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She was 78 and had been ill for some time.
A comedian, singer and a stage performer, Manorama was a quintessential artist.
Although she mainly appeared in Tamil films, she also acted in other South Indian language movies and in Hindi.
Tamil media reports say she appeared in more than 1,000 films in a career spanning nearly six decades.
"She's a legendary actor. She could play any role. She's admired for ability to speak in different dialects of Tamil language to perfection," says Sampath Kumar, who reports on arts and culture for BBC Tamil.
While Manorama became famous for her comedy roles in films, she became a character artist in the later part of her career.
"The most difficult thing is to make people laugh. It is easy to make them cry," Manorama said in a newspaper interview.
She started acting in plays at the age of 12 and had appeared in more than 1,000 plays.
Her first break in movies came in 1958 when she acted in the Tamil movie Maalaiyitta Mangai.
After that she worked with some of the leading actors and playwrights of her day - five of whom went on to become chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh states.
Very few women actresses have managed to continue their career in the Tamil film industry over so many years.
"If I had chosen to act only as a heroine then I would have disappeared from the scene long ago. So, I decided to take up comedienne roles, so I survived in the industry for nearly five decades," Manorama said in a BBC interview.
Manorama had won several awards including India's National Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1989.
Manorama was hugely popular in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and widely regarded as a cultural icon.
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One of the best-known South Indian actresses, Gopishantha - better-known by her stage name Manorama, has died of a heart attack in the city of Chennai, her family members say.
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Centre De Villiers, who was injured during Saturday's 46-6 win over Samoa, played 109 times for his country.
That makes the 34-year-old Stormers man the fourth most-capped player in the history of South African Test rugby.
"Rugby will be poorer without Jean," said coach Heyneke Meyer. "He is a true ambassador for South Africa."
De Villiers said he knew as soon as he left the field on Saturday that he had played his last Test.
He added: "Injuries are part of rugby and I've had my fair share, so by now I know how to cope with them. It's very sad, but life goes on."
De Villiers said he would be "eternally grateful" for the time he had as a South Africa player.
"I would like to wish the team all the very best," he added. "I'm now their number one supporter.
"The last time I got injured in a World Cup match and had to go home was in 2007, also against Samoa, and that finished well for the Boks, so hopefully it will happen again."
South Africa won the 2007 World Cup by beating England 15-6.
Springboks coach Meyer, who has called up Jan Serfontein to replace De Villiers, said: "Jean is a true ambassador for South Africa and a person everyone in our country can be immensely proud of.
"He will go down as one of the greatest Springboks ever and, in my eyes, he is probably one of the best captains in the history of world rugby, who always put the team first and gave his time for any player, young or old without ever changing who he is.
"Jean enriched my life and I hold him in very high regard, as person and rugby player."
De Villiers captained the Springboks 37 times, a tally only bettered by John Smit (83).
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South Africa captain Jean de Villiers has retired from international rugby after being ruled out of the rest of the World Cup with a fractured jaw.
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The wage is currently scheduled to rise to £8.75 an hour by 2020.
But the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that target may have to be reconsidered, following a string of poor economic data.
The FSB said real incomes, productivity and GDP growth were all falling, with only employment levels improving.
As a result, it said the National Living Wage (NLW) should rise from £7.50 an hour to no more than £7.85 next year.
"It's vital that the NLW is set at a level that the economy can afford, without job losses or harming job creation," said Mike Cherry, the FSB's national chairman.
"Cost pressures on small businesses are building, and with most recent economic indicators underperforming, we are now facing the reality that the NLW target may need to be delayed beyond 2020."
The Low Pay Commission is due to make its recommendations to the government on the National Living Wage in the Autumn.
It has to work out whether higher pay rates are affordable, or whether they could damage the jobs market.
The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, will announce the final decision in this year's Autumn Budget.
The FSB's latest research suggests that most small businesses are already paying their staff more than the National Living Wage, but that 43% of firms have had to increase pay rates.
Most small businesses are making lower profits as a result, but 39% have increased their prices to make the pay rises affordable.
The National Living Wage applies only to employees over the age of 25.
Workers younger than that are paid the National Minimum Wage.
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Forthcoming rises to the National Living Wage may need to be delayed because of uncertain growth in the economy, small businesses have said.
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The raiders disabled a second floor lift and climbed down the shaft to enter the basement of Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd at the weekend.
A heavy duty drill was used to bore holes into the 6ft (2m) thick vault walls reinforced with concrete.
Many of the deposit boxes are thought to belong to uninsured local jewellers.
Det Ch Insp Paul Johnson said there was a "chaotic" scene in the vault, where a number of tools had been left behind, including an angle grinder, concrete drills and crowbars.
One of the tools used was a DD350 drill worth about £3,500. Experts said it was likely the thieves made several holes until they had created a big enough space to get through, which would have taken an experienced operator several hours.
The area is known for its gold and diamond trade and many local jewellers used safety deposit boxes to store their stock in after they had finished trading for the day.
A lot of the company's clients may not have insured their deposit boxes against theft, Graeme Trudgill, executive director of the British Insurance Brokers' Association said.
He predicted local jewellers could be left millions of pounds out of pocket.
"One man tells me he's lost several hundred thousands pounds in the heist," BBC Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw tweeted.
The victim had apparently stored jewels and watches there for five weeks following his retirement.
The owners of the other boxes are being contacted to find out what else may have been stolen.
Michael Miller from Knightsbridge, London, said he "felt sick" that he may have lost up to £50,000 worth of uninsured jewellery, including an irreplaceable timepiece he bought when his son was born.
Police said there was no sign of forced entry to the building, which is shared by a number of other companies. Scotland Yard said it had not ruled out insider knowledge.
"We've just got the vault open and there's security boxes on the floor and it's covered with dust and debris," Det Ch Insp Paul Johnson told a news conference earlier.
He described it as an "organised" operation and said getting to the bottom of what happened would be a "painstaking and meticulous" process.
No arrests have been made.
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Burglars broke into a high-value vault in central London and emptied up to 70 safety deposit boxes by climbing down the lift shaft, Scotland Yard said.
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Creative Scotland has called for a greater commitment to pay artists fairly.
The agency said people from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to become artists.
The Scottish Government said more needed to be done to ensure artists can realise their potential.
In its Arts Strategy, Creative Scotland called for action to help artists sustain themselves throughout their careers.
According to the report: "It is those from wealthier backgrounds that are most likely to consider entering into the arts professionally today.
"This trend carries real risks if UK culture becomes homogenized and disconnected from the breadth of society and loses its edge and relevance within the world today."
Creative Scotland said the strategy covered dance, literature and publishing, music, theatre, visual arts, creative learning and equalities, diversity and inclusion.
Leonie Bell, the director of arts and engagement at Creative Scotland said: "Artists, cultural producers and arts organisations are a central part of a healthy, innovative, and dynamic society. Art and culture sit at the heart of who we are as a nation."
Scotland Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "I welcome the publication of Creative Scotland's Arts Strategy with its strong identification of the strengths and opportunities for arts in Scotland but with a sense of realism of the challenges facing individual artists and what can and should be done to support them.
"We have a vibrant, confident arts scene in Scotland but we need to do more to ensure that artists and also young people in wider community can realise more fully their potential. "
Creative Scotland said it would stage a number of debates across the country over the next two years to discuss and promote the strategy.
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Low pay for artists could mean their work loses its "edge and relevance", according to the public body that supports the industry in Scotland.
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Abdul Aldhfeiry, 21, from Cardiff, broke his neck in the accident in Australia in 2012.
He can stand with assistance but now the £100,000 technology developed in the United States has allowed him to take his first steps.
The bionic legs have reactors to the body's movement.
"I feel really good," said Mr Aldhfeiry, who walked 119 steps in three minutes.
"It was very tiring but fun. Hopefully I can get to do it more.
"You lean to the left and you lean to the right. If you lean to the right and your left leg moves."
The suit, made by Esko Bionics, consists of a backpack with two batteries, two motors at the hips, two at the knees and the ankles are spring-loaded while there are sensors on the feet and throughout.
The equipment was used by patients receiving neuro-physiotherapy care at the Morrello Clinic in Newport on Wednesday.
A newer version will have electrodes which use the person's own muscles to help them walk.
Jakko Brouwers, the clinic's managing director, wants to be able to use the exoskeleton more frequently but the cost is a sticking point.
"We would like to be able to work in parallel with them [Esko Bionics] for the new model which is being developed," he said.
"We would also like to build on this to do research with universities to enable it to become available in this country."
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A man who was left paralysed after a car accident has been able to walk for the first time in four years thanks to a bionic exoskeleton.
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A major search operation is continuing after the man fell into the River Tay shortly after 04:00 on Saturday.
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) has now been instructed to investigate.
The police watchdog will then submit its findings to the Crown Office and procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
Rescuers from the police, coastguard, ambulance and fire service were called to the scene of the incident on Saturday.
The inshore lifeboat from RNLI Broughty Ferry and a search and rescue helicopter were also involved.
The police's dive and marine unit carried out searches near to Moncrieffe Island on Monday.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "The matter has been referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further."
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A watchdog is to investigate the police response before a 25-year-old man fell from the Queens Bridge in Perth.
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Delphi Diesel Systems has confirmed it will gradually wind down manufacturing operations at its Sudbury site as a "result of predicted falls in the demand for diesel vehicles".
The US-owned company makes diesel fuel injectors and filters for commercial vehicles at the plant.
The Unite union said it understood the owners plan to move work to Romania.
In 2015, the company cut 176 jobs in Sudbury and moved the work to eastern Europe.
A statement from the firm said: "Delphi is sensitive to the implications of this gradual wind down and will work closely with worker representatives to minimise the social impact from this decision.
"A programme will be put in place to help employees find alternative employment in the region or to relocate to other Delphi facilities."
Unite said the Sudbury plant makes a "healthy six-figure profit each month" but that the work is going to move to a country where labour costs are generally cheaper.
The union's assistant general secretary for manufacturing, Tony Burke, said: "The news reinforces the need for a strong and robust industrial strategy to be activated immediately to secure these highly-skilled manufacturing jobs so they remain in the UK rather than move to a low-cost country.
"It is time for the Business Secretary Greg Clark to translate the rhetoric of an industrial strategy into practical action to secure essential UK manufacturing jobs, especially in rural Suffolk where such skilled industrial jobs are thin on the ground."
A government spokesman said: "This is clearly a worrying time for workers at Delphi in Sudbury and their families. Jobcentre Plus will stand ready to help people get back into work as quickly as possible.
"The government's industrial strategy aims to build on our strengths as a country while addressing the long-term challenges we face.
"Later this year we will deliver an industrial strategy white paper that will help to build an economy that works for all."
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An engineering firm is to close a plant in Suffolk with the loss of 520 jobs by mid-2020.
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The 41-year-old from Dungannon was seriously injured in a crash at last year's North-West 200.
Farquhar said the quick response of medics had saved his life and that he was fortunate to be able to look back on his successful racing career.
He plans to remain involved with the sport but also started competing in skeet shooting.
Farquhar will continue to run his KMR team and plans to have riders at the North West 200 in May and the Isle of Man TT races the following month.
Media playback is not supported on this device
The successful racer said skeet shooting provided him with an alternative outlet for his competitiveness.
"I would love to be able to represent my country in a second sport," he said.
"I am 41 years old now and my days of winning races at the North West and TT are long gone.
"Sheeting shooting gives me the adrenalin rush, the competitive thing I need to get out of my system and makes it easier for me as I'll probably never be fit enough again to compete in road racing.
"I can just look back on the career I've had, the wins I've had, and it makes it a bit easier.
"I'm one of the very lucky ones to have a great road racing career and still be here to tell the tale."
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Ryan Farquhar has conceded it is unlikely he will ever be fit enough to return to top-level road racing.
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Gary Baum pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court to abducting a child on 9 December last year.
He also admitted two charges of making indecent photographs of a child and another charge of taking an indecent photo of a child.
The 57-year-old of Penruddock, near Penrith, was given conditional bail and will be sentenced on 23 September.
No details of the crimes were given in court.
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A former teacher had admitted child abduction and making more than 80 indecent photographs of a child.
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It is one of four areas across the UK which has been chosen for the trial by the Campaign to End Loneliness.
The public is being encouraged to carry out 250,000 "acts of kindness" to help lonely people.
About one million older people in the UK suffer chronic loneliness, which can increase the risk of dementia, high blood pressure and depression.
The "acts of kindness" could range from regular phone calls to volunteer work in the community.
As well as Glasgow, the £4m project will operate in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, Cambridgeshire and a selected region in Northern Ireland.
The campaign group hopes to work with businesses, local authorities, policymakers and member of the public to develop their own local solutions.
The project has been awarded £2.7m from the Big Lottery Fund.
Laura Alcock-Ferguson, director of the Campaign to End Loneliness, said: "Over the next four years we will be expanding our work to inspire thousands of people to take action in their neighbourhoods, workplaces, businesses and high streets.
"There are more than one million older people suffering chronic loneliness in the UK, but, by making it our business to help just one of those million, we can all make a big difference."
Big Lottery Fund chief executive Dawn Austwick said: "Loneliness is an issue that touches us all, so there's a real opportunity for this valuable project to bring communities together up and down the country to address it head on.
"Through putting the power in the hands of those most affected by isolation, we can develop local solutions that make a real difference to people's lives."
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A new project to tackle loneliness among older people is to get under way in Glasgow.
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The talks, being chaired by a senior English barrister, began on Wednesday, but failed to reach agreement.
Barristers and solicitors have said the new fees will seriously undermine their ability to provide proper legal representation for people who need it, but cannot afford to pay for it.
Since May of last year, many lawyers have been refusing to work on criminal cases involving legal aid.
The row has resulted in delays in more than 900 court cases, including charges ranging from murder to drink driving.
