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Add punctuation: The nuclear powered USS John C Stennis, as well as its escort ships, were prevented from docking on Friday.
The US said it expected that a separate port visit for another US ship, the USS Blue Ridge, would continue as normal.
A dispute over China's military presence in the South China sea has dogged relations between the US and China in recent years.
The request for the visit was recently denied despite a "long track record of successful port visits to Hong Kong", Pentagon spokesman Bill Urban told Reuters.
The USS Blue Ridge had entered Hong Kong earlier on Friday morning, Reuters reported.
No official reason has yet been given for the denial of permission to the aircraft carrier.
The ship has been touring the Western Pacific region for several months.
Earlier this month the US Defence Secretary, Ash Carter, landed on board the USS John C Stennis to state his support for allies in the region.
"What's new is not an American carrier in this region," he said on 15 April. "What's new is the context of tension which exists, which we want to reduce."
Earlier this month the US and the Philippines agreed to conduct joint patrols in the South China Sea.
China claims most of the sea as its own and has become increasingly assertive.
Contested South China Sea | The nuclear powered USS John C Stennis, as well as its escort ships, were prevented from docking on Friday.
The US said it expected that a separate port visit for another US ship, the USS Blue Ridge, would continue as normal.
A dispute over China's military presence in the South China sea has dogged relations between the US and China in recent years.
The request for the visit was recently denied despite a "long track record of successful port visits to Hong Kong", Pentagon spokesman Bill Urban told Reuters.
The USS Blue Ridge had entered Hong Kong earlier on Friday morning, Reuters reported.
No official reason has yet been given for the denial of permission to the aircraft carrier.
The ship has been touring the Western Pacific region for several months.
Earlier this month the US Defence Secretary, Ash Carter, landed on board the USS John C Stennis to state his support for allies in the region.
"What's new is not an American carrier in this region," he said on 15 April. "What's new is the context of tension which exists, which we want to reduce."
Earlier this month the US and the Philippines agreed to conduct joint patrols in the South China Sea.
China claims most of the sea as its own and has become increasingly assertive.
Contested South China Sea |
Add punctuation: Mr Ouattara's party supported the changes but the members of the ruling coalition were opposed.
The strongest opposition came from the PDCI, which backed Mr Ouattara in the disputed November 2010 election.
Analysts say the splits highlight the continued political instability in the world's major cocoa producer.
It is slowly recovering from months of unrest following the poll, in which former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept Mr Ouattara's victory.
Kenya's controversial marriage reforms
PDCI candidate Henri Konan Bedie came third in the election and in exchange for his support in the run-off, Mr Ouattara appointed a prime minister from the PDCI.
But sources say Mr Ouattara feels he no longer has the full support of the PDCI, which governed Ivory Coast for 39 years from independence until a 1999 coup.
Like many African countries, Ivory Coast's law currently recognises the husband as head of the household, responsible for all major decisions - a situation Mr Ouattara's RDR wanted to change.
Amadou Gon Coulibaly, general secretary of the presidency, said the unexpected decision to dissolve the government came after the PDCI voted against the new marriage law on Tuesday evening.
"You can say that this was the drop of water that made the vase overflow," a presidential aide, who did not wish to be named, told the AP news agency.
Since assuming control in March 2011, Mr Ouattara has presided over an economic recovery in Ivory Coast.
But these economic gains have been threatened by a series of armed attacks on military targets and the country's infrastructure, allegedly launched by allies of Mr Gbagbo from neighbouring Ghana.
The border between the two countries was closed for two weeks after an attack on an army checkpoint in September.
Mr Ouattara has been accused of not working hard enough to promote national reconciliation between his supporters and those of Mr Gbagbo.
More than 3,000 people were killed before Mr Gbagbo was forced from office, with the help of France and UN troops.
Mr Gbagbo is now awaiting trial for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. | Mr Ouattara's party supported the changes but the members of the ruling coalition were opposed.
The strongest opposition came from the PDCI, which backed Mr Ouattara in the disputed November 2010 election.
Analysts say the splits highlight the continued political instability in the world's major cocoa producer.
It is slowly recovering from months of unrest following the poll, in which former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept Mr Ouattara's victory.
Kenya's controversial marriage reforms
PDCI candidate Henri Konan Bedie came third in the election and in exchange for his support in the run-off, Mr Ouattara appointed a prime minister from the PDCI.
But sources say Mr Ouattara feels he no longer has the full support of the PDCI, which governed Ivory Coast for 39 years from independence until a 1999 coup.
Like many African countries, Ivory Coast's law currently recognises the husband as head of the household, responsible for all major decisions - a situation Mr Ouattara's RDR wanted to change.
Amadou Gon Coulibaly, general secretary of the presidency, said the unexpected decision to dissolve the government came after the PDCI voted against the new marriage law on Tuesday evening.
"You can say that this was the drop of water that made the vase overflow," a presidential aide, who did not wish to be named, told the AP news agency.
Since assuming control in March 2011, Mr Ouattara has presided over an economic recovery in Ivory Coast.
But these economic gains have been threatened by a series of armed attacks on military targets and the country's infrastructure, allegedly launched by allies of Mr Gbagbo from neighbouring Ghana.
The border between the two countries was closed for two weeks after an attack on an army checkpoint in September.
Mr Ouattara has been accused of not working hard enough to promote national reconciliation between his supporters and those of Mr Gbagbo.
More than 3,000 people were killed before Mr Gbagbo was forced from office, with the help of France and UN troops.
Mr Gbagbo is now awaiting trial for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. |
Add punctuation: At times he strays into what one of his predecessors, Massimo D'Alema, described as "planetary gaffes".
Here is a selection of quotations from Mr Berlusconi on a range of topics over his years in and out of office.
"The best political leader in Europe and in the world."
"There is no-one on the world stage who can compete with me."
"Out of love for Italy, I felt I had to save it from the left."
"The right man in the right job."
"I don't need to go into office for the power. I have houses all over the world, stupendous boats... beautiful airplanes, a beautiful wife, a beautiful family... I am making a sacrifice."
Yet by May 2010, he appeared in a chastened mood when he told a news conference at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris: "As prime minister, I have never had the feeling that I was in power."
Mr Berlusconi - caught in a series of scandals over his private life, including his alleged dealings with younger women and prostitutes - has frequently turned to a pithy phrase in an attempt to shrug off the allegations.
For instance, in April 2011, he said: "When asked if they would like to have sex with me, 30% of women said, 'Yes', while the other 70% replied, 'What, again?'"
As allegations swirled about escorts and "Bunga, bunga" parties, Mr Berlusconi admitted: "I am not a saint, you've all understood that."
In an earlier interview with gossip magazine Chi, Mr Berlusconi denied he pays for sex, adding: "I never understood where the satisfaction is when you're missing the pleasure of conquest."
More bluntly, in November 2010 Mr Berlusconi hit out with the following: "It's better to like beautiful girls than to be gay."
In an angry video message broadcast after his prison sentence for tax fraud was upheld by Italy's highest court in August 2013, Mr Berlusconi said he had been the victim of "judicial harassment that is unmatched in the civilised world".
"In exchange for the commitments I have made over almost 20 years in favour of my country and coming almost at the end of my public life, I have been rewarded with accusations and a verdict that is founded on absolutely nothing. Is this the way Italy recognises the sacrifices and commitment of its best citizens?" he said.
On the same theme, he declared after his immunity from prosecution was lifted in 2009: "I am without doubt the person who's been the most persecuted in the entire history of the world and the history of man."
"In my opinion, and not only mine, I am the best prime minister we can find today."
And also: "I am the Jesus Christ of politics. I am a patient victim, I put up with everyone, I sacrifice myself for everyone."
In 2008, he described Italy's judiciary as a "cancerous growth".
On judges pursuing former Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti on charges relating to the Mafia: "Those judges are doubly mad! In the first place, because they are politically mad, and in the second place because they are mad anyway.
"If they do that job, it is because they are anthropologically different from the rest of the human race."
In November 2011, facing the biggest crisis of his leadership, he said: "I want to look those who want to betray me in the face."
In 2009, a spat with his former wife hit the paper, as she criticised his party's plan to field attractive young women as European election candidates. He contrasted his "cultured and well-prepared" candidates with the other parties' "malodorous and badly dressed people".
He is quoted as saying on 9 April 2008: "The left has no taste, even when it comes to women."
On left-wing voters at a conference of retailers during the 2006 campaign: "I trust the intelligence of the Italian people too much to think that there are so many pricks around who would vote against their own best interests."
Promising to put family values at the centre of his campaign for the April 2006 general election: "I will try to meet your expectations, and I promise from now on, two-and-a-half months of absolute sexual abstinence, until [election day on] 9 April." He later insisted the pledge was "just a joke".
"Mussolini never killed anyone. Mussolini used to send people on vacation in internal exile."
"The racial laws were the worst fault of Mussolini as a leader, who in so many other ways did well."
Speaking on 13 August 2011, as he announced a raft of new austerity measures: "Our hearts are bleeding. This government had bragged that it never put its hands in the pockets of Italians but the world situation changed. We are facing the biggest global challenge."
But on 4 November 2011, he told a news conference at the end of a G20 summit: "The life in Italy is the life of a wealthy country: consumptions haven't diminished, it's hard to find seats on planes, our restaurants are full of people."
"We must be aware of the superiority of our civilisation, a system that has guaranteed well-being, respect for human rights and - in contrast with Islamic countries - respect for religious and political rights, a system that has as its value understanding of diversity and tolerance...
"The West will continue to conquer peoples, even if it means a confrontation with another civilisation, Islam, firmly entrenched where it was 1,400 years ago."
His response to worldwide condemnation of the above speech: "They have tried to hang me on an isolated word, taken out of context from my whole speech."
"I did not say anything against the Islamic civilisation... It's the work of some people in the Italian leftist press who wanted to tarnish my image and destroy my long-standing relations with Arabs and Muslims."
On his alleged conflict of interest as prime minister and one of Italy's biggest tycoons, with major media holdings: "If I, taking care of everyone's interests, also take care of my own, you can't talk about a conflict of interest."
Of Barack Obama, upon his election as US president in November 2008, he said: "[Mr Obama is] young, handsome and suntanned."
His response to the wave of criticism following the remark: ''God save us from imbeciles... How can you take such a great compliment negatively?"
An unabashed Mr Berlusconi rehashed the jibe on his return from the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on 28 September 2009: "Ah, Barack Obama. You won't believe it, but the two of them sunbathe together, because the wife is also tanned."
In general, Mr Berlusconi won praise for his handling of an earthquake that hit central Italy on 6 April - except for his advice to homeless survivors that they should see their plight "like a weekend of camping."
In September 2010, speaking at a youth rally, saying women should marry rich, older men: "Women are lining up to marry me. Legend has it, I know how to do it."
In January 2007, Mr Berlusconi was forced to issue a public apology to his wife, after she accused him of flirting with two women.
"If I wasn't already married, I would marry you right away," Mrs Berlusconi accused him of telling women at a TV awards dinner.
"With you, I'd go anywhere," he was quoted as telling another woman.
On Italian secretaries (comments made at the New York Stock Exchange): "Italy is now a great country to invest in... Today we have fewer communists and those who are still there deny having been one. Another reason to invest in Italy is that we have beautiful secretaries... superb girls."
"In Italy, I am almost seen as German for my workaholism. Also I am from Milan, the city where people work the hardest. Work, work, work - I am almost German."
In June 2005, on enlisting the support of Finnish President Tarja Halonen for Italy to host the European Food Safety Authority: "I had to use all my playboy tactics."
Mr Berlusconi added insult to injury by saying that he had had to "endure the Finnish diet", such as smoked herrings.
To German MEP Martin Schulz, at start of Italy's EU presidency in July 2003: "I know that in Italy there is a man producing a film on Nazi concentration camps - I shall put you forward for the role of Kapo (guard chosen from among the prisoners) - you would be perfect."
During the controversy raging over the above remark: "I'll try to soften it and become boring, maybe even very boring, but I am not sure I will be able to do it."
At the Brussels summit, at the end of Italy's EU presidency, in December 2003: "Let's talk about football and women." (Turning to four-times-married German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder.) "Gerhard, why don't you start?"
On his first meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in 2002, Berlusconi complimented him with the words: "Mr Rasmussen is not only a great colleague, he's also the best-looking prime minister in Europe."
A joke about Aids told by Mr Berlusconi: "An Aids patient asks his doctor whether the sand treatment prescribed him will do any good. 'No', the doctor replies, 'but you will get accustomed to living under the earth'."
His response to critics who said the joke was offensive: "They have lost their minds; they really have come to the end of the line, indeed they have gone beyond it. I would advise them, too, to undergo sand treatment..." | At times he strays into what one of his predecessors, Massimo D'Alema, described as "planetary gaffes".
Here is a selection of quotations from Mr Berlusconi on a range of topics over his years in and out of office.
"The best political leader in Europe and in the world."
"There is no-one on the world stage who can compete with me."
"Out of love for Italy, I felt I had to save it from the left."
"The right man in the right job."
"I don't need to go into office for the power. I have houses all over the world, stupendous boats... beautiful airplanes, a beautiful wife, a beautiful family... I am making a sacrifice."
Yet by May 2010, he appeared in a chastened mood when he told a news conference at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris: "As prime minister, I have never had the feeling that I was in power."
Mr Berlusconi - caught in a series of scandals over his private life, including his alleged dealings with younger women and prostitutes - has frequently turned to a pithy phrase in an attempt to shrug off the allegations.
For instance, in April 2011, he said: "When asked if they would like to have sex with me, 30% of women said, 'Yes', while the other 70% replied, 'What, again?'"
As allegations swirled about escorts and "Bunga, bunga" parties, Mr Berlusconi admitted: "I am not a saint, you've all understood that."
In an earlier interview with gossip magazine Chi, Mr Berlusconi denied he pays for sex, adding: "I never understood where the satisfaction is when you're missing the pleasure of conquest."
More bluntly, in November 2010 Mr Berlusconi hit out with the following: "It's better to like beautiful girls than to be gay."
In an angry video message broadcast after his prison sentence for tax fraud was upheld by Italy's highest court in August 2013, Mr Berlusconi said he had been the victim of "judicial harassment that is unmatched in the civilised world".
"In exchange for the commitments I have made over almost 20 years in favour of my country and coming almost at the end of my public life, I have been rewarded with accusations and a verdict that is founded on absolutely nothing. Is this the way Italy recognises the sacrifices and commitment of its best citizens?" he said.
On the same theme, he declared after his immunity from prosecution was lifted in 2009: "I am without doubt the person who's been the most persecuted in the entire history of the world and the history of man."
"In my opinion, and not only mine, I am the best prime minister we can find today."
And also: "I am the Jesus Christ of politics. I am a patient victim, I put up with everyone, I sacrifice myself for everyone."
In 2008, he described Italy's judiciary as a "cancerous growth".
On judges pursuing former Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti on charges relating to the Mafia: "Those judges are doubly mad! In the first place, because they are politically mad, and in the second place because they are mad anyway.
"If they do that job, it is because they are anthropologically different from the rest of the human race."
In November 2011, facing the biggest crisis of his leadership, he said: "I want to look those who want to betray me in the face."
In 2009, a spat with his former wife hit the paper, as she criticised his party's plan to field attractive young women as European election candidates. He contrasted his "cultured and well-prepared" candidates with the other parties' "malodorous and badly dressed people".
He is quoted as saying on 9 April 2008: "The left has no taste, even when it comes to women."
On left-wing voters at a conference of retailers during the 2006 campaign: "I trust the intelligence of the Italian people too much to think that there are so many pricks around who would vote against their own best interests."
Promising to put family values at the centre of his campaign for the April 2006 general election: "I will try to meet your expectations, and I promise from now on, two-and-a-half months of absolute sexual abstinence, until [election day on] 9 April." He later insisted the pledge was "just a joke".
"Mussolini never killed anyone. Mussolini used to send people on vacation in internal exile."
"The racial laws were the worst fault of Mussolini as a leader, who in so many other ways did well."
Speaking on 13 August 2011, as he announced a raft of new austerity measures: "Our hearts are bleeding. This government had bragged that it never put its hands in the pockets of Italians but the world situation changed. We are facing the biggest global challenge."
But on 4 November 2011, he told a news conference at the end of a G20 summit: "The life in Italy is the life of a wealthy country: consumptions haven't diminished, it's hard to find seats on planes, our restaurants are full of people."
"We must be aware of the superiority of our civilisation, a system that has guaranteed well-being, respect for human rights and - in contrast with Islamic countries - respect for religious and political rights, a system that has as its value understanding of diversity and tolerance...
"The West will continue to conquer peoples, even if it means a confrontation with another civilisation, Islam, firmly entrenched where it was 1,400 years ago."
His response to worldwide condemnation of the above speech: "They have tried to hang me on an isolated word, taken out of context from my whole speech."
"I did not say anything against the Islamic civilisation... It's the work of some people in the Italian leftist press who wanted to tarnish my image and destroy my long-standing relations with Arabs and Muslims."
On his alleged conflict of interest as prime minister and one of Italy's biggest tycoons, with major media holdings: "If I, taking care of everyone's interests, also take care of my own, you can't talk about a conflict of interest."
Of Barack Obama, upon his election as US president in November 2008, he said: "[Mr Obama is] young, handsome and suntanned."
His response to the wave of criticism following the remark: ''God save us from imbeciles... How can you take such a great compliment negatively?"
An unabashed Mr Berlusconi rehashed the jibe on his return from the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on 28 September 2009: "Ah, Barack Obama. You won't believe it, but the two of them sunbathe together, because the wife is also tanned."
In general, Mr Berlusconi won praise for his handling of an earthquake that hit central Italy on 6 April - except for his advice to homeless survivors that they should see their plight "like a weekend of camping."
In September 2010, speaking at a youth rally, saying women should marry rich, older men: "Women are lining up to marry me. Legend has it, I know how to do it."
In January 2007, Mr Berlusconi was forced to issue a public apology to his wife, after she accused him of flirting with two women.
"If I wasn't already married, I would marry you right away," Mrs Berlusconi accused him of telling women at a TV awards dinner.
"With you, I'd go anywhere," he was quoted as telling another woman.
On Italian secretaries (comments made at the New York Stock Exchange): "Italy is now a great country to invest in... Today we have fewer communists and those who are still there deny having been one. Another reason to invest in Italy is that we have beautiful secretaries... superb girls."
"In Italy, I am almost seen as German for my workaholism. Also I am from Milan, the city where people work the hardest. Work, work, work - I am almost German."
In June 2005, on enlisting the support of Finnish President Tarja Halonen for Italy to host the European Food Safety Authority: "I had to use all my playboy tactics."
Mr Berlusconi added insult to injury by saying that he had had to "endure the Finnish diet", such as smoked herrings.
To German MEP Martin Schulz, at start of Italy's EU presidency in July 2003: "I know that in Italy there is a man producing a film on Nazi concentration camps - I shall put you forward for the role of Kapo (guard chosen from among the prisoners) - you would be perfect."
During the controversy raging over the above remark: "I'll try to soften it and become boring, maybe even very boring, but I am not sure I will be able to do it."
At the Brussels summit, at the end of Italy's EU presidency, in December 2003: "Let's talk about football and women." (Turning to four-times-married German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder.) "Gerhard, why don't you start?"
On his first meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in 2002, Berlusconi complimented him with the words: "Mr Rasmussen is not only a great colleague, he's also the best-looking prime minister in Europe."
A joke about Aids told by Mr Berlusconi: "An Aids patient asks his doctor whether the sand treatment prescribed him will do any good. 'No', the doctor replies, 'but you will get accustomed to living under the earth'."
His response to critics who said the joke was offensive: "They have lost their minds; they really have come to the end of the line, indeed they have gone beyond it. I would advise them, too, to undergo sand treatment..." |
Add punctuation: King's College has acquired "the last great collection of Rupert Brooke manuscripts still in private hands".
The John Schroder Collection was bought for £500,000, mostly funded by a National Heritage Memorial Fund award.
They reveal he was "more interesting and difficult" than "the heroic image portrayed at the time of his death".
The poet, who was a student and Fellow at King's, died of septicaemia on his way to Gallipoli, on 23 April 1915.
The Schroder Collection includes 170 documents by Brooke, hundreds of letters from people connected with him and eyewitness reports of his death and burial on the Greek island of Skyros.
King's College Fellow Librarian, Peter Jones, said: "A much more complicated and rounded picture emerges when you can look at the manuscripts already at King's, alongside the Schroder Collection.
"We now know much more about Brooke and he is certainly more interesting and, in some ways more difficult, than the heroic image portrayed at the time of his death."
After his death, his friend Eddie Marsh published 1914 and Other Poems and it became "a huge literary event", selling 160,000 copies.
In 1918, he published a memoir of Brooke which sold more than 100,000 copies.
Mr Jones said: "Some of Rupert Brooke's family and closest friends... thought the picture that emerged from this heroic story was not true to the man.
"He had a major breakdown in 1912 and had disastrous relationships with the women who loved him." | King's College has acquired "the last great collection of Rupert Brooke manuscripts still in private hands".
The John Schroder Collection was bought for £500,000, mostly funded by a National Heritage Memorial Fund award.
They reveal he was "more interesting and difficult" than "the heroic image portrayed at the time of his death".
The poet, who was a student and Fellow at King's, died of septicaemia on his way to Gallipoli, on 23 April 1915.
The Schroder Collection includes 170 documents by Brooke, hundreds of letters from people connected with him and eyewitness reports of his death and burial on the Greek island of Skyros.
King's College Fellow Librarian, Peter Jones, said: "A much more complicated and rounded picture emerges when you can look at the manuscripts already at King's, alongside the Schroder Collection.
"We now know much more about Brooke and he is certainly more interesting and, in some ways more difficult, than the heroic image portrayed at the time of his death."
After his death, his friend Eddie Marsh published 1914 and Other Poems and it became "a huge literary event", selling 160,000 copies.
In 1918, he published a memoir of Brooke which sold more than 100,000 copies.
Mr Jones said: "Some of Rupert Brooke's family and closest friends... thought the picture that emerged from this heroic story was not true to the man.
"He had a major breakdown in 1912 and had disastrous relationships with the women who loved him." |
Add punctuation: Anthony Tomlinson said Alison Wilson decided to act because a baby was being "swung round" as the child's mother rowed with Stephen Duggan in Widnes at about 23:20 GMT on 7 March.
He told Liverpool Crown Court seeing that so late at night was "strange".
Duggan, 28, of Runcorn, denies murder.
Mr Tomlinson, who was travelling in a taxi with Ms Wilson when the pair saw the argument, said Duggan and the woman were "tussling" over the baby's car seat.
"One was trying to take the car seat off the other. It was not gentle pushing," he said.
The jury heard he paid the taxi driver as Ms Wilson intervened and "did not feel threatened at all" as he got to the scene, where the mother-of-two was pushing Duggan away from the woman.
He said that without warning, he was then hit over the head.
"I think I was knocked unconscious straightaway. I remember I was lying on the floor and I came round. My first thought was for Al."
Visibly upset, he said the 36-year-old was "standing with her hand on her neck", adding that she had "a look of shock on her face".
"I told her to keep the pressure on it. I didn't think it was bad it as it was."
Ms Wilson was taken to Whiston Hospital, but died there six days later. Mr Tomlinson required plastic surgery on his head wound.
The court also heard from the woman who Duggan was arguing with, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
She said they had become involved in a "tug-of-war" over the car seat after the pair had left a gathering at his father's house.
She told the court the pair and Ms Wilson all had hold of the car seat at one point, before the baby fell out and Duggan punched the woman in the face.
Asked what then happened to Ms Wilson, the woman said she "just saw her hit the floor", but added that she did not see if Duggan was holding anything.
The 28-year-old has admitted assaulting the woman, but denies murdering Ms Wilson, wounding Mr Tomlinson and causing actual bodily harm to the baby.
The trial continues. | Anthony Tomlinson said Alison Wilson decided to act because a baby was being "swung round" as the child's mother rowed with Stephen Duggan in Widnes at about 23:20 GMT on 7 March.
He told Liverpool Crown Court seeing that so late at night was "strange".
Duggan, 28, of Runcorn, denies murder.
Mr Tomlinson, who was travelling in a taxi with Ms Wilson when the pair saw the argument, said Duggan and the woman were "tussling" over the baby's car seat.
"One was trying to take the car seat off the other. It was not gentle pushing," he said.
The jury heard he paid the taxi driver as Ms Wilson intervened and "did not feel threatened at all" as he got to the scene, where the mother-of-two was pushing Duggan away from the woman.
He said that without warning, he was then hit over the head.
"I think I was knocked unconscious straightaway. I remember I was lying on the floor and I came round. My first thought was for Al."
Visibly upset, he said the 36-year-old was "standing with her hand on her neck", adding that she had "a look of shock on her face".
"I told her to keep the pressure on it. I didn't think it was bad it as it was."
Ms Wilson was taken to Whiston Hospital, but died there six days later. Mr Tomlinson required plastic surgery on his head wound.
The court also heard from the woman who Duggan was arguing with, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
She said they had become involved in a "tug-of-war" over the car seat after the pair had left a gathering at his father's house.
She told the court the pair and Ms Wilson all had hold of the car seat at one point, before the baby fell out and Duggan punched the woman in the face.
Asked what then happened to Ms Wilson, the woman said she "just saw her hit the floor", but added that she did not see if Duggan was holding anything.
The 28-year-old has admitted assaulting the woman, but denies murdering Ms Wilson, wounding Mr Tomlinson and causing actual bodily harm to the baby.
The trial continues. |
Add punctuation: It was a stunning result for a party which had seen two previous administrations overthrown by a coup and a controversial court decision, and whose supporters had just the year before been involved in an occupation of Bangkok, which ended in bloodshed.
An essential part of Ms Yingluck's winning manifesto was a generous promise to rice farmers. That is at the heart of the legal case against her.
Under the new scheme the government was supposed to buy the entire rice crop, and pay 15,000 baht (£350; $450) per tonne, well above the 11,000 baht guaranteed by the previous government. It was wildly popular with farmers.
But economists and agricultural experts immediately questioned its viability. The price of 15,000 baht was significantly higher than the global rice price, and Thailand exports more of its crop than any other country - it was the world's number one rice exporter at the time.
Its principal rivals India and Vietnam, it was predicted, would simply increase their exports at Thailand's expense, offering a price much lower than the Thai government could, unless it was willing to incur huge losses. And there were many warnings that the scheme was vulnerable to corruption.
Six years later Ms Yingluck faces a possible 10-year prison sentence on charges of malfeasance, or dereliction of duty, over the rice scheme. She has not been charged with corruption, but with failing to prevent it, in her capacity as prime minister and as chair of the National Rice Policy Committee.
If convicted she could be permanently banned from politics - she has already been banned for five years after being impeached in 2015.
Unsurprisingly Ms Yingluck and her party have cried foul.
After all her government was overthrown, in 2014, by the same army officers who now run Thailand.
They justified their coup by the need to restore order, but had conspicuously failed to offer her support as she faced sustained protests in Bangkok, which had crippled her administration. The military is not seen as impartial, and it wields authoritarian powers, even extending to judicial cases.
The rice scheme was inordinately expensive and wasteful. The exact cost, of rice that rotted in storage, that was stolen or improperly sold, is still disputed. But the government estimates it cost the state at least $8bn - some estimates go as high as $20bn, although these include the overall cost of the subsidy, not just losses through corruption and mismanagement.
The scheme did raise farmers' living standards, but was almost certainly unsustainable.
There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of corruption, although few cases have yet gone to court. The best-known case, in which a former commerce minister and 27 other defendants are accused of an allegedly fraudulent government-to-government deal to sell rice to China, will conclude on the same day Ms Yingluck hears her verdict.
Ms Yingluck argued in court that she was not responsible for day-to-day running of the scheme, and that as a key policy platform when she was elected she could not order it to be cancelled. She pointed to what she believes are multiple procedural flaws in the case.
Whatever the merits of the case against her, few observers doubt that the military government wants to see Thaksin Shinawatra's political movement weakened before it allows the restoration of some kind of democracy.
Ms Yingluck is very popular, and an effective vote-winner. With Mr Thaksin entering his 10th year of exile, his party is struggling to find a replacement leader.
But her fate presents Thailand's current rulers with some dilemmas.
If she is acquitted Mr Thaksin, who is protective of his younger sister, might be emboldened to push for a greater share of power in a post-election Thailand than the military is willing to accept. An acquittal would outrage hard-line conservatives, and those who led the protests against the Yingluck government.
If she is sent to prison, hard-line opponents of the Shinawatra clan would be satisfied, and she would be completely removed from politics. Convicting her would also help the generals to justify their coup, as part of a fight against corruption.
But it risks making the telegenic Ms Yingluck into a symbol of resistance for the so-called red-shirt mass movement that supports her.
Red-shirt leaders acknowledge that mobilising large-scale protests against a conviction would be difficult under a military government. They have ruled out any repeat of the occupation of central Bangkok that ended so badly seven years ago.
But they say they would view a conviction as the first shot in a re-ignited conflict with the military, as an end to any pretence of reconciliation. And they do not rule out localised demonstrations of anger by Ms Yingluck's supporters.
This worries the government, because it wants calm in the run-up to the elaborate cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October. It will also need to be mindful of the wishes of King Vajiralongkorn, who is expected to hold a coronation ceremony not long after the cremation.
A possible compromise might be a suspended prison sentence for Ms Yingluck. This is possible if she receives less than five years. Even if she is given a custodial sentence, government legal experts say she can appeal. But that would depend on her. She might choose not to.
Behind all of this lies the jostling for a new balance of power once the generals allow an election to take place.
In that election, polls suggest Pheu Thai will be the largest party, as it has been in every election since 2001, although the new electoral system will almost certainly ensure it does not win a majority of seats in the lower house of parliament.
But the political parties will have to contend with a 250-seat senate entirely appointed by the military, and with a military-drafted reform blueprint for the next 20 years, which all governments are legally required to honour.
In this environment no-one is sure who is in line to be the next prime minister. In the past in Thailand, elected governments were able to concentrate a lot of power and patronage in their hands. That will no longer be the case.
Some in Pheu Thai believe it might actually be better for the party to have a spell in opposition - that the first elected government will be so constrained by the courts and the generals it is not a prize worth having.
The military itself is factionalised, and it is not clear that the current ruling clique will remain dominant. Another important unknown is what King Vajiralongkorn wants.
The intimidating shadow of the lese majeste law makes any discussion of his role impossible in Thailand, but he has already made it clear that he wishes to be consulted on important decisions, and that he is willing to exercise his influence in ways that his father did not.
He may prove to be one of the most important factors in reshaping Thailand's future. | It was a stunning result for a party which had seen two previous administrations overthrown by a coup and a controversial court decision, and whose supporters had just the year before been involved in an occupation of Bangkok, which ended in bloodshed.
An essential part of Ms Yingluck's winning manifesto was a generous promise to rice farmers. That is at the heart of the legal case against her.
Under the new scheme the government was supposed to buy the entire rice crop, and pay 15,000 baht (£350; $450) per tonne, well above the 11,000 baht guaranteed by the previous government. It was wildly popular with farmers.
But economists and agricultural experts immediately questioned its viability. The price of 15,000 baht was significantly higher than the global rice price, and Thailand exports more of its crop than any other country - it was the world's number one rice exporter at the time.
Its principal rivals India and Vietnam, it was predicted, would simply increase their exports at Thailand's expense, offering a price much lower than the Thai government could, unless it was willing to incur huge losses. And there were many warnings that the scheme was vulnerable to corruption.
Six years later Ms Yingluck faces a possible 10-year prison sentence on charges of malfeasance, or dereliction of duty, over the rice scheme. She has not been charged with corruption, but with failing to prevent it, in her capacity as prime minister and as chair of the National Rice Policy Committee.
If convicted she could be permanently banned from politics - she has already been banned for five years after being impeached in 2015.
Unsurprisingly Ms Yingluck and her party have cried foul.
After all her government was overthrown, in 2014, by the same army officers who now run Thailand.
They justified their coup by the need to restore order, but had conspicuously failed to offer her support as she faced sustained protests in Bangkok, which had crippled her administration. The military is not seen as impartial, and it wields authoritarian powers, even extending to judicial cases.
The rice scheme was inordinately expensive and wasteful. The exact cost, of rice that rotted in storage, that was stolen or improperly sold, is still disputed. But the government estimates it cost the state at least $8bn - some estimates go as high as $20bn, although these include the overall cost of the subsidy, not just losses through corruption and mismanagement.
The scheme did raise farmers' living standards, but was almost certainly unsustainable.
There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of corruption, although few cases have yet gone to court. The best-known case, in which a former commerce minister and 27 other defendants are accused of an allegedly fraudulent government-to-government deal to sell rice to China, will conclude on the same day Ms Yingluck hears her verdict.
Ms Yingluck argued in court that she was not responsible for day-to-day running of the scheme, and that as a key policy platform when she was elected she could not order it to be cancelled. She pointed to what she believes are multiple procedural flaws in the case.
Whatever the merits of the case against her, few observers doubt that the military government wants to see Thaksin Shinawatra's political movement weakened before it allows the restoration of some kind of democracy.
Ms Yingluck is very popular, and an effective vote-winner. With Mr Thaksin entering his 10th year of exile, his party is struggling to find a replacement leader.
But her fate presents Thailand's current rulers with some dilemmas.
If she is acquitted Mr Thaksin, who is protective of his younger sister, might be emboldened to push for a greater share of power in a post-election Thailand than the military is willing to accept. An acquittal would outrage hard-line conservatives, and those who led the protests against the Yingluck government.
If she is sent to prison, hard-line opponents of the Shinawatra clan would be satisfied, and she would be completely removed from politics. Convicting her would also help the generals to justify their coup, as part of a fight against corruption.
But it risks making the telegenic Ms Yingluck into a symbol of resistance for the so-called red-shirt mass movement that supports her.
Red-shirt leaders acknowledge that mobilising large-scale protests against a conviction would be difficult under a military government. They have ruled out any repeat of the occupation of central Bangkok that ended so badly seven years ago.
But they say they would view a conviction as the first shot in a re-ignited conflict with the military, as an end to any pretence of reconciliation. And they do not rule out localised demonstrations of anger by Ms Yingluck's supporters.
This worries the government, because it wants calm in the run-up to the elaborate cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October. It will also need to be mindful of the wishes of King Vajiralongkorn, who is expected to hold a coronation ceremony not long after the cremation.
A possible compromise might be a suspended prison sentence for Ms Yingluck. This is possible if she receives less than five years. Even if she is given a custodial sentence, government legal experts say she can appeal. But that would depend on her. She might choose not to.
Behind all of this lies the jostling for a new balance of power once the generals allow an election to take place.
In that election, polls suggest Pheu Thai will be the largest party, as it has been in every election since 2001, although the new electoral system will almost certainly ensure it does not win a majority of seats in the lower house of parliament.
But the political parties will have to contend with a 250-seat senate entirely appointed by the military, and with a military-drafted reform blueprint for the next 20 years, which all governments are legally required to honour.
In this environment no-one is sure who is in line to be the next prime minister. In the past in Thailand, elected governments were able to concentrate a lot of power and patronage in their hands. That will no longer be the case.
Some in Pheu Thai believe it might actually be better for the party to have a spell in opposition - that the first elected government will be so constrained by the courts and the generals it is not a prize worth having.
The military itself is factionalised, and it is not clear that the current ruling clique will remain dominant. Another important unknown is what King Vajiralongkorn wants.
The intimidating shadow of the lese majeste law makes any discussion of his role impossible in Thailand, but he has already made it clear that he wishes to be consulted on important decisions, and that he is willing to exercise his influence in ways that his father did not.
He may prove to be one of the most important factors in reshaping Thailand's future. |
Add punctuation: Shares in the UK's second-largest supermarket rose 2.5% after reports it had made a bid of £130m for the chain, which has 3,000 stores.
That made Sainsbury's the biggest riser on the benchmark FTSE 100 share index, which was up 41.07 points, to 0.6%, at 7,504.61 shortly after midday.
In the FTSE 250, Ocado jumped 8.6% on talk that it could become a bid target.
Credit Suisse said last week's announcement that Amazon was buying Whole Foods increased the likelihood of Ocado being a takeover target. Separately, analysts at Exane raised their rating on Ocado to "outperform".
Shares in womenswear chain Bonmarche fell 2.6% after it reported a 40% fall in annual profits.
The retailer admitted that the past year had been "more challenging than we had expected", with the market hit by a combination of rising prices and wages, uncertainty surrounding the Brexit referendum, and unseasonal weather.
On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.2% against the dollar to $1.2796 and was 0.1% higher against the euro at 1.1428 euros. | Shares in the UK's second-largest supermarket rose 2.5% after reports it had made a bid of £130m for the chain, which has 3,000 stores.
That made Sainsbury's the biggest riser on the benchmark FTSE 100 share index, which was up 41.07 points, to 0.6%, at 7,504.61 shortly after midday.
In the FTSE 250, Ocado jumped 8.6% on talk that it could become a bid target.
Credit Suisse said last week's announcement that Amazon was buying Whole Foods increased the likelihood of Ocado being a takeover target. Separately, analysts at Exane raised their rating on Ocado to "outperform".
Shares in womenswear chain Bonmarche fell 2.6% after it reported a 40% fall in annual profits.
The retailer admitted that the past year had been "more challenging than we had expected", with the market hit by a combination of rising prices and wages, uncertainty surrounding the Brexit referendum, and unseasonal weather.
On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.2% against the dollar to $1.2796 and was 0.1% higher against the euro at 1.1428 euros. |
Add punctuation: The Conservative MP represents Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale which borders with Cumbria.
He has pledged to work with the Scottish government to look at taking the line beyond Tweedbank.
The SNP has already given a commitment to a feasibility study into looking at extending the track.
Earlier this year First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it made sense to look at the possibility.
In a speech in Edinburgh, Mr Mundell said: "Scotland needs good transport links to thrive.
"During the election, the first minister stated her commitment of exploring the feasibility of extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle.
"Patently, such a development would require cross-border working and partnership."
He said he was ready to work with the Scottish government on the issue, as it developed its "plans and thinking".
He added: "I think it is a realistic prospect.
"It obviously requires considerable work in terms of ensuring that the route is identified.
"There are complexities because, obviously, it crosses a border and the legislation and rules required to create a railway in England are slightly different from those in Scotland.
"But I think everyone is of a mind that it should be done and the funding obviously is identified."
He said it could make a "major difference" for communities like Hawick.
"It's also got huge potential in the south to take traffic off the roads. I have committed to play my part," he said. | The Conservative MP represents Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale which borders with Cumbria.
He has pledged to work with the Scottish government to look at taking the line beyond Tweedbank.
The SNP has already given a commitment to a feasibility study into looking at extending the track.
Earlier this year First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it made sense to look at the possibility.
In a speech in Edinburgh, Mr Mundell said: "Scotland needs good transport links to thrive.
"During the election, the first minister stated her commitment of exploring the feasibility of extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle.
"Patently, such a development would require cross-border working and partnership."
He said he was ready to work with the Scottish government on the issue, as it developed its "plans and thinking".
He added: "I think it is a realistic prospect.
"It obviously requires considerable work in terms of ensuring that the route is identified.
"There are complexities because, obviously, it crosses a border and the legislation and rules required to create a railway in England are slightly different from those in Scotland.
"But I think everyone is of a mind that it should be done and the funding obviously is identified."
He said it could make a "major difference" for communities like Hawick.
"It's also got huge potential in the south to take traffic off the roads. I have committed to play my part," he said. |
Add punctuation: The move was announced in a decree (in Russian), in which Mr Putin also ordered trade talks with Turkey.
The ban on charter flights hurt the tourist industry in Turkey, a favourite destination for many Russians.
The Kremlin accepted a letter from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an apology this week.
Mr Putin spoke to Mr Erdogan by phone on Wednesday, telling him he planned to lift the travel sanctions.
The lifting of non-travel trade sanctions will depend on the outcome of the trade talks, the Russian leader said in his decree.
Mr Putin also condemned Tuesday's gun and bomb attack on Istanbul's Ataturk airport, one of the busiest in the world.
Mr Erdogan had expressed "regret" earlier this week to Mr Putin and to the family of the Russian pilot killed in the incident.
The fighter jet was shot down near the Syria-Turkey border in November. Turkey said the jet had been warned repeatedly after entering Turkish airspace, a claim fiercely denied by Russian officials.
Mr Putin said he had been stabbed in the back and accused Mr Erdogan of collaborating with so-called Islamic State.
Russia responding by hitting Turkey with a raft of sanctions, stopping the Russian package holidays and banning the import of Turkish foodstuffs.
The Russian Su-24, an all-weather attack aircraft, was flying in skies above the Turkey-Syria border area on 24 November when it was shot down by Turkish F-16s.
The plane crashed in the mountainous Jabal Turkmen area of the Syrian province of Latakia, killing the pilot.
A Russian marine involved in a helicopter rescue attempt was killed when the helicopter came under fire from local fighters.
The navigator in the jet, Capt Konstantin Murakhtin, survived the crash and was taken to Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Latakia by Syrian government forces.
Turkey said planes were warned 10 times during five minutes via an "emergency" channel and asked to change direction.
The Russian defence ministry insisted that the aircraft remained within Syria's borders throughout its mission and did not violate Turkish airspace and received no warnings. | The move was announced in a decree (in Russian), in which Mr Putin also ordered trade talks with Turkey.
The ban on charter flights hurt the tourist industry in Turkey, a favourite destination for many Russians.
The Kremlin accepted a letter from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an apology this week.
Mr Putin spoke to Mr Erdogan by phone on Wednesday, telling him he planned to lift the travel sanctions.
The lifting of non-travel trade sanctions will depend on the outcome of the trade talks, the Russian leader said in his decree.
Mr Putin also condemned Tuesday's gun and bomb attack on Istanbul's Ataturk airport, one of the busiest in the world.
Mr Erdogan had expressed "regret" earlier this week to Mr Putin and to the family of the Russian pilot killed in the incident.
The fighter jet was shot down near the Syria-Turkey border in November. Turkey said the jet had been warned repeatedly after entering Turkish airspace, a claim fiercely denied by Russian officials.
Mr Putin said he had been stabbed in the back and accused Mr Erdogan of collaborating with so-called Islamic State.
Russia responding by hitting Turkey with a raft of sanctions, stopping the Russian package holidays and banning the import of Turkish foodstuffs.
The Russian Su-24, an all-weather attack aircraft, was flying in skies above the Turkey-Syria border area on 24 November when it was shot down by Turkish F-16s.
The plane crashed in the mountainous Jabal Turkmen area of the Syrian province of Latakia, killing the pilot.
A Russian marine involved in a helicopter rescue attempt was killed when the helicopter came under fire from local fighters.
