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world-africa-42748769 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42748769 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: The legacy of Africa's first elected female president | Liberia's president has been expelled from her own political party. | By Tamasin FordBBC News, Buutuo, Liberia Mrs Sirleaf's story is pitted with remarkable feats of defiance and courage, entangled with accusations of corruption and nepotism. Just days before she was due to step down from 12 historic years in power, she was expelled from her own political party. Some people hold her up as their saviour; others say she's just like all the rest. "The best thing she did is the peace she kept for us," said 22-year-old Jenneh Sebo, who was sitting lazily in the scorching sun drumming down on the capital Monrovia when I saw her ahead of the country's election in October last year. This is not an uncommon answer. Liberians went through 14 years of barbaric, drug fuelled, chaotic war, where child soldiers carried out the most unspeakable crimes. Myriad rebel groups reigned over towns and cities with terror, stripping the country of any semblance of infrastructure. Hospitals, schools, roads and even lamp-posts were destroyed; the latter out of a belief that enemy soldiers could turn themselves into one. So to be thankful for peace is not a flippant response. However, 15 years on from the end of the war people have long begun demanding more from their government. Jenneh, too young to remember much of the fighting, was sitting in the sun because she did not have a job and had not been in education since high school. The same month, on a grassy field opposite President Sirleaf's house in the more affluent Sinkor area of Monrovia, hundreds of women dressed in white danced to music blasting from massive speakers. The musicians sang "we want peace in Liberia, peace in Monrovia", the song Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy wrote about their country during the war in 1992. Many of these women launched a mass peace movement in 2003 that helped finally end war. They organised sex strikes, until their men put down their arms. They forced a meeting with President Charles Taylor, getting him to agree to go to Ghana for peace talks. Once there, they surrounded the room threatening to take off their clothes until some sort of peace deal was reached. It was these women who then rallied the country to vote for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005. "We don't want no problem again," said 73-year-old Kula Freeman, who remembers the war in all its graphic detail. "We don't want no wahala," her friend, 65-year-old Kwa Sheriff said, chipping in over her shoulder. Wahala is the Liberian word used to describe anything from an argument in the street to a full out war. They are both happy for the peace President Sirleaf brought to the country. Behind them, activist Leymah Gbowee, who won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside President Sirleaf in 2011, began rallying the ladies together. She was one of the key figures who led the peace movement at the end of the war. Ms Gbowee said Mrs Sirleaf will always be remembered for becoming the continent's first elected female president. But for Ms Gbowee, that is all she has achieved. "In terms of delivering a women's agenda we really didn't see that," she said. President Sirleaf is not a warm, cosy character and she certainly didn't focus on women during her 12 years in power. However, the Harvard-trained economist did erase nearly $5bn (£3.2bn) in debilitating foreign debt after three years of being in office, paving the way for foreign investment and boosting the annual government budget from $80m to $516m by 2011. But Ms Gbowee expected more for women. "She's said she's not a feminist, that feminism is extremism," she exclaimed. "I say, well, if it is I'm a proud extremist." Under President Sirleaf's tenure a new, tougher rape law came into force but was then amended, reducing the tough sentences and making it a bailable offence. During her final week in office, President Sirleaf signed an executive order on domestic violence, protecting women, men and children against "physical, sexual, economical, emotional and psychological abuses". She is however disappointed that a key part of her proposal, the abolition of female genital mutilation (FGM) against young girls under the age of 18, was removed. "It undermines the very essence of the law and leaves it incomplete", Mrs Sirleaf's spokesman said of the amendment by the Senate and House of Representatives. Many thought a female president would pave the way for more women in politics. Yet, not unlike the Thatcher era in the UK, Mrs Sirleaf's departure also marks the departure of women in power. Of 19 presidential candidates there was only one woman, 40-year-old Macdella Cooper, a former girlfriend of incoming President George Weah. "She didn't have enough women in the house of parliament to help push bills to support women initiatives," said Cooper. "Economically she didn't have enough women to approve budgets or at least create and craft budgets that will support women. So, she had her limitations." Despite sharing the title of Nobel Laureate, Mrs Sirleaf and Ms Gbowee haven't spoken since Ms Gbowee said she "criticised her government for corruption and nepotism". Mrs Sirleaf has long come under fire for appointing three of her sons to top government posts, something she has always defended. Up to 20 members of her family have had government positions at some point. As for the charge of corruption, in 2006 Sirleaf declared corruption "public enemy number one" only to be hit with a flurry of scandals. Civil servants routinely went unpaid; most notoriously health officials in Lofa County in the north west of the country just as Ebola crept across the border from Guinea. The devastating virus killed nearly 5,000 people, leaving the country reeling and its health system in tatters. Despite all this, Mrs Sirleaf was a history-maker. Her presidency may have been riddled with corruption and nepotism, but she proved to the world that a woman can dismantle the patriarchal seat of power. "One thing we can brag and boast of, she broke the glass ceiling," said Ms Gbowee. "That's a huge inspiration for women." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Tamasin FordBBC News, Buutuo, Liberia Mrs Sirleaf's story is pitted with remarkable feats of defiance and courage, entangled with accusations of corruption and nepotism. Just days before she was due to step down from 12 historic years in power, she was expelled from her own political party. Some people hold her up as their saviour; others say she's just like all the rest. "The best thing she did is the peace she kept for us," said 22-year-old Jenneh Sebo, who was sitting lazily in the scorching sun drumming down on the capital Monrovia when I saw her ahead of the country's election in October last year. This is not an uncommon answer. Liberians went through 14 years of barbaric, drug fuelled, chaotic war, where child soldiers carried out the most unspeakable crimes. Myriad rebel groups reigned over towns and cities with terror, stripping the country of any semblance of infrastructure. Hospitals, schools, roads and even lamp-posts were destroyed; the latter out of a belief that enemy soldiers could turn themselves into one. So to be thankful for peace is not a flippant response. However, 15 years on from the end of the war people have long begun demanding more from their government. Jenneh, too young to remember much of the fighting, was sitting in the sun because she did not have a job and had not been in education since high school. The same month, on a grassy field opposite President Sirleaf's house in the more affluent Sinkor area of Monrovia, hundreds of women dressed in white danced to music blasting from massive speakers. The musicians sang "we want peace in Liberia, peace in Monrovia", the song Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy wrote about their country during the war in 1992. Many of these women launched a mass peace movement in 2003 that helped finally end war. They organised sex strikes, until their men put down their arms. They forced a meeting with President Charles Taylor, getting him to agree to go to Ghana for peace talks. Once there, they surrounded the room threatening to take off their clothes until some sort of peace deal was reached. It was these women who then rallied the country to vote for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005. "We don't want no problem again," said 73-year-old Kula Freeman, who remembers the war in all its graphic detail. "We don't want no wahala," her friend, 65-year-old Kwa Sheriff said, chipping in over her shoulder. Wahala is the Liberian word used to describe anything from an argument in the street to a full out war. They are both happy for the peace President Sirleaf brought to the country. Behind them, activist Leymah Gbowee, who won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside President Sirleaf in 2011, began rallying the ladies together. She was one of the key figures who led the peace movement at the end of the war. Ms Gbowee said Mrs Sirleaf will always be remembered for becoming the continent's first elected female president. But for Ms Gbowee, that is all she has achieved. "In terms of delivering a women's agenda we really didn't see that," she said. President Sirleaf is not a warm, cosy character and she certainly didn't focus on women during her 12 years in power. However, the Harvard-trained economist did erase nearly $5bn (£3.2bn) in debilitating foreign debt after three years of being in office, paving the way for foreign investment and boosting the annual government budget from $80m to $516m by 2011. But Ms Gbowee expected more for women. "She's said she's not a feminist, that feminism is extremism," she exclaimed. "I say, well, if it is I'm a proud extremist." Under President Sirleaf's tenure a new, tougher rape law came into force but was then amended, reducing the tough sentences and making it a bailable offence. During her final week in office, President Sirleaf signed an executive order on domestic violence, protecting women, men and children against "physical, sexual, economical, emotional and psychological abuses". She is however disappointed that a key part of her proposal, the abolition of female genital mutilation (FGM) against young girls under the age of 18, was removed. "It undermines the very essence of the law and leaves it incomplete", Mrs Sirleaf's spokesman said of the amendment by the Senate and House of Representatives. Many thought a female president would pave the way for more women in politics. Yet, not unlike the Thatcher era in the UK, Mrs Sirleaf's departure also marks the departure of women in power. Of 19 presidential candidates there was only one woman, 40-year-old Macdella Cooper, a former girlfriend of incoming President George Weah. "She didn't have enough women in the house of parliament to help push bills to support women initiatives
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Tamasin FordBBC News, Buutuo, Liberia Mrs Sirleaf's story is pitted with remarkable feats of defiance and courage, entangled with accusations of corruption and nepotism. Just days before she was due to step down from 12 historic years in power, she was expelled from her own political party. Some people hold her up as their saviour; others say she's just like all the rest. "The best thing she did is the peace she kept for us," said 22-year-old Jenneh Sebo, who was sitting lazily in the scorching sun drumming down on the capital Monrovia when I saw her ahead of the country's election in October last year. This is not an uncommon answer. Liberians went through 14 years of barbaric, drug fuelled, chaotic war, where child soldiers carried out the most unspeakable crimes. Myriad rebel groups reigned over towns and cities with terror, stripping the country of any semblance of infrastructure. Hospitals, schools, roads and even lamp-posts were destroyed; the latter out of a belief that enemy soldiers could turn themselves into one. So to be thankful for peace is not a flippant response. However, 15 years on from the end of the war people have long begun demanding more from their government. Jenneh, too young to remember much of the fighting, was sitting in the sun because she did not have a job and had not been in education since high school. The same month, on a grassy field opposite President Sirleaf's house in the more affluent Sinkor area of Monrovia, hundreds of women dressed in white danced to music blasting from massive speakers. The musicians sang "we want peace in Liberia, peace in Monrovia", the song Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy wrote about their country during the war in 1992. Many of these women launched a mass peace movement in 2003 that helped finally end war. They organised sex strikes, until their men put down their arms. They forced a meeting with President Charles Taylor, getting him to agree to go to Ghana for peace talks. Once there, they surrounded the room threatening to take off their clothes until some sort of peace deal was reached. It was these women who then rallied the country to vote for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005. "We don't want no problem again," said 73-year-old Kula Freeman, who remembers the war in all its graphic detail. "We don't want no wahala," her friend, 65-year-old Kwa Sheriff said, chipping in over her shoulder. Wahala is the Liberian word used to describe anything from an argument in the street to a full out war. They are both happy for the peace President Sirleaf brought to the country. Behind them, activist Leymah Gbowee, who won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside President Sirleaf in 2011, began rallying the ladies together. She was one of the key figures who led the peace movement at the end of the war. Ms Gbowee said Mrs Sirleaf will always be remembered for becoming the continent's first elected female president. But for Ms Gbowee, that is all she has achieved. "In terms of delivering a women's agenda we really didn't see that," she said. President Sirleaf is not a warm, cosy character and she certainly didn't focus on women during her 12 years in power. However, the Harvard-trained economist did erase nearly $5bn (£3.2bn) in debilitating foreign debt after three years of being in office, paving the way for foreign investment and boosting the annual government budget from $80m to $516m by 2011. But Ms Gbowee expected more for women. "She's said she's not a feminist, that feminism is extremism," she exclaimed. "I say, well, if it is I'm a proud extremist." Under President Sirleaf's tenure a new, tougher rape law came into force but was then amended, reducing the tough sentences and making it a bailable offence. During her final week in office, President Sirleaf signed an executive order on domestic violence, protecting women, men and children against "physical, sexual, economical, emotional and psychological abuses". She is however disappointed that a key part of her proposal, the abolition of female genital mutilation (FGM) against young girls under the age of 18, was removed. "It undermines the very essence of the law and leaves it incomplete", Mrs Sirleaf's spokesman said of the amendment by the Senate and House of Representatives. Many thought a female president would pave the way for more women in politics. Yet, not unlike the Thatcher era in the UK, Mrs Sirleaf's departure also marks the departure of women in power. Of 19 presidential candidates there was only one woman, 40-year-old Macdella Cooper, a former girlfriend of incoming President George Weah. "She didn't have enough women in the house of parliament to help push bills to support women initiatives
### Summary:
Liberia's president has been expelled from her own political party.
### Spotlight
The Liberian president has been expelled from her own political party.
### No spotlights
Liberia's |
world-latin-america-11753411 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-11753411 | Haiti cholera death toll tops 900 | Haiti's health ministry has reported a rise in cholera deaths in the country. | The disease is present in six out of 10 provinces and 14,642 people have been hospitalised since the outbreak of the waterborne disease began last month. Aid agencies are battling to contain cholera in the capital Port-au-Prince, amid fears it will spread through camps housing 1.1m earthquake survivors. The UN is appealing for $164m (£101m) to treat the disease in the next year. The death toll has risen by 121 since Friday. Elections due The worst affected area remains the central province of Artibonite, where 595 people have died, said an update on the health ministry's website. In Port-au-Prince - which was badly damaged by the earthquake in January - 27 deaths have been recorded. Earlier this month, Hurricane Tomas brought heavy rains, which aid agencies say contributed to the spread of the disease, as rivers burst their banks. Up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera, the United Nations says. Cholera itself causes diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration. It can kill quickly but is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics. Presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place in two weeks' time, on 28 November. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The disease is present in six out of 10 provinces and 14,642 people have been hospitalised since the outbreak of the waterborne disease began last month. Aid agencies are battling to contain cholera in the capital Port-au-Prince, amid fears it will spread through camps housing 1.1m earthquake survivors. The UN is appealing for $164m (£101m) to treat the disease in the next year. The death toll has risen by 121 since Friday. Elections due The worst affected area remains the central province of Artibonite, where 595 people have died, said an update on the health ministry's website. In Port-au-Prince - which was badly damaged by the earthquake in January - 27 deaths have been recorded. Earlier this month, Hurricane Tomas brought heavy rains, which aid agencies say contributed to the spread of the disease, as rivers burst their banks. Up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera, the United Nations says. Cholera itself causes diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration. It can kill quickly but is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics. Presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place in two weeks' time, on 28 November. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The disease is present in six out of 10 provinces and 14,642 people have been hospitalised since the outbreak of the waterborne disease began last month. Aid agencies are battling to contain cholera in the capital Port-au-Prince, amid fears it will spread through camps housing 1.1m earthquake survivors. The UN is appealing for $164m (£101m) to treat the disease in the next year. The death toll has risen by 121 since Friday. Elections due The worst affected area remains the central province of Artibonite, where 595 people have died, said an update on the health ministry's website. In Port-au-Prince - which was badly damaged by the earthquake in January - 27 deaths have been recorded. Earlier this month, Hurricane Tomas brought heavy rains, which aid agencies say contributed to the spread of the disease, as rivers burst their banks. Up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera, the United Nations says. Cholera itself causes diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration. It can kill quickly but is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics. Presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place in two weeks' time, on 28 November. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
### Summary:
Haiti's health ministry has reported a rise in cholera deaths in the country.
### Source:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a rise in cholera deaths in H |
uk-england-lancashire-21798979 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-21798979 | Preston Bus Station: £1 bid set to be declined | A plan to build a new bus station in Preston has been rejected by the council. | Entrepreneur Simon Rigby offered to buy the iconic bus station after Preston Council voted to demolish it because of running and refurbishing costs. His plans were backed by a consortium of local experts. A council report has recommended the cabinet declines the proposal and works with Lancashire County Council to build a new bus station at the site. It said Mr Rigby's plans were not in the best, long term interests of taxpayers. 'Modern standards' Preston City Council will meet on 21 March to formally consider the proposal. Council Leader Peter Rankin said: "Selling the bus station for £1 might save the council money in the short term but it guarantees nothing. "There can be no guarantees imposed on the future use of the building as a bus station, nor on future investment in the building. "The major risk is that, for whatever reason, anyone who owns the bus station building could at some point simply decide not to operate it as a bus station anymore. That would leave Preston without a functioning bus station and no money or land to build a new one." He said the cost of getting the bus station up to "modern day standards" were between £17m and £23m. 'Bus station lover' Mr Rigby, who founded utilities company Spice and is now CEO of the Greengen Group, said he wanted to save the bus station as he knows what it means to local people. He was proposing to invest up to £2m to pay for some repairs and improvements to the building. His plans included making the car parking spaces larger for fewer cars, banning traffic from part of the bus station area to benefit pedestrians and setting up a retail area for start-up businesses. Mr Rankin said: "We would like to thank Simon for his proposal and the time he has taken to put it together and discuss it with us. "He like many people is a lover of the bus station building and wants to keep it. "However, we have to think long term and what's in the best interests of Preston. "The £8.3m guaranteed investment from Lancashire County Council, set aside in their capital programme for a new bus station for Preston appears to be the best option." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Entrepreneur Simon Rigby offered to buy the iconic bus station after Preston Council voted to demolish it because of running and refurbishing costs. His plans were backed by a consortium of local experts. A council report has recommended the cabinet declines the proposal and works with Lancashire County Council to build a new bus station at the site. It said Mr Rigby's plans were not in the best, long term interests of taxpayers. 'Modern standards' Preston City Council will meet on 21 March to formally consider the proposal. Council Leader Peter Rankin said: "Selling the bus station for £1 might save the council money in the short term but it guarantees nothing. "There can be no guarantees imposed on the future use of the building as a bus station, nor on future investment in the building. "The major risk is that, for whatever reason, anyone who owns the bus station building could at some point simply decide not to operate it as a bus station anymore. That would leave Preston without a functioning bus station and no money or land to build a new one." He said the cost of getting the bus station up to "modern day standards" were between £17m and £23m. 'Bus station lover' Mr Rigby, who founded utilities company Spice and is now CEO of the Greengen Group, said he wanted to save the bus station as he knows what it means to local people. He was proposing to invest up to £2m to pay for some repairs and improvements to the building. His plans included making the car parking spaces larger for fewer cars, banning traffic from part of the bus station area to benefit pedestrians and setting up a retail area for start-up businesses. Mr Rankin said: "We would like to thank Simon for his proposal and the time he has taken to put it together and discuss it with us. "He like many people is a lover of the bus station building and wants to keep it. "However, we have to think long term and what's in the best interests of Preston. "The £8.3m guaranteed investment from Lancashire County Council, set aside in their capital programme for a new bus station for Preston appears to be the best option."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Entrepreneur Simon Rigby offered to buy the iconic bus station after Preston Council voted to demolish it because of running and refurbishing costs. His plans were backed by a consortium of local experts. A council report has recommended the cabinet declines the proposal and works with Lancashire County Council to build a new bus station at the site. It said Mr Rigby's plans were not in the best, long term interests of taxpayers. 'Modern standards' Preston City Council will meet on 21 March to formally consider the proposal. Council Leader Peter Rankin said: "Selling the bus station for £1 might save the council money in the short term but it guarantees nothing. "There can be no guarantees imposed on the future use of the building as a bus station, nor on future investment in the building. "The major risk is that, for whatever reason, anyone who owns the bus station building could at some point simply decide not to operate it as a bus station anymore. That would leave Preston without a functioning bus station and no money or land to build a new one." He said the cost of getting the bus station up to "modern day standards" were between £17m and £23m. 'Bus station lover' Mr Rigby, who founded utilities company Spice and is now CEO of the Greengen Group, said he wanted to save the bus station as he knows what it means to local people. He was proposing to invest up to £2m to pay for some repairs and improvements to the building. His plans included making the car parking spaces larger for fewer cars, banning traffic from part of the bus station area to benefit pedestrians and setting up a retail area for start-up businesses. Mr Rankin said: "We would like to thank Simon for his proposal and the time he has taken to put it together and discuss it with us. "He like many people is a lover of the bus station building and wants to keep it. "However, we have to think long term and what's in the best interests of Preston. "The £8.3m guaranteed investment from Lancashire County Council, set aside in their capital programme for a new bus station for Preston appears to be the best option."
### Summary:
A plan to build a new bus station in Preston has been rejected by the council.
### Next steps:
The council has said it will meet to consider the proposal.
### Further information:
The council has said |
uk-england-london-56320121 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-56320121 | Cyclist 'jumped red light and killed pedestrian Peter McCombie' | A man who collided with a cyclist has been charged with manslaughter. | Ermir Loka, of Manor Road, Leyton, east London, is accused of the manslaughter of Peter McCombie, who was struck on Bow Road, Tower Hamlets on 3 July. Mr McCombie died from severe brain injuries eight days after the crash. Mr Loka denied manslaughter and causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The court heard Mr Loka, 23, was travelling at about 15mph (24km/h) when he collided with Mr McCombie, who was on his way home from working as a hospital administrator. Prosecutor Deanna Heer said the defendant had been "cycling with a degree of purpose" and had overtaken other cyclists in his approach to the pedestrian crossing where Mr McCombie was waiting. 'In a panic' Ms Heer said the lights had been "on red for over five seconds" but Mr Loka continued cycling and crashed into Mr McCombie. She added: "As he lay on the road, bleeding and unconscious, the defendant - who had also fallen down - picked up his bike and cycled away, leaving others to call an ambulance for Mr McCombie." Mr McCombie suffered damage to his skull, fractures and bruising. Jurors were told Mr Loka abandoned his bike and later admitted to police he did not stop at the scene. He handed himself in to police on 28 July. Ms Heer said the defendant "was in a panic" after the incident due to his immigration status, which was not regularised. The traffic lights had turned to amber around eight-and-a-half seconds before the incident, jurors were told. The prosecution said it was "ample time" for Mr Loka to see the lights were against him. The trial continues. Related Internet Links HM Courts and Tribunals Service | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Ermir Loka, of Manor Road, Leyton, east London, is accused of the manslaughter of Peter McCombie, who was struck on Bow Road, Tower Hamlets on 3 July. Mr McCombie died from severe brain injuries eight days after the crash. Mr Loka denied manslaughter and causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The court heard Mr Loka, 23, was travelling at about 15mph (24km/h) when he collided with Mr McCombie, who was on his way home from working as a hospital administrator. Prosecutor Deanna Heer said the defendant had been "cycling with a degree of purpose" and had overtaken other cyclists in his approach to the pedestrian crossing where Mr McCombie was waiting. 'In a panic' Ms Heer said the lights had been "on red for over five seconds" but Mr Loka continued cycling and crashed into Mr McCombie. She added: "As he lay on the road, bleeding and unconscious, the defendant - who had also fallen down - picked up his bike and cycled away, leaving others to call an ambulance for Mr McCombie." Mr McCombie suffered damage to his skull, fractures and bruising. Jurors were told Mr Loka abandoned his bike and later admitted to police he did not stop at the scene. He handed himself in to police on 28 July. Ms Heer said the defendant "was in a panic" after the incident due to his immigration status, which was not regularised. The traffic lights had turned to amber around eight-and-a-half seconds before the incident, jurors were told. The prosecution said it was "ample time" for Mr Loka to see the lights were against him. The trial continues. Related Internet Links HM Courts and Tribunals Service
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Ermir Loka, of Manor Road, Leyton, east London, is accused of the manslaughter of Peter McCombie, who was struck on Bow Road, Tower Hamlets on 3 July. Mr McCombie died from severe brain injuries eight days after the crash. Mr Loka denied manslaughter and causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The court heard Mr Loka, 23, was travelling at about 15mph (24km/h) when he collided with Mr McCombie, who was on his way home from working as a hospital administrator. Prosecutor Deanna Heer said the defendant had been "cycling with a degree of purpose" and had overtaken other cyclists in his approach to the pedestrian crossing where Mr McCombie was waiting. 'In a panic' Ms Heer said the lights had been "on red for over five seconds" but Mr Loka continued cycling and crashed into Mr McCombie. She added: "As he lay on the road, bleeding and unconscious, the defendant - who had also fallen down - picked up his bike and cycled away, leaving others to call an ambulance for Mr McCombie." Mr McCombie suffered damage to his skull, fractures and bruising. Jurors were told Mr Loka abandoned his bike and later admitted to police he did not stop at the scene. He handed himself in to police on 28 July. Ms Heer said the defendant "was in a panic" after the incident due to his immigration status, which was not regularised. The traffic lights had turned to amber around eight-and-a-half seconds before the incident, jurors were told. The prosecution said it was "ample time" for Mr Loka to see the lights were against him. The trial continues. Related Internet Links HM Courts and Tribunals Service
### Summary:
A man who collided with a cyclist has been charged with manslaughter.
### Text:
A man who collided with a cyclist has been charged with manslaughter.
### Summary |
uk-politics-39761740 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39761740 | General election 2017: May says Tories would not raise VAT | The Conservatives are the party of low taxation and they want to reduce taxes for "working families", Jeremy Corbyn has said. | But the PM declined to back a 2015 Tory pledge that also ruled out rises in income tax and National Insurance. Mrs May said she would not be making "specific proposals" on taxes unless she is "absolutely sure" they can be delivered. Labour promised "low taxes for low and medium earners", claiming the Tories favoured "low taxes for high earners". Asked whether she would be repeating ex-PM David Cameron's "five-year tax lock", covering income tax, National Insurance and VAT until 2020, Mrs May told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "We have absolutely no plans to increase the level of tax. "But I'm also very clear that I do not want to make specific proposals on taxes unless I am absolutely sure that I can deliver on those." Speaking later on the Peston on Sunday show, she added: "We have no plans to raise the level of tax. "In relation to specific taxes, we won't be increasing VAT." Labour has also ruled out a VAT rise. Leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "We are the party that wants low taxes for low and medium earners. The Conservative Party are the party that wants low taxes for high earners. We look at things the other way round. "So yes, there will be changes, but they will be very very much at the top end." Labour is also unveiling a "20-point plan" to tackle what it calls the "rigged economy", including increasing the minimum wage, banning zero hours contracts and ending the public sector pay freeze. Analysis by Leila Nathoo, BBC political correspondent Talk of tax rises during an election campaign is a risky strategy - and up until now Theresa May has been careful to avoid getting into specifics. The Chancellor, Philip Hammond had hinted he wanted to ditch the so-called "tax-lock" - to give him more flexibility to manage the economy. Now the prime minister has suggested she's prepared to revise the previous Tory manifesto commitment, though she insists the Conservatives are the party of lower taxation and she wants to reduce taxes for "working families". For Labour, it's about where the tax burden falls - Jeremy Corbyn claims the rich and businesses must pay more, while he's promising to protect low and middle income earners from any increases. But extra funding is needed for schools, hospitals and social care - so whoever wins the election, the money will need to be found from somewhere. On the Marr show, Mrs May suggested the "triple lock" protecting the state pension could be changed, saying state pensions would continue to rise, with details of how this will be calculated to be revealed in the Tories' manifesto. The triple lock ensures the state pension increases in line with wages, inflation or by 2.5% - whichever is highest. She was asked about reports NHS nurses have been forced to use food banks, saying there were "many complex reasons" why people used the facilities and that a strong economy will lead to "secure jobs". And she rejected claims she was "in a different galaxy" to the rest of the EU on Brexit negotiations, repeating her view that no deal would be better than a bad one. After the 27 EU leaders agreed their Brexit negotiations, the PM said there was "good will" on both sides about settling the issue of EU nationals living in the UK, and Britons elsewhere in Europe. She said recent comments by EU figures showed that talks could be hard, and stressed her determination to reach agreement on a trade deal at the same time as settling the terms of the UK's exit. The EU wants to tackle the issue of any "divorce bill" for the UK at an early stage of the process. Mrs May said EU leaders were keen to "start discussions about money", but added: "I'm very clear that at the end of the negotiations we need to be clear not just about the Brexit arrangement, the exit, how we withdraw, but also what our future relationship is going to be." 'Colossal coronation' Lib Dem leader Tim Farron told the Marr show the UK "desperately needs a strong opposition", saying that Lib Dem success was the only way to prevent the "calamity of hard Brexit". A Conservative majority was "not in question" and Mrs May was heading for a "colossal coronation", he predicted. He said the decision to call the general election had been motivated by a "cold, calculated desire to do what's best for the Conservative Party". Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood told the Sunday Politics show any Brexit plan that threatened Welsh jobs would be "extreme" and "unacceptable". Former SNP leader Alex Salmond said his party would provide "real opposition" to the Tories on public spending cuts. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
But the PM declined to back a 2015 Tory pledge that also ruled out rises in income tax and National Insurance. Mrs May said she would not be making "specific proposals" on taxes unless she is "absolutely sure" they can be delivered. Labour promised "low taxes for low and medium earners", claiming the Tories favoured "low taxes for high earners". Asked whether she would be repeating ex-PM David Cameron's "five-year tax lock", covering income tax, National Insurance and VAT until 2020, Mrs May told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "We have absolutely no plans to increase the level of tax. "But I'm also very clear that I do not want to make specific proposals on taxes unless I am absolutely sure that I can deliver on those." Speaking later on the Peston on Sunday show, she added: "We have no plans to raise the level of tax. "In relation to specific taxes, we won't be increasing VAT." Labour has also ruled out a VAT rise. Leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "We are the party that wants low taxes for low and medium earners. The Conservative Party are the party that wants low taxes for high earners. We look at things the other way round. "So yes, there will be changes, but they will be very very much at the top end." Labour is also unveiling a "20-point plan" to tackle what it calls the "rigged economy", including increasing the minimum wage, banning zero hours contracts and ending the public sector pay freeze. Analysis by Leila Nathoo, BBC political correspondent Talk of tax rises during an election campaign is a risky strategy - and up until now Theresa May has been careful to avoid getting into specifics. The Chancellor, Philip Hammond had hinted he wanted to ditch the so-called "tax-lock" - to give him more flexibility to manage the economy. Now the prime minister has suggested she's prepared to revise the previous Tory manifesto commitment, though she insists the Conservatives are the party of lower taxation and she wants to reduce taxes for "working families". For Labour, it's about where the tax burden falls - Jeremy Corbyn claims the rich and businesses must pay more, while he's promising to protect low and middle income earners from any increases. But extra funding is needed for schools, hospitals and social care - so whoever wins the election, the money will need to be found from somewhere. On the Marr show, Mrs May suggested the "triple lock" protecting the state pension could be changed, saying state pensions would continue to rise, with details of how this will be calculated to be revealed in the Tories' manifesto. The triple lock ensures the state pension increases in line with wages, inflation or by 2.5% - whichever is highest. She was asked about reports NHS nurses have been forced to use food banks, saying there were "many complex reasons" why people used the facilities and that a strong economy will lead to "secure jobs". And she rejected claims she was "in a different galaxy" to the rest of the EU on Brexit negotiations, repeating her view that no deal would be better than a bad one. After the 27 EU leaders agreed their Brexit negotiations, the PM said there was "good will" on both sides about settling the issue of EU nationals living in the UK, and Britons elsewhere in Europe. She said recent comments by EU figures showed that talks could be hard, and stressed her determination to reach agreement on a trade deal at the same time as settling the terms of the UK's exit. The EU wants to tackle the issue of any "divorce bill" for the UK at an early stage of the process. Mrs May said EU leaders were keen to "start discussions about money", but added: "I'm very clear that at the end of the negotiations we need to be clear not just about the Brexit arrangement, the exit, how we withdraw, but also what our future relationship is going to be." 'Colossal coronation' Lib Dem leader Tim Farron told the Marr show the UK "desperately needs a strong opposition", saying that Lib Dem success was the only way to prevent the "calamity of hard Brexit". A Conservative majority was "not in question" and Mrs May was heading for a "colossal coronation", he predicted. He said the decision to call the general election had been motivated by a "cold, calculated desire to do what's best for the Conservative Party". Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood told the Sunday Politics show any Brexit plan that threatened Welsh jobs would be "extreme" and "unacceptable". Former SNP leader Alex Salmond said his party would provide "real opposition" to the Tories on public spending cuts.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
But the PM declined to back a 2015 Tory pledge that also ruled out rises in income tax and National Insurance. Mrs May said she would not be making "specific proposals" on taxes unless she is "absolutely sure" they can be delivered. Labour promised "low taxes for low and medium earners", claiming the Tories favoured "low taxes for high earners". Asked whether she would be repeating ex-PM David Cameron's "five-year tax lock", covering income tax, National Insurance and VAT until 2020, Mrs May told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "We have absolutely no plans to increase the level of tax. "But I'm also very clear that I do not want to make specific proposals on taxes unless I am absolutely sure that I can deliver on those." Speaking later on the Peston on Sunday show, she added: "We have no plans to raise the level of tax. "In relation to specific taxes, we won't be increasing VAT." Labour has also ruled out a VAT rise. Leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "We are the party that wants low taxes for low and medium earners. The Conservative Party are the party that wants low taxes for high earners. We look at things the other way round. "So yes, there will be changes, but they will be very very much at the top end." Labour is also unveiling a "20-point plan" to tackle what it calls the "rigged economy", including increasing the minimum wage, banning zero hours contracts and ending the public sector pay freeze. Analysis by Leila Nathoo, BBC political correspondent Talk of tax rises during an election campaign is a risky strategy - and up until now Theresa May has been careful to avoid getting into specifics. The Chancellor, Philip Hammond had hinted he wanted to ditch the so-called "tax-lock" - to give him more flexibility to manage the economy. Now the prime minister has suggested she's prepared to revise the previous Tory manifesto commitment, though she insists the Conservatives are the party of lower taxation and she wants to reduce taxes for "working families". For Labour, it's about where the tax burden falls - Jeremy Corbyn claims the rich and businesses must pay more, while he's promising to protect low and middle income earners from any increases. But extra funding is needed for schools, hospitals and social care - so whoever wins the election, the money will need to be found from somewhere. On the Marr show, Mrs May suggested the "triple lock" protecting the state pension could be changed, saying state pensions would continue to rise, with details of how this will be calculated to be revealed in the Tories' manifesto. The triple lock ensures the state pension increases in line with wages, inflation or by 2.5% - whichever is highest. She was asked about reports NHS nurses have been forced to use food banks, saying there were "many complex reasons" why people used the facilities and that a strong economy will lead to "secure jobs". And she rejected claims she was "in a different galaxy" to the rest of the EU on Brexit negotiations, repeating her view that no deal would be better than a bad one. After the 27 EU leaders agreed their Brexit negotiations, the PM said there was "good will" on both sides about settling the issue of EU nationals living in the UK, and Britons elsewhere in Europe. She said recent comments by EU figures showed that talks could be hard, and stressed her determination to reach agreement on a trade deal at the same time as settling the terms of the UK's exit. The EU wants to tackle the issue of any "divorce bill" for the UK at an early stage of the process. Mrs May said EU leaders were keen to "start discussions about money", but added: "I'm very clear that at the end of the negotiations we need to be clear not just about the Brexit arrangement, the exit, how we withdraw, but also what our future relationship is going to be." 'Colossal coronation' Lib Dem leader Tim Farron told the Marr show the UK "desperately needs a strong opposition", saying that Lib Dem success was the only way to prevent the "calamity of hard Brexit". A Conservative majority was "not in question" and Mrs May was heading for a "colossal coronation", he predicted. He said the decision to call the general election had been motivated by a "cold, calculated desire to do what's best for the Conservative Party". Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood told the Sunday Politics show any Brexit plan that threatened Welsh jobs would be "extreme" and "unacceptable". Former SNP leader Alex Salmond said his party would provide "real opposition" to the Tories on public spending cuts.
### Summary:
The Conservatives are the party of low taxation and they want to reduce taxes for "working families", Jeremy Corbyn has said.
### Spotlight
The Conservatives are the party of low taxation and they |
uk-politics-19922023 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19922023 | Andrew Mitchell has 'no option but to resign', says local police rep | Andrew Mitchell has apologised for using the words "plebs" and "plebs" in a row with police officers. | They said Mr Mitchell repeated a "profound apology with feeling" but continued to deny using the words attributed to him during an outburst at police officers outside Number 10. This meant his position had become "untenable", they said. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has called on Andrew Mitchell to be sacked. Three representatives of the local Police Federation met Mr Mitchell for 45 minutes to discuss allegations the minister called Downing Street police officers "plebs". Speaking to the media afterwards, Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia Police Federation, said Mr Mitchell refused to reveal what he actually said in the incident, apparently telling them he did not want a "fire fight with the police". Prime Minister David Cameron and senior officers have said a line should be drawn under the matter following Mr Mitchell's previous apology, but pressure on Mr Mitchell continues. 'No confidence' A leader column in the Daily Telegraph on Friday called on the chief whip to step down from the cabinet saying he is now a "laughing stock" and a "walking, talking embodiment of everything with which David Cameron would least like his party to be associated". According to an opinion poll by YouGov, 50% of the public think the "plebs" row shows Conservative MPs see themselves as better than ordinary people. The online survey of 1,710 people suggests 60% of the public believe Mr Mitchell's outburst "showed his true feelings", while 50% thought his behaviour and attitudes reflected those of other Conservative MPs. Just over half of respondents, 52%, thought he should resign. Mr Mitchell's future was the source of speculation during this week's Tory conference, despite the Sutton Coldfield MP choosing not to attend, with ministers repeatedly asked about the incident. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told BBC Radio 5 live what Mr Mitchell had done was "really wrong" but he had apologised and he hoped the minister's meeting with the Police Federation would "clear the air". Labour, which had previously called for the cabinet minister to provide further clarity on what he said to police officers, said the situation had gone on long enough. 'Pleb and proud' "Neither the prime minister nor the chief whip have proved capable of coming clean swiftly and putting this right," said Ms Cooper. "And it is now clear no one even in the Conservative Party has confidence in Andrew Mitchell either. "The failure by David Cameron and Andrew Mitchell to take this incident seriously enough and to sort it out straight away means Andrew Mitchell will clearly not be able to instil respect in Parliament or beyond as chief whip, and this will just drag on and on. "David Cameron needs to put an end to this now and remove Andrew Mitchell from his position as chief whip." Last month, police officers protested outside Mr Mitchell's constituency office wearing T-shirt with the words "PC Pleb and Proud" printed on them and representatives have called for a full inquiry into the matter. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
They said Mr Mitchell repeated a "profound apology with feeling" but continued to deny using the words attributed to him during an outburst at police officers outside Number 10. This meant his position had become "untenable", they said. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has called on Andrew Mitchell to be sacked. Three representatives of the local Police Federation met Mr Mitchell for 45 minutes to discuss allegations the minister called Downing Street police officers "plebs". Speaking to the media afterwards, Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia Police Federation, said Mr Mitchell refused to reveal what he actually said in the incident, apparently telling them he did not want a "fire fight with the police". Prime Minister David Cameron and senior officers have said a line should be drawn under the matter following Mr Mitchell's previous apology, but pressure on Mr Mitchell continues. 'No confidence' A leader column in the Daily Telegraph on Friday called on the chief whip to step down from the cabinet saying he is now a "laughing stock" and a "walking, talking embodiment of everything with which David Cameron would least like his party to be associated". According to an opinion poll by YouGov, 50% of the public think the "plebs" row shows Conservative MPs see themselves as better than ordinary people. The online survey of 1,710 people suggests 60% of the public believe Mr Mitchell's outburst "showed his true feelings", while 50% thought his behaviour and attitudes reflected those of other Conservative MPs. Just over half of respondents, 52%, thought he should resign. Mr Mitchell's future was the source of speculation during this week's Tory conference, despite the Sutton Coldfield MP choosing not to attend, with ministers repeatedly asked about the incident. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told BBC Radio 5 live what Mr Mitchell had done was "really wrong" but he had apologised and he hoped the minister's meeting with the Police Federation would "clear the air". Labour, which had previously called for the cabinet minister to provide further clarity on what he said to police officers, said the situation had gone on long enough. 'Pleb and proud' "Neither the prime minister nor the chief whip have proved capable of coming clean swiftly and putting this right," said Ms Cooper. "And it is now clear no one even in the Conservative Party has confidence in Andrew Mitchell either. "The failure by David Cameron and Andrew Mitchell to take this incident seriously enough and to sort it out straight away means Andrew Mitchell will clearly not be able to instil respect in Parliament or beyond as chief whip, and this will just drag on and on. "David Cameron needs to put an end to this now and remove Andrew Mitchell from his position as chief whip." Last month, police officers protested outside Mr Mitchell's constituency office wearing T-shirt with the words "PC Pleb and Proud" printed on them and representatives have called for a full inquiry into the matter.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
They said Mr Mitchell repeated a "profound apology with feeling" but continued to deny using the words attributed to him during an outburst at police officers outside Number 10. This meant his position had become "untenable", they said. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has called on Andrew Mitchell to be sacked. Three representatives of the local Police Federation met Mr Mitchell for 45 minutes to discuss allegations the minister called Downing Street police officers "plebs". Speaking to the media afterwards, Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia Police Federation, said Mr Mitchell refused to reveal what he actually said in the incident, apparently telling them he did not want a "fire fight with the police". Prime Minister David Cameron and senior officers have said a line should be drawn under the matter following Mr Mitchell's previous apology, but pressure on Mr Mitchell continues. 'No confidence' A leader column in the Daily Telegraph on Friday called on the chief whip to step down from the cabinet saying he is now a "laughing stock" and a "walking, talking embodiment of everything with which David Cameron would least like his party to be associated". According to an opinion poll by YouGov, 50% of the public think the "plebs" row shows Conservative MPs see themselves as better than ordinary people. The online survey of 1,710 people suggests 60% of the public believe Mr Mitchell's outburst "showed his true feelings", while 50% thought his behaviour and attitudes reflected those of other Conservative MPs. Just over half of respondents, 52%, thought he should resign. Mr Mitchell's future was the source of speculation during this week's Tory conference, despite the Sutton Coldfield MP choosing not to attend, with ministers repeatedly asked about the incident. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told BBC Radio 5 live what Mr Mitchell had done was "really wrong" but he had apologised and he hoped the minister's meeting with the Police Federation would "clear the air". Labour, which had previously called for the cabinet minister to provide further clarity on what he said to police officers, said the situation had gone on long enough. 'Pleb and proud' "Neither the prime minister nor the chief whip have proved capable of coming clean swiftly and putting this right," said Ms Cooper. "And it is now clear no one even in the Conservative Party has confidence in Andrew Mitchell either. "The failure by David Cameron and Andrew Mitchell to take this incident seriously enough and to sort it out straight away means Andrew Mitchell will clearly not be able to instil respect in Parliament or beyond as chief whip, and this will just drag on and on. "David Cameron needs to put an end to this now and remove Andrew Mitchell from his position as chief whip." Last month, police officers protested outside Mr Mitchell's constituency office wearing T-shirt with the words "PC Pleb and Proud" printed on them and representatives have called for a full inquiry into the matter.
### Summary:
Andrew Mitchell has apologised for using the words "plebs" and "plebs" in a row with police officers.
### Text:
Andrew Mitchell has apologised for using the words "plebs" and "plebs" |
world-us-canada-22611831 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-22611831 | Oklahoma tornado mapped | A tornado has killed at least 24 people in Oklahoma. | Winds reached around 200 mph (320 km/h) and left swathes of the suburb of Moore in ruins. Officials have confirmed that 24 people have died, including seven children, and around 120 are being treated in hospital. President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in Oklahoma. Explore below to see videos and photos from the worst-affected areas. The aerial view above shows the path of destruction in Moore. To explore the area in more detail, follow this link for a zoomable image. Before and after photos Records from the past 30 years show that tornado activity peaks in the months of May and June. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Winds reached around 200 mph (320 km/h) and left swathes of the suburb of Moore in ruins. Officials have confirmed that 24 people have died, including seven children, and around 120 are being treated in hospital. President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in Oklahoma. Explore below to see videos and photos from the worst-affected areas. The aerial view above shows the path of destruction in Moore. To explore the area in more detail, follow this link for a zoomable image. Before and after photos Records from the past 30 years show that tornado activity peaks in the months of May and June.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Winds reached around 200 mph (320 km/h) and left swathes of the suburb of Moore in ruins. Officials have confirmed that 24 people have died, including seven children, and around 120 are being treated in hospital. President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in Oklahoma. Explore below to see videos and photos from the worst-affected areas. The aerial view above shows the path of destruction in Moore. To explore the area in more detail, follow this link for a zoomable image. Before and after photos Records from the past 30 years show that tornado activity peaks in the months of May and June.
### Summary:
A tornado has killed at least 24 people in Oklahoma.
### Text:
The tornado touched down in Moore, Oklahoma, on Tuesday night, killing at least 24 people and leaving hundreds more injured. |
blogs-news-from-elsewhere-40340681 | https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-40340681 | Russians build three-car fidget spinner | A group of Russian drivers have welded together three Lada Samara cars to see if they could replicate the action of this year's cult toy. | By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring In a stunt that would not look out of place on BBC's Top Gear programme, the Novosibirsk-based Garage 54 team welded together the front ends of three Lada Samara cars to see if they could replicate the action of this year's cult toy, Russia's Sputnik news website reports. But instead of getting the three-headed monster to spin on the spot, all they could manage was a series of ever-increasing circles as the motors worked against themselves. "You saw it yourself. It looks like a real spinner. We didn't get the crazy spinning, as the cars started to break down," one of the team said. "But still we managed to drive three cars at once." Previous experiments by the Garage 54 group, who have nearly 700,000 subscribers on YouTube following their escapades, include a "CatDog" where they welded two cars together. The spinner, they say, was the logical conclusion to this by adding a third. But the car was short-lived, the Garage 54 video on YouTube - now viewed over 600,000 times - shows the "Russian spinner" being torn apart with the help of a tow-rope attached to an SUV. Next story: Britons held in Finland after popping over to Russia for beer Reporting by Alistair Coleman, Maria Kiseleva Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring In a stunt that would not look out of place on BBC's Top Gear programme, the Novosibirsk-based Garage 54 team welded together the front ends of three Lada Samara cars to see if they could replicate the action of this year's cult toy, Russia's Sputnik news website reports. But instead of getting the three-headed monster to spin on the spot, all they could manage was a series of ever-increasing circles as the motors worked against themselves. "You saw it yourself. It looks like a real spinner. We didn't get the crazy spinning, as the cars started to break down," one of the team said. "But still we managed to drive three cars at once." Previous experiments by the Garage 54 group, who have nearly 700,000 subscribers on YouTube following their escapades, include a "CatDog" where they welded two cars together. The spinner, they say, was the logical conclusion to this by adding a third. But the car was short-lived, the Garage 54 video on YouTube - now viewed over 600,000 times - shows the "Russian spinner" being torn apart with the help of a tow-rope attached to an SUV. Next story: Britons held in Finland after popping over to Russia for beer Reporting by Alistair Coleman, Maria Kiseleva Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring In a stunt that would not look out of place on BBC's Top Gear programme, the Novosibirsk-based Garage 54 team welded together the front ends of three Lada Samara cars to see if they could replicate the action of this year's cult toy, Russia's Sputnik news website reports. But instead of getting the three-headed monster to spin on the spot, all they could manage was a series of ever-increasing circles as the motors worked against themselves. "You saw it yourself. It looks like a real spinner. We didn't get the crazy spinning, as the cars started to break down," one of the team said. "But still we managed to drive three cars at once." Previous experiments by the Garage 54 group, who have nearly 700,000 subscribers on YouTube following their escapades, include a "CatDog" where they welded two cars together. The spinner, they say, was the logical conclusion to this by adding a third. But the car was short-lived, the Garage 54 video on YouTube - now viewed over 600,000 times - shows the "Russian spinner" being torn apart with the help of a tow-rope attached to an SUV. Next story: Britons held in Finland after popping over to Russia for beer Reporting by Alistair Coleman, Maria Kiseleva Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.
### Summary:
A group of Russian drivers have welded together three Lada Samara cars to see if they could replicate the action of this year's cult toy.
### Next story:
A Russian driver has welded together |
uk-wales-55318195 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-55318195 | Brexit: Can Welsh firms cash in on trading rules? | A deal between the UK and the EU has been reached to avoid a no-deal Brexit. | By Nicola BryanBBC News The UK left the European Union on 31 December, but it was only on Boxing Day that a trade deal was reached. It means companies that trade with the EU face more barriers and red tape. A report on the future of Europe's retail supply chains found manufacturing of £4.8bn of goods could move to the UK due to Covid and Brexit. So is Brexit yet another hassle or are Wales' manufacturers cashing in? 'Big uplift' John Langford, owner of The Welsh Sausage Company in Welshpool, Powys, said he was already benefiting before the new trade deal was announced. Ten years ago Mr Langford, who owned butcher shops at the time, was approached by McDonald's to provide sausages for its restaurants. The deal led to him opening a factory and his company now produces 500,000 sausages a day and also supplies supermarkets, the prison service and a number of pub chains. "We've seen a big uplift in people buying from us rather than from Europe," he said. "They're worried about the stock coming in. If it's fresh stock, they can't get it in fast enough from Europe with a week in the docks." While the coronavirus pandemic had "stuck the fork in" many further deals, he remains confident they will happen in the future. 'Immediate problem' Matthew Hunt is the director of Filco Supermarkets Limited, which has nine stores across south Wales. He said the business had been expecting no deal and resulting supply issues, so had purchased "substantial" stocks of dry and longer life items to mitigate shortfalls. "The announcement of the deal immediately allayed those fears but did have an implication for us - the problem of space and money tied up in stock that was not required or necessary," he said. "So clearly as a business we have an immediate problem of how to deal with this and effectively liquidate the stock. That would inevitably result in lost profits as to clear the stock we have been forced to make reductions." But he said the deal had created "stability" which meant the business could continue to focus on the impact of Covid, "soaring staff absence being the primary point of concern, currently". 'Too early to tell' Clare Hieatt founded Hiut Denim Co with her husband David in Cardigan, Ceredigion, in 2011. The company, which sells direct to customers, was one of the early beneficiaries of the "Meghan effect" when the Duchess of Sussex was photographed wearing its jeans in 2018. But with its denim manufactures based in Turkey and Italy, and customers all over Europe, Mr Hieatt said it was unclear how things would change. "It is still too early for us to assess the impact on our fabric deliveries - our first batch of fabric is due to arrive at the end of the month and will get a better picture then." The company would like to use UK-based suppliers, but Ms Hieatt said it was not possible: "We've just done a small launch with [a small UK denim manufacturer] but they're very niche and would never be able to supply - there are no suppliers in the UK." She said the trade deal meant shipping orders to customers in Europe involved a lot of extra paperwork: "It is currently adding about five minutes more admin time to each individual pair of jeans we ship - we are hoping that the carriers we use will develop better software to make this process a lot easier." She fears the changes could hit the business: "We haven't felt it yet, but we are concerned that we might lose some European customers because of uncertainty over duty charges." 'Wake-up call' Robert Jones's family business Rowberry was founded by his parents 1971 and the firm has shops in Swansea city centre, Mumbles in Swansea county and Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. The business imports about 70% of its stock from Europe and before the deal was reached, Mr Jones had feared a no-deal Brexit, which he thought may have increased the price of importing shoes by between £10 to £20 a pair. "Like all British importers I'm happy that there's a deal," he said. "I always look forward to going to buy from Italian factories - I've had an order on hold in Italy for sandals this coming spring and have asked this company to proceed with the order. "But it was a wake-up call, so I will still be going to Vietnam and China to view alternatives." He said he would like to be buying more stock from UK manufacturers, but said there were "so few left". 'Zero hassle' Michael Grimwood is managing director of Peter's Food in Bedwas, Caerphilly, which supplies pies and pasties to supermarkets and hospitality outlets across the UK. He said the company had "hung on by our fingernails" during the pandemic while its staff also faced mass Covid testing following positive cases. He said before the trade deal was reached, Brexit felt like "just another headache" but now he is more optimistic. "As a chilled food supplier of a particularly British product, we see little upside opportunity as an exporter. "On the supply side, however, we are delighted that the market disruption we may have seen in both supply logistics and marketplace pricing - either from tariffs or markets moving up to match tariffed pricing - is now much diminished." He said dealing with import documentation had led to some "very low-level cost". Preparing customs work in advance meant the announcement of a deal was "zero hassle", he added. Before the trade deal was announced, Peter's Food had started sourcing alternative suppliers for produce bought from Europe amid concerns over supply. This has included replacing their European hotdog providers with a company in the UK. "Certainty has been the big upside," he said. "If I dare to describe anything as certain in our very uncertain Covid world." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Nicola BryanBBC News The UK left the European Union on 31 December, but it was only on Boxing Day that a trade deal was reached. It means companies that trade with the EU face more barriers and red tape. A report on the future of Europe's retail supply chains found manufacturing of £4.8bn of goods could move to the UK due to Covid and Brexit. So is Brexit yet another hassle or are Wales' manufacturers cashing in? 'Big uplift' John Langford, owner of The Welsh Sausage Company in Welshpool, Powys, said he was already benefiting before the new trade deal was announced. Ten years ago Mr Langford, who owned butcher shops at the time, was approached by McDonald's to provide sausages for its restaurants. The deal led to him opening a factory and his company now produces 500,000 sausages a day and also supplies supermarkets, the prison service and a number of pub chains. "We've seen a big uplift in people buying from us rather than from Europe," he said. "They're worried about the stock coming in. If it's fresh stock, they can't get it in fast enough from Europe with a week in the docks." While the coronavirus pandemic had "stuck the fork in" many further deals, he remains confident they will happen in the future. 'Immediate problem' Matthew Hunt is the director of Filco Supermarkets Limited, which has nine stores across south Wales. He said the business had been expecting no deal and resulting supply issues, so had purchased "substantial" stocks of dry and longer life items to mitigate shortfalls. "The announcement of the deal immediately allayed those fears but did have an implication for us - the problem of space and money tied up in stock that was not required or necessary," he said. "So clearly as a business we have an immediate problem of how to deal with this and effectively liquidate the stock. That would inevitably result in lost profits as to clear the stock we have been forced to make reductions." But he said the deal had created "stability" which meant the business could continue to focus on the impact of Covid, "soaring staff absence being the primary point of concern, currently". 'Too early to tell' Clare Hieatt founded Hiut Denim Co with her husband David in Cardigan, Ceredigion, in 2011. The company, which sells direct to customers, was one of the early beneficiaries of the "Meghan effect" when the Duchess of Sussex was photographed wearing its jeans in 2018. But with its denim manufactures based in Turkey and Italy, and customers all over Europe, Mr Hieatt said it was unclear how things would change. "It is still too early for us to assess the impact on our fabric deliveries - our first batch of fabric is due to arrive at the end of the month and will get a better picture then." The company would like to use UK-based suppliers, but Ms Hieatt said it was not possible: "We've just done a small launch with [a small UK denim manufacturer] but they're very niche and would never be able to supply - there are no suppliers in the UK." She said the trade deal meant shipping orders to customers in Europe involved a lot of extra paperwork: "It is currently adding about five minutes more admin time to each individual pair of jeans we ship - we are hoping that the carriers we use will develop better software to make this process a lot easier." She fears the changes could hit the business: "We haven't felt it yet, but we are concerned that we might lose some European customers because of uncertainty over duty charges." 'Wake-up call' Robert Jones's family business Rowberry was founded by his parents 1971 and the firm has shops in Swansea city centre, Mumbles in Swansea county and Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. The business imports about 70% of its stock from Europe and before the deal was reached, Mr Jones had feared a no-deal Brexit, which he thought may have increased the price of importing shoes by between £10 to £20 a pair. "Like all British importers I'm happy that there's a deal," he said. "I always look forward to going to buy from Italian factories - I've had an order on hold in Italy for sandals this coming spring and have asked this company to proceed with the order. "But it was a wake-up call, so I will still be going to Vietnam and China to view alternatives." He said he would like to be buying more stock from UK manufacturers, but said there were "so few left". 'Zero hassle' Michael Grimwood is managing director of Peter's Food in Bedwas, Caerphilly, which supplies pies and pasties to supermarkets and hospitality outlets across the UK. He said the company had "hung on by our fingernails" during the pandemic while its staff also faced mass Covid testing following positive cases. He said before
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Nicola BryanBBC News The UK left the European Union on 31 December, but it was only on Boxing Day that a trade deal was reached. It means companies that trade with the EU face more barriers and red tape. A report on the future of Europe's retail supply chains found manufacturing of £4.8bn of goods could move to the UK due to Covid and Brexit. So is Brexit yet another hassle or are Wales' manufacturers cashing in? 'Big uplift' John Langford, owner of The Welsh Sausage Company in Welshpool, Powys, said he was already benefiting before the new trade deal was announced. Ten years ago Mr Langford, who owned butcher shops at the time, was approached by McDonald's to provide sausages for its restaurants. The deal led to him opening a factory and his company now produces 500,000 sausages a day and also supplies supermarkets, the prison service and a number of pub chains. "We've seen a big uplift in people buying from us rather than from Europe," he said. "They're worried about the stock coming in. If it's fresh stock, they can't get it in fast enough from Europe with a week in the docks." While the coronavirus pandemic had "stuck the fork in" many further deals, he remains confident they will happen in the future. 'Immediate problem' Matthew Hunt is the director of Filco Supermarkets Limited, which has nine stores across south Wales. He said the business had been expecting no deal and resulting supply issues, so had purchased "substantial" stocks of dry and longer life items to mitigate shortfalls. "The announcement of the deal immediately allayed those fears but did have an implication for us - the problem of space and money tied up in stock that was not required or necessary," he said. "So clearly as a business we have an immediate problem of how to deal with this and effectively liquidate the stock. That would inevitably result in lost profits as to clear the stock we have been forced to make reductions." But he said the deal had created "stability" which meant the business could continue to focus on the impact of Covid, "soaring staff absence being the primary point of concern, currently". 'Too early to tell' Clare Hieatt founded Hiut Denim Co with her husband David in Cardigan, Ceredigion, in 2011. The company, which sells direct to customers, was one of the early beneficiaries of the "Meghan effect" when the Duchess of Sussex was photographed wearing its jeans in 2018. But with its denim manufactures based in Turkey and Italy, and customers all over Europe, Mr Hieatt said it was unclear how things would change. "It is still too early for us to assess the impact on our fabric deliveries - our first batch of fabric is due to arrive at the end of the month and will get a better picture then." The company would like to use UK-based suppliers, but Ms Hieatt said it was not possible: "We've just done a small launch with [a small UK denim manufacturer] but they're very niche and would never be able to supply - there are no suppliers in the UK." She said the trade deal meant shipping orders to customers in Europe involved a lot of extra paperwork: "It is currently adding about five minutes more admin time to each individual pair of jeans we ship - we are hoping that the carriers we use will develop better software to make this process a lot easier." She fears the changes could hit the business: "We haven't felt it yet, but we are concerned that we might lose some European customers because of uncertainty over duty charges." 'Wake-up call' Robert Jones's family business Rowberry was founded by his parents 1971 and the firm has shops in Swansea city centre, Mumbles in Swansea county and Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. The business imports about 70% of its stock from Europe and before the deal was reached, Mr Jones had feared a no-deal Brexit, which he thought may have increased the price of importing shoes by between £10 to £20 a pair. "Like all British importers I'm happy that there's a deal," he said. "I always look forward to going to buy from Italian factories - I've had an order on hold in Italy for sandals this coming spring and have asked this company to proceed with the order. "But it was a wake-up call, so I will still be going to Vietnam and China to view alternatives." He said he would like to be buying more stock from UK manufacturers, but said there were "so few left". 'Zero hassle' Michael Grimwood is managing director of Peter's Food in Bedwas, Caerphilly, which supplies pies and pasties to supermarkets and hospitality outlets across the UK. He said the company had "hung on by our fingernails" during the pandemic while its staff also faced mass Covid testing following positive cases. He said before
### Summary:
A deal between the UK and the EU has been reached to avoid a no-deal Brexit.
### Spotlight:
A deal between the UK and the EU has been reached to avoid a no-deal Bre |
uk-wales-37827817 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-37827817 | Media screens' 'detrimental effect' on children's sleep | Children who have a portable media device in their sleep environment are at risk of sleep problems, a study has found. | Research at Cardiff University found 72% of children have at least one portable media device in their sleep environment. Such devices are said to impact on the duration and quality of sleep, which can lead to health problems. Dr Ben Carter from the university's School of Medicine said sleep was important for development. He said their study was the first to consolidate results across existing research and provides "further proof of the detrimental effect" media devices can have on children's sleep. "Sleep is often an undervalued but important part of children's development," he said, "with a regular lack of sleep causing a variety of health problems". These include obesity, sedative behaviour, stunted growth, reduced immunity and mental health issues. Dr Carter warned the problem was only going to get worse with the ever growing popularity of media devices. He said an "integrated approach" was needed to improve sleep habits, involving parents, teachers and healthcare professionals. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Research at Cardiff University found 72% of children have at least one portable media device in their sleep environment. Such devices are said to impact on the duration and quality of sleep, which can lead to health problems. Dr Ben Carter from the university's School of Medicine said sleep was important for development. He said their study was the first to consolidate results across existing research and provides "further proof of the detrimental effect" media devices can have on children's sleep. "Sleep is often an undervalued but important part of children's development," he said, "with a regular lack of sleep causing a variety of health problems". These include obesity, sedative behaviour, stunted growth, reduced immunity and mental health issues. Dr Carter warned the problem was only going to get worse with the ever growing popularity of media devices. He said an "integrated approach" was needed to improve sleep habits, involving parents, teachers and healthcare professionals.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Research at Cardiff University found 72% of children have at least one portable media device in their sleep environment. Such devices are said to impact on the duration and quality of sleep, which can lead to health problems. Dr Ben Carter from the university's School of Medicine said sleep was important for development. He said their study was the first to consolidate results across existing research and provides "further proof of the detrimental effect" media devices can have on children's sleep. "Sleep is often an undervalued but important part of children's development," he said, "with a regular lack of sleep causing a variety of health problems". These include obesity, sedative behaviour, stunted growth, reduced immunity and mental health issues. Dr Carter warned the problem was only going to get worse with the ever growing popularity of media devices. He said an "integrated approach" was needed to improve sleep habits, involving parents, teachers and healthcare professionals.
### Summary:
Children who have a portable media device in their sleep environment are at risk of sleep problems, a study has found.
### Next steps:
The study was the first to consolidate results across existing research.
### Link |
uk-england-kent-29602634 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-29602634 | New-look Dartford Crossing images released | Drivers will be able to pay for the crossing overnight between 22:00 and 06:00. | The current 27-lane system will be replaced by four expressways in each direction and lanes to help turn away vehicles unsuitable for tunnels. The removal of the booths will coincide with the introduction of the Dart Charge remote charging system. Work to remove the payment booths is expected to be completed next spring, the agency spokesman said. The charges are due to come into force in late November. The system will see a 50p increase from the current charge to £2.50 for cars and a rise from £5 to £6 for lorries - for those who do not have Dart Charge accounts. There will be no charge for using the crossing overnight between 22:00 and 06:00. A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Dart Charge will improve journeys at the Dartford Crossing by removing the need for drivers to stop at a barrier to pay the crossing charge. "Instead, drivers will be able to pay online, by phone, by post or at one of thousands of Payzone outlets nationwide, either in advance of their journey or by midnight on the day following it." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The current 27-lane system will be replaced by four expressways in each direction and lanes to help turn away vehicles unsuitable for tunnels. The removal of the booths will coincide with the introduction of the Dart Charge remote charging system. Work to remove the payment booths is expected to be completed next spring, the agency spokesman said. The charges are due to come into force in late November. The system will see a 50p increase from the current charge to £2.50 for cars and a rise from £5 to £6 for lorries - for those who do not have Dart Charge accounts. There will be no charge for using the crossing overnight between 22:00 and 06:00. A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Dart Charge will improve journeys at the Dartford Crossing by removing the need for drivers to stop at a barrier to pay the crossing charge. "Instead, drivers will be able to pay online, by phone, by post or at one of thousands of Payzone outlets nationwide, either in advance of their journey or by midnight on the day following it."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The current 27-lane system will be replaced by four expressways in each direction and lanes to help turn away vehicles unsuitable for tunnels. The removal of the booths will coincide with the introduction of the Dart Charge remote charging system. Work to remove the payment booths is expected to be completed next spring, the agency spokesman said. The charges are due to come into force in late November. The system will see a 50p increase from the current charge to £2.50 for cars and a rise from £5 to £6 for lorries - for those who do not have Dart Charge accounts. There will be no charge for using the crossing overnight between 22:00 and 06:00. A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Dart Charge will improve journeys at the Dartford Crossing by removing the need for drivers to stop at a barrier to pay the crossing charge. "Instead, drivers will be able to pay online, by phone, by post or at one of thousands of Payzone outlets nationwide, either in advance of their journey or by midnight on the day following it."
### Summary:
Drivers will be able to pay for the crossing overnight between 22:00 and 06:00.
### Source:
The Dart Charge will be introduced at the Dartford Crossing |
business-26724075 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-26724075 | Ex-Madoff employees found guilty of conspiracy | A jury has found that Bernard Madoff was the leader of a $65bn (£40bn) fraud scheme. | The verdict was announced by a US federal jury in New York after a trial that lasted nearly six months. The employees are Daniel Bonventre, Annette Bongiorno, Joann Crupi, Jerome O'Hara and George Perez. Mr Madoff was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 150 years in prison for running a $65bn (£40bn) fraud scheme. Some experts estimate that investors lost about $20bn. "As the jury unanimously found, these five defendants played crucial roles in constructing and maintaining the house of cards that was the Madoff investment fraud," US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. He added that the convictions demonstrate that "this largest-ever Ponzi scheme could not have been the work of one person". 'Important role' According to various reports, Ms Bongiorno was Mr Madoff's long-time secretary, while Mr Bonventre was his director of operations for investments and Ms Crupi an account manager. Mr O'Hara and Mr Perez were both computer programmers. "These defendants each played an important role in carrying out the charade, propping it up, and concealing it from regulators, auditors, taxing authorities, lenders, and investors," Mr Bharara said. The five are the latest aides of Mr Madoff to be convicted for their role in the scheme. Mr Madoff's brother, Peter Madoff, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in December 2012 for his role in the fraud. Peter Madoff agreed to the 10-year sentence as part of a plea deal which stripped him of his assets, savings, home and personal property, as well as all future assets and income. However, Bernard Madoff has repeatedly denied that his brother had any involvement in the scheme. Mr Madoff's "investment fund" was once thought to be the biggest hedge fund in the world. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The verdict was announced by a US federal jury in New York after a trial that lasted nearly six months. The employees are Daniel Bonventre, Annette Bongiorno, Joann Crupi, Jerome O'Hara and George Perez. Mr Madoff was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 150 years in prison for running a $65bn (£40bn) fraud scheme. Some experts estimate that investors lost about $20bn. "As the jury unanimously found, these five defendants played crucial roles in constructing and maintaining the house of cards that was the Madoff investment fraud," US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. He added that the convictions demonstrate that "this largest-ever Ponzi scheme could not have been the work of one person". 'Important role' According to various reports, Ms Bongiorno was Mr Madoff's long-time secretary, while Mr Bonventre was his director of operations for investments and Ms Crupi an account manager. Mr O'Hara and Mr Perez were both computer programmers. "These defendants each played an important role in carrying out the charade, propping it up, and concealing it from regulators, auditors, taxing authorities, lenders, and investors," Mr Bharara said. The five are the latest aides of Mr Madoff to be convicted for their role in the scheme. Mr Madoff's brother, Peter Madoff, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in December 2012 for his role in the fraud. Peter Madoff agreed to the 10-year sentence as part of a plea deal which stripped him of his assets, savings, home and personal property, as well as all future assets and income. However, Bernard Madoff has repeatedly denied that his brother had any involvement in the scheme. Mr Madoff's "investment fund" was once thought to be the biggest hedge fund in the world.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The verdict was announced by a US federal jury in New York after a trial that lasted nearly six months. The employees are Daniel Bonventre, Annette Bongiorno, Joann Crupi, Jerome O'Hara and George Perez. Mr Madoff was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 150 years in prison for running a $65bn (£40bn) fraud scheme. Some experts estimate that investors lost about $20bn. "As the jury unanimously found, these five defendants played crucial roles in constructing and maintaining the house of cards that was the Madoff investment fraud," US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. He added that the convictions demonstrate that "this largest-ever Ponzi scheme could not have been the work of one person". 'Important role' According to various reports, Ms Bongiorno was Mr Madoff's long-time secretary, while Mr Bonventre was his director of operations for investments and Ms Crupi an account manager. Mr O'Hara and Mr Perez were both computer programmers. "These defendants each played an important role in carrying out the charade, propping it up, and concealing it from regulators, auditors, taxing authorities, lenders, and investors," Mr Bharara said. The five are the latest aides of Mr Madoff to be convicted for their role in the scheme. Mr Madoff's brother, Peter Madoff, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in December 2012 for his role in the fraud. Peter Madoff agreed to the 10-year sentence as part of a plea deal which stripped him of his assets, savings, home and personal property, as well as all future assets and income. However, Bernard Madoff has repeatedly denied that his brother had any involvement in the scheme. Mr Madoff's "investment fund" was once thought to be the biggest hedge fund in the world.
### Summary:
A jury has found that Bernard Madoff was the leader of a $65bn (£40bn) fraud scheme.
### Source:
By Mark SavageBBC News, New York The five defendants |
uk-wales-mid-wales-41088441 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-41088441 | Aberystwyth Uni scientists create elephant grass house | A new house is being built in Powys using miscanthus bales. | They are helping to build a house using miscanthus - or elephant grass bales - near Machynlleth, Powys. In a typical house, 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide can be emitted through heating, contributing to global warming. But the scientists said miscanthus can "lock in" the carbon, reducing the amount released into the atmosphere. Bee Rowan, of the Machynlleth-based Centre for Alternative Technology, said this was down to the crop's "excellent insulation value". This is in contrast to materials used in conventional houses that often emit high levels of CO2 from heating and cooling. "The most ground-breaking thing about miscanthus is that it could decarbonise the construction industry at scale," she added. Her team is working with plant breeding scientists from the university to develop seed-based miscanthus hybrids that could create "an excellent building bale" for different sized construction projects. The university's Dr Judith Thornton said plants had been used for building for thousands of years, however, scientists were now more aware of their physical and chemical properties and have more processing techniques available. "This opens up a lot of opportunities," she said. "Whilst building directly with bales is ideal for self-build housing, in the future we could also be using pre-fabricated panels of miscanthus to build houses, and we could produce loft insulation or fibreboards." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
They are helping to build a house using miscanthus - or elephant grass bales - near Machynlleth, Powys. In a typical house, 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide can be emitted through heating, contributing to global warming. But the scientists said miscanthus can "lock in" the carbon, reducing the amount released into the atmosphere. Bee Rowan, of the Machynlleth-based Centre for Alternative Technology, said this was down to the crop's "excellent insulation value". This is in contrast to materials used in conventional houses that often emit high levels of CO2 from heating and cooling. "The most ground-breaking thing about miscanthus is that it could decarbonise the construction industry at scale," she added. Her team is working with plant breeding scientists from the university to develop seed-based miscanthus hybrids that could create "an excellent building bale" for different sized construction projects. The university's Dr Judith Thornton said plants had been used for building for thousands of years, however, scientists were now more aware of their physical and chemical properties and have more processing techniques available. "This opens up a lot of opportunities," she said. "Whilst building directly with bales is ideal for self-build housing, in the future we could also be using pre-fabricated panels of miscanthus to build houses, and we could produce loft insulation or fibreboards."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
They are helping to build a house using miscanthus - or elephant grass bales - near Machynlleth, Powys. In a typical house, 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide can be emitted through heating, contributing to global warming. But the scientists said miscanthus can "lock in" the carbon, reducing the amount released into the atmosphere. Bee Rowan, of the Machynlleth-based Centre for Alternative Technology, said this was down to the crop's "excellent insulation value". This is in contrast to materials used in conventional houses that often emit high levels of CO2 from heating and cooling. "The most ground-breaking thing about miscanthus is that it could decarbonise the construction industry at scale," she added. Her team is working with plant breeding scientists from the university to develop seed-based miscanthus hybrids that could create "an excellent building bale" for different sized construction projects. The university's Dr Judith Thornton said plants had been used for building for thousands of years, however, scientists were now more aware of their physical and chemical properties and have more processing techniques available. "This opens up a lot of opportunities," she said. "Whilst building directly with bales is ideal for self-build housing, in the future we could also be using pre-fabricated panels of miscanthus to build houses, and we could produce loft insulation or fibreboards."
### Summary:
A new house is being built in Powys using miscanthus bales.
### Next:
A new house is being built in Powys using miscanthus bales.
### Next:
A new |
uk-northern-ireland-26365015 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-26365015 | Ulster Bank recorded £1.5bn loss last year | Ulster Bank has reported a loss of more than £8bn for 2013. | By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor It came as the bank's parent group, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), confirmed losses of more than £8bn for 2013. Ulster Bank said its big loss reflected a one-off charge relating to bad property loans and that underlying performance was improving. There had been a "significant decrease" in operating loss, impairments charges and mortgage arrears, it said. The bank had an operating profit of £317m though that was wiped out by bad loan charges of almost £1.8bn. The bank said about £1bn of those charges related to the establishment of an internal bad bank which will run off property loans over a three-year period. Ulster Bank has also given details of the outcome of a review of its operations which has been aimed at finding "a sustainable business model". The bank said it would become more customer-focused and agile. Property crash Ulster is the largest bank in Northern Ireland and the third biggest in the Republic of Ireland. It suffered badly in the island-wide property crash and has been the worst-performing part of RBS in recent years. In a statement, RBS chief executive Ross McEwen said Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland would become more closely integrated with RBS's main UK business. He said there were "meaningful synergies in terms of investment, costs and customer experience from doing this". "It is essential if we are to provide a more appealing and compelling service to our customers in Northern Ireland under the Ulster Bank brand," he said. He said the bank was exploring "further opportunities" to transform its business in the Republic of Ireland with the aim of being a "compelling challenger" to AIB and Bank of Ireland. Mr McEwen said the bank would finalise its plans in the coming months and emphasised it was about a change in business strategy, not a withdrawal from the market. Mortgages The Dublin-based part of the bank has faced greater problems than the Northern Ireland division. It has had particular issues with domestic mortgages. A much higher percentage of customers in the Republic of Ireland are having trouble repaying their mortgages compared to Northern Ireland. It also has a very large number of customers on tracker mortgages, which are tied to the European Central Bank (ECB) base rate, often for the lifetime of the mortgage. With the rate at historically low levels, and unlikely to increase soon, it has caused problems. Trackers are mostly loss-making as the interest charged is less than the banks' cost of funding. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor It came as the bank's parent group, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), confirmed losses of more than £8bn for 2013. Ulster Bank said its big loss reflected a one-off charge relating to bad property loans and that underlying performance was improving. There had been a "significant decrease" in operating loss, impairments charges and mortgage arrears, it said. The bank had an operating profit of £317m though that was wiped out by bad loan charges of almost £1.8bn. The bank said about £1bn of those charges related to the establishment of an internal bad bank which will run off property loans over a three-year period. Ulster Bank has also given details of the outcome of a review of its operations which has been aimed at finding "a sustainable business model". The bank said it would become more customer-focused and agile. Property crash Ulster is the largest bank in Northern Ireland and the third biggest in the Republic of Ireland. It suffered badly in the island-wide property crash and has been the worst-performing part of RBS in recent years. In a statement, RBS chief executive Ross McEwen said Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland would become more closely integrated with RBS's main UK business. He said there were "meaningful synergies in terms of investment, costs and customer experience from doing this". "It is essential if we are to provide a more appealing and compelling service to our customers in Northern Ireland under the Ulster Bank brand," he said. He said the bank was exploring "further opportunities" to transform its business in the Republic of Ireland with the aim of being a "compelling challenger" to AIB and Bank of Ireland. Mr McEwen said the bank would finalise its plans in the coming months and emphasised it was about a change in business strategy, not a withdrawal from the market. Mortgages The Dublin-based part of the bank has faced greater problems than the Northern Ireland division. It has had particular issues with domestic mortgages. A much higher percentage of customers in the Republic of Ireland are having trouble repaying their mortgages compared to Northern Ireland. It also has a very large number of customers on tracker mortgages, which are tied to the European Central Bank (ECB) base rate, often for the lifetime of the mortgage. With the rate at historically low levels, and unlikely to increase soon, it has caused problems. Trackers are mostly loss-making as the interest charged is less than the banks' cost of funding.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor It came as the bank's parent group, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), confirmed losses of more than £8bn for 2013. Ulster Bank said its big loss reflected a one-off charge relating to bad property loans and that underlying performance was improving. There had been a "significant decrease" in operating loss, impairments charges and mortgage arrears, it said. The bank had an operating profit of £317m though that was wiped out by bad loan charges of almost £1.8bn. The bank said about £1bn of those charges related to the establishment of an internal bad bank which will run off property loans over a three-year period. Ulster Bank has also given details of the outcome of a review of its operations which has been aimed at finding "a sustainable business model". The bank said it would become more customer-focused and agile. Property crash Ulster is the largest bank in Northern Ireland and the third biggest in the Republic of Ireland. It suffered badly in the island-wide property crash and has been the worst-performing part of RBS in recent years. In a statement, RBS chief executive Ross McEwen said Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland would become more closely integrated with RBS's main UK business. He said there were "meaningful synergies in terms of investment, costs and customer experience from doing this". "It is essential if we are to provide a more appealing and compelling service to our customers in Northern Ireland under the Ulster Bank brand," he said. He said the bank was exploring "further opportunities" to transform its business in the Republic of Ireland with the aim of being a "compelling challenger" to AIB and Bank of Ireland. Mr McEwen said the bank would finalise its plans in the coming months and emphasised it was about a change in business strategy, not a withdrawal from the market. Mortgages The Dublin-based part of the bank has faced greater problems than the Northern Ireland division. It has had particular issues with domestic mortgages. A much higher percentage of customers in the Republic of Ireland are having trouble repaying their mortgages compared to Northern Ireland. It also has a very large number of customers on tracker mortgages, which are tied to the European Central Bank (ECB) base rate, often for the lifetime of the mortgage. With the rate at historically low levels, and unlikely to increase soon, it has caused problems. Trackers are mostly loss-making as the interest charged is less than the banks' cost of funding.
### Summary:
Ulster Bank has reported a loss of more than £8bn for 2013.
### Source:
Ulster Bank has reported a loss of more than £8bn for 2013.
