would recognise them if they met them.

That was definitely the case for MP Barry Gardiner when he "met" the band at a recent political event. He posed with who he thought were band members at this weekend's Labour Live. But rather than meeting members of the chart-topping band, he posed with some of their touring musicians instead. Twitter users were quick to point out that he had in fact met violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason and vocalist Yasmin Green. Braimah and Yasmi perform with Clean Bandit at their live shows, so it's understandable that Barry thought they were part of the band. Barry was trolled for his mistake with photos of the real members and other photos which definitely did not contain Clean Bandit. It's an easy mistake to make, and Barry isn't the first and definitely won't be the last to make it. Emma marked the anniversary of when her friend Rebecca thought she bumped into one of the world's biggest pop stars. Spoiler: She didn't. But at least it seems like Rebecca was able to laugh at her mistake. It's one thing to think you've bumped into Maisie Williams. It's quite another when she's the one to point out your mistake. And this man blamed alcohol for why he thought he'd been hanging out with Chris Pratt. Tina Fey is one of America's best comedy writers and actors. This lady is someone else. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.

['Selfies', 'Maisie Williams', 'Ed Sheeran']

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en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-45624619

Thomas Jones: Second murder arrest over missing student

A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a missing university student.

Thomas Jones, 18, from Bromsgrove has not been heard from since the early hours of Wednesday morning. A 20-year-old from Worcester is in police custody along with another man, also aged 20. Prior to the second arrest West Mercia Police shared CCTV images, of two men they wanted to speak to, recorded at the city's Velvet nightclub. Both men were arrested on Sunday. The force said it believed Mr Jones had crossed the Sabrina footbridge, which crosses the River Severn near to Worcester Racecourse, and then walked on to the footpath that runs along the top of the flood defences on Hylton Road in the direction of Hallow, just before 03:50 BST. Supt Damian Pettit said: "We are continuing the investigation with a number of lines of inquiry and will keep the community updated with developments in our continued investigation. "Thomas' family has been made aware of the updates and they are being supported by specially trained officers." As searches are ongoing, police have asked people to "kindly stay away" from the area to allow officers and divers to work "without distraction". They said there had been an "unprecedented response" to the case, with hundreds of volunteers supporting the investigation. Mr Jones was embarking on a primary teaching course at the University of Worcester and had only moved to the city on 16 September. His aunt, Jackie Rogers, said a "small army" was carrying out house-to-house inquiries in and around Hylton Road and was determined to "find our boy". Mrs Rogers said the teenager sent a Facebook message to a friend at 03:46, but no-one had heard from him since. Mr Jones was believed to have been wearing pale-coloured jeans, a navy blue, woollen zip-up Lacoste top and green shoes at the time of his disappearance. Appeals for information have also been made by West Bromwich Albion Football Club, where Mr Jones was a season ticket holder. Aston Villa FC have also publicised the search for him.

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[]

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["Bromsgrove", "Worcester"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-34449987

Big Wes namesake attends first Nottingham Forest match

An American man who became a Nottingham Forest fan after he was mistaken for a player online said it was "a dream come true" to attend his first game.

Wesley Hall, from Atlanta, and former Forest defender Wes Morgan, 31, are both known as Big Wes. Mr Hall's Twitter handle is @bigwes, and Forest fans mistakenly tweeted him four years ago to congratulate him on Morgan's 400th appearance for the club. He knew nothing about football at the time, but is now a diehard Reds fan. He watches and listens to games from across "the pond", but this was his first time seeing Forest in the flesh. "I said I wanted to be an honorary Forest fan," he told BBC Radio Nottingham. "When I said that, that's when the whole thing went absolutely wild and it's been like a rocket ship ever since." Mr Hall, who describes himself as a "digital analytics striker" on Twitter, was treated like a celebrity at the City Ground, with Forest fans eager to have photographs taken with him. "I shed a couple of tears walking in," he said. "It was overwhelming because ever since this whole thing started it's been really my desire to get here, to be amongst the people that I've grown to love, and now being here is actually a dream come true." Unfortunately he did not get a chance to meet the other Big Wes, as Wes Morgan now plays for Leicester City. However, Mr Hall was given the opportunity to take penalties at half-time during Forest's 1-0 defeat by Hull City on Saturday. He also had time to visit the statue of Forest's legendary manager Brian Clough during his trip to Nottingham. "It's been amazing seeing everybody that I've been corresponding to online," he said. "It's been absolute madness, non-stop. I've had a blast since I've been here."

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NoPresentEntity

["Nottingham"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25713019

The ballad of the Romanian shepherd

Shepherds have a special place in Romania's history and in its culture, and their lifestyle has not changed much in centuries - until now. Social media has turned at least one of them into a celebrity, writes Caroline Juler.

On a dank Monday evening some weeks ago, a Romanian shepherd called Ghita left home with his sheep. He wasn't in a lorry but on foot, accompanied by several angajati, or hired men, some shaggy dogs, and seven donkeys loaded with gear. Ghita was off on his autumn transhumance, heading north for his winter pastures. It would take him six weeks. For a country whose defining myth revolves around shepherds, Romania isn't all that keen on its pastoralists. The Ballad of the Little Sheep (Miorita) tells of a herdsman who lets himself be murdered by two rival shepherds even though one of his lambs, who has miraculously acquired the power of speech, warns him in advance. Miorita is sometimes taken as a metaphor for Christianity, another way of showing Christ's courage in turning the other cheek. It's also said to mirror the experience of the Romanian people who have endured numerous invasions, occupations and humiliations without, it is claimed, ever losing their identity. When Romanians were agitating for independence in the 19th Century, Transylvanian shepherds were seen as the rugged pioneers of the nationalist movement. Long before then, they had established shortcuts over the Carpathian Mountains to seasonal grazing in what is now Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, the Caucasus, southern Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Poland and the Czech Republic. Having crossed from Hungarian and Habsburg lands into Ottoman Turkey and Russia, they returned home to their more isolated communities with information, ideas and ambitions fired by the world outside. A shepherd's CV has to offer some crucial USPs: caringness, self-reliance and dedication. He - and it's almost always a he, although in real life women did the same job - is synonymous with the kindly ideals of Christianity and for that matter Islam - but for all that, he is a humble, often solitary, sometimes rootless figure. During Communism, certain Romanian sheep farmers did rather well. People still talk about Mr B from Poiana Sibiului who asked Ceausescu's permission to buy a helicopter. Mr B's flocks were hefted over several mountains, and he argued that being able to fly would let him keep track of them more easily. His request was refused, but Poiana is famous for other reasons - many of its shepherds built luxurious mansions at a time when most people had to stand in queues to buy food and lit their homes with 40 watt bulbs. Inaccessible to big machinery, many mountain farms escaped collectivisation, and the men and women who commuted there from the less exclusive plains, spoke of "going to America". Like farmers worldwide, Romanian flock masters enjoy a good grumble. But things have got tough for them since 1989. Once guaranteed, prices for wool have plummeted. Although there is an international market for Romanian lamb, and sheep's cheese sells well, "slow food" has not made enough of a difference to the shepherds who find it healthier - and cheaper - to walk their sheep to far away winter pastures rather than keep their animals inside. With its origins in the Bronze Age, if not earlier, transhumance is a form of semi-nomadism. It sounds romantic but in the past, Romanian shepherds occasionally resorted to transporting their animals by train, something they could never afford to do now. Romanian shepherds still look archaic. They wear a long sheepskin cloak called a cojoc or sarica. With the shaggy fleece on the outside, it's also their bed, so when shepherds call the cloak their house, they aren't joking. When they sleep at all, it's outside, in all weathers. The hired men earn between 200 or 300 euros a month. They also receive daily meals, work clothing, and a cigarette allowance. Romanians are generally learning more about their shepherds thanks to television. In August this year, a well-known phone company began an advertising campaign that highlighted real people doing real jobs. One of them was Ghita. Dressed in his cojoc and rimless pot hat (another must-have piece of shepherding rig), sitting by a campfire and dancing with sheep, Ghita Ciobanul, or Ghita the Shepherd, has taken Romania by storm. Ten days after the phone company put him on Facebook, his page had clocked more than 200,000 likes. A month later, they had doubled. In the past, Ghita has had to move his sheep illegally, during the night. Given the hazards of crossing Romania's rapidly urbanising, motorised countryside, it's the only way. Accidents and shootings have cost him scores of sheep and many dogs. Maybe this year, thanks to his new-found celebrity, Ghita will be luckier. From Our Own Correspondent: Listen online or download the podcast. BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 and some Thursdays at 11:00 BBC World Service: Short editions Monday-Friday - see World Service programme schedule. Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook

['Romania']

[{"entity": "Romania", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Caroline Juler", "label": "PER"}]

Romania

["Romania"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42652245

Rail strikes hit Northern, Greater Anglia, South Western and Merseyrail

Fresh strikes are causing more disruption for rail passengers in the latest 24-hour walkout over safety.

RMT union members at Northern, South Western Railway, Merseyrail and Great Anglia are taking action for the third time in less than a week. The union says scrapping guards and introducing driver-only operated trains risks passenger safety. But the rail companies have insisted the move is safe and already widely used. Picket lines have appeared at some railway stations affected by the strike, and passengers are facing delays, cancellations and replacement buses in some parts of the country. All four operators said some services would still be running: RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "It is frankly ludicrous that we have been able to negotiate long-term arrangements in Scotland and Wales that protect the guards and passenger safety, but we are being denied the same opportunities with rail companies in England. "This suspension of normal industrial relations by the employers has to end if we are to make progress towards a solution that guarantees safe rail travel for all. "RMT stands ready for talks in each of these separate disputes." A Department for Transport spokesman said: "This is a dispute between a private company and the RMT. "However, the transport secretary recognises the disruption caused to passengers and has met with union leaders on several occasions, including as recently as December, to help bring an end to the strikes. "Nobody is losing their job as a result of driver-controlled operation trains, employees have been guaranteed jobs and salaries for several years."

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[]

NoPresentEntity

["Merseyrail", "South Western Railway", "RMT", "Greater Anglia", "Northern"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37136536

Syrian war: US scrambles jets to Hassakeh

American fighter planes have been scrambled to the Syrian city of Hassakeh to protect US special forces on the ground from Syrian government aerial attacks, the US military says.

The Pentagon said the Syrian planes were leaving as its jets arrived. People in the north-eastern Syrian city say government warplanes have hit Kurdish districts there for the past two days. Thousands are reported to have fled their homes. Hassakeh is mainly under the control of a Kurdish militia, the YPG. What is left of Syria after five years of war? Syrian Kurds declare federal system Syrian government's warplanes bombed Kurdish areas of Hassakeh for the second day running on Friday. On Thursday, the US "scrambled" - quickly launched - fighter jets to defend some special forces soldiers that were in the area, but did not have to engage in combat because the Syrian planes turned and left as they arrived. Much of Hassakeh is controlled a Kurdish militia, the YPG. Special forces are elite soldiers with specialist skills, who often work undercover. There are 300 US special forces troops in Syria. Most of them were sent there in the past few months. They support local militias, including the YPG, in the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS). No weapons were fired between the US and Syria, but the incident was enough of a threat against US personnel on the ground for the coalition's military apparatus to swing into action. It is thought to be the first time this has happened. Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said that as far as he was aware, Thursday's mission was the first time that coalition aircraft had been scrambled to respond to an incident involving Syrian government aerial bombardment. The US had no radio contact with the Syrian planes. Capt Davis told journalists that the US had warned Syria via its communication channel with Russia that it would defend coalition troops. He said the strikes "did not directly impact our forces" but they were "close enough that it gives us great pause". US President Barack Obama has authorised the deployment of special forces troops in Syria to support local militias in the fight against IS, but he has repeatedly ruled out sending ground forces to the conflict. In a statement on Syrian state TV on Friday evening, the general command of the Syrian army accused Kurdish forces of "attacking state institutions, stealing oil and cotton, obstructing exams, kidnapping unarmed civilians and spreading chaos and instability". These actions required an appropriate response from the army, the statement said. A Kurdish journalist who is in Hassakeh, Heybar Othman, told the BBC that it was the first time the Syrian government had used air power against the city. "Right now in the city you don't have electricity, you don't have bread," he said. "We don't have [a] specific number of casualties but approximately 12 civilian people [were] killed and more than 33 injured." The YPG has emerged as a major fighting force in northern Syria in the past two years, becoming a key ally of the US-led coalition against IS. Kurds made up between 7% and 10% of Syria's population of 24.5 million before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began five years ago. Although they were denied basic rights and suffered decades of political suppression by the Arab-led state, most Kurds avoided taking sides when a wave of protests swept the country. When government forces withdrew from Kurdish areas to concentrate on fighting rebels elsewhere in mid-2012, Kurdish militias led by the YPG swiftly took control.

['Syrian civil war', 'Kurds', 'Syria']

[{"entity": "Syrian", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Hassakeh", "label": "LOC"}]

Syrian ||| Hassakeh

["Syrian civil war", "Kurds", "Syria"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38729120

Rolf Harris indecent assault jury 'got it wrong'

The jury that in 2014 convicted Rolf Harris of a series of indecent assaults "got it wrong", his lawyer has told a second trial on further allegations.

Stephen Vullo QC told Southwark Crown Court that his client had been wrongly found guilty of assaults on four women. Mr Harris will not give evidence at this trial, Mr Vullo said. The former entertainer, 86, denies seven charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault on victims aged between 12 and 42, from 1971 to 2004. He is following proceedings via a video-link from prison. Mr Vullo said: "What do we say about trial one? In short, we say that the jury got it wrong." He said the defence team had "enormous faith" in the jury system but "no system is infallible". The jury heard evidence about Mr Harris's conviction for assaulting an eight-year-old girl at a community centre in 1969. His then personal assistant described it as "highly unlikely" Mr Harris would have been at the centre, in Portsmouth, because of his high level of fame. Bruna Zanelli said: "He was a major star... a household name. We were a management that was highly esteemed. And we wouldn't have sent any client to work at a community centre. It just wouldn't have happened." Mr Harris maintains his innocence and has pleaded not guilty to assaulting seven girls and women in a series of "brazen" attacks spanning 30 years, the most recent in 2004, the court has heard. Mr Vullo told the jury that part of the evidence would relate to Harris's first trial, but that they should focus on the latest allegations. The jury was also told about an answerphone message left for one of the victims in the first case. In the 2013 message the victim, who was aged 15 when Harris assaulted her in a London pub while she was on a visit from Australia, is accused by her ex-partner of lying about her allegation against the entertainer. In an email sent to British police the following year, the victim's ex-partner said the woman made up the allegations after hearing of Mr Harris's arrest in the UK. The man, who the court heard had been physically abusive during the relationship, told police he felt obliged to support her at the time. In his email he said: "To my knowledge Mr Harris is innocent of (her) claims." On Mr Harris not giving evidence, Mr Vullo pointed out some of the alleged offences in the current trial went back four decades, and said calling the entertainer would not help a great deal. "If the defendant can say no more to you than 'I cannot remember being there', the evidential importance of giving evidence is actually quite weak," he said. The case continues.

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NoPresentEntity

["Rolf Harris"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-28102670

Chennai building collapse toll rises to 24

The death toll in a building collapse in the southern Indian city of Chennai has risen to 24, reports say.

Some 24 survivors have so far been pulled from the rubble, and 20 others are feared trapped in the debris. More than 70 workers were in the 11-storey building which was under construction when it toppled in heavy rain late on Saturday. India has seen frequent building collapses, many blamed on lax safety and substandard materials. At least six people, including construction company officials, have been arrested in connection with the collapse in Chennai (Madras), the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Dr K Kulandaisamy, a senior health official of Tamil Nadu, told the NDTV news channel that 15 of the dead had been identified. The dead were mainly construction workers from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh state and were in the building to collect their wages, reports say. On Monday, two workers, including a woman, were pulled alive from rubble by rescue workers, reports say. The woman is being treated for a head injury at the hospital, a hospital spokesperson told Press Trust of India news agency. Hundreds of rescue workers, including personnel from India's National Disaster Response Force, are working with cutters, shovels and other equipment to search for survivors. "The building has come down like a stack of cards," Karuna Sagar, a senior police officer, told AFP news agency. While the cause of the latest collapse is still under investigation, a lack of construction codes, leading to lax safety, is one reason for frequent collapses of buildings and other infrastructure projects in India. There is also a high demand for housing, pushing up costs and forcing less affluent people to risk their lives in decrepit or badly constructed buildings. Earlier on Saturday, a four-storey building came down in the capital Delhi, killing 10 people, including five children. In January, at least 14 people died when a building under construction came crashing down in the western state of Goa. At least 42 people died after a four-storey building collapsed in Mumbai last September.

['New Buildings', 'Chennai', 'India']

[{"entity": "Indian", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Chennai", "label": "LOC"}]

Chennai

["New Buildings", "Chennai", "India"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40990947

Barcelona attacks: What could they mean for Catalan independence?

Ten years ago this month, a foreign news event occurred that ultimately had a major impact on relations between Catalonia and the rest of Spain.

The credit crunch, which began when French bank BNP Paribas froze funds over US subprime mortgage sector fears, eventually plunged Spain into recession. Old grievances among Catalans were revived, as secessionists argued that their wealthy region was being milked by incompetent governments in Madrid. Now a very different kind of outside factor, jihadist violence, has returned to Spain, which last saw such carnage in the Madrid train bombings of 2004. This time Catalonia was attacked, less than two months before its unrecognised referendum on independence. While there is no suggestion Barcelona was targeted for any reason other than being Barcelona, could the attack become the wild card that gives the sovereignty game back to Madrid? Because they clapped the king of Spain on Plaça de Catalunya? Probably not. When King Felipe and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy joined Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau at a rally on the city's central square, they were simply there to mourn. "How could the king and the prime minister not travel to Barcelona?" says Manuel Arias-Maldonado, political science professor at Málaga University. "They had to go." For Adrià Alsina Leal, professor of journalism and communications at the Central University of Catalonia and a Catalan independence activist, "solidarity is welcome from wherever it comes". "It's only normal that they came," he says, noting the sense of "correctness and politeness" at the event. "I wouldn't attach any other significance to that." "It could even be argued that circumstances have forced Puigdemont and Rajoy to show, albeit reluctantly, some unity of purpose," Prof Arias-Maldonado suggests. "There are, of course, minor details: Puigdemont's references to the 'Catalan character' in his speech, Rajoy's call to co-operate and leave behind what separates in the face of greater challenges." The tacit truce between Madrid and the secessionists may rapidly unravel after Sunday, when Catalonia's three days of official mourning end. Activists have suspended campaigning for that period, and I saw no sign of campaigning along Las Ramblas, beyond the occasional estelada (the unofficial lone-star flag of independence) in some of the shops. But secessionists are indignant at how some of Spain's biggest newspapers have used the attack against their cause. For instance, an editorial in El País essentially argued that an attack of this magnitude should act as a reality check for Catalans and persuade them to set aside thoughts of independence. "Using an editorial to sort of shame Catalan independence supporters like that was probably a bit over the top," says Prof Leal. However, the real battle for hearts and minds may be fought on social media. Some secessionists, Prof Arias-Maldonado points out, are already praising the response of Catalan "state-like structures" as confirmation that Catalonia is ready for independence. "Some are even advancing the idea that these things would not happen in a free Catalonia," he says. Prof Leal insists that he and fellow members of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), a non-party grassroots movement advocating the referendum and a Yes vote, are showing dignified restraint during the period of mourning. However, when the campaign restarts, it will be visibly in tune with its democratic values. On the other hand, he says: "We definitely need to go in a very micro-targeted way to all those people who might still be wondering whether to vote Yes or No or whether to vote at all." Among the most extraordinary sights of the past few days was the outpouring of real love for Catalonia's police. People applauded the Mossos in the street for their work in securing the region and tracking down the jihadists. In a blistering polemic entitled Seven Hours Of Independence, Catalan writer Bernat Dedéu argues that the first response of Catalonia's police and emergency services proved the region had "acted as an authentic power". He also makes the point that Spain has denied Catalan police direct access to European police databases, while granting it to police in the Basque region (however, change was already on the cards last month). Nonetheless, the Catalan authorities' handling of security before the attack is not above criticism. Barcelona's town hall rejected installing vehicle barriers at Las Ramblas, despite a recommendation from the Spanish interior ministry after the Berlin Christmas market attack, Prof Arias-Maldonado points out. He also notes that the explosion at a house in Alcanar just before the attack was "misinterpreted as a drug-dealing event". "It is unclear why this happened and why this event was not followed by a tightening of the security," he says. "Still, perception is king and if public perception says that the Catalan police handled it well, it might help the secessionist case." "It is hard to say," says the political scientist from Málaga University. "According to polls, secessionists are now around 41% of Catalans - numbers have been going down for some time. Around 49% are against it. "These data come from the Catalan public polling body. How will the terrorist attack affect this situation? Who knows? But my bet is - not very much and if it does, it will reinforce the unionist side. "Ultimately I don't think the essence of the independence debate is going to change, because the underlying situation has not changed," says Prof Leal. When I put it to him that support for the cause of independence appears to be ebbing, he is sceptical about the polls and argues that the base is still strong. "I don't know anybody who was a supporter of independence who has stopped being a supporter of independence," he says. He speaks with the same passion I remember in November 2014, when we met during the heady week of Catalonia's referendum dry run. Nearly two million people voted, defying Madrid's attempts to ban it, and 80% chose independence (according to Catalan figures). But one thing has definitely changed since then: Spain's economy is recovering. That, for Prime Minister Rajoy, master of the long game, may yet be his best card. For more on Barcelona after the attack, follow Patrick at @patrickgjackson

['Catalonia', 'Spain', 'Barcelona', 'Catalonia independence protests']

[{"entity": "Catalonia", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Spain", "label": "LOC"}]

Catalonia ||| Spain

["Catalonia", "Spain", "Barcelona", "Catalonia independence protests"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40098658

Russia inquiry expands to Trump lawyer Michael Cohen

President Donald Trump's lawyer has received requests for information from two congressional panels investigating alleged Russian political meddling.

Michael Cohen confirmed to US media that he had been asked to "provide information and testimony" about any contacts he had with the Kremlin. Mr Cohen said he turned down the request because it was "overly broad" and "not capable of being answered". Last week Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner was named in the Russia probe. Mr Cohen is the latest Trump associate to rebuff the House and Senate investigations into the matter. White House communications chief quits "I declined the invitation to participate, as the request was poorly phrased, overly broad and not capable of being answered," he told ABC News. He later told CNN that lawmakers "have yet to produce one single piece of credible evidence that would corroborate the Russia narrative". The widening inquiry into Russia's alleged interference in the US election and whether Trump campaign officials colluded with the Kremlin is threatening to engulf his fledgling presidency. His son-in-law is said to be under scrutiny as part of the FBI inquiry. According to US media, Mr Kushner, a top White House aide, discussed setting up a back channel line of communication with Moscow's envoy to Washington during a December meeting. In Tuesday's daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer refused to be drawn on whether Mr Kushner had tried to set up such a secretive mode of contact. Mr Spicer said the claims were based on reports "not substantiated by anything but anonymous sources". White House rallies to Kushner's defence How Trump's Russia trouble unfolded The press secretary added, however, that "in general terms, back channels are an appropriate part of diplomacy". Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is to submit documents to the Senate intelligence committee as part of its investigation, government sources tell US media. Last week, Mr Flynn initially said through his lawyer that he would refuse to hand over files relating to his contacts with Russians dating back to June 2015. Similar congressional request for information have been sent to other former Trump aides, including Roger Stone, Paul Manafort and Carter Page. Mr Manafort and Mr Stone have complied, but Mr Page is not thought to have responded yet.

['Mueller Trump-Russia inquiry', 'Donald Trump', 'United States']

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NoPresentEntity

["Mueller Trump-Russia inquiry", "Donald Trump", "United States"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35489514

Council cuts 'threat' to rural bus services

Many rural bus services in England and Wales face being wiped out by council budget cuts, campaigners have warned.

Research by the Campaign for Better Transport says subsidies to routes have been reduced by £78m since 2010, with another £27m under threat this year. It likens the situation to the cuts to about a third of the rail network made on the back of a report by Dr Beeching in the 1960s. Councils say "difficult decisions" are being made amid government cuts. The Campaign for Better Transport says reductions in local authority funding had already resulted in thousands of bus services being reduced or cancelled in recent years. According to its research, people in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Somerset, Dorset, West Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, North Yorkshire and Lancashire will be among the worst affected. Oxfordshire County Council says it is looking to save nearly £4m by cutting subsidies to more than 100 routes. It told the BBC it had been left with no choice but to include buses in the services it was cutting, because of an overall reduction in government funding to councils. Martin Abrams, from the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "Up and down the country utterly devastating cuts are now being inflicted on our vital bus services on a par with the swingeing and misguided cuts the government and Dr Beeching made to our rail network which decimated services back in the 1960s." Buses are overseen by the Department for Transport in England and the Welsh Assembly in Wales, but decisions on funding for services are made by local authorities. Transport minister Andrew Jones said: "The government protected around £250m of funding for bus services in England, provided through the Bus Service Operators Grant, as part of last year's spending review." He said ministers had also provided £7.6m in support for 37 local transport schemes in rural areas, while more than 300 charities and community groups across England would benefit from new minibuses through a £25m fund. He added: "We are also developing measures in the upcoming Buses Bill so local authorities can deliver improved bus services." The Welsh government, meanwhile, said last month it was committed to improving the quality and accessibility of local bus services. Labour's shadow transport minister Daniel Zeichner said: "David Cameron promised to keep the free bus pass but he cut the buses instead. Labour would make sure that local communities have the power to make bus operators provide the services local people need." Peter Box, the Local Government Association's transport spokesman, called for the concessionary fares under which councils provide free off-peak travel for elderly and disabled residents to be fully funded by the government. He added: "Councils know how important buses are for their communities and local economies and are desperate to protect them. Instead, many across the country are reluctantly taking difficult decisions to scale back services and review subsidised routes as a result."

['Transport', 'Local Government Association']

[{"entity": "England", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Wales", "label": "LOC"}]

England ||| Wales

["Transport", "Local Government Association"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-29462103

Parents forced to cut back to pay university costs

Hundreds of thousands of parents are cutting down on their "basic outgoings" to pay for their children's university costs, says a financial data company.