The navigator in the jet, Capt Konstantin Murakhtin, survived the crash and was taken to Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Latakia by Syrian government forces.
Turkey said planes were warned 10 times during five minutes via an "emergency" channel and asked to change direction.
The Russian defence ministry insisted that the aircraft remained within Syria's borders throughout its mission and did not violate Turkish airspace and received no warnings. |
Add punctuation: Ms Sturgeon became Scotland's first female leader in November.
She said she was using her role to champion social justice but her rivals said it had been a disappointing start.
Labour claims she is ignoring the "emerging crisis" in the NHS, while the Tories believe she is too reliant on state solutions to Scotland's problems.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie has accused her of remaining fixated on independence.
Ms Sturgeon succeeded Alex Salmond who stepped down as first minister after a majority of voters rejected independence in September's referendum.
On her appointment, she pledged to build a "social democratic and socially just" nation and vowed to lead Scotland's "most open and accessible" government.
She said some of her key achievements included appointing the first gender-balanced cabinet in the UK, abolishing the poll tax, launching a consultation on land reform and agreeing the delivery of votes for 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon also said she had delivered on the pledge to be open and accessible with online Facebook Q&As and frequent Cabinet meetings around the country.
"When I became first minister I was clear that I wanted to create a Scotland where everyone has the same chance of success, whatever their background," she said.
"That is how we not only improve lives but also grow our economy.
"In the first 100 days of my government we've begun work to achieve those aspirations."
She added: "This week have demonstrated my commitment to helping to break down the barriers that prevent our young people from achieving their full potential.
"I am very proud of the work myself and my team have done so far - but I am also clear that we have much more to do.
"Everything I have learned over the first 100 days has made me more determined than ever - over the next 100 days and beyond - to make Scotland a better, fairer, more prosperous place for us all to live and work."
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy said: "We have worse outcomes on A&E than there is in England, and there is an emerging crisis in Scotland's A&E departments.
"The SNP are currently letting down NHS staff and NHS patients by the way they are entirely unfocused on improving the NHS in Scotland.
"So I wish her well, but - must do better on the NHS."
Ms Sturgeon said Scotland's health service had been protected with a budget of more than £12bn for the first time and highlighted £100m to help reduce the number of people delayed in hospital.
She marked her 100-day milestone with a visit to pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline in Irvine, North Ayrshire, where she announced a new initiative to encourage more young women to take up modern apprenticeships. | Ms Sturgeon became Scotland's first female leader in November.
She said she was using her role to champion social justice but her rivals said it had been a disappointing start.
Labour claims she is ignoring the "emerging crisis" in the NHS, while the Tories believe she is too reliant on state solutions to Scotland's problems.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie has accused her of remaining fixated on independence.
Ms Sturgeon succeeded Alex Salmond who stepped down as first minister after a majority of voters rejected independence in September's referendum.
On her appointment, she pledged to build a "social democratic and socially just" nation and vowed to lead Scotland's "most open and accessible" government.
She said some of her key achievements included appointing the first gender-balanced cabinet in the UK, abolishing the poll tax, launching a consultation on land reform and agreeing the delivery of votes for 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon also said she had delivered on the pledge to be open and accessible with online Facebook Q&As and frequent Cabinet meetings around the country.
"When I became first minister I was clear that I wanted to create a Scotland where everyone has the same chance of success, whatever their background," she said.
"That is how we not only improve lives but also grow our economy.
"In the first 100 days of my government we've begun work to achieve those aspirations."
She added: "This week have demonstrated my commitment to helping to break down the barriers that prevent our young people from achieving their full potential.
"I am very proud of the work myself and my team have done so far - but I am also clear that we have much more to do.
"Everything I have learned over the first 100 days has made me more determined than ever - over the next 100 days and beyond - to make Scotland a better, fairer, more prosperous place for us all to live and work."
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy said: "We have worse outcomes on A&E than there is in England, and there is an emerging crisis in Scotland's A&E departments.
"The SNP are currently letting down NHS staff and NHS patients by the way they are entirely unfocused on improving the NHS in Scotland.
"So I wish her well, but - must do better on the NHS."
Ms Sturgeon said Scotland's health service had been protected with a budget of more than £12bn for the first time and highlighted £100m to help reduce the number of people delayed in hospital.
She marked her 100-day milestone with a visit to pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline in Irvine, North Ayrshire, where she announced a new initiative to encourage more young women to take up modern apprenticeships. |
Add punctuation: The Anglo-Norman castle was originally built in the 12th Century by John De Courcy.
At one stage it was virtually a ruin but was restored in the 19th century and further renovated in recent years.
The application is for an eight bedroom hotel with permission to use a courtyard for events such as weddings.
A community consultation report submitted with the application says the hotel might be more accurately described as "a private venue which could be hired on request".
The application is made in the name of Mullahead Property Company Ltd, a firm associated with the owners of the Tayto crisp brand.
It adds that Tayto also intend to use the venue for visiting customers and for training and conference purposes. | The Anglo-Norman castle was originally built in the 12th Century by John De Courcy.
At one stage it was virtually a ruin but was restored in the 19th century and further renovated in recent years.
The application is for an eight bedroom hotel with permission to use a courtyard for events such as weddings.
A community consultation report submitted with the application says the hotel might be more accurately described as "a private venue which could be hired on request".
The application is made in the name of Mullahead Property Company Ltd, a firm associated with the owners of the Tayto crisp brand.
It adds that Tayto also intend to use the venue for visiting customers and for training and conference purposes. |
Add punctuation: The health minister told the Northern Ireland Assembly that he had been made aware of 20 cases in which the trust's response was said to be below standard.
The patients were seen in the emergency, obstetrics, gynaecology or X ray departments.
It is not clear whether the deaths were avoidable. Edwin Poots said the trust's response should have been better.
He said this was especially true, where cases were not identified as "serious adverse incidents".
It is understood the babies were either born prematurely or were less than a month old.
The trust is also completing a review of about 35,000 X rays taken at the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine, County Londonderry, between 2011 and 2012.
Nine patients have been recalled. That review is now being extended across the entire health trust, involving 48,000 X rays.
Health Minister Edwin Poots said the cases, which date from 2008 until the present, were discovered by a "turnaround team" he had sent to the trust.
"I wasn't happy with the Northern Trust, I wasn't happy with the way things were being done there and that's why I put a turnaround team in," he said.
"We do need to offset that with the fact that the Northern Trust was dealing with tens of thousands of cases.
"The Northern Trust is in a considerably better place than when I inherited it in 2011."
Mr Poots said Northern Ireland's hospitals "are safe places", but added: "Do we run perfect hospitals? We don't."
Maeve McLaughlin, the chair of the assembly's health committee, said the the news of the cases was "quite alarming".
"I think there are very serious questions [to answer]," she said.
In a statement, the trust said it recognised that on certain occasions it had "fallen short of the standards the public should expect from us".
"More critically, we failed to learn from these incidents. To those people affected we apologise," the statement said.
"We have identified 20 separate incidents over a five-year period where the response by the trust was below standard. We have advised the department and welcome the minster's statement today and his continued support."
The statement said patients and their families had been let down.
It said it would work to try and prevent that happening in the future and was committed to "a culture of openness and transparency".
The trust said that changing the culture was the key to turning the organisation around. | The health minister told the Northern Ireland Assembly that he had been made aware of 20 cases in which the trust's response was said to be below standard.
The patients were seen in the emergency, obstetrics, gynaecology or X ray departments.
It is not clear whether the deaths were avoidable. Edwin Poots said the trust's response should have been better.
He said this was especially true, where cases were not identified as "serious adverse incidents".
It is understood the babies were either born prematurely or were less than a month old.
The trust is also completing a review of about 35,000 X rays taken at the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine, County Londonderry, between 2011 and 2012.
Nine patients have been recalled. That review is now being extended across the entire health trust, involving 48,000 X rays.
Health Minister Edwin Poots said the cases, which date from 2008 until the present, were discovered by a "turnaround team" he had sent to the trust.
"I wasn't happy with the Northern Trust, I wasn't happy with the way things were being done there and that's why I put a turnaround team in," he said.
"We do need to offset that with the fact that the Northern Trust was dealing with tens of thousands of cases.
"The Northern Trust is in a considerably better place than when I inherited it in 2011."
Mr Poots said Northern Ireland's hospitals "are safe places", but added: "Do we run perfect hospitals? We don't."
Maeve McLaughlin, the chair of the assembly's health committee, said the the news of the cases was "quite alarming".
"I think there are very serious questions [to answer]," she said.
In a statement, the trust said it recognised that on certain occasions it had "fallen short of the standards the public should expect from us".
"More critically, we failed to learn from these incidents. To those people affected we apologise," the statement said.
"We have identified 20 separate incidents over a five-year period where the response by the trust was below standard. We have advised the department and welcome the minster's statement today and his continued support."
The statement said patients and their families had been let down.
It said it would work to try and prevent that happening in the future and was committed to "a culture of openness and transparency".
The trust said that changing the culture was the key to turning the organisation around. |
Add punctuation: With 17 days until the election, much of the recent focus has been on controversies linked to his campaign.
But in a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he sought to highlight changes he would introduce.
Among them were restrictions on lobbyists and a renegotiation on trade and climate change deals.
Mrs Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine appeared at events on Saturday in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the race for the White House.
Mr Trump's advisers indicated before his speech that the measures announced would serve as the focus for the remaining two weeks of his campaign.
Among the key details he announced were:
So there you have it, Donald Trump's final pitch to the American people.
It was a mix of Republican boilerplate (Lower taxes! Less regulation!), anti-establishment populism (Axing trade deals! Extreme vetting of immigrants!) and the kind of off-message asides that have bedevilled his candidacy (I'm going to sue all my sexual harassment accusers!)
It wasn't exactly the Gettysburg Address, but it did have some lines that could have been the foundation of a compelling outsider campaign.
"I am asking the American people to rise above the noise and the clutter of our broken politics, and to embrace that great faith and optimism that has always been the central ingredient in the American character," Mr Trump said. "I am asking you to dream big."
Americans love big dreams and candidates who, in Abraham Lincoln's words, appeal to the "better angels of our nature".
With just over two weeks left before election day, however, it is probably much too late for Mr Trump to make "faith and optimism" the focus of a campaign that has often been typified by darkness and anger.
The speech was one of the most detailed by Mr Trump during his candidacy, and also touched on matters of security, economy and trade.
He said the country was facing a "fork in the road" over its future.
While some polls have shown he has eaten into Mrs Clinton's lead over the past week, after the third presidential debate, she is still leading him in a number of the key swing states.
Before his speech, Mr Trump again attacked leading media outlets and suggested they were biased against him.
He vowed to break up media conglomerates, saying he would scrap the rumoured purchase of the Time Warner company, the owner of CNN, by AT&T. However, those comments were made outside of his main speech, and it was not clear if they were being put forward as policy.
Mr Trump also said he would sue every woman who has accused him of sexual assault or inappropriate behaviour as soon as his presidential campaign was over.
Ten women have come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behaviour, in the weeks after a video emerged of him boasting of groping women and kissing them.
"Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign," he told the audience in Gettysburg.
He said the media was fabricating stories to make him "look as bad and dangerous as possible".
Who is ahead in the polls?
48%
Hillary Clinton
44%
Donald Trump
Last updated November 8, 2016 | With 17 days until the election, much of the recent focus has been on controversies linked to his campaign.
But in a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he sought to highlight changes he would introduce.
Among them were restrictions on lobbyists and a renegotiation on trade and climate change deals.
Mrs Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine appeared at events on Saturday in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the race for the White House.
Mr Trump's advisers indicated before his speech that the measures announced would serve as the focus for the remaining two weeks of his campaign.
Among the key details he announced were:
So there you have it, Donald Trump's final pitch to the American people.
It was a mix of Republican boilerplate (Lower taxes! Less regulation!), anti-establishment populism (Axing trade deals! Extreme vetting of immigrants!) and the kind of off-message asides that have bedevilled his candidacy (I'm going to sue all my sexual harassment accusers!)
It wasn't exactly the Gettysburg Address, but it did have some lines that could have been the foundation of a compelling outsider campaign.
"I am asking the American people to rise above the noise and the clutter of our broken politics, and to embrace that great faith and optimism that has always been the central ingredient in the American character," Mr Trump said. "I am asking you to dream big."
Americans love big dreams and candidates who, in Abraham Lincoln's words, appeal to the "better angels of our nature".
With just over two weeks left before election day, however, it is probably much too late for Mr Trump to make "faith and optimism" the focus of a campaign that has often been typified by darkness and anger.
The speech was one of the most detailed by Mr Trump during his candidacy, and also touched on matters of security, economy and trade.
He said the country was facing a "fork in the road" over its future.
While some polls have shown he has eaten into Mrs Clinton's lead over the past week, after the third presidential debate, she is still leading him in a number of the key swing states.
Before his speech, Mr Trump again attacked leading media outlets and suggested they were biased against him.
He vowed to break up media conglomerates, saying he would scrap the rumoured purchase of the Time Warner company, the owner of CNN, by AT&T. However, those comments were made outside of his main speech, and it was not clear if they were being put forward as policy.
Mr Trump also said he would sue every woman who has accused him of sexual assault or inappropriate behaviour as soon as his presidential campaign was over.
Ten women have come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behaviour, in the weeks after a video emerged of him boasting of groping women and kissing them.
"Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign," he told the audience in Gettysburg.
He said the media was fabricating stories to make him "look as bad and dangerous as possible".
Who is ahead in the polls?
48%
Hillary Clinton
44%
Donald Trump
Last updated November 8, 2016 |
Add punctuation: Dr Mike Williams, non-executive director of Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, said it was "reliant on forward payments" from commissioners.
Plymouth Hospital NHS trust papers show the cash balance was £0.2m at the end of August, £6.7m lower than July and £3.8m lower than planned.
The hospital said it would not run out of cash this financial year.
A spokesman said payments from the Trust Development Authority and health commissioners Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) would sustain the hospital's finances.
Dr Williams' personal views, published in a letter to The Guardian newspaper, said the hospital was also "running out of the precious commodity of staff in key specialities".
The trust papers report a £2.56m shortfall in performance payments due to a shortage of beds and surgical staff.
The trust also incurred greater than planned fines for A&E targets, cancer and cancelled operations.
Ann James, chief executive of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We have a plan in place to manage our finances and particularly our cash position until the end of the financial year.
"This plan includes support from our commissioners in the shape of some temporary advances, which will be returned during the course of this financial year.
"In the face of these challenges, it is particularly reassuring for patients to know that independent inspectors rated the care our staff give as "outstanding" when they visited us this year."
A Department of Health spokesman did not comment on the situation at Derriford but said: "We believe in the values of the NHS which is why we have invested the £10bn the NHS has said it needs to fund its own plan for its future.
"There is no denial that the environment is tough but the NHS must deliver its side of the plan with cost-controlling measures like clamping down on rip-off staffing agencies and expensive management consultants." | Dr Mike Williams, non-executive director of Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, said it was "reliant on forward payments" from commissioners.
Plymouth Hospital NHS trust papers show the cash balance was £0.2m at the end of August, £6.7m lower than July and £3.8m lower than planned.
The hospital said it would not run out of cash this financial year.
A spokesman said payments from the Trust Development Authority and health commissioners Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) would sustain the hospital's finances.
Dr Williams' personal views, published in a letter to The Guardian newspaper, said the hospital was also "running out of the precious commodity of staff in key specialities".
The trust papers report a £2.56m shortfall in performance payments due to a shortage of beds and surgical staff.
The trust also incurred greater than planned fines for A&E targets, cancer and cancelled operations.
Ann James, chief executive of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We have a plan in place to manage our finances and particularly our cash position until the end of the financial year.
"This plan includes support from our commissioners in the shape of some temporary advances, which will be returned during the course of this financial year.
"In the face of these challenges, it is particularly reassuring for patients to know that independent inspectors rated the care our staff give as "outstanding" when they visited us this year."
A Department of Health spokesman did not comment on the situation at Derriford but said: "We believe in the values of the NHS which is why we have invested the £10bn the NHS has said it needs to fund its own plan for its future.
"There is no denial that the environment is tough but the NHS must deliver its side of the plan with cost-controlling measures like clamping down on rip-off staffing agencies and expensive management consultants." |
Add punctuation: The Finn met chairman Stephen Thompson on Tuesday following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership.
United will now begin the search for a new head coach, with Raith Rovers boss Ray McKinnon an early favourite.
"I would like to thank the players, staff and supporters," Paatelainen said after his departure was confirmed.
"It has been a difficult winter and the challenge was huge but nevertheless I have enjoyed every day working for the club and with this group of players".
Former Finland boss Paatelainen, whose contract ran until the summer of 2018, replaced Jackie McNamara in mid-October with United bottom of the table after just one win in their first 10 Premiership games.
But he was unable to inspire an upturn in fortunes, overseeing just five wins in 25 Premiership matches before Monday's 2-1 defeat at city rivals Dundee sealed their relegation fate.
United chairman Thompson apologised "unreservedly" to fans on Tuesday, promising "radical changes" in the "near future" to try to ensure a swift return to the top flight.
United's next match is at Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday.
The Tannadice outfit have placed Rovers boss McKinnon at the top of their wanted list to replace Paatelainen.
But the Championship club have made it clear they will not welcome an approach for the former Terrors midfielder, at least while the club is involved in the Premiership play-offs. Raith face Hibernian in the first leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday.
"We have not had any contact from Dundee United or any other club regarding Ray McKinnon," director Eric Drysdale told BBC Scotland
"And should any be forthcoming it would be extremely unwelcome. Ray and the team are fully concentrated on the play-off matches against Hibernian and nothing will distract them from this."
Media playback is not supported on this device | The Finn met chairman Stephen Thompson on Tuesday following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership.
United will now begin the search for a new head coach, with Raith Rovers boss Ray McKinnon an early favourite.
"I would like to thank the players, staff and supporters," Paatelainen said after his departure was confirmed.
"It has been a difficult winter and the challenge was huge but nevertheless I have enjoyed every day working for the club and with this group of players".
Former Finland boss Paatelainen, whose contract ran until the summer of 2018, replaced Jackie McNamara in mid-October with United bottom of the table after just one win in their first 10 Premiership games.
But he was unable to inspire an upturn in fortunes, overseeing just five wins in 25 Premiership matches before Monday's 2-1 defeat at city rivals Dundee sealed their relegation fate.
United chairman Thompson apologised "unreservedly" to fans on Tuesday, promising "radical changes" in the "near future" to try to ensure a swift return to the top flight.
United's next match is at Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday.
The Tannadice outfit have placed Rovers boss McKinnon at the top of their wanted list to replace Paatelainen.
But the Championship club have made it clear they will not welcome an approach for the former Terrors midfielder, at least while the club is involved in the Premiership play-offs. Raith face Hibernian in the first leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday.
"We have not had any contact from Dundee United or any other club regarding Ray McKinnon," director Eric Drysdale told BBC Scotland
"And should any be forthcoming it would be extremely unwelcome. Ray and the team are fully concentrated on the play-off matches against Hibernian and nothing will distract them from this."
Media playback is not supported on this device |
Add punctuation: Coventry City Council was criticised for a lack of robust management and not seeing vulnerable children fast enough.
Managers at the authority said the department would now receive a £5.6m cash boost.
Daniel, from Coventry, died in March 2012, after being starved and abused by his mother and her boyfriend.
Ofsted's investigation in the wake of his death also stated the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board was "inadequate".
Children's Minister Edward Timpson is due to write to the council next week to say what he wants done.
Councillor George Duggins, the city council's cabinet member for children, said staff had struggled because of workloads, which had increased by almost 50% in the past two years.
He said: "There is no hiding from the fact the report's overall findings are disappointing but many of the problems we face, particularly in the front line of children social care, is down to the fact of the unprecedented volume of work which continues to increase."
The Ofsted report said bosses had not tackled weaknesses in social care fast enough. It said meetings to discuss concerns about children were "not always effective enough" and said police "did not routinely attend".
It also indicated that information about how managers were performing was not always reliable.
Brian Walsh, the council's executive director of people, said a children's board chaired by Birmingham City Council chief executive Mark Rogers was being set up to ensure improvements were implemented.
He said the authority, which is in the process of cutting £22.5m from adult social care, had pledged more money to the children's budget.
In addition to the £5.6m - which will be used to fund 12 extra social workers and 16 agency staff - the council will allocate an extra £4m a year to children's services, from 2015-2016.
"I can never guarantee every child in Coventry will be safe," said Mr Walsh.
"All I can say is we are doing our best to provide a safe and robust service."
A serious case review set up to investigate Daniel's case concluded last September that chances were missed to save the youngster and said at times he was "invisible" to police, NHS and social care agencies.
Now, Ofsted has highlighted 10 areas of children's services requiring immediate action, including the need to ensure private fostering assessments were completed on time.
Mr Walsh said no-one had been sacked due to the failures but said anyone not up to the job would be "dealt with through our normal procedures".
By Phil MackieNews Correspondent
Coventry knows it's under more scrutiny than most local authorities because of what happened to Daniel Pelka. Today's Ofsted report says many of the things that went wrong in 2012 are still not working properly now.
Coventry only has to look to Birmingham to see how, once things start to go wrong, they can quickly get worse. Birmingham's children's social care department has been rated inadequate since 2009, has changed management several times, has struggled to recruit and retain staff, and has seen a catalogue of high-profile cases from Khyra Ishaq to Keanu Williams, in which young children, known to the authorities, have died.
Coventry will be hoping to emulate another nearby authority, Staffordshire. In a little over two years, its children's services department has been transformed. At the end of 2011 Ofsted said it was performing poorly. Today it is rated as 'good'.
Many of the changes introduced in Staffordshire are also being implemented in Coventry, including creating a multi agency hub where social workers, health workers, the police and schools occupy the same room and share information about cases so they can react quicker when there are concerns.
Amy Weir, independent Chair of Coventry Safeguarding Children Board, said they were "very disappointed" with the Ofsted judgement.
"We are determined to tackle the further challenges raised in the report in order to deliver rapid improvement over the coming months," she said.
A Department for Education statement said it had been concerned about the arrangements for the protection of children in Coventry since the publication of the serious case review into Daniel's death.
"While we accept securing sustainable improvement takes time, today's report shows that the pace of change in Coventry has simply not been good enough," it said.
"We will now consider what further actions are needed to ensure all vulnerable children in Coventry are sufficiently protected."
Dr Bernard Gallagher, a specialist in child protection research at the University of Huddersfield, said society needed to be "more questioning" of families.
"If some parents are then suspected of abusing their children wrongly - that unfortunately is just something we have to accept," he added.
The director of children's services at charity Action for Children, Carol Iddon, said: "The services that need to be maintained and invested in are the ones of early intervention so that children get support earlier before they become critical and before the situation becomes necessary for social work intervention.
"We could do more at an earlier stage and that would then release social workers to deal with the high level cases where there are real genuine concerns about children's safety." | Coventry City Council was criticised for a lack of robust management and not seeing vulnerable children fast enough.
Managers at the authority said the department would now receive a £5.6m cash boost.
Daniel, from Coventry, died in March 2012, after being starved and abused by his mother and her boyfriend.
Ofsted's investigation in the wake of his death also stated the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board was "inadequate".
Children's Minister Edward Timpson is due to write to the council next week to say what he wants done.
Councillor George Duggins, the city council's cabinet member for children, said staff had struggled because of workloads, which had increased by almost 50% in the past two years.
He said: "There is no hiding from the fact the report's overall findings are disappointing but many of the problems we face, particularly in the front line of children social care, is down to the fact of the unprecedented volume of work which continues to increase."
The Ofsted report said bosses had not tackled weaknesses in social care fast enough. It said meetings to discuss concerns about children were "not always effective enough" and said police "did not routinely attend".
It also indicated that information about how managers were performing was not always reliable.
Brian Walsh, the council's executive director of people, said a children's board chaired by Birmingham City Council chief executive Mark Rogers was being set up to ensure improvements were implemented.
He said the authority, which is in the process of cutting £22.5m from adult social care, had pledged more money to the children's budget.
In addition to the £5.6m - which will be used to fund 12 extra social workers and 16 agency staff - the council will allocate an extra £4m a year to children's services, from 2015-2016.
"I can never guarantee every child in Coventry will be safe," said Mr Walsh.
"All I can say is we are doing our best to provide a safe and robust service."
A serious case review set up to investigate Daniel's case concluded last September that chances were missed to save the youngster and said at times he was "invisible" to police, NHS and social care agencies.
Now, Ofsted has highlighted 10 areas of children's services requiring immediate action, including the need to ensure private fostering assessments were completed on time.
Mr Walsh said no-one had been sacked due to the failures but said anyone not up to the job would be "dealt with through our normal procedures".
By Phil MackieNews Correspondent
Coventry knows it's under more scrutiny than most local authorities because of what happened to Daniel Pelka. Today's Ofsted report says many of the things that went wrong in 2012 are still not working properly now.
Coventry only has to look to Birmingham to see how, once things start to go wrong, they can quickly get worse. Birmingham's children's social care department has been rated inadequate since 2009, has changed management several times, has struggled to recruit and retain staff, and has seen a catalogue of high-profile cases from Khyra Ishaq to Keanu Williams, in which young children, known to the authorities, have died.
Coventry will be hoping to emulate another nearby authority, Staffordshire. In a little over two years, its children's services department has been transformed. At the end of 2011 Ofsted said it was performing poorly. Today it is rated as 'good'.
Many of the changes introduced in Staffordshire are also being implemented in Coventry, including creating a multi agency hub where social workers, health workers, the police and schools occupy the same room and share information about cases so they can react quicker when there are concerns.
Amy Weir, independent Chair of Coventry Safeguarding Children Board, said they were "very disappointed" with the Ofsted judgement.
"We are determined to tackle the further challenges raised in the report in order to deliver rapid improvement over the coming months," she said.
A Department for Education statement said it had been concerned about the arrangements for the protection of children in Coventry since the publication of the serious case review into Daniel's death.
"While we accept securing sustainable improvement takes time, today's report shows that the pace of change in Coventry has simply not been good enough," it said.
"We will now consider what further actions are needed to ensure all vulnerable children in Coventry are sufficiently protected."
Dr Bernard Gallagher, a specialist in child protection research at the University of Huddersfield, said society needed to be "more questioning" of families.
"If some parents are then suspected of abusing their children wrongly - that unfortunately is just something we have to accept," he added.
The director of children's services at charity Action for Children, Carol Iddon, said: "The services that need to be maintained and invested in are the ones of early intervention so that children get support earlier before they become critical and before the situation becomes necessary for social work intervention.
"We could do more at an earlier stage and that would then release social workers to deal with the high level cases where there are real genuine concerns about children's safety." |
Add punctuation: The violence erupted on Tuesday night close to the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian-controlled enclave in Azerbaijan.
The toddler, who was two, was named as Zahra Guliyeva.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of targeting civilians. Karabakh officials said they had returned fire, accusing Azerbaijan of deploying weapons near civilians.
The two victims were buried beside each other just outside the village on Wednesday. The toddler's grandmother was named as Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, aged 51.
The two died when a shell hit a house in the village of Alkhanli in the Fizuli area of Azerbaijan on Tuesday evening. A second woman was wounded.
The foreign ministry in the Azerbaijan capital Baku said the village had been hit by mortar rounds and heavy grenade launchers.
Nagorno-Karabakh spokesman Senor Hasratyan expressed "pain and regret" at the toddler's death. However, officials accused Azerbaijan of positioning rocket launchers close to villages and said they had to take responsibility.
At the heart of the dispute surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh is a centuries-old dispute.
Both Armenians and Azeris consider the region to be theirs, culturally and historically. The mountainous enclave is about 4,400 sq km (1,700 sq miles).
Under the Soviets, the region was populated largely by ethnic Armenians, as an autonomous region within Azerbaijan. As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate, the ethnic Armenians sought unification with Armenia, which led to war in the 1990s.
Karabakh ceasefire deal announced
The conflict that refuses to go away
Ethnic Azeris fled Karabakh and Armenia while ethnic Armenians fled the rest of Azerbaijan.
Some 30,000 people died and hundreds of thousands of ethnic Azeris were displaced from the region and several other neighbouring areas. No peace deal has ever been signed and violence has flared up sporadically in recent years.
In April 2016, deadly clashes lasted for four days before a ceasefire was agreed.
Nagorno-Karabakh has never been recognised as independent by the international community, but it is backed by Armenia. | The violence erupted on Tuesday night close to the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian-controlled enclave in Azerbaijan.
The toddler, who was two, was named as Zahra Guliyeva.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of targeting civilians. Karabakh officials said they had returned fire, accusing Azerbaijan of deploying weapons near civilians.
The two victims were buried beside each other just outside the village on Wednesday. The toddler's grandmother was named as Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, aged 51.
The two died when a shell hit a house in the village of Alkhanli in the Fizuli area of Azerbaijan on Tuesday evening. A second woman was wounded.
The foreign ministry in the Azerbaijan capital Baku said the village had been hit by mortar rounds and heavy grenade launchers.
Nagorno-Karabakh spokesman Senor Hasratyan expressed "pain and regret" at the toddler's death. However, officials accused Azerbaijan of positioning rocket launchers close to villages and said they had to take responsibility.
At the heart of the dispute surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh is a centuries-old dispute.
Both Armenians and Azeris consider the region to be theirs, culturally and historically. The mountainous enclave is about 4,400 sq km (1,700 sq miles).
Under the Soviets, the region was populated largely by ethnic Armenians, as an autonomous region within Azerbaijan. As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate, the ethnic Armenians sought unification with Armenia, which led to war in the 1990s.
Karabakh ceasefire deal announced
The conflict that refuses to go away
Ethnic Azeris fled Karabakh and Armenia while ethnic Armenians fled the rest of Azerbaijan.
Some 30,000 people died and hundreds of thousands of ethnic Azeris were displaced from the region and several other neighbouring areas. No peace deal has ever been signed and violence has flared up sporadically in recent years.
In April 2016, deadly clashes lasted for four days before a ceasefire was agreed.
Nagorno-Karabakh has never been recognised as independent by the international community, but it is backed by Armenia. |
Add punctuation: Last season's top scorer Kenneth Zohore earned them victory with his fourth goal of the West Country programme after the break.
The Denmark Under-21 striker coolly netted from just inside the box after second-half substitute Lee Tomlin took a quick free-kick.
Cardiff continue their preparations away to Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday. | Last season's top scorer Kenneth Zohore earned them victory with his fourth goal of the West Country programme after the break.
The Denmark Under-21 striker coolly netted from just inside the box after second-half substitute Lee Tomlin took a quick free-kick.
Cardiff continue their preparations away to Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday. |
Add punctuation: The 18-year-old was arrested at an address in Southport, near Liverpool.
He is accused of unauthorised access to computer material and knowingly providing false information to law enforcement agencies in the US.
The investigation was a joint operation between UK cybercrime units and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Microsoft and Sony were attacked on Christmas Day, making it difficult for users to log on. The distributed-denial-of-service attack - which floods servers causing them to stop working - caused major disruptions.
The arrest was part of a joint operation between officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (Serocu) and the North West Regional Crime Unit (Rocu), supported by the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU).
Craig Jones, head of the Cyber Crime Unit at Serocu said: "This investigation is a good example of joint law enforcement co-operation in relation to a type of criminality that is not restricted by any geographical boundaries.
"We are still at the early stages of the investigation and there is still much work to be done. We will continue to work closely with the FBI to identify those who commit offences and hold them to account."
He explained more about one of the charges, known as swatting.
"Offences referred to as 'swatting' involve law enforcement forces in the United States receiving hoax calls via Skype for a major incident in which Swat teams were dispatched."
Peter Goodman, national policing lead for cybersecurity at the Association of Police Officers (Acpo), added: "This is a significant arrest... of a UK citizen suspected of engaging in serious and organised cybercrime on the national and international stage."
A hacking group called Lizard Squad said it carried out the attacks which caused major disruption to the gaming platforms at one of the busiest times of the year. | The 18-year-old was arrested at an address in Southport, near Liverpool.
He is accused of unauthorised access to computer material and knowingly providing false information to law enforcement agencies in the US.
The investigation was a joint operation between UK cybercrime units and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Microsoft and Sony were attacked on Christmas Day, making it difficult for users to log on. The distributed-denial-of-service attack - which floods servers causing them to stop working - caused major disruptions.
The arrest was part of a joint operation between officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (Serocu) and the North West Regional Crime Unit (Rocu), supported by the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU).
Craig Jones, head of the Cyber Crime Unit at Serocu said: "This investigation is a good example of joint law enforcement co-operation in relation to a type of criminality that is not restricted by any geographical boundaries.
"We are still at the early stages of the investigation and there is still much work to be done. We will continue to work closely with the FBI to identify those who commit offences and hold them to account."
He explained more about one of the charges, known as swatting.
"Offences referred to as 'swatting' involve law enforcement forces in the United States receiving hoax calls via Skype for a major incident in which Swat teams were dispatched."
Peter Goodman, national policing lead for cybersecurity at the Association of Police Officers (Acpo), added: "This is a significant arrest... of a UK citizen suspected of engaging in serious and organised cybercrime on the national and international stage."
A hacking group called Lizard Squad said it carried out the attacks which caused major disruption to the gaming platforms at one of the busiest times of the year. |
Add punctuation: "We deeply regret the loss of life of a participant," they said in a statement on Facebook.
No further details have been released about the individual but the Great Run Company said its priority was to ensure next of kin had been informed.
About 57,000 people took part in the event which is run over 13.1 miles and is in its 35th year.
The event began in Newcastle with the finish line 13.1 miles away in South Shields.
Mo Farah won the men's elite race - his second consecutive win in the half-marathon.
Kenyan Mary Keitany won the women's race and David Weir achieved a record-equalling sixth win in the elite wheelchair competition.
In its full statement on the death of the runner, organisers said: "We deeply regret the loss of life of a participant at the Great North Run today and offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of the individual concerned.
"In such circumstances there is a strictly planned procedure we adhere to. Our priority is to ensure that the next of kin are informed and therefore we will not be in a position to make any further comment today." | "We deeply regret the loss of life of a participant," they said in a statement on Facebook.
No further details have been released about the individual but the Great Run Company said its priority was to ensure next of kin had been informed.
About 57,000 people took part in the event which is run over 13.1 miles and is in its 35th year.
The event began in Newcastle with the finish line 13.1 miles away in South Shields.
Mo Farah won the men's elite race - his second consecutive win in the half-marathon.
Kenyan Mary Keitany won the women's race and David Weir achieved a record-equalling sixth win in the elite wheelchair competition.
In its full statement on the death of the runner, organisers said: "We deeply regret the loss of life of a participant at the Great North Run today and offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of the individual concerned.
"In such circumstances there is a strictly planned procedure we adhere to. Our priority is to ensure that the next of kin are informed and therefore we will not be in a position to make any further comment today." |
Add punctuation: Taloa Foster, 33, was charged with child endangerment.
Witnesses said the toddler grabbed the wheel and steered the truck across lanes of traffic after his mother fell from the vehicle on Wednesday.
The boy's twin brother was also in the truck at the time.
The vehicle eventually crashed into an embankment along the road near Ada, about 80 miles (130km) southeast of Oklahoma City.
The boys were unhurt, police said.
Police said Ms Foster told them that the boy had unbuckled his seat belt and she was trying to secure him when she fell out of the vehicle. | Taloa Foster, 33, was charged with child endangerment.
Witnesses said the toddler grabbed the wheel and steered the truck across lanes of traffic after his mother fell from the vehicle on Wednesday.
The boy's twin brother was also in the truck at the time.
The vehicle eventually crashed into an embankment along the road near Ada, about 80 miles (130km) southeast of Oklahoma City.
The boys were unhurt, police said.
Police said Ms Foster told them that the boy had unbuckled his seat belt and she was trying to secure him when she fell out of the vehicle. |
Add punctuation: Nottingham Forest's Ben Brereton and Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon each scored two goals to ensure Keith Downing's team advanced as Group B winners.
They face the Czechs in Tbilisi on Wednesday, with the winners advancing to the final on 15 July.
Last month, England won the Under-20 World Cup by beating Venezuela 1-0.
In addition, they won the 2017 Toulon Tournament in June, and reached the final of the European Under-17 tournament in May.
England were also semi-finalists at the European Under-21 Championship in Poland last month before losing on penalties to Germany.
On Sunday, Chelsea's Mason Mount was involved in three of England's four goals.
Brereton and Sessegnon each have three goals in the tournament. | Nottingham Forest's Ben Brereton and Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon each scored two goals to ensure Keith Downing's team advanced as Group B winners.
They face the Czechs in Tbilisi on Wednesday, with the winners advancing to the final on 15 July.
Last month, England won the Under-20 World Cup by beating Venezuela 1-0.
In addition, they won the 2017 Toulon Tournament in June, and reached the final of the European Under-17 tournament in May.
England were also semi-finalists at the European Under-21 Championship in Poland last month before losing on penalties to Germany.
On Sunday, Chelsea's Mason Mount was involved in three of England's four goals.
Brereton and Sessegnon each have three goals in the tournament. |
Add punctuation: The venue is hoping to replicate the success of its famous 1970s company, which included future stars like Julie Walters, Bill Nighy and Jonathan Pryce.
It did away with its resident company in 1992, instead casting different actors for each play.
The new company will include Richard Bremmer, who played Voldemort in the first Harry Potter film.
He will be joined by Melanie La Barrie, who played Mrs Phelps in West End hit Matilda, and Patrick Brennan, who was headmaster Mr Dawes in Downton Abbey.
As well as the more experienced hands, the new company includes 23-year-old Emily Hughes, who graduated from drama school this year and was recruited through an open audition, and Elliott Davis, who has risen through the venue's youth theatre.
The seven men and seven women will perform in five shows, ranging from Romeo and Juliet to children's theatre to a new Toxteth-set drama, between February and July 2017.
Everyman artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said: "Anybody that inherits this job comes with this massive shadow hanging over them of the glorious, wonderful mid-'70s, when there was a very famous company here.
"So you're always aware that there was this magical time when actors like Julie Walters, Pete Postlethwaite, Jonathan Pryce, Matthew Kelly - all these phenomenal actors came out of a rep company.
"And you ask yourself, was that just the time, was that just a phenomenal flowering that could never happen again?"
She wants audiences to get to know the actors and for the company to have a "conversation" with the city, she explained.
"We live in a very potent city and these are very exciting, tricky times, and it felt like it was time for this theatre to have a unique voice again."
Resident rep ensembles were the norm in regional theatres during much of the 20th Century. But of those that survived into the 1990s, most died off in the recession at the start of that decade.
A few venues - such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and Dundee Rep - still use the system, while the Donmar Warehouse in London recruited an all-female company for its current Shakespeare trilogy.
In Liverpool the actors will perform in one play at night while rehearsing for the next show during the day.
La Barrie said she was not used to having more than one part in her head at any one time. "Working in a rep company is not something that most modern actors are used to," she said. "It's going to be interesting to see what we remember."
But being part of a company was "every actor's dream" because they must "utilise every single bit of your skill", she said.
Hughes said she was "inspired" by the Everyman's past and the history of the rep system.
"Coming out of drama school, it was something that people talked about that used to happen years ago," she said. "'What a wonderful system - but it doesn't really happen any more'."
"So when the news [of the new Everyman company] broke I was straight in there, like, 'Oh my God, I have to do this'."
Bodinetz said she had big ambitions for the company in the future. "In my dreams, the Everyman Company becomes an exciting brand and we tour the world with it once we've performed here," she said.
The full Everyman company: Richard Bremmer, Patrick Brennan, George Caple, Pauline Daniels, Elliott Davis, Laura dos Santos, Emily Hughes, Tom Kanji, Melanie La Barrie, Asha Kingsley, Dean Nolan, Zelina Rebeiro, Keddy Sutton, Liam Tobin.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. | The venue is hoping to replicate the success of its famous 1970s company, which included future stars like Julie Walters, Bill Nighy and Jonathan Pryce.
It did away with its resident company in 1992, instead casting different actors for each play.
The new company will include Richard Bremmer, who played Voldemort in the first Harry Potter film.
He will be joined by Melanie La Barrie, who played Mrs Phelps in West End hit Matilda, and Patrick Brennan, who was headmaster Mr Dawes in Downton Abbey.
As well as the more experienced hands, the new company includes 23-year-old Emily Hughes, who graduated from drama school this year and was recruited through an open audition, and Elliott Davis, who has risen through the venue's youth theatre.
The seven men and seven women will perform in five shows, ranging from Romeo and Juliet to children's theatre to a new Toxteth-set drama, between February and July 2017.
Everyman artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said: "Anybody that inherits this job comes with this massive shadow hanging over them of the glorious, wonderful mid-'70s, when there was a very famous company here.
"So you're always aware that there was this magical time when actors like Julie Walters, Pete Postlethwaite, Jonathan Pryce, Matthew Kelly - all these phenomenal actors came out of a rep company.
"And you ask yourself, was that just the time, was that just a phenomenal flowering that could never happen again?"
She wants audiences to get to know the actors and for the company to have a "conversation" with the city, she explained.
"We live in a very potent city and these are very exciting, tricky times, and it felt like it was time for this theatre to have a unique voice again."
Resident rep ensembles were the norm in regional theatres during much of the 20th Century. But of those that survived into the 1990s, most died off in the recession at the start of that decade.
A few venues - such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and Dundee Rep - still use the system, while the Donmar Warehouse in London recruited an all-female company for its current Shakespeare trilogy.
In Liverpool the actors will perform in one play at night while rehearsing for the next show during the day.
La Barrie said she was not used to having more than one part in her head at any one time. "Working in a rep company is not something that most modern actors are used to," she said. "It's going to be interesting to see what we remember."
But being part of a company was "every actor's dream" because they must "utilise every single bit of your skill", she said.
Hughes said she was "inspired" by the Everyman's past and the history of the rep system.
"Coming out of drama school, it was something that people talked about that used to happen years ago," she said. "'What a wonderful system - but it doesn't really happen any more'."
"So when the news [of the new Everyman company] broke I was straight in there, like, 'Oh my God, I have to do this'."
Bodinetz said she had big ambitions for the company in the future. "In my dreams, the Everyman Company becomes an exciting brand and we tour the world with it once we've performed here," she said.
The full Everyman company: Richard Bremmer, Patrick Brennan, George Caple, Pauline Daniels, Elliott Davis, Laura dos Santos, Emily Hughes, Tom Kanji, Melanie La Barrie, Asha Kingsley, Dean Nolan, Zelina Rebeiro, Keddy Sutton, Liam Tobin.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. |
Add punctuation: Media playback is not supported on this device
Kvitova will miss at least six months of tennis after Tuesday's attack by an intruder at her home in Prostejov.