### |
uk-politics-51666788 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51666788 | UK to end agreement with EU to extradite criminals | The UK government has said it will not participate in the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) as part of the future relationship with the EU. | The warrant is an agreement between EU states enabling European criminals to be arrested anywhere in the bloc and extradited home. But the UK wants a new set of "fast-track extradition arrangements" that it says will provide "greater safeguards". The Liberal Democrats said the decision was "robbing our police of a vital crime-fighting tool". But the Home Office said the UK would "continue to be one of the safest countries in the world". The UK officially left the EU at the end of January, but is continuing to abide by many of the bloc's rules during the transition period - while talks on a permanent trading relationship are taking place. Earlier this week, the bloc published its mandate for the negotiations, calling for any trade agreement to "uphold common high standards, and corresponding high standards over time with Union standards as a reference point". But when the government followed suit on Thursday, senior cabinet minister Michael Gove warned the UK would not accept any alignment with EU laws, adding: "We will not trade away our sovereignty." Formal talks between the two sides will begin on 2 March, but the government said it would be willing to walk away if the "broad outline of a deal" was not agreed by June. 'Further safeguards' The 30-page document released by the government included a number of priorities, such as ending the jurisdiction of the European courts and agreeing a separate plan on fisheries. But it also had a section which read: "The UK is not seeking to participate in the European Arrest Warrant as part of the future relationship." Instead, it said the UK wanted an agreement to "provide for fast-track extradition arrangements" based on the EU's existing agreement with Norway and Iceland, but with "appropriate further safeguards". Asked about the plan, a Home Office spokeswoman said: "The safety and security of our citizens is the government's top priority, which is why we have said the agreement with the EU should provide for fast-track extradition arrangements based on the EU's arrangements with Norway and Iceland. "These arrangements would include greater safeguards than those within the European Arrest Warrant." But Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Christine Jardine MP said the policy would "make it easier for thousands of dangerous criminals to evade justice". She added: "Boris Johnson's reckless decision to cut the UK off from the European Arrest Warrant will make our country less safe. "Crime is increasingly a cross-border problem, and Liberal Democrats will continue to argue for the closest possible co-operation with our European partners to tackle serious threats such as terrorism and organised crime." Labour's Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the government's plans around security cooperation with the EU were "extremely worrying". She added: "It is completely astounding that the government says that these new plans will make the country safer when we have been told time and time again by senior police officers and security experts that the opposite is true." Last month, Germany, Austria and Slovenia said they may refuse to extradite people to the UK during the transition period. The three countries have laws stopping them from extraditing their citizens to non-member states, so told the EU they would carry on as normal with the UK. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The warrant is an agreement between EU states enabling European criminals to be arrested anywhere in the bloc and extradited home. But the UK wants a new set of "fast-track extradition arrangements" that it says will provide "greater safeguards". The Liberal Democrats said the decision was "robbing our police of a vital crime-fighting tool". But the Home Office said the UK would "continue to be one of the safest countries in the world". The UK officially left the EU at the end of January, but is continuing to abide by many of the bloc's rules during the transition period - while talks on a permanent trading relationship are taking place. Earlier this week, the bloc published its mandate for the negotiations, calling for any trade agreement to "uphold common high standards, and corresponding high standards over time with Union standards as a reference point". But when the government followed suit on Thursday, senior cabinet minister Michael Gove warned the UK would not accept any alignment with EU laws, adding: "We will not trade away our sovereignty." Formal talks between the two sides will begin on 2 March, but the government said it would be willing to walk away if the "broad outline of a deal" was not agreed by June. 'Further safeguards' The 30-page document released by the government included a number of priorities, such as ending the jurisdiction of the European courts and agreeing a separate plan on fisheries. But it also had a section which read: "The UK is not seeking to participate in the European Arrest Warrant as part of the future relationship." Instead, it said the UK wanted an agreement to "provide for fast-track extradition arrangements" based on the EU's existing agreement with Norway and Iceland, but with "appropriate further safeguards". Asked about the plan, a Home Office spokeswoman said: "The safety and security of our citizens is the government's top priority, which is why we have said the agreement with the EU should provide for fast-track extradition arrangements based on the EU's arrangements with Norway and Iceland. "These arrangements would include greater safeguards than those within the European Arrest Warrant." But Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Christine Jardine MP said the policy would "make it easier for thousands of dangerous criminals to evade justice". She added: "Boris Johnson's reckless decision to cut the UK off from the European Arrest Warrant will make our country less safe. "Crime is increasingly a cross-border problem, and Liberal Democrats will continue to argue for the closest possible co-operation with our European partners to tackle serious threats such as terrorism and organised crime." Labour's Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the government's plans around security cooperation with the EU were "extremely worrying". She added: "It is completely astounding that the government says that these new plans will make the country safer when we have been told time and time again by senior police officers and security experts that the opposite is true." Last month, Germany, Austria and Slovenia said they may refuse to extradite people to the UK during the transition period. The three countries have laws stopping them from extraditing their citizens to non-member states, so told the EU they would carry on as normal with the UK.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The warrant is an agreement between EU states enabling European criminals to be arrested anywhere in the bloc and extradited home. But the UK wants a new set of "fast-track extradition arrangements" that it says will provide "greater safeguards". The Liberal Democrats said the decision was "robbing our police of a vital crime-fighting tool". But the Home Office said the UK would "continue to be one of the safest countries in the world". The UK officially left the EU at the end of January, but is continuing to abide by many of the bloc's rules during the transition period - while talks on a permanent trading relationship are taking place. Earlier this week, the bloc published its mandate for the negotiations, calling for any trade agreement to "uphold common high standards, and corresponding high standards over time with Union standards as a reference point". But when the government followed suit on Thursday, senior cabinet minister Michael Gove warned the UK would not accept any alignment with EU laws, adding: "We will not trade away our sovereignty." Formal talks between the two sides will begin on 2 March, but the government said it would be willing to walk away if the "broad outline of a deal" was not agreed by June. 'Further safeguards' The 30-page document released by the government included a number of priorities, such as ending the jurisdiction of the European courts and agreeing a separate plan on fisheries. But it also had a section which read: "The UK is not seeking to participate in the European Arrest Warrant as part of the future relationship." Instead, it said the UK wanted an agreement to "provide for fast-track extradition arrangements" based on the EU's existing agreement with Norway and Iceland, but with "appropriate further safeguards". Asked about the plan, a Home Office spokeswoman said: "The safety and security of our citizens is the government's top priority, which is why we have said the agreement with the EU should provide for fast-track extradition arrangements based on the EU's arrangements with Norway and Iceland. "These arrangements would include greater safeguards than those within the European Arrest Warrant." But Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Christine Jardine MP said the policy would "make it easier for thousands of dangerous criminals to evade justice". She added: "Boris Johnson's reckless decision to cut the UK off from the European Arrest Warrant will make our country less safe. "Crime is increasingly a cross-border problem, and Liberal Democrats will continue to argue for the closest possible co-operation with our European partners to tackle serious threats such as terrorism and organised crime." Labour's Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the government's plans around security cooperation with the EU were "extremely worrying". She added: "It is completely astounding that the government says that these new plans will make the country safer when we have been told time and time again by senior police officers and security experts that the opposite is true." Last month, Germany, Austria and Slovenia said they may refuse to extradite people to the UK during the transition period. The three countries have laws stopping them from extraditing their citizens to non-member states, so told the EU they would carry on as normal with the UK.
### Summary:
The UK government has said it will not participate in the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) as part of the future relationship with the EU.
### Spelling and grammar
The UK government has said it will not particip |
uk-england-tyne-55877999 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-55877999 | Covid: Police stop illegal rave after hundreds buy tickets | A rave has been held in the midst of a pandemic in Northumbria. | Northumbria Police said the rave was due to be held at a disused building on Saturday evening near to the County Durham border at Consett. Organisers had arrived to set up before officers intervened and made a number of arrests, with equipment seized. Police called it "irresponsible and completely unacceptable". Those who planned to attend were warned they faced being reported for Covid breaches if they visited the area. Ch Insp Steve Readdie said: "Holding an event of this nature in the midst of a pandemic is irresponsible and completely unacceptable. "It dramatically increases the chances of the virus spreading and undermines all of the hard work being done by the wider community to keep one another safe." Under coronavirus rules, police have the power to shut down large parties - with fines of up to £10,000. Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links Northumbria Police | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Northumbria Police said the rave was due to be held at a disused building on Saturday evening near to the County Durham border at Consett. Organisers had arrived to set up before officers intervened and made a number of arrests, with equipment seized. Police called it "irresponsible and completely unacceptable". Those who planned to attend were warned they faced being reported for Covid breaches if they visited the area. Ch Insp Steve Readdie said: "Holding an event of this nature in the midst of a pandemic is irresponsible and completely unacceptable. "It dramatically increases the chances of the virus spreading and undermines all of the hard work being done by the wider community to keep one another safe." Under coronavirus rules, police have the power to shut down large parties - with fines of up to £10,000. Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links Northumbria Police
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Northumbria Police said the rave was due to be held at a disused building on Saturday evening near to the County Durham border at Consett. Organisers had arrived to set up before officers intervened and made a number of arrests, with equipment seized. Police called it "irresponsible and completely unacceptable". Those who planned to attend were warned they faced being reported for Covid breaches if they visited the area. Ch Insp Steve Readdie said: "Holding an event of this nature in the midst of a pandemic is irresponsible and completely unacceptable. "It dramatically increases the chances of the virus spreading and undermines all of the hard work being done by the wider community to keep one another safe." Under coronavirus rules, police have the power to shut down large parties - with fines of up to £10,000. Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links Northumbria Police
### Summary:
A rave has been held in the midst of a pandemic in Northumbria.
### Source:
### Source:
A rave has been held in the midst of a pandemic in Northumbria. |
uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-51397987 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-51397987 | Steppingley church bells to peal again on Valentine's Day | A new bell has been blessed at a church in Bedfordshire. | The four existing bells at St Lawrence Church, Steppingley, Bedfordshire, have been refurbished, retuned and are being rehung. They will be joined by two further tuned bells. Marcus Webb, from the church, said the "enthusiasm" of volunteers to get the work done had been "awe-inspiring". One of the bells dates from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, and three from the 1800s. Mr Webb said: "All this is thanks to an ambitious scheme based on a legacy by local historian and churchman Andrew Underwood and the very generous financial and practical support of the bell-ringing fraternity, all at no financial cost to the church. "The enthusiasm, commitment and knowledge of a stalwart band of volunteers has been awe-inspiring, as has the support of the Keltec Trust and the Bedfordshire and Biggleswade Associations of Church Bell Ringers." A bell blessing Service is taking place on 10 February at 19:30 GMT. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The four existing bells at St Lawrence Church, Steppingley, Bedfordshire, have been refurbished, retuned and are being rehung. They will be joined by two further tuned bells. Marcus Webb, from the church, said the "enthusiasm" of volunteers to get the work done had been "awe-inspiring". One of the bells dates from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, and three from the 1800s. Mr Webb said: "All this is thanks to an ambitious scheme based on a legacy by local historian and churchman Andrew Underwood and the very generous financial and practical support of the bell-ringing fraternity, all at no financial cost to the church. "The enthusiasm, commitment and knowledge of a stalwart band of volunteers has been awe-inspiring, as has the support of the Keltec Trust and the Bedfordshire and Biggleswade Associations of Church Bell Ringers." A bell blessing Service is taking place on 10 February at 19:30 GMT.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The four existing bells at St Lawrence Church, Steppingley, Bedfordshire, have been refurbished, retuned and are being rehung. They will be joined by two further tuned bells. Marcus Webb, from the church, said the "enthusiasm" of volunteers to get the work done had been "awe-inspiring". One of the bells dates from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, and three from the 1800s. Mr Webb said: "All this is thanks to an ambitious scheme based on a legacy by local historian and churchman Andrew Underwood and the very generous financial and practical support of the bell-ringing fraternity, all at no financial cost to the church. "The enthusiasm, commitment and knowledge of a stalwart band of volunteers has been awe-inspiring, as has the support of the Keltec Trust and the Bedfordshire and Biggleswade Associations of Church Bell Ringers." A bell blessing Service is taking place on 10 February at 19:30 GMT.
### Summary:
A new bell has been blessed at a church in Bedfordshire.
### Source:
By Lucy WilliamsonBBC News, Bedfordshire The bells have been restored and retuned. They will be joined by two |
world-australia-53571442 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-53571442 | Deadpool fly among new Australian 'super power' species creating a buzz | A new species of spider wasp has been named in the past year. | The country's national science agency, Csiro, says that 165 new species - including insects, plants, birds, fish and a mite - have been named in the past year, some of which resemble a number of comic characters, including Thor, Loki and Black Widow. "Deadpool fly is an assassin with markings on its back that resembles Deadpool's mask," Bryan Lessard, a Csiro entomologist, said in a statement. In tribute to the late Stan Lee, who created The Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics in 1961 and went on to develop titles including Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, he now has a namesake in the form of a fly "with a white moustache", Csiro says. Loki, the mythological mischief-maker who appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, is arguably the franchise's greatest villain. While naming new species can be fun, bee and wasp expert Juanita Rodriguez says it is also vital for our everyday lives. "We discovered a new species of spider wasp that is only found in an area badly impacted by bushfires this summer, so now we can carefully monitor its recovery," Ms Rodriguez says. She adds that venom produced by spider wasps might be useful for treating Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Thor, Marvel Comics' god of thunder who battles to save Earth from evil forces, also makes an appearance in the list of new fly species. Only a quarter of Australian insects are known to science, Dr Lessard says, adding that the more species are named, the better we can "understand their super powers". "Without a scientific name, these species are invisible to science," he says. All images are subject to copyright. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The country's national science agency, Csiro, says that 165 new species - including insects, plants, birds, fish and a mite - have been named in the past year, some of which resemble a number of comic characters, including Thor, Loki and Black Widow. "Deadpool fly is an assassin with markings on its back that resembles Deadpool's mask," Bryan Lessard, a Csiro entomologist, said in a statement. In tribute to the late Stan Lee, who created The Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics in 1961 and went on to develop titles including Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, he now has a namesake in the form of a fly "with a white moustache", Csiro says. Loki, the mythological mischief-maker who appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, is arguably the franchise's greatest villain. While naming new species can be fun, bee and wasp expert Juanita Rodriguez says it is also vital for our everyday lives. "We discovered a new species of spider wasp that is only found in an area badly impacted by bushfires this summer, so now we can carefully monitor its recovery," Ms Rodriguez says. She adds that venom produced by spider wasps might be useful for treating Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Thor, Marvel Comics' god of thunder who battles to save Earth from evil forces, also makes an appearance in the list of new fly species. Only a quarter of Australian insects are known to science, Dr Lessard says, adding that the more species are named, the better we can "understand their super powers". "Without a scientific name, these species are invisible to science," he says. All images are subject to copyright.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The country's national science agency, Csiro, says that 165 new species - including insects, plants, birds, fish and a mite - have been named in the past year, some of which resemble a number of comic characters, including Thor, Loki and Black Widow. "Deadpool fly is an assassin with markings on its back that resembles Deadpool's mask," Bryan Lessard, a Csiro entomologist, said in a statement. In tribute to the late Stan Lee, who created The Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics in 1961 and went on to develop titles including Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, he now has a namesake in the form of a fly "with a white moustache", Csiro says. Loki, the mythological mischief-maker who appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, is arguably the franchise's greatest villain. While naming new species can be fun, bee and wasp expert Juanita Rodriguez says it is also vital for our everyday lives. "We discovered a new species of spider wasp that is only found in an area badly impacted by bushfires this summer, so now we can carefully monitor its recovery," Ms Rodriguez says. She adds that venom produced by spider wasps might be useful for treating Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Thor, Marvel Comics' god of thunder who battles to save Earth from evil forces, also makes an appearance in the list of new fly species. Only a quarter of Australian insects are known to science, Dr Lessard says, adding that the more species are named, the better we can "understand their super powers". "Without a scientific name, these species are invisible to science," he says. All images are subject to copyright.
### Summary:
A new species of spider wasp has been named in the past year.
### Next story:
A new species of spider wasp has been named in the past year.
### Next story:
A new |
uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-46739256 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-46739256 | Stewartby chimneys 1,000-home plan goes on show | Plans to demolish four chimneys at a former Stewartby brickworks site have been approved. | The former Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick brickworks site, near Bedford, will include a replica chimney with "Stewartby" written down its side. The development would "revitalise" the area, according to Cloud Wing, the company behind the plans. Plans to demolish the four remaining chimneys were approved in January 2018. At the time of the decision, Historic England said there was no reason why they should be completely demolished. Site owner Hanson said they were a "risk to public safety". The demolition of the chimneys, which was opposed by campaigners, is due to take place later this year. Proposals for the site also include the creation of Bedford Business Park, offering employment space for up to 15,000 jobs. Shen Kan, from Cloud Wing, said: "Our vision is to create thriving new residential and business communities, which contribute to the enhancement of Bedford. "These sites have the potential to create thousands of well-paid jobs, reducing the need for local people to commute out of the town for work." A public exhibition is taking place at Stewartby Village Hall, between 12:00 and 21:00 on 11 January. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The former Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick brickworks site, near Bedford, will include a replica chimney with "Stewartby" written down its side. The development would "revitalise" the area, according to Cloud Wing, the company behind the plans. Plans to demolish the four remaining chimneys were approved in January 2018. At the time of the decision, Historic England said there was no reason why they should be completely demolished. Site owner Hanson said they were a "risk to public safety". The demolition of the chimneys, which was opposed by campaigners, is due to take place later this year. Proposals for the site also include the creation of Bedford Business Park, offering employment space for up to 15,000 jobs. Shen Kan, from Cloud Wing, said: "Our vision is to create thriving new residential and business communities, which contribute to the enhancement of Bedford. "These sites have the potential to create thousands of well-paid jobs, reducing the need for local people to commute out of the town for work." A public exhibition is taking place at Stewartby Village Hall, between 12:00 and 21:00 on 11 January.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The former Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick brickworks site, near Bedford, will include a replica chimney with "Stewartby" written down its side. The development would "revitalise" the area, according to Cloud Wing, the company behind the plans. Plans to demolish the four remaining chimneys were approved in January 2018. At the time of the decision, Historic England said there was no reason why they should be completely demolished. Site owner Hanson said they were a "risk to public safety". The demolition of the chimneys, which was opposed by campaigners, is due to take place later this year. Proposals for the site also include the creation of Bedford Business Park, offering employment space for up to 15,000 jobs. Shen Kan, from Cloud Wing, said: "Our vision is to create thriving new residential and business communities, which contribute to the enhancement of Bedford. "These sites have the potential to create thousands of well-paid jobs, reducing the need for local people to commute out of the town for work." A public exhibition is taking place at Stewartby Village Hall, between 12:00 and 21:00 on 11 January.
### Summary:
Plans to demolish four chimneys at a former Stewartby brickworks site have been approved.
### Text:
A plan to demolish four chimneys at a former Stewartby brickworks site has been approved.
|
business-49902241 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49902241 | Hong Kong protests: Rich chase golden visas as unrest simmers | Hong Kong residents have been drawn to golden visa schemes since the protests began. | By Virginia HarrisonBBC News Many countries run "golden visa" schemes that offer resident or citizenship rights in exchange for sizeable investments. Several migration firms have reported a spike in interest from Hong Kong for these visas since the unrest began. They say with no resolution in sight, residents are seeking "insurance". Protests in the territory began in June, sparked by a proposed law that would have allowed extradition from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland. Despite the bill being withdrawn, demonstrations have continue to rock the city for months and show no immediate sign of abating. Against that backdrop, various immigration agencies told the BBC they have seen a sharp rise in interest from Hong Kong residents in investor visa schemes. These programmes exist all over the world, with Europe and the Caribbean particular hubs. Typically, countries require the purchase of property, government bonds or a set donation to secure a visa. The minimum investment varies greatly - from a $100,000 (£81,200) donation in Antigua & Barbuda, to around €2m (£1.8m) in real estate investment for Cyprus. Buying 'insurance' Hong Kong-based John Hu Migration Consulting has seen a four-fold increase in sales and inquiries from locals about golden visa schemes since June. Founder John Hu said recent unrest in the former British colony had been the "catalyst" for the rush. "As the protests become more violent and it seems that the government is not doing much to resolve the current situation, they have the urgency to buy insurance," he said. Enticed by the freedom of movement within the EU and minimal residency requirements, Mr Hu said most are drawn to European schemes including Ireland, Portugal and Malta. The firm has carried out more than 30 new golden visa applications for Ireland since the protests began, requiring a minimum donation of €500,000 or €1m euros invested into an Irish enterprise. Another immigration consultancy, Arton Capital, says inquiries from the territory have "more than doubled since the protests started". "Portugal is very much in favour in Hong Kong because of the relatively cheap real estate… real estate prices in Hong Kong are sky high," according to Philippe May, head of Asia Pacific for Arton Capital. Mr May said that while clients do not share their reasons for interest in the schemes, "it is very obvious that it is the most recent developments in Hong Kong which caused them to look again at their Plan B". Overall take-up of golden visas schemes remains small - Arton Capital processes up to 1,000 applications each year - as they target only the wealthy. Still, Hong Kong has plenty of eligible candidates. The Asian financial hub is a hotbed for the rich, and was home to 179,000 millionaires in 2018 according to Credit Suisse. Hong Kong ranked 15th in the investment bank's latest list of countries with the most ultra-high net worth individuals. Protests in Hong Kong are not the only factor luring residents to golden visa schemes. Advisory firm Henley & Partners has also seen a jump in Hong Kong-based inquiries into investor visa programmes since the outbreak of unrest in June. The firm's public relations director, Paddy Blewer, said the spike comes "as the protests in the city escalate, and as uncertainty about the future persists". "Compared to last quarter... there has been a 260% rise in interest from Chinese nationals or investors resident in Hong Kong." But, he adds, domestic issues are only part of the story. Many Hong Kong clients seek out residency or citizenship schemes for the same reasons any other applicant would, Mr Blewer said, such as opportunities to travel, invest in another country or study abroad. "They are looking to access finance, they're looking to invest wherever they want, live wherever they want. "They want their children to go to other universities... to access the rest of the world." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Virginia HarrisonBBC News Many countries run "golden visa" schemes that offer resident or citizenship rights in exchange for sizeable investments. Several migration firms have reported a spike in interest from Hong Kong for these visas since the unrest began. They say with no resolution in sight, residents are seeking "insurance". Protests in the territory began in June, sparked by a proposed law that would have allowed extradition from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland. Despite the bill being withdrawn, demonstrations have continue to rock the city for months and show no immediate sign of abating. Against that backdrop, various immigration agencies told the BBC they have seen a sharp rise in interest from Hong Kong residents in investor visa schemes. These programmes exist all over the world, with Europe and the Caribbean particular hubs. Typically, countries require the purchase of property, government bonds or a set donation to secure a visa. The minimum investment varies greatly - from a $100,000 (£81,200) donation in Antigua & Barbuda, to around €2m (£1.8m) in real estate investment for Cyprus. Buying 'insurance' Hong Kong-based John Hu Migration Consulting has seen a four-fold increase in sales and inquiries from locals about golden visa schemes since June. Founder John Hu said recent unrest in the former British colony had been the "catalyst" for the rush. "As the protests become more violent and it seems that the government is not doing much to resolve the current situation, they have the urgency to buy insurance," he said. Enticed by the freedom of movement within the EU and minimal residency requirements, Mr Hu said most are drawn to European schemes including Ireland, Portugal and Malta. The firm has carried out more than 30 new golden visa applications for Ireland since the protests began, requiring a minimum donation of €500,000 or €1m euros invested into an Irish enterprise. Another immigration consultancy, Arton Capital, says inquiries from the territory have "more than doubled since the protests started". "Portugal is very much in favour in Hong Kong because of the relatively cheap real estate… real estate prices in Hong Kong are sky high," according to Philippe May, head of Asia Pacific for Arton Capital. Mr May said that while clients do not share their reasons for interest in the schemes, "it is very obvious that it is the most recent developments in Hong Kong which caused them to look again at their Plan B". Overall take-up of golden visas schemes remains small - Arton Capital processes up to 1,000 applications each year - as they target only the wealthy. Still, Hong Kong has plenty of eligible candidates. The Asian financial hub is a hotbed for the rich, and was home to 179,000 millionaires in 2018 according to Credit Suisse. Hong Kong ranked 15th in the investment bank's latest list of countries with the most ultra-high net worth individuals. Protests in Hong Kong are not the only factor luring residents to golden visa schemes. Advisory firm Henley & Partners has also seen a jump in Hong Kong-based inquiries into investor visa programmes since the outbreak of unrest in June. The firm's public relations director, Paddy Blewer, said the spike comes "as the protests in the city escalate, and as uncertainty about the future persists". "Compared to last quarter... there has been a 260% rise in interest from Chinese nationals or investors resident in Hong Kong." But, he adds, domestic issues are only part of the story. Many Hong Kong clients seek out residency or citizenship schemes for the same reasons any other applicant would, Mr Blewer said, such as opportunities to travel, invest in another country or study abroad. "They are looking to access finance, they're looking to invest wherever they want, live wherever they want. "They want their children to go to other universities... to access the rest of the world."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Virginia HarrisonBBC News Many countries run "golden visa" schemes that offer resident or citizenship rights in exchange for sizeable investments. Several migration firms have reported a spike in interest from Hong Kong for these visas since the unrest began. They say with no resolution in sight, residents are seeking "insurance". Protests in the territory began in June, sparked by a proposed law that would have allowed extradition from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland. Despite the bill being withdrawn, demonstrations have continue to rock the city for months and show no immediate sign of abating. Against that backdrop, various immigration agencies told the BBC they have seen a sharp rise in interest from Hong Kong residents in investor visa schemes. These programmes exist all over the world, with Europe and the Caribbean particular hubs. Typically, countries require the purchase of property, government bonds or a set donation to secure a visa. The minimum investment varies greatly - from a $100,000 (£81,200) donation in Antigua & Barbuda, to around €2m (£1.8m) in real estate investment for Cyprus. Buying 'insurance' Hong Kong-based John Hu Migration Consulting has seen a four-fold increase in sales and inquiries from locals about golden visa schemes since June. Founder John Hu said recent unrest in the former British colony had been the "catalyst" for the rush. "As the protests become more violent and it seems that the government is not doing much to resolve the current situation, they have the urgency to buy insurance," he said. Enticed by the freedom of movement within the EU and minimal residency requirements, Mr Hu said most are drawn to European schemes including Ireland, Portugal and Malta. The firm has carried out more than 30 new golden visa applications for Ireland since the protests began, requiring a minimum donation of €500,000 or €1m euros invested into an Irish enterprise. Another immigration consultancy, Arton Capital, says inquiries from the territory have "more than doubled since the protests started". "Portugal is very much in favour in Hong Kong because of the relatively cheap real estate… real estate prices in Hong Kong are sky high," according to Philippe May, head of Asia Pacific for Arton Capital. Mr May said that while clients do not share their reasons for interest in the schemes, "it is very obvious that it is the most recent developments in Hong Kong which caused them to look again at their Plan B". Overall take-up of golden visas schemes remains small - Arton Capital processes up to 1,000 applications each year - as they target only the wealthy. Still, Hong Kong has plenty of eligible candidates. The Asian financial hub is a hotbed for the rich, and was home to 179,000 millionaires in 2018 according to Credit Suisse. Hong Kong ranked 15th in the investment bank's latest list of countries with the most ultra-high net worth individuals. Protests in Hong Kong are not the only factor luring residents to golden visa schemes. Advisory firm Henley & Partners has also seen a jump in Hong Kong-based inquiries into investor visa programmes since the outbreak of unrest in June. The firm's public relations director, Paddy Blewer, said the spike comes "as the protests in the city escalate, and as uncertainty about the future persists". "Compared to last quarter... there has been a 260% rise in interest from Chinese nationals or investors resident in Hong Kong." But, he adds, domestic issues are only part of the story. Many Hong Kong clients seek out residency or citizenship schemes for the same reasons any other applicant would, Mr Blewer said, such as opportunities to travel, invest in another country or study abroad. "They are looking to access finance, they're looking to invest wherever they want, live wherever they want. "They want their children to go to other universities... to access the rest of the world."
### Summary:
Hong Kong residents have been drawn to golden visa schemes since the protests began.
### Spelling and grammar
The Hong Kong government has seen a sharp rise in interest from residents in investor visa schemes.
### Sh |
uk-england-northamptonshire-25110051 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-25110051 | Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium plans approved | A new stadium for the Sixfields club is to be built in the town. | The scheme will be part-funded with a £12m loan from the borough council, including a directors' box and 10 corporate boxes. The ground's capacity will increase from 7,653 to 10,000, once work on the East Stand is complete "This is a momentous day," said club chairman David Cardoza. The club also wants to improve its West Stand, with a new shop, bar and family areas and open a gym and conference suite. 'Important step' Separate planning applications for a hotel, housing and retail facilities are expected to be submitted. "Things are already moving forward quickly and it is possible that we will be building the roof and part of the structure of the new East Stand during the season and then finishing it off in the close season," Cardoza. "We are working at a pace and the plan is to have the East Stand done by the start of next season. The hotel is going to take a little bit longer but hopefully we will be putting a planning application in for that in the next month or so." Councillor David Mackintosh, leader of the council, said: "This planning application represents an important step in the expansion of Sixfields Stadium. "Our sports clubs are an important part of life in our town and a significant benefit to the local economy." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The scheme will be part-funded with a £12m loan from the borough council, including a directors' box and 10 corporate boxes. The ground's capacity will increase from 7,653 to 10,000, once work on the East Stand is complete "This is a momentous day," said club chairman David Cardoza. The club also wants to improve its West Stand, with a new shop, bar and family areas and open a gym and conference suite. 'Important step' Separate planning applications for a hotel, housing and retail facilities are expected to be submitted. "Things are already moving forward quickly and it is possible that we will be building the roof and part of the structure of the new East Stand during the season and then finishing it off in the close season," Cardoza. "We are working at a pace and the plan is to have the East Stand done by the start of next season. The hotel is going to take a little bit longer but hopefully we will be putting a planning application in for that in the next month or so." Councillor David Mackintosh, leader of the council, said: "This planning application represents an important step in the expansion of Sixfields Stadium. "Our sports clubs are an important part of life in our town and a significant benefit to the local economy."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The scheme will be part-funded with a £12m loan from the borough council, including a directors' box and 10 corporate boxes. The ground's capacity will increase from 7,653 to 10,000, once work on the East Stand is complete "This is a momentous day," said club chairman David Cardoza. The club also wants to improve its West Stand, with a new shop, bar and family areas and open a gym and conference suite. 'Important step' Separate planning applications for a hotel, housing and retail facilities are expected to be submitted. "Things are already moving forward quickly and it is possible that we will be building the roof and part of the structure of the new East Stand during the season and then finishing it off in the close season," Cardoza. "We are working at a pace and the plan is to have the East Stand done by the start of next season. The hotel is going to take a little bit longer but hopefully we will be putting a planning application in for that in the next month or so." Councillor David Mackintosh, leader of the council, said: "This planning application represents an important step in the expansion of Sixfields Stadium. "Our sports clubs are an important part of life in our town and a significant benefit to the local economy."
### Summary:
A new stadium for the Sixfields club is to be built in the town.
### Text:
A new stadium for the Sixfields club is to be built in the town.
### Summary:
A |
world-latin-america-18437968 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18437968 | Peru mayor detained over anti-mining protests freed | A judge has ruled that a copper mine in Espinar should be released from detention. | Oscar Mollohuanca, mayor of Espinar, faced five months in custody but a judge has ruled that this is unjust. Two people died and dozens were injured last month in Espinar amid protests against a copper mine run by Swiss company Xstrata. Mr Mollohuanca, who is still under investigation, denies inciting trouble. He also denies using public money to fund the protests. A judge ruled on Wednesday that he should be released from detention. Addressing the media, Mr Mollohuanca said his arrest had been "arbitrary" and expressed hopes that there would be dialogue to tackle the area's environmental and social problems. A month-long state of emergency was imposed in Espinar after clashes erupted on 28 May. Local people have expressed fears that the copper mine is polluting the area and want Xstrata to pay more mining royalties to the local authorities. In a statement on 13 June, Xstrata said it was confident that it had abided by the regulations but said it was ready to participate in further environmental studies in Espinar province. The Tintaya Antapaccay mine has undergone a $1.5bn (£970bn) expansion, which is due to begin operations in the second half of the year, according to Xstrata. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Oscar Mollohuanca, mayor of Espinar, faced five months in custody but a judge has ruled that this is unjust. Two people died and dozens were injured last month in Espinar amid protests against a copper mine run by Swiss company Xstrata. Mr Mollohuanca, who is still under investigation, denies inciting trouble. He also denies using public money to fund the protests. A judge ruled on Wednesday that he should be released from detention. Addressing the media, Mr Mollohuanca said his arrest had been "arbitrary" and expressed hopes that there would be dialogue to tackle the area's environmental and social problems. A month-long state of emergency was imposed in Espinar after clashes erupted on 28 May. Local people have expressed fears that the copper mine is polluting the area and want Xstrata to pay more mining royalties to the local authorities. In a statement on 13 June, Xstrata said it was confident that it had abided by the regulations but said it was ready to participate in further environmental studies in Espinar province. The Tintaya Antapaccay mine has undergone a $1.5bn (£970bn) expansion, which is due to begin operations in the second half of the year, according to Xstrata.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Oscar Mollohuanca, mayor of Espinar, faced five months in custody but a judge has ruled that this is unjust. Two people died and dozens were injured last month in Espinar amid protests against a copper mine run by Swiss company Xstrata. Mr Mollohuanca, who is still under investigation, denies inciting trouble. He also denies using public money to fund the protests. A judge ruled on Wednesday that he should be released from detention. Addressing the media, Mr Mollohuanca said his arrest had been "arbitrary" and expressed hopes that there would be dialogue to tackle the area's environmental and social problems. A month-long state of emergency was imposed in Espinar after clashes erupted on 28 May. Local people have expressed fears that the copper mine is polluting the area and want Xstrata to pay more mining royalties to the local authorities. In a statement on 13 June, Xstrata said it was confident that it had abided by the regulations but said it was ready to participate in further environmental studies in Espinar province. The Tintaya Antapaccay mine has undergone a $1.5bn (£970bn) expansion, which is due to begin operations in the second half of the year, according to Xstrata.
### Summary:
A judge has ruled that a copper mine in Espinar should be released from detention.
### Source:
By Tom PhillipsBBC News, Espinar, Peru
### Next steps:
The mayor of Esp |
uk-20891597 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-20891597 | Migrants wrongly told to leave UK by firm hired by UKBA | A woman who was contacted by Capita has been told she is an "over-stayer" and should prepare to leave the UK. | By Angus CrawfordBBC News Capita were contracted by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in September to track down 174,000 illegal immigrants. Among those contacted by text and email were a woman with a UK passport, and a man with a valid visa who had invested £1m in a UK business. Capita said some of the information provided by the UKBA may be inaccurate. The Home Office, which runs the UKBA, has advised anyone contacted in error to contact them so records can be updated. The contract could be worth up to £40m for Capita, who are one of the largest contractors working on outsourced local and national government operations. 'Distressed and upset' Migrants are contacted by text message, telephone or email. The standard text message reads: "Message from the UK Border Agency. You are required to leave the UK as you no longer have the right to remain." It then advises people to contact the agency. The director of the Peterborough Racial Equality Council, MJ Ladha, was approached by a woman who had been contacted by Capita before Christmas. Mr Ladha told the BBC the woman had been told she was an "over-stayer" and should prepare to leave the country. She holds a UK passport which is valid for 10 years. "She was very distressed and upset, she was crying and shaking. Whoever has done this doesn't know what they are talking about," he said. Mr Ladha said he advised his client to complain to the UKBA. He added: "It [the system] is completely ineffective. If I am an over-stayer and I get a phone call, I'm not exactly going to pick up my bags and go." Immigration lawyers and advisers approached the government in an attempt to have the messages stopped over the Christmas period, but their request was refused. Alison Harvey from the Immigration Law Practitioners Association told the BBC: "We were concerned at reports of people who had valid leave to be in the UK receiving the texts and that over the holiday period it would be difficult for them to get in touch with their lawyer and they would be anxious and distressed with no possibility of reassurance. Our request was declined. "People will no doubt assume that the texts are spam as sending texts through a sub-contractor for a matter of this gravity is not what one would expect from a government department." 'Clear information' Ms Harvey said that it was impossible to know the number of text messages that have been sent in error. Among those who have been contacted were students with valid visas and a businessman who had invested £1m in a UK company, and who also lived legally in the UK, Ms Harvey added. She added that despite some clients contacting Capita to update their records, the problem was not solved. She said fellow lawyers had reported "clients talking to Capita to explain they have current leave, only to receive another text the next day. "It is difficult to get clear information about what is happening," she concluded. In a statement, Capita said: "A contact telephone number is provided for applicants to discuss their case, and any individual contacted who believes they have valid leave should make use of this number. "Capita has been instructed to contact individuals direct regardless of their legal representation as many of the details the UK Border Agency has on file may be inaccurate and out of date given the age of the cases". The UKBA admitted last year that it could not locate the 174,000 people from the Migration Refusal Pool, whose applications to stay in the UK had been refused. It was also revealed that about 60% of them had never been served with documents requiring them to leave the country. Capita was hired to trace those in the pool and warn them that they are required to leave the country. The firm will be paid depending on how many actually go back to their home country. A UKBA spokesperson said: "Where our records show that people are here illegally, it is vital we are able to contact them as we are determined that they should return home. "This is the first time a government has taken proactive steps to deal with this pool of cases, some of which date back to December 2008. "We have to make sure we keep control over our immigration system and we will enforce the removal of anyone who refuses to go home voluntarily." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Angus CrawfordBBC News Capita were contracted by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in September to track down 174,000 illegal immigrants. Among those contacted by text and email were a woman with a UK passport, and a man with a valid visa who had invested £1m in a UK business. Capita said some of the information provided by the UKBA may be inaccurate. The Home Office, which runs the UKBA, has advised anyone contacted in error to contact them so records can be updated. The contract could be worth up to £40m for Capita, who are one of the largest contractors working on outsourced local and national government operations. 'Distressed and upset' Migrants are contacted by text message, telephone or email. The standard text message reads: "Message from the UK Border Agency. You are required to leave the UK as you no longer have the right to remain." It then advises people to contact the agency. The director of the Peterborough Racial Equality Council, MJ Ladha, was approached by a woman who had been contacted by Capita before Christmas. Mr Ladha told the BBC the woman had been told she was an "over-stayer" and should prepare to leave the country. She holds a UK passport which is valid for 10 years. "She was very distressed and upset, she was crying and shaking. Whoever has done this doesn't know what they are talking about," he said. Mr Ladha said he advised his client to complain to the UKBA. He added: "It [the system] is completely ineffective. If I am an over-stayer and I get a phone call, I'm not exactly going to pick up my bags and go." Immigration lawyers and advisers approached the government in an attempt to have the messages stopped over the Christmas period, but their request was refused. Alison Harvey from the Immigration Law Practitioners Association told the BBC: "We were concerned at reports of people who had valid leave to be in the UK receiving the texts and that over the holiday period it would be difficult for them to get in touch with their lawyer and they would be anxious and distressed with no possibility of reassurance. Our request was declined. "People will no doubt assume that the texts are spam as sending texts through a sub-contractor for a matter of this gravity is not what one would expect from a government department." 'Clear information' Ms Harvey said that it was impossible to know the number of text messages that have been sent in error. Among those who have been contacted were students with valid visas and a businessman who had invested £1m in a UK company, and who also lived legally in the UK, Ms Harvey added. She added that despite some clients contacting Capita to update their records, the problem was not solved. She said fellow lawyers had reported "clients talking to Capita to explain they have current leave, only to receive another text the next day. "It is difficult to get clear information about what is happening," she concluded. In a statement, Capita said: "A contact telephone number is provided for applicants to discuss their case, and any individual contacted who believes they have valid leave should make use of this number. "Capita has been instructed to contact individuals direct regardless of their legal representation as many of the details the UK Border Agency has on file may be inaccurate and out of date given the age of the cases". The UKBA admitted last year that it could not locate the 174,000 people from the Migration Refusal Pool, whose applications to stay in the UK had been refused. It was also revealed that about 60% of them had never been served with documents requiring them to leave the country. Capita was hired to trace those in the pool and warn them that they are required to leave the country. The firm will be paid depending on how many actually go back to their home country. A UKBA spokesperson said: "Where our records show that people are here illegally, it is vital we are able to contact them as we are determined that they should return home. "This is the first time a government has taken proactive steps to deal with this pool of cases, some of which date back to December 2008. "We have to make sure we keep control over our immigration system and we will enforce the removal of anyone who refuses to go home voluntarily."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Angus CrawfordBBC News Capita were contracted by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in September to track down 174,000 illegal immigrants. Among those contacted by text and email were a woman with a UK passport, and a man with a valid visa who had invested £1m in a UK business. Capita said some of the information provided by the UKBA may be inaccurate. The Home Office, which runs the UKBA, has advised anyone contacted in error to contact them so records can be updated. The contract could be worth up to £40m for Capita, who are one of the largest contractors working on outsourced local and national government operations. 'Distressed and upset' Migrants are contacted by text message, telephone or email. The standard text message reads: "Message from the UK Border Agency. You are required to leave the UK as you no longer have the right to remain." It then advises people to contact the agency. The director of the Peterborough Racial Equality Council, MJ Ladha, was approached by a woman who had been contacted by Capita before Christmas. Mr Ladha told the BBC the woman had been told she was an "over-stayer" and should prepare to leave the country. She holds a UK passport which is valid for 10 years. "She was very distressed and upset, she was crying and shaking. Whoever has done this doesn't know what they are talking about," he said. Mr Ladha said he advised his client to complain to the UKBA. He added: "It [the system] is completely ineffective. If I am an over-stayer and I get a phone call, I'm not exactly going to pick up my bags and go." Immigration lawyers and advisers approached the government in an attempt to have the messages stopped over the Christmas period, but their request was refused. Alison Harvey from the Immigration Law Practitioners Association told the BBC: "We were concerned at reports of people who had valid leave to be in the UK receiving the texts and that over the holiday period it would be difficult for them to get in touch with their lawyer and they would be anxious and distressed with no possibility of reassurance. Our request was declined. "People will no doubt assume that the texts are spam as sending texts through a sub-contractor for a matter of this gravity is not what one would expect from a government department." 'Clear information' Ms Harvey said that it was impossible to know the number of text messages that have been sent in error. Among those who have been contacted were students with valid visas and a businessman who had invested £1m in a UK company, and who also lived legally in the UK, Ms Harvey added. She added that despite some clients contacting Capita to update their records, the problem was not solved. She said fellow lawyers had reported "clients talking to Capita to explain they have current leave, only to receive another text the next day. "It is difficult to get clear information about what is happening," she concluded. In a statement, Capita said: "A contact telephone number is provided for applicants to discuss their case, and any individual contacted who believes they have valid leave should make use of this number. "Capita has been instructed to contact individuals direct regardless of their legal representation as many of the details the UK Border Agency has on file may be inaccurate and out of date given the age of the cases". The UKBA admitted last year that it could not locate the 174,000 people from the Migration Refusal Pool, whose applications to stay in the UK had been refused. It was also revealed that about 60% of them had never been served with documents requiring them to leave the country. Capita was hired to trace those in the pool and warn them that they are required to leave the country. The firm will be paid depending on how many actually go back to their home country. A UKBA spokesperson said: "Where our records show that people are here illegally, it is vital we are able to contact them as we are determined that they should return home. "This is the first time a government has taken proactive steps to deal with this pool of cases, some of which date back to December 2008. "We have to make sure we keep control over our immigration system and we will enforce the removal of anyone who refuses to go home voluntarily."
### Summary:
A woman who was contacted by Capita has been told she is an "over-stayer" and should prepare to leave the UK.
### Spelling and grammar
A woman who was contacted by Capita has been told |
health-51439146 | https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51439146 | NHS cancer patients 'missing out on basics information' | Patients who have undergone cancer treatment in England are not being fully explained the impact it will have on them physically, financially and emotionally, a charity has said. | Macmillan Cancer Support said at least 120,000 patients a year felt topics including treatments and side effects were not fully explained. The charity blamed "soaring" staffing pressures, which left people "in the dark" about how to prepare. The NHS said satisfaction levels with cancer care were at a record high. As part of an NHS survey, more than 70,000 people who have undergone cancer treatment in England were asked about their care. More than a third (39%) said the longer-term side-effects of treatment were not fully explained - the charity said that equated to about 120,000 a year. A quarter of people also said they did not have the possible side effects explained prior to the start of treatment. And one in five said there were not always enough nurses on duty to care for them. Macmillan warned that without this information and support, patients "may feel uncertain about treatment, feel forced to give up a job or feel unsure about how to prepare for the impact cancer might have on them physically, financially and emotional". An NHS England spokesman said cancer survival rates and patient satisfaction levels with their cancer care were at record highs. The "vast majority of patients were given the name of a clinical nurse specialist to support them through their treatment, which is testament to the hard work and compassion of NHS staff", he added. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Macmillan Cancer Support said at least 120,000 patients a year felt topics including treatments and side effects were not fully explained. The charity blamed "soaring" staffing pressures, which left people "in the dark" about how to prepare. The NHS said satisfaction levels with cancer care were at a record high. As part of an NHS survey, more than 70,000 people who have undergone cancer treatment in England were asked about their care. More than a third (39%) said the longer-term side-effects of treatment were not fully explained - the charity said that equated to about 120,000 a year. A quarter of people also said they did not have the possible side effects explained prior to the start of treatment. And one in five said there were not always enough nurses on duty to care for them. Macmillan warned that without this information and support, patients "may feel uncertain about treatment, feel forced to give up a job or feel unsure about how to prepare for the impact cancer might have on them physically, financially and emotional". An NHS England spokesman said cancer survival rates and patient satisfaction levels with their cancer care were at record highs. The "vast majority of patients were given the name of a clinical nurse specialist to support them through their treatment, which is testament to the hard work and compassion of NHS staff", he added.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Macmillan Cancer Support said at least 120,000 patients a year felt topics including treatments and side effects were not fully explained. The charity blamed "soaring" staffing pressures, which left people "in the dark" about how to prepare. The NHS said satisfaction levels with cancer care were at a record high. As part of an NHS survey, more than 70,000 people who have undergone cancer treatment in England were asked about their care. More than a third (39%) said the longer-term side-effects of treatment were not fully explained - the charity said that equated to about 120,000 a year. A quarter of people also said they did not have the possible side effects explained prior to the start of treatment. And one in five said there were not always enough nurses on duty to care for them. Macmillan warned that without this information and support, patients "may feel uncertain about treatment, feel forced to give up a job or feel unsure about how to prepare for the impact cancer might have on them physically, financially and emotional". An NHS England spokesman said cancer survival rates and patient satisfaction levels with their cancer care were at record highs. The "vast majority of patients were given the name of a clinical nurse specialist to support them through their treatment, which is testament to the hard work and compassion of NHS staff", he added.
### Summary:
Patients who have undergone cancer treatment in England are not being fully explained the impact it will have on them physically, financially and emotionally, a charity has said.
### Next story:
A cancer char |
uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-49919260 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-49919260 | Car crashes into Coventry chicken shop | A car has crashed into a restaurant in Coventry. | The BMW was left embedded in the front of Rio's Piri Piri on the junction of Foleshill Road and Station Street West in Coventry just after 06:00 BST. West Midlands Police said the car crashed into the back of a van before hitting the shop. Detectives are trying to trace the driver of the car, who was not at the scene when emergency services arrived. The driver of the van, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital after the crash with minor injuries, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. The restaurant owner, Saqib Hussein, said he had only been alerted when a friend called him after the crash. He said the car must have been travelling at high speed "to have that much impact". Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The BMW was left embedded in the front of Rio's Piri Piri on the junction of Foleshill Road and Station Street West in Coventry just after 06:00 BST. West Midlands Police said the car crashed into the back of a van before hitting the shop. Detectives are trying to trace the driver of the car, who was not at the scene when emergency services arrived. The driver of the van, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital after the crash with minor injuries, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. The restaurant owner, Saqib Hussein, said he had only been alerted when a friend called him after the crash. He said the car must have been travelling at high speed "to have that much impact". Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The BMW was left embedded in the front of Rio's Piri Piri on the junction of Foleshill Road and Station Street West in Coventry just after 06:00 BST. West Midlands Police said the car crashed into the back of a van before hitting the shop. Detectives are trying to trace the driver of the car, who was not at the scene when emergency services arrived. The driver of the van, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital after the crash with minor injuries, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. The restaurant owner, Saqib Hussein, said he had only been alerted when a friend called him after the crash. He said the car must have been travelling at high speed "to have that much impact". Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.
### Summary:
A car has crashed into a restaurant in Coventry.
### Next:
A car has crashed into a restaurant in Coventry.
### Ends:
A car has crashed into a restaurant in Coventry |
uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55998027 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55998027 | Leah Croucher: 'No lead' in 'bewildering' 2019 disappearance | A woman has been found dead in a house in Milton Keynes. | Leah Croucher was 19 when she was last seen on CCTV on the morning of 15 February 2019 in Milton Keynes. Despite extensive searches, no trace of her has been found and no-one has been arrested in connection with the case. Police said they retained an "open mind" but "the potential that Leah is no longer alive has to increase". Ms Croucher was last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent at 22:00 GMT on 14 February. 4,000properties visited in house-to-house inquiries. 1,200hours of CCTV reviewed. 600reports of information and potential sightings from the public. 400 separate searches across Milton Keynes. Earlier that evening, after returning from work about 17:45, she got changed and went out, returning home at about 19:15. She had told her parents she was going out to meet a friend, but police later established that was not the case. It is still not known where Ms Croucher went or whether she met anyone that evening. Her parents last saw her when she went to bed. It was "the last time I got to say goodnight", her mother Claire Croucher said. CCTV showed Ms Croucher walking down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton - believed to be in the direction of her work - at 08:16 the next day. She never arrived at work - disappearing without trace. "From that point on we've had no confirmed sightings of Leah," said Det Ch Insp Andy Howard, leading the investigation for Thames Valley Police. The disappearance of Leah Croucher Speaking on the second anniversary of her disappearance, he said the investigation had been "large-scale". Police had received "in the region of 600 pieces of information - be that information about what's possibly happened to Leah or reported potential sightings", all of which had been investigated. "However, none of them have provided a significant lead to allow us to establish what's happened to Leah," he said. "At the moment there are no new current lines of inquiry. "After all of this time with no contact, no positive sightings, no financial transactions, no social media and no phone activity, the potential that Leah is no longer alive has to increase. "But as long as there is hope that Leah is still alive, we will be positive and hope. "Mystery really is the word. It's bewildering and frustrating," he admitted. "Somebody must have seen her that day, yet despite all of our efforts nobody's come forward to give us that confirmed sighting." A large part of Milton Keynes and the surrounding area has been searched by police, including lakes and culverts. "We're now at a stage in the investigation where we are reliant on somebody coming forward with information about seeing Leah, knowing Leah, or knowing what has happened to Leah, and hence that's the focus of our appeal now." Friends had spoken to officers about anxiety issues Ms Croucher was having at the time, Det Ch Insp Howard said. "It's possible that Leah has made a conscious decision and she's acting of her own accord, but I also will not preclude the role of a third party being involved in Leah's disappearance." A £10,000 reward "for information that leads to Leah being located" remains in place. Her family is still being supported by officers. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links Thames Valley Police | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Leah Croucher was 19 when she was last seen on CCTV on the morning of 15 February 2019 in Milton Keynes. Despite extensive searches, no trace of her has been found and no-one has been arrested in connection with the case. Police said they retained an "open mind" but "the potential that Leah is no longer alive has to increase". Ms Croucher was last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent at 22:00 GMT on 14 February. 4,000properties visited in house-to-house inquiries. 1,200hours of CCTV reviewed. 600reports of information and potential sightings from the public. 400 separate searches across Milton Keynes. Earlier that evening, after returning from work about 17:45, she got changed and went out, returning home at about 19:15. She had told her parents she was going out to meet a friend, but police later established that was not the case. It is still not known where Ms Croucher went or whether she met anyone that evening. Her parents last saw her when she went to bed. It was "the last time I got to say goodnight", her mother Claire Croucher said. CCTV showed Ms Croucher walking down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton - believed to be in the direction of her work - at 08:16 the next day. She never arrived at work - disappearing without trace. "From that point on we've had no confirmed sightings of Leah," said Det Ch Insp Andy Howard, leading the investigation for Thames Valley Police. The disappearance of Leah Croucher Speaking on the second anniversary of her disappearance, he said the investigation had been "large-scale". Police had received "in the region of 600 pieces of information - be that information about what's possibly happened to Leah or reported potential sightings", all of which had been investigated. "However, none of them have provided a significant lead to allow us to establish what's happened to Leah," he said. "At the moment there are no new current lines of inquiry. "After all of this time with no contact, no positive sightings, no financial transactions, no social media and no phone activity, the potential that Leah is no longer alive has to increase. "But as long as there is hope that Leah is still alive, we will be positive and hope. "Mystery really is the word. It's bewildering and frustrating," he admitted. "Somebody must have seen her that day, yet despite all of our efforts nobody's come forward to give us that confirmed sighting." A large part of Milton Keynes and the surrounding area has been searched by police, including lakes and culverts. "We're now at a stage in the investigation where we are reliant on somebody coming forward with information about seeing Leah, knowing Leah, or knowing what has happened to Leah, and hence that's the focus of our appeal now." Friends had spoken to officers about anxiety issues Ms Croucher was having at the time, Det Ch Insp Howard said. "It's possible that Leah has made a conscious decision and she's acting of her own accord, but I also will not preclude the role of a third party being involved in Leah's disappearance." A £10,000 reward "for information that leads to Leah being located" remains in place. Her family is still being supported by officers. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links Thames Valley Police
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Leah Croucher was 19 when she was last seen on CCTV on the morning of 15 February 2019 in Milton Keynes. Despite extensive searches, no trace of her has been found and no-one has been arrested in connection with the case. Police said they retained an "open mind" but "the potential that Leah is no longer alive has to increase". Ms Croucher was last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent at 22:00 GMT on 14 February. 4,000properties visited in house-to-house inquiries. 1,200hours of CCTV reviewed. 600reports of information and potential sightings from the public. 400 separate searches across Milton Keynes. Earlier that evening, after returning from work about 17:45, she got changed and went out, returning home at about 19:15. She had told her parents she was going out to meet a friend, but police later established that was not the case. It is still not known where Ms Croucher went or whether she met anyone that evening. Her parents last saw her when she went to bed. It was "the last time I got to say goodnight", her mother Claire Croucher said. CCTV showed Ms Croucher walking down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton - believed to be in the direction of her work - at 08:16 the next day. She never arrived at work - disappearing without trace. "From that point on we've had no confirmed sightings of Leah," said Det Ch Insp Andy Howard, leading the investigation for Thames Valley Police. The disappearance of Leah Croucher Speaking on the second anniversary of her disappearance, he said the investigation had been "large-scale". Police had received "in the region of 600 pieces of information - be that information about what's possibly happened to Leah or reported potential sightings", all of which had been investigated. "However, none of them have provided a significant lead to allow us to establish what's happened to Leah," he said. "At the moment there are no new current lines of inquiry. "After all of this time with no contact, no positive sightings, no financial transactions, no social media and no phone activity, the potential that Leah is no longer alive has to increase. "But as long as there is hope that Leah is still alive, we will be positive and hope. "Mystery really is the word. It's bewildering and frustrating," he admitted. "Somebody must have seen her that day, yet despite all of our efforts nobody's come forward to give us that confirmed sighting." A large part of Milton Keynes and the surrounding area has been searched by police, including lakes and culverts. "We're now at a stage in the investigation where we are reliant on somebody coming forward with information about seeing Leah, knowing Leah, or knowing what has happened to Leah, and hence that's the focus of our appeal now." Friends had spoken to officers about anxiety issues Ms Croucher was having at the time, Det Ch Insp Howard said. "It's possible that Leah has made a conscious decision and she's acting of her own accord, but I also will not preclude the role of a third party being involved in Leah's disappearance." A £10,000 reward "for information that leads to Leah being located" remains in place. Her family is still being supported by officers. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links Thames Valley Police
### Summary:
A woman has been found dead in a house in Milton Keynes.
### Text:
A woman has been found dead in a house in Milton Keynes.
### Summary:
A woman has |
world-europe-53875370 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53875370 | Coronavirus: Germany puts on crowded concerts to study risks | A concert study has been launched to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic. | About 1,500 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50 - only a third of the expected number - took part. But the head of the study, which was carried out in Leipzig by Halle University, said he was "very satisfied" with how the event unfolded. Singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko agreed to perform at all three successive gigs. The study came as Germany recorded its highest number of Covid-19 infections since the end of April. More than 2,000 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 232,082, the Robert Koch Institute reported. The concert study, called Restart-19, was created "to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic", researchers said. The first of Saturday's three concerts aimed to simulate an event before the pandemic, with no safety measures in place. The second involved greater hygiene and some social distancing, while the third involved half the numbers and each person standing 1.5m apart. All participants were tested for Covid-19 before taking part, and given face masks and tracking devices to measure their distancing. Researchers reportedly also used fluorescent disinfectants to track which surfaces audience members touched the most. "The data collection is going very well, so we have good quality data, the mood is great and we are extremely satisfied with the discipline in wearing masks and using disinfectant," lead researcher Dr Stefan Moritz said. Singer Tim Bendzko, meanwhile, said the event had exceeded his expectations. "We really enjoyed it. At first I thought it would be very sterile because of the masks, but it felt surprisingly good," he said. "I hope that these results will help us to hold real concerts in front of an audience again soon." The initial results of the study are expected in the autumn. The project received 990,000 euros (£892,000, $1.17m) in funding from the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony with the aim of helping to pave the way for the resumption of major indoor sporting and music events by ascertaining realistic levels of risk. "The corona pandemic is paralyzing the event industry," Saxony-Anhalt's Minister of Economics and Science, Prof Armin Willingmann, said before the event. "As long as there is a risk of infection, major concerts, trade fairs and sporting events cannot take place. This is why it is so important to find out which technical and organisational conditions can effectively minimise the risks." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
About 1,500 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50 - only a third of the expected number - took part. But the head of the study, which was carried out in Leipzig by Halle University, said he was "very satisfied" with how the event unfolded. Singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko agreed to perform at all three successive gigs. The study came as Germany recorded its highest number of Covid-19 infections since the end of April. More than 2,000 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 232,082, the Robert Koch Institute reported. The concert study, called Restart-19, was created "to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic", researchers said. The first of Saturday's three concerts aimed to simulate an event before the pandemic, with no safety measures in place. The second involved greater hygiene and some social distancing, while the third involved half the numbers and each person standing 1.5m apart. All participants were tested for Covid-19 before taking part, and given face masks and tracking devices to measure their distancing. Researchers reportedly also used fluorescent disinfectants to track which surfaces audience members touched the most. "The data collection is going very well, so we have good quality data, the mood is great and we are extremely satisfied with the discipline in wearing masks and using disinfectant," lead researcher Dr Stefan Moritz said. Singer Tim Bendzko, meanwhile, said the event had exceeded his expectations. "We really enjoyed it. At first I thought it would be very sterile because of the masks, but it felt surprisingly good," he said. "I hope that these results will help us to hold real concerts in front of an audience again soon." The initial results of the study are expected in the autumn. The project received 990,000 euros (£892,000, $1.17m) in funding from the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony with the aim of helping to pave the way for the resumption of major indoor sporting and music events by ascertaining realistic levels of risk. "The corona pandemic is paralyzing the event industry," Saxony-Anhalt's Minister of Economics and Science, Prof Armin Willingmann, said before the event. "As long as there is a risk of infection, major concerts, trade fairs and sporting events cannot take place. This is why it is so important to find out which technical and organisational conditions can effectively minimise the risks."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
About 1,500 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50 - only a third of the expected number - took part. But the head of the study, which was carried out in Leipzig by Halle University, said he was "very satisfied" with how the event unfolded. Singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko agreed to perform at all three successive gigs. The study came as Germany recorded its highest number of Covid-19 infections since the end of April. More than 2,000 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 232,082, the Robert Koch Institute reported. The concert study, called Restart-19, was created "to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic", researchers said. The first of Saturday's three concerts aimed to simulate an event before the pandemic, with no safety measures in place. The second involved greater hygiene and some social distancing, while the third involved half the numbers and each person standing 1.5m apart. All participants were tested for Covid-19 before taking part, and given face masks and tracking devices to measure their distancing. Researchers reportedly also used fluorescent disinfectants to track which surfaces audience members touched the most. "The data collection is going very well, so we have good quality data, the mood is great and we are extremely satisfied with the discipline in wearing masks and using disinfectant," lead researcher Dr Stefan Moritz said. Singer Tim Bendzko, meanwhile, said the event had exceeded his expectations. "We really enjoyed it. At first I thought it would be very sterile because of the masks, but it felt surprisingly good," he said. "I hope that these results will help us to hold real concerts in front of an audience again soon." The initial results of the study are expected in the autumn. The project received 990,000 euros (£892,000, $1.17m) in funding from the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony with the aim of helping to pave the way for the resumption of major indoor sporting and music events by ascertaining realistic levels of risk. "The corona pandemic is paralyzing the event industry," Saxony-Anhalt's Minister of Economics and Science, Prof Armin Willingmann, said before the event. "As long as there is a risk of infection, major concerts, trade fairs and sporting events cannot take place. This is why it is so important to find out which technical and organisational conditions can effectively minimise the risks."
### Summary:
A concert study has been launched to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic.
### Next:
The first of three concerts aimed to simulate an event before the pandemic, with no safety |
business-45367911 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45367911 | Viagogo taken to High Court by competition regulator | Viagogo has failed to make changes to its business model to comply with the law. | By Chris JohnstonBusiness reporter, BBC News The Competition and Markets Authority took action against the big four secondary ticket sites last November. StubHub, Get Me In and Seatwave promised to change their business model but Viagogo has failed to make changes required by the CMA. That failure has resulted in the High Court legal action announced on Friday. Andrea Coscelli, CMA chief executive, said consumers who look for tickets on resellers must be told what seat they will get and whether they risk being denied entry to a venue. "This applies to Viagogo as much as it does to any other secondary ticketing website. Unfortunately, while other businesses have agreed to overhaul their sites to ensure they respect the law, Viagogo has not," he said. "We will now be pursuing action through the courts to ensure that they comply with the law." The CMA is also seeking an interim enforcement order from the court that would put a stop to some of Viagogo's practices until a full trial takes place. Sharon Hodgson, the MP who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on ticket abuse, said the CMA's legal action against Viagogo was long overdue. "For too long fans have been exposed to the risk of ending up with a ticket that did not get them into an event when buying through Viagogo. "Perhaps Viagogo will now realise that consumer protection legislation passed by Parliament is not a minor inconvenience to be ignored and that they can be held accountable through the courts." Adam Webb, campaign manager of the FanFair Alliance, said it welcomed the move to tackle Viagogo: "Hopefully it spells the endgame to this site's misleading and abhorrent practices." The Alliance said Viagogo could be legally prevented from reselling tickets in the UK because it had an office in Fenchurch Street, in the City of London. In May, digital industries minister Margot James told fans "don't choose Viagogo - they are the worst". The CMA's year-long investigation found some ticket resellers could be breaking the law by failing to tell consumers about restrictions on the tickets they bought. Many in the music industry have criticised resellers. In April the manager of the Arctic Monkeys, Ian McAndrew, called on the government to shut down Viagogo after tickets for the band's upcoming UK tour appeared on the site for as much as £2,200. Viagogo is run by American Eric Baker, who founded StubHub with university classmate Jeff Fluhr. They sold the company to eBay in 2007 for $304m. Mr Baker then moved to London to set up Viagogo, which is owned by his Delaware-based venture called Pugnacious Endeavors. Earlier this month Ticketmaster said it will close down Seatwave and Get Me In in October. Buyers will then be allowed to put unwanted tickets up for sale directly on Ticketmaster's site. The firm has vowed to be transparent about the difference between "new" and resold tickets. Viagogo did not respond to a request for comment. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Chris JohnstonBusiness reporter, BBC News The Competition and Markets Authority took action against the big four secondary ticket sites last November. StubHub, Get Me In and Seatwave promised to change their business model but Viagogo has failed to make changes required by the CMA. That failure has resulted in the High Court legal action announced on Friday. Andrea Coscelli, CMA chief executive, said consumers who look for tickets on resellers must be told what seat they will get and whether they risk being denied entry to a venue. "This applies to Viagogo as much as it does to any other secondary ticketing website. Unfortunately, while other businesses have agreed to overhaul their sites to ensure they respect the law, Viagogo has not," he said. "We will now be pursuing action through the courts to ensure that they comply with the law." The CMA is also seeking an interim enforcement order from the court that would put a stop to some of Viagogo's practices until a full trial takes place. Sharon Hodgson, the MP who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on ticket abuse, said the CMA's legal action against Viagogo was long overdue. "For too long fans have been exposed to the risk of ending up with a ticket that did not get them into an event when buying through Viagogo. "Perhaps Viagogo will now realise that consumer protection legislation passed by Parliament is not a minor inconvenience to be ignored and that they can be held accountable through the courts." Adam Webb, campaign manager of the FanFair Alliance, said it welcomed the move to tackle Viagogo: "Hopefully it spells the endgame to this site's misleading and abhorrent practices." The Alliance said Viagogo could be legally prevented from reselling tickets in the UK because it had an office in Fenchurch Street, in the City of London. In May, digital industries minister Margot James told fans "don't choose Viagogo - they are the worst". The CMA's year-long investigation found some ticket resellers could be breaking the law by failing to tell consumers about restrictions on the tickets they bought. Many in the music industry have criticised resellers. In April the manager of the Arctic Monkeys, Ian McAndrew, called on the government to shut down Viagogo after tickets for the band's upcoming UK tour appeared on the site for as much as £2,200. Viagogo is run by American Eric Baker, who founded StubHub with university classmate Jeff Fluhr. They sold the company to eBay in 2007 for $304m. Mr Baker then moved to London to set up Viagogo, which is owned by his Delaware-based venture called Pugnacious Endeavors. Earlier this month Ticketmaster said it will close down Seatwave and Get Me In in October. Buyers will then be allowed to put unwanted tickets up for sale directly on Ticketmaster's site. The firm has vowed to be transparent about the difference between "new" and resold tickets. Viagogo did not respond to a request for comment.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Chris JohnstonBusiness reporter, BBC News The Competition and Markets Authority took action against the big four secondary ticket sites last November. StubHub, Get Me In and Seatwave promised to change their business model but Viagogo has failed to make changes required by the CMA. That failure has resulted in the High Court legal action announced on Friday. Andrea Coscelli, CMA chief executive, said consumers who look for tickets on resellers must be told what seat they will get and whether they risk being denied entry to a venue. "This applies to Viagogo as much as it does to any other secondary ticketing website. Unfortunately, while other businesses have agreed to overhaul their sites to ensure they respect the law, Viagogo has not," he said. "We will now be pursuing action through the courts to ensure that they comply with the law." The CMA is also seeking an interim enforcement order from the court that would put a stop to some of Viagogo's practices until a full trial takes place. Sharon Hodgson, the MP who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on ticket abuse, said the CMA's legal action against Viagogo was long overdue. "For too long fans have been exposed to the risk of ending up with a ticket that did not get them into an event when buying through Viagogo. "Perhaps Viagogo will now realise that consumer protection legislation passed by Parliament is not a minor inconvenience to be ignored and that they can be held accountable through the courts." Adam Webb, campaign manager of the FanFair Alliance, said it welcomed the move to tackle Viagogo: "Hopefully it spells the endgame to this site's misleading and abhorrent practices." The Alliance said Viagogo could be legally prevented from reselling tickets in the UK because it had an office in Fenchurch Street, in the City of London. In May, digital industries minister Margot James told fans "don't choose Viagogo - they are the worst". The CMA's year-long investigation found some ticket resellers could be breaking the law by failing to tell consumers about restrictions on the tickets they bought. Many in the music industry have criticised resellers. In April the manager of the Arctic Monkeys, Ian McAndrew, called on the government to shut down Viagogo after tickets for the band's upcoming UK tour appeared on the site for as much as £2,200. Viagogo is run by American Eric Baker, who founded StubHub with university classmate Jeff Fluhr. They sold the company to eBay in 2007 for $304m. Mr Baker then moved to London to set up Viagogo, which is owned by his Delaware-based venture called Pugnacious Endeavors. Earlier this month Ticketmaster said it will close down Seatwave and Get Me In in October. Buyers will then be allowed to put unwanted tickets up for sale directly on Ticketmaster's site. The firm has vowed to be transparent about the difference between "new" and resold tickets. Viagogo did not respond to a request for comment.
### Summary:
Viagogo has failed to make changes to its business model to comply with the law.
### Source:
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken legal action against Viagogo.
### |
world-africa-15562729 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-15562729 | Zambian farmers learn to write their Shanjo language | A group of farmers in the Western Province of Zambia have been translating their mother tongue into English. | By Ron BholaBBC World Service Mr Sitale, who describes himself as "just a farmer", is part of an estimated 20,000-strong Shanjo community in Zambia's remote Western Province. Over the last few months, he has been part of a group of amateur linguists, mostly fellow farmers, who have been creating a spelling system for their mother tongue. For the first time stories passed down through the generations by word of mouth are being written down. "We decided to do this so, as the older people die away, the younger people will see the language," Mr Sitale told the BBC World Service. 'Sheer excitement' Mr Hastings and his team of village translators are one of five teams developing a written language for their tongues in the Western Province. They attend translation workshops in the regional capital Mongu - a round trip which can take up to 32 hours, travelling by oxen, car and bus. Oxen also formed an important part of their inaugural session with Paul Tench, a retired linguist from Cardiff University, who helped the Shanjo team begin their project in July. "Their sheer excitement was wonderful to behold," he said. The first task was to record a sample of the language which could be used for a dictation exercise. So Mr Tench asked the team to think of a story and decide who should tell it; they elected one member who described the importance of training oxen for effective farming in ciShanjo. Individually they all wrote down the story, after which they compared their efforts. But they mostly agreed, according to Mr Tench. "All of these people were literate in the [local] trade language siLozi and English; they knew from these languages the consonants and vowels of the Latin alphabet and what they stood for in those two languages. "They applied this as best they could to the sounds of the words in their own language. "Then they discussed things together in their mother tongue to agree solutions to any problems that arose. I kept a tally of the letters used and arranged them in a chart that reflected phonetic patterns." Isolation A spelling system emerged as the exercises continued. After two weeks, a 27-page booklet on how to read and write ciShanjo was produced, which included a 500-word dictionary, some grammar notes and three short pieces they had studied. The original request for the translation initiative was made by Christian church groups who complained that many in their congregations were unable to understand the Bible written in siLozi, and missionary groups sponsored Mr Tench's trip. Since then, James Lucas, a Christian missionary based in Zambia, has continued to co-ordinate the language translation project, helping the Shanjo and four other ethnic groups. "The languages in the Western Province are quite similar, go back 150 years and many of them come from the same language," says Mr Lucas. But that changed over time because they live so far apart, leaving some minority languages very isolated. It is a pattern partly mirrored at the continental level, according to Mr Tench: Africa has about 15% of the global population but between them Africans speak 30% of the total number of languages in the world. Zambia alone has more than 70 languages; the official national language is English. 'Forest people' Nancy Kula, who lectures in Linguistics at the University of Essex, says the Western Province is probably the most linguistically diverse region in Zambia. "CiShanjo, like many other languages of the Western Province, is very much under threat of extinction," she warns, saying it is difficult to say how many languages have become extinct in Zambia recently. "The situation is very under-investigated and I fear the real situation is probably even worse than anticipated." Part of the problem is the influence of English and siLozi in the area - siLozi is the lingua franca for speakers of ciShanjo travelling or trading in the Western Province. But many Shanjo cannot understand siLozi and even when they do attempt to speak it, they are teased by townsfolk because of their accents. "They call us people from the bush or forest people," says Carol Mushali, who is the only woman on the ciShanjo translation team. She sees the potential for primary school lessons using ciShanjo now that siLozi and English can be translated in written form because, many researchers say, children learn best in their mother tongue. There are also benefits for adults learning this new form of their language. "Once they taste a bit of knowledge they want more. It opens up learning to take place - a foundation that teaches them to read and write opens up the mind to further learning of every type," says Ms Mushali. 'On the map' Isilimwe Limakazo, 25, is the youngest person to take part in the translation project. He says the experience of taking part has led him to "want to only use the Shanjo language every day". He sees a bright future for the language. "Even my friends are cutting songs and videos in ciShanjo… before when they were singing, they used to make mistakes but now because they have learned to read and write the language properly, if they produce another album, then it will be better than before." Enoch Walubita, another farmer and translator on the project, is similarly enthused. "The advantage of this project is our people will be exposed - on the map." "We were thinking we are nobody, but now we are the same as everyone in the world." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Ron BholaBBC World Service Mr Sitale, who describes himself as "just a farmer", is part of an estimated 20,000-strong Shanjo community in Zambia's remote Western Province. Over the last few months, he has been part of a group of amateur linguists, mostly fellow farmers, who have been creating a spelling system for their mother tongue. For the first time stories passed down through the generations by word of mouth are being written down. "We decided to do this so, as the older people die away, the younger people will see the language," Mr Sitale told the BBC World Service. 'Sheer excitement' Mr Hastings and his team of village translators are one of five teams developing a written language for their tongues in the Western Province. They attend translation workshops in the regional capital Mongu - a round trip which can take up to 32 hours, travelling by oxen, car and bus. Oxen also formed an important part of their inaugural session with Paul Tench, a retired linguist from Cardiff University, who helped the Shanjo team begin their project in July. "Their sheer excitement was wonderful to behold," he said. The first task was to record a sample of the language which could be used for a dictation exercise. So Mr Tench asked the team to think of a story and decide who should tell it; they elected one member who described the importance of training oxen for effective farming in ciShanjo. Individually they all wrote down the story, after which they compared their efforts. But they mostly agreed, according to Mr Tench. "All of these people were literate in the [local] trade language siLozi and English; they knew from these languages the consonants and vowels of the Latin alphabet and what they stood for in those two languages. "They applied this as best they could to the sounds of the words in their own language. "Then they discussed things together in their mother tongue to agree solutions to any problems that arose. I kept a tally of the letters used and arranged them in a chart that reflected phonetic patterns." Isolation A spelling system emerged as the exercises continued. After two weeks, a 27-page booklet on how to read and write ciShanjo was produced, which included a 500-word dictionary, some grammar notes and three short pieces they had studied. The original request for the translation initiative was made by Christian church groups who complained that many in their congregations were unable to understand the Bible written in siLozi, and missionary groups sponsored Mr Tench's trip. Since then, James Lucas, a Christian missionary based in Zambia, has continued to co-ordinate the language translation project, helping the Shanjo and four other ethnic groups. "The languages in the Western Province are quite similar, go back 150 years and many of them come from the same language," says Mr Lucas. But that changed over time because they live so far apart, leaving some minority languages very isolated. It is a pattern partly mirrored at the continental level, according to Mr Tench: Africa has about 15% of the global population but between them Africans speak 30% of the total number of languages in the world. Zambia alone has more than 70 languages; the official national language is English. 'Forest people' Nancy Kula, who lectures in Linguistics at the University of Essex, says the Western Province is probably the most linguistically diverse region in Zambia. "CiShanjo, like many other languages of the Western Province, is very much under threat of extinction," she warns, saying it is difficult to say how many languages have become extinct in Zambia recently. "The situation is very under-investigated and I fear the real situation is probably even worse than anticipated." Part of the problem is the influence of English and siLozi in the area - siLozi is the lingua franca for speakers of ciShanjo travelling or trading in the Western Province. But many Shanjo cannot understand siLozi and even when they do attempt to speak it, they are teased by townsfolk because of their accents. "They call us people from the bush or forest people," says Carol Mushali, who is the only woman on the ciShanjo translation team. She sees the potential for primary school lessons using ciShanjo now that siLozi and English can be translated in written form because, many researchers say, children learn best in their mother tongue. There are also benefits for adults learning this new form of their language. "Once they taste a bit of knowledge they want more. It opens up learning to take place - a foundation that teaches them to read and write opens up the mind to further learning of every type," says Ms Mushali. 'On the map' Isilimwe Limakazo, 25, is the youngest person to take part in the translation project. He says the experience of taking part has led him
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Ron BholaBBC World Service Mr Sitale, who describes himself as "just a farmer", is part of an estimated 20,000-strong Shanjo community in Zambia's remote Western Province. Over the last few months, he has been part of a group of amateur linguists, mostly fellow farmers, who have been creating a spelling system for their mother tongue. For the first time stories passed down through the generations by word of mouth are being written down. "We decided to do this so, as the older people die away, the younger people will see the language," Mr Sitale told the BBC World Service. 'Sheer excitement' Mr Hastings and his team of village translators are one of five teams developing a written language for their tongues in the Western Province. They attend translation workshops in the regional capital Mongu - a round trip which can take up to 32 hours, travelling by oxen, car and bus. Oxen also formed an important part of their inaugural session with Paul Tench, a retired linguist from Cardiff University, who helped the Shanjo team begin their project in July. "Their sheer excitement was wonderful to behold," he said. The first task was to record a sample of the language which could be used for a dictation exercise. So Mr Tench asked the team to think of a story and decide who should tell it; they elected one member who described the importance of training oxen for effective farming in ciShanjo. Individually they all wrote down the story, after which they compared their efforts. But they mostly agreed, according to Mr Tench. "All of these people were literate in the [local] trade language siLozi and English; they knew from these languages the consonants and vowels of the Latin alphabet and what they stood for in those two languages. "They applied this as best they could to the sounds of the words in their own language. "Then they discussed things together in their mother tongue to agree solutions to any problems that arose. I kept a tally of the letters used and arranged them in a chart that reflected phonetic patterns." Isolation A spelling system emerged as the exercises continued. After two weeks, a 27-page booklet on how to read and write ciShanjo was produced, which included a 500-word dictionary, some grammar notes and three short pieces they had studied. The original request for the translation initiative was made by Christian church groups who complained that many in their congregations were unable to understand the Bible written in siLozi, and missionary groups sponsored Mr Tench's trip. Since then, James Lucas, a Christian missionary based in Zambia, has continued to co-ordinate the language translation project, helping the Shanjo and four other ethnic groups. "The languages in the Western Province are quite similar, go back 150 years and many of them come from the same language," says Mr Lucas. But that changed over time because they live so far apart, leaving some minority languages very isolated. It is a pattern partly mirrored at the continental level, according to Mr Tench: Africa has about 15% of the global population but between them Africans speak 30% of the total number of languages in the world. Zambia alone has more than 70 languages; the official national language is English. 'Forest people' Nancy Kula, who lectures in Linguistics at the University of Essex, says the Western Province is probably the most linguistically diverse region in Zambia. "CiShanjo, like many other languages of the Western Province, is very much under threat of extinction," she warns, saying it is difficult to say how many languages have become extinct in Zambia recently. "The situation is very under-investigated and I fear the real situation is probably even worse than anticipated." Part of the problem is the influence of English and siLozi in the area - siLozi is the lingua franca for speakers of ciShanjo travelling or trading in the Western Province. But many Shanjo cannot understand siLozi and even when they do attempt to speak it, they are teased by townsfolk because of their accents. "They call us people from the bush or forest people," says Carol Mushali, who is the only woman on the ciShanjo translation team. She sees the potential for primary school lessons using ciShanjo now that siLozi and English can be translated in written form because, many researchers say, children learn best in their mother tongue. There are also benefits for adults learning this new form of their language. "Once they taste a bit of knowledge they want more. It opens up learning to take place - a foundation that teaches them to read and write opens up the mind to further learning of every type," says Ms Mushali. 'On the map' Isilimwe Limakazo, 25, is the youngest person to take part in the translation project. He says the experience of taking part has led him
### Summary:
A group of farmers in the Western Province of Zambia have been translating their mother tongue into English.
### Spelling:
The Western Province of Zambia has been translated into English.