Experian has published research claiming that about one in five parents of students have faced financial pressures to support their children. This includes paying for accommodation, travel and utility bills. "University can be an extremely expensive time for parents and students alike," said Experian's Julie Doleman. The costs are particularly tough if a family has more than one child in higher education at the same time, said Ms Doleman. Experian has published research claiming that about one in five parents of students have faced financial pressures to support their children. This includes paying for accommodation, travel and utility bills. "University can be an extremely expensive time for parents and students alike," said Experian's Julie Doleman. The costs are particularly tough if a family has more than one child in higher education at the same time, said Ms Doleman. There are about 1.6 million UK undergraduates, which would mean more than 300,000 families are cutting back on spending to support their student children. About 10% of students' parents reported borrowing or using credit cards to cover the expense, according to Experian's analysis of a representative sample of more than a thousand UK families. The data firm, which provides information for credit references, says too many parents underestimate how much their children's university costs will affect them. Even though university students are adults who have left home, the amount they can borrow in student loans and receive in grants is still dependent on their parents' income. The full student grant and loan, with a combined value of about £7,000 a year, is available to students from families with a combined household income of £25,000 or less. The more the parental joint income goes above this, the lower the grant and the amount that students can borrow, to a minimum of about £3,600 per year. Parents are expected to cover the shortfall - and Experian suggests that this is putting many families under pressure. About half of parents reported having to pay more than £5,000 towards their child's university costs. This included anticipated items such as rent, food and books, but parents also reported having to lend children money at short notice, "bailing them out in an emergency". Parents could also have to help with rising accommodation costs - universities in central London advise students that basic living expenses are more than £1,200 per month. Experian's study claims that almost two in five parents "went without, to help fund their child's education" - and that about one in five faced even more hardship and were having to cut down on basic spending. But a large majority of parents say they are willing to make the sacrifice to support their children. "As young people start university, there are often unexpected costs that can be passed on to parents," said Ms Doleman. These loans and parental support for living costs are separate from the £9,000 tuition fees, which are paid back by students when they start working and earn more than £21,000. Record numbers of students are entering universities this autumn, and the removal of a limit on numbers next year is expected to lead to a 20% increase in undergraduate numbers. There are about 1.6 million UK undergraduates, which would mean more than 300,000 families are cutting back on spending to support their student children. About 10% of students' parents reported borrowing or using credit cards to cover the expense, according to Experian's analysis of a representative sample of more than a thousand UK families. The data firm, which provides information for credit references, says too many parents underestimate how much their children's university costs will affect them. Even though university students are adults who have left home, the amount they can borrow in student loans and receive in grants is still dependent on their parents' income. The full student grant and loan, with a combined value of about £7,000 a year, is available to students from families with a combined household income of £25,000 or less. The more the parental joint income goes above this, the lower the grant and the amount that students can borrow, to a minimum of about £3,600 per year. Parents are expected to cover the shortfall - and Experian suggests that this is putting many families under pressure. About half of parents reported having to pay more than £5,000 towards their child's university costs. This included anticipated items such as rent, food and books, but parents also reported having to lend children money at short notice, "bailing them out in an emergency". Parents could also have to help with rising accommodation costs - universities in central London advise students that basic living expenses are more than £1,200 per month. Experian's study claims that almost two in five parents "went without, to help fund their child's education" - and that about one in five faced even more hardship and were having to cut down on basic spending. But a large majority of parents say they are willing to make the sacrifice to support their children. "As young people start university, there are often unexpected costs that can be passed on to parents," said Ms Doleman. These loans and parental support for living costs are separate from the £9,000 tuition fees, which are paid back by students when they start working and earn more than £21,000. Record numbers of students are entering universities this autumn, and the removal of a limit on numbers next year is expected to lead to a 20% increase in undergraduate numbers.

['Personal finance', 'Students', 'Tuition fees']

[]

NoPresentEntity

["Personal finance", "Students", "Tuition fees"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38371975

Ireland reveals hand in Apple tax row

It's worth remembering that the European's Commission case that Apple should pay €13bn (£11bn) in back taxes against is primarily a case against Ireland - not the global technology giant.

Apple is obviously involved in a pretty major way and is also allowed to appeal as an affected third party but the argument is that Ireland used its tax system to give two Apple subsidiaries illegal state aid. Some of the arguments are complicated but there are some pretty simple thoughts at the heart of this issue. Where does the stuff that make Apple's products so successful actually happen. Is it A - in Ireland? B in your local electrical retailer? or C - in California? Apple is obviously involved in a pretty major way and is also allowed to appeal as an affected third party but the argument is that Ireland used its tax system to give two Apple subsidiaries illegal state aid. Some of the arguments are complicated but there are some pretty simple thoughts at the heart of this issue. Where does the stuff that make Apple's products so successful actually happen. Is it A - in Ireland? B in your local electrical retailer? or C - in California? If your answer to that question is C then you agree with the Irish government (and Apple). The huge profits Apple generates are down to great US design and innovation, should be taxed in the US and one day they will be - just as soon as someone lowers US taxes (step forward Donald Trump?). Until then, profits on Apple's non-US sales will continue to pile up in Ireland. The Irish government today published the reasons it thinks that is not a very good reason for it to be the tax collector for the rest of the world. Only a tiny fraction of Apple's $200bn+ Irish cash pile was actually earned in Ireland, why should Irish tax authorities be the ones to hit them with a worldwide bill. If your answer to that question is C then you agree with the Irish government (and Apple). The huge profits Apple generates are down to great US design and innovation, should be taxed in the US and one day they will be - just as soon as someone lowers US taxes (step forward Donald Trump?). Until then, profits on Apple's non-US sales will continue to pile up in Ireland. The Irish government today published the reasons it thinks that is not a very good reason for it to be the tax collector for the rest of the world. Only a tiny fraction of Apple's $200bn+ Irish cash pile was actually earned in Ireland, why should Irish tax authorities be the ones to hit them with a worldwide bill. This point is one that the Commission seems to tacitly accept by recently suggesting that once the money is collected, other countries might want to make a claim on the pot. It also accepts that if billions in taxable income was repatriated to the US, Ireland would collect less. So we have Apple as pinata, everyone having a whack until some money falls out. Finally, says the Irish government, tax and spending decisions are a matter for sovereign governments - not the Commission - and you certainly can't retrospectively legislate. The principles behind the commissions argument come out a 2010 OECD document that is not law in Ireland and even if it was, couldn't be applied to the two Irish tax rulings at issue which were taken back in 1991 and 2007. This point is one that the Commission seems to tacitly accept by recently suggesting that once the money is collected, other countries might want to make a claim on the pot. It also accepts that if billions in taxable income was repatriated to the US, Ireland would collect less. So we have Apple as pinata, everyone having a whack until some money falls out. Finally, says the Irish government, tax and spending decisions are a matter for sovereign governments - not the Commission - and you certainly can't retrospectively legislate. The principles behind the commissions argument come out a 2010 OECD document that is not law in Ireland and even if it was, couldn't be applied to the two Irish tax rulings at issue which were taken back in 1991 and 2007. Although it will be years before this case is settled, the tax landscape is already changing. The Commission may end up losing this particular battle but there is progress in the international war against tax avoidance. The notoriously complex "double Irish" tax structure is being phased out, the OECD's work on preventing profit shifting to low tax areas is being fairly widely adopted and companies are even moving their headquarters to places where they have a real physical business (Mcdonalds from Luxembourg to the UK for example). And, if Donald Trump does cut US taxes from 35% to 15% as he hinted during his campaign, the sea of US corporate cash lapping around the shores of Ireland and Luxembourg may start flooding back home. Although it will be years before this case is settled, the tax landscape is already changing. The Commission may end up losing this particular battle but there is progress in the international war against tax avoidance. The notoriously complex "double Irish" tax structure is being phased out, the OECD's work on preventing profit shifting to low tax areas is being fairly widely adopted and companies are even moving their headquarters to places where they have a real physical business (Mcdonalds from Luxembourg to the UK for example). And, if Donald Trump does cut US taxes from 35% to 15% as he hinted during his campaign, the sea of US corporate cash lapping around the shores of Ireland and Luxembourg may start flooding back home.

['Companies', 'Apple']

[{"entity": "European's Commission", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Apple", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Ireland", "label": "LOC"}]

Apple ||| Ireland

["Companies", "Apple"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34148891

Migrant crisis: EU 'must accept 200,000 refugees', UN says

EU nations must accept up to 200,000 refugees as part of a "common strategy" to replace their "piecemeal" approach to the migrant crisis, the UN says.

Antonio Guterres, head of the UN refugee agency, said the EU must mobilise "full force" for the crisis, calling it a "defining moment". EU leaders, split over sharing the refugee burden, are scrambling to agree a response in meetings on Friday. In Hungary, hundreds of refugees are locked in a stalemate with authorities. Migrants hoping to reach the Austrian border have refused to disembark from a train surrounded by police in the Hungarian town of Bicske, 40km (25 miles) from Budapest. Live updates on the crisis Hungarian authorities want to move the migrants to a nearby refugee camp - but the migrants fear registering there will hamper their plans to seek asylum in Germany and other countries. In the Hungarian capital, Budapest, hundreds of stranded refugees have vowed to "walk to Vienna" because they have not been allowed to board trains onwards. Hungary has also shut its main border crossing with Serbia after some 300 migrants escaped from a camp in the town of Roszke, prompting a police search operation. Meanwhile, a Syrian Kurdish child who was drowned while attempting to reach Greece has been buried in his hometown of Kobane on Friday. The family of Alan Kurdi crossed the border from Turkey to Syria, carrying coffins bearing his body and those of family members who died with him. Images of the toddler's limp body, washed ashore on a Turkish beach, have been widely circulated, heightening outrage over the migrant crisis. As the crisis mounts, the EU is facing intense pressure to adopt a cohesive policy towards the migrant flows - the greatest seen globally since World War Two. Mr Guterres, of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), criticised the bloc's "unbalanced and dysfunctional" system that he said had only benefited people smugglers. He urged the EU to admit up to 200,000 refugees as part of "a mass relocation programme" that had the "mandatory participation" of all member states. In a statement, Mr Guterres said Europe needed to build "adequate reception capacities", especially in Greece, replacing a "piecemeal" approach with a "common strategy". In other developments: Ten powerful photos Hungary lays bare EU East-West split Will one image change our views? Migrant crisis in graphics Volunteers step up Hungarian MPs on Friday are also voting on creating new holding camps for migrants, and on whether the situation constitutes a state of emergency. Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday described the situation as a "German problem" as Germany was where those arriving in the EU "would like to go". However, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn - who is heading the EU meetings on the crisis - criticised Hungary's conservative leader on German television, saying: "One sometimes has to be ashamed for Viktor Orban." EU countries are under pressure as a surge of migrants from the Middle East and Africa seek to escape war and oppression. Italy, Greece and Hungary, on the EU's borders, are under particular pressure. Syrians make up the largest group by nationality, followed by Afghans and Eritreans. An uprising against President Bashar al-Assad erupted in March 2011, and the country has since descended into a complex civil war. More than 240,000 people have been killed, and around half Syria's pre-war population have fled their homes. Why is EU struggling with migrants and asylum? European Council President Donald Tusk has said at least 100,000 refugees should be distributed across EU states - a sharp increase on a previous European Commission target of 40,000. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have said they will present plans for the redistribution of refugees within the EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a political leader who thrives on conflict. While he tolerates no dissent within his Fidesz party, he enjoys taking on his opponents. But in the refugee crisis now overwhelming Hungary, he is attacking not only the migrants themselves, but, increasingly, Germany. Mr Orban himself has described proposals for binding quotas of refugees to be accepted by all EU countries as "idiotic" - a personal insult to Chancellor Angela Merkel. His game now seems to be two-fold: to stir up xenophobia at home by appearing both patriotic and powerful and to reach out to anti-migrant opinion across Europe. Profile: Hungary PM Viktor Orban Germany seizes its chance to help How could EU solve the crisis? International services had been suspended at Budapest's Keleti railway station but hundreds crammed on to the first train on Thursday, hoping it would take them to the Austrian border. Many people continued to camp out at Keleti station, and elsewhere in Budapest, overnight. Images showed the migrants sleeping overnight on the train at Bicske. BBC Radio Four's Today programme has interviewed a Syrian teacher at a camp in Hungary, who said her family wanted asylum in Germany after having struggled to survive in Lebanon and Turkey. "All the governments make this war in Syria," the woman, identified as Hamza, said. "And now they... prevent us going to their countries." The word migrant is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "one who moves, either temporarily or permanently, from one place, area, or country of residence to another". A refugee is, according to the 1951 Refugee Convention, any person who "owing to a well-founded fear" of persecution is outside their country of nationality and "unable" or "unwilling" to seek the protection of that country. To gain the status, one has to go through the legal process of claiming asylum. The word migrant has traditionally been considered a neutral term, but some criticise the BBC and other media for using a word they say implies something voluntary, and should not be applied to people fleeing danger. Battle over words to describe migrants Are you in Hungary? Are you in Bicske on or near the train? Do you have friends and family who may be affected by this story? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. If you are happy to speak to a BBC journalist, please include contact details.

['Refugees and asylum seekers', 'Viktor Orban', 'Europe migrant crisis', 'Hungary', 'Migration']

[{"entity": "EU", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "UN", "label": "ORG"}]

EU ||| UN

["Refugees and asylum seekers", "Viktor Orban", "Europe migrant crisis", "Hungary", "Migration"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-58348288

Benjamin Mendy: Manchester City footballer charged with rape

Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been charged with rape.

The 27-year-old defender has been charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, Cheshire Police said. The charges relate to three complainants over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August this year. Mr Mendy, of Prestbury, has been remanded in custody and will appear at Chester Magistrates' Court on Friday. The left-back has played for last season's Premier League champions since 2017, when he joined from Monaco for a reported £52m. A police spokesman said: "Cheshire Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service would like to remind everyone that criminal proceedings against Mendy are live and that he has a right to a fair trial." Manchester City said the defender, who also plays for the French national team, had been suspended pending an investigation. "The matter is subject to a legal process and the club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete," the club added. Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk

['Prestbury', 'Manchester']

[{"entity": "Manchester City", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Benjamin Mendy", "label": "PER"}]

Manchester City

["Prestbury", "Manchester"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-35915728

Holyrood 2016: How could the SNP's tax plan raise an extra £2bn?

The Holyrood election campaign is under way and the policy announcements from Scotland's main political parties are starting to flow.

But do they make sense to you and where do the figures used come from? Here, I've looked at the SNP's claim that its tax plans would raise an extra £2bn over the next parliament. But do they make sense to you and where do the figures used come from? Here, I've looked at the SNP's claim that its tax plans would raise an extra £2bn over the next parliament. Most of the potential revenue is from a change to the threshold at which higher rate payers would start to pay tax, already rising to £43,000 with the start of the new financial year. The SNP said it would not implement the full increase being planned by George Osborne for the rest of the UK, but restricting the increase to inflation. The Chancellor has started raising that threshold faster than inflation, and the Conservative manifesto last year set out to raise it to £50,000. This is a tax cut, because each pound earned between the current and future threshold for 40% will be taxed at only half the rate (20%) if it falls into the basic rate band. So, where does Ms Sturgeon find £1.2bn extra as she claims, from a tax cut. It involves part of the Fiscal Framework agreed with the Treasury in London. In future, if Westminster policy means an impact on Scottish revenue, Westminster has to compensate Holyrood for that. By cutting tax for higher earners, but not doing so for Scotland, George Osborne is reckoned by Scottish government economists to owe £120m in 2016-17, rising to £350m in 2020-21. Add up the years, and you get £1.25bn. Most of the potential revenue is from a change to the threshold at which higher rate payers would start to pay tax, already rising to £43,000 with the start of the new financial year. The SNP said it would not implement the full increase being planned by George Osborne for the rest of the UK, but restricting the increase to inflation. The Chancellor has started raising that threshold faster than inflation, and the Conservative manifesto last year set out to raise it to £50,000. This is a tax cut, because each pound earned between the current and future threshold for 40% will be taxed at only half the rate (20%) if it falls into the basic rate band. So, where does Ms Sturgeon find £1.2bn extra as she claims, from a tax cut. It involves part of the Fiscal Framework agreed with the Treasury in London. In future, if Westminster policy means an impact on Scottish revenue, Westminster has to compensate Holyrood for that. By cutting tax for higher earners, but not doing so for Scotland, George Osborne is reckoned by Scottish government economists to owe £120m in 2016-17, rising to £350m in 2020-21. Add up the years, and you get £1.25bn. The party is proposing that councils should be allowed to increase Council Tax rates by 3%. If all 32 local authorities do so, that would bring in an extra £350m if you add up the figures over five years (the annual revenue is now just under £2bn, so the first year would bring in an extra £60m). In addition to that, a re-organisation of council tax bands is expected to draw another £500m from owners of more valuable homes - again, in tranches increasing over the five years, and totalling that half billion. And big business faces a tax hike of £650m from non-domestic rates. The total of that comes to £2.7bn. But as some of it depends on council decisions, and perhaps because the SNP doesn't want to sound too keen on high tax, it has been rounded down to "two billion". The party is proposing that councils should be allowed to increase Council Tax rates by 3%. If all 32 local authorities do so, that would bring in an extra £350m if you add up the figures over five years (the annual revenue is now just under £2bn, so the first year would bring in an extra £60m). In addition to that, a re-organisation of council tax bands is expected to draw another £500m from owners of more valuable homes - again, in tranches increasing over the five years, and totalling that half billion. And big business faces a tax hike of £650m from non-domestic rates. The total of that comes to £2.7bn. But as some of it depends on council decisions, and perhaps because the SNP doesn't want to sound too keen on high tax, it has been rounded down to "two billion". Unsurprisingly, opponents see things differently to the SNP. One aspect of the arithmetic highlighted by rivals of the SNP is that higher rate tax-payers will be paying more tax - up to £323 more - relative to people with the same taxable income in the rUK. So one interpretation of this is that Holyrood gains from compensation through an adjustment to its block grant from Westminster - though that calculation is open to dispute between parties in the campaign, and between governments from next year. The other way of looking at this is how much Scottish taxpayers have to fork out. And under SNP plans, higher earners would be handing more money to Holyrood, so you can choose to see this as a (relative) tax raid on higher earners. Unsurprisingly, opponents see things differently to the SNP. One aspect of the arithmetic highlighted by rivals of the SNP is that higher rate tax-payers will be paying more tax - up to £323 more - relative to people with the same taxable income in the rUK. So one interpretation of this is that Holyrood gains from compensation through an adjustment to its block grant from Westminster - though that calculation is open to dispute between parties in the campaign, and between governments from next year. The other way of looking at this is how much Scottish taxpayers have to fork out. And under SNP plans, higher earners would be handing more money to Holyrood, so you can choose to see this as a (relative) tax raid on higher earners.

['Nicola Sturgeon', 'UK taxes', 'Scottish Parliament', 'SNP (Scottish National Party)']

[{"entity": "Holyrood", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Scotland", "label": "LOC"}]

Holyrood ||| Scotland

["Nicola Sturgeon", "UK taxes", "Scottish Parliament", "SNP (Scottish National Party)"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40873478

Obama treasury secretary: Financial risks 'substantial'

Jack Lew, former US treasury secretary, has told the BBC the world remains at risk from financial threats.

He says loosening regulation would not be a good idea: "We should not disarm at a moment when we're out of the last financial crisis, but still in a world with substantial financial risks. But Mr Lew, an adviser to Barack Obama during the financial crisis in 2008, says no to tighter rules. "I don't personally believe we should do more than we need to." Looking back on the unfolding financial crisis, he told the BBC's Today Programme the bad news had kept on escalating. "I have never seen a situation where every single day the numbers were so much worse than the day before that you literally had to keep revisiting how much fiscal stimulus the economy would need in order to stimulate a recovery," he said. He said action taken then, both in supporting the financial system and tightening up regulation, had borne fruit: "What our reforms of Wall Street after the crisis did was, for the first time since Great Depression, give us the tools to safeguard the evolving financial system." The Dodd-Frank Act was the key piece of law-making designed to ensure there would never be another 2008-style meltdown. Its aim is to keep a closer eye on the institutions that are "too big to fail" and to limit the risks they take. President Donald Trump thinks regulation of the financial sector is now too onerous. One part of the Dodd-Frank act is the Volcker Rule, which is designed to prevent banks from using their own money to trade. Last week, that was officially opened up for review, after Trump appointee Keith Noreika announced he wanted views on how to define better which activities are prohibited by this rule. Mr Lew gave a warning on making significant changes to the rules: "There's been a big push back saying this has gone too far. "I fear that as the memory fades, some of the simple nostrums about clearing away regulation start to take on salience, as if the stakes weren't high enough in 2007-08." But although he thinks the level of regulation is currently sufficient, he says there are no guarantees that these existing rules will prevent a new major financial shock. "The risks in the future are unlikely to come from the places they've come from in the past," he said. "We all know crises will come in the future, what we don't know is when and how." Are we, the taxpayers, safe from having to bail out a bank ten years on from the credit crunch? The short answer is: safer than we were ten years ago. But not 100% safe. Reforms brought in since the global financial crisis are supposed to mean a bank could simply go under without causing a collapse of the financial system or requiring the government to bail them out. The idea is that banks should be like normal private companies which take their own risks; if executives screw up, shareholders and creditors might lose money - but taxpayers shouldn't. But buried in the Bank of England's recent financial stability report is an admission that that's not yet the case. We are merely "on course" to achieve that by 2022. The implication is that if a bank went under now, taxpayers would still probably have to intervene. Is that at all likely? For a bank to go under, its losses would have to exceed its capacity to absorb them. Post-crisis reforms have required banks to have more capital set aside to absorb losses. The Bank of England's highlighted the fact that they now have to hold "10 times" more capital in case things go wrong. Which sounds reassuring until you realise how little they had to hold before the crisis. Under the old regime (known as Basel II) there was no "leverage ratio" - no cap on the amount banks could lend for every £1 they had in loss-absorbing capital. Now there is a cap of 3.25% - so that, put simply, banks have to have £3.25 set aside in capital to absorb potential losses for every £100 they lend. Ten times hardly anything is still not a vast amount. Having said that, for banks to chalk up losses of £3.25 for every £100 they have lent would require an economic calamity on a scale to beat even the crisis of 2008. That risk seems comfortably remote - or at least, we had better hope it is.

['Economics', 'Financial crisis of 2007-08']

[{"entity": "Jack Lew", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "US", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "BBC", "label": "ORG"}]

BBC

["Economics", "Financial crisis of 2007-08"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-41195897

TIFF 2017: Borg/McEnroe opens Toronto film festival

This year's Toronto Film Festival has officially opened - with tennis drama Borg/McEnroe kicking off proceedings.

The film tells the story of the famous Wimbledon men's final of 1980, and stars Shia LaBeouf and Sverrir Gudnason as McEnroe and Borg respectively. Welsh actor Scott Arthur, who plays McEnroe's tennis partner Peter Fleming in the film, described the pair's duel as the "perfect rivalry". "They were kind of the first rock star tennis players," he told BBC News. "They had a swagger about them. Borg was almost like a Beatle. Everywhere he went, people were obsessed with him. "Then you had McEnroe, who was more of a hot-headed fiery tennis player, didn't always play by the rules." Borg/McEnroe is one of several sports-based films attracting attention this year. I, Tonya - starring Margot Robbie as figure skater Tonya Harding - is hot property at the festival, alongside Battle of the Sexes, which sees Emma Stone portray former tennis world number one Billie Jean King. Scott said: "Tennis is a sport where there's so much that comes with the way that you go about your game." "Being respectful to your opponent, treating a loss the same as a victory… so to have Borg and McEnroe competing against each other, it was the perfect rivalry really. "What's amazing is that after their rivalry they became best friends. Borg was the best man at McEnroe's wedding." Here's what some of the stars said about the film: Scott said preparing for the role involved spending more time in the park and, unfortunately, less time in the pub. "About six weeks before we started filming, I got a call saying 'You need to make sure that you're training every day, going running and not drinking beer'," the 28-year-old explained. "Because if you're playing a tennis player you need to look as lean as possible, so that was probably the hardest part of everything, going running, not drinking beer and making sure I was watching my diet." Scott is no debutant, but described Borg/McEnroe as "the most high profile thing I've done, by far". "I did a film called Bridgend, based loosely on the Bridgend suicides [a spate of suicides involving young people in Wales]. "That got a bit of press, but it's nothing on the scale of Borg/McEnroe, so this is the first real big thing that I've done. "So to be walking on a red carpet is a childhood dream. I'm trying to just stay on my feet, not get too swept up by it all." The film, which is due to be released in the UK on 22 September, is certainly turning heads at Toronto, although its first reviews were mixed. The Guardian awarded it two stars, with Peter Bradshaw writing: "This tennis film feels like a two-hour baseline rally, and it's not just the rackets that are made of wood." Writing in IndieWire, David Ehrlich said: "If not for LaBeouf, Borg/McEnroe would have nothing to offer that you couldn't get from simply watching a broadcast of the 1980 Wimbledon Men's Final." But Scott said he hopes the film will help shed light on the lesser known aspects of the famous tennis rivalry. "I want audiences to come away having a bit of empathy for them both, to understand how much dedication and hard work it takes to become as brilliant as Borg and McEnroe are," he said. "I want people to leave thinking 'I didn't know about that'. You really see the relationships between Borg and his wife, or John and his Dad, and so you get all of that and I want people to understand how much time they're putting in and how lonely they are." Read more: Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

['Toronto', 'Toronto Film Festival', 'Film', 'Canada']

[{"entity": "Toronto Film Festival", "label": "EVE"}, {"entity": "Borg", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "McEnroe", "label": "PER"}]

Borg ||| McEnroe

["Toronto", "Toronto Film Festival", "Film", "Canada"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-53416056

Paedophile Mark Sutherland loses human rights court challenge

A convicted paedophile has lost a Supreme Court challenge over using evidence in court gathered covertly by so-called paedophile hunters.

Judges unanimously dismissed an appeal which argued that evidence from vigilante groups breached a person's right to a private life. It was brought by Mark Sutherland, who was caught by Groom Resisters Scotland. Sutherland was subsequently convicted of attempting to communicate indecently with an older child. He was appealing his conviction on the grounds that the covert investigation - and the use of the resulting evidence by the authorities - breached his human right for his correspondence to be private. The UK's highest court ruled on Wednesday that the interests of children have priority over any interest a paedophile could have in being allowed to engage in criminal conduct. Lord Sales delivered the judgement via video link, stating that the panel of five justices found there was no interference with the accused's rights under Article 8. He said this was for two reasons - the first being that "the activity in question should be capable of respect", and that children also have rights. Lord Sales said the state had "a special responsibility to protect children against sexual exploitation by adults". "This indicates that there is no protection under Article 8 for the communications by the accused in this case." he said. "The interests of children have priority over any interest a paedophile could have in being allowed to engage in the criminal conduct in issue here.". The state must "deter offences against children" and so prosecutors were entitled to use the evidence gathered by Groom Resisters Scotland to secure a conviction. Secondly, he said, Sutherland had "no reasonable expectation of privacy" in the circumstances. "There was no prior relationship between the accused [Sutherland] and the decoy [from Groom Resisters Scotland] from which an expectation of privacy could be said to arise. "In addition, the accused believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old child, and it was foreseeable that a child of that age might share any worrying communications with an adult", Lord Sales said. He added that prosecutors had "no additional positive obligation" to protect Sutherland's interests in any way that would prevent the prosecutor making use of the evidence to prosecute the crimes. Mark Sutherland brought the case after being caught by a group of "paedophile hunters" called Groom Resisters Scotland. In 2018, Sutherland, 37, matched up on Grindr with someone who, when he communicated with them, claimed to be a 13-year-old boy. Sutherland sent explicit pictures and made arrangements to meet the "boy". It was in fact 48-year-old Paul Devine. When Sutherland turned up at Partick Bus Station in Glasgow, he found two members of Mr Devine's group. The group confronted Sutherland at the arranged meeting, and waited with him until police arrived. They broadcast the encounter on social media and handed the evidence to the authorities. Sutherland was convicted in August 2018 of attempting to communicate indecently with an older child, and related offences, and jailed for two years. He had previously been jailed for sending explicit pictures to a 12-year-old boy. At a hearing in June, Sutherland's lawyers argued in court that his right to a private life had been breached. This right is enshrined in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and states that everyone has the right to respect for his or her private life and correspondence. His lawyer, Gordon Jackson QC, argued: "The police are aware that there a number of hunter organisations operating in Scotland and the UK and evidence submitted from these organisations has led to a number of criminal investigations and convictions." There is "disquiet" about the work of such groups, and police and prosecutors give them "tacit encouragement", Mr Jackson said. He argued that "a huge number" of cases were prosecuted on the basis of information from these organisations. According to HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS), almost half of online grooming cases result from the activities of vigilante groups. The inspectorate said these groups are unregulated and untrained, and in its report in February 2020 said: "A more robust proactive capability on the part of Police Scotland would reduce the opportunities for these groups to operate."