In November, the Bar Council of Northern Ireland and the Law Society lost an unprecedented legal bid to have new rules introduced by Justice Minister David Ford declared unlawful.
But a judge said the rules did not provide fair pay to defence solicitors in some criminal cases.
A week later, one of Northern Ireland's most senior judges entered the fray and appealed for an end to the row.
Lord Justice Weir said the dispute meant defendants charged with what are often serious offences are unable to access the expert legal advice that they require.
Last month, the Bar Council, Law Society and Department of Justice announced that they would enter mediation in a bid to end the dispute.
A planned appeal against the failed attempt to have new rules for legal aid fees quashed was adjourned.
All of those involved have signed a confidentiality agreement, which means they cannot make any comment about the discussions.
If the talks fail to secure agreement, the issue has been listed for a three day hearing at the Court of Appeal next week.
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Talks aimed at resolving a dispute over new legal aid payments are continuing.
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Police were called to Pennywell Road on Saturday morning following reports a man had collapsed.
"The man was taken to hospital but sadly later died as a result of his injuries. We are treating his death as unexplained," a force spokesman said.
A post-mortem examination is due to take place later. Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward or to call the 101 non-emergency number.
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A man has died after being found with serious injuries in Bristol.
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The party blamed an "administrative error" for failing to register the accommodation costs of activists involved in the Battlebus 2015 operation.
The admission follows a Channel 4 investigation.
A Conservative spokesman said the party had already brought the error to the attention of the Electoral Commission.
The Tories insisted the Battlebus operation was part of the national campaign organised by Conservative Campaign HQ and, as such, the expenditure did not form part of the spending by individual candidates.
But Channel 4 said its investigation suggested the operation was focused at a local level, so should have been declared as such.
An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said: "The commission is currently conducting an investigation into the Conservative Party's 2015 General Election spending return and will consider carefully any new allegations that are raised as part of the Channel 4 news programme.
"In line with the commission's enforcement policy, the commission does not comment on ongoing investigations, as to do so may hinder the conduct of the investigation."
The Conservative Party issued a statement saying its activists were campaigning "across the country for the return of a Conservative government" and, as such, their activities were regarded as national not local expenditure.
"As is apparent from our national return, the party declared expenditure related to our CCHQ-organised Battlebus," it said.
"However, due to administrative error it omitted to declare the accommodation costs of those using the vehicles. This is something we have already brought to the attention of the Electoral Commission in order to amend the return."
"The party always took the view that our national Battlebus, a highly-publicised campaign activity, was part of the national return - and we would have no reason not to declare it as such, given that the party was some millions below the national spending threshold. Other political parties ran similar vehicles which visited different parliamentary constituencies as part of their national campaigning."
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The Conservatives have admitted failing to declare £38,000 of general election expenses.
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Last week, Dr Andrew Crawford was named as the special adviser who had used his influence to delay the reduction of the scheme's excessively high tariffs.
His name was given to the Public Accounts Committee by senior civil servant Dr Andrew McCormick.
But Mrs Foster said Dr McCormick had no evidence to back up his statement.
Dr Crawford, a former special adviser to Mrs Foster, has denied the claim, saying he "acted with complete integrity". However, he resigned the day after being named by Dr McCormick.
Mrs Foster set up the scheme in 2012 when enterprise minister and Dr Crawford was her then adviser.
The aim of RHI was to increase the creation of heat from renewable sources but businesses received more in subsidies than they paid for fuel, and the scheme became heavily oversubscribed.
Civil servants wanted to cut the rate paid to businesses involved in the scheme in July 2015. It was eventually reduced that November, but not before a massive surge in the number of applications.
The fallout from the scandal, which is approximately £490m over budget, resulted in the collapse of Stormont's institutions and the calling of snap elections on 2 March.
"Andrew [Crawford] felt - and if anybody knows Andrew they know that he is a very private person - he was becoming the focus of the story," Mrs Foster told BBC News NI's Mark Devenport.
"He felt that that was wrong for his own minister, he felt it was wrong for the institutions and so he resigned.
"I think Andrew will be absolutely cleared when the inquiry comes about."
The former first minister said Dr Crawford had been named on the basis of hearsay.
"I could not find any evidence, either in written evidence or evidence from anybody else, that Andrew [Crawford] had done what Andrew's [McCormick] belief said he had done," she added.
"I think it is wrong that we pursue people on beliefs, what we do is get to the facts, we get to the evidence and that 's why the public inquiry is hugely important for the people of Northern Ireland."
A public inquiry into the scheme is to be chaired by retired appeal court judge Sir Patrick Coghlin.
He is to begin gathering papers on 1 February and the inquiry is expected to report its findings within six months.
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DUP leader Arlene Foster has said she believes her former adviser will be cleared by the judicial inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
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Police appear to issue a fine to the woman, who is then seen removing a veil and baring her arms.
Nice's deputy mayor said the removal of burkinis was a "necessity" after the deadly jihadist attack last month.
The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) expressed concern at the direction the public debate was taking.
A bid to overturn the ban is due to come before France's highest administrative court on Thursday.
The incident, which took place on Tuesday, happened close to the site of the jihadist attack on Bastille Day in July.
Rudy Salles, the deputy mayor of Nice, said: "It's a necessity after... the 14th of July on the Promenade des Anglais.
"It is not the habit and the custom of the Muslims in Nice to wear [clothes] like this on the beach."
Since the photographs went viral, Anouar Kbibech, the president of the CFCM, said he was "concerned over the direction the public debate is taking", citing the "growing fear of stigmatisation of Muslims in France".
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has agreed to a meeting with the CFCM.
Among many remarks about the incident on Twitter, the European Media Director of Human Rights Watch, Andrew Stroehlein, wrote: "Question of the day: How many armed policemen does it take to force a woman to strip in public?"
It is not clear from the photographs if the woman was ordered to remove items of clothing by the police, or if she did so of her own accord.
The 34-year-old mother, who gave her name only as Siam, told the AFP agency that she had been sitting on the beach in leggings, a tunic and a headscarf, when she was fined.
She said: "I had no intention of swimming."
The Muslim rights group, Collective against Islamophobia, said that 16 women have been given fines in the past fortnight on the Riviera under the ban - but argues that none were wearing a burkini.
The group said they were all wearing headscarves, tops and leggings.
BBC Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield says the so-called burkini ban actually makes no mention of the burkini.
The rules simply say beachwear must be respectful of good public manners and the principle of secularism which, he says, leaves large room for interpretation and confusion.
The controversial rules surrounding swimwear have been imposed by more than 20 municipalities in France.
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Pictures have emerged of French police appearing to enforce the controversial "burkini ban" on a woman on a beach in the southern city of Nice.
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6 January 2014 Last updated at 06:57 GMT
It's a bit like ice hockey played on a sheet of ice the size of a football pitch, with a ball instead of a puck.
The countries that win the big bandy competitions are usually those with colder climates, like Sweden, Finland and Russia.
But this year's World Championships will have a new contender - from Africa!
Watch Nel's report to find out more.
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Have you ever heard of a sport called bandy?
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Doug Wilson took up his role covering Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders in April.
He said he believed the area could offer "something for everyone".
He highlighted a string of attractions including outdoor pursuits, festivals, food and drink and the common riding events.
Mr Wilson lives in the Borders but his role as regional director also covers the neighbouring region of Dumfries and Galloway.
He said he was looking forward to seeing some of the world's best cyclists in Castle Douglas in September.
He described the Tour of Britain as a "fantastic opportunity to showcase the impressive scenery and warm spirit of the region's people on a global stage".
The Borders Railway has already had a huge impact on the region and Mr Wilson said he expected its importance to grow further.
"The number of people travelling on the Borders Railway has surpassed all expectations," he said.
"As we hit the summer months we hope to see the numbers rising again.
"The last year has been incredible for the region with the launch of the Borders Railway which has opened up the region to the global market."
He listed a string of other attractions the area had to offer including:
He added that the area was "full of hidden gems" but said it was time to "share them with the rest of the world".
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The new head of tourism in the south of Scotland has flagged up the Tour of Britain and the Borders Railway as key opportunities to boost visitor numbers.
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The Communication Workers Union said it had struck a deal with Royal Mail after about 700 workers staged a walkout.
The action affected the main mail centre in Swindon as well as offices in Royal Wootton Bassett, Faringdon, Devizes and Chippenham, the union said.
Royal Mail confirmed that its employees had now returned to work.
A spokesman said: "Mail deliveries and collections have now resumed.
"We are working to ensure any disruption to mail services as a result of today's action is minimised."
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Several hundred postal workers who walked out of sorting offices and post offices in Wiltshire in a dispute over bullying claims have returned to work.
| 0.792407 | 1 |
He said he had requested federal resources to help local police fight the drug cartels.
Mr Corral's comments come four days after the murder of a local journalist, Miroslava Breach, in Chihuahua City.
Ms Breach had reported extensively on the links between organised crime and politicians in the state.
She was shot in her car on Thursday outside her house in Chihuahua City, becoming the third journalist killed in Mexico this month.
One of her children, who was in the vehicle, was not hurt.
Mr Corral said there had been "significant progress" in the investigation since Sunday.
Police have released a surveillance camera image of one of the men suspected of shooting her. But no arrest warrants have been issued so far.
Mr Corral said that Chihuahua will not be able to combat the powerful criminal organisations operating in the state without federal help.
"The Federal Government is notably absent in the fight against violence in Chihuahua, even though 75% of the murders that happen here are in the remit of the federal authorities," he told La Jornada newspaper.
Ms Breach worked for La Jornada and a regional newspaper, Norte de Juarez.
The gunmen left a note at the crime scene that read: "For being a loud-mouth."
On Friday and Saturday, dozens of her colleagues and other demonstrators took part in protests calling for justice and demanding a thorough investigation.
The Committee to Protect Journalists says 38 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 1992.
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The governor of Mexico's northern state of Chihuahua, Javier Corral, has said his government does not have the means to tackle organised crime.
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Out of 1,000 people questioned in the Red C survey, 53% said they would vote Yes in the 31 May referendum, up six points on the last poll two weeks ago.
The poll suggests 31% would vote No, down four points, while 16% were undecided, down two points.
The referendum will decide Ireland's support for the treaty, designed to tighten budgetary rules across Europe.
Those advocating a Yes vote say the treaty will bring stability to Ireland's bailed out economy, while those on the No side believe it would mean years of further austerity.
Only the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom refused to sign up to the pact.
In terms of party support, the poll commissioned by the Sunday Business Post suggested that Taoiseach Enda Kenny's Fine Gael party has dropped three points to 29%, while coalition partner Labour is down to 13%.
Fianna Fail is up two points to 19%, while Sinn Fein is also up two to 21%, the party's highest ever rating in a Red C survey.
Independents and others are unchanged at 18%.
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Support for the Irish Republic signing the fiscal treaty has increased, an opinion poll has suggested.
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Alcohol Focus Scotland said current codes were failing to prevent under-18s from absorbing alcohol messages on TV, online and in the cinema.
The call came as a survey for alcohol concern groups suggested primary school children were more familiar with some beers than biscuit and crisp brands.
Brand recognition of Foster's lager was 95% among 10 and 11-year-olds, it said.
This ranked above McVitie's biscuits, McCoy's crisps and Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
The survey found that 79% of the 10 and 11-year-olds recognised the Foster's characters "Brad and Dan" from the TV commercial.
More than three quarters (79%) recognised Smirnoff and two-thirds (66%) knew WKD, the survey claimed.
And it said more than half of the children (55%) associated Carling with football.
Alcohol Focus Scotland, Alcohol Concern, Balance North East and Drink Wise called for alcohol advertising to be restricted to factual information in adult press, cinema advertising only to be allowed for 18 certificate films, and the phased removal of alcohol sponsorships.
In the longer term, they want a ban on alcohol advertising and sponsorship.
Prof Gerard Hastings, founder of the Institute of Social Marketing at the University of Stirling and an Alcohol Focus Scotland board member, said: "This research shows that alcohol marketing is clearly making an impression on our children.
"Existing evidence shows that exposure to alcohol marketing leads young people to start drinking at an earlier age and to drink more."
He added: "Alcohol companies claim only to advertise their products to adults, but children are consuming the same media and taking in the same pro-alcohol messages as adults."
The survey was carried out during October-December 2014. In Scotland, 192 children were surveyed.
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Campaigners are calling for action to make sure children are not regularly exposed to alcohol adverts.
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Raphael Bargiel, 40, met the women, who lived in London and were also Polish, through internet dating sites where he posed as a wealthy 'sugar daddy.'
St Albans Crown Court heard Bargiel filmed their ordeals for his own perverted pleasure.
The minimum term he will serve before he can be considered for parole is eight years.
Prosecutor Simon Ash said: "The defendant told the women he was doing what he was doing to teach a lesson to women like them."
In the first attack he raped a 19-year-old woman in his car after driving her into a field near Hemel Hempstead late at night.
The woman said he filmed the incident. He was arrested following the attack and, after being charged, was given bail.
Five months later, while still on bail for the first attack, he raped another young woman in a hotel room after making contact with her through an internet dating site.
She told the court he took her to a room, ordered her to strip, tied her up and then took out a knife and forced her to have sex.
Bargiel was again held in custody and a jury later found him guilty of rape.
Sentencing him to life imprisonment, Judge Andrew Bright said: "You subjected them to the most degrading acts. At times they were in fear of losing their lives."
The court heard Bargiel had been convicted in Poland of raping a young woman he met through an internet dating site in 2011.
He had driven his victim to a secluded spot where he attacked her.
The following year he travelled to the UK where he got work as a lorry driver using the name Tomasz Puchalski.