### Translation: |
world-africa-48096148 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48096148 | Mozambique cyclone: Humanitarian situation is 'life-threatening' | A cyclone has hit Mozambique's northern coast, killing at least 38 people. | Save the Children says the humanitarian situation is significant and life-threatening and more funds are needed. The UN gave Mozambique and Comoros Island $13m (£10m) for food, water and repair of infrastructure. The death toll in cyclone-hit northern Mozambique is 38, but is expected to rise, officials say. Meanwhile aid workers are scrambling to reach the areas that were worse hit by the cyclone. The storm struck the southern African nation last week with winds of 220km/h (140mph), flattening villages and damaging thousands more homes. It lost its strength, but torrential rain was still battering the area on Tuesday, with more expected. As a result, aid efforts by air have been hindered. It is predicted the weather system will dump twice as much rainfall as Cyclone Idai, which struck last month, leaving more than 900 dead across southern Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The flood risk was compounded by Kenneth hitting at the end of the rainy season when river levels were already high, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) noted. Already, Pemba, the regional capital of Cabo Delgado state, has experienced more than 2m (6.5ft) of rain and flooding. What's the latest? Aid workers have been trying to deliver medical and food supplies to people cut off by the flood waters before more rain falls on Tuesday. Nicholas Finney, Save the Children's response team leader, says that poor people in the region have been hardest hit. "Those who were already living on the brink of poverty have now been left with nothing. With donations dwindling, we're facing a critical situation," he said. According to Mozambique's National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), 38 people have been killed by Cyclone Kenneth, while another 35,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. The privately-owned O Pais website reported five people died after part of a rubbish dump collapsed onto homes in Pemba on Sunday evening. It is unclear if these deaths are recorded in the government total. Ocha says humanitarian needs "have sky-rocketed, and the humanitarian response will need to rapidly scale up". Some 200,000 people are in danger in Pemba alone, Ocha warned. Spokesman Saviano Abreu added that the situation in the northern towns of Macomia and Quissanga was critical, while there were also worries for the cut-off island of Ibo. But attempts to reach those areas had not been entirely successful. "We managed to send one flight with World Food Programme (WFP) supplies of rice and biscuits, and some non-food items," Mr Abreu told news agency AFP. "But unfortunately the weather conditions are changing too fast and threatening the operation. It's raining again and the second flight couldn't go." This satellite image shows the cyclone over northern Mozambique and Tanzania on Friday night. On Sunday a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was appealing for "additional resources" from the international community "to fund the response in the immediate, medium and longer term". Is it common for two cyclones to hit back-to-back? Tropical cyclones in this part of the Indian Ocean are not that rare. However, according to the BBC's Environment Correspondent Matt McGrath, Cyclone Idai was the seventh such major storm of the Indian Ocean season when it struck back in March. That is more than double the average for the time of year. What's even more unusual, however, is the fact Idai and Kenneth hit in such quick succession. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), "there is no record of two storms of such intensity striking Mozambique in the same season". It is especially unusual in the context of the trend which has seen tropical cyclones in the region decrease slightly over the past seven decades. But it is far too early - and too small a sample size - to say whether this frequency is a direct result of climate change. Instead, experts point to other elements making the storm's impact worse which they know are related to climate change. "There is absolutely no doubt that when there is a tropical cyclone like this, then because of climate change the rainfall intensities are higher," Dr Friederike Otto, from the University of Oxford, told the BBC in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. "And also because of sea-level rise, the resulting flooding is more intense than it would be without human-induced climate change." What is the affected area like? Cabo Delgado province is not as densely populated as the area hit by Cyclone Idai, and there is apparently more high ground there. That, in addition to warnings by authorities ahead of the storm, could significantly stem losses compared with Cyclone Idai. But reports said many thousands of homes had been flattened by the winds, and the area has been hit by militant Islamist violence in recent months, which could complicate humanitarian operations. Thousands of people had already fled their homes to seek shelter from violence in camps for displaced people. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Save the Children says the humanitarian situation is significant and life-threatening and more funds are needed. The UN gave Mozambique and Comoros Island $13m (£10m) for food, water and repair of infrastructure. The death toll in cyclone-hit northern Mozambique is 38, but is expected to rise, officials say. Meanwhile aid workers are scrambling to reach the areas that were worse hit by the cyclone. The storm struck the southern African nation last week with winds of 220km/h (140mph), flattening villages and damaging thousands more homes. It lost its strength, but torrential rain was still battering the area on Tuesday, with more expected. As a result, aid efforts by air have been hindered. It is predicted the weather system will dump twice as much rainfall as Cyclone Idai, which struck last month, leaving more than 900 dead across southern Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The flood risk was compounded by Kenneth hitting at the end of the rainy season when river levels were already high, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) noted. Already, Pemba, the regional capital of Cabo Delgado state, has experienced more than 2m (6.5ft) of rain and flooding. What's the latest? Aid workers have been trying to deliver medical and food supplies to people cut off by the flood waters before more rain falls on Tuesday. Nicholas Finney, Save the Children's response team leader, says that poor people in the region have been hardest hit. "Those who were already living on the brink of poverty have now been left with nothing. With donations dwindling, we're facing a critical situation," he said. According to Mozambique's National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), 38 people have been killed by Cyclone Kenneth, while another 35,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. The privately-owned O Pais website reported five people died after part of a rubbish dump collapsed onto homes in Pemba on Sunday evening. It is unclear if these deaths are recorded in the government total. Ocha says humanitarian needs "have sky-rocketed, and the humanitarian response will need to rapidly scale up". Some 200,000 people are in danger in Pemba alone, Ocha warned. Spokesman Saviano Abreu added that the situation in the northern towns of Macomia and Quissanga was critical, while there were also worries for the cut-off island of Ibo. But attempts to reach those areas had not been entirely successful. "We managed to send one flight with World Food Programme (WFP) supplies of rice and biscuits, and some non-food items," Mr Abreu told news agency AFP. "But unfortunately the weather conditions are changing too fast and threatening the operation. It's raining again and the second flight couldn't go." This satellite image shows the cyclone over northern Mozambique and Tanzania on Friday night. On Sunday a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was appealing for "additional resources" from the international community "to fund the response in the immediate, medium and longer term". Is it common for two cyclones to hit back-to-back? Tropical cyclones in this part of the Indian Ocean are not that rare. However, according to the BBC's Environment Correspondent Matt McGrath, Cyclone Idai was the seventh such major storm of the Indian Ocean season when it struck back in March. That is more than double the average for the time of year. What's even more unusual, however, is the fact Idai and Kenneth hit in such quick succession. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), "there is no record of two storms of such intensity striking Mozambique in the same season". It is especially unusual in the context of the trend which has seen tropical cyclones in the region decrease slightly over the past seven decades. But it is far too early - and too small a sample size - to say whether this frequency is a direct result of climate change. Instead, experts point to other elements making the storm's impact worse which they know are related to climate change. "There is absolutely no doubt that when there is a tropical cyclone like this, then because of climate change the rainfall intensities are higher," Dr Friederike Otto, from the University of Oxford, told the BBC in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. "And also because of sea-level rise, the resulting flooding is more intense than it would be without human-induced climate change." What is the affected area like? Cabo Delgado province is not as densely populated as the area hit by Cyclone Idai, and there is apparently more high ground there. That, in addition to warnings by authorities ahead of the storm, could significantly stem losses compared with Cyclone Idai. But reports said many thousands of homes had been flattened by the winds, and the area has been hit by militant Islamist
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Save the Children says the humanitarian situation is significant and life-threatening and more funds are needed. The UN gave Mozambique and Comoros Island $13m (£10m) for food, water and repair of infrastructure. The death toll in cyclone-hit northern Mozambique is 38, but is expected to rise, officials say. Meanwhile aid workers are scrambling to reach the areas that were worse hit by the cyclone. The storm struck the southern African nation last week with winds of 220km/h (140mph), flattening villages and damaging thousands more homes. It lost its strength, but torrential rain was still battering the area on Tuesday, with more expected. As a result, aid efforts by air have been hindered. It is predicted the weather system will dump twice as much rainfall as Cyclone Idai, which struck last month, leaving more than 900 dead across southern Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The flood risk was compounded by Kenneth hitting at the end of the rainy season when river levels were already high, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) noted. Already, Pemba, the regional capital of Cabo Delgado state, has experienced more than 2m (6.5ft) of rain and flooding. What's the latest? Aid workers have been trying to deliver medical and food supplies to people cut off by the flood waters before more rain falls on Tuesday. Nicholas Finney, Save the Children's response team leader, says that poor people in the region have been hardest hit. "Those who were already living on the brink of poverty have now been left with nothing. With donations dwindling, we're facing a critical situation," he said. According to Mozambique's National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), 38 people have been killed by Cyclone Kenneth, while another 35,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. The privately-owned O Pais website reported five people died after part of a rubbish dump collapsed onto homes in Pemba on Sunday evening. It is unclear if these deaths are recorded in the government total. Ocha says humanitarian needs "have sky-rocketed, and the humanitarian response will need to rapidly scale up". Some 200,000 people are in danger in Pemba alone, Ocha warned. Spokesman Saviano Abreu added that the situation in the northern towns of Macomia and Quissanga was critical, while there were also worries for the cut-off island of Ibo. But attempts to reach those areas had not been entirely successful. "We managed to send one flight with World Food Programme (WFP) supplies of rice and biscuits, and some non-food items," Mr Abreu told news agency AFP. "But unfortunately the weather conditions are changing too fast and threatening the operation. It's raining again and the second flight couldn't go." This satellite image shows the cyclone over northern Mozambique and Tanzania on Friday night. On Sunday a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was appealing for "additional resources" from the international community "to fund the response in the immediate, medium and longer term". Is it common for two cyclones to hit back-to-back? Tropical cyclones in this part of the Indian Ocean are not that rare. However, according to the BBC's Environment Correspondent Matt McGrath, Cyclone Idai was the seventh such major storm of the Indian Ocean season when it struck back in March. That is more than double the average for the time of year. What's even more unusual, however, is the fact Idai and Kenneth hit in such quick succession. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), "there is no record of two storms of such intensity striking Mozambique in the same season". It is especially unusual in the context of the trend which has seen tropical cyclones in the region decrease slightly over the past seven decades. But it is far too early - and too small a sample size - to say whether this frequency is a direct result of climate change. Instead, experts point to other elements making the storm's impact worse which they know are related to climate change. "There is absolutely no doubt that when there is a tropical cyclone like this, then because of climate change the rainfall intensities are higher," Dr Friederike Otto, from the University of Oxford, told the BBC in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. "And also because of sea-level rise, the resulting flooding is more intense than it would be without human-induced climate change." What is the affected area like? Cabo Delgado province is not as densely populated as the area hit by Cyclone Idai, and there is apparently more high ground there. That, in addition to warnings by authorities ahead of the storm, could significantly stem losses compared with Cyclone Idai. But reports said many thousands of homes had been flattened by the winds, and the area has been hit by militant Islamist
### Summary:
A cyclone has hit Mozambique's northern coast, killing at least 38 people.
### Spelling and grammar
The cyclone has hit Mozambique's northern coast, killing at least 38 people |
science-environment-31702639 | https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31702639 | Bright spotlight on Dawn mission to Ceres | The dwarf planet Ceres has been found to have a large impact crater on its surface. | By Jonathan AmosBBC Science Correspondent The US space agency's Dawn probe is bearing down on the dwarf planet and on Friday will be captured by its gravity. That will allow the satellite to spiral down in altitude in the coming months, to take ever sharper images of the spots, which sit inside a wide crater. The striking features could be where an impact has dug out surface deposits and exposed the dwarf's interior layers. But deputy project scientist Dr Carol Raymond cautioned that the resolution of Dawn's imagery was not good enough at the moment to make any definitive statements. "These spots were extremely surprising and they have been puzzling to everyone who has seen them," the Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher told reporters. "They show up in a 92km-wide crater that's about 19 degrees North latitude. The spot in the centre is about twice as bright as the spot on the side of the crater, and as yet it has not been resolved, meaning it is smaller than the 4km pixel size [of the images]. "But its apparent brightness is already off-scale; it's consistent with high reflective materials." Intriguingly, the European Space Agency's Herschel telescope reported last year seeing water vapour coming from two sectors on Ceres. One of these sectors includes the location of the spots. That could be very significant, Dr Raymond said. "The association with the impact crater may indicate that impact heating resulted in exposure of underlying ice [and] its vaporisation; and perhaps we're seeing a deposit left behind which is rich in material like salts." Dawn will spend 14 months studying the 950km-diameter dwarf planet, which is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The satellite has turned up at Ceres having previously visited the asteroid Vesta. This 530km-wide rock had the look of a punctured football, the result of a colossal collision sometime in its past that ripped a big chunk out of its southern polar region. Ceres, on the other hand, is big enough for gravity to have pulled it into a more spherical shape. Scientists think both bodies are fledglings that never quite made it to the planetary big time. In the case of Vesta, it underwent a lot of the same processes that transformed the early Earth, such as differentiating its insides to include an iron core. In contrast, Ceres's bid to reach the major planet league probably stalled quite quickly. Researchers believe its interior is dominated by a rocky core topped by ice that is then insulated by rocky lag deposits at the surface. A big question the mission hopes to answer is whether there is a liquid ocean of water at depth. Some models suggest there could well be. The evidence may well be found in Ceres' craters which have a very muted look about them. That is, the soft interior of the dwarf has undoubtedly had the effect of relaxing their original hard outline. "One of the prime motivations of the Dawn mission is to examine these building blocks of the planets, Vesta and Ceres, which are two intact proto-planets from the very dawn of the Solar System. They're literally fossils that we can investigate to really understand the processes that were going on at that time," Dr Raymond said. At capture, the satellite will be at a separation of about 40,000km. Controllers at Earth will work in the next few weeks to reshape the orbit to get it ready for science. One issue is that Dawn approached the dwarf from its Sun-lit side. The probe has now gone over to the dark side, and it will not come back around again to take images until late April. But then onwards, the pictures will just get better and better as the orbit is progressively lowered. "We'll get to our final orbit in December of this year at just [380km] from the surface, which for context is just a little bit lower than the International Space Station orbits around the Earth. From this vantage point, Dawn will acquire its highest detail and highest resolution images of the surface," said Nasa project manager Robert Mase. Discovered in 1801 by the Sicilian astronomer Father Giuseppe Piazzi, Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of agriculture and harvests. Craters on Ceres will follow a similar theme and will be named after gods and goddesses of agriculture and vegetation from mythology. Other features on the dwarf will be named after agricultural festivals. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Jonathan AmosBBC Science Correspondent The US space agency's Dawn probe is bearing down on the dwarf planet and on Friday will be captured by its gravity. That will allow the satellite to spiral down in altitude in the coming months, to take ever sharper images of the spots, which sit inside a wide crater. The striking features could be where an impact has dug out surface deposits and exposed the dwarf's interior layers. But deputy project scientist Dr Carol Raymond cautioned that the resolution of Dawn's imagery was not good enough at the moment to make any definitive statements. "These spots were extremely surprising and they have been puzzling to everyone who has seen them," the Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher told reporters. "They show up in a 92km-wide crater that's about 19 degrees North latitude. The spot in the centre is about twice as bright as the spot on the side of the crater, and as yet it has not been resolved, meaning it is smaller than the 4km pixel size [of the images]. "But its apparent brightness is already off-scale; it's consistent with high reflective materials." Intriguingly, the European Space Agency's Herschel telescope reported last year seeing water vapour coming from two sectors on Ceres. One of these sectors includes the location of the spots. That could be very significant, Dr Raymond said. "The association with the impact crater may indicate that impact heating resulted in exposure of underlying ice [and] its vaporisation; and perhaps we're seeing a deposit left behind which is rich in material like salts." Dawn will spend 14 months studying the 950km-diameter dwarf planet, which is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The satellite has turned up at Ceres having previously visited the asteroid Vesta. This 530km-wide rock had the look of a punctured football, the result of a colossal collision sometime in its past that ripped a big chunk out of its southern polar region. Ceres, on the other hand, is big enough for gravity to have pulled it into a more spherical shape. Scientists think both bodies are fledglings that never quite made it to the planetary big time. In the case of Vesta, it underwent a lot of the same processes that transformed the early Earth, such as differentiating its insides to include an iron core. In contrast, Ceres's bid to reach the major planet league probably stalled quite quickly. Researchers believe its interior is dominated by a rocky core topped by ice that is then insulated by rocky lag deposits at the surface. A big question the mission hopes to answer is whether there is a liquid ocean of water at depth. Some models suggest there could well be. The evidence may well be found in Ceres' craters which have a very muted look about them. That is, the soft interior of the dwarf has undoubtedly had the effect of relaxing their original hard outline. "One of the prime motivations of the Dawn mission is to examine these building blocks of the planets, Vesta and Ceres, which are two intact proto-planets from the very dawn of the Solar System. They're literally fossils that we can investigate to really understand the processes that were going on at that time," Dr Raymond said. At capture, the satellite will be at a separation of about 40,000km. Controllers at Earth will work in the next few weeks to reshape the orbit to get it ready for science. One issue is that Dawn approached the dwarf from its Sun-lit side. The probe has now gone over to the dark side, and it will not come back around again to take images until late April. But then onwards, the pictures will just get better and better as the orbit is progressively lowered. "We'll get to our final orbit in December of this year at just [380km] from the surface, which for context is just a little bit lower than the International Space Station orbits around the Earth. From this vantage point, Dawn will acquire its highest detail and highest resolution images of the surface," said Nasa project manager Robert Mase. Discovered in 1801 by the Sicilian astronomer Father Giuseppe Piazzi, Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of agriculture and harvests. Craters on Ceres will follow a similar theme and will be named after gods and goddesses of agriculture and vegetation from mythology. Other features on the dwarf will be named after agricultural festivals. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Jonathan AmosBBC Science Correspondent The US space agency's Dawn probe is bearing down on the dwarf planet and on Friday will be captured by its gravity. That will allow the satellite to spiral down in altitude in the coming months, to take ever sharper images of the spots, which sit inside a wide crater. The striking features could be where an impact has dug out surface deposits and exposed the dwarf's interior layers. But deputy project scientist Dr Carol Raymond cautioned that the resolution of Dawn's imagery was not good enough at the moment to make any definitive statements. "These spots were extremely surprising and they have been puzzling to everyone who has seen them," the Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher told reporters. "They show up in a 92km-wide crater that's about 19 degrees North latitude. The spot in the centre is about twice as bright as the spot on the side of the crater, and as yet it has not been resolved, meaning it is smaller than the 4km pixel size [of the images]. "But its apparent brightness is already off-scale; it's consistent with high reflective materials." Intriguingly, the European Space Agency's Herschel telescope reported last year seeing water vapour coming from two sectors on Ceres. One of these sectors includes the location of the spots. That could be very significant, Dr Raymond said. "The association with the impact crater may indicate that impact heating resulted in exposure of underlying ice [and] its vaporisation; and perhaps we're seeing a deposit left behind which is rich in material like salts." Dawn will spend 14 months studying the 950km-diameter dwarf planet, which is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The satellite has turned up at Ceres having previously visited the asteroid Vesta. This 530km-wide rock had the look of a punctured football, the result of a colossal collision sometime in its past that ripped a big chunk out of its southern polar region. Ceres, on the other hand, is big enough for gravity to have pulled it into a more spherical shape. Scientists think both bodies are fledglings that never quite made it to the planetary big time. In the case of Vesta, it underwent a lot of the same processes that transformed the early Earth, such as differentiating its insides to include an iron core. In contrast, Ceres's bid to reach the major planet league probably stalled quite quickly. Researchers believe its interior is dominated by a rocky core topped by ice that is then insulated by rocky lag deposits at the surface. A big question the mission hopes to answer is whether there is a liquid ocean of water at depth. Some models suggest there could well be. The evidence may well be found in Ceres' craters which have a very muted look about them. That is, the soft interior of the dwarf has undoubtedly had the effect of relaxing their original hard outline. "One of the prime motivations of the Dawn mission is to examine these building blocks of the planets, Vesta and Ceres, which are two intact proto-planets from the very dawn of the Solar System. They're literally fossils that we can investigate to really understand the processes that were going on at that time," Dr Raymond said. At capture, the satellite will be at a separation of about 40,000km. Controllers at Earth will work in the next few weeks to reshape the orbit to get it ready for science. One issue is that Dawn approached the dwarf from its Sun-lit side. The probe has now gone over to the dark side, and it will not come back around again to take images until late April. But then onwards, the pictures will just get better and better as the orbit is progressively lowered. "We'll get to our final orbit in December of this year at just [380km] from the surface, which for context is just a little bit lower than the International Space Station orbits around the Earth. From this vantage point, Dawn will acquire its highest detail and highest resolution images of the surface," said Nasa project manager Robert Mase. Discovered in 1801 by the Sicilian astronomer Father Giuseppe Piazzi, Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of agriculture and harvests. Craters on Ceres will follow a similar theme and will be named after gods and goddesses of agriculture and vegetation from mythology. Other features on the dwarf will be named after agricultural festivals. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos
### Summary:
The dwarf planet Ceres has been found to have a large impact crater on its surface.
### Text:
The dwarf planet Ceres has been found to have a large impact crater on its surface.
|
10259579 | https://www.bbc.com/news/10259579 | Teachers to get extra training ahead of new curriculum | The Scottish government has announced an extra training day for teachers to work on preparing for the changes to the curriculum. | The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) will be implemented in secondary schools when pupils return to the classroom in August. The Scottish government said teachers would have an additional in-service day between August and December. Scottish Labour described it as "too little and far too late in the day". Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "I have said all along that we will do whatever we can to support teachers during implementation. "The extra in-service day I am giving to teachers will enable them to address specific issues in their own school." Step forward The EIS union said the "scarcity of dedicated time" for teachers to work on preparing for the changes had been a worry for some time and the announcement of additional training was a "significant step forward". General Secretary Ronnie Smith said: "The EIS has had a number of meetings with the Cabinet Secretary in recent months to highlight teachers' concerns over aspects of CfE delivery, and it is encouraging that Mike Russell has taken those concerns on board and is working to address them." He added: "CfE has much to offer our young people, and it is right that we should do everything we can to ensure that it can be a success." The extra training will be given after the changes come into place at the start of the new school term and Labour said the government announcement was a "desperate gesture". Scottish Labour's education spokesman Des McNulty said: "Another day, another panic measure from Mike Russell. "Giving teachers one more day - after the new curriculum has already started - is literally too little and far too late in the day. "SNP mismanagement means that Scotland's children are being treated like guinea pigs." The new curriculum has already been implemented in primary schools and is due to be introduced across the board in August. Secondary teachers have threatened to strike over CfE and called for its introduction to be delayed for a year because of a lack of training and new textbooks. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) will be implemented in secondary schools when pupils return to the classroom in August. The Scottish government said teachers would have an additional in-service day between August and December. Scottish Labour described it as "too little and far too late in the day". Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "I have said all along that we will do whatever we can to support teachers during implementation. "The extra in-service day I am giving to teachers will enable them to address specific issues in their own school." Step forward The EIS union said the "scarcity of dedicated time" for teachers to work on preparing for the changes had been a worry for some time and the announcement of additional training was a "significant step forward". General Secretary Ronnie Smith said: "The EIS has had a number of meetings with the Cabinet Secretary in recent months to highlight teachers' concerns over aspects of CfE delivery, and it is encouraging that Mike Russell has taken those concerns on board and is working to address them." He added: "CfE has much to offer our young people, and it is right that we should do everything we can to ensure that it can be a success." The extra training will be given after the changes come into place at the start of the new school term and Labour said the government announcement was a "desperate gesture". Scottish Labour's education spokesman Des McNulty said: "Another day, another panic measure from Mike Russell. "Giving teachers one more day - after the new curriculum has already started - is literally too little and far too late in the day. "SNP mismanagement means that Scotland's children are being treated like guinea pigs." The new curriculum has already been implemented in primary schools and is due to be introduced across the board in August. Secondary teachers have threatened to strike over CfE and called for its introduction to be delayed for a year because of a lack of training and new textbooks.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) will be implemented in secondary schools when pupils return to the classroom in August. The Scottish government said teachers would have an additional in-service day between August and December. Scottish Labour described it as "too little and far too late in the day". Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "I have said all along that we will do whatever we can to support teachers during implementation. "The extra in-service day I am giving to teachers will enable them to address specific issues in their own school." Step forward The EIS union said the "scarcity of dedicated time" for teachers to work on preparing for the changes had been a worry for some time and the announcement of additional training was a "significant step forward". General Secretary Ronnie Smith said: "The EIS has had a number of meetings with the Cabinet Secretary in recent months to highlight teachers' concerns over aspects of CfE delivery, and it is encouraging that Mike Russell has taken those concerns on board and is working to address them." He added: "CfE has much to offer our young people, and it is right that we should do everything we can to ensure that it can be a success." The extra training will be given after the changes come into place at the start of the new school term and Labour said the government announcement was a "desperate gesture". Scottish Labour's education spokesman Des McNulty said: "Another day, another panic measure from Mike Russell. "Giving teachers one more day - after the new curriculum has already started - is literally too little and far too late in the day. "SNP mismanagement means that Scotland's children are being treated like guinea pigs." The new curriculum has already been implemented in primary schools and is due to be introduced across the board in August. Secondary teachers have threatened to strike over CfE and called for its introduction to be delayed for a year because of a lack of training and new textbooks.
### Summary:
The Scottish government has announced an extra training day for teachers to work on preparing for the changes to the curriculum.
### Source:
The Scottish government has announced an extra training day for teachers to work on preparing for the |
uk-scotland-scotland-politics-46322813 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-46322813 | Mental health review ordered after deaths at Polmont | A review of the Scottish prison system has been announced. | It follows recent deaths at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. Sixteen-year-old William Lindsay died while on remand there in October and 21-year-old Katie Allan took her life in June while detained for a drink-driving offence. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the review would involve a mental health expert and HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The review is expected to report back early next year. It will look at mental health provision for young people entering custody, including background information ahead of their admission, reception arrangements, and ongoing support and supervision while in custody. Mr Yousaf announced the review in a letter to the Scottish Parliament's justice and health committees. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has also confirmed that NHS Forth Valley has already engaged with the Scottish Prison Service to assess and increase provision for people living at Polmont. In his letter, Mr Yousaf said that although fatal accident inquiries would be undertaken into the deaths of William Lindsay (also known as William Brown) and Katie Allan "I have reflected on some of the more immediate questions raised particularly around the provision of mental health support and services for young people in custody". Direct engagement He said the review would look at relevant operational policies, practice and training and where practical, would also look at comparisons between the support and arrangements in place in secure care accommodation and HMP&YOI Polmont. He added: "As with current formal inspection and independent monitoring arrangements for prisons, the review will include direct engagement with young people in custody about their experiences. "The review will not consider the specific circumstances of recent cases which are the subject of current or future mandatory fatal accident inquiries. "We are also aware of issues being raised about the information that is available about a young person's history before decisions are taken that can lead to them being sent to custody or secure care. Separate consideration is being given to how best to look at these issues." Ms Allan, a 21-year-old geography student at Glasgow University, was convicted in March of a drink-driving offence which saw her injure a pedestrian and she was sentenced to 16 months in jail. Stuart and Linda Allan said their daughter was bullied in Polmont YOI near Falkirk and lost more than 80% of her hair due to the state of her mental health. She died there in July. They had called for a review of the Scottish prison system. Mr Lindsay, who was also known as William Brown, was one of four deaths in the space of two days at Scottish jails last month. An entry on the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) website states he was remanded at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday 4 October. He died on Sunday 7 October. Lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing the families of Ms Allan and Mr Brown, said they cautiously welcomed the announcement of a review. "The deaths of Katie and William were never inevitable, the system and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) failed them," he said. "The families of Katie Allan and William Lindsay expect and demand a lot more to happen in the days and weeks ahead. "Today is a good start, but the families hold Polmont responsible for suicides which took place, ultimately they failed in their duty of care. "If this review is independent then the families wait to see the proof of that as they must be fearless in the questions they ask." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
It follows recent deaths at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. Sixteen-year-old William Lindsay died while on remand there in October and 21-year-old Katie Allan took her life in June while detained for a drink-driving offence. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the review would involve a mental health expert and HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The review is expected to report back early next year. It will look at mental health provision for young people entering custody, including background information ahead of their admission, reception arrangements, and ongoing support and supervision while in custody. Mr Yousaf announced the review in a letter to the Scottish Parliament's justice and health committees. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has also confirmed that NHS Forth Valley has already engaged with the Scottish Prison Service to assess and increase provision for people living at Polmont. In his letter, Mr Yousaf said that although fatal accident inquiries would be undertaken into the deaths of William Lindsay (also known as William Brown) and Katie Allan "I have reflected on some of the more immediate questions raised particularly around the provision of mental health support and services for young people in custody". Direct engagement He said the review would look at relevant operational policies, practice and training and where practical, would also look at comparisons between the support and arrangements in place in secure care accommodation and HMP&YOI Polmont. He added: "As with current formal inspection and independent monitoring arrangements for prisons, the review will include direct engagement with young people in custody about their experiences. "The review will not consider the specific circumstances of recent cases which are the subject of current or future mandatory fatal accident inquiries. "We are also aware of issues being raised about the information that is available about a young person's history before decisions are taken that can lead to them being sent to custody or secure care. Separate consideration is being given to how best to look at these issues." Ms Allan, a 21-year-old geography student at Glasgow University, was convicted in March of a drink-driving offence which saw her injure a pedestrian and she was sentenced to 16 months in jail. Stuart and Linda Allan said their daughter was bullied in Polmont YOI near Falkirk and lost more than 80% of her hair due to the state of her mental health. She died there in July. They had called for a review of the Scottish prison system. Mr Lindsay, who was also known as William Brown, was one of four deaths in the space of two days at Scottish jails last month. An entry on the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) website states he was remanded at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday 4 October. He died on Sunday 7 October. Lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing the families of Ms Allan and Mr Brown, said they cautiously welcomed the announcement of a review. "The deaths of Katie and William were never inevitable, the system and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) failed them," he said. "The families of Katie Allan and William Lindsay expect and demand a lot more to happen in the days and weeks ahead. "Today is a good start, but the families hold Polmont responsible for suicides which took place, ultimately they failed in their duty of care. "If this review is independent then the families wait to see the proof of that as they must be fearless in the questions they ask."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
It follows recent deaths at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. Sixteen-year-old William Lindsay died while on remand there in October and 21-year-old Katie Allan took her life in June while detained for a drink-driving offence. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the review would involve a mental health expert and HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The review is expected to report back early next year. It will look at mental health provision for young people entering custody, including background information ahead of their admission, reception arrangements, and ongoing support and supervision while in custody. Mr Yousaf announced the review in a letter to the Scottish Parliament's justice and health committees. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has also confirmed that NHS Forth Valley has already engaged with the Scottish Prison Service to assess and increase provision for people living at Polmont. In his letter, Mr Yousaf said that although fatal accident inquiries would be undertaken into the deaths of William Lindsay (also known as William Brown) and Katie Allan "I have reflected on some of the more immediate questions raised particularly around the provision of mental health support and services for young people in custody". Direct engagement He said the review would look at relevant operational policies, practice and training and where practical, would also look at comparisons between the support and arrangements in place in secure care accommodation and HMP&YOI Polmont. He added: "As with current formal inspection and independent monitoring arrangements for prisons, the review will include direct engagement with young people in custody about their experiences. "The review will not consider the specific circumstances of recent cases which are the subject of current or future mandatory fatal accident inquiries. "We are also aware of issues being raised about the information that is available about a young person's history before decisions are taken that can lead to them being sent to custody or secure care. Separate consideration is being given to how best to look at these issues." Ms Allan, a 21-year-old geography student at Glasgow University, was convicted in March of a drink-driving offence which saw her injure a pedestrian and she was sentenced to 16 months in jail. Stuart and Linda Allan said their daughter was bullied in Polmont YOI near Falkirk and lost more than 80% of her hair due to the state of her mental health. She died there in July. They had called for a review of the Scottish prison system. Mr Lindsay, who was also known as William Brown, was one of four deaths in the space of two days at Scottish jails last month. An entry on the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) website states he was remanded at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday 4 October. He died on Sunday 7 October. Lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing the families of Ms Allan and Mr Brown, said they cautiously welcomed the announcement of a review. "The deaths of Katie and William were never inevitable, the system and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) failed them," he said. "The families of Katie Allan and William Lindsay expect and demand a lot more to happen in the days and weeks ahead. "Today is a good start, but the families hold Polmont responsible for suicides which took place, ultimately they failed in their duty of care. "If this review is independent then the families wait to see the proof of that as they must be fearless in the questions they ask."
### Summary:
A review of the Scottish prison system has been announced.
### Next steps:
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has announced a review of the Scottish prison system.
### In this story:
A review of |
uk-politics-42777986 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-42777986 | Is Olly Robbins the 'real' Brexit secretary? | Olly Robbins is the man who has been dubbed the "real Brexit secretary" by Theresa May. | Nicholas WattNewsnight political editor@nicholaswatton Twitter As a Whitehall mandarin who has spent years shunning the limelight, Oliver "Olly" Robbins is contemplating something of a personal failure. One of the tallest men in the British establishment is developing - much to his irritation - an uncharacteristically high political profile. Some Brexit supporters have the prime minister's chief adviser on Europe in their sights amid fears that the government may be shepherding Britain towards a gentle exit from the EU. One senior minister told Newsnight he believes that Olly Robbins regards Brexit as a crisis to be managed rather than an opportunity to be seized. Leavers are suspicious of Mr Robbins because the man dubbed the "real Brexit secretary" wields immense power as, in the parlance of diplomacy, her EU "sherpa". This role gives him a seat by Theresa May's side at all the main Brexit meetings in Downing Street and a berth in Brussels for the main day-to-day Brexit negotiations. So just who is this Whitehall high-flyer who has, barring a run-in with the Guardian over the leaked Snowden files, largely remained in the shadows in his two decades as a civil servant? Friends and critics say that the first quality that stands out about Mr Robbins, 42, is his immense brain. But he wears his intellect lightly and was a source of gallows humour in Downing Street during the fraught days of Gordon Brown's premiership. Tom Fletcher, an Oxford contemporary who served beside Olly Robbins in Downing Street during three premierships, told Newsnight: "This is someone who can take a policy paper and distil it very, very fast and spot the three weaknesses. "But he has always also had a certain amount of humour as well. When you are working somewhere like Downing Street you really need that. It is a tough job and he has got that resilience and calm under pressure which we always valued." Critics say that Mr Robbins is so driven he can perhaps be a little insensitive towards people below the prime ministerial circles which are now his natural milieu. But these critics agree with his friends on one quality: his supreme mastery of the art of winning the confidence of prime ministers and cabinet secretaries in a career that has spanned the Treasury, Downing Street, the Home Office and the world of British intelligence. Allies of four prime ministers - Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May - all say Mr Robbins stood out among a competitive field of bright young civil servants. Lord O'Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, first spotted his talent when Robbins worked in the Blair Downing Street. His two great patrons are the current Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and Theresa May who was impressed by Mr Robbins when he held a senior Home Office post. Friends say he was one of the few officials who understood May's approach on immigration. His reward came when Nick Timothy, Theresa May's former joint chief of staff, granted Mr Robbins the ability to walk into May's No 10 office for a chat on his own. Chris Wilkins, Mrs May's former director of strategy, told Newsnight: "Olly was somebody who had the full trust of the prime minister, had the full trust of Jeremy Heywood as well and was able to own meetings and run meetings in a way that made the process very smooth and very effective." Oxford provides a good place to understand the instincts of a man who will play such a central role in shaping Britain at a defining moment. Mr Robbins followed the classic route of a senior mandarin by studying politics, philosophy and economics at the university in the 1990s. But he chose Hertford College, which has championed a more inclusive admissions policy since the mid 1960s, rather than one of Oxford's grander colleges. Tom Fletcher said: "Even at university it was already clear that this was a guy who was going to make a success of whatever he did. It is fair to say he's the sort of person you'd be more likely to see in tweed than in a football kit." Tom Fletcher and Olly Robbins formed part of a quartet of Hertford graduates who at one point controlled British intelligence at the heart of Whitehall. The others were his patron, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and his closest Whitehall friend Ciaran Martin, now chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre. It was an intelligence conspiracy that never was, according to the Hertford grouping. One Tory Brexiteer who went to a top-tier Oxford college is dismissive of the Hertford circle. "They're all Commie geographers," the Tory told Newsnight. Brexiteers were delighted when the Guido Fawkes website unearthed an Oxford article in which the young Olly Robbins wrote that the Soviet Union wasn't all bad. Newsnight understands that David Davis, the actual Brexit secretary who is said to have something of a prickly relationship with Mr Robbins, has a habit of opening meetings with him by welcoming colleagues to the "Olly Robbins People's Soviet". Everyone reportedly has a chuckle at the Davis teasing. But Mr Robbins is understood to be conscious of how some Leave ministers are wary of him. He worked hard to win Boris Johnson and Michael Gove over to the prime minister's EU speech in Florence last September, making changes on the way. But in the tense week in December, when the phase-one Brexit deal appeared to be on the verge of collapse, there was some frustration in the Cabinet Office that those ministers were less supportive. Chris Wilkins told Newsnight: "I think inevitably because of the role that Boris and Michael played during the Leave campaign clearly they are big figures who need to be part of this process and bought into it. From what I've seen, I think Olly deals with them and their offices very effectively." So a consummate Whitehall operator, with experience in the smoke and mirrors world of intelligence, is guiding the Brexit process. Sadly for Olly Robbins this means leaving the shadows and becoming a reluctant public figure. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Nicholas WattNewsnight political editor@nicholaswatton Twitter As a Whitehall mandarin who has spent years shunning the limelight, Oliver "Olly" Robbins is contemplating something of a personal failure. One of the tallest men in the British establishment is developing - much to his irritation - an uncharacteristically high political profile. Some Brexit supporters have the prime minister's chief adviser on Europe in their sights amid fears that the government may be shepherding Britain towards a gentle exit from the EU. One senior minister told Newsnight he believes that Olly Robbins regards Brexit as a crisis to be managed rather than an opportunity to be seized. Leavers are suspicious of Mr Robbins because the man dubbed the "real Brexit secretary" wields immense power as, in the parlance of diplomacy, her EU "sherpa". This role gives him a seat by Theresa May's side at all the main Brexit meetings in Downing Street and a berth in Brussels for the main day-to-day Brexit negotiations. So just who is this Whitehall high-flyer who has, barring a run-in with the Guardian over the leaked Snowden files, largely remained in the shadows in his two decades as a civil servant? Friends and critics say that the first quality that stands out about Mr Robbins, 42, is his immense brain. But he wears his intellect lightly and was a source of gallows humour in Downing Street during the fraught days of Gordon Brown's premiership. Tom Fletcher, an Oxford contemporary who served beside Olly Robbins in Downing Street during three premierships, told Newsnight: "This is someone who can take a policy paper and distil it very, very fast and spot the three weaknesses. "But he has always also had a certain amount of humour as well. When you are working somewhere like Downing Street you really need that. It is a tough job and he has got that resilience and calm under pressure which we always valued." Critics say that Mr Robbins is so driven he can perhaps be a little insensitive towards people below the prime ministerial circles which are now his natural milieu. But these critics agree with his friends on one quality: his supreme mastery of the art of winning the confidence of prime ministers and cabinet secretaries in a career that has spanned the Treasury, Downing Street, the Home Office and the world of British intelligence. Allies of four prime ministers - Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May - all say Mr Robbins stood out among a competitive field of bright young civil servants. Lord O'Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, first spotted his talent when Robbins worked in the Blair Downing Street. His two great patrons are the current Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and Theresa May who was impressed by Mr Robbins when he held a senior Home Office post. Friends say he was one of the few officials who understood May's approach on immigration. His reward came when Nick Timothy, Theresa May's former joint chief of staff, granted Mr Robbins the ability to walk into May's No 10 office for a chat on his own. Chris Wilkins, Mrs May's former director of strategy, told Newsnight: "Olly was somebody who had the full trust of the prime minister, had the full trust of Jeremy Heywood as well and was able to own meetings and run meetings in a way that made the process very smooth and very effective." Oxford provides a good place to understand the instincts of a man who will play such a central role in shaping Britain at a defining moment. Mr Robbins followed the classic route of a senior mandarin by studying politics, philosophy and economics at the university in the 1990s. But he chose Hertford College, which has championed a more inclusive admissions policy since the mid 1960s, rather than one of Oxford's grander colleges. Tom Fletcher said: "Even at university it was already clear that this was a guy who was going to make a success of whatever he did. It is fair to say he's the sort of person you'd be more likely to see in tweed than in a football kit." Tom Fletcher and Olly Robbins formed part of a quartet of Hertford graduates who at one point controlled British intelligence at the heart of Whitehall. The others were his patron, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and his closest Whitehall friend Ciaran Martin, now chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre. It was an intelligence conspiracy that never was, according to the Hertford grouping. One Tory Brexiteer who went to a top-tier Oxford college is dismissive of the Hertford circle. "They're all Commie geographers," the Tory told Newsnight. Brexiteers were delighted when the Guido Fawkes website unearthed an Oxford article in which the young Olly Robbins wrote that the Soviet Union wasn't all bad. Newsnight understands that David Davis, the actual Brexit secretary who is said to have something of a prickly relationship with Mr Robbins, has a habit of opening meetings with him by welcoming colleagues to the "Olly Robbins People's Soviet". Everyone
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Nicholas WattNewsnight political editor@nicholaswatton Twitter As a Whitehall mandarin who has spent years shunning the limelight, Oliver "Olly" Robbins is contemplating something of a personal failure. One of the tallest men in the British establishment is developing - much to his irritation - an uncharacteristically high political profile. Some Brexit supporters have the prime minister's chief adviser on Europe in their sights amid fears that the government may be shepherding Britain towards a gentle exit from the EU. One senior minister told Newsnight he believes that Olly Robbins regards Brexit as a crisis to be managed rather than an opportunity to be seized. Leavers are suspicious of Mr Robbins because the man dubbed the "real Brexit secretary" wields immense power as, in the parlance of diplomacy, her EU "sherpa". This role gives him a seat by Theresa May's side at all the main Brexit meetings in Downing Street and a berth in Brussels for the main day-to-day Brexit negotiations. So just who is this Whitehall high-flyer who has, barring a run-in with the Guardian over the leaked Snowden files, largely remained in the shadows in his two decades as a civil servant? Friends and critics say that the first quality that stands out about Mr Robbins, 42, is his immense brain. But he wears his intellect lightly and was a source of gallows humour in Downing Street during the fraught days of Gordon Brown's premiership. Tom Fletcher, an Oxford contemporary who served beside Olly Robbins in Downing Street during three premierships, told Newsnight: "This is someone who can take a policy paper and distil it very, very fast and spot the three weaknesses. "But he has always also had a certain amount of humour as well. When you are working somewhere like Downing Street you really need that. It is a tough job and he has got that resilience and calm under pressure which we always valued." Critics say that Mr Robbins is so driven he can perhaps be a little insensitive towards people below the prime ministerial circles which are now his natural milieu. But these critics agree with his friends on one quality: his supreme mastery of the art of winning the confidence of prime ministers and cabinet secretaries in a career that has spanned the Treasury, Downing Street, the Home Office and the world of British intelligence. Allies of four prime ministers - Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May - all say Mr Robbins stood out among a competitive field of bright young civil servants. Lord O'Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, first spotted his talent when Robbins worked in the Blair Downing Street. His two great patrons are the current Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and Theresa May who was impressed by Mr Robbins when he held a senior Home Office post. Friends say he was one of the few officials who understood May's approach on immigration. His reward came when Nick Timothy, Theresa May's former joint chief of staff, granted Mr Robbins the ability to walk into May's No 10 office for a chat on his own. Chris Wilkins, Mrs May's former director of strategy, told Newsnight: "Olly was somebody who had the full trust of the prime minister, had the full trust of Jeremy Heywood as well and was able to own meetings and run meetings in a way that made the process very smooth and very effective." Oxford provides a good place to understand the instincts of a man who will play such a central role in shaping Britain at a defining moment. Mr Robbins followed the classic route of a senior mandarin by studying politics, philosophy and economics at the university in the 1990s. But he chose Hertford College, which has championed a more inclusive admissions policy since the mid 1960s, rather than one of Oxford's grander colleges. Tom Fletcher said: "Even at university it was already clear that this was a guy who was going to make a success of whatever he did. It is fair to say he's the sort of person you'd be more likely to see in tweed than in a football kit." Tom Fletcher and Olly Robbins formed part of a quartet of Hertford graduates who at one point controlled British intelligence at the heart of Whitehall. The others were his patron, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and his closest Whitehall friend Ciaran Martin, now chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre. It was an intelligence conspiracy that never was, according to the Hertford grouping. One Tory Brexiteer who went to a top-tier Oxford college is dismissive of the Hertford circle. "They're all Commie geographers," the Tory told Newsnight. Brexiteers were delighted when the Guido Fawkes website unearthed an Oxford article in which the young Olly Robbins wrote that the Soviet Union wasn't all bad. Newsnight understands that David Davis, the actual Brexit secretary who is said to have something of a prickly relationship with Mr Robbins, has a habit of opening meetings with him by welcoming colleagues to the "Olly Robbins People's Soviet". Everyone
### Summary:
Olly Robbins is the man who has been dubbed the "real Brexit secretary" by Theresa May.
### Next story:
Theresa May has been given a new role as the "real Brexit |
business-46818939 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46818939 | Japan to scrap UK beef ban imposed after BSE crisis | The UK and Japan will announce £127m in initial funding for "cutting-edge technology to boost innovation, create high-skilled jobs and improve people's quality of life". | The move comes ahead of a meeting between Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Theresa May. The leaders are expected to announce funding for technology collaborations at the Downing Street meeting on Thursday. Brexit is also expected to loom large over the talks, with Mr Abe expressing Japan's concerns. Downing Street says Japan's decision to drop the beef and lamb ban, which has been in place since 1996, will be worth £127m to British farmers over five years. Exports of red meat products from the UK surpassed £1.2 billion in 2017, according to Revenue and Customs Statistics. The two leaders will also announce £30m of initial funding for "cutting-edge technology to boost innovation, create high-skilled jobs and improve people's quality of life," a statement from Downing Street said. The funds will go towards new aged-care technologies, medical treatments and green transport and energy solutions. The two countries will also agree to forge closer defence and cultural ties. Brexit anxiety Mr Abe is expected to use the meeting to reiterate Japan's concerns over a disorderly Brexit. Mrs May expressed optimism about the meeting. "As the UK prepares to leave the EU, we raise our horizons towards the rest of the world. Our relationship with Japan is stronger than ever, and this visit will enhance co-operation in a wide range of areas," she said. However, Labour's Shadow Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner said Japanese investors will be "seeking clarity" on Britain's future relationship with the EU. "But it is a clarity that Theresa May cannot give - because the future political framework that parliament is to vote on next week is no more than a flimsy statement of intent," he said. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The move comes ahead of a meeting between Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Theresa May. The leaders are expected to announce funding for technology collaborations at the Downing Street meeting on Thursday. Brexit is also expected to loom large over the talks, with Mr Abe expressing Japan's concerns. Downing Street says Japan's decision to drop the beef and lamb ban, which has been in place since 1996, will be worth £127m to British farmers over five years. Exports of red meat products from the UK surpassed £1.2 billion in 2017, according to Revenue and Customs Statistics. The two leaders will also announce £30m of initial funding for "cutting-edge technology to boost innovation, create high-skilled jobs and improve people's quality of life," a statement from Downing Street said. The funds will go towards new aged-care technologies, medical treatments and green transport and energy solutions. The two countries will also agree to forge closer defence and cultural ties. Brexit anxiety Mr Abe is expected to use the meeting to reiterate Japan's concerns over a disorderly Brexit. Mrs May expressed optimism about the meeting. "As the UK prepares to leave the EU, we raise our horizons towards the rest of the world. Our relationship with Japan is stronger than ever, and this visit will enhance co-operation in a wide range of areas," she said. However, Labour's Shadow Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner said Japanese investors will be "seeking clarity" on Britain's future relationship with the EU. "But it is a clarity that Theresa May cannot give - because the future political framework that parliament is to vote on next week is no more than a flimsy statement of intent," he said.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The move comes ahead of a meeting between Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Theresa May. The leaders are expected to announce funding for technology collaborations at the Downing Street meeting on Thursday. Brexit is also expected to loom large over the talks, with Mr Abe expressing Japan's concerns. Downing Street says Japan's decision to drop the beef and lamb ban, which has been in place since 1996, will be worth £127m to British farmers over five years. Exports of red meat products from the UK surpassed £1.2 billion in 2017, according to Revenue and Customs Statistics. The two leaders will also announce £30m of initial funding for "cutting-edge technology to boost innovation, create high-skilled jobs and improve people's quality of life," a statement from Downing Street said. The funds will go towards new aged-care technologies, medical treatments and green transport and energy solutions. The two countries will also agree to forge closer defence and cultural ties. Brexit anxiety Mr Abe is expected to use the meeting to reiterate Japan's concerns over a disorderly Brexit. Mrs May expressed optimism about the meeting. "As the UK prepares to leave the EU, we raise our horizons towards the rest of the world. Our relationship with Japan is stronger than ever, and this visit will enhance co-operation in a wide range of areas," she said. However, Labour's Shadow Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner said Japanese investors will be "seeking clarity" on Britain's future relationship with the EU. "But it is a clarity that Theresa May cannot give - because the future political framework that parliament is to vote on next week is no more than a flimsy statement of intent," he said.
### Summary:
The UK and Japan will announce £127m in initial funding for "cutting-edge technology to boost innovation, create high-skilled jobs and improve people's quality of life".
### Source:
|
uk-scotland-51931604 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51931604 | How music, film and theatre are coping in Scotland | The Who, Planet Earth II and Trevor Noah have been announced as the main players behind a new film studio in Leith. | By Pauline McLeanBBC Scotland The Glasgow Film Festival came to a close, notching up record attendance. The Glasgow International Comedy Festival then began - with a huge show in the Hydro starring Steve Martin and Martin Short. And they managed to share a catch-up with old friend Billy Connolly in the city ahead of the launch of his latest art exhibition. The 10th annual Silent Film Festival was about to begin in Bo'ness and the Edinburgh International Festival was preparing to launch its 2020 programme. Jason Connery was announced as the main player behind a new film studio in Leith, and proposals for a £50 million pound film hub in the centre of Edinburgh were unveiled. And then, one by one, the announcements came. The Who, Planet Earth II, and Trevor Noah postponed their gigs following government advice about gatherings of 500 people or more. Biffy Clyro had planned to put tickets for their world tour on sale this week but have decided to delay release. Venues with smaller audiences tried to continue as normal. Pitlochry Festival Theatre limited tickets to the revival of Simon Neil play Barefoot in the Park - whose cast includes Clare Grogan - in an attempt to keep the ratio of staff and public higher than normal. But in the light of the latest government advice for the public to avoid all theatres, cinemas and pubs, they had no option but to close. A message from their director Elizabeth Newman reads: "We will produce a poetry series and various resources for children to entertain them (and you) at home via our online platforms. "We are eager to help our communities combat loneliness and isolation so we are launching PFT's Telephone Conversation Club, for audiences and participants who are unable to get to the theatre to remain in conversation together." Technology 'retaining social connectivity' Social media and new technology is also proving useful in other areas of the arts and entertainment world, with many musicians performing online to make up for missed live events. And it's not just the professionals - amateur musicians are being urged to join a mass performance on Sunday afternoon. IPlay4Peace was launched two years ago to mark Remembrance Sunday but organisers hope it can be used to similar effect with a mass rendition of World in Union. Rather than cancel the experimental film festival Alchemy, which was due to take place in the Borders at the end of April, organisers have planned an entirely digital festival. Director Michael Pattison says he hopes to release further details in coming days, but says: "The revised 10th edition of Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival, the biggest experimental film festival in Scotland, will take the form of an exclusively online programme of live streams and free one off screenings, with live introductions recorded from Hawick and additional artist Q&As retaining a sense of global community and social connectivity in these unprecedented and uncertain times." So far, most public galleries and museums are still open but with the Tate in London announcing it will close until May, it's likely others will follow suit. National Museums Scotland said the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life and the National War Museum would close at 17:00 on Tuesday. The National Galleries of Scotland is also closing all its galleries. Most small galleries had already cancelled opening receptions and were trying to stagger visitors to avoid crowding. Some are continuing to open by appointment only. The umbrella body Museums Galleries Scotland say they plan a social media campaign to highlight how museum resources can be used to entertain and inspire from afar. That's something Alice Strang, senior curator at the National Galleries of Scotland is also tapping into with her largest blog - which offers a tour of some very apt artworks. She says: "As the coronavirus situation continues to unfold, the benefits of visual art become more and more apparent, not only to address and help to accept current affairs but to provide comfort and inspiration to all, whilst celebrating the nation's collection of art. "That it can be enjoyed at the click of a mouse, or the swipe of a (carefully washed) finger, shows the value of art in digital form, as we reach out to our virtual visitors." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Pauline McLeanBBC Scotland The Glasgow Film Festival came to a close, notching up record attendance. The Glasgow International Comedy Festival then began - with a huge show in the Hydro starring Steve Martin and Martin Short. And they managed to share a catch-up with old friend Billy Connolly in the city ahead of the launch of his latest art exhibition. The 10th annual Silent Film Festival was about to begin in Bo'ness and the Edinburgh International Festival was preparing to launch its 2020 programme. Jason Connery was announced as the main player behind a new film studio in Leith, and proposals for a £50 million pound film hub in the centre of Edinburgh were unveiled. And then, one by one, the announcements came. The Who, Planet Earth II, and Trevor Noah postponed their gigs following government advice about gatherings of 500 people or more. Biffy Clyro had planned to put tickets for their world tour on sale this week but have decided to delay release. Venues with smaller audiences tried to continue as normal. Pitlochry Festival Theatre limited tickets to the revival of Simon Neil play Barefoot in the Park - whose cast includes Clare Grogan - in an attempt to keep the ratio of staff and public higher than normal. But in the light of the latest government advice for the public to avoid all theatres, cinemas and pubs, they had no option but to close. A message from their director Elizabeth Newman reads: "We will produce a poetry series and various resources for children to entertain them (and you) at home via our online platforms. "We are eager to help our communities combat loneliness and isolation so we are launching PFT's Telephone Conversation Club, for audiences and participants who are unable to get to the theatre to remain in conversation together." Technology'retaining social connectivity' Social media and new technology is also proving useful in other areas of the arts and entertainment world, with many musicians performing online to make up for missed live events. And it's not just the professionals - amateur musicians are being urged to join a mass performance on Sunday afternoon. IPlay4Peace was launched two years ago to mark Remembrance Sunday but organisers hope it can be used to similar effect with a mass rendition of World in Union. Rather than cancel the experimental film festival Alchemy, which was due to take place in the Borders at the end of April, organisers have planned an entirely digital festival. Director Michael Pattison says he hopes to release further details in coming days, but says: "The revised 10th edition of Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival, the biggest experimental film festival in Scotland, will take the form of an exclusively online programme of live streams and free one off screenings, with live introductions recorded from Hawick and additional artist Q&As retaining a sense of global community and social connectivity in these unprecedented and uncertain times." So far, most public galleries and museums are still open but with the Tate in London announcing it will close until May, it's likely others will follow suit. National Museums Scotland said the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life and the National War Museum would close at 17:00 on Tuesday. The National Galleries of Scotland is also closing all its galleries. Most small galleries had already cancelled opening receptions and were trying to stagger visitors to avoid crowding. Some are continuing to open by appointment only. The umbrella body Museums Galleries Scotland say they plan a social media campaign to highlight how museum resources can be used to entertain and inspire from afar. That's something Alice Strang, senior curator at the National Galleries of Scotland is also tapping into with her largest blog - which offers a tour of some very apt artworks. She says: "As the coronavirus situation continues to unfold, the benefits of visual art become more and more apparent, not only to address and help to accept current affairs but to provide comfort and inspiration to all, whilst celebrating the nation's collection of art. "That it can be enjoyed at the click of a mouse, or the swipe of a (carefully washed) finger, shows the value of art in digital form, as we reach out to our virtual visitors."
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Pauline McLeanBBC Scotland The Glasgow Film Festival came to a close, notching up record attendance. The Glasgow International Comedy Festival then began - with a huge show in the Hydro starring Steve Martin and Martin Short. And they managed to share a catch-up with old friend Billy Connolly in the city ahead of the launch of his latest art exhibition. The 10th annual Silent Film Festival was about to begin in Bo'ness and the Edinburgh International Festival was preparing to launch its 2020 programme. Jason Connery was announced as the main player behind a new film studio in Leith, and proposals for a £50 million pound film hub in the centre of Edinburgh were unveiled. And then, one by one, the announcements came. The Who, Planet Earth II, and Trevor Noah postponed their gigs following government advice about gatherings of 500 people or more. Biffy Clyro had planned to put tickets for their world tour on sale this week but have decided to delay release. Venues with smaller audiences tried to continue as normal. Pitlochry Festival Theatre limited tickets to the revival of Simon Neil play Barefoot in the Park - whose cast includes Clare Grogan - in an attempt to keep the ratio of staff and public higher than normal. But in the light of the latest government advice for the public to avoid all theatres, cinemas and pubs, they had no option but to close. A message from their director Elizabeth Newman reads: "We will produce a poetry series and various resources for children to entertain them (and you) at home via our online platforms. "We are eager to help our communities combat loneliness and isolation so we are launching PFT's Telephone Conversation Club, for audiences and participants who are unable to get to the theatre to remain in conversation together." Technology'retaining social connectivity' Social media and new technology is also proving useful in other areas of the arts and entertainment world, with many musicians performing online to make up for missed live events. And it's not just the professionals - amateur musicians are being urged to join a mass performance on Sunday afternoon. IPlay4Peace was launched two years ago to mark Remembrance Sunday but organisers hope it can be used to similar effect with a mass rendition of World in Union. Rather than cancel the experimental film festival Alchemy, which was due to take place in the Borders at the end of April, organisers have planned an entirely digital festival. Director Michael Pattison says he hopes to release further details in coming days, but says: "The revised 10th edition of Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival, the biggest experimental film festival in Scotland, will take the form of an exclusively online programme of live streams and free one off screenings, with live introductions recorded from Hawick and additional artist Q&As retaining a sense of global community and social connectivity in these unprecedented and uncertain times." So far, most public galleries and museums are still open but with the Tate in London announcing it will close until May, it's likely others will follow suit. National Museums Scotland said the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life and the National War Museum would close at 17:00 on Tuesday. The National Galleries of Scotland is also closing all its galleries. Most small galleries had already cancelled opening receptions and were trying to stagger visitors to avoid crowding. Some are continuing to open by appointment only. The umbrella body Museums Galleries Scotland say they plan a social media campaign to highlight how museum resources can be used to entertain and inspire from afar. That's something Alice Strang, senior curator at the National Galleries of Scotland is also tapping into with her largest blog - which offers a tour of some very apt artworks. She says: "As the coronavirus situation continues to unfold, the benefits of visual art become more and more apparent, not only to address and help to accept current affairs but to provide comfort and inspiration to all, whilst celebrating the nation's collection of art. "That it can be enjoyed at the click of a mouse, or the swipe of a (carefully washed) finger, shows the value of art in digital form, as we reach out to our virtual visitors."
### Summary:
The Who, Planet Earth II and Trevor Noah have been announced as the main players behind a new film studio in Leith.
### Next:
The Who, Planet Earth II and Trevor Noah have been announced as the |
business-39744857 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-39744857 | Barclays shareholders rally behind beleaguered boss | Barclays' boss Jes Staley is under investigation for trying to identify the author of a letter raising questions about his decision to recruit an old colleague from his JP Morgan days who had been through personal issues that had led to | Simon JackBusiness editor That's the view of some current and former shareholders who tell me that not only would Barclays suffer if the US boss was pushed out during his so-far successful turnaround of the 360-year-old bank but also, weakening the UK's last major investment bank would be bad for the entire UK financial landscape. Jes Staley is under investigation by authorities for twice trying to identify the author of a letter raising questions about Staley's decision to recruit an old colleague from his JP Morgan days who had been through personal issues that had led to "erratic behaviour". You can read more about the circumstances surrounding that episode here. The Staley case is seen as an early and important test of new rules governing the conduct of senior managers designed to improve behaviour, accountability and culture. Those new rules are clear that whistleblowers should be protected as they are a valuable source of information on potential wrongdoing. Barclays was the poster child for failings in these areas under another US boss, Bob Diamond, who was ousted after losing the support of the Bank of England after a series of scandals - including the rigging of key financial benchmarks. One City source told me - "replacing Jes Staley with another FCA-approved (the regulator) apparatchik would be a disaster". That's a reference to "Saint" Antony Jenkins - a mild mannered man from the quiet world of retail banking - who was brought in after Bob Diamond as an antidote to the buccaneering, risk-taking and rule bending of the Diamond era. He had the blessing of the Bank of England but he was subsequently sacked for failing to improve the bank's financial performance fast enough. The board - and in particular, the chairman, John McFarlane - would like to keep Staley. Without an investment banker at the helm, the UK's last surviving big investment bank would lose the momentum it has started to regain according to some shareholders. The Financial Conduct and Prudential Regulation authorities will examine the case and their findings will ultimately determine whether Staley can stay. But as things stand, I'm told the board of Barclays looks unlikely to make Staley jump before it is pushed. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Simon JackBusiness editor That's the view of some current and former shareholders who tell me that not only would Barclays suffer if the US boss was pushed out during his so-far successful turnaround of the 360-year-old bank but also, weakening the UK's last major investment bank would be bad for the entire UK financial landscape. Jes Staley is under investigation by authorities for twice trying to identify the author of a letter raising questions about Staley's decision to recruit an old colleague from his JP Morgan days who had been through personal issues that had led to "erratic behaviour". You can read more about the circumstances surrounding that episode here. The Staley case is seen as an early and important test of new rules governing the conduct of senior managers designed to improve behaviour, accountability and culture. Those new rules are clear that whistleblowers should be protected as they are a valuable source of information on potential wrongdoing. Barclays was the poster child for failings in these areas under another US boss, Bob Diamond, who was ousted after losing the support of the Bank of England after a series of scandals - including the rigging of key financial benchmarks. One City source told me - "replacing Jes Staley with another FCA-approved (the regulator) apparatchik would be a disaster". That's a reference to "Saint" Antony Jenkins - a mild mannered man from the quiet world of retail banking - who was brought in after Bob Diamond as an antidote to the buccaneering, risk-taking and rule bending of the Diamond era. He had the blessing of the Bank of England but he was subsequently sacked for failing to improve the bank's financial performance fast enough. The board - and in particular, the chairman, John McFarlane - would like to keep Staley. Without an investment banker at the helm, the UK's last surviving big investment bank would lose the momentum it has started to regain according to some shareholders. The Financial Conduct and Prudential Regulation authorities will examine the case and their findings will ultimately determine whether Staley can stay. But as things stand, I'm told the board of Barclays looks unlikely to make Staley jump before it is pushed.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Simon JackBusiness editor That's the view of some current and former shareholders who tell me that not only would Barclays suffer if the US boss was pushed out during his so-far successful turnaround of the 360-year-old bank but also, weakening the UK's last major investment bank would be bad for the entire UK financial landscape. Jes Staley is under investigation by authorities for twice trying to identify the author of a letter raising questions about Staley's decision to recruit an old colleague from his JP Morgan days who had been through personal issues that had led to "erratic behaviour". You can read more about the circumstances surrounding that episode here. The Staley case is seen as an early and important test of new rules governing the conduct of senior managers designed to improve behaviour, accountability and culture. Those new rules are clear that whistleblowers should be protected as they are a valuable source of information on potential wrongdoing. Barclays was the poster child for failings in these areas under another US boss, Bob Diamond, who was ousted after losing the support of the Bank of England after a series of scandals - including the rigging of key financial benchmarks. One City source told me - "replacing Jes Staley with another FCA-approved (the regulator) apparatchik would be a disaster". That's a reference to "Saint" Antony Jenkins - a mild mannered man from the quiet world of retail banking - who was brought in after Bob Diamond as an antidote to the buccaneering, risk-taking and rule bending of the Diamond era. He had the blessing of the Bank of England but he was subsequently sacked for failing to improve the bank's financial performance fast enough. The board - and in particular, the chairman, John McFarlane - would like to keep Staley. Without an investment banker at the helm, the UK's last surviving big investment bank would lose the momentum it has started to regain according to some shareholders. The Financial Conduct and Prudential Regulation authorities will examine the case and their findings will ultimately determine whether Staley can stay. But as things stand, I'm told the board of Barclays looks unlikely to make Staley jump before it is pushed.
### Summary:
Barclays' boss Jes Staley is under investigation for trying to identify the author of a letter raising questions about his decision to recruit an old colleague from his JP Morgan days who had been through personal issues that had led to |
uk-scotland-scotland-business-41826214 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-41826214 | Ineos completes Forties Pipeline System acquisition | Ineos has acquired the Forties Pipeline System and associated assets. | The $250m (£199m) deal sees Ineos take control of a system that delivers almost 40% of the UK's North Sea oil and gas. The 235-mile pipeline system links 85 North Sea oil and gas assets to the mainland and the Ineos site in Grangemouth. The deal also includes the Kinneil Terminal. About 300 staff will transfer to Ineos FPS Limited, a newly-formed business that will be part of Ineos Limited. Chief executive of Ineos FPS, Andrew Gardner, said it was a "very significant deal" for the company. "The acquisition reunites North Sea and Grangemouth assets under Ineos ownership," he said. "Ineos is now the only UK company with refinery and petrochemical assets directly integrated into the North Sea and this deal provides the platform to potential future offshore Ineos investments." The Forties pipeline was opened in 1975 to transport oil from BP's Forties field. A 105-mile section brings oil from the offshore Unity platform to a facility at Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire. From there the oil travels through an overland section to Kinneil. Today, the pipeline system has an average daily throughput of around 445,000 barrels of oil. Under the terms of the deal announced in April, Ineos was to pay BP $125m (£99.5m) on completion and an earn-out arrangement over seven years that totals up to a further $125m. Ineos said it has now taken on ownership and operation of FPS, the Kinneil gas processing plant and oil terminal, the Dalmeny storage and export facility, sites at Aberdeen, the Forties Unity Platform and other associated infrastructure in the deal, which consolidates its position as a top 10 company in the North Sea. Mr Gardner added: "Our acquisition of the Forties Pipeline System and associated assets together with its highly skilled workforce is significant and strategic. "It demonstrates Ineos' commitment to securing a competitive long-term future for this critical piece of oil and gas infrastructure and provides the platform to potential future offshore Ineos investments." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The $250m (£199m) deal sees Ineos take control of a system that delivers almost 40% of the UK's North Sea oil and gas. The 235-mile pipeline system links 85 North Sea oil and gas assets to the mainland and the Ineos site in Grangemouth. The deal also includes the Kinneil Terminal. About 300 staff will transfer to Ineos FPS Limited, a newly-formed business that will be part of Ineos Limited. Chief executive of Ineos FPS, Andrew Gardner, said it was a "very significant deal" for the company. "The acquisition reunites North Sea and Grangemouth assets under Ineos ownership," he said. "Ineos is now the only UK company with refinery and petrochemical assets directly integrated into the North Sea and this deal provides the platform to potential future offshore Ineos investments." The Forties pipeline was opened in 1975 to transport oil from BP's Forties field. A 105-mile section brings oil from the offshore Unity platform to a facility at Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire. From there the oil travels through an overland section to Kinneil. Today, the pipeline system has an average daily throughput of around 445,000 barrels of oil. Under the terms of the deal announced in April, Ineos was to pay BP $125m (£99.5m) on completion and an earn-out arrangement over seven years that totals up to a further $125m. Ineos said it has now taken on ownership and operation of FPS, the Kinneil gas processing plant and oil terminal, the Dalmeny storage and export facility, sites at Aberdeen, the Forties Unity Platform and other associated infrastructure in the deal, which consolidates its position as a top 10 company in the North Sea. Mr Gardner added: "Our acquisition of the Forties Pipeline System and associated assets together with its highly skilled workforce is significant and strategic. "It demonstrates Ineos' commitment to securing a competitive long-term future for this critical piece of oil and gas infrastructure and provides the platform to potential future offshore Ineos investments."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The $250m (£199m) deal sees Ineos take control of a system that delivers almost 40% of the UK's North Sea oil and gas. The 235-mile pipeline system links 85 North Sea oil and gas assets to the mainland and the Ineos site in Grangemouth. The deal also includes the Kinneil Terminal. About 300 staff will transfer to Ineos FPS Limited, a newly-formed business that will be part of Ineos Limited. Chief executive of Ineos FPS, Andrew Gardner, said it was a "very significant deal" for the company. "The acquisition reunites North Sea and Grangemouth assets under Ineos ownership," he said. "Ineos is now the only UK company with refinery and petrochemical assets directly integrated into the North Sea and this deal provides the platform to potential future offshore Ineos investments." The Forties pipeline was opened in 1975 to transport oil from BP's Forties field. A 105-mile section brings oil from the offshore Unity platform to a facility at Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire. From there the oil travels through an overland section to Kinneil. Today, the pipeline system has an average daily throughput of around 445,000 barrels of oil. Under the terms of the deal announced in April, Ineos was to pay BP $125m (£99.5m) on completion and an earn-out arrangement over seven years that totals up to a further $125m. Ineos said it has now taken on ownership and operation of FPS, the Kinneil gas processing plant and oil terminal, the Dalmeny storage and export facility, sites at Aberdeen, the Forties Unity Platform and other associated infrastructure in the deal, which consolidates its position as a top 10 company in the North Sea. Mr Gardner added: "Our acquisition of the Forties Pipeline System and associated assets together with its highly skilled workforce is significant and strategic. "It demonstrates Ineos' commitment to securing a competitive long-term future for this critical piece of oil and gas infrastructure and provides the platform to potential future offshore Ineos investments."
### Summary:
Ineos has acquired the Forties Pipeline System and associated assets.
### Text:
Ineos has agreed to buy the Forties Pipeline System and associated assets from BP.
### Summary:
|
uk-england-bristol-45782558 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-45782558 | Smiley face stickers improve food recycling in Bristol | A company has launched a food waste campaign in Bristol. | Bristol Waste's campaign began in August and in its first month there was a 16% rise in food waste collected. Gwen Frost, from the firm, said: "I am incredibly proud that we are helping take Bristol one step closer to becoming a zero waste city." Critics say the company should not have made the stickers out of plastic as they are not environmentally friendly. Others have criticised the "slim my waste" stickers placed on black bins. Ceri Davis, from Shirehampton in Bristol, said: "I appreciate they want to improve the food waste recycling rates and one of things I want to do us reduce the amount of plastic we use. "To see that the bins were wrapped in silly smiley faces - there must have been other ways to drive up recycling rates?" Ms Frost said the company's leaflets were recyclable, "but we need the stickers to be durable". "It's been really hard as we're very conscious about the plastic and the recyclability of things. "We needed them to last the British weather, we needed them to stay on the bins, we didn't want them to fall off and become litter." The 290 tonnes of food waste collected since August has been sent to a bio-digester in Avonmouth to produce electricity and gas instead of being sent to landfill. Ms Frost added: "We do expect the food waste tonnages to start dropping but that's natural because what happens is that people see how much food they waste." The firm, which is owned by Bristol City Council, said it wanted to take action after finding the average black wheelie bin in the city contained 25% of food waste. It is now introducing brown food waste bins for residents in high-rise flats. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Bristol Waste's campaign began in August and in its first month there was a 16% rise in food waste collected. Gwen Frost, from the firm, said: "I am incredibly proud that we are helping take Bristol one step closer to becoming a zero waste city." Critics say the company should not have made the stickers out of plastic as they are not environmentally friendly. Others have criticised the "slim my waste" stickers placed on black bins. Ceri Davis, from Shirehampton in Bristol, said: "I appreciate they want to improve the food waste recycling rates and one of things I want to do us reduce the amount of plastic we use. "To see that the bins were wrapped in silly smiley faces - there must have been other ways to drive up recycling rates?" Ms Frost said the company's leaflets were recyclable, "but we need the stickers to be durable". "It's been really hard as we're very conscious about the plastic and the recyclability of things. "We needed them to last the British weather, we needed them to stay on the bins, we didn't want them to fall off and become litter." The 290 tonnes of food waste collected since August has been sent to a bio-digester in Avonmouth to produce electricity and gas instead of being sent to landfill. Ms Frost added: "We do expect the food waste tonnages to start dropping but that's natural because what happens is that people see how much food they waste." The firm, which is owned by Bristol City Council, said it wanted to take action after finding the average black wheelie bin in the city contained 25% of food waste. It is now introducing brown food waste bins for residents in high-rise flats.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Bristol Waste's campaign began in August and in its first month there was a 16% rise in food waste collected. Gwen Frost, from the firm, said: "I am incredibly proud that we are helping take Bristol one step closer to becoming a zero waste city." Critics say the company should not have made the stickers out of plastic as they are not environmentally friendly. Others have criticised the "slim my waste" stickers placed on black bins. Ceri Davis, from Shirehampton in Bristol, said: "I appreciate they want to improve the food waste recycling rates and one of things I want to do us reduce the amount of plastic we use. "To see that the bins were wrapped in silly smiley faces - there must have been other ways to drive up recycling rates?" Ms Frost said the company's leaflets were recyclable, "but we need the stickers to be durable". "It's been really hard as we're very conscious about the plastic and the recyclability of things. "We needed them to last the British weather, we needed them to stay on the bins, we didn't want them to fall off and become litter." The 290 tonnes of food waste collected since August has been sent to a bio-digester in Avonmouth to produce electricity and gas instead of being sent to landfill. Ms Frost added: "We do expect the food waste tonnages to start dropping but that's natural because what happens is that people see how much food they waste." The firm, which is owned by Bristol City Council, said it wanted to take action after finding the average black wheelie bin in the city contained 25% of food waste. It is now introducing brown food waste bins for residents in high-rise flats.
### Summary:
A company has launched a food waste campaign in Bristol.
### Next story:
A company has launched a food waste campaign in Bristol.
### Next story:
A company has launched a food waste campaign in Br |
uk-northern-ireland-53471637 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-53471637 | Coronavirus: Paula Bradshaw says she will not holiday in Italy | A Northern Ireland politician has said she will not travel abroad unless it is "essential". | South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw had told BBC's Nolan Show that she would not be "breaking any laws" by travelling abroad. She has since tweeted that she "should have been clearer" and will not travel while guidelines remain in place. First Minister Arlene Foster said that whether people go on holiday abroad is a "matter for their own judgement". NI Direct says that "you should not travel abroad unless it's essential". Ms Bradshaw said: "Like many people, I have a holiday booked - in my case to Italy. I should be clear when I said I would operate within the guidance, that obviously includes not travelling if the regulations and guidance at the time state I should not do so. That is currently the case. "It is important everyone, particularly in representative roles, adheres both to the spirit and letter of that guidance." Speaking earlier on Monday, she said: "A lot of people will be going on holidays, a lot of people will be doing the same as we are doing, so that's where we're at." She criticised the legislation on lockdown restrictions, saying that it "is still full of holes which is creating confusion". And added that they had "weighed it up as a family" and it is "very much a private matter". 'We have worked extremely hard' The family were planning to stay at an all-inclusive hotel and Ms Bradshaw said they had read guidance from the airports and airline. Upon their return, she said that her daughter, who works in a care home, would quarantine for two weeks. "Throughout the whole lockdown we have followed all of the social distancing, all the hygiene control measures," she told The Nolan Show. "We have worked extremely hard for the last few months and we have, as a family, decided to go on holiday. "I think that everyone is entitled to a private life and we will go and we will be respectful of the restrictions in place in Italy and when we come home, we will be respectful of the restrictions here." DUP leader Arlene Foster said it was not for the executive to tell people if they should go on holiday this summer or not. "In terms of the regulations we now have a list of countries where you can go, and some places where you have to quarantine when you return", she said. "We're fully aware people have plans - the list is there open for people to see but we do have to revisit it every three weeks so it's a rolling story." Many people have cancelled their getaways this summer, assuming that the Covid-19 pandemic means travel abroad remains too risky. But Paula Bradshaw's planned holiday has highlighted that perhaps it is not so clear cut. The executive changed the travel regulations earlier this month, so that people arriving in Northern Ireland - as well as those returning from certain countries - no longer need to quarantine. Yet Stormont advice remains you still should not travel unless it is "essential", putting the onus on passengers to decide for themselves whether to abide by the guidance. Instead of directly telling people what they cannot do, the matter has been left open to interpretation, complicated further by the fact that the Irish government has not published its green list of exempt countries yet. That list is due out later this week and could mean others planning holidays abroad think twice too. Meanwhile, Ms Bradshaw u-turned after a backlash began and cancelled her trip. The optics of a politician flouting guidelines drawn up by the executive her party sits on would not have looked good. According to government guidance, published on the NI Direct website, "you will need to self-isolate if you were in, or if you transited through, a country that is not on the list in the 14 days before your return to the Common Travel Area". But people from Northern Ireland can travel to Italy, as it is on NI's exemption list. However, in the Republic of Ireland, passengers entering the country from Italy must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. A green list for Irish travel is expected this week. People coming into the Republic from countries on the list will not be required to quarantine. Currently only people entering the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland do not need to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. The Stormont executive changed its travel regulations earlier this month, which exempts more than 50 countries from the rules. There have been some calls for the Irish government and Stormont executive to use the same list. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw had told BBC's Nolan Show that she would not be "breaking any laws" by travelling abroad. She has since tweeted that she "should have been clearer" and will not travel while guidelines remain in place. First Minister Arlene Foster said that whether people go on holiday abroad is a "matter for their own judgement". NI Direct says that "you should not travel abroad unless it's essential". Ms Bradshaw said: "Like many people, I have a holiday booked - in my case to Italy. I should be clear when I said I would operate within the guidance, that obviously includes not travelling if the regulations and guidance at the time state I should not do so. That is currently the case. "It is important everyone, particularly in representative roles, adheres both to the spirit and letter of that guidance." Speaking earlier on Monday, she said: "A lot of people will be going on holidays, a lot of people will be doing the same as we are doing, so that's where we're at." She criticised the legislation on lockdown restrictions, saying that it "is still full of holes which is creating confusion". And added that they had "weighed it up as a family" and it is "very much a private matter". 'We have worked extremely hard' The family were planning to stay at an all-inclusive hotel and Ms Bradshaw said they had read guidance from the airports and airline. Upon their return, she said that her daughter, who works in a care home, would quarantine for two weeks. "Throughout the whole lockdown we have followed all of the social distancing, all the hygiene control measures," she told The Nolan Show. "We have worked extremely hard for the last few months and we have, as a family, decided to go on holiday. "I think that everyone is entitled to a private life and we will go and we will be respectful of the restrictions in place in Italy and when we come home, we will be respectful of the restrictions here." DUP leader Arlene Foster said it was not for the executive to tell people if they should go on holiday this summer or not. "In terms of the regulations we now have a list of countries where you can go, and some places where you have to quarantine when you return", she said. "We're fully aware people have plans - the list is there open for people to see but we do have to revisit it every three weeks so it's a rolling story." Many people have cancelled their getaways this summer, assuming that the Covid-19 pandemic means travel abroad remains too risky. But Paula Bradshaw's planned holiday has highlighted that perhaps it is not so clear cut. The executive changed the travel regulations earlier this month, so that people arriving in Northern Ireland - as well as those returning from certain countries - no longer need to quarantine. Yet Stormont advice remains you still should not travel unless it is "essential", putting the onus on passengers to decide for themselves whether to abide by the guidance. Instead of directly telling people what they cannot do, the matter has been left open to interpretation, complicated further by the fact that the Irish government has not published its green list of exempt countries yet. That list is due out later this week and could mean others planning holidays abroad think twice too. Meanwhile, Ms Bradshaw u-turned after a backlash began and cancelled her trip. The optics of a politician flouting guidelines drawn up by the executive her party sits on would not have looked good. According to government guidance, published on the NI Direct website, "you will need to self-isolate if you were in, or if you transited through, a country that is not on the list in the 14 days before your return to the Common Travel Area". But people from Northern Ireland can travel to Italy, as it is on NI's exemption list. However, in the Republic of Ireland, passengers entering the country from Italy must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. A green list for Irish travel is expected this week. People coming into the Republic from countries on the list will not be required to quarantine. Currently only people entering the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland do not need to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. The Stormont executive changed its travel regulations earlier this month, which exempts more than 50 countries from the rules. There have been some calls for the Irish government and Stormont executive to use the same list.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw had told BBC's Nolan Show that she would not be "breaking any laws" by travelling abroad. She has since tweeted that she "should have been clearer" and will not travel while guidelines remain in place. First Minister Arlene Foster said that whether people go on holiday abroad is a "matter for their own judgement". NI Direct says that "you should not travel abroad unless it's essential". Ms Bradshaw said: "Like many people, I have a holiday booked - in my case to Italy. I should be clear when I said I would operate within the guidance, that obviously includes not travelling if the regulations and guidance at the time state I should not do so. That is currently the case. "It is important everyone, particularly in representative roles, adheres both to the spirit and letter of that guidance." Speaking earlier on Monday, she said: "A lot of people will be going on holidays, a lot of people will be doing the same as we are doing, so that's where we're at." She criticised the legislation on lockdown restrictions, saying that it "is still full of holes which is creating confusion". And added that they had "weighed it up as a family" and it is "very much a private matter". 'We have worked extremely hard' The family were planning to stay at an all-inclusive hotel and Ms Bradshaw said they had read guidance from the airports and airline. Upon their return, she said that her daughter, who works in a care home, would quarantine for two weeks. "Throughout the whole lockdown we have followed all of the social distancing, all the hygiene control measures," she told The Nolan Show. "We have worked extremely hard for the last few months and we have, as a family, decided to go on holiday. "I think that everyone is entitled to a private life and we will go and we will be respectful of the restrictions in place in Italy and when we come home, we will be respectful of the restrictions here." DUP leader Arlene Foster said it was not for the executive to tell people if they should go on holiday this summer or not. "In terms of the regulations we now have a list of countries where you can go, and some places where you have to quarantine when you return", she said. "We're fully aware people have plans - the list is there open for people to see but we do have to revisit it every three weeks so it's a rolling story." Many people have cancelled their getaways this summer, assuming that the Covid-19 pandemic means travel abroad remains too risky. But Paula Bradshaw's planned holiday has highlighted that perhaps it is not so clear cut. The executive changed the travel regulations earlier this month, so that people arriving in Northern Ireland - as well as those returning from certain countries - no longer need to quarantine. Yet Stormont advice remains you still should not travel unless it is "essential", putting the onus on passengers to decide for themselves whether to abide by the guidance. Instead of directly telling people what they cannot do, the matter has been left open to interpretation, complicated further by the fact that the Irish government has not published its green list of exempt countries yet. That list is due out later this week and could mean others planning holidays abroad think twice too. Meanwhile, Ms Bradshaw u-turned after a backlash began and cancelled her trip. The optics of a politician flouting guidelines drawn up by the executive her party sits on would not have looked good. According to government guidance, published on the NI Direct website, "you will need to self-isolate if you were in, or if you transited through, a country that is not on the list in the 14 days before your return to the Common Travel Area". But people from Northern Ireland can travel to Italy, as it is on NI's exemption list. However, in the Republic of Ireland, passengers entering the country from Italy must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. A green list for Irish travel is expected this week. People coming into the Republic from countries on the list will not be required to quarantine. Currently only people entering the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland do not need to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. The Stormont executive changed its travel regulations earlier this month, which exempts more than 50 countries from the rules. There have been some calls for the Irish government and Stormont executive to use the same list.