['UK Supreme Court', 'Glasgow', 'Partick']

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["UK Supreme Court", "Glasgow", "Partick"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48324984

In pictures: Eurovision 2019

Here are some of the stand-out images from this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

['Eurovision Song Contest', 'Music']

[{"entity": "Eurovision Song Contest", "label": "MEDIA"}, {"entity": "Tel Aviv", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Israel", "label": "LOC"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Eurovision Song Contest", "Music"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56489771

Holiday firm Tui to shut 48 more High Street shops

Travel firm Tui is set to shut 48 more High Street shops in the UK, affecting 273 jobs.

The UK's largest tour operator said it would offer to redeploy employees at risk of redundancy to other stores or to work from home. The move follows the closure of 166 Tui shops announced in July 2020 which affected up to 900 jobs. Both decisions were made after the pandemic sped up a shift to people making online holiday bookings. Tui will have 314 High Street retail stores remaining following the closures. The firm said in a statement: "The travel industry and the British High Street are both facing unprecedented pressure. "We can therefore confirm that we are proposing to close 48 retail stores. All colleagues at risk of redundancy will be offered roles in other stores where there are vacancies, or in the new homeworking retail and contact centre team." Tui said it was "imperative that we make these difficult cost decisions and do our best to look after our colleagues during such unprecedented uncertainty." It added that the Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened a change in shopping habits, "with people looking to buy online or wishing to speak with travel experts from the comfort of their own home." "We have world class travel advisors at Tui, so we hope many of them will become homeworkers and continue to offer the personalised service we know our customers value," the firm added. Tui declined to say which outlets were set to close, but said that it would be creating 290 roles. The holiday firm said in February that it expects to run 80% of its normal capacity for this summer, with 2.8 million customers already booked for its holidays. Income in the three months to the end of 2020 fell 87.8% year-on-year, from €3.86bn (£3.4bn) to €468.1m.

['Tourism', 'Companies', 'TUI Travel', 'Retailing', 'TUI Group', 'Travel & leisure industry', 'Coronavirus pandemic']

[{"entity": "Tui", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "High Street", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "UK", "label": "LOC"}]

Tui ||| High Street ||| UK

["Tourism", "Companies", "TUI Travel", "Retailing", "TUI Group", "Travel & leisure industry", "Coronavirus pandemic"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30838464

The team that has to cycle hundreds of miles to compete

When Burundi's cycling team took part in an international race in November, they had to rely on donations for their bikes and kits. And when it came to getting to the competition, held in another country, there was only one way they could afford to travel.

On a sunny Monday morning, I find five cyclists from Burundi - along with their support team of three - sitting in a dark hotel room. It's cramped with the nine of us in there. The team has just completed one of Africa's major cycling races, the eight-day Tour of Rwanda. But there's only one item on the agenda - how they are going to get home from Kigali to Bujumbura, Burundi's capital. They cycled all the way here for the race - are they really going to have to pedal almost 200 miles home after the event as well? The cyclists are all entirely amateur - in their resources at least, if not in their mindset. Their leading member, Didace, rides a bike delivering milk when he's at home. He tells me he travels 25 miles outside of Bujumbura to collect 150 litres of milk. Then he rides it all into the capital. Then, he tells me, he does it again - a tidy 100 miles in a day. His colleague Ismail rides a velo-taxi, carrying people around Bujumbura on his bicycle. Another team member is a businessman - although his teammates correct him with the distinction that he's less businessman, more trader. One rider divides his time between school and work in a restaurant. The fifth is a carpenter. In the hotel room, the team pores over my map, pointing out the route they cycled to get here - Bujumbura, Kayanza, Ngozi, Kirundo and then over the border into Rwanda. They spent an entire day waiting for clearance at the border, sitting on the side of the road until dark, when they were finally allowed through. When they got off their bikes at their Kigali hotel, it was after 10pm on a Friday night. Didace, Obedi, Tharcisse, Ezechiel and Ismail had covered almost 200 miles. They were to start eight days of racing on the Sunday morning. The bikes Burundi's team travelled - and raced - on were donated by the international cycling body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Without these machines, they tell me, they couldn't have come. But even with them, and with a spare bike donated by a French team, they still felt dreadfully under-equipped. Jerseys and energy drinks had been donated and their cycling federation essentially handed round a tin to get them to Rwanda. But the Burundi manager, Faustin, is an optimist. He's looking to yellow jerseys on the Africa Tour inside of three years and tells me that in the months to come they'll be racing on the Tour of Congo, at the African Championships and in Rwanda again. Their showing in Rwanda was very respectable this year, with three riders surviving the week and pulling back places in the peloton every day. It was a happy improvement on their 2010 effort, which saw them give up en masse after only two days. Burundi's cyclists tell me they're proud to wear their three-starred red and green national jersey, but are frustrated at not having the equipment or resources to prepare properly. They want to send a rider to the World Cycling Centre in Switzerland and another to a cycling centre in South Africa. Once again, though, they don't have the money to cover travel costs - and they can't just cycle to Switzerland. Back in the hotel room, a call has come through. A man has a small van that he might be able to drive to the Rwanda-Burundi border, to take the riders and bikes some of the way back. It sounds promising but I hear no more about it. A hotel worker asks them: "So, you're cycling home then are you?'' In front of the hotel, the five Burundi riders hand over their bags, fill up their water bottles, clip their shoes into their racing pedals and slowly freewheel down the hill, with just a nod to their manager. It's midday and it's warm. And they have a lot of road ahead of them. I'm travelling through the city centre a few minutes later when I see them again, threading their way softly through the traffic. Twenty-four hours earlier the roads were lined with screaming fans as the Tour of Rwanda concluded in noise and speed, with lap after lap round the city. Although the crowds are gone, the five men from Burundi think there's room for one more piece of cycling heroism, and they veer left off the main road, heading south for the border, and on home. How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 Listen online or download the podcast. BBC World Service: At weekends - see World Service programme schedule. Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox. On a sunny Monday morning, I find five cyclists from Burundi - along with their support team of three - sitting in a dark hotel room. It's cramped with the nine of us in there. The team has just completed one of Africa's major cycling races, the eight-day Tour of Rwanda. But there's only one item on the agenda - how they are going to get home from Kigali to Bujumbura, Burundi's capital. They cycled all the way here for the race - are they really going to have to pedal almost 200 miles home after the event as well? The cyclists are all entirely amateur - in their resources at least, if not in their mindset. Their leading member, Didace, rides a bike delivering milk when he's at home. He tells me he travels 25 miles outside of Bujumbura to collect 150 litres of milk. Then he rides it all into the capital. Then, he tells me, he does it again - a tidy 100 miles in a day. His colleague Ismail rides a velo-taxi, carrying people around Bujumbura on his bicycle. Another team member is a businessman - although his teammates correct him with the distinction that he's less businessman, more trader. One rider divides his time between school and work in a restaurant. The fifth is a carpenter. In the hotel room, the team pores over my map, pointing out the route they cycled to get here - Bujumbura, Kayanza, Ngozi, Kirundo and then over the border into Rwanda. They spent an entire day waiting for clearance at the border, sitting on the side of the road until dark, when they were finally allowed through. When they got off their bikes at their Kigali hotel, it was after 10pm on a Friday night. Didace, Obedi, Tharcisse, Ezechiel and Ismail had covered almost 200 miles. They were to start eight days of racing on the Sunday morning. The bikes Burundi's team travelled - and raced - on were donated by the international cycling body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Without these machines, they tell me, they couldn't have come. But even with them, and with a spare bike donated by a French team, they still felt dreadfully under-equipped. Jerseys and energy drinks had been donated and their cycling federation essentially handed round a tin to get them to Rwanda. But the Burundi manager, Faustin, is an optimist. He's looking to yellow jerseys on the Africa Tour inside of three years and tells me that in the months to come they'll be racing on the Tour of Congo, at the African Championships and in Rwanda again. Their showing in Rwanda was very respectable this year, with three riders surviving the week and pulling back places in the peloton every day. It was a happy improvement on their 2010 effort, which saw them give up en masse after only two days. Burundi's cyclists tell me they're proud to wear their three-starred red and green national jersey, but are frustrated at not having the equipment or resources to prepare properly. They want to send a rider to the World Cycling Centre in Switzerland and another to a cycling centre in South Africa. Once again, though, they don't have the money to cover travel costs - and they can't just cycle to Switzerland. Back in the hotel room, a call has come through. A man has a small van that he might be able to drive to the Rwanda-Burundi border, to take the riders and bikes some of the way back. It sounds promising but I hear no more about it. A hotel worker asks them: "So, you're cycling home then are you?'' In front of the hotel, the five Burundi riders hand over their bags, fill up their water bottles, clip their shoes into their racing pedals and slowly freewheel down the hill, with just a nod to their manager. It's midday and it's warm. And they have a lot of road ahead of them. I'm travelling through the city centre a few minutes later when I see them again, threading their way softly through the traffic. Twenty-four hours earlier the roads were lined with screaming fans as the Tour of Rwanda concluded in noise and speed, with lap after lap round the city. Although the crowds are gone, the five men from Burundi think there's room for one more piece of cycling heroism, and they veer left off the main road, heading south for the border, and on home. How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 Listen online or download the podcast. BBC World Service: At weekends - see World Service programme schedule. Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

['Burundi', 'Cycling']

[{"entity": "Burundi", "label": "LOC"}]

Burundi

["Burundi", "Cycling"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37155043

French Muslims fear state aims to control their faith

Behind a wire-mesh fence embedded in weeds, in the northern Paris suburb of Gennevilliers, stand a cluster of terracotta-coloured buildings and a row of tents.

This is the site of the El Houda Association Mosque, raided and closed down less than a fortnight after the jihadist attacks on Paris last November, which triggered a state of emergency across France. The reason, according to the authorities, was its alleged links to militant Islamist groups. For Mohammed, a local resident who worshipped there, the mosque was unremarkable. "I'm a practising Muslim and I always come here and I've never seen anything strange. Closing spaces for the Muslim faith is not the right way," he says. El Houda was one of around 20 mosques closed down in the name of national security. That move has forced many of France's Muslims - a diverse community estimated to be close to five million - into a period of deep introspection. Full timeline of jihadist attacks 2012-2016 How France is wrestling with jihadist terror What drives individuals to commit mass killings? Many French Muslims resent the idea that violent acts of terrorism have been carried out in their name by jihadist groups such as so-called Islamic State. But they also object to the sense that they are having to justify themselves, in a country that prides itself on a strong secular tradition and the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), which acts as a bridge with the French government, is planning to create a foundation to oversee the vetting of imams and the funding of the mosques in which they preach. "The idea would be to examine the theological path that imams have taken," says its president, Anouar Kbibech, "to encourage them to study and sign a charter which promotes an open Islam, a tolerant Islam and an Islam that respects the values of the French Republic". A recent report by a Senate committee in France found that, out of 2,500 mosques, 120 were Salafist, preaching a fundamentalist form of Sunni Islam. However, Marwan Muhammed, director of the Collective against Islamophobia, insists that does not equate to a jihadist threat. "The authorities need to stop chasing people for being Muslim, for having a beard or for being religiously involved. This is not a sign of risk. This is a sign of religiosity." The senators found that 20 mosques received foreign funding, mainly from Turkey, Algeria, Morocco and, to a lesser extent, Saudi Arabia. The concern is not that overseas patrons are directly promoting violence, but that these mosques or prayer rooms create a highly politicised atmosphere, in which violence may be considered a tool for disseminating Islam. For that reason a new foundation to accredit imams and monitor finance is being considered. But some accuse the CFCM of pandering to the government's demands. "We have very strong legislation on financial transactions and money laundering. So the existing legislation allows for the authorities to look into any suspicious transaction," argues Marwan Muhammed. A Frenchman of Moroccan descent, he worries about what he sees as a rising tide of Islamophobia in France, exacerbated by the prospect of presidential elections next year. He, like others, is worried the French government may in effect hijack any attempts by the Muslim community to become more open about their internal affairs. But the head of the CFCM, Anouar Kbibech, strikes a more conciliatory tone, mindful of the climate created by the most recent jihadist attacks in Nice and Rouen. Those attacks triggered a wave of new restrictions, including a ban on the wearing of burkinis on some of France's beaches - a move that some argue smacks of Islamophobia. "We invite our fellow French citizens to avoid making links (with terrorism) and equally we invite our fellow Muslim citizens to pay attention to their activities and not exacerbate the issue and make things more complicated," says Mr Kbibech. More on this story: In addition to advancing the case for better training of imams (many of whom are volunteers from within the community) the CFCM is considering new forms of domestic funding for France's mosques. The senators' report suggested that 20 mosques which received €6m (£5.2m; $6.8m) in foreign funding could benefit from a financial system involving a new foundation. Among the novel ideas being considered by the CFCM is a more formalised system of funding via the halal meat industry. But when the BBC tried out the idea on half a dozen halal butchers in Paris, it was met with puzzled faces. The vast majority of France's mosques are funded by voluntary contributions from within the community, occasionally even from halal butchers. French senator Nathalie Goulet believes clamping down on mosques to deter extremists misses the point altogether. "Radicalisation happens outside mosques and more often in prison. The thing all young radicalised people have in common is their weak understanding of the religion," she argues. Muslims make up less than 10% of France's population and yet they make up some 60% of the prison population. The French authorities have sought to introduce de-radicalisation programmes. And yet, many Muslims believe France still needs to address problems of marginalisation, as well as the way Islam is portrayed in French media. Otherwise they fear France may continue to offer fertile ground for Islamist extremists.

['France', 'Islamist extremism', 'November 2015 Paris attacks']

[{"entity": "Paris", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Gennevilliers", "label": "LOC"}]

Paris

["France", "Islamist extremism", "November 2015 Paris attacks"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34388995

Lesbian love story Tipping the Velvet earns strong reviews

A stage adaptation of Sarah Waters' Tipping the Velvet, a Victorian lesbian coming-of-age story, has earned positive reviews from critics.

The play, at London's Hammersmith, charts Nancy 'Nan' Astley's voyage of emotional and sexual discovery. Broadwayworld.com called it "a shoo-in success" while the Guardian said it offered "a rousing tribute to feminist principles". The book was previously adapted for television by the BBC in 2002. The new play has been adapted by playwright Laura Wade, who has teamed up again with director Lyndsey Turner, who she worked with on her play Posh. "Wade ingeniously frames the story by presenting it through the eyes of a gavel-wielding Victorian music-hall chairman of the kind made familiar by TV's The Good Old Days. This pays off beautifully in the first half, which is a hymn to theatre," said the Guardian in its three-star review. At the opening night on Monday, Wade told the BBC: "There's so much theatre already in the book, it was about finding that and drawing it out and because of the Victorian age of this theatre, it just seemed like a perfect match." The Stage called the show "playful but frustrating". "It takes the history and traditions of music hall and mashes them together with something altogether more modern. Music, comedy, circus and illusion are all thrown into the mix," the review read. "Master of Ceremonies David Cardy narrates the story of Nancy, an oyster girl from Whitstable who falls hard and deep for Kitty, a male impersonator and music hall star, before taking to the boards and becoming a star herself. The songs they perform are not music hall numbers, but rather more recent: Prince and the Pet Shop Boys, a little bit of Miley Cyrus, a dash of Bonnie Tyler." Most publications lamented the show's near three-hour running time, which Broadwayworld.com said "would certainly benefit from a snip". The TV version, which starred Rachael Stirling as Nan and Spooks star Keeley Hawes as cross-dressing stage star Kitty, was famed for its steamy sex scenes. The stage adaptation instead represents the passionate sexual acts with astonishing aerial stunt work reminiscent of Cirque Du Soleil. "We wanted to create something on stage that showed how those sexual encounters really felt and the different emotional character of them, to convey that emotional pull to the audience," Wade explained. "Sex is always rather difficult to do on stage because you can't have close ups in the same way that you can on film so you have to find a different way of telling that story." The cast was led by newcomer Sally Messham, who plays Nan from shy oyster girl to stage star, to sex slave to political activist. It is the young actress's first role since graduating from RADA. "This is my first professional theatre job, straight in at the deep end," she admitted. "I picked up the book as soon as I got the role and I loved it, it's like a Dickensian novel, you get a lot of Victorian novels about gay men and very few about lesbians and what Laura and Sarah have done is to give them a rich history." It is still rare to see women's sexuality portrayed with such frankness on stage, something Waters herself has noted. "I do go to the theatre a lot but it's only when you see a stage with a lot of women on it, telling a young woman's story that you realise how rarely you do see that," she told the BBC on opening night. "So it has been really refreshing for me to see Laura's fantastic script. It's also lovely to know the book still has a currency, still appeals to people. Since I wrote it 20 years ago, a lot has changed since then." Tipping the Velvet will run at the Lyric Hammersmith until 24 October, before moving to the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, from 28 October - 14 November.

['Theatre', 'Television', 'Books', 'Feminism']

[{"entity": "Sarah Waters", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "Tipping the Velvet", "label": "MEDIA"}]

Tipping the Velvet

["Theatre", "Television", "Books", "Feminism"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-35118791

The street children who run a newspaper in India

A group of street children are busy in an unusual editorial meeting in a house in the Indian capital, Delhi.

They are bound by a shared passion to bring out Balaknama (Voice of Children), an eight-page quarterly newspaper which focuses on children living and working on the streets. It proudly calls itself the "world's unique newspaper for and by street and working children". Eighteen-year-old Chandni, the newspaper's editor, joins the animated discussion over the content of the next edition of the paper whose circulation has gone up from 4,000 to 5,500 copies since she took over a year ago. The reporters have either been street children or have worked as child labourers in Delhi and neighbouring states. They were rescued by Chetna, an NGO that works for the rehabilitation of street children. By one estimate, more than 10 million children live on the streets and are forced into work in India. They are bound by a shared passion to bring out Balaknama (Voice of Children), an eight-page quarterly newspaper which focuses on children living and working on the streets. It proudly calls itself the "world's unique newspaper for and by street and working children". Eighteen-year-old Chandni, the newspaper's editor, joins the animated discussion over the content of the next edition of the paper whose circulation has gone up from 4,000 to 5,500 copies since she took over a year ago. The reporters have either been street children or have worked as child labourers in Delhi and neighbouring states. They were rescued by Chetna, an NGO that works for the rehabilitation of street children. By one estimate, more than 10 million children live on the streets and are forced into work in India. From working as a street performer with her father to rag picking to support the family, Chandni's life has been a tale of grinding poverty. The NGO's outreach programme enthused her to join a school and also gave her a modest stipend to keep her from going back to rag picking. It also trained her as a reporter. "I am very proud of editing this paper because it's one of its kind in India. Children whose childhood have been robbed, have gone hungry, begged, been abused and forced to work write about other children who are going through similar tribulations," says Chandni. "It's not only cathartic but also gives each one of us a sense of purpose. We can only become better from here." She manages a bureau of 14 reporters who cover Delhi and neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Most reporters narrate their copy to colleagues in the Delhi office on the phone because they often have no access to e-mail or fax. Chandni conducts two editorial meets every month to keep a sharp eye on the content. The broadsheet is priced at two rupees (three cents) and is financed and published by Chetna. But it has been struggling to find advertisers and has not received any funding from the government. From working as a street performer with her father to rag picking to support the family, Chandni's life has been a tale of grinding poverty. The NGO's outreach programme enthused her to join a school and also gave her a modest stipend to keep her from going back to rag picking. It also trained her as a reporter. "I am very proud of editing this paper because it's one of its kind in India. Children whose childhood have been robbed, have gone hungry, begged, been abused and forced to work write about other children who are going through similar tribulations," says Chandni. "It's not only cathartic but also gives each one of us a sense of purpose. We can only become better from here." She manages a bureau of 14 reporters who cover Delhi and neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Most reporters narrate their copy to colleagues in the Delhi office on the phone because they often have no access to e-mail or fax. Chandni conducts two editorial meets every month to keep a sharp eye on the content. The broadsheet is priced at two rupees (three cents) and is financed and published by Chetna. But it has been struggling to find advertisers and has not received any funding from the government. Shanno, 19, is a fifth-grade school dropout. Working long hours and putting up with a "drunk father" was Shanno's life story. Today she is studying for a degree in social work and hopes to have a career as a social activist. She also trains other reporters at the newspaper. "We did a sample survey of street and working children in Delhi in November and managed to track down 1,320 children living on the streets and working as labourers," she says. "We wanted to tell the police and the government that a proper count of street children was possible. If we can do it with limited resources, so can they when they have all the manpower and resources available to them." "There's been talk of a survey of street children to be conducted by the Delhi government and also the police but nothing has come of it so far," she adds. Shambhu, who also works at the newspaper, says he faced a lot of opposition and endured threats while doing the survey. "We had to face a lot of opposition and even threats when we went to talk to children working in restaurants and hotels because their employers were belligerent. But we firmly told them that we will call the child helpline number if they did not allow us talk to the children," he says. Reaching out to children stuck in private homes, restaurants and factories gave a sense of purpose to 15-year-old Chandni (junior). She echoes the pain and horror of many nameless children in the stories that she files for the paper. Chandni (junior) is slated to take over as the next editor of the newspaper. "I want to increase the reach of our newspaper and make it a profit making venture. It's the voice of all of us who have survived hardships on the streets, in other people's homes and sweat shops and can now speak for many others who continue to struggle. Their silence must be heard," she says. Shanno, 19, is a fifth-grade school dropout. Working long hours and putting up with a "drunk father" was Shanno's life story. Today she is studying for a degree in social work and hopes to have a career as a social activist. She also trains other reporters at the newspaper. "We did a sample survey of street and working children in Delhi in November and managed to track down 1,320 children living on the streets and working as labourers," she says. "We wanted to tell the police and the government that a proper count of street children was possible. If we can do it with limited resources, so can they when they have all the manpower and resources available to them." "There's been talk of a survey of street children to be conducted by the Delhi government and also the police but nothing has come of it so far," she adds. Shambhu, who also works at the newspaper, says he faced a lot of opposition and endured threats while doing the survey. "We had to face a lot of opposition and even threats when we went to talk to children working in restaurants and hotels because their employers were belligerent. But we firmly told them that we will call the child helpline number if they did not allow us talk to the children," he says. Reaching out to children stuck in private homes, restaurants and factories gave a sense of purpose to 15-year-old Chandni (junior). She echoes the pain and horror of many nameless children in the stories that she files for the paper. Chandni (junior) is slated to take over as the next editor of the newspaper. "I want to increase the reach of our newspaper and make it a profit making venture. It's the voice of all of us who have survived hardships on the streets, in other people's homes and sweat shops and can now speak for many others who continue to struggle. Their silence must be heard," she says.

['Media', 'Poverty', 'Children', 'Homelessness', 'India', 'New Delhi']

[{"entity": "Indian capital", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Delhi", "label": "LOC"}]

Delhi

["Media", "Poverty", "Children", "Homelessness", "India", "New Delhi"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47653652

Oculus releases updated Rift VR headset

Oculus has released an updated version of its flagship VR headset that works with a PC to let people play in virtual worlds.

Called the Oculus Rift S, the virtual reality headset does away with the cameras needed on the original and which tracked users' movements. The headset has also has higher resolution displays and costs less than the original Rift released in 2016. Oculus said the headset would go on sale in the USA this spring. Instead of cameras, the Rift S has five built-in sensors that work out how a user is moving and adjust the scene they are seeing. The sensors also scan a user's surroundings to see how much room they have to move around virtual scenes. The headset still has to be tethered to a PC to work but Oculus said machines that worked with the original headset should also support the new device. Any game played on the original Rift should also work on the updated headset, it added. Oculus said the headset has two LCD displays with a resolution of 1280 x 1440 pixels per eye. This is less than the displays on the rival HTC Vive Pro and HP Reverb headsets. The Oculus headset is expected to cost about $399 (£303) when it goes on sale. The UK price is likely to be about £300 but no firm figure has yet been given. The original Rift was priced at $599 when it debuted. Last year Oculus previewed an updated stand-alone headset called the Quest that shares some of the technology found in the Rift S. The Quest is also expected to be released before the summer. Statistics suggest that Sony's VR headset has the dominant market share with about 43% of all headsets bought to work with the PlayStation 4 console. Oculus is in second place with a 19% share.

['Gaming', 'Facebook', 'Virtual reality']

[{"entity": "Oculus", "label": "ORG"}]

Oculus

["Gaming", "Facebook", "Virtual reality"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37309706

Border poll survey says 8/10 voters unchanged by Brexit

More than eight out of 10 people in Northern Ireland say the UK's decision to leave the European Union has not changed the way they would vote in a future border poll.

That is the finding of a survey carried out by the pollsters, Ipsos Mori, for BBC Northern Ireland's political programme, The View. In the wake of June's EU referendum result, Sinn Féin demanded that the secretary of state should call a border poll as provided for under the Good Friday Agreement. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin also reported a sharp rise in the number of people from Northern Ireland applying for Irish passports. However, this survey reveals that less than a fifth of the people interviewed by Ipsos Mori say the Brexit decision has influenced how they would vote in a referendum to decide whether Northern Ireland remains in the UK or joins the Irish Republic. More than 1,000 people were interviewed by the pollsters face to face at locations across Northern Ireland between mid-August and early September. A third of those interviewed (33%) want the government to call a border referendum. However, more than a half (52%) oppose such a move. Opposition was strongest among those with a Protestant background with 72% against holding a border poll. If such a poll is held, a clear majority of people, 63%, say they will vote for Northern Ireland to remain in the UK, while only 22% would support a United Ireland. Some 13% of those polled don't know how they would vote, whilst another 2% would not participate in a border poll. The same question was asked for the BBC by Ipsos Mori three years ago. A direct comparison with that survey shows a slight decrease in support for staying in the UK, estimated at 65% in 2013, two points higher than the latest figure - which is within the margin of error so not statistically significant. Ipsos Mori reported a 5 point increase in support for a United Ireland (22%), which was just 17% in the 2013 survey - an increase which is regarded as a significant change. The overwhelming majority of those with a Protestant background (88%) would vote to stay in the UK. More than third of those with a Catholic background (37%) would also opt to stay in the UK, similar to the 2013 figure of 38%. More than four out of 10 people with a Catholic background (43%) would back a United Ireland, up 8% on the 2013 figure of 35% - an increase which is regarded as statistically significant. People were asked whether the result of June's EU referendum had changed their views on Northern Ireland's constitutional future. Some 83% said the Brexit decision had not altered their position, while 17% indicated it had changed their thinking. Those whose views had been influenced by the EU result were slightly more likely to be female, from a Catholic background and drawn from the affluent AB social classes. In the immediate aftermath of the EU referendum, the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that a second Scottish independence vote was "highly likely". Earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon asked SNP activists to take the lead in what she described as a "new conversation" on independence. In the past, the Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has predicted that developments in Scotland could have "seismic implications" for politics in Ireland. In the Ipsos Mori survey, people were asked whether a future vote for independence in Scotland would change their view on a border poll. A majority (56%) reckoned a decision by Scotland to break from the UK would not alter the way they would cast their vote in such a border poll. Some 18% told Ipsos Mori that Scottish independence would make them more likely to vote for Northern Ireland to remain in the UK. But 15% believed Scottish independence would make them more likely to vote for a United Ireland. Under the Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is supposed to call a border poll if it appears "likely to him that a majority of those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a united Ireland". The Northern Ireland Office has previously ruled out calling such a poll. Although the Ipsos Mori survey suggests a slight increase in support for a united Ireland, given that less than a quarter of the people of Northern Ireland would vote for a change, it seems unlikely that the UK government will shift its position on calling a border poll in the near future. To view the full survey, click here.

['Sinn Féin', 'Brexit', 'Good Friday Agreement']

[{"entity": "Northern Ireland", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "UK", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "European Union", "label": "ORG"}]

Northern Ireland ||| UK

["Sinn F\u00e9in", "Brexit", "Good Friday Agreement"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40788541

Real Madrid's gameplan for global digital domination

When Real Madrid take on Manchester United in the Uefa Super Cup final on Tuesday night, they will be playing not only for more silverware, but to add even more supporters to their near 500 million-strong global fanbase.