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A convicted Polish rapist who came to the UK, changed his name and raped two more women has been jailed for life.
| 0.457254 | 0 |
The paper says it was shown the 2010 "top secret" document by fugitive ex-security analyst Edward Snowden.
The US National Security Agency document allegedly outlined how it spied on EU internal computer networks, referring to the bloc as a "target".
An EU official said the claim could have a "severe impact" on EU-US ties.
"On behalf of the European Parliament, I demand full clarification and require further information speedily from the US authorities with regard to these allegations," Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament said in a statement, according to Reuters news agency.
The US has so far made no public comments on the Spiegel's claim.
Mr Snowden - a US citizen - has requested asylum in Ecuador.
He is believed to be staying at Moscow's airport, having arrived there last weekend from Hong Kong, where he had been staying since he revealed details of top secret US surveillance programmes.
The US has charged him with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence.
Each charge carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
On Saturday, US Vice-President Joe Biden and Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa held a telephone conversation about Mr Snowden's asylum request.
According to Mr Correa, Mr Biden had "passed on a polite request from the United States to reject the request".
The Ecuadorian leader said his answer was: "Mr vice-president, thanks for calling. We hold the United States in high regard. We did not seek to be in this situation."
If Mr Snowden ever came to "Ecuadoran soil" with his request, he added, "the first people whose opinion we will seek is that of the United States".
The Ecuadorean president, a left-wing economist who received a doctorate in the US, denied he was seeking to disrupt relations and said he had "lived the happiest days of my life" in the US.
Quito earlier said it was willing to consider Mr Snowden's request but only when he was physically in the Latin American country.
White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said only that Mr Biden and Mr Correa had held a wide-ranging conversation.
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Germany's Der Spiegel magazine says it has seen a secret document showing the US has bugged EU offices in Washington and at UN headquarters in New York.
| 1.470255 | 1 |
Maharaj, 27, took 6-40 as the Black Caps were all out for 171, leaving South Africa with a target of 81 for victory in Wellington.
The tourists reached that total in 25 overs, with Hashim Amla 38 not out and JP Duminy unbeaten on 15.
South Africa's victory puts them 1-0 up in the three-Test series.
The third and final Test takes place in Hamilton on Friday, 24 March. The two sides drew the first Test in Dunedin as heavy rain saw play abandoned.
New Zealand were looking for their first Test win over South Africa but their task escalated after a venomous opening spell from fast bowler Morne Morkel left them on 64-3.
Despite a valiant effort from opener Jeet Raval, who batted for almost four hours to reach 80, South African spinners Maharaj and Duminy took 12-138 to earn their team victory.
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A career-best performance from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj led South Africa to an eight-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second Test on Saturday.
| 0.977489 | 1 |
The 25-year-old, who began his career at West Ham before spells at Oxford, Aldershot Town and Woking, has signed a two-year deal with the Reds.
"Josh is a combative, energetic midfielder," head coach Dermot Drummy told the club website.
"I know how keen he is to embrace a new challenge back in the Football League here at Crawley."
Payne is the League Two club's fourth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Jason Banton, Enzio Boldewijn and Glenn Morris.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.
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Crawley Town have signed midfielder Josh Payne following his departure from National League side Eastleigh.
| 0.746155 | 1 |
Developers Extreme said the £55m scheme for the Peak Parkway site would also provide an ice rink, other leisure facilities and housing.
The site has been confirmed as North East Lincolnshire Council's preferred location for the stadium.
One opposition councillor said the development is too large and in the wrong area.
Ian Barfield, Liberal Democrat councillor, said: "It just makes my heart sink.
"It is not a question of the town not needing economic development. It just does not need it on what should be an area of green space dividing the town."
Read more about this and other stories from across East Yorkshire and Humber
Extreme Leisure said a number of consultations will be held before any planning application is submitted.
Alistair Gosling, the company chairman, said: "This will provide inbound investment, local employment and better facilities for the locals and visitors of North East Lincolnshire."
About 320 full-time jobs could be created, excluding construction jobs, he added.
John Fenty, from Grimsby Town FC, said he was delighted with the proposals and was looking forward to the day "when the ground was broken".
The Labour leader of North East Lincolnshire Council said news of the deal was "very positive".
Councillor Ray Oxby added: "We have made it clear from the start that where there's the potential for public assets and resources to be involved, we must follow a strict and proper process to make sure we get the right result for the whole area."
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Grimsby Town Football Club has signed a deal with a leisure provider to build a new 14,000-capacity stadium.
| 0.849438 | 1 |
The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel was in international waters when it came under fire, the officials said.
It was able to divert safely to the United Arab Emirates, according to ship's managing firm.
Iran fired warning shots at then seized another ship last month.
Tehran said the Maersk Tigris was intercepted because of a legal dispute between the Danish company chartering it, Maersk, and a private Iranian firm. It was released last week.
The row prompted the US Navy to start accompanying US-flagged commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.
It is not clear why in the latest incident the Alpine Eternity was shot at.
More than 20% of the world's oil needs passes through the Persian Gulf each day.
The incident comes as US President Barack Obama tries to reassure Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations over an international deal with Iran over its nuclear programme.
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Iranian gunboats have fired warning shots across the bow of a ship in the Persian Gulf, US officials say, the second incident of its kind in recent weeks.
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The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is asking the chancellor to introduce a Savers' Bonus, which would treat all taxpayers equally.
At the moment people on higher incomes benefit from either 40% or 45% tax relief, while others only receive 20%.
The ABI said a flat rate would provide a "massive boost" for ordinary workers.
But other sections of the pensions industry disagree, arguing that a single rate would be of little benefit to any savers.
Chancellor George Osborne is due to announce changes in his budget on 16 March, following a seven-month inquiry by the Treasury.
The ABI said that basic rate taxpayers - the majority of the UK population - currently receive only 30% of the money that the government spends on tax relief.
If there was a flat-rate, they could get almost half that sum, making the system much fairer.
Such a change would also encourage low and middle-income earners to save more. At the moment, such workers are not saving enough for retirement.
"The Savers' Bonus would provide a massive boost to the average worker's savings," said Yvonne Braun, the ABI's director of long-term savings policy.
"A single rate of tax relief would be simpler, fairer and more sustainable for all savers."
But others argue there would be little benefit to a flat rate.
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association - previously the National Association of Pension Funds - said any flat rate was likely to be set at 25% or lower.
It said that would produce little benefit to basic-rate taxpayers, but would "greatly reduce" the attractiveness of pension saving for 4.6m higher rate taxpayers.
Basic rate tax-payers making a £10,000 pension contribution would gain £500 if the flat rate was set at 25%.
But those on the higher, 40%, rate would lose £1,500.
One other advantage of a flat-rate is that it could save the Treasury up to £6bn a year if set at 25%, according to the Pensions Policy Institute.
Earlier this week the Treasury Minister David Gauke told the BBC that any changes would need to be effective for encouraging saving.
Higher rate taxpayers wanting to save money are being advised to make extra contributions before 16 March.
Those on the basic rate are being urged to wait until then, as it could be to their benefit.
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A new system of flat-rate tax relief on pension contributions would be fairer to everyone, especially the low-paid, the insurance industry has said.
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Edwards has already begun working with Danny Wilson's squad and will lead defensive sessions on a part-time basis while also taking on a mentoring role with the region's coaches.
He will continue to be a permanent part of head coach Warren Gatland's Wales backroom staff.
"I'm really looking forward to working with Danny and Cardiff Blues," said Edwards.
"There's a lot of potential here."
Edwards has been in the Wales coaching staff since Gatland took over in 2008 and been part of two Grand Slam winning sides and three Six Nations triumphs.
The former rugby league man will work alongside Richard Hodges at the Blues and mentor the likes of the region's captain Gethin Jenkins.
"Shaun will be a great addition to Cardiff Blues," said Wilson.
"His record speaks for itself and I am sure he will have a big impact.
"Defence is an area we have to improve if we want to take the next step and qualify for the European Champions Cup.
"Shaun has an invaluable wealth of experience, which will be hugely beneficial, and will play an important role in developing the defensive coaches and leaders of the future.
"I would also like to thank the Welsh Rugby Union for their support in this appointment."
The Welsh Rugby Union say they hopes this sort of arrangement can be replicated with the other regions.
A WRU spokesman added: "We see this move as a hugely positive step forward with the Cardiff Blues region.
"Shaun will provide regular continuity between the senior national management and the coaching set up within the Blues, working alongside Danny and his team.
"We will see this impact across the other regions with our national coaches also working with the Dragons, Scarlets and Ospreys at various junctures throughout the coming season."
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Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards has joined Cardiff Blues as a consultant.
| 0.820691 | 1 |
Officials from the Denver Art Museum and the Cambodia government marked the handover in a ceremony in Phnom Penh.
Called the Torso of Rama, the headless sandstone statue dates back to the 10th Century and was taken from the Koh Ker temple during Cambodia's civil war.
The museum acquired it 30 years ago, and said it only realised it was looted after recent discussions with Cambodia.
"We are joyful with the torso of Rama returning home," government official Yim Nolson was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
But the 62-inch (158m) statue is still missing its head and other body parts and Cambodia is currently appealing to museums and art collectors to return the missing portions.
The Denver Art Museum said it had acquired the statue in 1986 from a New York gallery.
It had earlier told the Denver Post that it realised that the piece may have been stolen in 2013 when Cambodia identified it as one of several artworks taken from the country during the civil war in the 1970s.
It said it was contacted last year by the Cambodian government which provided additional facts that led to the statue's return.
In January a French museum returned a 7th Century Hindu statue head to Cambodia 130 years after it was taken.
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A US museum has returned to Cambodia an ancient statue of a Hindu god stolen from the South East Asian country.
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The Bangladeshi foreign ministry said the two men were now safe in hospital in the city of Sirte.
They were seized on 6 March from the al-Ghani oil field along with seven other foreigners.
Islamic State militants were suspected of carrying out the abductions, but this has not been confirmed.
Helal Uddin and Mohammed Anwar Hossain were freed on Tuesday evening, officials in Dhaka said.
Other foreigners seized with them were reported to include four Filipinos, an Austrian, a Czech and a Ghanaian.
BBC Bengali's Shahnaz Parveen in Dhaka says it is not clear whether a ransom was paid to free the two Bangladeshis.
The foreigners were working for oilfield management company Value Added Oilfield Services (VAOS) at the al-Ghani field.
VAOS said it did not know which militants had carried out the attack or where the oil workers had been taken.
An estimated 30,000 Bangladeshis are believed to be working in Libya.
Rival militias have been fighting for control of the country since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted in 2011.
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Two Bangladeshi workers kidnapped nearly three weeks ago by gunmen in Libya have been freed and are in good health, officials say.
| 1.55096 | 2 |
It said 33% of businesses in Wales have access to sell goods and services online compared to the UK average of 39%.
Business Minister Edwina Hart said the Welsh government was working with the internet company to help small businesses "access new markets".
The first event was held in Cardiff.
Ms Hart and Dan Cobley, Google UK managing director, addressed about 400 delegates at the first free conference and launch event at the Coal Exchange on Tuesday.
Mr Cobley said: "Together with the Welsh government and other partners we want Welsh businesses of all sizes to understand the importance of the internet and how easy it is to get online and contribute to the economic growth of the Welsh economy."
Google UK plans to train digital agencies across Wales to deliver training and workshops once the initial three month campaign has ended.
Its travelling "Juice Bar" will offer free one-on-one digital health checks and workshops, tutorials and hands-on advice to small business owners, including how to acquire a web presence or improve the one they already have
Ms Hart said "diverse and thriving" small to medium-sized businesses have the potential to be a "driving force for economic recovery".
"By working with Google on this exciting initiative, we will be helping and educating many of these small businesses to access the type of support and advice they need to access new markets and opportunities to reach new internet customers across the UK and beyond," she said.
The Cardiff event will be followed by others in Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham.
Other partners involved include the Institute of Directors in Wales and South Wales Chamber of Commerce.
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Google is trying to encourage more Welsh businesses to get online as figures show around 40% of small firms have no website.
| 1.426879 | 1 |
Christi and Bobby Shepherd were poisoned by carbon monoxide at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel in 2006.
Their parents, Sharon Wood and Neil Shepherd, met the tour operator's chief executive Peter Fankhauser earlier.
Speaking at a press conference, Mrs Wood said she accepted it "may be time to look to the future".
The amount of money being given to the family was not disclosed, but Mr Shepherd said they planned to make donations to a series of charities.
Mrs Wood called upon Thomas Cook "to push forward our request" to have the bungalow where the children died be demolished and turned into a playground in their memory.
"Nothing can give us back our children and the carefree lives we once led," Mrs Wood said.
"I hope Thomas Cook and everyone who defended its wrong-doing now realise the impact on families like ours and they will learn the lessons they need to learn from this tragedy."
Christi and Bobby, from Horbury, near Wakefield, were on holiday with Mr Shepherd and his now wife, Ruth, when they died.
It was later discovered they were overcome by fumes from a faulty boiler.
A criminal trial held in Greece in 2010 cleared Thomas Cook of any responsibility and awarded the firm damages against the hotel's owner.
But an inquest jury ruled last week the children had been unlawfully killed and said the tour operator had "breached its duty of care".
Mr Shepherd and Mrs Wood criticised the firm for not apologising to them directly during the two-week hearing.
Mr Fankhauser made a public apology on Wednesday and admitted the firm "could have done better in the past nine years" in the way they had responded to the tragedy.
It later emerged two hotel staff who had been convicted over the children's deaths were found working at hotels where Thomas Cook sent holidaymakers.
Mr Fankhauser said he felt "physically sick" when he discovered the staff were working at the hotels and one of the employees had subsequently been sacked from his post in Crete.
The travel firm said it had stopped sending holidaymakers to another Greek hotel where the other was employed.