### Summary:
A Northern Ireland politician has said she will not travel abroad unless it is "essential".
### Next steps:
The executive has changed the travel regulations earlier this month, so that people arriving in Northern Ireland - as well as |
world-europe-jersey-17662941 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-17662941 | St Helier 'twinned' with Madeiran capital Funchal | The Mayor of Funchal has signed a deal with the St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft. | The first part of the agreement was signed four years ago but the floods in Madeira in 2010 caused delay in completing the agreement. The Mayor of Funchal, Dr Miguel Albuquerque, is in Jersey to sign the agreement with the St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft. Constable Crowcroft said: "It's a tremendous opportunity for the island." This evening Dr Albuquerque will officially open Rue de Funchal in St Helier, which parishioners agreed to rename from James Street three years ago. Dr Albuquerque told the BBC a road in the Madeiran capital would be renamed after St Helier next year. He said: "The links between Jersey and Madeira and St Helier and Funchal are very, very old. "The first Madeiran man arrived in Jersey in 1937 or 1938 and since then we have had very strong connections with the Portuguese community who come to Jersey to work." Census figures showed about 8% of people living in Jersey have Portuguese or Madeiran heritage. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The first part of the agreement was signed four years ago but the floods in Madeira in 2010 caused delay in completing the agreement. The Mayor of Funchal, Dr Miguel Albuquerque, is in Jersey to sign the agreement with the St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft. Constable Crowcroft said: "It's a tremendous opportunity for the island." This evening Dr Albuquerque will officially open Rue de Funchal in St Helier, which parishioners agreed to rename from James Street three years ago. Dr Albuquerque told the BBC a road in the Madeiran capital would be renamed after St Helier next year. He said: "The links between Jersey and Madeira and St Helier and Funchal are very, very old. "The first Madeiran man arrived in Jersey in 1937 or 1938 and since then we have had very strong connections with the Portuguese community who come to Jersey to work." Census figures showed about 8% of people living in Jersey have Portuguese or Madeiran heritage.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The first part of the agreement was signed four years ago but the floods in Madeira in 2010 caused delay in completing the agreement. The Mayor of Funchal, Dr Miguel Albuquerque, is in Jersey to sign the agreement with the St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft. Constable Crowcroft said: "It's a tremendous opportunity for the island." This evening Dr Albuquerque will officially open Rue de Funchal in St Helier, which parishioners agreed to rename from James Street three years ago. Dr Albuquerque told the BBC a road in the Madeiran capital would be renamed after St Helier next year. He said: "The links between Jersey and Madeira and St Helier and Funchal are very, very old. "The first Madeiran man arrived in Jersey in 1937 or 1938 and since then we have had very strong connections with the Portuguese community who come to Jersey to work." Census figures showed about 8% of people living in Jersey have Portuguese or Madeiran heritage.
### Summary:
The Mayor of Funchal has signed a deal with the St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft.
### Text:
The Mayor of Funchal, Dr Miguel Albuquerque, has signed a deal with the St |
business-48397081 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48397081 | What the Huawei battle tells us about US-China relations | The US and China are fighting back against each other. | Jonathan MarcusDiplomatic correspondent@Diplo1on Twitter Of course, there may be a good dose of old-fashioned commercial rivalry as well. These are the technologies after all that will shape the world's economic future. But is there something more? Are we witnessing the first significant engagement in something that is much more than simply a conventional trade war? For years commentators have been talking about China's rise: a shift of economic power to the East and the relative decline of the US. None of this was likely to happen without friction - but now though, the US is fighting back. Spokesmen talk about preparing for a new era of global competition. In the first instance the discussion is military - re-orientating the US armed forces away from fighting insurgencies and regional wars to prepare for state-on-state conflict, with Russia and China as the peer competitors. But in the struggle with China, the economic dimension is fundamental. At one level the Trump administration appears determined to use its economic muscle not just to constrain a company like Huawei, but also to force Beijing to open up its markets and change aspects of its economic behaviour that have long-concerned western companies seeking to do business there. Beijing, of course, sees something different going on - a developing campaign to contain China's rise. And it may be right. This battle is about much more than just business practices and commercial markets, it is a struggle over the most basic underpinnings of national power with huge strategic implications. To put it another way, the West is slowly re-learning the simple fact - one that Beijing has assimilated all too well - that economic muscle is the foundation of global power and that economic strength is the precursor of military might. It is a truism that the West has taken for granted for more than two centuries, but the development of market capitalism and the military revolutions of the 17th Century were inter-linked. It was commercial and economic power that enabled the technology for military innovation, and this, in turn, facilitated the sea-borne empires of the 17th and 18th centuries and the steam-driven empires of the 19th. When the US fully supplanted Great Britain as the dominant power in the West at the end of World War Two, for a brief moment the world had a single nuclear-armed global superpower. Of course the Soviet Union sought to rival the US in terms of its political and economic model, but it could not sustain the trappings of a military superpower over time. And with the collapse of Soviet communism, the US once again emerged as the sole global player with real military reach. This was the "unipolar" moment which now, in retrospect, seems all so brief. The rivalry between Washington and Moscow during the Cold War years is instructive. Not because it is a parallel for today's growing tensions between the US and China, but rather because of how different it was. There was simply no equivalent to the current economic rivalry. The Soviet Union's economy was largely cut off from the West - its technical development circumscribed and comparatively backward except in a few key areas. Western trade restrictions prevented the export of all kinds of technologies to the communist bloc. China is an entirely different matter. Its huge economy and manufacturing base are hard-wired into the international economic system. It is probably a bit late to try to shut Beijing out of key sectors of economic activity. The pace of China's rise is almost unique. Some ten years ago the US economy was still three times the size of that of China. No longer. In modern times the US has never faced an economic competitor of equal size let alone one that will out-pace it. This is entirely new. And it is, belatedly perhaps, prompting a fundamental rethink of the terms of economic competition: a rethink that puts economic power explicitly back where it always should have been, as the central foundation of national strategy and national power. This of course is something the Chinese have understood all along. Nineteenth century China was the victim of western expansionism and buccaneering trade practices. It is a history that is well-remembered there, whereas in the West, the Opium Wars or France's Tonkin campaigns - its early forays into Indo-China - are largely forgotten. China's "Belt and Road" initiative - its expansive plans for close economic ties with a chain of countries - was not solely about markets and access to raw materials, but reflected a fundamental strategic effort. This has been bolstered by a long-standing programme of buying up and developing essential port facilities around the globe. It was a conscious policy to secure China's economic future as the key determinant of national power. The "Belt and Road" initiative was undertaken with the understanding that the US and Japan would not necessarily be China's main trading partners in the long-term. China has tapped into huge markets throughout the developing world - literally billions of people. The Chinese economy may be faltering right now (at least in relative terms) but as one well-informed US China-watcher told me, "they have engineering talent, a focused leadership, a market orientation and long-term horizons". President Trump has seemingly decided to draw a line against Chinese competition. A variety of regulatory changes in the US seek to curtail China's access to US knowhow and critical sectors of the US economy. But will it work? Will Mr Trump himself stay the course or enact one of his customary U-turns? His recent comments on concessions regarding Huawei seem to underscore his transactional rather than strategic approach to foreign policy. But this is an issue way bigger than Mr Trump and will challenge multiple US administrations to come. That though is a short-term concern. The fundamentals of the strategic competition between the US and China are clear and are not going to go away. Efforts to decouple their two economies will cause pain in the short-term for both (and probably in the long term too). But the concern is that the worsening economic tensions are carrying over into the security realm, raising real fears of conflict, either by accident or design. Many of Mr Trump's domestic political opponents, while accepting that there is "a China problem", nonetheless disagree with the way he is setting about resolving it. International economic institutions need to be refreshed, they argue. Trade and security legislation need to encompass the challenges posed by new technologies like artificial intelligence. And they fear that Mr Trump is pursuing an altogether too-narrow and nationalist approach. Above all, they say, allies need to be kept on side. If this resolves down to separate economic battles between China and Japan, between China and the EU, or between China and the US, Beijing will have the upper hand. There was a time when the essential approach of the US to China's rise was to seek to make it a "responsible stakeholder" in the international system. It was essentially saying that China would be accepted if it played by the prevailing economic rules. But now China has risen and it is a process that will not stop. Not surprisingly it has some ideas of its own. Now much of the talk is about containing China. But this simply raises the question, is China simply too big to be contained? | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Jonathan MarcusDiplomatic correspondent@Diplo1on Twitter Of course, there may be a good dose of old-fashioned commercial rivalry as well. These are the technologies after all that will shape the world's economic future. But is there something more? Are we witnessing the first significant engagement in something that is much more than simply a conventional trade war? For years commentators have been talking about China's rise: a shift of economic power to the East and the relative decline of the US. None of this was likely to happen without friction - but now though, the US is fighting back. Spokesmen talk about preparing for a new era of global competition. In the first instance the discussion is military - re-orientating the US armed forces away from fighting insurgencies and regional wars to prepare for state-on-state conflict, with Russia and China as the peer competitors. But in the struggle with China, the economic dimension is fundamental. At one level the Trump administration appears determined to use its economic muscle not just to constrain a company like Huawei, but also to force Beijing to open up its markets and change aspects of its economic behaviour that have long-concerned western companies seeking to do business there. Beijing, of course, sees something different going on - a developing campaign to contain China's rise. And it may be right. This battle is about much more than just business practices and commercial markets, it is a struggle over the most basic underpinnings of national power with huge strategic implications. To put it another way, the West is slowly re-learning the simple fact - one that Beijing has assimilated all too well - that economic muscle is the foundation of global power and that economic strength is the precursor of military might. It is a truism that the West has taken for granted for more than two centuries, but the development of market capitalism and the military revolutions of the 17th Century were inter-linked. It was commercial and economic power that enabled the technology for military innovation, and this, in turn, facilitated the sea-borne empires of the 17th and 18th centuries and the steam-driven empires of the 19th. When the US fully supplanted Great Britain as the dominant power in the West at the end of World War Two, for a brief moment the world had a single nuclear-armed global superpower. Of course the Soviet Union sought to rival the US in terms of its political and economic model, but it could not sustain the trappings of a military superpower over time. And with the collapse of Soviet communism, the US once again emerged as the sole global player with real military reach. This was the "unipolar" moment which now, in retrospect, seems all so brief. The rivalry between Washington and Moscow during the Cold War years is instructive. Not because it is a parallel for today's growing tensions between the US and China, but rather because of how different it was. There was simply no equivalent to the current economic rivalry. The Soviet Union's economy was largely cut off from the West - its technical development circumscribed and comparatively backward except in a few key areas. Western trade restrictions prevented the export of all kinds of technologies to the communist bloc. China is an entirely different matter. Its huge economy and manufacturing base are hard-wired into the international economic system. It is probably a bit late to try to shut Beijing out of key sectors of economic activity. The pace of China's rise is almost unique. Some ten years ago the US economy was still three times the size of that of China. No longer. In modern times the US has never faced an economic competitor of equal size let alone one that will out-pace it. This is entirely new. And it is, belatedly perhaps, prompting a fundamental rethink of the terms of economic competition: a rethink that puts economic power explicitly back where it always should have been, as the central foundation of national strategy and national power. This of course is something the Chinese have understood all along. Nineteenth century China was the victim of western expansionism and buccaneering trade practices. It is a history that is well-remembered there, whereas in the West, the Opium Wars or France's Tonkin campaigns - its early forays into Indo-China - are largely forgotten. China's "Belt and Road" initiative - its expansive plans for close economic ties with a chain of countries - was not solely about markets and access to raw materials, but reflected a fundamental strategic effort. This has been bolstered by a long-standing programme of buying up and developing essential port facilities around the globe. It was a conscious policy to secure China's economic future as the key determinant of national power. The "Belt and Road" initiative was undertaken with the understanding that the US and Japan would not necessarily be China's main trading partners in the long-term. China has tapped into huge markets throughout the developing world - literally billions of people. The Chinese economy may be faltering right now (at least in relative terms) but as one well
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Jonathan MarcusDiplomatic correspondent@Diplo1on Twitter Of course, there may be a good dose of old-fashioned commercial rivalry as well. These are the technologies after all that will shape the world's economic future. But is there something more? Are we witnessing the first significant engagement in something that is much more than simply a conventional trade war? For years commentators have been talking about China's rise: a shift of economic power to the East and the relative decline of the US. None of this was likely to happen without friction - but now though, the US is fighting back. Spokesmen talk about preparing for a new era of global competition. In the first instance the discussion is military - re-orientating the US armed forces away from fighting insurgencies and regional wars to prepare for state-on-state conflict, with Russia and China as the peer competitors. But in the struggle with China, the economic dimension is fundamental. At one level the Trump administration appears determined to use its economic muscle not just to constrain a company like Huawei, but also to force Beijing to open up its markets and change aspects of its economic behaviour that have long-concerned western companies seeking to do business there. Beijing, of course, sees something different going on - a developing campaign to contain China's rise. And it may be right. This battle is about much more than just business practices and commercial markets, it is a struggle over the most basic underpinnings of national power with huge strategic implications. To put it another way, the West is slowly re-learning the simple fact - one that Beijing has assimilated all too well - that economic muscle is the foundation of global power and that economic strength is the precursor of military might. It is a truism that the West has taken for granted for more than two centuries, but the development of market capitalism and the military revolutions of the 17th Century were inter-linked. It was commercial and economic power that enabled the technology for military innovation, and this, in turn, facilitated the sea-borne empires of the 17th and 18th centuries and the steam-driven empires of the 19th. When the US fully supplanted Great Britain as the dominant power in the West at the end of World War Two, for a brief moment the world had a single nuclear-armed global superpower. Of course the Soviet Union sought to rival the US in terms of its political and economic model, but it could not sustain the trappings of a military superpower over time. And with the collapse of Soviet communism, the US once again emerged as the sole global player with real military reach. This was the "unipolar" moment which now, in retrospect, seems all so brief. The rivalry between Washington and Moscow during the Cold War years is instructive. Not because it is a parallel for today's growing tensions between the US and China, but rather because of how different it was. There was simply no equivalent to the current economic rivalry. The Soviet Union's economy was largely cut off from the West - its technical development circumscribed and comparatively backward except in a few key areas. Western trade restrictions prevented the export of all kinds of technologies to the communist bloc. China is an entirely different matter. Its huge economy and manufacturing base are hard-wired into the international economic system. It is probably a bit late to try to shut Beijing out of key sectors of economic activity. The pace of China's rise is almost unique. Some ten years ago the US economy was still three times the size of that of China. No longer. In modern times the US has never faced an economic competitor of equal size let alone one that will out-pace it. This is entirely new. And it is, belatedly perhaps, prompting a fundamental rethink of the terms of economic competition: a rethink that puts economic power explicitly back where it always should have been, as the central foundation of national strategy and national power. This of course is something the Chinese have understood all along. Nineteenth century China was the victim of western expansionism and buccaneering trade practices. It is a history that is well-remembered there, whereas in the West, the Opium Wars or France's Tonkin campaigns - its early forays into Indo-China - are largely forgotten. China's "Belt and Road" initiative - its expansive plans for close economic ties with a chain of countries - was not solely about markets and access to raw materials, but reflected a fundamental strategic effort. This has been bolstered by a long-standing programme of buying up and developing essential port facilities around the globe. It was a conscious policy to secure China's economic future as the key determinant of national power. The "Belt and Road" initiative was undertaken with the understanding that the US and Japan would not necessarily be China's main trading partners in the long-term. China has tapped into huge markets throughout the developing world - literally billions of people. The Chinese economy may be faltering right now (at least in relative terms) but as one well
### Summary:
The US and China are fighting back against each other.
### Spelling
The US and China are fighting back against each other.
### Language
The US and China are fighting back against each other.
### Sh |
entertainment-arts-40145811 | https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40145811 | Producer's childhood helped 'inspire' Harry Potter play | Harry Potter author JK Rowling has said she was "always looking for stories that might help me understand". | Harry Potter And The Cursed Child came about after Sonia Friedman approached author JK Rowling and portrays the orphaned wizard as a parent himself. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Friedman said she was "very drawn to the notion of Harry as a dad". She added she was "always looking for stories that might help me understand". Friedman, 52, said she had experienced rejection due to a lack of a relationship with her father - the acclaimed Russian violinist Leonard Friedman, who left her mother before she was born. She told Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young: "I will never understand what it would be like to have a dad, and so I'm always looking for stories that might help me understand." Friedman this year topped the Stage 100 list of the UK's most influential people in performing arts while Harry Potter And The Cursed Child won a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards. The play was written by Jack Thorne after Rowling gave Friedman her approval to create a theatre production. Based on an original story by Rowling and John Tiffany, it is set 19 years after the final novel of the seven-book series. Friedman said she and her co-producer, Colin Callender, "were very drawn to the notion of Harry as a dad given that he hadn't had parents of his own, and Jo [Rowling] loved that idea". She said: "I feel incredibly privileged and blessed that I can use my emotional background and my experiences to encourage others to put it on to paper, and then the stage." On her own relationship with her father, Friedman said that she would meet him around "once a year" as a child. She said: "I never had abandonment issues, but certainly rejection". She added: "I never got a birthday present from him, I never got a Christmas present from him, and I don't blame him. "I know that as a kid he had a very difficult life. His parents pushed him to be an extraordinary musician and he was told to put the music first, to put the art first." But Friedman said she had a "need" to see her father shortly before his death in 1994. "At the end of the supper he turned to me and said, 'Sonia, I'm very proud of you'," she said. "Those were the last words he ever said to me. He never said I love you to me, but he did say I'm proud of you." Desert Island Discs is on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 4 June at 11:15 BST or listen later on iPlayer | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child came about after Sonia Friedman approached author JK Rowling and portrays the orphaned wizard as a parent himself. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Friedman said she was "very drawn to the notion of Harry as a dad". She added she was "always looking for stories that might help me understand". Friedman, 52, said she had experienced rejection due to a lack of a relationship with her father - the acclaimed Russian violinist Leonard Friedman, who left her mother before she was born. She told Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young: "I will never understand what it would be like to have a dad, and so I'm always looking for stories that might help me understand." Friedman this year topped the Stage 100 list of the UK's most influential people in performing arts while Harry Potter And The Cursed Child won a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards. The play was written by Jack Thorne after Rowling gave Friedman her approval to create a theatre production. Based on an original story by Rowling and John Tiffany, it is set 19 years after the final novel of the seven-book series. Friedman said she and her co-producer, Colin Callender, "were very drawn to the notion of Harry as a dad given that he hadn't had parents of his own, and Jo [Rowling] loved that idea". She said: "I feel incredibly privileged and blessed that I can use my emotional background and my experiences to encourage others to put it on to paper, and then the stage." On her own relationship with her father, Friedman said that she would meet him around "once a year" as a child. She said: "I never had abandonment issues, but certainly rejection". She added: "I never got a birthday present from him, I never got a Christmas present from him, and I don't blame him. "I know that as a kid he had a very difficult life. His parents pushed him to be an extraordinary musician and he was told to put the music first, to put the art first." But Friedman said she had a "need" to see her father shortly before his death in 1994. "At the end of the supper he turned to me and said, 'Sonia, I'm very proud of you'," she said. "Those were the last words he ever said to me. He never said I love you to me, but he did say I'm proud of you." Desert Island Discs is on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 4 June at 11:15 BST or listen later on iPlayer
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child came about after Sonia Friedman approached author JK Rowling and portrays the orphaned wizard as a parent himself. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Friedman said she was "very drawn to the notion of Harry as a dad". She added she was "always looking for stories that might help me understand". Friedman, 52, said she had experienced rejection due to a lack of a relationship with her father - the acclaimed Russian violinist Leonard Friedman, who left her mother before she was born. She told Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young: "I will never understand what it would be like to have a dad, and so I'm always looking for stories that might help me understand." Friedman this year topped the Stage 100 list of the UK's most influential people in performing arts while Harry Potter And The Cursed Child won a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards. The play was written by Jack Thorne after Rowling gave Friedman her approval to create a theatre production. Based on an original story by Rowling and John Tiffany, it is set 19 years after the final novel of the seven-book series. Friedman said she and her co-producer, Colin Callender, "were very drawn to the notion of Harry as a dad given that he hadn't had parents of his own, and Jo [Rowling] loved that idea". She said: "I feel incredibly privileged and blessed that I can use my emotional background and my experiences to encourage others to put it on to paper, and then the stage." On her own relationship with her father, Friedman said that she would meet him around "once a year" as a child. She said: "I never had abandonment issues, but certainly rejection". She added: "I never got a birthday present from him, I never got a Christmas present from him, and I don't blame him. "I know that as a kid he had a very difficult life. His parents pushed him to be an extraordinary musician and he was told to put the music first, to put the art first." But Friedman said she had a "need" to see her father shortly before his death in 1994. "At the end of the supper he turned to me and said, 'Sonia, I'm very proud of you'," she said. "Those were the last words he ever said to me. He never said I love you to me, but he did say I'm proud of you." Desert Island Discs is on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 4 June at 11:15 BST or listen later on iPlayer
### Summary:
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has said she was "always looking for stories that might help me understand".
### Details:
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child has won a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards |
world-middle-east-48995866 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48995866 | Iran nuclear deal breaches not yet significant, EU says | Iran has broken restrictions on its production of enriched uranium, used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs. | "We invite Iran to reverse the steps and go back to full compliance," Federica Mogherini said on Monday. Iran has broken restrictions on its production of enriched uranium, used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs. It says it is in response to sanctions reinstated and tightened by the US. Iran-US tensions have soared since Washington withdrew from the nuclear agreement last year, saying it was flawed. There has been tension with the UK, too, following the UK seizure of an Iranian oil tanker earlier this month suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of sanctions. Iran denies this. The long-term nuclear deal involves Iran limiting its nuclear activities in return for the easing of economic sanctions, which have badly hurt its economy. "Technically all the steps that have been taken, and that we regret have been taken, are reversible," Ms Mogherini said, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. She said none of the signatories to the deal considered the breaches to be significant, and so they would not be triggering its dispute mechanism which could lead to further sanctions. The meeting in Brussels was focused on reducing tensions with Iran and ensuring the nuclear deal remains in place. Earlier on Monday, UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said there was a "small window" to save the deal. "Iran is still a good year away from developing a nuclear weapon," he said. In a joint statement issued ahead of the meeting, Britain, France and Germany reiterated their support for it. Why does saving the Iran nuclear deal matter? Even if Iran does not actually build a nuclear warhead, it only has to reach the point at which it COULD produce one for its nervous neighbours to decide this is too much of a risk. They will want their own one too - as a deterrent. Statements from Saudi Arabia, Iran's Middle East rival, have made it clear the country would not accept a nuclear-armed Iran. So then, as stated by diplomats in Brussels, we are into a nuclear arms race. What does that mean in practice? In all probability Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt would all want to become nuclear weapons powers, with the potential to obliterate entire cities. This would be in a part of the world that has seen almost continuous conflict in places for the last 71 years. Finally, there is the risk that should Iran ever go nuclear some fear it could pass on a warhead to a non-state militia like Hezbollah. This is why the Iran nuclear deal matters, even if you don't live anywhere near the Gulf. Why is the deal in trouble? In 2018, US President Donald Trump said he would unilaterally withdraw the US from the agreement which was signed under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama. The other parties criticised Mr Trump's decision and said they remained fully committed to the deal. The Mail on Sunday published a leaked memo from the UK's ambassador in Washington which said Mr Trump abandoned the nuclear deal to spite Mr Obama. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had breached the deal's cap on stockpiling of low-enriched uranium. Iran said it was responding to sanctions reinstated by the US after Mr Trump abandoned the deal. Last week it confirmed it will break another of the limits imposed by the deal. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
"We invite Iran to reverse the steps and go back to full compliance," Federica Mogherini said on Monday. Iran has broken restrictions on its production of enriched uranium, used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs. It says it is in response to sanctions reinstated and tightened by the US. Iran-US tensions have soared since Washington withdrew from the nuclear agreement last year, saying it was flawed. There has been tension with the UK, too, following the UK seizure of an Iranian oil tanker earlier this month suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of sanctions. Iran denies this. The long-term nuclear deal involves Iran limiting its nuclear activities in return for the easing of economic sanctions, which have badly hurt its economy. "Technically all the steps that have been taken, and that we regret have been taken, are reversible," Ms Mogherini said, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. She said none of the signatories to the deal considered the breaches to be significant, and so they would not be triggering its dispute mechanism which could lead to further sanctions. The meeting in Brussels was focused on reducing tensions with Iran and ensuring the nuclear deal remains in place. Earlier on Monday, UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said there was a "small window" to save the deal. "Iran is still a good year away from developing a nuclear weapon," he said. In a joint statement issued ahead of the meeting, Britain, France and Germany reiterated their support for it. Why does saving the Iran nuclear deal matter? Even if Iran does not actually build a nuclear warhead, it only has to reach the point at which it COULD produce one for its nervous neighbours to decide this is too much of a risk. They will want their own one too - as a deterrent. Statements from Saudi Arabia, Iran's Middle East rival, have made it clear the country would not accept a nuclear-armed Iran. So then, as stated by diplomats in Brussels, we are into a nuclear arms race. What does that mean in practice? In all probability Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt would all want to become nuclear weapons powers, with the potential to obliterate entire cities. This would be in a part of the world that has seen almost continuous conflict in places for the last 71 years. Finally, there is the risk that should Iran ever go nuclear some fear it could pass on a warhead to a non-state militia like Hezbollah. This is why the Iran nuclear deal matters, even if you don't live anywhere near the Gulf. Why is the deal in trouble? In 2018, US President Donald Trump said he would unilaterally withdraw the US from the agreement which was signed under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama. The other parties criticised Mr Trump's decision and said they remained fully committed to the deal. The Mail on Sunday published a leaked memo from the UK's ambassador in Washington which said Mr Trump abandoned the nuclear deal to spite Mr Obama. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had breached the deal's cap on stockpiling of low-enriched uranium. Iran said it was responding to sanctions reinstated by the US after Mr Trump abandoned the deal. Last week it confirmed it will break another of the limits imposed by the deal.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
"We invite Iran to reverse the steps and go back to full compliance," Federica Mogherini said on Monday. Iran has broken restrictions on its production of enriched uranium, used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs. It says it is in response to sanctions reinstated and tightened by the US. Iran-US tensions have soared since Washington withdrew from the nuclear agreement last year, saying it was flawed. There has been tension with the UK, too, following the UK seizure of an Iranian oil tanker earlier this month suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of sanctions. Iran denies this. The long-term nuclear deal involves Iran limiting its nuclear activities in return for the easing of economic sanctions, which have badly hurt its economy. "Technically all the steps that have been taken, and that we regret have been taken, are reversible," Ms Mogherini said, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. She said none of the signatories to the deal considered the breaches to be significant, and so they would not be triggering its dispute mechanism which could lead to further sanctions. The meeting in Brussels was focused on reducing tensions with Iran and ensuring the nuclear deal remains in place. Earlier on Monday, UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said there was a "small window" to save the deal. "Iran is still a good year away from developing a nuclear weapon," he said. In a joint statement issued ahead of the meeting, Britain, France and Germany reiterated their support for it. Why does saving the Iran nuclear deal matter? Even if Iran does not actually build a nuclear warhead, it only has to reach the point at which it COULD produce one for its nervous neighbours to decide this is too much of a risk. They will want their own one too - as a deterrent. Statements from Saudi Arabia, Iran's Middle East rival, have made it clear the country would not accept a nuclear-armed Iran. So then, as stated by diplomats in Brussels, we are into a nuclear arms race. What does that mean in practice? In all probability Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt would all want to become nuclear weapons powers, with the potential to obliterate entire cities. This would be in a part of the world that has seen almost continuous conflict in places for the last 71 years. Finally, there is the risk that should Iran ever go nuclear some fear it could pass on a warhead to a non-state militia like Hezbollah. This is why the Iran nuclear deal matters, even if you don't live anywhere near the Gulf. Why is the deal in trouble? In 2018, US President Donald Trump said he would unilaterally withdraw the US from the agreement which was signed under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama. The other parties criticised Mr Trump's decision and said they remained fully committed to the deal. The Mail on Sunday published a leaked memo from the UK's ambassador in Washington which said Mr Trump abandoned the nuclear deal to spite Mr Obama. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had breached the deal's cap on stockpiling of low-enriched uranium. Iran said it was responding to sanctions reinstated by the US after Mr Trump abandoned the deal. Last week it confirmed it will break another of the limits imposed by the deal.
### Summary:
Iran has broken restrictions on its production of enriched uranium, used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs.
### Spelling and grammar
Iran has broken restrictions on its production of enriched uran |
uk-politics-37166203 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37166203 | Green Party: How might new job-share leadership work? | Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley have been elected as the Green Party's first MP. | The two gave a joint acceptance speech in which they said their election on a single ticket showed the party was not afraid to be different and was not bound by tradition. As the party's first and sole MP, Ms Lucas is one of the most familiar figures in British politics while Mr Bartley is relatively unknown outside Westminster. But what do we know about the duo and how they will work together? Caroline Lucas It is second time around for Caroline Lucas who having led the party between 2008 and 2012, will now take the helm again - this time in tandem with Mr Bartley. Ms Lucas made history when she became the party's first MP in 2010 taking the seat of Brighton Pavilion from Labour. She was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority of nearly 8,000. At Westminster, the 56-year old has raised the party's profile with her opposition to the so-called "bedroom tax", the benefits cap, the renewal of Trident and the Sun's Page 3 while she hit the headlines in 2013 for different reasons when she was arrested during an anti-fracking demonstration. The Spectator named her "newcomer of the year" in 2010 and, although a lone voice on many issues, she has become a widely respected figure across the House. Ms Lucas, who was an academic before entering politics and has also served as an MEP, took many by surprise when she stood down in 2012. At the time, she said she wanted "to give other people the opportunity to get well-known, to have some profile in the party, hopefully to use that to get themselves elected as well". She was replaced by Natalie Bennett but the new leader failed to be elected to the Commons in 2015 despite boosting her profile by participating in the leaders' debates at the last election. Labour's move to the left under Jeremy Corbyn has also raised concerns that the party's vote could be squeezed. Ms Lucas has courted controversy by floating the idea of an electoral pact with Labour and other progressive parties to take seats from the Conservatives in 2020. Although Ms Lucas is respected by the current Labour leadership - to the degree that she was at one point tipped for a job in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet - the idea of a pact has been dismissed by Labour, and many Green activists are wary. Jonathan Bartley Jonathan Bartley is the Green Party's spokesman on work and pensions who, according to their leadership manifesto, has much in common with Ms Lucas including "considerable experience of campaigning and winning". Active in the Green Party in south London for about five years, the 45-year-old stood for the party in the recent London Assembly elections but failed to win a seat. A year before that, he stood as a general election candidate in Streatham, coming fourth. As a student at the London School of Economics in the early 1990s, Mr Bartley is believed to have had Conservative leanings. He is reported to have volunteered for John Major in 1995 when the then prime minister faced a challenge to his leadership from John Redwood. He founded the think tank Ekklesia in 2002 - only standing down as a director earlier this year - and became a commentator on issues of faith, religion and public policy. Mr Bartley first rose to national attention as vice-chairman of the Yes to Fairer Votes Campaign during the 2011 referendum - in which the Greens were a prominent voice. He was a spokesman for the organisation in its ill-fated effort to persuade the public to ditch the current first-past-the-post electoral system in favour of the alternative vote. But he is perhaps best-known for his public confrontation with David Cameron during the 2010 general election campaign during which he raised his concerns about the treatment of disabled children in the education system. Mr Bartley told the then prime minister about the two-year struggle he had faced to get his son Samuel into a local school and remonstrated with Mr Cameron about plans to end the bias towards inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream schools. Mr Bartley, who is married with three children, is a direct descendant of the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry and is a drummer for the Mustangs soul group. How the arrangement might work? As David Owen and David Steel can testify, joint leadership of a political movement is not necessarily a bed of roses. The two men headed the SDP-Liberal Alliance during the mid-1980s and were mercilessly satirised by Spitting Image in the run-up to the 1987 election - with Mr Steel being characterised as a midget in Mr Owen's pocket. Spreading the leadership burden is not entirely alien to the Green Party, which historically shied away from having a single figurehead, relying instead on having what they described as two principal speakers. The job-share ticket recalls this arrangement - which lasted until 2008 - and has echoes in the Scottish Green Party, which is led by two co-convenors. Although it is unclear how the approach will work in practice, it has been suggested that Ms Lucas will lead the party's parliamentary and campaigning efforts in areas such as fracking and the EU, while Mr Bartley will focus more on organisation and policy. With his background in communications, Mr Bartley is also expected to take on some of the party's media duties as well as trying to differentiate the party's pitch on the economy, social issues and public services. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The two gave a joint acceptance speech in which they said their election on a single ticket showed the party was not afraid to be different and was not bound by tradition. As the party's first and sole MP, Ms Lucas is one of the most familiar figures in British politics while Mr Bartley is relatively unknown outside Westminster. But what do we know about the duo and how they will work together? Caroline Lucas It is second time around for Caroline Lucas who having led the party between 2008 and 2012, will now take the helm again - this time in tandem with Mr Bartley. Ms Lucas made history when she became the party's first MP in 2010 taking the seat of Brighton Pavilion from Labour. She was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority of nearly 8,000. At Westminster, the 56-year old has raised the party's profile with her opposition to the so-called "bedroom tax", the benefits cap, the renewal of Trident and the Sun's Page 3 while she hit the headlines in 2013 for different reasons when she was arrested during an anti-fracking demonstration. The Spectator named her "newcomer of the year" in 2010 and, although a lone voice on many issues, she has become a widely respected figure across the House. Ms Lucas, who was an academic before entering politics and has also served as an MEP, took many by surprise when she stood down in 2012. At the time, she said she wanted "to give other people the opportunity to get well-known, to have some profile in the party, hopefully to use that to get themselves elected as well". She was replaced by Natalie Bennett but the new leader failed to be elected to the Commons in 2015 despite boosting her profile by participating in the leaders' debates at the last election. Labour's move to the left under Jeremy Corbyn has also raised concerns that the party's vote could be squeezed. Ms Lucas has courted controversy by floating the idea of an electoral pact with Labour and other progressive parties to take seats from the Conservatives in 2020. Although Ms Lucas is respected by the current Labour leadership - to the degree that she was at one point tipped for a job in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet - the idea of a pact has been dismissed by Labour, and many Green activists are wary. Jonathan Bartley Jonathan Bartley is the Green Party's spokesman on work and pensions who, according to their leadership manifesto, has much in common with Ms Lucas including "considerable experience of campaigning and winning". Active in the Green Party in south London for about five years, the 45-year-old stood for the party in the recent London Assembly elections but failed to win a seat. A year before that, he stood as a general election candidate in Streatham, coming fourth. As a student at the London School of Economics in the early 1990s, Mr Bartley is believed to have had Conservative leanings. He is reported to have volunteered for John Major in 1995 when the then prime minister faced a challenge to his leadership from John Redwood. He founded the think tank Ekklesia in 2002 - only standing down as a director earlier this year - and became a commentator on issues of faith, religion and public policy. Mr Bartley first rose to national attention as vice-chairman of the Yes to Fairer Votes Campaign during the 2011 referendum - in which the Greens were a prominent voice. He was a spokesman for the organisation in its ill-fated effort to persuade the public to ditch the current first-past-the-post electoral system in favour of the alternative vote. But he is perhaps best-known for his public confrontation with David Cameron during the 2010 general election campaign during which he raised his concerns about the treatment of disabled children in the education system. Mr Bartley told the then prime minister about the two-year struggle he had faced to get his son Samuel into a local school and remonstrated with Mr Cameron about plans to end the bias towards inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream schools. Mr Bartley, who is married with three children, is a direct descendant of the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry and is a drummer for the Mustangs soul group. How the arrangement might work? As David Owen and David Steel can testify, joint leadership of a political movement is not necessarily a bed of roses. The two men headed the SDP-Liberal Alliance during the mid-1980s and were mercilessly satirised by Spitting Image in the run-up to the 1987 election - with Mr Steel being characterised as a midget in Mr Owen's pocket. Spreading the leadership burden is not entirely alien to the Green Party, which historically shied away from having a single figurehead, relying instead on having what they described as two principal speakers. The job-share ticket recalls this arrangement - which lasted until 2008 - and has echoes in the Scottish Green Party, which is led by two co-convenors. Although it is unclear how the approach will work in practice, it has been suggested that Ms Lucas will lead the party's parliamentary
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The two gave a joint acceptance speech in which they said their election on a single ticket showed the party was not afraid to be different and was not bound by tradition. As the party's first and sole MP, Ms Lucas is one of the most familiar figures in British politics while Mr Bartley is relatively unknown outside Westminster. But what do we know about the duo and how they will work together? Caroline Lucas It is second time around for Caroline Lucas who having led the party between 2008 and 2012, will now take the helm again - this time in tandem with Mr Bartley. Ms Lucas made history when she became the party's first MP in 2010 taking the seat of Brighton Pavilion from Labour. She was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority of nearly 8,000. At Westminster, the 56-year old has raised the party's profile with her opposition to the so-called "bedroom tax", the benefits cap, the renewal of Trident and the Sun's Page 3 while she hit the headlines in 2013 for different reasons when she was arrested during an anti-fracking demonstration. The Spectator named her "newcomer of the year" in 2010 and, although a lone voice on many issues, she has become a widely respected figure across the House. Ms Lucas, who was an academic before entering politics and has also served as an MEP, took many by surprise when she stood down in 2012. At the time, she said she wanted "to give other people the opportunity to get well-known, to have some profile in the party, hopefully to use that to get themselves elected as well". She was replaced by Natalie Bennett but the new leader failed to be elected to the Commons in 2015 despite boosting her profile by participating in the leaders' debates at the last election. Labour's move to the left under Jeremy Corbyn has also raised concerns that the party's vote could be squeezed. Ms Lucas has courted controversy by floating the idea of an electoral pact with Labour and other progressive parties to take seats from the Conservatives in 2020. Although Ms Lucas is respected by the current Labour leadership - to the degree that she was at one point tipped for a job in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet - the idea of a pact has been dismissed by Labour, and many Green activists are wary. Jonathan Bartley Jonathan Bartley is the Green Party's spokesman on work and pensions who, according to their leadership manifesto, has much in common with Ms Lucas including "considerable experience of campaigning and winning". Active in the Green Party in south London for about five years, the 45-year-old stood for the party in the recent London Assembly elections but failed to win a seat. A year before that, he stood as a general election candidate in Streatham, coming fourth. As a student at the London School of Economics in the early 1990s, Mr Bartley is believed to have had Conservative leanings. He is reported to have volunteered for John Major in 1995 when the then prime minister faced a challenge to his leadership from John Redwood. He founded the think tank Ekklesia in 2002 - only standing down as a director earlier this year - and became a commentator on issues of faith, religion and public policy. Mr Bartley first rose to national attention as vice-chairman of the Yes to Fairer Votes Campaign during the 2011 referendum - in which the Greens were a prominent voice. He was a spokesman for the organisation in its ill-fated effort to persuade the public to ditch the current first-past-the-post electoral system in favour of the alternative vote. But he is perhaps best-known for his public confrontation with David Cameron during the 2010 general election campaign during which he raised his concerns about the treatment of disabled children in the education system. Mr Bartley told the then prime minister about the two-year struggle he had faced to get his son Samuel into a local school and remonstrated with Mr Cameron about plans to end the bias towards inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream schools. Mr Bartley, who is married with three children, is a direct descendant of the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry and is a drummer for the Mustangs soul group. How the arrangement might work? As David Owen and David Steel can testify, joint leadership of a political movement is not necessarily a bed of roses. The two men headed the SDP-Liberal Alliance during the mid-1980s and were mercilessly satirised by Spitting Image in the run-up to the 1987 election - with Mr Steel being characterised as a midget in Mr Owen's pocket. Spreading the leadership burden is not entirely alien to the Green Party, which historically shied away from having a single figurehead, relying instead on having what they described as two principal speakers. The job-share ticket recalls this arrangement - which lasted until 2008 - and has echoes in the Scottish Green Party, which is led by two co-convenors. Although it is unclear how the approach will work in practice, it has been suggested that Ms Lucas will lead the party's parliamentary
### Summary:
Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley have been elected as the Green Party's first MP.
### Next:
The Green Party has announced that it will be led by a joint ticket of Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley.
### |
uk-politics-37870930 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37870930 | The e-petitions sent to government that get rejected | Petitions about the UK Government or Parliament are rejected by the Petitions Committee. | By Tom BatemanReporter These are three demands - all rejected - from users of the government's e-petitions service. Petitions gaining more than 100,000 signatures can be considered for a debate in parliament. While some petitions - like Jamie Oliver's petition to tax sugary drinks - can make it all the way into law, others aren't quite so successful. But what the Petitions Committee gives to Jamie Oliver, it takes away from may others, rejecting petitions that fall foul of its standards - set out in full here. Here's a quick run through some of the most common reasons petitions never make it: Petitions about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not responsible for: Petitions that aren't clear about what they want the government to do: Petitions about a purely personal issue: Petitions asking for an honour or appointment: The Petitions Committee can't nominate someone for an honour - there's already a system in place for members of the public to nominate people directly. Also rejected, a series of petitions about raccoons: There's hope for some petitioners though - this petition calling for police horses and dogs to be given the same legal protections as their human colleagues will be debated in parliament's Westminster Hall on 14 November. Popular petitions The most popular e-petitions ever cover some slightly less unusual subjects. The petition with the most signatures - over four million of them - called on the government to hold a second EU membership referendum if either Leave or Remain were backed by less than 60% of voters and saw a turnout of less than 75%. The petition, which attracted a flood of signatures after June's Brexit vote, was debated in September, but there's been no sign of another referendum. Another petition that gained widespread attention was a call for parliament to ban Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the UK. It was debated in January 2016. Mr Trump remains free to visit Britain. Despite these petitions successfully making it into the debating chamber, one member of the public felt Parliament would be better off without having to talk about them: | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Tom BatemanReporter These are three demands - all rejected - from users of the government's e-petitions service. Petitions gaining more than 100,000 signatures can be considered for a debate in parliament. While some petitions - like Jamie Oliver's petition to tax sugary drinks - can make it all the way into law, others aren't quite so successful. But what the Petitions Committee gives to Jamie Oliver, it takes away from may others, rejecting petitions that fall foul of its standards - set out in full here. Here's a quick run through some of the most common reasons petitions never make it: Petitions about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not responsible for: Petitions that aren't clear about what they want the government to do: Petitions about a purely personal issue: Petitions asking for an honour or appointment: The Petitions Committee can't nominate someone for an honour - there's already a system in place for members of the public to nominate people directly. Also rejected, a series of petitions about raccoons: There's hope for some petitioners though - this petition calling for police horses and dogs to be given the same legal protections as their human colleagues will be debated in parliament's Westminster Hall on 14 November. Popular petitions The most popular e-petitions ever cover some slightly less unusual subjects. The petition with the most signatures - over four million of them - called on the government to hold a second EU membership referendum if either Leave or Remain were backed by less than 60% of voters and saw a turnout of less than 75%. The petition, which attracted a flood of signatures after June's Brexit vote, was debated in September, but there's been no sign of another referendum. Another petition that gained widespread attention was a call for parliament to ban Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the UK. It was debated in January 2016. Mr Trump remains free to visit Britain. Despite these petitions successfully making it into the debating chamber, one member of the public felt Parliament would be better off without having to talk about them:
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Tom BatemanReporter These are three demands - all rejected - from users of the government's e-petitions service. Petitions gaining more than 100,000 signatures can be considered for a debate in parliament. While some petitions - like Jamie Oliver's petition to tax sugary drinks - can make it all the way into law, others aren't quite so successful. But what the Petitions Committee gives to Jamie Oliver, it takes away from may others, rejecting petitions that fall foul of its standards - set out in full here. Here's a quick run through some of the most common reasons petitions never make it: Petitions about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not responsible for: Petitions that aren't clear about what they want the government to do: Petitions about a purely personal issue: Petitions asking for an honour or appointment: The Petitions Committee can't nominate someone for an honour - there's already a system in place for members of the public to nominate people directly. Also rejected, a series of petitions about raccoons: There's hope for some petitioners though - this petition calling for police horses and dogs to be given the same legal protections as their human colleagues will be debated in parliament's Westminster Hall on 14 November. Popular petitions The most popular e-petitions ever cover some slightly less unusual subjects. The petition with the most signatures - over four million of them - called on the government to hold a second EU membership referendum if either Leave or Remain were backed by less than 60% of voters and saw a turnout of less than 75%. The petition, which attracted a flood of signatures after June's Brexit vote, was debated in September, but there's been no sign of another referendum. Another petition that gained widespread attention was a call for parliament to ban Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the UK. It was debated in January 2016. Mr Trump remains free to visit Britain. Despite these petitions successfully making it into the debating chamber, one member of the public felt Parliament would be better off without having to talk about them:
### Summary:
Petitions about the UK Government or Parliament are rejected by the Petitions Committee.
### Source:
Petitions about the UK Government or Parliament are rejected by the Petitions Committee.
###
###
Petitions about |
uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-57101762 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-57101762 | Coventry City of Culture: Drill track for festival launch | A rap artist has been chosen to lead the Coventry City of Culture Trust's opening event. | The track, by producer Coolie, is featured in the film Timeless Words Made New, using the words of the writer with the cityscape as a backdrop. It will be broadcast on Saturday to mark the start of the 12-month event. The year will be a celebration of music, dance, theatre, art and culture, said organisers. Coventry City of Culture Trust said the rap artist would lead viewers on a personal tour around the city "he feels is often overlooked". The words of the Victorian novelist have been projected onto iconic buildings while well-known people from the city speak them. "It's so exciting, the city has been waiting for this moment for three years," Chenine Bhathena, creative director of City of Culture Trust, said. While it was "not possible to [launch the festival] in the way we'd want", she said the film was "the re-start of our cultural lives" and was "really powerful". The quotes were chosen for their relevance after a year where people and communities had been challenged and young people "particularly hard hit", the trust said. Culture minister Caroline Dineage said the year-long festival was "important for the whole of the country", and that Saturday's opening event would be "really fun". Coolie, known for his work with another city artist, Jay 1, said the words of Eliot were "as relevant today as they were back when she was writing in Victorian England". The sometimes dark and gritty beats of drill have been seen by some as a link to criminal behaviour, but Coolie said he had used the novelist's quotes about "music, poetry, determination and resilience". Other contributors to the piece include Pauline Black of The Selecter, author Lee Childs, film director Debbie Isitt and Ann Lucas the lord mayor of Coventry. "I got so many members of the Coventry community saying these quotes and sending them to me on voice notes," said Coolie. The result was a film with an "anthemic and emotional feel to it - almost orchestral" he said, which has been merged with the drill genre. On his unusual collaboration with the writer he said it had been an "amazing opportunity to collaborate with someone from our past - such a huge figure - especially for everything she stands for - for female empowerment in a time of the major patriarchy. "It was a brilliant thing to do." The film will go live at 20:21 BST and can be seen on the City of Culture website. The festival has been hindered and delayed by the pandemic, with the trust coordinating a "flexible" programme. In April, the City of Culture trust was awarded £3.5m from the government to support their digital offering to ensure people could enjoy the festival from home in a Covid-safe way. It also announced a further £1.3m in funding from the National Lottery which will be used to take the programme to "neighbourhoods and streets right across the city". Although the festival officially begins on Saturday, its signature launch 'Coventry Moves', had to be pushed back three weeks to 5 June. Street art is already being installed in the city and Ms Bhathena said there was "a real buzz" ahead of Saturday's launch. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Around the BBC BBC: Coventry City of Culture Related Internet Links Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The track, by producer Coolie, is featured in the film Timeless Words Made New, using the words of the writer with the cityscape as a backdrop. It will be broadcast on Saturday to mark the start of the 12-month event. The year will be a celebration of music, dance, theatre, art and culture, said organisers. Coventry City of Culture Trust said the rap artist would lead viewers on a personal tour around the city "he feels is often overlooked". The words of the Victorian novelist have been projected onto iconic buildings while well-known people from the city speak them. "It's so exciting, the city has been waiting for this moment for three years," Chenine Bhathena, creative director of City of Culture Trust, said. While it was "not possible to [launch the festival] in the way we'd want", she said the film was "the re-start of our cultural lives" and was "really powerful". The quotes were chosen for their relevance after a year where people and communities had been challenged and young people "particularly hard hit", the trust said. Culture minister Caroline Dineage said the year-long festival was "important for the whole of the country", and that Saturday's opening event would be "really fun". Coolie, known for his work with another city artist, Jay 1, said the words of Eliot were "as relevant today as they were back when she was writing in Victorian England". The sometimes dark and gritty beats of drill have been seen by some as a link to criminal behaviour, but Coolie said he had used the novelist's quotes about "music, poetry, determination and resilience". Other contributors to the piece include Pauline Black of The Selecter, author Lee Childs, film director Debbie Isitt and Ann Lucas the lord mayor of Coventry. "I got so many members of the Coventry community saying these quotes and sending them to me on voice notes," said Coolie. The result was a film with an "anthemic and emotional feel to it - almost orchestral" he said, which has been merged with the drill genre. On his unusual collaboration with the writer he said it had been an "amazing opportunity to collaborate with someone from our past - such a huge figure - especially for everything she stands for - for female empowerment in a time of the major patriarchy. "It was a brilliant thing to do." The film will go live at 20:21 BST and can be seen on the City of Culture website. The festival has been hindered and delayed by the pandemic, with the trust coordinating a "flexible" programme. In April, the City of Culture trust was awarded £3.5m from the government to support their digital offering to ensure people could enjoy the festival from home in a Covid-safe way. It also announced a further £1.3m in funding from the National Lottery which will be used to take the programme to "neighbourhoods and streets right across the city". Although the festival officially begins on Saturday, its signature launch 'Coventry Moves', had to be pushed back three weeks to 5 June. Street art is already being installed in the city and Ms Bhathena said there was "a real buzz" ahead of Saturday's launch. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Around the BBC BBC: Coventry City of Culture Related Internet Links Coventry UK City of Culture 2021
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The track, by producer Coolie, is featured in the film Timeless Words Made New, using the words of the writer with the cityscape as a backdrop. It will be broadcast on Saturday to mark the start of the 12-month event. The year will be a celebration of music, dance, theatre, art and culture, said organisers. Coventry City of Culture Trust said the rap artist would lead viewers on a personal tour around the city "he feels is often overlooked". The words of the Victorian novelist have been projected onto iconic buildings while well-known people from the city speak them. "It's so exciting, the city has been waiting for this moment for three years," Chenine Bhathena, creative director of City of Culture Trust, said. While it was "not possible to [launch the festival] in the way we'd want", she said the film was "the re-start of our cultural lives" and was "really powerful". The quotes were chosen for their relevance after a year where people and communities had been challenged and young people "particularly hard hit", the trust said. Culture minister Caroline Dineage said the year-long festival was "important for the whole of the country", and that Saturday's opening event would be "really fun". Coolie, known for his work with another city artist, Jay 1, said the words of Eliot were "as relevant today as they were back when she was writing in Victorian England". The sometimes dark and gritty beats of drill have been seen by some as a link to criminal behaviour, but Coolie said he had used the novelist's quotes about "music, poetry, determination and resilience". Other contributors to the piece include Pauline Black of The Selecter, author Lee Childs, film director Debbie Isitt and Ann Lucas the lord mayor of Coventry. "I got so many members of the Coventry community saying these quotes and sending them to me on voice notes," said Coolie. The result was a film with an "anthemic and emotional feel to it - almost orchestral" he said, which has been merged with the drill genre. On his unusual collaboration with the writer he said it had been an "amazing opportunity to collaborate with someone from our past - such a huge figure - especially for everything she stands for - for female empowerment in a time of the major patriarchy. "It was a brilliant thing to do." The film will go live at 20:21 BST and can be seen on the City of Culture website. The festival has been hindered and delayed by the pandemic, with the trust coordinating a "flexible" programme. In April, the City of Culture trust was awarded £3.5m from the government to support their digital offering to ensure people could enjoy the festival from home in a Covid-safe way. It also announced a further £1.3m in funding from the National Lottery which will be used to take the programme to "neighbourhoods and streets right across the city". Although the festival officially begins on Saturday, its signature launch 'Coventry Moves', had to be pushed back three weeks to 5 June. Street art is already being installed in the city and Ms Bhathena said there was "a real buzz" ahead of Saturday's launch. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Around the BBC BBC: Coventry City of Culture Related Internet Links Coventry UK City of Culture 2021
### Summary:
A rap artist has been chosen to lead the Coventry City of Culture Trust's opening event.
### Spelling and grammar
The words of the Victorian novelist have been projected onto iconic buildings while well-known people |
uk-politics-28450125 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-28450125 | UK-based Russians donating large sums to Tories | The Conservative Party has received donations from Russians over the last decade. | The party has been receiving donations from wealthy Russians who have taken British citizenship - foreign donations are banned under UK law - for at least a decade. Since 2010, at least £1,157,433 has been donated to the party through British citizens who were formerly Russian citizens or are married to Russians or their associated companies. Here is a rundown of the biggest donors. Donations from companies with links to Russia or who deal largely with the country but whose owners and directors cannot be verified have been excluded from the list. Labour and the Lib Dems have not received any donations from Russians over the same period. George Piskov Donations: £17,378, including a £10,000 donation direct to party headquarters in 2012. Lev Mikheev Donations: £96,000 Alexander Temerko Donations: Has personally donated £259,230 to the Conservative Party, either to the central office or to local associations. OGN has also donated £185,325 to the Conservative Party Vladimir and Lubov Chernhukhin Donations: Lubov Chernhukhin reportedly paid £160,000 at the most recent Tory summer ball for a game of tennis with David Cameron and Boris Johnson. She had previously donated £5,500 to the Conservative Party between 2012 and 2013. Alexander Knaster Donations: £400,000 to the Conservatives since 2010 according to Electoral Commission records. According to the Guardian, Knaster also donated £50,000 to the Tory 'No to AV' campaign. Access Industries | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The party has been receiving donations from wealthy Russians who have taken British citizenship - foreign donations are banned under UK law - for at least a decade. Since 2010, at least £1,157,433 has been donated to the party through British citizens who were formerly Russian citizens or are married to Russians or their associated companies. Here is a rundown of the biggest donors. Donations from companies with links to Russia or who deal largely with the country but whose owners and directors cannot be verified have been excluded from the list. Labour and the Lib Dems have not received any donations from Russians over the same period. George Piskov Donations: £17,378, including a £10,000 donation direct to party headquarters in 2012. Lev Mikheev Donations: £96,000 Alexander Temerko Donations: Has personally donated £259,230 to the Conservative Party, either to the central office or to local associations. OGN has also donated £185,325 to the Conservative Party Vladimir and Lubov Chernhukhin Donations: Lubov Chernhukhin reportedly paid £160,000 at the most recent Tory summer ball for a game of tennis with David Cameron and Boris Johnson. She had previously donated £5,500 to the Conservative Party between 2012 and 2013. Alexander Knaster Donations: £400,000 to the Conservatives since 2010 according to Electoral Commission records. According to the Guardian, Knaster also donated £50,000 to the Tory 'No to AV' campaign. Access Industries
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The party has been receiving donations from wealthy Russians who have taken British citizenship - foreign donations are banned under UK law - for at least a decade. Since 2010, at least £1,157,433 has been donated to the party through British citizens who were formerly Russian citizens or are married to Russians or their associated companies. Here is a rundown of the biggest donors. Donations from companies with links to Russia or who deal largely with the country but whose owners and directors cannot be verified have been excluded from the list. Labour and the Lib Dems have not received any donations from Russians over the same period. George Piskov Donations: £17,378, including a £10,000 donation direct to party headquarters in 2012. Lev Mikheev Donations: £96,000 Alexander Temerko Donations: Has personally donated £259,230 to the Conservative Party, either to the central office or to local associations. OGN has also donated £185,325 to the Conservative Party Vladimir and Lubov Chernhukhin Donations: Lubov Chernhukhin reportedly paid £160,000 at the most recent Tory summer ball for a game of tennis with David Cameron and Boris Johnson. She had previously donated £5,500 to the Conservative Party between 2012 and 2013. Alexander Knaster Donations: £400,000 to the Conservatives since 2010 according to Electoral Commission records. According to the Guardian, Knaster also donated £50,000 to the Tory 'No to AV' campaign. Access Industries
### Summary:
The Conservative Party has received donations from Russians over the last decade.
### Text:
The Conservative Party has received donations from Russians over the last decade.
### Summary:
|
business-52767227 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52767227 | Asia's fishermen and farmers go digital during virus | A Malaysian farmer has been able to sell his flowers online during the coronavirus pandemic. | By Justin HarperBusiness Reporter Wet markets were shut down as social restrictions were introduced to stop the virus spreading. E-commerce was their saviour as they went online for the first time to connect with customers. It has been a similar story for farmers and fishermen across South East Asia as they embrace a new way to sell. Malaysia's national lockdown, which it calls a Movement Control Order (MCO), has been in place since March and was recently extended to 9 June. Steve Teoh is the owner of the Deoness Plantation in Cameron Highlands, 200km north of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, where he sells corn and flowers. "When the Movement Control Order happened, I was looking at probably throwing away the harvested flowers since the demand abruptly stopped overnight as florist shops had to close," he said. Thankfully, Singapore-based e-commerce platform Lazada stepped in to bring Mr Teoh onboard and connected him with an online florist to sell his flowers to a new customer base. The company also helped other farmers facing the same problem in Malaysia, with piles of fresh fruit and vegetables they couldn't sell in the traditional way. In the first weekend of the lockdown, more than 1.5 tons of vegetables were sold, according to Lazada. "Without an online channel, I will probably have to throw away my flowers," added Mr Teoh. Audrey Goo is the owner of Malaysia-based MyFishman, a fresh seafood subscription and delivery service in Malaysia. She also faced the problem of not being to sell at wet markets or deliver fresh fish before she joined the e-commerce platform. "Our business has definitely been affected by Covid-19, given that we aren't able to supply to restaurants, wholesale fish markets, grocery stalls or coffee shops, as most had to close, but being able to sell online is still keeping us in business," she said. During the MCO, MyFishman saw sales increase by about 150% during the first two weeks as people stocked up with food at home. Lazada said from mid-January to mid-May fresh produce orders have more than doubled in the South East Asia region. "Businesses in every industry and sector, including those in agriculture, are pivoting online to capture the new opportunities arising from changing consumer preferences," said Pierre Poignant, group chief executive at Lazada. Challenging times In Indonesia, farming cooperative Rumah Sayur Group has ventured online to help 2,500 farmers from 89 villages sell their fresh produce. The group previously sold direct to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafés in the Greater Jakarta area. But when the pandemic hit, sales dropped by more than 60%. That's when they turned to e-commerce. Indonesian farmer Pak Opik mostly sells "exotic" vegetables such as purple cabbages and Japanese cucumbers in traditional wet markets in the Jakarta area and West Javan city of Bandung. "The current pandemic situation is very challenging for us farmers, as we are used to selling our products through the traditional channels," he said. But through the group's e-commerce partnership "our harvests can still reach consumers nationwide - especially during the current situation where people are unable to go to the market like they used to". In Thailand, Lazada is working with the government to help local farmers who normally export their fruit find new buyers locally. The Thai government and Lazada are looking to onboard up to 50 fruit sellers during the country's Golden Fruit Month campaign in June. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has opened up its Taobao Live platform to farmers for free along with its Foodie Livestream channel to connect farmers across China with its 41 million followers. The Jack Ma-founded tech firm says 15m kilos of products were sold during the first three days of livestreaming. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Justin HarperBusiness Reporter Wet markets were shut down as social restrictions were introduced to stop the virus spreading. E-commerce was their saviour as they went online for the first time to connect with customers. It has been a similar story for farmers and fishermen across South East Asia as they embrace a new way to sell. Malaysia's national lockdown, which it calls a Movement Control Order (MCO), has been in place since March and was recently extended to 9 June. Steve Teoh is the owner of the Deoness Plantation in Cameron Highlands, 200km north of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, where he sells corn and flowers. "When the Movement Control Order happened, I was looking at probably throwing away the harvested flowers since the demand abruptly stopped overnight as florist shops had to close," he said. Thankfully, Singapore-based e-commerce platform Lazada stepped in to bring Mr Teoh onboard and connected him with an online florist to sell his flowers to a new customer base. The company also helped other farmers facing the same problem in Malaysia, with piles of fresh fruit and vegetables they couldn't sell in the traditional way. In the first weekend of the lockdown, more than 1.5 tons of vegetables were sold, according to Lazada. "Without an online channel, I will probably have to throw away my flowers," added Mr Teoh. Audrey Goo is the owner of Malaysia-based MyFishman, a fresh seafood subscription and delivery service in Malaysia. She also faced the problem of not being to sell at wet markets or deliver fresh fish before she joined the e-commerce platform. "Our business has definitely been affected by Covid-19, given that we aren't able to supply to restaurants, wholesale fish markets, grocery stalls or coffee shops, as most had to close, but being able to sell online is still keeping us in business," she said. During the MCO, MyFishman saw sales increase by about 150% during the first two weeks as people stocked up with food at home. Lazada said from mid-January to mid-May fresh produce orders have more than doubled in the South East Asia region. "Businesses in every industry and sector, including those in agriculture, are pivoting online to capture the new opportunities arising from changing consumer preferences," said Pierre Poignant, group chief executive at Lazada. Challenging times In Indonesia, farming cooperative Rumah Sayur Group has ventured online to help 2,500 farmers from 89 villages sell their fresh produce. The group previously sold direct to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafés in the Greater Jakarta area. But when the pandemic hit, sales dropped by more than 60%. That's when they turned to e-commerce. Indonesian farmer Pak Opik mostly sells "exotic" vegetables such as purple cabbages and Japanese cucumbers in traditional wet markets in the Jakarta area and West Javan city of Bandung. "The current pandemic situation is very challenging for us farmers, as we are used to selling our products through the traditional channels," he said. But through the group's e-commerce partnership "our harvests can still reach consumers nationwide - especially during the current situation where people are unable to go to the market like they used to". In Thailand, Lazada is working with the government to help local farmers who normally export their fruit find new buyers locally. The Thai government and Lazada are looking to onboard up to 50 fruit sellers during the country's Golden Fruit Month campaign in June. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has opened up its Taobao Live platform to farmers for free along with its Foodie Livestream channel to connect farmers across China with its 41 million followers. The Jack Ma-founded tech firm says 15m kilos of products were sold during the first three days of livestreaming.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Justin HarperBusiness Reporter Wet markets were shut down as social restrictions were introduced to stop the virus spreading. E-commerce was their saviour as they went online for the first time to connect with customers. It has been a similar story for farmers and fishermen across South East Asia as they embrace a new way to sell. Malaysia's national lockdown, which it calls a Movement Control Order (MCO), has been in place since March and was recently extended to 9 June. Steve Teoh is the owner of the Deoness Plantation in Cameron Highlands, 200km north of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, where he sells corn and flowers. "When the Movement Control Order happened, I was looking at probably throwing away the harvested flowers since the demand abruptly stopped overnight as florist shops had to close," he said. Thankfully, Singapore-based e-commerce platform Lazada stepped in to bring Mr Teoh onboard and connected him with an online florist to sell his flowers to a new customer base. The company also helped other farmers facing the same problem in Malaysia, with piles of fresh fruit and vegetables they couldn't sell in the traditional way. In the first weekend of the lockdown, more than 1.5 tons of vegetables were sold, according to Lazada. "Without an online channel, I will probably have to throw away my flowers," added Mr Teoh. Audrey Goo is the owner of Malaysia-based MyFishman, a fresh seafood subscription and delivery service in Malaysia. She also faced the problem of not being to sell at wet markets or deliver fresh fish before she joined the e-commerce platform. "Our business has definitely been affected by Covid-19, given that we aren't able to supply to restaurants, wholesale fish markets, grocery stalls or coffee shops, as most had to close, but being able to sell online is still keeping us in business," she said. During the MCO, MyFishman saw sales increase by about 150% during the first two weeks as people stocked up with food at home. Lazada said from mid-January to mid-May fresh produce orders have more than doubled in the South East Asia region. "Businesses in every industry and sector, including those in agriculture, are pivoting online to capture the new opportunities arising from changing consumer preferences," said Pierre Poignant, group chief executive at Lazada. Challenging times In Indonesia, farming cooperative Rumah Sayur Group has ventured online to help 2,500 farmers from 89 villages sell their fresh produce. The group previously sold direct to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafés in the Greater Jakarta area. But when the pandemic hit, sales dropped by more than 60%. That's when they turned to e-commerce. Indonesian farmer Pak Opik mostly sells "exotic" vegetables such as purple cabbages and Japanese cucumbers in traditional wet markets in the Jakarta area and West Javan city of Bandung. "The current pandemic situation is very challenging for us farmers, as we are used to selling our products through the traditional channels," he said. But through the group's e-commerce partnership "our harvests can still reach consumers nationwide - especially during the current situation where people are unable to go to the market like they used to". In Thailand, Lazada is working with the government to help local farmers who normally export their fruit find new buyers locally. The Thai government and Lazada are looking to onboard up to 50 fruit sellers during the country's Golden Fruit Month campaign in June. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has opened up its Taobao Live platform to farmers for free along with its Foodie Livestream channel to connect farmers across China with its 41 million followers. The Jack Ma-founded tech firm says 15m kilos of products were sold during the first three days of livestreaming.
### Summary:
A Malaysian farmer has been able to sell his flowers online during the coronavirus pandemic.
The company Lazada has helped farmers in Malaysia sell their fresh produce online.
A Thai farmer has been able |
world-asia-21737910 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21737910 | Fukushima disaster: Long road to nuclear clean-up | The Fukushima nuclear plant has been in operation for more than two years. | By Rupert Wingfield-HayesBBC News, Fukushima nuclear plant Unfortunately a look inside the Fukushima plant suggests otherwise. I was part of a group taken in to the Fukushima plant last week, only the second time foreign TV journalists have been allowed in since the disaster two year ago. Very little that we saw in our brief two-hour tour was reassuring. Our first stop was reactor building number four. This place was potentially the most worrying. Inside the shattered building, more than 1,500 spent fuel rods were still sitting inside a cooling pool. They were still highly radioactive and the pool was outside the reactor's steel and concrete containment vessel, perched high on the third floor. A race is now on to get the fuel rods out. A huge steel structure is being erected around building four that will be used to raise the spent fuel out. But that operation will not start until the end of this year, and will then take two more years to complete. If another large earthquake strikes during that time there is real concern the building could collapse. Tepco, the company that runs the plant, told us the building was now strong enough to withstand another quake. But contractors who have worked inside building four have reported that the structure is still extremely fragile. Waste water Reactor number four was only the tip of a radioactive iceberg. Two hundred meters away I could clearly see the twisted and rusting steel of reactor building number three. Two years after the disaster it was still virtually untouched. The reason was simple. The radiation at reactor three was so high workers could not safely go near it. Our bus rushed past without stopping. The Geiger counter reading was over 1,000 micro sieverts an hour. That is roughly the same as ten chest X-rays every hour, or a full CT scan every ten hours. Like reactor four, reactor three had spent fuel rods sitting inside a cooling pool beneath the twisted steel and rubble. Remotely-operated cranes are being used to try and pull away the debris, but it is a painfully slow process. Tepco's other huge problem is contaminated water, tens of thousands of tonnes of it. The 9.0 earthquake that struck two years ago appears to have severely damaged the foundations of the plant - creating large cracks in the underground walls that are supposed to keep the plant water tight. Ground and seawater is now leaking through the cracks in to the basements around the reactors. The water rapidly becomes highly contaminated and cannot be pumped out into the sea. Instead Tepco is building huge 1,000 tonne water tanks to store the contaminated water. The Fukushima site is now dotted with hundreds of them. But the water leakage is so severe that they are having to add a new tank every two to three days. Within two years they will have run out of room. Uncharted territory At the end of our tour we were given 10 minutes with the plant manager, Takeshi Takahashi. Mr Takahashi looked exhausted, dark rings around his eyes. After a long apology for the "inconvenience" caused by the nuclear disaster, Mr Takahashi explained just how long and difficult the clean up would be. "We need to remove the broken and damaged fuel and safely isolate it. This work will take 30 to 40 years. Even during the process we should never release any radioactive material into the surrounding environment." It would be easy for an outsider like me to criticise him: why were they not working faster? Why did they still not know what was going on inside the melted-down reactors? But the truth is no-one would wish a job like Mr Takahashi's on their worst enemy. No one has ever dealt with a situation like this before. He and his 3,000 staff are venturing in to completely uncharted territory. And, according to most observers, they are, after a poor start, doing most things right. But the scale of their task is daunting, and it will decades before anyone can truly say the Fukushima disaster is over, and the threat from the plant contained. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Rupert Wingfield-HayesBBC News, Fukushima nuclear plant Unfortunately a look inside the Fukushima plant suggests otherwise. I was part of a group taken in to the Fukushima plant last week, only the second time foreign TV journalists have been allowed in since the disaster two year ago. Very little that we saw in our brief two-hour tour was reassuring. Our first stop was reactor building number four. This place was potentially the most worrying. Inside the shattered building, more than 1,500 spent fuel rods were still sitting inside a cooling pool. They were still highly radioactive and the pool was outside the reactor's steel and concrete containment vessel, perched high on the third floor. A race is now on to get the fuel rods out. A huge steel structure is being erected around building four that will be used to raise the spent fuel out. But that operation will not start until the end of this year, and will then take two more years to complete. If another large earthquake strikes during that time there is real concern the building could collapse. Tepco, the company that runs the plant, told us the building was now strong enough to withstand another quake. But contractors who have worked inside building four have reported that the structure is still extremely fragile. Waste water Reactor number four was only the tip of a radioactive iceberg. Two hundred meters away I could clearly see the twisted and rusting steel of reactor building number three. Two years after the disaster it was still virtually untouched. The reason was simple. The radiation at reactor three was so high workers could not safely go near it. Our bus rushed past without stopping. The Geiger counter reading was over 1,000 micro sieverts an hour. That is roughly the same as ten chest X-rays every hour, or a full CT scan every ten hours. Like reactor four, reactor three had spent fuel rods sitting inside a cooling pool beneath the twisted steel and rubble. Remotely-operated cranes are being used to try and pull away the debris, but it is a painfully slow process. Tepco's other huge problem is contaminated water, tens of thousands of tonnes of it. The 9.0 earthquake that struck two years ago appears to have severely damaged the foundations of the plant - creating large cracks in the underground walls that are supposed to keep the plant water tight. Ground and seawater is now leaking through the cracks in to the basements around the reactors. The water rapidly becomes highly contaminated and cannot be pumped out into the sea. Instead Tepco is building huge 1,000 tonne water tanks to store the contaminated water. The Fukushima site is now dotted with hundreds of them. But the water leakage is so severe that they are having to add a new tank every two to three days. Within two years they will have run out of room. Uncharted territory At the end of our tour we were given 10 minutes with the plant manager, Takeshi Takahashi. Mr Takahashi looked exhausted, dark rings around his eyes. After a long apology for the "inconvenience" caused by the nuclear disaster, Mr Takahashi explained just how long and difficult the clean up would be. "We need to remove the broken and damaged fuel and safely isolate it. This work will take 30 to 40 years. Even during the process we should never release any radioactive material into the surrounding environment." It would be easy for an outsider like me to criticise him: why were they not working faster? Why did they still not know what was going on inside the melted-down reactors? But the truth is no-one would wish a job like Mr Takahashi's on their worst enemy. No one has ever dealt with a situation like this before. He and his 3,000 staff are venturing in to completely uncharted territory. And, according to most observers, they are, after a poor start, doing most things right. But the scale of their task is daunting, and it will decades before anyone can truly say the Fukushima disaster is over, and the threat from the plant contained.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Rupert Wingfield-HayesBBC News, Fukushima nuclear plant Unfortunately a look inside the Fukushima plant suggests otherwise. I was part of a group taken in to the Fukushima plant last week, only the second time foreign TV journalists have been allowed in since the disaster two year ago. Very little that we saw in our brief two-hour tour was reassuring. Our first stop was reactor building number four. This place was potentially the most worrying. Inside the shattered building, more than 1,500 spent fuel rods were still sitting inside a cooling pool. They were still highly radioactive and the pool was outside the reactor's steel and concrete containment vessel, perched high on the third floor. A race is now on to get the fuel rods out. A huge steel structure is being erected around building four that will be used to raise the spent fuel out. But that operation will not start until the end of this year, and will then take two more years to complete. If another large earthquake strikes during that time there is real concern the building could collapse. Tepco, the company that runs the plant, told us the building was now strong enough to withstand another quake. But contractors who have worked inside building four have reported that the structure is still extremely fragile. Waste water Reactor number four was only the tip of a radioactive iceberg. Two hundred meters away I could clearly see the twisted and rusting steel of reactor building number three. Two years after the disaster it was still virtually untouched. The reason was simple. The radiation at reactor three was so high workers could not safely go near it. Our bus rushed past without stopping. The Geiger counter reading was over 1,000 micro sieverts an hour. That is roughly the same as ten chest X-rays every hour, or a full CT scan every ten hours. Like reactor four, reactor three had spent fuel rods sitting inside a cooling pool beneath the twisted steel and rubble. Remotely-operated cranes are being used to try and pull away the debris, but it is a painfully slow process. Tepco's other huge problem is contaminated water, tens of thousands of tonnes of it. The 9.0 earthquake that struck two years ago appears to have severely damaged the foundations of the plant - creating large cracks in the underground walls that are supposed to keep the plant water tight. Ground and seawater is now leaking through the cracks in to the basements around the reactors. The water rapidly becomes highly contaminated and cannot be pumped out into the sea. Instead Tepco is building huge 1,000 tonne water tanks to store the contaminated water. The Fukushima site is now dotted with hundreds of them. But the water leakage is so severe that they are having to add a new tank every two to three days. Within two years they will have run out of room. Uncharted territory At the end of our tour we were given 10 minutes with the plant manager, Takeshi Takahashi. Mr Takahashi looked exhausted, dark rings around his eyes. After a long apology for the "inconvenience" caused by the nuclear disaster, Mr Takahashi explained just how long and difficult the clean up would be. "We need to remove the broken and damaged fuel and safely isolate it. This work will take 30 to 40 years. Even during the process we should never release any radioactive material into the surrounding environment." It would be easy for an outsider like me to criticise him: why were they not working faster? Why did they still not know what was going on inside the melted-down reactors? But the truth is no-one would wish a job like Mr Takahashi's on their worst enemy. No one has ever dealt with a situation like this before. He and his 3,000 staff are venturing in to completely uncharted territory. And, according to most observers, they are, after a poor start, doing most things right. But the scale of their task is daunting, and it will decades before anyone can truly say the Fukushima disaster is over, and the threat from the plant contained.
### Summary:
The Fukushima nuclear plant has been in operation for more than two years.
### Text:
The Fukushima nuclear plant has been in operation for more than two years.