When you are already Champions League and La Liga holders, not to mention World Club champions, there would not appear to be too many goals left to achieve. But the Spanish giants have realised that, in the modern sporting world, sustained success does not only take place on the field of play. Off the pitch, football clubs are up against other leisure activities and interests for the attention - and finances - of potential new followers around the world. To keep ahead of the game, Los Blancos are working with US technology giant Microsoft on a "digital transformation" - one that will "put the fan at the centre" of everything they do. The goal is to make its digital operation into a revenue generator for the club. "In our work with Real Madrid, it is important to realise that we are not just competing on the pitch, we are also competing off the pitch," says Sebastian Lancestremere, the general manager of Microsoft's sports business. "As well as being a sporting organisation, Real Madrid is a media organisation - one that is providing not just sporting, but also entertainment, material. It is also a huge social platform." Because 99% of the club's fans cannot get to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on matchdays, exciting content and digital services have to be created for these other far-flung millions. That includes things such as the creation of a virtual stadium that can be accessed on multiple devices. Meanwhile, Microsoft's cloud and analytics capabilities can highlight key statistics, and also allow fans to make comparisons between different players and different matches. While actual matches provide an exciting 90 minutes and more of content, Real Madrid believe there is other content that can be just as enjoyable - such as training action and behind-the-scenes insights. For example, how are player workout regimes organised, to the role of tennis balls in training. Previously it was felt the relationship was too one-way, and the club was just throwing out content in the hope that some of it would stick. "Now the aim is to be very agile on content," says Mr Lancestremere. "The fanbase is very fragmented, socially and geographically." One of the club's biggest fanbases is in Indonesia, and like other top European sides Real are also looking to grow their presence in China. As well as these languages, the club also provides content in Spanish, English, Japanese, Arabic and French. "Also, football fans are different from how they were 15, 10, even five years ago," Mr Lancestremere adds. "They now consume what they want, when they want, and how they want through different channels." The club estimates it has 15 channels through which it has a digital relationship with its fans - including via apps, its website, social media, online store, club TV, membership, ticketing, and more. These are split between first-party channels such as the app which are fully owned by Real Madrid, secondary channels - which have the club logo but are operated by other companies, and third-party channels such as social media. At present the club is represented on eight different social media platforms: from Facebook and Twitter to Japanese social network Line. Mr Lancestremere says it is important for Real Madrid, and other football clubs, to be going down this path now in order to capture a growing, digital-savvy, young audience. "Millennials are going to make up 40% of the global population by 2020, and they spend an hour and a half per day on social media, they consume videos, they play games." In return the club gets back intelligent information and data about fan likes, their preferences and their choices. That enables the club to tailor its commercial services and offers to supporters, not only for its own products, but towards those of its 13 business partners, such as Adidas or Emirates. It also means when Real Madrid looks to sign new sponsor deals, they can bring added value in being able to deliver such a large digital audience to potential commercial partners - who will pay more for access to such a sizeable consumer base. According to valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance, the 12-times European Cup/Champions League winners are already the most powerful club brand in the world. But it says the club is not leveraging its brand to the maximum commercial advantage in a way that tonight's rivals from Old Trafford are doing. "Whilst Real can bask in the glory of its unparalleled reputation, it could be doing a lot more to capitalise on its on-pitch success," said David Haigh, chief executive of Brand Finance. "Despite being football's most powerful brand, in terms of brand value, it still trails Manchester United by a considerable margin." It estimates the Manchester club's brand is worth some $1.733bn (£1.33bn) to Real's $1.419bn. "Real must now pay as careful attention to its off-pitch strategy as it does to its on-pitch performance," Mr Haigh added. Hence, the added importance of the creation of a new digital business model in the social media age. Indeed, Mr Lancestremere says Real Madrid could be considered more like Netflix, in that it creates and streams content, rather than a traditional football club. "Sports clubs have to be entertainment powerhouses. Football is now part of the entertainment world, 365 days a year," Rafael de los Santos Navarro, global digital director for Real Madrid, explained at a football business forum in London this summer. "We want to reach, retain, and monetise engagement. "At the end of the day we are a football club, but we are also a content company, and this is the asset we bring to people. You have to think about all the sources of revenue and positioning yourself for the revenues you are going to make tomorrow."

['Business of Sport', 'Microsoft']

[{"entity": "Real Madrid", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Manchester United", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Uefa Super Cup", "label": "EVE"}]

Real Madrid ||| Manchester United

["Business of Sport", "Microsoft"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36013082

O2-Three merger threatens long-term damage, says CMA

The planned merger of mobile networks O2 and Three should be blocked or severely restricted by EU regulators, the UK competition watchdog has said.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) expressed "serious concerns" to the European Commission about the deal. It warned the merger could cause "long-term damage" for UK consumers as it would leave only three mobile networks. CK Hutchison, the owner of Three, said it was "very disappointed" the CMA had published the letter. The European Commission has until 19 May to make a decision on Three's proposed £10.5bn takeover of O2. Hutchison said: "It is no surprise that CMA opposes the merger. It always has, and so has Ofcom. But it is for the Commission to assess any competition concerns, on the basis of the facts and proposed remedies." Sky, Virgin, Tesco and UK Broadband have agreed to use Three-O2's share of UK airwaves to offer their own mobile packages, the company said. "The entry of so many diverse, strong and committed players will ensure that there is plenty of competition in the UK market and plenty of counter offers to any supposed price increases post-merger," it said. Three's owner added that it would invest £5bn in UK mobile infrastructure and that new entrants would add a further £5bn. The planned purchase of O2 by Hutchison, which is owned by Asia's richest person Li Ka-shing, was announced early last year. If approved, the deal would leave just two other major UK operators: EE and Vodafone. Hutchison sent its suggested remedies to the European Commission last week to smooth the takeover. The CMA said the remedies "fall well short" and insisted the Commission should instead force most of O2 or Three's mobile network to be sold off after the deal. "Absent such structural remedies, the only option available to the Commission is prohibition," Alex Chisholm, chief executive of the CMA, said in the letter to the European Commission. European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager will make the final decision on the deal, rather than UK regulators. "At best we see UK deal approval odds at 50/50. The risk, here, is the decision could become increasingly political (from a UK perspective it already is) as it's so close to the Brexit vote," said Mandeep Singh, a partner at Redburn analysts. Campaigners for a British exit from the EU - known as "Brexit" - have already raised concerns about the European Commission having the final say instead of the CMA or Ofcom. The Commission has previously approved deals in Ireland, Austria and Germany that reduced the number of mobile networks from four to three. The UK telecoms market is going through significant change, with broadband, mobile and subscription TV providers increasingly competing with each other. BT re-entered the mobile market earlier this year after its £12.5bn takeover of EE was approved by the CMA. Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media chief executive, said: "A combined O2-Three would provide a counter balance to the strength of BT/EE, offering an alternative source of capacity to other providers who will drive competition in their own right."

['Companies', 'Competition and Markets Authority', 'Mobile phones']

[{"entity": "O2", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Three", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "EU", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "UK", "label": "LOC"}]

O2 ||| Three ||| EU ||| UK

["Companies", "Competition and Markets Authority", "Mobile phones"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45945644

Saudi summit website attacked by hackers

A website for a high profile Saudi Arabia summit was attacked by hackers.

Pictures circulating on Twitter showed the Future Investment Initiative website with a mocked-up photo of the country's ruler about to execute Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The website was later functioning normally after being inaccessible for at least six hours. The summit has seen a series of high-profile dropouts amid allegations the country was behind Khashoggi's killing. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi government, vanished on 2 October after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Turkish officials allege he was murdered. Earlier on Monday, Saudi Arabia blamed Khashoggi's death on a "rogue operation" Dubbed the "Davos of the Desert", the three-day event from 23 to 25 October in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, is organised by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and is an opportunity for firms to build relationships and secure lucrative contracts in the Kingdom. It is being hosted by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to promote his reform agenda. Politicians and business executives from Europe, North America and Asia were on the attendance list, which was set to feature 150 speakers from 140 organisations. But a raft of big names have pulled out, arguing that Saudi Arabia's explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance are not credible. US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, whose countries have huge defence deals with Saudi Arabia, have already pulled out of the summit. Company bosses including HSBC chief executive John Flint, JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon and Standard Chartered chief executive Bill Winters have also said they will not attend. Car manufacturer Ford, ride-hailing app Uber and media firms including Bloomberg, CNN and the Financial Times have also scrapped plans to attend. On Monday, Siemens boss Joe Kaeser was the latest high-profile name to withdraw from the conference, saying the official explanation for Khashoggi's murder was "hard to believe". Organisers have taken down a list of speakers from the conference's website. On Monday, they refused to confirm the number of people attending. One government source said the list of speakers and moderators was not yet finalised, as many continued to drop out at a "rapid pace". The World Economic Forum, which organises the official annual high-profile gathering in the Swiss resort of Davos of the rich, powerful and famous every January, has objected to the Saudi Summit's use of its Davos brand. It said it would use "all means to protect the Davos brand against illicit appropriation".

['Companies', 'Saudi Arabia', 'Killing of Jamal Khashoggi']

[{"entity": "Saudi Arabia", "label": "LOC"}]

Saudi Arabia

["Companies", "Saudi Arabia", "Killing of Jamal Khashoggi"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29974953

Iran nuclear crisis: Oman hosts talks as deadline nears

High-level talks have taken place in Oman ahead of the 24 November deadline for a comprehensive deal on Iran's nuclear programme.

US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU envoy Catherine Ashton. But the talks ended with no immediate breakthrough after running into an unscheduled second day. One US official described them as tough and direct. Iran denies claims by world powers that it is trying to make a nuclear weapon. It insists its uranium enrichment programme is purely for peaceful purposes. Speaking as the talks began on Sunday, US President Barack Obama said "big gaps" remained in negotiations concerning uranium enrichment and sanctions relief. He admitted that a deal may not be made before the 24 November deadline. The meeting came a year after Iran and six world powers - the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - agreed an interim deal to limit Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for some relief from Western sanctions. Iran promised to further co-operate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the election of President Hassan Rouhani last year in return for an easing of the sanctions. A recent confidential IAEA report seen by the BBC said Iran was failing to answer questions about suspected covert activity at some of its nuclear facilities. It said that although Iran agreed in May to provide information on two out of about a dozen areas of suspicion by August, it is yet to give answers. The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher in the Omani capital Muscat says both sides recognise there is a historic opportunity, and have expressed concern about the consequences of failing to reach a deal by 24 November. Mr Kerry has insisted that the negotiations are not linked to possible co-operation with Iran in the regional fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. Recent reports in the US media described a letter from President Barack Obama to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggesting a nuclear deal could benefit their common interest in fighting the group.

['Oman', 'Iran', 'Nuclear power', 'Nuclear weapons']

[{"entity": "Oman", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Iran", "label": "LOC"}]

Oman ||| Iran

["Oman", "Iran", "Nuclear power", "Nuclear weapons"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46010087

Pittsburgh shooting: Victims of synagogue attack named

The names of the 11 people killed in Saturday's attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh have been released, with the oldest aged 97.

Two brothers and a husband and wife were among those killed. Six people were injured, including four policemen. The suspect, Robert Bowers, 46, is in custody and faces 29 criminal counts in what is thought to be the worst anti-Semitic attack in recent US history. Mayor Bill Peduto said this was the "darkest day of Pittsburgh's history". President Donald Trump has called the attack a "wicked act of mass murder". The ages of the 11 victims ranged from 54 to 97. They are: Tributes have been pouring in from those who knew the victims. Myron Snider described his friend Melvin Wax as a "sweet, sweet guy" and unfailingly generous. Ben Schmitt, a patient of Jerry Rabinowitz, said the family medical practitioner was "kind and funny... [he] completely personified the term 'bedside manner'". The names of the victims were read out by officials at a press briefing on Sunday morning. Mayor Peduto said: "To the victims' families and friends - we will be here to help you through this horrific episode - the darkest day of Pittsburgh's history. We as a society are better than this, we know that hatred will never win out." Officials gave some details about the attack, revealing that the gun suspect used three Glock 57 handguns and an AR-15 assault rifle and made statements regarding genocide and a desire to kill Jewish people. The suspect is still in hospital, in fair condition with multiple gunshot wounds, but is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 13:30 local time (17:30 GMT) on Monday. Officials said there was nothing to indicate he had any accomplices. One injured officer was released from hospital on Saturday, another should be released on Sunday, with the other two needing more treatment. The remaining two injured people are members of the congregation. The 29 charges were announced in a statement issued by the US Attorney's Office of the Western District of Pennsylvania: On Saturday morning, worshippers had gathered at the Tree of Life synagogue for a baby naming ceremony during the Sabbath. Squirrel Hill has one of the largest Jewish populations in Pennsylvania. Police said they received first calls about an active shooter at 09:54 local time (13:54 GMT), and sent officers to the scene a minute later. According to reports, Mr Bowers, a white male, entered the building during the morning service armed with an assault rifle and three handguns. The gunman had already shot dead 11 people and was leaving the synagogue after about 20 minutes when he encountered Swat officers and exchanged fire with them, FBI agent Robert Jones said. The attacker then moved back into the building to try to hide from the police. He surrendered after a shootout. The crime scene was "horrific", Pittsburgh's Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich told reporters. "One of the worst I've seen, and I've [worked] on some plane crashes. It's very bad." US media said he had shouted "All Jews must die" as he carried out the attack. Social media posts by someone with the name Robert Bowers were also reported to be full of anti-Semitic comments. FBI special agent Bob Jones told a press conference that Mr Bowers did not appear to be known to authorities prior to the attack. Gary O'Donoghue, BBC News, Pittsburgh In the dwindling light, and with the cold autumn rain falling, hundreds gathered in front of the 6th Presbyterian church just a few streets away from the Tree of Life Synagogue. Holding their candles, they sang the Jewish prayer of healing. The elders in the community had wanted to wait a day before holding the vigil, but the young people said no - they wanted an immediate chance to share their grief and voice their hurt. Fifteen-year-old Sophia Levin declared that she was a different Jew today to the one she was yesterday. Anti-Semitism, she said, had been something she thought happened elsewhere and in earlier times; but now she knew it was right here, right now. Some of these young people have been involved in the student gun control movement that sprang up after the Parkland shooting earlier this year. One of them, Rebecca Glickman, told the crowd that gun control was needed now more than ever. She told me that an anti-Semite with a gun is more dangerous than an anti-Semite without a gun, so that's a good place to start. He described the gunman as a "maniac" and suggested the US should "stiffen up our laws of the death penalty". "These people should pay the ultimate price. This has to stop," he said. Mr Trump said he would visit Pittsburgh soon and had ordered US flags at government buildings to be flown at half-mast until 31 October. He added that the shooting had "little to do" with US gun laws. "If they had protection inside, maybe it could have been a different situation." But Mayor Peduto, a Democrat, said: "I think the approach that we need to be looking at is how we take the guns, which is the common denominator of every mass shooting in America, out of the hands of those that are looking to express hatred through murder." Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said in a statement that the incident was an "absolute tragedy" and that such acts of violence could not be accepted as "normal". Pope Francis said after his Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square: "We are all, in truth, wounded by this inhuman act of violence." Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish non-governmental organisation that fights anti-Semitism, said he was "devastated". "We believe this is the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States," he said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "heartbroken and appalled". Are you in the area? Did you witness the incident? If it is safe to do, email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

['US gun violence', 'Pittsburgh synagogue shooting', 'Pittsburgh', 'Pennsylvania', 'Donald Trump', 'United States']

[{"entity": "Pittsburgh", "label": "LOC"}]

Pittsburgh

["US gun violence", "Pittsburgh synagogue shooting", "Pittsburgh", "Pennsylvania", "Donald Trump", "United States"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-43245267

Haemochromatosis: 'Celtic curse' gene can cause major organ damage

Shenagh Lundy was diagnosed with Genetic

The disorder sometimes known as 'the Celtic curse' causes the body to absorb excessive amounts of iron. The iron is deposited in various organs including the liver, heart, pancreas and the joints causing an iron overload. Once regarded as rare, as many as one in eight people in Ireland are now found to be carrying the gene. The symptoms can include extreme tiredness, joint pain and in extreme cases it can cause damage to vital organs. Shenagh is now 25 and working as a nurse in Newry, but the condition can still leave her feeling exhausted. "I knew there was something not quite right when at 18. I was always feeling tired and lethargic. Up to then I had been active going to the gym. I had pains in my joints especially in my knuckles which were very painful. " The underlying cause is the inheritance of a mutated gene which stops the body's control of iron from working properly. It can only be inherited and can't be caught from anybody else. It can however be passed on by having a child. While a person can carry the gene that doesn't necessarily mean they will present with symptoms. Shenagh told the BBC that her blood was tested and found to be carrying the haemochromatosis gene. "I had never heard of it then and I had to start doing a lot of research. I was amazed to find out that it is a celtic disease but no one in my family had ever heard of it either. Now we've all been tested and my parents are both carriers but my brother doesn't have it. " Dr Johnny Cash is a consultant hepatologist at the regional liver unit at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital. "The Celtic curse refers to both the prevalence and incidence of the disease in the Irish population but also because the genes have been detected as far back as the Neolithic era in a woman who lived back then just south of Omagh. Her body was exhumed over 5 years ago as were two men who lived on Rathlin Island in the Bronze age. All were found to have the Celtic gene." To detect whether a person has too much iron in the blood a ferritin or blood test can be carried out. High levels of ferritin can indicate an iron storage disorder. The typical ranges are 20 to 500 nanograms per millilitre in men; while 20 to 200 in women. Shenagh's first reading was 316. That's considered high. In order to release the iron around a pint of blood is withdrawn. For some people this can mean attending hospital several times a year until the iron levels are reduced. Shenagh said after giving blood she normally feels much better and energy levels are restored. "Beforehand I'm usually very tired. My joints are sore especially my knuckles. Then I get the procedure done and within a day I am back feeling a lot better. " The blood that is taken is considered 'good blood' and once treated can be used by the transfusion service. Dr Johnny Cash says more people are now aware of the condition. "Haemochromatosis is no more prevalent now than it would have been in the past however we are getting better at public awareness of the condition and word of mouth is certainly playing a part. Around 20,000 people in Northern Ireland have it but there could be more who aren't aware. " Early detection of this condition is possible and recommended so that it can be treated early.

['Genetics', 'NI Health']

[{"entity": "Shenagh Lundy", "label": "PER"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Genetics", "NI Health"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-30041842

Killer son who dismembered father 'owed him money'

A man who killed and dismembered his father borrowed £36,000 from him over two years and took another £7,000 after the killing, a court has heard.

Nathan Robinson denies murdering his father, William Spiller, whose body parts were found in boxes in their flat in Stedman Road, Bournemouth. Prosecutors suggest Mr Robinson killed his father in a dispute about money. The 27-year-old denies murder but admits manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. Giving evidence at Winchester Crown Court, Glenys Molyneaux, Mr Spiller's partner, said he had told her he had £150,000 in cash in a filing cabinet. She said he had given his son money to pay for insurance on his taxi and another car, which the defendant had failed to do, leading to Mr Spiller ending up in court, although he received an absolute discharge. Ms Molyneaux also told the trial that Mr Spiller had become concerned about his son's drinking. She said on one occasion she was "horrified" when Mr Spiller showed her three sexually explicit text messages that Mr Robinson had sent about her. She said: "He was angry but it was clear from the text messages that it appeared that Nathan had been drinking when he sent them so Will made excuses for his behaviour." Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, told the jury Robinson killed his father on 16 May 2013. He said a note found in their flat, in Lacey Court, showed Mr Robinson had borrowed £36,000. The court heard Mr Robinson told police he suffered from blackouts and could not remember all of the incident in which his father died. "He remembers his father sitting on the bed, he remembers going for his dad and stabbing him. He said he was suffering from one of his episodes where 'I kind of blackout'," Mr Lickley said. "He remembers picking up a part of his father and putting it in a large box. He remembers tidying up with the cleaner. He thought, for some reason, the rest of his dad went into the other boxes." The trial continues.

['Bournemouth']

[]

NoPresentEntity

["Bournemouth"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34197677

Vangelis Meimarakis: New Democracy leader takes Greece back

Part of Greece's political establishment for decades, Vangelis Meimarakis is everything voters rejected when they backed Alexis Tsipras and his left-wing Syriza party in January's election.

The interim New Democracy leader, 61, represents the old way - serving for years in centre-right governments accused by the left of bringing painful austerity and institutionalised corruption. But after months of political strain, exhaustive bailout negotiations and continued economic despair, Greece is seemingly starting to regret its flirtation with the new. According to latest opinion polls, Mr Meimarakis is now challenging Alexis Tsipras, Greece's youngest prime minister in modern times, for first place in this month's elections. Commentators say he is a voice of economic stability, who has successfully unified his party to make a comeback. Born in Athens in 1953, Vangelis Meimarakis's family were from Crete and his father was an MP in the island's main city Heraklion. He trained as a lawyer at the University of Athens, and became involved in student politics while studying public administration at Panteion University. He was one of the founding members New Democracy's youth wing (ONNED). First elected as an MP in 1989, he was ND's chief whip from 1991 to 1992 and served as defence minister from 2006 to 2009. He is married to Joanna Kolokota, daughter of Greek actress Nitsa Marouda, and they have two daughters. Mr Meimarakis became speaker of the Greek parliament in 2012, briefly standing down that year amid a corruption scandal involving an inquiry into money laundering allegation. He strongly denied any wrongdoing and returned to his position soon after, remaining as speaker until early 2015. A strong supporter of keeping Greece in the eurozone, Mr Meimarakis was appointed interim leader of New Democracy in July 2015 after the resignation of Antonis Samaras. Mr Samaras stepped down after voters backed Mr Tsipras in a bailout referendum by a bigger-than-expected margin. New Democracy looked fragile - without the figurehead who had led the party for six years, and trailing Syriza by a wide margin in the opinion polls. But a few months later, its fortunes seem to have turned. Analysts say Mr Meimarakis has managed to unite ND in his short time at the top, sidelining some of its right-wing elements in an effort to woo centrist voters. And the polls are looking up too - Syriza and ND now appear to be neck-and-neck ahead of the snap election on 20 September. Mr Meimarakis has accused Mr Tsipras of mismanaging the economy and pushing the country towards another recession - a tactic that has boosted his approval ratings at his rival's expense. He has repeatedly painted the former PM as a "pampered child" - calling him "kiddo" and "a little liar" - while painting himself as a picture of experience and stability. But his association with the discredited old political elite continues to haunt him. During the first televised leaders' debate on Wednesday, Mr Meimarakis had a heated exchange with Independent Greeks head Panos Kammenos, who accused him of being embroiled in a suspicious submarine deal during his time as defence minister. The ND leader responded by accusing his opponent of acting as a proxy for Mr Tsipras, Mr Kammenos's one-time coalition partner. Occasionally criticised for being sharp-tongued, Mr Meimarakis says he is just being spontaneous and honest. "I'm not fake. I've been in politics for a long time and, if you want me, that's good. But if you don't, it's no big deal, we're still friends," he told Star TV on 7 September. This long political past may still prove troublesome for him. But in recent weeks Mr Meimarakis has managed to align his party with voters' current concerns. In an interview with Bloomberg television, Mr Meimarakis described as "disastrous" Mr Tsipras's decision in late August to hold snap elections and demanded he give an explanation for "this adventure". The Syriza leader has ruled out forming a coalition with any of his rivals. Mr Meimarakis, meanwhile, says he is prepared to work with Syriza in order to implement the bailout measures with Greece's international creditors. For him, the need now is for "consensus and co-operation". This month's election result will show whether voters agree.

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Greece ||| Vangelis Meimarakis ||| Alexis Tsipras ||| Syriza

["Greece"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-42076546

Philippine anti-drug agency chief vows 'rule of law'

The new chief of the Philippines' anti-drug agency has promised a fresh approach to the controversial war on drugs, "based on the rule of law".

Aaron Aquino said that since he took over in August, only one suspect had been killed in 1,341 operations. Thousands have died in the anti-drug campaign since it was launched by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016. Rights groups say Mr Duterte has sanctioned extrajudicial killings by vigilantes and by police. In October 2017, Mr Duterte ordered that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) take over from the police as the sole agency in charge of the war on illegal drugs, Mr Duterte and the Philippine National Police (PNP) claim there have been no unlawful extrajudicial killings by officers under the current government, and say any suspects killed by officers were resisting arrest. But when asked by the BBC why he thought the PNP had been removed from leading anti-drugs operations, Mr Aquino said: "The PNP were removed from this war on drugs precisely because there are some issues against them. "There are issues on some abuses, the so-called extrajudicial killings." According to police figures, 3,967 people were killed in the force's anti-drug campaign between June 2016 and 25 October this year. Rights groups estimate that thousands more have been killed by vigilante gunmen, and accuse the police of supporting the vigilantes. The latest decision by the president followed a series of controversial killings over the summer, including that of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos. The death of the student during a police anti-drug operation in August sparked protests outside the President's palace. Mr Aquino said his agents would wear body cameras to film their operations, to prove they are abiding by the law. "We want our operations to be transparent," he said. "I told [agents] to ask the media to join in on the operations so they will see everything from the very start of the operations to the end." The PDEA say they have arrested more than 400 people over the past month and seized around $1m (£754,400) worth of illegal drugs. Despite the criticism levelled at the police, Mr Aquino said he would continue to seek the assistance of the PNP during "high level" operations. He said he wished that the drug war would eventually handed back to the police, because of budget and staffing constraints affecting his agency. The PDEA has around 2,000 officers compared with the country's 165,000-strong police force. This month, President Duterte indicated that he would consider reappointing the PNP to lead the war on drugs if there were no improvements on drug addiction levels in the Philippines within six months. He said: "If things get worse again, I will say to these apes: 'Go back to this job. You solve this problem of ours.'" Mr Aquino said that the president had personally said nothing to him before announcing his agency would take the lead on the drug war. He found out from the news. "I just saw the president telling me, or telling the public that from now on… that he will let the PDEA be the sole agency in charge of the war on drugs," he said. A former Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Commander, Mr Aquino was appointed as Mr Duterte's new anti-drugs czar in August, just two weeks before he was due to retire. The two had worked closely for more than 20 years while Mr Duterte was the mayor of the southern Philippine city, Davao.

['Rodrigo Duterte', 'Drug use', 'Philippines']

[{"entity": "Philippines", "label": "LOC"}]

Philippines

["Rodrigo Duterte", "Drug use", "Philippines"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-43004791

Compensation claim over 'sonic boom' heard in Suffolk

A compensation claim was made after a sonic boom over Suffolk caused by a "hoax" security alert, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said.

The loud bang, which shook homes across Suffolk on 4 October 2017, was caused by military aircraft. Typhoon jets were launched from RAF Coningsby to intercept a civilian Ryanair flight. The MOD said the claim was lodged for damage caused to a roof and window in an "isolated location". It was received from the "Suffolk/south Norfolk" area, it said. The value of the claim was not disclosed in the response to a Freedom of Information request by the BBC. But the MOD said military flying training rules "do not routinely permit supersonic flight" over land in the UK, unless there is an "operational priority". It said: "Any inconvenience caused to the public is regretted, but this must be balanced against the need to maintain national security in an unpredictable and dangerous world." People reported hearing what sounded like an "explosion" throughout the county, including in Stowmarket, Leiston, Framsden and Grundisburgh, at 08:35. The RAF said Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft safely escorted the Ryanair flight, travelling from Kaunas in Lithuania to Luton, to London Stansted Airport. Essex Police said nothing suspicious was found. The force said the hoax call came from Lithuania and it was no longer involved in the investigation.