The Czech, 26, faces 14 days of bed rest and a slow rehabilitation process after she had an operation to repair tendons and nerves in her playing hand.
The "best-case scenario" sees her on the practice court after six months.
Kvitova said on Tuesday she was "shaken" and "fortunate to be alive".
She will speak publicly for the first time on Friday following her release from hospital. | Media playback is not supported on this device
Kvitova will miss at least six months of tennis after Tuesday's attack by an intruder at her home in Prostejov.
The Czech, 26, faces 14 days of bed rest and a slow rehabilitation process after she had an operation to repair tendons and nerves in her playing hand.
The "best-case scenario" sees her on the practice court after six months.
Kvitova said on Tuesday she was "shaken" and "fortunate to be alive".
She will speak publicly for the first time on Friday following her release from hospital. |
Add punctuation: The charges against George Stephen Wanless, 67, of Belmont Avenue in Oldham, Greater Manchester, include nine counts of indecent assault.
It is alleged the offences happened at the former RAF Headley Court base near Epsom in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mr Wanless is due to appear at South East Surrey Magistrates on 1 August. | The charges against George Stephen Wanless, 67, of Belmont Avenue in Oldham, Greater Manchester, include nine counts of indecent assault.
It is alleged the offences happened at the former RAF Headley Court base near Epsom in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mr Wanless is due to appear at South East Surrey Magistrates on 1 August. |
Add punctuation: Charlie's parents want a private medical team to care for their son in a hospice so they can have days with him before his life support ends.
But Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) said it was not in his interests to spend a long period in a hospice.
If no plan is agreed, the 11-month-old will be moved to a hospice and his life support withdrawn soon after.
The story of Charlie Gard
Charlie's parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, and GOSH had until 12:00 BST to agree his end-of-life care.
His parents have accepted their son could be moved to a hospice, the High Court heard on Wednesday.
Their lawyer, Grant Armstrong said they wanted to spend a period of days with him there and nurses from GOSH and a GP had volunteered to provide care for him.
But hospital bosses said they could not agree to the arrangement as his parents had not found a hospice or a paediatric intensive care specialist.
Mr Justice Francis ruled that without an agreement, Charlie will be transferred to a hospice where palliative care will be given to him and his breathing tube withdrawn "shortly after".
The judge added that no details about when he would be moved and where could be made public. | Charlie's parents want a private medical team to care for their son in a hospice so they can have days with him before his life support ends.
But Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) said it was not in his interests to spend a long period in a hospice.
If no plan is agreed, the 11-month-old will be moved to a hospice and his life support withdrawn soon after.
The story of Charlie Gard
Charlie's parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, and GOSH had until 12:00 BST to agree his end-of-life care.
His parents have accepted their son could be moved to a hospice, the High Court heard on Wednesday.
Their lawyer, Grant Armstrong said they wanted to spend a period of days with him there and nurses from GOSH and a GP had volunteered to provide care for him.
But hospital bosses said they could not agree to the arrangement as his parents had not found a hospice or a paediatric intensive care specialist.
Mr Justice Francis ruled that without an agreement, Charlie will be transferred to a hospice where palliative care will be given to him and his breathing tube withdrawn "shortly after".
The judge added that no details about when he would be moved and where could be made public. |
Add punctuation: The report said ethnic minorities largely performed better academically than white Scots.
But they were more likely to be unemployed or in low-paid work, and were under-represented in senior management roles.
This was despite 40 years of legislation and equality policies.
The report by Holyrood's Equal Opportunities Committee followed a six-month investigation into the obstacles encountered by people from ethnic minority communities in Scotland.
It found that there were "significant barriers facing people from ethnic minorities in gaining employment and developing a career".
The report said: "The evidence indicated a situation that is not acceptable and we were extremely concerned to hear of how discrimination and lack of access to opportunities are holding back many talented and committed individuals."
The Scottish government said it was "completely unacceptable" that anyone should face barriers to training or employment as a result of their race or religion.
And it said it would be "fully responding" to the committee's recommendations as part of efforts to eradicate the problem.
Born in Togo, Joseph moved to Glasgow aged four and is fluent in English and French. He is also Scotland's under-20s triple jump champion.
He said: "I don't feel like I encountered any barriers during my school years. There were lots of people at Bellahouston Academy from a range of different ethnic backgrounds and I never felt we were treated differently.
"The problems started when I left school. I was at college, but getting a job was definitely my goal.
"A white, Scottish friend and I would go out together looking for work. We would hand in our CVs, but even though we had the same qualifications, he got the calls.
"I thought putting my picture on my CV would show I'm smart and presentable. But then I started to wonder if having my picture - and name - on my CV made the difference."
Read more here
The committee called on the Scottish government to tackle "defective" employment and recruitment practices in order to "tackle discrimination and promote diversity" in Scotland.
Among its recommendations were:
Committee convener Margaret McCulloch, a Labour MSP, said: "Achieving equality in the workplace is a vital part of ensuring Scotland as a nation is fair and inclusive to all.
"We can only progress if we refuse to accept current defective recruitment practices and challenge segregation within employment. Without confronting existing practices, we cannot address any underlying racism and discrimination that the evidence confirms exists."
Failure to act risked placing an "ethnic penalty" on Scotland's young people, she added.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said it "values the diverse communities who enrich Scotland socially, culturally and economically" and was committed to eradicating any barriers faced by people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
The government is currently developing a Race Equality Framework for Scotland which will be in place by the spring and will set out its approach to promoting race equality and tackling racism and inequality between 2016 and 2030. | The report said ethnic minorities largely performed better academically than white Scots.
But they were more likely to be unemployed or in low-paid work, and were under-represented in senior management roles.
This was despite 40 years of legislation and equality policies.
The report by Holyrood's Equal Opportunities Committee followed a six-month investigation into the obstacles encountered by people from ethnic minority communities in Scotland.
It found that there were "significant barriers facing people from ethnic minorities in gaining employment and developing a career".
The report said: "The evidence indicated a situation that is not acceptable and we were extremely concerned to hear of how discrimination and lack of access to opportunities are holding back many talented and committed individuals."
The Scottish government said it was "completely unacceptable" that anyone should face barriers to training or employment as a result of their race or religion.
And it said it would be "fully responding" to the committee's recommendations as part of efforts to eradicate the problem.
Born in Togo, Joseph moved to Glasgow aged four and is fluent in English and French. He is also Scotland's under-20s triple jump champion.
He said: "I don't feel like I encountered any barriers during my school years. There were lots of people at Bellahouston Academy from a range of different ethnic backgrounds and I never felt we were treated differently.
"The problems started when I left school. I was at college, but getting a job was definitely my goal.
"A white, Scottish friend and I would go out together looking for work. We would hand in our CVs, but even though we had the same qualifications, he got the calls.
"I thought putting my picture on my CV would show I'm smart and presentable. But then I started to wonder if having my picture - and name - on my CV made the difference."
Read more here
The committee called on the Scottish government to tackle "defective" employment and recruitment practices in order to "tackle discrimination and promote diversity" in Scotland.
Among its recommendations were:
Committee convener Margaret McCulloch, a Labour MSP, said: "Achieving equality in the workplace is a vital part of ensuring Scotland as a nation is fair and inclusive to all.
"We can only progress if we refuse to accept current defective recruitment practices and challenge segregation within employment. Without confronting existing practices, we cannot address any underlying racism and discrimination that the evidence confirms exists."
Failure to act risked placing an "ethnic penalty" on Scotland's young people, she added.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said it "values the diverse communities who enrich Scotland socially, culturally and economically" and was committed to eradicating any barriers faced by people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
The government is currently developing a Race Equality Framework for Scotland which will be in place by the spring and will set out its approach to promoting race equality and tackling racism and inequality between 2016 and 2030. |
Add punctuation: David Worrall almost put Southend ahead, nodding against the post before keeper Tommy Lee saved his rebound.
Chesterfield's Ollie Banks and the hosts' Tyrone Barnett both threatened, while Southend had a penalty turned down when Sam Hird felled David Mooney.
With time running out, Banks teed up Novak to win it with a neat finish. | David Worrall almost put Southend ahead, nodding against the post before keeper Tommy Lee saved his rebound.
Chesterfield's Ollie Banks and the hosts' Tyrone Barnett both threatened, while Southend had a penalty turned down when Sam Hird felled David Mooney.
With time running out, Banks teed up Novak to win it with a neat finish. |
Add punctuation: Reid, alongside Belgian Joachim Gerard, won 6-3 3-6 1-0 (10-3) against fellow Briton Alfie Hewett and Gus Fernandez.
The Scot, 25, won Wimbledon last year alongside Hewett, after previously winning the US and French Open (twice).
"It was a last-minute decision to play with Jo but one that has paid off," Reid said.
"I don't think any one of us played our best tennis today but we upped our level when it mattered."
Find out how to get into tennis in our fully inclusive guide.
There could be more British success in Melbourne after Andy Lapthorne reached the quad singles final.
Lapthorne, 26, will meet Australia's Dylan Alcott, who beat him in the 2016 Rio Paralympics final, on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday after semi-final opponent Heath Davidson pulled out through injury.
Lapthorne is aiming for a double after teaming up with American David Wagner on Thursday to win his fifth Australian Open quad doubles title. | Reid, alongside Belgian Joachim Gerard, won 6-3 3-6 1-0 (10-3) against fellow Briton Alfie Hewett and Gus Fernandez.
The Scot, 25, won Wimbledon last year alongside Hewett, after previously winning the US and French Open (twice).
"It was a last-minute decision to play with Jo but one that has paid off," Reid said.
"I don't think any one of us played our best tennis today but we upped our level when it mattered."
Find out how to get into tennis in our fully inclusive guide.
There could be more British success in Melbourne after Andy Lapthorne reached the quad singles final.
Lapthorne, 26, will meet Australia's Dylan Alcott, who beat him in the 2016 Rio Paralympics final, on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday after semi-final opponent Heath Davidson pulled out through injury.
Lapthorne is aiming for a double after teaming up with American David Wagner on Thursday to win his fifth Australian Open quad doubles title. |
Add punctuation: The Wales Audit Office investigated finances at Clydach Community Council and Mawr Community Council, both of which have employed Robert King.
It said Mr King paid his own monthly salary early and overpaid himself at Clydach, and exposed Mawr council to the risk of financial penalties.
Mr King said he had done "nothing inappropriate".
One report examined accounts at Clydach from 2004-05 to 2009-10.
Mr King resigned as clerk in June 2010, although he remained in the post until April 2011.
The Audit Office said Mr King failed to keep proper accounting records, and "due to the poor record keeping of the former clerk, it is unclear as to whether all the income due to the council has been collected and banked".
It also said that "on a large number of occasions the former clerk drew his monthly salary before it was due to be paid.
"In 2005-06 this actually resulted in the former clerk making an overpayment to himself by drawing 13 months' salary.
"The former clerk in many instances also failed to pay the income tax and national insurance contributions to HM Revenue and Customs on time, exposing the council to risk of penalties and interest charges".
A report was also critical of the council, which it said had spent £14,676 unnecessarily because of "poor governance and administration".
Auditor Anthony Barrett made 11 recommendations to the council.
But Mr King, who left Clydach of his own choice because he had too much work, said the accounts were "always late" coming back from the auditors.
"The Wales Audit Office had those accounts for three years and did nothing with them," he said.
"I couldn't get on and complete the work."
A separate report examined accounts at Mawr Community Council - where Mr King is still clerk - from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
The audit office said that "the clerk's poor administration of the council's payroll arrangements resulted in overpayments and other errors which have exposed the council to the risk of financial penalties".
Again, the report is critical of the council, and said it spent £10,500 unnecessarily due to "poor governance and administration".
But Mr Barrett said he was encouraged the council "is already taking action" to address the concerns raised.
Mr King - who described himself as a "fall guy" - added: "There may have been mistakes, but I have done nothing inappropriate."
"Mawr has always had an internal auditor, who has always checked the books.
"The internal auditor started to nag the audit office because we were sending accounts in and nothing was coming back.
"In the end, it transpired the lady who was supposed to to be looking at our files had emigrated, and nothing was being done."
Clydach Community Council thanked the audit office and said it would adopt its recommendations admitting it had been "naive in trusting established practices inherited from previous administrations". | The Wales Audit Office investigated finances at Clydach Community Council and Mawr Community Council, both of which have employed Robert King.
It said Mr King paid his own monthly salary early and overpaid himself at Clydach, and exposed Mawr council to the risk of financial penalties.
Mr King said he had done "nothing inappropriate".
One report examined accounts at Clydach from 2004-05 to 2009-10.
Mr King resigned as clerk in June 2010, although he remained in the post until April 2011.
The Audit Office said Mr King failed to keep proper accounting records, and "due to the poor record keeping of the former clerk, it is unclear as to whether all the income due to the council has been collected and banked".
It also said that "on a large number of occasions the former clerk drew his monthly salary before it was due to be paid.
"In 2005-06 this actually resulted in the former clerk making an overpayment to himself by drawing 13 months' salary.
"The former clerk in many instances also failed to pay the income tax and national insurance contributions to HM Revenue and Customs on time, exposing the council to risk of penalties and interest charges".
A report was also critical of the council, which it said had spent £14,676 unnecessarily because of "poor governance and administration".
Auditor Anthony Barrett made 11 recommendations to the council.
But Mr King, who left Clydach of his own choice because he had too much work, said the accounts were "always late" coming back from the auditors.
"The Wales Audit Office had those accounts for three years and did nothing with them," he said.
"I couldn't get on and complete the work."
A separate report examined accounts at Mawr Community Council - where Mr King is still clerk - from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
The audit office said that "the clerk's poor administration of the council's payroll arrangements resulted in overpayments and other errors which have exposed the council to the risk of financial penalties".
Again, the report is critical of the council, and said it spent £10,500 unnecessarily due to "poor governance and administration".
But Mr Barrett said he was encouraged the council "is already taking action" to address the concerns raised.
Mr King - who described himself as a "fall guy" - added: "There may have been mistakes, but I have done nothing inappropriate."
"Mawr has always had an internal auditor, who has always checked the books.
"The internal auditor started to nag the audit office because we were sending accounts in and nothing was coming back.
"In the end, it transpired the lady who was supposed to to be looking at our files had emigrated, and nothing was being done."
Clydach Community Council thanked the audit office and said it would adopt its recommendations admitting it had been "naive in trusting established practices inherited from previous administrations". |
Add punctuation: MSP John Lamont called for the move in a question to the Scottish Parliament.
Business Minister Fergus Ewing said it was something they would consider in the wake of the firm entering administration.
He added that he would visit Hawick on Wednesday to see first hand what could be done to help staff affected.
The historic Borders firm went into administration last week with the immediate loss of 123 jobs and 56 more under threat.
Mr Lamont asked what the Scottish government was able to do about the situation.
Mr Ewing said he was "deeply concerned" by the job losses and said he would be speaking to administrators when he visited the town.
He said they were "exploring every possible avenue of support" for the company and were looking to assist efforts to find a buyer.
The minister added that a redundancy support event and jobs fair would take place in the town on Friday.
Mr Lamont said the "proportional effect" of at least 120 job losses in Hawick was great and called for the task force to be created.
"We will consider that further," said Mr Ewing. "We are open-minded as to whether a task force is required.
"I think it is prudent first to take a little while to assess the situation, working closely with the administrators as we always do and the workforce representatives and the local authority."
To catch up on full details of the debate you can visit Holyrood Live. | MSP John Lamont called for the move in a question to the Scottish Parliament.
Business Minister Fergus Ewing said it was something they would consider in the wake of the firm entering administration.
He added that he would visit Hawick on Wednesday to see first hand what could be done to help staff affected.
The historic Borders firm went into administration last week with the immediate loss of 123 jobs and 56 more under threat.
Mr Lamont asked what the Scottish government was able to do about the situation.
Mr Ewing said he was "deeply concerned" by the job losses and said he would be speaking to administrators when he visited the town.
He said they were "exploring every possible avenue of support" for the company and were looking to assist efforts to find a buyer.
The minister added that a redundancy support event and jobs fair would take place in the town on Friday.
Mr Lamont said the "proportional effect" of at least 120 job losses in Hawick was great and called for the task force to be created.
"We will consider that further," said Mr Ewing. "We are open-minded as to whether a task force is required.
"I think it is prudent first to take a little while to assess the situation, working closely with the administrators as we always do and the workforce representatives and the local authority."
To catch up on full details of the debate you can visit Holyrood Live. |
Add punctuation: Only about 20% of the building has been searched and "a significant number" of people are still missing, they said.
It is unclear what caused the fire at the converted warehouse.
The safety record of the building is under close scrutiny. There were no sprinklers. The only exit from the second floor was a makeshift stairwell.
Meanwhile, a man identified by former residents as the collective's co-operator, has drawn criticism for a Facebook post, in which he wrote that "everything I worked so hard for is gone", without acknowledging those who died.
Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloach-Reed said between 50 and 100 people were inside the venue when the fire started late on Friday.
The old warehouse, known as the Ghost Ship, was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna and six other acts.
The fire caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.
The building did not have a sprinkler system and firefighters did not hear any alarms when they arrived, Ms Deloach-Reed said.
The warehouse, which housed artists in improvised studios, was packed with furniture, mannequins and other objects, obstructing firefighters' efforts to put out the blaze, she added.
"It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections. It was like a maze, almost."
Fire crews worked all night at the scene. The search for bodies is expected to continue for at least another 48 hours.
Melinda Drayton, battalion chief at the Oakland Fire Department, said firefighters were going through the debris "bucket by bucket".
"It was quiet, it was heartbreaking," she said, choking back tears. "This will be a long and arduous process.
"We don't believe we have even gotten close to the origin of the fire."
She said every precaution was being taken to treat the victims' remains with respect.
Only three of the bereaved families are believed to have had their loved ones' deaths confirmed, due to issues with identification.
Oakland's Planning Department said it had opened an investigation into the premises last month after complaints from neighbours about rubbish, and of people living inside, against building regulations.
One former resident, Shelley Mack, told the Associated Press (AP) the building was "like a horror house", adding that there was no electricity or running water.
Media in Oakland named Derick Ion as the co-operator of the collective with his partner, Micah Allison.
A Facebook post by Derick Ion lamenting the loss of his belongings but saying he was "blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound" drew a barrage of criticism online.
Neither co-owner has commented publicly and their whereabouts are unknown.
Much of the work in the wake of the fire has focused on securing the building to allow search teams and investigators to enter.
Relatives of those who are missing have gathered at the Oakland coroners' office.
"I just want to go over there," Dan Vega, whose brother and his girlfriend are missing, told AP. "I have my work boots on. I'm ready to go." | Only about 20% of the building has been searched and "a significant number" of people are still missing, they said.
It is unclear what caused the fire at the converted warehouse.
The safety record of the building is under close scrutiny. There were no sprinklers. The only exit from the second floor was a makeshift stairwell.
Meanwhile, a man identified by former residents as the collective's co-operator, has drawn criticism for a Facebook post, in which he wrote that "everything I worked so hard for is gone", without acknowledging those who died.
Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloach-Reed said between 50 and 100 people were inside the venue when the fire started late on Friday.
The old warehouse, known as the Ghost Ship, was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna and six other acts.
The fire caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.
The building did not have a sprinkler system and firefighters did not hear any alarms when they arrived, Ms Deloach-Reed said.
The warehouse, which housed artists in improvised studios, was packed with furniture, mannequins and other objects, obstructing firefighters' efforts to put out the blaze, she added.
"It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections. It was like a maze, almost."
Fire crews worked all night at the scene. The search for bodies is expected to continue for at least another 48 hours.
Melinda Drayton, battalion chief at the Oakland Fire Department, said firefighters were going through the debris "bucket by bucket".
"It was quiet, it was heartbreaking," she said, choking back tears. "This will be a long and arduous process.
"We don't believe we have even gotten close to the origin of the fire."
She said every precaution was being taken to treat the victims' remains with respect.
Only three of the bereaved families are believed to have had their loved ones' deaths confirmed, due to issues with identification.
Oakland's Planning Department said it had opened an investigation into the premises last month after complaints from neighbours about rubbish, and of people living inside, against building regulations.
One former resident, Shelley Mack, told the Associated Press (AP) the building was "like a horror house", adding that there was no electricity or running water.
Media in Oakland named Derick Ion as the co-operator of the collective with his partner, Micah Allison.
A Facebook post by Derick Ion lamenting the loss of his belongings but saying he was "blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound" drew a barrage of criticism online.
Neither co-owner has commented publicly and their whereabouts are unknown.
Much of the work in the wake of the fire has focused on securing the building to allow search teams and investigators to enter.
Relatives of those who are missing have gathered at the Oakland coroners' office.
"I just want to go over there," Dan Vega, whose brother and his girlfriend are missing, told AP. "I have my work boots on. I'm ready to go." |
Add punctuation: GPs across the UK are inviting 17 and 18-year-olds to come for a vaccine. First-time students under 25 are eligible too.
There has been a steep rise in MenW cases since 2009 and experts say this group is particularly vulnerable.
Meningitis W also has a higher death rate than other strains of the disease.
Public Health England says it is important that anyone who plans to go to university this year gets vaccinated before they leave, because they will be mixing closely with lots of new people, some of whom may unknowingly be carrying the meningococcal bacteria.
Health experts in Scotland and Wales are also urging school-leavers and freshers to make an appointment at their GP surgery this summer.
The vaccination protects against meningitis and septicaemia caused by four meningoccocal strains - Men W, A, C and Y.
Teenagers born between 1 September 1996 and 31 August 1997 will be sent an invitation by their GP to come and receive the vaccination.
First-time university entrants this year aged between 19 and 24 should also contact their GP for the vaccination.
Over the next two years, 14 to 17-year-olds will also be contacted to be offered the MenACWY vaccine.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced the vaccination programme in June because cases of MenW had increased from 22 cases in 2009 to 117 in 2014.
A highly aggressive strain of meningococcal disease, group W, was found to be behind the rise.
Case study: "I was very fortunate that I was assessed so quickly"
Darren Kinahan-Goodwin, 43, was hospitalised with bacterial meningitis last month.
"I would never have thought that I had meningitis, as I went to work in the morning feeling fine," he says. Darren, from Chesterfield, says he "had none of the classic meningitis symptoms" but as the day progressed, he "became increasingly confused".
"Twelve hours later I didn't even know the names of those close to me," he says.
"I was very fortunate that I was assessed so quickly at the A&E department at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, and treated with antivirals and antibiotics before any confirmation of infection was established."
It took five days before it was established Darren's condition had been caused by streptococcal pneumonia, but his confusion began to clear the morning after he was admitted to hospital.
"That shows how quick meningitis can occur but how it can often be treated effectively with rapid intervention," he adds.
MenW is currently responsible for about one quarter of all laboratory-confirmed meningococcal cases in England.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said all eligible teenagers should take up the offer of the vaccination.
"If you're planning to go to university or college, you should be vaccinated before the start of the academic term or before leaving home for university or college (ideally two weeks in advance). Please make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible when the vaccine is offered."
Sue Davie, chief executive of Meningitis Now, said parents should ensure that their children get the MenACWY vaccination.
"It is critical that young people are not complacent about the disease and they take the necessary steps to protect themselves, stay vigilant and seek urgent medical help if they suspect it."
Chris Head, chief executive of the Meningitis Research Foundation, said he was delighted that the government had moved quickly to stop the rise of MenW.
"The rise in MenW disease is particularly worrying as it causes more severe illness and a higher death rate than other strains.
"We urge all who are eligible to make sure they get MenACWY vaccine." | GPs across the UK are inviting 17 and 18-year-olds to come for a vaccine. First-time students under 25 are eligible too.
There has been a steep rise in MenW cases since 2009 and experts say this group is particularly vulnerable.
Meningitis W also has a higher death rate than other strains of the disease.
Public Health England says it is important that anyone who plans to go to university this year gets vaccinated before they leave, because they will be mixing closely with lots of new people, some of whom may unknowingly be carrying the meningococcal bacteria.
Health experts in Scotland and Wales are also urging school-leavers and freshers to make an appointment at their GP surgery this summer.
The vaccination protects against meningitis and septicaemia caused by four meningoccocal strains - Men W, A, C and Y.
Teenagers born between 1 September 1996 and 31 August 1997 will be sent an invitation by their GP to come and receive the vaccination.
First-time university entrants this year aged between 19 and 24 should also contact their GP for the vaccination.
Over the next two years, 14 to 17-year-olds will also be contacted to be offered the MenACWY vaccine.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced the vaccination programme in June because cases of MenW had increased from 22 cases in 2009 to 117 in 2014.
A highly aggressive strain of meningococcal disease, group W, was found to be behind the rise.
Case study: "I was very fortunate that I was assessed so quickly"
Darren Kinahan-Goodwin, 43, was hospitalised with bacterial meningitis last month.
"I would never have thought that I had meningitis, as I went to work in the morning feeling fine," he says. Darren, from Chesterfield, says he "had none of the classic meningitis symptoms" but as the day progressed, he "became increasingly confused".
"Twelve hours later I didn't even know the names of those close to me," he says.
"I was very fortunate that I was assessed so quickly at the A&E department at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, and treated with antivirals and antibiotics before any confirmation of infection was established."
It took five days before it was established Darren's condition had been caused by streptococcal pneumonia, but his confusion began to clear the morning after he was admitted to hospital.
"That shows how quick meningitis can occur but how it can often be treated effectively with rapid intervention," he adds.
MenW is currently responsible for about one quarter of all laboratory-confirmed meningococcal cases in England.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said all eligible teenagers should take up the offer of the vaccination.
"If you're planning to go to university or college, you should be vaccinated before the start of the academic term or before leaving home for university or college (ideally two weeks in advance). Please make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible when the vaccine is offered."
Sue Davie, chief executive of Meningitis Now, said parents should ensure that their children get the MenACWY vaccination.
"It is critical that young people are not complacent about the disease and they take the necessary steps to protect themselves, stay vigilant and seek urgent medical help if they suspect it."
Chris Head, chief executive of the Meningitis Research Foundation, said he was delighted that the government had moved quickly to stop the rise of MenW.
"The rise in MenW disease is particularly worrying as it causes more severe illness and a higher death rate than other strains.
"We urge all who are eligible to make sure they get MenACWY vaccine." |
Add punctuation: They will try to view footage from a Cairo metro station, where Regeni is thought to have been last seen alive.
Regeni disappeared on 25 January 2016, the fifth anniversary of the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
His body was found with signs of torture nine days later in a ditch.
The 28-year-old Cambridge University PhD student was doing field work in Egypt on trade unions - a contentious issue in Egypt - and activism.
Egyptian prosecutors said they approved a request from Italy to send in experts, as well as data recovery experts from Germany.
The local police probe into the killing was criticised last year after sometimes contradictory accounts were issued by the authorities.
No-one has been arrested over Mr Regeni's death, although in March Egyptian authorities said they had found a criminal gang responsible for his kidnapping and murder.
All the gang members were killed in a shoot-out, they said. The reports were branded "implausible" by academics who have criticised the Egyptian authorities.
Police initially suggested Mr Regeni had been killed in a road accident, and have since offered little information on the progress of their investigation.
In September prosecutors said that police investigated Mr Regeni shortly before his abduction, torture and murder, but the inquiry was dropped after concluding he posed no threat. | They will try to view footage from a Cairo metro station, where Regeni is thought to have been last seen alive.
Regeni disappeared on 25 January 2016, the fifth anniversary of the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
His body was found with signs of torture nine days later in a ditch.
The 28-year-old Cambridge University PhD student was doing field work in Egypt on trade unions - a contentious issue in Egypt - and activism.
Egyptian prosecutors said they approved a request from Italy to send in experts, as well as data recovery experts from Germany.
The local police probe into the killing was criticised last year after sometimes contradictory accounts were issued by the authorities.
No-one has been arrested over Mr Regeni's death, although in March Egyptian authorities said they had found a criminal gang responsible for his kidnapping and murder.
All the gang members were killed in a shoot-out, they said. The reports were branded "implausible" by academics who have criticised the Egyptian authorities.
Police initially suggested Mr Regeni had been killed in a road accident, and have since offered little information on the progress of their investigation.
In September prosecutors said that police investigated Mr Regeni shortly before his abduction, torture and murder, but the inquiry was dropped after concluding he posed no threat. |
Add punctuation: The Nigeria international, 31, is undergoing chemotherapy.
"The support you've shown me has been incredible," said Ikeme in a video message played at Molineux before Saturday's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
"It's really helped me get through these first few weeks and will help me get through the rest of my treatment."
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Wolves supporters held cards spelling Ikeme's name before kick-off, Wanderers players wore special T-shirts during their warm-up and the cover of the match programme - designed by ex-Wolves captain Jody Craddock - featured images of the goalkeeper.
Several events raising funds for Birmingham-based charity Cure Leukaemia have been staged since Ikeme's diagnosis, including a 24-hour penalty shoot-out and a sponsored walk before Saturday's game.
The season opener also gave Middlesbrough the chance to show their support for Boro academy player Anthony Renton, who was also diagnosed with leukaemia in July.
Media playback is not supported on this device | The Nigeria international, 31, is undergoing chemotherapy.
"The support you've shown me has been incredible," said Ikeme in a video message played at Molineux before Saturday's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
"It's really helped me get through these first few weeks and will help me get through the rest of my treatment."
This content will not work on your device, please check Javascript and cookies are enabled or update your browser
Wolves supporters held cards spelling Ikeme's name before kick-off, Wanderers players wore special T-shirts during their warm-up and the cover of the match programme - designed by ex-Wolves captain Jody Craddock - featured images of the goalkeeper.
Several events raising funds for Birmingham-based charity Cure Leukaemia have been staged since Ikeme's diagnosis, including a 24-hour penalty shoot-out and a sponsored walk before Saturday's game.
The season opener also gave Middlesbrough the chance to show their support for Boro academy player Anthony Renton, who was also diagnosed with leukaemia in July.
Media playback is not supported on this device |
Add punctuation: Brazilian centre back Ricardo Nascimento scored the only goal in the 83rd minute to hand Sundowns a first ever success in the Super Cup, being played for the 25th time.
Mazembe's goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo stood between Sundowns and a runaway score as the home side ran riot with possession and chances but were unable to find the net.
Liberian international Antony Laffor had the best of the opportunities but will be pleased to see the back of 32-year-old Gbohou.
In the very first minute, Sundowns caught Mazembe midfielder Daniel Adjei in possession and were away on goal with Themba Zwane's shot striking Joel Kimwaki on the hand but the Egyptian referee Ghead Grisha turned down an appeal for a penalty.
Nascimento might have got the opener in the sixth minute but powered his header wide and then was guilty of a horror mistake at the other end that almost cost the hosts.
He allowed a ball to bounce over his head in a vain effort to catch Mazembe offside but got his calculations all wrong to allow Mazembe striker Ben Malongo away at goal with just Sundowns' goalkeeper Denis Onyango to beat.
Malongo struck the upright with his initial effort only for the ball to run back to him and offer him a second chance, which he also hit against the post to the great relief of the Sundowns' supporters.
After that it was Sundowns' Liberian international Anthony Laffor who put his stamp on the game with mazy runs that sought to unsettle the Congolese defence.
Laffor set up Khama Billiat for a shot that sliced off the side of the boot in the 37th minute and then three minutes later again provided Billiat with a chance, which Gbohouo blocked.
Laffor, who turned 32 on Friday, had a shot of his own from outside the area on the stroke of half-time that almost slipped under Gbohouo's body only for the Ivory Coast international goalkeeper to stop it creeping over the line and emerging with a broad smile of relief.
In the second half, Mazembe looked to be battling with the altitude and tiring visibly. They brought on former pin-up boy Tresor Mputu to the delight of their supporters as he returns to the club after a lengthy Fifa ban and a spell playing club football in Angola.
Sundowns' two defensive midfielders both had chances around the hour mark with Tiyani Mabunda almost bursting through but then being forced wide and Hlompho Kekana hitting a powerful shot straight at Gbohouo.
Laffor then had a glorious chance in the 66th minute as veteran Mazembe defender Jean Kasusula gave away the ball but bearing down on goal Laffor hit the ball over when it seemed easier to score.
Mabunda and Tau then scythed open the Mazembe defence in the 69th minute but Gbohouo made a good stop to deny a dominant Sundowns.
But the save of the match came in the 77th minute when a five man move carved up the Mazembe backline with Laffor having his close-in shot brilliantly stopped.
The breakthrough finally came in the 83rd minute when Sundowns got a penalty for a wild challenge by Issama Mpeko on Kekana just when the home captain looked to have lost the ball.
Nascimento stepped up to send Gbohouo the wrong way and finally give Sundowns the lead they deserved. | Brazilian centre back Ricardo Nascimento scored the only goal in the 83rd minute to hand Sundowns a first ever success in the Super Cup, being played for the 25th time.
Mazembe's goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo stood between Sundowns and a runaway score as the home side ran riot with possession and chances but were unable to find the net.
Liberian international Antony Laffor had the best of the opportunities but will be pleased to see the back of 32-year-old Gbohou.
In the very first minute, Sundowns caught Mazembe midfielder Daniel Adjei in possession and were away on goal with Themba Zwane's shot striking Joel Kimwaki on the hand but the Egyptian referee Ghead Grisha turned down an appeal for a penalty.
Nascimento might have got the opener in the sixth minute but powered his header wide and then was guilty of a horror mistake at the other end that almost cost the hosts.
He allowed a ball to bounce over his head in a vain effort to catch Mazembe offside but got his calculations all wrong to allow Mazembe striker Ben Malongo away at goal with just Sundowns' goalkeeper Denis Onyango to beat.
Malongo struck the upright with his initial effort only for the ball to run back to him and offer him a second chance, which he also hit against the post to the great relief of the Sundowns' supporters.
After that it was Sundowns' Liberian international Anthony Laffor who put his stamp on the game with mazy runs that sought to unsettle the Congolese defence.
Laffor set up Khama Billiat for a shot that sliced off the side of the boot in the 37th minute and then three minutes later again provided Billiat with a chance, which Gbohouo blocked.
Laffor, who turned 32 on Friday, had a shot of his own from outside the area on the stroke of half-time that almost slipped under Gbohouo's body only for the Ivory Coast international goalkeeper to stop it creeping over the line and emerging with a broad smile of relief.
In the second half, Mazembe looked to be battling with the altitude and tiring visibly. They brought on former pin-up boy Tresor Mputu to the delight of their supporters as he returns to the club after a lengthy Fifa ban and a spell playing club football in Angola.
Sundowns' two defensive midfielders both had chances around the hour mark with Tiyani Mabunda almost bursting through but then being forced wide and Hlompho Kekana hitting a powerful shot straight at Gbohouo.
Laffor then had a glorious chance in the 66th minute as veteran Mazembe defender Jean Kasusula gave away the ball but bearing down on goal Laffor hit the ball over when it seemed easier to score.
Mabunda and Tau then scythed open the Mazembe defence in the 69th minute but Gbohouo made a good stop to deny a dominant Sundowns.
But the save of the match came in the 77th minute when a five man move carved up the Mazembe backline with Laffor having his close-in shot brilliantly stopped.
The breakthrough finally came in the 83rd minute when Sundowns got a penalty for a wild challenge by Issama Mpeko on Kekana just when the home captain looked to have lost the ball.
Nascimento stepped up to send Gbohouo the wrong way and finally give Sundowns the lead they deserved. |
Add punctuation: NCC Group said the exploit could be used to seize control of a vehicle's brakes and other critical systems.
The Manchester-based company told the BBC it had found a way to carry out the attacks by sending data via digital audio broadcasting (DAB) radio signals.
It coincides with news of a similar flaw discovered by two US researchers.
Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller showed Wired magazine that they could take control of a Jeep Cherokee car by sending data to its internet-connected entertainment and navigation system via a mobile-phone network.
Chrysler has released a patch to address the problem.
However, NCC's work - which has been restricted to its labs - points to a wider problem.
The UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has responded by saying that car companies "invest billions of pounds to keep vehicles secure as possible".
NCC demonstrated part of its technique to BBC Radio 4's PM programme at its offices in Cheltenham.
By using relatively cheap off-the-shelf components connected to a laptop, the company's research director, Andy Davis, created a DAB station.
Because infotainment systems processed DAB data to display text and pictures on car dashboard screens, he said, an attacker could send code that would let them take over the system.
Once an infotainment system had been compromised, he said, an attacker could potentially use it as a way to control more critical systems, including steering and braking.
Depending on the power of the transmitter, he said, a DAB broadcast could allow attackers to affect many cars at once.
"As this is a broadcast medium, if you had a vulnerability within a certain infotainment system in a certain manufacturer's vehicle, by sending one stream of data, you could attack many cars simultaneously," he said.
"[An attacker] would probably choose a common radio station to broadcast over the top of to make sure they reached the maximum number of target vehicles."
Mr Davis declined to publicly identify which specific infotainment systems he had hacked, at this point.
In many ways, modern cars are computer networks on wheels.
Mike Parris, of SBD, another company that specialises in vehicle security, said modern cars typically contained 50 interlinked computers running more than 50 million lines of code.
By contrast, he said, a modern airliner "has around 14 million lines of code".
Such technology allows the latest cars to carry out automatic manoeuvres. For example, a driver can make their vehicle parallel park at the touch of a button.
Mr Davis said he had simulated his DAB-based attack only on equipment in his company's buildings because it would be illegal and unsafe to do so in the outside world.
But he added that he had previously compromised a real vehicle's automatic-braking system - designed to prevent it crashing into the car in front - by modifying an infotainment system, and he believed this could be replicated via a DAB broadcast.
"If someone were able to compromise the infotainment system, because of the architecture of its vehicle network, they would in some cases be able to disable the automatic braking functionality," he said.
On Tuesday, Wired magazine reported that two US security researchers had managed to remotely take control of a Jeep Cherokee's air-conditioning system, radio and windscreen wipers while its journalist was driving the vehicle.
Mr Valasek - director of vehicle security research at IOActive - said that NCC's attack appeared to have similarities with his own.
"I mean that's essentially what we did over the cell [mobile] network - we took over the infotainment system and from there reprogrammed certain pieces of the vehicle so we could send control commands," he said.
"So, it sounds entirely plausible."
But he added that such exploits were beyond the reach of most criminals.
"It takes a lot of time skill and money," he said.
"That isn't to say that there aren't large organisations interested in it."
More details about both the NCC and the US team's research will be presented to the Black Hat security convention in Las Vegas next month. | NCC Group said the exploit could be used to seize control of a vehicle's brakes and other critical systems.
The Manchester-based company told the BBC it had found a way to carry out the attacks by sending data via digital audio broadcasting (DAB) radio signals.
It coincides with news of a similar flaw discovered by two US researchers.
Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller showed Wired magazine that they could take control of a Jeep Cherokee car by sending data to its internet-connected entertainment and navigation system via a mobile-phone network.
Chrysler has released a patch to address the problem.
However, NCC's work - which has been restricted to its labs - points to a wider problem.
The UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has responded by saying that car companies "invest billions of pounds to keep vehicles secure as possible".
NCC demonstrated part of its technique to BBC Radio 4's PM programme at its offices in Cheltenham.
By using relatively cheap off-the-shelf components connected to a laptop, the company's research director, Andy Davis, created a DAB station.
Because infotainment systems processed DAB data to display text and pictures on car dashboard screens, he said, an attacker could send code that would let them take over the system.
Once an infotainment system had been compromised, he said, an attacker could potentially use it as a way to control more critical systems, including steering and braking.
Depending on the power of the transmitter, he said, a DAB broadcast could allow attackers to affect many cars at once.
"As this is a broadcast medium, if you had a vulnerability within a certain infotainment system in a certain manufacturer's vehicle, by sending one stream of data, you could attack many cars simultaneously," he said.
"[An attacker] would probably choose a common radio station to broadcast over the top of to make sure they reached the maximum number of target vehicles."
Mr Davis declined to publicly identify which specific infotainment systems he had hacked, at this point.
In many ways, modern cars are computer networks on wheels.
Mike Parris, of SBD, another company that specialises in vehicle security, said modern cars typically contained 50 interlinked computers running more than 50 million lines of code.
By contrast, he said, a modern airliner "has around 14 million lines of code".
Such technology allows the latest cars to carry out automatic manoeuvres. For example, a driver can make their vehicle parallel park at the touch of a button.
Mr Davis said he had simulated his DAB-based attack only on equipment in his company's buildings because it would be illegal and unsafe to do so in the outside world.
But he added that he had previously compromised a real vehicle's automatic-braking system - designed to prevent it crashing into the car in front - by modifying an infotainment system, and he believed this could be replicated via a DAB broadcast.
"If someone were able to compromise the infotainment system, because of the architecture of its vehicle network, they would in some cases be able to disable the automatic braking functionality," he said.
On Tuesday, Wired magazine reported that two US security researchers had managed to remotely take control of a Jeep Cherokee's air-conditioning system, radio and windscreen wipers while its journalist was driving the vehicle.
Mr Valasek - director of vehicle security research at IOActive - said that NCC's attack appeared to have similarities with his own.
"I mean that's essentially what we did over the cell [mobile] network - we took over the infotainment system and from there reprogrammed certain pieces of the vehicle so we could send control commands," he said.
"So, it sounds entirely plausible."
But he added that such exploits were beyond the reach of most criminals.
"It takes a lot of time skill and money," he said.
"That isn't to say that there aren't large organisations interested in it."
More details about both the NCC and the US team's research will be presented to the Black Hat security convention in Las Vegas next month. |
Add punctuation: Hastings Borough Council leader, Jeremy Birch, wants it introduced to mark the date of the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
The call comes after ministers outlined plans to scrap the May Day bank holiday and move it to St George's Day in April or Trafalgar Day in October.
Mr Birch wants the new holiday in addition to May Day as it is the date of the town's biggest festival.
He has written to Tourism Minister John Penrose explaining that the Jack-in-the Green event on the May Day bank holiday, which celebrates morris dancing, is very important because it attracts 20,000 people and generates £5m for businesses.
He said: "Our visitor economy would suffer greatly if the May Day bank holiday were to be moved, as he suggested.
"That doesn't mean that we wouldn't welcome another late season holiday and I have suggested 14 October for that.
"I told the minister that the date is known locally as Hastings Day - already the date of the fateful Battle of Hastings in 1066."
The proposal to move the May Day bank holiday is part of the the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) tourism policy.
It is hoped it would lengthen the tourist season and attract more visitors to the UK.
The DCMS said it was consulting on the plans.
In a statement it said: "Some suggestions include creating a new St George's Day holiday in England, or a UK Day bank holiday in the autumn half term.
"However the consultation will allow new suggestions to be made." | Hastings Borough Council leader, Jeremy Birch, wants it introduced to mark the date of the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
The call comes after ministers outlined plans to scrap the May Day bank holiday and move it to St George's Day in April or Trafalgar Day in October.