The company has donated half its £3m payout from its insurers to children's charity Unicef.
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The family of two children killed on a Thomas Cook holiday in Corfu will receive a "financial gesture of goodwill" from the firm.
| 1.24542 | 1 |
It was a small increase on the previous year, though the long term trend is down.
The biggest emitters were agriculture, transport and the energy sector.
A range of emissions are measured including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and a range of fluorinated gases.
Northern Ireland emissions accounted for just over four percent of the UK total.
Methane from livestock accounted for the bulk of agricultural emissions.
In the transport and energy sectors it was mostly comprised of carbon dioxide.
Increased use of gas instead of coal in energy production and methane capture in landfills have helped cut the overall levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
They are down more than 17% on base years in the early and mid-90s when recordings were taken for comparative purposes.
The only sectors showing an increase from the base years are transport and land use change.
That is due to increased use of vehicles and the conversion of land for building.
Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK without its own climate change legislation.
The then DUP Agriculture & Environment Minister Michelle McIlveen ruled it out again last December, saying existing UK laws were sufficient.
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Northern Ireland produced more than twenty million tonnes of greenhouse gases last year.
| 3.297981 | 3 |
Michael Keogh, 37, was shot dead in an underground cark park on his way to work on Wednesday.
Detectives believe he is the latest victim of an ongoing feud between the Hutch and Kinahan gangs.
The man's body was discovered in a vehicle in a car park in Dorset Street with multiple gunshot wounds.
His body was found at 9:55 local time, two hours after a car was found on fire at nearby Clonliffe Avenue. Garda (Irish police) say a firearm was recovered in the vehicle.
Irish national broadcaster RTE is reporting that Garda believe Mr Keogh's killers may have followed his movements on social media.
They are appealing for anyone in the area between 07:00 and 10:00 to come forward with any information they may have.
Increased patrols and additional armed checkpoints have been implemented amid fears of further retaliatory attacks.
The dispute between the rivals gangs is now believed to have led to the murders of at least 11 men - although two were cases of mistaken identity.
Many of the murders have taken place within Dublin's north inner city.
The first victim of the feud was Gary Hutch, who was shot dead in Spain in 2015.
In February 2016, gunmen dressed in police SWAT team uniforms opened fire inside a Dublin hotel while a boxing weigh-in was taking place, killing 33-year-old David Byrne, believed to be a member of the Kinahan gang.
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Security has been increased in Dublin after a murder linked to an ongoing criminal gang feud that has claimed at least 11 lives.
| 0.840794 | 1 |
A study of 25 breeds of dog, published in PLOS Genetics, has identified three genes linked with a severe type of brain tumour known as glioma.
Future investigation may yield a better understanding of the causes and potential treatments of brain tumours in dogs and humans, researchers say.
Gliomas are very severe human brain tumours that are often incurable.
The disease can also occur in dogs, and some breeds, such as the boxer and bulldog, have an increased risk.
Genetic analysis of blood samples from dogs showed variations in three genes were linked with development of brain tumours in canines.
People have the same genes as the ones identified by the researchers in dogs.
"Researchers in the consortium are now continuing the analysis of the genes identified, and their functional roles in development and progression of glioma in both dogs and humans," said co-researcher Katarina Truve.
The researchers were able to identify a stretch of genetic code that differed between diseased and healthy dogs.
"These results indicate that further investigations of the role of these three genes in glioma development would be of interest, with potential benefit to both dog and human," said Prof Karin Forsberg Nilsson, of Uppsala University, in Sweden, who also worked on the study.
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Brain tumours in dogs are similar to human ones and could give clues to how the disease develops, scientists say.
| 3.001686 | 3 |
The EU has set provisional duties on Chinese imports of reinforced bar or rebar of between 9.2% and 13%.
Industry body UK Steel says its shows: "the scale of the crisis affecting the European steel sector has not yet fully registered with Brussels bureaucrats".
It says the decision is "a slap in the face for UK manufacturers of rebar".
UK Steel says that Chinese companies have taken more than 45% of the UK rebar market, having had none of it four years ago.
"Unless these provisional duties are increased, then we will see further job losses in the rebar sector in the future, as China shows no sign of stemming this tidal wave of rebar exports, with ever increasing tonnage reaching our shores," it added.
The main maker of rebar in the UK is Celsa Steel, the Spanish owned steelmaker, which is based in Cardiff.
Celsa Steel UK managing director Luis Sanz said: "The Commission must now focus on achieving higher and more appropriate levels for the final duties, as quickly as possible.
"In the meantime, we hope the construction sector will recognise their responsibility to support sustainable British steel in the supply chain, and avoid these unfairly traded products."
Commenting on the decision by the EU to impose low-level duties on the imports of Chinese rebar, Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, the steelworkers' union said: "British steelworkers could be forgiven for thinking the EU hasn't noticed the global steel crisis crippling our industry.
"The decision to impose such a low duty on imported Chinese rebar clearly demonstrates that EU politicians just don't get it.
"Having already taken far too long to act, it only adds insult to injury to effectively give China a slap on the wrist.
The Commission launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of HFP rebar from China in April following a complaint from European steel association Eurofer.
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The steel industry is warning of job losses as a result of the EU's failure to impose high import tariffs on a steel product made in the UK.
| 1.382179 | 1 |
Ground investigation operations are to be done between Inverness and Gollanfield and Gollanfield and Auldearn, near Nairn.
Transport Scotland said work was scheduled to begin on 26 June and could last until November.
It said there could be traffic restrictions over the next few months.
The restrictions will include short sections of road controlled by temporary traffic signals.
Of a total of almost 1,000 investigation locations, only 36 of these will take place near the A96 or other side roads, said Transport Scotland.
A spokesman said: "This ground investigation is needed to get important information on the existing ground conditions in the vicinity of the A96 between Inverness and Auldearn as we progress our plans to dual the road.
"Although the vast majority of the work will not require any traffic management, a small fraction of investigative work will take place beside the carriageway.
"We would thank road users and local communities in advance for their patience during any short duration traffic management operations which may be required as the works progress."
The spokesman added: "The contractor will closely monitor the operation of the small amount of traffic management that is required to ensure that delays are kept to a minimum.
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Work needed as part of the planning of the new Nairn Bypass and wider upgrading of the A96 is to begin later this month.
| 1.172527 | 1 |
The "recently serviced and relatively new" device, at King Edward VI School in Southampton, caught fire at about 10:45 GMT on Friday.
Headteacher Julian Thould said the fire was contained to one room of the independent school's ground-floor design technology building.
He said the school was evacuated within five minutes and no-one was injured.
It was brought under control by the fire service by midday, and next week's timetable was unlikely to be affected, Mr Thould added.
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A blaze broke out at a public school after a laser-cutting machine overheated.
| 0.631741 | 1 |
A bank survey suggests that in November new export orders rose at a record rate.
A weaker pound makes UK-produced goods cheaper in overseas markets.
The pound fell sharply against the euro after the Brexit vote and is still well below pre-referendum levels.
The bank's chief economist, Richard Ramsey, said cross-border shopping has also benefited, sending retail sales to their highest level in more than two years.
"Both the manufacturing and retail sectors are expanding at rates well above their pre-downturn historical averages," he added.
Recent official figures also point to export growth - HM Revenue and Customs data for the 12 months to September shows a 6% rise in the value of exports to £7.4bn.
However, Mr Ramsey said the data also points to inflation and consumers should "brace themselves for significant price rises in 2017".
"The downside of a weak currency is import price inflation.
"Manufacturers increased the price of their goods at the fastest rate on record.
"Retailers are also experiencing the highest rate of cost inflation in over eight years."
The Ulster Bank surveys the activity of private sector firms every month, in what is considered a reliable indicator of the economy.
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Northern Ireland exporters are continuing to experience a surge in business as a result of the weakening of sterling, the Ulster Bank has said.
| 1.887581 | 2 |
Resuming on 238-8, Kent were all out for 259, but Stevens (6-47) helped limit Derbyshire to 159 in reply.
Only five of the visitors' batsmen reached double figures, with Wayne Madsen top scoring with 56.
The hosts fell to 51-5 to start their second innings, but Stevens (53 not out) helped see them to 142-7 when bad light stopped play, a lead of 242 runs.
Stevens, only a week away from his 41st birthday, had taken only 12 five-wicket hauls in his career before this season, but he has taken one in each of Kent's opening three games.
He also maintained his impressive form with the bat, with his unbeaten half-century the fourth time he has gone past 50 this season.
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Darren Stevens took his third five-wicket haul of the season for Kent before Derbyshire's bowlers hit back.
| 0.571615 | 1 |
Officers detained the 33-year-old on Thursday afternoon and he is being held at a central London police station.
The Met Police said the warrant for further detention lasts to Thursday.
He is being questioned on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorist acts under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Police were granted the further extension at a magistrates' court on Saturday.
Following the arrest in Cardiff, police searched two houses.
Officers said the arrest was a result of an investigation by the MPS Counter Terrorism Command supported by the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit.
There was police activity in the Grangetown and Riverside areas of Cardiff on Thursday afternoon but Metropolitan Police refused to confirm if it was linked to the arrest.
The BBC understands the arrest is related to alleged Islamist terrorism.
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Police have been granted more time to question a man arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in Cardiff, the Met Police said.
| 0.780014 | 1 |
The victim, 23, was injured on Daniel Hill Terrace, Upperthorpe, near the city centre on Saturday afternoon.
People living in the area said the man was either in, or close to, a black Mercedes car he had been driving when he was shot.
Officers, called to the scene at about 13:35 GMT, found the man with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Armed police sealed off the area and the victim was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.
South Yorkshire Police has appealed for information over the killing, which is the latest in a spate of shootings across the city in recent weeks.
Residents said the man was a member of a family who live close to the scene of the shooting.
They said relatives had been gathering for a celebration when the attack occurred.
Many came out of the house to try to help him after hearing the shot, neighbours said.
There have been a number of shootings in Sheffield in recent weeks, although all the previous incidents have been in the north of the city and not close to the Upperthorpe area.
On Monday, a 25-year-old man was seriously injured when he was shot in the street in the Shiregreen area.
Earlier this month, shots were fired through the living room window of an elderly couple's home in the Southey Green area - an incident police believe was a case of mistaken identity.
In January shots were fired at houses in two separate incidents in the same street in High Green.
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A murder investigation has been launched after the fatal shooting of a man in Sheffield.
| 0.977925 | 1 |
Speaking at a news conference, Hans Dieter Poetsch said: "We are talking here not about a one-off mistake but a chain of errors."
He said VW would be "relentless in seeking to establish who was responsible" for the scandal.
VW's chief executive said it was "fighting for every customer".
But Matthias Mueller said a massive slump in sales had not occurred in the wake of the scandal.
In September, US regulators found some VW diesel cars had a "defeat device" - or software - to cheat emissions tests.
The company said the problem began when it decided to launch a large-scale promotion of diesel vehicles in the US in 2005, but found it impossible to meet strict emissions limits in force in that country in time.
VW said it had agreed steps to improve supervision of engine software development to prevent future manipulation.
Mr Mueller said it was relatively simple and inexpensive to fix the millions of affected cars, but this had not been possible before, as the technology for the fixes was not available when the cars were built. In any case, the company was unaware at the time that there was a problem.
Volkswagen will in future undertake "real-life" tests, which will be checked by both internal and external third parties.
Mr Poetsch said: "No business justifies crossing legal and ethical boundaries."
He said it was likely that only a limited number of people took part in the deception and said they would not be named as yet, adding that it was impossible to stop misconduct by individuals.
However, he added that the actions taken by the company would make such actions that much more difficult in future.
US law firm Jones Day is conducting an investigation into what happened. That, Mr Poetsch said, was making good progress, but would take some time to conclude.
The cheat device affects up to 11 million cars worldwide.
The damage to VW prompted its chief executive to resign and wiped billions off the company's value on the stock markets.
Shares in VW closed down 0.3% at €139.10 in Frankfurt on Thursday.
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The chairman of embattled carmaker Volkswagen says a chain of errors led to the emissions scandal and that its top priority is winning back trust.
| 1.624306 | 2 |
Rowe, 27, joined Rovers on loan for the end of the 2015-16 season after finding opportunities limited at Molineux and scored three times in 10 appearances.
Rover boss Darren Ferguson previously took Rowe to Peterborough from Stockport when the player was aged 19.
"I've played under Darren for quite a long time, we work very well together on and off the field," Rowe said.
Speaking to the club's website, Rowe continued, "When I first signed on loan my aim was to come here and do well, impress the fans and learn again as a player.
"I really enjoyed my time and I've signed permanently because of the ambition this club has."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.
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Doncaster Rovers have signed midfielder Tommy Rowe on a three-year deal from Championship side Wolves.
| 0.915999 | 1 |
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"No-one's happy with a draw, but it took character to come back after going behind for the first time with five minutes left on the clock," he said.
"We got the good start we wanted, but then let them score 10 points in the last 10 minutes of the first half.
"We will digest the result and then assess how happy we are with it."
Ulster hooker Best added that although it was not the result Ireland wanted, "there are things we can be happy with".
"There are a lot of positives and we haven't lost, but we will take a quick look back on this to make sure we go forward," he continued.
"It is all about recovery because we have a short turnaround before going to France."
Ireland's South African-born debutant CJ Stander was named man of the match.
"It is a proud day for me and my family," said the 25-year-old flanker.
"The support from the Irish fans has been unreal and I was emotional during the anthems.
"It is mixed emotions. We could have done more perhaps, but we have a point on the board."
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Ireland captain Rory Best admitted the 16-16 draw against Wales was not exactly how they wanted to start their defence of the Six Nations title.
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"I don't really know where I'd be without it," she says.
"Being part of racing and the Weir-Archer academy has given me a lot more confidence in life - not just sport."