['Royal Air Force', 'Coningsby Royal Air Force Base', 'Grundisburgh', 'Leiston', 'Ministry of Defence', 'Stowmarket', 'Framsden']

[{"entity": "Suffolk", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Ministry of Defence", "label": "ORG"}]

Suffolk

["Royal Air Force", "Coningsby Royal Air Force Base", "Grundisburgh", "Leiston", "Ministry of Defence", "Stowmarket", "Framsden"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-49447335

US school rebuilt with bulletproof barriers and curved corridors

A US school is being rebuilt to make it more difficult for gunmen to kill students in potential mass shootings.

Fruitport High School in Michigan is the first school in America to be rebuilt with concrete barriers in hallways to hide from bullets. The hallways are curved to prevent a shooter from having a clear line of sight during any potential attack. Classrooms have also been redesigned so students can hide more easily in case of emergency. Windows that look from corridors into classrooms will have impact-resistant film on them and doors will be controlled by local school leaders who can lock every door across an entire district at the press of a button. Bob Szymoniak, Fruitport High School's superintendent, believes these will become part of the structure of all schools in America. "These are design elements that are naturally part of buildings going into the future," he told The Washington Post. He says the finished school will be "magnificent." Recent school shootings influenced the plans for the school, which is costing $48 million to rebuild. 2018 was the worst year ever for school shootings in America. Gun violence on US campuses left 113 people dead or injured last year. In February 2018 a former student of the Marjory Douglas High School in Parkland killed 17 people and injured another 17 with a legally purchased semi-automatic rifle. In May last year, a student killed 10 and injured 14 at Santa Fe High School in Texas with weapons including a pump-action shotgun. Following a mass-shooting in El Paso, Texas, on 3 August 2019 President Donald Trump said that he supported better background checks for people buying guns in America. But this week, reportedly following conversations with the National Rifle Association, Mr Trump said that the US already has "very strong" background checks and that tighter control could lead to a "slippery slope" where "everything gets taken away." Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

['US gun violence', 'Life', 'Donald Trump', 'Florida school shooting', 'United States']

[{"entity": "US", "label": "LOC"}]

US

["US gun violence", "Life", "Donald Trump", "Florida school shooting", "United States"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52505763

Canada helicopter crash: 1 dead, 5 missing off Greece

Canada's military has confirmed that six people were on board a Nato helicopter that crashed off the coast of Greece.

The body of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, 23, has been recovered, and her five colleagues are presumed dead. Contact was lost after the CH-148 Cyclone took off during a Nato exercise this week. The cause of the crash is unknown and Canadian military are flying to Greece investigate the crash. "All of them are heroes. Each of them will leave a void that cannot be filled," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) had sent 240 members to participate in Nato's Operation Reassurance in January. The helicopter had taken off from the HMCS Fredericton in the Ionian Sea on Wednesday. The ship had set sail from Souda, Greece. Rescue teams have been searching international waters off Greece's Kefalonia island, and a Royal Canadian Air Force flight safety team will conduct an investigation. Canadian military confirms that Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbroug, a marine systems engineering officer originally from Toronto, Ontario, was killed in the crash. "There are no words. You made me forever proud. I will love you always, and miss you in every moment. You are the bright light in my life taken far too soon," her father, Shane Cowbroug, wrote on Facebook. CAF says five other people were on board, and are considerd missing and presumed dead.

['Greece', 'Nato', 'Nova Scotia', 'Canada']

[{"entity": "Canada", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Nato", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Greece", "label": "LOC"}]

Nato ||| Greece

["Greece", "Nato", "Nova Scotia", "Canada"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37741362

UK troops to join Nato Kosovo force in 2017

British troops are to be sent to support Nato operations in Kosovo, the defence secretary has said.

Sir Michael Fallon said about 30 soldiers would travel early next year to join the Nato Kosovo Force (Kfor) on a 12-month deployment. He said "significant security and stability challenges" remained in the western Balkans. Set up in 1999, Kfor is tasked with maintaining safety, security and freedom of movement in Kosovo. The British soldiers will be based in the Kosovan capital, Pristina, and support Kfor's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Sir Michael said: "Nato remains a cornerstone of our defence. By continuing to defend the security of Europe, Britain's security is strengthened at home." Read more Nato says that as the security situation in Kosovo has gradually improved, Kfor has become a "smaller and more flexible force". The force now comprises about 4,300 troops from 30 countries.

['Michael Fallon', 'Nato', 'Kosovo', 'British Army', 'Ministry of Defence']

[{"entity": "Nato", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Kosovo", "label": "LOC"}]

Nato ||| Kosovo

["Michael Fallon", "Nato", "Kosovo", "British Army", "Ministry of Defence"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-43054363

New Zealand goose: How one blind bisexual bird became an icon

A memorial is being held for a New Zealander who spent most of his life as a loving partner, caring father and an icon of the LGBT community.

Thomas the goose died 6 February at almost 40 years old and is being buried beside his partner on Saturday. "Thomas has been such an iconic and well-loved bird," said Craig Shepherd, who runs the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust where Thomas spent his last years. "It's lovely that he is going to be buried where he spent most of his life." But how exactly did a goose end up an icon? It all started around 1990 when a black swan named Henrietta flew in to the Waimanu lagoon, located in a small town on New Zealand's Kapiti Coast. Due to a damaged wing, she was unable to fly with the other swans and was often alone until a few years later when a white goose named Thomas arrived. The duo quickly formed a bond and Thomas was very protective of Henrietta, even scaring off any humans or dogs that came near her. But after 18 blissful years together, a new young female swan entered the equation and was often spotted with Henrietta. No one thought much of it, assuming that they were both females. The shocker came when the new swan laid an egg. It turned out that Henrietta was in fact a male swan who had mated with the new female swan. "It's very hard to establish the gender of mature black swans," said Michael Peryer, the tour guide at the Waikanae Estuary where the lagoon is located. "So it turned out in fact that Thomas and Henrietta - who was really a Henry - had 18 happy gay years together." Henrietta was re-named Henry, and the new young swan was given the name Henrietta. Naturally, Thomas the goose was not too pleased that someone had stolen his mate. "He got really aggressive and started beating the swans up. But once their eggs hatched he changed completely and took to those babies like they were his own," said Mr Peryer. Henry and Henrietta went on to have 68 cygnets over the next six years. Thomas decided to stick around with the duo where he played the role of a doting uncle, helping raise the swans, teaching them how to fly and taking care of them when their parents did not. "It's so unusual to have two different species combining so intimately to raise a species," added Mr Peryer. In 2009, Henry the black swan died due to old age. It wasn't long before Henrietta flew off with another bird and Thomas was left alone. After a while, Thomas went on to meet a female goose in the estuary, and for the first time - he had 10 babies of his own. However, his stint as a father was short-lived, as he had his babies stolen by another goose who raised the babies himself. Thomas' eyesight soon began to fail him, becoming blind first in one eye and eventually both. He was in 2013 finally relocated to the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust, where he spent the final years of his life. "He died when he was almost 40 years old, that's pretty ancient. In human years he would be around 80 years old," said Mr Peryer. According to Mr Peryer, it is not uncommon for geese to be bisexual, though he adds that the duo were the only pair in the Waikanae Estuary to mate with the same sex. It is also not unheard of for geese to mate with swans, with the offspring of a swan and a goose known as a swoose. Homosexual behaviour is extremely common across the animal kingdom, from insects to mammals. But only some animals seem to be lifelong homosexuals mating for life. Thomas, a well-known figure at the estuary, was often visited by tourists who marvelled at how he would follow Henry and Henrietta around. When news of his death spread, tributes from visitors from as far as Canada and the Netherlands poured in. "I loved him so much. Many fond memories feeding him his sweet corn every evening," said one user on Facebook. "Thomas, I remember meeting you and how amazing you were. Big hugs," another commented. Thomas' memorial on Saturday will see him buried next to Henry the swan. The event will be marked with a plaque in tribute to Thomas life, with an epitaph by New Zealand performer Pinky Agnew to be inscribed on his tombstone: Here lies Thomas, the great-hearted goose, Nestled near Henry, in their final roost, Here where they raised young, and found sanctuary, Somewhere above us, these great souls fly free.

['Swans', 'Animals', 'LGBT', 'New Zealand']

[{"entity": "New Zealander", "label": "LOC"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Swans", "Animals", "LGBT", "New Zealand"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-42704261

Maids Moreton deaths: Three arrests in murder investigation

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man and woman who died more than 18 months apart.

Former English teacher Peter Farquhar, 69, died on 26 October 2015 and Ann Moore-Martin, 83, died on 12 May 2017. A third man was also arrested in connection with the deaths of the pair, who lived in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire. Thames Valley Police said a cause of death had "yet to be determined" for either victim. Mr Farquhar had worked at Manchester Grammar School and Stowe school in Buckinghamshire. Among his students was Channel 4 political correspondent Michael Crick, who tweeted of his distress at learning of the "possible murder" of his "great friend". Those arrested were: Properties in Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire and Cornwall are being searched as part of the investigation.

['Milton Keynes', 'Stowe', 'Manchester', 'Maids Moreton', 'Towcester', 'Redruth']

[]

NoPresentEntity

["Milton Keynes", "Stowe", "Manchester", "Maids Moreton", "Towcester", "Redruth"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-28159580

Addenbrooke's doctor 'abused children with cancer'

A doctor sexually abused children with cancer, a court has been told.

Myles Bradbury, a paediatric haematologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, is accused of sexual offences against boys aged 11 to 15. The 41-year-old from Herringswell, Suffolk, is alleged to have carried out the offences between 2011 and 2013. Cambridge Magistrates' Court heard he was facing a total of 11 charges including four counts of sexual assault. He also faces four counts of engaging in, or inciting a boy to engage in, sexual activity, two charges of making indecent images of a child and one count of voyeurism. Mr Bradbury was not asked to enter a plea and was bailed to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on 11 July. A spokesman for Addenbrooke's Hospital said Dr Bradbury no longer worked for Cambridgeshire University Hospitals Trust.

['Addenbrooke’s Hospital', 'Herringswell']

[{"entity": "cancer", "label": "DIS"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Addenbrooke\u2019s Hospital", "Herringswell"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-50264887

Amelia Bambridge: Missing Cambodia backpacker drowned

British backpacker Amelia Bambridge, who went missing in Cambodia, died from accidental drowning, a post-mortem examination has concluded.

The body of the 21-year-old was found about 30 miles from the island of Koh Rong, where she was last seen at a beach party eight days earlier. Ms Bambridge, from Worthing, West Sussex, was reported missing when she failed to check out of her hostel. Officials said her death was "not related with any other crime at all". Her body was taken to Sihanoukville on the mainland after it was recovered on Thursday. The post-mortem results were confirmed by Sihanoukville Information Department and local police. Officials said her body had been released to the family who would be able to return her to the UK immediately. Ms Bambridge was last seen at about 03:00 on 23 October. Her purple rucksack with her purse, phone and bank cards inside were found the following morning at a private party venue on the island, About 150 volunteers - including divers, navy personnel, local people and tourists - joined Cambodian police in land and sea searches. Ms Bambridge's father and brother flew out to join the search parties on Sunday and her mother arrived on the island the next day. Following the discovery of Ms Bambridge's body, her sister Sharon Schultes, wrote an emotional Facebook post in which she said: "It breaks my heart to let all my close family and friends know the horrendous outcome that we didn't want. "Now we have to get our Amelia back home to England so we can lay her beautiful soul to rest and to remember the wonderful life she lived." Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.

['Worthing', 'Missing people', 'Cambodia', 'Brits abroad']

[{"entity": "Amelia Bambridge", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "Cambodia", "label": "LOC"}]

Cambodia

["Worthing", "Missing people", "Cambodia", "Brits abroad"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58092234

Extinction Rebellion: Judge demands review of protester convictions

An Old Bailey judge has asked prosecutors if they stand by convictions of Extinction Rebellion protesters after a second successful appeal in two days.

Judge Mark Dennis QC demanded the review after a protester won his appeal against obstructing a road. Crown Prosecution Service lawyers must return to the Old Bailey on Thursday to set out their position. The judge's call comes after a Supreme Court ruling on protest rights. Robert MacQueen, 65, from Haslemere, Surrey, was convicted of blocking the road in Whitehall in October 2019, during a London-wide Extinction Rebellion protests targeting government buildings. But on Wednesday Judge Mark Dennis QC overturned the conviction after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence to counter the appeal. The day before, the judge quashed the conviction of Emma-Rose Goodwin, 47, from Exeter. Prosecutors had offered no evidence in court after it emerged that the arresting officer - the key witness - was in Romania. A third appeal has been adjourned and seven more cases are due to go before the judge. Quashing Mr MacQueen's conviction, Judge Dennis said there seemed to be a "fundamental problem" with the cases. He asked prosecutors to review all the remaining cases where a protester argued they had "lawful excuse" to occupy a road. He said that prosecutors seemed to be arguing that a protester could not lawfully lie down in the road in any circumstances - and they had not "grasped" the importance of a recent Supreme Court ruling. In that judgement, the UK's highest court ruled that demonstrators who had blocked a road at a military arms show should not have been convicted of obstruction because their right to temporarily and peacefully protest should have been taken into account. Judge Dennis said that given the importance of that ruling, prosecutors needed to clarify where they stood on the eight cases still to be heard this week and next. In July, another XR defendant was the first to benefit from the Supreme Court's ruling when he was found not guilty of blocking a road during a September 2020 protest. City of London Magistrates' Court acquitted Ben Benatt, an environmental scientist, saying that it was not proportionate to give him a criminal record given his right to peacefully demonstrate, the limited nature of the disruption he caused and his genuinely-held beliefs. The tactics used by XR followers of unpredictable and uncoordinated road occupations have heavily influenced the government's current proposals to redraw protest laws. Ministers want to make it easier for the police to intervene and break up a static demonstration where it causes a public nuisance.

['Extinction Rebellion', 'UK climate change protests']

[{"entity": "Old Bailey", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Extinction Rebellion", "label": "EVE"}]

Old Bailey ||| Extinction Rebellion

["Extinction Rebellion", "UK climate change protests"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-48064132

Extinction Rebellion: Did Banksy join climate activists?

Speculation is mounting that Banksy was at Extinction Rebellion's London protests after the appearance of a mural at the group's Marble Arch base.

The stencilled street art of a girl along with the words "From this moment despair ends and tactics begin" was found on a wall overnight. The site had been occupied by climate activists for nearly two weeks until protests ended on Thursday. Banksy has not confirmed if he was behind the work. Extinction Rebellion's branch from Bristol - where many believe the graffiti artist is from - tweeted they thought he created the mural while protesters were at Speakers Corner for Thursday's "closing ceremony". Some Extinction Rebellion protesters who remained at Marble Arch overnight said they were "100% sure" it had been created by the elusive graffiti artist. Londoner Calvin Benson, 48, said the artwork "needs to be preserved, we've just had an historical event over the last 10 days". Steve Jones, 53, from Holland Park, said he returned from an Extinction Rebellion meeting and the stencil had "just appeared". "A man we met last night said he had been taking photographs of Banksy's work after it's done, and this ticks all the boxes," he said. Westminster City Council said it was "aware of the possible Banksy" and council officers were "looking into it". More than 1,100 people have been arrested since 15 April as protesters blocked traffic at sites including Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and Parliament Square. On the final day of action, activists targeted London's financial district by blocking roads, climbing on a train and gluing themselves together outside the Treasury. Six people have been charged with obstructing trains on the railway network following one protest at Canary Wharf Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station in east London. At Thursday's closing event in Hyde Park, Skeena Rathor of Extinction Rebellion, said the ceremony marked a "pause" in their protests. Extinction Rebellion is urging the government to "tell the truth" about the scale of the climate crisis. It wants the UK to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and a Citizens' Assembly set up to oversee the changes needed to achieve this. Sign up for a weekly chat about climate change on Facebook Messenger

['Extinction Rebellion', 'UK climate change protests', 'Climate change', 'Banksy']

[{"entity": "Banksy", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "Extinction Rebellion", "label": "EVE"}, {"entity": "London", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Marble Arch", "label": "LOC"}]

Banksy ||| Extinction Rebellion ||| London ||| Marble Arch

["Extinction Rebellion", "UK climate change protests", "Climate change", "Banksy"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48446924

Ultra-processed food linked to early death

Ultra-processed foods - such as chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals - have been linked to early death and poor health, scientists say.

Researchers in France and Spain say the amount of such food being eaten has soared. Their studies are not definite proof of harm but do come hot on the heels of trials suggesting ultra-processed foods lead to overeating. Experts expressed caution but called for further investigation. The term comes from a way of classifying food by how much industrial processing it has been through. The lowest category is "unprocessed or minimally processed foods", which include: • fruit • vegetables • milk • meat • legumes such as lentils • seeds • grains such as rice • eggs "Processed foods" have been altered to make them last longer or taste better - generally using salt, oil, sugar or fermentation. This category includes: • cheese • bacon • home-made bread • tinned fruit and vegetables • smoked fish • beer Then come "ultra-processed foods", which have been through more substantial industrial processing and often have long ingredient lists on the packet, including added preservatives, sweeteners or colour enhancers. If a product contains more than five ingredients, it is probably ultra-processed, says Prof Maira Bes-Rastrollo, of the University of Navarra, citing a maxim. Examples include: • processed meat such as sausages and hamburgers • breakfast cereals or cereal bars • instant soups • sugary fizzy drinks • chicken nuggets • cake • chocolate • ice cream • mass-produced bread • many "ready to heat" meals such as pies and pizza | meal-replacement shakes The first study, by the University of Navarra, in Spain, followed 19,899 people for a decade and assessed their diet every other year. There were 335 deaths during the study. But for every 10 deaths among those eating the least ultra-processed food, there were 16 deaths among those eating the most (more than four portions a day). The second study, by the University of Paris, followed 105,159 people for five years and assessed their diet twice a year. It showed those eating more ultra-processed food had worse heart health. Rates of cardiovascular disease were 277 per 100,000 people per year among those eating the most ultra-processed food, compared with 242 per 100,000 among those eating the least. The rapid increase of ultra-processed foods over less processed foods, "may drive a substantial burden of cardiovascular diseases in the next decades," said Dr Mathilde Touvier, of the University of Paris. "[The] evidence is accumulating," said Dr Touvier, noting "increasing numbers of independent studies". Prof Bes-Rastrollo said she was "very certain" ultra-processed foods were bad for health. Last year, a link was made with an increased risk of cancer. The challenge is being 100% sure. The studies have spotted a pattern between highly processed food and poor health but they cannot prove that one causes the other. Those who ate the most ultra-processed food were also more likely to have other unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking, which the researchers tried to account for. But there's no guarantee everything relevant was covered, says Kevin McConway, a professor of statistics at The Open University. "These studies do increase my confidence that there's something real behind these associations - but I'm still far from sure." The first trial of ultra-processed foods showed they led people to eat more and put on weight. Researchers at the US National Institutes of Health monitored every morsel of food that volunteers ate for a month. And when given ultra-processed food, they ate 500 calories a day more than when they were given unprocessed meals. Other suggestions include: These ideas still need researching. While the term ultra-processed food may be new, the health advice will be very familiar: adopt a Mediterranean-style diet. Such a diet includes plenty of minimally or unprocessed foods, such as fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils and wholegrains, said Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation. "This, along with exercising regularly and not smoking, has been shown to be beneficial for lowering risk of heart and circulatory disease." Measures such as taxation and marketing restrictions on ultra-processed foods, should be considered, said Prof Bes-Rastrollo, given the weight of evidence. There are certainly a lot of critics. The labelling of food as ultra-processed could be inconsistent, said Dr Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and health at the University of Reading "It is also not obvious why salami is considered to be ultra-processed, yet cheese, which often requires considerably more processing steps and additives, is not. The classification combines a wide range of foods with very different potential impacts on health, which limits its usefulness as a basis for recommendations." The studies were published in the British Medical Journal. Follow James on Twitter.

['Diet & nutrition', 'Food', 'Heart disease', 'Cancer']

[{"entity": "ice cream", "label": "FOOD"}, {"entity": "breakfast", "label": "FOOD"}]

ice cream ||| breakfast

["Diet & nutrition", "Food", "Heart disease", "Cancer"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-38157578

Body found in High Melton College sewage tank

A body has been found in a sewage tank at a Doncaster college.

South Yorkshire Police officers were called to High Melton College at about 14:45 GMT on Tuesday where workmen had found what appeared to be a body. Dark and cold conditions prevented officers from accessing the body so the scene was guarded overnight. Detectives are working with Yorkshire Water, underwater search teams and crime scene officers to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. More stories from Sheffield and South Yorkshire High Melton is a campus of Doncaster College.

['Doncaster', 'South Yorkshire Police']

[{"entity": "Doncaster", "label": "LOC"}]

Doncaster

["Doncaster", "South Yorkshire Police"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-58765453

Aberystwyth residents help archaeologists excavate Pen Dinas hillfort

Up to 60 local volunteers have been helping archaeologists excavate an iron age fort site dating back to 400 BC.

For three weeks Dyfed Archaeological Trust has been working on Pen Dinas hillfort in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion after receiving funding from Cadw. Archaeologists have made a number of finds including an amber bead and stone wheel thought to be a spindle whorl for weaving. It is only the second time in its history the site has been excavated. Leading the excavation, Fran Murphy said: "I think they'd been lost - they were found on a hut platform where someone lived and they'd probably fallen through beneath the floor if you like. "The amber is quite a rare find and the person whoever lost these objects would have been quite annoyed." She said it was difficult to give a date for the objects but it may be possible in time: "I hope that by the end of this project we will be able to get radiocarbon dating, which should give us a much more precise date, but over 2,000 years old." Pen Dinas is the largest iron age hillfort in Ceredigion. At 60ft (18m) the most obvious monument on Pen Dinas is the Wellington Monument, a column built in the 1850s as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington. In its heyday, more than 2,000 years ago, the huge fort covered an area of 3.5 hectares, the equivalent of about three and a half rugby pitches. Ms Murphy said: "It's such an enormous monument - and the work that went into creating it was all done by humans with hand tools, no JCB's or mechanical diggers here. "It's an asset for the whole of Aberystwyth." She said she would like more people to be able to enjoy it: "I think if we could improve the access, if we can improve the signage to make people aware how accessible it can be, and to bring people up here to look around them and see how it's a part of the history that makes Aberystwyth and the surrounding area what it is." The National Monuments Record of Wales says the Pen Dinas hillfort "started life as a simple defended site on the north summit [of Pen Dinas hill]". It said the site was developed over time and, at its height, was "a masterpiece of Iron Age architecture and engineering". Margaret Burns' grandfather Jack was involved with the original excavation of the site in the 1930s. He was one of many local labourers who went to help the five-year excavation led by Darryl Forde, chair of geography and anthropology at Aberystwyth University. Ms Burns, who lives at the bottom of Pen Dinas hill, said: "I'm presuming that Prof Forde advertised for local men to come and help with the excavation as labourers, basically to help them with the dig. "They were always, I presume, short of money in those days because it was 1934, and I suppose anything would be a benefit." She added: "I'm down at the bottom of Pen Dinas and my grandfather was up there 87 years ago, so it's quite an emotional thing for me, really." Just as Prof Forde enlisted the help of local volunteers during the 1930s dig, the Dyfed Archaeological Trust also called on residents to help in 2021. During the three-week dig about 60 local people helped the archaeologists, most of the volunteers coming from the nearby village of Penparcau. Mike Ginsberg, 80, was there almost every day because of his keen interest in archaeology. He said while searching for the remains of the fort structure, his imagination would run wild: "If 'dinas' as in Pen Dinas, means a city - and I assume 500 people [living there] then was a city - if it was built by 500 to 600 people, where did they live? How did they live? Where did they get their food from? The mind just goes on and on and on." Ms Murphy said there were plans for the Pen Dinas site to be explored further next year: "There's definitely hopes for future digs and Cadw are extremely supportive and we are looking for match funding from other partners to increase the amount of work that we can carry out. "Locally, there has been a drive to raise the profile of Pen Dinas as an asset to the whole of Aberystwyth, to raise its profile and to make sure that it's appreciated and maintained for future generations."

['Archaeology', 'History', 'Aberystwyth']

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NoPresentEntity

["Archaeology", "History", "Aberystwyth"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53763869

Q&A: Northern Ireland A-level results

Coronavirus has made big changes to our lives this year and schools were one of the areas most deeply affected.

A-level and GCSE exams were cancelled but the question remained - how would students be assessed and grades be awarded? The chosen scheme involved both teacher predictions and exam body standardisation. The publication of this year's A-level and AS level results on Thursday raised questions about how successfully the process was handled, with 37% of final results being lower than those grades estimated by teachers. Following an announcement by the Education Minister Peter Weir on Monday, A-level and AS-level students in Northern Ireland will be awarded the highest grade either predicted by their teacher or awarded officially last week. Following opposition from pupils, families, principals and politicians, Peter Weir announced important changes to the allocation of grades. A-level and AS-level students in Northern Ireland will now be awarded the highest grade either predicted by their teacher or awarded officially last week. The announcement came hours after Mr Weir announced that GCSE results, due to be released this week, would be based solely on teacher predictions. Mr Weir said the exams body CCEA was working to release the revised results to candidates "as quickly as possible". He had previously argued that if teachers' predictions alone were used, A-level and AS-level grades would not have "any level of credibility" with the caveat that, "clearly if a national decision was taken, I would want to make sure that our pupils are not disadvantaged and therefore... that would lead inevitably... to a level of change," It has since been announced that A-level and GCSE students in England and Wales will also given grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by an algorithm. There were 27,791 A-level results issued in Northern Ireland on Thursday morning. The majority of the results (86%) were issued by the Northern Ireland awarding body, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA). The remaining 14% of results were from exams set by other UK awarding bodies. Different factors were taken into account in the calculation of results: Following the cancellation of exams in March, CCEA was instructed by Mr Weir to ensure the calculated results in 2020 were broadly in line with performance in recent years. While it recorded an increase - the proportion of A*-A grades awarded to A-level pupils rose by 2.3%, for example - CCEA said it was content this rise was not significant enough to impact the integrity of the results set. It said data indicated the increases in attainment would have been significantly higher had teachers' predicted grades been used without standardisation. In 96.7% of cases, teacher's estimates either matched or were within one grade of the final result awarded following standardisation. Of those, 58% of the results matched exactly. According to CCEA, in 37% of cases teachers were over-optimistic in their prediction, affecting about 11,000 grades. In about 5% of tests teachers underestimated the result, meaning that about 1,500 grades rose as a result of standardisation. CCEA has produced a short video explaining how its standardisation process worked. The CCEA standardisation model asked teachers to give a predicted grade for their pupils and then rank them in order within their class. The exams body then used what it called "other data" to standardise the teachers' results. For AS results, the pupils' GCSE results were used, as was the performance by their school over the previous three years. For A-level results, CCEA used students' previous performance at AS level and also took into account "improvements which would have resulted from resits". However, there are no resits this year as such because A-level exams were cancelled. If this year's students want to sit an A-level exam they will have to wait until summer 2021 to do so, or possibly autumn 2020 if they took subjects through an English or Welsh exam board. Students can appeal against their A-level results if they feel the grading is unfair. Unlike in previous years, there will be no charge for appeals. Prior performance in mock examinations will be used as evidence in any appeal. Students can resit their A-level exams. Education Minister Peter Weir says his department will work to ensure this is done at no cost to the student. CCEA is running a dedicated exams helpline for pupils on 028 9026 1260 from 13-26 August. A comprehensive guide to the awarding process is available on the CCEA website. Even exams can be unfair. Sometimes two people marking the same paper will give different grades. But this year's assessment and downgrades have left many people feeling their future chances have been harmed by an algorithm. The standardisation system that led to the downgrades is there to stop grade inflation. Without it, there would have been a 12% increase in people getting an A* or A grade, according to the head of Northern Ireland's main examination body - CCEA. But if a school has a stronger year group than last year, or if teaching has improved, that might not be fully recognised this year. And the information available to calculate grades differs across the UK: like in Wales, AS results contribute to overall A-level results in Northern Ireland and therefore can be taken into account. However, this doesn't happen in England - where AS grades have no bearing on A-level results. Research suggests that using AS performance can improve the overall accuracy of grades. Grades could be calculated using a range of evidence including work to date, mock exams and teacher assessed grades, but even experts can't agree on a perfect way to navigate yet another difficult problem caused by the coronavirus.