### Summary:
The |
uk-england-kent-28166890 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-28166890 | Kent PCC Ann Barnes rejects David Cameron's criticism | A police and crime commissioner has said she was "disappointed" by David Cameron's remarks about her. | Last month, the Prime Minister said Ann Barnes had "failed to impress" in her role and he "wasn't particularly happy" about what he had heard about her work. At the time, the BBC was unable to contact Mrs Barnes as she was away on holiday. She now says she was "disappointed" by his remarks. "I've never spoken to David Cameron," she said. "He doesn't know what I'm like or what I do as a police and crime commissioner. "He's entitled to his opinion; he's obviously reflecting what people around the county have said to him." She added: "After all, the police and crime commissioner idea was his idea...and I would like the opportunity to talk to him about it." 'Fantastic staff' Mr Cameron's remarks followed a Channel 4 documentary, which saw Mrs Barnes talk about her £85,000-a-year role. During the broadcast, she struggled to explain an approach to policing priorities called "the onion", failed to write her title correctly on a whiteboard and also brought her pet dogs into the office. She said she had not considered resigning. "In the main I'm doing a really good job in Kent," she said. "I'm blessed by a fantastic staff and we're putting victims at the heart of everything that happens here." Mrs Barnes was criticised last year after she appointed Paris Brown as Kent's first youth commissioner, with the teenager subsequently resigning over comments she had posted on Twitter. And it has been claimed Ms Brown's replacement had been involved in a relationship with a 50-year-old former county councillor and youth leader. Kerry Boyd, 20, has since not undertaken any public engagements. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Last month, the Prime Minister said Ann Barnes had "failed to impress" in her role and he "wasn't particularly happy" about what he had heard about her work. At the time, the BBC was unable to contact Mrs Barnes as she was away on holiday. She now says she was "disappointed" by his remarks. "I've never spoken to David Cameron," she said. "He doesn't know what I'm like or what I do as a police and crime commissioner. "He's entitled to his opinion; he's obviously reflecting what people around the county have said to him." She added: "After all, the police and crime commissioner idea was his idea...and I would like the opportunity to talk to him about it." 'Fantastic staff' Mr Cameron's remarks followed a Channel 4 documentary, which saw Mrs Barnes talk about her £85,000-a-year role. During the broadcast, she struggled to explain an approach to policing priorities called "the onion", failed to write her title correctly on a whiteboard and also brought her pet dogs into the office. She said she had not considered resigning. "In the main I'm doing a really good job in Kent," she said. "I'm blessed by a fantastic staff and we're putting victims at the heart of everything that happens here." Mrs Barnes was criticised last year after she appointed Paris Brown as Kent's first youth commissioner, with the teenager subsequently resigning over comments she had posted on Twitter. And it has been claimed Ms Brown's replacement had been involved in a relationship with a 50-year-old former county councillor and youth leader. Kerry Boyd, 20, has since not undertaken any public engagements.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Last month, the Prime Minister said Ann Barnes had "failed to impress" in her role and he "wasn't particularly happy" about what he had heard about her work. At the time, the BBC was unable to contact Mrs Barnes as she was away on holiday. She now says she was "disappointed" by his remarks. "I've never spoken to David Cameron," she said. "He doesn't know what I'm like or what I do as a police and crime commissioner. "He's entitled to his opinion; he's obviously reflecting what people around the county have said to him." She added: "After all, the police and crime commissioner idea was his idea...and I would like the opportunity to talk to him about it." 'Fantastic staff' Mr Cameron's remarks followed a Channel 4 documentary, which saw Mrs Barnes talk about her £85,000-a-year role. During the broadcast, she struggled to explain an approach to policing priorities called "the onion", failed to write her title correctly on a whiteboard and also brought her pet dogs into the office. She said she had not considered resigning. "In the main I'm doing a really good job in Kent," she said. "I'm blessed by a fantastic staff and we're putting victims at the heart of everything that happens here." Mrs Barnes was criticised last year after she appointed Paris Brown as Kent's first youth commissioner, with the teenager subsequently resigning over comments she had posted on Twitter. And it has been claimed Ms Brown's replacement had been involved in a relationship with a 50-year-old former county councillor and youth leader. Kerry Boyd, 20, has since not undertaken any public engagements.
### Summary:
A police and crime commissioner has said she was "disappointed" by David Cameron's remarks about her.
### Text:
A police and crime commissioner has said she was "disappointed" by |
uk-england-shropshire-56900402 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-56900402?obOrigUrl=true | Schools closed after recycling plant fire in Telford | A fire at a recycling plant in Telford has forced the closure of a school. | Plumes of smoke were seen coming from the blaze at Greenway Polymers in Telford, from midday on Monday. Meadows Primary and Newdale Primary in Telford were closed to pupils on Tuesday because of smoke persisting in the area. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it expects to be at the scene for the next seven to 10 days. It said this was to ensure the fire was completely put out, and that the site was structurally safe. Asst Ch Fire Officer Dan Quinn, asked residents to "support us by continuing to say away from the area if possible". A lane also remains closed on the M54 eastbound to allow firefighters access to the site. The fire service is continuing to advise residents to keep their windows and doors closed. Telford & Wrekin Council said because windows need to remain closed, the schools cannot meet Covid-19 ventilation restrictions, forcing them to close to pupils. About 60 firefighters were tackling the blaze at its height. The fire service had said bales of plastic waste had caught fire, causing the large plumes of smoke. A spokesperson for Shropshire Fire and Rescue service said: "The fire is under control, but, because of nature of the fire, at a recycling plant with lots of flammable material, there is some residual smoke today. "There is some smoke air which residents can still smell. "Crews are still working there today just to completely damp out the fire." Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Plumes of smoke were seen coming from the blaze at Greenway Polymers in Telford, from midday on Monday. Meadows Primary and Newdale Primary in Telford were closed to pupils on Tuesday because of smoke persisting in the area. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it expects to be at the scene for the next seven to 10 days. It said this was to ensure the fire was completely put out, and that the site was structurally safe. Asst Ch Fire Officer Dan Quinn, asked residents to "support us by continuing to say away from the area if possible". A lane also remains closed on the M54 eastbound to allow firefighters access to the site. The fire service is continuing to advise residents to keep their windows and doors closed. Telford & Wrekin Council said because windows need to remain closed, the schools cannot meet Covid-19 ventilation restrictions, forcing them to close to pupils. About 60 firefighters were tackling the blaze at its height. The fire service had said bales of plastic waste had caught fire, causing the large plumes of smoke. A spokesperson for Shropshire Fire and Rescue service said: "The fire is under control, but, because of nature of the fire, at a recycling plant with lots of flammable material, there is some residual smoke today. "There is some smoke air which residents can still smell. "Crews are still working there today just to completely damp out the fire." Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Plumes of smoke were seen coming from the blaze at Greenway Polymers in Telford, from midday on Monday. Meadows Primary and Newdale Primary in Telford were closed to pupils on Tuesday because of smoke persisting in the area. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it expects to be at the scene for the next seven to 10 days. It said this was to ensure the fire was completely put out, and that the site was structurally safe. Asst Ch Fire Officer Dan Quinn, asked residents to "support us by continuing to say away from the area if possible". A lane also remains closed on the M54 eastbound to allow firefighters access to the site. The fire service is continuing to advise residents to keep their windows and doors closed. Telford & Wrekin Council said because windows need to remain closed, the schools cannot meet Covid-19 ventilation restrictions, forcing them to close to pupils. About 60 firefighters were tackling the blaze at its height. The fire service had said bales of plastic waste had caught fire, causing the large plumes of smoke. A spokesperson for Shropshire Fire and Rescue service said: "The fire is under control, but, because of nature of the fire, at a recycling plant with lots of flammable material, there is some residual smoke today. "There is some smoke air which residents can still smell. "Crews are still working there today just to completely damp out the fire." Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
### Summary:
A fire at a recycling plant in Telford has forced the closure of a school.
### Next:
A fire at a recycling plant in Telford has forced the closure of a school.
### |
blogs-news-from-elsewhere-39194709 | https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-39194709 | New Zealand and Fiji turn away 'dirty' ship over barnacles | A ship carrying a biofouling of aquatic organisms has been told to leave New Zealand. | By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring Divers found dense clusters of barnacles and tube worms on the DL Marigold, which arrived in Tauranga from Indonesia at the weekend, the Bay of Plenty Times reports. The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) then gave the ship 24 hours to depart. It is the first vessel to be told to leave New Zealand because of biofouling - the accumulation of aquatic organisms on ships' hulls. "The longer the vessel stayed in New Zealand, the greater chance there was for unwanted marine species to spawn or break away from the ship. So we had to act quickly," says Steve Gilbert, border clearance director at the MPI. Mr Gilbert describes it as a "severe contamination" and says the DL Marigold won't be allowed to return and unload its shipment until it has had a good clean. New Zealand has strict biosecurity laws at its border in order to protect agriculture and its unique flora and fauna. Next year, tighter rules will be implemented to protect its marine environment against biofouling, with instructions on how clean ships' hulls must be before arriving in the country. The vessel then went on to Fiji, more than 2,000km (1,300 miles) away, but the authorities there have said they will also not allow it to dock. The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) said the marine species carried on the hull could be devastating for Fiji's environment. Next story: Russia 'flower rentals' for Women's Day Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring Divers found dense clusters of barnacles and tube worms on the DL Marigold, which arrived in Tauranga from Indonesia at the weekend, the Bay of Plenty Times reports. The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) then gave the ship 24 hours to depart. It is the first vessel to be told to leave New Zealand because of biofouling - the accumulation of aquatic organisms on ships' hulls. "The longer the vessel stayed in New Zealand, the greater chance there was for unwanted marine species to spawn or break away from the ship. So we had to act quickly," says Steve Gilbert, border clearance director at the MPI. Mr Gilbert describes it as a "severe contamination" and says the DL Marigold won't be allowed to return and unload its shipment until it has had a good clean. New Zealand has strict biosecurity laws at its border in order to protect agriculture and its unique flora and fauna. Next year, tighter rules will be implemented to protect its marine environment against biofouling, with instructions on how clean ships' hulls must be before arriving in the country. The vessel then went on to Fiji, more than 2,000km (1,300 miles) away, but the authorities there have said they will also not allow it to dock. The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) said the marine species carried on the hull could be devastating for Fiji's environment. Next story: Russia 'flower rentals' for Women's Day Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring Divers found dense clusters of barnacles and tube worms on the DL Marigold, which arrived in Tauranga from Indonesia at the weekend, the Bay of Plenty Times reports. The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) then gave the ship 24 hours to depart. It is the first vessel to be told to leave New Zealand because of biofouling - the accumulation of aquatic organisms on ships' hulls. "The longer the vessel stayed in New Zealand, the greater chance there was for unwanted marine species to spawn or break away from the ship. So we had to act quickly," says Steve Gilbert, border clearance director at the MPI. Mr Gilbert describes it as a "severe contamination" and says the DL Marigold won't be allowed to return and unload its shipment until it has had a good clean. New Zealand has strict biosecurity laws at its border in order to protect agriculture and its unique flora and fauna. Next year, tighter rules will be implemented to protect its marine environment against biofouling, with instructions on how clean ships' hulls must be before arriving in the country. The vessel then went on to Fiji, more than 2,000km (1,300 miles) away, but the authorities there have said they will also not allow it to dock. The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) said the marine species carried on the hull could be devastating for Fiji's environment. Next story: Russia 'flower rentals' for Women's Day Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.
### Summary:
A ship carrying a biofouling of aquatic organisms has been told to leave New Zealand.
### Next story:
Russia's biofouling of aquatic organisms has been described as "severe contam |
uk-scotland-50841814 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-50841814 | Abellio ScotRail contract to end three years early | The Scottish government has announced it will end the ScotRail franchise. | The Dutch firm has been running the franchise since 2015 but had faced criticism over cancellations and performance levels. The contract, worth more than £7bn over 10 years, was due to last until 2025. But Mr Matheson said a so-called "break clause" would be used to end the franchise three years early, in 2022. He told MSPs he was looking at other options for the future, including the franchise being run by the public sector. What is the ScotRail franchise? ScotRail operates about 2,400 train services a day, and covers all services in Scotland except those run by other operators which cross the border. It is not responsible for the maintenance of the track, which falls under Network Rail nor the operation of the main rail routes from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London. There had been political pressure on ministers over the service with complaints over a high number of cancellations, overcrowding and the cost of tickets. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Matheson said a proposed increase in government subsidy for the service would not deliver sufficient benefits to passengers or the economy. Mr Matheson said Abellio had "successes and challenges" over the first five years of the ScotRail franchise, but that his decision was "the right one for passengers, communities, the economy and taxpayers". He confirmed the contract would now run until 31 March, 2022. "It is of course necessary to plan for the future provision of ScotRail services and I can confirm that work is already under way to examine the options open to the Scottish ministers after the current contract comes to an end," he said. The franchise system for Britain's railways is grinding to a halt. The Scottish government has jammed on the brakes and change is also expected soon at Westminster. The reason given to MSPs for ending the franchise is 2022 stuck carefully to the contractual option on doing so and avoided the shortcomings of Abellio's handling of the franchise since 2015. That would be open to legal challenge. Such a challenge would point out that the service has improved in the past year, with the arrival of new trains, adding more capacity. There's a new station in north-west Glasgow and improvements to the Aberdeen-Inverness service have just begun. What happens next? Abellio is obliged to continue the service until the franchise ends. The soon to be published Williams Review is expected to start a big shift away from the franchise bidding system. Pricing for tickets is expected to be shaken up. In Scotland, there is pressure within the SNP, from unions, Labour and Greens, to put ScotRail operations in public hands. If there's to be another franchise, the government previously said it wants a public sector bidder for it. If there is to be one from April 2022, it will have to get up and running very soon. What has been the reaction? Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, said the firm was "hugely disappointed" and that the decision was "the wrong choice for Scotland's Railway and its customers". He said the company had invested more than £475m in new and upgraded trains and created more than 500 extra jobs in Scotland. Mr Booth added: "Our offer to Transport Scotland would have delivered an improved service for our customers at a reduced cost to the taxpayer." But Kevin Lindsay, organiser for the train drivers' trade union Aslef in Scotland, claimed Abellio had let down passengers and staff. He added: "The truth is that the franchise model is a broken business model. It hasn't worked, it doesn't work and it will not work. Everyone on the railway understands that." Scottish Labour also welcomed the decision and called for the rail system to return to public ownership while the Scottish Liberal Democrats said the company had provided a "poor service". Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Jamie Greene described the termination of the contract as "an admission of absolute failure" by the SNP. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The Dutch firm has been running the franchise since 2015 but had faced criticism over cancellations and performance levels. The contract, worth more than £7bn over 10 years, was due to last until 2025. But Mr Matheson said a so-called "break clause" would be used to end the franchise three years early, in 2022. He told MSPs he was looking at other options for the future, including the franchise being run by the public sector. What is the ScotRail franchise? ScotRail operates about 2,400 train services a day, and covers all services in Scotland except those run by other operators which cross the border. It is not responsible for the maintenance of the track, which falls under Network Rail nor the operation of the main rail routes from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London. There had been political pressure on ministers over the service with complaints over a high number of cancellations, overcrowding and the cost of tickets. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Matheson said a proposed increase in government subsidy for the service would not deliver sufficient benefits to passengers or the economy. Mr Matheson said Abellio had "successes and challenges" over the first five years of the ScotRail franchise, but that his decision was "the right one for passengers, communities, the economy and taxpayers". He confirmed the contract would now run until 31 March, 2022. "It is of course necessary to plan for the future provision of ScotRail services and I can confirm that work is already under way to examine the options open to the Scottish ministers after the current contract comes to an end," he said. The franchise system for Britain's railways is grinding to a halt. The Scottish government has jammed on the brakes and change is also expected soon at Westminster. The reason given to MSPs for ending the franchise is 2022 stuck carefully to the contractual option on doing so and avoided the shortcomings of Abellio's handling of the franchise since 2015. That would be open to legal challenge. Such a challenge would point out that the service has improved in the past year, with the arrival of new trains, adding more capacity. There's a new station in north-west Glasgow and improvements to the Aberdeen-Inverness service have just begun. What happens next? Abellio is obliged to continue the service until the franchise ends. The soon to be published Williams Review is expected to start a big shift away from the franchise bidding system. Pricing for tickets is expected to be shaken up. In Scotland, there is pressure within the SNP, from unions, Labour and Greens, to put ScotRail operations in public hands. If there's to be another franchise, the government previously said it wants a public sector bidder for it. If there is to be one from April 2022, it will have to get up and running very soon. What has been the reaction? Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, said the firm was "hugely disappointed" and that the decision was "the wrong choice for Scotland's Railway and its customers". He said the company had invested more than £475m in new and upgraded trains and created more than 500 extra jobs in Scotland. Mr Booth added: "Our offer to Transport Scotland would have delivered an improved service for our customers at a reduced cost to the taxpayer." But Kevin Lindsay, organiser for the train drivers' trade union Aslef in Scotland, claimed Abellio had let down passengers and staff. He added: "The truth is that the franchise model is a broken business model. It hasn't worked, it doesn't work and it will not work. Everyone on the railway understands that." Scottish Labour also welcomed the decision and called for the rail system to return to public ownership while the Scottish Liberal Democrats said the company had provided a "poor service". Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Jamie Greene described the termination of the contract as "an admission of absolute failure" by the SNP.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The Dutch firm has been running the franchise since 2015 but had faced criticism over cancellations and performance levels. The contract, worth more than £7bn over 10 years, was due to last until 2025. But Mr Matheson said a so-called "break clause" would be used to end the franchise three years early, in 2022. He told MSPs he was looking at other options for the future, including the franchise being run by the public sector. What is the ScotRail franchise? ScotRail operates about 2,400 train services a day, and covers all services in Scotland except those run by other operators which cross the border. It is not responsible for the maintenance of the track, which falls under Network Rail nor the operation of the main rail routes from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London. There had been political pressure on ministers over the service with complaints over a high number of cancellations, overcrowding and the cost of tickets. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Matheson said a proposed increase in government subsidy for the service would not deliver sufficient benefits to passengers or the economy. Mr Matheson said Abellio had "successes and challenges" over the first five years of the ScotRail franchise, but that his decision was "the right one for passengers, communities, the economy and taxpayers". He confirmed the contract would now run until 31 March, 2022. "It is of course necessary to plan for the future provision of ScotRail services and I can confirm that work is already under way to examine the options open to the Scottish ministers after the current contract comes to an end," he said. The franchise system for Britain's railways is grinding to a halt. The Scottish government has jammed on the brakes and change is also expected soon at Westminster. The reason given to MSPs for ending the franchise is 2022 stuck carefully to the contractual option on doing so and avoided the shortcomings of Abellio's handling of the franchise since 2015. That would be open to legal challenge. Such a challenge would point out that the service has improved in the past year, with the arrival of new trains, adding more capacity. There's a new station in north-west Glasgow and improvements to the Aberdeen-Inverness service have just begun. What happens next? Abellio is obliged to continue the service until the franchise ends. The soon to be published Williams Review is expected to start a big shift away from the franchise bidding system. Pricing for tickets is expected to be shaken up. In Scotland, there is pressure within the SNP, from unions, Labour and Greens, to put ScotRail operations in public hands. If there's to be another franchise, the government previously said it wants a public sector bidder for it. If there is to be one from April 2022, it will have to get up and running very soon. What has been the reaction? Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, said the firm was "hugely disappointed" and that the decision was "the wrong choice for Scotland's Railway and its customers". He said the company had invested more than £475m in new and upgraded trains and created more than 500 extra jobs in Scotland. Mr Booth added: "Our offer to Transport Scotland would have delivered an improved service for our customers at a reduced cost to the taxpayer." But Kevin Lindsay, organiser for the train drivers' trade union Aslef in Scotland, claimed Abellio had let down passengers and staff. He added: "The truth is that the franchise model is a broken business model. It hasn't worked, it doesn't work and it will not work. Everyone on the railway understands that." Scottish Labour also welcomed the decision and called for the rail system to return to public ownership while the Scottish Liberal Democrats said the company had provided a "poor service". Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Jamie Greene described the termination of the contract as "an admission of absolute failure" by the SNP.
### Summary:
The Scottish government has announced it will end the ScotRail franchise.
### Text:
The Scottish government has announced it will end the ScotRail franchise.
### Summary:
The Scottish government has announced |
uk-england-leicestershire-49674854 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-49674854 | Bootcamp woman told she was 'too big' for classes | A personal trainer who has more than 96,000 followers on Instagram has been accused of bullying a woman who was too big for bootcamp. | Gary Randall, who calls himself Buffmaster, told Lisa Parratt, 33, she was "way to [sic] heavy" and he would only help her if she lost five stone first. Ms Parratt, from Leicestershire, who weighs 25 stone, said she was so upset that she started crying and collapsed. Mr Randall has not responded to requests for comment. Screenshots of messages uploaded to Facebook have attracted more than 1,500 comments, including offers of help from other personal trainers, since they were posted on Sunday. Ms Parratt and a friend launched a group chat with Mr Randall to enquire about his services. A reply to Ms Parratt from his account a few days later said he had seen her in the gym and would not be able to help her. "Even though my friend is fairly close it was embarrassing," she said. "I was gutted. I collapsed basically. My mum was with me and she put her arms around me and I collapsed into her arms crying." Can someone be 'too big' for bootcamp? Personal trainer Diren Kartal, who has more than 96,000 followers on Instagram, saw the post and Facetimed Ms Parratt offering to help. "I just want her to do well and shove it in his face after because I actually felt for her," he said. Mr Kartal said it is not possible to be too big for bootcamp. "Even if someone was huge it doesn't matter," he said. "If someone like that came to my bootcamp I would modify the exercises to ensure she feels comfortable and confident to actually push through and get better results and to ensure she's in a healthy and good mental state. "Because for someone like that to go to a personal trainer, even a bootcamp where there are loads of people, it takes so much courage. "If they come to a bootcamp they should not be rejected like that." After reading all of the comments she said she was "so grateful of everybody's support". Ms Parratt said she hopes to to raise awareness about the damage such comments can do. "I've been bullied since I was 15 or 16 and started putting on weight and getting a bit chunky," said Ms Parratt. "I still suffer it now. People seem to think they can make comments whenever they want to and I don't think it's right, and I'm going to start and stand up for bigger women." You may also be interested in: To discuss an East Midlands story idea, contact caroline.lowbridge@bbc.co.uk. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Gary Randall, who calls himself Buffmaster, told Lisa Parratt, 33, she was "way to [sic] heavy" and he would only help her if she lost five stone first. Ms Parratt, from Leicestershire, who weighs 25 stone, said she was so upset that she started crying and collapsed. Mr Randall has not responded to requests for comment. Screenshots of messages uploaded to Facebook have attracted more than 1,500 comments, including offers of help from other personal trainers, since they were posted on Sunday. Ms Parratt and a friend launched a group chat with Mr Randall to enquire about his services. A reply to Ms Parratt from his account a few days later said he had seen her in the gym and would not be able to help her. "Even though my friend is fairly close it was embarrassing," she said. "I was gutted. I collapsed basically. My mum was with me and she put her arms around me and I collapsed into her arms crying." Can someone be 'too big' for bootcamp? Personal trainer Diren Kartal, who has more than 96,000 followers on Instagram, saw the post and Facetimed Ms Parratt offering to help. "I just want her to do well and shove it in his face after because I actually felt for her," he said. Mr Kartal said it is not possible to be too big for bootcamp. "Even if someone was huge it doesn't matter," he said. "If someone like that came to my bootcamp I would modify the exercises to ensure she feels comfortable and confident to actually push through and get better results and to ensure she's in a healthy and good mental state. "Because for someone like that to go to a personal trainer, even a bootcamp where there are loads of people, it takes so much courage. "If they come to a bootcamp they should not be rejected like that." After reading all of the comments she said she was "so grateful of everybody's support". Ms Parratt said she hopes to to raise awareness about the damage such comments can do. "I've been bullied since I was 15 or 16 and started putting on weight and getting a bit chunky," said Ms Parratt. "I still suffer it now. People seem to think they can make comments whenever they want to and I don't think it's right, and I'm going to start and stand up for bigger women." You may also be interested in: To discuss an East Midlands story idea, contact caroline.lowbridge@bbc.co.uk.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Gary Randall, who calls himself Buffmaster, told Lisa Parratt, 33, she was "way to [sic] heavy" and he would only help her if she lost five stone first. Ms Parratt, from Leicestershire, who weighs 25 stone, said she was so upset that she started crying and collapsed. Mr Randall has not responded to requests for comment. Screenshots of messages uploaded to Facebook have attracted more than 1,500 comments, including offers of help from other personal trainers, since they were posted on Sunday. Ms Parratt and a friend launched a group chat with Mr Randall to enquire about his services. A reply to Ms Parratt from his account a few days later said he had seen her in the gym and would not be able to help her. "Even though my friend is fairly close it was embarrassing," she said. "I was gutted. I collapsed basically. My mum was with me and she put her arms around me and I collapsed into her arms crying." Can someone be 'too big' for bootcamp? Personal trainer Diren Kartal, who has more than 96,000 followers on Instagram, saw the post and Facetimed Ms Parratt offering to help. "I just want her to do well and shove it in his face after because I actually felt for her," he said. Mr Kartal said it is not possible to be too big for bootcamp. "Even if someone was huge it doesn't matter," he said. "If someone like that came to my bootcamp I would modify the exercises to ensure she feels comfortable and confident to actually push through and get better results and to ensure she's in a healthy and good mental state. "Because for someone like that to go to a personal trainer, even a bootcamp where there are loads of people, it takes so much courage. "If they come to a bootcamp they should not be rejected like that." After reading all of the comments she said she was "so grateful of everybody's support". Ms Parratt said she hopes to to raise awareness about the damage such comments can do. "I've been bullied since I was 15 or 16 and started putting on weight and getting a bit chunky," said Ms Parratt. "I still suffer it now. People seem to think they can make comments whenever they want to and I don't think it's right, and I'm going to start and stand up for bigger women." You may also be interested in: To discuss an East Midlands story idea, contact caroline.lowbridge@bbc.co.uk.
### Summary:
A personal trainer who has more than 96,000 followers on Instagram has been accused of bullying a woman who was too big for bootcamp.
### Next:
A personal trainer who has more |
uk-northern-ireland-21691191 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-21691191 | Barry Cavan sentenced over David Corr murder in Belfast flat | A man who stabbed his neighbour to death has been sentenced to life in prison. | Barry Cavan, from Cuchulainn House in the New Lodge area of the city, admitted the murder of David Corr on 15 March last year. The body of Mr Corr, who was also from the New Lodge area, was found at his flat in Victoria Parade. The 24-year-old had been stabbed to death. Cavan was told he had committed a "brutal, senseless killing". Mr Corr, also known as Dee, was a talented skateboarder and busker. Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weir said that while Cavan had had a dispute with Mr Corr over the playing of loud music, that could not "begin to explain, never mind justify" the killing. He emphasised to Cavan that even when he has served the minimum 13-year period, it would be up to the parole commissioners "if and when" he will be released and under what licence conditions. The judge also told Cavan that the life sentence he was obliged to impose meant that he would forever be liable to be recalled to jail if he breached any of his licence conditions. Cavan had pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Corr on 15 March 2012. He sustained 39 wounds in the frenzied attack and while it was a stab wound to the chest that caused his death, many of the injuries he suffered were to his arms and hands. Cavan, who lived in the flat above his victim, called police himself and told the 999 operator he had killed his neighbour after stabbing him "30 or 40 times". When officers rushed to the scene, Cavan was lying face down prone on the hallway floor and confessed immediately. Alcohol Mr Justice Weir recalled Cavan had been complaining for three months about the volume levels his neighbour played his music at in the early hours of the morning, complaining to his neighbour, the flats caretaker and Belfast City Council. He had also told a friend, known only as 'S' that he was thinking about stabbing his neighbour. On the night of the murder Cavan, who had consumed about seven litres of cider had called into his neighbour's flat about three hours before he launched his attack. He had a kitchen knife with him then. The judge told the court how Cavan had texted a friend "I'm in his flat now, kitchen knife in pocket" and 'S' had told him to get out. Mr Corr told him he would use headphones to listen to music in future, and Cavan left. Three hours later Cavan returned to the flat and Mr Justice Weir described how the men were on the sofa. Cavan "began stabbing him and continued, despite his pleas and screams, to stab and cut him". Mr Justice Weir said that from the "wealth of information" he had about Cavan, reports indicated that he had had a "harsh and frightening upbringing". He said Cavan had suffered numerous episodes of self-harm and abused alcohol and drugs from an early age. This had led to alcohol dependency syndrome and a diagnosis of a personality disorder. Mr Justice Weir said although Cavan's lack of remorse may appear "on the face of it to be a highly callous attitude," he said he believed it was more to do with his mental state. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Barry Cavan, from Cuchulainn House in the New Lodge area of the city, admitted the murder of David Corr on 15 March last year. The body of Mr Corr, who was also from the New Lodge area, was found at his flat in Victoria Parade. The 24-year-old had been stabbed to death. Cavan was told he had committed a "brutal, senseless killing". Mr Corr, also known as Dee, was a talented skateboarder and busker. Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weir said that while Cavan had had a dispute with Mr Corr over the playing of loud music, that could not "begin to explain, never mind justify" the killing. He emphasised to Cavan that even when he has served the minimum 13-year period, it would be up to the parole commissioners "if and when" he will be released and under what licence conditions. The judge also told Cavan that the life sentence he was obliged to impose meant that he would forever be liable to be recalled to jail if he breached any of his licence conditions. Cavan had pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Corr on 15 March 2012. He sustained 39 wounds in the frenzied attack and while it was a stab wound to the chest that caused his death, many of the injuries he suffered were to his arms and hands. Cavan, who lived in the flat above his victim, called police himself and told the 999 operator he had killed his neighbour after stabbing him "30 or 40 times". When officers rushed to the scene, Cavan was lying face down prone on the hallway floor and confessed immediately. Alcohol Mr Justice Weir recalled Cavan had been complaining for three months about the volume levels his neighbour played his music at in the early hours of the morning, complaining to his neighbour, the flats caretaker and Belfast City Council. He had also told a friend, known only as 'S' that he was thinking about stabbing his neighbour. On the night of the murder Cavan, who had consumed about seven litres of cider had called into his neighbour's flat about three hours before he launched his attack. He had a kitchen knife with him then. The judge told the court how Cavan had texted a friend "I'm in his flat now, kitchen knife in pocket" and 'S' had told him to get out. Mr Corr told him he would use headphones to listen to music in future, and Cavan left. Three hours later Cavan returned to the flat and Mr Justice Weir described how the men were on the sofa. Cavan "began stabbing him and continued, despite his pleas and screams, to stab and cut him". Mr Justice Weir said that from the "wealth of information" he had about Cavan, reports indicated that he had had a "harsh and frightening upbringing". He said Cavan had suffered numerous episodes of self-harm and abused alcohol and drugs from an early age. This had led to alcohol dependency syndrome and a diagnosis of a personality disorder. Mr Justice Weir said although Cavan's lack of remorse may appear "on the face of it to be a highly callous attitude," he said he believed it was more to do with his mental state.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Barry Cavan, from Cuchulainn House in the New Lodge area of the city, admitted the murder of David Corr on 15 March last year. The body of Mr Corr, who was also from the New Lodge area, was found at his flat in Victoria Parade. The 24-year-old had been stabbed to death. Cavan was told he had committed a "brutal, senseless killing". Mr Corr, also known as Dee, was a talented skateboarder and busker. Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weir said that while Cavan had had a dispute with Mr Corr over the playing of loud music, that could not "begin to explain, never mind justify" the killing. He emphasised to Cavan that even when he has served the minimum 13-year period, it would be up to the parole commissioners "if and when" he will be released and under what licence conditions. The judge also told Cavan that the life sentence he was obliged to impose meant that he would forever be liable to be recalled to jail if he breached any of his licence conditions. Cavan had pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Corr on 15 March 2012. He sustained 39 wounds in the frenzied attack and while it was a stab wound to the chest that caused his death, many of the injuries he suffered were to his arms and hands. Cavan, who lived in the flat above his victim, called police himself and told the 999 operator he had killed his neighbour after stabbing him "30 or 40 times". When officers rushed to the scene, Cavan was lying face down prone on the hallway floor and confessed immediately. Alcohol Mr Justice Weir recalled Cavan had been complaining for three months about the volume levels his neighbour played his music at in the early hours of the morning, complaining to his neighbour, the flats caretaker and Belfast City Council. He had also told a friend, known only as 'S' that he was thinking about stabbing his neighbour. On the night of the murder Cavan, who had consumed about seven litres of cider had called into his neighbour's flat about three hours before he launched his attack. He had a kitchen knife with him then. The judge told the court how Cavan had texted a friend "I'm in his flat now, kitchen knife in pocket" and 'S' had told him to get out. Mr Corr told him he would use headphones to listen to music in future, and Cavan left. Three hours later Cavan returned to the flat and Mr Justice Weir described how the men were on the sofa. Cavan "began stabbing him and continued, despite his pleas and screams, to stab and cut him". Mr Justice Weir said that from the "wealth of information" he had about Cavan, reports indicated that he had had a "harsh and frightening upbringing". He said Cavan had suffered numerous episodes of self-harm and abused alcohol and drugs from an early age. This had led to alcohol dependency syndrome and a diagnosis of a personality disorder. Mr Justice Weir said although Cavan's lack of remorse may appear "on the face of it to be a highly callous attitude," he said he believed it was more to do with his mental state.
### Summary:
A man who stabbed his neighbour to death has been sentenced to life in prison.
### Text:
A man who stabbed his neighbour to death has been sentenced to life in prison.
### Summary |
uk-england-devon-46749511 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-46749511 | Cervical cancer screening campaigner Natasha Sale dies aged 31 | A woman who died from cervical cancer has launched a petition to get 100,000 signatures. | Natasha Sale, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016, launched an online petition in August. The mum of four, from Newton Abbot, Devon, achieved more than 78,000 signatures before her death. Her supporters are now trying to get more than 100,000 before 3 February so that the issue will get debated in Parliament. "It's too late for me but it's not too late for the next generation of young ladies," Ms Sale wrote in August. "By reducing the age of smear tests and cervical screenings today we can save lives, we can tackle cell changes early and prevent cervical cancer. "If I can do anything with my life I want to make this change happen." Her friends and supporters launched Natasha's Army to continue the campaign with the aim of helping women "lose the fear and get the smear". Best friend Amanda Scott, 30, said the group wanted to carry on Ms Sale's mission to get 100,000 signatures following her death. She added that Natasha's Army was also raising money to support her friend's young family. Ms Sale, who died on 28 December, six days after her birthday, left behind her partner Dean and children Josh, 12, Ella, 11, Lily, nine, and four-year-old Oakley. Writing in response to her petition in September, the government said it had "accepted the UK National Screening Committee recommendation that the first invitation for cervical screening should be offered at age 25". It said cervical cancer in women under that age was very rare. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Natasha Sale, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016, launched an online petition in August. The mum of four, from Newton Abbot, Devon, achieved more than 78,000 signatures before her death. Her supporters are now trying to get more than 100,000 before 3 February so that the issue will get debated in Parliament. "It's too late for me but it's not too late for the next generation of young ladies," Ms Sale wrote in August. "By reducing the age of smear tests and cervical screenings today we can save lives, we can tackle cell changes early and prevent cervical cancer. "If I can do anything with my life I want to make this change happen." Her friends and supporters launched Natasha's Army to continue the campaign with the aim of helping women "lose the fear and get the smear". Best friend Amanda Scott, 30, said the group wanted to carry on Ms Sale's mission to get 100,000 signatures following her death. She added that Natasha's Army was also raising money to support her friend's young family. Ms Sale, who died on 28 December, six days after her birthday, left behind her partner Dean and children Josh, 12, Ella, 11, Lily, nine, and four-year-old Oakley. Writing in response to her petition in September, the government said it had "accepted the UK National Screening Committee recommendation that the first invitation for cervical screening should be offered at age 25". It said cervical cancer in women under that age was very rare.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Natasha Sale, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016, launched an online petition in August. The mum of four, from Newton Abbot, Devon, achieved more than 78,000 signatures before her death. Her supporters are now trying to get more than 100,000 before 3 February so that the issue will get debated in Parliament. "It's too late for me but it's not too late for the next generation of young ladies," Ms Sale wrote in August. "By reducing the age of smear tests and cervical screenings today we can save lives, we can tackle cell changes early and prevent cervical cancer. "If I can do anything with my life I want to make this change happen." Her friends and supporters launched Natasha's Army to continue the campaign with the aim of helping women "lose the fear and get the smear". Best friend Amanda Scott, 30, said the group wanted to carry on Ms Sale's mission to get 100,000 signatures following her death. She added that Natasha's Army was also raising money to support her friend's young family. Ms Sale, who died on 28 December, six days after her birthday, left behind her partner Dean and children Josh, 12, Ella, 11, Lily, nine, and four-year-old Oakley. Writing in response to her petition in September, the government said it had "accepted the UK National Screening Committee recommendation that the first invitation for cervical screening should be offered at age 25". It said cervical cancer in women under that age was very rare.
### Summary:
A woman who died from cervical cancer has launched a petition to get 100,000 signatures.
### Next:
A woman who died from cervical cancer has launched a petition to get |
uk-england-leeds-42972376 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-42972376 | Shannon Matthews: The unravelling of the truth | A woman who was found missing in Dewsbury has been named as Karen Matthews. | By Alex MossBBC News "The first day Shannon was reported missing, I saw it in her eyes. She had this look did Karen, where she wanted to tell you something, but what came out of her mouth was different." By her own admission, Natalie Murray was responsible for sending her former best friend, Karen Matthews, to prison. It was three weeks after Shannon was found - drugged in the base of a divan bed at a flat belonging to her mother's boyfriend's uncle - that Natalie's questioning forced a confession. She had thought from almost the moment the schoolgirl disappeared on 19 February 2008, that something did not add up. "Straight away my gut was telling me something wasn't right. Karen was carrying on with normal stuff, tidying up the house. It was as if Shannon had just gone to her friend's." Natalie, a mum of six, lived two doors away from Matthews and her partner Craig Meehan on Dewsbury's Moorside estate. The pair had been close for years and Natalie knew better than any the chaotic life of her friend - a product of a turbulent childhood who was bringing up four of her seven children, while three lived elsewhere. "Karen was out on her own from being 15 or 16 and didn't see much of her parents," said Natalie. "She never really got told how to socialise, how to deal with certain situations. "Any attention, she lapped it up. She couldn't see when people were using her and taking advantage. She got talked into a lot of things by people who she thought were her friends." But these social inadequacies did little to account for the odd behaviour of a woman whose daughter was apparently missing, thought Natalie. The day after the schoolgirl was reported missing, the hunt intensified, eventually becoming West Yorkshire Police's biggest operation since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Journalists were reporting the story of a stricken community fearing the worst. But inside the house, Natalie noticed a strange chord had been struck. "It was like a normal day at Karen's," she recalled. "Her and Craig were laughing and joking, playing computer games, like I'd just popped in for a brew. "I was dying to get her on her own but it was impossible. Craig never left her side and if it wasn't him, there were always others around. They'd be having conversations and if I walked in they'd all go quiet." Later that night, on 20 February 2008 - despite being told not to by the police - Matthews spoke to the press in a televised appeal. "She was told in no uncertain terms to let the police deal with the press side of things, that doing anything without their agreement could put Shannon's life at risk," said Natalie. "Then 10 minutes later I'm standing in the kitchen making the kids' tea and Karen is on the telly doing a live interview. "I went storming round and said, 'What the hell were you thinking?' And she just said 'Please Natalie, don't shout at me'." Venting her frustrations at home, Natalie proclaimed "something isn't right", but was dismissed by her then-husband who said she was crazy and that people dealt with grief differently. In reality, she was piecing together a list of increasingly bizarre behaviour - Matthews's plea for the return of her "beautiful princess daughter"; how she clutched a teddy during an appeal that did not even belong to Shannon. "She'd never called Shannon a princess. Someone must have told her to say that," said Natalie. "The teddy wasn't Shannon's.. She came down the stairs with it before the press conference and I asked if it was Shannon's. "She said 'I don't know'." Meanwhile, the residents of Moorside had pulled together and printed their own T-shirts and posters, while more than 300 police officers and three-quarters of all the UK's specially trained "body dogs" scoured the area. "I don't think people understood the significance of what we were dealing with," said Barry South, divisional commander of policing in Dewsbury at the time. "It was a schoolgirl who had gone missing, we've had it before and they're usually home by bed time. But it quickly became clear this was totally different." The officer first encountered Matthews before a media appeal. Recalling her nonchalance in the absence of reporters, he said: "I remember thinking whether she was autistic because she was laughing and smiling. "Immediately I thought, 'Something's not right with this woman'." Then on 14 March, detectives received a tip-off from a member of the public to search a flat a mile away from the estate, belonging to Michael Donovan, the uncle of Craig Meehan. There, hidden in the base of bed, Shannon was found - drugged, frightened and crying, but alive. By the time the schoolgirl was found, Natalie's suspicions - coupled with claims those involved had planned to share the £50,000 reward money - had soured her relationship with Matthews and left her feeling betrayed. "I'd given her so many chances to talk. I'd told her, 'Look Karen, if there's anything you want to tell me, you can. We can try and sort it.' " You might also be interested in: 'He took the train to London and was never seen again' The disappearance of Corrie Mckeague The mystery of the Milk Carton Kids Matthews was moved off the estate not long after Shannon was found. Her daughter was taken into care and allowed only supervised visits with her mum, who had now become close to another Moorside resident, Julie Bushby. But for Natalie, the niggling doubts continued. She knew Matthews and Meehan's relationship had hit a rough patch and she had heard rumours Matthews had planned to leave her partner for Donovan - allegedly arranging for Shannon to stay at his house until Meehan had moved out. "We were trying to wrap our heads around it all, who we could and couldn't trust. In the end I said we need to see her and tell her straight," recalled Natalie. Together with Julie, whose initial belief in Matthews was starting to falter, a meeting was arranged to confront her with Det Con Freeman, the family's police liaison officer. She too had voiced concerns about the mum-of-seven's seemingly unflinching reaction to the news her daughter had been found. The women gathered in the officer's car; Matthews in the front, refusing to acknowledge or meet the eye of her key interrogator, who was by that point fired up to get to the bottom of her friend's deceit. "I said 'Look Karen I'm not going to beat about the bush. There's a lot of stuff I've seen you do and say, none of it adds up to me. You know I know there's something going on'," said Natalie. Matthews took "a massive sigh, dropped her shoulders" and admitting her lie, said "yeah it's true". Two days later, on 8 April, Matthews was charged with perverting the course of justice and child neglect. Donovan had already appeared in court charged with kidnap and false imprisonment. Contradictory explanations were given by the pair. In court, Matthews blamed Donovan and her former partner and his relatives, painting a picture of herself as the "fall guy". They were later each jailed for eight years. Shannon, who is now 19, was placed in the care of social services before being given a new identity and family. During her mother's trial, a court was told in the aftermath of being found, she regularly had nightmares and needed psychotherapy sessions. Matthews, meanwhile, was released in 2012, given a new name and is now reportedly living in the south of England. Legally the case may be over. Det Ch Supt Mark Ridley, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "To this day, there is nothing to suggest there is any reason to re-open the case." But Natalie, who has since moved off the estate, is sceptical the pair acted alone, citing Matthews's vulnerability at being easily influenced and claims that a neighbour of Donovan's regularly saw a couple visit his flat during the time Shannon was missing. Not alone in her doubts, Det Con Freeman, with 30 years policing experience, questions whether others had a hand in the plot. "I'm not sure. I have my theories." But, she said, without Natalie the truth may never have unravelled. "She is the best detective that didn't join the police that I've ever met. She knew Karen before this and how she'd behave, so she was key to us solving the case." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Alex MossBBC News "The first day Shannon was reported missing, I saw it in her eyes. She had this look did Karen, where she wanted to tell you something, but what came out of her mouth was different." By her own admission, Natalie Murray was responsible for sending her former best friend, Karen Matthews, to prison. It was three weeks after Shannon was found - drugged in the base of a divan bed at a flat belonging to her mother's boyfriend's uncle - that Natalie's questioning forced a confession. She had thought from almost the moment the schoolgirl disappeared on 19 February 2008, that something did not add up. "Straight away my gut was telling me something wasn't right. Karen was carrying on with normal stuff, tidying up the house. It was as if Shannon had just gone to her friend's." Natalie, a mum of six, lived two doors away from Matthews and her partner Craig Meehan on Dewsbury's Moorside estate. The pair had been close for years and Natalie knew better than any the chaotic life of her friend - a product of a turbulent childhood who was bringing up four of her seven children, while three lived elsewhere. "Karen was out on her own from being 15 or 16 and didn't see much of her parents," said Natalie. "She never really got told how to socialise, how to deal with certain situations. "Any attention, she lapped it up. She couldn't see when people were using her and taking advantage. She got talked into a lot of things by people who she thought were her friends." But these social inadequacies did little to account for the odd behaviour of a woman whose daughter was apparently missing, thought Natalie. The day after the schoolgirl was reported missing, the hunt intensified, eventually becoming West Yorkshire Police's biggest operation since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Journalists were reporting the story of a stricken community fearing the worst. But inside the house, Natalie noticed a strange chord had been struck. "It was like a normal day at Karen's," she recalled. "Her and Craig were laughing and joking, playing computer games, like I'd just popped in for a brew. "I was dying to get her on her own but it was impossible. Craig never left her side and if it wasn't him, there were always others around. They'd be having conversations and if I walked in they'd all go quiet." Later that night, on 20 February 2008 - despite being told not to by the police - Matthews spoke to the press in a televised appeal. "She was told in no uncertain terms to let the police deal with the press side of things, that doing anything without their agreement could put Shannon's life at risk," said Natalie. "Then 10 minutes later I'm standing in the kitchen making the kids' tea and Karen is on the telly doing a live interview. "I went storming round and said, 'What the hell were you thinking?' And she just said 'Please Natalie, don't shout at me'." Venting her frustrations at home, Natalie proclaimed "something isn't right", but was dismissed by her then-husband who said she was crazy and that people dealt with grief differently. In reality, she was piecing together a list of increasingly bizarre behaviour - Matthews's plea for the return of her "beautiful princess daughter"; how she clutched a teddy during an appeal that did not even belong to Shannon. "She'd never called Shannon a princess. Someone must have told her to say that," said Natalie. "The teddy wasn't Shannon's.. She came down the stairs with it before the press conference and I asked if it was Shannon's. "She said 'I don't know'." Meanwhile, the residents of Moorside had pulled together and printed their own T-shirts and posters, while more than 300 police officers and three-quarters of all the UK's specially trained "body dogs" scoured the area. "I don't think people understood the significance of what we were dealing with," said Barry South, divisional commander of policing in Dewsbury at the time. "It was a schoolgirl who had gone missing, we've had it before and they're usually home by bed time. But it quickly became clear this was totally different." The officer first encountered Matthews before a media appeal. Recalling her nonchalance in the absence of reporters, he said: "I remember thinking whether she was autistic because she was laughing and smiling. "Immediately I thought, 'Something's not right with this woman'." Then on 14 March, detectives received a tip-off from a member of the public to search a flat a mile away from the estate, belonging to Michael Donovan, the uncle of Craig Meehan. There, hidden in the base of bed, Shannon was found - drugged, frightened and crying, but alive. By the time the schoolgirl was found, Natalie's suspicions - coupled with claims those involved had planned to share the
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Alex MossBBC News "The first day Shannon was reported missing, I saw it in her eyes. She had this look did Karen, where she wanted to tell you something, but what came out of her mouth was different." By her own admission, Natalie Murray was responsible for sending her former best friend, Karen Matthews, to prison. It was three weeks after Shannon was found - drugged in the base of a divan bed at a flat belonging to her mother's boyfriend's uncle - that Natalie's questioning forced a confession. She had thought from almost the moment the schoolgirl disappeared on 19 February 2008, that something did not add up. "Straight away my gut was telling me something wasn't right. Karen was carrying on with normal stuff, tidying up the house. It was as if Shannon had just gone to her friend's." Natalie, a mum of six, lived two doors away from Matthews and her partner Craig Meehan on Dewsbury's Moorside estate. The pair had been close for years and Natalie knew better than any the chaotic life of her friend - a product of a turbulent childhood who was bringing up four of her seven children, while three lived elsewhere. "Karen was out on her own from being 15 or 16 and didn't see much of her parents," said Natalie. "She never really got told how to socialise, how to deal with certain situations. "Any attention, she lapped it up. She couldn't see when people were using her and taking advantage. She got talked into a lot of things by people who she thought were her friends." But these social inadequacies did little to account for the odd behaviour of a woman whose daughter was apparently missing, thought Natalie. The day after the schoolgirl was reported missing, the hunt intensified, eventually becoming West Yorkshire Police's biggest operation since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Journalists were reporting the story of a stricken community fearing the worst. But inside the house, Natalie noticed a strange chord had been struck. "It was like a normal day at Karen's," she recalled. "Her and Craig were laughing and joking, playing computer games, like I'd just popped in for a brew. "I was dying to get her on her own but it was impossible. Craig never left her side and if it wasn't him, there were always others around. They'd be having conversations and if I walked in they'd all go quiet." Later that night, on 20 February 2008 - despite being told not to by the police - Matthews spoke to the press in a televised appeal. "She was told in no uncertain terms to let the police deal with the press side of things, that doing anything without their agreement could put Shannon's life at risk," said Natalie. "Then 10 minutes later I'm standing in the kitchen making the kids' tea and Karen is on the telly doing a live interview. "I went storming round and said, 'What the hell were you thinking?' And she just said 'Please Natalie, don't shout at me'." Venting her frustrations at home, Natalie proclaimed "something isn't right", but was dismissed by her then-husband who said she was crazy and that people dealt with grief differently. In reality, she was piecing together a list of increasingly bizarre behaviour - Matthews's plea for the return of her "beautiful princess daughter"; how she clutched a teddy during an appeal that did not even belong to Shannon. "She'd never called Shannon a princess. Someone must have told her to say that," said Natalie. "The teddy wasn't Shannon's.. She came down the stairs with it before the press conference and I asked if it was Shannon's. "She said 'I don't know'." Meanwhile, the residents of Moorside had pulled together and printed their own T-shirts and posters, while more than 300 police officers and three-quarters of all the UK's specially trained "body dogs" scoured the area. "I don't think people understood the significance of what we were dealing with," said Barry South, divisional commander of policing in Dewsbury at the time. "It was a schoolgirl who had gone missing, we've had it before and they're usually home by bed time. But it quickly became clear this was totally different." The officer first encountered Matthews before a media appeal. Recalling her nonchalance in the absence of reporters, he said: "I remember thinking whether she was autistic because she was laughing and smiling. "Immediately I thought, 'Something's not right with this woman'." Then on 14 March, detectives received a tip-off from a member of the public to search a flat a mile away from the estate, belonging to Michael Donovan, the uncle of Craig Meehan. There, hidden in the base of bed, Shannon was found - drugged, frightened and crying, but alive. By the time the schoolgirl was found, Natalie's suspicions - coupled with claims those involved had planned to share the
### Summary:
A woman who was found missing in Dewsbury has been named as Karen Matthews.
### Source:
By Alex MossBBC News
### Credits:
By Alex MossBBC News |
entertainment-arts-25624856 | https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25624856 | Printed book sales fall £98m in 2013 | The UK's book market has fallen for the first time in nine years, according to Nielsen BookScan. | A total of £1.416bn was spent on paperbacks and hardbacks in the 52-week period up to 28 December, according to Nielsen BookScan data. The total number of printed books sold dropped even further - falling 9.8% to 183.9 million. A rise in the average price partly made up for the shortfall. The continued growth of the digital e-book market is in part responsible for the large drop in sales. Recent consumer data figures showed more than two million UK users joined the digital book market in the first nine months of 2013. However, The Bookseller said the fall in value of the book market was also due to the slowdown in sales of EL James's Fifty Shades novels. In 2012, the author's trilogy sold in record-breaking numbers. At its peak, the series accounted for almost half of all novels bought in the UK. James's sales for 2013 totalled £1.4m, compared to £47.3m in 2012, when the trilogy sold 10.5 million copies. Despite the overall market slump, the average selling price of a book reached a nine-year high, rising 21p to £7.70. Sir Alex Ferguson's My Autobiography was the best-selling book of 2013, shifting 803,084 copies, while the hardback version of Dan Brown's Inferno was the best-selling novel, with 640,676 copies purchased. Meanwhile, supermarket chain Sainsbury's has announced it is to stop selling printed books online by the end of February. "We see that the online opportunity lies in digital products, with physical music, books, games and films sold in our stores," a Sainsbury's spokesperson said. "This move is in line with wider industry trends towards on demand entertainment, and part of our focus on the fast-growing download and streaming market." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
A total of £1.416bn was spent on paperbacks and hardbacks in the 52-week period up to 28 December, according to Nielsen BookScan data. The total number of printed books sold dropped even further - falling 9.8% to 183.9 million. A rise in the average price partly made up for the shortfall. The continued growth of the digital e-book market is in part responsible for the large drop in sales. Recent consumer data figures showed more than two million UK users joined the digital book market in the first nine months of 2013. However, The Bookseller said the fall in value of the book market was also due to the slowdown in sales of EL James's Fifty Shades novels. In 2012, the author's trilogy sold in record-breaking numbers. At its peak, the series accounted for almost half of all novels bought in the UK. James's sales for 2013 totalled £1.4m, compared to £47.3m in 2012, when the trilogy sold 10.5 million copies. Despite the overall market slump, the average selling price of a book reached a nine-year high, rising 21p to £7.70. Sir Alex Ferguson's My Autobiography was the best-selling book of 2013, shifting 803,084 copies, while the hardback version of Dan Brown's Inferno was the best-selling novel, with 640,676 copies purchased. Meanwhile, supermarket chain Sainsbury's has announced it is to stop selling printed books online by the end of February. "We see that the online opportunity lies in digital products, with physical music, books, games and films sold in our stores," a Sainsbury's spokesperson said. "This move is in line with wider industry trends towards on demand entertainment, and part of our focus on the fast-growing download and streaming market."
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
A total of £1.416bn was spent on paperbacks and hardbacks in the 52-week period up to 28 December, according to Nielsen BookScan data. The total number of printed books sold dropped even further - falling 9.8% to 183.9 million. A rise in the average price partly made up for the shortfall. The continued growth of the digital e-book market is in part responsible for the large drop in sales. Recent consumer data figures showed more than two million UK users joined the digital book market in the first nine months of 2013. However, The Bookseller said the fall in value of the book market was also due to the slowdown in sales of EL James's Fifty Shades novels. In 2012, the author's trilogy sold in record-breaking numbers. At its peak, the series accounted for almost half of all novels bought in the UK. James's sales for 2013 totalled £1.4m, compared to £47.3m in 2012, when the trilogy sold 10.5 million copies. Despite the overall market slump, the average selling price of a book reached a nine-year high, rising 21p to £7.70. Sir Alex Ferguson's My Autobiography was the best-selling book of 2013, shifting 803,084 copies, while the hardback version of Dan Brown's Inferno was the best-selling novel, with 640,676 copies purchased. Meanwhile, supermarket chain Sainsbury's has announced it is to stop selling printed books online by the end of February. "We see that the online opportunity lies in digital products, with physical music, books, games and films sold in our stores," a Sainsbury's spokesperson said. "This move is in line with wider industry trends towards on demand entertainment, and part of our focus on the fast-growing download and streaming market."
### Summary:
The UK's book market has fallen for the first time in nine years, according to Nielsen BookScan.
### Source:
By Lucy WilliamsonBusiness reporter, BBC News The UK's book market has fallen |
uk-england-derbyshire-51988466 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-51988466 | Derby shops 'profiteering' during coronavirus crisis | A Derby city councillor has been accused of "ripping off" residents by charging four times the normal price for products such as rice, toilet roll and baby milk. | Ajit Atwal, a Derby city councillor, said he had seen some shops radically increase prices on hand sanitisers, medicines and other products. A video he posted on social media warning he would "name and shame" offenders has been watched hundreds of thousands of times. The Federation of Small Businesses also said the behaviour was "inexcusable". Last week a West Midlands-based pharmacy chain was heavily criticised after it was caught charging about three times its usual price for Calpol. Mr Atwal said "a handful" of shopkeepers in Derby had been charging four times the normal amount for products such as rice, toilet roll and baby milk. "It's bang out of order," he said. "They're trying to make a quick buck out of people who don't have it." He warned businesses in the city he would report them to Trading Standards once the coronavirus crisis subsided. Derby City Council said its Trading Standards officers did not have any powers to tackle price hikes. Mr Atwal said he had not increased charges at his own petrol station: "If anything I have put my prices down." He said national chains and supermarkets had also avoided price rises. He said shopkeepers who had raised prices should "do the right thing" and "stop ripping off" residents. "That's all I'm asking for - a bit of respect, a bit of humanity, and a bit of grace, nothing more." 'Support communities' Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said prices may rise if suppliers charged shops more due to "spikes in demand and shocks to supply". However, he said there was a difference between these "necessary, often small, price adjustments" and "unethical opportunism". "Everybody needs access to basic necessities like food and toilet rolls, and unfairly ramping up prices, hurting the most vulnerable at a time where they need our help most, is inexcusable," he said. "We're living in unprecedented times and businesses should not be trying to make a quick penny by preying on people during a crisis. "However, it is important to note that the vast majority of businesses are keen to do the right thing and support the communities in the best way they can." Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Ajit Atwal, a Derby city councillor, said he had seen some shops radically increase prices on hand sanitisers, medicines and other products. A video he posted on social media warning he would "name and shame" offenders has been watched hundreds of thousands of times. The Federation of Small Businesses also said the behaviour was "inexcusable". Last week a West Midlands-based pharmacy chain was heavily criticised after it was caught charging about three times its usual price for Calpol. Mr Atwal said "a handful" of shopkeepers in Derby had been charging four times the normal amount for products such as rice, toilet roll and baby milk. "It's bang out of order," he said. "They're trying to make a quick buck out of people who don't have it." He warned businesses in the city he would report them to Trading Standards once the coronavirus crisis subsided. Derby City Council said its Trading Standards officers did not have any powers to tackle price hikes. Mr Atwal said he had not increased charges at his own petrol station: "If anything I have put my prices down." He said national chains and supermarkets had also avoided price rises. He said shopkeepers who had raised prices should "do the right thing" and "stop ripping off" residents. "That's all I'm asking for - a bit of respect, a bit of humanity, and a bit of grace, nothing more." 'Support communities' Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said prices may rise if suppliers charged shops more due to "spikes in demand and shocks to supply". However, he said there was a difference between these "necessary, often small, price adjustments" and "unethical opportunism". "Everybody needs access to basic necessities like food and toilet rolls, and unfairly ramping up prices, hurting the most vulnerable at a time where they need our help most, is inexcusable," he said. "We're living in unprecedented times and businesses should not be trying to make a quick penny by preying on people during a crisis. "However, it is important to note that the vast majority of businesses are keen to do the right thing and support the communities in the best way they can." Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Ajit Atwal, a Derby city councillor, said he had seen some shops radically increase prices on hand sanitisers, medicines and other products. A video he posted on social media warning he would "name and shame" offenders has been watched hundreds of thousands of times. The Federation of Small Businesses also said the behaviour was "inexcusable". Last week a West Midlands-based pharmacy chain was heavily criticised after it was caught charging about three times its usual price for Calpol. Mr Atwal said "a handful" of shopkeepers in Derby had been charging four times the normal amount for products such as rice, toilet roll and baby milk. "It's bang out of order," he said. "They're trying to make a quick buck out of people who don't have it." He warned businesses in the city he would report them to Trading Standards once the coronavirus crisis subsided. Derby City Council said its Trading Standards officers did not have any powers to tackle price hikes. Mr Atwal said he had not increased charges at his own petrol station: "If anything I have put my prices down." He said national chains and supermarkets had also avoided price rises. He said shopkeepers who had raised prices should "do the right thing" and "stop ripping off" residents. "That's all I'm asking for - a bit of respect, a bit of humanity, and a bit of grace, nothing more." 'Support communities' Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said prices may rise if suppliers charged shops more due to "spikes in demand and shocks to supply". However, he said there was a difference between these "necessary, often small, price adjustments" and "unethical opportunism". "Everybody needs access to basic necessities like food and toilet rolls, and unfairly ramping up prices, hurting the most vulnerable at a time where they need our help most, is inexcusable," he said. "We're living in unprecedented times and businesses should not be trying to make a quick penny by preying on people during a crisis. "However, it is important to note that the vast majority of businesses are keen to do the right thing and support the communities in the best way they can." Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.
### Summary:
A Derby city councillor has been accused of "ripping off" residents by charging four times the normal price for products such as rice, toilet roll and baby milk.
### Text:
A video he posted |
uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-43302785 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-43302785 | Aberdeen FC Kingsford stadium bid not called in by ministers | A planning application for a new stadium and training facilities has been approved by the Scottish government. | The club wants to construct the £50m stadium and training facilities at Kingsford, near Westhill. The plans were put on hold last October but the council approved the application in January. The Scottish government said in a statement there were no issues requiring a decision to be taken at a national level. Aberdeen FC believes the new facilities are vital to its future, but objectors claimed the stadium should be located elsewhere. Challenge decision Club chairman Stewart Milne said: "We welcome the Scottish government's confirmation that Aberdeen City Council can proceed to determine our planning application. "We are keen to begin construction of the community and training facilities as soon as possible." Diane Reid, from opposition group No Kingsford Stadium - which is pursuing a judicial review - said: "This now leaves the way clear for us to challenge the decision through the courts." Planners backed the project, and councillors voted 32-9 in favour. It has been claimed the stadium and training ground would create more than 400 jobs and bring millions of pounds into the local economy. Objections have been raised on grounds including potential traffic issues and loss of green belt land. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The club wants to construct the £50m stadium and training facilities at Kingsford, near Westhill. The plans were put on hold last October but the council approved the application in January. The Scottish government said in a statement there were no issues requiring a decision to be taken at a national level. Aberdeen FC believes the new facilities are vital to its future, but objectors claimed the stadium should be located elsewhere. Challenge decision Club chairman Stewart Milne said: "We welcome the Scottish government's confirmation that Aberdeen City Council can proceed to determine our planning application. "We are keen to begin construction of the community and training facilities as soon as possible." Diane Reid, from opposition group No Kingsford Stadium - which is pursuing a judicial review - said: "This now leaves the way clear for us to challenge the decision through the courts." Planners backed the project, and councillors voted 32-9 in favour. It has been claimed the stadium and training ground would create more than 400 jobs and bring millions of pounds into the local economy. Objections have been raised on grounds including potential traffic issues and loss of green belt land.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The club wants to construct the £50m stadium and training facilities at Kingsford, near Westhill. The plans were put on hold last October but the council approved the application in January. The Scottish government said in a statement there were no issues requiring a decision to be taken at a national level. Aberdeen FC believes the new facilities are vital to its future, but objectors claimed the stadium should be located elsewhere. Challenge decision Club chairman Stewart Milne said: "We welcome the Scottish government's confirmation that Aberdeen City Council can proceed to determine our planning application. "We are keen to begin construction of the community and training facilities as soon as possible." Diane Reid, from opposition group No Kingsford Stadium - which is pursuing a judicial review - said: "This now leaves the way clear for us to challenge the decision through the courts." Planners backed the project, and councillors voted 32-9 in favour. It has been claimed the stadium and training ground would create more than 400 jobs and bring millions of pounds into the local economy. Objections have been raised on grounds including potential traffic issues and loss of green belt land.
### Summary:
A planning application for a new stadium and training facilities has been approved by the Scottish government.
### Source:
Aberdeen City Council has approved a planning application for a new stadium and training facilities.
### Details: |
world-europe-guernsey-12701459 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-12701459 | Support for plain cigarette packets in Guernsey | The UK government is considering removing the branding from cigarette packets. | The UK government is currently considering removing the branding from cigarette packets. It follows a decision to ban tobacco displays in shops, something the States of Guernsey agreed to in July. Dr Stephen Bridgman said plain packaging would make cigarettes less appealing to children. He said: "The evidence suggests it would be something to protect children. "I think we need to remember that in the Bailiwick of Guernsey smoking still remains the most important cause of preventable ill health and death. "So I think anything that helps restrict children picking it up has got to be good thing in the long run." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The UK government is currently considering removing the branding from cigarette packets. It follows a decision to ban tobacco displays in shops, something the States of Guernsey agreed to in July. Dr Stephen Bridgman said plain packaging would make cigarettes less appealing to children. He said: "The evidence suggests it would be something to protect children. "I think we need to remember that in the Bailiwick of Guernsey smoking still remains the most important cause of preventable ill health and death. "So I think anything that helps restrict children picking it up has got to be good thing in the long run."
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The UK government is currently considering removing the branding from cigarette packets. It follows a decision to ban tobacco displays in shops, something the States of Guernsey agreed to in July. Dr Stephen Bridgman said plain packaging would make cigarettes less appealing to children. He said: "The evidence suggests it would be something to protect children. "I think we need to remember that in the Bailiwick of Guernsey smoking still remains the most important cause of preventable ill health and death. "So I think anything that helps restrict children picking it up has got to be good thing in the long run."
### Summary:
The UK government is considering removing the branding from cigarette packets.
### Source:
By Jessica DurkinBBC News The government is considering removing the branding from cigarette packets.
### Source:
|
uk-northern-ireland-41666766 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-41666766 | Row over replacing Belfast's Boyne Bridge | A plan to replace the Boyne Bridge in Belfast has been approved by the council. | The unanimous vote from the planning committee on Tuesday was, however, met with a mixed reaction. The current bridge near Sandy Row was reconstructed in 1936, but its origins date back nearly 400 years. The final decision to give a green light to the development will be taken by the Minister for Infrastructure. William III, or King Billy, is believed to have crossed the site on his way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. 'Very disappointed' Translink has said the Boyne Bridge was to be replaced with a "new streetscape" within its multi-million pound hub. But some local residents opposed to the plan have called for the bridge to be retained, refurbished and incorporated into the plans. In August, a protest against the plans to replace the Bridge was staged near the site. Billy Dickson, who has been leading the campaign to save the bridge, said he was "very disappointed" at the outcome of Tuesday's vote. "Most people realise the historical significance, but we want a robust review into the decision that Translink has made," he told the BBC's Talkback programme. "What concerns me is that Translink were able to make statements about why the bridge should go. There was no professional there to say: 'That's not the case.' "But there are a number of options other than take away the bridge and that's what we want to see. And that's why we want a review. "One of the options is when people come out of the new hub, and turn right they could go under this bridge. "Do we want to be one of the generation that demolishes the bridge? Translink said the proposals for the Belfast Transport Hub sought to "preserve the remains of the older Saltwater Bridge". It intends to "reuse and integrate elements of the Boyne Bridge into the contemporary design", said a spokesperson. Alliance councillor Emmet McDonough Brown, deputy chairman of Belfast City Council's planning committee, said he was pleased with the decision. "The fact that this was unanimous tells you something about the degree of consensus amongst parties that the Transport Hub is going to be a positive for the city," he said. "Translink told us the bridge as it stands at the moment isn't required but certainly the original saltwater bridge underneath it will be curated. "The city is changing and we're talking about a transport hub for the 21st Century." Belfast City Council is one of a number of statutory agencies being consulted on the proposals for the transport hub. But the Department for Infrastructure will ultimately be responsible for determining the transport hub planning application, which it has "called in" from Belfast City Council under Section 29 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011 due to the regional importance of the proposal. "After consideration of the application, the department will present a recommendation to the Minister for consideration," said a council statement. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The unanimous vote from the planning committee on Tuesday was, however, met with a mixed reaction. The current bridge near Sandy Row was reconstructed in 1936, but its origins date back nearly 400 years. The final decision to give a green light to the development will be taken by the Minister for Infrastructure. William III, or King Billy, is believed to have crossed the site on his way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. 'Very disappointed' Translink has said the Boyne Bridge was to be replaced with a "new streetscape" within its multi-million pound hub. But some local residents opposed to the plan have called for the bridge to be retained, refurbished and incorporated into the plans. In August, a protest against the plans to replace the Bridge was staged near the site. Billy Dickson, who has been leading the campaign to save the bridge, said he was "very disappointed" at the outcome of Tuesday's vote. "Most people realise the historical significance, but we want a robust review into the decision that Translink has made," he told the BBC's Talkback programme. "What concerns me is that Translink were able to make statements about why the bridge should go. There was no professional there to say: 'That's not the case.' "But there are a number of options other than take away the bridge and that's what we want to see. And that's why we want a review. "One of the options is when people come out of the new hub, and turn right they could go under this bridge. "Do we want to be one of the generation that demolishes the bridge? Translink said the proposals for the Belfast Transport Hub sought to "preserve the remains of the older Saltwater Bridge". It intends to "reuse and integrate elements of the Boyne Bridge into the contemporary design", said a spokesperson. Alliance councillor Emmet McDonough Brown, deputy chairman of Belfast City Council's planning committee, said he was pleased with the decision. "The fact that this was unanimous tells you something about the degree of consensus amongst parties that the Transport Hub is going to be a positive for the city," he said. "Translink told us the bridge as it stands at the moment isn't required but certainly the original saltwater bridge underneath it will be curated. "The city is changing and we're talking about a transport hub for the 21st Century." Belfast City Council is one of a number of statutory agencies being consulted on the proposals for the transport hub. But the Department for Infrastructure will ultimately be responsible for determining the transport hub planning application, which it has "called in" from Belfast City Council under Section 29 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011 due to the regional importance of the proposal. "After consideration of the application, the department will present a recommendation to the Minister for consideration," said a council statement.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The unanimous vote from the planning committee on Tuesday was, however, met with a mixed reaction. The current bridge near Sandy Row was reconstructed in 1936, but its origins date back nearly 400 years. The final decision to give a green light to the development will be taken by the Minister for Infrastructure. William III, or King Billy, is believed to have crossed the site on his way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. 'Very disappointed' Translink has said the Boyne Bridge was to be replaced with a "new streetscape" within its multi-million pound hub. But some local residents opposed to the plan have called for the bridge to be retained, refurbished and incorporated into the plans. In August, a protest against the plans to replace the Bridge was staged near the site. Billy Dickson, who has been leading the campaign to save the bridge, said he was "very disappointed" at the outcome of Tuesday's vote. "Most people realise the historical significance, but we want a robust review into the decision that Translink has made," he told the BBC's Talkback programme. "What concerns me is that Translink were able to make statements about why the bridge should go. There was no professional there to say: 'That's not the case.' "But there are a number of options other than take away the bridge and that's what we want to see. And that's why we want a review. "One of the options is when people come out of the new hub, and turn right they could go under this bridge. "Do we want to be one of the generation that demolishes the bridge? Translink said the proposals for the Belfast Transport Hub sought to "preserve the remains of the older Saltwater Bridge". It intends to "reuse and integrate elements of the Boyne Bridge into the contemporary design", said a spokesperson. Alliance councillor Emmet McDonough Brown, deputy chairman of Belfast City Council's planning committee, said he was pleased with the decision. "The fact that this was unanimous tells you something about the degree of consensus amongst parties that the Transport Hub is going to be a positive for the city," he said. "Translink told us the bridge as it stands at the moment isn't required but certainly the original saltwater bridge underneath it will be curated. "The city is changing and we're talking about a transport hub for the 21st Century." Belfast City Council is one of a number of statutory agencies being consulted on the proposals for the transport hub. But the Department for Infrastructure will ultimately be responsible for determining the transport hub planning application, which it has "called in" from Belfast City Council under Section 29 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011 due to the regional importance of the proposal. "After consideration of the application, the department will present a recommendation to the Minister for consideration," said a council statement.
### Summary:
A plan to replace the Boyne Bridge in Belfast has been approved by the council.
### Next:
The Department for Infrastructure has approved a plan to replace the Boyne Bridge in Belfast.
### |
uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18549293 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18549293 | Judge orders report on Duff & Phelps Rangers role | The BBC has been ordered to produce a report showing it had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. | The move, ordered by Lord Hodge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, comes after a recent BBC documentary raised concerns about the issue. Lord Hodge said he took no view about the BBC programme. But he said Duff and Phelps should produce a report showing they had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. Rangers was forced into administration by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on 14 February over non-payment of tax totalling about £14m. Rangers liquidated Craig Whyte, who bought the club from Sir David Murray last year, was successful in having his nominated firm, Duff and Phelps, appointed. Following a hearing at the Court of Session, presided over by Lord Hodge, David Whitehouse and Paul Clark were appointed as joint administrators of the club. They have since negotiated a sale of the club's assets to a consortium led by Charles Green for £5.5m after creditors rejected an agreement which would have seen Rangers repay pennies in the pound for estimated debts of about £134m. The old company is now set to be wound up by HMRC's preferred liquidators BDO. Mr Green has since formed a new club and is attempting to get access to the Scottish Premier League. Last month, BBC Scotland broadcast the documentary - Rangers: The Men Who Sold The Jerseys. The programme raised questions over a possible conflict of interest for Rangers' administrators. Allegations denied David Grier, a senior partner from Duff and Phelps, had said he was unaware until August 2011 that London finance firm Ticketus had helped fund Mr Whyte's purchase of the club. The BBC programme broadcast emails which appeared to show that he knew a deal was under way in April, before Mr Whyte's takeover was complete. Mr Grier has denied knowing that Ticketus were funding the purchase, and his PR team has claimed he was only aware of a much smaller arrangement of around £5m with the finance firm to fund a working capital shortfall. He said "the false allegations made by the BBC" were now in the hands of Duff and Phelps solicitors. Duff and Phelps issued a further statement after Lord Hodge's ruling. David Whitehouse, joint administrator, said: "We welcome the decision by Lord Hodge today. "Producing this report for Lord Hodge will give us an opportunity to demonstrate that the allegation of conflict of interest by the BBC was wrong and grossly irresponsible. "We have a well-established conflict checking procedure which was fully adhered to and there was no reason for us not to accept the role as administrators. "Since the BBC documentary we have met Mr Roger Isaacs who appeared on the programme and was asked for his professional opinion as a forensic accountant. "Mr Isaacs informed us that he was not shown relevant documentation by the BBC and now, having reviewed the documentation, has told us that he is satisfied that our firm did not have knowledge of Ticketus funding being used to acquire Rangers in 2011, prior to the transaction being completed." BBC response BBC Scotland has said it stands by the claims made in its programme. In a letter seen by the BBC from Roger Isaacs to Duff and Phelps following a meeting between the two parties, Mr Isaacs states: "At the meeting you made various representations and offered to send me further documents to support them. "I have now had a chance to consider these and you should please be aware that I have not been persuaded that Duff and Phelps had no knowledge of the Ticketus deal to fund the purchase of the bank debt." Mr Isaacs adds: "My view remains, on the basis of the information I have, that Duff and Phelps appear not to have been able to fulfil the necessary requirements of independence to allow them to act as administrators" The issue over any possible conflict of interest was raised by Lord Hodge at a hearing about the administration process on Friday. 'Public interest' The judge said he took no view about what the BBC had said, but wanted to know whether Duff and Phelps had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. Lord Hodge said he had done nothing until now because he did not want to hinder the process of Rangers seeking a creditors voluntary agreement (CVA). But, he told the accountants' lawyers: "There is considerable public interest in this jurisdiction in relation to the administration." Lord Hodge added: "I do not want the administration to come to an end without having received that report." The report demanded by Lord Hodge is expected to be ready in three weeks and a further court hearing is likely to be arranged after that. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The move, ordered by Lord Hodge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, comes after a recent BBC documentary raised concerns about the issue. Lord Hodge said he took no view about the BBC programme. But he said Duff and Phelps should produce a report showing they had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. Rangers was forced into administration by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on 14 February over non-payment of tax totalling about £14m. Rangers liquidated Craig Whyte, who bought the club from Sir David Murray last year, was successful in having his nominated firm, Duff and Phelps, appointed. Following a hearing at the Court of Session, presided over by Lord Hodge, David Whitehouse and Paul Clark were appointed as joint administrators of the club. They have since negotiated a sale of the club's assets to a consortium led by Charles Green for £5.5m after creditors rejected an agreement which would have seen Rangers repay pennies in the pound for estimated debts of about £134m. The old company is now set to be wound up by HMRC's preferred liquidators BDO. Mr Green has since formed a new club and is attempting to get access to the Scottish Premier League. Last month, BBC Scotland broadcast the documentary - Rangers: The Men Who Sold The Jerseys. The programme raised questions over a possible conflict of interest for Rangers' administrators. Allegations denied David Grier, a senior partner from Duff and Phelps, had said he was unaware until August 2011 that London finance firm Ticketus had helped fund Mr Whyte's purchase of the club. The BBC programme broadcast emails which appeared to show that he knew a deal was under way in April, before Mr Whyte's takeover was complete. Mr Grier has denied knowing that Ticketus were funding the purchase, and his PR team has claimed he was only aware of a much smaller arrangement of around £5m with the finance firm to fund a working capital shortfall. He said "the false allegations made by the BBC" were now in the hands of Duff and Phelps solicitors. Duff and Phelps issued a further statement after Lord Hodge's ruling. David Whitehouse, joint administrator, said: "We welcome the decision by Lord Hodge today. "Producing this report for Lord Hodge will give us an opportunity to demonstrate that the allegation of conflict of interest by the BBC was wrong and grossly irresponsible. "We have a well-established conflict checking procedure which was fully adhered to and there was no reason for us not to accept the role as administrators. "Since the BBC documentary we have met Mr Roger Isaacs who appeared on the programme and was asked for his professional opinion as a forensic accountant. "Mr Isaacs informed us that he was not shown relevant documentation by the BBC and now, having reviewed the documentation, has told us that he is satisfied that our firm did not have knowledge of Ticketus funding being used to acquire Rangers in 2011, prior to the transaction being completed." BBC response BBC Scotland has said it stands by the claims made in its programme. In a letter seen by the BBC from Roger Isaacs to Duff and Phelps following a meeting between the two parties, Mr Isaacs states: "At the meeting you made various representations and offered to send me further documents to support them. "I have now had a chance to consider these and you should please be aware that I have not been persuaded that Duff and Phelps had no knowledge of the Ticketus deal to fund the purchase of the bank debt." Mr Isaacs adds: "My view remains, on the basis of the information I have, that Duff and Phelps appear not to have been able to fulfil the necessary requirements of independence to allow them to act as administrators" The issue over any possible conflict of interest was raised by Lord Hodge at a hearing about the administration process on Friday. 'Public interest' The judge said he took no view about what the BBC had said, but wanted to know whether Duff and Phelps had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. Lord Hodge said he had done nothing until now because he did not want to hinder the process of Rangers seeking a creditors voluntary agreement (CVA). But, he told the accountants' lawyers: "There is considerable public interest in this jurisdiction in relation to the administration." Lord Hodge added: "I do not want the administration to come to an end without having received that report." The report demanded by Lord Hodge is expected to be ready in three weeks and a further court hearing is likely to be arranged after that.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The move, ordered by Lord Hodge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, comes after a recent BBC documentary raised concerns about the issue. Lord Hodge said he took no view about the BBC programme. But he said Duff and Phelps should produce a report showing they had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. Rangers was forced into administration by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on 14 February over non-payment of tax totalling about £14m. Rangers liquidated Craig Whyte, who bought the club from Sir David Murray last year, was successful in having his nominated firm, Duff and Phelps, appointed. Following a hearing at the Court of Session, presided over by Lord Hodge, David Whitehouse and Paul Clark were appointed as joint administrators of the club. They have since negotiated a sale of the club's assets to a consortium led by Charles Green for £5.5m after creditors rejected an agreement which would have seen Rangers repay pennies in the pound for estimated debts of about £134m. The old company is now set to be wound up by HMRC's preferred liquidators BDO. Mr Green has since formed a new club and is attempting to get access to the Scottish Premier League. Last month, BBC Scotland broadcast the documentary - Rangers: The Men Who Sold The Jerseys. The programme raised questions over a possible conflict of interest for Rangers' administrators. Allegations denied David Grier, a senior partner from Duff and Phelps, had said he was unaware until August 2011 that London finance firm Ticketus had helped fund Mr Whyte's purchase of the club. The BBC programme broadcast emails which appeared to show that he knew a deal was under way in April, before Mr Whyte's takeover was complete. Mr Grier has denied knowing that Ticketus were funding the purchase, and his PR team has claimed he was only aware of a much smaller arrangement of around £5m with the finance firm to fund a working capital shortfall. He said "the false allegations made by the BBC" were now in the hands of Duff and Phelps solicitors. Duff and Phelps issued a further statement after Lord Hodge's ruling. David Whitehouse, joint administrator, said: "We welcome the decision by Lord Hodge today. "Producing this report for Lord Hodge will give us an opportunity to demonstrate that the allegation of conflict of interest by the BBC was wrong and grossly irresponsible. "We have a well-established conflict checking procedure which was fully adhered to and there was no reason for us not to accept the role as administrators. "Since the BBC documentary we have met Mr Roger Isaacs who appeared on the programme and was asked for his professional opinion as a forensic accountant. "Mr Isaacs informed us that he was not shown relevant documentation by the BBC and now, having reviewed the documentation, has told us that he is satisfied that our firm did not have knowledge of Ticketus funding being used to acquire Rangers in 2011, prior to the transaction being completed." BBC response BBC Scotland has said it stands by the claims made in its programme. In a letter seen by the BBC from Roger Isaacs to Duff and Phelps following a meeting between the two parties, Mr Isaacs states: "At the meeting you made various representations and offered to send me further documents to support them. "I have now had a chance to consider these and you should please be aware that I have not been persuaded that Duff and Phelps had no knowledge of the Ticketus deal to fund the purchase of the bank debt." Mr Isaacs adds: "My view remains, on the basis of the information I have, that Duff and Phelps appear not to have been able to fulfil the necessary requirements of independence to allow them to act as administrators" The issue over any possible conflict of interest was raised by Lord Hodge at a hearing about the administration process on Friday. 'Public interest' The judge said he took no view about what the BBC had said, but wanted to know whether Duff and Phelps had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest. Lord Hodge said he had done nothing until now because he did not want to hinder the process of Rangers seeking a creditors voluntary agreement (CVA). But, he told the accountants' lawyers: "There is considerable public interest in this jurisdiction in relation to the administration." Lord Hodge added: "I do not want the administration to come to an end without having received that report." The report demanded by Lord Hodge is expected to be ready in three weeks and a further court hearing is likely to be arranged after that.