Mr Birch wants the new holiday in addition to May Day as it is the date of the town's biggest festival.
He has written to Tourism Minister John Penrose explaining that the Jack-in-the Green event on the May Day bank holiday, which celebrates morris dancing, is very important because it attracts 20,000 people and generates £5m for businesses.
He said: "Our visitor economy would suffer greatly if the May Day bank holiday were to be moved, as he suggested.
"That doesn't mean that we wouldn't welcome another late season holiday and I have suggested 14 October for that.
"I told the minister that the date is known locally as Hastings Day - already the date of the fateful Battle of Hastings in 1066."
The proposal to move the May Day bank holiday is part of the the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) tourism policy.
It is hoped it would lengthen the tourist season and attract more visitors to the UK.
The DCMS said it was consulting on the plans.
In a statement it said: "Some suggestions include creating a new St George's Day holiday in England, or a UK Day bank holiday in the autumn half term.
"However the consultation will allow new suggestions to be made." |
Add punctuation: The Square Chapel in Halifax has been awarded more than £3.9m for its Cornerstone project to link the building to the nearby Piece Hall.
Ben Rothera, from the chapel, said: "We really want to transform this part of Halifax into a cultural quarter."
The Art House will receive more than £1.5m to develop an old library building on Drury Lane, Wakefield.
Halifax's Square Chapel was built in 1772, one of the few square churches built, the derelict building was bought in 1988 to convert into an arts centre.
Along with the new extension the building will get a new auditorium, a cinema and live screening facilities in a development costing almost £6m.
Mr Rothera, the Square Chapel's marketing manager, said the award was the biggest day in the history of the chapel as an arts venue.
The building will eventually link to the Piece Hall, which is also to undergo a £19m refurbishment.
In Wakefield the money will see a second phase of development for the Art House, which opened in 2008 with 14 accessible studios.
The grant will create a further 34 accessible studios by knocking through to connect with the former library next door.
Anne Cunningham, chief executive of the Art House, said: "It's not easy to sustain working as an artist but a studio is an important place for them."
The organisation also runs business skills courses for its artists. | The Square Chapel in Halifax has been awarded more than £3.9m for its Cornerstone project to link the building to the nearby Piece Hall.
Ben Rothera, from the chapel, said: "We really want to transform this part of Halifax into a cultural quarter."
The Art House will receive more than £1.5m to develop an old library building on Drury Lane, Wakefield.
Halifax's Square Chapel was built in 1772, one of the few square churches built, the derelict building was bought in 1988 to convert into an arts centre.
Along with the new extension the building will get a new auditorium, a cinema and live screening facilities in a development costing almost £6m.
Mr Rothera, the Square Chapel's marketing manager, said the award was the biggest day in the history of the chapel as an arts venue.
The building will eventually link to the Piece Hall, which is also to undergo a £19m refurbishment.
In Wakefield the money will see a second phase of development for the Art House, which opened in 2008 with 14 accessible studios.
The grant will create a further 34 accessible studios by knocking through to connect with the former library next door.
Anne Cunningham, chief executive of the Art House, said: "It's not easy to sustain working as an artist but a studio is an important place for them."
The organisation also runs business skills courses for its artists. |
Add punctuation: James Bevan and his small team step carefully into a residential house in Qaraqosh, not far from Mosul in Iraq.
A long trail of blood by the entrance and near-ready suicide vests just inside the door confirm what they have been told by a local militia group - this was a position used by fighters from so-called Islamic State (IS).
The team are from the group Conflict Armament Research (CAR). The investigators carry only notebooks and cameras as they hunt for evidence.
Bedding, clothes and remnants of life from the family that once lived there litter the house. But in a backroom, they find what they are after - empty boxes of ammunition.
They shout out details as they take notes and photos. Their aim is to understand how weapons get into the wrong hands.
"To date, the international community has been blind to the fact that weapons are being diverted into conflict affected areas," Mr Bevan explains.
The team work just behind the frontlines in areas recently captured from IS. Munitions can be examined for markings but the empty boxes are the most useful, since they carry serial numbers and batch numbers.
These will be then fed into a database as they trace how the material got from the factory where it was manufactured into the middle of a conflict zone.
Qaraqosh, a predominantly Christian town, is a scene of near-apocalyptic devastation - buildings smashed to pieces, craters in roads, church steeples toppled over.
The streets are eerily quiet. All the residents left when IS came. IS was pushed out only at the end of last month as part of the offensive on Mosul.
By day, a local Christian militia patrols the town but word is that, at night, IS fighters sometimes return.
As we visit a church, three former worshippers arrive for a brief visit. They recount the exact moment they held their last service inside the building - 16:00 on 6 August, 2014.
After that they fled to Irbil and have returned briefly to see what remains.
Pictures around the altar have been torn down and the building ransacked. Inside the church's hall, the CAR team find evidence that the site has also been used as an IS weapons factory.
The parts for rockets are scattered across the floor. Lying next to a bowl of chemicals is a handwritten "recipe" to mix explosives.
IS tried to mass-produce weaponry in areas it controlled and set up home-made mortar factories, but there is also evidence of materials that have come from abroad.
Around the church pews are bags of industrial chemical - the CAR team have seen these before. It is sold purely on the domestic market in Turkey but large quantities made it into IS hands.
"When we look at improvised weapons and homemade explosives, we know they buy in massive bulk and they buy primarily on the Turkish market," says Mr Bevan.
"Their procurement networks reach out into southern Turkey and they obviously have a series of very strong relationships with very big distributors."
In some cases CAR have recovered evidence of between 3-5,000 bags being bought with the same lot number.
"Someone has gone up and bought half the stock of a factory," he says.
IS has had no problem arming itself - and the work of CAR suggests that this may partly have been thanks to the weapons sent into the conflict zone by those fighting it.
The arms trade is a murky world but Mr Bevan's team has found evidence on the source of IS ammunition.
In the early phase of the conflict, most of it was captured on the battlefield from Iraqi and Syrian forces. But from the end of 2015, the team started to see another significant source.
Ammunition boxes were turning up that could be traced back to factories in Eastern Europe.
The team approached manufacturing states to request information to find out to whom the material was sold.
It emerged that the material had been sold - legally - to the governments of the United States and Saudi Arabia. It was then shipped through Turkey.
The destination was northern Syria and the opposition groups (which the US and Saudi Arabia supported) fighting President Bashar al-Assad.
The intention was never for the ammunition to find its way to IS but somewhere along the way it was diverted.
This ammunition was found in Tikrit, Ramadi, Falluja and now Mosul - all places where it has been used to fight the US-backed Iraqi forces.
The speed with which IS was getting this material was startling - sometimes only two months from leaving the factory.
"If you supply weapons and ammunition not only to non-state actors but to non-state actors in a very complex interlocked conflict then the risk of diversion is very, very high," says Mr Bevan.
Perhaps the closest parallel to the problems of covert weapons supply and diversion is the support given by the US and others to the mujahideen fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
In that case, weapons were sent to certain groups approved by the CIA but were funnelled through Pakistan's intelligence service and sometimes found their way into the hands of other groups fighting the Soviet Union who had more extreme agendas, among them Osama Bin Laden.
The current situation is even more complex and confusing than in Afghanistan - with two overlapping conflicts in Iraq and Syria and an even wider range of countries supporting proxy groups.
Mr Bevan believes establishing the route of weapons is the first stage to preventing diversion.
"We are able to go back to the manufacturer and say these are your weapons and we know that you transferred them legally but your export recipient has transferred them here without authorisation. So you have a problem and now you need to do something about it."
The evidence of the destruction wreaked by weapons lies everywhere in Iraq and Syria. Trying to restrict the flow will not be easy so long as outside states are supporting their own proxy groups.
And in the chaos of this conflict there is no guarantee who will end up getting their hands on weapons and how they will use them. | James Bevan and his small team step carefully into a residential house in Qaraqosh, not far from Mosul in Iraq.
A long trail of blood by the entrance and near-ready suicide vests just inside the door confirm what they have been told by a local militia group - this was a position used by fighters from so-called Islamic State (IS).
The team are from the group Conflict Armament Research (CAR). The investigators carry only notebooks and cameras as they hunt for evidence.
Bedding, clothes and remnants of life from the family that once lived there litter the house. But in a backroom, they find what they are after - empty boxes of ammunition.
They shout out details as they take notes and photos. Their aim is to understand how weapons get into the wrong hands.
"To date, the international community has been blind to the fact that weapons are being diverted into conflict affected areas," Mr Bevan explains.
The team work just behind the frontlines in areas recently captured from IS. Munitions can be examined for markings but the empty boxes are the most useful, since they carry serial numbers and batch numbers.
These will be then fed into a database as they trace how the material got from the factory where it was manufactured into the middle of a conflict zone.
Qaraqosh, a predominantly Christian town, is a scene of near-apocalyptic devastation - buildings smashed to pieces, craters in roads, church steeples toppled over.
The streets are eerily quiet. All the residents left when IS came. IS was pushed out only at the end of last month as part of the offensive on Mosul.
By day, a local Christian militia patrols the town but word is that, at night, IS fighters sometimes return.
As we visit a church, three former worshippers arrive for a brief visit. They recount the exact moment they held their last service inside the building - 16:00 on 6 August, 2014.
After that they fled to Irbil and have returned briefly to see what remains.
Pictures around the altar have been torn down and the building ransacked. Inside the church's hall, the CAR team find evidence that the site has also been used as an IS weapons factory.
The parts for rockets are scattered across the floor. Lying next to a bowl of chemicals is a handwritten "recipe" to mix explosives.
IS tried to mass-produce weaponry in areas it controlled and set up home-made mortar factories, but there is also evidence of materials that have come from abroad.
Around the church pews are bags of industrial chemical - the CAR team have seen these before. It is sold purely on the domestic market in Turkey but large quantities made it into IS hands.
"When we look at improvised weapons and homemade explosives, we know they buy in massive bulk and they buy primarily on the Turkish market," says Mr Bevan.
"Their procurement networks reach out into southern Turkey and they obviously have a series of very strong relationships with very big distributors."
In some cases CAR have recovered evidence of between 3-5,000 bags being bought with the same lot number.
"Someone has gone up and bought half the stock of a factory," he says.
IS has had no problem arming itself - and the work of CAR suggests that this may partly have been thanks to the weapons sent into the conflict zone by those fighting it.
The arms trade is a murky world but Mr Bevan's team has found evidence on the source of IS ammunition.
In the early phase of the conflict, most of it was captured on the battlefield from Iraqi and Syrian forces. But from the end of 2015, the team started to see another significant source.
Ammunition boxes were turning up that could be traced back to factories in Eastern Europe.
The team approached manufacturing states to request information to find out to whom the material was sold.
It emerged that the material had been sold - legally - to the governments of the United States and Saudi Arabia. It was then shipped through Turkey.
The destination was northern Syria and the opposition groups (which the US and Saudi Arabia supported) fighting President Bashar al-Assad.
The intention was never for the ammunition to find its way to IS but somewhere along the way it was diverted.
This ammunition was found in Tikrit, Ramadi, Falluja and now Mosul - all places where it has been used to fight the US-backed Iraqi forces.
The speed with which IS was getting this material was startling - sometimes only two months from leaving the factory.
"If you supply weapons and ammunition not only to non-state actors but to non-state actors in a very complex interlocked conflict then the risk of diversion is very, very high," says Mr Bevan.
Perhaps the closest parallel to the problems of covert weapons supply and diversion is the support given by the US and others to the mujahideen fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
In that case, weapons were sent to certain groups approved by the CIA but were funnelled through Pakistan's intelligence service and sometimes found their way into the hands of other groups fighting the Soviet Union who had more extreme agendas, among them Osama Bin Laden.
The current situation is even more complex and confusing than in Afghanistan - with two overlapping conflicts in Iraq and Syria and an even wider range of countries supporting proxy groups.
Mr Bevan believes establishing the route of weapons is the first stage to preventing diversion.
"We are able to go back to the manufacturer and say these are your weapons and we know that you transferred them legally but your export recipient has transferred them here without authorisation. So you have a problem and now you need to do something about it."
The evidence of the destruction wreaked by weapons lies everywhere in Iraq and Syria. Trying to restrict the flow will not be easy so long as outside states are supporting their own proxy groups.
And in the chaos of this conflict there is no guarantee who will end up getting their hands on weapons and how they will use them. |
Add punctuation: Two chairs appointed, two chairs resigned and there was a deepening sense of despair among people who've been abused that the truth would never come out.
Right from the start, both of the previous chairs - Baroness Butler-Sloss and her successor Fiona Woolf - were under incredible scrutiny. And both were ultimately compromised because they could not command the support of people who have spent years waiting for justice.
So last November, under immense political pressure, the Home Secretary publicly conceded she had got it wrong. She would pause and listen to survivors and their representatives before she went any further.
The omens did not look good. She knew that abuse survivors were at the end of their tether - so much talk, so many promises, but so little delivered.
Today's announcement to MPs on the new-look inquiry - and the new chair - has won over some of her biggest critics because, in Mrs May's words, "the process is being reset".
It appears that she has listened and responded to what victims have called for, a decision that Peter Saunders, the head of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac), has hailed as "democracy in action".
So the old inquiry panel is being disbanded - and in will come a punchy statutory inquiry. This means is has the crucial legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and institutions to cough up documents.
The new panel will be appointed from published criteria - and the outgoing team are free to apply again.
The new inquiry will eventually have new terms of reference which could mean that it will look at abuse that occurred before 1970, the cut-off date of the original investigation.
Mrs May said there would have to be some joined-up thinking across inquiries in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Jersey to ensure "that no information falls through the cracks, and no people or institutions escape scrutiny, censure or justice".
There will be support for witnesses, a senior police team on stand-by to chase leads and a top lawyer overseeing possible prosecutions.
All of this means that it will last at least three years - and it will be more expensive. If it matches the scale and ambition of Australia's massive abuse investigation, it will cost at least £100m.
And that means the most important part of the package will be the character of the new chairwoman: Justice Lowell Goddard from the New Zealand High Court.
Ben Emmerson QC, who remains as counsel to the inquiry, had previously set out the qualities that the new chairman or chairwoman would need - absolute independence from the executive and an ability to hold them and institutions to account.
"You need somebody with very significant forensic skills, the ability to analyse vast quantities of information and to penetrate deep into institutions that have failed victims and survivors over the years," he told MPs.
"You need somebody who is passionate about the need to bring justice to victims and survivors.
"You need someone with significant inspiration and commitment to the job with sufficient imagination to realise that we are at a very significant crossroads in which society as a whole has a once in a life time opportunity to look back on these decades and decades of abuse and draw a line under it.
"You need someone with real courage. "
Theresa May thinks she has that figure in Justice Goddard - and Mr Emmerson has backed her publicly today. He describes the judge who has investigated child abuse in New Zealand and, like him, worked for the United Nations as someone with "a longstanding commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights".
Selected from more than 150 possible candidates, the new chairwoman is a world away - geographically and institutionally - from the characters and parts of the British state that victims insist must come under uncomfortable scrutiny
The appointment echoes the decision to use a Canadian judge to look into some of the most controversial allegations of collusion levelled at the state in Northern Ireland. In both of these cases the government concluded it could only win the broad support of victims by asking a complete outsider to step in.
How has that decision gone down? The mood music is positive. Campaigning MP Simon Danczuk, one of the Home Secretary's fiercest critics, has backed the selection - and Peter Saunders of Napac says Mrs May has finally got it right.
Theresa May's statement made clear she has personally learned some hard lessons about transparency and trust.
The attention now turns to Justice Goddard.
Justice Lowell Goddard will be leaving behind a New Zealand summer for an English winter - and the first possible storm ahead is her "pre-appointment" hearing before the Home Affairs committee.
She will have to prove that she has the legal skills, stamina and empathy to expose historical abuse - but also the independence to stand her ground amid the clamour. | Two chairs appointed, two chairs resigned and there was a deepening sense of despair among people who've been abused that the truth would never come out.
Right from the start, both of the previous chairs - Baroness Butler-Sloss and her successor Fiona Woolf - were under incredible scrutiny. And both were ultimately compromised because they could not command the support of people who have spent years waiting for justice.
So last November, under immense political pressure, the Home Secretary publicly conceded she had got it wrong. She would pause and listen to survivors and their representatives before she went any further.
The omens did not look good. She knew that abuse survivors were at the end of their tether - so much talk, so many promises, but so little delivered.
Today's announcement to MPs on the new-look inquiry - and the new chair - has won over some of her biggest critics because, in Mrs May's words, "the process is being reset".
It appears that she has listened and responded to what victims have called for, a decision that Peter Saunders, the head of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac), has hailed as "democracy in action".
So the old inquiry panel is being disbanded - and in will come a punchy statutory inquiry. This means is has the crucial legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and institutions to cough up documents.
The new panel will be appointed from published criteria - and the outgoing team are free to apply again.
The new inquiry will eventually have new terms of reference which could mean that it will look at abuse that occurred before 1970, the cut-off date of the original investigation.
Mrs May said there would have to be some joined-up thinking across inquiries in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Jersey to ensure "that no information falls through the cracks, and no people or institutions escape scrutiny, censure or justice".
There will be support for witnesses, a senior police team on stand-by to chase leads and a top lawyer overseeing possible prosecutions.
All of this means that it will last at least three years - and it will be more expensive. If it matches the scale and ambition of Australia's massive abuse investigation, it will cost at least £100m.
And that means the most important part of the package will be the character of the new chairwoman: Justice Lowell Goddard from the New Zealand High Court.
Ben Emmerson QC, who remains as counsel to the inquiry, had previously set out the qualities that the new chairman or chairwoman would need - absolute independence from the executive and an ability to hold them and institutions to account.
"You need somebody with very significant forensic skills, the ability to analyse vast quantities of information and to penetrate deep into institutions that have failed victims and survivors over the years," he told MPs.
"You need somebody who is passionate about the need to bring justice to victims and survivors.
"You need someone with significant inspiration and commitment to the job with sufficient imagination to realise that we are at a very significant crossroads in which society as a whole has a once in a life time opportunity to look back on these decades and decades of abuse and draw a line under it.
"You need someone with real courage. "
Theresa May thinks she has that figure in Justice Goddard - and Mr Emmerson has backed her publicly today. He describes the judge who has investigated child abuse in New Zealand and, like him, worked for the United Nations as someone with "a longstanding commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights".
Selected from more than 150 possible candidates, the new chairwoman is a world away - geographically and institutionally - from the characters and parts of the British state that victims insist must come under uncomfortable scrutiny
The appointment echoes the decision to use a Canadian judge to look into some of the most controversial allegations of collusion levelled at the state in Northern Ireland. In both of these cases the government concluded it could only win the broad support of victims by asking a complete outsider to step in.
How has that decision gone down? The mood music is positive. Campaigning MP Simon Danczuk, one of the Home Secretary's fiercest critics, has backed the selection - and Peter Saunders of Napac says Mrs May has finally got it right.
Theresa May's statement made clear she has personally learned some hard lessons about transparency and trust.
The attention now turns to Justice Goddard.
Justice Lowell Goddard will be leaving behind a New Zealand summer for an English winter - and the first possible storm ahead is her "pre-appointment" hearing before the Home Affairs committee.
She will have to prove that she has the legal skills, stamina and empathy to expose historical abuse - but also the independence to stand her ground amid the clamour. |
Add punctuation: Coaches from newly-crowned English Premier League champions Chelsea will conduct trials in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Durban in a bid to unearth the next Lucas Radebe or Benni McCarthy.
The initiative is a collaboration between Chelsea and Shield, one of the country's leading deodorant brands.
The trials, which will run until 30 September, will also be aired on national television.
The winner will get the chance to train with Chelsea at their Cobham base in London.
Ian Woodroffe, international development manager of the Chelsea FC Foundation, said he was excited about the prospect of discovering a future South African star.
"We know the country holds many players with a huge passion for football. This competition gives them the chance to demonstrate their passion and ability.
"The Chelsea Foundation works hard to improve the lives of young people all over the world and we look forward to extending our work in South Africa‚" said Woodroffe.
The programme is open to all South Africans‚ male and female, aged 18 years and older.
Sponsors' representative Keegan Alicks said the initiative was designed to inspire ordinary people to chase the dream of champions and would run for three years.
He said: "This will give everyday people an opportunity to train with the best and move in the direction of becoming a champion.
"This is to afford aspiring professional footballers a real-life feel of what it takes to make it at the top of the club football pyramid, including hard work, practice and absolute dedication - both on and off the field."
Local coaches will help choose the winner in conjunction with the Chelsea coaches and a club legend who will also come out to South Africa. | Coaches from newly-crowned English Premier League champions Chelsea will conduct trials in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Durban in a bid to unearth the next Lucas Radebe or Benni McCarthy.
The initiative is a collaboration between Chelsea and Shield, one of the country's leading deodorant brands.
The trials, which will run until 30 September, will also be aired on national television.
The winner will get the chance to train with Chelsea at their Cobham base in London.
Ian Woodroffe, international development manager of the Chelsea FC Foundation, said he was excited about the prospect of discovering a future South African star.
"We know the country holds many players with a huge passion for football. This competition gives them the chance to demonstrate their passion and ability.
"The Chelsea Foundation works hard to improve the lives of young people all over the world and we look forward to extending our work in South Africa‚" said Woodroffe.
The programme is open to all South Africans‚ male and female, aged 18 years and older.
Sponsors' representative Keegan Alicks said the initiative was designed to inspire ordinary people to chase the dream of champions and would run for three years.
He said: "This will give everyday people an opportunity to train with the best and move in the direction of becoming a champion.
"This is to afford aspiring professional footballers a real-life feel of what it takes to make it at the top of the club football pyramid, including hard work, practice and absolute dedication - both on and off the field."
Local coaches will help choose the winner in conjunction with the Chelsea coaches and a club legend who will also come out to South Africa. |
Add punctuation: The track dried out after a wet start with Rea and Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes coming in earlier than their rivals for a tyre change.
It was a decisive move and Rea finished two seconds ahead of the English rider with Michael van der Mark third.
Welshman Chaz Davies came in fifth and remains second in the series.
Davies, who was second to reigning champion Rea in Saturday's opener, is 14 points ahead of Sykes.
Australian Josh Brookes set the early pace on Sunday before Rea, who was lying fourth, and Sykes came into the pits with 14 laps remaining.
The Kawasaki pair were soon out in front and they went head-to-head for the win but Sykes could find no way past Rea.
Dutchman Van der Mark delighted home fans by completing the podium.
Lorenzo Savadori was fourth while Brookes crashed out as he attempted to make up ground late in the race.
It was a ninth Assen victory for 29-year-old Rea and his fifth successive win at the Netherlands circuit. | The track dried out after a wet start with Rea and Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes coming in earlier than their rivals for a tyre change.
It was a decisive move and Rea finished two seconds ahead of the English rider with Michael van der Mark third.
Welshman Chaz Davies came in fifth and remains second in the series.
Davies, who was second to reigning champion Rea in Saturday's opener, is 14 points ahead of Sykes.
Australian Josh Brookes set the early pace on Sunday before Rea, who was lying fourth, and Sykes came into the pits with 14 laps remaining.
The Kawasaki pair were soon out in front and they went head-to-head for the win but Sykes could find no way past Rea.
Dutchman Van der Mark delighted home fans by completing the podium.
Lorenzo Savadori was fourth while Brookes crashed out as he attempted to make up ground late in the race.
It was a ninth Assen victory for 29-year-old Rea and his fifth successive win at the Netherlands circuit. |
Add punctuation: The 28-year-old had reportedly jumped down onto tracks at the end of a tunnel near Ludlow station in Shropshire, but had underestimated the drop.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the man had a serious chest injury but was conscious and breathing when medics managed to reach the location.
He was taken by train to the station and then put in an ambulance.
The ambulance took him to a waiting helicopter which then flew him to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, for emergency care.
The man fell at about 10:15 GMT and several trains were delayed as a result.
An ambulance service spokesman said: "Due to their location and the difficult terrain, staff decided to use a train to safely transport the patient back to the station.
"This was a protracted and complex case due to its location, but the patient received seamless treatment thanks to excellent team work between different ambulance teams and the station staff." | The 28-year-old had reportedly jumped down onto tracks at the end of a tunnel near Ludlow station in Shropshire, but had underestimated the drop.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the man had a serious chest injury but was conscious and breathing when medics managed to reach the location.
He was taken by train to the station and then put in an ambulance.
The ambulance took him to a waiting helicopter which then flew him to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, for emergency care.
The man fell at about 10:15 GMT and several trains were delayed as a result.
An ambulance service spokesman said: "Due to their location and the difficult terrain, staff decided to use a train to safely transport the patient back to the station.
"This was a protracted and complex case due to its location, but the patient received seamless treatment thanks to excellent team work between different ambulance teams and the station staff." |
Add punctuation: Emma Sadler, 28, started the blaze in an under-stairs cupboard at the house in Llanrumney, Cardiff, she shared with her 59-year-old father Robert.
Cardiff Crown Court sentenced Ms Sadler to a hospital order under the Mental Health Act after she denied one charge of manslaughter by reason of insanity.
She said she was "close" to her father.
Ms Sadler, who watched proceedings via video-link from the hospital unit where she is receiving psychiatric treatment, was accused of starting the fire in January 2016 which also killed the family dog.
The court heard Ms Sadler had been showing increasing signs of mental illness and, in the days before the fire, had been exhibiting "odd behaviour".
The fire ripped through the rented house, killing Mr Sadler - who was found lying on the floor of the upstairs bathroom fully clothed.
Peter Rouch QC, prosecuting, said: "Emma Sadler deliberately and intentionally started a fire in the small cupboard under the stairs.
"The fire she started took hold and filled the house with smoke. Emma Sadler made good her escape from the smoke-filled house.
"Her father did not and he died from smoke inhalation."
Det Insp Stuart Wales of South Wales Police said: "This has been a very heartrending case.
"I want to pay tribute to the family of Mr Sadler who have shown strength and fortitude. This was a tragic incident which brought shock and sadness to the community." | Emma Sadler, 28, started the blaze in an under-stairs cupboard at the house in Llanrumney, Cardiff, she shared with her 59-year-old father Robert.
Cardiff Crown Court sentenced Ms Sadler to a hospital order under the Mental Health Act after she denied one charge of manslaughter by reason of insanity.
She said she was "close" to her father.
Ms Sadler, who watched proceedings via video-link from the hospital unit where she is receiving psychiatric treatment, was accused of starting the fire in January 2016 which also killed the family dog.
The court heard Ms Sadler had been showing increasing signs of mental illness and, in the days before the fire, had been exhibiting "odd behaviour".
The fire ripped through the rented house, killing Mr Sadler - who was found lying on the floor of the upstairs bathroom fully clothed.
Peter Rouch QC, prosecuting, said: "Emma Sadler deliberately and intentionally started a fire in the small cupboard under the stairs.
"The fire she started took hold and filled the house with smoke. Emma Sadler made good her escape from the smoke-filled house.
"Her father did not and he died from smoke inhalation."
Det Insp Stuart Wales of South Wales Police said: "This has been a very heartrending case.
"I want to pay tribute to the family of Mr Sadler who have shown strength and fortitude. This was a tragic incident which brought shock and sadness to the community." |
Add punctuation: Saturday: More than one way to get into Number 10, as many PMs have discovered
Sunday: The trials of being on the campaign trail
Monday: The effect of the campaign on politicians' eating habits
Tuesday: David Cameron & Ed Miliband weren't born when the Queen acceded to the throne
Wednesday: Where will #GE2015 be won and lost?
Thursday: The last tie in a constituency vote was recorded 129 years ago
Friday: Size doesn't always matter for #GE2015 constituencies. How does yours measure up?
Find #BBCGoFigure on Twitter and on Facebook | Saturday: More than one way to get into Number 10, as many PMs have discovered
Sunday: The trials of being on the campaign trail
Monday: The effect of the campaign on politicians' eating habits
Tuesday: David Cameron & Ed Miliband weren't born when the Queen acceded to the throne
Wednesday: Where will #GE2015 be won and lost?
Thursday: The last tie in a constituency vote was recorded 129 years ago
Friday: Size doesn't always matter for #GE2015 constituencies. How does yours measure up?
Find #BBCGoFigure on Twitter and on Facebook |
Add punctuation: He said his original instinct was to pull US forces out, but had instead decided to stay and "fight to win" to avoid the mistakes made in Iraq.
He said he wanted to shift from a time-based approach in Afghanistan to one based on conditions on the ground, adding he would not set deadlines.
However, the US president warned it was not a "blank cheque" for Afghanistan.
"America will work with the Afghan government, so long as we see commitment and progress," he said.
The Taliban responded by saying that Afghanistan would become "another graveyard" for the US if it did not withdraw its troops.
President Trump has committed to stepping up the US military's engagement in Afghanistan, but details were few and far between.
He said his new approach would be more pragmatic than idealistic, and would switch from nation building to "killing terrorists".
But he refused to get drawn on how many extra troops, if any, would be deployed and gave no timeline for ending the US presence in the country.
Washington is expected to send up to 4,000 additional troops, but Mr Trump did not comment on this.
The president did, however, put pressure on neighbouring Pakistan, warning that the US would no longer tolerate it offering "safe havens" to extremists - an accusation swiftly dismissed by a Pakistani army spokesman.
The president also, for the first time, left the door open for an eventual peace deal with the Taliban, saying: "Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan."
However, Mr Trump said there would be an escalation in the battle against groups like al-Qaeda and so-called Islamic State.
"[They] need to know they have nowhere to hide - that no place is beyond the reach of American arms," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump made it clear he expects his existing allies - singling out India - to support him in his new strategy, and urged them to raise their countries' contributions "in line with our own".
Read more on Trump's presidency:
By Secunder Kermani, BBC correspondent in Kabul
Even with a few thousand extra US soldiers in Afghanistan - deployment levels would remain far lower than their peak in 2010/11 when there were around 100,000 US personnel in the country. So what is different this time?
Firstly, that there is no deadline by which the US will begin to scale operations back. Critics of President Obama's surge say that because he made it clear it was temporary - the Taliban were encouraged to wait the Americans out.
The second difference is that the US will put more pressure on Pakistan to end "safe havens" for the Taliban, according to President Trump.
One analyst told me that the key to solving the conflict lies in Islamabad not in Afghanistan. But it is not clear how much leverage the US still has over Pakistan - or how Pakistan will respond to the accusations, given its consistent denial that it operates a "good terrorist, bad terrorist" policy.
Pakistan has grown increasingly close to China, and has already had millions of dollars of US aid withheld for allegedly not taking enough action against the Taliban-allied Haqqani network.
Before his presidency, Mr Trump was not shy about criticising his predecessors on their Afghanistan policy. He previously supported pulling US troops out of the conflict, which began under President George W Bush in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks.
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Early on in his presidential campaign, however, he did acknowledge that US troops would have to stay in order to avoid the total collapse of the Afghan government.
And this long-awaited announcement came after a months-long review, with the president himself acknowledging that his original instinct to pull-out had been reversed after discussions with national security advisers.
BBC correspondent Aleem Maqbool in Washington says the people who might object to Mr Trump's strategy are the very ones who voted for him.
They were told the president would focus on a policy of "America First", but he now says he wants a win in Afghanistan to make all the sacrifice worthwhile, our correspondent adds.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the plan, saying: "The US-Afghan partnership is stronger than ever in overcoming the threat of terrorism that threaten us all."
He said the new strategy would enhance the training of Afghan security forces.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg also praised the move and said the alliance, which has about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan, would not allow the country to become "a safe haven for terrorists who would attack our own countries".
General John Nicholson, the head of both US and international forces in Afghanistan, said it "means the Taliban cannot win militarily".
But Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid dismissed Mr Trump's strategy as "nothing new", telling the US to think of an exit strategy "instead of continuing the war".
US combat operations against the Taliban officially ended in 2014, more than 8,000 special forces continue to provide support to Afghan troops.
The Afghan government continues to battle insurgency groups and controls just half of the country. | He said his original instinct was to pull US forces out, but had instead decided to stay and "fight to win" to avoid the mistakes made in Iraq.
He said he wanted to shift from a time-based approach in Afghanistan to one based on conditions on the ground, adding he would not set deadlines.
However, the US president warned it was not a "blank cheque" for Afghanistan.
"America will work with the Afghan government, so long as we see commitment and progress," he said.
The Taliban responded by saying that Afghanistan would become "another graveyard" for the US if it did not withdraw its troops.
President Trump has committed to stepping up the US military's engagement in Afghanistan, but details were few and far between.
He said his new approach would be more pragmatic than idealistic, and would switch from nation building to "killing terrorists".
But he refused to get drawn on how many extra troops, if any, would be deployed and gave no timeline for ending the US presence in the country.
Washington is expected to send up to 4,000 additional troops, but Mr Trump did not comment on this.
The president did, however, put pressure on neighbouring Pakistan, warning that the US would no longer tolerate it offering "safe havens" to extremists - an accusation swiftly dismissed by a Pakistani army spokesman.
The president also, for the first time, left the door open for an eventual peace deal with the Taliban, saying: "Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan."
However, Mr Trump said there would be an escalation in the battle against groups like al-Qaeda and so-called Islamic State.
"[They] need to know they have nowhere to hide - that no place is beyond the reach of American arms," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump made it clear he expects his existing allies - singling out India - to support him in his new strategy, and urged them to raise their countries' contributions "in line with our own".
Read more on Trump's presidency:
By Secunder Kermani, BBC correspondent in Kabul
Even with a few thousand extra US soldiers in Afghanistan - deployment levels would remain far lower than their peak in 2010/11 when there were around 100,000 US personnel in the country. So what is different this time?
Firstly, that there is no deadline by which the US will begin to scale operations back. Critics of President Obama's surge say that because he made it clear it was temporary - the Taliban were encouraged to wait the Americans out.
The second difference is that the US will put more pressure on Pakistan to end "safe havens" for the Taliban, according to President Trump.
One analyst told me that the key to solving the conflict lies in Islamabad not in Afghanistan. But it is not clear how much leverage the US still has over Pakistan - or how Pakistan will respond to the accusations, given its consistent denial that it operates a "good terrorist, bad terrorist" policy.
Pakistan has grown increasingly close to China, and has already had millions of dollars of US aid withheld for allegedly not taking enough action against the Taliban-allied Haqqani network.
Before his presidency, Mr Trump was not shy about criticising his predecessors on their Afghanistan policy. He previously supported pulling US troops out of the conflict, which began under President George W Bush in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks.
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Early on in his presidential campaign, however, he did acknowledge that US troops would have to stay in order to avoid the total collapse of the Afghan government.
And this long-awaited announcement came after a months-long review, with the president himself acknowledging that his original instinct to pull-out had been reversed after discussions with national security advisers.
BBC correspondent Aleem Maqbool in Washington says the people who might object to Mr Trump's strategy are the very ones who voted for him.
They were told the president would focus on a policy of "America First", but he now says he wants a win in Afghanistan to make all the sacrifice worthwhile, our correspondent adds.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the plan, saying: "The US-Afghan partnership is stronger than ever in overcoming the threat of terrorism that threaten us all."
He said the new strategy would enhance the training of Afghan security forces.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg also praised the move and said the alliance, which has about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan, would not allow the country to become "a safe haven for terrorists who would attack our own countries".
General John Nicholson, the head of both US and international forces in Afghanistan, said it "means the Taliban cannot win militarily".
But Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid dismissed Mr Trump's strategy as "nothing new", telling the US to think of an exit strategy "instead of continuing the war".
US combat operations against the Taliban officially ended in 2014, more than 8,000 special forces continue to provide support to Afghan troops.
The Afghan government continues to battle insurgency groups and controls just half of the country. |
Add punctuation: The current system, which allows businesses in cities to claim up to £3,000 to improve their internet access, was described as "unbalanced".
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee also asked whether broadband rollout targets would be met and if minimum speeds were high enough.
The government said £1.7bn was being invested in rural broadband.
The government's ambition is to provide 95% of the UK with superfast broadband - defined as speeds of 24Mbps - or higher by 2017, with the rest having a minimum speed of 2Mbps.
The distribution of broadband is overseen by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The MPs complained that "the allocation of funding between urban and rural areas is greatly unbalanced" and called for a date to be set for universal superfast access.
The report states: "Rural areas are lagging behind.
"Those in poorly connected areas are sometimes asked to pay twice: once through their taxes... and potentially again from their own pockets if the BDUK programme does not reach them."
It recommended the introduction of the voucher scheme for those who live in areas with no access to fixed-line broadband or where they are unable to access a minimum of 2Mbps broadband.
"The vouchers should subsidise the cost of satellite broadband access for those eligible."
The environment committee also condemned the 2Mbps target for homes not reached by superfast broadband by 2017 as being at least five times too slow.
The committee chair, Conservative MP Anne McIntosh, said: "This is a minimum speed commitment to the public and it must reflect modern technological demands. It is not high enough."
She said 10Mbps would be a more suitable target and would need to be regularly reviewed to ensure the UK did not slip behind other European countries.
On this point a DCMS spokesman said work was "already in place to take superfast speeds to the final 5%", and it aimed to get every home in the UK up to the minimum speed of 2Mbps by the end of 2015 - two years ahead of schedule.
The spokesman added: "Government and local authorities are investing £1.7bn in taking superfast broadband to rural communities across the UK who would otherwise be left behind.
"This is significantly more than what we have made available to cities, and reflects the importance this government places on taking faster and more reliable broadband to rural areas."
The report also pointed out potential problems with the European Union's farm subsidy programme - known as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - applications for which, since the start of the year, have been online only.
"CAP payments offer a prime example of the wider government policy to make services 'digital-by-default'," it said.
"This policy has clear ramifications when broadband access is limited or non-existent."
The committee also highlighted a previous warning from BT that the deadline of delivering superfast broadband to 95% of homes and businesses by 2017 could slip to 2018 - but both a government spokesman and BT said the original target remained "on track". | The current system, which allows businesses in cities to claim up to £3,000 to improve their internet access, was described as "unbalanced".
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee also asked whether broadband rollout targets would be met and if minimum speeds were high enough.
The government said £1.7bn was being invested in rural broadband.
The government's ambition is to provide 95% of the UK with superfast broadband - defined as speeds of 24Mbps - or higher by 2017, with the rest having a minimum speed of 2Mbps.
The distribution of broadband is overseen by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The MPs complained that "the allocation of funding between urban and rural areas is greatly unbalanced" and called for a date to be set for universal superfast access.
The report states: "Rural areas are lagging behind.
"Those in poorly connected areas are sometimes asked to pay twice: once through their taxes... and potentially again from their own pockets if the BDUK programme does not reach them."
It recommended the introduction of the voucher scheme for those who live in areas with no access to fixed-line broadband or where they are unable to access a minimum of 2Mbps broadband.
"The vouchers should subsidise the cost of satellite broadband access for those eligible."
The environment committee also condemned the 2Mbps target for homes not reached by superfast broadband by 2017 as being at least five times too slow.
The committee chair, Conservative MP Anne McIntosh, said: "This is a minimum speed commitment to the public and it must reflect modern technological demands. It is not high enough."
She said 10Mbps would be a more suitable target and would need to be regularly reviewed to ensure the UK did not slip behind other European countries.
On this point a DCMS spokesman said work was "already in place to take superfast speeds to the final 5%", and it aimed to get every home in the UK up to the minimum speed of 2Mbps by the end of 2015 - two years ahead of schedule.
The spokesman added: "Government and local authorities are investing £1.7bn in taking superfast broadband to rural communities across the UK who would otherwise be left behind.
"This is significantly more than what we have made available to cities, and reflects the importance this government places on taking faster and more reliable broadband to rural areas."
The report also pointed out potential problems with the European Union's farm subsidy programme - known as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - applications for which, since the start of the year, have been online only.
"CAP payments offer a prime example of the wider government policy to make services 'digital-by-default'," it said.
"This policy has clear ramifications when broadband access is limited or non-existent."
The committee also highlighted a previous warning from BT that the deadline of delivering superfast broadband to 95% of homes and businesses by 2017 could slip to 2018 - but both a government spokesman and BT said the original target remained "on track". |
Add punctuation: During the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley on Saturday, England captain Cook, 30, overtook Graham Gooch's tally of 8,900 runs to become his country's most prolific batsman in Test cricket.
BBC Sport looks at the different sides of Cook and how they shaped his path to the top.
Music, rather than cricket, was Cook's early calling.
He sang in the choir at the prestigious St Paul's Cathedral boarding school in London from the age of eight, performing in front of the Queen, alongside Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and as a soloist on a St Paul's CD.
There were glimpses of his cricketing ability, most notably scoring 110 out of a total of 127 in a game against Westminster Abbey.
But it was his musical prowess - Cook also played the clarinet - which earned him a scholarship to Bedford School at 13, where he was president of the music society.
His years there are best remembered for the host of batting records he broke, based around a technique he says was borne out of fending off his brothers' back-garden bouncers.
What Cook said: "The musical training taught me to focus my mind, before playing in an orchestra taught me how to truly concentrate. If you miss your moment in an orchestra, there is no forgiving."
What they said: "I was a supervisor at the year 10 disco and Alastair's dancing was absolutely pathetic. I remember watching all the girls completely ignore him." Guy Fletcher, director of sports at Bedford School.
Did you know? Cook admitted to stealing some penny sweets from the corner shop when he was a youngster.
Cook's achievements during his teenage years did little to suggest that anything other than a career at the highest level beckoned.
He represented England at the Under-15 World Cup, played for Essex second XI at 15, scored 69 not out on his first-class debut at 18, and hit two centuries as he captained England to the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup.
An established member of the Essex first team by the age of 19, Cook was still largely unknown beyond the county borders until, in 2005, he made a double century against a touring Australia side whose bowling attack was led by Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.
Despite that match not qualifying for first-class status, England's young cricketer of the year ended the season with an average of 48.
A place on the Academy's 2005-06 winter tour of the West Indies was assured, and it came as little surprise when Cook was flown out to the Test squad in India after captain Michael Vaughan withdrew through injury.
Thrown in to open the batting in the first Test at Nagpur after a three-day journey from the Caribbean via London, Cook made 60 in the first innings and 104 in the second, becoming only the fifth England player to score a century and a fifty on his Test debut.
What Cook said: "I couldn't help thinking that I had proved I belonged and was worthy of playing with all these great England players, these Ashes winners."
What they said: "He eased his way to a classy yet unhurried century, becoming the youngest Englishman [at 21] to reach a Test hundred in 67 years, and earning a marriage proposal - offered on a placard - from a pretty girl in the stands." Wisden Almanack report.
Did you know? A teenage Cook averaged 168 in his final season for club side Maldon CC in Essex.