['NI education', 'A-levels']

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["NI education", "A-levels"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-52539141

Coronavirus: Aer Lingus review after packed flight complaint

Aer Lingus has said it is reviewing procedures on its Belfast to London flights following a claim it was not observing

Passenger Sean Mallon took photos on a flight to Heathrow on Monday, showing most passengers sitting close together. Almost every seat was occupied and there was "no social distancing whatsoever," said Mr Mallon. Aer Lingus said safety was its "top priority" and any necessary changes would be implemented urgently. The coronavirus crisis has seen all flights suspended, apart from two London services operating from Belfast City and City of Derry airports. Mr Mallon, who was travelling to England for work, said airline staff did not offer any guidance on social distancing before or during Monday morning's flight, and passengers were allowed to take their seats as normal. "I would say there was about 95% of the seats taken on the flight," he told the BBC's Evening Extra programme. Passengers had queued up and boarded the plane in the same way as they would have done before the pandemic, he said. "The queues were down the steps and out on to the tarmac as they were before all this happened," he added. Passengers were not offered hand sanitiser or told of any extra safety measures as they boarded the plane, said Mr Mallon. The only advice they were given was a reminder to wash their hands after landing. In a statement, the airline said: "In light of the unexpectedly high loads on the Belfast – London Heathrow service this morning and the level of demand for the route, Aer Lingus is reviewing its processes and procedures applicable to the operation of this service. "The safety and security of Aer Lingus’ customers and crew is our top priority and any process changes that are identified as being required will be implemented as a matter of urgency." The only other route operating from Northern Ireland is Logan Air's service between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted. Both benefited from a government package worth £5.7m to support remaining NI flights during the pandemic. Loganair's chief executive, Jonathan Hinkles, said conversations were continuing about how to move on after lockdown, but that social distancing on board was impossible, due to: Instead, Loganair has said it would provide passengers with masks - something other airlines will have to think about. The European Commission is preparing to unveil a set of rules for the safe reopening of air travel when the lockdown ends. Measures being considered include compulsory face masks, disinfection of planes and social distancing requirements in planes and airports.

['Coronavirus lockdown measures', 'Aer Lingus', 'Northern Ireland Assembly', 'Air travel', 'Coronavirus pandemic']

[{"entity": "Aer Lingus", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Belfast", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "London", "label": "LOC"}]

Aer Lingus ||| Belfast ||| London

["Coronavirus lockdown measures", "Aer Lingus", "Northern Ireland Assembly", "Air travel", "Coronavirus pandemic"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-31746707

Basildon woman attacked during burglary while in labour

A woman in labour suffered a fractured skull in an attack by a gang of masked burglars armed with crowbars.

Five men smashed their way into her house in Beambridge, Basildon, at about 21:00 GMT on Monday. The victim, 22, gave birth to a healthy baby at the town's hospital after being taken by ambulance. Her partner said: "My girlfriend remains in hospital with a serious head injury when she should be celebrating the birth of our child." The man, who does not want to be named, was also injured in the attack. He said: "This was an extremely traumatic experience for us both. "Please help the police to catch these men whose actions have tainted a period of time which should be a happy one for us." The gang, who fled on foot, stole cash and a tablet computer. Det Insp Joel Henderson said: "This was a shocking attack on a young woman who was in labour. "It is vital we get those people responsible off the streets of Basildon." Four of the men were described as white and one was black. They were said to be in their early to mid-20s. A police spokeswoman said some of the gang were wearing masks.

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NoPresentEntity

["Essex Police"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-35693853

Hairy Nose film takes on China's pollution

Air pollution in China is no laughing matter, but one campaign group hopes its bizarre new film will provoke both laughs and action among urban Chinese.

"Hairy Nose" depicts a bleak future where people have evolved lengthy nasal hair to filter out the smog. It ends with a warning that if people don't change their ways, pollution will change them. The charity, WildAid, told the BBC they wanted people to stop waiting for government action to fix the problem. "We wanted to find some humorous way to talk about the very serious problem we are facing," said WildAid's China representative, May Mei. Hairy Nose shows a parade of stylish Chinese people - and one dog - sporting elaborately groomed nasal hair as they go about their daily lives in the "putrid, choking air and the never ending smog". We see a a young family out with their hairy-nosed baby, a young commuter with her nasal hair dyed and plaited, hipsters playing pool and a couple on a date. "To them, this is just the way it is," say the captions. But one man decides not to "blindly submit" and shaves off his nose hair so he can breathe, "because it reminds me that the sky once was blue". "Change air pollution before it changes you," says the final caption. Ms Mei said WildAid wanted to tell people to stop waiting for the government to take action on pollution and climate change, and instead come up with their own creative ways to be more green. "A lot of people complain about pollution in Beijing and Shanghai, but no-one really knows what you can do," she said. "What we want to say is that change is not that difficult, it should come from everyone." She suggested that 35% of Beijing's pollution comes from transport fumes, so cycling or walking would make a real difference. The campaign is targeting mostly young Chinese, particularly internet users, because they are "willing to change, to accept new ideas and are also prepared for something better". China, which is reliant on coal-fuelled power stations, is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Pollution levels in major cities routinely reach levels considered dangerous to human health. A report last year, published in Nature, put the number of annual deaths in China attributable to pollution at 1.3 million. WildAid clearly doesn't expect people to take its hairy nose warning literally, but Ms Mei said they hoped it would make people "think harder". "If you're waiting to change your actions, you will eventually be forced to live not in the way you want," she said.

['Pollution', 'China', 'Environment']

[{"entity": "China", "label": "LOC"}]

China

["Pollution", "China", "Environment"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-43017080

Hong Kong bus overturns killing 18

A double-decker bus has crashed in Hong Kong killing 18 people and injuring nearly 50, officials say.

The bus was carrying spectators and workers from horse races when it overturned in the New Territories area. Some passengers managed to climb out of the vehicle but others had to be cut free by firefighters. Reports suggest the bus was going too fast. Police have arrested the driver and charged him with causing death by dangerous driving. Police spokesman Lee Chi Wai said: "The driver is now in custody and the New Territories North police department will deal with this case." Hong Kong's public transport is usually safe, and fatal accidents on this scale are relatively infrequent. The driver had a good record and knew the route, which only runs on race days, representatives from the bus operator said. Hong Kong's chief executive, Carrie Lam, said she was "deeply saddened" after visiting one of the 12 hospitals that were treating the injured. She told reporters that an independent investigation led by a judge would be carried out. Three women and 15 men were confirmed dead at the scene, the South China Morning Post reports, and 10 of the injured were in a critical condition. Earlier reports said 19 people had been killed. Saturday's accident appears to be the worst since July 2003, when a double-decker fell off an elevated road after being hit by a lorry, killing 21 people. The lorry driver was jailed for seven months.

['China', 'Hong Kong']

[{"entity": "Hong Kong", "label": "LOC"}]

Hong Kong

["China", "Hong Kong"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45738821

Peru court reverses ex-president Alberto Fujimori's pardon

A court in Peru has reversed a pardon granted to the country's ex-president, Alberto Fujimori.

Fujimori was pardoned in December on health grounds, nine years after being found guilty of having links to a death squad and two massacres. But a court ordered him back to jail after a victims' group won an appeal against the decision, made by then-president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Fujimori, who led Peru in the 1990s, will fight the ruling, his lawyer said. His daughter Keiko, who leads the main opposition Popular Force party, told reporters the decision was "inhuman" and "unjust". Most Peruvians had assumed Fujimori, now 80, would be in prison for the rest of his life after being sentenced to 25 years in 2009, having been convicted of ordering the killings of 25 people by a government-backed death squad during Peru's internal conflict. But in December 2017, he was taken from prison to a hospital in the capital, Lima, because of health concerns; he was suffering from low blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythm. Mr Kuczynski, who resigned in March over a vote-buying scandal, gave him a pardon the same month, prompting protests in Lima - even as Fujimori's supporters celebrated outside the city hospital where he was being treated. The pardon was widely seen as part of a political deal. Mr Kuczynski had narrowly avoided impeachment, with the support of Fujimori's supporters, three days earlier. Carlos Rivera, who is representing victims' family members, said the decision to reverse the pardon "re-establishes the right to justice for the family members of the victims". Fujimori is admired by many in Peru for ruthlessly crushing Maoist rebels in the 1990s, ending a conflict that cost tens of thousands of lives. But his critics say he is a corrupt dictator who was rightfully jailed for ordering the killings of innocent peasants.

['Peru']

[{"entity": "Peru", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Alberto Fujimori", "label": "PER"}]

Peru

["Peru"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-47241857

Thousands of calls to Lancashire Police's 101 service unanswered

Almost 900,000 calls to Lancashire Constabulary's non-emergency number went unanswered in the last five years, police data has revealed.

Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, over 20% of calls to the 101 service were not picked up, figures sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service show. They also showed the average time for a call to be answered was 71.5 seconds. Lancashire Police said it now had more call handlers and improved ways to report crimes online. A Freedom of Information request revealed 873,293 calls to 101 were not answered during the five-year period. In 2017-18, 331,254 calls were unanswered, more than double the 164,558 which rang out in the previous year. On average, the force received 2,365 calls a day to the non-emergency number between 2013-14 and 2017-18. A Lancashire Police spokesman said the "same group of operators deal with both 999 and 101 calls", which meant at times of emergency, there would be a "knock-on effect" and it would take "longer to answer the non-emergency lines". He added that if a call was not urgent and was not being answered, then the caller should try reporting it via another method or to call back at a less busy time. Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said deep public spending cuts meant the police were "having to do more with less at a time of growing demand". He said the force's control room had seen a £1.2m investment recently, with 50 new staff taken on in 2018.

['Lancashire Constabulary']

[{"entity": "Lancashire Constabulary", "label": "ORG"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Lancashire Constabulary"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49962134

Saturn overtakes Jupiter as planet with most moons

Saturn has overtaken Jupiter as the planet with the most moons, according to US researchers.

A team discovered a haul of 20 new moons orbiting the ringed planet, bringing its total to 82; Jupiter, by contrast, has 79 natural satellites. The moons were discovered using the Subaru telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii. Each of the newly discovered objects in orbit around Saturn is about 5km (three miles) in diameter; 17 of them orbit the planet "backwards". This is known as a retrograde direction. The other three moons orbit in a prograde direction - the same direction as Saturn rotates. Two of the prograde moons take about two years to travel once around the ringed planet. The more-distant retrograde moons and one of the prograde moons each take more than three years to complete an orbit. "Studying the orbits of these moons can reveal their origins, as well as information about the conditions surrounding Saturn at the time of its formation," said Dr Scott Sheppard, from the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington DC, who led the team. Dr Sheppard told BBC News that Jupiter had been the planet with most known moons since the late 1990s. The outer moons in the new haul appear to be grouped into three distinct clusters, based on the inclinations of the angles at which they orbit the planet. Scientists think the retrograde and prograde moons are the broken up remnants of at least three larger bodies. These bigger objects were smashed up by collisions, either between distinct moons or with outside objects such as passing asteroids. One of the newly discovered retrograde objects is the furthest known saturnian satellite. "These moons have fairly inclined orbits to Saturn and are pretty far out, so we don't think they formed with the planet, we think they were captured by the planet in the past. If an asteroid happens to be passing by, you can't capture it today because you can't dissipate its energy," Dr Sheppard told BBC News. However, in the Solar System's youth, when Saturn was in the process of forming, a cloud, or "disc", of dust and gas surrounded the planet. This helped dissipate the energy of passing objects. But in most cases, these bodies ended up spiralling into the planet and becoming part of it. "We think these moons interacted with that gas and dust. These were comets or asteroids that happened to be passing by," Dr Sheppard explained. "Most objects would spiral into the planet and help form the planet itself. But we think these objects were captured right when the gas and dust started dissipating. So they were captured into orbits around the planet rather than falling into the planet. We think these are the last remnants of what formed [Saturn]." The finds were made by applying new computing algorithms to data gathered between 2004 and 2007 with the Subaru telescope. These algorithms were able to fit orbits to potential moons identified in the old data. "We thought they were moons of Saturn, but we weren't able to get full orbits to determine this," said Dr Sheppard. "By using this new computer power, I was able to link these 20 objects that we thought were moons to officially find orbits for them." The original observing team included Dr Sheppard, David Jewitt of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Jan Kleyna of the University of Hawaii. Dr Sheppard said more moons were probably waiting to be found around Saturn. But astronomers would need larger telescopes - such as those set to come online in coming decades - to discover these smaller satellites of around 1km in size. The team has initiated a contest to name the moons. They have to be named after giants from Norse, Gallic or Inuit mythology, corresponding to the three different clusters. Follow Paul on Twitter.

['Jupiter', 'Astronomy', 'Saturn', 'Space exploration']

[{"entity": "Saturn", "label": "CEL"}, {"entity": "Jupiter", "label": "CEL"}]

Saturn ||| Jupiter

["Jupiter", "Astronomy", "Saturn", "Space exploration"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35342291

Turkey-Syria: 'One dead' as rocket hits border school

At least one person has been killed after a rocket landed near a school in south-eastern Turkey, close to the Syrian border.

The rocket was reportedly fired from Syria and hit a school garden in the border province of Kilis, with at least one other person wounded, a government statement said. Two other rockets landed in an empty area nearby, it said. Cross-border incidents have been frequent during the Syrian conflict. The person killed has been identified as a female school cleaner, a statement from the provincial governor's office said. A wounded female student was taken to hospital for surgery, it said. Turkish military sources told Reuters news agency that Turkey's army had retaliated "in kind" to the attack, targeting the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. The agency quoted unnamed sources as saying that Turkish military radar showed that IS outposts in Syria had fired on Kilis. Earlier, the mayor of Kilis, Hasan Kara, had identified the fire as mortar shells. But Turkish media reports described the objects as Katyusha-type rockets, AFP news agency reported. Television footage showed children and women crying and screaming being escorted from the school. The windows on the ground floor of the building were smashed by the impact of the blast and one car was severely damaged. Turkish towns next to the border have frequently seen artillery fire spill over during Syria's civil war. In September, one Turkish soldier was killed in Kilis by cross-border fire from Syria. Turkey is part of the US-led coalition against IS and has also been a target of the group. A suicide bombing last week in Istanbul, blamed on IS, killed 10 people. The group has also been blamed for other bombings in Turkey, including an attack in Ankara that killed more than 100 people last October.

['Turkey', 'Syrian civil war', 'Syria']

[{"entity": "Turkey", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Syrian", "label": "LOC"}]

Turkey ||| Syrian

["Turkey", "Syrian civil war", "Syria"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-31779085

Fantasy politics?

Is it fantasy politics to claim that Plaid could hold the balance of power after the general election?

Plaid's MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Jonathan Edwards told me they came up with this message in 2010 but no-one believed them. The question is whether people do now? Things are very different in 2015 than they were in 2010. We've had five years of a coalition government, there's expected to be a tight general election and the polls are indicating that the SNP are going to be a real force. Unlike in local and assembly elections, Plaid are vulnerable to the attack from their political rivals that a vote for Plaid at Westminster is a wasted vote. That's why the push for plausibility, when they say they could hold the balance of power, is so important because it neutralises that criticism on the doorstep in places like Llanelli. On other matters, Leanne Wood's speech was dominated by criticism of austerity. The anti-austerity message is one of the big issues Plaid shares with the SNP, together with opposition to the nuclear deterrent, although Nicola Sturgeon has indicated that the SNP would support a future minority Labour government on a case by case basis even if it renewed Trident. There's been lots of talk about the TV leaders' debates. The prime minister's proposal fits in well for Plaid because it gives them a slot at the top table for the seven-way debate in which they can characterise themselves as the voice of Wales, and as an added bonus they won't be squeezed out of a head-to-head if David Cameron continues to refuse to take part. There was also an eye-catching proposal to ring-fence a pot of money in the NHS to improve access to new drugs. This has become a hugely controversial subject. Plaid were keen to point out that this is not modelled on the Conservatives' cancer drugs fund, as it's available for medication dealing with all conditions. The Welsh government says a focus on cancer, over and above other illnesses, is unethical. The money comes from a rebate the pharmaceutical companies pay the UK government. The point is that this isn't cash that has come from thin air, it currently goes into general Welsh NHS coffers. Next year Plaid estimate that it'll be worth around £50m. On the constitution, Leanne Wood continued with her criticism of the St David's Day agreement, which set out proposals to devolve further powers. Privately, one source told me that on one level Plaid are delighted with the way that we now have a Labour first minister and a Conservative Welsh secretary trying to out-do each other on how far they go on devolution. The tone of the debate has shifted in Plaid's direction. I'm thinking here of David Jones now not being in government any more and Labour's Owen Smith saying you can't get a fag packet between him and Carwyn Jones when it comes to devolution. There was also confirmation from Plaid that it now formally says there doesn't need to be a referendum on whether income tax should be devolved. This is the battleground in terms of future devolution. In the context of all of the changes currently underway in the UK, Plaid believe it's ridiculous to hold one on something like the partial devolution of one tax. The counter-argument is that we're talking about devolving the biggest tax of the lot, and making the assembly responsible for raising revenue worth £2bn. There are also many others out there who don't believe the referendum is winnable. For Plaid, it's a process that doesn't even need to get off the ground in the first place.

['UK devolution', 'Plaid Cymru', 'Leanne Wood']

[{"entity": "Plaid", "label": "PER"}]

Plaid

["UK devolution", "Plaid Cymru", "Leanne Wood"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34518706

UK pulls out of £5.9m Saudi jail deal

The UK government has withdrawn from a controversial £5.9m prisons deal with Saudi Arabia, Downing Street has said.

The PM's official spokeswoman said it reflected the government's decision to focus on domestic priorities. The deal was to provide a "training needs analysis" for Saudi prison service staff. No 10 stressed pulling out of the deal was unconnected to the case of expat Karl Andree, jailed in Saudi Arabia after being caught with homemade wine. It was thought 74-year-old Mr Andree, who has been in jail for more than a year, was facing 360 lashes but the BBC now understands a flogging was never on the cards. Despite withdrawing from the prison deal, Justice Secretary Michael Gove insisted Britain would maintain its relationship with the country. Answering an urgent question in the Commons, Mr Gove said: "And while we would never compromise on our commitment to human rights, we must also recognise that it's in the interests of the most important human right of all, the right to live in safety and security, that we should continue with necessary security co-operation with the Saudi government and with other governments." The withdrawal follows reports of a cabinet rift on the issue, with Mr Gove said to have angered Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond by seeking to pull the plug. The Times says the justice secretary wanted to pull out of the deal, saying the government should not be assisting a regime that uses beheadings, stoning, crucifixions and lashings to punish its citizens. But Mr Hammond warned that cancelling it would not be in the national interest as it would make Britain appear an untrustworthy ally - and No 10 had sided with him, the paper reports. Downing Street said there would be no financial penalties for pulling out of the bid process. Analysis by Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent Saudi officials say they are baffled by the headlines suggesting that an elderly Briton, Karl Andree, may face flogging for possessing alcohol. They say that was never even a possibility because of his age and ill health. The Saudis are unlikely to be troubled by the cancellation of a very small contract for Britain's Ministry of Justice to give training advice to Saudi prisons - £6m is nothing compared to the multi-billion dollar arms and oil deals regularly concluded with international partners. France today announced a £7bn deal with Saudi Arabia. But what the Saudis dislike intensely is public scrutiny of their much-criticised human rights record. When this escalates into personal intervention by Western leaders, such as David Cameron, it encourages some senior Saudis to look elsewhere for trading partners. The Saudis are fiercely defensive of their justice system, saying its harsh punishments are based on Sharia, Islamic law. But the way justice is meted out is often considered arbitrary, opaque and disproportionate to the offence. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who used his recent conference speech to call for the prisons deal to be scrapped, said the government had been "shamed" into the "U-turn on this terrible contract". "We should be sending a strong message to repressive regimes that the UK is a beacon for human rights and that this contract bid is unacceptable in the 21st Century, and would damage Britain's standing in the world," he said. Kate Higham, from human rights organisation Reprieve, said cancelling the bid had "sent a clear message that the UK does not support Saudi Arabia's gross violations of human rights". The prisons bid was submitted by the now defunct commercial arm of the Ministry of Justice, Just Solutions international (JSi), which was established under Mr Gove's predecessor Chris Grayling in 2013. Mr Gove closed it down amid criticism that it was selling prison expertise to countries with poor human rights records. The MoJ had previously insisted that JSi's work was focused on trying to improve human rights standards in the countries' jails through training and prison design. In the case of Mr Andree, Downing Street said Mr Cameron was personally intervening by writing to the Saudi government. Mr Andree, who has lived in the Middle East for 25 years, was arrested in 2014 after being caught with homemade wine by Saudi religious police. However, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said both Saudi and UK government officials have told him there was never any question of Mr Andree being flogged. "The Saudis privately gave the Foreign Office assurances he was not going to be flogged, but delays in Saudi bureaucracy meant that his release papers have been held up before they reached the prison and the family grew increasingly worried," he said. "The media spotlight now means that his release will either be speeded up or possibly, out of pique, get put back further."

['Ministry of Justice', 'Saudi Arabia']

[{"entity": "UK", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Saudi Arabia", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Downing Street", "label": "LOC"}]

UK ||| Saudi Arabia ||| Downing Street

["Ministry of Justice", "Saudi Arabia"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-42568390

The Tattooist of Auschwitz - and his secret love

For more than 50 years, Lale Sokolov lived with a secret - one born in the horrors of wartime Europe, in a place that witnessed some of the worst of man's inhumanity to man.

It would not be shared until he was in his 80s, thousands of miles from that place. Lale had been the Tattooist of Auschwitz. Living out his life in a suburb of Melbourne, the man who had been born Ludwig "Lale" Eisenberg to Jewish parents in Slovakia in 1916 decided to share his story. "This man, the tattooist from the most infamous concentration camp, kept his secret safe in the mistaken belief that he had something to hide," says Heather Morris, who spent three years recording Lale's story before he died in 2006. She has now written a book - The Tattooist of Auschwitz - based on how he tattooed a serial number on the arms of those at the camp who weren't sent to the gas chambers. "The horrors of surviving nearly three years in a concentration camp left him with a lifetime of fear and paranoia," she says. "The story took three years to untangle. I had to earn his trust and it took time before he was willing to embark on the deep self-scrutiny that parts of his story required." He feared that he would be viewed as a Nazi collaborator. Keeping the secret, or what he described as a burden of guilt, would protect his family, he thought. It was only after his wife Gita died that he "unburdened" himself, revealing a tale not only of survival but of deep love. In April 1942, aged 26, Lale was taken to Auschwitz, the Nazis' biggest death camp. When the Nazis came to his hometown, Lale had offered himself as a strong, able-bodied young man in the hope that it would save the rest of his family from being split up. Unlike his siblings, he was unemployed and unmarried. At that time, he did not know of the horrors that went on at the camp in occupied south-west Poland. On arrival, the Nazis exchanged his name for a number: 32407. Prisoner number 32407 was set to work like many others, constructing new housing blocks as the camp expanded. Read more on the Holocaust: The Holocaust: Who are the missing million? Auschwitz inmate's notes from hell finally revealed Is this Switzerland's Schindler? The twins of Auschwitz He spent hours working on the rooftops, keeping a low profile from the SS guards and their unpredictable tempers. But shortly after he arrived at Auschwitz, Lale contracted typhoid. He was cared for by the man who had given him his identification tattoo, a French academic named Pepan. Pepan took Lale under his wing and set him to work as his assistant. He taught him not only the trade, but how to keep his head down and his mouth shut. Then one day Pepan disappeared, shipped out. Lale would never find out what happened to him. Partly because of his skills with languages - he knew Slovakian, German, Russian, French, Hungarian and a bit of Polish - Lale was made the main tattooist, the tetovierer, of the death camp. He was given a bag full of tattooing supplies and a paper bearing the words: Politische Abteilung. Lale now worked for the Political Wing of the SS. An officer was assigned to monitor him, which gave him a semblance of protection. As the tetovierer, Lale lived a step further away from death than the other prisoners. He ate in an administration building. He was given extra rations. He slept in a single room. When his work was done, or when there were no new prisoners to tattoo, he was allowed free time. "He never, ever saw himself as being a collaborator," Morris says. It was a real concern after the war - many saw the prisoners who worked for the SS at the camps as having taken part in their brutality. "He did what he did to survive. He said he wasn't told he could have this job or that job,'' says Morris. "He said you took whatever was being offered. You took it and you were grateful because it meant that you might wake up the next morning." Despite his privileges, the threat of not waking up the next day was ever present. "[Josef] Mengele, in particular, was a common sight as he chose his 'patients' from the new arrivals, sending them Lale's way," Morris wrote. "On many occasions while whistling an operatic tune, he would sidle up to Lale and loudly terrorise him: 'One day, tetovierer, I will take you - one day.'" For the next two years, Lale would tattoo hundreds of thousands of prisoners, with the help of assistants. These forced tattoos, the numbers shaky and stark against pale forearms, have become one of the most recognisable symbols of the Holocaust and its deadliest camp. Only prisoners at Auschwitz and its sub-camps, Birkenau and Monowitz, were tattooed. The practice began in autumn 1941 and by the spring of 1943, all prisoners were tattooed. At first, a metal stamp was used to imprint the entire number into the skin. Ink was rubbed into the wound. When this method proved inefficient, the SS introduced a twin-needle device. This is the tool Lale used during his time as tattooist. When prisoners arrived at Auschwitz, they were selected either for forced labour or immediate execution. Their heads were shaved, their belongings taken. They exchanged their clothes for rags, and then lined up to receive their mark from the tetovierer. The only exceptions to this branding were the "re-education" prisoners of German ethnic origin and those sent directly to the gas chambers. It was the final peg in the brutal "registration" process, says Dr Piotr Setkiewicz, head of the research centre at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. "It was one thing in a series of humiliating, dehumanising things that happened on arrival to the camp. "First it was painful, and second they understood at this moment they were losing their names. From this time on, the prisoners did not use officially their names. They had to use their numbers." It's July 1942 and Lale is handed another piece of paper. In front of him are five digits: 3 4 9 0 2. Tattooing men is one thing, but when he holds the thin arm of a young girl in his hands, he feels horrified. He has not yet been made the tetovierer. Pepan urges him to do as he's told. If he doesn't, he will condemn himself to death. There is something about this girl and her bright eyes. Years later, Lale will tell Morris how in that moment, as he tattooed her number on her left arm, she tattooed her number in his heart. He learned that her name was Gita - she was in the women's camp, Birkenau. With the help of Lale's personal SS guard, he would smuggle letters to her. Letters led to secretive visits outside her block. He tried to take care of her, sneaking her his extra rations, even getting her moved to a better work station. He tried to give her hope. "Gita, she had her doubts, very strong doubts," Morris says. "She didn't see a future. He always, deep down, knew that he was going to survive. He didn't know how, but it comes back to that whole notion of being a survivor. He's a survivor because of luck, being in the right place at the right time, and being able to manipulate opportunities that he saw." Knowing he was one of the lucky ones, Lale tried to help as many fellow prisoners as he could in his capacity as tetovierer. Food was the currency of Auschwitz, and he used his privileged rations to feed his former blockmates, Gita's friends, and the Roma families that arrived later on. He began trading jewels and money - given to him by other prisoners - with the villagers who worked near the camp to obtain more food and provisions for the most needy. In 1945, the Nazis began shipping prisoners out of the death camp before the Russians arrived. Gita was one of the women selected to leave Auschwitz. The woman he had fallen in love with was gone. Lale knew only her name - Gita Fuhrmannova - but not where she had come from. Lale eventually also left the camp and made his way back to his hometown of Krompachy in Czechoslovakia. He paid his way with the jewels he'd managed to steal from the Nazis. His sister Goldie had survived and so his childhood house still belonged to his family. The only thing left was to find out what happened to Gita. Could he dare to hope that he would ever find her again? In a horse and cart, he set off for Bratislava, the entry point for many survivors returning home to Czechoslovakia. Lale waited at the railway station for weeks, until the stationmaster advised him to go to the Red Cross instead. On his way there, a young woman stepped into the street in front of his horse. It was a familiar face. A pair of bright eyes. Gita had found him. The couple married in October 1945 and changed their last name to Sokolov to better fit into Soviet-controlled Czechoslovakia. Lale set up a textile shop that was successful for a time. But they had been collecting and sending money out of the country to support the movement for an Israeli state. When the government discovered this, Lale was imprisoned and his business nationalised. It was while on weekend leave that he and Gita made their escape from Czechoslovakia. They went first to Vienna, then Paris, and finally, in an effort to get as far away from Europe as they could, set sail for Sydney. During the journey, they met a couple from Melbourne and were convinced to start a new life there. Lale started a textile business again, and Gita began designing dresses. In 1961, they had a son, Gary. Lale and Gita lived out the rest of their lives in Melbourne. Gita visited Europe a few times before she died in 2003. Lale, on the other hand, never returned. Only close friends knew of the couple's love story. "I met several of his friends who all would immediately want to tell me, 'You know he and Gita met in Auschwitz? Who falls in love in a concentration camp?'" Morris says. Even Gary would not know the full extent of the horrors his parents endured until years later. In fact, the full truth came to light only after Gita's death, when Morris came into the picture. "I didn't find the idea - the idea found me," Morris says. Gary was searching for someone to tell his father's story and found Morris through a network of friends. Morris is not Jewish and that, she says, is why Lale - who was then 87 - chose to share his story with her. "I questioned him about that straight up," Morris says. "To him it was important that I had no baggage. He needed somebody who was perhaps naive, and who would hear his story and accept his story for how he was going to tell it. "To him, it was all about looking into those eyes of that 18-year-old girl," Morris says. Over the next three years, Morris would visit Lale several times a week. Most of what he remembered matched her own research. In addition to Lale and Gita's love story, the Tattooist of Auschwitz, the book Morris has written, brings to light a new piece of Holocaust history. The process of corroborating the anecdotes Morris gathered from Lale was key. Initially the novel was meant to be a screenplay. As a result, Film Victoria, the Australian government's film body, agreed to fund international research for the project. "We had researchers out of the country, professional researchers who then went and examined and found the documents - found amazing documents to verify what he said," Morris says. Those documents led to the discovery that Lale's parents had been killed at Auschwitz a month before he arrived. Lale died in 2006, before he learned what happened to his parents. Regarding other documents, one was discovered with Lale's name and number in a list with other prisoners. "The top of the document says Politische Abt - Aufnhmershreiber, Pramienauszahlung vom 26.7.44, which translates to - Political Wing Admittance Writer," Morris says. The document did not list specific jobs, but Morris and the research team "considered it enough proof he was working for the Political Wing." Cedric Geffen, president of Holocaust-memorial organisation March of the Living Australia, says he was "fascinated" by Lale's story. "I had not given much thought to the question of the identity of the tattooist and whether or not they had been prisoners whom the Nazis forced into doing this unthinkable task," he says. "I personally had not really reflected at length or in depth about the many questions around this role and the ramifications for the tattooist." For Geffen, telling this story helps younger generations, those who never lived through these horrors, forge connections with history. "It breaks it down into tangible emotions and experiences that undoubtedly accompanied each and every person that went through this period, most of whom did not live to tell their story," Geffen says. "It is important to tell this story as it humanises a role that very few people think about when thinking about this horrific period," he adds. "Who was the person tasked with inflicting this horrendous physical degradation? Why did he do it? What was his life like? Whatever happened to him?" The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is published by Bonnier Zaffre and released in the UK on 11 January 2018. Unless stated otherwise, all images copyright Heather Morris/Sokolov family. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