READ MORE: How to get into disability sport.
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Meet Yasmin Somers, who was inspired to take up wheelchair racing by the London 2012 Paralympics and has now represented England at the Cerebral Palsy World Championships.
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The leg spinner, 20, has taken 21 wickets this season and scored 319 runs in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Callum Parkinson, 19, will join Leicestershire at the end of the season after turning down a new deal.
He has played four times for Derbyshire after making his first-class debut against the Foxes in August.
Critchley said of his new contract: "The club has big ambitions and I'm looking forward to playing my part.
"We have a lot of young talent who are all hungry for success and I'm confident we can achieve it here at Derbyshire."
Critchley will link up with Australia legend Shane Warne at Lord's next week as part of a specialist spin coaching programme.
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Derbyshire all-rounder Matt Critchley has signed a new four-year contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2020 season.
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The country's Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell to a lower-than-expected 50.8, from 51.1 in the previous month. Any score above 50 represents growth.
Analysts had forecast a small rise in the pace of growth.
Recently released figures showed the wider Chinese economy growing at its slowest pace for more than five years.
Growth between July and September was 7.3% compared with a year earlier, down from 7.5% in the previous quarter.
"There remains downward pressure on the economy, and monetary policy will remain easy," said analysts at China International Capital after the PMI data was published on Saturday.
Beijing recently unveiled measures designed to stimulate consumer spending, including relaxing limits on home purchases and injecting billions of dollars into the country's biggest banks.
China's central bank has also cut certain inter-bank interest rates.
The government aims to achieve 7.5% economic growth this year, although many analysts believe it will struggle to meet this target. There is speculation it may take further steps to boost growth.
Such high levels of growth are needed to ensure enough jobs are created for China's huge and increasingly-educated population.
But the growth ambitions are much higher than expected rates in more developed economies - latest figures show the US economy growing at an annual rate of 3.5%.
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Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed in October, an official survey suggests, reinforcing concerns about a slowdown in the wider economy.
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Hendrick headed the opener from close-range, just moments after Rams keeper Lee Grant tipped a free kick from David Symington on to the crossbar.
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Martin volleyed in Johnny Russell's cross for the second in injury time.
Steve McClaren's Championship side have won two out of two so far this season after beating Rotherham on Saturday.
Graham Kavanagh's team though have lost both of their games so far and are still to score, after starting their league campaign with defeat at home to newly promoted Luton Town on Saturday.
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Jeff Hendrick and Chris Martin both scored as Derby County beat League Two Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup first round at Brunton Park.
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The piece appeared on a building on the A20 in Kent overnight.
Pictures of the mural, near Dover's ferry terminal, have been posted on Banksy's Instagram account, and a representative confirmed it was his.
The mysterious artist is known for his political pieces. His latest comes as the UK heads towards a general election and Britain prepares to leave the EU.
BBC - iWonder - How did Banksy become the world's most famous vandal?
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A mural of a workman removing a star from the EU flag has been confirmed as the work of graffiti artist Banksy.
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John Jamieson, 36, said he thought Peter Shickle had a Stanley knife in his hand when he swung the TV at him, hitting him twice.
Mr Shickle was found lying in a pool of blood at his flat in Silam Road, Stevenage, on 6 November 2016.
Mr Jamieson, 36, from Wigram Way, Stevenage, and Graham King, 36, from Harrow Court, Stevenage, deny murder.
On Friday, Dr Nat Cary, a consultant forensic pathologist, told the court Mr Shickle had suffered 75 injuries to his face and body.
He said Mr Shickle also suffered a traumatic brain injury, 16 fractured ribs, damage to his voice box, fractures to his jaw and nasal bone, and a split liver.
Prosecutor Martin Mulgrew said the catalyst to the attack took place on 28 October.
He said Mr Shickle had been out drinking with Mr Jamieson's mother, Christine, at the Old Post Office pub in Stevenage.
During the evening they got into an argument and a physical altercation took place, he said.
Mr Mulgrew said: "John Jamieson had settled on plan for brutal retribution on Peter Shickle."
Mr Jamieson said he was "fuming" after hearing Mr Shickle had argued with his mother, grabbed her by the throat and hit her head on a wall.
"I knocked on the door. Pete answered and said 'come in'," Mr Jamieson said.
"Graham was ahead and the next thing, Pete turned round with a Stanley knife. I quickly ran up and punched him twice with my left hand and once with my right."
Mr Jamieson said Mr Shickle came at him so he swung the TV from the wall, hitting him twice.
The case continues.
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A man accused of using a flat screen TV as a murder weapon told a jury he hit the victim with it to protect himself.
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The 29-year-old takes over from Glen Chapple, who has become part of cricket director Ashley Giles' backroom staff in a player-coach role.
Liverpool-born Smith has spent his whole career at Old Trafford and was the club's player of the year in 2014.
"I was lucky enough to have an meeting with Ashley and he offered the job," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"I was over the moon. It's not every day you get to captain your boyhood club that you've grown up with and it's a truly great honour."
Last summer, Smith took over 50 wickets in the County Championship for the first time and hit 773 runs, including seven half centuries, but they were relegated to Division Two.
The Red Rose have also confirmed that fellow all-rounder Steven Croft will be vice-captain for the upcoming season.
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Lancashire have appointed all-rounder Tom Smith as their new captain ahead of the new season.
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The Labour leader said he wanted more people like Dan Jarvis, the ex-army officer who entered Parliament in 2011.
Mr Miliband also said he hoped to appeal to business people to represent Labour at the next election.
"I think Parliament is too middle class and doesn't have that diversity it needs," he told the House magazine.
With the general election scheduled for 2015, the political parties are busy choosing their candidates across the country.
Mr Miliband - who started his career as Labour Party adviser - said he wanted candidates from all backgrounds, not just professions such as law, accountancy and journalism.
"What you are going to see from us this year, as we select our candidates now the boundaries are settled, as we target those 100 or so seats for the general election, is a party reaching out to all parts of the country.
"But also a party that's going to get people from all backgrounds - business people - I want more people who are military and ex-military, like Dan Jarvis, in the party.
"People from all class backgrounds because frankly I think Parliament is too middle class and doesn't have that diversity that it needs to have."
He also suggested David Cameron was sending out "mixed messages" about the prospect of the leaders of the main Westminster parties taking part in TV debates again as in 2010.
Mr Miliband said the debates were a "good innovation" he welcomed.
"I just want to do the debates. I want the debates to happen wherever and whenever they can happen.... I think I feel warmer about them than the prime minister clearly does... I don't think he should be ducking them."
Speaking last year, Mr Cameron said that, while he enjoyed the debates, he felt they "took all the life" out of the 2010 campaign.
He suggested the three main parties "could learn from last time" and stage the 2015 debates "in a slightly different way".
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Ed Miliband has said he wants to recruit more prospective MPs who have served in the armed forces to help make Parliament "more diverse".
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The pipe burst in the early hours causing the road to crack and lift on the A35 Lyndhurst Road at Ashurst between New Road and Whartons Lane.
Southern Water said supplies to 60 properties had been cut as engineers worked to find and fix the leak.
The firm said the hot weather can dry the soil out, causing pipes to shift and break.
Read more on this and other stories from across the south of England.
The road has partially re-opened with two-way temporary traffic lights in place while the work to repair the pipe is carried out.
Drivers have been warned to expect lengthy delays.
The nearby New Forest Inn was forced to close when water from the burst flooded into the pub.
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A burst water pipe led to the closure of a section of one of the major routes through the New Forest.
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Mr Byrne was shot dead in the Regency Hotel during a boxing weigh-in in the north of the city in February.
This is the second search to be carried out in a week.
RTÉ has reported that searches are being carried out on ten houses and flats in Dublin's south inner city.
The operation began at around 06:30 local time on Friday morning.
It is understood that over 80 armed gardaí are involved in the investigation, as well as the Emergency Response Unit, the Drugs and Organised Crime unit and the Criminal Asset Bureau.
On Wednesday, Irish authorities seized over 1m euros (£770,000) worth of luxury cars, cash and other valuables.
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Irish police have begun another series of raids on properties linked to members of a criminal gang connected to shooting victim David Byrne in Dublin.
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The money will help to provide accommodation, employment and skills training for women fleeing violence.
Local authorities will be able to bid for a share of the money, which is the first part of an overall £40m investment package.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the boost will mean "no victim is turned away" from essential support.
As part of the plans, new guidelines will be published which set out how local authorities should respond to domestic abuse.
The government said this will focus on "putting the victim first, providing flexible services that meet their needs, collaborating with other councils to open up services to victims from outside the local area and responding to the needs of diverse groups".
It would also require setting up "accountable local leadership" for services and a system of "independent scrutiny".
In a statement announcing the plans, Mr Javid said: "Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, at any time, which is why our £20m fund is designed to ensure no victim is turned away from the essential support they need.
"It will address the needs of diverse and isolated communities and boost refuge spaces, as part of a country that works for everyone and not just the privileged few".
As well as being the first wave of £40m in support for domestic abuse victims outlined in the 2015 Spending Review, the money is also part of the government's wider £80m Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.
Funding will only be available for local areas which are collaborating with other councils and external domestic violence services, the government's launch document states, because "domestic abuse cannot be addressed by one agency alone".
The fund is open to applications from local authorities until 17:00 GMT on 2 December.
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A £20m fund to support domestic abuse victims is being launched by the government later.
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Resuming on 434-1, Dickson (318) and Joe Denly (182) took their second-wicket stand to 382, the biggest partnership in the county's history.
Dickson set a post-war Kent record before being dismissed by Max Holden (2-59) as the hosts declared on 701-7 - their second-highest first-class total.
Northants closed on 180-1.
Ben Duckett (101 not out) put on 113 for the first wicket with Rob Newton (57), but the visitors still require 371 more to avoid the follow-on.
Earlier, Dickson fell 14 short of equalling Bill Ashdown's Kent record of 332 against Essex in 1934, but did pass current Kent coach Matt Walker's highest post-war innings of 275 not out in 1996 against Somerset.
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Sean Dickson hit the second-highest total in Kent's history on day two of their County Championship second division game against Northants.
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The driver initially got out of the car and "even spoke to a number of people before driving away" after the crash in Handsworth on Friday, police said.
The local woman died at the scene after the crash near the Guru Nanak temple, in Soho Road, just after 17:30 GMT.
Police appealed for witnesses and said the sports-type Vauxhall Astra involved sustained "considerable" damage.
Sgt Alan Wood said early examination of CCTV film suggested the white car had a rear spoiler and black roof.
"The car would have suffered considerable front-end damage, with the bumper hanging off, and I'm sure would have caught the attention of other drivers and pedestrians," he said.
"If anyone saw a vehicle matching that description yesterday evening I'd ask them to call me. I'd also urge the driver to do the decent thing and get in touch so that he can put across his side of the story."
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A driver who knocked over and killed a 61-year-old woman in Birmingham is being searched for by police.
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NBC News quotes sources close to Mr Trump as saying that Mr Tillerson is likely to be named next week.
Former UN ambassador John Bolton will serve as his deputy, NBC adds.
The news comes as Mr Trump's team challenged the accuracy of intelligence reports that Russia intervened to boost his election prospects.
Veteran Republican Mitt Romney is among others who have also also been linked to the role of secretary of state.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani withdrew himself from consideration for the post last week. Mr Giuliani's foreign business dealings had raised questions over his suitability.
Mr Tillerson, 64, has extensive experience in international negotiations and a business relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He has been a critic of the international sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea.
This is the latest twist in Donald Trump's weeks-long search for a top diplomat: he has been considering close to a dozen candidates with significantly different views and backgrounds.
Transition officials say he has finally settled on Rex Tillerson although there has been no official announcement.
The long-time oil executive does not have any diplomatic experience but he has done business with many foreign governments, including in Russia where he has developed a good relationship with President Vladimir Putin.
That is one reason his nomination would be closely scrutinised by lawmakers - especially in the wake of intelligence assessments that Russian hackers acted covertly to promote Mr Trump's campaign.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump's presidential transition team took issue with CIA assessments that said Russia had attempted to assist Mr Trump during the November election by releasing hacked emails harmful to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
In a statement, the transition team said the officials making the assessment were "the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction".
And spokesman Sean Spicer said there were "people within these agencies who are upset with the outcome of the election".
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Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson has met President-elect Donald Trump amid growing speculation that he is being considered for US secretary of state.
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The 25-year-old was carried off on a stretcher with a head knock just before the break at McDiarmid Park.
Clark collided with Jack Rodwell as the midfielder had a goal disallowed.
The Perth club confirmed on Twitter that the keeper was released from hospital on Saturday night, although he is suffering from a concussion.
Also on Twitter, Clark revealed he was "stiff and groggy" and thanked staff at Ninewells Hospital for taking care of him.
In Saturday's match, Steven MacLean fired Saints into the lead after 18 minutes and two more from David Wotherspoon within another six minutes put the Perth side in command.
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St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark is out of hospital after picking up an injury in a 3-0 friendly win over Sunderland.
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Pregnant Sherry Doran and her young son were rescued by firefighters when her car got stuck at Buttsbury Wash near Ingatestone on Sunday.
Some offensive comments about her were posted on Facebook, including one by an Essex Fire and Rescue employee.
The service said it will not tolerate derogatory language against the public.
A spokesman said it took immediate action against the employee.
Heinz beans advert banned by advertising watchdog
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... or for more on the 'Facebook sacking' and other stories from Essex
Ms Doran's vehicle got stuck in 4ft (1.2m) water at the Buttsbury Wash ford and fire crews smashed both the rear and passenger windows to get her and her one-year-old son out of the car. No-one was injured.
When news of the rescue emerged on social media, some people posted unpleasant comments in response, saying she should not have driven into the water and was putting her life, and those of her children, at risk.