Cook's debut century signalled the start of a glittering Test career in which he has broken more records than he has struck sixes - 10 sixes, since you ask.
As well as surpassing Gooch's run tally for England, Cook has scored more centuries, 27, than any other England player. Kevin Pietersen is next on 23.
Cook was the quickest Englishman to 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and 5,000 Test runs, and no batsman of any nationality has reached 8,000 Test runs in a shorter time.
In perhaps the ultimate tribute to a player, England's 2010-11 tour of Australia will forever be known as 'Cook's Ashes' after the opener scored 766 runs at an average of 127.66, spending a record 36 hours and 11 minutes at the crease.
He was voted International Cricket Council Test player of the year and awarded an OBE in 2011, and was named among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year in 2012.
Cook's career has endured noticeable slumps: he went 27 innings without a century from 2008-09; he saved his Ashes place in 2010 with a hundred at The Oval after scoring only 106 runs in eight innings; and his century in the West Indies in April was his first for almost two years.
After sitting out the Mumbai Test in 2006 through illness, Cook has never missed a match - only former Australia captain Allan Border has played more consecutive matches - and his 162 in the victory over New Zealand at Lord's in May meant he had scored more runs (8,869) than anyone else in the past 10 years of Test cricket.
What Cook said: "If I don't do something as special as that again I'd be disappointed, but I think I have enough time." On his form in the 2010-11 Ashes.
What they said: "He's obviously a genius batsman - his record is testament to that. Where he is at in his career at the moment, he's as good as anyone who has played the game - probably barring Bradman." New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum on Cook's form before the sides met in 2013.
Did you know? Cook, who was born on Christmas Day, never sweats.
If Cook's place in the team has only come under occasional threat, his captaincy has been the subject of vociferous criticism since he took over from Andrew Strauss in August 2012.
The only player to score centuries in his first five Tests as skipper, Cook led England to a first series win in India for 27 years on his first assignment. He still regards it as his finest achievement as captain.
An Ashes series triumph the following summer was swiftly followed by a 5-0 whitewash, statistically the worst in history.
Although he was named captain of the ICC Test team of the year in 2013, Cook had to withstand calls from former England skipper Michael Vaughan to be stripped of the national team role during a 2014 summer in which a series defeat by Sri Lanka was mentioned more loudly than victory over India.
One of Strauss's first jobs after being appointed England director of cricket was to publicly back his man at the helm.
But even in the midst of England's victory over New Zealand at Lord's, Cook's leadership was still being picked apart by Australia legend Shane Warne.
What Cook said: "It's draining because you're using your brain constantly and all the permutations run through your mind. But it's what I dream about doing. I'm loving it every time I turn out for England."
What they said: "Alastair Cook is having a horror with his captaincy in the last two Test matches. He set the tone early, being very defensive and negative today. The England coach is now sending messages out to Cook. Is this the under-10s?" Former Australia leg-spinner Warne during the 2013 Ashes.
Did you know? The ECB arranged a meeting between Cook and former England captain Mike Brearley in 2007, before he led MCC against Sussex at Lord's.
"I'm a country boy at heart," says Cook. "I love it when you've got your boots on and you're standing in three inches of cow muck."
Away from the pressures of captaining his country, Cook likes nothing more than to muck in on the farm belonging to his wife's family in Bedfordshire.
"Sheep are never going to talk to you about cricket," says Cook.
His passion for the rural life was evident when he married childhood sweetheart Alice Hunt in 2012: the couple left church driving a tractor.
Alice gave birth to Elsie in 2014 and Cook marked a hundred for Essex two weeks later with a 'rocking the baby' celebration.
Polite, well-spoken and blessed with looks good enough to see him pose nude for charity, Cook's personable nature is often referenced by his critics as a reason why he will never make a ruthless - and successful - captain.
Not that it seems to bother Cook, who says he wants to be remembered as "a nice family man who was half-decent at cricket".
What Cook said: "In the end, playing for England means very little if you don't see the rest of the world around you. It is why I hate prima donnas and arrogance. I like perspective, and the farm gives you that."
What they said: "When my daughter grows up, if she brought a bloke like Alastair Cook home, I'd high five the wife." Former England all-rounder and team-mate Andrew Flintoff.
Did you know? Cook is afraid of snakes and has a recurring nightmare about being eaten by them. | During the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley on Saturday, England captain Cook, 30, overtook Graham Gooch's tally of 8,900 runs to become his country's most prolific batsman in Test cricket.
BBC Sport looks at the different sides of Cook and how they shaped his path to the top.
Music, rather than cricket, was Cook's early calling.
He sang in the choir at the prestigious St Paul's Cathedral boarding school in London from the age of eight, performing in front of the Queen, alongside Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and as a soloist on a St Paul's CD.
There were glimpses of his cricketing ability, most notably scoring 110 out of a total of 127 in a game against Westminster Abbey.
But it was his musical prowess - Cook also played the clarinet - which earned him a scholarship to Bedford School at 13, where he was president of the music society.
His years there are best remembered for the host of batting records he broke, based around a technique he says was borne out of fending off his brothers' back-garden bouncers.
What Cook said: "The musical training taught me to focus my mind, before playing in an orchestra taught me how to truly concentrate. If you miss your moment in an orchestra, there is no forgiving."
What they said: "I was a supervisor at the year 10 disco and Alastair's dancing was absolutely pathetic. I remember watching all the girls completely ignore him." Guy Fletcher, director of sports at Bedford School.
Did you know? Cook admitted to stealing some penny sweets from the corner shop when he was a youngster.
Cook's achievements during his teenage years did little to suggest that anything other than a career at the highest level beckoned.
He represented England at the Under-15 World Cup, played for Essex second XI at 15, scored 69 not out on his first-class debut at 18, and hit two centuries as he captained England to the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup.
An established member of the Essex first team by the age of 19, Cook was still largely unknown beyond the county borders until, in 2005, he made a double century against a touring Australia side whose bowling attack was led by Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.
Despite that match not qualifying for first-class status, England's young cricketer of the year ended the season with an average of 48.
A place on the Academy's 2005-06 winter tour of the West Indies was assured, and it came as little surprise when Cook was flown out to the Test squad in India after captain Michael Vaughan withdrew through injury.
Thrown in to open the batting in the first Test at Nagpur after a three-day journey from the Caribbean via London, Cook made 60 in the first innings and 104 in the second, becoming only the fifth England player to score a century and a fifty on his Test debut.
What Cook said: "I couldn't help thinking that I had proved I belonged and was worthy of playing with all these great England players, these Ashes winners."
What they said: "He eased his way to a classy yet unhurried century, becoming the youngest Englishman [at 21] to reach a Test hundred in 67 years, and earning a marriage proposal - offered on a placard - from a pretty girl in the stands." Wisden Almanack report.
Did you know? A teenage Cook averaged 168 in his final season for club side Maldon CC in Essex.
Cook's debut century signalled the start of a glittering Test career in which he has broken more records than he has struck sixes - 10 sixes, since you ask.
As well as surpassing Gooch's run tally for England, Cook has scored more centuries, 27, than any other England player. Kevin Pietersen is next on 23.
Cook was the quickest Englishman to 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and 5,000 Test runs, and no batsman of any nationality has reached 8,000 Test runs in a shorter time.
In perhaps the ultimate tribute to a player, England's 2010-11 tour of Australia will forever be known as 'Cook's Ashes' after the opener scored 766 runs at an average of 127.66, spending a record 36 hours and 11 minutes at the crease.
He was voted International Cricket Council Test player of the year and awarded an OBE in 2011, and was named among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year in 2012.
Cook's career has endured noticeable slumps: he went 27 innings without a century from 2008-09; he saved his Ashes place in 2010 with a hundred at The Oval after scoring only 106 runs in eight innings; and his century in the West Indies in April was his first for almost two years.
After sitting out the Mumbai Test in 2006 through illness, Cook has never missed a match - only former Australia captain Allan Border has played more consecutive matches - and his 162 in the victory over New Zealand at Lord's in May meant he had scored more runs (8,869) than anyone else in the past 10 years of Test cricket.
What Cook said: "If I don't do something as special as that again I'd be disappointed, but I think I have enough time." On his form in the 2010-11 Ashes.
What they said: "He's obviously a genius batsman - his record is testament to that. Where he is at in his career at the moment, he's as good as anyone who has played the game - probably barring Bradman." New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum on Cook's form before the sides met in 2013.
Did you know? Cook, who was born on Christmas Day, never sweats.
If Cook's place in the team has only come under occasional threat, his captaincy has been the subject of vociferous criticism since he took over from Andrew Strauss in August 2012.
The only player to score centuries in his first five Tests as skipper, Cook led England to a first series win in India for 27 years on his first assignment. He still regards it as his finest achievement as captain.
An Ashes series triumph the following summer was swiftly followed by a 5-0 whitewash, statistically the worst in history.
Although he was named captain of the ICC Test team of the year in 2013, Cook had to withstand calls from former England skipper Michael Vaughan to be stripped of the national team role during a 2014 summer in which a series defeat by Sri Lanka was mentioned more loudly than victory over India.
One of Strauss's first jobs after being appointed England director of cricket was to publicly back his man at the helm.
But even in the midst of England's victory over New Zealand at Lord's, Cook's leadership was still being picked apart by Australia legend Shane Warne.
What Cook said: "It's draining because you're using your brain constantly and all the permutations run through your mind. But it's what I dream about doing. I'm loving it every time I turn out for England."
What they said: "Alastair Cook is having a horror with his captaincy in the last two Test matches. He set the tone early, being very defensive and negative today. The England coach is now sending messages out to Cook. Is this the under-10s?" Former Australia leg-spinner Warne during the 2013 Ashes.
Did you know? The ECB arranged a meeting between Cook and former England captain Mike Brearley in 2007, before he led MCC against Sussex at Lord's.
"I'm a country boy at heart," says Cook. "I love it when you've got your boots on and you're standing in three inches of cow muck."
Away from the pressures of captaining his country, Cook likes nothing more than to muck in on the farm belonging to his wife's family in Bedfordshire.
"Sheep are never going to talk to you about cricket," says Cook.
His passion for the rural life was evident when he married childhood sweetheart Alice Hunt in 2012: the couple left church driving a tractor.
Alice gave birth to Elsie in 2014 and Cook marked a hundred for Essex two weeks later with a 'rocking the baby' celebration.
Polite, well-spoken and blessed with looks good enough to see him pose nude for charity, Cook's personable nature is often referenced by his critics as a reason why he will never make a ruthless - and successful - captain.
Not that it seems to bother Cook, who says he wants to be remembered as "a nice family man who was half-decent at cricket".
What Cook said: "In the end, playing for England means very little if you don't see the rest of the world around you. It is why I hate prima donnas and arrogance. I like perspective, and the farm gives you that."
What they said: "When my daughter grows up, if she brought a bloke like Alastair Cook home, I'd high five the wife." Former England all-rounder and team-mate Andrew Flintoff.
Did you know? Cook is afraid of snakes and has a recurring nightmare about being eaten by them. |
Add punctuation: The hosts scored two tries within seven minutes through Yorkshire Carnegie's Max Green and Worcester's Huw Taylor.
Harlequins' Sam Aspland-Robinson, London Irish's Johnny Williams, Saracens' Max Malins and Carnegie's Max Wright also scored in a 39-17 victory.
Ireland had earlier beaten Argentina 37-7 at the same venue to reach their first ever final.
England, who have won all four of their games so far, were beaten 21-16 by New Zealand in the final in Italy last year, but had won the previous two tournaments.
Ireland set up their comfortable victory over Argentina with three tries in the first half, and will now face England on Saturday at the AJ Bell Stadium.
The men in green had previously only reached the last four once in this competition, but have impressed with wins over New Zealand and Six Nations Grand Slam winners Wales during the pool stages.
Wales suffered a humiliating defeat as New Zealand ran in 11 tries to win 71-12 while Scotland lost 35-17 to an Australian team who they had beaten in the pool stages.
Wales and Scotland will meet on Saturday in a play-off for seventh and eighth place.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | The hosts scored two tries within seven minutes through Yorkshire Carnegie's Max Green and Worcester's Huw Taylor.
Harlequins' Sam Aspland-Robinson, London Irish's Johnny Williams, Saracens' Max Malins and Carnegie's Max Wright also scored in a 39-17 victory.
Ireland had earlier beaten Argentina 37-7 at the same venue to reach their first ever final.
England, who have won all four of their games so far, were beaten 21-16 by New Zealand in the final in Italy last year, but had won the previous two tournaments.
Ireland set up their comfortable victory over Argentina with three tries in the first half, and will now face England on Saturday at the AJ Bell Stadium.
The men in green had previously only reached the last four once in this competition, but have impressed with wins over New Zealand and Six Nations Grand Slam winners Wales during the pool stages.
Wales suffered a humiliating defeat as New Zealand ran in 11 tries to win 71-12 while Scotland lost 35-17 to an Australian team who they had beaten in the pool stages.
Wales and Scotland will meet on Saturday in a play-off for seventh and eighth place.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. |
Add punctuation: The total number of offences, under new legislation which criminalised religious hatred connected to football, dropped from 267 to 203 in 2013/14.
Officials said this may account for a 15% drop in all offences with a religious aggravation.
The figure of 587 was down from 689 the previous year and 898 in 2011/12.
The totals for the preceding five years were relatively stable, with between 600 and 700 charges reported each year.
In 51% of the football-related cases, the accused was affiliated with either Rangers or Celtic.
In all, there were 635 charges relating to religious prejudice in Scotland when general offences of religious hatred were added to those under the new legislation - the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.
That was a 17% reduction on the previous 12 months.
The government said it was committed to review the football legislation after two years, but said the figures showed strong action was being taken to tackle the actions of the "small minority" of fans who indulge in offensive behaviour at matches.
As in previous years, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism were most often the religions that were the subject of abuse.
There was an increase in the proportion of charges which related to Catholicism - from 57% in 2012/13 to 63% in the subsequent 12 months - although the number of offences fell.
Offences relating to Protestantism remained steady at 29% - also with a reduced number.
In 29% per cent of the incidents, the accused had affiliations with Rangers. Celtic fans accounted for 22%.
More than a quarter (28%) referred to support for terrorist organisations.
The legislation has proved controversial with football clubs and fans who have complained it does not specify exactly what constitutes offensive behaviour, including which songs or chants could contravene the law.
Religious hate crimes fell by 17% overall, which ministers said was testament to hard work taking place to tackle these offences.
The government said it had invested £9m between 2012 and 2015 in community projects and set up an independent advisory group to tackle the scourge of sectarianism.
The statistics also revealed rises in sexual orientation aggravated crime, which were up by up 22%; disability aggravated offences, which increased by 12%; and charges with an aggravation of transgender identity. However, in each case the numbers involved were low.
Equalities Secretary Shona Robison condemned those increases and said an awareness campaign had been launched to encourage reporting of such crimes, which included the establishment of third party reporting centres across Scotland.
"No-one should have to face discrimination or prejudice in any form in 21st Century Scotland," she said.
"The more we talk about it, the easier it will be for people to report hate crimes to the authorities.
"We are not becoming more intolerant as a society, but we are becoming less tolerant of those who hold prejudiced beliefs."
Jan Savage, head of campaigns and policy at the charity Enable Scotland said the rise in offences against disabled people was disappointing.
But she said: "More and more disabled people are exercising their rights to report hate crimes and reclaim their communities and the right to feel safe.
"What this also tells us is that there is a real need to tackle the root causes of disability related hate crime, and work harder to change attitudes about disability." | The total number of offences, under new legislation which criminalised religious hatred connected to football, dropped from 267 to 203 in 2013/14.
Officials said this may account for a 15% drop in all offences with a religious aggravation.
The figure of 587 was down from 689 the previous year and 898 in 2011/12.
The totals for the preceding five years were relatively stable, with between 600 and 700 charges reported each year.
In 51% of the football-related cases, the accused was affiliated with either Rangers or Celtic.
In all, there were 635 charges relating to religious prejudice in Scotland when general offences of religious hatred were added to those under the new legislation - the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.
That was a 17% reduction on the previous 12 months.
The government said it was committed to review the football legislation after two years, but said the figures showed strong action was being taken to tackle the actions of the "small minority" of fans who indulge in offensive behaviour at matches.
As in previous years, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism were most often the religions that were the subject of abuse.
There was an increase in the proportion of charges which related to Catholicism - from 57% in 2012/13 to 63% in the subsequent 12 months - although the number of offences fell.
Offences relating to Protestantism remained steady at 29% - also with a reduced number.
In 29% per cent of the incidents, the accused had affiliations with Rangers. Celtic fans accounted for 22%.
More than a quarter (28%) referred to support for terrorist organisations.
The legislation has proved controversial with football clubs and fans who have complained it does not specify exactly what constitutes offensive behaviour, including which songs or chants could contravene the law.
Religious hate crimes fell by 17% overall, which ministers said was testament to hard work taking place to tackle these offences.
The government said it had invested £9m between 2012 and 2015 in community projects and set up an independent advisory group to tackle the scourge of sectarianism.
The statistics also revealed rises in sexual orientation aggravated crime, which were up by up 22%; disability aggravated offences, which increased by 12%; and charges with an aggravation of transgender identity. However, in each case the numbers involved were low.
Equalities Secretary Shona Robison condemned those increases and said an awareness campaign had been launched to encourage reporting of such crimes, which included the establishment of third party reporting centres across Scotland.
"No-one should have to face discrimination or prejudice in any form in 21st Century Scotland," she said.
"The more we talk about it, the easier it will be for people to report hate crimes to the authorities.
"We are not becoming more intolerant as a society, but we are becoming less tolerant of those who hold prejudiced beliefs."
Jan Savage, head of campaigns and policy at the charity Enable Scotland said the rise in offences against disabled people was disappointing.
But she said: "More and more disabled people are exercising their rights to report hate crimes and reclaim their communities and the right to feel safe.
"What this also tells us is that there is a real need to tackle the root causes of disability related hate crime, and work harder to change attitudes about disability." |
Add punctuation: Men are almost three times more likely than women to get the cancer - one of the biggest gender divides in cancer rates, according to new figures.
Early diagnosis is the key to saving lives, says a Cancer Research UK team.
Scientists are working on ways to detect symptoms earlier and to decipher the genetic code of the cancer.
Oesophageal cancer - cancer of the gullet or food pipe - is the ninth most common cancer in the UK.
It is one of the most difficult cancers to detect and treat, with only about one in 10 patients surviving for 10 years or more.
Latest figures show 5,600 UK men (almost 15 out of every 100,000) developed the disease in 2010, compared with 2,800 UK women (about five out of every 100,000).
This equates to a lifetime risk of one in 56 for men and one in 110 for women.
There are two types of oesophageal cancer:
Researchers believe a steady rise in the number of adenocarcinomas in men is behind the gender gap.
Tim Underwood, an oesophageal surgeon and researcher at the University of Southampton, said many questions remained unanswered about the cancer, but urgent action was needed.
"We need a game changer," he told a news conference.
"And we need a game changer relatively urgently. There is an epidemic of this disease and outcomes are poor."
Ian Barclay, 65, from Salisbury, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2009 when he was rushed to hospital bleeding internally.
"I was two and a half hours from dying," he says. "I was lucky to get through that. If you feel something's not right, go and get it checked, and you could save your own life."
Mr Underwood, who is running the New York Marathon to raise money for research, said diagnosing the disease earlier was key to improving the chances of survival.
"Food getting stuck when you swallow and persistent heart burn are not normal," he said.
"If this is happening to you, you need to see your GP.
"The vast majority of people won't have anything seriously wrong with them, but it's important to get checked out.
"If left untreated acid reflux - often called heartburn - can damage cells of the oesophagus leading to a condition called Barrett's oesophagus which in turn can be a precursor of oesophageal cancer."
Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said the factors behind the rise in oesophageal cancer were unclear.
"We think it may be linked to some changes that we've seen in people's lifestyles, for example increasing levels of obesity," he told BBC News.
"There is a lot more that we need to do to try and understand this disease better, but at this point in time the most important thing is to increase awareness of it and get people to go and see their doctor if they have the symptoms."
Research projects are under way in the UK to understand oesophageal cancer better and develop techniques for earlier diagnosis.
A "sponge-on-a-string" device to collect cells from the gullet for diagnosis could be available on the NHS in five years, said Prof Rebecca Fitzgerald, of the Medical Research Council's Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge.
The cytosponge test is designed to be swallowed and retrieved to detect pre-cancerous cells.
Clinical trials suggest the test shows promise as a safer and cheaper alternative to endoscopy, a procedure where the inside of the body is examined internally using a long, flexible tube.
"For the patient, this is a five-minute test - it will make your eyes water for two seconds but it is an awful lot simpler, less invasive, safer and cheaper than an endoscopy," said Prof Fitzgerald.
"We're hopeful that in the future this will really transform early diagnosis by making it something much more patient-friendly and affordable."
Prof Fitzgerald said work to decode all of the genes in 500 oesophageal cancer samples, looking for genetic mistakes, was in progress, with about 100 samples completed.
The long-term goal was to develop better drugs for the condition, she said.
Current treatment relies on chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with surgery as an option if the cancer is detected early enough. | Men are almost three times more likely than women to get the cancer - one of the biggest gender divides in cancer rates, according to new figures.
Early diagnosis is the key to saving lives, says a Cancer Research UK team.
Scientists are working on ways to detect symptoms earlier and to decipher the genetic code of the cancer.
Oesophageal cancer - cancer of the gullet or food pipe - is the ninth most common cancer in the UK.
It is one of the most difficult cancers to detect and treat, with only about one in 10 patients surviving for 10 years or more.
Latest figures show 5,600 UK men (almost 15 out of every 100,000) developed the disease in 2010, compared with 2,800 UK women (about five out of every 100,000).
This equates to a lifetime risk of one in 56 for men and one in 110 for women.
There are two types of oesophageal cancer:
Researchers believe a steady rise in the number of adenocarcinomas in men is behind the gender gap.
Tim Underwood, an oesophageal surgeon and researcher at the University of Southampton, said many questions remained unanswered about the cancer, but urgent action was needed.
"We need a game changer," he told a news conference.
"And we need a game changer relatively urgently. There is an epidemic of this disease and outcomes are poor."
Ian Barclay, 65, from Salisbury, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2009 when he was rushed to hospital bleeding internally.
"I was two and a half hours from dying," he says. "I was lucky to get through that. If you feel something's not right, go and get it checked, and you could save your own life."
Mr Underwood, who is running the New York Marathon to raise money for research, said diagnosing the disease earlier was key to improving the chances of survival.
"Food getting stuck when you swallow and persistent heart burn are not normal," he said.
"If this is happening to you, you need to see your GP.
"The vast majority of people won't have anything seriously wrong with them, but it's important to get checked out.
"If left untreated acid reflux - often called heartburn - can damage cells of the oesophagus leading to a condition called Barrett's oesophagus which in turn can be a precursor of oesophageal cancer."
Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said the factors behind the rise in oesophageal cancer were unclear.
"We think it may be linked to some changes that we've seen in people's lifestyles, for example increasing levels of obesity," he told BBC News.
"There is a lot more that we need to do to try and understand this disease better, but at this point in time the most important thing is to increase awareness of it and get people to go and see their doctor if they have the symptoms."
Research projects are under way in the UK to understand oesophageal cancer better and develop techniques for earlier diagnosis.
A "sponge-on-a-string" device to collect cells from the gullet for diagnosis could be available on the NHS in five years, said Prof Rebecca Fitzgerald, of the Medical Research Council's Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge.
The cytosponge test is designed to be swallowed and retrieved to detect pre-cancerous cells.
Clinical trials suggest the test shows promise as a safer and cheaper alternative to endoscopy, a procedure where the inside of the body is examined internally using a long, flexible tube.
"For the patient, this is a five-minute test - it will make your eyes water for two seconds but it is an awful lot simpler, less invasive, safer and cheaper than an endoscopy," said Prof Fitzgerald.
"We're hopeful that in the future this will really transform early diagnosis by making it something much more patient-friendly and affordable."
Prof Fitzgerald said work to decode all of the genes in 500 oesophageal cancer samples, looking for genetic mistakes, was in progress, with about 100 samples completed.
The long-term goal was to develop better drugs for the condition, she said.
Current treatment relies on chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with surgery as an option if the cancer is detected early enough. |
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The Serb, 28, won 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (10-12) 6-4 6-3 to overtake the likes of Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Ivan Lendl in the all-time list of major winners.
Federer, 33, had hoped to become the first man to win Wimbledon eight times.
The Swiss won a thrilling second set tie-break but Djokovic came through to win in two hours and 56 minutes.
"I have to say it's a big challenge playing against Roger," he said. "A lot of players of my generation have looked up to him and followed his lead.
"He makes you push your limits, work hard and win every single point."
Federer said: "I had my chances in the first set. I got lucky to win the second, had chances in the third.
"But he was better on the bigger points. He was rock solid, I didn't play badly myself. That's how it goes."
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Djokovic adds a third victory at the All England Club to one US Open and five Australian Open titles, and the Serb has now won 48 matches and lost just three in 2015.
The world number one's most recent defeat came against Stan Wawrinka in last month's French Open final, but five weeks later he has gone some way to making up for missing out on the one major title to still elude him.
Federer had given his supporters real hope that he could overturn last year's final defeat by Djokovic after his stunning serving performance in the semi-final win over Andy Murray.
It was Djokovic who came up with the big serves when it mattered, however, saving six of seven break points, two of them on set points in the opening set.
After Federer failed to consolidate an early break his first serve deserted him in the tie-break and Djokovic took advantage, moving into a 6-1 lead before the Swiss double-faulted to hand it over.
The Serb won 14 of 15 points and then fended off two more break points in game five with his forehand as Federer continued to play catch-up.
When Djokovic worked his way to a set point for a two-set lead, he appeared to be closing in on victory, but the top seed sent a forehand long and a breathtaking half hour of tennis followed.
Three gripping games of cut and thrust heralded another tie-break, and the 15,000 spectators on Centre Court could barely contain themselves as Djokovic saw a 6-3 lead slip away after a stunning Federer backhand.
Djokovic became increasingly animated as the set points came and went, a seventh when he missed a regulation rally ball, and the crowd erupted when Federer converted his second at the net.
Amid the cheering in the stands, the top seed smacked his racquet angrily into his foot and shook his head in disbelief as he returned to his chair.
It was apparently enough to clear his head and, far from suffering a crisis in confidence, the defending champion would dominate the remainder of the match.
He pushed hard for a break at the start of the third, missing two break points in game one before Federer netted under pressure in game three.
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A rain delay might have disrupted the Serb's rhythm but the shower passed within 15 minutes, with no need for the roof to be brought over, and Djokovic saw out the set comfortably on the resumption.
Now constantly threatening the Federer serve, a sharp return to the 17-time Grand Slam champion's feet gave Djokovic the crucial breakthrough for 3-2 in the fourth.
There were tense moments for the champion when he had to recover from 0-30 at 4-3, seemingly angered by someone in the crowd, and he roared in their direction after holding serve.
The altercation merely fired up Djokovic even more and he won six straight points on his way to match point, before firing a forehand into the corner and flinging his arms in the air in celebration.
Djokovic then repeated his tradition of previous victories by eating some of the famous Centre Court's grass, while coach Boris Becker and his team celebrated in the stands.
"It tasted very, very good this year," said Djokovic. "I don't know what the grounds people have done but they've done a good job. It's a little tradition." | Media playback is not supported on this device
The Serb, 28, won 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (10-12) 6-4 6-3 to overtake the likes of Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Ivan Lendl in the all-time list of major winners.
Federer, 33, had hoped to become the first man to win Wimbledon eight times.
The Swiss won a thrilling second set tie-break but Djokovic came through to win in two hours and 56 minutes.
"I have to say it's a big challenge playing against Roger," he said. "A lot of players of my generation have looked up to him and followed his lead.
"He makes you push your limits, work hard and win every single point."
Federer said: "I had my chances in the first set. I got lucky to win the second, had chances in the third.
"But he was better on the bigger points. He was rock solid, I didn't play badly myself. That's how it goes."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Djokovic adds a third victory at the All England Club to one US Open and five Australian Open titles, and the Serb has now won 48 matches and lost just three in 2015.
The world number one's most recent defeat came against Stan Wawrinka in last month's French Open final, but five weeks later he has gone some way to making up for missing out on the one major title to still elude him.
Federer had given his supporters real hope that he could overturn last year's final defeat by Djokovic after his stunning serving performance in the semi-final win over Andy Murray.
It was Djokovic who came up with the big serves when it mattered, however, saving six of seven break points, two of them on set points in the opening set.
After Federer failed to consolidate an early break his first serve deserted him in the tie-break and Djokovic took advantage, moving into a 6-1 lead before the Swiss double-faulted to hand it over.
The Serb won 14 of 15 points and then fended off two more break points in game five with his forehand as Federer continued to play catch-up.
When Djokovic worked his way to a set point for a two-set lead, he appeared to be closing in on victory, but the top seed sent a forehand long and a breathtaking half hour of tennis followed.
Three gripping games of cut and thrust heralded another tie-break, and the 15,000 spectators on Centre Court could barely contain themselves as Djokovic saw a 6-3 lead slip away after a stunning Federer backhand.
Djokovic became increasingly animated as the set points came and went, a seventh when he missed a regulation rally ball, and the crowd erupted when Federer converted his second at the net.
Amid the cheering in the stands, the top seed smacked his racquet angrily into his foot and shook his head in disbelief as he returned to his chair.
It was apparently enough to clear his head and, far from suffering a crisis in confidence, the defending champion would dominate the remainder of the match.
He pushed hard for a break at the start of the third, missing two break points in game one before Federer netted under pressure in game three.
Media playback is not supported on this device
A rain delay might have disrupted the Serb's rhythm but the shower passed within 15 minutes, with no need for the roof to be brought over, and Djokovic saw out the set comfortably on the resumption.
Now constantly threatening the Federer serve, a sharp return to the 17-time Grand Slam champion's feet gave Djokovic the crucial breakthrough for 3-2 in the fourth.
There were tense moments for the champion when he had to recover from 0-30 at 4-3, seemingly angered by someone in the crowd, and he roared in their direction after holding serve.
The altercation merely fired up Djokovic even more and he won six straight points on his way to match point, before firing a forehand into the corner and flinging his arms in the air in celebration.
Djokovic then repeated his tradition of previous victories by eating some of the famous Centre Court's grass, while coach Boris Becker and his team celebrated in the stands.
"It tasted very, very good this year," said Djokovic. "I don't know what the grounds people have done but they've done a good job. It's a little tradition." |
Add punctuation: The police system must be "re-imagined", argued Sara Thornton, in her first major speech as head of the new National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC).
Ms Thornton called the expected loss of 35,000 more police posts by 2020 a "game changer".
But she said traditional "bobbies-on-the-beat" would still be needed.
Ms Thornton, who took up her role in April when the NPCC replaced the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), called on forces to re-shape the workforce and integrate emergency services.
She said the police service needed fundamental reform because of central government spending cuts, which may mean a reduction of 35,000 police officers and civilian staff on top of a cut of 36,000 posts since 2010.
"The loss of over 70,000 posts in ten years is a game changer," she said.
"Cutting staff numbers at this level and not changing the way we work will cause service failure and unacceptably stress our staff."
But referring to an accusation by the home secretary that the Police Federation too often "cried wolf" about the impact of policy on policing, she added: "I do not have a history of crying wolf and I am not doing so now."
Ms Thornton said that if police adopted a "slash and burn" approach to cuts, forces would not be able to offer the same protection to the public.
Instead forces should focus on effective policing and integrate with other services at all levels, she argued.
"We need to create more capacity by taking steps out of process, people out of systems and making our people more productive.
"We need to re-imagine the whole system, not incrementally reform."
The former Thames Valley chief constable also rejected suggestions made last week by Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston that bobbies-on-the-beat were out-of-date.
Mr Alston had argued police should focus on areas where they could "make a difference to crime reduction".
"I'd love other forces to learn that you don't want bobbies-on-the-beat. You want highly-trained detectives who can obtain best evidence interviews really well, who have got the skills to manage a relationship with social care so we can do the safeguarding for the children who are coming to harm," Mr Alston told The Times.
But Ms Thornton said foot patrol was shown to be effective when targeted in small areas, or where there were crime "hot-spots", rather than when it was "random and lacking in focus".
"The evidence does not show that 'bobbies on the beat' is an outdated idea, but that it can be effective as part of data-driven targeting of preventive patrol."
She also dismissed the prospect of merging some of the 43 forces in England and Wales, saying local taxation differences, local politics and the introduction of police and crime commissioners, would make this very difficult.
But she said police needed to develop new methods to deal with digital crime and globalisation, and radically alter police pay structures so officers' salaries reflected their skills rather than their "rank and time served".
"We surely have to move away from a model where a constable with six years service is paid the same, whether they have numerous accredited skills and significant expertise or not," she said. | The police system must be "re-imagined", argued Sara Thornton, in her first major speech as head of the new National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC).
Ms Thornton called the expected loss of 35,000 more police posts by 2020 a "game changer".
But she said traditional "bobbies-on-the-beat" would still be needed.
Ms Thornton, who took up her role in April when the NPCC replaced the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), called on forces to re-shape the workforce and integrate emergency services.
She said the police service needed fundamental reform because of central government spending cuts, which may mean a reduction of 35,000 police officers and civilian staff on top of a cut of 36,000 posts since 2010.
"The loss of over 70,000 posts in ten years is a game changer," she said.
"Cutting staff numbers at this level and not changing the way we work will cause service failure and unacceptably stress our staff."
But referring to an accusation by the home secretary that the Police Federation too often "cried wolf" about the impact of policy on policing, she added: "I do not have a history of crying wolf and I am not doing so now."
Ms Thornton said that if police adopted a "slash and burn" approach to cuts, forces would not be able to offer the same protection to the public.
Instead forces should focus on effective policing and integrate with other services at all levels, she argued.
"We need to create more capacity by taking steps out of process, people out of systems and making our people more productive.
"We need to re-imagine the whole system, not incrementally reform."
The former Thames Valley chief constable also rejected suggestions made last week by Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston that bobbies-on-the-beat were out-of-date.
Mr Alston had argued police should focus on areas where they could "make a difference to crime reduction".
"I'd love other forces to learn that you don't want bobbies-on-the-beat. You want highly-trained detectives who can obtain best evidence interviews really well, who have got the skills to manage a relationship with social care so we can do the safeguarding for the children who are coming to harm," Mr Alston told The Times.
But Ms Thornton said foot patrol was shown to be effective when targeted in small areas, or where there were crime "hot-spots", rather than when it was "random and lacking in focus".
"The evidence does not show that 'bobbies on the beat' is an outdated idea, but that it can be effective as part of data-driven targeting of preventive patrol."
She also dismissed the prospect of merging some of the 43 forces in England and Wales, saying local taxation differences, local politics and the introduction of police and crime commissioners, would make this very difficult.
But she said police needed to develop new methods to deal with digital crime and globalisation, and radically alter police pay structures so officers' salaries reflected their skills rather than their "rank and time served".
"We surely have to move away from a model where a constable with six years service is paid the same, whether they have numerous accredited skills and significant expertise or not," she said. |
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The double world and Olympic distance champion, 32, worked hard to win in seven minutes 39.55 seconds, ahead of Kenyan Augustine Choge in 7:40.66.
Briton Dina Asher-Smith, 20, was sixth in 7.25 seconds as Dafne Schippers claimed the women's 60m in 7.10.
In the women's 800m, local favourite Laura Muir finished second to Melissa Bishop of Canada.
Muir, 22, who was named Scottish Athlete of the Year for 2015 after finishing fifth in the 1500m final at the World Championships, was cheered on by a vociferous crowd but could not overhaul Bishop and finished in 2:00.70.
World silver medallist Bishop, 27, won in a stadium record 2:00.19.
Farah, who is missing the World Indoor Championships in Oregon next month, said: "It was a kind of a messy race, at the beginning it was quick but I knew from 2k we were down so I was just trying to win the race in front of the home crowd."
Asher-Smith, who broke a 31-year-old British record in finishing fifth in the 200m at last year's World Championships, said of her sixth place: "It was not good. In fact it was really bad. I didn't feel like my transition was any good so I've got a lot to work on."
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Schippers, the 200m world champion and European indoor 60m champion, powered to victory in a stadium record time.
Three Britons finished in the top four of the men's 60m: Sean Safo-Antwi winning in 6.56, Richard Kilty second in 6.57 and Adam Gemili fourth in 6.62.
Former world 100m champion Kim Collins, who turns 40 in April, finished last after suffering a hamstring injury.
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Seren Bundy Davies, the 21-year-old from Wales, was second in the women's 400m, recording 52.10 behind Jamaica's Stephenie Ann McPherson, who won in 52.05.
Paralympic champion Markus Rehm recorded 8.10m to win the long jump in his first appearance at an IAAF indoor event.
The 27-year-old German plans to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio this year and is attempting to prove to the world governing body that his carbon-fibre prosthesis does not give him an advantage over able-bodied rivals.
Rehm, a single-leg amputee nicknamed "Blade Jumper," won the event with his fourth jump to beat Fabrice Lapierre's 8.08m. | Media playback is not supported on this device
The double world and Olympic distance champion, 32, worked hard to win in seven minutes 39.55 seconds, ahead of Kenyan Augustine Choge in 7:40.66.
Briton Dina Asher-Smith, 20, was sixth in 7.25 seconds as Dafne Schippers claimed the women's 60m in 7.10.
In the women's 800m, local favourite Laura Muir finished second to Melissa Bishop of Canada.
Muir, 22, who was named Scottish Athlete of the Year for 2015 after finishing fifth in the 1500m final at the World Championships, was cheered on by a vociferous crowd but could not overhaul Bishop and finished in 2:00.70.
World silver medallist Bishop, 27, won in a stadium record 2:00.19.
Farah, who is missing the World Indoor Championships in Oregon next month, said: "It was a kind of a messy race, at the beginning it was quick but I knew from 2k we were down so I was just trying to win the race in front of the home crowd."
Asher-Smith, who broke a 31-year-old British record in finishing fifth in the 200m at last year's World Championships, said of her sixth place: "It was not good. In fact it was really bad. I didn't feel like my transition was any good so I've got a lot to work on."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Schippers, the 200m world champion and European indoor 60m champion, powered to victory in a stadium record time.
Three Britons finished in the top four of the men's 60m: Sean Safo-Antwi winning in 6.56, Richard Kilty second in 6.57 and Adam Gemili fourth in 6.62.
Former world 100m champion Kim Collins, who turns 40 in April, finished last after suffering a hamstring injury.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Seren Bundy Davies, the 21-year-old from Wales, was second in the women's 400m, recording 52.10 behind Jamaica's Stephenie Ann McPherson, who won in 52.05.
Paralympic champion Markus Rehm recorded 8.10m to win the long jump in his first appearance at an IAAF indoor event.
The 27-year-old German plans to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio this year and is attempting to prove to the world governing body that his carbon-fibre prosthesis does not give him an advantage over able-bodied rivals.
Rehm, a single-leg amputee nicknamed "Blade Jumper," won the event with his fourth jump to beat Fabrice Lapierre's 8.08m. |
Add punctuation: Richard Greaves scored the winner for the ninth tier side against a team that plays two levels higher.
Hereford-based Westfields, who play in the Midland League Premier Division, have won six games in the FA Cup this season, a club record run.
They were formed in 1966 on the back of England's World Cup triumph.
A crowd of 760 - almost five times Westfields' average home attendance of 160 - watched the win over Leiston.
They were one of two clubs in the fourth qualifying round who had started with an extra preliminary tie in the first week of August.
Westfields have won £30,925 in prize money from their FA Cup run so far and will join former winners Bolton Wanderers, Coventry City and Portsmouth in Monday's first-round draw.
Before their trip to Allpay Park in Herefordshire, Isthmian League Premier Division leaders Leiston were unbeaten in all competitions.
Andrew Morris, the secretary and chief executive of Westfields who founded the club after being inspired by the feats of Sir Alf Ramsey's boys 50 years ago, said it was a "magical experience".
"This belongs to the magic of the cup," 66-year-old Morris told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"It's unbelievable, I've seen scenes today that I never dreamt we would see. To win today, to get to the first round, is amazing.
"When we started I'd have been happy to have a good run in the Hereford Senior Cup."
Managerless National League side Wrexham face a replay against Stamford, who are three divisions below the Welsh side, after a Lee Beeson penalty earned the Daniels a 1-1 draw.
Northern League Division One's Bishop Auckland, the lowest ranked team to go into the fourth qualifying round, were knocked out by Stockport County of the National League North.
Solihull Moors got past Kettering Town 3-1 to reach the first round for the first time, and a victory in the first round would see them go further than Solihull Borough and Moor Green - the two clubs that merged to form the current side.
There were two big winners on the day, with Kidderminster Harriers beating Southern League Premier Division side Weymouth 6-0, while National League club Eastleigh put the same number past Southern League Division One Central side North Leigh.
Lincoln City go to a replay on Tuesday after their goalless daw against fellow National League side Guiseley, while the Imps' neighbours Lincoln United went out 3-0 to Spennymoor Town, who play in the seventh tier Northern Premier League Premier Division.
You can watch the FA Cup first round draw live on BBC Two and on the BBC Sport website, which also includes live text commentary, on Monday at 19:10 BST. | Richard Greaves scored the winner for the ninth tier side against a team that plays two levels higher.
Hereford-based Westfields, who play in the Midland League Premier Division, have won six games in the FA Cup this season, a club record run.
They were formed in 1966 on the back of England's World Cup triumph.
A crowd of 760 - almost five times Westfields' average home attendance of 160 - watched the win over Leiston.
They were one of two clubs in the fourth qualifying round who had started with an extra preliminary tie in the first week of August.
Westfields have won £30,925 in prize money from their FA Cup run so far and will join former winners Bolton Wanderers, Coventry City and Portsmouth in Monday's first-round draw.
Before their trip to Allpay Park in Herefordshire, Isthmian League Premier Division leaders Leiston were unbeaten in all competitions.
Andrew Morris, the secretary and chief executive of Westfields who founded the club after being inspired by the feats of Sir Alf Ramsey's boys 50 years ago, said it was a "magical experience".
"This belongs to the magic of the cup," 66-year-old Morris told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"It's unbelievable, I've seen scenes today that I never dreamt we would see. To win today, to get to the first round, is amazing.
"When we started I'd have been happy to have a good run in the Hereford Senior Cup."
Managerless National League side Wrexham face a replay against Stamford, who are three divisions below the Welsh side, after a Lee Beeson penalty earned the Daniels a 1-1 draw.
Northern League Division One's Bishop Auckland, the lowest ranked team to go into the fourth qualifying round, were knocked out by Stockport County of the National League North.