['The Holocaust', 'Judaism', 'Long Reads', 'Poland', 'World War Two', 'Australia']

[{"entity": "Lale Sokolov", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "Europe", "label": "LOC"}]

Europe

["The Holocaust", "Judaism", "Long Reads", "Poland", "World War Two", "Australia"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35299930

US apologises for Iran naval incursion - Revolutionary Guards

The US has apologised to Iran after 10 American sailors were arrested for entering Iranian waters, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces has said.

General Ali Fadavi accused those detained of "unprofessional" acts. But he suggested the group, who are being held by the guards, could be released soon. The incident comes at a sensitive time, as the US and Iran try to implement the deal on Iran's nuclear activities. US Secretary of State John Kerry has contacted Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif over the incident. Giving his assessment of the talks, Gen Fadavi said "Mr Zarif had a firm stance, saying that they were in our territorial waters and should not have been, and saying that they [the US] should apologise". "This has been done and it will not take long, and the naval force, according to its hierarchy, will act immediately upon the orders it receives," he added. This naval incident comes at a delicate moment for both Washington and Tehran. The process to begin lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear activities is expected to get under way at the end of this week. There are many conservatives and hardliners in both countries who would dearly love to sabotage the deal and consequently both governments may be eager - whatever the attendant rhetoric - to get this episode resolved as quickly as possible. How it plays out will be an important signal as to the balance of power in Tehran itself. The Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose naval branch detained the US vessels and their crews, is amongst the more hardline elements ranked up against the nuclear deal. But the potential economic benefits of lifting the sanctions may be too great an inducement for the agreement to be derailed now. US officials have said the sailors - nine men and a woman - are likely to be released on Wednesday. There has been no confirmation from Washington that Mr Kerry apologised. One of the two US riverine patrol boats developed mechanical problems while on a training mission between Bahrain and Kuwait, the US officials added. The crew and vessels have been taken to Farsi Island, the site of an Iranian naval base. Iran's influential Revolutionary Guard - tasked with protecting the country's 1979 Islamic revolution - has strongly defended Iranian sea borders in the past. Fifteen British sailors and marines were held for 13 days in 2007 after they were captured in a disputed area between Iran and Iraq. Despite last year's breakthrough nuclear deal tensions remain between the US and Iran. In December, Iran's navy conducted rocket tests near US warships in the Strait of Hormuz, something the US called "highly provocative".

['Iran', 'United States']

[{"entity": "US", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Iran", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Iranian waters", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Iran", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Revolutionary Guards", "label": "ORG"}]

US ||| Iran ||| Iran

["Iran", "United States"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46425774

Emile Ratelband, 69, told he cannot legally change his age

A Dutchman who wanted to change his date of birth to boost dating prospects has lost his legal battle to do so.

Emile Ratelband, still aged 69, wanted to change his birth date by 20 years to avoid what he called discrimination. "We live in a time when you can change your name and change your gender. Why can't I decide my own age?" he said. But the court disagreed, highlighting that many rights in law are based on a person's age, and changing it at will could cause many problems. There was no legal basis to make such a change, it said. "Mr Ratelband is at liberty to feel 20 years younger than his real age and to act accordingly," the judges said, but changing his legal documents would have "undesirable legal and societal implications". Mr Ratelband, who calls himself a "positivity trainer", made headlines around the world with his unusual request. Ahead of the hearing, he made TV and other press appearances, saying he felt discriminated against in both employment and on the popular dating app Tinder - and said his doctors had told him he had the body of someone in their 40s. "If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work," he said. "When I'm on Tinder and it says I'm 69, I don't get an answer. When I'm 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position." Alongside the widespread media attention, he was criticised by some for comparing his bid to the position of people in the transgender community. In court, Mr Ratelband argued that the date on his birth certificate was a mistake - even though he was born on that day, 11 March 1949. The court agreed with him that age is part of a person's identity. But unlike a person's gender or name, which Mr Ratelband sought to draw comparisons to, it had further complications. "Rights and obligations are also attached to age... for example, the right to vote, the right to marry, the opportunity to drink alcohol and to drive a car," the court said. It found that the possibility of declaring oneself younger could open the door to the opposite - becoming older. In its judgement, the court said that granting the request would cause "all kinds of legal problems" by effectively erasing 20 years of events. It pondered what would happen to qualifications obtained in that time, or a driving licence issued, or a marriage solemnised. It also said that while changes to the law to allow a person to change their gender took place following a global debate on such issues, no widespread advocacy for the change existed, except for Mr Ratelband's lone case. If he felt discriminated against, the ruling said, there were other ways to resolve that under the law.

['Employment discrimination', 'Online dating', 'Netherlands']

[{"entity": "Dutchman", "label": "PER"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Employment discrimination", "Online dating", "Netherlands"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-44688094

Archbishop Justin Welby: I don't pray for my daughter's disability

The Church needs to do more to embrace disability and mental health, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says, drawing on the experience of two of his daughters.

Justin - he insists we use his first name - reveals that Katharine's mental health difficulties and Ellie's learning disabilities, had "really brought it to the front of [his] mind". He was speaking to the BBC Ouch podcast, made by the BBC's disability team. Sitting beside his daughters, Ellie, 24, and Katharine, 32, Justin encourages them to speak openly, even if what they say makes uncomfortable listening. He begins by taking Ellie's hand - this is the first time she has spoken publicly. Taking part in a discussion about exclusion with other disabled studio guests, Ellie says: "The church I go to now, I sit at the back because I don't really feel comfortable. "They're very friendly in my church, but sometimes I can feel a bit out of place there." Ellie also has dyspraxia, which impacts co-ordination, but can be confused with clumsiness. Her disability, not being an obvious physical impairment, is often referred to as invisible. Because of this, she feels her needs are often misunderstood or overlooked. "I have struggled a lot. People have looked at me and basically - I know the look now - it's literally like, 'You're not disabled, why are you sitting there?' Or, 'Why can't you do this?'. "I've been discriminated against quite a few times because they don't understand it." Justin gives Ellie - who confesses she is a "Daddy's girl" - a friendly punch on the shoulder to acknowledge that she's made a good point. He, himself, has struggled at times with what he calls "the black dog" - a phrase Winston Churchill used to describe episodes of depression. In 1983, the Welbys lost a seven-month-old baby, Johanna, in a car crash. Twelve months later another of his children was critically ill. It has often led him to question his faith. "There have been moments where it's been a huge test," he says. "You read the Bible and life's not simple." Religion hasn't always been so important to him. At boarding school he used chapel time to finish homework, hidden behind the hymn books. The only interesting thing that ever happened, he says, was the "headmaster falling out of the pulpit". It was years later, when he worked in Kenya as an oil investor, that he met people with a great connection to God. It was the first step on the path to being ordained in 1989. Katharine has spoken openly about her mental health struggle, suicidal thoughts, and of not being able to confide in her parents about them. She says the Church does not always know how to respond to these struggles. She says people offer to pray for her, but feels this masks important conversations and opportunities to help. "If your first response is, 'Can I pray for your healing?', then you're not listening," she says. "Because actually - A, you don't need to say to someone you're praying for their healing for God to be able to work, God's bigger than that. And B, it really shuts down the conversation. "I now actually only let a very few people pray for my healing, because I've had so many really awful experiences." The most hurtful thing, she says, was when someone prayed for her "addiction to negative thinking". "I'm not addicted to negative thinking, I'm depressed and anxious medically," she says. "It's a chemical thing going on with me, it's not an addiction. And that was really unhelpful. I felt very unsettled by that. "They're trying to be helpful, but they're not listening. And inclusion and welcome in Church is about so much more than accessibility physically." Many disabled people experience unwanted prayers, often in the street or on public transport. Even the Archbishop has been offered prayers. "I've had times when people have said, 'Could we pray for you?' And if I wasn't the Archbishop I'd have actually said, 'I'd really prefer that you didn't'. "But I feel that I can't always say that." But does he include his own children's disabilities in his prayers? He says he prays for Katharine and her mental health on a daily basis, but for Ellie it is more nuanced. "I haven't prayed for Ellie," he says. "I haven't talked to Ellie about this [but] we had this discussion once around the [family] table when Ellie wasn't there, because someone had asked me the question." He asked the family what they thought about praying for Ellie. Turning to Ellie, he says: "Your younger sister said, 'If God changed Ellie she wouldn't be Ellie, and we love Ellie'. So there's that thing that Ellie's Ellie, she's precious." He sees Katharine's mental illness as something she's not always had, but Ellie has always had the disability and it's part of her. Ellie, herself, is ambivalent about disability and prayer. "I have felt a bit like, well if God heals why am I still dyspraxic? Why do I still find it really difficult to do things? But at the same time it doesn't change the way I trust God." Justin reveals that he needs to compile a list of "awkward questions" to ask God "when I meet Him". And while he's at it, perhaps he might try to persuade God to watch the sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys, which the Archbishop says he watches and is a "good way of unwinding". Justin is conscious the Church needs to be aware of, and embrace, people's differences and needs. Katharine, who also has chronic fatigue syndrome, says she has felt embarrassed at times when she has been unable to stand during services. "You can feel quite uncomfortable, like people are looking at you, like you're not paying attention or not engaging properly." She says more flexibility and acceptance is needed. "If someone goes in and the first week they're there they get tutted at, then they're not going to come back." More parishes have started to use the phrase "stand if it's convenient", Justin says, because, when it comes down to it, "it doesn't matter tuppence" how someone worships. "You do have to go through a process of educating people," he says. "Get rid of the frowns and the tuts." Justin hopes to find more solutions to these problems when he hosts a conference in July at Lambeth Palace on disability and inclusion. One question he really wants to address is the physical accessibility of churches. Many of the Church of England's 9,000 buildings are ill-equipped and inaccessible, but heritage protection currently trumps accessibility law. "I find it absolutely extraordinary that disability access comes second to heritage," he says. "I really find that bizarre. Well, that's one way of saying we don't care about you, isn't it?" Ahead of the conference he has another important event - the christening of Prince Louis on 9 July, which he says is "very nerve wracking" but "a great privilege". "You know, if you're at the wedding don't drop the rings and if you're at the baptism don't drop the baby. They're a wonderful family, there's lots of love and it'll be a great occasion." For more Disability News, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to the weekly podcast.

['Disability', 'The Church of England', 'Mental health']

[{"entity": "Justin Welby", "label": "PER"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Disability", "The Church of England", "Mental health"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35721745

Pastor ejected from easyJet flight over 'prayer' text

A pastor was removed from an easyJet plane at Luton because a passenger spotted a "prayer on his phone" and reported him as a security threat.

Olaolu Opebiyi, of House on The Rock church in Tuffnell Park, north London, was arranging a conference call prayer on his phone, The Guardian reported. EasyJet said the captain had requested official assistance to investigate concerns raised by fellow passengers. After police questioning he was cleared to complete his journey last Thursday. Pastor Olaolu was booked on flight EZY2151 from Luton to Amsterdam on 25 February. A spokesman for the airline said following concerns raised by other passengers the captain called for assistance and officers decided to disembark the passenger for questioning. Pastor Olaolu told the Guardian he believed suspicion had fallen on him unjustly because the passenger next to him probably suspected him of being a Muslim terrorist on account of his Nigerian heritage. The easyJet spokesman said: "The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority which means that if a security concern is raised we will always investigate it as a precautionary measure." After questioning the passenger was allowed to complete his journey on a later flight, the spokesman continued. The company also said it apologised to Pastor Olaolu for the inconvenience caused to him.

['Easyjet', 'Luton']

[{"entity": "easyJet", "label": "ORG"}, {"entity": "Luton", "label": "LOC"}]

easyJet ||| Luton

["Easyjet", "Luton"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-35914850

Family name River Wey missing kayaker as Grant Broster

A man missing after his kayak overturned on a flooded river in Surrey has been named by his family.

Grant Broster, 56, from Guildford was using his family's kayak on the River Wey in the town on Monday when it capsized. Mr Broster's wife, Rachel, said: "He had not seen the flood warnings." She said their son entered the fast-flowing water to try to help him, but was pulled to safety. Divers have been trawling the river in Millmead. In a statement, Mrs Broster said there had been no sightings of her husband. Police officers have been working alongside colleagues from Surrey Fire and Rescue and Surrey Search and Rescue since he was reported missing. A flood warning had been put in place for parts of the River Wey following heavy rain and storms over the weekend. A police helicopter, firefighters and ambulance crews were all at the scene on Monday. The river is popular with kayakers. Wey Valley Kayak Club, which has about 400 members, is situated about one mile down river from where the man capsized. It tweeted on Monday morning the Wey from Godalming Wharf to Thames Lock was not safe.

['Surrey Fire and Rescue Service', 'Surrey Police', 'Guildford']

[{"entity": "Surrey", "label": "LOC"}]

Surrey

["Surrey Fire and Rescue Service", "Surrey Police", "Guildford"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-42893715

Rough sleepers rise in Wales, latest count shows

The number of rough sleepers has risen in Wales according to new figures.

An overnight count from November 2017 showed there was 188 individuals on the streets - 47 more than in 2016. Now homeless charities are calling on more to be done to help change the habits of rough sleepers. Some rough sleepers say they choose to sleep in tents rather than seeking refuge at homeless shelters while others are asked to leave shelters for a variety of reasons. Gary, who has slept rough for two years, said: "I'm just out of rehab, it wasn't for me, I couldn't handle it. Everything I know is here (Newport). "Hostels are sometimes a hindrance, because of the drugs in there." Kelissa, also in her forties, added: "I was in a hostel but it was right on the front line where all the drugs are, and I'm trying to stay off the drugs. "It was just dragging me right down." Craig, 47, said he has physical and mental health problems, and was sharing his tent with three other people. "To be blunt with you, I've had a drug addiction for 28 years. I've been battling it," he added. Craig said drug dealers used to wait for him - and others with addiction issues - outside the hostel where he used to stay. "The hostel is great, but it's just where it is," he said. "I know it's down to choice - it's my personal choice but it [the drugs] makes it so hard." The Welsh Government figures showed that Cardiff had the most rough sleepers at 53, followed by Wrexham (44), Swansea (21), Newport (18) and Conwy (10). A spokesman for the government said: "While these are snapshot estimates, the figures are clearly concerning." Another count which took place during a two week period in October last year showed a smaller rise in the number of rough sleepers. It showed there was 345 rough sleepers - an increase of 10% on the same period in 2016. On the same night as the overnight count, local authorities across Wales said there were 233 emergency bed spaces, and of these 42 were unoccupied and available. The Welsh Government is investing £20m to tackle homelessness over the next two years and First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced an extra £10m in 2019-20 to support work to end youth homelessness in Wales. The spokesman said: "Our innovative housing legislation aims to reduce homelessness and people sleeping rough, with a stronger focus on prevention and a more inclusive approach to helping everyone at risk, not just those in priority need groups. He added that homelessness has been prevented for almost 13,000 households since the legislation came into force.

['Homelessness', 'Drug rehabilitation', 'Welsh government', 'Newport']

[{"entity": "Wales", "label": "LOC"}]

Wales

["Homelessness", "Drug rehabilitation", "Welsh government", "Newport"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50090532

US black school aide fired for rebuking boy's use of n-word

Students at a Wisconsin school have protested against the firing of a black security guard after he told a student not to call him a racial slur.

Marlon Anderson was sacked for repeating the n-word while scolding a black pupil who addressed him with the epithet. Mr Anderson was asked on 9 October to help remove an unruly teen, who then began directing racial abuse at him. He was sacked from West High School in the city of Madison on Wednesday. Scores of students staged a walkout on Friday in the Midwestern US state's capital city to demonstrate against the dismissal. Mr Anderson's son, 17-year old Noah Anderson, who is president of the school's black student union, led the walkout. According to ABC News, students chanted "Do better" and "Hey-hey, hey-ho, zero tolerance has got to go". Madison Metropolitan School District cited its zero-tolerance policy on derogatory slurs by staff members as a reason for the dismissal. A union representing Mr Anderson filed a grievance against the district on Thursday, calling for him to be reinstated and receive back-pay. Mr Anderson said he feels he has the right to not be called that word. "My father was called this word, my grandmother, my grandfather and keep going down the family line," he said. "We were all called this word, and not one of them could say, 'don't call me that.' I can. "And I shouldn't be punished because I have the right to tell somebody not to call me this word. "I made a conscious decision to address the word, because it is an epidemic." He added: "Our kids use it every day." Mr Anderson had worked for the school district for the last 11 years. In an interview with the New York Times, he said he had been asked by Assistant Principal Jennifer Talarczyk to deal with a 17-year old student who had been accused of taking another pupil's mobile phone. As he escorted the alleged troublemaker from the building, Mr Anderson said the student directed the racial slur at him about 15 times, along with other offensive terms. As Mr Anderson told the student to stop saying the word, himself repeating it several times, he says Mrs Talarczyk, who was present, activated her walkie-talkie microphone, allowing other staff to listen in to the interaction. On Friday, district school board president Gloria Reyes called for Mr Anderson's request for reinstatement to be reviewed quickly. "This is an incredibly difficult situation, and we acknowledge the emotion, harm and complexity involved," she said in a statement. "Many people in our community and our district are grappling with that complexity, and we will continue to do so as we go forward." In a separate statement, Jane Belmore, the district superintendent, said their policy "that racial slurs will not be tolerated when said by anyone in any school setting no matter what the circumstances" was created "in an effort to unequivocally protect students from harm, no matter the intent". But she noted "that different viewpoints from many facets of our the community are surfacing". Last year at least seven Madison Metropolitan School District employees were dismissed or resigned after using racial slurs in front of students.

['Wisconsin', 'US race relations', 'United States']

[{"entity": "Wisconsin", "label": "LOC"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Wisconsin", "US race relations", "United States"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-40026763

Manchester attack: Polish couple killed while waiting for daughters

A Polish couple living in York who had gone to Manchester Arena to pick up their daughters have been killed in the terror attack.

Angelika and Marcin Klis had not been seen since the explosion at the Ariana Grande concert on Monday night. The couple's daughter Alex Klis, 20, a student at York College, had posted an appeal on Facebook for information about their whereabouts. The Polish foreign ministry confirmed two Polish nationals had been killed. It is understood Mr Klis, 42, worked at York Cars Taxi Service, a cab company in York. Mr Klis and his wife, aged 39, had taken a picture of themselves together in Manchester shortly before going to the concert to collect their daughters. This was shared on social media by their daughter on Tuesday. She wrote: "Anyone who is in any safe place or hospital in Manchester, if anyone comes across my parents please please let me know as they've been missing ever since the attack, this is a picture taken tonight so this is exactly what they were wearing." In a statement, the Polish foreign ministry said: "We share the pain of the family and the loved ones of the victims and express our most sincere condolences. "Consuls have offered assistance to the family of the victims." The Polish Foreign Minister, Witold Waszczykowski, told a radio station: "The parents came after the concert to collect their daughters and unfortunately we have information that they are dead. The children are safe." Dr Alison Birkinshaw, principal at York College, described the deaths as "devastating news for Alex and her family, the whole college and the wider community". She said: "We are in touch with Alex and will do whatever we can to support her and her family." A JustGiving page has been set up to raise money for Ms Klis and her sister Patrycia and has so far raised more than £4,000.

['Manchester Arena attack', 'York', 'Poland']

[{"entity": "York", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Manchester Arena", "label": "LOC"}]

York

["Manchester Arena attack", "York", "Poland"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46661612

US shutdown looks set to drag through Christmas

A partial US government shutdown is set to continue through Christmas with no deal in sight to break the impasse over budget spending.

The Senate, which must pass a deal, has now adjourned until Thursday. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump will stay on in Washington for the festive period, cancelling holidays in Florida. The shutdown began at midnight on Friday after Democrats resisted Mr Trump's demands for $5bn (£4bn) for his Mexico border wall. Mr Trump warned there could be "a long stay" in the talks and Democrats told him: "You must abandon the wall." Vice-President Mike Pence stressed that negotiators were still talking. Nine of 15 federal departments, including State, Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture and Justice began partially shutting down after funding for them lapsed at midnight (05:00GMT Saturday). Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will have to work unpaid or are furloughed, a kind of temporary leave. This is the third time US federal funding has lapsed so far this year, although the other two were brief. The Senate held a rare Saturday session but it was not long before it adjourned. Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell said the "pause button" had been pushed and that there would be no new Senate vote until he had a signature from the president - and agreement from the Democrats - on a budget deal. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said a budget bill that had passed the Republican-controlled House on Thursday approving $5.7bn (£4.5bn) of funding for the wall would "never pass the Senate, not today, not next week, not next year". He added: "So Mr President, if you want to open the government, you must abandon the wall, plain and simple. "The Senate is not interested in swindling American taxpayers for an unnecessary, ineffective and wasteful policy." In a tweet on Saturday, Mr Trump said "we are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed border security" but the talks "could be a long stay". He again defended the wall, saying "the crisis of illegal activity at our southern border is real and will not stop until we build a great steel barrier or wall. Let the work begin!" One White House official said the administration hoped the shutdown would last only a few days but it could be longer. Some Republican lawmakers still hope there can be a deal, perhaps involving less money for the wall. On Wednesday, a bilateral deal appeared to have been agreed in the Senate to keep federal agencies open until 8 February. But the agreement did not include funding for the wall. Mr Trump then dug his heels in over the issue after criticism from conservative talk show hosts and other allies, and insisted that funds for the wall must be included for him to sign the budget off. The House then passed a bill with such funding, with Mr Trump well aware the Democrats will be taking control of the legislature in January and wall funding will stall. But Mr Trump does not have the 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate he needs to get the House budget passed. He earlier suggested that Mr McConnell should invoke the so-called "nuclear option" to break the impasse. That would mean the bill could be approved in the Senate with a simple majority. But Mr McConnell has repeatedly refused in the past to invoke such an extreme manoeuvre. About 380,000 government employees will be made to take temporary, unpaid leave. Meanwhile, 420,000 employees working in essential roles - considered necessary for the "protection of life and property" - will keep working, without being paid. In practice, this means that: The remaining 75% of the federal government is fully funded until September 2019 - so the defence, veterans affairs, labour and education departments are not affected. Martin Ely, 54, a tax officer in Arizona, is affected by the shutdown and says he's frustrated with the politicians. "I would like them not to use us a bargaining chip. "I was last paid a week ago and hopefully should still be paid on 30 December for this week just gone, but anything after that will definitely be affected by the shutdown. "I have been an IRS employee for around nine years, and I was furloughed during the 2013 shutdown that lasted from October 1-17. Being furloughed is never a pleasant experience. Having to live on savings and/or credit while waiting for back pay, which must be approved by Congress, is tremendously stressful. "During the 2013 shutdown, I spent the entire time glued to the TV watching the news and waiting to be called back to work. Many of my co-workers did the same. We can't travel far or plan a vacation during a shutdown because we usually only get a day's notice or less to report back to work. So it's no holiday, especially during the Holidays." A strengthened southern border wall was a key election promise from Mr Trump. On Friday he shared a graphic of his steel-slat design for the wall. Later, he posted a video regarding the immigration row, where he said it was "very dangerous out there". His address, which was spliced with footage that appeared to show immigrants pushing down border fencing, cautioned about drugs and violent gang members entering the country illegally. During his campaign he insisted he would make Mexico pay for the wall, but the country has refused. This week Mr Trump's supporters created a crowdfunding page for the building process - an appeal that has so far raised more than $13m (£10m) in just four days. Have you been affected by the partial government shutdown? Tell us your story by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk You can also contact us in the following ways:

["Donald Trump's border wall", 'US government shutdown', 'Mexico–US border', 'Donald Trump', 'US politics', 'US Congress', 'United States Senate']

[{"entity": "US", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Christmas", "label": "TIME"}]

US

["Donald Trump's border wall", "US government shutdown", "Mexico\u2013US border", "Donald Trump", "US politics", "US Congress", "United States Senate"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36568862

Rowan Williams: UK 'needs to do more for refugees', says former archbishop

The UK government needs to do more to respond to the refugee crisis, the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has said.