### Summary:
The BBC has been ordered to produce a report showing it had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest.
### Text:
The BBC has been ordered to produce a report showing it had obtained and acted on legal |
world-europe-50260379 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50260379 | European snub to North Macedonia fuels frustration in Balkans | North Macedonia's prime minister has been left lying on the ground in a crumpled heap after France's Emmanuel Macron rejected his bid to join the European Union. | By Guy DelauneyBBC News, Balkans correspondent North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was left grasping thin air as the prospect of EU accession talks was snatched away. France's Emmanuel Macron played the part of antagonist-in-chief. Mr Macron said "Non" when all the other EU leaders were in favour of giving the formal go-ahead to membership negotiations with North Macedonia. Neighbouring Albania was given the brush-off too. The EU's snub also sent a grim message across the Balkans - to would-be members Kosovo and Bosnia and even Serbia and Montenegro, which are both many years into membership negotiations. 'Expectations were so high' The French veto did not exactly leave North Macedonia's leader lying on the ground in a crumpled heap, but it did make a mockery of his assertion that changing the country's name would open the door to accession. For 27 years, Greece had rejected the name Macedonia because of its region of the same name. The dispute came to an end only in January after a hard-won agreement and a series of difficult votes. For young Macedonians especially the rejection comes as a blow, setting back the European aspirations of a new generation. The government has already paid the price. It will not see out its full five-year term, but will head into early elections next April. "No-one here believed we would become a member state tomorrow, but we were fully prepared for negotiations," says Ivana Tufegdzik, an MP in the governing coalition. "So many European prime ministers and presidents said that the [name-change] agreement, referendum and constitutional changes would open the door to the EU. Even President Macron said that in a video to the Macedonian people." "The expectations were so high. And suddenly there was the wrong message." Were alarm-bells ignored? Mr Zaev bet all his political capital on the name change putting North Macedonia on the road to EU membership. Now he faces a massive challenge, convincing voters that he is still the leader to drive the country forward. And the opposition are delighted to portray the situation as a failure for Mr Zaev and his Social Democrats. "We said the government in Skopje was not doing enough to persuade the EU to open membership negotiations," says Stefan Andonovski, a foreign policy adviser to the leadership of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party. "The government has not been listening to the alarms coming from the EU that we really have problems on the inside. The fight against corruption has been stagnant - we have had many scandals. The only reforms have been on the name issue; not much has been done in other areas." Some of these points are valid. Anti-corruption efforts have been shaken by the arrest of the country's leading special prosecutor. Katica Janeva is facing allegations of abuse of office and accepting bribes. And the EU's commissioner for enlargement, Johannes Hahn, had warned that Skopje's failure to reform the judiciary put EU membership talks at risk. Yet the opposition's comments should also be taken with a pinch of salt. The party officially remains committed to EU accession talks. But at the same time, it has a policy of reversing the country's name change. That would end the hard-won detente with neighbouring Greece and scupper any chance of membership negotiations. Despite the latest knock-back, reactions in North Macedonia have been relatively low-key. There have been no large-scale protests or acts of violence. After almost three decades of diplomatic blockage, people have become hardened to disappointment. 'Devastating for young Macedonians' But young people in particular may take the view that their future lies elsewhere, exacerbating the population decline which is already a serious issue. "It's devastating for people who hoped we would have quick changes," says Blazhen Mileski, who works with youth pressure group Reactor. "We will see more direct action from young people to leave, go to the EU and live there. People don't have a clear idea of what EU wants from us. Young people will see their future outside the country, because they don't see an EU path." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called the French veto "an historic mistake", warning that it would seriously compromise the EU's influence across the Western Balkans. Russia eyes an opportunity There have already been consequences. The leader of the party that won the most votes in Kosovo's recent parliamentary election has suggested scrapping the European Integration Ministry. And Serbia could sign a free trade agreement with the Russia-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) without worrying too much about the implications. Ever the mischief-maker, Moscow has floated the possibility of inviting Albania and North Macedonia to join the EAEU as well - a suggestion immediately shot down by Mr Zaev. All of North Macedonia's political parties insist they remain focused on getting EU membership talks underway. And the confirmation of Nato membership, which should arrive within the next few months, will be a significant consolation. But EU accession negotiations were supposed to provide the structure to bring North Macedonia under the rule of law. And as long as Emmanuel Macron remains in charge in France, it is difficult to see how those talks can start. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Guy DelauneyBBC News, Balkans correspondent North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was left grasping thin air as the prospect of EU accession talks was snatched away. France's Emmanuel Macron played the part of antagonist-in-chief. Mr Macron said "Non" when all the other EU leaders were in favour of giving the formal go-ahead to membership negotiations with North Macedonia. Neighbouring Albania was given the brush-off too. The EU's snub also sent a grim message across the Balkans - to would-be members Kosovo and Bosnia and even Serbia and Montenegro, which are both many years into membership negotiations. 'Expectations were so high' The French veto did not exactly leave North Macedonia's leader lying on the ground in a crumpled heap, but it did make a mockery of his assertion that changing the country's name would open the door to accession. For 27 years, Greece had rejected the name Macedonia because of its region of the same name. The dispute came to an end only in January after a hard-won agreement and a series of difficult votes. For young Macedonians especially the rejection comes as a blow, setting back the European aspirations of a new generation. The government has already paid the price. It will not see out its full five-year term, but will head into early elections next April. "No-one here believed we would become a member state tomorrow, but we were fully prepared for negotiations," says Ivana Tufegdzik, an MP in the governing coalition. "So many European prime ministers and presidents said that the [name-change] agreement, referendum and constitutional changes would open the door to the EU. Even President Macron said that in a video to the Macedonian people." "The expectations were so high. And suddenly there was the wrong message." Were alarm-bells ignored? Mr Zaev bet all his political capital on the name change putting North Macedonia on the road to EU membership. Now he faces a massive challenge, convincing voters that he is still the leader to drive the country forward. And the opposition are delighted to portray the situation as a failure for Mr Zaev and his Social Democrats. "We said the government in Skopje was not doing enough to persuade the EU to open membership negotiations," says Stefan Andonovski, a foreign policy adviser to the leadership of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party. "The government has not been listening to the alarms coming from the EU that we really have problems on the inside. The fight against corruption has been stagnant - we have had many scandals. The only reforms have been on the name issue; not much has been done in other areas." Some of these points are valid. Anti-corruption efforts have been shaken by the arrest of the country's leading special prosecutor. Katica Janeva is facing allegations of abuse of office and accepting bribes. And the EU's commissioner for enlargement, Johannes Hahn, had warned that Skopje's failure to reform the judiciary put EU membership talks at risk. Yet the opposition's comments should also be taken with a pinch of salt. The party officially remains committed to EU accession talks. But at the same time, it has a policy of reversing the country's name change. That would end the hard-won detente with neighbouring Greece and scupper any chance of membership negotiations. Despite the latest knock-back, reactions in North Macedonia have been relatively low-key. There have been no large-scale protests or acts of violence. After almost three decades of diplomatic blockage, people have become hardened to disappointment. 'Devastating for young Macedonians' But young people in particular may take the view that their future lies elsewhere, exacerbating the population decline which is already a serious issue. "It's devastating for people who hoped we would have quick changes," says Blazhen Mileski, who works with youth pressure group Reactor. "We will see more direct action from young people to leave, go to the EU and live there. People don't have a clear idea of what EU wants from us. Young people will see their future outside the country, because they don't see an EU path." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called the French veto "an historic mistake", warning that it would seriously compromise the EU's influence across the Western Balkans. Russia eyes an opportunity There have already been consequences. The leader of the party that won the most votes in Kosovo's recent parliamentary election has suggested scrapping the European Integration Ministry. And Serbia could sign a free trade agreement with the Russia-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) without worrying too much about the implications. Ever the mischief-maker, Moscow has floated the possibility of inviting Albania and North Macedonia to join the EAEU as well - a suggestion immediately shot down by Mr Zaev. All of North Macedonia's political parties insist they remain focused on getting EU membership talks underway. And the confirmation of Nato membership, which should arrive within the next
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Guy DelauneyBBC News, Balkans correspondent North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was left grasping thin air as the prospect of EU accession talks was snatched away. France's Emmanuel Macron played the part of antagonist-in-chief. Mr Macron said "Non" when all the other EU leaders were in favour of giving the formal go-ahead to membership negotiations with North Macedonia. Neighbouring Albania was given the brush-off too. The EU's snub also sent a grim message across the Balkans - to would-be members Kosovo and Bosnia and even Serbia and Montenegro, which are both many years into membership negotiations. 'Expectations were so high' The French veto did not exactly leave North Macedonia's leader lying on the ground in a crumpled heap, but it did make a mockery of his assertion that changing the country's name would open the door to accession. For 27 years, Greece had rejected the name Macedonia because of its region of the same name. The dispute came to an end only in January after a hard-won agreement and a series of difficult votes. For young Macedonians especially the rejection comes as a blow, setting back the European aspirations of a new generation. The government has already paid the price. It will not see out its full five-year term, but will head into early elections next April. "No-one here believed we would become a member state tomorrow, but we were fully prepared for negotiations," says Ivana Tufegdzik, an MP in the governing coalition. "So many European prime ministers and presidents said that the [name-change] agreement, referendum and constitutional changes would open the door to the EU. Even President Macron said that in a video to the Macedonian people." "The expectations were so high. And suddenly there was the wrong message." Were alarm-bells ignored? Mr Zaev bet all his political capital on the name change putting North Macedonia on the road to EU membership. Now he faces a massive challenge, convincing voters that he is still the leader to drive the country forward. And the opposition are delighted to portray the situation as a failure for Mr Zaev and his Social Democrats. "We said the government in Skopje was not doing enough to persuade the EU to open membership negotiations," says Stefan Andonovski, a foreign policy adviser to the leadership of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party. "The government has not been listening to the alarms coming from the EU that we really have problems on the inside. The fight against corruption has been stagnant - we have had many scandals. The only reforms have been on the name issue; not much has been done in other areas." Some of these points are valid. Anti-corruption efforts have been shaken by the arrest of the country's leading special prosecutor. Katica Janeva is facing allegations of abuse of office and accepting bribes. And the EU's commissioner for enlargement, Johannes Hahn, had warned that Skopje's failure to reform the judiciary put EU membership talks at risk. Yet the opposition's comments should also be taken with a pinch of salt. The party officially remains committed to EU accession talks. But at the same time, it has a policy of reversing the country's name change. That would end the hard-won detente with neighbouring Greece and scupper any chance of membership negotiations. Despite the latest knock-back, reactions in North Macedonia have been relatively low-key. There have been no large-scale protests or acts of violence. After almost three decades of diplomatic blockage, people have become hardened to disappointment. 'Devastating for young Macedonians' But young people in particular may take the view that their future lies elsewhere, exacerbating the population decline which is already a serious issue. "It's devastating for people who hoped we would have quick changes," says Blazhen Mileski, who works with youth pressure group Reactor. "We will see more direct action from young people to leave, go to the EU and live there. People don't have a clear idea of what EU wants from us. Young people will see their future outside the country, because they don't see an EU path." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called the French veto "an historic mistake", warning that it would seriously compromise the EU's influence across the Western Balkans. Russia eyes an opportunity There have already been consequences. The leader of the party that won the most votes in Kosovo's recent parliamentary election has suggested scrapping the European Integration Ministry. And Serbia could sign a free trade agreement with the Russia-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) without worrying too much about the implications. Ever the mischief-maker, Moscow has floated the possibility of inviting Albania and North Macedonia to join the EAEU as well - a suggestion immediately shot down by Mr Zaev. All of North Macedonia's political parties insist they remain focused on getting EU membership talks underway. And the confirmation of Nato membership, which should arrive within the next
### Summary:
North Macedonia's prime minister has been left lying on the ground in a crumpled heap after France's Emmanuel Macron rejected his bid to join the European Union.
### Spelling and grammar
The French |
uk-england-kent-21302222 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-21302222 | Man questioned over Sittingbourne dog thefts | A man has been arrested on suspicion of theft after a van was stolen from a dog kennel. | The animals were all taken in the Sittingbourne area between 22 and 29 January. Four of the dogs have since been recovered safe and well. Police are trying to trace the driver of a white panel van with rear doors seen where many of the thefts occurred. The 22-year-old man, from Sheerness, was arrested on suspicion of theft and bailed pending further inquiries until 27 February. The missing dogs are an alsatian and a pug. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The animals were all taken in the Sittingbourne area between 22 and 29 January. Four of the dogs have since been recovered safe and well. Police are trying to trace the driver of a white panel van with rear doors seen where many of the thefts occurred. The 22-year-old man, from Sheerness, was arrested on suspicion of theft and bailed pending further inquiries until 27 February. The missing dogs are an alsatian and a pug.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The animals were all taken in the Sittingbourne area between 22 and 29 January. Four of the dogs have since been recovered safe and well. Police are trying to trace the driver of a white panel van with rear doors seen where many of the thefts occurred. The 22-year-old man, from Sheerness, was arrested on suspicion of theft and bailed pending further inquiries until 27 February. The missing dogs are an alsatian and a pug.
### Summary:
A man has been arrested on suspicion of theft after a van was stolen from a dog kennel.
### Source:
Police have arrested a man on suspicion of theft after a van was stolen from a |
uk-england-leeds-40815624 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-40815624 | Chris Packham calls to end Ilkley Moor grouse shooting | A man has been arrested on suspicion of grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor. | He made his comments in a statement to moor owners Bradford Council ahead of the grouse shooting season next week. The council said it permits shooting for just eight days each year, under a contract to be reviewed in 2018. Ilkley Moor is the last publicly owned place in the UK to allow grouse shooting during the season. More stories from around Yorkshire Mr Packham addressed Labour council leader Susan Hinchcliffe in a letter sent by the group Ban Bloodsports on Ilkley Moor (BBIM). He said the practice was "ecologically disastrous". "It is clear that this unpopular and damaging practice is widely opposed by your constituents so why not honour your voters' wishes and jump the gun on those who are dragging their feet towards the inevitable end of this moorland vandalism," he wrote. A council spokesperson said when the current contract ends all representations would be considered before a decision to renew or not was made. Those opposed to grouse shooting argue it is directly contributing to a rapid fall in the number of hen harriers. The birds prey on red grouse chicks as part of their diet, and conservationists claim gamekeepers kill hen harriers to preserve grouse stocks. There are just four breeding pairs left in England. Countryside groups and the government say grouse shooting is a legitimate activity which brings significant benefits to the rural economy. Gareth Dockerty from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said: "The grouse shooting benefits the habitats, protects the site from fire and anti-social behaviour and is undertaken in a safe manner." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
He made his comments in a statement to moor owners Bradford Council ahead of the grouse shooting season next week. The council said it permits shooting for just eight days each year, under a contract to be reviewed in 2018. Ilkley Moor is the last publicly owned place in the UK to allow grouse shooting during the season. More stories from around Yorkshire Mr Packham addressed Labour council leader Susan Hinchcliffe in a letter sent by the group Ban Bloodsports on Ilkley Moor (BBIM). He said the practice was "ecologically disastrous". "It is clear that this unpopular and damaging practice is widely opposed by your constituents so why not honour your voters' wishes and jump the gun on those who are dragging their feet towards the inevitable end of this moorland vandalism," he wrote. A council spokesperson said when the current contract ends all representations would be considered before a decision to renew or not was made. Those opposed to grouse shooting argue it is directly contributing to a rapid fall in the number of hen harriers. The birds prey on red grouse chicks as part of their diet, and conservationists claim gamekeepers kill hen harriers to preserve grouse stocks. There are just four breeding pairs left in England. Countryside groups and the government say grouse shooting is a legitimate activity which brings significant benefits to the rural economy. Gareth Dockerty from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said: "The grouse shooting benefits the habitats, protects the site from fire and anti-social behaviour and is undertaken in a safe manner."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
He made his comments in a statement to moor owners Bradford Council ahead of the grouse shooting season next week. The council said it permits shooting for just eight days each year, under a contract to be reviewed in 2018. Ilkley Moor is the last publicly owned place in the UK to allow grouse shooting during the season. More stories from around Yorkshire Mr Packham addressed Labour council leader Susan Hinchcliffe in a letter sent by the group Ban Bloodsports on Ilkley Moor (BBIM). He said the practice was "ecologically disastrous". "It is clear that this unpopular and damaging practice is widely opposed by your constituents so why not honour your voters' wishes and jump the gun on those who are dragging their feet towards the inevitable end of this moorland vandalism," he wrote. A council spokesperson said when the current contract ends all representations would be considered before a decision to renew or not was made. Those opposed to grouse shooting argue it is directly contributing to a rapid fall in the number of hen harriers. The birds prey on red grouse chicks as part of their diet, and conservationists claim gamekeepers kill hen harriers to preserve grouse stocks. There are just four breeding pairs left in England. Countryside groups and the government say grouse shooting is a legitimate activity which brings significant benefits to the rural economy. Gareth Dockerty from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said: "The grouse shooting benefits the habitats, protects the site from fire and anti-social behaviour and is undertaken in a safe manner."
### Summary:
A man has been arrested on suspicion of grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor.
### Next story:
A man has been arrested on suspicion of grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor.
### Next |
uk-scotland-highlands-islands-22553418 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-22553418 | The Crofters' War and the Napier Commission | The Crofters' War was a series of conflicts between landowners and crofters in the Highlands and Islands. | By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter In early 1883, the iron-hulled gunboat Jackal dropped anchor in the sheltered waters of a sea loch in Skye. The appearance of the Royal Navy in Loch Pooltiel, off Glendale, signalled an escalation in what was known as the Crofters' War. Waged over large parts of the 1800s, the "war" was a dispute between landowners and communities distressed by high rents, their lack of rights to land, or facing eviction to make way for large-scale farming operations. The process of moving families out of inland areas where they had raised cattle for generations to coastal fringes of large estates, or abroad to territories in Canada, had started with the Highland Clearances in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Both the clearances and the Crofters' War were marked by violent clashes between people facing eviction and landowners and the authorities. Going barefoot One of the bloodiest incidents was the Battle of the Braes on Skye in 1882. After being attacked with stones by a crowd of men and women, about 50 police officers from Glasgow baton-charged the mob. The unrest spread to Glendale and in 1883 the frustrated authorities called for military intervention to help round up the ring-leaders. Marines disembarked the Jackal and landed at Glendale's Meanish Pier and assisted police in making arrests. But the agitation continued and Prime Minister William Gladstone ordered a public inquiry, something that had been called for before but rejected by the government. Backed by Royal approval, the Napier Commission was set up. It was led by Francis Napier, a respected diplomat and the 10th Lord Napier. In May 1883, it began gathering evidence at hearings across the Highlands and Islands. Dr Elizabeth Ritchie, a lecturer in Scottish history at the University of the Highlands and Islands, said granting an inquiry was a major concession to land reformers and crofters from the government. "Gladstone hoped that the news of the commission would help quell disturbances," she said. "The commission itself was welcomed by crofters, and greeted with a mix of suspicion and anger by estate management." Estate bosses and landowners were outraged and felt that the government was interfering in private property. All sides, however, sought to present strong cases to the commission. Dr Annie Tindley, in her book The Sutherland Estate, 1850-1920: aristocratic decline, estate management and land reform, tells of estate managers steering the commission panel towards visits to prosperous areas of Sutherland rather than the poorer ones. The Highland Land Law Reform Association was also well organised, according to Allan McColl's book Land, Faith and the Crofting Community. Two of its leaders toured the Highlands in an effort to help as many crofters as possible prepare their evidence. Crofters told the hearings of being denied land on which they could grow crops and graze livestock. Landowners and estate factors defended their actions and insisted change was needed to improve the agricultural output of estates. The commission also heard evidence of sickness and diseases that afflicted crofting families, and of women and children going barefoot in rain and snow. Dr Ritchie believes there were various reasons behind the health problems. She said likely factors behind the bad health included families living in overcrowded "rural slums" on the fringes of estates where it was hard for them to grow sufficient food. People lived in damp, smoky thatched homes, conditions which encouraged the spread of eye and respiratory diseases. But Dr Ritchie said homes were deliberately made smoky because a sooty thatch, when it was replaced, could be used as a fertiliser. Introduced golf In 1884, the commission published its report and it was criticised by all involved. Rather than open the way for new legislation, it indicated that the government preferred that landowners and crofters worked out their differences without the weight of law. The following year crofters put up six candidates in a General Election, the first to be held after voting reform. One of the candidates stood against the Duke of Sutherland and, while the crofters' man lost, it was a move that played a part in eroding the Sutherland estate's political influence. The Crofters' Party did manage to get five of its candidates elected. In 1886 the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act was passed. However, this legislation did not solve all the problems over land rights and disputes continued into the years between the two world wars in the 20th century. The year 1886 also saw another dispute over land rights that led to military involvement. In August, 250 marines landed on Tiree from ironclad warship HMS Ajax and troop ship HMS Assistance. At first they got a hostile reception from locals, who had been calling for an area of the island to be broken up into crofts, but the marines won them over by helping to take in the harvest. Col Mackay Heriot, the officer in charge, and nine officers also introduced golf to the island. They played among the machair and stirred islanders into having a proper course laid out. Dr Ritchie said the Napier Commission should not be regarded as a complete failure. She said: "Despite nobody being satisfied with the report and it never becoming the basis for legislation, it had a profound influence on how the land reform movement in the Highlands developed. "It helped to politicise and organise crofters, who took national and local opportunities to push demands for land reform." Dr Ritchie added: "It put estates into the public eye so they could no longer act with impunity, and it opened the way for government to get involved in matters which had previously been seen as issues of private property." And what of Meanish Pier where marines landed 130 years ago to quell restless crofters? In 2012, community group the Glendale Trust revealed a plan to buy the pier from the owner, Highland Council. The trust said it hoped to upgrade the run-down pier and make it available to visitors armed with guide books, rather than guns. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter In early 1883, the iron-hulled gunboat Jackal dropped anchor in the sheltered waters of a sea loch in Skye. The appearance of the Royal Navy in Loch Pooltiel, off Glendale, signalled an escalation in what was known as the Crofters' War. Waged over large parts of the 1800s, the "war" was a dispute between landowners and communities distressed by high rents, their lack of rights to land, or facing eviction to make way for large-scale farming operations. The process of moving families out of inland areas where they had raised cattle for generations to coastal fringes of large estates, or abroad to territories in Canada, had started with the Highland Clearances in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Both the clearances and the Crofters' War were marked by violent clashes between people facing eviction and landowners and the authorities. Going barefoot One of the bloodiest incidents was the Battle of the Braes on Skye in 1882. After being attacked with stones by a crowd of men and women, about 50 police officers from Glasgow baton-charged the mob. The unrest spread to Glendale and in 1883 the frustrated authorities called for military intervention to help round up the ring-leaders. Marines disembarked the Jackal and landed at Glendale's Meanish Pier and assisted police in making arrests. But the agitation continued and Prime Minister William Gladstone ordered a public inquiry, something that had been called for before but rejected by the government. Backed by Royal approval, the Napier Commission was set up. It was led by Francis Napier, a respected diplomat and the 10th Lord Napier. In May 1883, it began gathering evidence at hearings across the Highlands and Islands. Dr Elizabeth Ritchie, a lecturer in Scottish history at the University of the Highlands and Islands, said granting an inquiry was a major concession to land reformers and crofters from the government. "Gladstone hoped that the news of the commission would help quell disturbances," she said. "The commission itself was welcomed by crofters, and greeted with a mix of suspicion and anger by estate management." Estate bosses and landowners were outraged and felt that the government was interfering in private property. All sides, however, sought to present strong cases to the commission. Dr Annie Tindley, in her book The Sutherland Estate, 1850-1920: aristocratic decline, estate management and land reform, tells of estate managers steering the commission panel towards visits to prosperous areas of Sutherland rather than the poorer ones. The Highland Land Law Reform Association was also well organised, according to Allan McColl's book Land, Faith and the Crofting Community. Two of its leaders toured the Highlands in an effort to help as many crofters as possible prepare their evidence. Crofters told the hearings of being denied land on which they could grow crops and graze livestock. Landowners and estate factors defended their actions and insisted change was needed to improve the agricultural output of estates. The commission also heard evidence of sickness and diseases that afflicted crofting families, and of women and children going barefoot in rain and snow. Dr Ritchie believes there were various reasons behind the health problems. She said likely factors behind the bad health included families living in overcrowded "rural slums" on the fringes of estates where it was hard for them to grow sufficient food. People lived in damp, smoky thatched homes, conditions which encouraged the spread of eye and respiratory diseases. But Dr Ritchie said homes were deliberately made smoky because a sooty thatch, when it was replaced, could be used as a fertiliser. Introduced golf In 1884, the commission published its report and it was criticised by all involved. Rather than open the way for new legislation, it indicated that the government preferred that landowners and crofters worked out their differences without the weight of law. The following year crofters put up six candidates in a General Election, the first to be held after voting reform. One of the candidates stood against the Duke of Sutherland and, while the crofters' man lost, it was a move that played a part in eroding the Sutherland estate's political influence. The Crofters' Party did manage to get five of its candidates elected. In 1886 the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act was passed. However, this legislation did not solve all the problems over land rights and disputes continued into the years between the two world wars in the 20th century. The year 1886 also saw another dispute over land rights that led to military involvement. In August, 250 marines landed on Tiree from ironclad warship HMS Ajax and troop ship HMS Assistance. At first they got a hostile reception from locals, who had been calling for an area of the island to be broken up into crofts, but the marines won them over by helping to take in the harvest. Col Mackay Heriot, the officer in charge, and nine officers also introduced golf to the island.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter In early 1883, the iron-hulled gunboat Jackal dropped anchor in the sheltered waters of a sea loch in Skye. The appearance of the Royal Navy in Loch Pooltiel, off Glendale, signalled an escalation in what was known as the Crofters' War. Waged over large parts of the 1800s, the "war" was a dispute between landowners and communities distressed by high rents, their lack of rights to land, or facing eviction to make way for large-scale farming operations. The process of moving families out of inland areas where they had raised cattle for generations to coastal fringes of large estates, or abroad to territories in Canada, had started with the Highland Clearances in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Both the clearances and the Crofters' War were marked by violent clashes between people facing eviction and landowners and the authorities. Going barefoot One of the bloodiest incidents was the Battle of the Braes on Skye in 1882. After being attacked with stones by a crowd of men and women, about 50 police officers from Glasgow baton-charged the mob. The unrest spread to Glendale and in 1883 the frustrated authorities called for military intervention to help round up the ring-leaders. Marines disembarked the Jackal and landed at Glendale's Meanish Pier and assisted police in making arrests. But the agitation continued and Prime Minister William Gladstone ordered a public inquiry, something that had been called for before but rejected by the government. Backed by Royal approval, the Napier Commission was set up. It was led by Francis Napier, a respected diplomat and the 10th Lord Napier. In May 1883, it began gathering evidence at hearings across the Highlands and Islands. Dr Elizabeth Ritchie, a lecturer in Scottish history at the University of the Highlands and Islands, said granting an inquiry was a major concession to land reformers and crofters from the government. "Gladstone hoped that the news of the commission would help quell disturbances," she said. "The commission itself was welcomed by crofters, and greeted with a mix of suspicion and anger by estate management." Estate bosses and landowners were outraged and felt that the government was interfering in private property. All sides, however, sought to present strong cases to the commission. Dr Annie Tindley, in her book The Sutherland Estate, 1850-1920: aristocratic decline, estate management and land reform, tells of estate managers steering the commission panel towards visits to prosperous areas of Sutherland rather than the poorer ones. The Highland Land Law Reform Association was also well organised, according to Allan McColl's book Land, Faith and the Crofting Community. Two of its leaders toured the Highlands in an effort to help as many crofters as possible prepare their evidence. Crofters told the hearings of being denied land on which they could grow crops and graze livestock. Landowners and estate factors defended their actions and insisted change was needed to improve the agricultural output of estates. The commission also heard evidence of sickness and diseases that afflicted crofting families, and of women and children going barefoot in rain and snow. Dr Ritchie believes there were various reasons behind the health problems. She said likely factors behind the bad health included families living in overcrowded "rural slums" on the fringes of estates where it was hard for them to grow sufficient food. People lived in damp, smoky thatched homes, conditions which encouraged the spread of eye and respiratory diseases. But Dr Ritchie said homes were deliberately made smoky because a sooty thatch, when it was replaced, could be used as a fertiliser. Introduced golf In 1884, the commission published its report and it was criticised by all involved. Rather than open the way for new legislation, it indicated that the government preferred that landowners and crofters worked out their differences without the weight of law. The following year crofters put up six candidates in a General Election, the first to be held after voting reform. One of the candidates stood against the Duke of Sutherland and, while the crofters' man lost, it was a move that played a part in eroding the Sutherland estate's political influence. The Crofters' Party did manage to get five of its candidates elected. In 1886 the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act was passed. However, this legislation did not solve all the problems over land rights and disputes continued into the years between the two world wars in the 20th century. The year 1886 also saw another dispute over land rights that led to military involvement. In August, 250 marines landed on Tiree from ironclad warship HMS Ajax and troop ship HMS Assistance. At first they got a hostile reception from locals, who had been calling for an area of the island to be broken up into crofts, but the marines won them over by helping to take in the harvest. Col Mackay Heriot, the officer in charge, and nine officers also introduced golf to the island.
### Summary:
The Crofters' War was a series of conflicts between landowners and crofters in the Highlands and Islands.
### Source:
The Crofters' War was a series of conflicts between landowners and cro |
uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-24713739 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-24713739 | Claudia Lawrence disappearance: Major crime unit searches home | A house in North Yorkshire has been searched for a missing woman. | Miss Lawrence was last seen on 18 March 2009, when she was aged 35. Detectives believe she was murdered. North Yorkshire Police's new major crime unit is assessing the case and is carrying out new forensic work and searches at her home on Heworth Road. Teams will be working at the house for about two weeks, the force said. 'No smoking gun' Det Supt Dai Malyn, head of the major crime unit, said: "There's no new smoking gun or startling piece of evidence. I wouldn't want people to believe that's the case. "This is just part of the review process." He said: "Most cold case review work considers forensic re-evaluation as techniques advance and this case is no different. "I am also mindful that, at some point in the future, the house may become re-occupied and these opportunities would otherwise be lost." The detective said there was nothing in Miss Lawrence's home that prompted the decision to search it again. "Originally the house was tidy and didn't appear to have any sign of disturbance," he said. "But that's not to say you can't do something in a house then tidy it up to make it look as if everything was ordinary. These are the things that we'll be looking at." 'Never too late' Despite a high-profile investigation by North Yorkshire Police involving up to 100 officers, no trace of Miss Lawrence has ever been found. Detectives have said in the past that they believe the key to the inquiry is Claudia's relationships with a number of men - relationships a previous head of the inquiry described as having an "element of complexity and mystery to them". Mr Malyn said it was "never too late" for anyone with information about Miss Lawrence's disappearance to come forward. He said: "As ever, we will afford anyone who contacts us our full attention if they think they have information which could assist, no matter how small or irrelevant they think that information might be." Miss Lawrence's father Peter said: "Advances in forensic science and testing in the past four years make this a very worthwhile exercise, and anything which helps the search to find Claudia, or at least find out what happened to her on that morning in March 2009, is welcomed." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Miss Lawrence was last seen on 18 March 2009, when she was aged 35. Detectives believe she was murdered. North Yorkshire Police's new major crime unit is assessing the case and is carrying out new forensic work and searches at her home on Heworth Road. Teams will be working at the house for about two weeks, the force said. 'No smoking gun' Det Supt Dai Malyn, head of the major crime unit, said: "There's no new smoking gun or startling piece of evidence. I wouldn't want people to believe that's the case. "This is just part of the review process." He said: "Most cold case review work considers forensic re-evaluation as techniques advance and this case is no different. "I am also mindful that, at some point in the future, the house may become re-occupied and these opportunities would otherwise be lost." The detective said there was nothing in Miss Lawrence's home that prompted the decision to search it again. "Originally the house was tidy and didn't appear to have any sign of disturbance," he said. "But that's not to say you can't do something in a house then tidy it up to make it look as if everything was ordinary. These are the things that we'll be looking at." 'Never too late' Despite a high-profile investigation by North Yorkshire Police involving up to 100 officers, no trace of Miss Lawrence has ever been found. Detectives have said in the past that they believe the key to the inquiry is Claudia's relationships with a number of men - relationships a previous head of the inquiry described as having an "element of complexity and mystery to them". Mr Malyn said it was "never too late" for anyone with information about Miss Lawrence's disappearance to come forward. He said: "As ever, we will afford anyone who contacts us our full attention if they think they have information which could assist, no matter how small or irrelevant they think that information might be." Miss Lawrence's father Peter said: "Advances in forensic science and testing in the past four years make this a very worthwhile exercise, and anything which helps the search to find Claudia, or at least find out what happened to her on that morning in March 2009, is welcomed."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Miss Lawrence was last seen on 18 March 2009, when she was aged 35. Detectives believe she was murdered. North Yorkshire Police's new major crime unit is assessing the case and is carrying out new forensic work and searches at her home on Heworth Road. Teams will be working at the house for about two weeks, the force said. 'No smoking gun' Det Supt Dai Malyn, head of the major crime unit, said: "There's no new smoking gun or startling piece of evidence. I wouldn't want people to believe that's the case. "This is just part of the review process." He said: "Most cold case review work considers forensic re-evaluation as techniques advance and this case is no different. "I am also mindful that, at some point in the future, the house may become re-occupied and these opportunities would otherwise be lost." The detective said there was nothing in Miss Lawrence's home that prompted the decision to search it again. "Originally the house was tidy and didn't appear to have any sign of disturbance," he said. "But that's not to say you can't do something in a house then tidy it up to make it look as if everything was ordinary. These are the things that we'll be looking at." 'Never too late' Despite a high-profile investigation by North Yorkshire Police involving up to 100 officers, no trace of Miss Lawrence has ever been found. Detectives have said in the past that they believe the key to the inquiry is Claudia's relationships with a number of men - relationships a previous head of the inquiry described as having an "element of complexity and mystery to them". Mr Malyn said it was "never too late" for anyone with information about Miss Lawrence's disappearance to come forward. He said: "As ever, we will afford anyone who contacts us our full attention if they think they have information which could assist, no matter how small or irrelevant they think that information might be." Miss Lawrence's father Peter said: "Advances in forensic science and testing in the past four years make this a very worthwhile exercise, and anything which helps the search to find Claudia, or at least find out what happened to her on that morning in March 2009, is welcomed."
### Summary:
A house in North Yorkshire has been searched for a missing woman.
### Text:
A house in North Yorkshire has been searched for a missing woman.
### Summary:
A house in North Yorkshire has |
sinhala.060615_slmm_reaction | https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2006/06/060615_slmm_reaction | An inquiry is on - SLMM | The Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim has condemned the attack on a Norwegian vessel. | The SLMM spokesman, Thofinn Omarsson said that SLMM is doing an inquiry and it is very difficult to be hundred percent sure who is behind the brutal attacks, which has a terrible effect on the people and the peace process. "We don’t know anything further about who is behind this. There are certain groups being blamed; but they have denied it",he said. We hope that this violence will come to an end. Unfortunately we have seen some heavy artillery on the east coast following the bombing, Omarsson said. "There were some air strikes in Killinochchi, which is quite serious. I don’t know if there are any casualties there", SLMM spokesman Omarsson said. If these air strikes are going to continue then it will be very difficult to end the violence, he said. Norwegian Minister reacts Norway Minister for International Development Erik Solheim condeming the attack appealed to both parties to the conflict to stop violence. Speaking to the BBC Sinhala service from Oslo, he said that both parties have disregarded the advice given to them. "This is a brutal act which must be condemned by everyone",Minister Solheim said. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The SLMM spokesman, Thofinn Omarsson said that SLMM is doing an inquiry and it is very difficult to be hundred percent sure who is behind the brutal attacks, which has a terrible effect on the people and the peace process. "We don’t know anything further about who is behind this. There are certain groups being blamed; but they have denied it",he said. We hope that this violence will come to an end. Unfortunately we have seen some heavy artillery on the east coast following the bombing, Omarsson said. "There were some air strikes in Killinochchi, which is quite serious. I don’t know if there are any casualties there", SLMM spokesman Omarsson said. If these air strikes are going to continue then it will be very difficult to end the violence, he said. Norwegian Minister reacts Norway Minister for International Development Erik Solheim condeming the attack appealed to both parties to the conflict to stop violence. Speaking to the BBC Sinhala service from Oslo, he said that both parties have disregarded the advice given to them. "This is a brutal act which must be condemned by everyone",Minister Solheim said.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The SLMM spokesman, Thofinn Omarsson said that SLMM is doing an inquiry and it is very difficult to be hundred percent sure who is behind the brutal attacks, which has a terrible effect on the people and the peace process. "We don’t know anything further about who is behind this. There are certain groups being blamed; but they have denied it",he said. We hope that this violence will come to an end. Unfortunately we have seen some heavy artillery on the east coast following the bombing, Omarsson said. "There were some air strikes in Killinochchi, which is quite serious. I don’t know if there are any casualties there", SLMM spokesman Omarsson said. If these air strikes are going to continue then it will be very difficult to end the violence, he said. Norwegian Minister reacts Norway Minister for International Development Erik Solheim condeming the attack appealed to both parties to the conflict to stop violence. Speaking to the BBC Sinhala service from Oslo, he said that both parties have disregarded the advice given to them. "This is a brutal act which must be condemned by everyone",Minister Solheim said.
### Summary:
The Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim has condemned the attack on a Norwegian vessel.
### Text:
The Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim has condemned the attack on a Norwegian vessel.
### Summary |
uk-21155730 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21155730 | Snow continues to grip parts of UK | A school bus has slid off the road in Pembrokeshire. | In Pembrokeshire, a school bus taking 40 pupils home slid off the road but no-one was hurt. The head teacher said conditions were "probably the worst" he had seen in 25 years. Hundreds of schools remained closed across the UK, although numbers shut were down on the start of the week. Forecasters predict milder and wet conditions by the weekend. In Somerset, gritter crews have had their work cut out after almost 15cm of snow fell in 24 hours. Somerset County Council said that, to combat icy conditions for motorists, twice the usual amount of salt would be used to treat roads on Wednesday night. The freezing temperatures across the UK are expected to continue until Saturday. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings advising people to "be aware" of more snow in parts of Wales, south-west England, north-west England, and eastern and north-eastern Scotland on Wednesday evening. It says icy surfaces will continue to be a threat across much of the UK, especially where snow has fallen over recent days. The Environment Agency says rain and melting snow are expected to lead to rising water levels in rivers in south-west England and has three flood warnings in place. In other developments: Some flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Wednesday. The airport said it was "fully operational" but acknowledged there might be further disruption due to the conditions in the UK and Europe. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the airport's chief executive, Colin Matthews, said Heathrow had invested £36m in snow-clearing equipment and was "in no way in the same position as 2010" when a runway closed for nearly four days. He said two-thirds of flights operated on Monday and nearly 90% on Tuesday. "I'm really sorry for every passenger who got caught up with the disruption and the cancellations but the fact is when it snows we have to clear the snow off the runway," he said. "It takes us a little time to clear the snow off and during that time we can land less aircraft and take off less aircraft than in normal conditions and therefore because we are full any amount of snow is going to cause some disruption." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
In Pembrokeshire, a school bus taking 40 pupils home slid off the road but no-one was hurt. The head teacher said conditions were "probably the worst" he had seen in 25 years. Hundreds of schools remained closed across the UK, although numbers shut were down on the start of the week. Forecasters predict milder and wet conditions by the weekend. In Somerset, gritter crews have had their work cut out after almost 15cm of snow fell in 24 hours. Somerset County Council said that, to combat icy conditions for motorists, twice the usual amount of salt would be used to treat roads on Wednesday night. The freezing temperatures across the UK are expected to continue until Saturday. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings advising people to "be aware" of more snow in parts of Wales, south-west England, north-west England, and eastern and north-eastern Scotland on Wednesday evening. It says icy surfaces will continue to be a threat across much of the UK, especially where snow has fallen over recent days. The Environment Agency says rain and melting snow are expected to lead to rising water levels in rivers in south-west England and has three flood warnings in place. In other developments: Some flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Wednesday. The airport said it was "fully operational" but acknowledged there might be further disruption due to the conditions in the UK and Europe. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the airport's chief executive, Colin Matthews, said Heathrow had invested £36m in snow-clearing equipment and was "in no way in the same position as 2010" when a runway closed for nearly four days. He said two-thirds of flights operated on Monday and nearly 90% on Tuesday. "I'm really sorry for every passenger who got caught up with the disruption and the cancellations but the fact is when it snows we have to clear the snow off the runway," he said. "It takes us a little time to clear the snow off and during that time we can land less aircraft and take off less aircraft than in normal conditions and therefore because we are full any amount of snow is going to cause some disruption."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
In Pembrokeshire, a school bus taking 40 pupils home slid off the road but no-one was hurt. The head teacher said conditions were "probably the worst" he had seen in 25 years. Hundreds of schools remained closed across the UK, although numbers shut were down on the start of the week. Forecasters predict milder and wet conditions by the weekend. In Somerset, gritter crews have had their work cut out after almost 15cm of snow fell in 24 hours. Somerset County Council said that, to combat icy conditions for motorists, twice the usual amount of salt would be used to treat roads on Wednesday night. The freezing temperatures across the UK are expected to continue until Saturday. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings advising people to "be aware" of more snow in parts of Wales, south-west England, north-west England, and eastern and north-eastern Scotland on Wednesday evening. It says icy surfaces will continue to be a threat across much of the UK, especially where snow has fallen over recent days. The Environment Agency says rain and melting snow are expected to lead to rising water levels in rivers in south-west England and has three flood warnings in place. In other developments: Some flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Wednesday. The airport said it was "fully operational" but acknowledged there might be further disruption due to the conditions in the UK and Europe. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the airport's chief executive, Colin Matthews, said Heathrow had invested £36m in snow-clearing equipment and was "in no way in the same position as 2010" when a runway closed for nearly four days. He said two-thirds of flights operated on Monday and nearly 90% on Tuesday. "I'm really sorry for every passenger who got caught up with the disruption and the cancellations but the fact is when it snows we have to clear the snow off the runway," he said. "It takes us a little time to clear the snow off and during that time we can land less aircraft and take off less aircraft than in normal conditions and therefore because we are full any amount of snow is going to cause some disruption."
### Summary:
A school bus has slid off the road in Pembrokeshire.
### Next story:
A school bus has slid off the road in Pembrokeshire.
### Next story:
A school bus has |
world-europe-jersey-18313574 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-18313574 | Two Jersey boats in Diamond Jubilee Thames flotilla | A celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee has been held in Jersey. | Jersey's first motorised lifeboat, the Howard D, and the fisheries vessel Norman le Brocq were representing the island on the sailing to Tower Bridge. In Jersey, other Jubilee celebrations included Reg's Garden in St Brelade hosting a fete. Grouville parish began a day-long celebration with an open air service on Gorey Common. The Howard D first arrived in Jersey in 1937 and left in 1947 to join a central pool of RNLI vessels in the UK. It then spent 20 years as a fishing boat on the east coast of England before returning to Jersey to be restored by a team of volunteers at the Maritime Museum. A permanent electricity supply has been installed at Gorey Common's football pitch for the celebrations. The common often hosts big events, but has relied on generators to power entertainment and catering facilities. See all the latest Diamond Jubilee news and features at bbc.co.uk/diamondjubilee | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Jersey's first motorised lifeboat, the Howard D, and the fisheries vessel Norman le Brocq were representing the island on the sailing to Tower Bridge. In Jersey, other Jubilee celebrations included Reg's Garden in St Brelade hosting a fete. Grouville parish began a day-long celebration with an open air service on Gorey Common. The Howard D first arrived in Jersey in 1937 and left in 1947 to join a central pool of RNLI vessels in the UK. It then spent 20 years as a fishing boat on the east coast of England before returning to Jersey to be restored by a team of volunteers at the Maritime Museum. A permanent electricity supply has been installed at Gorey Common's football pitch for the celebrations. The common often hosts big events, but has relied on generators to power entertainment and catering facilities. See all the latest Diamond Jubilee news and features at bbc.co.uk/diamondjubilee
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Jersey's first motorised lifeboat, the Howard D, and the fisheries vessel Norman le Brocq were representing the island on the sailing to Tower Bridge. In Jersey, other Jubilee celebrations included Reg's Garden in St Brelade hosting a fete. Grouville parish began a day-long celebration with an open air service on Gorey Common. The Howard D first arrived in Jersey in 1937 and left in 1947 to join a central pool of RNLI vessels in the UK. It then spent 20 years as a fishing boat on the east coast of England before returning to Jersey to be restored by a team of volunteers at the Maritime Museum. A permanent electricity supply has been installed at Gorey Common's football pitch for the celebrations. The common often hosts big events, but has relied on generators to power entertainment and catering facilities. See all the latest Diamond Jubilee news and features at bbc.co.uk/diamondjubilee
### Summary:
A celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee has been held in Jersey.
### Source:
The Howard D has been restored by a team of volunteers at the Maritime Museum.
### Next: |
uk-scotland-21552628 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-21552628 | Cardinal Keith O'Brien: 'Allow priests to marry' | The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has said he would be open to a Pope from anywhere if he thought it was the right man. | Cardinal Keith O'Brien said it was clear many priests struggled to cope with celibacy, and should be able to marry and have children. The cardinal will be part of the conclave that chooses the next Pope. He spoke of his surprise at the resignation of Benedict XVI, and said he was open to the new Pope coming from outside of Europe. In an interview with BBC Scotland's Glenn Campbell, the leader of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland, said some issues - for example abortion and euthanasia - were "basic dogmatic beliefs" of "divine origin" which the Church could never accept. But Cardinal O'Brien, who is the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, said it would be within the scope of the new Pope to consider whether the Roman Catholic Church should change its stance on other issues, which were not of divine origin. He explained: "For example the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry - Jesus didn't say that. "There was a time when priests got married, and of course we know at the present time in some branches of the church - in some branches of the Catholic church - priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine of origin and it could get discussed again." Cardinal O'Brien said he had never personally thought about whether he wanted to get married as he had been "too busy" with his duties. But he added: "In my time there was no choice and you didn't really consider it too much, it was part of being a priest. When I was a young boy, the priest didn't get married and that was it. "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married. "It is a free world and I realise that many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy as they lived out their priesthood and felt the need of a companion, of a woman, to whom they could get married and raise a family of their own." Cardinal O'Brien will have a say in who succeeds Benedict XVI after he stands down on 28 February. He said he believed it might be time for a younger pontiff from part of the developing world, where the Catholic faith is thriving. Younger successor "Well I would be open to a Pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever", he added. "It is something which the cardinals have to think about seriously, having had Popes from Europe for such a long time now - hundreds of years - whether it isn't time to think of the developing world as being a source of excellent men. "And of course we do have excellent cardinals from other parts of the world as well - highly intelligent, well-trained, deeply spiritual men from other parts of the world." Benedict XVI was aged 78 when he was elected in 2005, making him one of the oldest new Popes in history. And Cardinal O'Brien said a younger successor who was able to serve for a longer period of time may be able to "get more things done, to steady us up a wee bit and to give us something of the courage of the earlier apostles again". But he said he had not yet decided who should be elected as Pope during the conclave, which is expected to be held next month. Cardinal O'Brien, 74, stood down from some frontline duties in the Catholic Church in Scotland last year due to his age. He has been an outspoken opponent of Scottish government plans to legalise same-sex marriage and was controversially named "bigot of the year" by a gay rights charity last November. Stonewall said he was given the title because he went "well beyond what any normal person would call a decent level of public discourse" in the debate. The Catholic Church criticised the charity's award, saying it revealed "the depth of their intolerance" and a willingness to demean people who do not share their views. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Cardinal Keith O'Brien said it was clear many priests struggled to cope with celibacy, and should be able to marry and have children. The cardinal will be part of the conclave that chooses the next Pope. He spoke of his surprise at the resignation of Benedict XVI, and said he was open to the new Pope coming from outside of Europe. In an interview with BBC Scotland's Glenn Campbell, the leader of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland, said some issues - for example abortion and euthanasia - were "basic dogmatic beliefs" of "divine origin" which the Church could never accept. But Cardinal O'Brien, who is the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, said it would be within the scope of the new Pope to consider whether the Roman Catholic Church should change its stance on other issues, which were not of divine origin. He explained: "For example the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry - Jesus didn't say that. "There was a time when priests got married, and of course we know at the present time in some branches of the church - in some branches of the Catholic church - priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine of origin and it could get discussed again." Cardinal O'Brien said he had never personally thought about whether he wanted to get married as he had been "too busy" with his duties. But he added: "In my time there was no choice and you didn't really consider it too much, it was part of being a priest. When I was a young boy, the priest didn't get married and that was it. "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married. "It is a free world and I realise that many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy as they lived out their priesthood and felt the need of a companion, of a woman, to whom they could get married and raise a family of their own." Cardinal O'Brien will have a say in who succeeds Benedict XVI after he stands down on 28 February. He said he believed it might be time for a younger pontiff from part of the developing world, where the Catholic faith is thriving. Younger successor "Well I would be open to a Pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever", he added. "It is something which the cardinals have to think about seriously, having had Popes from Europe for such a long time now - hundreds of years - whether it isn't time to think of the developing world as being a source of excellent men. "And of course we do have excellent cardinals from other parts of the world as well - highly intelligent, well-trained, deeply spiritual men from other parts of the world." Benedict XVI was aged 78 when he was elected in 2005, making him one of the oldest new Popes in history. And Cardinal O'Brien said a younger successor who was able to serve for a longer period of time may be able to "get more things done, to steady us up a wee bit and to give us something of the courage of the earlier apostles again". But he said he had not yet decided who should be elected as Pope during the conclave, which is expected to be held next month. Cardinal O'Brien, 74, stood down from some frontline duties in the Catholic Church in Scotland last year due to his age. He has been an outspoken opponent of Scottish government plans to legalise same-sex marriage and was controversially named "bigot of the year" by a gay rights charity last November. Stonewall said he was given the title because he went "well beyond what any normal person would call a decent level of public discourse" in the debate. The Catholic Church criticised the charity's award, saying it revealed "the depth of their intolerance" and a willingness to demean people who do not share their views.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Cardinal Keith O'Brien said it was clear many priests struggled to cope with celibacy, and should be able to marry and have children. The cardinal will be part of the conclave that chooses the next Pope. He spoke of his surprise at the resignation of Benedict XVI, and said he was open to the new Pope coming from outside of Europe. In an interview with BBC Scotland's Glenn Campbell, the leader of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland, said some issues - for example abortion and euthanasia - were "basic dogmatic beliefs" of "divine origin" which the Church could never accept. But Cardinal O'Brien, who is the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, said it would be within the scope of the new Pope to consider whether the Roman Catholic Church should change its stance on other issues, which were not of divine origin. He explained: "For example the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry - Jesus didn't say that. "There was a time when priests got married, and of course we know at the present time in some branches of the church - in some branches of the Catholic church - priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine of origin and it could get discussed again." Cardinal O'Brien said he had never personally thought about whether he wanted to get married as he had been "too busy" with his duties. But he added: "In my time there was no choice and you didn't really consider it too much, it was part of being a priest. When I was a young boy, the priest didn't get married and that was it. "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married. "It is a free world and I realise that many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy as they lived out their priesthood and felt the need of a companion, of a woman, to whom they could get married and raise a family of their own." Cardinal O'Brien will have a say in who succeeds Benedict XVI after he stands down on 28 February. He said he believed it might be time for a younger pontiff from part of the developing world, where the Catholic faith is thriving. Younger successor "Well I would be open to a Pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever", he added. "It is something which the cardinals have to think about seriously, having had Popes from Europe for such a long time now - hundreds of years - whether it isn't time to think of the developing world as being a source of excellent men. "And of course we do have excellent cardinals from other parts of the world as well - highly intelligent, well-trained, deeply spiritual men from other parts of the world." Benedict XVI was aged 78 when he was elected in 2005, making him one of the oldest new Popes in history. And Cardinal O'Brien said a younger successor who was able to serve for a longer period of time may be able to "get more things done, to steady us up a wee bit and to give us something of the courage of the earlier apostles again". But he said he had not yet decided who should be elected as Pope during the conclave, which is expected to be held next month. Cardinal O'Brien, 74, stood down from some frontline duties in the Catholic Church in Scotland last year due to his age. He has been an outspoken opponent of Scottish government plans to legalise same-sex marriage and was controversially named "bigot of the year" by a gay rights charity last November. Stonewall said he was given the title because he went "well beyond what any normal person would call a decent level of public discourse" in the debate. The Catholic Church criticised the charity's award, saying it revealed "the depth of their intolerance" and a willingness to demean people who do not share their views.
### Summary:
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has said he would be open to a Pope from anywhere if he thought it was the right man.
### Next:
The Pope has said he would be open to a Pope from anywhere if |
health-25834359 | https://www.bbc.com/news/health-25834359 | Safe staff levels 'should apply to NHS and care sector' | The Health and Care Commission has been criticised for a "tick-box" culture and failing patients. | By Nick TriggleHealth correspondent, BBC News The Health Select Committee also suggested breaches should automatically trigger inspections by the regulator. Currently ministers have ordered only nurse staffing levels to be routinely monitored and published. The system - ordered in response to the Stafford Hospital scandal - comes into place in April. But the cross-party group of MPs said there was no reason why it should not be extended across the NHS and social care systems. Committee chairman Stephen Dorrell said: "This should be applied across the delivery of health and care - doctors, midwives, practice nurses and social workers. "Part of the difficulty in A&E is driven by the fact there are not enough doctors of all levels." 'Tick-box culture' Figures from the College of Emergency Medicine show that there are shortages among trainees, middle-grade doctors and consultants. For example, the college recommends 10 consultants for each A&E unit and 16 for the largest ones. But the current average is just below eight. Labour MP Barbara Keeley, who is also a member of the committee, added: "Staffing levels are absolutely fundamental. It is ludicrous not to be transparent about something that patients and their families can see every day." The suggestion was put forward in a report that looked at the progress the Care Quality Commission has been making. The regulator has been under fire ever since it was created in 2009. Reports in the past by the National Audit Office and the Health Select Committee have criticised the Healthcare Commission for a "tick-box" culture and failing patients. But the MPs said the regulator had a "renewed sense of purpose" since a new chairman and chief executive were appointed in 2012. Last year the leadership appointed three new chief inspectors, covering hospitals, GPs and social care to herald an era of tougher, more specialist investigations. It has also sought to recruit more inspectors - although it is still 150 short of its 1,100 target. Mr Dorrell said: "We are not yet saying all the challenges have been met. But by and large we agree with the management of the CQC about their objectives and we endorse them." CQC chairman David Prior said: "This report marks an important milestone." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Nick TriggleHealth correspondent, BBC News The Health Select Committee also suggested breaches should automatically trigger inspections by the regulator. Currently ministers have ordered only nurse staffing levels to be routinely monitored and published. The system - ordered in response to the Stafford Hospital scandal - comes into place in April. But the cross-party group of MPs said there was no reason why it should not be extended across the NHS and social care systems. Committee chairman Stephen Dorrell said: "This should be applied across the delivery of health and care - doctors, midwives, practice nurses and social workers. "Part of the difficulty in A&E is driven by the fact there are not enough doctors of all levels." 'Tick-box culture' Figures from the College of Emergency Medicine show that there are shortages among trainees, middle-grade doctors and consultants. For example, the college recommends 10 consultants for each A&E unit and 16 for the largest ones. But the current average is just below eight. Labour MP Barbara Keeley, who is also a member of the committee, added: "Staffing levels are absolutely fundamental. It is ludicrous not to be transparent about something that patients and their families can see every day." The suggestion was put forward in a report that looked at the progress the Care Quality Commission has been making. The regulator has been under fire ever since it was created in 2009. Reports in the past by the National Audit Office and the Health Select Committee have criticised the Healthcare Commission for a "tick-box" culture and failing patients. But the MPs said the regulator had a "renewed sense of purpose" since a new chairman and chief executive were appointed in 2012. Last year the leadership appointed three new chief inspectors, covering hospitals, GPs and social care to herald an era of tougher, more specialist investigations. It has also sought to recruit more inspectors - although it is still 150 short of its 1,100 target. Mr Dorrell said: "We are not yet saying all the challenges have been met. But by and large we agree with the management of the CQC about their objectives and we endorse them." CQC chairman David Prior said: "This report marks an important milestone."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Nick TriggleHealth correspondent, BBC News The Health Select Committee also suggested breaches should automatically trigger inspections by the regulator. Currently ministers have ordered only nurse staffing levels to be routinely monitored and published. The system - ordered in response to the Stafford Hospital scandal - comes into place in April. But the cross-party group of MPs said there was no reason why it should not be extended across the NHS and social care systems. Committee chairman Stephen Dorrell said: "This should be applied across the delivery of health and care - doctors, midwives, practice nurses and social workers. "Part of the difficulty in A&E is driven by the fact there are not enough doctors of all levels." 'Tick-box culture' Figures from the College of Emergency Medicine show that there are shortages among trainees, middle-grade doctors and consultants. For example, the college recommends 10 consultants for each A&E unit and 16 for the largest ones. But the current average is just below eight. Labour MP Barbara Keeley, who is also a member of the committee, added: "Staffing levels are absolutely fundamental. It is ludicrous not to be transparent about something that patients and their families can see every day." The suggestion was put forward in a report that looked at the progress the Care Quality Commission has been making. The regulator has been under fire ever since it was created in 2009. Reports in the past by the National Audit Office and the Health Select Committee have criticised the Healthcare Commission for a "tick-box" culture and failing patients. But the MPs said the regulator had a "renewed sense of purpose" since a new chairman and chief executive were appointed in 2012. Last year the leadership appointed three new chief inspectors, covering hospitals, GPs and social care to herald an era of tougher, more specialist investigations. It has also sought to recruit more inspectors - although it is still 150 short of its 1,100 target. Mr Dorrell said: "We are not yet saying all the challenges have been met. But by and large we agree with the management of the CQC about their objectives and we endorse them." CQC chairman David Prior said: "This report marks an important milestone."
### Summary:
The Health and Care Commission has been criticised for a "tick-box" culture and failing patients.
### Spelling and grammar
The report said the regulator had a "renewed sense of purpose" since a new chairman |
uk-england-lancashire-50353549 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-50353549 | Blackpool Council sorry for pornographic images blunder | A video of a seaside resort being flashed up on a laptop has caused "upset" to delegates. | An obscene image flashed up twice as a video about the seaside resort was played to delegates at the town's Winter Gardens. The Labour-run council has apologised for the blunder, and said the audio-visual arrangements were handled by an external contractor. Opposition leader Tony Williams said the "upsetting" error was embarrassing. "The audio visual arrangements for the conference were handled by an external company using their own laptop," a council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "We have asked them to carry out a thorough investigation as to how this happened." The spokesperson added: "A full apology was made to delegates during the conference for any offence caused." Councillor Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition group, said many people in the audience had been upset by what they saw and branded it "embarrassing". Mr Williams, who was not at the conference, said: "For some of the people there, this was very upsetting. "We need assurances this won't happen again and there needs to be a full, independent investigation into how it happened." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
An obscene image flashed up twice as a video about the seaside resort was played to delegates at the town's Winter Gardens. The Labour-run council has apologised for the blunder, and said the audio-visual arrangements were handled by an external contractor. Opposition leader Tony Williams said the "upsetting" error was embarrassing. "The audio visual arrangements for the conference were handled by an external company using their own laptop," a council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "We have asked them to carry out a thorough investigation as to how this happened." The spokesperson added: "A full apology was made to delegates during the conference for any offence caused." Councillor Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition group, said many people in the audience had been upset by what they saw and branded it "embarrassing". Mr Williams, who was not at the conference, said: "For some of the people there, this was very upsetting. "We need assurances this won't happen again and there needs to be a full, independent investigation into how it happened."
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
An obscene image flashed up twice as a video about the seaside resort was played to delegates at the town's Winter Gardens. The Labour-run council has apologised for the blunder, and said the audio-visual arrangements were handled by an external contractor. Opposition leader Tony Williams said the "upsetting" error was embarrassing. "The audio visual arrangements for the conference were handled by an external company using their own laptop," a council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "We have asked them to carry out a thorough investigation as to how this happened." The spokesperson added: "A full apology was made to delegates during the conference for any offence caused." Councillor Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition group, said many people in the audience had been upset by what they saw and branded it "embarrassing". Mr Williams, who was not at the conference, said: "For some of the people there, this was very upsetting. "We need assurances this won't happen again and there needs to be a full, independent investigation into how it happened."
### Summary:
A video of a seaside resort being flashed up on a laptop has caused "upset" to delegates.
### Source:
A video of a seaside resort being flashed up on a laptop has caused " |
newsbeat-40199217 | https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-40199217 | Scientists have invented environmentally-friendly microbeads | A team of scientists has created a biodegradable microbead from cellulose. | Microbeads are tiny balls found in bathroom products like shower gels, shaving foams and face scrubs. They are controversial because they can end up in the sea and can be harmful to fish and birds. But now, a team from Bath University says it has created biodegradable microbeads by using material which breaks down easily. Last year, the government announced plans to ban microbeads used in cosmetics and cleaning products. The move followed campaigning from environmental groups. More than 680 tonnes of mircrobeads are used in the UK every year. The tiny plastic beads are included in toiletries to help exfoliate the skin. Some end up in our food after being ingested by fish or seafood that we eat. "We've developed a way of making microbeads from cellulose, which is not only from a renewable source, but also biodegrades into harmless sugars," says Dr Janet Scott, who was part of the experiment. "We hope in the future these could be used as a direct replacement for plastic microbeads." Cellulose is an organic material that's found in wood and plants. According to the scientists, they could get this from waste products like those created in paper manufacturing. They add: "These microbeads are robust enough to remain stable in a bodywash, but can be broken down by organisms at the sewage treatment works, or even in the environment in a short period of time." At the moment, non-biodegradable microbeads are made of polyethylene, polypropylene and polymethylmethacrylate - chemical names for plastics. They are made from oil and take hundreds of years to break down. According to Greenpeace, up to 100,000 microbeads can be washed down the plug in one shower. It's not known whether the government would allow the new biodegradable microbeads to be used in products after their ban on plastic ones comes in. Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Microbeads are tiny balls found in bathroom products like shower gels, shaving foams and face scrubs. They are controversial because they can end up in the sea and can be harmful to fish and birds. But now, a team from Bath University says it has created biodegradable microbeads by using material which breaks down easily. Last year, the government announced plans to ban microbeads used in cosmetics and cleaning products. The move followed campaigning from environmental groups. More than 680 tonnes of mircrobeads are used in the UK every year. The tiny plastic beads are included in toiletries to help exfoliate the skin. Some end up in our food after being ingested by fish or seafood that we eat. "We've developed a way of making microbeads from cellulose, which is not only from a renewable source, but also biodegrades into harmless sugars," says Dr Janet Scott, who was part of the experiment. "We hope in the future these could be used as a direct replacement for plastic microbeads." Cellulose is an organic material that's found in wood and plants. According to the scientists, they could get this from waste products like those created in paper manufacturing. They add: "These microbeads are robust enough to remain stable in a bodywash, but can be broken down by organisms at the sewage treatment works, or even in the environment in a short period of time." At the moment, non-biodegradable microbeads are made of polyethylene, polypropylene and polymethylmethacrylate - chemical names for plastics. They are made from oil and take hundreds of years to break down. According to Greenpeace, up to 100,000 microbeads can be washed down the plug in one shower. It's not known whether the government would allow the new biodegradable microbeads to be used in products after their ban on plastic ones comes in. Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Microbeads are tiny balls found in bathroom products like shower gels, shaving foams and face scrubs. They are controversial because they can end up in the sea and can be harmful to fish and birds. But now, a team from Bath University says it has created biodegradable microbeads by using material which breaks down easily. Last year, the government announced plans to ban microbeads used in cosmetics and cleaning products. The move followed campaigning from environmental groups. More than 680 tonnes of mircrobeads are used in the UK every year. The tiny plastic beads are included in toiletries to help exfoliate the skin. Some end up in our food after being ingested by fish or seafood that we eat. "We've developed a way of making microbeads from cellulose, which is not only from a renewable source, but also biodegrades into harmless sugars," says Dr Janet Scott, who was part of the experiment. "We hope in the future these could be used as a direct replacement for plastic microbeads." Cellulose is an organic material that's found in wood and plants. According to the scientists, they could get this from waste products like those created in paper manufacturing. They add: "These microbeads are robust enough to remain stable in a bodywash, but can be broken down by organisms at the sewage treatment works, or even in the environment in a short period of time." At the moment, non-biodegradable microbeads are made of polyethylene, polypropylene and polymethylmethacrylate - chemical names for plastics. They are made from oil and take hundreds of years to break down. According to Greenpeace, up to 100,000 microbeads can be washed down the plug in one shower. It's not known whether the government would allow the new biodegradable microbeads to be used in products after their ban on plastic ones comes in. Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat
### Summary:
A team of scientists has created a biodegradable microbead from cellulose.
### Next steps
The team has created a biodegradable microbead from cellulose.
### Follow-up |
world-europe-26627036 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26627036 | Crimean locals welcome future in Russia | A man in Crimea has voted to join Russia. | By Patrick JacksonBBC News, Yalta, Crimea "We don't take them yet," said the waitress. Would they be good next month? "Let's hope so," she replied breezily. As I counted out my Ukrainian hryvnya, I reflected that people in this charming resort town might be glad of any currency when the holiday season begins. Western sanctions, pariah status, TV images around the globe of soldiers and gunmen and, perhaps worst of all, dependence for years to come on a hostile Ukrainian mainland for road and rail links. Quite a bill for breaking away. Then there is Ivan Mamykin, who picked up his Ukrainian pension on 5 March and is expecting to be paid by Russia come April. A ferry ride away "What if it's all an April Fool's Day joke on you, sir?" I asked across the tea glasses. In the great cackle of laughter from the 82-year-old former agricultural expert, it seemed the nervous tension dissipated. "I will get it on time and it will be better," was what he finally said. "I am sure of that because I know the Russian character: if they say they will do something, they do it." Speaking as if 60 days had passed, not 60 years, he conjured up an image of a Russia positively groaning under the weight of cheap groceries back in 1954, in contrast to Ukraine. That was the year the Kremlin attached Crimea to Ukraine. The last Ukrainian flags in Yalta were taken down on Sunday, he said, and now only Crimean and Russian flags flew over the city. "I voted honestly yesterday and woke up happy today," Mr Mamykin said. "It felt like I was living in my home country, Russia. Which is as it should be." And what if Ukraine shuts the borders? "We'll take the ferry to Russia," he said, brushing aside the question. Prospects uncertain Leonid's ambitions clearly go a little further than a ferry ride to Russia across the Strait of Kerch. At 21, the Yalta local is a year away from completing his studies in graphic design at the town's university. He still stands to obtain a Ukrainian degree next year, but after that any further qualifications will be Russian. "I don't know how they are going to regard Russian academic qualifications in Europe or America," he said. The other issue for him is whether or not Russia will help his university by maintaining its academic status and boosting its teaching staff with new specialists. In Leonid's opinion, the only thing that really changed in Yalta on Monday - a new public holiday in Crimea - was that the mood among most of the people had lifted. Otherwise, everything stayed the same, he said, apart from on the news channels. Intimidation People I met in Yalta appeared solidly pro-Russian, including two ethnic Ukrainian women, but the fact that aggressive pro-Moscow radicals were prowling around the main square must have intimidated dissenters from speaking. When I tried to interview a third person near the Lenin monument by the sea front, we were hassled by three very aggressive young men who stuck a video camera in the face of my interviewee and demanded to know his address. I abandoned that interview out of concern for the safety of the man who wanted to speak to the BBC, even though he had voted to join Russia on Sunday. The pro-Russia activists had pitched a tent on the square, apparently to replicate the Maidan camp in Kiev in miniature, only with diametrically opposed views. Yes, the last official Ukrainian flag came down overnight, but nobody had removed any other Ukrainian state symbols or street signs yet, they complained. In a restaurant, I talked to two men who were out for a drink to celebrate the referendum result. Quite senior officials in Moscow and Crimea, they did not want to be identified. Torn allegiance The man down from Moscow was a little bleary-eyed, possibly also because of the two-hour time difference which the new Crimean leadership plans to scrap at the end of this month. What he could not understand, he said as he showed me some roubles, was why his Russian mobile phone had suddenly become blocked on Monday, while a local mobile he carried worked just fine. I asked his friend if the seemingly irresistible move to Russian jurisdiction would hurt Crimeans working in the public sector. Not really, he assured me, as most had already worked under Crimea's own autonomous authorities. The exception was the Ukrainian military, he added, where officers who had sworn an oath to Ukraine were now torn between changing allegiance or leaving a place they regarded as home, where they had brought up their families and put down roots. One of the saddest sights I witnessed in Crimea this week was an embarrassed Ukrainian naval officer turning back foreign media who wanted to visit his base. Yes, there would have been plenty of military detail to film inside. But the real conflict is surely the one within these men, out of the camera's range, as the country they elected to serve slips further away by the hour. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Patrick JacksonBBC News, Yalta, Crimea "We don't take them yet," said the waitress. Would they be good next month? "Let's hope so," she replied breezily. As I counted out my Ukrainian hryvnya, I reflected that people in this charming resort town might be glad of any currency when the holiday season begins. Western sanctions, pariah status, TV images around the globe of soldiers and gunmen and, perhaps worst of all, dependence for years to come on a hostile Ukrainian mainland for road and rail links. Quite a bill for breaking away. Then there is Ivan Mamykin, who picked up his Ukrainian pension on 5 March and is expecting to be paid by Russia come April. A ferry ride away "What if it's all an April Fool's Day joke on you, sir?" I asked across the tea glasses. In the great cackle of laughter from the 82-year-old former agricultural expert, it seemed the nervous tension dissipated. "I will get it on time and it will be better," was what he finally said. "I am sure of that because I know the Russian character: if they say they will do something, they do it." Speaking as if 60 days had passed, not 60 years, he conjured up an image of a Russia positively groaning under the weight of cheap groceries back in 1954, in contrast to Ukraine. That was the year the Kremlin attached Crimea to Ukraine. The last Ukrainian flags in Yalta were taken down on Sunday, he said, and now only Crimean and Russian flags flew over the city. "I voted honestly yesterday and woke up happy today," Mr Mamykin said. "It felt like I was living in my home country, Russia. Which is as it should be." And what if Ukraine shuts the borders? "We'll take the ferry to Russia," he said, brushing aside the question. Prospects uncertain Leonid's ambitions clearly go a little further than a ferry ride to Russia across the Strait of Kerch. At 21, the Yalta local is a year away from completing his studies in graphic design at the town's university. He still stands to obtain a Ukrainian degree next year, but after that any further qualifications will be Russian. "I don't know how they are going to regard Russian academic qualifications in Europe or America," he said. The other issue for him is whether or not Russia will help his university by maintaining its academic status and boosting its teaching staff with new specialists. In Leonid's opinion, the only thing that really changed in Yalta on Monday - a new public holiday in Crimea - was that the mood among most of the people had lifted. Otherwise, everything stayed the same, he said, apart from on the news channels. Intimidation People I met in Yalta appeared solidly pro-Russian, including two ethnic Ukrainian women, but the fact that aggressive pro-Moscow radicals were prowling around the main square must have intimidated dissenters from speaking. When I tried to interview a third person near the Lenin monument by the sea front, we were hassled by three very aggressive young men who stuck a video camera in the face of my interviewee and demanded to know his address. I abandoned that interview out of concern for the safety of the man who wanted to speak to the BBC, even though he had voted to join Russia on Sunday. The pro-Russia activists had pitched a tent on the square, apparently to replicate the Maidan camp in Kiev in miniature, only with diametrically opposed views. Yes, the last official Ukrainian flag came down overnight, but nobody had removed any other Ukrainian state symbols or street signs yet, they complained. In a restaurant, I talked to two men who were out for a drink to celebrate the referendum result. Quite senior officials in Moscow and Crimea, they did not want to be identified. Torn allegiance The man down from Moscow was a little bleary-eyed, possibly also because of the two-hour time difference which the new Crimean leadership plans to scrap at the end of this month. What he could not understand, he said as he showed me some roubles, was why his Russian mobile phone had suddenly become blocked on Monday, while a local mobile he carried worked just fine. I asked his friend if the seemingly irresistible move to Russian jurisdiction would hurt Crimeans working in the public sector. Not really, he assured me, as most had already worked under Crimea's own autonomous authorities. The exception was the Ukrainian military, he added, where officers who had sworn an oath to Ukraine were now torn between changing allegiance or leaving a place they regarded as home, where they had brought up their families and put down roots. One of the saddest sights I witnessed in Crimea this week was an embarrassed Ukrainian naval officer turning back foreign media who wanted to visit his base. Yes, there would have been plenty of military detail to film inside. But the real conflict is surely the one within these men, out of the camera's range, as
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Patrick JacksonBBC News, Yalta, Crimea "We don't take them yet," said the waitress. Would they be good next month? "Let's hope so," she replied breezily. As I counted out my Ukrainian hryvnya, I reflected that people in this charming resort town might be glad of any currency when the holiday season begins. Western sanctions, pariah status, TV images around the globe of soldiers and gunmen and, perhaps worst of all, dependence for years to come on a hostile Ukrainian mainland for road and rail links. Quite a bill for breaking away. Then there is Ivan Mamykin, who picked up his Ukrainian pension on 5 March and is expecting to be paid by Russia come April. A ferry ride away "What if it's all an April Fool's Day joke on you, sir?" I asked across the tea glasses. In the great cackle of laughter from the 82-year-old former agricultural expert, it seemed the nervous tension dissipated. "I will get it on time and it will be better," was what he finally said. "I am sure of that because I know the Russian character: if they say they will do something, they do it." Speaking as if 60 days had passed, not 60 years, he conjured up an image of a Russia positively groaning under the weight of cheap groceries back in 1954, in contrast to Ukraine. That was the year the Kremlin attached Crimea to Ukraine. The last Ukrainian flags in Yalta were taken down on Sunday, he said, and now only Crimean and Russian flags flew over the city. "I voted honestly yesterday and woke up happy today," Mr Mamykin said. "It felt like I was living in my home country, Russia. Which is as it should be." And what if Ukraine shuts the borders? "We'll take the ferry to Russia," he said, brushing aside the question. Prospects uncertain Leonid's ambitions clearly go a little further than a ferry ride to Russia across the Strait of Kerch. At 21, the Yalta local is a year away from completing his studies in graphic design at the town's university. He still stands to obtain a Ukrainian degree next year, but after that any further qualifications will be Russian. "I don't know how they are going to regard Russian academic qualifications in Europe or America," he said. The other issue for him is whether or not Russia will help his university by maintaining its academic status and boosting its teaching staff with new specialists. In Leonid's opinion, the only thing that really changed in Yalta on Monday - a new public holiday in Crimea - was that the mood among most of the people had lifted. Otherwise, everything stayed the same, he said, apart from on the news channels. Intimidation People I met in Yalta appeared solidly pro-Russian, including two ethnic Ukrainian women, but the fact that aggressive pro-Moscow radicals were prowling around the main square must have intimidated dissenters from speaking. When I tried to interview a third person near the Lenin monument by the sea front, we were hassled by three very aggressive young men who stuck a video camera in the face of my interviewee and demanded to know his address. I abandoned that interview out of concern for the safety of the man who wanted to speak to the BBC, even though he had voted to join Russia on Sunday. The pro-Russia activists had pitched a tent on the square, apparently to replicate the Maidan camp in Kiev in miniature, only with diametrically opposed views. Yes, the last official Ukrainian flag came down overnight, but nobody had removed any other Ukrainian state symbols or street signs yet, they complained. In a restaurant, I talked to two men who were out for a drink to celebrate the referendum result. Quite senior officials in Moscow and Crimea, they did not want to be identified. Torn allegiance The man down from Moscow was a little bleary-eyed, possibly also because of the two-hour time difference which the new Crimean leadership plans to scrap at the end of this month. What he could not understand, he said as he showed me some roubles, was why his Russian mobile phone had suddenly become blocked on Monday, while a local mobile he carried worked just fine. I asked his friend if the seemingly irresistible move to Russian jurisdiction would hurt Crimeans working in the public sector. Not really, he assured me, as most had already worked under Crimea's own autonomous authorities. The exception was the Ukrainian military, he added, where officers who had sworn an oath to Ukraine were now torn between changing allegiance or leaving a place they regarded as home, where they had brought up their families and put down roots. One of the saddest sights I witnessed in Crimea this week was an embarrassed Ukrainian naval officer turning back foreign media who wanted to visit his base. Yes, there would have been plenty of military detail to film inside. But the real conflict is surely the one within these men, out of the camera's range, as
### Summary:
A man in Crimea has voted to join Russia.