Solihull Moors got past Kettering Town 3-1 to reach the first round for the first time, and a victory in the first round would see them go further than Solihull Borough and Moor Green - the two clubs that merged to form the current side.
There were two big winners on the day, with Kidderminster Harriers beating Southern League Premier Division side Weymouth 6-0, while National League club Eastleigh put the same number past Southern League Division One Central side North Leigh.
Lincoln City go to a replay on Tuesday after their goalless daw against fellow National League side Guiseley, while the Imps' neighbours Lincoln United went out 3-0 to Spennymoor Town, who play in the seventh tier Northern Premier League Premier Division.
You can watch the FA Cup first round draw live on BBC Two and on the BBC Sport website, which also includes live text commentary, on Monday at 19:10 BST. |
Add punctuation: So Facebook's Safety Check feature, which allows users to mark themselves as "safe", was well used in the aftermath of the attack in London at the weekend.
For some, it offers an instant way to get in touch with people around the world in just one click but for others it can make them feel as if they are "riding on the coat-tails" of a tragic situation.
Student Megan O'Hagan lives very close to Borough Market and London Bridge, and felt the safety check on Facebook was a very quick and easy way to let a large number of people know very quickly about her situation.
"I also find it useful to check on people I know in the area if I do not have their number or cannot contact them for whatever reason," she said, but also thought that it could be open to some misuse.
"Several of my friends from over two hours away marked themselves as safe but I think it should only be available to people that can confirm they are in the area, as no-one is wondering if someone who lives in Liverpool and hasn't been to London is safe in a terror attack in London!"
Italian psychologist Susanna Rota lives near London Bridge and was in the area when the attack happened. She also used Facebook to mark herself safe on Saturday but this was the first time she had decided to use it.
"Even though I lived in London for 17 years I didn't feel the need to use it previously because I wasn't directly involved and did not really link myself to what had happened," she said. "But this time it was the quickest way to let my family know I was safe.
"I remember during the 2005 bombings there was no such way to get in touch with people and there were problems with the phone lines too. It took a very long time to get in touch with my family in Italy."
Since the 7/7 London bombings, Ms Rota thinks that the growth of the internet and our use of Facebook has changed the way we view ourselves and others.
"It can be a very positive thing but it can also be negative. it depends on whether we need to let people know we are safe or want people to ask us because we want to grab attention," she added.
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Simon Beech says he did think about letting friends know on Facebook that he was safe but ultimately decided not to because "there was enough tragedy without me riding its coat-tails".
He said he knows that Facebook can enable people to be very kind to each other in times of severe turmoil with people offering taxi rides or accommodation to those caught up in the event.
However, he was also aware on Saturday that some people were taking the situation less seriously.
"Somebody was offering accommodation in China and one man seemed to be well-known for always offering assistance as if to further his reputation," said Mr Beech.
"One poor woman obviously felt that she needed to do something, but as she didn't live in London she offered a 'shoulder to cry on' which earned her a reasonable amount of scorn from other people," he added.
"It could just be teenagers trolling too, I suppose. But you open yourself to the misgivings of others."
The terrible loss of life and injury in the attack can not be overestimated but some Facebook users including Tariq Ahmed, chose not to mark themselves as safe because he felt it was magnifying the level of danger.
He said: "The threat of being killed in a car accident is much greater. Didn't want to contribute in he overexposure of the type of threat that is least likely to happen."
And for the same reason Amber Philipps said she marked herself safe but later questioned the decision adding: "...actually marking myself 'safe' is almost making people feel that being caught up in the attack is extremely likely".
By Annie Flury, UGC and Social News | So Facebook's Safety Check feature, which allows users to mark themselves as "safe", was well used in the aftermath of the attack in London at the weekend.
For some, it offers an instant way to get in touch with people around the world in just one click but for others it can make them feel as if they are "riding on the coat-tails" of a tragic situation.
Student Megan O'Hagan lives very close to Borough Market and London Bridge, and felt the safety check on Facebook was a very quick and easy way to let a large number of people know very quickly about her situation.
"I also find it useful to check on people I know in the area if I do not have their number or cannot contact them for whatever reason," she said, but also thought that it could be open to some misuse.
"Several of my friends from over two hours away marked themselves as safe but I think it should only be available to people that can confirm they are in the area, as no-one is wondering if someone who lives in Liverpool and hasn't been to London is safe in a terror attack in London!"
Italian psychologist Susanna Rota lives near London Bridge and was in the area when the attack happened. She also used Facebook to mark herself safe on Saturday but this was the first time she had decided to use it.
"Even though I lived in London for 17 years I didn't feel the need to use it previously because I wasn't directly involved and did not really link myself to what had happened," she said. "But this time it was the quickest way to let my family know I was safe.
"I remember during the 2005 bombings there was no such way to get in touch with people and there were problems with the phone lines too. It took a very long time to get in touch with my family in Italy."
Since the 7/7 London bombings, Ms Rota thinks that the growth of the internet and our use of Facebook has changed the way we view ourselves and others.
"It can be a very positive thing but it can also be negative. it depends on whether we need to let people know we are safe or want people to ask us because we want to grab attention," she added.
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Simon Beech says he did think about letting friends know on Facebook that he was safe but ultimately decided not to because "there was enough tragedy without me riding its coat-tails".
He said he knows that Facebook can enable people to be very kind to each other in times of severe turmoil with people offering taxi rides or accommodation to those caught up in the event.
However, he was also aware on Saturday that some people were taking the situation less seriously.
"Somebody was offering accommodation in China and one man seemed to be well-known for always offering assistance as if to further his reputation," said Mr Beech.
"One poor woman obviously felt that she needed to do something, but as she didn't live in London she offered a 'shoulder to cry on' which earned her a reasonable amount of scorn from other people," he added.
"It could just be teenagers trolling too, I suppose. But you open yourself to the misgivings of others."
The terrible loss of life and injury in the attack can not be overestimated but some Facebook users including Tariq Ahmed, chose not to mark themselves as safe because he felt it was magnifying the level of danger.
He said: "The threat of being killed in a car accident is much greater. Didn't want to contribute in he overexposure of the type of threat that is least likely to happen."
And for the same reason Amber Philipps said she marked herself safe but later questioned the decision adding: "...actually marking myself 'safe' is almost making people feel that being caught up in the attack is extremely likely".
By Annie Flury, UGC and Social News |
Add punctuation: Tina Donnelly issued the warning after it was revealed Welsh health boards have spent more than £190m on agency medical staff over the last four years.
Tory Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar has written to the auditor general asking him to investigate.
The Welsh government said health boards should address agency spending.
The figures, obtained by the Welsh Conservatives through a Freedom of Information request, shows total health board expenditure on non-contracted hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, in Wales increased from £40m in 2011/12 to more than £71m in 2014/15.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board spent the most each year with 2014/15 reaching almost £30m, double what it spent in 2011/12.
Over the same period the Powys Teaching Health Board, the smallest in Wales, saw its bill for agency staff increase from £170,000 to £635,000.
All of the health boards said they have found recruiting new doctors and nurses difficult.
Ms Donnelly said: "We have not been training sufficient nurses over the last number of years to meet the demands of the health care agenda so we do have to look at the workforce planning.
"Part of the agency expenditure is that we haven't seen a pay increase for nurses apart from 1% which is coming this year.
"Nurses are finding it really, really hard to cope so instead of going on a bank system within Wales they are now seeking to do their extra shifts with an agency because they pay more."
Mr Millar said: "Cash-strapped health boards are squandering tens of millions of pounds each year on agency fees because of a failure by Welsh Labour government to address chronic staff shortages in the Welsh NHS.
"Not only do hardworking doctors and nurses suffer when staffing levels are dangerously low, the quality of care can only be compromised by stretching resources to breaking point."
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We expect health boards and NHS trusts to address agency and locum spend via a number of different ways, however we must recognise that agency staff play an important role in the Welsh NHS.
"The figures in this FOI represent a small percentage of the £6.7bn budget we spend on health and social services in Wales every year." | Tina Donnelly issued the warning after it was revealed Welsh health boards have spent more than £190m on agency medical staff over the last four years.
Tory Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar has written to the auditor general asking him to investigate.
The Welsh government said health boards should address agency spending.
The figures, obtained by the Welsh Conservatives through a Freedom of Information request, shows total health board expenditure on non-contracted hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, in Wales increased from £40m in 2011/12 to more than £71m in 2014/15.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board spent the most each year with 2014/15 reaching almost £30m, double what it spent in 2011/12.
Over the same period the Powys Teaching Health Board, the smallest in Wales, saw its bill for agency staff increase from £170,000 to £635,000.
All of the health boards said they have found recruiting new doctors and nurses difficult.
Ms Donnelly said: "We have not been training sufficient nurses over the last number of years to meet the demands of the health care agenda so we do have to look at the workforce planning.
"Part of the agency expenditure is that we haven't seen a pay increase for nurses apart from 1% which is coming this year.
"Nurses are finding it really, really hard to cope so instead of going on a bank system within Wales they are now seeking to do their extra shifts with an agency because they pay more."
Mr Millar said: "Cash-strapped health boards are squandering tens of millions of pounds each year on agency fees because of a failure by Welsh Labour government to address chronic staff shortages in the Welsh NHS.
"Not only do hardworking doctors and nurses suffer when staffing levels are dangerously low, the quality of care can only be compromised by stretching resources to breaking point."
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We expect health boards and NHS trusts to address agency and locum spend via a number of different ways, however we must recognise that agency staff play an important role in the Welsh NHS.
"The figures in this FOI represent a small percentage of the £6.7bn budget we spend on health and social services in Wales every year." |
Add punctuation: From Friday, owners can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) by texting "TPS" and their email address to 78070.
That should stop many nuisance calls, although it won't block nuisance texts.
At the moment 85% of UK landlines are registered for the TPS, but only 3% of mobiles have been signed up.
Those who register will receive a confirmation message. They can then expect a gradual reduction in unsolicited sales and marketing calls after a few days.
However, it can take up to 28 days for the service to become fully effective, according to the regulator, Ofcom.
Sending the text will be free for some users, but not everyone.
"Texting will make it easier for people to register their mobile numbers on the TPS, which is the only official no-call list, and help us stamp out rogue callers once and for all," said John Mitchison, head of the TPS.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) currently receives 175,000 complaints about nuisance calls every year.
Last year one claims management company in South Wales made 40 million nuisance calls about PPI claims, and had its licence suspended.
Laws to stop unwanted sales and marketing calls were tightened in April 2015. Firms that do not display their number when calling can be fined up to £500,000. | From Friday, owners can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) by texting "TPS" and their email address to 78070.
That should stop many nuisance calls, although it won't block nuisance texts.
At the moment 85% of UK landlines are registered for the TPS, but only 3% of mobiles have been signed up.
Those who register will receive a confirmation message. They can then expect a gradual reduction in unsolicited sales and marketing calls after a few days.
However, it can take up to 28 days for the service to become fully effective, according to the regulator, Ofcom.
Sending the text will be free for some users, but not everyone.
"Texting will make it easier for people to register their mobile numbers on the TPS, which is the only official no-call list, and help us stamp out rogue callers once and for all," said John Mitchison, head of the TPS.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) currently receives 175,000 complaints about nuisance calls every year.
Last year one claims management company in South Wales made 40 million nuisance calls about PPI claims, and had its licence suspended.
Laws to stop unwanted sales and marketing calls were tightened in April 2015. Firms that do not display their number when calling can be fined up to £500,000. |
Add punctuation: Geneticists estimate that migration from Africa to South-East Asia and Australia took place as recently as 60,000 years ago.
But Dr Michael Petraglia, of Oxford University, and colleagues say stone artefacts found in the Arabian Peninsula and India point to an exodus starting about 70,000 to 80,000 years ago - and perhaps even earlier.
Petraglia, whose co-workers include Australian and Indian researchers, presented his ideas at the British Science Festival, which is hosted this year at Aston University.
"I believe that multiple populations came out of Africa in the period between 120,000 and 70,000 years ago," he said. "Our evidence is stone tools that we can date."
Most of the tools are from far inland - hundreds of kilometres from the coasts. This means it was more likely humans migrated by land than in boats, he said.
The tools are found in areas that are often very inhospitable now, but which at the time would have been much more conducive to migration.
"During the period we're talking about, the environments were actually very hospitable," he told BBC News. "So where there are deserts today, there used to be lakes and rivers, and there was an abundance of plants and animals."
The team found the stone tools - ranging from a couple of centimetres to nearly 10cm in size - in layers of sediment that they can date using sand and volcanic material found above and below the implements. The tools were mainly either spear heads or scrapers.
In particular, some tools were sandwiched in ash from the famous Toba eruption that geologists can date very accurately to 74,000 years ago.
Other species of early humans clearly left Africa before our species (Homo sapiens), but Dr Petraglia's team thinks that the tools it has found are the type made by modern humans - and not those of Neanderthals, for instance.
Previous research has leaned heavily on examining the genetics of different modern populations to find out how long ago they shared a common ancestor - their African common ancestor.
Professor Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum in London, said this genetic data showed humans left Africa around 60,000 years ago or even more recently.
He agreed that "these tools show that people were in these regions, but the genetic data show an exit from Africa of later than 60,000 years ago. The people in India could have died out."
Dr Petraglia, however, suggested that researching these migrations using population genetics might not lead to accurate results, because all of the genetic studies were based on today's people.
The absence of ancient DNA to make additional tests made this area of investigation much less reliable, he claimed.
Dr Petraglia's team now hopes to continue its excavations in the region. "We have literally hundreds of projects in Europe and a handful in the Arabian-South Asian belt," he said. | Geneticists estimate that migration from Africa to South-East Asia and Australia took place as recently as 60,000 years ago.
But Dr Michael Petraglia, of Oxford University, and colleagues say stone artefacts found in the Arabian Peninsula and India point to an exodus starting about 70,000 to 80,000 years ago - and perhaps even earlier.
Petraglia, whose co-workers include Australian and Indian researchers, presented his ideas at the British Science Festival, which is hosted this year at Aston University.
"I believe that multiple populations came out of Africa in the period between 120,000 and 70,000 years ago," he said. "Our evidence is stone tools that we can date."
Most of the tools are from far inland - hundreds of kilometres from the coasts. This means it was more likely humans migrated by land than in boats, he said.
The tools are found in areas that are often very inhospitable now, but which at the time would have been much more conducive to migration.
"During the period we're talking about, the environments were actually very hospitable," he told BBC News. "So where there are deserts today, there used to be lakes and rivers, and there was an abundance of plants and animals."
The team found the stone tools - ranging from a couple of centimetres to nearly 10cm in size - in layers of sediment that they can date using sand and volcanic material found above and below the implements. The tools were mainly either spear heads or scrapers.
In particular, some tools were sandwiched in ash from the famous Toba eruption that geologists can date very accurately to 74,000 years ago.
Other species of early humans clearly left Africa before our species (Homo sapiens), but Dr Petraglia's team thinks that the tools it has found are the type made by modern humans - and not those of Neanderthals, for instance.
Previous research has leaned heavily on examining the genetics of different modern populations to find out how long ago they shared a common ancestor - their African common ancestor.
Professor Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum in London, said this genetic data showed humans left Africa around 60,000 years ago or even more recently.
He agreed that "these tools show that people were in these regions, but the genetic data show an exit from Africa of later than 60,000 years ago. The people in India could have died out."
Dr Petraglia, however, suggested that researching these migrations using population genetics might not lead to accurate results, because all of the genetic studies were based on today's people.
The absence of ancient DNA to make additional tests made this area of investigation much less reliable, he claimed.
Dr Petraglia's team now hopes to continue its excavations in the region. "We have literally hundreds of projects in Europe and a handful in the Arabian-South Asian belt," he said. |
Add punctuation: Mark Menzies claims Virgin Trains is "stinging" passengers between Preston and London by charging more than those leaving Lancaster on the same trains.
Preston tickets cost up to £145 for a standard single in peak hours, while the longer journey can cost £42.50.
Virgin said the costs reflect the high number of Preston business travellers.
The company said for "many years" it had "relaxed" pricing structures on some of its longer distance routes, which serve more "leisure travellers".
But Fylde MP Mr Menzies claimed the company was "exploiting" business travellers "simply because they can get away with it".
Preston is about 230 miles from London Euston while Lancaster is about 25 miles further away on the same line.
To book a single journey next Tuesday from Preston arriving in London at 10:13, a ticket costs £145. The same journey from Lancaster costs just £42.50.
Mr Menzies said the prices had led to a "bizarre" incident in which one of his constituents was threatened with arrest after buying a cheaper ticket from Lancaster and boarding the train at Preston.
Mr Menzies said another passenger claimed he bought a ticket from London to Lancaster and, when he tried to get off early at Preston, he was told he must continue his journey through to Lancaster and then get a train back to Preston.
"It's the definition of madness," said Mr Menzies.
The MP, who is a member of the Transport Select Committee and says he will raise the issue in Parliament, continued: "This idea that people travelling to work should pay more is ridiculous. No-one can explain to me the rationale."
A Virgin Trains spokesman said: "Virgin Trains has for many years relaxed peak restrictions on some of its longer distance routes where we have more leisure travellers who are less likely to be commuting into London in the busy peak period.
"That's not the case at Preston where there are a lot of business travellers who need to travel at peak times.
"Of course, if passengers are able to be flexible and travel outside peak times from Preston they can get lower fares." | Mark Menzies claims Virgin Trains is "stinging" passengers between Preston and London by charging more than those leaving Lancaster on the same trains.
Preston tickets cost up to £145 for a standard single in peak hours, while the longer journey can cost £42.50.
Virgin said the costs reflect the high number of Preston business travellers.
The company said for "many years" it had "relaxed" pricing structures on some of its longer distance routes, which serve more "leisure travellers".
But Fylde MP Mr Menzies claimed the company was "exploiting" business travellers "simply because they can get away with it".
Preston is about 230 miles from London Euston while Lancaster is about 25 miles further away on the same line.
To book a single journey next Tuesday from Preston arriving in London at 10:13, a ticket costs £145. The same journey from Lancaster costs just £42.50.
Mr Menzies said the prices had led to a "bizarre" incident in which one of his constituents was threatened with arrest after buying a cheaper ticket from Lancaster and boarding the train at Preston.
Mr Menzies said another passenger claimed he bought a ticket from London to Lancaster and, when he tried to get off early at Preston, he was told he must continue his journey through to Lancaster and then get a train back to Preston.
"It's the definition of madness," said Mr Menzies.
The MP, who is a member of the Transport Select Committee and says he will raise the issue in Parliament, continued: "This idea that people travelling to work should pay more is ridiculous. No-one can explain to me the rationale."
A Virgin Trains spokesman said: "Virgin Trains has for many years relaxed peak restrictions on some of its longer distance routes where we have more leisure travellers who are less likely to be commuting into London in the busy peak period.
"That's not the case at Preston where there are a lot of business travellers who need to travel at peak times.
"Of course, if passengers are able to be flexible and travel outside peak times from Preston they can get lower fares." |
Add punctuation: It said the nerve agent sarin had been deployed on a "small scale", and did not say where or when it had been used.
The White House has warned chemical weapons use would be a "red line" for possible intervention, but says this intelligence does not represent proof.
Republicans in Congress called on Thursday for a strong US response.
The assessment was made in letters to lawmakers on Thursday signed by Miguel Rodriguez, White House director of the office of legislative affairs.
"Our intelligence community does assess, with varying degrees of confidence, that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically, the chemical agent sarin," one of the letters said.
But it added: "Given the stakes involved, and what we have learned from our own recent experiences, intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient - only credible and corroborated facts that provide us with some degree of certainty will guide our decision-making."
The phrase "varying degrees of confidence" is normally used to reflect differences in opinion within the intelligence community.
Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters in Abu Dhabi that the use of sarin "violates every convention of warfare".
US Secretary of State John Kerry said there had been two instances of chemical weapons use in Syria.
By Mark MardellNorth America editor
Already US Republicans are saying the red lines have been crossed, that the Assad regime will feel emboldened if there is not action, that the investigation must not be outsourced to the United Nations.
It is clear President Obama doesn't want to go to war in Syria. He regards it as too complex, too difficult, too uncertain.
American military action there would have a huge impact on the perception of America in the region - confirming every image he wants to change.
Yet the US is, perhaps, moving slowly and cautiously toward taking action. There is no sense of a time scale and no real certainty about what might be done.
This is very Obama: the caution, the desire to bring allies along, the reluctance to rush to judgment.
The UK Foreign Office echoed the US claims, saying it had "limited but persuasive information from various sources" of chemical weapons use in Syria.
It is understood that Britain obtained samples from inside Syria that have been tested by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, Wiltshire.
"Material from inside Syria tested positive for sarin," a Foreign Office spokesman said.
Syria is believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons and there has been heightened concern among the international community in recent months about the safety of the stockpiles.
Although there have been numerous accusations, there has so far not been any confirmation that chemical weapons have been used during Syria's two-year-old conflict.
US President Barack Obama warned in December that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would face "consequences" if he used such weapons.
The letters released on Thursday were sent to powerful US senators John McCain and Carl Levin.
In response, Senator McCain told reporters: "It's pretty obvious that red line has been crossed."
He recommended arming the opposition, a step the White House has been reluctant to take. He also urged taking steps to ensure that Syria's chemical weapons did not fall into the wrong hands.
"It does not mean boots on the ground," the Arizona senator added.
Democrat Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for international action to help secure Syria's stockpile of chemical arms.
Robert Menendez, the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said options included "an internationally recognised no-fly zone, providing lethal assistance to vetted opposition forces, and sanctioning the transfer of arms to the regime".
White House officials said the US would consult with allies and seek more evidence to confirm their intelligence.
On Tuesday, a senior Israeli military official accused Syrian forces of having used the nerve agent sarin against rebels several times. People can normally recover from small doses.
Speaking at a security conference in Jerusalem, Brigadier General Itai Brun cited photographs of victims foaming at the mouth and with constricted pupils and other unspecified symptoms.
Syria's government and rebels have accused each other of using chemical weapons. A UN team is trying to enter Syria to investigate.
Sarin is a colourless and highly toxic nerve agent that can cause convulsions, paralysis and death within minutes if it is absorbed through inhalation, ingestion, or contact with skin or eyes.
According to the UN, at least 70,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict. | It said the nerve agent sarin had been deployed on a "small scale", and did not say where or when it had been used.
The White House has warned chemical weapons use would be a "red line" for possible intervention, but says this intelligence does not represent proof.
Republicans in Congress called on Thursday for a strong US response.
The assessment was made in letters to lawmakers on Thursday signed by Miguel Rodriguez, White House director of the office of legislative affairs.
"Our intelligence community does assess, with varying degrees of confidence, that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically, the chemical agent sarin," one of the letters said.
But it added: "Given the stakes involved, and what we have learned from our own recent experiences, intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient - only credible and corroborated facts that provide us with some degree of certainty will guide our decision-making."
The phrase "varying degrees of confidence" is normally used to reflect differences in opinion within the intelligence community.
Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters in Abu Dhabi that the use of sarin "violates every convention of warfare".
US Secretary of State John Kerry said there had been two instances of chemical weapons use in Syria.
By Mark MardellNorth America editor
Already US Republicans are saying the red lines have been crossed, that the Assad regime will feel emboldened if there is not action, that the investigation must not be outsourced to the United Nations.
It is clear President Obama doesn't want to go to war in Syria. He regards it as too complex, too difficult, too uncertain.
American military action there would have a huge impact on the perception of America in the region - confirming every image he wants to change.
Yet the US is, perhaps, moving slowly and cautiously toward taking action. There is no sense of a time scale and no real certainty about what might be done.
This is very Obama: the caution, the desire to bring allies along, the reluctance to rush to judgment.
The UK Foreign Office echoed the US claims, saying it had "limited but persuasive information from various sources" of chemical weapons use in Syria.
It is understood that Britain obtained samples from inside Syria that have been tested by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, Wiltshire.
"Material from inside Syria tested positive for sarin," a Foreign Office spokesman said.
Syria is believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons and there has been heightened concern among the international community in recent months about the safety of the stockpiles.
Although there have been numerous accusations, there has so far not been any confirmation that chemical weapons have been used during Syria's two-year-old conflict.
US President Barack Obama warned in December that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would face "consequences" if he used such weapons.
The letters released on Thursday were sent to powerful US senators John McCain and Carl Levin.
In response, Senator McCain told reporters: "It's pretty obvious that red line has been crossed."
He recommended arming the opposition, a step the White House has been reluctant to take. He also urged taking steps to ensure that Syria's chemical weapons did not fall into the wrong hands.
"It does not mean boots on the ground," the Arizona senator added.
Democrat Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for international action to help secure Syria's stockpile of chemical arms.
Robert Menendez, the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said options included "an internationally recognised no-fly zone, providing lethal assistance to vetted opposition forces, and sanctioning the transfer of arms to the regime".
White House officials said the US would consult with allies and seek more evidence to confirm their intelligence.
On Tuesday, a senior Israeli military official accused Syrian forces of having used the nerve agent sarin against rebels several times. People can normally recover from small doses.
Speaking at a security conference in Jerusalem, Brigadier General Itai Brun cited photographs of victims foaming at the mouth and with constricted pupils and other unspecified symptoms.
Syria's government and rebels have accused each other of using chemical weapons. A UN team is trying to enter Syria to investigate.
Sarin is a colourless and highly toxic nerve agent that can cause convulsions, paralysis and death within minutes if it is absorbed through inhalation, ingestion, or contact with skin or eyes.
According to the UN, at least 70,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict. |
Add punctuation: Statistics from the National Records of Scotland put life expectancy at 77.1 years for baby boys born in the past three years, and 81.1 years for girls.
This was two years lower than the UK average for men, and 1.7 years lower than the female average.
And there were considerable differences between different areas of Scotland.
It showed males in East Dunbartonshire can expect to live for 80.5 years - 7.1 years longer than in Glasgow City, which has the lowest life expectancy in the UK at 73.4 years.
Females in East Dunbartonshire can expect to live for 83.5 years - 4.8 years longer than in West Dunbartonshire, which also has the lowest in the UK at 78.7 years.
In general, male and female life expectancy has tended to increase over time, by 5.8 years for women and by eight years for men since 1980-1982 - meaning the gap between the sexes has also narrowed.
However, the gap between Scottish and English life expectancy for both males and females has widened since 1980-1982 by 0.3 years for males and by 0.2 years for females.
And Scots of both sexes continue to have the lowest life expectancy at birth of any of the four UK countries.
In Scotland, men and women can expect to live shorter lives, by 2.3 years and 1.9 years respectively, than in England, where life expectancy is the highest in the UK.
Among the 28 EU countries, male life expectancy was highest in Cyprus (80.9 years), 3.8 years higher than in Scotland.
Female life expectancy was highest in Spain (86.2 years), 5.1 years higher than in Scotland.
The report also showed that males in Scotland could expect to live for a further 17.3 years at age 65 and females a further 19.7 years.
Despite Scotland's comparatively low life expectancy, a European survey published last month suggested the country had the highest quality of life of the four UK nations.
The findings considered factors such as health, safety, access to education and personal rights. | Statistics from the National Records of Scotland put life expectancy at 77.1 years for baby boys born in the past three years, and 81.1 years for girls.
This was two years lower than the UK average for men, and 1.7 years lower than the female average.
And there were considerable differences between different areas of Scotland.
It showed males in East Dunbartonshire can expect to live for 80.5 years - 7.1 years longer than in Glasgow City, which has the lowest life expectancy in the UK at 73.4 years.
Females in East Dunbartonshire can expect to live for 83.5 years - 4.8 years longer than in West Dunbartonshire, which also has the lowest in the UK at 78.7 years.
In general, male and female life expectancy has tended to increase over time, by 5.8 years for women and by eight years for men since 1980-1982 - meaning the gap between the sexes has also narrowed.
However, the gap between Scottish and English life expectancy for both males and females has widened since 1980-1982 by 0.3 years for males and by 0.2 years for females.
And Scots of both sexes continue to have the lowest life expectancy at birth of any of the four UK countries.
In Scotland, men and women can expect to live shorter lives, by 2.3 years and 1.9 years respectively, than in England, where life expectancy is the highest in the UK.
Among the 28 EU countries, male life expectancy was highest in Cyprus (80.9 years), 3.8 years higher than in Scotland.
Female life expectancy was highest in Spain (86.2 years), 5.1 years higher than in Scotland.
The report also showed that males in Scotland could expect to live for a further 17.3 years at age 65 and females a further 19.7 years.
Despite Scotland's comparatively low life expectancy, a European survey published last month suggested the country had the highest quality of life of the four UK nations.
The findings considered factors such as health, safety, access to education and personal rights. |
Add punctuation: Mary Creagh condemned the attack and said staff were "distressed" by the discovery on Monday morning.
A Labour Party spokesperson said it happened at the Cheapside office just before midnight on Friday and was caught on CCTV.
The office, shared by the regional Labour Party, was empty at the time. West Yorkshire Police is investigating.
In a tweet, the MP said: "Staff distressed to discover brick through office window in Wakefield this morning.
"No excuse for violence & intimidation in our democracy."
A BBC survey found one in four Yorkshire MPs have received death threats or abuse in the past three years.
West Yorkshire Police recently offered advise and training to local MPs on how to step up their security after the death of the Batley and Spen Labour MP Jo Cox.
In July, a window was smashed at the Wallasey constituency office of Labour MP Angela Eagle. | Mary Creagh condemned the attack and said staff were "distressed" by the discovery on Monday morning.
A Labour Party spokesperson said it happened at the Cheapside office just before midnight on Friday and was caught on CCTV.
The office, shared by the regional Labour Party, was empty at the time. West Yorkshire Police is investigating.
In a tweet, the MP said: "Staff distressed to discover brick through office window in Wakefield this morning.
"No excuse for violence & intimidation in our democracy."
A BBC survey found one in four Yorkshire MPs have received death threats or abuse in the past three years.
West Yorkshire Police recently offered advise and training to local MPs on how to step up their security after the death of the Batley and Spen Labour MP Jo Cox.
In July, a window was smashed at the Wallasey constituency office of Labour MP Angela Eagle. |
Add punctuation: Home is backed by Josh Littlejohn, of the Social Bite sandwich shops, and Dean Gassabi, who owns the Maison Bleue restaurants.
It will provide training and employment programmes for members of the Social Bite Academy, a four-year paid course for homeless people.
The restaurant is on Queensferry Street in the capital's west end.
The not-for-profit venture opens to the public on Saturday, with a menu of French and Scottish cuisine.
Diners will be encouraged to "pay forward" meals for the homeless, who can attend a special service for those sleeping rough every Monday between 15:00 and 17:00.
Mr Gassabi said: "I had already secured these premises for a new Maison Bleue restaurant when Josh came to me with the proposal for Home and it was such a fantastic idea we agreed to go ahead immediately.
"This venture with Social Bite is a fantastic way for us to put something back, including helping the homeless community."
Half of the profits will go directly to Social Bite and the other 50% will support other charities and good causes.
Mr Littlejohn said: "Home is a unique place and we're incredibly excited to be opening up the doors this weekend.
"It's a place where you can get a first-rate meal at the same time as helping some of the most vulnerable people in society.
"It's a natural evolution of what we've been doing at Social Bite and I hope people support it in the same way."
Social Bite - which has cafes in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - was in the spotlight last November when Hollywood star George Clooney visited the Edinburgh Rose Street branch to launch an appeal to help the homeless and fund an aid convoy to refugee camps across Europe.
In June, the Duchess of Cornwall visited the shop and staff are also expected to welcome Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio later this year. | Home is backed by Josh Littlejohn, of the Social Bite sandwich shops, and Dean Gassabi, who owns the Maison Bleue restaurants.
It will provide training and employment programmes for members of the Social Bite Academy, a four-year paid course for homeless people.
The restaurant is on Queensferry Street in the capital's west end.
The not-for-profit venture opens to the public on Saturday, with a menu of French and Scottish cuisine.
Diners will be encouraged to "pay forward" meals for the homeless, who can attend a special service for those sleeping rough every Monday between 15:00 and 17:00.
Mr Gassabi said: "I had already secured these premises for a new Maison Bleue restaurant when Josh came to me with the proposal for Home and it was such a fantastic idea we agreed to go ahead immediately.
"This venture with Social Bite is a fantastic way for us to put something back, including helping the homeless community."
Half of the profits will go directly to Social Bite and the other 50% will support other charities and good causes.
Mr Littlejohn said: "Home is a unique place and we're incredibly excited to be opening up the doors this weekend.
"It's a place where you can get a first-rate meal at the same time as helping some of the most vulnerable people in society.
"It's a natural evolution of what we've been doing at Social Bite and I hope people support it in the same way."
Social Bite - which has cafes in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - was in the spotlight last November when Hollywood star George Clooney visited the Edinburgh Rose Street branch to launch an appeal to help the homeless and fund an aid convoy to refugee camps across Europe.
In June, the Duchess of Cornwall visited the shop and staff are also expected to welcome Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio later this year. |
Add punctuation: In his first Mansion House speech, Mr Osborne said he would abolish the current system of financial regulation.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will "cease to exist in its current form", he told the City of London.
But he also revealed that Hector Sants, the chief executive of the FSA, would stay on to oversee the transition.
The chancellor added that Financial Secretary Mark Hoban would set out further details to parliament on Thursday.
By Norman SmithChief political correspondent, BBC Radio 4
For those in the City who hoped it might be back to business as usual under a Conservative-led government George Osborne's Mansion House speech was a wake up call. Apart from the scrapping of the FSA - and the handing over of its regulatory duties - to an increasingly all powerful Bank of England, Mr Osborne also confirmed there would be a bank levy and further action on pay and bonuses. But most significantly he announced a new banking commission to overhaul the City. It will examine breaking up the major banks; the competitiveness of the City; whether power had become too concentrated among some leading city institutions; and whether there should be restrictions on bank activities. In Mr Osborne's words it will be "a new settlement between our banks and the rest of society". Mr Osborne may have donned the traditional black tie outfit - for his Mansion House speech - but it is clear he believes many other City traditions are going to have to change.
Earlier, Mr Osborne had told the House of Commons that Sir John Vickers, former head of the Office of Fair Trading, would chair a commission to look into the potential break-up of the UK's biggest banks.
The independent commission will take at least a year to review whether casino-style investment banks should be split from deposit-taking institutions on the High Street.
In his first keynote address at the Lord Mayor's annual dinner to the City, Mr Osborne said the new coalition government was proposing a new system of regulation that "learns the lessons of the greatest banking crisis in our lifetime".
Mr Osborne paid tribute to Alistair Darling, his predecessor as chancellor, but went on to criticise the current tripartite system of regulation, which divided responsibility between the Bank of England, the FSA and the Treasury.
"No one was controlling levels of debt, and when the crunch came no one knew who was in charge," he said.
As expected, he confirmed that the FSA would be broken up and the part that monitors financial institutions would continue as a "new prudential regulator" but would operate as a full subsidiary of the Bank of England.
The parts that are supposed to protect consumers and crack down on crime will be injected respectively into a new Consumer Protection Agency and an Economic Crime Agency.
He also said the government would create a powerful new Financial Policy Committee at the Bank of England.
Mr Osborne said that the process of reforming the regulatory system would be completed by 2012.
He also revealed that he had asked Hector Sants, the chief executive of the FSA who had been due to leave this summer, to stay on to oversee the transition.
Mr Sants will become the first new deputy governor of the Bank and chief executive of the new "prudential regulator" charged with regulating banks and other financial institutions.
Andrew Bailey, currently chief cashier at the Bank of England, will become his deputy in the new regulator.
The chancellor also confirmed that the government would introduce a bank levy and "demand further restraint on pay and bonuses".
Gordon Brown, made chancellor when the Labour Party won the 1997 general election, created the FSA following criticism that the Bank of England had failed to sufficiently regulate the UK's financial system.
But in recent years critics have said the problem with the system was that it was not clear who would be in charge in a crisis and the tripartite financial authorities needed to communicate better with each other.
The FSA, in particular, also came in for criticism for not doing enough to prevent or limit the crisis in the financial markets.
The governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, welcomed the new powers given to the Bank by the new government.
"Monetary stability and financial stability are two sides of the same coin. During the crisis the former was threatened by the failure to secure the latter," Mr King said in his speech, which followed the chancellor's. | In his first Mansion House speech, Mr Osborne said he would abolish the current system of financial regulation.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will "cease to exist in its current form", he told the City of London.
But he also revealed that Hector Sants, the chief executive of the FSA, would stay on to oversee the transition.
The chancellor added that Financial Secretary Mark Hoban would set out further details to parliament on Thursday.
By Norman SmithChief political correspondent, BBC Radio 4
For those in the City who hoped it might be back to business as usual under a Conservative-led government George Osborne's Mansion House speech was a wake up call. Apart from the scrapping of the FSA - and the handing over of its regulatory duties - to an increasingly all powerful Bank of England, Mr Osborne also confirmed there would be a bank levy and further action on pay and bonuses. But most significantly he announced a new banking commission to overhaul the City. It will examine breaking up the major banks; the competitiveness of the City; whether power had become too concentrated among some leading city institutions; and whether there should be restrictions on bank activities. In Mr Osborne's words it will be "a new settlement between our banks and the rest of society". Mr Osborne may have donned the traditional black tie outfit - for his Mansion House speech - but it is clear he believes many other City traditions are going to have to change.
Earlier, Mr Osborne had told the House of Commons that Sir John Vickers, former head of the Office of Fair Trading, would chair a commission to look into the potential break-up of the UK's biggest banks.
The independent commission will take at least a year to review whether casino-style investment banks should be split from deposit-taking institutions on the High Street.
In his first keynote address at the Lord Mayor's annual dinner to the City, Mr Osborne said the new coalition government was proposing a new system of regulation that "learns the lessons of the greatest banking crisis in our lifetime".
Mr Osborne paid tribute to Alistair Darling, his predecessor as chancellor, but went on to criticise the current tripartite system of regulation, which divided responsibility between the Bank of England, the FSA and the Treasury.
"No one was controlling levels of debt, and when the crunch came no one knew who was in charge," he said.
As expected, he confirmed that the FSA would be broken up and the part that monitors financial institutions would continue as a "new prudential regulator" but would operate as a full subsidiary of the Bank of England.
The parts that are supposed to protect consumers and crack down on crime will be injected respectively into a new Consumer Protection Agency and an Economic Crime Agency.
He also said the government would create a powerful new Financial Policy Committee at the Bank of England.
Mr Osborne said that the process of reforming the regulatory system would be completed by 2012.
He also revealed that he had asked Hector Sants, the chief executive of the FSA who had been due to leave this summer, to stay on to oversee the transition.
Mr Sants will become the first new deputy governor of the Bank and chief executive of the new "prudential regulator" charged with regulating banks and other financial institutions.
Andrew Bailey, currently chief cashier at the Bank of England, will become his deputy in the new regulator.
The chancellor also confirmed that the government would introduce a bank levy and "demand further restraint on pay and bonuses".
Gordon Brown, made chancellor when the Labour Party won the 1997 general election, created the FSA following criticism that the Bank of England had failed to sufficiently regulate the UK's financial system.
But in recent years critics have said the problem with the system was that it was not clear who would be in charge in a crisis and the tripartite financial authorities needed to communicate better with each other.
The FSA, in particular, also came in for criticism for not doing enough to prevent or limit the crisis in the financial markets.
The governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, welcomed the new powers given to the Bank by the new government.
"Monetary stability and financial stability are two sides of the same coin. During the crisis the former was threatened by the failure to secure the latter," Mr King said in his speech, which followed the chancellor's. |
Add punctuation: Thomas Cook flight TCX3876 from Glasgow to Dalaman arrived at Gatwick, after an on-board incident, at about 11:15.
Sussex Police boarded the plane at 11:45 and arrested a 34-year-old man. Two women with him were not detained.
There were no reports of injuries or damage. Thomas Cook said the plane remained at Gatwick until 13:05.
A statement from Gatwick Airport read: "Gatwick Airport can confirm that a flight was diverted to the airport and two individuals were removed from the flight.
"The matter is now being dealt with by Sussex Police."
A spokesperson for Thomas Cook Airlines said: "We have a zero tolerance policy towards any behaviour on-board affecting the safety and welfare of our crew and customers.
"We'd like to thank those on board for the patience during the delay to their flight to Turkey." | Thomas Cook flight TCX3876 from Glasgow to Dalaman arrived at Gatwick, after an on-board incident, at about 11:15.
Sussex Police boarded the plane at 11:45 and arrested a 34-year-old man. Two women with him were not detained.
There were no reports of injuries or damage. Thomas Cook said the plane remained at Gatwick until 13:05.
A statement from Gatwick Airport read: "Gatwick Airport can confirm that a flight was diverted to the airport and two individuals were removed from the flight.
"The matter is now being dealt with by Sussex Police."
A spokesperson for Thomas Cook Airlines said: "We have a zero tolerance policy towards any behaviour on-board affecting the safety and welfare of our crew and customers.
"We'd like to thank those on board for the patience during the delay to their flight to Turkey." |
Add punctuation: Nine people were rescued and two suspected smugglers detained, after the inflatable boat capsized off the coast of Kusadasi, DHA news agency said.
Five children were among the dead, it reported, and said the migrants were Syrians, probably attempting to reach the Greek islands.
Video footage showed several bodies laid out near ambulances on a beach.
It comes as more than 200 migrants are feared dead after a Spanish aid organisation found five bodies off the Libyan coast.
Proactiva said those bodies were found on Thursday morning, floating near two capsized boats which could each hold more than 100 people, 15 miles (24km) from the Libyan port of Sabrata.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was "deeply alarmed" by the reports
Numbers of migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya via Italy have risen dramatically this year since a deal between Turkey and the EU greatly reduced the numbers attempting to cross from Turkey to Greece.
According to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), between the start of this year and 22 March, nearly 3,500 migrants arrived in Greece - and two died on the way, compared to nearly 150,000 arrivals and 366 deaths in the equivalent period last year, before the deal was agreed.
In the same period this year, more than 20,000 people have arrived in Italy - using the Central Mediterranean route from Libya - with 515 deaths, up from just under 15,000 and 160 deaths in 2016.
The figures exclude the latest incidents, which the UNHCR says come after an intense week of arrivals in Italy, with almost 6,000 migrants and refugees rescued in just five days this week.
The Italian coast guard said they had co-ordinated more than 40 rescue operations in the last few days.
IOM spokesman Joel Millman said earlier this week: "We have yet to complete March, and we are already racing at a pace of arrivals that has exceeded anything we've seen before in the Mediterranean."
"This is typical of spring, getting very busy, but it's not typical to have the numbers be so high this early and the corresponding deaths that go with it."
This week marks the one year anniversary of the EU-Turkey deal, under which Turkey has agreed to take back migrants arriving in Greece if they do not apply for asylum or their claim is rejected.