The post by the sacked employee included an offensive term.
Ms Doran, who lives in Suffolk, said she did not know the area, would never knowingly do anything to put her children in danger and for people to suggest she would was "extremely hurtful".
"I didn't notice any road signs as we approached it and despite slowing down, by the time I realised what it was, we'd been pulled into the middle of the water," she said.
"Sadly, a small number of people have used social media reports as a platform to make unfair judgements and comments towards me.
"In response to them, the only thing I can say is I went through years of heartbreak and painful treatments to bring my child into this world and I would die before I let any harm come to him or the baby that I'm currently carrying."
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A fire service employee has been sacked for posting a derogatory comment on social media about a motorist who got stuck in flood water.
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Curry Mallet is one of 25 locations celebrating the signing of charter by King John in Runnymede on 15 June 1215.
Magna Carta established that the king was subject to the law rather than being above it.
William Malet, the feudal baron of Curry Mallet, born around 1175, was one of Magna Carta's guarantors.
The former Lord of the Manor of the village was one of the 25 rebel barons present at the signing.
A district council grant helped the village commission the signs by Somerset-based designer Belinda Magee.
Ms Magee worked with the Curry Mallet community to create a theme that reflected the "heritage" of the village.
With a population of 306, Curry Mallet is one of the smallest communities involved in the celebrations, and the furthest south west, the council added.
Village events over the anniversary weekend include taking part in a national peal of bells, choral performances, a pageant and a re-enactment of the sealing of Magna Carta.
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One of the smallest communities involved in Magna Carta celebrations has unveiled new signs to mark its 800th anniversary.
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Former Bond actor Sir Roger Moore called Writing's On the Wall "very haunting and wonderfully orchestrated".
But other Twitter users have been less complimentary, with one describing it as the "worst Bond theme ever".
BBC entertainment correspondent Colin Paterson said it was "good enough, but not a classic".
The song, whose full version runs for 4 minutes and 38 seconds, begins with the words: "I've been here before / But always hit the floor."
"I've spent a lifetime running, and I always get away," it continues. "But with you I'm feeling something, that makes we want to stay."
"I think it's a song about a man deciding to quit it all for love," Paterson said of the track on BBC Breakfast, comparing its melody to that of Michael Jackson's 1995 single Earth Song.
He also suggested it was far superior to Die Another Day, the much-derided song Madonna contributed to the 2002 Bond film of that name.
Comedian David Schneider was not convinced, greeting the song's release with the words: "The name is Bland. James Bland."
Yet fellow comic Omid Djalili was far more effusive, tweeting the song had left him "in a broken heap."
"If you're not moved by this song you don't have a pulse," wrote Djalili, who had a small role in 1999 Bond film The World is Not Enough.
Smith is the first solo male British act to perform a Bond film's theme song since 1964, when Tom Jones was heard over the opening credits of Thunderball.
The last Bond theme, Adele's song for 2012's Skyfall, peaked at number two in the UK singles chart.
No Bond song has ever reached the top of the UK chart, and opinion is divided whether Smith's track will do so.
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber is currently at number one and is expected to remain there when this week's chart is revealed later on Friday.
Smith himself has said he and his songwriting partner, Jimmy Napes, wanted to create a song that was "timelessly classic".
"This isn't about me, about my life," he said in a promotional video for the song. "I just hope people listen to it and think, 'That's Bond'."
The song's title appears to derive from a scene in Spectre, viewed briefly in the film's trailer, in which James Bond's name is found scrawled upon a wall.
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Reactions to Sam Smith's theme song for new James Bond film Spectre vary widely following its unveiling earlier on Nick Grimshaw's Radio 1 breakfast show.
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The 32-year-old who has won 43 caps, the most recent in 2014, began his career at Edinburgh before moving to France in 2014.
"I followed the team's success last year and I'm excited by their ambition and their style of play," he told the club website.
De Luca is the Premiership club's 11th signing ahead of the 2016-17 season.
Director of rugby Dai Young has bolstered Wasps' midfield following the retirements of Andrea Masi, Ben Jacobs and James Downey and injuries to Samoa international Alapati Leiua and Australia's Kurtley Beale.
"We have initially signed Nick on a short-term deal as injury cover," said Young. "But we are not ruling out a longer-term agreement.
"I have only seen and heard good things about Nick in terms of his attitude, ability and application. He has already proven himself as a top professional and an international rugby player."
Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson has been ruled out of contention for the Olympics Games sevens in Rio after dislocating an elbow in training.
Simpson, who was one of a handful of XV-a-side players in the wider Team GB 7s training squad, is still expected to be available for the start of the Premiership season in September.
"We're obviously all really gutted for Joe," said Young. "He was progressing well and pushing hard for a place in the squad and it's desperately unfortunate that he has picked up an injury that will now rule him out.
"On the flip side of that, we're all looking forward to having Joe return to Wasps. He is an influential character and will now be getting his head down to prepare himself for the start of the new season."
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Wasps have signed Scotland centre Nick de Luca on an initial short-term deal from French second-tier club Biarritz.
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Currently, teams in the Super 8s and third-tier Championship Shield carry over points from the regular season.
However, The Qualifiers, often referred to as the Middle 8s, start fresh on zero for their seven matches.
"I would change it. The interest in the Middle 8s is because of the jeopardy," Rule told BBC Radio Merseyside.
Defeat by Catalans Dragons in their Super 8s opener last week leaves Widnes Vikings 10 points adrift of the top four with just six games left in the Super 8s.
"I think after this weekend, realistically, if Saints beat Catalans and Wigan beat Castleford - I'm not saying they will or they won't - that is the top four done.
"So the Super League will be finished two rounds into the format.
"I think that you could create a League Leaders' Shield at the end of 23 rounds and then create a top eight road to Old Trafford, where everyone starts on zero points."
Only the top four teams in Super League after 30 rounds go into the play-offs for a chance to reach the Grand Final.
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Super League clubs chasing a play-off spot should all start on zero points again in the Super 8s competition, says Widnes chief executive James Rule.
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The 21-year-old has been summonsed to court following a fight at Livello in October.
Police said "a large altercation" broke out at the club which resulted in a number of people being arrested.
The Jamaican-born winger, who has made five first-team appearances for the EFL Championship leaders, is due in court on 4 April.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said one man was taken to hospital with facial injuries.
Two other men, aged 21 and 22, and two women aged 23 and 45 have also been summonsed for violent disorder.
Two men, aged 22 and 23, have been summonsed for violent disorder and assault.
All seven have been granted bail.
Aarons, who joined the Magpies in 2012, made his first senior outing during pre-season in July 2014 and scored away at German club Schalke.
He has been unable to play since November as the result of a knee injury.
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Newcastle United winger Rolando Aarons is to face a charge of violent disorder over a bar brawl in the city.
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England's Lauren Winfield (44) and Sri Lanka's Chamari Atapattu (41) survived several dropped chances to put on 72 for Yorkshire's first wicket.
Katherine Brunt and Alice Davidson-Richards accelerated late on to get the hosts to 162-4 from their 20 overs.
Davidson-Richards then took 3-20 as Lancashire were restricted to 134-7.
New Zealand's Amy Satterthwaite top-scored for Thunder with 28 off 26 balls, but the efforts of Katie Levick (3-30) and Davidson-Richards with the ball meant the visitors were always well behind their required run rate.
Yorkshire and Lancashire finished fifth and sixth of the six teams in the inaugural competition last year, both winning only one of their five group games.
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Yorkshire Diamonds made a winning start to the 2017 Women's Super League, easing past Lancashire Thunder by 28 runs in the Roses match at Headingley.
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Seren Bernard, who was in the care of Pembrokeshire council at the time, died in Milford Haven in April 2012.
Coroner Paul Bennett said there had been "communications issues" over her care but found they did not "cause or contribute" to her death.
He recorded a conclusion of suicide.
Mr Bennett said text messages sent by Seren were like a suicide note, and had shown an "unequivocal intention to take her own life".
The inquest heard the teenager was being assisted by social workers, a drug and alcohol worker and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) after an earlier suicide attempt.
Mr Bennett said a social worker's message about her low mood was "not flagged as urgent", an invite for a child protection meeting had been misplaced and CAHMS had not been included on a correspondence list.
However, he found there to be "no causative link" between these issues and the 14-year-old's death.
Organisations involved have been given until the end of next week to submit reports outlining what action they intend to take to address communication issues.
The coroner said he would relate his findings to the relevant authorities.
In a statement, Pembrokeshire County Council said it would "reflect upon all of the issues that have been raised... and consider what lessons can be learned".
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A 14-year-old girl who died while under the care of social services had "intended to kill herself", a coroner has concluded.
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Charlotte Hart, 19, and mother Claire, 50, were killed by father Lance, 57, near the Castle Sports Complex in Spalding, Lincolnshire, on Tuesday.
He then took his own life with the shotgun he used in the killings.
In a statement, police said the "provenance of the weapon used is an active line of enquiry".
Officers also said they could "confirm that the deceased was not a shotgun certificate or firearms licence holder".
Tributes have been paid to Charlotte by her former school.
Spalding High School said the community was "deeply shocked and saddened" to hear of Charlotte's "tragic death".
In a statement on its website, the school said: "Charlotte had many close friends and her polite and caring nature endeared her to all who met her.
"Charlotte was incredibly driven to achieve her dream of studying midwifery at university. Academically, Charlotte excelled and her final grades were a tribute to her hard work and dedication."
The teenager became a midwifery student at Northampton University after leaving Spalding High.
After the shootings police entered the family home in Hatt Close, Moulton, where tributes have been left outside.
One said: "Rest in peace Charlotte and Claire, kind and lovely people who will be missed deeply", while another read: "Claire and Charlotte, two beautiful lives taken too early. Sleep peacefully you lovely girls."
Latest updates on shooting in Spalding
A neighbour, who only gave his name as Peter, said Mr Hart worked as a delivery driver for a builders' merchants.
"Last time I spoke to him, he had put the house on the market because they were hoping to downsize, buy somewhere in the village. He was a very nice guy, he went out of his way to be helpful so it comes as a great shock."
South Holland District Council told the BBC the shooting was believed to be a "domestic incident".
A post-mortem examination is due to take place later.
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The man who shot dead his partner and teenage daughter outside a leisure centre was not a shotgun certificate or firearms licence holder.
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Sister Megan Rice, 84, and two other protesters cut fences and entered the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, facility, which processes and stores uranium.
The other two, Michael Walli and Greg Boertje-Obed, were sentenced to more than five years in prison.
The July 2012 incident prompted security changes at the Y-12 site.
"Please have no leniency with me," Sister Megan told the court at Tuesday's hearing in Knoxville.
"To remain in prison for the rest of my life would be the greatest gift you could give me."
During the trial Sister Megan, from Washington DC, said her only regret was waiting so long to take action.
The peace activists, members of the group Transform Now Plowshares, had initially faced up to 20 years in prison after their conviction last May.
Walli and Boertje-Obed received tougher sentences because they had longer criminal histories.
The trio were also found guilty of causing more than $1,000 (£643) of damage to government property.
After cutting a fence to enter the site, the three walked around, spray-painted graffiti, strung out crime-scene tape and chipped a wall with hammers.
They spent two hours inside.
The trio also sprayed the exterior of the complex with baby bottles containing human blood.
When a guard approached, they offered him food and started singing.
US lawmakers and the Department of Energy later launched an inquiry and uncovered "troubling displays of ineptitude" at the facility.
Top officials were reassigned, including at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
WSI, the company providing security at the site, was dismissed and other officers were sacked, demoted or suspended.
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An elderly Catholic nun has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for damage caused while breaking into a US nuclear defence site.
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The 34-year-old from Sheffield crashed in an area known as Joey's Corner on the final lap of the Superstock race.
Clerk of the TT course Gary Thompson said: "Karl's infectious enthusiasm and sense of humour lit up many race meetings.
"He was a hugely talented racer and will be sorely missed."
He is the second racer to die at this year's event after Bob Price lost his life in Monday's Supersport opener.
MotoGP star Cal Crutchlow said on Twitter: "Really sad to hear Karl Harris passed away at the TT. One of most natural talented riders I ever raced against. Great guy too."
Formula 1 driver Jenson Button tweeted: "Another legend lost to the Isle of Man TT. My thoughts are with all of Karl 'Bomber' Harris's family and friends at this difficult time."
World Superbike rider Jonathan Rea said on Twitter: "Terrible hearing that Karl Harris has died. A great guy who'll be remembered as one of the most naturally gifted on a motorcycle!"
Former MotoGP star and BBC commentator Steve Parish tweeted: "Really sad to lose a mate, Karl 'Bomber' Harris today. Chasing his passion. RIP. My thoughts are with his family."
Isle of Man TT star Conor Cummins said he was an "unbelievable rider and a top bloke".
Seven-time world champion Carl Fogarty said he was "gutted beyond words".
Organisers said the coroner of inquests had been informed and an investigation was under way.
Harris made his debut at the Isle of Man event in 2012, finishing 21st in the Superbike race and 28th in the Superstock race, lapping in excess of 121mph.
A spokesman for organisers ACU said: "The ACU wishes to pass on their deepest sympathy to Karl's family and friends."
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Tributes have been paid to the three-time British Supersport champion, Karl Harris, who died while riding in the Isle of Man TT on Tuesday.
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The 25-year-old missed United's defeat at Brentford on Tuesday, but is yet to find out the length of his suspension.
The incident, which was not seen by the match officials, occurred in the 75th minute of Saturday's Championship match, which Reading won 1-0.
"We spoke to Liam and decided together to plead guilty for the recklessness of it," said Leeds boss Garry Monk.
"But 100% not for any intent - Liam's not that type of lad, we know that, and he's very clear on that as well."