### Text:
By Patrick JacksonBBC News, Yalta, Crimea The last Ukrainian flags in Yalta were taken down on Sunday, he said, and |
uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-52875451 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-52875451 | Coronavirus: Patient virus results sent to Orkney business by mistake | A patient has been sent a letter from the NHS Orkney Board apologising for the data breach. | The data included more than 50 patient names, addresses and the results of Covid-19 testing. NHS Orkney said an investigation had established it was an "isolated case of administrative error". The health board has apologised and the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner. The data was sent out on 15 May, and all patients involved have been written to. Julie Colquhoun, head of corporate services at NHS Orkney, said: "Data on 51 patients was sent to a local business in error. "NHS Orkney takes the management of patient data extremely seriously and all staff have been reminded of the correct procedures to follow. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to those people affected." 'Ensure lessons are learned' The Scottish government said: "The recipient organisation has been contacted and has deleted the personal information they received erroneously. "NHS Orkney has informed the Information Commissioner's Office of the breach. This was not a cyber-attack but a result of human error. "NHS Orkney will be fully investigating the incident to understand any failings and what lessons can be learned." The statement added: "The Scottish government takes the data protection rights of the people of Scotland seriously and will everything in our power to ensure that lessons are learned and this doesn't happen again." Orkney Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur described it as a "serious breach of highly sensitive, personal data" and that those involved had every right to feel let down. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The data included more than 50 patient names, addresses and the results of Covid-19 testing. NHS Orkney said an investigation had established it was an "isolated case of administrative error". The health board has apologised and the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner. The data was sent out on 15 May, and all patients involved have been written to. Julie Colquhoun, head of corporate services at NHS Orkney, said: "Data on 51 patients was sent to a local business in error. "NHS Orkney takes the management of patient data extremely seriously and all staff have been reminded of the correct procedures to follow. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to those people affected." 'Ensure lessons are learned' The Scottish government said: "The recipient organisation has been contacted and has deleted the personal information they received erroneously. "NHS Orkney has informed the Information Commissioner's Office of the breach. This was not a cyber-attack but a result of human error. "NHS Orkney will be fully investigating the incident to understand any failings and what lessons can be learned." The statement added: "The Scottish government takes the data protection rights of the people of Scotland seriously and will everything in our power to ensure that lessons are learned and this doesn't happen again." Orkney Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur described it as a "serious breach of highly sensitive, personal data" and that those involved had every right to feel let down.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The data included more than 50 patient names, addresses and the results of Covid-19 testing. NHS Orkney said an investigation had established it was an "isolated case of administrative error". The health board has apologised and the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner. The data was sent out on 15 May, and all patients involved have been written to. Julie Colquhoun, head of corporate services at NHS Orkney, said: "Data on 51 patients was sent to a local business in error. "NHS Orkney takes the management of patient data extremely seriously and all staff have been reminded of the correct procedures to follow. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to those people affected." 'Ensure lessons are learned' The Scottish government said: "The recipient organisation has been contacted and has deleted the personal information they received erroneously. "NHS Orkney has informed the Information Commissioner's Office of the breach. This was not a cyber-attack but a result of human error. "NHS Orkney will be fully investigating the incident to understand any failings and what lessons can be learned." The statement added: "The Scottish government takes the data protection rights of the people of Scotland seriously and will everything in our power to ensure that lessons are learned and this doesn't happen again." Orkney Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur described it as a "serious breach of highly sensitive, personal data" and that those involved had every right to feel let down.
### Summary:
A patient has been sent a letter from the NHS Orkney Board apologising for the data breach.
### Source:
The Scottish government has apologised for the data breach.
### Next steps
The |
science-environment-38599645 | https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38599645 | To see finally the face of Peggy | A moonlet in Saturn's A-ring has been spotted by Cassini. | Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmoson Twitter Scientists studying the splendour of Saturn's rings are hoping soon to get a resolved picture of an embedded object they know exists but cannot quite see. The moonlet is named after London researcher Carl Murray's mother-in-law, and was first noticed in 2013. Its effect on surrounding ice and dust particles has been tracked ever since. But no direct image of Peggy's form has yet been obtained, and time is now short. The Cassini spacecraft's mission at Saturn is edging to a close and its dramatic end-of-life disposal. In September, the probe will be driven to destruction in the atmosphere of the giant planet, at which point the constant stream of pictures and other data it has returned these past 13 years will come to an abrupt end. Carl Murray and his team at Queen Mary University of London know therefore they have only a few months left to get the definitive image. Fortunately, Cassini will spend its remaining time flying close in to the planet and the moonlet's place in the so called A-ring. The best ever chance to see the face of Peggy is now at hand. And such is the fondness for this little object, the probe will even be commanded to take one last picture just before the big plunge. "Peggy is such an interesting object, and for people who work on the mission and even with the public - it's captured their imagination. It's like an old friend to us, and so as you say goodbye you'd like to get a picture. Peggy will be one of the last targets for Cassini," Prof Murray told BBC News. The study of objects like Peggy goes to the core objectives of the multi-billion-dollar international space mission. The wide band of ice and dust that surrounds Saturn is a version in miniature of the kind of discs we see circling far-off new stars. It is in those discs that planets form, and so seeing the processes and behaviours that give rise to objects like Peggy delivers an insight into how new worlds come into being. It is a model even for how our own Solar System was created. "Peggy is evolving. It's orbit is changing with time," explained Prof Murray. "Sometimes it moves out, sometimes it moves in, by just a few kilometres. And this is what we think happens with proto-planets in those astrophysical discs. They interact with other proto-planets and the material in the disc, and they migrate; they move. We see that when we look at exoplanets around other stars: some can’t possibly have formed in the places we detect them now; they must have migrated at some point." Peggy was discovered by accident. Prof Murray was using Cassini to try to image Prometheus - a bigger, very obvious moon connected with the F-ring. He got that no problem, but his eye was drawn to a 2,000km-long smudge in the background. That was 15 April 2013 (his mother-in-law's birthday). And a subsequent trawl through the Cassini archive revealed that a disturbance in the A-ring was actually evident from a year before. Peggy is certainly smaller than 5km across. So to produce that showy smudge, it must have been involved in a collision that kicked up a cloud of ice and dust. Follow-up observations have monitored the ongoing disturbance. If moonlets are big enough they can clear a gap in Saturn’s rings. But tiny objects like Peggy merely produce small bumps in the surrounding band of particles, or a sort of wavy pattern that looks akin to a propeller. This indirect evidence of the presence of a moonlet is all Cassini can achieve when the target is so small and the onboard camera is producing a best resolution of about 5km per pixel. But in the next few months, the orbits the spacecraft will fly around Saturn should bring the resolution down to one or two km per pixel. This might be enough to picture Peggy directly, and to confirm an intriguing possibility… that Peggy has recently become two objects. "When Cassini came out of its ring plane orbit in early 2016, we went back to look where Peggy should be; and we found Peggy and we've been tracking it ever since. "But a few degrees behind we could also see another object, even fainter in the sense that it had an even smaller (disturbance) signature. And when we tracked back the paths of both objects, we realised that in early 2015 they would have met. "So, probably, Peggy 'B', as we call it, came from a collision of the sort that causes Peggy to change its orbit, but rather than a simple encounter that deflected the orbit slightly, this was more serious." Prof Murray gave an update on Peggy at the recent Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union. At that same conference, Dr Linda Spilker, the Nasa project scientist on the Cassini mission, outlined the end-stage activities of the probe, culminating in its disposal on 15 September. She said the same close-in manoeuvres that hopefully will enable Carl Murray to get his resolved pictures should also finally help to determine a key property of Saturn's rings - their mass. "The mass of the rings is uncertain by 100%," Dr Spilker told BBC News. "If they're more massive, maybe they're really old - as old as Saturn. If they're less massive, maybe they're really young, maybe only a mere 100 million years old." Age is important to this idea that rings, or discs, are the medium in which objects form. Some of Saturn's moons, even a number of its bigger ones, likely emerged by accumulating the material around them and displaying, certainly in the early phases of growth, the sorts of behaviours now seen in Peggy. But making moons takes time and if the largest of Saturn's satellites came out of this same process, it demands the present ring system to be very old indeed. Want to hear more about Cassini and its discoveries at Saturn? Listen to this week's The Life Scientific, which featured Imperial College London's Prof Michele Dougherty, the principal investigator on the spacecraft's magnetometer instrument. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmoson Twitter Scientists studying the splendour of Saturn's rings are hoping soon to get a resolved picture of an embedded object they know exists but cannot quite see. The moonlet is named after London researcher Carl Murray's mother-in-law, and was first noticed in 2013. Its effect on surrounding ice and dust particles has been tracked ever since. But no direct image of Peggy's form has yet been obtained, and time is now short. The Cassini spacecraft's mission at Saturn is edging to a close and its dramatic end-of-life disposal. In September, the probe will be driven to destruction in the atmosphere of the giant planet, at which point the constant stream of pictures and other data it has returned these past 13 years will come to an abrupt end. Carl Murray and his team at Queen Mary University of London know therefore they have only a few months left to get the definitive image. Fortunately, Cassini will spend its remaining time flying close in to the planet and the moonlet's place in the so called A-ring. The best ever chance to see the face of Peggy is now at hand. And such is the fondness for this little object, the probe will even be commanded to take one last picture just before the big plunge. "Peggy is such an interesting object, and for people who work on the mission and even with the public - it's captured their imagination. It's like an old friend to us, and so as you say goodbye you'd like to get a picture. Peggy will be one of the last targets for Cassini," Prof Murray told BBC News. The study of objects like Peggy goes to the core objectives of the multi-billion-dollar international space mission. The wide band of ice and dust that surrounds Saturn is a version in miniature of the kind of discs we see circling far-off new stars. It is in those discs that planets form, and so seeing the processes and behaviours that give rise to objects like Peggy delivers an insight into how new worlds come into being. It is a model even for how our own Solar System was created. "Peggy is evolving. It's orbit is changing with time," explained Prof Murray. "Sometimes it moves out, sometimes it moves in, by just a few kilometres. And this is what we think happens with proto-planets in those astrophysical discs. They interact with other proto-planets and the material in the disc, and they migrate; they move. We see that when we look at exoplanets around other stars: some can’t possibly have formed in the places we detect them now; they must have migrated at some point." Peggy was discovered by accident. Prof Murray was using Cassini to try to image Prometheus - a bigger, very obvious moon connected with the F-ring. He got that no problem, but his eye was drawn to a 2,000km-long smudge in the background. That was 15 April 2013 (his mother-in-law's birthday). And a subsequent trawl through the Cassini archive revealed that a disturbance in the A-ring was actually evident from a year before. Peggy is certainly smaller than 5km across. So to produce that showy smudge, it must have been involved in a collision that kicked up a cloud of ice and dust. Follow-up observations have monitored the ongoing disturbance. If moonlets are big enough they can clear a gap in Saturn’s rings. But tiny objects like Peggy merely produce small bumps in the surrounding band of particles, or a sort of wavy pattern that looks akin to a propeller. This indirect evidence of the presence of a moonlet is all Cassini can achieve when the target is so small and the onboard camera is producing a best resolution of about 5km per pixel. But in the next few months, the orbits the spacecraft will fly around Saturn should bring the resolution down to one or two km per pixel. This might be enough to picture Peggy directly, and to confirm an intriguing possibility… that Peggy has recently become two objects. "When Cassini came out of its ring plane orbit in early 2016, we went back to look where Peggy should be; and we found Peggy and we've been tracking it ever since. "But a few degrees behind we could also see another object, even fainter in the sense that it had an even smaller (disturbance) signature. And when we tracked back the paths of both objects, we realised that in early 2015 they would have met. "So, probably, Peggy 'B', as we call it, came from a collision of the sort that causes Peggy to change its orbit, but rather than a simple encounter that deflected the orbit slightly, this was more serious." Prof Murray gave an update on Peggy at the recent Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union. At that same conference, Dr Linda Spilker, the Nasa project scientist on the Cassini mission, outlined the end-stage activities of the probe, culminating
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmoson Twitter Scientists studying the splendour of Saturn's rings are hoping soon to get a resolved picture of an embedded object they know exists but cannot quite see. The moonlet is named after London researcher Carl Murray's mother-in-law, and was first noticed in 2013. Its effect on surrounding ice and dust particles has been tracked ever since. But no direct image of Peggy's form has yet been obtained, and time is now short. The Cassini spacecraft's mission at Saturn is edging to a close and its dramatic end-of-life disposal. In September, the probe will be driven to destruction in the atmosphere of the giant planet, at which point the constant stream of pictures and other data it has returned these past 13 years will come to an abrupt end. Carl Murray and his team at Queen Mary University of London know therefore they have only a few months left to get the definitive image. Fortunately, Cassini will spend its remaining time flying close in to the planet and the moonlet's place in the so called A-ring. The best ever chance to see the face of Peggy is now at hand. And such is the fondness for this little object, the probe will even be commanded to take one last picture just before the big plunge. "Peggy is such an interesting object, and for people who work on the mission and even with the public - it's captured their imagination. It's like an old friend to us, and so as you say goodbye you'd like to get a picture. Peggy will be one of the last targets for Cassini," Prof Murray told BBC News. The study of objects like Peggy goes to the core objectives of the multi-billion-dollar international space mission. The wide band of ice and dust that surrounds Saturn is a version in miniature of the kind of discs we see circling far-off new stars. It is in those discs that planets form, and so seeing the processes and behaviours that give rise to objects like Peggy delivers an insight into how new worlds come into being. It is a model even for how our own Solar System was created. "Peggy is evolving. It's orbit is changing with time," explained Prof Murray. "Sometimes it moves out, sometimes it moves in, by just a few kilometres. And this is what we think happens with proto-planets in those astrophysical discs. They interact with other proto-planets and the material in the disc, and they migrate; they move. We see that when we look at exoplanets around other stars: some can’t possibly have formed in the places we detect them now; they must have migrated at some point." Peggy was discovered by accident. Prof Murray was using Cassini to try to image Prometheus - a bigger, very obvious moon connected with the F-ring. He got that no problem, but his eye was drawn to a 2,000km-long smudge in the background. That was 15 April 2013 (his mother-in-law's birthday). And a subsequent trawl through the Cassini archive revealed that a disturbance in the A-ring was actually evident from a year before. Peggy is certainly smaller than 5km across. So to produce that showy smudge, it must have been involved in a collision that kicked up a cloud of ice and dust. Follow-up observations have monitored the ongoing disturbance. If moonlets are big enough they can clear a gap in Saturn’s rings. But tiny objects like Peggy merely produce small bumps in the surrounding band of particles, or a sort of wavy pattern that looks akin to a propeller. This indirect evidence of the presence of a moonlet is all Cassini can achieve when the target is so small and the onboard camera is producing a best resolution of about 5km per pixel. But in the next few months, the orbits the spacecraft will fly around Saturn should bring the resolution down to one or two km per pixel. This might be enough to picture Peggy directly, and to confirm an intriguing possibility… that Peggy has recently become two objects. "When Cassini came out of its ring plane orbit in early 2016, we went back to look where Peggy should be; and we found Peggy and we've been tracking it ever since. "But a few degrees behind we could also see another object, even fainter in the sense that it had an even smaller (disturbance) signature. And when we tracked back the paths of both objects, we realised that in early 2015 they would have met. "So, probably, Peggy 'B', as we call it, came from a collision of the sort that causes Peggy to change its orbit, but rather than a simple encounter that deflected the orbit slightly, this was more serious." Prof Murray gave an update on Peggy at the recent Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union. At that same conference, Dr Linda Spilker, the Nasa project scientist on the Cassini mission, outlined the end-stage activities of the probe, culminating
### Summary:
A moonlet in Saturn's A-ring has been spotted by Cassini.
### Source:
By Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmoson Twitter
### Credit:
Jonathan |
technology-42554813 | https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42554813 | Streaming fuels music industry boom | The music industry has been booming in the UK for the past decade. | Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent@BBCRoryCJon Twitter The record giants were portrayed as dinosaurs, thrashing around helplessly as piracy took away their revenues and tech giants took on the job of leading the industry into the future. But today it's bright confident morning again for the UK music business - and most of the credit goes to the boom in streaming. Overall, music revenues grew by 9.6% in 2017 according to the Entertainment Retailers Association, with streaming revenues from subscriptions to services like Spotify up 41.9%. Separate figures from the BPI, which represents the record labels, show that streaming now accounts for more than half of UK music consumption, Despite a lot of breathless talk about the vinyl revival, that's still a pretty small contributor and overall physical sales were down 3.4%. Streaming - once regarded with deep suspicion by both the artists and the labels - now looks like the path back to prosperity in the digital era. One cynical music industry executive told me the labels were now rewriting history: "They opposed every single new technology and said it was the end of the world. Now suddenly streaming was all their idea," they said. Certainly the big companies seem convinced that the good times are back - news of the bumper pay packages awarded to executives at Warner Music Group raised eyebrows recently. But not everybody is so sure that the days of first class travel and unlimited spending on flowers for the office are - or should be - back. Two forces - the power of the tech platforms and the anger of the artists - mean that the days of disruption may not be over. Power game Back in 2005, while the industry was beset by gloom, 98% of its revenues came from products over which it had a fair measure of control - either physical sales or digital downloads. Now it has handed control over more than half of its revenue to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, with their one size fits all £9.99 per month subscription packages. Meanwhile, artists still aren't completely reconciled to the streaming model - and in particular the fact that, by one estimate, they get just 19% of the revenues earned by the record companies. We have already seen major artists stamping their feet and demanding better deals - or negotiating directly with streaming services. There's a complex three-way power game underway, with the tech platforms, the labels and the artists all dependent on each other - but it is no longer clear that the labels' sheer marketing muscle gives them the upper hand. But technology - once seen as a threat - could now help to expand the music market. In the "good old days" only half of the UK population ever bought a CD each year. Now smart devices like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home are giving an older audience a reason to bring music back into the home. For anyone who wants to see music have a sustainable and profitable future, there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent@BBCRoryCJon Twitter The record giants were portrayed as dinosaurs, thrashing around helplessly as piracy took away their revenues and tech giants took on the job of leading the industry into the future. But today it's bright confident morning again for the UK music business - and most of the credit goes to the boom in streaming. Overall, music revenues grew by 9.6% in 2017 according to the Entertainment Retailers Association, with streaming revenues from subscriptions to services like Spotify up 41.9%. Separate figures from the BPI, which represents the record labels, show that streaming now accounts for more than half of UK music consumption, Despite a lot of breathless talk about the vinyl revival, that's still a pretty small contributor and overall physical sales were down 3.4%. Streaming - once regarded with deep suspicion by both the artists and the labels - now looks like the path back to prosperity in the digital era. One cynical music industry executive told me the labels were now rewriting history: "They opposed every single new technology and said it was the end of the world. Now suddenly streaming was all their idea," they said. Certainly the big companies seem convinced that the good times are back - news of the bumper pay packages awarded to executives at Warner Music Group raised eyebrows recently. But not everybody is so sure that the days of first class travel and unlimited spending on flowers for the office are - or should be - back. Two forces - the power of the tech platforms and the anger of the artists - mean that the days of disruption may not be over. Power game Back in 2005, while the industry was beset by gloom, 98% of its revenues came from products over which it had a fair measure of control - either physical sales or digital downloads. Now it has handed control over more than half of its revenue to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, with their one size fits all £9.99 per month subscription packages. Meanwhile, artists still aren't completely reconciled to the streaming model - and in particular the fact that, by one estimate, they get just 19% of the revenues earned by the record companies. We have already seen major artists stamping their feet and demanding better deals - or negotiating directly with streaming services. There's a complex three-way power game underway, with the tech platforms, the labels and the artists all dependent on each other - but it is no longer clear that the labels' sheer marketing muscle gives them the upper hand. But technology - once seen as a threat - could now help to expand the music market. In the "good old days" only half of the UK population ever bought a CD each year. Now smart devices like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home are giving an older audience a reason to bring music back into the home. For anyone who wants to see music have a sustainable and profitable future, there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent@BBCRoryCJon Twitter The record giants were portrayed as dinosaurs, thrashing around helplessly as piracy took away their revenues and tech giants took on the job of leading the industry into the future. But today it's bright confident morning again for the UK music business - and most of the credit goes to the boom in streaming. Overall, music revenues grew by 9.6% in 2017 according to the Entertainment Retailers Association, with streaming revenues from subscriptions to services like Spotify up 41.9%. Separate figures from the BPI, which represents the record labels, show that streaming now accounts for more than half of UK music consumption, Despite a lot of breathless talk about the vinyl revival, that's still a pretty small contributor and overall physical sales were down 3.4%. Streaming - once regarded with deep suspicion by both the artists and the labels - now looks like the path back to prosperity in the digital era. One cynical music industry executive told me the labels were now rewriting history: "They opposed every single new technology and said it was the end of the world. Now suddenly streaming was all their idea," they said. Certainly the big companies seem convinced that the good times are back - news of the bumper pay packages awarded to executives at Warner Music Group raised eyebrows recently. But not everybody is so sure that the days of first class travel and unlimited spending on flowers for the office are - or should be - back. Two forces - the power of the tech platforms and the anger of the artists - mean that the days of disruption may not be over. Power game Back in 2005, while the industry was beset by gloom, 98% of its revenues came from products over which it had a fair measure of control - either physical sales or digital downloads. Now it has handed control over more than half of its revenue to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, with their one size fits all £9.99 per month subscription packages. Meanwhile, artists still aren't completely reconciled to the streaming model - and in particular the fact that, by one estimate, they get just 19% of the revenues earned by the record companies. We have already seen major artists stamping their feet and demanding better deals - or negotiating directly with streaming services. There's a complex three-way power game underway, with the tech platforms, the labels and the artists all dependent on each other - but it is no longer clear that the labels' sheer marketing muscle gives them the upper hand. But technology - once seen as a threat - could now help to expand the music market. In the "good old days" only half of the UK population ever bought a CD each year. Now smart devices like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home are giving an older audience a reason to bring music back into the home. For anyone who wants to see music have a sustainable and profitable future, there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
### Summary:
The music industry has been booming in the UK for the past decade.
### Text:
The UK music industry has been booming for the past decade.
### Summary:
The music industry has been |
world-australia-30542990 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-30542990 | Clive Palmer aide Andrew Crook arrested | A Queensland man has been charged with kidnapping a bank executive. | Media advisor Andrew Crook was arrested over the alleged kidnapping of a bank executive in Indonesia, according to ABC News. Police described the alleged scheme as "very elaborate" and "bizarre". They said Mr Palmer, whose party's senators wield crucial swing votes, was "categorically" not involved in the investigation. ABC reported that Queensland police had been investigating claims that Mr Crook and another suspect, multi-millionaire property developer Tony Smith, tried to force a witness in a legal case involving Mr Smith to recant evidence after luring him to an Indonesian island. The witness was an employee of the National Australia Bank (NAB), which Mr Smith has been suing, claiming the bank lost him tens of millions of dollars during the global financial crisis, ABC said. Police said the banker was held for several hours, and had his mobile phone, wallet and passport taken. They confirmed that they had charged two men and had issued a warrant for a third, but have not yet named the suspects. They said that all three men had been on the island where the alleged incident took place. Mr Palmer, who made his fortune in mining and won a seat in the lower house of parliament last year, said he did not know anything about the allegations. But he appeared to suggest that the case could be politically motivated, saying that the government "don't like the opposition we've been giving them in the Senate". "I'm personally very concerned because Mr Crook is our media adviser and if they wanted to attack me or our party they can do that," he said. Police brushed aside Mr Palmer's claim the police investigation could be politically motivated, saying it stemmed from a pre-existing investigation connected to a civil matter dating back to 2012. Mr Palmer was "a victim of the circumstances of this case where his name has been used by the three offenders in an effort to lure the victim, the NAB executive, to the island in Indonesia". | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Media advisor Andrew Crook was arrested over the alleged kidnapping of a bank executive in Indonesia, according to ABC News. Police described the alleged scheme as "very elaborate" and "bizarre". They said Mr Palmer, whose party's senators wield crucial swing votes, was "categorically" not involved in the investigation. ABC reported that Queensland police had been investigating claims that Mr Crook and another suspect, multi-millionaire property developer Tony Smith, tried to force a witness in a legal case involving Mr Smith to recant evidence after luring him to an Indonesian island. The witness was an employee of the National Australia Bank (NAB), which Mr Smith has been suing, claiming the bank lost him tens of millions of dollars during the global financial crisis, ABC said. Police said the banker was held for several hours, and had his mobile phone, wallet and passport taken. They confirmed that they had charged two men and had issued a warrant for a third, but have not yet named the suspects. They said that all three men had been on the island where the alleged incident took place. Mr Palmer, who made his fortune in mining and won a seat in the lower house of parliament last year, said he did not know anything about the allegations. But he appeared to suggest that the case could be politically motivated, saying that the government "don't like the opposition we've been giving them in the Senate". "I'm personally very concerned because Mr Crook is our media adviser and if they wanted to attack me or our party they can do that," he said. Police brushed aside Mr Palmer's claim the police investigation could be politically motivated, saying it stemmed from a pre-existing investigation connected to a civil matter dating back to 2012. Mr Palmer was "a victim of the circumstances of this case where his name has been used by the three offenders in an effort to lure the victim, the NAB executive, to the island in Indonesia".
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Media advisor Andrew Crook was arrested over the alleged kidnapping of a bank executive in Indonesia, according to ABC News. Police described the alleged scheme as "very elaborate" and "bizarre". They said Mr Palmer, whose party's senators wield crucial swing votes, was "categorically" not involved in the investigation. ABC reported that Queensland police had been investigating claims that Mr Crook and another suspect, multi-millionaire property developer Tony Smith, tried to force a witness in a legal case involving Mr Smith to recant evidence after luring him to an Indonesian island. The witness was an employee of the National Australia Bank (NAB), which Mr Smith has been suing, claiming the bank lost him tens of millions of dollars during the global financial crisis, ABC said. Police said the banker was held for several hours, and had his mobile phone, wallet and passport taken. They confirmed that they had charged two men and had issued a warrant for a third, but have not yet named the suspects. They said that all three men had been on the island where the alleged incident took place. Mr Palmer, who made his fortune in mining and won a seat in the lower house of parliament last year, said he did not know anything about the allegations. But he appeared to suggest that the case could be politically motivated, saying that the government "don't like the opposition we've been giving them in the Senate". "I'm personally very concerned because Mr Crook is our media adviser and if they wanted to attack me or our party they can do that," he said. Police brushed aside Mr Palmer's claim the police investigation could be politically motivated, saying it stemmed from a pre-existing investigation connected to a civil matter dating back to 2012. Mr Palmer was "a victim of the circumstances of this case where his name has been used by the three offenders in an effort to lure the victim, the NAB executive, to the island in Indonesia".
### Summary:
A Queensland man has been charged with kidnapping a bank executive.
### Text:
A Queensland man has been charged with kidnapping a bank executive.
### Summary:
A Queensland man has been charged with |
uk-england-leeds-24608979 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-24608979 | 'Ten-fold increase' in Leeds litter fines since 3GS takeover | A trial of a £75 fine for littering has been "extremely successful", a council has said. | 3GS has given £75 fines for littering since April. In the same period in 2012, 136 fines were issued. Leeds City Council says the trial has been "extremely successful" and has extended it to January. But one anti-litter campaigner has questioned whether the scheme tackled the root cause of litter. 3GS receives a percentage of every fine issued by its staff but Leeds City Council, which has an £8m bill for street cleaning, says the details are confidential. Councillor Mark Dobson, the council's executive member for the environment, said: "The £75 is not about taking money, the bulk goes to 3GS, we want to tackle litter. "If that means fining people and ending up on the wrong side of a popularity contest we'll take that choice." Simon Anderson who has picked up litter in Guiseley, near Leeds, for the past three years on his own initiative said he had not noticed a "dent in the amount of litter" locally. "The stick approach, fining people £75 on the spot, isn't necessarily conducive to them being better citizens," he said. Patrols take place around the city centre and 10 other areas in the north and west of Leeds including Otley, Adel, Bramhope and Cookridge. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
3GS has given £75 fines for littering since April. In the same period in 2012, 136 fines were issued. Leeds City Council says the trial has been "extremely successful" and has extended it to January. But one anti-litter campaigner has questioned whether the scheme tackled the root cause of litter. 3GS receives a percentage of every fine issued by its staff but Leeds City Council, which has an £8m bill for street cleaning, says the details are confidential. Councillor Mark Dobson, the council's executive member for the environment, said: "The £75 is not about taking money, the bulk goes to 3GS, we want to tackle litter. "If that means fining people and ending up on the wrong side of a popularity contest we'll take that choice." Simon Anderson who has picked up litter in Guiseley, near Leeds, for the past three years on his own initiative said he had not noticed a "dent in the amount of litter" locally. "The stick approach, fining people £75 on the spot, isn't necessarily conducive to them being better citizens," he said. Patrols take place around the city centre and 10 other areas in the north and west of Leeds including Otley, Adel, Bramhope and Cookridge.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
3GS has given £75 fines for littering since April. In the same period in 2012, 136 fines were issued. Leeds City Council says the trial has been "extremely successful" and has extended it to January. But one anti-litter campaigner has questioned whether the scheme tackled the root cause of litter. 3GS receives a percentage of every fine issued by its staff but Leeds City Council, which has an £8m bill for street cleaning, says the details are confidential. Councillor Mark Dobson, the council's executive member for the environment, said: "The £75 is not about taking money, the bulk goes to 3GS, we want to tackle litter. "If that means fining people and ending up on the wrong side of a popularity contest we'll take that choice." Simon Anderson who has picked up litter in Guiseley, near Leeds, for the past three years on his own initiative said he had not noticed a "dent in the amount of litter" locally. "The stick approach, fining people £75 on the spot, isn't necessarily conducive to them being better citizens," he said. Patrols take place around the city centre and 10 other areas in the north and west of Leeds including Otley, Adel, Bramhope and Cookridge.
### Summary:
A trial of a £75 fine for littering has been "extremely successful", a council has said.
### Next steps:
A trial of a £75 fine for littering has been "extrem |
uk-england-bristol-33105961 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-33105961 | Bristol council and Kier 'mutually agree' end of £96m deal | A contract to run a waste collection service in Bristol has been terminated. | The council and Kier, formerly known as May Gurney, "mutually agreed" to end the contract. Employees, vehicles and facilities will move across to council-owned Bristol Waste Company (BWC) with new services due to start on 1 August. The council said residents should "see little difference" to bin collections. The move, which is "subject to a settlement agreement", was approved at a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. 'Increase recycling' Council bosses in Bristol, the current European Green Capital, had expressed concern over the increasing amount of waste being sent to landfill. The city has seen an 18% increase in the amount of household rubbish thrown out in the past year. May Gurney, which is now owned by Kier, signed a seven-year £96m deal in November 2011 with the council. With a target of reducing residual household waste from 67% of total waste to under 50% by 2018, the company admitted in 2012 it had made losses on the contract. Councillor Daniella Radice said: "By mutually agreeing to end this contract we will continue to deliver a good quality service to local residents and be able to work towards reducing waste and aiming to increase re-use and recycling rates." The council said the new system would run for a year whilst it "looks in full detail at the best long-term service model". Julian Tranter, from Kier Environmental, said: "We have been working together to review the long term model of service, to find a beneficial solution for both parties, and this has now concluded in agreement to mutually end the contract." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The council and Kier, formerly known as May Gurney, "mutually agreed" to end the contract. Employees, vehicles and facilities will move across to council-owned Bristol Waste Company (BWC) with new services due to start on 1 August. The council said residents should "see little difference" to bin collections. The move, which is "subject to a settlement agreement", was approved at a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. 'Increase recycling' Council bosses in Bristol, the current European Green Capital, had expressed concern over the increasing amount of waste being sent to landfill. The city has seen an 18% increase in the amount of household rubbish thrown out in the past year. May Gurney, which is now owned by Kier, signed a seven-year £96m deal in November 2011 with the council. With a target of reducing residual household waste from 67% of total waste to under 50% by 2018, the company admitted in 2012 it had made losses on the contract. Councillor Daniella Radice said: "By mutually agreeing to end this contract we will continue to deliver a good quality service to local residents and be able to work towards reducing waste and aiming to increase re-use and recycling rates." The council said the new system would run for a year whilst it "looks in full detail at the best long-term service model". Julian Tranter, from Kier Environmental, said: "We have been working together to review the long term model of service, to find a beneficial solution for both parties, and this has now concluded in agreement to mutually end the contract."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The council and Kier, formerly known as May Gurney, "mutually agreed" to end the contract. Employees, vehicles and facilities will move across to council-owned Bristol Waste Company (BWC) with new services due to start on 1 August. The council said residents should "see little difference" to bin collections. The move, which is "subject to a settlement agreement", was approved at a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. 'Increase recycling' Council bosses in Bristol, the current European Green Capital, had expressed concern over the increasing amount of waste being sent to landfill. The city has seen an 18% increase in the amount of household rubbish thrown out in the past year. May Gurney, which is now owned by Kier, signed a seven-year £96m deal in November 2011 with the council. With a target of reducing residual household waste from 67% of total waste to under 50% by 2018, the company admitted in 2012 it had made losses on the contract. Councillor Daniella Radice said: "By mutually agreeing to end this contract we will continue to deliver a good quality service to local residents and be able to work towards reducing waste and aiming to increase re-use and recycling rates." The council said the new system would run for a year whilst it "looks in full detail at the best long-term service model". Julian Tranter, from Kier Environmental, said: "We have been working together to review the long term model of service, to find a beneficial solution for both parties, and this has now concluded in agreement to mutually end the contract."
### Summary:
A contract to run a waste collection service in Bristol has been terminated.
### Text:
A contract to run a waste collection service in Bristol has been terminated.
### Summary:
A contract to run a |
world-us-canada-44550252 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44550252 | Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen booed at Mexican restaurant | A former Trump campaign manager has said he was denied entry to a detention centre for migrant children in Homestead, Florida. | The activists heckled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen at the eatery near the White House. The Trump administration is facing international pressure to drop its new policy of taking migrant children from their parents. They include babies and toddlers sent to three "tender age" shelters, the Associated Press news agency reports. The Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America claimed responsibility for Tuesday evening's protest against the homeland security secretary. Her security detail kept the demonstrators from approaching too near her table at the back of the restaurant. The activists shouted: "How do you sleep at night?" "If kids don't eat in peace, you don't eat in peace." "Do you hear the babies crying?" "Aren't you a mother, too?" Ms Nielsen later tweeted: "I will work tirelessly until our broken immigration system is fixed, our borders are secure and families can stay together." President Donald Trump has said the homeland security secretary "did a fabulous job" defending the controversial policy at a news conference this week. Meanwhile, a former Trump campaign manager made fun of a story about a 10-year-old girl with Down's syndrome who was reportedly separated from her mother after crossing the border illegally. Appearing on Tuesday on Fox News, Corey Lewandowski sarcastically said "womp, womp", as a Democratic party aide said the girl had been "taken from her mother and put in a cage". The Democratic adviser, Zac Petkanas, shouted repeatedly: "How dare you!" The unconfirmed report of the so-called tender age shelters for babies and toddlers drove an MSNBC news anchor on Tuesday night to almost break down in tears. When she first received the breaking news report from the Associated Press, Rachel Maddow paused. "This is incredible. Trump administration officials have been sending babies and other young children..." she trailed off, before covering her mouth and saying she was unable to continue. On Wednesday, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said lawmakers plan to vote on Thursday on an immigration bill that could end the practice of family separations. In a USA Today op-ed, Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote that the migrant children "get better care than a lot of American kids do". Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, told CNN: "If you want to blame someone for separating families, blame the parents who choose to break the law." On Tuesday, a group of US lawmakers were denied entry to a detention centre for migrant children in Homestead, Florida. Nearly 1,000 children are being held there, according to homeland security officials. "This is an absolute outrage," said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, standing outside the facility. This is not the first time lawmakers have been turned away from visiting migrant shelters, which now contain nearly 12,000 children, according to government figures. There is anecdotal evidence that the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" crackdown, launched last month, may be achieving its objective of deterring migrants crossing the border illegally. Salvadoran postman Cen Epigmenio told Reuters news agency he hoped to cross the Mexican border into the US in the coming months. But the 40-year-old said he and his wife have postponed their plans for fear of being separated from their two sons, Axel, nine, and Steven, three. He said he was fleeing gang violence at home. "As things stand today, it's difficult, because if you get caught, they take your kids away. I think I'm going to stay here, in Mexico, and establish myself." Another Salvadoran migrant, Lucia Carmen Flores Sanchez, who is travelling overland with her eight-year-old daughter, told the New York Times a similar story. Where are the children taken? Holding cells: The children are first detained at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities, where chain-link fenced enclosures are used, though the children can only be legally held there for three days. Detention centres: The children are then moved into around 100 detention centres run through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. US officials recently showed reporters around a converted Walmart Supercenter in Texas which was housing migrant boys aged 10-17. They apparently had access to beds, classes and games. "Tender age shelters": A CBP official said it is up to the discretion of border agents whether to detain "tender-aged" children, who are typically less than five years old. AP news agency reports that babies and toddlers are being taken to three "tender age shelters" in southern Texas. Tent cities: US officials have set up a tent camp for migrant children in Tornillo, Texas, which a BBC reporter will visit on Wednesday. Family members: Under law, the children are supposed to be released to stay with relatives or foster carers "without delay". But the ORR says this process takes "fewer than 57 days on average". How are families reunited? Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has set up a hotline for parents to call after they are released from custody. However, a former ICE director has said some family separations are "permanent". More on child migrants crisis | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The activists heckled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen at the eatery near the White House. The Trump administration is facing international pressure to drop its new policy of taking migrant children from their parents. They include babies and toddlers sent to three "tender age" shelters, the Associated Press news agency reports. The Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America claimed responsibility for Tuesday evening's protest against the homeland security secretary. Her security detail kept the demonstrators from approaching too near her table at the back of the restaurant. The activists shouted: "How do you sleep at night?" "If kids don't eat in peace, you don't eat in peace." "Do you hear the babies crying?" "Aren't you a mother, too?" Ms Nielsen later tweeted: "I will work tirelessly until our broken immigration system is fixed, our borders are secure and families can stay together." President Donald Trump has said the homeland security secretary "did a fabulous job" defending the controversial policy at a news conference this week. Meanwhile, a former Trump campaign manager made fun of a story about a 10-year-old girl with Down's syndrome who was reportedly separated from her mother after crossing the border illegally. Appearing on Tuesday on Fox News, Corey Lewandowski sarcastically said "womp, womp", as a Democratic party aide said the girl had been "taken from her mother and put in a cage". The Democratic adviser, Zac Petkanas, shouted repeatedly: "How dare you!" The unconfirmed report of the so-called tender age shelters for babies and toddlers drove an MSNBC news anchor on Tuesday night to almost break down in tears. When she first received the breaking news report from the Associated Press, Rachel Maddow paused. "This is incredible. Trump administration officials have been sending babies and other young children..." she trailed off, before covering her mouth and saying she was unable to continue. On Wednesday, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said lawmakers plan to vote on Thursday on an immigration bill that could end the practice of family separations. In a USA Today op-ed, Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote that the migrant children "get better care than a lot of American kids do". Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, told CNN: "If you want to blame someone for separating families, blame the parents who choose to break the law." On Tuesday, a group of US lawmakers were denied entry to a detention centre for migrant children in Homestead, Florida. Nearly 1,000 children are being held there, according to homeland security officials. "This is an absolute outrage," said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, standing outside the facility. This is not the first time lawmakers have been turned away from visiting migrant shelters, which now contain nearly 12,000 children, according to government figures. There is anecdotal evidence that the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" crackdown, launched last month, may be achieving its objective of deterring migrants crossing the border illegally. Salvadoran postman Cen Epigmenio told Reuters news agency he hoped to cross the Mexican border into the US in the coming months. But the 40-year-old said he and his wife have postponed their plans for fear of being separated from their two sons, Axel, nine, and Steven, three. He said he was fleeing gang violence at home. "As things stand today, it's difficult, because if you get caught, they take your kids away. I think I'm going to stay here, in Mexico, and establish myself." Another Salvadoran migrant, Lucia Carmen Flores Sanchez, who is travelling overland with her eight-year-old daughter, told the New York Times a similar story. Where are the children taken? Holding cells: The children are first detained at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities, where chain-link fenced enclosures are used, though the children can only be legally held there for three days. Detention centres: The children are then moved into around 100 detention centres run through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. US officials recently showed reporters around a converted Walmart Supercenter in Texas which was housing migrant boys aged 10-17. They apparently had access to beds, classes and games. "Tender age shelters": A CBP official said it is up to the discretion of border agents whether to detain "tender-aged" children, who are typically less than five years old. AP news agency reports that babies and toddlers are being taken to three "tender age shelters" in southern Texas. Tent cities: US officials have set up a tent camp for migrant children in Tornillo, Texas, which a BBC reporter will visit on Wednesday. Family members: Under law, the children are supposed to be released to stay with relatives or foster carers "without delay". But the ORR says this process takes "fewer than 57 days on average". How are families reunited? Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has set up a
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The activists heckled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen at the eatery near the White House. The Trump administration is facing international pressure to drop its new policy of taking migrant children from their parents. They include babies and toddlers sent to three "tender age" shelters, the Associated Press news agency reports. The Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America claimed responsibility for Tuesday evening's protest against the homeland security secretary. Her security detail kept the demonstrators from approaching too near her table at the back of the restaurant. The activists shouted: "How do you sleep at night?" "If kids don't eat in peace, you don't eat in peace." "Do you hear the babies crying?" "Aren't you a mother, too?" Ms Nielsen later tweeted: "I will work tirelessly until our broken immigration system is fixed, our borders are secure and families can stay together." President Donald Trump has said the homeland security secretary "did a fabulous job" defending the controversial policy at a news conference this week. Meanwhile, a former Trump campaign manager made fun of a story about a 10-year-old girl with Down's syndrome who was reportedly separated from her mother after crossing the border illegally. Appearing on Tuesday on Fox News, Corey Lewandowski sarcastically said "womp, womp", as a Democratic party aide said the girl had been "taken from her mother and put in a cage". The Democratic adviser, Zac Petkanas, shouted repeatedly: "How dare you!" The unconfirmed report of the so-called tender age shelters for babies and toddlers drove an MSNBC news anchor on Tuesday night to almost break down in tears. When she first received the breaking news report from the Associated Press, Rachel Maddow paused. "This is incredible. Trump administration officials have been sending babies and other young children..." she trailed off, before covering her mouth and saying she was unable to continue. On Wednesday, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said lawmakers plan to vote on Thursday on an immigration bill that could end the practice of family separations. In a USA Today op-ed, Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote that the migrant children "get better care than a lot of American kids do". Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, told CNN: "If you want to blame someone for separating families, blame the parents who choose to break the law." On Tuesday, a group of US lawmakers were denied entry to a detention centre for migrant children in Homestead, Florida. Nearly 1,000 children are being held there, according to homeland security officials. "This is an absolute outrage," said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, standing outside the facility. This is not the first time lawmakers have been turned away from visiting migrant shelters, which now contain nearly 12,000 children, according to government figures. There is anecdotal evidence that the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" crackdown, launched last month, may be achieving its objective of deterring migrants crossing the border illegally. Salvadoran postman Cen Epigmenio told Reuters news agency he hoped to cross the Mexican border into the US in the coming months. But the 40-year-old said he and his wife have postponed their plans for fear of being separated from their two sons, Axel, nine, and Steven, three. He said he was fleeing gang violence at home. "As things stand today, it's difficult, because if you get caught, they take your kids away. I think I'm going to stay here, in Mexico, and establish myself." Another Salvadoran migrant, Lucia Carmen Flores Sanchez, who is travelling overland with her eight-year-old daughter, told the New York Times a similar story. Where are the children taken? Holding cells: The children are first detained at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities, where chain-link fenced enclosures are used, though the children can only be legally held there for three days. Detention centres: The children are then moved into around 100 detention centres run through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. US officials recently showed reporters around a converted Walmart Supercenter in Texas which was housing migrant boys aged 10-17. They apparently had access to beds, classes and games. "Tender age shelters": A CBP official said it is up to the discretion of border agents whether to detain "tender-aged" children, who are typically less than five years old. AP news agency reports that babies and toddlers are being taken to three "tender age shelters" in southern Texas. Tent cities: US officials have set up a tent camp for migrant children in Tornillo, Texas, which a BBC reporter will visit on Wednesday. Family members: Under law, the children are supposed to be released to stay with relatives or foster carers "without delay". But the ORR says this process takes "fewer than 57 days on average". How are families reunited? Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has set up a
### Summary:
A former Trump campaign manager has said he was denied entry to a detention centre for migrant children in Homestead, Florida.
### Text:
The former Trump campaign manager has said he was denied entry to a detention centre |
world-africa-40063409 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40063409 | Libya turmoil: Rival armed groups clash in capital, Tripoli | A number of people have been killed in a series of explosions in Tripoli. | At least 28 people were killed and about 130 injured, officials said. Explosions were heard across the city and witnesses said residential areas in the south had been shelled. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to establish itself in Tripoli since it arrived there in March 2016. It wields little control beyond parts of the capital and relies on a complex network of armed groups with shifting allegiances. Friday's fighting began at dawn around a complex of luxury villas in the south of the city. Militias opposed to the GNA said they had attacked loyalist forces. The health ministry was not able to say if civilians were among the dead but reports suggested most casualties were fighters. Until recently, the area had been the headquarters of militias supporting former Prime Minister Khalifa Ghweil. He was ousted when the GNA was set up and refused to recognise the new administration. Forces loyal to the GNA seized the complex in March but dozens of armed groups still operate there. The internationally recognised authorities condemned the fighting, saying "there was no room left for anarchy and chaos". Also in southern Tripoli on Friday, an armed group loyal to the GNA reportedly seized al-Hadhba prison where former officials of ousted dictator Col Muammar Gaddafi are held. Judicial sources quoted by AFP news agency said prison guards were forced to withdraw and two were killed. The fate of the inmates is not clear. The prison is run by an Islamist group which has not yet declared whether or not it supports the GNA. Libya has been in chaos since the overthrow of Gaddafi in October 2011. There are two rival parliaments and three governments. The years of turmoil have allowed the Islamic State group to gain a foothold in the country. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
At least 28 people were killed and about 130 injured, officials said. Explosions were heard across the city and witnesses said residential areas in the south had been shelled. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to establish itself in Tripoli since it arrived there in March 2016. It wields little control beyond parts of the capital and relies on a complex network of armed groups with shifting allegiances. Friday's fighting began at dawn around a complex of luxury villas in the south of the city. Militias opposed to the GNA said they had attacked loyalist forces. The health ministry was not able to say if civilians were among the dead but reports suggested most casualties were fighters. Until recently, the area had been the headquarters of militias supporting former Prime Minister Khalifa Ghweil. He was ousted when the GNA was set up and refused to recognise the new administration. Forces loyal to the GNA seized the complex in March but dozens of armed groups still operate there. The internationally recognised authorities condemned the fighting, saying "there was no room left for anarchy and chaos". Also in southern Tripoli on Friday, an armed group loyal to the GNA reportedly seized al-Hadhba prison where former officials of ousted dictator Col Muammar Gaddafi are held. Judicial sources quoted by AFP news agency said prison guards were forced to withdraw and two were killed. The fate of the inmates is not clear. The prison is run by an Islamist group which has not yet declared whether or not it supports the GNA. Libya has been in chaos since the overthrow of Gaddafi in October 2011. There are two rival parliaments and three governments. The years of turmoil have allowed the Islamic State group to gain a foothold in the country.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
At least 28 people were killed and about 130 injured, officials said. Explosions were heard across the city and witnesses said residential areas in the south had been shelled. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to establish itself in Tripoli since it arrived there in March 2016. It wields little control beyond parts of the capital and relies on a complex network of armed groups with shifting allegiances. Friday's fighting began at dawn around a complex of luxury villas in the south of the city. Militias opposed to the GNA said they had attacked loyalist forces. The health ministry was not able to say if civilians were among the dead but reports suggested most casualties were fighters. Until recently, the area had been the headquarters of militias supporting former Prime Minister Khalifa Ghweil. He was ousted when the GNA was set up and refused to recognise the new administration. Forces loyal to the GNA seized the complex in March but dozens of armed groups still operate there. The internationally recognised authorities condemned the fighting, saying "there was no room left for anarchy and chaos". Also in southern Tripoli on Friday, an armed group loyal to the GNA reportedly seized al-Hadhba prison where former officials of ousted dictator Col Muammar Gaddafi are held. Judicial sources quoted by AFP news agency said prison guards were forced to withdraw and two were killed. The fate of the inmates is not clear. The prison is run by an Islamist group which has not yet declared whether or not it supports the GNA. Libya has been in chaos since the overthrow of Gaddafi in October 2011. There are two rival parliaments and three governments. The years of turmoil have allowed the Islamic State group to gain a foothold in the country.
### Summary:
A number of people have been killed in a series of explosions in Tripoli.
### Source:
By James Melvin, BBC News, Tripoli The fighting began at dawn around a complex of luxury villas in |
uk-wales-41189987 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-41189987 | Commonwealth Games: Baton relay's final day in Wales | The Queen's Baton Relay is making a stop in Wales. | The baton was carried by BBC Radio Cymru's Aled Hughes down the 2,000m line in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It was the second stop for the relay, which is taking in Dolwyddelan in Conwy county, as well as Dolgellau, Beddgelert and Pwllheli in Gwynedd. Other baton carriers include Gerald Williams, nephew of World War One poet Hedd Wyn. It is also making a stop at the Italianate village of Portmeirion, where cancer campaigner and frontman of the Welsh rock band The Alarm, Mike Peters, will carry the baton alongside his wife Jules as Festival No.6 gets under way. It will finish the day being carried out to sea by Paralympic sailor and ice sledge hockey player Steve Thomas before being handed to fellow sailor Dan Whiteley at the national sailing academy of Plas Heli in Pwllheli. The baton began its tour through Wales on Tuesday and heads to Guernsey next. By the end of Friday, more than 130 people will have helped carry the baton during the Welsh relay leg. It will cover 200,000 miles (321,868km) in total before arriving in Australia's Gold Coast for the games in April. Commonwealth Games Wales chairwoman, Helen Phillips said: "The festivities that have been held across Wales are a true reflection of what the Queen's Baton Relay is all about - bringing communities together with pride to celebrate the Commonwealth's diversity and create excitement ahead of the Gold Coast Games next year." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The baton was carried by BBC Radio Cymru's Aled Hughes down the 2,000m line in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It was the second stop for the relay, which is taking in Dolwyddelan in Conwy county, as well as Dolgellau, Beddgelert and Pwllheli in Gwynedd. Other baton carriers include Gerald Williams, nephew of World War One poet Hedd Wyn. It is also making a stop at the Italianate village of Portmeirion, where cancer campaigner and frontman of the Welsh rock band The Alarm, Mike Peters, will carry the baton alongside his wife Jules as Festival No.6 gets under way. It will finish the day being carried out to sea by Paralympic sailor and ice sledge hockey player Steve Thomas before being handed to fellow sailor Dan Whiteley at the national sailing academy of Plas Heli in Pwllheli. The baton began its tour through Wales on Tuesday and heads to Guernsey next. By the end of Friday, more than 130 people will have helped carry the baton during the Welsh relay leg. It will cover 200,000 miles (321,868km) in total before arriving in Australia's Gold Coast for the games in April. Commonwealth Games Wales chairwoman, Helen Phillips said: "The festivities that have been held across Wales are a true reflection of what the Queen's Baton Relay is all about - bringing communities together with pride to celebrate the Commonwealth's diversity and create excitement ahead of the Gold Coast Games next year."
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The baton was carried by BBC Radio Cymru's Aled Hughes down the 2,000m line in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It was the second stop for the relay, which is taking in Dolwyddelan in Conwy county, as well as Dolgellau, Beddgelert and Pwllheli in Gwynedd. Other baton carriers include Gerald Williams, nephew of World War One poet Hedd Wyn. It is also making a stop at the Italianate village of Portmeirion, where cancer campaigner and frontman of the Welsh rock band The Alarm, Mike Peters, will carry the baton alongside his wife Jules as Festival No.6 gets under way. It will finish the day being carried out to sea by Paralympic sailor and ice sledge hockey player Steve Thomas before being handed to fellow sailor Dan Whiteley at the national sailing academy of Plas Heli in Pwllheli. The baton began its tour through Wales on Tuesday and heads to Guernsey next. By the end of Friday, more than 130 people will have helped carry the baton during the Welsh relay leg. It will cover 200,000 miles (321,868km) in total before arriving in Australia's Gold Coast for the games in April. Commonwealth Games Wales chairwoman, Helen Phillips said: "The festivities that have been held across Wales are a true reflection of what the Queen's Baton Relay is all about - bringing communities together with pride to celebrate the Commonwealth's diversity and create excitement ahead of the Gold Coast Games next year."
### Summary:
The Queen's Baton Relay is making a stop in Wales.
### Text:
The Queen's Baton Relay has been making its way through Wales.
### Summary:
The Queen's |
newsbeat-24419665 | https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-24419665 | Glastonbury 2014: Technical problems delay ticket sales | Tickets for the 2014 Glastonbury Festival have been sold out in a record time of one hour and 27 minutes. | By Anthony BaxterNewsbeat reporter It's after the ticket provider See Tickets posted on twitter to apologise, saying they were having "technical issues". People initially struggled to get through to the ticket website. An update later said "after a difficult half an hour, we've stabilised and are processing orders". The tickets went on sale at 9am 6 October, three days after 15,000 coach and ticket packages sold out within half an hour. Organiser Emily Eavis later thanked people for their patience before announcing that all tickets had sold out in a record time of one hour and 27 minutes. Last month, festival organiser Michael Eavis said they won't beat this year's festival. In a statement today, he and his daughter Emily said they were sorry to all those that missed out on a place. "We have, once again, been blown away by the numbers of people who were hoping to join us at the festival", they said. "We genuinely try to make the ticket system as fair as it can be". Prices for the 2014 event have been increased to £210 plus a booking fee. The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons headlined the event at Worthy Farm this summer. He added: "[It's] downhill all the way now. I've had 44 years of an incredible career and we're still milking the old cows as well." When asked about who would be headlining Glastonbury in 2014 Michael Eavis said people wouldn't be surprised. "Pretty obvious isn't it?" he said. "There aren't many left. It's the process of elimination isn't it? "I think we've got three or four really good ones lined up for next year and we're sorting out 2015 as well." There is speculation about who will play at Worthy Farm between 26 and 29 June next year. David Bowie is one of the bookies' favourites to headline, an Oasis reunion and a set from Foo Fighters have also been rumoured. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Anthony BaxterNewsbeat reporter It's after the ticket provider See Tickets posted on twitter to apologise, saying they were having "technical issues". People initially struggled to get through to the ticket website. An update later said "after a difficult half an hour, we've stabilised and are processing orders". The tickets went on sale at 9am 6 October, three days after 15,000 coach and ticket packages sold out within half an hour. Organiser Emily Eavis later thanked people for their patience before announcing that all tickets had sold out in a record time of one hour and 27 minutes. Last month, festival organiser Michael Eavis said they won't beat this year's festival. In a statement today, he and his daughter Emily said they were sorry to all those that missed out on a place. "We have, once again, been blown away by the numbers of people who were hoping to join us at the festival", they said. "We genuinely try to make the ticket system as fair as it can be". Prices for the 2014 event have been increased to £210 plus a booking fee. The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons headlined the event at Worthy Farm this summer. He added: "[It's] downhill all the way now. I've had 44 years of an incredible career and we're still milking the old cows as well." When asked about who would be headlining Glastonbury in 2014 Michael Eavis said people wouldn't be surprised. "Pretty obvious isn't it?" he said. "There aren't many left. It's the process of elimination isn't it? "I think we've got three or four really good ones lined up for next year and we're sorting out 2015 as well." There is speculation about who will play at Worthy Farm between 26 and 29 June next year. David Bowie is one of the bookies' favourites to headline, an Oasis reunion and a set from Foo Fighters have also been rumoured. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Anthony BaxterNewsbeat reporter It's after the ticket provider See Tickets posted on twitter to apologise, saying they were having "technical issues". People initially struggled to get through to the ticket website. An update later said "after a difficult half an hour, we've stabilised and are processing orders". The tickets went on sale at 9am 6 October, three days after 15,000 coach and ticket packages sold out within half an hour. Organiser Emily Eavis later thanked people for their patience before announcing that all tickets had sold out in a record time of one hour and 27 minutes. Last month, festival organiser Michael Eavis said they won't beat this year's festival. In a statement today, he and his daughter Emily said they were sorry to all those that missed out on a place. "We have, once again, been blown away by the numbers of people who were hoping to join us at the festival", they said. "We genuinely try to make the ticket system as fair as it can be". Prices for the 2014 event have been increased to £210 plus a booking fee. The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons headlined the event at Worthy Farm this summer. He added: "[It's] downhill all the way now. I've had 44 years of an incredible career and we're still milking the old cows as well." When asked about who would be headlining Glastonbury in 2014 Michael Eavis said people wouldn't be surprised. "Pretty obvious isn't it?" he said. "There aren't many left. It's the process of elimination isn't it? "I think we've got three or four really good ones lined up for next year and we're sorting out 2015 as well." There is speculation about who will play at Worthy Farm between 26 and 29 June next year. David Bowie is one of the bookies' favourites to headline, an Oasis reunion and a set from Foo Fighters have also been rumoured. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter
### Summary:
Tickets for the 2014 Glastonbury Festival have been sold out in a record time of one hour and 27 minutes.
### Spelling and grammar
The Rolling Stones, Arctic Mon |
entertainment-arts-47691705 | https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47691705 | Scott Walker, influential rock enigma, dies aged 76 | Walker, who died on Tuesday, was a singer-songwriter and actor. | By Mark SavageBBC Music reporter The US star found fame as a teen idol in The Walker Brothers, scoring hits with The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore and Make It Easy On Yourself. But his sonorous baritone hinted at something deeper - and his darker, experimental solo albums tackled the complexities of love, sex and death. Walker's death was confirmed by his current record label, 4AD. In a statement, they called the singer "one of the most revered innovators at the sharp end of creative music". Radiohead's Thom Yorke was among those paying tribute, describing Walker as "a huge influence on Radiohead and myself, showing me how I could use my voice and words". Born Noel Scott Engel in Ohio, 1943, Walker initially pursued a career as an actor, before hooking up with John Maus and Gary Leeds to form the misleadingly-named Walker Brothers. After a false start in the US, they relocated to England, where they caused a huge sensation, scoring number one hits with Make It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore. For a while, the band were as big as the Beatles, greeted by screaming fans everywhere they went. "It was fantastic for the first couple of albums or so but it really wears you down," Walker told the BBC's Culture Show in 2006, "Touring in those days was very primitive. It was really a lot of hard work. And you couldn't find anything good to eat. The hours were unbelievable." Orchestral pop At the height of their fame in 1967, when Walker was still considered a heart-throb and a potential superstar, he called time on the band and ran away to a monastery on the Isle of Wight. Not, as rumour had it, because of a nervous breakdown, but to study Gregorian chant. He remained disillusioned with the industry until his girlfriend introduced him to the music of Jacques Brel, whose literate, passionate torch songs inspired him to embark on a solo career. Walker's first four solo albums, Scott to Scott 4, juxtaposed lush, orchestral pop with dark existentialism; and his lyrics were frequently scattered with characters from society's margins - prostitutes, transvestites, suicidal thinkers and even Joseph Stalin. "He took music to a place that it hasn't actually ever been since," said musician Brian Eno who, like Jarvis Cocker and David Bowie, cites Walker as a key influence. Amid falling sales, Walker staged a brief, largely unsuccessful reunion with the Brothers in the mid-70s; then used a lucrative deal with Virgin Records to pursue some of his most abstract musical ideas on 1984's Climate of Hunter. The record divided fans and critics - it was reputedly Virgin's lowest-selling album of all time - and Walker bowed out of music and the public eye for almost a decade. "A friend of mine says I'm not a recluse, I'm just low-key," said the singer about his extended absence. "Generally if I've got nothing to say, it's pointless to be around." When Walker returned in the mid-90s, it was with Tilt, a collection of fraught, uncompromising tone poems that marked a new creative chapter. "Imagine Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen," wrote The Guardian's Simon Hattenstone in a profile of the singer. Walker went on to collaborate with Pulp, producing the 2001 album We Love Life, and recently completed the score to Natalie Portman's film Vox Lux. In 2017, the BBC paid tribute to the star with a Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall. 'Mahogany voice' Musician Richard Hawley told the BBC in 2017 that Walker was "one of the greatest singers of all time". "You think he's singing something quite simple," he said. "You think you can sing along in the bath. But when you actually sit down and analyse what he's doing, it's unbelievable." Upon hearing of the star's death, poet Ian McMillan likened Walker's voice to "a cathedral lit by a sunset." Midge Ure of Ultravox described him as "the man with the mahogany voice"; while singer Marc Almond said he was "absolutely saddened [and] shocked" by the news. "He gave me so much inspiration, so much I owe to him and modelled on him even down to my early hair cut and dark glasses," he added. Walker is survived by his daughter, Lee, his granddaughter Emmi-Lee, and his partner Beverly. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Mark SavageBBC Music reporter The US star found fame as a teen idol in The Walker Brothers, scoring hits with The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore and Make It Easy On Yourself. But his sonorous baritone hinted at something deeper - and his darker, experimental solo albums tackled the complexities of love, sex and death. Walker's death was confirmed by his current record label, 4AD. In a statement, they called the singer "one of the most revered innovators at the sharp end of creative music". Radiohead's Thom Yorke was among those paying tribute, describing Walker as "a huge influence on Radiohead and myself, showing me how I could use my voice and words". Born Noel Scott Engel in Ohio, 1943, Walker initially pursued a career as an actor, before hooking up with John Maus and Gary Leeds to form the misleadingly-named Walker Brothers. After a false start in the US, they relocated to England, where they caused a huge sensation, scoring number one hits with Make It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore. For a while, the band were as big as the Beatles, greeted by screaming fans everywhere they went. "It was fantastic for the first couple of albums or so but it really wears you down," Walker told the BBC's Culture Show in 2006, "Touring in those days was very primitive. It was really a lot of hard work. And you couldn't find anything good to eat. The hours were unbelievable." Orchestral pop At the height of their fame in 1967, when Walker was still considered a heart-throb and a potential superstar, he called time on the band and ran away to a monastery on the Isle of Wight. Not, as rumour had it, because of a nervous breakdown, but to study Gregorian chant. He remained disillusioned with the industry until his girlfriend introduced him to the music of Jacques Brel, whose literate, passionate torch songs inspired him to embark on a solo career. Walker's first four solo albums, Scott to Scott 4, juxtaposed lush, orchestral pop with dark existentialism; and his lyrics were frequently scattered with characters from society's margins - prostitutes, transvestites, suicidal thinkers and even Joseph Stalin. "He took music to a place that it hasn't actually ever been since," said musician Brian Eno who, like Jarvis Cocker and David Bowie, cites Walker as a key influence. Amid falling sales, Walker staged a brief, largely unsuccessful reunion with the Brothers in the mid-70s; then used a lucrative deal with Virgin Records to pursue some of his most abstract musical ideas on 1984's Climate of Hunter. The record divided fans and critics - it was reputedly Virgin's lowest-selling album of all time - and Walker bowed out of music and the public eye for almost a decade. "A friend of mine says I'm not a recluse, I'm just low-key," said the singer about his extended absence. "Generally if I've got nothing to say, it's pointless to be around." When Walker returned in the mid-90s, it was with Tilt, a collection of fraught, uncompromising tone poems that marked a new creative chapter. "Imagine Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen," wrote The Guardian's Simon Hattenstone in a profile of the singer. Walker went on to collaborate with Pulp, producing the 2001 album We Love Life, and recently completed the score to Natalie Portman's film Vox Lux. In 2017, the BBC paid tribute to the star with a Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall. 'Mahogany voice' Musician Richard Hawley told the BBC in 2017 that Walker was "one of the greatest singers of all time". "You think he's singing something quite simple," he said. "You think you can sing along in the bath. But when you actually sit down and analyse what he's doing, it's unbelievable." Upon hearing of the star's death, poet Ian McMillan likened Walker's voice to "a cathedral lit by a sunset." Midge Ure of Ultravox described him as "the man with the mahogany voice"; while singer Marc Almond said he was "absolutely saddened [and] shocked" by the news. "He gave me so much inspiration, so much I owe to him and modelled on him even down to my early hair cut and dark glasses," he added. Walker is survived by his daughter, Lee, his granddaughter Emmi-Lee, and his partner Beverly. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Mark SavageBBC Music reporter The US star found fame as a teen idol in The Walker Brothers, scoring hits with The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore and Make It Easy On Yourself. But his sonorous baritone hinted at something deeper - and his darker, experimental solo albums tackled the complexities of love, sex and death. Walker's death was confirmed by his current record label, 4AD. In a statement, they called the singer "one of the most revered innovators at the sharp end of creative music". Radiohead's Thom Yorke was among those paying tribute, describing Walker as "a huge influence on Radiohead and myself, showing me how I could use my voice and words". Born Noel Scott Engel in Ohio, 1943, Walker initially pursued a career as an actor, before hooking up with John Maus and Gary Leeds to form the misleadingly-named Walker Brothers. After a false start in the US, they relocated to England, where they caused a huge sensation, scoring number one hits with Make It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore. For a while, the band were as big as the Beatles, greeted by screaming fans everywhere they went. "It was fantastic for the first couple of albums or so but it really wears you down," Walker told the BBC's Culture Show in 2006, "Touring in those days was very primitive. It was really a lot of hard work. And you couldn't find anything good to eat. The hours were unbelievable." Orchestral pop At the height of their fame in 1967, when Walker was still considered a heart-throb and a potential superstar, he called time on the band and ran away to a monastery on the Isle of Wight. Not, as rumour had it, because of a nervous breakdown, but to study Gregorian chant. He remained disillusioned with the industry until his girlfriend introduced him to the music of Jacques Brel, whose literate, passionate torch songs inspired him to embark on a solo career. Walker's first four solo albums, Scott to Scott 4, juxtaposed lush, orchestral pop with dark existentialism; and his lyrics were frequently scattered with characters from society's margins - prostitutes, transvestites, suicidal thinkers and even Joseph Stalin. "He took music to a place that it hasn't actually ever been since," said musician Brian Eno who, like Jarvis Cocker and David Bowie, cites Walker as a key influence. Amid falling sales, Walker staged a brief, largely unsuccessful reunion with the Brothers in the mid-70s; then used a lucrative deal with Virgin Records to pursue some of his most abstract musical ideas on 1984's Climate of Hunter. The record divided fans and critics - it was reputedly Virgin's lowest-selling album of all time - and Walker bowed out of music and the public eye for almost a decade. "A friend of mine says I'm not a recluse, I'm just low-key," said the singer about his extended absence. "Generally if I've got nothing to say, it's pointless to be around." When Walker returned in the mid-90s, it was with Tilt, a collection of fraught, uncompromising tone poems that marked a new creative chapter. "Imagine Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen," wrote The Guardian's Simon Hattenstone in a profile of the singer. Walker went on to collaborate with Pulp, producing the 2001 album We Love Life, and recently completed the score to Natalie Portman's film Vox Lux. In 2017, the BBC paid tribute to the star with a Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall. 'Mahogany voice' Musician Richard Hawley told the BBC in 2017 that Walker was "one of the greatest singers of all time". "You think he's singing something quite simple," he said. "You think you can sing along in the bath. But when you actually sit down and analyse what he's doing, it's unbelievable." Upon hearing of the star's death, poet Ian McMillan likened Walker's voice to "a cathedral lit by a sunset." Midge Ure of Ultravox described him as "the man with the mahogany voice"; while singer Marc Almond said he was "absolutely saddened [and] shocked" by the news. "He gave me so much inspiration, so much I owe to him and modelled on him even down to my early hair cut and dark glasses," he added. Walker is survived by his daughter, Lee, his granddaughter Emmi-Lee, and his partner Beverly. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
### Summary:
Walker, who died on Tuesday, was a singer-songwriter and actor.
### Text:
Walker, who died on Tuesday, was a singer-songwriter and actor.
### Summary:
|
world-middle-east-48933641 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48933641 | Iran nuclear deal: UN ambassador says Europe 'must compensate' Iran | Iran has said it will stay in the nuclear deal with the US. | By Barbara Plett UsherBBC State Department correspondent However, Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that Iran would stay in the nuclear accord for now. He also said there would be consequences if the UK didn't release an Iranian oil tanker it seized recently off the coast of Gibraltar. Tensions have risen sharply since the US pulled out of the deal which restricted Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Tehran took no immediate action after the US re-imposed punishing sanctions last year, but has now begun to nudge the levels of its enriched uranium beyond the deal's limits, in small and calculated steps. Mr Ravanchi said that Iran was not violating the accord, which he was involved in negotiating. He cited what he said were provisions that allowed a rollback on some commitments if other parties were in breach. "For the time being we are in the deal and we invite others to stay in the deal," he said. But Iran would move to the "third phase" of its stepped-up uranium enrichment programme unless the Europeans kept promises to uphold the economic benefits of the accord. "Apparently, besides the US the Europeans have not been up to the job and have not honoured all their commitments up to now," he said. The Europeans have tried to do so with a transaction channel that would allow continued trade with Iran despite US sanctions. But it's only recently been activated, and companies are reluctant to take the risk of US retaliation. Mr Ravanchi said reports that Iran may dramatically raise levels of uranium enrichment to 20% purity in "phase 3" were hypothetical, suggesting a certain amount of brinkmanship. Such a move would almost certainly hasten the collapse of the deal and raise the prospect of US or Israeli military strikes against nuclear facilities. "We have said we are not going to honour the cap of 3.67%," the ambassador said. "What will happen in the third phase we have not said it yet, but if we reach to that point, definitely we will announce beforehand." Shortly before the interview, a commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards warned that US military bases and aircraft carriers were within range of the country's missiles, and would be destroyed if America made any "mistakes". The ambassador said this was not a threat, but a signal that the Iranians would not "sit on their hands" if attacked. He also denied that the Iranian oil tanker seized by the British was headed to Syria in breach of EU sanctions as alleged, calling the move a "clear case of piracy and violation of international law". "It is better for the British government to release this ship as soon as possible otherwise there will be consequences," he said, but he did not confirm reports that Iran was prepared to seize UK-flagged ships in retaliation. Mr Ravanchi said he did not think US President Donald Trump wanted a war with Iran but believed his National Security Adviser John Bolton did. Mr Bolton openly called for regime change in Tehran before taking office in the White House. The ambassador said negotiations with the US could not take place unless the Trump administration lifted sanctions "at the least". And he also dismissed as an "absurd assumption" any suggestion that Iran's severely depleted oil exports would lead to an economic collapse. "We have managed under different situations worse than we have today, and I am sure we can manage again," he said, invoking the Iran-Iraq war which lasted eight years. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Barbara Plett UsherBBC State Department correspondent However, Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that Iran would stay in the nuclear accord for now. He also said there would be consequences if the UK didn't release an Iranian oil tanker it seized recently off the coast of Gibraltar. Tensions have risen sharply since the US pulled out of the deal which restricted Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Tehran took no immediate action after the US re-imposed punishing sanctions last year, but has now begun to nudge the levels of its enriched uranium beyond the deal's limits, in small and calculated steps. Mr Ravanchi said that Iran was not violating the accord, which he was involved in negotiating. He cited what he said were provisions that allowed a rollback on some commitments if other parties were in breach. "For the time being we are in the deal and we invite others to stay in the deal," he said. But Iran would move to the "third phase" of its stepped-up uranium enrichment programme unless the Europeans kept promises to uphold the economic benefits of the accord. "Apparently, besides the US the Europeans have not been up to the job and have not honoured all their commitments up to now," he said. The Europeans have tried to do so with a transaction channel that would allow continued trade with Iran despite US sanctions. But it's only recently been activated, and companies are reluctant to take the risk of US retaliation. Mr Ravanchi said reports that Iran may dramatically raise levels of uranium enrichment to 20% purity in "phase 3" were hypothetical, suggesting a certain amount of brinkmanship. Such a move would almost certainly hasten the collapse of the deal and raise the prospect of US or Israeli military strikes against nuclear facilities. "We have said we are not going to honour the cap of 3.67%," the ambassador said. "What will happen in the third phase we have not said it yet, but if we reach to that point, definitely we will announce beforehand." Shortly before the interview, a commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards warned that US military bases and aircraft carriers were within range of the country's missiles, and would be destroyed if America made any "mistakes". The ambassador said this was not a threat, but a signal that the Iranians would not "sit on their hands" if attacked. He also denied that the Iranian oil tanker seized by the British was headed to Syria in breach of EU sanctions as alleged, calling the move a "clear case of piracy and violation of international law". "It is better for the British government to release this ship as soon as possible otherwise there will be consequences," he said, but he did not confirm reports that Iran was prepared to seize UK-flagged ships in retaliation. Mr Ravanchi said he did not think US President Donald Trump wanted a war with Iran but believed his National Security Adviser John Bolton did. Mr Bolton openly called for regime change in Tehran before taking office in the White House. The ambassador said negotiations with the US could not take place unless the Trump administration lifted sanctions "at the least". And he also dismissed as an "absurd assumption" any suggestion that Iran's severely depleted oil exports would lead to an economic collapse. "We have managed under different situations worse than we have today, and I am sure we can manage again," he said, invoking the Iran-Iraq war which lasted eight years.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Barbara Plett UsherBBC State Department correspondent However, Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that Iran would stay in the nuclear accord for now. He also said there would be consequences if the UK didn't release an Iranian oil tanker it seized recently off the coast of Gibraltar. Tensions have risen sharply since the US pulled out of the deal which restricted Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Tehran took no immediate action after the US re-imposed punishing sanctions last year, but has now begun to nudge the levels of its enriched uranium beyond the deal's limits, in small and calculated steps. Mr Ravanchi said that Iran was not violating the accord, which he was involved in negotiating. He cited what he said were provisions that allowed a rollback on some commitments if other parties were in breach. "For the time being we are in the deal and we invite others to stay in the deal," he said. But Iran would move to the "third phase" of its stepped-up uranium enrichment programme unless the Europeans kept promises to uphold the economic benefits of the accord. "Apparently, besides the US the Europeans have not been up to the job and have not honoured all their commitments up to now," he said. The Europeans have tried to do so with a transaction channel that would allow continued trade with Iran despite US sanctions. But it's only recently been activated, and companies are reluctant to take the risk of US retaliation. Mr Ravanchi said reports that Iran may dramatically raise levels of uranium enrichment to 20% purity in "phase 3" were hypothetical, suggesting a certain amount of brinkmanship. Such a move would almost certainly hasten the collapse of the deal and raise the prospect of US or Israeli military strikes against nuclear facilities. "We have said we are not going to honour the cap of 3.67%," the ambassador said. "What will happen in the third phase we have not said it yet, but if we reach to that point, definitely we will announce beforehand." Shortly before the interview, a commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards warned that US military bases and aircraft carriers were within range of the country's missiles, and would be destroyed if America made any "mistakes". The ambassador said this was not a threat, but a signal that the Iranians would not "sit on their hands" if attacked. He also denied that the Iranian oil tanker seized by the British was headed to Syria in breach of EU sanctions as alleged, calling the move a "clear case of piracy and violation of international law". "It is better for the British government to release this ship as soon as possible otherwise there will be consequences," he said, but he did not confirm reports that Iran was prepared to seize UK-flagged ships in retaliation. Mr Ravanchi said he did not think US President Donald Trump wanted a war with Iran but believed his National Security Adviser John Bolton did. Mr Bolton openly called for regime change in Tehran before taking office in the White House. The ambassador said negotiations with the US could not take place unless the Trump administration lifted sanctions "at the least". And he also dismissed as an "absurd assumption" any suggestion that Iran's severely depleted oil exports would lead to an economic collapse. "We have managed under different situations worse than we have today, and I am sure we can manage again," he said, invoking the Iran-Iraq war which lasted eight years.
### Summary:
Iran has said it will stay in the nuclear deal with the US.
### Spelling and grammar
Iran's ambassador to the United States has said the country will stay in the nuclear deal with the US.