But the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has said he will review the agreement after a referendum next month on boosting his powers, which has sparked a row over Turkish campaigning in some EU countries.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants. | Nine people were rescued and two suspected smugglers detained, after the inflatable boat capsized off the coast of Kusadasi, DHA news agency said.
Five children were among the dead, it reported, and said the migrants were Syrians, probably attempting to reach the Greek islands.
Video footage showed several bodies laid out near ambulances on a beach.
It comes as more than 200 migrants are feared dead after a Spanish aid organisation found five bodies off the Libyan coast.
Proactiva said those bodies were found on Thursday morning, floating near two capsized boats which could each hold more than 100 people, 15 miles (24km) from the Libyan port of Sabrata.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was "deeply alarmed" by the reports
Numbers of migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya via Italy have risen dramatically this year since a deal between Turkey and the EU greatly reduced the numbers attempting to cross from Turkey to Greece.
According to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), between the start of this year and 22 March, nearly 3,500 migrants arrived in Greece - and two died on the way, compared to nearly 150,000 arrivals and 366 deaths in the equivalent period last year, before the deal was agreed.
In the same period this year, more than 20,000 people have arrived in Italy - using the Central Mediterranean route from Libya - with 515 deaths, up from just under 15,000 and 160 deaths in 2016.
The figures exclude the latest incidents, which the UNHCR says come after an intense week of arrivals in Italy, with almost 6,000 migrants and refugees rescued in just five days this week.
The Italian coast guard said they had co-ordinated more than 40 rescue operations in the last few days.
IOM spokesman Joel Millman said earlier this week: "We have yet to complete March, and we are already racing at a pace of arrivals that has exceeded anything we've seen before in the Mediterranean."
"This is typical of spring, getting very busy, but it's not typical to have the numbers be so high this early and the corresponding deaths that go with it."
This week marks the one year anniversary of the EU-Turkey deal, under which Turkey has agreed to take back migrants arriving in Greece if they do not apply for asylum or their claim is rejected.
But the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has said he will review the agreement after a referendum next month on boosting his powers, which has sparked a row over Turkish campaigning in some EU countries.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants. |
Add punctuation: Emergency services were called to the scene, in Kirkwood Street, Rutherglen, at about 16:15 on Tuesday 23 August.
The two-year-old boy was taken to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he is still believed to be in a stable condition.
A police spokeswoman said a 29-year-old man had been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident. | Emergency services were called to the scene, in Kirkwood Street, Rutherglen, at about 16:15 on Tuesday 23 August.
The two-year-old boy was taken to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he is still believed to be in a stable condition.
A police spokeswoman said a 29-year-old man had been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident. |
Add punctuation: A recent US study found there were at least 46,000 accounts on Twitter linked to the militant group, many of which help to recruit new IS members.
The European police agency Europol will now work with unnamed social media companies to track the accounts.
They aim to get new accounts closed down within two hours of them being set up.
Europol believes up to 5,000 EU citizens, including people from the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, have travelled to territories controlled by IS.
Rob Wainwright, Europol's director, told the BBC that the new team, which starts its work on 1 July, "would be an effective way of combating the problem".
But, he said, tracking all IS-linked social media accounts was too big a task.
"We will have to combine what we see online, with our own intelligence and that that is shared with us by European police services, so we can be a bit more targeted and identify who the key user accounts are... and concentrate on closing them down."
The number of IS-linked Twitter accounts could be as high as 90,000, according to a paper by the Brooking Institution in Washington.
Aaron Zelin, an expert on jihadist groups at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, says Twitter is generally used to draw in potential new recruits, not to directly hire them.
The more direct recruitment conversations take place on forums such as Skype, WhatsApp and Kik, he said.
Rita Katz, a director of the jihadi monitoring group Site, said IS militants regularly boasted online of ways in which to circumvent being blocked on social media.
In an article written in April, Ms Katz called for better security by social media firms and said simply blocking accounts was not enough.
She wrote: "It's time to stop shooting in the dark and recognize IS and its followers on Twitter are determined and dangerously adaptive - not because they enjoy tweeting, but because Twitter itself is among the most crucial tools to their growth and existence." | A recent US study found there were at least 46,000 accounts on Twitter linked to the militant group, many of which help to recruit new IS members.
The European police agency Europol will now work with unnamed social media companies to track the accounts.
They aim to get new accounts closed down within two hours of them being set up.
Europol believes up to 5,000 EU citizens, including people from the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, have travelled to territories controlled by IS.
Rob Wainwright, Europol's director, told the BBC that the new team, which starts its work on 1 July, "would be an effective way of combating the problem".
But, he said, tracking all IS-linked social media accounts was too big a task.
"We will have to combine what we see online, with our own intelligence and that that is shared with us by European police services, so we can be a bit more targeted and identify who the key user accounts are... and concentrate on closing them down."
The number of IS-linked Twitter accounts could be as high as 90,000, according to a paper by the Brooking Institution in Washington.
Aaron Zelin, an expert on jihadist groups at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, says Twitter is generally used to draw in potential new recruits, not to directly hire them.
The more direct recruitment conversations take place on forums such as Skype, WhatsApp and Kik, he said.
Rita Katz, a director of the jihadi monitoring group Site, said IS militants regularly boasted online of ways in which to circumvent being blocked on social media.
In an article written in April, Ms Katz called for better security by social media firms and said simply blocking accounts was not enough.
She wrote: "It's time to stop shooting in the dark and recognize IS and its followers on Twitter are determined and dangerously adaptive - not because they enjoy tweeting, but because Twitter itself is among the most crucial tools to their growth and existence." |
Add punctuation: James Percival, 66, said he gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to newborn Jonathan Percival in the vicarage in Freckleton, Lancashire, in 2014.
But Ruth Percival, 30, said she had not seen him make any attempts to revive the baby.
The inquest was halted in October when new medical evidence led the coroner to refer the case to prosecutors.
In March, the Crown Prosecution Service said there remained "insufficient evidence" to charge anyone.
The hearing at Blackpool Town Hall was told that Miss Percival, who has some special educational needs, visited her GP surgery in August 2014 to arrange to terminate a pregnancy, but had been unable to have one because she was too far gone.
She agreed she had put her "head in the sand" about the pregnancy and had not told her parents because she was "scared" of their reaction.
Mr Percival, who at the time was the vicar of Holy Trinity CE Church in Freckleton, said after she returned home from work in the afternoon on 25 November she spent time in the downstairs toilet.
He said at about 15:30 GMT he saw her come out of the bathroom carrying a towel covered with what he believed to be excrement and went outside with her to put it in a bin "when Jonathan's leg came in sight".
He told the court: "I said to Ruth, 'this is a baby, you can't put a baby in the bin'."
He said he placed the baby on the towel on the floor outside and attempted to resuscitate him.
He said the baby "was very, very cold, absolutely lifeless", adding: "The baby was quite clearly dead."
The inquest heard that medical evidence showed the baby was alive at the time he was born.
Miss Percival said she thought she saw the baby trying to take a breath, but also said: "I kind of thought I did have a miscarriage because to me the baby was dead when he came out of me."
Miss Percival and her father gave evidence that Jonathan had the umbilical cord wrapped round his neck.
The hearing is due to continue on Tuesday. | James Percival, 66, said he gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to newborn Jonathan Percival in the vicarage in Freckleton, Lancashire, in 2014.
But Ruth Percival, 30, said she had not seen him make any attempts to revive the baby.
The inquest was halted in October when new medical evidence led the coroner to refer the case to prosecutors.
In March, the Crown Prosecution Service said there remained "insufficient evidence" to charge anyone.
The hearing at Blackpool Town Hall was told that Miss Percival, who has some special educational needs, visited her GP surgery in August 2014 to arrange to terminate a pregnancy, but had been unable to have one because she was too far gone.
She agreed she had put her "head in the sand" about the pregnancy and had not told her parents because she was "scared" of their reaction.
Mr Percival, who at the time was the vicar of Holy Trinity CE Church in Freckleton, said after she returned home from work in the afternoon on 25 November she spent time in the downstairs toilet.
He said at about 15:30 GMT he saw her come out of the bathroom carrying a towel covered with what he believed to be excrement and went outside with her to put it in a bin "when Jonathan's leg came in sight".
He told the court: "I said to Ruth, 'this is a baby, you can't put a baby in the bin'."
He said he placed the baby on the towel on the floor outside and attempted to resuscitate him.
He said the baby "was very, very cold, absolutely lifeless", adding: "The baby was quite clearly dead."
The inquest heard that medical evidence showed the baby was alive at the time he was born.
Miss Percival said she thought she saw the baby trying to take a breath, but also said: "I kind of thought I did have a miscarriage because to me the baby was dead when he came out of me."
Miss Percival and her father gave evidence that Jonathan had the umbilical cord wrapped round his neck.
The hearing is due to continue on Tuesday. |
Add punctuation: The 23-year-old, who is not a member of police staff, was held on Wednesday night and has been released on bail. This follows the arrest of a police officer on Saturday.
Mr Mitchell quit as chief whip after it was alleged he called Downing Street police "plebs", which he denies.
CCTV footage has cast doubt on the original police accounts of the row.
The man was arrested in north London at around 20:00 GMT on Wednesday "on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence of misconduct in a public office on or around last Friday". His home was also searched.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said this had been "about the time police received fresh information about it [Plebgate]".
Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking during a visit to Afghanistan, said a "full-scale police investigation", supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, was needed.
"I think that's very important. Let's get to the truth," he said.
By Gary O'DonoghuePolitical correspondent, BBC News
I understand that Andrew Mitchell has met Pat Gallan - a Deputy Assistant Commissioner, who is in charge of the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards, and the officer running Operation Alice, as it's been named.
I also understand that Mr Mitchell regards Ms Gallon as "extremely good" though he no longer has confidence in the Met commissioner himself.
That is because Bernard Hogan-Howe earlier this week publicly backed the two original officers who were present during the altercation in Downing Street.
There has also been what is described as an "unsatisfactory" exchange of letters between Mr Mitchell and the commissioner, which has further eroded his confidence.
The Met Police said they had no comment to make at this stage.
The offence allegedly took place a day before a Diplomatic Protection Squad officer, aged 52, was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
But the Met confirmed the latest arrest was not over allegations of "conspiracy" to give false information about the argument between Mr Mitchell and police in September.
Thirty officers are working on the investigation - known as Operation Alice - which is looking into claims that someone on the force gave false evidence over the incident.
Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales - which represents rank and file officers - said the organisation had taken "a very clear line" nationally not to call for Mr Mitchell's resignation, although he could not account for all 43 local federations.
Asked if he felt local federation members had been unfair to wear t-shirts reading "PC Pleb" and calling for the politician to be sacked, Mr McKeever told the BBC: "We have to wait for this investigation to take place to find out exactly what has happened - and we are supporting that investigation absolutely."
If Mr Mitchell had been done "a calumny" he would be "the first in the queue to apologise," he promised.
Mr McKeever added: "I understand those who say the federation stoked up some of the media attention in relation to Andrew Mitchell. I think we can all say we could have done things better."
But former Conservative home secretary Kenneth Baker said the federation was in "real trouble".
He told BBC2's Daily Politics programme it had "decided to become... an extremely aggressive lobbying body, determined to get a minister... because they were very opposed to what the home secretary is doing looking into their pay, pensions and early retirement."
Earlier this week Channel 4 News alleged that an officer had sent an email purporting to be from a member of the public who had witnessed the row.
The email was sent to Deputy Chief Whip John Randall, who passed it on to No 10. It contained claims that Mr Mitchell "shouted obscenities" and used "gutter language", adding that people watching were "appalled", with some possibly "inadvertently" filming what was going on.
But CCTV coverage suggests there were few, if any, members of the public within earshot of Mr Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield.
A senior Downing Street source told the BBC that Mr Mitchell was in a "much stronger position" following the latest developments in the plebgate story.
His friends have urged Mr Cameron to restore him to office, with some Tory MPs complaining that the prime minister should have moved more quickly to try to exonerate his former cabinet colleague.
Mr Cameron told the Commons on Wednesday: "A police officer posing as a member of the public and sending an email potentially to blacken the name of a cabinet minister is a very serious issue and does need to be seriously investigated."
And the Met says it is taking the issue "extremely seriously".
Mr Mitchell has admitted swearing at officers but denied calling them "plebs". He resigned from the government in October, following several weeks of criticism in the media. | The 23-year-old, who is not a member of police staff, was held on Wednesday night and has been released on bail. This follows the arrest of a police officer on Saturday.
Mr Mitchell quit as chief whip after it was alleged he called Downing Street police "plebs", which he denies.
CCTV footage has cast doubt on the original police accounts of the row.
The man was arrested in north London at around 20:00 GMT on Wednesday "on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence of misconduct in a public office on or around last Friday". His home was also searched.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said this had been "about the time police received fresh information about it [Plebgate]".
Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking during a visit to Afghanistan, said a "full-scale police investigation", supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, was needed.
"I think that's very important. Let's get to the truth," he said.
By Gary O'DonoghuePolitical correspondent, BBC News
I understand that Andrew Mitchell has met Pat Gallan - a Deputy Assistant Commissioner, who is in charge of the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards, and the officer running Operation Alice, as it's been named.
I also understand that Mr Mitchell regards Ms Gallon as "extremely good" though he no longer has confidence in the Met commissioner himself.
That is because Bernard Hogan-Howe earlier this week publicly backed the two original officers who were present during the altercation in Downing Street.
There has also been what is described as an "unsatisfactory" exchange of letters between Mr Mitchell and the commissioner, which has further eroded his confidence.
The Met Police said they had no comment to make at this stage.
The offence allegedly took place a day before a Diplomatic Protection Squad officer, aged 52, was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
But the Met confirmed the latest arrest was not over allegations of "conspiracy" to give false information about the argument between Mr Mitchell and police in September.
Thirty officers are working on the investigation - known as Operation Alice - which is looking into claims that someone on the force gave false evidence over the incident.
Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales - which represents rank and file officers - said the organisation had taken "a very clear line" nationally not to call for Mr Mitchell's resignation, although he could not account for all 43 local federations.
Asked if he felt local federation members had been unfair to wear t-shirts reading "PC Pleb" and calling for the politician to be sacked, Mr McKeever told the BBC: "We have to wait for this investigation to take place to find out exactly what has happened - and we are supporting that investigation absolutely."
If Mr Mitchell had been done "a calumny" he would be "the first in the queue to apologise," he promised.
Mr McKeever added: "I understand those who say the federation stoked up some of the media attention in relation to Andrew Mitchell. I think we can all say we could have done things better."
But former Conservative home secretary Kenneth Baker said the federation was in "real trouble".
He told BBC2's Daily Politics programme it had "decided to become... an extremely aggressive lobbying body, determined to get a minister... because they were very opposed to what the home secretary is doing looking into their pay, pensions and early retirement."
Earlier this week Channel 4 News alleged that an officer had sent an email purporting to be from a member of the public who had witnessed the row.
The email was sent to Deputy Chief Whip John Randall, who passed it on to No 10. It contained claims that Mr Mitchell "shouted obscenities" and used "gutter language", adding that people watching were "appalled", with some possibly "inadvertently" filming what was going on.
But CCTV coverage suggests there were few, if any, members of the public within earshot of Mr Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield.
A senior Downing Street source told the BBC that Mr Mitchell was in a "much stronger position" following the latest developments in the plebgate story.
His friends have urged Mr Cameron to restore him to office, with some Tory MPs complaining that the prime minister should have moved more quickly to try to exonerate his former cabinet colleague.
Mr Cameron told the Commons on Wednesday: "A police officer posing as a member of the public and sending an email potentially to blacken the name of a cabinet minister is a very serious issue and does need to be seriously investigated."
And the Met says it is taking the issue "extremely seriously".
Mr Mitchell has admitted swearing at officers but denied calling them "plebs". He resigned from the government in October, following several weeks of criticism in the media. |
Add punctuation: Now, more than 18 years after being gunned down on a rooftop in the city of Medellin, everybody in Colombia is once again talking about Pablo Escobar.
The country's biggest television network, Caracol, is currently showing a 63-episode drama series about the life of the boss of the Medellin drug cartel.
The fierce debate about the series, which began even before it started, shows how controversial a figure Escobar remains.
Colombian television has dealt with the world of drug trafficking many times before.
But Escobar: The Boss of Evil is not your run-of-the-mill soap opera.
With a cast of some 1,300, and filmed in more than 450 different locations, it is one of Caracol's most ambitious productions.
The series was produced by relatives of two of Escobar's most high-profile victims: Luis Carlos Galan, a presidential candidate who made the fight against drugs the cornerstone of his campaign, and Guillermo Cano, the publisher of the daily newspaper El Espectador.
The producers say their aim was historical accuracy.
The show is also the first to openly use the name of the man who once was the world's biggest drug trafficker and Colombia's public enemy number one.
"It was like something really bad happened within the family and we needed to wait for time to pass before we could address the issue," series director Carlos Moreno told the BBC.
Mr Moreno says he wanted the series to be as much about Escobar as his many victims, who included rival drug traffickers, policemen, politicians, and journalists.
Many innocent civilians were also caught up in his war against the Colombian state as he resisted efforts to extradite him to the US.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Escobar and his cartel turned Medellin into a byword for violence, and the most conservative estimates hold him responsible for some 4,000 deaths.
But Escobar was not universally despised.
His memory is still cherished in some of Medellin's poorest neighbourhoods, where he used to build houses and football pitches and was regarded by some as a local Robin Hood.
"There still are people who hate him and people who love him dearly," Andres Parra, the actor who plays Escobar in the series, told the BBC.
"He was a very complex character: a great son, a great husband, a great father, a great friend, who also had the capacity to inflict a great deal of pain and terror.
"He claimed to be a defender of human rights who was also able to order the bombing of a commercial plane."
For Mr Parra, Escobar's contradictory personality is what makes him such a compelling character to play.
And it can also explain why the first episode of the series, broadcast on 28 May, attracted a record 11 million viewers.
Many Colombians also seem to have adjusted their routines in order to not miss the programme, which is on every weekday night.
But in a country that is still waging a painful and bloody war against the cocaine trade, not everybody approves of giving a drug lord such top billing.
Colombia has tried hard to overcome the association with drugs and violence it earned during the Escobar era.
There are fears his rags-to-riches story could inspire a new generation of drug traffickers.
Indeed, as a self-made man who made it to Forbes magazine ranking of the world's 10 wealthiest men, Escobar embodied the ambitions and dreams of many poor Colombians.
And, by doing so, he also offered them a rationale to justify the cocaine trade.
"Drug trafficking has been the promise of social change," said Mr Moreno.
For the director of The Boss of Evil, that is precisely why it is also important to make sure younger Colombians fully understand the pain caused by the biggest drug lord of them all.
"I know who Escobar was, but what I know about him I know because of my family," Marcela Mendez, a 18-year-old student, told the BBC.
"I was only three years old (when Pablo Escobar died) but those things are never forgotten, because of what our families had to go through, bombs exploded when they were on the streets," said Antonio Pinillos.
"I think in Colombia everybody knows who Escobar was, although I'm not so sure my generation knows all the truth."
Mr Pinillos said he believed Caracol Television's main aim in dramatising such a painful period of the country's recent history was big ratings.
But he also feels the show can help to fill in some gaps.
For director Carlos Moreno, the silence about some parts of the Escobar story is explained by the close ties the drug lord had with many politicians and businessmen.
"And there still are many (uncovered) links: political, economic, social," Mr Moreno said.
That might be why the series has proved so controversial. But it may also be the reason why it was necessary. | Now, more than 18 years after being gunned down on a rooftop in the city of Medellin, everybody in Colombia is once again talking about Pablo Escobar.
The country's biggest television network, Caracol, is currently showing a 63-episode drama series about the life of the boss of the Medellin drug cartel.
The fierce debate about the series, which began even before it started, shows how controversial a figure Escobar remains.
Colombian television has dealt with the world of drug trafficking many times before.
But Escobar: The Boss of Evil is not your run-of-the-mill soap opera.
With a cast of some 1,300, and filmed in more than 450 different locations, it is one of Caracol's most ambitious productions.
The series was produced by relatives of two of Escobar's most high-profile victims: Luis Carlos Galan, a presidential candidate who made the fight against drugs the cornerstone of his campaign, and Guillermo Cano, the publisher of the daily newspaper El Espectador.
The producers say their aim was historical accuracy.
The show is also the first to openly use the name of the man who once was the world's biggest drug trafficker and Colombia's public enemy number one.
"It was like something really bad happened within the family and we needed to wait for time to pass before we could address the issue," series director Carlos Moreno told the BBC.
Mr Moreno says he wanted the series to be as much about Escobar as his many victims, who included rival drug traffickers, policemen, politicians, and journalists.
Many innocent civilians were also caught up in his war against the Colombian state as he resisted efforts to extradite him to the US.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Escobar and his cartel turned Medellin into a byword for violence, and the most conservative estimates hold him responsible for some 4,000 deaths.
But Escobar was not universally despised.
His memory is still cherished in some of Medellin's poorest neighbourhoods, where he used to build houses and football pitches and was regarded by some as a local Robin Hood.
"There still are people who hate him and people who love him dearly," Andres Parra, the actor who plays Escobar in the series, told the BBC.
"He was a very complex character: a great son, a great husband, a great father, a great friend, who also had the capacity to inflict a great deal of pain and terror.
"He claimed to be a defender of human rights who was also able to order the bombing of a commercial plane."
For Mr Parra, Escobar's contradictory personality is what makes him such a compelling character to play.
And it can also explain why the first episode of the series, broadcast on 28 May, attracted a record 11 million viewers.
Many Colombians also seem to have adjusted their routines in order to not miss the programme, which is on every weekday night.
But in a country that is still waging a painful and bloody war against the cocaine trade, not everybody approves of giving a drug lord such top billing.
Colombia has tried hard to overcome the association with drugs and violence it earned during the Escobar era.
There are fears his rags-to-riches story could inspire a new generation of drug traffickers.
Indeed, as a self-made man who made it to Forbes magazine ranking of the world's 10 wealthiest men, Escobar embodied the ambitions and dreams of many poor Colombians.
And, by doing so, he also offered them a rationale to justify the cocaine trade.
"Drug trafficking has been the promise of social change," said Mr Moreno.
For the director of The Boss of Evil, that is precisely why it is also important to make sure younger Colombians fully understand the pain caused by the biggest drug lord of them all.
"I know who Escobar was, but what I know about him I know because of my family," Marcela Mendez, a 18-year-old student, told the BBC.
"I was only three years old (when Pablo Escobar died) but those things are never forgotten, because of what our families had to go through, bombs exploded when they were on the streets," said Antonio Pinillos.
"I think in Colombia everybody knows who Escobar was, although I'm not so sure my generation knows all the truth."
Mr Pinillos said he believed Caracol Television's main aim in dramatising such a painful period of the country's recent history was big ratings.
But he also feels the show can help to fill in some gaps.
For director Carlos Moreno, the silence about some parts of the Escobar story is explained by the close ties the drug lord had with many politicians and businessmen.
"And there still are many (uncovered) links: political, economic, social," Mr Moreno said.
That might be why the series has proved so controversial. But it may also be the reason why it was necessary. |
Add punctuation: Those looking for votes in the Irish nationalist battlegrounds, near the border in counties Down and Armagh, may literally walk up a few hills.
As any constituency will have a tight race for the final seats, it is well worth knocking on the doors of isolated dwellings nestled up high.
Newry and Armagh is a bellwether constituency for nationalist politics.
For almost 20 years, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) deputy leader, Seamus Mallon, was the MP.
That was back when his party was the major force in nationalism.
But Sinn Féin now dominates - holding the Westminster seat and having three Newry and Armagh MLAs to the SDLP's one Stormont representative.
If the electoral dynamics are to shift again, the SDLP will need to make inroads in places like this.
I asked people in Newry about how they voted - and their thoughts generally chimed with the election results over the last 15 years or so.
A number said they used to vote SDLP, but not any more.
"They seem to have lost their way," said one man.
"They disappeared after John Hume and Seamus Mallon stood down," a woman told me.
But Colum Eastwood - the SDLP's new leader - says he is serious about retaking ground.
At 32, he is the youngest party leader in the upcoming Northern Ireland Assembly election.
South Down MLA Karen McKevitt says he has been "a breath of fresh air".
She will switch constituencies to run in Newry and Armagh in the assembly poll.
"People stop me in the street and say how proud they are that the SDLP have made a change in leadership," she says.
"That's strong. But that also tells me that people are sick of orange-and-green politics.
"They want to see change. We want to make that change."
The SDLP goes into the election in May with 14 seats. Sinn Féin has 29.
It will be the republican party's second election this year.
They hope to improve on their tally in the Irish parliament (Dáil) in the general election expected in the next couple of months.
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy says standing in both elections is in itself a strategy which will appeal to northern nationalist voters.
"We want to see the breaking down of the barriers that have prevented economic growth in border areas," he explains.
"We're a party that is in a position to do things like that on both sides of the border.
"We don't just talk the talk on reunification - we stand in elections, to have the maximum change from north to south and east to west."
He believes the change in the SDLP leadership will not make a difference to Sinn Féin, pointing out that the SDLP has changed leader three times since 2010.
In Newry, the people I spoke to did not seem to be sure yet whether Mr Eastwood would make an impact.
Some welcomed the fact he was young - one expressed hope that younger politicians would help older ones "catch themselves on".
Others said he needed to raise his profile.
Voters gave a long list of issues which they felt politicians should deal with - transport, health, education, infrastructure.
There were also plenty who said they were "fed up" of politics in general and would not vote this time round.
Politicians of all shades talk about these people a lot.
They believe that if they win over would-be non-voters, it will unlock the key to electoral gains.
For nationalist politicians in particular, Newry and Armagh is a strategic and symbolic constituency.
Expect campaigning to step up all the way to Thursday 5 May. | Those looking for votes in the Irish nationalist battlegrounds, near the border in counties Down and Armagh, may literally walk up a few hills.
As any constituency will have a tight race for the final seats, it is well worth knocking on the doors of isolated dwellings nestled up high.
Newry and Armagh is a bellwether constituency for nationalist politics.
For almost 20 years, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) deputy leader, Seamus Mallon, was the MP.
That was back when his party was the major force in nationalism.
But Sinn Féin now dominates - holding the Westminster seat and having three Newry and Armagh MLAs to the SDLP's one Stormont representative.
If the electoral dynamics are to shift again, the SDLP will need to make inroads in places like this.
I asked people in Newry about how they voted - and their thoughts generally chimed with the election results over the last 15 years or so.
A number said they used to vote SDLP, but not any more.
"They seem to have lost their way," said one man.
"They disappeared after John Hume and Seamus Mallon stood down," a woman told me.
But Colum Eastwood - the SDLP's new leader - says he is serious about retaking ground.
At 32, he is the youngest party leader in the upcoming Northern Ireland Assembly election.
South Down MLA Karen McKevitt says he has been "a breath of fresh air".
She will switch constituencies to run in Newry and Armagh in the assembly poll.
"People stop me in the street and say how proud they are that the SDLP have made a change in leadership," she says.
"That's strong. But that also tells me that people are sick of orange-and-green politics.
"They want to see change. We want to make that change."
The SDLP goes into the election in May with 14 seats. Sinn Féin has 29.
It will be the republican party's second election this year.
They hope to improve on their tally in the Irish parliament (Dáil) in the general election expected in the next couple of months.
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy says standing in both elections is in itself a strategy which will appeal to northern nationalist voters.
"We want to see the breaking down of the barriers that have prevented economic growth in border areas," he explains.
"We're a party that is in a position to do things like that on both sides of the border.
"We don't just talk the talk on reunification - we stand in elections, to have the maximum change from north to south and east to west."
He believes the change in the SDLP leadership will not make a difference to Sinn Féin, pointing out that the SDLP has changed leader three times since 2010.
In Newry, the people I spoke to did not seem to be sure yet whether Mr Eastwood would make an impact.
Some welcomed the fact he was young - one expressed hope that younger politicians would help older ones "catch themselves on".
Others said he needed to raise his profile.
Voters gave a long list of issues which they felt politicians should deal with - transport, health, education, infrastructure.
There were also plenty who said they were "fed up" of politics in general and would not vote this time round.
Politicians of all shades talk about these people a lot.
They believe that if they win over would-be non-voters, it will unlock the key to electoral gains.
For nationalist politicians in particular, Newry and Armagh is a strategic and symbolic constituency.
Expect campaigning to step up all the way to Thursday 5 May. |
Add punctuation: "The Blade" is the first in a series of temporary art pieces marking Hull's year as UK City of Culture.
It was placed in Queen Victoria Square after being transported from the new Siemens turbine factory in east Hull.
The Hull Daily Mail reports that Hull 2017 organisers are now preparing a planning application.
More on this and other Hull stories
Hull City Council planning manager, Alex Codd, said: "Nationally, planning permission is not needed on a piece of land that is being used for an event that is to last up to 28 days.
"However, as the installation will be temporarily located in Queen Victoria Square for longer [than] this, we understand the Hull 2017 team are now preparing an application for planning permission, which will then go through our usual planning process."
City of Culture chief executive Martin Green said: "We worked closely with the council and because the artist wanted it to be a surprise we agreed that planning permission would go in after the installation.
"Thousands of people have visited Blade and it has achieved national and international headlines.
"This is a great example of Hull City Council and the Culture Company working together." | "The Blade" is the first in a series of temporary art pieces marking Hull's year as UK City of Culture.
It was placed in Queen Victoria Square after being transported from the new Siemens turbine factory in east Hull.
The Hull Daily Mail reports that Hull 2017 organisers are now preparing a planning application.
More on this and other Hull stories
Hull City Council planning manager, Alex Codd, said: "Nationally, planning permission is not needed on a piece of land that is being used for an event that is to last up to 28 days.
"However, as the installation will be temporarily located in Queen Victoria Square for longer [than] this, we understand the Hull 2017 team are now preparing an application for planning permission, which will then go through our usual planning process."
City of Culture chief executive Martin Green said: "We worked closely with the council and because the artist wanted it to be a surprise we agreed that planning permission would go in after the installation.
"Thousands of people have visited Blade and it has achieved national and international headlines.
"This is a great example of Hull City Council and the Culture Company working together." |
Add punctuation: The Department for Education wants any information on the content of Sats papers removed as pupils take the tests at various times over two weeks.
Officials have been messaging parents since Monday asking them to remove tweets revealing question details.
The DfE said it wanted to clamp down on cheating.
Parents who complain online about the content of papers taken by their children can inadvertently give an unfair advantage to pupils who have not yet taken the tests, a DfE spokeswoman explained.
One parent, Matt Thrower, received a direct message from the DfE after he used Twitter to query whether a part of his daughter's maths paper was relevant to the subject.
The DfE told Mr Thrower: "Hi, can you please remove the tweet referring to Sats? We're trying to maintain the confidentiality & integrity of ongoing tests."
He hit back, saying he was: "Happy to, once you remove such absurd and pointless questions from your tests."
The DfE's official Twitter account warns: "Some children will be taking the KS2 tests next week using timetable variations. Please help us to keep the test content secure. Thank you."
SATs tests are taken by 10 and 11-year-olds at the end of primary school and by six and seven-year-olds at the end of infants' school.
The tests for six and seven-year-olds were the subject of protests by parents last year and in March the government announced plans to scrap them. | The Department for Education wants any information on the content of Sats papers removed as pupils take the tests at various times over two weeks.
Officials have been messaging parents since Monday asking them to remove tweets revealing question details.
The DfE said it wanted to clamp down on cheating.
Parents who complain online about the content of papers taken by their children can inadvertently give an unfair advantage to pupils who have not yet taken the tests, a DfE spokeswoman explained.
One parent, Matt Thrower, received a direct message from the DfE after he used Twitter to query whether a part of his daughter's maths paper was relevant to the subject.
The DfE told Mr Thrower: "Hi, can you please remove the tweet referring to Sats? We're trying to maintain the confidentiality & integrity of ongoing tests."
He hit back, saying he was: "Happy to, once you remove such absurd and pointless questions from your tests."
The DfE's official Twitter account warns: "Some children will be taking the KS2 tests next week using timetable variations. Please help us to keep the test content secure. Thank you."
SATs tests are taken by 10 and 11-year-olds at the end of primary school and by six and seven-year-olds at the end of infants' school.
The tests for six and seven-year-olds were the subject of protests by parents last year and in March the government announced plans to scrap them. |
Add punctuation: The Pescara midfielder left the field after being booked in Sunday's Serie A game at Cagliari for complaining of being abused.
The Italian Football Federation said it had considered the "particular delicacy" of the case.
"I hope this is a turning point in Italy and shows what it means to stand up for your rights," said Muntari, 32.
"I feel that someone has finally listened to me. The last few days have been very hard for me. I have felt angry and isolated.
"I was being treated like a criminal. How could I be punished when I was the victim of racism?
"I hope my case can help so that other footballers do not suffer like me."
Muntari was initially booked for dissent, then received a second yellow card for leaving the field.
Serie A, although agreeing that the abuse Muntari received was "deplorable", originally said that it could not impose sanctions on Cagliari because "approximately 10" supporters were involved - fewer than 1% of their supporters in the ground.
Ex-Tottenham striker Garth Crooks called on players in Italy to strike in protest against Muntari's punishment.
Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out said the ruling was "gutless", while Crooks said: "I'm calling on players in Italy, black and white, to make it absolutely clear to the federation in Italy that their position is unacceptable, and if the decision is not reversed then they withdraw their services until it is."
The 32-year-old former Portsmouth and Sunderland player will now be available for Pescara's game at home to Crotone on Sunday. | The Pescara midfielder left the field after being booked in Sunday's Serie A game at Cagliari for complaining of being abused.
The Italian Football Federation said it had considered the "particular delicacy" of the case.
"I hope this is a turning point in Italy and shows what it means to stand up for your rights," said Muntari, 32.
"I feel that someone has finally listened to me. The last few days have been very hard for me. I have felt angry and isolated.
"I was being treated like a criminal. How could I be punished when I was the victim of racism?
"I hope my case can help so that other footballers do not suffer like me."
Muntari was initially booked for dissent, then received a second yellow card for leaving the field.
Serie A, although agreeing that the abuse Muntari received was "deplorable", originally said that it could not impose sanctions on Cagliari because "approximately 10" supporters were involved - fewer than 1% of their supporters in the ground.
Ex-Tottenham striker Garth Crooks called on players in Italy to strike in protest against Muntari's punishment.
Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out said the ruling was "gutless", while Crooks said: "I'm calling on players in Italy, black and white, to make it absolutely clear to the federation in Italy that their position is unacceptable, and if the decision is not reversed then they withdraw their services until it is."
The 32-year-old former Portsmouth and Sunderland player will now be available for Pescara's game at home to Crotone on Sunday. |
Add punctuation: Figures from Police Scotland show that the overall level of crime has fallen by 10%
Despite this fall, there were rises in the number of sexual crimes and rapes reported.
Reports of violent crime and anti-social behaviour also fell over the past year.
Police Scotland said the rise in reported rapes and sexual crimes did not necessarily mean more of these types of crimes were being committed, but that people were becoming more confident at speaking out.
In the first full year of Scotland's single police force the number of alleged rapes being reported to the authorities increased by more than a fifth to almost 1,700 while the level of sexual crimes recorded rose by 11.8%.
A quarter of all sexual crime reported to police was historic and almost a quarter of rape victims were under 15 years of age at the time the crime was alleged to have happened.
Det Supt Louise Raphael, lead officer for the National Rape Task Force, said: "Our assessment is that people are becoming more confident in speaking out, often regarding incidents which happened some time prior to contact being made with the police or other organisations.
"Changes to the legal definition of rape, the way we work with partners and improvements in the way we now investigate these crimes has influenced the number and type of cases we are seeing."
The data also showed that police had become more efficient in investigating these crimes with more than 75% of these cases being detected by officers.
Scotland's Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: "The data clearly shows rises in sexual crime including the number of rape cases reported to us and investigated.
"We said from the outset of the single service that such crimes were under-reported and that we wanted to instil confidence in those who suffer at the hands of sexual offenders or domestic abusers.
"Police Scotland will continue to work strongly with partners to provide a united approach to addressing the issue of rape and domestic abuse."
He added: "We must tackle the offenders to reduce the number of victims we see day in, day out coming to us to report some horrendous crimes.
"These are crimes which occur across Scotland, in every community, with victims and offenders from all backgrounds. "
The statistics also showed that while the number of domestic abuse incidents fell by 1.8% to 58,976, the proportion of these resulting in a crime report rose to 57.6%.
Violent crime, including assault, robbery and attempted murder decreased by a total of 10%, although the number of murders remained the same as the previous year at 56.
Domestic abuse also continued to make up almost a quarter of violent crime recorded with one in four common assaults related to domestic abuse.
The amount of anti-social behaviour, vandalism and disorder also fell over the past 12 months.
The figures also showed that there were fewer road collisions and fewer people injured on Scotland's road network.
However, there was an increase in the number of people killed in collisions, with 191 people killed, an increase of 24 from the previous year.
The report also showed that efforts to tackle to tackle organised crime in Scotland had resulted in 2,677 arrests linked to serious organised crime with the Proceeds of Crime Act recoveries totalling £82m in cash and restraints.
Sir Stephen House concluded: "The publication of our management information today provides a 12 month profile of crime, offences and incidents across the country.
"Regardless of where or when a crime has taken place Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and will continue with every effort to provide routes for victims to come forward and ensure there are no hiding places for offenders." | Figures from Police Scotland show that the overall level of crime has fallen by 10%
Despite this fall, there were rises in the number of sexual crimes and rapes reported.
Reports of violent crime and anti-social behaviour also fell over the past year.
Police Scotland said the rise in reported rapes and sexual crimes did not necessarily mean more of these types of crimes were being committed, but that people were becoming more confident at speaking out.
In the first full year of Scotland's single police force the number of alleged rapes being reported to the authorities increased by more than a fifth to almost 1,700 while the level of sexual crimes recorded rose by 11.8%.
A quarter of all sexual crime reported to police was historic and almost a quarter of rape victims were under 15 years of age at the time the crime was alleged to have happened.
Det Supt Louise Raphael, lead officer for the National Rape Task Force, said: "Our assessment is that people are becoming more confident in speaking out, often regarding incidents which happened some time prior to contact being made with the police or other organisations.
"Changes to the legal definition of rape, the way we work with partners and improvements in the way we now investigate these crimes has influenced the number and type of cases we are seeing."
The data also showed that police had become more efficient in investigating these crimes with more than 75% of these cases being detected by officers.
Scotland's Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: "The data clearly shows rises in sexual crime including the number of rape cases reported to us and investigated.
"We said from the outset of the single service that such crimes were under-reported and that we wanted to instil confidence in those who suffer at the hands of sexual offenders or domestic abusers.
"Police Scotland will continue to work strongly with partners to provide a united approach to addressing the issue of rape and domestic abuse."
He added: "We must tackle the offenders to reduce the number of victims we see day in, day out coming to us to report some horrendous crimes.
"These are crimes which occur across Scotland, in every community, with victims and offenders from all backgrounds. "
The statistics also showed that while the number of domestic abuse incidents fell by 1.8% to 58,976, the proportion of these resulting in a crime report rose to 57.6%.
Violent crime, including assault, robbery and attempted murder decreased by a total of 10%, although the number of murders remained the same as the previous year at 56.
Domestic abuse also continued to make up almost a quarter of violent crime recorded with one in four common assaults related to domestic abuse.
The amount of anti-social behaviour, vandalism and disorder also fell over the past 12 months.
The figures also showed that there were fewer road collisions and fewer people injured on Scotland's road network.
However, there was an increase in the number of people killed in collisions, with 191 people killed, an increase of 24 from the previous year.
The report also showed that efforts to tackle to tackle organised crime in Scotland had resulted in 2,677 arrests linked to serious organised crime with the Proceeds of Crime Act recoveries totalling £82m in cash and restraints.
Sir Stephen House concluded: "The publication of our management information today provides a 12 month profile of crime, offences and incidents across the country.
"Regardless of where or when a crime has taken place Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and will continue with every effort to provide routes for victims to come forward and ensure there are no hiding places for offenders." |
Add punctuation: "Helder's my boy," said Shi. "I don't want to let him go.
"Especially this season, he cannot go, as he is so important to the squad.
"There is strong interest from other clubs but my job is to keep him. It's very important for him to go to the Premier League, but together with us."
Costa was Wolves' first signing following their takeover by Chinese group Fosun when he signed from Benfica last summer, initially on loan.
He then became their record signing when he joined on a more permanent basis in January, completing a £13m move and signing a four-and-a-half-year deal.
"The first job was for him to come here," added Shi. "If I want to have a good career with Wolves, then that is bound up with Helder very tightly. Why should he go? I have to keep him."
On the back of the club's best season-ticket sales since relegation from the Premier League in 2012, fuelled by three new signings - Ryan Bennett, Roderick Miranda and Phil Ofosu-Ayeh - Shi promises further investment in new players for new head coach Nuno to work with.
"Money is not a problem," he added. "The only tricky thing is Financial Fair Play. I am not a supporter of that, but we have to think about it.
"The important thing is getting the quality. We need strong players. The goal for the season is only about promotion. We will focus only on this season. We will not think too much about the long-term future."
Interview with Jeff Shi recorded for BBC Sport by Wolves TV. | "Helder's my boy," said Shi. "I don't want to let him go.
"Especially this season, he cannot go, as he is so important to the squad.
"There is strong interest from other clubs but my job is to keep him. It's very important for him to go to the Premier League, but together with us."
Costa was Wolves' first signing following their takeover by Chinese group Fosun when he signed from Benfica last summer, initially on loan.
He then became their record signing when he joined on a more permanent basis in January, completing a £13m move and signing a four-and-a-half-year deal.
"The first job was for him to come here," added Shi. "If I want to have a good career with Wolves, then that is bound up with Helder very tightly. Why should he go? I have to keep him."
On the back of the club's best season-ticket sales since relegation from the Premier League in 2012, fuelled by three new signings - Ryan Bennett, Roderick Miranda and Phil Ofosu-Ayeh - Shi promises further investment in new players for new head coach Nuno to work with.
"Money is not a problem," he added. "The only tricky thing is Financial Fair Play. I am not a supporter of that, but we have to think about it.
"The important thing is getting the quality. We need strong players. The goal for the season is only about promotion. We will focus only on this season. We will not think too much about the long-term future."
Interview with Jeff Shi recorded for BBC Sport by Wolves TV. |
Add punctuation: James Lester unveiled the nameplates as they were reunited with the 34051 Winston Churchill.
The engine and its carriages are being restored for the 50th anniversary of Sir Winston's funeral on 30 January.