Centre-back Cooper could face a longer ban than the standard three matches, the Football Association said.
A panel of three former top-level referees reviewed the video footage to determine whether Cooper committed an act of violent conduct.
The FA said it had submitted a claim that the usual three-match ban was "clearly insufficient".
Monk added to BBC Radio Leeds: "We'll have to see what it [the ban] is and then understand it and take it from there."
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Leeds defender Liam Cooper has admitted an FA charge of violent conduct after a "stamp" on Reading's Reece Oxford.
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Passengers were initially trapped when a carriage tipped on to its side at the station in Lucerne.
The incident occurred at about 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) said.
There were 160 passengers on board the train, owned by Italian operator Trenitalia, which was travelling to Basel from Milan, Italy.
The fourth carriage of the train struck a power cable when it derailed, delaying rescue efforts, a spokesman for Lucerne police, Urs Wigger, said.
Lucerne police said the passengers were evacuated and at least three people required treatment and were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Services in and out of the station were suspended for the rest of the day, SBB said.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear.
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At least three people were injured when a train derailed while pulling out of a station in Switzerland, officials said.
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Karl Stoddart, 29, was on a jury hearing a case at Newcastle Crown Court in July 2014 when he researched the defendant's previous convictions.
He said he did not tell his fellow jurors until after they had all agreed on their verdict of guilty.
The part-time chef from Gateshead accepted he was in contempt of court.
He was given a sentence of four months in jail suspended for 12 months and he was ordered to pay £1,000 costs within three months.
After the matter came to light, the defendant's conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal and a retrial was ordered, although it did not take place.
Mr Stoddart, of Swalwell, Gateshead, said he was ashamed of his stupidity and said the proceedings had hung over him like a "living nightmare".
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A juror who carried out internet research during a trial has been given a suspended jail sentence at London's High Court.
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The British astrophysicist amassed two million followers within hours of launching his account on Tuesday.
His first message was a greeting to his "friends in China" posted in both English and Chinese.
Some Weibo users were comparing the experience of interacting with Prof Hawking online to making contact with the universe.
Hawking backs interstellar travel project
Hawking: Humans at risk of lethal 'own goal'
A brief history of Stephen Hawking
More than 230 million people use Sina Weibo, China's biggest social media platform, every month.
A growing number of international figures who have joined Weibo in recent years to connect to a Chinese audience.
Prof Hawking's second post, on Wednesday, described the interstellar project Breakthrough Starshot which he is backing, saying it was "exciting to be involved in such an ambitious project".
Both posts were quickly flooded with excited comments expressing admiration and awe.
One wrote: "I'm writing this comment, even though you probably won't read it and understand it, so that it will at least flash on your phone for a second... This fragile connection is like using my fingers to gently touch the universe."
"Since I was a child I would always cite you in my school essays, you are an example for all of us!" said one commenter, while another wrote: "OMG, you have pulled up the average IQ of all the users on Weibo."
Others urged fellow netizens to be on their best behaviour around him.
"I hope there won't be any idiots who ask the professor brainless questions, please do not take him as a joke, and do not shame us Chinese people," said a commenter.
Still others peppered him with questions on the existence of aliens and quantum physics.
Prof Hawking has enjoyed a substantial following in China, with a Xinhua article on his last visit in 2006 noting he has "a cult status among Chinese youngsters much like that of Tom Cruise".
"The appeal of Hawking largely comes from his ability to be a great thinker despite his physical challenges," it said.
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Chinese netizens have given a warm welcome to Prof Stephen Hawking after he joined microblog network Sina Weibo.
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After a draw against Argentina and loss to the Netherlands, GB needed a win to retain realistic gold medal prospects but conceded within the first minute.
Stacey Michelsen capitalised on slack defending before defender Crista Cullen left on crutches with a leg injury.
"We're gutted about the result," forward Sophie Bray told BBC Sport.
"We created the chances and just couldn't put them away, but ultimately you probably learn more from a loss."
Having faced the two strongest teams in the tournament already in Argentina and Netherlands, GB were hoping to secure their first win at the 2016 Champions Trophy campaign against the world number four side.
However, despite the best efforts of Bray, Lily Owsley and Susannah Townsend, GB could not find a way past New Zealand keeper Kayla Whitelock.
Britain need to win their remaining two matches and hope for an unlikely sequence of results between the other five nations to go in their favour in order to reach Sunday's gold medal final.
A more realistic aim is the bronze medal match, which would be achieved by defeating both USA on Thursday and Australia on Saturday.
GB head coach Danny Kerry told BBC Sport: "I actually thought we played well for three quarters today and they need to be tournament resilient and not be too down."
Kerry said it was "too early to say" how serious Cullen's injury is, but with the Olympic team due to be revealed in just a week's time, it will be a concern.
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Britain's hopes of a first women's Champions Trophy title look over after a disappointing 1-0 defeat by New Zealand in London.
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According to reports, South Korea sports minister Do Jong-hwan said North Korea could host some skiing events.
He also said the countries may enter a combined ice hockey team.
"We are happy to discuss his ideas. The Olympic movement is always about building bridges, never about erecting walls," said an IOC spokesperson.
"We are looking at the comments of the new minister of sport, culture and tourism with great interest."
The Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, will take place from 9-25 February.
In comments reported by the Korea Herald, Do suggested the North and South could enter one women's ice hockey team, helping to make Pyeongchang a "peace Olympics".
He said he would discuss co-hosting at the Masikryong ski resort with Jang Woong, North Korea's delegate to the IOC.
Earlier this month, South Korea's new president Moon Jae-in said North Korea could be part of a bid to co-host the 2030 football World Cup across north-east Asia.
Moon, the son of refugees from North Korea, advocates greater dialogue with their neighbours.
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Proposed collaboration between North and South Korea at the 2018 Winter Olympics has been welcomed by the International Olympic Committee.
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Members of the Unite union at Hunslet Park and Bramley are to strike from 02:00 BST.
FirstLeeds said all Leeds routes would be affected "to some degree" but the park and ride service would run.
First buses from depots in Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax will not be affected.
Live updates on this story and others from West Yorkshire
The company said the rejected offer would have delivered a pay increase of more than 3% in a one-year deal.
But the offer was rejected by members of the Unite union at Hunslet Park and Bramley at a meeting on Thursday.
The two sides had met with the conciliatory service ACAS on Wednesday.
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A 24-hour bus strike in Leeds will start on Monday after union members voted to reject a pay offer from FirstLeeds.
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They were called out to the Shortridge building on the Lochside Industrial Estate shortly after 04:00 on Wednesday.
They managed to save the main factory building from being destroyed but it still caused considerable damage to the premises.
A spokesman said six engines were in attendance and confirmed there were no casualties.
Police have appealed for anyone who was in the industrial estate overnight to contact them.
Sgt Amy Ritchie said: "We are currently carrying out inquiries into the cause of this serious fire and a joint investigation will take place today between the fire and rescue service and Police Scotland.
"No-one was injured in this incident, however, the damage is extensive."
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Fire crews have tackled a major blaze at an industrial laundry in Dumfries.
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Wing Commander Nicholas Gatonby told Mold Crown Court a light was repeatedly shone from the ground at a jet near RAF Valley on Anglesey.
He said it "obliterated" their ability to see anything from the jet.
John Arthur Jones, 66, of Bodffordd, Anglesey, denies 13 charges of endangering aircraft between November 2013 and September 2014.
Mr Gatonby, the former commanding officer of 208 Squadron at RAF Valley, said he was instructing a pilot in December 2013 on how to carry out a "touch and go" landing where the jet would be on the ground for four to five seconds before accelerating off again.
He said jets slowed from 400mph (643km/h) to 120-140mph (193-225km/h) for the touchdown at RAF Mona, a relief landing strip close to Mr Jones's house.
During his approach "there was a very bright light shining from the ground on to the aircraft," he said.
He told his student not to look, hoping it was a temporary flash, but said the light stayed on the aircraft for 15 or 20 seconds.
"Because it was a very bright light in our eyes it destroyed our night vision completely," he told the court.
The landing was abandoned, but when they returned 15 to 20 minutes later "the light illuminated us again from the same position," he said.
They did a "go around" again but the light shone on them three or four times. He decided it was too dangerous to stay there and they flew off.
Mr Gatonby said as the light had been shone at them so many times, he could narrow down the location of the light with quite a degree of accuracy and it was from an area near the Cefni Reservoir.
The trial continues.
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A senior RAF officer said a bright light being shone at Hawk jets made it "too dangerous" to land them.
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Palmer, 25, has five goals from 23 games this term, scoring against Luton in his side's 2-1 defeat in October.
Arsenal keeper Macey, 22, made four appearances for Accrington Stanley on loan last season.
Moore, 22, has joined from Reading, where he has yet to play for the first team since coming through the ranks.
He made two appearances for their Under-21s in this season's EFL Trophy, conceding six goals, and also featured in four League One games on loan at Peterborough last season.
The two keepers come in after Christian Walton was recalled from his loan spell at Kenilworth Road by parent club Brighton.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.
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Luton Town have signed Leyton Orient striker Ollie Palmer and goalkeepers Stuart Moore and Matt Macey on loan until the end of the season.
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Police said extra officers are on patrol in the People's Park in Ashington, Northumberland, after the victim was targeted on Wednesday.
Her attacker was in his late 20s, around 5ft 6ins tall, with very short, dark hair. He was wearing a dark tracksuit and blue Nike Air trainers.
Anyone who was in the park around 18:00 BST is urged to call police.
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A 16-year-old girl was grabbed from behind and raped as she walked through a park.
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No-one was injured in the incident in the Bucksburn area of the city on Saturday evening.
A Police Scotland spokesman said the children involved had been identified.
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An alleged attempt by children to set fire to an eight-year-old boy's clothing in Aberdeen is being investigated by police.
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Artefacts buried alongside the Viking in his boat found in Ardnamurchan suggest he was a high-ranking warrior.
In a report published by Antiquity, archaeologists describe the finds including a sword, spearhead and 213 of the boat's rivets.
The weapons indicate the burial of "a warrior of high status".
Archaeologists, including Dr Oliver Harris of the University of Leicester, first revealed the discovery at Swordle Bay in 2011.
Since then experts have been studying the burial site and its "rich assemblage of grave goods".
Among them were a single copper alloy ringed pin, thought to have been used to fasten a burial cloak or shroud, a broad bladed axe, a shield boss and whetstone made from rock found in Norway.
Also found were mineralised remains of textiles and wood.
The burial, close to a Neolithic burial cairn, dates back to the 10th Century.
In the report, the archaeologists said: "The Ardnamurchan boat burial represents the first excavation of an intact Viking boat burial by archaeologists on the UK mainland, and it makes a significant addition to our knowledge of burial practices from this period."
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The excavation of a rare, intact Viking boat burial in western Scotland has been set out in detail for the first time.
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Thomson Airways flights from Manchester to Florida, USA, and from Glasgow to Cancun in Mexico, took off as scheduled at 09:40 BST.
Boeing, which produces the planes made of carbon fibre and plastic, claims it is the world's most efficient aircraft.
Thomson had planned to use the 787s from May, but all 50 were grounded in January over faulty batteries.
Singer Alesha Dixon greeted passengers arriving at Manchester Airport on Monday.
Chris Browne, managing director of Thomson Airways said the introduction of the "revolutionary" aircraft was a "major milestone" for operators.
Each aircraft can carry up to 291 passengers and fly as high as 38,000ft (11,500m).
Boeing claims the combination of lightweight materials and new engines from General Electric and Rolls Royce means that the Dreamliner is 20% more fuel efficient than equivalent aircrafts in use and also 60% quieter.
The firm had originally hoped the plane would go into commercial service in 2008, but it has been dogged by production difficulties.
Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways operated the first commercial flight in October 2011.
Boeing's worldwide fleet of Dreamliners were grounded and deliveries halted for three months, however, after a battery on an All Nippon Airlines 787 caught fire and a malfunction forced another flight to make an emergency landing.
Flights using the aircrafts were reintroduced in April after new batteries were fitted.
Thomson Airways are planning to take delivery of eight 787s in total.
British Airways has taken delivery of the first two of 42 Dreamliners ordered over the next 10 years and Virgin Atlantic is scheduled to get the first of its 16 Dreamliners in September 2014.
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The first long-haul flights from the UK using the troubled 787 Dreamliner aircraft have taken off.
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Mourne Mountain Rescue Team were called at 13:35 GMT after emergency services were unable to locate the woman in Tollymore Forest, near Newcastle.
An Irish coastguard helicopter was called in due to the nature of the woman's injuries and her location.
She was treated for head, neck and back injuries.
More than 20 people from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, the police and coastguard and forest service staff assisted in the rescue operation.
Mourne Mountain Rescue Team posted details of the rescue on its Facebook page on Sunday.
Nine-year-old Matthew McArdle from Newry took photos of the rescue operation.
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A woman is recovering after she was airlifted to Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, following a horse riding accident on Sunday.
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There's an intriguing aspect to the general election results in the Midlands that puzzled me.
It's the striking contrast in the swings between Labour and the Conservatives.
David Cameron and his campaign strategists knew they were home and dry when Nuneaton was the first Midlands marginal to declare.
It was not only a Tory hold but a swing to the Conservatives from Labour of 3%.
I was in the Nottingham suburb of Beeston awaiting the result of the Broxtowe count. Would its high profile Conservative MP Anna Soubry survive a red surge?
Nuneaton set the pattern.
Across the Midlands, both east and west, there was a uniform swing of between three and four per cent to the Tories - Warwickshire North 3%, Amber Valley 4%, Derbyshire South 4% and Sherwood 4%.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan topped the Tory swingometer in the Midlands marginals with 5% in Loughborough.
Yet in the big cities, it was a very different story.
The swing went to Labour.