Dr Williams, who is now the chairman of the charity Christian Aid, said the rhetoric in the media which suggested the UK was "full" was "unfounded". "The UK must not turn a blind eye to this crisis. We must do more," he said. The government said it had pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020 - and about 1,600 had already arrived. Dr Williams, who made his comments ahead of Refugee Week which begins on Monday, said the refugee crisis was the biggest displacement of people to Europe since the Second World War. "Desperate people who have been driven out of their homes by war are being forced to make dangerous journeys in search of sanctuary. Yet many countries are closing their borders and putting up barbed wire," he said. "The UK must not turn a blind eye to this crisis. We can and must do more to respond." He said the UK had a proud history of offering refuge to those in need, welcoming Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s and Kosovan refugees in the late 1990s. "The rhetoric in the media is one that suggests that the UK is 'full', and that those arriving on our shores are a drain on our economy," he said. "Not only are these assertions unfounded, but they fail to recognise the positive, life-affirming contributions that generations of refugees have made to British society - and that we ourselves are changed by welcoming the stranger." Dr Williams, who was appointed the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002 and stood down in 2012, said the charity Christian Aid was founded on the belief that "all people would live together as neighbours". The charity wants the government to take on "far higher" numbers of refugees and accelerate the resettlement of the 20,000 Syrian refugees it has agreed to accept. Syria has been embroiled in a bloody armed conflict for nearly five years. More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed, and 11 million displaced from their homes - more than four million have already left the country. A Home Office spokesman said: "Last month the UK announced we will resettle unaccompanied migrant children registered in Greece, Italy or France before 20 March, where this is in their best interests. "It will mean the UK can focus on the most vulnerable children already in Europe - without encouraging more to make the journey. "This builds on the further announcement that 3,000 vulnerable children and family members will be resettled direct from the Middle East and North Africa." Syrian refugees are arriving in the UK under the government's Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme. The Home Office also highlighted the fact that the government had pledged £2.3bn in humanitarian aid to Syria and its neighbouring countries. A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.

['Refugees and asylum seekers']

[{"entity": "UK", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "Rowan Williams", "label": "PER"}]

UK

["Refugees and asylum seekers"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-48786726

Lee Guntrip case: Police knew murdered Sarah Nash was at 'high risk'

A woman killed by a violent ex-partner was failed by officers who knew she was a "high-risk victim", a watchdog found.

Lee Guntrip, 25, strangled Sarah Nash the day after being bailed by police investigating domestic abuse allegations against him. He had been ordered to stay away from her, but was bailed to his home just eight doors away from Ms Nash, 37. Hertfordshire Police said it had overhauled its domestic abuse unit in the wake of the findings. The pair were found dead at a property in Highfield Road, Berkhamsted, on 23 June 2016. The day before, convicted domestic abuser Guntrip had been re-bailed by police investigating further assaults on Ms Nash, a mother of two. He had first been arrested on 4 June and two days later allegedly broke his bail conditions not to approach her but the terms were not altered by police. Sarah Green, regional director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, said: "Investigating this tragic incident, we found evidence the police were aware of the abusive relationship, in which Ms Nash was a high risk victim." Three officers had failed to investigate the attacks "to an acceptable standard", she said. Ensuring victims had confidence to seek police help and then received "proper protection" was a "vital step" to reducing domestic violence deaths, added Ms Green. Police knew of Guntrip's history of abuse towards Ms Nash, following his conviction for battery and actual bodily harm in January 2016. He was given a community order and told to go on a rehabilitation course. Three officers faced misconduct hearings in May 2018, with one given management advice and another a written warning. The third was cleared. Hertfordshire police had accepted six of the seven recommendations made by the IOPC, and had improved training, information-sharing and how risk assessments were made and recorded. A force spokesman said domestic abuse team resources had increased "significantly". Inquests held in March concluded Guntrip killed himself, and Ms Nash was unlawfully killed. The conclusion added her death was "contributed to by the lack of communication between all parties", particularly related to the breach of Guntrip's bail conditions.

['Domestic abuse', 'Independent Office for Police Conduct', 'Hertfordshire Constabulary']

[{"entity": "watchdog", "label": "ANIM"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Domestic abuse", "Independent Office for Police Conduct", "Hertfordshire Constabulary"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-51155495

Bristol Pound scheme needs £100,000 or will fold

The Bristol Pound currency is set to end in March unless £100,000 is found to keep it running, the organisation in charge has said.

Bristol Pound launched seven years ago but since then, cashless payments and cryptocurrencies have grown in popularity, making it less competitive. Managing director Diana Finch said they only had £65,000 left to pay for the £13,000 monthly running costs. Bristol Pounds £B would revert to sterling if the scheme folds. Ms Finch said: "There are ongoing costs just to maintain the current infrastructure, and that costs about £13,000 a month just to keep the show on the road, so that's why we are ringing the alarm bells now." There is £400,000 in digital form and £35,000 in vouchers in circulation. The vouchers are valid until September 2021. "All of the digital money that people hold is in accounts at the Bristol Credit Union (BCU) which would just revert to sterling if we stop running the digital scheme. "The paper money is backed completely separately outside our accounts, in a trust account, again at the BCU, so it's very safe" she said. The organisation has said despite its likely demise, the goal was still to encourage people to rethink their spending habits and their impact on the environment. "The aims of the currency are to create a greener, fairer economy for Bristol. "Day by day we are seeing terrible headlines about the climate emergency and the level of CO2 emissions is still increasing - and this is being fuelled by people buying more stuff, and more stuff than the Earth can produce. "We need to localise our economy, we need to reduce our consumption and we need to think about the provenance of every single thing we spend our money on," added Ms Finch. She added that the organisation was bidding for government funding to create a digital platform where customers could earn reward points by choosing local goods and services.

['UK economy']

[{"entity": "Bristol Pound", "label": "TIME"}]

Bristol Pound

["UK economy"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-48024470

'Cricket saved me after my family was murdered'

Morteza Ali fled Afghanistan aged 14 after the Taliban killed his family. He eventually made his way to England, where he met the man who would become his second father.

Welcoming the teenager to Cumnor Cricket Club, a village club on the outskirts of Oxford, chairman Roger Mitty took Ali to the pavilion where he had laid out some kit for him. "He looked at me as though I had given him lottery winnings or something. It was just a wonderful feeling," Mr Mitty said. "He couldn't speak much English, but he was obviously so pleased to be there." Ali had arrived in England after a perilous journey lasting more than a year, and went to live with a distant cousin in Oxford. He had been obsessed with cricket in his homeland, playing for hours with a broom handle for a bat, but it was in England that he got the chance to develop as a cricketer. The image of this "very shy boy", who was "obviously mad about cricket" is a first impression that has never left Mr Mitty. As their relationship developed, father-of-three Mr Mitty treated the young Afghan as a fourth child, throwing him birthday parties, helping him through his education and celebrating Christmases together. The Mitty family and Cumnor's members began to learn snippets of how this young man with the engaging smile had come to arrive in Oxford. Smuggled out of Afghanistan due to the mortal danger posed to him by the Taliban, Ali endured a brutal trek across Europe. At one stage during his journey, he was halted by illness and started vomiting uncontrollably as he crawled up the side of a mountain with a group of fellow migrants in Ukraine. "I was praying that I would just die because I couldn't walk. Somehow I would get energy and I would just crawl and crawl," he said. "I had one shirt and jeans and was crawling in the snow. I thought I was finished." But he finally made it to the refugee camps in Calais and, from there, on to the UK in the back of a lorry. "I didn't know where my journey would take me," he said. "I think now... the cold weather with one shirt and jeans - how did I do that? It was amazing. I learned a lot about people." "His journey from Afghanistan was extraordinary and I just felt I wanted to try and show him some love and concern and support and encouragement," Mr Mitty said. "He just stole our hearts, really." Ali would spend the next decade playing at Cumnor. "There is nowhere else in the world where there is a ground like that. It is in my heart," he said. As the teenager grew into a man, his flamboyant batting style and penetrative bowling saw the all-rounder rise through the ranks to become one of the club's greatest talents. His approach on the field could be compared to his life off it - he was always up for the fight. And Ali needed to draw on his inner strength again when the Home Office threatened him with deportation. He had been given a two-year emergency visa when he arrived in the UK in 2002, but as he approached his 18th birthday Ali was told he would be sent back to Afghanistan. It sparked a campaign led by Mr Mitty and the community of Cumnor, which included lobbying MPs and obtaining evidence from Afghan leaders about the threat to Ali's life. "There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that if he had gone back that would have been the end of him," Mr Mitty said. "I remember saying to my wife, probably at one of the worrying moments when it wasn't looking terribly good, that if I didn't save him I would never forgive myself." Crucially, the campaign group was able to obtain a fax from Kabul. "It was a declaration signed by all the elders of the village that Ali had come from declaring he would certainly be killed if he was ever returned," Mr Mitty said. "That was the best evidence - straight from the horse's mouth." Eventually, Ali was sent a letter by the British government with his "passport for freedom". During the time his future in the UK was in doubt, Ali had learned English, sat his GCSEs and secured a place to study accounting at Oxford Brookes University. Mr Mitty, who is now president at Cumnor Cricket Club, said what struck him about Ali was that "he wasn't portraying himself as a victim". "He would often say to me 'it's just so wonderful that even though I have a different culture, background, race and religion, people like you and people at Cumnor have shown me all this support, love and affection'." Mr Mitty said cricket "drove" Ali, adding he had a "natural talent, a natural gift" for the game, with his excellent technique in part a product of his early days playing with a broom handle. Ali's performances caught the eye of Oxford Marylebone Cricket Club University, which selected the all-rounder for a game against Worcestershire County Cricket Club in April 2009. He thus became only the third Afghan to play first-class cricket in England, after current national team star Mohammad Nabi in 2007 and Mumtaz Habibullah in 2006. Following a trip to Melbourne in Australia, in 2013 Ali was given the chance to play club cricket there, an offer that proved too good to turn down. After 11 years in England, Ali left behind his adoptive family in Cumnor, and in Australia would go on to marry a woman from his homeland. As a record for their two children, he has written a book - Staring at Death - to document his past. The 32-year-old has now spent more of his life out of Afghanistan than in it, but he still harbours hopes of being able to visit his village of Dah Murdah in Ghazni province - although he's been told it remains too dangerous for him to go there. And while Ali has made a life for himself in Australia, he said he still considers Cumnor to be his home. "Roger is my father," he said. "I will always remember him and what he did for me."

['Afghanistan', 'Refugees and asylum seekers', 'Oxford', 'Cumnor']

[{"entity": "Morteza Ali", "label": "PER"}, {"entity": "Afghanistan", "label": "LOC"}, {"entity": "England", "label": "LOC"}]

Afghanistan ||| England

["Afghanistan", "Refugees and asylum seekers", "Oxford", "Cumnor"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44496876

'It's Dr, not Ms,' insists historian

When the historian Fern Riddell tweeted on Wednesday that she was "Dr Fern Riddell" not "Ms or Miss Riddell" she was soon met with criticism.

She tweeted after learning that the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail had proposed to change its house style to only refer to medical doctors by their titles. Instead, academics would just be called by their surname and prefix such as Mr, Mrs or Ms. "It is outrageous," Fern told the BBC. "This is our expertise and people need to know when someone is an expert. I am a firm believer that any academic - whether male or female - should have their title used as that is their qualification. That's what my tweet was about." As is common on Twitter, a backlash ensued. "A wave of men suddenly jumped into my mentions saying I was vulgar and immodest. It immediately then became a gender issue," said Fern. "You're not better for being a Dr as you imply," wrote one detractor. Another tweeted: "If you have to tell people you're an authority or an expert then you probably aren't." Fern admitted she was amused by the hostile reaction. "I am lucky. I tend to just think it's hilarious," she said. "Why are some men so threatened by female expertise? This is a very small section of men but they are very loud and very vocal and very aggressive." In response to those decrying her as big-headed she decided to start the hashtag #ImmodestWomen. "It's insane that women are qualified but feel they can only use the term Doctor at particular times. Women are still defined by whether they are married or not - for me my title is my identity, it is my career. "I'm not going out on dates demanding people call me 'Doctor Fern' - and I think the people who assumed that were very strange." Thousands are now joining in with her hashtag sharing their own stories. And women with PhDs have been adding "Dr" to their Twitter handles in solidarity. "I will never not take pleasure from the moment that someone sneeringly looks at my left hand and says 'miss is it?' and I say, politely, 'Dr, actually'. I'm proud of it, and also value that it takes me out of a narrative that wants to define me by marital status." tweeted Jo Taylor. "Finally added 'Dr' to my Twitter profile after reading through these various threads. The idiocy on display is truly amazing," said Kavita Mudan Finn. "The amount of women putting Dr in the handle was absolutely incredible," Fern told the BBC. "You can clearly see that women have been taught to struggle with acknowledging their own authority and the huge backlash from lunatics online shows how women are taught to know their place," she said. In BBC style, the title Dr is used for doctors of medicine, scientific doctors and church ministers who hold doctorates, when relevant.

['Viral posts', 'Women', 'Twitter']

[{"entity": "Fern Riddell", "label": "PER"}]

NoPresentEntity

["Viral posts", "Women", "Twitter"]

english

en

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31861368

Commerzbank to pay $1.45bn for US banking violations

Germany's second-largest bank, Commerzbank, has agreed to pay a total of $1.45bn (£980m) to US authorities for violating economic sanctions against businesses in Iran and Sudan.

The penalty also includes charges relating to money laundering carried out on behalf of Japanese firm Olympus. Regulators said Commerzbank had "turned a blind eye" to illegal practices. The bank's chief executive, Martin Blessing, said his firm took the violations "very seriously". He added that Commerzbank would make "changes to our systems, training and personnel to address the deficiencies identified by US and New York authorities". In a statement announcing the penalty, Benjamin M. Lawsky, the superintendent of New York's Department of Financial Services (DFS), highlighted that Commerzbank employees had "sought to alter the Bank's transaction monitoring system so that it would create fewer 'red flag' alerts about potential misconduct". This, Mr Lawsky said, "highlights a potential broader problem in the banking industry". The DFS also ordered Commerzbank to fire four employees involved in the violations. Another release related to the penalties, issued by the US Attorney for the southern district of New York and the FBI, details the steps taken by Commerzbank employees to avoid detection by their colleagues. One back-office staff member emailed: "If for whatever reason CB [Commerzbank] New York inquires why our turnover has increase[d] so dramatically, under no circumstances may anyone mention that there is a connection to the clearing of Iranian banks!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Commerzbank is the latest in a long list of banks to have been charged for falling foul of US sanctions. In 2014, French bank BNP Paribas agreed to an $8.9bn (£5.99bn) penalty, while Standard Chartered has been charged twice in three years. HSBC, ING and Credit Suisse are also among the offenders.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41892544

Woman fired for showing Trump motorcade the middle finger

A woman pictured raising her middle finger toward US President Donald Trump's motorcade has reportedly been fired from her job over the photograph.

The image went viral after it was taken on 28 October in Virginia, close to a Trump golf resort. Juli Briskman, who was identified as the cyclist in the image, alleges she was fired by employers Akima LLC after she posted it to her online profiles. The company did not respond to the BBC's request for comment. Ms Briskman told US media the firm had called her into a meeting a day after she informed their HR department she was the subject of the widely circulated image. She told the Huffington Post news website that executives had told her they classified the image as "lewd" or "obscene", and therefore deemed that it violated their social media policies after she had posted it to her Twitter and Facebook accounts. However Ms Briskman said she had emphasised to management that she had not been in working hours when the photograph was taken and had not mentioned her employers on the social media pages. Ms Briskman also alleges that a male colleague was allowed to keep his job after deleting a post deemed as offensive in a separate incident. She therefore questions why she was immediately dismissed from her role. The 50-year-old mother-of-two had reportedly been at the government contractor firm for six months working in communications. Despite losing her job, Ms Briskman said she did not regret making the gesture. "In some ways, I'm doing better than ever," she told The Huffington Post "I'm angry about where our country is right now. I am appalled. This was an opportunity for me to say something." The press photographer, Brendan Smialowski, told the AFP website that it was common to see people protesting or making obscene gestures at presidents as they drove by. He said that he had been struck by the "tenacity" of Ms Briskman after she made the gesture several times and made attempts to catch up with the motorcade.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26145694

Flooding: Insurers count the cost

With dramatic images of flood damage in the Thames Valley as well as rural Somerset, inevitably there is speculation about the clean up costs.

Insurers and business organisations met in Downing Street on Tuesday to thrash out how to help businesses and homeowners as quickly as possible. The wettest January on record and continuing rain in early February could have major financial consequences as insurers are obliged to fund a substantial repair operation. Severe flooding in the UK is not unusual. In 2007 there was extensive damage in several urban areas including Hull and Tewkesbury. The insurance bill for this year's flooding could well end up a lot lower than the payouts required seven years ago. Between May and July 2007, England and Wales experienced the wettest conditions in 200 years. Nearly 50,000 households were affected. So far, about 5,000 homes are believed to have been affected in the current floods, although that figure is likely to rise of course. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) there were payouts of £3bn as a result of the summer floods in 2007. Across the whole of 2012, flooding caused damage worth £4bn. The ABI believes storms at the end of December and over the New Year have generated bills of £426m. According to the insurer Hiscox, the latest floods could, if they continue for a couple more weeks, result in payouts of about £1bn. This would still be well short of the claims seven years ago. Insurance experts at the consultancy firm Deloitte concur with that figure. But they warn that consumers will probably have to pay higher premiums as a result of the latest flooding. Experts say the final bills will depend on how long the wet weather lasts, and how many more households and businesses suffer damage to their properties. In terms of disruption to the economy, it is too early to say. Retailers may lose business if rail links are disrupted for some time. That said, some analysts point out that repairs to rail lines and other infrastructure will support economic growth.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35301348

School league tables explained

The BBC News website looks at key questions about the publication of school performance data in England.

What is school performance data? School performance data is statistical information showing how well pupils in England have done in public examinations taken at key points in their educational journey. School league tables explained Data is published for children's attainment in national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, which are sat at the end of primary school at age 10 or 11. At secondary school level, data is published detailing pupils' performance in GCSEs (and equivalent exams) at age 16 and A-levels (and equivalents) at age 18. Secondary schools are considered to be "underperforming" if fewer than 40% of their pupils get five GCSEs at grade A*-C, including English and maths, and if the school has a below average score for pupils making the expected progress between Key Stage 2 (end of Year 6) and Key Stage 4 (end of Year 11) in English and maths. Only a pupil's first attempt at a qualification is included for league tables - this aims to stop schools repeatedly entering pupils for exams in order to boost their ranking. The list of qualifications included for league tables includes only those the government says are of the highest, academic quality, and the number of non-GCSE qualifications that count is capped at two. Yes. From next year, schools in England will be measured on what is known as Progress 8. Progress 8 will replace the five or more good GCSEs, including maths and English, benchmark as the key measure for all secondary schools. Progress 8 assesses the progress pupils make between Key Stage 2 tests taken at the end of primary school and their performance in a specified mixture of eight subjects at the end of secondary school. Schools will be given a score based on how their pupils have progressed compared to the national average. This year, schools were given the option to "opt in" for Progress 8 and 327 schools (around 10%) took this up. Primary schools are considered to be "underperforming" if fewer than 65% of pupils get a Level 4 in maths, reading and writing, and pupils are not making the expected progress in these three subjects between the end of infants (age six or seven) and age 10 or 11, when they prepare to leave primary school. In the past, only media organisations used the data to produce rankings in the form of school league tables. But now the Department for Education effectively publishes tables, with a facility on its website that allows users to rank schools by different measures. Wales and Northern Ireland abolished league tables in 2001, followed by Scotland in 2003. Scottish exam data is still published online, but it is not in a format where schools can be easily compared. Wales now publishes tables that place schools in one of five performance bands. The performance data in league tables is used widely by parents to judge how well schools in their area perform. Supporters argue the tables help drive up standards by increasing the accountability of schools and providing valuable information for parents. Research carried out by Bristol University suggested the abolition of league tables in Wales had led to a drop in standards in the lowest 75% of schools. Opponents say comparing schools in this way is too crude a measure of a school's quality, achievements and character. They argue the tables often say more about the intake of a school than the teaching and learning that goes on there. Increasingly, head teachers say the constant state of flux in the exams system makes comparisons between previous years less meaningful. League tables are also thought to encourage competition rather than collaboration between schools in local areas and to lead to middle-class parents pushing to get their children into top schools, further driving down standards at less popular schools. There are also suggestions children are pushed into subjects and choices that make the school look good, rather than broadening their education. The tables show how well a particular year group of pupils at a given school has performed in tests or exams. Most of the pupils will have started school a few years before taking the tests or exams, and there may have been changes of staff or policy at the school in the interim. The tables do not include information about the more holistic elements of a school such as extra-curricular activities on offer - for example, sport and drama - or details about a school's pastoral care system. Some of these details may feature in the school's Ofsted report. It is always advisable to visit a school - most schools run open days or evenings for prospective pupils and parents.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38848528

Italy's Tiziana: Tragedy of a woman destroyed by viral sex videos

It probably took no more than a few seconds for Tiziana Cantone to begin the sequence of events that led to her suicide.

In April 2015, the 31-year-old from Mugnano, on the outskirts of Naples, sent a series of sex videos to five people via WhatsApp. The recipients included her boyfriend Sergio Di Palo, with whom she had an unstable relationship. The videos showed her performing sex acts with a number of unidentified men. "She was beautiful but fragile," remembers Teresa Petrosino, a friend for 15 years. "She was with the wrong people at the wrong time." The videos were soon shared and uploaded to several adult websites. The physical actions on the tapes did not stand out. But a single sentence from Tiziana Cantone did. "You're making a video?" she asked the man holding the camera. "Bravo!" The words suggested an uninhibited young woman, who enjoyed being filmed during sex. By accident, the phrase gave viewers licence to watch the video without reservations: if she was so happy to be filmed, she wouldn't mind them watching. But Italians did more than watch. Users soon turned her comment into a meme-worthy punchline. Her image appeared on t-shirts and parody websites. No-one seemed to worry what the subject herself might think as she seemed so pleased about it. But this was a profound misunderstanding. "People confuse being an uninhibited person with wanting to go viral," says social commentator Selvaggia Lucarelli. "You can film a video, share it with some people but there's a tacit agreement that you won't share it further." Tiziana Cantone, a fragile woman, was horrified. "She and I never actually spoke about the details of the video," says her friend Teresa. "I never saw them, and I never want to see them. You could tell she was suffering a lot. But she was strong." Read more here: How Italians reacted to Tiziana's death Ms Cantone decided to fight back. But there was no immediate way to get the videos taken down. She took the case to court, arguing the tapes were uploaded to public sites without her consent. By this time, she was no longer able to live a normal life. "She didn't want to go out as people would recognise her. She realised that the virtual world and the real world were the same thing," Teresa explains. "She understood at some point that the situation would never be resolved; that a potential husband, her potential children could find those videos; that they would never disappear." Tiziana Cantone retreated to her family home in a quiet street in Mugnano, a working-class suburb of Naples. It took her mother, Maria Teresa Giglio, weeks to find the strength to tell reporters about her daughter's life. "My daughter was a good girl but she was also vulnerable," she told the BBC. "She lacked a paternal figure, from birth. She never met her father. This affected her entire life." Mother and daughter lived together. In happier times, Tiziana listened to Italian singers, read novels and played the piano. But after the intimate videos were shared online, she withdrew. "Her life was ruined, in front of everyone," says her mother. "People made fun of her, parodies ended up on pornographic websites. She was called shameful names." In September, a court in Naples ordered the intimate videos to be removed from several websites and search engines. But the court also ordered her to pay €20,000 (£17,200, $21,600) in legal costs. It was all too much. On 13 September 2016, Maria Teresa Giglio went to work at the local town hall. Her daughter stayed at home. Ms Giglio received a phone call at work. "My sister-in-law called me, and in a calm voice told me to come home; when I got here I saw the police, the ambulance, and I quickly understood," she says, breaking down. "My sister-in-law tried to pick her up and save her. My neighbours didn't allow me to get out of my car. I almost fainted. They didn't want to let me into this house. I wasn't even able to see her for a last time. "The day she died, my life ended." One day later, Maria Teresa Giglio buried her daughter in a white coffin. The notice outside the funeral described her as a "sweet, beautiful, fragile angel". There is a sad paradox at the heart of Tiziana Cantone's death. By taking her own life, she drew even more attention to the videos she hoped everyone might forget. Her mother has forced herself to watch the tapes. "You can only imagine what it is like. I wanted to see details that would allow me to understand the truth. That was not my Tiziana," she says, convinced that her daughter was under the effect of drugs. She believes that the distribution of the videos didn't happen by chance. "It's as if this was a premeditated, criminal plan. They just wanted to show the face of this poor girl, with the intention of exposing her on the internet." Read more here: In particular, Ms Giglio wants her daughter's former boyfriend, Mr Di Palo, to explain exactly what role he had in the sharing of the videos. "He didn't help me to save her life. But maybe he can help me get to the truth. I'm desperate." In November 2016, prosecutors questioned Mr Di Palo for 10 hours. They wanted to know whether anyone was guilty of inciting Tiziana's suicide. Mr Di Palo declined our request for an interview. "We refrain from making comments, out of respect for poor Tiziana who suffered so much due to the enormous publicity that her case received," says Bruno Larosa, Mr Di Palo's lawyer. "We trust the courts and it should be noted that my client is not accused of anything." In the aftermath of Tiziana Cantone's suicide, the tone of Italy's debate about pornography and privacy has changed. "I think this case did make a difference, quite drastically, to the way that Italian journalists talk about these cases of revenge porn," says social commentator Selvaggia Lucarelli. "They used to have a very carefree approach, and her death changed it. In subsequent cases, one of them involving a celebrity, they were a lot more cautious." But there is also a lesson for anyone who chooses to share intimate videos online. "People think that their virtual life and their real life are parallel realities," warns Ms Lucarelli. "They're not. They coincide. The web is our life. So anything that you don't do in real life you shouldn't do online." Tiziana's videos can no longer be found on the main search engines but they still exist. Her mother wants Italy and the rest of the EU to agree a much faster way to get private material removed from the internet and make the big internet firms act responsibly. "I speak on behalf of other mothers who may be suffering like me," she says. Italy's privacy tsar, Antonello Soro, agrees things have to change but does not specify what the government might do. "We need a quicker response mechanism from different online platforms, but it is also necessary to increase respect online," he said in a statement. "We need strong investment in digital education to promote a culture and sensibility that are adequate to the new online world." For Tiziana's mother, life is now a fight to defend her daughter's name, and to prevent others from suffering the same fate. "I hope that the name Tiziana Cantone, instead of standing for mockery, becomes a name that could save the lives of other women. I would like this to happen. To save other people." In Italy: Telefono Amico is a confidential helpline for anyone struggling to cope; in Italy, dial 199 284284 In the UK: Samaritans is available 24 hours a day providing a safe place to talk where calls are completely confidential Phone: 116 123; email: jo@samaritans.org Safeline provides free support and counselling for survivors of sexual abuse or rape Phone: 0808 8005008 UK Safer Internet Centre provides safety tips and advice for children and young people stay safe online.

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