### No |
health-11035500 | https://www.bbc.com/news/health-11035500 | Arthritis protein 'guards against Alzheimer's disease' | A new treatment for Alzheimer's disease has been found to improve memory and learning in mice. | By Caroline ParkinsonHealth reporter, BBC News In the Journal of Alzheimer's Research study, mice with memory loss given the protein fared better in tests. A synthetic version of GM-CSF protein is already used as a cancer treatment. UK experts said the study was "an important first step" and tests were needed to see if the drug worked for people with Alzheimer's. In people with rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system goes into "overdrive" and produces attacking proteins - including GM-CSF. Rubbish collectors It had already been recognised that people with rheumatoid arthritis were less likely to develop Alzheimer's, but the protective link had been thought to be due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken by people with the condition. However tests showed this was not the case. In this study, University of South Florida researchers genetically altered mice to have memory problems similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease, which is a form of dementia. They then treated them - and some healthy mice - with the protein. Other mice - both healthy ones and those with Alzheimer's symptoms - were given a dummy (placebo) treatment. At the end of the 20-day study, the Alzheimer's mice treated with GM-CSF fared substantially better on tests measuring memory and learning, and performed at a similar level to mice of the same age without the condition. Even the healthy mice treated with GM-CSF performed slightly better than their untreated peers. Mice with Alzheimer's that were given the placebo continued to do poorly in the tests. The researchers have suggested the protein may attract an influx of cells called microglia from the peripheral blood supply around the brain, which then attack the characteristic plaques that form in people with Alzheimer's. Microglia are like the body's natural "rubbish collectors" that go to damaged or inflamed areas to get rid of toxic substances. The brains of GM-CSF-treated Alzheimer's mice showed more than a 50% decrease in beta amyloid, the substance which forms Alzheimer's plaques. The researchers also observed an apparent increase in nerve cell connections in the brains of the GM-CSF-treated mice, which they say could be a reason memory decline was reversed. 'Crucial next stage' Dr Huntington Potter, who led the research at the University of South Florida's Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, said: "Our findings provide a compelling explanation for why rheumatoid arthritis is a negative risk factor for Alzheimer's disease." An artificial version of GM-CSF, a drug called Leukine, is already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and has been used to treat cancer patients who need to generate more immune cells. Dr Potter added. "Our study, along with the drug's track record for safety, suggests Leukine should be tested in humans as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease." Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at the UK's Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Positive results in mice can be an important first step for any new treatment, and it's encouraging the team is already planning the crucial next stage of a trial in people. "We won't know whether GM-CSF can help people with Alzheimer's until clinical trials are completed". Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This exciting research provides a possible answer to the long, unexplained question of why rheumatoid arthritis could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. "Given the identified protein is already available as a drug that is proven to be safe in humans, the time taken to develop an Alzheimer's disease treatment could be substantially reduced. "However, we must not jump the gun. Much more research is needed before we can say for certain that the findings demonstrated in mice would also occur in humans." | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Caroline ParkinsonHealth reporter, BBC News In the Journal of Alzheimer's Research study, mice with memory loss given the protein fared better in tests. A synthetic version of GM-CSF protein is already used as a cancer treatment. UK experts said the study was "an important first step" and tests were needed to see if the drug worked for people with Alzheimer's. In people with rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system goes into "overdrive" and produces attacking proteins - including GM-CSF. Rubbish collectors It had already been recognised that people with rheumatoid arthritis were less likely to develop Alzheimer's, but the protective link had been thought to be due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken by people with the condition. However tests showed this was not the case. In this study, University of South Florida researchers genetically altered mice to have memory problems similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease, which is a form of dementia. They then treated them - and some healthy mice - with the protein. Other mice - both healthy ones and those with Alzheimer's symptoms - were given a dummy (placebo) treatment. At the end of the 20-day study, the Alzheimer's mice treated with GM-CSF fared substantially better on tests measuring memory and learning, and performed at a similar level to mice of the same age without the condition. Even the healthy mice treated with GM-CSF performed slightly better than their untreated peers. Mice with Alzheimer's that were given the placebo continued to do poorly in the tests. The researchers have suggested the protein may attract an influx of cells called microglia from the peripheral blood supply around the brain, which then attack the characteristic plaques that form in people with Alzheimer's. Microglia are like the body's natural "rubbish collectors" that go to damaged or inflamed areas to get rid of toxic substances. The brains of GM-CSF-treated Alzheimer's mice showed more than a 50% decrease in beta amyloid, the substance which forms Alzheimer's plaques. The researchers also observed an apparent increase in nerve cell connections in the brains of the GM-CSF-treated mice, which they say could be a reason memory decline was reversed. 'Crucial next stage' Dr Huntington Potter, who led the research at the University of South Florida's Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, said: "Our findings provide a compelling explanation for why rheumatoid arthritis is a negative risk factor for Alzheimer's disease." An artificial version of GM-CSF, a drug called Leukine, is already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and has been used to treat cancer patients who need to generate more immune cells. Dr Potter added. "Our study, along with the drug's track record for safety, suggests Leukine should be tested in humans as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease." Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at the UK's Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Positive results in mice can be an important first step for any new treatment, and it's encouraging the team is already planning the crucial next stage of a trial in people. "We won't know whether GM-CSF can help people with Alzheimer's until clinical trials are completed". Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This exciting research provides a possible answer to the long, unexplained question of why rheumatoid arthritis could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. "Given the identified protein is already available as a drug that is proven to be safe in humans, the time taken to develop an Alzheimer's disease treatment could be substantially reduced. "However, we must not jump the gun. Much more research is needed before we can say for certain that the findings demonstrated in mice would also occur in humans."
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Caroline ParkinsonHealth reporter, BBC News In the Journal of Alzheimer's Research study, mice with memory loss given the protein fared better in tests. A synthetic version of GM-CSF protein is already used as a cancer treatment. UK experts said the study was "an important first step" and tests were needed to see if the drug worked for people with Alzheimer's. In people with rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system goes into "overdrive" and produces attacking proteins - including GM-CSF. Rubbish collectors It had already been recognised that people with rheumatoid arthritis were less likely to develop Alzheimer's, but the protective link had been thought to be due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken by people with the condition. However tests showed this was not the case. In this study, University of South Florida researchers genetically altered mice to have memory problems similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease, which is a form of dementia. They then treated them - and some healthy mice - with the protein. Other mice - both healthy ones and those with Alzheimer's symptoms - were given a dummy (placebo) treatment. At the end of the 20-day study, the Alzheimer's mice treated with GM-CSF fared substantially better on tests measuring memory and learning, and performed at a similar level to mice of the same age without the condition. Even the healthy mice treated with GM-CSF performed slightly better than their untreated peers. Mice with Alzheimer's that were given the placebo continued to do poorly in the tests. The researchers have suggested the protein may attract an influx of cells called microglia from the peripheral blood supply around the brain, which then attack the characteristic plaques that form in people with Alzheimer's. Microglia are like the body's natural "rubbish collectors" that go to damaged or inflamed areas to get rid of toxic substances. The brains of GM-CSF-treated Alzheimer's mice showed more than a 50% decrease in beta amyloid, the substance which forms Alzheimer's plaques. The researchers also observed an apparent increase in nerve cell connections in the brains of the GM-CSF-treated mice, which they say could be a reason memory decline was reversed. 'Crucial next stage' Dr Huntington Potter, who led the research at the University of South Florida's Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, said: "Our findings provide a compelling explanation for why rheumatoid arthritis is a negative risk factor for Alzheimer's disease." An artificial version of GM-CSF, a drug called Leukine, is already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and has been used to treat cancer patients who need to generate more immune cells. Dr Potter added. "Our study, along with the drug's track record for safety, suggests Leukine should be tested in humans as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease." Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at the UK's Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Positive results in mice can be an important first step for any new treatment, and it's encouraging the team is already planning the crucial next stage of a trial in people. "We won't know whether GM-CSF can help people with Alzheimer's until clinical trials are completed". Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This exciting research provides a possible answer to the long, unexplained question of why rheumatoid arthritis could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. "Given the identified protein is already available as a drug that is proven to be safe in humans, the time taken to develop an Alzheimer's disease treatment could be substantially reduced. "However, we must not jump the gun. Much more research is needed before we can say for certain that the findings demonstrated in mice would also occur in humans."
### Summary:
A new treatment for Alzheimer's disease has been found to improve memory and learning in mice.
### Next steps:
The researchers have suggested the protein may attract an influx of cells called microglia from the |
uk-england-london-40462831 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40462831 | Charlie Gard parents given more time to say goodbye to terminally ill son | A couple who have been denied their final wish to take their son home to die have said they have been "massively let down" by Great Ormond Street Hospital. | Chris Gard and Connie Yates had been expecting their 10-month-old's life support to be turned off on Friday. Great Ormond Street Hospital has since disclosed it is putting plans in place for Charlie's care to allow his family to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, Charlie's parents lost their final legal appeal to take him to the US for experimental treatment. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights concluded that further treatment would "continue to cause Charlie significant harm", in line with advice from specialists at Great Ormond Street. He has a rare genetic disease as well as brain damage and is believed to be one of 16 children in the world to have the condition; mitochondrial depletion syndrome. Doctors have said he cannot see, hear, move, cry or swallow. Charlie has been receiving specialist treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital since October 2016. 'Massively let down' His parents said they had been denied their final wish to be able to take their son home to die and felt "let down" following the lengthy legal battle. Alongside a video posted on YouTube on Thursday, Charlie's parents wrote: "We are utterly heartbroken spending our last precious hours with our baby boy. "We're not allowed to choose if our son lives and we're not allowed to choose when or where Charlie dies. "We, and most importantly Charlie, have been massively let down throughout this whole process." Timeline A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital said earlier: "As with all of our patients we are not able to, and nor will we, discuss these specific details of care. "This is a very distressing situation for Charlie's parents and all the staff involved and our focus remains with them." Charlie's parents raised £1.3m on a crowdfunding site to pay for the experimental treatment in the US. Ms Yates previously indicated the money would go towards a charity for mitochondrial depletion syndrome if Charlie did "not get his chance". | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Chris Gard and Connie Yates had been expecting their 10-month-old's life support to be turned off on Friday. Great Ormond Street Hospital has since disclosed it is putting plans in place for Charlie's care to allow his family to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, Charlie's parents lost their final legal appeal to take him to the US for experimental treatment. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights concluded that further treatment would "continue to cause Charlie significant harm", in line with advice from specialists at Great Ormond Street. He has a rare genetic disease as well as brain damage and is believed to be one of 16 children in the world to have the condition; mitochondrial depletion syndrome. Doctors have said he cannot see, hear, move, cry or swallow. Charlie has been receiving specialist treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital since October 2016. 'Massively let down' His parents said they had been denied their final wish to be able to take their son home to die and felt "let down" following the lengthy legal battle. Alongside a video posted on YouTube on Thursday, Charlie's parents wrote: "We are utterly heartbroken spending our last precious hours with our baby boy. "We're not allowed to choose if our son lives and we're not allowed to choose when or where Charlie dies. "We, and most importantly Charlie, have been massively let down throughout this whole process." Timeline A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital said earlier: "As with all of our patients we are not able to, and nor will we, discuss these specific details of care. "This is a very distressing situation for Charlie's parents and all the staff involved and our focus remains with them." Charlie's parents raised £1.3m on a crowdfunding site to pay for the experimental treatment in the US. Ms Yates previously indicated the money would go towards a charity for mitochondrial depletion syndrome if Charlie did "not get his chance".
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Chris Gard and Connie Yates had been expecting their 10-month-old's life support to be turned off on Friday. Great Ormond Street Hospital has since disclosed it is putting plans in place for Charlie's care to allow his family to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, Charlie's parents lost their final legal appeal to take him to the US for experimental treatment. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights concluded that further treatment would "continue to cause Charlie significant harm", in line with advice from specialists at Great Ormond Street. He has a rare genetic disease as well as brain damage and is believed to be one of 16 children in the world to have the condition; mitochondrial depletion syndrome. Doctors have said he cannot see, hear, move, cry or swallow. Charlie has been receiving specialist treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital since October 2016. 'Massively let down' His parents said they had been denied their final wish to be able to take their son home to die and felt "let down" following the lengthy legal battle. Alongside a video posted on YouTube on Thursday, Charlie's parents wrote: "We are utterly heartbroken spending our last precious hours with our baby boy. "We're not allowed to choose if our son lives and we're not allowed to choose when or where Charlie dies. "We, and most importantly Charlie, have been massively let down throughout this whole process." Timeline A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital said earlier: "As with all of our patients we are not able to, and nor will we, discuss these specific details of care. "This is a very distressing situation for Charlie's parents and all the staff involved and our focus remains with them." Charlie's parents raised £1.3m on a crowdfunding site to pay for the experimental treatment in the US. Ms Yates previously indicated the money would go towards a charity for mitochondrial depletion syndrome if Charlie did "not get his chance".
### Summary:
A couple who have been denied their final wish to take their son home to die have said they have been "massively let down" by Great Ormond Street Hospital.
### Source:
A couple who have been denied their final wish |
uk-53283375 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53283375 | Coronavirus: England’s quarantine-free list of countries published | The UK government has announced it will not require visitors from some countries to quarantine on arrival in England. | Countries including Greece, Spain, France and Belgium are on the list, which comes into effect from 10 July. But countries such as China, US, Sweden and Portugal are not, meaning arrivals from those have to isolate for 14 days. Scotland and Wales are yet to decide whether to ease travel restrictions and described the changes as "shambolic". The quarantine rules will also remain in place in Northern Ireland for visitors arriving from outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland. The restrictions came into place in early June in a bid to stop coronavirus entering the country as the number of cases was falling. Speaking at the Downing Street press briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Instead of quarantining arrivals from the whole world, we will only quarantine arrivals from those countries where the virus is sadly not under control." People travelling from the 59 places and 14 British overseas territories on the list will not have to quarantine on arrival in England unless they have travelled through a place which is not exempt. Passengers will still be required to provide contact information on arrival in England. Some of those on the list include popular short-haul destinations such as Turkey and Cyprus, as well as long-haul locations including Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam. However, some countries will require visitors to isolate on arrival or will bar them from entering at all, such as New Zealand. The Foreign Office is expected to update its travel guidance on Saturday, including naming which countries will have a reciprocal arrangement with the UK and not require British visitors to quarantine on arrival. A list of countries which will be exempt from the Foreign Office's advice against "all but essential travel" from Saturday has also been published. The advice has been lifted for Portugal but only for the Azores and Madeira. Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "We are very disappointed with the decision of the British authorities. We think it is senseless and unfair. "It is quite absurd the UK has seven times more cases of Covid-19 than Portugal so we think this is not the way in which allies and friends are treated." His prime minister, António Costa, tweeted comparing the UK's number of coronavirus cases with that of the Algarve, a popular holiday destination, saying: "You are welcome to spend a safe holiday in the Algarve." The government said information for travel into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published in due course by the devolved administrations. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said finalising the list of countries had been delayed - after scrapping the quarantine was announced last week - in the hope that the four UK nations could reach a joint decision. He said there was "still an opportunity" for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to co-ordinate and therefore make the changes more simple. But the first ministers of both Scotland and Wales have criticised the government, with Nicola Sturgeon saying Scotland could not be dragged along by the UK government's "shambolic decision making". Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said the approach had been "utterly shambolic". However, he added it was likely the Welsh government would impose the same measures as in England, provided the chief medical officer for Wales gave approval. Mr Johnson said in a televised coronavirus briefing from Downing Street that the nations of the UK were following "very similar paths but at different speeds". Asked if a family from Scotland could drive to England and fly out and back from an overseas country to get around different quarantine rules the prime minister said that while he knew the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales had a "slightly different take" on it the "convoy is very much going in the same direction". "I'm sure we'll get there together and common sense will apply." The introduction of the quarantine on 8 June was met with criticism from the travel, tourism and hospitality industries and the easing of restrictions on arrivals from some countries has been welcomed. A statement on behalf of airlines Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways said the move to quarantine people had been "irrational" and had seriously damaged the economy and industry. It added the carriers wanted clarification on how countries included on the lists were selected. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airline UK, said the lists gave "a clear path to opening further predominantly long-haul destinations in the weeks ahead". TUI UK and Ireland managing director Andrew Flintham said the company was pleased the government had confirmed "summer holidays are saved" and said it was a "significant step forward" for the industry. The chief executive of Booking Holdings, which owns the brands Booking.com and Kayak.com, called for a coordinated effort from governments around the world to set out principles as to why someone can travel from one country to another. Glenn Fogel told BBC World News current measures were "totally chaotic" but he welcomed England's announcement saying the UK is "an important part of the global tourism industry". VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said the lifting of travel restrictions for some of the "largest and most valuable visitor markets" was a "timely boost" for the industry. Pilots union, the British Airline Pilots Association, said it was an important first step and said it was working with authorities to make sure the return to operations would be safe for pilots, passengers and crew. An Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) spokeswoman said there was likely to be a strong demand for holidays and it was important people considered how this might affect their plans. "It is especially important that customers also check the latest Foreign Office travel advice before booking, to establish if there are entry restrictions or self-isolation procedures on arrival, or any other measures they need to comply with, in the destination they are planning to visit," she said. A High Court challenge by British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair against the government's 14-day quarantine is set to be withdrawn, their barrister Tom Hickman QC said. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Countries including Greece, Spain, France and Belgium are on the list, which comes into effect from 10 July. But countries such as China, US, Sweden and Portugal are not, meaning arrivals from those have to isolate for 14 days. Scotland and Wales are yet to decide whether to ease travel restrictions and described the changes as "shambolic". The quarantine rules will also remain in place in Northern Ireland for visitors arriving from outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland. The restrictions came into place in early June in a bid to stop coronavirus entering the country as the number of cases was falling. Speaking at the Downing Street press briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Instead of quarantining arrivals from the whole world, we will only quarantine arrivals from those countries where the virus is sadly not under control." People travelling from the 59 places and 14 British overseas territories on the list will not have to quarantine on arrival in England unless they have travelled through a place which is not exempt. Passengers will still be required to provide contact information on arrival in England. Some of those on the list include popular short-haul destinations such as Turkey and Cyprus, as well as long-haul locations including Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam. However, some countries will require visitors to isolate on arrival or will bar them from entering at all, such as New Zealand. The Foreign Office is expected to update its travel guidance on Saturday, including naming which countries will have a reciprocal arrangement with the UK and not require British visitors to quarantine on arrival. A list of countries which will be exempt from the Foreign Office's advice against "all but essential travel" from Saturday has also been published. The advice has been lifted for Portugal but only for the Azores and Madeira. Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "We are very disappointed with the decision of the British authorities. We think it is senseless and unfair. "It is quite absurd the UK has seven times more cases of Covid-19 than Portugal so we think this is not the way in which allies and friends are treated." His prime minister, António Costa, tweeted comparing the UK's number of coronavirus cases with that of the Algarve, a popular holiday destination, saying: "You are welcome to spend a safe holiday in the Algarve." The government said information for travel into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published in due course by the devolved administrations. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said finalising the list of countries had been delayed - after scrapping the quarantine was announced last week - in the hope that the four UK nations could reach a joint decision. He said there was "still an opportunity" for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to co-ordinate and therefore make the changes more simple. But the first ministers of both Scotland and Wales have criticised the government, with Nicola Sturgeon saying Scotland could not be dragged along by the UK government's "shambolic decision making". Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said the approach had been "utterly shambolic". However, he added it was likely the Welsh government would impose the same measures as in England, provided the chief medical officer for Wales gave approval. Mr Johnson said in a televised coronavirus briefing from Downing Street that the nations of the UK were following "very similar paths but at different speeds". Asked if a family from Scotland could drive to England and fly out and back from an overseas country to get around different quarantine rules the prime minister said that while he knew the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales had a "slightly different take" on it the "convoy is very much going in the same direction". "I'm sure we'll get there together and common sense will apply." The introduction of the quarantine on 8 June was met with criticism from the travel, tourism and hospitality industries and the easing of restrictions on arrivals from some countries has been welcomed. A statement on behalf of airlines Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways said the move to quarantine people had been "irrational" and had seriously damaged the economy and industry. It added the carriers wanted clarification on how countries included on the lists were selected. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airline UK, said the lists gave "a clear path to opening further predominantly long-haul destinations in the weeks ahead". TUI UK and Ireland managing director Andrew Flintham said the company was pleased the government had confirmed "summer holidays are saved" and said it was a "significant step forward" for the industry. The chief executive of Booking Holdings, which owns the brands Booking.com and Kayak.com, called for a coordinated effort from governments around the world to set out principles as to why someone can travel from one country to another. Glenn Fogel told BBC World News current measures were "totally chaotic" but he welcomed England's announcement saying the UK is "an important part of the global tourism industry". VisitBritain director Patricia Yates
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Countries including Greece, Spain, France and Belgium are on the list, which comes into effect from 10 July. But countries such as China, US, Sweden and Portugal are not, meaning arrivals from those have to isolate for 14 days. Scotland and Wales are yet to decide whether to ease travel restrictions and described the changes as "shambolic". The quarantine rules will also remain in place in Northern Ireland for visitors arriving from outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland. The restrictions came into place in early June in a bid to stop coronavirus entering the country as the number of cases was falling. Speaking at the Downing Street press briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Instead of quarantining arrivals from the whole world, we will only quarantine arrivals from those countries where the virus is sadly not under control." People travelling from the 59 places and 14 British overseas territories on the list will not have to quarantine on arrival in England unless they have travelled through a place which is not exempt. Passengers will still be required to provide contact information on arrival in England. Some of those on the list include popular short-haul destinations such as Turkey and Cyprus, as well as long-haul locations including Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam. However, some countries will require visitors to isolate on arrival or will bar them from entering at all, such as New Zealand. The Foreign Office is expected to update its travel guidance on Saturday, including naming which countries will have a reciprocal arrangement with the UK and not require British visitors to quarantine on arrival. A list of countries which will be exempt from the Foreign Office's advice against "all but essential travel" from Saturday has also been published. The advice has been lifted for Portugal but only for the Azores and Madeira. Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "We are very disappointed with the decision of the British authorities. We think it is senseless and unfair. "It is quite absurd the UK has seven times more cases of Covid-19 than Portugal so we think this is not the way in which allies and friends are treated." His prime minister, António Costa, tweeted comparing the UK's number of coronavirus cases with that of the Algarve, a popular holiday destination, saying: "You are welcome to spend a safe holiday in the Algarve." The government said information for travel into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published in due course by the devolved administrations. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said finalising the list of countries had been delayed - after scrapping the quarantine was announced last week - in the hope that the four UK nations could reach a joint decision. He said there was "still an opportunity" for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to co-ordinate and therefore make the changes more simple. But the first ministers of both Scotland and Wales have criticised the government, with Nicola Sturgeon saying Scotland could not be dragged along by the UK government's "shambolic decision making". Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said the approach had been "utterly shambolic". However, he added it was likely the Welsh government would impose the same measures as in England, provided the chief medical officer for Wales gave approval. Mr Johnson said in a televised coronavirus briefing from Downing Street that the nations of the UK were following "very similar paths but at different speeds". Asked if a family from Scotland could drive to England and fly out and back from an overseas country to get around different quarantine rules the prime minister said that while he knew the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales had a "slightly different take" on it the "convoy is very much going in the same direction". "I'm sure we'll get there together and common sense will apply." The introduction of the quarantine on 8 June was met with criticism from the travel, tourism and hospitality industries and the easing of restrictions on arrivals from some countries has been welcomed. A statement on behalf of airlines Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways said the move to quarantine people had been "irrational" and had seriously damaged the economy and industry. It added the carriers wanted clarification on how countries included on the lists were selected. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airline UK, said the lists gave "a clear path to opening further predominantly long-haul destinations in the weeks ahead". TUI UK and Ireland managing director Andrew Flintham said the company was pleased the government had confirmed "summer holidays are saved" and said it was a "significant step forward" for the industry. The chief executive of Booking Holdings, which owns the brands Booking.com and Kayak.com, called for a coordinated effort from governments around the world to set out principles as to why someone can travel from one country to another. Glenn Fogel told BBC World News current measures were "totally chaotic" but he welcomed England's announcement saying the UK is "an important part of the global tourism industry". VisitBritain director Patricia Yates
### Summary:
The UK government has announced it will not require visitors from some countries to quarantine on arrival in England.
### Text:
The government has said it will not require visitors from some countries to quarantine on arrival in England. The move |
uk-england-somerset-54477592 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-54477592 | Toy library in Frome to close unless funding is found | A toy library in Frome has been closed for the past two months. | Frome Toy Library, which has been running for over 30 years, said it had enough to last to the end of the year. It said Covid-19 had led, in part, to the financial struggle, and at least £5,000 was needed to keep it going. Its director said it must stay open to provide play sessions for pre-school children and support for parents. Sue Willis, director of Purple Elephant, which took over the toy library's running from volunteer mothers at the end of 2017, said it had been "staggering from one little bit of funding to the next". She said: "If we don't find somebody or some people who are happy to support us and keep it going ultimately it will close. "The lockdown has definitely made it hard. When we've been looking for grant funding it's become noticeably harder since March." Ms Willis said two local companies had recently come forward as sponsors, but more were needed to keep it going beyond Christmas. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Frome Toy Library, which has been running for over 30 years, said it had enough to last to the end of the year. It said Covid-19 had led, in part, to the financial struggle, and at least £5,000 was needed to keep it going. Its director said it must stay open to provide play sessions for pre-school children and support for parents. Sue Willis, director of Purple Elephant, which took over the toy library's running from volunteer mothers at the end of 2017, said it had been "staggering from one little bit of funding to the next". She said: "If we don't find somebody or some people who are happy to support us and keep it going ultimately it will close. "The lockdown has definitely made it hard. When we've been looking for grant funding it's become noticeably harder since March." Ms Willis said two local companies had recently come forward as sponsors, but more were needed to keep it going beyond Christmas.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Frome Toy Library, which has been running for over 30 years, said it had enough to last to the end of the year. It said Covid-19 had led, in part, to the financial struggle, and at least £5,000 was needed to keep it going. Its director said it must stay open to provide play sessions for pre-school children and support for parents. Sue Willis, director of Purple Elephant, which took over the toy library's running from volunteer mothers at the end of 2017, said it had been "staggering from one little bit of funding to the next". She said: "If we don't find somebody or some people who are happy to support us and keep it going ultimately it will close. "The lockdown has definitely made it hard. When we've been looking for grant funding it's become noticeably harder since March." Ms Willis said two local companies had recently come forward as sponsors, but more were needed to keep it going beyond Christmas.
### Summary:
A toy library in Frome has been closed for the past two months.
### Text:
A toy library in Frome has been closed for the past two months.
### Summary:
A toy |
education-31640591 | https://www.bbc.com/news/education-31640591 | 'No conclusions' on Savile in schools | A report into allegations of abuse by a paedophile has found no evidence of any association between Savile and the school or of visits to his flat being used as a reward. | Children's Minister Edward Timpson said despite "credible" informants, none of the 14 separate investigations had found sufficient evidence of abuse. Mr Timpson said: "The lack of corroborating evidence prevented them from reaching a definitive conclusion." The allegations related to visits by Savile in the 1960s to 1980s. The Department for Education's report brings together a series of local investigations, carried out by local authorities, charities and schools, into possible abuse during visits by Savile. 'Dressing room' But none of the investigations were able to produce "firm conclusions about whether the alleged abuse took place or not". One allegation came from a boy, aged 10 or 11 at the time, who said he was abused by Savile after being invited into his dressing room at the BBC in the mid-1970s. The boy in question was a resident at a children's home, St Leonard's, in Tower Hamlets, and files show he had previously been subjected to abuse at the home, the investigation said. He said a group of children from the home had been taken on an outing to the BBC to form part of the audience of the TV show, Jim'll Fix It, when the alleged abuse happened. The report said no evidence contradicting the alleged victim's claim had been gathered during the course of the investigation, and added that it was "probable that the abuse occurred as described". Among the allegations investigated in the Leeds area were one children's home, two schools in the Leeds area and Leeds Children's Services. The most serious were allegations pupils at Northways Residential School for children with behavioural difficulties had been taken on trips to see Savile at his nearby flat. Fundraising visits It was alleged this had been a reward for good behaviour, but the investigation found no evidence of any association between Savile and the school or of visits to his flat being used as a reward. However, it acknowledged that two "vulnerable boys" who repeatedly absconded from the school could have visited Savile's flat of their own accord. Allegations that Savile used to pick up young teenage girls from Notre Dame Grammar School in his Rolls Royce in the 1970s were also not substantiated. Nottinghamshire City Council looked into an allegation of sexual assault by Savile from a female member of staff at Apsley Wood School. This was said to have happened during a fundraising visit to the school for disabled children which is now closed. 'Formidable challenges' But the alleged victim later told the council she did not want to participate further in the investigation, as she did not want to "re-awaken feelings of distress and discomfort". The investigation could not corroborate her claim but it said: "At the time of the event - 1979 - there were no screening processes in place for any visits to school, safeguarding of children was virtually an unknown concept and there were no checks or vetting procedures in place". Sevenoaks School examined allegations that during a visit to the school in 1978, Savile had been seen taking a boy into a car. But when the individual was contacted, he said "nothing inappropriate happened or could possibly have happened". Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, who provided independent oversight, reported that safeguarding practices had improved significantly in schools and children's homes since the time of the allegations. "The risk of a paedophile having unrestricted access to children, as Savile apparently had, is now substantially reduced," the report said. However, a report into an allegation of abuse by Savile at a children's home run by Southwark Council acknowledged the difficulty in investigating historical claims of this nature. It said: "There are formidable challenges in obtaining information which might support or refute an allegation of this nature; challenges also in interpreting and understanding actions associated with this allegations in the light of practice at the time, as opposed to what is expected today." And it noted that there are no documents to support the alleged victim's claim and that any potential witnesses named are dead. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Children's Minister Edward Timpson said despite "credible" informants, none of the 14 separate investigations had found sufficient evidence of abuse. Mr Timpson said: "The lack of corroborating evidence prevented them from reaching a definitive conclusion." The allegations related to visits by Savile in the 1960s to 1980s. The Department for Education's report brings together a series of local investigations, carried out by local authorities, charities and schools, into possible abuse during visits by Savile. 'Dressing room' But none of the investigations were able to produce "firm conclusions about whether the alleged abuse took place or not". One allegation came from a boy, aged 10 or 11 at the time, who said he was abused by Savile after being invited into his dressing room at the BBC in the mid-1970s. The boy in question was a resident at a children's home, St Leonard's, in Tower Hamlets, and files show he had previously been subjected to abuse at the home, the investigation said. He said a group of children from the home had been taken on an outing to the BBC to form part of the audience of the TV show, Jim'll Fix It, when the alleged abuse happened. The report said no evidence contradicting the alleged victim's claim had been gathered during the course of the investigation, and added that it was "probable that the abuse occurred as described". Among the allegations investigated in the Leeds area were one children's home, two schools in the Leeds area and Leeds Children's Services. The most serious were allegations pupils at Northways Residential School for children with behavioural difficulties had been taken on trips to see Savile at his nearby flat. Fundraising visits It was alleged this had been a reward for good behaviour, but the investigation found no evidence of any association between Savile and the school or of visits to his flat being used as a reward. However, it acknowledged that two "vulnerable boys" who repeatedly absconded from the school could have visited Savile's flat of their own accord. Allegations that Savile used to pick up young teenage girls from Notre Dame Grammar School in his Rolls Royce in the 1970s were also not substantiated. Nottinghamshire City Council looked into an allegation of sexual assault by Savile from a female member of staff at Apsley Wood School. This was said to have happened during a fundraising visit to the school for disabled children which is now closed. 'Formidable challenges' But the alleged victim later told the council she did not want to participate further in the investigation, as she did not want to "re-awaken feelings of distress and discomfort". The investigation could not corroborate her claim but it said: "At the time of the event - 1979 - there were no screening processes in place for any visits to school, safeguarding of children was virtually an unknown concept and there were no checks or vetting procedures in place". Sevenoaks School examined allegations that during a visit to the school in 1978, Savile had been seen taking a boy into a car. But when the individual was contacted, he said "nothing inappropriate happened or could possibly have happened". Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, who provided independent oversight, reported that safeguarding practices had improved significantly in schools and children's homes since the time of the allegations. "The risk of a paedophile having unrestricted access to children, as Savile apparently had, is now substantially reduced," the report said. However, a report into an allegation of abuse by Savile at a children's home run by Southwark Council acknowledged the difficulty in investigating historical claims of this nature. It said: "There are formidable challenges in obtaining information which might support or refute an allegation of this nature; challenges also in interpreting and understanding actions associated with this allegations in the light of practice at the time, as opposed to what is expected today." And it noted that there are no documents to support the alleged victim's claim and that any potential witnesses named are dead.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
Children's Minister Edward Timpson said despite "credible" informants, none of the 14 separate investigations had found sufficient evidence of abuse. Mr Timpson said: "The lack of corroborating evidence prevented them from reaching a definitive conclusion." The allegations related to visits by Savile in the 1960s to 1980s. The Department for Education's report brings together a series of local investigations, carried out by local authorities, charities and schools, into possible abuse during visits by Savile. 'Dressing room' But none of the investigations were able to produce "firm conclusions about whether the alleged abuse took place or not". One allegation came from a boy, aged 10 or 11 at the time, who said he was abused by Savile after being invited into his dressing room at the BBC in the mid-1970s. The boy in question was a resident at a children's home, St Leonard's, in Tower Hamlets, and files show he had previously been subjected to abuse at the home, the investigation said. He said a group of children from the home had been taken on an outing to the BBC to form part of the audience of the TV show, Jim'll Fix It, when the alleged abuse happened. The report said no evidence contradicting the alleged victim's claim had been gathered during the course of the investigation, and added that it was "probable that the abuse occurred as described". Among the allegations investigated in the Leeds area were one children's home, two schools in the Leeds area and Leeds Children's Services. The most serious were allegations pupils at Northways Residential School for children with behavioural difficulties had been taken on trips to see Savile at his nearby flat. Fundraising visits It was alleged this had been a reward for good behaviour, but the investigation found no evidence of any association between Savile and the school or of visits to his flat being used as a reward. However, it acknowledged that two "vulnerable boys" who repeatedly absconded from the school could have visited Savile's flat of their own accord. Allegations that Savile used to pick up young teenage girls from Notre Dame Grammar School in his Rolls Royce in the 1970s were also not substantiated. Nottinghamshire City Council looked into an allegation of sexual assault by Savile from a female member of staff at Apsley Wood School. This was said to have happened during a fundraising visit to the school for disabled children which is now closed. 'Formidable challenges' But the alleged victim later told the council she did not want to participate further in the investigation, as she did not want to "re-awaken feelings of distress and discomfort". The investigation could not corroborate her claim but it said: "At the time of the event - 1979 - there were no screening processes in place for any visits to school, safeguarding of children was virtually an unknown concept and there were no checks or vetting procedures in place". Sevenoaks School examined allegations that during a visit to the school in 1978, Savile had been seen taking a boy into a car. But when the individual was contacted, he said "nothing inappropriate happened or could possibly have happened". Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, who provided independent oversight, reported that safeguarding practices had improved significantly in schools and children's homes since the time of the allegations. "The risk of a paedophile having unrestricted access to children, as Savile apparently had, is now substantially reduced," the report said. However, a report into an allegation of abuse by Savile at a children's home run by Southwark Council acknowledged the difficulty in investigating historical claims of this nature. It said: "There are formidable challenges in obtaining information which might support or refute an allegation of this nature; challenges also in interpreting and understanding actions associated with this allegations in the light of practice at the time, as opposed to what is expected today." And it noted that there are no documents to support the alleged victim's claim and that any potential witnesses named are dead.
### Summary:
A report into allegations of abuse by a paedophile has found no evidence of any association between Savile and the school or of visits to his flat being used as a reward.
### Source:
The Department for |
world-africa-26477680 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26477680 | DR Congo warlord Germain Katanga found guilty at ICC | A former Congolese army commander has been convicted of being an accessory to an attack on a village in Ituri province. | He was found guilty of complicity in the 2003 massacre of villagers in the gold-rich Ituri province of north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He becomes just the second person to be convicted by the court since it was set up in The Hague in 2002. He would have been the first convicted of sexual crimes. Katanga, who was transferred to The Hague by the Congolese authorities in 2007, had denied the charges. The fighting in Ituri, which broke out in 1999 and continued until 2003, started as a struggle for control of land and resources. But it escalated into an inter-ethnic conflict, exacerbated by the presence of Uganda troops, that killed an estimated 50,000 people. 'Shot while sleeping' Katanga was convicted of being an accessory to an attack on Bogoro that took place on 24 February 2003, killing more than 200 people. In a majority verdict, the judges said he had helped plan the attack, and procure the weapons used, but they acquitted him of direct involvement. He was also cleared of using child soldiers. In total, he was convicted of being an accessory to four counts of war crimes and one crime against humanity. He will be sentenced at a future hearing. ICC prosecutors at The Hague say the assault was designed to "wipe out" the entire strategically important village, which is close to the Ugandan border. According to the prosecution, the attack happened early in the morning and some villagers were shot while they slept, while others were cut up with machetes to save bullets. Without the "supply of weapons... commanders would not have been able to carry out the attack with such efficiency," said presiding judge Bruno Cotte. At the time Katanga was 24 years old and the alleged commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force of Ituri (FRPI), which had the support of the Lendu ethnic group. The prosecution said that as the FRPI's leader, he was to blame for the atrocities committed by his fighters against the villagers from the Hema ethnic group. The judges found that women who survived the massacre had been raped or kept as sex slaves but they did not find enough evidence to convict Katanga of carrying out these crimes. Another person was charged by the ICC in connection with the Bogoro attack. But in December 2012 Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui was acquitted as judges found there was insufficient evidence to show that he was the commander of National Integrationist Front (FNI), which also took part in the raid. The BBC's Maud Jullien in DR Congo says Katanga was known to his men as "Simba", meaning lion. Those who knew him describe him as a discreet man but ruthless on the battlefield, she says. After the end of the Ituri conflict, peace deals were signed and Katanga was given a position in the Congolese army. But a year after joining the military he was imprisoned for bad behaviour and was still in prison when the ICC issued its arrest warrant for him. His is one of the longest-running cases at the ICC. In July 2012, Thomas Lubanga, a rival militia leader in Ituri, was sentenced to 14 years in jail by the ICC for recruiting and using child soldiers. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
He was found guilty of complicity in the 2003 massacre of villagers in the gold-rich Ituri province of north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He becomes just the second person to be convicted by the court since it was set up in The Hague in 2002. He would have been the first convicted of sexual crimes. Katanga, who was transferred to The Hague by the Congolese authorities in 2007, had denied the charges. The fighting in Ituri, which broke out in 1999 and continued until 2003, started as a struggle for control of land and resources. But it escalated into an inter-ethnic conflict, exacerbated by the presence of Uganda troops, that killed an estimated 50,000 people. 'Shot while sleeping' Katanga was convicted of being an accessory to an attack on Bogoro that took place on 24 February 2003, killing more than 200 people. In a majority verdict, the judges said he had helped plan the attack, and procure the weapons used, but they acquitted him of direct involvement. He was also cleared of using child soldiers. In total, he was convicted of being an accessory to four counts of war crimes and one crime against humanity. He will be sentenced at a future hearing. ICC prosecutors at The Hague say the assault was designed to "wipe out" the entire strategically important village, which is close to the Ugandan border. According to the prosecution, the attack happened early in the morning and some villagers were shot while they slept, while others were cut up with machetes to save bullets. Without the "supply of weapons... commanders would not have been able to carry out the attack with such efficiency," said presiding judge Bruno Cotte. At the time Katanga was 24 years old and the alleged commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force of Ituri (FRPI), which had the support of the Lendu ethnic group. The prosecution said that as the FRPI's leader, he was to blame for the atrocities committed by his fighters against the villagers from the Hema ethnic group. The judges found that women who survived the massacre had been raped or kept as sex slaves but they did not find enough evidence to convict Katanga of carrying out these crimes. Another person was charged by the ICC in connection with the Bogoro attack. But in December 2012 Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui was acquitted as judges found there was insufficient evidence to show that he was the commander of National Integrationist Front (FNI), which also took part in the raid. The BBC's Maud Jullien in DR Congo says Katanga was known to his men as "Simba", meaning lion. Those who knew him describe him as a discreet man but ruthless on the battlefield, she says. After the end of the Ituri conflict, peace deals were signed and Katanga was given a position in the Congolese army. But a year after joining the military he was imprisoned for bad behaviour and was still in prison when the ICC issued its arrest warrant for him. His is one of the longest-running cases at the ICC. In July 2012, Thomas Lubanga, a rival militia leader in Ituri, was sentenced to 14 years in jail by the ICC for recruiting and using child soldiers.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
He was found guilty of complicity in the 2003 massacre of villagers in the gold-rich Ituri province of north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He becomes just the second person to be convicted by the court since it was set up in The Hague in 2002. He would have been the first convicted of sexual crimes. Katanga, who was transferred to The Hague by the Congolese authorities in 2007, had denied the charges. The fighting in Ituri, which broke out in 1999 and continued until 2003, started as a struggle for control of land and resources. But it escalated into an inter-ethnic conflict, exacerbated by the presence of Uganda troops, that killed an estimated 50,000 people. 'Shot while sleeping' Katanga was convicted of being an accessory to an attack on Bogoro that took place on 24 February 2003, killing more than 200 people. In a majority verdict, the judges said he had helped plan the attack, and procure the weapons used, but they acquitted him of direct involvement. He was also cleared of using child soldiers. In total, he was convicted of being an accessory to four counts of war crimes and one crime against humanity. He will be sentenced at a future hearing. ICC prosecutors at The Hague say the assault was designed to "wipe out" the entire strategically important village, which is close to the Ugandan border. According to the prosecution, the attack happened early in the morning and some villagers were shot while they slept, while others were cut up with machetes to save bullets. Without the "supply of weapons... commanders would not have been able to carry out the attack with such efficiency," said presiding judge Bruno Cotte. At the time Katanga was 24 years old and the alleged commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force of Ituri (FRPI), which had the support of the Lendu ethnic group. The prosecution said that as the FRPI's leader, he was to blame for the atrocities committed by his fighters against the villagers from the Hema ethnic group. The judges found that women who survived the massacre had been raped or kept as sex slaves but they did not find enough evidence to convict Katanga of carrying out these crimes. Another person was charged by the ICC in connection with the Bogoro attack. But in December 2012 Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui was acquitted as judges found there was insufficient evidence to show that he was the commander of National Integrationist Front (FNI), which also took part in the raid. The BBC's Maud Jullien in DR Congo says Katanga was known to his men as "Simba", meaning lion. Those who knew him describe him as a discreet man but ruthless on the battlefield, she says. After the end of the Ituri conflict, peace deals were signed and Katanga was given a position in the Congolese army. But a year after joining the military he was imprisoned for bad behaviour and was still in prison when the ICC issued its arrest warrant for him. His is one of the longest-running cases at the ICC. In July 2012, Thomas Lubanga, a rival militia leader in Ituri, was sentenced to 14 years in jail by the ICC for recruiting and using child soldiers.
### Summary:
A former Congolese army commander has been convicted of being an accessory to an attack on a village in Ituri province.
### Text:
The ICC has convicted a former Congolese army commander of being an |
newsbeat-52063221 | https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-52063221 | Coronavirus and sex: What you need to know | If you're living with someone who has coronavirus, you should avoid kissing them. | By Celestina OlulodeNewsbeat reporter To separate the facts from myths, we've put your questions to health experts. Dr Alex George is an A&E doctor and former Love Island contestant. Alix Fox is a sex journalist, presenter of BBC Radio 1's Unexpected Fluids show, and co-host of The Modern Mann podcast. Is it safe to have sex during the coronavirus outbreak? Dr Alex George: If you're in a relationship… living with that person, and sharing the same environment, it shouldn't change your situation. However if one of you is displaying symptoms of coronavirus then you should maintain your social-distancing and isolate, even within your home. In an ideal world everyone would stay two metres apart - even in their own house, but we realise this may not be realistic. Alix Fox: It's also really important not to assume that if you are experiencing mild symptoms of coronavirus it will be the same for your partner. So, if you're showing any symptoms whatsoever do try and stay away from your lover. What about sex with new people? Dr Alex: I certainly wouldn't advise having new sexual partners at the moment, because the risk is you could pass on the virus. Alix Fox: Don't forget as well, some people who are carriers of the virus won't have any symptoms. So even if you feel absolutely fine… you could still pass on the infection to someone and they could pass it on to other people via close contact and kissing. I kissed someone I recently met, and they've gone on to develop symptoms. What should I do? Dr Alex: If you've kissed or been in contact with someone who you think has gone on to develop coronavirus, make sure you self-isolate. Keep an eye on your symptoms. If you are developing symptoms, then be extra careful. Go online to the nhs.uk website. Only call the 111 service if your symptoms are so bad that you need medical support from us. Alix Fox: We should be responsible with each other, and for ourselves in our relationships. If you're somebody who has developed symptoms, and you know that you've kissed people recently, you should let them know. And even if you've kissed someone and they've got symptoms and you haven't, you should also self-isolate. I wasn't using condoms with my partner before coronavirus, should I start now? Alix Fox: The answer depends on why you weren't using condoms. If you weren't using condoms because you have both been tested for STIs, or you're in a heterosexual relationship prior to menopause and are using another kind of contraception to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, then that's fine. But if you weren't using condoms because you were relying on something like the pull-out method - or you were taking chances with STIs - then it's even more important that you use condoms now. Can I get coronavirus by touching someone else's vagina or penis? Dr Alex: If you are going to touch each other's genitals it's likely that you will potentially be kissing at the same time - and we know the virus is passed through saliva. Essentially, any possibility of transfer of coronavirus - from your mouth to your hands, to genitals, to someone else's nose or mouth - increases the risk of passing on coronavirus. We want to cut this back to the absolute minimum. So, no contact between a partner that you're not living with is really important. How can I maintain a relationship at a time like this? I don't want to be single now. Alix Fox: This whole pandemic is prompting a lot of people to rethink what a good sex life is and what constitutes as an enjoyable, pleasurable exchange. I've heard of people writing erotic stories to each other, and people who are dating but quarantined in different places taking advantage of the time and the distance. A lot of people have been getting really creative. If you use your imagination a little bit there are lots of ways you can have a sexy time without being face-to-face with somebody. It's also important to remember that right now… some people might be discovering that they or their partners have different libidos. You might find yourself in a situation where you were only going on a date once a week, and suddenly you're living under the same roof. You might find that you want sex when your partner doesn't, or vice versa. It's important to communicate this in a respectful, compassionate manner. Living together does not mean that you're entitled to sex whenever you want. And for anybody who is in a situation where they're with a partner and they're not having a good time, because they feel like they're being forced into sex, there are helplines available for that. Am I more at risk of catching coronavirus if I have HIV? Alix Fox: Dr Michael Brady at the Terrence Higgins Trust has provided some really great advice on this. If you are already on regular medication to manage HIV, and you have a good CD4 count (number of white blood cells to fight infection) and an undetectable viral load (the amount of HIV in the blood) then you're not considered to have a weakened immune system. This means you run no additional risk of contracting coronavirus. So, if you're HIV positive, continue taking your meds as you would do. Make sure that you follow the same rules as everybody else when it comes to things like isolation. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Celestina OlulodeNewsbeat reporter To separate the facts from myths, we've put your questions to health experts. Dr Alex George is an A&E doctor and former Love Island contestant. Alix Fox is a sex journalist, presenter of BBC Radio 1's Unexpected Fluids show, and co-host of The Modern Mann podcast. Is it safe to have sex during the coronavirus outbreak? Dr Alex George: If you're in a relationship… living with that person, and sharing the same environment, it shouldn't change your situation. However if one of you is displaying symptoms of coronavirus then you should maintain your social-distancing and isolate, even within your home. In an ideal world everyone would stay two metres apart - even in their own house, but we realise this may not be realistic. Alix Fox: It's also really important not to assume that if you are experiencing mild symptoms of coronavirus it will be the same for your partner. So, if you're showing any symptoms whatsoever do try and stay away from your lover. What about sex with new people? Dr Alex: I certainly wouldn't advise having new sexual partners at the moment, because the risk is you could pass on the virus. Alix Fox: Don't forget as well, some people who are carriers of the virus won't have any symptoms. So even if you feel absolutely fine… you could still pass on the infection to someone and they could pass it on to other people via close contact and kissing. I kissed someone I recently met, and they've gone on to develop symptoms. What should I do? Dr Alex: If you've kissed or been in contact with someone who you think has gone on to develop coronavirus, make sure you self-isolate. Keep an eye on your symptoms. If you are developing symptoms, then be extra careful. Go online to the nhs.uk website. Only call the 111 service if your symptoms are so bad that you need medical support from us. Alix Fox: We should be responsible with each other, and for ourselves in our relationships. If you're somebody who has developed symptoms, and you know that you've kissed people recently, you should let them know. And even if you've kissed someone and they've got symptoms and you haven't, you should also self-isolate. I wasn't using condoms with my partner before coronavirus, should I start now? Alix Fox: The answer depends on why you weren't using condoms. If you weren't using condoms because you have both been tested for STIs, or you're in a heterosexual relationship prior to menopause and are using another kind of contraception to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, then that's fine. But if you weren't using condoms because you were relying on something like the pull-out method - or you were taking chances with STIs - then it's even more important that you use condoms now. Can I get coronavirus by touching someone else's vagina or penis? Dr Alex: If you are going to touch each other's genitals it's likely that you will potentially be kissing at the same time - and we know the virus is passed through saliva. Essentially, any possibility of transfer of coronavirus - from your mouth to your hands, to genitals, to someone else's nose or mouth - increases the risk of passing on coronavirus. We want to cut this back to the absolute minimum. So, no contact between a partner that you're not living with is really important. How can I maintain a relationship at a time like this? I don't want to be single now. Alix Fox: This whole pandemic is prompting a lot of people to rethink what a good sex life is and what constitutes as an enjoyable, pleasurable exchange. I've heard of people writing erotic stories to each other, and people who are dating but quarantined in different places taking advantage of the time and the distance. A lot of people have been getting really creative. If you use your imagination a little bit there are lots of ways you can have a sexy time without being face-to-face with somebody. It's also important to remember that right now… some people might be discovering that they or their partners have different libidos. You might find yourself in a situation where you were only going on a date once a week, and suddenly you're living under the same roof. You might find that you want sex when your partner doesn't, or vice versa. It's important to communicate this in a respectful, compassionate manner. Living together does not mean that you're entitled to sex whenever you want. And for anybody who is in a situation where they're with a partner and they're not having a good time, because they feel like they're being forced into sex, there are helplines available for that. Am I more at risk of catching coronavirus if I have HIV? Alix Fox: Dr Michael Brady at the Terrence Higgins Trust has provided some
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Celestina OlulodeNewsbeat reporter To separate the facts from myths, we've put your questions to health experts. Dr Alex George is an A&E doctor and former Love Island contestant. Alix Fox is a sex journalist, presenter of BBC Radio 1's Unexpected Fluids show, and co-host of The Modern Mann podcast. Is it safe to have sex during the coronavirus outbreak? Dr Alex George: If you're in a relationship… living with that person, and sharing the same environment, it shouldn't change your situation. However if one of you is displaying symptoms of coronavirus then you should maintain your social-distancing and isolate, even within your home. In an ideal world everyone would stay two metres apart - even in their own house, but we realise this may not be realistic. Alix Fox: It's also really important not to assume that if you are experiencing mild symptoms of coronavirus it will be the same for your partner. So, if you're showing any symptoms whatsoever do try and stay away from your lover. What about sex with new people? Dr Alex: I certainly wouldn't advise having new sexual partners at the moment, because the risk is you could pass on the virus. Alix Fox: Don't forget as well, some people who are carriers of the virus won't have any symptoms. So even if you feel absolutely fine… you could still pass on the infection to someone and they could pass it on to other people via close contact and kissing. I kissed someone I recently met, and they've gone on to develop symptoms. What should I do? Dr Alex: If you've kissed or been in contact with someone who you think has gone on to develop coronavirus, make sure you self-isolate. Keep an eye on your symptoms. If you are developing symptoms, then be extra careful. Go online to the nhs.uk website. Only call the 111 service if your symptoms are so bad that you need medical support from us. Alix Fox: We should be responsible with each other, and for ourselves in our relationships. If you're somebody who has developed symptoms, and you know that you've kissed people recently, you should let them know. And even if you've kissed someone and they've got symptoms and you haven't, you should also self-isolate. I wasn't using condoms with my partner before coronavirus, should I start now? Alix Fox: The answer depends on why you weren't using condoms. If you weren't using condoms because you have both been tested for STIs, or you're in a heterosexual relationship prior to menopause and are using another kind of contraception to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, then that's fine. But if you weren't using condoms because you were relying on something like the pull-out method - or you were taking chances with STIs - then it's even more important that you use condoms now. Can I get coronavirus by touching someone else's vagina or penis? Dr Alex: If you are going to touch each other's genitals it's likely that you will potentially be kissing at the same time - and we know the virus is passed through saliva. Essentially, any possibility of transfer of coronavirus - from your mouth to your hands, to genitals, to someone else's nose or mouth - increases the risk of passing on coronavirus. We want to cut this back to the absolute minimum. So, no contact between a partner that you're not living with is really important. How can I maintain a relationship at a time like this? I don't want to be single now. Alix Fox: This whole pandemic is prompting a lot of people to rethink what a good sex life is and what constitutes as an enjoyable, pleasurable exchange. I've heard of people writing erotic stories to each other, and people who are dating but quarantined in different places taking advantage of the time and the distance. A lot of people have been getting really creative. If you use your imagination a little bit there are lots of ways you can have a sexy time without being face-to-face with somebody. It's also important to remember that right now… some people might be discovering that they or their partners have different libidos. You might find yourself in a situation where you were only going on a date once a week, and suddenly you're living under the same roof. You might find that you want sex when your partner doesn't, or vice versa. It's important to communicate this in a respectful, compassionate manner. Living together does not mean that you're entitled to sex whenever you want. And for anybody who is in a situation where they're with a partner and they're not having a good time, because they feel like they're being forced into sex, there are helplines available for that. Am I more at risk of catching coronavirus if I have HIV? Alix Fox: Dr Michael Brady at the Terrence Higgins Trust has provided some
### Summary:
If you're living with someone who has coronavirus, you should avoid kissing them.
### Next steps
If you're living with someone who has coronavirus, you should avoid kissing them.
### |
business-55162318 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55162318 | Quarantine rules to be relaxed for business travellers | Business people who are returning to the UK from countries that are not on the UK's list of travel corridors will be exempt from quarantine, the government has said. | The rules will be relaxed for top bosses of foreign multinational firms visiting English branches and bosses at firms planning to invest. Returning executives will also be exempt from quarantine. In each case, the business trips must result in a deal which creates or preserves 50 jobs or leads to a £100m investment or order, according to the Department for Transport. The new rule will allow business people to travel to England from countries that are not on the UK's list of travel corridors without having to isolate for 14 days on arrival. The move was announced in a tweet by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. Travellers will have to demonstrate in an exemption letter that they are delivering these business benefits to the UK. This letter will be checked by police or Border Force. When in England, the government said, executives will be exempt from the normal quarantine rules only in the course of a "specific business activity" that will benefit the UK economy. "And [they] will only be able to meet with others as required by that specific activity," it said. Performing arts workers, TV production staff, journalists and recently signed sports professionals will also be exempt, the government said. Currently, people arriving in the UK from most countries - including British nationals - must self-isolate for 14 days or face fines of up to £1,000. But that can increase to £10,000 for repeat offenders. No risk Exceptions are made for people coming from the Common Travel Area - the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man - or countries in travel corridors with England. The government said that Public Health England did not expect the new rules for business travellers to increase the risk of coronavirus transmission in the UK. Nevertheless, it said the measures would remain under review. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The rules will be relaxed for top bosses of foreign multinational firms visiting English branches and bosses at firms planning to invest. Returning executives will also be exempt from quarantine. In each case, the business trips must result in a deal which creates or preserves 50 jobs or leads to a £100m investment or order, according to the Department for Transport. The new rule will allow business people to travel to England from countries that are not on the UK's list of travel corridors without having to isolate for 14 days on arrival. The move was announced in a tweet by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. Travellers will have to demonstrate in an exemption letter that they are delivering these business benefits to the UK. This letter will be checked by police or Border Force. When in England, the government said, executives will be exempt from the normal quarantine rules only in the course of a "specific business activity" that will benefit the UK economy. "And [they] will only be able to meet with others as required by that specific activity," it said. Performing arts workers, TV production staff, journalists and recently signed sports professionals will also be exempt, the government said. Currently, people arriving in the UK from most countries - including British nationals - must self-isolate for 14 days or face fines of up to £1,000. But that can increase to £10,000 for repeat offenders. No risk Exceptions are made for people coming from the Common Travel Area - the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man - or countries in travel corridors with England. The government said that Public Health England did not expect the new rules for business travellers to increase the risk of coronavirus transmission in the UK. Nevertheless, it said the measures would remain under review.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The rules will be relaxed for top bosses of foreign multinational firms visiting English branches and bosses at firms planning to invest. Returning executives will also be exempt from quarantine. In each case, the business trips must result in a deal which creates or preserves 50 jobs or leads to a £100m investment or order, according to the Department for Transport. The new rule will allow business people to travel to England from countries that are not on the UK's list of travel corridors without having to isolate for 14 days on arrival. The move was announced in a tweet by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. Travellers will have to demonstrate in an exemption letter that they are delivering these business benefits to the UK. This letter will be checked by police or Border Force. When in England, the government said, executives will be exempt from the normal quarantine rules only in the course of a "specific business activity" that will benefit the UK economy. "And [they] will only be able to meet with others as required by that specific activity," it said. Performing arts workers, TV production staff, journalists and recently signed sports professionals will also be exempt, the government said. Currently, people arriving in the UK from most countries - including British nationals - must self-isolate for 14 days or face fines of up to £1,000. But that can increase to £10,000 for repeat offenders. No risk Exceptions are made for people coming from the Common Travel Area - the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man - or countries in travel corridors with England. The government said that Public Health England did not expect the new rules for business travellers to increase the risk of coronavirus transmission in the UK. Nevertheless, it said the measures would remain under review.
### Summary:
Business people who are returning to the UK from countries that are not on the UK's list of travel corridors will be exempt from quarantine, the government has said.
### Source:
The government has announced new rules |
uk-northern-ireland-54348662 | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54348662 | Schools: 'Too many' children and staff without symptoms getting tested | Schools in Northern Ireland have been asked to self-isolate if one of their classmates has Covid-19. | By Robbie MeredithBBC News NI Education Correspondent That is according to an email to schools from the Department of Education (DE). The department said evidence from the Public Health Authority's (PHA) contact tracing service suggested too many children and staff without symptoms were getting tested. Concerns have already been expressed about capacity in the testing system. In an email accompanying revised guidance for schools, DE said school staff or pupils should only get a test when they were clearly symptomatic. "PHA have asked us to emphasise to schools that pupils and staff must only be advised to seek a Covid-19 test when they are symptomatic of the virus - that is a new continuous cough, a fever or a new loss of taste and/or smell," said the department. "Early evidence from the contact tracing service is that available testing capacity is being utilised to test many children and school staff who are showing no symptoms and in doing so make it more challenging for genuinely symptomatic individuals to access a test." Guidance 'confusion' The department also provided new guidance to schools on when pupils have to self-isolate if one of their classmates has Covid-19. That comes after previous guidance issued last Thursday caused confusion for many principals by suggesting that class bubbles should be sent home if one pupil in the class had symptoms of the virus, such as a persistent cough. "In practical terms this would have meant that anytime a child got COVID-19 symptoms, for most primary schools and many post primary schools, the entire bubble would have been sent home," DE has now said. "PHA has advised the correct position is that only when a positive case has been identified in a symptomatic child, young person or member of staff do schools need to consider self-isolating close contacts of that individual." "Close contacts must stay in isolation for the full 14 day period." "They should not return to school before the 14 day isolation period as they may still be incubating the virus - regardless of a lack of symptoms." While many schools in Northern Ireland have sent staff or groups of pupils home to self-isolate after positive cases, some schools have closed entirely for a number of days. On Monday, St Comgall's Primary in Bangor announced it was closing for 14 days after several cases of coronavirus were identified, although the school said on Tuesday it would reopen to most classes on Friday. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Robbie MeredithBBC News NI Education Correspondent That is according to an email to schools from the Department of Education (DE). The department said evidence from the Public Health Authority's (PHA) contact tracing service suggested too many children and staff without symptoms were getting tested. Concerns have already been expressed about capacity in the testing system. In an email accompanying revised guidance for schools, DE said school staff or pupils should only get a test when they were clearly symptomatic. "PHA have asked us to emphasise to schools that pupils and staff must only be advised to seek a Covid-19 test when they are symptomatic of the virus - that is a new continuous cough, a fever or a new loss of taste and/or smell," said the department. "Early evidence from the contact tracing service is that available testing capacity is being utilised to test many children and school staff who are showing no symptoms and in doing so make it more challenging for genuinely symptomatic individuals to access a test." Guidance 'confusion' The department also provided new guidance to schools on when pupils have to self-isolate if one of their classmates has Covid-19. That comes after previous guidance issued last Thursday caused confusion for many principals by suggesting that class bubbles should be sent home if one pupil in the class had symptoms of the virus, such as a persistent cough. "In practical terms this would have meant that anytime a child got COVID-19 symptoms, for most primary schools and many post primary schools, the entire bubble would have been sent home," DE has now said. "PHA has advised the correct position is that only when a positive case has been identified in a symptomatic child, young person or member of staff do schools need to consider self-isolating close contacts of that individual." "Close contacts must stay in isolation for the full 14 day period." "They should not return to school before the 14 day isolation period as they may still be incubating the virus - regardless of a lack of symptoms." While many schools in Northern Ireland have sent staff or groups of pupils home to self-isolate after positive cases, some schools have closed entirely for a number of days. On Monday, St Comgall's Primary in Bangor announced it was closing for 14 days after several cases of coronavirus were identified, although the school said on Tuesday it would reopen to most classes on Friday.
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By Robbie MeredithBBC News NI Education Correspondent That is according to an email to schools from the Department of Education (DE). The department said evidence from the Public Health Authority's (PHA) contact tracing service suggested too many children and staff without symptoms were getting tested. Concerns have already been expressed about capacity in the testing system. In an email accompanying revised guidance for schools, DE said school staff or pupils should only get a test when they were clearly symptomatic. "PHA have asked us to emphasise to schools that pupils and staff must only be advised to seek a Covid-19 test when they are symptomatic of the virus - that is a new continuous cough, a fever or a new loss of taste and/or smell," said the department. "Early evidence from the contact tracing service is that available testing capacity is being utilised to test many children and school staff who are showing no symptoms and in doing so make it more challenging for genuinely symptomatic individuals to access a test." Guidance 'confusion' The department also provided new guidance to schools on when pupils have to self-isolate if one of their classmates has Covid-19. That comes after previous guidance issued last Thursday caused confusion for many principals by suggesting that class bubbles should be sent home if one pupil in the class had symptoms of the virus, such as a persistent cough. "In practical terms this would have meant that anytime a child got COVID-19 symptoms, for most primary schools and many post primary schools, the entire bubble would have been sent home," DE has now said. "PHA has advised the correct position is that only when a positive case has been identified in a symptomatic child, young person or member of staff do schools need to consider self-isolating close contacts of that individual." "Close contacts must stay in isolation for the full 14 day period." "They should not return to school before the 14 day isolation period as they may still be incubating the virus - regardless of a lack of symptoms." While many schools in Northern Ireland have sent staff or groups of pupils home to self-isolate after positive cases, some schools have closed entirely for a number of days. On Monday, St Comgall's Primary in Bangor announced it was closing for 14 days after several cases of coronavirus were identified, although the school said on Tuesday it would reopen to most classes on Friday.
### Summary:
Schools in Northern Ireland have been asked to self-isolate if one of their classmates has Covid-19.
### Next steps
The Department of Education has asked schools to self-isolate if one of their |
health-47692495 | https://www.bbc.com/news/health-47692495 | New brain cells made throughout life | A study has found that new neurons are formed in the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. | By James GallagherHealth and science correspondent, BBC News The idea has been fiercely debated, and it used to be thought we were born with all the brain cells we will ever have. The researchers at the University of Madrid also showed that the number of new brain cells tailed off with age. And it falls dramatically in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease - giving new ideas for treating the dementia. Most of our neurons - brain cells that send electrical signals - are indeed in place by the time we are born. Studies on other mammals have found new brains cells forming later in life, but the extent of "neurogenesis" in the human brain is still a source of debate. The study, published in Nature Medicine, looked at the brains of 58 deceased people who were aged between 43 and 97. The focus was on the hippocampus - a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion. It is the part of the brain that you need, to remember where you parked the car. New neurons Neurons do not emerge in the brain fully formed, but have to go through a process of growing and maturing. The researchers were able to spot immature or "new" neurons in the brains that they examined. In healthy brains there was a "slight decrease" in the amount of this neurogenesis with age. Researcher Dr Maria Llorens-Martin told BBC News: "I believe we would be generating new neurons as long as we need to learn new things. "And that occurs during every single second of our life." But there was a different story in the brains from Alzheimer's patients. The number of new neurons forming fell from 30,000 per millimetre to 20,000 per millimetre in people at the beginning of Alzheimer's. Dr Llorens-Martin said: "That's a 30% reduction in the very first stage of the disease. "It's very surprising for us, it's even before the accumulation of amyloid beta [a hallmark of Alzheimer's] and probably before symptoms, it's very early." Alzheimer's disease remains untreatable, but the main focus of research has been targeting clumps of amyloid beta in the brain. However, even last week more trials using this approach have failed and the latest study suggests there may be something happening even earlier in the course of the disease. Dr Llorens-Martin says understanding why there is a decrease in neurogenesis could lead to new treatments in both Alzheimer's and normal ageing. But she says the next stage of research will probably require looking in the brains of people while they are still alive, to see what is happening over time. Dr Rosa Sancho, the head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "While we start losing nerve cells in early adulthood, this research shows that we can continue to produce new ones even into our 90s. "Alzheimer's radically accelerates the rate at which we lose nerve cells and this research provides convincing evidence that it also limits the creation of new nerve cells. "Larger studies will need to confirm these findings and explore whether they could pave the way for an early test to flag those most at risk of the disease." Follow James on Twitter. | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By James GallagherHealth and science correspondent, BBC News The idea has been fiercely debated, and it used to be thought we were born with all the brain cells we will ever have. The researchers at the University of Madrid also showed that the number of new brain cells tailed off with age. And it falls dramatically in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease - giving new ideas for treating the dementia. Most of our neurons - brain cells that send electrical signals - are indeed in place by the time we are born. Studies on other mammals have found new brains cells forming later in life, but the extent of "neurogenesis" in the human brain is still a source of debate. The study, published in Nature Medicine, looked at the brains of 58 deceased people who were aged between 43 and 97. The focus was on the hippocampus - a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion. It is the part of the brain that you need, to remember where you parked the car. New neurons Neurons do not emerge in the brain fully formed, but have to go through a process of growing and maturing. The researchers were able to spot immature or "new" neurons in the brains that they examined. In healthy brains there was a "slight decrease" in the amount of this neurogenesis with age. Researcher Dr Maria Llorens-Martin told BBC News: "I believe we would be generating new neurons as long as we need to learn new things. "And that occurs during every single second of our life." But there was a different story in the brains from Alzheimer's patients. The number of new neurons forming fell from 30,000 per millimetre to 20,000 per millimetre in people at the beginning of Alzheimer's. Dr Llorens-Martin said: "That's a 30% reduction in the very first stage of the disease. "It's very surprising for us, it's even before the accumulation of amyloid beta [a hallmark of Alzheimer's] and probably before symptoms, it's very early." Alzheimer's disease remains untreatable, but the main focus of research has been targeting clumps of amyloid beta in the brain. However, even last week more trials using this approach have failed and the latest study suggests there may be something happening even earlier in the course of the disease. Dr Llorens-Martin says understanding why there is a decrease in neurogenesis could lead to new treatments in both Alzheimer's and normal ageing. But she says the next stage of research will probably require looking in the brains of people while they are still alive, to see what is happening over time. Dr Rosa Sancho, the head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "While we start losing nerve cells in early adulthood, this research shows that we can continue to produce new ones even into our 90s. "Alzheimer's radically accelerates the rate at which we lose nerve cells and this research provides convincing evidence that it also limits the creation of new nerve cells. "Larger studies will need to confirm these findings and explore whether they could pave the way for an early test to flag those most at risk of the disease." Follow James on Twitter.
### Summary:
| true | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
By James GallagherHealth and science correspondent, BBC News The idea has been fiercely debated, and it used to be thought we were born with all the brain cells we will ever have. The researchers at the University of Madrid also showed that the number of new brain cells tailed off with age. And it falls dramatically in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease - giving new ideas for treating the dementia. Most of our neurons - brain cells that send electrical signals - are indeed in place by the time we are born. Studies on other mammals have found new brains cells forming later in life, but the extent of "neurogenesis" in the human brain is still a source of debate. The study, published in Nature Medicine, looked at the brains of 58 deceased people who were aged between 43 and 97. The focus was on the hippocampus - a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion. It is the part of the brain that you need, to remember where you parked the car. New neurons Neurons do not emerge in the brain fully formed, but have to go through a process of growing and maturing. The researchers were able to spot immature or "new" neurons in the brains that they examined. In healthy brains there was a "slight decrease" in the amount of this neurogenesis with age. Researcher Dr Maria Llorens-Martin told BBC News: "I believe we would be generating new neurons as long as we need to learn new things. "And that occurs during every single second of our life." But there was a different story in the brains from Alzheimer's patients. The number of new neurons forming fell from 30,000 per millimetre to 20,000 per millimetre in people at the beginning of Alzheimer's. Dr Llorens-Martin said: "That's a 30% reduction in the very first stage of the disease. "It's very surprising for us, it's even before the accumulation of amyloid beta [a hallmark of Alzheimer's] and probably before symptoms, it's very early." Alzheimer's disease remains untreatable, but the main focus of research has been targeting clumps of amyloid beta in the brain. However, even last week more trials using this approach have failed and the latest study suggests there may be something happening even earlier in the course of the disease. Dr Llorens-Martin says understanding why there is a decrease in neurogenesis could lead to new treatments in both Alzheimer's and normal ageing. But she says the next stage of research will probably require looking in the brains of people while they are still alive, to see what is happening over time. Dr Rosa Sancho, the head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "While we start losing nerve cells in early adulthood, this research shows that we can continue to produce new ones even into our 90s. "Alzheimer's radically accelerates the rate at which we lose nerve cells and this research provides convincing evidence that it also limits the creation of new nerve cells. "Larger studies will need to confirm these findings and explore whether they could pave the way for an early test to flag those most at risk of the disease." Follow James on Twitter.
### Summary:
A study has found that new neurons are formed in the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
### Text:
New neurons are formed in the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's |
business-48279132 | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48279132 | Richer Sounds boss wants 'to do the right thing' | Richer Sounds founder and CEO Richer Richer has announced he will be retiring from the company. | The founder and 100%-owner of the Richer Sounds hi-fi and television stores is putting ownership of the business in a John Lewis-style employee trust. "My father dropped down dead at the age of 60, and I was 60 a few weeks ago," he told the BBC. "It was time to pass on the reins." He and his wife, Rosie, have no children, and "I didn't want to sell to a stranger who might have completely different aims and ambitions for the business. I'm hoping it will ensure the succession of the business," Mr Richer says. Setting up a trust for the business was, in fact, written into his will in 2003. But the process of moving to the new structure was begun about two years ago so that Rosie could avoid having to oversee the change "if I pre-deceased her". "My wife is wonderful, but she's not madly commercial," he says. Sorting out the change now seemed like the "adult thing to do". He founded Richer Sounds in 1978, aged just 19. There are now 53 outlets, with 530 staff and about £200m in annual revenues. It's brought him the sort of wealth that many staff can only dream off - £160m, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. What he calls a "cautious, conservative" approach to expanding the business has been one reason for his success, Mr Richer believes. But another reason has been an enlightened attitude to staff, something he set out in his 2001 management book The Richer Way. Mr Richer told the BBC: "I've been running my business for 40 years and the overriding thing I've learned is that it's all about the people. If you treat your people right, then they are going to be happier, give a better service, stay with you, they are not going to steal." Richer Sounds also has 12 holiday properties - including in Paris and Barcelona - for staff use, with about 70% of the workforce using at least one home each year. As part of this week's announcement, staff (excluding directors) will receive a big windfall in the form of £1,000 for every year of service. The average length of service is eight years. "I just felt it was the right thing to do. There were a lot of happy people yesterday." While earlier reports put the cost to Mr Richer at £3.5m, the businessman told the BBC on Wednesday that the final costs might be closer to £4m. "It was an expensive day," he said. 'Evil' zero-hours Working conditions in the UK worry him. The announcement of the trust came on the same day that unemployment figures showed another fall. "At face value, that's great, but I do worry about the quality of the jobs," he says. "I'm concerned about low wages and people living below the living wage. I'm concerned about evil zero-hours contracts. I hate penalties for people being off sick." Life is tough for many people, both in work and out of it, he says, adding: "Inequality at the moment is the worst I've know it in my lifetime," he says. It's why 15% of Richer Sounds profits go to charity. He also helps finance Taxwatch, a non-profit organisation that seeks to expose tax avoidance by multi-national corporations and the mega-rich. His anger at the UK's broken system prompted him to write another book - The Ethical Capitalist: How to Make Business Work Better for Society - published last year. In it, he admits to once paying himself gold bullion to avoid paying national insurance. Although legal, it was "not morally justifiable" and he stopped. 'Funny feeling' One of his hopes is that setting up the Richer Sounds trust and gifting money to staff "will set a good example". What will he do now? Firstly, he's not retiring from Richer Sounds. "On Monday, I was handed an employment contract, and had a little chat about the hours I will be working. It was a funny feeling." Day-to-day operations are overseen by the chief executive, Julie Abraham. And Mr Richer is one of the four trustees in the new set-up. "They've all been with the company a long time. We do things in a collaborative way," he says. "At the moment, I am still going to be as involved as ever," he says. "But I've passed [the business] over to a trust, and I will be respectful of that." So he won't necessarily have more time to perform as the drummer in his funk band, Ten Millennia. There are also other business interests, too, now including acting as an adviser to the chief executive of Marks & Spencer, Steve Rowe, as he seeks to restructure operations and finalise plans for a joint venture with online food firm Ocado. It's a company that holds a lot of memories. "My parents met at in M&S in the '50s in the Kilburn [London] store. Hopefully they'd be very pleased." You can hear some of Julian Richer's interview with the BBC on Wake up to Money | Summarize the following text.
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The founder and 100%-owner of the Richer Sounds hi-fi and television stores is putting ownership of the business in a John Lewis-style employee trust. "My father dropped down dead at the age of 60, and I was 60 a few weeks ago," he told the BBC. "It was time to pass on the reins." He and his wife, Rosie, have no children, and "I didn't want to sell to a stranger who might have completely different aims and ambitions for the business. I'm hoping it will ensure the succession of the business," Mr Richer says. Setting up a trust for the business was, in fact, written into his will in 2003. But the process of moving to the new structure was begun about two years ago so that Rosie could avoid having to oversee the change "if I pre-deceased her". "My wife is wonderful, but she's not madly commercial," he says. Sorting out the change now seemed like the "adult thing to do". He founded Richer Sounds in 1978, aged just 19. There are now 53 outlets, with 530 staff and about £200m in annual revenues. It's brought him the sort of wealth that many staff can only dream off - £160m, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. What he calls a "cautious, conservative" approach to expanding the business has been one reason for his success, Mr Richer believes. But another reason has been an enlightened attitude to staff, something he set out in his 2001 management book The Richer Way. Mr Richer told the BBC: "I've been running my business for 40 years and the overriding thing I've learned is that it's all about the people. If you treat your people right, then they are going to be happier, give a better service, stay with you, they are not going to steal." Richer Sounds also has 12 holiday properties - including in Paris and Barcelona - for staff use, with about 70% of the workforce using at least one home each year. As part of this week's announcement, staff (excluding directors) will receive a big windfall in the form of £1,000 for every year of service. The average length of service is eight years. "I just felt it was the right thing to do. There were a lot of happy people yesterday." While earlier reports put the cost to Mr Richer at £3.5m, the businessman told the BBC on Wednesday that the final costs might be closer to £4m. "It was an expensive day," he said. 'Evil' zero-hours Working conditions in the UK worry him. The announcement of the trust came on the same day that unemployment figures showed another fall. "At face value, that's great, but I do worry about the quality of the jobs," he says. "I'm concerned about low wages and people living below the living wage. I'm concerned about evil zero-hours contracts. I hate penalties for people being off sick." Life is tough for many people, both in work and out of it, he says, adding: "Inequality at the moment is the worst I've know it in my lifetime," he says. It's why 15% of Richer Sounds profits go to charity. He also helps finance Taxwatch, a non-profit organisation that seeks to expose tax avoidance by multi-national corporations and the mega-rich. His anger at the UK's broken system prompted him to write another book - The Ethical Capitalist: How to Make Business Work Better for Society - published last year. In it, he admits to once paying himself gold bullion to avoid paying national insurance. Although legal, it was "not morally justifiable" and he stopped. 'Funny feeling' One of his hopes is that setting up the Richer Sounds trust and gifting money to staff "will set a good example". What will he do now? Firstly, he's not retiring from Richer Sounds. "On Monday, I was handed an employment contract, and had a little chat about the hours I will be working. It was a funny feeling." Day-to-day operations are overseen by the chief executive, Julie Abraham. And Mr Richer is one of the four trustees in the new set-up. "They've all been with the company a long time. We do things in a collaborative way," he says. "At the moment, I am still going to be as involved as ever," he says. "But I've passed [the business] over to a trust, and I will be respectful of that." So he won't necessarily have more time to perform as the drummer in his funk band, Ten Millennia. There are also other business interests, too, now including acting as an adviser to the chief executive of Marks & Spencer, Steve Rowe, as he seeks to restructure operations and finalise plans for a joint venture with online food firm Ocado. It's a company
### Summary:
| false | Summarize the following text.
### Text:
The founder and 100%-owner of the Richer Sounds hi-fi and television stores is putting ownership of the business in a John Lewis-style employee trust. "My father dropped down dead at the age of 60, and I was 60 a few weeks ago," he told the BBC. "It was time to pass on the reins." He and his wife, Rosie, have no children, and "I didn't want to sell to a stranger who might have completely different aims and ambitions for the business. I'm hoping it will ensure the succession of the business," Mr Richer says. Setting up a trust for the business was, in fact, written into his will in 2003. But the process of moving to the new structure was begun about two years ago so that Rosie could avoid having to oversee the change "if I pre-deceased her". "My wife is wonderful, but she's not madly commercial," he says. Sorting out the change now seemed like the "adult thing to do". He founded Richer Sounds in 1978, aged just 19. There are now 53 outlets, with 530 staff and about £200m in annual revenues. It's brought him the sort of wealth that many staff can only dream off - £160m, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. What he calls a "cautious, conservative" approach to expanding the business has been one reason for his success, Mr Richer believes. But another reason has been an enlightened attitude to staff, something he set out in his 2001 management book The Richer Way. Mr Richer told the BBC: "I've been running my business for 40 years and the overriding thing I've learned is that it's all about the people. If you treat your people right, then they are going to be happier, give a better service, stay with you, they are not going to steal." Richer Sounds also has 12 holiday properties - including in Paris and Barcelona - for staff use, with about 70% of the workforce using at least one home each year. As part of this week's announcement, staff (excluding directors) will receive a big windfall in the form of £1,000 for every year of service. The average length of service is eight years. "I just felt it was the right thing to do. There were a lot of happy people yesterday." While earlier reports put the cost to Mr Richer at £3.5m, the businessman told the BBC on Wednesday that the final costs might be closer to £4m. "It was an expensive day," he said. 'Evil' zero-hours Working conditions in the UK worry him. The announcement of the trust came on the same day that unemployment figures showed another fall. "At face value, that's great, but I do worry about the quality of the jobs," he says. "I'm concerned about low wages and people living below the living wage. I'm concerned about evil zero-hours contracts. I hate penalties for people being off sick." Life is tough for many people, both in work and out of it, he says, adding: "Inequality at the moment is the worst I've know it in my lifetime," he says. It's why 15% of Richer Sounds profits go to charity. He also helps finance Taxwatch, a non-profit organisation that seeks to expose tax avoidance by multi-national corporations and the mega-rich. His anger at the UK's broken system prompted him to write another book - The Ethical Capitalist: How to Make Business Work Better for Society - published last year. In it, he admits to once paying himself gold bullion to avoid paying national insurance. Although legal, it was "not morally justifiable" and he stopped. 'Funny feeling' One of his hopes is that setting up the Richer Sounds trust and gifting money to staff "will set a good example". What will he do now? Firstly, he's not retiring from Richer Sounds. "On Monday, I was handed an employment contract, and had a little chat about the hours I will be working. It was a funny feeling." Day-to-day operations are overseen by the chief executive, Julie Abraham. And Mr Richer is one of the four trustees in the new set-up. "They've all been with the company a long time. We do things in a collaborative way," he says. "At the moment, I am still going to be as involved as ever," he says. "But I've passed [the business] over to a trust, and I will be respectful of that." So he won't necessarily have more time to perform as the drummer in his funk band, Ten Millennia. There are also other business interests, too, now including acting as an adviser to the chief executive of Marks & Spencer, Steve Rowe, as he seeks to restructure operations and finalise plans for a joint venture with online food firm Ocado. It's a company
### Summary:
Richer Sounds founder and CEO Richer Richer has announced he will be retiring from the company.
### Text:
Richer Richer has announced he will be retiring from the company.
### Summary |