The restoration of the locomotive has been carried out by Mid-Hants Railway, Ropley.
The 34051 Winston Churchill, along with the Southern Railway's parcel van S2464S, which carried the coffin, transported the former Prime Minister from Waterloo in central London to his final resting place near Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire.
The carriage is being restored in Shildon, County Durham, having been loaned to the National Railway Museum by the Swanage Railway Trust in Dorset.
The train will go on display in the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum in York as part of its Churchill's Final Journey exhibition.
Mid-Hants Railway chairman Colin Chambers said: "All that remains is some additional varnish applied by our team of painters. It is planned to be on its way to York by mid-January."
Mr Lester said: "I'm so pleased to see the work on the loco is on track for completion by Christmas. This project has meant a lot to me as Churchill's Final Journey will not only tell the story of a remarkable man, it will tell the tale of many railwaymen who played a part in his last journey from the capital to his final resting place."
Sir Winston was laid to rest in the parish churchyard of Bladon, close to Blenheim Palace where he was born 89 years earlier. | James Lester unveiled the nameplates as they were reunited with the 34051 Winston Churchill.
The engine and its carriages are being restored for the 50th anniversary of Sir Winston's funeral on 30 January.
The restoration of the locomotive has been carried out by Mid-Hants Railway, Ropley.
The 34051 Winston Churchill, along with the Southern Railway's parcel van S2464S, which carried the coffin, transported the former Prime Minister from Waterloo in central London to his final resting place near Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire.
The carriage is being restored in Shildon, County Durham, having been loaned to the National Railway Museum by the Swanage Railway Trust in Dorset.
The train will go on display in the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum in York as part of its Churchill's Final Journey exhibition.
Mid-Hants Railway chairman Colin Chambers said: "All that remains is some additional varnish applied by our team of painters. It is planned to be on its way to York by mid-January."
Mr Lester said: "I'm so pleased to see the work on the loco is on track for completion by Christmas. This project has meant a lot to me as Churchill's Final Journey will not only tell the story of a remarkable man, it will tell the tale of many railwaymen who played a part in his last journey from the capital to his final resting place."
Sir Winston was laid to rest in the parish churchyard of Bladon, close to Blenheim Palace where he was born 89 years earlier. |
Add punctuation: The officer died in April 1984 after shots were fired from the Libyan Embassy in London at a protest outside.
A man in his 50s, arrested in November 2015, was released on Tuesday due to "insufficient admissible evidence", Scotland Yard said.
PC Fletcher's family said they were "deeply disappointed and frustrated".
The Met said its investigation had identified enough material to identify those responsible for Fletcher's murder if it could be presented to a court.
"However the key material has not been made available for use in court in evidential form for reasons of national security," a spokesman said.
"Therefore, without this material and following a review of all the evidence that was available to prosecutors, the Crown Prosecution Service - who we worked closely with throughout - have informed us that there is insufficient admissible evidence to charge the man."
PC Fletcher, 25, had been policing a small demonstration outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James's Square against the regime of Col Muammar Gaddafi.
She was one of 30 unarmed police officers at the scene when shots were fired from the first floor of the diplomatic mission.
In a statement, her family said they were satisfied the Met had "left no stone unturned" in its pursuit of justice but said they had "hoped for some closure".
"We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that a prosecution cannot proceed at this time. We had hoped that the latest turn of events would finally lead to some closure," it added.
The Met said the investigation would never be closed but added the likelihood of finding further evidence, in Libya or elsewhere, was low.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "I regret that we have not been able to deliver the justice that the victims and their families deserve.
"Our thoughts today are with PC Fletcher's family and all those affected by the events of that day in 1984." | The officer died in April 1984 after shots were fired from the Libyan Embassy in London at a protest outside.
A man in his 50s, arrested in November 2015, was released on Tuesday due to "insufficient admissible evidence", Scotland Yard said.
PC Fletcher's family said they were "deeply disappointed and frustrated".
The Met said its investigation had identified enough material to identify those responsible for Fletcher's murder if it could be presented to a court.
"However the key material has not been made available for use in court in evidential form for reasons of national security," a spokesman said.
"Therefore, without this material and following a review of all the evidence that was available to prosecutors, the Crown Prosecution Service - who we worked closely with throughout - have informed us that there is insufficient admissible evidence to charge the man."
PC Fletcher, 25, had been policing a small demonstration outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James's Square against the regime of Col Muammar Gaddafi.
She was one of 30 unarmed police officers at the scene when shots were fired from the first floor of the diplomatic mission.
In a statement, her family said they were satisfied the Met had "left no stone unturned" in its pursuit of justice but said they had "hoped for some closure".
"We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that a prosecution cannot proceed at this time. We had hoped that the latest turn of events would finally lead to some closure," it added.
The Met said the investigation would never be closed but added the likelihood of finding further evidence, in Libya or elsewhere, was low.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "I regret that we have not been able to deliver the justice that the victims and their families deserve.
"Our thoughts today are with PC Fletcher's family and all those affected by the events of that day in 1984." |
Add punctuation: Claims that the placenta contains vitamins which could benefit a woman's health have increased interest in the practice in recent years.
But a review by Northwestern University found no proven benefits and no research on the potential risks.
The Royal College of Midwives said it should be the woman's choice.
The researchers said the popularity of eating placentas had risen in the last few years but this may have been due to women being influenced by media reports, blogs and websites.
Their review, published in Archives of Women's Mental Health, looked at 10 published studies related to placenta eating.
But it could not find any data to support the claims that eating the placenta raw, cooked or in pill form carried any health benefits.
Placentophagy, as the act of eating placentas is known, has been said to reduce pain after delivery, increase energy levels, help with breastmilk production and enhance bonding between mother and child.
Some are also convinced that it replenishes iron stores in the body, but the research team said this was based on subjective reports rather than scientific research.
The review also said there were no studies which looked at the risks of eating the placenta.
The organ acts as a filter to absorb and protect the developing foetus from toxins and pollutants.
As a result, the scientists said, bacteria or viruses could remain within the placenta tissues after birth.
Lead study author Cynthia Coyle, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern University, said: "Our sense is that women choosing placentophagy, who may otherwise be very careful about what they are putting into their bodies during pregnancy and nursing, are willing to ingest something without evidence of its benefits and, more importantly, of its potential risks to themselves and their nursing infants.
"There are no regulations as to how the placenta is stored and prepared, and the dosing is inconsistent.
"Women really don't know what they are ingesting."
Louise Silverton, of the Royal College of Midwives, said there was not enough evidence for them to be able to advise women about eating their placenta.
"It must be the woman's choice if she chooses to do so.
"Women should be aware that like any foodstuff, placentas can go off, so care will be needed about how they are stored."
She added: "If woman is intending to do this, they should discuss it with their midwife ahead of the birth so that arrangements can be made to ensure she gets her placenta."
Dr Daghni Rajasingam, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said although the placenta is very rich in blood flow, there were potential risks to ingesting it.
"What women do with their placenta is up to them - but I wouldn't recommend they eat it." | Claims that the placenta contains vitamins which could benefit a woman's health have increased interest in the practice in recent years.
But a review by Northwestern University found no proven benefits and no research on the potential risks.
The Royal College of Midwives said it should be the woman's choice.
The researchers said the popularity of eating placentas had risen in the last few years but this may have been due to women being influenced by media reports, blogs and websites.
Their review, published in Archives of Women's Mental Health, looked at 10 published studies related to placenta eating.
But it could not find any data to support the claims that eating the placenta raw, cooked or in pill form carried any health benefits.
Placentophagy, as the act of eating placentas is known, has been said to reduce pain after delivery, increase energy levels, help with breastmilk production and enhance bonding between mother and child.
Some are also convinced that it replenishes iron stores in the body, but the research team said this was based on subjective reports rather than scientific research.
The review also said there were no studies which looked at the risks of eating the placenta.
The organ acts as a filter to absorb and protect the developing foetus from toxins and pollutants.
As a result, the scientists said, bacteria or viruses could remain within the placenta tissues after birth.
Lead study author Cynthia Coyle, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern University, said: "Our sense is that women choosing placentophagy, who may otherwise be very careful about what they are putting into their bodies during pregnancy and nursing, are willing to ingest something without evidence of its benefits and, more importantly, of its potential risks to themselves and their nursing infants.
"There are no regulations as to how the placenta is stored and prepared, and the dosing is inconsistent.
"Women really don't know what they are ingesting."
Louise Silverton, of the Royal College of Midwives, said there was not enough evidence for them to be able to advise women about eating their placenta.
"It must be the woman's choice if she chooses to do so.
"Women should be aware that like any foodstuff, placentas can go off, so care will be needed about how they are stored."
She added: "If woman is intending to do this, they should discuss it with their midwife ahead of the birth so that arrangements can be made to ensure she gets her placenta."
Dr Daghni Rajasingam, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said although the placenta is very rich in blood flow, there were potential risks to ingesting it.
"What women do with their placenta is up to them - but I wouldn't recommend they eat it." |
Add punctuation: The world record holder led with two hurdles to go at the US trials but missed the required top-three place by a hundredth of a second.
The 30-year-old had only competed in three previous meets this year.
"To be where I am is a miracle, but it's a pity because in six weeks I'll be in much better shape," he said.
"I thought I had finished second or third. When it came up fourth I was shocked."
Merritt, who tore his groin in June, asked for the photo finish to be reviewed but the result stood.
Devon Allen was the surprise winner in 13.03 seconds, with Ronnie Ash and Jeff Porter both clocking 13.21secs to claim the other two Olympic slots.
Merritt won bronze at the World Championships last August and days later had an operation to receive a kidney from his sister.
A "complication" led to further surgery and signficantly affected his preparations for this season.
At the trials in Eugene, Oregon, world silver medallist Justin Gatlin held off LaShawn Merritt to win the 200m in 19.75secs and complete the sprint double after claiming the 100m title in a world-leading 9.80 seconds on Monday.
And 41-year-old Bernard Lagat qualified for his fifth Olympics by winning the 5,000m.
Lagat represented Kenya in the 1500m at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 - winning bronze and silver respectively - before travelling to Beijing and London as part of the US team. | The world record holder led with two hurdles to go at the US trials but missed the required top-three place by a hundredth of a second.
The 30-year-old had only competed in three previous meets this year.
"To be where I am is a miracle, but it's a pity because in six weeks I'll be in much better shape," he said.
"I thought I had finished second or third. When it came up fourth I was shocked."
Merritt, who tore his groin in June, asked for the photo finish to be reviewed but the result stood.
Devon Allen was the surprise winner in 13.03 seconds, with Ronnie Ash and Jeff Porter both clocking 13.21secs to claim the other two Olympic slots.
Merritt won bronze at the World Championships last August and days later had an operation to receive a kidney from his sister.
A "complication" led to further surgery and signficantly affected his preparations for this season.
At the trials in Eugene, Oregon, world silver medallist Justin Gatlin held off LaShawn Merritt to win the 200m in 19.75secs and complete the sprint double after claiming the 100m title in a world-leading 9.80 seconds on Monday.
And 41-year-old Bernard Lagat qualified for his fifth Olympics by winning the 5,000m.
Lagat represented Kenya in the 1500m at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 - winning bronze and silver respectively - before travelling to Beijing and London as part of the US team. |
Add punctuation: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) suspended Russia from the Rio Games starting on 7 September because of state-sponsored doping.
Cas then rejected a Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) appeal against the ban earlier this week.
At least 266 Russian competitors are expected to now lodge individual cases.
The RPC's appeal, launched in the Swiss Federal Court, will be held on Monday.
Only Russian track and field athletes were banned from the Olympic Games, with individual sports' governing bodies deciding if they could compete, but the Paralympics ban includes all of the country's competitors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the IPC's ban was "outside the bounds of law, morality and humanity". | The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) suspended Russia from the Rio Games starting on 7 September because of state-sponsored doping.
Cas then rejected a Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) appeal against the ban earlier this week.
At least 266 Russian competitors are expected to now lodge individual cases.
The RPC's appeal, launched in the Swiss Federal Court, will be held on Monday.
Only Russian track and field athletes were banned from the Olympic Games, with individual sports' governing bodies deciding if they could compete, but the Paralympics ban includes all of the country's competitors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the IPC's ban was "outside the bounds of law, morality and humanity". |
Add punctuation: The hosts were two up after seven minutes thanks to a Miralem Pjanic own goal and a Andrey Galabinov penalty.
But Dybala pulled one back from Pjanic's pass and then scored a penalty to level.
Juan Cuadrado put Juve ahead when he chested the down before cutting inside and curling home, and Dybala crashed home a fourth in injury time.
Match ends, Genoa 2, Juventus 4.
Second Half ends, Genoa 2, Juventus 4.
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gianluca Lapadula (Genoa).
Goal! Genoa 2, Juventus 4. Paulo Dybala (Juventus) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gonzalo Higuaín.
Attempt missed. Gianluca Lapadula (Genoa) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Raffaele Palladino with a cross.
Attempt saved. Raffaele Palladino (Genoa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andrea Bertolacci.
Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Andrea Bertolacci (Genoa).
Substitution, Juventus. Rodrigo Bentancur replaces Miralem Pjanic.
Substitution, Genoa. Gianluca Lapadula replaces Goran Pandev.
Diego Laxalt (Genoa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Diego Laxalt (Genoa).
Foul by Alex Sandro (Juventus).
Goran Pandev (Genoa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Davide Biraschi.
Attempt blocked. Miralem Pjanic (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Juventus. Andrea Barzagli replaces Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Substitution, Genoa. Ricardo Centurión replaces Andrej Galabinov.
Attempt missed. Miguel Veloso (Genoa) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Santiago Gentiletti (Genoa).
Foul by Mario Mandzukic (Juventus).
Goran Pandev (Genoa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Diego Laxalt (Genoa) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Miguel Veloso.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Juan Cuadrado (Juventus).
Diego Laxalt (Genoa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal! Genoa 2, Juventus 3. Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Mario Mandzukic.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Davide Biraschi.
Attempt missed. Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Stephan Lichtsteiner with a cross.
Substitution, Juventus. Blaise Matuidi replaces Sami Khedira.
Offside, Genoa. Goran Pandev tries a through ball, but Andrej Galabinov is caught offside.
Foul by Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus).
Andrej Galabinov (Genoa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Genoa. Raffaele Palladino replaces Adel Taarabt.
Foul by Alex Sandro (Juventus).
Goran Pandev (Genoa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Paulo Dybala. | The hosts were two up after seven minutes thanks to a Miralem Pjanic own goal and a Andrey Galabinov penalty.
But Dybala pulled one back from Pjanic's pass and then scored a penalty to level.
Juan Cuadrado put Juve ahead when he chested the down before cutting inside and curling home, and Dybala crashed home a fourth in injury time.
Match ends, Genoa 2, Juventus 4.
Second Half ends, Genoa 2, Juventus 4.
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gianluca Lapadula (Genoa).
Goal! Genoa 2, Juventus 4. Paulo Dybala (Juventus) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gonzalo Higuaín.
Attempt missed. Gianluca Lapadula (Genoa) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Raffaele Palladino with a cross.
Attempt saved. Raffaele Palladino (Genoa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andrea Bertolacci.
Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Andrea Bertolacci (Genoa).
Substitution, Juventus. Rodrigo Bentancur replaces Miralem Pjanic.
Substitution, Genoa. Gianluca Lapadula replaces Goran Pandev.
Diego Laxalt (Genoa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Diego Laxalt (Genoa).
Foul by Alex Sandro (Juventus).
Goran Pandev (Genoa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Davide Biraschi.
Attempt blocked. Miralem Pjanic (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Juventus. Andrea Barzagli replaces Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Substitution, Genoa. Ricardo Centurión replaces Andrej Galabinov.
Attempt missed. Miguel Veloso (Genoa) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Santiago Gentiletti (Genoa).
Foul by Mario Mandzukic (Juventus).
Goran Pandev (Genoa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Diego Laxalt (Genoa) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Miguel Veloso.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Juan Cuadrado (Juventus).
Diego Laxalt (Genoa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal! Genoa 2, Juventus 3. Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Mario Mandzukic.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Davide Biraschi.
Attempt missed. Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Stephan Lichtsteiner with a cross.
Substitution, Juventus. Blaise Matuidi replaces Sami Khedira.
Offside, Genoa. Goran Pandev tries a through ball, but Andrej Galabinov is caught offside.
Foul by Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus).
Andrej Galabinov (Genoa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Genoa. Raffaele Palladino replaces Adel Taarabt.
Foul by Alex Sandro (Juventus).
Goran Pandev (Genoa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Paulo Dybala. |
Add punctuation: The suit argues that the semi-automatic rifle used in the school shooting is a military weapon and should not have been sold to civilians.
In December 2012, Adam Lanza killed 26 people with a Bushmaster XM15-E2S.
Remington Arms, the parent company of Bushmaster Firearms, sought to have the lawsuit dismissed.
The company argued that federal law protects gun manufactures from most lawsuits over the criminal use of their products.
Joshua Koskoff, a lawyer for the families, said an exception to the law applies to the case. Litigation is permitted if the company know or should know their products are likely to be used in a way that risks injury to others, he said.
However, Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis did not rule on that point, saying the debate on the federal shield law should be argued later in the legal process.
"We are thrilled that the gun companies' motion to dismiss was denied," Mr Koskoff told the Associated Press. "The families look forward to continuing their fight in court." | The suit argues that the semi-automatic rifle used in the school shooting is a military weapon and should not have been sold to civilians.
In December 2012, Adam Lanza killed 26 people with a Bushmaster XM15-E2S.
Remington Arms, the parent company of Bushmaster Firearms, sought to have the lawsuit dismissed.
The company argued that federal law protects gun manufactures from most lawsuits over the criminal use of their products.
Joshua Koskoff, a lawyer for the families, said an exception to the law applies to the case. Litigation is permitted if the company know or should know their products are likely to be used in a way that risks injury to others, he said.
However, Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis did not rule on that point, saying the debate on the federal shield law should be argued later in the legal process.
"We are thrilled that the gun companies' motion to dismiss was denied," Mr Koskoff told the Associated Press. "The families look forward to continuing their fight in court." |
Add punctuation: Coles (3-54) removed Dan Christian and captain James Taylor at the end of the 48th over and bowled Luke Fletcher with the first delivery of the 50th.
Taylor (109) and Alex Hales (81) helped Notts post 335 all out at Trent Bridge.
Billings then smashed 118 not out off 89 balls after Daniel Bell-Drummond hit 73 as Kent reached 340-5.
Pace bowler Coles' hat-trick came in a remarkable end to the hosts' innings which saw them lose their final six wickets in 10 balls for just four runs.
However, Taylor's fine hundred, which included four boundaries and four sixes, Hales' 77-ball knock and Dan Christian's 59 off 36 balls had already helped Notts to a huge score before the clatter of wickets.
Kent then looked to be heading towards defeat with 106 runs required off the final 10 overs with five wickets in hand.
But England one-day batsman Billings was instrumental as Kent took 54 off the next three overs, before bringing up his hundred off 77 balls.
Alex Blake was equally as aggressive in his unbeaten 50 as the visitors raced to victory with eight deliveries to spare.
Kent move up to fourth in Group B, while leaders Notts have already qualified for the quarter-finals. | Coles (3-54) removed Dan Christian and captain James Taylor at the end of the 48th over and bowled Luke Fletcher with the first delivery of the 50th.
Taylor (109) and Alex Hales (81) helped Notts post 335 all out at Trent Bridge.
Billings then smashed 118 not out off 89 balls after Daniel Bell-Drummond hit 73 as Kent reached 340-5.
Pace bowler Coles' hat-trick came in a remarkable end to the hosts' innings which saw them lose their final six wickets in 10 balls for just four runs.
However, Taylor's fine hundred, which included four boundaries and four sixes, Hales' 77-ball knock and Dan Christian's 59 off 36 balls had already helped Notts to a huge score before the clatter of wickets.
Kent then looked to be heading towards defeat with 106 runs required off the final 10 overs with five wickets in hand.
But England one-day batsman Billings was instrumental as Kent took 54 off the next three overs, before bringing up his hundred off 77 balls.
Alex Blake was equally as aggressive in his unbeaten 50 as the visitors raced to victory with eight deliveries to spare.
Kent move up to fourth in Group B, while leaders Notts have already qualified for the quarter-finals. |
Add punctuation: The A499 has been closed in both directions after the incident between the B4354, at Y Ffor, and the B4417, at Llanaelhaearn, at about 15:00 BST.
The driver of a patient care service ambulance died at the scene.
Three other people, including one elderly person, were in an ambulance on a 999 call and have been taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor with what are believed to be serious injuries.
The driver's next of kin have been informed.
Richard Lee, the Welsh Ambulance Service's director of operations, said: "Our thoughts this evening are with everyone affected by this incident, but particularly with the family of the colleague we have lost.
"As an ambulance service we deal with road traffic accidents on a daily basis. These are always difficult for our staff to deal with, but even more so when they involve our colleagues.
"We have plans in place to support our staff in Pwllheli and the wider Gwynedd area over the coming days."
Wales Air Ambulances, North Wales Police and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene.
The A499 is expected to remain closed for the next few hours, affecting motorists between Pwllheli and Caernarfon, and diversions have been put in place. | The A499 has been closed in both directions after the incident between the B4354, at Y Ffor, and the B4417, at Llanaelhaearn, at about 15:00 BST.
The driver of a patient care service ambulance died at the scene.
Three other people, including one elderly person, were in an ambulance on a 999 call and have been taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor with what are believed to be serious injuries.
The driver's next of kin have been informed.
Richard Lee, the Welsh Ambulance Service's director of operations, said: "Our thoughts this evening are with everyone affected by this incident, but particularly with the family of the colleague we have lost.
"As an ambulance service we deal with road traffic accidents on a daily basis. These are always difficult for our staff to deal with, but even more so when they involve our colleagues.
"We have plans in place to support our staff in Pwllheli and the wider Gwynedd area over the coming days."
Wales Air Ambulances, North Wales Police and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene.
The A499 is expected to remain closed for the next few hours, affecting motorists between Pwllheli and Caernarfon, and diversions have been put in place. |
Add punctuation: Visitors to the Postal Museum can ride on a section of the 6.5 mile (10.5km) network, from 28 July.
The track, which was established in 1927, took mail between Whitechapel and Paddington before it shut in 2003.
Two new trains, based on the originals, will carry up to 32 passengers on a 0.6 mile (1km) section of the line.
What is it like on the 'secret' Tube?
While it was operational, between four and 12 million items were carried through the tunnels 70ft (21m) below street level each year.
The museum, in Mount Pleasant, will also feature exhibitions of historical objects from the postal service as well as a children's area.
Adult tickets will cost £16 including an optional £1.50 voluntary donation.
Adrian Steel, the museum's director, said it would allow visitors "to discover our stories through interactive digital and physical displays." | Visitors to the Postal Museum can ride on a section of the 6.5 mile (10.5km) network, from 28 July.
The track, which was established in 1927, took mail between Whitechapel and Paddington before it shut in 2003.
Two new trains, based on the originals, will carry up to 32 passengers on a 0.6 mile (1km) section of the line.
What is it like on the 'secret' Tube?
While it was operational, between four and 12 million items were carried through the tunnels 70ft (21m) below street level each year.
The museum, in Mount Pleasant, will also feature exhibitions of historical objects from the postal service as well as a children's area.
Adult tickets will cost £16 including an optional £1.50 voluntary donation.
Adrian Steel, the museum's director, said it would allow visitors "to discover our stories through interactive digital and physical displays." |
Add punctuation: The first minister was quizzed on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio programme as part of a series of party leader interviews.
The SNP leader said she would not rule out an increase in the future.
She said she would get economic advisers to look at the risks involved and judge it on a year-by-year basis.
There is a concern that the top 1% of earners, who pay more than a fifth of the income tax total, are often more mobile.
If Scotland's taxes go up there would be an incentive to move their tax affairs.
Voters go to the polls on 5 May to elect their next MSPs.
The Scottish Parliament will have the ability to set income tax rates and bands from 1 April next year, making the issue key in the run-up to the election.
Speaking to presenter Gary Robertson, Ms Sturgeon said: "I've said I want to see a 50p tax rate. I don't believe the 50p tax rate should have been lowered to 45p.
"But I've got analysis prepared by civil servants that says if we do that right now then, within the current devolved powers, in Scotland alone then that could see us not raise additional revenue but lose us up to £30m a year.
"The reason for that is that while we have the power to set tax rates we don't have power over income tax avoidance. What I have said is we won't do that in the first year.
"I will task the council of economic advisers to look at this on an annual basis to determine whether or not there are ways in which we can mitigate that risk."
She added: "It makes no sense to propose a tax measure knowing that it might reduce the amount of revenue we have to spend on our public services."
The SNP leader was also asked about issues including education, the controversial named person scheme and independence.
She said the SNP's programme for government was "ambitious" and builds on the past nine years, with education and health as her main priorities.
Asked about teacher numbers, she said: "We have made money available in both of our last two budgets to maintain teacher numbers. If you take probationer teachers for example, in each of the last five years the numbers have increased.
"In the year that we are about to go into there will be around 3,500 which is 66% above the level in 2011. And teacher unemployment is much lower."
During the interview, the first minister also said no parent would be required to pay any attention to a named person.
The scheme would allow a named person - usually a senior teacher - to provide advice, information or support where appropriate to promote, support or safeguard the wellbeing of youngsters under the age of 18.
Ms Sturgeon said: "If a young person wants advice, they are entitled to go to a named person.
"If a parent wants advice from a named person, they're entitled to get that advice. But a parent doesn't have to follow that advice.
"It's an entitlement in that sense, not an obligation."
Asked if parents could opt out, she said: "Every young person will have a named person. It is a universal service, a universal entitlement."
In her speech to her party conference earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon announced plans for a fresh campaign for independence.
Former SNP leader Alex Salmond has since called for a new look at the currency options for an independent Scotland.
Asked about this, Ms Sturgeon said: "I think we need to consider all aspects of the proposition we put forward.
"We did very well. During the referendum campaign the case for independence strengthened and won more and more support. We came very close to winning but we didn't win.
"I do want to build and win the case for independence. We will do that patiently and respectfully."
She added: "We will look again at all issues but I am not going to sit here and say what we would propose in a future referendum, that will depend on our reflections.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour are focusing on education and childcare, while the Scottish Greens set out their policy on income tax and proposals for local tax reform. | The first minister was quizzed on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio programme as part of a series of party leader interviews.
The SNP leader said she would not rule out an increase in the future.
She said she would get economic advisers to look at the risks involved and judge it on a year-by-year basis.
There is a concern that the top 1% of earners, who pay more than a fifth of the income tax total, are often more mobile.
If Scotland's taxes go up there would be an incentive to move their tax affairs.
Voters go to the polls on 5 May to elect their next MSPs.
The Scottish Parliament will have the ability to set income tax rates and bands from 1 April next year, making the issue key in the run-up to the election.
Speaking to presenter Gary Robertson, Ms Sturgeon said: "I've said I want to see a 50p tax rate. I don't believe the 50p tax rate should have been lowered to 45p.
"But I've got analysis prepared by civil servants that says if we do that right now then, within the current devolved powers, in Scotland alone then that could see us not raise additional revenue but lose us up to £30m a year.
"The reason for that is that while we have the power to set tax rates we don't have power over income tax avoidance. What I have said is we won't do that in the first year.
"I will task the council of economic advisers to look at this on an annual basis to determine whether or not there are ways in which we can mitigate that risk."
She added: "It makes no sense to propose a tax measure knowing that it might reduce the amount of revenue we have to spend on our public services."
The SNP leader was also asked about issues including education, the controversial named person scheme and independence.
She said the SNP's programme for government was "ambitious" and builds on the past nine years, with education and health as her main priorities.
Asked about teacher numbers, she said: "We have made money available in both of our last two budgets to maintain teacher numbers. If you take probationer teachers for example, in each of the last five years the numbers have increased.
"In the year that we are about to go into there will be around 3,500 which is 66% above the level in 2011. And teacher unemployment is much lower."
During the interview, the first minister also said no parent would be required to pay any attention to a named person.
The scheme would allow a named person - usually a senior teacher - to provide advice, information or support where appropriate to promote, support or safeguard the wellbeing of youngsters under the age of 18.
Ms Sturgeon said: "If a young person wants advice, they are entitled to go to a named person.
"If a parent wants advice from a named person, they're entitled to get that advice. But a parent doesn't have to follow that advice.
"It's an entitlement in that sense, not an obligation."
Asked if parents could opt out, she said: "Every young person will have a named person. It is a universal service, a universal entitlement."
In her speech to her party conference earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon announced plans for a fresh campaign for independence.
Former SNP leader Alex Salmond has since called for a new look at the currency options for an independent Scotland.
Asked about this, Ms Sturgeon said: "I think we need to consider all aspects of the proposition we put forward.
"We did very well. During the referendum campaign the case for independence strengthened and won more and more support. We came very close to winning but we didn't win.
"I do want to build and win the case for independence. We will do that patiently and respectfully."
She added: "We will look again at all issues but I am not going to sit here and say what we would propose in a future referendum, that will depend on our reflections.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour are focusing on education and childcare, while the Scottish Greens set out their policy on income tax and proposals for local tax reform. |
Add punctuation: The undergarments for women feature "truth" and "justice" mottos used by campaigners after the 1989 disaster in which 96 fans were unlawfully killed.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father died, said it was "distasteful" and Walton MP Steve Rotheram said "commercialising" the disaster was a "reprehensible act".
Online retailer Amazon said the products were "no longer available".
One listing had a price of £18.29 plus delivery from the United States but is no longer active.
Sellers face having their accounts removed and other similar branded clothing such as crop tops and hats are being taken off sale, Amazon said.
Pictures of the products remain on the website.
In a statement, the retailer said: "All marketplace sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who don't will be subject to action including potential removal of their account.
"The products in question are no longer available."
Ms Hennessy, who was six years old when her father James Hennessy died, said: "I'm glad that it's been removed, it's absolutely shocking.
"There are a lot of people out there who have lost focus on what our fight and what our battle is about.
"Little things like this... are distasteful and it is losing sight of what Hillsborough is. It's insulting."
Football fans died following a crush at the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final at the stadium in Sheffield on 15 April 1989.
A 27-year campaign by victims' families followed and resulted in new inquests being ordered after the verdict at the original hearing was quashed.
The inquest jury last month found fans were unlawfully killed as a result of failures by the police and flaws in the design of the stadium.
Mr Rotheram said: "The mind boggles... It is pretty desperate and a reprehensible act by someone trying to cash in on what is the biggest sporting disaster in British history.
"Who would want to buy women's underwear which has a Hillsborough tragedy logo on it?
"They are trying to commercialise a tragedy." | The undergarments for women feature "truth" and "justice" mottos used by campaigners after the 1989 disaster in which 96 fans were unlawfully killed.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father died, said it was "distasteful" and Walton MP Steve Rotheram said "commercialising" the disaster was a "reprehensible act".
Online retailer Amazon said the products were "no longer available".
One listing had a price of £18.29 plus delivery from the United States but is no longer active.
Sellers face having their accounts removed and other similar branded clothing such as crop tops and hats are being taken off sale, Amazon said.
Pictures of the products remain on the website.
In a statement, the retailer said: "All marketplace sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who don't will be subject to action including potential removal of their account.
"The products in question are no longer available."
Ms Hennessy, who was six years old when her father James Hennessy died, said: "I'm glad that it's been removed, it's absolutely shocking.
"There are a lot of people out there who have lost focus on what our fight and what our battle is about.
"Little things like this... are distasteful and it is losing sight of what Hillsborough is. It's insulting."
Football fans died following a crush at the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final at the stadium in Sheffield on 15 April 1989.
A 27-year campaign by victims' families followed and resulted in new inquests being ordered after the verdict at the original hearing was quashed.
The inquest jury last month found fans were unlawfully killed as a result of failures by the police and flaws in the design of the stadium.
Mr Rotheram said: "The mind boggles... It is pretty desperate and a reprehensible act by someone trying to cash in on what is the biggest sporting disaster in British history.
"Who would want to buy women's underwear which has a Hillsborough tragedy logo on it?
"They are trying to commercialise a tragedy." |
Add punctuation: Almost 70% of the 3,328 riders who entered the 2015 Etape Loch Ness in April were from outside the region, Mackay Consultants Inverness said.
The firm examined how much those people were likely to have spent on food and accommodation.
This year was the second time the cycling event had been held.
As well as the economic boost, it raised £228,000 for charity. | Almost 70% of the 3,328 riders who entered the 2015 Etape Loch Ness in April were from outside the region, Mackay Consultants Inverness said.
The firm examined how much those people were likely to have spent on food and accommodation.
This year was the second time the cycling event had been held.
As well as the economic boost, it raised £228,000 for charity. |
Add punctuation: South Korea's 9-4 win over Croatia left GB needing a point from their final match, but Paulius Gintautas's goal won it in the final period for Lithuania.
The results means Britain take silver and will remain in the third tier of world ice hockey for a third season.
"I am so proud of them right now," said GB coach Pete Russell.
"This is hurting so much but we should hold our heads up high. They were shattered out there but they gave it their all and they played with pride and passion all week.
"We just came up a little short but they deserve so much credit for the week they had.
"I guess it just wasn't meant to be; it was one of those things." | South Korea's 9-4 win over Croatia left GB needing a point from their final match, but Paulius Gintautas's goal won it in the final period for Lithuania.
The results means Britain take silver and will remain in the third tier of world ice hockey for a third season.
"I am so proud of them right now," said GB coach Pete Russell.
"This is hurting so much but we should hold our heads up high. They were shattered out there but they gave it their all and they played with pride and passion all week.
"We just came up a little short but they deserve so much credit for the week they had.
"I guess it just wasn't meant to be; it was one of those things." |
Add punctuation: Jose Maria Marin, 83, was among seven officials from football's world governing body Fifa who were arrested in May at a Zurich hotel.
The move came after they were indicted on corruption charges in the US.
Mr Marin is accused of taking bribes in connection with marketing rights.
He is alleged to have accepted millions of dollars from sports marketing companies in connection with the Copa America and Copa do Brasil tournaments.
Mr Marin "must be placed in the custody of a US police escort and taken to the USA within 10 days", the Swiss justice office said in a statement.
Until now, he had fought his extradition.
Former Fifa vice president Jeffrey Webb has also agreed to be extradited to the US.
The five others who were arrested in Zurich continue to oppose their extradition.
The US has indicted a total of 14 current and former Fifa officials and associates on charges of "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption following a major inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Fifa's president Sepp Blatter has always denied any wrongdoing - but in September, he too was made the subject of a Swiss criminal investigation, launched alongside the US inquiry. | Jose Maria Marin, 83, was among seven officials from football's world governing body Fifa who were arrested in May at a Zurich hotel.
The move came after they were indicted on corruption charges in the US.
Mr Marin is accused of taking bribes in connection with marketing rights.
He is alleged to have accepted millions of dollars from sports marketing companies in connection with the Copa America and Copa do Brasil tournaments.
Mr Marin "must be placed in the custody of a US police escort and taken to the USA within 10 days", the Swiss justice office said in a statement.
Until now, he had fought his extradition.
Former Fifa vice president Jeffrey Webb has also agreed to be extradited to the US.
The five others who were arrested in Zurich continue to oppose their extradition.
The US has indicted a total of 14 current and former Fifa officials and associates on charges of "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption following a major inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Fifa's president Sepp Blatter has always denied any wrongdoing - but in September, he too was made the subject of a Swiss criminal investigation, launched alongside the US inquiry. |
Add punctuation: Councillors are being asked to approve Wholebake's plan for a second unit in Corwen, near to Ty'n Llidiart estate.
The company, which has a storage unit in Wrexham, makes natural food bakery products and already employs 120.
The planning committee report highlights concerns from Corwen residents about the site's suitability.
A planning meeting will decide whether to give the factory the go-ahead on Wednesday. | Councillors are being asked to approve Wholebake's plan for a second unit in Corwen, near to Ty'n Llidiart estate.
The company, which has a storage unit in Wrexham, makes natural food bakery products and already employs 120.
The planning committee report highlights concerns from Corwen residents about the site's suitability.
A planning meeting will decide whether to give the factory the go-ahead on Wednesday. |
Add punctuation: The 50-year-old was found unconscious in Venables Avenue, Colne, on Tuesday and died in hospital the following day.
Lancashire Police said three men, aged 40, 41 and 64, have been charged with Section 20 Wounding.
They are due to appear at Burnley Magistrates' Court on Friday. A fourth man, aged 25 and from Colne, was released without charge.
Police are continuing to ask anyone with information to come forward.
Det Ch Insp Geoff Hurst said: "While we have three men now charged, we're still keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident.
"We are particularly keen to speak to a dog walker who we believe was in Venables Avenue around the time of the assault." | The 50-year-old was found unconscious in Venables Avenue, Colne, on Tuesday and died in hospital the following day.
Lancashire Police said three men, aged 40, 41 and 64, have been charged with Section 20 Wounding.
They are due to appear at Burnley Magistrates' Court on Friday. A fourth man, aged 25 and from Colne, was released without charge.
Police are continuing to ask anyone with information to come forward.
Det Ch Insp Geoff Hurst said: "While we have three men now charged, we're still keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident.
"We are particularly keen to speak to a dog walker who we believe was in Venables Avenue around the time of the assault." |
Add punctuation: Brian McKandie, 67, was found at Fairview Cottages in Badenscoth, Rothienorman, on Saturday 12 March.
Two men were reportedly seen speaking to him on the Friday beforehand.
Police Scotland appealed to motorists who may have been in the area between the Friday and Saturday and recorded dash cam footage to contact them.
Det Ch Insp Iain Smith said: "While they may not necessarily think it is beneficial or relevant, let us make that judgement. It may assist us.
"A member of the public has already come forward with dash cam footage and we are grateful for the response from the public. We would appeal to others to do so."
Mr McKandie was described by relatives as "dearly beloved" and a "genial sort of chap". | Brian McKandie, 67, was found at Fairview Cottages in Badenscoth, Rothienorman, on Saturday 12 March.
Two men were reportedly seen speaking to him on the Friday beforehand.
Police Scotland appealed to motorists who may have been in the area between the Friday and Saturday and recorded dash cam footage to contact them.
Det Ch Insp Iain Smith said: "While they may not necessarily think it is beneficial or relevant, let us make that judgement. It may assist us.
"A member of the public has already come forward with dash cam footage and we are grateful for the response from the public. We would appeal to others to do so."
Mr McKandie was described by relatives as "dearly beloved" and a "genial sort of chap". |
Add punctuation: Paul Sykes, nine, died at Tennyson Close, Penistone, on 22 October. His brother Jack, 12, died six days later.
Their father, Darren, 44, also died. Police say the fire was started deliberately and are not looking for anyone in connection with the deaths.
The funeral took place at St John's Church, Penistone.
Paying tribute to the two boys, Andrew Platt, headteacher at Paul's school Springvale Primary, said: "Both Paul and Jack packed a great deal in to their time that they had.
"They brought joy and happiness to others." | Paul Sykes, nine, died at Tennyson Close, Penistone, on 22 October. His brother Jack, 12, died six days later.
Their father, Darren, 44, also died. Police say the fire was started deliberately and are not looking for anyone in connection with the deaths.
The funeral took place at St John's Church, Penistone.
Paying tribute to the two boys, Andrew Platt, headteacher at Paul's school Springvale Primary, said: "Both Paul and Jack packed a great deal in to their time that they had.
"They brought joy and happiness to others." |
Add punctuation: A US appeals court on Tuesday granted a new hearing for Kris Maharaj, 78, who has been jailed for more than 30 years for a 1986 double murder in Miami.
The ruling means that Maharaj's lawyers will be able to present new evidence which they say proves the two men were killed by members of a drug cartel.
His lawyer claims a Colombian hit man killed Derrick and Duane Moo Young.
Maharaj's lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith from human-rights organisation Reprieve, applauded the decision, saying "it is a great day for Kris, and I hope now we will finally get him the justice he has long been denied".
But a spokesman for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office, Ed Griffith, told BBC News: "We stand by the outcome of the very lengthy and fair evidentiary hearing that Maharaj received in the state court, where the judge found these witnesses and/or claims to not be credible or have any merit."
The defence team plans to present new evidence from six cartel associates to argue that the two men, who were business partners of Maharaj, were killed after members of Pablo Escobar's Medellin drugs cartel caught them embezzling laundered drug money.
The new ruling from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta says "new evidence" would demonstrate that Maharaj could not have been found guilty of the Moo Young murders "beyond a reasonable doubt".
The judgment adds that the statements by the witnesses, which include Escobar's preferred hit man John Jairo "Popeye" Velasque, "independently corroborate one another".
They will also present evidence that one hotel guest on the night of the murders, Jaime Vallejo Mejia, was a member of the drug cartel.
The former businessman, who has been in poor health, had been on death row for 15 years but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment in 2002. | A US appeals court on Tuesday granted a new hearing for Kris Maharaj, 78, who has been jailed for more than 30 years for a 1986 double murder in Miami.
The ruling means that Maharaj's lawyers will be able to present new evidence which they say proves the two men were killed by members of a drug cartel.
His lawyer claims a Colombian hit man killed Derrick and Duane Moo Young.
Maharaj's lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith from human-rights organisation Reprieve, applauded the decision, saying "it is a great day for Kris, and I hope now we will finally get him the justice he has long been denied".
But a spokesman for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office, Ed Griffith, told BBC News: "We stand by the outcome of the very lengthy and fair evidentiary hearing that Maharaj received in the state court, where the judge found these witnesses and/or claims to not be credible or have any merit."
The defence team plans to present new evidence from six cartel associates to argue that the two men, who were business partners of Maharaj, were killed after members of Pablo Escobar's Medellin drugs cartel caught them embezzling laundered drug money.
The new ruling from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta says "new evidence" would demonstrate that Maharaj could not have been found guilty of the Moo Young murders "beyond a reasonable doubt".
The judgment adds that the statements by the witnesses, which include Escobar's preferred hit man John Jairo "Popeye" Velasque, "independently corroborate one another".
They will also present evidence that one hotel guest on the night of the murders, Jaime Vallejo Mejia, was a member of the drug cartel.
The former businessman, who has been in poor health, had been on death row for 15 years but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment in 2002. |
Add punctuation: He will appear in court in Belfast on Wednesday.
The victim, Hazem Ahmed Ghreir, was stabbed in Downshire Place, off Great Victoria Street, on Sunday evening. He was in his 30s, and originally from Syria.
The murder is not being treated as a hate crime. | He will appear in court in Belfast on Wednesday.
The victim, Hazem Ahmed Ghreir, was stabbed in Downshire Place, off Great Victoria Street, on Sunday evening. He was in his 30s, and originally from Syria.
The murder is not being treated as a hate crime. |