So in Nottingham East they enjoyed a 6% swing, Nottingham South 5.8%, Leicester South 7.3%, Leicester West 5%, Birmingham Hall Green 12%, Birmingham Hodge Hill 8%.
If swings to Labour on this scale had gone beyond the city ring road roundabouts and into the suburbs, Ed Miliband would have become prime minister by now.
In confidence, one senior Labour insider in Nottingham told me its success in the city wards was down to organisation, experience and its teams of activists.
"We won the ground war. If Nottingham's city boundaries were extended into Sherwood and Broxtowe, we would have won those constituencies as well," he told me.
Labour leadership candidate, Leicester West's Liz Kendall has identified her party's problem beyond the ring road roundabout.
It's about reaching out to Middle England.
"We need to show people that we understand their aspirations and ambitions for the future," she told the Sunday Times.
The problem for Labour was that Middle England was not interested in what the party offered…and still isn't.
The Cameron brand worked its magic in those Midlands marginals... it'll take something or someone special to break up that ballot box relationship.
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If election manifesto claims are all about smoke and mirrors, should we now add swings and roundabouts to the political metaphor?
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The incidents took place in separate incidents in 2009 and 2012 in Wollongong, New South Wales when the girls were each about seven years old.
A man, Shabbir Mohammedbhai Vaziri, was found guilty of covering up the acts.
FGM is when a girl's genitals are partly or wholly removed for non-medical reasons.
It usually carried out for a number of cultural, religious and social reasons, and is associated with ideals of femininity and modesty in some societies.
The women, who cannot been named, belong to a Muslim sect. One is the girls' mother, the other a 72-year-old former nurse.
The court heard they had cut the genitals of the two young girls in ceremonies known as "khatna".
Vaziri, a leader of the sect, was accused of ordering members to tell police they did not practice FGM.
The three were released ahead of sentencing in February. They could face up to seven years in jail.
FGM has been illegal in Australia for 20 years, but the case marked the first time such offences had come to trial, according to the Australian Associated Press.
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An Australian court has found two women guilty of carrying out female genital mutilation (FGM) on two young girls, in the country's first such conviction.
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Peter MacDonald and JP McGovern had been in interim charge at Broadwood since March, following the resignation of Barry Ferguson.
The pair kept the struggling Bully Wee in Scottish League Two.
But while both applied to manage Clyde on a permanent basis, ex-Albion Rovers striker Chapman, 51, was chosen to lead the club forward.
The new boss won numerous domestic honours with Kilmarnock Ladies in his first managerial role, and later guided Dumbarton to the League Two title.
Chapman leaves fellow League Two side Annan after a third-placed finish this season, and a play-off semi-final defeat by Forfar Athletic.
He also led the club to a famous Scottish Cup victory over Premiership side Hamilton Academical in January 2016.
"The board has just completed a rigorous appointment process and Jim was one of a most impressive list of candidates interested in the post," Clyde chairman Norrie Innes said in a statement.
"Over the years, Jim has contributed a lot to the game and sport in general and this has largely been within the environment of the very demanding lower leagues. He now has the appetite for a fresh challenge.
"Jim has left Annan Athletic - and the many good people at a fine club - to help Clyde progress to a higher level. He demonstrated a very strong desire to join Clyde and this was very important to us.
"I would also like to thank all those who applied for the position, especially Peter MacDonald and Jon Paul McGovern who both have very real qualities that will serve them well in the future."
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Clyde have appointed Annan Athletic boss Jim Chapman manager on a two-year deal.
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The company has said the Kingswood campus, which employs 1,700 people, could close in 2017 - years before the lease runs out in 2025.
It said the "vast majority" of the jobs will be transferred to its Hove and Cardiff offices.
But the Unite union said it would not be possible for members to relocate.
"There will be a minimum of 250 job losses, but we think it will be much higher than that," said regional officer Ian Methven.
"Their partners will have jobs and their children will be going to local schools so the idea that these people can just relocate to other parts of the country is a bit ridiculous.
"There is not enough space at the Hove site to transfer hundreds of jobs and it is highly unlikely that several hundred people are going to uproot and go to Cardiff."
The Kingswood campus is set in 50 acres of countryside and has a sports hall, staff gym, swimming pool and tennis courts.
Mr Methven said it was unclear which jobs would go first, but some staff would be affected within six months.
"A lot of these people are highly skilled," he said.
"They are key people within the pensions industry and those skills are going to be lost.
"This could have a knock-on effect on the ability of L&G to provide services for their customers."
The company said it had started consultations with Unite.
"The Kingswood office lease is up for renewal, and therefore it is sensible to see if the work cannot be done in our other offices, in a way that could benefit our customers," it said in a statement.
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Hundreds of people will lose their jobs if insurance company Legal and General goes ahead with plans to close its Surrey office, a union claims.
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Prices rose by 5.5% - compared with a 9.6% rise in the year to March - the slowest annual price growth since December 2013, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
"The pace of annual house price growth fell across the majority of the UK in April 2015," the ONS said.
Prices in London rose 4.3%, the lowest growth rate in two-and-a-half years.
"If, as this report suggests, the extent of the drop-off in annual prices between March and April is due to the price slowdown in London, this underlines quite powerfully the extent to which the capital can skew the UK average," said Jonathan Samuels, chief executive of Dragonfly Property Finance.
"But while annual London prices fell below the UK average for the first time in nine years in April, I wouldn't expect them to stay there for long."
Last week, a survey published by property services group LSL suggested that house prices in the smartest parts of London have fallen by up to 22% since last autumn.
In the year to April, Northern Ireland saw house prices increase at the fastest pace in the UK, rising 8.8%. Prices in England were up 5.8%, in Scotland 2.2% and in Wales 1.3%.
On a monthly basis, UK prices fell by 1.3% from March, with the average house price standing at £271,000.
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UK house price growth eased in the year to April, partly due to a slowdown in London, official figures have shown.
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About 300 people gathered over the weekend near the theatre in the south-western city to protest against the government's "chaotic" asylum policy.
But speakers were interrupted by the theatre staff singing "All people will be brothers" from the symphony.
Police say the right to free assembly is guaranteed by the constitution.
They argue that it is therefore a criminal offence to disrupt such events.
Saturday's rally was organised by the country's right-wing Alternative for Germany party.
A counter-demonstration was also staged in the city.
The number of people seeking asylum in Germany this year may be as high as 1.5 million, German media have reported.
The government in Berlin has not confirmed such estimates.
Many of those arriving are refugees fleeing the wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, but there are also many economic migrants from the Balkans, Asia and Africa.
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.
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German police are taking legal action against theatre staff in Mainz for disrupting an anti-migrant rally by singing Beethoven's Ode to Joy.
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Dowds group which specialises in mechanical and electrical services is creating 46 jobs.
The Ballymoney-based firm is being assisted with a £192,000 grant from Invest NI.
Thornton Roofing, a Toome-based firm, plans to add 50 jobs as part of an £8m expansion.
As part of the growth programme, Thorntons plans to expand its facilities at Toomebridge with the addition of a new 1,000 sq m building.
Both firm are targeting growth in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Dowds managing director James Dowds, said: "In addition to Invest NI's contribution, we have committed around £1m to expand our presence in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
"We have secured contracts which will see our turnover increase by 35% for 2016 and we will continue our investment in new talent to build a stronger company and further develop our customer base."
Thornton managing director Stephen Thornton said his company was benefitting from the recovery of the UK's construction sector.
"Whilst we do work in the Republic of Ireland and Britain, from time to time, our core business over the last five decades has been drawn from Northern Ireland latterly in the form of projects like the Waterfront Hall.
"A key element in our growth programme, however, will be securing contracts in England and Scotland."
Official figures suggest the Northern Ireland construction sector finally began to recover in 2015 after a long depression.
Most firms which are growing have done so by winning contracts in England and Scotland.
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Two Northern Ireland construction firms have announced expansion plans that could create almost 100 jobs.
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GrandFest at St Fagans National Museum of History included workshops on quilting, embroidery, bread making and international dance.
It was hosted by "grandmakers", all aged over 70, and aimed to inspire younger people to discover and learn new skills.
The event was organised by the Royal Voluntary Service.
John Gates, 76, from Maesteg, shared his knowledge of embroidery.
He said: "Growing up in Maesteg all the women in our street were skilled needlewomen; everyone knew how to mend and make-do and I remember being fascinated watching at my mother's knee.
"In the 1970s as a collier my interest was renewed when I needed something to fill my time. Fifty years later I have researched and learnt different needlework techniques from around the world."
Dian Carol Smith, 70, a master quilter from Morriston, Swansea, said: "Quilting is very useful and once you understand the techniques, you can create beautiful gifts for anyone."
David McCullough, chief executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said its volunteers and the older people it supports "have a wealth of experiences and skills worth sharing which is why GrandFest was conceived".
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A festival celebrating older people's crafts has taken place in Cardiff in a bid to ensure the skills are not lost.
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A presidential source said Mr Macron's thinking did not "lend itself" to a question and answer session.
The comments, quoted by Le Monde, are likely to be seized on by Mr Macron's critics who portray him as arrogant.
Mr Macron had never stood for election before the presidential race.
The former investment banker has enjoyed a meteoric political rise and his new party, La République en Marche (Republic on the Move), is set to dominate parliament.
Bastille Day, on 14 July, marks the date in 1789 when a mob stormed a prison in Paris, helping to start the French Revolution.
It is a long-standing tradition that the president will be interviewed by the press during the day, but it seems Mr Macron has other ideas.
Le Monde quotes the source as saying that the president did not "baulk" at speaking to the media.
However, "his 'complex thought process' lends itself badly to the game of question-and-answer with journalists", the paper notes.
It is not clear exactly on which subjects Mr Macron felt his thoughts might bamboozle journalists.
Needless to say, the reported remarks brought a strong response on social media.
"Not-making-this-up dept: Macron doesn't do Q&A w/ journalists because his thoughts are much 'too complex'," tweeted Politico writer Pierre Briançon.
"Infatuation with Macron is showing cracks," tweeted Paris-based writer Matthew Fraser.
This year's Bastille Day has already attracted international attention after US President Donald Trump accepted an invitation to attend.
Mr Macron has sharply criticised his US counterpart over his decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord.
Their first meeting on 25 May in Brussels was notable for a handshake which saw them grip each other's hand so firmly that their knuckles turned white.
Mr Macron later said the handshake was "not innocent".
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French President Emmanuel Macron will break with tradition and not give a news conference on Bastille Day because his "complex thoughts" may prove too much for journalists, reports say.
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Police said a man entered the Glasgow Street post office in Ardrossan at about 19:00 on Saturday.
He threatened a 44-year-old female member of staff and demanded money.
The woman was slightly injured but did not require hospital treatment. Police Scotland is appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.
The man is described as around 5ft 8in tall, and wearing a black jacket with the hood up and black workman style boots. He was also carrying a black holdall.
Det Sgt John Deans from Saltcoats CID said: "This was a terrifying experience for the woman working in the post office and enquiries are ongoing to trace the person responsible.
"Glasgow Street would have been busy around the time of the incident and I would like to speak to anyone who saw a man matching the above description or anything else suspicious."
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A robber who threatened a post office worker during a raid in North Ayrshire made off with at least £10,000 in cash.
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The RSPCA said the three-feet-long (1m) female snake was probably abandoned by its owner.
Kim Greaves, who is a reptile expert for the animal welfare charity, said the snake would not be able to survive in the wild.
She said the RSPCA would prosecute the person who dumped the snake if they were found.
Ms Greaves said the problem of abandoned animals in the area was "getting absolutely out of hand."
"This is a happy ending for this particular snake," she said.
"But more and more of my colleagues are faced with abandoned animals, not just snakes and reptiles, but rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and cats and dogs.
"It is a sign of the times, I'm afraid,"
The non-venomous royal python is found in Africa and survives on a diet of rodents.
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A man walking his dog has discovered a royal python on the banks of a canal in Doncaster.
| 2.441226 | 2 |
Graves suggested in March that the batsman, sacked by England in 2014, could return with good county form.
But new ECB director of cricket Andrew Strauss said he would not be selected over "trust" issues, with Pietersen describing the decision as "deceitful".
Graves insists he "did not make any promises" to the 34-year-old.
He added in a statement: "Kevin was told on Monday and I completely support the decision that was taken. He may not have liked what he heard but it allowed him to look at his opportunities.
"Despite everything, he can work with us to rebuild the relationship and make a further contribution to English cricket. It was important he knew where he stood."
In the statement, Graves also said:
Strauss offered Pietersen a role as an advisor on a board to improve the one-day side, which was turned down.
Pietersen's omission has divided opinion, particularly after he scored an unbeaten 355 for Surrey against Leicestershire earlier this week.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Pietersen said he had been "misled" by the ECB.
"I just find it incredibly deceitful what has happened to me," he said. "I am angry and hurt but right now there is nothing I can do about it."
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme in early March, Graves refused to rule out a recall for Pietersen but said selectors and coaches would make any final decision.
Graves later told the Telegraph that the selectors "can't ignore" Pietersen if he "scores a lot of runs" for a county side.
"Forget personalities," he added. "Selectors pick the best players in form, taking wickets and scoring runs. That is their job."
Meanwhile, Angus Porter, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, said he has had no recent contact with Pietersen or his advisors.
He hopes England's players will be allowed to ignore the saga and focus on the upcoming series against New Zealand and Australia.
"The policy on Pietersen is a matter for the ECB board," Porter told BBC Sport. "The current England players are getting put in a really difficult position every time they are asked for their views.
"It is nothing to do with the players. Managers manage and the players play. You just hope that the team will be given every support during what will be a very challenging summer ahead."
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New England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves says he did not mislead Kevin Pietersen over a potential recall to the England side.
| 0.936413 | 1 |
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